News - June 2020 RSS Feed

Next Food Drive: July 8. Details on Thursday. Meanwhile, Have a Happy 4th.

2020 has been a year of challenge. It can also be a year of change, change that brings justice for the people of this world and for the planet we inhabit.

This past Wednesday was our first morning food drive from 9:30am-10:30am! WE thank all of our early risers for joining us and welcoming in summer with Hawaiian attire Your generosity is most appreciated by our neighbors served at Mater Christi’s Food Pantry! NO FOOD DRIVE next week. From there we dropped off Birthday Wishes at the South End Children’s Café and was greeted with this sign we want to share with you! “ You are a GIFT. You are LOVED. You are IMPORTANT. ” God bless you! See you July 8!

Check out our newest “CORE antine Videos” located on our Parish’s website under FF / Youth Ministry. Special SHOUT OUT to Michelle Moczulski of our YM CORE team for her delightful video, encouraging all of us to try something NEW and a shout out also to Aidan Ciancio.

“God has more in store for you than you can ever imagine!” Ephesians 3:20 Congratulations & Blessings to all of our Graduates & Students who are Movin up! Check out our “HATS OFF to the CLASS of 2020” window in the Gathering Hall!

Our Meal Ministry has been very successful over the past several years providing short-term home delivered meals to parishioners experiencing a significant life event (i.e., death, illness, hospitalization, birth, etc.). Due to COVID-19 we are not able to provide home cooked and delivered meals to our parishioners. However, we are looking at providing a gift card(s) for a meal(s) from local (in the town of Bethlehem) restaurants that provides delivery. Maura Barrett will continue to organize the ministry and make contact with the recipients. As always, a ministry’s success is based on parishioner interest and support. If you are interested in assisting in getting this ministry going again in this way, you may provide a gift card (in any denomination) to a local restaurant that delivers or make a cash donation to the Pastoral Care Office marking the designation for meal ministry. Food can provide a sense of support and comfort during stressful times. Maura is currently researching area restaurants that provide delivery and reaching out to them as well. If we receive enough interest, we will proceed. Please contact Maura via email or phone at the office. Messages left will be returned as soon as possible.

Our Creation Care Team needs your ideas to renew, restore, and bring new life to our community.

Food Drive, Thursday, June 18, 1-2 p.m. in the church parking lot, will assist our neighbors served at St. John/St. Ann’s Food Pantry. Items most in need are jelly, mayo, small bags of rice, boxes of macaroni and cheese, sweet cereals . Thank you for making a difference! Wear your favorite baseball hat to the drive!

Creating a “better world”, caring for creation is no small task, but we are called to do it every day.

As We Plan to Reopen Our Church ~ We are diligently working to meet all state, federal and diocesan guidelines in preparation for our church to open for Masses. Once we are open, we will temporarily be able to seat 150 people per Mass. How that will be done is currently being reviewed. Our Mass schedule will also temporarily change to three Masses: Saturday at 5 p.m. and Sunday at 8 and 10:30 a.m. The Sunday changes will allow for the required disinfecting of the church between Masses and required changes to how parishioners will enter and exit Mass, in addition to the new safety tasks that are required of parishioners. Please continue to check our website www.stthomas-church.org for updates. And, please pray for all of us as we determine how we can open for Masses, safely and in compliance with all of the requirements asked of us. Please visit the diocesan website, www.rcda.org, to review all of those requirements.. If you can help in any way, please contact Pat Holm in the parish office. Thank you.

Blessings to all of our Confirmation Candidates & families! Know that our parish is holding you close in thought and prayer! Click on Confirmation Window to see the full picture in the Gathering Hall.

TOGETHER WE ARE AWESOME! Thank you so much for sharing a truck load of veggies, fruits, wipes and other items with our neighbors served at Catholic Charities Sr. Maureen Joyce Food Pantry! YOU are APPRECIATED!

Governor Cuomo announced earlier today that houses of worship could open on June 6 at 25% occupancy Although that is wonderful news it was unexpected. We were given guidelines at the end of May which outline what is required of parishes before they can reopen. Please see rcda.org under "Coronavirus" and scroll to the May entries to review the significant number of requirements. Before we can open we will need a strong response from parishioners ready to help, both in preparation and during the Masses. Father David recently requested volunteers for a Pandemic Committee. Only 4 people (to whom we are very grateful) from the entire parish offered to help. Before we can open we will need, for example, at least 12 ushers/greeters at each Mass, as well as volunteers to disinfect all surfaces between each Mass, and volunteers to fulfill a number of other tasks as you will see on the Diocesan website. If you are able to help at any, or all, Masses please contact Pat Holm in the parish office. We cannot open our doors for Mass without you! Please continue to monitor our website, Facebook, myParishapp and the Diocesan website for information.

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we ask you to call us to renewal and to stewardship....

This week’s food drive Thursday June 4, 1pm-2pm in the church parking lot will be for the Sr. Maureen Joyce Center! WE will be collecting canned fruits, veggies and baby wipers, or anything you can spare! If you would like to create a “placard” or mini sign sharing inspiration please do so! WE will take a picture and post! Thank you for making a difference!

Last week to order your HOPE adult tee shirt! Join us & show your St. Thomas spirit in our community: HELP OTHERS PRAY ENCOURAGE! Download HOPE order form under Facebook Stream by June 8 or pick up an order form in the Gathering Hall. Donation is $10.00. Ordered Tee shirts will be available for pick in the Gathering Hall the week of June 15. Questions please contact: Mary Ann at [email protected]. SPECIAL SHOUT OUT to Freshman NORAH MCCAFFREY for designing our tee shirt!

Happy Birthday CHURCH! Special thanks to all who shared the SPIRIT with the South End Children’s Café this past Thursday! Your generosity is a GIFT to our neighbors! This week Ted & I asked our friends “What comes to mind when you hear the words HOLY SPIRIT?” Thank you for sharing your thoughtful responses to assist us in creating our SPIRIT Word Cloud. What comes to your mind when you hear “HOLY SPIRIT”? “Come, HOLY SPIRIT, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle them the fire of YOUR LOVE!” Together let us open our souls, hearts and minds to the SPIRIT!

CATHOLIC COMMUNICATIONS CAMPAIGN - SPECIAL COLLECTION ~ THIS WEEK, our special collection is for the Catholic Communication Campaign. This campaign connects people with Christ in the United States and in developing countries around the world through the Internet, television, radio, and print media. Fully 50% of funds collected remain here in the ALBANY DIOCESE to fund local communications efforts. Your support helps spread the Gospel message! To learn more, visit www.usccb.org/ccc ans please an important letter from the Bishop by clicking on CCC letter in the Documents section.