Newsletter

August & September

2018

Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some

people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. (Hebrews 13:2)

Living His promise in service to others.

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In this edition: ●Announcements

●News from our Vicar

●News from our Deacon

●Senior Warden’s Corner

●Food Pantry News

●A word from our Treasurer

●ECW Happenings

●Twice Blessed Thrift Store News

●MOST/LOST Update

●Emergency Preparedness Update

●A Note from the Parish Administrator

●August & September Celebrations, Readings,

Service Schedules and Important Dates

●Prayer List

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Announcements

ECW beginning again on Saturday,

September 1st at 10am in the Parish Hall.

All women of the church all welcome to

attend!

St. Thomas Food Pantry

Open on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each

month, from 2pm to 4pm. We can always

use more volunteers to help out. If you’d

like to volunteer, please contact Jennifer

Schauffler-Virscik – 928-634-7610 or

928-301-7524 or jsv06@msn.com

Good Food for Good Causes

Thursday, September 13 in the Parish

Hall from 4pm to 6pm. For more details,

contact Alexa Hokanson at 928-592-2588

or alexa.hokanson05@gmail.com

Oktober Fest

Friday, October 12 in the Parish Hall

from 5pm to 9pm. For more details,

contact Alexa Hokanson at 928-592-2588

or alexa.hokanson05@gmail.com

Chair Yoga is cancelled until sometime in

September. We will announce the start

date when we have it.

There is an Emergency Preparedness

Committee meeting on Friday, August 3

at 1:00pm in the Church office.

Emergency

Preparedness

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Episcopal Night at Chase Field Friday, August 24, 2018 The Arizona Diamondbacks invite all members of the Episcopal Diocese of Arizona,

along with their family, friends, and neighbors to enjoy a time of fellowship and cheer

on the D-backs as they host the Seattle Mariners! Seating Option: $24 - Lower Level Bleachers (section 141) (these seats do have backs) ●It worked so well last year, we're sitting together in the same section again, so everyone will have more of an opportunity to chat with fellow Episcopalians and Bishop and Laura Smith! ●A portion of every ticket purchased by using this special offer will be designated for Cruzando Fronteras (Migration and Border Ministry). There will be a pre-game party again! ●Join Episcopalians from all over the Diocese at Trinity Cathedral (100 W. Roosevelt St. in Phoenix) for a pre-game celebration beginning at 5:00 p.m. Free parking at Trinity is available at select spots in the garage (read the signs!), in front of Diocesan House, and street parking in the neighborhood. ●Gather for refreshments and fellowship, then take the light rail with other fans to the ballpark. Tickets are $4/person for an all-day pass and can be purchased at the light rail stop. The Central/Roosevelt Stop is adjacent to Trinity. ●After the game, stay for the festivities that are part of the D-backs Faith & Family Night. There will be fireworks, followed by a player Q & A. Special guest MercyMe (http://mercyme.org/ ) will be performing a concert to end the event! The ticket order deadline is August 17, 2018. Seating is Limited! Tickets can be purchased online at http://www.azdiocese.org/baseball.html, by phone (the number is on the form), or by mailing the attached order form. If you have any questions about this event, please contact me. We hope to see all of our churches at the game! Nicole A. Krug Canon for Media & Communications 602-254-0976

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“Responding to Presiding Bishop Michael Curry’s call to ‘Follow the

Way of Jesus,’ deputies and bishops at the 79th General Convention of the Episcopal

Church, meeting July 5-13 in Austin, Texas, acted on a record number of resolutions on

key issues such as immigration, prayer book revision, Israel-Palestine, and readmitting

the Episcopal Church of Cuba as a diocese.”

The bishops, deputies and visitors joined together in a witness against gun

violence and they held a prayer vigil outside the T. Don Hutto Residential Center, an

immigrant detention facility.

“Convention adopted a $133.8 million 2019-2021 budget that reflects the

presiding bishop’s priorities of evangelism, racial reconciliation and justice, and

creation care. The priorities have been referred to as the ‘three pillars’ of the Episcopal

branch of the Jesus Movement.”

Convention passed Resolution B012 that provides for the ability of rectors or

clergy in charge of congregations to provide access to the trial use of the marriage rites

for same-gender and opposite-gender couples without the need of requesting diocesan

permission.

