Weekly eNews for

June 25, 2026

NEW THIS WEEK

FROM THE DESK OF THE REV. SYLVIA R. CZARNETZKY


I remember one time my grandmother was in Kings Daughters' Hospital, and when they released her, she thought it was hilarious that she had a semi-private room at the hospital! (In other words, she had a roommate, so it actually wasn't private!) I did a little digging and discovered that hospitals used to have wards with 10 to 12 patients in a ward. So a semi private room is certainly more private than being on a ward. It's somewhat private!


I bring up the semi private hospital room because, in the Sunday lectionary during the season of Pentecost, we follow Track 1 for our Old Testament lessons and Psalms. Track 1, to quote the lectionary itself, "arranges the Old Testament lessons in a semi-continuous narrative, similar to the way the Epistles are read" during Pentecost. Our lessons aren't continuous. We would have to read the whole book of Genesis for that to be true. But the stories are somewhat continuous, as the chart below shows. For the next little while, all our Old Testament lessons will be from Genesis, which means we will get clusters of stories from Genesis about important people in the Old Testament, like Abraham and Sarah, Hagar and Ishmael, and Isaac.


That's why our first lessons for the past two weeks were all about Abraham and Sarah for two consecutive Sundays, and we'll read a third story about Abraham and Isaac this coming Sunday for our Old Testament lesson. So the citations for these three Old Testament readings show us that they, in fact, are "semi continuous":

June 13 & 14

Second Sunday after Pentecost

Proper 6A

Gen. 18:1-15, 21:1-7

June 20 & 21

Third Sunday after Pentecost

Proper 7A

Gen. 21:8-21

June 27 & 28

Fourth Sunday after Pentecost

Proper 8A

Gen. 22:1-14

6-13 & 14

 6-20 & 21

 6-27 & 28

Second Sunday after Pentecost

Third Sunday after Pentecost

Fourth Sunday after Pentecost

Proper 6A

Proper 7A

Proper 8A

Gen. 18:1-15, 21:1-7

Gen. 21:8-21

Gen. 22:1-14

So what that means for preachers like me is that we get more than one proverbial bite of the apple with respect to stories about these wonderful figures from the Old Testament! That kind of continuity is pretty rare in our Sunday lectionary, and I like it because it allows me to spend a little more time talking about these important figures in my preaching. Remember, I say in Eucharistic Prayer C, which we are using all summer:


Lord God of our fathers; God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob;

God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ: ...


So, as I said at the end of my sermon this past weekend, this weekend our Old Testament lesson is about Abraham and Isaac. God tested Abraham's faithfulness when he asked Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac on Mount Moriah. Tune in next week to see whether Abraham passes the test!

-----------------------------------------------------


In Addition: A Medical Update from Sylvia:


Here's what I found out on Monday. My oncologist recommended a course of radiation, followed by three sessions of chemotherapy, in order to minimize the chances of the cancer recurring. It's all preventive. I don't know exactly what's ahead for me, but I meet with the radiation oncologist on Wednesday. This will all take several weeks to unfold, and I promise to keep you posted. Please keep the prayers going! As I said before, this cancer was caught very early and has not spread, so this is all designed to minimize the chances of the endometrial cancer recurring.

ARE YOU AN ACOLYTE?
WE NEED YOUR HELP


During the summer months, many of our faithful Saturday evening acolytes are away on vacation or traveling north, leaving us without scheduled acolytes for the following Saturday services:


July 11   -   July 18   -   July 25

August 1   -  August 8   -   August 15


If you currently serve as an acolyte and are willing to attend one of these Saturday evening services instead of your usual Sunday service, we would be deeply grateful for your help.


Your willingness to serve allows our worship services to continue smoothly, and your support is truly appreciated.


If you are available to assist on any of these dates, please let the church office know. Thank you for sharing your time and ministry with our St. Monica's family!

MESSAGE FROM OUR Sr. WARDEN


First, thank you for the support while we celebrated my sister's life. It is deeply appreciated. 


Now on to what is likely on your minds - what happens after an unsuccessful search. The Vestry met in a work session this past week to review where we are and to look at what comes next. We are gathering data on what factors might have impacted our previous search. It seems two stand out - our compensation package and the cost of housing in the Naples area. We are beginning to examine what avenues are open to us to address these. We also know that there are some new requirements from the national church that will call for revisions to our profile. Those requirements have not been released as yet. 


