Spring 2015 singlepg

The Episcopal Diocese of Southeast Florida

www.diosef.org

Vol. 46 No. 1

A Day of Meditation Daughters of the King South Florida Transition

Bishop Coadjutor Peter Eaton Begins His New Ministry

THE NET SPRING 2014

Bishop Frade’s Column

A Tale of Two Cities Parishes in Progress Updates Around the Diocese

THE NET Spring 2015

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Feature Story

Bishop Coadjutor Peter Eaton

Contents 3

Bishop’s Column A Tale of Two Cities

4 Viewpoint

Seeing the Holy in the Ordinary

5

Episcopal Charities

6 ATM: Training for the Future 13

Youth in Action

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Parish Profile Daughters of the King: A Day of Meditation

Official Publication of the Episcopal Diocese of Southeast Florida The Rt. Rev. Leo Frade, D.D. Diocesan Bishop The Rt. Rev. Peter Eaton Bishop Coadjutor

The Rt. Rev. Calvin O. Schofield, Jr. S.T.D., Retired Bishop The Rt. Rev. John L. Said Retired Bishop Suffragan

Communications Altoria E. White Director of Communications Editor, The Net

Joe Thoma Production Management pspress.com

Kenyatta Register Copy Editor, The Net

Fina Florez Graphic Designer, The Net

Kathryn Blanton Convener of Communications Ministry 2

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The Net reports news of parish ministries and activities, as well as commentary on church-related issues and events. Whenever possible, all material should be submitted electronically.

Include with all material the name, address, phone number and, email address (if available) of the contributor. Parish affiliation is also requested, when applicable.

The Net reserves the right to refuse publication and to edit all contributions. Photographs should be high-resolution digital files or clear prints of film photographs, preferably on glossy paper. Do not send hard prints made from digital photographs. All material—letters, articles or photos— should be submitted electronically to: altoria@diosef.org or by mail to: Altoria E.White, Diocese of Southeast Florida, 525 N.E. 15th St., Miami, FL 33132-1411.

THE NET (USPS787-340) is published quarterly by the Diocese of Southeast Florida. Donation subscription of $5, annually. Periodicals postage paid at Miami, FL., and additional offices.

POSTMASTER: Address changes to The Net, 525 N.E. 15th Street, Miami, FL 33132-1411.

2015 Deadlines Issue

Information Due

Summer Fall Winter

June 1 August 10 November 2

A Tale of Two Cities

“I

t was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the season of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way – in short, the period was so far like the present period...”

I am tempted to continue quoting Charles Dickens from his 1859 classic A Tale of Two Cities, but this has nothing to do with Paris and London.

Instead, it’s about two different cities: Key West, USA and Limonar, Cuba and their relation to our diocese and the Episcopal Church.

Dickens wrote his serial historical novel in the 19th century and I would also like to write about that period. It was an amazing time, right after our Civil War and during the Cubans fight for independence from Spain. On Christmas day in 1832, Episcopal services were held for the first time in the city of Key West and a new Episcopal congregation was born, actually the only church at the time.

In 1872, a number of black Anglicans who emigrated from the Bahamas to Key West found no church where they could worship in the manner to which they were accustomed. They were “High Church” Anglicans and during those days segregation was quite common in the South. In 1875, St. Peter’s Episcopal Church was organized as a parish, making it the oldest black parish of our diocese.

You may be asking what these two congregations have to do with a church in Limonar, Cuba. As Dickens would have said, these were “the worst of times” for Cubans fighting for their independence. That was the time when a black Cuban slave moved with his owner to Key West. At the time, many

Cubans were seeking asylum from the persecution of the Spanish Crown, so this Cuban slave ended up in Key West and it was here where he learned about our Episcopal Church, together with many black and white Cubans living in the city.

It was the beginning of the tale of two cities. Also in 1875, many Cuban refugees asked Bishop Young of Florida to organize an Episcopal Church, and on the first of January 1876, Spanish services started in Key West to accommodate the new immigrants from Cuba. Among them was a Cuban slave that had just been freed by his owner, as required by all adherents to Cuban independence. This was when Emilio Planas became an Episcopalian.

Planas returned to Cuba after independence and the records of the General Convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church show that Emilio Planas was ordained as a priest by Bishop Knight. Planas was then assigned to minister among the recently freed Cuban slaves.

A new mission was established: San Felipe, Diacono in Limonar, Cuba. Limonar was an area surrounded by sugar mills and was mainly inhabited by recently freed black Cubans. The Rev. Emilio Planas also ministered to other churches of the area and his ministry flourished.

Key West in the United States and Limonar in Cuba are intertwined by a common thread of faith. When the Gospel of Christ reached Key West and Limonar, it was indeed a season of Light but unfortunately both churches are now in need of our help for repair and reconstruction.

I am appealing to you for help in completing the repairs that are needed for St. Peter’s church and rectory, and also for the reconstruction of San Felipe Diacono in Limonar, which lost its building due to a hurricane. Regardless of all the obstacles, both congregations

BISHOP’S COLUMN

are still alive and vibrant and they have kept the faith for over 100 years.

