From the Rector/Archdeacon's desk
Hi all!
We are in full steam mode here at All Angels. We are about to complete a wonderful Episcopal 101 curriculum that has been fun and really well attended! We have finished our reports to the national church which told us many marvelous things. We have shared pancakes. We have imposed ashes and been invited to a Holy Lent. We are preparing to confirm and receive many into the church and welcome Bishop Jonathan. Then it will be time to slow down and "settle" into a Holy Lent.
You all know my feelings about Lent. I think it is a season of paramount importance. It is a time when we stop, look at ourselves, take stock in our lives, and strive to do better. In other words, it is a time when we turn towards God. And in our times, that is a little easier said than done. There is fear among many of us. There is an anger among many of us. It is my feeling that this is not what God wants for us. How do we approach Lent during such a time?
Maybe we this Lent can be a time of looking for God. Maybe this can be a time of looking for the image of God in all people, not just the people we agree with. Maybe this can be a Lent of trying to understand why someone might think differently than you. Maybe this Lent can be a time of compassion for all of God's people. This idea is highlighted in the Old Testament reading for Ash Wednesday, which is from Isaiah-
Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke?
Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover them, and not to hide yourself from your own kin?
Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up quickly; your vindicator shall go before you, the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.
Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry for help, and he will say, Here I am. If you remove the yoke from among you, the pointing of the finger, the speaking of evil, if you offer your food to the hungry and satisfy the needs of the afflicted, then your light shall rise in the darkness
and your gloom be like the noonday.
The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your needs in parched places, and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters never fail. Your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to live in.
I believe these words are words of compassion. These words given to Isaiah by God ask us all to sow acts of kindness and mercy. These words also let us know that when we do this God has our back. These words also castigate the pointing of the finger and evil utterances of judgement and condemnation. This call from Isaiah is what I believe could be our guiding light during Lent. Along with the acts of piety, which are important, let us try to spread the love and compassion of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. We can do this through simple acts of love and kindness directed at those we don't know and might not understand. Let us also condemn the pointing fingers and evil utterances of our hearts that separate us from others made in the image of God. If we can strive to do those things, maybe we can all become Repairers of the Breach.
I wish you all the most holy and transformative Lent and know you are all loved and remain in my prayers.
Your brother in Christ,
The Ven. Fr. Clay+
The Deacon’s Corner
Lent has begun and Mike and I are excited to share a wonderful story when the Bishop is here. It is such a joy to hear the children's' prayers and watch their growth and comfort with all the sights and sounds of worship. I wish us all a blessed and compassionate Lent.
Deacon Bonnie (The Incomparable)
From Programming Tsarina Julianne
And just like that LENT!
All Angels loves to gather for the Lent Season. We will be conducting our Lent Wednesday soup dinners starting March 19th at 5:30, March 26th, and April 2nd. Please sign up to bring a soup. At this time we gather, pray and eat, we enjoy being with each other and reflect on the Lent season.
Sunday school is working on the power of LOVE and will move onto the Easter story this coming month. Stay tuned on a CHURCH movie night as the word on the street is there is a new animated movie about the life of Jesus.
Julianne (the Great)
IMPORTANT REQUEST
As most of you know we were forecasted to have a major storm in early January. Many churches discerned whether to have services on that weekend and many of us stayed home due to the wind, ice, and cold. The wardens and the rector discerned that there was no need to shut down that Sunday since the storm's impact was felt mainly to the south of Spearfish. If the storm had done as predicted and we felt the need to cancel services there would have been a need to communicate that with our church family.
In the past we have been able to communicate with the parish via email, social media, web page, and phone trees. This method of communication works for some, but due to folks concerns for privacy, social media algorithms (a set of rules that rank user data to determine what content to show users), and our increasing size these methods can fail to communicate important announcements.
This is why we are asking everyone with a smart phone to please sign up for text messaging from the parish. You can do this by opening the weekly email updates from the parish and pressing the "text sign up" button. This will lead you to a page that will instruct you on how to receive emergency texts from the parish and make communications more effective and easier. So, PLEASE, sign up- we promise not to bug/ barrage you with silly texts and notifications- just special events, important reminders, and emergency announcements! So PLEASE sign up!
Episcopal Church of All Angels Vestry Quarterly Update
The Vestry will be providing a quarterly update in our ongoing efforts to improve and maintain good communications with our church members. Here is the first installment.
