Central Florida Episcopalian Magazine - Advent 2024
EPISCOPALIAN
In Memoriam:
The Rt. Rev. Dr. Dabney T. Smith
“Love was the driving force of Dabney’s life, and over love, death has no ultimate power.” p. 12
ARTÍCULOS NOTABLES EN ESPAÑOL
CENTRAL FLORIDA
“In Christ, God calls us pure, perfect, righteous and holy; through the work of the Spirit, he begins making us what he calls us.”
– The Rt. Rev. Dr. Justin S. Holcomb
COVER PHOTO
Tympanum Relief Sculpture, Saint Peter’s Church, Prague, Czech Republic
ESPAÑOL
6 La iglesia: ha sido reunida, nutrida y enviada
16 Holcomb ayuda a promover la iniciativa de Iglesia Segura global y localmente
EPISCOPAL COUNCILS
3 Florida Deputation Shines at 81st General Convention
BISHOP HOLCOMB
4 The Church: Gathered, Nurtured, Sent
THE DIOCESE OF CENTRAL FLORIDA
The Right Reverend Dr. Justin S. Holcomb, Bishop
Serving 15 counties through 81 churches and over 25,000 parishioners
“Ultimately, we’re singing alleluia because heaven, God in Christ, the new life of grace, was already a reality in Dabney’s life [long] before the day of his death.” - The Rt. Rev. Jeffrey D. Lee
“The effects of abuse highlight the great need for the gospel and God’s immeasurable love shown to us in the incarnation and the other redemptive works of Jesus Christ.”
– The Rt. Rev. Dr. Justin S. Holcomb
CONTENTS
LEADERSHIP
8 Thirdmill Partnership Assists ICS in Equipping Ministry Leaders
14 Globally and Locally, Holcomb Helps Advance Safe Church Initiative
18 Diocesan Residency Program Expanding
CHILDREN & YOUTH
9 ‘Refocus’ on Youth Ministry Benefits Diocesan Youth and Leaders
GOSPEL
10 The Greatest Story Ever Told
20 Whispers of Advent
DIOCESAN FAMILY
12 In Memoriam: The Rt. Rev. Dr. Dabney T. Smith
21 The 56th Annual Diocesan Convention: Prepare to Learn and Lead
DIOCESAN CALENDAR
23 Bishop Holcomb’s Visitation Schedule; Subscription Information
Connect with us on social media @cfdiocese
THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH
The Most Reverend Sean W. Rowe, Presiding Bishop and Primate
An international community of 1.5 million Christians in North and South America, Europe and Taiwan
THE ANGLICAN COMMUNION
A global community of more than 85 million Christians in more than 165 countries worldwide
Florida Deputation Shines at 81 ST G ENERAL C ONVENTION
BY MARTI PIEPER
The Central Florida deputation to the 81st General Convention of The Episcopal Church, held June 23-28 in Louisville, Kentucky, made history by helping elect and confirm the Most Rev. Sean W. Rowe as the church’s 28th presiding bishop. But diocesan bishops and deputies made many more contributions to GC81.
In addition to the Rt. Rev. Dr. Justin S. Holcomb, diocesan bishop, who served as secretary for the Committee on Formation and Discipleship, and the late Rt. Rev. Dr. Dabney T. Smith, then assisting bishop, members of the Central Florida deputation are listed here. In addition to their GC81 duties, the deputation also provided observations that informed the full GC81 report, available online at cfdiocese.org/gc81-report.
Clerical Order: The Rev. Phyllis Bartle,
Lay Order: Mrs. Emily Fletcher, St. Peter’s, Lake Mary; Mrs. Mary Kay Predmore, Church of the Messiah, Winter Garden; Mrs. Heather Rodríguez, Christ the King and Jesús de Nazaret, Orlando, secretary, World Mission; Mrs. Heidi White, Holy Cross, Winter Haven, assistant secretary, Accessibility and Inclusion.
Rowe, elected and confirmed on the first ballot from a field of five, was installed Nov. 2 in a livestreamed service at denominational headquarters in New York City. He succeeds the Rt. Rev. Michael B. Curry, 27th presiding bishop, who retired Oct. 31. Rowe previously served as bishop of the Diocese of Northwest Pennsylvania and bishop provisional of the Diocese of Western New York. At 49, he is the youngest presiding bishop ever elected.
In his post-confirmation address in
elected President Julia Ayala Harris to a second three-year term and the Rev. Dr. Steve Pankey of the Diocese of Kentucky as vice president.
Other key GC81 decisions included Prayer Book memorialization; a continuation of the process to add gender-neutral marriage rites to the Book of Common Prayer; the approval of a resolution on climate care, including funds for Province IX; and amendments to Title IV, which deals with ecclesiastical discipline. GC81 also celebrated the Philadelphia Eleven, the first women ordained in The Episcopal Church, and passed a resolution honoring the late Krisita Anne Jackson, former General Convention deputy and longtime leader in both Central Florida and national Daughters of the King.
Go to
cfdiocese.org/gc81-report for detailed reporting on the 81st General Convention.
T HE C HURCH : Gathered, Nurtured, Sent
BY THE RT. REV. DR. JUSTIN S. HOLCOMB
“And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”
——— M ATTHEW 16:18
From the beginning of Jesus’ earthly ministry, scripture reveals that he had a clear strategy to create a new community: the church. It’s the same way he grows his church today. Jesus gathers people to himself with the gospel, nurtures them in community as the church and then sends them into the world on mission. Gather, nurture, send. Gospel, church, mission. Repeat.
From our January Diocesan Convention to our October Clergy Conference, in sermons at visitations, and in articles online and in print, I have been laser-focused this year on the unique message God has entrusted to the church. The church has one thing to offer that no other religion, government, organization or movement has: the gospel. God has entrusted us with this message of reconciliation, that “in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them” (2 Cor. 5:19a).
Following the pattern of gospel, church, mission, at our 2025 Diocesan Convention (see pp. 21-22), we will add the church to our gospel focus. Here, we are nurtured in community through Word and sacrament. We are discipled and sent out with the gospel.
Enthusiastic gospel proclamation is a natural outflow of a robust understanding of who we are as the body of Christ. With 2025 just ahead, let’s turn our attention to the church.
In the Nicene Creed, we confess that “we believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.” But what does that mean?
We can best understand this confession by grounding it in the larger redemptive-historical narrative of scripture. The phrase “one holy catholic and apostolic Church” encapsulates a rich theological reality, rooted in God’s covenantal promise and fulfillment.
ONE
“One” emphasizes the unity of the church, not as a human achievement but as a work of the triune God. The church is one because it shares in the unity of Christ’s body, where all believers – regardless of race, class, language, ethnicity or nationality –unite through faith.
The church is one because it stands in the unity of God’s redemptive plan through Christ, unity God established not through organizational uniformity but through the reconciliation accomplished by Jesus (2 Cor. 5:19). The church is one body, made up of diverse members who are united through the Spirit, sharing one faith, one Lord and one baptism.
“There is one body and one Spirit – just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call – one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all” (Eph. 4:4-6).
