The decisions made at General Convention are still much in the news, and have generated a variety of responses within our diocese. Bishop Frade, Bishop Ottley, and Archdeacons Hobbs and Rasmus don’t want to leave anyone out of the conversation, and encourage anyone who has a question, comment or concern to email them. A variety of resources for conversation on the issues raised by the convention’s action are available on the diocesan website, www.diosef.org.

   The bishop will be appointing a Council of Advice on Sexuality. Anyone who is interested in being considered for appointment to that group should contact Linda Schlepp-Gray in the Broward office of the diocese at 954-450-7247, or by email, Linda@diosef.org.

   Meanwhile, we are getting ready for Diocesan Convention in Key West. The block of rooms reserved at $125 per night at La Concha (across the street from St. Paul’s) has already been filled; additional rooms at La Concha are available, but at a higher rate. The Southernmost Hotel, 1319 Duval St., does have rooms at the $125 rate; the phone number is 1-800-354-4455. Nominations for Standing Committee vacancies and other diocesan positions should be sent by Sept. 26 to the Secretary of Convention, Fr. Bernard Griffith, Christ Episcopal Church, PO Box 330006, Miami, FL  33133, or by email to chrepch@aol.com. For information on convention display booths, contact St. Paul’s Interim Rector, Fr. Thomas Shepherd, at 305-296-5142, or email Tmshepr@aol.com.

COMING EVENTS:

Diocesan Clergy Family Beach Luncheon — Sept. 6, Colony Hotel and Cabana Club, Delray Beach

Ordination to the Priesthood of Drew Bunting — Sept. 6, 11 a.m., St. Stephen’s, Miami

Ordination to the Priesthood of Holly Ostlund — Sept. 6, 6 p.m., St. Mary’s, Stuart

Fall Convocations — Sept. 6, 10 a.m., St. Paul, Miami—ND; Sept. 10, 6:30 p.m., St. Christopher’s, Ft. Lauderdale—Bwd; Sept. 13, 9 a.m., St. Stephen’s, Coconut Grove—SD; Sept. 14, 7:30 p.m., St. Joseph’s, Boynton Beach—SPB; Sept. 20, 9 a.m., St. George’s, Riviera Beach—NPB; Sept. 27, 10 a.m., St. James, Islamorada--Keys

Fall Clergy Conference  — Sept. 8-10, Duncan Center

Retirement Service and Dinner for Dean Krickbaum  — Sept. 12, 6 p.m., Trinity Cathedral

Diocesan School Fall Semester begins — Sept. 13 (Additional school dates for fall are: Sept 27; Oct. 11 & 25; Nov. 8 & 22; Dec. 6 & 13)

Transitional Ministry Course — Sept. 15-19, 2003 and Mar. 8-12, 2004, Duncan Center

“Faith Is Caught More Than It Is Taught”  — Sept. 12-13, St. David’s-in-the-Pines, Wellington; Sept. 19-20, All Angels, Miami Springs;Sept, 26-27, Holy Sacrament, Pembroke Pines

Florida Day at Washington National Cathedral Sept. 21

"How to Develop a Mission Plan" Workshop — Sept. 27, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., St. Mark’s, Ft. Lauderdale

Marriage Encounter Weekend — Oct. 3-5, Duncan Center

Charles Fulton seminar — Oct. 4, 9 a.m.-noon, All Saints', Ft. Lauderdale

Taller de Mayordomia Estructura — Oct. 4, 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Trinity Cathedral

Diocesan Ultreya — Oct. 4, St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Pompano Beach

Cursillo Sunday  — Oct. 5

Diocesan Convention  — Oct. 10-11, Key West

Children's Sunday Service — Oct. 12, 4 p.m., Trinity Cathedral

Heritage Society Sunday — Oct. 19

Men’s Cursillo  — Oct. 23-26, Duncan Center

Child in Our Hands Conference — Nov. 7-8, St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Pompano

Happening — Nov. 14-16

Clergy Spouse Wellness Day  — Nov. 15, St. Mark’s, Ft. Lauderdale

Assessment Appeals Hearings  — Nov. 19-20, Diocesan Office

Brotherhood of St. Andrew Annual Assembly — Nov. 22, 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Duncan Center

Bishop’s Awards Service — Nov. 22, 11 a.m., Trinity Cathedral

Deacons’ Annual Retreat — Dec. 19-20, Duncan Center

Note: The Diocesan Offices will be closed on Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 1.