Rich Mulholland, our Senior Warden, continues to keep the weekly donations accounted for and the deposits made. In addition, he is a member of the Finance Committee, working with Father Clay and Mike Moore to monitor the financials, general ledger and endowment.
Julianne continues to do amazing things with the Youth and Education activities. Deacon Bonnie has done a wonderful job with Pastoral care duties and with the Grief Support activities this past year. Deacon Bonnie will be starting up Grief services again soon so look for those announcements in upcoming newsletters.
Father Clay has been participating in new educational opportunities related to Leadership Psychology and Conflict resolution. He shared with the Vestry that we have had increasing attendance from new parishioners with many young families.
A new endeavor starting up this year is the formation of a Building and Grounds Committee. Deb Walter Laws, the Junior Warden, will be leading this group and several people have already expressed interest in participating. The focus of this group will be to develop a strategic plan for the ongoing maintenance/preventative maintenance for the church. As well as getting caught up on current needs.
Those current needs include:
Our first meeting will be sometime in March. Anyone interested in helping, please feel free to contact Fr Clay.
Lenten Soup and Compline
Lenten Soup and Compline will take place on March 19th, 26th, and April 2nd in the parish hall. We will continue the tradition of soup and fellowship followed by the service of Compline. This is a special and cherished event at All Angels and we look forward to seein ge everyone during this holy gathering!
Lenten Lunch
All Angels will be hosting the worship portion of Lenten Lunch on March 19th at Our Saviors Lutheran Church here in Spearfish. We will also be providing cookies and bars as well as providing a few volunteers to help serve and clean up. If you are interested in helping please contact Pam Baum or sign up in the back of the church.
TEC Update
So many exciting things have happened since the last update!! In addition to the wonderful news that we have a new Canon for TEC and Youth Ministry, Sierra Kacher, we have also been offered an amazing opportunity to pay for the work we are doing at camp this summer.
An anonymous donor has offered us a $50,000 Challenge Grant. What this means is that every dollar donated is matched by this donor up to $50,000! So every dollar donated becomes two - turning $50,000 into $100,000. This would provide much needed funding for the many projects we have hopes of accomplishing at TEC!
What are these projects? Here are some possibilities depending on what money we have available:
-New drainage system around Super Tent to prevent flooding
-A new bathhouse
-Repairs and restaining of the cabins
-A new porch off Super Tent
-Refurbished fire pit
-New picnic tables
These are just a few possibilities that could become realities if we meet this challenge.
Donations can be made through the Diocesan Website or by mail. If donating through the website, click the Donate button and then the TEC Challenge Grant button. If donating by mail, send a check with Thunderhead Challenge in the memo to 408 N. Jefferson Ave, Pierre, SD 57501. Watch future updates for more pictures of the thermometer as the red rises!!
A couple of other opportunities for this Summer of Renewal and Refreshment:
BISHOP’S STATEMENT TO THE DIOCESE ILLEGAL RACIAL PROFILING
Feast of the Presentation / February 2, 2025
Last week, a priest in our diocese was unlawfully racially profiled. When he answered a knock on his door, a man, without showing any identification or stating who he represented, threateningly asked, "You aren’t from around here, are you?" The priest responded politely and removed his cap. The man recognized him and returned to the passenger side of an SUV with tinted windows and no license plates. The SUV and its passengers then drove away.
Additionally, it was shared in a diocesan clergy meeting last Thursday that three members of the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate were detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) without cause. The tribal identification cards they produced upon being stopped were not recognized as valid forms of ID, and they were taken into custody until they were eventually released. Furthermore, Native Americans in different parts of the United States are facing racial profiling by ICE and being illegally detained.
Biblically, morally, and legally, we reject and condemn this fear-mongering behavior. We stand with tribal leaders in support of Native Americans who are being targeted; we stand with our Dinka siblings who worship at Holy Apostles in Sioux Falls; and we stand with all those whose skin color is reason enough in the eyes of some for them to be detained and questioned. Racial profiling is inherently racist and sinful and does not represent behavior worthy of God’s kingdom.
I am hereby directing all our clergy to become as informed as possible on these matters and offer all the pastoral support they can. It is crucial that their parishioners and community members know where to obtain the necessary forms of identification and know what to do if they are illegally detained by ICE or anyone else in authority. I also encourage anyone who experiences this behavior to report it to their local or tribal authorities for documentation. Additionally, our diocese will create a dedicated website page offering resources and information on a person’s rights should they be unlawfully detained.
