24 Nov 2020

Communion in Advent 2020

by | posted in: Advent | 0

Dear friends,

As Anglicans, we have a deep attachment to the sacraments.  It has been a source of great sadness that so many in our parish community have not been able to receive the Eucharist since the COVID pandemic began.  It has not been possible for all of us to gather in the church, and it was and is impractical (and not advisable for public health reasons) to bring the sacrament to everyone individually at his or her home.  But after conferring with parishioners with liturgical and medical expertise, I am pleased to have another option to offer.

On the four Sundays of Advent 2020 (November 29th, and December 6th, 13th, and 20th), the Eucharist will be available in front of the church portico from 10:00 a.m. (or the end of the 9:00 service) until 11:00 a.m.  The formalities will be simple – we will read the confession, I will offer absolution, and we will read the Lord’s Prayer (from a card to be provided), and then the Host will be offered as we do presently in church – in small plastic cups.  Masks and hand sanitizer will be in use.  The normal assumption will be that those coming to receive the Eucharist will have attended the 9:00 a.m. service virtually, but there won’t be a quiz about the sermon!

More advertising of this offering will be coming to you in all the usual ways.  I look forward to seeing many more of you in person!

Peace and be well
Howie+
The Reverend Dr. Howell C. Sasser, Jr., Rector

24 Nov 2020

Christmas 2020 Outreach with Tarbiyah

by | posted in: Outreach | 0

What is Tarbiyah?
Tarbiyah is a Muslim School located in Newark, Delaware. They are dedicated to teaching all of their students love, kindness, and respect.

What have they done during the pandemic?
The Tarbiyah School has distributed 1.3 million meals since March to children in Northern Delaware in need of food. They currently have 13 distribution sites, giving out a total of 5,000 to 7,000 meals every day, but they want to do something extra special for the holiday season.

What does St. Thomas’s need from you?
We Need Donations of:
● New Adult and Kid Size Coats
● New Hats and Gloves
● Educational Toys/Games
● Stuffed Animals
● Goody Bags – Sign Up to Donate Supplies for Goody Bags
You do not need to sign up to donate coats, gloves, hats,stuffed animals, or educational toys.

What do I do with my donations?
Donations can be dropped off in the Great Hall at St. Thomas’s Episcopal Church, or you can contact Jill Jensen at jeejensen@gmail.com to request a pick up. The children and youth at St. Thomas’s will prepare the donations for distribution. Our goal is to have all donations by Thursday, December 10, 2020.

Don’t Like Shopping?
You Can Donate Money at St. Thomas’s Online Donations.

Print and share our flyer.

20 Nov 2020

Carpenter’s Helper newsletter for November 22, 2020

by | posted in: News | 0

Hello faith family!  I hope this finds you all well.  See the Carpenter’s Helper newsletter for the week of November 22, 2020. In it, you will find a plea from me for Christmas lights, info about a virtual Bazaar, a virtual Thanksgiving, and a virtual Novel Theology meeting.

This week, we will have our three regular services and Novel Theology:

  • Sunday, November 22, 2020 at 9 a.m. – Worship service Rite II with music, live on YouTube and in-person.
  • Sunday, November 22, 2020 at 10:30 a.m. – Novel Theology via  ZOOM.
  • Wednesday at noon – Intercessory Prayer live on YouTube using a leaflet for Pentecost.
  • Thursday at 7 p.m. – Compline evening prayers with Deacon Cecily live on ZOOM.
  •  Sunday, November 29, 2020 at 9 a.m. – Worship service Rite II with music, live on YouTube and in-person. First Sunday of Advent.

As we head into Advent and the season of sharing, there will be many opportunities to give back to our community.  It will be different from our traditional Angel Tree and food drive.  One of the projects being put together is a kids’ gift bag assembly.  You can look for emails about this worthy effort, and others in the upcoming weeks.  If you have questions or if you have a project that needs to be advertised, please contact the office.

ALL are Welcome!  Please let me know if you’d like a paper copy of any of the leaflets mailed to you.  Here is a  link to sign up for in-person worship  for this week, 11.22.20.  Please do not feel pressure to return to the church building until you are comfortable.  We may be in different locations, but we are celebrating TOGETHER.

