Sunday 7 July, 10am, St Thomas’ Church, Woodland Terrace, SE7 8EW

Have you heard the phrase ‘a doubting Thomas’? Perhaps you’ve said it to someone who can’t make up their mind over something. This Sunday, 7 July, we’ll be celebrating the man behind the phrase – St Thomas.

St Thomas was one of Jesus disciples, but as this reading from the Gospel of John shows, Thomas was not with the other disciples when Jesus came after his resurrection. Thomas doubted the others when they told him they had seen Jesus.

But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.”

A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”

This Sunday at 10am our two congregations will worship together to celebrate St Thomas’ Day. Our guest preacher will be Rev William David, the Chaplain at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, who recently made a pilgrimage in the footsteps of St Thomas. And 13 of our children will receive their First Communion.

After the service we’ll have lunch together. Why not come and join us? And find out whether it’s really fair to use the phrase ‘a doubting Thomas.’