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Episcopal Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast
March 8, 2023
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Together, we are the body of Christ ~ transforming people from members into disciples, moving more deeply into God's call to life and ministry, and extending our mission beyond the status quo. | | | |
52nd Annual Diocesan Convention
Almost 300 people gathered for the 52nd Annual Diocesan Convention held at the University of West Florida on March 3 and 4. The event was hosted by Holy Trinity, Pensacola; St. Cyprian's, Pensacola; and St. Monica's, Cantonment. Many thanks to all the volunteers who helped our time together run smoothly, and to the musicians who delighted us with their beautiful expressions of song.
The business portions of convention were efficiently conducted to make way for engaging table talk sessions where delegates and other guests were able to share their personal stories and songs and hopefully met some new lifelong friends.
Bishop Russell's address and Becca Stevens keynote presentation were recorded and are available on our website along with the presentations and videos shown throughout our two days together.
Congratulations to the following:
Newly elected Standing Committee members - John Griffing (St. Francis, Gulf Breeze), Lolly Holk (St. Paul's Chapel, Magnolia Springs), Brad Moore (St. James, Eufaula), the Rev. Sara Phillips (St. Mary's By the Sea, Coden), and the Rev. Randy Sellers (Nativity, Dothan).
Lay Deputies to the General Convention - Eugene Johnston (St. John's, Mobile), Jeannie Kienzle (All Saints, Mobile), Joe McDaniel Jr. (Christ Church, Pensacola), Jill Showers Chow (Christ Church Cathedral, Mobile), and alternate David Quittmeyer (Trinity, Mobile).
Clergy Deputies to the General Convention - Amanda Dosher (St. James, Fairhope), Christie Hord (St. John's, Pensacola), David Knight (St. Simon's on the Sound, Ft. Walton Beach), John Talbert (St. Paul's, Daphne and St. John's, Mobile), and alternate Linda Suzanne Borgen (St. Thomas, Greenville).
VISIT CONVENTION SUMMARY PAGE
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Go Forward Campaign announces 30-Day Challenge, now through April 1st
At the 52nd Diocesan Convention this past weekend (3/3-4), the Go Forward Campaign announced its 30-Day Challenge to inspire giving for a match gift of $250,000. We are thrilled to announce that by Tuesday evening, $90,000 has been raised! Help us achieve our goal!
Be a part of the 30-Day Challenge! Visit www.goforwardcampaign.org.
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Living Waters receives $4,000 Young Adult and Campus Ministry grant from The Episcopal Church
Living Waters will be a collaborative ministry of Lamppost Young Adult Fellowship and Beloved Community Outreach Center (BCOC) that will invite young adults and college-aged students into a spiritually rich life by integrating Episcopal liturgy, the Way of Love, and outdoor recreation as a means to connect with one another and the unique blessings of the water in our geographic region of Lower Alabama. Hiking through marsh settings and coastal forests with the daily office or communion, kayaking and paddle boarding in Mobile Bay to worship on the water, celebrating Eucharist on a local beach, discovering how the divine moves through the care and appreciation of creation–monthly offerings will encourage young adults and college-aged students to discern how faith informs their daily lives and how they can use the liturgies and resources we utilize to help them further cultivate their personal spiritual lives and invite others to do likewise. The Office for Development and Evangelism in the Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast wants to support this work in two distinct ways. A portion of the Young Adult Grant will be used to support programmatic costs for Lamppost such as rentals, travel, meals, snacks, promotional materials, printed materials, and leadership development. The other portion we will use to compensate our Missioner for Mobile who coordinates BCOC. In this new offering, the Missioner for Mobile will need to devote additional time and energy to their workload to coordinate Living Waters.
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Recording of Stop the Traffick event available
On Saturday, March 4, Becca Stevens was also the keynote speaker for the Stop the Traffick event hosted by St. Luke's, Marianna and the Episcopal Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast. Several other community leaders, including Wilmer Hall's executive director, Pratt Paterson, also spoke on the topic. The program focused on bringing awareness to the tragedy of human trafficking and ways to address it in our local communities and beyond. The event was recorded and is available on St. Luke's Facebook page here.
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The Celebration of the Musical Arts at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church
In a joyous coincidence, St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Brewton, Alabama, has been promoting the theme of the 52nd Annual Diocesan Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast—This is our story, This is our song. Since August of 2022, St. Stephen’s has been holding musical concert performances for the church and the community it serves. The story of the concerts began with the mission of bringing together members of St. Stephen’s and citizens of Brewton to hear highly skilled musical artists in the church sanctuary. Private funding of the Celebration of Musical Arts has made it possible to tell the story of the importance of music in worshiping and serving God.
CONTINUE READING
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Cursillo #168
March 9-12 at Beckwith
Please keep the Cursillo community in your thoughts and prayers as staff and pilgrims gather this weekend for the 168th Cursillo. For more information about Cursillo visit www.coastalpilgrims.com or for more information contact Bill Miller at cursillocgc@gmail.com.
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Happening #60 Registration Open
March 17-19 at Beckwith
Encourage teenagers in your congregation to attend!
Teenagers in grades 9, 10, 11 and 12 are invited to a weekend Christian experience presented by their peers. It's a weekend filled with so much love and laughter and sometimes tears and healing. Happening is a safe space to nurture and grow in relationship with Christ. Come be transformed!
Youth who have already attended a previous Happening are encouraged to serve on the youth staff.
