The Daughters of the King graciously agreed to be the first test group to review and react to the draft goals and objectives developed by the Strategic Planning Committee. It was a lively session with insightful feedback on our process and the product. We expect to do a few more of these group sessions before refining the goals and objectives and sharing them with the congregation. We are working on a new members session as the next one. Address questions to Ed Strong or Melanie Rose.

The group formerly known as the Ladies Luncheon has a new name and a new invitation. Now called the Ladies & Gents Luncheon, it is open to both men and women of St. Monica’s.  

 We extend a warm welcome to those who attend both the 5:00pm and 10:00am services.

Next week, on Monday, October 13 at 12:30 pm, we will be gathering for lunch at Bonita Brunch, 26381 S. Tamiami Trail, Unit 140, Bonita Springs (near Bonefish Grill). Come enjoy good food and great company & hope to see many new faces.

Our Fall Food Drive is underway, and your help makes a real difference! Every item collected supports families in need right here in Naples and Immokalee.

Even one can or box of food can make an impact, small donations add up quickly. 

Please bring your items to the donation box by the main entry doors anytime this month.

Thank you for helping us stock the shelves and share kindness in our community.

The Potluck Social continues! Join us in the parish hall right after the 5PM service on Saturday, October 11, for an evening of good food, fellowship, and fun. Bring along your favorite appetizer, dessert, or munchies to share and a little wine if you’d like. Anything you bring can be dropped off at the Parish Hall starting at 4:30PM

This is a wonderful chance to relax, connect, and enjoy time together as a parish family.

Everyone is welcome, whether you bring something or not!  We’d love to see you there!

The Vestry met in a special session to take up some pressing issues:

- We have a tremendous pre-school, Heavenly Day!, that operates at St. Monica's. There are many rich opportunities for us to partner with them. Hopefully you have seen the Trunk-or-Treat event coming October 30. The Vestry voted to collaborate with Heavenly Day! 

- In addition, the Vestry has voted to collaborate with Heavenly Day! on offering a Vacation Bible School at our church this coming June. Rev. Sylvia has volunteered to serve as coordinator, and the Vestry has authorized $1,000 from the Endowment Fund to support this effort.

- The Vestry also authorized up to $3,000 to be allocated to address serious safety issues in the play area behind Parish Hall. 

- The Vestry also authorized St. Monica's participation in a giving tree at Christmas time in partnership with Fostering Success, a non-profit servicing foster children Naples area, that we recently supported with our open plate offering the first weekend in August and September.

We are pleased to report that the stewardship committee now has seven members who are working on getting our 2026 campaign off the ground soon with some fun and informative events that will enhance our focus on giving of our time and talents as well as our financial support. Please thank these folks who are working to shape the campaign: Don Fuggi, Betty Devlin, Jim Sarconi, Doug Ball, Frank Dowd, Ed Strong, and serving in an ex-officio capacity Tracy Connelly.

If you love Halloween but live in a neighborhood without many trick-or-treaters, this event is for you! Heavenly Day Pre-K is hosting a Trunk or Treat for their children and has invited St. Monica’s to join in.

Here’s how you can participate:

Set up: Arrive with your car (feel free to bring a friend), open your trunk, and decorate it. Please keep decorations fun and cheerful, Heavenly Day has requested no scary themes.

Snacks and Trinkets: Bring at least 40 items to hand out. Ideas include pretzel packs, Pirate’s Booty, toddler-safe snacks, bubbles, coloring books, or small stuffed toys. Please note that they have asked for no candy.

Timing: The event runs from 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. The children will dress up, parade around to collect treats, then head into the parish hall for crafts.

Craft Helpers: If you’d prefer to stay indoors, volunteers are also needed to assist with craft tables in the Parish Hall.

Early Birds: Help is also needed with Parish Hall setup starting at 8:00 a.m.

If you would like to participate or have questions, please contact Heather Williamson. We’d love to know who plans to be there.

My Dear Friends,

Catherin Gotshall’s book is getting incredible reviews. Last week I shared what Retired Presiding Bishop Michal Curry had to say. This week I learned that I’m quoted on the preorder site of Amazon regarding Song of Saints as saying "It's amazing how connecting with the lives of the Saints can open up new dimensions of prayer and devotion. Each Saint has such a unique story and spiritual journey, and this book offers a beautiful way for anyone, regardless of where they are in their faith, to explore those stories and find inspiration." — The Reverend Ken McCaslin, MAR, FHL7, Deacon St. Monica's Episcopal Church, Naples, FL, Chaplain Retired Clergy Naples, FL, Chaplain Daughters of the King, St. Monica's Chapter, Naples, FL. Please join us at the workshop on the Saints, Saturday 11/1 from 9-11am at St. Monica’s Naples.

Sign-up now while availability is wide open by clicking < HERE >

As you may have noticed, as you looked around at the services last weekend, our church seems less full than it has in the past. We are still waiting for most snowbirds but still our attendance is down a lot compared to this time last year. The stewardship committee is going to take up this issue but there is one thing we all can do now. It is simply - Call A Friend. If there is someone you know who has not been attending lately, give them a call to find out if there is a problem they are facing or if they are troubled by anything at church. Share this with any Vestry or Stewardship Committee member. We hope to make this a bit more organized soon but let's reach out to see if we can help each other now.

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!

The Men's Book Group continues its exploration of Richard Rohr's book Falling Upward. Thus far the group has found this book both challenging and inspirational. We have shared insights and experiences as we have moved through the chapters. Our schedule of reading is Oct 6 - Chapters 6 and 7; Oct 13 - Chapters 8 and 9; Oct 20 - Chapters 10 and 11; and Oct 27 Chapters 12 and 13 plus a final overview.

As always, we invite any men of St. Monica's to join us at any point. We meet Mondays at 9:30AM in the church conference room. Please address any questions to Ed Strong.

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 (a requirement for the Diocese). 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.

After Sylvia’s opening prayer, we covered several updates:

• Music Director Search: Committee led by Joanie Schumacher with Susan Beauregard as secretary. Updates will appear in future eNews.

• Stewardship Committee: Membership is growing with new ideas. This year’s campaign begins in October.

• Strategic Planning: Draft vision, goals, and objectives (theme: Pray, Love, Give) are nearly complete. Next step: gather input from groups like the Daughters of the King (first meeting Oct 6).

• Maintenance Projects: Jr. Warden Ralph Pike is refining cost estimates for long standing repairs at the school, Church office, and Parish Hall. Final numbers will go to Vestry for approval.

• Outreach Plate Collections: Over $500 was given to Fostering Success from July/August. September/October collections will support Harvest Time Ministry, serving seasonal migrant workers in Naples.

• Polling Location: Vestry approved use of our facilities again as a Collier County polling site for the upcoming election in August and November of 2026.

Sylvia closed the meeting with prayer.

Reminder: Vestry minutes and reports in detail are posted on the bulletin board outside the Church office. Input is always welcome, just contact any vestry member. To see who is on the Vestry, they are listed in the directory & on the website under "Staff".

Zoom Only

• Contemplative Prayer: Wednesdays, 11am – Zoom

In-Person and Zoom 

• Bible Study: Fridays, 9am – Library
• Men's Book Group: Mondays, 9:30am – Conference Room

In-Person Only     

• Prayer and Faith Sharing: Tuesdays, 10am – Church     
• Ladies & Gents Luncheon: 2nd Monday, 12:30pm – Different locations     

Please call the church office at 239.591.4550 or email for the link and password to the Zoom meetings.