|
|
|
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
 | | All Saints' Festival Sunday |
To view more sermons, go to our
St. Thomas YouTube page!!!
|
|
Our Lady of Walsingham
 On Thursday, 21 November, the Cell of Our Lady of Walsingham will meet for the Feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Holy Rosary will be said at 6:30pm followed by a Mass at 7pm. The cell will meet afterwards for a potluck dinner and meeting. All are welcome! |
|
Thanksgiving Eve
 On Wednesday, 27 November, the Eve of Thanksgiving, St. Thomas Parish will be celebrating a Solemn Mass with guest organist Blake Howard accompanying traditional Thanksgiving hymns! All are encouraged to attend. |
|
Stewardship Update
We are most grateful to the following 87 Parishioners (as of Thursday, 7 November) out of a potential 219 who have prayerfully considered the role of St. Thomas the Apostle in their life and made a financial pledge commitment for 2014:
Caroline Adan
Kellie Jane Adan
Heather Amaral
Robert Amore
David Anderson
Richard E. Backlund
Tannis Benedict & Brian Frankish
Alex Bernal & Thomas Meissnest
Bob Beukema & Ken Mosesian
John Bollard
Bob Brkich & Ben Pratt
John Buckley
Malcolm Callison
Efrain Cisneros
Jennifer Collins
Craig Coogan
Donald Cummings
Bradford Daley
Fr. Ian Elliott Davies
John & Janis Davies
Lloyd Davis
Debby Driscoll
Michael Ensign Evans
David Firman
Howard J. Gaass
Christopher Gable & Gerardo Vergara
Eddie Garcia
Clint Gray
Bob Halvorson
John Harper
Ron Hartwig
Peter & Julie Heimark
Bob Henry & Linda Wendell
Helen Slayton Hughes
James B. Hughes
Louis Javier
Patricia Neal Jensen
Jeff Johnson
Dea. Walter S. Johnson
Robert John Jones
Stephen Kemp
Peter Kempson
Taffia B. Kennedy
Ken Koonce
Helen Land
Bruce Larson
Len Leatherwood & Ray Beaty
Joe A. Lopez
Ted Marbury
Doris Martin
Vincent G. Mazzucchelli
Andrew Miller & Whitney Wyatt
Robert D. Miller
Randy & Ruth Oglesby
Carolyn S. Olman
Erin & Windy O'Malley
Doris J. Parr
Enrique David Ramos & David Bartlett
Jo Ann Ridenour
Linda Rockstroh
Vincent Roncone
Christopher A. Rose
Charles L. Rumsey
Julian Sands
John Schleif
Daniel & Sarah Schulz
John Scoles
Ryan Scott
Anita Sherman & Joe Muro
David A. Silvas
Steven Strom
Fr. Mark D. Stuart
Suzanne Tenner
Thomas G. Thanangadan
Reece P. Thomson
John Thornbury
Ayako Travis
James Vandernaald
Lynn Walker
Joseph Warren
Michelle Waterloo
Cynthia Williams
Jenny Williams & Joan Henehan
Randy Williams
Riva Winningham & Jesse Thompson
Addison Wright & Laurene Landon
Rex A. Yancey
|
|
Stewardship Meditation
Growing Up
"Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and faith toward God..."
Some people give God the same "dollar a week" in the Sunday offering that they have given for years. Why is that? Perhaps you have heard about the boy who fell out of bed. His mother asked, "What happened, son?" He replied, "I don't know. I guess I stayed too close to where I got in."
It's easy to treat our faith in the same way, to stay where we got in and never move, never even desire to grow in our faith. Growth is required to live and as Christians we remember that Jesus Christ is with us as we grow. St. Paul reminded young Timothy that the new believer is like a baby who needs milk. Later that same believer needs more substantial feeding in God's word in order to mature - being a disciple calls for maturity.
For many disciples leadership in financial matters occurs after substantial growth and maturity. It includes learning how to manage one's money wisely, as well as growing in giving of one's money and one's self. However, spiritual maturity is not the same as giving away a lot of money. Money leadership is not about how much money one gives. What is relevant to money leadership is how each of us grows in our giving from year to year.
Our Lord says, "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (St. Matthew 6:21) If one grows in giving, it seems one grows in faith. And like any growth, there may be a struggle. But God tells us the struggle is worth it. It leads to a blessing, not because of what you have done, but because of what God does in you.
Prayer: Lord God, help me to respond to Your Son's Sacred Heart of love, create in me a loving heart for financial leadership and renew a right spirit of generosity within me. Lead me in the paths of righteousness for Your Name's sake. Help me to carry everything to You in prayer and connect my heart with the faith to give that leads to the faith to live. Amen.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Third Sunday Before Advent
Lections
Job 19:23-27a
Psalm 17:1-8
II Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-end
St. Luke 20:27-38
Celebrant & Preacher
Fr. Ian Elliott Davies
Deacon
Dea. Walter S. Johnson
Choir Master
Mr. James Keltner
Mr. Jeffrey Parola
|
|
Sunday's Music
Prelude
"Introduction and Andante" from Vesper Voluntaries
by Edward Elgar
(1857-1934)
I am the resurrection and the life
by Thomas Tomkins
(1572-1656)
"Poco Allegro" from
Vesper Voluntaries
by Edward Elgar
(1857-1934)
|
|
Eddie Garcia
We ask for your prayers and patience for the next two weeks while our beloved Sexton, Eddie Garcia, recovers from surgery. We have engaged a cleaning company to assist in weekly chores.
|
|
DMA Composition Recital
It's official! Organist Jeffrey Parola will have his DMA Composition Recital at St. Thomas on Sunday, 2 February 2014 at 5:30pm. this event will include lots of chamber music, including works for solo piano, solo organ, chorus, string quartet, and more! Mark your calendars now for this great event!
|
|
At 7pm on Black Friday (29 November) the Parish Church will host a semi-formal High Mass to be a place of beauty and sanctity as an alternative to the rushing financial, bargain-hunting world. Guest Organist Blake Howard will be playing meditative music to accompany this solemn Mass.
|
|
LASchola
In November, please note that LASchola will accompany the Vigil Mass on the 30th of November, not the fourth Saturday.
|
|
On This Day in
Christian History
On this day in 1308 John Duns Scotus, the hard-to-follow Scottish theologian who first posited Mary's immaculate conception (that she herself was born without original sin), died in Cologne, Germany. Mary's immaculate conception was declared dogma by Pope Pius IX in 1854.
|
|
Please join us for many Parish activities. Here's a sampling of upcoming events - a full list is available online
9 November @ 7:30am
Homeless Feeding & Outreach
11 November
Parish Office Closed
16 November @ 10:30am
Newcomer Orientation Series
20 November @ 7:30pm Vestry Meeting
23 November @ 7:30am
Homeless Feeding & Outreach
25 November @ 10:00am
County-USC AIDS Clinic Feeding Program
28-29 November
Parish Office Closed
30 November @ 5:00pm
LASchola sings the Mass
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
