2014 Chistmas Southern Cross, Diocese of Southwest Florida

Advent/Christmas 2014

Volume 45, Issue 3

Pioneering Evangelists

MAGAZINE OF THE EPISCOPAL DIOCESE OF SOUTHWEST FLORIDA

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X Convention Roundup X DaySpring Planning X Advent Wreaths 1

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From the Bishop

What Holy Gifts This Christmas Dear friends, The telephone rang on Christmas morning in 1978.

My siblings and our families were gathered at my parent’s house taking delight in the gift exchanges and family laughter. My father answered the phone to learn that his mother, our grandmother, had just died in the hospital. He went to the hospital later. First he went and presided at the Christmas morning Holy Communion at St. James in Ormond Beach where he was rector.

I always think of my father when I contemplate Christmas. I can no more sing Silent Night at the Christmas Eve service without tearing up than I can stare without blinking. He loved Christmas! It made his eyes sparkle. To this day I am moved in Spirit in thinking that he, even in the midst of the shadow of death, would not dream of missing Christmas church.

Christmas is the festival of God with us. We remember a very human event shaped by divine intent to change forever all human events. The birth of Jesus of Nazareth changed my father’s life for good, and forever, and it made his eyes sparkle. His mother, my grandmother, was, in fact, just fine, because of God’s action at Christmas.

God, of course, still divinely acts upon the course of human

Christmas is the festival of God with us.

We remember a very human event shaped by divine intent to change forever all human events.

events and in the lives of particular individuals. I am impressed by the personal stories and observations found in the pages of this Southern Cross. All of them reveal understood glimpses of God’s personal activity in our lives. We receive gifts of the holy in our reading of this issue: priests who share their personal sense and memories of God’s movement in their lives; young adults who are facing their futures with fresh and maturing faithfulness; reminders of practical spiritual Advent devotions that nourish the soul; and the powerful call to simply be observant of our need to gather in worship for the good of our souls.

Christmastide is upon us and we are refreshed again with the story of the birth of Jesus, God’s

best present to us! I can never think of Christmas without thinking of my father and all of those tender memories. I suspect God can never think of Christmas without thinking of us, and the tender love of Jesus given for us. It probably makes God’s eyes sparkle! X Bishop Dabney Smith is Fifth Bishop of the Diocese of Southwest Florida.

visitation online Look online at episcopalswfl.org under the keyword ‘visitation’ for weekly parish visits for Bishop Smith and Assisting Bishops Garrison and Howe

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In this Issue

Here, wild coffee growing on a path at DaySpring. Its Latin name is Psychotria nervosa, and was used as a substitute for coffee in the early days of Florida.

Features 8

Plans for DaySpring

Consultants are updating the site plan for DaySpring

12 Convention Roundup

Election results, the Bishop’s address and other actions of the convention

15 Finding a Way to Wilkinson

The Rev. Virginia Herring heard the Lord, and answered the call

8 22 4

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Departments Briefly: DaySpring, Journal and Follow CampDaySpring.org ..…………………………...........……...... 7 Fresh Expressions: Reports from Missioners in the Field………………………………....................... 11 Advent traditions by The Rev. Michael Durning ………………………………………………........ 18 Meet the Leader: Maisie Reddy of Standing Committee……….......………………….………............. 20 Food: Cheese Biscuits, Grapefruit Drop Cookies and Tea ………...………………................................. 21 Christian Living: Keeping in Communion, by the Very Rev. Fred Robinson …….....……....................... 22 Education: Answer the Calling of EfM, by Martha Goodwill …...............………………………............ 23 Mission: A Lifetime of Work With Latinos by The Rev. Richard Lampert ..........…..................................... 24 History: Brotherhood of St. Andrew by Frederick Johnson ..............................................… ........................ 25 Reflections: Advent Means Arrival by the Rev. William Faupel ……………………….......................... 28 Obituaries.....................………………………………………………...........………………………...... 30 Around the Diocese ………………………………………………...........………………………...... 34 Glancing Back in Time to 1994, 1974 and 1964 ….………………………………….………. .............. 35

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22 5

Letters I Like to Know

Sir: Hi! My Southern Cross came on Friday and I wanted you to know how much I learned about our Diocese! I am the type that likes to know what is going on, rather than read about how to improve my worship life and this edition was filled with all kinds of information on our church.

Thank you so much.

Virginia Bailey

Encouraged by Encouragement Sir:

Thank you for this fine publication. Most of us receive 100 or more emails every day. Email publications, while valuable, become lost-click here, click there, scroll down, scroll up. Plus, I readily admit I love the feel of print in my hands. Often hard copies of publications delivered to our church are quickly picked up or lost in the paper shuffle.

Admittedly also, I know too little about our Diocese and other churches in our Diocese and this is an amazing tool to keep up.

We are bombarded with “Churches in all faiths are suffering, attendance down, young people moving away from religion.” This issue is so encouraging to learn all that is going on here in Florida in our Diocese and about those coming to be part of our church family.

I am inspired and encouraged and feel as if I am so much better equipped. I will surely spread the word to check out our Southern Cross. Thanks again to you and all those involved in its publication.

Sharon Van Loan St. John the Divine Sun City Center P.S. I loved Martha Goodwill’s quote from Harry Truman and will have it printed as she quoted it, “There are no lofty peaks seeking the sky, no mighty glaciers or rushing streams wearing away the uplifed land. Here is land, tranquil in its quiet beauty...”

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Year 45 | Issue 3 | Advent/Christmas 2014 X First Published A.D. 1970 Bishop, Diocese of Southwest Florida: The Rt. Rev. Dabney T. Smith Editor: Garland Pollard Contributing Writers: The Rev. Michael Durning, The Rev. William Faupel, Martha Goodwill, The Rev. Virginia Herring, Frederick Johnson, Michael Kline, The Rev. Richard Lampert, The Rev. Fredrick Robinson Contributing Photographer: Bonnie Jean Durning, Anne Vickers Advertising Inquiries: Garland Pollard, 941-556-0315 or gpollard@episcopalswfl.org Subscriptions: The Southern Cross is mailed to parishioners of the Diocese of Southwest Florida from member parish lists. Email your address to southerncross@episcopalswfl.org to subscribe or update delivery preferences.

Editorial Submissions, Letters: The editor welcomes submissions of articles for every section of the magazine including features, news and departments. Email editor@ episcopalswfl.org. Manuscripts must be in Microsoft word format. We invite letters to the editor on subjects of interest to the entire Diocese. We reserve the right to edit for space and clarity.

Identification Statement: The Southern Cross is published by the Diocese of Southwest Florida, Department of Communications. permit No. 946.

Diocese of Southwest Florida DaySpring Episcopal Center 8005 25th St. East Parrish, FL 34219 941-556-0315 web: www.episcopalswfl.org email: editor@episcopalswfl.org Twitter: @episcopalswfl ISSN 2372-7861 (print version)ISSN 2372-8159 (online version) On the Cover: Campus missioners on the stage at the 46th Annual Convention of the Diocese.

From left, Tiara Metayer, Rachel Schnabel, Jasmine Kinsler, William Pardy, Alexandra Diaz and Paige Parker.

Briefly

Harriet Bedell Celebrated January 8 EACH JANUARY 8, The Episcopal

Church celebrates Deaconess Harriet Bedell. Deaconess Bedell, who died Jan. 8, 1969, is honored by being mentioned in Holy Women, Holy Men, published by Church Publishing.

Bedell ran the Glades Cross Mission and ministered to the Seminole Indians as an Episcopal deacon. Here, she is pictured with medicine man Ingram Billie during Christmas feast at Mission Village in the Everglades on December 25, 1960. The photograph by Don Marks is in the Flor-

ida Memory collection, part of the Don and Gladys Marks Collection.

In the biography Always Welcome in the Great Chickee, the Rev. Howard Harper wrote up her rule of life:

1. God is First 2. Don’t Worry. Put all in the hands of God. Don’t think or talk about your troubles.

3. Don’t hurry.

4. Don’t eat too much, or between meals.

5. Don’t do two things at the same time 6. All life involves sacrifice.

Church Employees Gather at DaySpring Episcopal Church Women Meet The annual meeting of the Episcopal Church Women of the Diocese was held Nov. 13, 2014 at DaySpring.

Elected President was Lana Fitzgerald. At right, Fitzgerald laughs as outgoing President Barbara Counts looks on. Above, all new officers with Bishop Smith X

THE DIOCESE AND Church Pension Group have set the first Church Employee Gathering for Friday, Dec. 12. The Diocese is eager to gather all of our parish and mission staffs together for the first time. The DaySpring event theme this year is steps to wellness.

The day, free to staff members in the Diocese, include presentations on fitness, nutrition and stress management, in addition to information on benefits through the Medical Trust. Lunch is included; there will be time for prayer at St. Thomas Chapel, nature walks and other features at DaySpring. X RSVP to csalyers@episcopalswfl.org 7

DaySpring Development

New Plan for Episcopal Conference Center

BY MICHAEL KLINE, CHAIR, DAYSPRING DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE

LAST SPRING, RESPONDING to Bishop Smith’s vision for the DaySpring Episcopal Center, Diocesan Council authorized a contract for a new master plan.

To lead the process, the Diocese hired Kaleidoscope Inc., of Westerville, Ohio. The firm, which develops master plans for conference centers, was selected for its expertise in camps, and church retreat centers. Workshops facilitated by Kaleidoscope and utilizing the existing DaySpring Development Committee as well as other Diocesan leaders and staff, occurred in May, August and November of 2014. The results of this master planning effort will be presented to Diocesan Council at their December meeting.

The existing master plan for the conference center, last visited in 2000, was outdated and not suited for the current vision and mission of DaySpring, specifically to be “a sacred place at the heart of our diocesan community that exists to enrich and empower all people in Christ.”

The master planning process involved a statistical analysis of the cur-

The DaySpring group reviewing a possible view from a new multi-purpose worship space on the path heading toward the river.

rent use of the property and facilities.

