WEEKLY RECTOR’S MESSAGE – November 15th – Fr. Thomas.
WEEKLY RECTOR’S MESSAGE – November 15th – Fr. Thomas.
A man named Smith was flying from Sacramento to Los Angeles. Unexpectedly, the plane stopped in San Francisco along the way. The flight attendant explained that there would be a delay, and if the passengers wanted to get off the aircraft, the plane would re-board in thirty minutes. (This was before 9/11.) Everyone got off the plane except one gentleman who was blind. Mr. Smith had also noticed that the man was traveling with his Seeing Eye dog who was resting comfortably under the seat. Apparently, the passenger and his dog were regular fliers on this route because when the pilot emerged from the cockpit, he called him by name, “Keith, we’re in San Francisco for almost an hour. Would you like to get off and stretch your legs?” Keith replied, “No thanks, but maybe my dog would like to stretch his legs.” Picture this: all the passengers in the gate area came to a complete quiet standstill when they looked up and saw the pilot walk off the plane with the Seeing Eye dog! The pilot was even wearing sunglasses. People scattered and rushed not only to change their tickets but even change air lines! Moral of the story? Things aren’t always what they appear.
Before rushing to judgment, put yourself in someone else’s shoes, and get the facts straight: then pray for a spirit of respect, love, patience, and thanksgiving for all the blessings of life.
NOTICES:
Video Viewing Options for Sunday’s mass – there are three different ways to view our videos: 1) our church website; 2) our Facebook page; and 3) our YouTube channel. See the links listed below.
Opportunities for Giving – there are several options that safely and efficiently expedite your generous donations: electronic bank transfers or automatic bank transfers via personal accounts or credit/debit cards; personal checks delivered by USPS; and our favorite through joining our giving family online through our website or at www.myEoffering.com with our secure vendor Church Envelope Budget Company, who provides you with yearly offering envelopes. Please do NOT leave any envelopes with checks/cash unattended at church mailboxes.
Sandwiches for St. George’s: We will continue making sandwiches at least through December. Please bring them to St. David’s parking lot each Wednesday morning from 8:30 to 9:30 am. St. George’s is trying to begin serving to-go dinner meals but is not getting enough of the parishes and other groups to support that yet. So the hot lunches with to-go sandwich bags for a later dinner will continue for a while. Thank you for the ongoing support! We continue to provide 300± sandwiches every week.
School Supply Drive: I am extremely pleased and proud to report that you, St. David’s parishioners, donated $1,200.00 toward school supplies for Wynnebrook Elementary School! We have purchased headphones along with the typical school supplies for the students. Needless to say, the teachers and staff of the school were very appreciative. Thank you again for digging deep. 💕
Stockings for Stars Christmas Project: After speaking with the Director of the Fortin Center in South Bay, we have decided to not ask parishioners to shop for clothes and toys for the children. We will be COVID safe and instead, similar to the school supply drive, we will collect money and order items to be delivered directly to the school. I know this is not the same, that we will miss fighting the Black Friday crowds, standing in long lines to pay, etc. Wait, maybe there are a few advantages to this new way. 😊
Please mail your donations to Joyce Parker, 104 Locust Lane, RPB, FL 33411. The check should be made out to St. David’s. Please write Stockings for Stars in the notes area. Many thanks. Joyce 561-312-2719
So Long… The time has come for me to say “so long.” While I have not met many of you due to this pandemic, I have been welcomed whole-heartedly by those of you who stopped by to say “hello” or gave me a quick call or sent me a kind email. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Thanks to Father Thomas and Erin who have been wonderful. My time here was short but fruitful, and I hope that my efforts helped to make things a little better for the future.
Please join me in welcoming Yvonne Elliott who will take over as the new Administrative Assistant. Yvonne has been a member of the parish for a number of years now. She has been training with me over the last couple of weeks and will make a wonderful addition to St. David’s.
I wish you all continued health, blessings and happiness.
