Pentecost 2015
Volume 46, Issue 2
MAGAZINE OF THE DIOCESE OF SOUTHWEST FLORIDA
Summer Camp Preview
Youth at DaySpring
1
PLUS J St. Anne Goes $olar J Answering Your Call J Keeping the Sabbath
Students of
“The Sunshine Award in 4th Grade – that was my biggest accomplishment. I was very proud of that, and it’s still hanging in my room. It’s for being joyful and happy all the time, and bringing out the good in others.” —Burchie E.,
Class of 2016
We develop _________ human beings.
2
CanterburyFlorida.org
From the Bishop
Holiness Is Our Daily Decision My dear friends, I read recently an engaging and culturally challenging book titled, The Road to Character by David Brooks. It explores a variety of historical personalities and their quests for moral development within the depths of a multitude of cultural and personal dynamics. The end of the book lists a number of character development propositions, which the author calls the Humility Code. The first proposition begins with “we don’t live for happiness, we live for holiness.” I write this not as a book review (although the book is well worth reading,) but as an appropriate illustration of holiness that is so well described by the distinctions and variants of many human lives. This issue of the Southern Cross contains articles regarding sermons, Spirit, Summer, seasonings, and service. That which binds them together through both history and contemporary reality is the living of God’s people. Brooks’ statement regarding holiness may be claimed as a succinct casting of faithful Christian living. It is remarkable and humbling to consider the lives of those who lived before us and gave us our faith and faith communities. It is also humbling and challenging to realize that our lives will leave an imprint that those who follow us will receive and recognize. The response to the holiness of God through Christ is our decision and daily choice. It is manifest in as many ways as there are Gods people. A few anecdotes may prove helpful. I had a meeting with a couple of justice ministry organizers recently who work in different regions of our diocesan geographic context. They purposefully invite the participation of congregations from multiple denominations to meet with elected legislators and law 3
enforcement officials from the local and state levels to discuss and resolve justice issues surrounding homelessness, arrest records of juveniles, the expenditure of state and county monies for these purposes and more. Many in our congregations take this justice ministry seriously and, at its heart, it’s about holiness. The May meeting of the Diocesan Council had on its agenda the work of DaySpring development, the diocesan budget reports, various congregational issues, and many other ongoing topics that are typical for a council meeting. At the same time we heard a report of the second Hispanic/Latino Cursillo weekend meeting at DaySpring. The Cursillo weekend, conducted entirely in Spanish, was composed of a large number of new candidates. The Diocesan Council paused business and cheered. Good administrative leadership, which provides a firm foundation for a healthy diocese and healthy congregations, is about holiness. A new arena for leadership and spiritual development in our growing
Hispanic/Latino congregations and membership is about holiness. I remember a congregation I served that wrestled with the decision of choosing pews or cathedral chairs when we were building a new sanctuary. The pros and cons were batted back and forth until a young mother with three small children expressed her desire to be in church with her children held closely by saying about the chairs, “But how will I be able to snuggle with my children?” She convinced everyone to her way of thinking by speaking of the importance of bringing her family to church with her. It’s about holiness. Holiness is God’s gift to us first. Then it is our daily decision and choice in all that we do; and in all that we are. I invite you to consider anew that you have been baptized into a life of holiness. God chooses to make a difference through you! X Bishop Dabney Smith is Fifth Bishop of the Diocese of Southwest Florida.
In this Issue
Wind vane, steeple of Trinity-by-the-Cove, Naples, May 2015
Features 10 General Convention Preview
Southwest Florida deputies to Salt Lake City
14 Diaconate in the Diocese
An ancient order in contemporary society
17 Camp on the Manatee New mission and leadership
programs at DaySpring
28 18 4
33
View of organ, St. Boniface, Siesta Key
Departments Briefs: Education for Ministry, DaySpring Architect ....................... ..……………………................…...... 7 Pioneering Ministries/Fresh Expressions …………......................……………………………................ 8 Youth: Visioning Meetings Across the Diocese .............................……………...…………….................. 9 Art: The Windows of St. Andrew, Tampa ......................……………………………….....…....................19 Christian Living: Countercultural Sabbath by The Rev. Jim Popham ………………………...…....... 20 Christian Living: Walking in the Spirit by The Rev. Charles Mann ………………………………....... 21 Mission: The Church in the Marketplace by Adrienne Hymes ......……...………………..................... 22 Evangelism: Going to the Gates: The Rev. David Danner......……...………………................................. 24 Food: Culinary History at Christ Church, Braidentown …….....……........................................................ 26 Mission: Innovative Ministry in Ft. Myers ….................................……………...............………............... 29 Nature: Treetop View at DaySpring by Slade Nash ….................................……………………............. 30 Parish Life: Going Solar in Seminole by Judith White..............................................…..................................... 31 Around the Diocese .....................…………………………………………..………………………... 32 Events …………….........................…………………………………...........……………….………..... 33 Glancing Back: Bishop Haynes Lodge Dedicated ….……………………….………............................. 34
25
33 32
5
Year 46 | Issue 2 | Pentecost 2015 X First Published A.D. 1970 Bishop, The Diocese of Southwest Florida: The Rt. Rev. Dabney T. Smith Editor: Garland Pollard
Acolyte Festival September 26, 2015 at the
Cathedral Church of St. Peter Facebook.com/SWFLACOLYTE
Contributing Writers: The Rev. David Danner, Martha Goodwill, Adrienne Hymes MDiv., The Rev. Chuck Mann, Slade Nash, Tim McDonald, The Rev. John Palarine, The Rev. Jim Popham, The Rev. John Reese, Judith White Photographers: Bonnie Jean Durning, Skip Milos, Garland Pollard 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. Identification Statement: The Southern Cross is published by the Diocese of Southwest Florida, Department of Communications. USPS 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: Summer Camp, Jaden Franz, St. Hilary, Ft. Myers, at 2014 DaySpring Summer Camp
6
Briefly Celebrate 75Years of Episcopal Relief It is not enough just to speak, but to act out as followers of Christ and care for others, as He commanded in Matthew 25: 34-36. This is what we, as Episcopalians, do when we act through Episcopal Relief & Development as Christ would have us do, helping to heal a hurting world. The agency works in 40 countries worldwide to alleviate hunger, create economic opportunities, promote health and fight disease and respond to disasters and rebuild communities. For this anniversary, there are different ways to celebrate: • Carry the Water Campaign: Improving hygiene, sanitation and overall health by building water systems to ensure communities can access this crucial natural resource. • Fast to Feed Campaign: Expanding everyone’s supply of nutritious food by empowering families to raise healthy animals and utilize sustainable agricultural practices. • Thrive to Five Campaign: Enabling children and families to get the best start in life through maternal health, malaria prevention and early childhood programs. • Pennies to Prosperity Campaign: Generating opportunities for local entrepreneurs by promoting micro-finance. 7
Diocesan Coordinators Jody Tiffany and Maureen Belote help by coming to your parish to speak, offering suggestions on fund-raising and assisting with gathering materials for your event. For instance, at Good Shepherd, Dunedin, a March Shrimp Boil involved not only the church members but the local community together as they enjoyed making and serving an all-you-care-to-eat bonanza of shrimp and other foods. A raffle and a silent auction also accompanied the event, which netted over $6,000 to purchase livestock from the Gifts for Life Catalog. This June 14, 2015 a special event will be held at the Cathedral of St. Peter in St. Petersburg to benefit the agency. Storyteller Jim Gregory, who participated in the march from Selma to Montgomery and other Civil Rights era notable events will be a featured speaker at a dinner, with proceeds going toward the charity. X
Education for Ministry Groups Forming Education for Ministry is a powerful combination of scripture, worship, theology and theological reflection which helps the laity develop the skills they need to better discern their call to ministry. New groups and existing groups will begin in September. Registration starts this summer. (You do not have to be a member of the church where a group meets.) Online group meetings are also available. Existing Groups are at St. Peter’s Cathedral, St. Petersburg; St. John, Tampa; St. Boniface, Siesta Key; St. Mark, Venice; Good Shepherd, Punta Gorda; Trinity by
the Cove, Naples and St. Monica’s, Naples Additionally, new mentors begin training in May and hope to start new groups in Clearwater, Pinellas Park and St. Petersburg. If you would like information on a group in your area, please call or email Martha Goodwill at (941) 556-0315 or mgoodwill@episcopalswfl.org.
DaySpring Architect Selected PARRISH – The DaySpring Development Committee of the Diocese has selected the Bradenton architectural firm of Fawley-Bryant for design work for the first phase of improvements to DaySpring’s camp area. The project includes removal of the “triple-wide” New Pavilion, used for Diocesan and large group events, as well as planning for improvements in the area around DaySpring’s youth cabins, including a new pool area and outdoor pavilion. Fawley-Bryant was selected because of its extensive experience in sporting, youth and religious facilities. Its projects include St. Stephen’s School, IMG Academies, Bayside Community Church and the Out-of-Door Academy. It was selected at an April 30, 2015 meeting of the DaySpring Development Committee. At the meeting, the selection committee heard presentations from teams of three architectural firms: Fawley-Bryant, Beebe Design Studio, and Apex Studio Suarez. This summer, Fawley-Bryant will begin site plan discussions with the Diocese and Manatee County, with a plan to begin construction of the new New Pavilion in early 2016. X
Youth
Visioning for the Next Generation BY TIM MCDONALD, ST. MARY MAGDALENE SENIOR WARDEN
LAKEWOOD RANCH - Last weekend, our christian education coordinator set up for Fr. John Palarine, Canon for Program and Youth to hold a regional workshop on Visioning for Youth Ministry at our church, St. Mary Magdalene. St. John the Divine, Sun City Center; Annunciation, Holmes Beach; and Christ Church, Bradenton also participated. It was scheduled for four weeks after Easter. I hadn’t had a weekend off since before Palm Sunday. I thought St. Mary Magdalene was mostly firing on all the right cylinders with our youth programs. We have a small but dynamic and powerful youth presence. We have a core group of adults with a passion for youth. And our Vestry had just approved hiring a full time youth minister for our church. What could I possibly learn at a workshop? Well, don’t ever challenge the Holy Spirit like that! It was a powerful weekend in which I learned a lot. First, and most importantly, I learned that a youth minister is not “The Answer” that we
The minister alone will not make for a strong youth presence. 8
The Diocese has held three meetings across Southwest Florida to discuss new ways of envisioning our ministry to youth. Pictured here is a group gathered May 16 at Church of the Ascension, Clearwater. Six separate churches were represented.
