JULY 4, 2017

ACOMA PUEBLO, NEW MEXICO 

(Also known as Sky City)

(Posts are in picture order: l to r)

Tanner:  Today we went to Acoma Pueblo.  I loved it.  I took the steep staircase down the mountain.  It was a great experience!  I got to take a picture with an artist!

Hollis:  One of my favorite parts of today besides the beautiful views of Sky City was getting to learn about the culture and interact with the artists.  

        

Morea: One of my favorite parts of today was meeting and speaking to the artists, they had beautiful artwork and interesting and cool stories.  My other favorite part was the breathtaking views from Sky City.

 

Maravel: Today I went to Acoma Pueblo.  It was so cool.  I got some very cool things. It was great to see things I've never seen before!  Houses over 1000 years old.  

    

Harper:  today we . . .um . . . I don't remember more than was written by the others. Main highlight of the day that everyone was stoked about was my journal entry from the plane ride that we all acted out after we got home.

  

THE END

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!!!!!

At the hotel

 

Note we are in front of the St Thomas room!

At the airport

THE BOSQUE CENTER

The Youth Mission trip to New Mexico

Has begun!!

We are off to New Mexico!  So many great opportunities to learn and serve!  We will be staying at the Bosque Center (the Episcopal Retreat Center in Albuquerque, part of the Diocese of Rio Grande). Some of our plans include the Biopark Botanic Garden, Acoma Pueblo, Navajo Land Mission Churches, and Indian Pueblo Cultural Center.  Our daily schedule will start with Morning Prayer, and Labyrinth Walk, then breakfast and a daily community meeting.  We will end the day with Evening Prayer.

After our time in Albuquerque, we head to the Grand Canyon by train!  Home on Monday, July 10.

Keep your eye on this site for day to day updates on how we are progressing!

Getting ready for Spring/Summer: Safeguarding God's Children this Sunday, April 17th,12:30 p.m.

Join us as we prepare to meet, greet and raise up the families of St. Thomas as well as our neighbors in the surrounding communities.

We will be hosting the Safeguarding God's Children course this Sunday, April 17th following the 10 a.m. services at 12:30 p.m. in the Guild Room Light refreshments will be provided.This allows all who would like to be a part of all of our great activities with families to participate. There is certainly much to do with Lock Ins, VBS and mission trips and there is the perfect place for each person to contribute their spiritual gifts!

Please call the church office to register for the class, 896-9641.

Here's the line up of special events:
Mini Mission for The Bridge (4th/5th grade and MS alumni) - MAD Beach Mini Mission Experience - Fri. April 29, 5:00 p.m.- Sun. May1,9:00 a.m.
Our SPRING Children's Lock In will be held mid May, tentative date of Friday, May 13th, 7pm to 8am Saturday morning.
VBS 2016 is looking for many volunteers from now until the week of the event, June 20-24,
 5-8 p.m.  This year we travel to Egypt as we explore the life of Joseph from Prison to Palace. Please plan to join us as we live the culture and study the story.  It promises to be filled with adventure you won't want to miss. 

For more details on any or all of these events please contact Elaine Patrick in the church office. 896-9641.

Parent Wine & Cheese tonight!

We're Ringing in the New Year

Here's our chance to get together and catch up on all the goings on and toast all that we are thankful for.  Big thank you to Robin Leavengood for helping to host this one.  Child care is provided so there's really no reason not to stop by! 

Where: Guild Room of St. Thomas Episcopal Church
1200 Snell Isle Blvd.

When: 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.

Starting the New Year off Right

Sunday Morning Ministries heads to Shore Acres

Nursing Facility this Sunday January 10th, meeting in the back of the Parish Hall at 9:50 a.m. and returning by 11:15 a.m. 

 

Led by Russ and Judi Sayles and sponsored by K- 3rd grade class, we will deliver cookies and visit with residents. All ages are welcome, children younger than kindergarten requested to be accompanied by a parent. Nursery, Children's Chapel and The Bridge will be held as usual.

