Sunday Worship at 8:30 & 10:30 Details

  2100 Hilton Ave, Columbus, GA 31906  ·    706.324.4264  ·       Give

St. Thomas Episcopal Church
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Music

St. Thomas has a long history of excellence in music . We sing Anglican classics as well as music of living Episcopal composers. We have commissioned several choral and handbell works. The St. Thomas Choir also likes to travel, and in the last decade has sung at the Washington National Cathedral, Wells and Norwich Cathedrals in England, The Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York and Dublin in 2022.


A Special Celebration

Celebration of St. Thomas Music

Celebration of St. Thomas Music

29Jan
Sunday, Jan 29, 2023, 10:30 AM
January 6, 2022 marks the 20th anniversary of Rick McKnight’s service as Organist and Choirmaster of St. Thomas. To mark the occasion, Rick asked to celebrate not only his milestone but the legacy of St. Thomas music over the decades. On ...
Details


Choir

This non-auditioned choir sings for the 10:30 worship service and for special services during the church year. Singing in the choir requires an enthusiasm for choral singing and basic music reading skills. The St. Thomas choir is composed of adults and teens in high school. Musicians are also welcome to play an instrument in worship. While maintaining high standards through hard work and dedication, we also have a lot of fun together. The choir is a warm and supportive community. Note: as of November 2021 St. Thomas Choir members and those playing a wind instrument must have received the Covid-19 vaccine.

Rehearsals typically take place on Wednesdays from 6:45 – 8:30 PM and on Sunday mornings at 9:30 AM.

Click here for St. Thomas Choir Highlights on Youtube


Children's Choir

The Children’s Choir is for children between the ages of 4 years old and 5th grade. They sing several times a year at our 10:30 worship service and on important occasions. Their participation in the choir is a wonderful way for our children to learn more about music, the church liturgy and hymnal, and to become an active participant in worship. Ms. Katie encourages them to sing with enthusiasm and to bring meaning and focus to the words of their anthems. As of November 2021 this group is not meeting. Children’s Choir rehearsals will resume when it is deemed safe to do so.



Summer Choir

This is an inter-generational choir that provides general musical leadership while the St. Thomas Choir is off in the summer. This non-vested choir meets in the choir room at 10 AM to prepare for the service at 10:30. This is a perfect time to bring the entire family and enjoy a bird’s-eye view from the choir loft.


Instrumentalists

If you play a musical instrument proficiently we would love to feature you in our services. Please contact Organist and Choir Master, Rick McKnight, directly.

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Rick McKnight
Organist & Choirmaster

    Rick McKnight

    Organist & Choirmaster

    Rick has been a member of St. Thomas for over 25 years and has served as Senior Warden, Chair of the Stewardship Campaign, and Acolyte Master. In 2000 the Rev. Lori Lowe, Rector of St. Mark’s (LaGrange) asked if he would play the organ and direct the choir for three weeks, and that three weeks turned into three years!

    Rick has also served as the President of the Columbus Symphony Orchestra and the Cultural Arts Alliance. In 2004, Rick answered the call to serve St. Thomas as Organist-Choirmaster. During his years at St. Thomas, the St. Thomas Choir has grown to almost 40 singers. In addition to singing weekly, the choir has sung at Washington National Cathedral and our own St. Philip’s Cathedral. Rick has served on the Diocesan Music and Liturgy Commission and led the 100th Anniversary of the Diocese of Atlanta Celebration at the RiverCenter in Columbus.

    Rick is proud of the musical accomplishments of the Choir, but the spirit of community and care that is fostered among the members is what gives him the most gratitude. He is married to Marquette McRae McKnight, who serves St. Thomas as a Verger, Lector and Lay Eucharistic Minister, and on the Flower Guild. They have two children, Mac McKnight and Mitchi McKnight Wade.

    Music Choir Children's Choir Summer Choir Instrumentalists

    Past Performances

    Upcoming Music Events

    10:30 Worship
    Sunday, Jan 29, 2023, 10:30 AM
    Details »

    Celebration of St. Thomas Music
    Sunday, Jan 29, 2023, 10:30 AM
    Details »

    10:30 Worship
    Sunday, Feb 05, 2023, 10:30 AM
    Details »

    10:30 Worship
    Sunday, Feb 12, 2023, 10:30 AM
    Details »

    10:30 Worship
    Sunday, Feb 19, 2023, 10:30 AM
    Details »

    Music

    Wednesday Word from Rev. Grace - Music at St. Thomas

    There's an early picture of the St. Thomas Choir hanging...

