Parish Weekly March 20, 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

A Note on Prayer

Are you having a hard time praying? Too often, we overcomplicate prayer. You might remember my definition of prayer is being present to God's presence. Sometimes

prayer comes in the form of words, and other times, prayer comes out as an argument

or wrestling with God. And there are times we pray by breathing, or prayer comes in the form of a soulful conversation. Let's take the pressure off of our expectations of prayer

and allow the Holy Spirit to make her way in the being, loving, living, and simple expressions of humility and hope. 

Anne Lamott suggests three words that express sufficient prayers that are part of all

our vocabulary, and they are Wow, Thanks, and Help. When life feels complicated,

one of these words has a way of popping into my head and becoming my prayer for

the moment. Perhaps they are helpful to you too. 

Wow. Thanks. Help. 

Praying with you, 



Amma Leslie+

Mark Your Calendars

• Episcopal 101 Class, Sundays, March 22 & 29, 11:15 am, Lounge
• Lenten Wednesday Class, Wednesday, March 25, 2:00 pm, Lounge

Communication News

Parish Weekly Newsletter

The Parish Weekly will not be published during Holy Week (April 3) or Easter Week (April 10). Content for these weeks should be submitted directly to Amy Holowczenko

at communications@stthomasrochester.org by noon on Tuesday, March 24, to be included in the March 27 edition.

Worship Ministry

Palm Sunday, March 29 Worship Service

Bishop Kara has given the clergy of the diocese permission to forego the Passion reading on Palm Sunday, which is the typical gospel reading for the day. Like the Bishop, it often feels to me that we are jumping into Good Friday a little too early

when we read the Passion on Palm Sunday. So we will read Matthew 21:12-17,

which is the natural flow after Matthew's telling of Jesus' entrance into Jerusalem.

On Good Friday, we will read the Passion Gospel. Our service is at 7:00 pm for all

three Triduum services.

May we together say, Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord. 

Amma Leslie+

Stations of the Cross

Stations of the Cross are located in the Nave of the Church, with narrative descriptions on each windowsill near the stations. The temperature in the Nave has been raised for your comfort while you pray. 

Prayer at the stations is open to all weekdays between

9:00 am and 3:30 pm until April 2, or accessible by contacting the Parish Office at 585.442.3544 to make arrangements to pray during off-hours. If you do not have

a door code, please use the intercom, and the staff will buzz you in to gain entrance to the church.

Easter Flower Sign-Up

When the light breaks through on Easter Sunday, our sanctuary will be beautifully decorated with an array of lilies and flowering plants, thanks to the generous donations from parishioners and friends

of St. Thomas.' These plants will enhance our celebration throughout Easter week.

You may donate towards the Easter flowers in one of two ways:

• Click the link below to donate online

• Individual cards, located at both church entrances

If you would like to make a donation in memory of a loved one or as a special gesture of thanksgiving, please indicate this when you sign up. We will include these names

in the list of contributors in the Easter bulletin. Contributions of any amount are greatly appreciated. If sending a check, please make it payable to St. Thomas' Episcopal Church and write 'Easter Flowers' on the memo line. Sign-up forms and checks can

be submitted to the church office.

The deadline for submissions to be included in the Easter service bulletins is noon

on Monday, March 30. Please direct any inquiries Vicky Rupley at 585.233.2546

or via email at vrupley@gmail.com.

Community Engagement

A Yummy Fundraiser

On Wednesday, April 22, from 11:00 am to 9:30 pm,

Adelita's Mexican Cocina & Tequila in Pittsford

Plaza will be donating 15% of its entire day's proceeds to Family Promise of Greater Rochester. Formerly known as RAIHN, the homeless shelter assists families at risk of or experiencing homeless-ness to achieve sustainable independence by providing person-centered, holistic services in collaboration with the greater community.

The fundraiser includes lunch, dinner, and takeout orders. Come and enjoy a great meal and assist Rochester's families in housing crises. 

United Thank Offering During Lent

This Lent, St. Thomas' celebrates the United

Thank Offering (UTO) with the tradition of giving thanks. Founded in 1889, the UTO provides one-

time grants to alleviate poverty, improve health,

and increase access to water, education, equality, and social justice.

Last year, the UTO awarded a $5,000 grant to

the Episcopal Migration Ministries' Sustaining the Rainbow Initiative, to address the lack of federal support for its population. This churchwide refugee resettlement program launched the initiative to assist migrants fleeing from anti-LGBTQ+ persecution. It also plans to provide Rainbow Initiative materials for congregations and dioceses to use in upcoming Pride parades and replace vandalized banners.

