The Bishop’s Institute for Ministry and Leadership was established in 2015 in the Episcopal Diocese of Florida to provide opportunities to develop lay and clergy leadership in the Diocese; to prepare candidates for ordination to the vocational diaconate and the local priesthood; to prepare candidates for licensed lay ministries and to be a focus for the continuing education for laity and clergy alike. |
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And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband . . .
And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honor into it. And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.
Revelation 21.2; 23-25.
WELCOME HAPPY MORNING
Every Easter Day is special whether in good years or in more challenging years. I particularly enjoyed Easter Day 2021.
But first, an aside: As a new priest many years ago I had the task of re-lettering each week the glass enclosed notice board in front of the church in which I served in Savannah. One year when Easter approached I painstakingly fastened in the letters – letter by letter—the title ‘Easter Sunday’. The Rector saw it and made me return to redo the letter board, having roared out to me: ‘Douglas, it is Easter Day not Easter Sunday!’. So Easter Day it became. I have since forgotten the logic of ‘Easter Day’ as opposed to ‘Easter Sunday’--- but the lesson has remained fixed in my mind all these many years.
Anyway, Easter Day was great for me personally this year. My whole family attended church together at Grace Episcopal in Orange Park. My sister-in-law led us up to the front row pew and there we all sat. The star of the family was my two month old great-nephew Hugh who was gentle and sweet throughout the service. The church was about as full as I had ever seen it and the music was lovely and everything sparkled.
The sermon delivered by Fr Aaron Smith stood out as particularly memorable. He developed well a point about how we live in ‘parallel universes’, e.g. the earthbound one wherein we are entrapped and ensnared by our own devices and unending mortal distraction and the other in which we have glimpses of ‘eternity’--- the ‘eternity’ promised us by the Resurrection. And for this glimpse of eternity he offered or shared with us an image that had struck him early that very morning as he was driving down US 17 (Roosevelt Boulevard) past NAS Jacksonville from his home to Grace in Orange Park.
Passing the naval base, he caught the sun rising over the St Johns River with such brilliance that it blinded his view of the military installation--- blotting out the dozens of anti-submarine and maritime surveillance aircraft in neat rows and enormous aircraft hangars--- all he could see was the brilliant light emanating from the direction of the far side of the base and the river. It made him think, ‘This is a glimpse of that eternity in which there is no need for defense as there is no threat of enmity or war but only peace and God’s perfect kingdom’. Nature had provided him a glimpse into that eternity of light that every good and faithful soldier and sailor (and every faithful pacifist) has ever longed for and the heart so deeply desires.
I was blessed by that sermon on the blessing of that Easter Day. I pray you were equally blessed and that your church fellowship felt just that much more ‘gathered’ this Easter Day 2021 after a long year of separation.
Yours sincerely,
Douglas Dupree
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Resurrection pen and ink watercolor by William Blake (1757-1827)
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ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW:
CAMP WEED SUMMER CAMPS 2021
By Samantha (Sam) Marxsen,
Youth Director for Camp Weed and Cerveny Conference Center
Registration is looking good for summer camps at Camp Weed. As of today we have 335 campers registered. We ended summer 2019 with 587 campers, so after everything that’s happened in the last year, we set a goal of 450, which we are well on our way to, especially with an increasing number of registrations each day. After cancelling summer 2020 we weren’t really sure what to expect, so I think this is a very good number considering everything that’s happened.
Sessions
We have a total of 7 camp sessions. The first is Mini Camp for ages 6-10. This is a shorter session, Wednesday-Saturday, and serves as a way for younger campers who may be nervous or haven’t been to sleepaway camp before, to get to know camp without being away for a whole week. The second is Senior Session for ages 15-18. This is for our oldest campers, many of whom spend this week as a camper and come back later in the summer to serve as counselors-in-training. Then we have our sessions 1-5 for our biggest age group, 7-14. Between each of these sessions we hold Stayover Sessions on the weekends, so campers can come for multiple weeks in a row without having to check out in between.
