2020 Easter Southern Cross

VOLUME 51 | ISSUE 1

EASTER 2020

Southern Cross MAGAZINE OF THE DIOCESE OF SOUTHWEST FLORIDA

w e N e Th

Social

Network

THIS NEW LIFE AT EASTER

•

BUILDING A LEGACY

THE COURAGE TO INVITE • GROWING A MINISTRY • A DOWNTOWN EASTER TRADITION

YOUTH SUMMER CAMPS Our campers participate in a Christian program designed to deepen their faith and strengthen their friendships through a variety of activities. Campers learn team-building skills and are challenged on our ropes courses, enjoy canoeing, kayaking and paddleboarding on the Manatee River, and get a chance to just be themselves playing games and creating arts and crafts. Come experience God’s love through great music, worship and food this summer! Six sessions are planned for 2020: for the latest updates and more details, head to

CAMP

WWW.DAYSPRINGFLA.ORG

2020

ADOPT-A-CAMPER SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM Support our diocesan youth ministry by participating in the Adopt-A-Camper Scholarship program! Your donation sends a child to a camp session they may otherwise be unable to attend, and gives them memories which last a lifetime. You’ll receive a thank you note from your camper, and if you choose, you can inspire them with a note to your camper ahead of their camp session. For more information about this program, contact Greg Randall, Camp Director / Director of Youth Ministry & Programming at

grandall@episcopalswfl.org

BEST. SUMMER.

EVER.

From the Bishop GROWING TOGETHER My Dear Friends, One of the unwritten features of the Southern Cross magazine of the Diocese of Southwest Florida that I most appreciate is in its ability to create questions for new relationships. I imagine that often people in our congregations learn about something good and creative for mission that leaders in others congregation are doing and make a call. This is, at least, what I hope and imagine that the Southern Cross is provoking. This particular issue is striking in so many ways that leaders in one congregation may want to call leaders in other congregations and start a conversation. “I just read about what you are doing. Please tell me more. I’m interested in seeing how my congregation might do what you are doing.”

My wife Mary and I are always so impressed at the many interesting and life-giving mission focuses that are developed and acted on in the congregations of our diocese. We get to see the great and interesting approaches every week on the cycle of visitations. The Southern Cross helps create that understanding for everyone in the diocese. We all get to see the great and interesting approaches!

I would like to draw your attention to the stimulating outreach work powerfully going on in All Souls in North Ft. Myers. Perhaps a reader might want to visit the church or make a call and ask “How” or “What.” There is a massive amount of material about church renovations, youth mission trips, deaf ministry, healing ministry, invitation evangelism, creating and sustaining a vibrant youth ministry, creating a financial legacy for your congregation. Take a look also at the opportunity for education and Christian formation by using educational videos available through the diocesan School for Ministry. Clearly, there is a great deal of activity going on in the diocese revealing that we can learn so much from each other.

My point is simple: we are all in this together. We do not need to go very far away to usually get our questions answered. Simply make a telephone call or write a letter to someone in another congregation and ask your mission minded questions. How did you establish... What was your budget impact...How did you evaluate...How much space....Does the congregation participate....Does the community become involved...? Learn from each other.

I love the mission activities going on in our congregations. There is so much revealed in the Southern Cross and much more than is published here. I’m so proud of the Diocese of Southwest Florida and I invite you to be proud and learn, too.

It very well might be that existing mission activities might be strengthened by asking questions. It also might be that new mission approaches might be established by seeing something and having a new idea stimulated.

Read and learn, call and ask questions. Help your congregation grow by learning from your fellow congregations’ mission minded actions.

Bishop Dabney Smith Fifth Bishop of Southwest Florida

SOUTHERN CROSS

YEAR 51 | ISSUE 1 | EASTER 2020 FIRST PUBLISHED AD 1970

Geraldine “Jerry” Buss | Bookkeeper jbuss@episcopalswfl.org Marilyn Erfourth | Receptionist merfourth@episcopalswfl.org The Rev. Martha Goodwill | Director of Congregation Support mgoodwill@episcopalswfl.org The Rev. Christopher Gray | Canon for Stewardship cgray@episcopalswfl.org Elizabeth Kozin | Bishop’s Executive Assistant ekozin@episcopalswfl.org Michelle Mercurio | Administrative Assistant mmercurio@episcopalswfl.org The Ven. Dr. Kathleen Moore | Archdeacon; Dean, School for Ministry kmoore@episcopalswfl.org The Rev. Richard H. Norman | Canon to the Ordinary rnorman@episcopalswfl.org Carla Odell | Executive Director - DaySpring execdirector@dayspringfla.org Garland Pollard | Director of Communications gpollard@episcopalswfl.org Greg Randall | Director of Youth Ministry & Programming grandall@episcopalswfl.org Tana Sembiante | Administrative Assistant to Canon Norman tsembiante@episcopalswfl.org Anne Vickers | Canon for Finance & Administration | CFO avickers@episcopalswfl.org ADJUNCT CLERGY The Rev. Ann Dieterle | DaySpring Program Coordinator adierterle@episcopalswfl.org The Rev. Carol Fleming | Diocesan Missioner, Parrish cfleming@episcopalswfl.org The Rev. Adrienne Hymes | USF Chaplain, Missioner Church Ext. ahymes@episcopalswfl.org The Rev. Michael Todd | State College of Florida Chaplain mtodd@chsosprey.org

Bishop | The Diocese of Southwest Florida The Rt. Rev. Dabney T. Smith Assisting Bishops The Rt. Rev. J. Michael Garrison, The Rt. Rev. Barry R. Howe Canon to the Ordinary The Rev. Canon Richard H. Norman Canon for Finance & Administration | CFO Anne Vickers SOUTHERN CROSS Editor & Director of Communications Garland Pollard Managing Editor & Creative Director Shannon Weber Contributing Writers The Rev. Adrienne Hymes, The Rev. Canon Dr. Thomas Williams, The Rev. Peter Lane, Kevin V. Johnson, Jackie Overton, Shannon Weber Advertising Inquiries Garland Pollard | 941-556-0315 | gpollard@episcopalswfl.org Subscriptions | The Southern Cross is mailed free of charge to parishioners of the Diocese of Southwest Florida from member parish lists. Contact merfourth@episcopalswfl.org to subscribe or update delivery preferences.

Editorial Submissions | The editors welcome submission of articles for every section of the magazine, including features, news and departments. Please submit articles to gpollard@episcopalswfl.org 2020 Submission Deadlines Lent/Easter: January 24 Pentecost: April 24 Advent Issue: October 23 On the cover: Carol DeNapoli and Eileen Conway at the registration table at All Souls weekly food pantry. At right, St. David's Episcopal Church.

FEATURES 18 THE NEW SOCIAL NETWORK

What's happening at All Souls in north Ft. Myers is so much more than a food pantry, and it's leaving a lasting impression on both the volunteers and the community they serve.

24 BUILDING A LEGACY

The idea of legacy is a hot topic these days, but how do you begin planning for the future? Canon Anne Vickers discusses some ideas to help you think about what steps to take.

28 THIS NEW LIFE

The Rev. Dr. Thomas Willams reflects on the resurrection of Christ, and how the biggest things can happen in the quietest moments.

DEPARTMENTS First Person | Holy Focus Around the Diocese | Spring Hill, Brooksville Growing a Ministry | Thoughts on Expansion Meet the Priest | The Rev. Ray Buchanan My Favorite Hymn | Kevin V. Johnson Outreach | The Courage to Invite

6 7 8 9 10 11

YOUTH | A VIBRANT YOUTH MINISTRY AT ST. MARKS 12 DaySpring | A New Course of Action Mission | Part time Living, Full Time Giving In Memoriam Church Cookbook Love | Brunch Crunch Easter Event | A Downtown Easter Tradition Books Episcopal Relief | Q&A with Ellen Lightner Briefly | Bell in Ft. Myers Transitions Looking Back

14 16 31 32 35 36 38 39 41 42

First Person HOLY FOCUS

As a reminder to myself and hopefully a helpful word to my friends—Focus. Focus. Focus.

Unfocused busyness is the enemy. by the Rev. Adrienne Hymes

M

y professional training in the fields of public relations and marketing have given me a “natural” way of functioning using the framework of strategic planning. The basic structure of a strategic plan is four-fold: Objectives, strategies, tactics and the timeline. I am quite aware that some business language and ways of being may be off-putting for some, and indeed, may not serve the church well. However, in the ministry of church planting to which God has called me requires me to function strategically, and to draw upon my existing skill set.

I am convinced that basic knowledge of, and ongoing training in, strategic planning is essential to the development of a congregation’s Spirit-led, focused movement rooted in Christ. Focused movement results from a well-written strategic plan. The focus reflects the planning and the movement reflects the necessity to embrace nimbleness.

Certainly, there are endless things to distract a congregation, a ministry or an individual from focusing on reaching milestones and achieving intended outcomes. The reality of church size, human and financial resources, and myriad other considerations, dictate what can be done at a certain time in the life of the congregation. The gift of the strategic plan with a clear objective is that there is built-in focus: anything that does not align with the strategic plan, while it may be very good and very important, cannot be engaged at a certain time or ever. Stay focused. Unfocused busyness is the enemy.

It has been my experience that churches generally live in the soup of tactics—started functioning in tactics—at the end of the strategic planning. Without realizing it, this functioning in tactics soup leaves little room for evaluating whether or not those activities actually align with the objective, and whether or not the “roadmap” of the strategies directly lead to the destination of the objective.

The busyness of tactics can become dangerous quicksand, pulling people into a false sense of productivity.

Sure, there’s a lot being done, but is anything really getting done? In this whirlwind of “busy”, a church risks becoming a spiritual spa, a country club gathering or a place to distract from going deeper into the spiritual life of the faith 6

community and even one’s own spiritual life. The focus of kingdom-building becomes weighed down in a neverending “to do” list of distractions which can suffocate a faith community—a joy for the enemy.

Strategic planning is a disciplined way of thinking and functioning, and it demands accountability. As I write this piece, I am reminded to be focused. I reflect upon this huge challenge for a priest of a startup congregation serving in myriad roles which change daily. Some images that have popped up are strategic planner, architect, construction worker, air traffic controller (watch out for those powerful Holy Spirit winds—turn off the engine and ride the wave), the bearer of the holy “No,” (say that again) and the bearer of the holy “Yes.” I am the relationship sommelier (the blessing of the fine wine of human relationships) and the connector, and the...the list goes on.

At this critical time in the life of the church plant in Wesley Chapel, the applied discipline of strategic planning dictates that while there are many opportunities and invitations to serve, I cannot engage them right now, or ever, if they are extracurricular to the building up of God’s kingdom, with God’s help and the servants He has sent, in Wesley Chapel.

Is your congregation drowning in tactics soup? Are you caught in the quicksand of unfocused busyness? Don’t let the enemy distract you and keep you from your focus on building up God’s kingdom. Focus on Christ. Focus on the holy leading of the Spirit. Focus. Focus. Focus. Unfocused busyness is the enemy.

HOW TO: FOCUS YOUR FOCUS OBJECTIVE | WHERE ARE WE GOING? STRATEGIES | HOW WILL WE MOVE TO GET THERE? TACTICS | WHAT THINGS NEED TO BE DONE IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE STRATEGIES AND THE OBJECTIVE? TIMELINE | WHEN ARE THE INTENDED DATES OF ACHIEVEMENT? A STRATEGIC PLAN WITHOUT A TIMELINE IS THE EPITOME OF UNFOCUSED BUSYNESS.

Around the Diocese SPRING HILL, BROOKSVILLE, VALRICO, VENICE See what's been happening in and around the diocese.

ECUMENICAL SERVICE HELD AT ST. ANDREW’S SPRING HILL - St. Andrew’s of Spring Hill hosted its first Ecumenical Service on January 19, along with three other churches. The service was centered around readings from the last chapters of the book of Acts when Paul was shipwrecked on Malta, with prayers for Christian unity. Worshipers from Nativity Lutheran Church, Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Holy Trinity Orthodox Church and St. Andrew’s praised the Lord together through scripture, song, prayer and fellowship, each denomination learning about the service traditions the others followed.

We are hopeful that this will become an annual event in Spring Hill.