“Convention adopted a plan for liturgical and prayer book revision that sets the

stage for the creation of new liturgical texts to respond to the needs of Episcopalians

across the church while continuing to use the 1979 Book of Common Prayer.” A

resolution that called for the creation of a process that would result in a revised Book of

Common Prayer in 2030 was replaced by a resolution that calls for bishops to engage

worshipping communities in their dioceses in a process of experimentation and creation

of alternative liturgical texts. These texts will be submitted to a Task Force on Liturgical

and Prayer Book Revision. “Liturgical revision will utilize inclusive and expansive

language and imagery for humanity and divinity, and will incorporate understanding,

appreciation and care of God’s creation.” While this process of experimentation and

creation takes place, alternative language for Eucharistic Prayers A, B and D will be

available for trial use until the next revision of the Book of Common Prayer.

News from our Vicar,

The Rev. Grayce O’Neill Rowe

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In response to the #MeToo Movement, there was a liturgy of listening where

bishops offered laments and confession “for the church’s role in sexual harassment,

exploitation and abuse.” Individuals had been asked to submit their stories of

harassment, exploitation and abuse. Several of these stories were selected and read,

anonymously, by bishops.

Convention passed three resolutions on immigration issues. “Resolution C033

puts the church on record as respecting the dignity of immigrants and outlines how

public policy should reflect that belief. Resolution A178 takes a forceful stand against

family separations and treatment of immigrant parents and children. Resolution C009

encourages Episcopalians and congregations to reach out to and support immigrants

facing deportation, including by providing physical sanctuary if they choose.”

Convention passed six resolutions focusing on “the plight of Palestinian

children, the status of Jerusalem, the disproportionate use of lethal force on both sides

and ways the Episcopal Church can press for peace through its investments decisions.”

The President of the House of Deputies has previously been a volunteer

position. This position requires an enormous amount of work and so “Resolution B014

passed with no dollar figure attached but agreed to pay the House of Deputies president

director’s and officer’s fees ‘for specific services rendered in order to fulfill duties

required by the church’s Constitution and Canons.’”

The most important part of General Convention is that every three years our

larger church gathers into one community. All Bishops, active and retired, attend.

Deputies consist of Priests, Deacons and lay people who are elected by their individual

Diocesan Conventions. Significant work is accomplished, magnificent worship and

engaging preaching is offered, and people get to see old friends while also meeting new

friends.

The next General Convention will be in July 2021 and will be held in Baltimore,

Maryland.

Quoted sections are all from the Episcopal News Service, “General Convention

wrap-up: Following the Way of Jesus.” For more detailed information about this General

Convention please visit the General Convention 2018 website.

www.generalconvention.org.

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Keep Drinking Water! At the end of July, the Northern Arizona Deacons participated in a yearly event

called Arizona Deacons Service Day. Three of us from the Northern Arizona area visited

a local senior living center called Generations. We sat with 5 women and 1 man and

“reminisced”. Many times, people with memory issues are unable to remember what

happened an hour ago but can remember their childhoods and younger years fairly well

if asked. Since most of these people were from either Clarkdale or Jerome, we also

learned quite a bit of local history. It was really a lot of fun and the residents of this

facility clearly enjoyed themselves. Something that I noticed while we were there was

that each resident had an 8 oz. glass of water next to them and were encouraged to

drink it each hour. So, I was reminded again of how important staying hydrated is.

Before visiting Generations that day, the other deacons and I went over to Main

Street Café and had lunch. While eating, one of the deacons, Chris Christy, who is also a

nurse, could see that a couple and their children had come in to get out of the heat. The

young mother was clearly in distress. She was very pale and appeared to be unable to

keep her eyes open. Chris walked over and talked to the couple to determine whether

the woman was experiencing heat stroke. The husband explained that they were

visiting Clarkdale and had been out on the river. The woman was urged to drink water

but was not able to take more than a few sips. After taking the woman’s vital signs,

Chris suggested that a waitress from the restaurant call 911. The EMTs arrived very

quickly and took the young woman, her family in tow, to the Emergency Room.

These sweltering, sometimes humid and furnace-like dog days of summer are

tough for everyone. With the drought and ensuing monsoons, we are experiencing

extreme weather even by Arizona standards. My sister who lives back east tells me that

they too are experiencing extreme weather and just absolutely unbearable humidity. It

goes without saying that extreme weather conditions are not good for anybody but

particularly for those who are aging. Dehydration can occur quickly and without much

notice.

Some of the signs of dehydration are: thirst, dry sticky mouth, dark urine,

lightheadedness. More severe dehydration takes place when one feels unable to drink

water, becomes pale and extremely sleepy and unable to keep one’s balance.

