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St Thomas

Sermon for the Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany

By Rector's Corner, Sermons

Christopher Thomas Sermon for the Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany, Year A – 2/16/2020 Deuteronomy 30:15-20 Psalm 119:1-8 1 Corinthians 3:1-9 Matthew 5:21-37 Because in my weakness (really, it’s my humanness), I can do nothing (nothing good, that is) without you. Give me the help of your grace, that I may keep our covenant, thereby pleasing you in both my intention and in my action. Amen. Intention, and action, and grace. So, as I have said before, it is my great privilege to go, to use Tom Long’s metaphor, to the well of scripture, week after week, to see what the Great Good News, the Word (Capital W, Logos) has to say to us, for you and my individual lives and contexts, and also for the wider setting of our communal life that we can and will live together here not only on our corner of Inwood and Mockingbird, but…

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February 16, 2020

Loving Your Neighbor As Yourself

By Christian Formation

All of the world’s major religions have some version of the teaching, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” That teaching is certainly at the core of my own spirituality, and I strive (but often fall short) to live out this ideal every day. I imagine the same is true for many of the readers of this column. Some time ago, as I was reflecting on this teaching about loving your neighbor as yourself, it occurred to me that, in fact, this is precisely what most of us do. We actually do love them as we love ourselves. Last week I wrote about self-compassion and how our well-being is enhanced when we can tame our inner critic, and then truly feel love and acceptance toward ourselves. A common reaction I get when I write or talk about self-compassion and self-care is questioning whether what I’m talking about is encouraging someone to become…

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February 14, 2020

Lent 2020: A Call to Prayer, Fasting, and Repentance Leading to Action

By News

As the season of Lent approaches, Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Michael Curry invites Episcopalians and people of faith to turn and pray on behalf of our nation: “In times of great national concern and urgency, people of faith have returned to ancient practices of repentance, prayer and fasting as ways of interceding with God on behalf of their nation and the world. This is such a moment for us in the United States. “On Ash Wednesday I will join with other Christian leaders observing this Lent as a season of prayer, fasting and repentance on behalf of our nation, with continued fasting each Wednesday until the Wednesday before Advent begins. “Our appeal comes during a time of profound division and genuine crisis of national character. This is not a matter of party or partisanship, but of deep concern for the soul of America. “The group of religious “Elders” who share…

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February 12, 2020

Lenten Services and Events

By Upcoming Events

ASH WEDNESDAY Feb. 26 7 am – 9 am Ashes-to-Go (near Inwood Entrance) 12 Noon Noonday Eucharist (Blessing and Distribution of Ashes) 7:00 pm Evening Eucharist (Blessing and Distribution of Ashes) WEDNESDAYS IN LENT March 4 – April 1 6 pm – Wednesday Eucharist Followed by a community dinner and Education

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February 12, 2020

Sermon for the Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany

By Rector's Corner, Sermons

Christopher Thomas Sermon for the Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany, Year A – 2/9/2020 Isaiah 58:1-9a Psalm 112:1-9 1 Corinthians 2:1-12 Matthew 5:13-20 I found myself wondering, this week, as I wandered, through the Gospel, God’s great good news, which is my great honor and privilege to do, week in, and week out on your behalf. I found myself curious, as I so often do, about this notion of light. Now, I know, theologically speaking, because that’s what we clergy types do, right, we think and speak theologically, conversating with and about God, that God IS the source of light and life. It all comes from God; it all belongs to God, and it all goes back to God. I think we can agree that light, and everything that it illuminates, is God’s, not ours. We’re just small parts of the bigger picture. Now, that being said, my curious little…

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February 9, 2020

Mindful Self-Compassion

By Christian Formation

My wife and have spent the last two days working at the Adolescent Health Conference in Madison, Wisconsin. Two hundred professionals—school counselors, teachers, psychotherapists, physicians, and case managers—attend this annual conference put on by the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. Our Samaritan Family Wellness Foundation is honored to support this conference as a sponsor, as well as being presenters. The secular division of our foundation creates teen, parent, and adult resources for the professionals who are on the front lines working with the mental health challenges face by young people and their families today. The need is more significant than ever because the mental health challenges in our young people are great. One of the benefits of being at a health and wellness conference is the opportunity to learn from the experience and expertise of other presenters. A workshop on the benefits of helping teens to develop mindful self-compassion skills was the…

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February 7, 2020

125th Anniversary Party for EDOD

By Upcoming Events

***NOTE: EVENT CANCELLED DUE TO COVID-19*** Mark your calendars for the celebration of the 125th Anniversary of the Episcopal Diocese of Dallas, scheduled for 3 to 6 p.m., April 26, at Saint Michael and All Angels, 8011 Douglas Avenue, Dallas. The party celebrating our combined history of our Episcopal faith includes barbecue, Mexican food, bands and a 5:30 p.m. Choral Evensong. Please join us for this memorable occasion of our life together in ministry. For those interested in attending, RSVP here >

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February 5, 2020

Connecting at St Thomas

By Upcoming Events

Mark your calendars to join us at Cafe Express on Sunday, March 1 at noon (after coffee time) for the next Connecting at St. Thomas. Great food, lively conversations, and much fun! Cafe Express is located at 5600 Lovers Lane just east of Inwood.

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February 3, 2020

Sermon for the Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord

By Rector's Corner, Sermons

Christopher Thomas Sermon for the Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord, Year A – 2/2/2020 Malachi 3:1-4 Psalm 84 Hebrews 2:14-18 Luke 2:22-40 “At This Table” by Idina Menzel & Jonas Myrin, 2019 At This Table: Everyone is Welcome Everyone is Seen Everybody Matters No One Falls Between At This Table: You Can Say Whatever You Can Speak Your Mind Everything Is Forgiven There’s Enough for Everyone At This Table: There Will Be No Judgement Mercy Has A Seat We’re All Sons and Daughters There’s No Place I Would Rather Be At This Table: Everyone Is Welcome Everybody Cares Everybody Matters Come, Pull Up A Chair Come As You Are Remember That the Door is Always Open Come As You Are The Perfect Gift That You Can Bring Is Your Heart Come, Come As You Are I can’t believe we’re actually here, that this day, this moment, this split…

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February 2, 2020