Join clergy from across the Diocese of Central Florida to learn why 40 million people left the church in the last 30 years, why most are willing to return home, and what will bring them back.
Registration Closed
Please note that attendance is mandatory for all clergy-in-charge (rectors, vicars, missioners, priests-in-charge and priests who oversee diocesan facilities or serve as full-time school chaplains).
The registration deadline was Oct. 6, 2023.
If your attendance is required, but you did not register before the deadline, contact Sue Grosso at sgrosso@cfdiocese.org or 407-423-3567.
Both conferences will be held at Canterbury Conference Center, 1601 Alafaya Trail, Oviedo, FL 32765.
Click Map for Directions
Guest Speakers
Jim Davis & Michael Graham
Jim Davis and Michael Graham have commissioned the largest and most comprehensive study of dechurching in America by renowned sociologists Dr. Ryan Burge and Dr. Paul Djupe. Davis and Graham's new book, The Great Dechurching, takes the insights gleaned from this study and drills down on how exactly people are dechurching with respect to beliefs, behavior, and belonging.
The Great Dechurching: Who’s Leaving, Why Are They Going, and What Will It Take to Bring Them Back? is required reading for both clergy conferences. Click the cover image or the link above to visit Amazon and purchase your copy.
At this year's clergy conferences, Davis and Graham will deliver presentations on the dechurched phenomenon tailored to the unique callings of both orders of clergy. Deacons will learn how to interpret the needs, concerns, and hopes of the dechurched for their congregations, and priests will receive insight on how to proclaim the gospel to the dechurched in both word and deed. Both orders will get a detailed sketch of demographics, size, core concerns, church off-ramps, historical roots, and the gravity of what is at stake. Our speakers will also explore what can be done to slow the bleed, engage the pertinent issues winsomely and wisely, and hopefully re-church some of the dechurched.
Jim Davis (Left) and Michael Graham (Right)
Jim Davis is teaching pastor at Orlando Grace Church. He is the host of the As in Heaven podcast on The Gospel Coalition podcast network and serves as a writer for The Dechurched Initiative. Davis received his Masters of Divinity at Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando and writes frequently for The Gospel Coalition, Acts 29, and Family Life. He and his wife, Angela, speak for Family Life’s Weekend to Remember marriage getaways.
Michael Graham is Program Director at The Keller Center for Cultural Apologetics. He is also the executive producer and writer for the As In Heaven podcast. Graham also received his MDiv at RTS Orlando, and is a member at Orlando Grace Church. He is married to Sara, and they have two children.
About the Conferences
Designed to meet our clergy’s expressed desire for increased collegiality within the diocese, these clergy conferences provide a way to accomplish this while offering continuing education. Both the priests' clergy conference and the deacons' clergy conference will include time spent together in fellowship, worship, and prayer as well as messages from our speakers tailored to each order of clergy.
There is no charge to clergy for these events.
Attire for clergy conferences is casual.
Please bring your prayer book or device with a digital version.
Containers of blessed oil will be available for pickup and distribution.
There will be a book exchange table at the priests' conference overseen by the Rev. Tom Rutherford.
At a Glance
WHEN: Priests - Oct. 23-25, 2023 | Deacons - Oct. 27-28, 2023
WHERE: Canterbury Conference Center, 1601 Alafaya Trail, Oviedo, FL 32765
GUEST SPEAKERS: Jim Davis and Michael Graham
REQUIRED READING: The Great Dechurching: Who’s Leaving, Why Are They Going, and What Will It Take to Bring Them Back?
SCHEDULE FOR PRIESTS: Click here
SCHEDULE FOR DEACONS: Click here
REGISTRATION CONTACT: Sue Grosso, sgrosso@cfdiocese.org or call 407-423-3567