The Draft

Our Weekly E-Newsletter

April 17, 2025

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Bulletin for Sunday - April 20, 2025

Dear People of St. Thomas',

Let me invite you once again to full participation in the events of the next several days, which we in the Church call the Sacred Triduum. This is it. This is our big moment as Christians. The most sacred time of our year. Please, set aside time tonight, tomorrow evening, and Sunday morning to be present with us and walk through the events of Jesus' betrayal, arrest, crucifixion, and resurrection. I promise you, it will be a blessing to you, especially if you've never done it before. Let me share with you a little bit about each service:

Maundy Thursday: the name comes from the Latin word, mandatum, meaning commandment. On this night Jesus washed his disciples' feet, an act of servanthood well below his social station, and in so doing said that he gave his followers a new commandment. That they love one another as he loved them. This night also commemorates the institution of the Holy Eucharist as our principle act of worship. At the end of the service tonight, things take a dramatic turn, as we solemnly process the Reserve Sacrament out of the church, leaving the tabernacle open and the altar stripped indicating the symbolic absence of Jesus. Psalm 22 is read in the dark and we depart in silence, some to keep watch through the night. Truth be told, this is my favorite service of the Sacred Triduum.

Good Friday: a stark and solemn service recalling the Crucifixion and Jesus' death. On this night we hear the Passion Gospel chanted, and I am very excited for what our choir has prepared for us for this. A life size cross is processed into the church and we all will have the opportunity, if we so desire, to come forward and interact with it. Some like to touch it. Some to kneel and pray before it. Some even like to kiss it as an act of devotion. Eucharist is offered in the most simple way possible, from the Reserve Sacrament. We depart in silence.

Easter Sunday: The glorious feast of the Resurrection! To celebrate, our choir will be present at both our 8am and 10am services, with childcare offered at both. At the 10am service, a string orchestra will join the choir to adorn our liturgy with beautiful orchestral music. We have a kids Easter Egg Hunt planned for 9:15am in the Canterbury Courtyard and Playground spaces, and it should be a fun time for all! Please invite a friend or neighbor to join you this Easter Sunday!

I look forward to celebrating this holy time with all of you. I am proud of the significant amount of hard work that all put into making these services a special time. Our flower guild, altar guild, choir, acolytes, office staff, and army of volunteers have all been putting in extra hours to make this week wonderful. Thank them, for sure, but the best thanks you could give them is by coming and joining in the worship. See you there!

God bless you!

Faithfully,

Fr. Ryan+

Online Giving

Our Mission:

Making a difference for others, because God is making a difference for us.

Our Vision:

To create a safe, loving, and accepting place for all people to grow in their faith and spread love out into the beloved community.

UPCOMING SERVICES

Maundy-Thursday

April 17 - 7:00 pm

This service will begin at 7:00 pm and include foot washing, Holy Eucharist, and stripping of the altar in preparation for Good Friday. Maundy Thursday is the Thursday before Easter, believed to be the day when Jesus celebrated his final Passover with His disciples. Most notably, that Passover meal was when Jesus washed the feet of His disciples in an extraordinary display of humility. He then commanded them to do the same for each other.

The Watch

April 17 - April 18

9:00 pm - 7:00 am

Imagine the warmth of the fire pit flickering under the stars as you gather with fellow members of St. Thomas, united in sacred moments of prayer. Jesus invited his disciples to share in the power of collective prayer, reminding us that our faith flourishes when nurtured together. As you settle into the comfort of our newly installed benches in the serene setting of our outdoor chapel, you will not only find a space for reflection and connection but also an opportunity to deepen your spiritual journey. You are invited to join us for this meaningful experience; hour increments from 9:00 pm to 7:00 am.

Good Friday

April 18 - 7:00 pm

This service will begin at 7:00 pm. It will be a choral service and include a sermon, the Veneration of the hard wood of the Cross, and Holy Communion from the reserve Sacrament.

The Day of Ressurection: Easter Sunday

April 20 - 8:00 am and 10:00 am

Festive Eucharist services at both 8:00 am and 10:00 am. and include foot washing, Holy Eucharist, and stripping of the altar in preparation for Good Friday. Maundy Thursday is the Thursday before Easter, believed to be the day when Jesus celebrated his final Passover with His disciples. Most notably, that Passover meal was when Jesus washed the feet of His disciples in an extraordinary display of humility. He then commanded them to do the same for each other.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Flower Guild Needs Your Help

April 19

There are six crosses that need to be "flowered" for Easter.

