Presentation to NW Florida State College Center Life Long Learning on The Episcopal Church

Recently, I was honored to be invited to present a program and classroom discussion on the basics of the Anglican Church to the Comparative Religions Class at the Northwest Florida State Community College Center for Life Long Learning here in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. 

Please find below a special link to YouTube video of this presentation. It is here where you can watch my program in its entirety (about 90-minutes). Also, see the page/graphic below (used with permission from Fr. J. Robert Wright's Church History Class at The General Theological Seminary), which was one of the handouts I provided for the students in this CLL Class. Certainly, I would welcome your feedback and encourage any comments about what was discussed regarding our wonderful tradition in the Christian faith.

Blessings to you this Epiphany Season!
Mark+

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO!

 

Timeline of Church History

Christian Denominations

Bishop Transition Committee Member

I am honored to be currently serving along side an outstanding group of lay and ordained clergy who are on the Bishop Transition Committee. On Monday, Jan. 19th St. Simon's will take a bus with nearly 50 Episcopalians to Dothan, Alabama for our first day of Walkabout sessions.

Webpage link for the new Bishop Nominees --
http://bishopsearch.diocgc.com/
 
Also, CLICK HERE to access a special link to read the latest brochure from our Transition Committee which outlines the bios on each of the four candidates. They are impressive group and we hope that you will spend time reading about them.  Reminder that the election will take place on Feb. 21st at the Diocesan Convention held at Trinity Church, Mobile, Alabama. 

2015 St. Simon's Vestry Retreat

On Jan. 10th, the St. Simon's on the Sound Episcopal Church 12-member vestry set aside a full day to get away to Christ the King Episcopal Church in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida (see photo to left) and spend some time with each other on retreat. We opened with a Eucharist and then were led by Fr. Mark, Steve Larson and our Senior Warden Bob Hauge.

Scenes from Vestry Retreat at Santa Rosa Beach on Jan. 10, 2015

Fr. Mark, Bob Hauge (Sr. Warden), Steve Larson

In-Reach Vestry group, chaired by Jackie Glover

Outreach Vestry group, chaired by Joey Havelka

Was great to spend time with my dear friends Karen (center) and John Werner (right) recently in Dallas.

Pre-Game view of ATT Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Enjoyed my time at the Cotton Bowl as Baylor narrowly lost to Michigan State.

Visiting with John Morris "Voice of the Baylor Bears" pre-game at the 2015 Cotton Bowl. I worked along-side John and the late Frank Fallon for many years at Baylor University in Waco, Texas.

Christmas Eve 2014

Click here for sermon audio

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Merry Christmas!

And Thank you for being here tonight.

Thank you for taking the time

to remember what this day is all about.

When you love someone,

what do you do…to show them or express to them, your Love?

If you are a teenager falling in love for the first time,

or the mother a newborn child,

most of us want to show this love by simply saying,

"I love you."

And that’s a big deal…

It takes a lot to get to this point in a relationship, doesn’t it?

And this is exactly what God does for us tonight.

God’s actions bring into the world

the purest, most kindest Love

we will ever know.

Christmas is a love story.

And for thousands and thousands of years,

God has revealed His love for us, in story and action.

Of course, Love actually begins at creation –

in fact, the great Swiss theologian Karl Barth says

every human being is “loved” into life by God.

Throughout the Bible

God expresses his love for us –

by Word and examples..

but apparently this wasn’t enough.

So, God communicated to us

by taking every ounce of love he had,

and he sent it to us in the most fragile

and vulnerable of packages:

in the flesh of a newborn child.

The Word became flesh and lives among us.

But the trouble is…

many of our images today of this baby Jesus

are hopelessly colored by years of Hallmark cards…

or sentimental Anglo-American Christmas images –

which have weaken the harsh reality of this child’s birth.

Several years ago on Christmas Day,

a good friend of mine who is a priest in Tampa,

told me when she was getting ready for their service,

which included carols, dancing

and a living Nativity scene….

the people started to arrive,

and they were greeted by the sight of several street people

on the front steps of the church.

There were two which stood out…a man and woman with a shopping cart

and a bundle of rags.

Several people stopped to offer help

and some invited them in out of the cold.

But the homeless couple politely declined all offers.

Finally, one of the nervous vestry members approached my priest friend and said, 

"We've got a problem with these people."

He wanted to call the police and remove them.

So, a patrol car came by

and the couple were asked to move across the street

where they wouldn't disturb all the dressed up church people.

