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October 1, 2013Volume 4, Number 5
In This Issue
Diocesan Office Update
King of Peace, Kingsland
General Convention Nominees
Affordable Care Act
City-Wide Youth Ministry in Augusta
Medical Mission
Cursillo
Fehr Ordinations Friday
Guice Hall
Youth Task Force
New Beginnings
Ironman Race
Youth Minister
Pet Blessing Photos Sought
Fall Clergy Conference
Facebook
Web Links
 
 
 


October 6th
Readings
Proper 20C
Track 1 Old Testament    
Lamentations 1:1-6
Lamentations 3:19-26 or Psalm 137
    
or

Track 2 Old Testament
Habakkuk 1:1-4, 2:1-4
Psalm 37:1-10

and

2 Timothy 1:1-14
Luke 17:5-10   
Register Now for Acolyte Festival

Calling all acolytes! The Acolyte & Youth Leadership Festival (AYLF) registration is now open to 3rd through 12th graders. 

This year's festival will be hosted by St. Peter's, Savannah and will be held Saturday and Sunday, November 9 & 10, 2013. The cost is just $40 to attend, which incluces meals, snacks and a t-shirt. Priests from Savannah Convocation will work with youth ministers in putting on this fun event. Participants should bring their own vestments (marked with a church name or participant's name) and their home church's banner, which will be processed during the Sunday morning Eucharist at St. Peter's. 


At AYLF, participants can expect to participate in acolyting and church leadership workshops facilitated by experienced practitioners; to meet other young acolytes and church leaders from across the diocese; to learn about other liturgical practices; to share their own church experience; and to have fun!
 
Register online now
for the November 9-10 Acolyte Festival

Diocesan Office Update  

On Sunday, Bishop Benhase will make his visitation to St. Elizabeth's, Richmond Hill, in the morning, and St. Philip's, Hinesville, in the afternoon.
    
Canon Logue will preside and preach at both Sunday morning Eucharists at St. Paul's Jesup on this first Sunday following the Rev. Lee Domenick leaving that congregation to accept a call in the Diocese of Minnesota. 
 
This coming Sunday through next Tuesday, Bishop Benhase and Canon Logue will be at Honey Creek for the Fall Clergy Conference.

King of Peace, Kingsland

Bishop's Visitation

King of Peace enjoyed a day of celebration as Bishop Benhase baptized, confirmed, and received a large group at the parish.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Nominees for the 2015 General Convention 

Deputies and alternates to the General Convention of The Episcopal Church will be elected during the special one day convention to be held at The Dubose Porter Center in Dublin, Georgia on November 16. As of press time today, we have received all of the required information for nine nominees in the clergy order and for eight nominees in the lay order. The nominees to date are:

 
Lay Deputy Nominees
 Clergy Deputy Nominees
A.L. Addington  Gary Abbott
Carolyn Baker
 Ted Clarkson
Jody Grant  Walter Hobgood
William Jones  Frank Logue
Kay Riggle  Tom Purdy
Bill Steinhauser  Sierra Wilkinson Reyes
 Molly Stevenson Mollie Roberts
 Mary Willoughby Jim Shumard
  William Willoughby III
 
Additional nominations have been received without the nominee portion with bio and photo. All names with biographies received in full will be published this Friday at http://convention.georgiaepiscopal.org 
 
By church canons, the nominations remain open until the floor of the Special Convention.

Affordable Care Act Notification

Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), employers are required to provide you with a special notice that describes a healthcare coverage option that will be available to you and your family through the new Health Insurance Marketplace (Marketplace). This notice applies to priests and lay persons insured through the Episcopal Church Medical Trust. The notice linked below provides some basic information about the new Marketplace and the health coverage the church offers you. This is a required formal notice. Please note, however, that as you should be covered according to the diocesan guidelines, you are thereby not eligible for the premium tax credits described below.

 

You will need the information contained in this notice if you wish to apply for coverage through the Marketplace. You may apply for coverage through the Marketplace starting October 1, 2013, with coverage starting January 1, 2014. However, church plans such as the Medical Trust are excluded by federal law from participating in the Marketplace.

 

If you are currently enrolled in a Medical Trust plan, your plan meets "minimum essential coverage."You don't need to change to a Marketplace plan in order to avoid the fee that uninsured people may have to pay for 2014. You may explore Marketplace coverage options, but there are several important things to consider.

 

If you want to buy health coverage through the Marketplace, you will lose all contributions we currently make toward the cost of your current healthcare coverage.  In addition, any premium payments you may make to the Marketplace cannot be made on a pre-tax basis.

 

Premiums for health coverage purchased through the Marketplace may be lowered for certain individuals through premium tax credits (PTCs) offered through the federal government. PTCs will be available to individuals and families without affordable employer-provided health coverage who have household incomes between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level (approximately $48,000 for an individual or $98,000 for a family of four in 2014). Employer coverage is considered affordable if the employee's share of the annual premium for the lowest cost self-only (single) coverage is no greater than 9.5% of your annual household income. Starting in 2014, individuals offered employer-sponsored coverage that is affordable and provides minimum value (all of the Medical Trust plans provide minimum value) will not be eligible for a PTC.

