eNews
20 September 2013


 

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

 

The Sixteenth Sunday After Trinity
The Sixteenth Sunday After Trinity

 

To view more sermons, go to our 

St. Thomas YouTube page!!!

Treasurer's Report
As of 31 August 2013


YTD ActualYTD BudgetVariance
Gifts Received$210,457.97$201,668.59$8,789.38
Ministries Funded$239,079.42$238,462.89$616.53
Balance($28,621.45)($36,794.30)$8,172.85

 

Minutes from the August Vestry meeting are available by  CLICKING HERE!

 

Organ Project Update
 
 
For the past several weeks, many of you have noticed scissor lifts in the Church and other evidence of the work that has been ongoing in the Church as part of the multi-year Organ Renovation Project. Those of you who have attended Daily Masses will have noticed many other indications of this work. We are pleased to report, however, that the cleaning, painting, repairs, and other work in the Church as part of the Organ Renovation Project has finally been completed within budget and well ahead of schedule. While additional work may be required in the Church in the future as the Project progresses, for now, this phase of the project has been completed.  
 
The next phase of the Organ Project will take up to three years and will involve the refurbishment and completion of the St. Thomas Memorial Organ itself. On occasion, you will see signs of this work being performed by our Organ Builder, Weston Harris. For instance, the large air blower that was installed in the west organ loft has been removed and is temporarily being stored in the small Parish Hall until it can be shipped off to be refurbished. There will be other signs of Mr. Harris' work as well. Please bear with us while the Organ Renovation Project proceeds. Refurbishing and completing the St. Thomas Memorial Organ has been a goal of our Parish for more than twenty years. We are excited that, with your help and support, this monumental project has finally begun.
 
If you have any questions regarding the Organ Renovation Project, please see the Project liaison, former Rector's Warden, Randy Oglesby. Time permitting, Mr. Harris has also generously offered to give tours of the St. Thomas Organ to parishioners and to personally answer questions about the Organ Renovation Project. If you are interested, please also see Randy Oglesby. 
 
LASchola Returns to the Latin Vigil Mass on 28 September
 
The LASchola accompanies the Saturday 5pm Latin Vigil Mass on the fourth Saturday of each month. This month, the LASchola will sing Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina's Missa Aeterna Christi munera a4. A reception, including wine for a cash donation, will follow the Mass.
 
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (c.1525-1594) was an Italian Renaissance composer of sacred music and the best-known 16th-century representative of the Roman School of musical composition. He has had a lasting influence on the development of church music, and his work has often been seen as the culmination of Renaissance polyphony

LASchola's voices create a most beautiful and soulful accompaniment to the monthly Vigil mass in St. Thomas the Apostle's century-old neo-gothic church. Hear rarely sung early choral music performed in the liturgical setting for which it was originally composed - the liturgy. LASchola is a local a cappella ensemble comprised of professional musicians.
 
All are invited. 
 
 
Congratulations
 
We congratulate John Bollard and Devon Brooks on their recent marriage in the St. Damien Chapel. The picture below was taken during the ceremony at which John's parents were able to participate via iPad.


If you or Parishioners you know are getting married, let us know!
The Guibord Center Presents
"Imagine a World of Peace"
with Sister Joan Chittister OSB

Guibord Center

Saturday, 21 September
St. John's Pro-Cathedral
514 West Adams Blvd.
7:00pm

In the midst of both natural and human-made tragedies in today's world, Sister Joan presents a new look at the virtue of compassion. After offering her own definition of compassion, Sister Joan will present the scientific and religious/philosophical stances and, finally, the human response. When considering the major global crises for this century, she responds to solutions offered by a noted historian with a creative look at four qualities of compassion that could bring us to a world of peace. 
 
Sister Joan Chittister is an internationally known writer and lecturer, one of the most articulate social analysts and influential religious leaders of this age. For over 30 years she has dedicated herself to advocating for universal recognition of the critical questions impacting the global community and has received numerous awards and recognition for her work. Courageous, passionate and charged with energy, she is a much sought after speaker, commentator and clear voice across all religions. 

Free Admission! Open to everyone! 

A reception follows.

