All Saints' Episcopal, East Hartford, CT

All Saints' Episcopal, East Hartford, CT We are a congregation of the Episcopal Church in Connecticut. We strive to walk the way of Jesus The Christ. We would love to have you walk with us.

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08/25/2020

Collect for the Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost
Grant, O merciful God, that your Church, being gathered together in unity by your Holy Spirit, may show forth your power among all peoples, to the glory of your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Grace to you and Peace from God and our Lord Jesus Christ!

Musings
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Matthew 16:13-20
When Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Then he sternly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.

This a very interesting and critical passage in Matthew’s Gospel. Jesus and his disciples have just come from the feeding of the 4000 and are now in what we would call Syria just outside an ancient pagan religious shrine, the shrine of Pan. It is an impressive monument even today built into the face of a cliff. There is a cave and a spring that comes out of the cave.
With this shrine in the background Jesus asks his Disciples, “Who do YOU think I am?” This is a crucial question not only for the Disciples but for each of us. Who do you think Jesus is? The answer to this indicates where your life is centered. Is Jesus your Lord and Savior or have you been seduced by the glitter of the world, the magnificent shrines of our society?
I can’t answer that question for you. You have to do that for yourself, but if you find it all too easy to put your faith aside and do other things then you have found that pagan shrine and it has seduced you.
Jesus offers a different solution, a more difficult solution. It is a solution of ultimate love and sacrifice. It is a solution that was purchased with the life of Jesus and countless of his Disciples over the centuries. You are offered that solution.
God’s Peace,
Michelle+

08/18/2020

Collect for the Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost
Almighty God, you have given your only Son to be for us a sacrifice for sin, and also an example of godly life: Give us grace to receive thankfully the fruits of his redeeming work, and to follow daily in the blessed steps of his most holy life; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Grace to you and Peace from God and our Lord Jesus Christ!

News
This Sunday we had our first in-person worship service at All Saints since the first Sunday in March. It was successful! Everyone came masked and seating was at safe distances. We had Ante Communion and responses were strong and the prayers were heartfelt. There were 14 of us and I am looking forward to this coming Sunday. I understand any reluctance to attend and I hope that if you weren’t able to be at the service you at least were praying with us from home.
Next week same time and same place! God be with us all.
The storm brought down several large trees on the property along with some large branches. Fortunately they were all in the heavily wooded fringes of the property. Several trees just missed our utility shed. They will need to be removed for safety, but there was no damage to the building or to any people.

Musings
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Matthew 15:21-28
Jesus left that place and went away to the district of Tyre and Sidon. Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came out and started shouting, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon.” But he did not answer her at all. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, “Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us.” He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” He answered, “It is not fair to take the children’s food and hrow it to the dogs.” She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed instantly.

In our lesson from Matthew Jesus and his Disciples are out of Judaea and are in what now would be Lebanon. They are among a population that is non-Jewish, but Canaanite and pagan. A Canaanite woman approaches Jesus and the Disciples and the Disciples want Jesus to send her away. Jesus is trying to ignore her, but she is persistent! She had a sick daughter and she wants healing. She approaches Jesus and insists. You can see the dialogue above. She is insistent and Jesus is even a bit rude. What will win, persistence or rudeness?

Well, you can read that persistence and a bit of humor on the part of the Canaanite woman was the charm. Jesus appreciates her persistence, humor and need and the daughter was healed. There is a tendency to take
everything in the Bible as very serious but here I think we see what might be a bit of humor. Jesus is a bit annoyed but the woman’s persistence since she wasn’t Jewish, but she knew of Jesus’ power and had faith and was quick with humor. Jesus appreciated this.
We often forget that Jesus is human and Devine and that his humanity shines through the Gospels at times. Maybe we should approach more things with good humor as the Canaanite woman did.

God’s Peace,
Michelle+

07/29/2020

Collect for the Eighth Sunday after Pentecost
O God, the protector of all who trust in you, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy: Increase and multiply upon us your mercy; that, with you as our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal, that we lose not the things eternal; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Grace to you and Peace from God and our Lord Jesus Christ!