Jesus repeatedly told his followers, “Be not afraid.” I strongly echo Jesus’ words because the aim of oppressors is to instill fear in the oppressed. At the same time, I encourage our Native American and Dinka siblings, as well as everyone who is being targeted because of their skin color, to stay informed and be vigilant. You are not alone, and we will fight this fear with you. One of our own priests was targeted at his home – so let no one say, “It can’t happen here.” It can. It has. It is. And rest assured, we will not remain silent or passive in responding.
CLOSE OF WINTER/ SPRING OFFERINGS
First Sunday Homecoming Potlucks- (Immediately following the 10:15 service)
Trinity Guild will meet the first Tuesday of the month in the Parish Hall.
Bishop's Visitation will take place on March 9th at both services. Confirmations and receptions will take place at the 10:15 service.
Holy Eucharist will be offered on Wednesdays at 12 noon throughout the year.
Men’s Breakfast Group will meet weekly on Saturdays at 7am. These fellowship meals are held at Perkins on E. Colorado Blvd in Spearfish.
The first Saturday of April we will again offer a men's breakfast in parish hall. Contact Mike McCooey or the office for more details.
Children/ Family Church will be held the last Sunday of the month at 10:15am.
Elementary Kids Sunday School will be held on Sundays, through the school year at 9:15 am in the parish hall- parents are encouraged to attend coffee hour for fellowship and snacks.
Our Community Tutoring program continues and will be held every Monday at 3:30pm except for school breaks and holidays
AND hold onto your hats- Holy Week, and Easter are right around the corner!!!!
Weekly Updates
We will be continuing to send out weekly emails with reminders of events, lector (reader) assignments, links to Sunday's readings, Altar Guild, and Coffee Hour. The update will also include devotions for you to ponder during your prayers as well as an updated Parish Prayer List. If you do not receive emails, we will make sure the pertinent information is available in the preceding weeks bulletin.
Hi all!
We are in full steam mode here at All Angels. We are about to complete a wonderful Episcopal 101 curriculum that has been fun and really well attended! We have finished our reports to the national church which told us many marvelous things. We have shared pancakes. We have imposed ashes and been invited to a Holy Lent. We are preparing to confirm and receive many into the church and welcome Bishop Jonathan. Then it will be time to slow down and "settle" into a Holy Lent.
You all know my feelings about Lent. I think it is a season of paramount importance. It is a time when we stop, look at ourselves, take stock in our lives, and strive to do better. In other words, it is a time when we turn towards God. And in our times, that is a little easier said than done. There is fear among many of us. There is an anger among many of us. It is my feeling that this is not what God wants for us. How do we approach Lent during such a time?
Maybe we this Lent can be a time of looking for God. Maybe this can be a time of looking for the image of God in all people, not just the people we agree with. Maybe this can be a Lent of trying to understand why someone might think differently than you. Maybe this Lent can be a time of compassion for all of God's people. This idea is highlighted in the Old Testament reading for Ash Wednesday, which is from Isaiah-
Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke?
Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover them, and not to hide yourself from your own kin?
Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up quickly; your vindicator shall go before you, the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.
Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry for help, and he will say, Here I am. If you remove the yoke from among you, the pointing of the finger, the speaking of evil, if you offer your food to the hungry and satisfy the needs of the afflicted, then your light shall rise in the darkness
and your gloom be like the noonday.
The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your needs in parched places, and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters never fail. Your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to live in.
I believe these words are words of compassion. These words given to Isaiah by God ask us all to sow acts of kindness and mercy. These words also let us know that when we do this God has our back. These words also castigate the pointing of the finger and evil utterances of judgement and condemnation. This call from Isaiah is what I believe could be our guiding light during Lent. Along with the acts of piety, which are important, let us try to spread the love and compassion of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. We can do this through simple acts of love and kindness directed at those we don't know and might not understand. Let us also condemn the pointing fingers and evil utterances of our hearts that separate us from others made in the image of God. If we can strive to do those things, maybe we can all become Repairers of the Breach.
I wish you all the most holy and transformative Lent and know you are all loved and remain in my prayers.