News from our Deacon,

The Rev. Deirdre Moulinier

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I encourage all of you to drink water throughout the day and to carry water

with you at all times. If you are out and about when the monsoon comes thundering in,

please seek shelter. If you are in Clarkdale while the Church Administrator is here or if

you have a key, please do not hesitate to take shelter at St. Thomas Episcopal Church.

Take care of yourselves!

To learn more about heat stroke or dehydration, go to one of the websites below:

https://www.medicinenet.com/heat_exhaustion/article.htm

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/healthlibrary/conditions/non-

traumatic_emergencies/dehydration_and_heat_stroke_85,P00828

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heat-stroke/symptoms-causes/syc-

20353581

Once again, the people of St. Thomas came through when we needed

them. The receptions following both the John Shreve and the Howard Webb Memorial

services were lovely and as usual, we had plenty of food. The Chamber Mixer turned out

very well too and we are hopeful that the event will get some businesses to rent our

Parish Hall for their meetings and/or events. Thank you to everyone who helped with

both of these!

As you all know, the Food Pantry is still going strong. The people who come to

our Food Pantry are so appreciative and the food remains plentiful for our guests. Keep

those donations coming! Again, let me encourage you to come and help with the Food

Pantry. Workers are always needed and it is truly a joy to see the happy faces of the

people we provide food for. I guarantee you will be blessed.

St. Thomas could really use another Coffee Hour team on Sundays. We are

short people right now and those who have volunteered are having to do it more often.

Please think about volunteering to host a Coffee Hour so that those who are currently

providing us with Coffee Hour can have a much needed break. Volunteering to host is

easy. You only need to provide some snacks and drinks. Setting up Parish Hall is easy

Senior Warden’s Corner with

Barbara Evans

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and there is always someone to help you. If you are interested or have any questions,

please contact me in person at church or:

At home: 928-634-6755

On my cell: 928-300-8442

Or by email: bhippo4@yahoo.com

Food Pantry News from Jennifer Schauffler-Virscik Intro by Shirley, Parish Administrator: This is the spot where we

usually feature some interesting updates about our Food Pantry from our Junior

Warden, Jim Gemmill. However, as most of you know, Jim and his wife, Dinah, spend

their summers in Colorado, enjoying the cooler weather. So, for the August/September

Newsletter, we are fortunate to have Jennifer Schauffler-Virscik who has taken over as

Food Pantry Coordinator during the summer. Thank You Jennifer! As coordinator,

Jennifer has been keeping track of the Food Pantry details and has graciously agreed to

share her notes with all of you.

Tuesday, July 10th – It was another great Pantry Day! Thank you one and all for

your awesome help! It was an especially large morning load (Thank you Lee and Paul,

Mike and Crew!!!!!) as Mike and his crew delivered 66 blue/produce bags, 60 TEFAP

boxes and 21 Senior Boxes, along with a large quantity of canned and other dry goods

and personal hygiene items. Senior Box distribution will now be taking place regularly

on the second Tuesday of the month. Donna and Sheri from Manzanita are handling

sign-up and distribution of the Senior boxes and Senior Box recipients are also welcome

to shop the Pantry if they choose to. However, if they do shop the Pantry, they need

to sign-in at the Pantry sign-in desk. All of today's volunteers did a wonderful job of

helping somewhat confused shoppers navigate two sign-in desks.

Needless to say, it was a very busy day with thunder, lightning and rain off and

on throughout the afternoon. We served 54 families and a total of 149 people. There

were quite a large number of single shoppers this week which accounts for why the total

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number of people served was lower than our June 26th pantry day when we served 56

families and a total of 172 people.

Please keep bringing plastic bags and pass the word that we are, once

again, welcoming regular donations of canned and dry goods.

Especially Popular Items: Canned meat, fish, beans and soups, Mac & Cheese,

peanut butter, canned and dry potatoes, cereal, pasta sauce, Rice-a-Roni, Pasta-Roni,

or any other pre-spiced pasta or rice boxes for quick made salad or hot dishes, and

lastly, toilet paper, an always needed product.

Once again THANK YOU ONE AND ALL !!!!!! As Ruth would say, "Go

Team!!!!!!!" Blessings & Gratitude, Jenny

On Tuesday, July 24th –

Hello Everyone,

Thank you one and all for all your hard work! We had some new volunteers

helping to bring in the morning load and setting up which was VERY helpful.

Everyone's hard work helped to make it another successful Pantry day.

We served 49 families this week and a total of 154 people. Of 50 delivered,

we had no left over blue produce bags. We had about 8 loaves of bread leftover. These

were taken to "Angie's House" in Cottonwood.

