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Nomination Deadline | | December 10 | |
Nominations for General Convention Deputies, the Standing Committee and other diocesan offices are now open. To be published in advance of the convention, nominations must be received by December 10. Full information is online at the convention website linked below:
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| 1 Book, 1 Diocese this Lent |  |
As first announced in September, those who wish to journey through Lent together as the Diocese of Georgia may join in a diocesan-wide time of reflection.
Every congregation in the Diocese is requested to announce to parishioners that we will follow cities and universities that have all gotten on the same page through reading the same book at the same time. The book is Augsburg Publishers, 40-Day Journey with Dietrich Bonhoeffer, edited by Ron Klug.
In Lent, we will use the diocesan website to not only allow Bishop Benhase to share his thoughts on using Bonhoeffer's writings as a Lenten guide, but will open up the floor to comments from around the Diocese. Each day, the book offers a short reading from the martyred Theologian, together with a verse or verses of scripture, questions to ponder, a "Psalm fragment" to read, journaling suggestions and prayer. Each day, those who wish to share how the Holy Spirit is using the readings and reflections in their hearts and minds may write something at the website. That could consist of reading and reflecting on this book or some other Bonhoeffer study, such as reading and reflecting on The Cost of Discipleship or watching a film on Bonhoeffer. However, the central idea is for people around the Diocese to make this journey through Lent and either read others reflections at the website, or also offer their own thoughts as the season progresses. Though available elsewhere, the Parsonage Bookstore at Good Shepherd in Augusta will work to provide the books for churches in time for Lenten studies. |
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Convention 2011
Key Votes Will Come on Saturday Morning
 In consultation with Diocesan Council, clergy and laity across the Diocese, the Bishop and Canons have changed the schedule for the February 2011 Convention. The changes will make Thursday evening optional, but participation on Saturday required for delegates to fully take part in the work of the convention. While voting on substantive issues on Saturdays was more common within the past decade, it has not occured for a number of conventions. The move this coming year is to facilitate discussion on the substantive issues coming before the convention. The schedule will be as follows:
Thursday, February 2
2-5 p.m. - Registration 6 p.m. - Evening Prayer - While noted as optional, this service is an important time to mark the beginning of the diocesan family gathering. We hope all who can get to Valdosta by this times will come worship together. Supper on your own follows. Friday, February 3 8-9 a.m. - Registration 9 a.m. - Convention begins - This first morning session will begin briskly with a consent agenda taking care of the organization of convention with a single vote, followed by a first ballot on all elections and then opening the floor for 30 minutes of debate on the proposed canonical change for funding the diocesan mission and ministry. This is followed by brief reports from a few diocesan groups. 10:45-11 a.m. - Break 11 a.m.-11:30 a.m. - A second round of voting in diocesan elections for any run offs needed to determine a majority, together with a few more brief reports. 11:30 a.m. - Bishop's Address to convention; noonday prayers follow 12-1 p.m. Lunch at the convention center 1-3 p.m. - A report on Honey Creek and the diocese's feasibility study on a capital campaign. The final plenary session for Friday will continue the voting on diocesan offices if needed, brief reports from diocesan groups and discussion of proposed resolutions. 3-4:30 p.m. - Break 4:30 p.m. - Ordination Service at convention center followed by reception 7 p.m. - Banquet Saturday, February 4 9-11 a.m. - Convention concludes - A Youth and Young Adults presentation will begin the morning. This will be followed by votes on all resolutions, canonical changes and budgets timing allows for discussion to begin on the floor on Friday to continue through breaks and dinner, leading to final consideration and votes on the floor of the convention on Saturday. This final session will continue past 11 a.m. as needed. However, we do not anticipate any need to meet past noon. |
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Bishop Benhase (above) with The Rev. Judy Jones and some of the confirmands at St. Thomas, Thomasville, this past Sunday and (below) with confirmand at All Saints' Thomasville.
