In place of its regularly scheduled annual convention, the Diocese of Florida held a convocation “for conversation, prayer and corporate discernment” Jan. 27-29 at St. John’s Cathedral in Jacksonville. The convocation began with a Eucharist which included renewal of baptismal vows around a stone baptismal font.

“While a key component of this convocation is to create a time to pray and listen and reflect in small groups without the grandstanding of public response,” Florida Bishop Samuel Johnson Howard wrote in an Epiphany letter announcing the convocation format. “I am mindful of the need that many of us will want to contribute to the dialogue on a wider scale.”

The Rt. Rev. Edward Little, Bishop of Northern Indiana, was the first speaker of the weekend, preaching the opening sermon and conducting Morning Prayer the following day.

Five other speakers were also invited to present views on the Anglican Communion, with facilitated discussion following each. The speakers were: Maria Campbell, who has done organizational consulting for the diocese; the Rt. Rev. Mark Dyer, retired Bishop of Bethlehem and the only member of the Lambeth Commission on Communion (LCC) from the Episcopal Church; the Very Rev. Peter Moore, director of Anglican Relief and Development and retired dean of Trinity Episcopal School for Ministry; the Rev. Ephraim Radner, rector of Church of the Ascension, Pueblo, Colo., and a scholar of the Anglican Communion Institute; and Mary Tanner, a life-long member of the Church of England and the first guest invited to make a presentation to the LCC.

In addition to an optional pre-convention gathering for dialogue on a wider scale, the small groups were encouraged to post brief written feedback for sharing with others who were present.