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From the Field
News & Events of the Church in Georgia |
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| October 16, 2012 | Volume 3, Number 9 |
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Renewing Cursillo in Georgia
 As those who have attended a Cursillo Three-day Weekend know, the heart of the Cursillo movement is the Fourth Day, that includes: following an intentional, balanced rule of life (Piety, Study and Action); meeting regularly with others for mutual support, accountability and growth (Group Reunion and Ultreya); offering oneself as a servant and leader in one's parish (Apostolic Action); and, being anxious to influence one's environments and relationships for Christ (Evangelism). Without Cursillistas living an authentic Fourth Day, the Three-day Weekends cannot be successful, or even worthwhile. To renew the Three-day Weekends, we must first answer God's call to renew our Fourth Day commitments. To that end the Diocesan Cursillo Commission is urging all Cursillistas to attend one of the three workshops. The commission is making requisite that in the future candidates who attend a Three-Day Weekend will be sponsored by a Cursillista who has attended a Fourth Day/Sponsors Workshop. A team of three commission members will lead workshops on: November 10, 1 - 3pm | Our Savior, Martinez
November 11, 2 - 4pm | St. Thomas, Savannah
November 17, 10am - 12noon | Grace, Waycross. For registration information for any of the above workshops, please contact Al Jackson at poppie29@att.net |
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Diocesan Office Update
Bishop Benhase and Canon Logue are gathered with the clergy of the Diocese at Honey Creek for the Fall Clergy Conference, which ends this afternoon. Friday and Saturday, they will both be back to Honey Creek for the Commission on Ministry and Standing Committee meetings.
This Sunday, Bishop Benhase makes his visitation to Christ Church, St. Mary's, in the morning and to Our Savior, Honey Creek, in the afternoon.
Canon Logue will celebrate and preach this Sunday at St. Paul's, Augusta. From there he will go to Saluda, NC, to check on and close the Clergy Cottage for the season, while touching base with contractors on some maintenance and possible upgrades to the house.
Canon Willoughby is preparing for open enrollment that begins October 21st.
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Fall Clergy Conference
Changing Roles for Priests and Deacons
The clergy of the Diocese have been gathered at Honey Creek since Sunday evening for the Fall Clergy Conference. They have been learning about and discussing the changing cultural landscape in which the church exists and how the impacts of this move from an establishment church in a time when it could be assumed most people in our communities were Christians and were looking for a church home to the present rise of "spiritual, but not religious." This necessitates changing roles for the bishop, priests and deacons and these shifts in focus are the main topic of our time together.
 The Rev. Dr. Dwight Zscheile speaks to the clergy of the Diocese gathered for the Fall Clergy Conference.Priests talking during a break at the conference and a tent on Honey Creek at the campsite where some of the younger clergy are camping during the meeting.
 Bishop Benhase and the clergy in discussion on Sunday evening. |
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Bishop's Visitation
St. Elizabeth's, Richmond Hill
Bishop Benhase, The Rev. Clark Hubbard, and confirmands.
Christ Church, Dublin
Bishop Benhase dedicates the James Crabb Episcopal Center during his visitation to Christ Church, Dublin on September 9th.
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Legacy Society
St. Simons and Savannah Seminars This Week
 The Legacy Society of the Episcopal Diocese of Georgia is bringing nationally known speaker, Charles V. Douglas, to St. Simons Island and Savannah this Thursday and Friday. The meetings are not an appeal for money, but an inspirational talk on how 'true wealth' requires the harmonic blend of both financial capital and spiritual capital. Please come, visit with Charlie and listen as he shares his thoughts on how to put together a 'principled legacy', a true prescription to prosperity, one that's good for the soul.
Christ Church, Frederica
Thursday, October 18
5:30-6 pm light refreshments
6-7 pm discussion St. Michael and All Angels, Savannah
Friday, October 19
10-10:30 am coffee and muffins
10:30-11:30 am discussion St.Thomas Isle of Hope, Savannah
Friday, October 19
5:30-6 pm light refreshments
6-7 pm discussion Charlie Douglas has published numerous articles on the subject in NAEPC Journal of Estate and Tax Planning, CCH Journal of Practical Estate Planning, Wealth and Retirement Planner, NAEPC Journal of Estate and Tax Planning WealthCounsel, and others. Charlie's book titled Rich Where it Counts addresses the importance of understanding one's real wealth with an eye on abundance, not scarcity and thus empowering 'real wealth' transfer. For any questions, please contact the diocesan office on 912-236-4279. If you plan to attend RSVP to legacysociety@gaepiscopal.org |
The Rev. Leigh Hall blesses a K-9 Police Officer during the Blessing of the Animals at Christ Church, Frederica, where she serves as the interim assistant rector. In the text below is pictured a beehive also blessed during the service.
