From the Pastor

What is YOUR Testimony? The last thing Jesus said to his disciples is: “Go therefore and make disciples….”[Mt 28.19] We are called to be: “sent ones.” But sent to do what? “Make Disciples!” And how do we “Make disciples?”

A good place to start when tasked as Christians is with our Baptismal Promises in The Book of Common Prayer: “Will you proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ?”

“I will, with God’s help.” Our “testimony” is the “word” part of that promise. Most Episcopalians are quite good at the “by example” part, desiring that others might see Christ reflected in their actions and mannerisms. However, we Episcopalians seem less comfortable with proclaiming or testifying to the Good News of Jesus Christ.

I am not certain where this idea originated, whether somewhere Episcopalians determined that talking enthusiastically about Jesus was simply too crass or that “giving one’s testimony” perhaps sounded just a little too evangelical? Regardless the source of this reluctance, telling others about the power of Jesus Christ in our personal lives remains a promise we have made to God. So, where to begin?

First ask: “Who is Jesus to me personally?” We can always default to the Nicene or Apostles’ Creed for the Church’s formal statement of who Jesus is, but in the midst of those creedal statements, our baptism asks: Who is Jesus to you? How has Jesus influenced, changed, shaped, or directed your personal life? Have you even considered how Jesus has touched your life?

Our “testimony” remains unique to us and may vary throughout our life. It concerns the salvific work of Christ in our personal life. This awareness is “Good News” and worth sharing with others, not simply because it testifies to Christ, but because it opens the possibility for others who might need to hear Good News. We are Christ’s “sent ones.” And “sent ones” testify, not just with their deeds, but also with their words.

Ultimately, our Testimony is about the Word of God, about Jesus, about God. It’s always all about Jesus, not just what Jesus has done for all humanity, but what has Jesus done for you personally. If it’s not about Jesus, it’s not a “Testimony.” In our baptism, all of us are given a primary mission: to Go and Tell about God.

My spiritual challenge to each of you this summer is to “read, mark, and inwardly digest” Scripture, spend time in prayer and reflection, and quest after developing your personal testimony. Explore what and how you would testify to someone in the classic: “Two Minute Elevator Ride.” What would you say, what is your story? You may change a life and draw someone into the living Body of Christ.

So, enjoy your summer as you strive to fulfill your baptismal mission with the authority given to you in your baptism, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations.”

Pastor Lin +

                           

                

    

            

                

    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Builder

Making Disciples for Jesus Christ

St. Thomas’s Episcopal Church www.stthomasorange.org (540) 672-3761 email: stthomas3@verizon.net Rector: The Rev. Dr. Lin Hutton Editor: Ann Wood

Vol. XXXVII June 2018 Issue No. 5

For All the Saints….

Gilbert Keith Chesterton, Apologist and Writer, 1936 ~ June 13

Born in 1874, Gilbert Keith Chesterton was one the intellectual giants of his day, and was known for his writing that spanned fields as diverse as literary criticism, fiction and fantasy, satire, and Christian apologetics. Chesterton often blended elements of such genres together, as indicated in his famous novel The Man Who Was Thursday, which combines a mystery plot with Christian imagery and symbolism. His work in the field of literary criticism was immensely influential in his day, and his book length study of Charles Dickens can be credited with bringing that author’s work back to the forefront of scholarly study.

As a young man, Chesterton had been fascinated with spiritualism and the occult, but his faith grew stronger over the years, as he devoted himself to the defense of what he called “orthodoxy,” which was for him, among other things, an acknowledgement of the mystery and paradox of Christian faith in an age of increasing skepticism. His spiritual journey toward the ancient faith of the Church culminated in his conversion to the Roman Catholic Church in 1922.

In works such as Orthodoxy and The Everlasting Man, Chesterton defended Christian faith with a unique blend of wit and religious fervor, while simultaneously satirizing the prevailing viewpoints of the day that often sought to dismiss faith as irrational and unnecessary. The latter work was particularly important to C.S. Lewis, who called it “the best apologetic work I know.” Today, Chesterton is still known and loved for his sharp wit, his intellectual tenacity, and his refusal to resolve the ambiguities of Christian faith in favor of facile and passing conceptions of truth. His work has influenced intellectual figures as diverse as Ernest Hemingway and Dorothy L. Sayers, and he is a figure beloved of Protestants and Catholics alike.

Saint Peter and Saint Paul, Apostles, ~ June 29

Peter and Paul, the two greatest leaders of the early Church, are commemorated separately, Peter on January 18, for his confession of Jesus as the Messiah, and Paul on January 25, for his conversion, but they are commemorated together on June 29 in observance of the tradition of the Church that they both died as martyrs in Rome during the persecution under Nero, in 64.

