The Order of the Daughters of the King is an order for girls and women who are communicants in the Anglican, Episcopal, Lutheran (ELCA) and Roman Catholic churches. DOK are to offer at all times loyal aid to our clergy, parish, diocese and beyond to spread Christ’s kingdom. We adhere to the Episcopal oversight, and our strategic plan implemented for 2018 – 2024 includes the following goals: inspire spiritual growth and development; strengthen our call to service and evangelism; nurture and grow our members; raise up and mentor new leaders; foster community and build connections; instill a spirituality of giving.

Jamie Roberts, co-Junior directress, top left. Not pictured: Terri Clifton, co-Junior directress

Our Senior and Junior chapters continue their spiritual development during the pandemic via virtual guest speakers on various topics of spirituality; Advent and Lenten activities; Bible and/or book studies; Conversations With Daughters series; virtual quiet days and retreats; centering prayer; devotional studies; prayer lines; and regular meetings with their rector to give and receive support that will assist in the needs of the parish and community at large.

All Senior and Junior Daughters are involved in their church life in multiple ways. These include activities such as drive-by visits to parishioners; drive-up Communion; collaborating with other DOK chapters and Episcopal Church Women; baskets for homeless, sick and/or shut-ins; chapter prayer list; virtual quarterly diocesan meetings; supporting Junior DOK; Zoom meetings; phone calls to chapter members and others; Prayer Shawl, Hat and Mitten Ministry; Partners in Education with local school districts; prayer partners; parish clean-up; coordinating stations of the cross; card ministry; implementing DOK Diocesan Prayer Team; reception for funerals and memorial services; food distribution; back-to-school drives; women’s prison ministry; sacrificial giving to all funds of the order; sharing rides to meetings with other Daughters; and Daughters helping Daughters during the pandemic with errands, grocery shopping and so forth.

Installation of 2021-24 DOK Diocesan Officers, L-R Marie Hunsaker, recording secretary; Sue McIlrath, treasurer; Karen Adderly Clark, president; Nadine Craig, first vice president; Terry Deer, corresponding secretary; Nancy Kelly, second vice president

As of the diocesan Fall Assembly held on Sept. 18 at the Canterbury Conference and Retreat Center, our membership totaled 1,020 Senior Daughters and 23 Junior Daughters. There are 70 Senior chapters and four Junior chapters, and the DOK are divided into the same deaneries as the diocese.  Each deanery has a representative available to provide information and answer DOK questions a parish might have. The diocesan DOK assembly is also part of a bigger organizational structure, which has allowed members to be elected and appointed to positions within the DOK Province IV Leadership. Lauri Stone was elected DOK Province IV second vice president; Karen Adderly Clark was appointed Province IV corresponding secretary; and Sue McIlrath was appointed to the Province IV Finance Committee.

Clark, diocesan assembly president, announced the theme and scriptural reference for the next three years as “Living and Guided by the Spirit” (Gal. 5:22-23, 25). Jamie Roberts and Terry Clifton, co-junior diocesan directresses, conducted a Junior DOK retreat in conjunction with the annual Fall Assembly. The young women had a wonderful time fellowshipping with each other and creating “God’s Word,” a project that helps them to memorize scripture. The Junior DOK chose Ephesians 6:18 to follow along with the theme “Living and Guided by the Spirit.” For more information on Junior DOK, contact Jamie Roberts at angelicjamie@hotmail.com.

Oldest Central Florida DOK Chapter, St. Mary, Daytona, L-R Judy Langston (46 years of service), Mary Corliss, Joan Rebola (46 years of service), Nadine Craig (St. Mary chapter president), Carole Bloom, Jackie Bankowski

The gathered DOK experienced a shared joy as Clark celebrated various Daughters for their accomplishments. Judy Langston and Joan Rebola from St. Mary’s, Daytona Beach, were in attendance, each with 46 years of service to the DOK. Also recognized, in their absence, for 25 years or more of service were Marilyn Pierce, St. Paul’s, Winter Haven; Kathy McDaniels, Ascension, Orlando; and Betty Doan, St. Mary of the Angels, Orlando. In addition, Clark acknowledged The Rev. Nancy Bryson, St. George, The Villages, as a grant recipient of the DOK’s Master’s Fund, one of four funds of the order. Its specific purpose is to assist Daughters and other women to attend school to prepare for missionary and other church-related work.

DOK diocesan outreach projects are documented as far back as the year 2000. The Ingathering for the chosen project is from Sept. 1 – Aug. 31 and will be presented at the next Fall Assembly. Past recipients of the outreach ingathering include Habitat for Humanity/Mountain of Hope/Hurricane Relief, Honduras; St. Timothy Fund, Central Florida; Madelene House, Tennessee; Education=hope: School and Meal Program, Haiti; Canine Companions, Central Florida; Mali Medical Mission/Bibles for Malawi Daughters, Africa; and ESTAH Outreach Ministries, Central Florida. No One Hungry Inc. was the elected project for 2020-2021. Recently, Diocesan Outreach Chair Margaret Roberts, Ascension, Orlando, presented a check in the amount of $13, 915.00, to the The Rev. Johnny Clark, St. Gabriel, Titusville, director of NOH.

As we grow to know Jesus and make him known to others, the DOK hope to inform and include more international congregants in the order. A recent publication, “Leader’s Guide to the National Study in Spanish,” will assist Daughters in beginning their Train the Trainer Initiative in Spanish. In the DOK diocesan assembly of Central Florida, Hispanics and other international cultures are underrepresented. For more information on DOK Spanish resources and starting a chapter in your congregation, please contact Dr. Karen Adderly Clark, diocesan assembly president, at kac.dok12@gmail or call 407-719-2482.

If you would like to start a Senior chapter, reinstitute a chapter or need help with your parish’s existing chapter, please contact Nadine Craig, first vice president and diocesan member chair, at nadine.craig@sjcglobal.net. We are here to pray, serve and evangelize. We ask that you pray for us as we pray for you in the advancement of God’s kingdom.