12 Nov 2020

Community Outreach Report for November 2020

by | posted in: Outreach, Service | 0

Hope Dining Room is going very well on the 3rd Monday of every month. Our third lunch was served on October 19, 2020. We prepared 50 lunches (Substantial Nachos – with taco-seasoned  ground beef, kidney beans and cheese sauce served over taco chips,  with a side of salsa.)  Included in the lunch was a beautiful fresh salad (greens from St. Nicholas’s Community garden as well as fresh and colorful peppers and grated carrots). We served 38 meals and took 12 leftover meals to the Empowerment Center.

Hope Dining Room is going to give Christmas Bags to all guests who come in for lunch on December 18, 2020. Homemade cookies and hotel-sized toiletries are still needed for those bags. If you would like to contribute to that effort, you may put the items in the “Hope Dining Room” box, outside the office at St. Thomas’s.  Please let me know if you can make cookies and I will deliver them to the “packers”.

St. Nicholas is doing a Mitten Tree in January, so as the time draws closer, I will put another box outside the office at St. Thomas’s for mittens.                         

Madeline Johnson

12 Nov 2020

Hope Dining Room for Monday, November 16

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

Next Monday, November 16, 2020, is our Hope Dining Room day! Here are the duty times and jobs:
Preparing the meal: 10 – 11:45  a.m. (3 people)
Serving the meal: 11:45 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.  (2 people)
Doing dishes and cleaning up: 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (2 people)

We can only have 5 masked-people in the kitchen at any one time and serving is done from a table in the front of the room, as a “grab and go”.  Our guests come in one door and walk across the room, grab lunch, and go out the other door – 6 feet or more apart,  ALL of them are masked as well.

If you are free on Monday, November 16, 2020, we have a job for you! Here is the Sign up Genius for the fruit and dessert: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0A4DACA72AAAFF2-hope3

You may drop off your donations of food at St. Thomas’s on Wednesday or Thursday between 9 a.m. and noon, OR before the 9 a.m. service on Sunday. There is a box for Hope Dining Room outside the office. If that is not convenient for you, give me a call or an email and I will pick it up at your door.  If you would like to volunteer to help in the kitchen, please email me or call.  No experience is necessary!

MANY BLESSINGS,   Madeline Johnson 

9 Nov 2020

Pastoral Care update – November 2020

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Greetings everyone!

I am slowly getting organized in the new reality of COVID, but I now realize that instead of waiting for things to improve, it’s time for me to get moving.  As a new Vestry member, I volunteered to assist those in the parish doing pastoral care. I have discovered that not only has COVID shut down schools, family reunions, and football games, but it has also affected our ministry to our community and each other.  There will be things that we used to do that will have to wait awhile, but let’s  prayerfully consider what we can do for each other.   

We have parishioners that need meals during an illness, convalescence, or bereavement.  Some need rides to a Doctor’s appointment or someone to pick up a few groceries. Perhaps just being at the other end of the phone if someone needs advice or an ear would be a great help.  I am reaching out to ask you to consider how you can help.  It goes without saying (so I am writing it) that in all that we do, we follow social distancing, wear masks, avoid crowds, and keep our hands clean.  

So I am asking two things.  The first part is easy.  How will you make pastoral care a part of your life?   

The second part is a bit harder. What help do you need? How difficult it is for us to ask for help!  We pride ourselves on being independent and taking care of our own needs. “I don’t want to be a bother”, ” I can handle it myself.” or “I just wait for someone to figure out what I need.”   This false pride deprives us of the opportunity to practice the ministries that we are called to. 

Do you have a need or can you fill one?  Would you be willing to let Cana or me know so that we can share our gifts?  As we are considering our giving to the Church, can we also consider how to allow others to give to us? I would like to put together a list of people willing to make a meal, run an errand, or make a few check-in calls.  Whatever you are called to do, it will go on the list!  Let us know.

Jill Englund Jensen, St. Thomas’s Vestry 

6 Nov 2020

Worship service for November 8, 2020

by | posted in: Worship | 0

Pentecost 23Hello 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 8, 2020 is the Twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost and we are celebrating Holy Baptism!  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.

Following the service this week, the Adult Education presentation will continue our Season of Creation; offered in-person and online.  More info will be coming later this week.

Then, at 1 p.m., the Youth and Children’s ministry will hold their trunk-or-treat and parade, postponed from last weekend due to rain.  If you have any Halloween candy you would like to unload, please feel free to drop it in the church kitchen as a donation to this sweet event.

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! 

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.

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

6 Nov 2020

Carpenter’s Helper newsletter for November 8, 2020

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Happy Friday faith family!  I hope this finds you all well.  See the Carpenter’s Helper newsletter for the week of November 8, 2020. In it, you will find a Creation Care prayer, along with a message from Jill about Pastoral Care of our Parish.

