THE EPISTLE:

May 15, 2025

Silver Saints Presents:

"ET, The Extra-Terrestrial"

TODAY at 1pm!

Come join us THIS AFTERNOON, Thursday, May 15th, at 1pm for May’s Silver Saints Matinee Movie!

It is time to step back in time for a delightful and warm Steven Spielberg movie, “ET, The Extra-Terrestrial,” starring Dee Wallace, Peter Coyote, Henry Thomas, and Drew Barrymore (as a child), about the arrival of an alien into the lives of caring youngsters. A fun movie about friendships across the universe -- you loved it the first time. This is a MUST-SEE again.



The Silver Saints Matinee Movie offers you fun and fellowship with snacks and beverages, and we will even transport you if you wish. Comfortable seating and a mid-movie break make it a relaxing time. Please bring your friends and ask people from our neighborhood. Call Jack or Becky Stokes at 256-881-4748 or the church office with questions or requests. Please call 24 hours ahead if you will need a ride.

DOK Quarterly Meeting

Today, May 15

Parish Hall at 4:30pm

Today, Thursday, May 15th, we will be meeting in the Parish Hall at 4:30 for a social gathering followed by our meeting at 5:00pm. The program presentation, continuing our discussions on prayer, will be given by our chaplain, Robin Kastanakis, and by Elysa Jones.

We will also be reporting on our outreach programs and a special event.

If anyone is interested in the Daughters of the King, you are welcome to come see what we are about. There will be a training this summer for those who may be interested in learning more about us.

Children & Youth Sunday School Recognition THIS Sunday,

May 18

Join us in the Parish Hall at 9:30am this Sunday, May 18, before the Rector's Forum as we recognize our Children and Youth Sunday School classes for completing another great year of Christian Formation! Help us thank this year's volunteer Sunday School teachers for giving their time and talents to the St. Thomas Children and Youth Ministries. Our students will receive recognition and attendance awards before retreating to Hiers and Hudson Halls for their final class of the school year.

Rector's Forum on Pope Leo XIV: This Sunday in the Parish Hall

For the "Merry Month of May," Fr. Donavan will be hosting a Rector's Forum during the Christian Formation hour each Sunday in the Parish Hall. Every Sunday morning, Fr. Donavan will begin with a specific topic currently on his mind related to our faith and spirituality today. After that, you are invited to bring your own questions to add to the discussion.

This Sunday, Fr. Donavan will be discussing the election of the first Pope from the United States, Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who is now His Holiness, Pope Leo XIV. The inauguration of the new Pope will actually be this Sunday (at 3am Central Time!), and Fr. Donavan plans to have at least a few photos from the liturgy at St. Peter's Basilica, in which the Presiding Bishop of our Episcopal Church, the Rt. Rev. Sean Rowe, will be attending with the Anglican Delegation!

So come join Fr. Donavan! Enjoy a nice Sunday morning breakfast, then grab a refill on your cup of coffee and hang around for a special "Papal Conversation" with the Fr. Donavan during this Sunday's Rector's Forum at 9:30am, this Sunday, May 18th!

We're Moving the

St. Thomas Eucharist

& Parish Picnic for Pentecost to Ditto Landing!

St. Thomas will worship this year at Ditto Landing on Pentecost Sunday, June 8! It will be a great way to kick off summer and to gather the entire parish family together for worship and a community picnic! This will be our ONE MORNING SERVICE at 10:30 am on Pentecost Sunday, and it will be offered in the pavilion at Ditto Landing. The pavilion is easily accessible to all, and, with the beauty of nature all around us, we will celebrate with the music of a Jazz Eucharist arranged by our own Kathy Heim.

As we recount the story of Pentecost according to Acts 2:1-6, it is the tradition of the church of have the reading read in multiple languages. If you speak a language other than English and would like to read a portion of Acts in that language for Pentecost Sunday, please sign up this Sunday in Information Hall with your name, your email address/phone number, and the language you’d like to contribute. 

Be sure to wear something RED to celebrate the day. 

Again, we will only offer the 10:30 AM Holy Eucharist that morning at Ditto Landing in order to bring the whole family together, but we will also offer the "Laid Back" Holy Eucharist at 5pm that afternoon inside the church.

Make sure you have June 8, Pentecost Sunday, on your calendar, for our annual Pentecost Service & Parish Picnic!

UPCOMING

Blevins Gap Holy Hike set for Saturday, May 24, at 9am

Our next Holy Hike will be at the Blevins Gap Preserve on Saturday, May 24th, at 9am.

We’ll hike sections of both the Certain and West Bluff trails to a spot with some spectacular views of the valley below (you can barely see St. Thomas from the top). The first half-mile has some uphill hiking, but after that it’s very flat. You may want to bring a snack and something to drink, as well as a hiking stick or trekking poles.

We’ll meet at the Blevins Gap Trailhead located at 3470 Cecil Ashburn Dr SE, Huntsville, AL 35802. There is a portable toilet near the trailhead. If you have any questions, please contact Brett Byford at brettbyford59@gmail.com or 256.808.5776.