all thought it would be. A youth minister can be an important element, but without visioning and support from a core group within the congregation, the minister alone will not make for a strong youth presence. Indeed, we spent a good amount of time on visioning for the youth ministry at our church. Guided by the Holy Spirit, we realized that we had a lot of people with a passion for our youth and some pretty amazing youth, but that they were like sparks firing at different times and places. Never coordinated and fed enough to start a fire. The vision then developed into one where the sparks came together and burst into flames, flames that made St. Mary Magdalene a shining light in the Lakewood Ranch
area. Then the flames propagated sparks of their own, our youth going out into the community to share the love of Christ. And Fr. Jim Hedman’s sermon the next morning? It was on Phillip and the Eunuch (Acts 8:2640), a spark (Phillip) going out to the world (Eunuch) to spread the love of Christ. While still in its infancy, we came out the workshop with a pretty good idea of where our Youth Presence is supposed to head and how it is supposed to look. X Tim McDonald is Senior Warden of St. Mary Magdalene, Lakewood Ranch. To get involved with youth ministry in the Diocese, contact The Rev. John Palarine at jpalarine@ episcopalswfl.org or 941-556-0315
Youth
Meetings Across Diocese Create Vision for Youth
Briefly
BY THE REV. JOHN PALARINE CANON FOR YOUTH & PROGRAM
So many congregations long for a strong, enthusiastic and vibrant presence of youth in their midst but many do not know where to start. Some congregations say that youth ministry is a top priority but don’t invest the time, talent and treasure to assure its success. It is our belief that youth presence is different in every place and possible in every place. What it takes is a heart for young people, a tenacious commitment and some understanding of what truly makes ministry with and by youth thrive. At the heart of creating and supporting a strong youth presence is what is called the Three Phase Approach to Youth Ministry. This approach has been proven very effective over many years and provides the framework in any context for a vital ministry with teens. It should be said at the start that this development and training come from a strong belief in youth led ministry and the gifts that our young people bring. We also believe that the presence of youth transforms a congregation and is essential to congregational health and vitality. Phase one is creating the vision. Phase two is raising up adult teams and phase three is youth led ministry. When a congregation decides to commit to the process, there are four steps to creating the vision: 9
• Reflecting and telling the story: Gathering data on the history of our youth ministry and sharing our experiences, thoughts and feelings. • Visioning: Listening to God’s plan for our ministry. • Planning: Setting our priorities, goals and devising our plan. • Acting: Following through on our plan and turning our vision into reality. We had three sites set for these sessions where adult teams of six or more from each church in the surrounding areas were invited to create a vision for their ministry with the idea that youth ministry is different in every place and possible in every place. They have been held April 1718, at St. Hilary’s, Ft. Myers; May 1-2, St. Mary Magdalene, Bradenton and May 15-16 at Church of the Ascension, Clearwater. Ten churches participated in the first two sessions and seven more attended the Clearwater session with a total of over 75 people. Each church has come away with a new vision and new possibilities for youth in their context. The joy and enthusiasm is great. X Get in touch: Contact The Rev. John Palarine, Canon for Program and Youth, at 941-556-0315 or jpalarine@episcopalswfl.org.
Diocese Seeks Nominees for Elective Positions PARRISH - The Diocese of Southwest Florida is seeking nominations for upcoming elections at Annual Convention, set for Friday, October 16 and ending Saturday, October 17, 2015. Upcoming positions include representatives to Diocesan Council, the “Board of Directors” for the Diocese and representatives to Standing Committee, a confidential council of advice to Bishop Smith that links the people of the Diocese to the wider church. Elections are: A: Standing Committee, Lay: One lay person to a 3-year term B: Standing Committee, Clergy: Two presbyters to a 3-year term C: Diocesan Council, At Large, Lay: Two lay reps to 2-year, at large term D: Disciplinary Board: Two lay persons to a 3-year term E: Disciplinary Board: One clergy to a 3-year term F: Trustee, University of the South: One lay trustee to 3-year term X Nominate at episcopalswfl.org, keyword “convention”
On to the Great Salt Lake Here, Deputies from Southwest Florida with Bishop Smith. From left,The Very Rev. Doug Scharf; Kevin Fitzgerald, The Rev. Sharon Lewis,The Very Rev. Becky Robbins-Penniman, Sheree Graves, Chair Navita Cummings-James, Bishop Smith,The Rev. Canon Michael Durning, Roger Schwenke,The Rev. Kathlyn Gilpin,The Rev. Roy Tuff.
T The upcoming General Convention includes our own Bishop Smith as nominee for Presiding Bishop 10
he General Convention is the governing body of The Episcopal Church that meets every three years. The Convention is a bicameral legislature that includes the House of Deputies and the House of Bishops. The work at Convention is carried out by deputies and bishops representing each diocese. During its triennial meeting deputies and bishops consider a wide range of important matters facing the Church. Also in Salt Lake City, The Episcopal Church Women and National Altar Guild Association meet, electing officers for the triennium. This year, “paperwork� for The Blue Book is the complete the General Convention is online, guide to General Convention. This not only the sessions, but the year, for the first time, it is online. committee materials, resolutions See generalconvention.org and budgets. for more information
General Convention Previews from Deputies Dr. Navita Cummings-James Lay Deputy, Chair of Deputation Each of the four General Conventions that I have been privileged to attend has faced critical issues related to the mission of The Episcopal Church. This Convention is no exception and will include the election of our next Presiding Bishop. We are particularly honored to have our own Bishop Dabney Smith as one of the four Bishops who has been nominated for this position. And our own Anne Vickers is running as a Trustee of the Church Pension Board. Noteworthy issues which will certainly command attention in this and future conventions include “church structure” and how we will change in ways that will allow us to do the work of the Church in cultures whose residents are identifying less and less as Christian, and how, if at all, the Church will pastorally respond to the increasing number of U.S. and global dioceses who have local jurisdictions that now allow same-sex marriage. As the first layperson to serve as Head of a Diocese of Southwest Florida Deputation, I am proud and honored to be working with the dedicated, faithful and gifted members of this Deputation elected by our diocese. Deputation elections are important because the Diocese entrusts its elected Deputies, unlike delegates, to listen, deliberate, pray and vote their own, individual consciences. Over the years, our diocesan deputations have had the reputation for being well-prepared and working well together—even when members of the Deputation have disagreed among ourselves on key issues. Love and respect have been our hallmarks. One of the main reason we 11
Lay Deputies: Dr. Navita Cummings-James, (St. James HOP, Tampa) Mr. Kevin M. Fitzgerald (St. Mark’s, Marco Island) Ms. Sherre Graves, (St. Peter’s Cathedral, St. Petersburg) Mrs. Joan O. Kline, (Ascension, Clearwater) 1st Alternate: Mr. Roger D. Schwenke, (Ascension, Clearwater) 2nd Alternate: Mrs. Karen O. Patterson (St. Mary’s, Dade City) 3rd Alternate: Dr. Virginia Harper (Iona Hope, Ft. Myers) 4th Alternate: Mr. Matthew Stewart (St. Peter’s Cathedral, St. Petersburg) Clerical Deputies: The Rev. Canon Michael P. Durning (Diocese of Southwest Florida) The Rev. Cesar Olivero (St. James, Port Charlotte) The Very Rev. Sylvia B. Robbins-Penniman (Good Shepherd, Dunedin) The Very Rev. Douglas F. Scharf (Holy Innocents’, Valrico) 1st Alternate: The Very Rev. Roy W. Tuff, (Good Shepherd, Punta Gorda) 2nd Alternate: The Rev. Dr. Sharon L.G. Lewis 3rd Alternate: The Rev. Kathlyn C. Gilpin
have excelled in these ways is we begin meeting a year and half or more in advance of General Convention. In these meetings we pray together; we study the issues coming before Convention, and we learn more about the Christian walks of one another. The House of Deputies leadership has also recognized the many gifts on our deputation by calling upon six of our Deputies—including a first time Deputy—and one of our Alternates to serve on Legislative and the new House of Deputies Resolutions Review committees.” As one of those appointed, I personally am also looking forward to serving on the Social Justice and International Policy Legislative Committee. The Rev. Canon Michael Durning Canon to the Ordinary While I’ve been to several General Conventions, this is my first experience as a Deputy and I am deeply impressed with the preparations that our Deputation
has made. I am a serving on a new group called the Resolutions Review Committee and it is our hope to insure greater coordination and flow of the Convention’s business. It is a joy to be in service to the Church at this very interesting and critical time – a new Presiding Bishop, imagining the future of the Church, living into Mission in new and exciting ways. Sheree Graves After receiving the 676 page Blue Book on May 12, I took a prayerful gulp and began to peruse Reports of the Committees, Commissions, Agencies, and Boards to The General Convention of The Episcopal Church complete with two pages of our church acronyms and four pages of proposed resolutions (single-spaced). I am still looking for the summary page! That said, I want to thank in advance the veterans in our deputation for the tracking devices I plan to install on their iPads. Truly, I am grateful to be a small
part of this great 78th General Convention as we discern our way into future. Prayers for our Bishop, our Diocese and the Church. Kevin Fitzgerald, Lay Deputy It is very humbling to not only represent the Diocese of Southwest Florida, but looking at the importance of the overall convention and its goals and objectives is so very impressive. I’m looking forward to learning and listening to both houses and seeing the interaction between the House of Deputies and the House of Bishops. The Rev. Becky Robbins-Penniman This will be my first time going to General Convention. After the deputies’ year of preparation, I’m becoming aware of how astonishingly complex the whole venture is. I’m especially curious to discover how this huge group of people will deal effectively, faithfully, and patiently with the issues before it. Of utmost importance to me is that our decisions reflect the everyday realities of the parish, supporting us as we joyfully explore fresh ways to live out our faith in Christ while engaging our neighbors and living in a context of mercurial change. The Very Rev. Doug Scharf I am delighted to serve as a deputy to General Convention and to participate in the governance of the church. After completing my duties as a member of the Credentials Committee, I will be eagerly watching the creative and innovative ideas that are being considered regarding the “reimagining” and “restructuring” of the church. My hope is that this General Convention will be characterized by genuine mutuality, collaboration, and vision as we seek to faithfully respond to the challenges that are before us. 12
The Very Rev. Roy W. Tuff There is so much to love about The Episcopal Church and so much energy goes into helping to shape us into the image of Christ. I am delighted to be able to make this first trip and take in all that General Convention endeavors to accomplish. As an alternate clergy delegate I hope to learn and observe as much as I can in order to
educate the body of Christ in the Diocese of Southwest Florida on all the ministries we share throughout the world. The election of a new Presiding Bishop is exciting enough let alone to have our own Right Reverend Dabney T. Smith in the running. May we all join in praying God’s blessings and presence in all our actions by the grace we know in Christ Jesus our Lord. X The deputation meets monthly in preparation for General Convention in June. Pictured here, The Rev. Canon Michael Durning and Mrs. Joan Kline.
