|
|
From the Field
News & Events of the Church in Georgia
|
|
| June 11, 2013 | Volume 3, Number 42 |
|
|
|
|
June 16th
Readings
Proper 6C
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
St. John and St. Mark, Albany
Cyber Café in the News
The congregation of St. John and St. Mark earned some nice publicity this week as WALB covered the church's new Cyber Café in a news segment. You can see the video online here: East Albany Church to Offer Internet Cafe.
 The Radium Springs Cyber Café idea arose out of the strategies of the Campaign for Congregational Development. In looking at how the congregation might respond to the needs of its community with a Signature Ministry, the idea emerged. Deacon Ri Lamb noted the need created when two local library branches were shut down. She said, "For those with no computer or no Internet access at home, libraries are a lifeline for everything from keeping in touch by email to school research projects. At least as important, in the current unemployment crisis computers are vital for preparing resumes; for heaven's sake, you almost cannot apply for a job without the Internet." Further, as a neighborhood church with both an elementary and a middle school within walking distance, they saw need for students to access the internet for school assignments. With the price of gas and no public transportation in the area, Lamb says they felt this could be a wonderful opportunity to share our gifts with our economically challenged neighbors. Using up to date donated equipment and volunteer staffing, the Café opens in July. Initially, the Café will be open on Wednesdays and Saturdays with the possibility of adding more available times to meet the needs of the community. More information is available at the link above.
|
|
|
Diocesan Office Update
On Sunday, Bishop Benhase will make his visitation to Holy Spirit, Dawson.
Canon Logue is taking vacation time this week to go to Thomasville and walk in the long leaf pine forest which once dominated the landscape of our diocese. He meets with the Christ Church, Valdosta, vestry on Saturday for a mini-retreat. On Sunday, he will preside and preach at St. Andrew's, Douglas. |
|
Diocesan Community Update
St. Paul's, Augusta, has called the Rev. Kelsey Hutto to serve as Assistant Rector. A cradle Episcopalian, Hutto was born and raised in DeLand, Florida. She  attended Georgia Southern University where she received her BSK in Exercise Science with a minor in Athletic Training. She met her husband, Alan Hutto, while at Georgia Southern and they were married in 2010. Kelsey discerned a call to the priesthood while in college where she was active at Trinity, Statesboro and in our campus ministry. She received a Masters of Divinity from Sewanee: The University of the South in 2012. Bishop Benhase ordained Hutto to the transitional deaconate in Savannah on June 30, 2012. Her ordaination to the priesthood follwed on January 5, 2013 at St. Hilary's Episcopal Church in Fort Myers, Florida, where she served as an Assistant Rector. |
|
Abundance Multiplies as Saint Athanasius', Brunswick divides Loaves, Fishes, and Honeynut Cheerios
 Once again another sunny Monday morning made the lives of 185 individuals and families just a little brighter with grocery packages, articles of gently used clothing, coffee, fresh baked brownies, with encouraging prayer, conversation and fellowship. Pictured above are the volunteers on Monday morning, 10 June that made it all happen by making distributions from their ever-growing food pantry:(left to right) Susan Shipman, Jacqueline Jackson, Penny Szwast, Angie DeLee, Johnnie B. McKoy, Jeanette Roundtree, Lodeta Waye, Eddie J. Nelson, (The Rev.) David Somerville, Nancy Hamilton Ed Turner, Fran Jones, Gladys Lyde, and Velma Crosby. Photo by Lynn Turner.
|
|
Confraternity of the Blessed Sacrament Meets in Savannah
 The Annual Meeting of the Confraternity of the Blessed Sacrament (CBS)was held on June 2 at St. Paul's. The Confraternity of the Blessed Sacrament is a devotional society within the Anglican Communion. The Service of Solemn Mass, Benediction &  Procession of the Blessed Sacrament was presided over by The Rt. Rev. Dorsey F. Henderson (Superior-General, pictured left) who also preached. The Very Rev. William Willoughby (Secretary-General) was the Celebrant, The Rev. Susan Gahagan was the Deacon and Br. Nicholas OSJ was the Sub-Deacon. |
|
St. Patrick's, Albany
Lutheran Confirmation at Episcopal Church
As a part of the arrangement with the Lutheran Church of Our Savior (LCOS) joining together with St. Patrick's, Albany, for worship and mission, it was agreed that Lutherans would be presented for confirmation within that denomination. This presented a problem as, in that denomination, pastor's officiate at confirmation and as an Episcopal priest, this is not a rite the rector, the Rev. Jay Weldon, could preside at. The problem became more acute when Pastor Bob Diamond, who had been serving LCOS died this Eastertide. There was no pastor available to officiate. The Holy Spirit had the matter well in hand as Pastor Phillips, a Lutheran Pastor in Ohio (at right above), planned to attend his granddaughter's confirmation. The confirmation moved forward and the grandfather was able to confirm his granddaughter and the other two in her confirmation class. The group is pictured above.
|
|
"Home is the place where, when you have to go there, they have to take you in."
