A Message from the Rector

The Rev. Marisa Thompson

I recently spoke at a leadership seminar for female Episcopal clergy. During the final panel session, one of the participants stood up and asked why there were so few women of color in attendance. It felt like the entire room of heads swiveled from the moderator to the dais where two of the ten of us had spoken about the intersectionality of being both a woman and a person who identifies as not fully “white” in the church. My immediate reaction was to feel guilty for not reaching out to my Latina network. That guilt, however, turned to shock as the moderator told us they considered intentionally inviting women of color and then decided that it would be too difficult to bring that dynamic into the conversation. I could not decide if I was grateful to be “white enough” to be included or angry that my tribe was considered and dismissed as being too difficult. On my mind this season is the issue of identity. It is swirling around everything. Every time I turn on the news – radio, tv, or internet - it feels like people are proclaiming an unyielding identity and allegiance to a political party. I was recently asked if I was really a liberal or a conservative. Comments about my family make me consider my identity as a parent and a spouse. Working on ecumenical and interfaith discussions, I am drawn to the question of who we are as The Episcopal Church. People use bumper stickers, Facebook memes, college sweatshirts, and more to proclaim their identity to the world. The question that lurks in my mind is, where does God fit in? Is being Christian the basis of identity or an “add-on”? With so much information and so many issues, we are living in a time where we are often forced to be reactive rather than proactive in our decision making and actions. This time calls us to be firm in our identity as people of faith and let our faith guide us to right words and action. Part of that work is recognizing the foundation on which we build our faith as essential to our identity. As we enter the holiday season and the start of a new year, may we hold firm in our identity as a beloved child of God, worthy of love and called to love and lift all God’s people in this world. And with that as our guide, may we be beacons of light and hope in a world that desperately needs it. In Peace, Marisa+

Advent 2019

2

From the Assistant Rector

This autumn here has been a busy one! It has been a great joy for me to lead my first

“First Communion” class, and likewise a joy and an honor to be leading two different

confirmation groups.

The launch of our Concerts@AllSaints, Movies@AllSaints, and Arts@AllSaints series of

events have been fantastic—and be sure to stay after the 10:30 December 22 service

for make-your-own pizza and our final movie of 2019, The Muppet Christmas Carol.

Last but certainly not least, I need to thank all of the dedicated and faithful people who make up our youth

Sunday School team. You can meet some of them below—over the next few issues you’ll get to meet them

all.

Blessings and peace,

Keith+

Erin Beiriger is a Spanish

teacher at Millard South High

School. She and her husband

Matt have two children, Evan

(9) and Charlotte (6). She

loves traveling, reading,

cooking, and spending time

with family.

Dan Edwards and his wife

Jodie have three sons: Luke

(24), Brayden (11), and Rhys

(9). Dan is a retired Air Force

officer, and now works as a

contractor at Offutt Air Force

Base. He enjoys coaching

baseball in the summer, and

telling "dad jokes" in all

seasons.

Kailyn Watson and her

husband, J.T., have two kids:

Macy (6) and Brooks (4). She

works in Corporate

Communications at Mutual of

Omaha and loves Husker

football, running, and

photography.

Nicole Payne is a Senior

Financial Analyst at

Creighton University. She

and her husband Matt have

three children: Alex (18),

Maddie (16) and Emme

(11). She is a huge Nebraska

football and Creighton

basketball fan.

Jodie Edwards is married to

Dan and they have three sons,

Luke, Brayden, and Rhys. She

loves to spend her free time

volunteering at the boy’s

school; reading; crafting; and

enjoying time with her family.

(Fr. Keith—Jodie is also the

artistic wizard behind our VBS

and other decorations!)

Cassie Arneson and her

husband, Eric, have two kids-

Libby (14) and Ben (10).

Cassie is a member of the

Vestry, and when she’s not

carpooling kids or

volunteering at school, she

enjoys reading, needlepoint

and cooking.

Meet the Sunday School Teachers (round 1)

Laurie Hamilton works in

Corporate relocation. She has

3 daughters and 3 grandkids.

She loves working with kids

and youth.

