St. Thomas Tidings: March 28, 2024
Today is Maundy Thursday, the beginning of the Triduum (the Great Three Days). Here is the collect for the day: Almighty Father, whose dear Son, on the night before he suffered, instituted the Sacrament of his Body and Blood: Mercifully grant that we may receive it thankfully in remembrance of Jesus Christ our Lord, who in these holy mysteries gives us a pledge of eternal life; and who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Bake Sale Recap: Thank you to everyone who supported our Spring Bake Sale. We drew in members of our neighboring community to enjoy our treats, and we raised $382 for our ministries.
Reminder of Service Schedule: Maundy Thursday, 7pm, St. Thomas; Overnight vigil follows for people who have signed up. Good Friday, “Stations of the Crosswalk”, noon, beginning at St Thomas and walking to St. Gregory's; Good Friday Liturgy 7pm, St. Gregory’s. Easter, Sunrise Service & Eucharist 7am at St. Thomas, Easter Eucharist 10:15 at St. Thomas.
Office Closed Monday: The church office is closed Easter Monday, April 1.
Men’s Breakfast April 13: All men of the parish and any friends who identify as men are welcome to come to the Men’s Breakfast on Saturday, April 13. Meet at the Denny’s at South and Bellflower at 8:00am for food and fellowship.
Taizé Service April 10: Please come to the sanctuary Wednesday, April 10 for our monthly Taizé service. We will meet at 6:15 for a brief time of prayer, scripture, song, and silence. You are welcome to bring a friend who will enjoy a simple meditative service.
Livestream Assistant Wanted: We need someone who is willing to learn our livestreaming system to fill in when John Mitchell is away. If you are interested, please speak with John or Mother Sharon.
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.