COMING EVENTS:

"The Great Escape" Healthy Holiday Cooking Class for Clergy Spouses - Dec. 1, 11 a.m., Incarnation, Miami

Clergy Christmas Party   - Dec. 3, 6:30 p.m., St. Bernard de Clairvaux, North Miami Beach

Youth Christmas Ball - Dec. 8, All Souls', Miami Beach

Installation of Honorary Canons - Dec. 9, 4 p.m., Trinity Cathedral, Miami

Advent Day of Reflection - Dec. 14, 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m., Duncan Center

Safeguarding God's Children training - Dec. 15, 8 a.m.-1 p.m., Bethesda-by-the-Sea, Palm Beach

Ordination to the Diaconate of Jane Hostetter - Dec. 15, 4:30 p.m., All Saints', Jensen Beach

Ordination to the Diaconate of Anne Harris, Elaine Jessup & Gwendolyn Tobias - Dec. 22, 11 a.m., Trinity Cathedral

Diocesan Office closed for Christmas - Dec. 24-Jan. 1

Looking ahead to 2008:

“Energizing Parish Life”   - Jan. 16, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Duncan Center

"Let Justice Roll” interfaith conference - Jan. 19, 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m., Toussaint L'Overture High School, Delray Beach

Diocesan Offices closed for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - Jan. 21

Parish Finance & Assessment hearings - Jan. 29-31

ECW Sunday Service  - Feb. 10, 4 p.m., All Saints, Ft. Lauderdale

Clergy Retreat -   Feb. 11-14

Absalom Jones Services  - Feb. 16, 10 a.m., Historic St. Agnes, Miami; Feb. 16, 10 a.m., St. Paul's, Delray Beach

Bishop's Spring Conference - Feb. 29-Mar. 1, Duncan Center

Clergy and Clergy Spouses Cruise - Mar. 24-28

Presiding Bishop's visit - Apr. 15-17, details TBA

Diocesan Acolyte Festival - Apr. 19, St. Martin's, Pompano Beach

ECW Annual Meeting - Apr. 25-26, details TBA

Women's Cursillo - Jul. 17-20, Duncan Center

Men's Cursillo - Sept. 25-28, Duncan Center

Update parish websites for Christmas--Don't forget to include your parish website in your planning for Advent and Christmas. Times of special services and other events should be posted on—or linked from—the front page of your website, where they are immediately accessible, beginning now. It's also time to make sure those services are listed in the community calendar in your local community newspaper.

Advent calendars online—You might want to link these two your parish website—two online Advent Calendars, one from Trinity Wall Street and the other from the Diocese of Washington. The links are: http://www.trinitywallstreet.org/welcome/?advent07 and www.edow.org/advent.

Diocesan Convention reports—Click the Diocesan Convention 2007 link on the front page at www.diosef.org for links to: all resolutions passed at convention, the approved budget for 2008, Bishop Frade's address, the presentation by the president of the diocesan Youth Commission and a convention wrap-up story posted on Episcopal Life Online.

The Rt. Rev. Mary Gray-Reeves—Also on the front page of the website is a link for “Mary Gray-Reeves ordained as bishop of El Camino Real.” Click there for a story, a short video posted by the San Jose Mercury News and “Bishop Mary's” message of thanks to our diocese. The Diocese of El Camino Real plans to offer a DVD of the entire service of consecration; we'll post information on how to purchase that as soon as it is available.

Flood relief in Dominican Republic—As Bishop Holguin reported to our Diocesan Convention, thousands of people in our companion diocese of the Dominican Republic have been left homeless by the flooding cased by Tropical Storm Noel the last weekend in October. Contributions to help the Episcopal Church in the Dominican Republic minister to those suffering from the effects of the storm can be sent to the Dominican Development Group at P.O. Box 661, Ellenton, FL 34222.

Cruise update—Please note this updated information regarding the March 24-28, 2008, cruise for clergy and clergy spouses/guests: The deadline for reservations at the same price has been extended to Dec. 21. However, only a limited number of cabins is available in each category, and the entire cruise is filling up fast. This means that although the room rate is guaranteed to remain the same through Dec. 21, rooms may NOT be available through that date.

Safeguarding God's Children—Bethesda-by-the-Sea, Palm Beach, has scheduled a Safeguarding God's Children workshop on Dec. 15, 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Call Kim at 561-655-4554 to register.

