Out & About 
 
Bishop Rob Wright performs a blessing at St. Benedict's in Smyrna on Jan. 17.
Photo: Bill Monk View more photos 
 
  

 
The Rev. Canon Alicia Schuster Weltner will preach and celebrate at the 9:30 a.m. service on Sunday, Jan. 31 at Holy Cross in Decatur. She will also meet with the vestry and congregation at the Annual Meeting. 
 

Schedule of Visitations
The schedule of Bishop Visitations for the first half of 2016 is posted here>>.

Please contact Ieasha Barrow for questions.  
      
 
SHARING JOY. Bishop Rob Wright and the Rev. Ramon Betances share a laugh during the Bishop's Jan. 17 visit to St. Benedict's Episcopal Church in Smyrna. Photo: Bill Monk | View more photos here >
 
 
Recalling  
something from a recent issue but don't see it here?

Just click for archive: 
 
 

 
January 27, 2016
LIGHTING THE WAY Kei Breedlove, Bishop's office assistant, and acolytes from St. John's Episcopal Church in College Park snap a quick pic during Assistant Bishop Keith Whitmore's Jan. 24 visit. Photo: Bill Monk |  To view more photos, click here >>
CDF Freedom School Internship Opportunities | Deadline: February 15
The Children's Defense Fund Freedom Schools program at Emmaus House is looking for 12 servant leader interns for this summer. They will serve as facilitators in the classroom and act as leaders of parent workshops and community outreach activities. The deadline to apply is Feb. 15. More information can be found by clicking here>>


Safe Church Training Day | February 27
In the Diocese we are called to respect the dignity of every human being and are committed to the safety of all God's people and to the integrity of all work carried out by our clergy and people. To see this through, two safety training sessions for all clergy and many lay people and diocesan employees will be held on Saturday, Feb. 27 at the Cathedral of St. Philip. "Safeguarding God's Children" will be held from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. "Safeguarding God's People" will be from 1-4 p.m. For more information on the requirements for Safe Church Training and who should attend, click here>>.

Diocesan Resource Center Closes | March 1 
After many years of declining use, the Diocesan Resource Center will close March 1.  Parishes are invited to visit the Resource Center at the Diocese Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. until February 29 to select books, curricula materials and videos the parish may want to have.  Please bring boxes to take the selected materials away. All books and materials remaining as of March 1will be donated to the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. Its purpose is to enable Christians in their indigenous churches to grow in faith and knowledge. Do you have questions or is someone from your parish planning a visit? Please contact Mary Job at 404-601-5320
Called to Lead | March 5 
Saturday, March 5, 9:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.,Holy Innocents' Church, Atlanta 
Wardens, vestries and treasurers are invited to Called to Lead, a one-day training with Bishop Rob Wright and his staff designed to support and enhance lay leadership. Clergy are invited to attend as well. For details and registration, click here>>.

Hunger Walk | March 13 
Sunday, March 13, 12 - 4 p.m., Turner Field, Atlanta
Support Episcopal Charities Foundation and participate in this year's Hunger Walk/Run along with the people and parishes of the Diocese of Atlanta. This 5K event raises funds and awareness for hunger relief every spring. Whether you choose to walk or run, you'll join thousands coming together to support our neighbors in need and celebrate the work that's being done. For more details and to register, click here 2016 Hunger Walk>>.
Youth News

Get the latest news from the Episcopal Youth Community here
 
People
Director of Institute for Ministry & Theological Education Retires 
THANK YOU Nancy Armstrong receives a certificate of recognition from Bishop Rob Wright.
After eight years of service as Director of The Institute for Ministry & Theological Education (IMTE), Nancy Armstrong retired at the end of 2015. The IMTE was established in 2007 by the Commission on Christian Education in response to a call and encouragement from Bishop J. Neil Alexander, ninth bishop of Atlanta. The institute is led by a Board of Advisors comprised of lay and ordained ministers from around the Diocese of Atlanta. IMTE provides continuing adult education, including the training of Christian lay leaders in the formation of children, youth and adults, as well as pastoral care chaplains in the Community of Hope program. Nancy was a longtime member of the Commission on Christian Education. She was appointed as the first director of IMTE, and continued in that role until her retirement. Nancy now lives in rural western North Carolina.
Events
Explore Nonviolent Communication | February 6 
Join Ms. Lea Robinson, RN, MSN and The Rev. Lynnsay Buehler on Saturday, Feb. 6 from 10 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. to better understand and learn how to incorporate nonviolent communication and welcoming prayer in your life. Nonviolent Communication is a specific process of communicating with others that has the potential of facilitating the development of relationships based on mutual respect and cooperation. Welcoming Prayer is a practice of self-compassion which increases our capacity for non-violence. Each practice is a way to focus our attention on the discovery of what is life-affirming, healthy and vital within ourselves and others.  By consciously choosing to focus on what is life-giving, our energies are unleashed for transformative growth and deepening compassion. There will be opportunities during the day to learn, pray, reflect and share.
 
