This Week at St. Thomas

Worship Services at 8:00 am and 10:15 am

The Good News of Lent:  Sermon Series 2023

Although pithy statements can be shallow and overly used, sometimes they can be helpful. The saying, “honesty is the best policy” really is the best policy. It is also true that sometimes the “truth hurts.” Moreover, if there ever was a statement that contained much pith, it is this: “a spoonfull of sugar helps the medicine go down.”

Though pithy, I think these three statements do summarize Lent well. Lent asks us to be honest about our origins saying, “Remember that you are dust.” Lent focuses on the rather blunt truth of our sin, which can really sting. However, Lent is never experienced apart from the Good News of God’s grace, which is much like the spoonful of sugar that helps the medicine of being humbled and convicted, easier to “swallow.” 

This Lenten season, we will take an honest look at our origins as God’s beloved, face the truth of our sins, discover God’s plan to redeem and restore us and learn more about the ways our savior can lead us into everlasting life. 

Join us each Sunday for The Good News of Lent Sermon Series and be sure to invite a friend!   View the entire series here.

Adult Education, Sundays at 9:15 am

The new Adult Education Lenten series: Foundations of Anglicanism will be led by Fr. Jay. It will be a look at what identifies us as a particular part of the Christian tradition. 

March 19, Week 4 Politics as Usual- Henry VIII and the Issue of Clerical Celibacy

March 26, Week 5 Anglican Doctrine- The Thirty Nine Articles of Religion and The Westminster Catechism

IN PREPARATION FOR LENT:

Wednesday Lenten Soup Supper and Study

OUR STORY IN FIVE CHAPTERS: The Big Story of the Bible

We will once again enjoy supper and a time of fellowship before Fr Jay leads the study: The Big Story of the Bible. There is a sign up sheet in the parish hall for soup, salad and bread donations. 

Wednesday Evenings from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm

March 22- Our Story:  Redemption

March 29-Our Story:  Restoration

The study will help us to know where we came from, what went wrong, how God fixes it, and how we can live in joy with him into everlasting life!  Join us! 

Fellowship Meeting, March 19, noon

We will meet at noon on this Sunday, March 19 to finalize plans for Fr. Jay's Institution celebration. It will be a brief meeting!

Church Cleaning Day, March 25, 8 am to noon

There will be a church clean-up day on Saturday, March 25 in preparation for Fr. Jay’s Institution. There will be things to do outside and inside and a list will be posted soon. Please bring your tools and gloves for yard work. Buckets and rags would be helpful for cleaning pews and walls/posts in the sanctuary too. There are a lot of small tasks that anyone can do and the fellowship is always great!

Altar Guild Cleaning Day, April 1, 9 am 

No fooling! On April 1, everyone is welcome to help make the altar and altar vessels shine for Fr. Jay’s Institution and Easter. We will gather in the parish hall at 9 am and finish up before noon. There will be a list of tasks posted. Please see Mary Schnepp, Altar Guild Director, with questions.

Community Easter Egg Hunt, Saturday, April 1, 11:00

We need your help! 

On Saturday, April 1 we will hold our first Community Easter Egg Hunt. There will be crafts, yard games, snacks and even the egg hunt! There is a sign-up sheet on the new bulletin board in the parish hall to help and to donate time, “kid friendly” cookies and water. This will be a great opportunity to let the community know we are a church with children!

We are accepting donations of candy and SMALL toys that will fit into small plastic Easter eggs. Please place donations in the tote at the back of the church. Please make donations today as we will be filling eggs on the morning of March 25. Please see Diane Casavale or Stephanie Poorman with questions.

Save the Date:  Fr. Jay’s Institution:  April 2, 9:30 am

The reception immediately following the worship service will be catered. We will have a Pittsburgh Homemade Cookie Table. There is a sign up sheet for cookies on the bulletin board in the parish hall. Please sign up when you know what kind of cookie you are going to make. We would also like to have at least 2 people willing to provide childcare from 9:15 to 1:15. If you know any qualified teenagers or have friends who would like to earn some extra money, please ask them to call or text Carol, 412-720-3129 for details.

Holy Week Worship Schedule

Palm Sunday/Institution, April 2 at 9:30 am

 

Tuesday, April 4, 6 pm: 

“Cast Away Bonfire”

 

Thursday, April 6, 7 pm: 

Maundy Thursday Agape Meal

 

Good Friday, April 7,

Worship at12 noon and 7 pm

 

Easter Sunday, April 9, 9:30 am

Ladies' Bible Study,  April 13, 1:00 pm

The Ladies’ Bible Study will meet again on Thursday, April 13 at 1 pm. We will continue the discussion of the Book of Daniel. All are welcome to bring a friend!

