St. Thomas. Reflections from our Rector: Melinda+ Rooted in the Liturgy that sustains us

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1 St. Thomas Episcopal Church News Volume 5, Issue 5-6 ALL ARE WELCOME! May-June 2017 Reflections from our Rector: May got away from us, so we are making this a combined issue! That way all of the necessary information is on record, but we won t expend an extra mailing on past information. As we move from Easter through Pentecost and into ordinary time (the long green season), I am reminded of how easy it is to be caught up in the daily grind of life. Facing the long list of things that need to be done or that ought to be done not to mention the things that ought not to be done and trying to reconcile that list with the things that God is calling each of us to be and do. It s hard! Let s admit that first and foremost. It is hard for human beings to share God s priorities. Material priorities get in the way. Notice I did not say life gets in the way. Because life is what God is all about. Not just life, but abundant life, overflowing life, full and rich life. But we let ourselves be distracted by those endless material questions Jesus warns us about: What am I to eat? What am I to wear? Where am I to live? How do I provide for my family? How do I impress my neighbors? How do I improve my financial status? How do I keep what I ve gained? And the most dangerous question of all, How do I stay safe in such an uncertain world? Why is the last question so dangerous? Because it focuses our attention on an illusion that can never be real in this life. Safety is our most pervasive idol, our most seductive false god. It justifies all kinds of mistreatment of others because we have to think of our own well-being first, don t we? We have to avoid embarrassment and discomfort and physical danger so that we can live as long as possible in as little pain as possible. Well, not according to Jesus. Jesus calls us to take the risks of befriending strangers, loving our enemies, visiting those in prison, tending the sick, spending our hard-earned money to make life better for others, and yes, dying for the sake of the Gospel. Build longer tables, not higher walls. Treat everyone we meet as we would treat Jesus himself. As the messengers from God often say first, Be not afraid. The liturgical color for the long season after Pentecost is green, for hope. That means our ordinary time, our ordinary existence is to be centered on our hope in Christ. Hope, not fear, is what enables us to reach out to others and build relationships. Hope, not fear, is what changes lives for the better. Hope, not fear, was the purpose of Jesus coming to earth and offering himself on the cross. The hope of life, the hope of grace, the hope of love. St. Thomas is committed to making everything we say and do in this world a sign of Christ s presence, a presence that is Loving. Liberating. Life Giving. Melinda+ Rooted in the Liturgy that sustains us 1

2 2 St. Thomas Episcopal Church P.O. Box S. 1st ST Dubois, WY Phone: stthomas.wy@gmail.com The Rev. Melinda Bobo Rector Randy Lahr Senior Warden John McPhail Junior Warden Bicyclist/Hiker Ministry Coordinator Twila Blakeman Treasurer Sandy Lahr Clerk Carol Petera Vestry Member Mandy Rose Vestry Member Ram Packs Coordinator Julia Royall Vestry Member Farmers Market Co-chair Lary Treanor Vestry Member Connie Ticknor Office Manager Jake Isaly Community Garden Director Sheryl Isaly Food Bank Director Mary Ellen Honsaker Farmers Market Co-chair Cindy Lewis Pianist Sue Bodar Choir Director Sunday: St. Thomas Services 10 am - Holy Eucharist, Sanctuary 2 pm - Holy Eucharist, Wednesday: 6 pm - Evening Prayer, Sanctuary (Summer) Rogation Sunday, May 21: 10 am - Holy Eucharist, Sanctuary 2 pm - Holy Eucharist, Ascension Day, Thursday, May 25: 5:30 pm - Evening Prayer, Sanctuary Bishop s Visitation, Sunday, May 28: 10 am - Holy Eucharist, Sanctuary Church Office Hours Tuesday - Friday 9 am - noon, 1:30 pm - 4 pm or by appointment Rector s Office Hours Wednesday 10 am - noon, 1:30 pm - 4 pm or by appointment As we move into our busy summer ministries, please remember to keep your pledge up-to-date so that St. Thomas can continue our work and worship. If you have not pledged but would like to, please contact Connie at or stop by the office for a pledge card.

