Weekly Events at St. Thomas

Hello Everyone,


Here’s your weekly reminder of all the programs, services and events at St. Thomas during the next several days. Please take particular notice of all events in colored print.

BLESSING OF A PREGNANT WOMAN

St. Thomas has a number of growing families,

therefore we wish to celebrate the giver of life with

the “Blessing of a Pregnant Woman” offered today,

February 5th at any of our four Sunday services. An announcement will be

made during each service to come up for a prayer of blessing.

SOUPER BOWL OF CARING

Souper Bowl of Caring is an event presented by the Youth Group in effort to fight hunger and poverty in our local community. The Youth will be collecting can-goods until February 5th as well as financial contributions on February 5th during the 8 and 10 am. services. All proceeds will go to a charity chosen by the Youth Group. Thank you in advance for your support.

REGISTRATION FOR VBS

Mark your calendar—June 25—29th, 2012

for the Adventure of a Life Time

Registration open today for church members

Sunday, February 5th—19th

 

Family Night for Beacon House

We would like to help Beacon House by providing a nice meal with snacks for

Super Bowl Sunday. Our Sunday School team will be

planning a menu and families are asked to bring items to share.

The kids will be cooking in the kitchen during some of our Sunday School meetings to

 help prepare treats to bring for our visits.

This is a great opportunity to focus on all we have to be thankful for and do something

very worthwhile for our neighbors downtown.

Look for sign up sheets in the Portico and Parish Hall

Tuesday, January 31st

Beginning Hand Bells is at 3:30 p.m. in the Guild Room.

Centering Prayer meets tonight at 6—6:45 p.m. Come to the Sanctuary at 6 p.m. to experience the “peace that surpasses all understanding” through the silence of Centering Prayer.


Wednesday, February 1st

Men’s Bible Study is at 7 a.m. in the Guild Room.

Holy Eucharist with Healing is at 12 noon in the Chapel.

Supper, Song & Prayer is in the Parish Hall beginning at 6 p.m. Everyone is welcome! Rene Clark and Richard Davis will be our speakers. Please support our Rene and Richard with your prayers and presence.

Godly Play is at 6:30 p.m. in the Library. Godly Play is for Pre-K thru 5th grade children. We will continue to explore the “Parables of the Good Samaritan.”

Youth Group meets at 6:30 p.m. in the Youth Room.

Hand Bell Rehearsal is at 7:30 p.m. in the Guild Room.


Thursday, February 2nd

Women of the Word is at 9 a.m. in the Guild Room.

Chancel Choir Rehearsal is at 6:30 p.m. in the Choir Room.


Friday, February 3rd

Stretching & Toning is at 8:30 a.m. in the Guild Room.

Holy folders meet at 10 a.m. in the Founders’ Room.

AA Meeting is at 10 a.m. in the Guild Room.


Saturday,February 4th


The Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany, February 5th

Sunday Services are at 8 a.m. Traditional in the Sanctuary, 10 a.m. Harmony in the Parish Hall, 10 a.m. Traditional in the Sanctuary and 6 p.m. in the Chapel.

Youth Group will meet at 9—9:50 a.m. in the Youth Room. Come and be a part of this great group!

Sunday School is at 9:50 a.m. in the Canterbury Library. Preparing for Family Night at Beacon House.

Nursery hours are 9:50 a.m. in the Nursery.

Children’s Chapel hours are 9:50 a.m. in the Nursery, coordinating with each service. Children will return to the service a the Offertory time.

Offering Envelopes are in the back of the church.

Souper Bowl of Caring—collecting canned goods and donations at the 8 and 10 a.m. services.

Blessing of a Pregnant Woman will be available at all services.

VBS registration opens for church members.


Monday, February 6th

Stretching & Toning is at 8:30 a.m. in the Guild Room.

Packing for Haiti is at 10 a.m. in the Parish Hall.

AA is at 12 noon in the Guild Room.

Yoga is at 6:30 p.m. in the Parish Hall.

See you at many—or all—of these events.


