Apalachicola, Florida

October 1, 2024

 As we rapidly approach the end of 2024, we at Trinity are beginning to plan ahead for 2025. A big part of that is aligning our needs with our resources. The needs and resources are spiritual for sure, but they are also financial. This is why talking about stewardship is so very important. We cannot plan and budget for the next year without your support and pledge to keep Trinity Church operating on all cylinders. The Rector, Vestry, and Finance Committee work throughout the year to manage finances in a responsible manner, but the ability to do anything at Trinity starts with you and your generosity. In upcoming Bay View issues and during Sunday services we will give space to individual members to talk about why they give and how it has changed them.

For this issue, Father Stephen offers an open letter to everyone, highlighting this year’s theme of “Walk in Love”.

Dear Family of God,

Generosity is a journey. It is a practice we learn and nurture within our hearts. It just isn’t in our nature to give away what we have worked hard to acquire or to donate our precious time without compensation. It takes something as radical as love to inspire us to share our time, talent, and treasure with others. This is a journey we make together: a Walk in Love.

As we have lived with the Gospel of St. Mark this year, we have been brought into a world turned radically upside down. The laws and customs that had been in place for centuries were challenged, power and dominion have been questioned, and a culture hemmed in from all sides by oppression and subjection desperately seeks a way forward. 

As it turns out, it is not clever politics or force that cause the change in society, but the simplest concept of Love. Jesus causes a revolution of thought and heart by daring to reach out to the outcast and teach others to do the same. He walks in love with the marginalized, the poor, and the sick. And he brings us along with him on that journey. 

The most miraculous gift of Love is that it was there within us all along. All we had to do was find it, tap into its infinite resource, and begin growing it. And look what happened? We learned to share, give, and volunteer. We leaned into accompanying others and into feeding, praying, visiting, and striving for change. This year as our Stewardship Campaign kicks off, we will be intentionally raising up stories of how we Walk in Love with each other in our congregation. I invite you to share your stories of inspiration and connection with our shared ministry in this place and with each other.

I invite you to Walk in Love.



God’s Peace,

Stephen +

The first book covered will be Experiencing God: Faith Narratives of Episcopalians (Ian Markham and Kimberly Dunn, editors). It is an opportunity to hear about fellow Episcopalians in their walk with God; perhaps it will begin some good discussions in our parish.

Looking For A Few Good People. With four vestry members ending their term in December, Trinity is looking for people who want to help guide this church into an exciting future. A desire to be part of shaping the next few years of this church as we move closer to the bicentennial decade (!!!) is required.

Trinity is currently accepting nominations to fill four vestry positions for the year 2025. Vestry members are elected for a three-year term. They are required to be confirmed, active communicants, and current pledgers. These are qualifications not only for election but for continued service on the vestry. Nomination forms are available in the office and in Benedict Hall, and may be returned to the office or emailed to info@trinityapalachicola.org. Nominations are due by Sunday, November 3, 2024. Short bios of candidates will appear in the Bay View newsletter between November and the Annual Meeting and will be posted in Benedict Hall.

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.

The winners of September's Bingo Night looking chipper as always!

The next Third Thursday Bingo is coming up on October 17 at 6:30 pm and will have a twist to it, as we invited Apalachicola Riverkeeper to use the event as a fundraiser for their annual RiverTrek event.

Please see Cameron Baxley’s writeup in this issue of Bay View to learn more about this organization and how you can help. 

Hurricane Helene came ashore late Thursday night, September 26 2024 as a Category 4 hurricane in the Big Bend area of Florida. Most of you evacuated, and for that we are grateful. It is never easy to do so, and it comes with a price that many call inconvenient and stressful. And because each storm is different, thank you for taking Helene seriously.

Very little to no damage was found around the homes of Trinity members. Residents on St. George Island and Indian Pass did have some additional cleanup beyond those of us in Apalachicola, Eastpoint, and Port St. Joe. The buildings of Trinity (the church, rectory, office, Benedict Hall, and Penny’s Worth) had zero damage, though we will be watching closely over the next week.

Because of Hurricane Helene, some church events had to be postponed. In this Bay View issue you will see information on which ones have been rescheduled, and others will be announced soon. Thank you to those who were planning to attend these, and we appreciate your patience.

Because this storm had a unique genesis and history, we are thankful to the Franklin County EOC and the National Hurricane Center for keeping the public updated. 

Father Stephen talking about the history of Trinity Episcopal Church on The Weather Channel before Hurricane Helene made landfall.

