February 2017
From the Rector’s desk by Rev. Anthony MacWhinnie, II
I write to you today on the feast of the conversion of St. Paul. Paul (Saul of Tarsus) is on the road to Damascus for the explicit reason of persecuting Christians there. He admits to having voted for their execution in the past and to locking them up in prison and abusing them in synagogues so as to cause them to blaspheme so that they will be justified in abusing them more. Saul is not a nice guy for us Christians… But then he has this experience that completely changes his views about Christians, about himself, and about God. He is converted by the presence of God and the words that are spoken to him. “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It hurts you to kick against the goads.” With a “goad” being a sharp stick used to poke at cattle to get them to move where you want them to move. It occurs to me that recognizing the goads can be the hardest part of our conversion process. But also, we’re really deft at justifying our own prejudices. One of my seminary professors just published a piece called “The Myth of Pure Evil” (http://ssw.edu/blog/myth-pure-evil/). In it, he says, “Haidt presents recent psychological research that confirms an important truth: most of the time we simply have no idea why we are doing what we are doing. We respond to most of the things we experience in life by immediate gut reactions. But here is the crazy part: Our minds hurry along afterwards, like well-paid lawyers, in order to explain why what we did, said, or decided to believe was or is the most obvious, logical, rational thing that anyone else with our wisdom and life experience would have felt compelled to choose in the exact same situation. This is called “confabulation.” This confabulation helps to aid the delusion that our previous gut reaction actually was a well-informed rational decision. Furthermore, when other folks don’t follow our decision and behavior patterns, rather than question our own we are deft at and rather quick to explain away their deviation from the obviously right choice (the one we made) by means of pointing out how they are fatally flawed or just damaged goods. Perhaps they are even pure evil.”
Our Staff & Vestry Rev, Anthony MacWhinnie, II, Rector Vestry: Chuck Barnett - Senior Warden Jim Warner- Junior Warden Beth Woods, Susan Early,& John Velaski Twinette McDonald - Music Director Sally Putters - Parish Nurse
So, as we stumble along in life, thinking we’re the be all and end all of wisdom and experience, it could be that we’re just justifying our behavior by comparing ourselves to those different than us and saying, “Hey! They must be wrong because, obviously, I’m right!” We keep missing the goads of self-improvement along the way because we’re so busy condemning those we think are different than us, or that we think are our persecutors. We busy ourselves with how wrong they must be instead of doing just a smidgeon of self-reflection. Conversion is like that. It means we have to take our eyes off the other person and gaze upon ourselves for a moment. Don’t start with “I’m right and they are wrong.” Don’t even start with “I’m right.” Conversion starts with Jesus. Conversion doesn’t have to be as dramatic as the one that happened to St. Paul on the road to Damascus. Conversion can be as simple as listening to God in prayer. When Jesus says, “Pray for your enemies,” this is what he’s talking about. We get so stuck on them being wrong and wanting them to KNOW that they are wrong that we miss the goads… And the goads hurt us… So, where do you need conversion? The next time you find yourself in one of those endless loops of mental arguments with your foe, stop. Stop and pray. And by pray, I mean listen. See what God has to say to you. You may just come away converted. Peace, Anthony+
This Valentine’s Day Give the gift of a Healthy Heart!
Heart Health Screening Thursday, February 9 9 –11:30 am Let Sacred Heart’s Mission in Motion Team Get you
Heart Smart!
