24 Jun 2020

The Great EpisGOpal Race

by | posted in: Outreach | 0

A marathon is 42 kilometers or 26.0976 miles.  As a non-runner that sounds ridiculously far to me but we all know that TOGETHER, things that seem impossible become possible.

I need all of your help.  The United Thank Offering (UTO) is running a virtual marathon from July 24 to August 1, 2020 “The Great EpisGOpal Race”.  We will join together as St. Thomas’s team The Soul Surrenders, to race for OUR lives and the lives of those affected by COVID-19. 

  • I’m asking each of us to sign up for at least 1 km (0.621371 miles). Be sure to sign up at the Sign up Genius, or you can reply directly to me at StThomassOffice@googlegroups.com.
  • Then, send me a pic of your chosen modality(s).  This virtual race can be walked slowly, run fast, skateboarded, swam, etc.
  • And, finally, please send in your donations to the church office.  We will put them together and send it as one large team donation from St. Thomas’s. If you are sending a check, please make it payable to “St. Thomas’s Church” with “EpisGOpal Race” written in the  memo line. Or, you may pay online, check “EpisGOpal Race,” and add your information on our secure online payment form.

Everyone signing up for The Soul Surrenderers will receive a team water bottle, so please let me know the number of people participating from your household. I’m asking for a suggested donation of $5 per km. Please feel free to solicit additional donations from family and neighbors. 100% of the money raised will go to the 2020 UTO Ingathering in support of Episcopal ministries responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This is a FUN opportunity for our faith family to join together- in a safe, socially distant way, to make a positive difference.  It is a relaxed low-pressure effort that can be done at your own pace, over several days.  Everything is by the honor system.  Please let me know if you have any questions.

Kind Regards,
Cana Hartman, Parish Administrator
StThomassOffice@googlegroups.com

22 Jun 2020

Children’s ministries at home for June 21, 2020

by | posted in: Children's Ministries | 0

I pray this note finds you and your family well and safe. I pray that, with the help of the Holy Spirit, we may all be instruments of peace and safety in this world for all God’s people. Amen.

This week, we will explore scripture and activities on the themes of God’s strength and the strength of God’s love for us.In the gospel  story, Jesus reassures his disciples of their great worth to God. God’s tender care extends to every moment of our lives, showing the abundance of grace we have received. 

To this email, I have attached a kid-friendly version of this week’s gospel, several hands-on activities that correspond to this week’s lectionary, and a few Father’s Day coloring sheets. Please use what works for you and your family. There is something for everyone.   

For the next seven weeks, I will also host a weekly Zoom gathering each Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to noon (note the new time).  We will be using a new link, so that we will be able to have a whole hour for fellowship, prayer and fun.  If you have a suggestion for a game, a special prayer, or want to read the scripture for the day, you are always welcome to do so.  The new link to the Zoom gathering can be obtained by emailing me at belmar43@aol.com. (It is the same link I sent last week, with Meeting ID ending in 3152.)  I hope to see as many of you there as possible.  Please make sure that your name is displayed when you log in so I will know it is safe to let you in.

Peace be with you,
Ms. Belinda
Children’s Ministries

O Lord, make us have perpetual love and reverence for your holy Name, for you never fail to help and govern those whom you have set upon the sure foundation of your loving­kindness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

22 Jun 2020

Feeding the Homeless on Thursday, June 25, 2020

by | posted in: Outreach | 0

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

Last Thursday, June 18, 2020, with your help, we served dinner to 40 homeless friends. ALL appreciated it immensely. One wanted to know what church we were from, where it was and his message to you all is: “My name is George, and I BLESS you all for doing this.”

The end is in sight! Hope Dining Room is tentatively scheduled to open on July 13, 2020. When it does, this ministry will end. I will keep you posted. The plan for this week is Spanish rice with bacon and green beans, complemented by a fruit cup, 2 cookies and a soda. Below, you will find the sign up genius.  As always, only look at the black and gold part:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0A4DACA72AAAFF2-feeding11

IF you would bring your items to St. Thomas on Thursday, June 25, 2020, between 2 and 4 p.m., that would be great.  IF that doesn’t fit into your schedule, please give me a call and I will pick it up at your door.

