THE EPISTLE:

January 5, 2025

Twelfth Night Burning of the Greens, THIS SUNDAY NIGHT, January 5th

Bring your tree and other greens to burn for our Twelfth Night of Christmas "Burning of the Greens" Celebration THIS SUNDAY evening, January 5th, at 6PM. We are collecting Christmas trees and wreaths NOW in the South Parking Lot to be burned in a celebratory fire, showing Christ's light to the world in the darkness.

Join us in the church for the 5pm "Come As You Are" Eucharist, followed by a special procession to the parking lot immediately following the Post Communion Prayer and final Blessing of Christmastide for the Burning of the Greens. We will conclude our festive evening together by feasting on King Cake (you know, "We Three Kings"), which was originally eaten on Epiphany and not Fat Tuesday, and hot chocolate as we bring the Christmas season to a fitting close! Fr. Donavan have blessed chalk to be picked up and taken home to bless your house with the inscription of the New Year and the initials of the traditional names of the Three Kings, 20+C+M+B+25, over your house door!

**** In case of rain Sunday night, we will move our Celebration of the Three Kings into the Parish Hall for King Cake, hot cocoa, and the blessing of the chalk in the dry! ****

Don't miss one of the BRIGHTEST nights of the winter season, and invite your friends and neighbors to join us for our Twelfth Night celebration!

"New Year's Resolutions" Rector's Forum with Fr. Donavan this Sunday in the Parish Hall

Did you spend this past week making Resolutions for the New Year?? Ever wonder if your priest and Rector, Fr. Donavan, ever makes New Year's Resolutions for himself and for the church?? Come find out this Sunday in a special "New Year's Resolution" Rector's Forum during the Christian Formation hour in the Parish Hall. Come join the conversation, and bring your own questions about resolutions, the new year, the Bible, faith, or on anything else you'd like Fr. D's thoughts and input! Enjoy a nice Sunday morning breakfast, grab a refill on your cup of coffee, and then join Fr. Donavan for his "Rector's Forum" THIS SUNDAY!

St. Thomas Annual Parish Meeting & Vestry Election: Next Sunday, January 12th

St. Thomas' Annual Parish Meeting & Vestry Election has been scheduled for Sunday, January 12th, between the 8am and 10:30am Eucharists, during the breakfast/Christian Formation time. 

Next Sunday, all Adult Christian Formation classes will be put on hold, while Christian Formation for children and youth will still be offered, allowing parents to attend and take part in the Annual Meeting. A faster, "Continental Breakfast" will again be offered, beginning at 9am, to get everyone settled with their food for our Annual Meeting start time, which is set for 9:15am. At that time, Fr. Donavan will begin the meeting with prayers and his "State of the Parish" report, followed by the presentation of the 2025 Budget by the Treasurer, and the election of new vestry members. 

The nominees for the vestry this year are Natalie Brock, Doug Eskew, Maggie Hall, Linda Hanson, Paul Heim, Crystal Knickelbein, Tony Loop, Penny Nielson, and Frances Steel. Short Bios for each Vestry Nominee, along with photos will be emailed out in a separate email, and will be available in next week's Epistle. Thank you to each person who agreed to stand for Vestry election this year!

Please plan on being present for this important Parish Meeting next Sunday, January 12th, beginning at 9:15am in the Parish Hall!

Lobsterfest 31 Success!

2024 Lobsterfest 31

The audit of Lobsterfest 31 has been completed and the proceeds from Lobsterfest was $40,000, which will be distributed to The Honduras Medical and Educational Ministry, First Stop and Patterson Place.

2025 Lobsterfest 32

Lobsterfest 32 will be led by Doug Eskew. We are looking for someone else to help Doug with Lobsterfest. If you are interested contact Doug or one of the Lobsterfest Steering Committee leads: Father Donavan, George Harriman or Tom Perry.