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Clergy

I am writing this article after our wonderful, joyous celebration of All Saints

Sunday. I think the beautiful music, the sacred celebration of First Communion

and the feeling of community that came from that day has stayed with me through

this week. ‘All the Saints’ leads me to think about the older members of our

congregation – people who have been faithful members of our church for (some of

them) fifty or more years. As the Pastoral Associate, I am honored to visit these

people and privileged to talk with the Ministers of Care who visit them regularly.

Are you aware that we have two members who will be celebrating their 100th

birthdays this year? (God willing). The two members are Zella Grant and Betty

Canedy. They live in different facilities, but they have known each other for years.

They sometimes ask me to carry messages back and forth between them because

they still remember the years they worked together as members of the Altar Guild

and as ECW members and various other occasions such as funerals and weddings.

They have not seen each other for maybe twenty or thirty years, but they

remember! We have many ‘Saints of God’ that represent the community that we

know as All Saints today. When I talk with our shut-ins, I hear so often how much they miss being a part of the

everyday life of the church. As the song – I Sing a Song of the Saints of God – says, they loved their Lord so dear and

his love made them strong. They lived not only in ages past – and they are just folk like me! When you remember

people in your prayers, remember all the Saints that make up our community – ones who love to do Jesus will – and

there’s no reason why we shouldn’t be one too.

So many things have been happening here at All Saints that it is hard to keep up with all of them. What a wonderful time to be a member of this church family. The role of the Deacon is to bring the word of Jesus to the congregation, not through preaching, although we do

some of that, but by actions. We have enjoyed being involved in many of the projects such as the Mobile Food Pantry, the Community Garden, the Elder

Garden, building of the labyrinths, remodeling of the Mustard Seed Café, setting up the Pantry on Blondo, Walk through the Neighborhood, and many other activities. This is really God’s Church. If you have not had a chance to get involved with these or other projects, we feel that you are missing part of what God is asking us to do in His world. There are even more ideas in store for the future of All Saints, be a part of them! Have you attended one of the movies, or concerts at All Saint? They have been quite enjoyable. Lately we have heard a lot about helping the poor and being kind to those in need. That is what Jesus did while he was with us. Now it is time for us to “Do What Jesus Would Do.” Not everybody can do all that is

needed to make this a better world, but each of us can do something and together we will make our world a better place to

live. Get involved and be a real part of the Church at All Saints. You will feel better about yourself and help others to do the same.

Deacon’s

Corner

Deacon Bryan Peterson

A Message from Mother Karen

Deacon Bob Brown

4

Vestry

Junior Warden’s Report

Dan Loring

BEFORE AFTER

The people at All Saints Episcopal Church make me proud to be a member. When starting my journey as Jr. Warden, the tasks to be accomplished seemed overwhelming. It was amazing to witness the number of parishioners who stepped up to help make things happen. With the support of the Vestry, here are just a few examples of what has been done. The Omaha Fire Department conducted a survey that required us to clear the boiler room of all stored items . Nothing can be placed in front of any electrical panel. New outside storage pads were created. The enclosures around the air conditioning units were cleared to prolong the life of that equipment. Project #1 was putting the kitchen back in service. When spring arrives, the Elder Garden will be a beautiful welcome to church goers.

5

Music Ministry

River City Ringers

The River City Ringers will

present their annual holiday

concert featuring Christmas

music arranged for handbell

ensemble. River City Ringers is

comprised of experienced ringers dedicated to presenting handbell music to

audiences around the metro area. Join us for this enjoyable and engaging

concert as part of your holiday celebrations on Saturday, December 21, at

6:00 PM.

Cocoa and Carols

Everyone is encouraged to participate in this

annual All Saints tradition on Sunday,

December 15, from 9:30-10:15 AM!

We will gather around the Christmas tree in the

narthex and sing together our favorite Christmas

carols. Hot cocoa and treats will be offered.

Lessons & Carols The annual Festival of Lessons &

Carols will be presented by the

All Saints choirs. This service

retells the prophecy of the

Messiah and birth of Jesus in nine

Scripture readings, interspersed

with festive choir and handbell

anthems and congregational

Christmas hymns. A reception

will follow in the narthex. Please

join us on Sunday, December 8,

at 4:00 PM.

