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. |
Clocks Spring Forward this weekend
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 On Sunday, 14 March at 2:00am (or late Saturday for some) clocks return to Pacific Daylight Time. Set your clock back one hour.
The main purpose of Daylight Saving Time (called "Summer Time" in many
places in the world) is to make better use of daylight. The idea of daylight saving was first conceived by Benjamin Franklin during his sojourn as an American delegate in Paris
in 1784, in an essay, "An Economical Project." Standard time in time zones was instituted in the U.S. and Canada by
the railroads on November 18, 1883. Prior to that, time of day was a
local matter, and most cities and towns used some form of local solar
time, maintained by a well-known clock (on a church steeple, for
example, or in a jeweler's window). The new standard time system was not
immediately embraced by all, however. The first man in the United States to sense the growing
need for time standardization was an amateur astronomer, William
Lambert, who as early as 1809 presented to Congress a recommendation for
the establishment of time meridians. This was not adopted, nor was the
initial suggestion of Charles Dowd of Saratoga Springs, N.Y., in 1870.
Daylight Saving Time has been used in the U.S. and in many European
countries since World War I. By 1966, some 100 million Americans were observing
Daylight Saving Time based on their local laws and customs. Congress
decided to step in and end the confusion, and to establish one pattern
across the country. The Uniform Time Act of 1966 was signed into Public Law on April 12, 1966, by
President Lyndon Johnson, creating Daylight Saving Time.
Adapted from http://www.webexhibits.org/daylightsaving/index.html
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Rector's Corner  |
Beloved Brothers and Sisters in
Christ,
It is a great pleasure for us to welcome
Sister Diana Dorothea of the Sisters of the Transfiguration to our Parish on Sunday, to preach at the two Masses (8am and 10.30am) and to
lead a discussion at the Adult Education session at 9am. It is sometimes said
that "the Religious Life (monks, nuns and friars committed to God in prayer,
spirituality, devotion and work) is one of the best kept secrets of the Anglican
Communion." The Sisters of the Transfiguration was founded in 1898 and has
brought many gifts of devotion and grace to the Episcopal Church and our
Communion for which we may give thanks to God and His Holy Saints. The motto of
the Order is "Benignitas, Simplicitas, Hilaritas"-Latin for "Kindness,
Simplicity and Joy."
Our own work and ministry as a Parish
(individually and corporately) is sustained by prayer from so many individuals
and Religious Communities.
I send my love & prayers to you all,
The Rev'd Fr I.E. Davies, B.D. (Wales & Cantab) M.R.I.Ph.
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St. Patrick - March 17
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 Saint Patrick's Day is an
annual feast day that celebrates Saint
Patrick (circa AD 385-461), the most commonly recognised of
the patron saints of Ireland, and is generally celebrated on 17
March.
Patrick was born about 390, in southwest Britain,
somewhere between the Severn and the Clyde rivers, son of a deacon
and grandson of a priest. When about sixteen years old, he was
kidnapped by Irish pirates and sold into slavery in Ireland. Until
this time, he had, by his own account, cared nothing for God,
but now he turned to God for help. After six years, he either
escaped or was freed, made his way to a port 200 miles away, and
there persuaded some sailors to take him onto their ship. He returned
to his family much changed, and began to prepare for the priesthood,
and to study the Bible.
Around 435, Patrick was commissioned, perhaps
by bishops in Gaul and perhaps by the Pope, to go to Ireland as
a bishop and missionary. Patrick made his headquarters
at Armagh in the North, where he built a school, and had the protection
of the local monarch. From this base he made extensive missionary
journeys, with considerable success. To say that he single-handedly
turned Ireland from a pagan to a Christian country is an exaggeration,
but is not far from the truth.
St. Patrick's feast day was placed on the
universal liturgical calendar
in the Catholic Church
due to the influence of the Waterford-born Franciscan
scholar Luke Wadding
in the early part of the 17th century, although the feast day was
celebrated in the local Irish church from a much earlier date. St.
Patrick's Day is a holy day of obligation for Roman Catholics in Ireland. The
feast day usually falls during Lent. The church calendar avoids the
observance of saints' feasts during certain solemnities, moving the
saint's day to a time outside those periods.
Green ribbons and shamrocks were worn in celebration of St Patrick's
Day as early as the 17th century.
He is said to have used the shamrock, a three-leaved plant, to explain
the Holy Trinity to the pre-Christian
Irish, and the wearing and display of shamrocks and shamrock-inspired
designs have become a ubiquitous feature of the day.
Today, Saint Patrick's Day is widely celebrated by Irish
and non-Irish alike. Many people, regardless of ethnic background, wear
green-coloured clothing and items. Traditionally, those who are caught
not wearing green are pinched, usually affectionately.