Diocesan Staff Events
 Bishop Benhase will be attending Church Pension Fund's New Bishop Conference in New York, December 9-10 and will return in time to spend some time with participants at the first Church Development Institute (CDI) session at Honey Creek. Canon Logue will be present as a participant for the full CDI session.
This Sunday, December 12, the Bishop will be at St. Michael's, Waynesboro, in the morning for a Celebration of New Ministry with the congregation and their rector, The Rev. Dr. Jim Shumard. In the afternoon, the Bishop will make his visitation to Holy Cross, Thomson.
Canon Logue will be at St. Patrick's, Pooler, this Sunday to celebrate, preach and lead the mission's annual meeting.
Canon Willoughby is preparing financial information for year-end and the transition to our new accounting system in January. She is also following up on any health insurance changes made during the recently closed open enrollment period. Please keep an eye on the website for the "Financial Times" to appear in our reference section for reporting the diocesan finances.
Canon Hall is working with the Church Pension Group to finalize Safeguarding Online before year's end. In addition to planning for Winterblast (Dec. 17-19), she is soliciting information for the first online edition of the Church in Georgia (January 2011).
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Diocesan Family News
Kelly Benhase's mother, Mary Katherine Jones, died this past Friday, December 3 in Hospice Care. A Funeral will be held at Goodwin House in Alexandria, Virginia, where Mrs. Jones was a resident, sometime just before Christmas. The internment will follow after Christmas with family travelling to Gallatin, Tennessee. Contact Gayle Dawson in the diocesan office for contact and memorial information if needed.
The prayers of the Diocese have been most appreciated by the whole Benhase Family during this time. |
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Advent Meditation on Video
Bishop Benhase has offered a meditation on video for this Advent season. The video, posted on YouTube, may be shared on your church's website, blog or Facebook page as a means of helping Episcopalians and others around the Diocese consider John the Baptist as the personification of Advent. The video is online at:
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Order of Saint Helena Celebrates 65 Years The sisters at the convent in Augusta marked a major milestone on November 8 as they celebrated the 65th anniversary of the founding of their Order. The sisters were joined by dozens of members of the community who have benefitted from the ministry of the sisters and the convent. Sister Ellen Stephen says, "There was a feeling of great energy within the OSH community that night-sisters sat together even after the party and reminisced and talked." She went on to add, "I so appreciated the warmth and support from our friends nd Associates in the larger community."
 Sister Blaise, a Novice in the Order said, "As a relative newcomer to OSH, I am especially struck by two things. One regards the sisters who started it all and who paved so much of this path-I am honored to now be a part of that lineage. And two, I am touched by the many friends and Associates of the Order who pray for us and care so much about us-and for whom we pray and care in return."
Upcoming retreats at the convent include:
Jesus in January
Jan. 15; 9:30 - 3:30, led by Sr. Linda Elston, OSH
St. Francis in February
Feb. 19; 9:30 - 3:30, led by Lesley Morgan, p/OSH
For more information and updates on OSH programs, see their website: http://www.osh.org/events.html |
Youth and Young Adults
Winterblast 2010: Waiting for the Blessed Hope
Dec. 17th-19th - Honey Creek - 9th-12th graders
Our focus at this year's Winterblast will be on Advent preparation and expectation. We will contemplate the true gift we have in Jesus and our call to that gift with others through mission and good deeds. To register online for Winterblast: click here To download a PDF of the registration form: click here 40+ Youth Attend Augusta Convocation Lock-in | The Rev. Loren Hague speaks to
Augusta Convocation youth at Good Shepherd. |
More than forty Augusta Convocation youth were warmly welcomed by the Church of the Good Shepherd and St. Augustine's this past weekend at the Augusta Convocation Lock-in. Several churches, including St. Paul's, Our Savior, and St. Alban's, were represented at the gathering, which featured games, a showing of Back to the Future, and a midnight Eucharist. In the morning, an EDS bus transported participants to St. Augustine's, where they were enthusiastically greeted by that congregation.
