From the Field
Weekly News & Events of the Diocese of Georgia
In This Issue
Disaster Relief
Diocesan Staff Events
We Need to Talk...
Graduations
Summer Camp
Neo-Monasticism
Happening Registration
Loose Canon
Memorial Day
Working Together
VBS Photos
Quick Links
to From the Field
 


 

Disaster Relief

Dr. Abbott is representing the Diocese of Georgia at a Disaster Preparedness Conference May 31-June 2 sponsored by the Episcopal Relief & Development Fund.  The meeting is being held at the Conference Center of Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast in Fairhope, Alabama (near Mobile).  Representatives from the dioceses of Province IV (Southeastern United States) are participating in the meeting.  Dr. Abbott is the Disaster & Relief Coordinator for the Diocese of Georgia.

 

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.

 

Fr. Sanders and Deacon Blanchard
The Rev. Rick Sanders and Deacon Mary-Kathleen Blanchard

St. Paul's, Augusta
Creation Care Sunday
Saint Paul's Church, Augusta, celebrated Rogation Days and Creation Care Sunday on May 29. Using the Collect for Rogation Days, specially written prayers of the people based on Canticle 12, Eucharistic Prayer C, hymns and anthems of Creation, and a sermon on Creation Care, the whole liturgy had a very upbeat feel to it. After church, the Green Team served refreshments including green tea punch, fruit, chocolate vegan cupcakes (no eggs), and other goodies. The Green Team gave out information on energy efficiency and vegetarianism.

Deacon Mary-Kathleen Blanchard, a member of the Green Team, preached on the care of God's Creation, and emphasized that it is God's creation, not ours. From our baptismal vows we are to renounce those evil powers that destroy and corrupt creation.

Six members of St. Paul's had attended the Lansing Lee Conference at Kanuga last fall, the topic being Faith and the Environment. The keynote speaker was Sally Bingham, who founded Interfaith Power and Light. When the six returned to Augusta, the Green Team was formed. Georgia Interfaith Power and Light came to St. Paul's to conduct a complete energy audit. Simple changes in the use of heat, air, and light have already saved the church a good bit of money. The first big project will be to insulate the church building.

God pronounced each part of God's Creation GOOD. Surely God wants this world to continue to be viable for a long time to come. We have a responsibility to honor and respect God's Creation. This is our Father's world, and we must be good stewards of it, so that it will last for countless generations.

Diocesan Staff Events   

This Thursday, Bishop Benhase will make his annual visitation with Good Shepherd, Pennick (pictured at right), which is just west of Brunswick and the home church of Deaconess Alexander, who the most recent convention voted to ask The Episcopal Church to add to its calendar of feasts.
 
On Friday and Saturday, Bishop Benhase and Canons Hall and Logue will meet with the Diocesan Council at St. Paul's, Savannah.

 

This Sunday, Canon Hall will celebrate and preach at St. Thomas, Isle of Hope in the morning. In the evening, she will depart for Virginia Theological Seminary to participate in a Second Three Years residency. Sponsored by the Lilly Endowment, the Second Three Years program provides support, mentoring, and continuing education opportunities to clergy in the three years following seminary.
 
On Sunday evening, the Bishop will make his annual visitation to Christ Church, Savannah, which is currently meeting at St. Michael and All Angels, Savannah. 
 
From June 6-8, Bishop Benhase will attend the Province IV Bishop's Meeting, at the Kanuga Conference Center in Hendersonville, NC.

We Need to Talk...
We Need to Talk...
We Need to Talk...About Honey Creek
The Youtube video linked above has some young adults talking about the current bond sale. 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 
 
Over the half-million dollar mark
To date we have sold $520,000 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, [email protected] or contact me at (912) 236-4279,  [email protected]  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.
Slone and Wilkinson Are Graduated

Deacon Remington Slone was graduated from General Theological Seminary in New York on May 18.

 

Rem has since moved to Savannah where he will serve as a Curate at St. Peter's on Skidaway Island. He is pictured here with his wife, Casey.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Deacon Sierra Wilkinson was graduated from Harvard Divinity School on May 26 in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

 

Sierra is moving to Savannah where she will serve as a Curate at Christ Church Episcopal. She is pictured holding the seal of Christ Church on graduation day. 

 
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

Neo-Monasticism at St. Paul's Savannah
New forms of monasticism are being formed around the country and the world. An example of this broader movement is taking place now at the Church of St. Paul the Apostle in Savannah where the Society of Saint Aelred of Rievaulx has been formed and recently celebrated its second profession mass. The vows of the Society are simplicity of life, fidelity in our state of life and obedience. As the Society has no monastery, our central home is St. Paul's and our monks are known as "domestics" which means we live in our own homes.
 