As measured by “user days”, the 17,198 user days classify DaySpring as a medium-sized denominational conference facility. In terms of demographics, 51 percent of the use is by adults; 47 percent by youth, and 2 percent families. Half of the users spend the night, while the others attend day programs.

Day use is unusually high relative to other denominational conference centers, due to DaySpring’s proximity to

The DaySpring group surveys the utility area, which could be the site for a multi-purpose worship center.

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its users. For group size, 55 percent of all groups were 29 or less people, while 94 percent of groups were less than 99 people. Only 16 of the 270 groups were greater than 100 people. A limiting factor is large meeting spaces to accommodate such groups.

Vision and Program Components

The master planning process also included lengthy discussions of the vision and program offerings of Day-

Spring Episcopal Center. Supporting and strengthening the local parish is the critical and relevant ministry; and outreach to Episcopalians is primary. As a gathering place for the Diocese, programs must focus on formation (teaching and learning), spiritual growth and worship, order (planning, ongoing life of church) and community (making connections and providing support). In its preliminary discussions, the group’s conclusions reflected this language.

DaySpring is and should continue to be: • A place to get away to integrate life, faith and family • A place to gather with community (parish, community, diocese, wider church) • A thin place to connect with the Holy The final workshop on the master planning process will be a presentation to Diocesan Council on December 13, 2014. The final deliverables will include research packet summarizing current and future usage analysis and cost assumptions, as well as maps and drawings representing the functions and values for the future.

In 2015, Diocesan Council will then turn to priorities, capital budgeting and the next steps toward implementing this new master plan. This includes working with Manatee County and identifying architectural and construction firms for the various components of the plan. X

About the Planners KALEIDOSCOPE, INC. WAS a proactive, integrative design. This

contracted to complete a comprehensive master plan. The following excerpt highlights their design model: “The key to the Kaleidoscope planning process is the design synthesis of the various professional backgrounds and perspectives of the vision for program, operation, and property analyses. The shift from analysis to planning happens when the components of the analyses meet and begin to create a new picture for what the future might look like for a program fully supported by its property and facilities. Working in collaboration, the various development professionals will bring multiple perspectives and abilities to the project resulting in

approach harmonizes and reconciles design solutions early in the development process.”

Consultants Jody D. Oates and Denise O’Meara proved to have all of the skills and experience and insight promised in their biographies.

“Jody brings to the role more than a decade of experience as a camp leader where he demonstrated the ability to address the practical aspects of the operation while keeping the mission on the forefront.

His knowledge of the day to day issues of management allows him to guide leaders in setting realistic goals which empower the vision to grow into a sustainable enterprise.” X

The group reviews a location that could be the home of new youth facilities. Top, Jody Oates explaining his planning process.

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Meet the Lay Leader

Maisie Reddy, St. James House of Prayer Six questions for Maisie Reddy, an outgoing member of the Standing Committee and longtime parishioner at St. James House of Prayer.

Q: How did you get interested in being on the Standing Committee?

Reddy: I had served two years on the Commission on Ministry when a friend suggested I run for Standing Committee. I was intrigued with the idea of being a “sounding board” for the Bishop, so I decided to give it a try.

Six years later.....

Q: Did you grow up in the Episcopal tradition?

Reddy: I grew up in the Baptist church in the African American community in Jacksonville. I was baptized at age 8 and was very active in all phases of church life. I attended University of Florida and met my future husband who was a cradle Episcopalian. In preparing for our married life, I decided to join the Episcopal church which we attended in Nashville. I was confirmed in 1973.

Q: How do you balance all the work you do for your parish and Diocese?

Reddy: They both compliment each other.

I try not to overload my schedule. I have become a more knowledgeable Episcopalian by being involved on both levels.

Q: What important role does the Standing Committee play?

Reddy: The Standing Committee is counsel of advice to our Diocesan Bishop. We listen to concerns, give 10

Standing Committee President the V. Rev. Doug Scharf, Mrs. Reddy and Bishop Smith.

recommendations, and make decisions in various areas of disagreements affecting pastoral relationships which need to be resolved. We also play an important role in certification and giving consent to those persons going through the process of ordination. In the absence of a Bishop, the Standing Committee is responsible for the orderly continuation of the Diocese. We also try to make sure our Bishop takes time off to de-stress, and get away for spiritual renewal.

Q: What have you learned in your time on the Committee?

Reddy: The Episcopal Church is truly alive! I have been made acutely aware of the political nature of our church and diocese. Many people don’t understand the function of the Standing Committee because most of our work is extremely confidential. I’ve also learned how to be a better listener!

Q: What are some issues that our Diocese needs to address?

Reddy: I have hope that we will continue the conversations regarding racism within our realm and the world and that we concentrate on elevating our youth to a high priority within our diocese. As a woman and person of color, I am always searching for cultural diversity during our diocesan gatherings. We should never pass up an opportunity to be inclusive.

Q: What would you say to others considering serving the Diocese?

Reddy: It is tough work that must be done for our survival, but there are so many blessings that will be received! I have interacted with so many wonderful Christians, and it has truly been an honor to serve our diocese. If I had to do it all over again, I would jump at the chance and say YES! X

Fresh Expressions

Notes from the Emerging Mission Field A ROUNDUP OF reflections from

some of the Fresh Expressions groups meeting across the Diocese of Southwest Florida. The Fresh Expressions groups are targeted to people not connected to a particular parish. Notes from ministries in St. Petersburg, Clearwater and Ft. Myers.

St. Petersburg, The Rev. Janet Tunnell: In St. Petersburg, we are meeting nearly every Thursday, with the occasional bye-week with folks out of town.

We are doing our normal pub theology gatherings (centered on a question of the evening) at different local pubs. The offweeks are dedicated to getting together in different venues for fellowship. We even managed to have a rain‐free night at the St. Pete Shuffle shuffleboard venue. The event drew in two new young men.

Attendance is still steady, with an average of eight participants. My parish, St. Thomas, has seen an influx of 11 newly resident young adults in the last month. Some have already attended meetings and the other four have expressed interest in connecting. The challenge continues to be our ability to remain fluid and keep constant communication when considering the busy lives and movement of these young adults.

Clearwater, Rebecca Massey: Our core group has shifted, as have our needs. We still meet every Thursday evening in the same spot and the same time that we have been for over a year. We celebrated our anniversary in July with big slice of chocolate cake. We

join them

Follow the Diocesan Fresh Expressions team at pioneeringministry.org have touched the lives of those around us, those who wait on us, and those who overhear our prayers. Our servers know us and will stop by to say hello, even if they are not our server.

We have begun to draw our “word” each week. A recent weekly word was “Anticipation” along with verse from Isaiah 62:6. We each draw our thoughts and then discuss them with the group. Drawing our thoughts has been a great way to explore what each word and verse means to us and allows each person the opportunity to reach deeper meaning and understanding. We still have tons of fun, laughing, sharing with each other.

Ft Myers, David Wyly and Glen Hatfield (update by David): Where does our responsibility as Christians begin and end? Is it enough on Sunday morning to sit in the pew and pay our pledge? Does God take attendance? Should we proselytize to our “spiritual but not religious” friends? Is it enough to be present? Does God have favorites? Does Christ really want us to love terrorists and murderers? Can you go to heaven and not believe in Christ?

Is homosexuality sin? Do we deserve God’s grace? Why do bad things hap-

pen to good people? Why can’t we all just get along? How do we find the answers to these questions? Is the Bible the roadmap to answer these questions?

I’m skeptical of anyone who says they have the answers to all of these questions. I do think some of these questions are easier to answer than others. They are all reflections of the human condition. They are the questions that psalmists and prophets have asked.

These are the questions that we discuss the third Thursday of every month. We don’t always agree and we rarely “answer” the questions. But, we discuss, we laugh, joke, and find comfort in that we are not the only ones asking the questions. We explore the mystery of faith.

We grow in our understanding of others. We build relationships. We explore expressions of faith.

Through my experiences leading this group and being involved with other Fresh Expressions of community such as “Eucharistia in litore” (Beach Eucharist), an event where we had roughly 40 people from around the diocese on the beach for communion, I’ve discovered an affinity for experimenting with liturgy.

Recently, I’ve started leading Evening Prayer (wait for it....) outside the church! On the front lawn! The first gathering included seven adults and four kids (I brought my kids to boost the attendance numbers). It was hot and sticky outside. We prayed together and chatted and had at least one car honk by passerby. The next gathering included four of the same adults and four newcomers.X 11

Convention Tells of Diocesan Treasure

The 46th Annual Convention of the Diocese of Southwest Florida was Friday, Oct 17 and Saturday, October 18, 2014.

207 eligible delegates, 102 clergy and countless visitors came to Friday work sessions and the Saturday business session.

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Pictured here, students and interns from campus missions in the Diocese on the podium at convention. Traditionally, University of South Florida students from St. Anselm’s Episcopal Chapel Center have assisted in voting and floor management.

This year, St. Anselm’s was given official presence at the convention, as they were accepted as an Associated Worshipping Community. Pictured above are USF students Corey Watson, Tiara Metayer, Rachel Schnabel, Jasmine Kinsler, William Pardy (State College of Florida), Alexandra Diaz (Florida Gulf Coast University) and Paige Parker (State College of Florida). Right, thurifer Reid Devitt at the Friday Eucharist.

Bishop Asks to Nurture the Faithful in Annual Address

In the address to the Diocese of Southwest Florida at its 46th Annual Convention, Bishop Dabney T. Smith called on the Church to strengthen and nurture the faithful in all aspects of Christian living, and to incorporate the “not-yetbelievers” into lives of “faithful, believing relationship” with Jesus Christ.

To do that, he said our evangelistic efforts are of merit when we “love gracefully.”

