The Rt. Rev. Samuel Johnson Howard, Bishop of Florida, writes about his diocese’s increasing commitment to urban ministry:
A number of clergy and laity in Jacksonville have been in active study and prayer concerning our mission to evangelize and grow the church, focusing particularly on our ministry in Jacksonville’s urban core. Over the course of nearly two years, church leaders from this area (St. John’s Cathedral, St. Mary’s, St. Phillip’s, Church of the Good Shepherd and Church Without Walls) have been engaged as we have sought to discern God’s will for our ministry to the city.
… As we have talked and as we have prayed, a vision has arisen for urban ministry that will unfold in concert with our new initiative on evangelism and growth. The Rev. Beth Tjoflat will serve as Canon for Urban Ministry, leading a broadened and inclusive approach to urban ministry. She will build on partnerships within the diocese and community as she continues to oversee our “church without walls” ministry. As we strive to enlarge our communities of worship and service, I feel that this ministry will be one of real and lasting significance.
Matthew Townsend is a Halifax-based freelance journalist and volunteer advocate for survivors of sexual misconduct in Anglican settings. He served as editor of the Anglican Journal from 2019 to 2021 and communications missioner for the Anglican Diocese of Quebec from 2019 to 2022. He and his wife recently entered catechism class in the Orthodox Church in America.
