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O C T O B E R 2 0 1 9

From the Rector’s Desk . . .

In October, we will launch our fall financial stewardship campaign. Our theme for this year is Wonder in All. It’s taken from the prayer which is prayed at the end of every baptism. The prayer reads:

Heavenly Father, we thank you that by water and the Holy Spirit you have bestowed upon these your servants the forgiveness of sin, and have raised them to the new life of grace. Sustain them, O Lord, in your Holy Spirit. Give them an inquiring and discerning heart, the courage to will and to persevere, a spirit to know and to love you, and the gift of joy and Wonder in All [emphasis and capitalization mine – fgs] your works. Amen. (Book of Common Prayer, 308)

Throughout this year, we will focus on the Wonder of our common life at St. Thomas and the Wonder of the work that we do in Jesus’ name in our community and in the world.

I want to remind you of a few essential things about our common financial life here at St. Thomas be-fore our campaign launches.

1. St. Thomas is entirely self-supporting. There is no entity outside St. Thomas that helps to fund our budget. About 15% of our income comes from other sources (mostly rental income and endowment interest), which means that about 85% of our budget is funded by us through our annual financial stewardship campaign.

2. What is our budget? There’s always a single page in “The Messenger” with up to date budget infor-mation. Our total budget in 2019 is $482,604. The 2020 budget is still in process, but looks to be in the neighborhood of $495K. I can promise - there’s nothing extravagant in our budget. We always hope to offer small COLA increases for our hardworking staff and cover needed property repairs. Insurance costs increase every year. All of our staff costs truly translate to ministry – as each member of our staff enables our church to do the work God calls us to do in our community!

3. Why should I make a financial pledge? Making a pledge helps the Vestry and staff know what income we can expect for the coming year. Just the way that knowing your salary helps you to know how to budget for the month or the year, receiving pledges helps the Vestry to do the same. But, a pledge is more than just a budgeting tool for the Vestry! Mak-ing a pledge is a way of affirming your commitment to God and to the life of our church. David and I have already made our pledge for this year – I hope you will join us.

4. How much should I pledge? Only you know the answer to that question. The Biblical standard for giving a portion of one’s income back to God is the tithe – and it’s 10% of one’s income. David and I give about 8% of our income to St. Thomas and 2% or more to other causes that are meaningful to us.

Continues on Page 3

Inside this Issue

Rector’s Letter…………………………...1 & 3

Blessing of the Animals…………... .............3

Associate Pastor for Pastoral Care …………4

Pumpkin patch News……………...…….......5

Family Minister’s Note…………………...….6

Parish Financial Report……………………...7

Parish Calendar……………..………………..8

ECW………………………………….…….….9

Outreach Corner Patch………………….…10

SHARE Needs …………….………………..11

Wellness Fair……………………….……….13

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Susan Eimas, 10/1

Ed Rhodes, 10/1

Casey Peltier, 10/2

Lynne Montgomery, 10/3

Louise Armitage, 10/4

Laura Barlow, 10/5

Alissa Forbes, 10/5

Kate Knight, 10/7

Jan Hamilton, 10/11

Colin Regan, 10/20

Becky Ventorini, 10/26

Bruce Berlage, 10/27

David Forbes, 10/29

Katie Ryder, 10/29

Fred Young, 10/30

Glen Letham, 10/31

Articles for the November Issue of the Messenger are due by

October15th!

Happy Anniversary to: Kathleen & David Leach, 10/1 Julie & Andrew Walter, 10/4 Claudia & Scott Johnston, 10/10 Susan & Kent Gardiner, 10/11 Becky & Jim Ventorini, 10/17 Rita & Bruce Allan, 10/20 Nellis & Jeff Crigler, 10/20 Cindy & Brad Hargroves, 10/27 Cleta & Ray Raymond, 10/27

— St. Thomas Episcopal Church —

Reach ing out to inc lude a l l peop le in Chr is t ’s love !

MINISTERS

The Bapt ized Fai thfu l of St . Thomas ’ Episcopal Church

The Most Rev. Michael Curry , Pres iding Bishop

The Rt . Rev. Susan Gof f , Eccles iast ical Author i ty , Suf fragan Bishop

The Rt . Rev. Robert Ih lof f , Bishop Assoc iate

The Rev. Fran Gardner -Smith, Rector - f ran.gardnersmith@st t thomasmcleanva.org