Adapted from James Kiefer (www.missionstclare.com) and also from www.wikipedia.org
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Easter Flowers
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If you would like to contribute toward the cost of Easter flowers and decorations, please fill out the yellow form provided with the Order of Service and return it with your donation to the offering plate or the Parish Office no later than Palm Sunday, 28 March, 2010. The suggested minimum donation is $25. You may also contribute via PayPal. Please provide your "In Memory Of" or "Thanksgiving for" in the Special Instructions Section of your PayPal payment.
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Easter Vigil Desert Reception
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 Easter Vigil Desert Reception will be held after the great vigil Saturday
evening, April 2.
Please stop by the kitchen before the service to drop off your favorite
decadent goody. |
Gourmet Easter Breakfast
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Join us for our annual gourmet Easter morning Breakfast created by our own John
Boughner.
Breakfast is served between the two morning Masses. It's a wonderful way to mingle with your fellow parishoners and celebrate
the Risen Lord!
Just $10 - tickets are available from John starting Sunday, March 14 at both Coffee Hours.
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Easter Egg Hunt
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 On Easter Sunday (April 4, 2010) at approx. 9:30am there will be an Easter Egg Hunt! Please meet in the courtyard. (Please bring your own basket.)
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Consents received for Suffragan Bishops
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The Standing Committee of the Diocese of Los Angeles has received the necessary
majority of Standing Committee consents to the December 2009 elections of the
Rev. Canon Diane Jardine Bruce and the Rev. Canon Mary Douglas Glasspool as
bishops suffragan to serve the six-county Los Angeles diocese.
The Los Angeles Standing
Committee reported March 10 that within the last 64 days it has received 61
consents needed to the election of Glasspool, and 78 consents to the election of
Bruce. In each election a majority of 56 consents was needed from the
counterpart Standing Committees of the 110 dioceses of the Episcopal Church.
The consent process to
Glasspool's election is not complete until the Presiding Bishop's Office in New
York confirms that it has received the necessary majority of consents from
bishops with jurisdiction in the dioceses of the Church. Meanwhile, the
Presiding Bishop's Office has notified the Los Angeles Standing Committee that
58 of the 61 Standing Committee consents received have been verified to date.
Click here for full story from the Episcopal News
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Census 2010: It's in Our Hands
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In mid March, households across the country will receive Census forms
by mail. This decade's Census is a vital opportunity for our communities to show
our diversity and our strength. It's time to stand up and be counted!
In
particular, 2010 will be the first time that the Census reports numbers on
same-sex spouses, in all fifty states. In the previous census, if a same-sex
couple indicated that they were married, they were reclassified as "unmarried
partners" in official tabulations. This year, people will be counted exactly how
they identify their relationship. And because the Census relies on
self-identification, cohabitating same-sex couples who consider themselves
married can identify as such on the form, regardless of whether or not they live
in a state that legally recognizes their relationship.
For those members
of our communities who don't live with a same-sex partner, the 2010 Census does
not ask specific questions about sexual orientation or gender identity. On the
question asking about a person's sex, transgender respondents should select the
gender with which they identify.
Here
are five very important things everyone should know about the
Census:
1. It's Safe. All Census forms and
personally-identifiable information are kept completely confidential for 72
years. They don't get shared with any other government agencies (including the
military, the IRS, or immigration), and they're not subpoenable under the
Patriot Act. 2010 Census information will be made public-for genealogical
purposes-on April 1st, 2082.
2. It's Easy. The 2010 Census is
"short-form" only, and should take 10 minutes or less to complete.
3.
It's Important. Census numbers are used to determine political representation in
Congress and state legislatures, and are also used to allocate and distribute
more than $400 billion in federal funds to state, county, and local
governments.
4. Everyone Counts. The Census is a count of everyone who is
residing in the United
States on April 1st, 2010, regardless of
citizenship or legal status. It is vital that our communities participate, and
help ensure a complete count of all people this year.
