peace through wholeness: weekend of contemplative prayer [january 26-28]

Poet, peacemaker and scholar John Philip Newell returns to All Saints Church with his life-giving message of wholeness, joy and the path to peace through God’s Love and Inclusion. Newell will conclude a weekend dedicated to contemplative prayer and exploring Celtic Spirituality ... join us for an extraordinary opportunity to begin the new year grounded in prayer, reflection and community.

Saturday, January 26: Winter Quiet Day 9:00 a.m.—4:00 p.m.
Come away to a quiet place for reflection, renewal and refreshment. Give yourself the gift of time to unplug, unwind and open up to the power of prayer and meditation in community.

Quiet Day Schedule:

The day begins at 9am with continental breakfast
Labyrinth will be available Sweetland Hall
We will gather in the church for instructions for the day at 9:30
The first session will be from 9:30 – 12noon when we break for lunch (soup and salad)
              Lunch 12 noon – 1pm
The second session begins at 1pm and will end at 3:15 when we all return to the church for closing by 3:45 (Spiritual Directors will concurrently be available from 1-3)

Sunday, January 27:
7:30, 9:00; 11:15 a.m. | Susan Russell preaches “Fully Alive”
5:00 p.m. | Contemplative Eucharist

Monday, January 28:
6:00 - 9:00 p.m. | John Philip Newell

Poet, peacemaker and scholar John Philip Newell returns to All Saints Church with his life-giving message of wholeness, joy and the path to peace through God’s Love and Inclusion. Newell will conclude a weekend dedicated to contemplative prayer and an exploration of Celtic Spirituality -- an extraordinary opportunity to begin the new year grounded in prayer, reflection and community. Join us!

$10 registration requested for the Monday night event. Register on the All Saints website.
For more about John Philip Newell, read Sally Howard's reflection in Saints Alive
For more information contact Ana Camacho:
acamacho@allsaints-pas.org or 626.583.2737

A "Ten Top Moments from 2012 @ASCpas" List

It is almost impossible to sort out THE Top Ten Moments from a year like 2012 @ASCpas, so we've arrived at this list as "a" list of memorable moments. What's on YOUR list?

20 Years of Blessing: 2012 started out in January with a celebration marking the 20th anniversary of the first same-sex blessing at All Saints Church of Mark Benson and Philip Straw in January 1992. The weekend long event was an opportunity to learn from our past as we continue to grow into God’s future – and brought Bishops Gene Robinson and Mary Glasspool to All Saints Church for a truly historic celebration.

Richard Rohr: “The Change That Changes Everything” was the Lent Event that brought Franciscan priest Richard Rohr to All Saints with his message: “Most of us were taught that God would love us if and when we change. In fact, God loves you so that you can change. What empowers change, what makes you desirous of change is the experience of love. It is that inherent experience of love that becomes the engine of change.”

All Saints Master Plan: On Monday, April 16 -- after three hours of public testimony and councilmember deliberation -- the All Saints Master Plan was unanimously approved by the Pasadena City Council. This important and long-awaited step moved the Building Project into the Design Phase and brought All Saints Church closer to having the much-needed new buildings for expanding its mission and ministry.

The Thorny Rose: Also in April, Ed Bacon received the coveted Pasadena title of “Thorny Rose – the prickly honor described by Doo Dah Parade organizers as presented annually to "an individual or organization that has created the strongest dose of discomfort and controversy in the community." Embracing the moment as an opportunity to live out the prophetic call to “afflict the comfortable” the rector literally “rose” to the occasion!

8 Habits of Love: In September Ed Bacon’s book “8 Habits of Love” was published – providing a great opportunity to get the message of living in the House of Love rather than the House of Fear out to a wider audience. The book was not just a gift to those for who read and bought it – it brought a related benefit to All Saints Church by expanding Ed’s visibility on social media platforms, drawing more visitors to the All Saints website, our Facebook and Twitter feeds and viewers to our online sermons and live-streaming.

Live Streaming All Saints: On Homecoming Sunday All Saints achieved a long worked toward goal of live-streaming worship services with the inaugural “live stream” of the 11:15 service – building the capacity to create community beyond the walls of 132 North Euclid Avenue and increase the range of the Good News of God’s inclusive love each and every Sunday.

MPAC Convention: In December All Saints made history by hosting the 12th Annual MPAC (Muslim Public Affairs Council) Convention -- the first time the organization held its national convention at a Christian Church. The event incited a flurry of Islamophobic blogs and emails – helping make exactly the point the convention was called to address: how critical interfaith collaboration is in overcoming religion based bigotry.

Betty Weigel Day: Also in December we celebrated the forty-plus years of the amazing and ongoing ministry of Betty Weigel – as Verger, Acolyte Wrangler and Altar Guild President. Former All Saints staffer Tim Safford (Rector of Christ Church, Philadelphia) returned to preach and regale the congregation with memories and stories of Betty’s unique and extraordinary legacy.