But at the end of the service…the big moment arrived:

Dancers dressed in white appeared in the back

to lead the Holy Family down the center aisle.

And just as Mary & Joseph entered

you could hear loud gasps from all over the church.

The Holy Family walking down the center aisle

was the homeless couple from the front steps.

The baby Jesus was the bundle of rags

they had held in their arms.

As the angels led the holy family toward the altar they wept,

as did most of the congregation.

Jesus entered the world as a homeless child,

in utter humility and great poverty.

Tonight, two thousand years later,

Jesus waits to enter our hearts, too

in the very same way.

He waits patiently to be invited into our life.

So that HE can walk along side us through it all…

the glorious, joyful days,

and those gut wrenching, unimaginable ones.

The Word became flesh and lives

with our men & women serving across the world…

on an aircraft carriers in Southeast Asia,

to some lonely Airman on duty right now

in Minot, North Dakota.

Tonight, we gather here in this beautiful church

and remember once again

the greatest story ever told…

“The Birth of the Savior of the World.”

And so as we journey to Bethlehem

let us now return our thanks and simply say…

“We love you Lord Jesus.

WE LOVE YOU – just as you love us.

And now, Look down from that bright sky

and stay by our side until morning is Nigh.”

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Fr. Eric Zubler, left and Fr. Mark Fitzhugh, right

 

 

EASTER 2014 - St. Simon's on the Sound Episcopal Church

Fort Walton Beach, Florida

SO, when we last gathered here…

and I’m not referring to the birth of Jesus,

sorry – I couldn’t resist that! 

We met a remarkable man

named…Joseph of Arimathea

Joseph placed our Lord Jesus in the tomb

and sealed it tight with a huge bolder.

Jesus was dead…

All hope for a Messiah had once again, failed.

Trusting and believing in God was nearly gone.

Organized Religion was corrupted by rules, politics,

and hypocrisy.

The people wanted no part of it.

Sounds familiar?

In light of your answer,

let me offer you this:

Do you see any possibility of a relationship

between Imagination and Faith?

The reason I ask…

I believe every human being,

who has ever lived,

has been given the ability to imagine

and have faith in something.

And, if you grew up in the 60s and 70s like I did,

your mind might rush to the Beattle’s on this –

particularly John Lennon…

but they are no help today. Sorry!

The fact is there are 2.3 Billion Christians worldwide

who in some shape or form,

have answered this question positively.

However, as large as that number is,

and living here in the Bible belt of America

we can easily forget,

that Christians make up only one third

of the total people on this planet.

That means, there are 5 billion people

who do not believe Easter is significant what so ever.

We’ve talked about this previously,

where nearly 17-percent of all ages in America

have no religion at all.

That is a problem.

Or more positively put,

That is our Mission.

Easter’s message is really very simple,

Life has conquered death…

So, for all Christians to live,

we have to remember this…

the ONLY reason we come to this beautiful place

is to worship God,

and proclaim by our actions,

that Jesus Christ has been raised from the dead.

Period!

That Mission has not changed one centimeter

from the first century to this very day.

Church politics, bickering over selfish control needs,

equals death…hence the need for Good Friday.

So, today – this Easter Sunday,

God has given us yet another chance

to begin again.

I am convinced God is calling you and me

to obey this command –

“Go and make disciples of all people,

baptize them,

respect them,

just as we want to be respected,

and lo, God will be with us always,

even to the end of the age."

Braden John Costabile

and Grayson Christopher Scheel

We begin with you…

You are a blessing to us, and your family.

And in a moment,

we will welcome you into the fellowship of God

and into Easter’s joy.

Back to my question,

if everyone one of us has the ability to imagine

and have faith in something,

then what are we to do

throughout these Great 50 Days of Easter?

Of course, Easter is more than a one-time event.

Easter is an attitude, a perspective.

So, how do you want to build on this

and imagine a new tomorrow?

Imagination is not delusion.

Ask Bill Gates and Walt Disney.

And Faith can be indescribable,

but so are love, peace, hope.

So, Jesus helps with this,

in the expanding universe of his heart,

because even after the soldiers beat him,

and Judas betrayed him,

He demonstrated that Mission is not limited

to the beautiful and the good.

In fact, spiritual growth often comes in spite of the pain and death.

But, in the meantime,

Jesus invites us to expand our hearts.

To grow in imagination.

To experience Easter faith,

and to practice respect and love for all people.

