From the Pastor

As we proceed through the “Season After the Epiphany” and celebrate the revelation and presence of Christ as the Light of the World, I thought perhaps I could challenge you to think about who Christ is in you life, how he illumines your world. More importantly, how can or do you, as a faithful Christian, share that Good News of God in Christ with others?

The cartoonist Charles Schultz is best known for Charlie Brown and his “Peanuts” cartoon strip compatriots: Lucy, Linus, Snoopy, et. al. However, the great cartoonists are also generally great students of human nature, human foibles, human folly, human greatness. And sometimes they have a way of congealing essential truths down to precious nuggets of wisdom. I thought perhaps, as we head toward the Season of Lent that some reflections from Charles Schultz might be helpful in our present Epiphany and future Lenten journeys.

This is NOT a Test! You do not have to actually “answer” the questions. Just ponder on them.

Just straight through, and you'll get the point. Then think about what it means in your life.

1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world.

2. Name the last five Heisman trophy winners.

3. Name the last five winners of the Miss America pageant.

4. Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.

5. Name the last half dozen Academy Award winners for best actor and actress.

6. Name the last decade's worth of World Series winners.

How did you do? The point is, none of us remember the headliners of yesterday.

These are no second-rate achievers.

They are the best in their fields.

But the applause dies.

Awards tarnish.

Achievements are forgotten.

Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners..

Here's the next “quiz.” See how you do on this one:

1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.

2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.

3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.

                           

                

    

            

                

    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Builder

Making Disciples for Jesus Christ

St. Thomas’s Episcopal Church www.stthomasorange.org (540) 672-3761 email: stthomas3@verizon.net Rector: The Rev. Dr. Lin Hutton Editor: Ann Wood

Vol. XXXVIII February 2020 Issue No. 1

4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special.

5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.

Easier?

The lesson:

The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money....or the most awards. They simply are the ones who care the most. Take the time to consider who these people are in your life. Take the time to share with those people who have either made a difference in your life or with those you keep close in your heart.

And, as Charles Schultz says, “Don't worry about the world coming to an end today. After all, it’s already tomorrow in Australia! So, be Yourself. A Beloved Child of God. No One Else Is Qualified!”

 

Pastor Lin +

For All the Saints….

John Roberts Priest ~ 1949, February 25

John Roberts was a priest and mission worker among the Shoshone and Arapahoe in Wyoming where he worked tirelessly from his arrival in 1883 until his death in 1949.

Born and educated in Wales, Roberts served briefly in the Bahamas where he was ordained to the priesthood in 1878. Shortly thereafter, on a visit to New York, he contacted John Spalding, the missionary bishop of Wyoming and Colorado, asking for work among Native Americans. Bishop Spalding sent Roberts west to Colorado and by 1883 he had made his way to Wyoming where he began work among the Shoshone and Arapahoe Indians in the area that is now the Wind River Reservation. Roberts learned the languages of both tribes and shared his work with Laura Brown, a wealthy woman he had met while serving in the Bahamas. They married in Wyoming on Christmas Day 1884. Together they had six children, five of whom survived the harsh conditions, all of whom learned the native languages as well as English.

Roberts started numerous congregations in various locations and, in 1887, the Shoshone chief granted land to Roberts on which to build a mission school for girls to complement the government school for boys.

Unlike other missionaries who sought to change the culture and lifestyle of Native peoples as a sign of their conversion to the Christian faith, Roberts believed it was important to preserve the language, customs, and culture of the people. Roberts sought to honor and respect the ancient ways of the Native peoples while at the same time proclaiming the Gospel among them, inviting them to faith, establishing congregations, and serving their needs in the name of Jesus.

John Cassian, Abbot at Marseilles ~ 433, February 29

John Cassian struggled with the problems of living the Christian life in a time when the world seemed to be falling apart. In so doing, he laid the foundations for what would be the spirituality of the Western Church.

Born Romania around 365, Cassian traveled as a young man to a monastery in Bethlehem and later moved to Egypt where he sought the tutelage of the great founders of the ascetic movement of the desert such as Antony and Macarius.

