Dear St. Thomas’,
It’s getting hard to sit at home, isn’t it? Or to be out, rendering your essential service to others while others sit at home? Some of us are stuck at home working too much, without clear separation of “work” and “home.” Some of us are stuck at home dangerously bored, with nothing to do. And yet, I am encouraged that very many of you are home in a disciplined way, loving your neighbors with phone calls and inquiries. Loving yourselves with cleaning and reading. Loving God with prayer and study and worship. God’s work continues in you, unhindered by any stay-at-home order.
I am struck (and shocked!) by the reactions I hear about on the news. Protests to “open up.” Politicization of a question which should be, at root, thoughtful and mathematical. I’m shocked because it looks to my eyes like decisions are being made based on wishful thinking.
Hope and wishes are very different things. Hope is confidence that, even though we might not be able to see it, all will be well in the end. Our belief in a loving, powerful, reliable God gives us great hope. Wishes are specific desires which may be good, may be bad, but which are not going to happen just because we’d like them to.
Christians are people who live on hope, not wishes.
We have hope for the present and hope for the future. We understand that the way (the true and living way!) passes right through the cross of suffering. Jesus did not live a life based on wishful thinking. But Jesus most certainly lived into his hope for the future – hope for our future. Hope for us.
I’m thankful that it’s not my job to weigh out the very many factors which determine a state’s response to the current health crisis. To be frank, I’m thankful that our Episcopal structure has placed over us a Bishop, a wise authority who has bravely made those hard calls for us with regard to our own church buildings.
I am thankful for leaders on every level who are stepping forward to do the right things, to bring bitter medicine where it is needed, and to stay the course even when things get unpleasant. These, too, are people demonstrating what it means to live according to hope, not wishes.
Striving to live in hope,
Todd+
See an important and insightful Pastoral Letter from our Bishop and the Bishop of Newark.
Mary Tyers has been taken off life support. Please pray for her and Bill and their family as they walk through this time of sacred waiting.
Kitchen of Hope’s mission of combating food insecurity is more important than ever during this time of mass unemployment. Therefore we will be offering food distributions on two different Saturdays in May: the second and the fourth (9 May and 23 May). Volunteers are needed but you must sign up with Vivian H. and come only during your assigned shift so that we may continue to comply with state and Diocesan guidelines on social distancing!
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.
James Rambo, a lifelong member of St Thomas’, received the Gloucester County Farmer of Year Award. James also serves on the Board of Directors of the Gloucester County Board of Agriculture, the Complete Care Health System, Elk Twp Committeeman, and is liaison for the Elk Twp Agriculture Committee, Police Department, and Department of Public Works.
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 7:55-60, 1 Peter 2:2-10, John 14:1-14, Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16
Lectionary readings for next week: Acts 17:22-31, 1 Peter 3:13-22, John 14:15-21, Psalm 66:7-18
Please continue in your daily prayers for: Dennis, Mary, Marge, Don, Brad, Joann, Chester, Ruth, Chuck, Sarah, Jim, Medical Personnel threatened, sickened, and dying from their service to patients with Covid-19, Tina, Dot, Carol, Bob, Pat, Armand, Jimmy, Lisa, Idalia, Roy, Joe, Dee, Mike, Jean, KOH volunteers and those they serve, Bryan, Bill, Tracy
This Weekend Online
- Saturday, 4.30pm: Adult Formation
Join us as we begin 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 Cole Banning continues a two-week series on topics from Christian History! - 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)
(may experience 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’ hosted a May Day blood drive as a way to contribute something positive during our isolation in the midst of this pandemic. Thank you to the Freidel-Kramer household for hosting the blood drive and to all who gave blood: you are saving lives!
Dame Julian of Norwich
c. 1417
Of Dame Julian’s early life we know little, only the probable date of her birth (1342). Her own writings in the Revelations of Divine Love are concerned only with her visions, or “showings,” that she experienced when she was thirty years old.
