This Week: March 16 - March 23 | |
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March Silver Saints Afternoon Movie, TODAY, March 16th, at 1pm
As we find ourselves in the Lenten season, it is appropriate to share a movie upon which to reflect with who we are and what is our relationship with God. So, we plan to run the movie, “The Shack” for the monthly movie. Please come join us for a special afternoon event at the St. Thomas Parish Hall, TODAY, March 16, beginning at 1:00 PM. As always, we will serve snacks and beverages, provide comfortable seating, and transport you to/from the Parish Hall if you so desire. This experience will offer you a chance to further prepare for Easter in the days to come. Please join us and bring your friends and neighbors for this special movie. Please give us 24-hour notice if you will need a ride. Call the Church Office at 256-880-0247; or Jack & Becky Stokes at 256-881-4748.
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THIS YEAR'S EASTER EGG HUNT IS COMING!
PLASTIC EASTER EGGS & PROFESSIONAL "EGG HIDERS" NEEDED!
Save the date for the annual St. Thomas Easter Egg Hunt! Bring friends and come fill your Easter baskets on Saturday, April 8 and then stay for a hot dog lunch! The St. Thomas Easter Bunny needs your help in collecting plastic Easter eggs filled with candy, stickers, or other little treats. Look for the festive basket in Information Hall to drop off filled eggs. We are also need volunteers to hide eggs on the morning of April 8. Email our Children's Ministry Coordinator (children@stthomashuntsville.org) if you would like to help.
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ST. THOMAS Wednesday LENTEN SERIES CONTINUES: A Lenten Sojourn through the Blues led by Fr. Donavan
EACH WEDNESDAY AT ST. THOMAS, through March 29th, join Fr. Donavan in the Parish Hall as he explores our Lenten sojourn through the music, feeling, and theology of the Blues. Performing live, as well as playing recordings from his own vast music collection, Fr. Donavan will explore the meaning of Lenten themes in our human life and Christian spirituality in the Blues in its many musical forms and styles.
Begin with a quiet, Taize worship service at 5:30pm in the church, followed by a Lenten supper of soup, salad, and bread at 6pm in the Parish Hall. Fr. Donavan will begin his program around 6:30pm, finishing with time for questions between 7 - 7:15pm.
Come each Wednesday this Lent and hear live performances, historic recordings, and lively conversations, as we listen to the music of the soul and explore the deep connections between the many forms of the Blues and our Lenten journey into the Wilderness.
The photo above is in relation to the tradition of 'Caoineadh' or Keening by women in Ireland during early Irish funeral practices
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BRING YOUR CHILDREN TO THE WEDNESDAY LENTEN SERIES!
Children are invited to explore Lent in their own Wednesday evening program led by one of their Sunday School teachers during Fr. Donavan's Lenten program. We will begin with learning about the symbols of Lent and Jesus' forty days in the wilderness and conclude the series with a Holy Week primer. This program will coincide with the adult offering every Wednesday evening in the Parish Hall!
Contact the Children's Ministry Coordinator, Laura Beth Bestor (children@stthomashuntsville.org), if you have any questions.
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Everybody's Pub Theology is back! Thursday, March 23rd, at PaPPo's Pizza
Sit down with Donavan, Jeannie, and Ranie Thursday, March 23rd, from 6-7:30 PM in a room just for us at PaPPo's Pizzaria, 7540 Memorial Pkwy SW, Huntsville, AL, 35802 for great fellowship, good food, drink, and hearty discussion! We will discuss the sacraments and why we practice seven sacraments in our tradition and what they mean to us as individuals and as a community of believers.
Text Jeannie and let her know you plan on joining us at 256-348-9918 or email Ranie at associate@stthomashuntsville.org.
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WANT TO GO TO HONDURAS THIS SUMMER?
This year’s medical/construction/educational trip to Honduras will be June 4 – June 11. If you are interested in participating in the mission, we will have a meeting on Sunday, March 26, after the 10:30 worship service. For more information email Jeannie at jrann228@gmail.com.
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SIGN UP NOW: "Our Christian Hope-A Lenten Workshop on Death & Dying," on Saturday, March 25th!
Join Fr. Donavan on Saturday, March 25th, from 10am to 2pm, in the Parish Hall for a Lenten workshop on our Christian faith's important understanding and teaching on death & dying. Fr. Donavan will lead us through a deep meditation on Jesus' Gospel message of assured hope in the face of loss and death, and what our Prayer Book proclaims in our church's funeral liturgies. In addition to this very important meditation and conversation, there will also be the chance to complete a funeral form to be placed on file here at St. Thomas, with Fr. Donavan's guidance on the suggested Bible readings from the Prayer Book, possible Psalms & hymns, and how we might choose someone we love to be part of the funeral service. Finally, Fr. Donavan will end the workshop by offering his own practice of daily "Memento Mori," the ancient Christian practice of "Remembering our Death" daily in order to live out life now with more joy, appreciation, and action!
