March 17th, 2025
Lenten Edition
The News in a Nutshell
- !!! Easter Lilies!!!
- Lent– What and Why
- Ideas– For Ways to Observe Lent
- Adult Sunday School– Class Is Underway
- Second Quarter Mission– The Piedmont Women’s Center
- Weekly Web Feature– Check It Out
- Sunday School For All Ages– 9:30 Sunday Mornings
- Online Sermon Notes and Audio– LINK
- Live Streaming Service– FYI
- Online Giving Options– Now Available
For more information see the full announcements below
!!! Easter Lilies!!!
One of our very special All Saints’ traditions is decorating the church for Easter with Easter Lilies. The Easter Lilies are donated by members of the congregation as a Memorial for a loved one or as Thanksgiving for a special person or blessing that God has given you. The Lilies are then used through the Easter Season to decorate the church.
If you would like to donate a Lily, please complete the form and turn it in to the Church. The price of each Lily is $15.00. Make your check out to All Saints’ Church with “Easter Lily” written on the memo line and then drop it in the offering plate.
The Easter Lily forms are available:
- On our web page. Click the link below, from the right hand side of the page, under “Forms” select “Easter Lilies”. Then simply fill out the form online, hit “submit”, and you are done. You will find the form here: LINK
- In the 1st attachment to this newsletter (Run it off, fill it out, place it in the offering plate —or download it, fill it out, and email it to Fr. Charlie).
- On the table in the fellowship area
Lent– What and Why
Lent is the 40-day period following Ash Wednesday and is a time of penitence and preparation for Easter.
Why is Lent 40 days? Just as Jesus prepared Himself to undertake the work of salvation by fasting and praying 40 days in the wilderness, so we prepare ourselves to celebrate that salvation and to remember our need for that salvation by fasting, praying, and meditating on Scripture for 40 days.
The term Lent is derived from an old word for “lengthen,” and refers to the lengthening days of early spring. As such, the very name Lent proclaims the Gospel and sets the greater framework of this season. As we turn to God in repentance, we do so with our eyes on Easter and the assurance that it gives. Each day of repentance brings us renewal, assurance, and a lightening of our burdens until at last we arrive at Holy week and then Easter to celebrate the forgiveness and life that God has given us in His Son. Simultaneously, as Lent progresses, the days of the week grow brighter, warmer, and longer. The result is that the Gospel proclaimed by the season of Lent is mirrored by the very season of the year.
The purpose of Lent remains a sober assessment of, a true sorrow for, and a turning away from our sins. In other words, the giving up of certain worldly things during Lent is not an act of special piety, self-denial, or extra devotion that we give to God. Instead, the idea is that one does not approach the throne of our heavenly Father with sincere repentance and true sorrow for sins while feasting on and rewarding one’s self with the fineries of life. Rather, one lays aside the pleasures and niceties of daily life and comes before God for undeserved mercy and favor. During Lent we aren’t giving things up for God. In fact, during Lent we acknowledge that we have nothing worthy to give.
Ideas- For Ways to Observe Lent
Let me suggest 7 basic ways that Christians have traditionally used Lent to prepare for Holy week and the Easter celebration.
- Abstinence– giving up something that you enjoy during Lent. The idea here is that Lent is a time of sober examination and repentance. Therefore, we do not enter this season rewarding or treating ourselves. Instead, our laying aside of something special helps us set the proper attitude during Lent. Likewise, our denial provides a very stark reminder that it is sin, which robs life of its sweetness, joy, and beauty.
- Give something out– The idea here is to do something during Lent (service, ministry, charity) that you normally do not do. Thus, if you have given up going to the movies during Lent, take the money you would have spent and donate it. You may have an older neighbor who needs their yard raked or flowerbed weeded. Regardless, the point is that as God’s grace changes you, God intends you to be a blessing to others. Finally, this is a great way for younger children (who might not understand fasting or abstinence) to take part in Lent. It is also a great way for families and individuals to move past mere abstinence to the real intent of Lenten devotion (Isa 58:5-8).
