Central Florida Episcopalian Newspaper, January 2016

CENTRALFLORIDAEPISCOPALIAN NEWS FROM THE EPISCOPAL DIOCESE OF CENTRAL FLORIDA • WWW.CFDIOCESE.ORG • Volume 118, No. 1 • January 2016

CONVENTION 2016 ISSUE Key Ingredients to Reaching Today’s Youth

Installation of New Presiding Bishop Is a First

Diocesan Convention Brings A Focus On Youth

Renowned Author, Speaker and Church Leader, Dr. Ed Stetzer Has Central Florida Roots

The Diocese of Central Florida The Right Reverend Gregory O. Brewer, Bishop Serving 15 counties through 86 churches and 30,000 members

The Episcopal Church The Most Reverend Michael B. Curry, Presiding Bishop and Primate An international community of 2.5 million Christians in North and South America, Europe and Taiwan

The Anglican Communion The Most Reverend Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury A global community of over 85 million Christians in over 165 countries around the world

Central Florida Episcopalian The Rt. Rev. Gregory O. Brewer. Bishop The Rt. Rev. John W. Howe Retired The Rt. Rev. Dorsey F. Henderson Retired The Rt. Rev. Hugo Pina-Lopez Retired The Rt. Rev. John Said Retired The Rev. Canon Timothy Nunez Canon to the Ordinary

Dear Reader, You may have noticed a change in the way your copy of Central Florida Episcopalian looks. These past few issues we have been working hard to improve both the readability and design. And this is only the beginning. We have even more new things in store! For example: • Going forward, we will be publishing 6 print issues of CFE and 6 digital issues. This will allow us to provide even more coverage of the exciting things God is doing throughout our diocese while still being wise with our budgets. The January, March, May, July, September and November issues of CFE will be mailed to you as before and the February, April, June, August, October and December issues will be available on our website: www.cfdiocese.org.

• We will be sharing more events and updates on how God is working through our local churches. So if you have an event or encouraging ministry or outreach to share, let us know! Contact cfe@cfdiocese.org.

• You will be encouraged with more teaching and insight to help you live out your Christian walk with greater confidence and joy. If there are specific topics you’d like to see us address, please tell us at cfe@cfdiocese.org.

• We are preparing a readership survey where you can share with us your opinions. More details on that to come.

Your CFE Team

Contents We are Moving in the Right Direction................................................................................................................. 3 Installation of New Presiding Bishop is a First.................................................................................................... 4 Key Ingredients to Reaching Today’s Youth......................................................................................................... 7 Renowned Author, Speaker and Church Leader, Dr. Ed Stetzer Has Central Florida Roots..................................... 8 Special Section – 47th Annual Diocesan Convention 2016............................................................................... 11 2016 Nominees for Elected Office................................................................................................................... 12 New Episcopal Canon on Assessment: Conversations Begin............................................................................. 16 Diocesan Convention Brings a Focus on Youth................................................................................................. 18 Memoirs of Lent............................................................................................................................................. 19 Lecanto Resident Named Father Christmas Honoree........................................................................................ 19 Canterbury/Camp Wingmann Calendar of Events............................................................................................ 20 Diocese Calendar of Events............................................................................................................................. 21 Canterbury Club – Reaching UCF Students...................................................................................................... 22 Ordinations to the Priesthood......................................................................................................................... 25

The Rev. Dr. Canon Justin Holcomb Canon for Vocations The Ven. Kristi Alday, Archdeacon

“No One Hungry” Ministry Has Exploded.......................................................................................................... 26 Seventeen Service Projects on One Sunday..................................................................................................... 27 The 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.

Please submit notices two months before event to:

Mr. Earl Pickett, Diocesan Administrator Mr. Erick Perez, Subscription Manager

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The Central Florida Episcopalian 1017 E. Robinson Street • Orlando, FL 32801-2023 Email: eperez@cfdiocese.org • www.cfdiocese.org

Tel.: (407) 423-3567, ext. 316 • Fax: (407) 872-0006

BISHOP BREWER

We Are Moving in the Right Direction

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s we embark on a new calendar year and approach our time together at the Diocesan Convention later this month, I would like to take this opportunity to communicate with you about a number of positive things going on in our diocese and in The Episcopal Church, especially with regard to evangelism and the raising up of our next generation of leaders. Fittingly, the theme of the convention—For the Sake of Our Future—calls our attention to these specific topics and drives significantly the agenda of the meeting and our collective focus for the months and years to come.

Evangelism In late June and early July of 2015, I had the privilege of not only attending the General Convention of The Episcopal Church in Salt Lake City, but also being the legislative chair of the Evangelism Committee. Our committee was a great group of people, and we had fun sharing with one another and tackling this fundamental question: How do we get the gospel outside of our walls?

The committee had the honor of being the voice for evangelism at the General Convention, proposing several resolutions that resulted in $2 million being designated over the next three years toward evangelism and communications that will benefit all dioceses.

There are many ways this project is getting under way, including developing resource materials for the churches for evangelism training, holding a conference to train evangelists, and making connections in church through digital media.

Jake Dell, a priest in New York City, presents a creative option in the form of a program he is developing and beta-testing for the diocese’s eventual use. In essence, it is a type of digital evangelism. For example, someone may have just lost a loved one and does not want to go to the church to get answers for spiritual questions. Instead, he or she runs to Google and asks the question about how to know if that loved one went to heaven. Right now, The Episcopal Church does not appear on this type of Internet search.

Dell’s new program will change that. If the person clicks in and says it’s OK for someone to email him or her, then the next step is a response from a local parish where he or she can go for answers. This site will change the way we can reach out to the lost in this digital age.

Future Leaders

are moving to Central Florida and we need to expand our ministries to reach out to those God is sending our way. Raising up the next generation of church leaders is a topic about which I am passionate and for which I have implemented a number of initiatives.

One of the most significant steps taken in the recruitment of new talent for the diocese is the appointment of The Rev. Canon Dr. Justin Holcomb to the newly created role of Canon for Vocations. Justin dedicates much of his energy to identifying possible aspirants and guiding them on the path to becoming vibrant leaders in our diocese.

Through a new partnership with HigherLife, the diocese is shifting communications responsibilities from one individual to a full-service agency that will work with us to create more community awareness about activities of the diocese, expand on overall communication within our diocese and beyond, and offer expertise across the multitude of platforms available. Be on the lookout for enhancements to the Central Florida Episcopalian and the diocesan website, and for new and improved social media-engagement initiatives.

Additionally, both social media and traditional face-to-face meetings have proved to be fruitful platforms for diocesan staff and me to connect with potential candidates for priesthood. In the case of the former, following and being followed on Twitter allows an active exchange of ideas and excitement about the gospel and has uncovered dozens of interested individuals. In the latter instance, meeting one-on-one with possible aspirants, especially while traveling on diocesan business to Episcopal seminaries, has provided invaluable evangelism opportunities.

These efforts have proved extremely successful for recruiting missionminded, enthusiastic people to be our next generation of leaders in the diocese. I will look forward to sharing with you more about these great gains at the Diocesan Convention, where you will hear not only from me but also from diocesan youth and aspirants about the hopeful forecast for The Episcopal Church of the future.

Grace to you,

I am very encouraged by the gifted individuals God is bringing into new leadership roles in the diocese. We have about a 5 percent to 10 percent rate of clergy retiring each year. This creates an enormous need to acquire new clergy—not only individuals who are willing to keep an established church going, but also ones who are willing to plant new churches. Large numbers of retirees, young adults, Latin Americans, West Indians and more CENTRAL FLORIDA EPISCOPALIAN • January 2016

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IN THE NEWS

Installation of New Presiding Bishop Is a First

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n February 8, 1968, at St. Philip’s Church in Harlem, New York, 17 black priests met and founded the organization we now know as the Union of Black Episcopalians (UBE). Today the 21st-century mission of UBE is “to unite the diverse cultures, concerns and gifts of Black Episcopalians by providing preparation and encouragement for living the Baptismal Covenant and fully participating in the mission and governance of The Episcopal Church.”

