Apalachicola, Florida

November 22,2024

Thanksgiving did not begin in 1621 with the colonists and the Wampanoag Indians at Plymouth, Massachusetts. Nor did it begin in 1574 in the Netherlands (celebrating defeat of the Spanish fleet) or 1541 in Texas (with Vásquez de Coronado and the Teya Indians). It is a defining part of cultures everywhere, offering thanks after a long slog. Even Passover could be considered a type of Thanksgiving as it recalls the Israelite’s exodus to freedom from oppression. Across the centuries and around the globe, people carve out time in which to stop (or at least pause) and remember, commemorate, and celebrate. Whether recalling a bountiful harvest or a hard-fought peace, these moments direct us to a deep awareness of God’s mercy and providence. They possess a recurring theme of giving thanks despite trials and suffering. 

Today, we give thanks for prosperity, benefitting greatly from antibiotics, vaccines, and therapies. We flourish in a society based in the freedoms of speech, press, and religion. Our relative peace is a product of sacrifices large and small made by ancestors and strangers. When we strive to make our world safer, more accepting, and more loving, we join in that tradition. And when we give thanks in spite of trials and suffering, implied is an acknowledgement that life, while hard and hurtful at times, is still worth living. Had our ancestors followed through on giving up when times were hard, the world would be a different place indeed.

Today we have the strains of politics, disconnected families, and conflicts which threaten to undermine our joys and appreciation for who we are and what we have. This may lead to offering an awkward thanks with half-hearted gratitude and conditional credits. But I challenge you to be aware of the seed of hope planted when you offer thanks for anything. While it may be infinitesimally small, it will germinate and bloom in the cracks of humanity. It always has and always will, whether or not you are there to see it.

As he sat in a Nazi prison, the Lutheran pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote: “In normal life we hardly realize how much more we receive than we give, and life cannot be rich without such gratitude. It is so easy to overestimate the importance of our own achievements compared with what we owe to the help of others.”

You may have perfectly valid reasons to offer an awkward thanks for your trials and suffering. But try approaching that struggle from a place of heartfelt gratitude and unconditional love.

Look around. Look beyond your past. Look above the strife and pettiness.

You have much more to give and even more to receive. The trials and

suffering may not change; the struggle may continue; but the seed of

hope you plant will bear fruit that sustains a world hungry for it.

Love Big and Be Well,

Stephen +

Parish Life cordially invites you to the annual Thanksgiving Potluck this Sunday, November 24, immediately after our 10:30 am service. We will

enjoy a traditional "Dinner on the Grounds" in Gorrie Square.

We will have plenty of turkey and ham, so just bring a favorite side dish

to share. If you have not already signed up, please text or call

Kerry Petty at 517-712-4025 to let us know how many people

in your party will attend, and what you plan to bring.

Bell Tower Blues. This past week Greg Krivonak and Emily Kerr performed some much-needed maintenance of the bell tower. Wood surrounding several windows was replaced with freshly sealed and painted boards. Old holes made by birds along the attic eaves were sealed. Even the cross received a fresh coat of paint. This work required the renting of an 80-foot lift.

This critical maintenance was funded by your pledges and donations; thank you! Many thanks to the Trinity Vestry for earmarking funds for this project. We imagine the Trinity bell will sound better than ever this coming Sunday.

Vestry Notes - October & November, 2024

Vestry Candidates Step Up

Four vestry members are completing their tenures (Rennie Edwards as Senior Warden, Karen Brown as Junior Warden, Barry Lawson, and Ralph Wagoner), and we thank them for their long service to Trinity. During the upcoming annual meeting after church on December 8, we will hold a vote on four Trinity members who have stepped up to serve on the vestry: Denise Butler, Karen (KK) Kessel, Alan Pierce, and Chris Presnell. Bay View asked each candidate to provide a bio so that we can learn more about them. In this issue, we present bios from KK and Chris; see the previous Bay View from 11/10/2024 for Denise and Alan’s bios.

Karen “KK” Kessel – You know Karen Kessel, even if you don’t know her name. She was raised in the church and carried her faith into adulthood. She spent her working career teaching in the classroom, or by overseeing several school libraries and resource centers in school districts throughout Texas. She raised two children while working, and was active in churches of many denominations, serving as the Clerk of Session at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Longview.  



