2012 MEDICAL MISSION DATES ANNOUNCED Submitted by Medical Mission Team Leader, Keith Greene The Commission on World Mission has designated the following dates for the next Diocesan Medical Mission to the Dominican Republic: Departure: Saturday, March 3, 2012 Return: Sunday, March 11, 2012
Details and application here
ALABAMA BISHOP JOINS FEDERAL LAWSUIT AGAINST STATE'S IMMIGRATION BILL
Bishop Philip Duncan's July 29th statement of July 29th also mentioned in story
BIRMINGHAM, AL - Bishop of Alabama Henry N. Parsley has joined his Methodist and Roman Catholic counterparts in a federal lawsuit August. 1 aimed at stopping enforcement of the state's new immigration law. They said in their suit that they "have reason to fear that administering of religious sacraments, which are central to the Christian faith, to known undocumented persons may be criminalized under this law," according to a Birmingham News report. The new law is set to go into effect September 1. Bishop Philip Duncan's statement in response to the passage of the HB56 legislation is also mentioned in the news story. Full story here Bishop Duncan's Statement 7-29-2011 House Bill 56 Related ENS story ST. LUKE'S, MOBILE, WELCOMES NEW DIRECTOR OF YOUTH MINISTRIES Submitted by The Rev. Ken Cumbie MOBILE, AL - We are pleased to announce that Gail Griffith has accepted the position of Director of Youth Ministries. She will be responsible for developing a ministry program that is relational and mission-oriented. More WOMEN OF VISION CONFERENCE A GREAT SUCCESS ECW's "Women of Vision" Conference was a great success this past weekend, July 29-31, 2011 at Beckwith Camp and Conference Center. Conference presenters were Cecil Williamson of the Diocese of Alabama and Joy Tway of our diocese. Rebecca Dyson coordinated the event. Full story and photos CELEBRATION OF MINISTRY HELD FOR THE REV. DR. MARGARET SHEPARD July 23 was a very special day at St. Andrew's, Panama City. The Right Rev. Philip M. Duncan installed The Rev. Dr. Margaret Shepard as the eighteenth rector of St. Andrew's Episcopal Church. Full story and photos DAVID BRADY NAMED DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE COORDINATOR FOR THE DIOCESE Submitted by Eugene Johnston Bishop Philip Duncan has named J. David Brady, Jr. of Mobile as the Disaster Preparedness and Response Coordinator for the Diocese. David is a partner in the law firm of Anders, Boyett & Brady, P.C. and has been in the practice of law for the past 26 years. More ST. ANNA'S, POARCH, YOUTH ENJOYING SUMMER EVENTS Submitted by Lee "Lavan" Martin ATMORE (POARCH), ALABAMA - The youth at St. Anna's in Poarch are enjoying a busy summer! Three of St. Anna's youth, along with a youth coordinator, represented the Episcopal Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast at the Native American Conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and immediately following, attended The Episcopal Church's annual Youth Conference. Both conferences were held at Bethel, University. Click here for story and photos ST. JAMES, FAIRHOPE YOUTH RETURN FROM MISSION TRIP Submitted by Katherine Seibt,Youth Director St. James Fairhope So...we're back from Birmingham and have finished up the lock-in. Lord knows it was fun, exhausting, but fun. I think the kids really had a great time and learned a lot along the way.
Sr. High EYC went to Birmingham, to rebuild a Habitat for Humanity house that was destroyed by a tornado...
