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…

First responders received blessings, encouragement and a courtesy luncheon via a special Blue Mass service held by St. Thomas, Eustis, on Oct. 2. The church invited local police, fire and rescue, EMS and sheriffs to come and receive anointing followed by lunch. It was the first time the church had offered the service, although similar…

In a neighborhood safely out of a flood zone, The Rev. Jason Murbarger, rector of St. Mary’s, Daytona Beach, looked out of his window mid-day on Thursday, Sept. 29, to check on his property in the onslaught of Hurricane Ian. Water extended halfway over the sidewalk in front of the house, and since it was…

Sister congregations Jesús de Nazaret and Christ the King in Azalea Park, Orlando, are supporting victims of Hurricane Fiona in Loíza, Puerto Rico, by collecting flashlights, batteries and cash donations. “Loíza is a resilient community that has faced many challenges caused by the hurricanes, the economic upheaval in Puerto Rico and a history of racial…

The seven schools of the Episcopal Diocese of Honduras are all meeting in-person again after a long shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But this good news for the Diocese of Central Florida’s Communion Partner brings with it a problem that has prompted The Rt. Rev. Lloyd Allen to ask for help: a teacher shortage….

Summer mission trips can be transformative experiences, especially for youth. And when these trips are done well, they can also have a great impact on local communities. Nonprofits and other organizations thrive on volunteer help to accomplish their mission. So when a group of youth partnered with a local church converges on a single community,…

For years there has been buzz in Christian circles about the rise of the “nones” and “dones,” or to use church vernacular, the “unchurched” and the “dechurched.” How should classical Christian apologetics pivot to address these groups specifically? That is the question The Rev. Canon Dr. Justin Holcomb sought to answer in his summer course…

What began as a way for The Very Rev. Dr. Reggie Kidd to connect with God during the COVID-19 pandemic and related lockdown has now become a five-day-a-week podcast that reaches out across platforms to help others do the same. With his “Daily Office Devotions” podcast, Kidd, dean of the Cathedral Church of St. Luke,…

Although much can be said of what was lost during the COVID-19 shutdown, sometimes God has a bigger picture in mind that propels his work forward. Such is the case with the healing ministry of the International Order of Saint Luke. The ministry, which began in the 1930s, faced its own pandemic challenges like the…

“It is my passion that no child should go to bed hungry in this country, and this has expanded to families, seniors and more,” said St. Matthias, Clermont, parishioner Keith Whitacre. That passion led him to found Food Providers of South Lake in 2019. Food Providers of South Lake is a group of 40 people…