The American poet Mary Oliver says it best,

“Even beyond what I see, I imagine more . . . .
Well, we will all find out, each of us.
And what would we be, beyond the yardstick,
beyond supper and dollars,
if we were not filled with such wondering?”

Happy Easter!

$20 Homeless Backpack Care Kit

Cheri and I recently visited several wonderful Outreach Committee volunteers and homeless guests who came to St. Simon's Episcopal Church here in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. Our church provides a "Cold Night" shelter to men, woman and children who are homeless in our area. I was especially struck by the wide range of ages and special needs of those who came to us for food, shelter and hospitality. As always, I tend to leave this ministry with so many thoughts and concerns as to how I/we can respond even more throughout the year.

Yesterday, I came across this video (above) which seems to be a simple and effective low cost way to respond to individuals who may find themselves homeless and hungry.

I pray this will be of some help as you seek to discern how God may be leading you to help someone in need.
Epiphany blessings,
Mark+

Christmas Eve 2013

Here is a printed copy of my 2013 Christmas Eve sermon. Also, you may listen to this sermon by clicking on the following link: Christmas Eve 2013 sermon from The Rev'd Mark L. Fitzhugh

Ben was really big

for a first grader.

He was solid. All boy.

Everybody loved Ben.

He was the gentlest of souls,

and was certainly No bully.

Ben was a friend even to the smallest of kids

at church and school.

At our last church in Connecticut,

his mom and dad were close friends of ours.

Ben was excited about our upcoming Christmas play.

He wanted to be one of the shepherds…

of course, all little boys love to dress up

and be shepherds.

But the trouble is on this particular year,

the lady directing the play

had a larger role in mind for Ben.

He was cast as the innkeeper.

He practiced and practiced,

but became more and more nervous about his lines.

The morning of the play,

everything was going beautifully.

Then came the part where Mary and Joseph

knocked on the door of the inn.

Ben answered the door right on cue

and gave his line.

“What do you want?”

‘We seek lodging. “

“Seek it somewhere else, this inn is filled,” Ben replied,

with just the right touch of gruffness.

“But sir, we have tried everywhere,

we have come a long way, and we are very tired.

Don’t you have a corner

where we can get out of the cold?”

“No. Go away!,” Ben properly commanded.

And this is where it happened…

Ben broke his icy stare and looked at Mary.

And you could tell something happened to him.

There was a long silence.

The audience became nervous and uneasy.

We thought Ben had forgotten his lines.

So, the prompter whispered., “No, be gone.”

And Ben halfheartedly repeated.

Then Joseph sadly placed his arm around Mary

and they began to move off the stage.

Ben couldn’t stand it any longer,

he could never be this cruel.

So, with big tears welling up in his eyes

he gave a performance..

I have never forgotten:

“Wait, Joseph, don’t go!” Ben literally cried out.

“Bring Mary back.

You can have my room, and I’ll sleep in the cold.”

Right after the service,

one grumpy lady came up to me

and said Ben had ruined the whole pageant.

I looked at her and said –

“You’ve got to be kidding me…

you just sang one of the greatest 18th century

English carols ever written by Isaac Watts,

“Joy to the World”….and YOU sang,

“Let every heart prepare him room.”

Isn’t that exactly what Ben learned from this story…

He made room in his heart for Jesus.

How can we, prepare more room in our hearts for God.

This Christmas,

God is preparing our hearts.

God challenges us, and our values

and our dreams.

Just as Joseph was challenged

to welcome the child into his home and heart

despite the difficult circumstances.

God challenges us to welcome Christ into our lives

and allow this child to transform our hearts

and homes with his peace and justice.

And so, tonight,

some two thousand years later,

the baby Jesus waits to enter our hearts, once again

just as he did for Mary and Joseph.

Jesus waits patiently to be invited into our life.

So that He can walk along side us, through it all…

the glorious, joyful days,

and those gut wrenching, unimaginable ones, too.

The Word has became flesh and lives

in NewTown, CT…Denver, Colorado,

with our men & women serving tonight in Afghanistan,

on an aircraft carrier in Southeast Asia,

in the Emergency Room in Ft Walton Beach.

Tonight we all gather to listen

and remember once again, the greatest story ever told…

“The Birth of the Savior of the World.”

And so as we journey to Bethlehem

let us now return our thanks

and simply say…

“We love you Lord Jesus.

WE LOVE YOU with our whole heart –

just as you have always loved us.

