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THE EPISTLE:
October 19th, 2023
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Bishop Glenda Curry visits St. Thomas this Sunday
Bishop Glenda Curry will be with us at St. Thomas at both the 8am and the 10:30am Holy Eucharist this Sunday, October 22nd, to preach and, at the 10:30 Eucharist, to confirm, receive, and reaffirm 28 St. Thomas parishioners.
Those being confirmed this year are: Carlo Bonamente, Judy Burley, Tom Burley, Brett Byford, Gideon Crews, Kurt Dietz, Jill Eskew, Nichole Hargrove, Lauren Hellems, Melissa Hill, Gwen Monroe, John Munroe, Lila Powell, Cathy Rice, and Janet Sadler. Those being received into the Episcopal Church are: Ann Marie Batista, John Callahan, Rebekah Callahan, Doug Eskew, Elizabeth Land, and Mary Lou Piekos. Those reaffirming their faith are: Ellen Dodson, Tracy Ganem, David Hattaway, Penny Nielsen, Mike Sadler, Annie Wells, and Zack Wheat. Jacqueline Diot also completed the Confirmation class with Fr. Donavan this year but will be out of town this weekend. Jacqueline will be received here at St. Thomas at the Bishop's visit next year.
This year for Bishop Curry's visit, we are planning a special, celebratory breakfast, beginning immediately following the 8am Eucharist, to welcome Bishop Curry and to honor our confirmands and our new and reaffirmed members. At 9:45am, Bishop Curry will address the confirmands in the Parish Hall, and everyone is invited to attend. There will also be a light reception after the 10:30am Eucharist.
Please plan on welcoming Bishop Curry and celebrating our newly confirmed, received, and reaffirmed youth and adults THIS SUNDAY at St. Thomas!
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Pumpkin Carve and Paint Event for Youth this Sunday, October 22nd
Youth grades 5th and up are invited to pick a pumpkin to decorate. Join us after church from 12:15-1:45 and enjoy lunch while you decorate.
For information contact Jeannie at jrann228@gmail.com
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All Hallows' Eve Holy Eucharist
and Trunk or Treat, NEXT SUNDAY, Oct. 29
It's that time of year when all the ghosts, ghoulies, long-leggity beasties and those things that go bump in the night come out to party! Join us at 5pm on Sunday, October 29 for a special All Hallows' Eve Eucharist before we adjourn to the Parish Hall for supper. Afterwards, we will go to the parking lot for Trunk-or-Treat. If you plan to decorate your trunk, please contact our Children's Ministry Coordinator, Laura Beth, at children@stthomashuntsville.org
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Stewardship Ingathering in 10 days! Don't forget to turn in your Pledge Card
Ingathering Sunday is October 29 at all three services! All pledges received whether from the offering plate, mail, or online will be brought to the altar for blessing. If you already submitted your pledge card, thank you. If not, there will be pledge cards available in the Narthex or ask the ushers for one. Once completed, drop it in the offering plate Sunday.
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New Stewardship of Creation Committee meeting Oct 23
St. Thomas has recently formed a Stewardship of Creation Committee. We are in the early stages of assessing the ways in which we can be better stewards of the resources God has given us. If you are interested in joining this conversation, please join us in Conference Rm 1 on Monday, October 23 at 6pm. If you have questions please email Mtr. Ranie at associate@stthomashuntsville.org
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Everybody's Pub Theology
is next Thursday, October 26, at PaPPo's Pizzeria
Sit down with Fr. Donavan next Thursday, October 26th, at TONIGHT from 6-7:30pm, at PaPPo's Pizzeria, at 7540 Memorial Pkwy SW, Huntsville, for great fellowship, good food, tasty drinks, and hearty discussion! Next Thursday's theme will be everybody's favorite 'Rector on the Hot Seat' night! Come bring your questions and see what Fr. Donavan has to say! And don't forget, buying a priest a beer is fully supported by the church!
Text Jeannie and let her know if you plan on joining us next week at 256-348-9918 or email Ranie at associate@stthomashuntsville.org
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Attention all Greeters and Ushers: Lunch & Meeting next Sunday, Oct 29
Please join us for lunch and a meeting with Father Donovan following the 10:30 a.m. service on Sunday, October 29, 2023, in the parish hall. If you are interested in joining or learning more about the Greeter and Usher Ministry, you are invited too. RSVP to Donna Palumbo, dapal1961@gmail.com, or Preston McGill, mcgillpb@yahoo.com, by Wednesday, October 25.
