Parish Weekly May 22, 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

Pentecost: The Season of Refreshment

Working on the computer recently, I’ve been struck by how many times it is helpful to click the “refresh” button. I am sure you’ve had the same experience. You make changes and click “ok” or “save,” and the change doesn’t always happen instantly, and you click the “refresh” button, and whoa-la the change appears. 

What a powerful tool that refresh button is, right? When the system is refreshed, the correction is made. The simple act of resetting—refreshing makes the information on

the screen clearer, correct (God willing), and we are able to move on with the next task.

This is a great metaphor for what we can experience with Pentecost and the gift of Spirit. Pentecost reminds us to be refreshed spiritually so that we can see things, situations, relationships, people and the world more clearly and properly with gentleness and grace.

Yes, God knows we need to be “refreshed” in all sorts of ways. Pentecost reminds us that includes our spirit. So, come on Sunday as we celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit. Show up with a heart open for refreshment and healing that comes from the power of the Spirit. 

Alleluia!

Faithfully, 

Amma Leslie+

Mark Your Calendars

• Memorial Day, Monday, May 25, Parish Office closed
• Community Workshop: Advocating for More Housing Options, Wednesday, May 27, 4:30-8:30 pm, Great Hall
• Education for Ministry (EfM) Sunday, Sunday, June 7, following worship, Youth Room (off Lower Hall)
• Parish Potluck Luncheon, Sunday, June 14, following worship

Worship Ministry

Education for Ministry (EfM) Sunday

In summer 2020, I (Maggie Detty) found myself seeking a way to deepen my understanding of

my faith in community with other curious Christians, so that I could better live out my faith in my daily

life. I quickly found that St. Thomas’ had an active Education for Ministry (EfM) program that I could join to do just that! Each person comes to our EfM group with their own story. What is yours?

Would you like to learn more about the program, which can be completed in four years (Old Testament, New Testament, church history, and ethics/spirituality), or one year (a combination

of all four)? Contact Maggie Detty at loganchem@aol.com, Jane Smith at jemsmith@frontier.com, or Cathy Dahler at dahler88@gmail.com, or join us for

an informal gathering after the worship service on Sunday, June 7.

Altar Flowers

If you appreciate the beauty of altar flowers,

have an occasion to give thanks for, wish to celebrate a special event, or want to honor
a loved one, consider sponsoring flowers for our weekly worship services. There are many available dates in the coming months for you to make a donation.

Signing up is easy and fast! Call the Parish

Office at 585.442.3544 or click the link below. For more details, contact Vicky Rupley at vrupley@gmail.com or 585.233.2546.

Attitude of Gratitude

A special thank you to Ron Andrews for taking photos of the baptism on May 10th.

I am truly grateful.

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

& Reception, at communications@stthomasrochester.org.

Children and Youth Ministry

The Holy Spirit

This week in Sunday School, we will read

Acts 2:1-21, in which the Holy Spirit appears

to the disciples in tongues of fire as Jesus had promised. Upon the Holy Spirit’s arrival, the disciples find themselves able to understand different languages and are inspired to live

into a new life with the Spirit as their guide.

Our lessons this week will explore Pentecost, the birthday of the church, and how God’s love is known across all languages and barriers around the world.

Children and Youth Ministries Survey

As we prepare for our next program year at St. Thomas’, we are hoping to hear the

needs of the families in our parish. If you are a parent of a child(ren) in our parish,

please fill out the survey below no later than Sunday, May 24. Thank you in advance for your participation.

Questions, concerns, or further thoughts may be directed to The Rev. Lydia Arnts

at lydia@stthomasrochester.org.

Property Commission

Gardening Gathering 

Save the date for a bit of gardening on our beautiful grounds on Sunday, May 31, after the service. No planting knowledge needed. Shovels and gloves will be provided. For more information, contact Lisa Hand at lisahand711@gmail.com.

Community Engagement

Greater Rochester Interfaith Build Drive-Thru BBQ

Kick off the summer at the Greater Rochester Interfaith Build's Drive-Thru BBQ on Saturday, May 23, at the Atonement Lutheran Church in Brighton. Proceeds from

the dinner will benefit the Brighton Habitat for Humanity Coalition.



Brighton Food Cupboard Requests

The Brighton Food Cupboard is a program of Jewish Family Service of Rochester in partnership with the Brighton Central School District and Foodlink. May and June donation needs for the Brighton Food Cupboard include rice and unscented soap.

Drop off your donations in the collection boxes located at each church entrance. Thanks for caring and sharing in the love!

Sunday Live Stream Service at 10:00 am is available on St. Thomas' YouTube channel—St. Thomas Episcopal Church of Rochester, NY. The live stream can

be viewed any time after 10:00 am throughout the week. 

Emergency Contacts

Brighton Food Cupboard

(585) 271-5355

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

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

NYS Office of

Addiction Services https://oasas.ny.gov/ 

Rochester AA Support

(585) 232-6720

Willow Domestic
Violence Center

(585) 222-SAFE

The Trevor Project

(for LGBTQ youth, 13-14)

1 (866) 488-7386

St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church of Rochester, New York, is proud

to stand with the Greater Rochester Black Agenda Group and its declaration that “Racism is a Public Health Crisis." 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.