Weekly eNews for

November 13, 2025

NEW THIS WEEK

A LETTER FROM OUR INTERIM RECTOR

          I've just returned from my trip to Warsaw, Poland! It was cold in Poland! It was great to put on some warm-weather clothes for a change! It was a bit past the peak of the fall season, with more leaves on the ground than in the trees. But it was good to experience a real change of seasons! John's conference went well, and he was able to fly to Rome the day before yesterday to meet the Pope!  Pretty cool, huh?


          Highlights of the Warsaw trip included an afternoon at the Fryderyck Chopin Museum; a Chopin concert at a small venue in Warsaw; and a Food Tour of Warsaw, led by an energetic and knowledgeable young man! I ate dishes I had never even heard of! I learned a good bit about Polish cuisine. It is amazing how the history of Polish food is intertwined with political history! We visited a cafe run by E. Wedel, the fancy chocolate factory in Poland, where we sampled hot liquid chocolate that tasted like nothing I'd ever had before! (To call it "hot chocolate" really doesn't do it justice!) And we sampled some Polish street food. 


          Here's something you may not know about Chopin: He was born in Poland, but went into exile in 1830, shortly before the November Uprising against Russian Rule. Chopin lived in exile in Paris, and never returned to Poland during his lifetime. However, after his death at the age of 39 in 1849, Chopin's eldest sister, Ludwika, smuggled Chopin's heart into Poland -- it was one of his last request -- that his heart be returned to his homeland. (Talk about a Romantic gesture!). Chopin's heart is preserved at the Church of the Holy Cross in Warsaw, while the rest of his body was buried at Pere Lachaise Cemetery in Paris.


HONORING OUR VETERANS

We want to take a moment to honor and thank all the veterans of St. Monica’s and their families for their service, sacrifice, and commitment to our country. Veterans Day invites us to pause and remember the men and women who have served in the Armed Forces, standing in protection of the freedoms we are blessed to enjoy each day. Their dedication, courage, and willingness to serve reflect values that deeply align with our life of faith.


We also want to acknowledge something important. Last Sunday, we did not include any mention of Veterans Day in our welcome, bulletin, prayers, or music. This was an oversight, and we recognize that it may have felt hurtful or dismissive to those who have served. For that, we sincerely apologize. Our veterans deserve to be seen, valued, and honored, and we regret that this recognition was missing at a time when it should have been present.


To all veterans in our parish family and to the spouses and families who have supported them, we offer our heartfelt gratitude. Your commitment has shaped lives and safeguarded communities, and we are thankful for every sacrifice made in service to others.


Please know that you are appreciated by this church, not only on Veterans Day, but throughout the year. May God bless each of you, and may we continue to grow in our awareness and gratitude for those who have served.

STEWARDSHIP UPDATE

Stewardship letters with pledge cards should be arriving through the mail shortly, if yours is not there already. They may look imposing since they have a long list of service opportunities for you to consider. We hope you will recognize in this what it takes to keep our church home functioning. Please prayerfully consider how you can help. 


Please also note that you can complete the whole process online by going to the giving section on our website or following < THIS LINK >. The online version may be easier to read.


We will keep you updated on progress as we move through this season of committing ourselves to support St. Monica's, our church home where we pray, love, and give together.



OUR FINAL 2025 OPEN PLATE COLLECTION

Meals of Hope is our final featured charity for 2026, and we are grateful for the chance to support this meaningful organization. Founded by longtime St. Monica’s congregant Stephen Popper, Meals of Hope has grown into the largest food pantry provider in Florida. Their mission is simple and powerful: to inspire and empower communities to come together to end hunger.


St. Monica’s has a long history of participating in their meal packing events, and many of our parishioners have served with them over the years. We are proud to support this vital work through our open plate collection.


The vestry is currently reviewing and approving next year’s candidates at the upcoming meeting. Stay tuned for the announcement of the 2027 charities and start setting aside your pennies for the monthly collection on the first weekend of each month. Your generosity helps us make a real difference in the lives of those in need.


TRANSISTION UPDATE

We have noted in the past that there is a weighty process to position ourselves to call a new rector. One large piece of that process is completion of a Parish Profile that defines for any applicant who we are and what we are looking for in a new rector. We are entering the final stages of completing that product and making it ready for feedback from the congregation. That step will pave the way for organizing our search committee.


You may ask - why is it taking so long! We can understand that reaction. We have to get it right is a big part of the answer to that question. Please know there is a lot of work going on and those on the profile committee are just as anxious as you are to have a profile that works for all of us.



