Weekly eNews for
April 16, 2026
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NEW THIS WEEK
MESSAGE FROM OUR INTERIM RECTOR
The Rev. Sylvia R. Czarnetzky
There are signs of seasonal change in Naples! I’ve seen the car carriers out picking up cars to store them over the summer. And I believe the traffic is beginning to lighten on Immokalee. Maybe. This is the time when seasonal folks move back north, and I have said goodbye to several of you in the past couple of weeks. We wish you safe travels and Godspeed! We will look forward to welcoming you back around mid October. We will be glad to have you back!
I’ve never lived in a place like Naples, where a significant portion of the population disappears at some point to go back home. It means that lots of people have their proverbial foot in two places, one foot in their home up north, and the other foot in their home down in Naples. I have gotten used to the rhythms of life in Naples, but it will always seem a little strange to me!
I am more accustomed to the rhythms of the academic year. I spent part of my life teaching Freshman Comp to college freshmen, then teaching Legal Writing to law students, so I know what the academic schedule looks like for teachers and students. And even though I am no longer teaching, my life and John’s life are still somewhat tied to the rhythms of the academic year because of his role as Dean and President of Ave Maria School of Law. Some first year students will begin school this summer; the rest of them will come in August. Then it is the fall semester, they will have a fall break, then before you know it, it will be time for law school exams, then Christmas break, then the new semester in January, spring break, and so on. It is a familiar sequence, repeated over and over again.
Of course, the church has its own rhythms as well. Every December we begin a new year with the four Sundays of Advent, then Christmas, then Epiphany. Then we hit Lent and Easter, and embark on that long stretch of real estate known as the Season after Pentecost. It is a familiar sequence that gets repeated each year.
MESSAGE FROM OUR SR. WARDEN
Ed Strong
I hope you looked at our goals and objectives noted in the last eNews. In case you missed that, here is the link again to what your Vestry is working on. You will see some early results of that work in upgrades to our welcoming process. Please consider where you might serve. On that note, as of this writing, we still have one vacancy to fill on the new Endowment Committee and will shortly be seeking volunteers to work on our 2025 audit.
APRIL'S OPEN PLATE OFFERING
HEAVENLY DAY PRESCHOOL
Our April plate collection in support of Heavenly Day Preschool concluded last weekend, and we are grateful to share that a total of $668.00 was received for them.
Thank you to everyone who contributed. Your generosity directly supports Heavenly Day’s ongoing work and helps sustain their mission of providing a caring, faith based preschool experience here at St. Monica’s.
We are thankful for the long standing relationship we share with Heavenly Day Preschool and appreciate the meaningful role they continue to play in the life of our church community.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Heather Williamson.
WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH OUR NEW ORGAN?
Inquiring Minds Would Like To Know!
Much is going on behind the scenes in preparation for the new organ. Up to now, there has been a lot of back and forth with Walker Technical reviewing and approving wood samples and console designs, making adjustments to the “registration” to better accommodate our Church space and acoustics, and agreeing on placements and positioning for the organ, speakers, and amplifiers.
This has been a collaborative effort of our Musical Director; Allen, members of the choir as well as the Jr. Warden team. It is probably no surprise to you that a lot of work has to be done cutting holes in walls and running wire for the amplifiers and speakers, making sure we have the right electrical outlets in the right place and ensuring the sound system is ready. The next big milestone will occur on the week of April 27th when Walker Technical will be on sight to do some preliminary installation of amplifiers and pipes.
That won’t be the end of the job as there is more work to do. As one of the members of the choir said, “building an organ is like building a house…it will be ready when it is ready!”
So, stay tuned. We are getting close!
FINANCIAL UPDATE
We began these financial updates toward the end of March where we noted well below expected income for February. We asked for help in catching up. The timing of that request was such that any impact will be seen officially in April. Our March report is positive. We have had several maintenance issues that ran us over budget and preparing for Easter impacted expenses as well. Still we had a positive month. But from a preliminary perspective, our Easter weekend income was a wonderful outpouring of support, with giving equaling, in that weekend alone, approximately $38,000. Thank you all for joining in celebrating a wonderful Easter in so many ways.
March--------Year to Date
Income $47,003 $137,384
Expenses $50,886 $135,049
Difference -$3884 +$2325
Please address questions to Scott McCurdy, Treasurer or Ed Strong, Sr. Warden
MEN'S BOOK GROUP
The Men's Book Group will continue its exploration of Joan Chittister's For Everything A Season through the end of our time together, which will conclude on May 18. We remain open to any of the men of St. Monica's
If you would like more information, please contact Ed Strong.
NAME TAGS
At the Vestry Retreat March 28, we began work on finalizing our goals and objectives for this year. One area for action is to revamp our process to welcome and recognize new attendees. We have already begun work on that issue.
If you filled out a visitor card anytime this year, you should find a name tag on the board where all the name tags are. It is a different color than the others indicating you are new and have not joined the church as yet. If you decide to join, after the membership process is completed, see the "I am New" on the church website, we will switch the name tag to the white background. We use the white name tags to track membership attendance.