PROCESSIONAL BANNER BROOKSVILLE – A large processional banner will serve as a memorial to Charlie F. Williamson (1944-2019) a long-time, devoted parishioner of St. John’s Brooksville. The banner is given by his wife Nancy along with several family friends and various St. John’s parishioners. The banner will be displayed on a stand given in memory of Pauline Ellis (1931-2018) by her family.

Pauline was a lifetime Episcopalian and faithful parishioner of St. John’s Brooksville for many years.

HABITAT FOR TRINITY NAPLES - Trinity-by-the-Cove has a long history of supporting Habitat for Humanity and their ministry in our community. Many have taken part in build days over the years. For 2020, the parish will be serving regularly with Habitat on the Second Saturday of every month. The volunteer effort is sponsored by Faith &Beer, the parish young adult group.

IONA WORSHIP VENICE – On January 15, 2020 St. Mark's gathered for its Wednesday Night Programming, where the Rev. Maggie Sullivan and Jackie Overton led an Intergenerational Ceilidh Service from the Iona Tradition. This worship focuses on the sharing of story, song, and hospitality.

The parish welcomed His Word from St. Anne's in Seminole, to lead them in song.

DEAF LECTURES AT BONIFACE MISSION TO THE KEYS VALRICO - Holy Innocents’ Valrico and St. John the Divine, Sun City Center, took 21 youth and eight adults on a mission trip to the Florida Keys. The groups worked on Habitat for Humanity housing projects for people impacted

by Hurricane Irma, built a community garden at St. James the Fisherman which will benefit their feeding ministries, and participated in a beach cleanup project.

SARASOTA - The Rev. Richard Mahaffy, president of the Episcopal Conference for the Deaf, held discussions of Deaf Theology this February at St. Boniface, Siesta Key. Discussions included theological concepts and principles, and Bible verses from the perspective of deaf people. The parish is currently hosting regular services for the deaf.

NEW ROOF IN NAPLES NAPLES – St. Monica, Naples has a new roof. The effort included Junior Warden Ray Lapierre, Senior Warden Tom Coté, and parishioners John Varsames, Matt Devlin, Janet Ross, and many others on the Building Committee. The parish was founded in 1991, with first services in their parish hall in 1994. (continued on page 40) 7

Growing a Ministry THOUGHTS ON AN EXPANDING MINISTRY

A

t St. Raphael, the healing ministry at the beachfront church is growing, slowly but surely. The Rev. John Adler, the St. Raphael priest in charge, has encouraged such ministries at his previous churches, including IonaHope in Ft. Myers and even earlier at St. Boniface, Siesta Key. There, the parish—like many others in the diocese—has a full healing ministry team, and a place set aside for it during the week.

The presence of a healing ministry is an essential part of many congregations. Larger parishes have separate facilities or rooms, while other parishes hold healing services outside the normal Sunday worship, often during the weekday and evening, or by appointment. In other places, a healing prayer is given after the Eucharist or offered after the dismissal. At St. Raphael, Adler has actively encouraged healing prayer, and it is catching on at the parish.

Early on, it was held during the last moments of the Holy Eucharist.

The prayer grew in popularity, so much so that some of the congregation didn't have an opportunity to take part it the prayer. Clergy worked to meet this increased demand by training more individuals to hold healing prayer in the chapel so that no one would miss out.

The healing prayer continues to grow, and attendance is proving too large for it to be offered during the regular service. The next step will be transitioning it to several 30-minute periods held at different times throughout the week. “When we are obeying the thing God has in mind for us,” says Adler, “things go very well.”

Pictured here, St. Raphael, Ft. Myers Beach.

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START SLOW When volunteers begin volunteering, there is often a bit of uncertainty. When the project is achievable, it has a chance of becoming a regular habit.

ALLOW UNCLARITY Large programs often grow organically, and where they go may not exactly fit the plan. In this case, they got in the way of the end of the Eucharist and recessional hymn.

ENCOURAGE THE EFFORT Making a project work is all about volunteers, not staff or clergy.

When there is energy, harness it and encourage it.

TRIAL BY DOING Success comes through repeated experiments. Each week, as volunteers in the healing ministry have gained skill, they have also developed the program, until it has the expertise to happen on its own.

Meet the Priest THE REV. RAY BUCHANAN, IONA HOPE this, I found a sense of call to ordained ministry.

Q: How did Duke Divinity School’s training help to form you?

The Rev. Ray Buchanan, far right, pictured with new parishoners at Iona Hope.

The Rev. Ray Buchanan joined Iona Hope in 2014, after leading churches in Tennessee and Alabama. He now leads one of the newest churches in the diocese, after the retirement of the Rev. John Adler. A native of Waverly, Tennessee, he grew up as the son of a Methodist pastor and later joined the Episcopal Church.

Q: What sort of things did you learn about ministering to a congregation from your father?

A: In addition to being a circuit riding Methodist pastor, he was an evangelist and spent most of the time between Easter and Thanksgiving involved in revivals. He modeled a passion for touching people’s lives in the name of Christ. I carry that, just in different ways.

Q: Growing up in the Methodist Church in Tennessee, are there early moments in church that you remember?

A: Most of my early memories are positive. It was what I knew.

Some of my favorite memories are standing on the banks of creeks, rivers and lakes at baptisms.

Q: You had an early call to ministry. Did you come to it over time?

A: As a child, I seemed destined to be a minister. (I used to “baptize" friends in my inflatable pool). As a teen, I realized that the more fundamentalist tenets of faith did not work for me, and I rebelled against them. Later, as a student at Martin College (a United Methodist college), I met three men who showed me that there is another way of being faithful. As I heard and experienced

A: Duke was a wonderful challenge: I hungered for learning and wanted to put it into practice. As I started my second year, I approached the field education director about a placement in social ministry. First, he said that he did not have anything and then remembered that an Episcopal Church had just started a soup kitchen. I went to meet with them and became their intern; it was my experience there that brought me into the Episcopal Church. At the time that I was there, Duke had no formal classes in Episcopal polity. There was a group of us who were being confirmed or looking at ordination and petitioned them to offer a class. They hired the Rector of Chapel of the Cross in Chapel Hill to teach the seminar. It was Peter Lee, who was elected later as Bishop of Virginia. After a few years, they developed the Anglican Episcopal House of Studies.

Q: Are there Methodist and/or Anglican hymns that you enjoy today?

A: I still enjoy the hymns of Charles Wesley. In the Anglican tradition, I found the beautiful Advent hymns and Hyfrydol. Life is better with Advent hymns and Hyfrydol! My persistent earworm hymn is “Shall We Gather At The River”.

Q: You have had a long career of work in counseling and treatment. What are we missing in the church, or in society, in being able to do something about some the issues of addiction?

A: Whatever the issue or treatment modality, I think that we need to remember that faith and religious practice are integral parts of treatment. There was a time that I thought that the church had abdicated our role, or just hidden it. The primary presentation of healing minimized the element of faith. I think that we have recovered some of this, but still have a way to go. Take, for instance, shame. Shame is a key element in addiction and various other diseases and issues. Who better to provide a safe place to deal with shame than the church? Of course, this means that we have to move beyond being an institution that shames.

Q: Did you decide to join the Episcopal Church when you were in Canturbury, England, or did you come to that after?

A: I went to Canterbury in 1978 to study medieval art, architecture and archeology at the University of Kent. During my time in England, I spent time touring various churches and 9

MY FAVORITE

MEET THE PRIEST

(continued from page 9)

attended services at Christ Church.

Although the services were foreign to me, something about them engaged and moved me. I think that these experiences prepared me for my later work in an Episcopal parish and my subsequent move. Lambeth Conference met at the University of Kent while I was there. It was a bit discombobulating to have so many bishops at breakfast in our dorm. Despite this, I still became an Episcopalian.

Q: What are some of the strengths of Iona Hope that we don’t know about?

A: Often, I ask newcomers why they come back to a service. They tell me that they feel more welcomed than any place that they have been. I have been a part of congregations who believed that they were the most welcoming church. Iona Hope has its own version of this. Before service seems more like old friends who haven’t seen each other for ages. The best part of this is that they are able to communicate this to newcomers, too.

Q: What is the biggest opportunity we have as the Episcopal Church/or Iona Hope/Diocese, etc?

A: Non-traditional ways of touching people’s lives. With the huge shift in communications, we have the capacity to touch people in a positive manner around the globe. We know that livestreaming and uploading services affects folks, but it’s just the tip of the iceberg: what we need is to be able to think beyond methods like Skype and livestreaming and experiment with new ways of engaging people. For me, evangelism is more about getting out of our buildings and into the world than it is getting more people into our buildings, and this communication shift is part of this. We need to look beyond the low hanging fruit.

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Hymn

K

evin V. Johnson has been the organist and choirmaster at St. Alfred, Palm Harbor, since February of 2000. He directs two choirs and instrumental ensembles, and has assembled musicians from St. Alfred’s to create a string ensemble and woodwind ensemble. He has also brought the St. Alfred Choir to perform at diocesan convention. A native of western New York, he told Southern Cross about one of his favorite hymns, "We the Lord’s People," set to the tune of Decatur Place, by the beloved National Cathedral choirmaster and composer, Richard Dirksen (1921-2003).

About the Hymn “I can't remember exactly when I learned about "We the Lord's People", but it was probably about the time The Hymnal 1982 was introduced. We were very fortunate in this area to have had several workshops to help us prepare for the “new” hymnal.

One of my most favorites was an event held at All Saint's Church, Lakeland with Alec Wyton as the leader. I remember coming away inspired and excited for the book's release. "We the Lord's People", No. 51, was one of the hymns introduced at that event.

Why this hymn?

"I like Hymn 51 because it sums up in four short stanzas what we, as the church, are called to be and do as its members. In stanza 1 we are called individually to come ‘out of sin and darkness into his own light.’ What a wonderful theme for the season of Epiphany. And further, to be anointed a 'royal priesthood.' Stanza 2 speaks to the corporate calling of the church to be the 'home of all his people, school for the faithful, refuge for the sinner, rest for the pilgrim, haven for the weary.'"

What particularly speaks to me is the last phrase of stanza 2 that "all find a welcome."

Stanzas three and four tell us that "This is the Lord's day" and we celebrate it with the heavenly banquet, the Holy Eucharist. Richard Dirksen, organist and choirmaster of the National Cathedral from 1977-1988, wrote the contemplative tune selected for this text. In my humble opinion, it is an excellent marriage of text and tune. This hymn would make a good beginning to any celebration of the Holy Eucharist.

Outreach THE COURAGE TO INVITE

Not sure if anyone you know would like to come to church with you? Ask them; you may be surprised. by the Rev. Peter Lane

e not religious, I'v my family was "Even though st church; I ju to try going to always wanted to figure out ge and having n. really hate chan n all on my ow God and religio e lik gs in th g bi , and I don't nds of churches ki y an m so e There ar r it all feels supe e differences; th nd ta rs de un take me and d someone to ha I If g. in lm go; overwhe be inclined to ay then I would w e th e m ow sh k me to go r had anyone as ve ne ve ha I , I however questioned why en anyone who ev or , ch ur d ch to ays really wante en though I alw don't go. So ev seemed like it as all about, it w it t ha w e se to ople who grew hing for the pe for was just somet ould be weird ; it felt like it w ch ur ch e th in up ly show up." to just random someone new

T

he statement above was passed on from a friend in Rhode Island who is serving a parish in a city with a sizable young adult population.

Young adults aren’t always our strongest demographic, but I'm guessing that the confidence to try something new, to embrace change, and "to figure out big things like God and religion" doesn't magically increase as we get older. In fact, it often gets tougher as we age to contemplate tackling something as daunting as trying out a new church, or attending church for the first time in your life, weddings and funerals -something we do a lot more of as we grow older - aside.

It's one of the things I acknowledged when I sent a note to a recent visitor of St. Alfred’s: visiting a new faith community is challenging in

its unfamiliarity - the faces, the music, the books, the buildings. It takes a lot of courage to visit and contemplate joining a new church family, and yet we are blessed at St. Alfred's with a steady stream of courageous people who pass through our doors almost every week. Not all of them become regular attendees or members, but quite a few of them do - more than 30 this past year alone.

Two things stand out to me as I think about the courage of our visitors to St. Alfred's. First, I hope none of us ever forget how much courage it takes to attend a new church, even one that claims to be welcoming and friendly.

Secondly, may our awareness of the courage required to walk through our doors inspire us to always go out of our way to welcome everyone who shows up for worship, even going so far as to invite

a visitor to sit with us during the service or join us for coffee hour or Pot Luck. I think we do a really good job of this at St. Alfred's, but there is always room for improvement, even as we work to build a warm and welcoming mindset in our parish.

Perhaps even more important than welcoming a visitor who shows up Saturday night or Sunday morning is the willingness to be that person the millennial quoted above was looking for - someone to invite her to church and help her begin the exciting journey of figuring out big things like God and religion. The mistake we often make - or the fear we often give into - is that we have to be the one with all the answers; that somehow we have to have everything figured out for ourselves before we invite a friend or neighbor to come and join us in worship. It's that very fear that kept me out of ministry for a long time: I had way more questions than answers (I still do!) and I thought - wrongly - that no one would want a priest that didn't have it all figured out.

It wasn't until I discovered that priests aren't called to have all the answers, but simply the courage to walk with others as they seek answers to their own questions, that I was able to consider ordination as my life's calling.

Have you got a neighbor or a friend who is secretly hoping you'll invite them to church? May God give you the courage to reach out and invite them - it may be the kindest and most neighborly thing you could do for them.

See you in church (with a friend?)

The. Rev. Peter Lane is rector of St. Alfred, Palm Harbor.

11

Youth

A VIBRANT YOUTH MINISTRY AT ST. MARKS

Youth programs flourish at St. Marks, Venice, a city where the over-65 set reigns surpreme.

T

his year, I celebrate my 10-year anniversary as the full-time director of youth ministry at St. Mark’s in Venice. Venice, Florida isn’t necessarily the first place that comes to mind when people think about young people; with a median age of 68, it ranks among the oldest average populations in the U.S: despite the numbers, plenty of youth exist, and we have them at St. Mark’s.

Our youth ministry program happens on Wednesday nights. The schedule is enjoyably hectic, with a children’s program from 4:30-5:30 p.m., a parish-wide dinner at 5:30 p.m., a program for 4th & 5th graders from 6-7 p.m., followed by a high school program from 7-8 p.m. On a typical Wednesday, you can find 20 plus high school students who walk from the local high school at 3 p.m., and who stay through the duration of programming, sometimes overstaying their program time as late as 9 p.m.

Almost a quarter of these youths have parents who attend church elsewhere, but faithfully make St. Mark’s their Wednesday destination week after week. Many have asked us what works: what makes these young people come? The answer is a simple one, taken directly from Peer Ministry,

12

by Jackie Overton a program we model a lot of our programs after: “if youth aren’t leading, they are leaving.”

Our young people are responsible for the design and execution of their programs. They sit on advisory councils, learn to tell their stories and to listen actively to the stories of others, learn to connect and invite their peers to the safe space they’ve created, and support and pray for one another.

They know their value and have discovered their core purpose in being created in the image of God. We also strive to instill what we call “The Power of Five” in the youth ministry programming at St. Mark’s.

Starting with our 4th & 5th grade youth and continuing through high school graduation, we begin the process of offering mentorship opportunities. These opportunities help to connect our young people to the larger congregation. By the time each of our students graduates, our goal is that they can identify five adults that they know they can go to if they need anything within the congregation.

St. Mark’s isn’t the only option for Youth Ministry programming in Venice, and we can’t boast the highest attendance numbers. Although some of our

From top: Will Kraut plays basketball with Francisco at Futuro Lleno De Esperanza in Santiago, Domincian Republic: St. Mark’s youth group lays hands on a prays over senior Jason Flack on their last day of their summer mission trip in the Dominican Republic, Jason left for college the day they returned. Bottom left, Lauren Vleck, Jennifer White, Kylie Matney, Jason Matney, Tyler Wade, & Tanner Wade complete a weeklong service learning experience in New Orleans, Louisiana performing home repairs.

evangelical friends attract numbers in the hundreds, for us, it’s not about the breadth of our reach but the depth of our impact. It's about learning and living out our baptismal covenant to love each other right where we are, and to allow our young people to have a safe space to ask the questions and to understand who God is in their lives. And so far, it’s working. Our young people are leaving the program here, and they are getting connected to faith communities wherever they end up next. They virtually meet for Bible study weekly, and my favorite part, they come home to visit, every break and every holiday.

Youth ministry is not about being up front and center.

It’s not about applause or standing ovations. It’s about making real, honest connections. Sometimes it’s messy, overwhelming, or exhausting, but there is no greater gift than watching a young person find joy and purpose in the God who created, redeems, and sustains them.

Youth Ministry happens at St. Mark’s because we understand the value of our young people and their need for real and meaningful relationships. It happens because adults take the time to invest spiritual and emotionally in the lives of the children and teenagers they see week to week.

It happens because our young people know that they are gifted leaders, each in their own right and way, and they are

allowed the freedom to learn, make mistakes, ask questions, and lead. Youth Ministry exists and thrives at St. Mark’s in Venice, a city filled with older residents, and it can happen at your parish too. Whether your congregation is overflowing with young families or you have the one grandchild that comes to visit occasionally, youth ministry happens when relationships are built, where children are raised up and given the tools to lead, and most importantly where they are surrounded with love and with prayer.

Youth of St. Mark's at their annual Chopped Cooking Competition. From left, Christopher Blow, Jason Flack, Chace Propkiak, Tessa Warren, Kamryn Matney, DJ Vleck, Kylie Matney, Soshanna Quasha, & Jayna Fronckowiak.

(RE)THINKING: YOUTH MINISTRY by Jackie Overton We’ve all heard the phrase “Youth aren’t the future of the church, they are the church of today.” We say it, we hear it, and then we leave the statement there. We smile at the acolytes who, after a lot of prayer (mostly on our part as adults), have given up their Sunday morning soccer commitments for their turn to serve. We are quick to grab the high school football players when chairs need to be moved, and we laugh at the cuteness of our toddlers who wander off dressed as lambs during the Christmas pageant. But what next? How are we engaging them as full members of the body of Christ?

People often think that youth ministry is about playing games, doing arts and crafts, eating pizza, and sometimes talking about Jesus: we like to go a little deeper than that. We spend a lot of time tracking statistics, looking at Pew Research studies, trends in adolescent development, and most recently, how we - as a church - are preparing young people to handle challenges in their physical and spiritual lives. Here are some things we've learned: • • • •

Young people need to understand their core purpose, who they are and what matters to them.

To hear a message, youth (and most of the rest of us as well) have to hear it 5-7 times, this includes the message that God loves them.

Young people who make real, honest connections with five adults outside of their immediate family in their church are less likely to get in trouble with the law, have lower suicide rates, and are more likely to seek out a faith community when they leave their parent’s church.

The average youth leader lasts about two to three years in a position, due to burn out or lack of support from either the congregation or the clergy.

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DaySpring

A NEW COURSE OF ACTION DaySpring's ropes courses are well-loved and ready for a remodel.

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aySpring's outdoor ropes courses are well loved, and are due for an upgrade and relocation on campus. The high ropes and zipline, key components of many DaySpring activities and camps, will find a home closer to youth cabins, in an area with heavy tree cover and situated among nature trails.

The ropes courses and outdoor adventures are a central part of the outdoor learning at DaySpring, and are used by school, civic, and church groups alike. The ropes course consists of both high and low ropes, a rock climbing wall and a zip line, located close to the Manatee River.

When DaySpring opened to guests in 1984, an extensive ropes education course was not part of the original vision. As youth groups increased and a summer camp was established, the need for more outdoor activities grew beyond simple canoes and nature trails. In 1990, DaySpring began to take a more formal approach to outdoor education. Diocesan interest and support was so great that in the

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spring of 1992, DaySpring increased its formal outdoor offerings, thanks to a new $100,000 programming budget.

Among other education programs created was Project Adventure, dedicated to "helping young people at risk stretch beyond preconceived limits and practices working well in groups” through problem solving, including ropes courses. As the outdoor facilities and challenge courses gained popularity through the years, they attracted a group of non-profit resident groups: Common Ground Adventures, Pathfinder Outdoor Education, and Nature’s Classroom Institute.

Pathfinder Outdoor Education was founded in 1993, and specializes in building personal, social and environmental responsibility through shared experience. Nature’s Classroom,

another outdoors education group, takes a Montessori approach to education, and uses the DaySpring environment to emphasize what is going on in the classroom. Common Ground, founded

by Mark Lindsay, came to DaySpring in 2000. Lindsay’s vision is to support experiential learning, all the while getting youth outdoors, and working together; Lindsay himself also inspects and certifies DaySpring’s challenge courses. All of these groups have become an integral part of DaySpring, serving as our primary resident outdoor education providers and programming partners.

Each of the organizations that utilize DaySpring’s outdoor facilities see the it as part of their mission. Common Ground, for instance, has duplicated some of the programs at DaySpring at new locations in the rest of the state.

As our non-profit partners have grown, they have worked with DaySpring staff to add amenities to the courses.

While DaySpring’s high ropes are not circus training, they echo aspects of a Big Top show: fitting, perhaps, in a state that is also home to Nik Wallenda.

Elements of the high ropes and outdoors courses include an aerial catwalk, a two-line bridge where participants walk a tightrope holding a rope above, a "Leap of Faith” similar to an acrobat swing, and "The Tower," an aerial and vertical obstacle course.

DaySpring is also proud to be the chosen home of a variety of national human services programs who use our ropes courses as part of their therapy.

Camp No Limits brings children with limb losses to the ropes course, where often a disability on the ground is less of a disability when climbing. Camp Mariposa provides a safe and supportive

environment for youth impacted by substance abuse to help break the cycle of addiction in families.

Today, the courses are responsible for about 12 percent of DaySpring’s earned revenue, a figure which does not include our own diocesan groups who regularly use the facilities. Last year, over 50 groups came to DaySpring specifically to use the ropes course. While our own diocesan programs at DaySpring fill a very busy six weeks during the summer season, while local school groups use the outdoors equipment throughout the school year. Overall, our campus is home to approximately 5,000 guests per year.

In 2017, the diocese dedicated a new youth sector, and pool and Program Center as part of an entirely new 10-year master plan for DaySpring. For phase one, completed in 2017, the diocese raised $5 million from congregations and individuals within the diocese to

build a new 12,500 square foot high-tech program center and youth recreational complex, including a barrier-free pool.

Future plans include new adult lodging, and a meeting and worship center.

Phase two of our master plan calls for a necessary upgrade to our outdoor courses: a priority due to maintain the safety and health of our amenities. As

part of the relocation to the wilderness area - just south of Diocesan House and behind the youth cabins - we will also need to acquire and outfit new lockers for equipment storage.

BE A PART OF THE ROPES REDO DaySpring will participate in the Sarasota County Community Foundation's 2020 Giving Challenge on April 28-29. It is an online challenge for donations, and the first time DaySpring has participated. We have set a goal of $50,000 to raise for our ropes course. Every dollar donated through the challenge, from $25 up to $100, will be matched by the Patterson Foundation. Over 400 non-profits are participating.

Visit cfsarasota.org for more information

SAVE THE DATE CHRISM MASS | TUESDAY, APRIL 7, 2020 The 2020 Chrism Mass will be held on Tuesday, April 7 at Christ Church, Bradenton. Held annually, this mass includes a blessing of oil, or chrism, by the Rt. Rev. Dabney Smith, which will be used for healing and baptism througout the upcoming year. The service also includes a Reaffirmation of Clerical Vows.

The beginning of Chrism Mass, held each spring in the diocese, is the Book of Common Prayer’s Penitential Order, where priests and deacons of the Diocese stand and affirm the Ten Commandments publicly, to the Bishop, following each command with the statement “Amen. Lord Have Mercy.”

Lay members of the diocese are welcome to attend the service, which begins at 10 a.m., in order to support their clergy’s reaffirmation of vows.

Former Presiding Bishop, the Most Rev. Frank Tracy Griswold III, will preach at the Chrism Mass this year. Ordained in 1963, Bishop Griswold served three parishes in the Diocese of Pennsylvania before he was elected Bishop Coadjutor of the Diocese of Chicago (1985-87) and served as Diocesan Bishop from 198797. He graduated from Harvard and has bachelor's and master's degrees in theology from Oriel College, Oxford. He served as the 25th Presiding Bishop from 1998-2006.

