ALTON - Community members are invited to a unique culinary program at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church featuring a famous monk.
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Father Dominic Garramone, known as “The Bread Monk,” will be onsite at St. Paul’s on Aug. 24, 2025, with a meal and a presentation. Fr. Garramone hosted the PBS cooking show “Baking Bread with Father Dominic” from 1999 to 2001. He has also written several cookbooks and an award-winning children’s book. Father Garron Daniels with St. Paul’s Episcopal Church expressed his excitement to meet Fr. Garramone.
“I look forward to warmly welcoming Fr. Dominic to our Church and to the many other visitors we will have!” Fr. Daniels said.
At 1:30 p.m. on Aug. 24, attendees can enjoy a light lunch based on Fr. Garramone’s recipe. A braided ham and cheese roll, salad, drinks and dessert will be served, followed by the presentation by Fr. Garramone at 2 p.m. Fr. Garramone is a Benedictine monk from St. Bede Abbey in Peru, Illinois, and he will be sharing his love for cooking and his faith with attendees.
Tickets to the event cost $40 and only 120 tickets will be sold. To purchase your ticket, email episcopalalton@gmail.com, call 618-465-9149, or click here and scroll through the dropdown menu to the “Bread Monk” option.
The week before, from 2–4 p.m. on Aug. 16, 2025, kids and teens are invited to a culinary-themed mystery program titled “The Case of the Cryptic Crumbs.” Kids ages 9–14 will hunt for clues, interrogate suspects, and solve the mystery. This event is free and open to the public, though the church asks caregivers to RSVP their kids by emailing episcopalalton@gmail.com or calling 618-465-9149.
Both events encourage the community to engage with the church. Fr. Daniels believes that the church is “a center of community,” and he is hopeful that St. Paul’s Episcopal Church can be a welcoming place for community members to enjoy the events, worship, and connect with one another.
“There is no doubt that worship is important, it goes to the very core of who we are, but we are also meant to live this life together in community,” Fr. Daniels said. “Community events and opportunities of fellowship remind us that the Church is not just another building in town, but a place where people gather to enjoy one another's company, have fun, and make memories. Church is the people and the people make this community stronger. When we gather together, we strengthen not just our individual relationship, but our wider community as well.”
For more information about the upcoming events, including “The Bread Monk” and “The Case of the Cryptic Crumbs” programs, visit the official St. Paul’s Episcopal Church website at EpiscopalAlton.org. Contact the church office at episcopalalton@gmail.com or by calling 618-465-9149 to purchase your tickets or RSVP.