Blessings of the Animals across the Diocese
 Congregations acorss the Diocese of Georgia held Blessing of the Animals services this past week. The liturgy is usually offered close to October 4, the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, who is remembered for calling the church to greater faithfulness through his example of a life lived in greater fidelity to the teachings of Jesus. Francis also is said to have preached to the birds on one occasion and saved the town of Gubbio, Italy, from a wolf which he tamed. The wolf is buried in the cathedral in Gubbio, enjoying a place of honor by the altar in that town to this day. This is just a sampling. See all of the photos online here: Pet Blessing Photo AlbumThe Rev. David Rose, Assistant Rector of St. Anne's Tifton, blesses a pet on the campus of Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College where he is working to establish an Episcopal Church presence on campus.
The Rev. Stephen Norris and Deacon Cathy Henderson blessing a pet at St. Franics' annual blessing and fair. Friends of Oatland Island Wildlife Center held a pet vaccine and nail clipping clinic, the Tailspin store provided pet treats, a photographer took photos for the owners, and Norris and Henderson blessed the pets.
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The Loose Canon
Sex and the Single Canon-Glittering Images
Sex and religion make cozy bedfellows in the series of six Starbridge novels by Susan Howatch. The books are the perfect antidote to the literary legacy Bishop Benhase acknowledged and bewailed in his latest eCrozier Kill George Herbert? The problem our bishop notes is the ideal of a priest as "omni-present, omni-competent, and omni-affirming."
 Following a 1980 move to live in the shadow of Salisbury Cahedral, Susan Howatch experienced a spiritual epiphany. This lead to her writing the series of novels which are set in the fictional Diocese of Starbridge and begin in the 1930s. In each novel, the theological struggles of the times are viewed through the lives of very real, and therefore flawed, priests and bishops who seek to follow God's leading. Unlike the writings of George Herbert with an idealized priesthood of visiting parishioners every morning and settling in to write metaphysical poetry each afternoon, the priests and bishops of Howatch's imagination struggle with the shadow side of their God-given gifts and human frailties.
 Lest my headline be hyperbole, Glittering Images does feature the carnal struggles of a widowed cathedral canon who fights his inner demons while trying to burnish the image he presents to the world. And yet, even as the characters' flaws have some tragic consequences through the series, they never lose site of the ideal. For example, in wondering whether a woman he is deeply attracted to is suitable, Canon Ashworth thinks, "No matter how strongly I felt that Lyle was right for me I would have no choice but to accept that she was wrong if I had uncovered evidence that she was not devout. How could one live in the closest intimacy unless she was able to understand the fundamemtal force in one's life. An attraction of spiritual opposites was a disaster for any clergyman."
Looking for model clergy in fiction? Ditch Father Tim and his idyllic Mitford for the Strarbridge series. I love these books (Glittering Images, Glamorous Powers, Ultimate Prizes, Scandalous Risks, Mystical Paths and Absolute Truths) and not just because the canon can be sexy, but because a Rule of Life is taken seriously, spiritual direction is viewed as critical and even in crisis the flawed clergy continually turn to scripture and prayer and the sacraments and through these means, God breaks in with healing and redemption.
 Howatch deals with the real inner turmoil behind the glittering images and glamorous powers that might help a promising young man (remember the time period) rise in the ranks of clergy. The solution in the novels, as in life, is to drop the mask and live the authentic life to which God has called you. This is true whether that calling is as a firefighter, sailor or teacher as much as for a priest. We are never called to be omnipresent or omni-competant and rathering than omni-affirming, sometimes God comes not with a pat on the back, but with a tough word and difficult consequences for our choices. Yet these novels reveal that God can redeem our faults. We are not to achieve perfection, but to be real and faithful and when we fall short, to repent and return to the Lord.
The Rev. Canon Frank Logue
Canon to the Ordinary
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St. Francis of the Islands, Savannah
Nursery Attendant Sought
 St. Francis Episcopal Church on Wilmington Island is currently searching for a nursery attendant. Candidates must comply with national church and diocesan guidelines concerning Safeguarding God's Children training. The position requires approximately 4 hours of work on Sunday mornings and occasional weeknight opportunities. A successful background check is required. Interested persons please contact Fr. Stephen Norris with references at 912-897-5725 or by email at stephenn@sfoti.org. |
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Still Time to Register for Fall Clergy Spouses Conference
 Clergy Spouse Connections continues! The Fall Clergy Spouse Conference is scheduled for Nov 2-4, 2012 at Honey Creek. Last year we heard several of you say that you would like to have a full weekend conference, so we did it. The conference will start Friday afternoon with registration from 4:00 to 5:30. Dinner will served be at 5:45. **If you can come earlier on Friday, say 2:00 p.m., you might just be able to get in on a disc golf game, or a nature walk** We will conclude Sunday after lunch. On Sunday we will worship with the congregation of Our Savior in the chapel at Honey Creek.
