October 10, 2019
177th Annual Convention:
Nominations and Resolutions are Now Open
Attention Convention Delegates. We're busy preparing for our upcoming Annual Convention happening January 25 at Camp Weed & Cerveny Conference Center in Live Oak, Florida. Convention registration will be opening in the next few days and we'll also be announcing some exciting new things happening this year at Convention.

The Diocesan Nominating Committee for the 177th Annual Diocesan Convention has been formed to present a slate of nominees for Diocesan Convention to fill the expired or uncompleted terms of the individuals now serving. Visit http://convention.diocesefl.org to submit any nominations or resolutions. This year Canon 27 Section 1 of our Diocesan Canons calls for the election of 4 Clergy Deputies, 4 Lay Deputies, 1 Clergy Alternate Deputy and 1 Lay Alternate Deputy to General Convention from the Diocese of Florida. The deadline for submissions is Nov. 1 5.

Bishop's Cross Award nominations are also being accepted. The application form can be downloaded on the Convention website. This award is given annually to those in the Diocese of Florida who have given most generously of their God-given time, talent or treasure toward the support, upbuilding and strengthening of the life of the diocese. Both clergy and lay leaders can be nominated for this award . We hope that you will prayerfully consider those who, in the life of our diocese and its many varied ministries, have made the greatest contributions whether of time, talent or treasure, and that you will submit a statement of nomination. Visit http://convention.diocesefl.org to find the nomination form.
New Diocesan Historiographer Appointed
Bishop Howard is pleased to announce the appointment of Rhonda Masters Drackett as Diocesan Historiographer. This position was created in order to facilitate the collection of parish and diocesan histories and the compilation of information about the history of our churches.

Mrs. Drackett is a faithful member at St. Paul's Federal Point in Palatka, Florida. She was instrumental in the coordinated efforts earlier this year to name Stanton Landing as an official trailhead for Bartram Trail in Putnam County, Palatka-to-St. Augustine State Trail; St. Johns River-to-Sea Loop; Putnam County Blueway Paddling Trails; and St. Johns River Blueway. Mrs. Drackett has also done extensive research on former Florida Bishop, The Rev. John Freeman Young and assisted in coordinating an observance event honoring his translation of the beloved Christmas carol, Silent Night, to English. She also volunteers with Bataan Missing helping to locate family members of WWII prisoners of war who died in the Philippines during or after the Bataan Death March. To date, she's been instrumental in having five American Heroes identified and brough home to their families for burial.

Rhonda was born in St. Augustine, Florida, attended local schools, Flagler College and graduated from the St. Augustine law enforcement academy with the “Top Gun” award. After a successful career in law enforcement, she transitioned to the healthcare industry where she's served in numerous capacities for both insurance firms and hospital systems. She is the founder of Health Care Consultants LLC, a health care administration consulting company helping state governments and insurance carriers to build health insurance programs to meet the needs of their clients. For most of the last 30 years, she’s been self-employed and is a highly sought-after professional in her field. She currently lives in East Palatka with her devoted husband, Bruce Drackett and their furry babies, Gretchen, Frank and AJ. They have a blended family that includes six children and eight beautiful grandchildren.
Ministry Exploration Day: November 16
Are you exploring the Holy Spirit’s movement in your current vocation? Are you interested in further exploring both lay and ordained ministry? If so, the Diocese of Florida is sponsoring a Ministry Exploration Day, to be held on Saturday, November 16 at St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Jacksonville. Click here to download the event flier and click here to register. We hope to see you there!
Join the Bishop's Institute for
A Door to Easter: Pilgrimage to Antigua, Guatemala
March 31 - April 7, 2020
Of all the pilgrimages the Bishop’s Institute might organize for the Episcopal Diocese of Florida— why to the city of Antigua in Guatemala? And why in the week leading up to Holy Week and including Palm Sunday?
 
Someone has described the beauty and atmosphere of Antigua in Guatemala as ‘Charleston, South Carolina, on steroids’. Antigua is the first capital of Guatemala and founded by the Spanish in 1524. It is situated on a much more ancient Mayan city now called Iximche.
 
