COMING EVENTS:

Holy Week Clergy Day & Chrism Eucharist - Apr. 3, 10 a.m., Trinity Cathedral

Luncheon for Retired Clergy and Surviving Spouses    - Apr. 11, noon, Duncan Center

Clergy/Clergy Spouses Cruise    - Apr. 12-14

Ordination of Judith Alexis to the Priesthood    - Apr. 13, 7 p.m., Trinity Cathedral, Cleveland, Oh.

Institution of Fr. Jamie Jones as rector - Apr. 15, 4 p.m., St. Matthew the Apostle, Miami

Faith Is Caught- Apr. 20-21, St. Thomas, Coral Gables

Safeguarding God’s Children  - Apr. 21, 9 a.m.-noon, St. Mark’s, Palm Beach Gardens

Earth Sunday - Apr. 22

Prison Ministry Training- Apr. 25, 7 p.m., St. Mark’s, Palm Beach Gardens

ECW Annual Meeting - Apr. 27-28, St. Benedict’s, Plantation

Anti-Racism Training  - Apr. 28, 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., St. Paul’s, Delray Beach

Spring Convocations- Apr. 28, NPB, 9:30 a.m., Holy Spirit, West Palm Beach; May 2, SPB, 5:30-7:30 p.m., St. Joseph’s, Boynton Beach; May 5, ND, 10:30 a.m., Trinity Cathedral, Miami; SD, 9:30 a.m., St. Thomas, Coral Gables; May 9, Bwd, 6:30 p.m., St. Mary Magdalene, Coral Springs; June 2, Keys, 10 a.m., St. James the Fisherman, Islamorada.

Ordination to the Diaconate of Lorna Goodison and Jeanie Martinez-Jantz - Apr. 29, 4 p.m., Trinity Cathedral, Miami

Nehemiah Clergy Retreat (open to all diocesan clergy) - May 1-3, Lake Placid Retreat Center

postponed - Happening Weekend - May 4-6, St. Mark the Evangelist, Ft. Lauderdale

Safeguarding God’s Children - May 5, 8 a.m.-1 p.m., Bethesda-by-the-Sea

Ordination of Mary Ellen Cassini to the Priesthood) - May 12, 4 p.m., Trinity Cathedral, Miami

Ordination of Susan Brutell to the Priesthood   - May 26, 2 p.m., St. Martin’s, Pompano Beach 

Summer Camps (joint ministry with SW Florida) at DaySpring Conference Center Elementary Camp -  June 3-8

Youth Camp - June 10-15

Camp Able (youth with disabilities) - June 17-21

MissionServe) - July 8-13, July 15-20, Pine Island, Fla.

Florida Day- June 18, Washington National Cathedral

Diocesan Youth Convention - Sept. 7-8, Duncan Center

Holy Week Clergy Day--The traditional Holy Week Clergy Day and Chrism Eucharist will be Tuesday, April 3, at Trinity Cathedral. Meditations begin at 10 a.m., followed by the Renewal of Ordination Vows and the Chrism Eucharist at 12:05. The preacher and meditation leader will be the Right Reverend Peter James Lee, Bishop of Virginia. Clergy are encouraged to vest for the Eucharist; the color is red. Lunch will be served in the Cathedral Hall after the service. Please note: We need an accurate count for lunch, so if you intend to be there, be sure to make your reservation online at www.diosef.org/register.html

Parochial Reports and Key Personnel Forms-- Parochial Reports for 2006 not yet submitted are now past due; the deadline according to diocesan canons was Jan. 31, and the deadline for submitting this information to the Episcopal Church Center in New York was Mar. 1. As of Mar. 27, there were 23 congregations from whom Parochial Reports had not yet been received. Each congregation has received by mail from the Episcopal Church Center the materials and instructions for filing the parochial report online; these forms and instructions are also available at http://www.episcopalchurch.org/research_62344_ENG_HTM.htm. The Key Personnel List is also past due—the deadline was Feb. 15; that form is also filed online and is available at https://www.amerisurf.com/diosef/keypersonnel.html.

