Saint Paul's Anglican Church, Monte-Carlo a community of Light on the Côte d'Azur
St Paul's Church Community Summer Newsletter August 2018 .
GREETINGS FROM OUR NEW CHAPLAIN
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Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
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Greetings to you all this hot and sunny August. It seems that we have arrived in the midst of a global heat wave, but no matter, we are extremely thrilled to be with you after many months of preparations, moving and living out of suitcases. The apartment was finally completed and we have been here exactly a week in the Chaplaincy as I write to you in August.
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Of course, being the summer, many of you will be away and so we will not have met you.
As the weeks pass by please introduce yourselves to Jacqueline and myself. It will be good
to get to know you all.
 
For those of you who do not know us it's probably a good idea to introduce ourselves to you first. We are a family of six. We have four children, two who live in the Brighton and Hove area, Laura who is an actor but is now working as a pastoral assistant at All Saints, Hove and James who after studying theology at Oxford, now works in IT for the Pensions regulator. Flossy lives in New Zealand, currently working in admin in the health service and Benjamin who will be living with us here in Monaco. He is our youngest and has just finished his 'A' levels in England and is awaiting his results. Strangely enough we were here in Monaco doing a holiday locum when he received his GCSE results as well! Benjamin was a music scholar at Sherborne School and former Head Chorister at Westminster Abbey. He is intending taking a year out and then aiming to study Italian and Spanish next year at University...!
 
Jacqueline has spent most of her working life in Careers and University Guidance Counselling. She was Head of Gloucester University Careers Management department and has many years of expertise that she brought to Italy and the International School of Florence when we lived there for ten years. After we returned to the UK from Italy she retrained as a Bowen Therapist after taking another 'A' level in Anatomy and Physiology!
 
Next year I will celebrate 30 years being ordained a priest. I was ordained in Gloucester Cathedral and served in that Diocese until moving abroad. During this time we have lived in many different places and served communities in as many contrasting places as you can imagine. We have known Monaco for many years when we were living in Florence when we made several visits here, so the Church is familiar to us.
 
Our first priority over the summer and coming months is a very simple one. To get to know you, the community, and spend some time praying together and discerning how and where the Spirit will take us all. It is an exciting time as our new ministry together develops.
 
We wish you all a good summer break and a huge 'Thank you' to all those who have welcomed us here and made us feel at home...
 
Finally...we have 'Fern', our border collie...who is coping remarkably well with the heat and welcomes anyone who would like to take her for a walk...
 
Blessings to you all.
Fr. Lawrence
 
Summer Services
Sunday Mornings
Family Communion at 10:30 am
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During August there will be no Wednesday Evening Service. 
The Sunday Club & Mother Baby Group will return in September after "La Rentrée"
Future notice Harvest Sunday 30 September 2018
RIP DONNA DOBSON

  1 AUGUST 2018

A Reflection from Father Walter

Donna Dobson was one of the very first people I had the pleasure of meeting when I arrived in Monaco in January 2008. Donna was, at the time, a regular member of the 10:30 congregation, only missing services when she and Harry travelled away from the Principality. On my very first Sunday, Donna told me how happy she was to welcome another Canadian to Saint Paul's and this was the beginning of a wonderful complicity that we shared through all the years I served as Chaplain in Monaco. Donna, a native of Kirkland Lake, Ontario, was particularly gifted in that ever-so-dry Canadian sense of humour and could, with a off hand remark about the Canadian government for instance, bring a ready smile to my face.
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Eventually, Donna's health deteriorated to the point that she could no longer attend church services, but I often had the pleasure of encountering Donna in front of her apartment block on Ave de Grande Bretagne. She liked to get out of her apartment for some fresh air and exercise, walking as much as her failing health would allow, and with great determination, up and down the street in front of her home.
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Fortunately, Donna was able to attend the IWCR Bridge sessions in the Saint Paul's Library most weeks up until fairly recently. She loved these sessions and the women attending them and had occasionally hosted the group in her own home before the weekly bridge sessions were moved to the Library a few years ago. She and her husband Harry became strong supporters of the new Saint Paul's Library Lift and they made a significant contribution to help with the cost of the project. It is a great disappointment that Donna did not live to see the completion of the Library Lift - she had hoped to become one of its regular customers.
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I am very grateful to have gotten to know Donna and Harry at least a little over the years. Donna was a wonderfully determined, supportive and fun-loving person. She will be missed.
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                                                                                               Father Walter OGS
 
The annual Church Picnic takes place on Sunday 16th September at the
La Rocha Centre in the Domaine Courmettes in Tourettes-sur-loup,
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Please let us know if you would like to attend as this will help us in the planning
for the picnic lunch.Traditionally, we are invited to bring and share salads,
desserts and liquid refreshments.
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Transport, Once again a coach will be chartered,
leaving Saint Paul's at 9:30 am for Tourettes-sur-loup .
Please let us know to reserve seats on the bus by replying to picnic@stpaulsmonaco.com 
if you are travelling by car here is link for the Directions to Domaine des Courmettes
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We are able to hold the event inside in the unlikely event of Bad Weather

LIFT UPDATE
 

We are pleased to let you know that we are finally making good progress with the lift after many problems with the lift supplier. The lift has now been finished and will be able to be used as soon as it gets the official sign off from the Monaco authorities when they return from their summer holidays in September.
We will let you know as soon as it is able to operate. Thanks again to everyone who has supported the lift project for your continued patience. We are now entering the finishing straight!   
 
Confirmation at St Pauls 2018
 
Young people and adults at Saint Paul's have the opportunity, to take part in a programme of preparation for Confirmation according to the Anglican tradition (Church of England). The programme this autumn seeks to offer candidates a chance to question and explore their faith tradition. When the candidates are ready, one of the bishops in Europe will visit Monaco to celebrate Holy Confirmation at Saint Paul's. If you are interested please contact
Father Lawrence at chaplain@stpaulsmonaco.com
 
The Sunday Volunteer Rota .   .
Time to organise the next Rota for September
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Thank you all for your continuing willingness to serve the church.
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Please include in your reply the dates that you are  available to serve along
with a brief indication of the  roles you are willing to fulfil.
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If you would like to join us as a Sunday Volunteer please contact us
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Thank you for your help in planning the next Rota for Sunday Duties at St Paul's 
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please reply to this message at
rota@stpaulsmonaco.com
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Church Audio Recordings
Catch up on Services or Sermons you have missed
soon to include the readings
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 there are still music recordings available on our church Website 
which also includes the complete recording
of Father Lawrence's induction Service
 

Saint Paul's Anglican Church 
22 Avenue de Grande Bretagne
98000 Monaco.
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Chaplaincy +377 93 30 71 06
      Mobile  06 43 91 69 58 
Email:    chaplain@stpaulsmonaco.com
  Website :  www.stpaulsmonaco.com