St. Thomas Updates

October 3, 2024

This Week...


Blessing of the Animals Photos

Graham Baba Visit Thank You

Adult Ed Returns Next Week

People Among Us: Admiral Jay Johnson

Highway Cleanup - October 12

Mid-Week Eucharist

Rector's Discussion Group: Falling Upwards

Breaking Bread Together Returns

Coffee Hour

Men's Coffee

Wisdom Walks

Weekly Birthdays

Volunteer Ministry Assignments

Prayer List

Blessing of the Animals Photos

Stefanie Nelson & Lynn Campion

Graham Baba Thank You

Jim Graham and Caroline Brown meet with the St. Thomas Choir.

Thank you to everyone who participated in the workshops held by our architects Graham Baba. We appreciate your input and feedback. More information to come!

Adult Education


Adult Christian Education is on hiatus this week due to Trailing of the Sheep. Adult Ed returns next Sunday, October 13th, with the beginning of new series called, Faith and Belief. This series is designed to introduce and explore the theology of The Episcopal Church.

 

As many of us have come to recognize, the version of Christianity that seems to dominate the news is unfamiliar to us and what we love about St. Thomas and our Episcopal tradition, yet oftentimes we struggle with the words to articulate this is in meaningful and informed ways. Please join Kathleen and Jonah in this intentional consideration of our branch of faith to learn, grow and celebrate the one truth that our Presiding Bishop Michael Curry says so well, “If it isn’t about love, it isn’t about Jesus of Nazareth.”

The People Among Us

Admiral Jay Johnson | October 20th

As you know, we are blessed in the Wood River Valley to be part a community of interesting and inspiring people. On Sunday, October 20th, we continue a new series called The People Among Us in which we celebrate the many people who make our community great.


From Jay:


I was Montana born, Wisconsin raised, USNA educated, flew fighters off aircraft carriers for my operational Navy career, ended up with the privilege of being Chief of Naval Operations and a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 1996 to 2000. My business career followed which included the electric/gas utility business, and General Dynamics Corporation where I served as Chairman/CEO through 2012. Since then, have served on public and not-for-profit boards. Sydney and I split our time between here, Washington DC, and Colorado. 

If you missed our first People Among Us with Ellen Sanders,

click HERE for the audio.

Highway 75 Clean-Up

Saturday, October 12th - 10:00 am - 12:00 pm


Sign Up Outside the Sanctuary

Mid-Week Eucharist Reminder


Take a break in your busy week to enter the peace and quiet of our sanctuary for a brief Eucharist service. It's a chance to stop, breathe, and reflect, and go back to your day refreshed. Every Tuesday at noon.

Falling Upward: A Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life

By Richard Rohr, Franciscan Priest and Founder of the Center for Action and Contemplation


In his book, Falling Upward, Rohr offers a way of looking at true maturity, spiritual maturity, and how it can be embraced or resisted. He divides the span of human life into two halves. The first half is the realm of young men and women who are attempting to make a mark in the world. The second half of life is a journey of increasing contentment brought about, ironically, through weakness and failure. Hence ‘falling upward,” where the only way up is down.


This fall please join the Rector’s Discussion Group for a study of this compelling book. Gatherings occur via zoom at 12pm on Wednesdays. Please contact Stefanie Nelson in the office if you need assistance obtaining the book. The schedule is as follows:


October 9th, Session 3

Chapters 5 & 6: Stumbling over the Stumbling Stone, Necessary Suffering


October 16th, Session 4

Chapters 7 & 8-: Home and Homesickness, Amnesia and the Big Picture,


October 23rd, Session 5

Chapters 9&10: A Second Simplicity, A Bright Sadness


October 30th, Session 6

Chapters 11: The Shadowlands


November 6th, Session 7

Chapter 12: New Problems and New Directions


November 13th, Session 8

Chapter 13: Falling Upward

Breaking Bread Together Begins This Month


St. Thomas is a fascinating community of people – we are teachers and finance professionals, musicians and retail workers, non-profit leaders and doctors, actors and military folks, athletes and culinary professionals. It’s hard to get to know each other as well as we might like over coffee hour. So every year we form small groups who meet monthly to “break bread together.” BBT groups meet for dinner or brunch at mutually agreeable times to enjoy some fun fellowship, learn about each other, and form lasting friendships.


New groups will begin in October! If you would like to participate, please email Stefanie at stefanie@stthomassv.org. And if you have questions, talk to Jonah or Kathleen.

Sign Up for Coffee Hour in October



It’s time to fill up the calendar for coffee hour for the month of October. This is a wonderful way to offer hospitality to your fellow parishioners and visitors alike! Just bring simple treats to share, and help with set up and clean up. Team up with a friend! Thank you for being part of this important ministry of welcome and community. Call Stefanie in the church office with any questions.

Wisdom Walks

Women's Wisdom Walks continue until the snow flies!


We meet on Wednesday mornings at 9:00 a.m. at the Sun Valley Post Office and walk up to the Hemingway Memorial. Join us!

Men's Coffee Continues on Tuesdays

Men's weekly coffee at Starbucks is underway! Join Jonah and other men from the parish for conversation, fellowship and a light-hearted opportunity to "solve the problems of the world" every Tuesday at 9 am.

Weekly Birthdays


St. Thomas is starting a new weekly series in which we give thanks for the birthdays of members of the church.


October


6 Ted Waddell, Anne Zauner

7 Jim Monger

8 Theodore Holle

11 Catherine Carley

12 Carter Hedberg Schmidt, Page Klune, Ashley Musbach, Oliver Nielson

Volunteer Ministry Assignments


Sunday, Oct 6, 2024


8:00am

Lector: Judi Fuller

Acolyte: Jane Reynolds

Usher: Stefanie Nelson


9:30am 

Lectors: Prayers- Wendy Jaquet Lessons- Laurie Ahern

Acolytes: Jane Reynolds and Tim Eagan

Usher: Karl Uri

Eucharistic Ministers: Helen Morgus and Mardi Shepard

Prayer List



Amanda, Loring, Tara, Bob, Tyler, Patrick, Terry, Lisa,

Evelyn, Mike, Tayt, Midge, Cindy, Judy, Sam, Luella, Kris, Lois,

Molly, Blake, Myrna, Mary, Sally, Reuben, Rachel, Jane, Alexandra, Aimee, Amy, Gunner, Anne, Jane, Anne, Barbara, Alyson, Marilyn, Susan, Sarah, River Thomas, Jim, Jasmine, Hollie, Calder, Hewitt, Margaret, Philip, Mike, Laine, Barry, Lindy, Genevieve Mae, Arthur, Page, Bill, Jane, Alexis, Kathryn, Michael, Andrew, Jennifer, Fiona, Wyatt, Karen, Horace, Glen, Vincent, Dana, David, John, Linda, Richard, John, Red, Marty, Michele, Becca, Rider, Ashley, Teagan, Kathleen, Robert, Rialin, Gretchen, Patti, Fan, Teresa, Gunner, Carole, Scott, Jordan, and Elizabeth.