Reports to Convention

Bishop’s Cabinet for DaySpring Development

The Bishop’s Cabinet continues to drive the implementation of the 10-year Master Plan for DaySpring. In December 2019, Diocesan Council approved a set of three transitional projects that are appropriately placed between our completed Phase 1 Program Center and Pool to the next larger phase of new adult lodging facilities.

The 2020 projects include the Spring of Support fountain and gathering area which will honor the contributions of many and provide an iconic visual for the center of our campus; the relocation of our ropes course to the site defined in the 10-year master plan; and the construction of a Maintenance Building to consolidate our services away from the guest areas and make room for the future new meeting/ worship space.

These projects are supported by multiple grants from community foundations and individual donors that share our appreciation for DaySpring as a Sacred Place in the heart of our community. With the grace of God and love of Jesus Christ, DaySpring will continue as a caring and resourceful haven for all His people. Michael H. Kline, Chair

Bishop Gray Retirement Foundation, Inc.

The Bishop Gray Retirement Foundation’s financial assistance program continues to provide financial aid to low-income senior Episcopalians from the Southwest, Southeast, and Central Dioceses of Florida seeking help with the costs of retirement living and medical expenses. We do still gratefully receive donations from individuals and parishes from the three dioceses, as well as through estate charitable planned giving. The board of trustees would like to preserve the endowment fund as much as possible, using the income from investments for distributions.

During 2020, we have helped 62 Episcopalians, living in retirement communities, assisted living, and senior facilities/apartments in the three dioceses, and about $605,000 has been distributed for financial assistance mostly in the form of monthly housing grants. Sample retirement facilities housing foundation financial aid recipients:

Savannah Court of Lake Wales; Savannah Court of Maitland; Oakmonte Village, Lake Mary; Westminster Winter Park; Orlando Lutheran Towers; Westminster Towers, Orlando; Magnolia Towers, Orlando; Shady Lane ALF, Orange City; Trinity Towers West, Melbourne; Grand Reserve, Zephyrhills; Lake Point Senior Apt., Tavares; Hampton Manor, Ocala; Pinellas Heights, Largo; McCown Towers, Sarasota; Woodlands Village, Bradenton; Heron East, Sarasota; St. Andrews Residence, West Palm Beach; Palm’s Edge ALF, Riviera Beach; Century Village, W. Palm Beach

BGR Foundation Board of Trustees: • Southwest Diocese: The Rt. Rev. Dabney T. Smith, President; Dr. C. Thomas Gooding; Ms. Barbara Kelly, Asst. Treasurer; The Rev. Deacon Bill Moyers; The Rev. Deacon Denise C. Healy • Southeast Diocese: The Rt. Rev. Peter Eaton; Dr. Helen Bhagwandin; Dr.

Harlington “H” Hanna; Ms. Barbara MacKenzie • Central Diocese: The Rt. Rev. Gregory O. Brewer, Vice President; Mr. Alexander C. Mackinnon, Secretary; Mr. Guy D. Colado, Treasurer; The Very

Rev. Hugh McGlashon, Jr.; Dr. Thomas Bates Ginger Van Valkenburgh, Exec. Director

Chaplains to Retired Clergy

Our diocese has 13 chaplains who provide pastoral care for approximately 300 clergy and 250 spouses. The chaplains are assigned regionally by deanery and under the direction of the Office of the Bishop. We provide pastoral care when needed with illness and at the time of a death. Our focus is to connect the retiree with a local congregation if they are not already attached. In the spring the Bishop sponsors an annual Retired Clergy/ Spouse Day at DaySpring, which sadly this year did not happen due to the Coronavirus.

The following is a sampling of some of the ministry being accomplished: hospital visits, luncheons with clergy and spouses; mailing birthday cards and Christmas cards, attending funerals and following up as needed; phone calls--particularly to the ill and infirm, home visits--again to the ill and infirm, transportation on occasion, counseling and conversations with clergy widows. This spring the chaplains tried to contact all retirees during the early stages of the pandemic. Working with chaplains across the nation we contacted over 7000 of the 10,000+ retirees in a month-long June phone-a-thon educating retirees on various ongoing electronic scams and generally touching base during the pandemic.