Legislative and House of Deputies Resolution Review Committee Appointments: Rules of Order The Very Rev. Becky Robbins-Penniman Social Justice & International Policy Dr. Navita Cummings James Stewardship and Development Mrs. Joan O. Kline Credentials The Rev. Douglas F. Scharf Confirmation of the Presiding Bishop The Very Rev. Cesar Olivero House of Deputies Resolution Review Committee The Rev. Canon Michael P. Durning Roger D. Schwenke, Esq.
About the Election and Bishop Smith PARRISH – THE Rt. Rev. Dab-
ney T. Smith, Bishop of the Diocese of Southwest Florida, is one of four candidates to lead The Episcopal Church as her Presiding Bishop. The election will be held this summer at General Convention. The list also includes The Rt. Rev. Michael Curry of the Diocese of North Carolina, The Rt. Rev. Ian Douglas of the Diocese of Connecticut, and The Rt. Rev. Tom Breidenthal of the Diocese of Southern Ohio. To compile the slate, the committee culled through 165 nominations representing over 60 dioceses. The nominating committee is composed of a lay member, a priest or deacon, and a bishop elected from each of the nine provinces of the church, plus two youth representatives. The General Convention is the church’s bicameral governing body. It comprises the House of Bishops, with upwards of 200 active and retired bishops, and the House of Deputies, with more than 800 clergy and lay deputies elected from the 108 dioceses and three regional areas of the Church. The House of Bishops elects the Bishop, who is then sent to the House of Deputies to confirm or not confirm the election. X 13
Letter from Bishop Smith Bishop Smith Sent the Following to the Diocese on May 1, 2015 Dear Friends in Christ, The announcement was made today that I am one of four candidates put forward by the Joint Nominating Committee for the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church. We were asked to not make any public statements until the announcement was made. I now write to express a number of thoughts. I am deeply honored to be on this list of candidates. From the first moment I was approached about this nomination from a number of people, I have been continuously surprised to be in this process. This slate of candidates is a strong group of leaders and I am pleased for the Episcopal Church. The slate put forward by the nominating committee also includes: The Rt. Rev. Michael Curry of the Diocese of North Carolina, The Rt. Rev. Ian Douglas of the Diocese of Connecticut, and The Rt. Rev. Tom Breidenthal of the Diocese of Southern Ohio. Of equal importance to me is this reality. We are not competitors for the role of Presiding Bishop. We are available to the call of Our Lord and the Church. They are my colleagues and my friends. I am so proud to be the Bishop of the Diocese of Southwest Florida. I already know that I am called to be the bishop here. If the Lord calls me to this new role, that calling will be very clear. In the mean time, I love serving with and among you. If I am
not elected I will continue doing what I already know, value, appreciate, and enjoy. You are always a blessing to me and I remain grateful for you in my heart and in my prayers. The great work in this diocese continues. The goals laid out for future development of leaders, congregations, Dayspring, and financial resources continue to claim my attention as well as the bishop’s staff, the Diocesan Council, the Standing Committee, and other leaders from across the diocese. We are a healthy diocese with great claims upon us for the bold, compelling witness of the Gospel. If I am elected Presiding Bishop, the exciting work here will continue. If I remain the fifth bishop of this fine diocese, the exciting work here will continue. I thank you for your faithfulness. I ask for your prayers. You always remain in my prayers. Faithfully yours, Dabney Smith
On Being a Deacon in Southwest Florida Deacons Connect Congregations to the Community By The Rev. Canon Michael Durning Canon to the Ordinary
WHILE WE MIGHT see and know our local deacon at work in the parish, what is often overlooked is the larger role played by the Deacon among the 14 counties that make up the Diocese of Southwest Florida. In its newly-minted handbook entitled The Discernment Journey, our Commission on Ministry tells us that the word “deacon” is derived from the Greek meaning “servant” or “envoy”. The Deacon must learn to be in the church and in the world as servants, and to energize and inspire servant hood in others– helping the Laity to discover places where they can connect with God in Christ beyond the worship services in the Church. Deacons in our Diocese carry this out in a rich variety of ways working with the homeless, food pantries, social work, and in chaplaincies for hospitals, schools, prisons, and the military. Our Deacons are often on mission teams continued on next page 14
Present and past deacons in Southwest Florida. At top,The Rev. Gretchen Platt (left) and husband Ken with volunteers sorting canned goods for donation at Annual Convention in Punta Gorda in 2014 as part of the annual Canly Cup food competition. At far right are the three who are set to be ordained as deacons June 13 (see p. 14), including Rosalind Hall, Cynthia Roehl and Pamela Milhan. Below, Deacon Alisa Carmichael at a food truck rally at St.Anselm’s USF Chapel Center.
continued from previous page in the Dominican Republic. They also bring a wide variety of life experience to this ministry. While many of our deacons serve proudly in blue-collar occupations, there are also physicians, lawyers, professors, social workers, and therapists. Many of our deacons are now retired from secular employment. All deacons must retire at the age of 72 and are thereafter permitted to serve in annual appointments by the Bishop. The norm for deacon formation in our Diocese is enrollment in the Diocesan School for Ministry Development. The School accepts those named as Postulants by the Bishop. Students must successfully complete over 700 contact hours of classes and Field Education. This usually takes two to twoand-a-half years to complete. Studies include Academics (the Bible, Prayer Book, Church History, etc.), Diaconia and the Diaconate, Human Awareness and Understanding, Spiritual Development and Discipline, as well as Practical Training and Experience. At ordination the Deacon promises to: • Be guided by the pastoral direction and leadership of the Bishop • Be faithful in prayer and in the reading and study of the Holy Scriptures • Look for Christ in all others, being ready to help and serve those in need • Do their best to pattern their life in accordance with the teachings of Christ, so to be a wholesome example to all people • Seek not their own glory but the Glory of the Lord Christ Deacons serve at the pleasure of the Bishop and are directly under the Bishop’s oversight. 15
Upcoming Ordinations
June 13 at Cathedral ST. PETERSBURG - The Diocese of Southwest Florida will ordain
three to the Sacred Order of Deacons on Saturday, June 13 at 11 a.m. Candiates for ordination are: • Pamela Hope Arnold Milhan, St. Anne of Grace, Seminole • Rosalind Katherine Hall, Church of the Nativity, Sarasota • Cynthia Ann Roehl, St. Vincent’s, St Petersburg The ordination service will begin at 11 a.m. at the Cathedral Church of St. Peter, St. Petersburg. X
It is a longstanding tradition that those being ordained to the priesthood must serve first as a deacon for at least six months before ordination as a priest. Because of this, the expectation is that the diaconate is the foundation of all ordained ministry. There are separate canons in the Episcopal Church that govern the formation of deacons intending to be made a priest and those remaining exclusively in the diaconate. X Find The Discernment Journey online at episcopalswfl.org keyword "Discernment"
Want to know more ? • Read the Prayer Book, pages, 510-555, especially pages 536-547 • Come to the Commission on Ministry’s “Vocation Information Gathering” Tuesday, October 6, 2015 at DaySpring. Contact Tana Sembiante at Diocesan House, 941-556-0315 • Have a talk with your local deacon. Call Archdeacon Dennis McManis at 941-556-0315 • Speak with your priest or another deacon. 15
Deacons Deacons in our Diocese serving in ministry: Abrams,The Rev. Dr. Mary E., St. Paul’s Backhaus,The Rev. O. Keith (Keith), St. Mark,Venice Barley,The Rev. Linda E., Church of the Ascension, Clearwater Bauknight Jr.,The Rev. Mack M., St.Augustine, St. Petersburg Carmichael,The Rev.Alisa R. (Alisa), St.Anselm’s Chapel, USF Carter,The Rev. James L. (Jim), St. Dunstan,Tampa Cartwright,The Rev. Gary E., Holy Innocents’, Valrico Champlin,The Rev. George C. (Charlie), Iona-Hope Cole,The Rev. Elaine A. Cort,The Rev.Aubrey E., Epiphany Creelman Jr.,The Rev. Benjamin L. , St. James, Port Charlotte Earle III,The Rev. Richard T., St.Vincent, St. Petersburg Gilpin,The Rev. Kathlyn C., Cathedral of St. Peter, St. Petersburg Grinnell,The Rev. Dr. Lynn D., Grace Episcopal Church,Tampa Griscom,The Rev. Donald W. (Don) Healy,The Rev. Denise C., Holy Innocents’,Valrico Henderson,The Rev. Susan E., Epiphany, Cape Coral Jamieson,The Rev. Sandra S.C (Sandy), Holy Trinity, Clearwater Johnson,The Rev. Sandra P. (Sandy),All Souls Kelly,The Rev. Jane Y., Good Shepherd, Punta Gorda Koor,The Rev. Margaret Leanillo,The Rev. Ricardo I. (Rick), St. Elizabeth Lopez,The Rev. Mary Alice, St. Mark,Tampa Maranville,The Rev. Irvin W., Maranville,The Rev. Joyce M. Martin,The Rev. Barbara J., St. Paul McPherson,The Rev.Thomas D. , Epiphany Morlock,The Rev. Linda S.L., St.Wilfred Mort,The Rev. Kevin D., St. Matthew Moyers,The Rev.William R., St. John, Naples Paul,The Rev. Rocks-Anne Platt,The Rev. Gretchen M., Christ Church, Bradenton Rogers,The Rev.Allan D., St. Boniface, Sarasota Rose,The Rev. Roland, St.Augustine, St. Petersburg Runza,The Rev. Lorraine R. , St. John, Clearwater Sands,The Rev. Melissa M. , Calvary, Indian Rocks Beach Serfes,The Rev. Patricia M., All Saints Sircy,The Rev. Micheal J. , Christ Church, Bradenton Sistrunk,The Rev. Robert W. (Wayne) Smith,The Rev. Nancy M., All Souls Thomas,The Rev. Micki-Ann (Micki), St. David’s, Englewood Tremmel,The Rev. Marcia A. Treppa,The Rev. Joyce L, St. Mark,Venice Vaughn,The Rev. Robert J. , St. Edmund,Arcadia Wallner,The Rev. Ludwig J. Watkins,The Rev. Lucien A., St. Bartholomew, St. Petersburg Wilkes,The Rev. Hugh E., St. Elizabeth 16
Here, Deaconess Harriet Bedell with the Seminole Indians at Glade Cross Mission in Everglades City in 1958. Her life is celebrated by The Episcopal Church each January. The photo is from the Florida Memory Project of the State Library and Archives of Florida.