“Energizing Parish Life”—This training session for parish leaders in the process of appreciative inquiry will be offered Jan. 16, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., at the Duncan Center. The cost is $55 per person, including lunch. To register, call Veneta at 561-496-4130 or email vlorraine@duncancenter.org

“Let Justice Roll”—Rabbi Michael Lerner, author of the book The Left Hand of God, will be the keynote speaker at “Let Justice Roll”, a January interfaith conference to address election-year issues from a spiritual perspective. The conference, sponsored by the Network of Spiritual Progressives of Palm Beach County, will be held Jan. 19 from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at Toussaint L'Ouverture High School for Arts and Social Justice, 2501 N. Seacrest Blvd., Delray Beach. St. Gregory's, Boca Raton, is a co-sponsor of the conference.A pre-registration fee of $15 (by Jan. 11, 2008) includes the day-long conference and a kosher box lunch. Mail checks or money orders, payable to “NSP,” for $15.00 and enclose self-addressed and stamped envelope for receipt to: Tom Tift, Conference Chair, Let Justice Roll,P.O. Box 272965, Boca Raton, FL 33427-2965. Those who are not able to pre-register may register at the door for $20.  For more information go to http://www.nsppbc.org/Flyer.html

Absalom Jones Services--The Rt. Rev. Nathan D. Baxter, bishop of Central Pennsylvania, will be the preacher for the 2008 diocesan Absalom Jones Service, scheduled for Feb. 16, at 10 a.m., at Historic St. Agnes, Miami. As is customary, the service will be followed by a luncheon. For additional information, contact Kathleen Walker at kathywalker001@gmail.com. For those in the northern part of the diocese who might not be able to travel to Miami for that service, an additional Absalom Jones Service will be held—also at 10 a.m. on Feb. 16—at St. Paul's, Delray Beach. The preacher for that service will be Dr. Judy Fentress-Williams, assistant professor of Old Testament at Virginia Theological Seminary.

Bishop's Spring Conference—Registration will be available online before Christmas for the Bishop's Spring Conference, Feb. 29-Mar. 1, 2008, at the Duncan Center. The Rt. Rev. Michael Curry, bishop of North Carolina, and his diocesan missioner for Congregational Development: Stewardship and Evangelism, William E. Wrenn, will be the facilitators, and the conference theme will be “Creating a Spirit of Generosity”. In break-out sessions there will be presentations tailored specifically for small, medium and large churches, as well as for Hispanic and Haitian congregations. Space is limited, so early registration is encouraged.

Presiding Bishop's visit--Save the dates Apr. 15-17, 2008, for the visit of Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori to our diocese. Planning is underway for several events that will allow as many people as possible to talk and to worship with her. Watch for announcements in Grapevine and The Net.

Minority Student Assistance—A diocesan committee has been formed to address the need to recruit more black and Hispanic persons in our diocese for the ordained ministry. If you are interested in participating in this work, either with raising funds to assist minority students with the cost of seminary education or with mentoring persons of color and/or of Hispanic/Latino background seeking ordination, contact the Rev. Dr. Ronald Fox, 305-945-1461 or stbernard@bellsouth.net.

Bejing Circles gathering—In conjunction with the 2008 meeting of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW) the Bejing Circles movement is convening a meeting Feb. 25-Mar. 2, 2008, at the Episcopal Church Center in New York for women who want to learn more about issues affecting women globally and how to bring about needed changes. Click here for details, or contact Anita Sherman, who is involved in the planning for this event: shermanhome@bellsouth.net

Fellowship Partners Program--The Episcopal Church Foundation is accepting applications for 2008 for its Fellowship Partners Program. The Fellowship Partners Program awards both academic and transformational ministry fellowships, and enables fellows to share their knowledge, experience, and best practices with the wider Church in practical ways. The emphasis is on partnerships that will have important impact in their local communities and beyond, and enhance lay and clergy leadership formation. There are three fellowships available ranging from $5,000-$15,000. The application deadline is March 15, 2008. Recipients will be announced in May, 2008. Full details and online applications are available on the Foundation's website (http://www.episcopalfoundation.org) or by calling 800-697-2858.

Florida Episcopal Federal Credit Union—Parishioners of all churches in the Dioceses of Florida, Southeast, Southwest, and Central Florida, as well as employees of those dioceses and their churches, schools, retirement centers and retreat and conference centers, are eligible for membership in the Florida Episcopal Federal Credit Union (FEFCU). FEFCU offers savings and checking accounts, home and automobile loans, ATM cards and VISA cards. For information, go to www.fedfcu.org, or call (407) 423-3189 or (800) 548-9301 or email general@fedfcu.org.

Bishop Gray Inn Foundation--Scholarship funds are available from the Bishop Gray Inn Foundation to Episcopalians 62 and older who have been active parishioners in any of the three dioceses that were part of the former Diocese of South Florida, and who have very limited assets and income. Visit the BGI website, http://www.bgifoundation.com, for additional information on what's offered by the Foundation and details of the qualifications for assistance, or contact Ginger Van Valkenburgh, Bishop Gray Inns Foundation, 319 Raintree Court, Winter Park, Fla. 32789, 407-644-9866, gvanvalkenburgh@earthlink.net.