Safety protocols
With how quickly guidelines, policies, testing, vaccine distribution, etc. have changed in the past year, we have not completely solidified exactly how activities and cabin interactions will occur yet. The goal is to make camp as “normal” as possible, so we will still be doing the same activities, the beloved Camp Weed 500, campfires, Weed Wide Olympics, counselor hunt, and many more, but with added safety measures. We will be doing daily temperature checks, adding sanitizing measures, ensuring distancing when indoors, spending more time outdoors, and having sanitizing products readily available everywhere.
Registration deadline
Registration will stay open until the Friday before the start of each session (Monday for Mini Camp). We know many families are still unsure about sending their children to camp this summer, so we want to give ample time for everyone to register.
Scholarships
From the Bullock Scholarship Fund we are thrilled to provide over $10,000 in scholarships each summer. Applications can be found at campweed.org under the “Dates and Fees” tab. Applications are due by April 30th.
Where can parents or kids go for more info to register?
Camp Counselors
We have recruited counselors from past campers, former counselors-in-training, Episcopal University Centers, and other online job posting platforms. We generally want our counselors to be at least 18 years of age and have a high school diploma or equivalent, but exceptions can be made. We do still have several cabin counselors positions available! You can apply today at http://campweed.campbrainstaff.com
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THOSE FLORIDA BISHOPS
This month we will test your knowledge about the bishops of our Diocese of Florida. Florida has elected eight since the Diocese was founded and incorporated into the national Church in 1838.
Thanks to our Editor, Canon Dupree, for putting the questions together prompted and directed by Fr William Stokes and his reading of George R. Bentley’s The Episcopal Diocese of Florida 1892-1975. Fr Stokes has been introducing his confirmation class at St Mark’s, Jacksonville to some Diocesan history in order to illustrate to his young students the various challenges (in addition to our challenge of the Covid virus) over the years that our churches have had to face in advancing the Gospel and building the fellowship of Christ.
It does not matter if you guess the correct answers or not—have fun learning some interesting things about our bishops.
Allison +
Questions
1. Which Bishop of Florida, soon after his consecration, deciding to make a tour of the Diocese, went first to Key West, the most difficult part of the Diocese to reach, only to learn he arrived in advance of the news of his consecration?
a. Francis Huger Rutledge (elected Bishop 1851)
b. John Freeman Young (elected Bishop 1867)
c. Edwin Garner Weed (elected Bishop 1886)
2. Which Bishop of Florida had to face the challenge of dwindling church attendance due to the increasing popularity of the ‘Sunday afternoon drive’ and said this about the ‘Automobile problem’:
“the means of communication which should facilitate attendance upon divine worship is used [instead] for pleasurable diversion”.
a. Edwin Garner Weed (elected Bishop 1886)
b. Frank Juhan (elected Bishop 1924)
c. Edward Hamilton West (elected Bishop 1948)
3. Which Bishop of Florida was a nationally noted college football player in his youth?
a. Edwin Garner Weed (elected Bishop 1886)
b. Frank Juhan (elected Bishop in 1924)
c. Frank S. Cerveny (elected Bishop in 1974)
4. Which Bishop of Florida leaned towards High Church beliefs and successfully persuaded a Diocese of Florida Convention to change the name of the Protestant Episcopal Church to the American Catholic Church?
a. Francis Huger Rutledge (elected Bishop 1851)
b. John Freeman Young (elected Bishop 1867)
c. Edwin Garner Weed (elected Bishop 1886)
5. Which Bishop of Florida would quiz his ordinands by asking them to tell him how the word ‘altar’ is spelled in the Book of Common Prayer?
a. Edward Hamilton West (elected Bishop 1948)
b. Stephen Hays Jecko (elected Bishop 1994)
c. Samuel Johnson Howard (elected Bishop 2004).