Deacon Facts •
• •
The Bishop delegates much of the administration of diaconal matters to Archdeacon Dennis McManis, who also serves as Dean of the school that forms and trains deacons. A Council of Deacons advises the Bishop on matters pertaining to the diaconate There are 72 deacons living in the Diocese of Southwest Florida. Of these,15 are not “canonically resident” — even though they are living in Southwest Florida and are working with the permission of our Bishop, they were ordained elsewhere and remain accountable to another bishop..
New Mission and Leadership Camps at DaySpring This Summer Campers participate in a program designed to connect young people’s lives with the love of Christ By The Rev. John Palarine Canon for Program and Youth
PARRISH - ALONG with the tradi-
tional weeks of DaySpring Summer Camp, for the summer of 2015 there are offerings of new programs with an emphasis on development and training for youth ministry in the local congregation. A new program for 2015 is Middle School Mission Camp. Congregations are invited to bring groups of middle schoolers and adults to this extraordinary week using DaySpring as the base as groups fan out each day for mission projects. The purpose of the week is not only to give young people an experience of mission but to offer inspiration and training to encourage ongoing mission in the each congregation. Teams will be trained in “youth led” mission and will be given the tools to create a vision and plan for outreach and mission in their own communities and beyond. Leading the camp is Michele Perry. Born without her left hip and leg, Michele Perry is no stranger to seeming impossibilities. So when she arrived in war torn Southern Sudan with little more than her faith in God’s promises she did what ev-
THEME FOR 2015:
CALLED to SERVE Philippians 2: 1-11 17
Here, a scene from camp in 2014. the 31st year of Episcopal Camp in Southwest Florida.
eryone told her was crazy: she opened a home for orphaned children in the middle of guerilla warfare territory and became “mama” to over one hundred little lives. Her own story is just as compelling as the ministry she is living. From working in the slums of India to finding her home in war ravaged Africa, Michele’s life has been a journey deeper into the transforming power of God. She will be with us for the week of Mission Camp and will inspire us to live the life of service. The Diocesan Youth Ministries in partnership with Youth Presence Ministries is offering a week of leadership training for groups of high school youth and adult leaders. YP Ministries was established to help every congregation develop a strong youth presence. The training programs have been in research, development
and implementation for over 30 years. In the “After Damascus” training, teens will learn 16 leadership skills that will prepare them not only for leadership in their churches but in their schools, communities and in all facets of their lives. Congregations are asked to bring teams of senior high and adults so that they can implement “youth led ministry” in their congregation upon their return. For 2015, Leadership Camp will feature Fran McKendree, a nationally known Christian musician and conference leader. The goal of Diocesan youth ministry is to touch young people’s lives with the love of Christ and to transform congregations through their leadership and presence. We invite clergy, youth leaders (adults and teens) to join us in this sacred and exhilarating journey. X
Programs and Dates Elementary Summer Camp June 7-12 Rising 3rd – 5th Grade, $390 All the traditional and fun camp activities at DaySpring for students going into the 3rd grade to 5th grade. Chaplain: The Rev. John Palarine, Canon for Program and Youth Middle School Summer Camp June 14-19, $390, Rising 6th-8th Grade Full camp activities and program for middle schoolers, led by clergy and lay leaders. Chaplain: The Rev. Canon Michael Durning, Canon to the Ordinary, Diocese of Southwest Florida High School Summer Camp June 21-26, $390, Rising 9th-12th Canoeing, high rope, sports and zip line with even more additions for 2015. Chaplain: The Rev. Bryan O’ Carroll, Rector, St. George’s, Bradenton Middle School Mission Camp July 19-24, $390, 6th-8th, adult leaders Learn about and experience day missions. Featuring missionary Michelle Perry, Children’’s Village, South Sudan. Chaplain: The Rev. David Bumsted, Church of the Redeemer, Sarasota Senior High Leadership Camp July 26-31, $390, Rising 9th to 12th, plus adult leaders Teams of senior high and adults will participate in leadership training for youth in partnership with Youth Presence Ministries. Raise up the leadership of young people for your parish or mission. Chaplain is the Rev. Eric Kahl, St. Mary’s Tampa; music special guest is Fran McKendree
Contact 2015 SUMMER CAMP DIOCESE OF SOUTHWEST FLORIDA
The Rev. Dr. John Palarine Canon for Program and Youth 941-556-0315, cell 941-807-9906 jpalarine@episcopalswfl.org Katie Arp Camp Director 813-833-8102 karp@mail.usf.edu
18
Weeklong Sessions at DaySpring A $390 fee for one week includes room, all meals and activities fees. Programs offered include canoeing, archery, high ropes, zip line, bible study, worship, team leadership training, tennis, basketball and court games. Water slides provide fun and relief from the heat. Participants are invited to participate in a talent show and sing, play a musical instrument they bring from home (piano is provided), dance or make up a skit. The Hootenanny and Capture the Flag are all traditions of the camp. X
Michelle Mercurio Registrar, 941-556-0315 mmercurio@episcopalswfl.org
Photos & Blog Follow us online at campdayspring.org
Art
Window of St. Andrew’s Stained glass may be ancient, but it is alive at St.Andrew’s,Tampa. New windows, writes The Rev. John Reese, help children see the Bible as they worship. IN 2009, ST. Andrew’s in Tampa built a
Children’s Chapel. Part of that project was series of windows. Our first window was Jesus and the Little Children, completed by Bovard Studios of Iowa back when the chapel was first built. The other ten windows were made over the course of several years by Carlos Velasco of Oldsmar of Katglass, the Stained Glass Studio of Clearwater. These windows depict Biblical scenes that children can easily understand. The windows tell the stories in a chronological fashion, with five Old Testament events on one side of the chapel and five New Testament stories on the other side. From the Old Testament we have Adam & Eve in the Garden (with serpent and apple), Noah and the Ark (with lots of animals), Moses and the Ten Commandments, David & Goliath (an action scene showing David slinging a stone at Goliath), and Daniel in the Lions’ Den. The New Testament windows depict the Nativity, The Baptism of Jesus by John, Jesus as a Young Boy in the Temple, The Crucifixion, and The Resurrection. The windows were given by several families of the parish. One family gave both the Daniel window and the Baptism of Jesus by John window in honor of their sons, who are named Daniel and John. X St. Andrew’s, located in downtown Tampa, has an an online tour of all their windows at saintandrewstampa.org 19
Five of the windows were based on stories from the Old Testament and five from stories in the New Testament. The panels combined traditional stained glass techniques along with painted and fused glass accents. Clockwise the Natvity, David and Goliath and Noah’s Ark. Photos courtesy of Katglass Stained Glass Studio.
Christian Living
The Countercultural Sabbath
Observing the Sabbath is a healthy spiritual discipline. The Rev. Jim Popham asks us to reconsider our Sundays, using that rest for its true purpose, a testimony to our preference for God’s kingdom, in a world that needs it more than ever.
MOST OF US with graying temples re- to the choir. After all, it’s Sunday morn- press line, and we had no time for a theo-
call the time when nearly every business was closed on Sunday. And in many places, so-called “blue laws” required them to be closed. It also was a time when every organization and institution recognized that Sunday morning was for attending church. There were no soccer games or practices. The swimming pool did not open until noon. And no one was expected to be at work except for firefighters, deputy sheriffs, doctors, nurses, disc jockeys…and priests. Now we live in a different world. As I would drive to work in Calgary at 7 a.m. on Sunday mornings, I could always count on seeing many more cars at the hockey rinks and shopping centers than I would see in the church parking lot. We no longer have the luxury of living in a Christian culture. Our nation now is more pluralistic religiously, and, perhaps, we must grudgingly admit that we never had the right – even though we had the power – to impose the dictates of our religion on others. But it was convenient, wasn’t it? We could go to church on Sunday and rest on Sunday because there was nothing else we could do. Now we face a formidable challenge in living as followers of Christ and observing the Fourth Commandment in a culture that rejects and even flouts our values. Now I know that I am preaching 20
ing, and we are not at Winks or the Good Times Diner or Maria’s – at least, not yet. We are in church, and to that extent we might be said to keeping the Sabbath holy. But, more to the point, how many of us today will refrain from stopping at Publix or Winn-Dixie or having lunch at Howard’s or Lock and Key or McDonald’s or Burger King or Subway? How many of us might even pop into Stein Mart or Wal-Mart? Anyone going to mow the yard or pull weeds? Do we draw a line between gardening we enjoy, and yard work that is a chore? One of the classic rabbinical interpretations of the Fourth Commandment permits activities on the Sabbath only if they could not have been done the day before or the day after the Sabbath. Could we have mowed yesterday? Will we starve if we wait until tomorrow to wander the aisles of Publix or Winn-Dixie? Yet, these are legitimate questions, and they are questions that we confront every week. Where do we draw the line? One Sunday in Calgary, I stopped at a Safeway store on the way home from church, wearing my collar. The clerk at the checkout challenged me on shopping on the Sabbath. I would love to have seen the look on my face. Of course, she was working on the Sabbath, but it was an ex-
logical debate. Being called out like that gave me pause, and still engenders some spiritual angst. What is Sabbath all about…really? The Sabbath is about rest. It is about the God who created us. It is about our identity as followers of Christ. In the creation stories in Genesis, God rested on the seventh day. We might wonder whether God really could be tired or vulnerable to fatigue, but we know full well that we can get tired and very much used up. Sabbath rest demands that we disengage from a culture that glorifies productivity, exploits and exhausts workers, and uses people up just to fatten the bottom line. Sabbath rest insists that we take respite from frantic consumption, frantic exercise, and even frantic leisure. To a Hebrew people just delivered out of the seven-day weeks of slave labor, the Sabbath was release from endless productivity and an offering of “safe, secure rest, and well-being.” But Sabbath rest is more than practical and even more than a commandment. It is holy. Sabbath rest is part of the fabric and structure of God’s creative work. That’s why succumbing to the lures of power and control and riches with all their attendant anxiety is more than debilitating and destructive. It is an affront to God’s fundamental creative order. Indeed, to ignore the strictures of the Sab-
bath is to desecrate the Sabbath, to gut the sacred of its holiness. So when we observe a Sabbath, we not only become more human, we honor and proclaim God’s creative purposes in a world that desperately needs to remember who created it. As such, Sabbath rest is testimony to our preference for God’s kingdom and God’s vision over that of our increasingly secular and consumerist culture. The Jews thought the Sabbath was only for them and their families and even their slaves and guests and livestock. Sabbath observance was part of their identity. Jesus made clear that the Sabbath was for everyone. And now for us, too, observing the Sabbath should be something that identifies us as followers of Christ. In a nation that boasts of religious tolerance and freedom, we may have no business visiting our way of life on others. But we must be just as resistant to having the culture visit its way of life on us. That will take more than a little courage and may invite some real inconvenience. It was courageous and inconvenient when Eric Liddell refused to run on Sunday in the 1924 Olympics. It was even more courageous and very much more than inconvenient for Jewish soldiers in the Maccabean wars who refused to fight or resist when attacked on the Sabbath. They died rather than turn their backs on who they were. We are not asked to give up that much. But to surrender some convenience just to remind ourselves who we are and to remind the world of the loving and gracious God who ordained a time for work and a time for play. Is that really so much to ask? X About the Author: The Rev. James Popham is Rector of St. David’s, Englewood. Before arriving in Florida, he served at Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Calgary, Alberta. 21
Christian Living Walking in Spirit
The Holy Spirit is not as complicated or diffcult as we think, writes The Rev. Charles H. Mann.
