| Dear ,
This is meant to be your newsletter. Please let us know what you like about it and what other sorts of news and information you want us to add. And, let us know of anyone else you think would enjoy receiving it and we'll make sure to add their names to the mailing list!
Enjoy and thanks for giving us a few minutes of your time. |
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Rector's Recitation |
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Dear Friends,
"The Beach Comber" is back! By now, our seasonals have all returned to their Northern abodes and our full time resident parishioners have left also for their vacations. This means it is very quiet both on the island and at St. Raphael's. Quiet yes, but we are still quite busy getting ready for next season.
To begin with we are happy to announce that we have two new staff members. Please help me in giving a warm welcome to both of our new staff members! Leeanna Parsons is our new Church Secretary. With Leeanna now with us the Church Office is open Monday through Fridays from 9 AM until 1 PM. For those seeking a real live person to talk to when you dial us up at St. Raphael's this will hopefully be a big plus for you! Also, Leeanna is experienced in Microsoft Publisher which is a god-send in getting our new user friendly service bulletins - that were so popular last season - ready for our upcoming season. Hopefully, my days of doing the church bulletins have finally come to an end.
Last Sunday we said good-bye to Dorothy Hartman, our Interim Organist, who will now be playing for Beach Methodist Church, and welcomed our new Organist, Jean Matthew. She is an islander having grown up on Fort Myers Beach, which remains her home. Jean's first job was playing the piano for one of the local churches at the young age of eleven. We are so thankful to have her with us at St. Raphael's. As God would have it His timing as always is perfect!
As for plans for our upcoming season, please mark your calendars for St. Raphael's first Art Auction to be held on Saturday, February 28th. More details will follow. Beginning in November we will be having an Inquisitors Class for all of our new members, especially for those coming from a non-Episcopal background. Please let the Church Office know ASAP if you are interested in attending as spaces are already filling up.
We have also sent Vestry members and a few lay members on secret assignments to other churches for a gathering of information as to what other folks are doing and how we can best serve your needs here at beautiful historic St. Raphael's. Well, I guess it is not a secret now! Anyway, we are doing what we can to get St. Raphael's all spruced up and ready for your return.
In the meantime, we will keep a candle burning for you as you remain in our prayers.
Blessings,
Pastor Alice+
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Healing Conference on the Beach! |
Third Annual Women's Healing Conference is  coming to Fort Myers Beach on September 5-6, at the Christian Retreat Center. The event is sponsored by the Amazing Love Healing Ministry of Episcopal Church of the Holy Spirit, Osprey.
Overnight accommodations are available on-site and in local hotels. A Sunday morning Eucharist on the beach will be held for those who choose to stay.
For more information about registration and conference fees, contact CHS at (941) 966-1924 or chsosprey@verizon.net. or Rev. Alice Marcrum at revalice@staint-raphaels.org. |
VESTRY MEETINGS
2nd Wednesday of the Month |
All St. Raphael's members are welcome and encouraged to attend to learn how the "business" of the parish is conducted.
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The next Vestry Meeting will be held on Wednesday, July 9th at 7:00 PM in the Conference Room. All members of the Congregation of St. Raphael's (as stated in the By-Laws of St. Raphael's Church, Article VII, Section 7) are invited to attend. In order to avoid embarrassment of what qualifies a person to be a Member of the Congregation of St. Raphael's, the following By-Law is included:
ARTICLE III, Section 1. : All persons who have received the Sacrament of Holy Baptism with water in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and whose Baptism has been duly recorded in the Parish are members of the Parish.
We hope that this clears up any misunderstanding. While our doors are open to ALL, when it comes to the business of the Parish, attendance does not a member make. Thank you for your co-operation in this matter. |
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Sunday Ministry Schedule for the Month of July |
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Date Chalice/Acolyte Reader/Prayer Usher
July 6 Ellie Bunting Jim Marcrum Bonnie & Rob
July 13 Pat McIntosh Pat McIntosh Ellie & Bob
Bunting
July 20 Ellie Bunting Jim Marcrum AJ Bassett
July 27 Pat McIntosh Susan Strum Ellie & Bob
Bunting |
| Altar Guild Schedule for January |
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July 6: Paula Babcock
July 13: Dott Bellows
July 20: AJ Bassett & Betty Goodacre
July 27 Roxie Smith & Judy Haataja |
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Membership Increasing! |
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Since 2007, the membership of Saint Rapheal's Church has increased by 10 baptized individuals. Some are "old friends" who have worshiped with us for years and years & now decided to transfer their "letters" to St. Raphael's. Others are new friends that have come, felt welcome, and found the setting and experiences that they were seeking from a new church.
