April 2018
From the Rector’s desk by Rev. Anthony MacWhinnie, II Alleluia! Christ is Risen! The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia! It’s that time of the year when we get all our Alleluias out as much as we can. We’ve been deprived for months now and we can’t seem to hold them back! And I think it’s a good thing… The word “alleluia” itself comes from Latin, Greek, and Hebrew roots. It means “God be praised” or “Praise Jehovah” or “Praise ye Jehovah.” Hallelu-Jah. Praise Jehovah! It begs the question for me, have we NOT been praising Jehovah during Lent? Well obviously we have been, but the idea here is that we’ve been holding back in a way. Our natural position should be to praise Jehovah in all things and for all things, in all people and for all people. It is a deprivation to hold back that praise. We deprive ourselves of our natural state in Lent, that of praising Jehovah, and of commending that praise in others, when we abstain from saying the word “alleluia.” All of a sudden, not saying “alleluia” in Lent seems like a dangerous thing to me. We make light of it, but it is dangerous. And it is unnatural to our being. On Easter morning, we have the privilege of getting back to where we were created to be, in a position of praise for our Creator. Easter restores us in more ways than one. We are redeemed. Death is overcome by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We are saved, once and for all. We are restored to our natural place in the uni-
Our Staff & Vestry Rev, Anthony MacWhinnie, II, Rector Vestry: Beth Woods - Senior Warden, Jim Warner - Junior Warden Dora Giles—Treasurer Susan Early & Margaree Mills-Fitchett Twinette McDonald - Music Director Sally Putters - Parish Nurse
verse. That is the power of Easter. You are saved! I thank God for you. I praise Jehovah for making you. He did a good thing there, in case you didn’t know. And in case you didn’t, God does know. Easter was for you! This was all for you. And that is why we say “Alleluia!” Praise ye Jehovah! Peace, Anthony+
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Saint Monica’s Messenger
Find time for you this spring by Nurse Sally Putters
HAPPY SPRINGTIME—isn’t it beautiful? Especially the landscape—trees and flowers are blooming and the grass is turning green. It brings to mind the summer activities ahead, yard work, picnics on the patio, visits to the beaches, sunburns, insect bites, bee stings and many more health issues. (We’ll get to those later.) Looking back at the Easter preparations and Easter celebrations when I was growing up in Nebraska, we tried to carry over the Lenten season and its discipline into spring and summer. Most Easters we had snow on the ground. I would get up in anticipation that the Easter Bunny had been there. My Dad would direct me to the door to see if his tracks were in the snow and, of course, many of the nocturnal animals had indeed been there. So, the hunt began before we had to get ready for church. A more recent memory was with our own kids when we hid eggs. Bill had to make little nest for the eggs. Needless to say we had more straw than eggs which made such a mess! More recent are the memories of our grandkids Easter Egg hunts. We went to Atlanta and Grandpa Bill and Dad (our son) would rob our granddaughter’s basket and rehide the eggs. She was so excited thinking she was finding so many eggs. She would hunt the front yard and they would hide in the back yard and she would run and say “here is an utter one!” We tease her about it yet and she is 28 years old. These are such fond memories. Now that it is time to breakout your summer wardrobe and see how it fits. It may be a little tighter in places than last year and all the candy Easter eggs doesn’t help us to stick to a diet. We all know how important exercise is for good health. Research shows that just 15 minutes per day of brisk exercise extends one’s life three years over comparable inactive people. Those who exercised 30 minutes per day added approximately four years of life expectancy. So here’s your first assignment for the spring and summer season - devote 15 minutes per day to you. Walk with a friend or neighbor or your spouse. It is good for both men and women. May God Bless You, Nurse Sally
Saturday, June 2
For more information, see Beth Woods
Support Beckwith scholarships
Our charity of the month for April is our Camp Beckwith Scholarship Fund. Youth know Beckwith as a favorite summer camp, where they make great memories of learning to sail, conquering the ropes course, and evenings with friends around the campfire. They are always looking forward to the next session! St. Monica’s has several young people who are of age to attend summer camp this year. To ensure that each of our potential campers has the opportunity to experience summer camp, we are asking you to contribute generously to the scholarship fund. The cost of attending is from $330 to $530 for each camper depending on age. For eligible campers, the family is asked to pay 1/3, the church pays 1/3, and Beckwith pays the other 1/3 Cash or check donations of any amount may be placed in the offering plate with a check notation or envelope that designates that it is for Beckwith Scholarships. Please help all our youth experience Beckwith. On Sunday, April 30 we will be participating in Beckwith Sunday along with other parishes across the Diocese to celebrate the many varied expenses we’ve experienced there. Whether it is attending our annual picnic, going to summer camp, enjoying a wonderful retreat or a Cursillo weekend, Beckwith is a magical and spiritual place. On Beckwith Sunday celebrate with us! Wear your shorts and flip-flops, your Camp Beckwith T-shirt (if it still fits) and nametag, your Cursillo nametag, or anything else Beckwith related. We will be singing praise songs from the Alleluia III song book, sharing Camp Beckwith stories and hearing from those who have enjoyed the wonder that is Beckwith.