Synonymous with the founding of Antigua were some of the first Holy Week procesiones in South America. In much of the Catholic world, especially in Spanish speaking countries, procesiones are staged to mark the days of Holy Week leading up to Easter. As Marta Bausells noted in The Guardian UK newspaper :
 
‘Antigua . . . leads the pack, with spectacular procesiones that are among the world’s most iconic. Antigua’s parades are a voluptuous, baroque, often dramatic affair—and not a brief one . . . . . A parade can easily come out at 3pm and finish at 2 am’.
 
We have chosen the week leading up to Holy Week yet including Palm Sunday for a quieter, yet perhaps all the more moving Lenten preparation for Easter, and one in time to deliver us ‘home’ to our own church communities for Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Day. In our week preceding Holy Week we will have opportunity for prayer, meditation, the Eucharist, visiting churches and cathedrals while still discovering the natural beauty of Guatemala, the holy shrines, the textiles, and many Mayan sites.

Click here to download the trip brochure.
Yoga and Christian Contemplative Prayer Retreat
December 6-8
Imagine being surrounded by over 500 acres of north-central Florida’s most beautiful nature, while listening to sacred Christian music, calming your body in a loving yogic practice, quieting the mind and preparing to share the communal silence of contemplative prayer in the presence of your Creator.

Speaker and Leader Information:
Megan Cochran is an experienced yoga teacher and leads the Church on a Mat service in Cummings Chapel at St. John’s Cathedral, Jacksonville. Kate Moorehead, the Dean of St. John’s Cathedral and the author of a goodly number of books including most recently Angels of the Bible: Finding Grace, Beauty and Meaning (October, 2019). Allison DeFoor, Canon to the Ordinary in the Episcopal Diocese of Florida and he will preach and celebrate the Eucharist on Sunday morning of the retreat.

Come experience the delightful blending of the physical practice of yoga with the enduring traditions of Christian contemplative prayer. Learn how to cultivate inner stillness and receptivity to the Indwelling Presence of the Holy Spirit.

No yoga experience needed. This retreat works for those trying yoga for the first time and for those who regularly practice yoga. Chair yoga is also an option.

The retreat begins Friday afternoon with registration and dinner and concludes on Sunday, after the final yoga session and the Eucharist, with lunch at 12 noon. 
 
Limited scholarships are available. Please email the Rector of the Bishop’s Institute, Douglas Dupree at ddupree@diocesefl.org for more information.

Click here for more information and to register.
Christmas in the Cathedral District
Wednesday, December 4, 2019
5:30pm - 8:30pm

Cathedral District Churches are opening their doors for our inaugural FREE walking tour and welcoming the public to experience their churches decorated for Christmas. Docents will greet you inside each Sanctuary, and you will be treated to the sounds of choirs and Christmas music while on route.

Hop-on-hop-off transportation for families with small children and the elderly will be provided at no cost; and secured free parking! There will be festivities for children, a live Nativity Scene, an authentic Bethlehem Market selling handmade crafts, unique gifts, jewelry and baked goods; our food court will feature the Signature “District Christmas Cocktail”, Beer and Wine.

FREE GENERAL ADMISSION! Register at 904tix.com today and win a special gift. Must be present at the event to win. VIP ticket information coming soon. Check this website and on Facebook for updates.

This event is hosted by the Basilica of The Immaculate Conception Church, First United Methodist Church, First Presbyterian Church of Jacksonville, Mount Zion AME Church, Simpson Memorial United Methodist Church and St. John’s Episcopal Cathedral.
Episcopal Relief & Development Launches One Thousand Days of Love
Dear Members of the Episcopal Diocese of Florida,
 
We are going to begin a long-term diocesan wide campaign to support the children of the world in their first 1000 days of life through the Episcopal Relief & Development ONE THOUSAND DAYS OF LOVE campaign.  Click here to read the initial press release for this campaign. Please read it so that you have an idea as to what the campaign intends to accomplish.

I will write a series of articles regarding what is being done to help these children and these will be posted in Connect and on the diocesan website.

Thank you in advance for your support of this program.
 
