St. Thomas' Episcopal Church News
S t . T homa s’ E p is copal C hurch N e ws Volume 5, Issue 3
ALL ARE WELCOME!
March 2017
Reflections from our Rector: This year for Lent St. Thomas’ congregation has a unique opportunity to use this annual time of reflection. We are a bit less than one year away from my three-month sabbatical, January 1 through March 31, 2018. During that time I am going to be renewing and revitalizing my spiritual life by focusing on one of my most fundamental spiritual practices: Middle Eastern Dance. Dance for me has been a means of connecting mind, body and spirit in a community of like-minded explorers. Individual practice combines with group interaction to bring us, as individuals and a body, closer to God. For a dancer, dance is the experience of oneness with fellow dancers, the Creator and all of creation. While I am taking sabbath time, the members of St. Thomas will have the chance to do the same. The Lilly Foundation offers grants for clergy renewal, which “provide an opportunity for pastors to step away briefly from the persistent obligations of daily parish life and to engage in a period of renewal and reflection. Renewal periods are not vacations but times for intentional exploration and reflection, for drinking again from God's life-giving waters, for regaining enthusiasm and creativity for ministry.” An integral part of that renewal is also “strengthening [those pastors’] congregations through renewal and reflection that will deepen and enrich the lives of the members. Approach the renewal program slowly and thoughtfully, incorporating as much of the church family as possible so that everyone feels a part of the planning and the process. Make it celebrative.” We will be gathering five Wednesdays in Lent for Soup and Study Conversations to talk about what feeds our spirits, how that connects to what we do in this church, and what we dream of doing in the future to nurture our spiritual growth. We’ll ask and answer questions. What is spirituality to me? How can I integrate my spirituality into everything I do? How do I learn to be comfortable talking to others about my spirituality? How can I deepen my spiritual life individually and in community? And, perhaps most important, what makes my heart sing? These questions and more will lead us to what the members of St. Thomas will do in early 2018 to rediscover their own enthusiasm and creativity for ministry. We remember that spirituality is about relationship: our relationship with God and our relationships with one another as we find ourselves immersed in the Holy. Our spiritual practices, in Lent and throughout the year, strengthen our relationships and bring us that deep and abiding joy that God promises in abundance. Melinda+
Rooted in the Liturgy that sustains us and inspires us to be Christ in our community and the world.
1
St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church P.O. Box 735 9 S. 1st ST Dubois, WY 82513 Phone: 307-455-2313 E-mail: [email protected] 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 Julia Royall Vestry Member Lary Treanor Vestry Member Connie Ticknor Office Manager Mary Ellen Honsaker Salvation Army Unit Coordinator Cindy Lewis Pianist Sue Bodar Choir Director 2
St. Thomas’ Services Sunday: 10 am - Holy Eucharist, Sanctuary 2 pm - Holy Eucharist, Warm Valley Lodge Wednesday: 5:15 pm - Evening Prayer, Sanctuary followed by Soup and Study Conversation, Community Room 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
Notes from Our Bicycling and Hiking Guests Thanks so much for your kindness and generosity. We have truly enjoyed our time in this beautiful little town. Having a nice comfy place to stay in these cold nights is hard to come by, and we even met some other cyclists to share the experience with. My husband and I are on our honeymoon, and it is places like these that make it all worthwhile. Best, Heather and Justin Montgomery Thank you, Melinda, for welcoming us into your home and community. Staying at St. Thomas truly refreshed us for the rest of our tour—cooking for the first time in 2 months was also a joy. We will be thinking of your kindness and generosity as we continue our tour and extend it to those we meet. All the best, Kate and Chuck Your kindness is appreciated, your trust of visitors is amazing, and your ministry is a great witness of God’s love. Thanks Keith Wilson
Vestry Doings John McPhail, our new Junior Warden, has come up with an idea he calls “Squawk Sheets.” These are forms that people can use to alert him to any problems with the buildings and grounds. “Squawk Sheets” will be on clipboards in the Stewart House, the Community Room, the Coffee Room, the church entrance, and the Sacristy. In talking to one of our local law enforcement officers, Melinda learned that he had slept in a chair in his office one night because the snow and wind had prevented him from returning home and the motels were all full at 2 am. The Vestry decided to offer a key to the Community Room to our law enforcement officers for just such emergencies. A couple of totes will have an air mattress, blankets, and pillows for their use.
