ST. THOMAS LIFELINES. Dear St. Thomas Family,

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1 ST. THOMAS LIFELINES VOLUME 25, NO. 5 MAY 2018 Dear St. Thomas Family, Like many of you, I get paid for what I know, at least to some extent. I teach college classes and sometimes Sunday School classes. I preach sermons and I guide students through research projects. I do my best to find ways to share my knowledge, and I am very blessed and privileged to be able to make a living by doing so. The interesting thing about having such a profession, and maybe this applies to all professions, is that you can t know everything there is to know about any subject or topic. Sure, if you are supposed to teach or impart knowledge or information to other people, you have to have a good and thorough understanding of your material, and perhaps you don t even share everything that you do know. But you can t be all-knowing about any specific topic. Unless you are working with a group of students (or parishioners) uninterested in the subject matter, or perhaps too intimidated to speak up, what you teach may raise questions. Most teachers (all good teachers?) are appreciative of questions, and probably take steps to encourage thoughtful questions. If the learning environment is open and inviting of inquiry, questions will undoubtedly arise that cannot be answered with certainty by the instructor. This sort of situation determines, I think, how much you are going to enjoy teaching. If you can admit that you don t have the answer to a question and either challenge your student to find an answer or offer to do it yourself, you will probably find yourself less stressed out and probably learn as much as anyone involved. The Latin term docta ignorantia or learned ignorance is a state where a certain amount of knowledge is mastered, but there is certainly more to know and learn. Being able to acknowledge that this state of knowing and unknowing is normal, and even desirable state, will tend to make us happier, and may also help us to earn the respect and good-will of others. Know-it-alls can be hard to bear. An attitude of balancing what we know and what we don t applies to matters of religious faith as much as any other discipline. The very idea of faith is that we can t know all there is to know about God or about God s intentions. The infinite mystery of God will never fit in our finite notebooks or prayer books. If we fool ourselves into believing that we are certain of what God is thinking or what God will do next, then we fail to understand that God is, perhaps most essentially, free. The Gospel message that Jesus came to share, more than anything, is the news that God is infinitely free to love us, forgive us, and bring us to eternal life, and there is nothing we can do to limit God. Deep acceptance of God s ultimate mystery is the best way to keep our hearts and minds open and growing, ready to receive the abundant grace that God offers each of us. Easter Blessings, Mark On Pentecost Sunday, we would like to do something different and fun with the reading from the Acts of the Apostles. This passage tells the Pentecost story about those gathered being able to understand each other in various languages. If you are familiar with a foreign language, and would be willing to read about two verses in the story, please let Father Mark know at frazimw9@gmail.com.

2 PAGE 2 Daughters of the King Province III Retreat When Bonnie Smas offered to drive to Maryland in order to visit her daughter and family as well as attend the retreat, Kathy Pollard and Rebecca Mays jumped at the chance to attend the Daughters of the King Province III Retreat at the Bishop Claggett Center in Adamstown, MD, the weekend of April 13-15, The Bishop Claggett Center is a beautifully located and appointed retreat, conference, and camp facility for the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland. Once we got our room assignments, we had time to walk around the grounds, or walk or drive down to the river before dinner after which the business meeting was held. The first evening ended with a Taize Service. Martha Bourlakas was the keynote speaker for the retreat, which was entitled, "Spiritual Discovery through Our Words." Using her own experiences, anecdotes and excerpts from her books she solicited audience participation through small group activities. The evening ended with a meaningful Service of Healing which included favorite hymns such as Amazing Grace, It is Well with my Soul, Sweet Hour of Prayer, Just as I Am, I Need thee Every Hour, to name just a few. This year s retreat was attended by 116 women from Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Easton, Southwestern Virginia, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia. The Outreach Project for the retreat was Grace House on the Mountain which is owned by the Diocese of Southwestern Virginia and is located near Norton and St. Paul, Virginia. There was a speaker representing Grace House, and everyone was thrilled to see the response to the project with the donations of winter jackets, coats, hats, gloves, blankets, and school supplies to benefit those in the area surrounding Grace House. For the return trip, our car was loaded with these donations which will be delivered to Grace House later in the Spring. We were very grateful to Bonnie for making it possible to attend the retreat. We recommend seeking out the Bishop Claggett Retreat Center for a conference or retreat in the future as it is a beautiful location and facility. Many thanks to Jeff Pasciak, junior warden, and ALL of the volunteers who helped clean up the playground area and move and spread mulch. Thanks also to Ed and Nan Stafford for their generous donation making this possible. O Judge of the nations, we remember before you with grateful hearts the men and women of our country who in the day of decision ventured much for the liberties we now enjoy. Grant that we may not rest until all the people of this land share the benefits of true freedom and gladly accept its disciplines. This we ask in the Name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Thanksgivings, BCP, p. 839 The Rev. George S. Bunn, III September 4, 1932 April 21, 2018 The Rev. George Bunn passed away on April 21st. He was the vicar and priest at St. Thomas from He was appointed Vicar by Bishop Marmion on July 21, He was also ordained priest by Bishop Marmion on the Feast of St. Andrew, November 30, 1959, at St. Thomas. Father Bunn remained at St. Thomas until June 10, 1962 when he resigned to prepare for a chaplaincy in the Armed Forces. There will be a memorial service at Emmanuel Episcopal Church, Bristol, Virginia, on Saturday, May 12, at 2 PM. You can read his obituary at obituaries/george-bunn-2/#!/obituary. All that I am or hope to be, I owe to my mother. ~Abraham Lincoln St. Thomas library has a variety of books filled with devotions include several from the Chicken Soup for the Soul series. One of these that fits the month of May is Chicken Soup for the Mother s Soul. In here you will find many stories, some poems, and several cartoons, championing the life of mothers. Be warned! Keep a tissue handy! Some of the stories will bring a tear to your eye. Check out this book or any of the others we have in the library and let us know what you think. No language can express the power and beauty and heroism of a mother s love. ~ Edwin H. Chapin The May, June, July issue of the Forward Day by Day devotional booklet is here. You can pick up a copy in the rack in the back of the church or on the small table in the parish hall entry way.

