Episcopal Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast
February 26, 2020
Together, we are the body of Christ ~ transforming people from members into disciples, moving more deeply into God's call to life and ministry, and extending our mission beyond the status quo.
News
A CALL TO PRAYER, FASTING, AND REPENTANCE
LENT 2020
As we enter the season of Lent, Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Michael Curry invites Episcopalians and people of faith to turn and pray on behalf of our nation.

THE WAY OF LOVE IN LENT
LIFE TRANSFORMED
The Episcopal Church has developed several Lenten resources which can be used with your congregation, as part of a small group, or for individual learning and meditation.



JUST MERCY
 BOOK STUDY
Bryan Stevenson will be a keynote speaker at the 50th Jubilee Celebration of the founding of our diocese in December 2020. Prepare for his time with us by holding a church-wide read/study of his book, Just Mercy, and a viewing of the recently released movie between now and December 2020. A spiritually and biblically focused study guide has been created by the Commission on Racial Justice & Reconciliation. Feel free to adapt and use it creatively to enhance your reading experience.


Stories
SACRED CONVERSATIONS
BECOMING BELOVED COMMUNITY
Written by: Joe McDaniel, Jr. (Christ Church, Pensacola and co-chair of the Commission on Racial Justice & Reconciliation)

Racial reconciliation. What does the term conjure up in your mind? Does it cause you to put your head in the sand and say: "I don't want think about the past because it fills me with shame and guilt. Why do we even need to have these [racial reconciliation] workshops? We live in a post-racial society; after all, we just had an African American president."

On December 7, 2019, at Trinity Episcopal Church, Mobile, a gathering of parishioners from the Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast addressed the issue in a most Christian like manner. In Holy Sacred Conversations, the workshop...

TO MY SISTERS AND BROTHERS IN CHRIST
 A PRAYER REQUEST
Written by: Wayne Verry (St. Paul's, Foley and chair of the Commission on Prison Ministry)

I made the following statement/prayer request before Bishop Russell and the delegates to our 49th Annual Diocesan Convention earlier this month. I am now sharing my request with you, and ask that you include Mr. Woods in your prayers. 

I want to inform you that on Thursday, the 5th of March, the State of Alabama will execute Mr. Nathaniel Woods. I ask that in the coming days and weeks that all church families will pray for Nathaniel’s life and soul, for the families of his victims, for those who will carry out the execution, and for all those on Death Row in...

Around the Diocese [submit your photo]
The Men’s Friday morning Breakfast Bible Study group from Christ the King, Santa Rosa Beach organized a work day at St. Luke’s, Marianna to help clean up damage to their historic graveyard caused by Hurricane Michael.

Photo submitted by Richard Proctor
St. Thomas’ inaugural Christmas Parade float took first place honors at the annual event in Greenville, Alabama! The church banner read, “St. Thomas Church - Sharing good tidings of great joy since 1858.”

Photo submitted by Magoo Hamilton
Children from St. Christopher's, Pensacola bury the "alleluia" after the church service, reminding us of the penitent nature of the season of Lent; and just like Christ's resurrection, the alleluia shall make its return on Easter.

Photo submitted by Jenn Johnson
Announcements
With much gratitude and congratulations, various ministries of Episcopal Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast are excited to announce the receipt of five grants from The Episcopal Church totaling $19,000:

$2000 Episcopal Evangelism Grant
Everyday thousands of people pass through the City of Mobile's Government Plaza building located next to Christ Church Cathedral. The goal of this project is to train parishioners, using Evangelism 101 as a guide, in order to offer these people companionship, community, solidarity and a place to encounter the love, grace and mercy of Jesus through moments of feasts and fellowship; to hold space with people no matter how they perceive God or their relationship to God; and let them know they are loved and supported no matter what brings them to Government Plaza.

$2000 Episcopal Evangelism Grant
Funds from this grant will help the Church of the Epiphany in Crestview embark on a new initiative to become a more openly welcoming church and gather resources towards creating a safe zone for LGBTQ+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Trans, and Queer/Questioning) persons, to be a fully welcoming LGBTQ+ church in North Okaloosa, and to provide helpful information and support not easily found in the Crestview community. This project hopes to bring Epiphany's congregation closer in their relationship with God by cultivating a more welcoming church that affirms and recognizes all His children as He created them. 

