SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2011 - BISHOP GENE ROBINSON, CELEBRANT AND PREACHER. 

The Third Sunday of Advent in the Episcopal Church goes by the slightly tongue-in-cheek moniker of "Stirrup Sunday," probably first doodled on the back of some anonymous Sunday bulletin by someone not listening to the sermon but rather reading again the words of the Collect of the day that begins,  "Stir up your power, O Lord, and with great might come among us ..."!

So we're going to "stir things up" a bit on December 11th by hosting the Bishop of New Hampshire, The Rt. Rev. V. Gene Robinson, who will be joining us at worship as Celebrant and Preacher and then for Coffee Hour and Conversation after the 11:00 a.m. service.  +Gene is a long-time friend of St. Thomas' Parish; he and and our rector, Nancy Lee Jose, have known one another for longer than he has been famous in Episcopal and Anglican circles, having met at a conference they both were attending at The College of Preachers at Washington National Cathedral more than a decade ago. 

He has been with us as "Bishop Robinson"; to kick off our Capital Campaign to raise the money for our new sanctuary; as "Gene" to eat and laugh and pray and play with us.  We are proud to welcome him into our midst again during this holy season of Advent -- and his deliciously wicked wit, soul-deep spirituality, and clear-eyed vision of what God's Reign looks like when it breaks through into the midst of ordinary people on their journey of faith together as the church. 

Put December 11th on your Calendar, and be there.  It's sure to "stir up" some more memorable moments!