by Chau T. Phan, Ph.D.
The Third Ecumenical Evening Prayer at the Bishop-level in Northeast Florida took place at St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church in Jacksonville on the feast of the conversion of St. Paul, January 25, 2016, at 7 p.m. The Rev. Janis Kinley, interim pastor at St. Matthew’s was the local host. This is noteworthy that we have so many leaders of Christian denominations gathered to pray together at the end of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.
The Fourth Ecumenical Vespers will take place on a weekday during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, January 18 to 25, 2017 in the greater Jacksonville-St. Augustine area, to be hosted by a local church of the Greek Orthodox Church Archdiocese of America, Metropolis of Atlanta.
Bishops or Representatives of Bishops at the Third Ecumenical Evening Prayer at the Bishop-level, at St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church, Jacksonville, Monday, January 25, 2016, from left to right:
- Rev. Tim Smiley, North East Florida Superintendent, representing Florida Resident Bishop Kenneth Carter, United Methodist Church, Jacksonville;
- Bishop Adam Richardson, AME Church 11th District, Jacksonville;
- Rev. Fr. Nicholas Louh, representing Bishop Emeritus Dimitri Couchell, Atlanta Metroplis, Greek Orthodox Church of America, Jacksonville;
- Bishop Felipe J. Estevez, Diocese of St. Augustine, Florida, Jacksonville;
- Presider and Host: Bishop Robert G. Schaefer, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Florida-Bahamas Synod, Tampa and Venice;
- Bishop Samuel Johnson Howard, Episcopal Diocese of Florida, Jacksonville;
- Visiting Episcopal Bishop Harold W. Godfrey from Peru (South America);
- Mr. Steve Benz, Transitional Executive Presbyter, Presbytery of St. Augustine, Jacksonville;
- Rev. Russell Meyer, Executive Director, Florida Council of Churches, Tampa;
- Rev. James Golden, Chair of Social Action Committee of the 11th District of the AME, Bradenton.
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Dr. Phan serves as the Associate Diocesan Ecumenical Officer and is a parishioner at Santa Maria del Mar in Flagler Beach.