St. Paul's Episcopal Church
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From the Rector
By the Rev. Donna S. Mote, PhD
Dear People of St Paul’s,
Grace and peace.
Two weeks ago, as we celebrated the lifting of all but two COVID-19 worship protocols in the Diocese of Southeast Florida, I named three words that I think will characterize the life and mission of St Paul’s moving forward.
These words are hybrid, distributed, and agile. They are attributes, really. And they will sometimes overlap and interconnect.
Last week I wrote a bit about what hybrid means in our context right now. Today I turn to distributed.
I intend this attribute quite literally, as in spread out and spread around to multiple places. Immediately we can identify that these features also characterize our hybrid worship, allowing us to join our prayers from multiple locations at once. Distributed also has some resonance with apostolic, as in “sent (out).” We are sent at the conclusion of every Eucharist with the dismissal.
Beyond things happening online, including not only worship but also meetings, formation gatherings, courses, and so on, distributed for our purposes also includes a variety of in-person gatherings. These will happen not only on St Paul’s physical campus but also at community gathering spots and institutions and involve conversation, meals, learning, worship, and ministry.
Even in a small congregation, it is difficult to know everyone. As Canadian pastor and congregational leadership expert Carey Nieuwhof puts it, “Even though you can’t have a congregation where everyone knows everyone, you can have a congregation where everyone is known.”
One proven way to strengthen relationships within a congregation is through smaller groups that meet regularly. In some places these are just called “small groups.” In other places they’re known as “life groups.” And they go by other names as well. What do they do?
Among other things, they eat together. It’s the heart of our tradition for groups to gather to break bread together, which is literally what we do at Eucharist. Shared meals in other locations are important as well.
Groups also can worship together, including before or after meals, praying the office from the prayer book closest to the time they are gathered, Compline (prayer at the close of the day) after dinner, for example, before dispersing to their respective homes.
A book study or a thematic study or class or course is another possible group endeavor. This is one way to approach Christian formation, which a number of St Paul’s folks have told me they would like more of. This kind of group could meet between the 7:30 AM and 10:00 AM services on Sunday, or it could meet at a mutually convenient time on another day of the week.
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Groups can also gather to carry out shared ministry in the community, laboring for a special event for a good cause or participating in a ministry they discern together.
There’s value in changing the members of the groups from time to time. And there’s value in the same folks meeting or working together regularly for a long stretch.
To have intentional groups doesn’t mean we won’t still have ad hoc and spontaneous groups or that we won’t do things as a large, gathered community. Smaller groups are simply part of knowing others and being known and extending our reach—beyond the campus, into the community.
I hope beyond-the-campus distributed gatherings may include opportunities to celebrate Eucharist in a variety of places: with a small group gathered for a meal, at the Monroe County Jail with officers and inmates, in a restaurant with workers before their shift begins. What kind of distributed gatherings call to you?
With you on the journey,
Donna+
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This Week's News Highlights
Our Service This Week
Holy Eucharist, Rite II will be at 7:30AM. This is a quiet, intimate spoken service.
Holy Eucharist, Rite II will also be celebrated at 10:00AM with music and incense. This service will also be live streamed on Facebook Live.
As most Covid-19 restrictions have been lifted, socially distanced seating, checking in with contact information, and a mask requirement will no longer be in effect. (Those who are not vaccinated, or who feel comfortable doing so, are certainly encouraged to wear masks if desired.)
The prior ban on congregational singing will no longer be in effect. Communion has returned to the altar rail (and will be brought to those unable to approach the altar).
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Restoring and Preserving St. Paul's One Brick At A Time
Please consider joining in our ongoing brick project. You can order your brick(s) here.
Proceeds help preserve our iconic church and grounds for future generations.
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Sunday's Service
Holy Eucharist will be celebrated at 7:30AM and 10:00AM on Sunday. The 10:00AM service will also be streamed on Facebook. There is definitely room for all. Please join us if you can.
To join via Facebook (at 10:00AM), go to the church Facebook page at the appropriate time and look for the window showing that "St. Paul's Key West is now live". Click on the window. (You may need to refresh the page a few times if the "live" window does not appear promptly at the appointed time.)
You can open or download the bulletin for the 10:00AM Sunday service here.
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Junior Warden's Report
By Greta Philips-Ford
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Volunteers will gather to work on church property at the church between 9AM and 11 AM on Saturday. We are looking for volunteers this week to help replace the window air conditioner in the sacristy, which unfortunately stopped working.
If anyone of you have ever helped polish brass or set-up for the services you know how hot this room can get without any windows to open for circulation.
If you are able to help but can’t make it Saturday morning give me a call on my cellphone and we can work out another time—305-797-0284.
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Our beloved organ has been ailing lately and may even have suffered from a lightning strike.
Thankfully, we are able to call in a true expert - Douglas, from Guzowski and Steppe's Pipe Organ Company.
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Here are photos of Douglas working on the organ—nice to have a face to go with the individual that contributes so much work on our organ! Thank you Doug and Tim!
It is great to be able to sing along on Sunday!
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Senior Warden's Report
By Ray Warren
Do You Want Envelopes?
Wow, it is hard to believe that the year is more than half over. It is now time to order giving envelopes for next year.
In the past, because of the way we counted and accounted for money, the envelopes were extremely helpful. Now that is much less the case. Most people either give electronically or use checks on which they write their church giving number on the memo line.