“We are better able to love gracefully when we live the Christian Abundant life. Christian love is reasonable, appealing, The full Saturday business strengthening, healing, session of convention is hopeful, real, and compelonline, as well as handouts, ling,” said Bishop Smith, to stories and the annual the gathered of 77 parishes Convention Guidebook, and missions in Southwest which includes budgets, Florida. “When people reelections, reports, speakers ally witness it, they choose and contacts. Go to to give their lives to Jesus.” episcopalswfl.org and visit The address also the CONVENTION tab reminded the Diocese of atop the home page. specific goals of Bishop Smith, including continued clergy and lay leadership development at DaySpring, a new DaySpring master plan and continued capital development there; targeted congregational development; continued efforts in young adult ministries; the redevelopment of the diocesan website; and diocesan staff reorganization with enlarged and enhanced responsibilities for the Canon to the Ordinary and the Canon for Finance and 13 Administration.X

watch it online

46th Convention

‘We have this treasure ...’

Punta Gorda, 2014

Pitured here, the entire convention gathered in Punta Gorda on Saturday morning.

46th Convention

‘We have this treasure ...’

Punta Gorda, 2014

2014 Diocesan Elections, Appointments Standing Committee Elects Officers Following the 46th Convention, the Standing Committee elected officers. Serving his first term on the Committee is Dominick Maldonado, who was elected to Standing Committee at convention.

President: The Very Rev. Doug F. Scharf Vice President: Mr. Kevin M. Fitzgerald Recording Sec.: The Rev. Cesar Olivero Presbyters: The Rev. Chip Connelly The Rev. Lance Wallace The Very Rev. Fredrick A. Robinson Lay Members: Mr. Wayne Ford Ms. Glenna M. Hileman Mr. Dominick Maldonado 14 14

Elections

Election A, Standing Committee: Dominick Maldonado, St. Francis, Tampa Election B, Standing Committee Presbyter: The Rev. Chip Connelly, St. John, Tampa; The Rev. Lance Wallace, St. Andrew, Spring Hill Election C, Diocesan Council, At Large: The Rev. Becky RobbinsPenniman, Church of the Good Shepherd, Dunedin Election D, Disciplinary Board, Lay: Susan Hookom, Church of the Annunciation, Holmes Beach Election E, Disciplinary Board, Clergy: The Rev. Dewey E. Brown, St. Mary’s, Dade City; The Rev. Jo Popham, St. Nathaniel, North Port Election F, Trustee, Sewanee, University of the South: Greg Hearing, St. John, Tampa

Appointments

The Convention also confirmed appointments by Bishop Smith:

Commission on Ministry

Priest: The Rev. Stephen F. Zimmerman, The Rev. Bryan D. O’Carroll Deacon: The Rev. O. Keith Backhaus, The Rev. Mary Alice Lopez Laity: Ms. Betty Gamel

Council on Deacons

Presbyter: The Rev Janet A. Tunnel Deacon: The Rev. William R. Moyers Laity: Ms. Kathleen Moore

Canonical Deans

Fort Myers: The V. Rev. Dr. Ellen M. Sloan Clearwater: The V. Rev. Becky Robbins Penniman Manasota: The V. Rev. Fredrick A. Robinson Naples: The V. Rev. Michael Basden St. Petersburg: The V. Rev. John C. Suhar Tampa: The V. Rev. Douglas F. Scharf Venice: The V. Rev. Roy W. Tuff X

Diocesan Council Representatives Confirmed The Convention confirmed the following Diocesan Council members that were elected at respective deanery meetings: Clearwater: Lay, Jim Rissler, All Saints, Tarpon Springs Fort Myers: Lay, Paula Paquette, Iona Hope Fort Myers: Clergy, The Rev. A. Charles Cannon, St. Hilary, Fort Myers Manasota: Clergy, The Rev. Joel J. Morsch, Christ Church, Bradenton Naples: Lay, Suzanne Bodley, St. Monica, Naples St. Petersburg: Lay, Brian Trimble, St. Giles, Pinellas Park Tampa: Clergy, The Rev. Eric Kahl, St. Mary’s, Tampa Venice: Clergy, The Rev. Michelle L. Robertshaw, St. Andrew’s, Boca Grande X

Episcopal Charities Awards At the convention, Bishop Smith announced awards for Episcopal Charities, after an application process and recommendation by the Council of Deacons.: St. Raphael, Ft. Myers Beach: The Leap of Faith After-School Program is a ministry in which children place food collection boxes in six locations. They pick up the donations weekly and distribute them to local food pantries. $4,359 St. Peter’s Cathedral, Resurrection House: This is a 501C3 established by St. Peter’s and area churches to provide a faith-based, self-sufficiency and transitional housing program for homeless families with minor children. They are requesting this grant to help offset the loss of State funding. $5,300 St. Augustine’s, The Micah Center: This is a 501C3 Summer Day Camp to serve the child care needs of working families with children who qualify for the lunch supplement program at their schools and have parents that cannot provide adequate/ affordable day care. $9,833 St. James House of Prayer, Cornerstone Kids: This program reaches at-risk inner city children and assists them in their education, and spiritual and emotional development. The grant is to implement an Afterschool KidzMath program. $2,878 St. Mark’s, Venice, Backpack program: This food distribution program serves families that depend on school feeding programs. The distributed food is for the weekends. In the last month before school is to begin, St. Marks was nofitied that this year’s food cost will be increased by 68 percent. $3,630 Christ Church, Bradenton, Food Pantry Ministry: This request is to fund one commercial refrigerator/freezer and two electric grills. $7,000 Total funding requests in 2014 were $47,867; total of funded items is $29,000. Total grant money for 2014 is established by the income from the Episcopal Charities Fund, and a tithe of the current year donations to the Episcopal Charities Fund.X 15 15

Finding My Way Home No matter where we are, the Father will be our advocate, forever. The Rev. Virginia Herring was reminded of this when she heard her call to Sarasota.

IN THE DIOCESE of North Caroli-

na there was an institution begun for the care of children in the late 19th century.

It was called the Thompson Orphanage.

100 years later, as this ministry celebrated its centennial the name was changed to Thompson Children’s Home. Announcing the name change at diocesan convention, the bishop explained that progress being what it is, there are actually very few orphans these days.

I missed most of the rest of the speech, because I got stuck on the notion that we had no more orphans.

What an amazing thing, I thought! Like smallpox and polio, we’ve eradicated orphans!

On Feb. 28, 2013 I stood in the Emergency Room beside my dad’s body.

A fall had resulted in a head injury, and there was no treatment. The machines had been turned off, and quickly, it was over. I tried to think what I needed to do next, who to call, who I wanted to talk to. I’d already talked to my brother. My children who were with me were calling their siblings…suddenly I realized I was thinking I should call mom and dad, except Mom had died last April and Dad… Oh, I thought, I’m an orphan!

It was a remarkably poignant moment, a sense of isolation I’d never had before. I didn’t feel lonely exactly, but 16

The Rev.Virginia Herring leads St. Wilfred, Sarasota. Facing page: illustration of St.Wilfred. simply bereft. There was no one to turn to who had been there from the beginning, no one who knew me as they had known me, no one who had shared my whole story.

We Don’t Have to Be

My experience is of course, common to most of us. It is normal for our parents to die first. I think it was precisely because of this universality that Jesus used the orphan image in this conversation with his disciples. They were moving into a new life situation.

He understood their anxiety. They

needed reassurance at the deepest, most elemental level. For this same reason, John 14:16 speaks strongly to us today.

Life is always changing, isn’t it? Just when you think you have it together, something moves. Jesus’ words offer all of us on-going comfort and the promise of support.

“The Father will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever.” It’s a simple, firm, unconditional promise.

God will not leave us alone.

An “advocate” is many things, but the earliest meaning of the word is “one who comes along side.” God sent the Holy Spirit into the world to be alongside us, to be WITH us in every minute, in every way. We don’t have to do anything or be anything.

Jesus said other things here which are sometimes interpreted in a way that makes it hard for us to really believe the unconditional nature of this promise.

This skewed reading happens because of what comes before the promise, the part that sounds like a traditional “if…then” clause – a common rhetorical device. “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” IF you love me, THEN you must, you ought, you should, keep my law. But notice, there is no “then” in the text. Jesus was not making a conditional statement. He did not say, “Do this or you won’t get into heav-

en.” He did not say, “Do this, because although God will love you anyhow, this is what good Christians do.” He did not even say, “Do this because virtue is its own reward.”

The message of the gospel is simply this: Jesus lives and loves us. Therefore we may love. We may choose to love.

The truth of the resurrection opens for us possibilities, a way of living that would not be possible in a world where death reigns supreme. Because Jesus defeated death, we have the freedom to live, to love because we may, not because we ought. The law of love is not like any other law in the world.

Jesus reassures his followers that their new life situation is not existential but eternal. “…because I live, you also will live…I am in my Father and you in me, and I in you.”

Bonds Cannot Be Broken

My Dad was cremated and we had a lovely service at Holy Trinity. But the real celebration happened about two weeks later, when we took his ashes up to Chesapeake, Virginia to bury them beside his wife and his mother in the cemetery of a little country church in a place called Cornland.

On Saturday we stood in the sunshine and I read the words from the Book of Common Prayer. The familiar language allowed my mind to wander.

I looked at the faces before me. The relationships were absolutely inescapable.

The DNA is strong, yes even stamped on the youngest faces. You could tell who was born into the family and who married into it. I thought how good it is that science has explained this thing, that there is a physical, real, detectable connection between us. It cannot be broken, it cannot be denied. We are part of each other, we are inescapably con-

the sunshine, and the familiar scenery when my cell phone rang. The caller had a 941 area code.

After mom died, Dad began to talk about wanting to return to Florida. I had decided to test the waters by putting my name up for several openings.

My call that morning was from a senior warden of a congregation near Sarasota.

I was not helpful. In the past two weeks it had been hard for me to think about anything except getting Dad’s apartment cleared out, planning the funerals, talking with friends and relatives, and so forth. For the next four hours I talked, and God listened. I wornected. We can get mad, we can refuse ried, I planned, I rearranged my plans. to speak to each other, but we cannot I cried some. I worried some more and break the connection. finally, I pulled into my driveway. I was That is exactly what Jesus is talking home, and I had no answers. about, “I am in my Father and you in me When I went to bed that night, my and I in you.” God is in our very DNA. prayers were short and to the point.