- Fasting– the traditional Lenten fast is one full meal and two light snacks on fast days (Wednesday and Friday). However, please note: fasting is not an effort to pay for our sins or to punish our bodies for our wrong doings (remember, we are healed by His wounds not our own). Rather, biblical fasting is always a turning our undivided attention to God. The idea or picture behind fasting is that we are faced with such a great concern that we are too preoccupied to even eat. We have put everything else aside in order to turn to God first.
- Evening Fast– An alternate form of the traditional fast that may be more conducive to today’s schedules is the Lenten Evening Fast. Here is how it works: on fast days (Wednesday and Friday) eat a light supper, with these two restrictions- no alcohol and no gorging. After dinner, forgo all snacking, shopping, and all media (i.e. no T.V., DVDs, video games, newspapers, magazines, web surfing, texting, etc…). Instead, enjoy time together as a family (plan an activity the whole family will enjoy, take a walk together, or work on a fun project together). Conclude this time with a family devotion.
- Online: The Daily Offices of Prayer (AKA the Divine Hours). From Old Testament times on God’s people have turned to God at set hours within the day to offer God their prayers, their work, and to renew their focus. We see this practice in both the Old and New Testaments (Psalm 119:164 /Acts 3:1) as well as down through Church History. A great way to observe lent is to incorporate these hours into your daily devotions. You will find the Lenten Offices on the page linked here; LINK
If you are not familiar with the Daily Offices or would like more information, You can download a brief “Introduction to the Offices” which you will find under the “Faith” column of our Resources page: LINK.
- Online: Morning or Evening prayer– I encourage you to make use of our online prayer services (especially on fast days). These provide a great way to begin or end the day or spend a quiet lunch break. I recommend that you use the short forms of the services found at the top, right hand side of the page. You may find the services by clicking on the following link: LINK.
- Attend the special services provided throughout Lent- So far this year we have the following services planned (these are in addition to our regular worship services)
– March 4th Shrove Tuesday
– March 5th Ash Wednesday
– March 12, 14, 15 (Ember Days)- traditionally the spring
Ember Days (AKA Vernal Ember Days) are the first
Wednesday, Friday and Saturday in Lent. They are a
time of fasting, prayer, and spiritual rededication at the
beginning of the Lenten Season.
– TBA – Stations of the Cross
– April 17th Maundy Thursday Passover Meal
– April 18th – Good Friday Service
Adult Sunday School- Class Is Underway
Fr. Don has started our adult Sunday School class. The class will be covering how to use the 1928 Book of Common Prayer. Throughout the study we will be discovering many of the devotional resources it contains. The class is a great introduction for new Anglicans as well as a wonderful way for life longers to deepen their understanding and use of our Prayer Book. Class is held at 9:30 in the Parish hall. Plan to attend!
Second Quarter Mission- The Piedmont Women’s Center
Each quarter of the year, All Saints has committed to come alongside a particular ministry in town to pray for them and to support their work. Our second quarter mission for 2025 is the Piedmont Woman’s Center.
The goal of the Piedmont Woman’s Center is to assist and encourage women who are pregnant not to seek an abortion but to have their baby. Their services include: providing free laboratory quality pregnancy testing, free pregnancy consultations, and free Limited OB ultrasounds at three locations in the Upstate region. You can learn more here: LINK
You can support this important work through (a) monetary donations (remember to place “2nd Quarter Mission” or Piedmont Women’s Center” on the FOR line of your check); or (b) you can also donate items that the center needs to help these young mothers. There is a list of needed items on the mission table in the parish hall.
Weekly Web Feature – Check It Out
Each week, the newsletter will feature a different aspect of our web site for you to try out. It is our hope that this will bring to your attention features that you may not have noticed before and, at the same time, will help familiarize you with the site as a whole. So be sure to check out our Web Feature section in each edition of the newsletter.
