St. Thomas Episcopal Church - Sunnyvale, California

05/01/2026

St. Thomas is a welcoming Episcopal parish in Sunnyvale, California, seeking a part-time Music Director. Our music ministry centers on a 10–12 person volunteer choir, thoughtful hymn singing, and music that supports the rhythm of the liturgical year. Working collaboratively with the Rector, accompanist, and parish staff, the Music Director will nurture a joyful and well-prepared choir, encourage confident congregational singing, and help shape a music program that deepens worship and builds community. A full position description is available here:

About St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church Saint Thomas Episcopal Church is a welcoming Episcopal parish located in Sunnyvale, California, serving the Silicon Valley community. The parish is part of the Episcopal Diocese of El Camino Real and seeks to nurture spiritual growth through worship, fellowship, ...

10/24/2025

Stewardship Sunday is Oct. 26. We gather as one congregation to celebrate the many ways St. Thomas gives to the community. We will only have one service at 10:30am, followed by a chili and baked potato lunch. Come learn about our missional foci and listen to a preliminary budget before making your pledge.

10/10/2025

Global Migration Birding Day - October 11

Join Pastor Salying and Andrew for a birding day. Here are the details:

When: October 11 at 10am-11:30am

Where: Ullistac Natural Area, southern entrance (not main entrance).

This is across from Lick Mill Park, which has bathrooms and water. The trails are pretty flat, with a bit of an incline up to the levee. Not difficult.

4901 Lick Mill Blvd, Santa Clara, CA 95054

37°24'12.5"N 121°57'14.4"W

Parking along the street.

Bring: Hat, water, binoculars, comfortable shoes, long sleeves or

sunscreen, snacks.

Cost: None



Birds you’ll likely see are song birds (Phoebes, hummingbirds, finches) and raptors (red tail, red-shouldered hawks, vultures). Salying has seen a CA thrasher, black-tailed kite and a skunk there. Also, there are interesting trees and plants there.

If there is interest, we can go out to lunch afterwards. There are restaurants nearby.

10/07/2025

Dear St. Thomas' Facebook friends,

Most of you already know by now about the sudden death of our beloved Fulvia Govetto. It has come as a shock to our community, and we are grieving. We hold all those who love her in our heart, especially her closest friends and family, especially her husband, Mark.

We don't have many details, but she was not feeling well when she arrived in Italy to care for her mother. That night, she went to bed and died in her sleep. When Mark returns from Italy, we will plan Fulvia's service. We will announce it on Facebook.

Fulvia was truly one of the most loving people I have known. She also had a beautiful voice and now there is another soprano with the angels.

Fulvia also managed the St. Thomas page. She did a beautiful job. I will now manage it.

Please pray for Fulvia's repose and for all who mourn.

Peace,
Pr. Salying

09/17/2025

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RzgXb58r4Y
Sermon from September 14 - 14th Sunday after Pentecost & Second Sunday in the Season of Creation
The Parable of the Lost Sheep
by Lou Poulain, Licensed Lay Preacher

The parable of the lost sheep reveals that the care of the sheep-owner is actually love for the entire flock, enough to risk much to find the lost sheep. We are capable of a sense of kinship with the Creation, which can also be called love. And that love can motivate us to make hard choices, even sacrificial choices, arising from our deep care the God’s Creation.

September 14, 2025 The Parable of the Lost Sheep by Lou Poulain, Licensed Lay PreacherThe parable of the lost sheep reveals that the care of the sheep-owner ...

09/14/2025

Welcome to our worship on September 14 , 2025, the Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost AND also the second Sunday in the Season of Creation.

There will be two services at St. Thomas this Sunday, led by Pastor Salying, with Lou Poulain preaching.
+ Holy Eucharist, Rite I at 8am in the church.
+ Holy Eucharist, Rite II at 10:30am, in the church with a livestream on Zoom.

For those who have vulnerable health issues, our 10:30am service always offers an option to worship from the safety of home. Please stay home if you feel sick.

The bulletin for the 10:30 am service is online at:
https://stthomas-svale.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/14-Pentecost-C-Pr19-09-14-25-1030am-HE2.pdf

The Zoom link to join the 10:30 am service remotely is:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82690025101
OR
by phone (audio only), Dial +1 669 900 9128; Meeting ID: 826 9002 5101
When prompted for a participant number, touch the pound key ( #). Follow the usual procedures for muting and unmuting (*6) and raising a hand (*9). For the sake of audio clarity, your mic will be muted on entry.

Regarding joining us on Zoom, we welcome newcomers and appreciate your on-time attendance. If you arrive more than 15 minutes after the service begins, our Zoom protocols may not permit your joining the service. Equally important, please be sure that your zoom account ID includes your first and last name. We look forward to seeing you.

09/13/2025

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u050NnUPuXU
September 7, 2025 - Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost & First Sunday in the Season of Creation. In lieu of a sermon, we heard an Introduction to the Season of Creation, as read by the Rev. Salying Wong

September 7, 2025 In lieu of a sermon this Sunday, we had ad Introduction to the Season of Creation read by the Rev. Salying Wong

09/06/2025

This coming Monday, September 8, Wesley United Methodist Church in San Jose will host a special event, featuring Nico Lang, author of "American Teenager: How Trans Kids Are Surviving Hate and Finding Joy in a Turbulent Era" in conversation with Pastor John Oda.

Monday, September 8, 6:30-8:00 pm
The Chapel at Wesley UMC (566 North Fifth Street, San Jose, CA)
Parking available in lots on 5th and 6th Streets.

Find more event details below.

Wesley United Methodist Church in San Jose's Japantown is pleased to host a "American Teenager: How Trans Kids Are Surviving Hate and Finding Joy in a Turbulent Era" book event, cosponsored by PFLAG and the Reconciling Ministries Network. Please invite your friends to this event.

About the book:
AMERICAN TEENAGER How Trans Kids Are Surviving Hate and Finding Joy in a Turbulent Era
by Nico Lang
Media coverage tends to sensationalize the fight over how trans kids should be allowed to live, but what is incredibly rare are the voices of the people at the heart of this debate: transgender and gender nonconforming kids themselves. For their groundbreaking new book, journalist Nico Lang spent a year traveling the country to document the lives of transgender, nonbinary, and genderfluid teens and their families. Drawing on hundreds of hours of on-the-ground interviews with them and the people in their communities, American Teenager: How Trans Kids Are Surviving Hate and Finding Joy in a Turbulent Era (Abrams Press; October 8, 2024; U.S. $30.00; Hardcover) paints a vivid portrait of what it’s actually like to grow up trans today.
From the tip of Florida’s conservative panhandle to vibrant q***r communities in California, and from Texas churches to mosques in Illinois, American Teenager gives readers a window into the lives of Wyatt, Rhydian, Mykah, Clint, Ruby, Augie, Jack, and Kylie, eight teens who, despite what some lawmakers might want us to believe, are truly just kids looking for a brighter future.

Monday, September 8, 6:30-8:00 pm
The Chapel at Wesley UMC (566 North Fifth Street, San Jose, CA)
Parking available in our lots on 5th and 6th Streets.

09/06/2025

On Saturday August 23, Abby O'Connell treated us to a free Zentangles art creation class. It was a very enjoyable, meditative, relaxing and creative morning and the results of our efforts are shown below. Thank you Abby!

09/06/2025

Sharing Bishop Lucinda's fundraiser for Episcopal Relief & Development. Help her celebrate her birthday by making a donation to help those in need!

Send a message to learn more