Parish Weekly- March 28, 2024

Mission: St. Thomas' Episcopal Church is a welcoming spiritual community dedicated to following the teachings of Christ Jesus. We grow through learning, celebrate joyful worship, and serve our neighbors.

Vision: We open hearts and minds to create community in Christ.

A Note from the Rector

Dear St. Thomas',

Blessings in this Holy Week!

I hope you will be able to join me in walking through the way of love this week. Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Great Easter Vigil all start at 7:00 p.m. and will be live-streamed. I send a special thank you to our staff and liturgical ministries for serving through preparation and assisting in leading throughout this week. Each ministry has extra responsibilities that are a true gift to our community. St. Thomas' adult choir, Altar Guild, Welcome Guides, Livestream, Eucharistic Ministers, Lectors, and of course the running of bulletins, filling the Easter eggs, setting them out...the list goes on. If you attend the services, please join me in thanking folks who help us have such a vibrant parish!

Since this week is a two-week Parish Weekly, I want to remind folks that the Easter book study on Philip Newell's book, Listening for the Heartbeat of God: A Celtic Spirituality begins on Easter 2 following the 10:00 a.m. liturgy. If you haven't already, pick up a book. You can see the details to register below. 

Giving thanks for our life together and all the ways we can experience resurrection!

Amma Leslie+

Briefly Noted

Please note the following changes to the Parish Office's regular hours:

• Closing at noon on Good Friday.
• Closed on Monday, April 1, for the Easter holiday.
• Closing at noon on Monday, April 8, due to the solar eclipse.

Communications

• There will not be a Parish Weekly published next week.
• The Holy Thursday YouTube and bulletin links will be emailed at 10:00 a.m.

Thursday morning.

• The Good Friday YouTube and bulletin links will be emailed at 10:00 a.m. Friday morning.
• The Easter Vigil and Easter Day YouTube and bulletin links will be emailed at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday morning.

Faith Formation Opportunity

Listening for the Heartbeat of God

This book study will take place in person on April 7, 14, 28 and May 5 after the service in the Lounge.

Click here to register and order a book. After you register, your book will be available in the "Pickup" mailbox outside the Parish Office with your name on it. One book per household, please.

Listening for the Heartbeat of God Workshop with the Rev. Mary Earle will be held on May 18 from 9:00 a.m. to noon in the Great Hall.

Children and Youth Ministry

Sunday School

Sunday School resumes on April 7. For the next two weeks, our focus will be sharing the good news of the Easter story. The Sunday school team will perform a puppet show that tells the good news of our Lord’s resurrection, and the children will begin to create their own Easter story wheels to share with their families.  

Youth Group

The Youth Group meets on April 7 and April 21. We will work on our Climate Care presentation for the parish in May while also enjoying birthday treats in honor of one of our members. Join us and share the joy!

Community Engagement News

Ingathering for United Thank Offering on April 7

Donations to the UTO go toward one-time grants both here and around the world. These promote the health and well-being of those in need, such as:

Enabling Recreational Space in Siquirres, Costa Rica $55,000

Social problems in Costa Rica (including drug trafficking, drugs, and prostitution), called for the church to assist at-risk youth. This space provides an area where the dignity of children is valued.

Coin boxes and brochures are located at church entrances, or mail a check to the church with “UTO” in the memo section.

-Wendy Petry, UTO Chairwoman

Brighton Food Cupboard March Requests

This month, the Brighton Food Cupboard needs toilet paper, peanut butter, and canned fruit.

REACH March Newsletter

REACH Advocacy is a community-minded organization seeking safe, supportive housing for people experiencing chronic homelessness in Rochester. Click here to read REACH's March newsletter.

Join us as St. Thomas’ Rocks the Sun on April 8. We will gather at 2:00 p.m. on the lawn. You don’t need to register before the event, but please stop by the registration table to sign in when you arrive. If you do not have the proper solar glasses, they will be available free of charge. We will have games for the children (and adults). Bring lawn chairs. Refreshments will be provided. If you have any further questions, please contact Deacon Andrea at stritz@frontiernet.net.

Appreciation and Gratitude

Thank you to Nancy Newton, Jane Smith, and Dave Watson, who prepared the Easter letter for mailing last week.

We couldn’t have done it without you!

Financial Information

Weekly Financial Report 3/26/24

Budget Pledges Year to date: $85,280

Actual Pledge Payments Year to date: $73,524

Year to Date Financial Report to 3/26/24

Year to date Revenue: $164,012

Year to date Expenses: $182,479

**Net loss to date: $ (18,467)

St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church of Rochester, New York stands behind the “Racism is a Public Health Crisis” declaration by the Greater Rochester NY Black Agenda Group. As a community of faith and followers of Jesus Christ we believe that every person is continually made in the image of God beautifully and wonderfully. We are committed to do the hard work of love. We are dedicated to the practice of growing and learning how to know and love our neighbors as we seek to create community. We hold the hope that love does win through forgiveness, kindness, and transformation. We desire to be a people who work for the equity of all. We work to acknowledge our complicity and part in racism, and we are committed to work together to tackle injustice in our life, in our church, in our community and in the world. We are proud to stand with the Greater Rochester Black Agenda Group and its declaration that “Racism is a Public Health Crisis".