STRATEGIC PLANNING UPDATE

We are continuing our efforts to invite groups within the church to participate in feedback sessions on our draft vision, goals, and objectives. We will hold our third session next week. These have been fruitful discussions that will help us refine where we are going and how to get there. We will have other opportunities for input soon.



MEN'S BOOK GROUP

The Men's Book Group is continuing its discussion of "Living Buddha, Living Christ" by Thich Nhat Hanh. The group will cover Chapters 2-4 at its next meeting, November 17 at 9:30 AM in the church conference room. The group is open to all men of St. Monica's. Please contact Ed Strong for more information.



OUT OF THE OFFICE

The Rev. Sylvia & Deacon Ken will be out of the office from Monday November 17th until Wednesday, November 19th, attending a Clergy Retreat at Day Springs, led by Bishop Scharff.

THINGS TO COME

MISIÓN PENIEL FRIDAY –  December 12th @ 1:30PM
Please join us while serve the hardworking farming community in Immokalee. We will spend the day, along with members of Vanderbilt Presbyterian Church, bagging and distributing food, clothing, and other goods to workers and their family members. What a great way to give back during the holidays! We will meet to carpool at the St. Monica’s parking lot at 1:30pm, and plan on returning by 6:00 pm. Please contact Debbie Corey to let her know if you would like to be part of this meaningful service mission. Her contact information is in the directory, or contact the church office for her contact.


LESSONS & CAROLS   - December 20th @ 6:30PM

Mark your calendars for Saturday, December 20th, 2025, St. Monica’s presents A Service of Advent Lessons & Carols at 6:30 p.m. (after the 5 o’clock service).  Helen Tintes-Schuermann and I are planning the liturgy, which will include a number of readings from the Bible, a couple of anthems, and lots of Advent-y hymns to sing. It won’t be as fancy as the Lessons & Carols service Ron Doiron used to do, we will do a pared-down version that (I hope) won’t tax our small-but-mighty choir too much. Please come if you can! It’s a great way to prepare to celebrate Christmas!


Have You Filled Out the Directory Survey Yet?

We’re reaching out again to all members and friends of St. Monica’s with an important request. Our new Directory Survey was shared recently, but so far only a small number of people have responded. We’re very grateful to those who have already updated their information, but we truly need everyone to take a few minutes to complete the survey.


This isn’t just about keeping the Directory up to date. The survey also helps us confirm that everyone can access it correctly and that all contact details are accurate. Even if you believe your information is already correct, please fill out the survey so we can verify everything.


If you’ve had trouble accessing the Directory, there’s a place in the survey to let us know. Someone from the church office will follow up to help.


Please take a few minutes to complete the survey today. Accurate and accessible contact information helps us stay connected and ensures you don’t miss important eNews or church updates.


Thank you for your help as we continue to strengthen our St. Monica’s family connections.


For any questions, contact the parish administrator.

TAKE THE SURVEY

BULLETIN BOARD

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 (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.

REGULAR CHURCH GATHERINGS


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.

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.

ANNIVERSARIES

11/7

George & Anita Lackey



11/ 26

Herb & Marciadee Newman

BIRTHDAYS

11/2

Eric Bodley

GiGi Camilari

Rob Crevier

Susan Shrewsbury


11/5 

Bill McCown


11/7 

Charla McHenry


11/8

Dayona Paz Pedroza


11/9

Kathy Crevier


11/17

Dick Rumpf

Barbara Williamson

11/18

Barbara Donovan

Hugh Gower

Jim Moritz

Nancy Nick


11/20

Lorraine Ciano


11/22

Betty Devlin

Carol Yarusevich


11/23

Greg Smith-Landwehr


11/27

Debbie Corey


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 call the church office during office hours at 239.591.4550 and 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 viewable in the on the website nor added back to the eNews due to the public accessibility of both.

 

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.

SHARE THE eNEWS WITH OTHERS

If someone approaches you expressing interest in receiving our eNews, you can let them know that they don't need to wait for the office to handle it. The quickest and easiest way for them to sign up is by visiting our website at www.stmonicasnaples.org/ and registering themselves. By taking this simple step, they'll start receiving our updates promptly. If they've previously contacted the office to be added and haven't received the eNews the next week, advise them to reach out to confirm that their email address was correctly noted. We want to ensure everyone stays connected and informed about all the exciting happenings at St. Monica's. Thank you for helping others get connected to our eNews community!