COMING EVENTS

 

Eucharistic Visitor training (renewal) -   Mar. 15, 9 a.m.-noon, St. Mark the Evangelist, Ft. Lauderdale

Chrism Eucharist & Renewal of Ordination Vowsc  Mar. 18, 10 (registration 9:30) a.m.-1:30 p.m., Trinity Cathedral, Miami

Diocesan Offices closed -   Mar. 21 & 24 (Good Friday and Easter Monday)

Clergy and Clergy Spouses Cruise  -   Mar. 24-28

Spirit Quest-Youth Leader Training -   Apr. 11-12, St. Martin’s, Pompano Beach

Presiding Bishop’s visit -   Apr. 15, 6 p.m., Eucharist & conversation, Bethesda-by-the Sea, Palm Beach;    Apr. 16, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., meeting with clergy, Duncan Center;Apr. 16, 6 p.m., Eucharist & conversation. Trinity Cathedral, Miami

Anti-racism Training -   Apr. 18-19, Duncan Center

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

ECW Annual Meeting - Apr. 25-26, Embassy Suites, 3974 NW South River Drive, Miami

Diocesan 12-Step Retreat - May 2-4, Duncan Center

Cursillo Sunday - May 4

Safeguarding God's Children - May 10, 8:30 a.m.-noon, Holy Trinity, West Palm Beach

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

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

Daylight Saving Time—Don’t forget to set your clock to “spring forward” one hour on Sunday, Mar. 9!

Parochial Reports—As of Mar. 12, 35 of our congregations (click here for list) still had not filed their Parochial Reports for 2007. According to diocesan canons, Parochial Reports should have been filed by Jan. 31. If you have not already filed, go to http://www.diosef.org/LoginParochialRpt.php to do so. The deadline for submitting the Key Personnel form, found at https://www.amerisurf.com/diosef/keypersonnel.html, was Feb. 15.

Reminder--update your parish website—If you have not already updated your parish website with information on worship and activities for Holy Week and Easter posted on or linked to the front page, NOW is the time! Your web presence is an important place for seekers to find your church. Another website hint: If you have recently moved to a new domain name, or plan to do so soon, it’s wise to pay the small amount of money to keep your old domain name and redirect users to the new URL for a year or two, perhaps with a message that the URL has changed. This helps to make sure that seekers will find your church site—instead of being directed to what one of our “techies” calls “anatomy lessons.”

Eucharistic Visitor training—A training for Eucharistic Visitors who need to renew their licenses will be held Mar. 15, 9 a.m.-noon, at St. Mark the Evangelist, Ft. Lauderdale. The cost is $25. For information or to register, contact Gerard Klingenberg, 954-563-5155, or Gerard@stmarks.com.

Chrism Eucharist—The annual Holy Week Clergy Day and Chrism Eucharist (Blessing of the Oils) will be Tuesday, Mar. 18, at Trinity Cathedral, Miami, with meditations beginning at 10 a.m. (registration at 9:30) and Eucharist at 12:05 p.m., followed by lunch. The meditations will be led by Dean William Stafford of the School of Theology at the University of the South at Sewanee, Tenn. Registration is online at www.diosef.org/register.html.

Good Friday Offering—For the past 16 years the Good Friday offering of the Episcopal Church has gone to support the ministries of the Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East. Click here for an order form for materials for the Good Friday offering, or go to http://www.episcopalchurch.org/agr/friday for additional information and downloadable posters and bulletin shells.

"Gathering" on youth problems - On April 12 Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric L. Bradshaw and the PB County Sheriff's Law Enforcement Chaplain's Unit will sponsor a gathering of ecumenical clergy and adults who work with youth, along with representatives of the Sheriff's Office, the School Board Police and the Department of Juvenile Justice; the purpose is to exchange information and learn new ideas for dealing with the problems of gangs, drugs and violence confronting young people. The event will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Trinity International Auditorium, 7255 S. Military Trail, Lake Worth ; it is free and includes a continental breakfast and a box lunch. Reservations are required; contact the Rev. Denise Hudspeth, 561-236-5599 or revdenise@stmargaretsepiscopal.org .

