southern cross sept 2004

2 The Southern Cross September/October 2004

On the Cover: The sky can be seen through agaping hole in the roof of St. Edmund’s Episcopal Church inArcadia. The church was badly damaged by winds from Hurri-cane Charley when it ripped through the state Aug. 13. (Photo byJim DeLa)

S

The Episcopal Church is part of the ANGLICAN COMMUNION, a globalcommunity of 70 million Anglicans in 36 member churches/provinces

in more than 160 countries.

Archbishop of CanterburyThe Most Rev. & Rt. Hon. Rowan Williams

Lambeth PalaceLondon WE1 7JUUNITED KINGDOM

In the United States, the Episcopal Church is a community of 2.5million members in more than 100 dioceses in the Americas and

abroad.

Presiding BishopThe Most Rev. Frank T. Griswold III

815 Second AvenueNew York, NY 10017

(212) 867-8400

The Diocese of Southwest Florida is a community of 38,000Christians in 11 counties serving 78 congregations, 13 schools and

the DaySpring Conference Center. Established 1969.

BishopThe Rt. Rev. John B. Lipscomb

7313 Merchant CourtSarasota, FL 34240

The Southern CrossA member of Episcopal News Service and Episcopal

Communicators,The Southern Cross is published six timesa year: January, March, May, July, September and No-vember; Copies are shipped free to all congregations fordistribution.

Articles, letters, calendar information and photosare welcome. They will be used on a space-available basisand are subject to editing. Send all material (preferably inelectronic form, on disk or by e-mail) to:

Jim DeLa, editorThe Southern Cross7313 Merchant CourtSarasota, FL 34240

Phone: (941) 556-0315 Ext. 268Fax: (941) 556-0321

E-mail: [email protected]

C outhernross

The

Lent 1999A Publication of the Diocese of Southwest Florida

HIGHLIGHTS IN THIS ISSUE

Mailing address:7313 Merchant CourtSarasota, FL 34240

Phone: (941) 556-0315Fax: (941) 556-0321

Web site: www.dioceseswfla.org

Deadlines for upcoming issues:

Nov./Dec. 2004: Oct. 1, 2004Jan./Feb. 2005: Dec. 1, 2004

March/April 2005: Feb. 1, 2005May/June 2005: April 1, 2005

23 Events Calendar

3 From the Bishop

14 Convention moves: Storms forcemeeting to move to Bradenton

4 Letters to the editor

‘Missionpalooza’:Servant ministry leadslocal youth to Kansas

15

5First in the nation: Lamb of Godbecomes federated congregation

Grace under pressure:Diocese responds ashurricanes hit Florida

6

3The Southern Cross September/October 2004

Some insights into trio’s recent trip to Africa

(Continued on page 21)

BFFromBishop

The

Editor’s Note: The following is a

statement by Bishops Theodore Daniels,

John Lipscomb and Dean Titus Presler on

conversations held with Anglican Com-

panions in Rwanda, Burundi and Kenya.

Conversations we had in three

Anglican provinces in east

Africa in late July concern

ing the current turmoil in the

Anglican Communion were candid

and substantive. We returned with a

vivid sense of the concern our African

companions have about Episcopal

Church decisions, even as they minis-

ter in inspirational ways amid great

challenges in their contexts. We were

received graciously and hospitably in

the three provinces in which we

planned visits — Rwanda, Burundi

and Kenya — and our appeal for the continuing unity

of the Communion was received as an important

concern.

The journey was prompted by the suggestion of

an African bishop that more face-to-face conversation

would be helpful between leaders in the Episcopal

Church and leaders in provinces troubled by Episco-

pal Church decisions, especially the consecration of

Gene Robinson as bishop of New Hampshire. This is

an important time as the Communion awaits the re-

port of the Lambeth Commission in October, and as

African bishops prepare for a continent-wide meeting

of bishops in Nigeria, also in October.

Our venture in having conversation and building

relationship was undertaken at our own initiative. We

were not an official delegation of any group or struc-

ture in the Episcopal Church. Thus the discussions

were not intended to yield decisions or negotiated

conclusions. In the spirit of mutual responsibility in

the Communion, the visit to each province was ap-

proved in advance by its archbishop and by our own

Presiding Bishop.

Our keynotes in the conversations, which took

place from July 22 through Aug. 1, were listening and

vulnerability to the concerns of our companions. As

three individuals who hold diverse views about homo-

sexuality, we united in appealing for the continued

unity of the Anglican Communion amid the current

discord. Theologically, our central concern for rela-

tionship in the Communion rests on the incarnation of

God in Jesus Christ, who energizes our commitment

to incarnational presence with others.

We were drawn by the Holy Spirit sim-

ply to be with our Anglican companions

— and to talk with them.

The choice of which provinces to

visit was guided by personal relation-

ships and by geographical proximity in

east Africa.

During two days in L’Eglise Episco-

pale au Rwanda, we met with Abp. Em-

manuel Kolini and with the province’s

other eight bishops. We were invited to

greet a major evangelistic gathering in

the Diocese of Shyira, where Bp. John

Rucyhana welcomed us to the diocesan

guesthouse. Convened on the occasion

of the dedication of a new cathedral in

Ruhengeri, the revival was attended by

at least 2,000 people, most of them un-

der age 30. Abp. Kolini arranged a ple-

nary meeting of the bishops with us, together with

Abp. Yong Ping Chung of Southeast Asia and a pastor

of the Anglican Mission in America.

During four days in L’Eglise Episcopale du Bu-

rundi, we met with Abp. Samuel Ndayisenga and the

other four bishops of that province. In addition to

individual meetings, the archbishop arranged a plena-

ry meeting of the bishops and the provincial secretary

with us in the capital city of Bujumbura. The bishop

of Bujumbura invited us to greet the congregation of

Holy Trinity Cathedral and to meet with the staffs of

the diocese and its Peace Center.

During four days in the Anglican Church of Ken-

ya, a much larger province with 28 dioceses, we met

with Abp. Benjamin Nzimbi, who convened a meet-

ing at the provincial offices in Nairobi that included

five other bishops and several other leaders. The two

bishops of our number who remained in Nairobi on a

Sunday were invited to preach in congregations in

Nairobi Diocese.

The journey seemed appropriate to our hosts, and

they expressed gratitude. Deep concern about the

Episcopal Church and about relationships within the

Communion was pervasive, and our presence from

the Episcopal Church was welcomed. Indeed, some

felt the visit was overdue. We are grateful for the

reception we received, especially in view of the natu-

ral caution some companions initially had about talk-

ing with us. In one case, it was only our unofficial


LLLetters to the editor and Reflec-tions essays to The SouthernCross are appreciated andencouraged.

We ask that letters be as conciseas possible and stay on onetopic. All submissions are subjectto editing to improve clarity and tofit in the available space for eachissue.

Please send correspondence to:

Letters to the EditorThe Southern CrossDiocese of Southwest Florida7313 Merchant CourtSarasota, FL 34240

Or send letters by fax to (941)556-0321; or by e-mail [email protected].

etters

Church growth statisticsreveal theology gap

Thank you for including the recentarticle in The Southern Cross “We’reNo. 15, according to NCC yearbook.” Itis particularly applicable to the 20/20initiative. If we are truly to double oursize by 2020 we must take a hard andhumbling look at the religious climatein the country.

What should be particularly eye-

opening for Episcopalians is four of the

top 25 denominations are Pentecostal,

seven of the largest are African-

American, and while mainline

Protestant denominations remain fairly

large, they are recording membership

losses. The denominations that actually

recorded growth are the Roman

Catholic, Southern Baptist, Pentecostal

denominations, and many marginal

religious groups including Mormons

and Jehovah’s Witnesses.

What does this mean for the

Episcopal Church? In Province IV it

can be difficult to gauge. We are the

only province in the Episcopal Church

that the Zachary Project (I believe it

was the Zachary Project) found to be

healthy in terms of numbers. The rest of

the church is dying. If we are to stop

hemorrhaging at the parish registries

we must look at what other churches

are providing that we are not. The

growth of Pentecostal denominations

evolved as a desire for more informal

and spiritually innovative services.

This is something the Episcopal

Church could easily have done, in fact

our Prayer Book rubrics call for a

legitimate diversity of practices.

The growth of both the Pentecostal

and Baptist denominations is also if

not especially indicative of the desire

by the youth of the last several

generations for solid answers. The

Episcopal Church has for at least my

lifetime (23 years) shied away from

“musts” of faith and personal morality

and leaned towards the “oughts” and

“coulds.” Whether those “musts” are

politically correct or not, there appears

to be a public yearning for some solid

base of morality and faith. It also

appears that the public does not

believe the Episcopal Church has that

to offer.

Many claim that the shrinking size

of Episcopal parish registries is due to

a decline in the birthrate. That is

completely overlooking the fact that

the United States population has grown

steadily since the baby-boom

generation albeit at a slower rate. It

also overlooks that fact that many

other churches have experienced

tremendous growth. So if the problem

is, as many claim, a declining birthrate,

the Episcopal Church would have

continued to grow but at simply a

slower rate than before. We have not

done this. In fact roughly we have lost

about one-third of our numbers since

the late 1950s. What does all this mean

for our beloved church?

