Hi St Tom's!

Here are our weekly updates and reminders.

Farewell Gift for Carricks

As we prepare to send off John and Susie, who have faithfully served our community for 10 years, we would like to invite every member of St Tom's to show their love and appreciation.

1. Leave a message in the photo book.

A station will be open at the welcome desk on Sundays for you to take a Polaroid photo and attach a message in the book.

2. Contribute to a gift fund for the Carricks

You may like to contribute to the gift fund for Carricks, which will be used to purchase a gift for them to be presented at their final service on the 26th of April.

To contribute to the gift fund, please transfer to the St Tom's General Account with the reference 'Susie's gift.'

Acc Name: St Thomas Burwood

BSB: 063-112

Acc No. 1039 7091

Reference: Susie's gift.

Farewell Carricks Parish Lunch - Sunday, 26 April

Sunday the 26th of April will be John and Susie's final Sunday with us at St Tom's.

Join in celebrating their 10 years of faithful service as we send them with love and thanks into ministry at St John's Anglican Diamond Creek.

Please contact Felice if you would like to help out to make this a special event!

TICKETS AVAILABLE HERE!

Pastoral Care - Pastoral Visit

Another way we care at St Tom’s is through pastoral visits—whether at home or in hospital, for prayer, encouragement, or Holy Communion. If you’d like a visit, please scan the QR code, or speak to one of our Care Coordinators, Ministry Team, or Welcomers

Term 2 Holidays

Term 2 holidays are already here! This means that St Tom's Weekly programs (Playgroup, 50+, Tom's Crew, St Tom's Youth and Young Adults) will not run.

Programs will be starting up in Term 2 beginning on the following dates:

- 50+: Friday, April 17th

- Tuesday Playgroup: Tuesday, April 21st

- Tom's Crew: Thursday, 30th April

- Thursday Playgroup: Thursday, April 23rd

- St Tom's Youth: Friday, April 24th

- English Classes: Saturday, May 2nd

- Sunday Club: Sunday, April 26th

- Introducing God: Tuesday, May 5th

Staff away dates

Some of our staff will be away in the period after Easter. Thank you for your patience in advance as response times may be longer than usual.

John: 09-22/04

Farewell Carricks Parish Lunch - Sunday, 26 April

Sunday the 26th of April will be John and Susie's final Sunday with us at St Tom's.

Join in celebrating their 10 years of faithful service as we send them with love and thanks into ministry at St John's Anglican Diamond Creek.

Please contact Felice if you would like to help out to make this a special event!

TICKETS AVAILABLE HERE!

The Sanctuary Course - starting Thursday 30 April, 7:30 pm

Do you want to know more about mental illness and better understand the experience of mental illness?
St Tom's will be running the Sanctuary Course to increase awareness of the nature and experience of mental illness.

It is suitable for anyone with an interest - whether that interest comes from your own lived experience of mental illness, your role as a carer, or a general pastoral concern you have about how we as a church can respond more helpfully and appropriately.
It is not designed to be a therapy group or a support group.
Sessions include discussion about mental health, mental illness, stigma, recovery, companionship, caregiving, self-care and reflection.
Each session includes reading material, video of interviews of people with lived experience and discussion.
We hope it will be relaxed and informative.

Run over eight evening sessions of 1.5 hours each between 30 April - 18 June, 7.30 pm - 9.00 pm at St Thomas’s Anglican Church.
Cost: A cost of $15 is charged for the course material.
For more information, please feel free to talk to Lorraine Johnstone, David Clarke, Janelle Rees or Annette Ward.

Find out more about it here!

Pastoral Transition

Pray for John, Susie, Mia and Noah as they embrace the changes involved with John's new appointment at St John's Diamond Creek Anglican.
Pray for our church community as we prayerfully depend on God through this transition and look towards the future
Pray for our incumbency committee members that as the transition begins in the coming months, that they would be granted God's wisdom and discernment in electing a new Vicar.
Pray for Joey Chan as he steps into the role of acting vicar (locum) and thank God for the provision of his assistance in this transition period.

Introducing God Term 2

Pray that guests will feel welcomed, safe, and open to exploring who God is.
Pray for clear, faithful teaching that points people to Jesus.
Pray that God's Spirit will soften hearts and bring people to faith.

St Toms Youth Ministry

For our youth, that we may find our belonging in Christ as we get to know Jesus and ourselves more and more.
For the leaders, to lead with God's wisdom and to have hearts like Jesus to love and serve the youth.
For new friends, that they may come to know the gospel through Clay and build a lifelong relationship in Christ.
For St. Tom's, to continue supporting youth ministry and encouraging our youth to participate in Clay and other youth programs.

Mission Partners

Bush Church Aid Annual Dinner - Saturday, 2 May

We are so looking forward to the Bush Church Aid Victoria 2026 Annual Dinner on Saturday, May 2nd. Our featured speakers this year are Bishop Rod Chiswell of Armidale, NSW, and our National Director, Greg Harris, who will update us on significant new initiatives.

Glen Waverley Anglican Church
5.30pm drinks for 6pm Dinner followed by a program
Spit Roast Dinner only $50pp
Guest Speaker: Bishop Rod Chiswell, Bishop of Armidale.
Purchase tickets at our website: www.bushchurchaid.com.au/events
Or by contacting the BCA Victoria Office: vic@bushchurchaid.com.au / 9457 7556

CMS Across Cultures Training Day - Saturday, 23 May

Want to grow in your confidence to know and share the gospel?

Would you like to encourage your friends from other faiths to be curious about Jesus?
Come along to learn how to better engage in gospel sharing in cross-cultural contexts!

CMS is giving Victorian churches a unique opportunity to hear from two interstate specialists in the area of cross-cultural evangelism, to encourage our churches to be thinking more strategically about the mission field that is our own suburb or town!

Giving at St Tom’s

Thank you for your partnership in the gospel through financial giving.
Our budgeted need is $36,500 per month, and your generosity enables the ongoing ministry and mission of St Tom’s across all our congregations.

General Giving

Your regular giving to the General Account sustains our week-to-week ministry, pastoral care, outreach, and staffing. This is the best place for your primary giving to support the mission of St Tom’s.

Building Fund

Gifts to the Building Fund help us service the debt on our building, enabling us to steward our facilities wisely and create space for ministry growth.

Giving by Debit or Credit Card

If you prefer to give by Debit or Credit Card, you can do so securely via our Tithely page