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Apalachicola, Florida
January 16, 2026
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In a single day, blessings flowed. It was wonderful! Let me tell you about it. First was an 82-year-old full of thankfulness for God’s gifts but wonders what life truly has left for them. Second was someone just shy of 90 who isn’t wondering that at all. They continue to wait in joyous expectation, a smile on their face, and a heart awash with gratitude.
Together, they highlight questions we all ask. When do we stop? When do we go? And what do we do in between? I think, in a way, those questions point to a richer and more mystical draw of life’s wellspring. For we all hope to reach the place in our lives marked by II Timothy: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (II Timothy 4:7)
Later the same day, God had one more blessing to give. A 105-yr-old mother stopped by the church with her children to receive a blessing. As I told her about our three prominent stained-glass windows (installed in 1923), the centenarian let out a laugh and said, “I was two when those were made!” She added stoic authority along with gentle humor, saying that those in their 90s (“oh, the little children”) still have much to learn and do.
Three Episcopalians, three viewpoints. Yep, sounds about right! But there’s one truth underneath: “We are pilgrims on a journey, fellow travelers on the road, we are here to help each other, walk the mile and bear the load.” (“Servant Song”, by Richard Gillard) We are pilgrims on the move.
Whether we know it or not, each of us are on a journey with II Timothy 4:7 inured on our hearts. We are called to support ourselves and others, even as we all walk slightly different paths. And when we help one another, we harvest faith rooted in honesty, watered with our imperfections, and made available to everyone. That faith, thankfully, is nourished by grace. For me, it’s why I’m proud to be an Episcopalian.
II Timothy 4:7 complements the Apostle Paul’s encouragement to one of the earliest churches: “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect.” (I Corinthians 15:10) Love who you are, because what you feel before the mirror is the grace of God standing before you, arms outstretched, waiting for you to gain clarity of the self by letting go of the self.
And that was the blessing seen in the depths of three Episcopalians, fellow pilgrims on the journey. Let their experiences help invigorate and prep us for what God has in store.
The centenarian, nonagenarian, and octogenarian did agree on one point: to recognize, accept, and cherish who you are; and do the same for others. Finish strong, brother. Finish strong, sister. We are all pulling for you!
Love Big and Be Well,
Stephen +
| | What in the Holy Health ? | | |
"What in the Holy Health", our series of curated events centered on keeping our bodies and hearts moving towards God, is currently offering two activities for your participation:
Make Prayer Beads with Us! This weekend - Saturday, January 17 - Trinity will host its Third Saturday activity beginning at 10 am in Benedict Hall. Annie Pitts and David Fowlkes will teach you how to make prayer beads, a wonderful tradition in the Christian community. No experience or materials? No problem; Annie and David will teach you and provide all the supplies to make a fabulous (and tactile) set of Anglican prayer beads. These beads don’t replace church or prayer; they complement them. Prayer beads are useful for centering prayer, contemplation, or just sitting quietly with God.
We Challenge YOU… Chances are that an early morning drive around town will result in seeing a faithful group of community walkers who meet in front of the rectory each morning at 7:30 am (except Sundays) to walk for health and fellowship. They wish to extend an invitation to anyone who would like to join them. This active group (no name yet, but receiving suggestions) has thrown down the gauntlet with a challenge for everyone: walk at least a marathon in a month OR 100 miles in a month. You choose: can you walk less than one mile a day for a month? Can you walk three miles (that’s about 10,000 steps) each day for a month? It’s all in the spirit of fun and staying active. See Travis Pecot for more information. Walk on!
| | Cleaning Up for the New Year! | | |
Cleaning Out/Organizing a storeroom: We will be working on clearing out and organizing the catch-all storeroom on the 2nd floor of Benedict Hall on Friday, January 23, beginning at 2 pm. If you and/or a ministry with which you volunteer have things in the storeroom that you might like to preserve, please come help.
We will keep what we know will be used by a ministry, donate some things to the upcoming jumble sale or Penny's Worth, and discard the rest. If you have questions, please contact Dee Crusoe at 850-545-1922.
Kitchen cleanup: Parish Life is having a Benedict Hall kitchen cleanup & organization day on Wednesday, January 28 at 1:30 pm.
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We are excited to announce the plans for our regular 10:30 am Sunday, February 15 service. Our bishop, Russell Kendrick, will be here for his annual visit. He will celebrate the Holy Eucharist and welcome eight new members joining Trinity as full-fledged Episcopalians! A ninth person has asked to reaffirm their commitment as an Episcopalian.
On top of that, we will be blessed again by the harmonies, energy, and prowess of the bluegrass band Echo Valley. This band of siblings from western Pennsylvania loves coming to Apalachicola and have agreed to be our musicians that day. That’s right…get ready for more toe-tappin’ and foot-stompin’ hymns with a Bluegrass Eucharist. Spread the word!
Given that our church is usually on the full side each Sunday, consider arriving early that day just to grab a seat. We will advertise more this year.
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New Episcopalians? Really?!? Yes! Happens all the time. And this year we are welcoming nine of your fellow brothers and sisters into the Episcopalian family when the bishop visits on February 15. Being confirmed will be Amelia Wolferseder and David Fowlkes.
