Home

Elizabeth Myers

Attached document: 
application/pdf icon# 1 Myers, Elizabeth.pdf

 

With God all things are possible. (Matt. 19:26) That truly tells my story in one sentence. I am a small town Northern girl who set out on an impossible journey that took twelve years to accomplish. With 5 children at home and having been out of high school for 20 years, I completed 8-years of night school at the University of RI in pursuit of my undergraduate degree. I received my MDiv from Virginia Theological Seminary in 1996 and was ordained to the priesthood in June 1999.
 
In November 1998 I was called to St. Francis of Assisi in Lake Placid and ordained as deacon-in-charge and later as rector. In 2002 I formed a Discernment Committee with the help of Glenn Holliman of Holliman and Associates and the parish began a $350,000 building program that not only doubled our facility but created a stronger sense of evangelism and purpose for our community of faith here in the “very southern” end of the diocese.
 
I have instituted a Chapter of the Brotherhood of St. Andrew to compliment our Daughters of the King Chapter. I am also an Order of St. Luke Chaplain. I am in my third term as a member of the Commission on Ministry, and I have just completed a term as the diocesan chaplain of the Daughters of the King. I am the most senior female rector in the diocese and I am a member of Faith Received. Most importantly, I am committed to upholding the words of Holy Scripture and the sacred traditions of our church.
 
In this time of turmoil, I believe that we in this diocese are to be lights to those who do not see. I believe that we are meant to illumine the gospel and to speak its truth to those with whom we come in contact. And as we journey into the unknown I firmly believe that our church is in the hand of God, and with Him, all things are possible.

 

Challenges/Opportunities/Responses

Remaining true to Scripture and the apostolic faith is crucial in this time of crisis. Bible study and educational programs such as Alpha and Cursillo are essential to grow the faith of God’s people. We cannot combat warped teachings unless we are properly educated.

Evangelism is another challenge. We have a mandate from Jesus Himself to bring others to Him and Central Florida is on the cusp of bringing the church back to its roots. I have found growing the church to be a two-step process: first, educating and empowering those already in the pews, and it is those persons who continually bring the non-churched and the unbaptized into the fold. Larger programs are needed as well, but we must ignite and re-energize those within.

 
In my eleven years in the diocese, I’ve come to realize that a genuine sense of caring and making sure the people of God know they are important and loved can be lost in the big picture of fixing the major problems in the church. While my job as a priest is to delegate and empower, my parish knows that I am in the trenches with them. Clergy must be willing to be vulnerable as well as strong. We cannot strengthen our people and our diocese if we are disconnected from our parishioners.