St. Thomas Tidings: December 14, 2023
Today we commemorate John of the Cross, Mystic and Monastic Reformer (1591). Here is the collect for the day: Judge Eternal, throned in splendor, who gave John of the Cross strength of purpose and faith that sustained him even through the dark night of the soul: Shed your light on all who love you, in unity with Jesus Christ our Savior: who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Christmas Flower Donations: We are always grateful for the donations that make our church beautiful for Christmas. Envelopes are available to make donations in honor or memory of friends and loved ones, or in thanksgiving for something in your life. Donations must be received by this Sunday, December 17, to be included in the Christmas bulletins. You may email the church office with the list if you won’t be in church this Sunday to turn in your envelope. Thanks for your help!
Advent Lessons & Carols and Dinner: Please come to Advent Lessons & Carols this Sunday, December 17 at 3:00pm, and then stay for a delicious Advent Dinner for a $10 minimum donation if you have reserved your spot. The service is, of course, free and open to all.
Quilt Raffle: Deborah Wright has made and donated a gorgeous Christmas quilt as a fundraiser. Raffle tickets are $5 and can be purchased through Advent Lessons & Carols on December 17. The winning ticket will be drawn at the Advent Dinner; winner need not be present to win.
Christmas Service Reminder: Sunday, December 24, 6:30pm: Christmas Eve Pageant and Eucharist; Monday, December 25, 9:00am, Christmas Day Eucharist.
Year-End Donation Reminder: All donations for the 2023 tax year need to be received and deposited by December 31. As this is a Sunday, please help our volunteer counters by making sure your donations are in the church office no later than December 27. Thanks for your support and your help.
No Livestream Morning and Evening Prayer Christmas Week: In an effort to help our clergy have a true holiday break, we will not livestream Morning and Evening Prayer December 26-28. You are always welcome to pray the offices on your own when we don’t livestream. We’ll have our usual schedule of services beginning January 2.
Mark Your Calendars: St. Gregory’s is having an Epiphany Lessons & Carols service on Saturday, January 6 at 4:00pm. This will be our only real chance to celebrate the Epiphany, since January 7 we will celebrate the Baptism of Jesus at both services. Please come out and enjoy the fun!
Pledge Income: Our pledge income is down significantly from our projections at the beginning of the year. If you regularly give or pledge to St. Thomas, you should have received a third-quarter statement in your pledge drive envelope. If you are behind in this year’s pledge, please do your best to catch up by the end of the year, so that we don’t end the year with a deficit. Remember that Mother Sharon and the Bishop’s Committee are always available if you have any concerns or pastoral needs.
Prayer Tree: We are revamping our community prayer tree. A small and dedicated group of people prays for those on our prayer list and are alerted when new prayer needs arise. If you would like to be part of this praying network, please contact Jane Gordon-Topper.
Service Reminder: All our services stay on our Facebook page so you can view them whenever it’s convenient for you. It’s always better to view a service later in the day than not at all! The link to the page for all our services is here: https://www.facebook.com/Saint-Thomas-of-Canterbury-Episcopal-Church-of-Long-Beach-CA-124554214274325
Share Our Services: Please feel free to share our Morning Prayer and Sunday services. The more people we reach, the better we do at evangelism. People are hungry for what we have to offer, and I encourage you to do your part to share our services with your friends and neighbors. Send them the link when you email them, invite them to join you on Facebook or in person… whatever way works best for you to share what we have to offer.
Episcopal News Updates: The email updates from the diocese are a great way to stay informed about what’s happening all over our six-county diocese. If you want to receive the Episcopal News, visit https://diocesela.org/episcopal-news/contact/ and enter your email address in the box provided.
In Case of Emergency: Notify your priests! With our combined ministry program comes additional coverage for pastoral emergencies. In the event of a hospital stay, illness, death in the family, or other pastoral emergency, please call Mother Sharon on her cell phone (562-833-3393) any day except Friday, her Sabbath day. Father Michael Fincher covers emergencies in both communities on Friday, just as Mother Sharon covers emergencies in both parishes on Monday, Father Michael’s Sabbath. Father Michael’s cell phone is 909-373-6478.