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

  • Friday, November 6, 2020 at 6:30 p.m. – Youth Christian Eduction gathering
  • Sunday, November 8, 2020 at 9 a.m.- Rite II with music, live on YouTube and in-person: Holy Baptism of Joshua Grice
  • Sunday, November 8, 2020 at 10:30 a.m. – Adult Christian Ed, discussion of Creation Care
  • Sunday, November 8, 2020 at 1 p.m. – Children and Youth Trunk or Treat, rescheduled from last weekend  
  • Tuesday, November 10, 2020 at 10 a.m. – 2 Saints Readers book discussion via ZOOM.
  • Wednesday, November 11, 2020 at noon – Intercessory Prayer live on YouTube
  • Thursday, November 12, 2020 at 7 p.m. – Compline evening prayers live on ZOOM
  •  Sunday the 15th at 9am- Rite II with music, live on YouTube and in-person   

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, 11.1.20.  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.

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

6 Nov 2020

Worship service sign-up for November 8, 2020

by | posted in: Worship | 0

Good morning faith family.  Here is your link to sign up for in-person worship for this Sunday, November 8, 2020.  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, the Creation Season continues with a special Adult Christian Ed offering at 10:30 a.m.  This will be available via Zoom, as well as in-person.  Please look for more information on this presentation later in the week.

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

6 Nov 2020

Remaking our Altar hangings

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The Altar Guild is embarking on a HUGE and WONDROUS project. You may have noticed that our altar hangings and other paraments are really showing their age. Sad, but true. Some are in shreds. In the tradition of the many who have made our vestments, both clergy and church, we are going to remake them.To this end, we need many people who can do invisible hand hemming.

SAAAAAAAAAAY WHAAAAAAAT????

Invisible – you can’t see it on the right side.

Hand – done with a needle and thread with your hands. No sewing machines will be involved. Don’t even ask.

Hemming – In this case defined as ¼ inch stitches with perfect tension.

Before you say that you can’t possibly do this, think. Ever hemmed a skirt, trousers, or dress? Ever done any needlepoint, cross stitch, or embroidery? You have the skill!

If you will be kind and generous and volunteer to help, we will teach you anything you need to know to do this work. Get in touch with Sally Price, our head of Altar Guild, at Sallyeyemanprice@aol.com or Martha Holyoke, aka The Vestment Lady, at maholyoke@aol.com.

We cannot promise you’ll be a famous movie star. But you could have fun with the group, do useful work, and know that you were a part of making our church beautiful before God.

6 Nov 2020

Youth Gathering this Friday, November 6, 2020

by | posted in: CREW | 0

This is a reminder of the Youth Gathering & Program Introduction tonight Friday, November 6, 2020 at St. Thomas’s from 5:30 – 8:30 p.m. Please see the Evite for details.  We have plenty of supplies if you would like to come, but did not already RSVP. 

If you have any questions, feel free to give me a call.Sue Houghton

30 Oct 2020

Carpenter’s Helper newsletter for November 1, 2020

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Hello faith family!  I hope this finds you all well.  See the Carpenter’s Helper newsletter for the week of November 1, 2020.  In it you will find encouragement from the #VoteFaithfully campaign, as well as a Thank You for showing care and respect by wearing masks in our church building.  The new Forward Day by Day for Nov. 2020-Jan. 2021 is available in the lobby; please let me know if you’d like one mailed to you.

Just a reminder: DAYLIGHT SAVINGS IS THIS SATURDAY NIGHT!  Don’t forget to get your extra hour of sleep!

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

  • Saturday, October 31, 2020 at 4 p.m. – All Souls service in the cemetery.
  • Sunday, November 1, 2020 at 9 a.m. – Worship Service, Rite II with music LIVE on YouTube and in-person with guest preacher Rev. Martha Kirkpatrick.
  • Sunday, November 1, 2020 at 10:30 a.m. – guest presenter, Connie Cooper: History of St. Thomas’s Parish 1842-1980.
  • Sunday, November 1, 2020 at 1 p.m. – Children and Youth Trunk or Treat.
  • Tuesday, November 3, 2020 at 10 a.m. – Two Saints Readers book discussion via ZOOM.
  • Wednesday at noon – Intercessory Prayer worship service LIVE on YouTube a leaflet for Pentecost.
  • Thursday at 7 p.m. – Compline evening prayers with Deacon Cecily via ZOOM.  ALL are Welcome. 
  •  Sunday, November 8, 2020 at 9 a.m. – Worship Service, Rite II with music LIVE on YouTube and in-person   

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, November 1, 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.

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. 

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

30 Oct 2020

Worship service for November 1, 2020

by | posted in: Worship | 0

Pentecost 22Hello faith family!  I hope this finds you well. Sunday, November 1, 2020 is the Twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost. Here is the service program, and the service program in large print  for your preview. This is All Saints Day.  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. 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 worshiping in person 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.

Following the service this Sunday, our coffee hour guest speaker is Dr. Constance Cooper!  Connie will offer an illustrated introduction to the history of St. Thomas’s. We will learn about how St. Thomas’s got started, some of its ups and downs, the story of campus ministry, and how we moved from South Main Street to South College Avenue.  There will even be a few puzzles and surprises!  This presentation will be in-person as well as via Zoom.  A Zoom invitation will be sent on Sunday at 10:15.  You do not need to register.

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