Parish Email for Friday, 28 April 2023

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Rowan University’s two largest singing groups, RoVo and Profecy will be presenting an end-of-year, send off concert on Sunday, 30 April at 5pm in the nave.  Reception to follow after.


We will be collecting monetary donations to give as a gift to both Bishop Stokes for his retirement/discretionary fund and Bishop-Elect Sally French for vestments and other supplies needed for her new position.  If you would like to donate, please contact Donna F.  Be sure to indicate to whom you’d like your gift to go to.  Deadline to donate is Sunday, 7 May.


This week, we continue our 2 concurrent, 4-week Adult Forum programs:

Are you interested in a practical conversation about the Basics of Bible Study? (This is part of our ongoing “ABCD’s of the Faith” series.) Join us for a 4-part conversation on the four Sundays following Easter (16 April-7 May), at 9am in the Parish Hall, followed by Coffee Hour.

In celebration of Campus Pride Month, join us for the Adult Formation offering, Hearts Unbound.  The overwhelming message of the Bible, in story after story, is that of God’s radical love and welcome. Every time we think we know who’s in and who’s out, God does something to challenge those assumptions, to unbind our hearts and minds from old ways of understanding, and to draw the circle ever wider.  We will be exploring 4 new stories, setup in a fun, informal reader’s theater – no costumes or props!  Readers needed!  Contact Sarah T. for questions/more info.  Starting 16 April at 9 AM in the Lower Level Parish Hall. See this week’s script here.


We will be collecting items for The Shop until 7 May.  Monetary donations are accepted as well!


The Sunday School will be having a Community Clean Up Fundraiser on 7 May at noon. This is done in conjunction with Gloucester County. The Sunday School will receive $500 from the county for a couple hours of trash pickup in the area.  It helps our community look better, and the Sunday School gets needed funds which is a win/win! If you would like to join their efforts, please contact Barb K.


Ruth Charlotte Ellis

(July 23, 1899 – October 5, 2000) Ellis was an African-American woman who became widely known as the oldest surviving open lesbian, and LGBT rights activist at the age of 101, her life being celebrated in Yvonne Welbon’s documentary film Living With Pride: Ruth C. Ellis @ 100. She was the youngest of four children in the family and the only daughter. Her parents were born in the last years of slavery in Tennessee. Ellis’ mother, Carrie Farro Ellis, died when she was a teen, while her father, Charles Ellis Sr., was the first African American mail carrier in Illinois (originally born enslaved).  Ellis came out as a lesbian around 1915 (with help from a psychology textbook), but claims to never have had to come out as her family was rather accepting.  She graduated from Springfield High School in 1919, at a time when fewer than seven percent of African Americans graduated from secondary school.  Her printing business, the Ellis & Franklin Printing Co., was the first woman-owned printing shop in the state of Michigan.  On her 100th birthday, she led and was sung Happy Birthday to You by the San Francisco’s Dyke March of 1999.  The Ruth Ellis Center honors the life and work of Ruth Ellis and is one of only four agencies in the United States dedicated to homeless LGBT youth and young adults. Among their services are a drop-in center, supportive housing programs, and an integrated Health and Wellness Center that provides medical and mental health care.  In 2009, she was inducted into the Michigan Hall of Fame.  In 2013, she was inducted into the Legacy Walk, an outdoor public display which celebrates LGBT history and people.  Ellis was also the oldest contributor to Piece of My Heart: A Lesbian of Colour Anthology. She was interviewed by poet and activist Terri L. Jewell about 1989/1990.

Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruth_Ellis_(activist)


Fellowship is an important part of the Episcopal Church.  And a staple of St. Thomas’ is food!  We are always looking for people to sign up for Coffee Hour!  It can be a quick and simple commitment, not too fancy.  See Donna F. to get put in the rotation!

Interested in joining a new ministry but don’t know where to start?  Every week, a different group will be highlighted at the end of the newsletter.  Information about meetings, what they do in the church or community, contact info and more!  If you have content you want to share about your ministry, send it to announcements@stthomasglassboro.org to be featured in an upcoming newsletter.


Lectionary readings for this week:   Acts 2:42-47, 1 Peter 2:19-25, John 10:1-10, Psalm 23

Lectionary readings for next week:  Acts 7:55-60, 1 Peter 2:2-10, John 14:1-14, Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16

Please continue in your daily prayers for: Dennis, Marge, Joann, Lou, Jennifer, Cameron, Jane, Richard, Sue, Becky, Bob, Andrea, Heather, Antoinette, Tal, Barbara, Brenda, Neil, Tammy, Walter, Andy, Ruth, Cyril, Jim, Bob, Jimmy, Linda, César, Joan


Announcements for the parish email are due via email by noon on Wednesday of each week. You can email them to announcements@stthomasglassboro.org

The church calendar can be seen at https://www.stthomasglassboro.org/calendar/ for a list of upcoming events. Please help us keep it current (and avoid hurt feelings) by sending updates to the church office (office@stthomasglassboro.org).

Are you serving in liturgy? Check the rota!

Prayer requests can be sent to prayer@stthomasglassboro.org

Watch our livestream here Saturdays at 5:30pm and Sundays at 8am & 10:30am!

Full-text of the liturgy is available at  https://www.sharedprayers.net

 

Spring at St. Thomas’

  • Holy Eucharist (Nave – now with music!): Saturdays, 5:30pm
  • Holy Eucharist in the Nave – Rite I (Nave):  Sundays, 8am
  • Adult Formation (Parish Hall):  Sundays, 9am
  • Children’s Sunday School (Parish Hall):  Sundays, 9am
  • Coffee Hour (Parish Hall): Sundays, 10am
  • Holy Eucharist (Parish Hall): Sundays, 10:30am
  • Centering Prayer (Nave): Mondays at 4pm (also on Zoom)
  • Holy Eucharist at Lych Gate (most times):  Wednesdays, 5:30pm

 

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