Perhaps the direction we are going

in is not the “right” one. Our open and

inclusive church has not attracted

African Americans like other

denominations have. Why? The growth

of Pentecostal expressions of faith has

created whole new denominations. The

Episcopal Church could have easily

broadened it’s liturgy for those

expressions. Why didn’t we? If the

public, especially the youth of today,

wish for more authentic and Scriptural

“musts” why isn’t the Episcopal

Church able to adjust it’s polity to

provide this. We have a catechism,

articles of religion and a rich theology.

Why?

Something to end this letter that I

find to be only signs that we are

slipping even more out of sync with

religious reality. Other churches with

expansive growth have large college

ministries both on and off campus. We

have a campus ministry on the USF

campus with minimal, let me repeat,

pathetically minimal Episcopal

support. Also the average age of an

Episcopalian nationally is 55. How will

the Episcopal Church bridge the gap?

—Greg Hyden

St. John’s Tampa

Lambeth Commissionwitness wrong on gays

I wish to take issue with a

statement by Michael Howell in the

July/August issue of The Southern

Cross (“A peak inside the Lambeth

Commission”) concerning gay and

lesbian members of the Episcopal

Church. Mr. Howell is of the opinion

that the Episcopal Church is “affirming

sin as righteousness” by allowing gays

and lesbians, particularly those in

faithful committed relationships, full

participation in the life of the Church,

including the episcopate. This is far

too simplistic an approach to be taken

seriously. Gays and lesbians have

always been an integral part of the

Church, and they will continue to be

so. There is nothing inherently wrong

with being born gay or lesbian.

It is difficult if not impossible to

argue that gays and lesbians are

inherently more sinful than anyone

else, basing one’s argument on a

reasoned reading of scripture alone.

Fundamentalists make an idolatry of

Scripture by selectively choosing six

or seven “flog” passages from the

Hebrew Scriptures and St. Paul to

attack gay and lesbian relationships.

These include passages in Leviticus,

the story of the sin of Sodom and the

admonitions of St. Paul and his



In BriefDiocesan VocationsDay set for Sept. 25

The Commission on Ministry issponsoring Vocations Day on Sept. 25,from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at DaySpringConference Center for anyone consid-ering ordained ministry or who hasentered the nomination stage in thehome congregation.

Since the diocese put a sabbathstop on new nominations for one year,the meeting will provide informationabout how to use this year as a time ofpersonal growth and what the newTitle III Canons mean for potentialcandidates.

If you are planning to attend, yourclergy person is required to accompa-ny you.

To register, call Karen Rettler atthe bishop’s office at (941) 556-0315or register by e-mail [email protected].

You can learn more about nomi-nation and preparation for ordinationby going to our diocesan website,www.dioceseswfla.org, and clickingon “Resources for Congregations” andthen “Commission on Ministry.”

Jacket drive to endOct. 2 in St. Pete

A two-month-long drive to pro-vide new cold-weather jackets andwindbreakers to at-risk children in theTampa Bay community, called Koatsfor Kids, will culminate at the Wel-come Home Family Festival on Satur-day, Oct. 2, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. atSt. Anthony’s Park, between 7th and9th Avenues North at 12th StreetNorth.

The coat drive is sponsored, inpart, by Florida Resurrection Housein St. Petersburg.

Twenty-five dollar contributionsto buy a new jacket are also welcome.Checks may be sent to Koats for Kids,Resurrection House, 800 11th StreetNorth, St. Petersburg, FL 33705-1256.

Festivalgoers will be asked tobring a new or gently used book toleave for distribution to at-risk kids.

By Jim DeLaEditor, The Southern Cross

As marriages go, this is one for the

books.

With a few strokes of a pen, Lamb of

God Church in Fort Myers became the

first federated Lutheran/Episcopal

church in the nation on Sept. 7, legally

merging two congregations into one.

At a ceremony at Diocesan House in

Sarasota, two bishops signed into reality

what the two congregations have spent

the last four years creating.

“I see this as an incredible sign of

hope,” for the future of the Church, said

Bishop John Lipscomb of the Diocese of

Southwest Florida.

“We’re excited about where it’s go-

ing to go,” offered Bishop Edward Beno-

way of the Florida-Bahamas Synod of the

Evangelical Lutheran Church in Ameri-

ca. “We’re blessed to have partners who

can think in a creative way in how to do

ministry and good stewardship, and not

compromise who we are as people of

God.”

What it meansThe bylaws of the ELCA provide the

structure for the merger. Simply put, afederated congregation is a single con-gregation that operates under the rulesof two denominations that consider them-selves to be in full communion with eachother. The Lamb of God merger was madepossible by the joint communion agree-ment between the ELCA and the Episco-pal Church, named “Called to CommonMission,” which was approved in 2000.

In essence, a federated congregationenjoys “dual citizenship.” As spelled outin the judicatory covenant signed Sept.7, Lamb of God will send voting dele-gates to both Lutheran synod meetingsand diocesan conventions. The churchwill also pay apportionments to bothdenominations.

Lutheran Pastor Walter Fohs is thesenior pastor at Lamb of God. An Epis-copal priest, the Rev. Becky Robbins-Penniman, serves as assistant pastor.

Any new clergy called to serve will

Merged congregation answersthe call to common mission


Federated ELCA/ECUSA church is first of its kind in the nation

Standing, at left, Bishop Edward Benoway of the Florida-Bahamas Synod ofthe Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and Bishop John Lipscomb ofthe Episcopal Diocese of Southwest Florida watch as the Rev. BeckyRobbins-Penniman and Pastor Walter Fohs of Lamb of God Church in FortMyers sign documents creating the first federated Lutheran/Episcopalcongregation.

Photo by Jim DeLa



Diocese rises to the occasion as hurricanes pound Florida

As Floridians continue to pick themselves up after two majorhurricanes plowed across the state, churches in the midst of

the chaos have risen up to provide care and comfort to theirstricken communities.

The diocesan community has rallied to

provide money, supplies as well as spiritual andphysical comfort to thousands of victims in thewake of hurricanes Charley and Frances.

The diocesan office has collected more than$177,000 in donations to fund relief efforts andcoordinated dozens of volunteer efforts in the

affected areas. “The response of this diocese, I tell you, has

been overwhelming,” Bishop John Lipscomb

told clergy and lay leaders at the Manasota/Venice deanery convocation on Sept. 8. “Yourwitness has been exemplary. I think that was has

happened these last two weeks has shown what isbest about the Episcopal Church.

“You have responded and you have respond-

ed well,” he said.The two storms, which crisscrossed the state

only three weeks apart, caused significant dam-

age to several churches and minor damage tomany others in the dioceses of Southwest, Cen-tral and Southeast Florida. Damage estimates

statewide are in the billions, and the storms tookthe lives of at least 40 people, including the

Surviving the stormsStory and photos

by Jim DeLa

Top photo: Hurricane Charley madelandfall Aug. 13 at Charlotte Harbor,

ripping through Port Charlotte andPunta Gorda.

At right: Winds of more than 140miles an hour drove this piece ofmobile home into the roof of the

parish hall of Church of the GoodShepherd in Punta Gorda.


choirmaster at St. Luke’s EpiscopalChurch in Fort Myers, who died ofhead injuries after falling from a treeduring clean-up activities at the church(see page 8).

By turning Punta Gorda into adisaster area, Charley also has forcedthe relocation of diocesean conventionto St. Stephen’s Episcopal School inBradenton (see page 15).

The storms turned entire communi-ties upside down. Several congrega-tions — despite sustaining heavydamage themselves — looked outwardand became a refuge to those in need.

While Frances was twice the size ofCharley, it did relatively little damagein Southwest Florida. The biggestchallenges from Frances continue to bethe threat of flooding as rivers crest andadditional rain falls, and the lack ofelectricity and phone service in manyareas. It took utility companies nearly aweek to restore power in some areas.

Aug. 13: Charley hits landIt was a small storm, as hurricanes

go, tightly wound and fast-moving.Churning up the Gulf coast on theafternoon of Friday the 13th, the eye ofthe storm, surrounded by 145 mphwinds, began wobbling and veeringeast, heading directly into CharlotteHarbor. By then it was too late formany who had not evacuated to headinland.

Carolyn Brenner, a member ofChurch of the Good Shepherd, rode outthe winds in her Port Charlotte homewith her husband, son and five grand-

children. “We were trying to movethings away from the front window,”she recalled. “I don’t know how thehouse stood like it did. God was watch-ing over us.”

The future for the family, though,is uncertain. Their upholstering busi-ness in Port Charlotte was destroyed bythe storm. “I started with a sewingmachine and a pair of scissors, and I’llstart again. That’s all I can do,” shesaid. “We’ll be all right. We’ll survive.”

The church itself, meanwhile, inneighboring Punta Gorda, was taking abeating. Good Shepherd and its dayschool were heavily damaged bywinds, water and flying debris whichpunched several holes in the roof.Initial estimates for repairs were $1million; much of the building will haveto be completely rebuilt.

Good Shepherd’s assistant rector,the Rev. Lisa Barrowclough, was the

Port Charlotte residentCarolyn Brenner attendsservices with two of hergrandchildren at Church ofthe Good Shepherd in PuntaGorda. Their home wasdamaged and her businesswas destroyed by HurricaneCharley.


