Sunday, September 21

From the Rector The Rev'd Dante A. Tavolaro Dear People of St Thomas, This is not the letter I thought you would be reading this week. Before I left for my sabbatical and vacation, I wrote a piece about the importance of time of rest and restoration; encouraging us all to do that which feeds our souls, taking full advantage of all that our beloved Ocean State has to offer. But, as we know all too well, sometimes things do not go as planned. Sadly, that is true for my sabbatical. While June was quite profound, magical even, things went south quickly in July. As some of you are aware, last year I was diagnosed with degenerative disc disease. My understanding is that 90% of people have it by the time they are 60, and 30% by 35. Of those, a small number have significant symptoms - guess I won the genetic lottery. For me, the L4-L5 disc in my spine is collapsing and pushing against my sciatic nerve. That is why I was using a cane through the Spring of 2024. Thankfully with the help of medical intervention (epidural corticosteroid injection) and physical therapy I was able to resume all normal activity. When I noticed symptoms on my left side, previously was only symptomatic on the right, I called my doctor, and we scheduled another injection. Things were in place, and I was able to carry on with minimal limitations. That was all true until June 30. That evening I moved the wrong way and was instantly in significant pain. By the next night I was in the worst pain of my life, barely able to move or walk. Thing were so bad I ended up in the emergency room (the first of two visits through the month). On July 10 I had the injection and hoped that would get me back on my feet. Three weeks later I had my follow up and was saddened by the fact that I had not made as much progress as I had hoped: only able to stand for a few minutes at a time, struggled to walk upright, and dealing with fairly constant pain of varying degree. My medical provider however was not surprised and told me that all of this was completely normal, especially given the place I was in prior to the injection. A moment of great emotional relief. The best next step is to have another injection, which is scheduled for August 21. My doctor has told me I am an excellent candidate for this, and we hope this will get me back on my feet. But there are no guarantees and sometimes people can need up to 3 injections in acute situations. Given where I am now, the uncertainty of how I will respond to the next injection, and in consultation with my doctor and the support of the Bishop, I have made the decision to end my sabbatical a few days early, cancel my vacation, and go on medical leave. I am sure you have many questions so let me try to anticipate a few. When will I return? Given that I am making slight progress each day (I actually left my house for the first time the other day and not just for a trip to the ER or doctor’s office!), and have responded well to the injections before, I am living in deep hope that I will return to the parish along the original sabbatical/vacation timeline. While I may not be gone any longer than originally anticipated, going on medical leave allows me flexibility so that I do not have to rush my recovery and risk further set back. What happens if I am gone longer than anticipated? The Bishop has offered his support to work with the Wardens to make sure that the parish has the clergy coverage it needs. But, hopefully it will not come to that. What does this mean financially for the parish? Short term disability is different for clergy as we do not pay TDI. Therefore, our medical leave does not go through the state, but rather through the Church Pension Fund. My understanding is that the parish will be reimbursed for 70% of my compensation during my leave. Jane, our bookkeeper and administrator, also works for the Finance office of the Diocese and can explain this better than I can. Bottom line, this will not negatively affect the parish. I know that this might cause some fear and anxiety in our community, I am sorry for that. Please know I have every intention in returning to our community. I look forward to continuing the good work that God has called us to do. In the meantime, I give profound thanks to our parish leadership for their work in keeping things going, and to all our volunteers who work so diligently in the ministries of our community. We are blessed indeed. I ask your prayers for my continued recovery, especially for patience as being couch-bound is wearing rather thin. Please know that you all remain in my prayers as well. With my abiding gratitude.