We apologize for any delays in resolving this issue that many of you have raised. But we think, on this item, we have a good interim solution, while the whole onboarding process is being examined.
If you have any questions, or want to give feedback on your experience, please speak to to Melanie Rose. or any Vestry member.
If you do not find a name tag, please let us know that too.
We strive to be a welcoming place of worship. We are working hard to live up to that objective.
WELCOME OUR NEWEST MEMBERS TO ST. MONICA'S
AS OF APRIL 13, 2026
We are pleased to welcome several new members to St. Monica’s this week.
Please join us in greeting Jo Pfeil, a seasonal member from Wisconsin, and her husband Richard, along with Sophia Segall, a seasonal member from Pennsylvania, and her husband Edward. We are so glad to have you with us.
We would also like to recognize Al Russell, who recently joined our church family and lives here full time with his wife Kate. We are grateful you are part of St. Monica’s.
In addition, we have had three individuals complete the Newcomers class. We are currently waiting on their information to finalize their membership and look forward to introducing them to the parish soon.
If you see any of our new members at church, please take a moment to introduce yourself and offer a warm welcome. A simple hello goes a long way in helping others feel at home.
You may also notice some individuals wearing the traditional “St. Monica’s Orange” badges. This indicates they are not yet members but may be interested in learning more about St. Monica’s. Please take a moment to welcome them as well and help them feel included.
We are thankful for everyone who becomes part of our community and look forward to continuing to grow together in faith and fellowship.
A THANK YOU MESSAGE FROM HEALTHY EARTH
CARD TRANSLATION:
Dear Saint Monica’s Episcopal Church,
Thank you for your generous support through your February ask. We are incredibly grateful for the kindness and generosity of our community.
Because of your support, we’ll be able to better serve our programs & continue to create meaningful impact.
With gratitude,
Falor Tabares
CEO
The Healthy Earth Organization.
THINGS TO COME
LIFELINE SCREENING - MAY 14th
LOCATED AT ST. MONICA'S PARISH HALL
LADIES & GENTS LUNCHEON – May 11th, 2026
BLUE JELLY IN NAPLES
Join us for a fun and relaxed lunch outing at Blue Jelly on Monday, May 11 at 12:30 PM.
Blue Jelly is located at 2650 Immokalee Road, near Sam’s Club, and is a great spot to enjoy good food and friendly conversation. We would love for you to come along, spend time together, and enjoy a pleasant afternoon.
Everyone is welcome, and we hope you can join us.
For more information contact Linda Duffy (link is connected to the church directory, be sure to be logged in).
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.
Prematures are many in Uganda and other parts of Africa and this is do in part to the high rate of “natural twining”. 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 be returning again, 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
MISIÓN PENIEL - May 1st, 2026
COMMUNITY EVENT
Please join us for a fulfilling day at Misión Peniel in Immokalee on
Friday, May 1. We will spend the day bagging and distributing food and household goods to the farmworkers and their families in the community. We will meet at St. Monica’s at 1:00 to carpool and will return no later than 7:00pm. Please let
Debbie Corey know if you plan on joining! Also, please wear closed toed shoes, a hat, a St. Monica’s t-shirt, if you own one, and sunblock.
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.
SUPPORTING FOSTERING SUCCESS EVERY THURSDAY
When you visit Lake Park Diner in Founder Square on Thursdays, $1 will be donated to Fostering Success Naples as part of their giving initiative. This is a great opportunity for St. Monica’s to support one of the local organizations we also help.
Fostering Success is a nonprofit serving children and young adults in the foster care system here in Collier County. Their mission is to provide strategic education and enrichment opportunities that help foster youth reach their full potential. Programs include academic mentoring, scholarships, basic needs support like beds and diapers, and life skills training for young adults transitioning out of care.
Every dollar given through the Founder Square helps extend that mission. It’s another simple way to make a meaningful impact in the lives of vulnerable children and families in our community.
At 2 Locations:
Founders Square
8856 Founders St Naples
239.539.1559
Downtown Naples
944 7th Ave North Naples
239.228.6351
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
As shown in the image, 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.
APRIL ANNIVERSARIES
4/9
Eric & Suzanne Bodley
4/17
Frank & Susan Shrewsbury
4/24
Ashan & Carole Nabbie
4/29
Dan & Sandi Zeidman
APRIL BIRTHDAYS
4/1
Susan Beauregard
4/2
David Chalick
4/9
Joanie Schumacher
4/12
Lynn Landreth
4/16
Al Russell
4/21
John Dessauer
4/24
Tom Cotè
Kathy Franco-Bronson
4/25
Susan Cillufo
4/27
Benji Freigang
4/28
Anita Lackey
4/29
Doug Ball
Cindy Gault
Ashan Nabbie
Patrick Walsh
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: Rev. Sylvia R. Czarnetzky at 662.645.8887 or 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.