Thank you Barbara, Shirley and the Bishop's Committee! The new vacuum is

AWESOME! It is a tremendous help to have a light, efficient machine to clean with

especially since the Pantry traffic makes a significant impact on the carpet.

Our Pantry has grown since this past spring and we need more volunteers. We

need people to help bring in the morning load, set things up, helping our guests in the

afternoon, break things down, and cleaning at closing time. Increased volunteer support

is especially necessary on the second Tuesday of the month as we receive a larger food

delivery which includes the TEFAP boxes (Emergency Food Assistance Program - a

government program) and the Senior Boxes. We also have more guests to serve on the

2nd Tuesdays of each month. It is now extremely helpful to have 6 - 8 people for both the

morning and afternoon shifts.

We are serving 60 or more families on the 2nd Tuesdays and an average of 50

families on the 4th Tuesdays. That adds up to somewhere between 140 and 170 people

receiving food from the St. Thomas Food Pantry. Mike Newcomb, Director, and his team

from Manzanita Outreach, have a vision of ending hunger in the Verde Valley. Through

teaming with St. Mary's Food Bank and other organizations, Mike hopes that the

program he and his team are building can provide a template for ending hunger in our

local communities, our state, our Nation and around the world. It is wonderful that

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the St. Thomas Food Pantry can be part of such an important and inspiring service that

helps so many people.

Please continue to bring plastic bags if you have an extra stash and keep

passing the word that we can really use donations of canned and dry goods.

Especially Popular Items: Canned meat, fish, beans and soups, Mac &

Cheese, peanut butter, canned and dry potatoes, cereal, Pasta Sause, Rice a Roni, Pasta a

Roni or any other pre-spiced pasta or rice boxes for quick made salad or hot dishes, and

the always popular item, toilet paper. With summer temps now soaring we always run

out of bottled water so please consider donating some.

It is a pleasure working with all of you who help at the Food Pantry! I’m certain

I can speak for us all when I say that being part of the St. Thomas Food Pantry is an

inspiring and uplifting experience! You are an AWESOME Team!!

Blessings & Gratitude, Jenny

The St. Thomas Food Pantry was featured in the Friday, June 15, 2018 edition of

the Verde Independent.

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To all, a grateful “Thank You!” for your faithfulness in helping St.

Thomas Episcopal Church get through summer thus far and only a few more weeks

until our winter residents return and then your church treasurer can relax some too, as

the church family enters a lively fall and holiday season once again.

2018 Mid-Year Statements (January 1 – June 30, 2018) were mailed to church

members for whom our bookkeeper has recorded their gifts and offerings. Please check

the statement to help ensure our accuracy in properly recording your financial

support. If there are errors or corrections that need to be made, please contact me at

928-649-9801 or email LKW1@cableone.net as soon as possible and I will see that your

statement is amended accordingly.

A Word from our Treasurer,

Lee Worthen

An especially true

thought for church treasurers:

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ECW Happenings from Barbara Evans, ECW Chair

ECW is dormant during July and August. However, the ECW ladies still

provided lovely receptions following the Celebration of Life services for both John

Shreve on July 18th and for Howard Webb on July 28th. Even though ECW is not meeting

during the summer, nothing stops us from being a part of celebrating the life of one of

our parishioners.

ECW was also involved with the Cottonwood Chamber of Commerce Mixer on

July 19th. This event took place in our Parish Hall. Our goal was to make the local

business community aware that our Parish Hall is a great venue and is available to rent

for meetings, seminars and events.

Ladies of St Thomas, you are all considered members of our ECW. Our next

meeting is Saturday, September 1st at 10am. So mark your calendars and come get

involved. We would love to have you there!

The Parish Hall decorated for the Chamber Mixer on July 19, 2018.

Thank you Barbara Evans and Alexa Hokanson!

On 7/23/18 Barbara Evans reported that the Mixer was a great success!

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Twice Blessed Thrift Store News from

Barbara Evans, Manager

Our Thrift Store continues to receive donations and we continue to have a few

buyers. The more intriguing the items for sale, the easier it is to sell them so, please

keep donating your items to our store.

