The Rev. John Palarine

[Diocese of Southwest Florida press release] The Rev. John Palarine, a 40-year leader in youth and family ministries in The Episcopal Church, will join the Diocese of Southwest Florida as program director for diocesan youth programs and the DaySpring Episcopal Camp and Conference Center.

The full-time position comes at a time when DaySpring is expanding its diocesan-led programs and embarking on a new master plan that will include enhanced facilities for youth camps and congregational events.

Responsibilities for Palarine include continuing current diocesan youth programs such as New Beginnings and Happening, as well as expanding and enhancing DaySpring Summer Camp from a three-week to a six-week program. He will also look beyond DaySpring to encourage youth ministry in the 77 congregations of the Diocese of Southwest Florida. For DaySpring’s adult visitors, he will build upon current activities in order to foster leadership development for healthy congregations. He will also envision new programming in order to better serve parishioners, congregations and the wider church.

“Fr. Palarine will seek new ministry partnerships with congregations, Episcopal schools, as well as provincial and “national”-level networks,” said the Rev. Michael Durning, canon to the ordinary. “He will be a resource to youth minsters throughout the Diocese.”

Palarine currently heads, and will continue to lead “YP Ministries”, a training and development organization and consultancy dedicated to creating a strong youth presence in congregations.