Here in the season of Christmas, April may seem far away, but it’s not too early to be sure you have this on your calendar: The Bishop’s Spring Conference, Apr. 8-9, in the gymnasium at St. Mark the Evangelist, Ft. Lauderdale. The theme is One Body--Many Members: Ministry in a Multicultural World. The speakers will be teacher and pastor Gary Howard, author of the book, You Can't Teach What You Don't Know and the Rev. Kortright Davis, professor of theology at Howard University School of Divinity and rector of Holy Comforter Episcopal Church in Washington, DC.

Watch for additional information soon on the website and in mailings to your parishes.

COMING EVENTS:

Short-Term Mission Leader Training ¾ Jan. 8, 2005, Chapel of St. Andrew, Boca Raton
CANCELLED

Diocesan School Spring Semester begins ¾ Jan. 15 St. Mark the Evangelist, Ft. Lauderdale

Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday (Diocesan Office closed) ¾ Jan. 17

Youth Ministers’ Retreat ¾ Jan. 21-23, St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Pompano Beach

New Member Ministry Workshop ¾ Jan. 22, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Grace, West Palm Beach

Ordination to the Priesthood of Perry Fuller ¾ Jan. 23, 4 p.m., Grace Church, West Palm Beach

Assessment Appeals hearings ¾ Jan. 26-27, Diocesan Office

Clergy Retreat ¾ Jan. 31-Feb. 3, Cenacle House, Lantana

Cursillo ¾ Feb. 17-20, Duncan Center

Presidents’ Day (Office closed) ¾ Feb. 21

Absalom Jones Service ¾ Feb. 26, Trinity Cathedral, Miami

Deacons’ Retreat ¾ Mar. 4-5

Planning for Tomorrow (for clergy) ¾ Mar. 11-12, Hilton Deerfield Beach

Wardens & Treasurers Conference ¾ Mar. 19, St. Gregory’s, Boca Raton

Holy Week Clergy Day & Chrism Eucharist ¾ Mar. 22, 10 a.m., Trinity Cathedral

Bishop’s Spring Conference ¾ Apr. 8-9, St. Mark the Evangelist, Ft. Lauderdale

ECW Annual Meeting ¾ May 13-14, 2005

COPE Conference (Parish Lay Staff) ¾ May 20-21, Duncan Center

Summer Camp ¾ June 12-17-Middle School; June 19-24-Elementary

Kenya Mission ¾ Dec. 23, 2005-Jan. 10, 2006

Help for victims of tsunami in South Asia—Within a day of the earthquake and tsunami that killed tens of thousands in 11 countries in South Asia, Episcopal Relief and Development was sending emergency assistance such as food, potable water, temporary shelter and medicine to affected areas, working through the Church of South India, Church of Ceylon, and Church of the Province of South East Asia. ER-D will continue to provide assistance as these areas begin to assess long-term needs. You can donate immediately online at http://erd.servicenetwork.com/Donate/Donate.asp or mail donations to Episcopal Relief and Development, c/o Emergency Relief Fund, PO Box 12043, Newark, NJ 07101. You can also send checks to Diocese of Southeast Florida, 525 NE 15 St., Miami, FL  33132, marked for “South Asia tsunami relief”, or donate online at www.diosef.org (click on “donations” and scroll down to “other contribution” to indicate that your donation is for tsunami victims). We will forward these funds to ER-D. Please pray for the thousands of families affected by this disaster and those who are working to help them.

Parochial Reports and Key Personnel Lists—Remember that the Parochial Report is due by the end of this month, and the Key Personnel List by Feb. 15. The forms are available to complete and submit online at http://www.diosef.org/LoginParochialRpt.php and https://www.amerisurf.com/diosef/keypersonnel.html. In order to make it possible for each parish to add to or update information on its form as many times as needed, a username, password and PIN number are now required to access the Parochial Report form. Click here for complete instructions on accessing the form.

