St. Benedict’s Weekly Prayers: Week of August 10, 2025

Ninth Sunday After Pentecost

The Collect:

Grant to us, Lord, we pray, the spirit to think and do always those things that are right, that we, who cannot exist without you, may by you be enabled to live according to your will; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. 
Amen.

The Reverend Dr. Beth Echols

References below names "LFF" are celebrations from "Lesser Feasts and Fasts", 2021.  Holy Days are from the Book of Common Prayer Holy Day celebrations.  You can find "Lesser Feasts and Fasts" online at https://extranet.generalconvention.org/staff/files/download/21034

Daily Prayers for those in need or trouble: 

Prayers for the Parish
Kathleen, Mary, David, Isabel, Gary Judy, Patricia, Matthew, Chris, Pam, Ray, Kay, Andy, John, Elisabeth, Rebekah, Aaron, Daphne, Sally, Jane, Paul and Judy

Prayers for friends of St. Benedict
Nancy Jo, Adam, Tina, Amanda, Jess, Jim, Tim and Gary
__________________________________________
In the case of a pastoral care emergency please call the Rector directly
360-485-7281

Monday - August 11- For Parish Members

Don and Bob
Daphne
Kathy

(LFF:  Clare of Assisi, Monastic, 1253)

Tuesday - August 12 - For Parish Members

Nancy
Jeff
Bob and Susie

(LFF:  Florence Nightingale, Nurse, 1910)

Wednesday - August 13 - For Parish Members

Ngozi
Jan and Mike
Gerry and Helen

(LFF:  Jeremy Taylor, Bishop and Theologian, 1667)

Thursday - August 14 - For Parish Members

Carolyn
Rodney
Kathy

(LFF: Jonathan Myrick Daniels, Martyr, 1965)

Friday - August 15 - For Parish Members

Bob
Daisy
Esther

(LFF:  Saint Mary the Virgin: Mother of Our Lord Jesus Christ)

           Saturday - August 16 - 

Lord of all power and might.
the author and giver of all good things;
graft in our hearts the love of your Name,
increase in us true religion,
nourish us with all goodness,
and of your great mercy keep us in the same;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.

The Reverend Dr Beth Echols

Sunday - August 17, 2025
Tenth Sunday after Pentecost

Worship Services - 8 & 10:30 am

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

Ildiko Baldwin
Reverend Robert Williams
Reverend Eldwin Lovelady
Robert Wilson
Patricia Basta

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

A Prayer for this Parish

Almighty and everliving God, ruler of all things in heaven and earth, hear our prayers for St. Benedict's parish family.  Strengthen the faithful, arouse the careless, and restore the penitent.  Grant us all things necessary for our common life, and bring us all to be of one heart and mind within your holy Church; through Jesus Christ our Lord. 
      Amen.

Parish Leaders

The Rev. Dr. Beth Echols, Rector
The Rev. Tony Irving, Deacon
Mr. Bob Zych, Senior Warden
Ms. Kelly Ellis, Junior Warden
Vestry members
Jan Akin, Bob Beckman, Karen Fraser,
Norman Gregory, Nancy Zabel, Gerry Apple, clerk

Saint Suppers in September!

Would you like to host? 
Saint Suppers are dinners for 8 adults in a host home.  The host makes the main dish, and the guests bring the rest.  Our next date is September 13.  Susie Zych and I are looking for hosts.  The only requirement is a table for 8 people. Once we have at least 4 hosts we will put out sign up sheets. 
We will assign singles and couples to a home and the host will call you to work out the details.  Email one of us to be a host and we will contact you.
Questions? Nancyzabel4@gmail.com or zychsusie@gmail.com

Save the Date! Tri-Parish Picnic, Aug. 31

Our annual Tri-Parish Picnic, with St. John / San Juan and St. Christopher,  Steamboat Island is on Sunday, August 31st.  The Eucharist begins at 10:30 with a picnic following the service. St. John | San Juan will provide burgers and dogs with all the basic fixings. Please bring a salad or dessert. We will have plates, napkins and silverware.  Please bring a folding chair if you have one. 
We will have our usual 8:00 am worship service at St. Benedict.
The picnic will take place at Pioneer Park  5801 Henderson Blvd SE Tumwater (off Yelm Hwy)

Reaching out for School Supplies!

St. Benedict is hosting a School Supply Drive! 
Everything the students in your community need for going back to school is on sale right now! 
If you can pick up a couple of items (pens, pencils, paper, glue sticks, crayons...  you know the list :) we know they will be very much appreciated!  
There will be a donation box in the Narthex for your donations.     
Thank you so much!

Let's Get Noticed!