The Chaplains are: The Rev. Canon Chris Gray and Paula Gray (Diocesan Chaplains), The Rev. Glad McCurtain and James McCurtain (Clearwater Deanery),The Rt. Rev. Barry Howe and Mary Howe (St. Petersburg Deanery), The Rev. Ed Henley and Sherre Henley (Tampa Deanery), The Rev. Fred Robinson and Linda Robinson (Manasota Deanery), The Rev. Jim Puryear (Venice Deanery), The Rev. Kathy Schillreff (Naples Deanery), and The Rev. Suzanne Post (Ft. Myers Deanery). The Rev. Chris Gray, Canon for Stewardship

Clergy Spouse Association

The Clergy Spouse Association (CSA) continues in carrying out its mission of supporting the spouses of ordained clergy by providing opportunities for enrichment, fellowship, and outreach. Our community strives to connect and engage with spouses of clergy who are active, retired, or widowed. We gathered twice this year for annual events that were designed to build relationships for support and communication.

The CSA’s 2019 Annual Convention Luncheon featured The Honorable Marion Fleming as the luncheon speaker. Marion, spouse of The Rev. Peter W. Fleming, Jr., illuminated her remarkable journey through life which included her experiences as a clergy spouse, a founder of our diocesan Clergy Spouse Association, and as a trailblazer for women in the legal profession. At the luncheon, CSA members were elected to the 2020 Board of Officers. Those elected: Elise Whitley,

President; Ann Crow, Vice-President; Mary Wallis Smith, Treasurer; Joseph Gilpin, Secretary; Betty Creelman, Chaplain; Barbara Brotherton, Sunshine Chair; Sherre Henley, Communications. Prior to the luncheon, spouses of new canonically resident clergy were welcomed by Bishop Dabney Smith and were presented with the CSA’s membership pin by CSA President Trish Farrell.

The Annual Spring Gathering and Retreat was held at DaySpring over the February 7-9, 2020 weekend and was led for a second year by Dr. Rita and Fr. Michael Piovane. The theme for the retreat was Dimensions of Public vs. Private Personas: What We Project, What We Protect. The weekend began on Friday for CSA members, with Clergy included, for an opening reception and dinner. The weekend of fellowship, worship, and renewal continued on Saturday and Sunday with program sessions led by the group’s well-loved leaders, Dr. Rita and Fr. Michael.

In the area of outreach, the CSA provided an annual Advent gift to diocesan students at residential seminaries through the Mary Ellen Smith Memorial Endowment Fund. The four residential seminarians to receive the 2019 Advent gift were; Brian Cleary, Marcella Robinson, Diane Leavengood, and Anne Hartley. The Sunshine Committee sent greetings, good wishes, and condolences to diocesan spouses of clergy as such occasions arose throughout the year. As a result of the Coronavirus, the CSA has established regular Zoom Gatherings hosted by the diocese. Attendance at the Zoom gatherings has been consistent and members have remarked that it has provided a much sought-after way to get together in between the CSA’s two annual events.

Growth of the Mary Ellen Smith Memorial Endowment Fund was enhanced this year by the generous gift of an anonymous donor. As a result, several additional gifts were made and have brought the fund within reach of a milestone value of $20,000 by year’s end. Symbolic gifts such as these are made to “honor the essential role that each Clergy Spouse serves” and they expand the capacity for the CSA to fulfill its strong commitment to outreach sooner than projected.

In closing, all spouses of clergy are warmly encouraged to join us for our unique fellowship with one another. Our annual events provide opportunities to create individual relationships and support systems throughout the Diocese of Southwest Florida. Clergy Spouse Association events are publicized through mailers, social media, diocesan publications, and the diocesan website. Elise Whitley, President

Commission on Ministry

The Commission on Ministry is an organized group of lay and ordained persons appointed by our bishop with the purpose of acting in an advisory capacity to assist the bishop with a nominee’s sense of call, his/her readiness, and other issues, policies and procedures integral to the discernment and formation of all Baptized ministers in the diocese. These appointees serve as liaisons in the discernment process for each aspirant. In addition to these duties the commission meets monthly for updates on the aspirants.

