2018-2019 C. S. LEWIS PROGRAM GUIDE

ST. THOMAS’ CHURCH, WHITEMARSH ● FORT WASHINGTON, PA 19034

IS STILL RELEVANT TODAY!WHY

C. S. LEWIS SURPRISED BY LEWIS

ST. THOMAS’ CHURCH, WHITEMARSH ● STTHOMASWHITEMARSH.ORG

Bethlehem Pike and Camp Hill Road, Fort Washington, PA 215.233.3970

“THE DOOR ON WHICH WE HAVE BEEN KNOCKING ALL OUR LIVES

WILL OPEN AT LAST.”

The Weight of Glory—

Dear Parishioners, Friends, and Colleagues,

Few writers are better to read than C. S. Lewis – the greatest Christian apolo-gist of the 20th century. (An “apologist” is a person who defends and explains the basic tenets of Christianity.)

C. S. Lewis Core Group

Wendy Bailey, Erika Bower, Roger Clark, Joe Culley, Bill Deeter, Linda Deeter, Jim Fillman, Bob Heerdt, Stroud Hellebusch, Geo� Jackson, Chris Junkin, Stacy Smith, Jim Weiss, Katie Worrall, and The Rev. Marek P. Zabriskie

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Thanks to a generous gift from a family foundation, St. Thomas’, WhitemarshEpiscopal Church is bringing scholars and teachers to our church campus in2018 and 2019 to help us learn more about C. S. Lewis’s life and writings and his impact on Christianity today. We are o�ering book studies, Sunday Faith Forum presentations, an exciting festival weekend March 22-24, 2019, and even a pilgrimage to visit Lewis’s home, church and university in Oxford, as well as other famous Christian sites in England.

Again and again, C. S. Lewis brought reason to bear upon faith as he explored Christianity with remarkable creativity and a clear writing style. We believe that the rich array of opportunities we are o�ering will help you get to know Lewis better and will help have his faith inspire your faith. You will also learn that many of his teachings are very relevant in today’s world.

— C. S. LEWIS

Sunday, September 16 – “Meet C. S. Lewis”This is an introduction to the life and writings of C. S. Lewis. Dr. Lex McMillan will give a genuine personal account of how he discovered C. S. Lewis and the impact it had on him, while at the same time presenting a “big picture” overview of the man and his works.

Sunday, September 23 – “Broadcast Talks”After listening to one of C. S. Lewis’s radio broadcasts Dr. McMillan will guide us through their history and importance to listeners. We will discuss the parallel of people’s needs at that historic time compared to today’s socio-economic, spiritual climate.

ALL ARE WELCOME AT ST. THOMAS’ SUNDAY FAITH FORUMS

t. Thomas’ has hosted nationally and internationally respected speakers at its Sunday Faith Forums that follow the 10 a.m. worship for many years. In addition

to many long-time favorites and experts in contemporary issues, this year we are happy to host the following people who have a fondness for and expert knowledge of C. S. Lewis.

Sundays 11:15 a.m. (following 10 a.m. Worship)MacColl Auditorium in the Parish House

Dr. Lex McMillan

Lex McMillan is president emeritus at Albright College. Prior to joining Albright, he served as vice president for college relations at Gettysburg College where he was responsible for external a�airs, alumni and parent relations, and resource development programs. He previously served as executive director of development at his undergraduate alma mater, Washington and Lee University, and was director of development and director of public relations at Randolph-Macon College.

A civic leader as well as an academic one, Dr. McMillan served on the Division III President’s Council of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, and was a member of the advisory council of the Association of American Colleges and Universities’ Wye seminars. He is a former member of the boards of the Council of Independent Colleges, and the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Pennsylvania.

Born in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma, he grew up in Decatur, Georgia. He earned a doctorate in English from the University of Notre Dame, a master of arts in English from Georgia State University, and a bachelor of arts from Washington and Lee.

Dr. McMillan has studied C. S. Lewis for a number of years. In fact, his dissertation was titled “C. S. Lewis as Spiritual Autobiographer: A Study in the Sacramental Imagination.” We are pleased to have him guide us through our year-long study.

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“WHAT DRAWS PEOPLE TO BE FRIENDSIS THAT THEY SEE THE SAME TRUTH. THEY SHARE IT.”

Sunday, October 14 – “Unpacking C. S. Lewis’s The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe”

Dr. Lyons will preach during morning worship and thenspeak at the Sunday Forum about The Narnia Series

Sunday, October 21 – “How C. S. Lewis Is Relevant in Today’s World”

Sunday, December 2 – “C. S. Lewis on Happiness and the Meaning of Life”

Sunday, November 11 – “C. S. Lewis and the Centrality of Hope” The catalyst for Lewis’s religious belief and apologetic project is what he calls Joy, which ignites Hope. Of all his allures and lessons, that “oil of gladness” is his paramount appeal, and just so do we find it through his work.

