St. Thomas was founded in 1911 by a group of Episcopalian women in Sunnyvale, who were inspired by the women of Trinity, San Jose. The choir director of Trinity, Clarence Urmy, came on Sunday afternoons to lead Evening Prayer in the Masonic Hall. A parcel of land was purchased in 1912 and parishioners built a small church in 1916. The Rector of Trinity had oversight of this new mission.

In 1926, the Rector of Trinity, Menlo Park took responsibility for our evening services with an attendance of 25. From 1933-1939, the Rev. Britton Weigle was appointed to serve at both Christ Church, Los Altos, and St. Thomas. Later the Rev. Albert Olson served as vicar for Christ Church and St. Thomas, from 1942 –1946.

On June 1, 1947, Bishop Block accepted St. Thomas as a regularly organized mission of the Diocese of California. At the Bishop’s insistence, members of St. Thomas built restrooms, a kitchen and social hall on to the church. Our first full time vicar was the Rev. Kenneth Eade, appointed in 1951. The annual budget of the church was $5,000, and Sunday School classes began to be held.

Membership increased from 45 to 200 families under the leadership of the Rev. Richard Byfield, who served from 1953-1957. During his tenure the church purchased two and a half acres on Sunset Avenue and construction of a new church took place in 1956. It cost $30,000. There was an Education wing, with a Children’s Chapel and offices. Our third vicar, the Rev. Allen McMahan arrived in 1957 and served until 1960.

In 1962, the West Valley Parent Preschool began to rent Education rooms for their cooperative nursery school. The next year members of the parish designed and created 6 large mosaics depicting the life of St. Thomas, to hang in the church. In 1965 parishioners created FISH, a non profit effort to provide food, clothing and furniture to needy people in Sunnyvale. In that same year, our fourth vicar, the Rev. Warren Debenham (1960 – 1974) led the church in moving from mission to parish status, thereby becoming the first rector. Plans were made to build our third church, which was completed in 1966. The original building on Sunset then became the parish hall. Many parishioners contributed expertise and labor to projects for the new church, from the cross over the altar to the vestments. The design of the new church was intended to express joy, mystery, and fellowship.

The second rector, the Rev. William Cowans had served for six year as Associate at St. Thomas when he was called to be rector in 1974. He led the parish through the use of trial liturgies, and encouraged the creation of a library in 1979. The church building was consecrated by Bishop Kilmer Myers after the mortgage was paid off in 1981. In 1982, there was an influential Bible Study on the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats. This study led to the creation of a Home Ministry program, a jail chaplaincy, and to a Thanksgiving meal for the hungry. The following March, Our Daily Bread was created to provide a free hot lunch 3 days a week to whomever was hungry.

In 1985, the first ordained woman, the Rev Joan Cottrell, was called as Associate and served until 1988. The 75th anniversary of the church was celebrated in 1986. The Rev. Patricia Robertson served as Associate Rector from 1988-1992. In 1990, a Chinese congregation was formed and began meeting for worship. At the end of 1994 they moved to St. Jude’s in Cupertino. In 1991, we joined with other churches to create the Rotating Shelter for homeless men.. The Rev. Bill Cowans retired at the end of 1994, and the Rev. Ruth Eller came as Interim Rector.

In 1996, the Rev. Wendy Smith, PhD was called as third rector. Under her leadership the parish undertook a master planning process, leading to a capital campaign and major renovation. In 2001 the kitchen and adjoining room of the parish hall were completely rebuilt for the preparation of food for 250 diners at Our Daily Bread. Then in 2002 –2003, the Office Building was renovated, the courtyard and the landscaping around the church were redone, a labyrinth was built, and a new Education Center was constructed behind the church.

Over the years from 1969 to the present, St. Thomas has been a parish which discerns and raises up people for the ordained ministry. One of the first was the Rev. Robert Williams, ordained in 1969 and he is still serving as deacon at St. Thomas. Four vocational deacons, and 12 priests, have come from St. Thomas.

In 2005 we hired Rosemary Halas as our Family Ministry Director, and she has built up our programs for families and our Sunday School. In 2006 we celebrated the 40th anniversary of the completion of our sanctuary, with an address by one of the architects, Carroll Rankin, and the presentation of a quilt. In 2007, we created the Safe Haven Transfer Center, for children of separated parents to be safely transferred between the custodial and non custodial parents for visits.