On November 13 and 14, our Diocesan Convention will be held in Key West and I am hoping that by then, and by your generosity, we would have completed raising at least $50,000 dollars to accomplish the needed repairs.

I am also hoping and praying that we will be able to raise the $25,000 dollars that is needed to rebuild the church in Limonar.

It is indeed a tale of two cities and can be a season of hope and of light with your contribution. The 19th century is like the present period. Episcopalians made an effort then, knowing that with their prayers and money, they were making a real difference in the proclamation of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

I invite you to make the 21st century the best of times between these two cities. You can send your donation to: Diocese of Southeast Florida, 525 NE 15 Street, Miami, Florida 33132 or you can go on line to www.diosef.org to make your donation.●

The Rt. Rev. Leo Frade Bishop of the Diocese of Southeast Florida Spring 2015

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VIEWPOINT

holy

Seeing the in the Ordinary

By Ann Rose, St. Thomas, Coral Gables

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ast October, our daughter Chris rented an apartment in Florence during my fall break and arranged for my husband John and me to meet her there. She knew it was a perfect gift.

Our family has nostalgic ties to Italy, going back to the ‘80s when I co-led a college study-abroad program there.

The first night of our fall visit, as the three of us walked across the Ponte Vecchio and stopped to join the crowd listening to a singer, my eyes got teary.

I found myself thinking, “The Ponte Vecchio is an altar. God is right here.”

It didn’t hurt that I had just read Barbara Brown Taylor’s recent book, An Altar in the World, in which she sees all sorts of places and activities as altars – the ordinary becoming holy as we find God’s presence there.

My journey in the Episcopal Church actually began with the holiness I experienced in our kitchen as I held the telephone to my ear on Christmas Eve, 1975. We had been visiting St. Andrew’s where Fr. Calvin Schofield was the rector. On Christmas Eve, we were in the emergency room with our fiveyear-old instead of at the 5 p.m. service.

By 10 p.m., we were home and Kathy was stable, but Fr. Schofield didn’t know that when he called, offering to help after the midnight mass was over.

Stunned, I turned to John and said, “Fr. Schofield just offered to help us after midnight tonight. This is the busiest night of the year for priests! Let’s become Episcopalians.” Our kitchen with 4

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that telephone had just become holy ground. The next week, we were in his office filling out forms.

I was charmed that my new church blessed all sorts of things – houses, boats, bells, pets, altar vessels, etc. I grew up thinking a rigid divide existed between the secular and the sacred, and that line now seemed a bit blurred.

In the decades that followed, however, I learned that our wonderful Episcopal removal of that line has its roots in the more ancient Judeo-Christian traditions. We build on the foundations of our Jewish, Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Celtic ancestors who found the Holy in the Ordinary long before modernity separated things.

On Friday night, the Jimmy Fallon Show has a “thank you notes” segment.

With musical accompaniment, Fallon thanks people and events of the past week. The other day, I found myself mentally hearing that music and thinking, Thank you, St. Benedict, for telling your monks to “treat all utensils (garden tools, cook ware, etc.) and goods of the monastery like the sacred vessels of the altar.”

Thank you, St. Teresa of Avila, for saying that “God walks even among the pots and pans.”

Thank you, Jewish writer of the Midrash for your image, “Every blade of grass has an angel bending over it saying, ‘Grow, grow.’”

“Thank you, St. Francis, for telling us about a squirrel who brought out ‘some

Ann Rose is a parishioner at St. Thomas, Coral Gables.

acorns, an owl feather, and a ribbon’ to show you what reflected God’s grace to him.”

There is so much I love about the Episcopal Church, but one of my favorite things is our continuing the tradition of seeing all of life as holy, all people as having dignity, “all creatures great and small” as precious.● Ann taught fulltime at Miami Dade College for 37 years and currently teaches part-time at St. John Vianney College Seminary. She served on the search committee for the bishop coadjutor this past year, and was the February author of the meditations for ‘Forward Day by Day’.

As we start off 2015, Episcopal Charities has been busy serving the congregations and people of the diocese by supporting congregational outreach with funding, assistance with program development, offering classes on how to design, implement, grow, and sustain outreach ministries, and assisting congregations with planned giving and stewardship planning!

OUTREACH • In 2015, the following congregations will receive fund-

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ing to assist with basic human services ministries in local communities. Congratulations!

Small Grants of up to $1,000 for start-up or enhanced congregational outreach programs are also available. Information on applying for a Small Grant is on our website at http://ecsefl.org/grant-applications/index.php.

Episcopal Charities staff is available to work with your planned giving and/or stewardship committees to schedule workshops for congregations and assist with congregational planning and organizing. Contact Donna Dambrot, Executive Director of Episcopal Charities at donna@ecsefl.org●

Spring 2015

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NEWS & VIEWS

All Things Media: Training for the Future

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By Altoria E. White, Editor

hen All Things Media (ATM) first began, the vision of the program was to assist congregations of the diocese in their encounters with those who are not presently members of congregations in the Diocese of Southeast Florida.

