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Apalachicola, Florida
May 23, 2025
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When I sat down to write last Sunday’s sermon, I was not planning to talk about it. I mention it every week but don’t expound upon its importance. I hear some wax poetic about its theology and watch others get tied up in knots over it. I feel its power across the walls of Trinity each time I celebrate it.
I’m talking about Holy Communion. More specifically, for this reflection I’m talking about why it is so important that Episcopalians link Holy Communion and Holy Baptism into an unassailable knot. And yet, we must also recognize that the Holy Spirit is doing just as much work on baptized Christians as those who are unbaptized or those who have never received Communion.
The strongest argument I have heard for adhering to the church canon which reserves Communion for baptized Christians only is this: the Holy Eucharist is the last part of the baptismal rite which sustains us to live into our baptismal covenant. In other words, you are made a Christian in Baptism but sustained as one in Communion. And I agree with that.
But I always go back to the criminal on the other cross next to Jesus; or the person leading a godly life who has not been baptized; or the person who was baptized but has lived an ungodly life. I go back to Judas who betrayed Jesus, or the Samaritan woman at the well. Jesus didn’t ask for proof; he asked them to believe. And he met them where they were. Are you willing to do the same?
A theologian far smarter than me called the Open Table debate that offers Communion to all “cheap and easy evangelism”. If you look at it from the perspective of the church trying to fill pews on a Sunday, it is. From that viewpoint, it breaks down the walls of traditionalism under the auspices of radical hospitality.
I don’t see it like that. Instead, I consider what it must take for the person whose heart races as the usher draws ever closer to their pew; who, in a few moments, must decide if this is the week they stand up and walk the short distance to God who is open to them. Maybe this is the week they do exactly that. And when they get to the altar, they open their hands, signifying to me an open heart and room for future dialogue. Whether it is Communion today or Baptism once, God is aware of the reason they come to the Table. And I am not one to argue with God.
People come to receive Communion for infinite reasons. Consider why you do it. Are you coming up just for pardon, or do you hunger for renewal too? Are you coming up just for solace but not strength? Are your hands outstretched to receive bread and wine, or is your heart open to where God will lead you?
Welcoming all to the Lord’s Table is not cheap, easy evangelism. It is evangelism that pushes our will for others to the background, allowing God’s will for all to the fore. It honors each person’s walk to God, whatever the path.
Because that walk just might be the hardest thing some people will ever do.
We as a church would be well served to remember and celebrate
everyone’s quest for God, never taking it for granted. We as
Christ’s people would be well served to remember that Jesus
served all, died for all, and loves all. Period.
Love Big and Be Well,
Stephen +
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Trinity Sunday Parish Picnic
Sunday, June 15
| | We are excited to announce that the Trinity Sunday Parish Picnic will occur immediately after the Sunday service on Trinity Sunday, June 15 in Benedict Hall and Gorrie Square. A sign-up sheet for sides, salads, and deserts will be in Benedict Hall starting this Sunday. Meats and drinks are provided, and we will have various yard games (cornhole, bocce, etc.) for the ultra-competitive. Bring your lawn chairs and your joy! | | |
Looking for a
Prayer Warrior
With Kristin Anderson heading to her next adventure, we are looking for someone to take over the Healing Prayers ministry.
Started by Pat Horn, Kristin began doing it in 2017 as has never looked back. The only requirement is to be at church about 15 minutes before the service and be available to offer prayers or kind words to those who come to the altar.
Your heart will be changed as you provide a safe space for those seeking comfort. Contact Father Stephen if interested.
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What’s with the Candles?
Speaking of prayer, we recently placed a set of votive candles in the back of the church for everyone to use. The tradition of lighting candles was to signify a vow (that’s where “votive” originates, from the Latin word votum) but also honoring and remembering those who have died.
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Over time, the use of votives expanded to include lifting up prayers for someone or something on your heart. We chose battery-powered votives for safety reasons. Light as many as you want when you visit; a switch is underneath each candle.
They are “extinguished” daily, so light, pray, and love! Thanks to Chris Presnell for the donation of the wood shelving.
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Lectionary Learners on Sunday Mornings
While Jason Carter's Sunday Bible Study is on hiatus for a few months, a new Christian education opportunity will be available. This informal weekly meeting will focus on the Sunday Lectionary readings. We will review and discuss the Gospel reading for each week.
The sessions will begin at 9:15 am on Sundays. This way, participants will have a preview of the reading which everyone will listen to during the Sunday church service. "Lectionary Learners" will gather in the church office Library. The first class will be held on June 1, 2025.
Landy Luther is the facilitator. If you have any questions, or require any additional information, call Landy at 850-229-6735 or send an email to landyl@fairpoint.net. We hope to see you there.
| | | | 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. | | Trinity Honors Kristin Anderson | | |
The many achievements of longtime Trinity member Kristin Anderson were highlighted and celebrated after the May 18 service. Since moving to Apalachicola in 1985, Kristin has been a stalwart supporter of everything Apalach.
