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.
In August 1986 I matriculated for my first semester of seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. It’s hard to believe that was 35 years ago. But it was.
I met many people that first semester of that first year. One was my beloved professor, mentor, and friend, Dr Frank Tupper. Three others were three women who began the adventure of seminary at the same time: Dina, Kelley, and Sally.
Dina is a career hospice chaplain. Kelley is a career hospital chaplain and chaplaincy educator. Sally is now a medical librarian. Dina and Kelley remained in Louisville after seminary. Sally is now in Worcester, MA.
A little over six years ago we realized that we hadn’t all been together at the same time in more than 20 years. We decided to change that.
In September 2015 we began the tradition of spending a long weekend together each year. We cook and eat and drink together. We sit on the porch and the dock together. We watch classic movies. We play games. We sing. We reminisce. We converse at length often accompanied by huge guffaws of laughter. And we write renga, a form of Japanese poetry that is traditionally written in groups.
Drawing from our first initials, we created ourselves as a four-member sorority: Delta Delta Kappa Sigma. (Our mascot is a blue chicken.)
Since we began these annual gatherings, all our children have pretty much launched, and four of our eight parents have died. We have accompanied one another across the decades and milestones, through tough seasons and times of celebration as well.
It is a blessing to continue in relationship with people who have known us since we were young. So many shared memories. So much life yet to come.
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We gathered each year in September for five consecutive years. In 2020 we Zoomed multiple times because we couldn’t safely get together. Of course it wasn’t the same.
In 2021 three of us will gather in person, and one will join in for some of the fun virtually. That won’t be the same either. But it is an improvement over last year and not getting together at all.
By the time you’re reading this, I will, God willing, be safely squared away at our usual lake house in southern Indiana, just across the Ohio River from Louisville.
And this year when we raise our glasses to toast the good things that have come into our lives since last we met, I expect your collective ears will be burning. For I will be sharing the good news of choosing and being chosen by St Paul’s, Key West to be the thirty-fourth rector and how tremendously grateful Becky and I are to spend this chapter of our lives in your company.
With you on the journey,
Donna+
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This Week's News Highlights
Mask Reminder
In light of the Delta surge, we ask that everyone, both vaccinated and unvaccinated persons, please wear a mask inside the nave, including before, during, and after the in-person services.
Also the congregation will not sing, although cantor Dean Warden will still sing a solo.
Other than the changes noted, the services will proceed as usual. There is ample space for self regulated social distancing. Communion under one kind (bread) will still be distributed at the altar. When receiving the bread, please remain masked, return to your seat and reverently consume the consecrated wafer.
Please join us if you are able.
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The Venerable Bryan Hobbs Returns This Week.
We extend a warm welcome to the Venerable Bryan Hobbs, retired Archdeacon of the Diocese of Southeast Florida for his second week as our supply priest.
Padre Donna will return next week.
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.
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Brick Project Ongoing
We just placed an order for a new grouping of bricks. They should be installed in the Memorial gardens soon.
Let's start working on a new set! This is an ongoing way to support the restoration and preservation of St. Paul's. 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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We had exciting progress in the past week as Check Electric continues to work on lighting replacement projects. Among other items, they have installed the backlighting for both of the tower stained glass windows, that have not been lit for some time. Both now glow beautifully and are again beautiful tributes to the families who donated it so many years ago. THANK YOU TO THE DONORS TO THE LIGHTING PROJECT! |
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This Saturday will be a little different. The Flower Guild/Volunteer group will meet briefly for one (1) hour this week starting at 9:00AM. I will be in an insurance seminar sponsored by the diocese. As you know, insurance is one of our major expenses, so I'm hoping to pick up some good points about coverage and possible savings in the seminar. Please see next week's Epistle for the volunteer schedule for the week after this coming one.
Scenes from this past week
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Senior Warden's Report
By Ray Warren
Thankful and Grateful
It's both a busy week and a slow week at St Paul's.
It is slow because this is the lowest season of the year. With the opening of schools, the tourists have finally quit coming in large numbers and many of the people with whom I usually work each week are on there summer vacations. (Ken Bagge and Dave Eyer, we miss you!)
But it is also very busy for those of us who remain in town. We are stretched pretty thin in the summer and that is exacerbated by travel. Covering the necessary tasks each week is a challenge.
So, in lieu of major announcements, I want to use this week's column to thank and give thanks for some of our blessings.
I give thanks to Dean Warden who has stepped up to help count money each week. This is actually a complicated task as money goes to different banks and into different accounts based on the giver's intent and the purpose of the contribution. We lost three tellers in the last year to death, family illness or relocation. So I'm not sure what we would have done without Dean. This is pure volunteer work on his part, unrelated to his position as cantor on Sunday.
