Parish Weekly October 2, 2026

Mission: St. Thomas' Episcopal Church is a welcoming spiritual community dedicated

to following the teachings of Christ Jesus. We grow through learning, celebrate joyful

worship, and serve our neighbors.

Vision: We open hearts and minds to create community in Christ.

Rector's Notes

Dear St. Thomas Beloved,

Encircle with Love is our theme for the program year and, in turn, for our Stewardship season, which starts this Sunday!

Stewardship Moment
For the next three Sundays, our worship will

begin with a Stewardship Moment from thoughtful leaders in the congregation. The Stewardship Person of the Day will reflect on why they continue to call St. Thomas' their spiritual home, and what encourages them to share their time, talent, treasure, and share words of wisdom to inspire others to do the same. You won't want to miss hearing from these folks, so be sure to arrive by 10:00 am.

Stewardship Person of the Day
October 4: Susan Chazan

October 11: Riley Flaum

October 18: Norm Marshall

Welcoming of New Members

On October 4th, we will welcome new members to St. Thomas'. This will happen right before the dismissal. I will introduce the families, and you will have the chance to introduce yourself to them as you leave worship. Those being welcomed are: Kaitlyn, Taylor, and Annie Eaton; John Graham; Megan, Andrew, Nora, and Scotty Kless; Darryl Osterling; and Patricia Wheelhouse. In next week's Parish Weekly, we will provide a photo and brief bio in case you aren't able to attend. Join me in welcoming our new members and let us encircle them with love.

October Adult Formation

I am excited to share that we have formation opportunities to assist us in learning what

it means to reimagine and expand our commitment to loving God and our neighbor.

God, Scripture & Gender
Sunday, October 4 & 11, 11:15 am – 12:15 pm, Lounge

This series explores how language impacts how we see God, ourselves, and our neighbors. The power of language can transform how we pray and impact how we imagine God, in whose image we are all made. Throughout these sessions, we will examine our image of God, both traditional and expansive pronouns, and the binary versus the spectrum.

Click to Register for the God, Scripture & Gender Series

Safe Space: Understanding LGBTQ+ Identities Presentation

Sunday, October 18, 11:30 am – 1:00 pm, Great Hall

In this session, participants will learn fundamental information about sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression and gain knowledge about the LGBTQ+ communities and their history, ever-changing terms and identities, and discover ways to create safe, inclusive, and welcoming places for LGBTQ+ people.

Presented by Scott Fearing, Executive Director of the Rochester Out Alliance. Scott

has been a champion for LGBTQ+ education since the early 1980s, when he began

his career focusing on HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention. Before stepping into his current executive role, he spent 13 years as the agency's Director of Education and also brought his expertise to the University of Rochester in 2019.

Click to Register for the Safe Space Presentation

I hope you can join me for all of these opportunities to learn, grow, and expand our embrace as we encircle with love.

Faithfully,

Amma Leslie+

Mark Your Calendars

God, Scripture & Gender Series, Sunday, October 4 & Sunday, October 11, 11:15 am, Lounge (see details above)
Family Worship, Sunday, October 11, 10:00 am, Church
Women of St. Thomas' Meeting, Thursday, October 15, 11:30 am, Lounge (see details below)
Jazz Worship Service, Sunday, October 18, 10:00 am, Church
Safe Space: Understanding LGBTQ+ Identities Presentation, Sunday, October 18, 11:30 am, Great Hall (see details above)
Ingathering Parish Luncheon, Sunday, October 25, 11:30 am, Lower Hall (see details below)

Please note: The masonry work on the Winton Road entrance is finished, and the entrance is now open.

Click to View All Upcoming Events Listed in the Parish Calendar

Click to View the Prayers for Public Policy and Witness

Adult Formation

Beyond the Headlines: How Current Laws & Policies Affect Transgender

& Nonbinary People and Those Who Support Them

Sunday, November 8, 11:30 am – 1:00 pm

St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church, Great Hall

Led by: Dr. Emma Forbes-Jones

Click to Register for Beyond the Headlines

Fellowship Ministry

Women of St. Thomas’ October Meeting

At the next meeting of the Women of St. Thomas’ on Thursday, October 15, Jane Andrews and Anne Bauer will share details and photos of their recent travels to Japan. Jane’s trip focused on textiles, while Anne’s trip featured exploring Japanese culture.

The program will begin at 11:30 am in the Lounge,

with lunch following the presentation. Attendees are encouraged to bring a sandwich, salad, or soup for themselves. Beverages, chips, pickles, and dessert

will be provided. We hope you will join us. Contact

Linda Coleman at 585.313. 3164 for more information.

Children's & Youth Ministries

The Ten Commandments

This week in Sunday School, we will

read Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20, which includes the Ten Commandments. The

Ten Commandments establish a framework for the relationship between God and

God’s people. Relationship is the basis

of understanding for all the Law outlined

in the Torah (the first five books of the Bible). The relationship between God

and the people and the people with each other outlines how they live their life together. This means that “Law” could perhaps be interpreted better as “Life Together Teaching.” This lesson will introduce the idea of life together with God and one another and focus on what goes into building community. Together, each class will create their own covenant to live by for the rest of the Program Year. Please direct any questions to Rev. Lydia at lydia@stthomasrochester.org.

Youth Group

Youth Group will meet this Sunday, October 4, in the Youth Room from 11:15 am

to 12:30 pm. This week, we will continue to explore our Encircle with Love theme by building relationships within our group. We will learn about the Ten Commandments, create a group covenant, and play games to help discover ways to make space for others in our circles. Please direct any questions or concerns to Rev. Lydia at lydia@stthomasrochester.org or Paula Gitlin at paula@stthomasrochester.org.

Click to Register for Sunday School or Youth Group

Community Engagement

Attitude of Gratitude

Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to assist with the cleaning and upkeep of the building and property over the last month. I am grateful for your time and efforts!

If you have thanksgivings to share, please email Amy Holowczenko, Communications

& Reception, at communications@stthomasrochester.org.

In Case You Missed It

SMSJ Empty Bowls 2026 Fundraiser

The annual SMSJ Empty Bowls event will be held

on Friday, November 6, at St. Mark's and St. John's Episcopal Church on Culver Road. Proceeds from this year's event will benefit St. Mark’s and St. John’s Food Shelf Ministry and E.D.E.N Gardens. Tickets are on sale now and may be purchased online by scanning the QR code (on the flyer) or clicking the link below.

Contact Rev. Maria Hartz-Clienburg via email at mhartz@stmarksandstjohns.org regarding soup donations, raffle prize donations, or volunteering time for the event, and for more details.

Click to View the SMSJ Empty Bowls 2026 Fundraiser Flyer

Click to Purchase SMSJ Empty Bowls 2026 Tickets