She had been gravely ill and was given the last rites; suddenly, on the seventh day, all pain left her, and she had fifteen visions of the Passion. These brought her great peace and joy. “From that time I desired oftentimes to learn what was our Lord’s meaning,” she wrote, “and fifteen years after I was answered in ghostly understanding: ‘Wouldst thou learn the Lord’s meaning in this thing? Learn it well. Love was his meaning. Who showed it thee? Love. What showed he thee? Love. Wherefore showed it he? For Love. Hold thee therein and thou shalt learn and know more in the same.’ Thus it was I learned that Love was our Lord’s meaning.”
Julian had long desired three gifts from God: “the mind of his passion, bodily sickness in youth, and three wounds—of contrition, of compassion, of will-full longing toward God.” Her illness brought her the first two wounds, which then passed from her mind. The third, “will-full longing” (divinely inspired longing), never left her.
She became a recluse, an anchoress, at Norwich soon after her recovery from illness, living in a small dwelling attached to the Church of St. Julian. Even in her lifetime, she was famed as a mystic and spiritual counselor and was frequently visited by clergymen and lay persons, including the famous mystic Margery Kempe. Kempe says of Julian: “This anchoress was expert in knowledge of our Lord and could give good counsel. I spent much time with her talking of the love of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
The Lady Julian’s book is a tender and beautiful exposition of God’s eternal and all-embracing love, showing how his charity toward the human race is exhibited in the Passion. Again and again she referred to Christ as “our courteous Lord.” Many have found strength in the words the Lord had given her: “I can make all things well; I will make all things well; I shall make all things well; and thou canst see for thyself that all manner of things shall be well.”
Readings
- Isaiah 46:3–5
- Hebrews 10:19–24
- John 4:23–26
- Psalm 27:5–11
Collect
Lord God, in your compassion you granted to the Lady Julian many revelations of your nurturing and sustaining love: Move our hearts, like hers, to seek you above all things, for in giving us yourself you give us all; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
source: Holy Women, Holy Men
This Week at St. Thomas’
Friday, May 8, 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 8, 8:00 am
KOH Setup (PHLL)
Friday, May 8, 9:00 pm
Compline
Live with our friends at St. Stephen’s
Saturday, May 9, 8:00 am
KOH (PH)
Saturday, May 9, 10:00 am
Food Distribution
Saturday, May 9, 4:30 pm
Adult Formation
Join us online as we study together.
Saturday, May 9, 5:30 pm
Evening Prayer
Join us online for Evening Prayer with a homily.
Saturday, May 9, 7:00 pm
Alcoholics Anonymous
https://zoom.us/j/689139278?pwd=bFBlUjF2NzRIeHJ1YmxIV3BiVTBMUT09
Sunday, May 10, 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 10, 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 10, 10:00 am
Adult Formation
Join us as we reconnect via Zoom.
Sunday, May 10, 11:15 am
Holy Eucharist online
at the National Cathedral
Monday, May 11, 4:00 pm
Centering Prayer
Meet via Zoom.
Monday, May 11, 6:00 pm
Book Group
Reading N.T. Wright’s, The Day the Revolution Began.
Monday, May 11, 7:00 pm
Sunday School Board Meeting (PHUL)
Monday, May 11, 9:00 pm
Compline
Live with our friends at St. Stephen’s
Tuesday, May 12, 12:00 pm
Coffee Hour Online
Meet via Zoom. Hosted by Jo-Ann T.
Tuesday, May 12, 6:30 pm
Small Group
Convened by Cole B. online.
Tuesday, May 12, 9:00 pm
Compline
Live with our friends at St. Stephen’s
Wednesday, May 13, 12:00 pm
Staff Meeting
Wednesday, May 13, 2:00 pm
Clergy Bible Study
Wednesday, May 13, 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 13, 7:00 pm
Bible Study with Bishop Stokes
Register at: http://bit.ly/StokesBibleStudy
Wednesday, May 13, 9:00 pm
Compline
Live with our friends at St. Stephen’s
Thursday, May 14, 11:00 am
Clergy Townhall
Thursday, May 14, 9:00 pm
Compline
Live with our friends at St. Stephen’s
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
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