Thank You! John McPhail for repairing the stone wall outside of the Community Garden. Connie Ticknor for helping shovel the walks and Eric Sanderson for taking on the regular snow removal. Charlease Bobo-Elzenga for becoming our website administrator. The St. Thomas site is staying current!
Matching Donations for Lent An anonymous donor has agreed to match all of the Lenten donations up to $500, and will consider matching additional funds if we bring in more than that. This means that the UTO donations will be matched twice. Please read the match instructions carefully so that we can maximize your gifts. All of the UTO donations (cash and checks) will be submitted in one check from St. Thomas, which will then be matched by The Foundation for the Diocese of Wyoming. If you are contributing to UTO by check, please make it out to St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church, with “UTO” in the memo line. Donations by check for Heifer International and Episcopal Relief and Development may be made either to the organizations themselves, or St. Thomas with the organization name in the memo line. All of the donations—cash, check to St. Thomas, or check to the organization—will be matched. Let your Lenten spiritual discipline also do good in the world. Bring your donations Easter morning!
YES Camp! Young Evangelists Skiing Please join us for fun, goodies and some silliness on March 24-26, 2017, at Thomas the Apostle Center, Cody for YES! Camp. Camp is open to youth grades 7 through 12 and is sponsored by Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, Gillette, of the Episcopal Diocese of Wyoming. Yes! Camp will teach basic spiritual balance as well as basic balance on the snow - Come and join the fun! Transportation is available from Casper with a stop in Thermopolis. We will arrive at TAC in time for dinner. We will spend nights at TAC, ski (with 1/2 day lesson at your skiing or boarding ability) at Red Lodge Mountain in Red Lodge, MT, all day Saturday and a 1/2 day on Sunday with return by early evening on March 26. Space is limited AND pre-registration is required. We have adult chaperones and have room for 15 campers. All adult chaperones are in compliance with all Safe Church policies and Safeguarding God’s Children guidelines set by the Episcopal Diocese of Wyoming. Cost is $100 if you register by March 20, 2017. Registration from March 20-23 is $125. Some Scholarship Funds are available. Registration forms available at St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church Office and online.
3
4
2p Holy Eucharist at Warm Valley Lodge
10a Holy Eucharist
26
2p Holy Eucharist at Warm Valley Lodge
10a Holy Eucharist
19
2p Holy Eucharist at Warm Valley Lodge
10a Holy Eucharist
12
2p Holy Eucharist at Warm Valley Lodge
27
20
13
6
5
10a Holy Eucharist
Mon
Sun
15
9:30a Bible Talk at Warm Valley Lodge
28
6:45a Kiwanis 9:30a Bible Talk at Warm Valley Lodge
21
5:15p Evening Prayer w/ Soup and Study immediately following
29
4:30 p Choir Practice 5:15p Evening Prayer w/ Soup and Study immediately following
22
7:00a Kiwanis Board Mtg. 9:30a Bible Talk at Warm Valley Lodge 5:15p Evening Prayer w/ Soup and Study immediately following
14
4:30 p Choir Practice 5:15p Evening Prayer w/ Soup and Study immediately following
4p Vestry Meeting
30
10a Ram Packs
23
4-6p Winter Market
10a Ram Packs
16
9:30a-3p Frontier HHH 10a Ram Packs
9
4p Vestry training in Coffee Room
4-6p Winter Market
8
10a-noon Food Bank in Stewart House
31
24
17
10
10a-noon Food Bank in Stewart House 10a-2p Deanery Dream Day at Our Father’s House in Ethete
25
10a-noon Food Bank in Stewart House
18
10a-noon Food Bank in Stewart House
11
4
10a Ram Packs
3
2
7:30a Ashes/HE at St. Thomas 3 p Ashes/HE at Warm Valley Lodge 5:30p Ashes/HE at St. Thomas
Sat
1
Fri
Thu
Wed
Events, Services, Meetings
6:45a Kiwanis 9:30a Bible Talk at Warm Valley Lodge
7
Tue
March 2017
5
Lector
Carol Petera
Lector
Dorothy Remy Sandy Lahr
Lector
March 5 1 Lent
Fellowship
Altar Flowers
St. Thomas’ Plants
Celebrant / Preacher
The Rev. Melinda Bobo
Altar Flowers
St. Thomas’ Plants
Celebrant / Preacher
The Rev. Melinda Bobo
Kay Jacoby
Acolyte
Celebrant / Preacher
St. Thomas’ Plants
Altar Flowers
The Rev. Melinda The Rev. Melinda Bobo/Sylvia Crouter Bobo
Celebrant / Preacher
St. Thomas’ Plants
Altar Flowers
The Rev. Lynn Cunningham
Celebrant / Preacher
St. Thomas’ Plants
Altar Flowers
Patrick Hotaling
St. Thomas’ Freezer Kathy and Dick Hodge
Sean Mock
Mary Ellen Honsaker
Fellowship
Acolyte
Dick Hodge
Acolyte
