21 Mar 2023

Easter 2023 Flower Dedications

by | posted in: Easter | 0

It’s time to think about Easter 2023 flowers. It is a St. Thomas’s tradition to decorate the sanctuary with heavenly bounties of fresh florals. I can almost smell them now. A list of dedications is printed in the back of the Easter bulletin to share all of our Thanksgivings and Memorials with our faith family.

If you would like to make a dedication, you may our giving page and complete this donation form. You may choose to mail it in or drop by the office (if I’m not in, please leave it in the box on the front of the office door). I will have extra forms available on the bulletin board in the lobby. The suggested donation is $40, however, all gifts are deeply appreciated. Please let me know if you have any questions. Please mail it back, or bring it to the parish office no later than Saturday, April 1, 2023. 

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

21 Mar 2023

Worship and weekly news – March 26, 2023

by | posted in: News, Worship | 0

Hello faith family! This Sunday is the Fifth Sunday in Lent – March 26, 2023, Year A.

Weekly News

See our Carpenter’s Helper Newsletter for this week, which has info on …
Interactive Stations of the Cross,
Philadelphia Museum of Art Trip,
Noisy Sundays – bring your change!,
Many ways to show love to our neighbors,
2 Saints Readers Program April 2023,
Holy Week Worship Schedule,
Good Friday Children’s event,

Easter 2023 Flower Donations, and
Annual Meeting 2023 and Vestry Nominations.

Fifth Sunday in LentOur weekly Worship schedule

This Sunday’s Worship Schedule

Growth and Fellowship

In this strange pandemic 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 our church or online giving.

If you have anything to add to the Parish calendar or the Carpenter’s Helper newsletter, please email the office at StThomassOffice@googlegroups.com.

To see worship, events or news, see our website, FaceBook, InstaGram, YouTube, or the posted events on the board next to the name tag station. Recent Newsletters, Sermons, or Announcements are also available.

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.

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

19 Mar 2023

Good Friday 2023 Offering for Children and Families

by | posted in: Children's Ministries | 0

We had such a wonderful time last year. St. Thomas’s Children’s Ministries is once again offering a Holy Week inspired event for children ages 4-11 and their families on Good Friday.  See the flyer for the event. This Good Friday Gathering for Children and Families will be held from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and will include a snack.

I hope that many of our families with children will include this event in your Holy Week calendar. It will be a great way to allow your child to fellowship with friends and to experience Holy Week with developmentally appropriate activities. 

Please feel free to share this information with friends who do not attend St. Thomas’s and with other churches with whom you may be affiliated. We love visitors!!  Anyone can RSVP online, use contact information on the flyer, or contact me via email or phone. 

ALSO, If you are an adult who is willing to help with activities, that would be great. Please let me know that too. 

RSVP for Children’s Event:      https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0C4CAAA62CAB9-stthomas6
Share Good Friday Children’s flyer with friends!

Blessings, 

Belinda Young-Payne

17 Mar 2023

Worship and weekly news – March 17, 2023

by | posted in: News, Worship | 0

Hello faith family! This Sunday is the Fourth Sunday in Lent – March 19, 2023, Year A.

Weekly News

See our Carpenter’s Helper Newsletter for this week, which has info on …
Interactive Stations of the Cross,
Philadelphia Museum of Art Trip,
Noisy Sundays – bring your change!,
Many ways to show love to our neighbors,
2 Saints Readers Program April 2023,
Holy Week Worship Schedule,
Good Friday Childrens event, and
Annual Meeting 2023 and Vestry Nominations.

Fourth Sunday in LentOur weekly Worship schedule

This Sunday’s Worship Schedule

Growth and Fellowship

In this strange pandemic 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 our church or online giving.

If you have anything to add to the Parish calendar or the Carpenter’s Helper newsletter, please email the office at StThomassOffice@googlegroups.com.

To see worship, events or news, see our website, FaceBook, InstaGram, YouTube, or the posted events on the board next to the name tag station. Recent Newsletters, Sermons, or Announcements are also available.

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.

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

17 Mar 2023

Holy Week 2023 Worship Schedule

by | posted in: Easter, Worship | 0

All services in-person at St. Thomas’s unless otherwise noted and on YouTube. A printable Holy Week schedule is available.

