Early on a Sunday morning in May, the main street in Dubois, Wyoming, is quiet and still. Nothing stirs but a breeze and the cold, clear Wind River as it flows along the edge of town. Sublime vistas rise in all directions -- sprawling valley ranchlands and red rock cliffs, and above all that, rugged snow-capped mountains.
It's a classic Western landscape, a vast open space that dwarfs the tiny town. All that's missing are tumbleweeds blowing across the road, bumping up to the historic buildings that have lined the road for more than a century.
But where U.S. 26 turns a hard right, heading south out of town, cars fill the small parking lot at St. Thomas Episcopal Church. A few dozen Dubois residents shake hands and greet each other warmly as they head into the 107-year-old log-cabin sanctuary for worship.
Led since 2013 by the Rev. Melinda Bobo, St. Thomas Episcopal Church is the faithful keeper of a long tradition of service and good works, one that has made it an essential part of not only the town's religious life but its community life as well.
St. Thomas may be small, but it has a very big impact on Dubois (pronounced DEW-boyz).
In an era when many traditional churches are becoming less visible in their communities, St. Thomas has for decades been a large presence in Dubois, mounting a broad array of outreach ministries and programs that would be the envy of churches 10 times its size. About 40 people attend the traditional Episcopal worship service on Sundays, but the church plays a vital role in many aspects of life in this town of about 1,000 people.
