Weekly eNews for

Sept 17th, 2026

If you'd like to download & print this prayer you can do so by clicking < THIS > link for the image or < THIS > link for just the text.

NEW THIS WEEK

MESSAGE FROM OUR SR. WARDEN


Last weekend Rev Jean Hite preached on the concept of forgiveness. In talking with some who were there, the feedback was quite positive. Toni and I watched it online and we wholeheartedly concur with the power of the message. If you did not see it, you can find it through < this > link. The link should start where she begins, however, if it does not, you can pick up the sermon at the 25:10 minute mark if you want to jump directly to it. I think this could be the opening for a discussion on how we bridge differences. We are exploring how that might play out in the future.


The financial report is in the eNews below as well.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY!


We are very happy to share that $1,050 was raised through our September Open Plate Offering to support repairs and improvements within our church.


Thank you to everyone who contributed. This offering was noticeably higher than what we typically receive through our regular weekend plate offerings, and we are incredibly grateful for the response.


Time and again, when we share a specific need or designate an offering for a particular cause, our St. Monica’s family steps forward with tremendous generosity. Your response to this month’s need was another wonderful example of that spirit of giving.


Every gift to St. Monica’s, whether part of our regular weekly giving, serving in a ministry or given toward a special need, is sincerely appreciated. We are especially thankful to those who are able to give a little extra when a particular need arises.


We also apologize for not sharing this wonderful update in last week’s eNews. With everything happening, it was inadvertently overlooked, but we certainly did not want your generosity to go unrecognized.


Thank you for continuing to support and care for St. Monica’s. Your generosity truly makes a difference!

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.

FINANCIAL REPORT

FOR AUGUST 2026

August is typically a slow month for us. That certainly was the case this year but we are still slightly ahead for the year.. If at all possible, any of us who can either catch up on giving or accelerate our contributions, it would be greatly appreciated.  <HERE > is the link to the full report.

THINGS TO COME

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

  • 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 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.

SHARE THE eNEWS WITH OTHERS

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.