Anti-racism Training—Anti-racism training will be offered as part of the Apr. 16-19 meeting at the Duncan Center of the Anti-racism Committee of the Executive Council of the Episcopal Church. The training, which was mandated for all clergy and lay leaders by resolution B049 passed at the 2000 General Convention, will be Friday, Apr. 18 from 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m. and on Saturday, Apr. 19 from 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Attendance on both days is required. For information contact Fr. Chip Stokes, chipper141@aol.com. 

Heritage Society Months—February and March have been designated by the diocesan Executive Board as Heritage Society Months, a time to heighten awareness in all congregations of one important aspect of stewardship--making provision for the disposal of our material possessions at the end of our earthly lives. Heritage Society chapters are made up of parishioners who have indicated that they are including the church in their estate plans. Episcopal Charities has sent each congregation in the diocese a CD with suggestions for a Heritage Society observance, as well as information on establishing a Heritage Society in a parish. For additional information on this aspect of stewardship, contact EC President Charlie Ring, 561-799-6424 or charlie@ecsefl.org. 

Youth Leader Training—Spirit Quest, a renewal and training workshop for those who minister with youth, will be offered April 11 and 12 at St. Martin’s, Pompano Beach. The workshop sessions will be Friday evening from 6:30 to 10 p.m., and Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. The cost is $40, which includes all workshop supplies, snacks on Friday night and Saturday morning and lunch on Saturday. For those who must travel too far to drive back on Friday night, overnight accommodations at a reduced rate are being arranged at a nearby hotel. Registration for the workshop will be available online. For additional information contact Krisan Lamberti, moonlightk@aol.com.  

Acolyte Festival—The annual Diocesan Acolyte Festival will be held April 19, beginning at 9:30 a.m., at St. Martin’s, Pompano Beach. The cost is $12, which includes lunch. Every five youth participating should be accompanied by one adult. Each participating congregation is asked to name one acolyte to be recognized by the bishop at the festival for outstanding service at the altar. Names of acolytes to be honored must be sent to Mary Cobiella, diocesan coordinator for youth ministry, at mary@diosef.org, no later than Mar. 31. Registration for the Acolyte Festival is available online at www.diosef.org/register.html.   

ECW Annual Meeting--“Grow in Grace” will be the theme for the Annual Meeting of the Episcopal Church Women (ECW), to be hosted by the South Dade Deanery, April 25-26.  The site will be the Embassy Suites, 3974 NW South River Drive, near Miami International Airport. The keynote speaker will be the Rev. Patsy McGregor, missionary in Madagascar. All women of the diocese are invited to attend, regardless of whether they are active ECW members. Registration packets will be mailed to all congregations in the diocese. For more information, contact ECW Second Vice President Marjorie Ward at 954-722-5870. 

Cursillo Sunday—The date for Cursillo Sunday, formerly observed in October, has been moved to the first Sunday in May. It’s not too soon for cursillistas to begin planning how they might use Sunday, May 4, to celebrate the Cursillo Movement in their parishes and encourage fellow parishioners who have not been part of Cursillo to experience a Cursillo weekend.

Episcopal Church Archives Black History exhibit-- The Archives of the Episcopal Church has launched an electronic publication and online exhibit titled "The Church Awakens: African Americans and the Struggle for Justice." The multimedia exhibit, available here, covers the period of enslavement to the present, with emphasis on the Civil Rights era. As an educational resource for Church settings, the exhibit is designed to expand on the strength of reader input and future research.

VTS scholarship fund for black students--The Virginia Theological Seminary has announced the Bishop Payne Scholarship Fund, an award of full tuition for any full or part-time black student who is an Episcopalian from a province within the Episcopal Church USA and who is entering the Master in Divinity, Master in Theological Studies, Master of Arts in Christian Education, Anglican Studies or Full-time Special Student programs. To apply for the Bishop Payne Scholarship, contact the Office of Admissions at 703-461-1706. Initially, the Bishop Payne Scholarship program will be offered to entering students for two academic years: 2009-2009 and 2009-2010. Students enrolling in these years will receive the scholarship for the duration of their study. Additionally, the Seminary offers a generous financial aid package to those who are eligible. 

