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Quick Links
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Church Development Institute |  |
The Diocese of Georgia's Church Development Institute (CDI) is a leadership training program focused on the ministry of developing the spiritual community and organizational life of congregations. We equip leaders to serve their congregation through a highly integrated training experience that engages participants in the issues and dynamics faced as leaders. CDI is a program for clergy and lay leaders who desire to transform their congregations by making them stronger, healthier, more deeply rooted in our tradition, more responsive to God and more effective in their communities.
A new year of CDI Georgia starts this fall. Contact Canon Frank Logue at the diocesan office for more information or to register.
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| Our Longest Bishop's Address |  |
On May 16, 1889, the second Bishop of Georgia, The Rt. Rev. John Watrous Beckwith gave the longest Bishop's Address in the history of our Diocese. Weighing in with just over 22 pages of text, it was long even by the standards of the day. In fairness to the Bishop, the addresses in those days began with a rehearsal of the year in which the Bishop told his daily calendar since the last convention. This takes up the first 6 pages. Bishop Beckwith then tells of the state of the Appleton Church Home, the diocesan missions and touches on some other diocesan topics. Finally, he launched into a defense of uniformity in worship, making a reasoned defense against the introduction of "Romish" doctrines through practices such as having lit candles on the altar for communion, reservation of the Blessed Sacrament and other things now considered traditional in the Diocese he led from 1868-1890. The full text of the address is online here: But don't pity the hearers. Bishop Beckwith was known for his voice. He was the sort of speaker that could gather a crowd to hear him read the phone book. Or as was written by one who knew him, "His wonderful voice, bringing out the full meaning of the services, at once arrested the attention of his hearers. When Bishop Beckwith read, people listened." Bishop Beckwith died in Atlanta on Nov. 23, 1890, in the 59th year of his age and the twenty-third of his episcopate. |
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Honey Creek
Register Now for Summer Camp
Openings remain in all four of this summer's camp sessions at Honey Creek. Camp Honey Creek features incredible opportunities for exploration, adventure, learning about God and building relationships! As always, there will be great music and worship every day. Campers will enjoy spending time in activities: swimming, arts & crafts, fishing, singing, sports, exploring nature, kayaking, ropes course, disc golf, hanging out and so much more.
Camp sessions are based on age groups. New for 2011, all camps will include special opportunities to explore nature and music in a more in depth way. In the past, we have had camps dedicated to these two offerings, but because of their popularity, we are including them in each camp session.
Camp director, The Rev. Sonia Sullivan Clifton, offers more complete information online here: 2011 Summer Camp Brochure
Camp Session dates for 2011 are:
High School | June 19-25, 2011 | Finished grades 9-12
St. Joseph & Mary I | June 26-July 2, 2011 | Finished grades 3-5
St. Peter | July 10-16, 2011 | Finished grades 6-8
St. Joseph & Mary II | July 17-23, 2011 | Finished grades 3-5 |
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Bishop Benhase ordains Harry Jenkins to the diaconate. See article below for more information.
Diocesan Staff Events
Bishop Benhase is participating in the Living Our Vows Conference, at Lake Logan Episcopal Center in North Carolina through the 27th.
Canon Logue is working on deployment issues for three congregations, including being with a group at Christ Church Frederica tonight. He will be taking Memorial Day weekend to move to a more permanent home within Savannah. |
 | | A Hymn for Honey Creek |
A Hymn for Honey Creek
The Rev. Jason Haddox wrote and Gabriel Michael Lawrence and Eli Irvin performed a Hymn for Honey Creek to raise awareness about the ongoing bond sale to benefit the camp and conference center of the Episcopal Diocese of Georgia. The Youtube video is linked above. Please share this freely. The bonds are only for Georgia residents who are qualified investors. Please read the prospectus before persuing a bond purchase. More infomation is online at http://gaepiscopal.org/?p=2127
To date we have sold $440,000 of the Honey Creek Bonds. Our goal is $2 million. To request a prospectus, contact Hamp Stevens, Director of Honey Creek at (912)265-9218, hamp@honeycreek.org or contact me at (912) 236-4279, mwilloughby@gaepiscopal.org This sale is essential to the health and vitality of the Diocese and is best completed by the participation of those who know and love Honey Creek and share a concern for our Diocese. |
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From left, The Rev. Liam Collins; The Rev. George Maxwell; The Rev. Deacon Geri Nelson; The Rev. Richard Nelson; The Rt. Rev. Scott Anson Benhase, Bishop of Georgia; The Rev. William Stafford, Dean of the School of Theology at the University of the South (Sewanee); The Rev. Deacon Harry Jenkins; The Rev. Deacon Derrick Hill (a seminarian at Sewanee with Harry); and The Rev. Canon Frank Logue.
Harry Jenkins Ordained Transitional Deacon
Recent Sewanee graduate Harry Jenkins was ordained to the Sacred Order of Deacons on May 21 at St. Francis of the Islands, Savannah. The Rev. Bill Stafford, Dean of the School of Theology at the University of the South, was the preacher. More photos are online here: Harry Jenkins' Ordination.