While structurally the Society is firmly rooted in the Benedictine tradition, the spirituality of the SSAR is decidedly Celtic. The name is derived from St. Aelred of Rievaulx (1109-1178) whose teaching on Spiritual Friendship is the epitome of what is intended by the Celtic "anam cara" or soul friend. Our mission is "To know Christ and to make Christ known". The vocation of the Society is to a life of prayer, adoration and service. The Rule of Life is to engage as fully as possible in the Opus Dei, or prayer of the Church which includes at minimum Morning Prayer, Evening Prayer, the Rosary, adoration and prayer before the Blessed Sacrament and regular participation in the Eucharist.

 

The black habits worn by the Society tie us to the group to its Benedictine roots and represent the denial of the self in the proclamation of Christ and his Kingdom. The cinctures bear the three knots of the vows, the cross of the Society is inspired by a sketch of Thomas Merton of the Celtic Cross, and the medal is that of the Confraternity of the Blessed Sacrament of which we are all members. More information and photos from the profession mass are online here: Neo-Monasticism at St. Paul's Savannah.

Register Now for HappeningGroup Photo Summer Happening

 

Click this link to register candidates for Happening #87, July 29 - 31, 2011. Registration deadline is July 18th, 2011. 

 

Download a PDF of the registration form.  

 

Visit the Happening in Georgia website

 

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
The Loose Canon
The Joy of Burning Pledges 
The pledging system in churches may come to outlast its worth. Do we really have to be committed to this system in order to set our budgets? Businesses do not typically get customers to promise how much they will spend in the coming year, yet those same business set and keep realistic budgets by basing the budget on current income.
  
When starting King of Peace, I borrowed an idea I read about in the Church in Georgia where I read that Christ Church Dublin had burned their pledges unopened. We then asked people to prayerfully consider their pledge and gave cards for them to bring the pledge in to the church in writing. These were offered on our feast day (the last Sunday after Pentecost, sometimes referred to as Christ the King), collected at the offering in sealed envelopes, given to God and placed on the altar, then burned unopened at the conclusion of the liturgy.
  
How did we budget? We planned on continuing to get out current level of income, sometimes with a slight increase. While the treasurer confidentially kept up with tax records for those who wanted it, we kept no accounting of what was promised. We simply budgeted each fall based on the income at that time and found no trouble in budgeting income.
  
Yes, we do need to teach stewardship. We even found it very worthwhile to ask for and receive pledges. But we found no benefit in knowing what was pledged. This pattern may well fit better with younger generations.
  
So please hear what I am not saying. I am not suggesting that we give up on pledges. I am asking aloud whether we have to log them, track them and remind people when they are behind. Asking members to prayerfully consider how they give back to God through the mission and ministry of their church is right. Expecting the member to pledge to God is a good and joyful thing. But tracking pledges did not prove essential to the fiscal health of King of Peace in its move from church start to mission to parish. However, the faith shown by burning pledges unopened was also essential.
  
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

St. Luke's, Hawkinsville

Memorial Day in Pulaski County 

Learning that no Memorial Day observances were planned in Pulaski County, The Rev. Dr. Gary Abbott filled the gap. The community of Hawkinsville and Pulaski County were invited through advertisements for two weeks preceding Memorial Day in the local, weekly newspaper. An announcement appeared on their local cable channel, and they were listed in Memorial Day observances in the Macon Telegraph on Friday, May 27.

 

45 people attended the service, mostly from St. Luke's, but there were some other people from the community present and the non-St. Luke's folks were very generous in their expressions of gratitude that we had done something. The church met a need and definitely received some wonderful community exposure with this event.

St. Anne's and St. Margaret's

The Synergy of Working Together 

This past year, three members at St. Margaret's, Moultrie, attended EfM classes at St. Anne's, Tifton.  When St. Anne's got ready to carry another load of supplies to Alabama, St. Margaret's EfMers invited the folks of St. Margaret's to participate, and we did.

 

The photo at left shows St. Margaret's EfMers at St. Anne's with donated supplies (left to right: Sidney South, Sally Shovar, and Terri Bridges).  This is one example of the many ways that each of our congregations can work together and so accomplish more than any of us could on our own.

A group photo of the 85 kids who took part in last week's Vacation Bible School at St. Thomas, Thomasville. One of the unusual features of the St. Thomas VBS is that they partner with the local YMCA (about a block away) that runs a day care program during the summer. YMCA participants can elect to spend the afternoons this week at the St. Thomas VBS.
 
Vacation Bible School in Photos

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 [email protected]

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.


The Rev. Jeffrey Reichmann, Interim Rector of King of Peace, Kingsland tells the story of Jonah using a boat shaped piece of playground equipment on the church grounds and a "great fish" built in the nave of the church (which uses chairs rather than pews and so the space is multi-purpose).

Send your news and events to [email protected],
so we can feature them in upcoming issues
of From the Field.

Sincerely,
 
Diocesan Staff
The Episcopal Diocese of Georgia