How do I learn about the faith?
Teaching at St Thomas'
We are all at different stages in our journey as followers of Christ, and deepening our understanding of the Christian faith is an important part of that journey. Teaching is therefore an integral part of our church's minsitry, and it comes in various ways. We believe the mass or eucharist to be at the heart of everything we do as a church community, and this is true of teaching just as it is true of our worship together, through the sermon or homily. In addition to this, there are various courses run from time to time and more informal house groups, and the clergy are always willing to arrange a time to meet with you for a discussion about aspects of the faith.
Some of the courses and groups we offer or have offered in the past are:
Alpha: this is a national course which is widely advertised and aimed at those who do not necessarily come to church as well as existing church goers. The key concepts of the Christian faith are introduced and discussed over a series of meetings, at which there is usually a meal. We do not have an alpha course running at present, but hope to do so again in the future. To find a local alpha course visit the Alpha website
Baptism/Confirmation Courses: each year we offer a course for adults who are thinking about confirmation (and baptism if not already baptised). This typically begins in September, leading to a confirmation service in February, and covers the basics of the Christian faith and life as a Christian. This will be the starting point for most people new to the church. Some people who have already been confirmed come along for a refresher.
Lent Courses: during Lent (the season of the church year leading up to Easter) small groups will often meet together to follow a course reflecting on a particular subject; these are open to all.
House Groups: there are at the moment two small house groups which grew out of our original alpha course which continue to meet on a regular basis for bible study. There is also a bible study group for young adults (16-30ish).
Occasional lecture series and discussions: from time-to-time we offer one-off or short self-contained series of talks or discussion groups covering various topics, such as a series of three talks in summer 2006 on what it means to be a Catholic in the Church of England.
Catholic Studies Course: This is a year-long course (which first ran in 2007 and will hopefully be repeated) for those wishing to deepen their understanding of the Christian faith, sponsored by the Bishop of Richborough and aimed at members of the Church of England who identify with the Catholic tradition. Visit the website for more information.
Courses will be advertised at Church and on this website; to find out more or to explore things on an individual basis, please speak to one of the clergy.
What is a 'Sacrament'?
The word 'sacrament' is used in several places on this website and may be unfamiliar to many visitors. The simplest definition comes from the Prayer Book Catechism: "an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace". They are more than symbols - the action signifies a deeper reality, and in some cases brings about a permament change in the person receiving the sacrament. God is at work in the sacrament in a mysterious way - mysterious because it is not possible for us to grasp in our finite minds the true nature of God - and for this reason the sacraments are often called, particularly in the Orthodox tradition, the 'mysteries'. We believe that the sacraments have been given to us by God to sustain us in our journey towards heaven, and so they are a particularly important way of sharing in the life of the Church.
There are seven distinct sacraments:
BAPTISM: through the pouring of water and the three-fold name of God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) we are cleansed of sin, united to Christ in his death and resurrection, and joined to his body, the Church.
CONFIRMATION: through the laying-on of hands by the bishop and annointing with oil, the gifts of the Holy Spirit received at baptism are stirred up and the candidate is given strength to live in the world as one who has made a public and personal commitment to Christ.
The EUCHARIST: at the Mass or Eucharist, bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Christ (without losing the physical and chemical properties of bread and wine) and by feeding on Christ in this sacrament, as he commanded us to do at the last supper, we unite ourselves with him once again in his death and resurrection, and unite ourselves once again with his body the church, receiving as we do so nourishment for our journey towards heaven.
RECONCILIATION: by making a thorough examination of conscience, acknowledging our sinfulness and separation from God, confessing our particular sins to the priest and resolving not to do them again, we receive in a personal way the assurance of God's forgiveness for these particular sins. Contrary to popular belief, this sacrament is available in the Church of England, and at St Thomas' it is available by appointment or before or after any mass.
ANOINTING: those who are sick can receive the sacrament of annointing with oil, either at home, in hospital, or at our monthly Saturday healing mass, as a sign of God's power to heal and make whole all that needs healing in a person's body, mind and spirit. It does not always bring about instant healing in the way we might want, and since death must come to us all in the end it can be used (but not exclusively) to prepare a person for the final journey towards heaven, along with the sacrament of the Eucharist - having said that some otherwise unexplained physical healings have been linked to prayer and anointing.
MARRIAGE: making vows before God, joining hands, and giving and receiving rings signify the forming of a lifelong bond between and man and a woman which reflects, however imperfectly, the bond of love and fidelity between Christ and his Church.
ORDINATION: the orders of deacon, priest and bishop are conferred through the laying-on of hands by the bishop, as a sign of the authority Christ gave to his church passed down through successive generations, and the gift of the Holy Spirit to enable them to follow this calling. Ordination, like Baptism, places an indelible mark on the soul of the person who receives the sacrament.