The event will be hosted at Julian of Norwich Center, St. Bede's Episcopal Church, 2601 Henderson Mill Rd. Atlanta, GA 30345. The fee is $40. To register, call 770-938-9797 ext. 27

Jim Wallis Book Signing | February 10 
Kick off the season of Lent and join the conversation on race at this event at the Church of the Epiphany at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 10.

Wallis will do a reading from his new book, "America's Original Sin: Racism, White Privilege and the Bridge to a New America" and sign copies.

Wallis is founder and president of Sojourners, an international community in Washington, D.C. which is committed to social justice and radical evangelical Christianity.

This event is sponsored by The Cathedral Bookstore, Church of the Epiphany at 2089 Ponce De Leon Ave., Atlanta, and The Open Door and the Beloved Community: Commission for Dismantling Racism. For additional information, contact Dr. Catherine Meeks.

Dismantling Racism Training Session | February 11
Join us from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 11 at the Cathedral of St. Philip. All Vestry members, deacons, priests and others who hold leadership positions in the Episcopal Church are required to complete training. To register, email Mary Job.

Absalom Jones Feast Day Service | February 13
A service will be held to commemorate the life of Absalom Jones on Saturday, Feb. 13 at 1 p.m. at St. Luke's Episcopal Church, 435 Peachtree St. NE, Atlanta. Absalom Jones was born into slavery in Sussex County, Delaware on November 6, 1746. During the 72 years of his life, he grew to become one of the foremost leaders among people of African descent during the post-revolutionary period. In his younger years in Delaware, Absalom sought help to learn to read. When he was 16, his owner Benjamin Wynkoop brought him to Philadelphia where he served as a clerk and handyman in a retail store. He was able to work for himself in the evenings and keep his earnings. He also briefly attended a school run by the Quakers where he learned mathematics and handwriting. In 1770, he married Mary Thomas and purchased her freedom. It wasn't until 1784 that he obtained his own freedom. In 1802, Jones was ordained by Bishop William White as the first African American Priest of the Episcopal Church.
 
Loving Like Jesus in Your Community | February 13
This is an opportunity for all diocesan deacons and other interested mission-focused laypersons to become Asset Based Community Development (ABCD) facilitators. It can be especially helpful for people who are intimately involved in proposed or newly developed community ministries. 

ABCD  is an approach that catalyzes change and development based on utilizing the existing gifts and capacities of people and their communities. The ABCD model discourages development brought in from an outside source, but rather energizes change and development from within. For truly sustainable development, it's important to focus on a community's strengths versus solely its needs. 

Training will be
Saturday, Feb. 13 from 8:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. at the Episcopal Church of St. Peter and Paul, 1795 Johnson Ferry Road, Marietta, GA 30062.
Registration will be capped at 30 people.
Continuing Education hours will be awarded to clergy. Please contact Archdeacon Janet Tidwell at [email protected] for more information.


Considering a Call to Ministry? | February 20 
Come to the "Here I Am" Retreat Day with your sponsor to learn about the process of discernment and how the Christian community listens for God's call to each baptized person.

The retreat will be Saturday, Feb. 20 from 8 a.m. - 3 p.m. at the Cathedral of St. Philip. Bishop Rob Wright will be there, along with representatives of the diocesan Commission on Ministry. Additional leaders with skills for guiding a discernment process will also be there to help.

Rectors and/or sponsoring priests with potential candidates are required to register and attend. Spouses/partners are encouraged to register and attend as well. This is an important step for continuing this year's provisional process for the priesthood and the diaconate. Attendees will be given a set of questions to discuss with sponsoring clergy following the retreat.

