ST. THOMAS EPISCOPAL CHURCH WEEKLY NEWS

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1 ST. THOMAS EPISCOPAL CHURCH WEEKLY NEWS E-News March 15, 2018 St. T homas Episcopal Church a nurturing community with open hearts and minds. A Message from Just Katherine Come to me, all of you who are tired from carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke and put it on you, and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in spirit; and you will find rest. Matthew 11:28-29 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. John 10:10 We spend way too much time being busy. Our to-do lists are a mile long; we squeeze as many activities into a day as we possibly can; and the truth is we re exhausted and often over wrought. We begin to get through life and not live life. Last fall I planned to drive to Lynchburg (7 hours each way) for a lacrosse game. I knew it would have been 2 ½ months since I d laid eyes on and my arms around my youngest son, and I was pretty sure that was as long as I could go without seeing him. What I didn t know (or at least I didn t think about) was Holy Week would be in just two weeks; I would be organizing a trip to DC for the youth of our diocese to march in the March For Our Lives and another group to march in Louisville; spring gathering for the youth, for which I would be chaplain, would begin the day after I returned, and other chaperones would back out for a variety of reasons. Monday night I looked at Chris and said, There is absolutely no reason I should go, but I am. I ll just have to figure it out. (Which I m pretty sure he realized meant he d bear the brunt of my stress.) So I m here As I sit here already contemplating all the things I need to do between now and tomorrow afternoon I can feel my anxiety rising. So today I am praying Matthew 11:28-29 giving thanks to God for the rest I was given (minus the 7 hour drive with a 5 year old) and reminding myself that God came to give us abundant life which has absolutely NOTHING to do with to-do lists and everything to do with relationships. I am giving thanks for Margaret our amazing parish administrator (who also happens to adore William) for this week and for every week that she rolls with my chaos; I am giving thanks for my good friends Jennifer and Jack who opened their homes and hearts to us with good food, wine and a place to lay our heads (and showed up at the game); I am giving thanks for William s kindergarten teacher who braved sub-freezing temps to sit and watch

2 the game with me; I am giving thanks for a daughter and her boyfriend who drove an hour each way to have breakfast with me; I am giving thanks for a daughter who will help me drive home; I am giving thanks for Bill Beam who assures me he s got everything set for All Saints; I am giving thanks for my husband who loves and supports me even when I get a little nutty; and I am giving thanks for St. Thomas who has always from the very beginning recognized and supported my commitment to my family. Basically I am giving thanks for the hands and feet of Christ through all of you who help to assure I experience abundant life and the love of God. Now to get on the road. Faithfully, KKD+ LENT IS HERE The season of Lent is a penitential, simple, and reflective season. You will notice during worship some changes. We will use different prayers and different music. The font has been moved to the front of the nave to remind us of the promises we made or were made for us at our baptism and that we will renew on Easter. (And when the Bishop comes to visit.) Rob and I have worked very hard to create liturgy that will be meaningful and lead us all into a deeper relationship with God. The overall tone will be reflective and quiet (and, yes, I can do this!). Please enter the worship space quietly each Sunday. Many people arrive and spend time in prayer prior to the beginning of the service. Also, during the peace, please remain in your pews and exchange the peace with those around you. There will be no announcements following the peace; we will move directly from the liturgy of the word to the liturgy of the table. KKD+ WEEKLY SERVICE SCHEDULE Sunday 8am Holy Eucharist Rite I 10am Holy Eucharist Rite II Tuesday 7am Holy Eucharist Thursday 12:15pm Healing Eucharist THOSE SERVING THIS SUNDAY Lectors Meranda Phillips, Alan Ferguson, Bill Beam, Kathy Webster Chalice Bearers

3 Kathy Webster, Brenda Strange Ushers Bill Beam, Bob Biggs Altar Guild Margaret Ward, Barbara Trevor Tellers Mary Stuart Price, Suzy Bowling Coffee Circle Evelyn Mudd, Nancy Henderson, Susie Kirkland, Brenda Strange, Pat Heitz TAKE NOTE PALM CROSSES Everyone is invited to gather in Robison Fellowship Hall on Saturday, March 24, at 9:00 am to make palm crosses. No experience necessary we ll show you how! PROCESSION April 25 Next Sunday morning we will gather in the meditation garden to begin worship. The service will begin at 9:45 am with scripture and psalm, leading to the grand procession down Westport Road. Join clergy, choir, children, and bagpipes to shout, HOSANNA IN THE HIGHEST! MAUNDY THURSDAY AGAPE MEAL March 29, 6:30 pm Everyone is welcome to join us for the Maundy Thursday liturgy, stripping of the altar and Agape meal -- a simple supper of bread, cheese, wine, and fruit. A sign-up sheet is in the narthex--let us know if you can contribute items for the meal. HOLY WEEK SERVICES Everyone is welcome to join us! Palm Sunday, March 25, 9:45 am: Blessing of the Palms (gather in Memorial Garden, weather permitting) Maundy Thursday, March 29, 6:30 pm: Agape Meal and Stripping of the Altar (sign up to contribute to the meal on the sheet in the narthex) Good Friday, March 30, 12pm: Stations of the Cross Good Friday, March 30, 7pm: Holy Eucharist Easter, April 1, 8am Holy Eucharist 10am Festive Choral Eucharist 11:15am Egg Hunt IMPORTANT CONTACT INFO FOR KATHERINE+