In light of Lent’s focus on renewing and deepening our faith, this week’s web feature is The Anglican Catechism (To Be A Christian). This is a wonderful devotional resource and a much needed addition to the Anglican Church’s teaching ministry. Traditionally Catechisms were used to instruct covenant children and new converts to the faith in the central teachings of Scripture. As such, these catechisms provide a clear summery of the faith as well as Scriptural references for each point. In turn, they remain an invaluable devotional resource for God’s people throughout their lives and at every stage of their Christian walk. The Anglican Catechism is just this sort of resource. I encourage you to take a look at it and to make use of it in your own family and personal devotional life.
To find the Anglican Catechism, go to the All Saints’ Home page (www.allsaintsgreenville.com), locate the tool bar at the top right of the screen, select the Resources tab. On the ensuing page scroll down the middle column “Faith” and select the Anglican Catechism button. Enjoy!!!
Also, a copy of the Anglican Catechism can be purchased through Amazon here: LINK
Sunday School For All Ages- 9:30 Sunday Mornings
Our Sunday School classes for all ages are underway. We invite you to jump in to these exciting studies. Class begins at 9:30 Sunday Morning
Online Sermon Notes and Audio- LINK
Our weekly sermon notes and audio are now available on our new All Saints website. You can find this week’s sermon here: LINK
Live Streaming Service- FYI
Our live streaming services will begin at 10:25 with prelude music. This will give folks time to tune in, get settled, and prepare their hearts for worship
The service itself will begin at 10:30
The Service can be viewed:
1) On a smart TV, streaming device, computer, or phone- by going to our church’s new YouTube channel. You can find the channel here: LINK
~or
From within the YouTube app, you can search “All Saints Anglican Church Greenville SC”
Remember to “subscribe” to the channel in order to save it and thus avoid having to use links and searches each time
2) You can also view the live service on our All Saints Webpage. Here is the LINK:
3) To easily view a recording of this week’s service at a later time, go to our YouTube channel and you will find all our past services listed there. The most recent service will be the first one on the list.
Online Giving- Now Available
We have integrated a secure online giving option so that you can securely tithe online. You can even set a recurring gift so that you don’t have to go through the process each time you give. There are three ways you can make use of this option:
- You can give by clicking on the following “Link”. Click and then follow the easy instruction. Here is the LINK
- You can download the free App from either the Iphone App Store (LINK) or from the Android Google Play Store (LINK). Download the app and then follow the simple set up instructions.
How can we pray for you?
If you have any special prayer needs or praise reports that you would like to share with the group, feel free to email them to me (or you can call me if you prefer) and I will be glad to include them in our weekly newsletter.
Prayer Requests
For all those who have been affected by the hurricane
Steve Hammond’s mother- for healing and health
AP Ludengow- for a quick resolve to blood pressure issues
Lisa’s nephew, Andrew for health and healing
Blythe Brookshire- for lung health and healing
The Wright’s daughter Jamie who has had the first of 4 rounds of chemo
Galy Wright for eye health
Rosemary Herrick who is recovering from a stroke and other health issues/challenges
Baker and Cheryl (family of the Killingers) Baker is in rehab after surgery to amputate his lower leg.
Art Walter- who has Multiple System Atrophy and his wife Nancy (Bobbi’s sister) who is caring for him.
Jack Childers who has been diagnosed with the early stages of Alzheimer’s
Blythe’s mom- for healing and relief from cancer
For Art’s Niece Cathy who has been diagnosed with MS
For Charles, his roommates, and the other cadets at the Citadel
Lois Killinger- for health and strength
Ursula Dawson- for health and strength
Betty Froman- for health and strength
Pat and Jack Childers- for continued strength and health
All those serving in our armed forces, especially Matthew Orders, Eden Basinger, Devin Willis, Ryan Combs, and Samantha Childers
~Dates to Remember
Please, email your events to Fr. Charlie with a brief description. Your description should include: date, time, location, cost, as well as the name of the parishioner participating in the event (when applicable).
Next Vestry Meeting
1st Tuesday, (March 1st– with Bishop)
@6:30 in the Parish Hall
Diocesan Synod
Sept 19th-20th 2025
Redeemer Church, Pineville, SC
Annual Episcopal Visit
TBA- 2026
