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.
What’s your address? Is your response, “Which one?”
Mine is.
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After living for 14 years in the same house in Decatur, Georgia, my current residential and mailing address is that of the St Paul’s rectory in New Town: 3435 Riviera Drive, Key West. I memorized it before I even arrived in late May and have used it countless times already on various forms and shared it with many loved ones.
On Monday evening, July 26, Becky arrived from Georgia at the Riviera Drive address. We are so glad to be once again living under the same roof.
Another of my addresses is for the house I grew up in near McDonough, Georgia. It’s my homeplace. My Dad built that house in stages single-handedly starting in 1953. It took him 12 years to finish out everything. My parents paid cash for the materials, and the house never had a mortgage. It’s the only place I lived for my first eighteen years until I left for college.
I have spent over half my life at those two addresses in Decatur and McDonough. I have lived many, many more places in multiple US states and in Japan. I don’t remember most of the other addresses, but I do remember most of the other places I inhabited.
Shingleroof Campground in Henry County, Georgia, where I spent last week, is another location, albeit without a regular kind of address, that I identify as an important place in my life. It’s another kind of homeplace, a spiritual homeplace. Do you have some of those as well?
Another address that now rolls easily off my tongue is 401 Duval St, Key West, as does “on the corner of Duval and Eaton.”
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Padre Donna's family homeplace in McDonough, Georgia |
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Padre Donna's family tent at Shingleroof Campground |
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Places are important, homeplaces particularly. Our life in them shapes us in particular and sometimes peculiar ways. They help to make us who we are. To be without special places—and to be without any fixed address—makes life in our current culture very difficult.
What’s your address? Even more significantly, where are your places, your special and particular homeplaces, spiritual or otherwise? Wherever they are, can you say about each of them what Jacob said after his vision of the ladder into heaven (Genesis 28:10-19), “Surely God is in this place”?
With you on the journey,
Donna+
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This Week's News Highlights
August "From the Organ" Concert Canceled
It turns out that Tropical Storm Elsa did not entirely spare the church. A lighting strike associated with the storm caused significant damage to the organ console. See Tim Peterson's column below for details. But please note that the August "From the Organ Concert" scheduled for August 5th has been canceled.
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.
Most Covid-19 restrictions have been lifted, though those who are not vaccinated, or who feel comfortable doing so, are certainly encouraged to wear masks.
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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Almost time to set a new section of bricks!
It is hoped that the order for the next grouping of bricks to be set in the memorial garden can be placed soon. Shipping costs dictate that bricks only be delivered for placement when about 10 or more have been ordered. We are getting near the number needed for the next set.
Please consider joining in our ongoing brick project so that the next set can be ordered. 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 (if Facebook cooperates with the connection). 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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Featured in this weeks volunteer photo is Caroline Timura, a Key West School Student working on her volunteer hours for graduation. She will be working with Debbie Jo Clem, a master gardener, in the beautification/restoration of the garden by the front of the Historic Rectory.
If any of you have grandkids or neighborhood Key West High School students that are in need of fulfilling service hours - please have them join us on Saturday morning from 9:00 to 11:00. This project will entail around 30-40 volunteer hours (in total, participants can work as many or as few as they need or desire), and will include learning how to design a garden, plant selection, planting and maintenance of the garden. Participants can attend as their schedules allow or for however many hours they need.
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Caroline Timura working in the Memorial Garden for volunteer hours to graduate from Key West High School. Caroline is a junior. And needs 100 hours of community service. |
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Thank you, Ken!
Our incredibly hard working and industrious sexton, Ken
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Bagge, has been using his skills to organize and refresh the attic space in the church. Newly painted and clean! |
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Senior Warden's Report
By Ray Warren
Of Organs, Budgets and Our Legacy
The music program at St. Paul's is almost entirely self funded. The regular church budget covers basic tuning of the pianos and the organ, and the music director's salary. But repairs to the organ are funded entirely by music program funds.
The music program is funded in normal years by concert revenue, an annual grant from the Cherry and Watson Music Fund, special programs and voluntary gifts from members and friends. As you know, during the past year concert activity (other than the monthly free concert) has been halted. That makes voluntary designated gifts from members and friends especially important.
The lightning strike alluded to in Tim's column below was a serious blow. While the church has good insurance and a reasonable deductible, that deducible still results in a very large unbudgeted expense for repairs.
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To support restoration of the organ, supporters of the music program can give in two ways. A designated gift (either through the church giving portal or via check) can either be denoted as for "the organ fund" or for "the music program". Either way will support the repair of the organ.
("Organ fund" gifts are used only for the organ, but "music fund" gifts can also be used for that purpose. If giving through the church giving page, be sure to put either "organ fund" or "music fund" in the space marked "Add special instructions to the seller".)
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Tim is understandably concerned about the magnitude of the damage and the potential cost of restoration. I know you will gladden his heart, as well as do a very good thing, if you are able to help us recover from this unfortunate situation. |
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EfM - One More Reminder
I think Susanne has received messages of interest from two or more persons, but there is room for more. If you want to join the EfM class this fall, please let her know right away.
Help! (and Thank You!)
Many thanks to Tammi Hoback for responding to last week's call for help. It is very much appreciated.
To repeat, for any others in Key West for the summer, we desperately need volunteers to help with office type tasks during weekdays of the work week. This is a serious problem in the summer when so many of our retired members and members with flexible schedules are out of town.
Our small summer congregation contains a number of people who work during the day and few who can lend a hand during normal work hours. But if you can step forward, even only on occasion, please let me know or email the office. We are seriously "short staffed" with volunteers now.
Envelope Reminder
Remember, if you want giving envelopes for the year 2022 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.
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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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August "From The Organ" Concert Regrettably Canceled
By Tim Peterson
The August edition of “From the Organ” scheduled for this Thursday, August 5, at noon has been cancelled. Many of you may not know, but our organ was struck by lightning the day after Tropical Storm Elsa came through. (Rain bands associated with the storm persisted after it had passed.)
Probably 2/3 of the organ is playable, and we are glad that we are able to use it on Sundays. However, it is not up to being a ’solo’ instrument at this time. Parts have been ordered and received by our technician in Ft Lauderdale. We hope to be added to their repair schedule in the near future.
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Perhaps you would like to give a gift to the organ fund to help us defray some of the costs. Please send a check to St Paul’s, and in the memo line of your check, please write “organ fund”.
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, John Shaver, Joe Wittreich and Zane Wruble (daughter of Kathleen Bratton), Sarah, Steve Sika, Maxon Faraldo, Leslie Steele and Jeff Minalga
We pray for the departed and their loved ones
Mark Simcox
"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
Judy Sandground 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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