Diocesan Clergy Family Beach Luncheon--The Sept. 6 Diocesan Clergy Family Picnic, which was to be held at Birch State Park, is now called the Diocesan Clergy Family Beach Luncheon, and the location has changed, too--it will be at the Colony Hotel and Cabana Club, 1801 S. Ocean Blvd., Delray. This event is for ALL active and retired clergy and their families, and for all spouses and widows as well. RSVP to Pat Evans at St. Mark the Evangelist, 954-563-5155.

Clergy Conference—The Fall Clergy Conference will be at the Duncan Center, beginning with social hour at 5 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 8., and ending after lunch on Wednesday, Sept. 10. The deadline for online registration is Tuesday, Sept. 2. The speaker will be the Rev. Dr. D. H. Kortwright Davis, professor of theology at Howard University School of Divinity and rector of Holy Comforter Episcopal Church in Washington, DC. His theme will be “Fingers of the Divine: the call of God's right hand.”

"How to Develop a Mission Plan" Workshop—In May, our Executive Board passed a resolution requiring any congregation or “para-church” ministry requesting a grant or loan from the diocese, and any church requesting financial assistance or assessment reduction, to meet new criteria, including preparation of a Vision, Mission, Strategic Plan and Implementation Plan for the parish. On Sept. 27, the Diocesan School will offer a one-day workshop to assist rectors and lay leaders in this visioning process for parish ministry. Information has been sent to all rectors, and registration is available on the diocesan website.

Charles Fulton seminar--The Rev. Charles N. Fulton III, national Director of Congregational Development for the Episcopal Church, will present a seminar on "Conflict Management in Times of Major Organizational Change", Saturday, Oct. 4, from 9 a.m. to noon, at All Saints', Ft. Lauderdale. There is no admission charge for this event, but please make a reservation to attend by contacting Linda Schlepp-Gray, 954-450-7247 or by email at Linda@diosef.org.

Taller de Mayordomia Estructura--On Saturday, Oct. 4, Manny Mesa, treasurer of San Francisco de Asis and a longtime stewardship educator, will lead a stewardship seminar in Spanish from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Trinity Cathedral. For more information or to register, call Jackie Fernandez at the Diocesan Office, 305-373-0881.

Smith Fund Grants—The Southeast Florida Episcopal Foundation has mailed to all parishes the application materials for this year’s grants from the Blair and Agnes Smith Charity Fund. These grants of up to $5,000 are made to parish-based ministries that specifically provide for the well-being and material needs of children or the elderly. The deadline for grant applications is Sept. 15. A downloadable version of the application can be found on the Foundation’s website, www.episfoundation.org, in the “What’s New” section.

Position available—The Foundation is looking for a part-time program director (about 20 hours per week) to coordinate the activities of the Smith Charity Fund at the Palm Beach Gardens office. Please contact the Foundation office at (561) 799-6424, or email Charlie@episfoundation.org for more information or to obtain a more detailed job description.

Trinity Cathedral Bookstore—is looking for a new manager. After more than ten years, Harriet Norman will be retiring within the next few weeks, and has not yet found a successor. The experienced and reliable volunteer staff will continue to be available to assist the new manager. Hours and salary for the position are negotiable. For more information, call Trinity Cathedral at 305-374-3372.