Blessings,
Pam Holley
Parish Secretary

Women of the Word

Exodus 20:1 – 17



The Ten Commandments



When Moses, with Aaron, descends from Mt. Sinai (19:17-25), he speaks to the Israelites and tells them that God has given him a set of laws that they are to follow. Although these have come to be known as the Ten Commandments, they are not called by that term in the Bible; rather they are referred to as the ten words, since in oral tradition short words could be used as a memory device using the fingers of both hands. The Commandments are apodictic laws—short rules with no qualifications (e.g., no consequences) attached to them. (In modern terms, apodictic laws are legislated, while casuistic, or case, laws apply the former and mete out punishment.) The Commandments do not need the threat of consequences behind them; their power comes directly from God, and they are the basic rules that make the Israelites part of the covenant community that sets them apart from others.

“The foundation and source of the moral law is God’s character. . . . And it is that that makes the moral law so awful in its unchangeable majesty. It is law because God is. It cannot be changed without changing the character of Jehovah himself. Right is what it is, because God is what he is. . . . The fact that God has placed the law of his own character on man is proof that man is capable of the divine.” [Unger’s Bible Dictionary, p. 257] Or, as was mentioned in our overview discussion, the Ten Commandments are the essence of a fundamental rightness or good that is deeply engrained in the human psyche.

The first four Commandments address the Hebrews’ dealings with God. The next six deal with their relationships with one another.

1. You shall have no other gods before me. In the introduction to this chapter, the Lord has already pointed out that “I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.” This is a reminder that he has bested all of the Egyptian gods in the various trials and plagues that befell Pharaoh and his people before the Hebrews managed to escape. Thus, while recognizing that other gods exist, he has already proved his supreme power and that he is Lord of all. (At this point in their history, the Israelites still practiced a form of henotheism, worshipping a major God while recognizing some lesser gods. It was not until the end of their Babylonian captivity in 538 BCE that they became truly monotheistic, rejecting any other deity claim.) The admonition here is that the Israelites are to put Yahweh first.

2. You shall not make for yourselves a graven image. Images can be manipulated and, thus, can be imbued with power. It is tempting to put God into an image that we can recognize so that we can be comfortable with the concept (icons, paintings, statues, etc.). There is a difference in interpretation of this Commandment between Protestants, Jews, and Roman Catholics.

3. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain. God’s name is meant to be special. Modern society has become inured to the constant misuse of God’s name in inappropriate language. As a recent Hebrew scholar has warned: “Do not take Yahweh’s name for ‘emptiness’.”

4. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Here the Priestly writer reminds his listeners that in the Creation story God formed the world and all its creatures in six days and then rested on the seventh which He “blessed and made holy” (Gen. 2:3). Closer to their own experience, there was no manna or quail provided for the wandering Israelites in the desert on the seventh day (Ex. 16:22-26). Setting aside a day to honor the Lord was a fairly novel concept at that time; other civilizations (Mesopotamia, Egypt, etc.) did not have a regularly specified day of the week for religious observance.

5. Honor your father and your mother. Ancient nomadic societies, usually living on the edge of starvation, had no use for unproductive members of society. The family was a working survival unit, and any elderly members, who had outlived their usefulness, were left behind to die in the wilderness. This Commandment is a reminder that wisdom comes with age and is to be respected; it opens a new way on how the community is to treat each member, regardless of age or ability.

6. You shall not commit murder. The Jewish use of the word “murder” has been translated as “kill” in Catholic and Protestant versions of this Commandment. This leads to some confusion, since the term “murder” implies a cold-blooded act, planned out with malice aforethought. Thus acts of war, punishment, defense, and others, actually fall outside the scope of this Commandment, although they are addressed elsewhere in the expansion of the Mosaic laws in the books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy.

7. You shall not commit adultery. At the time this was written, this Commandment was primarily aimed at women. It only would involve a man if he consorted with another man’s married wife. The purpose of this law was both the sacredness of the family unit and the issue of proper inheritance. A child should be the legitimate issue of the father, especially in the case of a male heir. Adultery was considered only a crime against a husband, since a woman was his property.

8. You shall not steal. The concept usually associated with this Commandment is the theft of personal objects; however, kidnapping falls under this admonition. Slavery was widespread throughout the ancient world, and the Hebrews practiced it as well.

9. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. This started as a framework for testimony in court [see Ex. 18: 19-26, where Moses’ father-in-law, Jethro, advises him on setting up a court system within the Israelite camp]. A community cannot survive where perjury is allowed. Later, as the laws were expanded, the concepts of malicious gossip, libel, and character assassination were added.

10. You shall not covet your neighbor’s house . . . or anything that belongs to him. The modern interpretation of the word “covet” is “desire”; however, the Hebrew word goes beyond that to incorporate the concept of planning or attempting to acquire something that does not belong to you. Unlike the other Commandments, this one moves beyond the world of overt actions into the realm of the heart, the seat of destructive desire. “It is easier to obey ‘duties of the limbs,’ those obligations and prohibitions that involve outward behavior, and which thus involve social approbation and disapprobation, than it is to fulfill the ‘duties of the heart,’ since ‘only’ God knows if we have fulfilled the latter, not our neighbors, or, often, not even ourselves.” [Rabbi Bahya ibn Paquda, Duties of the Heart, 11th Cent. work paraphrased]



The Decalogue (or the Ten Commandments, as they are more commonly known) are a unique revelation to the people of Israel because they are the only commands directly addressed to them by God Himself. Every other communication that they have with the Lord comes through Moses. [Unger’s Bible Dictionary, p. 256]



Submitted by Karilyn Jaap

Annual Meeting Thoughts

Parish Family,

This Sunday following the 10:00 services we will be holding our 59th Annual Meeting in the Parish Hall. As usual one of the things that will occur during the course of our time together will be the election of three new vestry members who will serve as your representatives for the next three years. With this in mind I do hope to see many of you present and voting for your selections. We will provide those who are attending the 8:00 service one last opportunity to submit an absentee ballot at that service time.

In past years the focus of the Annual Meeting has been on the activities of the past year. While that is important to consider the individual reports of the various committees are included in the Annual Report which is available for your review. What I would like for us to do at this meeting is to focus on what we, your staff, would like to do in the upcoming year. So that you might have an opportunity to think about those things and ask questions and provide input on these things I have listed them below for your consideration:

1. Faith Formation
2. Pastoral Care
3. Stewardship
4. Harmony Music Leader
5. 18 - 30 Group
6. “Green” Movement
7. Clergy

In addition to hearing your thoughts and concerns in these areas the staff, vestry and I will be available to answer any questions you might have on any topic that concerns you regarding our life in the community of St. Thomas’ Church.

I look forward to seeing, and hearing from, many of you this coming Sunday.

Blessings,
John+

Come Hear Our Vestry Nominees

Join us Wednesday, January 25th

after Supper, Song, & Prayer

at 7 p.m. in the Sanctuary

as our new vestry nominees introduce

and share their personal history

to help in your voting decision.

Posted by PH

Weekly Events at St. Thomas

Hello Everyone,


Here’s your weekly reminder of all the programs, services and events at St. Thomas during the next several days. Please take particular notice of all events in red.

Tuesday, January 17th

Beginning Hand Bells is at 3:30 p.m. in the Founders’ Room.

Centering Prayer meets tonight at 6—6:45 p.m. Come to the Sanctuary at 6 p.m. to experience the “peace that surpasses all understanding” through the silence of Centering Prayer.


Wednesday, January 18th

Men’s Bible Study is at 7 a.m. in the Guild Room.

Holy Eucharist with Healing is at 12 noon in the Chapel.

Supper, Song & Prayer is in the Parish Hall beginning at 6 p.m. Everyone is welcome! Margaret Kill will be our speaker. Please support Margaret with your prayers and presence.

Godly Play is at 6:30 p.m. in the Library. Godly Play is for Pre-K thru 5th grade children. We will continue to explore the “Parables of the Good Sheperd.”

Youth Group meets at 6:30 p.m. in the Youth Room.

Hand Bell Rehearsal is at 7:30 p.m. in the Guild Room.


Thursday, January 19th

Holy Folders meet at 12:45 p.m. in the Founders’ Room.

Chancel Choir Rehearsal is at 6:30 p.m. in the Choir Room.


Friday, January 20th

Stretching & Toning is at 8:30 a.m. in the Guild Room.

AA Meeting is at 10 a.m. in the Guild Room.

Kids Movie Night/Date Night is from 6—9 p.m. in the Parish Hall.