After joining Trinity two years ago, she explained to the Bishop that she loves Jesus, but may cuss and drink a little…he told her she would make a great Episcopalian. With Trinity, she has been active with the Tour of Homes, and for the last year she has been in a leadership position for the Parish Life committee, and serving as needed with special events, growing the congregation, and Outreach. Many may remember when Karen organized a pop-up daycare for working parents at the church after Hurricane Michael. 

Karen will continue to live her life within the teachings of Jesus, as she has done for so many years. You know Karen Kessel – don’t let the southern charm fool you. The red hair is there to remind us it might take a little fire to do God's work. She will make a great vestry member by looking out for what Trinity can become to this community in the future, while honoring its past.



Chris Presnell – Though my family is from the Chattahootchee area, I was born in Pascagoula, MS where I spent my summers as a child working on my grandfather’s shrimp boat. This gave me an appreciation and love for all things coastal. I was raised in Tallahassee, and we would vacation at the St. Joe State Park on Cape San Blas, picking up scallops and trout fishing as early as 1973. I graduated from Godby High School in Tallahassee and received a degree from FSU in Criminology, though I do not know where it is. Then I came to my senses and attended UF, earning a degree in Civil Engineering. I spent much of my career in Tallahassee in a consulting firm designing roads throughout the Panhandle, including several in and around Apalachicola. Though appearances might indicate so, I am not a member of the band, nor I am a motorcyclist or environmentalist (though I love the Earth). My quiet time is spent on the water fishing (or not fishing, doesn’t matter).

I thank my parents every day for instilling a deep faith in God in me and for creating a desire for service in the church. I was an active member of East Hill Baptist Church in Tallahassee, serving in the choir and bell choir as well as the youth program (yes, our church had a swim and basketball team). I received Christ at the age of 12 while attending summer camp at Lake Yale and was officially baptized at the church soon after. When my last child went to college, I sold everything and moved to Apalachicola where I continue to work remotely. 

I learned about The Episcopal Church through my sister who is an Episcopalian in Ponte Vedra Beach. But when I moved to Apalachicola, I found a home at Trinity. I thoroughly enjoy the acceptance of all through The Episcopal Church, something I believe in strongly. I have been involved in the Outreach and Tour of Homes Committees at Trinity as well as welcoming visitors to church on Sunday as an usher. I look forward to serving as a member of your vestry.

Writers Sought for Bulletin Reflection. The last page of our weekly service bulletin is devoted to a short reflection on the readings for the day. This was a decades-long ministry of the lovely Pat Horn. At times poignant and other times challenging or uplifting, her writings captured how God was working in her world. We would like to assemble a group of Trinity members to write 250-word reflections on a rotation and carry on Pat’s ministry. Please contact Fr. Stephen at the office or email if you are interested.

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.

Helping in the Post-Storm World. There are several ways to assist those recovering from hurricanes. As we examine more sources we will include them in this list and on our social media pages. For now, these three are more than adequate:

At Trinity: give to Hurricane/Disaster Relief at Trinity via our online donation page, by regular giving on Sundays, or sending your check to the office. For any donation please be sure you specify “Hurricane/Disaster Relief” in the memo line.

Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast: Bishop Russell is working with Episcopal Relief and Development's US Disaster Program along with other dioceses in the southeastern US, who all have reports of significant damage. If you feel called to donate, please give to the Hurricane/Disaster Relief fund managed by our diocese. You can do that here (be sure to select Hurricane/Disaster Relief from the dropdown menu). This is going to be a marathon, not a sprint. 

Franklin County Sheriff’s Office (Sheriff Tony “AJ” Smith): Most of us know that the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department often responds quickly to these events by bringing water and other supplies to affected areas. They have a website for their charity relief work for which you can donate here. 