Dr. Como has been reading C. S. Lewis for 55 years, and writing and speaking about him for nearly as long. A co-founder in 1969 of the New York C. S. Lewis Society (and a former editor of its Bulletin), he has written scores of essays and three books on Lewis, with a fourth currently in produc-tion at Oxford University Press. He has also appeared in five television documentaries on Lewis.

The Rev. Dr. Patricia LyonsEpiscopal Diocese of Washington, D.C.Mission for Evangelism and Community Engagement

Dr. James Como

Dr. Stewart Goetz

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Notwithstanding Lewis’s popularity, Dr. Como believes Lewis is actually underappreciated and his achievement not fully grasped. He states, “Given his range of work, enormous intellect, capacious imagination, pellucid clarity, and his forcefully authentic voice, Lewis should be regarded, not only as among the greatest Christian apologists in the language but as among its greatest writers about good and evil.”

Leading philosophers/theologians (e.g., Augustine, Boethius, Anselm, Aquinas, Calvin, Edwards) for two millennia believed that what wetoday refer to as “the meaning of life” is perfect happiness/beatitude. C. S. Lewis also a�rmed that the meaning of life is perfect happiness. Dr. Stewart Goetz will give an overview of Lewis’ understanding of happiness and its relationship to the idea of death to self. (While this presentation is not tied to any one Lewis book perhaps his Christian Reflections is most relevant.)

The Ross Frederick Wicks Distinguished Professor in Philosophy and Religion at Ursinus College, Dr. Goetz specializes in the philosophy ofmind, freedom and determinism, and the meaning of life. He hasauthored several books, including the recent A Philosophical Walking Tour with C. S. Lewis: Why It Did Not Include Rome; and C. S. Lewis.

The Rev. Dr. Patricia Lyons (Tricia) holds a master’s of divinity degree from Harvard and a doctorate of divinity from Virginia Theological Seminary, where she has also taught as an adjunct professor. She has served as an associate priest at Church of the Epiphany and in chaplaincy and administrative roles at St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes school in Virginia. Tricia’s breadth of experience gives her the ability to reach varying audiences. She is well known and respected for her style of practical and accessible ministry.

She works with churches to move beyond their walls into the public square, form deep relationships with their neighborhoods, and develop evangelism strategies for all generations.

“WE ARE MIRRORS

Sunday, January 27 – “Till We Have Faces”

Fascinated by the myth of Cupid and Psyche throughout his life, C. S. Lewis wrote this, his last novel, to retell their story from the perspective of Psyche’s sister, Orual. “I saw well why the gods do not speak to us openly, nor let us answer … Why should they hear the babble that we think we mean?”

Long-time Philadelphian Brian Burke graduated from Episco-pal Academy in 1962 and Harvard University in 1966. He earned his master of arts degree from the University of Michi-gan in 1971 and his PhD from Bryn Mawr College in 1986.

He taught Latin, Greek and English at Germantown Academy from 1966 to 2005.

March 3 – “C. S. Lewis on Reason and Faith”

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Sunday, February 24 – “Cosmic Order in the Fiction (if it really IS fiction) of C. S. Lewis”

Dr. Brian Burke

Dr. Steven Boyer

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This presentation will explore the cosmic structure of Lewis’s many fictional worlds, in order to inquire into the cosmic struc-ture of our own world.

Dr. Boyer is a university professor by trade, a Christian theolo-gian by vocation, and a Christian by a yet deeper vocation. He has taught in the Theology program and the Templeton Honors College at Eastern University for 20 years, where he especially focuses on issues related to Christianity’s engage-ment with the contemporary intellectual landscape (mod-ernism, postmodernism, religious pluralism, etc.).

Having been reared in a church-going but otherwise unbe-lieving household, he became a Christian while in college and stumbled upon the work of C. S. Lewis shortly thereafter. Lewis quickly became, and remains, the most significant single influence (outside the Bible and, no doubt, the Holy Spirit) on his Christian understanding and imagination.

WHOSE BRIGHTNESS IS WHOLLY DERIVED FROM THE SUN THAT SHINES UPON US.”— C. S. LEWIS

C. S. Lewis maintained that none of us can avoid the truth that we reason, and he believed this truth implies that we are supernatural beings/souls. Lewis believed the fact that we are souls provides grounds for believing that God exists. Dr. Goetz will summarize Lewis’ treatment of reason, the soul, and belief in God. This presentation will draw heavily from Lewis’ book Miracles.

After reading five of Lewis’ works, Dr. Goetz was struck by how philosophical the books were. He discovered that few treated Lewis as a philosopher and concluded he would write about Lewis and give him the serious philosophical attention he deserves, with a focus on his views of reason, happiness, morality, the soul, God, dying to self, and the problem of evil.

Saturday, March 23, 201911 a.m. Casual Breakout Conversations with Our Guests and Box Lunch

Enjoy a box lunch and sit in casual conversation and meaningful discussion with one of our featured guests. Please choose from the following:

9:45 a.m. “C. S. Lewis on Mere Liberty and the Evils of Satanism”

C. S. LEWIS FESTIVAL WEEKEND March 22-24, 2019 Friday, March 22, 20197 p.m. “Dessert with The Downings”

Saturday, March 23, 20192:45 p.m. Panel DiscussionModerated by Dr. Michael Ward“What does Lewis have to o�er the church and the world today?”

