THE EPISTLE: October 19th, 2022 | |
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Silver Saints Movie Matinee
Come join us for October’s Silver Saints Matinee Movie on Thursday, October 20 at 1:00 PM. Come watch “Sleepless in Seattle,” an all-time lovable, funny movie about a little fellow who wants to find a wife for his dad. With Tom Hanks & Meg Ryan. This is a MUST-SEE.
The Silver Saints Matinee Movie offers you fun and fellowship for all comers. We have snacks and beverages, and we will even transport you if you wish. Call Jack or Becky Stokes at 256-881-4748 or the church office with questions or requests. Please call 24 hours ahead if you will need a ride. Please come have some fun. You know you want to see this special movie!!
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Fall Clean-Up Day
Please join the Building and Grounds Committee at 8am this Saturday October 22nd for the fall clean-up day. This is a great opportunity to freshen up the church for Lobsterfest. Pulling weeds and cleaning up the labyrinth are just a couple of things we will be doing. Biscuits, doughnuts, and coffee will be provided. We hope to see everyone on October 22nd. Bring your own tools, please.
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Boocharist!!!
It’s that time of year when all the ghosts, ghoulies, long-leggity beasties and those things that go bump in the night come out to party, so plan to attend the St. Thomas Boo-charist on October 30. We will have an All Hallow’s Eve service at 5 pm before we adjourn to the Parish Hall for supper prepared by the Fellowship Team. Afterwards, we will go to the parking lot for Trunk-or-Treat. Costumes are encouraged; in fact, awards will be given for the Best Trunk, Best Costume- Child, and Best Costume- Adult.
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Stewardship 2023
An Invitation to Engage
So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all, and especially for those of the family of faith. Galatians 6:10
We invite you to consider the ways you can engage in Christian life at St. Thomas through our funding the activities and programs. Your pledge helps fund activities and programs which make our mission statement a reality. With your support we continue to worship God, serve others and love all people.
Your Pledges Do Great Things at St. Thomas
Chart 1 shows the four major sources of annual funding of the General Fund based on the 2022 budget:
1. Pledge – yours and others like it. That is the BIG piece of the pie.
2. Offering Plate – the additional undesignated offering in the plate on Sunday services over and above pledged contributions.
3. Endowment Fund Distribution – endowments bequeathed to St. Thomas. Approximately 75 percent of the annual distribution is allocated to outreach and 25 percent is allocated to facility improvements.
4. Lobsterfest – proceeds that all go to Outreach.
Where it Comes From
Chart 1
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Your Pledge Matters
Chart 2 shows the relative size of expenses anticipated for 2023 based on the 2022 budget.
1. Outreach – the Pledge and Plate money we devote to Outreach is heavily subsidized by the other two income sources.
2. Worship –at the center of our lives and the primary expense is clergy time and music.
3. Programs – include Christian Formation, our youth, programs for all ages of adults, and a variety of hospitality events.
4. Facilities – expenses include utilities, cleaning, improvements and upkeep of buildings and grounds.
5. Admin – expenses include our Bookkeeper and Parish Administrator, supplies, telephone, copy machine, and various service contracts.
6. Covenant –our voluntary contribution of plate and pledge to the Diocese. We follow the Diocesan guideline of 15 percent for parishes of our size.
7. Invite Welcome Connect – our work to involve newcomers into the full life of St. Thomas.
And Where it Goes...
Chart 2
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Great Happenings at and through St. Thomas.
As an expression of our love and gratitude to God, we worship God, serve others, and love all people.
If you would like a 2023 pledge card, ask an usher, or pick up one in the Narthex. Thank you for prayerfully giving your financial support to St. Thomas. We will bless all pledges received at our ingathering, October 30.
“Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above.” James 1:17
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You are Invited….
Please join us for a special breakfast prepared by our Youth on Sunday, October 30 from 9:00 AM to 10:15 AM in the Parish Hall.
We will celebrate God’s generosity, the ingathering of 2023 pledge cards, and our support to the ministries of St. Thomas.
We look forward to welcoming you to this celebration!
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All Saints Sunday
Sunday, November 6 is All Saints Sunday. Our custom is to read the names and ring the bell for those family members who have died within the last year. If you have a loved one whose name should be included, please email the office at stthomas@stthomashuntsville.org before Friday, October 28.
