All Hallows Episcopal Church

ASCENSION DAY is Thursday, May 14!

Forty days after Easter, the Church celebrates one of the great mysteries of our faith: the Feast of the Ascension of our Lord. This ancient celebration marks the moment when the risen Christ returned to the fullness of God’s presence, completing the earthly portion of his ministry and opening a new chapter in the life of the Church. The story of the Ascension is told most clearly in Acts 1:6–11, where the disciples gather with the risen Jesus on the Mount of Olives. As they watch, he is lifted up and taken from their sight.

At All Hallows, we will honor this great feast with a beautiful Ascension Day Eucharist at 7PM. The liturgy will include the use of incense and the high altar, reflecting the festal and celebratory nature of the day as we lift our hearts with Christ who is lifted into heaven.

Following the service, we will continue the celebration with one of our beloved traditions of an Ascension Day fellowship gathering, a time to share food, conversation, and community together.

The Ascension reminds us that Christ is not absent from the world but reigns over it. From heaven Christ continues to guide, sustain, and pray for us. As we gather to celebrate this feast, we proclaim the hope that where Christ has gone, we are also called to follow.

We hope you will join us for this joyful celebration of the Ascended Lord.

Gracious and loving God, we praise you when we think about the sacrifice and love given to us by those we call our mothers. Thank you for the mother who gave birth to us, the one who adopted us, and the one(s) who mentored us along the path of life.

Sustain those who never knew their mother, or those for whom the memory of their mother is difficult.

With Gratitude, we lift up those who did their best, who made mistakes, let us see them cry, and for those who were tougher on us than we would have preferred. May the strength, tenacity, resilience, independence, and perseverance we learned from both these blessings and from these challenges, help us to continue to grow in your love and service.

We thank you, Lord, for those who surrendered and entrusted their child to another parent for adoption, grant them peace.

We pray for those whose child did not live to take a breath or left the earth too soon, we pray for comfort that only comes from knowing Jesus.

Sweet and loving God, we pray for those who are struggling with guilt, shame, and feelings of not being enough, we claim your healing redemption upon their lives.

We lift up to you those who yearn to have a child and struggle with infertility or difficulties of carrying a baby to term. Comfort them as only you can. Fill them with your love and peace, help them to feel completed by your grace and mercy.

Wrap your arms around those who no longer have their mother here on earth. This day can also be a painful reminder of the grief and loss in noticing the absence of our moms. Bless them with a touch from you, reassuring them of your presence.

For all these types of mothers we ask for the peace that passes all understanding to guard their hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. AMEN!

Yesterday, we spoke also sang ALLELUIA! as we celebrated Jesus' resurrection.

It was a glorious day.

(Photo credit: Dave Conly)

Holy Saturday, quiet waiting and reflection
“O God, Creator of heaven and earth: Grant that, as the crucified body of your dear Son was laid in the tomb and rested on this holy Sabbath, so may we await with him the coming of the third day, and rise with him to newness of life; who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.” (BCP)

We welcome you to our Easter Vigil on Saturday, April 4th at 7pm and to our Easter Day service at 10am. After worship on Sunday, stay for our Easter Egg Hunt and festal fellowship as we celebrate the Feast of the Resurrection together!