RALLY DAY IS COMING ON SUNDAY, AUGUST 13TH! READ ALL ABOUT IT TODAY IN THE 'UPCOMING' SECTION OF THE EPISTLE BELOW! | |
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THE EPISTLE:
July 20, 2023
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A Note from the Camp Cosmos VBS Flight Commander!
Each year as we approach the first day of Vacation Bible School, I find myself wondering how we will pull VBS off. And each year, I am reminded how this Parish comes together to show God's love to the children who come through our doors.
Fr. Donavan and I are immensely grateful for all of the volunteers who taught, lead crafts, music, and games, prepared snacks for the children and adults, decorated, greeted, and ensured that we all had a joyful, meaningful experience together. A special thank you goes out to our speakers who took time out their work days to share their insight with the Camp Cosmos VBS crew. This year, we had over 30 children with us for the week. Through the generosity of these children, their families, and some parishioners, we will fill over 20 backpacks full of school supplies for local school children through our VBS service project.
Last week was a great lead-in to our back-to-school season!
God's Peace,
Laura Beth Bestor
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Attention All Newcomers:
Social Night is TOMORROW July 21st!
If you are a relative newcomer to St. Thomas, please join us TOMORROW night, Friday, July 21, from 5:30-7:30PM in the Narthex of the church for a variety of drinks and hors'd'oeuvres as we get to know one another better! This evening will be a great way to meet fellow newcomers and get to know the St. Thomas community, as well. Childcare is provided. To RSVP, please email Ranie HERE or call the church office at 256-880-0247.
We look forward to seeing you!
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Fr. Donavan's discussion on Celtic Christianity continues this Sunday with a pilgrimage to Skellig Micheal
Join Fr. Donavan as he continues his summer Sunday morning Christian Formation class on Celtic Spirituality and early Irish Christianity, starting at 9:30am in the Parish Hall. For this week's class, he will be extending his look at early Irish Christianity and monasticism by talking about his pilgrimage this summer to the island of Skellig Michael, eight miles off the south coasts of Co. Kerry. Donavan will be sharing photos of that pilgrimage, as well as the history of the Skellig islands, from ancient monks to Luke Skywalker and Jedi temples!
If you’re interested in Celtic Spirituality or just want to understand the history of Christianity in Ireland and the British Isles, come join Fr. Donavan for this month-long class every Sunday through August 6th at 9:30am in the Parish Hall!
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St. Thomas Goes to the Ballgame NEXT SUNDAY, July 30th! Sign up for Tickets by July 24th & pay through VENMO!
Join us as St. Thomas goes to the ballgame one week from this Sunday on July 30th! The Rocket City Trash Pandas will be playing the Tennessee Smokies at Toyota Field, with the first pitch at 4:05PM. Tickets are $17.44 per person with a $2 game day credit. Payment for your ticket(s) can now be made to the Church Finance office via check, cash, or through the new St. Thomas Venmo account (@StThomasHsv). If you use Venmo, make sure to put "Trash Pandas game" in the "What's this for?" line. Tickets need to be reserved no later than Monday, July 24. We are in Section 7 behind home plate this year, so hopefully it will be cooler than last year. Let us know you are interested in going with the whole parish by clicking here: (https://forms.office.com/r/78m6sTu0LG).
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BACKPACK BOOSTERS: One final opportunity to help us fill the backpacks this Sunday!
St. Thomas will be distributing backpacks with school supplies to elementary school children this Sunday from 9:30 to noon. Thank you for your donations. We have received all the backpacks that we need but are in need of more supplies. Rather than ask our parishioners to shop for supplies, we will do the shopping for what is needed, and ask for monetary donations to help defray the cost. Checks can be written to St. Thomas with “Backpacks” on the memo line. Donations can be dropped off at the church or put in the offering plate this Sunday. THANK YOU!
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"Everybody's Pub Theology" returns Thursday, July 27th!
Sit down with the clergy on Thursday, July 27th, from 6-7:30 PM in a room just for us at PaPPo's Pizzaria, 7540 Memorial Pkwy SW, for Everybody's Pub Theology! We can guarantee great fellowship, good food, nice drinks, and hearty discussion! Text Jeannie and let her know you plan on joining us at 256-348-9918 or email Ranie at associate@stthomashuntsville.org.
