St. Thomas Tidings: April 17, 2025
St. Thomas Tidings: April 17, 2025
A collect for the Easter Sunday: O God, who for our redemption gave your only-begotten Son to the death of the cross, and by his glorious resurrection delivered us from the power of our enemy: Grant us so to die daily to sin, that we may evermore live with him in the joy of his resurrection; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
April 17, 2025 is Maundy Thursday.
Maundy Thursday, also referred to as Holy Thursday, or Thursday of the Lord's Supper, among other names,[note 1] is a Christian feast during Holy Week that marks the beginning of the Paschal Triduum, and commemorates the Washing of the Feet (Maundy) and Last Supper of Jesus Christ with the Apostles, as described in the canonical gospels.[1]
It is the fifth day of Holy Week, preceded by Holy Wednesday (Spy Wednesday) and followed by Good Friday.[2] "Maundy" comes from the Latin word mandatum, or commandment, reflecting Jesus' words "I give you a new commandment."[3] The date of the day will vary according to whether the Gregorian calendar or the Julian calendar is used. Eastern churches generally use the Julian system.
A Bible Moment:
Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. (Philippians 2:5-6)
Meditation on the Reading: As I look at this passage, the word that comes to my mind is humility. Here, Jesus is God, yet that is not something to be exploited. His mission is one of service, not of demanding the glory that is due to him. Yet, how often do his present-day disciples take on an attitude of superiority? We say that we know with certainty what the Bible means on any given passage. We look down on those who don't believe, or who believe differently. We also are in human form, so are we not also called to "empty" ourselves in humility? Perhaps, if we did, our faith would be more attractive to those to whom we hope to minister. Perhaps our churches would be more crowded.
What do YOU think this means? How does this impact your spirituality?
St Martha’s Guild: Please join us at St. Martha’s Guild. We are a very friendly group that gathers each Tuesday morning. We crochet, knit and handcraft items. We would love to give free lessons in knitting and crocheting. This is also a great opportunity to build community and have a nice chat. We meet Tuesdays in Larkin Hall from 9:30-11:30 am.
Easter Floral Decorations: Thanks to all who chose to contribute to our beautiful floral tributes!
Supper Club and game night at St. Thomas: April 28, 2025. To be held in Larkin Hall. Please bring a friend. Signup sheet is in the Narthex of the Church.
Study of the Rule of St. Benedict begins April 24, 2025 at St. Gregory’s: Have you ever wondered what monastic life is like? Ever been curious why The Rule of Benedict is still important 1500 years after St. Benedict’s life? Would you like to know how Benedictine spirituality can help everyone better live as Christians in today’s world? Then please consider signing up for this year’s book study on The Rule of Benedict: A Spirituality for the 21st Century. Using Benedictine Sr. Joan Chittister’s commentary on the Rule and its applications for life today, we’ll learn about how a rule of life written in the sixth century can still inform and nurture us today. The class will start on Thursday, April 24 and run through mid-September (exact date to be determined, as we will miss a few Thursdays here and there over the course of the summer). We’ll meet from 6:00 to 7:00 PM in the Parish Hall Conference Room at St. Gregory’s. You are welcome to purchase and use either a print copy or an e-copy of the book; both versions are readily available online or your favorite bookstore. Contact Mother Sharon if you have any questions. See you there!
St. Thomas High Tea: Saturday, May 10, 2025
11:30am-1:00pm
$25.00
Presale Tickets Only
Contact Shelley
shelleyarnold1@aol.com Or text 562-477-7665
From the Diocese
Episcopal Church Immigration Action Toolkit for dioceses, churches, and individuals
Amid executive orders on mass deportation and the halting of new refugee resettlement, many are asking how to respond in support of our immigrant and refugee neighbors. The Episcopal Church offers advocacy tools, links to upcoming webinars, ways to help, and more in the Immigration Action Toolkit. Resources are available in Spanish where indicated.
Public Policy and Witness Weekly Prayers
Join us in these weekly prayers to ground us and to discern what actions we each feel compelled to take. We are one church united in prayer; we name truth in the face of lies; we create space for grief in the face of denial; and we free space in our souls for hope. Join in prayer and share..
‘Prophetic Voices’ podcast: ‘Preaching the Easter Vigil’
This episode features a discussion of the lectionary for the Easter Vigil, with guests the Rev. Jo Ann Lagman, missioner for Asiamerica Ministries for The Episcopal Church; the Rev. Shana McCauley, canon vicar of Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Portland, Oregon; and Rachel Ambasing, missioner for community vitality and diversity for the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego. “Prophetic Voices” is hosted by the Rev. Isaiah “Shaneequa” Brokenleg, Episcopal Church staff officer for racial reconciliation. Learn more.
‘Good News and Gratitude’ podcast:
New episode: Gratitude In Times of Division
In its inaugural season, this podcast from the United Thank Offering—hosted by the Rev. Erin Jean Warde—explores the messages of gratitude and good news found in Scripture and the world around us, as well as through the wisdom of guests and personal spiritual practices.
St. Thomas Post Scripts
May Canterbury Tales: We are in need of articles for the St. Thomas Canterbury Tales publication. Please send all article information to Bill Henderson at whender808@yahoo.com, whender808@gmail.com or Rick Fridrick at stlb47@verizon.net, or call the Church office. Articles should be submitted no later than noon on Monday, April 28, 2025.
St. Thomas Tiding: If you have any article/announcement for the tiding please send to Rick Fridrick at stlb47@verizon.net or call the Church office.
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 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: These 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.
Reminder the Church office is open Monday-Friday: If you have any need, Rick Fridrick is in the Church office Monday-Thursday from 9:00 am – 1:00 pm and Friday from 9:00 am – Noon. 562-425-4457
Pastoral Care: If you have normal “every day” pastoral concerns, contact Rick in the office, or Allen at (714) 381-5910. But if you have more profound concerns (serious illnesses, deaths in the family, significant problems in coping with life’s challenges, etc.), please feel free to contact Fr. Michael Fincher (Rector at St. Gregory’s). Fr. Michael’s cell phone is (909) 373-6478.
We hope to have a more detailed pastoral care plan soon.