This is "The Scoop," a communication from Diocesan House, to be distributed usually on a bi-weekly basis to clergy and lay leaders in the Diocese of Southwest Florida.

Your contributions are important. Send items to share with the diocesan community to Jim DeLa, director of communications, at jdela@episcopalswfl.org.

For Nov. 21, 2007:

Holiday season is upon us: A reminder that the diocesan office will be closed Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, Nov. 22 and will reopen on Monday, Nov. 26.

E-mail problems: The diocesan e-mail server has been crashing intermittently for the last two days. E-mail sent to diocesan staff from about 12:01 a.m. to about 2 p.m. Tuesday probably was never received. We're having similar problems late Wednesday morning. If you sent an important message to us during that time, please resend it. We're sorry for the inconvenience.

Check the web site lately? If you haven't viewed the news page of the web site lately, there's some news of interest:
-- Bishop John Lipscomb announced Nov. 20 he is asking to be released from his ordination vows in order to join the Roman Catholic Church;
-- The food pantry at St. Giles Episcopal Church in Pinellas Park has reopened after a fire was deliberately set inside the building last Sunday morning.


Mark your calendars:

There are several notable events coming up in the diocese:

Upcoming ordinations:
Dec. 5: Deacon Charles Jonathan Roberts will be ordained to the Sacred Order of Priests at 6 p.m. at Church of the Good Shepherd, 1115 Center Rd., in Venice. Clergy should vest in cassock, surplice and white stole. Contact Good Shepherd at (941) 497-7286.

Dec. 9: Deacon Charles Connelly will be ordained to the Sacred Order of Priests at 10 a.m. at St. John's Church, 906 S. Orleans Ave., in Tampa. Clergy should vest in cassock, surplice and red stole. Contact St. John's at (813) 259-1570.

Join a pilgrimage to the Holy Land: St. George's Episcopal Church in Bradenton is leading a trip this spring to Galilee, Jerusalem and Jordan. It's a 10-day trip, leaving March 24, the day after Easter. The $2,766 double-occupancy price includes roundtrip airfare from Miami, all accommodations, and seven breakfasts and eight dinners, airport-hotel transfers, hotel taxes, the bus and guide. Contact the Rev. Ted Edwards at StGeorgeDragonslayer@gmail.com or (941) 755-3606.

Believe in a Miracle 2008 is a day of renewal for women and their friends, sponsored by Women's Ministry of the diocese. It's set for Saturday, Feb. 9, at the Venice Community Center. Keynote speaker will be the Rt. Rev. Nedi Rivera of the Diocese of Olympia. The guest performer will be Elisabeth von Trapp.
Registration is required. Forms are available through your church office or can be downloaded from the diocesan web site Cost for the day is $12.50 and must accompany your registration form.
Hotel rooms can be reserved for Friday night, Feb. 8, at the Hampton Inn (941) 488-5900, or at the Best Western (941) 480-9898. Be sure to say you are attending Believe In A Miracle when you call to make reservations. It is recommended that you do this as soon as possible.

Worth repeating:
(These items were in last week's e-mail but are still notable).

Did she say free lunch? Begin the season of Advent by helping to prepare/repair the Chapel Center @USF.

Chaplain Denise Guinta is holding a volunteer work day Dec. 1, beginning at 8 a.m. Activities of the day will include rug pulling, installing electronics, cabinet removal, paint prep, ceiling tile removal, furniture moving, window installing and general carpentry work. And that's just the inside.

Outside, there's major hedging, pruning, heavy-duty lawn mowing, weed-wacking and power-washing to do. A small chain saw would be handy as well, if anyone has one. And if you're not mechanically inclined, "gophers" are needed, too.
Please e-mail Denise at revd@tampabay.rr.com for more information. Refreshments and lunch will be provided.

People Notes:
Please pray for the repose of the soul of Arthur Lee, Jr., the father of The Rev. Arthur Lee, rector of St. David's Church, Englewood, who died recently. Funeral arrangements are still pending. Please remember Fr. Lee and his family in your thoughts and prayers.

Congratulations to Sarah Hart Fishburne the daughter of the Rev. and Mrs. Donald Fishburne of St. Michael and all Angels Church in Sanibel. Sarah recently received the Coaches' Award for varsity soccer at St. Andrew's-Sewanee School in Sewanee, Tenn. Sarah, a four-year starter on the squad, is also an Honors scholar and student leader, serving her classmates on the Honor Council, Student Vestry and as a Proctor.