At Trinity she has served on the choir, the vestry, and even a stint as Junior Warden. Around town she was one of the first to see the potential of combining the history and culture of Apalachicola with art, opening Long Dream Gallery in the Orman Building (which she also brought back to life, now serving as the home of Apalach Outfitters) and continuing with KristinWorks, her jewelry studio.
She served on the boards of Weems Memorial Hospital and the Apalachicola Chamber of Commerce.
Lastly, she offered prayers and solace each Sunday before church, taking over the healing ministry begun by Pat Horn. Kristin will be moving to Tallahassee very soon, and we will miss her strong, yet calm, presence greatly.
| | Fortunately, Pat Horn will be her neighbor, so they can pick up where they left off! If you are ever in Tallahassee, stop by Westminster Oaks and say hello to Kristin. Bon voyage! | | |
Big Bend Hospice Looking for Volunteers
Andrea Zinker with Big Bend Hospice contacted Trinity about requesting volunteer assistance. There are many types of tasks that volunteers can do, from simply visiting those in hospice to shopping and meal prep. We have invited Andrea to speak to us in conjunction with Hospitality Hour on June 22, but, in the meantime if you are interested, go to their volunteer orientation page here or call 850-878-5310.
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Cookie Group needs a few good people!
Summer is here and people like to get out of the heat. But cookie baking continues. If you would be willing to bake for the home delivered meals clients at ECCC on an occasional basis, please contact Connie Finneran. My email is sailboatgal@yahoo.com
and I will be happy to explain the ministry to you.
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This is an occasional commitment. You choose your availability. And no, you do not have to be a master chef. Slice and bakes, brownies - the ECCC clients love them all. I am not a good baker!
Also, you do not have to attend Trinity to be part of our cookie group.
--- Connie Finneran
| | Our beloved Kristin Anderson singing her anthem, "Those Were the Days" with local musician Robert E. Mason, and an overflow crowd at the Apalachicola Yacht Club yesterday during "Kristin's Next Adventure", a community farewell event in her honor. | | A Dispatch from the Central Gulf Coast Diocese’s “Pilgrimage in Mobile” | | |
Darron Patterson, tall and eloquent with arresting eyes, introduced himself as the “direct descendent of Polee Allen,” one of 110 enslaved Africans brought to the shores of Mobile Bay, illegally, in 1860. Polee was 19 when Dahomean warriors attacked his village in Yorubaland, kidnapped the strongest, burned what remained, and marched the captives to Ouida in present-day Benin to idle in “barracoons” and await sale to slave traders.
The international trade of slaves in the United States ended in 1808, but it was not strongly enforced. Two Mobilians, Timothy Meaher and William Foster, were rumored to have taken a bet to smuggle slaves from Africa. They did. In 1860, slaves purchased from the Ouida barracoons were unloaded near Twelve Mile Island on Mobile Bay, and the ship was burned and scuttled. After over a century of secrecy, accusations, and cover-up on May 22, 2019, the Alabama Historical Commission announced the discovery of the 86-foot-long mid-nineteenth century slave ship, the Clotilda.
| Our pilgrimage—organized by the Commission on Racial Justice and Reconciliation of the Diocese—began with a trip to the site of the Clotilda. There, Mr. Patterson led a Yoruban ritual honoring ancestors. He began by offering the name of an ancestor, pouring water, and saying “ashay” (a Yoruban “amen”). Participants were invited to name an ancestor of their own and repeat, “ashay” together. It was very moving. | | |
What followed was lunch at the Church of the Good Shepherd, founded in 1854 by enslaved and freedmen and women, and afterwards, a tour of the Africatown Heritage House (clotilda.com). Here we experienced a room-by-room journey from 19th century Africa to present-day Africatown, the town the Clotilda slaves founded with their own earnings and initiative after Emancipation. The vibrancy of the community, “an African garden of Eden,” during Jim Crow was remarkable.
As Mobile grew, Africatown was annexed, and the west bank of Mobile Bay was leased to paper companies, chemical plants, and lumber mills. The main street of the town and many residences were bulldozed to make way for a bridge and a highway.
Today, the efforts of survivors’ descendants and townspeople, and historic preservationists are focused on raising awareness of this community’s powerful story. The Dora Franklin Finley African American Heritage Trail (www.dffaaht.org) is a part of that witness, including Africatown as well as the Historic Avenue Cultural Center (www.mobilecountyal.gov/historic-avenue-cultural-center/).
Experiencing these places is both humbling and uplifting. You should go.
