St. Paul's Episcopal Church
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It is a
parish,
but a parish is actually a geographic description. St. Paul's is the Episcopal Church, along with St. Peter's, in the lower Keys. We are also a
congregation,
which simply means we gather together periodically. But what is it we do and to what purpose?
I was trained 25 years ago now to think of an Episcopal congregation as a membership organization. I bet a lot of us were. The assumption behind this model is that people are looking for churches to join. Our job was to be an attractive church that would retain visitors and entice them to become members of the congregation. I am going to call this the
Chapel Model
. In this model, what happens inside the church walls is the primary activity. People come to the church, join it and participate in its activities which were overwhelmingly located in church buildings.
The Episcopal Church is not the only institution that operated under this model. Other major denominations also used it. Not only religious body, many other groups were organized this way. Fraternal organizations worked that way. Museums developed lists of members. Many people joined various kinds of clubs. People subscribed as members to arts organizations. After World War II, we were a nation of joiners.
This model boomed in the 50's and slowly declined through the 80's. However, in recent decades, this model is in precipitous decline. Nearly every membership-based organization is in trouble. Clubs, fraternal organizations, arts organizations and churches are all in the same boat. This is one of the significant factors in the decline of "mainline Protestant" churches. (There are others, such as conflicts over inclusion, declining birth rates, and lack of cultural and ethnic diversity.)
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Sunday School Start
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Michelle Garcia
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On Sunday September 8th, we had our Sunday School kick off. During the 9:30 service, Father Steve centered the entire mass around the children. What a joy to see all the children in church.
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Following the service, the children headed out to the play area for face painting, bounce house jumping, games and snacks.
We have approximately ten children registered for Sunday school and more to follow. All enjoyed fun, good food, and great fellowship. Thanks to those who helped and all who donated Lego’s.
See all the pictures on our Facebook page
here
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Volunteers are needed to help manage the parish office between 9 AM and 3 PM, M - Th. Parishioner Sarah Kindinger has stepped forward to coordinate the effort. We need help to answer the phone, greet visitors, send/respond to emails, and enter data. If you have any of these skills and can make time available to lend a hand, please contact Sarah at:
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The Foundation for a Legacy
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Sarah Kindinger
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Our Memorial Garden is a place of solace where visitors can pause, contemplate and remember the lives of those lost and cherished. To honor and memorialize your loved ones, you are invited to purchase personalized bricks, similar to those in the sample photo below as a legacy for a family member, friend, yourself or even a pet. We also welcome businesses that wish to demonstrate their support and respect for St. Paul's. The proceeds will be used to fund the Centennial Celebration which will commemorate 100 years of our current church building, the 4th on this site.
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The 4" X 8" bricks are similar to the current bricks. Each may contain up to 3 lines and up to 18 characters per line. The cost for each is $100. In addition, you have the option of ordering Donor Tiles, 1" ½ x 3" replicas of your donation, for $25 each, as well as Donor Certificates for your home or office for $12. The deadline for orders is November 30, 2019.
To place your order, click
here
to complete the information form. You will then have the option of paying by credit card or check. Any unused proceeds will go to the Memorial Fund.
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On Sunday, Sept. 22nd, between services, 5 parishioners met for a discussion led by Fr. Steve and Susanne Woods as part of the newly initiated Adult Forum. Susanne and Steve will be choosing spiritual practices that interest participants, explore them in detail, and consider how these practices shape and transform us. Won't you join us!
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Earlier this month, Episcopal Diocese of South East Florida Bishop Peter Eaton urged all parishes to contribute to a relief fund for victims of Hurricane Dorian. According to the Bishop's
Interim Report
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the appeal has raised $330,000.
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In an August appeal, the St. Paul's vestry asked parishioners to join the
1831 Society
by making one or more donations beyond their existing pledge or planned giving to send us into the fall on a stronger financial footing. As of September 5th, $9,250 has been gratefully received. Our thanks to all who gave. Later this year, there will be a special event to celebrate the Society and and thank its members.
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This month's Centennial Committee history question
What is the material covering the church floor
and when was it installed?
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Blessing of the Animals
This Sunday, Oct. 6th, 9:30 Service
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Sunday, we celebrate the Feast of Saint Francis with the Blessing of the Animals. Bring
your your pets and invite your friends and neighbors to bring theirs too. All God's creatures are welcome.
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Report on Expanded Email List
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In September
,
we reported that several St. Paul's email lists had been consolidated. Earlier mailings had reached 270 individuals. The September
Epistle
was sent to the new list with results as follows:
- 103 "bounces", meaning undeliverable emails
- 13 "unsubscribes"
- 532 successfully delivered
- 285 "opens" - 100+ higher than previous # of opens
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Reminders
Adult Forum 8:30 AM, between services
Sunday school, 9:30 AM, Holy Innocents Hall, Upstairs
Chancel Choir resumes Oct. 20th
Back issues of
The Epistle
available
here
Send questions and comments to the editor
here
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Tel. (305)-296-5142 |
Pastoral Emergencies (317) 414 4194
Office Hours: M – Th | 9 – 3 PM, Closed 12 - 1 and Fridays
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