All Saints First Rector

The Rev. Dr. Margaret S. Shepard was the first Rector of All Saints as the congregation moved from worshiping in the elementary school cafeteria and gym to building a new worship space two blocks away. They also moved from having the center of their time together being familiar Episcopal Liturgy to emphasis on Servant Ministry.

All Saints First Rector  (Luke 23: 15-17, 21-22)

By The Reverend Thomas E. Wilson

They once gathered on a piece of earth,
            boundaried by water,
                        to hear someone speak
                                    of yet another, a more powerful
                                    one who is still to come,
                        of whose sandals
            they were not fit to untie,
yet who is part of every breath we take.
They, five  less two millennium later, continue gathering and
    sacrificing, measured not with large showy weight and
            number as to rival Poseidon on far
                        lands end shore where benefactors
                        flatter with lavish hecatomb of kine.
            Rather tithing mites of energy, faith, sweat and time,
      running lengthy kindness marathons with neighbor and
the Divine family, be they strangers, friends or enemies.
They, on lands end begin cocooning in rented childs school
            gyms, cafeterias with gum encrusted small chairs,
                        boxing in all the books and
                                    makeshift religious paraphernalia,
                                    It was a porous Chrysalis for services
                        with much setting it up and
            taking it down and adapting when the school's
Halloween decorations counterpointed All Saints Day.
They, real churching, gathering around kitchen tables
            and Hospital beds, over coffee klatches
                        and house blessings with meals
                                    when two or three togethering,
                                    mourning over  their losses,
                        and celebrating with their joys,
            asking questions, sharing their hopes
giving and exchanging peace passing understanding.
They, in 97, calling Margaret who tabernacling with them
            in their community presiding in the school
                        and offered sheparding for their souls, and in
                                    sparse spare time, help plan for  new
                                    future not  camping by moving to new
                        structure; not a refurbished cocoon,
            but a different garden to plant roots of faith
growing well pleasing blossoms of  God’s daughters and sons.
They marching, on Y2K before Ashes Holy, down the street
       from school to new pile of building arrives continue
            singing, praying, meeting, crying
                        working for the larger community,
                        fighting and loving together as lovers do,
            until on that Beethoven’s day she left
       blessing all beloved daughters and sons,
for all they had done together, and called to do apart.
They, passing on spirit, part of every faithful breath we take.
            for there is still more to come in already and not yet.