Randy Lahr
Mark Wingerson
Lector
March 26 4 Lent
The Rev. Melinda Bobo
Celebrant / Preacher
Mandy Rose
Altar Flowers
Nancie Vion-Loisel
Fellowship
Dalton Finley
Acolyte
Sylvia Crouter
Eucharistic Minister Eucharistic Minister
Jennet Ballinger
Lector
March 19 3 Lent
Fellowship
Fellowship
Nancie Vion-Loisel
Acolyte
Mary Ellen Honsaker Sylvia Crouter
Fellowship
Acolyte
Dick Hodge
Eucharistic Minister
Connie Mock
Lector
March 12 2 Lent
Worship Ministries
Eucharistic Minister Eucharistic Minister Eucharistic Minister
March 1 Ash Wednesday 5:30 pm
March 1 Ash Wednesday 7:30 am
March 2017
Stewardship for All Seasons Why am I talking about stewardship in March? Isn’t that what we do in the fall to raise money? No. That is one of the great misconceptions about stewardship. Stewardship is not a churchy euphemism for fundraising. Stewardship is not about making budget. Stewardship is not about keeping the lights on. Stewardship is not about figuring out how we’re going to pay for everything we do. Stewardship is about our spiritual relationship with God, instituted at creation by God and acknowledged through our covenant with God made at baptism. In Genesis we are told we are created in the image of God to care for God’s creation, to watch over it on God’s behalf. In his parables Jesus repeatedly says we are stewards, managers given charge over everything by God for our use and the benefit of creation itself. At baptism we (or those who promise on our behalf) vow to strive to be in right relationship with God, valuing what God values, living as God would have us live. We promise that we will proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ, the news that God has wiped away everything we can imagine stands between God and ourselves and embraces us as His own. Relationships work in both directions. God gives us everything out of abundant and overflowing love for us. We give back to God out of the abundance we have been given, in gratitude and love for the God who has provided for us. Abraham, when he came into the Promised Land and prospered, gave back to God a tenth of everything he had been given. Jacob, when he returned home after 20 years of God’s blessing and care in times of adversity, offered God a tenth of all he had been given. This is where the idea of the tithe (Old English for tenth) comes from. Jesus tells us we can be slaves to money or slaves to God, but we can’t be both. True stewardship is our means of showing that we know whose slaves we are, to whom we belong. We can reveal to ourselves and the world that we are slaves to money, to the world of acquisition, selfishness, and scarcity. Or, we can reveal to ourselves and the world that we are the slaves of the one who is perfect freedom, overflowing abundance, and infinite grace, whose only desire for us is that we be who we have been created to be: children of God and inheritors of the Kingdom. When we choose to belong to God, we find that we want to give back to God from all that we have been given. Those are gifts of abilities, opportunities, finances, experiences: everything that makes us who we are and what we have. Rather than the burnt offerings that Abraham and Jacob sacrificed on an altar, we give to God through the medium of God’s Church, the embodiment of Christ here and now. We give of ourselves so that we may know the joy God experiences in giving to us. What is God’s by right? Everything. How do we decide what to give back to God and how much? Reflection. Each of us must make that decision for ourselves. Jesus called for the rich young man to sell all he had, give the money to the poor and follow. But in all honesty, very few people are prepared to commit to that kind of radical discipleship. One helpful question to ask is what percentage of what I have been given—intellectually, physically, emotionally, financially, spiritually—do I feel called to give back to God to do God’s work in the world? Putting that commitment in writing (pledging) can be helpful for some; for some it is oppressive. Whatever your stewardship practice may be, it should strengthen your spiritual life and relationship with God, not interfere with it. Stewardship is our covenant with God, the commitment to be in right relationship with the One to whom we belong. Lent—a time set aside for reflection and change—is the perfect time to renew that covenant and reexamine that commitment, pouring out ourselves as Jesus did, serving God wholly, with everything we are and everything we have been given. 6
Did you know?
