The Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast was organized in 1970 by combining the southern part of the Diocese of Alabama and the western section of the Diocese of Florida. In both the Diocese of Alabama and that of Florida, the problems of adequately caring for parishes had become greater over time, especially as congregations in the Mobile and Pensacola areas, at the far edge of each diocese, had grown. Bishops
George Murray (Alabama) and
E. Hamilton West (Florida) agreed that joining the southern counties of Alabama with the western portion of the Diocese of Florida was the best solution to the problem. Meeting at Christ Church, Pensacola, on December 3–5, 1970, the Primary Convention of the new diocese adopted canons and elected officers with the Right Reverend George Murray becoming the first bishop of the Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast. In 1971 the new diocese included 25 parishes and 32 missions along with Beckwith Camp & Conference Center, a camp and conference center located on Weeks Bay on the Alabama Gulf Coast and Wilmer Hall Children’s Home in Mobile. The new diocesan offices at Wilmer Hall opened in January 1971. For 10 years Bishop Murray traveled throughout the diocese shepherding his flock, providing steady leadership during a period of great change in the Episcopal Church, not the least being the adoption of a new prayer book and the ordination of women, things that some parishioners were strongly outspoken against. In 1979, shortly after celebrating the 25th anniversary of his consecration as Bishop, he announced to the Standing Committee his intention to retire. Meeting at St. Paul’s Church in Mobile on November 14–15, 1980, a special convention of the Diocese elected the Rev. Charles Farmer Duvall, from South Carolina, to succeed Bishop Murray. The new bishop was ordained on April 11, 1981, in the Field House of the
University of West Florida in Pensacola before 2,500 people who had gathered to witness and celebrate the consecration. From Bishop Duvall’s ordination in 1981, the Diocese grew steadily. In 1981, for example, the Diocese counted 57 churches including 25 parishes. Twenty years later when Bishop Duvall retired, the Diocese had grown to 38 parishes and 25 missions. In addition to being an owning diocese of the
University of the South in
Sewanee, Tennessee, the Diocese owns and supports three other institutions for ministry: Beckwith Camp & Conference Center, near
Fairhope, Alabama; Wilmer Hall Children’s Home, and Murray House Assisted Living Facility, the latter two located in Mobile. Diocesan budgets reflect that growth, increasing from $229,370 in 1981 ($668,370 in 2021 money) to $1,992,114 in 2001 ($2,981,159 in 2021 money). Several major programs were launched during Bishop Duvall’s tenure, including a Companion Diocese relationship with
Guatemala and an annual medical mission to
Guatemala; the "Kairos" prison ministry; and "Happening" for young people. Meanwhile, the
Cursillo program that began under Bishop Murray continued to thrive. To improve access for the far-flung parishes of the Central Gulf Coast and enable the Bishop and his staff to better serve the people, the diocesan offices were relocated to downtown Pensacola in 1989. During Duvall’s episcopate, two successful fund drives raised money to enhance the capability of the Diocese to serve the people of southern Alabama and northwestern Florida. The first, "Venture in Mission," launched in 1983, raised $1.5 million ($3,989,111 in 2021 money), part of which financed construction of the Chapel of the Resurrection at Beckwith Camp & Conference Center. The second, "Fulfilling the Vision," initiated in 1994, raised more than $2.5 million (at least $4,468,235 in 2021 money) including $1 million ($1,787,294 in 2021 money) for a conference building and a new motel-type building at Beckwith; $1,025,000 ($1,831,977 in 2021 money) for new church development; and $325,000 ($580,871 in 2021 money) set aside for continuing education in a "Vocations in Ministry" fund for continuing education for both clergy and laypeople. ==The Seal of the Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast==