ST. THOMAS LIFELINES. Part Time Less Than By Cathie Caimano, part of the Vestry Papers issue on Transition and Change (May 2016)

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1 ST. THOMAS LIFELINES VOLUME 23, NO. 6 JUNE 2016 Part Time Less Than By Cathie Caimano, part of the Vestry Papers issue on Transition and Change (May 2016) The senior warden was blunt with me on the phone. 'We loved having you here on Sunday morning,' he said. 'And I am not the sort of person who believes in waiting around for things. We are looking for a new vicar in the fall and I just want to know how committed you are to this 'free range' thing and if I can persuade you to apply for the position.' I laughed, both in gratitude for his compliment and to buy myself a little time in answering. 'The short answer is thank you, but I am not interested,' I answered. 'The long answer is a little more complicated.' Since the beginning of 2016 I have been a 'free range' priest, meaning that I do not serve a single congregation or institution. I am an Episcopal priest in good standing, and mostly I coach, consult and teach, inside and outside of the church and the denomination. I write and edit, work on some long-term projects, and I am available for supply and short-term pastoral back up for congregations. Part of the reason I made this transition was because of the type of transitions I was seeing in congregations, particularly small ones. Many churches can no longer afford a full-time priest with benefits, or they struggle so much to afford one that they barely have energy for other ministry. And yet it can feel depressing to go to part-time clergy: Are we declining? Will we close? These questions can haunt. And yet, as I have seen both clergy and congregations grappling with this question, I also think the larger questions come up: What do we pay a priest for? What do we really need a priest to do? The answers usually boil down to liturgy and sacraments, spiritual guidance and formation, and pastoral presence. The rest of what a priest is usually paid for - administration, teaching, outreach, engagement in the community, even preaching - can and sometimes should be done by deacons or lay people. When considered this way, the transition for congregations comes about when they stop thinking of themselves as a small non-profit with a priest as CEO, and start thinking of themselves as a religious community of disciples who are each engaged in ministry, some of which they pay a priest for. The analogy I always think of is athletes with a coach - most of the work is being done by the athletes, and they pay a coach to help them get better and learn new things. It is possible to think of a congregation as a group of spiritual 'athletes', growing in their relationship with Jesus, with the priest as their coach. From here, then, each congregation, no matter its size, could figure out how much of a priest's time they really need. Some places will need full-time priestly presence, some half or quarter, and some could contract out separately for Sunday services, for pastoral care, for formation. It's possible in this way for even a very small congregation to have the services of different priests with different gifts or specialties. And this is where I come in. As I told the senior warden, I was not interested in a vicar position. But I was interested in doing what I had been doing - Sunday liturgy as I was able, pastoral care if they had need, and being 'extra hands' during their transition and even when they got a new vicar, if that was needed and asked for. In this way, I serve many congregations, individuals, and a few dioceses, a little or a lot, depending on what they need. I am a certain kind of coach, and there are others, some of whom are interested in serving part-time in congregations, some full-time. I think that all together, we are changing the whole way the church works, which is a very exciting transition. This is how I am learning that congregations don't have to see part-time priestly service as a less-than situation. They can see it as both the flexibility they need to be who they are, the chance to grow into their own roles as disciples, and a way to live into the future of the church. Submitted by our senior warden, Harvey Leist. Reprinted from ECF Vital Practices,

2 JUNE 2016 S T. THOMAS L IF E LINES PAGE 2 Backpack Packs St. Thomas Trivia Submitted by Mary Stuart Cosby David Jones started me thinking with his informative and delightful trivia of Pentecost and Trinity Sunday. and I wondered about some of us starting to think about our parish and the many gifts given us over the years which we enjoy almost daily but rarely think, or know, of the donor and the stories which we should know! How about starting with the lovely peonies out on the front corner of East Main St. and Roanoke Street? Years ago, maybe 20?, Betty Straub gave, and planted, these annual delights to ensure St. Thomas beautiful setting, and to the Glory of God. In her later years, living up in Maryland, she often asked me if they were still there! I assured her they were! Her love and dedication to the parish took many forms, from keeping the books to beautifying the grounds. Do you know of other gifts to the Parish? Were your family or friends involved? I know there must be many stories most of the altar appointments, parts of the new parish hall, our garden, etc. came from gifts to the parish.. will you add a story? Summer Backyard Suppers Our monthly summer backyard suppers begin this month on Sunday, June 12th, at 4pm. Our hosts will be Liz and Graham Swinfen. Bring a dish to share and a chair or blanket to sit upon. Join in the fellowship, food, and fun! Summer Backyard Supper Schedule July the Stauffer s August the Pasciak s Backyard Bible Study The backyard bible study group meets at 6pm on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month throughout the summer. Jane Carper is our June host. Backyard Bible Study begins with a potluck dinner and is followed by a bible study led this summer by Farrell Doss. So, remember your dish to share, something to sit on, and learning heart! Backyard Bibel Study Schedule June 8th & Jane Carper s July 13th & Harvey & Gail Leist s August 10th & Royal & Carol Cummings The Gleaning Committee wants to spread its wings in the community with the support of the St. Thomas family by participating in the weekly backpack program in our local schools. Children who are in need are sent home each weekend with a pack of two snack items, two lunch items, two dinner items, and juice. This school year there were 142 children who received weekly packs. Danielle Bland has been in communication with the teacher from Christiansburg Primary School (CPS) who coordinates the backpack program for CPS and Christiansburg Elementary School (CES). The Bridge, formerly Life Bible College, coordinates and assembles the packs each week on their campus with the help of volunteers, then delivers the packs to the guidance counselors who in turn give them to the teachers. The classroom teacher discreetly sends the pack home in the child s backpack. Here s how we can help! St. Thomas will collect fruit cups and granola bars for packs. Look for the collection tub coming soon to the parish hall! We can also go as a group to help assemble the packs at the Bridge. More information on volunteering to come! The United Thank Offering (UTO) Spring Ingathering is Sunday, June 19th. Remember to bring in your blue box filled with your coins of thanks for the blessings in our lives - for good weather, happy times, job opportunity, a new family member, a wonderful church service - there are many things to be thankful for. Blue boxes are still available in the parish hall. Contact our UTO coordinator, Natalie Miller, for more information about UTO. JUNE 5TH Join us for an Appalachian Morning Prayer service as we bless our gardens and planters. Planters will be available to take home, nurture and share the harvest.

