Tag Archives: St. Matthew’s Nashville

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Working long and hard with my mini me………..

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Ben, my constant assistant and I spent much of the day together with a few other good friends down in Nashville at St. Matthew’s. We were working on a special project, and it is a surprise of sorts. And though Ben is really not much help, he added moral support as he watched Veggietales’ “Lord of the Beans” probably 30 times. We left St. Matthew’s a little after 8pm, and we are both exhausted. I will be heading down there again in the morning, so hopefully sleep will visit me very soon.

There are often long days like this in the ministry, but few long days like this are quite as fun. We are surrounded by some pretty wonderful people, and even in the middle of hard work it is easy for me to see how very blessed we are. I know we are ALL exhausted, but I am sure we are also all very satisfied with the work of the long day.

Anyway, with these blessed thoughts, and Ben and I’s safe return to home, I will bid you all goodnight. My hope is you have had an equally blessed day. And may we all enjoy another tomorrow!

Goodnight and God Bless.

Tom+

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Using the lifeboat……again.

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Though we left at 6 am to go to work in Nashville today, I did not get home till close to 11pm…..far too much for a man my age, let alone in my condition. The new facility is DONE though and you can check it out in person OR at http://www.indianaanglican.com/ Instead of trying to write and just end up rambling, Amanda called me at 10pm and told me she wrote the following blog entry! Thanks Amanda!
If I asked you to close your eyes and picture the most spiritual place you have ever been, where would it be? Think of the place where you have felt God’s presence most strongly; where you can feel the peace and serenity that only He can provide; the place where you feel your heart is most open to giving thanks to Him and you know He is there to hear you. I imagine that many people might picture a chapel that has special meaning, or a beautiful, peaceful outdoor spot where they have seen the vastness of God’s creation.

For me, this place is in my son Ben’s room. I know that sounds ridiculous, but it is the truth! Each night, when I am in his room, rocking him while he sleeps on my lap, the room is quiet and dark with only the nightlight by which to see. I can see the outline of his sweet face and hear him breathing in such peace.

But there is more to this room than just the joy of rocking my son. His room is an ever-present reminder to me of God’s power to change anything. I never wanted to have kids. I would have bet you my life savings that I would never have a child! It is only by the power and grace of God that my heart was changed and I was given the most wonderful gift of my son. The amazing part of God’s existence is that He can change absolutely anything, and most significantly, people. I have tried for years to change people (others and myself), and it never works! So imagine the power He possesses when He can change anyone.

This room is also the place where I am offered the time to reflect on all the blessings in my life, including Ben. In Mark 1:11, it reads “And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” I have read this passage many times and heard it many more at church, but it takes on new meaning to me now that I have a son of my own. And I never could have know this deeper meaning if the Lord had not changed me.

Give thanks to the Lord for the changes He has made in your life, and open yourself to Him so He can change you even more! He has great things in store for you! God bless.

Amanda

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An entry from my son Scott……..

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Hello, I decided to write my Dad’s blog today, mainly for one reason. Well my Dad’s just plain losing it. I mean really, when your Dad starts spraying weed killer on the cat, or when he yells “WATCH OUT FOR THAT FREAKISHLY LARGE CHICKEN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD” when really it was just the Burger King, you can start to tell that your Dad is just plain going crazy.

Well today, we headed down to Nashville, Indiana for a little work on our new building. My job was to remove the tile from the right side of the building. Well let’s back up just a little bit. When we arrived I saw Deacon Dan Conley on his hands and knees with a small hammer and a little chisel. Little did he know we had a spud bar. So now we skip ahead and I am on my hands and knees with a small chisel and a little hammer. Well how did that work out may you ask? Well I don’t know either, but I lived with it. After that, we painted and primed. I was totally clean all throughout, and frankly I was quite sad because of it, until I heard those six words that I really wanted to hear, “Scotty, go clean these paint rollers”…yes… So I walked quietly over to the bathroom and once the door was shut, I knew the fun was about to begin… So my hands were covered in paint. Too bad it was latex and it just washed off so I couldn’t show it off, but I was content.

On the way home was the real fun. Well first off it was my second time driving in the rain. And I made it almost all the way without any trouble. And then it happened. Well really nothing happened but it is my first time writing my Dad’s blog, so I thought that phrase would provide more affect, so I added it. And on that very suspenseful note I thought that I would end. So thank you all and hope to see you all soon.

Scotty

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A glorious day!!!!!!

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Today, after talking about it for over a year, Father Sean Templeton celebrated his first Mass as a priest on our staff. It was in Nashville, the smallest of our congregations, but what a wonderful witness even that is. To make it all even better, we met down their early and signed a new lease for our very first 24/7 facility. St. Matthew’s Nashville will be known as St. Matthew’s Anglican Church and Conference Centre in just a few weeks!

Some days God’s blessings seem hard to see, but certainly not today! We had such a wonderful day, and everyone seemed pretty darn happy too! It just reflected how God’s Vision so often exceeds our own. You know, I would have not ever imagined we would have celebrated a day like today two years ago, yet here we are. And I believe that if we just keep the faith and continue to move ahead the Lord will bless us even more in the future!

I give thanks to God today for Father Sean, and for the wonderful people I am privileged to walk among. God has blessed us greatly, and we get to celebrate with Father Sean twice tomorrow too! Yee hah!

Goodnight my friends, and God bless! I hope your day was also filled with God’s many blessings!

Fr. Tom+