At the heart of desert monasticism was the idea that the image of God in each person, tarnished by sin but not destroyed, yearns to and has the capacity to love God with the purity of heart with which God loves us. Their aim was to rid themselves of the

anxieties and distractions that called their attention away from loving God. Cassian was initiated into this tradition before political pressures forced him to leave Egypt in about 399. He moved to southern Gaul and there founded a house for monks, and later a house for women religious. Like his desert mentors, Cassian’s goal was, the perfection of the individual soul, however, he insisted that no one should embark on a monastic vocation alone. One should enter a house where other monks are pursuing the same goal, live according to a time-tested rule, and thereby gain the guidance and companionship of the community.

Though Cassian remained committed to the desert ideal of individual perfection, his insistence on the necessity of Christian community and loving moderation was the basis for Benedictine monasticism, which eventually became the basic spirituality of the Western Church. It was perhaps a paradox that only in community could the Christian: “lose sight of earthly things in proportion to the inspiration of its purity so that ... with the inner gaze of the soul it sees the glorified Jesus coming in the splendor of His majesty.”

MORE, “101 Reasons to be an Episcopalian”—

Reason # 36: “I love Anglicanism because the most stable seat, on rough ground, is a three-legged stool.” The Rev. Selwyn Swift, St. Edmundsbury and Suffolk, Ipswich, Suffolk, England

Reason # 44: “We promise to welcome you in Christ’s name. We will honor the gifts you bring. We will invite you into our community, or wish you well if you choose another path.” Dorothy Isabel Crocker, Huron, Canada

 

 

To Our 2019 Off-Going Vestry Members: Keith Frick, Joanie Palmer, Bobbi Jo Phillips, and Matthew Keating.

To Sunny Carr, our departing Senior Warden, and Dabney Carr, a loyal member of the Finance Committee.

and

To everyone who so faithfully brings in Pennies for Penny Sunday! Each year our Pennies are dedicated for “NetsforLife”®, an Episcopal Relief and Development project to provide life-saving malaria nets to equatorial families. Each net is large enough to safely shield and protect an entire family of ten people. Thanks to your contributions, St. Thomas was able to purchase Malaria Nets for 35 families!

Congratulations to our new Vestry Members! Please welcome to our Vestry the Class of 2022: Cynthia Arnold, Virginia Donnelly, Sunithi Gnanadoss, and Larry Rosine. We also welcome Don Place, who joins the class of 2020. Many thanks to all!

Save the Date! Please join your fellow parishioners on March 1, 2020, following the 1015am worship service for a Potluck lunch, as a THANK YOU to Chuck Mason for donating the gas range in the kitchen, in honor of his stepmother Jinny Mason.

Malaria and “NetsforLife”® 

 

What is Malaria?

Malaria is a common but deadly disease caused by parasites. Humans contract malaria when a mosquito carrying the parasite bites them and injects the parasite into the bloodstream.

Who is most vulnerable to malaria?

Nearly one million people die from malaria each year, mostly children younger than five years old. Young children are most vulnerable because they have not built up any immunity to the disease, and without immunity, the infections tend to be more severe and life-threatening.

Pregnant women are also most at risk because their immune systems are compromised by their pregnancy. Moreover, infants born to women who had malaria during their pregnancies tend to be of low birth weight or premature, both of which decrease their chances of survival during their first years.

Where is NetsforLife® working?

NetsforLife® serves 17 countries in sub-Saharan Africa. As active and trusted members of local communities, the program has distributed over 11 million nets and trained over 82,000 malaria control agents.

What is unique about NetsforLife®?

The program collaborates with existing national malaria programs to mobilize, train, and educate volunteers in working together to eliminate the disease by instilling a “net culture”—defined as the community-wide understanding of the protective value of nets and the correct way to use and maintain them.

In addition to the distribution of nets, a main component of the initiative is education about malaria transmission and prevention. Communities learn about the importance of using mosquito nets and receive detailed knowledge about proper net use and maintenance.

Why are the nets effective against preventing Malaria and how long do the nets last?

