Dear Friends in Christ,

Since last November, we have celebrating and remembering the construction of our sanctuary 40 years ago. One of the ways we have done this, is the creation of the Anniversary Quilt, which was completed and presented to the parish on Sept. 16th.

Here is the story of how we came to make a quilt. In 2005, Carol Campbell received a thank you note on which there was a photograph of a quilt made with fabric from members of a Baptist Church. The quilt was actually part of a stewardship program called "Weaving Our Lives Together". Carol wrote to inquire about it, and they sent her a book of that title, which we have in our library. When Vestry members were planning our 40th anniversary, Peg Prior got out this book and became interested in the idea of a quilt made from fabric donated by all the parishioners. Those planning the anniversary accepted the idea, as one of the ways we could mark our gratitude for the beautiful sanctuary in which we worship.

The idea of using the patchwork technique in relation to churches goes back a long way. One of the books in our library shows a patchwork cope made in the 1300s in Spain, and a pieced silk chasuble from 1540 (The Patchwork Pilgrimage by Jill Liddell). When I was in Wales in the summer of 2006, I saw a "Biblical quilt" hanging in a church, in which there were about 16 squares, each representing a Biblical story. Perhaps you remember the Names Quilt, in which there is a large square made in memory of each person who died of AIDS; we had a section of it here at St. Thomas in 1996. The children in our Sunday School made a small quilt in 1996, which has been recently on display in the library. People in Canada have put together a massive "Quilt of Belonging" with squares from 263 different ethnic and national groups whose descendants live in Canada, from the native Canadians to Mongolians, Namibians, Chinese, Scottish, Ecuadoreans, Egyptians . . . nearly all the nations of the world. As with these other quilts, our quilt has fabric from many members of the parish, and each piece has a memory or a story associated with it. The quilt represents our unity in Christ: that we are many members, but one body.

Now I want to tell you about another book which has been very helpful to me. It is called The Orphaned Adult: Understanding and Coping with Grief and Change after the Death of Our Parents, by Alexander Levy (Da Capo Press, 1999). This psychologist explores how life changes for people after both parents have died, which is evidently quite different from the time after one parent has died. He describes how most of our parents represent home for us; how they give us our Original Religious Map; how we suddenly become aware of our own lifespan; how we must confront the fear of loss, and the best short description of the process of grieving I have ever read. I have given a copy to the Library in memory of my parents, and I recommend it to you.

I want you to know that our Outreach Worker, Emma Valdez, is working out well as a resource for our diners at Our Daily Bread. After trying out several places to sit, she now sets up a card table in the lobby of the parish hall, where she greets people as they come in, and has information about many resources to pass out. For example, she has helped a homeless man fill out an application for a subsidized apartment; she has found agencies that can help an elderly single man keep his home; she has referred people to treatment programs, and told them where they can take showers and wash their clothes.

Jesus came proclaiming the Kingdom of God, and the context was the Roman Empire of Caesar Augustus. Both Augustus and Jesus were proclaimed as “Son of God” and as “Savior.” But these titles have very different meanings and they reflect two very different visions of how the world is, and how the world should be. John Dominic Crossan, the eminent New Testament scholar, has devoted the latter portion of his academic career to an examination of the meaning of the Kingdom of God for both Jesus and Paul. GOD AND EMPIRE looks at the gospel proclamation in its original historical and political context and asks what implications it holds for our times.

We always need more teachers.
No experience is required. It is a fun cultural experience.
If you are interested, please contact Courtney Tan or Rosemary Halas Parker.

When the final tally is complete, 25 per cent of the proceeds will go to Camp Coast Care and Katrina Relief.

That was the rave comment that we heard from many people concerning the fundraiser event held on August 25^th. What helped to form that opinion was the ambience of having a large crowd of people all enjoying the decor, music, food, festivities of a Mardi Gras parade and the auction activities. PEP’s involvement was in the planning and preparation of the food for the evening, and we are extremely happy about the successful outcome. In preparing for the event, we had spent a lot of time in extra meetings selecting recipes to makeup a suitable menu consistent with the theme, trying out the recipes to see if the taste will be agreeable, and making adjustments, where necessary. Because we had to prepare so many different dishes, in large quantities, and have them ready to serve at a set time, we planned for two days in which to do the food preparation and cooking. Despite all our planning, we still worried about possibly overlooking some important detail and then not be able to handle it. Fortunately we had enough extra volunteers, some of whom are knowledgeable chefs, to pitch in and help us “pull it off!”

