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Service Times

10:30am	Morning Worship
6:15pm	Evening Worship

Other services...

2020 Vision

Download the 2020 Vision Document.pdf

Youth Vision Document

We have recently produced a youth ministry vision document to sit alongside our 2020 Vision. For more information please download the Youth Vision document.

Pastoral Care

Download the Pastoral Care Document.pdf

AV Link Available

For parents of under 1s - and anyone else needing some space during a service! Toys are now available in the upper church lounge (up the stairs) where an AV link provides continued access to the service.

Child Sponsorship

Our mission partners Glyn and Jane Davies have told us that they are short of sponsors for the children at Tumaini school, Mombasa. If this is something you could help with, please pick up an information leaflet and standing order form from the Welcome desk, or go online to www.educationforlife.net and donate via their Justgiving link. Many thanks from Mission Support.

Volunteering

If you would like to become a website editor so that you can keep your bit of the site up to date, why not get in touch with us?

Sports

There are many sports groups at St Thomas's, including Badminton, Cricket, Cycling, Football, Hill Walking, Running, Squash and Table Tennis.

See the Sports page for more information.

Encounter

Encounter is back on site in its new venue of the upstairs room at church (between the balconies). For 11 – 16 year olds (school years 7 – 11). Meet at 10am for breakfast.

Messy Church

for children aged 2-8 and their families, a chance to worship together through craft, celebration and a meal. Usually the 3rd Tuesday of the month, 3:30-5:30pm, the next Messy Church is June 19th 2012.

The Olive Branch

The Olive Branch (Faith in Action), is a Christian charity serving and helping the socially disadvantaged in Lancaster. the-olivebranch.org.uk

Musicians

Do you have a talent for playing a musical instrument or singing? Make yourselves known to Martin Walmsley our Sung-Worship Pastor. All ages welcome to audition. New/returning students especially welcome.

New Curate

We will be gaining a new curate on 30th June 2012 – his name is Craig Abbott.

You can read more about Craig in the bulletin

Home Groups

Small groups / Home Groups are a key part of St Thomas's community.

Many members of the church are involved in Home Groups, and find them to be a great source of encouragement and personal spiritual development.

If you are not in a Home Group, and would be keen on joining one, please contact the church office.

Children & Youth

We are always looking for new volunteers. If you would like to be part of the team, please speak to Ian McGrath (Youth Pastor) or Sarah Evans (Children's & Families' Pastor).

Welcome to St Thomas's Church

St Thomas's is an encouraging community of Christians in Lancaster. We welcome enquirers and people who are just looking. We also respect the fact that not everyone may wish to stay, but we hope you will.

Our longing is to know Jesus Christ better, to see his kingdom reign and to see growth both here and in the links we have with other churches locally and overseas. We do hope to be able to welcome you into our large lively all-age congregation.

St Thomas's Events

20-30’s Bible Study

20-30’s Bible Study on Monday, 21st May is cancelled this week.

Uncover

Uncover is a new course giving the opportunity to join others in looking at the claims that Jesus makes and seeing whether we can take him seriously. It runs over six weeks, focusing on the Gospel of Luke and each week we will study a different encounter that Jesus has with the people he meets. So if you're unsure of what to make of Jesus and would like to find out more about Christianity, then this is the course for you! Starts Mon 14th May, 8pm, 5 Scotforth Road. It's not too late to join.

Ensemble

Ensemble returns to St T's on Saturday 26th May so join us for another fabulous cafe/cabaret event featuring some brilliant entertainment. Among those performing on the night will be our very own David Lancaster who will be bringing us his excellent stage show. And we are really pleased to announce that Greenbelt favourite Sam Hill will be making a welcome return to St T's, bringing us a thoughtful selection of his songs. There'll also be comedy and a licensed bar. Tickets are £5 in advance, £6 on the door and doors are open at 7.30pm for an 8pm start. Do come along and enjoy what is sure to be the best night out in Lancaster.

20s+30s Jubilee BBQ Saturday 2nd June

Put the date in your diary and get your flags and bunting ready! More details to follow soon.

Confirmation and Baptism Service

10th June, 6.15 pm. At this special service, we will be offering baptism by immersion, and also confirmation, with Bishop Nicholas, Bishop of Blackburn.

