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The Friends of Old Saint Thomas Newsletter Volume 5, Number 1 - Spring 1998 The Friends of Old St. Thomas "Spirit Award" When defining a parish we must look beyond the geographical boundaries, building dimensions and the size of the congregation. What constitutes a successful parish is the spirit of its members. The Christian spirit involves the opportunity to honor God and carry out His teachings through our words, deeds and actions. Two hundred and seventy years ago our earliest parishioners embraced this philosophy when they chose to live and work in harmony with their Quaker and Protestant neighbors. Their effort made William Penn's concept of a "holy experiment" in religious toleration a reality. Here at St. Thomas the legacy of Christian goodness is evident in many ways; extending a hand to help someone in need, visiting a sick neighbor, doing an errand for the homebound, sharing a talent, working on a community project, being thoughtful of others or simply doing your best. To acknowledge such good deeds and encourage our youth to pursue these positive actions, The Friends of Old St. Thomas has established the "Spirit Award." In June a winner will be chosen. The award consists of a $50.00 US. Savings Bond and a certificate. In addition, the recipient's name will be engraved on a special commemorative plaque to be placed on permanent display, Participation is voluntary but limited to students currently enrolled in the eighth grade and who are members of St. Thomas parish. Nomination forms have been distributed to eighth graders attending St. Thomas School and will be available in the Narthex for students attending public or private schools. Note that anyone, parent, grandparent, neighbor, teacher or friend may nominate an eligible student. Deadline for submissions is May 1, 1998. Completed forms should be mailed to POST, P.O. Box 19, Chester Heights, PA 1.9017. For further information, contact Mary Archer at 459-5345.
FOST needs your help! The parish ministry, Friends of Old St. Thomas, has accepted responsibility for keeping up and keeping alive the story of the Archdiocese's first parish - St. Thomas the Apostle at Ivy Mills, founded in 1729 and going strong 270 years later. In order to meet that responsibility, by maintaining the old church and its outbuildings, and by holding educational, social and other programs, FOST has collected funds through memberships, honor and memorial donations, craft classes, food certificates, and to date, two special Sunday collections. A foundation gave enough to cover the cost of the cosmetic painting job in 1993. All income so far has been very gratifying and useful. But it is not enough. Major foundation support will be necessary, especially to refurbish the buildings, but that support requires substantial parish-wide commitment. You can help show that commitment by buying FOST Notecards. Blank inside, and thus useful for all occasions, these high quality cards show three of the old church stained glass windows and the "Old Church in Winter" scene. Cost is only $8.00 for 8 cards (2 of each scene). Your purchase and use of the cards helps 3 ways - by giving financial support, by showing parish commitment, and by spreading the word to your card recipients. In all those ways, the old church - and the collective parish memory - will benefit greatly by your help. To purchase cards contact any member of FOST or call Kathy McNichol at (610) 558-0182.
Day of Remembrance Join us on Sunday, April 19 at 2:00 p.m. in the old church for a memorial service honoring deceased relatives and friends who are buried in St. Thomas churchyards or in other cemeteries. For those who have requested it, the names of their deceased loved ones will be read aloud during the ceremony. Remembrance flowers for gravesites will be distributed at the end of the service. Light refreshments will follow. To request reading of names call Rose Ann Mohn at 431-7178.
Friends Social Current FOST members have recceived invitations for an open house on Sunday, April 46, at the historic Willcox Homestead. English Jesuit priests heading to Philadelphia regularly visited the Willcox home to celebrate Mass and confer the Sacraments. This stop became known as the "Concord" or "Ivy Mills" mission station. The original house was enlarged in 1837 and the larger building, still standing, became the first "grand house" in Concord Township. Mass was said in St. Mary's Chapel in this house until St. Thomas the Apostle Church was built in 1852.
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