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Parish Weekly July 10, 2025
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.
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Summer is for short notes and celebrations.
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Worship: Your leadership is aware that the sanctuary can become very warm. We are purchasing a few more fans to put in the windows to help with the air flow. As always, if you get overheated in worship, let the Welcome Guides know, and they will get you some water. Also, it goes without saying, dress appropriately to suit your body’s needs.
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Harvesting Justice Ministry will gather after church this Sunday, July 16, in the lounge until noon. We will share stories of advocacy and resources. All are welcome.
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Next Saturday, July 19, is the Rochester Pride Parade. I hope you will be able to attend and celebrate the dignity of every human being. Unfortunately, I will be out of town, but I will be there in spirit, and I know St. Thomas’ will be well represented!
Faithfully, Amma Leslie+
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The Parish Weekly newsletter will be emailed every other week this summer
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Rochester Pride Parade, Saturday, July 19
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Great Hall Floor Refinishing, July 29-August 1
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Virtual Caregiver Support Group, Thursday, July 31, 5:00 p.m.
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Summer Choir, Sunday, August 10
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Episcopal SeniorLife Communities 28th Annual Golf Tournament, Monday, August 25
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NEW! One-year EFM Wide Angle
Have you been wanting to “go deeper” in your pursuit of Christian formation? Perhaps you have heard of Education for Ministry (EFM), and you are “scared off” by the four-year format of the program. Good news! EFM has added a one-year program called Wide Angle, which meshes with the current four-year class. The class at St. Thomas meets every Wednesday morning in the lounge from 10:00 a.m. to noon, from September to May. We warmly welcome new members to join the new Wide Angle
and the traditional four-year program.
Contact Cathy Dahler at 585.410.3045 or dahler88@gmail.com, or Maggie Detty
at 585.703.0330 or loganchem@aol.com, for more information.
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Summer Choir
All adults and teens are invited to participate in the Summer Choir on Sunday, August 10. We will have a one-rehearsal, no-robe, sit-in-your-usual-pew choir that morning. Rehearsal will begin at 9:00 am in the Choir Room.
Come and mingle with other music lovers while hearing the new grand piano! If you have any questions, please contact Rhonda at organist@stthomasrochester.org. We hope to see you there!
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Pledge Statements
Hard copies of the January-June 2025 Pledge Statements have been mailed. Statements may also be accessed and printed via the St. Thomas' Connect (STC)
site. STC is accessible using a desktop computer, laptop, or mobile device such
as a smartphone or tablet.
Simply login to St. Thomas Connect (STC)
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On the Home page, select My Giving from the menu on the left side of the page.
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On the My Giving page, select the Pledge tab.
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Then select Pledge Statement box on the upper right side of the page.
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Select Family for the Type and select a Date Range from the drop down menu.
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Select the Run Report box at the bottom of the dialog box. The report will appear and may either be viewed on screen or printed.
Please contact Anita Herring, Director of Finance and Administration at 585.442.3544 or via email at finance@stthomasrochester.org with any questions.
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Rochester Pride Parade & Festival
Walk with us in this year’s Rochester Pride Parade
on Saturday, July 19, as we celebrate God’s love
for all people and bear witness to our baptismal call
to respect the dignity of every human being. This
is an important and timely opportunity to show our support for the LGBTQIA+ community and to affirm
our commitment to being a welcoming church. ASL interpretation will be available.
Line-up forms at the intersection of South Avenue and Science Parkway at 10:00 am
Parade begins at 11:00 am
Festival will follow the parade and will be held at Highland Park. (Admission required.)
All are welcome—clergy, laypeople, families, friends, and allies! We will have a diocesan banner and handouts to share. You are welcome to bring signs and expressions of love and inclusion. Clergy are encouraged to wear collars and lay-
people should come dressed in festive and comfortable attire. Don’t forget to bring water, sunscreen, and a hat—we will be outside for a while. Those planning to attend are required to register individually.
Contact mhartz@stmarksandstjohns.org if you can provide a convertible, pickup truck, or SUV with a removable top for the parade. For more information or assistance with signing up, contact Rev. Lydia at lydia@stthomasrochester.org with questions.
