You may have looked around the church recently and discovered a different kind of fullness. I know that I was delighted -- and quite astounded! -- to welcome ten children into Godly Play on the First Sunday of Advent. And there were nine on the Sunday before that.

I am deeply moved that the youth and children are bringing their friends to All Saints -- to worship in the sanctuary, to Godly Play, to Fireside Youth discussions, as well as to the Food Pantry and to join us on our communal outings. The children are also bringing their families.

On November 30 the church remembered and celebrated St. Andrew the Apostle, perhaps better known as "Simon Peter's brother." Yet the Gospel of John says, quite significantly, that after Andrew followed and stayed with Jesus, "He first found his brother Simon, and said to him, 'We have found the Messiah' (which means Christ). He brought him to Jesus" (John 1:41). Andrew's faith compelled him readily to follow -- and then to introduce his brother -- to Jesus.

Coptic Nativity icon

Announcement of Annual Meeting/
Election of New Vestry

Vestry meetings are open to all parish members. Once approved, minutes and financial reports can be found posted on the bulletin board in the parish hall.

As the year draws to a close and a new year beckons, vestry members focused on future programs and the growth of the parish.

Financial Reports continue to be very encouraging, with income well above expectations and expenses tightly controlled.

Vestry Membership. The Nominating Committee will develop a slate to present to the parish at the annual meeting in 2012. Three positions are open at this time.

Elections and Annual Meeting. The vestry agreed to continue our pattern of the parish electing new vestry members and deanery representatives prior to the Vestry Retreat and then celebrating our ministry and conducting other business afterwards.

Dates for Annual Meeting and Vestry Planning Retreat

January 2 

Opening of Nominations from the Congregation

January 15 

January 22 

January 27-29 

February 5 

Stewardship Drive. The chair of the Stewardship Drive, Karen Taylor -- and Forward with Faith leaders Anne Phillips and Connie Camp -- were applauded for their commitment to our mission and future financial stability. We are grateful that we indeed are moving "Forward with Faith," supported by God's Grace!

Retire the Debt. A financial worksheet based on contributions and future pledge income portrays that the parish will be able to complete the Family Bathroom and update the current two bathrooms on schedule -- and at the same time retire the debt on an accelerated schedule over the next two years. We celebrated the generosity of those who are pledging and who have already contributed to this campaign. We hailed the diligence and sound leadership of FCC Chair Jack Kincaid in managing the bathroom remodeling.

Altar Guild. The Altar Guild chair, Connie Camp, provided examples of a number of worn items that will need replacing. The vestry encourages parishioners to consider Memorial Gifts to repair and replace these items.

Family Spirituality Program. We explored the positive growing influence of the Family Spirituality Program under the leadership of The Rev. Stephanie Green-Tramel. We learned from Revd. Stephanie that many individuals and households are participating in a variety of activities both inside our walls and in the larger community. We began a discussion of how this program can be continued in 2012.

We now have received 40 pledge cards from families already pledging. We're still awaiting cards from 18 families -- please get them in as soon as you can.

We also have received 12 new pledge cards, totaling more than $13,000.

• Total of pledge cards received: $105,916
• Total anticipated from cards awaited: $28,060
• Total projected pledge amounts: $133,976

Yes, "We Can Do It Ourselves" (otherwise known as WCDIO) is still alive and kicking. This is a program we started five years ago. Our goal was that WCDIO could get a lot of small (though very important) things done by our parishioners.

This has proven very successful and would like it to continue. When you look around our Church and notice things that could be improved on, let us know by writing on our WCDIO bulletin board.

Now here is the fun part. Can you do it? Or if not, perhaps you can get someone else to do the work? Either way it is a win-win for you and our church.

We thank you for your support.

A record number of guests on Saturday, November 20, used up all of the plastic bags stored in our pantry. Please recycle plastic bags with us. Paper is OK too. We hope to have a replenished supply for our next two food giveaways, on December 3 and 17. Thanks so much for supporting the food pantry.

I am full of gratitude for the faithfulness and enthusiasm of our choir. We were particularly blessed on November 20 to have Maureen Atkins contribute the beauty of her Celtic harp playing to the choir anthem.

Maureen plans to play with us again at the December 24 Nativity Mass. Dylan Snodgrass has created a wonderful new arrangement of "Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence, and with Fear and Trembling Stand." This haunting call to worship, with choir, organ and harp, will take place in candlelight to begin the service.

There are more blessings! On December 4 we'll welcome new choir member Anita Wah . Thomas La France, Bronwen Howes, Jim Muir and Elaine Schnaidt have graciously agreed to participate with us in December, too.

Another blessing! Our own talented baritone Ward Belding is preparing solo arias from Messiah for Advent 3 and the Nativity Mass.

