Iona Mission Blessing

May God write a message upon your heart,
bless and direct you,
then send you out
as living letters of the Word.
Amen

Iona Blessing

LWR Nothing But Nets

Suggested offering in celebration of Bishop Gafkjen’s installation is a $10 contribution from each family to Lutheran World Relief’s project “Nothing but Nets,” a comprehensive international effort to reduce infant and child mortality by two-thirds and reduce overall incidences of malaria in Africa by 2015. Please make check’s payable to St. Thomas with a memo of “Nothing but Nets”. A check will be delivered at the installation service on September 11th.

CROP Walk and St. Thomas

St. Thomas has participated in the annual Church World Service Crop Walk for many years. This fall we are in need of a coordinator for our congregation. The Monroe County Crop Walk is October 17 this fall. Please tell Kaye in the church office or Shari/Mission Committee if you are interested in coordinating our walkers this year. Thanks!

http://www.churchworldservice.org/site/TR/2010FallCROPHungerWalk/TeamRaiser-Fall2010?pg=entry&fr_id=5700

MCUM "Each One Feed One" Campaign

Learn how you can help with the "Each One Feed One" campaign, August 27-29. Both volunteers and donations are needed:

http://www.mcum.org/

Lutheran World Relief and Floods in Pakistan

Learn about what LWR is doing to help bring emergency relief in Pakistan with the floods. It tells how you can help too:

http://www.lwr.org/emergencies/10/PakistanFloods/index.asp

Mission Fair Coming in September

Is there a project or organization you are involved with here in town, in our region, nationwide or in another country? We share the love of God with others in so many ways, walking with people near and far. September will bring the opportunity for us each to share our mission involvement with others in our community to inform, share our excitement, or just chat about what excites us!

The St. Thomas Mission Fair will be coming in a few weeks, so think about if you would like to reserve some space so that you can share your mission involvement! More details will be coming in the weekly announcements, newsletter and here.

Reflection on our Mission Partners

IONA EASTER REFLECTION 2010

The tomb was silent,
and the body of the One
who had valued them for themselves
had somehow gone.

Sorrow was now their companion
as they encountered the bewildering
silence of God.

Yet in that place of dislocation,
they met a stranger on the road,
and slowly recognised
that hope could be reborn.

Their hope and our hope,
present in the very silence
which makes desolate the heart
and imprisons the spirit.

For in the places of fragile hope and few resurrections
still that stranger walks,
and understands,
and heals.

It’s the solidarity of Love at work
in our uncertain but still beautiful world,
and we are held.

Peter Millar, Iona Community

When I read this, I thought of our missionary, Kate. She has clearly been challenged and touched by ministering to kids who struggle with their daily existence, not having enough to eat and other things that put them at risk. I think of other ELCA missionaries who work with the Women of Hope ministry of the Mashiah Foundation in Africa with women and children affected by HIV/AIDS. The people in Chile and Haiti also come to mind. We all experience a place of "fragile hope" at some point in our lives. I like how this Iona reflection captures the accompaniment model of walking along side others and the solidarity of Love at work. I pray that in this Eastertide we and those we pray for around the world will feel the comforting presence and impact of this Love at work.