3 PAGE 3 Servers for MAY Area of Service Acolyte Uche Okoronkwo Natalie Miller Crucifer Dara Ndem Bridget Miller Altar Guild Jacquie Graham Judy Koland Jacquie Graham Judy Koland A: Ogechi Okoronkwo C: Akan Okoronkwo Th: TB: Dara Ndem TB: Amara Okoronkwo KF: Bev Moulse Anna Frazier Bev Moulse Announcements Royal Cummings Farrell Doss Jeff Pasciak Bill Kennan Chalice Bearer Val Tweedie Jennifer Miller Mark Priest Rachel Richmeier Cleaning Crews Mary Stuart Cosby Irma Pillsbury Shirley Sparrow Jennifer & Mark Miller Danielle Bland Liz Swinfen Carol & Royal Cummings Coffee Hour Stella Okoronkwo Carol & Royal Cummings Bonnie Smas Rachel Richmeier Lay Reader Joel Hagen Bill Kennan Judy Koland Mia Frazier Nursery Natalie Miller Ogechi Okoronkwo Sarah Farmer Marie Painter Anna Frazier Uche Okoronkwo Macaela Richmeier Kelly Stalvey Ushers Mark Miller Francis & Janet Webster Sarah Farmer Scott Farmer Bev & Greg Moulse Birthdays 1 Charlie Straub 4 Scott Farmer 6 Liliana Richmeier 7 Francis Webster 18 Dianne McCarty 19 Anna Zilboorg 22 Kenneth Hagen 26 Matthew Sandridge 29 Joanne Stauffer Sara Stauffer 30 Lynn Straub Anniversaries 13 Joe & Marie Painter 22 Sandra & Scott Farmer The first Sunday of every month is designated as FOOD BANK SUNDAY. In April, 68 food items were delivered to MCEAP. The next Food Bank Sunday is May 6th. Remember to bring in fruit cups and granola bars for the backpack program! In April, we collected 28 granola bars and 19 fruit packs. Thank you for your continued support! GRADUATION 2018 Each year we celebrate our 2018 graduates in the June issue of Lifelines. If you would like your graduating student to be included in this special section, please send in to the parish secretary a photo and a short biography about the graduate. The biography can include but is not limited to where they are graduating from, what their plans are after graduation, and their hopes for the future. Please submit by May 24th. CONGRATULATIONS!

4 MAY 2018 S T. T H O M A S L I F E L I N E S PAGE 4 MAY 2018 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Rev. Mark s Office Hours Thursdays 4:30 6:30 Rev. Mark will be out of town May 8th-14th The 6th Sunday of Easter Hospitality & Food Bank Sunday 10am Holy Eucharist 11:15am Fellowship & Refreshments The 7th Sunday of Easter 10am Holy Eucharist, Rev. Judy Spruhan :15am DOK The Day of Pentecost Loose Plate Offering~Rector s Discretionary 10am Holy Eucharist & Healing Rail 12pm Vestry pm Coptic Orthodox Church 27 The 1st Sunday after Pentecost 9 am Choir Practice Trinity Sunday 10 am Holy Eucharist 28 Memorial Day

5 PAGE 5 St. Thomas Episcopal Church 103 East Main St. Christiansburg, VA mysthomasoffice@yahoo.com