Cost is $20 per person. Early morning refreshments and lunch are included. Register by Monday, Feb. 15. register here>>.
Church Pension Group's Planning For Tomorrow|Lay February 25 and Clergy February 26-27
The Planning For Tomorrow Conference for lay employees in the Diocese of Atlanta will be on Thursday, Feb. 25. The clergy session will be held Feb. 26-27. For more information, lay employees click here>> and clergy click here>>. 
Music
Concert to Benefit Rainbow Village | This Friday, January 29   
Join us at the Cathedral of St. Philip on Friday, Jan. 29 at 8 p.m. for a special concert.

Trey Clegg will conduct a recital by the choir of St. Paul's Episcopal Church and several combined choirs of Atlanta, David Brensinger on the organ, and an orchestra.

The evening will feature the world premiere of "Blessed," a composition written especially for Rainbow Village by Michael Burkhardt. The concert is the first in a series of activities in 2016 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of this ministry.

Tickets can be purchased at Eventbrite and from the Cathedral Book Store.  Ticket purchases represent a donation to Rainbow Village.   
Organ Music From Bach and Buxtehude & Choral Eucharist| This Sunday, January 31 
Organist Dr. Alan Lewis will give a recital at the Cathedral of St. Philip on Sunday, Jan. 31 at 3:15 p.m. A graduate of Oberlin and the University of California, Alan currently serves as Organist and Director of Music at Calvary Episcopal Church in Pittsburgh, PA. A multiple-time performer on the Cathedral's recital series, Dr. Lewis's recital will include:
  • Dieterich Buxtehude, Praeludium in C, BuxWV 137; Canzona in G, BuxW 170; and Canzona in G minor, BuxWV 173
  • Johann Sebastian Bach, In dir ist Freude, BWV 615; Meine Seele erhebt den Herrn, BWV 648; and Passacaglia & Fugue in C minor, BWV 5

At 4 p.m., the Cathedral of St. Philip will offer our annual service of Candlemas Procession and Choral Eucharist in celebration of the Feast of the Presentation of our Lord Jesus Christ sung by the Cathedral Schola. Music will include: 

  • William Byrd, Nunc Dimittis
  • Orlandus Lassus, Missa bell' amfitrit' altera
  • Johannes Eccard, When to the temple Mary went
These events are free and the general public is welcome. For more information, see www.stphilipscathedral.org/music.
Opportunities
Interested in Spanish Instruction This Summer?
A Spanish Immersion Class will be offered this summer at Christ Church Episcopal, Norcross. Part of the class focuses on Spanish liturgy and commonly used words and phrases. "We need feedback soon if you're interested in attending," says Deacon Juan Sandoval. The class is now scheduled May 30 to June 10 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. with experienced instructor Rosario Madison. Cost is $500, books included, and a minimum of 10 students is required. For information call Sandoval at 404-271-3624. To sign up for course, call Beth Holland, 770-447-1166 x-222, or email: [email protected] 
Focus on Reading, Visits to Sites
of Martyrdom | Ongoing
You are invited by the Commission for Dismantling Racism to prepare for the launching of "Reclaiming Hope through Remembering: Pilgrimages to Georgia Sites of Martyrdom.
 
The diocesan commission urges all parishes to participate in a diocese-wide reading of Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson during the seasons between Christmas and Easter. A study/discussion guide for the book is now available on the diocesan website.
Read more>>
Resources
Free Episcopal Church Foundation Webinars
These are designed for congregational leaders engaged in the strategic, leadership and financial topics that are critical to the health and vitality of our congregations. Here is a link to this winter's lineup: Episcopal Church Foundation Winter 2016.
Updated Vestry Resource Guide 
Whether you're a new vestry member or a seasoned veteran, the Episcopal Church Foundation's newly revised Vestry Resource Guide is essential reading. With a deliberate focus on the importance of lay and clergy leadership teams, you'll find comprehensive information and advice about the ministry of the vestry, leading faith communities, stewardship, the vestry's canonical responsibilities for finance and administration, and navigating clergy transitions.

This new edition of the Vestry Resource Guide also reflects the concept of shared ministry and emphasizes the role of the governing body in strengthening the leadership capacity of congregations. Chapters on vision and planning as well as building strong leadership teams reflect our work with congregations across the United States.  Each chapter ends with a list of resources. It is available in both print and e-book formats.

Vestry Resource Guide is available in both English and Spanish. Visit Forward Movement for more information and pricing.
Islamic Speakers Bureau Available for Parish Programs
Need a speaker for you parish or group? The Islamic Speakers Bureau can provide help. See, Resources > Speakers

Episcopal News Service


For updates from the Episcopal News Service, click here>>.