When: Saturday June 27, 6pm
Where: Canoe Creek Chrsitian Church
4080 Pine Tree Dr, St Cloud, FL 34772
Come join the community in celebrating Rev. Sam Gilkey’s lifetime of ministry, the past 11 of which has been served here in Osceola County, at 6 p.m., Saturday, June 27. Rev. Gilkey, who has worked to help the needy in our community and give them hope, is retiring from ministry at the end of June.
Rev. Gilkey has been an ordained deacon in the Episcopal Church and the Diocese of Central Florida for 36 years, the last 11 of which has seen him serve as deacon at The Episcopal Church of St. Luke and St. Peter in St. Cloud. His wife, Jean, has served by his side all that time as well.
The June 27 celebration of the Gilkey’s ministry will aim to bring in $36,000, $1,000 for each year of ministry, to be given to three Osceola County outreach ministries that are closest to Rev. Gilkey’s heart: St. Cloud Cares, The Community Hope Center of Kissimmee and A Place for Grace.
Each of those three ministries will be highlighted during the evening along with the Gilkey’s 36 years of ministry. Community and religious leaders will have the opportunity to thank the couple for their dedication. Rev. Gilkey himself will also share his spiritual journey and vision of pastoral leadership.
The Gilkeys have been a part of our Osceola County community for many years and have dedicated themselves to serving and connecting together both the poor and the church. They have done this through serving on various committees, boards and outreach ministries in Osceola County and St. Cloud.
Besides being an ordained deacon in the Episcopal Church, Rev. Gilkey has served as a reporter of the Osceola Gazette and several radio stations.
Our evening will draw attention to Rev. Sam and Jean Gilkey’s ordained ministry, their connection to the outreach ministries of our community, how churches can serve our communities sacrificially and most importantly the all too forgotten members of our communities with whom these amazing ministries bring hope.
Contact persons for event
Celebration Event Coordinator: Rev. Robert Longbottom
Rector, Church of St. Luke & St. Peter
fr_rob@msn.com
407-892-3227
Rev. Sam Gilkey
407-498-0780 (home)
407-288-7901 (cell)
Outreach organizations:
Saint Cloud Cares
Shelly Allen
407-435-1276
Community Hope Center of Kissimmee
Ms. Mary Downey, Director
(321) 677-0245
E mail: moreinfo@hope192.com
www.hope192.com
A Place for Grace
Mr. Blake Seaholm, Executive Director
bseaholm@gmail.com
www.aplace4grace.com
407-556-3967
Evening speakers:
Ms. Niki Whisler
Home Advocate Coordinator for Osceola County
(Board of County Commissioners Human Services)
Niki.Whisler@osceola.org
407-742-8411
Rev. Kristi Alday
Arch Deacon, Episcopal Diocese of Central Florida
1017 E Robinson St, Orlando, FL 32801
kalday@cfdiocese.org
407-423-3567