ST. MARY’S

EPISCOPAL CHURCH,

DADE CITY, FLORIDA

A Parish Profile:

March, 2019

St. Mary’s Episcopal Church Dade City, Florida P a g e | 1

A Parish Profile: St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, Dade City, Florida

March 2019

A Prayer for a New Rector

Almighty and everliving God, ruler of all things in heaven

and earth, hear our prayers for our St. Mary’s Parish Family.

Strengthen the faithful, arouse the careless and restore the

penitent. Grant us all things necessary in our search for a

new rector, and bring us all to be of one heart and mind,

within your holy Church, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Mission Statement

To know Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior through prayer,

worship, study, and fellowship. To serve Him with our lives

in ministry to all people.

This Parish profile has been compiled to help give prospective candidates for Rector of St. Mary’s

Episcopal Church of Dade City, Florida, an overview of our Parish. It also provides the current

“state of the church” as seen by its parish family members.

The information included in this profile has been taken from a recent self-study as well as from

data provided by the department heads, members of the Vestry, church staff and members of

the Search Committee.

Community

Dade City is located in East Pasco County approximately 30 miles north of Tampa, 45 miles west

of Orlando, and 40 miles east from the Gulf Coast. The city, which is the county seat, is nestled

among rolling hills, farm and ranch lands. The focal point of the city is Courthouse Square which

houses the renovated “Old Pasco County Courthouse”, unusual shops, antique and specialty

stores and several restaurants. Dade City has many visitors that come to spend the day browsing,

shopping and dining.

Established in 1889, Dade City was an early participant in the Main Street program, and the

citizens and property owners have worked hard to restore and maintain historic buildings and

sites. The area is home to Saint Leo University, Pasco Hernando State College and the Florida

Pioneer Museum.

The population of Dade City proper, is approximately 7,100. However, the community has a

population in excess of 75,000 people residing in the area encompassing the smaller communities

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of San Antonio, St. Leo, Lake Jovita, St.

Joseph, Darby, Lacoochee, Trilby and Ridge

Manor. The largest employers in the area are

Pasco County Government, Advent Health

Hospital in Dade City, Florida Medical Clinic,

Pasco Hernando State College and St. Leo

University.

The median age of the Dade City area is 36

years old, and quality education is of great

importance to its residents. The District

School Board of Pasco County operates one of

the state’s premier public school systems,

providing educational opportunities to more than 75,000 students countywide, and employing

approximately 10,000 residents.

Dade City has a diverse religious population with approximately 65 churches in the area providing

services. The continued growth of the area in terms of population, many of which are younger

families, provides for opportunities to bring more people to Christ and St. Mary’s.

Many events take place either in the downtown or in the surrounding area. Some of these

include:

• Church Street Christmas – An annual

event which show cases home town America,

in which carolers, choirs, dancers and

musicians perform along the luminary lit

sidewalks and decorated homes of Dade City’s

historic Church Avenue.

http://churchstreetchristmas.org/.

• Pasco County Fair https://www.pascocountyfair.com/

• Rattlesnake Festival Food, arts & crafts, live music, wildlife, children’s games, and local history are

highlighted each year. Family fun and entertainment are a main focus of the event.

http://www.rattlesnakefestival.com/

• Kumquat Festival The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce has established this flagship event

that celebrates everything that makes the Dade City area unique, while encouraging visitors to participate

in the fun! Since the nearby town of St. Joseph was already known as the Kumquat Capital of the World,

the

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Chamber of Commerce decided that this little fruit with a funny name could be the focus of an annual

festival. https://www.dadecitychamber.org/annual-kumquat-festivalr

• Country Christmas Stroll https://festivalnet.com/35562/Dade-City-Florida/Holiday-

Celebrations/Country-Christmas-Stroll-and-Holiday-Market

• Sparklebration July 4th Celebration

https://www.pascocountyfair.com/events/2016/sparklebration-/

• Bug Jam https://floridabugjam.com/

• First Friday Festivals https://www.naturecoaster.com/first-friday-brings-music-to-the-streets-of-

dade-city/

• Monthly Car Shows https://www.visitflorida.com/en-us/event.a0p1W000004zFpPQAU.html

• Dade City Symphony http://www.dadecitysymphony.com/

History of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church

In October of 2016, St. Mary’s celebrated its 125th Anniversary as the third oldest parish in the

Diocese of Southwest Florida. It is proud of its history.

