|
Parish Weekly January 23, 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.
| | |
Annual Meeting - Sunday, January 25
I hope to see you at our Annual Parish Meeting this Sunday. At 10:00 am, we will celebrate our life together liturgically with Holy Eucharist and then at our Annual Meeting. If you are unable to attend in person, you can join us on YouTube for worship and on Zoom for the meeting. Thank you to Chris Beato for serving as our Zoom Room Minister.
I will call the Annual Meeting to order at the beginning of the service, during the VPOD (Vestry Person of the Day) at the beginning of the service. I will call for nominations from the floor, Canons for eligibility to serve on Vestry will be read, and polls will open. We will transition into worship, and after the dismissal, we will resume the meeting in the Great Hall. Please read the reports in the annual meeting booklet prior to Sunday. We will have limited hard copies available at the meeting.
Please bring your gratitude, your curiosity, your love, and your questions with you!
See you Sunday!
Faithfully,
Amma Leslie+
| Note: The Annual Report booklet contains an updated Community Engagement Report. | |
-
Ash Wednesday, Wednesday, February 18, Noon and 7:00 Worship
-
Quarterly Parish Potluck, Sunday, March 8, following service, Lower Hall
| | February 1 Pledges & Recurring Donation Presentation Postponed
This presentation has been postponed until this fall. | |
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.
| |
|
Episcopal 101
In preparation for the Bishop's visit on Sunday, April 5 (Easter morning), we will hold classes for those who want to learn more about the Episcopal Church. It is a class that prepares one for Reaffirmation, Reception from another tradition, such as Catholic or Lutheran, and Confirmation. This class will meet on Sundays, March 1, 15, and 22, after worship in the lounge. Please register for the class using the link below. If you have questions, please contact Amma Leslie at leslie@stthomasrochester.org.
| |
Year-End Statements Available
2025 tax statements are available by logging into your St. Thomas Connect (STC) account and following these simple steps:
Select "Giving" from the menu on the left of the homepage ($ icon)
Select "My Giving" from the submenu
Click "Giving Statement" (black box, right side of page)
Select "Family" for type and "Last Year" for range
Select "Run Report"
If you require assistance or need a copy sent via email or USPS, please email
your request to Anita Herring, Director of Finance & Administration at finance@stthomasrochester.org, or call 585.442.3544, x102.
| |
Altar Flowers
If you appreciate the beauty of altar flowers, have an occasion to give thanks for, wish
to celebrate a special event, or want to honor a loved one, consider sponsoring flowers for our weekly worship services. There are many available dates in the coming months for you to make a donation.
Signing up is easy and fast! Call the Parish Office at 585.442.3544 or click the link below. For more details, contact Vicky Rupley at vrupley@gmail.com or 585.233.2546.
| | |
Shrove Tuesday Pancake & Sausage Dinner
Lent is fast approaching! To prepare for Lent, St. Thomas' will be gathering for Shrove Tuesday on Tuesday, February 17, at 5:00 pm in the Lower Hall. Event highlights include a pancake and sausage dinner, prepared by parish members, games, and
arts and crafts.
All are welcome. If you are interested in attending and/or helping, please register
online using the link provided below or by contacting Deacon Andrea at 585.442.8236 or ritastarryeyes@gmail.com.
| |
|
Brighton Food Cupboard Requests
January donation needs for the Brighton Food Cupboard include life staples such as rice, cereal, shelf-stable milk, and instant oatmeal packs. Shop grocery sales now and stock up for our February Souper Sundays soup and crackers tradition, which supports this wonderful cause. We all know food
is love!
Collection boxes are located at each of the church entrances. Thanks for caring and sharing in the love!
| | Children and Youth Ministry | | |
The Disciples
This week in Sunday School we will read the story of the calling of the disciples found in Matthew 4:12-23,
9:9-13, and 10:1-4. Here, Jesus calls fishermen, tax collectors, and all kinds of other people to follow him. The lesson will focus on Jesus’ love for all God’s children and the different ways we are each called to follow Jesus.
One of the ways we are called to follow Jesus is through service to others. We will discuss what service might look like in our own lives. We will be reminded that Jesus loves us and will always call us back into that love wherever we may go.
In keeping with our new Emergency Preparedness Plan, it is important we have your
contact information. If you are new to our Sunday School/Nursery Program and/or if
you have not yet filled out a registration form, please click on the following link.
| | |
Confirmation Class 2026
Any youth of the parish are invited to attend Confirmation Classes this Lenten season.
Classes will be held on February 8, February 22, March 8, March 22, and March 29 from 11:15 am to 12:30 pm. Location to come. The Confirmation rite will be part of our liturgy on Easter Sunday, April 5.
If your child is interested in attending classes, please fill out the form by clicking the link provided below.
Please direct any inquiries about Confirmation to Rev. Lydia at 585.442.3544, ext. 104 or lydia@stthomasrochester.org.
| | |
Get Ready
for Sunday
Read the Revised Common Lectionary
for the third Sunday
After the Epiphany
| |  | |
Parish Weekly Deadline
The deadline for submitting articles for
the Parish Weekly is Tuesday at 9:00 am. Unless noted, the newsletter is published
on Fridays at 10:00 am. Please send
articles directly to Amy Holowczenko at communications@stthomasrochester.org.
| | | |
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.
| | |
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.
| | Copyright ©2026 St. Thomas' Church of Rochester, NY. All rights reserved. |
| | | |