Youth Choir Trip On October 20, the All Saints Choristers and Exultation Ringers traveled

to Falls City and Nebraska City. We left early in the morning to arrive at

St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Falls City and participate in their worship

service. The Exultation Ringers shared

a prelude and the Choristers sang for

offertory and communion. Following

the worship service and a time of

fellowship with the parishioners of St.

Thomas, we went to Nebraska City for

lunch at Valentino’s. After lunch,

everyone enjoyed time at Arbor Day Farms before heading back to Omaha. All

the participants had a great experience and we hope to do it again! A special thank

you to Dan and Jodie Edwards for serving as chaperones on the trip.

6

Outreach & Fellowship

Angels are Coming! When you take an angel from the YES Angel Tree in the narthex this year, you will help homeless and at-risk youth who are part of the Youth Emergency Services (YES) program. The mission of YES is to provide these youth, ages 12-21, with critically-needed resources to empower them to become self-sufficient. YES serves more than 2,000 young people every year through Street Outreach, an Emergency Shelter, a Transitional Living Program, and a Maternity Home. YES is the only Omaha Metro-based organization that specifically targets its programs to homeless youth. Gifts will help address the following areas of need: Provide Stability: One of the biggest challenges homeless youth face is transportation. Many of the youth rely on public transportation to get to work, appointments, and interviews. Items include: gas cards, bus passes (adult with transfer 30 day pass). Home Sweet Home: These gifts will help YES make the apartments in the Transitional Living and Maternity Home Programs feel more home-y. Youth live in these apartments for up to 18 months. Items include: fleece blankets, comforters, sheet sets (twin and full), laundry baskets, cleaning supplies, grocery store gift cards. Provide Experiences: Youth in the YES programs have gone through a lot. The staff works hard to ensure they stay positive and have the opportunity to experience normal teenage activities. Items include: movie passes, hair salon gift cards such as Great Clips and JC Penney Salon, restaurant gift cards. Baby Essentials: These gifts will be given to the infants and toddlers YES serves throughout the year. Items include: clothing items, baby and toddler toys, hygiene items, onesies, Target gift cards, disposable cameras. Holiday Gifts: The holidays are a hard time for youth to be homeless. Help them have holiday experiences by purchasing gifts that will be distributed to the youth at YES’s annual “Santa’s Workshop” event. Items include: headphones, art supplies, wallets, watches, costume jewelry, journals, lip balm, make-up, leggings, body spray, hoodies. Wish list items that are purchased need to be returned, unwrapped (in the store bag is fine), and placed in the gift box in the narthex by Sunday, December 15. There will be a separate box for gift cards. All gift cards should be for $10 to ensure fairness among the youth. For questions, contact Becky Connors, 402-493-4714, or Tracy Peterson, 402-305-7781.

Community Garden

The All Saints Community Garden had another great year this year. We added a few new members,

and most of the current members returned again. The weather presented many challenges this

summer with flooding rains early and a hot dry July. It was another great year of growing food, faith

and fellowship among the gardeners. We saw more outside people enjoying the produce from the

Community Garden boxes again this year. We will begin planning for next year in January 2020.

Cookies and Conversation Hosts Needed! Each week, cookies and beverages are set out in the narthex after the 10:30 service on Sundays. This is a great ministry opportunity that helps build the All Saints community. If you are interested in getting involved in this fun ministry, please sign up on the sheet in the narthex!

7

Outreach & Fellowship

ST. MARY'S GUILD

St. Mary’s Guild held

their fall rummage

sale on October 25,

and we raised

approximately $1,400

from the sale. It is

always a joy spending

time together and

seeing those familiar

faces shopping with us again. A BIG thank you goes out to

the following people for their help – Gardner and Malia

Rhea for setting up the tables. Craig O’Conner, Kim and

Roy Phillips, and Brian Peterson for helping Tracy move

the donated items from classroom 6 to the undercroft. Bill

Hill and Andy Simpson volunteered once again to be on

hand to help us. Bill

Ricketts, Andy, and

Bill helped us clean

up after the sale and

the Paralyzed Vets of

America picked up the

leftover sale items.

The rummage sale is

always a big job and

we appreciate everyone’s help. Lastly, we want to thank

everyone who generously donated items for the sale.