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Saint Monica’s Messenger
February is Heart Health Month by Nurse Sally Putters February is National Heart Health Month. On Thursday, February 9 from 9:00 until 11:30 am Sacred Heart Health System’s Mission in Motion Team will be conducting free Heart Health Screenings at St. Monica’s. Taking care of your heart is a perfect Valentine’s Day gift for your family and friends because when you take care of your heart, you’ll enjoy a longer, healthier life. So take care of your heart so you can be there, in good health, for your loved ones. Heart attacks and other cardiovascular diseases are America’s # 1 killers. Sadly, on this Valentine’s Day, about 2,150 Americans will die from cardiovascular disease leaving spouses, children and grandchildren behind. So for this Valentine’s Day, while many people exchange flowers, chocolates and other gifts, give something that has far greater meaning for you, your loved ones, give the gift of a healthy heart. Stroke Warning Signs: Stroke warning signs include sudden weakness or numbness of face, arms or legs especially on one side of the body, confusion, speech, loss of vision or balance or coordination, or severe headache - many of these symptoms are temporary and last briefly. Don’t ignore them. Get medical attention immediately. Heart Attack Warning Signs: Chest discomfort that feels like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain can be a warning sign. Discomfort can also occur in upper body areas, neck, back, jaw and stomach. Shortness of breath can occur with or without chest discomfort and may accompany a cold sweat, nausea and vomiting. What is atrial fibrillation, and why does it matter? Atrial fibrillation (also called AFib or AF) is a quivering of the heart or irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia) that can lead to blood clots, stroke, heart failure and other heartrelated problems. About 2.7 million Americans are living
We are in the season of Epiphany, but in the middle of February we will begin working on Lent and Easter music. We would love for you to join us in our merry music making. In addition, to beautiful Easter music, we will be working on music for our Saint Monica’s Day celebration on Saturday, May 6. Be on the look out for more details. It will be a fun night of entertainment and delicious food.
with AFib. Common symptoms of AFib are rapid and irregular heartbeat, fluttering and thumping in the chest, dizziness, shortness of breath and anxiety, weakness, faintness and confusion, fatigue when exercising, sweating, chest pain or pressure. Some people may be living with AFib with no symptoms at all. Diagnosis and treatment can save lives and assist people to live a healthy life. (American Heart Association) Call me if you have any questions. Otherwise I hope to see you Thursday morning, February 9 between 9 and 11:30 at St. Monica’s. Nurse Sally
Souper Bowl of Caring tackles hunger The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League (NFL), and it has become an annual event for Americans (and many others around the world) to gather with family and friends to watch the game. This year’s big game will be on February 5.
The “Souper Bowl of Caring” leverages Super Bowl weekend in America to mobilize (young) people to fight hunger and poverty in their local communities. Its vision is to transform Super Bowl weekend into America’s largest weekend of giving and serving. People collect monetary and food donations during the weeks leading up to Super Bowl Sunday, which is given directly to local charities of the group’s choice. Throughout January and until February 5, St. Monica’s has been collecting for the Souper Bowl of Caring. Our chosen charities are Manna Food Bank and St. Monica’s Emergency Food Pantry. Manna Food Pantries is a local, grassroots non-profit organization whose mission is to offer emergency food assistance, service the food-related needs of vulnerable populations, and engage the entire community in the fight against hunger. St. Monica’s Emergency Food Pantry provides emergency food relief for those in our community who turn to us for assistance. We provide non-perishable food items to sustain their immediate needs. There’s still time for you to make a positive difference and help tackle hunger with your donations of money or non-perishable food items. We will wrap up our Souper Bowl of Caring drive on Sunday, February 5. Please give generously.
Saint Monica’s Messenger
A view from the pew by Twinette McDonald There are so many ways we can serve at Saint Monica’s. Most of the time when something is needed, it just happens. And we don’t even think about it. Maybe it’s a gentle nudging of the Holy Spirit urging us to do more. Please consider how you can use your talents at Saint Monica’s financially, physically and prayerfully. Here are just a few of the great things going on at Saint Monica’s… Our Communications person is so dedicated, and we would like to acknowledge the fine work she is doing. Viven Welch publishes our newsletter every month, and maintains the church website and Facebook page. She is the church photographer and works hard to make sure there are pictures of every event going on a Saint Monica’s. In addition to this, Viv records the sermons and videotapes the children’s sermons every week. Of course, we need to do our part to get pictures and articles to Viv in a timely fashion. Thank you Viv! Speaking of children’s sermons, Kathy Vail…we LOVE you! Thank you for using your talents to share the wonderful stories from the Bible. We look forward to them every week. When you see Fred Woods, please give him a HUGE thank you for the new mixer and amplifier for the church sound system. Last Sunday the sound was incredible. Ann, Carol, Ron, Kathy, Rita, Jeni are some of the people who volunteer to clean the church and they deserve recognition. Thank you! They could always use more volunteers. Our church is beautiful and takes a lot of work and time to keep it that way. A special thank you goes out to Dawn Hayes and the Monica’s Attic crew of volunteers, Michelle, Barbara, Beth, Tracy, Twinette, Ann, Carol, Chuck, and Ray. Under the leadership of our manager, Dawn Hayes, we work one to three days a week to keep this ministry up and rolling. We are always looking for more volunteers! Please prayerfully consider how you can use your talents to the glory of God at Saint Monica’s.
