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Dear People of St. Thomas’,
Three Sundays from now we will celebrate the Feast of Pentecost, a great feast day in the life of the church in which we remember the gift of the Holy Spirit descending upon the crowds to whom Peter preached. Tongues, like fire, appeared over their heads and no matter what country they had come from, no matter what language or dialect they spoke, they heard Peter’s preaching in their own language. It was a reversal of what happened in Genesis 11 at the Tower of Babel. There, at the Tower, God confused the language of the people because of their hubris in attempting to reach Heaven. Now, at Pentecost, God reverses that, bringing people back into unity through language.
On June 5, we will have one service at 10 AM and one of the ways we will celebrate that day is to have people read a lesson in languages other than English. If you can read in a language other than English and are willing to participate on June 5, please let me know! We are looking for as many languages as possible – you don’t have to be fluent, you just have to have the ability to read it out loud. The church will provide you with the reading in your chosen language. Once I have volunteers, additional instructions will be given to those readers as to how the reading will be done that day. Come help us make this day festive!
God bless you!
Faithfully,
Fr. Ryan+
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The Feast of the Ascension
Forty days after Easter the Church commemorates the Ascension of our Lord, and we will do at St. Thomas with a special service of the Holy Eucharist May 26th at 12:15 PM in the Main Church. All are invited, please join us!
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Bible Trivia!
New Wednesday Night Formation
Final round, Wednesday, May 25, 7 PM
Following Supper, Song, and Prayer beginning Wednesday, May 4, and running for four weeks, we will be running a Bible Trivia game in the Parish Hall.
Here’s how you can participate – get a team together of 3 or 4 persons (note: not 2, not 5, but 3 or 4 persons). Name your team something fun, funny, or creative! Email Fr. Ryan with the name of your team and it’s participants. Show up on Wednesday, May 4 ready to compete! Points awarded will be CUMULATIVE over the four weeks so choose your team wisely! There will be no phones or electronic devices permitted, nor will Bible Trivia be “open book.” The themes for each week (for those who may wish to bone up in advance) will be:
May 25 - The Church
At the end of the game on May 25, a prize will be awarded to the team with the most points FROM ACROSS ALL FOUR WEEKS. Bibles will be awarded to the team with the fewest points. A Narrative Bible Reading Plan will also be discussed and distributed, so you can have an easy way to dig deeper into scripture in your devotional reading.
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St. Thomas’ Church offers traditional formation (Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation), discernment for guild apprenticeship (“Behind the Scenes”), and other fun activities.
For more information, contact the Rev. Anne Hartley, 954-253-4414 [email protected]
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St. Thomas' families climbed to great heights last week at Vertical Ventures! | |
"Behind the Scenes" continues!
Sunday, May 22, Russ Martin will do a technology demonstration. Learn how we do Facebook and YouTube live-streaming. Everett, Joy and Matthew will be commissioned to the technology guild this Sunday, too.
Last session:
Sunday, May 29, Fr. Ryan will introduce the role of the thurifer, the person who carries the thurible with incense. We don't use the thurible often at St. Thomas. Only on very special occasions! This is what it looks like after you've practiced.
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Summer plans...we'll be doing some movie nights and a sleepover. Rev. Anne would love to work with small groups of parish kids and friends to do community service projects (design your own!).
For your calendar:
Sunday, June 5 - Let's meet after the 10AM service to talk about the kinds of youth activities you'd like us to have starting in the fall.
Sunday, Sept. 25 - St. Michael's and All Angels invites firefighters and policy for a blessing.
Sunday, Oct. 2 - St. Thomas' Blessing of the Pets and Fair
October - Confirmation classes begin on Sundays. Confirmation will be on All Saint's Day, Nov. 6.
January 27-28, 2023 - Rock the Universe
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Healing prayers have returned during Holy Communion at the 8AM and 10AM services. After you take communion, you are invited to receive a healing prayer from a parishioner or clergy person in the back of the church. If you would like to join the team, contact Russ Ball at 727-667-5471. | | |
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Centering Prayer
Centering Prayer is on summer break until October!
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Ever Consider Singing in the Choir? How ‘Bout Summer Choir?
The season of our Summer Choir program will soon be here. Summer Choir is a “pick-up” group that meets on Sunday mornings before worship at 9:15. We prepare the music for the following 10:00am service. We do not robe or process with the Altar party. We try our best to help facilitate worship but without the benefit of regular weeknight rehearsals.