MANY Blessings for your care for our homeless friends,
Madeline Johnson 

19 Jun 2020

Carpenter’s Helper newsletter for June 21, 2020

by | posted in: News | 0

Happy Friday! See the Carpenter’s Helper newsletter for the week of June 21, 2020 where you can read some snippets about Bishop Curry’s response to racism and the need for police reform, and also the Church leaders response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s June 15, 2020 ruling.  Also, see the most recent edition of our Diocese weekly newsletter titled The Net, as well as the quarterly magazine, the Communion, St. Thomas’s is mentioned in the Net: recognizing efforts to continue youth christian education during these strange times. Many thanks to everyone who participates in, prays for, and supports this wonderful ministry.

This is St. Thomas’s newsletter and I want to tell OUR stories!  Please send me your news and ideas. Want to share a recipe? A mask pattern? A book review?  Share some good news?  Interesting summer plans?  A God moment?

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

19 Jun 2020

Worship service for June 21, 2020

by | posted in: Worship | 0

Sunday, June 21, 2020 is the Third Sunday after Pentecost.  We will be streaming LIVE from St. Nicholas at 9 a.m.  On Sunday, connect to our worship service at St. Thomas’s YouTube channel. Please subscribe and ring the notification bell (twice) so you never miss a service. Here is the service leaflet  that accompanies the service. 

Deacon Cecily holds evening Compline Prayers Thursdays at 7 p.m.  You will receive another email from me this evening, inviting you to this prayerful and special close to the day.  Please let me know if you’d like the Zoom link.

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. 

I look forward to worshiping together on Sunday!   

Kind Regards,
Cana Hartman, Parish Administrator
StThomassOffice@googlegroups.com

19 Jun 2020

Children’s Ministry continues for June and July 2020

by | posted in: Children's Ministries | 0

Children’s Ministry continues for the next 8 weeks through the end of July 2020!⁠
.⁠
For the next eight weeks, Ms Belinda will host a weekly Zoom gathering each Sunday from 11:00 AM to noon. ⁠
.⁠
If you have a suggestion for a game, a special prayer, or want to read the scripture for the day, you are always welcome to do so. The link to the Zoom gathering can be obtained by emailing belmar43@aol.com. We hope to see as many of you there as possible! .⁠
.⁠
ALL are Welcome!⁠

Ms. Belinda, Children’s Ministries

14 Jun 2020

Feeding the Homeless on Thursday, June 18, 2020

by | posted in: Outreach | 0

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

Last Thursday, June 11, 2020, with your help, we fed 40 homeless friends.  ALL of them were VERY grateful!  MANY thanks to all of our bakers, food and fund donators and pray-ers. Special thanks to Teresa Coons for cleaning up the kitchen after we left!

Here’s the plan for this Thursday: chicken noodle casserole, green beans and a muffin or roll, complemented by a fruit cup, cookies and a soda.  Below, you will find the sign up genius.   As always, only look at the black and gold part. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0A4DACA72AAAFF2-feeding10

If you would bring your items to St. Thomas’s on Thursday, June 18, 2020, between 2 and 4 p.m., that would be great.   If that doesn’t fit your schedule, please give me a call and I will pick it up at your door.

MANY Blessings for your care for our homeless friends,
Madeline Johnson

14 Jun 2020

Episcopal Campus Ministry (ECM) Report for June 2020

by | posted in: ECM | 0

Episcopal Campus Ministry (ECM) held our final meeting via Zoom a week after the end of the semester. Students voted on the decision to extend our meeting to complete Into the Desert. Our final meeting was well attended, and we had the honor of meeting with Susan our outgoing graduating ECM treasurer before she left Newark to return home to New Jersey.