The Rev. Anne Turner, Associate Rector ( fo r Pastoral Care) -

anne. turner@st thomasmcleanva.org

Liz DeNauw, Seminar ian—edenauw@vts.edu

Vestry Shepherd Area Email

Chuck Grimes Senior W arden Chuck.Grimes@out look .com

Rick Mont fort Jun ior W arden, Proper ty r i ckmont for t@out look .com

W il l Fer r i s Evangel i sm vox54@aol .com

Susan Gardiner Pastora l Care smgard iner@cox.net

Scot t Johnston Bui lding Use S.s. johns ton@gmai l .com

Hooman Mi rzae i Administ ra t ion hoomi r20@yahoo.com

Lynne Montgomery Outreach lkmontgomery@gmai l .com

Cleta Raymond Stewardship Cletaraymond@gmai l .com

Becky Ventor in i Educat ion Ventor iniB@si .edu

Other Leaders

Jud i Alexander Regis ter j a lexander21@cox.net

Pat Smi th Treasurer pysmi th51@gmai l .com

Steve W ickman Diocesan Delegate wickmansb@msn.com

Staff

Susan Al len Fami ly Min is ter susan.a l len@st thomasmcleanva.org

W alter Koehler Mins ter of Mus ic wal lykoeh ler1@gmai l .com

Joy W arburton Parish Admin is t rator par ishadmin@stthomasmclean.org

Mary Cyrus Accountant accountant@stthomasmclean.org

Nico le W arga Cr ibbery Careg iver ncwarga00@hotmai l .com

NOTE: Please let the Office know if your birthday or anniversary is missing from this list.

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Bless ing of the Anim als

This Sunday, October 6, 2019

at 10:00 am

Bring your furry friends or pictures

with you for a blessing!

We will be using this Liturgy at 8:00 am as well.

Please bring pictures of your pets to the 8:00 am service.

5. What’s our goal for this year? Based on the draft budget for 2020, we have set a goal of 85 pledges totaling $410,000. That’s a 2.4% increase over last year’s pledges. The Vestry and leadership at St. Thomas haVE already pledged – and increased their pledges by 3.5%! $410K in pledges would give us a balanced budget with fairly paid staff.

2019 has been a year of great growth at St. Thomas. We have grown in Wonder in so many ways. We’ve grown in numbers (more than forty people have joined us in the last year). We have grown spiritually (through retreats, bible studies, our Lenten program, and our Sunday School programs). We have grown in our mission (serving our neighbors in need in both old and new ways) and finding creative ways to stay in relationship with our brothers and sisters in Haiti.

I continue to be grateful every day that God has called me to serve with you in this wonderful communi-ty. Please join me and your Vestry in supporting the mission and ministry of St. Thomas this year as we appreciate the Wonder in All that is St. Thomas Episcopal Church.

Blessings,

Rev. Fran

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I am beginning a new endeavor this fall: I am starting a Doctor of Ministry program. A D.Min. is a degree intended for working clergy; much like an executive MBA, it is not meant to pull a person out of his or her job, but to propel deeper professional inquiry. It can be accomplished without interrupting a clergy person’s parish work.

I will be pursuing a degree in “Biblical Interpretation and Proclamation”—in other words, preaching—from Candler School of Theology at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. For three years, I’ll be taking courses in the Old and New Testaments, as well as courses that examine the congregational setting (that’s you) and the religious leader (that’s me). The courses are all on-line, with both synchronous and asynchronous sessions. Towards the end of the three years, I will complete a significant research pro-ject.

Although St. Thomas has no formal role in the degree process, I very much hope I can share the work I am doing with you. I am aware that preaching is by no means a solo job; listening to me and Fran and Liz, week in and week out, is a profound commitment. I hope there are ways that I can help us all think more carefully about both the preaching of and the listening to sermons. Know that I am so grateful to you all for allowing me to be in ministry with you.

Blessings,

Anne

From Our Associate Rector for Pastoral Care

Last month’s meet-up was superb! Eighteen women of St. Thomas attended!

Our next Women Eating Supper (WES) meet-up for conversation and fellowship is Tuesday, October 8th @ 6:30 pm, at

Café Deluxe in Tysons Corner.

Please let Kristi Roberts know you're coming so we can reserve enough

space: kristin_m_roberts@yahoo.com.

There’s room for more!

Women Eating Supper

Will meet this Sunday, October 6th(after the pallet laydown), @ 6:00 pm, at the Old Brogue—760 Walker Road,

Great Falls.

Please contact Scott Johnston, 703-282-0819, or S.s.johnston@gmail.com

with any questions you may have.

All are welcomed to join!

Men Eating Breakfast

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Dear friends,

Our program year has begun in earnest! We are having a wonderful time in the education wing on Sun-

day mornings but remember that we will not have Sunday School this week on October 6th as we will be

having a Blessing of the Animals service at 10 am.