OVER THE COURSE of the weeks testimonies of how God’s Spirit moved
leading up to Pentecost - much of the lessons that we will hear have to do with the Spirit of God – the third Person of the Trinity. It was His Spirit that moved in creation. It was His Spirit that breathed life into mankind. Jesus came to us by the Holy Spirit - God incarnate. He taught, He did miracles, and He ascended - all the while living and walking in sync with the Spirit. But before Jesus ascended, He said that he must go so that the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, can come. That means coming to us and being active in our lives. Sometimes the Holy Spirit might seem a bit frightening to some people. There is a lot of bad teaching out there saying you “have” to have this gift or that gift, etc. But in reality, God is more than a gentleman. He doesn’t force Himself on anyone. However, God does want to be a part of our lives, to guide us and to help us walk through our Christian journey - in our jobs, in our homes, in our ministry and in life in general. God is certainly not dead and neither is His Spirit that dwells in all who call on Him. He does empower us with gifts to be used in our journey with Him. When I worked in the defense industry, there were many times that God led me in my job in special ways and opened many doors for me. He gave me counsel and direction when I sought it. Debbie, my wife and R.N., has many
when working with her patients. One special event was a patient who awoke from a coma as she and another nurse prayed for him. (That hospital encouraged prayer.) It really is exciting. God’s Spirit does move in and through us. When we accept Christ into our lives, we actually receive everything that He is and has for us. However, it is up to us to be willing and open to listen and be used by Him – that comes through prayer and seeking after Him. And the fruit of that is enormous. Paul reminds us that the fruit of Spirit that we experience is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and selfcontrol in our lives. What that means is that these are the outcomes of Him working through us. Can you imagine experiencing all that in your life? So as we worship in this season of Pentecost, let us remember that God truly wants to use us. As many of us pray every Sunday: Father, send us out into the world, to do the work you have called us to do… That work is accomplished by the leading of the Holy Spirit. Ask Him to lead you. Ask Him to fill you with His presence. Then walk out your life in Christ expecting Him to work through you. X The Rev. Chuck Mann is rector of Church of the Nativity, Sarasota.
Mission
The Church in the Marketplace While hospitals, schools, prisons and the military are traditionally associated with having staff chaplains, Adrienne R. Hymes believes there is opportunity in the marketplace. TAMPA - I believe that God’s grace can in the hospital setting, through patient and meaning in vocation.
be found in the ordinary moments of life where people live, work and play. In any given workplace, one finds all three, inextricably entangled. As I walk on holy ground throughout the halls of Morton Plant Hospital as a chaplain resident, my primary role is to provide pastoral care for patients and their families. The nature of the hospital context is unique in that it is at once a site of patient care and a complex workplace. This setting uniquely positions me to serve as chaplain to the direct caregivers (physicians, nurses and patient care technicians) as well as the ancillary staff, many of whom work on the “margins” of direct patient care, including the cafeteria, environmental services, housekeeping and security. For the past three years, I have been researching and writing about an unsung ministry that meets people where they are in the workplace, in its myriad expressions. This fascinating and vibrant instrument of mission in the mission field of the marketplace is known as workplace chaplaincy. As I compare my on-the-ground experience as a chaplain in the hospital with my 13 years of experience in corporate life in the public relations industry, I am struck by the common denominator of the shared “circle of life”—the human experiences of birth, life and death. I have observed this circle manifesting explicitly 22
family care, and implicitly in the institutional workplace of the hospital, through my care for the staff.
Parallel to the Parish In many workplace environments one can identify every life event — birth, life and death—unfolding where people labor. Birth events, for example, happen when an individual enters a new work environment. Just as a baby learns to speak the native tongue of the community in which it is formed, a new employee must learn their company’s industry lingo. Babies learn to crawl before they walk, and so does the new hire. This can be seen most clearly in young adults or recent college graduates entering the professional workforce for the first time, as well as individuals who are re-entering the workforce after many years. For someone who is a part of a professional team, “life” reflects the ongoing navigation of the unpredictable terrain of a workplace’s unique politics, survival tactics, productivity expectations and organizational dynamics. In this period of “life” in a workplace, individuals spend as much, if not more, time with their colleagues outside of the home than they do with their own families. It is in this space that an individual may experience sustained periods of hopelessness, isolation and lack of
The dying processes and death events in the workplace may manifest, for example, in the sudden death of a job, due to an involuntary layoff, or a carefully-planned voluntary retirement which has finally become reality. Both can create emotional and spiritual pain for the individual as well as for the workers who are left behind. Whether or not the loss of the job or career is involuntary or voluntary, there is a sense of loss leading up to, and at the time of, the “death.” Where there is loss, its steady companion, grief (anticipatory and com-
The Rev. Hugh White A forgotten effort at workplace chaplaincy is the work of The Rev. Hugh C. White Jr., who in 1965 founded the Detroit Industrial Mission. White’s idea was to provide spiritual support to workers on the production lines of the major automobile manufacturers of Detroit. The effort was intended to be an active partner to parish ministry by entering into the workplace. White detailed his work in the book Mission to Metropolis: A Total Strategy.
plicated and in its many expressions) is not far behind. The Paschal Mystery, Jesus’ passion, death and Resurrection, is the foundation from which I am able to meet the person where they are in their own experiences of suffering, death and resurrection.
The Chaplain at Work
Individuals are incapable of leaving their “personal” life at the entrance of their workplace because it can never be separated from their “professional” life. Disruption in the home, or strained personal relationships, translates into a distracted worker on the job and strained work relationships. The whole person enters the workplace and everything they care about enters with them. There is little dispute whether or not there is a need for spiritual support for people in the places where they labor. Just as there are priests functioning in longestablished and recognized chaplaincies in the military, hospitals, schools and prisons, there are priests, albeit fewer, who function as chaplains in the specialized mission field of the workplace. Employers and employees are always in deep need of support from a spiritual caregiver who can walk alongside them, in the places where they work, as they address distractions in their lives that affect their productivity and sense of vocational meaning. A large part of the workplace chaplain’s role is supporting the worker in the process of meaning-making and how all parts of life are integrated. While there is a role for the prophet, who leads by word and example, the priest functioning as a workplace chaplain can be described as a mystagogue. According to the late Episcopal priest, the Rev. Urban T. Holmes, the priest as “mystagogue” leads the people into the mystery that surrounds life, and deepens humankind’s understanding of 23
A workplace chaplain can gain access to secular frontiers closed to the Church. itself by work and action, by the very nature of the priest’s presence. As a chaplain, I am able to support an individual in the process of meaning making by viewing secular situations through the sacramental lenses of Holy Baptism and Holy Eucharist, and by offering different perspectives grounded in the sacraments.
ment of God’s mission, already at work, in the mission field of the marketplace. Workplace chaplaincy as it has been, and is currently practiced, in the U.S. and in the U.K., is an historically-respected instrument of mission which has successfully penetrated frontiers traditionally closed to the Church. God is doing a new thing and God is calling the Episcopal Church to reclaim workplace chaplaincy as a viable instrument for moving the Church from maintenance to mission in the 21st century. X
Kingdom Building
A workplace chaplain can gain access to secular frontiers traditionally closed to the Church. Engaging the vibrant mission field of the marketplace with the ministry of workplace chaplaincy offers a wealth of opportunity for the building of God’s kingdom in the world and for the upbuilding of the Church. The parish priest who functions as a workplace chaplain builds the bridges from the congregation to the mission field by sharing the body of Christ outside the walls of the Church and by being the body of Christ broken for the world just outside the church doors. As an active partner to parish ministry, workplace chaplaincy contributes to congregational vitality by strengthening the relevance of the Church in existing parishioners’ lives beyond Sunday, thereby deepening the relationship. When appropriate, it may also invite those in secular spaces, who do not yet know Christ, to explore and engage the faith, potentially attracting new members to the parish. Workplace chaplaincy has the potential to be a powerful witness to God’s use of the Episcopal Church as an instru-
About the Author: Adrienne R. Hymes, M.Div. is a 2014 graduate of Virginia Theological Seminary and member of Church of the Ascension in Clearwater. She is a former public relations and marketing corporate executive with a specialization in healthcare. She is an internationally published author on the subject of workplace chaplaincy. Her master’s thesis is entitled, Liberating Workplace Chaplaincy from Under the Bushel Basket: An Exploration of Workplace Chaplaincy Models and Practices in the U.S. and the U.K. and the Opportunities for the Episcopal Church (2014). She is currently serving as a full-time Clinical Pastoral Education chaplain resident at Morton Plant Hospital in Clearwater.