LUNCH WILL BE SERVED DURING THIS WORKSHOP, SO PLEASE RSVP BY MARCH 22! You can RSVP by emailing Dorothy in the church office HERE or by calling (256) 880-0247.
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Church Work Day set for April 1st!
Please join us on Saturday, April 1st, for breakfast, fun, and fellowship as we tidy up St. Thomas for Easter. Breakfast will be served at 8am and the clean will start at 8:30am. Please bring your work gloves and favorite gardening tools. Call either Ted Evans (256 457 9460) or David Hattaway (256 337 0973) if you have any questions.
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"Crosses & Creole" for Regeneration Young Adults & Young Families
Join us Saturday, April 1st from 5PM-7:30PM as Young Adults and Adults with Children ages 0-18 gather to make Palm Crosses in preparation for Palm Sunday. This is a fun event for the adults to better get to know one another and our children to have fun! Dinner is provided for children. Kids will be in the nursery or the Youth Room until 6:30 when we all gather together again for a bonfire and s'mores! Dinner for the adults will be a bit of a Creole mix! We will have some crawfish but also a build-your-own grits bowl with delicious Creole toppings! Please bring your own wine or beer-- non-alcoholic beverages will be provided. Please RSVP to Michell York at michelldyork@gmail.com.
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St. Thomas Holy Week Seder Supper, Tuesday, April 4th
Seder is a serious and joyful event where the Passover story is retold. Looking to our Jewish roots, we tell the Exodus story, with its themes of power and mercy, bondage and freedom, hope and despair. This is much like the spiritual journey that we continue in our lives today. Observing the Seder reminds us, as modern day Christians, of the story of God and His people of which we are a part.
Seder is a service interspersed with a dinner (lamb, chicken, or vegetarian), which concludes as the meal ends. We follow the traditional Jewish Seder, remembering that at the Last Supper, Jesus celebrated Seder with his disciples.
Here at St. Thomas, we will celebrate Seder on Tuesday, April 4 at 6 pm, in the Parish Hall. The meal will be provided for a donation of $10.00 per adult, $5 per child. We request reservations by Wednesday, March 29, as we need to order meat. Childcare and a meal will be provided for children. Sign-up online now HERE or via QR code below or in person in Information Hall on Sundays between services and after the 10:30am service.
We also need volunteers to help set up the Parish Hall, prep the table food, and clean up. Sign-up sheets are on the Information Hall Bulletin Board. Contact Mike or Laura Beth Bestor (malbb12@gmail.com) if you have any questions.
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Stations of the Cross for Lent Continuing Fridays, 12:10pm
Each Friday in Lent, Fr. Donavan will open up the church to lead anyone who'd like to join him through the fourteen Stations of the Cross. Make the Stations of the Cross a part of your Lenten season of devotion this year.
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Adult Christian Formation Offerings Every Sunday:
It isn't too late to join us!
You're welcome to join Fr. Donavan every Sunday in the Parish Hall this Lenten Season, beginning at 9:30 AM, for a conversation about 20 important scripture passages all followers of Jesus should know.
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OR
Join Ranie for a book study in the Conference Room to discuss The Night is Long but Light Comes in the Morning: Meditations for Racial Healing by Dr. Catherine Meeks. She pursues healing through the faithful question: do we really want to be well?
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Easter Flower Envelopes are available in the pews through Palm Sunday, April 2nd
Easter flower dedication envelopes are in the pews if you'd like to make a donation ($50) in honor, memory or in thanksgiving for someone special. It's a wonderful way to both beautify our church and honor loved ones at the same time. Please be kind and print to ensure correct spelling. The envelopes can be left in the offertory plate or in the church office. All memorial envelopes must be received in the office before Tuesday, April 3.
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St. Thomas recently received a beautiful, new chalice & paten, given in loving memory of Dick Strobel. Fr. Donavan blessed the new communion set on Sunday, March 5th at the 8am Holy Eucharist, with Kay Strobel, her daughter, Lisa Christiansen, and her son-in-law, Todd Christiansen | |
Four NEW Members of the St. Thomas Choir: Michael Werner, Maggie Hall, Byron Purves, & Nina Alspaugh | Our new Rector...singing and playing the Blues for this year's Lenten Series! Wednesday nights thru 3/29! | | | | |
