St. Paul's Episcopal Church |
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This Week's News Highlights
Our Service This Week
Holy Eucharist on Facebook and for those in person will be at 8:30AM on Sunday. See below for how to attend by either mode of participation. Advanced sign up is no longer required. Masks are still required as is social distanced seating. Congregational singing is not yet permitted, but there will be beautiful music from the organ and our cantor.
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New Rector Called. Installation Service to be June 5th.
With the approval of the Bishop, the St. Paul's Vestry has adopted the recommendation of the Search Committee and signed a Letter of Agreement with the Reverend Donna S. Mote to be the next parish Rector.
The Reverend Mote, PhD has been the Vicar of ATL (Episcopal Chaplain to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport) since 2013. The world’s busiest airport every year since 1998, ATL is a parish of 4,700 acres with pre-COVID numbers of 300,000+ daily passengers and 63,000+ employees.
She has also served since 2016 as Missioner for Engagement and Innovation in the Diocese of Atlanta, serving on the bishop’s staff to consult on, coach, strategize, support, promote, and provoke innovations in ministry in Middle and North Georgia. With Bishop Robert C. Wright she has authored The Go Guide: 10 Steps for Innovations in Ministry from Luke 10.
She is Chaplain (Captain) in the Georgia State Defense Force and chaplain to the 76th Support Brigade.
Dr. Mote earned degrees from Shorter College (BA), Southern Seminary (MDiv), and Emory University’s Graduate Division of Religion (PhD), and completed Anglican studies at Sewanee: The University of the South.
Donna was raised up for ordination by the parish of St Bartholomew’s, Atlanta. She is an Associate of the Order of St Helena. A seventh-generation native of Henry County, GA, Donna grew up in the Elliott Community outside McDonough. Her very first memory is of going to meet her grandmother as she arrived at ATL.
Donna is married to Rebecca England, and they have two sons, Anderson and Jordan
Racial Justice Program Offered by the Keys Deanery
The Keys Deanery (consisting of the five churches in the Florida Keys) are offering a chance to participate in the
"Sacred Ground" program this summer, starting May 25.
Sacred Ground is a film- and readings-based dialogue series on race, grounded in faith. Small groups are invited to walk through chapters of America’s history of race and racism, while weaving in threads of family story, economic class, and political and regional identity.
The 10-part series is built around a powerful online curriculum of documentary films and readings that focus on Indigenous, Black, Latino, and Asian/Pacific American histories as they intersect with European American histories.
Sacred Ground is part of Becoming Beloved Community, The Episcopal Church’s long-term commitment to racial healing, reconciliation, and justice in our personal lives, our ministries, and our society.
This offering will consist of ten sessions, meeting virtually (online) every other Tuesday at 6:00PM. We are hoping for two or three people from St. Paul's to participate. (Because it will happen online, participation can be from anywhere in the country.) More information about the dialogue program can be found here.
If you are interested in participating and can commit to actively do so for the entire 10 meetings (over a 20 week period) please contact the Senior Warden.
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Installation of New Rector Will Be Saturday, June 5th
Mark your calendars for Saturday, June 5th at 5:00PM. Our Bishop, the Right Reverend Peter Eaton, will be here to formally welcome and install our new rector.
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Restoring and Preserving St. Paul's One Brick At A Time
A new set of bricks, representing love, remembrances and faith as expressed by parishioners, was recently set in the Memorial Garden. (The latest grouping is pictured.) Please consider joining in this 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
Join us for Holy Eucharist at 8:30AM on Sunday in person or join us on Facebook.
To join 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". 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.)
Did you know you DO NOT need to have a Facebook account to view the service or visit our Facebook page? Simply use the Facebook page link to go directly to our Facebook page (even if you don't have your own Facebook account). Follow the directions above.
You can open or download the bulletin for the Sunday service here.
You no longer need to pre-register to attend a Sunday services. If we do not already have your contact information you will be asked to fill out a contact information form one time (only) to be added to the list of persons for whom we have such information.
Please remember that masks are still required, there is no congregational singing (though there will be beautiful organ music and a solo by the cantor) and socially distanced seating will be in effect. We look forward to seeing you!
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Junior Warden's Report
By Greta Philips-Ford
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As you know, we received a challenge from one of our parishioners to raise $4,000 – which will then turn into $8,000.00!
If we can raise $4,000.00 by the end of May—the benefactor will match the amount! These funds will go towards the “re-lighting” of the windows in the Sanctuary and other needed and long deferred projects.
