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The CDC COVID-19 Community Level is HIGH. This means masks are required at any indoor gatherings at St. Thomas’, including gatherings for worship.
Thank you to everyone who came out to help with Kitchen of Hope last week! Our next giveaway is 9 July.
We want to hear from you! We have extended the deadline for the survey until 27 June!
The Strengths and Interests Committee is conducting a survey so we can learn more about our parishioners and what you would like offered at St. Thomas that doesn’t currently exist. We also want to know what are your talents? What are your interests? The survey is streamlined and takes no more than 10 minutes to complete.
- Each family member should complete the survey individually
- Easily completed on a computer, mobile phone, iPad
- A summary of responses will be shared (anonymously) after survey completion
- Survey Link: https://forms.gle/SWExgCWmUucGXBKr7
- You may scan the QR code below to access the survey
- If you require a paper copy to complete the survey, please contact Jo-Ann T. or Devin D.
- Paper copies will also be available at worship services
This Sunday we continue our celebration of Pride Month. Come at 9am to participate in a special adult formation offering led by Sarah T. and based on reading Scripture together.
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. This is setup in a fun, informal reader’s theater – no costumes or props! Readers needed! Every Sunday in June at 9 AM in the Lower Level Parish Hall. Find this week’s script here.
Barbara J. and Jacqueline J. invite you to a program entitled “Stitch Stories – African American Quilters” at the Ocean City Arts Center, 1735 Simpson Ave., Ocean City, NJ on Friday, 8 July 2022, with a reception from 7pm to 8.30pm. RSVP by June 21, 20222 to 856.629.4121.
Are you good with numbers? We are looking for 2 or 3 volunteers to join the Audit Committee. Experience preferred but not required! Contact Tal K. if interested
Do you have a freezer taking up space that you don’t use anymore? Kitchen of Hope is in need of one to replace a failing unit. Contact any board member if you would like to contribute one – it’s a tax write off!
Gleaning is the act of collecting leftover crops from farmers’ fields after they have been commercially harvested, or on fields where it is not economically profitable to harvest. Kitchen of Hope is looking for volunteers for our next gleaning trip on 23 June at 11AM. Contact a board member if interested.
Do you have a green thumb? Get on board of the ground floor of St. Thomas’ new Gardening Ministry. Get your hands dirty and help keep our campus beautiful. Interested? Contact Donna F. for more information.
Our annual Church Picnic is scheduled for 20 August from 12 noon to 6pm at Camp Sun-n-Fun! Service is scheduled for 3pm.
Julie Rodgers
Julie Rodgers had a rocky relationship with Christianity as a teen. Growing up in the Bible Belt was not an ideal place for a teenager to decide to come out as lesbian. She would go on to spend the next 10 years in conversion therapy (the attempt to change a person’s sexuality or gender), at first willingly, in order to make things right with God. During this time, she spoke at many conferences “run by…the oldest and largest organization in the so-called “ex-gay” movement.” During this time, she began to self harm, and “saw the harm that theology did to her LGBTQ friends, whose self-loathing turned to similar self-harm, as well as to drug addictions and suicide attempts.” Rodgers broke free of her conversion attempts once the conversion camp was shut down, after it’s leaders publicly stated it was harmful. Her story has been documented in her book “Outlove” and the Netflix Original “Pray Away.” She went on to become a teacher and was the first openly LGBTQ person to be hired at Wheaton College (an evangelical school). Currently, she teaches at The Faith and Justice Network, a worldwide network of people focused on faith and learning justice for all people.
Sources:
religionnews.com/2021/06/25/rns-rogers-documentary/
www.washingtonpost.com/religion/2021/08/06/pray-away-exgay-ex-gay-lgbtq-christian-evangelical-conversion/
faithjustice.net/about/
www.julierodgers.com/about/
Our COVID protocol is following the CDC guidelines for Gloucester County. Masks are presently required. Please be sure to stay on top of your recommended vaccinations and masking to protect all those you love.
If you would like to contribute to the work of Episcopal Relief & Development serving refugees from Ukraine, you can donate here.
Lectionary readings for this week: 1 Kings 19:1-4, (5-7), 8-15a, Psalm 42 and 43, Galatians 3:23-29, Luke 8:26-39
Lectionary readings for next week: 2 King 2:1-2, 6-14, Psalm 77:1-2, 11-20, Galatians 5:1, 13-25, Luke 9:51-62
Please continue in your daily prayers for: Dennis, Marge, Joann, Jennifer, Lou, Mary Esther, Donna, Jim, Kass, Kathleen, Tyler, Carl, Linda, Ed, Jackie, Katie, Shannon, Brandon, Vivian, Margaret
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.
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 10:30am!
Full-text of the liturgy is available at https://www.sharedprayers.net
Pentecost at St. Thomas’
- Hearts Unbound Adult Formation: LLPH in-person every Sunday in June, 9am
- Holy Eucharist Outdoors and Streaming online: Sundays, 10:30am
- Centering Prayer Online: Mondays, 4pm
- Holy Eucharist in the Nave and Streaming online: Saturdays, 5:30pm