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Apalachicola, Florida
May 10, 2024
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The Beginning Upon Ending | |
I recognize that for many of us, 2024 is whizzing by. We’ve passed—in quick succession—many of the touchstones our community uses to mark the year. Pancake Supper, done. Barkus dog parade, done. Tour of Homes, done.
In each of these, the leading up is packed with anticipation of the event itself. And once the event is over, we are left with cleanup, reconciliation, reorganization, and closing out. We don’t usually have a celebratory season after an event. We don’t give ourselves the gift of reflection; of how we were changed because of the event, perhaps because we are hyper-focused on the work we need to do or the next thing.
That’s too bad. Because while we certainly need to clean up after Pancake Supper, I wonder how many of us debriefed after the syrup was put away: not to generate a to-do list for next year, but to sit quietly and think about how our call to serve others was impacted by the event. Were we challenged? Were there proximal moments with Christ?
Because events in our lives are so much about doing, we struggle linking events with being. Case in point: you may be surprised to know we are technically still in a period of actively celebrating Easter! That’s right; since our Sunrise Service in Lafayette Park on March 31, Trinity has been celebrating the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. This 50-day portion of our liturgical calendar, also called Easter Season, Eastertide, Paschaltide, and The Great 50 Days runs from Easter Sunday up to (and including) Pentecost.
We draw close in our relationship to God so that we might come to know the fullness of God’s love for us. This is fundamental to the Paschal Mystery: a love supreme; that which comforts and challenges us; brought to us through the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus. The comfort is through knowing we are saved through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross for us. The challenge is knowing we, too, are called to sacrifice on behalf of others.
Everything in our liturgies during Easter Season focus intently upon what Christ’s death, resurrection, and ascension means for us. I encourage you to look and listen closely to collects and readings over the next two Sundays (and, if you still have the bulletins from April, look at those as well) and ask yourself: How is God whispering the Easter message to me? What words in the hymns and readings remind me that some storms in my life have actually cleared a path; that through the death of one thing just might come the birth of something else I never expected?
All of this is to say that when we wrap ourselves in the love of Christ, we recognize that our eternal lives begin at the exact place where Jesus ended his temporal one. It is at the nexus of the beginning upon ending and the ending upon beginning.
The Easter Season is where the was, is, and will be concede to
one another and the Almighty God, and all for love’s sake.
God’s Peace,
Stephen +
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Tour of Homes Celebrates a Triumphant 30th Year | |
With an impressive 664 tickets sold, over 850 people toured the homes and community garden and shopped the Silent Auction and Jumble Sale on May 4. Final numbers are being tallied, but 2024 is shaping up to be our most successful year yet! Tour of Homes is Trinity’s largest ministry. Whether you graciously opened your home, greeted, polished silver, donated to the Pillar Program and auction, carted boxes, plated and served food, or offered your voice for Evensong – Trinity’s annual tour and sale could not happen without the service, gifts, and talents of its parishioners. For you we are so grateful! | |
Riding in Peace to Love and Serve the Lord | |
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Had you found yourself at Apalachicola Yacht Club several months ago, you might have caught a conversation among Donna Knutson, Travis Pecot, and Travis’s friend Duwayne. A side comment by Father Stephen about the Blessing of the Fleet turned this congenial debate about civic and environmental stewardship into a raucous opining about Apalachicola’s love of the golf cart.
From that came a simple idea for evangelism. And this past Saturday at the 30th annual Tour of Homes, a first on the Forgotten Coast (and the diocese, for that matter): the Blessing of the Golf Carts! Yes, you read that right. Sixteen golf carts were blessed with a liturgy specific to these small vehicles that transport us around our community. Reactions were as fast as the green at Oakmont: “This is just the kind of out-of-the-sandtrap thinking we need here”, said one person who wished to remain nameless. “I feel like I’m part of the club here”, said their friend, adding: “Rather than creating a wedge in the community, these events fit Apalachicola to a tee and put us on par with much larger cities.”
Father Stephen is currently planning the next golf cart blessing
during the Apalachicola Waterfront July 3rd celebration.
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CPR and Defibrillators and Fire Extinguishers, Oh My! It has been several years since Trinity last hosted classes in some key life-saving tools available to everyone. Bonnie Stewart is teaming up with a local EMT to provide refresher courses in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), automated external defibrillators (AED), and fire extinguisher use. Before we announce a date, we would like to determine interest. Contact the parish office by May 31 at 850-653-9550 or send an email to info@trinityapalachicola.org to let us know which refresher course you would like to take (CPR, AED, or FEX). Of course, you can take them all!
Wednesday Compline. If you love the Order for Compline from our Book of Common Prayer and want to participate from the comfort of your home, you are in luck! On Wednesdays at 8 pm Eastern, Trinity is pleased to host an online Compline via Facebook Live. And don’t forget that we have Morning Prayer on Wednesdays at 8:15 am.
Formation Groups and Classes. Jason Carter is continuing the chronological study of the Gospels on Sundays at 9:15 am in the Parish Conference Room. All are welcome. The Monday and Thursday classes are on break but will start again soon.
Digital Giving Arrives at Trinity. The strength of Trinity is reflected in those who care, like you. Our church has held continuous services since its inception in 1836. As one of the oldest churches in the State of Florida, we continue to embrace this legacy. A key part of our mission is sharing faith, fellowship, and fostering community engagement from our historic church grounds. Generosity is a key component of our successful ministry. Now,
you can share your generosity easily and safely through our secure Electronic Giving platform.
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Food Pantry Needs Hygiene Products | |
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The Food Pantry of Franklin County urgently needs hygiene products
for needy families. Trinity’s Outreach Committee is asking for donations
of toothpaste, toothbrushes, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, and
bar soap for children and adults, disposable razors for men and women, feminine hygiene products, and diapers for adults and
infants/toddlers through Sunday, June 30.
You can bring supplies to the Food Wagon in the narthex or the church office. Thank you, as always, for your generosity.
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Diocesan Cycle of Prayer. For churches and ministries: on May 12, pray for St. Michael’s, Ozark, AL; and on May 19 pray for Christ the King, Santa Rosa Beach, FL. For prisons: on May 12, pray for the prisoners, families, and staff of the Atmore Community Work Center, Atmore, AL; and on May 19 pray for the prisoners, families, and staff of the Camden Work Release, Camden, AL.
Diocesan College Scholarships Available. The Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast has announced the relaunch of the Episcopal Diocese Scholarship Program for the fall of 2024. As part of our ongoing commitment to supporting the educational pursuits of our youth, the diocese will once again be offering scholarships to students entering post-secondary education this coming fall. Details regarding eligibility criteria, application, and deadlines are provided in the online application. If you have any questions, please contact Diocesan Administrator Dwight Babcock at (850) 434-7337 or dwight@diocgc.org.
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Watch our Sunday sermons online:
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COMMUNITY EVENTS OF INTEREST | |
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Your Bay View: Trinity's bi-weekly e-newsletter, the Bay View, reaches members and friends every other Friday, sharing news and inspiration for and about our parish. Please send information and announcements, as well as photographs, to info@trinityapalachicola.org or call the church office at 850-653-9550. The deadline for submission is noon on Wednesday of each publication week. (next deadline is May 22)
-- Kay Carson, Editor
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Worship Service at 10:30 am Sunday
Morning Prayer at 8:15 am Wednesday
Church address: 79 6th Street, Apalachicola, Florida 32320
Office address: 76 5th Street, Apalachicola, Florida 32320
Mailing address: PO Box 667, Apalachicola, Florida 32329
Phone number: (850) 653-9550
Email: info@trinityapalachicola.org
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