3 Vestry Doings The Vestry found their retreat on May 20th to be very inspiring. It focused on the spiritual leadership responsibilities of the Vestry. The Vestry is gathering bids from area flooring companies to replace the carpeting and old linoleum in the Food Bank food storage areas of Stewart House with vinyl flooring that will be easy to clean and durable. We will apply for a Foundation grant to help pay for the project. Clean-up Day started out a busy weekend for the Vestry over the Memorial Day weekend. The flower bed was cleaned out and members are continuing to add bedding plants. The Bishop had a joyous visit with the Vestry and a delicious meal with the congregation May 27th. We are always happy to welcome the Bishop and enjoyed his celebration of Sunday Eucharist on the 28th. AED trainings for our Automated External Defibrillator can be scheduled through the church office. The evening classes last about 1 hour and can have a maximum of 6 people. Although the automatic defibrillator is quite easy to use, some training to familiarize yourself with it will be invaluable if we ever need to use it. Please call or the office if you are interested. A hearty congratulations from the vestry to our graduating senior Sean Mock! Sean Mock has served as an Acolyte and a Lector for our church and we all wish him the best with his future education. Suicide Prevention Training St. Thomas Episcopal Church and Prevention Management Organization will be hosting a suicide prevention training on Monday, July The training is free and open to the public, so please invite anyone you know to join us. The session will be from 5:30 to 7:30 pm in the Headwaters Center. Please call the church office at if you are interested in coming. The training is called QPR, which stands for Question, Persuade, and Refer the 3 simple steps anyone can learn to help save a life from suicide. Just as people trained in CPR and the Heimlich Maneuver help save thousands of lives each year, people trained in QPR learn how to recognize the warning signs of a suicide crisis and how to question, persuade, and refer someone to help. Each year thousands of people like you are saying Yes to saving the life of a friend, colleague, sibling, or neighbor. According to the Surgeon General s National Strategy for Suicide Prevention (2001), a gatekeeper is someone in a position to recognize a crisis and the warning signs that someone may be contemplating suicide. Gatekeepers can be anyone, but include parents, friends, neighbors, teachers, ministers, doctors, nurses, office supervisors, squad leaders, foremen, police officers, advisors, caseworkers, firefighters, and many others who are strategically positioned to recognize and refer someone at risk of suicide. As a QPR-trained Gatekeeper you will learn to: Recognize the warning signs of suicide Know how to offer hope Know how to get help and save a life The Diocese of Wyoming began its suicide prevention initiative in 2010 and set a goal to have 10% of church members trained in QPR by We are already at 9%. Please help us reach our goal and save the lives of the people we love. 3

4 June 2017 Events, Services, Meetings Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 4 10a Holy Eucharist 2p Holy Eucharist at 11 10a Holy Eucharist 2p Holy Eucharist at 18 Father s Day 10a Holy Eucharist 2p Holy Eucharist at 25 10a Holy Eucharist 2p Holy Eucharist at 5 6 6:45a Kiwanis 9:30a Bible Talk at 8-9:30p Square Dance at the Rustic Pine Tavern :45a Kiwanis 9:30a Bible Talk at 8-9:30p Square Dance at the Rustic Pine Tavern :45a Kiwanis 9:30a Bible Talk at 8-9:30p Square Dance at the Rustic Pine Tavern :45a Kiwanis 9:30a Bible Talk at 4p Vestry Meeting 8-9:30p Square Dance at the Rustic Pine Tavern 7 5-6p Summer Conversations 6p Evening Prayer 14 9a Cooking for 4:30p Choir practice 5-6p Summer Conversations 6p Evening Prayer p Summer Conversations 6p Evening Prayer 28 4:30p Choir practice 5-6p Summer Conversations 6p Evening Prayer 1 4-6p Winter Market a-noon Food Bank in Stewart House a-noon Food Bank in Stewart House 15 9a Cooking for 9:30a-3p Frontier HHH 4-6p Winter Market 16 9a Cooking for SwedishSmorgasbord 17 9a Cooking for 10a-noon Food Bank in Stewart House 5p First Seating Swedish Smorgasbord 6p Second Seating a-noon Food Bank in Stewart House p Farmer s Market 30 4

5 June 2017 Worship Ministries June 4 The Day of Pentecost Lector Lois Wingerson Eucharistic Minister Sheryl Isaly Acolyte Sean Mock Fellowship Farmer s Market Altar Flowers Pat and Jennet Ballinger Celebrant / Preacher Melinda Bobo June 11 Trinity Sunday (Wyoming Eucharist) Lector Carol Petera Eucharistic Minister Dick Hodge Acolyte Nancie Vion-Loisel Fellowship Julia Royall Altar Flowers Kathy and Lary Treanor Celebrant / Preacher Melinda Bobo June 18 2 Pentecost Lector Dorothy Remy Eucharistic Minister Sylvia Crouter Acolyte Kay Jacoby Fellowship St. Thomas Freezer Altar Flowers Nancie Vion-Loisel Celebrant / Preacher Melinda Bobo/ Sylvia Crouter June 25 3 Pentecost (Wyoming Eucharist) Lector Pamela Glasser Eucharistic Minister Mary Ellen Honsaker Acolyte Dalton Finley Fellowship Nancie Vion-Loisel Altar Flowers St. Thomas Plants Celebrant/ Preacher Melinda Bobo 5