Mark your calendars for our annual Monster Mash Trunk or Treat party! It will be on Saturday, October

26th from 6 to 7:30 pm in Hudson Hall. Our Monster Mash Trunk or Treat will begin with a potluck dinner

at 6 pm. Please bring an entrée, side dish or dessert, bonus points for spooky themed food! We will

have water and lemonade but if you would like an adult beverage please bring it and maybe some to

share! Wear your favorite costume and we will have crafts and games for the younger members of our

congregation. The evening will conclude with a Trunk or Treat in the side parking lot from 7:10 to 7:30.

Kiddos bring a bag to put all of your goodies in! Decorate your Trunks with spooky decorations and we

will send the kiddos out to Trunk or Treat. This is an event for everyone at St. Thomas and we hope you

will invite your friends to join us as well. This is a great opportunity to introduce friends to the

St. Thomas community in a very fun environment.

Please RSVP to me with the number of people attending by Wednesday, October 23 so that we are sure

to have everything we need.

Thank you so much for all you do to make St. Thomas the special place that it is. God’s peace, Susan susan.allen@stthomasmcleanva.org 703-346-0359

From our Family Minister

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Parish Financial Report

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1 1:00 PM Staff Meet-ing

2 3 7:30 pm Choir Rehearsal

4

Office Closed

5 5pm Evening Prayer, Rite II

6 8 AM Holy Eucharist, Rite II 10 AM Holy Eucharist, Rite II 10:00 am Sunday School 11:15 am Coffee Hour 11:30 am Voice for life choir 4:00 PM PALLET LAYDOWN 6:00 pm MEB @ The Old Brogue

7 8 1:00 PM Staff Meet-ing 6:00 PM Women Eating Supper

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10 7:30 pm Choir Rehearsal

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Office Closed

12 8:30 am Pumpkin Unload-

ing

11:30 AM YOUTH

OUTREACH PRO-

JECT & BOWLING

5pm Holy Eucharist, Rite II

13 PUMPKIN PATCH 8 AM Holy Eucharist, Rite II 10 AM Holy Eucharist, Rite II 10:00 am Sunday School, 11:15 am Coffee Hour 11:30 AM Hand Chimes

14 PUMPKIN PATCH 15 PUMPKIN PATCH 1:00 PM Staff Meet-ing

16 PUMPKIN PATCH 7:30 PM ECW Book Group meets @ Dolly Mastrangelo’s house

17 PUMPKIN PATCH 7:30 pm Choir Rehearsal

18 PUMPKIN PATCH

Office Closed

19 PUMPKIN PATCH 5pm Evening Prayer Rite II

20 PUMPKIN PATCH 8 AM Holy Eucharist, Rite II 10 AM Holy Eucharist, Rite II 10:00 am Sunday School, 11:15 am Coffee Hour 11:30 am Voice for life choir

21 PUMPKIN PATCH

22 PUMPKIN PATCH

1:00 PM Staff Meet-ing 7:00 PM Revelation Book Club

23 PUMPKIN PATCH 24 PUMPKIN PATCH 7:30 pm Choir Rehearsal 10:30 am Revela-tion Book Club

25 PUMPKIN PATCH

Office Closed

26 PUMPKIN PATCH 5pm Holy Eucharist, Rite II

6:00 PM

MONSTER

MASH

27 PUMPKIN PATCH 8 AM Holy Eucharist, Rite II 10 AM Holy Eucharist, Rite II 10:00 am Sunday School, 11:15 am Coffee Hour 11:30 AM Hand Chimes

28 PUMPKIN PATCH 7:00 PM Vestry Meeting

29 PUMPKIN PATCH 1:00 PM Staff Meet-ing

30 PUMPKIN PATCH 31 PUMPKIN PATCH 7:30 pm Choir Rehearsal

NOVEMBER 1 NOVEMBER 2 10 AM PUMPKIN RELOAD 5pm Holy Eucharist, Rite II

October 2019

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ECW happenings:

Isaiah 41: 10. “Do not fear: I am with you; do not be anxious: I am your God. I will strengthen

you, I will help you, and I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.”

As the school year starts and life gets busy this verse spoke to me and reassured me, I

hope it does the same for you.

You can reach me, Nici Bush, the ECW President this year, at nicibush@yahoo.com.

Book Group News:

Below are the dates of the Book Group gatherings for the rest of the year. If you have any questions,

please contact Jane Pacelli at (703) 256-7834 or patchwork1@verizon.net.

The October book is the Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood. We plan to discuss this on October 16th at

7:30pm. The November book is LaRose by Louise Erdich. We plan to discuss this on November 20th at

7:30pm.

