The Third Sunday in Lent  -NOTICES - March 7, 2010

Welcome to all who worship with us today.  Today’s special Lenten collection is for the Hamilton Food Cupboard (see below). Church school meets as usual: teen class at 9:00 AM and the younger classes at     9:45 AM.  Nursery care is also available from 9:45 AM to 10:45 AM.  Please join us for refreshments following the 10:00 AM service, hosted today by Marcia & Ed Sitts.  Adult Education continues on the topic of World Religions at 11:30 AM.  The fourth in a series of taped lectures on Judaism is shown in the church school area. All are welcome; if you have missed any episodes, the dvd’s are available to be borrowed and seen at home.

Many Thanks for your support of the Lenten collections in February.  The Lenten collection on February 21 brought in $70.50 for Friendship Inn and the February 28 collection for Educare Africa brought in $223.

St. Thomas' Garden Project Needs You. The Hamilton Food Cupboard currently serves 160 families plus helps the new center in Madison serving 30 families. Their client base continues to grow. So it's clear that families in Hamilton need fresh vegetables. If you're interested in helping, join us for a brief meeting on Sunday, March 14 in the Parish Hall at 9:15 AM.
 

This Week:

Monday         5:00 PM: Friendship Inn

Wednesday                 7:00 PM: Lenten midweek service, Holy Eucharist Rite II

Thursday         8:00 AM: Budget & Finance

        9:30 AM: Bible Study on the virtue of patience

                    11:00 AM: Holy Eucharist with anointing for healing

        7:30 PM: Choir rehearsal

Friday         9:00 AM: Foyer’s Breakfast, VJ’s Restaurant

Your prayers are asked for: Catherine Albrecht Hanson, David Bornick, Martha & John Bowen, John Brown, Sherrie Cannon, Marjorie Finn, Richard Fowler, Bob Gunther, John Hubbard, Kathy Izard, Fran Joerger, Bonnie Hagan, Hanush Laxa, Jane McKnight, Stewart McKnight, Judy Mullin, Susan Mullin, Deb Nippress, Robert Paul, Zach Roland, Donna Schoonmaker, Elias Seward, Mark Spearing, Pat Tayntor, Tracy, Emily, and Kel Bowers & Corey (both serving in the Middle East).

For the deceased: Nan Bolstad, Rett Foster

Thanksgivings: Birthdays - Gertrude Halloran, Kristen Meadows, Dylan Lopez, Daryl Wilson, and Geordi Geier; Baptism Anniversaries  - Susan Trueworthy

Mark your Calendar:

Winter Farmers’ Market, St. Thomas’ Parish Hall, Saturday, March 20, 9 AM-1 PM.

Altar Guild Polishing Party, St. Thomas’ Parish Hall, Saturday, March 27, 9 AM-Noon.

Flower Guild meets to prepare palmettos (for Palm Sunday), Saturday, March 27, 10 AM.

Palm Sunday services, March 28, 8 AM and 10 AM.

In the Community:

Jana Laxa is holding a watercolor class on Monday nights from 7-9 PM at the Parish House.  If anyone is interested, there are a couple of spots available. (A suggested donation of $10 is greatly welcome to support a needy charity.)  Contact Jana for additional information at 824-8795.

St. Mary’s Altar and Rosary Society’s Spring Fair, Saturday, March 20, 9:30 AM to 1:00 PM at the Parish Center on West Kendrick Street in Hamilton (across from the Hamilton Central School). Come see a wondrous display of handmade crafts and gifts, homemade baked goods, religious articles, white elephant steals, and a penny raffle for some very tempting theme baskets.  Complimentary coffee and treats will be served.  We look forward to seeing you at the Fair!

The Hamilton Food Cupboard:  2010 Lenten Collection #3

One Mill Street in Hamilton is a “happenin’ place on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1-6 PM when the Hamilton Food Cupboard opens its doors to welcome anyone in need of food. During the month of January 2010, 170 families have come for help in providing food for themselves and their families. This also included a new satellite distribution center in Madison through the efforts of the Madison teachers, Madison Baptist Church and the Hamilton Food Cupboard. The distribution in Madison is on a monthly basis, and seems to serve senior citizens well.

Folks of all sizes and shapes and ages feel like family to Coordinator Mary Ellen Shen (824-2832/1493) and her corps of volunteers--mainstays Bob Kuiper and Dave McKay, the Luras, the Kablacks, Colgate students and townspeople committed to serving local hunger needs.

There has been a 20% increase in the number of household members per family in 2010—often eight, nine and ten people sharing a residence, means the need to generate additional monies for the purchase of wholesale priced food from the Central New York Food Bank . Your contribution has the purchase power for as little as $ .17 per pound!

Hamilton Food Cupboard makes a difference!

Soft words of gratitude from tearful eyes can be heard from the guests who come—

“I don’t know what I would do without you!”

“God bless…”

Thank you for your kindness and for listening…”

“Thank you for faxing my information to DSS to get me hooked up with food stamps…”

“You give me what I need…”

“When I lost my job, I had no where else to turn…”

“I left feeling like there was hope.”

On Sunday, March 7, we at St. Thomas’ have the opportunity to feed the hungry…right in our own back yard…Your cash donation will benefit families who have lost their jobs, have had their hours cut or often have to choose between heat or eat…families who are experiencing separation or divorce…families whose breadwinner is out of work on disability due to illness or injury.

Life can change overnight for any of us. Please give a little beyond your comfort for someone else’s necessity.

THANKS TO ALL WHO HELPED US WORSHIP THIS MORNING

Music Director/Organist:  10:00 AM Dianne Adams McDowell

Instrumentalists:       8:00 AM Barbara Bartlett, oboe       10:00 AM Janet O’Flynn, flute

          Chris Shenkel, cello                         Adger Williams, violin

             Gwyneth Davies, violin

Lectors:   10:00 AM Barbara Bowen Altar Guild:                               Marlene Houck

     Nancy Schult         

Eucharistic     8:00 AM Vivian Phoenix Coffee Hour Hosts:           Marcia & Ed Sitts

Ministers:          10:00 AM Maureen Ghent Nursery Helper:         9:45 AM Regina Conti

Acolytes:   10:00 AM Jamie Rivington Greeter:                     10:00 AM Melissa Davies

     Charlie Jerome Ushers:                        8:00 AM Dick Conant                                         

     Rose Conti Porta                      10:00 AM Judy Brown

             Laura Robertson           Jerry Brown

SCHEDULED TO SERVE SUNDAY, March 14, 2010

Lectors:   10:00 AM Ann Beattie Altar Guild:                               Mea Martineau

     Ed Sitts Coffee Hour Hosts:           Irene Brown          

Eucharistic     8:00 AM Susan Cerasano          Maureen Fox

Ministers:          10:00 AM Barbara Bowen Nursery Helper:         9:45 AM Judy Brown

Acolytes:   10:00 AM Laura Trueworthy Greeter:                     10:00 AM Nancy Heck

     Courtney Trueworthy Ushers:                        8:00 AM Lee Lamb                                         

     Danny Jerome                      10:00 AM Shirley Spearing

             Sam Williams           Ted Engle

READINGS FOR SUNDAY, March 14, 2010

Joshua 5:9-12; Psalm 32; 2 Corinthians 5:16-21; Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32