Saturday,January 21st



The Third Sunday after the Epiphany, January 22nd

Sunday Services are at 8 a.m. Traditional in the Sanctuary, 10 a.m. Harmony in the Parish Hall, 10 a.m. Traditional in the Sanctuary and 6 p.m. in the Chapel.


Youth Group will meet at 9:50—10 a.m. in the Youth Room. Come and be a part of this great group!

Sunday School is at 9:50 a.m. in the Canterbury Library. Join us for the Puppet Show.


Nursery hours are 9:50 a.m. in the Nursery.

Children’s Chapel hours are 9:50 a.m. in the Nursery, coordinating with each service. Children will return to the service a the Offertory time.

Offering Envelopes are in the back of the church.



Monday, January 23rd

Stretching & Toning is at 8:30 a.m. in the Guild Room.

AA is at 12 noon in the Guild Room.


Yoga is at 6:30 p.m. in the Parish Hall.

See you at many—or all—of these events.

Blessings,
Pam Holley
Parish Secretary

Sandwich Sunday

Posted by PH

Weekly Events at St. Thomas

Hello Everyone,


Here’s your weekly reminder of all the programs, services and events at St. Thomas during the next several days.

Tuesday, January 10th

New Beginning Hand Bell Organizational Meeting is at 3:30 p.m. in the Founders’ Room.

Centering Prayer meets tonight at 6—6:45 p.m. Come to the Sanctuary at 6 p.m. to experience the “peace that surpasses all understanding” through the silence of Centering Prayer.

Vestry Meeting is at 7 p.m. in the Founders’ Room.


Wednesday, January 11th

Men’s Bible Study is at 7 a.m. in the Guild Room.

Prayer Line is at 11 a.m. in the Founders’ Room.

Holy Eucharist with Healing is at 12 noon in the Chapel.

Supper, Song & Prayer is in the Parish Hall beginning at 6 p.m. Everyone is welcome! Kerry Carlisle will be our speaker. Please support Kerry with your prayers and presence.

Godly Play is at 6:30 p.m. in the Library. Godly Play is for Pre-K thru 5th grade children. We will continue to explore Holy Baptism.

Youth Group meets at 6:30 p.m. in the Youth Room.

Hand Bell Rehearsal is at 7:30 p.m. in the Guild Room.


Thursday, January 12th

Women of the Word is at 9 a.m. in the Guild Room.

Chancel Choir Rehearsal is at 6:30 p.m. in the Choir Room.

Stewardship Meeting is at 7 p.m. in the Founders’ Room.


Friday, January 13th

Stretching & Toning is at 8:30 a.m. in the Guild Room.

Holy Folders meet at 10 a.m. in the Founders’ Room.

AA Meeting is at 10 a.m. in the Guild Room.


Saturday,January 14th

Memorial Service for Shannon Knowlton is at 11 a.m. in the Sanctuary.


Youth Winter Jam—meet in the Snell Isle Parking Lot at 4:30 p.m.



 The Second Sunday after the Epiphany, January 15th

Sunday Services are at 8 a.m. Traditional in the Sanctuary, 10 a.m. Harmony in the Parish Hall, 10 a.m. Traditional in the Sanctuary and 6 p.m. in the Chapel.

Youth Group will meet at 9:50—10 a.m. in the Youth Room. Come and be a part of this great group!

Sunday School is at 9:50 a.m. in the Canterbury Library.

Nursery hours are 9:50 a.m. in the Nursery.

Children’s Chapel hours are 9:50 a.m. in the Nursery, coordinating with each service. Children will return to the service a the Offertory time.

Offering Envelopes are in the back of the church.

Blood Drive is located in the Cordova Parking Lot.

Sandwich Sunday—meet in the Parish Hall after the services to help make bologna and cheese sandwiches.

Golf Meeting is at 11:15 a.m. in the Founders’ Room.



Monday, January 16th

Stretching & Toning is at 8:30 a.m. in the Guild Room.

AA is at 12 noon in the Guild Room.

Yoga is at 6:30 p.m. in the Parish Hall.

Church Office is closed for Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

See you at many—or all—of these events.

Blessings,
Pam Holley
Parish Secretary

Memorial Announcement

Dear Parishioners,


It is with great sadness but also in the sure and certain hope of the resurrection that I inform you that Shannon Knowlton, a longtime parishioner, entered into eternal life this morning.

