Apalachicola, Florida
July 22, 2022
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It is an Honor to be Called to Serve Christ Together With You in this
Holy, Historic Place
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To my dear Sisters and Brothers at Trinity Parish, Apalachicola,
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and
from the Lord Jesus Christ.
As you may have heard from Sr. Warden Rennie Edwards, or through the Trinity grapevine, your Vestry has kindly invited me to be with you for the next few months as your Interim Rector. It is an honor to be called to serve Christ together with you in this holy, historic place, and I am most appreciative and humbled by the opportunity the Lord has given us. I look forward to August 7, my first Sunday with you. Carolyn and I are excited at the prospect of getting to know you, to quote, “The King and I.”
So that we will not be total strangers to you when we meet, here is a bit about us – about my ministry and our family:
My parents named me “Maurice Leon” – “Maurice” for my father and “Leon” for my mother’s father – but my grandmother called me “Rusty” for my reddish hair (when I had some), and that is the name that has stuck. When you grow up in Demopolis, Alabama, “Rusty” is certainly the better choice. As an only child and grandchild, I was spoiled rotten. My childhood was not without the usual bumps in the road to maturity, but, on the whole, it was wonderful. I attended the University of Alabama where I was an English major, and, much more importantly, met Carolyn Thomas, who, against all sound advice to the contrary, married me in 1964 in her home church, First Presbyterian, in Gainesville, Florida. After a time at Duke Law School, I withdrew to enter the Air Force in 1967 and was honorably discharged as a captain in 1971. During that time our first two sons, Alex and Michael, were born. Rather than return to Duke, I joined an investment-banking firm in Montgomery, where I was a vice president and principal, resigning in 1978 to attend seminary at the University of the South, Sewanee. Our third son, Thomas, was a two-year-old when we moved to the “Holy Mountain.” It was there that Carolyn began her formal art training and professional career. She has since become a widely known and collected artist, primarily in the Southeast. You can view her lovely work at carolyngoldsmith.com.
As you can imagine, there is a great deal more to tell about my conversion from the Jewish faith to Christianity, and from investment banker to Episcopal priest, but that is for another time. Suffice it to say that ordination was a radical change in almost every aspect of our lives, and the best thing that ever happened to us all. After a transformative three years at Sewanee, I served as Curate at Nativity, Huntsville, for two years, Sub-dean of the Cathedral Church of the Advent in Birmingham for nearly four, and was then called to be Rector of St. Mary’s-on-the-Highlands, Birmingham. There we stayed for 15 good years, resigning in 2001 to return to Sewanee as Senior Fellow and adjunct-faculty at the School of Theology. In 2003 the Bishop of Texas invited me to come to Houston for two years as his Canon for Congregations. I intended to retire at the end of that wonderfully challenging ministry, but was invited by another old friend to remain in Houston and to serve with him as his Vice-Rector at St. Martin’s, the largest Episcopal parish in America. I might be there yet if I had not had two heart “episodes” which led to my retirement in 2006 on the advice of my doctor. We returned to Birmingham, where I still serve as Priest Affiliate at St. Luke’s, Mountain Brook, our home parish. All our sons and their families (four amazing grandchildren) live in or near Birmingham. Alex, our eldest, is a corporate attorney and serves on the Vestry of St. Mary’s. Michael, our priest middle son and his family, live in Huntsville, where he is Rector of the Church of the Nativity. Thomas, our youngest, teaches English and Creative Writing and is Admissions Director for The Altamont School, from which all three of our boys graduated.
I am eagerly looking forward to serving our Lord and his people with you. Trinity will be the 12th parish I have served as Interim, and in that time have learned that anxiety and dis-ease are universal emotions in parishes during transitions. More importantly, these times can be periods of growth and excitement as we together discover what our Lord has in store for our future, and as we prepare to faithfully live into it. I pray and believe that we will find that to be true at Trinity.
