Parish Weekly November 15, 2024

Mission: St. Thomas' Episcopal Church is a welcoming spiritual community dedicated to following the teachings of Christ Jesus. We grow through learning, celebrate joyful worship, and serve our neighbors.

Vision: We open hearts and minds to create community in Christ.

Briefly Noted

St. Thomas' office is open Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. We are closed Friday through Sunday.  

A Note from the Rector

The Path Program is gathering this Sunday, November 17. It begins after the worship service and ends at noon. Please read Chapter 20, "We have seen the Lord", and be ready to explore and engage scripture stories that inspire curiosity and hope. All are welcome!

Also, Episcopal 101 will be held in the spring. If you're interested in attending, email me at leslie@stthomasrochester.org. This class is where you can reaffirm your commitment to the Episcopal Church and your faith journey, be received from another faith tradition, such as the Catholic Church or Lutheran tradition, or be confirmed into the Episcopal tradition. If you aren't sure if this is you, please feel free to reach out to me to find out. 

Learning and growing with you, 

Amma Leslie+

Transgender Remembrance Day

Transgender Day of Remembrance is Wednesday, November 20. The annual observance honors the memory of the transgender people whose lives were lost in acts of anti-transgender violence. We will hold a special prayer service via Zoom at 12 p.m. To join, use the link, meeting ID, and passcode below. 

Zoom Link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86357205509?pwd=Teal9fEk8CaeFvVs8rd6xYaAS8RSGM.1

Meeting ID: 863 5720 5509

Passcode: 215309

Prayers for Peace

I give thanks for those who joined me to pray for peace on November 5. I know many more folks prayed with us in spirit, where they live and work. May we continue to pray for peace and courage to live the way of love.

Attitude of Gratitude

Thank you to...

• The following people who joined me at the College for Congregational Development leadership training the last two years: John Cullen, Paula Gitlin, and Vicky Rupley. I am deeply grateful for your companionship, time and talent. 
• Our Stewardship Ministry team, Lee Loomis, Susan Hughes, Jane Smith, Susan Chazan, Vicky Rupley, and Chuck Pickhardt for your leadership during the 2025 Walk in Love Stewardship Campaign. 
• Our Parish Connections Ministry team for the extra food preparation and gifts of hospitality you shared with us not only during the Stewardship season, but throughout the year. 
• Those who represented St. Thomas' at the Rural Migrant Ministry's Harvest Justice Dinner on Friday! Thank you to Robert Ferris, Marica and Lee Loomis, Carolyn Mabb, Kelli Mok, Deacon Andrea Stridiron,and Richard and Caroline Yates. 

Vestry Nominating News

Leadership Accepting Nominees for 2025 Vestry

The Wardens will be accepting nominations for the 2025-2028 Vestry until November 22. Serving on St. Thomas’ Vestry is an enriching experience and can be considered a rewarding part of your stewardship within our parish! The Vestry, in partnership with the wardens and rector, have a fiduciary responsibility, and are accountable for protecting the vision and mission of our parish.

Full details of Vestry duties can be found here. If you feel called to leadership at

St. Thomas’ through vestry service, or have questions, please contact Vicky Rupley at vrmail@rochester.rr.com or at (585) 233-2546.

Worship Ministry

Decking the Halls

Every Christmas, the church is filled with fragrant greens and a beautiful Christmas array, thanks to the generous donations of parishioners and friends. Donations of all amounts are welcome and appreciated. Add your contribution online by clicking here, or sign up using the forms available in the church narthex.

Dedications and thanksgivings will be printed in the Christmas Eve service bulletins. The deadline for dedications is December 18.

Questions? Please contact Vicky Rupley by email at vrupley@rochester.rr.com or by calling (585) 233-2546.

Advent Outreach:

Toys and Christmas Foods Collections

St. Thomas’ is collecting new toys and Christmas foods for families served by the Southwest Area Neighborhood (SWAN), a Rochester neighborhood organization that provides emergency services including food, rent, and home repairs.

If you would like to contribute:

• Pick up a toy slip (for ages infant through 16) at the Advent Outreach table after the service.
• Donate groceries for Christmas food bags: fully-cooked ham (canned or plastic-wrapped), stuffing mix, muffin mix, instant mashed potatoes and canned goods ( vegetables, fruit, and cranberry sauce).
• If you would like to make a financial contribution instead, use this link or mail a check to the church (made out to St. Thomas’ with “Advent Outreach” on the memo line).