-Robert Frost
The Loose Canon
Welcoming Guests into Their Own Home
Though church life winds down in some ways each summer, the dog days are a common time for a family to go church shopping, especially someone newly moved to your community. At the Spring Clergy Conference, our presenter, the Rev. George Martin, talked about changing our language about greeting to replace words like visitor and newcomer with "guest." This was significant for George as he knows we are welcoming guests into God's house. As such, we should put our best foot forward and be at our most welcoming, not to grow the church, but to be the Body of Christ.
As I consider this further, I can think of the many stories I have heard as priest of people returning to church, or even of going to a church for the first time. There is a strong gravitation pull away from the church for many and crossing your threshold is not as easy as it would seem. Add to that that if a visitor shows up with children in tow all dressed for church that this was no easy feat.
But in coming to your church, the guests may be strangers to you, but they are well known to our Lord, who makes his home in your church home. These are guests you are welcoming in their own home, even if they do not know it yet. The guests come with wounds and baggage and we do not have to know what all that is in order to welcome them as we would welcome Christ. But it can help to just be reminded that we don't know what battles others are facing and we don't know what deep solace they may find in a gracious welcome at our churches.
This was brought home for me through a video on empathy created by the Cleveland Clinic. This short video offers a wonderful glimpse at what others might be facing. Imagine the context as the Narthex of your church:
 | | Empathy: The Human Connection |
The Rev. Frank Logue
|
|
The photo above is from the Vacation Bible School run together by St. Mark's, Brunswick, and King of Peace, Kingsland, at Honey Creek and on Jekyll Island. A group from this joint VBS is also pictured below.
Vacation Bible Schools Underway
We want to share your Vacation Bible School with the Diocese in photo album collecting pictures of our kid-friendly catechesis taking place around the Diocese this summer. Send photos from your congregation's VBS to newsandevents@gaepiscopal.org
 The photos will be added to a VBS album and used at the diocesan website. You can visit this summer's VBS album online. 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. Decorating T-shirts at the Calvary, Americus, Vacation Bible School.
Enjoying the fun at a Vacation Bible School for Christ Church and St. Barnabas, Valdosta, together with First Christian Church. The group met at Christ Church.
A group photo from last week's VBS held together by St. Anne's, Tifton, and Our Divine Savior Roman Catholic Church. The VBS was held at St. Anne's.
The joint Vacation Bible School run by Good Shepherd, Augusta, and their next door neighbor churches Woodlawn United Methodist Church and Reid Memorial Presbyterian Church. The big group is pictured above in the nave of the Presbyterian Church.
|
|
Youth Ministry
Hometown Missions to Be Held July 19-21
 Hometown Missions 2013 is slated for July 19 - 21 at Columba House, and is open to 6th through 12th graders. The cost to attend is $100, and the registration deadline is July, 2012. Participants will be housed at Columba House in Savannah. Hometown Missions is a weekend event that allows participants to engage in small-scale, mission-focused projects in and around a selected church in the diocese. Participants are divided into work groups according to ability/age, and after a long work day, are treated to a fun event on Saturday night. On Sunday morning, participants worship with the congregation they have served. Hometown Missions is helping prepare Columba House for the young adult Interns, who will be living as a intentional community and begin their year of service this August. For more information on Hometown Missions 2013, please email Liz Williams at lizmaywilliams@gmail.com.
Click here to register online for this event.
|
|
Youth Ministry
Register for Happening #91
Happening will be held at Honey Creek August 2 - 4 and is open to those in grades 10 - 12. 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:
Happening costs $113 to attend, and financial assistance is available. For more information, please visit the Georgia Happening website.
Click here to register online for Happening #91.
|
This is a detail of a Christus Rex, or image of Christ the King that hung over the altar at St. Andrew's, Douglas. When the church was gutted by fire in 1993, the wood carving was salvaged and restored. It now hangs in the parish hall at the church. |
|
Like Us on Facebook
Keep up with us on Facebook at our page Episcopal Diocese of Georgia on Facebook
Follow Us on Twitter
The Diocese of Georgia also shares news 140 characters at a time through Twitter@GA_Episcopal
|
so we can feature them in upcoming issues of From the Field.
Sincerely,
Diocesan Staff
The Episcopal Diocese of Georgia |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