Amanda Scott Senior Warden Dear People of St Thomas, Summer brings so many memories of the hope and promise of grand adventures, when you’re carefree and have no responsibilities. When I was in elementary school, my friends and I would wander about the neighborhood, feral, without boundaries, drinking from the hose, living off of freeze pops, and making sure we were home by 8:00. There was no real structure and days could be wiled away. When I was a teenager, I read Stephen King novels borrowed from the library, watched Baywatch, and made homemade caramel popcorn when a new miniseries was on ABC, CBS, or NBC in between my time working the drive-thru at the local McDonald’s. My brothers and I were raised by our mom and grandmother. Money was tight and dreams of fancy summer vacations were just that - dreams. We worked, we ate at the dinner table each night, and watched TV for entertainment. No grand adventures there and not too exciting to my teenage brain. As I got older, I decided to become a teacher. An English teacher, to be exact. I’m sure reading well-beyond-my-years books had something to do with that! With the decision to become a teacher came a tight budget. Like my mother, I, too, was a single mom raising my boy on a small salary. So, again, summer was a time of dreams of far away places while hanging out in the backyard with a sprinkler and some popsicles, watching TV or the stars in the sky. Fast forward to today and life still hasn’t seen me flying off to grand adventures or relaxing on a pink sand beach. My family comes first and there are college visits, taking aging parents to doctors for appointments, and visiting my mom in the Alzheimer’s Care Unit. Carefree still has not been a word in my vocabulary nor has money ever been free flowing. But you know what? That’s ok. Our lessons for this Sunday speak about the treasures in heaven. Colossians 3:2-3 states “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth, for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” That is definitely as hard a lesson in today’s society as it was in Jesus’ time. We are bombarded with commercials about the next best thing, the newest iPhone, the brightest gadget, the far-away trips. It is so hard not to think we deserve all the things. I’ve had some time for introspection these last few months since my mom went to the Alzheimer’s Care Unit. I’ve come to know my time with her as a blessing - one that she may not remember from day to day, but one that makes her happy and comforted and lets me show her love in the small things. There’s a beautiful line in the musical Les Miserables that I have found myself of late singing. “To love another person is to see the face of God.” God is all around us every day in the faces of our family and cherished loved ones. We do not need fancy clothes, trips to far off places, or nights out at the finest restaurants. We need love. We need the promise and hope that Christ Jesus has given to us. We need God in each other - in the summer nights of laughter, the popsicles and sticky faces, the stars above, and the memories of time spent together. These are not things that we buy and store up. They are everyday experiences and feelings that carry us through to the promise of what lies ahead and what awaits us in heaven. I ask you to look to the last month of summer, before the hustle and bustle of the world creeps back in and find God in each other. Because as Dante says in his sermons, we are all beloved of God. See God in the people around you and know that they see God in you. Not in what you have, but in who you are.

From Dawn Franceschini Treasurer Dear Friends of St. Thomas, Lately I have been thinking about the fragility of human nature and how we take our lives and health for granted until something happens to get our attention. Think cosmic sit-down, where you have no input or control over what is happening or has happened. You feel vulnerable in ways you haven’t before. What will I do? Who will help me? Does anyone care about me? Will I be a burden? Will I be able to return to my pre-event life? And many other thoughts that creep in uninvited and unexpected. Our faith in God sees us through all travails as we see in Psalm 91; 1-4 “Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.” Let us relax into the Lord, for He is our constant companion. Dawn Franceschini

From Jane Peach Administrator & Bookkeeper Dear Friends of St. Thomas, I want to start out by saying what a pleasure it is to work here at St. Thomas! When I volunteered to help Father Dante with the accounting side of office work, I did not know that I would meet such a great group of people and fellow Episcopalians. After helping with accounting for about a year, Father Dante mentioned that he would be looking for a part time administrator. I thought about it for about a second, and then asked if my name could be put on a possibility list. After Vestry discussion, I was offered the position. And I have loved working here ever since (September will be a year). Everyone here has been warm and welcoming. You have the best groups of volunteers that I have seen: Readers, Lay Eucharistic Ministers, Thrift Shop volunteers, Vendor Faire volunteers, Office Help, and Counters. I hope to meet more of you as I attend your services occasionally. If I don’t meet you in church, please feel free to stop by the parish office Wednesdays 9-3. Peace, Jane

