Please join us

THIS SATURDAY, JANUARY 15TH

in welcoming a new women's ministry in the

Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast

Quiet Day and Taize Eucharist

~~Open to all women of the Diocese~~

St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, 1608 Baker Court,

Panama City, Florida

Saturday, January 15, 2011

9:00  Registration and hospitality

9:30 - 11:30  Meditation and Quiet Time

led by Pat Horn, Spiritual Director

In the Beginning, God. . .

11:45 - 12:45  Luncheon

1:00 - 1:30  Taize Eucharist

with Installation of chapters and members in

 The Episcopal Community

 by The Right Rev. Philip Duncan, National Chaplain

and Bishop of the Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast

1:45 - 3:00  Meeting of The Episcopal Community

Registration, Hospitality, and Luncheon $15

Registration (no lunch)  $6

RSVP to Nancy Young, 207 Harrison Place, Panama City, FL  32405

Caterer donates profits from luncheon to the National Transplant Foundation

Submitted by Marqua Brunette

Director of Choirs

Holy Nativity, Panama City

Coastline Communicator

PANAMA CITY, Florida - Holy Nativity held their second annual 'Pajama Sunday' on the third Sunday of Advent. All children (and a few brave fathers) wore their PJ's to church and acolytes processed down the aisle wearing fuzzy slippers. Beverly McDaniel, Director of Christian Ed was decked out in her beautiful emerald green robe worn over her Sunday dress! Each child also brought a new pair of pajamas to donate to needy children in the area. Over 50 pairs of new PJ's were donated that Sunday. When the children returned from their Sunday Christian Education time they presented their donations around the altar as Fr. Steve Bates was preparing to celebrate Eucharist. That same morning the Children's Choir sang, "A Song of Advent" which featured three mothers of children's choir members. It was accompanied by piano and violinist, Mary Ellen Reedie. The spirit of 'joy' was overflowing at Holy Nativity that morning.    Photo courtesy of Holy Nativity

Calling Vendors and Crafters for St. Mary's Spring Bazaar

May 20 and 21, 2011

St. Mary's Church, 6841 Oak Street, Milton, Florida

(between Escambia & Santa Rosa Streets)

Phone Barbara 632-8226 or Jean 626-1422

St. Mary's in Milton, Florida is sponsoring a spring bazaar and invites vendors and crafters to participate in this event.  The church has large grounds with spaces on both sides of the street in the lovely downtown area of Milton.  The event will be advertised.   Download the rate sheet here

Many vestry members start out with three assumptions:

1. Their job is to run the congregation
2. Their goal is to keep longtime members happy.
3. From work and home, they already have the skills they need to do vestry work.    

Not one of assumptions is accurate. And our own history proves it.

At the end of each year you see many Top 10 lists and I have room here for my own choice of seven stories that affected the life of our Episcopal Church in the past year.

1. Haiti relief galvanizes the church. Haiti is the largest diocese in the Episcopal Church and suffered a devastating earthquake on Jan. 12, 2010. Since that time thanks to the coordinated effort of Episcopal Relief and Development most dioceses in the church have offered support for emergency assistance and redevelopment work.

2. Gene Robinson and Desmond Tutu announce their retirement. Two giants of the church announced the ends of their careers in the past year. On Oct. 8 as he turned 79-years-old, Desmond Tutu, longtime archbishop of the Church of South Africa and tireless defender of human rights announced he would withdraw from public life. Then on Nov. 11, 2010, Gene Robinson, the first openly gay bishop, announced his retirement as the diocesan bishop of New Hampshire effective Jan. 2013.

3. Continuing dioceses fully established in Quincy, San Joaquin, Fort Worth and Pittsburgh. Since 2007, four dioceses have withdrawn from the Episcopal Church and launched independent Anglican expressions united in something called the Anglican Church in North America. Meanwhile, through the leadership of Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori and the Executive Council continuing dioceses have been constituted in Texas, California, Illinois and Pennsylvania.

4. Staff and budget cuts implemented at 815 include the end of print media. Executive Council had to slash already reduced budgets based on projected income from the dioceses and these cuts have led to the end of print journalism as communication tool for the Episcopal Church.

5. General Seminary keeps doors open. Faced with financial woes, General Seminary where six trustees are elected by the General Convention contemplated closing its doors. In July 2010 the school reached an agreement in principle with its chief lending institution, Manufacturers and Traders Trust Company on terms for a $5.3 million short term loan that provided working capital for the current school year.

6. The Rev. Canon Mary D. Glasspool elected first lesbian bishop. The first lesbian to be elected a bishop was consecrated on May 15, 2010.

7. Episcopal Church membership drops below 2 million. Suffering a steady decline since its peak membership of 3.4 million in the mid-60s, the Episcopal Church dropped below 2 million people for the first time since 1930.

What news stories would you add to complete a Top Ten List? Use the ECF comment section to add to this list of stories. Also check out another list from the good folks at the Episcopal Café.

On January 12, 2010, a devastating earthquake hit Haiti, leveling scores of buildings and claiming over 217,000 lives.  At the center of major relief efforts was the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti, the largest diocese of The Episcopal Church, and long-term partner of Episcopal Relief & Development.  Led by the Rt. Rev. Jean Zaché Duracin, the Haitian Church has long provided programs and basic services in communities throughout the country.  The Church in Haiti has a network of relationships that were essential to the rapid delivery of assistance and supplies after the earthquake.

Submitted by Keith Greene, Team Leader

2011 DIOCESAN MEDICAL MISSION TO THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

Our medical mission is in transition as we change our assigned area in the Dominican Republic to the Episcopal Church of San Marcos in Haina, District of Paravia, some 20 miles west of the capitol city of Santo Domingo.  Our diocesan construction team built pews for this newly constructed church over a couple of years starting in 2005.  This D.R. community has a need for medical care owing to the level of surrounding poverty. 

Current plans call for a small team of 10 to 12 people to conduct medical clinics in and around Haina from March 5th through March 13th, 2011.   Applications are being sought from MDs, PAs, RNPs, RNs/LPNs, Pharmacist, Pharm. Tech., Spanish Translators, and Clergy.  If you are interested, please submit your application ASAP.  The address for mailing your application and other necessary documents is on the application.  Download the application here. 

If you have questions about the mission or difficulty downloading the application, contact Keith Greene, Team Leader, at:

Email: godthing2@cox.net      HP:  850-651-4158    CP:  850-496-7724

Commission on World Mission webpage