This is the second time the former Presiding Bishop has preached at the Chrism Mass.

On a 2013 visit to Sarasota, the Most Rev. Frank Griswold, second from right, preached at St. Boniface on Siesta Key. From left, the Rev. Mario Castro; former rector the Rev. John Hall; the late the Rev. Alan Rogers; the Rev. Andrea Taylor, the Rt. Rev. Michael Garrison; Bishop Smith, the Rt. Rev. Barry Howe; Cathedral Dean Stephen Morris; Griswold; and the Rev. Fredrick Robinson.

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Mission

PART TIME LIVING, FULL TIME GIVING The Rt. Rev. Patrick Augustine, Sudanese bishop, visits Southwest Florida.

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n December 2012, Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams honored the then Rev. Canon Patrick Augustine with the Cross of St. Augustine. The award, Anglicanism’s highest honor, was given for being an ambassador to Christians in his native Pakistan, and for his work in his adopted Diocese of Bor in the Episcopal Church of South Sudan. The work was a decades-long message of encouragement and peace, in areas of the world beset by wars, terrorism and poverty.

This June, Augustine was given a second honor. He was consecrated the assisting Bishop of Bor; it is an honorary, unpaid position that reflects his three decades of service visiting, preaching and spreading the Gospel in South Sudan. As a missionary bishop, he must raise his own support; and as an Anglican bishop in an African diocese living in the United States, he does not sit in the U.S. House of Bishops.

Wherever he visits in the U.S., he is careful to check in with each diocese to articulate his new role, though he is now, at age 69, officially retired from The Episcopal Church.

Augustine will travel back to his new diocese in Africa in December; he is often here in Southwest Florida in Bradenton’s Lakewood Ranch, staying with his son and daughter-in-law.

While here, he worships at St. Mary Magdalene, and visits other neighboring Episcopal parishes to share the needs of the South Sudan.

“This is a difficult story. A painful story,” said Augustine. “It’s not easy for people to really hear that story, because we want to avoid it. We are a nation where most of the time, we want to hear upbeat things.”

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South Sudan needs every bit of prayer and support that it can get, even from a volunteer, missionary bishop.

In that fledgling country, 2.1 million have been killed, and by some estimates two to four million people have been made refugees. By all standards, it is an unimaginable tragedy. “My people in South Sudan are persecuted and naked and without food,” said Augustine.

But in the wake of the pain, the church, part of the Anglican Communion, has not only stood strong, but is growing, and offers hope to those who are there now. “The church has not gone underground. The church is very much a visible, vibrant and growing church,” said Augustine. “To us, Jesus is the way. Jesus is the life. Jesus is the truth, and we have decided to follow Jesus. No turning back. We shall carry the cross of Jesus.”

by Garland Pollard A New Nation

The former Sudan is now two countries. Through the colonial era, it was jointly ruled by the British and Egyptians: the north, mostly Arab; and the south, undeveloped and African. South Sudan is landlocked, and bordered by the Central African Republic, the Congo, Uganda, Kenya and Ethiopia; the White Nile runs through it. The country is both the newest country in the world, created in 2011, and among the youngest, with much of its population under 18.

Before independence, the south of the country was left mostly undeveloped, and shared connections and cultural ties with close-by neighboring British colonies. When Augustine travels to South Sudan, he preaches in English, and the 3,000 student diocesan school in Bor, St.

Above, Bishop Augustine speaking at Church of the Redeemer coffee hour. Opposite page: Standing in front of Archbishop Ruben Akurdid in Bor, South Sudan, as he was consecrated a missionary bishop on Sunday, June 8, 2019; with his wife, Myra Augustine.

Andrew’s, teaches entirely in English, with textbooks from places like Kenya.

The creation of South Sudan came about to help protect the largely Christian southern Sudan, where citizens were bold in resisting Islam before and through their civil war. The urbanized north had much closer ties to Arab countries, and they ran courts and government of the country. That made the faith story of the South Sudanese people very much like the early, persecuted church of the first century.

“When the ‘Caesar’ in Khartoum—the Arab government— said 'deny the name of Jesus, accept the Sharia law, and become Muslims,' they said ‘no, we have come to know the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ’,” said Augustine.

Augustine, who grew up in Pakistan, is the son and grandson of Anglican clergy; his father was the Archdeacon of the Diocese of Lahore.

His brother, the Rev. Peter John Augustine, is also an Anglican priest. He came to the U.S. in 1983, where he first served The Episcopal Church in Illinois, later serving parishes in Waynesboro, Va. and most recently at Christ Church, La Crosse, Wisc.

In his parish vacation time, he began leading missionary groups to Africa, all through the Sudanese Civil War which raged until 2005.

He continues to travel back and forth yearly to preach in Pakistan, including at All Saints Peshawar, which was the site of a Sunday suicide bombing that killed 127 and injured over 250, making it the worst attack on Christians in Pakistan history.

In South Sudan, he is raising money for a few achievable things; money for St. Andrew’s School, money for transportation for clergy, and money for clerical training. He also asks for prayer. He goes back in December. He is not yet sure where he will be in Bor. “I do not have a house to live in. I just have a borrowed small African hut,” said Augustine. “A little place in which I stay.”

It needs some work. “It has been rainy season and lot of those houses built with mud walls have fallen down. I've been told through e-mail, that the walls of that little room have been damaged.”

He carries with him a ring from his former parish in La Crosse. On the ring, in Dinka, the language of South Sudan, is the phrase We believe, we confess Jesus

Christ as our Lord and Savior. “Today I may have a zero budget, but I'm not afraid,” said Augustine. “My God, who is the King, He asked me to have a Godsized, big vision and faith and trust in His provision.”

INTERESTED?

Find out more about Bishop Patrick Augustine’s work at

helpwithcompassion.com 17 15

the new social network One church's mission to feed hearts as well as stomachs is making an impact in a big way, changing the lives of both the people they serve and the servants themselves. by

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rd Polla d n a l Gar

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ach Wednesday morning, along a nondescript stretch of Tamiami Trail in north Ft. Myers, a sort of morning Christmas miracle happens at All Souls Episcopal Church. Over 60 volunteers, and about double that number of clients, come to the church for what is called a “food pantry.” But it's so much more than that.

To call it a food pantry is an exercise in understatement.

Food is offered from the church, yes, housed in a “pantry” area to be kept safe during the week, but what is truly offered in this cavernous roadside warehouse-turned-church amounts to much more than canned goods and boxes of mac and cheese.

Inside the walls of All Souls food pantry exists a room full of life solutions for locals who are down on their luck, out of luck, or searching for a miracle. Clients who visit on Wednesday morning can receive help with birth certificates, haircuts and clothes; they might even receive a bus pass for medical appointments. After a number of visits, there are reconditioned bicycles available for clients. Omnipresent is a book tray, where mysteries and self help books circulate endlessly among clients, and are returned after reading for the next person to enjoy.

The doors to Barber Hall open at 9 a.m., as they have every Wednesday since 1997. On the Tuesday mornings prior, two dozen volunteers gather to set up and prep a parish hall about the size of a big box discount store, and lit just as brightly. Tables are laid out in the middle for meals with table stations lining the edge of the room where young, middleaged and older clients pick up basic foods, toiletries, and fresh vegetables, or receive help with going over mail, government forms, health and drug issues, or prayer needs. From the outside, these weekly gatherings have the feel of a church fair or bazaar, a stark contrast to the stories of hardship and grief often found in the midst of the bustle.

A ROADSIDE ATTRACTION The front of All Souls, while meticulously painted and well-maintained, is still very much a spartan roadside steel building. While the warehouse style worship center is now on trend for hipster mega-churches across the U.S., in the early ‘90s it was a practical solution rather than a hip modern statement.

The building itself was a bit of an accident, coming out of desperation, and prayer. The congregation began life in October of 1986, when a group from St. Luke’s, the oldest church in Ft. Myers, petitioned the diocese to establish a mission to the North Ft. Myers area. Soon after, the group found an offhighway strip center storefront on Slater Road to use as an initial meeting place. The first worship held on All Souls’ Day, November 2, 1986, saw 38 in attendance, with the late Rev. Alex Comfort officiating.

By March 1987, they had selected a name - All Souls. As the mission grew, they added additional storefronts, which included two for the church, two for offices and school rooms, and two for a thrift store, encompassing an entire strip shopping center. From the beginning, an income generating thrift shop was a part of the business plan.

The Rev. Walt Mycoff was called to lead the church in June of 1990. The church had been given land and was rapidly growing; however, they could not afford to build on it. Then Junior Warden Alan Barber then took on the task of finding a larger, more visible space, ultimately finding a 24,000 square feet steel retail warehouse building located on US-41, that had been home to a series of failed businesses. Its original use, recalls Mycoff, was a a mini “Sea World type attraction” that would have snared visitors stopping off at the nearby Shell Factory, a Florida roadside tourist

“It’s really an undertaking,” says the Rev. Christian Maxfield, who has been at the parish as rector since November of 2018. Maxfield joined All Souls from an assistant position at St. John’s in Naples, itself an outward focused and evangelist church. But All Souls is different. “I’ve never seen a small church do the ministry that this church does,” says Maxfield.

Above: Eileen Conway with Pepperidge Farm bread, which comes from local distributors who bring just before the sell by date. Inset: The Rev. Christian Maxfield and Don Berdan 19

extravaganza since 1937. If you look closely, you’ll notice the only clue that reveals the building’s original intent: the 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea-style portholes on the front of the building which currently hold stained glass.

The building, owned by Barnett Bank, seemed to be a perfect - if slightly offbeat - solution for the congregation. The church’s thrift store would flourish along the busy roadside, and the building would have the space for other income-generating tenants, leaving plenty of space for worship and ministry. The first reaction? A big “no way” from parishioners, many of whom were retired and on fixed incomes. Although the price, at about a half million, was reasonable for the location and size and well below appraised value, the church had no money, only faith. To decide, the church leadership put the question to God. “We would pray constantly about whether we would buy this building,” recalls Mycoff. “what should we do?”

They ended up getting a 90-day exclusive look, but still could not decide on a workable way to come up with the money. As it turns out, the congregation came up with the winning idea: a bond issue, where members would, in a very real way, loan money to the church.

Mycoff took the idea and coordinating plan to Diocesan Council: a meeting he could hardly walk into, as he had thrown his back out just prior to the meeting. The presentation was a dud.

process, the building price was reduced again by the bank. Two days after the purchase, they learned that the bank had had a $1 million backup offer that was double the amount paid by the church.

“I think the Lord’s hand was all over it,” said Mycoff.

The congregation cleaned and gutted the building themselves, adding interior improvements including interior concrete block walls. The congregation held its first services at the back of the building on Oct. 31, 1993, and the worship space was dedicated the following Palm Sunday, March 27, 1994. Commercial tenants were a part of the early income mix, but almost immediately, thoughts shifted to possible mission opportunities. In a 1993 report to the diocese, the church said that the prospect of acquiring and converting this building into a center for Christian ministry had “created a sense of shared excitement and anticipation that did not previously exist at All Souls.”

“They were all just shaking their heads,” said Mycoff. However, Bishop Rogers Harris surprised everyone when he said that he thought it was a good idea. During the

Clockwise from top: Deacons the Rev. Sandy Johnson along with the Rev. Anne Carlton-Jones, and the Rev. Cynthia Montooth of St. Hilary all assist at the pantry. Joan Yerian, Carol DeNapoli, and Eileen Conway at the registration table; Charlie and Norma offer extra food distributions.

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The outreach effort as it exists today began formally in 1997 as a simple food pantry; two parishioners started handing out food, asking for volunteers to assist them in their efforts.

Through the years, local social service agencies and hospitals began to ask to be included in the effort, each contributing unique expertise. When the church added a full kitchen, Deacons Sandy Johnson and Nancy Smith added sandwiches and soup to the mix, and the effort continued to grow outward.

Part of the success of the day is the variety of groups who participate; through the years the church has had an open door policy for other churches and groups. “It was just sort of a ‘hey, we’d like to come and do this,” said Mycoff.

Nothing during his time in seminary at Nashotah House in Wisconsin prepared Maxfield for what he would be doing each Wednesday morning at All Souls, where he comes each Wednesday as a rector, not a social worker, and offers prayer.