Your brother in Christ,
The Ven. Fr. Clay+
The Deacon’s Corner
Lent has begun and Mike and I are excited to share a wonderful story when the Bishop is here. It is such a joy to hear the children's' prayers and watch their growth and comfort with all the sights and sounds of worship. I wish us all a blessed and compassionate Lent.
Deacon Bonnie (The Incomparable)
From Programming Tsarina Julianne
And just like that LENT!
All Angels loves to gather for the Lent Season. We will be conducting our Lent Wednesday soup dinners starting March 19th at 5:30, March 26th, and April 2nd. Please sign up to bring a soup. At this time we gather, pray and eat, we enjoy being with each other and reflect on the Lent season.
Sunday school is working on the power of LOVE and will move onto the Easter story this coming month. Stay tuned on a CHURCH movie night as the word on the street is there is a new animated movie about the life of Jesus.
Julianne (the Great)
IMPORTANT REQUEST
As most of you know we were forecasted to have a major storm in early January. Many churches discerned whether to have services on that weekend and many of us stayed home due to the wind, ice, and cold. The wardens and the rector discerned that there was no need to shut down that Sunday since the storm's impact was felt mainly to the south of Spearfish. If the storm had done as predicted and we felt the need to cancel services there would have been a need to communicate that with our church family.
In the past we have been able to communicate with the parish via email, social media, web page, and phone trees. This method of communication works for some, but due to folks concerns for privacy, social media algorithms (a set of rules that rank user data to determine what content to show users), and our increasing size these methods can fail to communicate important announcements.
This is why we are asking everyone with a smart phone to please sign up for text messaging from the parish. You can do this by opening the weekly email updates from the parish and pressing the "text sign up" button. This will lead you to a page that will instruct you on how to receive emergency texts from the parish and make communications more effective and easier. So, PLEASE, sign up- we promise not to bug/ barrage you with silly texts and notifications- just special events, important reminders, and emergency announcements! So PLEASE sign up!
Episcopal Church of All Angels Vestry Quarterly Update
The Vestry will be providing a quarterly update in our ongoing efforts to improve and maintain good communications with our church members. Here is the first installment.
Rich Mulholland, our Senior Warden, continues to keep the weekly donations accounted for and the deposits made. In addition, he is a member of the Finance Committee, working with Father Clay and Mike Moore to monitor the financials, general ledger and endowment.
Julianne continues to do amazing things with the Youth and Education activities. Deacon Bonnie has done a wonderful job with Pastoral care duties and with the Grief Support activities this past year. Deacon Bonnie will be starting up Grief services again soon so look for those announcements in upcoming newsletters.
Father Clay has been participating in new educational opportunities related to Leadership Psychology and Conflict resolution. He shared with the Vestry that we have had increasing attendance from new parishioners with many young families.
A new endeavor starting up this year is the formation of a Building and Grounds Committee. Deb Walter Laws, the Junior Warden, will be leading this group and several people have already expressed interest in participating. The focus of this group will be to develop a strategic plan for the ongoing maintenance/preventative maintenance for the church. As well as getting caught up on current needs.
Those current needs include:
- Rectory back door replacement
- Installation of a lock box for the parish hall key
- New front door for the Parish Office
- Safe Church compliant doors on the classrooms/ storage rooms
Our first meeting will be sometime in March. Anyone interested in helping, please feel free to contact Fr Clay.
Lenten Soup and Compline
Lenten Soup and Compline will take place on March 19th, 26th, and April 2nd in the parish hall. We will continue the tradition of soup and fellowship followed by the service of Compline. This is a special and cherished event at All Angels and we look forward to seein ge everyone during this holy gathering!
Lenten Lunch
All Angels will be hosting the worship portion of Lenten Lunch on March 19th at Our Saviors Lutheran Church here in Spearfish. We will also be providing cookies and bars as well as providing a few volunteers to help serve and clean up. If you are interested in helping please contact Pam Baum or sign up in the back of the church.
TEC Update
So many exciting things have happened since the last update!! In addition to the wonderful news that we have a new Canon for TEC and Youth Ministry, Sierra Kacher, we have also been offered an amazing opportunity to pay for the work we are doing at camp this summer.
An anonymous donor has offered us a $50,000 Challenge Grant. What this means is that every dollar donated is matched by this donor up to $50,000! So every dollar donated becomes two - turning $50,000 into $100,000. This would provide much needed funding for the many projects we have hopes of accomplishing at TEC!