Ending Gun Violence: The year ended on a somber note with an “End Gun Violence Rally” on the steps of All Saints Church – a response by the Pasadena/Altadena community to gun violence in our country and in our community sparked by the school shootings in Newtown, Connecticut and the Christmas Day shooting in Northwest Pasadena. Civic, religious and community leaders came together committed to turning a moment of collective grief into a movement for collective change to challenge the culture of violence.

Staff Transitions: Finally, it was with mixed feelings of joy and sadness that we rejoiced with colleagues Wilma, Carissa and Abel in their new vocational calls to Cupertino, Houston and Santa Ana while we grieved their departure from the All Saints staff. So grateful for their work, witness and commitment to making God's love tangible 24/7... we will miss them all, AND ...

... it was with great excitement that we welcomed aboard Francisco Garcia as our new Director of Peace & Justice!

Tick Tock 2013!!!

"Not On Our Watch!" -- Community Forum on Ending Gun Violence

All Saints Church hosts a community listening and discussion session on gun violence -- Thursday, January 10 beginning at 7pm.

Come take part in one of many initial steps in our commitment to be passionately engaged for the long-haul to end gun violence in our communities and our country. Let us gather together our collective wisdom and experiences related to gun violence and begin to forge a concrete path to creating communities of peace together.

Confirmed particpants include:

Former State Senator Jack Scott, who has dedicated much of his professional and personal life to gun control and preventing gun violence.

Fr. Eric Walsh, Director of Public Health for Pasadena who is a key community partner in our response to poverty and violence in our community.

The Reverend Ed Bacon, Rector of All Saints Church

Other key officials will be invited as well to hear the stories and concerns from our community.
Please join us!

For more information, contact:
Juliana Serrano at 626.583.2731 or jserrano@allsaints-pas.org
Norma Sigmund at 626.583.2734 or nsigmund@allsaints-pas.org

All Saints Church hosts community call-to-action on gun violence

On Sunday, December 30th, Pasadena and Altadena pastors, law enforcement officials, community leaders and members will stand together at All Saints Church in Pasadena with a united voice to issue a community call-to-action in response to gun violence in our streets.

"When something is wrong like the gun violence plaguing our citizens, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to one another,” said All Saints’ Rector Ed Bacon. “The Pasadena community is standing strong together for peace and security in our neighborhoods,” said Ricky Pickens, Director of Prevention and Intervention Services at the Flintridge Center.

The community call-to-action in Pasadena and Altadena will include communicating messages of peace and hope in our neighborhoods; calling for respect for and respect by law enforcement in our communities and helping those who want to escape the cycle of gang violence.

Participants will include:


The Reverend Ed Bacon, Rector of All Saints Church;
Mayor Bill Bogaard, Mayor of Pasadena
Captain John Benedict, Altadena Sheriff’s Station;
Pastor Jean Burch, Community Bible Church;
Pastor Kerwin Manning, Pasadena Church;
Ricky Pickens, Flintridge Center;
Chief Phillip Sanchez, Pasadena Police Department;
William Syms and Porfirio Frausto, community leaders.

Sunday, December 30 |  3:00 p.m.
132 North Euclid Avenue
Pasadena CA 91101

For further information contact:
The Reverend Susan Russell – Senior Associate for Communications
srussell@allsaints-pas.org | 714.356.5718 -- mobile

"Dear Mr. President ..."

Ed Bacon writes to urge President Obama to turn this national moment of mourning over the shootings in Newtown into a national movement for gun safety.

To add your name, email the Peace & Justice Department at All Saints Church.

===================

President Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Mr. President

On behalf of this community of faith, I want to express my deep gratitude for your strong expression of support for urgent action in the face of yet another horrific mass shooting in our nation. Parishioners join me in letting you know that you have our full support as you provide leadership in enacting measures that will help prevent these kinds of mass shootings, as well as the tragic loss of lives of no less than 32 men, women and children in our country every day.

While we still grapple with identifying a comprehensive and holistic response to the Newtown tragedy and others like it, including the need for more effective mental health and wellness programs in our communities, there are some immediate and necessary steps that we need to take regarding gun safety.

I strongly support the reinstatement of the assault weapons ban that Senator Feinstein has said that she will introduce at the beginning of the new session of Congress. I support as well legislation that would require background checks on every gun purchase, including those at gun shows, and limiting the size of ammunition clips. As part of our continued commitment to this issue we will be mobilizing our parishioners, who live in as many as twenty different Congressional districts, to contact their Representatives to urge them to support new gun control legislation.

Early in our faith history the assembled people hear God speaking these words through Moses: “I set before you life and death, blessing or curse. Choose life, that you and your descendents may live.” We and our elected officials have that same choice today and must act with courage and the resolute determination that this epidemic of gun violence requires. As we in our faith tradition await the celebration of the birth of Jesus where the angels sang of their vision of peace on earth, we commit this parish to the task of making this a peaceful, safe and secure world for every cherished child of God.

