Hopes were high as churches in the Diocese of Central Florida prepared to celebrate Pentecost Sunday on May 23. The vaccines were working, and the number of COVID-19 cases continued to decline. The CDC relaxed restrictions for fully vaccinated people, and the diocese was cautiously optimistic with new COVID guidelines. The Rev. Stuart Shelby,…
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Conflict is inevitable, but it doesn’t have to be a negative. Conflict in our churches can actually be a catalyst for positive change! The Rev. Canon Scott Holcombe has prepared a three-part series on conflict training for The Institue for Christian Studies that covers conflict assessment, conflict management, and conflict resolution. A PDF of the…
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When the national shutdown that accompanied the COVID-19 pandemic strained communications efforts, St. George Episcopal Church in The Villages sprang into action, developing a strategy to keep church members connected. To that end, the church launched the “Musings on Faith” podcast, which has quickly gained popularity, in the fall of 2020. The show, hosted by…
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“O God, you have taught us to keep all your commandments by loving you and our neighbor: Grant us the grace of your Holy Spirit, that we may be devoted to you with our whole heart, and united to one another with pure affection; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you…
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Rev. Rick Burhans’ final Sunday as rector of Grace Episcopal Church, Port Orange, on May 30, 2021, marked the end of an era for Burhans and his wife, Carolyn, now retiring and moving to North Carolina. But that era, and the Burhanses’ relationship with the church, extends much further back than the 13 years Rick…
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No one can say The Rev. Cynthia Brust isn’t up for a challenge. Not only did she and her husband, The Rev. Canon Ellis Brust, accept new positions in the Diocese of Central Florida and move from Kansas in the throes of the pandemic, but she also embarked on a huge ministry project in…
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The Rev. Dan Smith, rector of Holy Cross in Sanford and former canon to the ordinary in the Diocese of Missouri, serves as a consultant to the Diocese of Central Florida. Like all of us, I have been giving a lot of thought lately to what the church and the congregation I serve will…
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“O God, by your providence the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church: Grant that we who remember before you the blessed martyrs of Uganda, may, like them, be steadfast in our faith in Jesus Christ, to whom they gave obedience, even to death, and by their sacrifice brought forth a plentiful…
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“Sounds like what my granny would say.” “They just think that way because they’re old and have forgotten what it’s like to be young.” “Those young people just don’t think about the consequences.” Have you ever heard someone in your parish make those comments? Or maybe you have had similar thoughts but kept them to…
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The Central Florida Chapter of the Union of Black Episcopalians recently recognized the outstanding service of The Rev. Canon Nelson W. Pinder. A May 15 virtual name dedication ceremony was held announcing the chapter’s renaming as The Canon Nelson Pinder UBE Chapter of Central Florida in Pinder’s honor. The webcast included testimonials and tributes by…
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