St. Mary’s enjoyed having Dn. Teresa Houser join

us again at our November 13 meeting. Teresa introduced us

to Magdalene Omaha’s Thistle Lights which is a survivor-

led small business employing women who are survivors of

sex trafficking. Getting into the Christmas Spirit is the

theme of our December 11 meeting and members will be

entertained by the River City Ringers Bit of Bronze. What

a joy to have them join us! After taking January off, we

will meet again on February 12.

UTO FALL GATHERING It is time for our annual fall United Thank Offering (UTO) ingathering. This year it coincides with Thanksgiving, which is great since it helps to remind us of how much we have to be thankful for! UTO is “a personal spiritual discipline of thanksgiving that supports God's mission throughout the world." You can make it your own with your daily Thanksgiving. Please take a box or envelope and make a donation today and throughout the next several weeks. We take coins, dollars and checks. You can return them on December 7-8 into the collection plate or at the UTO table. You will find the boxes, envelopes, and educational materials in the narthex at the UTO table until December 8. If you or your child likes crafts, there are turkey parts at the table for you to turn your UTO box into a turkey. Thank you for your support of this important program!

LADIES NIGHT OUT!

Four evenings a year, the women of the Parish gather in the narthex for dinner and 18 raucous rounds of bunco. Bunco requires no experience, and the evening is guaranteed to provide fun, fellowship, and lots of laughs. We begin at 6:00 PM in the narthex with dinner followed by bunco, and we cap the evening with dessert prior to announcing the night’s big winners!!! Our next fun evening is Monday, February 10. Please watch the bulletin as a reminder to RSVP to Becky Connors at btconnors@cox.net or 402-493-4714 to

help with dinner planning. A donation of $10.00 for the evening is appreciated but not required. Plan to join us in February

as we celebrate and have lots of fun and fellowship.

8

Outreach & Fellowship

GRATEFUL THREADS

Grateful Threads will meet the first Monday in December but will NOT meet in January. After our short break, we’ll resume our usual first Monday of the month in February. We have some new folks coming to join us in this important ministry so come see us, too! The tote bags we make for the New Beginnings project and the winter weather hats and scarfs are much appreciated by recipients. AND we have wonderful fellowship while we stitch. If you plan to come in December, bring the recipe of your favorite dish from Thanksgiving. Contact Ardie Cowman, 402-397-8190, or Sam Brown, 402-213-5191, if you have any questions.

Happy Bookers 2020 Book Selections

The Happy Bookers Book Club celebrated eight years of reading, discussion, friendship, and fellowship at their November

meeting with a celebratory French meal. The book club will reach a milestone in 2020. We will read our book in

August and celebration details are already being planned. If you are interested in joining our lively discussions, join us in

the retreat center at 4:00 PM on the 2nd Thursday of the month. Many of the book club selections are in the All Saints’

library, including books selected for 2020. Look for the hot pink dots! Contact Peggy Girard at mogirard55@gmail.com

with any questions. Book club selections and meeting dates for 2020 are:

January 9 - “The Island of the Sea Women,” Lisa See

February 13 - “24th & Glory,” Dirk Chatelain

March 14 - “The Snow Child,” Eowyn Ivey

April 9 - “This Blessed Earth,” Ted Genoways

May 14 - “A Gentleman in Moscow,” Amor Towles

June 11 - “Where the Crawdads Sing,” Delia Owens

July 9 - “Sea Stories,” Adm. William McRaven

August 13 - “To Kill a Mockingbird,” Harper Lee

September 10 - “Next Year in Havana,” Chanel Cleeton

October 8 - “The End of Your Life Book Club,” Will Schwalbe

November 12 - “Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine,” Gail Honeyman

2020 Stewardship Campaign Recap

Thanks to all who responded and continue to respond to this year’s Stewardship Campaign,

“Many Seeds Have Been Planted.” We had the blessing of the pledges during a beautiful One

Sunday Service on All Saints’ Sunday, and we are grateful as more of your pledges for 2020

continue to trickle in. As of the writing of this article (November 14), we have received 115

pledges for next year, of which 10 are pledges from individuals and families who are new to All

Saints or did not pledge in 2019. We are blessed for this community of support.

