Dear St. Thomas’,
What does it mean to be a saint? What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus Christ? What does it mean to do the right thing? Sometimes these questions are easy to answer. Sometimes the examples held up before us are of people who made heroic, extraordinary choices. There can be immense satisfaction, even when it hurts, in taking bold action to do the right thing.
In this month’s issue of Commonweal magazine is a collection of letters from people writing about their meditations and experiences of the lock down from all around the world. In the letter from New York City, B. D. McClay ruminates on the visions of St. Catherine of Siena about people who “prioritize their own consolation over their neighbors.”
[O]ne cannot seek the consolation of bold action if it’s simply not what’s required of you. Many people will not emerge from this time as heroes. They are not doctors, delivery workers, grocery-store cashiers. What they’re being asked to do is small and humiliating: Stay inside. Give money where you can. Figure out a safe way to be there for your neighbors. Wear a mask. Try not to put strain on the supply lines. Tip heavily on delievered food. Pray. There is no heroism in this, but it is what you can do.”
Is there no heroism in this? Perhaps there is no public recognition, no acclaim. But then again Jesus, who urges us to pray and do our good deeds in secret, says it is precisely those good things done in secret that will be rewarded by our Father in heaven, who sees what we do in secret. So maybe the better question is, whose approval or commendation are you seeking?
Ms. McClay concludes:
The streets are empty and the people out walking are mindful of each other. In the grocery store people coordinate entering aisles. At 7 p.m. we clap for hospital workers. Most of the people I see are wearing masks. We may not be heroes, but we can take care of each other. In the carefully maintained gaps between one person and the next what stretches across is not just a virus; it’s love. It is not the same thing as holding somebody’s hand. But it’s love.
And we can continue with this love, a perfect love that casts out fear, with a distance that embraces rather than refuses responsibility.
What is more heroic than the one who embraces responsibility and care? For children, for aging parents, for an ailing spouse, for a client visiting the food bank, a homeless family staying with IHN, or a patient lying in the hospital? For the incarcerated, the unemployed, the discriminated-against. For all the people Jesus loved. For one another as we continue the un-glamorous, largely thankless, sometimes scorned precautions suggested by experts.
I am proud of St. Thomas’ and the way our community clings together, heroically taking care of one another by maintaining distance with our bodies and overcoming that distance with our hearts.
Yours faithfully from afar,
Todd+
Bishop Stokes recommends for all our reading an insightful and easy-to-understand article by Erin Bromage entitled The Risks – Know Them – Avoid Them. It is especially relevant as begin to look toward the light at the end of the tunnel and think about what life could be like “after lockdown.”
See an important and insightful Pastoral Letter from our Bishop and the Bishop of Newark.
This Thursday is the Feast of the Ascension, one of the seven primary feasts of the entire Church Year! Join us online at 7pm as we celebrate this festival together.
We just received word that Family Promise is not going to bring in new families before June 1 as they are going to take the time to do a deep cleaning of the day center. Thus, we will not need any dinners or any volunteers for our host week! We greatly appreciate everyone who stepped forward and will reach out to you before our next hosting week, when hopefully the world will be returned to something closer to normal.
Kitchen of Hope’s mission of combating food insecurity is more important than ever during this time of mass unemployment. We have increased our operations to two distributions per month. If you wish to volunteer, it is imperative that you sign up for a shift instead of just showing up as we did in the past. Please contact Vivian H. to do so (or leave a message with your contact info at the church office).
Lectors (those who read Scripture in our services) are signing up for when they want to read over the next few months. If you would like to read, please contact Kathy I. or leave a message at the church office!
ATTENTION YOUTH OF ALL AGES: The Diocese is providing special programming for all youth, grades 6-12, online. There are also special meetings for educators. Read about it and sign up!
Long-time members of St. Thomas’, Annette Baker, Alice & Daniel Kapr, little Tyler Nguin (who hasn’t been a member quite as long, only having been born in 2018!) and the newest baby, Grace, are moving to Pennsylvania for Kwon’s (Alice’s husband’s) new job at the end of this month. They will be missed! Their new address will be 132 Iron Bark Court; Collegeville PA 19426.
The Spring Flea Market will not happen this May! Clean out stuff, get ready for September! God willing! Debbie L.
During the building closure, Evening Prayer is being offered live on Saturday nights. On Sunday mornings, at 9am we have Sunday School for young children and the 10am slot is used for Formation. Morning Prayer is offered as a pre-recorded video for you to view at an hour convenient to you.
I wanted to thank you so very much for all of your help with the blood drive this Tuesday. We had an amazing turnout and are so thankful for each and every donation. I wanted to share the great results with you and let you know what a difference these donations will be making. We were not only able to reach, but exceeded our goal at an AMAZING 186%!! [Goal = 15 units, Total donated = 28 units from 29 donors.] These donations will allow us to help up to 84 hospital patients and their families! We are so grateful for your continued support, especially during such difficult times. With your help, and the generosity of all of these donors, we were able to continue our mission of sustaining a stable and safe blood supply for our hospitals! – Mary Depasquale
If you miss your Forward Movement: Day by Day booklet, you might want to check out their podcast!