We will conclude the year with our popular Christmas Dinner out and book exchange – venue to be de-

cided although the Red Galanga was a hit last year.

The ECW Book Group meets the third Wednesday of each month at 7:30 pm and is open to all the women

in the church. We have had some fantastic gatherings recently with some great discussion. Please con-

sider joining us!

Our last meeting:

We had a great meeting on Sunday, September 8th at 8:50am. We agreed the date of our Treats and

Treasures sale in December – We will have it on December 8th and then again on December 15th so we can

give two chances to get treasures. We discussed how pleased we are to have supported some significant

in reach and outreach activities this year. Our next meeting will be November 3rd at 8:45am.

ECW is a wonderful way to experience being in a community together with gladness of heart and a light-

ness of spirit. The creative activities we work on bring a level of joy to us all and the parish at large, while

importunately we raise money for in reach and Outreach projects in the process. All women of the con-

gregation are members of the ECW and are encouraged to participate in the numerous offerings and ac-

tivities that have become such a rich legacy of the St. Thomas community. If you are relatively new to this

parish and have not gotten on our distribution list to receive specific emails about ECW meetings and ac-

tivities, please send me your email address so we can include you.

With kindest regards, joy, and blessings,

Nici Bush, ECW President

The Episcopal Church Women Corner

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Outreach Corner

featuring

Timothy’s Second Story “Timothy” began attending Second Story’s Safe Youth

Project when he was in the fourth grade, and quickly

became a familiar face at the program. He came every day,

and he was always helpful to the program coordinator and

kind to his peers.

The program coordinator got to know Timothy better the

longer he was in the program. She noticed that he struggled a

lot in school, and his teachers explained that his work was be-

low his grade level. She also learned that the reason Timothy

was so eager to come to the program was because his par-

ents were rarely at home due to their busy work schedules,

which left him home alone much of the time. At the program

he felt safe, and he always had friends to hang out with and fun things to do.

The program coordinator created opportunities for Timothy to improve his grades by communicating

with his teacher and tutoring him at the program. She also reminded him that he would always have a

safe place, the Safe Youth Project, to come to after school when there was no one at home to look out

for him.

Timothy began to improve – both in his demeanor and at school. His grades came up each quarter, his

reading and writing skills improved, and his teachers began to compliment him on his work.

Nearly three years after Timothy found Second Story’s Safe Youth Project, at his sixth-grade gradua-

tion, Timothy was awarded the President’s Award for Educational Excellence. This award is given on

behalf of the President, the Secretary of Education, and the school’s principal, and signifies “high aca-

demic goals through hard work and dedication to learning.”

Timothy was thrilled, and his mom and the program coordinator are very proud of him. Everything

changed for Timothy when he began coming to our Safe Youth Project, and the people who care about him

are delighted to see him rewarded.

Second Story is one of St. Thomas’ local ministry partners. You’ll hear more about

Second Story during the weekend of November 9-10 when Second Story Staff

will be guest preachers at all our services.

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Outreach Corner Continues

with an

Introduction to Remote Area Medical:

The ECW recently made a generous contribution to Remote Area Medical (RAM), and I wanted to

introduce the rest of our parish family to its mission and work in our region and beyond. RAM was

founded by the late Stan Brock, whom some of you may remember from his years as the anaconda-

wrestling co-host of “Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom.” He created the nonprofit in 1985 to provide

a volunteer medical relief corps for secluded and underserved populations in the developing world,

but later realized that many in the United States may live close to healthcare providers whose

services they cannot afford. In 1992, RAM begin offering free medical clinics in the United States,

primarily in Appalachia. Since RAM’s founding, it has served 740,000 individuals and offered more

than $120 million of free healthcare.

I have volunteered at several of the clinics in rural Virginia, and it is an amazing and humbling experi-

ence. RAM sets up mobile medical, , optical, dental and veterinary clinics in airplane hangars, fair-

grounds, schools, equestrian facilities and even in tents on the infield of a racetrack. Doctors,

dentists, and non-medical volunteers travel to the clinics at their own expense and spend their week-

end serving patients who may have traveled for days and slept in their cars or in tents until they can

get in the doors. Many patients haven’t seen a doctor in years and come with a number medical and

dental needs. All services are provided free, no questions asked, and a typical RAM clinic serves over

1,000 of our neighbors from all walks of life.

RAM recently completed a clinic in Baltimore, and the next clinic is scheduled in Lee County Virginia

from September 21-22. There will be another clinic in Grundy, Virginia the weekend of October 5, and

one in Warsaw, Virginia on November 2 and 3. Please support RAM’s mission by telling friends and

neighbors who may need free medical, vision or dental care – or veterinary services for their pets –

about the upcoming clinics. And more volunteers are always welcome, even if (like me) you have no

medical background! Go to www.ramusa.org for more information.

