The Daily StarFormer church nominated for historic registers – A former church in Otsego County is among 16 properties recommended for inclusion on state and national registers of historic places…

Napa Valley Register – St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Napa hosts Operation Christmas Child holiday drive – Volunteers at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Napa recently assembled more than 300 care packages…

13 News NowVirginia church built in the 1800s gets 1st full-time pastor – Trinity Episcopal Church in Arlington, Va. now has a full-time pastor after having to rely on different priests sent by the diocese every week for many years. “Blessed are the flexible for they won’t be bent out of shape.”

Summary

Former church nominated for historic registers

The Daily Star – Oneonta, NY

A former church in Otsego County is among 16 properties recommended for inclusion on state and national registers of historic places.

St. Stephen’s Chapel, in the crossroads hamlet of Maple Grove in the town of Morris, was built as an Episcopal church but is now a private residence.

“The nominations reflect the incredible history found in our state and the stories forged by its people,” Erik Kulleseid, commissioner of the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, said in a media release. “Securing this recognition will help protect and preserve such places so this history can be carried safe and intact into the future.” […]

St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Napa hosts Operation Christmas Child holiday drive

Napa Valley Register – Napa, CA

Volunteers at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Napa recently assembled more than 300 care packages as part of its annual Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child holiday drive.

“Last year, we filled 252 shoeboxes,” said St. Mary’s volunteer Mary Hamler. “Even though this year was quite challenging with COVID restrictions, we were still able to fill 323 shoeboxes with love, prayers, and of course, Christmas gifts.” […]

Virginia church built in the 1800s gets 1st full-time pastor

13 News Now – Arlington, VA

“Blessed are the flexible for they won’t be bent out of shape.”

That’s the motto of the Rev. Donna Steckline, the newest pastor to grace Trinity Episcopal Church — built in 1830 — and the first full-time pastor the Arrington church has seen, an official with the church said. It’s a prospect the new pastor was excited about.

In her own experience, Steckline said years ago “the churches had to be connected to another church to be able to afford to have a pastor of their own and there was always a tension of some sort … so I think it’s wonderful that they can afford to do that, number one, and I think that helps just focus the energy in one place as opposed to trying to be in more than one place at a time.” […]