Training for Christian Educators—The diocesan Commission on Christian Formation and Education is offering new opportunities for Christian educators to participate in “Faith Is Caught More Than It is Taught: A Teacher Certification Program”: Sept. 12-13, St. David’s-in-the-Pines, Wellington; Sept. 19-20, All Angels, Miami Springs; and Sept. 26-27, Holy Sacrament, Pembroke Pines. There will also be a Child in Our Hands Conference, Nov. 6-8, at St. Martin-in-the-Fields. For additional information, email the Commission at DiosefCCFEd@aol.com

Training for Christian Educators—The diocesan Commission on Christian Formation and Education is offering new opportunities for Christian educators to participate in “Faith Is Caught More Than It is Taught: A Teacher Certification Program”:  Sept. 12-13, St. David’s-in-the-Pines, Wellington; Sept. 19-20, All Angels, Miami Springs; and Sept. 26-27, Holy Sacrament, Pembroke Pines. There will also be a Child in Our Hands Conference, Nov. 6-8, at St. Martin-in-the-Fields. For additional information, email the Commission at DiosefCCFEd@aol.com

Marriage Encounter—For the first time in several years, a Marriage Encounter weekend is being offered in our diocese. The dates are Oct. 3-5, the location is the Duncan Center, and Fr. Steve Fregeau and his wife Pat are the contact couple (561-496-4130, or email safregeau@aol.com). Marriage Encounter is designed as an opportunity for couples with basically good marriages to enrich the quality of their life together. The weekend begins at 8 p.m. Friday (check-in from 4 p.m.) and ends at 4:30 p.m. Sunday. There is a non-refundable registration fee of $45 per couple, payable to the Duncan Center. (During the weekend, couples will be given an opportunity to make an additional freewill donation to help defray the expenses of future Marriage Encounter weekends.) The registration deadline is Sept. 29. For more information, go to www.episcopalme.com. A Marriage Encounter is also scheduled in Orlando, Sept. 26-28; the contact couple for that weekend is Bill and Joann Snyder at 352-687-3364 or billyjo@quixnet.net.

Human Needs Grant Applications—Parish outreach and Jubilee ministries may submit applications for Human Needs Grants from the 2004 diocesan budget after Oct. 13. Application forms and guidelines for grants may be downloaded from the diocesan website at http://www.diosef.org/human_needs.html, or by contacting the convener of Human Needs Ministry, the Rev. Thomas F. Ryan. All materials, reports and grant applications, should be submitted to: The Rev. Thomas F. Ryan, Convener of Human Needs, All Saints’ Episcopal Church, 2303 NE Seaview Drive, Jensen Beach, FL  34957.

Heritage Society Sunday-- Oct. 19 has been designated as Heritage Society Sunday. The primary purpose of Heritage Societies is to encourage consideration of a planned gift as the final act of Christian stewardship and accordingly, to recognize those who have made that commitment. On Heritage Society Sunday, clergy and/or laypersons will be asked to speak to their congregations about their own experiences of planning a legacy to the church. For more information, call Charlie Ring at the Southeast Florida Episcopal Foundation (561)799-6424, or email charlie@episfoundation.org.

Church Transitions—A two-day Church Transitions seminar, led by the Rev. Dan Southerland, the former pastor of Flamingo Road Church in Davie, will be held Oct. 14-15 at Flamingo Road Church. Archdeacon Hobbs recommends this as an inexpensive and convenient opportunity to learn “ideas that lead to growth”. For more information, go to http://www.churchtransitions.com/events/00803.htm, or call Archdeacon Hobbs at 954-450-7247 or 954-558-7790.

Brotherhood of St. Andrew Annual Assembly—All men of the diocese are invited to the annual meeting of the Brotherhood, Saturday, Nov. 22, from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Duncan Center. The cost is $20 and includes continental breakfast and lunch. Call George booth at 561-738-0554 before Oct. 15 if you plan to attend.