Baptism is for anyone who has not already been baptised and who wishes to affirm publicly their commitment to Jesus Christ may ask for baptism.

Confirmation is an opportunity to affirm your baptismal vows, receive prayer through laying on of hands, and commit yourself to Christian ministry in the wider church and world. This is for those of secondary school age and upwards, including adults.

Baptism and Confirmation preparation sessions will be held on Sundays 13th and 20th May, 4-5.30 pm in the upstairs centre lounge.

Forms are available on the welcome desk. If you are interested, please have a chat with Jon Scamman or Ian McGrath or Sarah Evans.

1Step2Step Auction of Promises

Saturday 23rd June 7pm for 7:30pm start. Raising awareness and funds for Nicola's work with children with disabilities in Thai orphanages. 1Step2Step needs you! We need offers of promises we can auction. Could you offer to bake a cake every week for a month? Do you have a holiday house that you could offer, or could you organise a children's birthday party, or a three course meal for eight people, or offer your time to garden, clean, iron, or do odd jobs? Please put your offers of promises on the form, which is on your seat or on the welcome desk, then place it in the box on the welcome desk. If you have any questions please speak to Emma Dixon, Sally Anderson or Amy Rowbotham. Please think ahead as to who you can invite to this event; It should be a really social and fun event, so stick it in your diaries and come support us.

Ordination of Craig Abbot

Our new curate, Craig Abbott, will be ordained at Blackburn Cathedral at 10.30 am on Saturday 30th June. There are 25 tickets available for members of St Thomas’s – if you’d like to come and support Craig at his ordination service, then please sign up for tickets using the form on the welcome desk. The rest of us will meet Craig at the services on 1st July, and the church picnic that day.

Sports Café

We will be opening St Tees up as a family-friendly sports café, (showing the Olympics on the big screens in church, with toys and play areas available for children) from Monday to Saturday daytimes, during the two weeks of the Olympics: 30th July–4th Aug & 6th-11th Aug.

The Ark

continues to provide food and friendship to people who are homeless or on the margins of society. We are looking for new volunteers, age 18+, to join the Ark team on Friday evenings 5.30/6pm to 8pm. We would especially (though not exclusively) like to hear from men to reflect the balance of people who use the service. For more information please see Diane Dewar, Rosemary Dobson or Joan Robinson after a main service or leave a message with the Church office and one of us will get back to you. Thank you.

Events Elsewhere

IONA - Another Realm UK Tour

Lancaster University Chaplaincy Centre Friday 1st June 7.30pm Tickets £14/£10 (unwaged). For more information see http://iona.uk.com/lancaster.

Diamond Jubilee Big Lunch

In the grounds of Lancaster Priory, June 3rd from 12 noon. Free food and entertainment. Peal of bells at 3pm. Admission by free tickets available in advance from Lancaster Priory 01524 65338.

Brother Yun

Flame International (www.flameinternational.org) is organizing a series of UK events with Brother Yun - the ‘Heavenly Man’, and in partnership with Back to Jerusalem. He will be in Lancaster 5th June hosted by Churches Together, at Lancaster Baptist Church. After many years imprisoned for his faith, Brother Yun escaped from Zhengzhou Maximum Security prison from which it is reported that nobody had previously escaped. He described how he heard the voice of the Holy Spirit, telling him to simply walk out of the heavily guarded prison gate despite having had both his legs broken. More details at the back of Church.

New Wine North & East 2012

Newark 28th July–3rd August. Nearly 100 from church went in summer 2011, why not join us in 2012. See www.new-wine.org/summer for more.

Volunteer with Tearfund

Incredible opportunity for 18-25 year olds to volunteer overseas with Tearfund for 10-12 weeks this year. 4 trips per year (September, January, April, June) to amazing projects which include: Bolivia, Burundi, Cambodia and Rwanda. Details on Welcome Desk.

Celebrate Recovery

The programme started on Tuesday 10th January 2012 from 7.30pm at Lancaster Free Methodist Church. A weekly 12-step recovery programme that runs for 50 weeks of the year (but can be joined at any time). Seeking to help individuals overcome all sorts of difficulties including; overeating, grief, divorce, insecurity, gambling, control, abuse. At the heart of this is our belief that all things are possible through Jesus Christ and that real and lasting life changes are sustainable through Him.