God created us, God made us, and we “God,” I said, “I promised to serve you. are in God and God is in us. That con- Tell me what I’m supposed to do next.” nection is real, physical and inescapWhen I awoke the next morning, able. We cannot break it. We can deny I sat with my cup of coffee, and in my it, we can ignore it, but we cannot end it. mind a sentence formed: “I’m going to In the earliest years of the church, retire and move to Florida.” I argued faithful Christians struggled with how with myself. You can’t afford to retire to live this truth. Paul speaks to outsid- yet, the reduction in your pension payers, drawing them in through the teach- ments is too great. This is not a wise ings of their own religions. In First Pe- idea. After awhile, I went back to prayer. ter, there are words of instruction and “God, I promised to serve you. Tell me encouragement to believers facing per- what I’m supposed to do next.” secution because of their faith. Today And suddenly I knew. Somewhere we still struggle. there would be a place where I could do In every age we must grapple with the things I love – celebrate, pray, teach, the reality of our lives and the ancient preach, meet and care for people. God truth of God. Over and over again, we was preparing this place. My job was to must answer and re-answer the ques- get ready to move. The money, the detion: how then shall I live? What does it tails, it would all get worked out. mean that God lives and loves me?

And so it did. And here I am. God I left my brother’s house that Mon- is so good! X day morning and hit the highway for home. I had about a four hour drive.

The Rev. Virginia Herring is Rector I was enjoying the peace and quiet, of St. Wilfred, Sarasota.

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The Advent Wreath

The candles of the wreath are usually lit in this way: Advent I: One purple candle Advent II: Two purple candles Advent III: Two purple and the one pink candle Advent IV: All four candles If there is a white candle in the center of the wreath, this is customarily lit on Christmas Eve. It is also a custom to replace all the candles with white during Christmas.

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Advent

Rounding the Circle

The tradition of Advent begins a new liturgical year. The Rev. Michael P. Durning, Canon to the Ordinary, explains the tradition.

THE SEASON OF Advent signals theme of joy in the midst of penance

a new liturgical year and an opportunity to renew our spiritual progress. And, as the Latin word adventus (coming) is also used for the Greek parousia (official visit), it equally describes the Second Coming of Jesus at the end of time. It may be helpful to think of “Advent” as the opposite of “prevent”. The Season is both penitential and hopefully expectant.

In “Church” use, Advent is first found in an 8th Century book of Christian liturgy known as the Gelasian Sacramentary. Here, Advent is five Sundays long and contains reference to Jesus as Savior in his First Coming as well as Judge in the Second.

Over time, Church practice has led to the use of the color purple during Advent. Purple cloth, once a very rare asset, was reserved for royalty.

It signals a departure from Ordinary Time (green), ushering in a penitential theme. One tradition has Advent marking the four “last things”: Death, Judgment, Heaven and Hell.

While penitential, the theme also carries a reminder that salvation has already been accomplished and is not derived from our penance. Therefore the Third Sunday of Advent is a time when the theme of joy “breaks through”. In many churches, the

is made more real by the use of rosecolored vestments on these Sundays.

More recently, the color blue has been used throughout Advent as a reminder of Mary’s expectant awaiting the arrival of the Christ Child.

The Advent Wreath

This tradition comes to us from pre-Christian Northern Europe, where wreaths of evergreen were lit near the Winter Solstice as a reminder of the gradual lengthening of days.

Christians quickly appropriated this practice, seeing useful spiritual tokens of deep realities.

• Evergreen branches that live throughout the year • An unbroken circle with no beginning and no end • Gathering light with the arrival of the Sun of Righteousness Some sources give credit for the modern Advent Wreath to a 19th Century Lutheran Pastor, Johann Hinrich Wichern. Pastor Wichern oversaw an urban mission school in Hamburg, Germany. As Christmas approached, children were wearing him out with daily questions of “Is it here yet?” He devised a wreath with four white candles to mark the Sundays of Advent. Between each white

candle were smaller red candles to mark the weekdays.

Most churches in the Diocese of Southwest Florida use a simple Advent wreath to help mark this time of expectant waiting. Typically, there are four candles, three purple and one pink (for the third Sunday) with the Wreath prominently displayed at the East end of the church. Many add a white “Christ” candle in the center.

The use of the Advent Wreath as a home-made and family-kept ritual has long and deep roots. Several Southwest Florida parishes set aside time for families to gather in the Parish Hall to make Advent Wreaths for the home. Supplies such as candles, Styrofoam disks, wire frames, etc. can be found in Michaels, Staples or almost any art supply store. Directions for making an Advent Wreath are found all over the internet. YouTube has several helpful videos.

Go Native

Praying through Advent

As Joseph and Mary prepared for the arrival of the Child Jesus, we can presume that there were distractions and setbacks.

We can also presume they prayed nevertheless. In the highly consumeristic world of the 21st Century, we can expect no less. Many families find the tradition of lighting the candles of the Advent Wreath in the home as a helpful way to focus and to pray in the midst of a hectic December. X Next page: a suggested Advent family liturgy from the Book of Common Prayer: 19

Advent Home Liturgy In the Early Evening

This devotion may be used before or after the evening meal. The Advent Wreath is lit while the following is said by all: O gracious Light, pure brightness of the everliving Father in heaven, O Jesus Christ, holy and blessed!

Now as we come to the setting of the sun, and our eyes behold the vesper light, we sing your praises O God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

You are worthy at all times to be praised by happy voices, O Son of God, O Giver of life, and to be glorified through all the worlds.

A Reading

It is not ourselves that we proclaim; we proclaim Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your servants, for Jesus’ sake. For the same God who said, “Out of darkness let light shine,” has caused his light to shine within us, to give the light of revelation--the revelation of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:5-6 Prayers may be offered for ourselves and others.

The Lord’s Prayer The Collect

1 Advent: Sunday November 30 ALMIGHTY GOD, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

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2 Advent: Sunday, December 7

MERCIFUL GOD, who sent your messengers the prophets to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation: Give us grace to heed their warnings and forsake our sins, that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ our Redeemer; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

3 Advent: Sunday, December 14 STIR UP YOUR POWER, O Lord, and with great might come among us; and, because we are sorely hindered by our sins, let your bountiful grace and mercy speedily help and deliver us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and forever. Amen.

4 Advent: Sunday, December 21 PURIFY OUR CONSCIENCE, Almighty God, by your daily visitation, that your Son Jesus Christ, at his coming, may find in us a mansion prepared for himself; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Christmas: Thursday, December 25

ALMIGHTY GOD, you have given your onlybegotten Son to take our nature upon him, and to be born this day of a pure virgin: Grant that we, who have been born again and made your children by adoption and grace, may daily be renewed by your Holy Spirit; through our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom with you and the same Spirit be honor and glory, now and forever. Amen

Food

Christmastide in the Parish Old recipes take us back to simpler times. Here, seasonal recipes for Christmas and New Year’s parties from vintage cookbooks from Good Samaritan, Clearwater; Calvary, Indian Rocks Beach; and St. Alban’s, St. Pete Beach OUR PARISH COOKBOOKS

give us a window into each congregation in the Diocese of Southwest Florida. Below, five recipes from parish cookbooks in the archives of Diocesan House.

Calvary Indian Rocks Cheese Biscuits 1 lb. butter 1 lb cheese (Calumet or gruyere) 1 lb. flour/3 ¼ cups ½ teaspoon salt Chop all together as you would pastry. Roll out as pastry. Cut small biscuits, brush tops with egg white.

Put ½ pecan on top of each biscuit on cookie sheet. Cook slow 300 degrees to 325 degrees, about 20 minutes.

Recipe from Mrs. L.N. Wyatt, Our Daily Bread, Episcopal Churchwomen, Calvary, Indian Rocks Beach, published December 14, 1966. Cookbook staff Hazel Kolb, chairman; Jane Roth, Editor; Lillian Grove, Volunteer Typist Extraordinaire.

Grapefruit Drop Cookies 1 cup butter or margarine 1 cup sugar 2 eggs well beaten

2 tablespoons grated grapefruit rind 2 cups flour sifted 4 tablespoons baking powder ½ teaspoon salt ¼ cup grapefruit juice ½ cup nuts, chopped Cream sugar and shortening, add eggs and grapefruit rind. Mix thoroughly. Sift flour, baking powder and salt together; add alternately with grapefruit juice to creamed mixture.

Add nuts. Drop by teaspoonful on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Recipe by Mrs. C.W. Wimmer, St. Clare’s Guild of Episcopal Church of

the Advent, now St. Alban’s, St. Pete Beach. First published 1960. Grapefruit illustration by St. Clare’s Guild Members.

Shelby Shad’s St. Alban’s Scrambled Egg Casserole

1 dozen eggs, beaten ¼ cup green pepper, chopped 1 4 oz. can sliced mushrooms ¼ cup butter, melted 2 ¼ cups soft bread crumbs

Saute onion in butter and add beaten eggs. On medium heat, stir eggs until forming large curds. When eggs are set, stir in mushrooms.

Spoon egg mixture into 13x9x2 cas21

serole dish. Add cheese sauce. Mix ¼ cup melted butter and bread crumbs together and spread evenly over egg mixture. Sprinkle with paprika.

Chill overnight, covered with foil. Uncover and bake and 350 degrees for 30 minutes, until thoroughly heated. Serve with hot curried fruit.

Cheese sauce Melt butter, stir in 2 tablespoons flour. Cook for 1 minute. Add 2 cups milk and cook, stirring constantly until sauce is thickened.

Add the cheese and salt and peper to taste. Continue stirring until the cheese melts and the mixture is smooth.

Recipe from Feeding the Flock, St. Alban’s St. Pete Beach Hens and Roosters, published 2008.