The Annual Episcopal Church Women of Wyoming Conference will be held in Casper on April 28-30. Come hear Becca Stevens, founder of Thistle Farms, a sanctuary for healing for women survivors of abuse, addiction, trafficking and prostitution. Her message is that love is the strongest force for change in the world, and that LOVE HEALS. Workshops will be held at the Ramkota Hotel in Casper. Registration is $100 and includes all meals. Special ECW lodging rate is $79 per night. For more info contact ECW President Melissa Hyde at 307-267-8065 or [email protected].
Volunteer for St. Thomas’ ministries. From worship to outreach, there is something for everyone.
You can support the Episcopal Suicide Prevention Connection when you shop on Amazon!
.5% of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases will be donated to the Episcopal Diocese of Wyoming, all of which then goes to the Episcopal Suicide Prevention Connection.
Just sign up with AmazonSmile! Visit www.diowy.org for more information about how to get started. Click on “Resources” then choose “AmazonSmile” from the drop down menu. Information about the Episcopal Suicide Prevention Connection can also be found at www.diowy.org.
BIRTHDAYS AND ANNIVERSARIES JANUARY – MARCH
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO:
In March we remember Dubois resident Stephanie Stitely. May her soul and the souls of all the departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
Melinda Bobo Nancie Vion-Loisel Winifred Gallagher Pat O’Neal Carol Petera Pat Ballinger Margie Cargill
January 18th January 18th January 31st February 9th March 2nd March 18th March 21st
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO:
Something for the Newsletter? If you would like something included in the newsletter, please e-mail it to the office at [email protected] by the 25th of the month. We will do our best to fit it in.
Dick and Kathy Hodge Randy and Sandy Lahr
January 30th February 2nd
Please call the church office at 455-2313 to add your name to our Birthday and Anniversary list.
7
St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church P.O. Box 735 Dubois, WY 82513-0735
Wind River Deanery Dream Day The Wind River Deanery will be holding its Dream Day on Saturday, March 25, 2017 at Our Father’s House in Ethete from 10 am to 2 pm. All lay members of the Deanery churches are invited to join Bishop Smylie. (Lunch will be provided by the Diocese, so please RSVP to St. Thomas’ Office at 455 -2313 or the Diocesan Office at 307-265-5200.) The theme of the Dream Day is “Journey to Emmaus,” the story of the two disciples who encounter the resurrected Jesus on the road to Emmaus and have their eyes and hearts opened. This is a day set aside to recognize, affirm, and embrace our journey with the Lord. It is also a day for people to share what they believe is God’s dream for them, their congregations, and for the Diocese of Wyoming. After all of the Dream Days have been completed, Bishop Smylie and Canon Joel Dingman will gather people’s dreams and share them with all of the congregations. The dreams will shape the life of the deaneries. Congregations will get to know one another, build relationships, share gifts, empower one another, and nurture ministry and formation. Together we will discover God’s dream for the world and how God calls each of us to be part of that dream. As we journey on this road, let us always give thanks and praise for the strong and unshakable Kingdom of God. 8
ALL ARE WELCOME!