In 1891, citrus grower Henry D. Harrison deeded to the Protestant Episcopal Church a small tract

of land west of Lake Pasadena near Handcart Road southwest of Dade City. On Sunday October

10, 1891, the first Eucharist service was celebrated in the 25 x 40 foot church structure with 40

parishioners in attendance and Archdeacon J.H. Weddell officiating. After a citrus freeze in 1895

and subsequent economic disruption to the local economy, the St. Mary’s Mission fell into a

period of disuse and the congregation became disorganized.

The marriage of C.A. Lock to Lucy Spencer kept the mission alive until 1909, when the mission

reorganized and arrangements were made in 1910 to move the church building from Lake

Pasadena to its current location on the corner of Magnolia Avenue and Eleventh Street in Dade

city. The expense of the move by wagons and mule train and subsequent renovation cost of

$869 was paid by fifteen people, eight of whom were members of St. Mary’s Mission.

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In 1938, the stone edifice of “Parish Hall”

was built (dedicated as Leach Hall in 1950 in

memory of Father Barnaby H. Leach) and

served as the church office until remodeling

in 2001 when ground was broken for the

north transept. Leach Hall now serves as St.

Mary’s sacristy and offers the parish easy

access to restrooms near the west entrance

to the sanctuary.

The vestry approved plans in 1948 and built

a rectory to the north of the church of the

same native stone used in the construction

of Leach Hall. In November 1947 the rectory

was dedicated as Bamford Hall and now

serves as the practice and storage needs of St. Mary’s Adult and Youth Choirs.

In 1953, the congregation approved a nine-person vestry with three members selected each year

for a term of three years, a formula functioning still today.

The annual convention of the Diocese of South Florida approved St. Mary’s Mission application

for Parish status in September of 1957; the Zephyrhills membership separated and was admitted

to the diocese as St. Elizabeth’s Mission.

In autumn of 1957, construction was completed on a new Parish Hall west of Leach Hall and in

1967, was dedicated as Freeman Hall in honor of Senior Warden Henry Arthur Freeman. With its

spacious culinary facilities, Freeman Hall served as a meeting hall, dining hall and Sunday school

building.

In the Fall of 1957, St. Mary’s vestry purchased, a home on Missouri Avenue to serve as a rectory,

thus freeing the Old Rectory (Bamford Hall) for Sunday School classes. Then, in November of

1969, St. Mary’s called Father R. James

Barnhardt, who served as rector for 13

years before retiring in August of 1982.

During Father Barnhardt’s tenure,

record numbers in membership,

attendance, revenues and confirmation

dominated his watch. A renovation of

the west wall of the church provided an

eleven-pew balcony and twenty pews on

the main floor, which virtually doubled

seating capacity in the sanctuary. In

addition, a seven rank Moller pipe organ

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was installed on the eastern wall with the altar

relocated to the west at its present island site. Six

choir pews separate the organ from the east edge of

the altar.

In January of 1976, a pre-dawn fire destroyed

Freeman Hall and gutted Leach Hall, destroying the

church offices and choir rooms. St. Mary’s

congregation, the Dade City community, its

organizations and churches (some from Tampa),

supported the restoration efforts. By November of

1977, refurbished Leach Hall again provided office

and choir space while Freeman Hall was rebuilt and

enlarged.

Mrs. Frances Freeman, St. Mary’s first female

senior warden, led the effort to finance and plan

construction of a Sunday School area to the north end of Freeman Hall and the western back of

Bamford Hall. In 1981, Bishop Haynes blessed the addition as the “Barnhardt Wing”.

