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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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Sermons
 | | The Second Sunday of Advent |
To view more sermons, go to our
St. Thomas YouTube page!!!
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Join us on Sunday, 16 December at 4:30pm for our annual Advent Lessons & Carols service.
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A Note from the Treasurer
Thank you to those who have prayerfully considered the role of St. Thomas the Apostle in your life and returned your 2013 pledge card.
Pledge commitments represent 75% of the operating income of the Church. We have received 140 pledges to date.
We anticipate pledges to be below 2012 levels, and the Vestry will have to make prayerful considerations with the budget.
The Vestry is trying to finalize a proposed budget at its regular meeting on 19 December. If you have not yet turned in your pledge card, please return it as soon as possible in order to minimize cuts to our ministries. As always, the Vestry will present to the Parish a proposed balanced budget at the Annual Parish Meeting (20 January 2013).
Please return (or revise) pledges to the Parish Office as soon as possible.
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The Reason for the Season
Literally Healing at Children's Hospital Los Angeles is an innovative reading program dedicated to advocating literacy and its importance to children's success. Their program gives children more than 30,000 books annually. In addition to promoting literacy, they believe in supporting and strengthening their patient families. There are two arms of the program: Therapeutic Library, which tackles sensitive issues in a non-threatening manner to ease the medical and emotional anguish, and the Gifting Library, which offers patients staying at the hospital (and visiting siblings) to choose and keep one free, brand new book daily.
This year, St. Thomas the Apostle is helping with Literally Healing's Book Drive! Below, you'll find a link to the Literally Healing Book Drive wish List. These books MUST be brand new to control infection. They welcome up to 500 copies of any title on their wish list, so there is no need to worry about overlap.
St. Thomas' Community Stewardship Committee continues our food drive to benefit SOVA food pantries this holiday season. We collect food throughout the year to benefit SOVA, one of the St. Thomas partners in the Homeless Coalition. During the upcoming holidays our goal is to fill the SOVA food as often as possible!
The food bin is located in the foyer near the Parish Office.
The following items are needed:
- Canned and packaged foods
- Personal hygiene products (especially disposable razors, shampoo, soap, feminine hygiene items, disposable diapers, and deodorant)
- Ribbon and other basket-making equipment and supplies for Baskets of Hope
- New or gently used children's books
SOVA is a nonsectarian program of Jewish Family Services of Los Angeles, dedicated to alleviating hunger and poverty in the community through food distribution and offering a wide range of supportive services.
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Christmas & Epiphany Schedule
Monday, 24 December - Christmas Eve
5:00pm Family Mass with Sermon & Hymns
11:00pm Midnight Mass with Sermon & Choir
Tuesday, 25 December - Christmas Day
10:30am High Mass with Sermon & Choir
Wednesday 26 December - St. Stephen's Day
5:00pm Boxing Day Party in the Rectory
7:00pm Low Mass
Sunday, 30 December - The First Sunday of Christmas
8:00am Low Mass with Sermon
10:30am High Mass with Sermon & Choir
Monday, 31 December - New Year's Eve
10:30pm Low Mass followed by an alcohol-free New Year's Eve Potluck Party
Sunday, 6 January - The Epiphany
8:00am Low Mass with Sermon
10:30am High Mass with Sermon & Choir
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Feasting on
Giving, Gratitude, and Generosity
We are most grateful to the following 140 Parishioners out of a potential 234 (as of yesterday) who have prayerfully considered the role of St. Thomas the Apostle in their life and made a financial pledge commitment for 2013:
Heather Amaral
Robert Amore
David Anderson
Michael Austin
Shireen Baker
