Membership

For those who want to enter into a deeper relationship with God and St. Thomas’ Parish we ask that members commit to the following principles adapted from Presiding Bishop Curry’s Way of Love.

TURN Pause, listen and choose to follow Jesus

We have listened to Jesus calling them to this parish and have met with our clergy or other members to be guided and supported in this decision. We have chosen to declare our commitment to this church community, regardless of previous religion or denomination. We seek to follow Jesus. We treat one another with love and respect. When conflicts arise, we deal with one another directly with one another.

LEARN Reflect on Scripture daily, especially on Jesus’ life and teachings.

We promise to actively engage in scripture, and seek to embody Jesus’ teachings within the world each day. We reflect on the gospel through studying scripture in small groups outside  of our Sunday worship service, and seek to learn more about Jesus’ teachings through exploration.

PRAY Dwell intentionally with God daily

We promise to engage in prayer throughout our daily lives, holding fellow parishioners, community members, and friends and family within our hearts. We support fellow parishioners in times of need, and embody a community of prayer through relationship.

WORSHIP Gather in community weekly to thank, praise, and dwell with God

We promise to regularly attend worship services throughout the entire year. Through worship we hear the Good News of Jesus Christ, give thanks and celebrate this goodness. We also confess our own faults as we pray for all that is broken in this world. As we break bread, our eyes are opened to the presence of Christ.

BLESS Share our faith and unselfishly give and serve

We promise to make a generous financial commitment to supporting the life of the parish. We make our financial giving to our parish and other causes sacrificial. We prayerfully enter a conversation with God in determining our giving, each according to our means. We are also generous with our time and talents, recognizing when we are called to serve in parish ministries and on committees. We actively engage in fellowship with one other through parish activities, such as sharing meals and telling our life stories.

GO Cross boundaries, listen deeply and live like Jesus

We will actively participate in standing up for justice among our DC, local, national, and global communities. Our commitment to seeing Christ in every person calls us to solidarity and action with those struggling in the Washington DC area and in the world. We seek to emulate Christ in our interactions with one another in this parish community and with our church leadership. We deal with internal conflict compassionately and strive to act according to our shared Christian values.

REST Receive the gift of God’s grace, peace, and restoration

We receive the blessings and rewards of sharing in this compassionate, faith-filled community and receiving the loving support of others. We take opportunities for rest and reflection through our parish retreats and through the moments we share together every Sunday morning and throughout each week.