The Vestry takes its responsibility to improve our competitiveness in a new search quite seriously and will engage the congregation in the process as we move forward. We will work on the details and commit to keeping you informed and involved.



Ed Strong, Senior Warden

MESSAGE FROM DEACON KEN


Dear friends, 


Friday, June 26, is Cheri’s and my 44th anniversary. We will be away from Thursday, June 25, through Saturday, June 27. On June 28, I will join our Daughters of the King Chapter at St. Mary’s as they induct their first Junior Daughters. Since Junior Daughters are rare in this diocese, this is truly something to celebrate!


Because of these commitments, I will be away from St. Monica’s this coming weekend. I will return for the July 4 weekend.


Your Deacon,

Ken

MISSION PENIEL SCHOOL SUPPLY DRIVE

WHAT AN INCREDIBLE DISPLAY OF GENEROSITY!


Thanks to the amazing support of our St. Monica's family, our Mission Peniel School Supply and Backpack Drive was a tremendous success.


Our congregation answered the call with an overwhelming outpouring of backpacks, school supplies, and other much needed items to help local students begin the school year prepared and confident.


Your kindness will make a real difference in the lives of children and families in our community. Every backpack, notebook, box of crayons, and package of pencils is a reminder that they are loved and supported.



Thank you to everyone who donated and helped make this outreach such a success. Together, we truly "rocked it!"


We are grateful for your generous hearts and for continuing to be the hands and feet of Christ in our community.

HAVE YOU SHARED YOUR SUMMER STORY YET?

YOUR STORY COULD BE FEATURED!


Last week, we invited you to share your summer stories, photos, and adventures with our St. Monica's family. We have a feeling many of you are busy making summer memories and simply haven't had a chance to send them in yet, so we're sending a friendly reminder that we'd love to feature your stories and photos.!


Photos are especially encouraged! Pictures of family gatherings, travels, service projects, pets, hobbies, outdoor adventures, or fellowship with friends from church all make wonderful additions to our Summer Highlights section.


Don't assume your story is too small or unimportant. Often the simple moments are the ones that inspire and encourage others the most.


Help us show that St. Monica's remains connected, caring, and active all summer long.


Please send your photos and stories to administrator@stmonicasnaples.org.


We look forward to featuring many of our parishioners throughout the summer months!


THINGS TO COME

Baseball with the Bishop is back

At Tropicana Field on Friday, August 28!

Join Bishop Doug Scharf and Episcopalians from across the Diocese of Southwest Florida as the Tampa Bay Rays take on the San Diego Padres at 7:10 p.m.


Bring your friends, family, youth groups, and fellow parishioners for a fun night of faith, fellowship, and baseball. Our goal is 1,000 Episcopalians in the stands, and if we reach it, Bishop Scharf will throw out the first pitch!


Tickets are $36.60, with $5 from every ticket supporting Episcopal Charities.


Reserve your seats today through the link below or contact Rafael Lazala at 727-825-3445 or rlazala@raysbaseball.com for group seating.


                     > Purchase Tickets Here<

oNE NEED AT A TIME

MONTHLY OPEN PLATE GIVING

This summer, we are trying something a little different with our Open Plate offerings.


During the months of July, August, and September, the Open Plate collection on the first weekend of each month will be dedicated to a special "Fund a Need" project here at St. Monica's. These are items that would benefit our church community but are not currently included in this year's budget.


We have several worthwhile projects planned, ranging from needed repairs and maintenance to improvements that will help us care for and enhance our church home. Each month, your gifts will go directly toward meeting a specific need.


JULY OPEN PLATE CONTRIBUTION

On the weekend of July 4th & 5th, we will be collecting for some additional lighting for the altar. We have heard from several parishioners that our altar seems a bit darker with the addition of the speakers. Ralph Pike has already received a quote of around $500. With that, we can easily install the lighting ourselves and quickly see a difference!


Our goal is to fully fund this project in July, and with everyone's help, we believe we can make it happen.


We appreciate any donation. Please make a note on your check: "Fund a Need", "Open Plate".


If you have any questions, please reach out to Heather Williamson.

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

Why Join Education for Ministry (EfM)?

To deepen your Christian faith.

To learn how to articulate that faith.

To let that faith inspire you into action!


Through study, prayer, and reflection, trained mentors (Kathy Schillreff and Jean Hite) facilitate small group discussions and guide participants to examine life through an increasingly informed and inspired theological lens. More than Bible study, EfM participants read and discuss the Old Testament (year 1), the New


Testament (year 2), Church history (year 3), and theology and ethics (year 4).

