Glass for recycling at St. Thomas will no longer be collected in the Parish Hall. Please take glass from church events directly to the glass recycling bin located next to the dumpster outside of the Parish Hall, and do not leave glass bottles in the Parish Hall. THANK YOU!

THE EPISTLE:

July 30, 2026

Friday, July 31, Funeral Eucharist for

Ann Knowles

10:00 am- Visitation with family, Parlor

11:00 am- Funeral Eucharist, Nave

Reception immediately following in the Parish Hall.

Please note that the 10:47 am Bible Study is cancelled for Friday, July 31 but will return next Friday, August 7.

Adult Christian Formation: Rector's Forum

Join Fr. Donavan in the Parish Hall at 9:30 am for the next two Sunday for an open discussion on the church, on plans for the upcoming Fall season at St. Thomas, and on any questions you may have about faith, the Bible, and the spiritual life.

Blessing of the Backpacks

at 10:30 AM Eucharist

With the new school year approaching, make plans to join us for our annual Blessing of the Backpacks THIS SUNDAY, August 2, at the 10:30 am Holy Eucharist. All children and teachers are invited to come up to the front of the church during the Children's Moment with their backpacks and school bags for a special blessing from Fr. Donavan with his "Holy Water Super Soaker!"  Backpack tags will be available at all three Sunday worship services.

Invite, Welcome, Connect Social

After the 5pm service this coming Sunday, August 2, the Invite, Welcome, and Connect Committee will be hosting a drop-in Social for all newcomers and visitors. After the service, stop in for a light supper and dessert, a snack and a refreshing drink, or maybe just to meet and mingle with some fellow St. Thomas parishioners. We will have information on hand if you’re interested in finding out more about St. Thomas ministries, committees, and activities. We look forward to seeing you there!

Wednesday Evening Bible Study- NEW TIME - 5 PM

Starting on Wednesday, August 5th, the Wednesday Evening Bible Study will change its time from at 5:30 pm to 5 pm. Join Fr. Donavan in the Library as we read passages drawn from the upcoming Sunday’s lectionary. In this Bible Study, we learn to read short selections from Scripture more deeply and allow the words of the text to illumine our understanding of the Bible and our lives. Please join us this Wednesday at 5pm for this Evening Bible Study!

UPCOMING

Rally Day

SAVE THE DATE- August 16

St. Thomas' Rally Day Sunday is less than THREE WEEKS away, so SAVE THE DATE NOW for Sunday, August 16!

To bring our church family together, we will again have ONE MORNING RALLY DAY EUCHARIST at 10 AM with jazz music by the Bone Yard of Brass band. After worship, we will have a special Parish lunch prepared by our Fellowship Team and the BBQ Bandits. Save time to peruse our Ministry Fair in the Parish Hall, which will feature many exciting ministries for the upcoming Fall season.

And for children and families, the water slides, bouncy house and dunk tank are returning for another afternoon of fun! We'll have BOTH the Kona Ice and Baskin Robbins trucks to help us cool off on the back playground.

So, mark your calendar right now for RALLY DAY on Sunday, August 16 at St. Thomas!! And don't forget to invite your FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS TO JOIN US AND SEE WHAT MAKES ST. THOMAS SUCH AN AMAZING CHURCH COMMUNITY!

Save the Date- August 9- for

EfM Sunday

Make plans to join us on August 9 to congratulate this year's Education for Ministry (EfM) graduates- John Callahan and Maggie Powell at the 10:30 Holy Eucharist. Want to learn more about EfM? Then come chat with one of our EfM representatives at any of the three worship services on August 9.

August Book Club

Monday, August 10 at 10 AM

Our August book is a mystery! Pick up a copy of Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters and join us on August 10 at 10 am in the St. Thomas Parlor.

With so many good books, our list is growing. For your planning purposes, mark your calendars for:

September 14 - This is Happiness by Niall Williams

October 12 - In the Midst of Winter by Isabel Allende

The group will take a bread in November. Please consider joining even if you haven't read the book. Lunch is an option afterwards. For more information, call Elouisa Stokes at 256-604-8669, and look for the Book Club table at Rally Day!

DOK Training for New Members Begins August 13

Ladies, if you are searching for more in your spiritual life and a deeper connection with God and His people (that's probably all of us!), prayerfully consider The Order of the Daughters of the King (DOK). DOK will hold a six-week training program of discernment, beginning August 13 and continuing through September 17. The training will be from 6 pm until 7:30 pm in the the church conference room. You will learn about the Order and how it can enrich your life. Sessions include Study, Reflection, and Discussion. If this interests you, or you want to find out more, contact Barbara Meyer here or Gayle Dodson here. Commitment to membership is after the conclusion of the training.