He says that in some ways, taking care of the physical needs of someone, in the moment, is easier than addressing complex fixes for emotional hurt. “That’s the easy level,” said Maxfield.

“Giving people food and shelter and an opportunity for further work.”

is only about $30,000 a year. “We are not paying big bills,” says Maxfield. “This is a big, program-sized ministry in a small church.”

Challenges exist, and they have had situations with some clients that are difficult, including ones that require police intervention. It’s a lesson in reality: problems abound, but the Wednesday mission effort, along with other efforts across Lee County, give law enforcement answers to some problems they face. “We are highly known for what we do,” says Maxfield. “It also brings problems to light, and when that happens, people send them our way.”

The biggest fear for Maxfield is that need will always be there, and with a congregation of less than 100, All Souls will never have access to vast resources. “Once you start it, you can’t stop it,” said Maxfield. “People are now dependent on this ministry.”

A SOCIAL NETWORK Despite the relative wealth within Lee County, the area around North Ft. Myers has great and abiding need. When the church identified the location, according to Mycoff, one

He walks me over to one of the things that encourages him; specifically, a table where volunteers Beth Scarborough and her husband Dave are sitting amidst a neatly organized set of mail, A to Z, alongside a few packages. This is an essential lifeline, easy for the parish to sustain with little money. While capital gifts, including from the diocesan Episcopal Charities, have helped support the ministry, the entire budget

Greg Bennett manages the shipments and back area with frozen goods.

He is showing an invoice from the Harry Chapin Food Bank; while it is over $2,900 the goods have been delivered at no charge to All Souls as they have been such a key distribution point. Inset, taking information for Lee County Social Services. Left, Diane Stachowicz and Terri Friewald taking information.

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of the deciding factors in choosing it was not only that the building was a “beautiful location” for visibility, but also that it was known as an area in which many homeless individuals and families lived and needed assistance.

That help comes from, among others, Lee County Health Department and Lee Memorial Health System. The Wednesday effort at All Souls provides a hub for all sorts of agencies, and a place where those who deal with the issues can come together to share ideas and roles, referring clients to another agency when they cannot help. The tried and true principles of public health are very much at work; simply keeping the most vulnerable people well and not sidelined from illness gives them the opportunity to contribute back to society. Basic immunizations are provided for those who need it: Hepatitis A and B vaccines, HIV tests and help are all available to assist in this effort of overall wellness for those who may not have access otherwise.

One of those community workers is Jan Frick, a counselor with Family Health Center, which focuses on the chronic medical conditions of the homeless in the Ft. Myers area.

The agency provides medical exams through a mental health provider and a nurse assistant. Professionals such as Frick bring a level of experience and expertise to the project as it unfolds each week. Her expertise is addictions counseling, but in her role, she sees that any chronic condition can be a great challenge, with no secure address and only a backpack for essential belongings. Having a place to land, every other Wednesday, at least provides a touchpoint.

Frick, like so many of the helpers at All Souls, has an entirely realistic view of how and when to help, but also when to step back. This is often a particularly hard choice for those who work with clients who return over and over again. “If you sense you are working harder than the client for their own well-being,” says Frick, “something’s wrong.”

This particular Wednesday, the assistant Parish Nurse Mary Zappulla, R.N., also has a table across the room, and assists immediate medical needs; between clients, she fills the drinks tray for lunch. Jewish Family Community Services is also there, to help with veterans’ issues. The U.S. Census is at another table, looking for census takers who can earn $16 an hour and building awareness about the need to count everyone. The All Souls effort thrives with this collection of volunteers, who each offer what they can to make the effort larger than it would be.

“God puts all sorts here to make this work,” says Deacon Sandy Johnson, who gives devotions before lunch, and collects prayers in the thrift shop after they are finished.

The surrounding community does step in. For instance, the nearby Six Lakes Country Club supports two volunteers and a table of goods that are given out separate from the thrift store items that the church distributes. On this particular 22

Wednesday, Rose Zach and Carol Falsion are handing out sportswear. Residents bring whatever they can: extra clothes and Christmas turkeys among them. Packaged food makes a regular appearance, set out with the clothes. Often, the country club gets donations from a nearby Orthodox Church.

Food donations are a requirement of many of the recreational events at the club. “They come to bingo,” said Zach, “they all bring a canned good.”

“A lot of our help comes from other churches,” says Maxfield. He points to two sisters, Margie and Mary, who give away toiletries at a table sponsored by nearby Good Shepherd United Methodist Church.

Pat Maxwell, a retired teacher from Ohio who calls Florida home from January to April, became a new volunteer this year. She found out about the ministry from her church, Holy Trinity Presbyterian; the All Souls pantry and her dulcimer mountain music band are her primary volunteer activities when she is on her extended Florida vacation. Just being at this place, this morning, is a reward in itself.

“I’m being fed as well,” says Pat Maxwell. “This is for me.”

KEEPING UP Often, one of the most stressful situations is the holiday season, when the unfulfilled needs of the community converge on All Souls and the small church, and its army of volunteers. Don Berdan, co-manager of the project, has to manage limited resources. One example: the Harry Chapin Food Bank generously provides around 50 of Publix $10 gift cards, but how to distribute those 50, when there are so many more in need is a harder problem to solve.

To improve the process, they are thinking about ways to improve technologically, and have had conversations with the Food Bank about how to do it. The forms, Berdan says, often overwhelm. “The office looks like a printing press.”

A key part of the day is sitting down for a meal. After clients have received help with their needs, they sit down to enjoy a meal brought to them by volunteers. Lemonade, iced tea and water are distributed by drinks cart, in a manner reminiscent of onboard airline drinks service. “The most important thing you can give is a smile,” says volunteer Charlie Thomas, who attends St. Thomas Baptist Church.

Today, they offer doughnuts on arrival, with meatballs and a salad served for lunch. Some of the volunteers eat, as well. This equalizes the group, where the lines between server and served fall away; the only notable difference being the green t-shirts worn by volunteers. Call it serendipity or the Holy Spirit; one does not know exactly what will happen, or who will arrive each week. Recently, a chef from Quebec who

learned about the mission came to reward it with a holiday dinner for volunteers and clients.

Lamb Outreach Endowment Fund - provides income each year for the All Souls Outreach project.

Some of the faithful volunteers have been prior clients, and the clients? They come to church. One particularly appreciative client asked about attending, and seeing that there were two services, she asked if she could attend both. Growing up Catholic, she did not realize that the Rite I service at 8 a.m. was similar in content to the 10 a.m. contemporary service.

The mission is blessed by other former clients, including a man who had had a traumatic family loss. “He went and sat on the beach until all his money was gone,” said Deacon Johnson. To rebuild his life, he came to the mission effort for shoes, and help. He ended up joining a family business, which he later inherited. “He visited this year, and dropped off a check for $4,000 to repay us for the help getting him back on his feet,” says Berdin.

Then there is the case of the late Fern Lamb, a former client who often came to the morning outreach. She was lonely, and in need. Two parishioners, the late Dr. Dick Yerian and his wife Joan Yerian, (still a steady volunteer) often helped her out on Wednesdays; she was not the easiest person to deal with. She often required other kinds of help.

But when she died, she left the church everything, her savings, life insurance proceeds and bank account. It totaled over $40,000. When they went to her apartment, they found $20,000 in cash. That gift - now transformed into the Fern

Above: John Martin’s wife Cherie is one of the co-chairs of the ministry; he assists, including wearing her badge. Behind him are ministry tables, including the mail ministry. Below: Pat Maxwell, a new volunteer originally from Ohio, offers one brick of cheese and other foods from the Harry Chapin Food Bank. She attends Holy Trinity Presbyterian, one of the many other churches that support the All Souls ministry.

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BUILDING A

LEGACY

by Canon Anne Vickers

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T

expenses for seminarians and programs for ministry development of priests, deacons and lay, this year, and in perpetuity.”

The vast majority of our 77 congregations have established Endowment Funds, enabled by a resolution of the Vestry, and administered according to a specific Plan of Operation with professional investment counsel. Half of our congregations choose to co-invest their endowments with the Diocesan Endowment for expert investment management and regular review by the Diocesan Fund Board. This past October, Convention attendees celebrated the 5th anniversary of the Diocesan Endowment Management Program by donning buttons which read “My endowment creates resources in perpetuity” - a simple statement which underscores how impactful legacy giving can be.

"It only cost about $5,000 a year when I went through seminary. This legacy gift allowed me to enter the priesthood debt free. It did the same for seminarians before and after me who benefited from her generosity.

Leaving a portion of our estate with the Diocese designated for Theological Education is a way for us to continue her generosity in perpetuity and to ease the financial burden for future clergy, at a time when the cost of seminary education is currently 6 to 8 times what mine was. We have also included St Mark's, Venice in our will to ensure their financial viability long after we are gone. I served as their rector for 20 years and St Mark's has a special place in our hearts.” Canon Gray’s gift is both personal and expansive, supporting others in their theological education while at the same time providing a tangible future for the parish he spent decades leading. After benefiting directly from legacy assets, it’s easy to see how this type of multilayered gift will work outward to serve others in the future.

he jubilant 50th anniversary celebration of the Diocese of Southwest Florida is in the books, and many other significant congregation anniversary celebrations are underway. Milestones such as these often bring about discussions of legacy. From the legal and financial mechanics of establishing an endowment to the invitations for planned gifts from our families and friends, the idea of legacy is a hot topic around our diocese.

The diocesan $12.3 million endowment reflects a tangible legacy of saints of generations past, as outlined every year in the annual diocesan budget. We honored the families who created a legacy to support the various purposes of our diocesan life in the Report of the Treasurer at 2020 Diocesan Convention. One example? The Lindsey, Evans, Green, Mochino, Hall and Hubbs families, who are passionate about supporting theological education and ministry development. Their legacy gifts directly support a total of $56,000 in annual

The Rev. Canon Chris Gray and his wife Paula have constructed their legacy by including the Diocesan Endowment for Theological Education in their will, for reasons that hit very close to home: Canon Gray’s seminary education was paid for through the estate of a widow who left her entire estate for the education of seminarians.

LEGACY SOCIETIES IN CONGREGATIONS Legacy Societies are as unique as the congregations themselves, and just as everlasting. Once each congregation establishes a formal endowment fund, it’s only natural to share the good news and get together with others. Some celebrate like St. Paul’s, Naples, who holds a celebratory luncheon each

The calliope at Trinity-by-the-Cove (Calliope by the Cove) in Naples, the fruit of a three-year project, was built in Kirksville MO by the Miner Co., and was specially voiced for the church’s dense neighborhood. It was funded by a retired New Orleans maritime lawyer, and has been played on numerous occasions, including holidays and after festival services; at a diocesan convention; on "Rally Day" (marking the beginning of the school year); and at the return of the boats at the parish's annual fishing tournament. Top, the Rev. Maggie Sullivan in healing prayer in the colonnade at St. Mark, Venice.

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spring. Often the societies are named, such as the Rod & Staff Society of the Church of the Good Shepherd, Dunedin. Trinity by the Cove, Naples has recently compiled an Annual Report listing the cumulative Legacies and Memorials of the parish, starting with an excerpt from page 445 of the Book of Common Prayer: “The Rector of the Parish is directed to instruct the people, from time to time about the duty of Christian parents to make prudent provision for the well-being of their families, and of all persons to make wills, while they are in health, arranging for the disposal of their temporal goods, not neglecting if they are able, to leave bequests for religious and charitable uses.”

The Rev. Edward Gleason takes these instructions dutifully and with heart: in the opening letter of the report, he explains that “as we rear families, engage in careers and enjoy retirement, we give to the church to support its mission and ministry. That support can and does continue in perpetuity when we offer gifts to the endowment and make

provision for Trinity-by-the-Cove in our estates. On behalf of the future generations that will be nourished and upheld by your gifts, it’s my privilege to thank you.”

Over the last year, four Southwest Florida congregations have participated in a Planned Giving Cohort, facilitated

by Josh Anderson of the Episcopal Church Foundation who provided instruction, technical assistance, and frequent encouragement to stay on a timeline toward the goal of an active Legacy Society.

Marilyn Polson, a member of the Planned Giving Cohort from the Cathedral Church of St. Peter, noted “the single most important factor I think we have gotten out of participating in the Cohort is the momentum that has been established.