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Are you looking to deepen your faith? Join us for EfM: Education for Ministry
Do you want to know more about the Bible, Christian Tradition, and Church History? Are you hoping to understand how your personal experiences and beliefs bring you closer to God and God's people? If "yes," EfM (Education for Ministry) may be for you.
EfM is a four-year Christian Formation program founded and administered through the School of Theology of the University of the South at Sewanee, Tennessee. Through study, prayer, worship, and reflection, EfM seminar groups journey together through scripture, church history, and theology.
Graduating members of the EfM Program here at St. Thomas will be recognized at the 10:30am Holy Eucharist on Sunday, July 30th, and registration for the 2023-2024 year is almost here. The St. Thomas group meets on Tuesday evenings, September to May. There is a tuition fee to Sewanee and financial assistance is available.
There will be current EfM members available in Information Hall between services the next few weeks to answer questions. Look for the red buttons "Ask me about EfM," or contact Sally Barnett at 256-651-6545 and leave a message.
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BBQ BANDITS ARE BACK!
Make-a-Wish Trailblazer Event for Patterson Place
The BBQ Bandits are firing up the smoker to support Patterson Place. This year’s event is just a couple of weeks away, on August 5th!. The website will be available for online orders (https://st-thomas-bbq-bandits.square.site) and there will also be a link on the church website. Please email us at stthomasbbq@gmail.com to get included if you are not already on our distribution list! Please see below for more information about Patterson Place.
Patterson Place is a very “out of the box” innovative vocational community for adults with special needs right here at St. Thomas! We are a place where our citizens with disabilities will continue to learn and work; being celebrated and empowered in a God-centered environment as they engage in meaningful work and service. Our program currently runs Tuesday-Thursday each week. We want to change the way our world views this population by letting these individuals create beautiful, marketable items to sell to help sustain the vocational community they enjoy every day. They will become artisans, bakers, card makers, jewelry makers, and more.
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Get Ready for RALLY DAY! Fun, Food, & Fall Program Year Kick Off!
Sunday, August 13th
St. Thomas is reworking three of our end-of- summer events - Family Fun Day, Ministry Fair, and Rally Day- into ONE, BIG, EXCITING, FUN FILLED, FALL KICK-OFF RALLY DAY on Sunday, August 13th! That morning, we will have special music at the 10:30am Holy Eucharist followed immediately by a Fall Kick-Off Parish Luncheon, supplied by our Barbecue Bandits! While everyone is enjoying lunch, information will available with sign-up sheets for all our parish ministries inside the Parish Hall. And for kids and families, we will have an outdoor picnic area set up on the southside of campus, complete with a Bouncy House for little kids, a Waterslide for children, young and old, and a Velcro Wall for our older youth! It's all a new way to celebrate and kick-off of our Fall program year at St. Thomas, enjoy our church family, and INVITE FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS TO JOIN US AND SEE WHAT MAKES ST. THOMAS THE INCREDIBLE CHURCH COMMUNITY WE ARE!!!
So please mark your calendars NOW for Sunday morning, August 13th, for St. Thomas' NEW RALLY DAY, and start reaching out and inviting your friends to join us!
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St. Thomas Upcoming Youth Events: Save the date!
SAVE THE DATE: On July 30 we will go see a Trash Panda game along with others from the parish.
And on August 4, we will go on a weekend retreat at Camp McDowell. For those that have started school already, it will be a great time to decompress, and for those who haven’t begun it will be a great last hurrah. Fr. Donavan will be a special guest for our retreat that weekend! If you have any questions, you can call Noah at 256-701-6134 or call Jeannie at 256-348-9918.
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Jonathan Daniels Group Pilgrimage August 11 & 12
You are invited to join St. Thomas as we go down Hayneville, Alabama and participate in the Jonathan Daniels and Martyrs of Alabama Pilgrimage! Participating in this event inspires us as individuals and as a parish community to carry on the work of building the beloved community. If we have enough members of the parish interested in going, we will leave on the evening of Friday, August 11 and have dinner followed by a brief Eucharist to center ourselves before a full day of events on August 12. If you would like to know more please click here for more information or to register for the event. If you would like to know more about the event, have questions, or are interested in going please email Ranie at associate@stthomashuntsville.org.