Please let me know if you have any meetings – virtual or otherwise – that you would like to have included on the Parish calendar.   

To see all events or news, visit our website, check FaceBook, or check out the posted events on the board next to the name tag station. Recent Newsletters, Sermons, or Announcements are also available.

Kind Regards,
Cana Hartman, Parish Administrator
StThomassOffice@googlegroups.com or (302) 368-4644

19 Nov 2020

Worship service sign-up for November 22, 2020

by | posted in: Worship | 0

Hello faith family!  I hope this finds you well. Here is the service program and the service program in large print for your preview. Sunday, November 22, 2020 is the last Sunday of Pentecost and Christ the King Sunday. Next Sunday begins Advent! And, Christian Education is wrapping up our celebration of Creation Season. 

On Sunday, we will be streaming LIVE from St. Thomas’s at 9 a.m. and also worshiping in person. On Sunday, connect to our worship service at St. Thomas’s YouTube channel – this is the same link each week. Please subscribe and ring the notification bell (twice) so you never miss a service. Here is the service program and the service program in large print.

Following the service this week, Novel Theology will meet via Zoom to discuss The Girls of Ennismore by Patricia Flavy.  A Zoom link will be sent Sunday at 10 a.m.  Reading this book is not required to participate in this lively discussion, though it’s another stellar choice.  Set in Ireland during the turbulent early 20th century, Patricia Falvey’s sweeping novel explores an unlikely friendship between two girls of vastly different backgrounds, as each tries to overcome the barriers set by class and birthright…

Yesterday, I emailed an invitation to in-person worship for this Sunday. with a link to a sign-up genius.  Here is the FAQ about the precautions and procedures for doing so safely.  Please do not hesitate to contact the office or Fr. Howie with any questions or concerns about this option. Each service will continue to be streamed, and I suspect many of us will still be participating from home.  Regardless of whether we are together in-person or virtually, we are connected by the Holy Spirit:  Always together; never apart…maybe in distance, but never in heart.

I look forward to worshiping together on Sunday! 

Kind Regards,
Cana Hartman, Parish Administrator
StThomassOffice@googlegroups.com or (302) 368-4644

19 Nov 2020

Letting our Light SHINE

by | posted in: Christmas, News | 0

This is a call for Christmas Lights! And, it will be followed by a call to help decorate. If you have any extra working Christmas lights or see a deal too good to pass up, please share. You can drop them at the church office Mon.-Thur. from 9 a.m.-noon or email Cana, Parish Administrator, at StThomassOffice@googlegroups.com and she will do a contactless porch pick-up.

Thanks in advance for your help! It is more important than ever, during this unusual season, that we remind our community that we are still here, that God’s love is constant, and we are filled with JOY remembering the birth of our Savior. Our parish will be participating in the2020 Newark Christmas light tour.

18 Nov 2020

Need for sleeping bags

by | posted in: Outreach | 0

Dear families of St. Thomas’s and St. Nicholas,

As the cold weather approaches, the Newark Empowerment Center is in need of sleeping bags to keep our homeless friends warm at night. IF you happen to have any sleeping bags that are no longer in use, I will put a big box outside the office at St. Thomas’s today, to collect them.  I will take them to the Empowerment Center. IF you would rather take them there yourself, they are located in the parking lot, behind the Newark Methodist Church (parking lot is off of Delaware Ave.)  The Empowerment Center is open from 1 – 3 p.m. (on weekdays) and they serve lunch from outside at that time, so you can just drive up and someone will  take it right from your car.  (no contact)

MANY Blessings,
Madeline Johnson

13 Nov 2020

Carpenter’s Helper newsletter for November 15, 2020

by | posted in: News | 0

Hello faith family!  I hope this finds you all well. See the Carpenter’s Helper newsletter for the week of November 15, 2020. In it you will find an invitation to participate in an exciting project the altar guild is working on, as well as, an update on the Annual Bazaar.

Children and Youth had a fun weekend.  The Youth had a safe gathering on Friday night with great discussions and a cool string art craft. Last Sunday, the Youth and Children had a Trunk or Treat and it was SO FUN!  Thank you to everyone who gives support to our Youth and Children’s ministries.