ATM is a diocesan-wide program sponsored by the Bishop’s Ministry Grant program. Through the ATM’s mission of training, equipping and coaching the congregations in the diocese to become more aware of implementing the social media tools available to communicate the gospel of Jesus Christ, parishes from Jensen Beach to Key West have benefited from the open dialogue and training. Four years after its inception, the vision is the same. However, the changing technological world has brought the need for more training in various aspects of not only social media but web design, email marketing, online giving and graphic design.

The ATM workshops have been welcomed help to parishioners all around the diocese. Michelle Lane, parish administrator at St. James-the-Fisherman in Islamorada, has gotten more involved over the past two years. “My favorite workshops, the ones that have been most beneficial to me, are Pic Monkey and Constant Contact. I’ve also learned how important it is to be out there. Parishioners of all ages are involved and communicate via the web so it’s important to learn daily.”

Two of the driving forces behind the success of ATM are trainers Isela Gonzalez and Melissa Lewis, developers of the All Things Media workshops. Since it’s inception four years ago, they have seen the program grow tremendously.

“We started the classes a few years ago with very basic 101 instruction. Due to the response of the attendees, we have grown to larger classes, teaching more advanced topics with repeat attendance,” Gonzalez explained. “We have seen the parishes go from no online communication with their parishioners to the ability to reach out and communicate information instantly.”

Jim Wells, of St. Mark’s in Ft. Lauderdale, is a frequent workshop attendee. He was trying to convince his parish that it needed a communications plan to grow the church, so Wells decided to start with himself. After he attended his first session about parish newsletters and produced one, he 6

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received rave reviews. He says the initiative of the trainers has been fantastic and very professional. “The instructors are wonderful. Smart, talented and technically proficient, yet they are also patient and understanding with those in the class.”

The workshops are held at the Duncan Conference Center in Delray Beach several times a year. Growing the program is something to which the trainers have given much thought. They are striving to reach more parishes and would like to add more advanced classes based on demand. This looks to be a great idea as participants are looking for more classes and more options, particularly in website training, the use of video in church and blogging.●

Online Giving

Tuesday, May 19, 2015 Pay Pal & Square: When it comes to giving, churchgoers are asking for more options besides dropping a check or cash in the plate.

Trainers: Isela Gonzales and Melissa Lewis To Register: Contact Linda Schlepp-Gray at linda98@bellsouth.net

Absalom Jones: It’s All About Love

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By Kathleen Walker, Church of the Incarnation, Miami

he celebration of Absalom Jones was cheerful and lively, thanks to a powerful sermon, moving music, and a major contribution to the oldest black church in the Diocese of Southeast Florida. Approximately 200 people attended the service at the Church of the Incarnation on Valentine’s Day to hear a message of Jesus’ command “to love one another.”

The Right Reverend Oge Beauvoir, bishop suffragan of the Diocese of Haiti, used the text appointed for the occasion to discuss how Absalom Jones showed his love for Jesus by the life he led. He retold the story of Absalom, born into slavery, ultimately freed, and the love exhibited by paying for his wife’s freedom.

Bishop Beauvoir also reminded the audience of Absalom’s determination to establish a congregation in the Episcopal Church so that black people could continue to worship with a liturgy of which they were already familiar. He pointed out that although Richard Allen decided to establish the African Methodist Episcopal Church, Jones opted instead to form a congregation that would later become the African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas. Ultimately, Beauvoir said,

“We are so fortunate that Absalom Jones became the first African-American priest of this church.”

Bishop Beauvoir urged the congregation to love one another just as Absalom loved his people and his church. He also encouraged everyone to live a life like Father Jones, following the words in Jesus’ commandment to all of us, “Love one another as I have loved you” (John 13:34).

Near the conclusion of the service, Bishop Frade made an appeal on behalf of a congregation in Limonar, Cuba,which desperately needs assistance.

The congregation was established in a town that is almost 100% black and Episcopalian. Their church was destroyed some years ago by a hurricane and the communist regime would not allow them to rebuild. The parishioners never left their church but instead continued to gather on Sundays in the shell of a building around the sanctuary. Recently, there were photos of people celebrating the mass, holding on to umbrellas. Now that they have the permission of the government to repair the building, they need help. He asked the Union of Black Episcopalians to prayerfully consider provid-

The archdeacons and Bishop Beauvoir take part in the ‘love’ly service.

ing funds to help “our sisters and brothers” renovate the church.

Additionally, the Reverend Leonel Ortez announced that Santa Cruz and Resurrection would make an immediate significant donation to St. Peter’s in Key West, the oldest black church in the diocese, to assist with the renovations and much needed repairs to their building, to the delight of those present.