When the 78th General Convention made history on June 27 by electing on the first ballot then-bishop of North Carolina, the Rt. Rev. Michael Bruce Curry, as the 27th presiding bishop of The Episcopal Church, it was an occasion for rejoicing not only for black Episcopalians but also for the entire Episcopal church. Such consensus was without Episcopal precedent.

We had NEVER done it that way. More important, the election brought the UBE mission closer to realization.

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It was in this context that I joined an estimated 2,000 worshippers (including St. Richard’s former assisting clergy, the Rev. Richard Meadows, and his family) at the Armory in Washington, DC, on Saturday, October 31, for the uniquely crafted Vigil Eucharist. Although written as a high-church liturgy, the service had a loose, low-church feel. (To watch the Vigil, go to http:// www.episcopalchurch.org/page/vigil-celebration-and-eucharist-honormichael-curry.)

The Rt. Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori, the 26th presiding bishop, was the presider (celebrant) for the vigil, and the Rev. Canon Dr. Sandye A. Wilson, rector of St. Andrew & Holy Communion Episcopal Church in South Orange, New Jersey, was the preacher. Wilson’s sermon touched on themes previously laid out by Curry at the 78th General Convention. A recurring mantra in Wilson’s sermon was based on the vigil’s second reading,

IN THE NEWS Hebrews 11:32-39 and 12:2: “The ancestors started the work for us – they, without us, will not rest in peace.” The message is that a presiding bishop alone cannot do the work of the church.

This beckons an explanation of what a “presiding bishop” is. The presiding bishop is the chief pastor and primate of the national church and its nine ecclesiastical provinces. The presiding bishop is charged with the responsibility for leadership in initiating, developing, and articulating policy and strategy; overseeing the administration of the national church staff; and speaking for the church on issues of concern and interest. He or she is the president of the House of Bishops and is elected by the church’s General Convention to serve a single nine-year term.

Wilson’s call for action would be heard again on Sunday, November 1, at Washington National Cathedral in the All Saints Day Holy Eucharist with the installation of Curry as the 27th presiding bishop and primate of The Episcopal Church. In his sermon, Curry noted, “We have been sent and called into this world not to settle for what is, but to dream and work for what shall be.” He also elucidated on his earlier theme of Episcopalians as participants in the Jesus Movement for love and peace. As an example of his vision for the church over the next nine years, Curry encouraged The Episcopal Church to embark upon a new wave of evangelism to stem the tide of declining church attendance.

closing hymn, “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” there is a verse that reads “We have come over a way that with tears has been watered.” However, with the singing of the following verse from the opening hymn, “We know that Christ is raised and dies no more,” the weight of the occasion of the installation of the first African-American as presiding bishop of The Episcopal Church came upon me, and the aforementioned line from “Lift Every Voice and Sing” was meandering through my head. I was almost reduced to tears.

As I was leaving National Cathedral, I bumped into our own Central Florida Diocesan Bishop Greg Brewer, who said, “Carl, I knew I would see you here.” Well, thank you, the Rev. Alison Harrity, pastor of St. Richard’s, and vestry member Tom Winters for covering me at the organ, as well as UBE Central Florida President John Robertson for making it possible for me to be a witness to history, spiritually enriched, and made ready to carry out the directive Curry gave us: “Love God, love your neighbor, and change the world.”

The text of the Rev. Canon Dr. Sandye A. Wilson’s sermon can be found at http:// episcopaldigitalnetwork.com/ens/2015/10/31/ video-sandye-a-wilson-preaches-at-vigileucharist-for-currys-installation.

The installation service showed Episcopal worship at its best.

Like the spoken liturgical elements, the music was varied and, for the most part, performed according to the cultural tradition from which it originated.

For example, the Cathedral Choir of Men and Girls sang wonderfully the C. Hubert H. Parry Anglican chant setting of Psalm 84. The setting is the same one we sang at St. Richard’s on the Feast of All Saints and during the six weeks leading to All Saints. The Cedarville Band of Piscataway Indians of Maryland led the congregation in the singing of the Muscogee (Creek) Indian “Heleluyan (Alleluia).”

Immediately following the sermon was an accretion to the Book of Common Prayer liturgy. The St. Thomas Gospel Choir (Philadelphia) sang a stirring rendition of Richard Smallwood’s anthem “Total Praise.” In the

Dr. Carl MaultsBy Composer, arranger, conductor, organist, keyboardist, singer, author, Carl MaultsBy, is a contemporary “renaissance artist” whose talents have been utilized both in the commercial media of musical theatre, film, television, records, and in the cultural media as well. He received the Doctor of Fine Arts degree (honoris causa) and the Bachelor of Arts degree in Mathematics and Music from Lake Forest College, Lake Forest, IL, as well as the Masters of Music degree in Jazz/Commercial Composition from Manhattan School of Music.

CENTRAL FLORIDA EPISCOPALIAN • January 2016

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DIOCESE NEWS

DIOCESE NEWS

Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd Presents: LENT & CONTEMPLATION: A Centering Prayer Retreat, FEBRUARY 12–14, 2016 Dr. Rickey Cotton, Presenter

DIOCESAN ADULT CHOIR FESTIVAL The Cathedral Church of St. Luke and the Union of Black Episcopalians (UBE – Central Florida Chapter) will host the Diocese of Central Florida choir festival in honor of the life and legacy of the Rev. Absalom Jones, the first AfricanAmerican to be ordained an Episcopal priest. Please join us for an inspiring and informative event.

Dr. Rickey Cotton is a commissioned presenter of Centering Prayer and Lectio Divina and a member of the faculty for Contemplative Outreach’s Living Flame program. He has presented contemplative workshops around the country, including Contemplation: Living in the Spirit, Meister Eckhart, Passionate for Our Awakening, Desert Ammas and Abbas, and Our Monastic Heritage.

Rickey leads the Centering Prayer group at All Saints’ Episcopal in Lakeland, Florida.

The public is invited to attend a festival service at the cathedral on Saturday, February 20, at 2 p.m. The service will include music and readings based on the original writings of Jones, who was ordained in 1804 and was also an important early abolitionist and civil rights advocate. The church observes his feast day annually on February 13.

This event will be held at Camp Wingmann. To register, please call (863) 676-8578. The cost is $135-$160.

Singers who wish to participate in the February 20 service will attend a choir rehearsal that day from 9 a.m. until noon. Each singer must register by February 1, submit a $10 registration fee that includes the cost of lunch, and purchase music in advance.

For more information or to register for the mass choir, please call the music office at St. Luke’s Cathedral at (407) 849-0680 or email

Photo by MALIZ ONG

music@stlukescathedral.org.

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The cathedral is located at 130 N. Magnolia Ave. in downtown Orlando. Parking is available for $5 in an adjacent lot and garage.

YOUTH NEWS

Key Ingredients to Reaching Today’s Youth A Newcomer’s Observations

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he Cathedral Church of St. Luke’s needed a new youth leader and found one in Joshua “JJ” Joseph. JJ is new not only to St. Luke’s but also to the Orlando area. Because of this, JJ is doing a lot of research into the millennials in the area. And what he has observed has given him some key ingredients to reaching the youth in today’s culture.

to figure out their purpose in life, thus the youth don’t understand how to find their purpose. One way the church can help them do this is by showing them who they are in Christ while assuring them that when their lives are left in God’s hands, Christ can craft the most adventurous, purpose-filled future imaginable for them, just like the Bible says in Jeremiah 29:11.

Today’s youth are unsure. They are unsure of what the future holds, of what’s right or wrong, of what’s politically correct; they just don’t know where to go. Society has not been very helpful, either. Every day it presents a new way to live, a new way to learn, a new idea to embrace.

This constant feeling of change leaves not just millennials but all of us feeling overwhelmed.

We all find ourselves asking questions such as “Where do I go?” “Whom do I trust?” “What stand should I take on this position?” This uncertainty causes millennials to feel unsure not only about the state of the world but also about themselves, so they are willing to try just about anything to find answers to their questions, to make sense of the world and themselves.