Memorial Day Weekend

Blood Drive

Sunday, May 25

The LifeSouth Bus will be at St. Thomas, Sunday, May 25, from 7am-1pm. This is a wonderful time of year to donate blood. Unfortunately, holiday weekends are always at an increased need for blood as injuries and accidents are more frequent. This Memorial Day weekend, if you are able, please donate to help those in need.

Thank you for your kindness and generosity.

Link to sign-up online: https://donors.lifesouth.org/donor/schedules/drive_schedule/854498

Evensong on Eve of Ascension

Wednesday, May 28, at 6pm

The Great Fifty Days of Easter is coming to an end, and we will be celebrating Jesus' Ascension into heaven with a beautiful Service of Choral Evensong on Wednesday, May 28, at 6:00 pm.

Come enjoy the music of English Composers 

Richard Ayleward, William Crotch, Sir Joseph Barnby, and German Composer Michael Praetorius  as we commemorate this most holy feast depicted in our glorious east window.

Sponsor the Special Session Yearbook for just $10!



Please help us offer a much-beloved part of Special Session! The brainchild of Mary Nell Sloan, a yearbook commemorating Special Session, a session at Camp McDowell for adults with special needs, is gifted to each camper and staff member.

The yearbook is presented to campers and staff members shortly before the dance on the last night of camp. Campers and staff spend Happy Hour (a daily pause for lemonade, water, and snacks) signing yearbooks for each other. The yearbook is a vitally important part of the camp experience at Special Session. We know of one camper who carries two or three copies of his beloved yearbooks, covering different years, to his day center each day. His father tells us that he has had to replace their covers several times because they have worn out.

Each yearbook is roughly $10 to prepare and includes the costs of printing the yearbook and its binding. All photos are taken by staff and provided to us at no cost. To keep costs as low as possible, we bind the yearbooks ourselves once they are printed. Please consider sponsoring one or more campers. If you choose to sponsor, you may submit your donation to the Finance Office at St. Thomas or click HERE to donate. Please indicate SS Yearbook with your donation. We love and appreciate your willingness to consider this opportunity to bring joy to our community!

Special Session Needs Your Recyclables

Ruth Erwin is the resident decorator for Special Session and has been for nearly 20 years! She needs 3-4 empty metal coffee cans and No. 10 sized vegetable cans that will be used for decorations at Special Session. Size no. 10 cans are generally the restaurant size anywhere from 98 oz - 114 oz. Special Session takes place June 2-June 7 and this year's theme is BEACH! We can accept donations up until May 26.

The Bailey Cove Farmers' Market is up and running!

Come check it out this weekend and sign up THIS SUNDAY to Volunteer

The Bailey Cove Farmers' Market at St. Thomas is here! But we can’t make this year's biggest Farmers' Market work without you! Please volunteer to help this year by signing up on the poster on the bulletin board in Information Hall. We sincerely appreciate your willingness to help out! Then start making your Farmers' Market grocery list!

Free Yoga Class

Saturdays on the Lawn

at BCFM at 9am 

St. Thomas will offer free yoga classes this summer as part of its Bailey Cove Farmers' Market! Bring your own mat and move your body outdoors for 50 minutes. All classes will be beginner friendly. Participants must be able to stand and sit on the ground unaided. Wear comfortable, moveable clothing. Babies, kids, newbies, all are welcome.

Volunteers Needed for Sunday Morning Refreshments



We are almost out of volunteers and we still need a few more individuals or families to help to keep the refreshments coming on Sundays following the 10:30 am service. Bring homemade or store-bought sweet treats for a Sunday so that we can spend a few minutes gathering after worship. Please sign up using the poster in Information Hall. Instructions are in a manilla envelope under the signup sheet. Thank you for helping us keep this vital part of our parish thriving!

Non-Perishables Wanted

The Little Free Pantry needs your help! Please consider buying an extra jar of peanut butter, jelly, spaghetti sauce, tuna, chicken, soup, or anything you think would be a nice addition to the pantry. Donations can be dropped off in the Little Red Wagon in Information Hall or place it in the Little Free Pantry yourself. Thank you for supporting this important ministry.

Children's Chapel and Christian Formation

Final Sunday for Children and Youth Christian Formation before Summer Break!

See 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!

"Come As You Are"

5pm Holy Eucharist

Every Sunday, at 5pm in the Nave, you are invited to a "Come As You Are" Holy Eucharist at St. Thomas. The 5pm Holy Eucharist features joyful hymns from the Alleluia III hymnal, special gospel music chosen by our amazing pianist and organist, Sam Wright, and casual sermons preached from the floor.

Please note that Sunday Dinners are taking a summer hiatus.

Habitat for Humanity House

Calling all volunteers! Volunteers are needed for construction of this year’s Habitat house. The address is 4305 Blue Spring Rd NW. Please join in if you are able. Please contact George Harriman at 256-509-6666. We are also looking for a new lead contact person for Habitat for Humanity at St. Thomas, as our dedicated past leader, Elouisa Stokes, has stepped down after many years in that role.

Phone: 256.880.0247

Email: StThomas@stthomashuntsville.org