St. Polycarp of Smyrna Men's Guild

In 2010, there were two very successful food drives that benefited The Storehouse in Pflugerville. In addition to nearly 1700 pounds of food that were collected in these two drives, our October food drive contained a matching funds component. The Vestry of the parish pledged to match whatever funds were donated to the Storehouse. The total amount of our monetary gift to them was $2250. I am grateful for the kindness and generosity shown by our members in these efforts to help the poor in our area. As I have mentioned before, The Storehouse is not just a food pantry, but also a Christian ministry that shares the Gospel of Jesus Christ with their clients. We are a part of that ministry as well.

The events organized by St. Polycarp usually involve prodigious quantities of meat, smoke, and fire. The usual greatly anticipated events like the Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper and the Kevin McCommon Memorial Ice Cream Social will continue in 2011. Under the care of Michael Ready, volunteer drivers are providing transportation for Fr. Peter’s Sunday afternoon service. St. Polycarp also held a fall church clean up and workday which allowed the brethren to wield power tools and other sharp and dangerous objects, and which, unsurprisingly, concluded with a late-afternoon barbecue. The subsect of St. Polycarp’s known as the St. Gabriel Possenti Men’s Group is doing well although the number of shooting events was down in 2010 due to an unusually heavy demand of work and family made on the membership.

Victor Carsrud has become the chairman of St. Polycarp’s by universal acclaim and he will soon issue a decree stating when the first official planning session of 2011 will occur. One item on the agenda will be the scheduling of grill and range events. The second item will focus on the mechanics of how the membership could better glorify Christ and thereby receive the maximum Christian growth made possible by the group activities. The third item will be the discussion of what other activities/areas of service might be included. Victor looks forward to the prayerful input that will be offered by the membership.

All men of the parish are encouraged to participate in all of the St. Polycarp events. For the men who are not currently participating, what hobbies and skills do you enjoy? Do you fish, golf, work in wood, paint, or make music? How might you use your skills to enjoy manly fellowship at our church? Why not share your time and talent and receive the benefit and encouragement that’s available? What about the men you currently share your interests with? Might not they enjoy St. Polycarp’s (and thereby gain an appreciation for St. Francis)? Why not bring your fellow enthusiasts and by doing so, bring them more into the manly embrace of Christ? 2011 should be the best year yet for St. Polycarp’s and by God’s grace and your participation, it will be.

Please contact John Stults or Victor Carsrud for more information