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OUTDOORS WITH THOMAS AT CAMP WEED
Editor: Camp Weed is busy this beautiful Eastertide preparing for a full summer Camp after a year of lockdown. The Cerveny Conference Center is experiencing a slow but deliberate return to full bookings as north Florida and our country emerges more and more out of lockdown and isolation. As I have kept up with things at Camp Weed over the last few months I have especially enjoyed reports from the Director, Thomas Frazer, on the vitality and energy of nature on the five hundred acre estate that is in so many ways the heart and soul of our Diocese. Here is Thomas, in his own voice, sharing observations about outdoor things at Camp:
Fly fishing
I enjoy ending a busy day at Camp Weed with some fly fishing. I mostly fish off of one of the two docks at the Damon Boat House or else work my way down the shore and around Mandi’s Chapel. I enjoy fishing the last hour of daylight at Camp Weed. We call the first and last hour of day light “The Power Hour”. I find a sense of peace on White Lake, making imperfect casts, and enjoying the view from God’s Playground. We mostly target bass, crappie, and blue gill when fishing at Camp Weed.
Sometimes one of the maintenance employees will join me. You will often find Randy Winton and his son Easton out on the lake, or Joe Chamberlain entertaining friends at the secret spots, or Dick Michaelson and a guest or two from his fly-fishing club in Jacksonville. Dick Michaelson has a club event planned for later this month. Fr. Aaron Smith from Grace Episcopal in Orange Park and his boys Ambrose and Clement (pictured) had a very successful trip last spring. Sam Marxsen has agreed to let me teach a fly fishing to summer campers this year! She is adding fly rods, tackle, and flies to her summer camp wish list.
Camp Weed is the perfect environment for anyone that would like to learn how to fly fish and I would be very excited to teach a fly-fishing course if there might be interest for it in the Diocese. I think we could have some fun events, some great speakers, and priceless fellowship centered around fishing at Camp.
This all means a lot to me as I have been fly fishing since I was a child. An old timer I used to take fishing gave me my first fly rod. I fumbled around with it catching small bass and crappie in our pond in Alabama. I received my first formal lessons, around the age of eight years old, at Lookout Mountain Camp in Mentone, Alabama. I was hooked! In my early twenties I began traveling to Colorado to fly fish and to learn as much as I could from the best in the industry. I went through the Orvis School in Beaver Creek and spent time guiding between Colorado, Montana, and Alabama.
Each place you fish is an entirely unique experience. It brings forth its own set of memories, emotions, and questions as you search for that perfect cast and drift. Sometimes you fish all afternoon in solitude, without a single strike, but you still walk away completely satisfied and at peace. My favorite place to fly fish is in the Gallatin Gateway in Montana. There is something about fishing that canyon, in the evening light that is seemingly transcendent. It is one of the things in this world that you simply have to experience to understand. But come join me for some fishing at Camp Weed!
Thomas Frazer
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What is Anglicanism?
The Rev. William Stokes reviews Gerald Bray’s new book,
Anglicanism: A Reformed Catholic Tradition
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What is Anglicanism? This seemingly simple question is vastly more complicated than it at first seems. Anyone who has taught a confirmation or newcomer’s class in the Diocese of Florida will appreciate how tricky the answer to this question can become. Do we call ourselves Anglican because of our adherence to a Book of Common Prayer? Does our Episcopal polity or our connection to the See of Canterbury make us Anglican? Can our theology in some way be called Anglican? What exactly does it mean to be an Anglican?
There are a number of useful little books out there that try to simplify the answer and attempt to present Anglicanism as some sort of coherent entity. More useful to a confirmation teacher or to a person interested in joining one of our churches might be Gerald Bray’s new book, Anglicanism: A Reformed Catholic Tradition (Lexham Press, 2021, 169 pages, $23.99).