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2025 Nominations for Diocesan Committees
Do you feel a calling to serve alongside our Bishop in the important mission of our Diocese? Please consider becoming
a member of the Diocesan Council. This is a vital opportunity
to play a role in shaping the direction and initiatives of our community. Positions on the Diocesan Council will be nominated and elected during our upcoming Convention. Please note that the deadline for submitting nominations
is Tuesday, July 15. Your participation could make a significant difference in our Diocese!
Open Positions
- Commission on Ministry - Elect (3) Clergy, Elect (2) Lay
- Diocesan Council - Elect (3) Clergy, (5) Lay
- Disciplinary Board - Elect (1) Clergy & (1) Lay
- Standing Committee - Elect (2) Clergy, (1) Lay
- Trustees - Elect (3) Clergy or Lay
- General Convention Clerical Deputy - Elect (4) Clergy
- General Convention Lay Deputy - Elect (4) Lay
For more information about the roles and responsibilities and to access a nomination form, visit www.episcopalrochester.org/content/convention-91, or contact Rev. Virginia Tyler Smith at virginia@episcopaldioceseofrochester.org with any questions.
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28th Annual Golf Tournament
Episcopal SeniorLife Communities is
excited to announce that the 28th Annual
Golf Tournament will take place on Monday, August 25, 2025, at Penfield Country Club.
The proceeds from this year's event will support the Beatrice Stahl-Biggs Eldership Fund. This fund is entirely sustained through charitable donations and assists residents in ESLC's independent and assisted living communities who need financial support to enhance their living arrangements. Tournament sponsors help grow the fund, which provides recipients and their families with peace of mind while preserving their dignity and quality of life for years to come.
For more information or to sponsor this year’s event, contact Jennifer Tannous
at 585.546.8439, extension 3160, or jtannous@episcopalseniorlife.org.
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Brighton Food Cupboard Requests
July and August donation needs for the Brighton Food Cupboard include simple, low-sugar cereals and low-
salt canned veggies, like sliced carrots and green beans. Legumes, such as canned kidney beans, which can
be used for a cold three-bean summer salad, would
also be especially welcomed.
Collection boxes are located at each of the church entrances. Thanks for caring and sharing in the love!
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Congratulations to Ella Morales on graduating from Brighton High School! We celebrate you and look
forward to hearing where the journey takes you!
We would like to extend our gratitude to Philips Lytle
LLP for their generous donation of office furniture used
to refresh the St. Thomas Parish and Sunday School offices, and the conference room. With the assistance
of Vicky Rupley, Anita Herring, the Director of Finance
and Administration, previewed and selected specific items that met our needs. Anita
is also to be commended for organizing the move.
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Sunday Live Stream Service at 10:00 a.m. is available on St. Thomas' YouTube channel—St. Thomas Episcopal Church of Rochester, NY. The live stream can be viewed any time after 10 a.m. throughout the week.
Daily Devotional (Forward Day by Day): click here for the link.
For Prayer Requests click here or on the link at the bottom of this page.
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Centers for Disease Control
cdc.gov
Episcopal Relief
& Development
(faith-based response
to epidemics)
bit.ly/2VMcNuu
Interpersonal
Violence Hotline
(for physical and mental related to interpersonal violence and trauma)
(585) 275-HEAL
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Monroe County Department of Health
monroecounty.gov/health-coronavirus
National Child
Abuse Hotline
(800) 342-3720
National Suicide Prevention
988
New York State Mental
Health Provider Hotline
(844) 863-9314
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NYS Office of
Addiction Services https://oasas.ny.gov/
Rochester AA Support
(585) 232-6720
Rochester Domestic
Violence Hotline
(585) 222-SAFE
The Trevor Project
(for LGBTQ youth, 13-14)
1 (866) 488-7386
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St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church of Rochester, New York, stands behind the “Racism is a Public Health Crisis” declaration by the Greater Rochester,
NY Black Agenda Group. As a community of faith and followers of Jesus Christ, we believe that every person is continually made in the image of God beautifully and wonderfully. We are committed to doing the hard work of love. We are dedicated to the practice of growing and learning how to know and love our neighbors as we seek to create community. We hold the hope that love does win through forgiveness, kindness, and transformation. We desire to be a people who work for the equity of all. We work to acknowledge our complicity
and part in racism, and we are committed to working together to tackle injustice in our lives, in our church, in our community, and in the world. We are proud to stand with the Greater Rochester Black Agenda Group and its declaration that “Racism is a Public Health Crisis."
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