St. Thomas Updates

November 5, 2026

This Week...


2027 Stewardship - For the Love of our Church

NEW Construction Update

NEW Thanksgiving Food Drive

NEW Children and Youth Service Project

Shoshone Project Returns to St. Thomas

Salvation Army

St. Thomas Playhouse Updates

St. Thomas Book Club

NEW Save the Date(s)

Rector's Discussion Group

Prayer List

2027 Stewardship - For the Love of our Church


Our 2027 Stewardship Campaign, For the Love of Our Church, is underway! As we enter the third week of our campaign, we invite you to reflect on all the things that make St. Thomas such a special place. From worship and fellowship to pastoral care, outreach, and the many ministries that bring us together, your generosity makes it all possible.

Every pledge, no matter the size, helps support the people, programs, and day-to-day operations that allow St. Thomas to continue serving our parish and the wider community. If you haven't yet made your 2027 pledge, we hope you'll consider doing so today. Thank you for your continued love and support of St. Thomas!


Robert and Margot Shuford

2027 Stewardship Chairs


Click here to learn more and pledge today!


Construction Update


Exciting progress continues at St. Thomas! Installation of the new roof shakes is underway, with completion expected by Thanksgiving.

Meanwhile, the new lighting has been fully installed, bringing a brighter, refreshed look to the church!

 

St. Thomas Thanksgiving Food Drive

 

St. Thomas is once again providing Thanksgiving dinner baskets for 

families served by The Advocates! Help us make the holiday special for these families by signing up to donate food items today.


Donate Items HERE

Join us at 11am in the Fireside Room during the first four Sundays in November to explore what the Gospels really teach about the birth of Jesus. We’ll be guided by THE FIRST CHRISTMAS, a book by Marcus Borg and John Dominic Crossan. (No need to buy the book unless you just want to!) These authors wrote THE LAST WEEK that we used during Lent. It promises to be enlightening and thought-provoking and

a whole new way to prepare for the season of Advent. 

Shoshone Project Returns to St. Thomas

on November 4

In cooperation with the Wood River Interfaith Council and the Shoshone Project, St. Thomas will once again be hosting, during the month of November, a bin to collect warm clothing such coats, hats, gloves, boots, shoes, blankets etc. 



The Shoshone Project supports families and nonprofits in neighboring counties that live in under-resourced communities. The project is based in the Wood River Valley and Lincoln County. We know that many families work in the Wood River Valley, live in neighboring counties, and don’t have access to many of the resources available in Blaine County. The mission is to build connection among these communities and support each other, creating stability and equity for all.

Your support is greatly appreciated.


Many of the recipient families are part of the Blaine County workforce—bank tellers, teachers’ aides, restaurant staff, electricians, and healthcare workers—yet they often face limited resources in their own rural towns.


Volunteers are needed to ring the bell for the Salvation Army this holiday season at Atkinsons' Market in Ketchum and Albertsons in Hailey. Bell ringing begins November 23 and continues through Christmas Eve, with no ringing on Thanksgiving Day. All funds raised stay right here in Blaine County to help our neighbors in need. Please consider volunteering for a shift and spreading a little holiday cheer! For more information or to volunteer, please click one of the links below:


Ketchum Kettle Volunteers


Hailey Kettle Volunteers


St. Thomas Playhouse 2027 Season Announcement and CoB Winterized


REGISTER HERE!

St. Thomas Book Club


The St. Thomas book club meets on November 9 at 1:30 PM in the fellowship hall. We will be discussing Kathryn Stockett’s latest novel, The Calamity Club. New York Times summary: as things get tougher during the Depression, several women look for ways to improve their circumstances. This book has been on the New York Times best seller list for 23 weeks. Email Sylvia Miller for more information.



Rector’s Discussion Group

Mere Christianity

By C.S. Lewis

Join our Rector’s discussion group this fall! This session we’ll be reading Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis.


Lewis, an Anglican, intended this work to describe the Christian common ground. As the New York Times Book Review declared, Lewis serves as “the ideal persuader for the half-convinced, for the good man who would like to be a Christian but finds his intellect getting in the way.” Hence, Mere Christianity avoids controversies to explain fundamental teachings of Christianity, for the sake of those basically educated as well as the intellectuals of his generation, for whom the jargon of formal Christian theology did not retain its original meaning.


The Rector’s Discussion Group gathers via zoom at 12pm on Wednesdays. Please contact Stefanie Nelson in the office if you need assistance obtaining the book. All are welcome!


The schedule is as follows:


November 11th, Session 6

Book IV (Chapters 6-11)

Tuesday, December 1 at 5:30 p.m.: Taize service of contemplative

prayer and song begins for the winter season.

 

Sunday, December 6: St. Nick visits at 9:30 am and at 5:30 pm we offer our service of Advent Lessons, Carols and Poetry.

 


Prayer List


Amanda, Loring, Tara, Bob, Tyler, Patrick, Terry, Lisa, Evelyn, Mike, Cindy, Judy, Sam, Luella, Kris, Lois, Molly, Blake, Myrna, Mary, Sally, Reuben, Rachel, Jane Alexandra, Aimee, Gunner, Anne, Jane, Anne, Barbara,Marilyn, Susan, Sarah, Lynda, River Thomas, Hollie, Margaret, Philip, Mike, Barry, Lindy, Genevieve Mae, Arthur, Page, Bill, Jane, Kathryn, Michael, Karen, Horace, Vincent, Dana, David, Richard, Marty, Becca, Ashley, Robert, Gretchen, Fan, Teresa, Carole, Janie, Elizabeth, Melinda,Benjamin, Robin, Chuck, Bob, Carol, Susan, Jill, Steve, Cece, Judy, Sunday, Charlotta, Lisa, Winston, Elizabeth, Dave, Margie, Darren, Austin, Kirky, Claudia, Kenny, Judy, John, Bill, Judy, Caitie, Patty, Bennett, Lou, Kim, Antoinette, Suzan, Peter, Jane, Tim, Cris, Leslie, Jayne, John, Joe,Steven, Pete, Charlotte, Pat, Bob, Jennifer, John, Elise, Debbie, Chris, Mike, Gary, Sandie, Rebecca, Tod, Roman, Ann, Kaye, George, Kelly, Laurie,Susan, Betsy, Ray, Michelle, Teri, Amy, Betty, Dawn, Charli, Sully, Wells, Dave, Sharon, Jamison, Chuck, Melanie, Neil, Ben, Abby, Candy, Bruce, Marcy, Helen, Leah, Steve, Spencer, Ari, Kenji, Tom, Drew, Ana, Jennifer, Miriam, Aidan, and all those who have asked for our prayers but prefer not to be named.