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Rector’s Corner

Love Wins: A Reflection on Orlando

By Rector's Corner

Dear St Thomas Family, This has been such a sad week for our world. As I have read through so many descriptions of the terror in Orlando and the responses of those who are outraged saddened and discouraged, I find my own soul weary from the knowledge that hate still has such power in our world, in our communities, even in our church.    Almost a year ago we all celebrated the Supreme Court decision that we never thought would come.  We all rallied around the cry that “Love Wins.”  I know many of us wonder this week if that is really true.  So many times we walk by faith and not by sight so I want to encourage all of us to continue our walk in faith in the midst of sorrow, to honor our grief, to express our anger but to not let it stop there or immobilize…

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June 16, 2016

The Church Decides

By News, Rector's Corner

General Convention Approves Marriage Equality Dear St. Thomas Family, What an amazing week this has been!  Last Friday the Supreme court made it legal for all Americans to marry the people they love, a decision to be celebrated. Then as Our General Convention met in Salt Lake City, we elected  Michael Curry as Presiding Bishop, the first African American to lead the church in this role.  There are many issues  being deliberated at General Convention which I hope  will lead our Church to grow  more deeply into love, justice and compassion. Just last evening  The House of Deputies approved without ammendment what the House of Bishops had already approved.  Resolution A036 revises Canon 1.18 titled “Of the Solemnization of Holy Matrimony.”  Among many edits it removes references to marriage as being between a man and a woman. They also passed A054  approving continued use of “The Witnessing and Blessing of…

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July 9, 2015

Supreme Court Decision

By News, Rector's Corner

A Wonderful Morning! Supreme Court Legalizes Gay Marriage Nationwide “The Supreme Court ruled 5-4 this morning that it is legal for all Americans, no matter their gender or sexual orientation to marry the people they love.” Dear St. Thomas Family, I know that this day has been long awaited and is an occasion of great celebration. I rejoice with you in this victory for equal rights and look forward to further conversations with you. You may also know that the General Convention of the Episcopal Church is in session right now and is considering a  canon revision to the definition of marriage, so this is good news also but a change to the Book of Common Prayer will most likely not occur for some time.  For more information and conversation about what is happening at convention regarding this,  I refer you to two blogs, one by Tobias Haller (blog.tobiashaller.net) and…

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July 9, 2015

Epiphany Reflections

By Rector's Corner

As we celebrate the Feast of the Epiphany T.S. Eliot’s, The Journey of the Magi  provides words for us to reflect on what this season can mean for us. This poem was written in 1927 soon after Eliot’s conversion to Anglicanism. It is written from the perspective of one of the wise men. It is a wonderful poem but not really uplifting in an obvious kind of way.   For the poet speaks of the challenge of the journey, a journey that takes place in winter, the worst time of year. He outlines the difficulties – the night fires going out, the unfriendly towns, their inner doubts telling them the journey was pure folly. The wise man says that he would take the journey again but there is a sense in the poem that birth and death are entwined. “Were we led all that way for Birth or death? There was…

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January 8, 2015

2017 Annual Meeting

By News, Rector's Corner

Newly elected Vestry members are Nancy LeGros, Jean Edwards, and Charles Mullins, Jr. Newly Elected Trustee of Endowment Wynne Voorhees joins Randy Hering and Jerry Knight. Newly Elected Diocesan Delegate is Boyd Richie. Newly Appointed Junior Warden is David Hess.

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December 11, 2014

Advent Reflections

By Rector's Corner

This year Advent begins November 30 the Sunday after Thanksgiving. Advent is a time of waiting, of quiet preparation for celebrating the Incarnation, God’s willingness to come and live among us in human form. There are a number of ways to prepare, but the main thing we are called to do is pause, as the world calls us to run, to shop,to be caught up in the frenzy of materialism. The season of Advent is the perfect time to allow our relationship with God to become more intimate. Many times in our humanity, we are led astray, and resist God’s invitation to us. It is difficult to hear God’s invitation if we can’t seem to turn down the noise in our lives. But if we are willing to create a quiet space, to hear what God is speaking to our hearts, our relationship with God may be rekindled in ways…

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November 20, 2014

All Souls

By Rector's Corner

My first introduction to souls came in first grade when Sr Agnes Anne drew a diamond shape on the blackboard. She put chalk marks on the inside to signify sins. As the chalk dust fell like snowflakes onto the waiting ledge below. My first grade mind pictured a soul that had clear borders, something inside that I carried around and could tarnish by things I said or did. It was rather daunting to think about the responsibility for this container of grace. Today I no longer think of that flat diamond on the blackboard. The initial shape that helped my contrete 7 yr old brain has thankfully expanded. Grace abounds for all. When I think of the souls of the faithful departed, I think of how a diamond sparkles how it reflects the light. We remember the faithful departed today, those who reflected God’s light while they were on this…

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October 30, 2014