If you haven't personally had the pleasure of talking one on one with all of them about their goals and how they met them by joining with us, please take a few minutes to get to know them and let them get to know you!
Frank & Rose Marie Willis
Jane Upsal
Sue Egony
Logan Coleman
Roger Swanson
Hazel Anlauf
Pam Williams
Phillip Babcock
Sheryl Bourff
Any others interested in being enrolled in the Parish register, please contact the church office.
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| Summer Anniversaries |
| August 18 Edward & Linda Fair
August 23 Phillip & Paula Babcock
August 31 Daniel & Patsy Logan
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July Birthdays |
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July 10 Barbara Turner
July 11 Dott Bellows
July 15 Betty Goodacre
July 15 Katie Cotter
July 18 Susan Strum
July 26 Paula Babcock
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News from our National Church |
ENS photo/Matthew Davies
Archbishop Henry Orombi of Uganda addresses participants at the Global Anglican Future Conference June 23.
The GAFCON was adjourned on July 29th with the issuance of the the Jerusalem Declaration. To see the Declaration in its entirety, follow the link by clicking on it directly above. |
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2008 Vestry Members |
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Senior Warden: Roxie Smith
Junior Warden: Rob Beaulieu
Clerk: Morey Nakaya
Treasurer: Susan Strum
Betty Goodacre
A.J. Bassett
Judy Haataja
Roger Swanson
Dott Bellows |
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A Mid-summer Night's Sing |
Lee County residents can help feed the hungry and give hope to the needy while enjoying an evening of music and fellowship at the 11th annual "A Midsummer Night's Sing," sponsored by the Galloway Family of Dealerships.
The event, planned for July 22 at First Presbyterian Church in downtown Fort Myers, will be a 90-minute performance of hymns, instrumentalists and special guests beginning at 7 p.m., with doors opening at 6:30 p.m.
Admission is at least two cans of food (the more the better) and a voluntary cash donation to benefit the Soup Kitchen of Community Cooperative Ministries. Donations of canned goods also will be picked up by the Soup Kitchen for residents who cannot attend the event.
Please call 332-7687 to arrange pickup of food.
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We hope you enjoy this brief newsletter and sincerely wish that you would join with us to worship and celebrate this coming & every Sunday on 'The Beach'. We'll keep a candle burning for you.
God Bless and Keep You,
Webmaster St. Raphael's
St. Raphael's Anglican Episcopal Church |
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| Featured Article |
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We are an orthodox parish in an island resort community. We exist to glorify and proclaim God as revealed in Jesus Christ. We welcome all who seek Him and his love.
- Our year-round parishioners very actively support the life of our church.
- Our seasonal members and visitors enrich our congregation and complete our church family.
- TOGETHER, we glorify and proclaim God through sacrament, word and deed.
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Getting the Pieces Right
A father wanted to read a magazine, but was being pestered by his daughter. To keep her busy, he tore a sheet out of the magazine that had a picture of the world printed on it. He tore the picture into small pieces and said "Here, now go into the other room and see if you can put this picture of the world back together again."
A few minutes goes by and he daughter appears in the room and hands him the picture all correctly fitted together.
The father was surprised and ask her how she was able to fit all those little pieces of the world back together again so quickly.
"Oh.." she said, "On the other side of the paper was a picture of Jesus and once I got Jesus in the right place, then the world came out alright."
Find this article at: http://www.crosswalk.com/fun/religion/1364696/
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What is RideAmagara? |
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In July of 2007 we journeyed to Uganda, East Africa to serve with Juna Amagara Ministries. We fell in love with the land, the people and the children we met in Uganda. We saw the hope of Christ in the smiles and in the eyes of the Ugandan children. In a place the world may find impoverished and teeming with despair, we found it bursting with faith, hope, and love.
RideAmagara is the continuation of that journey. It is a mission to raise funds that will enable Juna Amagara to continue saving the lives of children who have been left fatherless by AIDS. Our hope is that our ride will raise awareness of the enormous need of children affected by the AIDS pandemic, and provide opportunities for individuals to make a difference. The money raised will go towards these specific areas of need:
1. Solar power equipment
2. Water harvesting system + plumbing
3. Completion of two laboratories
4. Completion of a Library and
5. Equipping it with 15 computers
To vist the site, click here: rideamarga |
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Taize' Services |
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The Taize' services have been suspended for the summer. We look forward to restarting in the Fall. |
| Happy 4th of July! |
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Please enjoy a safe and fun filled holiday with family and friends on this celebration day to remember the sacrifices that our Founding Fathers made to achieve our Independence. And, to the millions and millions of members of our armed forces who have served to insure that we kept it over the last 232 years!!
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