EFM Mentor Training—will be offered at the Duncan Center again this year. The dates are Dec. 5-7, beginning Friday at 4 p.m., and ending Sunday by 3 p.m. All active mentors whose last training was 12 to 18 months ago, and anyone desiring to take Mentor training, are welcome to attend.  For information, contact Bill Thorstad, 561-392-3417, or by email, Mjollnir5@aol.com. EFM programs are active in many parishes in the diocese. Emily Nell Lagerquist, a member of Chapel of St. Andrew and a trained mentor, is forming an EFM group that still has space for more students. A central location for the meetings will be decided after the group is formed.  For more information, call Emily Nell at 954-524-0366 or 561-852-6314.

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CLICK HERE TO VIEW UPCOMING PARISH EVENTS

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CLERGY CHANGE

Liberti, The Rev. Ray — Reassigned as deacon from Holy Trinity, West Palm Beach, to St. David’s-in-the-Pines, Wellington.

Martin, The Rev. Derrick  — Called as rector of St. Kevin’s, Opa-locka, effective Sept. 1.

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Parishes in Transition:

Holy Redeemer, Lake Worth--Fr. David Sutcliffe, interim; Fr. Robert Carlson, Spanish service

All Souls', Miami Beach--Fr. Richard Maholm, supply

St. Mary Magdalene, Coral Springs--Fr. Mark Sims, interim

St. Peter's, Key West--supply

St. Christopher's, West Palm Beach--Deacon Charles Cannon, interim

Holy Sacrament, Pembroke Pines--Canon Kenneth MacDonald, Fr. Bill Eaton, supply

St. Paul's, Key West--Fr. Thomas Shepherd, interim

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

The only online course on Hispanic ministry offered by an Episcopal seminary is one of three classes open for registration now on the Seminary of the Southwest's website. "Historical and Cultural Contexts for Hispanic Ministry, "From (Stem) Cell to (Prison) Cell - Life Ethics," and "We Give You Greeting: Prayer and Praise from the Celtic Tradition" are the offerings in Term Three of the seminary's distance learning program. There are no educational prerequisites for these Lay School non-credit courses. The Oct. 6 through Nov. 14 classes are limited to 25 persons and tuition is $65 per course. Detailed course descriptions, computer capability requirements and a registration link can be found at www.etss.edu/online_courses.shtml

All Souls’, Miami Beach, needs a Sunday School teacher for about six children in elementary grades (ages 8-12). The class lasts 30-45 minutes, beginning at about 10:45 a.m., after the children have received communion. If you’re interested, call parish secretary Martha Richards at 305-538-2244 or email allsolsepc@aol.com.

St. Thomas, Coral Gables, will present Ensemble Amarcord in concert on Friday, September 12, at 7:30 p.m. Doors open at 7:00 p.m. The five former choristers of the famous St. Thomas Boys Choir in Leipzig, Germany, are known as continental Europe’s finest male a cappella quintet. For tickets ($20 Adults, $15 Students/Seniors), or to inquire about tickets for the parish’s entire 2003-2004 Eisenhart Concert Series, and sponsorship and advertising opportunities, contact the parish office at (305) 661 3436, or by email at concertseries@stepsmia.org.

Holy Sacrament, Pembroke Pines, is offering a “Walk Thru the Bible” New Testament Seminar, Saturday, Sept. 13, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. This interactive seminar is educational for new and mature believers, young people and adults.The cost is $26 per person, pre-registered, or $35 for those who pay at the door; the fee includes continental breakfast, lunch and seminar materials. There is a junior program for children ages 5-10 at a cost of $10 per child, and childcare is available for children under five. Call 954-432-8686 for more information, and register online at www.holysacrament.org.

Church of the Intercession, 501 NW 17 St., Ft. Lauderdale, will host a barbecue for members, neighbors and friends on Saturday, Sept. 20, from noon to 4 p.m. Chicken dinners are $7 and rib dinners are $7. For more information, call 954-763-5986.

St. Martin's-in-the-Fields, 140 SE 28th Ave. Pompano Beach, invites everyone to a special musical celebration service on Saturday, Sept 27 at 8 p.m. This unique Episcopal worship service is built around some of today's popular Christian hits, and will include Holy Communion. Reception immediately following.