Bray begins this book by admitting that “Anglicanism as we think of it today is essentially a nineteenth-century invention.” He goes on from there to unravel the many layers of so called “Anglicanism.” The most helpful part of this book for anyone teaching confirmation or desiring to know more about our Anglican tradition might be his first chapter in which he lays out all the various movements of the English church which have spilled over into the rest of the Anglican world: Puritanism, Anti-Puritanism, low churchmanship, high churchmanship, latitudinarianism, evangelicalism, Anglo-Catholicism, Liberalism, broad churchmanship. All of these historical movements have had a profound impact on our churches (though these terms are often inaccurately used) and Bray does a masterful job of concisely demonstrating the driving ideas and figures behind each of these movements that have shaped modern “Anglicanism.”
Bray then turns to the question of what holds Anglican churches together theologically, and I believe many will find his candor in answering this question refreshing: for better or worse, there is no official “Anglican theology.” Instead, there are various theological “trajectories” that exist within the Anglican Communion, some more faithful than others to the historic “Reformed Catholic tradition” of Anglicanism as expressed in our formularies. While he does not defend the 39 Articles as the ending point for Anglican theology, Bray does point to them as a “statement of faith that was produced at the time of the Reformation and remains fundamental to Anglicanism as a distinct type of Christianity.”
Bray avoids the modern attempt to claim the Book of Common Prayer as a “source of Anglican theology” but instead claims it to be a “witness to the application” of the theology set out in the 39 Articles. Bray then briefly looks at each article to demonstrate the catholic (Articles 1-8) and Reformed (Articles 9-33) nature of the Anglican theological tradition. Anyone unfamiliar with the Articles will find this an intriguing and helpful guide through this important formulary of Anglicanism.
Despite avoiding easy answers to the question of what exactly Anglicanism is, Gerald Bray has written a very useful and important book that will greatly benefit both those who are new to an Episcopal church in our Diocese or those who have been members since their infant baptisms. Bray is a concise and clear writer who combines his skills as a notable historian with his deep faith in our triune God in this book to produce a winsome appeal for our Christian tradition.
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AN INTERVIEW WITH OUR LONG-SERVING AND RECENTLY RETIRED ARCHDEAON: The Rev. Deacon Jeanie Beyer
Jeanie Beyer was the Archdeacon of our Diocese of Florida from her appointment in 2010 until she retired from that office in March 2021. I recently interviewed her for this Newsletter so that we might share what a splendid ministry of service she has performed amongst us and that she continues to do so in her leadership role in the Deacons’ School.
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Here is Jeanie (center in collar) with fellow parishoners at Holy Comforter, Tallahassee on Easter Day.
The Interview
1. Tell us about your call to Ordained Ministry.
I first sensed a call to ministry pounding in my heart when I was 17 years old. However, at that time I thought it was to be a nun since they were the only women in ministry I ever saw. When I shared the good news with my mother, she was not too happy and asked, “can’t you love God and have children too?” Of course, Mother was right and once I had my children, churches were ordaining women. The pounding in my heart stayed with me those many years until I began in earnest to pursue Ordination.
2. What did formation for ordained ministry look like for you?
My formation process was similar to the process that our Florida deacons go through. Once the Commission on Ministry and the Bishop approved my moving forward, I was required to do two years of Deacons’ School, CPE and an Internship. There were two Dioceses in Missouri and the deacon postulants from both Diocese trained together, which involved traveling across the state for School in various locations for the two years.
3. Were there any significant spiritual mentors that led you in discernment for Ordained Ministry?
Yes, the first was my CPE supervisor. I enrolled in CPE before ever verbalizing a call to the diaconate. My supervisor challenged me to take my discernment to a deeper level and talk to my Bishop about what he (my Supervisor) saw in me as a call. The second person was my Spiritual Director who also affirmed the call. Both walked with me during my process and were present at my Ordination.
4. What did you see in the character and structure of the Church’s diaconate that spoke to your heart and imagination?
What spoke to me was the call to servanthood. The Maundy Thursday foot washing service has always been powerful to me. I envisioned myself tying a towel around my waist and bending to wash the feet of others especially those on the margins. Hopefully, that has been what I have been able to provide as I have served in prisons, on the streets, in hospitals and in Haiti.