Can You Help? 

The Poormans are Adopting!

Roger and Stephanie Poorman are adopting! They are holding a Puzzle Fundraiser. Each puzzle piece represents a $25 contribution to their adoption fund. As donations come in, they will put the puzzle together and post pictures of the progress on Facebook. When it is done, Stephanie’s cousin will make a hand-lettered list of the names of everyone who contributed. The list and the completed puzzle will hang side-by-side in the nursery so Baby will always know how loved he or she already is by so many. Click on the link: https://tinyurl.com/adoptionupdate  to read the latest update or visit Stephanie’s Facebook page. 

Red Cross Blood Drive

Spring is upon us, and so is the next Red Cross Blood Drive for the Gibsonia Community!  Before your schedule fills up, please take time to make an appointment.  The drive will be held at Trinity Lutheran Church on Thursday, April 27, from 1:00 to 6:00 pm. To register on line, go to https://www.redcross.org/give-blood.html, and type Trinity Gibsonia in the search box.  For more information or help with registration, call the Trinity church office at 724-443-8110.  Thank you!

Altar Flowers and Sanctuary Lamp

2023 Price for flowers: $23.50

The calendar to sign up for the Altar Flowers and the Sanctuary Lamp is posted on the bulletin board in the parish hall. In order to be sure the flowers are ordered, please do all of the following at least 3 weeks before your scheduled week. If it is less than 3 weeks in advance, please call Carol because bulletins are often done 2-3 weeks early.

Sign up on the 2023 Flower and Lamp calendar found on the bulletin board or online through the weekly email

Complete the order form-found next to the calendar on the bulletin board or in the email and return it with your payment.

Pay for the flowers using the envelope in your offertory envelopes or a blank envelope with “flowers” written on the outside or on your check

The cost of the flowers is $23.50 and the lamp is $5. If you donate both, the cost is $26.50. If you need assistance with signing up, please call Carol on her cell phone, 412-720-3129.

Prayer Requests

If you have a specific need or concern for which you would like to have someone pray, please email:  PrayerRequests@SaintThomasAnglican.org We will be happy to  share your confidential request with our Prayer Warrior Team .   

In Our Prayers 


THE ACNA CYCLE OF PRAYER

Pray for the Diocese of the Rocky Mountains, Bishop Kenneth Ross and his wife, Sallie.


DIOCESAN CYCLE OF PRAYER 

Pray for Jonah’s Call, East End, The Rev. Canon Karen Stevenson (Mark). 


BCP Prayer 5  FOR THE SPIRIT OF PRAYER                           

O Almighty God, you pour out on all who desire it the spirit of grace and of supplication: Deliver us, when we draw near to you, from coldness of heart and wanderings of mind, that with steadfast thoughts and kindled affections we may worship you in spirit and in truth; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.


PRAY FOR THOSE ON OUR PARISH PRAYER LIST

Norm and Ruby Hayden; Gloria Drambel; Norma Snyder; Judy Eves; Joe Kosarik; Marissa Sharkey; Jone Mader; Debbie Babcox; Joseph Babcox; Ben Babcox; Beth; Brian DeRoner; Earl Burke; Dave Lombardi; Ross and Theresa; Jan; Cathy Schantz; Shapur; Barbara and Tim Johnson; Michelle; Dan; Kara; Andrew; Andy; Nickolas; Les and Gladys Carlysle; Brittany and Adam; The Johnson Family; Mary Garrison; Edie and Bill Meyer; Richard Martin; Zane and Carter; Zane and Nikki; Joanna and Tommy; Nick and Jenny.

PRAY FOR THOSE SERVING IN THE MILITARY 

Chad D.; Mike B.; Mat B,; Ty W.; Stephen M.; Scott M.; Jesse W.; Chris R.; Heidi Jean; Richard; Omar; Todd; Brian; Sonja; Corey A.; Bene K.; Clifford M.; Jordan B.; Tristan Z.; Logan; Jackson S.; and Matthew D.;  Tristin;   Dakota; Caleb M.

Pastoral Needs

Home Visits or Communion

For those hospitalized or unable to attend church, home visits or Communion can be arranged easily by contacting the church office at: 724-443-1963 or emailing:  Admin@SaintThomasAnglican.org. Communion typically is taken to nursing homes and the homebound on the first Sunday of each month.

Pastoral Counseling

Pastoral/Spiritual counseling is available upon request. You may leave a message on the church voicemail, 724-443-1963 or call Fr. Jay, 412-977-7751, and arrangements will be made.

Pastoral Services

Please contact Melissa Schmitzer, 412-418-1348, if you or somebody you know in the congregation is in need of Pastoral Services such as meals or rides.