Fr. Soper’s Russian Tea 2 ½ cups sugar 1 large cinnamon stick 1 heaping teaspoon whole cloves ½ cup tea 2 cups strained orange juice 1 cup strained lemon juice Add all to 1 gallon of water and boil for 5 minutes. Add ½ cup tea, cover, remove from heat and steep 10 minutes. Strain and add immediately 1 cup strained lemon juice and two cups strained orange juice. Stir well, bottle and keep refrigerated. Bring to a boil before serving. May also be served cold. Serves 24 cups.

From Redeeming Recipes, published 1982. Fr. Soper was rector of Church of the Redeemer from 1942 to 1952. This recipe was served at the annual New Year’s Day reception at the rectory during those years.

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Good Samaritan Hot Wine 1 cup sugar ½ cup water 2 sticks cinnamon ½ lemon in slices 2 dozen cloves 4 cups lemonade 4 cups red wine Cook, boil 5 minutes. Strain. Heat 4 cups lemonade. Add 4 cups red wine.

Do not boil. Add spice syrup.

Recipe from Betty Garrett, Good Samaritan Episcopal Church Women, in Cooking With Friends, published 2011.

culinary history

The above illustration is from St. Clare Guild, St. Alban’s St. Pete Beach. Do you have a parish cookbook? The Diocese of Southwest Florida has but a few historic parish cookbooks, and would like to have a complete collection of all the church cookbooks over the years. Email editor@ episcopalswfl.org if you have one you would like to donate to the archives.

Art In the Community: Special Ringling Christmas SARASOTA – The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art has special programs in December, including a tour of their art collection that illustrates Christ’s birth.

On December 18th at 6 p.m., museum staff will illustrate the narrative of the birth of Christ using paintings from the Museum’s collection. The tour is presented

by Maureen Zaremba, Curator of Education and Beth Mattison, Selby Fellow.

From 5-8 p.m. on Thursdays through Dec. 18, a decorated for the holidays Ca’d’Zan will be open.

After the Thursday night Holiday Nights wrap-up, The Ringling will “Greet the Light” from 7-11 p.m. on Dec. 20 in the courtyard of The Museum of Art. X For more information on any of these events visit Ringling.org.

The Ringling will be closed on Nov. 27 for Thanksgiving, on Dec. 25 for Christmas and on Jan. 1 for New Year’s Day.

Christian Living

The Importance of Our Eucharist Just returning from sabbatical, and away from regular Eucharist with his flock, The Rev. Fredrick Robinson of Church of Redeemer remarks on the importance of actually being in communion.

WHEREVER I AM, whether at

home or elsewhere, my thoughts always drift, in one way or another, to the members of our parish who do not take their places in the life of the parish.

Talking about a lack of attendance at worship and a lack of participation in other aspects of parish life is always a tricky thing. That is why I rarely do it, for the ones who need to hear it, or read about it, in this case, are rarely the ones who do. Yet, because it is so paramount in my thoughts, especially as I have been away, I feel it is time to speak to it, in the hope that it will at least reach some.

First of all, participation in worship on Sunday is a salvation issue. It is an oxymoron to think that you can be in communion with God and not come to the Holy Communion. God has given the Church the principal means by which to be in regular and frequent communion with him – the Sacrament of Holy Communion.

The person who is able and yet chooses not to come to communion has essentially excommunicated himself or herself. There are so many benefits to regular communion – spiritual growth, the strengthening of one’s faith, continual learning about the truths of the Christian faith, strengthening of marital and family relationships, etc. – but all take second place to the salvation

of one’s soul. Of course, if you do not believe what the Church has taught for 2,000 years, then that’s another problem. In that case, come to church in order to put yourself in the place where God can best work with you.

The second reason I yearn for fuller participation by all of our members in the worship life of the parish is corporate in nature. St. Paul speaks of the Church as a Body. He tells us that all parts of our bodies are important and that it is the weaker parts of our bodies which are given the most attention and protection. Then St. Paul tells us that so it is with the Church.

The weaker members of the Body require our greatest attention.

For a whole host of reasons, most of which I’m sure I am unaware, we have a goodly number of people who regularly choose not to worship on Sunday or take part in other aspects of our parish life. What I am sure they do not realize is that our common life in our Lord Jesus Christ is impoverished by their lack of participation. To mix metaphors, a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, and our witness to the power, love, and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ is surely weakened by those who do not choose regularly to be a part of our worship and other aspects of the parish which are an extension of that worship.

Even if you don’t think you need the

... come to church in order to put yourself in the place where God can best work with you.

Church, the Church needs you.

I am not saying any of this in order to be judgmental of those who do not attend. I simply want you to know that if you have been away for a while that you will be welcomed with open arms. And yes, our roof is strong; it is not going to collapse if you come to church!

Let’s face it, most people who don’t attend regularly are simply out of the habit or have never formed the habit of weekly attendance. Habits can be changed. Give it six weeks in a row and I’ll bet you will have formed a new habit of weekly church attendance.

If there is a deeper issue, consider talking with one of your clergy about it. Don’t let anything get in the way of your communion with your Heavenly Father, through the Son, in the power of the Holy Spirit. X The Rev. Fredrick Robinson is rector of Church of the Redeemer, Sarasota. Visit the parish online at redeemersarasota.org.

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Education

Your Calling in Lay Ministry Eager to learn more about the church and ministry, but not called to the priesthood or diaconate? Consider Education for Ministry, writes EfM Coordinator Martha Goodwill

EVERY BAPTIZED PERSON is called to ministry. The Education for Ministry program provides people with the education to carry out that ministry. The EfM program does not evaluate or recommend individuals for ordination. Many people think that one must be ordained in order to be “a minister.” The fact is that all baptized Christians are called to be active participants in the church’s total ministry. The EfM program is preparation for the ministry to which we all are called. It is that vocation for which we pray at the end of the Eucharist: “And now, Father, send us out to do the work you have given us to do, to love and serve you as faithful witnesses of Christ our Lord.”

The seminar group is the nucleus of the EfM program. A group consists of six to 12 participants and a trained mentor who meet weekly over the course of 36 weeks.

Through study, prayer, and reflection, EfM groups move toward a new understanding of the fullness of God’s kingdom. Participants are given weekly assignments to study with the help of resource guides. In the seminars members have an opportunity to share their insights and discoveries as well as to discuss questions which the study materials 24

Here, Chapel of the Apostles, Sewanee. The University of the South created and leads EfM. Photo Martha Goodwill.

raise for them. Through discussion and guided reflection, the seminars furnish an opportunity to deepen understanding of the reading materials.

More important is the development of skills in theological reflection. The goal is to learn to think theologically. By examining their own beliefs and their relationship to our culture and the tradition of our Christian faith, participants can learn what it means to be effective ministers in the world. In coming to terms with the notion that everything we do has potential for manifesting the love of Christ, we discover that our ministry is at hand wherever we turn.

Seminar groups work under the

leadership of mentors who serve as guides and administrators. They are not teachers in the traditional sense who are expected to impart information about the Christian tradition.

A mentor must work as an enabler rather than as an informer of people.

Mentors may be lay or ordained persons. Criteria by which mentors are selected include: having experience in serious religious study, having a familiarity with methods of biblical scholarship, possessing a mature faith, being able to live with the ambiguity within the interpretations of the biblical tradition, possessing skills which help a group to develop its own life, and demonstrating a willingness to perform administrative duties.

A Basic/In-Service Mentor training class will be offered May 21 – 23 at DaySpring. The fee for the training is $200. This class is for those who are not yet certified to be mentors or for active mentors who need to renew their basic skills. During this class you will discern whether you are called to be an EfM mentor and gain the knowledge and skills you need to successfully mentor an EfM seminar. This class is open to anyone with a working knowledge of the Bible, church history, and theology. X Contact Martha Goodwill at mgoodwill@episcopalswfl.org

Mission

From L.A. Barrios to Palmetto In an era of coffeehouses and folk music, The Rev. Richard B. Lampert began a lifetime of ministry to Spanish-speaking ministry in The Episcopal Church. Here, he tells of the journey, and his work among Latinos in Palmetto.

IN THE MIDDLE of college in the early 1960s, for my first time ever, I began to do really well academically and I ended up majoring in Spanish and Latin American Studies.

Like many others in those days, in my senior year I applied and was accepted into both The Peace Corps and to graduate school. Then, on a pure whim, I wrote a letter to the Episcopal Church Center in New York about a program called “Volunteer to Mission”. Almost before I knew what had happened, I was on a plane headed to New York. Then, when I graduated, I was off to the Mexican-American Barrio of East Los Angeles to work with the Episcopal Parish of the Epiphany as their “outreach youth worker”.

For the next couple of years I lived in and worked with Chicano youth in their world; flew with the Los Angeles Episcopal Diocesan group to Selma, Alabama; trained as a community organizer in Upstate New York; eventually went off to seminary for a “Trial Year” at The Episcopal Theological School in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Incredibly, I did well in seminary, got heavily involved in the Boston Puerto Rican community first as a student seminarian and then for

Here, the Rev. Dick Lampert with Gerardo Contreras at St. Mary’s, Palmetto.

an Intern Year at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Mission. When I graduated and was ordained, my first job in Boston was as a community organizer in the Latino community and then many years in Mexico and metro New York.

I met God among His poor, led

by His Spirit, encouraged and directed by His many “saints” living in and working among the Afro-American and Hispanic poor.

More recently, I served at Sara-

sota’s Church of the Redeemer for six years plus as a Priest Associate & Hispanic Missioner. Then, I turned over my Hispanic slot to Fr. Mario Castro.

At our 2012 Diocesan Convention, I met Claude Tankersley, then senior warden at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Palmetto. On January 1, 2013, with Bishop-Diocesan-Parish support, I drove to Palmetto to begin a new Hispanic church in the Mexican farm worker community.

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I began afraid, but with God’s help, I set out the only way I knew, by making “cold calls” door to door.

Little by little, I started meeting some families and on Ash Wednesday, February 13, my birthday, we held our first Mass at 7 p. m. Most people who came that first night were friends and supporters from Redeemer.