Pecans are here!

• We have received the regular halves and both types of chocolate in time for Thanksgiving. 
• All orders have been filled and are ready and waiting in the church office.
• Slips have been created that note what is owed if you ordered buttered or praline and we have all orders tracked.  We will call you as soon as they arrive.
• if you have not prepaid, please plan to pay at the time of pick up. You can call ahead to the church office for totals at 896-9641.

There are limited supplies of extras for sale in the church office as well.  Thank you and Happy Thanksgiving!

Nativity Play Sign Ups and Workshop One tonight,5:30pm, Founders Room

Come one, come all!

This years Nativity Play gets under way tonight with our first workshop:

Script Writing - Telling the Story. We invite all ages to join us for no one is too young or too old to  hear this story.

Promptly at 5:30 p.m. (lots to do!)
Founder's Room (located in the church office building)


We will:

• take a look at where the story comes from
• find the cast of characters and important information
• and give a try at creating our own poem based on what we hear

See you there!

Informational meeting for this years Natvity Play, Wed. 10/21,5:30p

Sacred Arts Series continues with  Journey to Bethlehem

The Information
It's time to gather and plan.  We invite all families wishing to take part in this years Nativity Play to come and see what we have in store. This year brings a new approach to the age old tradition of the celebration of the birth of Christ from a child's eyes.  It is always a  beautiful sight from the first of the sheep herd and littlest angel to the proud parents of the new born. All these God filled children working so hard to get it just right! This year we'll look inside the miracle of the story.

The Series
Each Wednesday, 5:30 - 6:00 beginning with November 4th, we will explore each aspect of the 'put together' of the play. Clinics will include script writing, costume & prop construction, the setting: including flowers, preparing of the altar, lighting & sound and of course music. 

The Result
All of this preparation (and learning) will come together on the weekend of December 18-20.  Friday, Dec. 18 we will experience  a  live Nativity (animals and all) on the point in front of the church from 6-8 p.m., Sat. Dec. 19 beginning at 9:00 we will have a run through practice of the play followed by baking and building Gingerbread Nativity, and Sunday Dec 20 the Nativity Play will take place in Harmony Service at 10:00 a.m.

All in all our hope is to have our families, especially our kids, experience this Advent and Christmas season like never before!

CASA Kaboom! Join the team today!!

A New Outreach Opportunity with an Old Friend

As St. Thomas gets reacquainted with CASA  we look for ways to support their Capital Campaign to raise funds for their new facility and also hope to provide helping hands in building out the grounds of this brand new "home away from home".  The outreach committee has dedicated funds and the Sunday School has raised money through their first bake sale and hope to do one more in November. Our tour there was very informative and beyond impressive. You definitely leave the facility and the staff with the feeling of hope and a wish and prayer of being a part of a very important movement in our community.

In addition we would like to round up ten (10) volunteers to help build a Kaboom! Playground for the many children (and their families) who find themselves in need of CASA's shelter and many services.  This project commitment has quick turn around so our deadline for sign up is TOMORROW, October 21st!

Please call the church office at 896-9641 to have your name put on the sign up sheet. Pam Hamby will be back in touch with you to confirm and relay any additional details.

Pecan preorder time!

This week only for Pecan Preorders - Send it our way NOW

Pecans are a sure sign that the holidays are close here at St. Thomas.  For your convenience we are send you the order form electronically this year. You can print and go! All order forms are to be returned by Sunday, October 25th and our order will be phoned in on the 26th. 

As always there will be forms available in the portico, parish hall and church office.

In the thick of things

Bringing People Together

Please bring an appetizer or bottle of wine to share

We are all in the middle of many activities all the time.  This week and next at St Thomas we hope you'll  check out some of the special opportunities designed to pause the busy schedule and come together. RSVP as needed to the Church office @896-9641 or tidings@tampabay.rr.com

Also, please let us know if child care is needed in  for you to participate  and we will do our best to assist you!

