Welcome to the Diocesan Digest Newsletter | | |
|
Dear Diocese of Florida,
Thank you so much for your participation in helping us choose a new newsletter name. We are so excited to introduce Diocesan Digest, our new newsletter that consolidates the content featured in Clergy Connect and Connect.
This newsletter will feature clergy news, ordinations, confirmations, baptisms, Diocesan happenings, and Camp Weed events as well as #DioFLfeast social media posts.
We look forward to sharing future editions of the Diocesan Digest newsletter with you!
| |
|
Convocation #2 on April 6:
Registration is Open
| | |
|
As previously shared by the Steering Committee, the second convocation will be held on April 6 virtually on Webex. All current members of the Diocese of Florida are warmly invited to join.
Convocation is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. and last until no later than 1 p.m. To register, please click the button below.
| |
|
Congratulations to Evan VanBrunt for
being selected as
General Convention Official Youth Presence
| | |
|
The 81st General Convention for The Episcopal Church happens this June in Louisville, Kentucky. The Episcopal Church just released the names of the youth who will be part of the General Convention Official Youth Presence (GCOYP).
While many young people applied, only two youths from each of the nine provinces were selected to attend and participate at the 81st General Convention representing the youth in our Church.
Evan Van Brunt is one of two youths selected for the GCOYP from Province IV (Southeast United States). Evan is an active member of Christ Church, Ponte Vedra, and a junior at the Episcopal School of Jacksonville. Evan will join our deputation from the Diocese of Florida in Louisville this summer.
Evan is currently involved at Christ Church, Ponte Vedra as an acolyte, as a member of their handbell choir, and as one of the professional drummers at their two Sunday contemporary services, filling in when needed. In the Diocese, Evan has served on numerous Happening teams during the past few years as well. At the Episcopal School of Jacksonville, Evan serves as Head of Music on the Vestry, the student group that plans and leads chapel. He also is a Vestry junior team leader.
He has already been selected to be a senior leader on the Vestry next year. Outside of church and school, Evan also serves as a peer attorney in Duval County's Teen Court program which meets weekly for middle and high school students referred to the program by their school or the sheriff's office for non-violent offenses.
We are very blessed to have Evan represent the youth in Province IV and the Diocese of Florida. We look forward to hearing about Evan’s experience on the GCOYP at our Annual Diocesan Convention on September 21, 2024.
| |
|
Diocesan Cuba Companionship from
Christ Church Episcopal Church,
Ponte Vedra Beach
| | |
|
Christ Church Episcopal Church, Ponte Vedra Cuba missioners recently worked alongside and enjoyed the fellowship of Fr. Andreano and the congregation of the Iglesia El Buen Pastor Güira.
Repairs were made to the water system, and the group spent time visiting the area and our sister parish.
| |
|
In Case You Missed it:
Camp Weed Leadership Transition
| | |
|
Recently, the Standing Committee shared Randy Winton stepped down as the Executive Director of Camp Weed. Lauri SoJourner will fill in as Interim Executive Director and her bio can be found here.
You may read the full announcement here.
| |
Upcoming: Sacred Ground Gathering on April 3 at St. Philip's Episcopal Church, Jacksonville | | |
|
On April 3 at 6 p.m., Diane Downing from Christ Church Episcopal Church, Ponte Vedra, and Wendell (Tony) Morrison from St. Philips Episcopal Church, Jacksonville will be facilitating another Sacred Ground group at St. Philip's Episcopal Church, Jacksonville.
Please contact Tony at (904) 233-7680, email wendent1@outlook.com or Diane at (757) 676-2023, email dvd3@outlook.com if you are interested or have any questions.
| |
|
50 Years of Ordination Celebration for
The Rev. Dr. John Palarine
| | |
|
On Friday, March 22 at the Episcopal Church of Our Saviour, Jacksonville there was a celebration held for the Rev. Dr. John Palarine's 50th ordination anniversary to the priesthood.
We requested short anecdotes about Fr. John Palarine's tenure from various parishioners. Below, you'll find some of the responses. Take a look!
| |
|
Frank Loosbrock, Senior Warden at Church of Our Saviour
"Many of you here may have noticed that John and I often start our sentences with the word “ So”…So, where do we go from here, or So, what’s it going to be. We get the word “So” from being raised in the great State of Minne-So-ta.
And that is where my story about Father John Palarine begins. Fifty years ago today, John Palarine was ordained into the priesthood by Bishop Phillip McNary in St. Paul , Minnesota. A year later my wife Lynn and I became members of St. Peter’s Episcopal church in Kasson, Minnesota about 80 miles SE of St. Paul. The same Bishop McNary who ordained Father John, confirmed Lynn and received me into the Episcopal church family.
Fast forward 25 years and our paths finally crossed in the sunshine state of Florida. Father John became rector at Church of Our Savior, our church. From that point on we’ve worshipped together, we’ve prayed together, we’ve traveled together, we’ve cried together, and we’ve laughed together. That’s pretty much the definition of Family. And, to this day we remain family with all of the Palarine’s.