During the year 2020, the Commission had as its membership 4 lay members: Ms. Manon Alewynse, Ms. Donna Davis, Mrs. Catherine McGinnis, and Mrs. Janice Straske, as well as eight clergy members: the Rev. Rosalind

K. Hall, the Rev. Robert J. Vaughn, the Rev. Alexander Andujar (Chair), the Rev. Janet A. Tunnell, (Vice-Chair), The Rev. Jessica Harris Babcock, the Rev. Edward F.P. Gibbons, the Very Rev. Stephen B. Morris, and the Rev. Margaret L. Sullivan. Two members serve ex officio: the Rev. Canon Richard H. Norman (Canon to the Ordinary) and the Very Rev. Carla B. McCook (Standing Committee Liaison).

Each year the Commission on Ministry holds a Vocation Information Session for those discerning if they have a call to serve God in a new way and how they begin the journey forward. Those who are considering a call to ordained ministry are encouraged to visit the diocesan website for more information, keyword Commission on Ministry. The Rev. Alexander Andujar, Chair

Council on Deacons

At the Diocesan Convention in 2018, changes were approved to the Canons of the Diocese to remove obsolete language concerning the role and composition of the Council on Deacons in preparation for the development of a role for the Council in support of new directions for the School for Ministry.

A major responsibility of the Council on Deacons is the review of applications and the development of recommendations regarding annual awards under the Episcopal Charities Grant program. The recommendations for 2019 awards were developed at the Council meeting in September and approved by Diocesan Council for promulgation at the Diocesan Convention. Thirteen parish-based outreach programs were funded for a total of almost $35,000. The Ven. Dr. Kathleen Moore, Archdeacon

Cursillo

Cursillo is a movement of the Episcopal Church, under the authority of the Presiding Bishop and diocesan bishops, to develop lay leadership across our diocese. Cursillo is one method for training, supporting, encouraging and an ongoing development of Christian leadership. This experience gives an opportunity to grow in faith within our parish communities and out into our extended environments. Our Presiding Bishop spoke of how the Episcopal Church can help the world live out a life in Christ. He mentioned how having a Rule of Life can be an effective way to do this that will hold ourselves accountable. The Cursillo method contains two main components, a 3-day weekend filled with 15 talks, group discussions, worship, and fun. Cursillo of Southwest Florida has been working in this Diocese for 40 years to do just that. There are two English language Weekends and one Spanish language weekend that teach the method. After attending a Cursillo weekend, Cursillistas (participants of the Weekend) are encouraged to meet in small groups on a regular basis for encouragement and accountability. Larger gatherings are held throughout the diocese for sharing and encouragement. There is a “witness talk” that is centered on apostolic action.

This past year two Cursillo weekends occurred, #143 led by Rectora Barbara

Kunath in October. And, in spite of COVID 19, we were able to complete a Cursillo weekend February 20th through February 23rd, 2020, led by Rectora Marta Meloy.

Of importance this year we entered into an agreement with the Diocese of Southwest Florida, establishing an Endowment Fund for Cursillo of Southwest Florida. This falls within the Diocesan Endowment Management Program of the Diocese. The purpose of the Endowment Fund is to enable our community to fulfill the mission of the Cursillo movement in our generation and future generations to come. The fund is invested according to the Investment Policy Statement under the direction of an Endowment Fund Board. The Endowment Fund distributions are subject to the Spending Rule as determined annually by the Endowment Fund Board, and no distributions can be made from the principal. All contributions are tax deductible; donation information is online.

How may one support the Endowment Fund? • Direct cash gifts may be made by check to Cursillo of SWFL. Be sure to write “Endowment Fund” in the memo line. A donation as a birthday or anniversary contribution is a wonderful way to celebrate friends and family. (See web address below) • Bequests, the most common type of planned gift may be made by including the Cursillo Endowment Fund in your will, by designating a specific dollar amount, or designating a specific percentage of your estate to designating specific assets.

