|
THE EPISTLE:
December 28, 2023
The Fourth Day of Christmas & The Feast of the Holy Innocents
| |
|
The Twelve Days of the Christmas Season Continue this Sunday with two worship services for New Year's Eve
The First Sunday after Christmas is this Sunday, Dec. 31st, and because this Sunday will also be New Year's Eve, both worship services, one in the morning and one in the evening, will include special prayers for the New Year.
One Morning Eucharist at 10:30 AM only
no breakfast, Christian formation, or childcare
One Evening Eucharist at 5:00 PM
Happy New Year, St. Thomas!
| |
|
St. Thomas Church Bus heading to "Galaxy of Lights" TONIGHT at 5:30!
Come see the the "Galaxy of Lights" at the Botanical Gardens TONIGHT in the comfort of the St. Thomas Church bus! Bill Davenport will have the bus available for boarding at 5:30 PM at the front door of the church narthex tonight, Thursday, December 28th. There is seating for 15 people. We request that those wishing to go call Jack Stokes to verify seats available. Travel time is 20 minutes from Church to entry line, ~45-60 minutes to entrance, 30 minutes to drive through and 20 minutes back to Church, approaching 2+ hours total. There will be no cost, thanks to Fr. Donavan's Christmas gift. Please come join us!
| |
|
The Church Office will be closed for Christmas Week
Dec. 26th - Jan. 2nd
The St. Thomas Church Office will be closed for Christmas week this year, from December 26th through January 2nd to allow our hard working clergy and staff to have time to celebrate the Christmas season with their family. If you have a pastoral emergency, please call the clergy directly or call the church office number for an emergency number.
| |
|
There's still time to turn in your 2024 Pledge Card!
St. Thomas has big, exciting plans for 2024, but we can't do it without EVERYONE lending a hand in our "Giving for Growth" campaign. PLEASE CONSIDER TURNING IN A PLEDGE CARD BEFORE DECEMBER 31ST, TO SHOW YOUR LOVE AND SUPPORT FOR ST. THOMAS & TO ALLOW US TO HAVE WHAT WE NEED TO GROW IN MINISTRY, FELLOWSHIP, & FAITH NEXT YEAR!
Every pledge counts!
| |
|
St. Thomas Mom's Group meeting at Rosie's on January 5th!
St. Thomas’ Mom's group ministry for mothers with children ages 0 - 18 is meeting again on 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: Epiphany 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. Join us in the church for a Service of Light, followed by a procession to the parking lot for the Burning of the Greens. 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, and 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, 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 on 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.
| |
|
Annual Parish Meeting set for Sunday, January 14th
You are cordially invited to our annual Parish Meeting
Sunday, January 14, immediately following the 10:30 service. Fr. Donavan will begin with his first "State of the Parish" report, followed by a presentation of the 2024 Budget, and the election of new vestry members.
Lunch will precede our meeting, but we need your help again this year. Please bring soup or chili (enough to share). We will have tables set up for Crock Pots, and our fellowship committee will provide set-up and a few extras.
| |
|
Christian Formation Offering for Adults: Bible Study on Romans Returns January 7th
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 January 7th
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 2nd 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: Christmas at St. Thomas 2023 | |
Special thanks to our incredible Flower Guild, our amazing choirs, organists, pianists, and musicians under the direction of Mrs. Kathy Heim, our dedicated altar guild, ushers, greeters, readers, acolytes, and Vestry members, the helping hands of Bill Davenport & Alexander Steel, our Christmas Eve team of Midnight Hot Cocoa & Apple Cider, our faithful clergy, church staff, & office volunteers, and to everyone who helped to make this Advent, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day at St. Thomas beautiful, meaningful, and special. | | | | |
