All Saints' has had a wonderful year. The Church School is growing in size. We have received a Case House Grant to help finance a new program for our younger students called Godly Play. We will need help over the summer with making cut outs, and painting backgrounds. Dates for these activities will be decided later. If you have an interest in 3-6 year olds and experiential teaching, we would love to help train you and have you be a part of this new venture. Jim Scott has been working with our older students, Cindy and Brie Akers, and Barbara England have been the core of our nursery program which is our fastest growing group!

The Easter breakfast, the Pentecost cakes were wonderful times of sharing. Plans are well underway for the Fall Fair and many have stepped up to help Barbara Dykas and her committee with the June 12th Yard Sale. It was a wonderful success last year and I am sure it will be again this year. All the contributions will help, as will setting up and taking down. There will be delicious food and lots of fun as well as a lot of hard work.

The confirmands and those being received shared in an impressive service at St. Thomas Church, Taunton on May 15th. The African stories from Bishop Andrew Smith were echoed by the St. Thomas choir singing a wonderful South African freedom hymn. Our celebration of our new Episcopalians the following day was meaningful. The cake that congratulated our 8 participants at coffee hour was completely eaten! Each person has chosen a way to participate more fully in the life of the parish. They were a wonderful group.

On Pentecost we also welcomed Katherine Spillane and her family in the rite of baptism. She is Shirley Leahy's granddaughter and it was a joy to meet other members of her family.

There are some changes about this summer. We changed the time last year to 9AM which helped some, but made it very hard for others, so we will remain at 10AM this summer. I hope that those who preferred 9AM will still be able to attend at the later time. Our service will be shorter for the following reasons: Fred will not be with us, but will return in September. We will be using "Enriching our Worship." This is all contained in one booklet which may make it easier for visitors than the Book of Common Prayer can be. We are trying to figure out a way to have a generic worship bulletin with the lessons of the day the only moveable part. This will cut down on our paper use and Robin's time. PLEASE keep up with your pledge this summer. Last summer the cash flow helped us to sustain the ministry of All Saints'.

Barbara Boynton and Dee Scott have worked very hard with The Rev Ed Pease on audits and a friend of his on getting the 09 Quickbooks up to date. Barbara has been doing a wonderful job paying our bills and learning Quickbooks. Kathy Dollar and Roberta Todd have also helped to keep our finances as straight as possible. So many people have chipped in to help this year in so many ways. The Spirit we have here keeps growing (and yes, I really did mean to capitalize the S).

The Rev. Ron Tibbetts joined us to be our Deacon in May. We are still working out ways for his ministry to find direction, but it has been a joy to have him read the Gospel and set and clear the table. I get to sit down! and sing the offertory! I am getting spoiled! He also will be sitting in a pew several Sundays a month, so I will not get totally spoiled. He has been attending the Monday night Bible Study and came to a Vestry meeting to get to know us better. Hopefully he will be able to be with us for three years.

I will be on vacation for two and one half weeks in June and three in July. I did not take all of my vacation last year and the Vestry graciously allowed me to use it this year. In June Phil and I will be touring 5 National Parks in the west for 13 days. We are going out to Seattle a few days early as we have never been there and the trip itself leaves at the crack of dawn its first day. While I am gone Robin during her hours and then Dee Scott will be the contact persons for pastoral emergencies. I will be available when I am in S. Dartmouth. I will be in the parish only on Sundays starting the last week of July and my salary will be reduced for several weeks and all of August. This helped last year and I offered it again.

Phil and I wish you a summer that truly re-creates you and renews your energy for the year ahead. Where ever you are, may you find beauty in God's world. May there be peace for you and refreshment.

Blessings, Bailey