Saturday, March 23, 20195 p.m. Choral Evensong in the Oxford Tradition will be held in the Church, followed by a Sherry Reception in MacColl Auditorium

Saturday, March 23, 20191 p.m. Keynote Address by Dr. Michael Ward

“The Heavens are Telling the Glory of God: C. S. Lewis, Narnia, and the Planets”

Dr. David Theroux

Meet many of our distinguished guests and gather for delicious British desserts prior to “The Sound and Savor of Words: Letters by and Between C. S. Lewis and Dorothy Sayers”

Why are the seven Chronicles of Narnia so di�erent from each other and so apparently random in design? Some critics have called the books a mish-mash. Michael Ward shows that these famous stories are actually constructed out of the imagery of the seven heavens and are much more profound and intriguing works of art than has previously been realized.

Professor Michael Ward is the author of the best-selling and award-winning Planet Narnia: The Seven Heavens in the Imagi-nation of C. S. Lewis (Oxford University Press), co-editor of The Cambridge Companion to C. S.

Lewis (Cambridge University Press), and presenter of the BBC television documentary, “The Narnia Code.” On the fiftieth anniversary of Lewis's death (No-vember 22, 2013), Dr Ward unveiled a permanent national memorial to him in Poets' Corner, Westminster Abbey, London.

He is the co-editor of a book of essays about this commemora-tion, entitled C. S. Lewis at Poets’ Corner (Wipf & Stock). For three years in the 1990s he worked as resident warden of The Kilns, Lewis’s Oxford home. He has been described by The Times of London as ‘the foremost living Lewis scholar.’

Dr. Michael WardFellow of Blackfriars Hall

University of OxfordProfessor of Apologetics,Houston Baptist University

A panel discussion of Lewis’s legacy for the church and the world. What makes him relevant for today? What is best about him and what is best avoided about him? Dr. Ward will moderate our distinguished panel of experts. Questions will be taken from the audience.

Evensong is the most common service heard in the colleges of Oxford University, and is usually sung daily. This service of stillness and music is a hallmark of the Anglican tradition and will feature music that would have been performed at Magdalen College during C. S. Lewis’s tenure there. Please join us for a musical visit to Oxford in the 1950s, sung by St. Thomas’ Parish Choir.

C. S. Lewis called Dorothy Sayers the best letter writer of their generation, though he himself is sometimes granted that honor. Both Lewis and Sayers were brilliant correspondents, and their letters back and forth between each other are particularly witty and perceptive. The Down-ings will perform a two-person reading of some of each author’s most memorable letters particularly those to and about each other.

This presentation will be intellectually stimulat-ing, spiritually nourishing, and entertaining.

David J. Theroux is founder and president of the Independent Institute, founder and president of the C. S. Lewis Society of California, and publisher of the quarterly journal, The Independent Review. He received his B.S., A.B., and M.S. from the University of California and his M.B.A. from the University of Chicago. Books and films produced by him have received more than 70 awards, and he is a contributor to

Drs. David & Crystal DowningCo-Directors, The Marion E. Wade Chair of Christian Thought, Wheaton College

Drs. Crystal andDavid Downing were recently appointed as Co-Directors of the Marion E. Wade Center at Wheaton College, the premier North American deposit of archival and library materials for the Inklings and some of their friends and influences. The work that sta� and volunteers do at the Wade is irreplaceable and gives us access to the lives and works of some of our favorite authors, including C. S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, Dorothy L. Sayers, G. K. Chesterton, Owen Barfield, George MacDonald, and Charles Williams.

“HE LOVED US NOTBECAUSE WE WERE LOVABLE, BUT BECAUSE HE IS LOVE.”

— C. S. LEWIS

Steve Boyer“Hierarchy in Lewis”

Brian Burke“Friendship”Jim Como

“The Geniuses of C. S. Lewis”

Tricia Lyons“The Narnia Series”

David Downing & Crystal Downing“Practicing the Presence of God”

Stew Goetz“The Meaning of Lifeand Death to Self”

Lex McMillan“The Man Behind Shadowlands”

David Theroux“Why Should C. S. Lewis Live On?”

Saturday, March 23, 20199 a.m. Our day begins with British tea,scones, and co�ee in MacColl Auditorium

numerous volumes and journals. His popular articles have appeared in USA Today, Los Angeles Times, Wall Street Journal, Christian Science Monitor, Investor's Business Daily, Washington Times, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, and Dallas Morning News. He has appeared on ABC, MSNBC, Fox Business Network, Fox News Channel, CNN, C-SPAN, NPR, and Voice of America.