I hope that you’ll keep RAM, its volunteers and its patients in your prayers as it strives to serve the

community of need.

Submitted by

Mollie Regan

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SHARE MCLEAN– URGENT NEEDS

PUMPKIN PATCH SIGN-UP Still Going On!

We still have available slots for

St. Thomas’ premiere Fundraising Event

for Outreach. We need you!

Please sign-up after services today or online

at http://bit.ly/PumpkinSales. Thank you.

SHARE’s Food Pantry is need of the following items in October. Please drop items off in the Narthex.

Share currently has ample supplies of baby wipes, canned potatoes, canned tuna, ramen, tomato sauce, and canned black beans. Share would welcome reusable shopping bags as well as paper shopping bags (grocery or clothing retail) with intact handles. Ziplock bags (quart / gallon, partial boxes acceptable) would be greatly appreciated too.

Food

Spaghetti/pasta (1 lb) Canned vegetables (corn, carrots, etc) (15 oz) Canned fruit (peaches, mandarin oranges, pineapple, fruit cocktail) Pasta sauce (cans or plastic jars) Canned tomato products (ex. diced) 100% Fruit Juice (64 oz) Vegetable oil (24 oz, 48 oz)

Personal Care Feminine hygiene (panty liners - maxi pads) (14 - 18 ct) Diapers (size 2 – 6) Toilet paper Deodorant

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+St. Thomas Opportunities for Involvement+

+Altar Guild + Hospitality + Stewardship+

+Second Story + Grill Nights + Choir + Share+

+International Outreach + Pumpkin Patch+

+Sunday School + Pastoral Care + Vestry+

+Lenten Suppers + Time and Talent + Ushers+

+Flower Committee + Worship Committee+

+Finance Committee + Tysons Interfaith+

+Memorial Garden + Men Eating Breakfast+

+Pumpkin Patch + Episcopal Church Women+

+Endowment + Adult Christian Formation+

+Shrinemont + Lay Eucharistic Ministers+

+Dungannon + Monster Mash/Chili Cookoff+

+Readers + Guess Who's Coming to Dinner+

+Falls Church and McLean Children's Center+

ALLERGY NOTICE:

Several members of our congregation have severe nut allergies —

We know of one peanut and one almond allergy (and perhaps there are

more). PLEASE LABEL ALL NUTS IN POTLUCK DISHES. THANKS.

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Coming in November!

We are tugging on our garden gloves for an adventure: teaching YOU how to prune!

Whether you are a novice or have been pruning your garden for years,

these workshops will enhance and expand the information

and skills you'll need to prune like a Yankee Clipper.

The workshops will focus on our unique pruning techniques for every shrub in the garden allowing you to ap-

proach your garden with confidence. Workshops include a brief talk, practice time

with Yankee Clippers’ skilled instructors, and plenty of time to ask questions.

The knowledge you will gain can be applied to any garden.

Fall Pruning Workshop @ St. Thomas

$75/person

Saturday, November 16, 2019

9:30am – 12:30pm (rain date: 11/17, 1:00-4:00pm)

Space is limited, so please register soon!

How to register:

Go to www.YankeeClippers.com Click on and fill out the “contact us” page.

(make sure you select “Attending a workshop” as your interest and note the workshop location you are interested in) You will be sent a welcome email providing instructions and information.

Your payment will secure your place in the workshop.

If you would like to be unsubscribed from ALL Yankee Clippers emails, please reply and let us know.

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8991 Brook Rd

McLean, VA 22102

703.442.0330

Pastoral Care (571)549-1458

www.stthomasmcleanva.org

REGULAR WORSHIP SCHEDULE

SATURDAYS

5:00 PM — HOLY EUCHARIST, RITE II, OR

EVENING PRAYER, RITE II

SUNDAYS

8:00 AM — HOLY EUCHARIST, RITE II

10:00 AM — HOLY EUCHARIST, RITE II

1st & 3rd Sundays—Voice for Life Choir

2nd & 4th Sundays—Hand Chimes

T h e M e s s e n g e r

Nursery care available on Sundays

from 10:00 am—12:00 pm

A PRAYER FOR ST. THOMAS’ CHURCH

Almighty God, by your Spirit the whole body of your

Church is governed and sanctified. Hear our prayer for

St. Thomas’: build in us a renewed vision of your Church;

shape our life according to your will; empower us with the

gifts to make us one, that together we may grow as a

church in the spiritual strength of community, and reach

out to include all people in Christ’s love,

through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.