Those being received from other denominations include Mark Dorward, Kim Miller, Teresa and Kaz Kaczmarek, T.J. Wolferseder, and Joan Faison. And Mollie Hill, a lifelong Episcopalian, will be recommitting to The Episcopal Church. A holy and grace-filled welcome to these fellow pilgrims joining us on the journey! Please congratulate them. More importantly, support them as they take the next few steps towards God.
| | Lent Begins February 18: Trinity’s Ash Wednesday Services will be held at 12 noon and 6 pm on February 18, 2026. | | Pancake Supper - Tuesday, February 17 | | |
Trinity’s Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper is February 17,
5 - 6:30 p.m. This popular community event needs your help to supply needed ingredients as well as taking a work shift in the kitchen during the supper. Volunteer sign-up sheets are in Benedict Hall. Tickets ($8.00 each) are available from Parish members and at our office. Parish members can find their ticket packets at the back of the church on Sunday. You can also stop at the office during regular business hours to pick up your tickets.
Please bring your food supplies for the Pancake Supper to Benedict Hall by Sunday, February 15.
-- Bella Rudo
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Annual New Year's Baskets for ECCC
The Franklin County Elder Care Community Council (ECCC) is assembling their New Year's baskets of household cleaning supplies for 130 elders in our community.
This year, Trinity is participating by donating Soft Scrub Cleaner. Please pick up a few bottles and drop them off - by January 23 - in our own basket in the narthex of our church,
-- Valentina Webb, ECCC, and your Outreach Committee
| | Cursillo Weekend Coming Up | | Cursillo is a three-day retreat offered to persons who wish to deepen their faith and walk with Christ. | | | |
It is offered through our diocese at Beckwith Conference Center in Fairhope, AL. Cursillo is currently offered two weekends each year, and it is free to attendees. Cursillo weekends in 2026 are March 12-15 and September 17-20.
To learn about Cursillo, the diocese has a great website, or ask someone who has been (Susan Keith, Chris Presnell, Bonnie Stewart, The Pecots, Ina Margaret Meyer, Patti McCartney, and many more). Who wouldn’t want to be loved on and pampered for three days? You deserve it! De Colores!
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Trinity in the News. Our diocesan newsletter, Coastline, recently featured Trinity's Giving Tree program and the Bring Me A Book Forgotten Coast children's book distribution program.
| | Diocesan Cycle of Prayer. For churches and ministries: on January 18, pray for the Commission on Racial Justice & Reconciliation Church and Immanuel, Bay Minette, AL; on January 25, pray for St. Monica's, Cantonment, FL. For prisons: on January 18, pray for the prisoners, families, and staff of the Santa Rosa County Jail, Milton, FL; and on January 25, pray for the prisoners, families, and staff of the Walton County Jail, DeFuniak Springs, 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.
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Ginger Lawson was born & raised in Lenoir, NC. Her husband Barry also grew up in Lenoir, population 9,000 on a good day, but they never knew each other until 1964 when they met at 7:30 am in the end zone of the high school football field. He was captain of the football team and she was 1st chair oboist in the concert band.
She was “sick” that day, as she often tried to be when the marching band was practicing. Otherwise, she would have been out on the field carrying a 20-pound glockenspiel and might never have met Barry.
Ginger obtained her real estate license and sold residential real estate for 10 years in Atlanta. After four years in Miami Beach, she and Barry returned to Atlanta where she started a small business handling marketing for a number of Atlanta Real Estate agents.
Also, for five years she published a “highly unprofitable” quarterly magazine for people who bred, showed, and judged Norwegian Elkhounds in the US, Great Britain & Norway. (Hard to show a profit when it is impossible for your readership to ever exceed 250 people.)
At Trinity she worked with the annual Auction for 15 years.
Greatest influence on your life (person or experience): My father. As the 10th child, he refused a baseball scholarship to NC State to stay and run the farm and train the horses for my aging grandfather. His education after high school was what he received in OCS and what he learned himself by being a voracious reader. He and Mom would pick an encyclopedia volume (1952 World Book) each night and quiz each other.
How would someone else describe you: Verbal but sometimes salty.
One thing people might be surprised to know about you: I am really an introverted extrovert. I am happiest when I am alone with a book...an actual book that smells and feels like a book. Not a Kindle.
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Favorite part of living here: The people I have met, especially those who feel the same way I do. You feed the hungry, clothe the needy, aid the sick and welcome and protect the stranger, regardless of their race, religion, immigration status, or sexual orientation. Basically, being a decent human being and following the Golden Rule.
Dogs or cats: I love both.
Bacon or broccoli: Broccoli that is roasted with crumbled bacon.
Coleslaw - vinegar or mayo: My sister used both. Hers was so good that our brother said he would marry her to have her slaw every day if it wasn’t against his religion. My sister not so graciously declined his offer!
One thing you are good at: Selling things.
One thing you’d rather not do:
Cold call.
What drew you to Trinity: Betty & Ron Bence were our neighbors when we moved to SGI and encouraged us to visit Trinity. The first people we met were Pat Horn and Dot Hill. The welcome we received, and the more people we met, convinced us that we had found a home at Trinity.
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Watch our Sunday sermons online:
Generosity is a key component of our successful ministry: You can share your generosity easily and safely through our secure Electronic Giving platform.
| | | 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 January 28)
-- Kay Carson, Editor
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Worship Service at 10:30 am Sunday
Morning Prayer at 8:15 am Wednesday
Compline at 8 pm Wednesday - Facebook Live
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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