Palm Sunday, April 2, 2023
Worship and Holy Eucharist services at 8:00 & 10:30 a.m.
Evening Worship 7:00 p.m. on YouTube.
The Liturgy of the Palms and distribution of palms will take place at both services and palms will be available later in the day.

Monday, April 3, 2023
Holy Eucharist 5:00 p.m.
A quiet, spoken service with prayers from the Eastern Orthodox Service of the Bridegroom (Matthew 25:1-13)

Tuesday, April 4, 2023
Holy Eucharist with anointing for healing 5:00 p.m.
A quiet, spoken service with prayers and anointing for healing.

Wednesday, April 5, 2023
Holy Eucharist 12:00 Noon
Solemn Evensong 7:00 p.m.
Our usual Wednesday midday Eucharist worship service with intercessory prayer. In the evening, a chanted worship service of evening prayer.

Maundy Thursday, April 6, 2023
Holy Eucharist with stripping of the altar and watch 7:00 p.m.
This evening we celebrate the Eucharist, remove the ornaments in the church in preparation for Good Friday and reserve the Blessed Sacrament on the Altar of Repose. The church will be open continuously (live and by YouTube) until 9:00 a.m. Friday morning for those who wish to follow Our Lord’s request that we watch with Him “one brief hour.” (Matthew 26:40).

Good Friday, April 7, 2023
Good Friday Children’s event 9 a.m.-Noon
Good Friday Liturgy 12:00 Noon at St. Nicholas, Newark
Stations of the Cross 7:00 p.m.
The principal Good Friday Liturgy will be observed at noon, with the solemn collects and Eucharist from the Reserved Sacrament. The evening service will be the traditional Christian cycle of prayers on the Way of the Cross.

Holy Saturday, April 8, 2023
Reconciliation (Confession) from 2:00-4:00 p.m.
Great Vigil of Easter worship service at 8:00 p.m. at St. Thomas’s with St. Nicholas’s
There will be an opportunity for private confession during the afternoon as a way of becoming fully prepared to celebrate Easter. In the evening, we will gather for the Church’s most solemn observance – waiting and watching for Our Lord’s resurrection. We will light the new Paschal fire, renew our baptismal promises, and make a joyful noise (bring bells!).

Sunday of the Resurrection, April 9, 2023
Worship and Holy Eucharist services at 8:00 & 10:30 a.m.

13 Mar 2023

Hope Dining Room volunteers needed Monday, March 20, 2023

by | posted in: Outreach, Service | 0

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

Monday, March 20, 2023, is our opportunity to serve at Hope Dining Room.  Guests at Hope, are now “dining in” so we have 2 different short shifts that you can volunteer for. The cooking shift goes from 10 – 11:45 a.m. The serving and cleanup shift, goes from 11:45 – 1:30 p.m.

If you’d like to help, please bring an apron and a ball cap. We would LOVE to see you! All of this takes place at Kingswood Methodist Church on Marrows Rd. in Brookside Park. It is a team effort, lots of fun and it makes you feel so good to feed people who really appreciate it.

Please sign up to donate things we need for the meal, which may be brought to St. Thomas’s on Monday – Thursday between 9 and noon OR when you come to church on Sunday.  If that doesn’t work for you, give me a call and I will pick it up at your house.

Blessings to ALL of you,
Madeline Johnson

7 Mar 2023

Coffee Hour Signup for 10:30 a.m. Worship Service

by | posted in: News | 0

Hello St. Thomas saints!

We would like to resurrect Coffee Hour after the 10:30 a.m. worship service on Sundays.  Anybody can do it.  If you need instructions on how to use a Mr. Coffee machine, please get in touch with me and I would be happy to help you. 

We have been serving a plate of cookies (can be right out of the box!) and a bowl of crackers (for those who prefer no sugar).  Keeping it VERY simple  –  just an opportunity to “catch up” with people we haven’t seen. I also bring a bottle of juice for the kids and a small carton of half and half. We have coffee in the pantry and paper, hot and cold cups in the kitchen, as well as napkins.

The Mr. Coffee machine takes 10 minutes to brew a pot and we haven’t needed more than 1 pot.