Following the service, the Theodore R. Gibson chapter of the Union of Black Episcopalians sponsored its annual luncheon in the J. Kenneth Major Hall. Members of the UBE presented Bishop Frade with electronic gadgets and thanked him vociferously for his support of the organization and his continuing commitment towards making the Absalom Jones service and luncheon an important occasion in the life of the diocese.●

Stirring Up and Celebrating the Spirit on ECW Sunday

By Vennda-Rei Harris Gibson, The Historic St. Agnes, Miami n February 8, I was honored to be the guest speakcharacters and the neighborhood included many more. From the time of my birth, I saw more laughter around me than er for the Episcopal Church Women (ECW) Sunday tears. And even the tears could not dim the joy of life. I was observance held by the Diocese of Southeast Florida at St. Benedict’s, Plantation and to share with my sisters (and a not only taught, but I was shown the fruit of the spirit—what a few brothers) what celebrating the spirit means to me. Having wonderful celebration. grown up in Overtown, Miami, I was christened and confirmed With many mouths to feed, whatever we had to eat became “a stomach full is a stomach full,” and when there was a death at The historic St. Agnes Episcopal Church. or tragedy, the words were “don’t fly up in God’s face.” There My maternal family arrived in Miami in 1920. My grandmother and five of her siblings were born in Puerto Plata, Dowas always music, of all genres, playing in our house at all times. minican Republic, then eventually moved to Cap-Haitien, HaiStirring the spirit means choosing to be happy- walking ti where her two youngest siblings were born. It was a family humbly with God, keeping the faith, weathering the storms of of 11, which included my great grandparents, my grandmother life. A journey with stops, roadblocks, potholes, yes, but there and her siblings, who ranged in age from 14 to 20 upon their are paths of peace and laughter. We are spiritual beings on a arrival. Overtown, Miami was a true village that was nurturing human journey!

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, when I arrived there at the age of 10 months in 1944. Surkindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. rounded by women and men of the diaspora, I heard many different accents, dialects, and languages all around me, inAgainst such things there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23). cluding in my own home. Our home was filled with colorful It truly is a wonderful life in the spirit.●

O

Spring 2015

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FEATURE STORY

Peter Eaton

Bishop Coadjutor Transitions to South Florida

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he Right Reverend Peter Eaton is excited to begin his new ministry here in the Diocese of Southeast Florida this spring. The climate is very different here in South Florida than in Denver, Colorado. Although a welcome change from frigid, snowy winters to mild and sometimes humid Januarys, the Right Reverend Peter Eaton and his wife, Kate, leave St. John’s Cathedral with mixed emotions. “Our leave taking of Denver was predictably difficult. I have had a long relationship with many individuals and families for almost 13 and a half years, often through many significant happy and sad times. One cannot help but become deeply bonded to people and a community when one gives oneself to them in this way for so long. However, we are now delighted to be here in our new home, with our new community. We both have some previous, very happy experiences in the Diocese of Southeast Florida, and we already have some good friends here,” reflected Bishop Eaton.

The Right Reverend Peter Eaton was elected bishop coadjutor of the Diocese of Southeast Florida on Saturday, January 31, 2015 during a special electing convention held at Trinity Cathedral in Miami, and was consecrated and ordained as bishop coadjutor of the diocese on Saturday, May 9, 2015, also at Trinity Cathedral. A bishop coadjutor is elected to replace the diocesan bishop upon retirement. The current diocesan bishop, the Right Reverend Leopold Frade will retire in January, 2016.

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By Altoria E. White, Editor

“It is an honor for me to be working with, and following in the footsteps of Bishop Frade.”

In the hectic transition to the sunshine state, both Bishop Eaton and his wife Kate are settling in and ready to officially begin their ministry with the members of the diocese. Bishop Eaton is a lifelong Episcopalian, growing up as the son of an Episcopal priest whose main vocation was teaching.

Bishop Eaton says he knew of his calling to the church at around 14 or 15 years old. “We were living on the grounds of Codrington College in Barbados, where my father was teaching, and that was really where my vocation was first fostered. After my second year as an undergraduate at King’s College in London, I notified the university chaplain that I was interested in ordination.” At that point, Bishop Eaton’s journey within the Episcopal Church began. After several positions within the church, from pastoral assistant at St. George’s Church in Paris, France to one of his most recent positions as an adjunct faculty member of the Iliff School of Theology in Denver, Bishop Eaton has been around the world proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ. He is blessed to be cele-

Bishop Eaton & his wife Kate Eaton

brating 30 years of deaconate ministry in 2016 and 30 years in the priesthood in 2017.

Bishop Coadjutor Eaton is looking forward to working in this diocese and working with Bishop Leo Frade in this transition. He continues his support of Bishop Frade, helping him accomplish his goals before his resignation in January. That is part of Bishop Eaton’s goal as bishop coadjutor.