Saturday, March 23, 201911 a.m. Casual Breakout Conversations with Our Guests and Box Lunch

Enjoy a box lunch and sit in casual conversation and meaningful discussion with one of our featured guests. Please choose from the following:

9:45 a.m. “C. S. Lewis on Mere Liberty and the Evils of Satanism”

C. S. LEWIS FESTIVAL WEEKEND March 22-24, 2019 Friday, March 22, 20197 p.m. “Dessert with The Downings”

Saturday, March 23, 20192:45 p.m. Panel DiscussionModerated by Dr. Michael Ward“What does Lewis have to o�er the church and the world today?”

Saturday, March 23, 20195 p.m. Choral Evensong in the Oxford Tradition will be held in the Church, followed by a Sherry Reception in MacColl Auditorium

Saturday, March 23, 20191 p.m. Keynote Address by Dr. Michael Ward

“The Heavens are Telling the Glory of God: C. S. Lewis, Narnia, and the Planets”

Dr. David Theroux

Meet many of our distinguished guests and gather for delicious British desserts prior to “The Sound and Savor of Words: Letters by and Between C. S. Lewis and Dorothy Sayers”

Why are the seven Chronicles of Narnia so di�erent from each other and so apparently random in design? Some critics have called the books a mish-mash. Michael Ward shows that these famous stories are actually constructed out of the imagery of the seven heavens and are much more profound and intriguing works of art than has previously been realized.

Professor Michael Ward is the author of the best-selling and award-winning Planet Narnia: The Seven Heavens in the Imagi-nation of C. S. Lewis (Oxford University Press), co-editor of The Cambridge Companion to C. S.

Lewis (Cambridge University Press), and presenter of the BBC television documentary, “The Narnia Code.” On the fiftieth anniversary of Lewis's death (No-vember 22, 2013), Dr Ward unveiled a permanent national memorial to him in Poets' Corner, Westminster Abbey, London.

He is the co-editor of a book of essays about this commemora-tion, entitled C. S. Lewis at Poets’ Corner (Wipf & Stock). For three years in the 1990s he worked as resident warden of The Kilns, Lewis’s Oxford home. He has been described by The Times of London as ‘the foremost living Lewis scholar.’

Dr. Michael WardFellow of Blackfriars Hall

University of OxfordProfessor of Apologetics,Houston Baptist University

A panel discussion of Lewis’s legacy for the church and the world. What makes him relevant for today? What is best about him and what is best avoided about him? Dr. Ward will moderate our distinguished panel of experts. Questions will be taken from the audience.

Evensong is the most common service heard in the colleges of Oxford University, and is usually sung daily. This service of stillness and music is a hallmark of the Anglican tradition and will feature music that would have been performed at Magdalen College during C. S. Lewis’s tenure there. Please join us for a musical visit to Oxford in the 1950s, sung by St. Thomas’ Parish Choir.

C. S. Lewis called Dorothy Sayers the best letter writer of their generation, though he himself is sometimes granted that honor. Both Lewis and Sayers were brilliant correspondents, and their letters back and forth between each other are particularly witty and perceptive. The Down-ings will perform a two-person reading of some of each author’s most memorable letters particularly those to and about each other.

This presentation will be intellectually stimulat-ing, spiritually nourishing, and entertaining.

David J. Theroux is founder and president of the Independent Institute, founder and president of the C. S. Lewis Society of California, and publisher of the quarterly journal, The Independent Review. He received his B.S., A.B., and M.S. from the University of California and his M.B.A. from the University of Chicago. Books and films produced by him have received more than 70 awards, and he is a contributor to

Drs. David & Crystal DowningCo-Directors, The Marion E. Wade Chair of Christian Thought, Wheaton College

Drs. Crystal andDavid Downing were recently appointed as Co-Directors of the Marion E. Wade Center at Wheaton College, the premier North American deposit of archival and library materials for the Inklings and some of their friends and influences. The work that sta� and volunteers do at the Wade is irreplaceable and gives us access to the lives and works of some of our favorite authors, including C. S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, Dorothy L. Sayers, G. K. Chesterton, Owen Barfield, George MacDonald, and Charles Williams.

“HE LOVED US NOTBECAUSE WE WERE LOVABLE, BUT BECAUSE HE IS LOVE.”

— C. S. LEWIS

Steve Boyer“Hierarchy in Lewis”

Brian Burke“Friendship”Jim Como

“The Geniuses of C. S. Lewis”

Tricia Lyons“The Narnia Series”

David Downing & Crystal Downing“Practicing the Presence of God”

Stew Goetz“The Meaning of Lifeand Death to Self”

Lex McMillan“The Man Behind Shadowlands”

David Theroux“Why Should C. S. Lewis Live On?”

Saturday, March 23, 20199 a.m. Our day begins with British tea,scones, and co�ee in MacColl Auditorium

numerous volumes and journals. His popular articles have appeared in USA Today, Los Angeles Times, Wall Street Journal, Christian Science Monitor, Investor's Business Daily, Washington Times, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, and Dallas Morning News. He has appeared on ABC, MSNBC, Fox Business Network, Fox News Channel, CNN, C-SPAN, NPR, and Voice of America.