Though there are indeed universals, I have also learned that every parish and each parishioner is unique, so please share with me and with one another, your hopes and fears, your dreams and vision for the future. I am also aware that as a result of your recent history, a period of healing and peace is vital before we can move forward productively. Your feedback is vitally important for this and every aspect of our mutual ministry.
I earnestly ask you to pray for me and for our shared ministry, and especially for Trinity and her lay leadership, as together we prepare for your next Rector, and for the next bright chapter in the story of this wonderful parish. I also expect us to have joy and fun along the way.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all.
Rusty +
The Rev. Dr. Maurice L. Goldsmith
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Dragging his Feet -- Uncle CT
A Eulogy by Jim Waddell
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Ponder family, gathered for CT Ponder's Memorial Service on June 26, 2022. |
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Good morning. As I begin, I’d like to explain to you that I am not crazy, and that I will refer to CT and Myra as Uncle and Aunt…though they are my Mom’s (Toonie) and Aunt Bootsie’s first cousins, I always knew them as such. Each family took turns, switch hitting in the task of raising us, whether it was at the beach or in town. I will also note that I was taught that anything written in this form should have a title. Thus, the title of this writing is Dragging His Feet. In these parts we all know that the term “Dragging your Feet” is a metaphor for procrastination, putting something off, etc. But, it has a more profound meaning in this case.
Reflecting on Uncle CT’s life, two themes come to mind…community and commitment to education. He was born and raised in Apalachicola. He returned here after graduation from Florida State University and was an intricate part of a community he loved so dearly.
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Tour of Homes Returns With Great Success |
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We are pleased to announce that the 2022 Tour of Homes was a HUGE success! The Vestry will receive $45,000 for the preservation of Trinity’s three historic buildings—The sanctuary, Benedict Hall, and the rectory. This is $10,000 more than in 2019!
There were almost 700 attendees, including over 500 tickets being sold along with 148 pillars and numerous volunteers.
Thank you, again, to all committee chairs and volunteers for your willingness to work together to produce this wonderful event.
-- Karen Kessell & Sabrina Fornes, 2022 Tour Chairs
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We will welcome our Interim Rector, The Rev. Dr. Maurice Goldsmith (Rusty), and his wife, Carolyn at a coffee hour reception
following the 10:30 am service on Sunday, August 7,
hosted by the 2022 Tour of Homes Committee.
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Local youths participating in the Community Moving Education summer program were treated to a three-day baking and cookie frosting session led by Kerry Petty, Bonnie Lewis, Patti McCartney, and Myrtis Wynn.
Trinity's own Carol Harris and Randy Mims, along with Charles Elliot comprise a musical trio known as Shaken & Stirred. Recently, they performed at the High Five in Apalachicola.
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Marie Virginia Davis Fortunas
September 2, 1926 - July 3, 2022
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Trinity Parishioner Marie Virginia Davis Fortunas, 95, of Apalachicola,
Florida, died July 3, 2022, at Westminster Oaks in Tallahassee, Florida.
A celebration of her life will be planned at a future date.
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July 24, 2022
Celebrant - The Rev. Martha Harris
Lectors - Patti McCartney, Brooks Jones
Prayers of the People - Rick Watson
Acolyte - Steve Watkins
Lay Eucharistic Minister - Dee Crusoe
Altar Guild - Gloria Austin
Flower Guild - Martha Harris
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July 31, 2022
Officiant - Steve Watkins, Karen Brown
Lectors - Dave McClain, Rennie Edwards
Prayers of the People - Patti McCartney
Acolyte - Susan Farmer
Homily - Penny Marler
Altar Guild - Gloria Austin
Flower Guild - Patti McCartney, Joy Tracy, Dee Crusoe
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Worship Services at 8 & 10:30 am Sunday, Eastern time
Church address: 79 6th Street, Apalachicola, Florida 32320
Office address: 76 5th Street, Apalachicola, Florida 32320
Mailing address: PO Box 667, Apalachicola, Florida 32329
Phone number: (850) 653-9550
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