The Rev. Canon Ezgi Saribay Perkins has accepted a call to serve as Rector at St. Peter's Episcopal Church, Ripon and St. Mary's Episcopal Chapel, Wautoma.

Mthr. Ezgi was born in Izmir, Turkey and grew up in a secular, Muslim family. She converted to Christianity while a student at Drury University in Springfield, Missouri, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree. Drawn to the faith in the Episcopal Church, she experienced a calling to be a priest. She completed a Masters of Divinity at Nashotah House in 2015 and served congregations on Missouri prior to moving to Wisconsin in 2018 with her husband, the Very Rev. Patrick Perkins. She is Canon Precentor at St. Paul's Cathedral, Fond du Lac.

St. Peter's Episcopal Church has served the Ripon area as a parish since 1860. It is a worshiping community of over 50 baptized members with an average Sunday attendance of 35. Located in the heart of downtown on Ripon’s Gothic Mill Pond and near Ripon College, it's members are dedicated to the mission “to restore all people to unity with God and each other in Christ.”

St. Mary's Episcopal Chapel was built in 1932 on Bugh's Lake, Wautoma and placed under the supervision of St. Peter's in the 1950's. Seating up to 25 people, the chapel is an intimate setting with a choir of birds, frogs and crickets. A small but dedicated group of parishioners and visitors gather weekly for the Eucharist and to hear God’s word. 

Learn more about St. Peter's and St. Mary's Chapel here.

I was on Facebook one day and saw a picture and explanation of a "Blessing Box." It was similar to the little libraries we see all over, but the focus of the Blessing Box was to put items (food, personal items, cleaning supplies, toiletries, etc.) in there that people could just take as needed.  Donations could be put in the Blessing Box as well.  I just loved this idea and thought it might be something St. Peter's could do. 
 
Next I went to Fr. Marcus Cunningham with the idea, and he took it to the Vestry to discuss.  The Vestry approved it! I am a member of Thrivent Financial, and as a member we are allowed and encouraged to do two Action Teams a year.  An Action Team is planning some type of event that helps others in your community.  Thrivent encourages each member to think of the ideas for events to help others in the community. The Action Team, if approved, is given a $250.00 Visa card to use for the planned event plus Live Generously t-shirts and other items to advertise the Action Team. The initial Action Team I applied for was to purchase the materials to make the Blessing Box and purchase food items if there was any leftover money.  And my Action Team was approved!