<![CDATA[All Saints' Episcopal Church - Rector\'s Blog]]>Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:49:08 -0800Weebly<![CDATA[Breaking Bread Together]]>Mon, 10 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMThttp://allsaints-spnj.org/rectors-blog/breaking-bread-togetherPicture
We're about to begin our Tuesday Summer Suppers here at All Saints'! Starting this Tuesday the 11th at 7 pm, everyone is invited to come with some food to share (along with friends, family, a favorite game...) and enjoy our time together.

One of our dear church family members was talking about our Sunday Coffee Hour just the other day--she just loves it and helps out with it each week, and her observation was that Jesus spent a LOT of time eating with folks! Sometimes he miraculously provided for the crowds, sometimes it was a special dinner to which he was invited, and the most remarkable meal, of course, was when he sat with his friends on the night before he died, blessing and sharing the bread and the wine, that all of us might do the same in remembrance of him.

Eating is something we all must do, and isn't it lovely when we can make it a shared and loving experience? If you're new here, this is a great opportunity to get to know us in a relaxed (and delicious!) environment. And if you've been here a while, it's a great opportunity to deepen your relationships with us and with the God who feeds us in every way. See you Tuesday night!

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]]><![CDATA[What is Centering Prayer?]]>Wed, 05 Jul 2023 13:31:33 GMThttp://allsaints-spnj.org/rectors-blog/what-is-centering-prayerPicture
Recently, All Saints' has started a regular Centering Prayer service on the first Wednesday of each month. So what IS Centering Prayer, anyway?

Centering Prayer is a way of using silent and/or guided meditation to pray, contemplate how God is working in your life, and deeply connect yourself to God's Holy Spirit at work. It can take lots of different forms and practices...so how do we do it at All Saints'?

We usually start by getting quiet and comfortable, adjusting to the silence and peace of our church. We have the lights low, with candles burning to help our focus (especially for those who might fall asleep if our eyes are closed!) and some simple icons and paintings to pray with. 

Our guided meditations are similar to a Lectio Divina practice--divine readings--in which a short passage of Scripture is read three times, and we're invited to hear it in a few different ways after each reading.

Then we simply have a silent time of contemplation--to focus again on the reading we've heard, to lift up ourselves and others in prayer, or to "be still and know that God is God." As we learn to shut out the noise from the outside world and practice this silent connection with God, we begin to hear God's voice more and more.

​We hope you can join us for this time of prayer. As always at All Saints', everyone is welcome!
]]><![CDATA[Welcome!]]>Fri, 30 Jun 2023 19:51:14 GMThttp://allsaints-spnj.org/rectors-blog/welcomeDear Friends,

​While our Facebook page is FULL of great information, our online services, and event information, we want to make sure you get the whole story! Each of our Facebook posts will link back to this blog so that you can get more photos, a more detailed article about our events and activities, and special features about our parish family. We hope you like this new way to find out more about all of the wonderful things that All Saints' is doing in our community! Stay tuned...

Susanna+
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