Rest in Peace: Mary Eberling, Oct. 27, 1938-Jan. 2, 2026

The burial office for Mary Eberling will be held this weekend.  

The Commendation and Committal is scheduled for, July 3, at 2 o'clock at the St Benedict Columbarium.

The Burial Office and Celebration of Life is set for Sunday, July 5th, at 2 o'clock at the Quinault Auditorium at Panorama.

You are invited to join the Congregation, family, and friends to thank the Lord for a life well lived.

Obituary

Mary Louise Eberling
October 27, 1938 – January 2, 2026

 Mary Louise Eberling, 87, of Lacey, Washington, passed away peacefully on January 2, 2026. Born October 27, 1938, in Tacoma, Washington, Mary spent most of her life rooted in the Tacoma area. She and her husband, Joseph James Eberling, purchased their family home in 1962, where they raised their four children. In 2002, Mary sold her family home and moved to the Panorama community in Lacey, Washington, where she has resided for the past 24 years.

Mary was a dedicated educator for 25 years at Sacajawea Junior High School in Federal Way, Washington, teaching English, French, and Spanish. She was an avid traveler and passionate lover of culture, having hosted numerous overseas student trips and explored many countries throughout Europe and beyond. Her favorite city was Barcelona, and she loved listening to church bells in the towns she visited. She was also known for her love of tea, bowls, cribbage, and blackjack.

Above all else, Mary was most proud of her family. She is survived by her four children: Sharon Ann Eberling; Margaret Jean Anderson (Eberling) and Marvin Anderson; Joseph James Eberling; and Charles David Eberling and Debra Eberling. She is also survived by nine grandchildren: Tara Elizabeth Turner, Ashley Anne Turner, Alyssa Sue Eberling, Mary Kate Elizabeth Hendrickson (Collins), Jaycie Leigh Eberling, Derrick James Eberling, Riley David Eberling, Yanxu Kalani Eberling, and Dunia Indigo Eberling; and four great-grandchildren. She is further survived by many beloved nieces, nephews, cousins, and extended family members, including close friends, all of whom held a special place in her heart. Her beloved cat, Brynner, now resides with family, where he continues to be loved as she loved him.

Mary was preceded in death by her parents, her brothers, her husband Joseph James Eberling, and her grandson Stephen James Gallwas, as well as several cherished pets who were dear to her heart: Mackie, Lola, and Lord Gray.

For many years, Mary was actively involved in her church and the Panorama community, participating in group travel, readers’ theater, and book club. She left a lasting impression on all who knew her through her straightforward honesty, humor, fairness, acceptance, and deep love for others. If you knew Mary, you couldn’t help but love her.

Mary was supported with great compassion in the final chapter of her life by the dedicated caregivers at DaVita in Lacey and the staff at Synergy, with whom she formed close bonds.

A celebration of Mary’s life will be held this summer. Details will be announced by the family.

Almighty God, our Father in heaven, before whom live all who die in the Lord: Receive our sister Mary into the courts of your heavenly dwelling place. Let his heart and soul now ring out in joy to you, O Lord, the living God, and the God of those who live. This we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayer Cycle for the Week of July 5, 2026

The power of prayer keeps us connected with God and each other.

We invite you to pray daily for yourself, your family, and for our parish family.
Note: The cycle of prayer for parish members is from our Parish Directory.

LINK TO OUR WEBSITE
LINK TO SUNDAY WORSHIP BULLETINS
LINK TO DAILY PRAYERS ONLINE

St. Benedict Weekly Prayers
Week of July 5, 2026

Eucharistic Lectionary: Year A
Office Lectionary: Year 2

Sixth Sunday After Pentecost:  Proper 9

The Collect:

O God, you have taught us to keep all your commandments by loving you and our neighbor: Grant us the grace of your Holy Spirit, that we may be devoted to you with our whole heart, and united to one another with pure affection; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The names below, "LFF" are celebrations from "Lesser Feasts and Fasts", online 2025. Holy Days are in the Book of Common Prayer.  https://www.episcopalchurch.org/wpcontent/uploads/2025/03/lesser_feasts_and_fasts_-_2024__final_.pdf

Prayers and Gratitude for the Parish

David, Isabel, Gary, Judy, Matthew, Chris, Pam, Ray, Kay, Jane, Daphne, Kissa, Carolyn, Charlotte, Stephen, Harrison, Bill, Gregory, Marjie, Judy, Tim, Tasha, Rodney, Gloria, Helen, Fran, Milinda, Don, and Adrea. We give thanks for the remaining Oak Savanah grasslands that once dominated our parish.  