HOLY
“Holy” refers to the church’s sanctification. It is not holy by virtue of its members or its efforts but because it is set apart by God through the finished work of Christ and is continually sanctified by the Holy Spirit, a gift of grace. This corporate holiness reflects the call to be a people marked by God’s grace in the world, reflecting his holiness and continually being conformed to his image. Such holiness is both imputed (declared righteous in Christ) and imparted (progressive sanctification through the Spirit). In Christ, God calls us pure, perfect, righteous and holy; through the work of the Spirit, he begins making us what he calls us.
”For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy” (Heb. 10:14, NIV).
CATHOLIC
“Catholic” refers to the universal scope and nature of the church, not to a particular denomination. This catholicity speaks to the church’s unity across geography, culture and time. The church exists across the globe, united in its confession of Christ as Savior and Lord, and stretches across
In Christ, God calls us pure, perfect, righteous and holy; through the work of the Spirit, he begins making us what he calls us.
before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands” (Rev. 7:9, ESV).
APOSTOLIC
“Apostolic” means the church is founded upon and grounded in the teaching and witness of the apostles rather than human innovation. It stands on the foundation of the gospel message as delivered by Christ, revealed to and through the apostles and faithfully passed down through scripture.
The church must always return to the apostolic Word – the scriptures – as its foundation. The church’s mission is to continue proclaiming the same gospel that the apostles received from Christ and entrusted to the church, ensuring that the faith once delivered to the saints remains central to its identity and calling.
the ages, including all believers from every era.
The gospel is not limited by geography, ethnicity or culture. The church encompasses believers from every nation and tribe, unified by faith in Christ. It also spans time, made up of believers of the past, present and future, all part of the one body of Christ. The catholicity of the church is a reminder that it is God’s work, not confined by human boundaries or denominational lines.
“After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing
“So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone” (Eph. 2:19-20).
The church is not defined by its imperfections, failures, divisions or sins but by God’s work in history through Christ. The church’s unity, holiness, catholicity and apostolic foundation all flow from God’s covenantal promises and are brought to reality through the redemptive work of Christ and the ongoing ministry of the Holy Spirit. These marks stand as the lived experience of the church as it is shaped by the gospel and sent into the world to proclaim the good news.
LA IGLESIA: ha sido reunida, nutrida y enviada
EL RVDMO. DR. JUSTIN S. HOLCOMB
“Yo te digo que tú eres Pedro. Sobre esta piedra edificaré mi iglesia y las puertas de los dominios de la muerte no prevalecerán contra ella.”
——— M ATEO 16:18
Desde el comienzo del ministerio terrenal de Jesús, las Escrituras revelan que Él tenía una estrategia clara para crear una nueva comunidad: la iglesia. Es la misma forma en que hace que su iglesia crezca hoy. Jesús reúne a las personas por medio del evangelio, las nutre en comunidad como iglesia y luego las envía al mundo en su misión. Reúne, nutre, envía. Evangelio, iglesia, misión. Y se repite.
Desde nuestra Convención Diocesana de enero hasta nuestra Conferencia del Clero de octubre, en sermones presenciales y en artículos en línea e impresos, este año me he centrado en el mensaje único que Dios le ha confiado a la iglesia. La iglesia tiene algo que ofrecer que ninguna otra religión, gobierno, organización o movimiento tiene: el evangelio. Dios nos ha confiado este mensaje de reconciliación, “que en Cristo, Dios estaba reconciliando al mundo consigo mismo, no tomándole en cuenta sus pecados” (2 Corintios 5:19a).
Siguiendo el modelo de evangelio, iglesia y misión, en nuestra Convención Diocesana del 2025 (ver págs. 21-22), agregaremos “la iglesia” a nuestro enfoque del evangelio. Es aquí donde somos nutridos en comunidad a través de la Palabra y los Sacramentos. Somos discipulados y enviados con el evangelio. La proclamación entusiasta del evangelio es una consecuencia natural de una comprensión sólida de quiénes somos como cuerpo de Cristo. Estando cerca del 2025, dirijamos nuestra atención a la iglesia.
En el Credo Niceno, confesamos que “creemos en una Iglesia santa, católica y apostólica”. ¿Pero qué significa eso?
Podemos entender mejor esta confesión si la basamos en la narrativa redentora e histórica más amplia de las Escrituras. La frase “una Iglesia santa, católica y apostólica” encapsula una rica realidad teológica, arraigada en la promesa y el cumplimiento del pacto divino.
UNA
“Una” enfatiza la unidad de la iglesia, no como un logro humano sino como una obra del Dios trino. La iglesia es una porque comparte la unidad del cuerpo de Cristo, donde todos los creyentes –sin importar raza, clase, idioma, etnia o nacionalidad– se unen por medio de la fe.
La iglesia es una porque se encuentra en la unidad del plan redentor de Dios por medio de Cristo, unidad que Dios estableció no por medio de la uniformidad organizacional, sino por medio de la reconciliación realizada por Jesús (2 Corintios 5:19). La iglesia es un cuerpo, compuesto de diversos miembros que están unidos por medio del Espíritu, compartiendo una fe, un Señor y un bautismo.
“Hay un solo cuerpo y un solo Espíritu, así como también fueron llamados a una sola esperanza; un solo Señor, una sola fe, un solo bautismo; un solo Dios y Padre de todos, que está sobre todos y por medio de todos y en todos” (Efesios 4:4-6).
SANTA
“Santa” se refiere a la santificación de la iglesia. No es santa en virtud de sus miembros o sus esfuerzos, sino porque es apartada por Dios mediante la obra completa de Cristo y es santificada continuamente por el Espíritu Santo, un don de la gracia. Esta santidad corporativa refleja el llamado a ser un pueblo marcado por la gracia de Dios en el mundo, reflejando su santidad y siendo continuamente conformado a su imagen. Tal santidad es tanto imputada (declarada justa en Cristo) como impartida (santificación progresiva por medio del Espíritu). En Cristo, Dios nos llama puros, perfectos, justos y santos; por medio del Espíritu, nos transforma a lo que estamos llamados a ser.
“Porque con un solo sacrificio ha perfeccionado para siempre a los que han sido santificados” (Hebreos 10:14).
CATÓLICA
“Católica” se refiere al alcance y naturaleza universal de la iglesia, no a una denominación en particular. Esta catolicidad habla de que la unidad de la iglesia traciende la geografía, la cultura y los tiempos. La iglesia existe en todo el mundo, unida en su confesión de Jesucristo como Salvador y Señor,
En Cristo, Dios nos llama puros, perfectos, justos y santos; por medio del Espíritu, nos transforma a lo que estamos llamados a ser.
y se extiende a través de los siglos, incluyendo a todos los creyentes de todas las épocas.
El evangelio no está limitado por la geografía, la etnia o la cultura. La iglesia abarca a los creyentes de todas las naciones y tribus, unificados por la fe en Cristo. También se extiende a lo largo del tiempo, formada por creyentes del pasado, presente y futuro, todos siendo parte del único cuerpo de Cristo. La catolicidad de la iglesia es un recordatorio de que es la obra de Dios, no confinada por fronteras humanas o líneas denominacionales.
