Spiritual Adventures! - May 15, 2011

4nd Sunday of Easter

May 15, 2011

Spiritual Adventures at

St. Thomas Episcopal Church

News and Events

Greetings!

Please enjoy this issue of our E-NEWSLETTER! Please check your e-mail each week to read our news and events.

Upcoming Events

+ Sunday, May 15 - Last children's Sunday School before Summer Break.

+ Sunday, May 15, at 9:15 a.m. - Adult Forum discussion on "Stations of Light", conducted by Fr. Doug Hahn and Deacon Lorna Erixson.

+ Wednesday, May 18, at 6:00 p.m. - Last Wednesday Supper before Summer Break. Fish fry!

+ June 6-10 - Vacation Bible School! To register your child online for Vacation Bible School, go to http://www.stthomascolumbus.org/episcokids.html. For more information or to volunteer for children's programs and events, contact Erin Redden at episcokids@stthomascolumbus.org.

+ Sunday, May 29, and Sunday, June 12 - Baptism dates. Please contact the office to discuss the Sacrament of Baptism.

St. Thomas Legacy Society to Gain More Visibility

The St. Thomas Legacy Society is made of individuals who have made St. Thomas a beneficiary in their financial estate planning. Their generosity makes the St. Thomas Endowments possible, and means a perpetual source of revenue for the Mission and Ministry of the parish. Those who are publically known in the Legacy Society include Ms. Georgia Wilkins, Ms. Margarette Baird, and Ms. Marge Tidmarsh. We believe that others of you have made provisions for bequests to the parish, but these are not public at this time.

The Vestry wants to help celebrate this generosity and witness. They will do this by publishing names of those who have made provisions for the parish in their planning, and who are willing for their names to be made public. We celebrate those of you who have made these arrangements anonymously, but we encourage you to let us publicize your names. What a great witness this is to your fellow parishioners!

Beginning on Memorial Day Weekend (Sunday, May 29) through All Saints' Sunday (November 4), we will gather the names to be called "Charter Members" of the St. Thomas Legacy Society. These names will include Ms. Wilkins, Baird, and Tidmarsh, along with other names we are aware of by that time. Each month between now and then we will celebrate those who have joined the society.

We invite you to be part of the future Mission and Ministry of the parish in this way. If you have questions about this process, please contact Mr. John Partin, Mr. Travis Wade, or Fr. Douglas Hahn to discuss the Legacy society. Thank you.

Submitted by The Vestry.

April Finance Report

Expected income as of April 30, 2011 = $121,291*

Budgeted income as of April 30, 2011 = $114,587**

Received income as of April 30, 2011 = $117,604

*Includes pledges, non-pledged contributions, and pledges prepaid in full; does not include other, non-contribution income.

**As a financial cushion, the Vestry budgets only a portion of expected pledges.

Thank you for your faithful giving!

Submitted by The Finance Committee.

Thank You, Donors!

St. Thomas thanks all our parishioners for their continued spirit of generosity which supports our church community. We also extend special thanks to the following donors: to Judy Harding, Jim & Rinda Brewbaker, Rick & Marquette McKnight, Paul & Jo Cates, John & Vicky Partin, Jerry Dockery, and Sonny Taunton, all of whom contributed donations to the Flower Fund in memory of Roscoe Duncan; to Rob Wubbena, for donations to the Music Fund; to Christine Slusher, for donations to the Music Find in loving memory of her mother, Gertrud C. Brewer; to Dennis & Karen Cook, for donations to the McCann African Mission Fund; and to Charles & Carlene Pawlowicz, for donations which make advertisement in the newspapers possible. Thank you!

Food Bank/Outreach Center

April Report

The Wynnton Neighborhood Network (WNN) thanks you for all your support. During April 2011, WNN assisted 256 families, containing 587 individuals, which included 255 children. WNN distributed 924 bags of food, and provided utilities assistance to 62 families in the amount of $2416.92 . Thanks again!

Notes from the Music Department

The Music Department is taking requests! Like to sing your favorite hymn? Contact me and I'll work it in this summer. Just e-mail me at music@stthomascolumbus.org. Summer Choir begins Sunday, June 5. If you'd like to experience the service from our birds-eye view, JOIN US! Young or old, if you like to sing, for one week or for the entire summer, JOIN US! Want to bring your visitor? Your grandchild who is visiting? Just meet Rick in the choir room at 9:50 to prepare.

Submitted by Rick McKnight, Organist and Choirmaster.

Pictorial Parish Directory

In our continuing efforts to up-date our pictorial directory, we will have amateur photographers on hand to take digital photos of parishioners and their families on the following Sundays: May 22, May 29, June 5, June 12.

If you are an amateur or pro-bono photographer who would like to become involved in this project, please contact the office.

All parishioners are also invited to submit their own digital photos, such as your Facebook profile picture.

Boston Butts Fund-Raiser

Final reminder! To place an order, contact Courtney Loving at 706-649-0041 or

courtneyloving@earthlink.net.

Submit your Graduate

Final reminder! Please submit your graduate's name to the office by Monday, May 16. Thank you!

Wednesday Supper Menu

The last supper of the school year will be a Fish Fry on May 18, at 6:00 p.m. Join us!

Wednesday Evening Programming during the Summer

The Parish Life Committee has exciting new opportunities available for parish fellowship and worship for the entire family during the summer!

+ On the first Wednesday night of each month, we will gather at a local family-friendly restaurant for a meal "out-on-the-town"! Restaurant locations will be announced in the church bulletin each month. The dates for these meals will be June 1, July 6, and August 3.

+ On the third Wednesday night of each month, our gatherings in All Saints' Hall will be called "Eat, Pray, Learn". Each evening will begin with the first part of the Evening Prayer, plus a presentation on "The Saint of the Month". Then the adults will prepare supper while the children have time to play outside. The meals on these nights will be hamburgers and hotdogs. We ask diners to bring a side dish, or to contribute $5.00 for the meal. After the meal, we will conclude with the second part of the Evening Prayer. The dates for "Eat, Pray, Learn" will be June 15 and July 20. Please join us!

Submitted by Ann Johnston.

Lost and Found