Groups
St.Thomas’ has a variety of groups! Please contact us to get involved.

Stitchers and Knitters Group

Join us every Tuesday from 9-11:30 for our vibrant Stitchers and Knitters Group at St Thomas’  This talented and creative community gathers to craft beautiful quilts, prayer shawls, knitting, projects and crafts for Christmas bazaars. In addition to their incredible creations, they also enjoy a delightful coffee time, fostering warm connections and conversations.

Embrace your passion for stitching and knitting while building friendships with fellow artisans. Discover the joy of creating and connecting at St Thomas’ Anglican Church, Belleville – a haven for expression and fellowship within the Anglican Church.

 Community Gardens

 

Our partner CDC (Community Development Council) donated bags of compost for each garden box which meant our gardeners each had 3 bags of nutrition to add to their vegetables.

Our garden area has 22 boxes open to the community for use.

St Thomas Book Club

St Thomas’ Floral Garden

Approximately 25 years ago a conversation took place between Catherine Hall and Father John Uttley about the grounds surrounding the beautiful St. Thomas’ Church. There was lots of grass, weeds, and a few trees but little else. There was very little to make one feel welcome. Discussion began between some of the parishioners and Rev. Peter Joyce as to what could be done to make the grounds more inviting and inspiring, a place of rest and meditation for our parishioners and the community at large.

The St. Thomas’ Grounds Improvement Committee was formed. One of the guiding members was Robert Porter, who at the time was a student at the Landscape, Architecture program at the University of Guelph. Robert made suggestions as to where the gardens could go and the type of plants that would do well there.
The gardens were made ready by church volunteers and there were many donations of plants and trees which were planted and nurtured.

The “Green Team” encouraged planting flowers and bushes which would encourage growth of bees and birds. A compost bin was built by the shed – it was replaced with a new bin several years ago 

The gardens continue and when working there we are often told by those who walk around the area how much they enjoy them. During the Canadian Federation of Women’s Garden Tour (we are their rest and cooling centre), many of the visitors comment on the beauty of our church gardens.
Our team of gardeners have become smaller over the years and it seems the gardens are expanding. 

For this ministry to continue more volunteers are needed – the more we have the less work we have to do, because without OUR VOLUNTEERS these gardens would not be possible.

Get involved. Contact Sandra Mouland, Flower Garden Co-ordinator

St Thomas Book Club
St Thomas Book Club

Join us at St Thomas’ Book Club, a haven for bibliophiles within the Anglican Church. Immerse yourself in the joy of reading and lively discussions with fellow book lovers. Connect with others who share your passion for literature and engage in meaningful conversations centered around thought-provoking books. Expand your horizons, broaden your knowledge, and nurture your love for reading.

Email: Bernadette

Pastoral Care Team 

The Pastoral Care Team is made up of 14 caring parishioners who throughout the year lend support to members of the congregation in various ways from visiting, to phone calls, to birthday, get well, thinking of you and sympathy cards. Day by Day booklets are distributed to those who request them, welcome bags are given to newcomers and funeral receptions are coordinated.

Newly reintroduced during 2023 is holding a service of Eucharist at each of the Belleville Retirement Homes on a monthly basis. This has been organized thanks to our Deacon Kate Ann Follwell, assisted by Sharon Mortimore from Christ Church and accompanied on guitar by Heather Fisher. It has been very well received.

The team looks forward to continuing their work during 2024. My thanks to all for their dedication.

Contact Bonnie Dobson, Chair person

 

PWRDF – The Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund

The Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund was created in 1958 as the Anglican Church of Canada’s response to the Springhill N.S. mining disaster. Since then it has grown into a major fund, giving relief to victims of disaster around the globe, and promoting development wherever it is needed, particularly in South Asia and Africa, but also at home in Canada among First Nations communities.

A defining characteristic of the PWRDF is that, unlike most aid organizations, it relies on local, on- the-ground groups to identify and define problems, and then works with them to fund and implement solutions, often in concert with other church groups. Local communities are thereby empowered to take charge of their own problems, be they problems of finance, of education, of healthcare, of resources, or of infrastructure. For this reason, the PWRDF is able to operate with a tiny staff out of its Toronto office, which in turn means that the great bulk of donated funds goes to those who need it rather than to support an organizational bureaucracy.

In the autumn lead-up to Christmas we campaigned each Sunday for the PWRDF’s “World of Gifts”, and we are currently putting together a soon-to- be-announced program for the spring.

We are always looking for volunteers. Please contact Bill Tomlinson. 

 

At St. Thomas’ Anglican Church,  every year, our dedicated volunteers participate in the Meals on Wheels program, serving those in need right here in Belleville. Our commitment to making a difference goes beyond our walls, as we strive to support and uplift our community. Join us in our mission to spread kindness and compassion. Contact Mel Plewes for more information.