Our Visit from Karen Anderson, ELCA Missionary

What a delight to have our new missionary, Karen Anderson, join us for a pitch-in/pot luck dinner and presentation. We had a variety of Chilean dishes to try - a few recipes are on the Welcome Center if you wish to try any.



Karen shared some of the educational materials they have developed for community health education on topics such as HIV, nutrition and smoking. She gave a presentation on the activities and impact of EPES, the public health organization in Chile she founded over 30 years ago.



Here are a few of the people who gathered afterwards for a departure photo with Karen. Thanks to everyone who helped with this event. We look forward to learning more about Karen and her ELCA sponsored work in Chile.

Delegation to Living Waters

Welcome home to our second delegation from St. Thomas who went to visit our friends at Living Waters church in Cherokee, North Carolina! Thank you for helping us continue to build our relationship between our communities. Here are a few photos from their trip, thanks to Dean and Kathleen.

Here are our delegates, Dean, Sydney, Ruth, Pastor Jack, Kathleen and Pastor Jack and Lisa's daughter.

St.Thomas supports the food pantry and clothing available to Living Waters - thank you to the Mission Endowment Fund which provided a financial gift to support fresh fruits and vegetables. Below are photos of the pantry and clothes closet.

Delegates were happy to have time to get to know Pastor Jack and his family more this time and have some time to see the museum and other aspects of the community.

With both delegations, we try to be present to participate in worship, joining together as two ELCA congregations. We are thankful for our friends at Living Waters and that we are one body.

If you would like to be a part of future delegations or to participate in other aspects of our relationship with Living Waters, please let the mission committee or church office know.

Meet our new missionary, Karen Anderson!

Come Have Dinner With Our New ELCA Missionary from Chile!

On the evening of Sunday, August 11 we will be gathering at 6 pm at church for a pitch-in meal to get to know our new ELCA missionary, Karen Anderson. This is a great opportunity for our congregation. Missionaries do their best to visit each congregation at least once, so this is wonderful that we get to meet her early on in our new relationship!

Karen writes, "As ELCA global mission personnel in Chile, I look forward to the opportunity to share with you some of the exciting things that have been happening in our health ministry at the Fundación EPES and to learn more about your communities and congregations."

All our welcome! Hope to see you August 11th.

Invitation to Congregation: LWR Personal Care Kits

The Mission Committee would like to invite the congregation to donate items for Lutheran World Relief Personal Care Kits. The Mission Committee is coordinating this as part of the ELCA's "God's Work, Our Hands" nation wide celebration of our 25th anniversary on September 8th.

"When LWR distributes Personal Care Kits, it’s often to people who have lost everything. In the wake of an earthquake, or having fled from violence as their homes were overtaken, they clasp a towel from a faraway place, with a bar of soap, a toothbrush…and washing up, they know that they have not been forsaken by the world.
The very simple gesture of giving a Personal Care Kit can give someone the encouragement to start anew, starting with a bath. You can share God’s grace and love by providing that simple comfort."

Here is the list of items we are seeking this summer for each kit. LWR recommends shopping at stores such as The Dollar Store for these items, especially since thinner towels are sometimes difficult to find in other stores. You are invited to donate one, more or all of these items as you are able:


One light-weight bath-size towel (between 20"×40" & 52"×27"), dark color recommended. The thinner the better rather than super big fluffy towels since they need to be shipped

Two bath-size bars (4 to 5 oz.) of soap, any brand, in original wrapping

One adult-size toothbrush in its original packaging

One sturdy comb

One metal nail clippers (attached file optional)

Please bring the items to church this summer (especially during August) and place in the marked container in the narthex or in the church office. Our deadline is September 8 when we are assembling the kits.

Thank you!