St. Anne's, Tifton

Taking Aid to Storm-Torn Alabama

An idea to help those in Alabam whose homes were devastated by the recent killer storm quickly materialized for a group from St. Anne's, Tifton. LeeAnn and Albert Culbreath, Sarah Gibbs, Royal Rankin, and Thad Brewer pulled out of Tifton, last Friday with the church van and a trailer donated by U-Haul both filled with donations. The genesis of the project came with the Culbreaths plaaning a Mothers Day trip to see family near Cullman, Alabama, and realizing this was not the time for simply a family trip. LeeAnn announced the trip the previous Sunday and by Friday the team left with a full load of personal care products, cleaning products, food, first aid and 1800 pounds of water. The materials were donated by St. Anne's Tifton and local businesses including the hospital. Cash donations also supported both the cost of the trip and allowed them to buy more needed supplies.
 

Grace Episcopal Church in Cullman, Alabama, was near a cabin on Smith Lake the Culbreaths go to as well as Albert's parents who live north of Cullman. These houses, which were not damaged by the storm provided a natural base of operations. But beyond this there were other connections between the two churches. Fifteen years ago, the congregations had come together at conferences around healing ministry. There were other existing connections among the people as well. LeeAnn says of Grace Church, Cullman, and St. Anne's, Tifton, "The two churches were already family and we didn't know it."
 

Grace Church itself was not damaged. Four blocks down, the town is leveled. Many churches and many more homes and businesses were lost. In Cullman, there is station feeding 3,000 per day (Sarah is pictured there above at right). The cash raised for this trip allowed them to buy more vegetables for the food that day. Yesterday, Sarah and LeeAnn were continuing to assist in moving around supplies using the van and trailer. Today, they are coming back to Georgia with more trips planned for the future.
 

Be In-the-Know Before You Go
Diocese of Georgia's disaster coordinator is The Rev. Gary Abbott who wisely cautions about groups make trips to provide relief. Many times these groups can end up needing aid if proper planning is not in place first. The group going to Cullman was in contact in advance about needs on the ground and were aware of needing to be completely self contained. Always work with relief groups or churches in place, meeting their defined needs and in so doing one avoids becoming a part of the problem. If you are interested in assisting with the work in Cullman, contact LeeAnn Culbreath via email goobermama@gmail.com

Acolyte Will Anderson, confirmand Marlenna Mitchell and The Rev. Kurt Miller together with Bishop Benhase during his visitation to Atonement, Augusta, this past Sunday.

Diocesan Staff Events   

Junk 2 Funk Fashion Show a Success

Kids from the Savannah Convocation put on a Junk 2 Funk Fashion Show making their own recycled creations in a fund raiser for Honey Creek, our Camp and Conference Center. The kids raised $600 for our camp, while more importantly raising awareness about how much Honey Creek means to the children of the Diocese. The high-energy evening was put together by the westside churches of St. Patrick's, Pooler, and St. Luke's, Rincon, staged at St. Michael and All Angels and attended from Episcopalians from many of the Savannah congregations. Thanks to show organizor Cristy Jordan of St. Patrick's Pooler and the many who worked with her on the event. The photo above alongside the text is of adult event volunteer Bob Ferrell of St. Luke's Rincon who is sporting Dread Socks. Below, Cierra and Madison from St. Patrick's Pooler show off their best recycled wear.

What do people in your community know about your congregation? I'm not asking about those who have attended the church or know someone who is a member. What about your neighbors who go to another church? Or the neighbors who do not attend any church? We want to be known for Word and Sacrament-our meaningful liturgy and thought-provoking preaching. But those who do not attend will know us in other ways. This includes those members that they know personally whose lives can be the greatest attractor (or detractor) for those who know them. Yet, there are two other ways you can become known. The first is through signature events, which I will write about this week. Then I will follow up with the second, and probably most important signature next week.

Signature Events
There should be community events in which your church take part that are not your event. For Trinity, Statesboro, amd other congregations in the Diocese of Georgia, this includes taking part in Relay for Life. The church's participation is visible, but this is a Cancer Society event. Taking part is a great idea, but this is not what I mean. For Trinity, the concerts offered in the church are more significant. They are announced on Georgia Public Radio frequently and so keep the congregation's name on the public ear (lapsed Methodists who listen to NPR are known easy targets for an Episcopal Church).

Big and Small, Fundraiser or Free
The event can be a large-scale project that raises funds, such as St. Peter's, Savannah, hosting an Antique Sale (check presentation from this event at left) and Christ Church, Frederica, arranging a Tour of Homes. These are examples of the most successful fundraisers, whose proceeds go not to the church, but to other ministries in the community. It is easier to get broad community participation when all understand that the money will benefit the whole community and not just the church. A fundraiser need not be large for a church to get known for it. Many people in Swainsboro and around the Diocese look forward to the apple sale put on by Good Shepherd, Swainsboro. And the event need not be a fundraiser. The free Trunk or Treat at King of Peace, Kingsland, brings in hundreds with free pony rides and a free train ride. The total cost is quite low and is covered by King of Peace Episcopal Day School from its advertising budget and no cost to the church.

Lowering the Threshold
 I refer to the event as a signature event for those who do not attend your church will know that it is yours. This is something your church does with or for your community. This will be how many with no church home will first learn of your congregation. Attending an event other than the Sunday liturgy can make it easier for a newcomer to come back later for worship. It lowers the threshold to have already been in the space. This is important because church thresholds are unintentionally high. It is difficult for newcomers to decide to cross them without some good reason, whether that be familiarity with the denomination (rarer in South Georgia) or by knowing someone who attends the church and speaks well of it (always the best method).

What event does your congregation put on each year that is circled on the calendar of those who do not attend your church? What one event could you add that would help your church make it mark on your town? Next week, I will consider one wore  signature, which is probably the more important of the two.

The Rev. Canon Frank Logue
Canon for Congregational Ministries

The Loose Canon is a regular column in From the Field whose content is gathered together with other items of interest to those concerned with congregational development at loosecanon.georgiaepiscopal.org