Warm Regards,
Gregg Ellen Imbimbo
Holy Eucharist:
Sundays: 8 am & 10 am
Tuesdays: 8:30 am
Wednesdays: 6:30 pm
Please Pray – For the sick: Ashlyn, Beth, Charlotte, Donna, Iliana, Jeanne, Jim, Joaquin, Kim, Shirley.
For birthday celebrations: Jan Dwyer, Kimberly Gardner, Claudette Wray, Predrag Maksimovic, Oliver Schubert, Yvonne Elliott, Jerry Frenz, Gloria Legister, Carol Sneade.
For our expectant mother: Mayoli.
Additional Links and Information
WEEKLY RECTOR’S MESSAGE – November 8th – Fr. Thomas.
WEEKLY RECTOR’S MESSAGE – November 8th – Fr. Thomas.
Last Sunday, of course, was the Solemnity of All Saints; but what often gets lost in the shadows is the Commemoration of All Souls, November 2nd, which recognizes those who perhaps didn’t live recognizably “saintly” lives, but who are still on the road to heaven, although they need a little longer time to be cleansed and prepared for the final “wedding banquet” in heaven. So I leave you with this anonymous poem to help encourage us all in this present life, and into the next one.
When things go wrong, as they sometimes will, when the road you’re trudging seems all uphill, when the funds are low and the debts are high, and you want to smile, but you have to sigh, when care is pressing you down a bit- rest if you must, but don’t you quit. Life is queer with its twists and turns, as every one of us sometimes learns, and many a fellow turns about, when he might have won had he stuck it out. Don’t give up though the pace seems slow- you may succeed with another blow. Often the goal is nearer than it seems to a faint and faltering man; often was struggler has given up when he might have captured the victor’s cup, and he learned too late, when the night slipped down, how close he was to the golden crown. Success is failure turned inside out- the silver tint of the clouds of doubt- and you never can tell how close you are, it may be near when it seems afar; so stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit, it’s when things seem worst that you mustn’t quit.
Let us especially remember all our loved ones and those buried from St. David’s this past year -Elizabeth Kelly, Garry Cook, and Ann Rech. O God, whose mercies cannot be numbered: Accept our prayers on behalf of your servants, and grant them an entrance into the land of light and joy, in the fellowship of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and all your saints; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
NOTICES:
Video Viewing Options for Sunday’s mass – there are three different ways to view our videos: 1) our church website; 2) our Facebook page; and 3) our YouTube channel. See the links listed below.
Opportunities for Giving – there are several options that safely and efficiently expedite your generous donations: electronic bank transfers or automatic bank transfers via personal accounts or credit/debit cards; personal checks delivered by USPS; and our favorite through joining our giving family online through our website or at www.myEoffering.com with our secure vendor Church Envelope Budget Company, who provides you with yearly offering envelopes. Please do NOT leave any envelopes with checks/cash unattended at church mailboxes.
Sandwiches for St. George’s Outreach Project – Please continue to prepare sandwiches for St. George’s and bring them to St. David’s parking lot each Wednesday morning from 8:30 to 9:30 am. Thank you for your continued support!
ECW meeting – Friday, November 13 at 11 am in the church to allow for social distancing. Bring a sack lunch if you like and we will stay and have lunch together. Linda will bring a dessert. Help us plan our future and wrap up few loose ends.
Thanks. Linda
Holy Eucharist:
Sundays: 8 am & 10 am
Tuesdays: 8:30 am
Wednesdays: 6:30 pm
Please Pray – For the sick: Ashlyn, Beth, Charlotte, Donna, Iliana, Jeanne, Jim, Joaquin, Kim.
For birthday celebrations: Judy Devonish, Desmond Chambers, Cecil Wray, Pearl Saunders, Cynthia Thompson, Yashieka Blount, Elizabeth Philistin.
For our expectant mother: Mayoli.
Additional Links and Information
WEEKLY RECTOR’S MESSAGE – November 1st – Fr. Thomas.
WEEKLY RECTOR’S MESSAGE – November 1st – Fr. Thomas.