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CLICK HERE TO VIEW UPCOMING PARISH EVENTS

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CLERGY CHANGES

Milien, The Rev. Marivel — Ordained to the diaconate 10/28/07.

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Parishes in Transition:

St. Mark the Evangelist, Ft. Lauderdale—Fr. Gary Hamp, interim; search process continuing

Holy Trinity, West Palm Beach—Fr. Perry Fuller, interim; no longer receiving names

St. Christopher's, Key Biscayne—Fr. Tom Bruttell, interim; no longer receiving names

St. Andrew's, Miami—Fr. Gary Verell, interim; beginning search process

Guardian Angels, Lantana—Fr. David Kennedy, interim; search process continuing

Transfiguration, Miami Gardens—Fr. Tom Shepherd, interim

St. Faith's, Cutler Bay—Fr. Cyril White, supply.

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

All Saints, Ft. Lauderdale, will celebrate the completion of its new and expanded buildings and dedicate their mission of grace in downtown Ft. Lauderdale on Dec. 2 at 10:30 a.m. with a gala reception following.

On Thursday evenings during Advent (Dec. 6, 13 & 20), from 7-8:30 p.m., St. Margaret's, Miami Lakes, will offer a course on Art and Spirituality. The cost for course materials is $10. For more information, call the church, 305-558-3961, or email the rector, the Rev. Denise Hudspeth, at revdenise@bellsouth.net.

On Jan. 4 St. Andrew's, Lake Worth, will begin a series of four lectures with the overall theme, “Beyond the Da Vinci Code: Can Recent Scholarly Discoveries Help Us Interpret Sacred Texts?”  The Jan. 4 lecture, by Dan Alvarez, instructor of Religious Studies at Florida International University, will focus on “The Role of Women in the Early Church.” The 50 minute lecture will take place at 7 pm and will be preceded by a community potluck supper at 6. Both the supper and the lecture are free and open to the public. Click here for information on the series and the topics of subsequent lectures. For more information, call St. Andrew's Church at 561-582-6609.

St. David's, Wellington, will host a youth dance on Saturday, Jan. 19, 2008, from 7-11 p.m, at the Special Events Tent at the Palm Beach Polo Equestrian Club, 14440 Pierson Road, Wellington. The event will include dinner and dancing under the stars, with both a live band and a DJ. All youth groups in the diocese are encouraged to attend. There will be a photographer, a raffle and great opportunities to gather with your friends from all around the diocese!  Tickets are $15 per person, and proceeds will benefit the St. David's Youth Outreach Fund.  One chaperone must accompany every five youth members. Please contact Ellen Kentner for tickets at saintefoy59@aol.com or 561-371-7461. 

On Sunday Feb. 3, 2008, St. Mark's, Palm Beach Gardens, will host the Rev. Jane Sigloh, author of Like Trees Walking: In the Second Half of Life, as guest preacher and for an adult forum on “Growing Old isn't for the Weak!”  Her book and talks interweave insights of Scripture, poetry, fiction and philosophy into her memories and reflections on the challenges and opportunities that maturity brings. Many of us in the "golden years" of retirement wonder with fear--and hope--what the future holds for us. You won't find a better companion for the journey of aging than Jane Sigloh. She's witty, perceptive, and wise. A retired Episcopal priest, she is possessed of both reverent awe and irreverent honesty about the facts and fantasies of growing old. For more information call St. Mark's, 561-622-0956.

The Chapel of the Good Shepherd at The Crossings (formerly Bishop Gray Inn) in Lake Worth has a number of lectionary books (pre-Revised Common Lectionary) and hymnals to give away in preparation for switching to the Revised Common Lectionary on the First Sunday of Advent, Dec. 2. Click here for a list of what's available. Call Fr. Bob Carlson at 561-357-5591 for additional information or to make arrangements to pick up any of these items.

Church of the Atonement, Lauderdale Lakes, is seeking a part-time organist/choir director. Call the church office at 954-731-6100 for information, or send resume to Church of the Atonement, 4401 W. Oakland Park Blvd., Lauderdale Lakes, FL  33313.

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.

 

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

• Faith Formation Summit 2008
• The Summer Collegium 2008 (conference on small church ministry) - at Virginia
  Theological Seminary
• "Everyone Everywhere" World Mission Conference, June 5-8, 2008
• Personal Spiritual Deepening Program from Shalem Institute
• DMin Program at Sewanee

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