The Choirs of St. Thomas’, Whitemarsh

The Parish Choir consists of more than a dozen dedicated and talent-ed volunteers (10th graders through adults) and eight professional sta� singers. They perform works from the European/Anglican sacred tradition as well as spirituals, gospel, and music written by living com-posers. Their primary vocation is to glorify God and assist worshippers in raising their voices in praise. The choir sings at the 10 a.m. service as well as at several special services throughout the year.

The Choristers are a group of energetic, rowdy, talented, thoughtful, and dedicated children in grades 3-9 who meet weekly and learn how to sing, read music, and practice character, leadership, and integrity. They sing a few times a month with the professional adult choir (singing the same repertoire) and perform at many other events as well. If you know a child who loves to sing, please contact Michael Smith (msmith@stthomaswhitemarsh.org).

Sunday, March 24Join Us for Worship in the Church at 8 a.m. or 10 a.m. or for Family Table in the Chapel at 10:15 a.m.

Michael Smith

Michael Smith is the Minister of Music at St. Thomas’, Whitemarsh, where he over-sees a comprehensive music program for the parish, plays the organ, and directs the choirs. He is passionate about the Angli-can tradition of music, but also about gospel and world music and incorporating these expressions into the life of the church. Prior to coming to St. Thomas’, he served as Chair of Arts at The Shipley School and Groton School, and worked with several smaller churches to help them achieve excellence in their programs. Michael earned two Master of Music degrees (organ and conducting) from Yale University, where he served as organ-ist for the Divinity School chapel and for Berkeley, the Episcopal seminary at Yale.

11:15 a.m. Sunday Faith ForumDr. Michael Ward“What is a Christian to Make of Pain, Su�ering, and Grief?”

C. S. Lewis wrote two very di�erent books about su�ering: The Problem of Pain is intellectual and philosophical; A Grief Observed is personal and emotional. Together they provide a helpful way to consider this most intractable of issues. Michael Ward presents Lewis’s hard-won wisdom about how to cope with di�culty and darkness.

C. S. LEWIS FESTIVAL WEEKENDMarch 22-24, 2019

C. S. LEWIS BOOK STUDIES

great way to grow your faith is to read good Christian writers. There are always books of pseudo spirituality that run the gamut from seeing angels to biblical conspiracy theories, but it's far more fruitful to read time-tested spiritual writers whose faith is contagious.

Please consider joining one of our reading groups devoted to C. S. Lewis's writings. You can purchase any of Lewis's books on your own or buy a book we are reading at the church o�ce. We are pleased to announce that Hearts and Minds independent bookstore will be at our March Festival Weekend. They are very helpful and welcome your purchases as well – heartsandmindsbooks.com.

The Screwtape LettersSundays, June 10, 17 and 24, 2018

9 to 9:50 a.m.Rittenhouse Room, Church Hill Hall

Led by Roger ClarkThe Screwtape Letters is a classic masterpiece of religious satire written by C. S. Lewis that entertains readers with its sly and ironic portrayal of human life and foibles from the vantage point of Screwtape, a highly placed assistant to "Our Father Below." At once wildly comic, deadly serious, and strikingly original, The Screwtape Letters is the most engaging account

of temptation – and triumph over it – ever written.

Letters to Malcom Chiefly on PrayerSundays, August 12, 19 and 26, 2018

9 to 9:50 a.m.Rittenhouse Room, Church Hill HallLed by The Rev. Marek P. Zabriskie

C. S. Lewis once again communicates deep wisdom through story. Through 22 letters between fictitious correspondents, Lewis shares his understanding of the role of prayer in our lives and the ways in which we might better imagine our relationship with God.

The Great DivorceSundays, July 15, 22 and 29, 20189 to 9:50 a.m.Rittenhouse Room, Church Hill HallLed by Stroud HellebuschC. S. Lewis’ The Great Divorce is a classic Christian allegorical tale about a bus ride from hell to heaven. An extraordinary meditation upon good and evil, grace and judgment, Lewis’s revolutionary idea in the The Great Divorce is that the gates of Hell are locked from the inside. Using his extraordinary descriptive powers, this book will change the way we think about good and evil.

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“SOMEDAY YOU WILL BE OLD ENOUGH TO START READING FAIRY TALES AGAIN.”

— C. S. LEWIS

The Lion, the Witch, and the WardrobeWednesdays, September 12, 19 and 26, 2018

7 to 8:30 p.m.Hutchinson Room, Emily Norris Carey

Learning CenterLed by Geo� Jackson

Four adventurous siblings – Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy Peven-sie – step through a wardrobe door and into the land of Narnia, a land frozen in eternal winter and enslaved by the power of the White Witch. But when almost all hope is lost, the return of the Great Lion, Aslan, signals a great change … and a great sacrifice.

Open the door and enter a new world!