“We’re all here to make the last few months of Bishop Frade’s episcopate effective, satisfying, and enjoyable. Everyone is full of gratitude to the bishop and Diana for their extraordinary ministry not only here in this diocese but throughout the church,” Bishop Eaton remarked. As for one of his goals as bishop coadjutor, Bishop Eaton is excited about building relationships in the diocese. “I’m hoping to be able to

do a lot of traveling around the diocese within the next few months, getting to know the people, getting to know the clergy, the lay leadership, the churches, and the schools,” Bishop Eaton commented. “I’m longing to get to know the clergy and the people of this diocese, and particularly, what we’re doing now. I know they’re interested in me but I’m very interested in them.

I’m very keen to get to know them. I know wonderful things are going on in this diocese, and right now, I only know a fraction of them.”

His goals, after he becomes the fourth diocesan bishop of Southeast Florida, aren’t really set in stone. He says he would like to continue meeting with folks within the diocese to foster a shared vision and goals. Bishop Eaton says, “It’s not the job of the parishes to support the bishop’s vision, but the job of the bishop to support the parishes of the diocese carrying out the mission of the gospel.”

One of the ministries he is very passionate about is the youth min-

istry of the diocese. He emphasizes the importance of this ministry and says he’s looking forward to spending time with the youth. His past experience with young people is very strong at the cathedral in Denver, and he’s hoping to use ideas and open dialogue to continue to foster the relationship which Bishop Frade has so carefully cultivated. He’s particularly interested in having a conversation with the young people and hearing their hopes and dreams for this diocesan ministry. “I’ve met a number of youth and youth leaders in the diocese and they are great young people. I look forward to working with them in the days and months to come,” says Bishop Eaton.

A lot has changed for Bishop Eaton over the past few months, and even in this time of change, there is still something that is consistent and comforting – his enjoyment and gratefulness for being a pastor to the people. “I love most being a pastor. All of us who are clergy have a lot of things we have to do, but the great job of being a priest is to

be invited into the intimate places and moments of people’s lives. It’s the bits of being a priest, that nobody else can do, that I love the most. Those intimate pastoral times—the birth of children, an illness, marriage, funerals—those are the great gifts that we who are ordained are given by those people who entrust themselves to our care.”

Finally, Bishop Eaton sums up his transition to the Diocese of Southeast Florida by stating, “It is an honor for me to be working with, and following in the footsteps of, Bishop Frade, who enjoys such respect in the Episcopal Church and around the world. This is such an exciting time to be moving to the diocese, as we face a hopeful time for the mission of the church and significant changes in our region. We are energized by the diversity of this community, and we are excited to live and work at the meeting place of so many rich cultures. We are looking forward so much to getting to know our new diocesan family, as well as our wider community and our neighbors.”●

A few tidbits to get to know the Bishop Coadjutor Favorite food to eat out?

“Well, the advice that I was given is never tell your favorite hymn, because that will be the only hymn that you will ever sing…and never tell your favorite food, because that will be the only food you ever eat! So it’s safe to say I have many favorite foods, and many favorite hymns!”

Pets?

“Two cats—Sam and Jack. Sam is the older of the two, Jack is younger…and they’re both great. They don’t do well together, but we’re hoping for peace to break out at any moment!”

What would you like to hear God say when you get to heaven?

“I actually think I don’t want God to say anything…a simple embrace will do. At that point we won’t need words—we simply need just that. A simple embrace.”

Favorite word?

“I have several, but among them is the word ‘glory.’ There are many, but that one is a resonate biblical word, and a resonate spiritual word. It doesn’t just talk about God, it talks also about humanity, and it talks about the creation. All of those things are connected in glory. Glory embraces God, the human family, and the whole creation.”● Spring 2015

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NEWS & VIEWS

Changing Lives and Making God’s World a Better Place

By Kelee Shilling, St. Mark’s, Palm Beach Gardens

el. These words continue to inspire people around the world to pray the Litany of Reconciliation every Friday at noon, outside of the ruins and in many places around the world, including at St. Mark’s, where the Peace Chapel is open to people of all faiths, 24/7, for prayer and spiritual solitude.

At the end of February, St. Mark’s launched its second annual Peace Lecture series Forgiveness: A Pathway to Peace, along with the F Word: Stories of Forgiveness exhibition. Three speakers, Arno Michaelis, Samantha Lawler, and Stephanie Cassatly, shared their personal witness to the power of forgiveness in the midst of great tragedy. Whether a victim or perpetrator of crime and/or violence, the talks and exhibit explored how forgiveness, reconciliation, and conflict resolution could be used to positively impact people’s lives as an alternative to revenge.

The peace lecture series began with speaker Arno Michaelis, former racist skinhead (pictured left), who shared his story. Pictured with: The Rev. Jim Cook, St. Mark’s Rector; and Stephanie Cassatly, author, professor, St. Mark’s parishioner.