“Después de esto miré y apareció una multitud tomada de todas las naciones, tribus, pueblos y lenguas; era tan grande
que nadie podía contarla. Estaban de pie delante del trono y del Cordero, vestidos de ropas blancas y con ramas de palma en la mano” (Apocalipsis 7:9).
APOSTÓLICA
“Apostólica” significa que la iglesia está fundada y cimentada sobre la enseñanza y el testimonio de los apóstoles en lugar de la innovación humana. Se asienta sobre el fundamento del mensaje del evangelio entregado por Cristo, revelado a los apóstoles y a través de ellos, y transmitido fielmente a través de las Escrituras.
La iglesia siempre debe volver a la Palabra apostólica, las Escrituras, como su fundamento. La misión de la iglesia es continuar proclamando el mismo evangelio que los apóstoles recibieron de Cristo y confiaron a la iglesia, asegurando que la fe, que una vez fue entregada a los santos, siga siendo central para su identidad y llamado.
“Por lo tanto, ustedes ya no son extraños ni extranjeros, sino conciudadanos del pueblo elegido y miembros de la familia de Dios, edificados sobre el fundamento de los apóstoles y los profetas, siendo Cristo Jesús mismo la piedra angular” (Efesios 2:19-20).
La iglesia no se define por sus imperfecciones, fracasos, divisiones o pecados, sino por la obra de Dios en la historia a través de Cristo. La unidad, la santidad, la catolicidad y el fundamento apostólico de la iglesia surgen de las promesas del pacto de Dios y se hacen realidad mediante la obra redentora de Cristo y el ministerio continuo del Espíritu Santo. Estas características se manifiestan como la experiencia vivida de la iglesia tal como es moldeada por el evangelio y enviada al mundo para proclamar las buenas noticias.
Thirdmill Partnership Assists ICS in Equipping Ministry Leaders
BY REBECCA TAYLOR
In a rapidly changing world and a dechurching culture, the need for well-prepared ministry leaders has never been greater. The Episcopal Diocese of Central Florida recognizes this challenge and has taken significant steps to equip its clergy and lay ministers with necessary knowledge and skills. At the forefront of this initiative is the partnership between the diocesan Institute for Christian Studies and the Thirdmill Institute.
The Ven. Julie Altenbach, appointed with the Ven. John Motis by the Rt. Rev. Dr. Justin S. Holcomb in September 2023, used her educational expertise to evaluate the original ICS curriculum. Desiring to make connections with and be inspired by others facing similar challenges, Altenbach and Motis attended A3D 2024, the Archdeacons and Deacon Directors’ Conference, at Kanuga Conference Center in Hendersonville, North Carolina, in March.
Armed with a clear understanding of the gaps in existing programs, the two archdeacons began the ICS revamp and soon learned about Thirdmill’s programs from Holcomb.
“Thirdmill has a comprehensive curriculum covering, biblical studies, theology and the creeds,” Altenbach said. The alignment of vision between Thirdmill and ICS was crucial, she explained, noting, “Our passion is to educate and equip people to spread the gospel.”
ICS serves three groups, satisfying the diocesan educational requirements for those pursuing diaconate ordination, providing training for those pursuing lay licensing and offering continuing education for diocesan clergy.
At the heart of the Thirdmill partnership is the blending of in-person classes with online learning. Students complete approximately 160 hours of intensive online coursework, includ-
ing quizzes, grades and finals. This shift from previous pass/ fail systems ensures thorough student assessment. Moreover, the in-person classes serve a unique purpose, Altenbach said. “The goal is for instructors to address areas where students may struggle. ... This dual approach fosters a supportive community where students can engage deeply with the material and with clergy in the diocese who serve as instructors.”
She believes this approach will benefit prospective deacons. “The ministry of priests is primarily to those inside the church, while the role of deacons is uniquely focused on people and needs outside the church,” she said. “This revamped program will teach them how to translate theology to those outside the church while also equipping them for ministry inside it.”
Reflecting on the broader mission, Altenbach emphasized the significance of lay ministry as outlined in the Book of Common Prayer: “the entire Christian assembly participates in such a way that the members of each order within the church, lay persons, bishops, priests, and deacons, fulfill the functions proper to their respective orders.”
“I have often noted that the lay order comes first for a reason,” she said. “There is a growing demand for effective leadership among laity who are theologically trained, and I am passionate about equipping the lay order with solid theological grounding in our diocese.
“We want clergy and laity in our diocese to know we are here to support them,” she explained. “The ICS-Thirdmill partnership will allow our diocese to continue equipping our leaders to meet the challenges of modern ministry.”
‘R EFOCUS’ O N Y OUTH M INISTRY Benefits Diocesan Youth and Leaders
BY SHAWN A. AKERS
When the Rt. Rev. Dr. Justin S. Holcomb became bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Central Florida in June 2023, one of his many priorities was to provide additional support for diocesan youth ministry.
Last November, Holcomb appointed the Revs. Garcia Barnswell-Schmidt, Kevin Bartle and Jared Jones as diocesan youth ministry coordinators. Since then, youth throughout the diocese have benefited from the trio’s leadership experience, and many have grown closer in their relationships to Christ.
“We have been trying to refocus this effort,” said Bartle, rector, St. Mary of the Angels, Orlando. “Over the past few years, there have been some decent and thriving youth ministries, but we noticed a need for gathering youth groups together. Bishop Holcomb put us in a position to put on and maintain bigger and better events within the diocese, and that’s what we’ve been trying to do.”
Three revitalized diocesan youth events – Grounded, Soul in the City and New Beginnings – have helped spark a newfound hunger for the gospel. Grounded, held at All Saints, Winter Park, on March 1-2, “more than doubled the number of churches that were involved from 2023 to 2024,” said Jones, primary planner for the conferencestyle retreat.
The Cathedral Church of St. Luke, Orlando, hosted Soul in the City July 2226. Youth and adults from nine diocesan churches encountered the truth of the gospel and lived out their faith via service projects. Evening lessons featured the Comfortable Words found in the Rite 1 liturgy.
New Beginnings, held Sept. 20-22 at Camp Wingmann, has a longstanding tradition of partnering with middle school students to help them grow in love for themselves, others and God. This year’s “No Fear” theme, based on 1 John 4:18, emphasized rest in Christ’s love.
The youth coordinators have also revitalized what Bartle called a monthly
“luncheon-type” gathering for church youth directors, either in person or through Zoom.
“These meetings have been great because you see the great camaraderie among the youth directors,” Bartle said. “It’s inspiring. We’re able to talk with them, share with them and give them the resources they need. … It also includes pastoral care, which is vital.”
Barnswell-Schmidt said the diocese’s intention is to “be a resource for our youth leaders.”
“We are not trying to replace what they do, but we want to provide support for their efforts by nurturing what they do,” she said. “We want to come alongside them, connect with them and share big ideas with them so they can go forth and reach these students. That’s why we put on the three big events. We love what we do.”
As zealous as they are to support the youth directors, Barnswell-Schmidt, Bartle and Jones share an even greater passion: the youth of the diocese.