 Prayers for Friends of St. Benedict

Nancy Jo, Adam, Tina, Amanda, Jess, Tim, Gary, Shane, Marianne, Ron, Kelly, Oran, Judy, Michael, and Kevin.

Prayers for Military Deployed in Service to the Nation

Mark and Richard

Prayers for the Departed
Mary Eberling

Prayers for Birthdays and Anniversaries
__________________________________________

In the case of a pastoral care emergency please call the Rector directly
360-485-7281

Monday - July 6 - For Parish Members

Bill
Thirza

 Eva Lee Matthews, Monastic, 1928

Tuesday - July 7 - For Parish Members

Tony
Doretha

Priscilla and Aquila, Coworkers of the Apostle Paul

Wednesday - July 8 - For Parish Members 

Don
Kay

Pauli Murray, Priest, 1985

Thursday - July 9 - For Parish Members

Zula

Friday - July 10 - For Parish Members

Mary

           Saturday - July 11- Our Patron St. Benedict

Crux Sacra Sit Mihi Lux!
(May the Holy Cross be my light!)
Non Draco Sit Mihi Dux!
(Let not the dragon be my guide!)
Vade Retro Satana!
(Begone Satan!)
Numquam Suade Mihi Vana!
(Never tempt me with your vanities!)
Sunt Mala Quae Libas:
(All that pours from you is evil,)
Ipse Venena Bibas!
(Drink your own poison!)
Amen.  

 Benedict of Nursia, Monastic, c.543

A Prayer for this Parish

O God, our heavenly Father, make the doors of our Church wide enough to receive all who need your care, compassion, and fellowship; and narrow enough to shut out all pride, selfishness, and prejudice in the name of your Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit.  Amen

Sunday - July 5, 2026
6th Sunday of Pentecost
Welcome you...Welcome me
 

Worship Services - 8 am and 10:30 am 
 

For the members of our parish family that
passed away  this year:

Mary Eberling
Kathleen Bruner
Kristie Louise Gouley
Paul Conroy
Reginald Lutzvick
Judith Rockwell
Carolyn Baldwin


Give to the departed eternal rest;
Let light perpetual shine upon them.

The Book that Keeps on Giving: the 1789 Book of Common Prayer

The Prayer Book of 1789 was the first for the U. S. Episcopal Church and served the Church for over 100 years, until the revision of 1892. This book owed much to its predecessor, the English 1662 Book of Common Prayer, and, at least for the major services, is very similar to it. 

We will be using the 1789 Book of Common Prayer as introduced in the above paragraph by justus.anglican.org in celebration of the 250th anniversary of America at the 10:30 a.m. service on Sunday, July 5.

It is good to remember that the oldest continuously operating Episcopal Church is St. John's Episcopal Church, Hampton, Virginia, dating back to 1610, one hundred seventy nine year before the founding of America.  St. Benedict is young in comparison and carries a long tradition into the future.

I hope that you will join us as we gather together to glorify God and be grateful for the great cloud of witnesses that we are a part of.

St. John’s church, hampton, virginia

WATCH -PARTY: MOVIE NIGHT AUGUST 1st, ACTIVITY TIME FOR KIDDOS

—Jan Aiken

A summer afternoon and evening of fun for kids, concluding with a fun movie for all.  Watching E.T. the Extra - Terrestrial created by Steven Spielberg.  

This 1982 hit movie is full of charming characters, may be new to our youngest, and will happily remind some of us of our fond memories of E.T.