Pi Kappa Alpha Dinner

We will be having a Pot-luck dinner for the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity that helps with Lobsterfest on Saturday February 15, 2025. The dinner will be from 2-5pm and we have the parish hall from 12-6pm. In the coming weeks we will get a signup sheet for volunteers to make food for the dinner. The St. Thomas BBQ Bandits will smoke a couple of Pork Butts for the dinner.

Christmas Poinsettias

to Take Home

We will have Christmas poinsettias available to take home. They will be available in the Narthex this Sunday.

Mom's Group set for 

January 9th!

Continuing the theme from last few months Mom's Night Out, we are postponing one week. We'll meet NEXT Thursday, January 9 at 6:30 pm in the Parish Hall.

Mom's Group is a special ministry that is dedicated to women who have children at home ages 0-18. The monthly Mom's Group is a time to come together as mothers with young children to support one another, share in the love and laughter, and help each other through the challenges and struggles that motherhood brings. Being a mom is not always easy, so one night a month we come together to ask the good Lord for patience and strength and to lean on one another in this shared experience. Please bring a mom friend! Contact Audrey Cain at audreysherkin@gmail.com for more info

Praying the Rosary with

Fr. Donavan returns

January 10 at 12:05 pm

Pray the Rosary returns this month January 10th and 24th and will continue every other Friday at 12:05 pm. Each prayer session lasts around half an hour and includes the reading of each scripture passage for the five decades of either the Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious, or Luminous Mysteries of the Holy Rosary. If you’ve never prayed the Rosary before, we always have Rosary beads available, as well as written directions to help you fully participate in this meaningful, scriptural, and contemplative prayer practice.

The annual Sandhill Crane Migration is underway! Take a 'Holy Hike' and see them on January 11th

Our next Holy Hike will be a trip to see the annual sandhill crane migration at the Wheeler Wildlife Refuge in Decatur on January 11th. This will be a shorter walk (a mile or so) with several stops along the way to witness the cranes in action.  

We'll meet at the Wheeler Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center (3121 Visitors Center Rd, Decatur, AL 35603) at 10am.  Bring binoculars if you'd like!  Those who'd like to carpool, meet in the South parking lot at 9am on January 11th. Contact Brett Byford with any questions brett256@gmail.com, 256.808.5776.

Please Note: Dogs are not allowed in the Refuge's observation buildings. Also, this will be during the Refuge's "Festival of the Cranes," so you're welcome to stick around town and attend presentations for that event. Its schedule can be found here. 

Sunday "Come As You Are" Eucharist

"Come As You Are"

5pm Holy Eucharist

This Sunday, and every Sunday, we have our "Come As You Are" Holy Eucharist. Our 5pm parishioners find this Sunday evening worship service meets their needs or schedules better than our morning worship. The 5pm Holy Eucharist features joyful hymns from the Alleluia III hymnal, gospel music chosen by Sam Wright, and casual mini-sermons preached from the floor.

THERE WILL BE NO DINNER THIS SUNDAY, JANUARY 5TH. DINNER AFTER 5PM EUCHARIST WILL RESUME THE FIRST SUNDAY IN FEBRUARY.

News from the Creation Care Committee:

We really need your help with recycling. Please contact Richard Williams at rbwilliams67@gmail.com if you can help. A second prayerful gathering around the sacredness of Creation will be offered on Sunday afternoons for 4 weeks during Epiphany.

Operation Christmas Cleanup, offered by the City of Huntsville Green Team, will take place at John Hunt Park Saturday January 11th from 8am until 1pm. They'll take live Christmas trees for mulching, flattened cardboard boxes and electronics. Contact Belinda Greenaway at belinda223@gmail.com for more information.

Children's and Youth's Ministry Returns THIS Sunday, January 5th

Now you can find out the regularly scheduled Children and Youth Sunday School offerings by simply clicking the link below. You can also find both Adult and Treble Choir rehearsal times and times for Bell Choir rehearsals with just a simple click of the button below!

Phone: 256.880.0247

Email: StThomas@stthomashuntsville.org