Father Stephen with Paul Goodloe, meteorologist for The Weather Channel, outside of The Gibson Inn on September 26, 2024.

Most people know that something is happening when TV crews show up, and The Weather Channel is no exception. In fact, there is often a stigma around some of these weather personalities such that when particular reporters are there, you know something really bad is brewing.

While that didn’t happen in Apalachicola, a crew of The Weather Channel arrived in Apalachicola on Thursday (they had spent the previous night in Port St. Joe).

Father Stephen was watching the broadcast from the rectory, and his wife Travis commented that the backdrop they were using (Franklin County Courthouse and the concrete barricade) did not do Apalachicola any favors to entice future tourists.

In an effort to convince meteorologist Paul Goodloe and his crew to record some of their segments in front of our beautiful, historic church that had survived countless hurricanes over 187 years, Stephen went to the Gibson Inn to extend an invitation. While they didn’t follow his advice, they enjoyed the quick history lesson and asked to do an interview. 

And that is why those of you who were glued to The Weather Channel on Thursday afternoon suddenly saw your Rector on national TV talking about our church.

In the end, we had some positive coverage of our church (always a good thing). Also, we helped out Apalachicola tourism ever so slightly, as all segments after that cut out the unsightly concrete barricade from the background. Small mercies abound, even in the midst of storms.

We were most fortunate that the highest wind gust reported around Apalachicola was just under 60 mph. This does NOT mean that you can stay for the next major hurricane that comes ashore near us; follow the instructions of the local authorities. Every storm is different in magnitude, intensity, and impacts.

What Do I Do Now? I Want To Help! It’s a good thing to want to help. As you probably know, Hurricane Helene tore apart the coastal towns near us. However, major damage goes from Sarasota, FL all the way into the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. The need is unimaginable. This week Father Stephen is going to meet with the bishop and other clergy and diocesan staff at Beckwith Conference Center to map out a concerted, long-term response to the critically hit areas. As our bishop, The Rt. Rev. Russell Kendrick says, it is a marathon and not a sprint. As such, Trinity will be announcing something soon regarding recovery work. What Father Stephen hopes is that, with all the generosity coming from our diocese to support those affected, Trinity will be poised to serve as a hub to coordinate the response between our diocese (Central Gulf Coast, which goes all the way to AL/MS state line) and our Episcopal family to the east (Diocese of Florida, which starts in Eastpoint and goes all the way to the Atlantic). More to come on that.

In the meantime, should you feel called to do something now we suggest you consider the following two sites:

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. For those of you who want to help, the message for right now is please standby. But if you feel called to donate NOW, 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. 

Although our call to be good stewards of God’s Creation is ever-present, we have been highlighting our link to the earth and God’s creatures in the past few liturgies and events. On September 20th several of us met at Salinas Park in Cape San Blas to horseback ride on the beach, followed by fellowship at Indian Pass Raw Bar.

It was a fabulous time and look forward to future excursions like this.

Travis Pecot, Bonnie Stewart, and Allison Green riding in Cape San Blas.

The entire crew from Trinity lined up and ready to ride at Salinas Park, Cape San Blas for their sunset ride.

Blessings, Blessings Everywhere! 

We have so much to be thankful for, we are amping

up the blessings this month.

We will host the annual Blessing of the Animals this weekend (Sunday, October 6, 3 pm in Gorrie Square). So load up the animals and creatures you care for and bring them this Sunday to Trinity, where Father Stephen will be offering prayers and blessings for all God’s creatures.

Then on Saturday, October 12 from 12-2 pm, Trinity will be hosting the Blessing of the Golf Carts in conjunction with Porch Fest 2024. Tell all

your golf cart-riding neighbors and friends that this is a great way to

ensure your travels around our community are “Riding With the Lord”.

Or to paraphrase local legend Clayton Mathis, you can ride in style,

with Jesus in the passenger side. 

While holding a meeting in Benedict Hall recently, Trinity's Outreach Committee did not let a Tornado Warning slow down progress. 

The Apalachicola River region is one-of-a-kind and a true National Treasure! It is Florida's largest river in volume. The watershed is recognized as one of five biodiversity hotspots in North America and is designated for the state’s highest level of protection as an Outstanding Florida Water. It is part of a National Estuarine Research Reserve, an International Biosphere Reserve, and contains two aquatic preserves. Its people form a strong, proud and hard-working community who know and love this ecosystem.

