9 Aug 2022

Hope Dining Room volunteers needed Monday, August 15, 2022

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

Monday, August 15, 2022 is our opportunity to serve at Hope Dining Room to “serve a midday hot meal with dignity, to those in need in the Greater Newark Delaware area.”  They are now having guests “Dine In” instead of serving “Grab and Go”, as we did during the pandemic. All of this takes place at Kingswood Methodist Church on Marrows Road in Brookside Park, Newark.

I have changed the shifts to a cooking shift from 10 – 11:45 a.m. and a serving and cleanup shift from 11:45 – 1:30 p.m.    Please sign up to donate or help. 

If you would like to help serve, please bring an apron and a ball cap. It is a TEAM effort to cook meals and serve them to people who really appreciate them.  It’s actually lots of fun!  Come and give it a try – it will make your day!

Please sign up to donate. Father Howie is making his famous secret-recipe cake (VERY popular with our guests!!!), so I don’t need to ask for cookies this month! If you are donating fruit cups, you may bring them to St. Thomas’s on Monday – Thursday between 9 – noon OR bring them when you come to church on Sunday morning.  If those times don’t work for you, give me a call or email and I will pick them up at your house.

Blessings to all – stay cool,
Madeline Johnson     mad1240@comcast.net

4 Aug 2022

School Supplies Drive

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School Supplies DriveSt. Nicholas and St. Thomas’s are partnering up to collect school supplies for two local elementary schools: Jennie Smith and Brookside Elementary.

If you are able to provide any of these items, it will greatly help.

  • #2 pencils
  • Notebooks
  • Crayons
  • Erasers
  • Sharpeners
  • Highlighters
  • Protractors
  • Rulers

Leave your donation in the box In the St. Thomas’s lobby by Thursday, September 8. 2022.

Madeline Johnson     mad1240@comcast.net

13 Jul 2022

Hope Dining Room volunteers needed – Monday July 18, 2022

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

Next Monday, July 18, 2022, is our opportunity to serve at Hope Dining Room. They are now having guests “Dine In” instead of serving “Grab and Go”, as we did during the pandemic. All of this takes place at Kingswood Methodist Church on Marrows Road in Brookside Park. 

I have changed the shifts to a Cooking Shift (10 – 11:30 a.m.) and a Serving and Cleanup Shift (11:30 – 1:00 p.m.). Also, we will need 2 people to set up table cloths and flowers and also 2 people for cleanup and 2 to refill items on the tables during the reception. If you would email Sally Price with your willingness to help with those jobs, we would be SO appreciative. Her email is sallyeymanprice@gmail.com

Below, you will find a link for things we need – AND helpers!  If you would like to help, bring a ball cap and an apron and we would LOVE  to see you. It is a TEAM effort to cook meals and serve them to people who really appreciate them. It’s actually lots of fun! Come and give it a try – it will make your day!

If you are donating one of the items we need, you may bring it to St. Thomas’s on Monday – Thursday from 9 – 12,  OR bring it Sunday morning when you come to church!  If those times don’t work for you, give me a call or email and I will pick them up at your house.

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0A4DACA72AAAFF2-hope24

BLESSINGS to all,

Madeline Johnson     mad1240@comcast.net

8 Jul 2022

A successful Cooking for Two community outreach event

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As part of St. Thomas’s commitment to providing for University of Delaware students who are food insecure, we are always looking for new ways to extend our food resources. To that end, we have joined with the Delaware Cooperative Extension to offer classes to learn to prepare nutritious, easy meals.

Cooking for One or TwoWe had our first class in June 2022 which was open to all members of the community. The theme was Cooking for One or Two. We made shrimp stir fry, broccoli salad and apple pie, Not only did we learn some new recipes, but it was a great to sit and share a meal with others!

Next class is Crock Pot Cooking which will be scheduled for Fall 2022. Using a crock pot is an easy way for busy people to make a nutritious meal and the Cooperative Extension has many great recipes for all tastes and budgets. Currently, we are collecting crock pots to use in this class and then to add to our Blue Hen Bounty supplies to give to students along with the ingredients for a meal. Blue Hen Bounty is a food pantry that provides supplemental nutrition to  University of Delaware students who are food insecure and cannot provide ample nutrition for themselves.

We will be publishing further information about upcoming classes so stay tuned.

14 Jun 2022

Hope Dining Room volunteers for June 20, 2022

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

Next Monday, June 20, 2022 is our opportunity to serve at Hope Dining Room. For the first time since before the pandemic, we will be “Dining In”  instead of serving “Grab and Go”. 

I have divided the “Helper” section into 2 shifts: 
10 – 11:30  a.m.    for  Cooking and Set Up
11:30 – 1:30 p.m.  for Serving and Clean Up

This is a terrific opportunity to serve some people who REALLY appreciate it!   It always makes me feel good!

We begin cooking at 10 a.m. at Kingswood Methodist Church on Marrows Road in Brookside Park. Bring an apron and a ball cap.

See the Sign Up Genius for things and people we need.  Father Howie is making his famous secret recipe cake for our guests!!!

You may bring your donations of fruit cups to St. Thomas’s on  Monday – Thursday between 9-noon OR when you come to church on Sunday! If you can’t make those times, give me a call or an email and I will pick them up at your house.

Many Blessings to you all,

Madeline Johnson     Mad1240@comcast.net   

13 May 2022

Succulent plant sale a success

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Thank you to everyone who made our 2022 first annual St. Thomas’s succulent sale a success! Together, we were able to donate close to $500 to help those impacted by the turmoil in Ukraine.