DETAILS AND REGISTRATION
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Ordination to the Diaconate
Saturday, March 25, at 2pm
Christ Church Cathedral
115 S Conception St, Mobile AL
Join Bishop Russell as he ordains the following in to the Sacred Order of Deacons: [Diaconate] Deborah Knight-Epps; [Transitional Diaconate] Brad Clark, John Fountain, Jennie Leahey, Ryan Lee, and Stephen Pecot.
WATCH THE LIVESTREAM
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Daughters of the King Spring Retreat
March 31-April 1 at Beckwith
Open to all women in the diocese, hosted by The Order of the Daughters of the King®, join us for a spring retreat at Beckwith! We will focus on relaxation, connection, and prayer.
REGISTER HERE
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Worship in the Woods
Sunday, April 23, from 2:30pm to 5pm
Saloom Properties Tree Farm, 2835 Bookers Mill Rd, Evergreen
Worship in the Woods is a diocesan-wide gathering hosted by the churches of Convocation IV. We will celebrate God's creation with a special Stations of the Resurrection, followed by Eucharist and fun fellowship.
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Bring your own picnic lunch and lawn chair or blanket. Wear closed-toe shoes and sunscreen. Bottled water provided.
RSVP HERE
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Evangelism Brainstorm Sessions
First Wednesday of each month on Zoom
Two session times are available: Noon and 6pm
Join the Rev. Lydia Knizley Johnson, Missioner for Development and Evangelism, on Zoom for an hour of ideas for engaging and serving our neighbors during the season of Thanksgiving through Christmas, then on to Epiphany, Lent and Easter. If you have evangelism ideas you would like to share, please join the session or contact Lydia at lydia@diocgc.org.
Register in advance for these gatherings by using the links below.
For lunchtime gatherings (12pm CT), register here:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEsf-6pqz0tGNJdo91XisMEEwQJbQBMNnbh
For evening gatherings (6pm CT), register here:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0lcOiorDgtHNT8-8S0SN6M4-c-_h3i4T5d
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
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Recommended Online Event from the Commission on Racial Justice & Reconciliation Visual & Performing Arts Committee
Trinity Talks: Art as a Medium for Change
1–3pm ET at Trinity Commons (Trinity Church Wall Street) or 1–2pm ET online
March 19 | Vietnam Veterans Memorial designer Maya Lin
Visual art is a doorway to new insights and revelations. It can challenge the expected narrative and transform our way of perceiving and understanding, if even for a moment. Join Trinity as they welcome artists who invite us to see our relationships, culture, and environment in a new way. Register to join online or in person for free.
DETAILS & REGISTRATION
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Save-the-Date
Diocesan Acolyte Festival
Saturday, August 19, at Christ Church Cathedral, 115 S Conception St., Mobile, AL
More details to come.
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In Case You Missed It
- February 22 edition of Coastline READ
- Bishop Russell's sabbatical announcement READ
- 40-Day Creation Care Challenge Calendar DOWNLOAD
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Church & Community Events | |
Share your church event with the rest of the diocese. Send us details here. | | |
Upcoming Events at Wilmer Hall
3811 Old Shell Rd, Mobile AL
www.wilmerhall.org
Save-the-date
April 29, 7-10am: Pancake Breakfast and Drive-thru. Details soon.
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Share your photo, good news or ministry with the rest of the diocese. Send your story to us here. | | | |
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St. James Eufaula The members of St. James’ Eufaula prepared130 gallons of sauce, 100 pounds of noodles, 80 loaves of bread, a mountain of salad and served up over 700 plates of spaghetti this past Shrove Tuesday. These statistics pale in comparison to the bonds of fellowship that we shared. We had fellowship chopping, sautéing, and stirring sauce. We had fellowship slicing and buttering . The best fellowship we we felt was that of serving our friends and neighbors. After three years of Covid it was great to see our Margaret Hall bustling with smiling faces and happy conversation over a pretty good dish of spaghetti. We Episcopalians are not the best at evangelism, but what better way to show our community who we are than sharing a dinner and using the proceeds to help those less fortunate than ourselves.
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St. Jude's Episcopal Church in Niceville welcomes their new rector, the Rev. Blake Hutson, and his family. Pictured: Senior Warden Cathy Self with Fr. Blake.
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No job posts at this time. | |
From The Episcopal Church | |
Joint Budget Committee offers April 17 listening session
How is The Episcopal Church changing?
How should its budget allocations change?
What are your missional successes and challenges?
Episcopalians are invited to respond to these and other questions in a churchwide listening session with the Joint Budget Committee of the Executive Council. Responses will help guide the committee in its work to craft a 2025-2027 church budget. Learn more about the Joint Budget Committee and view its budget process timeline.
Zoom listening session: April 17, 4 to 5:30 p.m. ET
Written responses can also be submitted online.
RESPOND & REGISTER
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Bishop Russell's Upcoming Visitations | | |
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March 8-14
House of Bishops, Camp McDowell
March 15
St. Patrick's, Panama City
March 17-19
Happening #60
Standing Committee Retreat
March 19
Holy Cross, Pensacola
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March 12
Cursillo
St. Michael's, Ozark
March 19
St. Patrick's, Panama City
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March 12
Century Correctional Institution, Century
March 19
Graceville Correctional Facility, Graceville
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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. | | |
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Coastline is a publication of the Episcopal Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast, published on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of each month.
Update your email preferences by clicking on the "Update Profile" link below.
SUBMIT AN ARTICLE - due the Friday prior to publication date.
SUBMIT AN EVENT - posted on our website as received.
Direct inquiries to communications@diocgc.org.
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