And now, “Look down from that bright sky in heaven

and stay by our side

until morning is Nigh.”

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Salvation Army Red Kettle Kickoff Address

I was extremely honored to be named The Red Kettle Kickoff Chairman of this year's campaign here in Fort Walton Beach. Please see above my fellow board member Tom Rice (far right) along with Lt. Chris Welch and his wife Jessica Welch, from the Salvation Army staff. Both Chris and Jessica are new to our community and are making a huge difference as co-directors. They are certainly helping to feed hungry people during this Christmas season.

A wonderful week of celebrating the lives of 80 brave men - Jimmy Doolittle's Tokyo Raiders.  Proud of my father Bill Fitzhugh, who as a co-pilot on crew number two. 

 Also, please read the following story which appeared recently in the Fort Walton Daily News --

http://tinyurl.com/bmy954r

MSNBC Morning Joe Comments this week - click here!

Tremendously exciting week for all Christians with the election of Pope Francis I...although probably not the reformer many Americans would like to see, Francis does indeed bring new hope and excitement to the Roman Catholic and our prayers go out to him. I found this clip from Morning Joe to be very insightful - runs about 20-minutes. Lenten blessings, Mark+

Click here to listen to Fr. Mark's Sermon 

 

FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT 2013

I have a suggestion…

Do not waste your time

looking up the word Lent

in your Bible Dictionary.

And I am sure, as good Episcopalians,

great scholars of the Bible that we are,

you’ve got that ready at the hand.

Unfortunately,

there was no such thing as Lent in biblical times.

There is some evidence that early Christians fasted 40 hours

between Good Friday and Easter,

but the custom of spending 40 days

in prayer and self-denial

did not come back until much later…

When the initial rush of Christian adrenaline was over

and believers had gotten very ho-hum about their faith.

They hung a wooden cross on the wall

and settled back into their more or less comfortable routines.

Little by little, Christians became devoted to their comforts…

and before long it was very hard to pick them out

from the population at large.

But something changed…

and someone suggested it was time

to call Christians back to their senses,

and the Bible offered clues about how to do that.

They remembered that Israel

spent 40 years in the wilderness

learning to trust the Lord.

And that Elijah, and much later Jesus

would spend 40 days in the desert.

So the early church announced a season of Lent.

The word actually comes from the old English,

and means "spring."

So in essence, this season becomes an invitation

to experience the springtime of our souls.

To clean out our systems and open our eyes

to what remains when all worldly comforts are gone.

We are to remember what it is like

to live by the grace of God alone

and not by how we can comfort ourselves.

I think of Lent as like an Outward Bound for the soul.

No one has to sign up for it,

but if you do

then you give up the illusion

that you are in control of your life.

So, think about a time…

when you found yourself lacking control

and stuck in the middle of nowhere…

it may have been an actual place, or

it could have been metaphorically stuck

in the middle of a bad relationship, job or depression.

When this happens,

I find that food become a pacifier –

a habit, or substance I use to comfort myself,

and block out pain or fear.

I am convinced that 99 percent of us are addicted to something,

whether it is eating, shopping, blaming or taking care of other people.

The simplest definition of an addiction is –

anything we use to fill that empty place inside of us

that belongs to God, alone.

But here is the good news…

that hollowness we feel sometimes

is not a sign of something gone wrong.

But rather,

this is ground zero in our souls…

for where the holy of holies resides within us.

Nothing on earth can fill it,

but that does not stop us from trying.

  

For the next 40 days,

try to pay attention

to how often your mind travels to that empty place.

And ask yourself why does this happen?

What is going on when you start craving a Mars bar?

If you are hungry,

what’s wrong with being hungry?

If are you lonely,

what’s so bad about being alone?

Try sitting with the feeling….staying in that place,

instead rushing to fix it

and see what you can discover.

You may hear a voice in your head

that warns you…

“Don’t give up that pacifier,

“because you can’t make it on your own…”

And if that doesn’t work,

the tempters voice will move to level two:

"If God really loves you,

you can do whatever you want.

Why waste your time on Lent?"

If you don’t recognize that voice,

I suggest re-reading today’s Gospel.

Then tell the devil to go back to that special Hot place,

and decide what you will do for Lent.

Better yet, decide WHOSE you will be this Lent.

Jesus says,

“Worship the Lord your God

and serve no one else.”

Expect great things, from God and from yourself.

Believe that everything is possible.

Why should any of us…settle for less?