Our success was due to a great team effort and we would like to acknowledge some of the contributors for their support:

• Elaine H. for providing all the appetizers
• Wendy T. for providing the Jambalaya
• Mollie for providing the “Red Beans & Rice”
• Marilyn for providing the Pecan Pies
• Violet for providing the toffee
• Volunteer cooks included: Claribel, Jean (Jan’s sister), Jon, Mabel, and Nancy
• Volunteers for kitchen cleanup included Mildred, Peg & her daughter, and Pam
• The PEP cooks were Jan, Elaine, Pat, and Violet

The weekend of August 17^th through the 19^th was a very big weekend for St. Thomas and the St. Thomas Safe Haven Child Transfer Center. Al Ellis, from the Children’s Rights Council and his wife Mary came to train the volunteer monitors. Pat and Bob Williams, Fulvia Govetto, Sue Vincent, Rita Welsh, Meredith Ross, Wendy Smith, Peg and Jim Schaffer, Jan Camp, Margaret Jungling, and Jane-Margarite Russell. Margo Poulain has also volunteered to help us out when there is a deaf child or parent in need of signing. Thanks to all of you! On Sunday, August 19^th, all the Monitors were commissioned during the 10:30 service.

There will be an Open House for the center on Sunday October 7^th from 2PM-4PM. Everyone is welcome to come and help us celebrate the opening of the center. Invitations have been sent to the Santa Clara County Family Court. If you haven’t already seen the presentation about the center, you will have an opportunity to do that.

The center will be officially open on Friday October 12^th from 7PM-8PM and again on Sunday October 14^th from 7PM-8PM. It is not too late to volunteer to be a monitor.

The adult education classes are reading a book by John Dominic Crossan, God and Empire. The library has several other books by Crossan which might be of interest to you.

• Jesus: a revolutionary biography
• Who killed Jesus? Exposing the roots of anti-semitism in the Gospel story of the death of Jesus.
• In search of Paul: how Jesus’ apostles opposed Rome’s empire with God’s kingdom: a new vision of Paul’s words and world.
• Excavating Jesus: beneath the stones, behind the texts.
  The earliest layers of the Bible and the ancient world are uncovered, focusing on the most significant modern discoveries as a window into Jesus' life and the struggles that gave birth to his teachings

Two DVD’s—

• Victory and peace or justice and peace? A study for progressing Christians.
  Explores the juxtaposition of Roman imperial theology and the Kingdom of God.
  
• Paul: an appealing or appalling apostle?
  In this introduction to Paul, Crossan addresses challenges to understanding Paul, three different "Paul’s", Paul's character and theology, and gender balance and imbalance in the New Testament.

See our online catalog at http://66.80.1.30/ for other books by Crossan.

We were sad to read of the recent death of Madeleine L’Engle. (Our BAD editor reminded me that our library has 30 of her works.) Her most famous book was A Wrinkle in Time for which she won the Newbery Medal award in 1963. Two of her books were autobiographical in nature, A Circle of Quiet and Two Part Invention.

Jenny Morse, daughter of Rick and Teresa Morse had a baby boy in September, named Ryan Scott.

Carol Campbell is going to the Western Christian Educator's Conference in October, courtesy of the Diocese of California. The keynote speaker is the Professor of Pastoral Theology at our Virginia Seminary, Joyce Ann Mercer. Carol will bring a display about our Diocesan Resource Center.

We congratulate the architect of our sanctuary, Carroll Rankin, on the celebration of a significant birthday in September.

Peg Prior has left her husband Bill, for a sabbatical in England. We hope to see her back just before Christmas.

Please keep Grace Hoffman, Mel and Ruth Hoffman’s granddaughter, in your prayers.

Each autumn, St. Thomas has a stewardship campaign to inspire the congregation to give of their time, talent, and treasure in the next year. Our theme for 2007 is "Living Bread: Food for the Hungry Soul."

"Growing"

"Making"

After the 10:30 service on October 21st we will share a meal of bread and soup and hear a budget presentation from the Finance Committee.

50 months to our Centennial (December 2011)

A Planned Giving program is being discussed. Some meetings have been held by a committee and a report was presented. The vestry authorized the committee to develop plans and options for the founding of an Endowment Fund to be presented to the vestry for review.

Michael Ridgway presented an update on his progression toward ordination. He answered questions and submitted a form to be completed by the vestry members for his endorsement of his candidacy. The endorsement form was signed unanimously by the complete Vestry and attested to by the clerk.

There are plans to have the Altar panels refurbished.

A new dedicated phone line being planned for the Transfer Center. Training sessions are being held for the volunteers for this program. Pam Storrer is very optimistic for this program to be successful.

Plans for the Auction Fundraiser are going well. The Vestry voted to allocate 25% of the net income from the “Nite in N’Orleans” for Katrina Relief to be sent to Camp Coast Care.

The sale of tee shirts has gone well.