St. Augustine's Episcopal Church Weekly Newsletter

“Be careful how you live. You may be the only Bible some people will ever read.” William J. Toms

The Twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost |November 1, 2026 |Vol. 11, Issue 1                     

The Collect - Almighty and merciful God, it is only by your gift that your faithful people offer you true and laudable service: Grant that we may run without stumbling to obtain your heavenly promises; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Preparing for Worship

The congregation is encouraged to read and study the lectionary for the upcoming Sunday. On November 1, we will observe the Twenty-Third Sunday of Pentecost and All Saints’ Sunday. The readings/lessons are Psalm 34:1-10,22; Revelation 7:9-17; 1 John 3:1-3; Matthew 5:1-12.

Cycle of Prayers in the Diocese for the Week of November 1 

In our Diocesan Circle of Prayers, we pray for St. John’s, Portsmouth and Trinity, Portsmouth; for Episcopal Church Women (ECW); and for the Order of the Daughters of the King (DOK).

When do Clocks fall back?

 Turn clocks BACK one hour before going to bed Saturday night. This will give you an extra hour of Sleep Sunday morning, November 1. That way you are sure to arrive at St. George’s on time for the All-Saints’ Sunday service, which begins at 10:30 am. This is a PMP event. St. Augustine’s and St. Mark’s will NOT conduct regular services this weekend.

ALL SAINTS’ SUNDAY

Episcopalians celebrate All Saints’ Day (observed on November 1 or the first Sunday of November) to honor the Communion of Saints; that is, the belief that all Christians, past, present, and future, are mystically united in the Body of Christ. The day commemorates all faithful people who have gone before, including canonized historical figures as well as ordinary believers who have lived quiet lives of faith. The Communion of Saints emphasizes that death does not break the bond of love and fellowship within the church, connecting living believers with those in heaven.

 The members of the peninsula Ministry Partnership will celebrate All Saints’ Day at St. George’s in Newport News. We will remember those we’ve lost since All Saints’ Day of 2025.

St. Augustine's Clothes Closet!

Once again winter will soon be upon us and this means that we must all be aware of the needs of others where in winter is a struggle for survival.  If you can donate warm clothing items such as coasts, hooded jackets, sweater, shirts, pants, etc., this will truly be a blessing for others in need. All items are needed by November 15th so that we may transport them to PORT (a needs based organization that assists those in need especially during the winter months) in a timely fashion. Thank you in advanced for your contributions.

Grace Expectations: “What God’s Been Up to Lately?”

Won’t you please share how you’re seeing God in your life?  Your stories can be little moments or significant moments.  It can be shared anonymously if you like.  We’d really love to hear it.  And I believe that this will be pleasing to God, too.  A few weeks ago, in church we heard Jesus say: “What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops.” (Mt 10:27) This is one way we can do just that and be a blessing to each other, which ripples ever outward.

With you on the journey,

 Charlie +          

Grace Expectations recently featured an article by Dr. Renee Escoffery-Torres.  Due to the article’s length, it was emailed to you separately from the newsletter. If you did not receive it, please reach out to Rose at [email protected].

On The Calendar

Sunday, November 1                   All Saints’ Sunday – PMP Members will worship at St. George’s.

Sunday, November 8                    Holy Eucharist with Fr. de Kay at St. Augustine’s

Sunday, November 15                  Morning Prayer

Sunday, November 22                  Holy Eucharist with Fr. de Kay at St. Augustine’s

Sunday, November 29                  Morning Prayer

On the Prayer List

Forrest Black, Alberta Boyd, Bettye Collins, Burgandi Collins, Imani Collins-Black (great niece of Forrest & Marcia Black); The Caldera Family, DeVera Cooke, Bishop Michael Curry, Eric Curtin, Peggy Dawkins, Edwin (Larry) Hall, Carolyn Hobson, Pat Jackson, Nina Keney-Dunn, Zeniah Maldonado, Phyllis Mather, Bionce and Rodrigo Matteo, Vermon & William Miller; Hollie Monroe-Johnson, Mia Monroe, Judith & Leonard Neal, Jr., Jordan Ponton (grandson of Joyce Ponton), Joyce Ponton, Pryor-Dunnomes, Thaddeus and Lady Savage, Frances C. Sugg (Wendy Morgan’s aunt), Russell T. Swann, James Thomas, Lamar Tynes, Craig Wallace (husband of Kaille Viney-Wallace), George Whitted, Joan Wood Moore and Clyde Yates (husband of Lauraette Jones-Yates).

If you want to be added to or removed from the prayer list, or if you are submitting a name for someone else, contact Judith Neal at [email protected] or Rose Parker at [email protected].

In faith and prayer, we lift up those on our prayer list.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

November Birthdays and Wedding Anniversaries

1 –   Candace Hundley-Kamate

2 –   Robair Maldonado

3 –   Christian Haines

4 –   Dr. Wendy Morgan                                    

7 –   Kristen B. Ashby                                        

8 –   Angel Parker                                                18 – Valeria Hundley

9 –   Rose B. Parker                                                      David Morgan Jr.

12 – Kurtis A. Ottey                                             19 – Jannea Dixon

13 – Phyllis S. Mather                                          24 – Cameron B. Ponton

14 – Robert Ransom III                                        25 – Gloria Lee Martin

        Elconde S. Tucker                                        27 – Joan Moore

15 – Forrest C.R. Moore                                      29 – Norma Whitted

16 -  Richard Alexander                                       30 – William Miller III

Nov. Wedding Anniversaries:

26 – Fr. Dan and Elizabeth Ann Mannen

Thursday Evening Bible Study

Held 7-8 pm; new attendees welcome! Material used is published on the Episcopal website written by church teachers, organized by liturgical occasion & church season. Join the Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84370729616?pwd=M2JoVGw1bVpEMFBFTk55QWphN2RPdz09

Invitation to Compline with St. Mark’s

On Wednesday evenings at 7pm, St. Mark’s hosts a service of healing prayers, followed by either traditional Compline or New Zealand Night Prayers. This usually takes no more than 20 minutes.

They would love to have other members of the PMP join them. It's presently hosted on the St. Mark's Zoom channel (info is below or click the Zoom icon at the bottom of www.smechampton.org).

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84430506697?pwd=bUluNDZES1JscHFTcjdaQlptL2FEdz09

                                                         Finding Your Place

Who leads our parish organizations and ministries?  If you were to consider joining or participating in one or more, who would you contact? Some roles may require licensing and/or formal training by the Diocese.

Take a look at the list below.

Altar Guild – Valeria Hundley

Daughters of the King – Marcia Black

Episcopal Church Women – Rose Parker

Hospitality Committee – Annette Monroe-Martin

Samaritans – Roscoe Redcross

Men’s Club – George Whitted

Outreach – Pam Hall

Choir – Joyce Ponton

Acolyte/Server – Wendy Morgan

Usher/Greeter – Norma Whitted

Lector/Lay preacher/Intercessor/Chalice Bearer – Rose Parker

Lay Eucharistic Minister – Fr. de Kay and Rose Parker

Outreach/Lay Eucharistic Visitation – Fr. de Kay

The Vestry

An Episcopal church vestry is the elected lay governing body of a parish that works alongside the rector to manage temporal, financial, and administrative affairs.

Priest-in-Charge – The. Rev. Charles A. de Kay

Peninsula Ministry Partnership

St. Augustine’s – St. George’s – St. Mark’s

Lay readers are invited to visit www.netministries.org/Bbasics for correct biblical pronunciations.

Your newsletter contact is Rose Parker at [email protected]

Your trustees are Roscoe Redcross and George Whitted.

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