The Thrift Store needs some more workers. The hours, listed below, are easy

and can be split with one of our current workers. Our current workers are a dedicated

group and I know they would love some help and perhaps a few hours off so please

consider volunteering. There are many benefits. You get to meet new people who come

to shop and you usually get first dibs on new donated items you might want to purchase

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for yourself or as a gift for someone. If you are interested or have any questions, please

contact me, Barbara Evans, at:

Home: 928-634-6755

On my cell: 928-300-8442

Or by email: bhippo4@yahoo.com

Thrift Store Hours:

Wednesday and Thursday: 10am to 1pm

Friday and Saturday: 11am to 2pm

The MOST LOST Outreach continues to look ahead to special events for our

mutual enjoyment and to offer hospitality to our community. Of this writing, we

anticipate our Parish Hall filled with local business people attending their Cottonwood

Chamber of Commerce Mixer on July 19th. St. Thomas is providing a summer bingo

party for prizes and has planned appetizers and music. This is our opportunity to

market our Parish Hall for future rentals through these businesses that might have

employee events needing meeting space such as training classes, etc.

We look forward to the next Good Food for Good Causes Potluck which will be a

happy hour with BYOB, (Bring Your Own Beverage) this time. The date is Thursday

Sept 13th from 4-6 pm. Appetizers will be provided and the potluck food requested is

non-perishable items for donations to the St. Thomas Food Pantry. Checks are

requested for $25 and will also benefit the Food Pantry’s additional expenses. I would

like to expresses my deepest appreciation to those at St. Thomas who have supported

this ministry. In the past, the potluck funds have benefited local schools. It seems

appropriate that our last potluck of 2018 should give back to St. Thomas.

Helpers are needed and invited to join in making plans for Oktoberfest on

Friday, October 12th. We’re also looking for thoughts, ideas and suggestions on events

for 2019. Is anyone up for a little baseball? Please contact me, Alexa Hokanson, with

your suggestions or questions at: 928-592-2588 or alexa.hokanson05@gmail.com

MOST/LOST News from Alexa Hokanson

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The MOST/LOST Outreach is a committee lovingly named for the men, (Men of

St. Thomas = MOST) and ladies, (Ladies of St. Thomas = LOST) of St. Thomas.

Normally, we meet the last Sunday of each month during coffee hour. Anyone is

welcome to join us.

The Emergency Preparedness Committee has been working for several months

on a booklet with information and plans on how St. Thomas will respond to an

emergency and its aftermath. The booklet covers emergencies such as extreme weather,

wildfires, structure fires and escape routes, medical emergencies, suspicious packages,

threats and armed intruders. Of course, it is our hope that none of these types of

emergencies will occur at or around Saint Thomas, but just in case, we want to be ready

to handle it. Our main focus is the safety of the parishioners at St. Thomas and for our

friends and neighbors in the community.

The Emergency Preparedness booklet will contain lists of names and phone

numbers of emergency agencies and rescue personnel. It will also have important

information about advanced preparation to keep your home safe in the event of a

wildfire, preparing in advance for an evacuation, what to do if you are caught in a severe

thunderstorm and are without shelter, and how to help someone with heat stroke, as

well as, a lot of other helpful information.

The booklet will contain lists of St. Thomas volunteers who are willing to help

with such things as providing meals and/or temporary housing or transportation for

displaced persons. Displaced pets will need a place to stay, food to eat and perhaps

medical care so, we will have contact information for that too. We have some

informational brochures that, in the future, we will drop in each bag of food that is

given away at our Food Pantry. More brochures will soon be available in the Narthex

and we will let you know when they are. At that time, please feel free to grab one for

yourself and a few to give to friends and neighbors.

Perhaps you would like to help but you are not able to provide any temporary

transportation, housing or meals for people and/or pets. That’s ok, not to worry. There

will be a volunteer place for you to help too. For example, we will need volunteers to

EMERGENCY

PREPAREDNESS

Emergency Preparedness Update From Shirley R. Pogany, Co-chair, Emergency Preparedness Committee

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provide items which can help ease the pain for people who have been negatively affected

by a natural disaster or other type of emergency situation. These items might include

soap, toothpaste, toys for children and pets, blankets, linens, clothing, etc. When a

person’s home has been ravaged by fire or flooding, all their personal belongings are

suddenly gone. Look around your home and imagine it completely empty, then imagine

having no home at all. The list of things you would need seems overwhelming to say the

least. So, we who are fortunate and blessed to have everything we need can easily share

some of our blessings with others who desperately need them. A toy to comfort a scared

pet or a crying child can do wonders and in the process, can ease a bit of anxiety for the

parents of children and pets.

