Labyrinth at St. Thomas

We’re bringing an indoor labyrinth to Heritage Hall for a few days during Lent. Labyrinths have been part of Christian tradition for a thousand years. It’s not a maze, so there’s nothing to figure out. Anyone can walk a labyrinth – old walkers and young walkers, sorrowing walkers and joyful walkers, fast walkers, slow walkers, and wheelchairs. Come and take a walk!

Sunday, Feb. 17 - Adult Forum offered by Sharon Wailes, who’ll tell us about the ancient origins of labyrinths and how walking a labyrinth can be part of our spiritual growth.

Wednesday, February 27 through Sunday, March 3 – Walk a labyrinth at Saint Thomas. Before and after worship on Wednesday and Sunday, one of us will be there to greet you and hold your walk in silent prayer. You can also drop in any time the church is open to walk the labyrinth.

It may not be immediately obvious how walking around in a set pattern connects up to living the life of faith. An article in The Lutheran explains, Christians adopted the labyrinth in the 12th century when the Crusades made pilgrimages to Jerusalem difficult. Labyrinths were placed in cathedral floors throughout Europe so the faithful could pray and spiritually attend to their journey as if they were on a physical pilgrimage to the holy city... Unlike a maze, a labyrinth has no tricky dead-ends. It has one path — a pattern of U-turns — that leads to the center and then out again. The twisting path becomes a metaphor for the faith journey, a mirror for what is happening in one's life... For Christians, the path also is a reminder of Christ's journey to the cross. [The Lutheran, January 1999]
An interesting observation - Neolithic labyrinths are found throughout Scandinavia and the Baltic coast. Apparently Lutherans have been walking labyrinths since before there were Lutherans!

Thanks to Pamela from the Iona Spiritual Growth Group for writing this article for the newsletter.

Malaria Nets

The Mission Committee is supporting our Sunday School's efffort to raise funds for the ELCA Malaria Campaign. We have invited Jessica Nipp Hacker, the ELCA Coordinator of the Malaria Campaign to visit us as St. Thomas on Sunday, February 24. She will be with us in both church services that day, sharing information about the campaign and how we can help. Please join us for a forum led by Jessica Nipp Hacker from 9:45-10:45 am in the conference room.

World AIDS Day

Watching the facebook posts from people around the world who see the presence of World AIDS Day so much more visibly than we do here in Indiana, I am thankful for the support of St. Thomas for the Women of Hope sale and our litany marking the day. http://womenofhopecreations.blogspot.com/

Sister Parish Solidarity Walk

Thank you to all the people who supported the Sister Parish Board of Directors visit to Bloomington! Thanks to those who provided a home stay, transportation, food and more. The Solidarity Walk is an annual event to raise funds for the Sister Parish organization. Please consider contributing if you are able. Contact the church office for more information. Sister Parish board members will be doing Temple Talks and the Adult Forum at church on November 11th, so please attend if you are able. The Mission Committee is hosting a Craft Sale on Nov. 11th to fund several of our mission partners. Please stop by and shop and make an extra donation if you are able. Thank you!

Hurricane Sandy

Prayer after a Storm Loving God, we come to you trusting in your mercy and knowing that your steadfast love endures forever. Look with mercy on those who are harmed or displaced by the storm. Give them your strength to meet the days ahead, your peace which passes all understanding and new hope in the resurrection. Move in those who are able to give aid, that we may be your hands and heart on earth. Be with all who offer assistance, may your Spirit may uphold them. As you have made water a sign of your kingdom, and of cleansing and rebirth, grant your people vision to see new life on the other side of disaster. To you be given all honor and praise, through Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord. Amen. (Pastor Kay Braun, adapted) Please consider giving to the ELCA disaster relief to help those affected by Hurricane Sandy. Here is the direct link for online contributions or you can make a check out (put "Hurricane Sandy" in the note line) and give it through the church office. https://community.elca.org/page.aspx?pid=784

Sister Parish Board Visit and Solidarity Walk at St. Thomas

The Sister Parish Board will be holding their annual meeting at St. Thomas November 9-11. There are a variety of opportunities for our congregation to engage in conversations and food with them! Please check the newsletter and bulletins for all of these opportunities. One key opportunity is the Solidarity Walk on Saturday, Nov. 10. Please consider joining in this short Solidarity Walk or supporting it through prayer and/or your donations. This is the one key fundraising event that the national organization does each year to help fund their organization. Sister Parish has also recently updated their website, so you can add this to your bookmarked pages and check it out! http://sisterparish.org/activities/solidarity-walk/ The Mission Committee invites you to join into the conversations, food and fun with the Sister Parish Board Nov. 9-11. Please check the newsletter and bulletin for more details. Thanks to all the people who are helping make this visit possible through their offers of housing, transportation, food and more!

Upcoming Mission Holiday Sale

Beginning November 11, the mission committee will be hosting a sale of items that support several of our mission partners. We will have fair trade items from LWR/SERRV, as well as jewelry from Living Waters and quilted items from an ELCA missionary organization for women and children with HIV/Aids. The mission committee plans on hosting this sale for three weeks, unless inventory runs too low. So please stop by and see if there are any potential gift items you would like to purchase for the holidays. Please also consider if you are able to make any additional small donation beyond the price of the items to support our mission ministries and programs. Thank you!