Even if you don't write your number on your check, we have a check reading machine that recognizes checking account numbers and matches them with our account numbers.
In other words, the parish doesn't really need you to put your check in an envelope. We will figure out which account to credit. Envelopes are provided on request as an accommodation to those who want them.
Cash is a different matter. The best way to make sure that cash is properly credited is to put it in a giving envelope. But any envelope with the proper number – even a name on it - will do.
So, if you want envelopes for the year 2021 please contact the office right away via email or phone (305-735-1867). We will be submitting our order soon. Given the changing nature of accounting for contributions, we will only order envelopes for those who specifically request them. So, please be sure to send an email to the office or call to request that we order envelopes for you if that is what you would like.
Forward Day By Day
Some people have asked about a Forward Day By Day publication. These have always been available in the back of the church. When the church was closed because of the pandemic, and then only open for limited services, we reduced our order for the publications. But rest assured the order has been increased and we hope to have the publications back in the rear of the nave soon.
In the interim, and even thereafter if you like to do things digitally, you can access forward movement publications, including a daily devotional that is free at this link.
Opportunity Knocks
The time is rapidly approaching for the beginning of the next semester of EFM. Despite its name, EfM ("Education for Ministry") is not for ministers, and it's not even about going into some kind of specialized ministry. It's about learning about our faith.
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Next week I hope to have testimonials from some of the people who participated in EFM this year. I can say that we all agree it was a life-changing experience. Although very different in age, background and secular viewpoints, we have bonded together through shared study. We still meet once a month (via Zoom) to catch up - even though there are no classes in the summer.
Please consider being part of this incredible learning and growth opportunity. You can work full-time. (One of our members does.) You need not be local full time to Key West (only two of us - out of seven - were full timers this past year). If you are traveling on class night you can join via Zoom.
Give it some thought. More next week.
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Contacts:
Church office phone: 305-296-5142
Church mailing address: 401 Duval Street, Key West FL 33040. Pledges and offerings can be mailed here or made electronically at the church giving page.
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Next Organ Concert is August 4th
By Tim Peterson
Remember that you can also find prior recordings of many past concerts and musical offerings on St Paul’s Facebook page, or on YouTube.
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We Pray Each Day
Daily Morning and Evening Prayer is being offered on Facebook Live at 7:30AM and 500PM on weekdays.
Thanks to Bruce Hagemann, Lisa Laskow, Mary Simmons, Samantha Hall and Tim Peterson for volunteering to officiate at these sacred moments.
To join in the prayers via Facebook, go to the church Facebook page at the appropriate time and look for the window showing that "St. Paul's Key West is now live." Then click on the window.
"Like" us and turn on live notifications to get a reminder whenever we are offering prayers.
Please pray this week for healing for
Brittany (Sherri Hodies’ daughter), Beth and Jon Peterson (sister-in-law and brother of Tim), Al (Kitty Roberts’ partner), Peter Nanos, Joseph Lyles, David Sweeting, Monica (Kitty Roberts’ daughter), Gina, Sandy Highsmith, Carla Harper (sister of Joseph Lyles), Fran Lepine (friend of Joseph), Judy Denton Ping, Ken Reed, Mickey Malgrat, Mark Simcox, John Shaver Joe Wittreich and Zane Wruble (daughter of Kathleen Bratton)
We pray for the departed and their loved ones
Crystal Cates
"Into your hands, O merciful Savior, we commend your servant"
(Send your prayer requests to Tim@stpaulskeywest.org for future publication and to be included in the Sunday service. By default requests will be listed for four (4) weeks. But if the need continues, please let us know.)
We celebrate these June Birthdays
Brian Wagstaff 07/01
Jim Kracht 07/03
Pamela McLaughlin 07/03
Dexter Simmons 07/04
Deborah Hindsley 07/05
Tina Johnson 07/05
Susan Byrd 07/07
William E. Malpass 07/08
Wendy Tucker 07/08
Greta Ford 07/09
Josefina Reif 07/09
Kyle Campbell 07/10
Kerstin Griffith 07/10
Gary Hernandez 07/10
Mary Taylor 07/10
Pam McCloud 07/11
Michelle Valdova 07/12
Darren Horan 07/13
Chelsea Wells 07/13
Ron Barker 07/14
Lynese Mariscal 07/14
Tom Ford 07/15
Anne McKee 07/16
Akailah Cyrillien 07/17
Nicole Reeder 07/17
Jeff Carr 07/19
Jack Zimmerman 07/19
Sherri Hodies 07/20
AnthonyMarcussen 07/21
Glynn R. Archer IV 07/24
Michael Kindinger 07/25
Sharon Ward 07/25
Troy Thomas 07/26
Lyle Harris 07/28
(If your name is missing from this month's birthday list please send a note to info@stpaulskeywest.org so we can add it.)
We Celebrate June Anniversaries:
Edward & Diane King 07/01
David & Pamela McLaughlin 07/28
Kenneth & Marilyn Helgeson 07/29
Daniel & Lynese Mariscal 07/29
Wally & Joyce Senney 07/29
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Reminders
Sunday School will resume when possible.
Back issues of The Epistle are available here.
Send questions and comments to the editor of this newsletter here.
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Tel. (305) 296-5142
Pastoral Emergencies (305) 735-1867
The nave of the church, the grounds and gardens are open for prayer and meditation daily.
The church office is located in Holy Innocents Hall
Rector's Drop In Office Hours: Tuesdays, 1 - 5PM
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