A Message From St. Thomas of the Valley

THE MESSAGE 
Deja Vu All Over Again

Well, we’ve gotten through Christmas—the season in which we commemorate the greatest gift ever given—our salvation and the certainty of God’s love.  Yet in spite of this joyous gift , St. Thomas has had to face stormy weather and once again we face the unknown and a new year.  Sounds kind of familiar doesn’t it.  Something similar happened around 2005 and it wasn’t easy to go through then.

Some would say things look mighty grim.  Fr. Jim has left, the church financials are uncertain, and we’ve lost a lot of members over the past year.  We continue to have to deal with internal squabbles, turf wars, finger pointing and blame laying, and wars and rumors of wars abound..  Not a pretty picture, nor unfortunately, one that pleases God.

With every new year, folks typically make resolutions to do things better.  Lose weight, eat better, stop smoking, or something else “good.”  Unfortunately, few people actually stick to their resolutions.  Given the gift we’ve just celebrated perhaps it is time to really stop and think just what we as a parish family, as Christ’s representatives on earth REALLY need to do—and then actually do it and stick to it. 

Do we want to continue in the same old ways and keep the old squabbles, finger pointing and blame laying going?  It serves no good purpose either for St. Thomas or for us as individuals.

Or, do we REALLY want to put those things aside, ask for and give forgiveness, and work together as a true Christian family, in spite of our differences, to do God’s will.  I hope and pray that this is so.

Let us all then, as both the leaders and people of St. Thomas make a New Year’s resolution to act, speak, and do all things in a manner that will please God and that will show us to truly be disciples of Christ.  We need to heal both internal and external wounds. 

We can reach out to those who have been hurt and have left and at the same time reach inward to those that we have hurt who are still here. We can work together for the glory of God, in the new year.

May the Lord bless you and keep you.

May the Lord make His face to shine upon
    you, and be gracious to you.

May the Lord make His countenance to
    shine upon you, and give you peace.

Wishing you all a happy, joyous, and spirit-filled new year.

John, Verger
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2010-01-01