     Cardboard Box City

Sleep Out, Rock Out, Knock Out

HOMELESSNESS

Raising funds for Family Promise

Let's support progress in Pinellas County

 

If you are interested in checking this out, meet us there!

 

 

 

 Trunk or Treat / Wed. Oct. 28th

Let the decorating begin!

 

 

 5:30 p.m. just before Supper, Song & Prayer

Share in the Halloween Fun then join us for a "home cooked "

pot luck dinner and a look at youth ministry leadership!

 

 

Kids Weekend at St. Thomas - check for changes

Lock In Tonight!

Children's Lock In/ Fall Edition
The tradition continues...

Hello everyone.  Quick reminder that tonight is our Fall Lock In. Please RSVP to the office today if you plan on attending. Here's the scoop:

Ages K - 6th Grade

Youth are welcome to come and help out also (no cost f you are volunteering

and yes you can stay over night too!)

Cost is $10 per child

Includes dinner, snacks and lite breakfast 

Don't forget to bring:

sleeping bag with blanket or mattress, optional

pillow

pj's and change of clothes

toiletries

flash light with fresh batteries

Begins 7:00 p.m. with sign in and dinner in the Library. Drop off will be in the Snell Isle lot and enter through the Nursery door. 

From there we will move directly outside to pumpkin carving and bobbing for apples in the Curry Garden.  We'll have all the usual favorites with a scavenger hunt, sardines (hide and seek) and more.

PJ Chapel at 9:00 p.m. and the movie and Sundae Bar to follow.

Don't forget we will have our Blessing of the Animals Service on Saturday Morning at 9:00 a.m.

We will need a few parents to help set up for Harmony Service in the Parish Hall also.

Please also note that we will be rescheduling the youth pool party that was on the calendar for tomorrow, 10/3, 1-4 pm.

We will bring it back to the youth to determine the new date and let everyone know as soon as possible.  Thanks!

Calling all bakers, join the celebration!

It's a full out baking weekend!

This weekend we celebrate with Moravian Music in our 10:00 a.m. Traditional Service. We will follow worship with a touch of  cultural tradition know as the Moravian Love Feast.  A reception will take place in our Garden (weather permitting, prayer please!) where we will serve specialty coffee and Moravian treats including fresh baked buns.

If you love to bake or just enjoy gathering around a kitchen with a cup of good coffee, please join us Saturday afternoon at around 11:30 am for a lite lunch of salad and ice tea after which we will bake buns, decorate baskets and get set for Sunday.

Please RSVP to the church office by this afternoon by 4:00 p.m.

In addition the Sunday School will hold a bake sale to support CASA this Sunday during the reception.  If you would like to help us raise funds to support the new shelter building and to increase awareness on domestic violence, please bring bake goods, ready to sell grouped or individually wrapped to the kitchen any time Sunday morning.  We'll take it from there!!

Calling All Ringers,"Chime In" family ring this Wednesday at 5:30

Just when you think you are familiar with St Thomas something NEW pops up!

Over the years we have launched a variety of musical opportunities for children and youth.  Chime in is new and very different.  It will be the first in a series of segments all focused on the Sacred Arts.

Here's a quick announcement as we begin this week. More to come on the series in the Youth & Family Exchange Enews coming out this week.

Fall “Chime-In” for kids & youth

This is “Mr. Rick” calling all kids and youth! Come, learn how to play chimes and bells, on Wednesdays 5:30pm-6:10, right before Supper, Song & Prayer. We’ll start September 16 with a “Group Ring”, for kids, youth and their parents. Then 9-23, 9-30 & 10-7 the kids and youth will prepare to ring for worship on Sunday 10-11. Come on out and “Chime in”!

Pass it On

Value

The gospels are peppered with people that were considered bad or mistakes of creation. Rather than avoiding humanity’s contradictions and disorder, Jesus relishes them, seeks them out, and uses them to undo the very things that other people took as certainties.