By Thanksgiving Day 1985, St. Mary’s experienced two growth developments which altered the

church for the rest of the decade. The rectory on Missouri Avenue was sold with the proceeds

earmarked by the vestry for the Building Fund for future use. In addition, the Reverend Lewis

O. Tanno accepted the call to become Rector of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church.

By 1988, the vestry had purchased the Treiber property to the west, which doubled the church’s

land area, provided additional parking space and added more under-roof area to the growing

church. By the end of 1990, St. Mary’s set new records in attendance and membership. In

addition, when Mr. Lee Reed satisfied the remaining debt on the Treiber property in a memorial

to his wife, the residence was renamed Reed Hall. Eventually, Reed Hall would become the new

home of the church offices. In 1991, the vestry

received the distribution of the Dorothy Louisa Lock

Trust tithed to St. Mary’s and began discussions

regarding crowding and the need to again expand

facilities. Initial plans in the early 1990’s were too

expensive for the additional seating provided for the

sanctuary and other ideas needed investigation. In

December of 1993, the choir moved to Bamford Hall

to give Father Tanno and his staff more room in Leach

Hall. In 1997 St. Mary’s purchased the Lock property

and house situated on one-half of a city block,

diagonally across Magnolia and Eleventh Street from

the Church. Donations from parishioners and a major

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contribution by the Evans/Lowery family

funded the purchase. The house was

renamed the Lock/Evans House in honor of

Mr. Emmett Evans, Sr. Today, the facility is

used for Adult Sunday School and outreach

ministries with the land providing additional

parking areas.

The vestry closed on the purchase of the

Huckabay property in July, 2000 which gave

the parish additional land area for parking

and a house, which was renovated and

dedicated Tanno Hall in April 2001. Tanno

Hall now houses the youth ministry. In

August, 2001 the vestry began construction

on the north transept, which was dedicated during Bishop Lipscomb’s visit in February, 2002. This

addition, and the expanded chancel area, increased the seating capacity to approximately 300

parishioners and 35 choir members.

Since July of 2003, St. Mary’s Episcopal

Church owns one and one-half city blocks of

real estate and nine buildings. Today St.

Mary’s Episcopal Church is free of debt. While

there continue to be opportunities to

enhance its facilities, it has recently painted

the main church and installed a new roof and

doors to the building. Additionally, it has

improved and expanded its prayer and

memorial garden. Recently, it has begun

consideration of substantial renovations to

the extended facilities by exploring

improvements to the Lock-Evans building for possible use as a rectory.

Under the leadership of Fr. Dewey Brown, St. Mary’s continued to extend its ministry into the

Dade City Community. In 2010, a group of St. Mary’s members put on a concert in the Church.

One idea led to another and the effort became the Dade City Symphony orchestra. The orchestra

practices regularly at St. Mary’s, and a number of its members play with the choir in our Sunday

worship. The resulting relationship has showcased the talents of many members to benefit the

orchestra, while providing visibility in the community to St. Mary’s church.

Fr. Dewey Brown extended the ministry of St. Mary’s in the community by serving as the chaplain

to the Dade City Police department. He also maintained contact with the Dade City area churches

through the local ministerial association.

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In cooperation with area churches, St. Mary’s prepares and serves a Sunday afternoon meal six

times each year for the homeless and other persons at the city’s community center. The “Love

One Another” feeding ministry has operated weekly for the past ten years.

In October of 2016 St. Mary’s celebrated its 125th Anniversary, the third oldest parish in the

Diocese of Southwest Florida.