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e live in a world of great divide, filled with continuous reports of aggression and violence in our communities, as well as within families. We yearn for peace. This desire for peace is a common call among all people, regardless of faith, race, gender, generation, or socio-economic status. St. Mark’s seeks to serve all persons in Christ through its countless ministries and missions locally, nationally, and internationally. With a focus towards peace, reconciliation, and forgiveness, the start of 2015 presented new ways to engage our faith, change lives, and make God’s world a better place.

In February, St. Mark’s had the honor of being accepted as a partner in the Community of the Cross of Nails (CCN), an international community of churches, schools, and organizations focused on peace and reconciliation. Emma Griffiths, associate director of reconciliation at Coventry Cathedral in England, presented the Rev. Jim Cook with a Cross of Nails to symbolize and honor its commitment to the partnership. St. Mark’s joins over 150 organizations, across 29 countries, that pray and strive for peace and justice. The evolution of the CCN is rich in history and dates back to the bombing of Coventry during World War II. Following the desolation of war, it was declared that work should begin to build a “kinder, more Christ-like world,” and the words “Father Forgive” were inscribed on the wall of the ruined chap10 THE NET - www.diosef.org

Emma Griffiths, associate dir. of reconciliation at Coventry Cathedral in England, presented the Rev. Jim Cook with a Cross of Nails to symbolize and honor its commitment to the partnership. Also pictured: The Rev. Sanford Groff, St. Mark’s Associate Rector.

Through its many ministries, St. Mark’s transforms hearts and shares the love of God with those in need in practical ways. The opportunity for us to give back to God through our community of faith is a privilege which sparks renewed faith and hope that we can transform hearts with the powerful love of Jesus Christ.

Visit us on the web at www.stmarkspbg.org and “like” us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/stmarkspbg.

For more information on the Community of the Cross of Nails, visit www.crossofnails.org. For more information on the Forgiveness Project and the lecture series speakers, visit www.theforgivenessproject.com.●

2015 General Convention Preview “The deputation from our diocese has been one of the few diocese with a consistent record of a diverse deputation.”

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n the coming months, the 78th General Convention of the Episcopal Church will commence and a deputation of 15—eight deputies and seven alternates (both clergy and laity) will represent the Diocese of Southeast Florida. The group has a responsibility to the diocese to attend the legislative sessions and vote on important issues of the Episcopal Church.

The General Convention (GC) is held every three years in different locations. This year the convention will be held June 25 – July 3 in Salt Lake City, Utah. The GC is composed of the House of Deputies and House of Bishops, both of which make up over 1000 clergy, laity, and active and retired bishops of the Episcopal Church. The convention meets to make important decisions on behalf of the church. Some of the discussion and decisions will consist of the constitutions and canons of the Episcopal Church, the budget of the church, election of officers for the General Convention, as well as the election of the 27th presiding bishop. The current presiding bishop, the Most Rev. Dr. Katharine Jefferts Schori, has announced she will not seek re-election. There are also a few important reports to note which be sure to have discussion: the report of the Task Force Study on the Study of Marriage and the report of the Task Force to Reimagine the Church.

The Diocese of Southeast Florida has six out of eight deputies who have been appointed to serve on national committees for this convention. Canon Tom O’Brien, a parishioner at Church of Bethesda-by-the-Sea and a lay deputy, was appointed to serve as vice-chair of the Governance and Structure Committee. He considers it a huge honor to represent the diocese at this national event. “I am especially honored to be able to work with such fine people who have contributed so much to the Episcopal Church,” commented O’Brien. The Rev. Horace Ward, rector of Church of the Holy Family and a clergy deputy, was appointed to the Congregational Vitality Legislative Committee; the Rev. Mario Milian, rector of St. Thomas and a clergy deputy, was appointed to the Care

for the Environment Committee; and Diana Frade, wife of Bishop Leo Frade and a seven time lay deputy, was appointed to the World Mission Commission for this convention. She says she looks forward to serving on this committee, which is very near and dear to her heart. Lastly, Bonnie Weaver, a lay deputy, was appointed to the Social Justice and United States Policy Legislative Committee; and the Rev. Carol Barron, rector of St. Luke’s in Port Salerno, was appointed to the Legislative Committee for Constitution & Canons.

While declining the appointment to a legislative committee after serving on a committee for the past nine conventions, Canon Richard Miller, a parishioner at Church of the Holy Family, serves on the special House of Deputies Committee, appointed by the House of Deputies president, to raise $75,000 from the deputies to support Episcopal Relief and Development in honor of its 75th year in operation.

He was also elected by the black deputies of General Convention to serve as one of two caucus leaders during convention. According to Canon Miller, “The deputation from our diocese has been one of the few dioceses (110 total dioceses) with a consistent record of a diverse deputation. Very few of the deputations contain diverse representation, inclusive of female, black, and hispanic deputies. We are very proud of this accomplishment.”

This is an exciting time not only for the Episcopal Church but for our diocese as well. It will be the first time the Diocese of Southeast Florida will have Bishop Leo Frade and Bishop Coadjutor Peter Eaton in the House of Bishops.