This year, the alter of repose was adorned with small succulent plants, grown by a local Newarkian, Iris Pangan (Instagram: iris.gardens). Please keep Iris in mind for your local plant needs!

Since succulents can survive harsh conditions such as extreme temperatures and water scarcity, they are associated with resilience and survival. On Good Friday, April 1, 2022, these plants, associated with everlasting love, endurance and loyalty were available for donation.

100% of the donations were sent to WineToWater.org. Wine To Water is a non-profit, working in Ukraine and neighboring countries to distribute water filters to families displaced and under attack in this crisis. Their networks are with local ground leaders devoted to helping in this humanitarian crisis and we wish support their courage.

With infrastructure and supply chains disrupted in the region, people depend on surface water from rivers, rain or untreated sources. Filters give families and shelters a way to prevent waterborne illnesses common in war and refugee camps. The filters also avoid dependencies on single use plastics which add to the environmental disaster created by a global crisis.

10 May 2022

Hope Dining Room volunteers for May 16, 2022

by | posted in: Outreach, Service | 0

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

Monday, May 16, 2022 is our opportunity to serve at Hope Dining Room. Our number of guests is rising and we will be preparing 60 meals next Monday. We begin cooking at 10 a.m. at Kingswood Methodist Church on Marrows Road in Brookside Park. We are finished cleaning up by noon.   

See the Sign Up Genius for the donations we need.   You may bring them to St. Thomas’s on Monday – Thursday from 9 a.m. – noon or when you come to any service this week.  There is a box in the Narthax labeled “HOPE DINING ROOM”.    Also, you can call or email me and I will pick the items up at your door.

Beginning next month, we will be switching from “grab and go ” meals, to “dining in”.   We will need more volunteers to serve.   It is really a team effort and it feels SO good to help people who are ALL very appreciative. We divide up the work, into very doable tasks and we always have fun!    Think about it 🙂

Many Blessings to you all,
Madeline Johnson      mad1240@comcast.net

21 Apr 2022

CPR/AED training offered June 4, 2022

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CPR/AED trainingThis American Heart Association Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation / Automated External Defibrillator (AHA CPR/AED) Course is designed for anyone with limited or no medical training who wants to be prepared to save a life.

The class is offered on Saturday, June 4, 2022 at 9 a.m. at St. Thomas’s Parish on 276 S. College Ave., Newark, DE. There is no charge for St. Thomas’s parishioners but the class is available to the public for $15 per person.

Please visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/324965248807
to register. If the class fills up, there will be a waiting list and potentially additional sessions.

What does this course teach?

  • Describe how high-quality CPR improves survival
  • Explain the concepts of the Chain of Survival
  • Recognize when someone needs CPR
  • Perform high-quality CPR for an adult
  • Describe how to perform CPR with help from others
  • Give effective breaths using mouth-to-mouth or a mask for all age groups
  • Demonstrate how to use an AED on an adult
  • Perform high-quality CPR for a child*
  • Demonstrate how to use an AED on a child*
  • Perform high-quality CPR for an infant*
  • Describe when and how to help a choking adult or child
  • Demonstrate how to help a choking infant*

Upon completion of all course requirements, participants receive a Heartsaver CPR AED Course Completion Card which is valid for two years.

15 Apr 2022

Wine To Water non-profit for Ukraine

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Wine to Water fundraiserWine To Water is a non-profit, working in Ukraine and neighboring countries to distribute water filters to families displaced and under attack in this crisis. Their networks are with local ground leaders devoted to helping in this humanitarian crisis and we wish support their courage. ⁠⁠

With infrastructure and supply chains disrupted in the region, people depend on surface water from rivers, rain or untreated sources. Filters give families and shelters a way to prevent waterborne illnesses common in war and refugee camps. The filters also avoid dependencies on single use plastics which add to the environmental disaster created by a global crisis. ⁠⁠

St. Thomas’s will be supporting this effort. On Maundy Thursday, our altar of repose will be decorated with succulents. Since succulents can survive harsh conditions such as extreme temperatures and water scarcity, they are associated with resilience and survival. Starting on Good Friday, these plants, associated with everlasting love, endurance and loyalty, will be available for a donation. ⁠⁠

You are welcome to contact the office (StThomassoffice@googlegroups.com) for information about taking home some these plants. In the meantime, you can check out winetowater.org. Read the inspiring story of an ordinary bartender turned humanitarian. And, there is cute merch…and wine for sale!

14 Apr 2022

Hope Dining Room volunteers for April 18, 2022

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

Easter Monday, April 18, 2022, is our opportunity to serve lunch at Hope Dining Room. Our numbers have increased since Christmas and we will be preparing 60 meals that day, for people who REALLY appreciate it. I always leave there with a warm heart.

We begin cooking at 10 a.m., at Kingswood Methodist Church on Marrows Rd. in Brookside Park. We are finished by noon.  See the Sign Up Genius for the donations we need. You may bring them to St. Thomas’s on Tuesday – Thursday from 9 a.m. – noon or when you come to any service this week or on Easter! If you can’t make these times, give me a call or an email and I will pick it up at your house.

Beginning in June 2022, we are going to start serving “in-house”.  Since COVID, we have been doing “Grab and Go”.     We will be needing many more volunteers and will probably break it into 2 shifts: cooks (will come earlier) and servers (will come later). 

MANY Blessings to all,
Madeline Johnson    mad1240@comcast.net