St. Mary’s Worship Ministries

Acolytes

Eucharistic Ministers

Eucharistic Visitors Altar Guild Ushers Music Adult Choir Youth Choir Hand Bell Choir Faith Formation Adult Sunday Morning Formation/Education Other Men’s Thursday morning Eucharist, Breakfast, and Bible Study Women’s Thursday morning Bible Study and Eucharist Men and Women’s Kairos ministries Love One Another feeding ministry Food collection for the hungry Regular collection of school supplies and clothing for local school children

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2018 Parish Self-study Results (68 respondents)

AGE: 18-30 31-45 46-65 60+ 1% 2% 13% 85% EDUCATION: H.S. or less College Degree Graduate Degree 19% 43% 37% YEARS ATTENDING: Less than 6 years 6-10 years More than 10 20% 27% 53% PREVIOUS CHURCH BACKGROUND: Episcopal Other – 57% 43% MOST IMPORTANT TO PARISHIONERS (regarding Parish Life): •Christian Education •Growing Membership •Stewardship •Parish Social Activities •Outreach Programs

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How St. Mary’s Sees Itself St. Mary’s celebrates its many programs and ministries. Of special note and distinction, it enjoys an active and engaged choir and music program. In addition to providing wonderful music and singing to enhance our liturgical services, the music program and ministry are active beyond the parish and into the community. It regularly performs at Dade City’s Country Christmas, the Church Street Christmas event, and at local Senior Care and Assisted Living Facilities. It also performs and actively seeks performance opportunities with other neighboring

churches to share its talent with the greater Dade City area, and its members comprise a substantial force within the Dade City Symphony.

St. Mary’s is committed and active in the Kairos ministries for men and women in correctional facilities in the area. This is the ministry focus of our parish deacon, and a number of parishioners.

The congregation has a number of men who gather for Eucharist, enjoy breakfast, and participate in bible study each Thursday morning, and a growing number of women are participating in a weekly bible study shortly thereafter.

Although most of St. Mary’s youth have grown and aged out of the youth programs, St Mary’s

facilities remain at the ready to meet the needs of youth as membership increases. Recognizing

the growth that is moving north into in West and Central Pasco County, St. Mary’s is ready to

invite the new residents to join us in our ministry of prayer, worship, study, and fellowship in

service of Jesus Christ.

St. Mary’s Parish is searching for a Rector who delivers sermons that are Gospel related, personal and applicable to daily life. One who is a person of prayer who lovingly pastors to the needs of parish and lives and teaches according to the word of Christ. St Mary’s fervently desires to strengthen its youth program membership and seeks leadership to meet this need.

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VESTRY MEMBERS

• Davis Henley (2017)

• Sheila Highsmith (2017)

• Nancy Meech (2017)

• Dennis Alfonso (2018)

• Lee Brenn (2018)

• Gloria Heald (2018)

• Nancy Finnerty (2019)

• Greg Gude (2019)

• Wendy Wightman (2019)

Church Leadership

• Sr. Warden – Dennis Alfonso

• Jr. Warden – Davis Henley

• Treasurer – Jim Stokoe

• Chancellor – Dennis Alfonso

• Organist & Choir Director – Sharon Brant

• Parish Administrator – Sandra Sartain

Search Committee

• Alan Teschner (Chairman)

• Dr. Nancy Finnerty

• Fanchone Gude

• Carolyn Hodges

• Terry McKienzie

• Chick Meech

• Tom Parks

Parish Finances: Budget (archive of records from 2013 to present are available at St. Mary’s website at http://www.stmdc.com/Vestry.html).

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How to respond:

Please submit the following materials:

• Résumé/c.v.

• A copy of your updated OTM profile

• A letter of interest that highlights how you feel you meet the needs of St. Mary’s and why you feel called to serve as our Rector.

• Letters of reference from three people, one clergy, one lay, and one either clergy or lay who is not supervised by you and who is not related to you. Please ask your references to read our materials, then focus their comments on what it is in your life and ministry that makes you a good candidate for this unique call

Deadline to apply is May 15, 2019. Please email all documents in PDF format to: The Rev. Canon Richard Norman Episcopal Diocese of Southwest Florida rnorman@episcopalswfl.org