Congratulations to the Los Angeles Dodgers on winning this year’s World Series. Maybe the “Angels” were praying for them, in opposition to what we used to call the “Devil Rays.” Who knows, but more importantly, this Sunday, November 1st we celebrate All Saints Day, one of the major feasts in the liturgical calendar. This week, we submitted our order for next year’s liturgical calendar. We recognize those saints who have made it into the “hall of fame,” but might not have a particular feast day of their own in the calendar. Saints are those who make it easier for us to believe in God. The calendar of saints allows us to walk through the Christian year step by step, one day at a time. Think of a large picture gallery full of the works of the masters; as we stroll through the gallery, we stop and pause to catch more of the color, the light, and the shadow of each work of art. A review of the saints demands that we walk slowly through the album, respecting the rich variety of those devout followers of Our Lord. Even though it may take God some time, we are in the saint making business: essentially, to make new Christians, and make Christians new!
We are all partners in the Kingdom of God. People may doubt what you say, but they’ll believe what you do. The saints were all different, but all had one thing in common: their love of God. Yet, we are not to worship saints or try to copy them; but to celebrate saints, because God is glorified through them. Saints are sinners who keep on going. We can’t become holy by ourselves; but, the Good news is that we’re not alone. Holiness comes looking for us. Isn’t that the whole story of the Bible? Look at whom Jesus called friends: Peter, Mary Magdalene, John the Baptist. All throughout the Bible we find ordinary people who did extra – ordinary things. They were sinners who kept on going, citizens of another Kingdom, who marched to the beat of a different drummer.
It’s easy to assume that they had some special grace which is not available to us. But, there’s no “St.” on a birth certificate. And how do we learn? Did anyone become better simply by reading a handbook on ethics? No, it‘s the examples of courage which inspire us to a higher path. To live in such a way that one’s life would not make sense, if God did not exist. So, why were the saints, saints? Because they were cheerful when it was difficult to be cheerful, patient when it was difficult to be patient; because they pushed on when they wanted to stand still, and kept silent when they wanted to talk, and were agreeable when they wanted to be disagreeable. That was all. It was quite simple and always will be. As the popular hymn reminds us; “For the saints of God are just folks like me, and I mean to be one too.”
NOTICES:
Video Viewing Options for Sunday’s mass – there are three different ways to view our videos: 1) our church website; 2) our Facebook page; and 3) our YouTube channel. See the links listed below.
Opportunities for Giving – there are several options that safely and efficiently expedite your generous donations: electronic bank transfers or automatic bank transfers via personal accounts or credit/debit cards; personal checks delivered by USPS; and our favorite through joining our giving family online through our website or at www.myEoffering.com with our secure vendor Church Envelope Budget Company, who provides you with yearly offering envelopes. Please do NOT leave any envelopes with checks/cash unattended at church mailboxes.
Sandwiches for St. George’s Outreach Project – Please continue to prepare sandwiches for St. George’s and bring them to St. David’s parking lot each Wednesday morning from 8:30 to 9:30 am. Thank you for your continued support!
School Supply Drive Outreach Project – August usually finds our parishioners looking for bargains on backpacks and other school supplies. For obvious reasons, that did not happen in 2020. I have spoken with the principal of Wynnebrook Elementary School and she has requested any help we can provide. In order to keep our parishioners safe and still help the students and teachers, we will be providing items in bulk to the school. If you wish to help, please send a check to me and I will order requested items in bulk and have them shipped directly to the school. Thank you for any donation you are able to make! 💖 Joyce
Make checks payable to: St. David’s in the Pines
Write: School Supplies in the Memo area
Mail checks to: Joyce Parker
104 Locust Lane
Royal Palm Beach, FL 33411
Questions? Call me at 561-312-2719
Deadline: Friday, November 6, 2020
Daylight Savings– Remember to change your clocks & your smoke detectors!
ECW meeting – Friday, November 13 at 11 am in the church to allow for social distancing. Bring a sack lunch if you like and we will stay and have lunch together. Linda will bring a dessert. Help us plan our future and wrap up few loose ends. Thanks. Linda
Holy Eucharist:
Sundays: 8 am & 10 am
Tuesdays: 8:30 am
Wednesday: Eucharistic Adoration: 6:00 pm
Wednesdays: 6:30 pm
Please Pray – For the sick: Ashlyn, Beth, Charlotte, Donna, Iliana, Jeanne, Jim, Joaquin, Kim.