Blessings,
Jack

Jack Tull
ERD Diocesan Co-Coordinator
Diocese of Florida
904-377-3281
Episcopal Schools Open House Dates
The Diocese of Florida is proud to provide Episcopal education to our communities through 12 parish schools across our Diocese. An Episcopal education encourages students to respect the dignity of every human being, learn through questioning, and to develop their passions within academics, fine arts, athletics, and spiritual life. Schools serve students from birth to grade 12. To learn more about our diocesan schools, we invite you to attend an open house event this fall. For a complete listing of all of our schools, visit www.diocesefl.org/schools .

Episcopal School of Jacksonville:
November 5, 2019 from 8:30 - 10:30 a.m. - Berg Gallery, Munnerlyn Center for Worship and Fine Arts
Drop-in, no formal program
Tours 9:20 - 10:00 a.m.

Grace Episcopal Day School - Orange Park, Florida:
Tour and meet with admissions by appointment -- call 904.269.3718.   

St. Mark's Episcopal Day School - Jacksonville, Florida:
Friday, October 11
Kindergarten Showcase
8:00 AM - School Library
 
Thursday, October 17
Classes Without Quizzes - Family Open House Night
5:30 - 6:30 PM - Open House
6:30 - 7:30 - Spaghetti dinner & book fair opening night

Beaches Episcopal School - Jacksonville Beach, Florida:
Thursday, November 14, 2019 at 9:00 a.m.

San Jose Episcopal Day School - Jacksonville, Florida:
Personal tours are offered year-round, Monday through Friday. C ontact Teresa Hall, Director of Admission, at .904.733-0352.

Holy Trinity Episcopal School - Gainesville, Florida:
Visit http://htesgnv.org/schedule-a-tour to schedule a tour.

Holy Comforter Episcopal School - Tallahassee, Florida:
Call 850.383.1007 or  email  Nena Martinez to schedule a personal tour at your convenience! School visits are scheduled most school days between 8am and 3pm. 
Upcoming Diocesan Happenings
Episcopal Church Women Annual Meeting
Episcopal Church Women of the Diocese of Florida is holding their Annual Meeting on Saturday, October 19 at 10am at St. Paul's Federal Point in Palatka, Florida. We will be blessed to have Becky Taylor Scott, Province IV ECW President from Alabama as our speaker and The Reverend Carrie English, Chaplain. The Annual Meeting is open to all women of the church and their guests. Your priest is invited and encouraged to join us. The cost of registration is $15.00. The deadline to register is October 11. Click here to download the registration form and for more information. Contact Andrea Geiger for more information at tandageiger@comcast.net .

Upcoming Evangelism Workshops
Our Diocesan Evangelism Workshops are opportunities for engaged laity, and clergy alike who find themselves wanting to explore evangelism and church growth strategies with other people to gather, learn and discuss. The goal of these gatherings is to spark creativity and cross-pollinate ideas and action. We welcome all to come out and participate. Bring your own ideas, past successes or failures, so that we can discuss. Workshops will meet in Tallahassee at Holy Comforter Episcopal Church on Tuesday, October 29 and November 26 . The Jacksonville workshops will reconvene in 2020, and we hope to also begin meeting in additional regions of the Diocese.

October 18-19
Older Adult Ministry Retreat: Redeeming Our Time: Spirituality and Retirement
Camp Weed & Cerveny Conference Center

This retreat is for persons who are retired and those anticipating retirement.  This retreat will be an opportunity to share our questions, resources, and hopes for the time we are living and to plan for our future. We will experience some time in plenary, small groups, and have opportunities to share informally throughout the two days. It should be informative and much fun.

February 2-10, 2020  
A Pilgrimage to the Holy Land
Organized by Biblical Journeys
and led by the Rev. Canon Aaron Smith, assisted by the Rev. Canon Douglas Dupree


Duration: 9 days
Trip Cost: $3,800 (includes room, most meals and flights)
Single Supplement: Base Price + $552
Payment due date: November 2
 
Get the full itinerary, more tour information & register online: https://www.biblical-journeys.com/upcoming-tours-1/0220smith
Helpful Links
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  • Looking for a job? Visit the employment page on our website for some of the current opportunities. Click here
  • Listing a job? Email estimler@diocesefl.org with the job description and position contact information to be posted on the employment page.
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www.diocesefl.org