July 2019 Newsletter

THE EPISTLE OF ST. THOMAS St. Thomas Episcopal Church Diocese of East Carolina The Rev. Jeff Douglas The Rt. Rev. Robert Skirving

Every week, there is a mass shooting in the United States. I have run out of adjectives for this situation: grisly, appalling, horrific, bloody, terrifying, ghastly, appalling, awful, frightful, grim, gruesome, hideous, horrendous, horrible, shocking, sickening, terrible, disgusting, loathsome, nauseating, repulsive are mere syllables at this point. They are noises without meaning. Nothing said seems to move our legislators out of their entrenched determination to do nothing and accept the terror, death and destruction wrought as a part of a “free” society. We, as Americans, seem to believe in the myth of redemptive violence. We believe that violence is a solution to most any problem. We have people who speak of gun violence in our politics by calling for “Second Amendment solutions”. We now live in a world where if you are considered a threat to American interests, you can easily be vaporized by a missile launched from a drone many flying miles above and away from you. We believe we can kill our way out of our problems regardless of whether our grievances are on the personal or national level. And we believe our violence is justified even sanctified because we only used it as a means toward “good” ends. After all, we are the “good guys” just “fighting for peace.” Everyone else who uses violence is labeled a criminal, a terrorist and added to our list of possible targets. And to this I have to ask the question, has killing ever really solved anything? All violence seems to do is temporarily suppress those who seek to assert their domination over others or assert their legitimate grievances with those that rule over them. Violence is no substitute for justice. Retribution only leads to more violence. “An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth leaves the world blind and toothless,” said Mahatma (The Great Soul) Gandhi. Until we cease believing in the god of redemptive violence and making idols of the automatic weapon, the Grim Reaper wih take an ever-increasing toll on us. Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Jeff+

July 2019

July 2019 Newsletter

St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church

Vestry Minutes

June 16, 2019

Present were Rector Jeff Douglas, Treasurer Ernie Carter, Senior Warden Buddy Jones, Charles Sawyer,

Becky Johnson, John Davis, Bill Blanchard, Linda Blackburn, and Clerk of the Vestry Carolyn Peele.

Opening Prayer and Minutes The Rector opened the meeting with prayer. The minutes of the May 21

meeting were approved.

Administration and Finance The Treasurer went over the financial statement for the month, which showed a

checking account balance of $23,045.55. He noted that this was considerably more than the balance last month

due to the $25,000 deposit from the Investment Fund. Contributions are still down, accounting for only about

one third of expenses. The financial report was approved without questions. There will be a scheduled audit

soon, but no date has been set.

Outreach Soup Kitchen is scheduled for June 20 and June 27.

The Rector asked that the Vestry consider donating $1100 to the Food Pantry to expand their Community

Garden service by installing a hydroponic system that would enable the garden to produce nearly year round.

After considerable discussion and expressed concerns about our ongoing financial situation, the motion was

made, seconded, and passed to allocate $1100 from the proceeds of the Lobster Feast to this project.

Worship There were positive comments on the End Gun Violence litany that was part of Pentecost

observance on June 9. There was general agreement that this ongoing issue should continue to be addressed,

and that it will require a multi-faceted approach for solution.

Education Adult Sunday School has concluded for the summer and will resume in the fall. There was a

discussion about providing some sort of Sunday School programming for the young children in our parish,

beginning in the fall.

Pastoral Care There were updates on the health status of Bea Vaughan and Cheryl Steczak, both of whom

are progressing and recovering nicely. It was announced that Linda and Jim Shotwell will be moving soon to

Apex, NC, to be near family and medical facilities. The Rector reported on a recent visit to Tom and Margaret

Newbern. Dr. Davis commented on the severe damage done in Murfreesboro by the recent hail storm.

Buildings and Grounds Dr. Sawyer reported on recent yard work, and expressed appreciation to Colin and

Martina Jones for helping him.

Other Dr. Sawyer raised the question of reducing expenses by cutting the cleaning service from twice to once

a week. The thermostat control problem was discussed. It was noted that tighter control over thermostat

regulation, or perhaps upgrading the thermostat, would result in savings on the fuel bill.

The Vestry will NOT meet in July.

Calendar

July 4-9 - Adventurers Camp

Sunday, July 7 - Morning Prayer (both services)

July 23 - August 8 - Rector’s Vacation (London and Paris)

Sunday, July 28 – The Reverend Joe Cooper, supply priest

July 2019 Newsletter

Sunday, August 4 – Morning Prayer

October 25 - Lobster Feast (prices to remain at $15/$25)

The meeting was adjourned with the Lord’s Prayer.

Respectfully submitted,

Carolyn Peele, Clerk of the Vestry

July 7, 2019

The Feast of Nathan Söderblom

Swedish bishop Nathan Söderblom was the first member of the clergy to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. Born Lars Olof Jonathan Söderblom, on January 15, he graduated from Uppsala University in 1883 and was ordained a priest in the Church of Sweden (Lutheran) in 1893. He earned his doctorate in theology at the Sorbonne and taught theology at the University of Uppsala until his appointment as Archbishop of Uppsala in 1914.