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    Christmas Music & Flowers

    Donations for Christmas Music and Flowers are being rec...

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    Order your church directory here!

    Church Directories are Ready! Use the form belo...

    Read More »

    Trinity Sunday Photos

    Brunch Celebrating Judy Harding and Parish Hall renovati...

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    ​Ireland Pilgrimage

    Members of the Choir along with some non-singing friend...

    Read More »

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    2100 Hilton Ave · Columbus, GA 31906
    706.324.4264

    The Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta


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    Service Times

    Sundays in-person and online at 8:30am and 10:30am. Join us on YouTube, Facebook, or at St. Thomas Online.

    Sunday Morning: 8:30 am A brief service from the Chapel led by clergy with no music.

    Sunday Morning: 10:30 am A service from the Nave led by clergy and worship leaders that includes sacred music.

    Location

    St. Thomas Episcopal Church
    2100 Hilton Ave
    Columbus, GA 31906

    Contact Us
    706.324.4264

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    Welcome I'm New Who We Are Joining St. Thomas Covid-19 Protocols

    We are a church of loving, committed and searching Christians who value diversity and cherish the gifts of young and old alike. We welcome ALL God’s children into our sacramental community, respecting the dignity of every person as we are called to a ministry of reconciliation and inclusion. You are welcome here as God’s own.

    Like the apostle Thomas, we encounter the risen Christ in our lives together and find ourselves transformed.

    We invite you to worship, learn, and serve with us!

    Learn More

    We know finding a church can be hard. We were all new to St. Thomas once, so let us tell you a little about ourselves.

    We are named for the apostle Thomas, whose life was changed when he encountered the risen Christ. His confession of faith, “My Lord and my God,” is printed above our altar.

    Like Thomas, we encounter the risen Christ in our life together and find our lives transformed. We invite you to worship, learn, and serve with us.

    I'm New

    St. Thomas was founded in 1958 and is a congregation of about 400-600 people. A few folks have been here for a long time, but a lot of us are newcomers! Some of us grew up as Episcopalians, some of us came from other Christian traditions, and some of us have no religious background at all!

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    It is easy to join St. Thomas as a member. Just tell us you want to belong, and we'll enroll you as a baptized member of the congregation. If you've never been baptized, contact Rev. Grace to schedule a time for Holy Baptism. We look forward to being in touch with you.

    Contact Patty in the church office at [email protected] with questions.

    Joining St. Thomas

    The pandemic taught us a lot about preventing the spread of disease when we gather. Read the current practices at St. Thomas by clicking on the button below. Our Vestry reviews and updates these each month.

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    For a one-time gift, you will be asked to load a form of payment to be debited when you make your gift. You can log in to your St. Thomas Member Portal account to give or view past gifts.

    Our Stewardship Committee decided to focus this year on sharing the “St. Thomas Story” with our wider community. “Love God. Love Every Person. Learn and Serve Together.” summarizes our mission.
    St Thomas is a blessed community of the faithful. We look what is needed in the year to come, with your support.

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    Everyone plays a part in creating our beautiful life of worship, learning, and service through St. Thomas.

    What part will you play in the coming year?
    Our Ministry Sign-up Form highlights ways to participate and serve in the life of St. Thomas over the next year. Please review prayerfully. Mark the things you are already doing and wish to continue along with the activities you would like to join for the next year.

    Thank you for for the part you play in the beautiful tapestry that is St. Thomas as we worship, learn, serve and gather together.

    Click here for the 2022-2023 Ministry Sign-Up Form.

    We continue to invite gifts above your pledge to the Continuing Faithfulness Capital Fund so we are prepared to address major capital needs as they arise. There is still more to be done, and we are determined to meet these needs in stride with a reasoned and forward-looking approach.
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    The pet memorial garden is a garden for the remembrance of our beloved pets. It provides a permanent resting place for the pets who live on in our memories and in our hearts. It is a place to give thanks to God for the companionship of beloved animals and to commit ourselves to care for all of God’s creatures. Engraved bricks are arranged in the garden around the cross. Engraved bricks are available for purchase as a permanent way to remember your pet. The fee covers, the brick, installation of the brick, maintenance of the garden, and a donation to PAWS Humane Society of Columbus, Georgia.

    Learn More Brick Order Form