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| Weekly E-Newsletter |
Week Ending June 05, 2009 |
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Dear Parishioner
St. Thomas the Apostle is an Episcopal Parish in the Anglo-Catholic tradition. We are called by God to be a holy place where love is found, where all are named and where hearts are freed to change the world. |
| "I...cease not to give thanks for you" |
It was a very great delight to be with you on Sunday morning last, Whitsunday. As I mentioned at the High Mass all of you "rejoice my heart and gladden my countenance!" I am conscious of the great love and support you have generously given to me in these last months. Now today, Trinity Sunday, the Church rightly recalls the 'beauty of God's Being in the Most Holy and Undivided Trinity' and our minds meditate on this glorious mystery that God (Who is from everlasting uncreated relationship) reaches out to broken humanity and yearns for communion with us and to bring us healing in mind, body and spirit. I pray God's blessing on all of you and remember you constantly in my prayers.
 Fr Ian Elliott Davies "I ... cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers...that the Father of glory may give unto you the spirit of wisdom." St Paul to the Ephesians 1:16 ff |
| Trinity Sunday |
 In the early Church no special Office or day was assigned for the Holy Trinity. When the Arian heresy was spreading the Fathers prepared an Office with canticles, responses, a Preface, and hymns, to be recited on Sundays. In the Sacramentary of St. Gregory the Great (P.L., LXXVIII, 116) there are prayers and the Preface of the Trinity. The Micrologies (P.L., CLI, 1020), written during the pontificate of Gregory VII (Nilles, II, 460), call the Sunday after Pentecost a Dominica vacans, with no special Office, but add that in some places they recited the Office of the Holy Trinity composed by Bishop Stephen of Liège (903-20). By others the Office was said on the Sunday before Advent.
Alexander II (1061-1073), refused a petition for a special feast on the plea, that such a feast was not customary in the Roman Church which daily honoured the Holy Trinity by the Gloria Patri, etc., but he did not forbid the celebration where it already existed. John XXII (1316-1334) ordered the feast for the entire Church on the first Sunday after Pentecost. A new Office had been made by the Franciscan John Peckham, Canon of Lyons, later Archbishop of Canterbury (d. 1292). The feast ranked as a double of the second class but was raised to the dignity of a primary of the first class, 24 July 1911, by Pius X (Acta Ap. Sedis, III, 351). Since it was after the first great Pentecost that the doctrine of the Trinity was proclaimed to the world, the feast becomingly follows that of Pentecost.
The Creed of Saint Athanasius, part of the Book of Common Prayer, although not often said, is said in certain Church of England churches, particularly those of High Church tendency, only on Trinity Sunday. Trinity Sunday has the status of a Principal Feast in the Church of England and is one of seven principal feast days in the Episcopal Church. Thomas Becket (1118-70) was consecrated Archbishop of Canterbury on the Sunday after Whit Sunday, and his first act was to ordain that the day of his consecration should be held as a new festival in honour of the Holy Trinity. This observance spread from Canterbury throughout the whole of Christendom.
In the Roman Catholic Church it is officially known as the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. Prior to the reforms of the Second Vatican Council, it marked the end of a three-week period when church weddings were forbidden. The period began on Rogation Sunday, the fifth Sunday after Easter. Trinity Sunday was established as a Double of the Second Class by Pope John XXII to celebrate the Trinity. It was raised to the dignity of a Double of the First Class by Pope Pius X on 24 July 1911.
In the traditional Divine Office, the Athanasian Creed (Quicunque vult) is said on this day at Prime. Before 1960, it was said on all Sundays after Epiphany and Pentecost which do not fall within Octaves or on which a feast of Double rank or higher was celebrated or commemorated, as well as on Trinity Sunday. The 1960 reforms reduced it to once a year, on this Sunday.
The Thursday after Trinity Sunday is observed as the Feast of Corpus Christi. In some countries, including the United States, Canada and Spain, it may be celebrated on the following Sunday, when parishioners are more likely to attend Mass and be able to celebrate the feast.
Adapted from Wikipedia. | |
| Catechumenate 2009-10 |
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In the early Church, those seeking to become Christians through the Sacrament of Baptism were enrolled in a process of preparation lasting from 2 - 3 years culminating with the Great Liturgy of the Easter Vigil at which time they were brought into the fullness of the Christian Faith. This process based on the Catechism of Christian teachings was known as the Catechumenate.
Here at St. Thomas the Apostle Parish we have restored the Catechumenate for the modern time and as such have been recognized by Bishop Bruno as a leader in adult Christian formation in the Diocese of Los Angeles. Our Catechumenate is a strict commitment of nine months ending at Easter Vigil with the visitation of one of our Bishops. Our Catechumens are comprised of those new to the faith who are not baptized, those who are baptized but not confirmed, those who wish to be received from other communions with Apostolic Succession, and Episcopalians wishing to renew their baptismal vows. The process involves not just a didactic approach to Christian belief, but also dialog, discussion and active participation in exploring a vibrant, meaningful, and personal faith expressed in the community of our Parish.