Volunteers bringemergency supplies toSt. Edmund’s EpiscopalChurch in Arcadia Aug.15. The church wasseverely damaged byHurricane Charley.


The diocese suffered its first storm-related fatality Aug. 24 when a staff mem-ber of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in FortMyers died of head injuries followingan accident three days earlier.

Robert W. Turner, the full-time choir-master and organist at St. Luke’s, was partof a volunteer work crew trimming treeson church grounds at 10:30 a.m. Satur-day, according to the Rev. Philip Read,the church’s rector. Turner, 59, apparent-ly stepped off a ladder and onto a treelimb when he lost his footing and fell 14

Choirmaster dies after fall during clean-up

Managing Volunteers Effectively and Safely In a Crisis

Volunteer work crews have been and will continue to be an important part ofrelief efforts. The Southern Cross asked the Church Insurance Corporationfor some guidelines as to what volunteers can do and what tasks theyshould avoid:

1. Assess the Tasks• Make a list of all tasks that need to be done.• Prioritize the list in order of importance.• Determine which tasks can be safely and effectively done by a volunteerand which ones require a professional.

2. Assess the Volunteers• Determine the experience, skill and interests of each volunteer todetermine which tasks are the best fit.• Match small teams of volunteers to tasks. Avoid assigning a task to a singleindividual wherever possible.• Require volunteers to take regular work breaks. Reassign volunteer toeasier tasks if they are having difficulty with the original one.• Don’t forget to regularly feed the bodies and souls of your volunteers.

3. Tasks to Avoid• Any work involving heights — e.g., working on roofs, climbing ladders ortrees.• Any work on utilities — e.g., electrical, gas, water.

4. Most Common Tasks Suitable for Volunteers• Light debris removal.• Mopping or vacuuming up water once a building is safe to enter.• Sort through and itemizing damaged items.• Assisting the rector and staff with tasks to free up some of their time.• Monitoring and recording the status of all items on the “to do” lists.• Locating and screening contractors and other professionals to do workthat requires specialized expertise, training or equipment.• Reaching out to individuals in the parish or community who may needspecial assistance.

—Source: Church Insurance Corporation

feet to the sidewalk below.He was taken to Lee Memorial Hos-

pital where he underwent surgery. Hedied of his injuries, however, at about6:15 p.m., Tuesday, Read said.

“Bob Turner was one of these rarepeople who spent his entire working lifein the church, as a full-time musician,and he was certainly willing to help outwith anything going on at the church,”Read said.

Turner is survived by his wife, Mar-garet, and two children.

first person inside the church the dayafter the storm. The outside of thechurch looked bad enough. Largepatches of the roof were bare; severalholes exposed the roof’s skeleton.

A large piece of aluminum, resem-bling a window awning from a mobilehome park several hundred yards away,stuck halfway out of the roof of theparish hall.

Once inside, Barrowclough andlongtime parishioner Dick Gamblequickly moved through the building,finding water damage in almost everyroom. Debris had punched two holes inthe roof of the church itself. A panel inthe bell tower was missing, allowingrain to flood the sacristy.

However, the offices apparentlysurvived unscathed, and every stainedglass window was spared, including alarge original Tiffany window behindthe altar that was protected by a recent-ly installed hurricane-proof shutter.

The church’s day school was inbad shape, too, with water damage innearly every classroom, several brokenwindows and a large hole in its roof.The school’s outdoor playground wasin ruins.

After the walk-through, Gamblenoted there’s still a lot to be thankfulfor. “Listen, we’re all alive,” he said.

This was a tough lesson in Floridaliving for Barrowclough, a Canadianwho was received into the diocese fromthe Anglican Church of Canada onlythree months ago. She had planned toride out the storm in Punta Gorda withtwo parishioners.

When Charley took a sudden un-expected turn to the east, CharlotteCounty Sheriff’s deputies ordered theirevacuation. She remembered friendsfrom Canada owned a summer home inthe rural, inland town of Arcadia. Shecalled them and arranged to get a keyfrom their neighbors.

After settling into their new refuge,they discovered the hurricane washeading directly for them — again.They spent an hour huddling in aninterior bathroom as the storm demol-ished downtown Arcadia before mov-ing on to Orlando, out into the Atlantic


Storms(Continued from page 7)


and headed for the Carolinas.“This was my first hurricane,” she

said. “I’m never going to complainabout the weather again.”

Grace in ArcadiaAfter making landfall, Charley

moved northeast, weakening onlyslightly by the time it slammed intorural Arcadia. The 110 mph windsripped a large section of the roof fromSt. Edmund’s Episcopal Church, caus-ing extensive water and structuraldamage to the 70-year-old building.The rectory next door was also dam-aged.

As reports filtered in about thedamage, partner churches in Sarasotawere already organizing a relief effort.

Two days after the storm, morethan 15 vans, trucks and SUVs in theparking lot of St. Margaret’s of Scot-land Episcopal Church loaded up withwater, food and other necessities andheaded 40 miles east to Arcadia. Theconvoys continued for weeks.

“It’s been an amazing effort,” saidthe Rev. Greg Fry, the assistant rector ofSt Margaret’s and the priest in charge atSt. Edmund’s.

Donations were so plentiful, infact, that St. Edmund’s became an offi-cial relief station in Arcadia — despitehaving been hit as hard as anyone bythe storm.

The congregation gathered forworship that Sunday in the relativelyundamaged parish hall. Less than twohours later the room was full of bottledwater, canned food and other items asthe first convoy from St. Margaret’sarrived.

Fry said Sunday he did not knowof anyone in the congregation who hadbeen injured as a result of the storm.“The people of this church are veryfortunate. A little property damage hereand there. I haven’t heard of anyone [inthe congregation] that’s homeless,” hesaid.

St. Edmund’s has also partneredwith Catholic Charities in ministeringto migrant farmworker families in DeS-oto County who continue to need food,



High winds wrapped aluminum siding around the porch of St. Edmund’s inArcadia, blocking the exit of the parish hall.

A resident of Pine Island and her sonrest on a mattress in the nave of St.John’s Church. The church providedemergency shelter as well as medicalcare and food for victims ofHurricane Charley.

St. John’s Churchon Pine Island

provided sleepingspace for up to 80people in the first

days after HurricaneCharley.


clothing and shelter.

Island lifelineAs soon as the skies cleared over

Pine Island, near Fort Myers, St. John’sEpiscopal Church became a lifeline forthe barrier island’s hurricane victims,especially for the area’s migrant farm-worker families.

Escaping the storm without dam-age, St. John’s immediately opened itsdoors to the newly homeless, letting asmany as 80 people sleep in its nave, aswell as providing emergency suppliesand meals, and staffing the only medi-cal clinic on the island during the firstweek of recovery.

They did it all without help fromcounty, state or federal agencies, set-ting up the shelter and providing aidwithin 48 hours, said Vivian Raleigh, avolunteer from Cape Coral who coordi-nated much of the church’s initial reliefeffort. “When that kind of bureaucracygets involved, it’s counterproductive,”she said.

Raleigh, a licensed clinical socialworker, said the job actually becameharder when emergency agencies beganto arrive, citing poor communicationbetween government agencies in thefirst few days after the storm.

St. John’s was able to end its shel-ter program after 10 days, but contin-ued to provide meals, supplies andmedical care to the island for a time.The Rev. Ann McLemore, the rector ofSt. John’s, now says the church is goingto focus on ministering to the localfarm workers, particularly those whowere living in substandard trailer parks.

“This is going to be the costly endof the relief work,” McLemore said, asthey help people relocate and bring inalternative permanent housing.

The diocese will help coordinatecontinuing relief efforts wherever theyare needed. To keep track of currentneeds or to volunteer your time ortalents, visit the diocesan web site(www.dioceseswfla.org) or contactvolunteer coordinator Bonnie JeanDurning at (800) 992-7699.

As we join together in prayer, we alsojoin together to help restore the lives ofall persons whose lives have been dev-astated by the effects of HurricaneCharley. Many hands are already at work,providing food, generators, clean waterand temporary shelter. We all know it willtake months before things are settled.

Right now, though you may not bephysically involved, you can participatein providing for our brothers and sisters. Donations of money are needed to pur-chase food, clothing and medical sup-plies as we stabilize the area. One of themost efficient ways you can direct yourdonations for this purpose is to send themdirectly to Episcopal Relief and Devel-opment — U.S. Hurricane Relief. Youmay wish to note in the memo section,Florida or Charley.

Doing this relieves the bookkeep-ing burden on our already overworkedstaff and that of your church. As an alter-native to a check, you can make quickand efficient donations by use of creditcards on the secure www.er-d.org web-site, make funds transfer, or stock giftsover the phone. Every donor will receivea tax-receipt acknowledgement letterfrom ER–D.

As I receive assessments regardingthe needs of any affected church and theneeds of the people whom it serves, wewill have a basis for applying for addi-tional emergency funding. ERD will col-lect donations and disperse emergencyfunds to our diocesean office.

It will be many months before ev-erything is resolved, and there may beadditional calls for your assitance, per-haps in other ways.

