Weekly eNews for
Sept 3rd, 2026
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NEW THIS WEEK
CHURCH OFFICE IS CLOSED MONDAY
IN OBSERVANCE OF LABOR DAY
In observance of Labor Day, the church office will be closed on Monday, September 7.
The office will reopen on Tuesday, September 8, and resume normal office hours.
We wish everyone a safe and enjoyable Labor Day!
THIS WEEKEND OPEN PLATE OFFERING
SEPTEMBER 5 & 6, 2026
Because of the generosity of our St. Monica’s family, we are able to continue caring for our church and making improvements that benefit everyone who worships here.
Your recent support of the altar lighting project allowed us to fully fund that need. Thank you. It is a wonderful example of what we are able to accomplish together.
For September, our Open Plate Offering will be directed toward another visible need in our worship space: repairing broken kneelers and improving the hymnal storage on several of our chairs.
Every contribution helps us continue making thoughtful improvements throughout St. Monica’s. We are deeply grateful for the many ways you support our church and help us care for the place we are blessed to call home.
MESSAGE FROM OUR MUSIC DIRECTOR ♫ ♪ ♫
ALLEN STOCK
It has been six months since I began my music ministry at St. Monica’s. I have been blessed to work in this capacity with Rev. Sylvia, our gifted pastoral staff, the Choir members and instrumentalists, and you, all the wonderful parishioners of our parish community.
As you know, one of my goals is to increase the membership of our Choir. I greatly appreciate the gifts and talents that each of our singers bring to this very important ministry. Please consider joining the music ministry as a choir member or instrumentalist. The Choir rehearses on Thursdays from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. and generally sings at the 10:00 a.m. service on Sunday September through May. Once a month, the Choir will rotate and minister at the 5:00 p.m. service on Saturday. For more information, please see me, Allen Stock, after any weekend service, my phone number is provided in the members directory or email me at allen@stmonicasnaples.org
♫ ♪ ♫ CHOIR CONCERT ♫ ♪ ♫
On Sunday, October 25 at 4:00 p.m., our Choir will present a concert
celebrating the 35th Anniversary of St. Monica’s Episcopal Church. This musical program will include a dedication of our new Walker organ with a broad repertoire of sacred and patriotic music honoring our parish heritage and paying tribute to our country’s 250th birthday. A social in our Parish Hall will follow the conclusion of the program. Please mark your calendars so that you do not miss this important and festive event.
MESSAGE FROM OUR SR. WARDEN
xIt has been a busy week for your Vestry. We have been grappling with the results of the focus group and how to frame our next offer for a new rector. We have completed the new profile and have worked through deliberations on the rest of the framework that we hope will be reviewed by the Diocese early next week.
Meanwhile another part of the lift station (the complex set of two pumps that take our sewage to the proper drain) needs replacing at a cost of over $3500. One of the many repairs we have had to cover this year.
Please keep the Vestry in your prayers as we deal with a myriad of issues facing this congregation.
We are thankful for the pastoral help we, as a congregation, receive from Rev. Jean Hite and Deacon Ken. We have several parishioners that they are visiting and offering comfort to. Please keep both Rev Jean and Deacon Ken in your prayers as they continue the pastoral work that is so vital to our church community.
On a personal note, EfM starts next week. I have signed up for Year 2 after taking a hiatus to do this job. I found year 1 enormously inspirational. It is a lot of extra work but it is one great way to grow one's faith.
We will begin on September 8th, meeting Tuesdays from 2:30 - 5 p.m. We are a hybrid, in person and zoom group.
If you would like registration info and the link to an on-line registration portal, please email Kathy Schillreff
If you have questions, please contact
Susan Docimo,
Jean Hite or
Kathy Schillreff for more information.
NONPERISHABLE FOOD DRIVE
NOW up till September 14, 2026
Bishop Scharf has issued an invitation to all the Episcopal congregations in the Diocese of Southwest Florida to participate in a food drive. He wants us to collect canned goods and shelf-stable items to donate to a local Episcopal food ministry. The church closest to us with a food bank is All Souls Episcopal Church in North Fort Myers. Their food pantry is open every Wednesday morning, and we will collect nonperishable food items for them from now until September 14th. Consider cans or pouches of tuna fish and jars of peanut butter -- both good sources of protein.
This is an outreach project designed to take our theme at Diocesan Convention, "One Witness," beyond the walls of the church and into communities across the Diocese. I think it's a great idea, so let's jump in with both feet! We want to do our part to feed hungry people in our area, so give generously!!
Look for a box or bin at the back of the church. On September 15, 2026, we'll deliver the food we have collected to All Souls Food Pantry in North Fort Myers.