During the First World War, Archbishop Söderblom called on Christian leaders to work for peace and justice. He believed that all Christian church communities were called to fight unhealthy nationalism, racism, militarism and the oppression of minorities. At the same time, he proposed that Jesus' message of love disseminated from pulpits, in newspapers, and in schools to create a powerful body of Christian opinion across national borders in favor of peace.

He famously wrote in his work, The Content of Christian Faith: “For me everything is absorbed by the one big question – the question of reconciliation and healing [restoration.] Do we see God’s way in the terrible chaos of this world; the way which for the human reason is a source of offense, but remains the only possible way? This way does not avoid the tragedy of human life but goes through the very middle of it.”

Archbishop Söderblom took great interest in the early liturgical renewal movement among Roman Catholics, Anglicans and Lutherans. He saw a profound connection between liturgical worship, personal prayer, and social justice. In 1925 he invited Anglican, Reformed, Lutheran, and Orthodox leaders to Stockholm and together they formed the Universal Christian Council on Life and Work. His ecumenical work led eventually to the formation of the World Council of Churches in 1948.

Söderblom’s advocacy for Church unity as a means toward to accomplishing world peace earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in 1930. After his death in Uppsala, Sweden, in 1931 his body was interred in Uppsala Cathedral. He is commemorated in the liturgical calendar of the Episcopal Church on July 12.

Published by the Office of Communication of The Episcopal Church, 815 Second Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10017

© 2019 The Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America. All rights reserved.

July 2019 Newsletter

Come support area youth and the local, living arts-- Summer Youth Theatre Workshop at the Gallery Theatre

Into the Woods, Jr. by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine & The Castaways by Michael and Jill Gallina.

Show dates are July 19th-20th at 7pm.

Tickets are $15 (adult)/$13 (senior)/$11 (student).

July 2019 Newsletter

July 2019 Newsletter

JULY BIRTHDAYS

1 Carolyn Peele 2 Libby Jones 2 Daniel McCamish 8 Andrew Liverman 11 Charles Josey 13 Vicki Blanchard 19 Fred Liverman 20 Michael Steczak 22 Aiden Rahman 24 Edward Blanchard 29 Beth Hoggard 29 Susan Joyner 30 Jeffrey Hoggard

“O God, our times are in your hand: Look with favor; we pray, on your servants, Carolyn, Libby, Daniel, Andrew, Charles, Vicki, Fred,

Michael, Aiden, Edward, Beth, Susan, and Jeffrey, as they begin another year. Grant that they may grow in wisdom and grace, and

strengthen their trust in your goodness all the days of their lives; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”

JULY ANNIVERSARIES

9 Jack and Martie Tayloe 13 Larry and Susan Joyner 13 Charles and Mary C. Pierce 13 Clark and Janine Wren 16 Rob and Barbara Outland 18 Colin and Patsy Jones 20 Lee and Joan Fitzwater 21 Bubba and Carolyn Peele 29 David and Gretchen Simons

““O God, you have so consecrated the covenant of marriage that in it is represented the spiritual unity between Christ and his Church: Send therefore your blessing upon Jack and Martie, Larry and Susan, Charles and Mary C., Clark and Janine, Rob and Barbara, Colin and Patsy, Lee and Joan, Bubba and Carolyn, and David and Gretchen, that they may so love, honor, and cherish each other in faithfulness and patience, in wisdom and true godliness, that their home may be a haven of blessing and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.”

July 2019 Newsletter

St. Thomas Episcopal Church – Schedules for July 2019

Acolytes

7

Bill Blanchard

14

Hugh Davis and Alexis Urquhart-Harrell

21

Gretchen Simons and Mac Griffin

28

OPEN

Altar Flowers

7

Dr. and Mrs. John Davis

14

Mr. and Mrs. David Shields

21

Mr. and Mrs. Dicky Hoggard

28

Hon. and Mrs. Tom Newbern

Altar Guild

Julie Shields and Barbara Outland

Food Pantry (Note-Wednesdays)

3

George Owens

10

Jim Shotwell

17

Peggy Vann

24 Bubba Peele

Lay Readers

3 6:00 PM

NO EVENING PRAYER

7 10:30 AM

Morning Prayer Colin Jones

10 6:00 PM

NO EVENING PRAYER

14 8:00 AM

Morning Prayer OPEN

10:30 AM

Holy Eucharist John Davis

17 6:00 PM

NO EVENING PRAYER

21 10:30 AM

Holy Eucharist Sarah Davis

24 6:00 PM

NO EVENING PRAYER

28 10:30 AM

Holy Eucharist Hugh Davis

Ushers

Bubba Peele and Rob Outland

Yard Work

7

Charles Sawyer and Beth Douglas

14

Charles Sawyer and Beth Douglas

21

Bubba Peele and Clyde & Ann Hughes

28

Bubba Peele and Clyde & Ann Hughes

Hospitality Committee

Jamie and Becky Johnson

Benjie and Amy Brown

July 2019 Newsletter

St. Thomas Episcopal Church P. O. Box 263 Ahoskie, NC 27910

A Place to Belong … A Place to Believe