Bishop’s Cabinet for DaySpring Development

Michael Hall Kline Sr., Chair of the Bishop’s Cabinet, and the driving force behind DaySpring’s development over its more than 40-year history in the Diocese of Southwest Florida died November 17, 2021. Thanks be to God, for Michael’s presence, and ministry in leadership serving on the Bishop’s Cabinet for DaySpring Development and throughout the diocese. The former Program Center at DaySpring is now renamed to be known as Kline Hall.

The Bishop’s Cabinet continues to drive the implementation of the 10-year Master Plan for DaySpring. The construction of a Maintenance Building to consolidate our services away from the guest areas and to make room for the future new meeting/worship space has been completed. The 2022 focus continues to be the Spring of Support fountain and gathering area which will honor the contributions of many and provide a spiritual space for reflection and meditation.

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

Lana J. Fitzgerald, Chair

Bishop Gray Retirement Foundation, Inc.

The Bishop Gray Retirement Foundation’s financial assistance program continues to provide financial aid to low-income senior Episcopalians from the Southwest, Southeast, and Central Dioceses of Florida seeking help with the cost of retirement living and medical expenses. We do still gratefully receive donations from individuals and parishes from the three dioceses, as well as through estate charitable planned giving. The board of trustees would like to preserve the endowment fund as much as possible, using the income from investments for distributions. In 2022, we will have helped 55-60 Episcopalians, living in retirement communities, assisted living, and senior facilities/apartments in the three dioceses, and approximately $650,000 - $680,000 will have been distributed for financial assistance mostly in the form of monthly housing grants by the end of the year. Sample Retirement/ALF/Senior Living Facilities housing BGR Foundation financial aid recipients: Hampton Manor, Ocala; Riverview House, Lake Worth; Colony Court Apt., Eustis; Century Village, W. Palm Beach; Savannah Court of Maitland; Palm’s Edge ALF, Riviera Beach; Westminster Winter Park; St. Andrews Residence, W. Palm Beach; Orlando Lutheran Towers; Grand Villa ALF, Boynton Beach; Gulfstream Harbor, Orlando; Arbors at Belleair, Clearwater; Cascade Heights, Longwood; Pinellas Heights, Largo; Magnolia Towers, Orlando; McCown Towers, Sarasota; New Horizon Share Home, Winter Haven; Woodlands Village, Bradenton; Trinity Towers West, Melbourne; Elison of Pinecrest, Largo; Magnolia Manor, Daytona Beach; Hampton Point, Punta Gorda; Greengate Apt., W. Palm Beach; Leitner Creek Dr. Condos, Bonita Springs; Southbridge Condos, W. Palm Beach and Grand Reserve, Zephyrhills

BGR Foundation Board of Trustees:

• Southwest Diocese: The Rt. Rev. Dabney T. Smith, President, Dr. C. Thomas Gooding, The Rev. Bill Moyers, & The Rev. Denise C. Healy

• Southeast Diocese: The Rt. Rev. Peter Eaton, Dr. Helen Bhagwandin, Dr. Harlington “H” Hanna, Ms. Barbara MacKenzie, &Mrs. Malvern V. Mathis

• Central Diocese: The Rt. Rev. Gregory O. Brewer, Vice President; Mr. Alexander C. Mackinnon Secretary; Mr. Guy D. Colado, Treasurer; The Very Rev. Hugh McGlashon, Jr., &The Rev. Kim Spear

Ginger Van Valkenburgh, Exec. Director

Chaplains to Retired Clergy

Our diocese has 12 chaplains who provide pastoral care for approximately 300 retired clergy and 250 spouses. The chaplains are assigned regionally by deanery and under the direction of the Office of the Bishop. We provide pastoral care when needed with illness and at the time of a death. Our focus is to connect the retiree with a local congregation if they are not already attached. In the spring Bishop Smith sponsors an annual Retired Clergy/ Spouse Day at DaySpring. This year’s event was in person for the first time in several years. It took place on Ash Wednesday with a great speaker, Holy Eucharist, the imposition of ashes, and a delicious lunch. The following is a sampling of our ministry: hospital visits, luncheons with clergy and spouses, mailing birthday and anniversary cards, attending funerals and following up as needed, phone calls and home visits to the ill and infirm, and transportation on occasion. The Chaplains are: The Rev. Canon Chris Gray and Paula Gray (Diocesan Chaplains), the Rev. Leo Crawford and Ann Crawford (Clearwater Deanery), the Rt. Rev. Barry Howe and Mary Howe (St. Petersburg Deanery), the Rev. Jerry Stadel and Anne Stadel (Tampa Deanery), the Rev. Ted Copeland (Manasota Deanery), the Rev. John Warfel (Venice Deanery), the Rev. Kathy Schillreff (Naples Deanery), and the Rev. Suzanne Post (Ft. Myers Deanery).

The Rev. Chris Gray, Canon for Stewardship

Clergy Spouse Association

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

Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the CSA’s 2021 Annual Convention Luncheon was held as an even-ing virtual event on the Zoom platform. The event featured the introduction of new clergy spouses, the election of the 2022 Slate of Officers, and time for sharing. A themed question and answer ses-sion led by Sherre Henley greatly enhanced discussion. The event included time for prayers for the community and a reading of the necrology. Those elected for 2022 Offices were: Erika Cannon, President; Lori Reho, Vice-President; Barbara Brotherton, Treasurer;

Sue Van Oss, Secretary; Betty Creelman, Chaplain; Sharon Teets, Sunshine Chair; Sherre Henley and Desiree Hudson, Communica-tions.

The Annual Gathering and Retreat, scheduled for February 5-7, 2021, was cancelled due to contin-ued concern for the safety of the community during the pandemic. As a substitution for the in-person retreat, the CSA invited the Rev. Catherine Tyndall Boyed to host the May Zoom Social. Turnout for the evening was high and the discussion was lively and relevant.

The CSA has continued to offer an opportunity to connect at the Zoom Socials held on the third Thursday of every month. This monthly event remains enthusiastically supported by members who are grateful for the opportunity to check-in with one another on a consistent basis.

In the area of outreach, the CSA provided an annual Advent gift to diocesan students at residential seminaries through the Mary Ellen Smith Memorial Endowment Fund. The five residential seminari-ans to receive a 2021 Advent gift were: Timothy MacDonald, Robert Davis and Amy Feins all attend-ing Nashotah House, Michael Alford attending VTS, and Anne Hartley finishing at General Theologi-cal. In addition, the Sunshine Committee sent greetings, good wishes and condolences to diocesan spouses of clergy as such occasions arose throughout the year.

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

Lori Reho, President

Commission on Ministry

Members of the Commission on Ministry (COM) are lay and ordained persons who serve the church at the pleasure of the Bishop. An appointed member of the Standing Committee serves on the COM as liaison. In conjunction with the Standing Committee, the Canon to the Ordinary, the Office of the Bishop, congregations, aspirants, postulants, and candidates, members of the COM have worked to create an environment of prayerful discernment. Each member of the COM is assigned as a liaison to those in the discernment process beginning with the time a person seeks to form a Discernment Group.

In 2021, the COM gathered via ZOOM and in person - for nine (9) committee meetings, four (4) Bishops Advisory Panel Interviews, and two (2) Vocation Information Evenings - to conduct the business of interviewing and listening to those who are discerning a call to holy orders. We also completed a revision of the Commission on Ministry Manual of Policies and Procedures. We look forward to continuing to serve all those who seek to live out their baptismal ministry.

The Rev. Janet Tunnell, Chair