THE EPISTLE:

August 14, 2025

St. Thomas' Rally Day Sunday is THIS SUNDAY, August 17th, and it is going to be a great day of worship, food, and fun for everyone!

We will have ONE MORNING EUCHARIST for Rally Day at 10 AM to bring our entire church family together, with special Southern Gospel Music led by our choir and our talented Gospel pianist/organist, Sam Wright!

After worship, we will all move to the Parish Hall for a special Rally Day Lunch, with pulled pork BBQ prepared by our very own BBQ Bandits Ministry and a full choice of excellent side dishes put together by our Fellowship Committee team!

And while you're enjoying your lunch, be sure to check out the St. Thomas Ministry Fair, organized this year by our Invite, Welcome, & Connect (IWC) Ministry Committee! The Ministry Fair will again highlight many of our committees, guilds, ministry groups, and Fall programs. New this year, thanks to IWC, a Ministry Fair game has been added to the fun! Visit our many ministries on display in the Parish Hall to win a special prize! See the IWC table in Information Hall on your way into lunch for a game card and details!

Finally, for the young and young-at-heart, what kind of Rally Day would it be without A WATER SLIDE & A BOUNCY HOUSE outside on the south lawn!?! And this Rally Day Sunday, in addition to the Water Slide and the Bouncy House, we will also have A DUNK TANK & THE KONA ICE TRUCK! Our Children's Ministry Coordinator, Laura Beth, and our Youth Minister, Ethan, will have a limited number of tickets for free Kona Ice to hand out between 11:30am and 1:30pm on Rally Day, so be on the lookout.  Of course, additional sno-cones may be purchased directly from the Kona Ice truck anytime!

IT'S GOING TO BE AN AMAZING RALLY DAY SUNDAY AT ST. THOMAS THIS SUNDAY MORNING BEGINNING AT 10AM, SO DO NOT MISS IT!

AND PLEASE INVITE YOUR FRIENDS & NEIGHBORS TO JOIN YOU!

Mom's Group

TONIGHT, August 14, at

6:30 PM in the Parish Hall

Mom's Group is changing things up a bit. The first of the month is sneaky and us busy moms are always caught by surprise. Because of this, we have decided to move our monthly meetings to every SECOND THURSDAY of each month. This month we will meet August 14. With this change, we hope to have more moms who can make time to meet up!

Mom's Group is a special ministry that is dedicated to women who have children at home ages 0-18. The monthly Mom's Group is a time to come together as mothers with young children to support one another, share in the love and laughter, and help each other through the challenges and struggles that motherhood brings. Being a mom is not always easy, so one night a month we come together to ask the good Lord for patience and strength and to lean on one another in this shared experience. Please bring a mom friend!

St. Thomas is going out to the Ballgame on Sunday, August 31,

Order Tickets TODAY!

Join us for our annual parish outing to a Rocket City Trash Pandas baseball game! The Trash Pandas will be taking on the Columbus Clingstones at Toyota Field with first pitch at 2:35 p.m. The St. Thomas Choir will be singing the National Anthem before the first pitch, so plan to arrive a little early to see them sing. Gates open at 1:30 p.m.  

Tickets are $17.44 each and are required for persons 3 years and older. Children 2 years and under can sit in a parent's lap and not be ticketed. Purchase your ticket(s) through this Realm link by Monday, August 18th to guarantee we can be seated together in Section 10. Checks should be made payable to St. Thomas Episcopal Church with Trash Pandas Game in the memo line. Ticket(s) will be distributed at church after payment has been received. Financial assistance is available to those in need. Contact stthomas@stthomashuntsville.org for information.

Sisters in Faith

Wednesday, August 20

5:30 PM in the Parish Hall

Join us to celebrate summer and each other with a "campfire" circle. Please bring a camp chair if you have one! No camp chair? Come anyway and see what Ruth and Paige have in store for the Sisters in Faith this month. Bring a friend! Questions? Call Ruth Erwin at (256) 337-2564 or Paige Vaughn (256) 527-6098.

Sunday Suppers Are Back!