Announcements for the bulletin or parish email are due into the office by noon on Wednesday of each week. You can email them to office@stthomasglassboro.org or call the office at 856-881-9144. Announcements are subject to editing due to limited space.
Lectionary readings for this week: Acts 17:22-31, 1 Peter 3:13-22, John 14:15-21, Psalm 66:7-18
Lectionary readings for the Feast of the Ascension: Acts 1:1-11, Ephesians 1:15-23, Luke 24:44-53, Psalm 47
Lectionary readings for next week: Acts 1:6-14, 1 Peter 4:12-14; 5:6-11, John 17:1-11, Psalm 68:1-10, 33-36
Please continue in your daily prayers for: Dennis, Marge, Dot, Tina, Don, Brad, Joann, Chester, Ruth, Chuck, Sarah, Jim, Medical Personnel threatened, sickened, and dying from their service to patients with Covid-19, Carol, Bob, Pat, Armand, Jimmy, Lisa, Idalia, Roy, Joe, Dee, Mike, Jean, KOH volunteers and those they serve, Bryan, Bill, Tracy, Sandy, Catherine, Michelle, Kris, Owen Family, Tom
This Weekend Online
- Saturday, 4.30pm: Adult Formation
Join us as we continue a series on “Practical BCP” - Saturday, 5.30pm: Evening Prayer
With Sunday lessons & homily. - Sunday, 9.00am: Sunday School for Children
- Sunday, 10.00am: Adult Formation
Join us this week as Donna Freidel leads us in a conversation around Episcopal polity: how our church operates as a community. - Sunday, 11.15am: Holy Eucharist with Spiritual Communion
at the Washington National Cathedral
Weekdays Online
- Daily Morning Prayer (Monday through Saturday)
- Podcasts (currently: Sheer Christianity)
(currently experiencing delays due to AP exams for the narrator!) - Nightly Compline with our neighbors at St. Stephen’s, Mullica Hill\\ (Monday through Friday)
- Monday, 4pm: Centering Prayer
- Tuesday, Noon: Coffee Hour
- Wednesday, 6.30pm: Prayer in the Evening
Check-in and a brief (5-minute) service of prayer. - Wednesday, 7.00pm: Bible Study with Bishop Stokes
Events hosted by St. Thomas’ are accessed via Zoom: instructions here.
St. Thomas’ is feeding more hungry people than ever. More than 36 million people filed unemployment claims in the United States in the last two months. What do you do with a number like that? There are two things we can do. We can urge our governments to act. And we can act. In the face of such overwhelming need, our actions may seem token or symbolic. But that doesn’t make them any less important. Real people are getting real food because of Kitchen of Hope. And our efforts, on our scale, are modeling what we believe is the just, loving response at all levels to a sudden epidemic of economic trauma.
Junia and Andronicus
Junia was a 1st-century Christian, highly regarded and complimented by the apostle Paul. Paul probably refers to Junia as an apostle. The consensus among most modern New Testament scholars is that Junia was a woman.
The only reference to Junia and Andronicus appears in Romans 16:7 (NRSV):
Greet Andronicus and Junia, my relatives who were in prison with me; they are prominent among the apostles, and they were in Christ before I was.
Eastern Orthodox traditions say Junia and Andronicus of Pannonia traveled extensively and preached the Gospel to pagans, many of whom were converted to Christianity. Many of the pagan temples were closed, and in their place Christian churches were built. Junia and Andronicus are believed to have suffered martyrdom for Christ. The female identity of Junia was accepted without objection during the first twelve centuries of the church, according to the writings of the church fathers.
Readings
- Isaiah 61:1‑4
- Psalm 68:7‑11
- Romans 16:7, 25‑27
- John 17:6‑23
Collect
Almighty God, whose Son, the risen Christ, sent forth your apostles Andronicus and Junia to proclaim the Gospel and extend your reign: send us forth in your Holy Spirit, that women and men may minister as one in faithful witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit in perfect unity, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
This Week at St. Thomas’
Friday, May 15, 5:00 am
Daily Office
The Daily Office is the cycle of prayers traditional to Christians (and Jews before us!) that we see hinted at in the Psalms and elsewhere. Join St. Thomas’ as we pray, Monday through Saturday. Morning Prayer is posted online each morning at 5am. You can listen to it at whatever time suits you. Compline meets live online at 9pm.
FRIDAY, MAY 15, 9:00 PM
COMPLINE
Live with our friends at St. Stephen’s
SATURDAY, MAY 16, 4:30 PM
ADULT FORMATION
Join us online as we study together.
SATURDAY, MAY 16, 5:30 PM
EVENING PRAYER
Join us online for Evening Prayer with a homily.