Here is the Sign Up Genius:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0a4daca72aaaff2-coffee#/

        I am happy to walk, anybody who would like to give it a try, through it.

MANY Blessings to you all,

        Madeline Johnson       mad1240@comcast.net

3 Mar 2023

Worship and weekly news – March 5, 2023

by | posted in: News, Worship | 0

Hello faith family! This Sunday is the Second Sunday in Lent – March 5, 2023, Year A.

Weekly News

See our Carpenter’s Helper Newsletter for this week, which has info on …
Interactive Stations of the Cross,
Philadelphia Museum of Art Trip,
Noisy Sundays – bring your change!,
Many ways to show love to our neighbors,
2 Saints Readers Program April 2023, and
Annual Meeting 2023 and Vestry Nominations.

Our weekly Worship schedule

This Sunday’s Worship Schedule

Growth and Fellowship:

In this strange pandemic 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 our church or online giving.

If you have anything to add to the Parish calendar or the Carpenter’s Helper newsletter, please email the office at StThomassOffice@googlegroups.com.

To see worship, events or news, see our website, FaceBook, InstaGram, YouTube, or the posted events on the board next to the name tag station. Recent Newsletters, Sermons, or Announcements are also available.

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.

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

3 Mar 2023

Philadelphia Museum of Art Trip

by | posted in: News | 0

Philadelphia Museum of ArtThere are always outstanding exhibits to be seen at the Philadelphia Museum of Art but specifically, we will be taking this trip to see Glencairn, built by a religious community in 1885, serves as a museum itself. Displaying an outstanding collection of medieval objects, religious art and other objects significant to religious history, it provides visitors to explore the religious beliefs and practices of a variety of cultures and eras. While renovating, many pieces from this collection will be displayed at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

The trip will be on Saturday, May 6, 2023 from 9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.

We will be taking the Amtrak train from Newark at a cost of $14 for a round trip.

Museum entry fee varies:
Adults $25
Seniors (65 & over) $23
Students with valid ID $14
18 years old and under are FREE

Train and museum fees are due to the St. Thomas’s Office by April 22, 2023. See Fr. Howie if you need assistance with these costs. Please also budget for lunch and an uber in Philly Medieval Treasures from the Glencairn.

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

3 Mar 2023

Interactive Stations of the Cross 2023

by | posted in: Lent, News | 0

When I was a girl the only thing I knew about The Stations of the Cross were vague references from my Roman Catholic friends. Sometimes I would see Roman numerals around the perimeters of Catholic or Episcopal churches and figured out they were for the purpose of marking the Stations.

When I arrived at St. Thomas’s I learned that on Good Friday a small group of folks would “walk the stations.” But I didn’t “get it” until I attended my first National Youth Workers Convention and visited an exhibit in a prayer space that provided INTERACTIVE Stations of the Cross, designed by Lilly Lewin. That’s when they became meaningful to me. Each stop of Jesus’ journey from where Pilate dismissed him by washing his hands to where he was laid in the tomb was interpreted with an action or space for reflection.

That’s when I started to make the connection. You literally wash your hands. You make a cross and carry it. You stop where Jesus stumbled and think on things that make you stumble. Where Jesus met his mother you remember things that are on your heart. You pray for folks who are ill or in trouble at another stop. You make an image of the cross where Veronica legendarily wiped Jesus’ face and where he left his image on her cloth. You mourn with the women of Jerusalem and stop to mark hurt places in the world. You drink vinegar and drive nails. You experience the torn curtain of the Temple. You imagine how it would feel to have your dead son laid in your arms. You smell spices at the Tomb. And there is a 15th Station that shows the promise of the Resurrection.

Interactive Stations of the Cross have been installed at St. Thomas’s and will remain until the evening of Good Friday. If this sounds like something that you would like to participate in, as a way to mark your Lent, or as a way to think about Jesus’ suffering on his way to his death, I urge you to visit them, placed around the edges of the sanctuary. There are ways that groups and individuals can experience this.

You can visit anytime the church building is open, before or after worship on Sundays, or during office hours: during Monday – Thursday 9-2. You can make arrangements for weekend or evening visits by calling the church office: 302-368-4644. You can also ask for someone to be there with you to answer questions or just to be present.

Sally Price, Parishioner