Written by Vestry Member, Linda Dickey Dear Friends of St. Thomas, Our reading for this Sunday is Luke 10:25-37, the well-known story of the Good Samaritan. Imagine, if you will, that you have need to travel to a nearby city, but to get there, you have to travel a dangerous road – one beset by all manner of obstacles. Eighteen miles downhill on a winding, stony pathway, in the parching sun and dust, with little water along the way. Thieves are around every turn. To make it worse, you determine to do it alone, an unwise decision. Inevitably you come across some thieves, who attack and take everything you own, even the clothes on your back, leaving you for dead on the side of the road. In your weakened state, you see religious leaders and religious people pass you by. Finally, a member of a marginalized community, whom you have been taught to hate, approaches. You think you are done for, but he takes care of you, at his own expense, and brings you to safety. Most of us are familiar with this story in this Sunday’s gospel, but we have been taught to look at it from the other side. We have usually been the one doing the helping, not receiving it, in our version of this story. Jesus was answering the question of ‘who is my neighbor’ in a raw, real way, not in the abstract. He doesn’t say ‘those who live next to us’, or ‘those in our social class’, or ‘those whom I like’. When life has beaten us down, and we are in dire need of help, it is those whom we least expect, and those whom we may have looked down upon, who step up to help. So, in response to the question of ‘Who is my neighbor?’, Jesus states that our neighbor is anyone who needs our kindness, or gives us the same, no matter their proximity or status, no matter who they are. No matter if we feel they deserve it or not. This was brought home to me one day a few years ago in Mississippi, as my wife and I were driving in the city of Jackson. At a stoplight, an obviously high young man, who had clearly not washed in weeks, stumbled into the side of our car. My first reaction was to want to close the window and pray that the light would turn green quickly. My wife, however, got out of the car, led the man to safety on the side of the road, and made him sit in the shade. She left him with a bottle of water and all the cash in her wallet, not caring what he might do with it. This man was most likely one of the majority of Jackson residents who often gave us, as a lesbian couple, difficulty on a daily basis in that part of town, and looked down on us. Yet, like the Samaritan in the story, she displayed kindness and mercy towards him when he needed help, clearly showing who was her neighbor. Ashamed, I felt like the priest or Levite in the story. We have all been various characters in the story at one point or another in our lives, needing help from others, and giving help when we can. The Samaritan in Jesus’ parable is not just a kind individual; he is a model of what beloved community looks like—rooted in mercy, not merit; in kinship, not convenience. The Book of Common Prayer reminds us in the Baptismal Covenant that we are to “seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself”. Let us continue to do likewise this week, as so many in this community do so well, not out of desire for praise or approval, or out of guilt, but out of love for each other and all our neighbors. e. To edit this text, click on it and delete this default text and start typing your own or paste your own from a different source.

Written by Josh North, Vestry Member Dear Friends of St. Thomas, We’re now into the summer months, which means it’s time for Dante’s sabbatical. This is such an important season, not only for him, but for all of us. Growing up in the church, with my mom serving as a deacon, I spent a lot of time talking with priests and seeing how their role has changed over the years. I’ve also seen how easily priests can get burned out by the demands of running a parish. A sabbatical isn’t just a break—it’s a chance for them to rest, recharge, and explore their faith and the world in new ways. So why does this matter to us? Over the past 15 years, we’ve all heard about the clergy shortage in the church. That’s part of what brought us to this point—going from having a different supply priest each week in the past, to now balancing supply clergy with Morning Prayer. This is our moment to show ourselves, and the diocese, that St. Thomas in Greenville isn’t just getting by—we’re thriving. How do we do that? By coming together and staying connected. We’ve got some wonderful things planned, and while you’ll hear more soon, here’s a little sneak peek. In July, we’ll have the third round of St. Thomas Movie Night. We’ve already watched what pets do when we’re not home, and we’ve soared through the stars—now we’re heading to the ballpark with the all-time classic The Sandlot. Then in August, we’ll bring worship outdoors for “Prayer in the Air”—an evening of Evening Prayer under the sky, followed by a cookout. It’ll be a chance to share in something special together. This is a time for us to lean on each other, celebrate who we are as a community, and keep growing together. I can’t wait to see how we shine. Please keep an eye out for information on these events and feel free to ask me questions Beloved of God with many blessings