As a lay ministry we fully rely on spiritual direction from our diocesan priests and deacons, familiar with our rule of life. Are you looking to enhance your walk with Jesus? Are you feeling a call to serve but not sure of the next step?

To support us, visit cursilloswfla.org. We are all about living a Christ-centered life and would like to help you on your journey. Kristina Hodge, Lay Director

Daughters of the King

Daughters of the King are women and girls between the ages of seven and one hundred and seven who desire a closer walk with the Lord. We are Christian women, both lay and ordained, who are strengthened through the discipline of a Rule of Life and supported through the companionship of our sisters. We are all at different stages of our Christian journey – some have just begun, and some have been on this path for a long time. But no matter where we are on our sacred journeys, our primary goal is the same – to know Jesus Christ and to make Him known to others. We don’t just enroll as members and attend meetings. After a three-month period of study and discernment, each new member takes vows to uphold the two Rules of The Order: the Rule of Prayer and the Rule of Service and Evangelism. A Rule of Life is a self-imposed spiritual discipline practiced daily by an individual. It includes regular and seasonal devotions, both private and public, and is a commitment intelligently and prayerfully considered. A Rule of Life sets apart an order from other church organizations.

The Daughters of the King hold two Southwest Florida Diocesan Assemblies each year at DaySpring. The Spring Retreat has guest speakers bringing an uplifting renewing message to our Daughters as food and strength for our journey, cancelled

this year due to Covid-19.

The Fall Assembly invites speakers to share their ministry, gifts and visions for the walk with God. The Fall Assembly, this year will be a virtual Zoom meeting. Assembly speaker this year is Jane Searcy, President of the Province IV Order of the Daughters of King. The Diocese of Southwest Florida has over 30 chapters of the Order of the Daughters of the King. Daughters who attend parishes that do not have a chapter are able to maintain their Rule of Life and membership as Daughters by becoming Daughters-at-Large.

This year the SWFL Assembly has placed an emphasis on reaching out to our Daughters-at-Large by adopting and praying for our Sisters. New chapters may be formed at a parish without an existing chapter at any time. Contact Sue Tharp, 941928-5428 and email bsuet@comcast.net for more information.

Sue Tharp, President

Disciplinary Board

Each Diocese shall, by Canon, create a court to be known as the Disciplinary Board as described in this Canon. Each such Board shall consist of not fewer than seven persons to be selected as determined by Diocesan Canon. The membership of each Board shall include lay persons and Priests or Deacons, and the majority of the Board members shall be Priests or Deacons, but by no more than one. Within sixty days following each Diocesan convention, the Board shall convene to elect a president for the following year, unless another method for selection of the president is provided by Diocesan Canon. [Title IV, Canon 5.1]

In the Diocese of Southwest Florida our Disciplinary Board consists of nine members. For 2020 our members are:

Lay Members: Mr. Robert K. Sawyer, Jr., Esq., [2022]; The Hon. Jack Day, Esq. [2021]; Mr. James D. Park, Esq. [2020]; The Hon Doug Spangler, Jr. Esq. [2021]

Clergy Members: The Rev. Jonathan W. Evans [2020]; The Rev. Canon Paige A. Hanks [2022]; The Rev. Chester J. Trow, Esq. [2021]; The Rev. David J. Marshall [2022]; The Rev. Kevin C. Warner [2020]

The Disciplinary Board conducted an organizational meeting as required at which time Kevin Warner was elected President and Paige Hanks graciously offered to serve as Clerk. Bishop Smith indicated that the Rev. Glad McCurtain would continue as Intake Officer and the Board voted to recommend to the Bishop and Standing Committee that John Goldsmith continue in his role as Church Attorney.

Since the meeting, the Diocesan Standing Committee confirmed John Goldsmith as Church Attorney. Glad McCurtain, however, has resigned as Intake Officer and Bishop Smith has appointed the Rev. Nathan Speck-Ewer to take on that role. Normally this is where I would thank my fellow board members for all their hard work. However, this year it seems our past president’s prayer has been answered: “that next year the Board can return to the opportunity only to require an organizational meeting” and we have been blessed with no meetings beyond the first.

