Carpenter's Square
2009: Bob Strauss
The following speech is from the presentation of the Carpenter's Square to Bob Strauss at our Stewardship Brunch on Sunday, October 25, 2009. While Sally Hillman Redman spoke the words, it was the work of the entire Stewardship Committee including Eric Esau, Kelly Seaman, vEnessa Acham and Tom McFarland.
Several years ago the Carpenter's Square recognition was initiated under the leadership of the Stewardship co-chairs Blake and Nancy Allison with the help and inspiration from Jean Brandt. The committee intended it as recognition of a ministry of St. Thomas Church and chose an individual who represented that ministry to receive the square on behalf of all others. During the first few years, the squares recognized the Crisis Fund's Larry Root and Christine Bailey-Kellogg, the Prayer Chain's Doris Zappala, and the choir's Doreen Williams. On that first occasion, a special Carpenter's Square was also presented to Treadwell Atkins, for her consistent support of all the ministries of the church.
In researching the history of the Carpenter's Square I discovered one comment that I totally support. The recognition of the Carpenter's Square is not St. Thomas's equivalent of a popularity contest. The person that Stewardship Committee has selected to receive this year's Carpenter's Square is a person who quietly lives a life of service in our St. Thomas community, in the Upper Valley and beyond. However, like our dear Treadwell Atkins, he too could also be voted most popular because of all the people that he has quite literally touched with Christ's love for them.
Today we are recognizing Bob Strauss for his many ministries. Now as you all look around the Parish Hall for Bob today, you will not find him here! This morning he is over at St. Paul's in White River Junction participating in their healing prayer service. The beauty of his absence is that I can say some things about our dear Bob that I might not be able say to if he were actually here with us at this moment, nervously squirming in his chair.
In collaboration with dear friends at Our Savior Lutheran Church, Bob Strauss was a leader in the St. Thomas effort to bring refugee families to the United States, receiving first a family from Bosnia and then a family from Afghanistan. It was in the settlement of the latter family (Farzana Razmovar and her three daughters) that he developed the concern for affordable housing from which the Hanover Affordable Housing Commission arose and, ultimately, the Gile Hill development--all under Bob's leadership.
Bob has been a member of the St. Thomas Prayer Chain for many years and was one of the first members of our Healing Prayer team.
Noticing that many of our parishioners lack the means of getting to church, Bob recruited and assigned drivers. While it was available, Bob arranged the loan of the Lebanon Senior Citizens van and made sure that some St. Thomas parishioners were certified to drive it.
An ILEAD leader, Bob has taught courses at St. Thomas Church in Old Testament and in the history of the Jewish people.
Last year Bob volunteered to be a member of our new Jumble Sale Committee. Through his work, Bob made arrangements with Hanover police to get us ten free parking places on busy Wheelock Street on a Saturday. He then stood outside dressed in his orange safety vest to help people safety cross the street to our sale.
We believe that it is entirely appropriate for the Stewardship Committee to recognize Bob's ministry of bringing people to church since he has literally help to expand our church. Of course, the Stewardship Committee is also grateful for the quiet work that Bob does behind the scenes to help people think about putting St. Thomas in their wills. This is never an easy topic, but one that Bob with his gentle manner makes possible.
SO, whether Bob has prayed with you in a time of need, or taught you about the Torah, or driven you to church or helped you find an affordable home in Hanover, or sat next to in church, or cheered on the Yankees with you, Bob Strauss is our man for all seasons at St. Thomas Church. His wife, Judith Esmay, a woman who can really keep a secret, has graciously agreed to accept the Carpenter's Square for Bob this morning. But we will all have a chance to give Bob a round of applause for his good works in so many different ministries next Sunday at the ten o'clock service. So, on behalf of the Stewardship Committee and a grateful church I am happy to honor Bob Strauss's with our 2009 Carpenter's Square.