 

If you decide to check out Marketplace plans, be aware that you may not qualify for lower costs on your monthly premiums and out-of-pocket costs, even if your income would qualify you otherwise. The Marketplace will make a determination whether you qualify based on whether the coverage we offer is "affordable."

 

PTCs are available only through the Marketplace. Based on an analysis by the Medical Trust, it is likely that exceedingly few employees currently participating in Medical Trust plans would meet the requirements for a PTC.  You should also know:

 

  • If you are married but do not file a joint tax return, you are not eligible for a PTC. 
  • The Marketplace is responsible for estimating the amount of your PTC.  
  • PTCs will be sent directly to your Marketplace insurer.  The Marketplace insurer will bill you directly for the amount of any premium you may owe.
  • The final amount of your PTC will be based on your actual household income.  
  • If your actual household income exceeds the amount indicated on your Marketplace application (and therefore the amount of your PTC was overestimated) you must repay part, or in some cases, the entire PTC when filing your taxes.

 

If the Marketplace determines that your coverage is affordable, you will not be eligible for premium tax credits or cost-sharing subsidies through the Marketplace, regardless of your household income.

 

If you decide to enroll in a Marketplace plan, you must complete The Episcopal Church Medical Trust Waiver of Health Benefits form and return it to Canon Willoughby. Only the diocesan administrator can terminate your current benefits.

 

We have linked some basic Frequently Asked Questions and an Employee Notice with this letter. Please feel free to reach out to me as your group health benefits administrator with any questions you may have.

 

Faithfully yours,

 

Mary Willoughby

Canon for Administration

Augusta Convocation

City-wide Youth Ministry Kicks off Tomorrow

A new city-wide youth event for middle school and high school students, CORNERSTONE, will meet for the first time this Wednesday! This Episcopal-led group is offered for all of the youth of Augusta. This new initiative needs support from parents as well as teens to have the impact for which we hope and pray. 

  

Please encourage your young loved-ones to attend this event which meets October 2 from 6:30-8 p.m. at the Epicenter, 1337 Flowing Wells Rd. Augusta 30909 (not 30904 as shown on the flyer below). Cornerstone will also meet at the same location and time on November 6 and December 4.

 

St. Peter's, Savannah 

Medical Mission to the Dominican Republic Seeks a Volunteer Opthomologist or Optometrist

A mission team will be going to our companion diocese, the Dominican Republic, Feb. 15 - 22, 2014. St. Peter's Episcopal Church on Skidaway Island has organized the trip, but is still looking for someone who can conduct eye exams, diagnose problems or impairments, and prescribe corrective lenses. The plan is to collect a large supply of used eye glasses and readers to donate to the patients. There are no facilities for surgical procedures. Thevision clinic will be held at San Esteban Church in San Pedro de Macoris, which has its own clinic. The demand for this kind of service is great, and it is an opportunity for a physician to provide a very valuable humanitarian contribution to people in our companion diocese.


The mission team is also accepting volunteers who would be helping with landscaping, gardening, and repair work at the San Esteban church and school. The team will be lodging at the Kellogg retreat center, which is located in adjacent to the San Esteban Church. The rooms are air conditioned, comfortable, and all meals are provided. 


Please call David Sweeterman at (home) 912 598 9037, or (cell) 912 658 1754. You may also email: [email protected]

How Cursillo Changed My Life

I attended a 3-day weekend in spring of 1979.  I was six months pregnant with my daughter, Diana.  To say that the weekend was a life-changer is an understatement.  It directly impacted Ron's spiritual journey to the priesthood and my own journey by his side.  In fact, I can honestly say that Cursillo has also had a great influence on my children's lives, and their children's lives, because had it not been for that experience and living out the Fourth Day, their lives and their own journeys might have been vastly different.  It has been a blessing to me and, I hope, to my own ministry for 3 � decades.  I am excited that Cursillo in the diocese of Georgia will once again be a tool in God's hands for raising up disciples in this part of His church.

-Zibi Davidson

 

This is the first brief reflection on Cursillo from a past participant. The Cursillo Commission wants to share these reflections and asks for your assistance. Do you have a story you would like to share? Send your reflection and a picture to  [email protected] 


Upcoming Cursillo Weekened

The next Cursillo weekend will be March 21-23 at Honey Creek. You can always find the latest updates on Cursillo at http://cursillo.georgiaepiscopal.org/ 

Fehr Ordinations Friday

God willing and the people consenting, the Rev. Deacons Bruce and Lori Fehr will be ordained to the Sacred Order of Priests this Friday, October 4 at 7 pm at St. Francis of the Islands, Savannah. Clergy wear alb and white stoles.

  

Bruce has been called as Rector of St. Francis and Lori has been called to the church as a priest associate. They began their ministry at St. Francis of the Islands last week, with their first Sunday on September 29th. 

