Episcopal Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast
May 13, 2020
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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.
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GRIEF AND RESILIENCE
AUTHOR: THE REV. DR. JOY BLAYLOCK, CANON MISSIONER FOR DISCIPLESHIP
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A few years back, I was asked to give a holiday address to a bereavement group for two years in a row. The first year I said something about my own experience of loss and then the second year I stumbled upon a story about Dr. Elizabeth Kuber-Ross. I find that story helpful now as we engage a pandemic and employ a whole new language with words and phrases like: “social distancing”, “sheltering in place”, “essential workers” and “flattening the curve”.
I'm sure most of you have heard of Dr. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross, the researcher who devised the famous five stages of grief and became known as “the death and dying lady”. What you might not know is that after working with dying people, a lifetime of dedicated service, Dr. Kubler-Ross moved into her dream home only to immediately have the first of what became seventeen strokes. The strokes left her almost totally paralyzed. A hospital bed was set up in the middle of the living room and she had to quickly adjust to a whole new reality.
That resonates with what many of us are grappling with each day: a whole new reality. I think we are experiencing grief right now in what we have loss in terms of social connection and vitality; we also have anticipated grief of all that we will miss in the coming days or years. I go back to Dr. Kubler-Ross because I think her story can teach us much about this time...
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UPDATE ON THE SCHOOL FOR MINISTRY AND ORDINATION HOPES
AUTHOR: THE REV. DR. JOY BLAYLOCK, DEAN OF THE SCHOOL FOR MINISTRY
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Like most of the world as we know it, the School for Ministry hit the pandemic curve-ball in March and we opted to start sheltering-in-place early. So much was unknown and we decided to err on the side of safety hoping that such a decision would be very temporary.
We now know much more and are grateful that we stopped our weekend gatherings in March. However, that does not mean that we stopped learning, living, loving, or doing ministry. As the students adjusted to their new reality, each having a different challenge in creating a safe response to the pandemic, I pivoted to design and implementation of online instruction. I collaborated with The Rev. Deacon Clelia Garrity, the Contextual Education instructor, and we set forth a plan to continue our teaching and mentoring with the students until June 15, 2020...
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FAITH IN ACTION
AUTHOR: THE REV. DEACON CLELIA GARRITY, LCSW
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Wednesday of Easter Week was a day on which I found myself in what we have come to know as a liminal space – a transitional space in which we are on the verge of something. A space in which we leave behind the old and cross into the unknown, the next. Liminal space – a bridge from one place to another. Another space, a different space; a space that allows for growth, for creativity, for a renewed connection to God.
Wednesday of Easter week it dawned on me that the past was indeed past, and the future was, as always, unknown. But the present, the present – the here and now – was a sacred time given to us by God. A time in the continuum of our lives that mandates growth through creatively adapting to this liminal time. A time filled with opportunity. Opportunity to continue God’s mission for the world – good news spread through word and deed. Good news of love and compassion and caring for each other and for our church...
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A LONGING TO BE TOGETHER
AUTHOR: THE REV. GREG HEIN
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In the midst of the COVID 19 pandemic, when we are physically distancing from one another, in-person worship is suspended, trying to create virtual worship and trying to be the church in the world and be as normal as possible, the last thing any of us need is an unexpected emergency with the church facilities. After enjoying a quiet Saturday morning at home and watching two of my granddaughters having their B’not Mitzvah, I received a panicked call from one of my parishoners who had been doing some work around the church grounds and noticed water coming out of the external doors leading to the parish hall. One of the fire suppression sprinkler heads had gone off and was spraying water in the parish hall. He was frantically trying to stop the water which had been spraying for quite some time according to the amount of standing water in the parish hall, class rooms, storage rooms and hallways. When I arrived about 10 minutes later, I was shocked to see the standing water and the amount of water that continued to spray from the sprinkler head...
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DEACON'S MUSING
AUTHOR: THE REV. DEACON ED RICHARDS
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My name is Ed Richards, and I am the deacon at the Episcopal Churches on Panama City Beach, Florida, namely Grace Church and St. Thomas by the Sea. In the past, I have done a fair amount of prison ministry. I am sharing with you something that has been going round and round in my head lately.
I have been thinking a lot about the folk I used to visit in the federal prison in Marianna (destroyed by Hurricane Michael) and the folk I visited at the Northwest Florida Reception Center (locked down because of the Covid-19 pandemic). I wonder how they are doing. Have they kept the faith they had developed? Are they safe and well? Are some of them closer to home so they can at least get visits from family? What are they feeling being in very crowded conditions with no way to maintain social distance...
