Fall Theological Education at Saint Thomas

Dear Friends,

I am delighted to share with you the program for Theological Education at Saint Thomas Church this fall. It is a season rich with opportunities to explore the intersection of faith, poetry, spirituality, and social action. Whether you join us in person or online, I hope you will find in these sessions nourishment for your faith and encouragement for your life of prayer, study, and action.

The Hobart Theology Lecture

With Poet-theologian Pádraig Ó Tuama and The Rt. Rev. Marianne Budde, Bishop of Washington.

Title: “Sanctuary: Space of Belonging and Thriving”

Wednesday, October 15, 7–8:30 pm
In person at Saint Thomas Church and livestreamed

This fall’s Hobart Theology Lecture will be a remarkable conversation between poet-theologian Pádraig Ó Tuama and The Rt. Rev. Marianne Budde, Bishop of Washington. Together they will explore the theme Sanctuary: Space of Belonging and Thriving.

At a time when many feel excluded or displaced—by politics, social upheaval, or the stresses of daily life—what does it mean to create sanctuary? Ó Tuama, renowned poet and peace-builder, brings a perspective shaped by years of reconciliation work in Northern Ireland and a deep sense of the sacred woven into the everyday. Bishop Budde, a respected voice for justice and compassion in the Episcopal Church, brings pastoral wisdom and a call for the church to be a place of radical hospitality.

This lecture is not just an intellectual event—it is an invitation to imagine how our communities can become true sanctuaries: places where every person is welcomed, seen, and given space to thrive. We invite you to join us, and to bring friends who may be seeking a vision of church that is inclusive, creative, and courageous.

Register to attend the Hobart Lecture.

Sunday Theology Talks

Series on Poetry and Faith in Pádraig Ó Tuama’s Kitchen Hymns
Sundays, September 14 – October 12, 10:00–10:45 am
Led by Fr Luigi Gioia, Theologian in Residence

Our Sunday morning Theology Talks this fall draw us into the gentle, probing, and deeply spiritual world of Pádraig Ó Tuama’s poetry. Through his words, we are invited to encounter the everyday sacred—learning how to listen, to stand still, and to discover God in the overlooked corners of life.

Here is the program for the series:

1. God Between the Lines: Poetry, Prayer, and the Places We Begin (September 14)
   From Belfast to the world stage, poet and peace-builder Pádraig Ó Tuama shows how poetry can hold our questions about God without rushing to answer them.
2. Do You Believe in God? And Other Questions Worth Answering Slowly (September 21)
   In a world that demands quick answers, Ó Tuama invites us to sit with life’s deepest questions—long enough to hear what they’re really asking.
3. In a Garden by a Gate: The Sacred Work of Standing Still (September 28)
   A journey into the spaces between—waiting, watching, and discovering God in small, overlooked places.
4. Kitchen Hymns: The Liturgy of Kettles, Cups, and Quiet Blessings (October 5)
   In Ó Tuama’s world, even making tea can be a prayer. Daily life becomes liturgy when we pay attention.
5. The Prophetic Voice of Poetry (October 12)

Discover how poetry unites spirituality and justice, calling us into deeper compassion.
Each of these talks is designed to help us experience poetry not as something distant or abstract, but as a living resource for prayer and discipleship. As always, sessions will be accompanied by handouts and livestream access for those unable to attend in person.

Thursday Reading Groups

The Thursday evening reading groups offer a slower, more conversational approach to learning together. This fall, we will take up two very different but complementary texts.

Borders and Belonging: The Book of Ruth – A Story for Our Times, By Pádraig Ó Tuama and Glenn Jordan
Thursdays, September 18, 25, and October 9 – 6:45 to 8:15 pm

In a world increasingly anxious about borders, strangers, and the politics of belonging, this book by Ó Tuama and Jordan invites us into the ancient story of Ruth. Their poetic reading challenges us to move beyond suspicion and scapegoating toward a society where belonging is reimagined and shared.
Together, we will explore how Ruth’s story speaks directly into today’s divisions and fears, offering us a vision of community rooted in trust, hospitality, and resilience.

How We Learn to Be Brave: Decisive Moments in Life and Faith, By Mariann Edgar Budde
Thursday, October 2 – 6:45 to 8:15 pm
With the participation of The Rt. Rev. Allen K. Shin, Bishop Suffragan, The Episcopal Diocese of New York

Bishop Mariann Budde’s most recent book explores how courage is formed in the crucible of decisive moments—whether personal or communal, joyous or painful. She offers wisdom for those who seek to live with faith and conviction amid uncertainty and challenge.

Why Join us This Fall?

• This year’s offerings weave together poetry, theology, spirituality, and social action. Each gathering—whether a lecture, a Sunday talk, or a Thursday reading group—will give us opportunities not only to learn but to be transformed:
  Poetry will help us to pray and to pause, to notice the presence of God in the ordinary.
• Theology will give us language to ask our hardest questions without rushing to answers.
• Conversation will connect us with one another, as we listen deeply and share insights.
• I warmly encourage you to mark your calendars. Also invite others! Each of these gatherings is designed to welcome those who may be new to Saint Thomas, to faith, or simply seeking a deeper way of seeing the world.

Practical Details

• Location: The events take place in the Parish House, 1 W 53rd Street, Fifth Floor Room. The Hobart Lecture will be held in the church and livestreamed.
• Registration: You will receive weekly reminders, handouts, and links to livestreams and recordings. You are registered already to our mailing list but if you wish to invite others to join the link is HERE
• Accessibility: The Sunday Theology Classes will be made available online for those unable to attend in person and and edited video-recording will be available for those who want to watch the talk later. The Thursday Book Reading Groups will be in person only.

Dear Friends, I look forward to learning, praying, and growing with you this fall. May these offerings inspire us to discover God’s presence in poetry and prayer, and to carry that presence into a world hungry for belonging, justice, and peace.

All blessings,

Fr. Luigi Gioia
Theologian In Residence