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ST. THOMAS BLOOD DRIVE
SUNDAY, AUGUST 13, 2023
7:40 AM – 1:30 PM
So many people are in need and St. Thomas is always willing to help.
Thank you for your kindness and generosity.
Tell your friends! They may be ready to give, too!
Link to sign-up online: CLICK HERE
All donors will receive a $20 gift card.
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Bring diapers for the DoK Diaper Drive this Sunday!
The Summer Diaper Drive sponsored by Daughters of the King is here! Diapers aren’t fun or cute, but they are crucial to children going into Foster Care or adults being cared for by the state. Please help! There is a box in Information Hall for collecting diapers and wipes.
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...and all women of St. Thomas are invited to join the Daughters of the King!
The Daughters of the King is an Episcopal Order of Women who take a vow to pray and focus on their relationship with God. In addition to prayer, our Chapter, which meets once a month, sends cards to the ill or distressed and assists the clergy when asked. Please prayerfully consider becoming a Daughter. Our training begins on August 24. For more information, ask a Daughter (you can tell us by the crosses that we wear) or contact Nell Fisher at nmisher10016@gmail.com.
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The Bailey Cove Farmers Market at St. Thomas is open every Saturday!
The Bailey Cove Farmers Market at St. Thomas is open from 8am to 12pm every Saturday all summer long through September 2nd!
And you can help! Sign up to volunteer for 'Set up' and 'Take down' any weekend in Information Hall. Or, if you'd like to assist, call Kim Cantrell at (256)508-2363, and she will give you all the info.
Hope to see you at the Farmers Market THIS SATURDAY at St. Thomas!
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Habitat for Humanity Work Opportunities
We are ready to insulate our houses at 3126 Andros Drive and 3127 Nassau Drive. The soffit is done as is all the water, sewer, and electrical work. Join us Saturday. We begin at 8 but come any time. Lunch is served. Call Elouisa Stokes at 256-604-8669 for information.
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Join us every Sunday at 5PM for a
"Come as You Are"
Holy Eucharist!
Every Sunday this summer, St. Thomas will continue to offer a more "Laid Back" worship service at 5pm in the Nave. Come join us for simple hymns from the Alleluia III hymnal, good sermons preached from the floor, Holy Communion, and (most Sundays) a simple dinner in the Parish Hall immediately following the Eucharist! Come as you are and invite a friend to join you for the 5pm Sunday Evening Holy Eucharist at St. Thomas.
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Sign Up for Sunday Morning Refreshments
We need your help to keep the refreshments coming on Sundays following the 10:30 AM service. Please sign up for a Sunday to bring homemade cookies or store-bought sweet treats so that we can spend a few minutes gathering after worship. Please sign up using the poster in Information Hall. Thank you for helping us keep this vital part of our parish thriving!
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Caregivers Support Group
If you or someone you know is or has been a caregiver for a loved one, we have a Caregivers Support Group at St. Thomas. This group wants to be a community support for caregivers and we welcome anyone who needs that resource whether or not a parishioner here. We have a volunteer licensed therapist, Jane Allgood, as group facilitator. We meet every other Wednesday from 1 until 2:30 pm in the Crossroads Room. If you are interested just show up then. If you have any questions about the group, call or email Mona Parker: 256-599-9942, mona.s.parker@gmail.com
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Don't forget, St. Thomas has a NEW mailing address
The Post Office incoming mail manager wants to remind everyone that ALL mail sent to St. Thomas must have the church name on it. To avoid delay, our Post Office Box number (14509) must also be used. If you send an envelope to our finance office, here’s what it should include: St. Thomas Episcopal Church: attention Finance, P.O. Box 14509, Huntsville, AL 35815.
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AT A GLANCE: July 13 - July 19 | |
Final Days of St. Thomas' 2023 Camp Cosmos Vacation Bible School | |
VBS Students Performing at the 10:30am Eucharist this past Sunday | |
Sunday School children filling backpacks for the "Backpack Boosters" Outreach Project | | | | |