For almost two years now, the ministry and outreach have been the same: visits, visits, visits; making and maintaining contacts; getting to know; being invited into the lives of their families; loving them, but always receiving much more back from them. On a good Sunday we now have 100 plus youths and adults. On feast days and on first Communion and Confirmation Sundays we have 200 plus. Parish members now invite friends. Fr. Guillermo and Sra. Zully de la Torre now work with us. We meet and know and feel God among His people.

God has chosen, guided, strengthened and sustained me through all of these years of my ministry with rich and poor. I never planned any of it; He always did! I feel God’s presence among and with His people. I’m excited and energized when I see and feel people coming alive in His Spirit.

I am convinced over and over again that when we are truly blessed to love God and to love our Neighbors, we become the real winners, as we all meet together in the middle of His Cross. Similarly, year after year I have felt and known God’s great presence and strength through His people and Himself (often on Retreats; Cursillo; The Society of St. John The Evangelist; the Order of the Holy Cross).

Have I learned any lessons over the years? I hope a few. First, he/she 26

Now Seven Latino Congregations THE DIOCESE HAS seven churches with Spanish-speaking services. They are Church of the Redeemer, Sarasota; St. Edmund’s the Martyr, Arcadia; St. Francis, Tampa; St. Giles, Pinellas Park and St. Mary’s, Palmetto. New starts this year are St. Francis’ mission to St. Andrew, Spring Hill, Christ Church Bradenton and a planned start at St. Monica’s, Naples. The Latino Ministry commission of the Diocese leads the effort. Contact the Ven. Canon Dennis McManis at dmcmanis@episcopalswfl.org for more information. who endures/keeps at it, until the end shall be saved and uplifted (Mark 13:13). Or as the Motto of Outward Bound puts it, sometimes “The only way out is through!”

Second, often in spite of ourselves, we need to stay inter-connected with God and with one another and then we shall feel His real strength and His pleasure. Finally, we all need to pace ourselves and know that we can’t ever do everything. It’s always best to do three things well than eight poorly.

After all is said and done, I think we can sustain ourselves and all of our ministries only by being connected with God and one another. He will connect us.

Perhaps the biggest mistake many make about Hispanics is the belief that they are lazy. The truth is that most Hispanics I have known

and know are the hardest workers I’ve ever seen. Many, if not most, Latinos work all the time. They love and trust God, the Virgin/LaVirgen, and above all, they love and will do everything and anything for their family to the very last drop of their blood.

If there is anything unique about our farm working communities such as Arcadia and Palmetto, it is simply that they are poorer, so their lives are harder, but they will never give up.

Occasionally, a person will ask me something like what has been the most special moment in your ministry, in all your ministries, when you have most strongly felt and known the presence of God? I am unable to choose only one, but I will tell you over and over again that whenever I, Molly and I, feel and see the love and warmth of God in a child’s laughter and smile, in a loving adult hug, amidst tears of faith and joy, in a hopeful look and grin from a teen -- then I know and feel once more the real presence of God and I give thanks unto The Lord. X The Rev. Dick Lampert+ is in his 45th year as an Episcopal Priest. His wife, Molly, leads the Spanish Catechesis of the Good Shepherd class at Church of the Redeemer, Sarasota.

connect The Diocesan website is now translated in Spanish through Google’s translation service. Try episcopalswfl.org in Spanish, Erdu, Greek Arabic or even Hebrew.

Mission & History

Brotherhood of St. Andrew Frederick Johnson tells the history of the only Episcopal group chartered by Congress, and sends out a call to renew chapters in Southwest Florida.

THE BROTHERHOOD OF St.

Andrew is an international ministry to men and boys in the Anglican/Episcopal Church. The Brotherhood was founded in 1883, and was incorporated in 1908 by Congress, signed by President Theodore Roosevelt.

As the diocesan coordinator, my goal for 2015 is to have a Brotherhood Chapter in every church. I strongly urge all Clergy as well as current and former Brotherhood of St. Andrew members to contact me so that together we can start a new chapter, reactivate your former chapter or strengthen any ailing chapters. I look forward to hearing from all of you so we can walk this spiritual journey together.

The incorporation reads: “The sole purpose of the Brotherhood is the spread of Christ’s Kingdom.” The mission is to bring men and boys into the deepest possible relationship with Our Lord Jesus Christ by following the rules of prayer, study and service.

The fellowship serves as a portal to a spiritual life in today’s environment. Brothers are focused on helping men avoid feelings of being alone; assisting men to identify their individual purpose and enabling them to leave a legacy for their families.

On this spiritual journey the Brotherhood of St. Andrew offers an oppor-

Pictured here, a Library of Congress photo of the Brotherhood of St. Andrew in September 2024 of 1905. The event was the 20th convention of the Brotherhood, held in Chicago.

The photo is a gelatin silver print, photographed

by Geo. R. Lawrence. It resides in the LOC’s Prints and Photographs Division.

tunity for Brothers to be accountable to themselves and to God. This framework sets in motion their actions as an example for others to follow.

On a local basis you will find these disciples sponsoring prayer breakfasts, Boy Scout troops, prison ministry programs, youth summer camps and efforts to aid single parents and the elderly in their daily lives. The men, carrying on their traditions from World War I, are also deeply committed to care for the troops, forming veteran-friendly congregations and programs such as Patriot Paws.

This is in addition to numerous fund raising projects to support their

parish, charitable giving and outreach programs. Come and see how we walk the spiritual journey together. X About the Author: Contact Frederick Johnson, at johnsonfw@earthlink.net or 941-286-8063 . Johnson attends St. James, Port Charlotte.

connect The Brotherhood might date from Teddy Roosevelt’s era, but it is online too at brotherhoodofstandrew.org 27

Reflections

Arrunk Airplane Trips in Advent Waiting for Christ’s arrival hints at our hope and expectation of Christ’s return, writes The Rev. Dr. William Faupel, reflecting on Mark 24: 37-44

LAST YEAR WAS the first time in 40 grinned at me and continued: “Let me tell

years that I was in the church that I was serving on the Sunday before Thanksgiving. The reason is that in the past, I have always attended the annual joint meeting of the Society for Biblical Literature and the American Academy of Religion.

For seminary professors, this is like attending our General Convention. Over ten thousand persons register each year.

The papers given are always stimulating, but the best parts of course, are the book displays (there are always 300 to 400 publishers present with amazing deals) and running in to old friends.

One of the friends I always look for is a Canadian Presbyterian who teaches Old Testament at Knox College and pastors a small church on the weekends. Stan and I have an ongoing tradition. On Monday evening, we always have dinner together at an Italian restaurant. The form of our conversation is usually quite predictable. We catch up on the news of the past year. We fill each other in on the activities of mutual friends.

Then we turn to one of our favorite topics—what has been going on in our respective churches.

A few years ago, I then asked: “Stan, next Sunday begins the new church year.

Have you decided what you are going to preach about? Without hesitation, he replied, “Arrunk!”

“Say that again,” I asked, somewhat startled. “Arrunk!” A-R-R-U-N-K. He 28

you the story.”

“A few years ago, I was asked to be the guest speaker at the alumni banquet of my alma mater, Central College in McPhearson, Kansas. “Bad weather forced the cancellation of my flight from Detroit to St. Louis where I was to catch my final plane to McPhearson.

There was not much time left. The agent found that the only connection possible was through Chicago. However, there was a problem. The plane from Chicago was scheduled to arrive 35 minutes before the final plane left for McPhearson. Federal regulations required 45 minutes.

The agent understood but he could not get the automated ticketing program to override the regulation. He called his supervisor and argued with him for five minutes. Finally, in exasperation, he said, “Just put it down to ‘Arrunk” and hung up.

The printer whirred and the agent handed Stan his ticket. What is Arrunk? Stan asked in a puzzled voice? The agent replied with a straight face: “Arrival Unknown!”

We are now in the season of Advent.

The word “advent” means “arrival.” It is obvious that we have in mind God’s arrival in human history in the person of his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. When we look back on that event, however, we may forget that the Messiah’s arrival was anticipated and desired for many centuries before it happened. For those people, ARRUNK described the first coming of the Lord’s

The messiah’s arrival was anticipated and desired for many centuries before it happened anointed—the time of his arrival was unknown.

Because the Bible likes to link events that are similar even though they may be separated in time, the church has also used the Advent season to talk about another arrival. In this instance, I am thinking of our hope and expectation that, at sometime in the future, Jesus will return in person as the Church’s Lord to rule the world he created. Of this event, we must also say, “Arrival Unknown.”

What do we mean when we say we believe that someday Jesus will return? On almost any given night you can tune in to one of the religious TV channels and hear such preaching. When you listen to what they are teaching, it soon becomes clear that they understand the Bible to have a hidden calendar that will tell you when all these things will come to pass.

For them our Lord’s arrival time is known. One has only to search the Scriptures and match the “times and seasons” with events described in today’s newspaper. Yet as I see many of these ministers building financial empires, I sometimes

wonder if they really believe what they are preaching. Their words are not matched by their deeds.

So what do we mean by “Christ’s return?” I believe it is this. This world of time and space will someday give way to another and better world. We don’t know very much about this new world or what life will be like within it. The Bible speaks of it as the “new heaven” and the “new earth.”

Above all, Jesus Christ will be there to rule the social order, and every knee will bow to him. His way of life will be ours.

Rebelling will disappear. Truth and justice will prevail. The golden age that the prophets predicted will come to pass. The Bible speaks of this with rich imagery. We hear of the angel’s trumpet, of being caught up to meet Christ in the air, of his appearing on the clouds, visible to every living person. We appreciate these images, and know that they speak to us of the coming presence of the crucified, risen and ascended Christ. St. Paul says the day is nearer than when we first became believers. Jesus speaks of earthquakes, wars and rumors of wars, people getting married and being given in marriage. TV preachers point to such signs as indications that Jesus could return today. On that point they are right.

But these signs are not some special out of the ordinary kinds of events. They have recurred throughout history. They speak of the ordinariness of everyday living. In the Gospel, it says two men shall be working in the field, two women shall be grinding at the mill. Two shall be sleeping.