Over Father John’s 18 years of service to Church of our Savior, he has confirmed our two children, married our daughter, buried our 22 year old son , who we lost to leukemia , and baptized our two grandchildren. Along with serving and selflessly ministering to the needs of countless others at Church of Our Savior. God Bless The Reverend Doctor John Palarine."
| | |
|
|
Jennifer Huffingham
"From the beginning of Fr. John’s ministry at the Church of our Saviour, it felt as if he had always been a part of the church family. His positive energy carried over into all that he did as Rector, preaching to our hearts and tending to them as well.
Our family has many wonderful memories of his years at COOS, but a favorite is the joy he took in the annual Camp Weed family campout- tubing the Ichetucknee and returning to camp to play water polo with the teens and their dads, no holds barred! We love and appreciate Fr. John and are blessed to have had him as our pastor."
Pictured is Jennifer's oldest son’s First Communion class.
| |
Joanne Blalock
Joanne Blalock was Fr. John Palarine's assistant for several years.
"I can’t begin to list how he touched my heart and spirit. We had fun, sadness, and solidarity in spreading God’s Word. We worked though the ups and downs of church life and 9/11! He was and is a believer in prayer. We had a great team working for the congregation."
| |
|
Noah Gilmore
"John (Padre) and I play golf together on a weekly basis and we discuss the world's problems. But we haven't fully come up with any solutions. Fr. John, during his time at Church of our Saviour, appointed me Senior Warden and went on Sabbatical (Smiles).
Thankfully we were able to take care of all of the issues that came up. He is someone I highly respect and love and has been designated to do the eulogy at my Memorial Service."
| |
Recent Baptisms, Confirmations, and Ordinations | | |
|
On March 17, there were four baptisms and eight confirmations at the Chapel of the Incarnation, Gainesville.
Those baptized were Cassie Edmunds, Logan Buscher, Lucie Dudley, and Kelsea Perreault.
Those confirmed were Josh Martin, Jared McKee, Caroline Morgan, Jeffrey Fernandez, Elizabeth Preston, Owen Parr, and Ethan Perreault.
| |
On March 17, Bishop Benhase ordained The Rev. Dn. Phillip Ervin Scott to the Priesthood at Christ Episcopal Church, Cedar Key. | |
|
Schedule Your Bishop Visitation Today
To request a visit from a bishop, please reach out to Deanna Peck at dpeck@diocesefl.org. There are still available slots from July to December!
| |
|
St. Philip's Episcopal Church, Jacksonville
featured in Arbus Magazine
| | |
|
St. Philip's Episcopal Church was recently featured in the Arbus Magazine March/April 2024 issue. The article spotlighted Henrietta Cuttino Dozier, Jacksonville's Pioneer Female Architect.
Dozier was selected to design St. Philip's Episcopal Church, Jacksonville, a one-story building that still exists today at 321 West Union Street in 1903. At the time, she was the first and only female architect in Jacksonville until the 1940s.
You can read the full article by clicking the button below. The article starts on page 36.
| |
#DioFlFeast Featured on Facebook | | |
|
St. Mark's Episcopal Church, Jacksonville
On March 16, there was another outstanding author talk and book signing at St. Mark's Episcopal Church, Jacksonville for the magnificent book Spires In The Sun. There was a great turnout, lots of interest and questions plus strong sales.
| |
|
Episcopal Church of the Advent, Tallahassee
On March 4, the Episcopal Church of the Advent, Tallahassee celebrated its 65th anniversary this month.
They started the day with a service in St. Clement's Chapel, followed by breakfast in the Parish Hall. Then at 10:30, an annotated service, where Father Bret explained a bit about some elements of our worship and then... PARTY!
They gathered in the Parish Hall for food and fellowship - some new faces and some faces from the past visited, ate cake, and nibbled from the amazing buffet of food. A lot of items and photos from their past lined the walls, from laying out the property to moving the chapel to building the church - and all the people involved.
| |
|
St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, Jacksonville
On Saturday, March 2, the ladies of the Diocese of Florida Daughters of the King gathered at St. Andrew’s in Jacksonville for the Spring Assembly. During the assembly, there was an installation of new officers.
Congratulations to new officers Pam Pierce, President, and Cynthia Nixon, Treasurer. Blessings!
| |
|
St. John's Cathedral, Jacksonville
'Art of the Funeral' with Dean Kate
A workshop titled ‘The Art of the Funeral’ was held at St John’s Cathedral, Jacksonville on March 2. Some forty clergy and laity from churches in the Diocese participated including a group of clergy and laity led by the Rev. Dr James Taylor, Rector of St. George Episcopal Church the Villages in the Diocese of Central Florida.
The morning and afternoon workshop was led by the Very Rev. Kate Moorehead Carroll, Dean of the Cathedral. Everyone came away better equipped to answer the questions that the Dean set out to explore, i.e. ‘How do we balance gentle pastoring with liturgical intelligence? How can we craft a service that speaks of the life of a person while remaining faithful to our ancient liturgical practices? And how can we translate our liturgy to those who have never experienced it?’
| |
|
Spend the Summer at Camp Weed: Register for Camp Today!
To sign up, please click here. Summer Camp scholarship applications can be accessed by clicking here. The deadline to apply is April 30.
| |
|
Happening #150 – April 19-21, 2024
| |
Do you have news or updates you want to share in our next issue of Diocesan Digest? Please email us at communications@diocesefl.org for consideration. | | | | |