The tricky thing in all this is relevance, another key ingredient to reaching today’s youth. Being relevant, building strong relationships, and reemphasizing the message of Christ run hand in hand.

One key ingredient to reaching millennials in this environment is relationship: being loving, real, and authentic. Our aim at St. Luke’s is to create a space where true love and authenticity can happen naturally, with the result being that deep, long-lasting friendships and other relationships begin to form. When the youth begin building these relationships and feel God’s love, a sense of fulfillment surfaces. They feel like they are being heard and understood, and this gives them a great sense of purpose. Real love and authentic relationships bring them in, and then we begin to guide them to a space where they can connect with Jesus, where real-life change happens—but it all starts with genuine relationships.

In today’s society, many adults are still trying

Some of the ways we remain relevant to St. Luke’s youth (EYC) are by teaching the message of Jesus through a modern lens while staying true to its history and truth, using media the students are familiar with, offering activities they find enjoyable, and, most importantly, engaging them in conversation with their peers through the use of small groups. The small group is not a new concept, but it is a proven and effective one.

In our small groups, the youth can sharpen one another and go so much deeper than they could from merely being taught a lesson. I’ve witnessed

this and am convinced it helps them become more spiritually mature leaders.

Another key ingredient is providing the youth with an opportunity to help others. St. Luke’s has formed relationships with such organizations as Covenant House – Orlando (provides shelter and services to homeless and at-risk youth), Christian Service Center – Central Florida (provides meals and supplies to individuals in need of emergency assistance), and Our Little Roses (a home for abused, abandoned, or neglected girls in Honduras). The goal is for youth to discover and grow into their call and purpose, which I believe is to love God and others. We want to be a blessing to the city of Orlando and the world.

These are just a few ways we are helping others and showing them our love while also offering the youth experiences that help them to see and know they can make a positive change in the world one small act a time.

Through these key ingredients of love, authentic relationships, relevance, and helping others, St. Luke’s is in motion to reach the youth of today.

St. Richard’s is Seeking a Book Keeper The right candidate will have good interpersonal skills, excellent organizational skills and ACS experience is desirable.

This is a 15 hour a week position with flexible days and times and competitive compensation.

The Book Keeper is responsible for: • • • • • •

Managing all Contributions Managing Payroll and paying the bills Reconciling all Bank Accounts and Tracking the Investment Accounts Working with the treasurer to create monthly reports for the Vestry Preparing the Budget for the Year in conjunction with the Finance Commission Preparing Additional Reports including the Parochial Report, SunBiz, and all IRS documents

If interested, please contact The Rev. Alison P. Harrity at 407.671.4211 or email to rector@strichards.org.

St. Richard’s Episcopal Church, 5151 Lake Howell Road, Winter Park, FL 32792.

CENTRAL FLORIDA EPISCOPALIAN • January 2016

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DIOCESE NEWS

Renowned Author, Speaker and Church Leader, Dr. Ed Stetzer Has Central Florida Roots An interview by Canon Justin Holcomb

E

d Stetzer, Ph.D., is the executive director of LifeWay Research.

He has trained leaders on six continents, holds two master’s degrees and two doctorates, and has written dozens of articles and books, including his most recent books, Subversive Kingdom (B&H Books, 2012) and Transformational Groups (B&H Books, 2014). Stetzer is a contributing editor for Christianity Today and columnist for Outreach Magazine, and is frequently cited or interviewed by news outlets such as USA Today and CNN. Dr. Stetzer will be speaking at the Church Vestry and Leadership Retreat being held at Canterbury in Oviedo, Florida. Go to http://www.canterburyretreat. org to register for this event.

Justin Holcomb: Please describe your connection to the Diocese of Central Florida and your current ministry.

Ed Stetzer: I came to Christ through the ministry of Church of the Good Shepherd in Maitland. My mother was a relatively new believer. She made me come along when I did not resist too much!

I remember meeting in the old chapel with the youth, and getting in a fight or two (one with some adults in the parking lot). I ran off that day … which just made my mother more determined.

But the folks there were just continuously gracious and caring. And they eventually asked (and my mother insisted) that I go to a retreat at Camp Wingmann, where she knew the gospel would be shared.

In the back of the camp chapel (where the boys sat who did not want to be there), I heard the gospel message as the speaker invited me to trust and follow Christ. In August of 1977, I did just that.

My mother and stepfather started attending Church of the New Covenant, a diocesan church plant where Bishop Brewer was the rector. My sister and I started doing Faith Alive weekends, so almost all my first speaking opportunities were in the diocese (All Saints, St. Peter’s, and others come to mind). To my recollection, the first place I publicly read a Bible was at the Cathedral Church of St. Luke, where I did one of the scripture readings as a terrified teenager.

I even went to school at Trinity Prep for a couple of years. And, if all of those connections are not enough, it was Greg Brewer’s influence that helped propel me in a new direction as a believer, but also into church planting and more later on. (Full disclosure: I actually used to mow his lawn—and he paid pretty well.)

Later, through a series of twists and turns on life’s journey, I was called to pastoral ministry, first as a church planter in Buffalo, New York and Erie, Pennsylvania. However, my ministry journey has made many different stops, as I have been a pastor, professor, teacher, and mission strategist.

My current ministry has many aspects. I am executive director of LifeWay Research and the senior fellow of the Billy Graham Center at Wheaton College. I am general editor of The Gospel Project, a curriculum used by more than a million Christians each week. I teach at a few seminaries in the area of missiology, and I speak to groups and denominations about

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DIOCESE NEWS

mission, evangelism, church revitalization, and church planting. I am also pastor of Grace Church in Hendersonville, Tennessee, which I planted with a group of people in 2011.

JH: What do researchers of “missiology” do?

Photo by Petr Kratochvil

Stetzer: We look at church, culture, and communities to try to understand them better so church leaders can make more missional impact. Our desire is that churches, Christians, and clergy might live as missionaries in their communities, taking an unchanging gospel into an ever-changing context and being the presence of Christ and the proclaimers of Christ in the community.

JH: What does it mean for the church to be “missional”?

Stetzer: Charles Spurgeon once said, “Every Christian is either a missionary or an impostor.” Though we might want to clarify the language, the impulse is what we need—every Christian is called to live on mission.

JH: How should the church respond to the growing number of people who claim no religious affiliation?

So, to be missional means that a church realizes it exists to join Jesus in God’s mission in the power of the Spirit.

Stetzer: We need to recognize we’re not in Christendom anymore and we can’t just put up big signs and say, “Come on. We have a great program,” and people will come.

Mission is rooted in the identity of God Himself. God is on a mission, and Jesus is the embodiment of that mission. Jesus identifies Himself as being sent more than forty times in the Gospel of John. Then, near the end of the Gospel of John, He says, “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you” (See John 20:21).

Although church attendance has remained relatively steady, society is becoming more secular. The most recent Pew Research release was largely explained as the devout are remaining stable, but more people are moving away from Christian identification.

The church is sent on mission by Jesus. It’s not that the church has a mission but that the mission has a church. We join Jesus on His mission.

A missional church is one that seeks to engage all the church in the activity God has for them—His mission. Our goal should be to move them from just sitting in rows to living in such a way that they are engaged in the work God has for them.

That mission might be in, through, or beyond the church, but it is ultimately rooted in obedience to Christ and obedience to His call.

I think this is both a concern and an opportunity. I am concerned that people are moving away from any religious memory that so many churches could appeal to. But I also see an opportunity for churches to state clearly what a Christian is, as others are no longer claiming that title as frequently.

Furthermore, teaching believers to live on mission in their contexts, rather than just to bring their friends to church, is how we will reach our neighbors.

So, as society moves away from Christian identification, let’s meet them on the road and say: “We did not believe in that expression of Christianity anyway. Let me tell you about Jesus and how He changes everything.”

CENTRAL FLORIDA EPISCOPALIAN • January 2016

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AROUND THE DIOCESE

THE REVEREND STEPHEN AND MRS. MARY DASS, Missionaries from our diocese serving in Brazil at São Paolo Mercy Ministry, are in Central Florida until the 5th of February.

