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Episcopal Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast

May 25, 2022

Notice: Over the summer, Coastline will be published once monthly: Wednesday-June 8 and July 13. Items for publications are due the Friday prior. 

Give Us Hearts of Flesh - A Message from Bishop Russell

”I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” Ezekiel 36: 25-26

My son texted me yesterday after the killings in Uvalde Texas. “I will never understand.” All I could muster back was this, “It is evil. Be grateful you do not understand.” What my son does not know is how his words pierced my own heart, too.

I have heard many sermons in my life. I’ve probably read more than I’ve heard. And I’ve preached more than a few, too. Thinking back, I can count on two hands the sermons I remember vividly. I once heard that the effects of preaching are more like filling a pool with a dripping faucet than a fire hose. I do recall one sermon that was a firehose.

It was preached 30 years ago from the pulpit of the chapel at Virginia Theological Seminary by the Rev. Churchill Gibson. The sermon was based on the verse from Ezekiel, “I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.”

The preacher said something to the effect, “I am not so sure giving a heart of flesh was such a good idea. A heart of stone would be much more invulnerable and defendable. A heart of stone does not break, or ache, or feel. But God has given us a heart of flesh that feels, hurts, and breaks. Even more, it is a heart capable of love that enlivens us and affects us to live in a way that is loving, feeling, and vulnerable. We are called to be people with hearts of flesh, not stone.”

CONTINUE READING

A Christian Spirituality of Restorative Justice

August 17-24, 2022

Looking for an opportunity abroad to explore your Christian spirituality through the lens of restorative justice? The Rev. Deacon Clelia Garrity would like to invite you along for this upcoming travel seminar from The General Theological Seminary:

Events at Chelsea Square and the Desmond Tutu Center present a travel seminar for seminarians, clergy and laity to spread the good news about A Christian Spirituality of Restorative Justice, one of the best missions coming out of the leadership of the Anglican Communion in the 20th and 21st centuries. The content of the travel seminar focuses upon Desmond Tutu’s witness of restorative justice and theological concept of Ubuntu.

Cost is $2500 and includes:

• Transportation in South Africa
• Hotel accommodations in South Africa
• Breakfast and dinner daily
• Sightseeing and touring
• Lectures
• Meeting with local church leaders

For more information or to sign up for this special experience, contact Dr. Battle at events@gts.edu or Deacon Clelia at cgarrity@gts.edu. 

Students may get course credit for this travel seminar; laity and clergy may be eligible for continuing education credit.

In Case You Missed It

• Young adults group forms in Mobile LEARN MORE
• St. Francis, Gulf Breeze receives UTO Creation Care Grant LEARN MORE
• Applications for the 2022-2023 Lay Ministry School Certification Program due August 15 DETAILS
• Camp Beckwith 2022 dates: MORE INFO
• Commission on Racial Justice & Reconciliation 2022 Calendar: VIEW CALENDAR

There was another terrific turnout for the second annual Worship in the Woods at Saloom Properties in Evergreen, Alabama. Participants walked the Stations of the Resurrection and were offered a moving sermon by one of the diocese's Lay School for Ministry preaching program graduates, Haden Tirey of St. John's, Monroeville. 

Senior wardens from across the diocese gathered in person and virtually for a day of learning about the important role of senior warden, heard from past wardens and networked with others who share the same responsibilities. For those interested, resources and presentations from the day can be found here. Many thanks to St. Christopher's for hosting us. 

Pilgrimage to Montgomery

Saturday, June 11

The Commission on Racial Justice & Reconciliation is sponsoring a faith-based pilgrimage to the Equal Justice Initiative National Memorial to Peace and Justice and Legacy Museum. Transportation will leave from and return to All Saints Episcopal Church in Mobile.

REGISTRATION AND DETAILS

Beckwith Summer Camp 50th Anniversary Weekend

August 5-7

Staff, camper and director alumni are invited to a fun-filled weekend celebrating 50 years of summer camp at Beckwith. 

REGISTER HERE

June 6: Summer Institute of Christian Spirituality, Spring Hill College

June 11: The Market on Blue Angel Parkway, Holy Trinity, Pensacola

June 11-24: Pilgrimage to Israel with the Rev. Thack Dyson, St. Paul's, Daphne

Wilmer Hall Children's Home

Wilmer Hall is seeking a full-time director of development. Contact Executive Director Pratt Paterson, at ppaterson@wilmerhall.org. 

VIEW JOB DESCRIPTION

Good News Gardens Webinar "Welcoming Kids into the Garden"

Good News Gardens is a church-wide movement of individuals, congregations, schools, colleges, seminaries, monasteries, camps and conference centers involved in a variety of food and creation care ministries – gardening, farming, beekeeping, composting, gleaning, feeding, food justice advocacy. The list goes on and on. Collectively Good News Gardens share their abundance, their prayers, and the Way of Love in their communities and beyond. 

On Tuesday, May 31 at 6pm CT, join for this month's GNG Gathering, Welcoming Kids in the Garden! We will hear from three leaders from across the church who work with kids of all ages as part of their GNG ministries.

REGISTER HERE

May 26

Clergy Renewal of Vows

May 29 

St. Monica's, Cantonment

June 5

St. Simon's on the Sound, Fort Walton Beach

June 5-9

Senior High Camp Dean, Beckwith

Printable versions of the prayer cycles are available at www.diocgc.org/cycle-of-prayer.

In October, Bishop Russell introduced the "Go Forward" campaign - a call for renewal, leadership, mission and unity in our diocese. To learn more about the campaign's priorities and stay up-to-date on the latest news, including our recent videos, visit www.goforwardcampaign.org.

Make a gift or pledge HERE

Please be sure to direct any mail for the Episcopal Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast to our post office address: PO Box 13330, Pensacola, FL 32591-3330.

Coastline is a publication of the Episcopal Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast, published on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of each month.

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