eNews
15 February 2013

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.

Sermons

 

Quinquagesima
Quinquagesima

To view more sermons, go to our 

St. Thomas YouTube page!!!

Stations of the Cross

 

 

 

 

 

Join us TONIGHT and every Friday in Lent following the 7pm Mass for Stations of the Cross!

Lenten Study Course
 
Every Wednesday in Lent following the 7pm Low Mass, join us in the Rectory for our Lenten Study Course and light soup supper. This year, the course will follow Martin L. Smith's Love Set Free: Meditations on the Passion According to St. John. In this short study of meditations on the Passion according to St. John, participants will explore how, in the Christian mystery, love itself must be crucified and die to be reborn as the grace of communion...as love set free. 

There is a limited supply of this book available for purchase in the Parish Office for $10. Others may wish to purchase this book at a book retailer.

We are still seeking a few volunteers to help with the soup suppers. Please contact John Bollard or Christopher Wagner if you are willing to help.
Limberlost!
 
At 7pm on Saturday, 9 March LIMBERLOST, the musical-in-progress by Helen Slayton-Hughes and Dana Howell will be presented as a staged reading in the Large Parish Hall with a reception following. Admission is by voluntary contribution to the St. Thomas Facilities fund. Seating is limited. RSVP to [email protected]

They'd love to have you come and give them feedback, and thus help in the development process! AND YES, there will be door prizes, including your very own Limberjack Dancing Man!

Limberlost is based on the classic (1909) novel Girl of the Limberlost by pioneering naturalist Gene Stratton Porter, and on the current wetlands restoration project at the site of the Limberlost Swamp in Indiana.

This musical was chosen by the Fullerton College Playwrights Festival to receive a staged reading in January, and they're happy to report it was lovely! Now, upward and onward!
Bake Sale
 
On Sunday, 10 March (Laetare Sunday) following both the Low & High Masses, the Parish Cell of Our Lady of Walsingham will host a bake sale fundraiser in the Large Parish Hall to raise money for their ministries.
Easter Flowers
 
Easter Lily If you would like to contribute toward the cost of Easter flowers and decorations, please fill out the pink form, which will be provided in the Order of Service, and return it with your donation to the offering plate of Parish Office no later than Palm Sunday, 24 March 2013. The suggested donation is $25. You may also contribute via PayPal by clicking on the PayPal logo below. Please provide your dedication ("In memory of..." or "In thanksgiving for...") in the special instructions section of you PayPal payment. 
 
Donate  
Blessed Thomas Bray, Priest
 
Today we commemorate the life of Blessed Thomas Bray (1658-1730), who was an English clergyman. In 1696, he was appointed by the Bishop of London as his commissary to organize the Church of England in Maryland. He took great interest in colonial missions, especially among the Native Americans, and it is to his efforts that the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel (founded 1701), owes its existence.
 
Bl. Bray also projected a successful scheme for establishing parish libraries in England and America, out of which grew the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge (founded 1699). He envisioned a library for each parish in America, funded by booksellers and stocked with books donated by authors. These libraries were meant to encourage the spread of the Anglican church in Britain's colonies, and as such were primarily composed of theological works. It was a major endeavour, as at the time the only other public libraries in the American colonies were at a small number of universities. At the time of his death, he had succeeded in establishing 80 such libraries in England & Wales and 39 in America.  
In This Issue
Sermons
Stations of the Cross
Lenten Study Course
Limberlost! The Musical
Easter Flowers
Treasurer's Report
Parking Update
Quick Links
Quinquagesima

 

Lections

Deuteronomy 26:1-11
Psalm 91:1-11
Romans 10:8b-13
St. Luke 4:1-13

Celebrant & Preacher

Fr. Ian Elliott Davies

  

Deacon

Dea. Walter S. Johnson


Choir Master
Mr. James Keltner

Organist
Mr. Jeffrey Parola
Treasurer's Report

 

As of 31 January 2013

 

Gifts Received

$22,887.38

 

Ministries Funded

$24,781.99

 

Balance

($1,894.61)

 

Minutes from the 16 January Vestry meeting may be found HERE!

 

Minutes from the 20 January Vestry meeting may be found HERE!

IMPORTANT: 
New Sunday Parking Hours!

   

PARKING ON GARDNER STREET IS NOW ALLOWED ON SUNDAYS UNRESTRICTED BETWEEN 7AM & 1PM DESPITE THE POSTED PROHIBITIONS! There is no two-hour limit! If a Parishioner receives a ticket for parking on Gardner on a Sunday between 7am and 1pm, please forward it to the Parish Office. Please remember that Saturday Gardner Street parking continues to be prohibited. Gardner Street parking after 1pm on Sunday is also prohibited. We anticipate the new Sunday hours will be especially helpful for choir members, acolytes, and others who desire more time for worship and fellowship. 

On This Day in 
Christian History 

   

On this day in 1631, John Donne, the greatest love poet of the English language and dean of St. Paul's Cathedral, preached his last sermon, titled "Death's Duel." The poet preached, "We celebrate our own funeral with cries, even at our birth." He was seemingly obsessed with this subject for his entire life.

Coming Soon...

 

Please join us for many Parish activities.  Here's a sampling of upcoming events - a full list is available online 

   

16 February @ 10:30am 

Newcomer Orientation Series 

 

18 February

Parish Office closed


23 February @ 7:30am

Homeless Feeding & Outreach


23 February @ 5:00pm

LASchola sings the Mass

 

25 February @ 9:30am

County-USC AIDS Clinic Feeding Program

 

9 March @ 7:30am

Homeless Feeding & Outreach

 

19 March @ 7:30pm

Vestry Meeting  
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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