The Four LovesDecember 2, 9 and 16, 20189 to 9:50 a.m.Rittenhouse Room, Church Hill HallLed by Stacy Smith and Bob Heerdt

C. S. Lewis contemplates the essence of love and how it works in our daily lives in one of his most famous works of nonfiction. Lewis examines four varieties of human love: a�ection, the most basic form; friendship, the rarest and perhaps most insightful; Eros, passionate love; and charity, the greatest and least selfish. Throughout this compassionate and reasoned study, he encour-ages readers to open themselves to all forms of love – the key to understanding that brings us closer to God.

Surprised by Joy February 20, 27, March 13, 20197 to 8:30 p.m.Rittenhouse Room, Church Hill HallLed by David Thayer

C. S. Lewis shares his enthralling spiritual journey through his early life, chronicling his conversion to the Christian faith. “When we set out, I did not believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God, and when we reached the zoo I did … It was … like when a man, after a long sleep, still lying motionless in bed, becomes aware that he is now awake.”

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As we begin 2019, we suggest you may enjoy this book of daily readings: The Business of Heaven. This repackaged edition of Lewis’s classic reading collection, reminiscent of the bestselling A Year with C. S. Lewis, features 365 selections from his writings that explore our connection to God.

Lewis considers humankind’s spiritual journey in this collection of wise, meditative excerpts and writings. In these daily reflections, you will explore connected themes, including "The Serious Business of Heaven," "Nearness to God," "Heaven and Sexuality," and "Two Kinds of Good and Bad.”

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“NARNIA, NARNIA, NARNIA, AWAKE. LOVE. THINK. SPEAK. BE WALKING TREES.

BE TALKING BEASTS. BE DIVINE WATERS.” — C. S. LEWIS

C. S. LEWIS AND OUR LENTEN JOURNEY

All friends and families of our parish are invited to read and participate in our Lenten studies of the C. S. Lewis book Preparing for Easter.

Preparing for EasterSt.Thomas’ will provide this book at no charge prior to the beginning of the Lenten season. It features selections from the best of beloved author C. S. Lewis’s classic works for readers contemplating the “grand miracle” of Jesus’s resurrection.

This special volume is a concise, handy companion for the faithful of all Christian traditions and the curious to help them deepen their knowledge and consideration of this holy season – a time of reflection as we consider Jesus’s sacrifice and his joyous rise from the dead.

Carefully curated, each selection in Preparing for Easter draws on a major theme in Lewis’s writings on the Christian life, as well as others that consider why we can have confident faith in what happened on the cross.

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To learn more about any of our C. S. Lewis activities, please visit our church website – stthomaswhitemarsh.org, call the church o�ce at 215.233.3970, or look at the initiative’s Facebook page. If you plan to attend the Saturday, March 23 box lunch conversations, PLEASE REGISTER by March 15, 2019. Thank you!

“I BELIEVE IN CHRISTIANITY

AS I BELIEVE THAT THE SUN

HAS RISEN; NOT ONLY BECAUSE

I SEE IT, BUT BECAUSE

BY IT I SEE EVERYTHING

ELSE.”

— C. S. LEWIS

One Big Lenten Celebratory Parish Dinner

As we conclude our Lenten studies, we will have a wonderful dinner together. We have

invited Dr. Lex McMillan to join us and lead a discussion of our literary journey.

Wednesday, April 10, 2019 MacColl Auditorium

Time: 7 to 9 p.m.Cost: TBD

St. Thomas’ Men’s Retreat will be held o� campus at a wonderful retreat center on May 17-18, 2019, and will focus on fun, fellowship, worship, and an opportunity to discuss Lewis’s Miracles: A Preliminary Study, which is a careful presentation of how one can believe in miracles without abandoning belief in science or reason. God knows we need this in these troubled times! Lewis authority Dr. Lex McMillan will facilitate our discussion. For more information, contact Tim Russell at: trrussell@inovera.com or Frank Serra at fas@msk-traderisk.com. Attendance is limited to 25 men.

MEET ST. THOMAS’ CLERGY

The Rev. Marek P. Zabriskiemzabriskie@stthomaswhitemarsh.org or 215.233.3970 x120

The Rev. Elizabeth (Liz) Costelloecostello@stthomaswhitemarsh.org or call 215.233.3970 x122

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The Reverend Elizabeth Costello (“Liz”) joined St. Thomas’ Church as Associate Rector and Chaplain to St. Thomas’ Preschool in 2017. Liz serves as the clergy liaison to Outreach, Pastoral Care, and Worship, Music, and Arts. What keeps her going in ministry is the opportunity to hear people’s stories of faith and to spiritually companion them as they grow deeper in their relationship with God in Christ.

Liz has worked for the church since 2010. She has served as Associate Rector at Christ Church (Ridgewood, NJ), Curate at Saint John’s Cathedral (Denver, CO), and Camp Director for the Diocese of Colorado. She has also served as a Director of

Christian Formation at Holy Comforter Episcopal Church (Burlington, NC), Children & Youth Worker at St. Peter & St. Paul Parish (Great Missenden, England), and Missioner for the Community of the Franciscan Way (Durham, NC).