6 Spirituality and Sabbatical The theme for the 2017 Diocesan Convention is If Jesus came back, what in your congregation would make him say, Wow!? We need to start the process of answering that question by answering it as individuals. If Jesus were to come back tomorrow, what in your life would make him say, Wow!? In other words, how are you being Christ in the world and proclaiming the Good News? We will also be exploring how the Church nurtures our becoming more Christ-like and binds us together as Christ s body in today s world. This summer we are going to be continuing the congregational preparation for my sabbatical time. Wednesday, June 14 we will begin a weekly study of the Book of Common Prayer and the Episcopal Church using the User- Friendly Guide to the Book of Common Prayer (from the Rite 13-Journey to Adulthood curriculum) and The Episcopal Handbook, a manual to life in the Episcopal Church modeled after survival guides like The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook. Everyone is encouraged to attend, and classes will be independent units, so that missing a class will not make it impossible to participate in the remaining classes. Classes will be Wednesdays from 5 pm to 6 pm, followed by Evening Prayer. Our Lenten Conversations about spirituality were powerful, inspiring, and spirit-filled, and we hope the Book of Common Prayer and The Episcopal Handbook conversations will be equally stimulating. April-May 2017 Bicyclist/Hiker Report John McPhail continues to coordinate St. Thomas bicyclist/hiker ministry this summer. For April: We had 1 hardy soul from Montana stay with us on April 5! For May: 17 cyclists and hikers have stayed overnight at St. Thomas May 1 through May 31. Visitors represented 6 states: Arkansas, California, Maine, New York, Ohio, and Washington. International visitors represented 6 countries: Japan, Canada, Scotland, England, the Netherlands, and Belgium. The Piggy Bank donations for the month of May amounted to $ Some Notes From Our Guests: Wow! What a friendly and welcoming group of people are with this church. I was overwhelmed by the generosity. Thanks for the great dinner and warm place to stay. Jehmer Witteveen Amsterdam, The Netherlands St. Thomas is showing the true meaning of church by opening your door and hearts to bikers, hoped for shelter and you gave us a meal and friendship. Can t thank you enough. Finley Cranor Dover, Arkansas Thank you John and Melinda for letting us stay at St. Thomas. Warm hearts make the trail possible. Guillaume St. Pierre Fort McMurray, Canada 6

7 Thank You! Twila Blakeman, Lary and Kathy Treanor, Larry Lawver, Randy and Sandy Lahr, Lillian McMath, Carol Petera, Nancie Vion-Loisel, John Angst, Melinda Bobo, and John McPhail for your work on Clean-Up Day! Matt Sullivan, John McPhail, and Randy Lahr for fixing the sprinklers. Larry Lawver for mowing the lawn. This is the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; the being thoroughly worn out before you are thrown on the scrap heap; the being a force of Nature instead of a feverish selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy. George Bernard Shaw (offered by Julia Royall) Worship in the Outdoors! On Sunday, July 16th, Mary Ishaque will host our Sunday service at Warm River Ranch, 5275 US Hwy 26, followed by a bring-your-own-pizza-topping brunch, with our custom pizzas cooked fresh right there. BIRTHDAYS AND ANNIVERSARIES MAY AND JUNE Dick Hodge May 4th Billie Culver May 6th Mary Ellen Honsaker May 6th Penny Stoddard May 12th Tony Corline May 14th Randy Lahr May 27th We remember Florence Grubb, former St. Thomas members Steve Wolnick and Angie Post, and Dubois residents Chick Nicholas, Jack Holmes, Anita Conley, Jim Schroeder and Ron Penney. May their souls and the souls of all the departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Pat and Jennet Ballinger June 8 Please call the church office at to add your name to our Birthday and Anniversary list. 7

8 St. Thomas Episcopal Church P.O. Box 735 Dubois, WY Summer Square Dances Summer Square Dances sponsored by Episcopal Church Women will be starting on Tuesday, June 6 and will be every Tuesday through August 22 at 8-9:30 pm in the Frontier Room of the Rustic Pine. Adults $4, children $2, and sodas are $.25. Please sign up to help serve sodas! The sponsored by Dubois Church Women will be Saturday, June 17 with seatings at 5 and 6 pm at the Headwaters Center. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for children 6 to 12. Children 5 and under are free. Tickets may be reserved for pick-up at the Headwaters by calling or purchased in advance at the Headwaters, the Dubois Chamber of Commerce, and Water Wheel Gifts. They will also be available at the door. For more information Connie at stthomas.wy@gmail.com or call Ice Cream Social The 4th of July Homemade Ice Cream Social will be held at 3 pm on Tuesday, July 4th on St. Thomas front lawn. Come make ice cream in the Coffee Room Kitchen at 9 am on Thursday, June 29; Friday, June 30; or Saturday, July 1. Or, come eat ice cream and support St. Thomas Episcopal Church and NOD in their work!