You do not have to commit to all four program years nor complete in four years.

 

Our current participants were asked what the title of a book would be if they were to write one about their EFM experience this year. Here are a few of the responses:

  • From Legends to Love
  • EFM: Everything You Wanted To Know About Christianity
  • Finding The Way
  • Ever Changing - Ever New
  • Swept Away - How the Currents of Community, Joy & Love Rose to Embrace Me


If those “titles” intrigue you, we hope you’ll consider joining us when the new EFM year beings  on Sept. 8th. We meet most Tuesdays from 2:30 - 5 p.m. We look forward to welcoming new people.

We are a hybrid in-person and Zoom group so snowbirds are able to join us.

 

If you have questions, please contact Susan Docimo, Jean Hite  or Kathy Schillreff for more information.

LADIES & GENTS SOCIAL LUNCH OUTING!

MONDAY JULY  13th



COME JOIN THE FUN AT JASON'S DELI!


Looking for a great way to start your week? Join your St. Monica's friends for food, fellowship, and plenty of conversation at our next Monday Social Lunch!


📅

Monday, July 13


📍

Jason's Deli

2700 Immokalee Road

Located near Blue Jelly and Sam's Club


Whether you're a longtime member or new to St. Monica's, this is a wonderful opportunity to relax, enjoy a delicious meal, and spend time getting to know fellow parishioners outside of church.


No agenda. No speeches. Just good food, good friends, and good company!


Bring a friend, bring your appetite, and come enjoy a fun afternoon of fellowship. We always have a great time, and there's always room for one more at the table.


We look forward to seeing you there!


BULLETIN BOARD

ACOLYTE FESTIVAL - August 22

Intergenerational and open to all, the 2026 Acolyte Festival invites acolytes, vergers, leaders, and volunteers with all levels of experience together on August 22, 2026, at the Cathedral. Through rotating workshops, a shared meal, and a closing service, we'll deepen our understanding of shared ministry at the altar and strengthen connections across our congregations.


The festival runs from 10 AM to 2 PM, with registration beginning at 9:30 AM. A light breakfast will be available before 10 AM, and a cookout lunch featuring hot dogs, hamburgers, and all the fixings will be provided.



MULTIPLE REGISTRATIONS: This form allows churches and families to register more than one individual at a time. To do so, simply click "yes" when prompted to register another individual.


VOLUNTEERS: There will be a need for volunteers to help with check-in, shepherding, assisting in workshops, floaters, and more at the event. If interested, please register below and select "volunteer" under "Age Range."



Whether you are a longtime acolyte, server, or verger, or are new to this ministry, all are invited to join in this special day of learning, celebration, and worship.


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 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

  • 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


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.

JUNE ANNIVERSARIES

6/1

Tom & Susan Gibson


6/3

Steve & Debbie Corey


6/8

Ian & Amy Thompson


6/10

Ed & Kathy Romatzick


6/17

Kyle & Heather Williamson


6/24

Richard & Patricia Traverse


6/27

David & Zannah Chalick


6/28

Jeff & Cindy Gault

JUNE BIRTHDAYS

6/1

Linda Butters-Freund


6/3

Joan Fuggi

Colleen Rossomando


6/4

Sandi Zeidman


6/8

Lynn Cutrone


6/12

Gale Neuner

6/13

Brenda Walsh


6/17

Laura Stamper


6/23

Dan Rabideau


6/24

Edward Segall


6/25

Richard Traverse


6/28

Sara Meekins

JULY ANNIVERSARIES

7/1

Fred & Lynn Swendeman


7/4

Dick & Linda Rumpf


7/7

Pat & Brenda Walsh


7/13

Jim & JoAnn Sarconi


7/29

Gary & Mary Gentzle

Hugh & Marge Gower

Bill & Pauline McCown


7/30

Paul & Nancy Nick

JULY BIRTHDAYS

7/2

Linda Duffy

Richard Pfeil


7/3

Bob Des Jardin


7/5

Rita Allan


7/6

Kathi Rabideau


7/9

Donna Cote

Joan Lazarus


7/10

Steve Corey

Barbara Shea


7/14

Jenny Wise

7/14

Jenny Wise


7/22

Nancy Beaupre


7/24

Pauline McCown

Scott McCurdy

Bob White


7/27

Theresa Kempf

Sharon Lapierre


7/29

Suzanne Bodley


7/31

Jack Hufty


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.

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.