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THE EPISTLE:

May 11, 2023

THIS WEEK

Mother's Day Sunday at St. Thomas


This Sunday, the Sixth Sunday of Easter, is also Mother's Day. At St. Thomas, we will offer special prayers for all mothers, grandmothers, and mother figures in our lives, as well as offer special gifts presented by our amazing Flower Guild.


And because it is Mother's Day, we are giving you more "room" to take your mother to Brunch or Lunch after church by having a more simple breakfast this Sunday of bagels, cream cheese, coffee cake, and coffee & juice during the Breakfast/Sunday School Hour! Actually, we are "simplifying" breakfast this Sunday because we had an unintended mistake made in the Breakfast Team schedule. Thank you to Kelly Evans for making sure we have something to offer for breakfast at church this Mother's Day weekend!

St. Thomas' Green Mountain Eucharist & Parish Picnic for Pentecost Sunday is May 28th!


St. Thomas will worship on top of Green Mountain again on Pentecost Sunday, May 28th! It will be a great way to kick off summer and to gather the entire parish family together for worship and a community picnic! This will be our ONE MORNING SERVICE on Pentecost Sunday and it will be offered in the pavilion at the Nature Center on top of Green Mountain. The pavilion is easily accessible to all, with the beauty of nature all around us, and we will celebrate with the music of a Jazz Eucharist arranged by our own Kathy Heim.

 

This year, St. Thomas is again providing fried chicken with all the “fix-ins," so you do not need to bring a thing! Just wear something RED to celebrate the day and dress comfortably. Aside from bug spray and a possible camp chair (if you have one), there are a large number of picnic tables available to make everyone feel at home. 


Again, will only offer the 10:30 AM Holy Eucharist that morning on Green Mountain in order to bring the whole family together, but we will also offer the "Laid Back" Holy Eucharist at 5pm that afternoon in the Church.


Make sure you have May 28th, Pentecost Sunday, on your calendar, for our annual Mountain Top Worship Service & Parish Picnic!

Sundays this Summer: Fill out the Survey Now!


This summer, during the months of June & July, the clergy and staff are considering moving our Sunday worship times to a Summer Schedule. Before that decision is made, you important opinion is needed! Take just a few minutes to CLICK HERE and fill out the Summer Schedule Survey! Once the clergy, staff, and vestry have collected the data, we will announce any changes to our Sunday worship times by Sunday, May 21st. And if you'd like to read the full description letter emailed out on May 10th, CLICK HERE. Thank you, St. Thomas Family!

Farmers Market

The Bailey Cove Farmers Market at St. Thomas is now open every Saturday! HELP NEEDED THIS WEEKEND!


The Bailey Cove Farmers Market at St. Thomas kicked off on Saturday, May 6th, and is now open from 8am to 12pm every Saturday all summer long through September 2nd!


And you can help! We need 'Set Up' help THIS SATURDAY! If you'd like to assist, call Kim Cantrell at (256)508-2363, and she will give you all the info. And sign up to volunteer with the St. Thomas Farmers Market Committee any weekend in Information Hall. 



Hope to see you at the Farmers Market THIS SATURDAY at St. Thomas!

Adult Christian Formation this Sunday: NEW BOOK STUDY or "COFFEE & CONVERSATION" WITH FR. DONAVAN


Join us this Sunday, May 14, for the next Sunday Formation Hour Book Study in Conference Room I as we dive into a book that promises to take us on a "step by step journey of discovery into what radical welcome is and how it can work," Radical Welcome by Stephanie Spellers. "Stephanie offers us a blueprint for planned growth, change, and mission." Now, it is as important as ever for us here at St. Thomas to understand our unique identity in South Huntsville and how we are poised to engage with our growing neighborhood. You can purchase the book through the church for $20 on Amazon (please purchase the 15th Anniversary Revised Edition). If you have any questions email Ranie at HERE.


And this Sunday, Fr. Donavan will be leading his second Rector's Forum in the Parish Hall, beginning at 9:30am. Come bring your questions of faith, the Bible, Easter, or St. Thomas and have a cup of coffee and good conversation with our new Rector.

Choral Evensong for the Eve of Ascension Day: this Wednesday, May 17th, at 6pm


On the 40th day of the Great 50 Days of Easter, the church celebrates the conclusion of Jesus' post-resurrection appearances on earth, the Ascension of Jesus into Heaven (Act 1:1-11, Mark 16:19). On the Eve of the Feast of the Ascension this year, May 17th, the St. Thomas Choir will be leading a special Choral Evensong in the Nave at 6pm. Fr. Donavan will officiate this traditional, Rite I, sung Evening Prayer liturgy from the Book of Common Prayer, with our choir offering Ascension Day hymns & anthems, the Charles Stanford setting of the Magnificat & Nunc Dimittis in C, and Anglican Preces & Responses written by 17th Century English organist & Choirmaster, Richard Ayleward. This will be a wonderful service of music and prayer as we prepare for the Feast of the Ascension and move into the final week of the Easter season! Don't miss it!

CAMP COSMOS VBS REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!