5. The Census is
hiring! We are currently hiring hundreds of thousands of door-to-door
census-takers in communities all across the country. These temporary jobs are
part-time or full-time with flexible hours, and pay well. If you are interested
in applying for a Census job, please call our toll-free jobs line at
(866)-861-2010, or visit www.2010censusjobs.gov
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Holy Week & Easter Services
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Palm Sunday, 28 March
7:30 AM - Morning Prayer
8:00 AM - Low Mass 9:45 AM - Holy Rosary
10:30AM - High Mass with Choir - Childcare Available
4:30 PM - Evening Prayer
Monday in Holy Week, 29 March
7:30
AM - Morning Prayer
6:00 PM - Confessions
6:30 PM - Evening Prayer
7:30 PM - Low Mass
7:45 PM - Soup Supper
Tuesday in Holy Week, 30 March
7:30
AM - Morning Prayer
6:00 PM - Confessions
6:30 PM - Evening Prayer
7:30 PM - Low Mass
7:45 PM - Soup
Supper
Wednesday in Holy Week, 31 March
7:30
AM - Morning Prayer
6:00 PM - Confessions
6:30 PM - Evening Prayer
7:30 PM - Low Mass
7:45 PM - Soup
Supper
Maundy Thursday, 1 April
7:30
AM - Morning Prayer
6:30 PM - Evening Prayer
7:30 PM - Institution of the Lord's Supper & Procession to the Altar of Repose (w/ Choir)
9:00 PM - All-Night Vigil of Prayer at the Altar of Repose
Good Friday, 2 April
7:00
AM - Meditations on the Holy Rosary
12:00PM - Stations of the Cross
7:30 PM -
Mass of the Pre-Sanctified & Venetration
Holy Saturday, 3 April
7:30
PM - The Great Vigil of Easter with Choir
Easter Sunday, 4 April
7:30
AM - Morning Prayer
8:00 AM - Choral High Mass of the Most Holy Feast
9:45 AM - Holy Rosary
10:30AM - Choral High Mass of the Most Holy Feast - Childcare Available
4:30 PM - Evening
Prayer
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| Service Schedule |
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 through Friday
7:30 AM - Morning Prayer
6:30 PM - Evening Prayer
7:00 PM - Low Mass
Tuesday
6:00 PM - Reconciliations / Confessions
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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4th Sunday of Lent
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CELEBRANT (8am & 10:30am):Fr. Ian Elliott Davies HOMILY (8am & 10:30am):Sister Diana Dorothea DEACON (10:30am):The Rev. Mr. Walter S. Johnson Assistant Organist (10:30am):Thompson Howell
There are no postludes during the Lent season.READINGS:
Joshua
5.9-12
Psalm 32
2 Corinthians 5.16-end
Luke 15.1-3, 11b-end
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Sister Diana Visits
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 Sister Diana will be visiting St. Thomas this Sunday and preaching the Homily at both the 8am and 10:30am masses. Sister Diana's topic is her personal experience in the religious life
as well as the religious life in the Episcopal Church in general. At approx. 9am in the Parish Hall Sister Diana will lead an Adult Education Class. This discussion is part of a series on the contemplative life within the Episcopal Church. Sister Diana is from the Sisters of Transfiguration in Eureka, California. Please join us in welcoming Sister Diana! |
| Clergy |
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The Rev. Ian Elliott Davies
Rector
The Rev. Michael Cooper
Assistant Priest
The Rev. Mr. Walter S. Johnson
Deacon |
| Pastoral Counseling |
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One-on-one Pastoral counseling is available. Please contact the office (323-876-2102 ext 2) to schedule an appointment with the Clergy. |
| Vigil Mass |
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Missa Vigil hoc septem dies cum lingua Latina. Missa mos ineo 5 meridianus et cum ero Abeo Gregoriana in Ecclesiae Parochiae Sancta Thomasiensis.
[The Vigil Mass on Saturday will be in Latin this week. Join us at 5pm in the Church with Gregorian Chant.] |
| Homeless Breakfast |
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On the Second and Fourth Saturdays of each month the Homeless Breakfast takes place. Volunteers are welcome and greatly needed!
150 homeless and needy Angelinos are served a tasty breakfast by St. Thomas volunteers. Come at 7:00am to help prepare and share pancakes, eggs, sausage, biscuits and good fellowship. Come at 7:30am to help serve. Come at 9:00am to help clean up.
Deacon Johnson serves as the Social Worker providing outreach to the Homess during the Breakfast. This portion of the program, including providing safer sex kits, hygene items and other critical supplies is funded in part by a grant from The City of West Hollywood. |
Socks Needed
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Our clients at St. Thomas the Apostle Breakfast Club, are in need of
Socks. There will be a basket in the Parish Hall to place your
donations.
(The sock distribution will be done in addition to podiatry medical care provided by QueensCare and the St. Thomas Health Cabinet.)
Thanks, and may
God continue to bless you.
The Rev. Mr. Walter S. Johnson, Deacon
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| Lent Study Course |
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Lent Study Course for 2010 "The Eucharistic Gospel: Through Lent With St John"
which will show us art work inspired, through the ages, by the Fourth Gospel.
The course will bring together two of Fr. Davies' favourite themes - the literature and
Gospel of the Johannine Community and superb artwork. The course will
inspire our devotions and our hearts as we 'travel' at a very different pace
through Lent this year.
Wednesdays during Lent
7pm Mass followed by Lenten Soup generously provided by Jacquline Cole and then the Lent Study Course
Please join us!
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| Mother Knows Best |
Interesting facts about
St. Thomas the Apostle, The Episcopal Church and The Anglican Community  |
On March 13 in 1456, Johann Gutenberg first
published the Bible on his printing press with movable type.
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| ePrayer List |
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Prayer is at the center of our worship and binds us together as a community of faith. This week we commenced our electronic prayer chain email. A list of persons on the prayer list is sent weekly.
The prayer chain email is an opt-in list only - it will not be sent unless you sign up for it. If you'd like to be on this distribution list, please update your profile (please use link at the bottom of the email, customized with your email)or contact the office. |
| Miss a week? |
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If you missed an eNews, they are now conveniently archived! Click here! |
| 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" link under "The Parish" and follow the link to "Minutes.") |
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