Shannon served as a Eucharist Minister and her smile will surely be missed. A service celebrating her life will be held at Saint Thomas’ Episcopal Church Saturday, January 14th at 11:00 a.m.

With hope in Christ,
John Suhar

Weekly Events at St. Thomas

Hello Everyone,


Here’s your weekly reminder of all the programs, services and events at St. Thomas during the next several days.

Tuesday, January 3rd

Centering Prayer meets tonight at 6—6:45 p.m. Come to the Sanctuary at 6 p.m. to experience the “peace that surpasses all understanding” through the silence of Centering Prayer.


Wednesday, January 4th

Men’s Bible Study is at 7 a.m. in the Guild Room.

Holy Eucharist with Healing is at 12 noon in the Chapel.

Supper, Song & Prayer is in the Parish Hall beginning at 6 p.m. Everyone is welcome! Ed McGrath will be our speaker. Please support Ed with your prayers and presence.

Godly Play is at 6:30 p.m. in the Library. Godly Play is for Pre-K thru 5th grade children. We will explore Epiphany.

Youth Group meets at 6:30 p.m. in the Youth Room.

Hand Bell Rehearsal is at 7:30 p.m. in the Guild Room.


Thursday, January 5th

Women of the Word is at 9 a.m. in the Guild Room.

Chancel Choir Rehearsal is at 6:30 p.m. in the Choir Room.


Friday, January 6th

Stretching & Toning is at 8:30 a.m. in the Guild Room.

Holy Folders meet at 10 a.m. in the Founders’ Room.

AA Meeting is at 10 a.m. in the Guild Room.

Godly Play Sleep Over is at 6 p.m. in the Library.


Saturday,January 7th



The First Sunday after the Epiphany, January 8th

Sunday Services are at 8 a.m. Traditional in the Sanctuary, 10 a.m. Harmony in the Parish Hall, 10 a.m. Traditional in the Sanctuary and 6 p.m. in the Chapel.

Youth Group will meet at 9:50—10 a.m. in the Youth Room. Come and be a part of this great group!

Sunday School is at 9:50 a.m. in the Canterbury Library.

Nursery hours are 9:50 a.m. in the Nursery.

Children’s Chapel hours are 9:50 a.m. in the Nursery, coordinating with each service. Children will return to the service a the Offertory time.

Offering Envelopes are in the back of the church.



Monday, January 9th

Stretching & Toning is at 8:30 a.m. in the Guild Room.

Yoga is at 6:30 p.m. in the Parish Hall.


See you at many—or all—of these events.

Blessings,
Pam Holley
Parish Secretary

Women of the Word

Barbara talked about the view of God as one that “terrifies and mystifies”.  There were questions about this view and Barbara discussed that there are individualistic views of God, that we may see Him/Her/It differently.

 There has been a culturalization of “facts” about how we view God and this was proven as we took the Christmas IQ Test, devised by Chuck Jones.  It was a relief to learn that this quiz was not to be used to judge our intellect; much less the presence of a brain; but it awakened us to the myths and stories which have been “developed” about the details of the birth of God’s son.

Did you know that Joseph wanted to break the engagement with Mary and that Mary left town for three months?  ‘Tis true!  We learned that there is no mention in the Bible about what method Mary and Joseph used to travel to Bethlehem or what the innkeeper told them about where to bed down when they arrived.  Did you know that no animals were identified as attending Jesus’ birth or exactly what kind of shelter in which He was delivered? Did you know that when the three Wise Men found Jesus, he was living in a house?  In the Bible it was only Matthew (who wrote to the Jews) and Luke (who wrote to the Gentiles) who wrote about their version of the Savior’s birth. Through the centuries the Christians have taken those recounts and added their own details and through those centuries, we have believed.

The best part of this December 22nd Bible class was hearing Marty Hallas sing again the St. Thomas’ hymn which she and her husband Don had crafted years ago and which she had sung the night before at Supper, Song and Prayer.  Marty also read to us her Christmas poem, which she also had written and named “Gifts from God”.

It was another morning of friends sharing and learning and thanking God for all our gifts.

posted by Jill McGrath