For the weekly stewardship messages centered on the “Many Seeds Have Been Planted”

theme, we extend thanks to our authors Bill Anderson (Mobile Food Pantry and “Pantry on

Blondo”), Dan Loring (kitchen, gardens, and grounds work), and Rev. Keith (youth ministry

including Sunday School and Youth Group) for providing inspirational insights into the many works here at All Saints. (If you

missed any of those, let one of your Stewardship Committee members know…we will e-mail them to you).

It is never too late to provide your pledge for 2020. In the coming weeks, we are hopeful to receive additional pledges

in preparation for another year of seed planting at All Saints. Pledges may be mailed in, given to a clergy or Stewardship

Committee member, or simply put in the offering plate during an upcoming service.

Our Budget Committee will meet next on December 11 to continue to refine the 2020 budget. This budget will be

presented to the parish on January 26th during the Annual Meeting. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact

one of your Stewardship Committee members: Mike Roth, Cassie Arneson, or Dan Edwards.

9

Worship & Service

ADVENT HOLDEN EVENING PRAYER

This season of Advent, we will again experience Holden Evening

Prayer and Communion during the 5:00 PM Saturday service time.

If you have never tried this worship setting, please come! The service

of light is a wonderful way to start your week. If you are interested in

leading the worship by singing, please be in touch with Rev. Marisa.

Many of us tend to get caught up in the chaos; give yourself an

opportunity to stop and reflect on the reason for the season.

ONE SUNDAYS AND ANNUAL MEETING We have two OneSundays coming up this season. On December 29, the Sunday after Christmas, we will gather at 10:00 AM for a single service that will feature a number of favorite Christmas hymns and lessons. Then, on Sunday, January 26, we will hold another OneSunday that begins with worship at 10:00 AM. Following communion, we will take a short break and reconvene for the parish annual meeting. Please plan to come as we worship as one and then consider our past, present, and future at All Saints.

The Pantry on Blondo On November 4, The Pantry on Blondo celebrated its first anniversary. Each Monday morning, the food and clothing pantry are open to anyone who comes by. Often there will be 20 or more guests in the span of two hours! The Pantry on Blondo operates from donations from the parish. As you go about your Advent this year, please consider supporting the effort with the reverse Advent calendar on the back of the insert in this month’s Witness. Congratulations and thank you to all who serve, donate, and pray for this mission.

Informational Flyers If you haven’t picked up a flyer from our new information rack in the Narthex, please check it out—and be sure to take the flyer “Communication@AllSaints”, because it has information for signing up for our weekly email newsletter, our social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and our Youth Group text messaging broadcast. The various flyers have information for the more than 60 opportunities for worship, education, music, service, and fellowship at All Saints. They’re great not just for your fridge, but for giving to friends who might be interested in becoming part of our church family. In addition to the flyers, the information table has handouts for any upcoming special events in our Movies, Arts, and Concerts series.

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A Family Advent Litany: Hope, Peace, Joy, Love

We acknowledge the darkness that is within us, and that it permeates the world. God, forgive us. We acknowledge the suffering, tragedy, and pain by which humanity is afflicted, which seems at times to overwhelm us. Draw near to us, O God. We consider the mystery of your ways: that you might choose to send our Savior as an innocent baby and not as a general or a king or a person of wealth and power; as one who humbly accepted suffering and humiliation and called it glory. Our hope is in Jesus Christ, the Messiah. We choose in this moment to focus our attention on HOPE; the hope that Jesus’ return represents: hope for all suffering people, hope for restoration of all that is broken in the world, hope of new life and resurrection. Hope is the light we wish to see by. Grant, O God, that when he comes, Christ may find us waiting in expectation, our souls quieted, our hearts soft and open. We wait in hope for the Lord. In Christ all things are made new, and we look forward to the day our hope is fulfilled, each heart reconciled, and the work of Christ completed in all the earth. Our hope is in Jesus Christ, the Messiah. Amen.