Deacon Harry and Gina Jenkins with their children, Hannah and Oliver. |
 Clark Hubbard Earns Doctorate
The congratulations of the Diocese go to St. Elizabeths, Richmond Hill, rector, The Rev. Clark Hubbard who was graduated from Trinity School for Ministry with a Doctor of Ministry on May 14. Dr. Hubbard (pictured at right on graduation day) wrote a thesis titled Integrating the Charismatic Experience into Parish Worship and Ministry. |
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Register Now for Happening
Click this link to register candidates for Happening #87, July 29 - 31, 2011.
Happening shows how Christianity can keep pace with the many changes in our lives and our world. Happeners are encouraged to make their renewed faith a part of their everyday lives.
Two weekends are held each year at the Diocese of Georgia Episcopal Camp and Conference Center, Honey Creek in Waverly, Georgia. A steering committee made up of youth and adults from each convocation meets two times a year to select the staff for the upcoming Happening. There are Happening reunion groups led by volunteer adults and youth in some communities across the diocese. The program is under the direction of the Right Rev'd Scott Benhase, Episcopal Bishop of Georgia and the Rev'd Canon Leigh Hall, Canon for Youth and Young Adult Ministries. Jody Grant (706-738-5774) serves as the volunteer Lay Coordinator of the Happening program.
"Best time of my life..."
During a Happening weekend, we worship, play, sing, and talk about God's place in our lives. We make new friends who share similar concerns and questions - a reassuring discovery. A teen who acts as "rector" leads the weekend with the help of a staff consisting mostly of youth. Some staff members give challenging talks, after which there's time for discussion and activity. Together, the staff and participants share in an exploration of the impact of Christian faith in our daily lives.
"Lasts a lifetime..."
A Happening experience is just a beginning. The idea is to get closer to God during the weekend and then to continue growing in the Christian way of life. Happeners are encouraged to participate fully in the life of their local congregation.
How Can I Attend?
Happeners who attend a weekend for their first time are called "Candidates."
To be a Candidate, one must:
- Have completed the 9th grade and have not begun college.
- Fill out the application (hard copy or online, including all signatures).
- Send the application with a deposit of $45.00 to:
Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministries The Episcopal Diocese of Georgia 611 East Bay Street Savannah, GA 31401
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The Loose Canon
Invitations to Christ Church, Dublin
The congregation of Christ Church, Dublin, has gotten intentional about asking its members to invite their friends, family and co-workers to church. To make the invitation easier, vestry member Ken Schrader created business cards which were then printed by a church member who owns a printing business.
The plan is to offer the cards on the altar in prayer, asking God's blessing on the invitations. Then members will be encouraged to take a card or two and keep it with them. When the time seems right, the person can then not only invite someone to worship at Christ Church Dublin, but they will have this card giving something tangible the person invited can hang on to with location, service times, the web address and more. There is even a place to fill out and drop into the offering plate or the mail if follow up is requested.
The idea is a new one for the church and we don't yet know what fruit it will bear, but it is a creative way they have put forward to encourage personal invitations to worship, which have proven to be the most effective way of encouraging people to visit.
If your church is doing something other congregations should know about, send me an email and I will share it with the Diocese in this space.
The Rev. Canon Frank Logue
Canon to the Ordinary
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 |
Canon Frank Logue
A Change in Title, Not Duties
The Rev. Canon Frank Logue's titled has been changed from Canon for Congregational Ministries to Canon to the Ordinary. This reflects neither a change in position or duties as Canon Logue was fulfilling the role of Canon to the Ordinary from his hiring July 1 of last year. The goal of the Congregational Ministries title was to show how the Canon's focus was not to be on the Bishop (who is the Ordinary of the Diocese) but on the congregations and their work around south Georgia. That emphasis on congregations remains even as the title is changed. |
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Nancy Byars plays the part of a pirate on the first day of Vacation Bible School yesterday at St. Thomas' Thomasville. 85 are registered for the Pirate themed week with their treasure chest filled with the treasure of God's Word, The Bible.
Vacation Bible School Photos Wanted
The Vacation Bible School photo album is collecting pictures of our kid-friendly catechesis taking place around the Diocese this summer. Send your congregation's photo to gaepiscopalphotos@gmail.com
The photos will be added to the album: VBS Photos and used at the diocesan website. Some of the photos will be shared here in From the Field. If you create a Facebook or other online album, you may also just send a link to that album to the address above and our online photo gallery curator, Julius Arial, will copy the photos to the diocesan album.
This week at King of Peace, Kingsland, they are exploring God's Wild Kingdom: Where God is wild about you. Above is a picture from yesterday's first day of their Kids in the Kingdom Week.
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Calling Priests Who Want to Redevelop
This Friday, May 27, at 4 o 'clock Eastern, priests who are ministry redevelopers from around the Episcopal Church will come together in a videoconference online. The group will spend 90 minutes rolling out a new coaching initiative for Intentional Redevelopers across the Episcopal Church. Several of our denomination's preeminent "serial redevelopers" have banded together to demonstrate what works in turning congregations around, in real time! This Community of Practice would like to connect with the intentional redevelopers in our diocese and share the learnings, directly. The initiative is called "missio:engage" and full information is online here: Redevelopers Roundtable |
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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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