POTLUCK—Barbar Cross & Julie Hart
Susan Early & Twyla Hinton Margaree MillsFitchett & Ann Philen
Fred Woods Trey MacWhinnie, Katherine Chaapel Gabe Hernandez Amy Hart Connie Chamberlin & Chuck Barnett
Bill Ramsey & Jim Warner Ann Philen Dora Giles & Dodie Matlock
Beth Woods
Trey MacWhinnie, Katherine Chaapel Rachael Ludwig Gabe Hernandez Amy Hart
John Velaski & Carol Farrel
Jim Morningstar & Ron Giles
Carol Farrel
EASTER
EASTER
Jim Morningstar
John Velaski
Lector Epistle Reading
Acolytes
Altar
Ushers
Nursery
Coffee Hour
Flowers
Arrangers
Eucharistic Visitor
Ray Farrel
Valerie Smith
Jeff Woods & Chuck Barnett
Valarie Smith & Carol Farrel
Trey MacWhinnie, Katherine Chaapel Gabe Hernandez Amy Hart
Bill Heart
Beth Woods
John Velaski
Carol Farrel
Beth Woods
Jim Morningstar & Ron Giles
Ray Farrel & Jim Warner
Jim Morningstar
John Velaski and Carol Farrel
Trey MacWhinnie, Katherine Chaapel Gabe Hernandez Amy Hart
Beth Woods
Trey Mac Whinnie
John Velaski & Tom Chaapel
Trey MacWhinnie, Katherine Chaapel Gabe Hernandez Amy Hart
Ray Farrel
Bill Hart
* If you are unable to meet your obligation, please call a replacement, or swap with someone.
Carol Farrel
Beth Woods
Ann Philen
Carol Farrel Beth Woods
John Velaski
Kathy Vail
Trey Mac Whinnie
Carol Farrel
Psalm
Chuck Barnett
Ron Philen
Bill Hart
John Velaski
April 29
Kathy Vail
Ray Farrel
April 22
Lector 1st Lesson
Ron Philen
April 15
John Velaski
April 8
Eucharistic Minister
April 1
Service Schedule for April 2018
April Prayer Requests
Military and First Responders Prayer List
Barbara Anagnostis Ruth Bates Jerry Brown Vashawn Brown Francis Bruce Myrna Claywell Chuck Collins Bea Collins Bill Cross Ken Dyson Tammy Edwards Elmer Fitchett Trace Ferguson Michael Hartsfield Twyla Hinton Helen Johnson
Adam Blankenship Brian Condon Field Cross Patrick Ferguson Aaron Gaff Adrian Gaff Benjamin Gaff
Sherry Johnston James Klinginsmith Charlene Lee Daniel Lynch Diana Lynch Bob Matlock Frank Murphy John Nicholls IV Rachel Palma Dawn Plant & Family Ashton Resmondo Maggie Rose Rodak Rusty Sellers Texann Stephens
Birthdays in April
2, Kathryn Chaapel; 4, Ella Kizer; 13, Rowena Chaapel; 26, Rusty Sellers, Audrey Westbrook; 29, Brian Condon
Anniversaries in April
None recorded at this time.
Saint Monica’s Episcopal Church 699 South Highway 95-A Cantonment, Florida 32533 We’re on the web at Www.st-monicas.org
Phone: 850-937-0001 E-mail: Office@st-monicas.org All are welcome!
Justin Hanson William Knapp Andrew Kuntz Cody Melancon Chase Scott
Prison Ministry Cycle of Prayer Please make your prayers for the inmates, staff, victims of crime everywhere, and their families at each of these institutions rather than for the institutions themselves. Apr. 1, Holmes Correctional Institution, Bonifay, Florida Apr. 8, Jackson Correctional Institution, Malone, FL & Jackson Juvenile Offender Correctional Center, Marianna, Florida Apr. 15, Northwest Florida Reception Center & Annex, Chipley, Florida Apr. 22, Okaloosa Correctional Institution, Crestview, Florida Apr. 29, Santa Rosa Correctional Institution, Milton, Florida