O great God, we are gathered here, your people, seeking out your face and the PEACE that is found in your Presence. Let us dwell always in your presence, and walk in your peace. When humanity opened the door to sin, we were plunged into darkness and despair. But you, loving God, have made peace with us and restored us to grace. For Your infinite mercy and lovingkindness, we thank you. You sent your son Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, into the world as a human to save and heal your children who were lost. We who walked in darkness have seen a great light. Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace! We prepare our hearts now and acknowledge that Christ's work on the cross was the beginning of your kingdom here on earth. Your kingdom is a peaceable kingdom, where lion and lamb may lie down together, where there is neither Jew nor Gentile, slave nor free, male nor female. We are all one in the peace of Christ. May the peace of Christ rule in our hearts, and may we carry the light of peace wherever we go. Amen.

God of heaven and earth, you sent your angels as messengers to your servants, bringing news of comfort and joy, news of your plan to heal a world gone astray...Bringing news of Emmanuel, God-With-Us. To Mary, the angel gave a message of your favor. You chose her to carry and give birth to Jesus, the Son of the Most High. My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior. From now on all generations will call me blessed. To Joseph the angel gave assurance that Mary’s son was from God, and should be named Jesus…Because he would save us from our sins. To shepherds among their flocks, angels brought good news of great joy that will be for all people. A Savior has been born to us; he is the Messiah, the Lord. To kings from the east, a star announced Jesus’ birth. When they saw the star they were joyous, and they travelled and bowed down and worshiped the Christ Child, offering costly gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. We worship the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and lay all our treasures at his feet. You have brought us joy through Your Son, the Messiah. A Savior who is Christ the King. Amen.

Creator God, we celebrate Love, which is from you, and is your very nature. God is love…and where true love is, God is there. You formed the universe out of the void, and breathed life into your creatures, all because of your great love. In you, we live and move and have our being. We exist because of your love. Humanity rejected You. But in your love you made a way to restore us to relationship with yourself. Love made a way. That love is Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ, Immanuel, God-With-Us. Born of a young woman in a stable, laid in a manger, Jesus entered the world in humility and compassion. Jesus lived, was crucified, died, and was resurrected from death, all for love. Love has conquered death.

HOPE

PEACE

JOY

LOVE

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Adult Formation

Christianity & World Religions

January 5-19

Using Adam Hamilton’s book

by the same name, we will

take some time this year to

learn about other world

religions, starting with those

who are a part of the Tri-Faith

initiative in Omaha. Please

join us in the library at 9:30

AM as we learn more out our

neighbors of other faiths.

Education for Ministry

All Saints is looking for those

who may wish to begin an

educational experience that others have found life

changing. It is a four-year journey that can begin with

the commitment of a single year. It is called Education

for Ministry, and we are seeking to form a first-year

group to begin classes in January 2020. For further

details, contact Woody Bradford at 402-344-4000 or

bradford@houghtonbradford.com, or Deacon Bryan

Peterson, bryan.peterson@aciworldwide.com,

402-778-1848.

Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood

Our current weekly Adult Forum is all about Fred Rogers, a man who sought to integrate

his faith with service to children and families on television. For five Sundays, we will

explore what initially inspired him to become the beloved Mr. Rogers on PBS, and about

his theology which can be stated simply as Love Your Neighbor. We will watch the

documentary that was an award winning film and looked at America’s favorite neighbor:

Mr. Fred Rogers. The film and discussions cover such issues as Inclusion and Kindness and Behavior and Goodness

in our world today. Please join us on Sunday mornings at 9:30 AM in the library.

November 24 Mr. Rogers December 1 Mr. Rogers December 8 Mr. Rogers December 15 Cocoa and Carols December 22 Christmas Pageant December 22 Muppet Movie December 29 One Sunday (no formation) January 5 Christianity & World Religions: The Wise Men January 12 Christianity & World Religions: Judaism January 19 Christianity & World Religions: Islam January 26 One Sunday/Annual Meeting (no formation) February 2 How2Charist February 9 How2Charist February 16 How2Charist February 23 How2Charist

Adult Formation Calendar

Spring Lenten Retreat Mark your calendars for the Spring Lenten Retreat. We will again be at the St. Benedict Center in Schuyler, Nebraska. The retreat will start on Friday evening, March 13, 2020, and concludes on Sunday morning, March 15. Watch for more information in January.