Safeguarding God’s Children—Two Safeguarding God’s Children trainings are scheduled in the North Palm Beach Deanery: Apr. 21, 9 a.m.-noon, at St Mark’s, Palm Beach Gardens (call Pastor Lisa Barrowclough, 561- 622-0956 ext. 224 or email pastorlisa@stmarkspbg.org to register); and May 5, 8 a.m.-1 p.m, breakfast and lunch included, at Bethesda-by-the-Sea, Palm Beach (register by sending your full name, title and the name of your church or church institution to Kim Pyle at Bethesda-by-the-Sea, pyle@bbts.org). 

Earth Sunday resources--"The Food that Sustains Us" is the theme of the National Council of Churches (NCC) Eco-Justice Program's observation of Earth Day Sunday, Apr. 22. Each year, the NCC produces a resource to help congregations engage in the Earth Day Sunday theme. This year's edition, "Our Daily Bread: Harvesters of Hope and Gardeners of Eden," offers background on farm and food related issues, with worship resources and study ideas for youth and adults. The packet also includes information and resources for the "Sow Justice" campaign, Christians working together to advocate for a more just farm and food policy. Download the Earth Sunday packet here. Learn more, download materials, and list your congregation's Earth Sunday event here.

Prison Ministry Training—On Wednesday, Apr. 25, 7 p.m., at St. Mark’s, Palm Beach Gardens, there will be a Department of Corrections training session for those interested in doing prison ministry. For information on this training or on other opportunities to participate in prison ministry contact Deacon George Kinard, gojud3@bellsouth.net. 

More on prison ministry--Bridging the Gap, a documentary film about the work of Vicki Lopez Lukis (a presenter at last month’s diocesan workshop on prison ministry) with women in prison and girls in detention will be shown Monday, Apr. 23, at the University of Miami Cosford Cinema at 6:30 p.m. The evening will begin with a reception from 6:30-7 p.m. and after the 28-minute film there will be a panel discussion about incarcerated women and girls. Click here for details and an order form for tickets. 

Kamp for Kids—The Diocese of Southwest Florida is offering Kamp for Kids, a program for children ages 8-12 who have a parent who is incarcerated. For more information on this program and how to help, go to http://www.dioceseswfla.org/pdf/KampforKidsFlyer.pdf or contact the Rev. Katherine “Kit” Tate, (941) 993-3106,  ktate@dioceseswfla.org, or Tana Sembiante, (941) 556-0315 Ext. 274, tsembiante@dioceseswfla.org, or The Rev. Jackie Means, chair, Kamp For Kids Committee, (239) 390-0270 / Cell: (317) 403-4789 

Anti-Racism Training--The Diocesan Anti-Racism Commission has scheduled an Anti-Racism Training workshop Apr. 28, 2007, at St. Paul’s, Delray Beach, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. This training was mandated by General Convention 2000 for all clergy, staff and lay leaders as a step toward ending institutional and other forms of racism. The cost for the workshop is $10, which includes continental breakfast, lunch and all workshop materials. Registration will be available online at www.diosef.org/register.html for the April workshop.

ECW Annual Meeting--The Annual Meeting of the Episcopal Church Women of the Diocese of Southeast Florida will be held Apr. 27 and 28, hosted by the Broward Deanery at St. Benedict's, Plantation. Diana Frade is scheduled to be the preacher at the closing Eucharist. Housing will be at the Holiday Inn Hotel Suites, 1701 N. University Dr., Plantation, and the banquet will be at the Signature Grand, 6901 State Road 84, Davie. Registration packets have been mailed to all ECW chapters in the diocese.   

Nehemiah Clergy Retreat—All diocesan clergy are invited to the Nehemiah Clergy Retreat, May 1-3 (beginning 4 p.m. May 1, ending after lunch May 3) at the Lake Placid Retreat Center, Lake Placid, Fla. The theme is “Dreaming and Planning Ahead to Stay Ahead!”--18 Months into the Future. The cost is $70. To register contact Linda Schlepp-Gray at linda98@bellsouth.net or call 954-450-7247. Car pool arrangements for the drive to Lake Placid will be organized.  Lake Placid is approximately a 2 1/2 hours drive from Miami and one hour from Palm Beach. 