If you can help with this project on Saturday, April 19, please contact Pam Holley, pmholley66@gmail.com or 727-481-4990. Thank you.

Easter Egg Hunt

April 20

This year's Easter Egg Hunt will begin at 9:00 am. Please gather under the portico for hunting instructions! The hunt will take place in the Canterbury Courtyard and Playground. There are three golden eggs (for three age groups: 0-5, 6-9, and 10 and above) with special prizes to those who find them, and LOTS of candy! Thank you to Mike and Gina White for heading up this year's hunt, Courtney Bermudez for assisting with the candy, and Jake and Evy Rodrigues, and Ellisha for hiding all the eggs!

Giving Plate

April 27 (4th Sunday of April)

MERCY KEEPERS

This ministry's focus since 2002 has been providing support to primarily Mid-town, but also other Pinellas county residents. The Food Bank serves low-income individuals that may be affected by a variety of factors including low wages, job loss, injuries, illness, age, domestic violence, or divorce.

Their mission is to provide some relief to members of the community who are less fortunate and are living at or below the Federal Poverty Level. As the “mercy” definition states, we are here to offer kindness and help to people who are in difficult economic situations. Our hope is to help change the economic plight of people from being negative statistics to becoming positive citizens in the community.

Sabbatical / Renewal Leave 101

April 27 and May 7

Fr. Ryan will be taking some time to renew and recharge beginning on June 1 and returning September 7. This will be an important time for him to reflect on his ministry at St. Thomas’, a relationship for which we are all tremendously grateful!

On Sunday, April 27th at Coffee Hour he will provide some thoughts on this significant time and how he intends to use it. He will also take your questions about a sabbatical in general and talk about some activities that this parish will participate in during his absence

Please mark your calendars now; a similar session will be offered on Wednesday, May 7th at Supper, Song, and Prayer. In the interim, please pray for all the Whitleys as they prepare.

Mary Clark, Pam Holley, and Bill Barns are the Sabbatical/Renewal Leave Planning Committee.

MUSIC MINISTRY

Music for Sunday

April 20, 2025

Voluntaries: "Nimrod from the "Enigma" Variations" by Edward Elgar (1857-1934) arr. Charles Gunsaullus

"Easter Anthem, Op. 46" by Dudley Buck (1839-1909) arr. Andrew Lamb

Hymn #207 Jesus Christ is risen today Easter Hymn

Psalm 118: 1-2, 14-24 Confitemini Domino T. A. Walmisley (1814-1856)

Anthem at the Sequence: "Alleluia! Alleluia!" by Sir Arthur Sullivan (1842-1900) arr. Richard Shephard

Offertory Anthem: "Ye Choirs of New Jerusalem" by Charles Villiers Stanford (1852-1924) arr. Jordan R Markham

Communion Hymn #192 This joyful Eastertide Vruechten

Communion Hymn #178 Alleluia, alleluia! Give thanks Alleluia No. 1

Hymn #210 The day of resurrection! Ellacombe

Voluntary: "Toccata on 'Thine Be the Glory'" by Paul Fey (b. 1998) arr. Jordan R Markham

Chorus Angelorum - Spring Concert

May 4

LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION!

Stations of the Cross with All of Creation

at Benison Farm

YOUTH MINISTRY

Truthseekers

No Class on Easter.

Class continues on Sunday, April 27 at 9:00 am in the Guild Room.

Truthseekers: Lesson Recaps

ADULT CHRISTION EDUCATION

LENTEN Formation Class

Wednesdays, 7:00 pm

2025 Lenten Adult Formation Class. We are studying this book together during Lent. Class begins at 7pm, in the Guild Room, on Wednesdays following Supper, Song, and Prayer. See you there!

Reading Assignment Schedule:

April 23: NO CLASS

April 30: Chapter 10 & 11

Men's Bible Study

Wednesdays, 7:30 am

The Men's Bible Study is studying Ecclesiastes. Join anytime. It's a great time to join! The group meets on Wednesday mornings at 7:30 am in the church chancel. If you have any questions, please contact Fr. Ryan.

Women of the Word

Thursdays, 9:30 am

Meets on Thursday morning at 9:30 am in the church. WOW is studying the book of beginnings, Genesis and we are using A Journey through Genesis, edited by Marek P. Zabriskie and published by Forward Movement (2023).