Our diocese also holds the distinct honor of having the senior bishop with jurisdiction in the House of Bishops, and one of the most recently consecrated bishops. Bishop Frade has served 31 years as a bishop, while Bishop Coadjutor Eaton was recently elected in January of this year.● Spring 2015

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YOUTH

New Beginnings #

By Pamela Sahdev, Broward Deanery Youth Coordinator

5

ary 20, for the weekend retreat held at the Chapel of St. Andrew, Boca Raton.

The program included a series of talks given by the high school team members, skits, songs, and small group discussions and activities. These presentations focused on such subjects as self, friends, parents, various family types, siblings, school, God’s love, prayer, the Church, and “Who is Jesus?” The highlight of the weekend was experiencing the Stations of the Cross during a nighttime hike and bonfire. Participants described the weekend as “life changing.”●

Bishop Leo Frade and Archdeacon Bryan Hobbs end the weekend together with the youth.

N

ew Beginnings is a weekend retreat for middle school youth, focusing on the two greatest commandments: loving God with all of our heart, mind, and strength, and loving our neighbors as ourselves.

The event is a unique experience designed specifically to respond to the needs and concerns of middle school youth. Junior Weekend advisor, Luis “Tito” Vas of St. Benedict’s, led the retreat group from St. Benedict’s, as well as a team of high school youth from throughout the diocese. Pamela Sahdev, Broward Deanery Youth Coordinator, and Spiritual Director, Rev. Charles Browning, headed the New Beginnings program.

Approximately 75 youth and adult leaders, representing 13 churches throughout four deaneries, gathered on the evening of Friday,Febru-

12 THE NET - www.diosef.org

Below: After completing the Stations of the Cross walk through a wooded area, the youth put their prayers on the cross, giving the up to God; they then put them in the fire so the prayers were free from them. The youth then celebrated with s’mores their freedom from sin with the same fire.

Youth Commission

YOUTH

Christmas Ball

I

By Remington Fiore, DIOSEF Youth Commission

had one of the best experiences of my life. The 2014 Christmas Ball was the best ball I have ever attended.

The theme was “The Great Gatsby” where everyone dressed in prohibition era clothing and danced to hit songs of the 1920s,as well as songs from modern times.

Nothing compared to when we all got on the dance floor and together, danced to the best songs of the century. The awesome decorations and delicious food completed the total Christmas Ball experience.

Quanisha Fleming, a fellow youth member, stated, “I was so happy that I got to see people from ‘Happening.’ It was like a little reunion.” To her, nothing was better than going to the Christmas Ball. Vivacah Fleming stated, “It was really fun, the food was nice, dessert was awesome as well. I liked the fact that they did not play ‘church music.’”

70 people attended the ball, which was held at St. Steven’s, Coconut Grove. Even though we had loads of fun, we still kept in mind Christ and the less fortunate. The youth were asked to bring in gift cards for the less fortunate teens in our diocese that will wake up to no presents Christmas day.

The 2015 Christmas Ball will be held on December 12 at a location still to be determined.●

North Dade Deanery Teens Participate in

Youth Summit

By Andrew Walker, Church of the Incarnation, Miami

T

he Youth Summit was an enriching event that was coordinated by the North Dade Deanery during the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday weekend.

The all-day summit was comprised of a job fair and discussion about social justice. The job fair included many different organizations, including: the City of Miami, the Miami-Dade Medical Examiner’s Office, Barton G., CBS 4 News, the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue and others. The guests had great insight about finding a career that suited each of us and the steps it would take for us to achieve our goals. They also informed us of the possibilities available in each of the fields, which went well beyond what we initially believed.

The afternoon session included a conversation about race relations in this country and what we could do to improve relations in the future, for generations to come. The discussion also included the context of the highly publicized police shooting in Ferguson, Missouri and the death of Eric Garner in Brooklyn, New York. The various perspectives in each situation were well received in this conversation. The summit was truly an eye-opening experience.● Spring 2015

13

PARISHES IN PROGRESS

People,Places & Progress

News and Information • The annual Acolyte Festival was a success! With over 350 attendees from around the diocese the workshops, worship, food, and fun proved to be a good time. Congratulations to all who helped make the event possible.

• Several members of the Diocese of Southeast Florida were appointed to specific committees for this summer’s general convention being held June 25 through July 3, 2015. See story on page 11.

• Mr. Garth Reeves, Sr. of the Church of the Incarnation, Miami was recently blessed by his 96th birthday!

Honored acolytes

• The Episcopal Church General Convention will be held June 25 - July 3 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Get real time updates via the Episcopal Church website www.episcopalchurch.org.

• •

Deaths The Reverend Murray Voth, who passed away on January 26, 2015.

• St. Paul’s, Delray Beach was recently featured on NBC’s TODAY Show as the ‘Plaza Fan of the Day.” View the video on the diocesan Facebook page: www.facebook. com/Episcopal Diocese of Southeast Florida.

Transitions The Reverend Natalie Blasco was ordained to the sacred order of deacons on December 12, 2014.