March 2017
Reflections from our Rector: This year for Lent St. Thomas’ congregation has a unique opportunity to use this annual time of reflection. We are a bit less than one year away from my three-month sabbatical, January 1 through March 31, 2018. During that time I am going to be renewing and revitalizing my spiritual life by focusing on one of my most fundamental spiritual practices: Middle Eastern Dance. Dance for me has been a means of connecting mind, body and spirit in a community of like-minded explorers. Individual practice combines with group interaction to bring us, as individuals and a body, closer to God. For a dancer, dance is the experience of oneness with fellow dancers, the Creator and all of creation. While I am taking sabbath time, the members of St. Thomas will have the chance to do the same. The Lilly Foundation offers grants for clergy renewal, which “provide an opportunity for pastors to step away briefly from the persistent obligations of daily parish life and to engage in a period of renewal and reflection. Renewal periods are not vacations but times for intentional exploration and reflection, for drinking again from God's life-giving waters, for regaining enthusiasm and creativity for ministry.” An integral part of that renewal is also “strengthening [those pastors’] congregations through renewal and reflection that will deepen and enrich the lives of the members. Approach the renewal program slowly and thoughtfully, incorporating as much of the church family as possible so that everyone feels a part of the planning and the process. Make it celebrative.” We will be gathering five Wednesdays in Lent for Soup and Study Conversations to talk about what feeds our spirits, how that connects to what we do in this church, and what we dream of doing in the future to nurture our spiritual growth. We’ll ask and answer questions. What is spirituality to me? How can I integrate my spirituality into everything I do? How do I learn to be comfortable talking to others about my spirituality? How can I deepen my spiritual life individually and in community? And, perhaps most important, what makes my heart sing? These questions and more will lead us to what the members of St. Thomas will do in early 2018 to rediscover their own enthusiasm and creativity for ministry. We remember that spirituality is about relationship: our relationship with God and our relationships with one another as we find ourselves immersed in the Holy. Our spiritual practices, in Lent and throughout the year, strengthen our relationships and bring us that deep and abiding joy that God promises in abundance. Melinda+
Rooted in the Liturgy that sustains us and inspires us to be Christ in our community and the world.
1
St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church P.O. Box 735 9 S. 1st ST Dubois, WY 82513 Phone: 307-455-2313 E-mail: [email protected] 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 Julia Royall Vestry Member Lary Treanor Vestry Member Connie Ticknor Office Manager Mary Ellen Honsaker Salvation Army Unit Coordinator Cindy Lewis Pianist Sue Bodar Choir Director 2
St. Thomas’ Services Sunday: 10 am - Holy Eucharist, Sanctuary 2 pm - Holy Eucharist, Warm Valley Lodge Wednesday: 5:15 pm - Evening Prayer, Sanctuary followed by Soup and Study Conversation, Community Room 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
Notes from Our Bicycling and Hiking Guests Thanks so much for your kindness and generosity. We have truly enjoyed our time in this beautiful little town. Having a nice comfy place to stay in these cold nights is hard to come by, and we even met some other cyclists to share the experience with. My husband and I are on our honeymoon, and it is places like these that make it all worthwhile. Best, Heather and Justin Montgomery Thank you, Melinda, for welcoming us into your home and community. Staying at St. Thomas truly refreshed us for the rest of our tour—cooking for the first time in 2 months was also a joy. We will be thinking of your kindness and generosity as we continue our tour and extend it to those we meet. All the best, Kate and Chuck Your kindness is appreciated, your trust of visitors is amazing, and your ministry is a great witness of God’s love. Thanks Keith Wilson
Vestry Doings John McPhail, our new Junior Warden, has come up with an idea he calls “Squawk Sheets.” These are forms that people can use to alert him to any problems with the buildings and grounds. “Squawk Sheets” will be on clipboards in the Stewart House, the Community Room, the Coffee Room, the church entrance, and the Sacristy. In talking to one of our local law enforcement officers, Melinda learned that he had slept in a chair in his office one night because the snow and wind had prevented him from returning home and the motels were all full at 2 am. The Vestry decided to offer a key to the Community Room to our law enforcement officers for just such emergencies. A couple of totes will have an air mattress, blankets, and pillows for their use.