Paul, the well-educated and cosmopolitan Jew of the Dispersion, and Peter, the uneducated fisherman from Galilee, had differences of opinion in the early years of the Church concerning the mission to the Gentiles. More than once, Paul speaks of rebuking Peter for his continued insistence on Jewish exclusiveness; yet their common commitment to Christ and the proclamation of the Gospel proved stronger than their differences; and both eventually carried that mission to Rome, where they were martyred. According to tradition, Paul was granted the right of a Roman citizen to be beheaded by a sword, but Peter suffered the fate of his Lord, crucifixion, though with head downward.

A generation after their martyrdom, Clement of Rome, writing to the Church in Corinth, circa 96 A.D., says: “Let us come to those who have most recently proved champions; let us take up the noble examples of our own generation. Because of jealousy and envy the greatest and most upright pillars of the Church were persecuted and competed unto death. Let us bring before our eyes the good apostles—Peter, who because of unrighteous jealousy endured not one or two, but numerous trials, and so bore a martyr’s witness and went to the glorious place that he deserved. Because of jealousy and strife Paul pointed the way to the reward of endurance; seven times he was imprisoned, he was exiled, he was stoned, he was a preacher in both east and west, and won renown for his faith, teaching uprightness to the whole world, and reaching the farthest limit of the west, and bearing a martyr’s witness before the rulers, he passed out of the world and was taken up into the holy place, having proved a very great example of endurance.”

MORE, “101 Reasons to be an Episcopalian”—

Reason # 25: “We believe that ‘faith’ is God’s gift to us, not our gift to God.” Louie Crew, Diocese of Newark

Reason #65: “We find our unity in shared worship, not in enforced agreement,” Lou Poulain, Diocese of El Camino Real

 

 

 

 

To our St. Thomas Altar Guild for their fabulous support during Lent, Holy Week, and Easter. Between the many services of Holy Communion, Evening Prayer, and an endless variety of liturgical settings, no one missed a beat! Well Done!

Thank you Ellie Robinson for providing Media Assistance for the Good Friday evening liturgy. The service was very powerful and your assistance essential! Thank You!

To our Superintendent of Sunday School, Kimber Keating, and fellow teachers, Bobbi Jo Phillips and Sarah Rogers. Thank you for your dedicated support this past year and for your faithful encouragement of our youngest members. Thank You!

Summer School Healthy Breakfast Snacks: Due to the shifting school schedules this year, Orange County Summer School starts in June. The Outreach Committee is requesting donations, beginning June 2nd, of Healthy Breakfast snacks, specifically granola bars, fruit cups, crackers, and other single-serve food items that we can give to the children at Orange Elementary who miss breakfast.

Backpack Collection: The Outreach committee will be hosting off our annual Backpack Collection during the month of July! Please bring in new or gently used backpacks for students of all grades (K-12). Backpacks will be distributed by the Orange Office on Youth to County school children in need.

The Outreach Committee would like to thank everyone for their assistance and generosity in supporting our programs and our county children!

June Cartoon

Friday, June 28 at 7:00 pm in Robertson Hall

~ cost of admission is one non-perishable food item ~

From visionary filmmaker Spike Lee comes the incredible true story of an American hero. It’s the early 1970s, and Ron Stallworth (John David Washing-ton) is the first African-American detective to serve in the Colorado Springs Po-lice Department. Determined to make a name for himself, Stallworth bravely sets out on a dangerous mission: infiltrate and expose the Ku Klux Klan. The young detective soon recruits a more seasoned colleague, Flip Zimmerman (Adam Driver), into the undercover investigation of a lifetime. Together, they team up to take down the extremist hate group as the organization aims to sani-tize its violent rhetoric to appeal to the mainstream. Produced by the team be-hind the Academy-Award® winning Get Out. . ~IMDB

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR GRADUATING SENIORS!

Ellie Robinson, OCHS, attending The University of the South (Sewanee)

Grayson Wood, MCHS, attending George Mason University

Claire Yowell, OCHS, attending Germanna Community College

A Fond Farewell

Dear St. Thomas parishioners,

It is with a sad heart that I am writing to let you all know that our Director, Tricia Tallman, has accepted a full-time position teaching at Grymes Memorial School for next year. It is a fabulous situation for her and her family and, although I am sad for us at St. Thomas, I am beyond thrilled for her.

The preschool board started the search for a new director in April. Knowing that our school has such a strong foundation of support from the church, community, and current families and teachers, we had faith that we would find a fabulous, qualified candidate to fill the position. And we did!

After several interviews and careful deliberation, we are thrilled to make the following announcement:

Amanda Campbell will join our staff as the Preschool’s Director and Lead Teacher on July 1, 2019. She may be a familiar face to some of your children already, and possibly even you, as she has been a substitute here at St. Thomas for a couple of years. Amanda has a Bachelor's Degree from Virginia Tech and has eleven years’ experience teaching preschool and kindergarten age children in both public and private schools. We were im-pressed with Amanda’s resume and references and know her heart is truly with preschool age children. We are confident you and your children will love her as much as we do.