Our Lord can and will return suddenly, unexpectedly at any time. Jesus says he will come like a thief in the night. That is to say, Arrunk. His exhortation to us is to stand fast in the faith, to be diligent, to be faithful. Amen. X

Editor’s note: The Rev. William Faupel is associate rector of St. Paul’s, Naples.

Obituaries The Rev. Dr. Andrew Parker “Park” Allis

BRADENTON - The Rev. Dr. Andrew Parker Bateman “Park” Allis, 76, died peacefully in his home.

Allis, born Feb. 27, 1938 in Mannsfield, Pennsylvania to Leo Joseph Allis and Evelyn Norton., had degrees and certificates from Mansfield University of Pennsylvania, the Naval Chaplain School, the Virginia Theological Seminary, Sheffield University (UK), Duquesne University, Pittsburgh Theological School, the Graduate Theological Foundation and the National Institute for Interim Ministry.

He was ordained deacon in 1963 and priest in 1964 by the Rt. Rev. John T. Heistand. He served at the State College of Florida Chapel from 1995 to 2001, and served on the Diocese of Southwest Florida staff as Canon Pastor from 2000-2005.

In his retirement, he served many congregations in Southwest Florida as consultant and supply priest. His wife, Pauline Middleton Allis, a native of Halifax, West Yorkshire, England, died in June 2012.

He is survived by two sons, Ryan and Andrew.

The Rev. David Badgley BRANDON - The Rev. David Grayum Badgley, 73, died peacefully Saturday, Sept. 20, 2014. Born January 17, 1941 in St. Petersburg, he was a graduate of St. Petersburg High School, St. Petersburg College, University of South Florida and the School of Theology, Sewanee University of the South. He served parishes

in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

In a January 1997 profile in The Morning Call of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania upon his becoming Missioner for Youth and Social Ministries for the Diocese of Bethlehem, the paper reported on his lay experiences.

Before ordination, Badgley worked in St. Petersburg as a yacht builder (1966-70) and an on-air director for Channel 10 (1970-74). He owned a graphics business in Clearwater, Fla., and was an administrative assistant (1979-89) at Cathedral Church of St. Peter in St. Petersburg.

Canonically resident in the Diocese of Newark, Fr. Badgley came through the ordination process in Southwest Florida and was a member of the Cathedral. In 1989, he was Curate at St. Stephen’s, New Port Richey.

He returned to Southwest Florida for retirement, serving as Interim at St. James House of Prayer, Tampa. He is survivied by his wife, the former Josephine Firlotte “Chris” Badgley.

Shirley Emmeline Judson NORTH FT. MYERS - Shirley Emmeline Judson, 85, born Aug. 1, 1929 in Ann Arbor, Michigan died Sept. 11, 2014 in the comfort of her home in North Ft. Myers. Shirley was married for 66 years.

She is survived by her husband, Ted, three sons; Timothy (Lisa) of MI, Steven (Adrienne) of Naples, and Matthew (Polly) of Naples, five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by a son, John.

29

Throughout her life, Shirley served her church as Sunday school teacher, Episcopal Church Women Deanery Director, Epiphany Episcopal Church Women Executive Board member and has served many years in several chairs on the Executive Board of the Diocese of Southwest Florida’s ECW.

The Rev. Richard Tippin Lambert ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Georgia The Rev. Richard Tippin Lambert, priest in the Diocese of Southwest Florida, died early morning of Thursday, Nov. 6, 2014.

Fr. Lambert, born Sept 17, 1923 to The Rev. Robert Stanley and Sylvia Lambert,was a native of Syracuse, New York. He married Betty Lange Lambert on May 22, 1948. They had five children, Richard, Christopher, Susan Yates, Deborah and Mary.

He was made deacon on June 22, 1950, and priest on March 1, 1951, both under Bishop Henry Hobson.

Lambert’s first church was St. Luke’s in Granville, Ohio. He was a missionary in Alaska from 1953 to 1969, first at St. Stephens, Fort Yukon and St. Matthew’s, Fairbanks. In the Diocese of Southwest Florida, he served as rector of Trinity by the Cove, Naples, from 1959-80. Under his leadership, the Trinity by the Cove parish started churches in Marco Island, East Naples, Bonita Springs, Immokalee and LaBelle. In a 1994 remark to Bishop Rogers Harris, Lambert remarked that it was a “great time to be a priest.”

The Rev.William McLean SARASOTA - The Rev. William Donald “Bill” McLean III died Friday morning, May 23, 2014, at Hospice House, Sarasota.

Fr. McLean was born in Camden, N.J. in 30

1936. He married Leslie Slater in 1960, and received his M. Div. from SeaburyWestern Theological Seminary, Evanston IL, in 1961.

He was ordained to the Priesthood on Christmas Eve, 1961 by Bishop Gerald Francis Burrill of the Diocese of Chicago. Prior to his arrival in Florida, he served as Vicar of St. Michael’s, Racine, WI, and as Rector of St. Michael’s, Barrington, IL. His service to the Diocese of Southwest Florida includes Rector, St. Boniface, Siesta Key and Vicar, Church of the Good Shepherd, LaBelle.

In retirement, he served as Interim, St. Thomas, St, Petersburg; Interim, St. Mary’s, Tampa; Assisting Priest, St. Wilfred, Sarasota; Assisting Priest, St. George’s, Bradenton; Assisting Priest, All Angels by the Sea, Longboat Key. He also served on a number of boards and commissions, including Nashotah House, Seabury-Western and the Commission on Alcoholism Recovery.

He and wife Leslie had three children, Judith, William and Thomas.

Edna Jane Peeples PUNTA GORDA - Edna Jane Peeples, a longtime lay leader in the Diocese of Southwest Florida and parishioner at Church of the Good Shepherd, has died. Peeples was Diocesan ECW President from 1982 to 1984, and served as ECW historian for several years.

“Edna Jane Peeples was an inspiration to so many women in the Diocese of Southwest Florida and she will greatly be missed,” said Lana J. Fitzgerald, Chair Women’s Ministry, ECW President-Elect. She called Peeples a “dedicated leader, teacher and spiritual guide.”

“She made a difference in our lives and we shall celebrate her life

and cherish her friendship forever,” said Fitzgerald.

The Rev. Bev Shives TAMPA - The Rev. Beverly Mason Shives, a retired deacon, died June 17, 2014. The Rev. Shives, known as Bev, attended the Diocesan School for Christian Studies, Diocese of Southeast Florida, from 1985-87.

While in Southeast Florida, he worked as a member of the Diocesan Property and Loan Committee. He served as Chaplain to Baycare Health System. He began service to St. John’s, Tampa in 1997.

In addition to his service as a deacon, he headed the parish’s outreach committee.

Deacon Shives married Pamela Maurine Von Stroh in 1983. They have five children.

The Rev. Larry Smellie NAPLES - The Rev. Larry Gene “Larry” Smellie, Canon Pastor, onetime Dean, and Rector of St. Paul’s, Naples, has died.

A funeral service was held at 11 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 13, 2014 at St. Paul’s.

The Rev. Smellie, rector of St. Paul’s for 28 years before retiring in 2001, was born in Defiance, Ohio on Oct. 10, 1940.

The son of Walter Haven and Francis Smellie, he received a Bachelor of Arts in 1962 from Defiance College. In 1964 he married Susan Joy, and in 1965 he graduated from Bexley Seminary. Made deacon in 1965, the Rev. Smellie was ordained to the priesthood in 1966 by Bishop William Crittenden.

In addition to his service at St. Paul’s, Naples, he was vicar of St. Alban’s, Fort Wayne, Indiana and Curate at the Cathedral of St. Paul, in Erie, Pennsylvania.

In Southwest Florida, he was deputy to the General Convention from 1991-97 and Dean of the Ft. Myers Deanery from

1988-1994. He was Canon Pastor to Diocesan clergy from 1996 until his death.

The Rev. Hilbert L.Telman HUDSON - The Rev. Hilbert L. Telman Sr., deacon in the Diocese of Southwest Florida, has died. Telman was a deacon at St. Stephen, New Port Richey.

The Rev. Dr. Hilbert Leslie Telman Sr. was born on October 5th, 1935 in Zeeburg, British Guiana to Purlie, a home maker, and Julius, a sugar estate engineer. He was the eldest of five brothers Bertrum, Wesley (deceased), Errol, Compton and Clarence as well as three sisters, Valerie, Pamela and Beryl (deceased).

In 1956, Hilbert migrated to London, England to study medicine. The following year he married his sweetheart, Aileen, whom he met in Guyana at a Valentine’s Day dance two years prior.In 1973, Hilbert moved his family to America. In 1980, he began a career as an educator in the New York Public School system and by 1985, he had completed three post-graduate degrees including a Doctorate in Education.

Hilbert and Aileen semi-retired to Holiday, Florida in 1988. Soon after arrival, he became an active working member of St Stephen’s Episcopal Church, New Port Ritchey, turning his life over to doing God’s work.

He successfully completed a two-year Christian education program in Spiritual Discernment and a five year Deacon Formation Program which culminated in June of 2003 with his ordination as a Deacon assigned to his home church. Hilbert is survived by Aileen, his loving wife of 57 years. X

2015 Calendar Visit us at episcopalswfl.org for more information; look for EVENTS tab.

Events at DaySpring Episcopal Center unless noted otherwise.

Diocesan Events Jan. 4 - Ordination of Robert O. Baker to the Priesthood, St. John’s, Tampa Feb. 19 - Chrism Mass, St. Boniface Processional crosses at Feb. 21 - Deacons’ Retreat Acolyte Festival 2014.

