Blessing of the Animals Oct. 2
Our Annual Blessing of the Animals will be Wednesday, October 2 on the Terrell Commons grass area! Bring your lawn chair or blanket to enjoy a hot dog dinner together that starts at 5:30pm, blessing of the animals will be after we eat.
The Blessing of the Animals is an annual ceremony celebrating the human-animal bond, originating as part of the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals and the environment. St. Francis was admired for his deep and genuine respect for all creatures and his belief in the interdependency of humans with the rest of creation. He was a fiery preacher, and not many wanted to hear his message so he preached to animals instead. This ceremony helps us to remember how important our animal companions are and how they show unconditional love for us.
If you have an older less mobile pet, or maybe one that doesn't handle social gatherings very well, feel free to bring a picture of that animal and we are happy to bless those.
More Announcements
A look at our blessings and our bills! This is a monthly report of our year-to-date income and expenses through March 31, 2025 :
May 4 is Creation Sunday here at All Saints! Be sure to walk or bike to church, and we will have a "Blessing of Bikes!" As part of this day we also plan to have plantable seed bookmarks available, and a biodegradable paper bookmark with seeds embedded in it, to be given out at both morning services.
Paschal Triduum - What could those words mean? You may know that in the atrium, we often use challenging words with even the youngest children—words like liturgical, Cenacle, Jerusalem, prophecy, and Epiclesis. We also ask the children what they heard… a lot. So I challenge you—what comes to mind when you see the words Paschal Triduum? If you guessed something about that big Easter/Baptismal candle and the number three, you’re right on track. Simply put, the Paschal Triduum is the term for the last three days and services before the celebration of Easter. The three days of the Paschal Triduum signify our beliefs as Christians. On Maundy Thursday , Jesus served his disciples by washing their feet and celebrating the Last Supper. He gave them new words: “Take, eat; this is my Body… Drink this, all of you; this is my Blood of the new Covenant.” These words are repeated by priests all over the world to remind us of the first Eucharist. The altar is stripped, preparing us for the solemnity of the day to come. On Good Friday , the Passion and Death of Christ are read from the Gospel of John. These images are also revealed to us whenever we see stained glass windows or hear the Stations of the Cross. The Easter Vigil on Saturday evening is an especially spectacular celebration. Outside our church, we bless and light a new Paschal Candle because Jesus’ light has returned. We enter the darkened nave, bringing the LIGHT OF CHRIST with us because JESUS IS RISEN! There are baptisms and bells, and that glorious light is everywhere! We even sing and shout that word (the one that begins with “A”) we’ve put away for so long. Yes, Jesus died. But did he stay dead? No—He is Risen! I encourage you to bring your family to the Paschal Triduum services this year. Feel free to bring children in their pajamas if you’d like. Join us as we conclude our Lenten journey and celebrate the JOY of EASTER and CHRIST'S RISEN LIGHT! Maundy Thursday (April 17th): 6:30 p.m. Good Friday (April 18th): 12:00 noon *Easter Vigil (April 19th): 7:15 p.m. Easter Vigil *Please bring a bell to ring as we celebrate the Risen Christ! Awaiting the Celebration with you, Jeannie Feldman All Saints Children’s Formation
Experience *Lessons and Carols of Creation*, a special service that invites you into the wonder of the Genesis story through scripture and song. Presented by the Good Shepherd, Children’s, and Youth Choirs, this unique worship event will be held Wednesday, April 30 at 6:00pm and Sunday, May 4 at 8:30am. If you have any questions, please email our Director of Youth and Children’s Music Programs, Maggie Gill, mgill@allsaintsbhm.org
You are invited to help show our community some All Saints Love on We Love Homewood Day , Saturday, May 3rd! Run with the Saints – Participate in the We Love Homewood 5k and wear your All Saints T-Shirt or hat or be on the course and encourage your fellow parishioners with a sign or a shout out. REGISTER TO RACE HERE Spin the Wheel for All Saints – SIGN UP HERE for a one (1) hour slot to greet our neighbors at the All Saints tent in Central Park from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm . There will be fun for all! All Saints Episcopal Church: We Love Homewood Day All Saints Episcopal Church Tent at Homewood Central Park Bring Your Own Basket – Bring your family, friends, and a picnic basket to watch the We Love Homewood Day Parade on Terrell Commons at 6:00 pm . This is a great way to reach out to our community to show the spirit we are blessed to have here at All Saints. If you have questions, please contact Melinda Sellers ( msellers@burr.com ) or Cindy Carter ( ccarter@allsaintsbhm.org )
Get ready for a brand-new summer tradition! All Saints is launching its very first "Screen on the Green" this year, and you're invited to the debut on Thursday, June 19 . We’re setting up the big screen on the Terrell Commons grass area—just bring your chair, your popcorn, and whatever else makes movie night magical. It’s the perfect way to kick off summer with friends, family, and films under the stars. Stay tuned—movie titles and more details are on the way!