Each time we have a Cohort meeting or phone conference, we get fired up about the next step: working with the Cohort gives us that extra drive.

Just the fact that we have doubled the

GIVING

BY THE NUMBERS EPISCOPAL CHARITIES 2114 GIFTS 1022 UNIQUE DONORS DAYSPRING ENDOWMENT 1751 GIFTS 869 DONORS 26

number of members in the Legacy Society from a year ago is incentive to continue.” The Cathedral recognized 51 Legacy Society members in their recent reception – each of whom has raised their congregation to “family status” by naming the church in their will.

DIOCESAN LEGACY GIVING The Episcopal Charities and DaySpring Endowments, started in 2009, have been a celebrated and meaningful focus through the annual Bishop’s Appeal. The Episcopal Charities Fund is nearing a $1 million balance, and the DaySpring Endowment surpassed $1 million this year, thanks in part to an anonymous gift at Convention to reach the sevenfigure milestone. Together, these funds will impact lives for generations to come through the mission and ministry of our diocese.

After discreetly accepting information from individuals who have come forward to share their intentions about naming the Diocese and/or DaySpring in their estate planning, plans to outwardly celebrate a Diocesan Legacy Society of donors are underway. The new “Spring of Support” donor recognition fountain and gathering area, centrally located on the DaySpring campus, will visibly honor those who have made a planned legacy gift to support DaySpring’s future with engraved pavers along the new legacy pathway.

As a part of the 50th Anniversary of the Diocese and 35th Anniversary of DaySpring, we searched diocesan records to compile a comprehensive list of individuals who plan to contribute legacy gifts.

“We think of legacies and memorials as honoring donors of the past, but another joy is realizing those among

us crafting their legacy in front of our eyes every day.” Canon Vickers hopes to update the Diocesan Legacy Society membership, modeled after the work of our Cohort congregations, in time for the Dedication Ceremony of the Spring of Support donor monuments this summer.

Momentum comes from simply talking about the idea of legacy giving, and it’s important that we keep the conversation going to inspire each other. Bishop Dabney Smith embraces any opportunity to encourage and support those who build their legacy through giving as well as those whose own gifts inspire others to do the same.

“It’s an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace. These people are living sacraments.”

JOIN THE CONVERSATION Are you interested in the Diocesan Legacy Society? Have you named the Diocese in your planned giving? If so, please contact Canon Anne Vickers at the Diocesan Office so that we can answer your questions and recognize your legacy among us.

(941) 556-0315

The diocese will honor its legacy donors at the entrance to DaySpring’s Curry Hall. Pictured here is rendering of the planned donor area, set to begin construction this Spring.

27

THIS NEW

Life

BY THE REV. CANON DR. THOMAS WILLIAMS

S

ome time in the early morning, when no one is around, when everything is quiet, the Lord of Life returns from death. No one is expecting this—they should have been, because he told them, again and again, but they weren’t—so no one is there. No one sees the first moment of that new life. Scripture doesn’t describe the moment; doesn’t tell us exactly how or when the Prince of Life began his immortal reign.

The new life begins quietly, secretly, 28

unobserved.

But it does. The shame and humiliation are there for everyone to see, but the new life begins in secret.

Everyone—or at least so it seems—everyone knows that horrible thing you did. Everyone knows the wreck you made of that relationship. The embarrassment, the humiliation, the shame, of whatever it was we have done, of whatever it was that was done to us, is public knowledge.

The illness is witnessed by doctors and nurses and techs and visitors and heaven knows who else. The brutality of life is all too well known.

But the new life begins in secret. Somewhere in the halflight, when no one else sees it, you awake to the assurance that you are forgiven. One day it dawns on you that you are reconciled, the old enmity is crushed, the old barriers are torn down, the stone has been rolled away and you are walking out of the tomb. Quietly you turn the corner, and the illness that seemed a harbinger of death is revealed— though no one sees it yet but you—it is revealed as the beginning of a new life.

The new life is secret; the shame and humiliation were all too public. Everyone knew. Everyone had heard. The arrest and trial, worst of all the crucifixion—just outside the city, where thousands of people, locals, pilgrims in town for the festival, saw, and wondered, and looked at that man—that man in particular, though there were three in all, because Pilate’s ridiculous inscription guaranteed that all eyes were on the one in the middle, that they all jeered at him, mocked him, knew beyond all doubt that he was abandoned by God and accursed under the law.

Why, when the shame is so public, does the new life begin in secret?

It does not stay secret for long. The women go to the tomb and find it empty, and though they do not yet see Jesus, they do receive the news, which they promptly take back to the apostles, who don’t believe them. The words seemed to them an idle tale. We’ve all seen the horrors, and now you tell us that something entirely new has happened? New life doesn’t work that way. Life doesn’t work that way.

The new life begins in secret. But it doesn’t stay a secret for long. They will see Jesus. And he will be strangely transformed, still himself—more himself than he had ever been before—yet not even recognizable at first, not until he calls Mary’s name, not until he shows Thomas that the shame and humiliation have left their marks even on the new life, though now they are all for glory.

I know these words can seem like an idle tale. When the shame and humiliation are so public, how can there be new life? And even if there was, just that once, new life, what does that have to do with us?

Paul tells us that if we have been united with Christ in a death like his, we will certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. This story is not just a hopeful metaphor; it is the efficacious promise of new life. All the resurrections, all the quiet, unheralded departures from the empty tombs of death and sin and pain and humiliation are made possible, are made gloriously real, by what God in Christ did in the quiet half-light of that Easter morning.

I can’t imagine why, but God thought it was worth it— God thought you were worth it, God thought I was worth 29

it—to come down into the mess and mud and shame and humiliation of our lives, to take it all upon himself, and let us do our worst to him—do it where everyone could see it and know it and jeer at him. “Evil,” as one theologian said, “cannot be annihilated by the waving of a magic wand; it has to be met, suffered, and redeemed.” It is in our own

nature—our nature, so ruined, but so loved by God—that evil is met, suffered, and redeemed, publicly, for all to see.

And it is in our own nature that the new life, too, comes to be, quietly, secretly.

But it won’t stay a secret for long. People who have come back from the dead have a way of attracting attention.

forgiven.

EVERYONE—or at least so it seems—everyone knows that horrible thing you did. Everyone knows the wreck you made of that relationship. The embarrassment, the humiliation, the shame, of whatever it was we have done, of whatever it was that was done to us, is public knowledge. The illness is witnessed by doctors and nurses and techs and visitors and heaven knows who else. The brutality of life is all too well known.

But the new life begins in secret. Somewhere in the half-light, when no one else sees it, you awake to the assurance that you are

ABOUT THE AUTHOR The Rev. Canon Dr. Thomas Williams is a professor of philosophy at the University of South Florida. He is Canon Theologian and Precentor at the Cathedral Church of St Peter in St Petersburg. From December 2008 through August 2014, he served as an assisting priest at St Mark's Episcopal Church in Tampa. He preached a version of this at the Easter Vigil at the Cathedral.

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A Memphis native, his academic specialty is medieval Christian thought, particularly St Anselm of Canterbury (1033-1109) and John Duns Scotus (1265/661308). He is also a musician, and sings in the Chamber Choir at the Cathedral in St Petersburg. He received his BA in philosophy from Vanderbilt and his Ph.D. in philosophy from the University of Notre Dame. While at the University of Iowa, he was ordained at Trinity, Iowa City, in 2008. He joined the faculty at USF in 2005, spending my first year as Alvin Plantinga Fellow at the Center for Philosophy of Religion at Notre Dame and then moving to Tampa in 2006. addition to serving at St Mark's, Tampa, and the Cathedral, among other churches, he has served as clergy fellow at St Paul's, K Street, Washington, D.C.

In Memoriam "For this God is our God for ever and ever: He will be our guide even unto death." -Psalm 48:14

The Rev. Canon Millard F. Neal, 1929-2019 CLEARWATER - The Rev. Canon Millard Fillmore Neal Jr., who served as priest at the Cathedral Church of St. Peter and other diocese parishes, died Monday, Oct. 21, 2019. Canon Neal was raised up for ordination by St. Peter’s: although he served at a number of other parishes, he was ultimately called to St. Peter’s in May 1999 “to help out for three months, and I just never left,” he said in December 2005, when he was making one of several attempts to retire. He served twice as priestin-charge and once as vicar of the Cathedral when they were between settled deans.

Born July 26, 1929 in Philadelphia, he held a 1950 bachelor’s degree in education from Bethune-Cookman University and a 1973 masters of divinity from Colorado’s Illiff School of Theology. At the time of his ordination in 1988, he had retired from the Department of Energy, and was employed by Honeywell. He began his career with the Department of Commerce in 1951, and served four years in the U.S. Air Force in Japan and Korea, later serving as an instructor of guided missiles at Lowry Air Force Base, Denver and as a microwave multiplex instructor at Fort Monmouth, N.J. Beginning in 1958, he worked for the Defense Department, and wrote over eight books for Navy use. In the 1970s, he was an EEO specialist with the Department of the Interior in Denver. One of his proudest days was August 28, 1963 – the triumphant “March on Washington” where he was the coordinator for the Episcopal priests that came from across the country. Millard was also involved with the Poor Peoples’ March in D.C. in May of 1968. He was ordained to the diaconate Saturday, June 11, 1988 and priesthood on Feb. 17, 1989. He married his second wife, Dr. Gladys Jamieson Neal, on Oct. 31, 1990. He served other churches in the diocese including as an interim priest at St. John’s Clearwater; associate at St. Giles, Pinellas Park; and associate pastor at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, Tampa from 1990-95.

Neal is survived and will be dearly missed by his loving companion of 12 years, Carol Nelson of St. Petersburg; his daughter, D’Andrea B. Neal of Aurora, CO; daughter-in-law, Susan Neal; seven grandchildren; 3 great-grandchildren; and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. He was predeceased by his wife, Dr. Gladys ( Jamieson) Neal; his son, Randall; his daughter, Nadine; and his 6 siblings, James, Mary, Eloise, Vernell, Bernice, and Calyvia.

The Rev. Edwin Montague Walker, 1933-2019 MT. PLEASANT, S.C. - The Rev. Edwin Montague Walker, 86, a retired Diocese of Southwest Florida priest who served at St. David, Englewood, died peacefully on Monday, November 11, 2019. The Rev. Walker was born in Yonkers, New York on April 24, 1933, the son of Gladys May Vail and Harold Mitchell Walker.

He was ordained a priest in the Protestant Episcopal Church after receiving a Master of Divinity from Virginia Theological Seminary. He served at St. David's Episcopal Church in Roland Park, MD, before becoming a missionary to Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Colombia.

After six years in South America, he returned to the United States and earned his Master of Arts degree in sociology and taught at Vanderbilt University. Additionally, he taught sociology at the College of Charleston and served at Christ Church, Mt. Pleasant; St. Michael's, Charleston; St. Mark's, Charleston and on the National Episcopal Cursillo Committee, before being called to St. David's, Englewood, where he served from 1991-99. He kept up with work of St. David's in his retirement in South Carolina, and in recent months eagerly followed new evangelism programs at the parish.

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Church Cookbook Love BRUNCH CRUNCH!

Go green this Easter with some fresh sides for your holiday breakfast, brunch or luncheon.

by Shannon Weber, Managing Editor

Spring is upon is, and with it comes an onslaught of freshness just in time for what I think of as brunch season. Winter is mostly behind us, but we're not yet in the heat and humidity of summer, which means we may want to linger around a table a little longer - in sun-filled dining rooms or al fresco around the pool - and enjoy each other's company.

I like the spring holidays becuase menus aren't as boxed in by tradition as other holidays, like Christmas and Thanksgiving tend to be. You can do what you want (except for maybe the main course), and you have the world at your feet in terms of seasonal fruits and vegetables. If you're looking for some brunch inspiration, look no further than your church cookbooks: most of them are filled with salad and side dish offerings; some classic, some you haven't tried before. For this issue, I pulled some of my own favorites guaranteed to sit happliy alongside any holiday ham, lamb, or salmon, from cookbooks around the diocese.

Whether it's an Easter feast or a simple weekend at home, I hope you enjoy your time with family and friends this spring.

SALADE A LA GREQUE by Gail Pilibosian from Angelic Fare | St. Michael & All Angels Episcopal Church, Sanibel Serves | 4 | I love anchovies, but not everyone is a fan of eating them whole. If you're serving a crowd, try mashing your anchovies in with your vinegar and olive oil to make a vinaigrette; you'll get all of the flavor and none of the squeamishness.

