MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

Back to Church Sunday
September 9th @ 9:30am
Gathering in Cowans Hall

WHAT’S UP?

The faith community at St. Thomas began a discernment process during Eastertide regarding our mission and future. One salient theme that has emerged is our desire for intergenerational engagement that welcomes and interconnects people. A diverse group of individuals has lovingly come together in response to craft a special service designed to engage inter-generational worship.

For Back to Church Sunday on September 9th, get ready to embark on something creative and connect with us in a beautiful way that brings the generations together for a single service to intermix, learn some of each other’s stories, pray together, and eat…who can forget that!

More importantly, join us in sharing this time together as a community–be blessed by those you meet along the way and be a blessing to them, too 🙂

WHAT TO EXPECT

One Service Only @ 9:30 AM in Cowans Hall, see Directions & Campus Map.

It will be interactive and starts with a heartfelt welcome and a simple flower. It’s color will represent your generation to take with you into the hall where instead of pews, you’ll encounter round tables, each with a vase at its center. In bringing together different colors of flowers, we hope to form a bouquet for each table.

Now, let’s mix it up–try placing your flower in the company of varying colors belonging to people you may not know so well or even not at all. Take a chance for this bouquet to take shape in its beauty, entirety and deeper meaning. This is just a taste of what’s to follow.

There will be music and Liturgy of the Word, readings including a special one of the Gospel, table discussions, and our spiritual and physical offerings. Everything including the words that have written out through prayerful listening and out of our dream statements will be taken forward and received.

All these movements give rise to the formation of our shared mission and direction as a faith community. These are sacred steps – it’s important that we walk together in unity.

Finally, communion will be celebrated and the bread and wine will be shared at each table.

DON’T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF

We’ve worked out all the details so things will run smoothly and will have instructions for everyone Sunday morning.

ARE YOU HUNGRY?

Following service, we will be serving lunch courtesy of Parish Event Planners (PEP) and share announcements at this time.

A SPECIAL NOTE FROM PASTOR SALYING

I do hope you will come and share in the joy of the generations at St. Thomas. There’s so much to gain from the horizons in our midst. I discover something new every time I pay attention to a child talking about what growing up is like today; I gather insights from young adults trying to create a sense of community in our area; I benefit from the wisdom of our seniors who have seen so much and offer guidance in the ups and downs of life. I hope you find this time together enriching, in opening yourselves up to another horizon perhaps to meet a kindred spirit there and experience God in our midst.

Pastor Salying