St. Thomas Tidings: April 24, 2025
St. Thomas Tidings: April 24, 2025
The collect for Thursday of Easter Week: Almighty and everlasting God, who in the Paschal mystery established the new covenant of reconciliation: Grant that all who have been reborn into the fellowship of Christ's Body may show forth in their lives what they profess by their faith; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
April 24, 2025 is the Thursday in Easter Week. No memorial is listed for today.
A Bible Moment:
For I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas (Peter), then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. Then he appeared to James, then to the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am the least of the apostles. (1 Corinthians15:3-8)
Meditation on the Reading:
Who is an apostle? When I read this passage, my first thought was, “wait a minute! I thought “the Twelve” disciples called by Jesus in His ministry were the apostles (maybe adding Paul later, because of his encounter on the road to Damascus.
The word “apostle” (Greek: apostolos) literally means “one who is sent out,” or “messenger.” Since Scripture doesn’t seem to say that “the apostles” is a closed body, it seems reasonable that there are apostles today. We hope that the priesthood carries the apostolic succession, but is it limited to the clergy? Perhaps you are an apostle. Perhaps I am.
From Here: Are you one who Jesus is sending? Are you in touch with the Holy Spirit? If so, what is the message you are carrying? How are you imparting that message to the World? Is it the message of the resurrection? The message of God’s Love? Are we embodying the message?
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.
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.
The Study of St. Benedict Begins Today at 6:30 pm at St. Gregory’s
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
Following the death of Pope Francis on April 21, Bishop John Harvey Taylor sent a letter expressing his condolences and those of the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles to Roman Catholic Archbishop José H. Gomez and the people of L.A.’s archdiocese, the largest in the nation.
“I join Episcopalians across the Diocese of Los Angeles in sending heartfelt condolences on the death of His Holiness, Pope Francis, a remarkable exemplar of our Lord Jesus Christ,” Bishop Taylor wrote. “Our prayers are with you and the people of the vast Archdiocese as you mark this time of mourning, with thanksgiving for the Holy Father’s far-reaching ministry, in the hope of Easter Resurrection.
“Indeed, Pope Francis’s Christlike humility and unequivocal advocacy for the marginalized inspire us all to live more deeply into our Lord’s call to faith in action. In addition, his affability and good humor greatly advanced the gospel in winsome and unforgettable ways around the globe.
“Thank you for your own ministry and leadership which is a blessing to us all in this region. May the Holy Spirit bring you added strength and comfort during these days as you shepherd your flock, joined by the local bishops, clergy, and lay leaders with whom you serve.”
Bishop Taylor will be among local ecumenical and interfaith leaders attending a memorial Mass to be celebrated by Archbishop Gomez on Friday, April 25, 12:10 p.m., at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, Los Angeles, the day before Pope Francis’s funeral Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.
A statement from Episcopal Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe, and reporting from the Episcopal News Service is here.
Just last spring, Pope Francis welcomed primates of the Anglican Communion for an audience at the Vatican. Story here.
Bishop Search: Final general listening sessions set for April 26
Listening sessions have been held by the Bishop Search Committee in eight out of 10 deaneries of the diocese, with the final two in-person listening sessions to take place Saturday, April 26. The sessions will take place at 10 a.m., one at Church of Our Saviour, San Gabriel, for Deanery 5, the other at Holy Trinity, Covina, for Deanery 6. All in the diocese are invited to attend in-person listening sessions, regardless of deanery.
There is also an upcoming virtual listening session for youth and young adults in the diocese, April 27 at 12 p.m. The Zoom link is here. Meeting ID: 599 927 6633 Passcode: 9MTMfD
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. We hope to have a more detailed pastoral care plan soon.