Summer Youth Activities---Our diocese is joining again with the Diocese of Southwest Florida to offer summer programs for children and youth. Three summer camp sessions will be offered—Elementary Camp (rising 3^rd-rising 6^th graders), June 3-8; Youth Camp (rising 10^th-12^th graders), June 10-15; and Camp Able, for youth with disabilities, June 17-21. (Note: The registration deadline for Camp Able is Apr. 15.) Youth will also have the opportunity to participate in MissionServe, a week of service projects, learning, worship and fellowship on Pine Island, off the coast near Ft. Myers; available weeks are July 8-13 and July 15-20. Material on all these activities has been sent to youth leaders and rectors, and will be posted at http://www.diosef.org/youth/index.htm For further information contact Mary Cobiella at 800-268-9993 or 305-373-0881, ext. 29, or mary@diosef.org.

Human Needs/Smith Fund grant applications—This year the application process for Human Needs or Smith Charity Fund grants for parish-based outreach ministries has been simplified: There is one deadline for submitting applications—June 30—and one application form. Click here to download the complete guidelines and the application.

FACTs on Episcopal Growth, a new look at the dynamics of growth and decline in Episcopal parishes and missions is now available as a free download at http://www.episcopalchurch.org/research.htm  The report by Kirk Hadaway, director of research at the Episcopal Church Center in New York, is based on the Faith Communities Today 2005 (FACT 2005) national survey of 4,100 Episcopal congregations

Clergy Continuing Education Credit report form—A report form for Clergy Continuing Education Credits (CEUs) is now available online at http://www.diosef.org/forms/Report%20of%20CEU%20Credit.pdf .

VBS resources--If you haven’t yet started planning your 2007 Vacation Bible School program, information on many VBS resources is available at http://www.christianitytoday.com/yc/2007/001/1.14.html

Resource on the Millennium Development Goals--God's Mission in the World, a study guide on global poverty and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) produced jointly between the Episcopal Church and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, is now available to purchase and can be ordered from Episcopal Books and Resources online at http://www.episcopalbookstore.org or by calling 800-903-5544.

BGI Foundation website—The Bishop Gray Inn Foundation, which provides financial assistance to help elderly Episcopalians from the Dioceses of Southeast, Southwest and Central Florida with the cost of retirement and/or long-term care facilities, now has a website. For information on what’s offered by the Foundation and the qualifications for assistance, go to http://www.bgifoundation.com . 

Will clinics and estate planning—Episcopal Charities (formerly the Southeast Florida Episcopal Foundation) is continuing its ministry of providing resources for congregations on wills, estate planning and endowment fund structuring. For more information or to schedule an appointment for a will clinic or a vestry workshop on endowment funds, contact Charlie Ring at Episcopal Charities, 561-799-6424.

Bulletin inserts from Episcopal Life--"Episcopal Life This Week," the series of weekly inserts for parish bulletins and leaflets, is now available in four-color format for laser-printer output, which can also be photocopied in color or black and white. The new inserts are offered in two sizes--Half page:
http://www.episcopalchurch.org/documents/eLife_insert_halfpage_ENG.pdf ; full page--
http://www.episcopalchurch.org/documents/eLife_insert_fullpage_ENG.pdf The inserts are also available in Spanish at http://www.episcopalchurch.org/3577_79437_ENG_HTM.htm. 

Lectionary readings on your website—Parishes can add weekly lectionary readings to their websites by subscribing to “Preparing for Sunday” at http://www.preparingforsunday.com/. The cost for this service is $15 per month.

The eMinistry Network—offers “teleclasses” (classes held on the phone, like a conference call) and web-seminars that provide training for congregations and clergy on a wide range of topics related to ministry. Registration fees vary, depending upon the class, and there are often group discounts for members of the same congregation. Go to www.eministrynetwork.org for complete details. 

Invest in the MDGs—Would you be interested in supporting the Millennium Development Goals by providing a small loan to an entrepreneur in a developing country to help start a business? There’s a website that coordinates such loans; take a look at http://www.kiva.org/app.php 

Start Up! Start Over! The next Start Up! Start Over! Seminar will be held May 7-11 at the Four Points by Sheraton Phoenix Metrocenter in Phoenix, Ariz. Start Up! Start Over! is a national training event for clergy and laity that provides basic congregational development theory and skills. The cost, which includes tuition, 5 nights lodging, and 10 meals is: $775 single, $650 (each) double, $395 commuter. For more information contact Sally O'Brien at 800-334-7626 ext. 6003 or email sobrien@episcopalchurch.org. Registration materials can be downloaded at http://www.episcopalchurch.org/4519_26440_ENG_HTM.htm