Finally, I would like to thank past president Roger Schwenke for his support, encouragement, and years of service to this ministry. For over 20 years he has served

as either the Presiding Judge of the Ecclesiastical Trial Court or as the President of the Disciplinary Board. He has set the standard to which I aspire. We wish him well in his move to Georgia.

The Rev. Kevin C. Warner, President

Diocesan Altar Guild

The Diocesan Altar Guild consists of representatives from the various deaneries. Our ministry supports the Bishop and coordinate his wishes in the liturgical life of each church.

We usually have four meetings a year held at DaySpring and an annual meeting related to our activities in the spring. This did not happen in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. It has been hard to believe that church would be shut down and there were no jobs for the altar guilds.

During the annual Convention held in October we do play a very active role. We help coordinate and create a worship space at the Punta Gorda Convention center. We usually prepare communion for about five hundred people.

Our biggest contribution to the life of our church in the diocese is to sponsor the very popular liturgical exchange tables which overflow with items one church no longer uses which quickly find new homes with a church which is grateful to have them.

No money ever exchanges hands. This year will be an exception but we plan to return with even more treasures in 2021.

We also deconsecrate and burn old linens and vestments every two years at DaySpring. These items are collected at Convention and 2021 is the next bonfire.

We are a very good resource center for liturgical questions and training for the whole diocese. We are often called to train and problem solve.

Another way we can help is to support the efforts of new church plants and also the campus ministries. The church in Wesley Chapel is thriving as is St. Anselm’s in Tampa on the USF campus. Another church plant is up and coming in Parrish.

Keep us in mind as a resource and general encouragement. We are looking for new members and want to update. We have enjoyed a newsletter for many years and the Altargram needs a new editor. We also need a new leader. Please keep this wonderful ministry alive. Sarah Hill, Directress

Ecumenical & Inter-religious Relations

The National Workshop of Christian Unity, usually held in April of every year, was cancelled this year due to the Coronavirus. Some local ecumenical efforts have been able to continue during this time. However, several churches in the St. Petersburg Deanery joined with other denominations and participated in the 5th Annual “Not My Son” rallies aimed at curbing violence and creating safer neighborhoods.

We hope, like all of you, that this pandemic is lifted soon and we can resume more robust normal activity.

The Rev. Ryan Whitley, Diocesan Representative

Education for Ministry

Education for Ministry is a distance-learning program founded by Sewanee, The University of the South, in 1975. EfM began in our diocese in 1987. We are a sponsoring diocese, which means that our participants receive a $100 discount on tuition each year. EfM is a four-year course of study in the Bible, church history, theological study, and theological application in our lives today. This program is not like any other bible study. An in-depth study of scripture is an integral part of the program, but it is not the only part.

EfM is a powerful combination of scripture, worship, theology and theological reflection to help participants develop the skills they need to better discern their call to ministry. Groups begin meeting in September. On-line group meetings are also available. We currently have groups meeting in Naples, Punta Gorda, Venice, Sarasota, Pinellas Park, and Tampa. The 2021 mentor training will take place at DaySpring on May 13-15. If you would like information on a group in your area or are interested in mentoring a group, please call or email Deacon Martha Goodwill at (941) 556-0315 or mgoodwill@episcopalswfl.org. The Rev. Martha Goodwill, EfM Coordinator

Episcopal Church Women

The Episcopal Church Women of the Diocese of Southwest Florida serves the seventy-seven congregations of the Diocese of Southwest Florida. We are involved in all women’s ministries including the Sarah Howell Grants, Church Periodical Club, Miles of Pennies, United Thank Offering, as well as the Order of the Daughters of the King. The women of the ECW support DaySpring youth ministries, Cornerstone Kids, DaySpring Camp & Conference Center, the Dominican Republic Ministries and youth ministries in Haiti.