Musings
Romans 8:26-39
The Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn within a large family. And those whom he predestined he also called; and those whom he called he also justified; and those whom
he justified he also glorified.
What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also give us everything else? Who will bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who
indeed intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written,
For your sake we are being killed all day long;
we are accounted as sheep to be slaughtered.”
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
*****
God’s love is boundless and is shown to us by Jesus’ sacrifice, his death and resurrection. St. Paul in his letter to the Church in Rome affirms this love and point out that it will never be taken from us. The Holy Spirit continually intercedes and intervenes for us and The love of God is assured and made fast in Jesus Christ. Reread the last paragraph in the quote from Romans if
you don’t believe me.
We are experiencing difficulties that are almost unprecedented in history. The plague has a similar profound impact on societies in Europe in the 14th century and other times. In those times people in general didn’t understand what was happening and were virtually helpless.
Today a different pandemic has hit us which we mostly understand but lack the cure. There is a temptation to feel helpless. Yet we have found methods of control and care. What we seem to be lacking as a society is a sense of hope and caring. This is where we in the Church have something to give. We don’t provide a shield for protection or mass cure, but we do provide a link to God’s love and mercy. We know that in spite of the fear God cares for and blesses us.
Paul says “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”We know the connection God has to us and we know the love God feels for us please share that knowledge to those around you!God’s Peace,
Michelle+

07/20/2020

Collect for the Seventh Sunday after Pentecost
Almighty God, the fountain of all wisdom, you know our necessities before we ask and our ignorance in asking: Have compassion on our weakness, and mercifully give us those things which for our unworthiness we dare not, and for our blindness we cannot ask; through the worthiness of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Grace to you and Peace from God and our Lord Jesus Christ!

Musings
Genesis 28:10-19a
Jacob left Beer-sheba and went toward Haran. He came to a certain place and stayed there for the night, because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place. And he dreamed that there was a ladder set up on the earth, the top of it reaching to heaven; and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. And the Lord stood beside him and said, “I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring; and your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and all the families of the earth shall be blessed in you and in your offspring. Know that I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” Then Jacob woke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place—and I did not know it!” And he was afraid, and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.”
So Jacob rose early in the morning, and he took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up for a pillar and poured oil on the top of it. He called that place Bethel.

In This Sunday’s Old Testament lesson we see Jacob who is escaping the anger of his brother Esau and traveling to the land of his ancestors. He was on his way to Haran when night fell and he had to sleep. He dreamed and he saw angels climbing stairs to and from heaven. As he watched God spoke to him and promised him the land where was sleeping for himself and his offspring. He was surprised to find God here away from Canaan. God wasn’t just in Canaan but was here also, out in the wilderness. Jacob gave thanks for this revelation and dedicated the spot calling it Bethel, the house of God.
We have been a long time away from what we consider God’s Sanctuary at 444 Hills Street. We might be tempted to think that we have been separated from God. But I assure you god is everywhere just as Jacob discovered and you and I can raise our prayers from home as well as we did at All Saints. We certainly don’t have the same fellowship, but God is always with us. Where ever you rest your head is the House of God.
God’s Peace,
Michelle+

07/15/2020

Collect for the Sixth Sunday after Pentecost
O Lord, mercifully receive the prayers of your people who call upon you, and grant that they may know and understand what things they ought to do, and also may have grace and power faithfully to accomplish them; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Grace to you and Peace from God and our Lord Jesus Christ!
Musings
Matthew 13:1-9
Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things in parables, saying: “Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds
fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Let anyone with ears listen!”
The above excerpt from Sunday’s Gospel shows Jesus teaching. This time he isn’t on a mountain but on the shore of the Sea of Galilee (which is actually a lake). The crowd of people is sitting on the shore and Jesus is just off shore in a boat talking to them. He told them parables as he often did and we get one of those parabolic stories today, the parable of the sower.
In the parable a sower distributes seed to grow a crop and the seeds fall on different kinds of soil, both good and bad. The analogy is then made to the kingdom of God. Seeds that fall on bad or marginal soil wither, but seeds that fall on good soil thrive. The word of God is like this also. Some people will listen and ignore the message and some will listen and understand and change and become part of the Kingdom of God.
This should all sound familiar. The question in my mind is what happens when the sower can’t do his or her job because of some impediment? I think it is an important question for all of us in this time of being prevented from doing the usual. How do we minister to the world? We are used to being able to talk freely to others and meeting people face to face. And in a great degree we can’t do this right now. We can’t even feel free to meet together with each other, much less reach out.
I admit I don’t have the answer fully. It is something I pray about and I am open to suggestions. Jesus ends our parable with “Let anyone with ears listen!”, but I will end with “anyone with ideas speak up!”
Gods Blessings!
Michelle+

