Parish Weekly February 6, 2026

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.

Rector's Notes

Dear St. Thomas’,

On Sunday, we heard a powerful prophetic message from Micah 6, "Do justice, love mercy, walk humbly with God." This echoes the action-oriented justice movement of love that I spoke about last week during my homily and Rector’s address on Sunday, January 25. Click here to hear the homily.

I am grateful to read the letter from a large group of Episcopal Bishops that went out over the weekend. They call out the need for us to live out our Baptismal Covenant, with an emphasis on “respecting the dignity of every human being”. We know that as followers of Jesus, this value is being challenged, and it is time for us to speak. Our Eucharistic Prayer for the last month has reminded us that God’s Word has never been silent; may we have the courage to put the Word of love and justice into action. You can read the letter from the bishops by clicking here. 

There are many ways that our world needs us, and there are many ways we need each other. Stay connected to one another and build community. In addition, there are two things that are good to take into consideration:

1. Building our toolkit of learning about what we can do and how to build resilience.
2. To understand, one person cannot do everything, but each person can do something. So, find that something and do it, and find others to do it with you.

Building Your Toolkit

Immigration Action Toolkit: https://www.episcopalchurch.org/immigration-action-toolkit/

Protesting Faithfully Toolkit: https://www.episcopalchurch.org/protesting-faithfully-toolkit/

Mental Health Resource: Click here

Love in Action

Phone Ministry: Make phone calls to a legislator's office to elevate an issue. Here are suggestions for our federal representatives today: Call U.S. Rep Morelle and senators Schumer and Gillibrand to defund I.C.E. and express your concern that their presence is creating safety concerns in our communities around the country. The Washington numbers to call are Schumer: (202) 224-6542; Gillibrand: (202) 224-4451; Morelle: (202) 225-3615.

Volunteer

Haitian Refugee: Click here

Donate

Casa Maria in Minneapolis, Minnesota: https://givebutter.com/casa-maria

Pray

Episcopal Public Policy Prayers: https://www.episcopalchurch.org/ministries/office-government-relations/public-policy-and-witness-weekly-prayers/

Keep the faith dear ones, you are not alone.

Amma Leslie+

Mark Your Calendars

• President's Day, Monday, February 16, Parish Office closed
• Shrove Tuesday Pancake & Sausage Dinner, Tuesday, February 17, 5:00 pm (see registration link below)
• Ash Wednesday, Wednesday, February 18, Noon and 7:00 Worship
• Women of St. Thomas', Thursday, February 19, 10:30 am, Lounge
• Quarterly Parish Potluck, Sunday, March 8, following service, Lower Hall

Parish Office News

New Year, New Calendar

Please email Anita Herring at finance@stthomasrochester.org with meeting schedules

for 2026, and if you require a Zoom link or a Lounge/Conference room reservation.

Parish Drop Off Box

When the office is closed, please drop off items (i.e., checks, etc.) in the secure white Parish Drop Off Box located outside of the Parish Office. Thank you.

Formation

Episcopal 101

A class of confirmation, reception, and reaffirmation into the Episcopal Church will meet during Lent. It is a preparation for the Bishop's visit on Easter Sunday, April 5. It is a class for anyone who desires to know more about the Episcopal tradition or to renew their commitment to faith and to the church. We will meet after church on Sundays, March 1, 15, 22, with a walkthrough on March 29. 

Please register for the class using the link below. If you have questions, please contact Amma Leslie at leslie@stthomasrochester.org.  

Lenten Wednesdays

Living Well through Lent devotions will be available in

the Parish Office and at each of the church entrances beginning Sunday, February 8. We will gather for a small group reflection on Wednesdays, February 25, March 4,

11, 18, and 25, from 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm in the Lounge. Please register for the class using the link below.

(There is an eight-person requirement to hold the class.)

For more information, contact Amma Leslie at leslie@stthomasrochester.org. 

Community Formation

Episcopal Senior Life Workshops

Throughout February, the Episcopal SeniorLife Communities

is hosting a series of educational workshops for those seeking

to continue their growth and learn more about the community.

The first workshop, Scams 101, will be presented on Wednesday, February 11, at 2:00 pm. Daniel Lyon from Lifespan will review the basics of common scams and

fraudulent schemes targeted at older adults, what to look

for, and how to prevent financial exploitation.

Mr. Lyon will also present the second workshop in the series, Name That Scam, on Wednesday, February 25, at 2:00 pm. Inspired by "Name that Tune," this activity will connect common scams to songs from the 50s, 60s, and 70s, where participants will have to guess the song, artist, and year, while learning about common financial scams. 