THINGS TO COME
POTLUCK SOCIAL RETURNS
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12
Our Potluck Social is back, and everyone is Invited!
Join us on Saturday, September 12
for a relaxed evening of good food, good conversation, and time together with our St. Monica’s family.
Bring a favorite dish to share, along with wine if you would like.
Food and wine may be dropped off in the Parish Hall after 4:15 p.m.
Come hungry, bring a friend, and enjoy a fun evening together.
All are welcome!
LADIES & GENTS SOCIAL LUNCH OUTING!
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14
**COME HUNGRY AND BRING A FRIEND!**
Our next Ladies & Gents Social Lunch is on Sept 14th, and we would love to have you join us for a relaxed afternoon of good food, plenty of conversation, and lots of laughs!
🍽️
The Country House
📅
Monday, September 14
🕧
12:30 PM
📍
11985 Collier Blvd.
The restaurant is on the right just before Golden Gate Parkway when traveling south on Collier Boulevard.
This is simply a group of friends getting together for lunch, and **everyone is welcome!** Bring a spouse, neighbor, friend, or anyone else who would enjoy meeting some new people and sharing a great meal.
There is no meeting, no program, and no agenda. Just a table full of friends enjoying lunch and each other’s company.
Come catch up with familiar faces, meet someone new, and enjoy a fun afternoon out.
The more the merrier, so bring a friend and join us at The Country House!
We would love to see you there!
WOMEN'S SPIRITUALITY DAY
All women of the Diocese of Southwest Florida are invited to Women’s Spirituality Day.
Join women from across the Diocese for a special day of fellowship, reflection, and spiritual renewal.
Date:
Saturday, September 19, 2026
Location:
DaySpring Episcopal Center
Parrish, Florida
Register here:
All women are welcome and encouraged to attend.
Do you knit or crochet? Now to Nov 2026
CAN you help me, help sick and premature babies in Uganda?
Let me introduce myself, my name is Ellen Milan. I am a member of St Monica’s and a retired neonatal intensive care nurse and a volunteer with Health Volunteers Overseas, a private non-profit dedicated to improving the availability and quality of health care in developing countries through training and education of local health care providers. I have been teaching, and working with, Ugandan neonatal healthcare providers, and families of sick and premature babies, since 2001.
DID YOU KNOW… newborns (especially prematures) can lose a significant amount of heat from their heads (the largest surface area of their bodies), which puts them at risk for hypothermia (low body temperature). Hypothermia in the newborn period is considered an important contributor to newborn morbidity (illness) and mortality (death) especially in low-resource countries. The World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes newborn thermal care as a critical component of essential newborn care.
Premature births are common in Uganda and other parts of Africa and this is due in part to the high rate of “natural twinning”. Twins and higher order multiples (triplets or more) have an increase risk of being born prematurely.
Covering a baby’s head can make a substantial impact in avoiding hypothermia even in the smallest of babies. Knit and crochet hats can be life saving.
God willing, I will return to Uganda in November 2026.
If you have any questions or would like more information, you can find me in the directory located HERE.
With gratitude, Ellen Milan
LET'S MAKE A CHILD SMILE THIS CHRISTMAS
Gift of Giving with Fostering Success
St. Monica’s parishioners are invited to join Fostering Success for its annual Gift of Giving event on Saturday, December 5, 2026, at Super Target, 2415 Tarpon Bay Blvd. in Naples.
Volunteers will be paired with a foster child and spend a couple of hours helping them shop for Christmas gifts for their siblings and foster parents. Each child will receive a gift card, which has already been generously provided by another donor, so all that is needed from volunteers is their time and a willingness to help make the day special.
Melanie and Janet have participated for the past three years and say it is a wonderful experience. There is something especially meaningful about watching the children carefully choose gifts for the people they love.
If you would like to participate this year, please contact Melanie Rose for more information or to let her know you are interested.
BULLETIN BOARD
DO YOU FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK?
If not, you’re missing out on all the fun things happening around St. Monica’s. Be sure to follow our page so you can stay connected with photos, events, and moments from our parish family.
STAY SAFE ONLINE - YOU ARE A TARGET!
Have you ever received an email that looked like it came from us, your bank, or even a friend, only to wonder if it was really legitimate?
Scammers are becoming more convincing every day, and churches are one of their favorite targets. That's why we've created a new Online Safety & Security page filled with simple tips to help you recognize scams, protect your personal information, and know what warning signs to watch for. The page explains how scammers impersonate trusted people, why they target churches, and the easy steps you can take to stay safe online.
Take just a few minutes to explore this valuable resource & share with others. It could help you avoid becoming the next target.