This year we are also going give back to Honey Creek by performing a service project. Our project will be planting flowers in a new garden spot near the dining hall. The butterfly garden will be a memorial to a member from St. Andrews / Darien.
 The cost for the weekend is as follows: a single room is $211.98 and a double is $141.98. (Financial assistance is available to help defray the cost if needed. Please call or send an email directly to Bishop Benhase if you need assistance. We do not want finances to keep anyone from attending.) Please book your reservation directly with Carolyn at Honey Creek with either a phone call to (912) 265-9218, or an email to carolyn@honeycreek.org. Don't wait; the sooner, the better. Talk to other clergy spouses and make sure they know about this Conference and encourage them to attend too. It will to be a fabulous weekend if you're there ...I promise!!!
Here are some suggestions on items to bring: flashlight, umbrella, folding chair, your journal (if you "journal"), camera, comfortable shoes, old clothes that you would might getting a little dirty, gardening tools, a yoga mat.
Call or send an email to Leslie Parker if you have any questions at (912) 232-2893 or 912 596-6107 and via email at parkerld@comcast.net. |
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Augusta and Savannah Community Concerts
St. Paul's, Augusta
 Tuesday's Music Live, America's largest luncheon concert series, continues its 25th Anniversary Season with a free concert by the celebrated young Canadian pianist, Ang Li, on Tuesday, 23 Oct, at 12:00 noon. The concert will be held in the nave of St. Paul's Church, 6th & Reynolds at the Riverwalk in downtown Augusta, and will be followed by a lunch in the St. Paul's River Room catered by Crum's on Central. Lunch reservations can be made online at
St. Peter's Church, Skidaway Island
Friday October 26th at 7:30 p.m. when we will be transported back 100 years to the era of silent film with authentic accompaniment. Movies will include Coney Island and Curses starring Fatty Arbuckle and a film by Charlie Chaplin. Tony Steve and Bob Moore (see
www.silent-treatment-films.com ) will provide live music and an ice cream reception by Tradewinds will follow the program. No advance reservation is required and there is no charge for the movies or the reception. Donations gladly accepted. For more information, email Tim McKee TMcKee@StPetersSavannah.org
St. Francis of the Islands, Savannah
St. Francis of the Islands will be presenting a concert of the music of Cole Porter to be followed by a wine and cheese reception on Sunday, November 11 at 4 pm. Tickets are $10 each(includes wine and cheese reception). The proceeds will go to the church fund for the needy. For more information please contact George Moravek at g.moravek88@comcast.net or by phone 912.704.0808.
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DR Mission Trip Meetings in Brunswick and Vidalia
 Tonight and Thursday evening, informational meeting will be held in Brunswick and Vidalia for a teen mission trip to the Dominican Republic. 9-12 grade students from the Diocese of Georgia are invited to experience this week-long mission experience in our Companion Diocese. The Revs. Joshua Varner and Loren Lasch are leading the trip. Additional adult volunteers are needed and encouraged to apply. The trip is anticipated to cost no more than $1,500, with the airfare being the greatest variable.
Tuesday October 16-St. Mark's Brunswick. 7 p.m.
Thursday, October 18-Annunciation Vidalia. 7 p.m.
One last meeting will be:
Thursday, November 8 (note date change)-St. Anne's Tifton. 7 p.m.
Contact the Rev. Joshua Varner about this trip at jvarner75@gmail.com
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Still Time to Register for New Beginnings
 New Beginnings #41 will take place during the weekend of November 2-4, 2012 at Honey Creek. The cost to attend as a participant is $110. New Beginnings is a weekend retreat for teenagers in grades 7-9 led by a team of mostly teenagers with a few adults, and two clergy spiritual directors. You can go to New Beginnings as many times as you like...as long as you're in grades 7-9.
New Beginnings participant application
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Christus Rex
The morning sunlight filters through the glass behind the caving of Christ the King in the Chapel of Our Savior on the grounds of our camp and conference center, Honey Creek. The chapel was dedicated to the memory of our fifth bishop, the Rt. Rev. Middleton Stuart Barnwell. At our earlier camp on St. Simons Island, Camp Reese, a tabby outdoor altar had been known as Barnwell Chapel. |
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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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