The group is open to anyone, and with the summer traveling schedule we are never sure who will be here. Singers are required to be fully vaccinated. And because of social distancing, I ask participants to please contact me each week to let me know they are coming. That way I can be prepared for each Sunday morning. I hope you can join us. Here is the Summer Choir schedule:
Sundays with Summer Choir, (First Session) = 6/12, 6/19
Sundays of choir summer break = 6/26, 7/3, 7/10, 7/17, 7/24
Sundays with Summer Choir, (Second Session) = 7/31, 8/7, 8/14, 8/21
Contact Rick Smith at [email protected] , [email protected] and/or 727-641-6903
Contact Grace Smith in the church office [email protected]
Music for The Fourth Sunday of Easter
Prelude "Nimrod" from Enigma Variations - Edward Elgar
Entrance Hymn, Come Let Us Join Our Cheerful Songs – Blue hymnal, 374
Hymn of Praise – Blue hymnal, S278
Psalm 67 - E. F. Rimbault
Gospel Alleluia, - Green hymnal 848
Offertory Anthem, “Christ is Our Cornerstone” –David Thorne
Doxology, “Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow” – LASST UNS ERFREUEN
Sanctus – Blue hymnal, S128
Fracture Anthem – Blue hymnal, S154
Communion Music - Organ
Processional Hymn - Christ for the World We Sing - Blue Hymnal 537
Postlude "Processional" - Alfred V. Fedak
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Celebrations
Happy Birthday Blessings this week go out to: Tom Shevlin, Ryan Whitley, Brandon Coop, Michelle Badger, Michelle Jennings, Kai Tomalin, Michael Dombrowski, and Bill Brooks.
Happy Anniversary blessings this week go out to: Chris and Beth Finch
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Nursery Refreshment Planned for Summer
As we move forward with Invite, Welcome, Connect as discussed at the annual meeting and in hopes of building on the success of the SIPOA Easter Egg Hunt hosted by St Thomas last month, we have undertaken a refresh of our nursery. The goal is a nursery that is clean, safe, and welcoming to families with young children. We appreciate the many donations made to the nursery in the past but with a renewed emphasis on cleanliness these last 2 years, we made a significant purge of the nursery contents. We will now undertake a deep clean and will be acquiring new toys and equipment with a view to items which are shareable, engaging, and easily sanitized. A couple of moms of young children in our congregation and the former director of education at Great Explorations Childrens' Museum prepared our wish list. Please consider making a donation to this refresh of the nursery by purchasing one or more items on our Amazon Wish List. (And when you do, shop at smile.amazon.com and choose St Thomas as your charity of choice. St Thomas will benefit from that too!). Thank you so much for whatever you can give!
Check out my list on Amazon
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WOW
Women of the Word – WOW – invite you to join them!
WOW are completing their study of Peter’s Epistles. 1 Peter 3:15 challenges Christians to always be ready to make your defense to anyone who asks you to give an accounting for the hope that is yours in Jesus Christ.
With that in mind we are beginning a study of The Case For Christ– journalist, lawyer and atheist turned Christian, Lee Strobel’s quest for the truth about history’s most compelling figure. Our ultimate end is to be confident in sharing our faith clearly and concisely.
Books provided–study starts Thursday, May 12 at 9:15 in the Founder’s Room. Guests are welcome!
Information: Julie Songster 727-420-6839
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Men’s Bible Study
Wednesdays, 7:30 AM, The Founder’s Room
THE CRUCIFIXION: UNDERSTANDING THE DEATH OF JESUS CHRIST
By: Fleming Rutledge
She wants to demystify the Cross so that we can approach it anew, with fresh eyes, and understand the death of Jesus and his Resurrection in a powerful new (original?) light. We’ll tackle the book at a hospitable pace, side by side with the Bible. There has never been a better time to join the Men’s Bible Study and we invite you to pick up a copy of the book, and join us next Wednesday. Here’s where we’re headed in the immediate future:
May 25 - Chapter 8
June 1 - Chapter 9
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Thanks to all for your help with Pack-a-Snack at St. Thomas' Episcopal Church.
