Central Florida Episcopalian Online

It began as a simple observation: The church needs a new paint job. But over time, that simple observation in the fall of 2018 by The Rev. Michelle Roach, priest-in-charge at Christ Church, Longwood, grew into so much more. On Feb. 28, 2021, the church held a special rededication service at which The Rt. Rev….

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If you attended 2020 vestry training, this is not a rehash of the same material! If you are going to serve, do so effectively, collaboratively, and compassionately! The PowerPoint slides, handouts, and videos of the sessions held on February 27 and March 13 are available below. Part 1: Held on February 27th Everything They Didn’t…

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Over the past four years, The Rev. José Rodríguez and the Iglesia Episcopal Jesús de Nazaret in the Azalea Park neighborhood of Orlanod have stepped up to lead the community with voter drives and natural disaster relief. Now, the church is on the front lines of the effort to combat COVID-19, conducting a series of…

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One priest married to another brings change and challenge, delight and demands. “The biggest challenge for me is the calendar maintenance, making sure we know when the other is called to be at their parish for an event and knowing if the other’s presence is needed,” said The Rev. Phyllis Bartle, rector of St. Jude’s,…

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If you attended 2020 vestry training, this is not a rehash of the same material! If you are going to serve, do so effectively, collaboratively, and compassionately! Part 2: March 13th from 10:00 AM-Noon Becoming a Team: Working With Your Rector – Even in this season of COVID-19, the work of the church continues. Learn ways to…

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Originally from Kenya, The Rev. Samuel Nsengiyumva was called to be the new rector at Holy Trinity, Fruitland Park. He previously served congregations in Maryland, Wisconsin and Indiana after arriving in the United States in 1998. He holds a bachelor’s degree in biblical studies with minors in Christian ministries and community development from Daystar University…

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The 52nd Annual Diocesan Convention was literally a virtual success! This first-ever virtual Convention streamed live on Zoom and YouTube from Canterbury Retreat and Conference Center on Feb. 6, 2021, and was well-received by diocesan staff, delegates and the viewing public. The four-hour event kicked off with Bishop Brewer gaveling the meeting to order followed…

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Priests who are married to a fellow priest encounter both ups and downs. At least that’s what the three diocesan couples who spoke with the Central Florida Episcopalian say about the unique rewards and challenges of their dually ordained status. For The Rev. Canon Ellis Brust, rector at St. Andrew’s, Ft. Pierce, and The Rev….

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With recent events, such as the killing of George Floyd and subsequent Black Lives Matter demonstrations provoking a national conversation on race, one church made a big effort to bring people together to discuss a way forward. As profiled in the Nov.-Dec. 2020 issue of the Central Florida Episcopalian, The Rev. Jeremy Bergstrom of St….

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On Monday, Feb. 8, 2021, The Rt. Rev. Gregory O. Brewer, bishop of the Diocese of Central Florida, conducted a service at the Cathedral Church of St. Luke in downtown Orlando ordaining four candidates to the Transitional Diaconate. The diaconate is one of the three clerical orders in the Episcopal Church: deacons, priests and bishops….

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