Companion Diocese Committee

The members of the Companion Diocese Committee continue to have the challenge of how to stay in relationship with our brothers and sisters in Christ who live in the Dominican Republic. With much prayer and thought, we are discovering ways to work from afar in order to continue several projects. This past year has proved to be even more limiting for the Companion Diocese Committee, following a couple of virtual meetings, the decision was made to suspend meetings until there is more certainty about what we can accomplish and when we are able to resume travel. A major challenge has been addressing COVID-19 concerns, especially if team members test positive and arrangements must be made for quarantine prior to returning home.

For more than 26 years Church of the Redeemer has been actively involved in adult mission work in the Dominican Republic. During this timeframe, the projects Redeemer has funded and helped build include several churches, a parish hall, a vicarage (priest residence on church property), an assisted living facility, and several schools. The most recent project built a secondfloor parish hall at Monte Sión (the church that was constructed by mission groups from Redeemer over the last few years). Plans are currently on hold with the hope that efforts can continue in the near future to address the current needs of the Dominican church.

Summer 2020 marked the twenty-first consecutive year that churches from the Tampa Deanery have participated in God’s work in the Dominican Republic. Because of COVID-19 concerns, no Tampa teams have been able to travel to the D.R. Arrangements have been made to fund local workers to build a perimeter wall to secure a new site in Catalina in preparation for the proposed construction of Santo Nombre de Jesús. Revised plans addressing the current needs of the congregation are also ongoing, and Bishop Moisés Quezada Mota is currently accepting bids for the revised project. St. John’s, Tampa, continues to support the Clinica Esperanza y Caridad, a medical clinic dedicated to bringing health services to the poor, in San Pedro de Macorís.

For the third year in a row, the Cathedral Church of St. Peter has been unable to send a mission team to help with the Vacation Bible School program at the churches of La Anunciación and San Lucas, located in Santiago de los Caballeros. We are hopeful and anticipate that by summer 2023, we will be able to join our faithful Dominican Episcopalian friends and clergy.

Education programs sponsored by the Dominican Episcopal Church are being updated, including an online scholarship program listed on the DDG website, https://www.theddg.org/projects. Several of the schools identified were constructed by teams from the Diocese of Southwest Florida. The ECW of SW Florida has also supported critical educational initiatives for the children in the Dominican Episcopal Church schools through the scholarship program. The Dominican Development Group office has now gone virtual and productive steps are being taken to utilize this new medium, especially with other Companion Dioceses and the Dominican Episcopal Church. The Board of the DDG has scheduled a Board meeting and retreat for September in the

Dominican Republic. This will be the first in-person meeting since February 2020.

The members of the SWFL Companion Diocese Committee pray that we will be able to once again join in person with our Dominican brothers and sisters in Christ to continue our mission and ministry in 2023.

Sally Thompson, Board of Directors, DDG for The Rev. Deacon Kathy Gilpin, Chair, Diocese of SWFL Companion Diocese Committee

Cursillo

Cursillo is a movement of the Episcopal Church, under the authority of the Presiding Bishop and diocesan bishops, to develop lay leadership across our diocese. Cursillo is one method for training, supporting, encouraging the ongoing development of Christian leadership. This experience gives an opportunity to grow in faith within our parish communities and out into our extended environments.

We are excited to begin active weekends of Cursillo after a 2-year hold, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Cursillo is a lay led movement to develop leaders in the Christian community. The program is designed to encourage ongoing development by offering an opportunity to grow in faith within our local parishes and extend beyond our church walls to the communities in which we live, play and work.

The actual Cursillo weekend is a three-day event that holds 15 different talks, group discussions, worship, and fun. The process encourages a “Rule of Life” to hold ourselves accountable after the weekend through small groups of ongoing meetings. Larger gatherings are held throughout the diocese for sharing and encouragement including “witness talk” that is centered on apostolic action.

The Cursillo Secretariat (the lay governing body) expect to continue the tradition to hold two English language Weekends and one Spanish language weekend that teach the methods of Cursillo.