Thank You! John McPhail for repairing the stone wall outside of the Community Garden. Connie Ticknor for helping shovel the walks and Eric Sanderson for taking on the regular snow removal. Charlease Bobo-Elzenga for becoming our website administrator. The St. Thomas site is staying current!
Matching Donations for Lent An anonymous donor has agreed to match all of the Lenten donations up to $500, and will consider matching additional funds if we bring in more than that. This means that the UTO donations will be matched twice. Please read the match instructions carefully so that we can maximize your gifts. All of the UTO donations (cash and checks) will be submitted in one check from St. Thomas, which will then be matched by The Foundation for the Diocese of Wyoming. If you are contributing to UTO by check, please make it out to St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church, with “UTO” in the memo line. Donations by check for Heifer International and Episcopal Relief and Development may be made either to the organizations themselves, or St. Thomas with the organization name in the memo line. All of the donations—cash, check to St. Thomas, or check to the organization—will be matched. Let your Lenten spiritual discipline also do good in the world. Bring your donations Easter morning!
YES Camp! Young Evangelists Skiing Please join us for fun, goodies and some silliness on March 24-26, 2017, at Thomas the Apostle Center, Cody for YES! Camp. Camp is open to youth grades 7 through 12 and is sponsored by Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, Gillette, of the Episcopal Diocese of Wyoming. Yes! Camp will teach basic spiritual balance as well as basic balance on the snow - Come and join the fun! Transportation is available from Casper with a stop in Thermopolis. We will arrive at TAC in time for dinner. We will spend nights at TAC, ski (with 1/2 day lesson at your skiing or boarding ability) at Red Lodge Mountain in Red Lodge, MT, all day Saturday and a 1/2 day on Sunday with return by early evening on March 26. Space is limited AND pre-registration is required. We have adult chaperones and have room for 15 campers. All adult chaperones are in compliance with all Safe Church policies and Safeguarding God’s Children guidelines set by the Episcopal Diocese of Wyoming. Cost is $100 if you register by March 20, 2017. Registration from March 20-23 is $125. Some Scholarship Funds are available. Registration forms available at St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church Office and online.
3
4
2p Holy Eucharist at Warm Valley Lodge
10a Holy Eucharist
26
2p Holy Eucharist at Warm Valley Lodge
10a Holy Eucharist
19
2p Holy Eucharist at Warm Valley Lodge
10a Holy Eucharist
12
2p Holy Eucharist at Warm Valley Lodge
27
20
13
6
5
10a Holy Eucharist
Mon
Sun
15
9:30a Bible Talk at Warm Valley Lodge
28
6:45a Kiwanis 9:30a Bible Talk at Warm Valley Lodge
21
5:15p Evening Prayer w/ Soup and Study immediately following
29
4:30 p Choir Practice 5:15p Evening Prayer w/ Soup and Study immediately following
22
7:00a Kiwanis Board Mtg. 9:30a Bible Talk at Warm Valley Lodge 5:15p Evening Prayer w/ Soup and Study immediately following
14
4:30 p Choir Practice 5:15p Evening Prayer w/ Soup and Study immediately following
4p Vestry Meeting
30
10a Ram Packs
23
4-6p Winter Market
10a Ram Packs
16
9:30a-3p Frontier HHH 10a Ram Packs
9
4p Vestry training in Coffee Room
4-6p Winter Market
8
10a-noon Food Bank in Stewart House
31
24
17
10
10a-noon Food Bank in Stewart House 10a-2p Deanery Dream Day at Our Father’s House in Ethete
25
10a-noon Food Bank in Stewart House
18
10a-noon Food Bank in Stewart House
11
4
10a Ram Packs
3
2
7:30a Ashes/HE at St. Thomas 3 p Ashes/HE at Warm Valley Lodge 5:30p Ashes/HE at St. Thomas
Sat
1
Fri
Thu
Wed
Events, Services, Meetings
6:45a Kiwanis 9:30a Bible Talk at Warm Valley Lodge
7
Tue
March 2017
5
Lector
Carol Petera
Lector
Dorothy Remy Sandy Lahr
Lector
March 5 1 Lent
Fellowship
Altar Flowers
St. Thomas’ Plants
Celebrant / Preacher
The Rev. Melinda Bobo
Altar Flowers
St. Thomas’ Plants
Celebrant / Preacher
The Rev. Melinda Bobo
Kay Jacoby
Acolyte
Celebrant / Preacher
St. Thomas’ Plants
Altar Flowers
The Rev. Melinda The Rev. Melinda Bobo/Sylvia Crouter Bobo
Celebrant / Preacher
St. Thomas’ Plants
Altar Flowers
The Rev. Lynn Cunningham
Celebrant / Preacher
St. Thomas’ Plants
Altar Flowers
Patrick Hotaling
St. Thomas’ Freezer Kathy and Dick Hodge
Sean Mock
Mary Ellen Honsaker
Fellowship
Acolyte
Dick Hodge
Acolyte