“You cannot have a church as a whole without youth,” said Barnswell-Schmidt. “You must plant the seeds and give them a foundation when they are at a crossroads with their own faith. You’ve got to give them something firm to stand on, and there is nothing firmer than the gospel.”
Youth Ministry Coordinator the Rev. Jared Jones addresses students at Grounded 2024.
2024 New Beginnings leaders and youth
2024 Soul in the City leaders and youth
T HE G REATEST S TORY E VER T OLD HE S VER T
BY THE REV. DR. MICHAEL S. HORTON
It’s Advent season again. After 60 of these, I’m still like a little kid. I know where the Bible readings lead, from Old Testament prophecies to the Annunciation and Magnificat to Herod’s massacre and finally to Bethlehem’s stable. But Advent’s surprise and wonder never fade.
What I like most about a good crime drama are the reversals in the plot. Just when you think it has reached its climax, there’s a twist. The Bible is full of these surprises. In Genesis 3, God puts Adam on trial, Adam puts God on trial, and somehow by the end God allows himself to be put on trial to save humanity. It’s the same with Israel. In Isaiah 59, the people charge God with being either deaf or powerless. He turns the tables, arraigning those in his courtroom with damning evidence presented. “The Lord saw it, and it displeased him that there was no justice.… and [he] wondered that there was no one to intercede” (Isa. 59:15b-16b).
But he ends up exchanging his judge’s gown for battle gear and coming down to save. “Then his own arm brought him salvation, and his righteousness upheld him” (Isa. 59:16c, emphasis added). The judge himself descended in both judgment and deliverance: “‘And a Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who turn from transgression,’ declares the Lord” (Isa. 59:20).
Once the spotlight shifts from us to God, the good news overcomes the bad. Paul reminds us, “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins,… But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ – by grace you have been saved – and raised us up with him and seated us with him in heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Eph 2:1, 4-6, emphasis added).
“But God …” always turns things around. Reversed, the plot begins moving in an unexpected direction.
The English novelist and playwright Dorothy Sayers is recognized as a pioneer of detective fiction. Put off by the bland pietism of her boarding school, Sayers became absorbed in the plotline of scripture during her years at Oxford. Writing in 1949, she called it “the greatest story ever told,” explaining:
Official Christianity, of late years, has been having what is known as “a bad press.” We are constantly assured that the churches are empty because preachers insist too much upon doctrine – “dull dogma,” as people call it. The fact is the precise opposite. It is the neglect of dogma that makes for dullness. The Christian faith is the most exciting drama that ever staggered the imagination of man – and the dogma is the drama. …. This is the dogma we find so dull – this terrifying drama of which God is the victim and the hero. If this is dull, then what, in Heaven’s name, is worthy to be called exciting? The people who hanged Christ never, to do them justice, accused Him of being a bore – on the contrary; they thought Him too dynamic to be safe. It has been left for later generations to muffle up that shattering personality and surround Him with an atmosphere of tedium. We have very efficiently pared the claws of the Lion of Judah, certifying Him “meek and mild,” and recommended Him as a fitting household pet for pale curates and pious old ladies.
“[God] justifies the wicked” (Rom. 4:5b, BSB). As counterintuitive as it is simple, that claim, which lies at the heart of the good news, has brought immeasurable blessing – and trouble – to the church and the world. Be nice, take out the trash, stop nagging your spouse, try to spend more time with your children, don’t get into credit card debt, lose some weight and get some exercise. Every one of these exhortations might be valid. Some of them may even find a legitimate application in a handful of biblical passages.
However, this is not the big story. No wonder people – especially younger folks – are bored if this is the “news” the church has to bring to the world. This kind of news need not come from heaven; there are plenty of earthly sages who can communicate it better than most preachers.
In the usual stories of religion and spirituality, we hear of heroic individuals who did something beyond the call of duty. Their example is intended to inspire us, or perhaps to shame us for failing to transform ourselves into noble creatures. But in the story Jesus tells, it is not the Pharisee, confident in his own righteousness, who went home justified, but the despised tax collector who could not even raise his eyes to heaven but cried out, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!” (Luke 18:13b, ESV).
It was this simple claim that caused the apostle Paul to look back on all of his zealous obedience as “a Pharisee of Pharisees” and to call it “rubbish,” “in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness that is of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith” (Phil. 3:8b-9).
There are lots of surprising reversals in the biblical plot. But that God justifies the wicked is probably the most counterintuitive one we come across. While we were climbing the ladder, hoping we could win heaven by our own decency, God left heaven’s splendor to be crucified by the wicked for the wicked. And right as hell rang out in cheers that Satan had finally defeated his enemy, “in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation” (2 Cor. 5:19).
Faced with the dreary headlines of this passing age, let us gather as a church to hear this one again – and again and again – and tell it to everyone we can. It is the greatest story ever told.
The Rev. Dr. Michael S. Horton is the J. Gresham Machen Professor of Systematic Theology and Apologetics at Westminster Seminary California. An author, editor and speaker, he is the founder of Sola Media, home of the “White Horse Inn” podcast.
In Memoriam:
The Rt. Rev. Dr. Dabney T. Smith
During the Requiem Eucharist for the Rt. Rev. Dr. Dabney T. Smith on Nov. 11 at the Cathedral Church of St. Luke, Orlando, the Rt. Rev. Dr. Justin S. Holcomb, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Central Florida, pointed out that everyone in attendance, regardless of position or responsibility, was there for the same reason: their love for the beloved bishop and faithful servant of Jesus Christ.
The Most Rev. Sean W. Rowe, 28th presiding bishop of The Episcopal Church, said the opening anthem for the service. The Rt. Rev. Jeffrey D. Lee, former bishop of the Diocese of Chicago and former bishop provisional of the
Diocese of Milwaukee, preached. The Rt. Rev. Michael B. Curry, 27th presiding bishop (retired), presided. More than 25 diocesan bishops from across the country attended. More than 150 additional clergy processed. And 70 family members were among the approximately 575 honored guests.
“Love was the driving force of Dabney’s life, and over love, death has no ultimate power. … Ultimately, we’re singing alleluia because heaven, God in Christ, the new life of grace, was already a reality in Dabney’s life [long] before the day of his death,” Lee, Smith’s longtime friend and seminary classmate, said in his sermon. “Dabney
didn’t have to wait to meet Jesus. Jesus already met him.”
Smith, who retired as fifth bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Southwest Florida in December 2022 and served the Diocese of Central Florida as assisting bishop since January 2024, died on Oct. 26 at age 70 of acute myeloid leukemia.
“Though with us only nine months, his wisdom, faith and tenderhearted care left an indelible mark on me, our diocesan staff, and all those he ministered to,” Holcomb wrote in a letter announcing Smith’s death. “Personally, I grieve the loss of a mentor and friend.”
“His deep faith, practical wisdom, and lighthearted sense of humor were a blessing to all who knew him, and his steady leadership guided our diocese through many challenges,” said the Rt. Rev. Douglas F. Scharf, sixth bishop of the Diocese of Southwest Florida, of his predecessor.