UTO coin boxes and brochures are available at both church entrances. Alternatively, you may mail a check to the church with "UTO" noted in the memo section. All contributions will be gathered at the end of Lent on April 19. Please consider joining

us in giving thanks this Lent through the UTO.

Wendy Petry, UTO Chairwoman, has been chairing the United Thank Offering at St. Thomas’ for 34 years, and has decided this year will be her last. Anyone interested in shadowing her, learning more about the UTO, and taking over this campaign next year should contact Wendy at wendywhp@yahoo.com.



Brighton Food Cupboard Requests

The Brighton Food Cupboard is a program

of Jewish Family Service of Rochester in partnership with the Brighton Central School District and Foodlink. March and April donation needs for the Brighton Food Cupboard include toothpaste, toothbrushes, and shampoos, which will help keep our neighbors smiling and looking great.

Drop for off your donations in the collection boxes located at each church entrance. Thanks for caring and sharing in the love!

Update: St. Thomas' collected 256 pounds of soup and crackers during our Souper Sundays campaign for the Brighton Food Cupboard. It is warming to the body and the soul to have such a great outpouring for our neighbors.

Children and Youth Ministry

Lazarus

This week in Sunday School, we will read the story

of Lazarus being raised from the dead found in John 11:1-45. Jesus visits his friends Mary and Martha and discovers that their brother Lazarus has died. Mary and Martha both weep for their brother, and Jesus weeps with them. Jesus asks to be taken to the tomb where Lazarus had been laid, and upon arriving, he calls for Lazarus to come out. Lazarus comes out of the tomb, and everyone celebrates with joy. Our lesson this week will focus on the way in which Jesus knows both our sorrows and our joy. Just as Jesus wept and celebrated

with Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, Jesus weeps and celebrates with us, too.

Youth Group

The Youth Group will meet on the first and third Sunday of each month. All are welcome. Please contact either Rev. Lydia at lydia@stthomasrochester.org or

Paula Gitlin at paula@stthomasrochester.org with any questions or concerns.

Confirmation Class

Confirmation Class continues this Sunday, March 22, following worship. We will meet

from 11:15 am to 12:30 pm in the Conference Room. Snacks will be provided! This week, we will be exploring our responsibility to work for justice, respect, and human dignity within our call as baptized Christians.

April Diocesan Youth Retreat

Are you in grades 6-12? Do you enjoy campfires, games, and having fun with new

friends? Then don't miss the Diocese of Rochester Youth Retreat! Join us at Asbury

Retreat Center, in Silver Lake, on April 24, from 5:00 pm until noon, on April 26, for a weekend of worship and great memories with other youth from the diocese.

If you are interested in attending and would like more information or have questions,

please contact Rev. Lydia at lydia@stthomasrochester.org.

In Case You Missed It

Dress A Girl Ministry

Lent is the perfect time to sew for our Dress A Girl Ministry. The ministry plans to send 100-200 dresses with the St. Paul’s Church Choir when they visit Ghana in February next year. Currently, there are 20 dresses in stock at the church, and we are seeking help creating more to meet our goal.

Dress kits and instructions are available for pickup during Hospitality Hour on Sundays following the 10:00 am service, and from the bin outside the Parish Office or from the Fiber Ministry closet in the Acolytes Room at any time. The dresses are quick and fun to make, taking only one to two hours to construct.

City of Rochester Public Education Sessions: Opioids in Our Community

Share your perspectives on how the opioid epidemic

is affecting our community and its families, what resources

are available to prevent overdose, and what you observe

as barriers to care at the Cameron Community Ministries

public education session on Wednesday, June 24, from

4:30 to 6:30 pm, at 28 Cameron Street in Rochester. For

more information, contact the Office of Special Projects

and Educational Initiatives at 585.428.7192.

April Creation Care Meeting

St. Thomas' parishioners are invited to join the

Creation Care Committee in a discussion of the book,

"The Serviceberry," by Robin Wall Kimmerer, at 8:00 pm

on Tuesday, April 7. Dr. Kimmerer will be speaking

at an event hosted by the Episcopal Diocese of Central New York on Saturday, May 2, for which this book is recommended preparation.

For more information, contact Allen Blair at 585.473.3453 or blairallen1959@gmail.com.

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. 

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.