May our music enhance your worship experience as we prepare to receive the Christ Child into our hearts. If you find the music uplifting, please consider trying out the choir. After the holidays choir practice resumes on Sunday morning, January 8, at 8:45 in the Fireside Room.

Dec. 24

5:00 p.m. Lessons and Carols (Childcare provided)

11:00 p.m. Midnight Mass

Dec. 25

9:00 a.m. Christmas Day

All Saints Food Pantry has received $500 from the Canadian National (CN)  Railroaders in the Community. The donation is in recognition of the volunteer efforts of Ken Wright, a retired CN employee. The letter we received with the check notes, "At CN, we are proud of our retired employees, such as Ken, who devote countless hours of their own time to volunteer for non-profit organizations in communities where they live and work."

Ken has been inventorying the pantry contents for many months in anticipation of this donation. He has stated that it a real blessing for a Canadian business to support non-profit efforts in the U.S.  CN concludes its letter, "We wish your organization continued success, and we are aware of your valuable contribution to your community."

Yea, Ken!

Food Pantry

There are so many thanks to be given. Our Thanksgiving food pantry on November 19 was a record breaker. Including family members, more than 200 people wended their way through the food line, cheerfully tended to by 65 volunteers. Parishioners and neighbors dropped off 120 chickens at the church that morning. Combined with our allocation from the County Food Bank, there was in fact a chicken for every pot.

All of these are unprecedented numbers. The need is great. Our response has been greater.

We'll do it all again in December! We will again have two pantries, December 3 and 17. We will distribute chickens again on the 17th. May the gift of some whole chickens will be on your Christmas shopping list.

Enormous thanks and blessings to you for your generous support of this vital ministry.

Tom Breckenridge

Social Ministries Team Leader

tom.breckenridge@gmail.com 

Social Ministries Calendar

Saturday, 12/3

Food Pantry 11:00-2:00, All Saints

Sunday, 12/4

April Showers 11:00-2:00, San Leandro Boys and Girls Club

Saturday, 12/17

Food Pantry 11:00-2:00, All Saints -- Please bring a chicken!

Sunday, 12/18

Bag lunch preparation for April Showers after 8:00 service, All Saints
April Showers 11:00-2:00, San Leandro Boys and Girls Club

Liturgy of the Steward November 5

We had a great turnout: six "saints" showed up -- Fr. Rob, me (JK), Larry and Connie Camp , Donna Lack-Knights and her brother Mike Sousa. Wow, is that Mike strong! He and Fr. Rob moved that granite baptismal font from the narthex into the nave. He also put the green board and cork

St. Stephen (Dec. 26)

bulletin board, which Larry had removed, into upstairs storage. Donna, who is still suffering from terrible headaches, damp-mopped the entire nave and the bricks in the narthex too. Larry removed the baseboards from the new family restroom, and Connie swept the room. Fr. Rob climbed the ladder to put new floodlights high up in the chancel/choir. We also trimmed the sticky sweep on the front door, repaired one of the front flower pot drip irrigators and sprayed the grass in the narrow space between us and the neighbor's house.

The "fun" begins at 9:00 AM and ends at 11:00 AM. If you can come for even part of that time it would be so helpful and you can count it as part of the "tithing of your time."

These small gifts of time keep our beautiful church looking so "cared for."

Oh yes, some of us come at 8:30 AM for a Morning Prayer service (BCP p.137) -- with coffee and pastries -- in the Nave Circle. Thank You, Lord, for all who come to help.

New ADA-Compliant Family Restroom
Victor Powe General contracting has completed plastering and painting the walls and window trim. Victor has emailed our specifications to the Toilet Partition Supplier in San Francisco and is expecting them to send a Rep. to take measurements. Clyde Fralick got us a deal on the Vinyl flooring and baseboards which look so clean and bright. Greer Plumbing is coming back on Friday December 2, 2011, to finish the plumbing installation before the partitions go in. It's getting close to being done!

Many thanks to all the families and individuals who have made this welcoming and much needed addition to our wonderful Neighborhood Center possible.

Caught in the Act

Jean Saastemoinen putting a patch in the carpet at the entrance to the new Family ADA restroom. Ken Wright putting four coats of Varathane on the Wooden Cross by the by the back door and getting Fr. Rob and Jack and Brandon Maus to help with the reinstallation. Fr Rob up on a ladder repairing the lens for the lights in the "Wicker Room" meeting area.

Facilities Care

The fifty-plus years old furnace that heats the Fireside Room and the Church Office is back heating again after a two week outage. Chris Leavering, HVAC, who has been keeping our obsolete furnaces going well past their designed life span, has worked his magic again but this can't go on forever.