St. Thomas Tidings: May 1, 2025
St. Thomas Tidings: May 1, 2025
The collect for Thursday of Easter Week: Almighty God, who gave to your apostles Philip and James grace and strength to bear witness to the truth: Grant that we, being mindful of their victory of faith, may glorify in life and death the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
May 1, 2025 is the Memorial of St. James and St. Philp.
A Bible Moment:
John, to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne…Look! He is coming with the clouds; every eye will see him, even those who pierced him…”I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty. (The Revelation 1:4-8)
“Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.” (The Revelation 22:12-13)
Meditation on the Reading:
The Revelation of St. John the Divine, along with the books of Hebrews, James, 2 Peter, 2 and 3 John, and Jude were among the final books added to the canon of the New Testament, and it was centuries before the controversy over them abated. In these passages, bookending the chapters, Jesus is revealed in his power and his universality. He was present before the creation, is with us now, and will be here at the end of all things. The verse that says that He will come with the clouds is often cited by those arguing for a “Rapture,” but this is a relatively recent interpretation (dating to the 19th century). The predominant interpretation through church history derives more from the “seven spirits who are before his throne.” This has been understood, through two millennia, to mean the fullness of the Holy Spirit, or the seven aspects or ministries of the Holy Spirit. Thus, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are intertwined with all aspects and times of the creation of the Father.
From Here:
So what does this mean for everyday Christian life? Is it meaningful for the here and now, or is it deep theology that is beyond everyday concerns? Jesus says that He is coming, and His coming will be visible to everyone. This might be taken to mean a physical arrival from Heaven (which is only metaphorically in the sky), or it might mean that, as the Holy Spirit moves in us, his disciples, his children, that the proof of our beliefs is demonstrated through the actions that help to build the Kingdom. Jesus and the Holy Spirit are manifested through us, and are experienced by others through us.
What do you think?
Men’s Breakfast: Second Saturday of each Month. Next Men’s Breakfast May 10, 2025 Meet at the Denny’s at South and Bellflower at 8:00am for food and fellowship
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: May 27, 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 continues 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 began on Thursday, April 24 and runs 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
The LGBTQ Ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles is gearing up to make God's love tangible at Pride events around the diocese in the wake of accelerated targeting of LGBTQ people in general and transgender people in particular. The Sacred Resistance Task Force is continuing to organize and mobilize to defend the dignity and human rights of all people, especially those targeted because of their immigration and refugee status.
“We are not living in ordinary times and the struggle is real,” LGBTQ Ministry organizers said.
The LGBTQ Ministry and the Sacred Ground Task Force invite all to join in celebrating the ongoing work of becoming Beloved Community in the Diocese of Los Angeles, at a festive brunch hosted at the Episcopal Residence by Bishop John Taylor and Canon Kathy O'Connor on Saturday, May 17 from 11:00am-2:00pm.
“This joint event will be an opportunity not only to share food and fellowship, but to remember the roots of resilience and resistance that have brought us this far on the journey — and to recommit to the challenges ahead as we move forward together. It will also be a chance for us to honor and give thanks for Bishop John's unwavering support for this prophetic work during his episcopate as we prepare for the election of our next bishop and a new chapter for the Diocese of Los Angeles,” event organizers wrote.
Suggested donation $40. Cash, checks and credit will be accepted at the door. Register here.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfJiIj3-t_aC4PqSi1ljEck-1Oev91Deds6H1RdSCa3MwjpOA/viewform
Camp Stevens summer camp registration open
Registration is now open for summer sessions for children at Camp Stevens, the diocesan facility in Julian, California. Camp sessions will be held as follows:
Session 1: June 22 – June 27, ages 8-15
Session 2: July 6 – July 11, ages 8-15
Session 3: July 20 – July 25, ages 8-15
Session 4 (International Odyssey): August 3 – August 9, ages 12-17
“At Camp Stevens, summer campers experience the best of childhood and young adulthood; they find wonder in the natural world, build meaningful connections with peers, gain confidence from trying new things, and strengthen their own values with the support of caring counselors and staff,” the Camp Stevens website says.
Tiered pricing is available, for families to pick the price that best matches their ability to pay. For those in need of additional financial assistance for camp fees, applications for “camperships,” offering additional financial support, are available.
Learn more and register here.
https://campstevens.org/summer/#programs_summercamp
Episcopal Church Immigration Action Toolkit
The Episcopal Church has released an Immigration Action Toolkit, offering ways to help as well as resources for individuals, congregations, and dioceses. The toolkit is available here.
https://www.episcopalchurch.org/immigration-action-toolkit/
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
Hospitality Sign-ups
May 4 8:00 am ________________________
10:15 am: Salim
May 11 Hospitality Provides for Mother’s Day
Maya 18 8:00 am_________________________
10:15 am Sanjay and Melissa
May 25 8:00 am ______________________
10:15 am ______________________
June 1 8:00 am ______________________
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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, May 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.