We are now in the process of forming the next Catechumenate for 2009 - 2010 which will begin on July 12th. If anyone is interested in knowing more, or wishes to be enrolled please contact the office to make an appointment to see Fr. Davies. |
| Service Schedule through June 21, 2009 |
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MASSES & DAILY OFFICES
Sundays
7:30 AM - Morning Prayer
8:00 AM - Low Mass
9:45 AM - Rosary
10:30AM - High Mass with Choir - Childcare Available
4:30 PM - Evening Prayer
Monday - Friday
7:30 AM - Morning Prayer
8:00 AM - Low Mass
6:30 PM - Evening Prayer
7:00 PM - Low Mass (Tuesday only)
Saturday
10:00AM - Low Mass
5:00 PM - Vigil Mass with Gregorian Chant
6:30 PM - Compline
RECONCILIATION - CONFESSIONS
Tuesday 6:00 PM - Preceding Mass
Many additional activities occur each week at St. Thomas the Apostle. See the calendar for more! |
| Service Schedule starting June 22, 2009 |
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MASSES & DAILY OFFICES
Sunday
7:30 AM - Morning Prayer
8:00 AM - Low Mass
9:45 AM - Rosary
10:30AM - High Mass with Choir - Childcare Available
4:30 PM - Evening Prayer
Monday
7:30 AM - Morning Prayer
8:00 AM - Low Mass
6:30 PM - Evening Prayer
Tuesday
7:30 AM - Morning Prayer
6:00 PM - Reconciliations / Confessions
6:30 PM - Evening Prayer
7:00 PM - Low Mass
Wednesday
7:30 AM - Morning Prayer
8:00 AM - Low Mass
6:30 PM - Evening Prayer
Thursday
7:30 AM - Morning Prayer
6:30 PM - Evening Prayer
7:00 PM - Low Mass
Friday
7:30 AM - Morning Prayer
8:00 AM - Low Mass
6:30 PM - Evening Prayer
Saturday
10:00AM - Low Mass
5:00 PM - Vigil Mass with Gregorian Chant
6:30 PM - Compline
Many additional activities occur each week at St. Thomas the Apostle. See the calendar for more! | |
We hope to see you soon!
Blessings from
St. Thomas the Apostle |
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| Trinity Sunday |
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Celebrant: The Rev. Ian Elliott Davies Homily:The Rev. Ian Elliott Davies
Deacon:
The Rev. Mark D. Stuart 
Readings:
Isaiah 6.1-8
Psalm 29
Romans 8.12-17
John 3.1-17 |
| General Convention Volunteers Needed |
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The General Convention of the Episcopal Church will be held in Anaheim, CA July 8-17. Each congregation in the Diocese is expected to provide volunteers. St. Thomas has been asked to provide a minimum of 10 volunteers. Forms will be available at the back of the Church on Sunday and must be submitted via the Office.
To learn more about the convention, follow this link.
Ubuntu is loosely translated as I in You and You In Me. This is the theme for the 76th General Convention. |
| Pastoral Counseling |
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Should you desire one-on-one Pastoral counseling, please contact the office (323-876-2102 ext 2) to schedule an appointment with the Clergy. |
| Follies |
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Join the St. Thomas Singers on June 20th at 7 PM for coffee and pie, or a slice of cake. From the "Sound of Music" to "South Pacific" join us on a walk through some of the best of Rodger's and Hammerstein.
Tickets are $10, which includes desserts and a show. Tickets on sale at coffee hour or through the parish office. Proceeds benefit the Choir. |
| St. Martin's Guild |
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The St. Martin's Guild is coming back just in time for summer!
Summer events for Parishioners, which include a tour of historic downtown, a trip to Catalina Island, and Sunset Junction, are being made. This is a great opportunity for fellowship, and other ideas are being welcomed.
Please see Marty Wolfe during the next few weeks at coffee hour if you have any suggestions. |
| Mother Knows Best |
Interesting facts about
St. Thomas the Apostle  |
St Thomas' interior was used for the wedding scenes in the Disney film, "Three Men and a Little Lady"
The rail in front of the pews in the transept was part of the set for the same movie.
Approximately 6 film-shoots are completed each year on Church property. |
| Minutes |
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The minutes from the Vestry Meetings of St. Thomas the Apostle are now available on the St. Thomas the Apostle website. Click here to get the minutes. (Or goto the "Wardens & Vestry" page and click on "Minutes.")
Each month after the Vestry approves the prior months minutes they will be posted in PDF format. |
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Shopping
Online =
Donations
to St.
Thomas! |
Do you shop online? If you shop at Amazon.com, BestBuy.com, eBay.com...or any of thousands of companies - they will contribute up to 30% of your purchase to St. Thomas the Apostle at no additional cost to you.
It's easy - goto GoodShop.com ( www.goodshop.com) and in the box "Who Do You Support" put in " St. Thomas the Apostle." Click on the St. Thomas located in Hollywood, CA. Then click on your store - and follow the link "Goodshop this Store." For St. Thomas to receive donations, you must click through to the store from this site.
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