St. Benedict will have a booth at the Lacey Night Market from August 22 to October 31st.  Would you like to help? 
Follow this link for event info and dates! https://cityoflacey.org/nightmarket/
See Chaplain Beth for more information!

Faith in Action for July

The Faith in Action committee has recommended donations of $500 to both PALS and Pear Blossom for the month of July.  St. Benedict Episcopal Church Vestry approved these expenditures at the monthly meeting on July 31st.  We encourage parishioners to give us suggestions for local non-profit groups that we may donate to that meet our mission statements.  Approximately, a thousand dollars per month is provided in our budget for these donations.
 

PALS (PET ASSISTANCE FOR LOW INCOME SENIORS)

The PALS organization provides financial assistance for low income pet owners to help with veterinary care costs and provide pet food.  Pets provide a lot of unconditional love.
  

PEAR BLOSSOM PLACE

Pear Blossom provides families with children a safe and warm 24 hour shelter.  It opened in July of 2014 and has since provided almost 200,000 nights of shelter and safety for more than a thousand families. 
When families arrive at Pear Blossom they enter a welcoming and caring environment with caring staff, warm bedding, food and hygiene supplies and other resources.  They are assigned a case manager who works with them until they are able to find a permanent housing solution, whether that is for ten days or ten months.  Support staff is available 24/7.
Gerry Apple has been taking items donated by St. Benedict’s parishioners to Pear Blossom for approximately a year.

Book Club Update: August 13

The Wednesday Morning Book Group is starting a new book:  The Tears of Things: Prophetic Wisdom for an Age of Outrage by Richard Rohr.
We expect to start discussing The Tears of Things at our 11:00 am Zoom meeting on Wednesday, August 13, 2025.
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 .

Diocesan Events for Summer

Summer for Children & Teens — There's so much going on for children & teens in the Diocese of Olympia including Vacation Bible School, day camps, and overnight camps! Visit the summer activities page to see what's happening in June, July and August.
 
Dinner with the Bishop — People in their 20s & 30s are invited to the Office of the Bishop in Seattle for a casual gathering with our new Bishop, Phil LaBelle. We'll eat, do some Q & A with +Phil, tour the just-renovated Leary mansion, and then welcome summer with a solstice liturgy. Wednesday, June 25, 6:00 PM. Free! More info and RSVP here.
 
Seattle Pride Parade — Show your pride and demonstrate the warm welcome of the Episcopal Church by marching in the Seattle Pride Parade! Sunday, June 29, downtown Seattle, noon. More info and register here.
 
Sailing Adventure — High-school-age youth are invited to sail away on the historic schooner, Adventuress. This voyage is a little bit creation care (Adventuress is a floating science lab), a little bit high seas adventure (climb the mast! explore local islands!), and a great way to deepen faith and friendships. August 27 - 30. $250/person; sibling discount and scholarships available. More info and register here. 

Guidance on Immigration Enforcement from the Diocese

Click to Open Document

Activity Bags for Children during Church

Dear Parents and Guardians, 
Since Sunday school is not going to meet for the summer, we know that you would like to have activities for your children to do during church. There will be activity bags available in the narthex for you to pick-up and use. The children will find crayons, colored pencils, and color sheets to use while in church. There are younger and older bags to choose from, indicated on the bag.
Please return your bags at the end of the service and we will re-supply with new activities the next week. 
 
Your Sunday school teachers

Dear Sunday School parents and students

Kelly Ellis, Junior Warden

Sunday school came to a close last Sunday. We have had such fun with your children and we will be looking forward to starting up again in the fall on September 7th.  

On this last Sunday, our students painted rocks to take home and also leave here in our church garden as a gift to this congregation. If you find a painted rock in your walks around the church, please enjoy it, and re-hide it for others to find. During Sunday stories, we read the book “Everyone needs a Rock” by Byrd Baylor and decided to help everyone find their important rock.  

We have loved being your children’s teachers this year and look forward to stories and adventures for the next.  

Kelly Ellis 
Helen Johnston 
Mary Jones  
Caroline Madden 

Wednesday Healing Service

The Episcopal Church has an established tradition of providing healing services. The St. Benedict Healing service is a public gathering where folks come together to pray for healing and wholeness for themselves and others, with the laying on of hands and anointing with oil. The Service emphasizes prayer, spiritual support, and a sense of community in seeking God's healing presence.

Our community is blessed with the Great Cloud of Witnesses and so we call on the Saints of our faith to inspire us to wholeness.

We gather each Wednesday at the side chapel at 12:15. I hope you will join us.

Calling All Ushers

The 8:00 am service has only one volunteer usher at this time.  Please let Chaplain Beth or Terryl know if you would be available to join the Worship Team as an usher at this service.  Thank you!