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CLERGY CHANGES

Kinard, The Rev. George   - Ordained to the diaconate 3/24; serving as prison chaplain

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Parishes in Transition:

St. Mark the Evangelist, Ft. Lauderdale—Fr. Gary Hamp, interim

Holy Trinity, West Palm Beach—Fr. Perry Fuller, interim; beginning search process

St. Christopher’s, Key Biscayne—Fr. Tom Bruttell, interim; beginning search process

St. Columba, Marathon—The Rev. Debra Andrew-Maconaughey, deacon

St. Andrew’s, Miami—Fr. Gary Verell, interim

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F.Y.I.—Information from our Parishes and Around the Church

The choir of St. Stephen’s, Coconut Grove (Miami), will present a concert by an ensemble of singers and instrumentalists from Switzerland known as The Gospel Family on Friday, Apr. 13 at 8 p.m. at the church, 2750 McFarlane Rd, Coconut Grove. Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for students.  Parking will be available at reasonable rates on the premises or in public lots nearby.  Part of the concert proceeds will go into the choir fund. For more information call 305-448-2601.

The Jubilee Center of South Broward will hold its third Annual Golf Classic on Saturday, Apr. 21, beginning with registration at 7 a.m., at Hillcrest Golf and Country Club. Click here for complete details and registration form. Call 954-920-0106 or email info@jubileecenter.org for additional information.

The Marafiki Global AIDS Ministry will hold its second annual fund-raising golf tournament May 5, beginning at 1 p.m., at Pompano Municipal Golf Course, 1101 N. Federal Highway, Pompano Beach. The fee is $100 ($400 for a foursome); checks should be made payable to Marafiki and mailed to: Marafiki Global AIDS Ministry, Inc., P.O. Box 667645, Pompano Beach, FL  33066. Click here for complete details and a downloadable registration form, which must be submitted with your check by Apr. 15.For additional information on the golf tournament call 954-657-1706. For more information on the work of Marafiki Global AIDS Ministry, go to www.marafikiglobalaidsministry.com.

St. Joseph’s, Boyton Beach, is seeking a full-time youth minister.  Salary based on experience, with individual medical and pension benefits. For complete job description go to:  www.stjosephboyntonbeach.org. 

St. Andrew's, Palmetto Bay (Miami), has an immediate need for Parish Administrator. The salary is competitive and negotiable. We will be considering any of several options from part-time to fulltime and possibly separating the financial from pastoral support functions. Our financial system uses the ACS software, so some level of knowledge using this system is important. For more information, contact Fr. Gary Verell at 305-238-2161 or Burt O’Donald at 305-253-9977.

Episcopal Charities of Southeast Florida is seeking an experienced part-time development professional to secure increased funding through annual campaign, major gifts solicitation, special events and related activities.  Familiarity with Episcopal Church, bilingual and proven track record in fundraising is important.  Fax resume to:  561-799-0474. 

Sewanee Lay Chaplain position-- The University of the South, popularly known as Sewanee, is seeking a lay chaplain to work as a team member with the Chapel staff. Primary responsibilities would include sharing in the design and implementation of Chapel programming such as the Catechumenate, Bible studies, outreach projects, student-led events, and various other special events; and assisting in the preparation of the liturgy. The interview process will begin April 9, 2007 and continue until the position is filled. Interested individuals should submit a cover letter, résumé, and names and contact information for three references to the Reverend Thomas E. Macfie, Chaplain, c/oTeresa Smith, Personnel Services, 735 University Ave., Sewanee TN  37383-1000.

A Gulbransen Paragon organ in good condition is available for sale. The asking price is $225, but the seller is willing to negotiate. Anyone interested should contact Pam Anderson at pamapama213@aol.com.

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Additional Events and Opportunities
(click on links below for more information!)

• Kerygma Program training, April 13, Miami
• English language Hispanic Ministries course June 1-5
• National Network of Episcopal Clergy Associations conference--June 25-27, Williamsburg, Va.
• 57th Annual Sewanee Church Music Conference, July 9-15
• 2007 National Media Education Conference, St. Louis, June 23-26
  

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