The Draft

Our Weekly E-Newsletter

October 24, 2024

View as Webpage

Bulletin for Sunday - October 27, 2024

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.

Hurricane Assistance: At the drop down, please choose either "Hurricane

Restoration" or "Discretionary Fund".

Methods to donate are on the St. Thomas’ website and on the church’s Facebook page. If you prefer to write checks, please make them to the order of St. Thomas' Episcopal Church. On the memo line, please designate "Hurricane Restoration" to help efforts at the church, or "Discretionary Fund" to help those affected by the storm.

Despite Helene's and Milton's devastation, we continue Growing Together in Love.

NEW Sunday Service Schedule: October 27 and November 3

We will have ONE Sunday service on October 27 and November 3 at 10:00 am inside the church. *We currently are without a copy machine and have no way to print bulletins. Please follow the bulletin link in The Draft (at the top of the page) or go to our web site to find the link on the main page, www.stthomasstpete.org (bottom right, under quick links) and follow along on your mobile phone or iPad. The 8:00 am service will resume on November 10.

Nursery - Our nursery will resume on Sunday November 3, 9:45 am and be open until after the 10:00 am church service concludes. Regular nursery times, 7:45 am - 11:15 am will resume on Sunday, November 10.

Fr. Ryan will once again present dramatic readings of two classic ghost stories. And this year, Organist and Choirmaster Jordan Markham will present several spooky organ works to accompany the ghost stories! This is an event for mature audiences, ages 14+.

Trunk or Treat - October 30

Make plans to join us on Wednesday, October 30 at 5:00 pm for a fun alternative to trick or treat. Folks are invited to decorate their cars for the event and join in the fun passing out candy to St. Thomas', Canterbury, and community children dress in costume. Afterward, pizza will be served. This will be a fun family event.

SPECIAL OBSERVANCE FOR ALL SAINTS’ DAY

Sunday, November 3, 2024

10:00 am

The St. Thomas’ Church Family will gather on Sunday, November 3, 2024

 to remember by name the Faithful Departed.

We will remember by name the Faithful Departed whose names

appear in the Parish Register during the past year.

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + +  

We invite you to submit additional names (not necessarily for just the year past) by

emailing this form to St. Thomas’ at office@stthomasstpete.org no later than

Tuesday, October 29th.

     NAMES Name of Person(s) to be remembered: ________________________

         to be           _______________________________________________

REMEMBERED ________________________________________________

Name of Person(s) submitting form: ___________________________________________________

Telephone ______________________________

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + +

SPECIAL DONATIONS

As an additional remembrance we are offering you the opportunity to consider a special gift in memory of a loved one. Gifts will be credited on your contribution statement. 

Please find enclosed a check in the amount of ______________________________ for All Saints’ Day

in memory of _______________________________________________________________________

by _________________________________________________ 

Telephone ______________________

(deadline for names to appear in the Sunday bulletin is Tuesday, October 29th)

Getting back to "normal":

Alexandre Guilmant (1837-1911) was a French master organist and composer. He served as organist for 30 years at La Trinité in Paris and was appointed professor of organ at the Conservatoire de Paris in 1896. Guilmant's style of composition can sound rather cheesy to our modern senses with its use of chromatism and bombastic style, but imagine this music in a grand cathedral echoing off the stone floors and soaring ceilings. Just to put into perspective, Claude Debussy was composing at the same exact time, and their music couldn't sound further from each other. Guilmant did not partake in the Impressionist movement in music, and actually quite liked arranging orchestral works for organ from past masters like Handle. Let me know if you find his Postlude to sound too much like a carnival song or if it has enough sensibility to it to stand on its own. 

~Jordan

Music for Sunday

October 27, 2024

Opening Voluntary, Prelude IV from 12 Preludes, Alan Gray (1855-1935)

Hymn 492, Sing, ye faithful, sing with gladness- Finnian

Hymn 404, We will extol you, ever-blessèd Lord- Old 124th

Offertory Anthem: Ave verum corpus, W.A. Mozart

Hymn 320, Zion, praise thy Saviour- Lauda Sion Salvatorem 

Hymn 493, O for a thousand tongues to sing- Azmon 

Concluding Voluntary, Postlued in F Op. 46 No. 2, Alexandre Guilmant (1837-1911)

Youth Ministry

Truthseekers:

This Class is back up and running!