Evangelism
Going to the Gates What we offer in Christ’s name can make a world of difference, writes The Rev. David Danner of All Angels by the Sea. Perhaps we need to take a look at where the world is on fire, and go there. SOME ADVICE COMMONLY he had seen. Shortly thereafter they to the South China Sea, people are
heard these days is, “Don’t sweat the small stuff.” In other words, pay attention to what is truly important in life and let the rest pass. For example, is it really going to make a difference five years from now that the woman ahead of you in the express check-out lane has 11 items rather than 10? Now having said that, I must also affirm that small acts of kindness can make a world of difference. Indeed, Drew University professor Leonard Sweet has said that the "cup of cold water" which we offer in Christ’s name douses the flames of hell with the waters of eternity. Isn’t that a powerful image! Have you ever been to hell? William Booth, used as an example by Sweet, discovered hell one night when he was unable to sleep. Having tossed and turned for what seemed an eternity, Booth decided to get up and go for a walk. He journeyed into a part of London where he had never been before. Booth spent the rest of the night taking in sights and odors which he had never experienced. When he arrived home in the wee hours of the morning, his wife Catherine was almost frantic. "Where in the world have you been?" she cried out. Booth replied, "Catherine, I've been to hell." He then told her what 24
founded the Christian Revival Society, later renamed the Salvation Army. Have you been to hell? "Been to hell and back..." is an old expression. Is there anyone here who has never been to hell in his or her personal life? I bet all of you have. But there are many kinds of hell on this earth with which we may be unfamiliar. Have you experienced the hell of our inner cities, the hell of rural poverty, the hell created by racial bigotry, the hell of homelessness and addiction, to name just a few of the hells which infest our land? True enough, we are not called to live in hell; we are called to live in heaven. But as Dante found out, you can't get to heaven without going through hell first. The world is on fire...a world torn asunder by hatred and strife, a world which feels unredeemed, a world that is God's worst nightmare, a creation about which God can no longer say: "It is good." Yes, there may be a few long-time trouble spots such as Northern Ireland and Sri Lanka where an uneasy peace between warring factions has been accomplished, but just when we think that we’ve achieved a degree of stability such as in Iraq, ancient hatreds rise to the fore. And not only there, but around the globe from the Ukraine, to Sudan,
killing one another. What can we do about the mess we are making of God's creation? What role can the church play? How can we fight against evil, in an effort to make our world such that God can once again say, as God did upon the last day of creation, "It is very good?" Before setting out for his final journey to Jerusalem, Jesus gathered his disciples together in a place called Caesarea Philippi, the capital city of the Roman puppet, King Herod. It was there that Jesus asked his followers, “Who do you say that I am?” and Peter had his break-through moment of faith, declaring, “You are the messiah, the son of the living God”. Caesarea Philippi was famous at the time of Jesus for a couple of things. First, it was celebrated for its natural beauty, where several springs and streams formed the headwaters of the Jordan River. Second, here was built a great monument sacred to Pan, the Greek god of nature. Third, a grotto known as the Cave of Pan is found here. This is what the Roman historian Josephus says about the Cave of Pan: “Atop the mountain …a dark cave opens, within which is a horrible precipice that descends abruptly to a vast depth. It contains
a mighty quantity of water, which is immovable; and when anybody lets down anything to measure the depth of the earth beneath the water, no length of cord is sufficient to reach it.” Charles Page, archaeologist and dean of the Jerusalem Center for Biblical Studies, tells us in his book, Jesus and the Land, that rather than calling it the Cave of Pan, local Jews had another name for this fathomless underground grotto; they called it “The Gates of Hades”. In other words, Jesus took his disciples to the very "gates of hell" to ask them if they really understood who he was. He had his disciples stand in front of the entrance to the underworld, in the midst of mighty temples dedicated to the worship of the ancient god of nature, Pan. It was here, according to Matthew’s Gospel, at this defining moment of Peter’s confession of faith, that Jesus responded, “And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build my church, and the gates of Hell will not prevail against it.” Cricketer Charles Thomas Stud was the best known athlete of his day. In 1885, at the age of 25, he not only gave up his athletic career but also his substantial personal fortune to spend his life in the mission field. To his friends and his family, who could not understand why he gave away the best that this world had to offer for the life of an impoverished missionary in China, India, and Africa, he wrote this little piece of doggerel: Some wish to live within the sound of church or chapel bell; I want to run a rescue shop within a yard of hell. Jesus takes us as he finds us, but Jesus does not leave us as he finds us. Jesus may find us as "hell-raisers" but he turns us into "hell-busters," people 25
who will not let the world get away with social and economic abuse, the denial of respect to all people, and justice for those unable to defend themselves. This has always been, and continues to be, one of the primary tasks of Christians. Consider, for example, one of my favorite hymns, dear to the heart of all Anglophiles, Jerusalem. Written for the text of William Blake’s graphic description of the demise of rural life in England with the dawning of the industrial age, Blake looks beyond the horrors of unbridled industrialization to the birth of a new golden age and the establishment of a New Jerusalem. Bring me my Bow of burning gold; Bring me my Arrows of desire: Bring me my Spear: O clouds unfold! Bring me my Chariot of fire! I will not cease from mental fight, nor shall my sword sleep in my hand: Till we have built Jerusalem, in England’s green and pleasant land. Jerusalem is a rallying cry for Christians to make the land a fit place for the foundation of Heaven on Earth. How do you know when you are hell-busting for God? Jesus tells his disciples that if you live your life as a Christian, you will suffer. When you live with honesty and integrity, you will suffer. When you live for justice, you will suffer. So I ask you this morning: What pain pierces your life today because you bear the name "Christian"? How do you suffer because you dare to be a hell-buster? Sadly, the vast majority of American Christians would have a hard time answering that question. And
frankly, I have to put myself in that same category. If I’m dressed in my clericals, I may receive the occasional stare, or have a difficult question put to me by a stranger, or even receive the odd insult, but do I suffer? Too often, the church is content to go fishing in bathtubs instead of setting out upon the high seas. Bathtub fishing may be fun and easy and safe, but it's certainly not where the fish are. Consider this "fish story" of one hell-buster, detailed in the The Living Church June 9, 2014. Once a thriving parish, the Church of the Good Shepherd in East Chicago had by 2005 dwindled to about 10 elderly white members, none of whom lived in the neighborhood which was now a mix of Hispanics, Blacks, and multi-ethnic immigrants. Unable to keep open the doors of a store-front mission, operated by the church but located several blocks away, the rector then nearing 70, decided to move the mission to the rectory. Canon Cecil Phelps said, “Once we opened the door, there was just no stopping it.” His kitchen is now the midday gathering spot for 50 or more hungry people, including a couple homeless men who sleep each night on his couches. Today, at the age of 75, Canon Cecil Phelps continues to be a “hell buster”, offering a cup of cold water, and far more, in the name of Christ, and thereby in the words of Prof. Sweet, dousing the flames of hell with the waters of eternity. My friends, most of us are beyond the stage of doing much hellraising, but we can still do some hellbusting! X The Rev. David Danner is Rector of All Angels by the Sea, Longboat Key
Food
Culinary Braidentown circa 1901 Perhaps the oldest extant cookbook in the Diocese is Culinary Cullings from Competent Cooks, a project of Christ Church, Bradenton. The booklet presents dozens of elegant recipes from a who’s who of early Florida. PERHAPS THE EARLIEST cookbook in the Diocese of Southwest Florida is Culinary Cullings from Competent Cooks, a project of Christ Church Guild at Christ Church, Bradenton. The booklet was donated to the Diocese by Joanne Steiner, a member of the parish. Her late husband Joe found the booklet at a local antique shop. The book is published in Braidentown, the previous moniker for Bradenton. The old spelling with “I” was apparently a mistake by the U.S. Postal Service, later corrected. The “w” of Braidentown disappeared later, as “ton” sounded better for tourist marketing than “town.” Recipes in the book are of the time. For instance, breads recipes are offered without temperatures. In 1901, when many cooked on wood stoves, the idea of an oven with a thermostat was a rarity, and bread was done when it looked to be done, the only recommendation to keep the oven “fiery hot.” A bread recipe refers to the older “sponge and dough” method where a fermented sponge of yeast is added to a dough mixture. There is also a mention of saleratus, which was an old name for baking soda. While contributors are local surnames like Balis and Fogarty, geographic diversity of the cooks is wide, evidence that while the population in 26
View of Christ Church Sunday School just a few years after the publication of the cookbook, from the archives of the Manatee County Public Library Historical Image Digital Collection. The photo is from 1912, when the church was at 26th St. West.
Southwest Florida at the time was small, the residents came from a wide variety of places to be here during the winter. Contributors include Miss Minnie Warner of Springfield, Mass., Mrs. A. Dicky of Des Moines, Mrs. W.E. Doyle of Owen Sound, Canada; and Mrs. P.E. Colyer of Brooklyn; Mrs. Lee Warner of Havana; and Mrs. R.B. Allison of Decatur, Indiana. Many were influential; R. B. Allison was an organizer of the Bank of Geneva in Indiana and H.L. Coe of New York, was apparently a leading gynecologist who excelled at the game of whist.
Here are some of the recipes. Note, most have ample amounts of butter. We have left older spellings intact, such as collender.
Fried Oysters
Wash and drain in collender; dip one at a time in 2 well beaten eggs, then roll in cracker meal. Fry in hot fat composed of 1/3 butter 2/3 lard. Mrs. Tillis, Fogartyville
Lomo Michad
With a sharp knife cut holes into a roast of beef; into some put pieces of
port, fill the others with cloves, allspice, raisins, almonds, pieces of onion. Put in the oven with some lard and a glass of wine. Bake until done. Mrs. Catalina de Leon, Mexico
Deviled Crab Legacy
Deviled Clams
Wash 8 or 10 large clams through 2 waters; chop fine; add equal amount bread crumbs, ½ cup butter, black and red pepper, a little nutmeg and 2 eggs. Bake in their shells or small dishes. Curry powder and chopped onions may be used also. Biddie
Chicken Omelet
4 eggs 4 tablespoons milk ½ teaspoon salt 4 Tablespoons cold chicken Separate eggs, beat whites and yellows till light, then mix thoroughly, adding milk and salt. Pour in frying pan containing a tablespoon hot butter; when eggs begin to thicken sprinkle the chicken all over it. When thick all through turn out on a hot platter. The fire should not be fiery hot. Miss Lizzie Fogarty
Cracker Macaroni
Slightly brown as many crackers as will fill a pudding dish about two thirds full; put alternate layers of crackers and grated cheese, a little salt, cayenne pepper and butter. Cover with boiling water or milk. Brown in a hot oven. Mrs. Wertz
Pineapple Fritters
Make dough as for biscuits, using a pint of flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, , q tablespoon butter and mix with sweet milk; roll thin, cut in round pieces about 4 or 5 inches in diameter. 27
View of preparations for the Crab Luncheon in Febrary of 1979. The sign says coffee 15 cents a cup. Manatee County Public Library Historical Image Digital Collection.
For over 60 years, Christ Church had a yearly fund raiser called the St. Anne’s Guild Luncheon and Card Party. It began in 1929 to raise money for an organ; in early days the women caught the crabs themselves. Above, a photo from 1979 from the Manatee Historical Society. St. Anne’s still sponsors a yearly fashion show during the high season. Below is their recipe from their more recent cookbook Sunshine Sampler. 1 pound crab meat, fresh or pasteurized 1 (10 3/4 oounces) can cream of mushroom soup 1 cup buttter, divided 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 1 small jar pimentos 2 tablespoon onion, chopped 6 hard-cooked eggs, chopped 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 1 teaspoon Accent 1/2 cup Vermouth 1 1/2 cups bread crumbs Paprika Pick through crab meat for pieces of shell. heat soup ant 3/4 cup butter together. Add Worcestershire sauce, onions, pimentos, eggs, slat, pepper, accent and vermouth. Mix well; stir in crab meat. Refrigerate overnight. pour mixture into buttered casserole. Melt remainng 1/4 cup butter. Add crumbs; coat. Sprinkle crumbs on top of casserole. Dust paprika over top. Bake at 350 for 30 mintues. Makes 6.