By frequently checking thediocesan web site, (www.dioceseswfla.org),

Episcopal Relief and Development is an ef-fective, reliable and vital ministry of the Epis-copal Church in communities around theworld. Episcopal Relief and Developmentprovides emergency assistance in times ofdisaster, rebuilds devastated communities af-ter the immediate crisis is over, and offerslong-term solutions to help people sustainsafer, healthier, and more productive lives.

To make a contribution, donate to theDisaster Relief Fund online at www.er-d.org or call (800) 334-7626, ext. 5129.Gifts can be mailed to: Episcopal Reliefand Development, c/o Disaster ReliefFund, PO Box 12043, Newark, NJ 07101

Diocesan ER–D Coordinators:Northern Deaneries:Maureen Belote (727) 736-6466Southern Deaneries:Jody Tiffany (239) 262-3434

you can be kept up to date. We are family, and as such, will do

all in our power to encourage our broth-ers and sisters, and give them hope whilerelieving their immediate, physical suf-fering. God has given us allopportunities; some to help, some to re-ceive. Both are gifts. Thanks be to God!

Episcopal Relief and Developmentc/o U.S. Hurricane Relief

PO Box 12043Newark, NJ 07101

—Maureen Belote

Episcopal Relief and Developmentalso collecting funds for storm victims


Diocese collects $170,000 for reliefThe outpouring of prayers and con-

cern in the wake of these storms has over-whelmed the diocese.

At press time, the diocese had col-lected $177,338.25 in donations to aidvictims of the hurricanes, from dioceses,churches and individuals from all overthe country.

The diocese has used some of themoney to buy food and supplies that wasdistributed by relief stations at church-es, as well as generators and chain saws.

Donations earmarked for hurricanerelief can be sent to the Diocese of South-west Florida, 7313 Merchant Court, Sa-rasota, FL 34240.


The Good Shepherd Day School,located on the campus of the EpiscopalChurch of the Good Shepherd in PuntaGorda, offers a preschool program for 92children aged 6 weeks through 4 yearsof age, and a college preparatory programfor 47 students in kindergarten throughsixth grade. Our program is accreditedby the National Association for the Edu-cation of Young Children (NAEYC) andis a member school of the National Asso-ciation of Episcopal Schools (NAES). Weare known throughout Charlotte Countyfor our high standards in education andliving.

During this time of recovery fromthe devastation of Hurricane Charley, wewould like to offer our families some fi-nancial assistance and special support.Insurance policies and federal aid will,of course, be helping in many ways, butthe obligation of tuition payments maybe an unusually heavy burden on ourschool families at this time.

With this in mind, we propose theopportunity for individuals/organiza-tions to “Adopt-a-Lamb,” by contribut-ing toward, or paying in full, the tuitionfees for a student. A donor may choose topay for (or toward) one or more monthsworth of tuition fees.

The tuition fee for a lower school

(kindergarten through sixth grade) stu-dent is $535 a month. The tuition for apreschool student varies from $494 to$676 a month. Distribution of Adopt-a-Lamb funds will occur at the discretionof the school director and chaplain.(Checks should be made out to the GoodShepherd Day School Scholarship Fundwith a memo line note indicating Adopt-a-Lamb program.) All donors will re-ceive a tax receipt for scholarshipdonations, and the “lamb” being spon-

Devastated day school seeks tuition help for its students

sored will correspond with the donorthroughout the school year.

Please consider the importance andblessing of our being able to continueoffering the high quality of educationfor which we are known. We believe thatthe children of God deserve the very best.Please do not hesitate to contact “PastorLisa” at (941) 639-2757 or (941) 276-5502 with any questions or concerns.

—The Rev. Lisa Barrowclough

chaplain, Good Shepherd Day School

The ceiling inside theGood Shepherd DaySchool was destroyedby water damagecaused by HurricaneCharlie.

Children from Canterbury School in Greenboro, N.C., recently sent dozens ofhomemade cards to cheer up students of Good Shepherd Day School

Photo by Jim DeLa


Editor’s Note: In the weeks since

Hurricane Charley hit Florida on Aug.

13, there have been an untold number of

acts of kindness, generosity and gracious-

ness that will never be known to the com-

munity at large.

The Southern Cross will never be

able to discover every story or acknowl-

edge every individual who gave their

time, talent or wealth to help the victims

of these storms.

Thanks to information provided by

congregations and individuals involved,

we’re able to give you a small glimpse of

what the diocesan community has done.

***

Despite being damaged in the first

storm, St. James Episcopal Church

in Port Charlotte was used as a shelter

and about 25 people took refuge there

on the day Charley made landfall.

Countless actsof selflessness

Hurricane notebook

The parish hall had its windows pro-

tected with steel panels, and the stained

glass in the church was shielded with

Lexan. The nave sustained little damage,

but the side chapel’s roof was damaged,

with water soaking the insulating ceil-

ing panels. The roof had not yet been

repaired as Hurricane Frances rolled

through, and heavy rain caused even

more damage to the inside of the chapel.

St. James also lost many trees during the

storms.

Ever thankful:Parishioners at St.

Edmund’s EpiscopalChurch in Arcadia

celebrate theEucharist on the deckoutside the parish hall

after HurricaneCharley tore the roof

off their church.

Photo courtesy ofJudith Copland

The Church of the Good Shepherd in Punta Gorda has been able to use itsparish hall for Sunday services despite heavy damage to the building.


Photo by Jim DeLa


***

On Sanibel Island, St. Michael and

All Angels Episcopal Church sus-tained little damage and used its web siteto post more than 100 photos of theneighborhood, so part-time residentscould see the if their homes had beendamaged.

“It’s nice to be able to see a picturethat shows you it is still there, and youcan begin to relax,” the Rev. Donald Fish-burne told the Fort Myers News-Press.

***

Students and parents from St.

Stephen’s Episcopal School inBradenton and the Out of Door Acad-

emy worked together to organize a shoedrive, to provide new shoes for hundredsof migrant farmworker familes displacedby the storm.

***

The Church of the Holy Spirit

on Osprey, St. Wilfred’s in Sarasota andChrist Church, Bradenton, haveworked together to send volunteer workteams to Arcadia and Port Charlotte.

***

Church of the Ascension inClearwater staged a relief drive to col-lect supplies for Arcadia and Punta Gor-da, collecting, among other things, agenerator and freezer.

� Professional help: Linda Butler (center),parish nurse at Calvary Episcopal Church inIndian Rocks Beach, volunteered for duty at St.John’s Church on Pine Island. Pinellas SuncoastFire and Rescue Chief John Leahy (right) arrangedfor her transportation. Calvary’s rector, the Rev.Bob Wagenseil, is the fire department chaplainand conducted services for emergency and rescuepersonnel in Punta Gorda.

Photo courtesy of Calvary Church

Volunteers from St. Stephen’s Episcopal School in Bradenton and the Out ofDoor Academy unload shoes collected for needy families.

Hurricane notebook(Continued from page 12)

Photo by Jim DeLa

� Staying in touch: The Rev. Jim Gerhart, an assisting priestat St. Alfred’s, Palm Harbor, and an amateur ham radio operator,helped out The Salvation Army in Punta Gorda by providingcommunications between their Tampa warehouse, the base ofoperations in Punta Gorda, and the individual canteens.

Photo courtesy of the Rev. Jim Gerhart


Hurricane Charley not only laidwaste to Punta Gorda Aug. 13, it alsowrecked most of the planning for thisyear’s diocesan convention.

With Charlotte County’s conventioncenter heavily damaged and most hotelsdestroyed, the 36th Annual Conventionof the Diocese of Southwest Florida isstill on schedule for Oct. 9 — but it hasbeen moved to Bradenton and Sarasota.

The opening Eucharist and businesssession on Saturday will be held in thegymnasium of St. Stephen’s EpiscopalSchool, next to Christ Church in Braden-ton.

Also on Saturday, clergy and dele-gates will be choosing from among 52candidates to fill 19 seats on various com-mittees, including selecting eight peo-ple to serve as deputies at the 2006General Convention in Columbus, Ohio.General Convention deputies are elect-ed once every three years.

This year’s theme is “One Commun-ion and Fellowship” and the conven-tion’s special guest and preacher atSaturday’s Eucharist will be the MostRev. Frank Tracy Griswold, PresidingBishop of the Episcopal Church USA.

Friday evening activities, includinga public forum with Bishop Griswold and

Tentative Schedule:

Friday, October 8:9 a.m. to 2 p.m.: Presiding bishop’s tour of hurricane-affected areas

4–6 p.m.: Public conversation with Presiding Bishop Frank T. Griswold (St.Wilfred’s Church, Sarasota)

6–6:45 p.m.: Box dinner (St. Wilfred’s Church, Sarasota)7–9 p.m.: Forum for candidates running for deputy at 2006 General

Convention (St. Wilfred’s Church, Sarasota)

Saturday, October 9 (St. Stephen’s School gymnasium, Bradenton):7:30 a.m.: Registration and Continental Breakfast

9 a.m.: The Holy Eucharist. Preacher: Presiding Bishop Frank T. Griswold10:15 a.m.: Video presentation10:45 a.m.: Business session

a forum for canidtates running for elec-tion as deputies to the 2006 General Con-vention will be held at St. Wilfred’sEpiscopal Church in Sarasota.