Since most malaria-carrying mosquitoes bite at night, the simplest and most effective preventive technique is sleeping under an insecticide-treated bed net. An insecticide-treated net protects against malaria by repelling and killing malaria-carrying mosquitoes.

NetsforLife® only distributes long-lasting insecticide-treated nets approved by the World Health Organization along with the appropriate training and use of the nets. These “Long-lasting insecticide-treated nets (LLINs) are infused with an insecticide that remains effective for up to 20 washes or up to three years. [Note: Netsfor-Life® are rated by their manufacturers for 5 years, however, NetsforLife® uses only 3 years as their “net effectiveness.” This is because net-effectiveness depends upon a variety of factors like temperature, intensity of the rainy season, the number of hand-washings in local water sources, the environment, and normal wear and tear, all of which contribute to decreasing the effectiveness of LLINs.

What does NetsforLife® do to replace nets when they wear out?

Net replacement is a critical piece to malaria control globally. NetsforLife® works with local partners to replace nets in communities to ensure the gains made in malaria prevention are maintained.

Thanks to Your “Pennies” this past year, we have directly impacted the lives and quality of life of at least 35 families.

Thank You!

February Cartoons

Ash Wednesday and Lent Are Coming!  

The Vestry Pancake Supper (Mardi Gras / “Fat Tuesday”) will be held on Tuesday, February 25th Save the Date!

Ash Wednesday comes on the following day, Wednesday, February 26th. The Imposition of Ashes and Holy Eucharist Service will be held at 6pm, followed by a simple Soup Supper. Please watch the Bulletin Board to Signup to bring a Soup and/or Bread.

 

 

 

The annual St. Thomas Christmas Bazaar was held in December. The Bazaar raised $1437.00 in support of our community outreach efforts. THANK YOU to all volunteers, crafters, bakers, and patrons of the bazaar!!

The St. Thomas’ Preschool Two-Day Program still has a few openings!

Anyone interested contact stthomascommpreschool@gmail.com or 540-672-2337.

St. Thomas 2019-2020 Preschool

Preschoolers had a lot of fun during the month of December with all Christmas activities, crafts, fun and the study of the Nativity. We built sugar cookie trees, put on a Christmas play, Mary, Mary, What do you See?, as well as continuing to work on academics daily and many other activities. The nursery/dramatic play area was transformed into a bakery and the children have absolutely loved the space and all the ways we have incorporated learning into this for the season. Patterning, sorting, counting, social/emotional and the list goes on, so we have continued the fun by turning it into a Hot Cocoa Cafe for January and February. Frozen treats, marshmallow math and so on. My goal for preschoolers is teaching them to play, so they play to learn, then we can ignite the love for school and further learning!

January and February are full of winter fun, snow crafts, activities and songs. We have been playing with ice, artic animals, making our own snow, and warming up in the Cocoa Cafe, counting with marshmallows and dancing like penguins. Learning about winter behavior of animals and pretending to hibernate in our pajamas is our next adventure. We will also learn about germs, nutrition, dental health and keeping our bodies in shape. We are always busy, and that keeps us happy! Check out these precious smiles!

Decorating Trees

Save the Date! ST. THOMAS PRESCHOOL ANNUAL FUNDRAISER/SILENT AUCTION  

FEBRUARY 28, 2020

5:30 PM

PARISH HALL

FEATURING A SPECIAL PERFORMANCE BY OUR PRESCHOOLERS!

Patterning

Dramatic Play

SHRINE MONT June 26-28, 2020

IT’S THAT TIME AGAIN! START MAKING PLANS TODAY!

 

Shrine Mont was built “to provide a place apart for rest, devotion, fellowship, learning and education, where all may grow in the grace of God.” The weekend of June 26-28 has been set for our Parish Retreat in 2020. It is an opportunity to do all the things mentioned above as well as providing time to get to know members of the parish in a deeper way than we are able to do in a few hours at church.