Putin each piece several small pieces of pineapple, with sugaer to taste gather up edges like an apple dumpling. Fry in hot fat 2 or 3 inches deep. Serve with hot sauce made of 1 cup sugar, mixed with 1 tablespoon flour, scant tablespoon butter, water to make syrup and ½ cup pineapple juice. Syrup from canned cherries makes a nice addition to this sauce Mrs. John Balis Jr. , Fogartyville
Poor Johns
To every cup of sour milk allow 1 egg, a little salt, 1 teaspoon soda; stir in flour until the batter will drop nicely from a spoon. Drop in hot fat and fry like doughnuts. Serve hot, to be eaten with syrup. One cup milk will make sufficient for a small family. Mrs. Nellie A. Balis
Rusks
1 cup soft yeast or 1 cake compressed yeast 1 cup milk ¼ cup sugar 1 cup flour Sponge at night, and in the morning add yolks 2 eggs, ½ cup sugar, ½ cup butter. Mix soft, let rise very light, make into small biscuit, rise again. Bake and frost with the whites of eggs. Mrs. H. G. Reed (Adelaide)
Boston Brown Bread
1 quart corn meal 1 pint flour 1 cup molasses 1 teaspoon salt 1 pint sour milk 2 teaspoons saleratus dissolved in milk Steam 3 hours. Mrs. H. G. Reed 28
Here, a view of the choir at Christ Church from a 1920 photo from the Manatee County Public Library Historical Image Collection. Notice the mortar boards, which were apparently the custom.
Cheese Straws
1 ½ cups flour 1 cup grated cheese 1 teaspoon butter 1 saltspoon of salt Water to make a stiff dough; roll thin; cut into strips and bake in a quick oven. Mrs. H. Wadham
Cheese Straws
3 tablespoons flour 3 tablespoons cheese 1 tablespoon butter 1 tablespoon milk ½ tablespoon salt 1 egg, yoke only Red pepper to taste. Cut into strips and bake Miss Susan A. Taylor
Mock Duck
Take the round of beefsteak, salt and pepper both sides; prepare a dressing as for turkey, lay it on the meat, sew
up and roast about an hour, and if you don’t see the wings and legs you will think you have a roast duck. Mrs. W.W. Seeley
Soft Gingerbread
1 cup brown sugar 1 cup butter 1 cup molasses 1 cup sour cream or milk 1 tablespoon cinnamon 1 tablespoon ginger 1 teaspoon cloves (ground) 3 cups flour 4 eggs 1 teaspoon soda 1 cup raisins Mix sugar, butter molasses and cram together; add cinnamon, ginger, cloves, yolks of eggs and a little of flour. Beat whites stiff and stir into cake add soda dissolved in water, adding more flour; then stir in raisins and remainder of flour. X
Mission
Innovative Ministry in Ft. Myers Growth at All Souls in North Ft. Myers detailed in excerpts from the congregation’s application to become a parish after three decades of mission. IN ITS MAY 16, 2015 meeting, Diocesan Council approved the application for All Souls, North Ft. Myers to become a full parish in the Diocese of Southwest Florida. The application will next go before Annual Convention in Punta Gorda this October. Below are a few very quick snapshots from their application, which exemplifies what an energetic congregation can do:
24,000 sq ft building on N. Cleveland Ave, where it is today. The building was originally a warehouse, so it took much work to turn the space into a worship center. About 9,000 sq ft of the building was set up to house the Thrift Store with some of the space being rented out. The Thrift Store then started operating full time, five days a week.
Beginnings Initial efforts to start a parish in North Fort Myers began in October of 1986 when several laypersons contacted the Diocese for permission and assistance in establishing a mission. A storefront at 600 Slater Road was selected as an initial meeting site. The first worship service was held on All Souls’ Day, November 2, 1986. There were 38 persons in attendance with Father Alex Comfort officiating. In 1993, All Souls purchased and moved to a
Earned Income The income from the Thrift Store has grown from around $8,000 per year in 1990 to $105,000 per year in 2013. The current year budget is $116,000. These funds make up over half of our church operations budget. We would not be able to have the facility we have and thus have the Outreach Programs we have without the Thrift Store.
pounds (40,825 tons) of food from Marry Chapin Food Bank. Bread/bakery products are donated by local grocery stores and delivered by the Wake Up America Volunteers. Other Wednesday services available include our Parish Nurse, Peggy Asrani, R.N., who is present every week. The local Health Department comes once a month to do testing and give immunizations such as for hepatitis, flu, swine flu and pneumonia. The volunteers in the Thrift Store help clients with clothing and needed household goods from our “back room”. Each month an individual is allowed $10 worth of needed items. Families have a $20-$30 per month allowance. In 2013, the value of items, given to 4,120 families was $49,449.
Major Outreach Activities The Food Pantry has been operating for more than 19 years and provides an essential service for our needy friends and neighbors. Our eligible clients are able to obtain two grocery bags of food items each month. The bags contain a variety of canned and dried goods (fruits, vegetables, peanut butter, tuna fish, pasta, etc.) plus offerings of miscellaneous items including bread, pastries, toilet paper and hygiene items (toothpaste, soap, shampoo). In 2013, we gave out 9,245 such bags of food, serving 22,291 individuals (adults, children, seniors). We purchased 81,650
Unique Support System Most of our congregation is retired or semi-retired. Retirees are looking for ways to be useful and creative and our direction compliments their need for something useful to do. Our financial situation is unique and provides a template for other churches, even if small, providing there is a basic desire by the members of the congregation to participate in activities outside of the normal comfort zone. The willingness to move out of the comfort zone has allowed All Souls to become an integral part of the North Fort Myers Florida community. X
Snapshot of Mission
29
Families Served: Adults: Children: Seniors Total Individuals:
7,635 11,355 3,595 2,336 17,286
Bus Passes: Work boots/shoes: Donated bicycles: Bike locks:
306 23 62 106
Nature
View from DaySpring Treetops A new way to enjoy the abundant nature of DaySpring is the Canopy Walk, situated just north of the St. Thomas Chapel. Slade Nash, Director of Guest Services, tells of this new view of DaySpring, high among the pines. PARRISH - ONE of the more
unique short hikes among our vast acreage at Day Spring Episcopal Camp and Conference Center is our new Canopy Walk. The Canopy Walk lies just behind the St. Thomas Chapel, nestled in the undisturbed tree line overlooking the water lowlands that much of our wildlife depends on. Our Canopy Walk rises 37 feet high in the trees and spans 150 feet in length with several viewing platforms, three separate flights of stairs, and a fun cable bridge. In creating the walk, we wanted to design a canopy walk that just about anyone could enjoy, even those who are afraid of heights. The only skill you need is to be able to climb a few stairs. One nice part about this hike is the many vantage points from which to observe nature around them. We have also added educational signage that refers to specific plants and animals
30
DaySpring’s own Swiss Family Robinson attraction? View up to the Canopy Walk through the entrance garden gate trellis.
that call this beautiful place home. If you are lucky you just might see an osprey or a barred owl taking flight from a perch or a leatherback turtle peeking through the water’s surface. The DaySpring Canopy Walk was constructed during the summer of 2014. It took a team led by our ropes course manager Mark Lindsay, Geof Kledzik and Bryan Poeppelman from Common Ground Adventures as well as Day Spring staff member Ken Provost about three months to create; it opened last fall. Tree house and canopy walk de-
sign has come a long way in recent years, with vastly improved designs to attach weight bearing loads with as little stress on the tree as possible. This is done by using a “Garnier” limb developed by Michael Garnier, which pierces the trunk rather than attaching harmful framework around the surface of the tree. Our canopy walk uses these attachments directly into the trees as well as pole construction to ensure a safe, permanent, and strong construction that we hope to enjoy for many years to come. X
Parish Life
Going Solar Radiates Savings Up on the Roof: St. Anne of Grace finds high-level solutions, reports Judith White. This parish in Seminole found savings of thousands of dollars when they replaced a leaky roof. A DRIPPY, LEAKY roof was the mo-
tivation for St. Anne of Grace Episcopal Church in Seminole finding its “green,” both environmentally and financially. Today, with a rooftop of 126 solar panels, the church is already seeing significant savings in power costs, and is also realizing it can set itself on a path toward future environmental stewardship. St. Anne of Grace, we believe, might be the first church in the diocese to install a solar panel roof. The Diocese has had a Green Team committee dedicated to environmental issues, but no parish has gone as far as St. Anne in going solar. St. Anne’s original attractive, orange, barrel cement tile roof had been repaired before, but the leaks returned, dripping through into the back of the worship space. Fundraising for a new roof was a true up-hill battle for the mission parish, gathering only about $7,500 in member donations and proceeds from a tag sale toward church repairs and cost of a new roof. Along the way, former St. Anne’s parishioner Susie Guise proposed looking into a solar installation on the roof, rather than replacing the barrel tiles, and the church’s Bishop’s Committee took on that question, Junior Warden Elizabeth Walker enthusiastically agreeing to chair the project. Harrimans Solar Inc. of Venice was 31
the winning bidder for St. Anne’s eventual solar project, and Robert Manna II was the sales person who worked with the church. Recently contacted by email, he said, “That roof was meant to have solar panels on it!” Manna said the church’s orientation and the ideal pitch of the roof, and the fact that the church changed to a shingle roof after its barrel cement tile roof all amounted to a huge benefit to the parish. “Not only did you save money on the roof, but you saved on the solar installation as well.” Projections showed that the solar installation might save as much as $1,000 per month on the combined cost of power for the church and the parish hall. In fact, Elizabeth Walker said the first three months’ invoices showed savings of $610.04 in Nov. 2014 over Nov. 2013; savings of $537.06 in Dec. 2014 over Dec. 2013; and $527.43 in Jan. 2015 over Jan. 2014. In addition, she said it was discov-
ered that Duke Energy was incorrectly charging tax to St. Anne’s, which the church successfully applied to have rebated for the past two years, resulting in a refund of all charges from Duke for 2014. Walker said cost for the roof and water damage repair was $30,000, and the solar panel installation project was $85,000. “We borrowed from our endowment fund to cover the cost, and plan to have it paid back in seven years,” she said. Bishop’s Committee Senior Warden Ramsay McLauchlan remarked at the church’s annual meeting in early February that “St. Anne of Grace has an obligation to its past, present, and future parishioners.” The investment in solar panels, he said, is about that commitment. “The solar panels will not only provide for our current needs but will help put us in a strong financial situation for years to come. Our savings are allowing us to both expand our current programs and re-invest in our endowment. As we grow at St. Anne of Grace, we must always remember those that came before us, as well as those who will be here long after we are gone. It is in this spirit that we are so excited about the completion of this project.” X Find out more about St. Anne of Grace at stanneofgrace.com
Around the Diocese
News from our Parishes Cathedral Church of St. Peter St. Peter’s presentation of Noye’s Fludde on April 17 was a grand success. It was the Cathedral’s largest and most ambitious musical presentation to date. Dwight Thomas, the director and moving force behind the production, conducted; Rim Karnavicius was Noah and Melissa Misener was Mrs. Noah. The flop-eared bunny, mice, and other “animals” were portrayed by members of the Tampa Bay Children’s Choir and the Gulf Coast Youth Choir.