The Reverend Ruby T. Cruz, who passed away on February 4, 2015.

•

• Former Vice Chancellor Robert McKinney, who passed away on March 18, 2015.

•

The Reverend Kathleen Killian was ordained to the sacred order of deacons on December 20, 2014.

•

The Reverend Hunter Ruffin was ordained to the sacred order of deacons on December 20, 2014.

•

The Reverend Lenworth Haughton is now the supply priest at St. Peter’s in Key West.●

Congratulations • The Diocese of Southeast Florida elected Bishop Coadjutor (and add) Peter Eaton. The consecration was held on Saturday, May 9, 2015. on Saturday, January 9, 2015.

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A Day of Fellowship and Meditation with the

PARISH PROFILE

By Lydie Louis, St. Bernard de Clairvaux, North Miami

Daughters of the King

As the King’s daughters settled into their seats, calmness over took the chapel, and a sense of anticipation and belonging filled the nave. A sea of blue cascaded across the chapel pews as each daughter was proudly adorned in royal blue. It was a restful image for Martha Nwaobia’s eyes, mind, and spirit. Martha drove almost two hours from Palm Beach County to attend that day of meditation because “this was not a time of solitude but rather of fellowship.” However, meditating “en masse” is a delicate endeavor. There were approximately 85 women in the nave of the chapel, many knew each other and some did not. Group meditation needs just the right leader to guide each participant into a deeper

I

Facilitators meet briefly before the day begins.

t was a brisk morning. The coolness in the air was rather unusual for Miami. Cars began to arrive at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, located in the rather affluent neighborhood of Palmetto Bay. The Reverend Spencer Potter, more commonly known as Father Spencer, stood at the entrance of the parking lot greeting the guests as they arrived.

The women had come to spend a day of fellowship and meditation with the Diocese of Southeast Florida, Order of the Daughters of the King, Inc. (DOK). The DOK is an order for women who are communicants of the Episcopal Church, churches in communion with it, or churches in the historic episcopate including women who are members of the Anglican, Episcopal, Lutheran, and Roman Catholic Churches. The mission of the DOK is the extension of Christ’s Kingdom through prayer, service, and evangelism.

Joy Foss currently serves as the president of the DOK, in the Diocese of Southeast Florida, and Joy James Williams serves as the first vice president.

The meditation sequences were held within St. Andrew’s chapel, with its majestic stained glass windows that completely encompass the entire back wall of the chapel (approximately 100 feet by 100 feet). It is majestic. The “windows are intended to carry on the tradition of teaching the story of salvation… the north windows in the nave are: the Resurrection, the Law and the Prophets, the Exodus, and the Creation.”

The windows were designed and constructed by the talented artist Elizabeth Mears, who is a long-time parishioner of St. Andrews. The stained glass windows are hand-blown glass, imported from Germany, France, and England. The color of the glass is jewel-like and breathtakingly beautiful. As one participant, Margarette Davis, shared, “It was the perfect place to meditate upon the Lord’s words.”

Daughters enjoy the fellowship in the St. Andrew’s Parish Hall.

reflective mood, so the participants can feel a sense belonging within the whole.

The Reverend Ann Goraczko, associate rector at St. Bernard de Clairvaux, who is often referred to as Mother Ann, skillfully led the group meditations with grace and insight. Through the course of the day, the King’s daughters meditated on three primary scriptures: Psalm 50, Psalm 32, and Psalm 94. The meditation on the three psalms emphasized forgiveness, preservation from our troubles, and that in all things we must see God. The daughters really delved into each of the three psalms recognizing the importance of the readings to the day of meditation.

Those three Psalms, taken as a whole, lead us to the realization that prayer (meditation) triggers an inner memory of God; remaining obedient to his love and accepting that we must do what God wants us to do because that is our spiritual purpose. Therefore, we must think of ourselves as a remnant of service to God, follow Christ’s example with our own service, and use the gifts that we have been given to fulfill our purpose.● Spring 2015

15

A trip to CUBA

November 24 – 30, 2015 $500 deposit due by July 15 (full payment by September 1)

Contact Bishop Leo Frade at bishopfrade@aol.com / 305-785-5347 or 305-373-0881 x120 / www.diosef.org

CALENDAR May 12th: Retired Clergy Luncheon Duncan Conference Center, Delray Beach 23rd: North Palm Beach Convocation St. Mark’s, Palm Beach Gardens 27th: South Palm Beach Convocation St. Matthew’s, Delray Beach 28th - 31st: Women’s Cursillo #110 Duncan Conference Center, Delray Beach 30th: South Dade Convocation St. Andrew’s, Palmetto Bay June 4th: Broward Convocation St. Martin’s, Pompano Beach

IMAGES OF THE SPRING

6th: Keys Convocation St. Francis-in-the-Key, Big Pine Key & Youth Convention Trinity Cathedral, Miami 25th – July 3rd: The Episcopal Church General Convention Salt Lake City, Utah

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