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All Saints' Sunday is
Nov. 5th: Turn in names of remembrance by Oct 29
Sunday, November 5th is All Saints' Sunday. Our custom is to read the names and ring the bell for those family members who have died within the last year. If you have a loved one whose name you'd like to include, please email the our Communications Coordinator, Carey McIntyre at communications@stthomashuntsville.org by October 29th.
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Acolyte Sign-Up Genius is now available!
Calling all youth and children 2nd grade and older to help serve our Church by being an acolyte! Click to access the 10:30am Acolyte Schedule Sign-Up Genius which schedules through January 2024. Please consider signing up 2-3 times to share your works. Contact Jeannie at jrann228@gmail.com with questions.
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CASA TEMPS Fun Day Saturday, November 4
Please come join us for a fun day with ENABLE (CASA) TEMP$ on Saturday, November 4. We will be winterizing four homes of elderly people in our local neighborhood who are trying to stay in their homes. The work includes placing plastic over windows, caulking around windows and doors, repairing storm doors, and patching exterior holes.
We will start at 7:15 AM with a scrumptious breakfast by the DOK in the Parish Hall, some instructions, and a prayer, and then drive to the houses here in the southeast. We should be finished by kickoff time (early afternoon). If you would like to do some fun hands-on Christian work, please come share with us in this very special ministry. Contact Jack Stokes at 881-4748 or jackstokes@comcast.net or call the Church Office to volunteer.
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Lobsterfest Update
The webstore is now open! Click here to pre-order your lobsters, BBQ, soups, casseroles, and desserts!
Lobsterline is available from 10am-3pm, Monday through Friday by calling the church office at 256-880-0248. Menu flyers are available at the volunteer desk or in Information Hall for you to share with your friends.
Lobsterfest volunteer sign-up sheets are on the Information Hall bulletin board. Lobsterfest volunteer sign-up sheets are on the Information Hall bulletin board. We are in need of drivers for the church van to shuttle volunteers, day-of kitchen, and runners/distribution help. If you have any questions about where you can get plugged in, please email Mike and Laura Beth Bestor at malbb12@gmail.com
Don't forget to purchase your Lobsterware in Information Hall on Sunday mornings! We've got magnets, long sleeve t-shirts and a few short sleeve t-shirts available. You can also pre-order food at these times.
We are collecting old newspapers for the eat-in portion of Lobsterfest day. Drop them off at the volunteer desk from 10am-3pm, Monday-Friday.
Be sure to follow Lobsterfest at St. Thomas on Facebook and St. Thomas Lobsterfest on Instagram! Help get the word out to the Greater Huntsville community by liking, sharing, and commenting on our Lobsterfest posts on social media
Lobsterfest Cooks and Bakers Needed
We need cooks and bakers to help make our Soups and Savories and Bake Sale offerings! Check out the sign-up sheets in Information Hall or the following links to sign up to make specific items. Consider getting a group of friends together (a supper club, reunion group, etc.) in our parish kitchen to enjoy some fellowship while making a larger batch of an item.
Soups and Savories Sign-Up Genius click here - Contact Frances Steel steelfr@bellsouth.net for questions and recipes.
Bake Sale Sign-Up Genius click here - Contact Debbie Harriman dharriman5817@gmail.com or Martha Wilson martha.wilson380@gmail.com for questions and recipes.
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Lobsterfest 5K
It's the 30th anniversary of Lobsterfest at St. Thomas, and we want YOU to join us for the SHELL-ABRATION! Mark your calendars for Saturday, November 4 at 3:00 p.m. The race is family-friendly. Runners and walkers of all levels are welcome. With your race entry, you'll receive a cool sweatshirt to keep you warm all winter long. To sign-up NOW click HERE!
If you can't make the run/walk in person, you may order a sweatshirt for a minimum donation of $30 to the Lobsterfest 5k through mid-October. See Jenna or Lloyd for this option.
Let's have a great showing of parishioners at this wonderful community event; sign up TODAY to walk, run or sponsor the Lobsterfest 5K!