CANCELLED Short-Term Mission Leader Training—There will be a Short-Term Mission Leader Training Jan. 8, 2005, 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. at the chapel of St. Andrew, Boca Raton. The cost will be $15. For additional information, contact Archdeacon Bryan Hobbs, dochobbs@diosef.org, or Linda Schlepp-Gray, Linda@diosef.org, or call 954-450-7247.

Youth Ministers’ Retreat--The Youth Ministers' Retreat weekend will be Jan. 21-23 at St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Pompano Beach. Accommodations will be across the Intracoastal at the Holiday Inn, 9 N. Pompano Beach Blvd. The retreat will include suggestions for self-care, spiritual direction, and relaxation. The cost is $120; contact Fr. Terrence Taylor at 800-268-9993 or 305-373-0881, ext. 28, or by email at ttaylor@diosef.org if you need financial assistance. Click here to register.

New Member Ministry Workshop—On Jan. 22, Archdeacon Bryan Hobbs will lead a workshop for rectors and parish lay leaders on New Member Ministry. The location is Grace Church, West Palm Beach, and the time is from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. There is a $10 charge to cover the cost of materials. Bring a bag lunch. For more information, contact Linda Schlepp-Gray, in the Broward office of the diocese, Linda@diosef.org or 954-450-7247. Click here to register.

Clergy Retreat--The annual Clergy Retreat will be Jan. 31-Feb. 3, beginning at 4 p.m. on Monday and ending with lunch on Thursday, at the Cenacle Retreat House, 1400 S. Dixie Highway in Lantana. The retreat will be led by Sr. Ellen Stephen, OSH, whose meditations will focus on the theme, "The Voyage Towards Spiritual Freedom". Remember to bring towels, washcloths, prayerbooks and hymnals. Click here to register. Due to the limited space at the Cenacle, overflow lodging for additional retreat participants will be available at Best Western Inn of America, 7051 Seacreast Blvd., Lantana, FL 33462, (561) 588-0456. Those staying at Best Western will need to register online for the retreat and then make their own reservations at the Inn; to receive the Cenacle’s rate of $69 per night, mention that you are attending a retreat at the Cenacle Retreat House.

Prov. IV Total Immersion Spanish Language Weekend--In conjunction with Province IV Hispanic Ministries, the Diocese of Mississippi offers the third annual Total Immersion Spanish Language Weekend at the Duncan M. Gray Episcopal Camp and Conference Center, near Canton, MS. On the weekend of Feb. 25-27, 2005, licensed instructors in the Command (tm) Method will come to Gray Center to work with Spanish speakers of all ages and abilities, from the beginner to the fluent conversationalist. Special curriculums are available for clergy and medical professionals, and also for individual missioners who participate in trips to regions of the world where Spanish is the primary language. Applications are available from www.dioms.org under "The Diocese Upfront," or from Canon Yamily Bass-Choate, 601-969-9461, yamily@standrewscathedral.org or from the diocesan Communications Desk, 601-948-5954 x107, lauttonberry@dioms.org. The weekend is open to all, and scholarships are available.

New “no-show” policy—At the December clergy conference, 11 persons who had registered neither attended nor canceled their registrations. Even for events for which there is no charge to participants, the Duncan Center (or whatever the venue is) must charge the diocese per person registered, so the “no-shows” for that conference cost all of us $800. We have been incurring these kinds of losses from nearly every diocesan event in the past few years. We know there will always be last minute illnesses and emergencies that prevent a few persons from attending events for which they are registered; but to be good stewards of diocesan funds, we now need to institute a strict policy on “no shows”: Anyone registered for a diocesan event--including events for which there is no cost to participants--who does not either attend or cancel in a timely manner, will be billed for the per-person amount that the venue charges the diocese.

