Diocesan Assembly of Central Florida President Nadine Craig (L) with selected images from Fall Assembly (R) captioned below | Photos Credit: Christin Ditchfield Lazo

It began in 1885 as a small group Bible study led by Maggie Franklin, a young wife and mother living in New York, who believed that the women in her church could come together for more than potlucks or sewing circles or charity bazaars. She thought women could encourage each other to grow closer to Christ – study their Bibles and spend time in prayer – and that if they did, they could accomplish extraordinary things for his kingdom.

Today, The Order of the Daughters of the King® is an international organization of more than 20,000 Christian women who commit themselves to a Rule of Life that includes “Prayer, Service, and Evangelism.” They meet regularly in their local chapters, deaneries and dioceses to pray together, study the Bible together, undertake special service projects and support other ministries in their churches and communities.

Daughters raise their hands and voices to sing “Lift High the Cross,” the official hymn of The Order. | Photo Credit: Christin Ditchfield Lazo

Almost a thousand of these Daughters – 1,001, to be precise – make their home in the Episcopal Diocese of Central Florida. That makes the Diocesan Assembly of Central Florida the largest in Province IV –  and second largest in the United States (after the Diocese of Texas).

On Saturday, Sept. 21, over 170 of these diocesan Daughters, the most in attendance at this event since before the COVID-19 pandemic, came together for their annual Fall Assembly. This meaningful day of worship, prayer and fellowship took place at Church of the Resurrection, Longwood.

L-R Daughters President Nadine Craig, Father Andrew Lazo and Bishop Holcomb during Lazo’s installation as The Order’s new chaplain. | Photo Credit: Christin Ditchfield Lazo

The Rt. Rev. Dr. Justin S. Holcomb celebrated the Eucharist and installed the Rev. Andrew Lazo, apprentice rector, Church of the Messiah, Winter Garden, as chaplain for The Order. He also installed the new executive board, led by President Nadine Craig of St. Mary’s, Daytona Beach.

The bishop commended the Daughters for the countless ways they serve in their local churches. He named ministry after ministry in which Daughters participate, organize and lead, and thanked them for the many ways these ministries support the diocese. He noted that a number of Daughters from Central Florida also participate in the leadership of The Order at the diocesan, provincial and national levels.

In her remarks, Craig said she is most excited about the opportunities she sees for future growth. She said the executive board has chosen for its three-year term the theme “Faithful Daughters Growing in God’s Light,” inspired by Isaiah 60:19c: “The Lord will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory!”

Craig wants to encourage Daughters in the diocese to continue in the faithfulness that is a hallmark of their order, but also to continue to grow spiritually – individually and corporately.

She said there is also tremendous opportunity for The Order to grow numerically by making a concerted effort to share what Daughters have to offer to women of all ages, including Gen Xers, millennials and Gen Zers.

“We are a community of women who love Jesus and love each other!” Craig said. “We are here to mentor, encourage and support you. We will listen to you, and we will help you to grow spiritually and find peace in the midst of your busy life!”

Bishop Holcomb congratulating Laura Buckner, 2024 recipient of the bishop’s cross, with President Nadine Craig looking on. | Photo Credit: Christin Ditchfield Lazo

Craig sees yet another opportunity for growth, suggesting that Daughters be an active part of the bishop’s initiative to reach out to the dechurched and invite them back. This fits beautifully with the overall mission of The Order and the line from its official prayer that reads, in part, “Give us … the grace to work to spread Your Kingdom and to gather Your scattered sheep within Your fold.”

At this year’s assembly, Devotions Chair Donna Burns, Christ the King, Orlando, and guest speaker Erika Tilley Johnson, Church of the Ascension, Orlando, urged Daughters to keep shining, keep reflecting the light of Christ to all they encounter.

Fall Assembly guest speaker Erika Tilley Johnson | Photo Credit: Christin Ditchfield Lazo

From a list of nominees, Holcomb drew the name of the next recipient of the bishop’s cross: Laura Buckner, Church of the Messiah, Winter Garden. Each recipient wears the cross for a period of one year “in humility and thankfulness that God is doing great work in her life as well as in her chapter and parish” and as a reminder to “grow daily in her dependence on His Spirit, keeping her eyes on Him and on His work.”

The Daughters celebrated raising more than $7,500 for their 2023-2024 outreach program, Family Renew, and introduced the new program they will support in 2024-2025: Good News Global Jail Ministry.

Previously, diocesan Daughters had raised $30,000 for renovations to the Canterbury Retreat Center, but the funds were returned to The Order when the retreat center closed. Delegates voted to use the money to establish the Krisita Jackson Memorial Scholarship Fund, which will be used to assist Daughters in attending the Province IV Fall Assembly at Kanuga in Hendersonville, North Carolina, and/or The Order’s Triennial Convention.

In appreciation of the bishop’s enthusiastic support of The Order, delegates also voted to change the Diocesan Assembly’s bylaws to allow future Fall Assemblies to be held in “the fall” (not just September) to allow more flexibility in scheduling and facilitate his future attendance.

Daughters from chapters all over the diocese took turns sharing some of the many creative ways they are growing their membership, supporting their parishes and serving their communities.

As the day came to a close, attendees left the assembly uplifted and inspired to recommit themselves to living out their vows of “Prayer, Service, and Evangelism” – and invite others to join them.