Both workshops will be held at the Valley Manor Independent Living Education Center, located at 1570 East Avenue in Rochester. Please enter the building on the side with the carport and follow the signs to the Education Center. 

Music Ministry

Ash Wednesday Choir

All teens and adults are invited to sing

for the 7:00 pm Ash Wednesday service on Wednesday, February 18, marking the beginning of the season of Lent.

There will be a rehearsal at 6:00 pm in the Choir Room on that same evening. We will forego our usual robes in favor of a coordinated white/black attire for that liturgy.

Even if you have not sung in choir before, we wholeheartedly welcome you to join us that evening. Please contact Rhonda Wright, Organist and Choir Director at organist@stthomasrochester.org if you have questions, would like to peruse the music, or plan to participate so that music and a folder can be made ready. 

Community Engagement

Souper Bowl Sundays Are Back

St. Thomas' is collecting cans of soup and boxes of crackers for the Brighton Food Cupboard to address hunger and food insecurity for those in need. It is especially important for children and seniors to have a helping hand this time of year. Drop off your soup and crackers in the marked barrels located at the Highland entrance and in the Lower Hall during the month of February.

Brighton Food Cupboard is a program of Jewish Family Service of Rochester in partnership with The Brighton Central School District, and Foodlink.

Children and Youth Ministry

Salt and Light

This week in Sunday School, we will read Matthew 5:13-20, when Jesus teaches the crowds that they are like salt and light. A

small bit of salt can make our food taste very different, and a small bit of light can brighten the entirety of a big, dark room. The focus

of our lesson this week will be the ways we can make a difference in the world around us, even if it is a small one. Everyone’s gifts can add up to making a big difference when we put them together, so we should share our gifts

as often as we can. We are salt and light!

Youth Group

The Youth Group will meet on the first and third Sunday of each month. All are welcome.

Confirmation Class 2026

Confirmation Class begins this Sunday, February 8, following worship. We will meet from 11:15 am to 12:30 pm in the Conference Room. Any youth of the parish discerning Confirmation are invited to join!

This week, we will be exploring the Nicene Creed and the Eucharist.

For questions about Confirmation, please contact Rev. Lydia at 585.442.3544, ext. 104 or lydia@stthomasrochester.org.

In Case You Missed It

Diocesan Discernment Day

Each person has gifts and graces for ministry, whether it is as a lay person or as

an ordained person. If you are discerning a call, please speak with Amma Leslie

prior to registering for this event. Discernment is a communal effort, and pastoral guidance is necessary. 

Diocesan Discernment Day will be held on Saturday, March 7, from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Henrietta, New York. The day will begin with Holy Eucharist, followed by panel discussions exploring discernment and what calls us to lay or ordained ministry. After lunch, there will be time for private prayer and discernment, and quiet conversations with those who have recently discerned a call. All are welcome, including those who are curious about discernment, those in the ordination process, and those who are being nudged by the Holy Spirit. In-person attendance and registration are required.

Sunday Live Stream Service at 10:00 am is available on St. Thomas' YouTube channel—St. Thomas Episcopal Church of Rochester, NY. The live stream can

be viewed any time after 10:00 am throughout the week. 

Daily Devotional (Forward Day by Day): click here for the link.

For Prayer Requests, click here or on the link at the bottom of this page.

Emergency Contacts

Brighton Food Cupboard

(585) 271-5355

Centers for Disease Control

cdc.gov

Episcopal Relief

& Development

(faith-based response

to epidemics)

bit.ly/2VMcNuu

Interpersonal

Violence Hotline

(for physical and mental related to interpersonal violence and trauma)

(585) 275-HEAL

Monroe County Department of Health

monroecounty.gov/health-coronavirus

National Child

Abuse Hotline

(800) 342-3720

National Suicide Prevention

988

New York State Mental

Health Provider Hotline

(844) 863-9314

NYS Office of

Addiction Services https://oasas.ny.gov/ 

Rochester AA Support

(585) 232-6720

Willow Domestic
Violence Center

(585) 222-SAFE

The Trevor Project

(for LGBTQ youth, 13-14)

1 (866) 488-7386

St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church of Rochester, New York, is proud

to stand with the Greater Rochester Black Agenda Group and its declaration that “Racism is a Public Health Crisis." 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 doing 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 working together to tackle injustice in our lives, in our church, in our community, and in the world.