Next Showtime: 1 pm, August 20

With another nod to our parish's horse lovers, Silver Saints Movie Matinee offers Flicka, starring Alison Lohman, Tim McGraw, and Maria Bello. Come join us in the St. Thomas Parish Hall at 1:00 pm on Thursday, August 20, 2026, as we watch a good horse story. If you like this one we can offer a sequel later.

As always, the Silver Saints Movie Matinee offers fun and fellowship with our parishioners and visitors much like going to a theater, but free. We offer snacks and beverages, and we will even pick you up and return you home if you wish. We offer comfortable seating and a time-out break half way through the movie. Please bring your friends and ask people from our neighborhood. Call the church office at 256-880-0247 at least 24 hours in advance in you need a ride.

Build Beds for Children!

Mark your calendars for Sunday August 23 and join your fellow St. Thomas parishioners and members of the Church of the Nativity as we once again build beds for children in Huntsville. Last year, we built 45 beds for children at the Sleep in Heavenly Peace (SHP) site near the UAH campus. No special skills are needed; the SHP staff will teach you everything you need to know. Directions and other details will be provided closer to the date, so watch this space!

This is an outreach program for everyone wanting to help! If you are unable to attend, we are once again collecting new twin bedding to be delivered with each bed. Vendors like Walmart, Amazon, and Target have twin bedding sets for a reasonable price in bright colors and themed for boys and girls. Older children typically like something more gender neutral. These "bed in a bag" sets contain sheets, pillow cases, and comforters and make every delivery a special event for the children. Bring your new bedding sets to the office. For questions, reach out to George Harriman at 256-509-6666 or email at georgeharriman51@gmail.com.

LNOC Meets August 24

Everyone is invited to join us at our next LNOC meeting on Monday, August 24 at 6 pm. We will be hearing from representatives of Alabama Credit Union's Secret Meals Charity and Patterson Place. We invite anyone who has a food or school related charity that they would like to present to the LNOC for funding or participation to join us and make a presentation. If you have any questions, or would like to be placed on the agenda, please contact Travis Lee by emailing him here.

Your creations are appreciated!

Do you realize that Lobsterfest is only four months away? Last year, the St. Thomas Creates booth at the Artisan Fair was a resounding success. We will once again be looking for hand-made creations from our talented congregation. Perhaps you would like to donate something you've created to Lobsterfest. This is just a little reminder to start thinking about what you might like to create this year, so you can plan ahead and get to work before November 14 arrives . Contact Donna Clark via her email with any questions.

Cookies and Lemonade- Yum!

Sign up this weekend

We still need more volunteers to bring cookies for the brief fellowship time after the 10:30 am service? Contribute to this ministry by signing up for a week on the sheet in Information Hall. No need to bake as store-bought treats are fine, and instructions are available when you sign up! Can you help us out this fall?

Habitat for Humanity Update

The sod is laid, as are the floors, cabinets, and all the amenities of a new home. Look for Katrina to receive the keys to 206 Lake Drive in the next month. Thanks for all your help in supporting Habitat for Humanity!

Bailey Cove Farmers' Market Continues!

Next Blood Drive August 1

Come be a part of this wonderful outreach as a shopper or a volunteer! Volunteers are needed to man the St. Thomas Information Tent from 8 am to noon. On August 1 you can also volunteer to give blood! For questions or to volunteer at the Farmers' Market email Tracy Ganem by clicking here, or call her at 256-479-3925! To give blood on August 1, contact Paul Heim by clicking here.

Children's & Youth Ministries

Notes for the Summer

Sundays

9:30 am- 10:15 am- Summer Gatherings (Hiers Hall)



Upcoming

• August 2- Blessing of the Backpacks
• August 16- Rally Day



Contact our Children's Ministry Coordinator, Laura Beth Bestor, here for more information.

Youth Ministry

Sundays

9:30 am- 10:15 am- St. Thomas Summer Mornings, 7th-12th graders (Youth Room)



Got Questions? Contact our Youth Minister, Ethan Evans, here for more information.

This Afternoon, Thursday, July 30

4 pm- Centering Prayer, Crossroads Room

Sunday, August 2

8 am- Holy Eucharist, Rite II, Nave

9 am- Breakfast, Parish Hall

9:30 am- Christian Formation for Adults, Youth & Children- Parish Hall, Youth Room, Hiers Hall

10:30 am- Holy Eucharist, Rite II with Blessing of the Backpacks, Nave

5 pm- "Come As You Are" Holy Eucharist, Nave

Monday, August 3

8 pm- Compline (Book of Common Prayer, page 127) with Rev. Jeannie on Facebook page link here

Wednesday, August 5

9:30 am- Bible Study with Fr. Donavan - The Gospel of John, Conference Room

5:30 pm- Bible Study - Lectionary, Conference Room

Thursday, August 6

7 am- Morning Prayer, St. Anne's Chapel in Hiers Hall

4 pm- Centering Prayer, Crossroads Room

Phone: 256.880.0247

Email: StThomas@stthomashuntsville.org