Sewanee Summer Bridge program--High school juniors who feel they could bring diversity to the college of their choice and who would like to experience a taste of college life and advance themselves in science and math are invited to apply to the Summer 2008 Bridge Program at the University of the South in Sewanee, Tenn. From June 22–July 12, this three-week residential program will give 20 rising high school seniors an introduction to college-level courses. Interested students should apply for the full-scholarship program by March 15.

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.

 

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CLICK HERE TO VIEW UPCOMING PARISH EVENTS

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CLERGY CHANGES

Beebe, The Rev. Jeffrey - On extended sabbatical from Meadow Park, Parkland.

Brown, The Rev. Wilson - Announced resignation as rector of Holy Sacrament, Pembroke Pines, effective 5/18, to accept a call to the Diocese of Southwestern Virginia.

Froehlich, The Rev. Bert  - Beginning 3/3 as rector of St. Christopher’s, Key Biscayne

Hall, The Rev. Donna - Priest-in-charge, St. George’s, Riviera Beach.

Peoples, The Rev. David - Moving canonical residence to Diocese of Central Florida; continuing at St. Ambrose, Ft. Lauderdale, as priest in charge.

Surgeon, The Rev. Ornoldo  - Moved from Atonement, Lauderdale Lakes, 1/1/08, to be supply at St. Philip’s, Pompano Beach.

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Parishes in Transition:

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

St. Andrew’s, Miami—Fr. Gary Verell, interim; search process continuing,

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

Transfiguration, Miami Gardens—Fr. Tom Shepherd, interim

St. Faith’s, Cutler Bay—The Very Rev. Jennie Lou Reid, interim

St. Anne’s, Hallandale—Search committee formed; Fr. Keithly Warner, interim.

St. Paul’s, Key West—Search committee formed; Canon Kerry Robb, interim

St. Philip’s, Pompano Beach—Fr. Ornoldo Surgeon, supply

Holy Sacrament, Pembroke Pines—Fr. Wilson Brown announced resignation as rector, effective 5/18, to accept a call to the Diocese of Southwestern Virginia.

St. James the Fisherman, Islamorada—Rector announced retirement, effective 5/31; search committee formed.

Meadow Park, Parkland—Priest-in-charge on extended sabbatical; Fr. George Price, supply

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

 

On Friday, Mar. 7, St. Andrew’s, Lake Worth, will host the second in a series of four lectures with the overall theme, “Beyond the Da Vinci Code: Can Recent Scholarly Discoveries Help Us Interpret Sacred Texts?”  The Mar. 7 lecture, by Erik Larson, professor of religious studies, Florida International University, will be on “Mary Magdalene: Recovering the Woman Behind the Fiction.” 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.

Trinity Cathedral, Miami, continues its series of free half-hour recitals on Fridays in Lent. The recitals will begin at 12:30 pm, immediately following the cathedral’s12:10 p.m. Eucharist, which is offered daily and open to all. The recital series features artists from the diocese, the cathedral and beyond. Click here for a complete list of artists and programs.

Joint Lenten Services in North and South Dade parishes continue at 5 p.m. on Sundays in Lent: Mar. 2, Church of the Ascension, preacher—the Rev. Karl Davis, Roman Catholic priest of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate; Mar. 9, Historic St. Agnes, preacher—The Rev. Richard T. Middleton, rector of St. Mark’s, Jackson, Miss.

Friends Reaching Friends, the mission outreach ministry of Holy Sacrament, Pembroke Pines, is hosting its Rally Night on March 11. Anyone interested in participating in the June 2008 mission trips to Jamaica and the Dominican Republic is invited. Friends Reaching Friends is also having a Gala Dinner & Dance on Saturday, April 5, 2008 at the Signature Grand in Davie. All proceeds will go to support the 2008 mission trips.

Bethesda-by-the-Sea, Palm Beach, continues its series of guest preachers at its Wednesday 12:05 p.m. services in Lent with Bishop Leo Frade on Mar. 5 and Bishop Gene Robinson of New Hampshire on Mar. 12. 

Bishop Gene Robinson of New Hampshire will also preach at a 7 p.m. service on Mar. 12 at All Saints, Ft. Lauderdale. 

St. Gregory’s, Boca Raton, will offer concerts on Wednesdays in Lent, beginning with a catered lunch in Harris Hall at 12 noon, are followed by the concert from 12:30-1 p.m. for a complete schedule of these and other concerts at St. Gregory’s, go to http://www.stgregorysepiscopal.org/ministry/concerts.htm.