Sam & Ned Beedie-Thurber
Alexander Bernal
Bob Beukema & Ken Mosesian
David F. Bode, MD
John Bollard
Rodney Borr
Alex Bramm
John Buckley
Steven W. Carry
Dr. Kathryn Challoner TSSF
Audrey Chambers
Brad & Wendy Chambers
Efrain Cisneros
Craig Coogan
Donald Cummings
William Daniel
Fr. Ian Elliott Davies
John & Janis Davies
Evelyn Davis
Lloyd R. Davis
Steven De Muth
Clark Dilley
Debby Driscoll
Ruth Dunham
Kevin Elms & Bud Robinson
Michael Ensign Evans
Chip & Michelle Farnham
Brian Frankish & Tannis Benedict
Jeff & Chanel Friesen
Howard Gaass
Chris Gable & Gerardo Vergara
Eddie Garcia
Christopher Gragg
Clint Gray
Michael Gray
Bob Halvorson
John Harper
Ron Hartwig
Wes Haynes
Peter & Julie Heimark
Jane A. Heitz
Bob Henry & Linda Wendell
Sarah Hensley
John Holloway
Helen Slayton Hughes
James B. Hughes
Luis Javier & Laurence Jackson
Patricia Neal Jensen
Jeff Johnson
Dea. Walter S. Johnson
Leslie Kaplan
Sue Ann Keeling
James W. Keltner
Margaret Kemp
Stephen Kemp
Dawna Kemper
Peter Kempson
Taffy Kennedy
Thomas Kingsley
Ken Koonce
James Lancaster & Elizabeth Dennehy
Helen & Robert Land
Dean Larkin & Paul Park
Bruce A. Larson
Michael Laska
Len Leatherwood & Ray Beaty
Robert Lee
Joe A. Lopez
Ted Marbury
Doris Martin
Vincent G. Mazzucchelli
Andrew Miller & Whitney Wyatt
Robert D. Miller
Catherine Nameth & Alex Levine
Paul Norwood
Judith O'Connor
Randy & Ruth Oglesby
Carolyn S. Olman
Donesh Olyaie
Erin & Windy O'Malley
Anthony Palacios & John Garces
Robert & Barbara Patrick
Andrew Petrucelli
Alison Platt
Janice Quanbeck
Joseph Rials
Jo Ann Ridenour
Linda Rockstroh
Vince Roncone
Charles L. Rumsey
Tim Scerba
John V. Schleif
Darrell Schmitt
Daniel & Sarah Schulz
Garland & Dr. Kathleen Fugman Schweickhardt
John Scoles, MD
Ryan Scott
Kristin Sekora
Mason Shefa
Anita Sherman
Stan Shipley
David A. Silvas
Douglas Stanton
Gregory Stanton
Bill Stark
Amy Steelman
Steven Strom
Fr. Mark D. Stuart
Walt Tanner & Jessie Kostosky
Suzanne Tenner
Thomas G. Thanangadan
Reece P. Thomson
John Thornbury
Paul Tournay & Lee Cox
Richard Francis Tracz
Ayako Travis
James Vandernaald
Christopher Wagner
Richard L. Wagner
Lynn Walker
Gary Warning
Joseph Warren
Michelle Waterloo
Robert Weihing
Eric & Caitlin Wellner
Charles Thompson Wells
Janet West
David Wildman
Cynthia Williams
Jenny Williams & Joan Henehan
Randy Williams
Martin W. Wolfe
Rex Yancey
Stephen J. Yoder
John Zaragoza
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Annual Parish Meeting
20 January 2013
The Annual Parish Meeting will take place in the Large Parish Hall following the High Mass on Sunday, 20 January 2013. At this meeting, the Congregation will elect four new Vestry persons to serve a three-year term and four delegates & two alternate delegates to represent St. Thomas at the Annual Diocesan Convention.
Serving on the Vestry is a further step in your spiritual life, is a further manifestation of Stewardship of our faith, and is a tremendous responsibility and privilege. Existing Vestry persons welcome the opportunity to speak with individuals about the experience of their service. Under the bylaws of the Parish, candidates for the Vestry must submit the appropriate paperwork on or before 20 December 2012. The specifics of Vestry service for 2013 are provided in an in-person discussion with Fr. Davies prior to the Annual Meeting. We invite individuals considering this spiritual journey to contact the Parish Office as soon as possible to schedule an appointment. A potential candidate for Vestry must acquire three signatures from Parishioners on the Nomination Form.
Delegates to the 2013 Diocesan Convention, which takes place in early December, will also be elected at the Annual Parish Meeting. Nomination forms, which require two signatures from Parishioners, are available in the Parish Office and must be submitted by 20 December 2012.
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The Third Sunday
of Advent
Lections
Zephaniah 3:14-end
Psalm 146:4-end
Philippians 4:4-7
St. Luke 3:7-18
Celebrant and Preacher
Fr. Ian Elliott Davies
Deacon
Choir Master
Mr. James Keltner
Organist
Mr. Jeffrey Parola
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Advent Education Series: "Foundations"
Thanks to the Stewardship Program, we know that many of you are wanting more educational series.