07/01/2020

The Fourth Sunday after Pentecost

Musings
Grace and Peace from the Lord our God and the Lord Jesus Christ!
Almighty God, you have built your Church upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone: Grant us so to be joined together in unity of spirit by their teaching, that we may be made a holy temple acceptable to you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Psalm 13 Usquequo, Domine?
1 How long, O Lord?
will you forget me for ever? *
how long will you hide your face from me?
2 How long shall I have perplexity in my mind,
and grief in my heart, day after day? *
how long shall my enemy triumph over me?
3 Look upon me and answer me, O Lord my God; *
give light to my eyes, lest I sleep in death;
4 Lest my enemy say, "I have prevailed over him," *
and my foes rejoice that I have fallen.
5 But I put my trust in your mercy; *
my heart is joyful because of your saving help.
6 I will sing to the Lord, for he has dealt with me richly; *
I will praise the Name of the Lord Most High.

This Psalm from today’s lessons really speaks to me. I think we often overlook the weekly psalm. I know as a preacher I rarely have done a sermon on a psalm, but I really should have done more. It strikes me that one of the last things Jesus thought of on the cross was a psalm.
“How long, O Lord?” is a question I think many of us ask daily. I think that it is a lot like being under attack when we shelter from the virus. Add to sheltering the social unrest caused by racial hate and the words of the psalm ring true. We in a sense are under attack, even though great
armies aren’t on our door step. As surely as the writer of the psalm we need to look to God’s protection and cry out “how long shall my enemy triumph over me?”
The answer is, God always looks over us and cares for us. God’s mercy and goodness always sustains and lifts us up. On the cross Jesus cried out “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” We know that God did not forsake Jesus. Jesus rose to life eternal on the third day following. “I will
praise the Name of the Lord Most High.”

Blessings forever!
Michelle+

06/02/2020

Pentecost
Almighty God, on this day you opened the way of eternal life to every race and nation by the promised gift of your Holy Spirit: Shed abroad this gift throughout the world by the preaching of the Gospel, that it may reach to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen

Musings
The Feast of Pentecost originates in the antiquity of the Hebrew religion. It was and still is a harvest celebration also called Shavuot or the feast of weeks. It happens on the 50th day after the Feast of Passover. On that day fifty days after the resurrection of Our Lord, the book of Acts relates that the
Apostles and Disciples were gathered and the Holy Spirit came to be within them. They found new motivation and began to tell the world about salvation through the Lord.

We celebrate the Feast of Pentecost at home this year. I am wearing a red blouse. Even though we must shelter at home be assured the Holy Spirit is with you and our mission continues. God’s Love is not dependent on Sunday meetings or rituals. God’s Love is with us always and the Holy Spirit uplifts us, strengthens us and motivates us.

Please be assured this Pentecost Sunday the Holy Spirit is with you as is the whole of All Saint’s Congregation. God’s Grace, Love and Kindness be with you.

Come Holy Ghost, our souls inspire!

Michelle+

05/25/2020

The seventh Sunday of Easter

O God, the King of glory, you have exalted your only Son Jesus Christ with great triumph to your kingdom in heaven: Do not leave us comfortless, but send us your Holy Spirit to strengthen us, and exalt us to that place where our Savior Christ has gone before; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

Memorial Day has no specific liturgical observance. It is a secular holiday to remember the dead who died protecting our country. At one time it was called Decoration Day (flags were placed on the graves of deceased veterans). It was a time to recognize the loss suffered during war time.
Yet loss comes at times other than war and we are experiencing that kind of loss at this time.