4 Need to reach Katherine+? Please use the She doesn t always check her home during the day. She can be reached at the church office She is also available by text or call on her cell OPPORTUNITIES AROUND THE PARISH DONATE PLASTIC EGGS FOR THE EASTER EGG HUNT Make this event special donate plastic eggs filled with stickers, trinkets, or individually wrapped candies. The Hunt will be held after the 10am service on Easter and is open to the public, for kids up to grade 5. We don't advertise, so think about extending a personal invitation to your grandkids & neighborhood kids. Our older youth (grade 6+) are needed to hide the eggs and help with the little ones. Any questions? Contact Judy Gradl at jpdaub53@yahoo.com or YOUR CHOIR NEEDS YOU You are invited to join the choir at St. Thomas. Anyone, elementary school-aged and up, with an interest in singing is urged to contact Choir Director Rob Williamson. Choir rehearsals are on Sunday mornings. There is more information on the board in the narthex this week! PHOTOGRAPHERS AND SHUTTERBUGS -- Submit your pictures to the church office Have you taken any pictures around St.Thomas lately? Would you be willing to take pictures in the future? Get out those cameras and phones and start making a record of services, meetings, special events, outings and field trips, celebrations, etc., for St. Thomas communications and archives. Photos can be submitted electronically to the church office at stthomaslouky@gmail.com. Contact Margaret in the church office with any questions. READ ACROSS AMERICA DAY Zachary Taylor School is celebrating reading on Wednesday, March 21. If you can come to school (for about 15 min.) and read to the students, please get a sign-up form in the narthex. Share your love of reading! Beginning April 12, St. Matthews Episcopal Church is teaming with Habitat for Humanity of Louisville and a partner organization, Thrivent Financial Group, to build a home in a new subdivision for Habitat in the East end of Louisville. We are hoping to bring

5 together other Louisville Episcopal parishes, and our Muslim and Jewish sisters and brothers to form a team of builders from all Abrahamic faiths. On April 12, we will build the walls, and on April we will raise the roof. The Habitat Homeowner will be with us and a team of construction leaders who will direct those of us with a desire to help but in need of guidance. Interested volunteers can sign up at the following site: Questions? Contact Sara Ceresa at: ceresas@gmail.com. YOUTH YOUTH CALENDAR COMING U P... March Spring Youth Gathering at All Saints Sunday, April 8, 6:00-7:30 Possible Louisville-area youth gathering, (location TBD) Sunday, April 22 Attend Ballard s production of Annie Get Your Gun Saturday, May 12 Help with St. Thomas work day, followed by paintball, and overnight lock-in! Sunday, May 20 Jazz in the Grass Be sure to put Youth activities on your calendar! IN OUR DIOCESE... and beyond MARCH FOR OUR LIVES 3/24/18 Washington, DC The Youth Council of the Diocese endorses the mission statement of March For Our Lives. We stand with students across the country and call on every member of the Diocese of Kentucky to stand in solidarity with us on March 24, Make plans to join us and Bishop White as we "March for Our Lives" in marches across the diocese and in Washington, DC. On March 24th, our collective voices will be heard. Bishop White will gather with us in Louisville or you can join the group of students traveling to DC. Please let us know of your interest by ing the Interim Director of Youth and Young Adults Katherine Doyle at revkatherinedoyle@gmail.com. Registrations and consent forms will be sent to those who are interested via . All forms are due back by midnight Tuesday, March 20, 2018.

6 If you cannot join us but would like to help offset the cost of this work, you can send a check to: Diocese of Kentucky 425 S 2nd. St. Louisville, KY Please write "March for Our Lives" in the memo line. Your cancelled check will serve as your donation receipt. YOUNG ADULT FESTIVAL AT GENERAL CONVENTION Registration is now open for the Episcopal Church Young Adult Festival, scheduled to run concurrently with the 79th General Convention of the Episcopal Church. The Young Adult Festival is designed for young adults years old to meet peers from across the globe, pray and learn together, engage in the church s legislative process, and help discern God s call for the Episcopal Church. The 79th General Convention of the Episcopal Church will be held Thursday, July 5 to Friday, July 13 at The Austin Convention Center, Austin, Texas (Diocese of Texas). The Young Adult Festival will be July 4-9 in Austin at General Convention. The Young Adult Festival will include a General Convention 101 session, worship, workshops, and networking opportunities for everyone from first-time General Convention attendees to advocates and leaders who have attended for years, noted the Rev. Shannon Kelly, Staff Officer for Campus and Young Adult Ministries. We look forward to welcoming young adults from across the Episcopal Church to Austin. To register, click HERE A COMMUNITY LENTEN EVENT The Way of the Cross: A Walk for Justice on Good Friday Everyone is invited to participate in this "stations of the cross" in downtown Louisville on Good Friday, March 30. This ecumenical event will focus on the suffering of Jesus as reflected in situations of oppression and suffering today. The route will cover about 1.5 miles. Meet at 9:00 am in front of the Mazzoli Federal Building (Chestnut St., between 6th & 7th). St. Thomas Episcopal Church 9616 Westport Road Louisville, KY (502) stthomaslouky@gmail.com Visit our web site at this link: stthomaslouky.org STAY CONNECTED

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