Episcopal 101

Are you interested in learning more about the Episcopal Church? Are you an adult or older teen interested in being confirmed when the bishop visits in April? Has it been quite some time since your own confirmation class and you need a refresher? Consider signing up for the Episcopal 101 class that will meet once a week starting in the spring of 2020. Contact the rector if you are interested!

How2Charist February 2—23 “When God finds us, there is always a celebration. In the Eucharist, we gather to celebrate God finding us in Jesus Christ. If you’re feeling lost, when you come to receive Jesus in bread and wine, ask to be found. If you know what it is to have been found by God, when you come to receive Jesus in bread and wine, give thanks – thanks to the one who came looking for you, and found you.” -Br. Geoffrey Tristram, Society of Saint John the Evangelist Episcopalians center much of our worship and theological life around the weekly Eucharist. Join us for this four-part series where we will dive deep into the practice and find thanks in our weekly ritual.

12

Youth Activities

Youth Group Information Youth Group is open to all youth in 7th through

12th grades, Wednesdays, 6:00-7:30 PM during

the school year. Friends are

always welcome!

Contact Charlie Liakos at

cliakos@mtsi.net or Fr. Keith at

the church office 402-393-8612 or

kwinton@allsaintsomaha.org for

more information or to get on the

email list.

BLESSING OF THE ANIMALS

There were blessings, and pet therapy, and treats for

everyone, at this year’s Blessing of the Animals. Cocoa

Puff (left) and “Jack Jack” Piggington (right) got the Most

Photogenic Award.

SAVE THE DATE—CHILI

COOKOFF JANUARY 26!

The All Saints Youth Group will be hosting our

annual Chili Cookoff after church and the annual

meeting, on January 26th. Dig through your recipe

box and find your best

secret recipe to see if

you can unseat last

year’s winners, Craig

O’Connor and Pam

Barsness!

CHRISTMAS

CAROLING

The Youth Group will join our All

Saints Choristers and Dr. Laura

Scow on December 11 for

Christmas carols and cookies at Bickford Retirement

Center. We always have a joyful time visiting at

Bickford—please join in the celebration!

Super Bowl Pizza Sale

The Youth Group will be taking

orders for take-and-bake pizzas on

Sunday January 19 and Sunday

January 26, for delivery at church

on Super Bowl Sunday,

February 2.

Mother Karen, Patrick, Malia, and Zoe having fun at the

pumpkin carving event.

Thanks from Magdalene House

On Sunday, October 20th, the All Saints kids decorated

Halloween cookies and took them, and household

supplies, to the women of Magdalene House Omaha, a

recovery and empowerment center for women.

13

Sunday School

ANNUAL CHRISTMAS

PAGEANT

DECEMBER 22

Rehearsal for all Sunday School children and

youth, for this year’s Christmas Pageant,

An Old-Fashioned Social Media Christmas,

will be Saturday, December 21st from 1:00 to

3:00 PM. Please mark your calendars!

The pageant will be presented during Sunday

School time, 9:30-10:15 AM, on December 22

in the Activity Room downstairs.

Movies@All Saints—The Muppet Chrismas Carol

Be sure to stay on Sunday, December 22 after the annual Christmas Pageant and the 10:30 Service for home-made pizza from the Mustard Seed Café and the next Movie@All Saints! This musical, furry version of the beloved Christmas

classic follows the original story closely. Everyone, young and old, will love this funny and heartwarming film. (It’s Fr. Keith’s favorite version!)

First Communion

Our All Saints Day celebration was extra joyful, with

Ben Arneson, Charlotte Beiriger, Evan Beiriger,

Annabelle Diehl, Milo Krumbach, Ruby Krumbach,

Hanna Liakos, Patrick Thompson, Macy Watson, and

Lilly Evanoff participating in this year’s First

Communion class and with all our young members

assisted the clergy in celebrating the Eucharist at the

10:00 AM service.

I Sing a Song of the Saints of God!

Thanks to all the Sunday School kids who sang the

prelude on All Saints Day, and especially to Dr. Laura

Scow for teaching us all the words and “choralography”

for one of our favorite songs, I Sing a Song of the Saints

of God. Your next chance to hear these superstars will be

the prelude for the 10:30 service on December 22.

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Looking for Youth and Adult Pen Pals!