This week, we will have our 3 regular services, and a few other events on the calendar:

  • Sunday, November 15, 2020 at 9 a.m. – Rite II with music, live on YouTube and in-person.
  • Sunday, November 15, 2020 at 10:30 a.m. – DE Power and Light presentation, discussion of Creation Care, in-person and via ZOOM.
  • Tuesday, November 17, 2020 at 10 a.m. – 2 Saints Readers book discussion via ZOOM.
  • Wednesday, November 18, 2020 at noon – Intercessory Prayer live on YouTube using a leaflet for Pentecost.
  • Thursday, November 19, 2020 at 7 p.m. – Compline evening prayers with Deacon Cecily live on ZOOM.
  • Sunday, November 22, 2020 at 9 a.m. – Rite II with music, live on YouTube and in-person .  
  • Sunday, November 22, 2020 at 10:30 a.m. – Fr. Howie will give a presentation to wrap up our month long celebration of Creation Season, in-person and via ZOOM.

ALL are Welcome!  Please let me know if you’d like a paper copy of any of the leaflets mailed to you.  Please sign up for in-person worship  for this week, November 15, 2020.  Please do not feel pressure to return to the church building until you are comfortable.  We may be in different locations, but we are celebrating TOGETHER.

Please let me know if you have any meetings – virtual or otherwise – that you would like to have included on the Parish calendar.   

To see all events or news, visit our website, check FaceBook, or check out the posted events on the board next to the name tag station. Recent Newsletters, Sermons, or Announcements are also available.

Kind Regards,
Cana Hartman, Parish Administrator
StThomassOffice@googlegroups.com or (302) 368-4644

12 Nov 2020

Worship service for November 15, 2020

by | posted in: Worship | 0

Pentecost 24Hello faith family!  I hope this finds you well. Sunday, November 15, 2020 is the Twenty-fourth Sunday after Pentecost. Here is the service program, and the service program in large print. There are paper copies available to be mailed. If you would like one, please let me know.

We will be streaming LIVE from St. Thomas’s at 9 a.m. and also worshiping in person. On Sunday, connect to our worship service at St. Thomas’s YouTube channel – this is the same link each week. Please subscribe and ring the notification bell (twice) so you never miss a service.

After the worship service, we are continuing our celebration of Creation Season. Lisa Locke and Shweta Arya of Delaware Interfaith Power and Light will be giving a presentation on creation care. This will be presented in the church building, as well as via ZOOM.

Yesterday, I emailed an invitation to in-person worship for this Sunday, with a link to a sign-up genius.  Please also see the FAQ about the precautions and procedures for doing so safely.  Please do not hesitate to contact the office or Fr. Howie with any questions or concerns about this option. Each service will continue to be streamed, and I suspect many of us will still be participating from home.  Regardless of whether we are together in-person or virtually, we are connected by the Holy Spirit:  Always together; never apart…maybe in distance, but never in heart.

In this strange time, the church is aware that some of its members are struggling to make ends meet. If you are in this situation, please let the clergy know of your needs, pray for the church, and feel no guilt about your giving. But if you are able to give, options for giving include mailing a check to your church or online giving. See our Giving page. 

See past sermons or bulletins on our Recent Sermons page.

I look forward to worshiping together on Sunday! 

Kind Regards,
Cana Hartman, Parish Administrator
StThomassOffice@googlegroups.com or (302) 368-4644

12 Nov 2020

Worship service sign-up for November 15, 2020

by | posted in: Worship | 0

Good morning faith family.  Please sign up for in-person worship for this Sunday, November 15, 2020 at 9 a.m.  As always, we will continue to stream each service on our YouTube.  All are welcome; please worship in whatever way is comfortable for you.

This Sunday at 10:30 a.m, following the service, Lisa Locke and Shweta Arya of Delaware Interfaith Power and Light will be giving a presentation on creation care. You can participate either in-person or via Zoom and a reminder will also be sent out on Sunday at 10 a.m.

Please continue to share your impressions and ideas for both in-person and online worship.  Your thoughts are appreciated!

Kind Regards,
Cana Hartman, Parish Administrator
StThomassOffice@googlegroups.com or (302) 368-4644