The Episcopal Church Women’s Annual Meeting is scheduled to be held November 12th this year. In 2020, we will have the Rev. Kim Coleman, National President of the Union of Black Episcopalians. The Very Reverend Kim L. Coleman has served as Senior Pastor and Rector of Trinity Church in Arlington, Virginia since November 2002. The first woman of color to be instituted as rector of a parish in the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia, the Rev. Coleman oversees Trinity’s dynamic justice and outreach ministries including the Columbia Pike Thrift Shop, Trinity School of Early Learning, Trinity’s international Mothers’ Union affiliate, and the Arlington Race Project, an ecumenical racial reconciliation partnership between Trinity and Nova Catholic Community. The Rev. Coleman currently serves as Episcopal Church Women Chaplain and Arlington Region Dean of the Diocese of Virginia.

This is a very different year for all of us and we have faced some unusual chal-

lenges. We are reminded of a portion of our ECW prayer which reminds us to: “pray fervently, labor diligently and give liberally to make known the power of your love given through your son, Jesus Christ.” Leila Mizer, President

Episcopal Relief & Development

Episcopal Relief & Development is the compassionate arm of the Episcopal Church. With their help of in-kind support of facilities, we are proud to consistently report that between 90% and 92% of every donated dollar helps in three major categories: Women, Children, and Climate.

Episcopal Relief & Development contributes to the transformation and healing of a hurting world by encouraging its staff, partners and wider constituency to act as facilitators that engage and energize people through an appreciation and affirmation of the gifts that exist within a community. This is done by recognizing and reinforcing people’s assets – their gifts, ideas, decisions and existing resources – versus simply their needs.

As with each new year, we encounter unexpected and unique challenges to keep us always focused on creative and productive ways to serve the needs of our target populations and focus programs. The year 2020 has been no different. With the pandemic associated with COVID-19, it has been challenging to continue to promote our programs and support our volunteer partners within the Diocese of SWFL.

At convention in 2019, I shared that it was the Bishop’s hope to have partners in every parish and school in the Diocese. I am pleased to report we are now represented in 33% of the parishes.

Recruiting has been challenging due to the pandemic and the nature of isolation required to fight the spread. We have been conducting Zoom monthly Partner meetings. Additionally, national staff has been offering Zoom workshops and services to anyone interested.

Also, we announced at the 2019 convention that in excess of $88,000 had been collected in our diocese for Hurricane Dorian relief. In addition to that, St. Stephen’s School raised over $7,000, and a very successful fundraiser to benefit the Bahamas was organized and executed by Faith Peterson and Shellie Szeezil in the Bradenton area. An impressive $15,000 was raised that night with 100% of the proceeds going to the hurricane relief. In addition, there was a matching funds campaign in action that sent an additional $15,000 to the general fund. Ongoing fundraising and awareness campaigns are happening all over the diocese. The efforts are too numerous to mention in this short report, but the involvement of the parishes, missions, and schools continues to encourage me.

This year I will continue to support our partners in the parishes with Zoom meetings and personal contacts. Please consider who in your parish might be called to share with us in this ministry. Call 614-302-1267 or elightneri1@gmail.com. Ellen Lightner, Diocesan Ministry Partner

Hispanic & Latino Ministries

It is with great pleasure that we publish our annual report for the 2019-2020 year. In the last year the Hispanic/Latino community in the Episcopal Diocese of Southwest Florida celebrated important events and continued to work together to address the needs of this growing community. The Salt & Light Conference was an illuminating opportunity for us to experience how the various Spanish speaking communities have been working together. We benefited from the energy and enthusiasm of Fr. Joel Almono Roquel who sought to motivate the community to continue the missional call to reach others in the name of Jesus Christ.

A second opportunity to share in community was during the annual diocesan stewardship presentation. Fr. Alejandro Montes, who served as the rector of the first sustainable Latino parish in the United States, shared his experiences of stewardship and the importance of sharing the meaning of giving to the church as an act of faith.