They will be available to speak in churches and to small groups during the week.

Missionary work is not a charitable venture.

It is about discovering the power of the gospel. If the church is willing to extend herself and go beyond her borders, her knowledge and passion of the Gospel will grow according to her willingness to extend herself. If we limit ourselves in love, then we limit our knowledge and participation in God’s wonderful work in this world.

If you are interested in scheduling a Sunday or a weekday event for them to speak, please get in touch with Din Bissoondial who is coordinating their schedule on behalf of the diocese. His e-mail address is din@cfl.rr.com and his contact number is (407) 325 7351.

You can also get in touch with Stephen directly if you have any questions: Fr.StephenDass@gmail.com

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CENTRAL FLORIDA EPISCOPALIAN • January 2016

SUNDAY CYCLE

of Prayer 2016

January 17 Church of Our Saviour, Okeechobee St. Jude’s Church, Orange City January 24 Cathedral Church of St. Luke, Orlando Christ the King Church, Orlando January 31 Church of the Ascension, Orlando Church of the Holy Family, Orlando February 7 Emmanuel Church, Orlando Iglesia Episcopal Jesús de Nazaret, Orlando February 14 Iglesia Episcopal San Cristobal, Orlando St. John the Baptist Church, Orlando February 21 St. Mary of the Angels Church, Orlando St. Matthew’s Church, Orlando February 28 St. Michael’s Church, Orlando Church of the Holy Child, Ormond Beach March 6 St. James Church, Ormond Beach Church of the Incarnation, Oviedo March 13 Church of Our Savior, Palm Bay Church of the Blessed Redeemer, Palm Bay

CONVENTION NEWS

For The Sake Of Our Future

47Th Annual Diocesan Convention 2016 January 22-23, 3:30pm, Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy, Melbourne FL CENTRAL FLORIDA EPISCOPALIAN • January 2016

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CANDIDATES

2016 Convention Positions and Nominees

Each year at the annual convention, there are positions to be filled. This year the positions are as follows:

1. STANDING COMMITTEE The Standing Committee is a Council of Advice to the Bishop. The Standing Committee consists of four clerical members and three lay members. The Standing Committee serves as the Resolutions Committee for all Regular and Special Meetings of the Convention.

To be elected: A. One clergy person to be elected to a 4-year term B. One lay person to be elected to a 3-year term

2. DIOCESAN BOARD The Diocesan Board is the Board of Directors of the corporation known as the Diocese of Central Florida, Incorporated. The affairs of the Diocese not falling within the exclusive province of the Bishop shall be managed by the Diocesan Board.

Members of the Board shall be elected for 3-year terms. Board members are expected to serve on a Commission of Committee of the Diocese.

To be elected: A. One clergy person to be elected to a 3-year term B. Two lay persons to be elected to a 3-year term

3. TRUSTEE, UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTH Trustees of the University of the South elect and appoint the Board of Regents, a Chancellor, the Vice Chancellor, and a Chaplain. Trustees hold the land in trust for the University, promote church support and student enrollment, and approve or reject plans for growth and development.

To be elected: A. One lay person to be elected to a 3-year term

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CENTRAL FLORIDA EPISCOPALIAN • January 2016

CANDIDATES

2016 Nominees for Elected Office STANDING COMMITTEE The Reverend Christopher Rodriguez Candidate for Standing Committee Clerical Order It has been my privilege to serve as rector of Trinity Episcopal Church in Vero Beach since August 2012. In the recent past, Trinity faced many challenges, but I continue to be amazed by our Lord and give thanks to Him for Trinity’s tremendous growth in joy, spiritual depth, and number.

Before beginning my ministry in Vero Beach, I served as rector of Trinity Episcopal Church in Red Bank, New Jersey. During my six-year tenure in Red Bank, the parish doubled in Average Sunday Attendance (ASA). I also served The Diocese of New Jersey as chair of the Congregational Development Committee and member of Diocesan Council.

I have a master’s degree in industrial/organizational psychology and worked ten years in the corporate world. During that time I led teams in the field of information technology to articulate and achieve objectives. I am passionate about preaching, leading, and giving people the vision and tools they need to use the gifts God has given them.

The Reverend James A. Sorvillo, Sr. Candidate for Standing Committee Clerical Order Fr. Jim has been rector of the Church of the Ascension since 2003 and active in diocesan ministry since 1992. He and his wife Debbie have two sons, Jim Jr. and Michael, and were blessed with a grandson this year. His passion is for people to encounter the risen Christ and to make our historic worship and God’s Word relevant to our every day journey of faith!

He has served our diocese as the Chair of the Congregational Development Commission, the President of the Episcopal Counseling Center Board, member of the Board for the Canterbury Retreat and Conference Center, has served two terms on the Diocesan Board, and been a deputy to the 2012 and 2015 General Conventions. He is presently completing on his doctorate in congregational healing and renewal.

Fr. Jim would like to be able to bring his diocesan experience and passion for its future to the Standing Committee. He is excited about the years to come and would be honored to serve the bishop in that capacity.

If elected to the Standing Committee, I will use my experience to serve our bishop on his Council of Advice. I believe the best days for our diocese are ahead of us if we are willing to rise to the challenges, confident in our Lord’s provision.

I have been married to Kathleen for 19 years, and we have three daughters.

I enjoy running, reading, playing guitar, and spending time with my family and friends.

CENTRAL FLORIDA EPISCOPALIAN • January 2016

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CANDIDATES

STANDING COMMITTEE Mr. Orman Kimbrough Candidate for Standing Committee Lay Order Our Episcopal-Anglican denomination not only is a treasure to millions of people, but it also has been a part of our country from its beginning. Unfortunately, just as the membership of other mainline denominations has diminished during recent decades, so has our membership.

Fortunately, the Episcopal Diocese of Central Florida has flourished and continues to thrive, in great part due to the leadership of our bishop, clergy, and lay leaders. Today Bishop Brewer sees the opportunity of The Episcopal Church to serve the community like it has never done before. As the faces of Central Florida have changed, so has the complexion of our parishes and diocese. It would be an honor to walk alongside Bishop Brewer by assisting him in growing and further broadening our membership in our faith and service to others.

As a member of All Saints Church in Winter Park, I have had several tours of duty on the vestry and have been senior warden to two rectors. I serve at the altar as a eucharistic minister and a reader, and have actively participated on numerous commissions. I am a 14-year member of the Diocese Commission on Ministry, currently serving as chair.

My wife, Kay, a former Orange County school teacher, and I have two children who “grew up” at All Saints and have reached young adulthood.

Our daughter is a job counselor with Goodwill Industries for those who have cognitive, intellectual, and physical challenges, and our son is a civil engineer working in Washington, D.C. It has been a privilege serving the people of our diocese, and I hope to have the opportunity to support our bishop by becoming a member of the Standing Committee.

Mrs. Sonya Shannon Candidate for Diocesan Board Lay Order Born in Tyler, Texas, I was confirmed at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Grand Prairie, Texas. I met my husband, Colin, in high school and we were married at St. Andrews in 1990.

We joined The Cathedral Church of St. Luke when we moved to Orlando in 1993. Today we are the proud parents of three beautiful “cradle Episcopalians”-Shelby is 21, Erin is 17, and Kendall is 14. I seek to secure a safe place for my girls to grow in their love of the Lord.

I currently work at the Cathedral as the Nursery Coordinator. In diocesan work, I have served previously on Diocesan Board, on the Standing Committee and on the Congregational Development Commission. In 2015, I served as a lay deputy to the General Convention in Salt Lake City, Utah.

As a diocese, in fact, as the Church, we face a culture that is increasingly non-Christian. We routinely encounter individuals who have only a limited knowledge of Jesus Christ. They are looking for answers and meaning, but have no idea of where to turn for grace and hope. Our first challenge, therefore, is to renew our own faith and find ways to articulate those personal stories of faith and encounters with the Lord. Our call to evangelism is to step out of our comfort zone. Our comfort zone for many years has been to stay within the confines of our parish, even literally within our very church buildings. We can no longer wait for people to come to us.

