Unsung Heroes Celebration

06Feb

Every year on the first Friday in February the Community Foundation of the Florida Keys holds its Unsung Heroes Celebration. All nonprofits in the Keys are invited to nominate one of their unsung heroes to be honored and celebrated.

We have a number of unsung heroes at St Paul's. Many of them work primarily behind the scenes. You may rarely see them at work, but we all benefit from their labors and service. Thanks to them, our worship space, other campus buildings, and grounds are beautiful. Thanks to them, everything is in order for Holy Eucharist to be celebrated multiple times each week. Thanks to them, Morning and Evening Prayer are offered each weekday on Facebook Live. Thanks to them, St Paul's campus is opened and closed daily. Thanks to them, folks who cannot get to campus for services receive Holy Communion at home. Thanks to them, high-quality livestreams of our 10 AM Sunday Eucharist and of special services on holy days such as Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and throughout Holy Week through to Easter Day are available.

This year, our St Paul's Unsung Hero to be honored tomorrow, Friday, February 7, is Mike Kindinger. Mike has been our primary IT Guru for multiple years now. He is the main person behind the excellent livestream offerings of services and special celebrations and events that allow far-away and homebound folks to stay connected to St Paul's via realtime services and recordings of them available after the fact. You'll find him on Sunday mornings setting up microphones and testing out equipment before the 10 AM service. The past two Januarys, he has set up a mandala cam so that people could track the progress of the Drepung Gomang monks' mandala creation in the crossing of the St Paul's nave.

In addition to these great AV contributions, Mike is also our official parish photographer, capturing dimensions of our life together at services, in parades, and elsewhere in the community. Mike serves on the St Paul's vestry and the parish building committee and has taken on various ad hoc roles for projects overseen by the vestry. He is a consistent voice of reason, calm, and good sense. He's also instrumental in making sure folks who need rides to and from church get to St Paul's and back home safely. In his super-efficient, highly competent, and unassuming way, Mike makes all kinds of things happen for the good of all of us.

Please congratulate and thank Mike when you next see him for all his loving labor born of love of Jesus and commitment to the congregation of St Paul's. Thank you, Mike!

Pictured here is a classic Mike Kindinger photo from a Christmas Eve candlelight mass featuring thurifer Effie Ford.

Padre's Blog A la Mote
Posted by The Very Reverend Donna S. Mote, PhD

Our 34th rector, Dr Mote, was installed by Bishop Eaton on Saturday, June 5th, 2021.  Prior to joining St Paul's, she served as the Vicar of ATL (Episcopal Chaplain to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport).  With Bishop Robert C. Wright she authored, The Go Guide: 10 Steps for Innovations in Ministry from Luke 10. Beginning in 2016, Donna served on the bishop's staff as Missioner for Engagement and Innovation in the Diocese of Atlanta, to consult on, coach, strategize, support, promote, and provoke innovations in ministry in Middle and North Georgia.  She was also Chaplain to the Georgia State Defense Force and the 76th Support Brigade.

Donna earned degrees from Shorter College (BA), Southern Seminary (MDiv), and Emory University’s Graduate Division of Religion (PhD) and completed Anglican studies at Sewanee: The University of the South. Donna was raised up for ordination by the parish of St Bartholomew’s, Atlanta. She is an Associate of the Order of St Helena.  Donna is married to Rebecca England, and they have two sons, Anderson and Jordan.

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