Please contact Joan Barns if you have questions, 757-567-5488, joanmbarns@gmail.com.

NEWS FROM THE FARM

Earth Day

April 22

OUTREACH MINISTRIES

Isaiah's Place Ministry: Hot Meal Prep

Saturday, April 19

On the 1st and 3rd Saturdays of each month, Isaiah's Place makes hot meals for those who need food. Please join us on Saturday, April 19 for an hour to help plate 200 hot meals for those needing food.

We need helpers between 11:00am-3:00pm (you do not have to stay the entire time) to help with cooking, prepping and plating food. Please consider helping with this vital ministry.

Please email Vickie Ryan if you'd like to be involved with this ministry: VickieRyan802@gmail.com

Find More Ways to Get Involved with Isaiah's Place Here

Sandwich Sunday

May 4

Please join us at 9:00 am to make sandwiches for those in our community that need food. We will gather in the kitchen to prepare 200 turkey, ham, and cheese sandwiches. This is an important outreach ministry and the sandwiches we make go in support those who are food deprived in our community.

Please email Angie Ford it you like to become involved with this outreach ministry: angiefordsemail@yahoo.com

Honduras Mission Trip

May 10-17, 2025

Updated Needs List:

For General and Women’s Health Kits:

washcloths (1057)

combs (1289)

hair ties (820)

bandaids

$$$ to purchase soap and toothpaste in Honduras

For Kid's Gift Bags and Teacher’s school Supplies:

pencils

crayons

pencil sharpeners

rulers

glue sticks

erasers

$$$ to purchase notebooks/paper in Honduras

Other Supplies Needed:

surgical gloves (L and XL)

soccer balls, deflated (7 or more)

frisbees (7 or more)

“Green” donations:

It costs $1500+ per person, any donations would be helpful.

Make checks payable to St.Thomas' and in the memo:

Honduras Mission Trip

Please email Russ Martin if you would like to be a part of this Outreach Ministry: office@stthomasstpete.org.

Pack-a-Snack

Thanks to all for your help with Pack-a-Snack at

St. Thomas' Episcopal Church

Pack-a-Snack Volunteers for the Week of April 20

Delivery: Bill Thomas Thursday April 24

Pack-a-Snack Volunteers for the Week of April 27

Staging: Mike and Linda Davis Tuesday April 29

Packing: WOW Group May 1

Delivery: Amy Kelso May 1

Pack-a-Snack Volunteers for the Week of May 4

Delivery: Diane Robinson Thursday May 8

Please email Amy Kelso at askelso41@yahoo.com if you would like to be involved with this outreach ministry. Thank you.

Packing and Delivery Schedule Here

Mercy Keepers

As you know, needy families and individuals in our community go without sufficient food, shelter, and essential medical care every day due to a variety of factors including low wages, job loss, injuries, illness, age, drugs and/or violence. While all of us are susceptible to hard times, children and the elderly are at the most risk, and they make up the largest number of clients we serve. With the generous support of folks like St. Thomas', Mercy Keepers is able to help many of these families and individuals not only to meet essential daily needs.

Thank you! We know that there is so much need for so many in our community.

Stewardship

FELLOWSHIP

Please join us on Thursdays from

6:00 pm - 7:15 pm

Meeting ID: 852 5738 4996

Password: 220612

Connect through Zoom:

VHH Zoom Link

DIOCESE OF SOUTHWEST FLORIDA NEWS

New Assisting Bishop joins Staff

The Rt. Rev. Maria Griselda Delgado del Carpio

The Diocese is honored to share that the Right Reverend Maria Griselda Delgado del Carpio will serve as an Assisting Bishop in Residence. She will be assisting in making visitations and providing pastoral care in our Hispanic and Latino communities.

Diocesan Event Calendar

EPISCOPAL CHURCH NEWS

Holy Apostles (Brooklyn) engages children with after school education/puppetry.

