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Special thanks to you our many ministries for joining us for our Annual Saints Snacks Service Ministry Fair! Thank you for sharing your good works and how to get involved. If you missed the event, please stop by the Gathering Hall for an updated list of Ministries that we have here at St. Thomas. We have something for everyone! You are most welcome to join the "march" by contacting the coordinator listed. All are welcome to share and be a part of the life and fabric of our parish family. Oh, how I want to be in that number when the saints come marching in... Reach out today!

To provide an opportunity for Alzheimer’s and dementia caregivers to learn and receive support. This free Caregiver Conference will be at The Century House in Latham on June 11 from 10-3pm. Family members and friends serving as Alzheimer’s caregivers will hear from local experts and have the chance to connect with one another and receive support. There will be presentations, workshops and a panel discussion around the following topics: understanding Alzheimer’s and dementia; navigating the role of a caregiver focusing on the importance of building a support team and strategies to manage caregiver stress; and exploring the moral and ethical dilemmas of the disease, which will address driving, doctor visits, medication, engagement in clinical trials, and legal and financial planning. To register, call Tony Rivera at 518-675-7214 or visit https://bit.ly/Caregiver_Conference

The Diocesan Mental Health Awareness Committee, along with others in the Diocesan community, are intensely aware of the importance of mental health in these times. Our hope is to serve as a resource for everyone in our diocese for mental health. Please visit the diocesan webpage for Mental Health: https://www.rcda.org/offices/mental-health. Our facebook page is: https://www.facebook.com/DioceseofAlbanyPeoplewithDisabilities (Please like it).

HO! HO! HO! We thank all of our Elf Angles for your kindness in packing Santa Joe's truck with 45 Blessing Bags for homebound seniors served at St. John/St. Ann's Outreach Center! We thank our young church for packing our bags, Faith Formation families for coming through at the last minute with needed items to make the bags even and our Preschool parents for participating too. Check out more photos here

The Alzheimer's Association is offering a free Caregiver Conference on Nov 28 from 10-3pm at the Saratoga Springs City Center. Please RSVP by Nov 21 and register at alz.org/CRF or call 518-675- 7214.

Thank you St. Thomas for $685 worth of gift cards for our Meal Ministry! Your generosity will assist individuals in our own parish family who are mourning the loss of a loved one, in treatment or just because ❤ Special thanks to Maria for collecting and to her son for assisting in Fall back to Faith Formation setup!

The Christ Child Society of Albany is planning their annual Baby Shower for Saturday, October 14, 2023 from 12:00pm to 2:00pm at St. Madeleine Sophie Parish Center, 3500 Carman Road, Schenectady, NY 12303. The needs of our Layette Program continue to grow and we extend a warm thank you for your donation in assisting over 500 newborn babies in our community who are in need. All are welcome. The Layettes we distribute include an afghan or quilt (36”- 42” or 40”- 40”), receiving blankets, disposable diapers (newborn and size 1), onesies (3 to 6 months or 6 to 9 months), sleepers (3 to 6 months), hooded bath towels, handmade sweater sets and baby board books. We ask that you bring your Layette Item(s) as a donation unwrapped. Refreshments will be prepared for your enjoyment. Please RSVP by Sunday, October 1 to Carol Kelly at (518) 698-6633.

The Churches of St. Matthew's, Christ the King, St. Lucy's, and St. Thomas the Apostle plan to begin the Gabriel Project® as part of our Walking with Moms in Need program. The Gabriel Project® is a pro-life and parish-based program offering assistance to women experiencing difficult circumstances during their pregnancy. We need volunteers to accompany pregnant women and assist them spiritually, physically, emotionally, and materially. If you are interested in learning more about the Gabriel Project®, you can come to the training meeting at St. Thomas on Saturday, September 23, at 9:30 am in the parish office conference room. For more information, please contact Louise Schrecongost in the parish office.

Beginning Experience of the Hudson Valley is a peer led ministry that serves those grieving the end of a marriage or spousal relationship due to death, divorce, or separation. This fall we are offering two programs and we invite men and women of all ages to attend. Healing Weekend- an in-person weekend retreat at St. Lawrence Retreat Center in Beacon NY from October 20 to 22, 2023. For information or to register please call Phyllis at 914 261 5812 or Betty at 973 903 3941 In the Beginning…Coping with Life Alone- one day remote via zoom program held on Saturday, September 23, 2023 from 9AM to 4PM. For information or to please call Jim at 845 569 9452 or Denise at 845 325 3147.