Amanda resides in Madison County with her husband, Richard and their two active boys, Chase (14) and Devin (11). They have two, four-legged family members as well: Cori, a black lab, and Buddy, a golden re-triever. Amanda enjoys keeping up with all the activities of her athletic family, whether at a baseball or foot-ball field, a basketball court, a river bank or a mountainside. She keeps track of the “men” in her life with a camera in hand and a book at her side. In her spare moments, Amanda shines as a decorator, an artist, and event coordinator.

Amanda will be working closely with Tricia, Debi, and Ronda over the next months to make the transition as smooth as possible for all involved.

On another exciting note, after six years of working as an assistant teacher at St. Thomas, Debi Bayles will be taking on new responsibilities as our second Lead Teacher and will also be with us 5 days per week. She will focus on building on our current curriculum and working with Amanda to provide our preschool students with the very best early educational experiences in the most nurturing environment. Debi needs no introduction as she has been an integral part of what we do for years.

Ronda O’Neil will continue in her role as assistant teacher, supporting Amanda and Debi in the classroom on Tuesdays and Thursdays. We are blessed to have her with us, sharing freely of her 30 plus years of teaching experience. Next year will be her sixth year at St. Thomas.

If you are familiar with our program you will realize we will have an extra teacher on Tuesday and Thursdays. We are pleased to be able to offer this extra planning time to our new director and also to have extra staff flex-ibility on the days when we traditionally have our younger students.

We hope you will take the time to warmly welcome Amanda to our preschool family. We are excited to have her working with us and look forward to seeing what she, Debi, and Ronda have planned for next year!

Sincerely,

Grayson Butterfield

St. Thomas Preschool Board President

The St. Thomas’ Preschool Two-Day Program still has a few openings!

Anyone interested contact stthomascommpreschool@gmail.com or 540-672-2337.

St. Thomas 2017-2018 Preschool

Trike—A—Thon

St. Thomas participated in our first St. Jude's Hospital Trike-a-thon and had a blast! In May our preschoolers learned about St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. We began raising money to help ensure that patients who are treated at St. Jude's do not receive a single bill. To prepare for our culminating events on May 16 & 17th, the preschoolers learned about bike safety. It was so much fun to host the trike-a-thon at St. Thomas and see all of our big preschoolers ride victory laps around our trike course!

Our total amount raised for St. Jude was $2,132.64! We had 100% participation and several students that generously gave from their own piggy banks.

~Anniversaries~

Sunny & Dabney Carr Desiree & Richard Floyd Joanie & Ray Palmer

Donna & Dan Robinson Malaika & David Rogers

Nancy Rossbacher & Steve Sylvia

~Birthdays~

06/02 Griffin Floyd 06/02 Jeff Rogers 06/05 John Amos 06/05 Maddie Keating

06/06 Mary Lou Seilheimer 06/07 Caroline Keating 06/10 Daisy Floyd 06/11 Barbara Collins

06/11 Lou Holmberg 06/12 Gabrielle Nigmond 06/13 Nancy Rossbacher

06/14 Cecelia Hohman 06/14 Don Place 06/15 Caroline Merrick 06/16 Cynthia Levin

06/17 Lily Robinson 06/18 Adrianna Waddy 6/20 Deacon Barfield 06/20 Samuel Barfield

06/22 Marty Gray 06/23 Elaine Baskerville 06/24 Thomas Merrick 06/28 Grayson Butterfield

Prayer List

We pray especially for our church’s leadership:

Michael, Presiding Bishop; Shannon, Susan & Bob, bishops for this diocese

Our country: President Donald, Vice President Mike, & Governor Ralph

For the special needs and concerns of this congregation:

For: Dana, Grace, Harriet, Henry, Margaret, Raymond and our men and women in our armed forces who are serving our nation around the world.

And Especially for: Bo, Christine, David, Ed, Ellen, Lucille, Nadia, Palmer, Ruth, Sarah, Sylvia, Terrell, and Tom 

Food Pantry

Special requests for June are Toothbrushes, Toothpaste, and Salt & Pepper. All food items and cash gifts are always welcome and appreciated. You can drop off donations at the Love Outreach Food Pantry each Tuesday from 9:00-10:30 and on Wednesday from 8:30-12:00. Their mailing address is: Love Outreach Food Pantry, Inc., P.O. Box 788, Orange, 22960. You may also bring any donations to the church to be delivered.

The Lord bless you and keep you;

the Lord make his face shine upon you and be

gracious to you;

the Lord turn his face toward you and give

you peace.

Please submit entries for the July-August issue of The Builder by June 22nd to

annwood304@gmail.com or to the church office.

St. Thomas Episcopal Church

119 Caroline Street

Orange, VA 22960

June 2019