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

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

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

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

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

Monday, February 21, 2022 is our opportunity to serve at Hope Dining Room. We will be making 60 meals for anyone who is hungry.  We begin cooking at 10 a.m. at Kingswood Methodist Church on Marrows Road in Brookside Park. We are finished cleaning up by noon and we always have fun.

Now is your opportunity to have fun in February! Please use the following Sign Up Genius for items we need. 
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0a4daca72aaaff2-hope19

You may bring your items to St. Thomas’s, on Tuesday through Thursday from 9 to noon. Or, bring them on Sunday, when you come to church. If you are stuck at home and have items to donate, email or call me and I will pick them up at your house.

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

When temperatures drop below freezing and conditions pose a threat to individuals who are homeless, a network of agencies throughout Delaware help people obtain shelter. During times such as these, Code Purple of Delaware, along with the support of the Friendship House, here in New Castle County, Delaware, will initiate and communicate a Code Purple Alert to make shelter arrangements for homeless adults. While the Hope Center has provided housing for many of our neighbors in need, during the coldest nights, there are still not enough beds. So, as in years past, St. Thomas’s is joining with a handful of other churches in the area to give sanctuary on those dangerously cold nights.

Last Tuesday, January 11, 2022, we hosted 6 homeless guests for dinner and a safe, warm overnight in the Great Hall. Dinner was WONDERFUL and provided by the University of Delaware. Some of our guests had 3 plates full. They were SO grateful! Everybody slept well, stayed warm and we had NO problems. There is the possibility that we will need to host Code Purple again on Saturday, January 22, 2022. Friendship House is not going to make the decision to call it, until Friday afternoon. It will be our turn to cover it, IF it happens, and looking at the weather forecast ….. we just want to be ready – in case.

This large, safe space is a blessing that we must share with our community. How awesome that we are able to participate in Code Purple! If you would like to learn more, or are interested in volunteering, please reach out to Madeline Johnson at mad1240@comcast.net

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

Monday, January 17, 2022 is our opportunity to serve at Hope Dining Room  We begin cooking at 10 a.m. at Kingswood Methodist Church on Marrows Road in Brookside Park. We are finished cleaning up by noon and we always have fun.

Now is your opportunity to have fun in January! Below is a link to a Sign Up Genius for items we need.  https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0A4DACA72AAAFF2-hope18  

You may bring your items to St. Thomas’s, on Tuesday through Thursday from 9 to noon. Or, bring them on Sunday, when you come to church. If you are stuck at home and have items to donate, email or call me and I will pick them up at your house.

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