Bi-weekly e-mail
This is the first installment the new communication from Diocesan House, to be distributed usually on a bi-weekly basis to clergy and lay leaders in the Diocese of Southwest Florida. This combines and replaces the weekly e-mail previously sent by the Rev. Canon Michael During and Connections, the diocese’s monthly e-mail newsletter.

Your contributions are important. Send items to share with the diocesan community to Jim DeLa, director of communications.

For Sept. 19, 2007:

Buddy, can you spare a chalice? Organizers for the 2008 clergy retreat, set for Sept. 22-24, want to put together a permanent box of liturgical equipment made up of four chalices, four patens, purificators, corporals and a decorative frontal. If your church could donate to this endeavor, please contact the Very Rev. Martha Vaguener at MVaguener@aol.com. A contribution of actual items would be wonderful, but she’ll take cash too.

Personnel changes at Diocesan House: Administrative assistant Tana Sembiante has taken a leave of absence. Administrative assistant Jean Bordeaux has resigned. Their areas of responsibility are being covered by other staff.
For the time being, for information concerning youth and young adult events, please contact the volunteer coordinators for a particular event:
Happening: Lynda Botzenhart at (941) 447-8266.
New Beginnings: Roy Allison at (813) 880-0220.
Vocare: Lindsay Morris at (941) 962-4229.
Safeguarding God’s Children training: Refer to the website for upcoming training dates and requirements. Contact LeAnna Hood at 941-556-0315 to register for train the trainer sessions.

Convention news:
Here are some recent developments concerning diocesan convention, set for Oct. 19-20 at the Venice Community Center:

Attention, Deacons:
Bishop Dabney Smith has indicated that he would like the deacons of the diocese to be seated with their congregations. As the convention requires a seating plan and the timely registration of many people, a clear standard is needed.

Active deacons with current letters of agreement (regardless of canonical residence) will be seated with their congregations. Bishop Smith will continue Bishop Lipscomb’s standard regarding the voting by deacons for the 2007 Convention. All deacons are requested to reply by Oct. 1 to Office Manager LeAnna Hood indicating 1) your active/retired status 2) your congregation. Your current record will be compared to the ACS database.

Resolutions:
Four resolutions have been accepted for consideration at the Oct. 20 business meeting:
1. Authority to divert apportionment funding to the Dominican Republic. Sponsored by the Rev. Joel Morsch of Christ Church, Bradenton.
2. Adding Dr. John Edwin Culmer to Lesser Feasts and Fasts. Sponsored by St. James House of Prayer, Tampa, and The Union of Black Episcopalians Southwest Florida John E. Culmer Chapter.
3. Amending Canon VIII to permit wardens to be selected from any qualified elector, instead of only from the pool of elected vestry members. Sponsored by the Rev. Donald Fishburne, St. Michael and All Angels, Sanibel.
4. Establishing a college scholorship fund for children of clergy canonically resident in the diocese.

The full texts of all three resolutions are on the diocesan web site: www.episcopalswfl.org/diocesan_convention/

At the fall deanery convocations, the following people were elected to serve on Diocesan Council:
Allen Getz has been re-elected to Diocesan Council to represent laity from the Tampa Deanery;
Jay Crouse was re-elected as a lay Council representative from the Manasota Deanery;
The Rev. Joel Morsch was elected to fill the unexpired term of the Rev. Doug Scharf, who is moving out of the Manasota Deanery to serve as rector of Holy Innocents in Valrico;
Jim Park was re-elected as lay representative from the Venice Deanery;
The Rev. John Suhar was re-elected as clergy representative from the St. Petersburg Deanery;
The Rev. Ray Dage, from St. Stephen’s in New Port Richey was elected to represent the Clearwater Deanery;
The Rev. Alice Sadler was elected to represent the Naples Deanery; and
The Rev. Rev. Alice Marcrum was elected to represent the Fort Myers Deanery.

The 2007 convention booklet, including the proposed 2008 diocesan budget, information about nominees for elected office and tentative schedule of events is available, in PDF format on line at the diocesan web site.
The web site also offers an on-line registration form, interactive maps to find the convention venues and hotel information.

People Notes:
Congratulations to the Rev. Bob and Kari Hennagin, who are celebrating the birth of a grandchild, Colby Ryan LaHanse (7 lbs., 13 oz.; 21 inches) on Sept. 5.

Congratulations to Bishop John and Marcie Lipscomb, who are celebrating the birth of a grandchild, Brianna Grace Rogers, on Sept. 14.

The Rev. Philip Perkins, canonically resident in Connecticut, but licensed for many years here and assisting at St. Boniface until he retired due to illness, died in hospice care Saturday, Sept. 15. He had been anointed and received communion with his family present some days before his death. A Requiem Eucharist is scheduled at St. Boniface on Saturday, Oct. 20 at 11 a.m. Burial will be in the columbarium of St. Paul’s, Riverside, Conn., in early November.

The Rt. Rev. Donald J. Davis, former bishop of Northwestern Pennsylvania, died Aug. 30 in Sarasota. He had retired from active ministry many years ago and was a parishioner at St. Boniface on Siesta Key. Services will be held later this month at St. Boniface.

Help Wanted:
St. Margaret of Scotland Episcopal Church in Sarasota is looking to fill an interim musician position. Good pay, reasonable hours. Keyboard and organ experience sought. Great opportunity to be part of a thriving faith community with a variety of worship alternatives.
Contact the Rev. Everett Walk at (941) 925-2525 for details.

Job of the week:
Applications are invited for the post of Representative of the Archbishop of Canterbury to the Holy See and Director of the Anglican Centre in Rome.
The Archbishop of Canterbury and the Governors of the Anglican Centre in Rome wish to appoint a new Representative of the Archbishop of Canterbury to the Holy See and Director of the Anglican Centre in Rome to succeed the Rt. Rev. John Flack who is retiring after nearly five years in the post.
Replacing Bishop Flack involves finding a person of experience and stature, an ordained Anglican, ideally a bishop of the Anglican Communion. The post-holder acts as a two-way ambassador between the Vatican and both the Archbishop of Canterbury and the wider Anglican Communion. The post-holder is also the Director of the Anglican Centre in Rome and as a consequence the role is multi-layered, binding together ambassadorial, educational, pastoral and interpretative elements. The person needs to be theologically able with good linguistic ability. A knowledge of Italian is preferable and a willingness and ability to learn Italian is essential. Accommodation is provided at the Anglican Centre in Rome, which occupies a large apartment within Palazzo Doria Pamphilj at the heart of historic Rome. Applications are being invited for the post, which is expected to be for a three to five year period.

Further details and an application form are available on request from:
Steven Cooper
Lambeth Palace
London SE1 7JU
United Kingdom
E-mail: steven.cooper@lambethpalace.org.uk
Fax: +44 20 7401 9886