February 10, 2020
A Special Message From Bishop Howard
Dear friends,
 
As we move into 2020, I’m pleased to reflect on our Annual Convention that we hosted on Saturday, January 25th at Camp Weed and Cerveny Conference Center. The New Year for the Diocese truly begins with Convention as it gives refreshment to our leadership and provides vision for the year ahead. Our theme this year is “Bringing the Good News,” and as I mentioned at Convention, the selection of this theme truly seems providential, the work of God. I shared my heart with you about how God is calling us back to the first thing to which we were called as Christians, our primary task beside which all else pales in comparison: the sharing of the Good News of God in Jesus Christ .  A full video of my Convention address can be found here .

Thank you for your prayers and partnership as we enter into what I pray will be a fruitful year for our Diocese. As we work to serve a hurting and broken world, I encourage you all to seek the Good News and remember the mercy and hope promised in Jesus Christ.  

Faithfully,
The Rt. Rev. Samuel Johnson Howard
177th Annual Convention Wrap-Up
2020 Election Results
Congratulations to the following individuals for being elected to serve on the following Diocesan Councils, Committees and Boards:

General Convention - Clergy
  • The Rev. Cn. Wiley Ammons
  • The Rev. Cn. Allison DeFoor
  • The Very Rev. Kate Moorehead
  • The Rev. Cn. Nancy Suellau
  • The Rev. Teresa Seagle - Alternate

General Convention - Laity
  • Byron Green
  • James Pierce
  • Jim Salter
  • Jack Tull
  • Sarah Michael Anderson - Alternate

Diocesan Council - Laity - First Coast East Region
  • Lenora Gregory

Disciplinary Board - Clergy
  • The Rev. Jay Jamison
  • The Rev. Beth Pessah

Disciplinary Board - Laity
  • John Jopling

Standing Committee - Clergy
  • The Rev. Joe Gibbes

Standing Committee - Laity
  • Ben Hill

Sewanee Board of Trustees - Clergy
  • The Rev. Abi Moon

Please visit the Convention Website to read biographies about each member.
2020 Budget Information
The 2019 and 2020 budget presentations can be viewed on the
2020 Bishop's Cross Award Honorees
Congratulations to the 2020 Bishop's Cross Award recipients!

This year's recipients are:

  • The Rev. Dr. James Cooper
  • The Rt. Rev. Dorsey F. Henderson
  • The Rev. Dr. Robert Marsh
  • The Rev. Laughton Thomas
  • The Rev. Sandra Tull
  • The Rev. Davette Turk


The Bishop's Cross Awards are presented annually at our diocesan convention honoring those in the Episcopal Diocese of Florida who have given most generously of their God-given time, talent or treasure toward the support, up building and strengthening of the life of the Diocese. 

Congratulations again to this year's award recipients!
 
UNF High School Campus Ministry Retreat:
An Osprey Experience
Mark it on your calendars now!
We are getting geared up for our senior high school retreat at UNF this winter (Feb 28-29, 2020). The BEST thing about this retreat is that youth ministers and pastors don't have to do a thing! Oh, AND it only costs $10 per student! Pr. Sarah and our college student leaders will be facilitating all of the retreat details. For more information and to register your students, check out  the link here . 
Bishop's Institute News and Events
The Bishop’s Institute for Ministry and Leadership

Finding the Wideness in God’s Mercy:
Twenty-four hours of silence and conversation

A retreat for laity and clergy and their friends led by Bishop John Howard

Friday April 17 – Saturday April 18, 2020

Camp Weed and Cerveny Conference Center
Come escape the busyness of life for twenty-four hours in the beautiful surroundings of 500 acres of countryside at Camp Weed for a short retreat led by Bishop John Howard. The retreat starts with lunch at 12 noon Friday and closes with lunch at 12 noon on Saturday. The Bishop will share his reflections on prayer and lead us in prayer and in discussion. The program is balanced and relaxed.

The retreat is open to everyone young or old, lay or clergy. The camp will provide good food and comfortable accommodations.

Rates: (includes accommodation, meals, conference fee): Single: $150 / Double: $112.50.
Spring Clergy Retreat:
February 27-28, 2020 !
The annual Spring clergy retreat starts with lunch at 12 noon in Varn Hall at Camp Weed on Thursday, February 27 and closes with lunch on Friday, February 28.
Bishop Howard has invited as David Zahl as the keynote speaker for the retreat.

Zahl is the director of Mockingbird Ministries and editor-in-chief of the Mockingbird blog. He and his wife Cate reside in Charlottesville, VA, with their three sons, where David also serves on the staff of Christ Episcopal Church (christchurchcville.org). Zahl is the author of Seculosity: How Career, Parenting, Technology, Food, Politics, and Romance Became Our New Religion and What to Do about It (paperback, 2019).

On Friday, February 28, the morning will conclude with Bishop Howard as celebrant for the Eucharist in Mandi’s Chapel. The clergy will be invited to renew their vows and also to bring their own church’s sacramental oil stocks for the Bishop to bless.

There will be the usual good food that Chef Ed and his team provide and plenty of time for informal fellowship.

Charges: $170 single occupancy / $132.50 double occupancy
Commuter: Friday only $50. To register, please click here .
BECOMING THE BELOVED COMMUNITY

IN HONOR OF ABSALOM JONES:
OUR SECOND CONVERSATION

Saturday February 29, 2020
10 a.m. – 3 p.m. (Lunch provided)
St. John’s Episcopal Cathedral, Jacksonville

Keynote Speaker:
Dr Catherine Meeks,
Executive Director of the Absalom Jones Center For Racial Healing, Atlanta
In honor of Absalom Jones (the first African American ordained Priest in the Episcopal Church) the Union of Black Episcopalians (UBE) in concert with the Bishop’s Institute will host a second day of conversation on racial understanding and healing in church and community. This event follows a very fine conversation inaugurated for Absalom Jones Day in 2019 hosted by St Philip’s Church, Jacksonville. We are grateful to the Dean, the Very Rev. Kate Moorehead for hosting us at the Cathedral this year.

Come join in a day of prayer, learning, reflection and discussion led by Dr Meeks. Everyone is welcome lay and clergy. For further information, please contact Ed Wright, Vice President of the UBE and St. Philip’s Senior Warden: [email protected] or 904-908-6917.
Diocesan Happenings
2020
Interfaith Clergy
Continuing Education Day

Tuesday, February 18th
9:15 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Where: Marywood Retreat Center
235 Marywood Drive
St. Johns, Florida
Rev. Walter Kedjierski, who currently serves as Executive Director of the Secretariat of Ecumenical and Inter-Religious Affairs of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has graciously agreed
to speak.

There is no cost for your attendance at this event, but you must respond to Sue Engemann at  [email protected] if you plan to attend.  
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