The movement in the Diocese of Southwest Florida has been ongoing for 42 years and efforts are underway to bring the movement back to its former heights of pre-pandemic days.

If you are looking to enhance your walk with Jesus, or feeling a call to serve but are not sure of the next step, please visit our website www.cursilloswfla.org. We are all about living a Christ-centered life and would like to help you on your journey.

Dorothy Lowrie, Lay Director

Daughters of the King

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

The Daughters of the King holds two Southwest Florida Diocesan Assemblies each year at DaySpring and/or on Zoom. The retreats have guest speakers that bring an uplifting and renewing message to our Daughters as food and strength for our journey.

Daughters who attend parishes that do not have a chapter are able to maintain their Rule of Life and membership as Daughters by becoming Daughtersat-Large or joining a chapter in another church. The Diocese of Southwest Florida has more than 30 chapters of the Order of the Daughters of the King. If you are interested in starting a chapter in your church, please contact Jackie Smith at jlsmith1211@icloud.com or 215.337.7615.

Jackie Smith, President

Disciplinary Board

After the Disciplinary Board elected Kevin Fitzgerald as president last November, he tragically passed away in February. Bishop Smith then appointed member Robert Sawyer as Kevin’s successor, along with bringing on three new members to fill open positions on the Board. Through July, we received three complaints this year. Each is being promptly addressed in accordance with Title IV of the Constitution and Canons. It is the Board’s mission to achieve healing, repentance, forgiveness, restitution, justice, amendment of life, and reconciliation.

Lay Members: Mrs. Glenna Hileman, Dr. William Kerr, and Dr. Edwin Ortiz.

Clergy Members: The Rev. Joseph Hudson, the Rev. Barry Kubler, the Rev. David Marshall, the Rev. Michael Rau and the Rev. Chester Trow.

Thank you also, Intake Officer, The Rev. Peter Lane, for your service and leadership.

And thank you, Bishop Smith, Chancellor, Ted Tripp, Esq. and Church Attorney, John Goldsmith, Esq., for your invaluable support of our efforts.

Finally, I want to recognize Mr. Roger Schwenke, Esq., who was president of this Board for many years before leaving the Diocese to be near family. He returned to us in July to join me in presenting Title IV training to the Board and some clergy friends. Thank you, Roger!

Diocesan Altar Guild

Robert Sawyer, President

The Diocesan Altar Guild exists to represent the altar guilds of each parish and provide liturgical leadership throughout the diocese as well as serving the Bishop in any Eucharistic preparation he requests. This may include everything from Convention Eucharist to supplying a new small church plant. We are a resource available to all and often help with teaching. Our most popular offering is providing an exchange table at Convention where churches may both donate and/or find treasures no longer used. No money exchanges hands and our tables are empty at the end of Convention.

Due to the presence of COVID-19 during these past two years, the Diocesan Altar Guild has not held meetings in person or met as a group. We have not had our famous exchange table for two years and anticipate full tables in 2022.

We are looking forward to taking a more active role this year as we help prepare for the Rev. Dr. Douglas F. Scharf’s Consecration in September as well as the Annual Convention in Punta Gorda. Next Spring, we hope to hold our annual diocesan convention for all the Altar Guilds. We also hope to schedule and deconsecrate old linens with a big bonfire at DaySpring. This will probably be in conjunction with the spring meeting.

Sarah Hill, Directress

Episcopal Church Women

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”

2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV

The Episcopal Church Women of the Diocese of Southwest Florida are becoming new! As we continue to emerge from the pandemic, women of the church are once again meeting together. Sometimes we met in person and on other occasions via live streaming or a combination of the two options. “All Things Becoming New!”

The diocesan board nominated Leila Mizer, past president, for the “Distinguished Woman Award” at the Triennial in Baltimore in conjunction with the 80th General Convention. Unfortunately, due to the rise in covid variants, the ECW was unable to meet. The “Distinguished Woman Award” will be presented to her at the November 5,2022, “Celebration of Women: A New Beginning”.