St. Patrick's, West Palm Beach, will hold its Third Annual International Food Fest on Saturday, Sept. 27 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Church Hall.  The steelband Steel Away will provide music, and there will be traditional foods from such Caribbean countries as Jamaica, Antigua, Trinidad &
Tobago and the Bahamas. Tickets are $20.

St. Faith's,10600 Caribbean Blvd., Cutler Ridge (south Miami-Dade County), will begin services in Spanish starting with a 6 p.m. service on Sept. 28. Assistant Bishop James Ottley and Bishop Emilio Hernandez, retired Bishop of Cuba, will officiate at this initial Eucharist. The Rev. Alejandro Hernandez, Rector of Todos Los Santos in Miami, will preach and celebrate the Eucharist each Sunday thereafter. St. Faith's especially invites Spanish-speaking people from Homestead to Kendall, Spanish speaking families in other churches, and others who wish to preserve their Hispanic heritage to attend. They also invite all of you who simply love the Lord and want to improve your Spanish to join in, even if your name does not end in a vowel or -ez. The first service is meant to be a landmark occasion for St. Faith's and the multicultural community of Cutler Ridge. Refreshments will be served afterwards.

St. Andrew's, Lake Worth, will hold its annual Blessing of the Animals, at the regular 6 p.m. service, Saturday, Oct. 4. St. Andrew's is also planning for its 90th Anniversary Benefit Dinner and Silent Auction to be held Jan. 31, 2004 at the Sailfish Club in Palm Beach; Bishop Frade will be the speaker. For information about either of these events, call the church office at 561-582-6609.

St. Joseph’s, Boynton Beach, will present a concert by Fran McKendree, Tuesday, Oct. 21, at 7 p.m. at the St. Nicholas Youth House at the church. The cost is $5. Fran McKendree is well known as a Christian performer, recording artist and conference speaker and coordinator for youth and adults who work with youth.

St. John’s, Hollywood, is raffling a Caribbean Cruise for Two on Costa Cruise Lines to benefit the parish’s Organ Restoration Fund. Tickets are $5. The drawing will be held on Nov. 16, and the cruise can be taken anytime between November 2003 and December 2004. Call the church office, 954-921-3721, for information and tickets. St. John’s says, “The odds of winning are better than the lottery!”

St. Gregory's, Boca Raton will celebrate its 50th Anniversary with a luncheon at the Marriott Hotel Crocker Center after the 10 a.m. service on Sunday, Dec. 7. The congregation is inviting all clergy who have been associated with the parish as well as any former parishioners and friends. Reservations are necessary and can be obtained by contacting the parish office at 561-395-8285.

Holy Trinity, West Palm Beach, is seeking a youth director. This is a fulltime paid position with benefits. For information, please contact the Rev. Thomas Bruttell at 561-655-8650 or by email at FrTom@holytrinitywpb.org.

The Southeast Florida Episcopal Foundation has a fax machine available.  It is a Brother IntelliFAX 2600 plain paper laser Fax machine.  If there is a church that could use this, please submit in writing your need to the Southeast Florida Episcopal Foundation, 8895 N. Military Trail, Suite 205-C, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410, or email: charlie@episfoundation.org and we will get approval from our Executive Committee and you can pick it up.

The Convocation of American Churches in Europe has announced publication of Spanish-English and French-English editions of a bilingual prayer book, Selected Liturgies from the Book of Common Prayer. The books are 384 pages, cloth-bound with a ribbon bookmark, and paginated and formatted to correspond with the standard 1979 edition of the Book of Common Prayer. Individual copies are available for $17 each, plus $8 book rate shipping and handling.  A limited number of leather-bound copies are available for $42 each plus $8 shipping and handling. A 10% discount will apply to orders of five or more copies, and a special parish rate is available for orders of 50 or more copies. Checks should be made payable to St. James Church, and sent to: St. James Church, Attn: Christina N. Caughlan, Via B. Rucellai, 9, 50123 Florence, Italy. Write BCP and the language requested on the memo line of the check. For more information, email info@stjames.it or call (+39) 055 29 44 17.

