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Greetings!
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.
St. Thomas has a great respect for both the rich liturgical heritage of the church and for living the message of social justice proclaimed by Jesus Christ. Whether you are young or old, gay or straight, single, married or in a relationship, female or male, poor or wealthy, you are welcome at St. Thomas just as you are...a child of God and an inheritor of God's grace. |
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Thanks! Gracias! Merci!
Many thanks to the numerous people who made our Christmas celebrations joyous and meaningful. We are blessed to have so many volunteers in every area of our ministry who make a difference.
Thanks to the musicians, choir, acolytes, altar guild, ushers & greeters and to everybody who helped out with Hospitality.
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Sermons Available
The entire Christmas Eve Service (from prelude to postlude) is available below.
 | | 111224 Nativity of Our Lord (Christmas Eve) Service.mov |
Father's Christmas Day Sermon is available:
 | | 111225 Christmas Day Sermon.mov |
Did you know that all of the Sermons from March 2011 on are available online at our website and on our YouTube channel?
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St. Basil (January 02)
Our father among the saints Basil the Great (ca. 330 - January 1, 379), was bishop of Caesarea, a leading churchman in the 4th century. The Church considers him a saint and one of the Three Holy Hierarchs, together with Saints Gregory the Theologian (Gregory Nazianzus) and John Chrysostom. Basil, Gregory the Theologian, and Basil's brother Saint Gregory of Nyssa are called the Cappadocian Fathers. The Roman Catholic Church also considers him a saint and calls him a Doctor of the Church.
Basil's memory is celebrated on January 1; he is also remembered on January 30 with the Three Holy Hierarchs.
He should not be confused with Saint Basil the Blessed, Fool-for-Christ, a Russian saint, after whom St. Basil's Cathedral, on Red Square in Moscow, is named.
He also should not be confused with Saint Basil of Ostrog, a Serbian saint, who built the Ostrog Monastery which is caved in and stands on a very high hill between Danilovgrad and Niksic.
Basil was born about 330 at Caesarea in Cappadocia. He came from a wealthy and pious family which gave a number of saints, including his mother Saint Emily (also styled Emilia or Emmelia), grandmother Saint Macrina the Elder, sister Saint Macrina the Younger and brothers Saints Gregory of Nyssa and Peter of Sebaste. It is also a widely held tradition that Saint Theosebia was his youngest sister, who is also a saint in the Church.
He was ordained presbyter of the Church at Caesarea in 365, and his ordination was probably the result of the entreaties of his ecclesiastical superiors, who wished to use his talents against the Arians, who were numerous in that part of the country and were favoured by the Arian emperor, Valens, who then reigned in Constantinople.
To save the Church from Arianism, Basil entered into connections with the West, and with the help of Athanasius, he tried to overcome its distrustful attitude toward the Homoousians. The difficulties had been enhanced by bringing in the question as to the essence of the Holy Spirit. Although Basil advocated objectively the consubstantiality of the Holy Spirit with the Father and the Son, he belonged to those, who, faithful to Eastern tradition, would not allow the predicate homoousios to the former; for this he was reproached as early as 371 by the Orthodox zealots among the monks, and Athanasius defended him.
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Treasurer's Report
Gifts Received as of November 30, 2011 $323,841.46
Ministries Funded as of November 30, 2011 $323,256.57
Balance as of November 30, 2011 $584.89
Minutes from the November Vestry meeting are available online.
At the December 21, 2011 Vestry meeting the 2012 proposed budget was approved. The budget is balanced. The details of the $325,000 budget will be presented at the Annual Parish Meeting. |
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Christmas 2011 Photos
Thanks to the Altar Guild and all those who donated to the Christmas Flower Fund for making the Church so beautiful!
Photos from Christmas Eve, Family Mass (thanks to David Seck):
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Original reredos in Lady Chapel
The original reredos has been placed in the Lady Chapel. Below are photos, thanks to Les Rumsey, showing the new set up. Many thanks to all who made this transition happen!
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Christmas I
Celebrant (8am & 10:30am)
Fr. Ian Elliott Davies
Sermon
Fr. Ian Elliott Davies
Deacon
The Rev. Walter S. Johnson
Assistant Organist
Thompson Howell |
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PRELUDE
"Gesu Bambino"
(The Infant Jesus)
Pietro Yon
POSTLUDE
"Final" from Symphony No. 1
Louis Vierne
The congregation sings the Mass setting for this day.
The The Organ Project is about to start. Announcement is online! |
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LECTIONS
Numbers 6.22-end
Psalm 8
Galatians 4.4-7
Luke 2.15-21
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Mother Knows Best
On January 6 in 548, the Jerusalem church observes Christmas on this date for the last time as the Church moves to celebrating the birth of Jesus on December 25. |
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Annual Parish Meeting (01/15/12)
The Annual Parish Meeting will take place in the Large Parish Hall following the High Mass on Sunday, January 15, 2012. At the meeting, the Congregation will elect four new Vestry persons to serve a three-year term.
The entry period to stand for the 2012 Vestry is now closed.
Thank you to all who expressed interest in following their spiritual path to the Vestry.
A PDF document is available here or directly on our website with information about the candidates. Please visit the site and learn about the candidates.
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Please join us for many Parish activities. Here's a sampling of upcoming events - a full list is available online
December 23 until January 5
Office Closed
December 31 @ 10:30pm
New Year's Eve Mass
January 6 @ 7:30pm
Epiphany High Mass
January 14 @ 7:30am
Homeless Feeding & Outreach
January 20-22
Vestry Retreat
Fr. Gabriel Ferrer celebrates and preaches
January 21 @ 10:30am
Newcomer Orientation
January 28 @ 7:30am
Homeless Feeding & Outreach
January 28 @ 5:00pm
LASchola sings the Mass
Jan. 29, Feb. 5 & 12
Fr. Davies on vacation
Fr. Gabriel Ferrer celebrates and preaches
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ePrayer
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.
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History online
Articles and photos from the early years of St. Thomas the Apostle are now available on our website!
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Video Introductions
A brief introduction to the liturgy at St. Thomas:
 | | St Thomas Liturgy Sampler.mov |
A brief introduction to St. Thomas, its history, its place in Hollywood, the Damien Chapel and the organ.
 | | Introduction to St. Thomas |
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