👉 Visit our Online Safety & Security page < HERE >
COME PRAY WITH US
Your faith and scripture will come alive as we pray together. We invite you to spend a special hour with us each week.
All are welcome to gather in the church sanctuary every Tuesday at 10 am. We will praise God with song, read and pray with Scripture, share faith experiences, share intercessory prayer for our needs and the needs of others and also healing prayer.
For more information contact Theresa Miller
NAME BADGES HELP KEEP ATTENDANCE
Please take a moment to find and wear your name tags because it makes it easier for visitors and other parishioners to recognize you by name and allows the office to note your attendance. As you leave the church, please leave them in the baskets near the doors and they will be placed back on the board for pick up the following weekend.
REGULAR CHURCH GATHERINGS
Zoom Only
In-Person and Zoom
In-Person Only
Please email the church office for the link and password to the Zoom meetings.
OFFERING ENVELOPES - Just as a Reminder
We are so grateful for your ongoing generosity and faithful giving. Every offering you give helps us continue the mission and ministry of St. Monica’s, and we truly appreciate it.
That said, we have a small but important request: please do not tape the flaps of your offering envelopes
The envelope flaps are designed to stay closed once you seal them with the glue inside the flap. When tape is added, it makes it much harder for our office staff to open them quickly and carefully. It slows down the processing, increases the risk of tearing checks or cash inside, and adds extra steps to what is already a detailed task
We know the intention behind taping is likely to keep the contents secure, but we assure you the envelopes are kept safe and handled with care from plate to processing
Thank you for helping us by leaving the flap untaped, it’s a small act that makes a big difference.
A ST. MONICA'S PRAYER
Dear Friends,
In our Tuesday staff meeting we ended with St. Monica's prayer. It was for her son to return to the church. When he finally returned he became the future Saint and Bishop Augustine of Hippo who became a prominent Christian theologian and philosopher.
We thought we might share it with you:
St. Monica, I need your prayers. You know exactly how I'm feeling because you once felt it yourself. I'm hurting, hopeless, and in despair. I desperately want my child to return to Christ in his Church but I can't do it alone. I need God's help. Please join me in begging the Lord's powerful grace to flow into my child's life. Ask the Lord Jesus to soften his heart, prepare a path for his conversion, and activate the Holy Spirit in his life. Amen.
SEPTEMBER ANNIVERSARIES
9/1
Ralph & Ruth Ann Turley
9/10
Bob & Colleen Rossomando
9/11
Tom & Donna Cote
9/14
Marilyn McIntyre & Len Koch
9/16
Alfred & Lorraine Ciano
BIRTHDAYS
9/3
Susan Gibson
9/7
Peyton Plocharczyk
9/9
Tammi Pittaro
9/11
Bill Docimo
9/13
Maureen Chismar
9/16
Ned Meekins
9/17
Marc Buck
9/22
Gary Gentzle
9/23
Janet Perna
9/25
Charlie Plocharczyk
9/26
Tony Cilluffo
Mike Tonda
9/27
Matt Devlin
Jesse Roberts
9/30
Phil Baker
PRAYERS & VISITS
PASTORAL CARE
If you go to or are going into the hospital, or your spouse, partner, or family member is experiencing a pastoral or health care issue, please contact the
church office during office hours after hours please reach out to Deacon Ken McCaslin at 610.608.0704.
PASTORAL CARE MESSAGE
Your clergy are here to walk with you. Pastoral care is an important part of the ministry of the clergy, so please don't be shy! At any time reach out to one of us and we would be happy to talk to you, anoint you, pray with you, or walk with you. If something is going on medically or otherwise in your life, let us know. If you are going into the hospital, let us know ahead of time so we can visit, and, more importantly, be praying with and for you.
ACCESSING THE PRAYER LIST:
For the safety and privacy of our members, the Prayer List will no longer be published on the website or included in the eNews, as both are publicly accessible.
We understand how important this list is to our church family, and we want to ensure you can still access it in the following ways:
1. Online Access: Log in to our Members Directory. Once logged in, click on "Additional Pages" and select "Prayer List".
2. Printed Copies: Printed versions are available at any of our services or can be picked up from the front office.
Thank you for your understanding and support as we prioritize the privacy and safety of our members.
If someone would like to receive our eNews, they do not need to wait for the church office. The fastest way to sign up is to visit our website: www.stmonicasnaples.org, click the orange “THIS WEEK” button, and select “Sign up for the Weekly eNews.” Once they complete the form, they will begin receiving the eNews every Thursday at 5PM.
If someone has already contacted the office or signed up but has not received the eNews by the following week, please ask them to follow up so we can confirm their email address was entered correctly.
Thank you for helping others stay connected and informed about what is happening at St. Monica’s.