The second annual public lecture series at St. Gregory’s “Exploring Spirituality” continues Mar. 5, with “The U.S. and Iran:  Accommodation or Confrontation?” with Robert Rabil, Asst. Professor at FAU, an expert on Middle East Politics; and April 23, with “Water: The Next Oil?  Are We Running Out?" with Bob King, environmental reporter, Palm Beach Post. All lectures begin at 7 p.m. in St. Gregory's Harris Hall. The public is invited, and there is no charge.  A reception will follow each lecture.

A special concert will be held at St. Gregory's on Sunday, April 13, at 4 p.m., to benefit the new school built recently as a cooperative project with the church’s companion parish, Sainte Marie Madeleine in Bondeau, Haiti. The school is now up and running with more than 200 students, and a kitchen is being added to the school building. The concert is part of St. Gregory's annual concert series, under the direction of Organist and Choirmaster Brian Wm. Davey. Following the concert, the Rev. Ameriold Lazard, rector of Sainte Marie Madeleine will speak briefly and answer questions. Père Lazard will also be at a reception in Harris Hall after the concert, where there will be a slide show of photos from a January trip to Haiti by St. Gregory’s team, as well as photos from earlier trips. Traditional Haitian foods, prepared by Père Lazard's sister-in-law, Marie Gerald Pierre, will be served. The concert and reception are free, and the public is invited to attend. A love offering will be taken. For more information, call the church office, 561-395-8285.

On Holy Saturday, Mar. 22, at 6 p.m., St. James in-the-Hills, Hollywood, will offer a Jazz Mass: A Concept of traditional Liturgical Music adapted to the Rhythm of Contemporary Jazz. All are welcome. For information contact the church office at (954) 987-2203 or email the rector, Fr. Orlando Addison, froaddison@Bellsouth.net. St. James’ will have three services on Easter, Mar. 23: 8 a.m., Holy Eucharist Rite I; 9:30 a.m., Holy Eucharist Rite II (English); and 11:30 a.m., Holy Eucharist Rite II (Spanish). Bishop Onell Soto will be celebrant at all three services.

As part of the ongoing celebration of its 100th anniversary, St. Matthew’s, Delray Beach, will hold a prayer breakfast on Saturday, Mar. 29, at 8 a.m. in the parish hall at 405 SW 3 St., Delray Beach. A donation of $10 is requested. For tickets contact Patricia Wright at 561-929-0069.

The Marafiki Global AIDS Ministry will hold its third annual fund-raising golf tournament April 26, beginning at 11 a.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. 2.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. Thomas, Coral Gables, is renovating its chapel and has 12 oak pews in excellent condition to give away. The pews are nine feet long and 24 inches deep, but could be cut to other sizes. If you have—or know of—a need for these pews, call the office at St. Thomas, 305-661-3436.

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.

Youth Ministry kicks! Change lives every day! St. Joseph’s, Boynton Beach needs a Youth Minister to lead: Beach Services, Mission Trips, Wednesday Night Madness, Bonding Experiences, Outreach, Music…among other activities. For details or to apply, go to http://www.stjoesweb.org/html/YouthMinisterWanted.html.

Episcopal Charities of Southeast Florida would like to contract with two persons with very specific skills for limited part-time assistance, perhaps two half-days per month: (1) A “techie” to act as liaison between the EC staff and the web designer on website updates and maintenance; and (2) someone with grant-writing experience to assist staff with preparing and writing grant requests. For further information contact Episcopal Charities President Charlie Ring, 561-799-6424 or Charlie@ecsefl.org.

The Bishop Gravatt Center in Aiken, SC, (Diocese of Upper South Carolina) is offering housing during the Masters Golf Tournament.  Special overnight rates are available April 6-14, and all guests are invited to celebrate the Holy Eucharist with us on April 13.  The Bishop Gravatt Center is located just 30 minutes up I-20 from the home of the Masters.  Revenue generated during Masters week will be used to further the mission and ministry of the Bishop Gravatt Center.  For more information about Gravatt, visit www.bishopgravatt.org, and make your reservation by calling 803-648-1817.

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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
• Duncan Center Programs--Spring 2008

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