St. ThomasEpiscopal Church

Your Home for the Holidays

Advent & Christmas2016

Join us for this season ofWonder & Beauty!

Holiday Schedule

Nov. 27 First Sunday in AdventBach Vespers, 5pmAdvent Wreath Making, 9:15am

Dec. 7 Second Sunday in AdventAllegro Choir Sunday, 10:15am

Soul Collage for Advent, 12:30pmTaizé Prayer, 5pm

Caroling on the Green, 6pm

Dec. 10 Great Christmas Caper, 10am-2pmDec. 11 Third Sunday in Advent St. Nicholas Basket Run

Dec. 17 Advent Quiet Day (off-campus)

Dec. 18 Fourth Sunday in AdventLessons and Carols, 5pm

Dec. 19 Messiah Sing-Along, 7:30pm

Dec. 22 Blue Christmas Service, 7pm

Dec. 24 Christmas Eve Pageant & Communion, 4pm Holy Eucharist with carols, 8pm Choral Prelude, 10:30pm Festive Choral Eucharist, 11pm

Dec. 25 Christmas Day Holy Eucharist with carols, 10am

St. Thomas Episcopal Church100 Miami Avenue

Terrace Park, OH 45174www.stthomasepiscopal.org

A Message fromour Rector

A faith community foryou to call home!

Christmas! Just the name, has us remembering beloved carols, beautiful and warm celebrations, worship filled with candlelight. The music and worship of the season proclaims what God has and continues do: to come to us in the deepest of ways, breaking into human history, our story as Emmanuel – “God-with-us!” This is a message of hope and new life, a timeless message for the ages and is a message for your life now.

St. Thomas is, above all else, a place that welcomes you to discover or reconnect with this message. Whether you are visiting, looking for a new place to call home or simply felt you’ve been away from church for too long, come join us. Come see and experience why for well over 135 years, St. Thomas continues to be the community where our faith, tradition and ministry come together – connecting our lives and mission together! Welcome Home!

Wishing you a very blessedAdvent & Christmas,

C e l e b r a t e C h r i s t m a s a t S t . T h o m a s !

Special Services

The Great Christmas Caper Saturday, December 10th, 10am - 2pm

A Christmas “Fun raiser” with an early taste of Christmas that’s fun for the whole family with tons of fresh baked cookies and candies, live music, hot cocoa & cider, children’s activities and a beautiful Christmas wonderland display.

Lessons & Carols ServiceSunday, December 18th at 5pm

The St. Thomas Choristers and Parish Choir will offer a traditional Christmas Service of Lessons and Carols on the Sunday before Christmas Eve. Based on the incredible British choral tradition, the service features seasonal readings and traditional carols sung by our choirs.

A Blue Christmas ServiceThursday, December 22nd at 7pm

Are you experiencing loss this Christmas? A lost job? The loss of a loved one? Lost dreams? An empty nest? A new season of retirement? Join us for a Christmas service for those waiting in the dark for God’s arrival. It will be an evening of holy contemplation as we listen to the ancient promises and consider how the Light will find its way to us this year.

Advent Bach VespersSunday, November 27th at 5pm

Join the Bach Ensemble of St. Thomas for our first Bach Vespers of a new church year! This service features an orchestra, vocal soloists and our choristers in Bach’s Advent Cantata, Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland.

Handel’s Messiah Sing-Along! Monday, December 19th at 7:30pm

Join the Bach Ensemble of St. Thomas, vocal soloists and YOU, the massed choir, for one of the most popular choral works ever written! Learn more and reserve your (free) seat at www.bachensemble.org/messiah.

Children’s Christmas Pageant Christmas Eve, December 24th at 4pm

This treasured Christmas Celebration takes place in our beautiful Parish Hall and features our children sharing the great story of our Savior’s birth. This is open to all children aged 2 to 13 - St. Thomas Parishioners, Terrace Park neighbors, family & friends are all welcome to take part! Contact Dr. Carlton Monroe at cmonroe@stthomasepiscopal.org for a rehearsal schedule.

Christmas Services

Christmas Eve4pm - Pageant & Communion8pm - Holy Eucharist with carols11pm - Festive Choral Eucharist

Christmas Day10am - Holy Eucharist with Carols(Replaces regular Sunday Schedule)