 

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

• John Hines Preaching Award
  
• Growing Healthy Churches Conference, Diocese of South Carolina, Oct. 23-25, 2003
  
  

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Prayers are requested for--

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

Canon Luis Quiroga, healing;

Deacon Ed Hammatt, healing;

Eason Evans, son of Fr. Ralph Evans, severe back pain, scheduled for diagnostic tests Sept. 22;

Bishop Leo Alard, in critical condition, needs liver transplant;

Fr. Tom Ryan, healing;

Lillian Ottley, wife of Bishop James Ottley, recovering from knee surgery;

Fr. Sam Frock, recovering from spinal surgery;

Fr. Leonel Ortez, recovering from surgery;

Annabel Hobbs, wife of Archdeacon Bryan Hobbs, fractured shoulder;

Ben Brown, cousin of Deacon Holly Ostlund, facing long recovery from serious shark bite injuries;

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

Deborah Deshaies, wife of Fr. Bob Deshaies, recovering from spinal surgery; pray for relief from pain;

Millie Evans, mother of diocesan software consultant Bill Evans, healing;

Chuck Nickerson, brother of diocesan interim receptionist Sally James, pray for healing after major surgery;

Aspirant Peter Wallace, successful surgery; pray for continued healing;

Chancellor Emeritus Fred Stanton, healing;

Dorothy Wilbur, widow of Fr. Newton Wilbur, cancer:

Fr. Gammon Jarrell, continued healing;

Cora Ferguson, sister of Executive Board member Al Ferguson and aunt of Executive Board member Jacquelyn Anthony, continued healing;

Edith Woodcock, mother of candidate for ordination Bruce Woodcock, removed from hospice care, pray for continued healing;

Fr. Miguel Restrepo, healing;

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

Jim Gibson, husband of Mother Kate Gibson, 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;

Lisa Commette, niece of Gail McShane, diocesan coordinator, continued healing;

Mthr. "Punkie" Dennis, healing;

The Rev. SuzeAnne Silla's family: Daughter Stephanie, still in pain, will need additional jaw surgery; mother Iola Steeves, abdominal aortic aneurysm and many other health problems;

Cn. Max Salvador, continued healing;

for the repose of the souls of those who have died, and for comfort for Fr. Bernie Pecaro, whose father, John Pecaro, died Aug. 2; for seminarian Nancy Wynan, whose son, Alexander Mark Wynan, died Aug. 5; for Deacon Fred Sands, whose brother, James Sands, died Aug. 18; for the families of Fr. Jack Meyer, who died Aug. 29, and Fr. Jim Jones, who died Aug. 31; for Fr. Eric Kahl, whose father, Donald Francis Kahl, died Sept. 2; and for Hispanic Commission Chair Dalia Mesa, whose mother, Andrea Delgado, died Sept. 16; for all those who have lost loved ones in the continued conflict in Iraq.

 

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Anglican Cycle of Prayer

September 14--XIV Pentecost

The Episcopal Church in the United States of America

Andros Island, Bahamas

      St. David, Lisbon Creek

      St. Mary, Mars Bay

All Saints', Ft. Lauderdale

September 21--XV Pentecost

The Anglican Church of Canada

Executive Board

The Southeast Florida Episcopal Foundation

Ecumenical Commission

September 28--XVI Pentecost

The church of Nippon Sei Ko Kai

All Saints, Nassau

All Angels, Miami Springs

Atonement, Lauderdale Lakes

October 5—XVII Pentecost

The Church in the Province of the West Indies

Christ Church Cathedral, Nassau

Holy Cross, Miami

Trinity Cathedral, Miami

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Last updated 09/24/03