As strong as our witness is right now, we can become even stronger in our faith. We should continue to develop programs that teach the basics of the faith, renew the spiritual life of the individual members of the diocese, and provide the tools for growth in the life of the Church.

I believe the Diocese offers a unique opportunity for those who would seek to know our Lord and deepen their relationship. I will continue to work to make a difference in the life of the church by helping to maintain the continuity and integrity throughout the churches in the Diocese of Central Florida.

I am committed to serve as best I can to help the bishop fulfill his vision of raising up new leaders and restoring lives in our community. I believe I can be effective in this effort as a member of the Diocesan Board.

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CENTRAL FLORIDA EPISCOPALIAN • January 2016

CANDIDATES

DIOCESAN BOARD

TRUSTEE, UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTH

The Reverend Kenneth Vinal Candidate for Diocesan Board Clerical Order

Mr. Frank Gummey Candidate for Trustee University of the South Lay Order

Chaplain, Trinity Preparatory School Associate Priest, St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church, Orlando Diocesan Service I have served on the Diocesan Board for one full term and, for the last two years, in a partial term. I have also served on the Commission on Ministry and, for the last eighteen years, as chairman of Committee Nominations and Elections for the Diocesan Convention.

Personal My wife, Laura, and I celebrated our 26th wedding anniversary in October of 2015. We have two children, Elizabeth and Cooper, and one grandchild.

Work History 2000–present Chaplain, Trinity Preparatory School; Winter Park, Florida 1999–2000

Rector, St John’s Episcopal Church; Kissimmee, Florida

1996–1999 Assistant Rector, Holy Trinity Episcopal Church; Melbourne, Florida 1995–1996 Assistant Rector, Good Shepherd Episcopal Church; Lexington, Kentucky 1983–1992

I have been a member of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Daytona Beach for 34 years, where I have served as a lector, lay eucharistic minister, three-time vestry member, search committee member, stewardship chair, and unofficial “chancellor.” A lifelong Episcopalian, I received my Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of the South. After service in the U.S. Army, I attended law school at the University of Florida. As a certified local-government lawyer, I have represented Daytona Beach, Volusia County, and New Smyrna Beach for more than 42 years. I have participated in the leadership of a number of professional, civic, and charitable organizations on the local, regional, and national levels. My wife of 34 years, Susan, is a teacher, and our daughter, Sarah, is a school guidance counselor. Our son, Topper, is a recent graduate of the University of Central Florida.

The University of the South, or “Sewanee,” has been a continuing relationship for me. I have been a regular contributor and inveterate booster. As a trustee since 2010, I have enthusiastically supported significant advancements in the university’s mission.

Accountant in life insurance industry

Education Master of Divinity, University of the South, 1995 Bachelor of Science-Accounting, University of Florida, 1983

As a member of the Community Relations Committee, I have encouraged greatly expanded outreach to the community beyond the campus. Rural areas of people of moderate means and less are being helped by a great upsurge in faculty and student volunteerism in university and community organizations.

As Episcopalians, we have an incredible resource for clerical and lay Christian education in Sewanee, and I hope to continue to work to improve the breadth and depth of its impact on the church and community at large.

CENTRAL FLORIDA EPISCOPALIAN • January 2016

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CONVENTION NEWS

New Episcopal Canon on Assessment: Conversations Begin New Mandatory Assessments

By Canon Tim Nunez and Earl Pickett

T

his past summer, at its 78th General Convention, our Episcopal Church adopted Resolution C001, which fundamentally changed the canon that specifies the funding mechanism for its triennial budget. This resolution will require ratification at General Convention in 2018, and there is every expectation that it will happen. The modification switches the funding mechanism from a voluntary asking for support from dioceses at a rate of 19 percent of their operating income to a mandatory assessment with a rate not higher than 15 percent of their operating income effective at the beginning with the next triennium (2019-2021). This presents a challenge for us since our current canons are based on a tithe formula and provide a mechanism wherein a congregation can redirect the diocesan tithe on their support away from The Episcopal Church.

How would changes to Alternative Giving affect those members and parishes? How would it affect recipients of the redirected portion of the tithe? Should we continue to support those ministries at their current levels? Is doing so in line with our Strategic Vision Action Plan? If so, how should we budget them and for how long? If not, should we start weaning them off diocesan support as we move toward 2019?

The Assessment Percentage At present, our diocese tithes 10 percent on the amount received from churches. Currently, churches are able to direct that the diocesan tithe on their giving be sent either to The Episcopal Church or to Alternative Giving—a schedule of recipients approved by the diocesan board. This means that when a congregant gives a $1,000 donation to their church’s operating budget, $100

Bishop Brewer has asked our diocese to engage this challenge and discuss the issues that arise from it during our preconvention deanery meetings, at the Diocesan Convention, and throughout 2016. We hope that you will discuss it in your church and with others in the diocese.

We want to collaboratively design a plan of action whereby the Diocese of Central Florida can transition into compliance with the provisions of Resolution C001 by 2019.

Several key issues require our attention:

Alternative Giving The ability to redirect the diocesan tithe away from The Episcopal Church was established years ago because many of our members and congregations did not want to financially support the theological revisions they saw developing within The Episcopal Church. This option has helped them remain engaged and involved in their local parishes and the diocese.

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goes to the diocese. Then $10 of that $100 would go to The Episcopal Church and/or Alternative Giving.

Currently, pledges from our churches account for approximately 92 percent of the diocesan operating budget. The budget is supplemented with approximately $200,000 from designated funds. Those funds are being transferred into the operating fund to finance the parish grant program as well as leadership recruiting and development efforts that were recently incorporated into the operating fund.

The cumulative revenue of all the churches in our diocese is approximately 10 times the size of the diocesan budget. Therefore, small changes in the assessment rate can make a big difference.

This illustration uses round numbers based on our current modified budget:

Congregational Giving

Episcopal Church Assessment

Current

Resolution C001

Congregational Giving to DCF

2,400,000

2,776,800

Other Income (Transfers/Interest)

200,000

0

2,600,000

2,776,800

Diocesan Giving to TEC

136,750*

416,800

Diocesan Alternative Giving

103,250*

???????**

$2,360,000

$2,360,000

Diocesan Budget

Congregational Revenue Congregational Giving to DCF

Remainder of the Budget

* YTD 2015 Pledge Income tithe instructions: 57% Episcopal Church, 43% Alternative Giving. ** Future Alternative Giving is unknown and would require some adjustment to the assessment, other line items or use of designated funds to balance the budget.

CENTRAL FLORIDA EPISCOPALIAN • January 2016

CONVENTION NEWS As this illustration shows, an increase of 1.57 percent (from 10 percent to 11.57 percent) in congregational giving to the diocese would enable the diocese to meet the increased assessment mandated by Resolution C001 and enable the redirection of those designated funds for other uses, such as funding church plants in key areas.

Convention last summer. That committee achieved a record increase in funding. Given the election of Michael Curry as our presiding bishop and his focus on evangelism, this was quite timely. The Rev. Jabriel Ballantine, rector of The Episcopal Church of St. John the Baptist in Orlando, was elected last summer to the Executive Committee of The Episcopal Church.

The Assessment Base

The consequences of not complying with this resolution include:

Congregations currently pledge to the diocese based on estimated pledge and plate income for the current year. This requires that the pledge income figure for the diocesan operating budget also be based on an estimated income figure for the current year. It would be beneficial to base the diocesan assessment on operating income as defined by the parochial report for a prior year because it would enable congregational treasurers to base their pledge on a known figure rather than an estimate (i.e., 2019 assessment would be based on operating income from the 2017 Parochial Report). This would also allow the diocesan operating budget to be based on a known figure instead of an estimate.

