St. Thomas Episcopal Church of Elizabethton welcomes a new Bishop, new members, and a beautiful new Memorial Rose Garden on the West Lawn of its historic building at 815 Second Street in “Old Town” Sunday, May 20, at 11 a.m. The community is invited to a banquet celebrating the occasion following worship.
The Right Reverend Brian Lee Cole became the Fifth Bishop of East Tennessee on December 2, 2017 in Knoxville. Cole has served parishes in Asheville, North Carolina and Lexington, Ky. He is married to Susan Weatherford, a poet, musician, and avid gardener. They have one son, Jess. The family love Southern Appalachia.
Cole will lead celebrations at St. Thomas baptizing and welcoming new members of St. Thomas and dedicating a Memorial Rose Garden. St. Thomas is a bilingual congregation offering services in English and Spanish and is active in hunger, human need, human equality, and justice issues.
“We welcome all God’s children to this place of beauty and love,” states The Reverend Timothy Holder, St. Thomas’ priest and pastor. “We stand as a house of prayer for all people.” Ecumenical clergy and friends are expected for Sunday’s celebrations.
The Episcopal Diocese of East Tennessee is comprised of some 16,000 members in 50 parishes from Northeast Tennessee to Knoxville and Chattanooga.