Randy Lahr
Mark Wingerson
Lector
March 26 4 Lent
The Rev. Melinda Bobo
Celebrant / Preacher
Mandy Rose
Altar Flowers
Nancie Vion-Loisel
Fellowship
Dalton Finley
Acolyte
Sylvia Crouter
Eucharistic Minister Eucharistic Minister
Jennet Ballinger
Lector
March 19 3 Lent
Fellowship
Fellowship
Nancie Vion-Loisel
Acolyte
Mary Ellen Honsaker Sylvia Crouter
Fellowship
Acolyte
Dick Hodge
Eucharistic Minister
Connie Mock
Lector
March 12 2 Lent
Worship Ministries
Eucharistic Minister Eucharistic Minister Eucharistic Minister
March 1 Ash Wednesday 5:30 pm
March 1 Ash Wednesday 7:30 am
March 2017
Stewardship for All Seasons Why am I talking about stewardship in March? Isn’t that what we do in the fall to raise money? No. That is one of the great misconceptions about stewardship. Stewardship is not a churchy euphemism for fundraising. Stewardship is not about making budget. Stewardship is not about keeping the lights on. Stewardship is not about figuring out how we’re going to pay for everything we do. Stewardship is about our spiritual relationship with God, instituted at creation by God and acknowledged through our covenant with God made at baptism. In Genesis we are told we are created in the image of God to care for God’s creation, to watch over it on God’s behalf. In his parables Jesus repeatedly says we are stewards, managers given charge over everything by God for our use and the benefit of creation itself. At baptism we (or those who promise on our behalf) vow to strive to be in right relationship with God, valuing what God values, living as God would have us live. We promise that we will proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ, the news that God has wiped away everything we can imagine stands between God and ourselves and embraces us as His own. Relationships work in both directions. God gives us everything out of abundant and overflowing love for us. We give back to God out of the abundance we have been given, in gratitude and love for the God who has provided for us. Abraham, when he came into the Promised Land and prospered, gave back to God a tenth of everything he had been given. Jacob, when he returned home after 20 years of God’s blessing and care in times of adversity, offered God a tenth of all he had been given. This is where the idea of the tithe (Old English for tenth) comes from. Jesus tells us we can be slaves to money or slaves to God, but we can’t be both. True stewardship is our means of showing that we know whose slaves we are, to whom we belong. We can reveal to ourselves and the world that we are slaves to money, to the world of acquisition, selfishness, and scarcity. Or, we can reveal to ourselves and the world that we are the slaves of the one who is perfect freedom, overflowing abundance, and infinite grace, whose only desire for us is that we be who we have been created to be: children of God and inheritors of the Kingdom. When we choose to belong to God, we find that we want to give back to God from all that we have been given. Those are gifts of abilities, opportunities, finances, experiences: everything that makes us who we are and what we have. Rather than the burnt offerings that Abraham and Jacob sacrificed on an altar, we give to God through the medium of God’s Church, the embodiment of Christ here and now. We give of ourselves so that we may know the joy God experiences in giving to us. What is God’s by right? Everything. How do we decide what to give back to God and how much? Reflection. Each of us must make that decision for ourselves. Jesus called for the rich young man to sell all he had, give the money to the poor and follow. But in all honesty, very few people are prepared to commit to that kind of radical discipleship. One helpful question to ask is what percentage of what I have been given—intellectually, physically, emotionally, financially, spiritually—do I feel called to give back to God to do God’s work in the world? Putting that commitment in writing (pledging) can be helpful for some; for some it is oppressive. Whatever your stewardship practice may be, it should strengthen your spiritual life and relationship with God, not interfere with it. Stewardship is our covenant with God, the commitment to be in right relationship with the One to whom we belong. Lent—a time set aside for reflection and change—is the perfect time to renew that covenant and reexamine that commitment, pouring out ourselves as Jesus did, serving God wholly, with everything we are and everything we have been given. 6
Did you know?
