Videos available 

  

The most recent video is available at the Parish You Tube Channel:

  

  

  

The Ascension is one of the great feasts in the Christian liturgical calendar, and commemorates the bodily Ascension of Jesus into heaven. Ascension Day is officially celebrated on a Thursday, the fortieth day from Easter day.
 
The most influential account of the Ascension is in Acts of the Apostles[1:1-11] where Jesus is taken up bodily into heaven forty days after his resurrection as witnessed by his apostles, after giving the Great Commission with a prophecy to return.
 
The imagery of Jesus' Ascension is related to the broader theme of his exaltation and heavenly welcome, derived from the Hebrew Bible. The image of Jesus rising bodily into the heavens reflects the ancient view that heaven was above the earth.  Belief in the Ascension of Jesus is found in the Nicene Creed, and is affirmed by Christian liturgy and, in the West, by the Apostles' Creed. The Ascension implies Jesus' humanity being taken into heaven.  Ascension Day, celebrated 40 days after Easter, is one of chief feasts of the Christian year.  The feast dates back at least to the later 300s, as is widely attested.
 
Please join us for Evening Mass on Thursday, June 02, 2011, Ascention Day at 7:00pm.

  

Adapted from www.wikipedia.org

We are very sad to report the death of Robert McConnell, 10/03/1939 to 05/23/2011.  Robert fell ill shortl before Palm Sunday and was hospitalized.  He was recently moved to a convalescent home and the St. Thomas LEV team visited him in his last days and  Deacon Johnson annoited Last Rites.

  

Robert faithfully attended St. Thomas for 17 years.  He worked for many years in the mortgage industry with Countrywide and later with Indymac.  He began volunteering with the Homeless Breakfast after his partner of 45 years, Johnny Butler, died on Good Friday 2009.  Robert loved the Parish, People and Clergy of St. Thomas and he looked forward to the Sunday Mass each week.  He particularly enjoyed the annual Blessing of the Animals and often brought his dog with him each week. Robert and Johnny's faithful companion Hillary Rodham Butler is now being taken care of by a neighbor.

  

Eternal rest, grant unto Robert, O Lord,

and let perpetual light shine upon Robert.

May Robert rest in peace.

Amen.

  

Services are pending discussion with the family.

 

 

Episcopalians in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., held silent prayer vigils in protest of Israeli treatment of Palestinians on May 24, the day Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed a joint session of Congress about the peace process.

 

The protesters said they were calling attention to Israeli policy towards Palestinians in general, and in particular to its refusal to grant a residency permit to Anglican Bishop in Jerusalem Suheil Dawani.

 

They sought to send a message about the Israeli government's policies toward Palestinians in general and specifically the refusal to grant Anglican Bishop Suheil Dawani a permit to reside in Jerusalem. As Bishop of the Diocese of Jerusalem, Dawani, a Palestinian Christian, oversees congregations and institutions in Israel, Jordan, Lebanaon, Syria and the Palestinian Territories.

Netanyahu was in Washington, D.C. to address the joint session about alternatives for a meaningful peace process in the Middle East, four days after rejecting President Obama's vision for ending Israeli-Arab conflict in the troubled region. His address has been considered both an attempt to garner additional support for Israel and an effort to avert an upcoming United Nations vote to establish a Palestinian state over his government's objections.

Bishop John Chane, in his May 24 statement, said it was unlikely that Netanyahu would "speak about his government's cavalier disregard for the religious liberty of Palestinian Christians ... or that Israel has sapped the strength of Anglican Christianity in the Middle East by smothering the ministry of its leader under a blanket of false charges" during his address.

Chane and other religious leaders, including Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori of the Episcopal Church, Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams and the Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem, have all joined the effort to reinstate Dawani's visa and residency cards for his family.

Renewal of Dawani's residency permit, which he had held since 2007, was denied in September 2010 after an unnamed source accused the bishop of selling Israeli land illegally to Palestinians. Dawani has "categorically denied" the charges, Chane said in his May 24 statement.

"The bishop is especially vulnerable when he leaves Jerusalem to tend to his far-flung diocese, which includes schools, churches and hospitals in Israel, the West Bank and occupied territories, Gaza, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon," said Chane, whose diocese has a companion relationship with Dawani's.

Los Angeles Bishop Jon Bruno, who has led more than 50 pilgrimages to the Holy Land in the past 30 years and whose diocese also enjoys a companion relationship with Jerusalem, was traveling and could not be reached for comment May 24.

But in an earlier statement Bruno had said the absence of a residency permit inhibits Dawani's ability to provide not only tangible, but also spiritual assistance, to congregations and institutions under his episcopal oversight.

Both groups emphasized that Dawani is a peacemaker and that the vigils were not held in opposition of the Israeli government, but as an efforts to call attention to the injustice.

Full article at Episcopal News  

The Rev. Jason Cox

 

Sermon

The Rev. Jason Cox 

 

Deacon

The Rev. Walter S. Johnson

READINGS

Acts 17. 22 - 31
Psalm 66. 7 - 18
1 Peter 3. 13 - end
John 14. 15 - 21\

  

The Parish Society of Our Lady of Walsingham will gather next on Tuesday May 31, 2011 For the Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary to her Cousin Elizabeth. Holy Rosary will begin at 6:00p.m, Followed by Evening Prayer at 6:30p.m. with a Solemn Mass at 7:00p.m.

  

  

Immediately following the Mass the Parish Society will meet in the Rectory for their potluck dinner meeting.

 

All are welcomed! For more info. Contact Mark S. Vigil at 323-303-7426.

  

On Saturday, June 4 starting at 9am to 2pm we will hold the Annual Parish Work Day.  This is an oportunity to work together to complete lots of small but vital maintenance and repair tasks around the facility.

  

  

  

  

There are three ways to sponsor a Coffee Hour.  No matter which you choose it's a wonderful way to support Parish Fellowship or to honor an important date in your life.  You can also buddy-up with somebody and share the work/cost!

  

$25 - You bring it! 

We give you a list of items (coffee, cups, etc.) and you shop and bring in the items and goodies.  We'll set it up and clean it up.

  

 We'll provide coffee, you provide cookies, snacks, whatever.  We'll set it up and clean it up. 

  

We'll do everything - coffee and snacks - yoWe'll set it up and clean it up.u just write the check! 

  

SIGN UP IN THE PARISH HALL AFTER MASS!