Pack-a-Snack Volunteers for the Week of May 15th:
Delivery: Pete Calabrese, Thursday, 05/19/2022
Pack-a-Snack is a St. Thomas ministry that provides those students of North Shore Elementary School, who otherwise would undergo food insecurity on the weekends, an opportunity to have sustaining snacks Friday through Sunday. Our ministry volunteers purchase, group, pack, and deliver these maintaining snacks to North Shore Elementary School. If you are interested in joining our ministry for next school year, please text Teri and Lee Coryell at 727.492.7208. Your help will require a small amount of your time but will reap many rewards!
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Sixth Sunday of Easter
Lay Minister Schedule
Acolyte: Colin Burkhart, Hannah Wetmore
Altar Guild: Nancy Horner, Susan McMullen
Camera Operator: Molly Goodwill
Coffee Host 10am: Ellen Burkhart
Flower Guild: Elizabeth Alison, Pam Holley
Lector 8am: David Gould
Lector 10am: Elise Whitley, Mark Howerton, Toni Calabrese
Musicians: Chancel Choir
Oblations: George and Ellen Burkhart
Usher 10am: Chris Finch, Tom Brady
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The Retirement of The Right Reverend Dabney T. Smith. Fifth Bishop of the Diocese of Southwest Florida
On May 11, 2022, Bishop Smith sent a letter to all rectors announcing his official retirement date as December 31, 2022. Bishop Coadjutor-elect, The Rev. Doug Scharf, will arrive in the Diocese on May 1, be consecrated and ordained a Bishop on September 24, work closely with Bishop Smith until the end of the year and then succeed him as the sixth Bishop of the Diocese of Southwest Florida. Please pray for both Bishop Smith and Bishop Coadjutor-elect Scharf during this time of transition.
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Parish Calendar
Friday, May 20
Saturday, May 21
Sunday, May 22 -Fifth Sunday of Easter
8:00 am - Holy Eucharist, Rite II, Spoken
10:00 am - Holy Eucharist, Rite II,
Sanctuary, with choir
Monday, May 23
9:00 am- Morning Prayer
9:30 am - Staff Meeting
Tuesday, May 24
9:00 am- Morning Prayer
Wednesday, May 25
7:30 am - Men's Bible Study
9:00 am - Morning Prayer
5:15 pm - Evening Chapel
6:00 pm - Supper, Song and Prayer
7:00 pm - Compline
7:15 pm - Bible Trivia
Thursday, May 26
9:00 am - Morning Prayer
9:15 am - Women of the Word
6:00 pm - Pub Virtual Happy Hour - On Zoom (See article above)
6:30 pm - Choir Rehearsal
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Here are two significant ways you can help now:
1. Donate to support EMM’s Neighbor to Neighbor (NtN) program. Through NtN, EMM directly trains and provides ongoing support to faith communities and other groups who serve as community sponsors for displaced persons. EMM knows sponsors will need the support of organizations with expertise in this area, as well as the support and fellowship of others engaged in this work of welcome. Substantive funding is urgently needed to sustain the small and dedicated team as they carry out this heroic and life-saving work.
As you are able, please give generously.
Sustaining (recurring) donations are particularly important as they provide steady funding for the training, ongoing support, and sponsorship of displaced persons. This dependable support from sustainers allows EMM to plan and serve these individuals in the months ahead. (Gifts of stock, donor-advised funds, retirement fund distribution, or from your Will are also welcome. Contact [email protected] or call (212) 716-6271 for more info.)
2. We encourage anyone interested in learning more about community sponsorship to complete this Initial Interest Form. After completing the form, you will be invited to attend a NtN Information Session, offered weekly on Tuesdays at 7:00 PM ET. Currently, NtN teams are sponsoring asylum seekers and Afghans. EMM is working with its external partners to determine how Uniting for Ukraine will be mapped into the NtN program. We invite you to begin to learn more about Neighbor to Neighbor and the responsibilities of community sponsorship. We hope to see you at an Information Session.
These two opportunities are instrumental in offering safety and stability to all our new neighbors seeking refuge here. With your help, we can pave a smoother path for all newcomers as they begin their journey of healing and rebuilding.
Thank you for your continued support and commitment to welcome all displaced persons. Please pray for them, and join EMM in this important work and give generously today.
Faithfully,
Demetrio Alvero
Director of Operations
Episcopal Migration Ministries
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