On Wednesdays between September and June, the Church of the Holy Apostles in Brooklyn, New York, offers an after-school Christian education program for children in kindergarten through seventh grade. The curriculum includes Bible study, prayer, Christian ethics, church history and theology. These youth-oriented ministries have helped transform the parish into a growing church home for families in the borough’s Windsor Terrace neighborhood. “We understand that most kids in a lot of places – not just in New York City – are not coming to church every weekend because of sports and art classes and other activities, and many parents lament that their children don’t have time for Sunday school. But we realized that maybe we’re not supposed to compete with sports. Maybe, instead, we can offer church at another time to meet these youth where they are and give families what they need to provide a really deep spiritual and religious foundation for our youth.” Unlike the drop-in Sunday school program, which takes place during their 10 a.m. worship service and includes eighth graders, the after-school program is a yearlong commitment that requires a small fee. The after-school curriculum includes Bible study, prayer, Christian ethics, church history and theology. Students learn through art projects, self-reflection, discussion and theater. They’re also encouraged to ask questions. They don’t use computers, phones or tablets while in the after-school program.

More Episcopal Church News

PASTORAL CARE

The list of names in the Prayers of the People will be published in the bulletin every week and in this section of The Draft. To add someone to the long-term prayer list, contact Russ Martin in the church office: 727-896-9641 or office@stthomasstpete.org.

Names stay on the prayer list for three weeks unless otherwise requested.

Parish Prayer List:

Geoff, Sharon Joanne, Barbara, Carrie, Yvonne, Jo, Terry, Julia, John, Kevin, Freddy, Nancy, Rosalie, Linda, Rick, Carol, Chris, Beverly, Teri and family, Jack, Pam, Larry, Clara, Rebecca, Luke, James, William, Connie, David, Jack, Laura.

Healing Prayer:

Healing prayer is offered at the 10:00 am Sunday service. After communion you are invited to come to the back of the Cathedral and receive a confidential healing prayer from a trained parishioner. Prayer ministers share the heart of Jesus' love and care, and are guided by the Holy Spirit to listen, love, and pray into your prayer requests for physical, emotional, and/or spiritual needs. Intercessory prayers for others can also be given. If you have any questions about the healing prayer ministry or feel called to serve, please call Joan Barns, 757-567-5488 or email joanmbarns@gmail.com.

APRIL CELEBRATIONS!

Happy Birthday blessings this month go out to: Pete Calabrese (April 7); Larry Wysong (April 7); Joe Master (April 8); Karilyn Jaap (April 9); James Horner (April 11); Emily Fleming (April 13); Michael Ryan (April 15); Charles Hicks (April 16); Barbara Johnson (April 21); Charles Wood (April 21); John Balestrieri (April 23); Jane Anne Knowlton (April 23); Logan Evanoff (April 23); Margaret Thompson (April 23); John Wetmore (April 23); Carol Murtagh (April 25); Geoff Barker (April 27); Russell Sayles (April 28); David Knowlton (April 29)

Happy Anniversary blessings this month go out to: Mark and Jennifer DiNobile (April 1); Fr. Hayden and Alexis Crawford (April 8); Todd and Tracey Kelso (April 17); Tom and Caron Burgess (April 21); Thane and Laura Reitan (April 27); Bill and Val Hendry (April 30)

LAY MINISTRY SCHEDULE

EASTER DAY: April 20

Acolytes (10am): Hannah Wetmore, Colin Burkhart, Jace Viera, Caroline Whitley, Daniel Nicolas, Dominic Nicolas.

Altar Guild: Barbara Bice, Courtney Bermudez, Pat Bernfeld.

Camera Operator/Digital Commentary: Jackson Ball, Mike White.

Coffee Host: Ellen Burkhart, Viki Sheahan.

Flower Guild: Pam Holley, Teri Andrés-Coryell, Sue Humphrey, Laura Vrooman.

Greeter (8am): Pat Bernfeld.

Greeter (10am): Russ Martin.

Lay Eucharistic Minister (8am): Tom Shevlin.

Lay Eucharistic Minister (10am): Liz Stiles, Colin Burkhart.

Lector (8am): Mike Bice.

Lectors (10am): Laura Hine, Kanika Tomalin.

Nursery: Angel Bickert, Joan Groendal-Patterson.

Oblation Bearers: Edy Nicolas, Cathy Zanbaka.

Prayers of the People (8am): Mike Bice.

Prayers of the People (10am): Jordan Markham.

Ushers (8am): Dave and Pat Bernfeld.

Ushers (10am): David and Jane Anne Knowlton, Teri Andrés-Coryell.

GENESIS 21:6

God has given us the ability to laugh for a reason. It may seem like a little thing, but laughter is vitally important in the battle against stress, anxiety, fear and worry.