Churches have remained faithful in supporting the United Thank Offering (UTO). Currently, the holding account is at $20,691.68. This is up over $3,700.00 from last year. The ECW looks forward to issuing Church Periodical Club (CPC) scholarships in the coming months. The “Sara Howell Fund” gave one scholarship to a young woman in our diocese to continue her education.

“All Things Becoming New” is also reflected in the focus for our jointly sponsored annual meeting with the Order of the Daughters of the King. Please be looking for more information in your email or at your churches about our “Celebration of Women: A New Beginning!” We are pleased to have Dede Lomenick as our speaker for the gathering, as she welcomes us spiritually to new ideas, ways to grow within our churches and diocese, and ways to grow individually as women of God. Dede has 25 years of experience as a speaker. She is the founder of “Unleashed” a network of 60 churches in South Florida.

Great excitement is evident within our branches, as we become new in how we meet, what we call our church groups and as we look at new ways to become more involved in Christ’s call to us. My hope is that the women of the Diocese of Southwest Florida will continue to grow in love, faithfulness, and prayer for each other and God’s kingdom.

Michelle Schombs, President

Hispanic & Latino Ministries

The Hispanic and Latino Committee of the Diocese of Southwest Florida works to increase awareness of Hispanic and Latino Ministry, supporting existing congregations with Spanish speakers, and providing mission and outreach to the Hispanic and Latino community throughout the diocese.

The committee was especially proud to have supported two of the newest deacons in the Diocese throughout their discernment process and formation. The Rev. Edwin Mata and the Rev. Hector Chamorro were raised by and will continue to serve Spanish-speaking congregations in the diocese.

The annual “Salt and Light” conference featured the Rev. Pedro N. Lopez and his wife Estela who introduced the popular and effective “Invite. Welcome. Connect” curriculum.

Participants were able to attend in person and online as they shared in workshops that focused on hospitality and forming the strong connections that build healthy and sustainable congregations. Looking ahead, the committee hopes to support the continued formation of lay leaders and those who feel called to the ordained ministry. Have questions? Want to get involved? Email the committee at MinisteriolatinoswflA@gmail.com.

The Rev. Alexander Andujar, Vice-President

Race & Reconciliation

The Race and Reconciliation Committee of the Diocese of Southwest Florida has had a very active year. We serve the diocese as we live out our Baptismal Covenant and honor the resolutions of our General Convention. Our work focuses on education and advocacy around dismantling racism and lifting up racial justice and reconciliation in Christ. Our purpose is to develop and support training resources, events, and communication in the diocese and its parishes to increase awareness and advocacy around individual and systematic racism. We strive to enkindle in the hearts of all a passion for, and action toward, an inclusive, diverse, and joyful vision of the Body of Christ, in which the image of God is celebrated in each and every human person.

The 2022 Race and Reconciliation Committee members are: Ning Bonoan, the Rev. Doris Buchanan-Johnson, the Hon. Jack Day, the Rev. Deacon Martha Goodwill, Ayana Grady, the Rev. Paige Alvarez Hanks, the Rev. Peter Lane, Rebecca Lyons, Leila Meizer, the Rev. Dr. James Reho, the Rev. Kathy Schiffreff, and Tania Wilkes. We mention here our deep indebtedness to the Rev. Paige Hanks, formerly Chair, who did so much to enliven us and move our work forward in wonderful ways!

In carrying out our diocesan charge, we have held four Dismantling Racism Trainings (with a fifth occurring later this calendar year) by Zoom and in person. We have also organized and hosted numerous book studies, lectures with discussion, and other events, both by Zoom and in person. All of these endeavors are listed on our webpage (episcopalswfl.org/reconciliation.html) and will continue to develop and expand in 2023. We also coordinate and encourage Sacred Ground Circles (episcopalchurch.org/sacred-ground/about/) throughout the diocese and offer through the Diocesan website a repository of resources and information pertinent to our charge, which is open to all.

To learn more, please visit our website and join our active Facebook group (Facebook.com Race and Reconciliation, Diocese Southwest FL). As this work involves us all, we invite you to join us in dismantling the sin of racism using your own particular gifts. Contact any member of our committee for support in this work of the gospel.

The Rev. Dr. James H. Reho, Chair