The St. Thomas Children's Ministry can't wait for the upcoming launch of Camp Cosmos Vacation Bible School! Join us from 9am until noon the week of July 10-14 as we explore the wonders of God!


Register rising pre-K through 5th graders online by clicking this REGISTRATION LINK; paper registration forms are available in Information Hall. All friends and family are welcome. There will also be limited nursery slots available for those not yet in school, with preference given to volunteer and parishioner families.  As always, we will need volunteers to teach; help prep crafts and snacks; decorate; and lead games and crafts.  Please contact our Children's Ministry Coordinator, Laura Beth Bestor, at children@stthomashuntsville.org if you would like to volunteer or if you have questions.

Support this Important Ministry of the Diocese: Sawyerville

Sawyerville needs our support! The Diocese seeks to build lasting relationships with communities that have been strained due to the tensions of race relations. For over 25 years the Diocese has sought to build a more reconciled relationship with the people of Hale County, Alabama. Each year the Diocese has offered a camp staffed by youth and young adults from all over the Diocese and Hale County to build relationships and offer programing to elementary aged children in the area. This year St. Thomas is collecting 50 beach towels and girls one-piece bathing suits to take to Sawyerville for the campers (most of whom do not own a bathing suit). Please bring your donations by Sunday, May 14 to the Narthex! If you have any questions please email Ranie at associate@stthomashuntsville.org

UPCOMING

Silver Saints May Movie Matinee is May 18th


This month, we are offering the movie adaption of C. S. Lewis’ “The Lion, The Witch, & The Wardrobe. Come experience the magic land on the other side of the wardrobe through C. S. Lewis’ incredible Christian-based story telling. You know you need to see this one. Come join us in the St. Thomas Parish Hall at 1:00 PM onThursday, May 18.  The Silver Saints Movie Matinee offers fun and fellowship with our parishioners and visitors much like going to a theater, but with no fee. 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 Jack or Becky Stokes at 256-881-4748. Please call 24 hours ahead if you will need a ride. Please come join us.

Pool Party to celebrate our Children & Youth Ministries at St. Thomas!


The St. Thomas Children's and Youth Ministries invite all children, youth, and their families to celebrate the end of the Sunday School year with a pool party and pizza on Sunday, May 21 from 3:30pm-6:30pm. Join us at the pool and clubhouse across the street at 700 Marina Park Drive, Huntsville 35803. In order to help us plan for food, please let our Children's Ministry Coordinator (Laura Beth Bestor, children@stthomashuntsville.org) or our Youth Ministries Activities Coordinator (Noah Bowen, bowennoah13@gmail.com) know if you and your family are coming.

"St. Thomas Presents: A Night of Jazz" on May 27th!


The 'St. Thomas Presents' concert series is returning on Saturday, May 27th, at 7pm, with “A Night of Jazz,” with the Steve Motz Quartet, featuring the Josh Couts Trio! The music will feature the tenor saxophone of Steve Motz and the Jazz guitar of Josh Couts backed by Kevin Sledge on acoustic bass, and Roger “Rudy” Rudolph on drums.  In addition to performing the works of renowned jazz artists such as Sonny Rollins, Wayne Shorter, Joe Henderson and Grant Green, the group will perform several Josh Couts own compositions from his recently released album Everything Green.  If you enjoy straight ahead jazz music, you won’t want to miss this.

Join us for "A Night of Jazz" at St. Thomas on Saturday, May 27 at 7:00pm! 

SAVE THE DATE: Golden Girls & Boys Luncheon on June 10th!


Our Parish is excited to honor our eighty and ninety-somethings on Saturday, June 10 at 11:30 with a luncheon in the Parish Hall.  If you or your spouse are 80 or over, you are the honoree: no cooking or baking or salad-making. You are our guests! We will have ham and side salads, cake, and lots of conversation with lots of people we haven’t seen in ages.


Remember, this is a parish-wide party; those of us who can’t claim Golden status yet are encouraged and invited to attend. (The only difference is that we do the salad-making to share with the honorees: green salads, potato salads, fruit salads, deviled eggs, dips and spreads, nuts and olives, cheese and crackers. All are welcome.) If you can't attend but would like to honor these cherished members of our church, feel free to make a salad and drop it off in the Parish Hall!


ONGOING

The "Laid Back" Sunday Evening Eucharist & Supper is Back! Every Sunday at 5pm!


Join us for our 'come-as-you-are' Holy Eucharist every Sunday evening at 5pm in the Nave! This informal, shorter worship service is slightly different from our Sunday morning Eucharists, with guitar music, a homily from the floor, and a more laid-back feel. All ages are encouraged to come and participate, and don't forget to invite your friends and neighbors! After each worship service, join us for a simple supper and fellowship in the Parish Hall. St. Thomas is very excited to bring back the Sunday evening Eucharist again, every Sunday at 5pm!

AT A GLANCE: May 4 - May 10

2023 Opening Day for the Bailey Cove Farmers Market at St. Thomas!

Patterson Place at St. Thomas: Week 2!

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Phone: 256.880.0247

Email: StThomas@stthomashuntsville.org

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