March 10 - College of Presbyters March 11 - Retired Clergy Lunch March 21 - Clergy Spouse Association Annual Retreat May 9 - Vestry Retreat August - Baseball with the Bishop, Tropicana Field September 8,9,10 - Fall Convocations across Diocese September 14,15,16 - Fall Clergy Retreat September 26 - Acolyte Festival, Cathedral Church of St. Peter October 16, 17 - Diocesan Convention, Charlotte Harbor Event & Conference Center December 11 - Church Employee Gathering

Specialized Events & Training February 3 - Parochial Report Workshop April 28 - Audit Workshop May 21-23 - Education for Ministry Mentor Training September 15, 16 - QuickBooks & ACS User Days September 29 - Healthcare Benefits Workshop October 27 - Budgeting Workshop

Youth Events & Camps February 6-8 - New Beginnings (Middle School) March 6-8 - Happening (High School) June 7-12 - Elementary Summer Camp June 14-19 - Middle School Summer Camp June 21-26 - High School Summer Camp July 12-17 - Elementary Summer Camp July 19-24 - Middle School Summer Camp July 26-31 - High School Summer Camp 31

Around the Diocese Buffalo Soldier Field at St. James House of Prayer

which was also in Tampa before setting off to fight in Cuba. - Morris Kennedy Pictured: Arnold Mathews, left, and Clayton Hamilton, right, at the ceremony.

- Morris Kennedy

St. Clement Dober-Dog Writes Book

TAMPA - The dedication of Buffalo Soldier Field in Tampa Heights took place Saturday, May 17, across the street from St. James House of Prayer Episcopal Church, 2708 N. Central Avenue, Tampa.

St. James and the Woods and Wanton Chapter, Buffalo Soldiers 9th and 10th Horse Cavalry, gathered for a ceremony dedicating the field, which is owned

by Tampa’s historically black Episcopal Church. The ground, at North Central Avenue and Columbus Drive, is where the 24th and 25th Infantry Regiments bivouacked in April, 1898, before leaving for combat in Cuba during the Spanish American War. The ceremony included a presentation of the chapter’s colors, a review of the history of the Buffalo Soldiers and the church, and activities for children. Refreshments were served in the parish hall.

The Woods and Wanton Chapter, Inc. was the first organization in Florida to register as a Buffalo Soldier Association. Its name commemorates two men who received Congressional Medals of Honor – Sgt. Brent Woods and Master Sgt. George Wanton -- and the 9th and 10th Cavalry, 32

Every month, St. Clement’s parishioners enjoy “The Words of Winston,” the theological musings of Winston, the teenage Doberman (or, as he prefers it, Doberdog), published in the parish magazine.

Before Winston, there was the thoughtful Barney. And before Barney, there was Toby, ever the British gentleman.

For this year’s Blessing of the Animals celebration, on the Feast Day of St. Francis, Rev. Andrew Heyes, Rector of St. Clement’s, published the writings of his companions in The Faith of Dogs: Stories from Three Generations of Canine Friends. As he explained in his preface, “Why a book?

Well, simply because my last three dogs have all developed a Christian understanding of the world, and all have had something to say. Each of them brought a different voice and a different perspective to the faith that is as much an interwoven part of my life as have been my dogs, and they bring it with insight, humor – and a certain amount of disrespect for their clerical ‘boss’ (me).

The book’s title, The Faith of Dogs, comes from Toby’s column of January 2003, “A dog has endless faith – faith that, however bad things may seem, they will always turn out for the good. Faith doesn’t mind having a leash attached and being taken one knows-not where.

The book’s first printing sold out on the weekend of its release. Copies from its second printing are available from St. Clement’s Episcopal Church, 813-9326204, stclement@verizon.net, for $10 plus $3 shipping and handling.

“The Words of Winston” is published each month in The Anchor, the parish magazine, which is available on the church website, www.stclement.net, and from its office.

Other Diocesan News BONITA SPRINGS - Everyone knows that all dogs go to heaven – but a little insurance certainly couldn’t hurt the cause when it’s time for our pets to pass through the pearly gates. In that heavenly spirit, about 30 people, 15 dogs, a cat named “Sunshine” and one beloved stuffed blue dolphin participated Saturday in The Blessing of the Animals at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church.

HOLMES BEACH - Acolytes from Church of the Annunciation attended the National Cathedral Acolyte Festival. Six of

the parish’s acolytes and four sponsors attended the National Acolyte Festival at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. on Saturday, Oct 11.

ENGLEWOOD - St. David’s Englewood and St. Nathaniel, North Port, held a joint Holy Eucharist at Englewood Beach.

The Eucharist was co-celebrated by The Rev. Jo Popham, Priest in Charge at St. Nathaniel (left), and husband The Rev. Jim Popham, Priest in Charge at St. David’s.

The parishes, part of the Venice Deanery of the Diocese of Southwest Florida, will celebrate joint outdoor Eucharists the fifth Sunday of each month FT MYERS - Ron Thompson is the new Director of Youth and Family Ministries at Lamb of God, Ft. Myers. Thompson is a third career lay pastor who specializes in pastoral care, youth and young family ministries and has served in several church settings for over 30 years. Ron is

currently near completion for the Master of Theological Studies at Lexington Theological Seminary online program.

PLANT CITY - St. Peter’s held a Fall Follies fundraiser on October 11, 2014, at 6 p.m. The highlight of the night was the unveiling of architect’s plans for a renovations at the parish.

ST. PETERSBURG - On Oct. 9, The Cathedral Church of St. Peter kicked off their first Messy Church season. They ate hot dogs and haystacks,sang songs and heard the story of The Man Who Wanted Bigger Barns (Luke 12:13-21), presented by storyteller Gail MacAulay, complete with her Snidely Whiplash moustache and top hat. Then they explored the story further by building a big barn.

ST. PETERSBURG - In summer, Ron, their ‘Evangelist’; Wade, Junior Warden; Mari Reve, our choir director/organist; John Kaspar; and Edie and Jay Racine

represented St. Bartholomew’s at the Skyway Marina Skyshow held at the Flamingo Motel. The group viewed nifty cars and shared information about their church, ministries and our upcoming events.

SANIBEL - Meghan Warner, St. Michael and All Angels, is the new Youth Leader at St. Michael and All Angels.

Meghan is a Junior at Florida Gulf Coast University majoring in education.

SARASOTA - St. Wilfred held a forum on racism on Nov. 8, 2014. The evening included presentations by Jeff LaHurd, Sarasota historian and author; the Rev. Jesse Anderson, Episcopal priest and scholar and The Rev. Dr. Wes Bixby of First United Church of Christ Sarasota and others. X Got a news item for Around the Diocese? Email in text format to editor@episcopalswfl.org. We will use it, space permitting.

A Compelling Book and Church Resource Men and the Church: Is There a Future?

by Jay Crouse , Diocese of Southwest Florida

The renewal of the church in the 21st century will only take place when men in the church are equipped to reach the unchurched man. Men and the Church: Is There a Future? leads the way to this renewed, local church future.

Jay Crouse casts a vision of a promising future for all men in the life of the local church.

Available in Kindle, Nook and Paperback: amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com 33

Glancing Back

In 1954, Bishop Charles Colmore’s Wife, Sarah Palmer Colmore, writes to ‘Mothers of the Earth’ in ‘lowly homes and palaces’ IN DECEMBER 1954, The Palm

Branch, predecessor to The Southern Cross, featured on its cover a Christmas Message from Sarah Palmer Colmore. Colmore was the wife of the late Rt. Rev. Charles Colmore, second Bishop of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Colmore pioneered Episcopal missions in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. His wife Sarah was a partner in ministry; the story of her faith in finding and reuniting an estranged couple whose alcoholic husband ran off to the Caribbean appeared in the U.S. popular press of the time and was anthologized in Norman Vincent Peale’s Guideposts.

Mrs. Colmore’s poem is entitled Mary Mother in Heaven to the Mothers of The Earth. Her poem counts Jesus among the sons of the current day, saying that “your sons like Mine, Will see ahead/The vision of the world’s great need.”

Colmore, who died in 1961 and is buried in Palm Cemetery in Orange Park, continues: “Your little sons, who climb and cling, And my own Son of Bethlehem/ Shall guard their eager visioning.”

Other news from 1954 in the Diocese: The Rev. Sydney Browne, who came to South Florida two years ago while recovering from a back injury, accepts the call to St. Mark’s, Venice.

Fr. Browne had been an Army chaplain and was previously rector of Church of the Good Shepherd, Athens, Ohio.

34

Also that year, Mrs. William E. Black (Gladys) writes the convention report as the Christian Education Secretary. She offers that Sloan’s Book and Toy Shop on Florida Avenue in Tampa is a good source of Christian Education books and toys. She especially endeavors to draw women into fellowship in which they can be “restored now to their proper relationship to God.” She hopes to “renew a right spirit within us.”

the Life of a Deanery Directress” which she wrote was “amusing and informative.”

1964

1994

St. Andrew’s, Tampa has recently broken ground on a new Activities Building costing $143,000. Episcopal Young Churchmen at St. Mary’s, Tampa that year participates in a “Jazz Mass”.

At the mass, over 500 young people join the Rev. George Cave of Berkeley Preparatory School in singing the liturgy.

The music is the Rev. Geoffrey Beaumont’s Twentieth Century Mass.

1974

At the fall St. Petersburg deanery meeting of the Episcopal Church Women held Oct. 10, 1974, Secretary Protem Catherine C. Watson writes in her minutes that Fr. Johanssen of St. Bede’s led the ECW in an informal singing and members created a skit called “A Day in

That year, Bishop Rogers Harris cites Deacon Ray Frazier for his Manna Street Ministries in Tampa, with its 28 lay volunteers. Workshop leaders for the convention are The Rev. Loren Mead and the Rev. Arlin Rothauge.

Jane Grant is the sewing chairman for Diocesan Altar Guild. She made a Fair Linen for St. Luke’s, Land O’Lakes.

That year, the Rev. Carol Schwenke is chair of the AIDS Ministry of the Diocese. She writes that “we need to give people every bit of knowledge we have and hope that some of them use it. " X Looking Back is taken from the archives at Diocesan House. If you have questions about your archive or can donate items of interest, contact the Communications Office at 941-556-0315.

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Sunrise at DaySpring Episcopal Center on the Manatee River, 2014