Thank you! “Act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8 Fr. Sean O’Brien, OFM, Director at St. John/St. Ann’s Outreach Center is humbled by your continued support of our neighbors! We thank our young church, Corella and Peg for greeting and sorting our donations. Click here for more photos.

“What does love look like? It has the hands to help others...” St. Augustine. The South End Children’s Café thanks you for your gifts of cleaning supplies and personal care items that will assist families on a tight budget. Special thanks to Corolla, Peggy and our young church for greeting and sorting! God bless you St. Thomas for sharing the LOVE! Click here for more photos!

“A family that prays together stays together!” Special thanks to you, our St. Thomas family, for supporting our neighbors, our family served at St. James Food Pantry. As you can see from the picture, there are many empty pantry shelves. Linda Cruz, Coordinator at the Pantry, shared that inventory at the Food Bank, supplier of goods for our C.C. Food Pantries, is extremely low or just completely out of some items like juice. If you have an extra bottle of juice, please bring it to the drive this week for St. John/St. Ann’s Outreach Program and we will share some to the juice with St. James. Your donated items are making a difference in the lives of so many families! Big shout out to the Mueller Family & Corolla who did an amazing job greeting, sorting, and packing our van. We are FAMILY St. Thomas! for more photos click here.

For ONE WEEK ONLY, July 16-23, we will be collecting NEW boys & girls clothing in all sizes. Long & short sleeves shirts, pants, jeans, leggings, hooded sweatshirts, and socks are needed. Bins are in the Gathering Hall. This is a collaboration of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany’s Youth Ministry Service Action Learning Team, Works of Mercy Initiative of Schenectady County and you our ever faithful St. Thomas Family.

Thank you St. Thomas for your generous support of our Meal Ministry! Together we collected $795 worth of certificates to be shared with our own parishioners who are mourning the loss of a loved one, experiencing the joy of the birth of a child, undergoing treatment or "just because." God bless you for your continued generosity and compassion. Happy Summer!

Thank you St. Thomas for your amazing support at our Tuesday Drives! Together we created 20 Summer Bags for our homebound seniors packed with festive and practical items.  Your generosity was so great that leftover items were shared with our friends at the South End Children's Café!  Thank you so much for sharing sparkles of love to our homebound seniors and our young neighbors across town. Click here for more photos!

Christ the King Church is hosting a Red Cross Blood Drive on June 24. To register, visit redcrossblood.org and use sponsor code churchchristking. There are a lot of great times still available, and if you can, bring a friend! Each donor will receive a Stewarts Ice Cream Shops gift card for a free pint of their delicious ice cream and a $10 e-gift card to a merchant of your choice! Plus, you’ll be automatically entered for a chance to win a backyard theater package. Click here to register.

As you may know there was a major fire in our town which resulted in a large number of families being displaced and left, in some cases, homeless. While the Red Cross has assisted those at the Deer Run Apartments, more is needed. The Slingerlands Fire Department is holding a fund raising breakfast to be held on behalf of these folks. The breakfast will be held Sunday, June 18 from 8am to noon at the Slingerlands firehouse, 1520 New Scotland Road. All you can eat breakfast, Adults $ 10.00, Children ages 5-12 $ 5.00, Under age 5 *FREE*

AMAZING! Thank you St. Thomas for filling the cabinets and kitchen pantry at the South End Children’s Café, and the St. James Food Pantry. The Regional Food Bank continues to run low or out of items and it is your generous that enables Linda Cruz and her volunteers to create bags of LOVE for our neighbors! God bless you for your generosity! Click for pictures

Wow! Catholic Charities Community Maternity Services appreciates your generous donation of large size diapers and wipes that filled our van to the roof! Thank you St. Thomas for supporting LIFE! Click here for more pictures

God bless you for your generosity to our neighbors served at the Capital City Rescue Mission. “A hot meal is the beginning of a changed life!” “Thank you for bringing someone from hunger to HOPE! “ Special thanks to our sorts and greeters. You St. Thomas are making a difference! Click for more pictures