5. What brought you to Florida? What ministries and responsibilities have you exercised as a deacon in the Diocese of Florida?
Family brought us to Florida. I have been in the Diocese for 14 years. I have served as the Deacon at the Church of the Advent, Grace Mission and Holy Comforter in Tallahassee. I served on the Commission on Ministry for 8 years and on the Task Force to develop a curriculum for the training of Vocational Deacons. I co-facilitate Deacons’ School with The Rev. Dn. Marsha Holmes. The Diocese has ordained 10 new deacons since the formation of the School with 3 to be ordained soon. I served on the Diocesan Pastoral Care Commission and I now serve on the Advisory Board to the CPE program at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital.
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Farming and Nature: More Notes From Camp Weed |
Camp Weed has chickens and a new coop at the DeSoto site along the service road well known to our Cursillo friends! We wanted to do something fun and educational for our youth groups this year as well as something that our adult guests could be involved in. We thought that chickens would be a great way to bring attention back to the DeSoto site; expose our youth and adults to something they do not regularly experience and that might represent Cursillo with a resource that gives back to Camp Weed. (The rooster is Cursillo’s mascot.)
We are raising 10 Novagen Browns, 10 Isa Browns, 5 Buff Brahmas, 5 Americanas, 5 Easter Eggers, 3 Cuckoo Marans, and 2 Black Stars. They are about two months old right now. They are currently in a pin at the Director’s House. We have three roosters that will be split up once the chicks go to the coop. I purchased them from Charley’s Chicks---he runs a great operation here in north Florida. I was happy to donate them to get this all going.
As for the new coop, we salvaged part of the Cursillo shed that was demolished by a falling tree limb for the materials and purchased the rest in Live Oak. Preston Miller, Clayton Carrozza, and I did the construction with helpful ideas from Gina Hoover.
We have an introduction to chickens and a chicken husbandry course planned for summer campers this year. We will also offer a fresh egg omelette bar at summer camp and for regular events at Camp Weed.
Unfortunately, right now the roosters are not close enough to the cabins to serve as an alarm clock --- but that can be easily remedied!
Decolores!
Sink hole
We recently had a sink hole open up in the SW corner of the lake. The lake level dropped approximately 4’ before it balanced itself out. We had a geological specialist survey the area. We looked at several costly solutions that involved pouring concrete into the hole, but God solved it naturally before we could. We are looking at the possibility of putting in a spillway to better control the water level in the future. The lake is currently stable and is expected to remain that way. The lake and the grounds are beautiful and awaiting your return. Come to Camp. Bring your kids, bring your family, bring your church or just bring yourself. A warm welcome is waiting for you.
Thomas Frazier
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THE ARCHDEACON’S CORNER
Our new Archdeacon, Mark Richardson, shares his thoughts with us about a special deacon
An Unusual Deacon
We see him everywhere especially in gardens. There will be birds on his shoulder or near his hand, and he is either feeding or talking to them. The scenes are ones of peace and tranquility. He came from wealth, but took a vow of poverty, and he served in a little town and in a little chapel in Italy. This deacon is perhaps one of the most beloved saints in Western culture. He is Saint Francis of Assisi.
Now most of us would assume that St. Francis, like most early church leaders, was a priest or even a bishop. But Francis was actually just a deacon. Yes, the founder of the Franciscans, the Order of Saint Clare, and the Third Order of Saint Francis, was just a deacon.
While we know much about him, most historians only focus on the ministry of St. Francis and not his Holy Orders. So, his station in the church is often not mentioned. Which is odd. During Francis’ time most priests were only transitional deacons, and none would have imagined staying in that order.
This is not because something prevented Francis from becoming a priest. The church loved him. And in fact, Francis loved priests. Historians would often quote him as saying, “If I saw an Angel and a priest, I would bend my knee first to the priest and then to the Angel.” Francis believed that all priests were set-apart by God for a special purpose, a purpose he thought was not his calling.