Plan for tomorrow—it’s almost here! The Church Pension Fund has scheduled a "Planning for Tomorrow" conference for active diocesan clergy and their spouses Mar. 11-12, at the Hilton Deerfield Beach. Plan to join Bishop Frade for this opportunity to develop life and financial planning skills. The cost is $125, which covers the participant’s share of room and meals; most of the conference cost is underwritten by the Pension Fund. The Pension Fund will cover the cost of baby-sitting or eldercare in your home for anyone who needs that in order to attend. Arrangements for this care must be made prior to conference. For information about the content of Planning for Tomorrow conferences, go to http://www.cpg.org/cms/content/580_generic.cfm. Active clergy will soon receive a mailing and/or email message with additional details of the conference schedule, as well as instructions for what information to bring to make the conference more useful.

New directory on Episcopal Church website—The national Episcopal Church website, www.episcopalchurch.org, has just added an A to Z directory that makes navigating the large and complex site much simpler. Go to www.episcopalchurch.org/atoz.htm

Positions at Duncan Center—The Duncan Center is looking for three new employees: a part-time chef who would work about 20 hours per week; a dish/food prep person who would work part-time; and an assistant conference coordinator who would work Tuesday through Saturday, and would need to know Quickbooks and Microsoft Word. Call 561-496-4130 or email Duncan Center Director Fr. Steve Fregeau, SAFregeau@aol.com,  for more information.

Missions—The diocesan Missions webpage, www.diosef.org/missions, offers information on planned short-term missions and mission training events in the diocese. If you have a mission trip planned for next year or would like assistance with planning a short-term mission, contact Diocesan Missions Coordinator Doug Drouin, doug@diosef.org or 561-866-1978.

Congratulations--to Deacon Pat Masterman, who received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Ministry on Dec. 11 from Palm Beach Atlantic University with a 3.77 GPA--and this while being a mother, grandmother and deacon, and holding a fulltime job!

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CLICK HERE TO VIEW UPCOMING PARISH EVENTS

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CLERGY CHANGES

Berends, The Rev. April—Ordained to the transitional diaconate 12/22/04.

Evans, The Rev. Ralph—Resigned as rector of St. Mark the Evangelist, Ft. Lauderdale, to accept a call to be rector of St. Sebastian-by-the-Sea, Melbourne Beach, FL, effective 2/05.

Gill, The Rev. Cynthia—Assistant at St. Mary Magdalene, Coral Springs, effective 10/4/04.

Gray-Reeves, The Rev. Mary—Archdeacon for Deployment, effective 1/1/05.

Jimenez-Mesenbring, The Rev. Maria—Assisting with Christian Education, All Saints, Ft. Lauderdale, effective 11/04.

Johnson, The Rev. John R.—Called from Diocese of San Joaquin to be rector of All Souls, Miami Beach, effective 1/9/05.

Kim, The Rev. Andrew—Ordained to the transitional diaconate 12/13/04; fulltime ministry at Seafarers’ House, and assisting at St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Pompano Beach.

Morris, The Rev. Kevin L. —Ordained to the priesthood 11/30/04 at Church of the Resurrection, New York, NY.

Olson, The Rev. Corinna —Ordained to the priesthood 12/10/04; assisting at Grace Church Van Vorst, Jersey City, NJ, and as a chaplain at New York Methodist Hospital in Brooklyn, NY.

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Parishes in Transition:

All Souls’, Miami Beach—Called Fr. John Johnson from Diocese of San Joaquin as rector, effective 1/9.

Trinity Cathedral—Fr. Bob Libby, interim dean

St. Gregory’s, Boca Raton—Fr. Birk Stathers, interim

St. Mark’s, Palm Beach Gardens—Fr. Hugh Bell, interim

St. James-in-the-Hills, Hollywood—Bishop Onell Soto, part-time interim

All Saints’, Jensen Beach—Rector retiring 12/31/04

St. Margaret’s, Miami Lakes—Fr. Thomas Shepherd, interim, effective 1/16

St. Mark the Evangelist, Ft. Lauderdale—Rector resigned, effective 2/05, to accept a new call.