For birthday celebrations: Zoe Chung, Julie Skinner, Jean-Rene Guillaume, Father Steven Thomas, Trevor Carter, Dennis South.
For anniversary celebrations: Jim & Sherry Richardson.
For our expectant mother: Mayoli.
Additional Links and Information
WEEKLY RECTOR’S MESSAGE – October 25th – Fr. Thomas.
WEEKLY RECTOR’S MESSAGE – October 25th – Fr. Thomas.
Only one more week until the end of this year’s political campaign – thank goodness. What happened to honesty and civility in our country? Not just in political life, but in sports, entertainment, and our culture in general? Several years ago the National Football League banned helmet to helmet tackling because of the long term consequential brain damage inflicted on the players. Some defensive players complained, (maybe they should have saved the complaining for their neurologists!) Professional football is not alone in excesses of abusive behavior – hockey and kick boxing immediately come to mind.
What happened to courtesy and manners in society? I don’t mean the correct use of cutlery or proper wine pairings; I mean treating people, even those with whom we disagree, with respect and decency. A recent survey revealed something that’s not news to anyone in South Florida: among all the drivers in America, (yes, you guessed it) Southeast Florida leads the country in rudest drivers! If political candidates want to invoke religion on the one hand, or diminish its influence in personal or public life, perhaps they should listen to Abraham Lincoln (Kentucky boy who made good) who said, “I’m not as concerned about God being on my side, as I am knowing that I am on His side.”
I encourage you to use this prayer from our Prayer Book, page 820, written by The Rev. Lyman Locke, one time Rector of St. Michael’s Church in Bristol, R.I. (where I served my first three years as a new priest.)
Almighty God, who hast given us this good land for our heritage: We humbly beseech thee that we may always prove ourselves a people mindful of thy favor and glad to do thy will. Bless our land with honorable industry, sound learning, and pure manners. Save us from violence, discord, and confusion; from pride and arrogance, and from every evil way. Defend our liberties, and fashion into one united people the multitudes brought hither out of many kindreds and tongues. Endue with the spirit of wisdom those to whom in thy Name we entrust the authority of government, that there may be justice and peace at home, and that, through obedience to thy law, we may show forth thy praise among the nations of the earth. In the time of prosperity, fill our hearts with thankfulness, and in the day of trouble, suffer not our trust in thee to fail; all which we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
NOTICES:
Video Viewing Options for Sunday’s mass – there are three different ways to view our videos: 1) our church website; 2) our Facebook page; and 3) our YouTube channel. See the links listed below.
Opportunities for Giving – there are several options that safely and efficiently expedite your generous donations: electronic bank transfers or automatic bank transfers via personal accounts or credit/debit cards; personal checks delivered by USPS; and our favorite through joining our giving family online through our website or at www.myEoffering.com with our secure vendor Church Envelope Budget Company, who provides you with yearly offering envelopes. Please do NOT leave any envelopes with checks/cash unattended at church mailboxes.
Sandwiches for St. George’s Outreach Project – Please continue to prepare sandwiches for St. George’s and bring them to St. David’s parking lot each Wednesday morning from 8:30 to 9:30 am. Thank you for your continued support!
School Supply Drive Outreach Project – August usually finds our parishioners looking for bargains on backpacks and other school supplies. For obvious reasons, that did not happen in 2020. I have spoken with the principal of Wynnebrook Elementary School and she has requested any help we can provide. In order to keep our parishioners safe and still help the students and teachers, we will be providing items in bulk to the school. If you wish to help, please send a check to me and I will order requested items in bulk and have them shipped directly to the school. Thank you for any donation you are able to make! 💖 Joyce
Make checks payable to: St. David’s in the Pines
Write: School Supplies in the Memo area
Mail checks to: Joyce Parker
104 Locust Lane
Royal Palm Beach, FL 33411
Questions? Call me at 561-312-2719
Deadline: Friday, November 6, 2020
Holy Eucharist:
Sundays: 8 am & 10 am
Tuesdays: 8:30 am
Wednesdays: 6:30 pm
Please Pray – For the sick: Ashlyn, Charlotte, Donna, Iliana, Jeanne, Jim, Joaquin, Kim.
