22 Sep 2023

Blue Hen Bounty Food Pantry URGENTLY needs donations

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Blue Hen Bounty food pantryThe school year has started in earnest, the students are back, and Blue Hen Bounty (BHB) food pantry is seeing its highest need ever (yes, even more than pandemic levels). One thing in particular contributing to this is that we are seeing student athletes for the first time.

I took a look today, and the cupboard is almost bare. Can we make an effort to refill it this weekend? The most requested items are rice, eggs, cooking oil, soup, bread, tomato sauce, instant oatmeal, and sanitary products. Pasta isn’t going as quickly, so there is less need for that.

Just today, a student stopped by to share that BHB is what makes it possible for them to attend classes and work. Let’s keep it as well stocked as we can.

Thanks to all of you who have been donating items to Blue Hen Bounty (BHB) food pantry provided by Episcopal Camus Ministry (ECM) for University of Delaware students who are food insecure and cannot provide ample nutrition for themselves.

While you are doing your grocery shopping, please consider purchasing anything that is on sale for Blue Hen Bounty.  If you have an overabundance from your garden or bought more than your family will use, fresh fruit and veggies are always welcome.

Donations can be left in the box for BHB in the Great Hall or left in the classroom.

We even get requests for eggs.  (If you donated eggs, please place in the frig with a note saying ” For BHB”)

If you prefer, you can always make a cash/check donation – just indicate funds are for BHB.

Thanks for your support for this important ministry.

The church building is open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. – noon. There is a bin by the name tag station marked for Blue Hen Bounty donations or put donations on the tables or counters in the great hall classroom. For questions, email bluehenbounty@gmail.com. Thank you.

Thanks,
Kristin Sausville, Senior Warden

22 Sep 2023

Newark Community Days 2023 Recap

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It was a great day for Mutual Ministry with St. Thomas’s and St Nicholas!

Newark Community Day 2023The City of Newark’s annual Community Day was this past Sunday. This event brings thousands of folks together: Newark residents, University of Delaware students and faculty, and people from neighboring towns. It is a beautiful and eclectic gathering of young and old that takes place on the University of Delaware Green. Hundreds of local businesses, crafters and nonprofits set up booths, and among them was St. Thomas’s and St. Nicholas, together in mutual ministry, under the banner of The Episcopal Church in Delaware.

Our goals were to let people know about our parishes’ upcoming events, outreach, and worship opportunities. But more importantly, we wanted to be a face of love and peace in our community, living out The Way of Love. Our double booth had a fun coloring activity for children (though several “seasoned” children also joined in the fun), frisbees, stickers, candy, and book give aways, pet treats with an invitation to St Thomas’ blessing of the Animals event, and just a ton of love and laughter.

Newark Community Day 2023We met proud Episcopalians from several other parishes in the diocese, and even one group from Oregon, excited to meet some extended faith family. Many visitors inquired about “rainbow friendly” churches, invited in by our flags and pins, and were given a list of churches in our state. A few guests asked about services in Spanish, and others wanted to know what was available online for the homebound. We were also able to network with several other booths, such as Water is Life Kenya and the City of Newark PAL.

Overall, I feel we accomplished our goals of Inviting, Welcoming, and Connecting with our greater community. The mutual ministry of St Thomas and St Nicholas continues to build up both of our parishes. We look forward to more joint book clubs, holiday worship, and events like Newark Community Day.

8 Sep 2023

Newark Community Day Volunteers Needed

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Newark Community DaySunday, September 17, 2023, is our town’s annual Newark Community Day. And, because we love participating in our community, St. Thomas’s will once again have a booth. This year, we will have a double-sized booth, and our neighbors from St. Nicholas will be joining us.

Please, please consider signing up to help out. There will be an awesome t-shirt for all of our volunteers…and it is always a great time seeing our friends and neighbors out on the green.

If you are attending the event, but not working the booth, please stop by and give our volunteers a high five and some encouragement!

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

15 Aug 2023

Hope Dining Room volunteers needed Monday, August 21, 2023

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

Monday, August 21, 2023,  is our opportunity to serve at Hope Dining Room. Guests at Hope are now “dining in” so we have 2 different short shifts for which you can volunteer. The set-up and cooking shift goes from 10 AM – 11:45.   The serving and clean up shift goes from 11:45 – 1:30. 

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 kitchen on Marrows Road 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 volunteer for the things we need for the meal and for volunteers we need to carry this out. If you are donating one of those items, THANK YOU! You can bring it to St. Thomas’s, Monday – Thursday from 9 – noon, OR when you come to church on Sunday! If that doesn’t fit into your schedule, give me a call or an email and I will pick it up at your house.

BLESSINGS to you all,
Madeline Johnson    mad1240@comcast.net

15 Aug 2023

Blue Hen Bounty donation requests

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Blue Hen Bounty food pantryIt is time for the students to return to campus and to the Blue Hen Bounty cabinets – which are in need!

Thanks to all of you who have been donating items to Blue Hen Bounty (BHB) food pantry provided by Episcopal Camus Ministry (ECM) for University of Delaware students who are food insecure and cannot provide ample nutrition for themselves.

While you are doing your grocery shopping, please consider purchasing anything that is on sale for Blue Hen Bounty.  

We need canned vegetables, cereal, peanut butter, jelly (strawberry and grape are popular) cooking oil, spices, salt & pepper, personal hygiene products for both men and women, soup, pasta, canned tuna, chicken, salmon and mackerel, canned fruits and applesauce, cleaning supplies, toilet paper, etc.

If you have an overabundance from your garden or bought more than your family will use, fresh fruit and veggies are always welcome.

Donations can be left in the box for BHB in the Great Hall or left in the classroom.