Fun for kids and anyone who wishes to join us at 3 pm for a variety of activities. (Snacks will be provided). The movie will begin at 5 pm with typical popcorn and snacks, with an intermission to serve a light dinner of Walking Tacos and a selection of beverages. The movie will run 115 minutes.
       
Y' All come for a light-hearted Summer evening!

Rest in Peace: Paul Conroy, December 5, 1953 – May 31, 2026

A Celebration of Life and Christian Burial

June 20, 2026 1:00 o’clock

St. Benedict Episcopal Church
910 Bowker St. SE Lacey, WA 98503  

Paul Richard Conroy, 72, died peacefully at home on May 31, 2026, in Lacey, Washington, of complications from pancreatic cancer. He was born on December 5,1953, in Lackawanna, New York, to Richard G. and Virginia A. (Sieminski) Conroy. 

Paul graduated from Hamburg High School (1971), Mohawk Valley Community College (1973), Fredonia State College (1975), and earned a Master of Arts degree in history from the University of Buffalo (1982). He applied for many jobs in the intelligence field, but the replies were always the same: “Great education but no experience.” When he saw an advertisement for the Army that read, “We don’t require experience, we give it,” he investigated. He joined the enlisted ranks to focus on his chosen field, military intelligence, and was promoted quickly. As a Sergeant First Class, he applied to and was accepted for Warrant Officer Candidate School. 

Paul’s career included deployments to Operation Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom. He worked around the world, including in Kuwait, Iraq, Panama, Korea, Turkey and Argentina as well as multiple postings in the United States. The Army sent him to the Joint Military Intelligence College on Bolling Air Force Base where he earned a Master of Science degree in Strategic Intelligence in 2003. Paul received numerous Army awards, including the Bronze Star, Joint Meritorious Service Medal, and Joint Service Commendation Medal. Paul retired from the United States Army in 2006 with 22 years of service.  

Paul married Linda A. McKinnie on June 7, 1997, in Phoenix, Arizona. Their first date was a hike through the desert followed by dinner and browsing in a bookstore. Paul died one week before their 29th wedding anniversary.  

Paul’s dedication to service didn’t end when he left the military. He led the acolyte team at St. Benedict Episcopal church for 15 years and was a member of Lacey Sunrise Lions for 12 years. He regularly volunteered at the Lacey Eyeglass Recycling Center. His other focuses with the Lions were on the third-grade dictionary project and the scholarship committee. In 2025, Paul was awarded the Melvin Jones Fellowship, the highest form of recognition for outstanding individuals within the Lions Club.  

Paul never stopped learning and reading extensively in history – especially military history. He also enjoyed reading science fiction and fantasy. He was a proponent of health through physical fitness; he began running cross-country track in high school and kept running until recently. He was a lifelong baseball fan (Linda and Paul went to a major league baseball game on their honeymoon) and hockey fan (despite his poor health; he attended a Seattle Kraken game in March). In recent years, he became interested in rugby and professional bicycling. Paul loved dogs and met many neighbors by walking his and Linda’s succession of four-legged “children,” Kiko, Kelly, Spencer and Abby, twice a day for decades. 

Paul was preceded in death by his parents, Richard and Virginia Conroy, and his brother, Philip. He is survived by his wife, Linda McKinnie; his brothers Carl and Joel; brothers-and sisters-in-law David McKinnie, Carolyn McKinnie (Daniel Runge), Sharon Bodine (Daniel), and Thomas McKinnie; and three nieces and three nephews.  

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Lacey Sunrise Lions.  

St. Benedict Day Morning Prayer Service and Picnic: Sunday, July 12, 10:30 a.m.

When: Sunday, July 12 -We will begin with Morning Prayer at 10:30, followed by a potluck picnic.  There is a sign-up sheet in the hall for food.  Chicken, plates, and utensils will be provided.

Where: Woodland Creek Community Park - 6729 Pacific Ave SE, Lacey (by the playground and restrooms). Easy parking and only a short distance to Shelter B.

