Whether your financial gifts to the parish are week-by-week cash donations to the plate or if you have submitted a pledge card and ‘promised’ the parish an amount for our 2008 year of life together, to support the mission and ministry of the parish, our Treasurer, Finance team and our Accountant ALL STRONGLY ENCOURAGE EACH OF US TO USE OUR PLEDGE ENVELOPES (if you’re not donating on-line). Our weekly team of ‘counters’ spend several hours, Sunday by Sunday in this largely invisible, respectfully quiet ministry, which is essential to the ongoing life of our community. Their work would be so much efficient, as the work of the rest of this spiritually-centered team, if they had the luxury of recording amounts with numbered envelopes. The envelopes can be found on a table in the Guild Room.

Thank you, Really!

Easter photos are available at the Parish online gallery. 

On Sunday February 10th, 17th & 24th the St. Thomas’ community was invited to attend meetings to determine whether or not the parish was “of a mind” to move forward in our discernment journey, which included the hiring of a financial (fund-raising) consultant and an architect. Of those who attended the meetings and voted, the final tally was 68 people who voted “Yes” to move forward; 2 persons voted “No”. The financial consultant will guide us in determining how much money we will be able to raise from within the parish membership for a building campaign, which could include a renovation as well as new construction. Our architects will conduct an investigation of our current support systems and building structures as well as render some simple architectural drafts of possibility in response to the discernment meetings. These next two steps will help us determine if St. Thomas’ is in a position to move forward with either a renovation and/or a building campaign.

A users' guide for Episcopalians

On Easter we celebrate the feast of Christ’s resurrection, his rising to new life after his death on the cross. Easter is considered the principal festival of the church year. It is symbolically important that Easter occurs in the springtime; just as nature is coming to new life, so is Christ and Christ’s church. The reason that the date of Easter changes from year to year is that in the western Christian churches Easter is celebrated on the first Sunday after the full moon; Easter always falls between March 22 and April 25.

For those who are ready to join and become a full member of St. Thomas' Parish, you can be "confirmed" or "received" into the Episcopal Church at the May 17, 2008, diocesan Confirmation Service at Washington National Cathedral. For more information on confirmation or reception, speak with the Rector, Nancy Lee Jose.

The Rt. Rev. Ronald H. Haines, the seventh Episcopal Bishop of Washington, died on Good Friday, March 21, at his home in Lancaster, Pa. He was 73.

Haines served as the Bishop of Washington from 1990 until he retired in 2000. Prior to becoming the Diocesan Bishop, he was elected Suffragan Bishop in 1986 and served in that role until the sudden death of Bishop John Walker.

He was a tireless advocate for the ordination of women priests and defender of gender equality in the church. Regarding racism as one of the greatest sins of modern America, he confronted it with passion. He listened as a pastor to those who disagreed with him, believing that people of good will and shared faith may differ but remain in communion with each other.

Bishop Haines caused controversy when he ordained the Rev. Elizabeth L. Carl, an open lesbian.

» Read the Washington Post Obituary