St. Thomas Lutheran Church on Salmon Street in Brick is known for two Sunday worship styles: traditional worship at 9:15 a.m. and contemporary worship at 11:30 a.m. The church's motto is "Gather in Hope + Reach up in Praise + Reach out in Love."
Two Sunday Worship Styles
St. Thomas gathers for worship every Sunday morning, beginning with Traditional Worship at 9:15 a.m. and continuing with Contemporary Worship at 11:30 a.m. People who are not members are welcome to attend either service, and the congregation also invites others to become part of its church family. Between those services, Christian Education provides a distinct time for Sunday school.
Joyful Noise Worship is held every third Sunday from September through May.
Christian Education and the School Year
Christian Education, identified as Sunday School, meets at 10:20 a.m. between the two worship services. Rally Day marks the beginning of the Sunday school year, and the church has also held backpack blessings at that time.
The church has offered Vacation Bible School as a time for learning and fellowship. It has also celebrated First Communion with people affirming their baptism through Confirmation. The church's Christmas in July gathering has featured Christmas songs, characters from the Christmas story, hot cocoa and Christmas cookies, along with a collection of school supplies.
The Andersons' Path to Serving St. Thomas
Pastors John and Judy Anderson came to St. Thomas in 2011 as Transformation Ministry Pastors. Two years later, their titles changed to Redevelopers, and in 2017 the congregation called them to serve as regular pastors. They met while students at seminary in 1993 and married in 1996. John also serves Holy Trinity in Brant Beach, while Judy previously served as a pastoral assistant in Baltimore and later served a congregation in West Collingswood.
Pastor John holds a Bachelor of Arts in history from Albright College, a Master of Divinity and a Master of Sacred Theology from the former Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia, now United Lutheran Seminary. Pastor Judy holds a Bachelor of Science and Master of Arts from New York University, a Master of Divinity from the seminary and a Doctor of Ministry degree from it. Both name reading and time at the beach among their interests; Judy also enjoys crafts and cooking.
Hope, Praise and Love in Ministry
St. Thomas is a Lutheran congregation connected with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and its New Jersey Synod. Its motto names a three-part pattern for congregational life: gathering in hope, reaching up in praise and reaching out in love. The church's activities include worship, Christian education, Vacation Bible School, the Joyful Noise gathering, backpack blessings and seasonal opportunities for learning and fellowship.
Tithe.ly Giving and Brick Contact Details
Donations can be made through the church's Tithe.ly giving link or a QR code. The office email is officestlcnj@gmail.com and the telephone number is (732) 477-5533. The church is located at 135 Salmon St, Brick, NJ 08723.
A Sunday Built Around Worship and Learning
St. Thomas's Sunday rhythm remains centered on worship and learning: traditional worship at 9:15 a.m., Christian Education at 10:20 a.m. and contemporary worship at 11:30 a.m. Around that schedule are the pastors' ministry, the Joyful Noise worship gathering every third Sunday from September through May, and a continuing emphasis on gathering in hope, reaching up in praise and reaching out in love.