Full story here _________________________ REDUX As reminders, these announcements from the last Coastline are being re-published. EPISCO-MALL READY TO GO! Submitted by Mark Roberts, Epiphany Development The Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast is asking for at least three churches, ideally five, within the Diocese to participate and beta test the Episcomall.com web site. The site is a place for parishioners to sell items (as in a garage sale or art/collections sale) online with proceeds going to their parish and a percentage to the diocese. A small group of 3-5 volunteers can manage your Parish web site and sell items to raise money. Only one person with some computer experience is required. Who and what is required? Parish Episcomall Administrators These volunteers will update product inventory and pictures, oversee sales and shipping and work directly with the Diocese to complete administrative reports. Parish Photographers Take digital photographs of items for sale. Donors Donate items to their Parish by bringing the items to church for processing or process their donations online. Buyers Purchase donated items at a reasonable price. Episcomall is more like amazon.com than ebay. The Diocese will mail out checks to each Parish once a month. The Diocese keeps 20% of revenues. The Parishes can see their sales reports online. Episco-Mall is an additional and new method to have a fund-raiser.... it is an ongoing operation that uses little sweat equity when compared to the traditional annual garage sales/thrift shop sales/yard-sales. The first three Parishes will be accepted although ideally we'd love to have five parishes participate. If your Parish would like to participate, email admin@episcomall.com with your request. Thank you! STEWARDSHIP CONSULTANT TRAINING The Rev. Rusty Goldsmith will present a Stewardship Consultant Training conference about the "Alabama Plan of Christian Stewardship" August 5th - 6th at Beckwith Camp and Conference Center. Clergy and/or a representative from each congregation have been invited. Registration responses should be sent to Mary Poss as soon as possible. The program will begin around 5:00 p.m. Friday and conclude no later than 3:30 p.m. Saturday. Registration cost is $103 single and $80 doubleoccupancy, per person (includes dinner, breakfast and lunch). Please contact Mary Poss to find out if any openings are still available. mary@diocgc.org or (850) 434-7337. ST. MICHAEL'S, OZARK PLANS BBQ St. Michael's (Ozark, AL) ECW is having a Country Bar-B-Q on Saturday, August 6 in the parish hall from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Menu is ribs, pulled pork, potato salad, slaw, baked beans, Texas toast, pound cake, lemonade, and ice tea. Tickets are $10 for adults and children under 8 years $7. ECW ladies are selling tickets. Call Liz Babine, 334-774-7145, to make a reservation and purchase your tickets at the door. Take out plates will be available. Money made from this event will go to pay for a handicap sidewalk to go from the handicap parking area to the parish hall. EFM: EDUCATION FOR MINISTRY
Several classes beginning this fall across the diocese
Education for Ministry (EfM) is a four-year program of theological education by extension from the School of Theology at the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee. Over 70,000 persons have participated in the program, and in the United States more than 22,000 have completed the full four years. In our diocese there are several hundred graduates of EfM. Read more
UPCOMING EVENTS AT HOLY NATIVITY, PANAMA CITY Holy Nativity Episcopal Church in Panama City, FL will have "Shell Island Sunday" on August 7, 2011 at 11:00 am. This will be a time of Worship, Eucharist, Baptism, and Fellowship on Shell Island! You can bring your own boat or make reservations with the St. Andrew's Ferry ($10 a person). Sign up sheets are in Battin Hall on Sundays or you can call the church office at 850-747-4000. There will also be a picnic following worship! Bring a dish to share! Regular 8:00 and 10:30 services will also be held at the church. For more information, please call the church office or go to Holy Nativity's website, www.holy-nativity.org Holy Nativity Episcopal Church in Panama City, FL will have their annual "Blessing of the Packbacks" August 21st at the 10:30 am worship service. All students are invited to bring their backpacks filled with school supplies to church so they can be blessed before school begins the next day. For more information, please call the church office at 850-747-4000 or go to Holy Nativity's website, www.holy-nativity.org .
ST. FRANCIS GUILD AT REDEEMER IN MOBILE PLANS CLASSES
A Pet CPR & Emergency Measures Class is scheduled for Saturday, August 13, 2011 at Redeemer, Mobile. The class is already half-full....deadline for registration is August 5th. To secure a place, please call the church office, 251-639-1948 or click here to register online. "LIKE" Redeemer's St. Francis Guild on FACEBOOK "LIKE" Church of the Redeemer on FACEBOOK Pet Portrait Painting Workshop: Learn the art of hand-coloring a photograph on canvas with transparent oil paints and take home a framed portrait of your pet! Susan Downing-White will lead this workshop at Redeemer Thursday, Aug. 25 from 6-10 p.m. The class is limited to 30 participants. No painting experience is necessary. All materials are provided in the $75 fee. You will need to email a close-up head and shoulders shot of your pet (no flash please) 10 MB or larger file (8 x 10 print) by Aug. 4, so Susan can prepare your canvas for the class to info@susandowningwhite.com. To sign up, call the church office at 639-1948. For questions about the class, call Susan at 545-1441. APPLICATIONS NOW ACCEPTED FOR EPISCOPAL CHURCH INNOVATIVE LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS 2012 Roanridge Grants DEADLINE: SEPTEMBER 1, 2011 Applications are now accepted for the 2012 Roanridge Grants, awarded annually for new and creative models for leadership development in small communities across the Episcopal Church. Dioceses, congregations and Episcopal related organizations and institutions are invited to apply for the grants which range from $5000 to $20,000. "The Roanridge Grants assist new creative ministry approaches in rural settings," explained the Rev. Bob Honeychurch, Episcopal Church Officer for Congregational Vitality. "The funds will seed new possibilities of ministry." For more information, application and instructions in English and Spanish: www.episcopalchurch.org/roanridge Previous recipients are eligible to apply, although Honeychurch added that priority is given to new applications. The 2012 grants will be announced on November 15. | 