-- Martha Harris, PJ Erwin, and Penny Marler
| | Diocesan Cycle of Prayer. For churches and ministries: on May 25, pray for Trinity Episcopal Church, Apalachicola, FL; and on June 1, pray for Church of the Redeemer, Mobile, AL and for Emergency Preparedness (start of hurricane season). For prisons: on May 25, pray for the prisoners, families, and staff of the Easterling Correctional Facility, Clio, AL; and on June 1, pray for the prisoners, families, and staff of the Elba Work Release, Elba, AL. | | CELEBRATING FAMILY & FRIENDS | | |
Bonnie Stewart (above) joined her family, Ella, Jason, Luke, & Cindi for Luke’s graduation from St Pius X Catholic High School in Atlanta.
Karen Kessel (below) with her grand-daughter, Kaylee Kessel during Kaylee's recent visit to Apalachicola.
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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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Bob Pruitt was born and raised in Birmingham, AL where he attended school all the way through graduation from college at Samford University. Birmingham was the center of the early Civil Rights Movement, and racial inequality served as a backdrop of his early life, influencing his outlook on hate and prejudice in the world.
He had a 50-year career in the fashion apparel business; 30 years on the retail purchasing side with several major department stores, followed by 20 years on the wholesale selling side. Bob devoted the last 34 years of his career to the children’s business, retiring in 2018 from Ralph Lauren Children’s Wear (Polo).
Long a dedicated community volunteer, Bob’s experience as a Big Brother in Big Brothers/Big Sisters yielded a relationship that has remained intact, as he continues to enjoy the successes of his Little Brother.
He served as an Elder in the Presbyterian Church and as the Mission Outreach Committee Chair and, 15 years ago, he co-founded the St. George Island Trash Patrol, establishing the “adopt a block” effort where volunteers pick up trash in their assigned area. This daily maintenance, along with several dedicated “trash days” annually, have reduced the level of trash on the island.
Bob and his wife, Susan, have attended Trinity for the past 19 years, where they have undertaken managing the Franklin County School Christmas Gift Tree Program, helping to provide Christmas gifts through Trinity’s satellite Gift Tree, benefitting local children in need.
Greatest Influence in your life (person or experience): My membership in my college fraternity, Lamda Chi Alpha and subsequent involvement after graduation as Alumni Advisor and ongoing support. Its precepts and beliefs have guided my outlook on life and business; and, the brotherhood experience has elevated my attitude about human relationships. Our slogan, “in the bond of Christian Brotherhood”, has always and will always influence my attitude about others.
How would someone else describe you: That would depend on who you asked! I have deep caring and concern for people in need, and I am extremely loyal to those close to me. I am a huge believer in "do what you say you will do, when you said you would do it". Follow through!
One thing people might be surprised to know about you: I was a drummer in high school - marching band, concert band, garage band - inspired by Ringo Starr. I had a set of Ludwig drums! I parted with my set after college, but still have a pair of congas and bongos that I am likely to tap on along with Santana on a Friday night. Coincidentally, my son also pursued drumming in high school where he was on the Drum Line.
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Favorite part of living here: Living by the sea! From when my wife and I first met, 51 years ago, we set our sights on living at the beach. We bought our second home here 26 years ago and moved here full-time 19 years ago. Looking out the front door and seeing the water is like a religious experience in and of itself!
Dogs or cats: DOGS! I have had a dog all but seven years of my life. Susan and I have had dogs since we met, except for the past two years, since our 15-year-old chocolate lab passed away. We are attempting to be "dogless" from this point forward, but it is hard!
Bacon or broccoli: BOTH! Nothing better than a broccoli salad with bacon bits on top!
Coleslaw - vinegar or mayo: BOTH! Bar-B-Q pork is the official food of Alabama. Depending on your favorite BBQ joint, their specialty may be either; I learned to love both, and can make a mean batch myself.
One thing you are good at: Organizing and scheduling
One thing you'd rather not do: High visibility and recognition of efforts. I have always wanted to work behind the scenes in my career, which is the reason I did not try to climb the corporate ladder and pursue senior management. I think it is far more rewarding to nurture and train your coworkers and rise up on their successes, rather than your own.
What drew you to Trinity: I grew up Southern Baptist. My wife and her family had deep roots in the Presbyterian Church USA in North Carolina; we married in her church and I became a Presbyterian. When we moved to this area 19 year ago, we found there was not a PCUSA church in the county. We visited several churches and found that the Episcopal church shares our beliefs of "open-hearted, open-minded". I love the old building at Trinity and its history; it is a religious experience just to be in the sanctuary. Look at the surroundings, and ponder how many souls have sat there over the past almost 200 years!
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| | | COMMUNITY EVENTS OF INTEREST | | |
Memorial Day Celebration Monday, May 26
Veterans Memorial Plaza, 230 Market Street
| | The Rev. Stephen Pecot will give the invocation at the Memorial Day Celebration. | |
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.
-- 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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