No-frills conventionSince the diocese was forced to move

the convention from Punta Gorda, manyof the pre-convention activities havebeen changed or cancelled due to lackof space or time for additional planning.

Workshops scrapped: Plans forworkshops on the Friday before conven-tion, including the new course on sexualmisconduct prevention, SafeguardingGod’s Children, have been scrapped dueto space limitations. The traditional Fri-

day evening barbecue has also been can-celled.

Visitors – come early: Space willbe at a premium at the gymnasium at St.Stephen’s Episcopal School. There willbe no room for displays from groups orbusinesses. Space for visitors and spec-tators will also be extremely limited.

Materials on lineMaterial relevant to convention, in-

cluding a list of candidates, proposedresolutions and the 2004 conventionbook, which includes the proposed 2005budget, is available on the diocesan website (www.dioceseswfla.org/2004conven-tion/2004conventionhome.htm.)

Diocesan convention moving to BradentonStorm damage forcesplanners to scramble

The Oct. 9 diocesanconvention will beheld in thegymnasium of St.Stephen’s EpiscopalSchool in Bradenton.

Southern Cross file photo


Youth from Church of the Ascensionin Clearwater spent five days of their pre-cious summer break sleeping on churchfloors, painting, constructing and serv-ing their community. The eight Ascen-sion high school men and two sponsorstraveled to Kansas City at the end of Julyto participate in a summer missions pro-gram called Missionpalooza.

The program, organized by Episco-pal Social Services – Kansas City andtypically attended by youth from the di-oceses of Kansas and West Missouri, of-fers Episcopal youth an opportunity toexplore service opportunities within thechurch. Throughout the week, the 78participants of Missionpalooza and theiradult sponsors worked with Habitat forHumanity, the “Harvesters Food Distri-bution Center” and “Restart,” a centerthat provides services to people gettingback on their feet after hardships andaddictions.

The young people also had thechance to work in the Kansas City Com-munity Kitchen and a free health clinic.

The group from Clearwater was dili-gent in their work, even giving up theirSaturday morning to serve breakfast atSt. Paul’s Church, in Kansas City, Kan.The breakfast program at the church grewfrom the realization that children receivehot breakfast and lunch at school duringthe week, but often go hungry on theweekends. The breakfast service origi-nally served only children, but nowserves all hungry people.

In addition to the daily work, theMissionpalooza participants spent timein the evening reflecting on the day’sactivities and relaxing. Nathan Erdman,the youth director at Ascension and tripleader said, “It’d be very easy to com-plain on a trip like this where it’s hot, butI didn’t hear any complaints. In fact, (theguys) would be up for full court basket-ball at night. They respond well to mis-sion work.”

This summer marked the first ofshared ministry between the Florida andKansas City youth. ESS-KC ExecutiveDirector Jay Lehnertz was excited to

Roy Allison paints a door at thehome of an elderly widow in JohnsonCounty, Kan.

have the Florida youth involved in themission event. “It helps underscore theinterconnectedness of the EpiscopalChurch and shows that we are part of alarger community,” he said.

The Ascension youth are no strang-ers to the interconnectedness of believ-ers. For the past three summers, the grouptraveled to the Wind River Reservationin Wyoming to work in St. Michael’sMission. There is also an emphasis onservice throughout the year, from help-ing with the Sunday School Halloweenparty to making and serving sandwichesfor a local street ministry.

—Information for this article was provid-

ed by Melodie Woerrman, director of

communications for the Diocese of Kan-

sas, and Melanie Fitzsimmons of the Di-

ocese of Southwest Florida.

Nathan Erdman, (left) youth minister at Church of the Ascension, Clearwater,helps a teen from Kansas City, Mo., on a Habitat for Humanity work site.

Photos by Melodie Woerman/Diocese of Kansas

Local youthgo west forMissionpalooza


The week of July 19–24, more than200 participants, including five bishops,met at Berea College, in Berea, Ky., toparticipate in this year’s Provincial YouthEvent.

Whether by bus, car, or plane, all ofthe participants showed up ready andwilling to work. Along with the praise,worship and small groups, the communi-ty of the 2004 PYE also embraced thepeople of Barnes Mountain, as this year’sevent was the first to incorporate a mis-sion project along with the spiritual pro-gram.

The tasks given to the group seemedinsurmountable to many. The group wasgiven four days to complete tasks suchas reconstructing the playground, bas-ketball court and a home on the groundsof the parish on top of the mountain.Work also included a foundation for ameditation path, building a fence and thedemolition of the falling chapel.

Hillary Edester, one of the 10 partic-ipants from Southwest Florida, had herown doubts about the challenges thegroup faced. “My expectations for thispast week were low and I figured fourdays to complete the large tasks at handwere utterly ridiculous, but I was provedwrong,” she said. “And I now have newfriendships all across the Southeast re-gion, as well as a new relationship withGod. Praise be to God.”

Beyond the work, the relationshipsestablished were more than just a part ofwhat many refer to as a “mountaintopexperience.” While this trip was a pinna-cle of their walk with Christ for many ofthe youths (and sponsors), their walk withone another in Christ was that which wastruly strengthened. As the sponsor forthis event, I was given the great gift ofbuilding my own faith along with theparticipants.

As a group, we were able to bond,not only with each other, but also withthe entire community. I have watched alot of these kids grow up through camp,but this experience allowed me to meetthem as individuals and as adults.

On the top of Barnes Mountain, wemet with God’s love face-to-face. Theprospect of their faith becoming a reali-ty through what was accomplished at thework site is an amazing and intense idea,which many of our participants were ableto grasp only after leaving the group toreturn home. This summer, we were allgiven such an opportunity to help God’scommunity in a manner that we are notused to. As a group, we accomplishedmore than any of us had hoped, and I amproud to say that on this particular moun-taintop, it was God’s tears of joy andpraise that showered them.

— Amanda Knox

PYE in the sky: Mountaintopexperience strengthened faith

Individuals or groups wishing to contrib-ute or collect new jackets, windbreakersor new or gently used children’s booksmay call Resurrection House at (727)823-4742 for more details.

Marriage Encounterweekend Sept. 24–26

An Episcopal Marriage Encounterweekend has been scheduled for Sept.24-26 at Sheraton Safari Hotel in LakeBuena Vista, near Orlando.

Marriage Encounter is 44 hourswhere married couples can get away fromjobs, kids, chores and phones, to focusonly on each other. Marriage Encountercan provide greater depth, growth, andenrichment in your relationship.

For information, contact Bill andJoanne Snyder at (352) 687-3364 or bye-mail at [email protected] or go to:www.episcopalme.com. Registration islimited so a quick response is encour-aged.

Centering prayercourse in Clearwater

Starting on Monday evening, Sept.20, St. John’s Episcopal Church in Clear-water, 1676 S. Belcher Rd., will host anintensive study of the Centering PrayerPractice.

These hour-long sessions begin at 7p.m. and consist of 20 minutes of center-ing prayer, a video by Thomas Keating(founder of Centering Prayer Movement)or one of his associates, and a brief dis-cussion of the evening.

Centering Prayer is a method ofChristian Formation, which prepares usto receive the gift of ContemplativePrayer—the opening of our hearts andminds or our whole being to God. Thisprayer, done in silence, consists of re-sponding to the Spirit of Christ by con-senting to God’s presence and action inour lives.

Centering Prayer is meant to enrichand compliment other disciplines, not toreplace them. It opens hearts and mindsto the further development of our rela-

tionship with God on a one-on-one ba-

In Brief(Continued from page 5)



sis.

Father Keating is the author of Open

Mind Open Heart. This book is recom-

mended in preparation for the study

group and can be purchased online..

Another book, Centering Prayer, $14.95,

is also recommended.

The facilitator will be Karen Cun-

ningham. Karen is a commissioned pre-

senter of Centering Prayer as taught by

Fr. Thomas Keating the founder of Con-

templative Outreach. Please contact

Karen, 727 734 0111, or email

[email protected] to register.

Additional information on Center-

ing Prayer and Centering Prayer groups

is available at www.geocities.com/marg-

erafftery/.

School for Healingopens with a Splash

Nearly 90 trainers and participantstook part in the kickoff of the 2004School of Healing July 26–31 at Churchof the Holy Spirit in Osprey.

Named “Summer Splash,” the weekwas a time of learning and great refresh-ing for those who attended. Three cours-es were offered – “Blocks to Healing andLegal Ground,” “Basic TheophosticPrayer Training,” and “Advanced Prac-tices in Inner Healing.”

Each of the five days followed aschedule of worship, teaching, discus-sion, and small group prayer ministry. Aclosing communion service on Saturdaymorning was followed by individualprayer.

Joining the clergy from Church ofthe Holy Spirit – Pastor Sharon Lewis,Deacon Doug Scharf, and Deacon Rocks-Anne Paul – were Pastor Malcolm Bur-leigh (Living Faith Assembly of God,Tampa) and Rev. Agatha Taylor (PriestlyGarments International). Rev. JanetShell, who preaches and ministers inworship internationally, led the CHSworship team in anointed worship.

For the past 10 years, Holy Spirit hasconducted more than 30 healing confer-ences and over 2,800 healing prayer ap-pointments. More than 6,000 individualshave been touched directly by this heal-ing ministry.

