St. Thomas Updates - August 13th, 2020
Photo by Becky Smith
Dear St. Thomas,

A simple thank you for giving me such a wonderful past year with you. I felt welcomed from the day I walked in the door, an embrace I feel to this day. This past Sunday’s celebration, with the lovely Sun Valley platter and the tasty hospitality treats, were especially lovely expressions of your kindness. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.

I know you, like I, look forward to Jonah’s and his family's arrival in the valley. My desire is that we all greet them with the same warm St. Thomas welcome that is so obviously a part of the St. Thomas DNA. 

Peace to you all,

Rob Gieselmann
(my email going forward will be robkgz@gmail.com) 

St. Thomas Church is thrilled to welcome The Rt. Rev. Brian Thom, Bishop of Idaho for our two services this Sunday!

We have two live services this week inside the church:
8:00 a.m.
9:30 a.m.

You must reserve a space at the service, using the button below.

Each service will have a special coffee hour afterwards. Please remember to wear a mask! If you attend the 8:00 a.m. service but would like to attend the coffee hour after 9:30 a.m. service you are more than welcome.

We will also feature a virtual online service that will be emailed to you Sunday morning.

A livestream of the 9:30 a.m. service will also be available on the Facebook page: www.facebook.com/stthomassunvalley
We asked the Bishop a few questions to get to know him better.


1. What is your favorite color?          Teal (fond of purple also)
 
2. What is your favorite food?           Pot roast
 
3. What do you like to do for fun?    Hike, golf, kayak
 
4. What is your favorite children's book?     "Baby" or "Bridge to Terabithia"
 
5. What is your favorite Bible story and why?          

Parable of the Prodigal Son  - I can identify with all three characters: the brokenhearted but forgiving/joyous father, the wayward son ( who believes he can do it all by himself), and the elder brother, whose resentments blind him to what gifts he already has. God (the father) will welcome us all to the heavenly party, but we each have to choose to accept God’s invitation.
 
6. Where did you grow up?   
Portland, Oregon.  Oregon State University 1980 BS in Forest Management
 
7. What is your favorite dessert?       Chocolate things, berry pie
 
8. When you feel overwhelmed, where is your happy place?
Not an exact place, but along the ocean or in the woods, where there are water sounds.
 
What do you think about to shift your feeling of being overwhelmed?
Thinking of people I know with many more demands/crosses to bear, helps me step away from my poor-pitiful-me whining.  My best approach is to imagine Jesus sitting in the room with me during the overwhelmed moment. I try to feel his love, breathe it in, fills its warmth. Then I can listen to his reassurances and his loving get-over-yourself correction.






Capital Campaign
Thanks to the generosity of the over 140 of you who donated to the Capital Campaign, we met our goal!! This is an amazing testimony to the support and enthusiasm you all have for St. Thomas, our clergy and our staff. Through this campaign we were able not only to achieve a beautiful remodel of the rectory but also reworked the church offices so as to allow more privacy for our clergy. You should all be proud!  
I am glad that so many of you were able to visit the rectory at the Open House last week and see the results of all the labors. If I am not wrong, all were impressed by the changes and beautiful workmanship and finishes. The rectory will indeed be a comfortable and attractive home in which to live as well as an improved asset for the church. Our new rector, Jonah, and his family are eager to arrive and move in - just as we are eager to have them here with us.  
A special thanks to the remodel and design team who worked together for over a year getting the rectory remodel done. The team includes David Hamilton, Liz Hickey, Craig Johnson, Kaye Kearns (for landscaping), Brad Musbach and Rebecca Waycott working alongside our contractors Tim Carter and Joe Marx of Idaho Mountain Builders and Alli Connolly, our designer.  
But most of all, thanks to all of you for your generosity and support which allowed this work to be done! At some point we hope to have an in person celebration, but only time will tell when an event like this can happen. Meanwhile, attached is a list of all of our donors. Thank you!
LIBERATION YOGA
THURSDAYS OUTSIDE ON THE LABYRINTH
with Tyia Wilson


August 13
August 20

6:00 p.m