March 1 Service of Imposition of Ashes
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Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper February 28 Beginning at 5 pm Enjoy all-you-can-eat, made-to-order Flapjacks with all the fixin’s!
Donations Accepted. Proceeds benefit St. Monica’s charities
February Charities of the Month “...for I was hungry and you gave me food...Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.” -Matthew 25: February’s Charities of the Month are St. Monica’s Beans and Rice Ministry and Emergency Food Pantry. Since our founding, St. Monica’s has always done what we could for those in need in our community. Our Emergency Food Pantry was established to provide emergency provisions when someone comes to our door with a compelling story or in a desperate situation. Volunteers assist them with enough food for their immediate need and provide information on other agencies that can help them get back on their feet. The Beans and Rice Ministry was born in February 2014, an idea borrowed from other churches in the diocese. Volunteers package dried pinto beans and white rice to be distributed on the last Saturday of the month to anyone who comes through our red doors. We also provide them with a hot sausage biscuit and coffee. These ministries rely on the generosity of our members. Please consider this month donating cash to purchase the sausage, biscuits, beans and rice and/or non-perishable food and other items. The items needed most for our Food Pantry are jelly or jam; canned meats such as Vienna Sausage, Spam, and tuna; cans of pasta such as Chef Boyardee, granola-type bars; saltines or Ritz crackers; packages of peanut butter crackers or cheese crackers; and raisins.
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Saint Monica’s Messenger
Monica’s Attic Thrift Store needs your help
Cashier Holly L’Huillier and volunteer Barbara Cross assist a customer at check out at Monica’s Attic. Photo by Emagination Unlimited
On October 26 of 2016 we celebrated the Grand Opening of Monica’s Attic Thrift Store, the culmination of two years of praying and planning. The thrift store is a resale business to be sure, but it is also being “church” to the people who shop there. Every day the store is open, people enter the doors with needs and those needs are filled at a fraction of the cost of a retail store. Through hard work of our committee and volunteers and prayer, we have picked up the mantle and are doing God’s work in the village of Cantonment by showing God’s love through our actions. We are a blessing to the community, but we are still struggling to pay the bills. This spring a new County Pediatric Clinic, serving lowincome families, will move in next door which some believe will be our saving grace. Until then the store is in real jeopardy of closing. Last Sunday, Fr. Anthony made an appeal to the people of St. Monica’s to prayerfully consider what they can give to help keep the store open until the new clinic opens.
What can you do? There are numerous ways to help. Give what you can financially toward the bills. Spread the word. Tell your family and friends about the thrift store. If you are on social media, SHARE our page posts. If you have found a bargain at Monica’s Attic, snap a picture of it and post it to your Facebook or Instagram feed and use the hashtags #atticfinds or #Monicasattic. If you have time, VOLUNTEER. Please talk to Beth Woods, the Volunteer Coordinator, or sign up on the volunteer sheet in the Narthex. The Manager, Dawn Hayes, would be thrilled to have you. Above all PRAY. Pray that the Holy Spirit intervenes and we can continue this valuable ministry in our community. Monica’s Attic Thrift Store is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm.
ECW Ladies Day Away On January 14, ten women of St. Monica’s gathered for a day of fun and fellowship. They saw the movie Hidden Figures and had dinner together at The Olive Garden. If you are a member of the church and a woman, you are an Episcopal Church Woman! The Episcopal Church Women meet monthly after church on the first Sunday of each month. All women in the church are invited to attend as we pray and plan our ministry to the church and the community.