Smith, born in Texas, grew up in Florida, where his father, the Rev. Dorsey Smith, was rector of St. James, Ormond Beach, and St. John’s, Tampa. He graduated from the University of South Florida, Tampa, earning a Master of Divinity from Nashotah House in 1987 and a Doctor of Ministry from Seabury-Western Theological Seminary in 1999. He was a candidate for presiding bishop of The Episcopal Church in 2015 and served on the church’s Executive Council.
He served briefly as bishop coadjutor before his episcopacy and held various church positions, including rector of Trinity Church, New Orleans, Louisiana, 2005-2007; rector of Holy Trinity, Melbourne, 1998-2004; rector of St. Michael
and All Angels, South Bend, Indiana, 1989-1998; and assistant at Grace, Port Orange, 1987-1989.
Smith was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 36 years, Mary Ellen Krieg Smith, and a brother, David L. Smith. He is survived by his wife, Mary Wallis Smith; two daughters, the Rev. Ashton (Joseph) Williston and Alicia (Jeffrey) Caputo; son, Dabney (Janet) Smith II; stepdaughter, Megan (Mark) Riherd; stepson, Ben Wallis; and 11 grandchildren ranging in age from 2 to 20. His brother, Dorsey Smith; two sisters, Deborah Ryniker and Donna Hille; sisters-in-law, Alison Smith and Kathleen Smith; brothers-in-law, Doug Ryniker and Richard Hille; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins also survive him. Memorial contributions may be directed to The Episcopal Charities Fund of the Diocese of Southwest Florida, DaySpring Endowment Fund or the Mary Ellen Smith Memorial Endowment Fund, 8005 25th Street East, Parrish, FL 34219 or https://episcopalswfl.org/donate.
More than 575 honored guests filled the Cathedral for the service celebrating Bishop Smith’s life. | PHOTO: Stephanie Gamble
Former Presiding Bishop Michael B. Curry prays with the altar party while presiding over Holy Eucharist. | PHOTO: Stephanie Gamble
Globally and Locally, Holcomb Helps Advance SAFE CHURCH INITIATIVE
BY MARTI PIEPER
“I promise I will do everything I can to make sure the Diocese of Central Florida is known for preventing, recognizing and responding to abuse,” said the Rt. Rev. Dr. Justin S. Holcomb in his Jan. 27 address to delegates to the 55th Annual Diocesan Convention. Throughout the year, his leadership in the safe church initiative, in both the diocese and the broader Anglican Communion, has demonstrated the breadth and depth of this commitment.
The bishop has long been an advocate for abuse prevention and response. Yet even he could not have foreseen all the ways God would use his expertise this year. At his request, the diocese
had a safe-church line item in its 2024 budget designed to cover the hiring of GRACE (Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment, a nonprofit that is “empowering Christian communities to recognize, prevent and respond to abuse”) to evaluate and update the diocese’s safeguarding policies as well as to create a known sex-offender policy.
“Churches need to be able to respond wisely to be able to protect vulnerable people,” Holcomb said in his Convention address, emphasizing the diocese’s commitment to “transparency and clarity” regarding sexual abuse and harassment issues.
“Great work on safe church issues is an ongoing initiative that our diocese is already known for and will continue to be known for,” Holcomb said. Because of this continuing emphasis, he also appointed a diocesan Safe Church Commission, so named to align with the Anglican Communion Safe Church Commission, with which he has a strong connection.
Lambeth Phase 3 Steering Committee
Prior to his consecration, Holcomb was asked to serve as a resource consultant with the Lambeth Phase 3 Steering Committee, charged with carrying out the initiatives birthed at the 2022 Lambeth Conference. In this role, he took a leading part in the fourth of a series of webinars sponsored by the Episcopal Ministry Team in collaboration with the Anglican Safe Church Commission. Offered in two sessions held April 17 and 18, it focused on the safe church initiative and included 290 attendees from 50 countries.
“It’s not an exaggeration to say that abuse is a worldwide epidemic,” he told the webinar audience. “Just some of the statistics tell us 1 in 4 women, 1 in 6 men, are or will be survivors of
Lindsey Holcomb (far L), member of the Diocese of Central Florida’s new Safe Church Commission, was among those in attendance at the May 16, 2024, abuse prevention and response training. | PHOTO: Diocesan staff
sexual abuse in their lifetime. One in 5 children are survivors of sexual abuse before they’re adults; 1 in 5 women, 1 in 20 men will suffer intimate partner violence or domestic abuse, and these statistics probably do not reflect how prevalent abuse really is.”
Diocesan Safe Church Training, Curriculum
The same urgency drove Holcomb’s proactive stance in hosting, in conjunction with GRACE, a May 16 safe church training event at the Cathedral Church of St. Luke, Orlando. Mrs. Laura Thien, a licensed social worker of clinical practice and chair of the GRACE board of directors, served as primary presenter for an audience of more than 100 from across the diocese and from outside The Episcopal Church.
Topics covered in the two-hour event included understanding the dynamics and prevalence of abuse in faith communities, effective strategies to prevent abuse before it occurs, applying actionable steps to immediately and effectively respond to abuse incidents, and fostering an environment of trust and support. Mr. Zane Hart, director of development and operations for GRACE, also spoke briefly.
The diocese created professional videos of the safe church training, sharing them with the deanery deans, who will oversee their use.
Anglican Safe Church and Leadership Conference 2024
Holcomb also took a leadership role in the Sept. 5-11 Anglican Safe Church and Leadership Conference 2024 in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. His responsibilities expanded from helping plan the conference to speaking, facilitating and moderating for various sessions, including those specifically geared to the 31 bishops who attended from 17 countries and 11 provinces. He emphasized that the Anglican Communion already had safe church guidelines in place, saying, “The conference was an opportunity to make them available, highlight them and talk about the importance of implementing and following them.”
He left the conference more enthusiastic than ever about the global safe church initiative, noting, “It’s encouraging that the third-largest church in the world, the Anglican Communion, has such an important and well-thought-out and robust response to safe church issues.”
Bringing It Home
The conference in Zimbabwe will have direct impact on Central Florida, Holcomb said. “Our Safe Church Commission is going to work very closely with the Anglican Safe Church Commission,” he explained, including connections between members and sharing of materials. With 2024 nearing its end, the bishop
is thrilled with the ongoing work of the safe church initiative in Central Florida.
“After we hosted the safe church event, we sent all of our safe church material to GRACE for their policy expert, Mike Sloan, to review. … He has submitted his review, along with the known sex-offender policy I requested, and I sent it to our Safe Church Commission members. I want their eyes, wisdom and expertise on these policies.
“At some point in the near future, we’ll make those available to the entire diocese, and Mike will go through and highlight them at another training session, which would likely be via Zoom to maximize attendance,” the bishop said, adding that “the training we had in May was only the first of a series of sessions we envision with the experts from GRACE on the various topics associated with safe church.”
Sloan will also speak at the 2025 Diocesan Convention (Jan. 24-25) on the vision and need for being a safe church, Holcomb said, and GRACE will host a booth there.