We even get requests for eggs.  (If you donated eggs, please place in the frig with a note saying ” For BHB”)

If you prefer, you can always make a cash/check donation – just indicate funds are for BHB.

Thanks for your support for this important ministry.

The church building is open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. – noon. There is a bin by the name tag station marked for Blue Hen Bounty donations or put donations on the tables or counters in the great hall classroom. For questions, email bluehenbounty@gmail.com. Thank you.

15 Aug 2023

Community Health Fair 2023 – August Update

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2023 Health FairThe Second Annual Health Fair at St. Thomas’s is fast approaching.  It will be held on Saturday, September 9, 2023, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.  We have a wide variety of organizations committed to come and provide health education and information, there will be flu and COVID shots available and Narcan (Naloxone) administration training at 11 a.m.

We need help from volunteers to make this event a success. Most importantly, we invite you to attend and support the event, but we also need help getting  the word out to the wider community. Please consider inviting a friend to join you in visiting the event. If you can think of anywhere that would hang a flier for us or help spread the word electronically, please let the office know. 

We also need people to help the day go smoothly and donations of water and snacks.  If you can help, please sign-up to volunteer. 

We are also providing outdoor children’s activities. If you have any lawn games you could lend us for the day, please let the office know.

If you would like to learn about how Narcan administration can save a life, please sign-up for Narcan training. 

If you have any questions please, contact the office at (302) 368-4644.

Thank you for your help.
Philippa Sunnergren

20 Jul 2023

Second Annual Community Health Fair 2023

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2023 Health FairThe Second Annual St. Thomas’s Community Health Fair 2023 with free Narcan (Naloxone) training, Covid and flu shots, chidren’s activities, health care information and education will be held
Saturday, September 9, 2023
from 10:00 a.m. – 2 p.m.
at St. Thomas’s Church, 276 S. College Ave. Newark Delaware 19711.

Narcan training is offered at 11 a.m. and sign-up is required.

This event is open to the public. For questions or to reserve a table, call (302) 368-4644.

Vendors at the fair are as follows:

Hillcrest Pharmacy – Flu and COVID shots
Nemours peer to peer breastfeeding support
Delaware Blood Bank
Westside Health Center
atTAck addiction
UD Cooperative Extension
Immunization Coalition of Delaware
Blue Hen Bounty, a food pantry that provides supplemental nutrition to University of Delaware students who are food insecure and cannot provide ample nutrition for themselves.
Children and Families First
Pain & Prayer Project
Delaware Council on Gambling
Aetna Hose, Hook & Ladder
Delaware Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health
Heart in the Game
Delaware Ovarian Cancer Foundation
Thrive Physical Therapy
Health and Fitness Coach, Sarah Rockhold

11 Jul 2023

Hope Dining Room volunteers needed Monday, July 17, 2023

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

Monday, July 17, 2023 is our opportunity to serve at Hope Dining Room, serves a mid-day hot meal to those in need in the Greater Newark area.

We have a full roster of helpers this month, so I don’t need to ask! THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!! 

We do, however, need just a few items for the meal. Please volunteer for the things we need for the meal and for volunteers we need to carry this out. If you are donating your time or an item for the meal, THANK YOU!!!   

If you are donating one of those items, you can bring it to St. Thomas’s, Monday –  Thursday from 9 – noon, OR when you come to church on Sunday? Please mark your item and leave it on the counter in the kitchen. Sally Price will be heading up the team this July 2023. 

Helpers, don’t forget your ball caps and aprons. All of this takes place at Kingswood Methodist Church on Marrows Road 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.

MANY Blessings to you ALL,
Madeline Johnson

6 Jul 2023

Need Volunteers for Code Orange

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What is the opposite of Code Purple? It’s Code Orange. Friendship House (the agency that administers the Empowerment Center and runs Code Purple) is expecting a warmer than normal summer. In an effort to keep our homeless friends safe from the heat, they have come up with an idea: it will be called Code Orange.

IF the heat index is predicted to be 95 or above, they will call a Code Orange. It will have a permanent host church at Calvary Baptist Church, but will need volunteers from all of the churches! The duties will be light: sit in an air conditioned place and serve cool things like ice water and popsicles etc., assist the Friendship House supervisor, as needed.  Help with set up and clean up. 

The shifts will be:
M – F   10:30 – 1:30  (the Empowerment Center will be available for the guests,  after 1:30).
Saturday   10:30 – 1:30 and 1:30 – 4:30
Sunday   11:30 – 1:30 and 1:30 – 4:30

St. Thomas’s will provide volunteers for the 4th Code Orange on the 8th, 12th etc. There are 3 churches who will assist with Code Orange before we are needed. We will need 2 volunteers for each shift on whatever day we are needed. 

If you aren’t thoroughly confused yet, send me a text or an email and let me know if you’d be willing to help. Since we don’t know dates yet, if you are on the list, know that you can’t be expected to commit far ahead, just let me know if you are willing to be notified.

MANY Blessings to each of you,
Madeline Johnson

14 Jun 2023

Hope Dining Room volunteers needed Monday, June19, 2023

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

Monday, June 19, 202, is our opportunity to serve at Hope Dining Room. Guests at Hope, are now “dining in”, so we have 2 different short shifts for which you can volunteer. The first shift, setup and cooking, goes from 10 – 11:45 a.m.   The second shift, serving and cleanup, 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 Road 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 volunteer for the things we need for the meal and for volunteers we need to carry this out.   If you are donating your time, or an item for the meal, THANK YOU!!!   

You can bring items we need for the meal to St. Thomas’s on Monday – Thursday from 9 AM – noon.   If that doesn’t fit into your schedule, give me a call or text and I will pick it up at your house.

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0A4DACA72AAAFF2-hope36

BLESSINGS to ALL,

       Madeline Johnson