In Brief(Continued from page 16)

Clowns spread Gospelin Dominican Republic

Nearly 30 Clowns for Christ, or Pa-

yasos de Cristo, received training in Au-

gust from five Fools for Christ in San

Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic.

Maureen “Hug-A-Bug” and Gene “Ivan

Goofinov” Belote of Church of the Good

Shepherd in Dunedin lead a team of five

experienced clowns to nurture the year-

old Dominican Christian clown minis-

try.

Jan and Warren Ankerberg of St. Pe-

tersburg, and Jim “Rusty” Gorgans of

Williston, rounded out the team and

brought their expertise in make-up, pup-

pets, face painting and props to help

spread the Gospel.

Thanks to many generous donations

of goods and money, every student re-

ceived make-up, a wig, shoes, gloves and

a costume.

The Episcopal Church Women of

Good Shepherd gave a $1,000 grant to

assist with the housing and food costs of

everyone during the conference. The

Largo Rotary donated $350 for the pur-

chase of brushes and puppet making sup-

plies. Many individuals sponsored a

clown with a $60 donation.

Cathedral to hostHereford choir

St. Peter’s Cathedral Music Depart-

ment has announced that the Choir of

Men & Boys of Hereford Cathedral (En-

gland) will be in concert on Thursday,

October 28 at 7:30 p.m.

The choir is under the direction of

Organist/Choirmaster Geraint Bowen.

Geraint was born in London in 1963 and

studied at Jesus College, Cambridge,

where he was the organ scholar. He has

held the post of Assistant Organist at St

Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin, Organist/

Choirmaster at St David’s Cathedral in

Wales before coming to Hereford where

he is also conductor of the Hereford Cho-

ral Society and was Artistic Director and

chief conductor for the famous Three

Choirs Festival last year when it was in

Hereford.

The choir also sings for many spe-

cial services, including Festival of Nine

Lessons & Carols. They are in residence

throughout Holy Week and also partici-

pate in the Three Choirs Festival held

every August. They broadcast frequent-

ly on national radio and television and

have made several CD recordings. In re-

cent years they have toured Europe and

the U.S.

Nearly 30 people in the Dominican Republic received clown ministry trainingfrom a group sponsored in part by Church of the Good Shepherd in Dunedin.

Photo courtesy of Maureen Belote


Anglican Communion News Service

The Lambeth Commission on Com-

munion has aanounced that it is to pub-

lish its report in London on Monday, Oct.

18 at the beginning of the meeting in

London of the Joint Standing Commit-

tee of the Primates and the Anglican Con-

sultative Council.

The announcement follows the

Commission’s third plenary meeting,

held Sept. 6–10 in Saint George’s House,

Windsor Castle.Archbishop Robin Eames, Chairman

of the Commission and Primate of AllIreland, said, “The Commission has beengreatly challenged in this task and I have

been privileged to work with such a ded-icated team. I have no doubt that theircollective insights and recommendationscan and must make a profound and prac-tical impact for good in the life and mis-sion of the Anglican Communion. Thishas been a labor of love in the faith thatChrist is our guide and strength in work-ing for peace and healing.”

The Commission was established bythe Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Row-an Williams, in October 2003, followingan “extra-ordinary meeting” of the Pri-mates in London, to make recommenda-tions to the primates of the AnglicanCommunion on how to maintain thehighest degree of communion possible

following developments in North Amer-ica.

The Commission has now conclud-

ed its plenary sessions, but work is con-

tinuing to be done in the preparation of

the report in readiness for its delivery to

the Archbishop of Canterbury by late

September.

No further statements will be issued

by the Commission before the release of

its report in October.

Full information on the work of the

Lambeth Commission on Communion

can be found online at:

www.anglicancommunion.org/ecumeni-

cal/commissions/lambeth/index.cfm.

Lambeth Commission report to go public Oct. 18

Episcopal News Service

From St. Paul’s Chapel in LowerManhattan to L.A.’s Cathedral Center,Episcopal church sites across the nationopened their doors this past weekend forprayer and liturgies marking the third an-niversary of the Sept.11, 2001, terror at-tacks.

Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold,preaching at St. Paul’s Cathedral in Lon-don, underscored the importance of com-passion as the healing process continues:“Three years ago, on the fourteenth ofSeptember ... our visit to the scene of thedevastation took us by St. Paul’s Chap-el,” he said. “Though only a block awayfrom the World Trade Center no damagehad been done, not even a pane of glasshad been broken ... I knew in that mo-ment that beyond anything I could thinkor feel or do there was another whose com-passion and mercy were able to embraceit all, and that it was only in the power ofthat embrace that we, and our world,would be able to find the way forward.”

In New York Saturday, St. Paul’sChapel and Trinity Church Wall Streetcontinued their ministries of hospitalityand support as family members gatherednearby at Ground Zero for memorial ser-vices remembering those killed when

planes were flown into the Twin Towers.The historic chapel of St. Paul, down-

town Manhattan’s oldest building in con-tinuous use, commemorated with a Taizéservice of remembrance, and prayers forpeace and healing. The service of remem-brance paused for a ringing of the Bell ofHope in the chapel’s churchyard at 8:46a.m., the time when the first plane hit theWorld Trade Center towers.

In Washington, D.C., PresidentGeorge W. Bush and Laura Bush attend-ed a prayer service at St. John’s Episco-pal Church, Lafayette Square, near theWhite House. The church’s rector, the Rev.Luis Leon, reportedly told Bush that “partof his role is to be chaplain to this na-

St Paul’s Chapel holds memorial service on the third anniversary of Sept. 11.

tion” adding that “hatred is not the an-swer” in responding to the terrorist at-tacks.

A memorial service was also held atthe Pentagon and the customary noonEucharist at Washington National Cathe-dral was enhanced to remember the eventsof 2001.

In Shanksville, Pa., a Service of Re-membrance was held in the field whereFlight 93 crashed three years earlier.

And in Los Angeles, “9/11: HealingJourneys for Local & Global Justice,” acoordinated series of marches from fourpoints in Los Angeles, converged at Mac-Arthur Park in the historic Westlake areaof the city for music, art and sacred ritual.

Photo by Leo Sorel

Churchescommemorate9/11 anniversary


have to be approved by both denomina-tions; both styles of worship will also bemade available each Sunday.

For parochial reporting purposes,Episcopalians will initially count 25percent of the congregation, with theLutheran Church claiming 75 percent.But that will gradually shift, and by2009, each denomination will count 50percent of the congregation to determineapportionments and membership data.

The same goes for a worst-case sce-nario, in which the federation would dis-solve. According to a sliding scale, theLutherans would be entitled to most ofthe assets in the event of a split; by 2028,assets would be divided 50-50.

Four years in the makingThe two congregations have been

worshipping together since Dec. 31,2000, when Episcopalians from the now-closed St. Joseph’s Episcopal Churchwere invited to worship several blocksaway at the Lamb of God LutheranChurch.

At that time, St. Joseph’s had beenstruggling to stay afloat. The idea of amerger came out of some friendly con-versations between Pastor Fohs and theRev. John Adler, who at the time was theinterim vicar of St. Joseph’s.

“It just made sense,” Fohs said. “Whybuild two congregations that are a blockor two away from other? Why replicatebuildings and staff when we could dothe same thing in the same place. It makesall the sense in the world.”

“It’s been a very long, gradual pro-cess that did not happen overnight,” saidFohs. He applauded the congregation forthe work it has done, but added, “It’s alsothe result of a lot of other people buyinginto the vision.”

The future, says Bishop Benoway, isexciting. “It gives us a chance to see itworking and see how it will work.

“I think it’s also a challenge to us aswe look at our theologies coming togeth-er, to see what is really important andwhat really isn’t. You know you have tolet some things go in this kind of situa-tion, while holding tight to that which ismost important to us in our faith. In oneway it helps bring to the top that whichis really important in theology and prac-tice,” he said.

Working togetherThis historic federation will be a

unique practical test of the joint com-munion agreement between the Episco-pal Church and the ELCA. “I think thatwhat we are doing is saying very clearlythat all parishioners have a common mis-sion,” said Bishop Lipscomb.

“The two churches bring in an enor-mous history on parallel tracks,” he said.“It points to the fact that no one church

or one denomination has a corner of theconversation, and as long as we sit at thetable together, we will ultimately discov-er God’s purpose for the Church.”

Fohs said Lamb of God can be anexample to Lutherans. “In a time whenCalled to Common Mission is still notaccepted in a lot of Lutheran communi-ties, I think what we’re doing proves tobe a working example to say that we havenot sold out; we have not lost our soul,”he observed.

“We can live into what we say, whenwe talk about Christians doing thingstogether,” said Robbins-Penniman. “Wewill be doing things in a way that makesit possible for people to remember theyare Christians first.”

If federated congregations are a goodidea, why has it taken so long for a feder-ated congregation to emerge? Fohs sug-gests a big stumbling block he calls “theownership thing.”

“Identification of the communityhas more to do with the building and thespace than it does of the real presence offaith in people’s lives,” he said. “Youknow what they say: ‘This is the churchmy parents were married in…’ “

Lamb of God Lutheran Church, be-ing only 15 years old, didn’t have thosehurdles, he said. “We didn’t have thatkind of tradition; there’s not that kind ofemotional ties to the space.”

