Visitors & Newcomers
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All are invited: You are welcome to attend worship at St. Thomas's Episcopal Church and to join the congregation for Coffee Hour (in the Lounge on the second floor) after the service. Though other churches make the claim, ours really is the Best Coffee Hour in Connecticut. We hope you will find our congregation not only spiritually grounded, but also welcoming and fun.
Families with small children: Three seating areas at the front of the church are reserved for families with small children: the area under the array of paper cranes (for children age 3 and under); and the areas in the front of the two front pews (for children age ten and under). For safety, every child should be accompanied by a caregiver. Sunday School Sunday School is offered for children of all ages, toddlers through high school, during the 10 a.m. service. Families begin the service together and then the children gather for a scripture-based session of reading, singing, and praying in The Kid Zone. Children return to the service after the sermon. The program is designed by our Sunday School Coordinator, retired middle school teacher Denise Terry ([email protected]). We emphasize the knowledge and experience that we want to build in the children, including the major stories of Christianity and the particulars of Episcopal worship, along with a focus on social justice. The young people do service projects that reinforce a sense of what it means to be a follower of Jesus. Holy Eucharist: At St. Thomas’s the people gather around the altar for the celebration of Holy Eucharist. We invite every person who seeks God through Christian fellowship to join us there, and to receive Communion if they wish. Baptism is not required; church membership is not required. The gathering around the altar may be unfamiliar to you, but most find it to be a powerful experience of true communion at our common table. If you prefer not to receive the Eucharist, you may request and receive a blessing from the priest. Gluten-free bread or wafers and non-alcoholic wine are available at every service. Wireless access in the Sanctuary: Connect to wireless network STEC – Guest. Your device will open a web browser and St. Thomas’s website. Sunday bulletins are posted on the website’s Bulletin Archive. We aim to reduce printing by encouraging worshippers to use their smart devices to follow the order of service. Weekly Parish Enews: This is the best way to keep up with events at St. Thomas's. You can subscribe here. Our Enews archive is here. St. Thomas's is part of The Episcopal Church and, more specifically, the Episcopal Church in Connecticut. The Episcopal Church is a part of the worldwide Anglican Communion. |