This loss is from disease and the various different kinds of loss the disease has caused. I think we usually know how to deal with loss (though it is usually difficult), but today we are experiencing many kinds of loss that are unique. Not only are we experiencing loss from death, but we have lost our freedom of movement, our ability to dine as we please, to visit with family,
friends and neighbors, to shop, and to worship together. Additionally we are experiencing a fear of infection by an unseen organism that we don’t fully understand and are currently defenseless against.

We need to have the strength to deal with all this loss. Some strength comes from within, some from contact at a distance with friends and family and some will come from your faith and the ever present Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit lives and works within each of us and collectively through us. All we need to do is ask, and God’s Grace is there along with the strength of the
Holy Spirit. We are not protected from the dangers of this world but we do receive strength to deal with those dangers.

Next Sunday is the Feast of Pentecost. In that feast we recognize the coming of the Holy Spirit among the members of the Church. Don’t wait until Pentecost to recognize the working of the Holy Spirit in your life. Remember those who sacrificed their lives for us in war and remember
also those who suffer and sacrifice now in peace for us and our safety. Ask for the healing and strengthening power of God’s loving-kindness and Holy Spirit.Grace and Peace,
Michelle +

05/18/2020

O God, you have prepared for those who love you such good things as surpass our
understanding: Pour into our hearts such love towards you, that we, loving you in all things and
above all things, may obtain your promises, which exceed all that we can desire; through Jesus
Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.

This is the Sunday before Ascension Day. In our lessons we have systematically had accounts of
Jesus’ resurrection appearances to his followers. The Book of Acts and the Gospel of Luke tell
us that 40 days after Easter Day Jesus ascended to be with the Father. With the ascension we are
told that there was the promise to send the Paraclete, the Holy Spirit, to be with the church.

We therefore find ourselves now in the time of the Holy Spirit. Interestingly, the Ascension
doesn’t mean the end to resurrection appearances. In Acts Jesus appeared in Glory to Stephen
just before he was stoned to death. St. Paul sees Jesus on the road to Damascus and it changes his
whole life. The Ascension doesn’t end the presence of Our Lord it does point to a new stage in
our faith life. That stage is the presence of the Paraclete, the advisor, also known as the Holy
Spirit.
We need to remember that we are sustained and supported by the Holy Spirit. We are in a very
challenging time. We are not able to express our community as we were accustomed. But the Holy Spirit isn’t dependent on or ability to meet. The Holy Spirit is with us where ever we are.
The Holy Spirit strengthens and guides us always.
Sunday is our Sabbath and we should find our ways of letting God into our lives. We were given
a Sabbath to worship God and to rest. Worship can be done anywhere. Take the opportunity!
Michelle+

05/04/2020

The Third Sunday of Easter a little late

In today’s Gospel lesson from Luke we see two of Jesus disciples walking on a road to a village just
outside Jerusalem. As they walked they were in animated discussion. It was late in the day we call
Easter, the first Easter. As they walked they were joined by another man who inquired about their
conversation. They explained about Jesus arrest, trial and ex*****on. They then explained that there
were stories from some of their women that this same Jesus was seen alive.
They continued to walk and talk and the stranger began to explain things to the about prophesy and
opening up the scriptures to them about what had just happened. They were amazed and excited by
this stranger’s conversation. When they came to their destination they invited him to have dinner with
them. As they sit to eat the stranger takes bread and breaks it in an all too familiar way and in that
instant they recognize their Lord and Savior. He disappears before their eyes.
On that first Easter the resurrected Jesus appears to many in various places and ways. He appears in a
garden, in a sealed room to followers and to these two men walking to Emmaus. He appears many
other times, showing that he is resurrected and giving hope to all his followers. Hope of life beyond the
life we know here, hope of life beyond death.
As we all face the uncertainty of this pandemic and the possibility of illness and possible death it is good
to remember that life with our Lord is promised to the faithful and is the basis of our joyful acclamation
“Christ is Risen indeed! Alleluia!”Michelle+

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444 Hills Street
East Hartford, CT
06118

Opening Hours

9am - 10:30am

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