Beginning Sunday, September 7

On Sunday, September 7, we will have our first Sunday Supper of the Fall. The supper will start at approximately 6 PM, after the 5 PM Eucharist. Enjoy an evening of no cooking and good company. John Callahan has graciously offered to grill hamburgers for us. We want to be sure to have enough, but we don't want to cook a whole lot more than we need. If you'd like to join us, please sign up HERE. Looking forward to seeing everyone on September 7th!

UPCOMING

Silver Saints: "A Dolphin's Tale"

August 21 at 1 PM

in the Parish Hall

Our movie for Thursday, August 21 is based on a true story with an incredibly happy ending. With Harry Connick, Jr., Ashley Judd, and others, it features “Winter" an injured dolphin who recovers with the help of her devoted human and friends. It discusses how prosthetics and love help so many of us. You DO want to see this one.

Please come join us for a fun afternoon at the St. Thomas Parish Hall on August 21, beginning at 1:00 p.m. As always, we will serve snacks and beverages, provide comfortable seating, and transport you to/from the Parish Hall if you so desire. Please join us and bring your friends and neighbors. Please give us 24-hour notice if you will need a ride. Call Jack Stokes at 256-468-2743.

LOBSTERFEST 2025!

Artisan Fair at Lobsterfest

Are You an Artist?

Showcase your talents with

St. Thomas Creates at Lobsterfest

We are seeking hand made items created by our members for our brand new “St. Thomas Creates” tent at Lobsterfest. Examples include stitching, knitting, painting, photography, woodworking, or stained glass. 

All proceeds go directly to Lobsterfest. 

Questions - please contact Donna Clark donnadfclark@gmail.com or

Maggie Hall Maggie.carter.hall@gmail.com

All proceeds go to Local Outreach and the Honduras Medical Mission. Support the cause by donating below. You can also CLICK HERE.

Registration for the Lobsterfest 5k is OPEN! Register at an early bird rate until August 1st on Run Sign Up. CLICK HERE to register NOW!

ONGOING

The Bailey Cove Farmers' Market is Almost Over

The Bailey Cove Farmers' Market at St. Thomas is here! But we can’t make this year's biggest Farmers' Market work without you! Please volunteer to help this year by signing up on the poster on the bulletin board in Information Hall. We sincerely appreciate your willingness to help out! Then start making your Farmers' Market grocery list!

Free Yoga Class

Saturdays on the Lawn

at BCFM at 9 AM 

St. Thomas will offer free yoga classes this summer as part of its Bailey Cove Farmers' Market! Bring your own mat and move your body outdoors for 50 minutes. All classes will be beginner friendly. Participants must be able to stand and sit on the ground unaided. Wear comfortable, moveable clothing. Babies, kids, newbies, all are welcome.

Training for DOK

Ladies, if you are searching for more in your spiritual life, your prayer life and are seeking more connections with God and His people (that's all of us!) then we encourage you to consider the Daughters of the King (DOK).

DOK will begin a training program of six weekly sessions of discernment for those interested in learning more about DOK. Each Thursday, beginning Aug. 21 through Sept. 25 from 6–7:30 p.m. We will explain what DOK is and how it can enrich your life. There will be study, reflection and discussion.

If this interests you, check out our Rally Day display and consider joining our order. Commitment to membership is after all our sessions. Please come August 21 to learn more! For information contact Gayle Dodson at hbd@hiwaay.net or 256-508-2651 or ask any DOK member- we all wear our DOK crosses so we are easy to identify!

As Rally Day approaches this weekend, and the Summer season officially comes to an end here at the church, here are a few photos from the last month that we think capture some of God's many blessings here at St. Thomas!

Three St. Thomas Rectors & a dedicated St. Thomas Deacon, following the Funeral Eucharist offered for Tom Atkins on Friday, July 18th. L-R: The Rev. Dcn. David Drachlis, the Rev. Donavan Cain, the Rt. Rev. Kee Sloan, and the Rev. Paul Pradat.

Phone: 256.880.0247

Email: StThomas@stthomashuntsville.org