SATURDAY, MAY 16, 7:00 PM
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS
https://zoom.us/j/689139278?pwd=bFBlUjF2NzRIeHJ1YmxIV3BiVTBMUT09
SUNDAY, MAY 17, 12:00 AM
ECW SUNDAY
SUNDAY, MAY 17, 8:00 AM
MORNING PRAYER WITH SERMON
During the pandemic lockdown, the church buildings are closed. This service is pre-recorded in the nave by a minimal crew. Starting Sunday morning, find it on the church website.
SUNDAY, MAY 17, 9:00 AM
SUNDAY SCHOOL FOR CHILDREN
If you have little ones (younger than middle school), join us for Sunday School via Zoom.
SUNDAY, MAY 17, 10:00 AM
ADULT FORMATION
Join us as we reconnect via Zoom.
SUNDAY, MAY 17, 11:15 AM
HOLY EUCHARIST ONLINE
at the National Cathedral
MONDAY, MAY 18, 4:00 PM
CENTERING PRAYER
Meet via Zoom.
MONDAY, MAY 18, 6:00 PM
BOOK GROUP
Reading N.T. Wright’s, The Day the Revolution Began.
MONDAY, MAY 18, 9:00 PM
COMPLINE
Live with our friends at St. Stephen’s
TUESDAY, MAY 19, 12:00 PM
COFFEE HOUR ONLINE
Meet via Zoom. Hosted by Jo-Ann T.
TUESDAY, MAY 19, 6:30 PM
SMALL GROUP
Convened by Cole B. online.
TUESDAY, MAY 19, 9:00 PM
COMPLINE
Live with our friends at St. Stephen’s
WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 12:00 PM
STAFF MEETING
WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2:00 PM
CLERGY BIBLE STUDY
WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 6:30 PM
PRAYER IN THE EVENING
Join us online for a check-in and brief service of evening prayer before the Bishop’s Bible Study.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 7:00 PM
BIBLE STUDY WITH BISHOP STOKES
Register at: http://bit.ly/StokesBibleStudy
WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 9:00 PM
COMPLINE
Live with our friends at St. Stephen’s
THURSDAY, MAY 21, 11:00 AM
CLERGY TOWNHALL
THURSDAY, MAY 21, 7:00 PM
ANTE-COMMUNION
Come celebrate the Feast of the Ascension with us!
THURSDAY, MAY 21, 7:30 PM
VESTRY MEETING (PHUL)
THURSDAY, MAY 21, 9:00 PM
COMPLINE
Live with our friends at St. Stephen’s
FRIDAY, MAY 22, 5:00 AM
DAILY OFFICE
The Daily Office is the cycle of prayers traditional to Christians (and Jews before us!) that we see hinted at in the Psalms and elsewhere. Join St. Thomas’ as we pray, Monday through Saturday. Morning Prayer is posted online each morning at 5am. You can listen to it at whatever time suits you. Compline meets live online at 9pm.
FRIDAY, MAY 22, 8:00 AM
KOH SETUP
FRIDAY, MAY 22, 9:00 PM
COMPLINE
Live with our friends at St. Stephen’s
SATURDAY, MAY 23, 8:00 AM
KOH
SATURDAY, MAY 23, 10:00 AM KOH FOOD DISTRIBUTION
SATURDAY, MAY 23, 4:30 PM
ADULT FORMATION
Join us online as we study together.
SATURDAY, MAY 23, 5:30 PM
EVENING PRAYER
Join us online for Evening Prayer with a homily.
SATURDAY, MAY 23, 7:00 PM
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS
https://zoom.us/j/689139278?pwd=bFBlUjF2NzRIeHJ1YmxIV3BiVTBMUT09
SUNDAY, MAY 24, 8:00 AM
MORNING PRAYER WITH SERMON
During the pandemic lockdown, the church buildings are closed. This service is pre-recorded in the nave by a minimal crew. Starting Sunday morning, find it on the church website.
SUNDAY, MAY 24, 9:00 AM
SUNDAY SCHOOL FOR CHILDREN
If you have little ones (younger than middle school), join us for Sunday School via Zoom.
SUNDAY, MAY 24, 10:00 AM
ADULT FORMATION
Join us as we reconnect via Zoom.
SUNDAY, MAY 24, 11:15 AM
HOLY EUCHARIST ONLINE
at the National Cathedral
Saturdays, 4:30pm: Adult Formation
Saturdays, 5:30pm: Evening Prayer
Sundays, 8am: Morning Prayer (recorded)
Sundays, 9am: Sunday School
Sunday School for children
Sundays, 10am: Adult Formation
Sunday School for adults
Sundays, 11.15am: Holy Eucharist at the National Cathedral
Mondays, 4pm: Centering Prayer
Tuesdays, Noon: Coffee Hour
Wednesday, 6.30pm: Prayer in the Evening
Wednesdays, 7.00pm: Bible Study with the Bishop
Daily on Weekdays: Morning Prayer and Compline
WEB:
https://www.stthomasglassboro.org/
OFFICE:
office@stthomasglassboro.org
Office telephone:
856-881-9144
Emergency Pastoral Care:
856-881-2841