It was Francis’ affinity for the Eucharist (that it was the holiest of all of the sacraments) that stopped him from becoming a priest. You see, Francis did not believe that he was worthy to bless the sacraments. It is here that we catch a glimpse of his most humble heart.
Many of the stories that surround the life of Francis relate to his love for animals and the environment. The "Fioretti" ("Little Flowers"), is a collection of legends and folklore that sprang up after his death. One account describes how one day, while Francis was traveling, he happened upon a place in the road where birds filled the trees on either side. Francis told his companions to "wait for me while I go to preach to my sisters the birds." The birds surrounded him, and not one of them flew away. This is why he is often portrayed with a bird.
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At Advent we reenact the Nativity scene which Saint Francis did at Greccio near Assisi, around 1220. Francis celebrated that Christmas by setting up the first known presepio or crèche (Nativity scene). His nativity imagery reflected the scene in traditional paintings. He used real animals to create a living scene so that the worshipers could contemplate the birth of the child Jesus in a direct way, making use of the senses, especially sight.
If we step back and consider St. Francis’ life, his Christ-like service, love for the poor, and the love of all God’s creatures he surely exhibited the heart of a deacon.
Francis was the trend setter, for vocational deacons today. All deacons are servants and Deacon Francis wasn’t content to merely read the Gospel, or serve at the altar, he lived God’s words. Francis never forgot the words of Jesus “For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one at the table? But I am among you as one who serves” (Luke 22:27). Deacon Francis made those words come alive by his service. May we each, possess such a loving and humble heart to serve the Lord so completely.
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Saint Francis in the Desert Giovanni Bellini, c. 1480
Praying that our Lord finds you and yours well,
Archdeacon Mark Richardson
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Scrub-Palmetto and Orange:
Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Florida
Review of a Virtual Presentation on April 14, 2021
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The Bishop’s Institute of the Diocese of Florida was delighted to join several other north Florida groups to host this past week on Wednesday February 14th a lecture on the subject of Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of “Uncle Tom’s Cabin”and her impact upon Florida, our nation and, indeed the world. The lecture was a joint venture of the Bishop’s Institute, the Jacksonville Historical Society, the Mandarin Museum and Historical Society, the Diocese of Florida and Church of Our Saviour in Mandarin. The lecture featured comments and slides from Dr. Michelle Navakas, noted scholar of Stowe and professor at Miami University (Ohio). Special thanks to Canon Allison DeFoor for his role in bringing the Diocese and the Bishop’s Institute into fellowship with the historical societies, the museums and Church of Our Saviour.
The effort was a complete success, with the largest attendance ever at a Jacksonville Historical Society event, with over 230 people registered. The lecture and questions went into overtime.
Dr. Navakas focused upon Stowe‘s time in Florida following the Civil War and into the late 1880s. She was a major force in the abolition of slavery, race relations post-Civil War and in the care of God’s Creation as asocial cause.
At the conclusion of the lecture it was suggested that follow up lectures on three subjects might be had in years to come. These will include Harriett Beecher Stowe and race, the environment, and the creation of Florida’s tourism economy.
Stowe was descended from and related to numerous Reformed ministers, including her prominent husband and father. She and her daughters became Episcopalians--- the faith of her mother and she was an active communicant at Church of our Savior in Mandarin during her time in Florida. A Tiffany window was dedicated to her time amongst us after her death, but it was destroyed in Hurricane Dora in 1964. She is remembered fondly by the community in Mandarin and by this Diocese.
The Rev. Joe Gibbes, Rector of the Church of Our Saviour says: ‘Dr. Navakas provided her audience with a fascinating lecture that showed the humanity of Harriet Beecher Stowe. For all her talent and impact, Church of Our Saviour’s famous founder had her flaws. It reminded me once again that God loves to use his broken vessels for His magnificent purposes. I look forward to Dr. Navakas and others offering more insight in the future!
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To register, call the Cathedral Bookstore: 904-356-5507, ext. 152
or
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