At the Forty-Eighth Annual Convention of The Episcopal Diocese of Central Florida, January 27-28, the Rt. Rev. Bishop Gregory O. Brewer challenged clergy, the lay order, and visitors to get more involved in missions and youth ministry.
Bishop Gregory O. Brewer
“We have to get out there where they are,” said Brewer during his State of the Diocese address on Saturday. “To be the Episcopal branch of the Jesus Movement is to be a group of people who are committed to not just hoarding the gospel amongst ourselves, but rather actually turning and understanding that our focus is to bring the gospel to the world. That’s really who our presiding bishop is calling us to be, is a group of people who are committed to taking the gospel out, not just keeping it in.”
In many cases, parishes in the diocese have already accepted that call. Brewer noted the new Spanish language services at three parishes, a burgeoning network of diocesan congregations helping homeless people get back on their feet through The Open Table, and several parishes working in interdenominational networks to reach their regions with the gospel and serve those in need.
“I find it encouraging that as a diocese our bishop is pointing us to make missions important, whether it’s overseas or in our neighborhood,” said the Rev. David Peoples of St. Stephens’, Lakeland. “The gospel is primary in everything we do.”
At the convention, Julie Brown, the Rev. John Kelly, Deacon Nancy Bryson, the Rev. Loren Fox and the Rev. Chris Royer shared their international mission experiences to highlight the convention’s theme of “Forming Partnerships for the Great Commission.”
During Brown’s second trip to Uganda, she encountered God in a dramatic way. “One particular night I wrote page after page asking God why basically rambling on about my insecurities and anxieties, and fear of the unknown. The next day, a teenage orphan, whom I’d been getting to know, asked me to talk a walk with her in a field,” she said. “We sat with some other kids around. She handed me a folded up piece of paper. In this letter was an answer to every single question I had written in my journal the night before. She wrote that God put it on her heart to tell me He loves me, I’m His daughter and I needed to trust Him with all my being because He will never fail me.”
Brewer singled out the response of the diocese’s Cathedral to the Pulse massacre, the largest mass shooting in U.S. history. He noted the Cathedral provided emergency triage and hosted an enormous funeral service and a community-wide prayer vigil. In addition, Brewer applauded the generosity of people from the Diocese of Central Florida and from around the country for raising over $11,000 for Projecto Somos Orlando, an organization that provides emergency aid such as counseling and legal assistance for the families of victims.
Pastoring youth is equally important to Brewer. With 46 active youth groups in the diocese, he feels there is still room for growth in this ministry. During a recent meeting, youth group leaders told the bishop, “We want a church environment that welcomes children and youth into our worship services, and that starts with the rector.”
Brewer rallied the crowd by saying, “As we continue to adjust to a post-biblical culture, it is critical that our churches become laboratories of discipleship, where we are learning how to disciple, catechize, and raise up the next generation of Christians. We cannot assume that parents can do that alone. Most of our families need all the help they can get.”
“Bishop’s address was mind-blowing,” said Rev. David Bumsted of Emmanuel, Orlando. “The conviction and level of support from the diocese for evangelism and missions, as well as our mission to youth people.” Bumsted added that the youth group at his parish recently celebrated its first anniversary and “we’ve seen a tremendous gain in the development of their faith.”
Among elections and appointments at the convention, eight deputies (four clergy and four lay order) were voted to the General Convention, Clerical Order: The Reverend Canon Tim Nunez, The Reverend Jim Sorvillo, The Reverend Phyllis Bartle and The Reverend Canon Justin Holcomb and Lay Order: Mr. Tom Alday, Ms. Krisita Jackson, Mr. Erick Perez and Mrs. Sonya Shannon. Four alternatives also were elected to each. For complete list, click here.
In an otherwise calm convention, the most excitement came during the discussion period regarding the resolution to meet the mandatory assessment voted on by General Convention. “I heartily support the efforts being made to find ways for us as a diocese to meet the 15-percent financial assessment voted on by General Convention,” Brewer told the crowd. “The financial funding brings integrity to the work for change, and the work for change brings integrity to the financial funding. The two go hand-in-hand.”
At times heated, the discussion ended with the passing of the resolution with a significant number of dissenting votes. For complete story and reaction, click here.
Josh Head, choirmaster of Grace Episcopal Church, Ocala
More than 500 attended the two-day event held at Trinity Preparatory School in Winter Park. The convention began Friday night with a Eucharist celebrated by Brewer. The Right Reverend Dr. Graham Kings gave the sermon. Josh Head, choirmaster of Grace Episcopal Church in Ocala, led worship throughout the weekend.
“Every convention over the last few years has offered a level of corporate worship that is so encouraging and inspiring,” said Peoples. “As a rector, it inspires me to go back and recapture just a little bit of that in my own congregation.”