The Philadelphia Inquirer – The first female Hispanic priest in Pa.’s Episcopal Church is ordained. She’s from Philadelphia – “… when Jessie was brought to me, I could tell from her spirit that she would go places,”
Centralmaine.com – Witnessing history in Gardiner as Christ Church celebrates bicentennial – Episcopal church in Gardiner has drawn people to worship since the earliest days
Sun Eaglewood – Organizations gearing up for Thanksgiving need – St. David’s Jubilee Center recently received a donation of three carloads of food donations from GFWC Rotonda West Women’s Club. “It’s hard to believe Thanksgiving is only a little over a month away,” said Ruth Hill, Jubilee Center administrator.
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The first female Hispanic priest in Pa.’s Episcopal Church is ordained. She’s from Philadelphia
The Philadelphia Inquirer – Philadelphia, PA
Latino communities in the Philadelphia region celebrated a milestone over the weekend: Yesenia “Jessie” Alejandro became the first Hispanic woman ordained as a priest in the Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania.
“I’m joyful that we have accomplished this historic achievement, because we can now bring hope and representation to our community as the Hispanic priest,” said the Rev. Alejandro, 49.
Witnessing history in Gardiner as Christ Church celebrates bicentennial
Centramaine.com – Gardiner, ME
Every day, hundreds of cars and trucks pass by the stone church that sits at the top of Church Street at its intersection with Dresden Avenue.
Most drivers probably note it only in passing — after all, what’s a Maine city or town without an old church or two?
But this particular church, Christ Episcopal Church, in this particular year is worth a second look. As the state celebrates the 200th anniversary of its statehood, so too is the church celebrating its bicentennial, with a special service Sunday afternoon noting the anniversary of its consecration in October 1820.
In a different year, the celebration would fill the pews in the worship hall. Sunday’s eucharistic service, like the church’s other services this spring and summer, will be held outside on property adjacent to the church building, the Rev. Kerry Mansir said.
Organizations gearing up for Thanksgiving need
Sun Eaglewood – Eaglewood, FL
So far this year, COVID-19 canceled Easter gatherings, school graduations and even some Halloween events.
It even halted the annual postal carriers’ food drive in May.
However, it won’t ruin Thanksgiving.
The Jubilee Center at St. David’s Episcopal Church in Englewood is one of the local organizations that’s determined to feed the hungry at Thanksgiving time.
“It’s hard to believe Thanksgiving is only a little over a month away,” said Ruth Hill, Jubilee Center administrator. “St. David’s Episcopal Church food pantry has been busy as ever. Our numbers of those accessing our pantry have surpassed the numbers served in 2019.”
Based on the current need, Hill is asking for community help a little early this year. She estimates hundreds may need a Thanksgiving food box for their families.
Local organizations step in to fill gaps for working families
The Daily Progress – Charlottesville, VA
When local school systems decided to start the school year online, Angel Feero and Abundant Life Ministries started planning for how to help their families and students who were already behind in reading and math before schools closed in March.
So the organization, which works with families in the Prospect neighborhood, created a virtual learning center at Christ Episcopal Church in downtown Charlottesville to support those students. They opened their doors on the first day of school.
‘We do more than just give people food’: Church’s food pantry feeds hundreds weekly
Herald Tribune – Sarasota, FL
By five minutes past 12:30, over a dozen cars lined up outside of St. Wilfred’s Episcopal Church on Friday, some with trunks already popped open.
As the cars rolled into the parking lot, volunteers grabbed brown grocery bags of food, packed them into trunks, slammed them shut and tapped the car to send them off. With a shout for meat here and a call for a gallon of milk there, they packed each car’s trunk in less than a minute.
The dozens of volunteers at the church have their food pantry process down to a science after transitioning to a drive-through format since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
Ms. Rena shares her secrets to living to 100 in the age of coronavirus
The Philadelphia Inquirer – Philadelphia, PA
The rain came down in near-Biblical proportions the afternoon of Sept. 29, but that wasn’t about to deter the St. Martin-in-the-Fields congregation members and other well-wishers from parading their way to the Germantown porch of the day’s much-loved honoree:
The irrepressible, indomitable Rena Graves, who turned 100 years young that day.
National Ranching Heritage Center welcomes new addition to collection
KCBD – Lubbock, Texas
There is a new church in Lubbock, but this one will not be open on Sundays.
The National Ranching Heritage Center in Lubbock has its 52nd addition to its collection, the Spur Ranch Church. Since Wednesday was the first day the NRHC was allowed to open since mid-March, visitors can now see the outside of the church.
The small, one-room church has been moved from its home of 65 years in Brownfield to the NRHC in Lubbock.
This 108-year-old Episcopal church is no stranger to moves. It was originally built in Spur in 1912 on the Spur Ranch.
“The only thing that had been out there before, there had been a little chapel on the ranch,” the Helen DeVitt Jones Endowed Director of Collections, Exhibits and Research, Scott White, said.