• making our diocese and its churches

The Consequences of Not Complying With Resolution C001 Our diocesan Strategic Vision Action Plan adopted in 2013 included the statement, “We are taking our place within the councils of the Episcopal Church,” as one of our five major goals. Brewer was asked to chair the Evangelism and Communications Committee at General

ineligible for church wide grant programs through the United Thank Offering and other bodies;

•

the possibility of losing voting privileges at General Convention;

•

the likelihood that Brewer’s and Ballantine’s voices and influence in the House of Bishops and Executive Committee, respectively, will be significantly hindered.

Our Response We have time to consider this challenge. This conversation should proceed throughout 2016 with resolutions to be generated for consideration at our 2017 convention. Canonical changes in response to this challenge would require approval at one diocesan convention (2017) and ratification at the next (2018). Please give it due thought and lots of prayer. Share your ideas and concerns with your clergy, vestry, convention delegates, and board representatives. Listen and speak with charity, with your heart and mind open to Christ’s guidance.

Resolution C001 changes the asking to a mandatory commitment: Resolved, the House of Bishops concurring, That the 78th General Convention direct the Executive Council to prepare and the Joint Standing Committee on Program, Budget and Finance to present a budget to the 79th General Convention in which Diocesan Commitments for funding the budget are set at a rate no higher than 15% beginning with the next triennium (2019-2021); and be it further Resolved, That the member dioceses of this Church commit to paying the full asking, with the expectation that the minimum commitment from each diocese of this Church shall reach the asked level during the 2019-2021 triennium.

CENTRAL FLORIDA EPISCOPALIAN • January 2016

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CENTRAL FLORIDA EPISCOPALIAN • January 2016

LENT

Memoirs of Lent From Port St. Lucie

M

By the Rev. Mary Rosendahl

y four brothers and I grew up in The Episcopal Church. Church had both its great moments and not-so-great ones! For me, being the child of a very “Anglo-Catholic” Episcopal priest, Lent was a season I tried to avoid—without much success! It meant confession every Saturday, absolutely no parties or celebrations, and sitting through all of those long and boring three-hour Good Friday services. Not to mention all the other services during Holy Week. As far as I was concerned, we might as well have brought cots to church because that’s where we spent that last week before Easter! Oh, and don’t forget the whole “giving up something that you like” thing.

Many years have gone by since those much-dreaded Saturday confessions.

Since those early days, I not only have learned to appreciate the season of Lent but also have grown to embrace it and actually find myself in need of it more and more each year. From the very beginning of Lent—when we are invited to “the observance of holy Lent, by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting and self-denial; and by reading and meditating on God’s holy Word” (Book of Common Prayer, p. 265)—to the end is never long enough. (That may just come with age!)

On Ash Wednesday we read Psalm 51:10, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” The prayer presumes how our hearts are prone to be troubled, can be broken, or can become hard. Brother Curtis Almquist (Society of St. John the Evangelist) once wrote: “‘Create and make in us new and contrite hearts’ is not a prayer for a heart-bypass procedure; this prayer is for a heart transplant, a new heart pumping afresh with the light, life, and love of God.” Lent offers me the time to pray that prayer and continually seek “a new heart pumping afresh with the light, life, and love of God.” During Lent at Church of the Nativity in Port St. Lucie, we offer special times for confession; have services every day during Holy Week; and, of course, still hold those “long and boring” three-hour Good Friday Services. And yes, no parties or celebrations. I think I’ve turned into my own father. He would be proud of me!

May your heart pump “afresh with the light, life, and love of God.” In Christ’s Love, Mary Rosendahl

Lecanto Resident Named Father Christmas Honoree

C

atherine Allen received a standing ovation at the announcement by Serving Our Savior Food Pantry Director John Bourdeaux at the 18th Annual Father Christmas Benefit Ball on Friday, Dec. 4.

Allen was praised for not only her 5-year effort in organizing the main fundraiser, but also for her support of the Citrus County Resource Center, Key Center Foundation, Citrus County Blessing, plus her volunteer work at Shepherd of the Hills Episcopal Church.

Last spring, she and husband Richard, collected, sorted, and packed more than 3,000 pounds of over-the-counter medical supplies that were shipped to the Jamaican Medical Mission, a yearly ministry by the Episcopal Diocese of Central Florida.

“To say I am deeply honored and feel so very blessed is a gross understatement. I am so very humbled by this honor. I can hardly put my feelings into words,” Allen said.

She thanked the Father Christmas team, but mostly SOS Director John Bourdeaux and the men and women “who work year-round, every week to reach out to our less fortunate citizens of Citrus County.”

A resident of Citrus County since 2010, Allen is also president of the Esther Chapter of the Daughters of the King, active in the Episcopal Church Women, and served as chairwoman of the successful Search Committee to find a new rector.

Before retiring, Allen held a position at the National Security Agency.

She was named Director of Security at Northrop Corporation in Illinois and was one of the first women to sit and pass the Certified Protection Professional Exam. She is also listed in “Who’s Who in Security.”

Congratulations Catherine Allen!

Photo by Don Whitehead

CENTRAL FLORIDA EPISCOPALIAN • January 2016

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CANTERBURY/CAMP WINGMANN

Canterbury Events

www.canterburyretreat.org • 407-365-5571

www.campwingmann.org • 866-526-3380

The Three Y’s Retreat – January 15-16, 2016

Wingmann Music Festival – March 5, 2016

Leadership / Vestry Retreat with Ed Stetzer, Ph.D. – February 12-13, 2016

Happening – April 2016 (dates TBD)

This two-day retreat, which explores three keys to a more intentional walk with God, will inspire and challenge you to deeper faith and devotion in your own life—and equip you to encourage others in the journey of spiritual formation … until Christ is fully formed in us.

Join with others for a weekend in which you will be equipped and inspired to focus on the call of the church to be salt and light, inviting people into a vibrant faith and way of life in Christ.

Men’s Cursillo – February 25-29, 2016 Women’s Cursillo – March 10-13, 2016 Cursillo comes from Spanish and means “a short course.” The purpose of Cursillo is to help Christians first learn and live what is fundamental to the life of every Christian and then discover and live out a personal vocation.

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Camp Wingmann Events

CENTRAL FLORIDA EPISCOPALIAN • January 2016

Come for a day of great music, food, and fun. Bring your own lawn chair or blanket. Stay for an hour or all day! The festival will feature bands, soloists, instrumentalists, a steel drum band, and much more.

If you’re in a Christian band or music group that would like to participate, please call Father Miller at (863) 453-4800.

Happening is a Christian experience presented by teenagers for teenagers. It is designed for youth, grades 10-12, and sponsored by The Episcopal Church. Most young people have serious questions about Jesus and the church. Happening addresses these questions. During a Happening weekend, participants experience the love of Christ as shown through prayer, worship, and the ministry of peers, clergy, and lay adults. “Happeners” are encouraged to make their renewed faith part of their everyday lives.

Happening shows young people how Christianity can keep pace with the many changes in our lives and world. For costs or finalized dates, or to download the applications and forms, go to http://www.cfdiocese. org/episcopalyouth.

DIOCESE

Calendar of Events Pre-Convention Deanery Meeting Schedule

Central Deanery – January 14 Church of the Good Shepherd, Maitland, 7 p.m.

Southwest Deanery – January 16 St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Winter Haven, 10 a.m.

Southeast Deanery – January 17 Trinity Episcopal Church, Vero Beach, 4 p.m.

Northwest Deanery Clericus at Advent – January 14 Dunnellon, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Transitional Deacon Ordinations at the Cathedral – January 16 Orlando, 5:30 p.m., Cameron MacMillan and Michelle Roach

47th Annual Diocesan Convention – January 22-23 Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy, 5625 Holy Trinity Dr., Melbourne, FL 32940

Horns and Pipes - January 31, 2 p.m. – 3 p.m.

Cathedral Church of Saint Luke, 130 North Magnolia Avenue, Orlando, FL 32801 Don’t miss this 23-year tradition, now a Central Florida institution! Maestro Michael Garasi conducts our massive brass ensemble together with a full array of percussion instruments and Ben Lane at the majestic pipe organ. This year’s program features music from the vast world of opera.

