If your community is anything like mine, you have seen some new people moving into your town, and new construction projects have been breaking ground. As a Lakeland citizen, I had been paying attention to the changes, especially downtown, since 2020, but it wasn’t until January 2022 that I woke up to the potential of…
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The Diocese of Central Florida has been awarded a $15,000 Reflective Practices for Project Sustainability grant through Leadership Education at Duke Divinity, an initiative funded by the Lilly Endowment Inc. In December of 2020, the Diocese of Central Florida was awarded a $1 million Thriving in Ministry grant. The majority of the Thriving in Ministry…
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The weather is cooling down, the days are shorter, and we’re in the midst of celebrating the birth of the Savior. It’s a great time to step back from the busyness of life to gather with friends and loved ones and ponder the grandeur of God. On the first weekend in January, as we close…
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Advent is a season of waiting, one in which Christians throughout the world anticipate the celebration of the birth of Christ. But in the case of the Diocese of Central Florida, Advent 2022 is also a season of waiting for the election of its fifth bishop. The Search Committee has selected the three candidates, and…
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The Rt. Rev. Gregory O. Brewer ordained his final group of deacons on Dec. 7 in a service at Church of the Messiah, Winter Garden. The Rev. Garcia Barnswell-Schmidt, The Rev. Elliott Drake, The Rev. Elizabeth “Libby” Garfield and The Rev. Jacob “Jake” Schlossberg all received ordination as transitional deacons. As required by the Canons…
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The Rev. Dr. Robert Strenth, one of the newest priests in the Diocese of Central Florida, has been called to serve as rector of St. Matthew’s, Orlando. His ordination took place Nov. 19 at Holy Cross, Sanford. Strenth had been serving Holy Cross as a deacon there since 2017 but sensed a call to the…
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God continues to move through the Diocese of Central Florida’s bishop search process, now entering its final phase. Even before The Rt. Rev. Gregory O. Brewer’s official announcement at the 2022 Diocesan Convention of his July 2023 retirement at age 72, as mandated by the canons of The Episcopal Church, the Standing Committee had put…
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“Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.” Each week, deacons around the world dismiss congregations with these or other similar words. “But how many of us actually know what they mean or how to do that?” asked Jeff Carver, who serves as co-coordinator of Alpha with his wife, Susan, at St. Andrew’s, Fort…
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Food pantries in the Diocese of Central Florida have moved into crisis mode as they deal with increased numbers because of the devastation of Hurricanes Ian and Nicole along with inflation and realize the situation is permanent. In addition, they continue to help their existing clients. All of this prompts a tremendous opportunity to support…
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The annual diocesan Clergy Conference followed the theme of this year’s guest speaker, The Rt. Rev. Dr. Jo Bailey Wells, who urged participants toward the challenge of “going deeper” in faith and fellowship amid the peaceful setting of Canterbury Conference Center in Oviedo. Held Monday afternoon, Oct. 24, through Wednesday noon, Oct. 26, the conference…
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