$5000 New Episcopal Communities Discernment Grant for the Way of Love in Freeport
A team of 12 diocesan leaders partnered with the Rev. Ken Howard, of the Diocese of Georgia, for a year-long DataStory Evangelism Project funded by Province IV of the Episcopal Church. The resulting Diocesan Missional Strategic Plan has prioritized three missional opportunities to explore, one of which is to learn more about Freeport. The goal is to lift up the three parishes on the perimeter of Freeport and try a missional experiment in the center that will enrich the whole region while developing missional leadership in each of those three parishes (St. Judes, Niceville; Christ the King, Santa Rosa Beach; and Epiphany, Crestview) as they engage this new community that does not currently have any Episcopal presence within a 15-minute drive time.

$5000 New Episcopal Communities Discernment Grant for the Between the Bridges in Panama City Beach
The funds awarded will be used in two focus areas. One, to pilot a Mother’s Morning Out project, enabling the churches of Grace and St. Thomas by the Sea to “try on” the broader feasibility of a long-term program to address the needs of the community in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael which placed a great deal of additional stress on what was already a shortage of child-care and preschool services on Panama City Beach. The second focus area is for A New Day Community Transitional Resource Center which will be a faith-based safe resource network for post-incarcerated individuals recovering from substance abuse, post military Veterans, and others traumatized by poverty and homelessness.

$5000 New Episcopal Communities Discernment Grant for a Community Outreach Center in Mobile
This project begins with discerning the possibility of a community outreach center in the Mobile, Alabama area that would seek to connect people across cultural boundaries and foster community through efforts to live out the Greatest Commandment to love God and love our neighbors as ourselves. The hope is to provide space to meet people's basic needs of food and shelter, opportunities for personal growth in education, wellness and creative arts, offerings to deepen spiritual practices, such as regular worship and small groups, and fostering continued community development that invites us to respond to the needs of the neighborhood around us. This work would also seek to encourage and invite the support of the Mobile area Episcopal churches and congregations of other denominations.

If you are interested in learning more about grants, church development and/or missional opportunities, please contact Canon Missioner Kammy Young at kammy@diocgc.org.
Job Postings
Job postings are for paid positions at Episcopal churches, schools or related programs within the geographical boundaries of the Episcopal Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast.



Diocesan Events [see more dates]
February 29 - March 2
So That We May Go Forward: Pilgrimage of Remembrance Details/registration

March 3
Clergy Renewal of Vows and Workday at Beckwith Details/registration

March 6
An Evening with Nibs Stroupe, co-author of Passionate for Justice: Ida Wells as a Prophet of Our Time at St. Christopher's, Pensacola (this event is followed by Holy Grounds and Rounds with Stroupe on March 7 ) Details

March 6-8
Men's Conference at Beckwith Details/registration

March 7
Daughters of the King Spring Assembly at St. James, Fairhope Details/registration
The Silver Tsunami Workshop on Dementia Details/registration

March 20-29
Commission on Global Mission Engagement construction mission to the Dominican Republic

March 28
Pilgrimage to the EJI National Memorial for Peace and Justice
Church & Community Events [see more dates]
February 29
Godly Play Lenten Retreat at Chapel of the Apostles, Fairhope Details

March 9-13
Icon Writing Retreat at St. Christopher's, Pensacola Details

March 14
Guatemala Gala Fundraiser at Holy Cross, Pensacola Details
Bishop's Calendar [see more dates]
March 1
St. Paul's, Magnolia Springs

March 8
Holy Cross, Pensacola

 March 10-13
House of Bishops Spring Meeting

Cycle of Prayer [see more dates]
March 1
St. Paul's, Magnolia Springs

March 8
Holy Cross, Pensacola
March 1
Blackwater River Correctional Facility, Milton

March 8
Calhoun Correctional Institute, Blountstown
50th Jubilee Celebration
50th Jubilee Celebration
All are invited to participate in our 50th Jubilee Anniversary with us. We've created monthly materials, resources, newsletters, etc. to help us celebrate in a unified way across the Episcopal Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast throughout 2020.


Coastline is a biweekly publication of the Episcopal Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast.

SUBMIT AN ARTICLE - deadlines are 1st and 3rd Fridays of each month

SUBMIT AN EVENT - posted on our website each Friday

Direct questions to communications@diocgc.org