St. Thomas the Apostle Church

Recording of Solemnity of the Ascension Click here

Live-stream  is active during regular
Mass  times. Youtube channel also has
previous recorded masses.Recording of Sunday May 16, 2021 10 AM Mass Click HereTo Live stream Mass of Visit YouTube Channel  Click Here

Dear Friends,
 Without a doubt, over the last 12 months we have been “Lenting the longest and lentiest Lent ever lented”.  In a very profound way, our Lenten practices of fasting (from the community gatherings, the Eucharist, and so much more), prayer (dear Lord, be near in this time of trial), and almsgiving (Oh, what we would be willing to give to be together again) have done what they are designed to do – Make us more aware our great hunger for Christ in our lives, and move us to bring Christ to others. 
In Luke’s Easter Gospel, it is the women bringing burial spices who come first to the Tomb. Angels ask why they are searching for the living one among the dead….Jesus is not there…He has been raised up.  The women run and tell the others, who dismiss it all as nonsense.  Of course, it is not nonsense.  It is our greatest hope becoming fulfilled. 
 
Yes, we’ve had a string of Good Friday’s, and maybe we feel do like we are stuck searching among the dead.  But I do not think it is necessarily so.  Since I have been blessed to be here (and thank you for your warm welcome), I have seen all kinds of signs of new life:  Lent as a Season of Hope; vibrant faith formation; countless cleaners and ushers and greeters; re-imagined hospitality; outreach through the food drives and connections to the homebound; countless zoom connections; streaming of Masses, and so much more.  Look to the website and Facebook pages for two videos in upcoming weeks that show just how alive our parish has been all along.
This has all been made possible because you did not dismiss St Thomas’s mission as nonsense.  Thank you for your prayers, presence, and ongoing financial support.  On a pragmatic note, parish income has suffered tremendously this past year.   Thankfully, with the increased numbers of vaccinated parishioners and the break in the weather, we are already seeing more people venturing back to Church.  In the meantime, Easter donations have traditionally been a big part of balancing our budget.  If you have not already signed up for E-giving, I would ask you to consider that as a viable option. On behalf of the whole staff, please join us at Mass as you can. 
 I am yours in service of the Good News,
Rev. Rick Lesser, Pastor