During this season of coronavirus infections, we love others as Jesus loves us by following a simple guideline:
Those not fully vaccinated against Covid-19 must wear a mask and practice social distancing while on church grounds.
Masks are optional for those who have been fully vaccinated.
Dear St. Thomas’,
Truth: What our heart longs for is truth, but what we can express are merely truths. Truth is one. But its countless aspects can be expressed in conflicting truths. Their limitations bring them into conflict. All we can grasp of the truth are limited truths. But grasping is not the only attitude we can adopt toward truth. Instead of grasping for truths, we can allow the truth to grasps us. It is one thing to take a bucket full of water out of the ocean. To swim in the ocean is quite a different thing. The truths we can grasp are necessarily limited. But the truth to which we give ourselves is limitless and one. The truths tend to divide us, but the truth that upholds us unites. – David Steindl-Rast, OSB, Gratefulness, the Heart of Prayer
Truth, God, spirituality, life, wholeness: these are all things we may go chasing after trying to grasp. But in the end we are much more likely to find what we are looking for if, instead of trying to grasp them, we allow ourselves to be held by them.
What does this mean, to be grasped by the truth?
For the philosophically inclined, we might speak of epistemological humility. Now we know only in part; then we will know fully, even as we are [already] fully known.
For the rest of us, we might prefer Martin Luther’s injunction, “Sin boldly.” In other words, live your life with gusto, confidence, and joy. Mistakes will be made: there’s no avoiding that. But faith that we have been grasped by God in baptism, marked as Christ’s own forever, means that we can trust God will use even our mistakes to further God’s purposes in our lives.
Life in God’s Kingdom is not a secret mystery, impenetrable without a theology degree. (It is equally impenetrable with a theology degree!) Life in the Kingdom of God is an open mystery, beyond human grasp, but big enough to grasp each human. The invitation of faith is to trust in God’s love and by it be empowered to live the life God has set before us.
Faithfully,
Todd+
Watch your mail next week for a Pentecost Letter with our summer schedule and a campaign raising money for Episcopal Community Services of the Diocese of New Jersey!
13 June will be the last day of Sunday School this year. Our Sunday services times will change the following Sunday.
If you can, getting vaccinated is the surest, quickest way to end the destructive power of the Covid-19 virus. As Christians, we are about life and health and wholeness. Unless you have been advised otherwise by a medical professional, getting vaccinated is an important Christian response to a hurting world. Do you need assistance finding an appointment? The Diocese can help!
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.
Download this week’s bulletin or see the online version.
Lectionary readings for this week: 1 Samuel 8:4-20, 11:14-15, Psalm 138, 2 Corinthians 4:13-5:1, Mark 3:20-35
Lectionary readings for next week: 1 Samuel 15:34-16:13, Psalm 20, 2 Corinthians 5:6-17, Mark 4:26-34
Please continue in your daily prayers for: Dennis, Marge, Joann, Andrea, Bob, Jimmie, Bill, Kass, Sandy, Floss, Mary-Esther, Patty, Dean, David, Lois, Michael, Bianca, Kayla, Evelyn, Tal, Jackie, Richard, Taylor, Sid, Becky, Dorothy, Chuck, Jo-Ann, Sally, Ethan, Chrissy, John, Jessica
This Weekend at St. Thomas’
- Saturday, 6.00pm: Holy Eucharist in the Nave (limited capacity: RSVP here)
- Sunday, 8.00am: Holy Eucharist in the Parish Hall and on Zoom (limited capacity: RSVP here)
- Sunday, 9.00am: Online Sunday School for pre-school to pre-teens
- Sunday, 10.30am: Holy Eucharist Outdoors at St. Thomas’
- Sunday, afternoon: Holy Eucharist at St. Thomas’ (recorded)
- Sunday, 6.00pm: Youth Group Game Night
Contact Dan O. for details.
Weekdays at St. Thomas’
- Daily Morning Prayer (Monday through Saturday)
- Monday, 4pm: Centering Prayer (online)
- Monday, 7pm: Book Group (online – contact the office for link)
- Tuesday, 7pm: Small Group Bible Study: Hebrews (online)
- Wednesday, 5.30pm: Holy Eucharist (outdoors at Lychgate)
- Wednesday, 7pm: Bible Study: Ruth (online)
Online events hosted by St. Thomas’ are accessed via Zoom: instructions here.
What do you think of when you hear the word “reparations”? What does that word really mean? You might be surprised!
When a wrong has happened, how do we effect “repair?”
Hear a conversation within the Diocese of New Jersey.
Or come hear Bishop Stokes speak as a part of a march and rally in Newark on 19 June. Click here for more information.
Summer 2021 at St. Thomas’
Last day of Sunday School: 13 June
Summer Worship Schedule begins on 14 June:
- Holy Eucharist on Lawn: Sundays, 10am (note change in time!)
- Centering Prayer Online: Mondays, 4pm
- Holy Eucharist at Lychgate: Wednesdays, 5.30pm (except in July)
- Holy Eucharist in Nave: Saturdays, 6pm (Evening Prayer in July)
- Zoom live-streaming of Holy Eucharist: Saturdays, 6pm (Evening Prayer in July)
Adult Formation (all online):
- Book Group: Mondays, 7pm (except July)
- Bible Study: Tuesdays, 7pm
- Bible Study- Ruth: Wednesday, 7pm (12 May – 9 June)
- Presentation to St. Thomas’ by Episcopal Community Services of New Jersey: Wednesday, 30 June, 7pm.
- “Seeing Dead People”: Historical Controversies of the Christian Faith, led by Jonathan Wilson: Wednesdays, 7pm (7, 14, 21 July)
VBS in person: See registration info. below (18-22 July)
Church Picnic at Camp Sun N’ Fun: 7 August, Noon (Holy Eucharist at 5pm)
Family Movie Night on the Lawn: 27 August, 7.30pm
Rally Day & Picnic: 12 September, Picnic follows 10am service
See a calendar of Saints of the Episcopal Church.
Which Saint will you remember today?
See the official St. Thomas’ calendar or a list of upcoming events.
Are you serving in liturgy? Check the rota!
Saturdays, 6pm: Holy Eucharist
in the Nave: limited to 12 pews of up to two people each
Sundays, 8am: Holy Eucharist
in the Parish Hall and online
Sundays, 9am: Sunday School
online: for children
Sundays, 10.30am: Holy Eucharist
outdoors, rain or shine
Sundays, 6pm: Youth Group
online: for teens
Mondays, 4pm: Centering Prayer online
Mondays, 7pm: Book Group online
Tuesdays, 7pm: Small Group Bible Study online
Wednesday, 5.30pm: Holy Eucharist
outdoors, rain or shine
Wednesdays, 7.00pm: Bible Study: Ruth online
Daily on Weekdays: Morning Prayer
online: recorded
https://www.stthomasglassboro.org/
OFFICE:
office@stthomasglassboro.org
Office telephone:
856-881-9144
Emergency Pastoral Care:
856-881-2841
Call this number if you have a pastoral emergency, such as an alert about an ailing parishioner, a hospital stay, a death in the family, or to request last rites. Leave a message and with a phone number for your call to be returned.