Liz holds a Master of Sacred Theology (STM) from Yale Divinity School and a Master of Divinity (MDiv) from Duke Divinity School. She enjoys spending time with family, outdoor activities (hiking, skiing), going to art museums, reading, traveling, and cooking vegetarian meals. Liz and her family, The Reverend Joseph G. Wolyniak (also an Episcopal priest!) and their toddler Evelyn Thérèse Costello-Wolyniak are thrilled to be part of the St. Thomas community.

Rector Marek Zabriskie has served St. Thomas’ Church, White-marsh since 1995. During that time the church has expanded from 30 to 65 ministries and membership has grown to 1,400.

He loves welcoming individuals and families into the church, being a pastor, preacher and teacher and helping people make progress on their spiritual journeys. He was instrumental in helping St. Thomas become involved in international mission and developing one of the strongest spiritual formation ministries for children, youth and adults in the region.

Marek studied philosophy at Emory University and trained for the priesthood at Yale Divinity School. He is a member of the Compass Rose Society, which assists the Archbishop of Canterbury, and has been invited to preach through-out the United States and abroad.

In 2011, he started The Bible Challenge to help people read the entire Bible in a year. He created the Center for Biblical Studies to promote The Bible Challenge nationally and globally. More than 1,000,000 people in more than 2,500 churches and 50 countries are now participating in The Bible Challenge.

In 2013 Marek spent a sabbatical walking more than 500 miles on the ancient Christian pilgrim’s path known as the Camino de Santiago de Campostela in Spain and studying Spanish intensively in seven di�erent Spanish cities.

PILGRIMAGE PATHWAYS IN 2019An O�ering for the Friends of Canterbury Cathedral

in the United States

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A Journey of Faith and Culture Across EnglandLed by The Rev. Marek P. ZabriskieTravel Dates: June 28 to July 8, 2019

This journey opens new avenues of exploration in the fields of art, architecture, music, literature, and history – alongside our living faith. As we travel through dramatic and breathtaking countryside, we will encounter opportunities to walk in the footsteps of great saints, cultural leaders, and fellow pilgrims. Each setting will allow for an experience not only of learning but also of tranquility … a respite from the frantic pace of modern life … and a chance to laugh joyously with kindred souls!

No one has been a stronger apologist (rational voice able to defend and explain the basic tenets and beliefs of the faith) for the Christian faith in the 20th century than the English renaissance professor of literature C. S. Lewis, who transformed from a resolute atheist to a profound Christian believer. His writing have clarified and strengthened the Christian faith of millions of people of all ages, who have embraced his writings. During this pilgrimage, we will glean a greater sense of the Anglican Communion, the roots of our historic faith, walk in the footsteps of Lewis as we explore where he lived, wrote, taught, and worshipped. We will visit some of the important sites of William Penn, who founded the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. We will cap o� our journey with a visit to Canterbury Cathedral – the mother church of the Anglican Communion – where the Dean of Canterbury Cathedral will host us for a private dinner in the ancient Deanery and lead us on a candlelit tour of the Cathedral. This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity is not to be missed.

This 11-day journey, in conjunction with the People of Pennsylvania via St. Thomas’ Church, Whitemarsh, focuses on the stories of William Penn, C. S. Lewis, Thomas Becket, and the manifold cloud of witnesses surrounding us each day.

Visits include: Jordans Quaker Meeting, Mayflower Barn, Holy Trinity Penn; Cathedrals at Oxford, Bristol, Wells, Salisbury, and Canterbury; The Kilns; Baptismal Renewal at Heddington Quarry; Magdalen College & Christ Church College, Ashmolean Museum, Bodleian Library; Berkeley Castle, St. Mary Radcli�e, St. Augustine’s Abbey, St. Martin’s Church (oldest continuous church in England), Chagall’s Windows at Tudeley, and the ancient Roman baths in Bath.

Cost: $4,200 per person all inclusive except lunches, airfare, and insurance.

Our ancient faith calls us to encounter the contemporary world through friendships formed across our native motherland of culture, history and religion. To express interest or obtain further details, please be in touch with The Rev. Marek P. Zabriskie via mzabriskie@stthomaswhitemarsh.org or 215.233.3970. You may also contact Pilgrimage Pathways by email at mtlc101@gmail.com or call 908.277.1814.