Called to common mission(Continued from page 5)

Members of Lamb of God LutheranChurch greeted Episcopalians fromSt. Joseph’s with handshakes and

flowers as they arrived for their firstcombined service on Dec. 31, 2000.

Southern Cross file photo


disciples. None of these have anything

to do with committed gay and lesbian

relationships and none of them speak

to sexual orientation! The Bible is

silent on sexual orientation. Scholars

now believe that these passages

actually have more to do with survival

and common identity of the tribe

(Leviticus), inhospitality and rape

(Sodom), and Temple prostitution (St.

Paul). A good book on this topic, which

has been around since 1981 is John

Boswell’s book Christianity, Social

Tolerance and Homosexuality. There is

a good, solid basis of biblical

scholarship for full inclusion of gays

and lesbians in the Church. Standing

up for that is in no way “affirming sin

as righteousness.”

More importantly, we have the

testimony of committed gay and

lesbian Christians who speak to the

church from their own experience of

Christ in their lives. In dioceses of the

Church where dialogue has been

ongoing, many Episcopalians already

know growing numbers of gay and

lesbian Christians and can point to

them as integral members of their

parishes. Only in dioceses like

Southwest Florida, which have refused

to have any dialogue on this issue,

would acceptance of gays and lesbians

be condemned out of hand as

“affirming sin as righteousness” as Mr.

Howell would have it.

This rigid approach to gays and

lesbians is essentially that of the 17th

century Puritans who sought to impose

what they perceived to be the mind of

God on the rest of the Church at that

time. As William Countryman has

written, this is not the classical

Anglican way of the Episcopal Church,

which above all seeks to maintain

common life and conversation of the

faithful in community. None of us can

ever presume to know fully the mind of

God, but we can hope that the Holy

Spirit will work with us, all of us, in

unity to bring us toward truth.

Arrogantly asserting that we know what

God thinks or wants, without taking the

time to listen to others in the Body of

Christ, and joining with them in prayer

for discernment of God’s will, is a

manifestation of the sin of pride, plain

and simple. Let us remember that we

are all, each and every one, redeemed

children of God and we all need each

other very much.

— Frank B. Dowd

Naples

Church data statisticsreveal theology gap

The July/August issue of The

Southern Cross presented four full

pages (two letters, an interview, a news

article and a lengthy excerpt of

testimony) strongly condemning the

selection of the Rt. Rev. Gene

Robinson as bishop of New

Hampshire. No space was given to

supporters of that decision, despite the

fact that the election, legitimate and

fair, was (and is) supported by the

majority of Episcopalians.

We do need to hear the views of

our more orthodox brethren, but the

“conversation” which our own bishop

has called for can only take place if all

members of the diocese also have the

opportunity to hear other points of

view through regular presentations of

the centrist (i.e., majority) position and

sometimes even the “liberal” position

in diocesan publications. Sadly, this

issue of The Southern Cross fails to

provide the balanced coverage — and

the open forum — which its readers

deserve.

— Mark Leggett and James Kyle

St. Boniface, Sarasota

Lambeth article providedneeded clarity

Thank you for the superb article “A

peak inside the Lambeth Commission,”

written with the clarity for those of

either viewpoint to understand.

Also, thank you for printing the

Lambeth Commission testimony by

Michael Howell on the “core question

of this controversy.” The title, “Not a

matter of homosexuality but the

affirmation of sin as rightiousness”

puts the spotlight where it is sorely

needed.

—Marguerita Farmer

Bradenton

Letters to the editor(Continued from page 3)

Letters show unwarrantedpredjudice toward gays

The two letters to the editor

published in the July/August issue

were examples of unthinking prejudice.

That has become a too-frequent feature

of The Southern Cross. One of the

letters states that “gay people should

not be entitled to the lay ministry let

alone into the clergy.” It appears that

the writer feels that there is no room

anywhere in the Episcopal Church for

gay people. I find this a shockingly un-

Christian point of view and, as a

lifelong Episcopalian, I find it to be in

total opposition to the teachings of the

church I have loved for so many years.

The second letter is even worse. In

this letter the writer states that the

“consecration of Mr. (Bishop)

Robinson in New Hampshire is in

direct conflict with the teachings of

Jesus.” Such presumption is

alarming. It does not require being a

theological scholar to know that in the

four gospels Jesus never addresses the

subject of homosexuality at

all. Further, it is in serious debate

whether any of the passages in the

Bible refer to homosexuality as we

know it today. The officiousness of the

writer in claiming for himself the right

to reject the official action of the

church is discouraging.

The element within the church as

represented by these letters and by the

AAC in general want nothing less than

total domination of ECUSA in the same

way their conservative brethren took

over and now dominate the Southern

Baptist church.

—Kenneth E. Charles

Church of the Good Shepherd,

Punta Gorda

‘Judge not’ is good advicein homosexuality debate

I read, in the July/August issue, the

articles on the AAC and the comments

by Dr. Michael Howell, on his

testimony before the Lambeth

Commission. What is happening to my

beloved Episcopal Church?

I read in Matthew 7:1-5 that Jesus

said “Judge not, that you not be



status that made conversation

possible.

Many issues in the current

turmoil came up in our discus-

sions: effects of the Episcopal

Church’s decisions on Anglicans

in Africa; stands taken by Afri-

can provinces and by the Council

of Anglican Provinces in Africa;

biblical, ethical and theological

views of sexuality; interactions

of gospel and culture in Africa

and the USA; the scope and lim-

its of diversity within the Angli-

can Communion; the course of

recent Communion-wide discus-

sions; the range of opinion within

the Episcopal Church and the

polity of our church in making

decisions; parameters of the

Lambeth Commission; actions

desired from the Episcopal

Church; opportunities and con-

straints in continued shared mis-

sion.

It was clear to us that the

Episcopal Church’s sexuality

decisions have affected African

Anglicans on the ground, as well

as leaders. We heard reports of

some members leaving the An-

glican Church, of clergy experi-

encing deep anguish, and of

complications in Christian-Mus-

lim relations. Even accounting

for the disproportionate coverage

that international media give to

events in the USA, the intensity

of some African Anglicans’ feel-

ings suggested to us that the glo-

bal aspects of Anglican life may

be more prominent in their sense

of church identity than it is in the

sense of church identity of many

American Episcopalians. Thus

the effects of actions taken by

another Anglican province may

be felt more deeply by African

Anglicans than by American

judged. For with the judgment you

pronounce you will be judged, and the

measure you give will be the measure

you get.” As far as “sin” is concerned, I

think there is more than enough to go

around. How do I know that the person

at the altar rail receiving communion

next to me is not a liar, a cheat, an

adulterer, a blasphemer or a

homosexual – and that those

administering the sacraments are not

the same. Why not let God be the

judge?

If being a good Episcopalian

means we have to pass a litmus test of

absolute purity, I am afraid I will not

qualify. Personally, I prefer to be

judged before God, not men. I find him

to be more compassionate and yet

demanding of me and my fellow

sinners.

—Robert Tharin

St. Alfred’s, Palm Harbor

Howell’s testimony basedon disputed interpretation

The testimony of Dr. Michael

Howell published in the July/August

issue of The Southern Cross that speaks

against the ordination of Bishop Gene

Robinson and the blessing of

homosexual unions shows that the

foundations for his objections are his

disputed interpretations of the Bible

and scientific opinion.

Outside of this, no unbiased reason

is shown why these actions are wrong

in regard to an individual or society.

But an unbiased reason can be

shown that it is good to welcome

homosexual persons into full

participation in the church because this

act exhibits love and acceptance for

them. Love and acceptance beget love,

acceptance, stability and peace in

relationships and in society.

Christ’s teachings of love and

acceptance are simple, wise, and valid

not only in our church, but in the entire

world.

—John K. Steinmeyer

Bradenton

Howell responds: Criticdoesn’t know the Bible

I would like to respond to Mr.

Frank Dowd’s letter regarding my

testimony before the Lambeth

Commission. I’m sure Mr. Dowd had

good intentions, but unfortunately, his

letter reflects nothing more than a

grave lack of knowledge on the Bible

and homosexual behavior.

In Dr. Robert Gagnon’s On Boswell

and “Men who lie with a male” in 1

Corinthians 6:9: A Response to

Harwood and Porter, he states that the

concurrence of the aforementioned

writers with Boswell’s conclusion that

arsenokoitai referred to male

prostitutes was erroneous, and reflected

a lack of knowledge on the relevant

scholarly works of the past 25 years.

Gagnon notes that Boswell’s

arguments have not persuaded most

New Testament scholars, including

those supportive of homosexual

practice (e.g., Dan Via, and William

Schoedel). They affirm that the terms

malakoi and arsenokoitai collectively

designate a general condemnation of

ALL male-male intercourse. Moreover,

homosexual advocate Walter Wink’s

review of Gagnon’s The Bible and

Homosexual Practice, acknowledges

that even men in committed

homosexual relationships would not

have been acceptable to Paul and

would have been included among the

arsenokoitai who would not inherit the

coming kingdom of God.