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

All Saints Episcopal Church, 333 Tarpon Drive, Ft. Lauderdale, presents its second annual production of an Opera about a Miracle of Epiphany, Amahl and the Night Visitors, Friday, Jan. 7 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Jan. 8 at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are $5--call 954-467-6496. See photos from Amahl 2004 at http://www.allsaintfl.org/amahlshow.htm

St. James the Fisherman will host an evening of barbershop harmony featuring the Upper Keys Barbershop Quartet at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 15, at the church, located at Mile Marker 87.5 in Islamorada. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at the door.  For more information or to reserve your tickets, call 305-852-8468.

On Jan, 16 at 4 p.m., Saint Paul's, Delray Beach, will present a concert by harpist John Senior. He will perform 'Concerto No. 4", Opus 29, for Harp and Orchestra in E-flat Major by Franz Petrini (1744 - 1819), a work not previously heard in this area. The program will also include performances by Brian Stanley on trumpet, and Jeffrey Apana on English horn, as well as the Pro Arte Chamber Ensemble. A reception follows the concert. The requested donation is $10. For information, call 561.278.6003 or email :  stpauldb4@aol.com

Women’s Empowerment Summit—The North Dade Deanery ECW will sponsor a Women’s Empowerment Summit at Church of the Transfiguration, Miami Gardens, on Saturday, Jan. 22, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. There will be workshops on spiritual growth, health awareness, legal issues and financial growth. The registration fee is $10, which includes continental breakfast, workshop material and lunch. For additional information call Mrs. Lillie Clarke at (305) 769-3673 or Dr. Gay F. Outler at (305)621-3751 or (954)987-6696.

St. Thomas, 5690 North Kendall Drive, Coral Gables, will present a concert by the world-renowned Vienna Choir Boys on Friday, Jan. 28 and Saturday, Jan. 29 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $50 for adults and $25 for students and seniors. Call the church office, (305) 661 3436, for tickets and information.

Bethesda-by-the-Sea, Palm Beach, will offer a workshop called “The Art of Storytelling” on Feb. 5 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The workshop is for anyone who shares stories--people of all ages; parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles; clergy and lay people. Topics will include: What is storytelling? Why should I do it? Origins and purposes of storytelling; Choosing your story; Learning your story; Voice & Gesture and Telling (sharing) your story. Lunch and childcare will be provided. To register, call Lynn Rundberg at 561-655-4555, ext. 15.

The Keys Deanery will hold an Acolyte Festival on Saturday, Apr. 2, at St. Peter's, Key West, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The festival will include an acolyte program and Eucharist, followed by a light lunch. Bishop Frade will be celebrant and preacher at the Eucharist. Acolyte teams should bring incense, torches and banners for the procession. More information will be available soon.

St. Christopher’s, Key Biscayne, has two pews to give away. They are approximately 14 feet long, solid wood with crosses on the ends and green cushions. There is also a panel that goes in front of the first pew. If you’re interested, contact the church office, 305-361-5080 or administrator@stchriskb.org.

A person in the Coral Gables community would like to donate an electronic Hammond Theater Organ, purchased in 1984. It’s in basically good working condition, though it may need some minor repairs. Anyone interested should contact Juanita Sessions at 305-444-8519.

 

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

• Help requested for Anglican church in Baghdad
• The Marriage Course at Chapel of St. Andrew
• Sewanee Summer Bridge Program for minority high school juniors
• DMin program for 2005 at Sawanee
• "Servant Keeper" computer workshop
• Summer courses at Episcopal Diversity School
• Conference on Godly Play, Feb. 11-12, in Canton, NC

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Our country; for wisdom and guidance for our leaders and the leaders of all nations; for our armed forces, especially those now in places of danger; for our enemies; for peace, justice and reconciliation in all places where there is conflict;

For all who are suffering from the effects of the earthquake and tsunami in South Asia;

Geoff Hendricks, past president of the diocesan Youth Commission and son of Fr. Frisby Hendricks, recovering from bleeding ulcer;

Charlotte Hamilton, wife of Fr. Bill Hamilton, sinus surgery 1/18;

