26 August 2020

Dear friends,

At a recent funeral (the first in the church since February) we heard the famous reading from Ecclesiastes that begins, “For everything there is a season.”  More on my mind lately is how it ends: “That which is, already has been; that which is to be, already is; and God seeks out what has gone by.”  After six months in which it has felt as if the world has been holding its breath and time has been on pause, this seems like a good time to look back and look ahead.

My first and most important message is to say thank you.  We devoted a Carpenter’s Helper issue to this theme, but I must add my own thanks.  Many people have kept St. Thomas’s going through the COVID Spring and Summer of 2020.  The altar has been tended.  Meals have been made and delivered. The grounds have been planted and weeded and cleared of storm damage.  Pledges and other donations have continued to come in.  Our ability to share our events over the Internet has expanded rapidly.  A wonderful new chapter in our cooperation with St Nicholas’s has begun.  To all those who have made these and other things happen, I extend my personal thanks and the thanks of the parish.  Well done, good and faithful servants of our Lord Jesus.

With that as a launching pad, we are ready to begin looking forward.  Committees have been meeting over the summer to work on stewardship and Christian education for children and youth.  They will begin to share the fruits of their work soon. 

The first offerings of the adult education program for the year will also be coming up in September.  For these and other events, we are excited to be able to use what we have learned about Zoom and YouTube to make sure that everyone has a chance to participate. 

Another small group has joined with members of St. Nicholas’s to explore ways we can cooperate on service, fellowship, and worship.  Expect to hear more about this mutual ministry in the coming weeks.

At a meeting of the clergy this week, the diocesan Commission on Ministry rolled out a new program to help parishes organize small groups for the deepening of faith and the discernment of new opportunities to which God may be calling us.  I am excited about this initiative and am confident that many at St. Thomas’s will find it to be a powerful faith fertilizer.

Another diocesan group has been working on our response to racism inside and outside the church.  The first of their recommendations and the programs they inspire will be coming to St. Thomas’s and churches all over Delaware this fall.  I encourage everyone to join in this part of the church’s mission to heal creation.

And I am pleased to report that the Vestry has voted to resume in-person worship at St. Thomas’s on Sunday, September 13^th.  A group of parishioners met over the summer to produce a plan for a safe resumption of services.  This plan has been approved by the Diocese and will guide us in helping to make sure those who wish to be present for worship can do so with the least risk possible.

For the present, our weekly schedule will remain the same: Sunday morning at 9:00 a.m. and Wednesday at noon.  All services will continue to be live-streamed.  Some details of our routine will look a bit different.  Numbers will be limited and safety precautions like masks and hand sanitizing will be firmly in place.  Look for another communication in the next week to give more information and answer some frequently asked questions.

And so, friends, we approach the end of the summer with a lot to show for the odd “in-between” days we have been passing through.  I hope your summer has been restful and that, like me, you are ready for some new beginnings.  May God shower you with every spiritual blessing as we move toward what is yet to be.

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

Happy Friday faith family!  I hope this finds you all well. See the Carpenter’s Helper newsletter for the week of August 30, 2020. In it is a write up about our Solar Panels installation!  Also, the 2020-21 Adult Christian Education Program has been announced!  This looks to be an absolutely stellar program with interesting 2-4 week series, as well as some excellent special events with guest presenters.  This year, you can explore topics ranging from world religions to The Lord of the Rings to the history of our own St. Thomas’s Parish.  All of these offerings will be available in person as well as online at 10:30 a.m. on Sundays. 

This week, we will have three services.  ALL are Welcome; contact the office to have the leaflet mailed to you.

• Sunday, August 30, 2020 at 9 a.m. – Worship Service, Rite II with music LIVE from St. Nicholas on YouTube.
• Wednesday noon – intercessory prayer LIVE on YouTube a leaflet for Pentecost.
• Thursday at 7 p.m. – Compline evening prayers with Deacon Cecily.  ALL are Welcome.  Let me know if you need a Zoom link for this calming and prayerful end to the day.
• Sunday, September 6, 2020 at 9 a.m. – Worship Service, Rite II with music LIVE from St. Thomas’s on YouTube.

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

See the Carpenter’s Helper newsletter for the week of August 23, 2020. In it, you read a message of thanksgiving.  See the most recent edition of our Diocese weekly newsletter titled The Net, as well as the quarterly magazine, The Communion. And, here is a link to the Diocese’s “regathering” guide.  

This week, we will have three services.  ALL are Welcome; contact the office to have the leaflet mailed to you.

• Sunday, August 23, 2020 at 9 a.m. – Worship Service, Rite II with music LIVE from St. Nicholas on YouTube.
• Wednesday noon – intercessory prayer LIVE on YouTube a leaflet for Pentecost.
• Thursday at 7 p.m. – Compline evening prayers with Deacon Cecily.  ALL are Welcome.  Let me know if you need a Zoom link for this calming and prayerful end to the day.
• Sunday, August 30, 2020 at 9 a.m. – Worship Service, Rite II with music LIVE from St. Thomas’s on YouTube.

This Tuesday, August 25, 2020, is Ladies’ Night OUT on the front lawn at 6 p.m.  Bring your own snacks, beverage, and chair.  This is going to be FUN!  Please contact me if you have any questions.

The 21 Day Racial Equity Challenge has begun, but you can still participate.  Learn more, and sign up!

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

See the Carpenter’s Helper newsletter for the week of August 16, 2020.  In it, you will find a recap of the Great EpisGOpal Race, as well as information on our next challenge from Bishop Kevin- to become more effective disciples in the quest for equity and justice through the 21-day challenge.   See the most recent edition of our Diocese weekly newsletter titled The Net, as well as the quarterly magazine, The Communion. 

This week, we will have three services.  ALL are Welcome; contact the office to have the leaflet mailed to you.

• Sunday, August 16, 2020 at 9 a.m. – Worship Service, Rite II with music LIVE from St. Thomas’s on YouTube.
• Wednesday noon – intercessory prayer LIVE on YouTube a leaflet for Pentecost.
• Thursday at 7 p.m. – Compline evening prayers with Deacon Cecily.  ALL are Welcome.  Let me know if you need a Zoom link for this calming and prayerful end to the day.
• Sunday, August 23, 2020 at 9 a.m. – Worship Service, Rite II with music LIVE from St. Nichols on YouTube.

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

As you know, the pandemic forced Camp Arrowhead to cancel its 2020 spring retreat groups and 2020 summer camp. Some of you were personally affected and many more of you shared in our grief. Over the years, many of you have expressed how camp feels like home or that camp is your happy place. Show your support and Arrowhead pride with a special edition acrostic design shirt — C.A.M.P. Camp Arrowhead’s My Place. You can choose from six colors and up to 12 sizes. These are limited edition and shirt orders will close August 26, 2020, and should arrive at your door by September 14, 2020. All proceeds go directly towards relieving the impact of Covid-19 on camp’s operating budget. Order your shirt today!