We have convened a new executive board of ECM with official announcements to be made at the beginning of next semester.

Blue Hen Bounty (BHB) food pantry has continued serving the community during the shutdown with a great deal of support from Cana, our parish administrator, who continues to be an incredible support. BHB has been patronized by several students during this difficult time. As mentioned in the previous report, we completed an inventory of our supplies and created a shopping list. The list was needed as we wanted to be able to ask for the items we needed and because during the last Vestry meeting, members of the Vestry requested an itemized list be made available to the church in order to provide targeted support. With God’s usual extravagant grace, a member of St .Thomas’s who has requested anonymity privately requested the list and has provided many of the items we need. An updated list will be completed after the items have been received and shelved. God continues to bless

University of Religious Leaders Organization (URLO) meetings and coordinated projects have continued via Zoom. ECM—through Cana—printed the labels for the URLO Insomnia Cookie drop, I delivered them to St. Thomas More and we have submitted our forty-dollar share of the cost to Lumos. The delivery of the cookies should take place sometime this month. Each packet will have a message from the URLO and the list of religious organizations on the label.

Please continue to keep our ECM students, all UD students, our Blue Hen Bounty food pantry and our UD community clients in your prayers during these challenging times.

With heartfelt appreciation for every member of the St. Thomas’s family who makes ECM, BHB and the though those mediums the love God tangible, thank you for your ongoing support and love.

Regards,

Denise Burgher
ECM Convening Graduate Advisor

14 Jun 2020

Children’s ministries at home for June 14, 2020

by | posted in: Children's Ministries | 0

I pray this note finds you and your family well and safe. I pray that, with the help of the Holy Spirit, we may all be instruments of peace and safety in this world for all God’s people. Amen.

This week, we will explore what it means to be a follower of Jesus, by sharing in the story of Jesus summoning the Twelve and sending them out to share the good news of the gospel. In the same way, Jesus invites us to become his disciples, sharing the good news and bringing wholeness to a broken world, starting with those closest to us. 

To this email, I have attached a kid-friendly version of this week’s Old Testament reading, a guided reading of this week’s gospel,  and other activities that correspond to this week’s lectionary. Please use what works for you and your family. There is something for everyone.   

For the next eight weeks, I will also host a weekly Zoom gathering each Sunday from 11:00 AM to noon (note the new time).  We will be using a new link, so that we will be able to have a whole hour for fellowship, prayer and fun.  If you have a suggestion for a game, a special prayer, or want to read the scripture for the day, you are always welcome to do so.  The new link to the Zoom gathering can be obained by emailing me at belmar43@aol.com. I hope to see as many of you there as possible.  Please make sure that your name is displayed when you log in so I will know it is safe to let you in.

Peace be with you,
Ms. Belinda, Children’s Ministries

Keep, O Lord, your household the Church in your steadfast faith and love, that through your grace we may proclaim your truth with boldness, and minister your justice with compassion; for the sake of our Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

12 Jun 2020

Sts. Thomas and Nicholas Ladies’ Night OUT in the Grove

by | posted in: Women's fellowship | 0

Thursday, June 18.2020 at 6 p.m., ALL the Ladies are Welcome to join in the FUN!  The plan is to maintain safe social distance by setting up our lawn chairs/blankets 6′ from each other.  Please bring your own drinks and snacks, and meet in St. Thomas’s Grove.

We will be outside and will maintain social distancing due to COVID-19, but please do bring a face cover just in case. Also, in the event of light rain, we can still gather in the portico.  If it’s really coming down, we will have to reschedule.  I’ll email updates if the weather gets iffy.

The last two Ladies’ nights over Zoom have been hilarious and very uplifting.  I cannot wait to feel that amplified when we get to meet in person!  Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns about this gathering.  I hope to see many of us in person next Thursday evening!

Kind Regards,
Cana Hartman, Parish Administrator
StThomassOffice@googlegroups.com