Volunteers Needed!
Make new friendships with other volunteers and customers who keep coming back! Helping the community one bargain at a time! We Always Need Donations! Please keep in mind that we do not sell junk. If it’s stained, smelly, torn, ratty looking, or broken we cannot sell it.
Pictured L to R, Susan Early, Carol Farrel, Viv Welch, Margaree Mills-Fitchett, Darby O'Brien, (photo bomb girl), Maggierose Rodak, Kathy Vail, Connie Chamberlin and Ann Philen. Not pictured, Twinette McDonald and Jenny Zayas.
Valerie Smith
Trey MacWhinnie, Katherine Chaapel Rachael Ludwig Chuck Barnett & Connie Chamberlin Jeff Woods & Chuck Barnett Ann Philen Pauline Somerville & Barbara Cross To the glory of God Jeanine Black
Trey MacWhinnie, Katherine Chaapel Rachael Ludwig John Velaski & Tom Chaapel
Bill Ramsey & Jim Warner
Carol Farrel
Dora Giles & Sally Putters
To the glory of God
Pauline Somerville
Ray Farrel
Ushers
Nursery
Coffee Hour
Flowers
Arrangers
Eucharistic Visitor
John Velaski
Audrey Westbrook & Rowena Chaapel
Beth Woods
Ray Farrel
Jackie Wright
To the glory of God
POTLUCK
TBA
Beth Woods
TBA
TBA
Ann Philen
TBA
Jim Morningstar & Ron Giles Carol Farrel
TBA
Valarie Smith
John Velaski Ray Farrel & Jim Warner
Trey MacWhinnie, Katherine Chaapel Rachael Ludwig
Trey MacWhinnie, Katherine Chaapel Rachael Ludwig
TBA
TBA
TBA
TBA
March 5
Trey MacWhinnie, Katherine Chaapel Rachael Ludwig
Beth Woods
Tom Chaapel
Kathy Vail
Connie Chamberlin
February 26
* If you are unable to meet your obligation, please call a replacement, or swap with someone.
Altar
Carol Farrel
To the glory of God
Trey MacWhinnie
Pauline Somerville
Lector Epistle Reading
Acolytes
Carol Farrel
Chuck Barnett
John Velaski
Psalm Ray Farrel
Ron Philen
Connie Chamberlin
Fred Woods
Ron Philen
Lector 1st Lesson
John Velaski
February 19
Ray Farrel
February 12
Eucharistic Minister
February 5
Service Schedule for February 2017
February Prayer Requests
Military and First Responders Prayer List
Sherrie Burgess Myrna Claywell Janice Courson Bill Cross Cheryl Dempsey Shanna Earl Ashton & Tracie Ferguson Gabriel Ferguson Ashton Gaff Marie Gibbs Tom Giles Tammy Hand & Family
Connor Aligood Adam Blankenship Daryl Coy Field Cross Mark Feely Patrick Ferguson Aaron Gaff Adrian Gaff Benjamin Gaff
Julianna Horn Bob Matlock Jean Moss The Quilters Maggie Rose Rodak Rusty Sellers Dee Dee Slettahaugh Texan Stephens Eddie Velaski Melanie Velaski Heidi Woods Jackie Wright
Birthdays in February
6, Kathy Vail; 13, Mary Currie; 18 Jenni Zayas
Anniversaries in February
14, Roberto & Jenni Zayas; 16, John & Melanie Velaski
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!
Tim Heartford Johnny Hurd James Klinginsmith William Knapp Andrew Kuntz Cody Melancon Chase Scott Jeremy Wright
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. Feb 12, 2017—Apalachee Correctional Institution, East Unit & West Unit, Sneads, Florida Feb 19, 2017—Bay Correctional Facility & Juvenile Facility, Panama City, Florida Feb. 26, 2017—Blackwater River Correctional Facility, Milton, Florida