Guice Hall dedication this Sunday

nullThis Sunday, October 6 at 5:30 p.m., Bishop Benhase will dedicate Guice Hall in thanksgiving for the contributions of Pam Guice and her family to the Diocese of Georgia as a whole and particularly to the Honey Creek Summer Camp Program. For decades, Pam was the foundation of the Summer Camp Program, serving as its director and guiding force. The building previously identified as Martha's Cottage is being renamed with the grateful thanks for the diocesan community. The diocesan community is invited to attend the dedication. If you would like to stay for dinner at Honey Creek, please call the office at 912-265-9218 to make a reservation and arrange to pay for the meal. 

Diocesan Youth Ministry  

Deadline for Youth Task Force Approaching  

 Nominations of adults and teens are needed by October 1 to a special Youth Task Force to be named by the Bishop. The Task Force will be made up of adults and teens from each of the six convocations of the Diocese. The group is charged with:  

  1. Working on a job description for the Diocesan Youth Commission which will be the successor group, and  
  2. Assessing each of the current diocesan youth programs based on input from a survey of all stakeholders including teen participants, parents, youth ministers, and clergy. 

Youth Task Force Nomination Form (interested persons may nominate themselves). Final selection will be completed by the diocesan staff in consultation with adults who work with youth. 

    

Communications Committee

Email our Missioner for Youth, Elizabeth Burns, at [email protected] if you have time and talent to give to communications efforts on behalf of our youth programs.      

Diocesan Youth Ministry  

New Beginnings Team Applications Due This Friday  

Our next New Beginnings weekend will be November 15-17, 2013. 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. The weekend takes participants through a discovery about ourselves, our friends, our families, our faith, and how to live out our faith in our daily lives.

  

How might this discovery happen? Through making new friends and sharing with old ones, through singing, skits, talks given by teens, videos, games, worship, and conversation with each other! You are encouraged to bring friends from your church and an adult who will stay through the weekend. Everyone will take an active part in the program. You can go to New Beginnings as many times as you'd like...as long as you're in grades 7-9. We know once you go, you will want to go back. There is even an opportunity to serve on the team...you'll hear more about that at the weekend.

 

New Beginnings Team Application

New Beginnings Participant Application

St. Paul's, Augusta

Church at the Center of Ironman Race

This past weekend St. Paul's Augusta was not only physically at the center of the Iron Man Competition but through the dedication of many of their parishioners the church was actively and enthusiastically at the center of the event. The Rev. George Muir, the Interim Rector, said that the clear message of the weekend was "St. Paul's is here, it is actively participating in the life of our community and all are welcome."
 

St. Luke's, Rincon 

Youth and Children's Minister Sought

St. Luke's, Rincon is looking for a full-time Youth and Children's
Minister. We are a small but growing church and are seeking someone who is relational and self motivated to help us build a program for our children and youth. This person will work with the Vicar and current youth volunteers in casting a vision, building developmentally appropriate programs, recruiting and training volunteers and communicating regularly the different activities and programs offered. The ideal Youth and Children's Minister will not only be creative and able to build up a program within the church, but also willing and able to reach out to the community to invite in youth, children, and their families. Evangelism and pastoral care will be primary components of this position by its very nature. 

 

A full job description can be found at this link: http://www.stlukesrincon.com/uploads/Youth_and_Children_s_Minister_-_St._Luke_s_Episcopal_Church__2_.pdf

Share Your Blessings

With the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi this Friday, many congregations across the Diocese will hold a pet blessing liturgy sometime in the coming week. Please share your photos with us by sending either photos attached to an email (using the diocesan photo album email address: [email protected] ) or by posting an album online (Google or Facebook work easily and are free) and let us know where to find them. Our 2012 album of 75 photos from 14 congregations is online here: Diocese of Georgia 2012 Pet Blessing Photos

 

If you are interested in holding a Blessing of the Animals service, but don't have one planned, it's not too soon to plan for 2014. Information on how to put together a service is found in the Loose Canon Archives here: Plan Now for a Pet Blessing Liturgy
  
You can also find an article there on The Benefits of a Photo Minstry


Fall Clergy Conference

Still Time to Register for Clergy Conference

Nationally known speaker, the Rev. Dr. Rob Voyle, will lead the Fall Clergy Conference at Honey Creek. Known for his work with Appreciative Inquiry, Voyle will guide us through Discerning Core Purpose, Creating Change and more. He designs all the elements of his programs from the opening comments to the final evaluations to reflect, model, and be consistent with the appreciative way. Voyle uses a mix of didactic presentations, experiential exercises, demonstrations and real plays in our training programs.  He will also provide opportunity for reflection, personal synthesis and integration so that those things we learn in our minds can be experienced in our hearts and lived from the core of our souls. A schedule for the conference is found online here:

 

http://gaepiscopal.org/docs/Fall2013ClergyConference.pdf 

 

 

Celebration 

Priests and deacons from the southeast convocation are pictured here at Christ Church Frederica on St. Simon's Island as they gathered to celebrate the new ministry of Rector Tom Purdy (pictured with a green stole). 
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Sincerely,                                      
            

Diocesan Staff                                
The Episcopal Diocese of Georgia