The committee is working on arranging a class for those who wish to learn

basic first aid and how to do CPR. Luckily, we have in our midst a parishioner who is an

Emergency Room nurse at the Verde Valley Medical Center and he’s willing to teach this

class. Thank you Dana Copland! So, even if you took one of these classes years ago like I

did, a refresher course is always good. Medical techniques do tend to change over time

because of continued medical and scientific research and so I would encourage you to

take this class again. We will make an announcement once the class has been scheduled.

The committee will continue our work to finalize the booklet and to update you

periodically. When our booklet is complete, committee member Alexa Hokanson has

graciously volunteered to make a formal presentation to the congregation to share the

booklet with all of you. In the meantime, do some praying and thinking about how you

can help in emergency situations. Ask yourself what kind of help you would want from

others if you were negatively impacted by a natural disaster or an emergency. Look

around your home. Do you see items you don’t use anymore? Have your children all

grown up and moved away and yet, somewhere in your attic or garage there remains a

bag of children’s toys or clothing just taking up space? Giving these things away to those

who desperately need them is a blessing for all involved and the bonus to you is twofold.

First, you will be actively living the mission statement of St. Thomas, “Living His

promise in service to others”. Secondly, your garage or attic suddenly has more space.

That’s always a good thing!!

Please feel free to call the church office (928-634-8593 – between 9am and

3pm, Mon. thru Fri.) if you have any questions, suggestions or if you would like to join

our committee. We always welcome and have room for more people.

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I recently attended a two day retreat for Lay Staff Employees of Episcopal

Churches. The retreat was led by the Arizona Diocese and was held at the Redemptorist

Renewal Center, just north of Tucson. This was a rather interesting place. Our rooms

were small but clean. There were sheets that didn’t exactly fit the beds, several mouse

traps in my room, no TV and a shower with only a trickle of water. But the pool was

awesome, the views of the city were awesome, the dining area was very nice and the

food wasn’t too bad. They had ice cream and that always makes me happy! There were

hiking trails, beautiful bird watching areas, chapels and ancient petroglyphs on the

nearby mountain. Besides having ample time to swim or just sit by the pool, enjoy a

massage, or visit with others, we all attended some very informative seminars.

The first evening was a meet and greet. I enjoyed seeing some old friends who

are fellow parish administrators from other churches around Arizona. I also enjoyed

meeting a lot of new people who I now consider friends. People from various churches

were represented at the retreat. People from a church as far south as Tombstone and as

far north as Flagstaff attended the retreat. I met one lady from a Tucson church who,

during the course of our conversation, mentioned that she graduated from Flagstaff

High School in the 1970s. I told her that I too graduated from Flag High but in 1981. I

told her we probably knew some of the same people. Well, the following evening she

brought her yearbook and the two of us looked through it. There were quite a number of

people I knew: older siblings of people I went to school with, my next door neighbor in

Flagstaff, and other people who lived on my street. Most all of the same teachers were in

her yearbook, including Mr. Jack Wallace, my favorite history teacher and although he

died several years ago, it made my heart smile to see his picture. It was nice to reflect on

those years since, because I was at the retreat, I was missing the big Flagstaff High

School reunion that they have every summer.

But we didn’t spend all of our time visiting. One item on our agenda was a

discussion about Change and how it affects our churches, the parishioners, our jobs, our

feelings, etc. We met with Rev. Cn. Dan Tantimonaco, the head of the Standing

Committee, and Bishop Smith. Rev. Cn. Tantimonaco talked about changes in regard to

looking for a new Bishop. The Bishop, as you know, is retiring soon and many of us

asked him questions about how he is dealing with the change in his own life and how

A note from

Shirley R. Pogany, Parish Administrator

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others around him are affected by his retirement. He was very forthcoming with his

answers as he talked about his family, his plans for the future, the joy he’s experienced

as our Bishop, his proudest moments and his most challenging moments. He told us

some funny stories and some very heartwarming stories. The Bishop’s staff also

answered many of our questions related to the Bishop’s retirement. Some were visibly

emotional about it, voice quivering and tears as they struggled to get out their answers

or simply to express their gratitude to the Bishop. Clearly, they will all miss him a great

deal.

We also discussed changes at our individual churches. For example, one person

in our group said that during the course of her employment there had been three

different rectors at her church. She talked about how those changes affected her and the

parishioners. She also offered some helpful things to do and consider if we ever found

ourselves in a similar position of change. The Bishop explained how he can help

churches deal with change but he also explained the limitations of his office in relation

to individual churches who are experiencing a change in rector/vicar. He stated that,

while there are those who can adjust quite easily and are optimistic about change, there

are also those who have a difficult time with it. Bottom line, you just cannot make

everyone happy all of the time. The Bishop encouraged us to be good listeners all of the

time but at the same time, don’t get caught up in any negativity. He gave us some

scenarios and how best to respond. My overall interpretation was that it is better to

offer positive and encouraging words rather than agree with someone’s negative

statements because negativity is dangerously contagious.