The retreat begins on Friday with dinner at 5:30 PM and will continue through Sunday worship at the Shrine of the Transfiguration and lunch at 12:30 PM. One cottage has been assigned to us:

St. Andrews Cottage and several rooms in Maryland House are also available to us. You may view this cottage by going to www.shrinemont.com, look under Visit, Accommodations, Facilities. Floor plans and more information on this cottage are available by clicking on the picture of the cottage. St. Andrews is about halfway down the page.

The St. Andrews Cottage is located up the hill behind and east of the Tucker Hall dining complex. Originally built by Shrine Mont’s founder, The Rev. Dr. Edmund Lee Woodward in 1941, St. Andrews has been a mainstay for Shrine Mont guests. In 2012 the original cottage was replaced. St. Andrews cottage has five bedrooms each with a private bath and can sleep up to 20 people comfortably. It also has two living rooms with wood burning fireplaces, a kitchenette, two additional half bathrooms and plenty of porch and patio space to enjoy peaceful rocking. Two of the bedrooms are accessible for people with disabilities. This cottage is one of the only air conditioned cottages.

A wonderful bookstore is in the Virginia House so plan some time to browse.

COST: Diocesan rate: Per person for two-day weekend plus 5.8% sales and lodging taxes. Room w/bath and six delicious all-you-can-eat meals!

ADULTS Double Occupancy: $78/person/night x 2 nights = $156 plus tax = $165.05/person/weekend Single Occupancy: $103/person/night x 2 nights - $206 plus tax = $217.95/person/weekend CHILDREN 0-3 Free 4-12 = $33 x 2 = $66 plus tax = $69.83/person/weekend Look for the display in the Parish Hall. Please give your check (made out to St. Thomas Episcopal Church) to Cynthia Arnold or send it to the church office.

I WILL NEED TO KNOW WHO IS GOING TO SHRINE MONT BY MARCH 22ND.

SO SIGN UP AS SOON AS POSSIBLE! - CYNTHIA

Friday, February 21 at 7:00 pm in Robertson Hall

~ cost of admission is one non-perishable food item ~

Based on the thrilling and inspirational life of an iconic American freedom fighter, Harriet tells the extraordinary tale of Harriet Tubman's escape from slavery and transformation into one of America's greatest heroes. Her courage, ingenuity, and tenacity freed hundreds of slaves and changed the course of history. Directed by Kasi Lemmons, who wrote the screenplay with Gregory Allen Howard, it stars Cynthia Erivo as Tubman, with Leslie Odom Jr., Joe Alwyn, and Janelle Monáe in supporting roles. ~ Focus Films

~Birthdays~

02/11 Sarah Soderbergh

02/13 Paul Williams

02/14 G.W. Gray

02/15 Ginny Dulin

02/18 Sarah Likins

02/19 Sunithi Gnanadoss

02/20 Keith Frick

Prayer List

We pray especially for our church’s leadership:

Michael, Presiding Bishop; Susan, Jennifer, & Ted, bishops for this diocese

Our country: President Donald, Vice President Mike, & Governor Ralph

For the special needs and concerns of this congregation:

For: Margaret, and our men and women in our armed forces who are serving our nation around the world.

And Especially for: Casey, Chris, Cooper, Dale, Darlene, Ellen, Hugh, Mark, Michael, Nancy, Nick, Palmer, Pastor Lin, and Tiffany

Also, for the family of:

David E. McGowin

April 11, 1963 to January 20, 2020

Food Pantry

Special request for February is Shampoo, Soap, and Canned Fruit. All food items and cash gifts are always welcome and appreciated. You can drop off donations at the Love Outreach Food Pantry each Tuesday from 9:00-10:30 and on Wednesday from 8:30-12:00. Their mailing address is: Love Outreach Food Pantry, Inc., P.O. Box 788, Orange, 22960. You may also bring any donations

The Lord bless you and keep you;

the Lord make his face shine upon you and be

gracious to you;

the Lord turn his face toward you and give

you peace.

Want to add something to The Builder? Contact Ann Wood at annwood304@gmail.com by February 22, 2020 with your information!

St. Thomas Episcopal Church

119 Caroline Street

Orange, VA 22960

February 2020