THE EPISTLE:

January 4, 2024

St. Thomas Mom's Group meeting at Rosie's TOMORROW!

St. Thomas’ Mom's group ministry for mothers with children ages 0 - 18 is meeting again tomorrow, Friday, January 5th, at 6:30pm. For the New Year and for the Twelfth Night of Christmas (also known as "Women's Little Christmas" in Ireland), the St. Thomas Mom's Group will be taking a little field trip and meeting at Rosie’s Mexican Cantina on the South Parkway.

Come on out and treat yourself to a couple of hours to celebrate the Epiphany and the New Year. Contact Audrey Cain HERE for more information.

Burning of the Greens, "We Three" King Cake, & Blessed Chalk for the New Year: THIS SATURDAY, January 6th!

Bring your tree and other greens to burn for our Epiphany Celebration on Saturday, January 6th, at 6PM. We will be collecting Christmas trees and wreaths in the South Parking Lot after Christmas to be burned in a celebratory fire. Due to the chance of rain, please place your greens under the pavilion by the Zed.

Join us for a short Service of Light and for the Burning of the Greens in the south parking lot of the church, near the Labyrinth and the church entrance to the Aldridge Creek Greenway. We will conclude the evening by feasting on King cake (you know, "We Three Kings"), which was originally eaten on Epiphany and not Fat Tuesday, as well as hot chocolate as we bring the Christmas season to a fitting close!

Fr. Donavan will also bless chalk to be picked up and taken home to bless your house with the inscription of the New Year and the initials of the traditional names of the Three Kings, 20+C+M+B+24, over your house door!

Medical Mission: Honduran

Update Dinner, This Sunday, January 7th

With the completion of the 30th Annual Lobsterfest, we now kick off the 30th Annual Honduras Medical Mission. Please join the World Mission committee for the Annual Honduran Update dinner. We will join with the monthly Sunday Supper, this Sunday, January 7 following the 5:00 pm Holy Eucharist for a Honduran inspired meal. Hear about updates on Sloan Clinic, the students of Colonia Episcopal, plans for the 2024 Medical & Educational Mission which is April 20-27, and developments in the Companion Diocese relationship between Alabama and Honduras. Please contact Brett Tomlin (256) 337-1970, Jeanne Randall (256) 348-9918, or Bob Harwell (256) 348-1857 with any questions.

Christmas Poinsettias Available

We have six Christmas poinsettia's available to take home. They are available in the Narthex so please come and take one home to enjoy for a few more months.

Silver Saints presents

Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium

January 12th at 1pm

It is a new year and time for some more fun movies.

The January 2024 movie will be Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium, starring Dustin Hoffman and Natalie Portman, a funny comedy adventure that is a “delight for adults and a jubilation for kids.” It is about the most amazing store in the World which can get an attitude. Please come join us for a fun afternoon at the St. Thomas Parish Hall on January 12, beginning at 1:00 PM. As always, we will serve snacks and beverages, provide comfortable seating, and transport you to/from the Parish Hall if you so desire. This will be a great way to start your New Year. Please join us and bring your friends and neighbors. Please give us 24-hour notice if you will need a ride. Call the Church Office at 256-880-0247; or Jack & Becky Stokes at 256-881-4748.

Annual Parish Meeting BREAKFAST: Beginning at 9:15 am NEXT SUNDAY, January 14th

This year for our Annual Parish Meeting and Vestry Election, we are shifting from an afternoon lunch to a morning breakfast meeting! This means our Annual Meeting will happen between the 8am and 10:30am Eucharists, during the breakfast/Christian Formation time.

For Sunday, January 14th, all Adult Christian Formation classes will be put on hold, while Christian Formation for children and youth will still be offered, allowing parents to attend and take part in the Annual Meeting. The World Missions team will be on Breakfast duty and will provide a faster, "Continental Breakfast" to get everyone settled with their food for our Annual Meeting start time, which has been set for 9:15am. At that time, Fr. Donavan will begin the meeting this year with a "State of the Parish" report, followed by the presentation of the 2024 Budget by the Treasurer, and the election of new vestry members.

We hope this time change will make the Annual Meeting more available to attendees of BOTH worship services, as well as making use of our already scheduled breakfast and clean-up teams.

Please plan on being present for this important Parish Meeting next Sunday, January 14th, beginning at 9:15am in the Parish Hall!

The 2024 Vestry Nominations will be sent out in a separate email ASAP

Are you NEW to St. Thomas?

Newcomers: We are really excited to have you here at St. Thomas. We look forward to telling you a bit of the history of St. Thomas on Sunday, January 21st at 9:30 in the Crossroads Room. Simply follow the blue signs. You will take a short tour of our facility along with names of places. For information call Elouisa Stokes at 256-604-8669. Come learn all about our church and our history in our new monthly Newcomers Class!

Christian Formation Offering for Adults: Bible Study on Romans Returns this Sunday

Each Sunday in Conference Rm 1, we will be studying Paul's Epistle to the Romans with Mtr. Ranie. Bring a Bible and all your questions and wonderment involving Saint Paul and the messy, fascinating theology his works foster. Mtr. Ranie will be leading the class. If you have any questions, please email her at associate@stthomashuntsville.org.

Children and Youth Christian Formation Information - Returns This Sunday

St. Thomas' Children and Youth Christian Formation classes are now underway every Sunday! We offer five different Sunday school classes for our children and youth!

Pre-K - 1st grade: Godly Play- Renee' Redfield - Hiers 4

2nd grade-3rd grade: Love First- Laura Beth Bestor - Hiers 2 (new room)

4th grade-5th grade: Thou Art- Kathie Clayton & Lila Powell - Hiers 6

6th grade-7th grade: My Faith, My Life- Sonya Carrier & Jane Allgood - Hiers 5

8th grade- 12th grade: Youth Room

Contact our Children's Ministry Coordinator, Laura Beth Bestor, at children@stthomashuntsville.org or our Youth Ministries Coordinator, The Rev. Jeannie Randall at jrann228@gmail.com if you have questions or would like to help out with this important aspect of our ministries.

Acolyte Sign-Up Genius is now available!

Calling all youth and children 2^nd grade and older to help serve our Church by being an acolyte! Click to access the 10:30am Acolyte Schedule Sign-Up Genius which schedules through January 2024.  Please consider signing up 2-3 times to share your works.  Contact Jeannie at jrann228@gmail.com with questions.

"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. 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.

At A Glance December 28 - January 3

St. Thomas trip to see the "Galaxy of Lights" at the Huntsville Botanical Garden

Phone: 256.880.0247

Email: StThomas@stthomashuntsville.org