What to bring?  A prayer book (though we will print some of the service) and a chair if you don’t want to sit at a picnic table, drinks if you don’t want bottled water, your food to share, and any outdoor games would be great!

Flowers for our Altar

We love it when parishioners give flowers or plants in memory of something, someone, or just because. There is no strict rule about which flowers must be used—let the season, the spirit of the day, and the gifts of creation guide you. The most important thing is that the flowers are offered in love and reverence. When we don’t have flowers, we use green plants on our altar stands. I am thankful for Sharon Lochner, who does our flowers.  -Nancy, Sacristan

Come Visit our Peace Garden

Our head gardener and her team have been working hard to clean up the St. Benedict Peace Memorial Garden. Come and sit a spell; to pray, meditate, or just relax.

Last Saturday, a group of parishioners was able to quickly lay cardboard and cover it with bark at the back of the church to begin our efforts to eradicate the St. John’s Wort. Thank you to Reverend Beth, Dawn, Bob W., Annette, Gerry, Norman, and Clarice for making a speedy work of the task. Later that day, Jim L gathered all the weed piles in the parking lot and transported them to the recycling center – thank you for that surprise!!

I’ve added more areas/tasks that need someone to maintain them. The master garden plan will be in the Narthex with the sign-up sheet. If you can add your name to a task, it will be very much appreciated.
Thank you to Jill for her financial contribution to the garden upgrades. The benches and the Columbarium in the Peace Garden have been scrubbed and sealed.  I hope that you will come out and see and perhaps spend a moment thanking the Good Lord.

This fall, I will be looking for 4 -6 Hellebore starts (if anyone needs to divide theirs). I can use them for planters in the columbarium area. 

The Book Club is reading the book: "Liturgies for Resisting Empire"

The Wednesday Morning Book Group is reading the book:  Liturgies for Resisting Empire: Seeking Community, Belonging, and Peace in a Dehumanizing World by Kat Armas. We are discussing Liturgies for Resisting Empire at our 11:00 am Zoom meetings.

If you’re new to the group and wish to join us, please send me an email, and I’ll send you a link to the meeting.  
Send the email to Anne Metzler at annieg426@gmail.com . 

Episcopal News Service

The Episcopal News Service (ENS) has been added to the St. Benedict Web Site for your convenience.  It is a successor to the bi-weekly paper, Episcopal News, that ran from 1835 to 1937. Episcopal News Service  offers in-depth reporting of local, regional, national and international news for Episcopalians and others interested in the church’s mission and ministry. Episcopal News Service is the official news source of the Episcopal Church.

The link will be posted each week for your easy access.  We hope that you find this new service helpful, click on the link below. 

Letter from Bishop LaBelle 5/31/2026

Flowers at St. Benedict

Kathy presents the beautiful flowers and creativity of Sharon.

Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.-Matt 6:29

Flowers remind us of the glory and abundance of the Lord's Creation and our call to be good stewards of the beauty around us.  We are blessed by the generosity of parishioners who provide the Church with flowers and greenery.  Sharon Lochner provides the arrangements with the support of the Church Sacristan Nancy Zabel.  

Don't Flush "Flushable" Wipes!

Every three years, Thurston County requires that we have our on-site septic system inspected, which was done recently.  The good news is we passed the inspection.  The concerning news is that there were several "wipes" products in the tank.  While these products are marketed as "flushable," they are the bane of municipal sewers as they don't break down and have to be removed from the sewage stream and sent to a landfill.  

As the Vestry considers replacing the septic tank with a sewer connection, wipes result in a VERY expensive pump repair bill.  Let's start now.  Thank you for your help.

- Norman Gregory, Junior Warden

Remember our New Mailing Address!

Please remember that the mailing address for St. Benedict now matches our street address: 910 Bowker St SE, Lacey, Washington 98503.  We are finding that mail forwarded from our old PO Box is getting delayed.

If you have mailed something to the Church and haven't gotten confirmation that it has arrived, please call the Church Office and let us know, 360-456-2240.

Thank you for your help.

-Norman Gregory, Junior Warden.

Clarice needs you!