Sincerely,
The Reverend J. Edwin Bacon, Jr.
Rector

cc: Majority Leader Harry Reid, Speaker John Boehner, Senator Dianne Feinstein

CHRISTMAS 2012 @All Saints Church

Christmas Eve at All Saints

3 p.m. Family Candlelight Service
The rector and friends tell the Christmas story; Our chilrdens' choirs, the Mastersingers and Troubadours, directed by Jenny Price, offer music of Donnelly, Strid & Schram.

5:30 p.m. Festive Eucharist
Our youth choir, the Trouvères offer music of Tierny and Wilhousky, with instrumental ensemble, directed by Jenny Price.
Abel Lopez preaches.
This service will be signed by an American Sign Language interpreter.

8 p.m. Festive Eucharist
Canterbury Choir with chamber orchestra, offer Messe de Minuit pour Noël, by Charpentier, and music of Holst, directed by James Walker.
Ed Bacon preaches.
(Spanish language translation available).

11 p.m. Festive Eucharist
Coventry Choir with chamber orchestra, offer Mass in D Major by Dvorák, and music of Howells and Mathias, directed by James Walker.
Ed Bacon preaches.

Early arrival helps ensure seating. All Christmas Eve services are well attended, plan to arrive at least 30 minutes early.

Parking for 3 p.m. Christmas Eve service will be in the North Lot or underground at the Westin Hotel (enter from Union Street). For the 5:30, 8:00 and 11:00 p.m. services, parking will be available at the Kaiser parking structure or underground at the Westin Hotel (enter from Union Street).

Child care will be provided for all services.

Christmas Day at All Saints

10:30 a.m. Eucharist Susan Russell preaches, and Coventry Choir soloists sing carols arranged by David Willcocks. Child care is provided.
(Spanish language translation available).

New Year’s Eve Service
Monday, Dec. 31, 7:30 p.m. in the Church. Canterbury Choir soloists offer music. Ed Bacon preaches. This special service is a wonderful way to prepare for the new year. Child care provided.

We Get Mail

The fact that All Saints Church has been on the receiving end of hate mail in response to our hosting the 12th Annual National Convention of the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) has been ... to put it mildly ... in the news.

Although the event has been on the calendar for months -- and All Saints Church being actively involved in interfaith activities is hardly "news" -- last Friday, November 30 an article appeared on a conservative blogsite critiquing both All Saints and MPAC. Entitled "California Church to Become Site of Islamist Convention" the article was sponsored by the Institute for Religion and Democracy (IRD) and full of mischaracterizations about MPAC as an organization and our friends Dr. Maher Hathout and Salam Al-Marayati as individuals.

Immediately after the article was posted, we began receiving emails protesting All Saints' involvement in the MPAC Convention and containing -- as Ed Bacon aptly named it  -- "some of the most vile, mean-spirited email I’ve ever read in my life."

Because the polemic nature of the correspondence so perfectly made evident the need for exactly the witness MPAC and All Saints are making by having a Muslim convention at a Christian church, we made the considered decision to go public with the challenges we were receiving -- to turn toxic rhetoric into teachable moments.

Ed preached about it in his sermon on Sunday.
Susan blogged about it in the Huffington Post on Monday.
All Saints and MPAC sent out a joint press release about it on Tuesday.
KNBC ran a story about it on Wednesday.
And on Thursday, we held a joint press conference where dozens of faith leaders stood in solidarity while
All Saints and MPAC leaders spoke to a bank of cameras representing every local media outlet and a national live-streaming audience.

Video of the press conference will be available on the All Saints YouTube Channel, and a number of news outlets have already posted stories, including:

The Los Angeles Times
The Washington Post
The Associated Press

"So how bad were the emails, actually?" is a question we've gotten. Some of them were quite honestly so bad that they are not going to see the light of day. But in the interest of transparency, here are a few select quotes:

The subject lines in the emails ranged from: “Don’t be gullible suckers” to “Muslim Public Affairs Council Convention -- a grave mistake”

“Islam is satanic garbage, indistinguishable from Nazism. Do not welcome the muzziescum into your church. They're like Body Snatchers.”

“I am dismayed that you would allow your church facilities to be used for the annual convention of the Muslim Public Affairs Council. When Dr. Maher Hathout of MPAC spoke at your sister church, St. John’s Episcopal Cathedral in Los Angeles his address was filled with lies and misleading statements. Dr. Hathout cannot tell you the truth about Islam because you would be offended and revolted.”

“You are Consorting with the Enemy that is Killing Christians Worldwide”

"It is not my purpose to call you names. It IS my purpose to recognize you for true stereotypes of the "useful idiot," first recognized and exploited by Lenin. The problem is that by providing cover and legitimacy to an organization dedicated to overthrowing the Constitution you endanger my country and my grandsons' future. And for that I cannot forgive you."

"You are contributing to the demise of all of Western (Christian based)civilization. You are making a grievous error."

As noted -- these are the printable ones. For more information on the MPAC Convention visit their website. And do keep our human race in your prayers. Clearly it has a ways to go until it becomes a human family.