Pounds & Dollars Fall Food Drive 

We’ve had a successful year collecting for the Food Pantry. Thank you to everyone who has contributed. To round out 2024, we are announcing a competition to energize the masses. Using the honor system, keep track of all your Food Pantry donations (money or material) since mid-October through the end of the year. Every pound is equal to one dollar and vice versa. Everyone who participates will be entered to win some fun prizes. But there’s more! For every 20 pounds or $20 given, you are entered into a separate drawing to win a river cruise with Captain Chris. For every 50 pounds or $50 given, you are entered into the Grand Prize drawing to win a 5-course meal, prepared by Father Stephen and Travis at the Rectory. Multiple entries are encouraged, so load up! And as an extra special enticement, your donations brought on Sunday November 24 (the day of our Thanksgiving Potluck) will count twice, doubling your entries! There is a sheet in Benedict Hall labeled “Pounds & Dollars Fall Food Drive” where you can log your progress, or you can let Fr. Stephen know.

Penny's Worth Holiday Decor: Stop by Penny's Worth and select something new (to you) for your home and table this holiday season, and pick up a couple of festive gifts for family and friends.

Penny's Worth Holiday Schedule: Closed November 30, the Saturday after Thanksgiving); Open December 3, 7, 10,14,& 17. Closed for Christmas December 21, 24, 28 and 30; Open on January 4 to kick off your shopping adventures in 2025. 

Trinity's Giving Tree for Franklin County School: All students were adopted! Return gifts to Benedict Hall no later than December 8. Gifts should be placed, unwrapped, in a large opaque bag with the student's ornament number on the outside. Questions? Text or call Bob Pruitt at 205-915-5264.

Trinity's Outreach Committee held its second annual Open Meeting during Hospitality Hour on November 10. Participants heard presentations from our partners, Franklin’s Promise and the Elder Care Community Council (ECCC) as well as updates from our Food Wagon, Cookie ministry, Volunteer Reader program, the Franklin County School (FCS) satellite Giving Tree, and partnership with the Apalachicola Community Garden and FCS. Review Outreach project details and updates here.

Diocesan Convention Is Coming Up Quick! If you are a member of Trinity, we need you to serve as one of two delegates or an alternate at the 54th Annual Diocesan Convention to be held February 21-22, 2025, at the Destin-Fort Walton Beach Convention Center, hosted by Christ the King, Santa Rosa Beach. Any adult and confirmed Communicant in Good Standing of Trinity is eligible to serve. Food and lodging are covered. You can nominate yourself or someone else (ask their permission, please) to these very important roles. It is always a well-attended affair and a superb way to keep grounded in what the diocese is doing as well as the larger Episcopal Church. It is also a great chance to show the rest of the diocese all we are doing! Please contact the church office if you would like to learn more. We would appreciate all nominations by Sunday, December 1 but will also take floor nominations during the annual meeting on December 8.

Diocesan Cycle of Prayer. For churches and ministries: on November 24, pray for St. Anna’s and Trinity churches in Atmore, AL; on December 1, pray for Church of the Advent in Lillian, AL. For prisons: on November 24, pray for the prisoners, families, and staff of the Wilcox County Detention Center, Camden, AL; and on December 1, pray for the prisoners, families, and staff of the Bay County Jail, Panama City, FL.

The TRINITY TEN, a ten-point questinnaire that provides a light-hearted,

yet sincere, profile of Trinity parishioners, is designed for us to get

to know each other a little better. Your responses, along with a

photograph, will appear regularly in the Bay View.

Randy Doyle Mims is Trinity’s Choir Director and a former vestry member. He plays a variety of musical instruments and sings in church and at venues around town. He is from Greensboro, North Carolina. Randy’s career has included Chief Concert Engineer for Audio Unlimited of North America Inc., Maintenance Supervisor for Meuller Color Plate Company, and Vice President of Communications Equipment Company.

Greatest influence on your life (person or experience): Mr. Mac (7th Grade Science Teacher)

How would someone else describe you: Helpful

One thing people might be surprised to know about you: I get nervous before playing music for people.

Favorite part of living here: The Climate

Dogs or cats: Dogs

Bacon or broccoli:  Broccoli with Bacon

Coleslaw - vinegar or mayo: Mayo on Hot Dogs; Vinegar with Bar-B-Que

One thing you are good at: Sailing

One thing you’d rather not do: Be in a hurry

What drew you to Trinity: Liturgical Service

Readings for November 24, 2024, the Last Sunday after Pentecost

Readings for December 1, 2024, the First Sunday of Advent

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 December 4)

-- Kay Carson, Editor

enjoyWorship 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