Our Cathedral Choir even sings famous opera choruses. Experience the grandeur in our spectacular acoustic!

Clergy Day with Ed Stetzer – February 11 Canterbury Conference Center, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Conference for Vestries and Church Leaders with Ed Stetzer – February 12-13 Canterbury Conference Center

Diocesan Adult Choir Festival Honoring Life & Legacy of The Reverend Absalom Jones – February 20 The Cathedral Church of St. Luke and the Union of Black Episcopalians (UBE – Central Florida Chapter) will host the Diocese of Central Florida Adult Choir Festival in Honor of the Life and Legacy of the Rev. Absalom Jones at the Cathedral, 130 North Magnolia Avenue, Orlando on Saturday, February 20, 2016, at 2 p.m.

Celebration of a New Ministry and Installation of The Rev. James Shevlin – February 21 The Rev. James Shevlin will become Rector at Church of Our Saviour, Okeechobee. 4 p.m.

Diocesan Altar Guild Meeting – February 27 St. Edward’s Church, Mount Dora, 10 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Diocesan Youth Choir Festival – February 28 St. Luke’s Cathedral, Orlando, 4 – 6 p.m.

Bishop Brewer Visitation Schedule 1/17/16 St. Agnes Sebring 1/31/16 Incarnation Oviedo 2/7/16 St. Jude’s Orange City 2/14/16 St. Elizabeth’s Sebastian 2/21/16 Trinity Vero Beach 2/28/16 Orlando Cathedral

(Diocesan Youth Choir Festival) 3/20/16 Dunnellon Advent 3/27/16 Orlando Cathedral 4/3/16 Lecanto Shepherd of the Hills 4/17/16 Orlando St. John the Baptist 4/24/16 Lakeland All Saints’ Bishop Brewer’s visitation dates are subject to change.

Please refer to www.cfdiocese.org for the most current visitation listing.

CENTRAL FLORIDA EPISCOPALIAN • January 2016

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COLLEGE NEWS

Canterbury Club – Reaching UCF Students

By Erick X. Perez and the Rev. Jose Rodriguez

T

he University of Central Florida (UCF) Canterbury Club is a ministry of Church of the Incarnation in Oviedo and The Episcopal Diocese of Central Florida. It serves the students of UCF and draws students from Valencia Community College and Seminole State College as well as alumni of these schools and local young adults. Started in 2007, it has grown from one intentional community of young adults into two, overseen by its chaplain, the Rev. Jose Rodriguez, and a faithful team of lay ministers who are all alumni or current students of the schools we serve.

The Community of St. Augustine of Canterbury meets at the Canterbury Retreat and Conference Center on Monday nights and is facilitated by a team of lay leaders. This group mostly serves the nonresidential students of UCF and the local community colleges. The Community of St. Anselm of Canterbury was started in 2014

by Philip Nunez, who now serves as youth minister at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Melbourne. This group sets its schedule each

semester and is now facilitated by Sam Nunez, who serves as its peer minister on campus.

Under Sam’s leadership, this group, which serves residential students at UCF, continues to grow.

Canterbury Club is dedicated solely to college students and young adults. It was started by Rodriguez while still a graduate student at UCF, and Nathan Adams, then at Reformed Theological Seminary (RTS) and now a seminarian and future priest in the Byzantine Catholic Church in America. It was a place where the young adults who attended Church of the Incarnation could gather to eat snacks, read and study the scriptures, and enjoy fellowship.

Good, healthy discussions ensued, sometimes taking us into the wee hours of 1 or 2 a.m.

At first, the group primarily comprised members of Church of the Incarnation and local seminarians. As the mission of Church of the Incarnation grew, new faces from UCF started showing up on Sunday mornings and incorporating themselves into the group.

Rodriguez and his wife, Heather, opened their home every Monday night to provide a place for the young people to meet.

When Church of the Incarnation moved its services from RTS to Canterbury Retreat and Conference Center, the group also moved, as it had outgrown the Rodriguez’s living room. The conference center has since been a generous partner in support of student ministry. Students from all walks of life and backgrounds are welcomed.

Monday night dinner has become an important part of our outreach to local students. We discovered after providing students with a meal that many began staying for scripture study and prayer. According to a 2014 report in the Washington Post, hunger due to the rising costs of education has caused college students to become part of the hunger-related statistics. Monday nights have become a place of feeding, both spiritual and physical. The local congregation has stepped in to provide home-cooked meals.

Canterbury Retreat and Conference Center has also been generous in providing meals.

Some members of the church have partnered with this ministry to provide clothes, job referrals, and mentorship.

The UCF Canterbury Club developed an extensive relationship with KYX Christian Fraternity (KYX) and Theta Alpha Christian Sorority (Theta Alpha). Both organizations have also developed relationships with Church of the Incarnation. The fraternity calls Incarnation its “home church,” and the sorority contributes extensively to the church’s nursery ministry.

Formally inviting the fraternal organizations into the life of the congregation was one of the Rev. Rory Harris’ first initiatives as vicar, now rector, of Church of the Incarnation.

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CENTRAL FLORIDA EPISCOPALIAN • January 2016

DIOCESE NEWS

Bishop Greg Brewer has alsomade his support of this ministry felt. He and Laura Lee paid us a visit on December 8, 2014, for our Christmas celebration.

In spring 2015 he came back for a celebration of student leadership at Canterbury alongside leaders of the Community of St. Augustine and St. Anselm, KYX, Theta Alpha, clergy, and UCF president, Dr. John Hitt. This year we received a leadership grant from The Episcopal Church, and we have recently partnered with a young adult group in the Anglican Church of Canada at Taloyoak, Nunavut. We continue to grow locally by expanding our relationships with others within The Episcopal Church and the wider Anglican Communion.

The work involved is hard, the field is plentiful at UCF with more than 50,000 students, and the harvest is and will be great! From this group we have grown and strengthened the kingdom at UCF. We have had baptisms, confirmations, and weddings. Already for 2016 we have three upcoming weddings on the books and members who are preparing for confirmation.

We closed off 2015 with the baptism of a child born to a Canterbury Club family.

Want to know how to provide help?

As our group has grown, so have the ministry’s needs. A gift of love in the form of financial support for this ministry will go a long way toward providing meals and programming for young adults in the UCF area. We are also in need of talent should anyone want to participate in meal preparations on Monday nights. If you would like to know more, contact Erick Perez at the diocesan office or Father Rodriguez, visit our Facebook page at https:// www.facebook.com/UCF4Christ, or write us at ucf.canterbury@gmail.com or UCF Canterbury Club, 1601 Alafaya Trail, Oviedo FL 32765.

ICS, your Diocesan school for learning, is online!

ICS is for anyone seeking to learn and grow in their faith.

If you have limited time and cannot spend a Saturday at the Institute, ICS is now online. You do not have to leave your home.

Most online courses are offered at $25 per course. That’s at least a $20 savings per course.

How can you access the online school?

Go to the website:

institute-of-christian-studies.thinkific.com You will need to create a sign-in the first time you visit. Pick your course, and the prompts will show you how to pay. It is VERY easy!

The Rev. Jose Rodriguez (Padre Jose) Jose and his wife Heather are founding members at Church of the Incarnation, Oviedo, FL and are involved in a number of ministries - particularly the Monday Night group - Canterbury Club.

Erick Perez has been a member of the Diocesan Staff for three years. He is described as a “Jack of all Trades”: Database Manager, Reception, subscription Manager for the CFE, and the list goes on and on.

Other classes will be added as we film additional workshops and classes.

Enjoy and be blessed!

CENTRAL FLORIDA EPISCOPALIAN • January 2016

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AROUND THE DIOCESE

Notification of Church Pension Assessments Dear Friends:

HEALING MISSION AT THE CHURCH OF GOOD SHEPHERD With The Rev. Nigel Mumford Founder at By HIS Wounds Ministry HEALING MISSION - Friday, February 19, 2:00 PM - 7:30 PM Session One - Inner Healing - 2:30 pm - 4:30 pm Light Supper - 4:30 pm - 5:30 pm Session Two – Breaking Generational Bonds 5:30 pm - 7:15 pm GENERATIONAL HEALING EUCHARIST Saturday, February 20 - 9:30 AM This is open to all. Please invite family, friends and neighbors to come and be blessed. Please call the Parish office to register for the Friday Session, 407-644-5350.