“We’ve updated the policies, but that doesn’t mean our work with the safe church initiative is done,” the bishop said. “The effects of abuse highlight the great need for the gospel and God’s immeasurable love shown to us in the incarnation and the other redemptive works of Jesus Christ. This will be an ongoing, perpetual training.”
Bishops and spouses who attended the pre-conference meeting tailored to their needs | PHOTO: Courtesy the Anglican Communion
Bishop Holcomb addresses attendees of the May 16, 2024, abuse prevention and response training. | PHOTO: Diocesan staff
Holcomb ayuda a promover LA INICIATIVA DE IGLESIA SEGURA
global y localmente
POR MARTI PIEPER
“Prometo que haré todo lo que pueda para asegurarme de que la Diócesis de la Florida Central sea conocida por prevenir, reconocer y responder al abuso”, expresó el Rvdo. Dr. Justin S. Holcomb en su discurso del 27 de enero a los delegados de la 55.ª Convención Diocesana Anual. A lo largo del año, su liderazgo en la iniciativa de la Iglesia Segura, tanto en la diócesis como en la Comunión Anglicana en general, ha demostrado la amplitud y profundidad de este compromiso.
El obispo ha sido durante mucho tiempo un defensor de la prevención y la respuesta al abuso. Sin embargo, ni siquiera él podría haber previsto todas las formas en que Dios usaría su experiencia este año. A pedido suyo, la diócesis tenía una partida para Iglesia Segura en su presupuesto de 2024, que fue diseñada para cubrir la contratación de GRACE (Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment). Esta es una organización sin fines de lucro que está “empoderando a las comunidades cristianas para reconocer, prevenir y responder al abuso”. El objetivo de GRACE es evaluar y actualizar las políticas de protección de la diócesis, así como crear y dar a conocer una política sobre delincuentes sexuales.
“Las iglesias deben responder con sabiduría para poder proteger a las personas vulnerables”, dijo Holcomb en su discurso en la convención, enfatizando el compromiso de la diócesis con la “transparencia y claridad” en relación con los problemas de abuso y acoso sexual.
“El gran trabajo en cuestiones de seguridad en la iglesia es una iniciativa en curso por la que nuestra diócesis ya es conocida y seguirá siendo conocida”, añadió Holcomb. Debido a este énfasis continuo, él también designó una comisión de seguridad en la iglesia diocesana, llamada así para alinearse con la Comisión de Seguridad en la iglesia de la Comunión Anglicana, con la que tiene una fuerte conexión.
Comité Directivo de la Fase 3 de Lambeth
Antes de su consagración, se le pidió a Holcomb que se desempeñara como consultor de recursos con el comité directivo de la Fase 3 de Lambeth, encargado de llevar a cabo las iniciativas nacidas en la conferencia Lambeth de 2022. En este papel, tomó parte destacada en el cuarto de una serie de seminarios web patrocinados por el equipo del Ministerio Episcopal en colaboración con la Comisión Anglicana de Iglesia Segura. Ofrecido en dos sesiones celebradas el 17 y 18 de abril, esta se centró en la iniciativa de la iglesia segura e incluyó a 290 asistentes de 50 países.
“No es una exageración decir que el abuso es una epidemia mundial”, comentó a los participantes del seminario web. “Solo algunas de las estadísticas nos dicen que una de cada cuatro mujeres, uno de cada seis hombres, son o serán sobrevivientes de abuso sexual en su vida. Uno de cada cinco niños es sobreviviente de abuso sexual antes de ser adultos; “una de cada
cinco mujeres y uno de cada veinte hombres sufrirán violencia de pareja o abuso doméstico, y estas estadísticas probablemente no reflejen cuán frecuente es realmente el abuso”.
Capacitación y currículo diocesanos sobre seguridad en la iglesia
La misma urgencia impulsó la postura proactiva de Holcomb al organizar, junto con GRACE, un evento de capacitación sobre seguridad en la iglesia el 16 de mayo en la Cathedral Church of St. Luke, en Orlando. La Sra. Laura Thien, trabajadora social autorizada de práctica clínica y presidenta de la junta directiva de GRACE, fue la presentadora principal para una audiencia de más de cien personas de toda la diócesis y de afuera de la Iglesia Episcopal.
Los temas tratados en el evento de dos horas incluyeron la comprensión de la dinámica y la prevalencia del abuso en las comunidades religiosas, estrategias efectivas para prevenir el abuso antes de que ocurra, la aplicación de medidas prácticas para responder de manera inmediata y efectiva a los incidentes de abuso y el fomento de un entorno de confianza y apoyo. El Sr. Zane Hart, director de desarrollo y operaciones de GRACE, también habló brevemente.
La diócesis creó videos profesionales de la capacitación sobre seguridad en la iglesia y los compartió con los decanos del decanato, quienes supervisarán su uso.
El obispo Holcomb se dirige a los asistentes de la capacitación sobre prevención y respuesta al abuso del 16 de mayo de 2024. | FOTO: Personal diocesano
Conferencia Anglicana de Liderazgo e Iglesia
Segura 2024
Holcomb también asumió un rol de liderazgo en la Conferencia Anglicana de Liderazgo e Iglesia Segura 2024, que se celebró del 5 al 11 de septiembre en Bulawayo (Zimbabwe). Sus responsabilidades se ampliaron desde ayudar a planificar la conferencia hasta hablar, facilitar y moderar varias sesiones, incluidas aquellas específicamente dirigidas a los 31 obispos que asistieron de 17 países y 11 provincias. Enfatizó que la Comunión Anglicana ya tenía establecidas pautas para una iglesia segura y dijo: “La conferencia fue una oportunidad para ponerlas a disposición, destacarlas y dialogar sobre la importancia de implementarlas y seguirlas”.
Salió de la conferencia más entusiasmado que nunca por la iniciativa global de una iglesia segura y señaló: “Es alentador que la tercera iglesia más grande del mundo, la Comunión Anglicana, tenga una respuesta tan importante, bien pensada y sólida a los problemas de la iglesia segura”.
Llevarlo a casa
La conferencia en Zimbabue tendrá un impacto directo en la Florida Central, comentó Holcomb. “Nuestra Comisión de Iglesia Segura va a trabajar muy de cerca con la Comisión Anglicana de Iglesias Seguras”, explicó, que incluye conexiones entre miembros y compartir materiales.
Obispos y esposas que asistieron a la reunión previa a la conferencia adaptada a sus necesidades | FOTO: Cortesía de la Comunión Anglicana
Con el año 2024 llegando a su fin, el obispo está complacido con el trabajo en curso de la iniciativa de iglesias seguras en la Florida Central. “Después de que organizamos el evento de iglesia segura, enviamos todo nuestro material de iglesias seguras a GRACE para que su experto en políticas, Mike Sloan, lo revisara. […] Él ha enviado su revisión, junto con la política conocida sobre delincuentes sexuales que solicité, y la envié a los miembros de nuestra Comisión de Iglesias Seguras. Quiero su conocimiento, su sabiduría y su experiencia sobre estas políticas.