Please bring your donations to the church by Sunday, December 8. There are two red bins, one near the church office and one in the Lower Hall, for donations that are dropped off during the week. Please put hams in the refrigerator in the Lower Hall kitchen.

Questions? Contact Linda Coleman by email at lcoleman122@gmail.com or call/text (585) 313-3164.

Children and Youth Ministry

Walk in Love as a Family!

Are you looking for ways for members of your family to Walk in Love together? The church-wide Advent Outreach Project (see above for details) provides various opportunities!

Whether you are putting extra groceries in your cart, bringing a gift for a child who otherwise would have very little, or gathering after church on December 8 to decorate and pack bags, your whole family can be part of the project!

Have questions or need further information? Please contact me! Maggie Detty loganchem@aol.com.

Sunny with a Touch of Fall:

Leaf Raking and Gardening Help Needed Saturday

We're looking for volunteers for our annual leaf pick up and for fall garden clean up.

We’ll meet with our rakes, tarps, clippers, gardening tools and leaf blowers in hand on Saturday, November 16,starting at 9:30 a.m. (Sunday afternoon available if needed). Companionship, coffee, cider, and apple cider doughnuts will be provided!

Fellowship News

Women of St. Thomas' Meeting on Thursday, November 21

The Women of St. Thomas' will meet in the Lounge at 11:30 a.m. Our program will be a presentation by Deacon Andrea Stridiron on the Tuskegee Airmen of World War II. All women of the parish are invited to join us. 

A luncheon follows Deacon Andrea's informative report. Each attendee is asked to bring a sandwich, soup or salad and all else will be provided. For further information, please contact Susan Pickhardt at (585) 820-3038.

Associate Priest Opportunity

We're Hiring!

St. Thomas’, Rochester is seeking an Associate Priest who will share in the sacramental, pastoral, and priestly ministry and life of the church. 

Do you know someone who may be interested in this ministry opportunity? Please share the attached job description with them!

Community Engagement News

Your donations continue to help our neighbors who seek help from the Brighton Food Cupboard.

In addition to peanut butter, jelly, and hot cereals, please consider donating rice. Bagged, boxed, mixes or seasoned rice is appreciated!

Financial Information

Weekly Financial Report 11/14/24

Budget Pledges Year to date: $331,189.00

Actual Pledge Payments Year to date: $291,177.39

Year to Date Financial Report to 11/14/24

Year to date Revenue: $ 554,173.86

Year to date Expense $ 610,018.57

Net loss to date: ($ 55,844.71)

Creation Care Book Discussion

It's been a productive few weeks for Creation Care and the Episcopal Church, with Bishop Kara Wagner Sherer speaking at the Rochester Climate March and our church's Creation Care Ministry featured during our Stewardship campaign.

We'd like to build on that momentum by announcing a book discussion group open to anyone in the parish who is interested. We will be reading "Saving Us" by Dr. Katharine Hayhoe, a climate scientist who is also an evangelical Christian. The book covers global warming basics and spends many of its pages discussing how to talk about it to the less-than-convinced. 

There will be three sessions, with the first on December 5. If you're interested in participating, contact Allen Blair at allen_blair@urmc.rochester.edu. We look forward to having you read with us!

In-Gathering Celebration

In celebration of the In-Gathering of Pledges, a luncheon of homemade soup, breads, and desserts was held after the worship service last Sunday. Some photos of the event are below!

St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church of Rochester, New York stands behind the “Racism is a Public Health Crisis” declaration by the Greater Rochester NY Black Agenda Group. As a community of faith and followers of Jesus Christ we believe that every person is continually made in the image of God beautifully and wonderfully. We are committed to do the hard work of love. We are dedicated to the practice of growing and learning how to know and love our neighbors as we seek to create community. We hold the hope that love does win through forgiveness, kindness, and transformation. We desire to be a people who work for the equity of all. We work to acknowledge our complicity and part in racism, and we are committed to work together to tackle injustice in our life, in our church, in our community and in the world. We are proud to stand with the Greater Rochester Black Agenda Group and its declaration that “Racism is a Public Health Crisis".