Church of the Epiphany, Cape Coral The parish is now hosting a Lutheran congregation that has lost its property. After consultations with The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, congregation Christ Lutheran moved to Epiphany Sunday, April 19 after it lost its mortgaged building. The arrangement will allow Christ Lutheran to worship at Epiphany until the congregation figures out a longterm plan. Epiphany Priest-in-Charge Ryan Wright offered to help the Lutheran’s when their situation became dire, and the Christ Lutheran eventually accepted the offer. Church of the Nativity, Sarasota Six members of Church of the Nativity visited San Nicolas, Nicaragua in midApril to meet their sponsored children and to view the work the parish is doing there through World Vision. In the past three years, members of Nativity have sponsored more than 35 children in San Nicolas and elsewhere through World Vision and Compassion International. 32
Church of the Redeemer, Sarasota Sixty-six women gathered Monday, 4 May for the Heart to Heart Book Club’s selection The Perfume Collector by Kathleen Tessaro. Jeanne Dyson planned and organized the luncheon. Vanessa Smith, Christine Sporrer, Connie Bulawka, Kay Chandler, Doreen Dziepak, Caroline Ryan, Kathleen Carmichael, Jane Swartzentruber and Linda Robinson all helped prepare food. Jack Carmichael, Tim Ryan, Craig Lefebvre and Fr. Fred Robinson assisted in setting up, and Ruth Keller contributed to the ambience French melodies played from smartphone.
Holy Innocents’, Valrico Holy Innocents’ held a service entirely on the digital platform, including service bulletin, hymnal, prayer requests and gospel readings. The digital effort, entitled Integration Sunday, was led by the youth group and leader Rachel Schnabel. The effort to get the parish online for the service included a technology session where members went online to learn apps like eBible, and have youth train the others in using technology. A short run of paper bulletins were still handed out by the youth ushers in case some did not have electronic devices. The Rev. Doug Sharf encouraged the experiment. St. John’s, Naples On February 1, 2015, during the 11:15 a.m. service, St. John’s Episcopal Church in Park Shore of Naples joyfully celebrated 44 years of ministry and also the Restoration
Completion encompassing six years of restoring St. John’s campus. A reception followed honoring Bishop and Mrs. Dabney Smith. St. Michael and All Angels, Sanibel St. Michael and All Angels’ History and Archives Committee produced a video documentary of the parish’s first 40 years. Narrated by Kevin Pierce, it features interviews with parishioners who tell the story of the parish, which first held services in 1958. The committee premieres the film on Monday, April 20 in the Parish Hall. St. Paul’s, Naples Sophia Carter, daughter of Paul & Elizabeth Carter has been awarded a scholarship by the Society of St. Paul’s Endowment Committee of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Naples. A graduate of Saint John Newman High School, her high academic achievements include maintaining Honor Roll participating in the Forum for Engineering & Technology at Olin College of Engineering. X
Events
2015 Calendar
Anne Elstun and Julie DiOrio at St. Thomas, Snell Isle, St. Petersburg. The St. Thomas parish was host to a convocation in the fall of 2014.
Convocations Prepare for Convention EACH FALL, THE Diocese holds three “Convocation” meetings to hear about the upcoming convention, vote on deanery representation to Diocesan Council and learn about the Diocese from Bishop Smith and the Diocesan House Staff. This year, convocations are: • Manasota/Venice Deanery Convocation Tuesday, Sept. 8 • Ft. Myers/Naples Convocation Wednesday, Sept. 9 • Clearwater/St. Petersburg and Tampa Convocation on Thursday, Sept. 10. You can find out more at episcopalswfl.org under the GOVERNANCE tab. Here, the late Judy Michie of St. Raphael’s, Ft. Myers Beach at Convocation in Bonita Springs. A beloved parishioner of St. Raphael’s, she died April 8, 2015.
Bishop Smith on the Jumbotron, August 29 2014. Photo by Skip Milos, Tampa Bay Rays.
Diocesan Events September 11- 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 August 15 - Stewardship Training September 15, 16 - QuickBooks & ACS User Days September 29 - Healthcare Benefits Workshop October 27 - Budgeting Workshop
Youth Events & Camps June 7-12 - Elementary Summer Camp June 14-19 - Middle School Summer Camp June 21-26 - High School Summer Camp July 19-24 - Middle School Mission Camp July 26-31 - High School Leadership Camp September 26 - Acolyte Festival, Cathedral Church of St. Peter November 13-15 - New Beginnings #58 (Middle School)
Visit us at episcopalswfl.org for more information; look for EVENTS tab. Events at DaySpring Episcopal Center unless noted otherwise. 33
Glancing Back
Bishop Haynes Lodge Dedicated by Curry Family
THIRTY YEARS AGO, The Southern Cross reported on the dedication of The Bishop Haynes Lodge at DaySpring, which had occurred in January of 1990. The building was accomplished by a bequest from Mac Curry and his widow Chris Curry, who had provided Curry Hall. They paid for the Lodge at a cost of $300,000. The design featured “minimum maintenance and maximum appeal” with rough sawn cedar exterior and “functional furnishings throughout.” The Lodge included the Bishop Haynes Lounge, Upper Room and semi-private sleeping rooms for 96. 1975 In May of 1975, the Diocese planned to honor Bishop Wiliam Hargrave, first bishop of the Diocese. On June 11, 1975 there were two separate diaconal ordination ceremonies at St. Peter’s Cathedral and Church of the Redeemer. That year, Marion Snider reported a “spirited” ECW Conference at Camp Wingman, led by the singing of Betsy Chapman and Marty Hallas. Also in May, The Rev. Robert Gordon Bramlett of St. Mary’s Detroit was headed to St. Anselm’s, Lehigh Acres and The Rev. Francis M. Cooper was the new Vicar of St. Chad’s Mission, Tampa. The Very Rev. LeRoy Lawson, Dean of St. Peter’s Cathedral, was headed to the annual deans conference in Rome and Assisi, Italy. That year, Church Army was renamed National Institute for Lay Training. 34
1970 The Rev. Donis Dean Patterson, Rector of St. Mark’s, Venice, and principal of their parish school, was honored by the Freedoms Foundation of Valley Forge for his Memorial Day address entitled, “We are here to Help.” The talk was later given to many patriotic groups. The Rev. Arlo L. Leinback and his parish St. David’s, Englewood, were celebrating the carillon there, which was named for his daughter, Susan, who had been killed in an auto accident. The Rev. Walter Cawthorne wasspending his entire time ministering to persons in hospitals and nursing homes. He averaged 39 hospital visits a day. Also in Sarasota, The Rev. Dr. A. E. Longfellow recorded 10,608 pastoral visits and had administered communion to 1,556 invalids. In Venice, E.C.W. of St. Mark’s sponsored Claudete Goulborne of Limon, Costa Rica, who had a blood disease, to live and receive treatment with family in New York. 1955 That year, Trinity-by-the-Cove became a full parish, and St. Mary’s, Dade City, was also self-supporting. 1950 The Men’s Club of St. Andrew’s Tampa hosted an annual event at The Davis Islands Country Club. Present were 178 men from 19 of the 30 congregations from Lakeland to Tampa. They listened to Rob-
Above, honored guests at the dedication included members of the Mac Curry family and Rosalind Haynes Triano. In the photo at right, Mrs.Triano, Bishop Haynes daughter, stands between Leslie Smith and Liz Curry, daughter of Mac Curry. Mac Smith is in the foreground. At far right is Stephen Cox, Chris Curry, Lindsay Cox, Lynn and David Cox
ert D. Jordan, director of the Department of Promotion of the National Church. Jordan “presented a most thought provoking address” on the Church which said the church should be “presenting her claims through every known modern communication and advertising system.” 1935 The annual Diocesan journal noted The Rev. Francis S. White, who had died in 1934 making pastoral calls in Tampa. 1895 The Rev. William Crane Gray of the Missionary District of Southern Florida was in Punta Gorda on Sunday, June 30. He reported a glorious “full” service at the then-new Church of the Good Shepherd, assisted by S. C. Hodgman. There was even a sermon and service at night. X Honor Our Tradition: 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.
‘We have this treasure ...’
Support the 2015 Bishop’s Appeal Assist DaySpring Endowment or DaySpring is a sacred place that seeks to enrich and empower its visitors in Christ through prayer, worship and fellowship. Your gift to DaySpring, however large or small, will help support DaySpring in perpetuity.
Assist Episcopal Charities of Southwest Florida Episcopal Charities is the funding support organization for congregation-based community outreach and special needs.
TEAR HERE
I Would Like To Be a Part of the 2015 Appeal GIFT LEVELS After prayerful consideration, I/we wish to contribute: □ $5,000 □ $1,000 □ $500 □ $100 □ $50 □ $20 □ $__________
USE MY GIFT □ For Episcopal Charities Endowment Fund □ For DaySpring Endowment Fund □ Share my donation equally between the two funds
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS □ I would like to include the Diocese in my estate plan □ My company matches; the matching form is enclosed □ Donate my gift in honor of _______________________________
NAME: ________________________________________________ ADDRESS: _____________________________________________ CITY: _____________________ STATE: ____ ZIP: _____________ PHONE: ____________ EMAIL: __________________________ PARISH: _______________________________________________
MAIL A CHECK Please make payable to: Diocese of Southwest Florida, 8005 25th St. East, Parrish, FL 34219
DONATE ONLINE AT EPISCOPALSWFL.ORG The Diocese of Southwest Florida has a safe, secure online donation page at episcopalswfl.org/appeal.html
LET’S TALK MORE 35
□ I would like to talk about the plans for DaySpring Episcopal Center. Please contact me through the contact information above.
THE SOUTHERN CROSS THE DIOCESE OF SOUTHWEST FLORIDA 8005 25TH STREET EAST PARRISH, FLORIDA 34219
View of the Manatee River from DaySpring Episcopal Center
Non. Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Manasota, FL Permit No. 946