Worshipping together took on a whole new meaning this month at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, where Father Chris Brathwaite called for a midsummer ecumenical service. Brathwaite said the Haines City church’s ecumenical service on Sunday, July 2, far exceeded the expectations of many as the rector called on people of all faiths to come together…
[ Read More]A memorial mass for The Rev. Aquilino Viñas will be held Saturday, July 8, at 6 p.m. at Iglesia Jesus de Nazaret at Christ the King Episcopal Church, 26 Willow Drive, Orlando, 32807. All clergy are invited to vest in white and be a part of the procession. Clergy who formerly served with Father Vinas will preach, preside and serve at the table, according to…
[ Read More]“Hearts Alive: A Gospel-Based Children’s Lectionary Curriculum” is now available for Sunday School ministries, according to the Rev. Charlie Holt, rector of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Lake Mary. Published June 26 by Bible Study Media Inc., “Hearts Alive” provides a highly anticipated children’s curriculum that combines engaging content, lectionary alignment and gospel focus for…
[ Read More]A little familiarity went a long way for Father Reid Hensarling when the opportunity arose to lead a congregation. Having served as an associate to the rector and as priest-in-charge during a 14-year tenure at All Saints’ Episcopal Church in Lakeland, the Rev. Dr. Hensarling reinforced his calling to the west Polk County church when…
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The music ministry of the Cathedral Church of Saint Luke, under the direction of Canon Benjamin Lane, Cathedral Musician, shares the Good News far and wide through its choirs, which provide opportunities for young people as well as adults to perform, and offer diverse and high-quality concert series year after year by incorporating excellent musical…
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When administrative assistants from the diocese get together for an annual luncheon, it’s like Christmas in July. That’s exactly how festive this event has become. For the seventh consecutive year, the Administrative Assistants’ Luncheon at St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church in Orlando proved to be a joyous affair, complete with holiday-type food and plenty…
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It is often said that leadership is an inherent trait. This may be true, but encouraging the discovery of that characteristic is something young-adult leaders in the Central Florida Diocese want to ensure for their peers. To that end, 16 people ages 17-23 recently attended the Young Adult Leadership Discovery Conference at Camp Wingmann in…
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Born and raised in Lakeland, Becky Toalster always felt a special calling for Polk County, so much so that she prayed she could have her own congregation in the area. Toalster’s prayers were answered on Sunday, May 7, when she was installed as rector at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Bartow, just 20 minutes from…
[ Read More]Several top spiritual leaders recently shared fresh perspective on how to bring folks to Jesus, and the Diocese of Central Florida was on the front lines. Fresh Expressions, an innovative worldwide movement in which members create new forms of church alongside existing congregations in order to make contact with an ever-changing world, held its latest…
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If there was one takeaway from Canterbury Retreat & Conference Center’s 35th anniversary dinner, it was that the Oviedo venue is a place where the love of Jesus mediates through hospitality. Approximately 200 people, including Bishop Greg Brewer from the Central Florida Diocese, celebrated Canterbury’s anniversary on Sunday, June 11. The Caribbean-themed event that focused…
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