3 JUNE 2016 S T. TH O M AS L IF E L I N E S PAGE 3 AREA OF SERVICE SERVERS FOR JUNE 2016 JUNE 5 MORNING PRAYER JUNE 12 JUNE 19 JUNE 26 Acolyte N/A Chi Chi Okoronkwo Mollie Straub Cameron Graham Crucifer Sarah Farmer Amara Okoronkwo Volunteer Needed Casey Graham Torchbearers N/A N/A N/A N/A Lay Reader Jon Greene Farrell Doss Ogechi Okoronkwo Lois Caliri Katie Priest Chalice Bearer N/A Jenny Stalvey Joel Hagen Jacquie Graham Ushers Mark Priest Mark Miller Greg & Bev Moulse Barbara Piersol Gwynn Polidoro Francis & Janet Webster Altar Guild kathy Pollard Lynn Straub Kathy Pollard Lynn Straub Jacquie Graham Jacquie Graham Coffee Hour Lisa Priest Joanne Stauffer Cindy Stone Royal & Carol Cummings Announcements Bob Stone Liz Swinfen Ann Alexander Nursery Mollie Straub Madi Greene Uche Okoronkwo Marie Painter Katie Priest Kelly Stalvey Uche Okoronkwo Mollie Straub Cleaning Crews Danielle Bland Cindy Burnette Farrell Doss David Jones Bill & Betty Kennan Mark & Jennifer Miller Birthdays 2 David Jones Mark Priest 9 Tristan McCarty 10 Emily Pasciak 11 Matthew Pollard 15 Dara Ndem Lisa Priest Bob Stone 16 Harvey Leist 22 Jon Greene Amy Williams 24 Katie Priest 25 David Oliver 26 Thomas Bland 30 Sam Okoronkwo Barbara Piersol Anniversaries 12 Mike & Ann Alexander 20 Mark & Lisa Priest 24 Charlie & Lynn Straub Sign up sheets for all areas of service are on the website. You can see the current schedules, choose your days to serve and where, or cancel when you can t serve. If you have any questions about managing your volunteer opportunities, contact the church secretary at mystthomasoffice@yahoo.com. Here s where to sign up: If you are in need of pastoral care, please contact Harvey Leist, Senior Warden, at

4 JUNE 2016 S T. TH O M AS L IF E L I N E S PAGE 4 JUNE 2016 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Hospitality & Food Bank Sunday 5 The 3rd Sunday after Pentecost 11:30 AM Coffee Hour; Youth Confirmation Class 5 PM Inquirers Class PM Backyard Bible Study 7 PM Daughters of the King The 4th Sunday after Pentecost 11:30 AM Coffee Hour, Adult Forum, Sunday School, Youth Confirmation Class 4 PM Backyard the Swinfen s 5 PM Inquirer s Class The 5th Sunday after Pentecost UTO INGATHERING Loose plate offering for Discretionary Fund 11::30 AM Coffee Hour, Adult Forum, Sunday School, Confirmation Class 20 6 PM OSLC 21 6 PM OSLC 22 6 PM OSLC 6 PM Backyard Bible Study The 6th Sunday after Pentecost 11:30 AM Coffee Hour, Adult Forum, Sunday School, Confirmation Class 12:30 PM Vestry Meeting

5 JUNE 2016 S T. TH O M AS L IF E L I N E S PAGE 5 VBS: In God s Image Our Saviour Lutheran Church is hosting this year s Vacation Bible School. It will be June 20th, 21st, and 22nd from 6-8pm. Each evening begins with dinner followed by the VBS program, In God s Image. There is something for everyone, even an adult session led by Rev. Paul Henrickson. The children will be decorating picture frames, taking pictures of themselves for their frames and a collage for each church, and learning about what it means to be in the image of God. Registration forms can be picked up in the parish hall and should be turned in by Sunday, June 12th. Make sure you mark how many will be attending so enough food will be prepared! If you are interested in volunteering or would like more information, please contact Jenny Stalvey (mystthomasoffice@yahoo.com). Paul s Pasta Salad 1 lb. ditalini or other sm. pasta, cooked 1 med. onion, chopped 1 green pepper, chopped 1 can black beans, drained 1 can whole kernel corn 1 can garbanzo beans 1/2 c. salad oil 1/2 c. vinegar 3/4 c. sugar 1 t. dried basil Rinse and drain beans and corn. Prepare dressing of oil, vinegar, sugar and basil. Toss all ingredients together. Refrigerate overnight to blend flavors. Submitted to The Cooks Behind the Red Doors, St. Thomas cookbook, by Lynn Ross Straub. Check it out in the library to see this and many other delicious salad recipes! The first Sunday of every month is designated as FOOD BANK SUNDAY. Thanks for your donations in May for the MCEAP Food Bank. The next collection date is Sunday, June 5th. Help us fill the basket in the narthex with non-perishable food items! St. Thomas Episcopal Church 103 East Main St. Christiansburg, VA Phone: mysthomasoffice@yahoo.com Check out our website!