I'm grateful to Tom and Clare Keller and Tammi Hoback who have also spent so many hours being tellers and office volunteers this summer.
I'm grateful to Les Steele, who is donating and arranging flowers on the altar this summer. That is a wonderful gift.
I'm grateful to Tim Peterson, who is employed part-time, but who puts in nearly full-time (and sometimes more than full time) effort to be not only the best music director we could hope for, but a volunteer expert on so many other matters.
Kudos and a shout out to Brian Wagstaff, who organizes the weekly usher schedule, and to Don Curry, Lila Whiteside, Tom Bond and Susanne Woods who regularly serve in that capacity.
Heartfelt love, praise and thanksgiving for Lisa Laskow, Bruce Hagemann and Samantha Hall who offer Morning and Evening Prayer virtually every weekday, and Tim Peterson and Mary Simmons who pitch in when needed. If you want a star in your crown in heaven, join this group (even as a fill in).
Many thanks to Kim Grizzle-Malgrat, who has almost single handedly done the hard work of filling candles and preparing the elements for the Eucharist during the late summer while her fellow altar guild members were away.
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I am beyond measure grateful to Greta Philips-Ford and Tom Ford for their steadfast support of this parish. Greta is on campus nearly every day directing projects and contractors. On Saturdays Tom usually joins her for three hours of physical work with other volunteers. I believe there's been more renovation, repair and improvement on the property in the last year and a half then in the previous decade or more.
I'm grateful to Susanne Woods for mentoring and leading another year of the Education for Ministry (EfM) program. As the new winter season begins in a few months, I am hoping that we have many educational opportunities. (I know our new rector is a major proponent of Christian formation and adult education.) EfM, which started its semester this week, will be part of that mix, and an important part.
And, finally, I'm grateful to the people who continue to send checks from their summer locations and to the long-term local members who, even when not comfortable returning to in person worship just yet, continue to support our parish. The continued support and endearing faithfulness of our members and friends is inspiring.
We are in a good place. And I'm grateful to God and to each of you for that. As many of you prepare for fall colors, we're looking forward to our first cool front - and hopefully, a return to more activities together. God bless, and be safe in all of your travels.
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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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Reminder from Tim
By Tim Peterson
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"The From the Organ" will not be having a concert in October.
I and other local organists have been providing monthly organ concerts for just over a year. In October we will take the month off, and hope to be back the first Thursday in November.
I hope that you will consider supporting this important series at St Paul's. The organists each donate their time in playing these concerts. A great way in saying 'thank you' would be to attend (in person, if possible, or online) the next one hour long concert. Watch for details and information in an upcoming issue of The Epistle.
If you missed the monthly organ concert on Thursday, 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 5:00PM 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), Daniel Hess (friend of Joseph Lyles), Tom Hojnowski (Dave and Irene’s nephew-in-law), Dave, Pat and Pete, Michelle Garcia, John and Martha England (parents of Becky England)
We pray for the departed and their loved ones
Delia Marlene Sparks (mother of Linda Sparks), Isaac Archer, Wanda Harris, Ruth Andrew (mother of the Very Reverend Debra Maconaughey, dean of the Keys Convocation), Earl Johnson (uncle of parish administrator Lisa McCarthy), Jerry Bird (friend of Les Steele)
"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 September Birthdays:
Sandy Higgs 09/02
Eddie Webster 09/03
John McDaniel 09/04
Tony Willis 09/04
Sabrina Acevedo 09/05
Hunter Lavoie 09/05
Daniel Marsical 09/05
Thomas Edward Highsmith 9/06
Karen Horan 09/06
George Wallace 09/06
Lorri-Ann Guay 09/07
Edith Losley 09/07
Mitchell Mungall 09/07
Larry Myers 09/07
Amanda Horan 09/09
Terri Seargent 09/09
Tim Peterson 09/10
Margo Alley 09/12
Wendy Niven 09/13
Sherry Webster 09/14
Sarah Hall 09/16
Michael Malgrat 09/18
Tamara Hernandez 09/20
Joan Papy 09/20
Henry Allen 09/23
Caitlin Ford 09/23
William Albury 09/25
James Canterbury 09/25
Theresa Marius 09/25
Joanna Schmida 09/26
Steven Blanco 09/27
Michael Guay 09/29
(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 September Anniversaries:
Eddie & Sherry Webster 09/07
James & Angie Canterbury 09/09
Jim & Pamela McCloud 09/09
Robert & Sharon Ward Wilcox 09/27
Thomas & Nicole Reeder 09/30
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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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