Please plan to arrive by 6:30 to allow for parking instructions. RSVP HERE!
In This Issue
Sermons
Treasurer's Report
Organ Update
LASchola
The Guibord Center
Stewardship
Ralph's
Fleas' Sunday
Parking
Quick Links
The Seventeenth Sunday After Trinity

 

Lections

Jeremiah 8:18--9:1
Psalm 79:1-9
I Timothy 2:1-7
St. Luke 16:1-13

Celebrant & Preacher

Fr. Ian Elliott Davies

  

Deacon

Dea. Walter S. Johnson

 
Choir Master
Mr. James Keltner

 

Organist

Mr. Jeffrey Parola
This Weekend's Music

 

Prelude

"�l�vation 1" from Heures Mystiques, Op. 29
by L�on Bo�llmann
(1862-1897)

 

Offertory Anthem

Praise the Lord
by John Blow 
(1649-1708)
 

Postlude

Sonata in G Major, K. 328

by Domenico Scarlatti

(1685-1757)

Stewardship Meditation
 
 
 
Expect the Unexpected
 
 
One of the ways God surprises us is by providing gifts we do not expect. Sometimes these gifts may seem extravagant and we do not feel worthy.

In St. Mark's Gospel 14:3-9, Jesus gives us a model for gracious behavior. He graciously accepts and receives a beautiful gift brought by a woman - a jar of very costly ointment. She breaks the jar and anoints His head generously. Yet there were those who did not think Jesus should have accepted this gift. After all, the giver was a woman - what was she doing amidst this group of men at dinner?! Furthermore, the alabaster jar of costly nard could have been sold and the proceeds given to the poor. It made no economic sense to pour this lavish gift on the head of Jesus!

Unbeknownst to the men in the room, this woman was anointing Jesus for His death and burial. He knew this, but said nothing. He simply received the gift gratefully and graciously. He allowed Himself to enjoy these precious moments.

How often we can be insensitive to the genuine expression of tender love and care offered by others! Perhaps we are in too much of a hurry. Perhaps our attention is focused on something else. Perhaps we do not feel worthy. Jesus invites us to become aware of our surroundings and our relationships - to appreciate what others may do for us. By learning to receive a gift graciously and gratefully, we learn to be gracious givers ourselves.

Prayer: O God of abundance, open mine eyes to the gifts that thou provideth, whether large or small, extravagant or not. Give me the awareness to receive these gifts gratefully and graciously. Amen. 
ralphs

It's time to re-register your Ralph's card for Community Rewards! Ralph's requires everyone do this every September, even if you registered in August! To make sure your grocery purchases benefit St. Thomas, please 
  1. Go to www.ralphs.com
  2. sign in (or sign up if it's your first time), 
  3. click on "My Account" and then "Account Settings." 
  4. Under "Community Rewards" click "Edit" 
  5. search for Saint Thomas the Apostle (or search for "84981" without quotes). 
Thanks for shopping at Ralph's for St. Thomas!
The Feast of St. Francis of Assisi
 
On Sunday, 6 October, The Feast of St. Francis of Assisi (affectionately known as "Fleas' Sunday") will be celebrated at St. Thomas. At the 10:30am High Mass; bring your pets to receive a special blessing. All [properly leashed or contained] pets are welcome! 

On This Day in 
Christian History 

   

On or about this day in 1224 on Italy's secluded Mount Alvernia, St. Francis of Assisi reportedly prayed, "O Lord, I beg of you two graces before I die - to experience in myself in all possible fullness the pains of your cruel Passion, and to feel for you the same love that made you sacrifice yourself for us." Soon his heart was filled with both joy and pity, and wounds appeared on his hands, feet, and side. He reportedly carried these scars (called stigmata) until his death in 1226.

Coming Soon...

 

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

   

23 September @ 9:30am 

County-USC AIDS Clinic Feeding Program  

 
28 September @ 7:30am

Homeless Feeding & Outreach

 
28 September @ 5:00pm
LASchola sings the Mass 


12 October @ 7:30am

Homeless Feeding & Outreach

 

14 October

Parish Office Closed

 

16 October @ 7:30pm

Vestry Meeting 
 

19 October @ 10:30am 

Newcomer Orientation Series 

Parking at St. Thomas

   

Regardless of what the signs read, parking on Gardner Street is now allowed on Sundays unrestricted between 7am and 1pm. There is no two-hour time limit! If you receive a ticket, please turn it in to the Parish Office.

 

Please make sure to remit your citation to the Parish Office promptly. The City may not dismiss citations that are more than two weeks late.

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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