Class will restart this Sunday, 10/27 and will meet in the Canterbury courtyard at 9:00 am.

Adult Learning Opportunities

LARGE PRINT editions of the Forward Day by Day are now available in the back o the church at the usher's station.

Forward Movement has also published a short four-page document that can be used for anyone who would like to pray for our upcoming elections.

Men's Bible Study

Meets on Wednesday mornings at 7:30 am.

Please call Russ Martin at 904-728-5485 for address location.

Women of the Word which meets on Thursday mornings is currently on hold until further notice.

News from the Farm

Outreach

Our Next Sandwich Sunday: November 3

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 the sandwiches. This is an important outreach ministry and the sandwiches we make go in support of Isaiah's Place food ministry.

Pack-a-Snack

Please be advised, this ministry is currently on hold until St. Thomas' has the ability to provide this vital service to North Shore Elementary.

"Find out how much God had given you and from it take what you need; the remainder is needed by others."

~ Augustine ~

The Gospel invites us to Walk in Love with our neighbor in their footsteps, with the outcast and the marginalized, with those who need us. As we spread the Good News in our world, we carry the love and support of our congregation and our prayers into our communities. When you share your many gifts with your neighbors, every step is walking in love.

Your 2025 Pledge Packet, including your commitment letter, will be mailed to you on Friday, November 15. Please return the pledge letter on or before Sunday, December 1 - Consecration Sunday. All pledges received by mail will be placed in the alms basin on Consecration Sunday to be blessed as will those brought to church that day and turned in.

Celebrating Boss' Day!

News from the Diocese

Diocesan Visioning Day

Saturday, January 4, 2025

9:00 am – 3:00 pm

This event will be an in-person gathering at DaySpring with an available option to participate virtually via live stream. During this gathering, I will provide important updates regarding the vision, mission, and goals for the diocese. You don’t want to miss this exciting opportunity to participate in the work of dreaming about our future together. This gathering will be open to everyone in the diocese (not just clergy and lay delegates). Registration information for this event will be available on November 1. 

News from the Episcopal Church

Save the Date - November 2

Our Presiding Bishop-elect Sean Rowe will have his investiture on November 2, 11:00 am  in the Chapel of Christ the Lord in The Episcopal Church Center in New York City, with a prelude beginning one hour earlier. There will be an extensive livestream production to support churchwide access and participation Stay tuned for more details.

The roll call of Dioceses will begin at 9:30 am and the service will start at 11:00 am. You can view via The Episcopal Church's Facebook page or by following this link: https://www.episcopalchurch.org/investiture/

Pastoral Care

Healing prayer is offered at the 12:30 pm 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.

Raphael the Archangel

Revered for his compassionate nature, Archangel Raphael, whose name translates to “God Heals” in Hebrew, is often invoked for his divine ability to heal physical ailments, soothe emotional wounds, and provide spiritual enlightenment. The most significant biblical account of Raphael in Christianity comes from the Book of Tobit, where he plays a central role. Disguised as a human named Azariah, Raphael accompanies Tobias, the son of Tobit, on a journey to retrieve a debt.

Along the way, Raphael provides guidance, protection, and healing. He reveals his true identity only at the end of the story, saying:

I am Raphael, one of the seven holy angels, which present the prayers of the saints, and which go in and out before the glory of the Holy One

Tobit 12:15 KJV

In Jewish mysticism, Raphael is closely associated with the sephirah of Tiferet, which is located at the center of the Tree of Life and represents beauty, balance, and harmony. Archangel Raphael is often depicted with a variety of symbols and attributes in art and iconography, each reflecting his role as a healer and protector. These symbols have evolved over time and across different cultures, but they all serve to highlight Raphael’s divine qualities and functions. One of the most common symbols associated with Raphael is the caduceus, a staff entwined with two serpents and topped with wings. This ancient symbol, often linked to medicine and healing, resonates with Raphael’s role as a divine healer.

In many artistic representations, Raphael is adorned in green robes, a color traditionally associated with healing, growth, and renewal. The choice of green not only reflects his healing attributes but also symbolizes the rejuvenation and restoration that he brings.

[Feast Day: October 24]