1 clove garlic, peeled and smashed 1 head Boston or Romaine lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces 12 black Kalamata olives 8 radishes, cut into roses (or sliced thinly in rounds) 8 tomato wedges 8 anchovy fillets ½ cup feta cheese, crumbled few grindings of pepper ½ tsp Leaf oregano, crumbled 1 Tbsp parsley, chopped 2 Tbsp lemon juice or wine vinegar 8 Tbsp olive oil | Preparation | Rub a salad bowl with garlic. Place lettuce, olives, radishes, tomato, anchovy fillets, feta, pepper, oregano, parsley, lemon juice and olive oil in a bowl and toss. Place on salad plates.

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RAMEN NOODLE SALAD By Audrey Terry from Let Us Keep the Feast, Alleluia! | St. Hilary's Episcopal Church Women, Ft. Myers Serves | 4 to 6 | If you're looking to save a little in the calories department (or you're not fond of frying), you can dry-fry your ingredients: simply toast sunflower seeds, ramen noodles, and almonds in a pan until fragrant and golden, then transfer to a plate to cool. for the dressing: or the salad: 1 c. salad oil 1 large spear of broccoli, cut up 1 c. sugar (or less) 1 head Romaine lettuce, cut up ½ c. vinegar 5 T. green onion, chopped up 3 tsp soy sauce ¾ c. olive oil (or less) ½ tsp salt ½ c. sunflower seeds 3 pkgs. ramen noodles ¾ c. slivered almonds | Preparation | In a small bowl, whisk dressing ingredients together until combined; set aside.

Toss broccoli, lettuce, and onions together in large bowl. Heat a medium skillet over medium heat; add oil and saute sunflower seeds, noodles and almonds in olive oil until goldenbrown, stirring frequently. Remove from oil and transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to remove excess oil (or dry fry; see note above.) Once noodle mixture is cool, add to broccoli, lettuce, and green onions. Shake dressing well and pour over salad just before serving.

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CLASSIC MACARONI SALAD by Rachel Jones from Savory Sensations | The Episcopal Church Women of St. Augustine's Episcopal Church, St. Petersburg Serves | 6 to 8 | It's hard to not like a macaroni salad: it's fresh, light, and goes with everything; give it a little color and flavor boost by using both red and green peppers. I like this better when it sits in the dressing for a few hours to get the flavors incorporated; if you pre-mix, remember to re-toss again just before serving to coat everything with dressing. ¾ cup mayonnaise 1 Tbsp mustard 1 tsp salt 8 oz elbow macaroni, cooked and drained 1 cup red or green pepper (or both), diced 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar 1 tsp granulated sugar ¼ tsp pepper 1 cup sliced celery ¼ red onion, chopped | Preparation | In a large bowl combine mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, sugar, salt and pepper. Add macaroni, celery, green pepper and onion; toss to coat well. Cover; chill until ready to serve.

HERB SCRAMBLE from Cooking for a Healthy Church Members of the Episcopal Church Medical Trust Serves | 2 | Scrambles are my go-to for breakfast when company is in town, and I love adding this effortlessly glamorous version to my brunch offerings; herbs and eggs are a perfect spring pairing. Scale the recipe up to match the number at your table and serve in a large, shallow bowl.

4 large eggs 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil 2 fresh basil leaves, finely chopped 1 teaspoon chives, finely chopped 1 teaspoon parsley, finely chopped 1 tablespoon avocado, diced | Preparation | Break eggs into a bowl; whisk with a fork until combined. Heat oil in a mediumsized pan over medium heat. Add eggs, and stir frequently with a spatula until done. Transfer to a serving plate and top with basil, chives, and parsley, and avocado; season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

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Easter Event A DOWNTOWN EASTER TRADITION from Crosstown Cathedral Newsletter

F

the Cathedral, where a stricken Mary or the 46th consecutive year brought back from a retreat cabin in cradles the broken body of her son. this Good Friday, youth of Inverness owned by parishioners John The Way of the Cross begins at the Cathedral Church of and Carol Ellis.

7:30 a.m., when the community gathers St. Peter will lead the Way The route is the same each year. on the sidewalk on Second Avenue of the Cross through the streets of The group stand at the foot of the steps North. The re-enactment draws adults downtown St. Petersburg. of the county courthouse as Jesus is who participated in the walk as children The 7:30 a.m. April 10 walk tried. They walk through dirty alleys, and youth at the Cathedral; members re-enacts the last few hours of Jesus’ as Jesus struggles to carry his cross. of other churches for whom this is part life as told in the New Testament, his They stop on street corners, where of their Holy Week discipline; and arrest, his trial, his crucifixion. The an exhausted Jesus falls. They then downtown workers who watch or wait Passion Play always includes a full cast, witness the crucifixion in the Cathedral or walk with us as they make their way including Roman soldiers, two thieves, Memorial Garden. The walk finishes in through the streets. and Jesus, who carries and must stand against the cross.

The tradition dates back to the 1960’s, with a Passion Play in Lake Wales. Longtime Cathedral members Virginia Rowell and Eric Lang Peterson recall that sometime in the late 1960s, Cathedral youth traveled to Lake Wales to see the Black Hills Passion Play, which was brought from South Dakota, under the direction of Josef Meier, during the winter months beginning in 1953. That play was the inspiration for the Way of the Cross.

The original Black Hills play was a fixture for tourists visiting Mount Rushmore. The Lake Wales play ended its run in 1998, with the South Dakota version coming to an end a decade later: the Cathedral play, however, survives with the help of volunteers and clergy.

The Cathedral dean the Very Rev. Leroy D. Lawson, those young people, their Sunday School teachers, and the clergy created this current version of Way of the Cross beginning in 1974. Peterson remembers that the original cross carried on the walk was Photos from Way of Cross in downtown St. Petersburg. Top, passing Snell Arcade, and on courthouse steps in 2003. Left, made from two trees that teens gathered in 2018 across the street from the Cathedral.

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Books

SPRING IS IN FULL BLOOM WITH NEW TITLES HID FROM OUR EYES

BY JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING The noble parish priest who solves crimes, often in a small town, is an enduring sub-genre of literature and television. Perhaps the best-known and pioneering is G.K. Chesterton’s Father Brown. Father Brown marries Chesterton’s world-view to a popular medium, and became even more famous when the character was adapted for television. Since then there have been a handful, including television's Father Dowling (a priest played by Happy Days’ Tom Bosley, and a nun) and Cadfael, the monk sleuth (played by Derek Jacobi, he of I Claudius and The Crown) and the main character in a historical mystery series written by Edith Pargeter. And then there is James Runcie’s Grantchester mysteries, set in a Cambridge, England village, and a staple of PBS’ Masterpiece Theater.

What is the appeal about a person who works for the Lord, as a member of the clergy, and solves crimes, establishing order in the earthly world? Perhaps the priest has a greater understanding of human nature, and a willingness to engage the parishioners around them?

Happily for us Episcopalians, many of these crime-solvers come from the Anglican tradition, including Grantchester. And in the United States, the priests are female. There are author Michelle Blake’s the Rev. Lily Connor mysteries, about an Episcopal priest in Boston, and author Cristina Summers’ mysteries, with crimesolver The Rev. Dr. Kathryn Koerney of St Margaret's Episcopal Church in Harton, New Jersey.

A new book in the genre this spring is Hid From Our Eyes, by Julia Spencer-Fleming. The new book includes the solving of a 1972 crime by Police Chief Russ van Alstyne, of the town Millers Kill, New York. He enlists the help of the Rev. Clare Fergusson, who is herself juggling the stress of being a new mother, and parish priest. At stake is not only St. Alban’s Church, where Fergusson leads, but the local police budget, and Fergusson’s sobriety. Minotaur, $27.99 SECULOSITY: MERCILESS AMERICAN CULTURE

BY DAVID ZAHL The anxiety Americans face in the family is tackled by David Zahl’s book Seculosity: How Career, Parenting, Technology, Food, Politics, and Romance Became Our New Religion and What to Do about It. Zahl is founder and director of Mockingbird Ministries, and editor-in-chief of the Mockingbird online journal. He lives in Charlottesville, Va., where serves on the staff of Christ Episcopal Church.

Fortress Press, $26.99

BECOMING REAL AND THRIVING IN MINISTRY

BY SANDRA T. MONTES If congregations were to look outside their doors, they may find that the people who need the Gospel don't look like them. The only way to engage them, then, is by having ministries that are real. Sandra T. Montes, who has worked in Episcopal churches for the last three decades, believes that churches grow in changing neighborhoods with this approach. Each chapter contains a study guide with Bible verses and reflections. The author also offers anecdotes and examples so other Episcopalians can try to emulate Jesus and bring them the Good News. Church Publishing, $16.95 36

THE WISCONSIN ONEIDAS AND THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH EDITED BY L. GORDON MCLESTER ET AL. The first great novelist of the United States, James Fennimore Cooper, was not just a literary figure. His daughter, Susan Fenimore Cooper was an environmental writer and historian. She eventually took up the cause of the Oneida Indians, one of the five nations of Iroquois that the English first encountered. The tale of this collaboration, which included Episcopal clergy, is detailed in The Wisconsin Oneidas and The Episcopal Church, which is edited by L. Gordon McLester, Laurence M. Hauptman, Ludy Cornelius-Hawk and Kenneth Hoyan House. The book is a unique collaboration by academic historians, Oneida elders, and Episcopal clergy, and tells the fascinating story of how the oldest Protestant mission and house of worship in the upper Midwest took root in the Oneida community. Indiana University Press, $35 A SPRING IN THE DESERT THE REV. FRANK LOGUE, VICTORIA LOGUE In A Spring in the Desert: Rediscovering the Water of Life, the Rev. Frank and Victoria Logue lead a Lenten journey inspired by God in the desert. The Rev. Frank Logue, Canon to the Ordinary in the Diocese of Georgia and bishop-elect, shares the ways that faith speaks to the barren places in our lives, and how those times of drought can be a source of strength. Forward Movement, $7

NEW FOR

2020

EDUCATIONAL VIDEOS FOR PARISHES School for Ministry releases video collection for congregational use

For the first time, the Diocese of Southwest Florida is offering our congregations an exciting opportunity to enhance their parish-based programs of adult Christian formation as part of our diocesan School for Ministry.

The School for Ministry, which meets at DaySpring and prepares ordinands for ministry, recently became a member of the Iona Collaborative, a cooperative project directed by the Seminary of the Southwest and currently including 29 Episcopal dioceses throughout the country. The Iona Collaborative allows us to provide high-quality theological education for the formation of priests and deacons in our local diocesan setting.

The Iona Collaborative has a new video collection available to parishes at no cost across the diocese. This collection is a teaching tool that can be used for Christian formation in congregational settings. Designed for small groups, these videos are ideal for a Sunday morning education hour or

a Wednesday night study. Most videos include corresponding questions which can be downloaded and used to guide reflection and conversation.

The videos cover a variety of topics, ranging from Biblical Studies, Spirituality and Prayer to Anglicanism, Worship, and Church Leadership. New videos and supplementary materials are being added all the time.

We encourage you to view the video collection at iona.ssw.edu/about-videocollection, using our diocesan password, Southwest Florida. You are free to use the videos in whatever way supports your program of adult Christian formation. All we ask is that you let us know how you have used them and how helpful they are.

INTERESTED?

TOPICS INCLUDE: BIBLICAL CHRONOLOGY AND HISTORY HOW THE GOSPELS CAME TO BE INTERESTING CHARACTERS FROM HEBREW SCRIPTURE ABUNDANT LIFE: MEDIEVAL CHURCH: JULIAN OF NORWICH ABUNDANT LIFE: 20TH CENTURY: C.S. LEWIS THE MASCULINE SPIRITUAL JOURNEY THE FEMININE SPIRITUAL JOURNEY WHAT DOES LITURGY DO? ANGLICAN IDENTITY

If you have questions about the congregational videos or want to provide feedback, contact Archdeacon Kathleen Moore, the Dean of the School for Ministry, at

kmoore@episcopalswfl.org or 813-785-9400.

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Episcopal Relief

VOLUNTEER CLOSE TO HOME Looking to devote some time in service to others? Look no further than your own parish.