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PHONE PALS FOR INMATES
AUTHOR: JOHN OLSON, COMMISSION ON PRISON MINISTRY
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Have you been or are you stuck under a stay at home order? Men at Alabama‘s death row in Holman prison are locked down in bleak 5‘ x 8‘ little rooms day after day after day…. for the rest of their lives. They are condemned to be executed. They will never get out. But God wants us to bring His love into their lives.
One way to do this is to become a phone pal to an inmate. There is no cost other than 15 minutes of your time. By responding in love, God’s love overflows to the caller, who has something to look forward to, a chance to escape the harsh reality, and to feel loved...
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Please be sure to direct any mail for the Episcopal Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast to our post office address: PO Box 13330, Pensacola, FL 32591-3330.
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BOOK READ OF "JUST MERCY"
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In this time of sequester, while we must maintain physical distance, we don’t need to be socially apart. Technology allows us to meet, visit, study, pray, worship and fellowship together. What a great gift and blessing in the midst of this peculiar time. The
Commission on Racial Justice and Reconciliation invite you to take advantage of this and consider doing an online live study group of the Diocesan-wide book read of “Just Mercy” by Brian Stevenson. With Zoom, it’s easy to connect.
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We took a little break from the Coastline the last several weeks, and you may have taken a little break from reading emails. In case you missed anything, here are some links to a few things you might want to get caught up on:
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ONLINE AND LIVESTREAM
WORSHIP OPTIONS
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Until we can once again gather in person, livestreamed services are being offered by churches across our diocese and beyond.
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FOR CONGREGATIONS
OPTION FOR ONLINE GIVING
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Your financial gifts to your church are of vital importance to support their ongoing ministries to your church community and to the most vulnerable among us. The Episcopal Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast is providing the ability to give online for congregations that do not have ways to collect an offering or donation electronically.
You do not need a PayPal account to donate online. You can give via PayPal or a credit / debit card. 100% of your gift will be sent to the church you designate.
Please include the name and town of the congregation in the text box “add special instructions” at the top of the donate form. For example: “St. Michael’s, Ozark, AL”. Questions? Please contact Kim Weinstein in the Diocesan Office at
kim@diocgc.org.
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RESOURCES FOR INDIVIDUALS AND CONGREGATIONS
FINDING CONNECTION
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The entire world has found itself disrupted due to COVID-19, and we are learning new ways to remain connected to our church communities by modifying how we gather. Blessedly, we have online platforms and other technologies that allow us to do just that. The Episcopal Church and the Episcopal Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast are continually updating our websites with resources on an array of church related topics for individuals and congregations during our time apart.
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Holy Nativity Episcopal School has set up a prayer fence where students, faculty and parents can write their prayers on a ribbon and attach to the playground fence.
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Rev. Mary Alice Mathison of the Episcopal Churches of Panama City Beach created a video of how they use Holy Hikes to supplement their spiritual practices several times throughout the year.
https://youtu.be/LA87i8UUGEY
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St. John's, Pensacola organist, Jeannette Gibson, made a bunch of face masks. Rev. Christie had fun taking them to small businesses around the church. Included was a note from St. John's with a prayer on the back.
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Ruggles, of St. Thomas, Greenville, likes that he can attend livestream services to watch Rev. Linda-Suzanne preach on Sundays. His humans, Magoo and Bill Hamilton, make sure to turn the pages for his
Book of Common Prayer.
Ruggles is also a fan of the music of organist, Gary Mather!
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Preaching to empty pews can be rather lonesome, Fr. Rian Adams of St. Andrews, Panama City took this picture of printed parishioners attached to their seats. Several other churches have duplicated the same practice.
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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.
No postings at this time.
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All Diocesan in-person events have been suspended at this time until May 31. If you are a member of a commission or committee please check with your chair regarding online meeting options.
Commission on Racial Justice & Reconciliation Zoom Speaker Series at 7 pm CST. All are welcome.
- May 20: Ms. Carla Crowder - Alabama Appleseed Center for Law & Justice
- June 3: Dr. Carlos E Aleman - Hispanic Interest Coalition of Alabama
- June 17: Rev. Deacon Carolyn Foster - Poor People's Campaign
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All events have been suspended at this time until May 31. Please check with your church leadership regarding online options for church events.
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All bishop's visitations have been suspended at this time.
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May 17
St. Paul's, Daphne, AL
United Thank Offering
May 24
St. Augustine's, Navarre, FL
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May 17
Atmore Community Work Center, Atmore, AL
May 24
Camden Work Release, Camden, AL
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All are invited to participate with us in our 50th Jubilee Anniversary. 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.
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Coastline
is a biweekly publication of the Episcopal Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast.
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