CHURCH OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD, 331 Lake Avenue, Maitland, FL 32751 http//www.goodshepherdmaitland.com

Please remember that changes in the amount of compensation paid to employees needs to be promptly reported to the Church Pension Group (CPG) to ensure accurate pension assessment bills.

If your 2016 budget includes cost of living adjustments (COLA’s) and/ or raises for any of your employees, you will need to notify CPG of those adjustments.

Contact me for forms at epickett@cfdiocese.org Take care!

Earl Pickett, CFO/Diocesan Administrator

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CENTRAL FLORIDA EPISCOPALIAN • January 2016

CENTRAL FLORIDA EPISCOPALIAN • January 2016

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A DEACON’S HEART

“No One Hungry” Ministry Has Exploded

N

o One Hungry is a nonprofit ministry of St. Gabriel’s Episcopal Church and Bethlehem Missionary Baptist Church in Titusville, Florida. In 2014, one parishioner felt a call from God to “feed my people.” This calling grew into a desire to help senior citizens fulfill their basic need for food pantry items each month.

After holding meetings with several organizations and individuals, we discovered that seniors often fall short of eating enough essential nutritional foods. Today we help seniors, families, the homeless, and other individuals by operating two food pantries, making home deliveries to seniors, and going to the homeless with needed personal items and food. We also provide monthly newsletters and information to our senior community that address issues such as eating behaviors, food safety, and good nutrition.

The Explosion (Update – November 1, 2015)

I

n late October, we had a ribbon cutting with the chamber of commerce in Titusville to celebrate the ministry becoming a joint effort of St. Gabriel’s and the 128-year-old AfricanAmerican Bethlehem Missionary Baptist Church. Following the ceremony, a FREE spaghetti dinner fundraiser was held that raised $1,560.

Afterward, my wife, Jacki, and I went on a short trip to get some rest and relaxation.

While we were gone, a local school official contacted one of our ministry workers to say they had finished a food drive at the school and to ask us to pick up the donated items, lots of items.

We returned on a Thursday afternoon from our trip in time for our Dine To Donate dinner that night at Denny’s. More than 40 people attended the event. Although we still are waiting to learn how much was raised, we received a great blessing that night. During the dinner, one of St. Gabriel’s parishioners suggested we all go out to the parking lot and get a group picture.

While outside, the parishioner told me to turn and look behind me. When I did, I saw a new 2015 Nissan 200 cargo van with a No One Hungry sign on the front. In the three days while I was gone, the parishioner had met with a foundation, a hospital auxiliary, and a handful of people, and raised enough money to purchase a new van for the ministry!

As if that’s not enough, a package was recently delivered to the church, addressed to me. The Save-a-Lot parent corporation had sent us sixty gift cards worth $25 each. With these, we now can help needy families during the holidays who can’t afford a ham or turkey.

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CENTRAL FLORIDA EPISCOPALIAN • January 2016

The ministry continues to be blessed. This is God’s ministry, and he is giving us all the tools we need to run it.

Why all the grocery bags in the van? We are using them as part of an ongoing “Grocery Bag” food drive. People take the bags home, fill them with suggested items, and return them to one of our two pantries. In 30 days we gave out a little more than 3,000 pounds of food to individuals, families, seniors, clients of the Woman’s Center of North Brevard, and the homeless.

GOD IS SOOOO GOOD.

~ Johnny

Get Involved There are many opportunities to be part of this growing ministry. You can volunteer to pack or deliver food, partner as a service provider to our growing senior community, or financially support this ministry with funds, support services, or food items.

Contact us at http://www.noonehungryfl.org, email info@NoOneHungryFL.org, or call (321) 567-4408 for more information on how to get involved.

John E. Clark is a Certified Executive Chef, and a Candidate for the Diaconate in the Episcopal Diocese of Central Florida. Chef Clark lives in Titusville, FL and is a member of St. Gabriel’s Episcopal Church and is the OSL Florida State Representative. Candidate Clark formed No One Hungry FL as his diaconal ministry and is currently assigned to St. David’s by-the-Sea in Cocoa Beach for Diaconate Field Work. Clark’s personal mission is to help others “Dare to live purposely in faith!”

A DEACON’S HEART

Seventeen Service Projects on One Sunday St. Stephen’s in Lakeland Celebrates 40 Years

A

ll year long during 2015, we at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Lakeland were thanking God for 40 years together as a parish family.

In reflecting upon the character of our particular congregation over the years, we agreed that it seemed like the best way to celebrate such an anniversary wasn’t through throwing a party for ourselves but by reaching out and serving others.

So in gratitude for the Lord’s countless blessings and to honor our patron, Stephen the Deacon, as well as our own local saints whom we love but see no longer, we organized 17 different service projects for the morning of Sunday, November 22. Some involved serving people within our congregation; others sought to serve neighbors who are not a part of our church and to reach out and bless the wider neighborhood and community.

Heavenly Father, we give you thanks for the mission, ministry, and memories of the first 40 years of St. Stephen’s and for your blessings to our parish family still to come.

Continue to grow us in faith, in devotion, in numbers, and in stewardship of all the gifts you’ve given us. Help us always to love and serve both you and our neighbors.

May your gospel make a lasting difference in our lives, and may we make a lasting difference in your world, to the honor and glory of your name.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen.

Morning worship services were suspended so that people might worship in action in gratitude for our parish anniversary. More than 100 of them, remembering that laborare est orare (“to work is to pray”), spent the morning thanking and worshipping God through serving others.

This service included visiting the homebound and shut-ins of the parish and helping those in need with housework and yardwork. Two separate groups ran fellowship activities at the nursing home and assisted-living facility down the street. We painted a parishioner’s house. We picked up litter from a nearby roadway our scout troop had adopted and sent a crew to clean up the local county park. We collected new toys and assembled educational crafts for a downtown ministry that serves impoverished families.

We worked in the kitchen and laundry room of a downtown homeless shelter, preparing meals and folding laundry. We also worked in partnership with another neighborhood church to help with their facility needs and offer assistance to several of their needy families.

And that’s how we celebrate an anniversary the St. Stephen’s way!

The Reverend David B. Peoples Rev. David is the rector of St. Stephen’s. He is a husband, father of five, martial arts instructor, and a Gator.

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CENTRAL FLORIDA EPISCOPALIAN 1017 E. Robinson Street Orlando, FL 32801-2023 Non-Profit Organization U. S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 4111 ORLANDO, FLORIDA

Take Advantage of Diocesan Group Health Insurance We are here to serve you in a variety of ways. Our Diocesan Administrator, Earl Pickett, has just issued notice of open enrollment in our diocesan cafeteria plan.

Enrollment is NECESSARY because the plan document has been changed and updated. Prior enrollments expire at year end.

Enrollment is STRONGLY RECOMMENDED for ALL our churches. Your church may not need it today, but it makes sense to enroll in case you ever do.

Enrollment is ***FREE*** to your church. The diocese is covering the cost of the plan and its administration.

Failure to enroll could leave you exposed to unintended violations of federal tax and health care laws. PLEASE adopt this plan at your next vestry meeting and notify Earl when you have done so at epickett@cfdiocese.org.

We believe this is a significant support for your ministry.

CENTRALFLORIDA

EPISCOPALIAN

NEWS FROM THE EPISCOPAL DIOCESE OF CENTRAL FLORIDA WWW.CFDIOCESE.ORG • Volume 118, No. 1 • January 2016

You’ll be surprised. Page 27

See how St. Stephen’s celebrates an anniversary.

Find out on page 16

Do you know about the new mandatory assessments?

Page 11

Who’s running for office?

Page 19

Father Christmas Honoree is one of our own.

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