Timeline

A highly infectious novel coronavirus strikes the globe.  California goes into shelter-in-place, in March 2020.  St. Thomas moves online as a response to the COVID pandemic.  Since then, our church has grown in intimacy while on Zoom, truly experiencing that the church is the people, not the building.

We celebrated a eucharist with everyone in their cars in the parking lot, after 7 months without communion.

Deacon Bertram Nagarajah celebrated his first Sunday at St. Thomas on June 3, 2018.

The local housing crisis makes it difficult for new members to stay, constricting our pledge income.  The Financial Sustainability Committee seeks a mission-based income source for the parish. 

The church reflects and prays about its mission for the current times and the vestry crafts a new mission statement after a year-long study called the Dream Project.

The housing crisis in our area and racial and immigration issues in our nation make us aware of justice matters.  The Justice and Peace Committee is formed.

Year-long celebration of St. Thomas’ 100th anniversary of its founding.

Playground is installed to serve our Children’s Ministry.

In 2003 our labyrinth was installed in the courtyard.

Renovations to Cowans Hall completed and Education building added.

September 11, terrorists strike the Twin Towers and the Pentagon, killing almost 3000 people.  All around the US, many sought solace.  St. Thomas holds prayer services and memorial services in response to this tragic event.

A national recession causes many to lose their jobs and go hungry.  Our Daily Bread hot lunch program opens in response to the growing number of hungry people.

Our Daily Bread continues to serve during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the CA, Prop 13 impacts Californian education and housing.  Eventually, housing issues will become more and more of a problem, as people move to Sunnyvale for high-tech jobs, but the number of homes built do not keep up with demand.  This will contribute to a housing crisis and develop justice issues.  See 2016 and 2020 for St. Thomas’ response to these troubling regional issues.

Like many mainline churches, our church attendance dives steeply after ‘65 into the ‘70s–falling from over 300 to an average of 100.  This is where we have remained to today.

The Rev. Warren Debenham becomes first rector. Boomers begin to fill the church.

New church on Sunset (now Cowans Hall) held first worship service.

Bishop Block accepted St. Thomas as a regularly organized mission of the Diocese.

In the US: With the return of the vets and the help of the GI Bill, the Boomers are born.  (73 million births in 18 years).  Our current worship center was built to accommodate the Boomer birth rate.

In the world: WWII September 1939-September 1945.  The whole town of Sunnyvale rallied around the war effort; many worked at Hendy Ironworks building ships.  The US Naval Air Station was located at Moffett Field.  It is noteworthy that the attendance at St. Thomas was below 25 till sometime after the war.

In the US: The Great Depression devastates the US economy and lives.  Our church attendance hovers around 25.

The first church building consecrated on November 26th.

The original lot was traded for a lot on the corner of Sunnyvale and McKinley.

Lot at N. Murphy purchased for first St. Thomas Building.

Mission St. Thomas is opened with 50+ people with Clarence Urmy as founder.