You may enjoy reading the following works of our C. S. Lewis initiative guests:

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Dr. Steven BoyerThe Mystery of God: Theology for Knowing the Unknowable by Christopher A. Hall and Steven D. Boyer, 2012

Dr. James ComoThe Tongue is Also a Fire: Essays on Conversation, Rhetoric and the Transmission of Culture and on C. S. Lewis, 2015Branches to Heaven, 2008C. S. Lewis: Views from Wake Forest by Walter Hooper (Author), James Como (Author), Michael Travers (Editor), 2008Why I Believe in Narnia: 33 Reviews & Essays on the Life & Works of C. S. Lewis by James Como and Clara Sarrocco, 2008Remembering C. S. Lewis: Recollections of Those Who Knew Him, 2005

Dr. Crystal DowningSalvation from Cinema: The Mediumis the Message, 2015Changing Signs of Truth: A Christian Introduction to the Semiotics of Communication, 2012How Postmodernism Serves (My) Faith: Questioning Truth in Language, Philosophy and Art, 2006Writing Performances: The Stages of Dorothy L. Sayers, 2004

Dr. David L. DowningThe Pilgrim’s Regress: The Wade Annotated Edition, 2014C. S. Lewis and the Arts: Creativity in the Shadowlands, 2013Looking for the King: An Inklings Novel, 2010Into the Wardrobe: C. S. Lewis and the Narnia Chronicles, 2005Into the Region of Awe: Mysticism in C. S. Lewis, 2005The Most Reluctant Convert: C. S. Lewis’s Journey to Faith, 2004Planets in Peril: A Critical Study of C. S. Lewis's Ransom Trilogy Paperback, 1995

Dr. Stewart GoetzC. S. Lewis (Blackwell Great Minds), 2018A Philosophical Walking Tour with C. S. Lewis: Why it Did Not Include Rome, 2014The Purpose of Life: A Theistic Perspective Paperback, 2012A Brief History of the Soul by Stewart Goetz and Charles Taliaferro, 2011Freedom, Teleology, and Evil (Continuum Studies in Philosophy of Religion), 2009Naturalism (Interventions), 2008

Dr. Patricia LyonsTeaching Faith with Harry Potter: A Guidebook for Parents and Educators for Multigenerational Faith Formation, 2017The Soul of Adolescence: In Their Own Words, 2010

Dr. Michael WardC. S. Lewis at Poets’ Corner by Michael Ward and Peter S. Williams, 2016The Narnia Code: C. S. Lewis and the Secret of the Seven Heavens, 2010Planet Narnia: The Seven Heavens in the Imagination of C. S. Lewis, 2010The Cambridge Companion to C. S. Lewis (Cambridge Companions to Religion) by Robert MacSwain (Editor), Michael Ward (Editor), 2010Heresies and How to Avoid Them: Why It Matters What Christians Believe by Ben Quash and Michael Ward, 2007https://www.amazon.com/Michael-Ward/e/B001ILKDZC/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

There are also DVD copies of the BBC documentary Dr. Ward presented: https://www.amazon.com/Narnia-Code-Norman-Stone/dp/B0047H7Q22/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1529056499&sr=8-1&keywords=the+narnia+code+dvd

Also Recommended:The Biography of C. S. Lewis by Roger Lancelyn Green and Walter Hooper, 2002C. S. Lewis, A Complete Guide to his Life and Works by Walter Hooper, 1998

“THERE ARE FAR BETTER THINGS AHEAD THAN ANY WE LEAVE BEHIND.”

— C. S. LEWIS

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ABOUT ST. THOMAS’ WHITEMARSHSt. Thomas’ is a vibrant and growing church grounded in scripture and enlivened through worship, education, and outreach. As followers of Jesus, we engage in a lifelong and life-wide journey of faith that blends the beauty of tradition with the call to seek God in new and modern ways. We follow the Great Commandment as our vision statement – “You shall love the Lord your God with your whole heart, and with your whole soul, and with all your mind.”

The people of St. Thomas’ take seriously the call to respect the dignity of every human being and strive to be a house of prayer for all people. We embrace diversity and recognize that each person is a unique and precious gift from God. Our mission is to Love, Equip, and Serve.

St. Thomas’ Church, Whitemarsh Facts

❖ Our current sanctuary is the fourth church building on the property, the first was a log structure built in 1698.

❖ We are the 27th oldest church in the United States and Puerto Rico.

❖ The church is named for the apostle St. Thomas, as well as to honor the Rev. Thomas Clayton, the first clergyman to serve the parish.

❖ There are 12 Revolutionary and 35 Civil War soldiers buried in our cemetery.

❖ The wooden rood (old English meaning cross) screen arching over the altar was blessed on St. Thomas Day 1896.

❖ St. Thomas’ Preschool, founded in 1951 and one of the oldest premier schools in the region, provides a loving, supportive, safe, educational environment for children ages 2 to 5.

❖ A Casavant organ with 2900 pipes was installed behind the altar during the renovation and expansion project of 1964.

❖ A manually played carillon of 48 cast bronze bells was dedicated in 1974 and is featured in free summer concerts.

❖ Historical programs, church, carillon, and cemetery tours are available! Contact the History Committee @ 215.233.3970.

❖ ALL ARE WELCOME AT ST. THOMAS’!

ST. THOMAS’ CHURCH, WHITEMARSH ● STTHOMASWHITEMARSH.ORG

Bethlehem Pike and Camp Hill Road, Fort Washington, PA 215.233.3970

“THE DOOR ON WHICH WE HAVE BEEN KNOCKING ALL OUR LIVES

WILL OPEN AT LAST.”

The Weight of Glory—