SUMMER STUDENT SWASP APPLICATIONS: Applications for the 2012 Community Service Component of the Student Work and Service Program (SWASP) are now available online at www.communitysector.nl.ca/swasp/application. Community sector sponsors (registered charities, incorporated non-profits and informal voluntary groups) submit joint applications with students attending post-secondary studies in the coming academic year. Students receive a $1,400 tuition voucher upon completion of a 280-hour placement (8 weeks), plus a weekely stipend of $175. If you are interested in submitting an application to work with St. Thomas' during the simmer as an Office Assistant/Tour GUide, please contact our Parish Administrator, Paulette Hounsell-Collins at 576-6632 ext. 224 or by email at phounsellcollins(at)st-thomaschurch.com. Applications must be submitted to the Community Sector Council NL by May 1, 2012.
UNAUTHORIZED PARKING: As most of you are aware, unauthorized parking by individuals using our parking lot is becoming a very concerning issue and has been for some time. As a result,City Traffic enforcement has been significantly enhanced and will continue on an ongoing basis. To ensure that our parishioners do not get ticketed, we are requesting that anyone visiting the church/hall from Monday to Friday, 9am to 5 pm, drop by the office for a parking permit. Vehicles that do not have a permit displayed in their window will be ticketed and St. Thomas' does not have the authority to cancel tickets.
LATEST NCD SURVEY RESULTS:The results of our NCD survey on May 30, 2010: our new area of focus in the Fall will be Holistic Small Groups. The Vestry has already begun to look at this and will incorporate a plan for the parish to start in September, in conjunction with the beginning of our anniversary year.
The results reveal a strongly "green" church which needs to grow in the "red" and "blue" areas. In theological terms this means we are strong in the areas to do with order and creation and creativity (God the Father) but need to grow in our understanding of God's revelation and how we can reveal God's life in the world (God the Son) as well as experiencing more of God's presence and guidance in our lives personally, in worship and when we gather with other Christians or are on our own in the world (God the Holy Spirit).
Thank You Lord our God, for helping us to understand what our spiritual style as a parish is, so that we can grow and develop into a more balanced and passionate body of believers, drawing all to You through Jesus Christ. Amen!
Our next natural Church Development Survey is scheduled for May 2011.
* The Inner Core leadership team is a bi-monthly gathering of your clergy, wardens, honourary assistants, music director, treasurer and parish administrator, that looks at core spiritual issues and try to keep our parish spiritually 'on track' with what we have discerned to be God's calling on our congregation expressed in our vision and mission statements.