For the better part of the last year, I have been in discernment about what I would do for my sabbatical. Truth be told, it is hard for me to believe that the time for my sabbatical leave has finally arrived. Clergy sabbaticals are a time when clergy are released from regular ministry for the purpose of study, theological reflection, spiritual renewal, and strengthening of skills for their ministry. Sabbatical is an important part of the work and ministry of clergy. It is time for professional development, enrichment of a clergy person’s spiritual life, and a time for rest and renewal. It is also a time for renewal of one’s sense of vocation and extended study not possible during the typical work year. In the Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island clergy are eligible for 3 months of sabbatical upon completing 5 years of ministry in a particular congregation. Clergy are still granted their month (5 Sundays) of vacation in sabbatical years, as sabbatical and vacation are two different things. As I reflected on my sabbatical, I felt that being away for four months of the year (three sabbatical and one vacation) was too long to be away for where we are at this time. It would also mean missing major things in the life of the parish. I have therefore decided to take two of my three months this year along with vacation, and next year I will take my third month along with vacation. In order to be as least disruptive to parish life as possible, I’ve also decided to take this time in the summer where I will, with the exception of City Camp, not miss any major events; instead of taking it during an academic semester in order to take course work at one of our local colleges/universities. Having just celebrated our 5th anniversary of shared ministry together (June 1), and my 8th ordination anniversary (June 3rd) now is the right moment for me to step back for this time of reflection, renewal, and learning that I might return ready to lead out community in this next chapter of our life together. The work of my sabbatical will be focused on building relationships across lines of difference. I have put together an independent reading list covering a wide range of topics from: discernment, parish life, anti-racism, LGBTQ+ inclusion, political division, doctrine of discovery, interfaith relationships, and environmental stewardship. I firmly believe that as Rector, I cannot ask you all to do anything I am not willing to do myself, so I need to ensure that I am continuing to push myself to grow and expand my knowledge and experience just as I ask you to do. Through this reading I also intend to draft studies to be used in our parish upon my return. Particularly I will work on revising a curriculum specially for the Episcopal Church and the LGBTQ+ community that I first developed in college. My time away will also include retreat at the Society of St. John the Evangelist in Cambridge, MA; and a trip to Western MA to explore the way art can help unite us and expand our understanding of the world around us; and worshiping in the community that sponsored me for ordination (The Church of the Redeemer, Providence). There will also be time for me to explore new spiritual disciples, and reconnect with family and friends. You can read more about my sabbatical on our parish website . All of this would not be possible without the support of the vestry, for which I am truly grateful. I cannot articulate what a gift it is to be gone for an extended period of time knowing the parish is in such good hands. It is not just the Wardens and Vestry who give me the confidence that I can set away, it is all of you. This parish is blessed with so many ministry leaders carrying on the good and important work of our community. I am abundantly grateful to you all, know the good work we’ve been doing together will continue this summer. I also want to express my gratitude to Bishop Knisely for providing us with a $2500 grant to financially support this time. While I am on sabbatical I encourage all of you to find ways to engage in this work as well. In the parish library you will find a partial copy of my reading list and several titles available to take home to read. When I return, I will host a variety of sessions to discuss some of these books. One particular book I would encourage everyone in the parish to read is Killers of the Flower Moon. Copies of this book are available in the parish library. On Saturday, September 13 Amanda Scott will lead us in conversation to reflect on this book and the issues it raises. Later in the fall we will also take a field trip in connection with the book and gather to watch the movie it inspired. If reading is not your things, there are other ways you can share in this work. Take time to volunteer with City Camp and spend time getting to know the amazing campers whose lived experience is different than what most of us know. Maybe you are feeling up for a field trip of your own and want to visit one of the other faith communities in our area. Rhode Island is home to a wide variety of faith traditions beyond Christianity, all doing wonderful things for in our state. Or find something who things differently than you do and invite them to coffee where you can listen to their story and learn from their experience. Maybe you want to take this time for your own spiritual renewal. Take time to pray, and recommit yourself to your relationship with God. Be faithful in attendance here at St. Thomas, explore options for personal devotion in the Book of Common Prayer, or find other forms of prayer - spending time in nature, listening to music, create something, cook, or whatever else helps you connect with God. I hope to return this fall strengthened and renewed for the next chapter of our ministry together. As I said before, I say again - I cannot wait to see what God has in store for us next.