Regarding arrogance, I would state

that it is not arrogant to speak in

righteousness and truth against a

behavior that is consistently

condemned in the Bible under ALL

circumstances (i.e., not just in

exploitative relationships, as shown by

contextual and thorough scholarship).

If that were true, Paul and all the

prophets would have to have been

considered “ministers of arrogance”.

On the contrary, it is arrogant for Mr.

Dowd or anyone else to assume that

they know better than God, when it

comes to living in accordance with his

expectations for sexual purity and

holiness.

— Michael W. Howell, Ph.D.

St. Petersburg

Letters to the editor(Continued from page 20)

From the Bishop(Continued from page 3)



FREEDOM IS A DREAM: ADocumentary History of Wom-en in the Episcopal Church, ed-ited by Sheryl A.Kujawa-Holbrook (Church Pub-lishing Incorporated, New York,2002, 319 pages, $26.00)

Sheryl Kujawa-Holbrook hasculled through 200 years of docu-ments, speeches, and interviews toassemble the remarkable material col-lected here. Included are such writ-ings as Sojourner Truth’s impassionedspeech for women’s rights at one ofthe first national conferences on thetopic; Elizabeth Cady Stanton’s callfor the creation of a Woman’s Bible;and a powerful sermon from PauliMurray, the first African Americanwoman ordained to the priesthood.

The book is available from theEpiscopal Book/Resource Center,815 Second Ave., New York, NY10017; (800) 334-7626;www.episcopalbookstore.org

LEADING LADIES: Trans-formative Biblical Images forWomen’s Leadership, by JeannePorter (Innisfree Press, Inc.,Philadelphia, 2000, 158 pages,$13.95)

Leading Ladies presents transfor-mative images that recognize womenwho lead in all walks of life and ex-pand our definition of “leader.” Dr.Porter introduces four female arche-types from the Bible who honor wom-en’s experiences and perspectives:The Midwife (Puah and Shiprah),helps birth ideas and dreams; TheChoreographer (Miriam), brings peo-ple together to celebrate; The Weaver(Deborah), braids together her visionfor the future; The Intercessor (Esther),advocates on behalf of others.

The book is available from theEpiscopal Book/Resource Center,815 Second Ave., New York, NY10017; (800) 334-7626;www.episcopalbookstore.org

Anglicans. We believe that as a

church we can learn from their

more intense global awareness.

Our African companions dis-

agreed on biblical and theological

grounds with the Episcopal

Church’s sexuality decisions. They

felt that our decisions disregarded

the Communion and the need for a

wider Anglican consensus. There

was some variation in the ramifica-

tions people felt these decisions

would have on inter-provincial rela-

tions. Some were as concerned for

the situation within the Episcopal

Church as they were about relations

with their province. We invited

reflection on what the Episcopal

Church could do to repair strained

relationships, and a number of sug-

gestions were made.

We were open about our own

views in human sexuality, which

reflected the diversity of the Epis-

copal Church. We shared the pro-

cess by which the General

Convention made its decisions in

2003, the theological views those

decisions reflected, and the cultural

context of the Episcopal Church.

We noted that dialogue within the

Episcopal Church is ongoing. We

expressed our concern for the ef-

fects our decisions were having in

parts of Africa and elsewhere in the

Communion.

A number of bishops expressed

hope that visits such as ours would

be made to other African provinces,

which they felt would find such

visits similarly helpful in providing

a forum for personal conversation.

We share this hope. We will be

sharing more specific observations

with relevant individuals and groups

in the Episcopal Church. In gener-

al, we felt that the personal meet-

ings with church leaders at this

sensitive time were helpful, that

good relationships were formed,

and that the conversations were

fruitful. In a time of stress, we

continue to hope and pray for the

continuing unity of the Anglican

Communion.

—The Rt. Rev. Theodore Daniels,

Assistant Bishop, Diocese of Texas

—The Rt. Rev. John Lipscomb,

Bishop of Southwest Florida

—The Very Rev. Dr. Titus Presler,

Dean, Episcopal Theological

Seminary of the Southwest

From the Bishop(Continued from page 21)

BBooksThe Episcopal Women’s History

Project invites proposals for individualpapers and panels for a 2005 conferencecelebrating women’s ministries (lay andordained) in the Episcopal Church.

The conference will be held in Dal-las Sept. 22–24, 2005 and is being heldin celebration of two anniversaries, the30th anniversary of women’s ordinationto the priesthood in the Episcopal Churchand the 25th anniversary of the Episco-pal Women’s History Project.

The groups is seeking proposals forindividual papers and panels on wom-en’s participation in a broad range of layand ordained ministries. Studies of mar-ginalized women and girls, includingwomen of color and poor and working

class women, papers on women’s partici-pation on the local level, and regionalhistories are welcome. Scholars, parishhistorians, archivists, and others in-volved in the study of women’s historyare encouraged to participate.

To apply, please e-mail a one-pagedescription of your paper, along with abrief biography, to the Program Commit-tee, EWHP, c/o Sheryl A. Kujawa-Hol-brook at [email protected], nolater than March 1, 2005. If you are pro-posing a panel, please send a descrip-tion of each of the papers and presentersinvolved.

Participants selected for the confer-ence will be notified as soon as possibleafter the due date.

Women’s History Project seeks presenters


CCalendar

If your group or congregation is planning anupcoming event of interest to the rest of thediocese, please send the information to:

The Southern Cross Calendar7313 Merchant CourtSarasota, FL 34240

or e-mail it to [email protected] 2004 diocesan events calendar is also

available on our web site:www.dioceseswfla.org

Training/WorkshopsPreparing for Marriage Seminar. Oct. 2, 8:30 a.m. to 3

p.m. at the Holy Cross Conference Center in St. Petersburg.

Couples who are preparing for marriage as well as newlyweds

are invited to attend. Sponsored by the St. Petersburg Deanery.

Cost is $150 per couple; $125 for those couples from churches

in the St. Petersburg Deanery. Some scholarship assistance is

available when necessary. This seminar meets the State of

Florida requirements to receive a reduction in marriage license

fee. Contact: The Rev. Dr. John V. Monsour, executive director

of the Samaritan Counseling Center of Tampa Bay, at (813)

872-7186.

Deacon Training Day. Oct. 16, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at St.

Wilfred’s Episcopal Church, 3773 Wilkdenson Road, Sarasota.

The program wil lbe led by the Rev. Ormonde Plater, a nation-

ally-recognized leader in the development of the diaconate.

The morning session will be open for deacons-in-training, ac-

tive deacons and rectors/vicars with deacons or those thinking

of having one. The afternoon session is for deacons-in-train-

ing. Contact Karen Rettler at (941) 556-0315 or by e-mail at

[email protected] for more information. Registration

deadline is Oct 11.

Safeguarding God’s Children training. Nov. 6, 9 a.m. to

1 p.m.at St. Peter’s Cathedral, 140 4th St., St. Petersburg. Cost

is $5 per person. Program developed by Church Pension Group

and Praesidium Religious Services which deals with preven-

tion of child sexual abuse. Class is requiried for all licensed

clergy, lay people, vestries, and people who work with chil-

dren and youth. Contact: Jean Bordeaux at Diocesan House,

(941) 556-0315, ext. 274.

Retreats/PrayerAmazing Love Healing Conference. Sept. 17–18, 7 p.m.

Friday to 10 p.m. Saturday, at Church of the Holy Spirit, 129 S.

Tamiami Trail, Osprey. Experience Spirit-filled worship,

anointed teaching, and large group prayer ministry. Cost is

$45 per person; $70 per couple; $25 for team members. Con-

tact: Church of the Holy Spirit at (941) 966-1924.

“Eternal Impact” —Building up God’s Manpower

2004 Diocesan Men’s Conference. Nov. 6, 9 a.m. to 4

p.m. at DaySpring Episcopal Conference Center in Ellenton.

Cost: $35 per person (includes lunch). Contact: Jay Crouse,

director of Episcopal Men’s Ministries, at (941) 957-1271, or

e-mail [email protected].

Clergy Day. Nov. 3, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at St. Boniface Church

on Siesta Key, Sarasota. The Rt. Rev. Mark Dyer will lead the

discussion.

Special Events36th Annual Convention of the Diocese of Southwest

Florida. Oct 7–9 at St. Stephen’s Episcopal School gymnasi-um in Bradenton. Annual business meeting of the diocese.Theme: “One Communion and Fellowship.” Invited guest: TheMost Rev. Frank T. Griswold, presiding bishop of the Episco-pal Church USA. Contact Beverly Persson via e-mail [email protected]; or at (941) 556-0315, ext. 260.

Conferences/Meetings

Happening #52. Nov. 12–14 at DaySpring Episcopal Con-

ference Center. Cost is $100. Contact: Lynda Botzenhart at

(941) 747-3709.

New Beginnings #36. Dec. 3–5 at DaySpring Episcopal

Conference Center. Cost is $100. Contact: Jean Bordeaux at

(941) 556-0315, ext. 274.

Advent Camp. Dec. 19–21, at DaySpring Conference Cen-

ter. Cost is $125. Contact: Jean Bordeaux at (941) 556-0315,

ext. 274.

Youth Events

southern cross sept 2004

Documents