E

llen Lightner of All Saints Episcopal Church in keep a log of every parish and the date and details of my last Tarpon Springs has answered God’s call nationally contact with them. to become the diocesan representative to Episcopal Q: Do you have any tips on organization, communication Relief and Development while continuing to serve and mentoring Congregational ministry partners that work her home congregation, following in the footsteps of Maureen well for you?

Belote of Good Shepherd Dunedin and the late Jody Tiffany of Trinity-by-the-Cove, Naples. Lightner began serving Lightner: My plan with the Bishop is to try to recruit a in her position last summer, where she has already helped congregational ministry partner in every church, school, and congregations facilitate successful fundraisers, inspired priests at mission in the diocese and then to give them the tools, training, the Diocesan Convention to appoint ministry partners in their and personal support to help them serve well in their ministries. own congregations, and built a database and mentoring system I encourage team partners if that to help support individual parish is something that would work COLLECTING CONTACT INFORMATION representatives, officially called best. For example, in an Episcopal congregational ministry partners.

IS ESSENTIAL. IT IS NOT ENOUGH FOR high school I suggested that YOU TO JUST “KNOW” IT IN YOUR HEAD. the clergy or student council Q: What made you decide to MENTOR PEOPLE WHO MAY SOMEDAY appoint a junior and senior to become a ministry partner?

WANT TO SERVE WHERE YOU SERVE. serve as congregational ministry PREPARE THE WAY FOR THEM SO THAT Lightner: The truth is it was a God thing. I was at Diocesan THEIR JOURNEY IS A CONTINUATION OF Convention and had walked YOUR INVESTMENT. away from my responsibilities to catch my breath after lunch when I met Maureen Belote, the diocesan ministry partner who was manning the Episcopal Relief & Development booth.

I asked her what it was all about and asked how I could help.

We had a good conversation, and I shared my experiences and background with her. I later realized that she was talking me into the position so that she could retire! But I am happy she did. My heart is and always has been in evangelism and outreach. What better way to get both of these passions involved than to be working with Episcopal Relief and Development?

Q: What are some of the aspects to your position?

Lightner: At convention, I handed out a brochure I created with information on the Million Dollar Match giving program.

With the ministry partner job description on the back and information about how to get involved, I handed them out to every clergy person that I talked to. Then, I asked them to pray about appointing someone. I was able to recruit about six new congregational ministry partners using this method. This year, I plan to start holding monthly virtual meetings or conference calls with my congregational ministry partners. These calls will be open to any partner, clergy, or community person who wants to know more about Episcopal Relief & Development. I also 38

Faith Peterson (left) helped organize a fund-raiser for the Abacos for Episcopal Relief at Lakewood Ranch with Ellen Lightner (center), and Shellie Szeezil (right.)The event, held at Tara Golf & Country Club, raised over $15,000 for Episcopal Relief, which was matched by a donor in a nationwide challenge. In 2019, the Diocese of Southwest Florida has raised $76,804 for Episcopal Relief.

partners for one year. The next year, the junior will be a senior and a new junior will be appointed and mentored by the senior. This makes the process sustainable and, hopefully, we will always have two to team together. I also think we need to be communicating as often as we can with the congregation representative to keep them excited and motivated. This is why I believe the virtual meetings or conference calls will be beneficial.

Collecting contact information is essential. It is not enough for you to just “know” it in your head. Mentor people who may someday want to serve where you serve. Prepare the way for them so that their journey is a continuation of your investment.

Communicate all of the information to your regional/national level as well as your diocesan level.

Q: What makes a good volunteer for Episcopal Relief?

Lightner: I believe God calls us to a ministry. I ask people to pray about how God is calling them to serve and where they feel passion in their hearts. Ministry without passion, ministry without dedicated workers, does not thrive. It is so important to have passionate partners in place. They are the voice of those who so desperately need the programs and resources that this organization provides.

Q: What advice would you give to a new ministry partner?

many needs in the world, so much to be done. We must not focus on the enormity of the job that needs to be done, but on how our small contributions can help fill the bigger void if we all work together. We cannot think our $500 won’t make that much difference – added together with other donations, it begins to fill big needs. It is so important to communicate with your fellow representatives as often as you can to find support and encouragement: sharing your successes will encourage others who may be faltering in their attempts to get started. So, make friends with other ministry partners and share every success.

INTERESTED? Ellen Lightner began offering open Zoom conference calls in February 2020 to help educate and encourage those who have answered the call to assist Episcopal Relief & Development in the Diocese of Southwest Florida. These calls are open to any lay person, clergy, or community person interested in getting the latest information about what Episcopal Relief & Development is doing in your communities and the world. She will share resources and allow time for others to share how they are raising awareness and funds within their own congregations. To join, contact Ellen Lightner at

Lightner: It can be very easy to be overwhelmed in the beginning. There are so many facets of the organization, so

elightneri1@gmail.com

Briefly ISLAND DESIGNS INSPIRE WINDOWS SANIBEL – St. Michael and All Angels celebrated the multi-decade completion of a set of stained glass windows with the publication of a guidebook. Many of the stained glass windows were designed by parishioner Freda Iurka and executed by Daniel Kimple, who lives on the island, through Kelleher’s Stained Glass & Mirror Company.

Unique windows included a dragon, killed by St. George; St. Michael the archangel; and images of local fish and fowl, including an egret, seagull, and pelican and a trio of red legged stilts. The booklet also included the photo of a window dedicated to the Rev. Ellen Sloan, who led the parish from 2009-19.

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Briefly A NEW BELL IN FT. MYERS BEACH, MINISTRY CENTER

FT. MYERS BEACH - St. Raphael’s has a new addition. A 50-pound cast iron bell, over 100 years old, now sits at the entrance to the Williams Street chapel.

In the 19th and early 20th centuries, such bells were used for communication between farms, to call in field hands for dinner, and to sound alarms. They became obsolete by 1910 once tractors came into use.

Donated to St. Raphael’s by members Peter and Delores Heyd (pictured above), the bell was originally purchased in the 1960’s by Delore’s father, Woody

AROUND THE DIOCESE VIGIL REMEMBERS HOMELESS IN LEE COUNTY FT. MYERS – Locals stood in front of the steps of the old Lee County Courthouse on Main Street holding candles and umbrellas to pray and bring awareness to the 23 people in Lee County who died homeless in 2019. The Rev. Christian Maxfield of All Souls led the vigil, along with Maxfield's wife Kate 40

Hahn. Mounted in front of their western North Carolina family home for almost 60 years and rung mostly on special occasions, it is near and dear to Delores, as was her father, a wonderfully generous man.

Having journeyed 800 miles to Fort Myers Beach, the bell is rung five minutes before and directly after the 10 am service each Sunday.

The St. Raphaels' community thanks Peter and Delores Heyd for donating such a blessed and extraordinary gift. and children Colin and Hannah. "We have a connection to some of these names from the church," Mrs. Maxfield said.

150 YEARS AHEAD TAMPA - St. Andrew’s Church meets this February to plan their 150-year celebration, and are looking for volunteers to serve on a variety of committees including history, music, communications and the planning of the anniversary banquet in 2021.

SARASOTA - On Sunday, Dec. 8, the Church of the Redeemer celebrated the opening of their new Robinson Ministry Center, which was blessed and dedicated to the glory of God by Bishop Dabney Smith. The $7 million project included new classrooms, offices and a rooftop parish lecture and exhibition room, Goewy Hall.

Top: Bishop Smith with Christina Brush, and Andrew Agren. Bottom: Caroline Devitt waves, along with the Rev. Fred Robinson and Bishop Smith.

Transitions

MOVES AROUND THE DIOCESE funny, sweet, and energetic 1.5-year-old, Gus continues to delight. Alissa and her family are excited to make the move to Plant City and begin this chapter of their lives and Alissa’s ministry.

St. Peter’s dates from 1902, when the Rev. J.H. Weddell founded St Peter’s as a mission of Trinity Church, Thonotosassa.

THE REV. ALISSA GOUDSWAARD ANDERSON AT ST. PETER’S PLANT CITY PLANT CITY - The Rev. Alissa Goudswaard Anderson has been called as the next rector of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Plant City. Alissa and her family—husband Josh Anderson and son August (“Gus”)—moved at the end of February from Larchmont, New York, where she has served as curate and associate rector at St. John’s Church for nearly three years. Her first Sunday at St. Peter’s is March 8, 2020.

A native of West Michigan, Alissa earned her BA in English at Calvin College (now University), then her MA in Rhetoric and Composition at Purdue University. While living in Indiana, she joined St. John’s Episcopal Church in Lafayette, which became her church home and subsequently sponsored her for ordination.

In 2014, Alissa married Josh Anderson, and they moved to New York for Alissa to attend the General Theological Seminary. While living in New York, Josh began working at the Episcopal Church Foundation—work that has taken him to the Diocese of Southwest Florida on several occasions. After moving to Larchmont, N.Y., Josh and Alissa welcomed Gus into their family. Now a

THE REV. DANIEL LEMLEY AT HOLY TRINITY COUNTRYSIDE CLEARWATER - The Rev. Daniel Lemley, pictured below, joined Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Countryside on February 9 as their rector elect. Before his call to ordained ministry, he was the youth director at Holy Innocents' Episcopal Church, Valrico. He has served at Church of the Ascension, Clearwater, where he was assistant to the rector, the Rev. John Hiers. He was ordained as a priest in 2016, following his graduation from Virginia Theological Seminary.

He and his wife Sara have one daughter, Caroline.

The energy was palpable as the people of Holy Trinity welcomed their new rector with great anticipation and open arms. There is a renewed Spirit and fire at Holy Trinity—one that Fr. Daniel is looking forward to stepping into with joy and optimism. Daniel’s past work with youth and his skill in technology will bring added gifts to the parish. In his first sermon he made it known that “We’re in this together and let’s see where the Lord is calling us as a community to reach out beyond these walls.”

GREG RANDALL, DIRECTOR OF YOUTH PROGRAMMING, DEPARTS FOR VIRGINIA PARRISH - Greg Randall, Director of Youth Ministry and Programming, will move to Virginia after the completion of DaySpring Summer Camp 2020. After much discernment, Greg has decided to pursue a long-standing desire to study science, medicine and healthcare. “He is passionate about serving God and the church as a healthcare professional and catalyst for social justice and healing,” said Bishop Dabney Smith, in a letter to the diocese. “I am grateful for Greg’s insight and passion for youth ministry, and his contribution toward growing our diocesan youth programs and DaySpring's presence in the community. The number of camp participants has grown 25 percent over the last three years under Greg’s leadership. With Catalina, Charlie and Ollie, the entire Randall family has held a special place in the heart of our diocesan community, especially when we gather at DaySpring.”

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L O O K I N G

Photos, top to bottom: Early footings being laid at the site; a rendering of the current St. John’s as it was designed. Unlike so many sketches, the as-built church actually resembles the architects’ rendering; a news clipping of parish organizers from The Naples News.

T

his spring, St. John’s Episcopal Church marks their 50th Anniversary with a celebration and service with Bishop Smith on March 22nd.

The parish, a church plant from Trinity-by-the-Cove, is located in the Park Shore neighborhood, north of downtown. The first worship service was held on Sunday, April 26, 1970 in a local bank, with the completed building dedicated in November 1972.

The building’s architect is the late Walter Keller (1931-2001), one of the most renowned and influential architects in Naples. He helped bring to life much of the design of Naples itself, from offices on Third Street to dozens of other residential and commercial designs, including The Village on Venetian Bay. The design married aspects of New Formalism, a modern style that was symmetrical and included arches, with traditional Mediterranean materials, such as a Spanish tile roof.

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BACK

We rejoice with St. John's Episcopal Church in Naples this month as they celebrate their 50th anniversary.

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ASSIST EPISCOPAL CHARITIES OF SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Episcopal Charities is the funding support organization for congregation-based community outreach and special needs throughout southwest Florida.

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The Rev. Lisa Parker was ordained to the Sacred Order of Deacons on Dec. 7 at St. Margaret of Scotland, Sarasota. She has been a parishioner of St. Margaret of Scotland in Sarasota for the last nine years, serving on the vestry, altar guild and stewardship team. In her lay profession, she owns an insurance agency specializing in group benefits for small employers.