The Annual Episcopal Church Women of Wyoming Conference will be held in Casper on April 28-30. Come hear Becca Stevens, founder of Thistle Farms, a sanctuary for healing for women survivors of abuse, addiction, trafficking and prostitution. Her message is that love is the strongest force for change in the world, and that LOVE HEALS. Workshops will be held at the Ramkota Hotel in Casper. Registration is $100 and includes all meals. Special ECW lodging rate is $79 per night. For more info contact ECW President Melissa Hyde at 307-267-8065 or [email protected].
Volunteer for St. Thomas’ ministries. From worship to outreach, there is something for everyone.
You can support the Episcopal Suicide Prevention Connection when you shop on Amazon!
.5% of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases will be donated to the Episcopal Diocese of Wyoming, all of which then goes to the Episcopal Suicide Prevention Connection.
Just sign up with AmazonSmile! Visit www.diowy.org for more information about how to get started. Click on “Resources” then choose “AmazonSmile” from the drop down menu. Information about the Episcopal Suicide Prevention Connection can also be found at www.diowy.org.
BIRTHDAYS AND ANNIVERSARIES JANUARY – MARCH
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO:
In March we remember Dubois resident Stephanie Stitely. May her soul and the souls of all the departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
Melinda Bobo Nancie Vion-Loisel Winifred Gallagher Pat O’Neal Carol Petera Pat Ballinger Margie Cargill
January 18th January 18th January 31st February 9th March 2nd March 18th March 21st
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO:
Something for the Newsletter? If you would like something included in the newsletter, please e-mail it to the office at [email protected] by the 25th of the month. We will do our best to fit it in.
Dick and Kathy Hodge Randy and Sandy Lahr
January 30th February 2nd
Please call the church office at 455-2313 to add your name to our Birthday and Anniversary list.
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St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church P.O. Box 735 Dubois, WY 82513-0735
Wind River Deanery Dream Day The Wind River Deanery will be holding its Dream Day on Saturday, March 25, 2017 at Our Father’s House in Ethete from 10 am to 2 pm. All lay members of the Deanery churches are invited to join Bishop Smylie. (Lunch will be provided by the Diocese, so please RSVP to St. Thomas’ Office at 455 -2313 or the Diocesan Office at 307-265-5200.) The theme of the Dream Day is “Journey to Emmaus,” the story of the two disciples who encounter the resurrected Jesus on the road to Emmaus and have their eyes and hearts opened. This is a day set aside to recognize, affirm, and embrace our journey with the Lord. It is also a day for people to share what they believe is God’s dream for them, their congregations, and for the Diocese of Wyoming. After all of the Dream Days have been completed, Bishop Smylie and Canon Joel Dingman will gather people’s dreams and share them with all of the congregations. The dreams will shape the life of the deaneries. Congregations will get to know one another, build relationships, share gifts, empower one another, and nurture ministry and formation. Together we will discover God’s dream for the world and how God calls each of us to be part of that dream. As we journey on this road, let us always give thanks and praise for the strong and unshakable Kingdom of God. 8