The Hispanic/Latino Committee is evaluating new proposals from the member congregations as to how best to address the needs of the Spanish-speaking community throughout the diocese in the wake of COVID-19. There are numerous challenges but also tremendous opportunities to live our faith out loud. The Rev. Alexander Andujar, Vice-President

School for Ministry

Effective in January 2019, the School for Ministry became a member of the Iona Collaborative, a cooperative project directed by the Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, Texas. Twenty-seven Episcopal dioceses throughout the country are members of the Collaborative. Through the Collaborative, clergy formation programs in the member dioceses work together to develop and maintain high-quality theological education for the formation of priests and deacons in local diocesan settings, educating a new generation of ordained leaders who for various reasons cannot attend a residential seminary.

The Ven. Dr. Kathleen Moore, Archdeacon of the diocese, serves as Dean of the School for Ministry and is charged with implementation of the Iona curriculum for our diocese. Participation in the Iona Collaborative enables the School for Ministry to be part of an innovative curriculum and to take advantage of resources, facilitator training, and materials that would otherwise be unavailable locally.

Online curricular components developed by the Seminary of the Southwest form the basis of the course content; local facilitators (volunteer clergy and other qualified individuals) supplement the content in regular class meetings usually held at DaySpring Episcopal Conference Center. Membership in the Iona Collaborative also allows congregations in our diocese to have access at no cost to video content designed for congregational use in parish-based adult formation programs. The Ven. Dr. Kathleen Moore, Dean

Standing Committee

The Standing Committee works closely with the Commission on Ministry and has canonical responsibility for approval of applications for Candidacy and Ordination to both the Sacred Order of Priests and the Sacred Order of Deacons. In exercising that responsibility, the Committee is required to interview all candidates for Ordination and those from other branches of the Body of Christ seeking reception to ordained ministry in the Diocese of Southwest Florida.

Since Bishops are elected to serve the entire Church, they are canonically required to receive consents to their election by a majority of the diocesan Standing Committee. The Standing Committee acts on these requests for consent as they are received, deliberating on each with care. The Standing Committee also acts as a cabinet of advice for the Bishop and exercises canonical responsibilities related to property matters involving sacred spaces, clergy disciplinary actions, and matters involving clergy leaving the Episcopal Church. Much of the work of the Standing Committee is confidential.

Current members of the Standing Committee are the Rev. Charles E. Connelly (President), Mr. James H. Corn, the Very Rev. Charles A. Cannon III, the Very Rev. Carla McCook (Liaison to the Commission on Ministry), Ms. Jackie Smith, Mr. Ray U. Stoll (Vice President) and the Very Rev. Ryan R. Whitley. The Very Rev. Eric Cooter resigned from the Committee in June to become Canon to the Ordinary in the Diocese of Oklahoma, and Mr. Michael Alford resigned from the Committee in August to attend seminary as a Postulant for Holy Orders. Both vacancies will be filled by election at Convention. All the members of the Committee appreciate your prayers. The Rev. Charles E. Connelly, President

Youth and Family Ministry

Youth and Family Ministry during 2019-20 is, like everything else, changed. We went into 2020, and held a New Beginnings that was just at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. After a long discussion, we decided to postpone in-person Summer Camp for 2020.

In its place, some of the staff came together for a week at DaySpring and maintained physical distancing and mask wearing protocols. While at camp, the staff created care packages to send to those campers who had registered for our July sessions. These packages contained a tie-dyed DaySpring shirt, a friendship bracelet, a weeklong devotional written by the summer camp staff, and more. We’ve also been hosting DYZ, Diocesan Youth Zoom, for youth and youth workers of our diocese.

This fall, we are working on plans for what limited in-person retreats might look like along with visioning what other offerings may take their place for a semester. Along with that, the Youth Leadership Team will start its formation and spend a year in leadership development with a goal of hosting a Diocesan Youth Day in 2021. As we look towards Summer Camp of 2021, Core Staff applications will be released in September and Counselor Staff applications will be released in October.

Our diocesan community of youth, youth leaders, and families embodies the desire and dedication of our diocese to serve God and His church and we thank you for your support to further His kingdom.

Matthew Bowers, Director of Youth Ministry and Programming