THE EPISTLE:

March 21, 2024

Reservation deadline for Holy Tuesday Seder Supper is TODAY, March 21st! Sign up now!

The deadline for this year's Holy Week Seder on Tuesday, March 26 at 6 pm in the Parish Hall is TODAY. The meal will be provided for a donation of $12 per adult and $5 per child. We request reservations be made as we need to order meat.  Sign-up online now by clicking HERE or via QR code!

Seder is a serious and joyful event where the Passover story is retold. Looking to our Jewish roots, we tell the Exodus story, with its themes of power and mercy, bondage and freedom, hope and despair. This is much like the spiritual journey that we continue in our lives today. Observing the Seder reminds us, as modern day Christians, of the story of God and His people of which we are a part.  

Seder is a service interspersed with a dinner (lamb, chicken, or vegetarian), which concludes as the meal ends. We follow the traditional Jewish Seder, remembering that at the Last Supper, Jesus celebrated Seder with his disciples.   

Contact Mike or Laura Beth Bestor at malbb12@gmail.com if you have any questions. And please sign up today!

Stations of the Cross: TOMORROW, Friday, March 22nd at 12:05pm

Fr. Donavan will open up the church again for the final Friday in Lent to lead anyone who'd like to join him through the fourteen Stations of the Cross. If you've never walked through the Stations, this is an opportunity to finish your Fridays in Lent by enriching your soul with each Stations' powerful prayers, scripture readings, and physical movement through the church with Our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Stations will be offered again next Friday, Good Friday, March 29, at 11am and 5pm, one hour before each Good Friday Liturgy at St. Thomas.

Crosses, Crawfish, and Cuisine is THIS SATURDAY, March 23rd



Make plans to join us THIS Saturday, March 23 from 5pm-7:30pm as we enjoy fellowship while making palm crosses for Palm Sunday.  Crawfish, gumbo, and child-friendly food are on the menu! The St. Thomas Young Families Ministry is looking for many hands to make light work with food prep for adults and children, plan an activity or two for the children, and cleanup. Sign-up to help by using this link or contact Mike or Laura Beth Bestor at malbb12@gmail.com for more info. 

Fr. Donavan will conclude his special Christian Formation class on the Stations of the Cross THIS SUNDAY

This Palm Sunday, Fr. Donavan will conclude a special Adult Christian Formation class on the fourteen Stations of the Cross, including the origin and history of the Stations and the scripture and meaning behind each one. Fr. Donavan will also be sharing some of his own photos of each station in Jerusalem, as well as up close photos of each of the fourteen stations carved for St. Thomas in Honduras and currently hanging in the Nave of the church. Don't miss this interesting discussion and visual walk through the final seven Stations of the Cross this Sunday, Palm Sunday, March 24th, beginning at 9:30am in the Parish Hall.

Choral Meditation on the

Passion of Christ THIS

SUNDAY EVENING, March 24th, at 6 pm

One of the most reflective services of the year, “A Meditation on the Passion of Christ with Carols” uses lessons and carols, spirituals, anthems, motets, and congregational hymns to illuminate the Passion of Christ, which is retold using biblical narratives from Mark, Matthew, and John. Our Choir began offering this service in the 1990s, and it has become one of my absolute favorite choral services. We have re-named it “A Choral Meditation on the Passion of Christ” to reflect the variety of music that is sung, although one of the hallmarks of the service is that we include several Christmas Carols which reference the Passion of Christ. This service is a deeply significant way to step back from the hectic pace of life and enter into Holy Week, and I hope that you will find it as meaningful as those of us in the choir do.

Please do join us THIS SUNDAY, Palm Sunday Evening, March 24 at 6 pm.

Easter Flower Donations Deadline is Tuesday, March 26th

Easter flower dedication envelopes are in the pews if you'd like to make a donation in honor, memory, or in thanksgiving of someone special. Dedications are a wonderful way to both beautify our church and honor loves ones. Please print legibly and with correct spelling. Simply place the envelope in the offertory plate or with the church office. Donations require a $50 minimum and must be received by Tuesday, March 26th.

Easter Bunny Candy Collection:

Eggs Still Need Goodies! 

The St. Thomas Easter Bunny is getting ready for our annual Easter Egg Hunt NEXT SATURDAY, March 30th at 10:30am! In an effort to be good stewards, this year we are collecting goodies to stuff inside the eggs that Ms. Laura Beth has collected. There will be a basket in Information Hall to drop off your contributions. Please make sure any candy or food item is packaged and/or wrapped. Contact our Children's Ministry Coordinator if you have any questions.

Easter Brunch Sign-ups in Information Hall

Sign-up sheets for our Easter brunch will still be available this Sunday in Information Hall. We're seeking volunteers for prep, serving, and cleanup and your help is vital for this celebration, and we still have room for deviled eggs and fruit contributions. Easter Brunch, held between Sunday services, will feature sliced ham, hot cross rolls, fruit salad, hot pineapple casserole, punch, and champagne mimosas.

Please join us for this festive Easter morning brunch celebration!

A St. Thomas Tradition

 on Easter Sunday

Easter Day is right around the corner and once again the choir will be inviting members of the congregation to join us in singing the Hallelujah Chorus at both the 8:00 and 10:30 services. Sheet music is available in the church office if you’d like a copy in advance. If you need to dust off your part, there are many tutorials on YouTube. Questions? Contact Miss Kathy: music@stthomashuntsville.org or 614.329.599

"Come As You Are"

5 PM Holy Eucharist

St. Thomas' "Come as You Are" 5pm Sunday worship service is every Sunday. Dinner is now offered on the FIRST SUNDAY of each month. We will have dinner April 7th, and May 5th. Our 5pm Holy Eucharist features simple hymns from the Alleluia III hymnal, good sermons preached from the floor, and Holy Communion. Come as you are and invite a friend to join you for the 5pm Evening Holy Eucharist EVERY SUNDAY at St. Thomas.

There will be a simple, spoken Holy Eucharist at 5pm in the church THIS SUNDAY before the 6pm Choral Meditation.

Habitat for Humanity

Habitat: We are moving fast this year. We have the house under cover and ready to put up the metal flashing, j channel, and siding on the gables and soffits this Saturday. Please come and help. You will probably learn something for your house. There will be NO WORK during Holy Week or Saturday, March 30th and will resume work April 6th. The house is at 215 Lake Drive.

Directions:

Take Meridian north toward Drake State and turn left on McDonnell Ave. Take a left on N Plymouth Road and Lake Drive is on the left.

We are looking for someone to take over the Habitat for Humanity Coordinator role at St. Thomas. If you are willing to take on this role, please call Elouisa Stokes at 256-604-8669 or contact our Senior Warden, George Harriman, or Fr. Donavan.

New Acolyte Sign-Up Genius is now available!

Calling all youth and children 2^nd grade and older! A new St. Thomas Acolyte Sign-Up Genius is available by clicking here for 2^nd graders and older. We'd appreciate it if you could sign up to serve once a month. If your child(ren) need to be trained or refreshed, feel free to reach out to Deacon Jeannie (jrann228@gmail.com) or me and we will get something scheduled. Contact The Rev. Jeannie Randall at jrann228@gmail.com or our Children's Ministry Coordinator, Laura Beth Bestor at children@stthomashuntsville.org.

Register now for Special Session, June 2-7

St. Thomas started Special Session in 1998 and is still going strong! It is now a ministry of Camp McDowell. Come and experience the magic of Special Session started by St. Thomas in 1998 at Camp McDowell! Registration is OPEN for campers, counselor staff, and adult staff. Join us from June 2-7, 2024, at Bethany Village. Campers attend for free! Nurses and male counselors are ALWAYS needed. Staff fee is $150 with scholarships available. Contribute to scholarship funds HERE. Don't miss the best week of the summer – click HERE and register NOW for an unforgettable experience!

At A Glance March 8 - March 20

Phone: 256.880.0247

Email: StThomas@stthomashuntsville.org