Weekly eNews for
May 7, 2026
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NEW THIS WEEK
FROM OUR INTERIM RECTOR
The Rev. Sylvia R. Czarnetzky
Dear Everyone,
It’s been quite a couple of weeks! I have several things I want to say:
1. Never in all my years of being a priest have I YAWNED three times in the middle of a sermon! Never in all my years of being a priest have I just stopped preaching before the sermon was over! But both things happened on Saturday, 4/25/26. I am so sorry, and I beg your pardon. That weekend, I was much sicker than I realized. The following Monday, I was diagnosed with pneumonia!
2. Ed gave me strict instructions not to come to church on May 2 or 3. Jean Hite kindly stepped up and supplied at both services, and I was able to rest and recuperate over the weekend. I went back to the doctor on Monday, May 4, and found out that the pneumonia was gone!
3. My doctor told me I could resume my regular duties at the church, so my plan is to preside and preach both this weekend (May 9 & 10) and next weekend (May 16 & 17).
4. Because of the pneumonia, my surgery has been postponed to Thursday, May 21. I’ll be first on the schedule that morning. Again, I have been told to allow two weeks to recover from the surgery, so Jean Hite will again step up to preside and preach both May 23 & 24 (Pentecost) and May 30 & 31 (Trinity Sunday). Also, Ken will return from his trip on May 28, so he will be back at church May 30 & 31.
I thank you all for your graciousness and understanding with all of this. I never dreamed this surgery nightmare would drag on for such a long time! But it has, and I look forward to getting the surgery behind me on May 21. Thank you so much for your concern, your sweet emails, your prayers, and your care for me during my illness. I appreciate it more than I can say. I look forward to seeing everybody at church this weekend!
MESSAGE FROM OUR SR. WARDEN
Ed Strong
People are leaving and the pace at church is slowing down for the summer. That does not mean things don't break. We are looking into the lighting issue in the sanctuary where both sides are dimmer than the middle. The ice machine in the kitchen gave up the ghost last week.
We are working on both issues but solutions are more challenging given we have antiquated appliances or lighting systems. Please bear with us.
There were lots of positive comments on seeing the pipes up in the sanctuary. They are impressive.
Meanwhile, your Vestry is grappling with how to engage the congregation more on a variety of topics. More to come on that soon.
THIS WEEKEND'S OPEN PLATE GIVING
SUPPORT LOCAL FOSTER KIDS
The plate offering for May and June will support a local nonprofit organization called Fostering Success. This group is dedicated to helping foster children in our community by covering needs that go beyond what foster parents can typically provide. Their support includes tutoring, school supplies, bedding, clothing, and summer enrichment programs.
Please note that this special plate offering will be collected only on — May 9 & 10 and June 6 &7. We’ve extended the offering across two months due to lower summer attendance, so we can still give generously and make an impact.
Thank you for any support you can offer. If you have any questions or ideas, please reach out to Heather Williamson.
SATURDAY POTLUCK SOCIAL - MAY 10th
LOCATED IN THE PARISH HALL
FREE TO A GOOD HOME
MEDICAL EQUIPMENT AVAILABLE
A parishioner has generously offered to give away the following items of medical equipment that she had purchased for her late husband, to anyone at the church who needs them:
- a Transport Chair (lightweight wheelchair that folds up)
- a Shower bench
- a Walker
- a Bed Rack that slides under a hospital bed
Time is short, because this person is leaving May 14th to return up north, so please respond right away if you want any of these items. Please let us know what you want no later than Tuesday, May 12th at 5 p.m., so we can arrange for you to pick up these items. Any questions, contact our parish administrator, Laura Stamper.
MISIÓN PENIEL
A Thanks to You!
Thank you to the 7 parishioners who joined me in a fulfilling day of service at Mision Peniel in Immokalee last week. We bagged and distributed food and diapers to over 450 families of farmworkers! We also got to see the beautiful truck that one of very generous Parishioners helped replace after Pastor Miguel’s serious accident.
Further down this eNews, you will see a back-to-school backpack drive flier. Please help me answer the call for backpacks and school supplies. I will set up a storage box in the back of the church where people can drop off their donations on Saturdays and Sunday. The last day for collection will be Sunday, June 7, as I will be leaving for the summer.
Thank you all again,
Debbie Corey
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).
THINGS TO COME
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
BULLETIN BOARD
ANNUAL BISHOP'S APPEAL
FOR 2026
Dear Friends in Christ,
Across the Diocese of Southwest Florida, we are witnessing God at work in powerful ways—through congregations serving their neighbors, forming new leaders, and sharing the healing love of Jesus Christ in their communities. Together, we are living into our call to be one body, united in mission and purpose.Today, I invite you to be part of that shared ministry through the 2026 Bishop’s Appeal.
This year brings a remarkable opportunity: for the first time in the history of the Bishop’s Appeal, every gift will be matched—dollar for dollar—up to $50,000 per fund through our endowments. That means your generosity will have twice the impact.
Your gift will:
When we give together, our shared ministry extends far beyond what any one congregation can do alone.
I invite you to prayerfully consider a gift to the Bishop’s Appeal today, and to take advantage of this unique opportunity to double your impact.
Thank you for the many ways you already share your gifts in service to Christ and his Church. Your generosity is helping to transform lives across Southwest Florida.
Faithfully in Christ,
The Rt. Rev. Douglas F. Scharf
Sixth Bishop, Diocese of Southwest Florida
Diocese Mailing Address:
Episcopal Diocese of SWFL
8005 25th St. East
Parrish, FL 34219
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.
Is there a child in your home or community who would benefit from getting out into nature, building community, encountering God, and learning about themselves?
Camp Kanuga has been a trusted and transformative summer camp program for 95 years, with Episcopal roots, accredited by the ACA, and open to rising 2nd- through 10th-graders. Located in Hendersonville, NC and operating between June 4th and August 3rd, it’s a place where kids gather and experience belonging, grow in their faith, and have a lot of fun.
The Camp Kanuga team would love to hear from you and talk more about how it may be a good fit for your family.
Visit CampKanuga.org to connect and learn more.
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 TWO DIFFERENT LOCATIONS
LOCATION 1
Founders Square
8856 Founders St Naples
239.539.1559
LOCATION 2
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.
MAY ANNIVERSARIES
5/2
Jim & Nancy Moritz
5/3
Thomas & Theresa Kempf
5/7
Tony & Susan Cilluffo
5/13
Janet Perna & Melanie Rose
5/19
Doug Ball & Frank Dowd
5/29
Bob & Vickie White
MAY BIRTHDAYS
5/2
Doug Blatz
Theresa Miller
Fred Swendeman
Sharyn Wieditz
5/3
Patricia Traverse
5/6
Rev. Ken McCaslin
5/7
Betsy Smith
Chris Van Hest
5/8
JoAnn Sarconi
5/12
Tasha Van Hest
5/13
Sandy Kilmon
5/14
Paul Nick
5/17
Bruce Shaffner
5/18
Gordon Macdonald
5/23
Beau Crevier
Susan McCampbell
5/24
Fred Cable
5/26
John Adams
5/28
Ava Louise Smith-Landwehr
Barrett Smith-Landwehr
5/30
Aden Chalick
Keel Jones
Alexandra Soto
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.