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Thank you to our seasonal friends Seth and Kim for donating the two bicycles for the May Challenge! Our amazing sexton Ken Bagge worked his magic and gave them each a little tune-up. We sold the bikes to our wonderful Lisa, church secretary (featured in photo by Tim Peterson) and Edmund Callahan, one of our Volunteers. The two bikes brought in $155.00 cash - plus the May Challenge matching offer means that is doubled and we are up $310.00 towards our goal.
You can help us reach the full goal (and double your own gift) by contributing to the May Challenge this week. Remember to note “May Challenge” on your check or note “May Challenge" in online contributions through the giving page on the line marked “instructions to seller.”
As always, volunteer parishioners and friends will be gathering on Saturday to do important work around the church campus. We need many volunteers in the next two weeks to get everything ready for our new priest.
On a separate note, we have two outside fans that need to be replaced on the outside porch at the Riviera rectory. Anyone want to volunteer for this project? Please let me know. All others, See you Saturday morning at 9:00AM at the church.
Make sure you get your Covid vaccine so we can all celebrate the new priest together!
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Senior Warden's Report
By Ray Warren
The End is Near! Long Live New Beginnings!
We are heading to a new phase in our life together. Change is always both exciting and, sometimes, scary. But it is an inevitable part of life.
I, for one, am very excited. I was not on the search committee. And, understanding how the process worked, I didn't ask for any information about the candidates being considered. So, when I met Donna a few weeks ago it was for the first time, and without a great deal of background information.
It was immediately clear that the Search Committee had made a good choice. I think she will fit in very well with the traditional ethos of St Paul's Key West, while also leading us in new directions in ministry and outreach.
In the survey most of us took before the search process even commenced, our community expressed a strong yearning for more opportunities for fellowship, outreach and ministry. We are fortunate that our new priest is not only committed to those goals, but well versed in bringing them into fruition.
No one person can run such a large and complex parish alone. I can tell you from nearly a year's experience that the administrative burden alone is huge. And the need to provide pastoral care and leadership will be layered on that.
Our priest will need our prayers, support and understanding.
When the call goes out for volunteers, please consider being part of the team. When the call goes out to help those in need, please be ready to stand up and offer assistance. When the call goes out to build community together, please be eager to join in the effort.
Our search committee has chosen a fantastic leader. Now it is up to us as a community to support her and build an even stronger community of faith here in the heart of Key West.
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If you need assistance setting up an appointment for a Covid-19 vaccine, please contact the office (info@stpaulskeywest.org or 305-296-5142). The sooner we can reduce the range for variants to arise, and strive toward herd immunity, the sooner we can return to more normal activities as a community.
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A reminder that the Memorial Service for longtime member and volunteer Charles "Chuck" Hammond will be at 2:00PM on Sunday, May 16. If you would like to attend, please mark your calendar. As with other services, masks will be required and social distancing guidelines will be in force. You DO NOT need to sign up in advance for this service. |
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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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Music Archives Online!
Did you miss the organ recital "From the Organ" on Thursday?
Well, 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, Sarah 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 Robert’s partner), Peter Nanos, Joseph Lyles, Danny Sweeting, Cari Varela, Carolyn Sangston, Ed Hinkle, Christina Sloan
We pray for the departed and their loved ones
Charles "Chuck" Hammond, Kathryn Heldt (mother of Lisa McCarthy) and John Lyon
"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 May Birthdays
Jim McCloud 05/01
Tom Valvoda 05/02
Milford Crandall 05/05
Jason Greko 05/05
Janet Carr 05/08
Gianna Parrish 05/09
Edward King 05/10
Michael McLaughlin 05/12
Susanne Woods 05/12
Barbara Tirman 05/17
Pearl Pope 05/18
Marilyn Helgeson 05/19
Joseph H. Lyles, Jr. 05/19
Noe Nelson 05/20
Patrick Mobley 05/24
Melissa McLaughlin 05/25
Buzz Braley, Jr. 05/26
Cheryle Allen 05/28
Lisa Benfield 05/28
Tom Keller 05/28
Natalie Sweeting 05/28
Dotti Albury 05/30
(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 May Anniversaries:
Peter & Faye Graniela 05/03
Michael & Sarah Kindinger 05/12
Samantha & Chris Hall 05/18
Wynn & Isabel Steincamp 05/19
Perry & Sherri Hodies 05/20
Ricardo & Caimyn Eage Montano 05/20
Jack & Lorraine Zimmerman 05/20
Kyle & Holle Campbell 05/27
Martin & Joanne Hindsley 05/27
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Reminders
Sunday school is canceled during the virus emergency.
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 (317) 414-4194
Office closed during the virus emergency
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