-Br. Robert L'Esperance
Society of Saint John the Evangelist

Everest VBS 2015 The Latest News

This time of year is always fill with tension and anticipation.  Families are winding down the school year with tests and projects, concerts and final field trips yet the feel of summer is in the air and so close you can almost touch it!

Our preparation for VBS is much the same. Much to do to be ready for the kids and their families. And the excitement builds as we approach the date. The weeks will go by quickly. And before you know it we'll be laughing and playing, singing and praying together
Here's a run down of the preparations and the details to date:

Our Spring Lock In/VBS 2015 Sneak Peek 

This Friday, May 8th

 Begins Friday at 7:00 p.m. to Saturday at 9:00 a.m.

 This is a great night of fun and fellowship for K- 6th grade. Come for the evening or the overnight. 

• Includes dinner and light breakfast 
• $10 per child and bring a favorite snack to share
• Please call the church office to RSVP. 896-9641

Everest 2015 - Conquering Challenges with God's Mighty Power

June 15-19, 5-8 p.m., Cost: $35

Come Climb the Mountain with Us! 

• Family Style Dinner

included each night

• Ages: 3 yrs. to 5th Grade

• Early bedtime option available for 3’s & 4’s

Innovative workshop including storytelling, games,

media, art and science. Service projects for all ages

integrated into the program.  

Please return all registrations with payment to the church office ASAP. 

This promises to be one incredible week.  Volunteers needed in all areas. There is a place for you, a small task that will lighten the load. Look for sign up sheets or call the church office for more information.

Scholarships and Service: Each year we offer the opportunity for parishioners to help children attend VBS by sponsoring a scholarship. The cost for each child is $35. If you would like to sponsor a child you may simple make the donation by marking it 'for VBS scholarship'. In past years we have partnered with Happy Workers Child care Center. This year these scholsrships will be available for parish or community families who may need assistance. Any scholarship monies that are left after registration is complete will be moved to our Service Project Fund.

Pass It On

Unity

When he was lifted up he drew all people, all things to himself. All things, from the most distant fires of the cosmos to the most intimate embers of the soul. A fundamental unity, the very ground of our being, has drawn it all to himself.

-Br. Mark Brown
Society of Saint John the Evangelist

New Adult Offering : Simply Good News by N.T. Wright

Why the Gospel is News and What Makes It Good

Class offerings will be held in the Guild Room

Sunday mornings at 9:00 a.m.

Tuesday evenings at 7:00 p.m.

     

Best selling scholar  N.T Wright reveals what the Good News really is and how the church often gets the story wrong.  Biblically the Christian faith is presented as good news. That is the original meaning of the Old English word GOSPEL.  Somehow we have gotten confused.  N.T. Wright writes this book to challenge where we have taken this concept.  He submits that the news has turned into advice - advice on what to do, what not to do. How should we live, how should we pray? And front and center - what is the right path to get to heaven? What might be needed is to discern the difference between news and advice and then listen more closely to the news that Jesus and his first followers were all about.

Join us as Dr. Chuck Jones guides us through this important topic and discussion to a greater understanding of 'where in the world' Christians are with their faith.

Your Guide to Holy Week and Easter

Lent is coming to a close. Holy Week is here and we will begin the final journey with Jesus to the Cross. We are thankful to all those who have dedicated there time and energy throughout the weeks of Lent to provide opportunity for us to study and reflect, work and worship and devote ourselves to growing deeper and stronger as a family of Christ.

You will find listed here all of the services of Holy Week and Easter. 

Purple italicized text indicates help is requested! 

The Sunday of the Passion

(Palm Sunday)

Sunday, March 29, 2015

8:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m. Traditional and Harmony Services will begin together in the Curry Garden and each will be led to the Sanctuary and Parish Hall by crusifer and hand bell accompaniment.

6:00 p.m. Service will be held in the Chapel.