 | | Augusta Convocation youth with the Rev. Jason Haddox at St. Augustine's. |
Interested in having a lock-in in your convocation? Want more information on these or other Youth and Young Adult Events? Please visit www.edogy.org, or email Canon Leigh at lhall@gaepiscopal.org. |
Companion Diocese Trip Planned for February
Plans for a Dominican Republic Trip this February 22-28 are coming together for those interested in pursuing new mission opportunities. The trip is specifically designed for lay persons and clergy seeking connections for follow up trips from congregations and convocations. Airfares are under $400 now and the total trip cost will remain relatively low. If you have considered leading a trip to our Companion Diocese, this is the time to find ministry partners with whom new relationships can be formed. For more information, contact The Rev. Tar Drazdowski through Christ Church, Valdosta or her email: tdraz@bellsouth.net |
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The Loose Canon
Financial Concerns and Evangelism
Anyone who has followed the church in the news knows that stories of funds given by the faithful to the glory of God being embezzled or misused are a staple. This news breeds distrust, especially among those who are already concerned that the church just wants them for their money. Breaking down the wall of excuses that keeps someone from getting involved in a church means building up their trust about the way finances are handled. Keeping all the processes around money open and transparent is not only something we should all expect of the church, doing so will also help build this trust and can remove an obstacle to growth. This means that not only should a congregation have in place good practices about how money is handled from the offering to the bank and out from the bank to pay for expenses, with proper controls all around. Good practice also means publishing this periodically so all who are interested may know the policies. A good guide to best practices is published by The Episcopal Church and available online free at this link: Business Methods Manual Letting everyone know how the money is counted and deposited and how expenses are approved and paid may seem like something only vestry need to know, but it is difficult to build trust if everything seems to be handled by a few who know everything. Publishing the policies and building confidence that they are followed matters to all who give to the church. As stewardship season is drawing to a close and annual meetings are approving budgets, now is a good time to publish in your newsletter a brief overview of how the church handles its funds. While this may seem to have nothing to do with evangelism, making sure someone finding their way back to God knows that they can trust the church with the money entrusted to them may be exactly what is needed to break down that last barrier.
The Rev. Canon Frank Logue
Canon for Congregational Ministries
The Loose Canon blog stores these brief notes found in
From the Field
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St. Anne's Tifton
 A Sweet, Sweet Spirit in the Christmas Parade
1,500 twinkling lights, 400 square feet of riding space, 324 square feet of decorative banners, 80 riders young and old, 28 bales of hay, 18 wheels, 9 feet of fresh-cut Christmas tree, and 1 hinged cross on top of a replica of Little St. Anne's (hinged to avoid power lines, which worked ... mostly!). The theme of the parade was "A Candy Cane Christmas" which the congregation lived into with its banners saying "There's a Sweet, Sweet Spirit at St. Anne's" and by distributing candy with an invitation to the Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve.
Loading on the float for the parade.
The float shown in the daylight, prior to the parade. |
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Deacons Lead Women's Retreat in Augusta
The first Augusta Convocation wide Deacon led annual retreat for Women entitled ""De-Stressing the Holidays," was held on Saturday, November 20 sponsored by the Church of the Holy Comforter. After a welcoming prayer by Reverend Doctor Cynthia Taylor, Deacon Lynn Anderson introduced the format which was a series of 4 meditations followed by discussion time led by table facilitators in small groups of five to eight women. The dress and the atmosphere were casual, comfortable and relaxed. 57 women attend the event, which was followed by a very successful bazaar sponsored by the members of Holy Comforter Prayer Shawl Ministry.
Deacons Mary Kathleen Blanchard and Faye Forbes and Carolyn Murdock who is an ordinand for the diaconate joined Deacon in providing the meditations. The Rev. Lynn Prather served as chaplain, providing the homily and leading the litany of healing; Marilynn Bellman provided music for the prayer and healing time.
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so we can feature them in upcoming issues
of From the Field.
Sincerely,
Diocesan Staff
The Episcopal Diocese of Georgia |
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