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Everybody's Pub Theology
Everyone is welcome! Sit down with Ranie and Jeannie Monday, October 24 from 6-7:30PM PaPPo's Pizzeria and Pub (7540 Memorial Pkwy SW Unit E, Huntsville, AL 35802) for great fellowship, good food, drink, 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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Lessons & Carols Service
The choir is again welcoming guest singers for our annual Lessons & Carols service.
Starting in October, rehearsals for Lessons & Carols will be held each Wednesday evening from 7:00 to 7:40 in the choir room. The service this year will be held on Sunday evening, December 11. There will be a dress rehearsal on Saturday, December 10, time TBA. Please call, text, or email Miss Kathy at 614-329-5991or music@stthomashuntsville.org to sign up or for more information.
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CASA TEMP$ Fun Day Saturday, November 5
Please come join us for a fun day with CASA TEMP$ on Saturday, November 5. We will be winterizing four homes of elderly people in our local neighborhood. The work includes placing plastic over windows, caulking around windows and doors, repairing storm doors, and patching exterior holes. We will start at 7:15 AM with a scrumptious breakfast by the DOK in the Parish Hall, some instructions and a prayer, and then drive to the houses here in the southeast. We should be finished by kickoff time (early afternoon). If you would like to do some fun hands-on Christian work, please come share with us in this very special ministry. Contact Jack Stokes at 881-4748 or jackstokes@comcast.net.
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Hand Bells
The Music department would like to use hand bells during the Advent season. This time we will have a daytime rehearsal hour. Playing hand bells is a wonderful way to make music and work together for a beautiful result. We will rehearse on Thursday mornings at 10:30 am in the bell room in Hudson Hall. Please contact Donna Clark clarkdf@aol.com if you would like ring with us!
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Backpack Meal Program
If anyone would like to help pack meals for the Backpack Meal Program the packing dates and times are as follows: Wednesday at 12pm, after Bible Studies: 10\26; 11\30; 12\14 and Sundays at 4pm: 10/30; 12/4. Each time only 70 meals need to be packed. Email Travis Lee if you can help. Tlee777790@gmail.com
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Grief Group
The Grief Group will continue to meet each Wednesday in the parlor. Please note, the meeting time has been changed to 2:30. Pat Johnson, LPCS, will facilitate the group. Please join us. For questions contact Virginia at vmonroe@stthomashuntsville.org.
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Flower Guild Flower Memorials
Our flower guild is in great need of Sunday altar flower donations. This is a wonderful way to remember a loved one, celebrate an anniversary, or just simply acknowledge someone special. The fee for memorials is now $60 per Sunday. Please sign up on the poster outside the flower guild room.
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Missing Items
Would you believe it? The Lobsterfest large fish cooler is missing again. Whoever has it, please return it to the Lobster Alley this week.
And the window blinds in the Parlor…someone took them off the windows. Please email the office or call if you have them. Thanks.
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5:00 PM Sunday Evening Service in the Nave
Join us for the all-ages-welcome come-as-you-are service. This informal service will continue through November. Join us afterwards for a quick supper.
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Reminders
If you need to borrow or use anything in the church, please check it out in the church office. This includes coolers, wheelchairs, kitchen items, tents, tables/chairs, etc. Please help us be good stewards of our church.
Our deadline for the EPISTLE and Week At A Glance is Tuesday at noon.
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Calling All Cooks!
Our 2022 Lobsterfest Bake Sale will – once again – be pre-order only.
To be successful, we need homemade items to sell. Our trimmed down menu has our best-selling Soups and Savories items. Food offerings will be soups (Taco Soup and White Chicken Chili) and casseroles (Hashbrown, Poppy Seed Chicken, and Sausage Breakfast). (Each of these items is relatively easy to make.) We will provide the recipe to be used, plus the containers and labels for each of these items. All items will be offered frozen.
How can you help? As we are selling via pre-order, we must know what is available to sell. Consequently, we are using Sign-up Genius and have generated a “menu” for the sale. Please sign up (by November 6) https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0949a5af29a1f49-lobsterfest1 to contribute one (or more) of these items.
On the SignUp Genius, you’ll also see a category for “Cooks on Call.” This important category will help us to find volunteers who are willing to bake or cook menu items, as needed, at the last minute in the event that the demand exceeds our commitments.
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October 9th Children's Service | | | | |