Eric Hernandez, son of Fr. Alejandro Hernandez, meningitis;

Bob Katon, husband of Deacon Joanne Katon, healing;

Deacon Pat Masterman, recovering from surgery;

Bill Thorstad, former diocesan EFM coordinator, brain tumor and head injury from a fall;

Florence Womack, mother of diocesan Director of Communications Mary Cox, healing;

Gladys Martin, wife of Fr. Tony Martin, recovering from surgery; continued healing;

Deacon Beverly Jones, continued healing of detached retina;

Warren Preece, father-in-law of Fr. Bruce Woodcock, hospitalized with heart attacks and internal bleeding;

Erika Frade, daughter of Bishop Leo Frade and part-time accounting clerk in the Diocesan Office, continued healing;

Debbie and Christine, daughters of Executive Board member Judy Steinbauer, continued healing;

Chris Williams, senior warden at St. Ambrose, Ft. Lauderdale, continued healing;

Bishop Leo Frade, pray for successful treatment of torn tendon in ankle—without surgery;

Irma N. Rodriguez, daughter of former Hispanic Commission member Irma M. Rodriguez and sister of Youth Commission members Luis and Gladys Rodriguez, healing;

Fr. Phil Bentley, healing;

Suzy Watters, daughter of former Trinity Cathedral Bookstore manager Harriet Norman, healing;

Linda Wilcox, former secretary at St. Martin’s-in-the-Fields, Pompano Beach, and Intercession, Ft. Lauderdale, continued healing;

Claudia Monroe, retired secretary at Trinity Cathedral, continued healing;

Fr. Tom Ryan, continued healing;

Lee Parker, brother-in-law of Canon Jim Rasnick, diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma;

Logan McCormack, father of Ann Said, wife of Bishop John Said, recovering from stroke;

For safety for Deacon Gigi Sharp’s son, Spc. Tim Reed, serving in Iraq;

Fr. Sam Frock, continued healing;

Annabel Hobbs, wife of Archdeacon Bryan Hobbs, continued healing;

Ben Brown, cousin of Deacon Holly Ostlund, continued healing;

Leah Rosato, secretary at Holy Spirit, West Palm Beach, continued healing;

Deborah Deshaies, wife of Fr. Bob Deshaies, healing;

Aspirant Peter Wallace, continued healing;

Chancellor Emeritus Fred Stanton, healing;

Fr. Gammon Jarrell, continued healing;

Fr. Miguel Restrepo, healing;

Florence Gray, mother of Rev. Mary Gray-Reeves continued healing;

Doris Dillenberger, sister of Diana Frade, healing;

Christie Hudspeth, daughter of Mother Denise Hudspeth, pray for complete healing;

Bridget Seward, sister of Deacon Jane Calderin, multiple myeloma;

Mthr. "Punkie" Dennis, healing;

for the repose of the souls of those who have died, and for comfort for Fr. Roger Tobin in the death of his father, Jack Tobin, on Dec. 11; and for all those who have lost loved ones in the continued conflict in Iraq.

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Anglican Cycle of Prayer

January 9--I Epiphany

The Diocese of Lexington

Holy Spirit, Nassau, Bahamas

St. Mark’s, Palm Beach Gardens

January 16--II Epiphany

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

Duncan Center; Contitution & Canons Committee

January 23--III Epiphany

The Diocese of Lokoja, Nigeria

Long Island, Bahamas: St. Paul, Clarence Town; Holy Cross, Hamilton; Holy Family, Mortimer

St. Andrew, Hollywood; St. Anne, Hallandale

January 30--IV Epiphany

The Diocese of Long Island

Long Island, Bahamas: St. Athanasius, Deadman's Cay; St. John, Buckley; St. Michael, Roses; St. Theresa, Grays

St. Gregory, Boca Raton; Church of the Advent, Palm City

Feb. 6—Last Sunday After Epiphany

The Archbishop of Canterbury

Incarnation, Miami; St. George’s, Riviera Beach

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Last updated 01/19/05