Monday in Holy Week

Monday, March 30, 2015

Holy Eucharist in the Chapel

7:00 p.m.

Tuesday in Holy Week

Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Holy Eucharist in the Chapel
Acoustical accompaniment

7:00 p.m.

Wednesday in Holy Week

Wednesday, April 1, 2015

Choral Tenebrae in the Sanctuary

7:00 p.m.

This ancient service of light, shadows and darkness will include chanted psalms, choral responsaries and scripture as God's light of the world, that came to us in the Incarnation, is slowly hidden from the world.  This Service will highlight the music of Canadian composer, Healey Willan.

Maundy Thursday

Thursday, April 2, 2015

Agape Meal and Holy Eucharist in the Parish Hall

6:00 p.m.

Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Vigil are three episodes in the Holy Triduum by which we die and rise to new life in Christ.  You are invited to share in the first part of this continuous service beginning with a meal, which builds on the experience of early Christians who met for fellowship, to share the Lord's Supper and to worship God.

There are six food items needed for the meal. We will also be looking for assistance with set up and clean up. Please see sign up sheets in the Portico and Parish Hall or you may call the church office and speak with Pam.

The Watch

Thursday, April 2, 2015 through Friday, April 3, 2015

Begins at 8:00 p.m. at the Altar of Repose in the Chapel and ends at 7:30 a.m., Good Friday morning. There are openings beginning with the 10:00 p.m. hour through 5:00 a.m. hour. Remember we try to have 2 people signed up for each hour.

Good Friday

Friday, April 3, 2015

Good Friday Liturgy in the Sanctuary

12 noon and 7:00 p.m.

Easter Vigil, Saturday

with Baptisms in the Sanctuary

Saturday, April 4, 2015

7:00 p.m.

Through the "Service of Light", the "Service of Lessons", "Renewal of Baptismal Vows" and the first Eucharist of Easter we follow God's mighty actions in the world culminating in Christ's Resurrection. Music will include many hymns, canticles and choral works of J.S. Bach, Felice Anerio and others.

Celebration of the Day of Resurrection: Easter Day

Sunday, April 5, 2015

Festival Choral Eucharist

8:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m. Sanctuary

A Festival Brass Quintet will join the choir and organ to fill the church with Alleluias. Music will include early Baroque works of Giovanni Gabrieli and Jacob Gallus, an Alleluia from the Renaissance and new music composed especially for our worship here at St. Thomas.  Preludes will start early so come and join the celebration.

Harmony Service, Parish Hall

10:00 a.m.

Additional Activities in and around the Parish

Way of the Cross Reenactment /Downtown St. Pete

Begins at The Cathedral of St. Peter at 7:30 a.m. Good Friday morning:

 The Way of the Cross

Every year, on the morning of Good Friday, our youth re-enact the Stations of the Cross throughout downtown St. Petersburg. This service has been a Cathedral tradition since 1974.

As our youth observe this centuries-old rite throughout the Cathedral's surrounding neighborhood, a large and diverse crowd of solemn observers gather and follow along.

Wearing costumes, having memorized their lines and rehearsed their parts for months, the youth lead the procession from the steps of the Cathedral to the city courthouse, down a dank and dirty alleyway, then on through Williams Park, and finally back to the Cathedral's garden, before concluding inside the Cathedral sanctuary.

At each of the traditional 14 stations, the youth recite prayers and re-enact the scene. It is an intense and moving experience.

St. Thomas Parish - wide Egg Hunt in Curry Garden

Once again this year we will hold our annual parish wide egg hunt at 9:00 a.m. Easter Sunday morning.  250 eggs will be hidden in the Curry Garden with the assistance of our youth.  Coffee with light breakfast will be served while our children scurry around in excitement searching for treasure.  Toddler to 12 years of age participate. Children over 12 can assist the younger ones in their search.
BYOB - (bring your own basket) is helpful - we will have some bags available if needed.