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Cold Weather Collection
Cold Weather Collection New or gently used adult sizes only, please Blankets Sleeping Bags Coats/Jackets Toboggans Gloves/Socks Sweat Shirts/Pants Thermal Underwear Warm Scarves All donated items will be distributed through First Stop. Place donated items in the marked bin in Information Hall
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Habitat for Humanity
Habitat this week. We are almost at the end of this build of two Habitat for Humanity homes. In this cooler weather we will finish the baseboards, countertops, and caulking to get out Nassau Drive home ready to occupy. We start at 8 on Saturday. Call Elouisa Stokes at 256-604-8669 for information.
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Fr. Donavan's Adult Christian Formation
returns Oct 29
Fr Donavan's new Christian Formation class, "Remembering & Refreshing our Faith" is focusing on the the primary foundations of our spirituality and faith, as Christians and as Episcopalians in the Anglican Communion. We will look at the Bible, the Creeds, the historical 39 Articles of the Anglican Reformation, and the present Catechism in the 1979 Book of Common Prayer. If you're new to the Episcopal Church or if you just want to revisit the history and teachings of the church, this is a great class for you. Within our weekly conversation, Fr. Donavan will lay out church history, how the Anglican idea of "Via Media" continues to attempt to hold us together, and what we do (or don't do) within our liturgy and worship! Come join Fr. Donavan at 9:30am in the Parish Hall for "Remembering & Refreshing our Faith."
This Sunday class is meant to go deeper than our monthly "Newcomer 1 & 2" classes, while being a bit lighter than our present Confirmation class on Sunday afternoons.
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Children and Youth Christian Formation Information
St. Thomas' Children and Youth Christian Formation classes are now underway every Sunday! We offer five different Sunday school classes for our children and youth!
Pre-K - 1st grade: Godly Play- Renee' Redfield - Hiers 4
2nd grade-3rd grade: Love First- Laura Beth Bestor - Hiers 2 (new room)
4th grade-5th grade: Thou Art- Kathie Clayton & Lila Powell - Hiers 6
6th grade-7th grade: My Faith, My Life- Sonya Carrier & Jane Allgood - Hiers 5
8th grade- 12th grade: Science & Religion with the Rev. Jeannie Randall; Confirmation Classes starting Sept. 3 with the Rev. Ranie Neislar - Youth Room
Contact our Children's Ministry Coordinator, Laura Beth Bestor, at children@stthomashuntsville.org or our Youth Ministries Coordinator, The Rev. Jeannie Randall at jrann228@gmail.com if you have questions or would like to help out with this important aspect of our ministries.
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Adult Christian Formation Book Study returns October 29th!
In the Conference Room at 9:30am, the Adult Formation Book Study will continue the book Inspired: Slaying Giants, Walking on Water, and Loving the Bible Again by Rachel Held Evans. Evans knows firsthand how a relationship with the Bible can be as real and as complicated as a relationship with a family member or close friend. In Inspired, Evans explores contradictions and questions from her own experiences with the Bible, including:
- If the Bible was supposed to explain the mysteries of life, why does it leave the reader with so many questions?
- What does it mean to be chosen by God?
- To what degree did the Holy Spirit guide the preservation of these narratives, and is there something sacred to be uncovered beneath all these human fingerprints?
- If the Bible has given voice to the oppressed, why is it also used as justification by their oppressors?
If you are interested in joining us we will be ordering books this coming week to purchase through the church for $10. Please email Ranie at associate@stthomashuntsville.org.
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"Come As You Are" Sunday Eucharist
St. Thomas' "Come as You Are" 5pm Sunday worship service is here to stay, but we have made a change to our Sunday evening dinner offering. Dinner will now be offered only on the FIRST SUNDAY of each month, which includes November 5th and December 3rd. Our special "Come As You Are" Holy Eucharist will continue every Sunday, with simple hymns from the Alleluia III hymnal, good sermons preached from the floor, and Holy Communion. Come as you are and invite a friend to join you for the 5pm Evening Holy Eucharist EVERY SUNDAY at St. Thomas.
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Tuesday Nights at St. Thomas!
Join us Tuesday nights in Conference Room 2 from 6-7:30PM, as we dive into Paul’s Letter to the Romans!
Many of our Christian beliefs are deeply formed by this sacred text from the New Testament. Bring a Bible, something to eat and drink, and come prepared to enjoy fellowship and learn "What Saint Paul is saying to the Romans" and what it means for modern-day disciples! Mtr. Ranie will be leading the class. If you have any questions please email her at associate@stthomashuntsville.org.
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