Apalachicola Bay, one of the most productive estuaries in the Northern Hemisphere, once supported one of the most significant oyster fisheries in the southeastern United States, producing approximately ten percent of the nation’s oysters, as well as shrimp, crab, and fish harvest. The rivers of the watershed contribute nutrients to create the productive commercial and recreational fisheries along the Apalachicola River and Bay, and this continues nearshore and offshore to the West Florida Shelf. The river’s freshwater plume extends far south along the Florida peninsula contributing to the productivity of multiple species. Ninety percent of these species spend some part of their lives in our Bay. 

Today, the entire river and bay system is under threat due to damage from past river dredging by the Army Corps of Engineers, the decline in freshwater due to reservoirs upstream managed by the ACOE, threats of oil drilling in our floodplain, and rampant unchecked development. Since 1998, Apalachicola Riverkeeper, a non-profit, member-based organization has fought for the protection of Apalachicola River and Bay—and we will continue to do so. We have had some significant wins and made a difference as the voice of the river. That is our only mission, to speak up for and work with all the resources we can muster to protect this national American treasure for future generations.

Apalachicola Riverkeeper continues to steadfastly advocate for reversing the trend of ecological threats through advocacy, outreach & education, legal action, and collaborative research. We cannot do this work alone. Rivertrek is an annual fundraiser - awareness campaign, where an elite team will paddle the entire 107 miles of the Apalachicola River. The RiverTrek Team will undertake this commitment to become a River Ambassador for the continued advocacy and protection of the Apalachicola River and Bay. RiverTrek is a unique opportunity to experience the Apalachicola River as one of the least polluted, most underdeveloped, resource-rich systems left in the United States. Like the mighty river is made of countless drops of water, we are made of many helping hands. Every drop and every hand matters. Together, we must protect this American treasure, the Apalachicola River & Bay. Will you please join hands with us and support the work we do for this irreplaceable treasure before it is too late. Become a member, support the RiverTrek team, and add your voice to get the flow of water right once again.

So come to our Bingo night October 17 and support this very

worthy organization, fighting for the waterways that sustain our

ecosystems, livelihoods, and economy. 

Trinity was well-represented at Cursillo #171. (left to right) Stephen Pecot, Brant Banks, Bonnie Stewart, Joy Tracy, & John Huft.

Diocesan Cycle of Prayer. For churches and ministries: on October 6, pray for the St. Christopher's, Pensacola. For prisons: on October 6, pray for the prisoners, families, and staff of the Geneva County Jail, Geneva, AL

Bill & Patti McCartney recently returned from a trip to NYC, where they enjoyed Hamilton, Boston, Maine, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Quebec City. In QC, they spent a few days with friends that Patti met on a cruise to Greece15 years ago. After learning about young Cynthia’s journey with cancer, she and Patti became “soul mates” and they visit, in both the US and Canada, every few years. 

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.

Charles Brooks Jones is a global citizen, having lived in Ohio, Fort Walton Beach, Germany, Korea, and Maryland, prior to settling with his wife, Faye, on the Forgotten Coast. He was with the National Security Agency for 37 years, an Encore instructor at Gulf Coast State College, and served as President of a Senior Citizens Board. In addition to his roles as Diocesan Lay Preacher and Lay Worship Leader, he proudly serves as Trinity's verger.

Greatest influence on your life (person or experience):

Army Life

How would someone else describe you:

5’10”, 230 lbs, White Hair, Blue Eyes, Welsh Enthusiast

One thing people might be surprised to know about you:

Systems Engineer, Teach Tai Chi & Ukulele, Autistic Spectrum, MENSA member

Favorite part of living here: 

People, Water & Beach, lack of traffic

One thing you are good at:

Singing

One thing that you’d rather not do:

Dishes

Dogs or cats:

Both

Bacon or broccoli:

Both

Coleslaw - vinegar or mayo:

Both

What drew you to Trinity:

People, Singing

Readings for October 6, 2024, the Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost

Porch Fest is Coming Up! 

On Saturday, October 12, Porch Fest Apalachicola will take place from 11 am to 7 pm around town. It is a free event and features local musicians who play at different sites around Apalachicola. We are happy to announce that Bring Me A Book Forgotten Coast is this year’s charity, with all proceeds going to this very worthy organization. One of the many sites selected for music this year are the steps of our beloved Trinity Church. So come out all day to hear some great music but stop by Trinity between 12 and 2:30 pm for two bands (and get your golf cart blessed; see other announcement in this issue). If you are available to volunteer that day, please contact Karen “KK” Kessel at 214-883-3995 or karen_kessel@yahoo.com. 

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: October 9)

-- Kay Carson, Editor

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