An Invitation from Hanna Peterson

Hello, All Saints friends! My name is Hanna Peterson, and as some you may know, I recently returned home to Omaha after finishing my two years in the Peace Corps. During those two years, I was a Public Health Volunteer in Mongolia, living in the southeastern part of Mongolia in the Gobi Desert. I was placed in a secondary school (1st-12th grade) for those two years and served as their health and life skills instructor.

While working at my school, I developed a close relationship with one of the English teachers and her students. This teacher is incredibly devoted to giving her students every opportunity to better themselves and their English, and she was a huge inspiration to me. She recently reached out to ask if I could find some Americans who would be willing to become pen pals with her 9th and 11th grade students, and I immediately thought of the lovely people of All Saints.

This would only be a small time commitment, as we’re shooting for one back and forth per month, and the notes should be relatively brief and simple. Writing to Americans will be a great chance for the students to practice their English, and it would also be a great opportunity for some cultural exchange!

If this is something you might be interested in, please reach out to me! You can email me at hpeterson809@gmail.com, contact me be phone at 402-452-6161, or find me at church!

Help for the

Holidays

There are new, holiday-related CareNotes on the Pastoral Care table in the Narthex. Please take one for yourself or to give to someone else, and contact one of the clergy if you’d like to talk to someone because this holiday season is a difficult one.

Hanna with her students in Mongolia

The Pomegranate

Shop

Be sure to visit the Pomegranate shop before and after Sunday services! You’ll find a curated selection of Christian cards, gifts, and décor that are perfect Christmas gifts for young and old. If you’re interested in volunteering at the shop contact Cindy Krogstad at 402-203-3557.

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Potpourri

Do You Want to be an Artist? Soon we will be starting a new calendar year – 2020! And now might be a good time to reconsider how you participate in our Liturgical Celebrations. The Liturgy is somewhat like a work of art; however, we should not only admire it, we should help create and participate in it! What better way than taking a more active role

as a server at our worship services? Might you express yourself as an usher, a chalice bearer, a reader? Perhaps an MC, a greeter or gift bearer? Or maybe you have tech talents that could be used with sight and sound? To volunteer or get more info, contact Vic at office@allsaintsomaha.org and he will get you connected.

All Saints Staff Contacts

The Rev. Marisa Tabizon Thompson, Rector mthompson@allsaintsomaha.org The Rev. Keith Winton, Assistant Rector kwinton@allsaintsomaha.org The Rev. Karen Watson, Pastoral Associate kwatson @allsaintsomaha.org Dr. Laura Scow, Director of Music Ministries lscow@allsaintsomaha.org Vic Culp, Office & Facilities Manager office@allsaintsomaha.org Kathy Kresin, Financial Administrator finance@allsaintsomaha.org Malia & Gardner Rhea, Sextons sexton@allsaintsomaha.org

Altar Flowers It’s time to start building the altar flowers schedule for 2020. Everyone wishing to make a flower donation for 2020 should confirm dates, memorial honorees or celebrations, and any special requests with Vic at office@allsaintsomaha.org. You are always welcome to make a donation on any weekend. Seasonal donations (Easter, Pentecost, and/or Christmas) are encouraged as well. Please remember that proper payment should be made ahead of the scheduled donation date. The church no longer sends flower bills or any other type of payment notification. Donors can drop payment in the church office, collection plate, or mail. The cost remains $35 per week and $15 for one seasonal donation.

October 2019 Financials

YTD Budget YTD Actual

Pledge Income $ 513,500 $ 548,119

Offering Income 31,667 22,546

Endowment Transfers 133,333 133,527

Total Income 678,500 704,192

Expenses 707,295 731,597

Income over Expenses $ (28,795) $ (27,405)

Office Closures

The All Saints office will be closed on the following dates:

November 28-29

December 25-27

January 1

The office will be open 8:30 AM—12:30

PM on December 30-31. We will resume

normal hours on Thursday, January 2.

Happy Holidays to All!

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ALL SAINTS EPISCOPAL CHURCH

9302 BLONDO STREET

OMAHA NE 68134-6036

NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE

PAID OMAHA, NE Permit #374

Advent 2019

WWW.ALLSAINTSOMAHA.ORG