Our next seminar was with Deputy Hernandez from the Pima County Sheriff’s

Department. She gave a very informative presentation about Armed Intruders. The

deputy discussed some statistics about perpetrators and about survivors. Deputy

Hernandez also instructed all of us about the best procedures to follow if we ever

encounter an Armed Intruder. As the co-chairperson of the St. Thomas Emergency

Preparedness Committee, this was incredibly helpful information for me. I plan to

incorporate much of the material I learned into our own Emergency Preparedness plan

at St. Thomas.

Every evening we had a Compline. I had never heard that word before but it

simply means Evening Prayer. After Compline we had Hospitality. This involved

enjoying a beer or a glass of wine and socializing. I’m not much of a drinker and so

instead of imbibing I chose to go for a night swim. It was marvelous!

For me, one of the best moments at the retreat was when I had a brief

opportunity to speak to the Bishop. I was able to express my heartfelt gratitude to him

for his stance and subsequent letter about the current situation in our country

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regarding immigrants. I explained to the Bishop that my father was an immigrant to

this country and as his daughter, the immigration issue means a lot to me and I

appreciated so much that he spoke out against the inhumane treatment being inflicted

on immigrants by the current United States government administration. No matter your

race, color, language, religion or country of origin, we are all human and all deserve to

be treated with decency and dignity.

Overall, this was a great experience for me and I am grateful that Rev. Grayce

and the Bishop’s Committee at St. Thomas encouraged and provided the means for me

to attend. Thank You!!

Below are some pictures from the retreat.

Bishop Smith discussing Change Cathy Black, from the

with us. Diocese office. She is the Bishop’s right hand.

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Bill Potts leading Nicole Krug (far left), Jenifer The Hospitality table

Compline. Nguyen, (by Nicole) both from

the Diocese office and

two attendees (far right).

The building where we One of the views Petroglyphs

attended seminars

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY

AND

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY

to ALL those celebrating in August and September!

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August Readings & Serving Schedules

Date Readings Serving August 5th 11th Sunday

after Pentecost

2 Samuel 11:26-12:13a

Psalm 51:1-13

Ephesians 4:1-16

John 6:24-35

Lector: C. Hudson

Prayers of the People: G. Nichol

Acolytes: B. Lucas and J. Vickers

Coffee Hour: T. and C. Flannery

Counters: B. Evans and J. Moeny

August 12th 12th Sunday

after Pentecost

II Samuel 18:5-9, 15, 31-33

Psalm 130

Ephesians 4:25-5:2

John 6:35, 41-51

Lector: L. Gerlach

Prayers of the People: J. Gerlach

Acolytes: E. Flannery and I. Flannery

Coffee Hour: C. and A. Hadermann

Counters: B. Evans and T. Flannery

August 19th 13th Sunday

after Pentecost

I Kings 2:10-12, 3:3-14

Psalm 111

Ephesians 5:15-20

John 6:51-58

Lector: C. Chambers

Prayers of the People: M. Childers

Acolytes: B. Lucas and P. Burner

Coffee Hour: J. Vickers and B. Lucas

Counters: B. Evans and C. Hadermann

August 26th 14th Sunday

after Pentecost

I Kings 8:1, 6, 10-11, 22-30, 41-43

Psalm 84

Ephesians 6:10-20

John 6:56-69

Lector: G. Nichol

Prayers of the People: TBA

Acolytes: E. Flannery and J. Vickers

Coffee Hour: B. Evans and A. Hokanson

Counters: T. Flannery and J. Moeny

August Altar Guild: Jeff and Lorraine Gerlach

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September Readings & Serving Schedules

Date Readings Serving Sept 2nd 15th Sunday

after

Pentecost

Song of Solomon 2:8-13

Psalm 45:1-2, 7-10

James 1:17-27

Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23

Lector: J. Gerlach

Prayers of the People: L. Gerlach

●

Sept 9th 16th Sunday

after

Pentecost

Proverbs 22:1-2, 8-9, 22-23

Psalm 125

James 2:1-17

Mark 7:24-37

Lector: D. Gemmill

Prayers of the People: J. Gemmill

●

Sept 16th 17th Sunday

after

Pentecost

Proverbs 1:20-33

Psalm 19

James 3:1-12

Mark 8:27-38

Lector:

Prayers of the People:

●

Sept 23rd 18th Sunday

after

Pentecost

Proverbs 31:10-31

Psalm 1

James 3:13-4:3, 7-8a

Mark 9:30-37

Lector:

Prayers of the People: M. Childers

●

Sept 30th 19th Sunday

after

Pentecost

Esther 7:1-6, 9-10, 9:20-22

Psalm 124

James 5:13-20

Mark 9:38-50

Lector: J. Gemmill

Prayers of the People: D. Gemmill

●

●September Altar Guild:

●September Acolytes, Altar Guild, Coffee Hour hosts and Counters to be announced at a

later date.

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August 2018

Bible Study 10:30am every Thursday

Choir Practice 1:00pm every Thursday

Emergency Preparedness Cmt. Mtg. 2:00pm, Friday, Aug. 3

Grief Group Noon, Thursday, Aug 9 and 23

Food Pantry 2:00pm – 4:00pm, Tuesday, Aug 14 and 28

MOST 8:30am, Thursday, Aug 16

Bishop’s Cmt. Mtg. 2:00pm, Thursday, Aug 16

MOST/LOST 11:15am, Sunday, Aug 26

Preaching Schedule Aug 5: Deacon Deirdre

Aug 12: Deacon Deirdre

Aug 19: Rev. Grayce

Aug 26: Deacon Deirdre

September 2018 Bible Study 10:30am every Thursday

Choir Practice 1:00pm every Thursday

ECW 10:00am, Saturday, Sept 1

Food Pantry 2:00 to 4:00pm Tuesday, Sept 11 and 25

Grief Group Noon Thursday, Sept 13 and 27

Good Food for Good Causes 4:00pm Thursday, Sept 13

MOST 8:30am Thursday, Sept 20

Bishop’s Cmt. Mtg. 2:00pm Thursday, Sept 20

MOST/LOST 11:15am Sunday, Sept 30

Preaching Schedule Sept 2: Deacon Deirdre

Sept 9: Rev. Grayce

Sept 16: Rev. Grayce

Sept 23: Deacon Deirdre

Sept 30: The Rev. Gabe Sinisi

●Before scheduling any meetings or events, please check with Shirley in the office to

make sure the date and time you want/need is available. Thank you!

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Saint Thomas Prayer List for August and September

To add a name, or if you have an immediate prayer request call

Devon Lewis – 928-210-8929 or the Church office – 928-634-8593

Comfort and heal all those who suffer in body, mind or spirit; give them courage and

hope in their troubles, and bring them the joy of your salvation.

Continued Prayer for: Shelli Mooney

Emma Camp

Cindi Ruetter Leo Gonzales

Earl O’Shaughnessey

Tina O’Shaughnessey

Chris Lorneloon Iaya

Naomi Cornelson

Linda Walker

Monty Bondurant

Dick Scalf Michael Thurman

Bailey Aston

The Gardners

Bev Crumley The Stanfields

Ken Steidl

Susan Grace

Dave Gilbert Bill Gibbons

For Comfort The Levan Family The Brodt Family

The Shreve Family

Newly added names:

For the Soul of: Jim Levan

Paul V. Brodt John Shreve

Those serving our country: Andrew Gillis Jesse Reeves Mike Kellenbenz

Chris McKeag Joshua Lawton Buster Kellenbenz

Jason Allred Melissa Jones Nathan Smith

Robert Jones Jeremiah Juhlin

Ben Jujawa Ann Henry

Zachary Geier Taylor Zale

Jacob Geier Michael Shaklee Caleb Edgerton Josh Edgerton

Rande Robinson Brandon Gemmill

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Have a blessed

August and September!

Saint Thomas Staff:

The Rev. Grayce O’Neill Rowe, Vicar

The Rev. Deirdre Moulinier, Deacon

Devin Angelet, Choir Director

Judy Torigoe, Pianist

Barbara Evans, Senior Warden

Jim Gemmill, Junior Warden

Lee Worthen, Treasurer

Shirley R. Pogany, Parish Administrator

Jeremy Thurman, Bookkeeper

Saint Thomas Episcopal Church

P.O. Box 1175 – 889 1st South St

Clarkdale, AZ 86324

saintthomas889@gmail.com

stthomas.azdioces.org

Church Office - 928-634-8593

Office Hours:

Monday – Friday

9:00am – 3:00pm

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