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St Thomas

The Strangest of Journeys

By Rector's Corner

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” – Hebrews 11:1, NRSV I feel like you and I, dear Doubters of Great Faith, are on the strangest of journeys, this path we’ve been led into, not of our own choosing, but borne of necessity, at the most peculiar of times, in the very infancy of our relationship together. It’s the time when Rector and congregation, like partners who have wed, learn through acts, and signs, and words, and deeds, what trust, and hope, and, indeed, faith, and “faith-full-ness” (to be filled with faith) look like. I refer to you as “Doubters of Great Faith” for a reason. To my way of thinking, that is a sign and symbol of your great courage to live in the place of tension between that which you can see, that which seems so obvious, and that which…

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May 14, 2020

Doubters’ Happy Hour – May 19

By Upcoming Events

Please join the Doubter community for our next Happy Hour, May 19 at 6 pm, as we welcome Dr. Terry Parsons, Ph.D., D.Min. discussing “Pandemic PTSD.” As we move into our ninth week of social-distancing, mask-wearing, and isolation, we’ll have a frank conversation with Dr. Parsons about what he’s beginning to see in terms of the potential longer-ranging impacts of psychological stress and trauma related to the COVID-19 crisis. Terry earned a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and a Doctorate in Pastoral Care and Counseling, and draws from over thirty years of experience as a therapist, hospital chaplain and ordained United Methodist pastor. Terry holds teaching and consulting positions at Southern Methodist University’s Perkins School of Theology, and is widely sought after for his seminars and retreats for couples based on his book, The Intimacy Jungle. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, Terry presents two to three Zoom seminars each week for church…

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May 14, 2020

Sermon for the Fifth Sunday of Easter

By Sermons

A Homily for the Fifth Sunday of Easter May 10, 2020 The Episcopal Church of St. Thomas the Apostle Dallas, Texas Stephen V. Sprinkle, Theologian-in-Residence For Jesus’ Sake I thank Fr. Christopher and the community of St. Thomas the Apostle for the courtesy of the pulpit, and for the opportunity to preach. It is an honor to serve as a Theologian-in-Residence for this church. What is it that motivates Christians today, or more precisely for an embodied religion such as ours, Who is it who motivates Christians? I concede that some, perhaps many, who call themselves “Christians” do so at the risk of false advertising, but join me this morning in granting all of us the benefit of the doubt. After all, one of the central tenets of this faith is called, “grace.” Who is this One around whom the earliest believers gathered? After whose death on the cross and…

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May 10, 2020

When a Wise Woman Speaks

By Christian Formation

My annual sharing of the favorite “Momisms” that readers have shared with me has a unique focus this year. I have curated what was sent to me and am sharing the words that are especially relevant to navigating one’s way through a pandemic. What I enjoy most about collecting these words of wisdom from mothers, grandmothers, aunts, and other women in our lives are the stories that readers include about the women they are quoting. I hear stories of women who passed years ago and of ones who have died recently. I hear stories of kind mothers and some who were not. And I hear of stories of fun times and hard ones as well. Quite a few of you shared stories this year of adversity that was overcome, which made what was shared especially relevant to what we are experiencing today. Mother’s Day can be an emotional time. Many…

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May 9, 2020

Doubters’ Happy Hour – May 12

By Upcoming Events

Please join the Doubter community for our next Happy Hour, May 12 at 6 pm, as we welcome the Reverend Susan A. Slaughter, priest resident in the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth. Mother Susan has the distinction of being the first female to be ordained to the priesthood in Fort Worth, shortly after the split of the diocese and the reconstitution of the Episcopal Church in Fort Worth in 2008. Susan has a fascinating “call story,” her own journey through conversion to social justice and activism. It promises to be a fascinating conversation!

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May 7, 2020

7th-Inning Stretch

By Rector's Corner

“…those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” – Isaiah 40:31, NRSV I didn’t grow up a sports fan. I avoided sports at all possible cost! I was the nerdy kid who found his sense of “place” in music, and in Church (big C). And so, I missed out on all the wonderful life lessons that sports offer, about being a part of a team, working together toward a common goal, about strategy, and purpose, about sacrifice for the common good, healthy competition, and about, well, waiting. And so, I’ve surprised myself in the last few years as I have developed a taste for what I once considered a great bore, America’s pastime, baseball; and more specifically, Houston Astros baseball! One of the things that I know…

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May 7, 2020

Sermon for the Fourth Sunday of Easter

By Sermons

Acts 2:42-47 Psalm 23 1 Peter 2:19-25 John 10:1-10 Year A, Easter 4 May 3, 2020 St. Thomas the Apostle The Rev’d Virginia Holleman In the Name of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. AMEN. My Father was born and grew up in Branford, Connecticut, a small town on the Long Island Sound about an hour-and-a-half from New York City. Daddy thought Connecticut was the prettiest place in the world and, once he retired from the Air Force in 1962 and moved back to Branford, he swore he’d never leave the beautiful home he and my Mother had until he left – as he put it – “Feet first in a pine box!” But when my Mother died in 2005 and Dad realized the four most important things in the world to him were in Dallas – that would be my sisters and me – he moved here several months…

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May 3, 2020

The Gift of Listening

By Christian Formation

People have reached out to talk more this week than usual. Many of the conversations I have had have concluded with some version of, “I didn’t expect you to solve anything, I just needed someone to listen. Thank you for being there.” I am always honored when someone trusts me enough to be vulnerable and share the challenges they are facing. People are reaching out more because this sheltering at home is getting arduous. The novelty has long worn off, and the emotional, relational, and economic stresses are mounting. Part of what makes what we are all experiencing so difficult is there isn’t anything any of us can do to fix it. This is when listening becomes even more critical. There are times when the goal of listening to someone talk about a challenge is so we can offer a possible solution. For example, if someone is struggling with how…

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May 1, 2020

I am a “do-er”

By Rector's Corner

“…Grant that when we hear his voice we may know him who calls us each by name, and follow where he leads…” – Collect for the Fourth Sunday of Easter, BCP, p. 225 There is absolutely no doubt that I am a “do-er.” If it comes down to choosing between “doing,” and “being,” my choice is ALWAYS going to be to “do” something. I AM a “do-er.” It’s why I was a productive church administrator. Administrators get to “do” something, administrate! The choice to “be” is a much more difficult, somewhat unnerving space to occupy, because I always, invariably feel like I should be “doing” something! Sheep, oddly enough, for all the claims of their ignorance, appear to know how to “be.” Seems like they stand around and eat a lot, and just “be.” And they’re ok with that. It’s interesting to consider Good Shepherd Sunday, particularly with regards to…

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April 30, 2020

Welcome our Theologians-in-Residence!

By News

We are blessed at St. Thomas the Apostle to have so many gifted and talented folk who think theologically! It is of particular benefit to welcome “academia,” those who study, and think, and educate others regarding theology, to be resident among us. In concert with our Bishop and Vestry, I have asked two of our fellow Doubters if they would serve as our “Theologians-in-Residence,” the Reverend Dr. Stephen V. Sprinkle and Dr. Mark D. Jordan. Dr. Steve Sprinkle (steve@thedoubter.org) Dr. Sprinkle (Steve) is the Professor of Practical Theology and Director of Field Education and Supervised Ministry at Brite Divinity School on the campus of Texas Christian University. Steve holds degrees from Barton College (B.A.), Yale University Divinity School (M.Div.), and Duke University Graduate School (Ph.D., Systematic Theology). (He did his Ph.D. dissertation under the guidance of theologian Stanley Hauerwas!) Steve is ordained as a minister in the Alliance of Baptists….

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April 30, 2020