”En algún momento en el futuro cercano, pondremos esas políticas a disposición de toda la diócesis, y Mike las repasará y destacará en otra sesión de capacitación, que probablemente será a través de Zoom para maximizar la asis-
tencia”, dijo el obispo, y agregó que “la capacitación que tuvimos en mayo fue solo la primera de una serie de sesiones que imaginamos con los expertos de GRACE sobre los diversos temas asociados con una iglesia segura”.
Sloan también hablará en la Convención Diocesana de 2025 (del 24-25 de enero) sobre la visión y la necesidad de ser una iglesia segura, dijo Holcomb, y GRACE tendrá un estand allí.
“Hemos actualizado las políticas, pero eso no significa que nuestro trabajo con la iniciativa de una iglesia segura haya terminado”, explicó el obispo. “Los efectos del abuso resaltan la gran necesidad del evangelio y del amor inconmensurable de Dios que se nos mostró en la encarnación y las otras obras redentoras de Jesucristo. Esta será una capacitación continua y perpetua”.
(De izquierda a derecha) La obispo Jo Bailey Wells, una joven que participó en el servicio de bienvenida a los delegados a la conferencia de iglesia segura, y el obispo Holcomb. | FOTO: Cortesía del Obispo Holcomb
DIOCESAN RESIDENCY PROGRAM
EXPANDING DIOCESAN RESIDENCY PROGRAM EXPANDING
For the Churches, for the Residents, for the Gospel
The residency program of the Diocese of Central Florida, already known for its excellence in helping develop new clergy, expanded this past summer to include two new churches: the Cathedral Church of St. Luke, Orlando, and Holy Trinity, Melbourne. The Rev. Garrett Puccetti began his resident assistant rector role at the Cathedral on Aug. 1, and the Rev. Daniel McCarley started as resident associate rector at Holy Trinity on Aug. 18.
In both cases – as with the other two churches offering residencies: Grace, Ocala, and Church of the Messiah, Winter Garden – the program pairs a clergy member eager to learn with a supervising priest who has a passion for mentoring.
‘For the Churches’
“We at the Cathedral Church of St Luke seek to extend in mission God’s love for the world,” said the Very Rev. Dr. Reggie Kidd, dean. “Bishop Holcomb, the chapter [Cathedral vestry] and I are excited that the residency program gives us the
opportunity to do just that by committing ourselves to training leadership for the church of the next generation.”
Puccetti has equal enthusiasm for the residency. “It struck me as a very intentional program, in that it was designed specifically to get newer, often younger, priests into the position to best use their future ministry for the church,” he said.
The Rev. Tom Phillips, rector of Holy Trinity, displays similar zeal for the residency program. “I’ve always had a heart for training up and equipping leaders, as mentorship was huge for me as I started out in ministry,” he said. “The benefit of the residency extends to the parish as much as the resident, as it provides opportunity for Holy Trinity to thoughtfully explore the effectiveness of its various systems, programs and structures.”
The Rev. Frans van Santen, priest-incharge, Grace, Ocala, the only diocesan priest who has been a resident himself and is now supervising a resident, the Rev. Brian Stankich, has a unique
perspective on the program. A former businessman, he and his family moved to the U.S. from the Netherlands in the summer of 2020.
Through conversations with the Rt. Rev. Gregory O. Brewer, then diocesan bishop,
BY MARTI PIEPER
The Rev. Garrett Puccetti
and Holcomb, then canon for vocations, van Santen realized a residency might be perfect for his unusual situation. He soon met with the Rev. Jonathan French, then rector of Grace and coordinator of the diocesan residency program, but at the time, neither the church nor the diocese had any residency openings.
No openings – until French called him back a few weeks later. Grace’s first resident, the Rev. Caroline Osborne, was leaving Grace to take a position at a church in Tennessee. The church now had a need – and van Santen, whose wife’s parents live in nearby Altoona, was ready to fill it. French hired him, and he started as Grace’s third resident in November 2020. He and his family soon grew to love the church and the area.
After making an exception by hiring van Santen as associate rector once he completed his residency, French left his longtime position at Grace in December 2023 – but not before recommending that the church hire his former resident to meet the need caused by his departure.
“There’s a rule that associates cannot apply for a senior position in the same church ... the only one who’s going to override that rule is the bishop,” van Santen explained. “And Bishop Holcomb wholeheartedly said yes, ‘In this case, for this congregation.’”
‘For the Residents’
Although McCarley was not specifically seeking a residency, he is convinced of God’s call to his new position at Holy Trinity. Near the end of his curacy in the Diocese of Dallas, he reached out to Holcomb to express interest in serving in a sister diocese. Holcomb asked if he had ever heard of Melbourne, not realizing the young priest’s fiancée (now his wife) had grown up there. Since the couple already believed God was calling them to move closer to her family, “The residency was just part of the benefit of the calling to Holy Trinity,” McCarley said. Phillips believes the residency program will not only bless his church but its new resident as well. “The various programs and worship services at Holy Trinity
provide an incredible training ground for talented new clergy to learn the ropes of pastoral ministry and program-sized administration,” he said.
Kidd is also convinced of the value of the residency program for participating clergy. “We are excited to welcome Garrett Puccetti as our first resident, so we can further his formation in preaching the gospel, teaching Christ’s way of living in the world, leading worship, providing pastoral care, recruiting and
organizing God’s people for their work of ministry,” he said.
As the new Cathedral resident, Puccetti agrees. He said, “The Cathedral, at the center of the diocese, has a whole lot to offer the wider church, and to offer the next set of new priests like me a good experience to catch us up and train us in a strong diocese and a strong parish with good, faithful leaders.”
Van Santen remains convinced of the program’s value, explaining, “I cannot think of a better start for the priesthood and of the whole role as a leader in the church than to do it under the supervision of someone who really has the intention for your best and for the sake of the kingdom.”
‘For the Gospel’
As the diocesan residency program continues to expand, its primary focus is the same as that of the diocese: the propagation of the gospel, as Kidd expressed when he said the Cathedral seeks “to extend in mission God’s love for the world” and that the residency program will provide that opportunity.
For the churches. For the residents. For the gospel. With these priorities at its center, the diocesan residency program is poised to continue its expansion for the kingdom and the glory of God.
cfdiocese.org cfdiocese.org
The Rev. Daniel McCarley at St. James’, Texarkana, Texas
The Rev. Frans van Santen presides over the Eucharist with current Grace resident, the Rev. Brian Stankich, at far right.
“Yes.”
WHISPERS OF ADVENT
So often do we agree to something, sign up for something, without fully knowing the depth of what we have taken on.
Our “yes” is pregnant with possibility: a marriage. Having a child. Following Christ. We only have to wait to see what will unfold with our yes.
On Christmas Day 2011, my yes led to a 17-hour delivery of the daughter for whom we had prayed and prayed. In the midst of the pain, I lost my voice and began to silently recite to myself: “My body, broken for you.”
This biblical reminder of suffering and freedom became the anchor to which I clung in the final hours of delivery. As the doctor placed our crying newborn on my broken body that Christmas night, I could not help but think of Mary, mother of Jesus, and what followed her yes.