We are pleased to announce that in the Rectory following the High Mass and Coffee Hour on Sundays of Advent, the Parish is presenting "Foundations".
Presenters and their topics are:
16 December - Thomas Doyle: Epistemological Concept of a Foundation as Applied to the Notions of Religious Knowledge and Faith, and the Implications of a Weak Foundationalist and Anti-Foundationalist Spiritual Life
23 December - Fr. Ian Elliott Davies: Foundations in Liturgy
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St. Thomas Outing to Walt Disney Concert Hall
St. Thomas invites you to an outing to Walt Disney Concert Hall on Monday, 17 December at 7:30pm for the annual Messiah sing-a-long with the Los Angeles Master Chorale. With orchestra and soloists on stage, Music Director Grant Gershon will conduct you and 2,199 other singers in this joyful sing-a-long. Bring your own score or buy one in the lobby and join the chorus. This event will SELL OUT. Please order your tickets by clicking HERE. Refreshments and hor d'ourves will follow the performance. Contact David Silvas if you are planning to attend.
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Christmas Flowers
If you would like to contribute toward the cost of Christmas flowers and decorations, please fill out the form in the Order of Service and return it with your donation to the Parish Office no later than Sunday, 16 December. The suggested minimum donation.
Contributions are also accepted via PayPal. If paying by PayPal, please be sure to note your dedication.
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Call for Acolytes
Our Acolyte Coprs is in need of new members and is recruiting people for service. If you have completed or are taking part in the Catechumen Class, and would like to serve at the Altar, please contact Efrain Cisneros. Each Acolyte serves an average of 2-3 times each month as scheduling is flexible.
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Christmas Hospitality
Christmas Eve
Join us for a Dessert and Savory Reception after Midnight Mass. The Hospitality Committee would like to invite any Parishioner who would be interested in making or purchasing a savory or dessert treat for this event to sign up on the bulletin board in the Large Parish Hall or contact Christopher Wagner or Donald Cummings.
Boxing Day
On 26 December from 5pm to 7pm there will be an Open House at the Rectory. All are welcome! Please contact Christopher Wagner if you'd like to bring something.
New Year's Eve
Following the 10:30pm Mass a non-alcoholic potluck party will take place in the Large Parish Hall! A sign-up sheet is available on the bulletin board in the Large Parish Hall or contact Christopher Wagner or Donald Cummings.
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GoodShop.com
Thanks to the Parishioners who use GoodShop.com on behalf of the Parish, we have received our annual check from the company. This year we received $192.43 for a total over the past four years of $1,497.99!
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! Go to www.goodshop.com and register. 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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New Sign-Up Sheets for 2013 Now Available!
We are presently seeking volunteers and donors for 2013 Coffee Hours, Altar Flowers, St. Damien Chapel Orchid Plants, and Lamps. The sign-up sheets are available in the Parish Hall. Coffee Hour sponsors are asked to provide items on a list provided or donate $40 towards the cost of those items. Chris Wagner, chair of our Hospitality Subcommittee, is available to answer questions. Altar Flowers are $125 per week, St. Damien Orchid Plants are $25 per week, and the Sanctuary, St. Damien Chapel, and Our Lady Lamps are $10 each per week.
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On This Day in
Christian History
On this day in 1591, Spanish poet St. John of the Cross, one of the greatest Christian mystics, died. His "Dark Night of the Soul" is one of the era's best known religious poems, and his treastises have profoundly influenced both Catholic and Protestant thought.
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Please join us for many Parish activities. Here's a sampling of upcoming events - a full list is available online
15 December @ 10:30am
Newcomer Orientation Series
19 December @ 7:30pm
Vestry Meeting
22 December @ 7:30am
Homeless Feeding & Outreach
22 December @10:30am
Semi-Annual Cleaning of Church (lunch provided)
24 December - 4 January
Parish Office Closed
24 December @ 9:30am
County-USC AIDS Clinic Feeding Program
12 January @ 7:30am
Homeless Feeding & Outreach
26 January @ 5:00pmLASchola sings the Mass
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Parking
Remember that Parishioners are permitted to park on Gardner Street for two hours on Sunday from 8am to 7pm regardless of what the signs read. If you are ticketed, please contact the Parish Office. |
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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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