What are these projects? Here are some possibilities depending on what money we have available:
-New drainage system around Super Tent to prevent flooding
-A new bathhouse
-Repairs and restaining of the cabins
-A new porch off Super Tent
-Refurbished fire pit
-New picnic tables
These are just a few possibilities that could become realities if we meet this challenge.
Donations can be made through the Diocesan Website or by mail. If donating through the website, click the Donate button and then the TEC Challenge Grant button. If donating by mail, send a check with Thunderhead Challenge in the memo to 408 N. Jefferson Ave, Pierre, SD 57501. Watch future updates for more pictures of the thermometer as the red rises!!
A couple of other opportunities for this Summer of Renewal and Refreshment:
BISHOP’S STATEMENT TO THE DIOCESE ILLEGAL RACIAL PROFILING
Feast of the Presentation / February 2, 2025
Last week, a priest in our diocese was unlawfully racially profiled. When he answered a knock on his door, a man, without showing any identification or stating who he represented, threateningly asked, "You aren’t from around here, are you?" The priest responded politely and removed his cap. The man recognized him and returned to the passenger side of an SUV with tinted windows and no license plates. The SUV and its passengers then drove away.
Additionally, it was shared in a diocesan clergy meeting last Thursday that three members of the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate were detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) without cause. The tribal identification cards they produced upon being stopped were not recognized as valid forms of ID, and they were taken into custody until they were eventually released. Furthermore, Native Americans in different parts of the United States are facing racial profiling by ICE and being illegally detained.
Biblically, morally, and legally, we reject and condemn this fear-mongering behavior. We stand with tribal leaders in support of Native Americans who are being targeted; we stand with our Dinka siblings who worship at Holy Apostles in Sioux Falls; and we stand with all those whose skin color is reason enough in the eyes of some for them to be detained and questioned. Racial profiling is inherently racist and sinful and does not represent behavior worthy of God’s kingdom.
I am hereby directing all our clergy to become as informed as possible on these matters and offer all the pastoral support they can. It is crucial that their parishioners and community members know where to obtain the necessary forms of identification and know what to do if they are illegally detained by ICE or anyone else in authority. I also encourage anyone who experiences this behavior to report it to their local or tribal authorities for documentation. Additionally, our diocese will create a dedicated website page offering resources and information on a person’s rights should they be unlawfully detained.
Jesus repeatedly told his followers, “Be not afraid.” I strongly echo Jesus’ words because the aim of oppressors is to instill fear in the oppressed. At the same time, I encourage our Native American and Dinka siblings, as well as everyone who is being targeted because of their skin color, to stay informed and be vigilant. You are not alone, and we will fight this fear with you. One of our own priests was targeted at his home – so let no one say, “It can’t happen here.” It can. It has. It is. And rest assured, we will not remain silent or passive in responding.
CLOSE OF WINTER/ SPRING OFFERINGS
First Sunday Homecoming Potlucks- (Immediately following the 10:15 service)
- April 6th
- May 4th
Trinity Guild will meet the first Tuesday of the month in the Parish Hall.
Bishop's Visitation will take place on March 9th at both services. Confirmations and receptions will take place at the 10:15 service.
Holy Eucharist will be offered on Wednesdays at 12 noon throughout the year.
Men’s Breakfast Group will meet weekly on Saturdays at 7am. These fellowship meals are held at Perkins on E. Colorado Blvd in Spearfish.
The first Saturday of April we will again offer a men's breakfast in parish hall. Contact Mike McCooey or the office for more details.
Children/ Family Church will be held the last Sunday of the month at 10:15am.
Elementary Kids Sunday School will be held on Sundays, through the school year at 9:15 am in the parish hall- parents are encouraged to attend coffee hour for fellowship and snacks.
Our Community Tutoring program continues and will be held every Monday at 3:30pm except for school breaks and holidays
AND hold onto your hats- Holy Week, and Easter are right around the corner!!!!
Weekly Updates
We will be continuing to send out weekly emails with reminders of events, lector (reader) assignments, links to Sunday's readings, Altar Guild, and Coffee Hour. The update will also include devotions for you to ponder during your prayers as well as an updated Parish Prayer List. If you do not receive emails, we will make sure the pertinent information is available in the preceding weeks bulletin.