Waiting.
Advent.
The arrival of the Messiah. The kingdom of God drawing near.
BY THE REV. AUDREY SUTTON
Though my difficult labor was only a whisper in comparison to the agony Mary experienced, every Advent season takes me back to this poignant memory, and I ponder her yes.
Yes to virgin pregnancy. Yes to birth. Yes to bearing the Christ.
Did she too lose her voice in the groanings of labor as she bore Jesus into the world?
Yes to her body being broken. Yes to her heart being broken too.
How hoarse was her voice in the midst of guttural grieving as she witnessed the Son conceived in her womb, now abused and executed, his body broken.
Though her yes would be a sword that would pierce her very soul, how could she have fully known the depth of what this would mean?
His body, broken for us. A body into which we are invited to participate, in baptism and in Eucharist. The sacrificial gift that allows us to become members of the body of Christ, the church.
Our yes is only a whisper of all it
represents, pregnant with divine opportunity and deepening faith. Faith that leads directly to salvation in Jesus. We take our first steps in faith without fully knowing the depth of what we have taken on. The act of giving over our life to the Triune God and presenting ourselves for sanctification is, as St. Paul says, like seeing “in a mirror dimly” (1 Cor. 13:12b). How do we comprehend the hardships and transformations on the path of life or understand the love of Christ before experiencing it?
We only have to wait to see what will unfold with our yes.
As we live out our Advent as the church, the body of Christ, waiting for the glorious return of Jesus the Messiah, may we remember our yes – and cling to the anchor of his body, broken for us.
The Rev. Audrey Sutton became rector of St. Barnabas, DeLand, in April 2024. Prior to that, she served as associate rector, St. Phillip’s, Frisco, Texas. She and her husband, Randall, have two daughters, Josalyn and Scarlett.
IMAGE: Henry Ossawa Tanner, “The Annunciation,” 1898
56th Annual D IOCESAN C ONVENTION
Prepare to Learn and Lead
BY CFE STAFF
“Churches exist for the gospel, and our diocese must support the churches in every practical way possible to advance its proclamation.”
– B ISHOP J USTIN H OLCOMB
The Rt. Rev. Dr. Justin S. Holcomb, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Central Florida, insists that the diocesan office exists for the churches, for the gospel. That commitment serves as a guiding principle for the bishop and his staff, shaping the planning of the 56th Annual Diocesan Convention. This extends to a brand-new Convention component for 2025: educational sessions that support the gospel ministries of diocesan churches.
With the theme “For the Churches, For the Gospel,” the 2025 Convention will be held at Trinity Episcopal Church and School, Vero Beach, on Friday and Saturday, Jan. 24 and 25. Educational sessions, celebration of Holy Eucharist and a diocesan family dinner are scheduled for Friday, with Convention business reserved for Saturday. Visit cfdiocese.org/2025diocon for detailed information and online registration.
Convention Educational Sessions
“By offering educational sessions, we’re investing in our clergy and lay leaders,” Holcomb said. “We’re hoping to provide what leaders in the diocese have told us they need: practical training for ministry. And the educational content that is there at Convention is the bull’s-eye of what emerged as we have discerned together the vision and direction for the diocese.”
The Rev. Canon Dr. Dan Smith, canon to the ordinary, saw the impact of educational sessions in other dioceses where he served and, as early as 2023, began brainstorming with Holcomb about the possibility of incorporating them into Central Florida’s annual Convention. “My hope is that Convention becomes more than a business meeting and an opportunity for fellowship,” Smith said. “Those are important aspects of Convention that continue, but I want people
PHOTO: Courtesy of Trinity Episcopal Church and School
to look forward to coming to Convention because they know they’re going to be fed. That’s what this educational component is all about.”
Smith also noted that educational sessions provide an opportunity to flesh out the bishop’s vision for the diocese.
“I think that’s what these particular workshops do,” Smith said. “They allow us to build on the vision the bishop casts in his address or even in previous Convention addresses.”
Clergy and lay delegates are strongly encouraged to take advantage of Friday’s educational sessions, with additional church leaders welcome to attend as well. Delegates are required to attend Saturday. “This Convention is truly offering practical, on-the-street knowledge and expertise to enhance the ministries of each and every one of our clergy and lay leaders,” Smith noted.
3 Foundational Sessions
On Friday of the 2025 Convention, three foundational general sessions will be held in the Trinity sanctuary, which has enough seating for all Convention participants. General session topics build on one another, starting with “Leading Safe Churches” hosted by Holcomb and Mike Sloan, director of safeguarding for GRACE (Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment). The second general session, titled “Making Connections: Reaching the Dechurched,” will be led by the Rev. Jim Davis, co-author of The Great
high on hospitality. We have to continually cultivate a culture of belonging because belonging is one of the key needs of the dechurched. It all fits together.”
6 Breakout Sessions to Choose From
In addition to the three general sessions, six educational breakout sessions will each be available twice on Friday. Three of these make up a financial track, and three are offered in the mission track. Their repetition allows participants to select the two sessions that will have the most impact on their leadership roles, whether that’s a session in each track or two sessions in one track.
“Church is both an organism and an organization,” Holcomb said. “You need to have organizational structures in place, so there’s the organizational component with breakouts on insurance and benefits, stewardship and endowments. Then you have the mission of the church. We’ve been entrusted with the message of the gospel, so there’s a breakout on that, on Alpha and mission mindset. There are pathways for everybody.”
“What we’re presenting here is balance,” Smith said. “It takes a healthy organization to support our mission. It is a business, and our business is the gospel.”
Space is limited for breakout sessions, so review educational options and register early at cfdiocese.org/2025diocon.
Prepare to Learn and Lead
The information page provides everything delegates and guests need to take full advantage of all that’s being offered at the 2025 Convention.
In addition to descriptions of educational sessions, a campus map and schedules for both days, visitors to cfdiocese. org/2025diocon will find all Convention documents and online forms; the dates and locations of pre-Convention deanery meetings; offices to be filled by elections; and details on lodging, meals, parking, displays and electronic voting.
It will serve participants well to digest all of the available information before starting the online registration process, giving particular attention to the deadlines to reserve lodging and order meals.
Pray, prepare and come ready to learn and lead with your diocesan family as we work together: for the churches, for the gospel.
BISHOP HOLCOMB'S CALENDAR
CENTRAL FLORIDA EPISCOPALIAN
THE RT. REV. DR. JUSTIN S. HOLCOMB Bishop
THE REV. CANON DR. DAN SMITH Canon to the Ordinary
THE VEN. JULIE ALTENBACH Archdeacon
THE VEN. JOHN MOTIS Archdeacon
MR. ERIK GUZMAN Director of Communications
MRS. MARTI PIEPER Editorial Director
CENTRAL FLORIDA EPISCOPALIAN is published by the Episcopal Diocese of Central Florida. Submissions are welcome, but are subject to editing and use at the discretion of the Central Florida Episcopalian.
View Bishop Holcomb’s visitation schedule with dates, times and locations for ordinations and new ministry services: cfdiocese.org/ visitations