We have arrived at the end of our celebration of Eastertide. This Sunday is the Day of Pentecost, the 50th day after Easter Day, and the conclusion of this season. On the Day of Pentecost, a principal feast day on the Church calendar, we celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit to the Church. We read in the Acts of the Apostles that on this day “all of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability” (Acts 2:4, NRSV). This enabled them to preach the Good News of God to every family, language, people, and nation in languages the people could understand. After this moment, as Peter addresses the crowds, those who believed in his message were baptized, and about three thousand people were added to the household of God (Acts 2:41). As we gather on Sunday to celebrate the Day of Pentecost, we will share in the tradition of welcoming others into the household of God. At our 10:00am liturgy we will baptized Hope and Tanner. As we rejoice with Hope, Tanner, and their families, all os us (at both services) will have the opportunity to renew our own baptismal vows. Once more we will proclaim, “I will, with God’s help” as we recall the ways we have been called to live in this world by virtue of our baptism. These vows create the framework we are called to live by, the reference points we follow as we make decisions for our daily life and work. In the midst of the uncertainty and chaos of the world around us, it is especially appropriate to refocus ourselves on practicing this way of life. As we celebrate this great festival day, as we prepare to renew our vows, I hope you will some some time reflecting on how God is calling you to live out these promises in your life personally and in our life collectively. How will you, and how will we . . . . . . continue in the apostles’ teaching and fellowing, in the breaking of the bread and in the prayers? . . . persevere in resisting evil, and whenever you fall into sin, repent and return to the Lord? . . . proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ? . . . seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself? . . . strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being? With God’s help, and only with God’s help, we can live this way of love. When we commit ourselves to this way, when we commit ourselves to God, we might just find that our hearts have been set aflame by the power of the Holy Spirit. When that happens - the world better watch out. For the last time that happened, 100 people turned the known world upside down.

This week (Thursday, May 29) the Church celebrates the Feast of the Ascension, a principal feast on the Church’s calendar. This is the day we remember Christ’s ascension into heaven bringing in resurrected body to the thrown of God. Jesus’ final words to his disciples before he is lifted up are, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8, NRSV). Jesus gives them one last commission before he departs from them, instructing them to go out and be his witnesses - doing all that they watched him do during their journey together. They are to do this not only in the places which are familiar, but to the very ends of the known world. After Jesus ascends, the disciples are stuck gazing heavenward. Then suddenly two men in white robes appear and say, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up towards heaven” (Acts 1:11, NRSV)? The disciples cannot just stand in place, they must be on their way. Given the state of our world, we might be tempted to stand still, continually gazing heavenward. The chaos and confusion around us can be so overwhelming that we want to retreat from it all; not to mention the way the myriad of emotions we feel might cause of to freeze up not knowing what to do next. Truthfully there are more times than I care to admit that my prayer is for Jesus to come again in glory, brining the suffering of this world to an end and ushering into its fullness the kingdom of God. We may wish to continue gazing upward, but that is not a luxury we, or the world, can afford. We must be on our way preparing ourselves to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. Preparing ourselves to be filled with the power of God so that we might go into the world bearing witness to Jesus in every corner imaginable. Beloved of God, come and worship this week, join in this work of prayer and preparation, come be nourished and strengthened, that we might go to every corner imaginable to proclaim the glories of our risen and ascended Lord. Rector Sabbatical 2025 It is the practice and policy of this Diocese that after completing five years of ministry in a congregation a Rector is eligible for a three month sabbatical (in addition to usual vacation time). Sabbatical is a time set apart, when clergy are released from regular ministry for the purpose of study, theological reflection, spiritual renewal, and strengthening of skills for their ministry. Sabbatical is an important part of the work and ministry of clergy. As announced at the Annual Meeting in January, I will be taking the first part of my sabbatical this summer. I believe being gone for four months in one year is too much. Therefore I will take two months of my sabbatical and vacation this summer, and my third sabbatical month and vacation next summer. I will be on Sabbatical from June 9 - August 9, vacation from August 10 - September 8, and will return to the parish on Tuesday, September 9. Over the next couple of weeks I will write more about my sabbatical plans in our newsletter. For now, I am deeply grateful to our parish leadership for their support of this Sabbatical and to Bishop Knisely for providing a grant which will fully cover the costs of this time.