For birthday celebrations: Henry Marshall, Callie Hawk, Fay Ishmael, Iann McCree.
For our expectant mother: Mayoli.
Additional Links and Information
WEEKLY RECTOR’S MESSAGE – October 18th – Fr. Thomas.
WEEKLY RECTOR’S MESSAGE – October 18th – Fr. Thomas.
At a Super Bowl game, there was a vacant seat next to a woman sitting by herself. After three quarters, the man behind her asked, “Why is that seat empty?” She replied, “That was my late husband’s seat.” The man asked, “Weren’t there any family or friends who could have taken his seat?” The woman replied, “Yes, but they all chose to attend his funeral!”
The past month and a half have seen championship finals in a variety of sports which were postponed due to the pandemic. The Kentucky Derby, normally run on the first Saturday of May, was postponed to the first Saturday in September. Likewise, the NBA playoffs, Stanley Cup Hockey playoffs, Tennis and Golf Championships, Baseball World Series all coinciding with the beginning of the fall Football season, on top of all that. It’s a busy time for sports enthusiasts.
St. Paul writes, “We run the race that is set before us, persevering to win the prize of the upward call.” In this competitive world of ours, the Church may be the only institution who puts out the welcome mat to “all sorts and conditions of men and women.” Yes, we are winners, only in that we have been made righteous by the grace of God. But if we never make it to the starting gate, or step up to the plate, we can’t expect great things to happen either. God wants us to use His ministries of grace. Even though during the pandemic, while opportunities of service and evangelism may seem to be limited, we are still called upon to be agents of love and mercy, whether it’s praying, supporting of our ministry here, or learning how to grow in grace in new and various ways. So what’s stopping us from becoming “varsity players” on God’s team? Remember, God doesn’t call the qualified, He qualifies the called.
NOTICES:
Video Viewing Options for Sunday’s mass – there are three different ways to view our videos: 1) our church website; 2) our Facebook page; and 3) our YouTube channel. See the links listed below.
Opportunities for Giving – there are several options that safely and efficiently expedite your generous donations: electronic bank transfers or automatic bank transfers via personal accounts or credit/debit cards; personal checks delivered by USPS; and our favorite through joining our giving family online through our website or at www.myEoffering.com with our secure vendor Church Envelope Budget Company, who provides you with yearly offering envelopes. Please do NOT leave any envelopes with checks/cash unattended at church mailboxes.
Sandwiches for St. George’s Outreach Project – Please continue to prepare sandwiches for St. George’s and bring them to St. David’s parking lot each Wednesday morning from 8:30 to 9:30 am. Thank you for your continued support!
School Supply Drive Outreach Project – August usually finds our parishioners looking for bargains on backpacks and other school supplies. For obvious reasons, that did not happen in 2020. I have spoken with the principal of Wynnebrook Elementary School and she has requested any help we can provide. In order to keep our parishioners safe and still help the students and teachers, we will be providing items in bulk to the school. If you wish to help, please send a check to me and I will order requested items in bulk and have them shipped directly to the school. Thank you for any donation you are able to make! 💖 Joyce
Make checks payable to: St. David’s in the Pines
Write: School Supplies in the Memo area
Mail checks to: Joyce Parker
104 Locust Lane
Royal Palm Beach, FL 33411
Questions? Call me at 561-312-2719
Deadline: Friday, November 6, 2020
Holy Eucharist: Sundays: 8 am & 10 am
Please Pray – For the sick: Ashlyn, Charlotte, Donna, Iliana, Jeanne, Jim, Joaquin, Kim.
For birthday celebrations: Yvonne Wolliston, Aaron Harvey-Chung, Violet Henry.
For anniversary celebrations: Everald & Phyllis Thomas.
For our expectant mother: Mayoli.
Additional Links and Information