Good Shepherd Episcopal Church held an Earth Day 2014 observance this last Tuesday, April 22. Several earth-friendly activities took place at the church's Earth Day event. A tree was planted on the church grounds. Good Shepherd's community garden was tilled; and rows of crops were planted. Collard greens were harvested from the garden and given to friends and neighbors of the church. Volunteers in attendance walked the neighborhood around Good Shepherd and picked up any trash they found on the ground; properly deposing that trash into receptacles. The merits of composing and recycling were also talked about. 

Susan Jobson, Chair of the local Earth Day Event Committee, commented: "It's so good to see that the neighbors are here. We even had a few people present who drove over all the way from Albany. This Earth Day effort is a wonderful start. Planting is taking place; and people in this neighborhood will reap the benefits. It's all about their choices. We will plant whatever they want to be planted in their garden. We will do everything in our power to bring to fruition what they envision for this community garden." Jobson also serves as the Chair of Good Shepherd's Garden Committee.  

Lauretta Gibbs of Good Shepherd Episcopal Church said, "We had fellowship, friendship, stewardship, and discipleship all happening here today for a worthy cause. It was a beautiful day - and a beautiful gathering of God's people." Ms. Gibbs is also a member of EDAT - the Episcopal Development Association of Thomasville.

Robin Enright, a member of All Saints Episcopal Church, added, "The children were amazing here today. As soon as we started digging in the garden, everyone really got into it. They were so helpful in planting the seeds, stacking the pine straw, and aligning the bamboo stalks. What an awesome project." 

An informal meal took place near the end of the program's activities. Some of the food for that meal came from the church's garden. 

Using an Earth Day liturgy adapted to specify the flora and fauna native to southwest Georgia, participants who gathered on the lawn April 22 for the evening worship at St. John's praised God for their unique environment, learned from two natural scientists about native plants, assisted in a tree planting, sang and praised God for the local flora and fauna, and shared in Holy Eucharist.

Participants included Brownie Scouts who meet at the church and who were intrigued to interact with the gorpher tortoise that scientists Matthew and Morgan Keel brought to teach about threatened species. The Keels' hands-on information taught about making yards wildlife friendly, removing invasive plants, and planting native plants. They brought a native oak leaf hydrangea which the Rev. Marcia McRae sprinkled with holy water, asking God's blessing on the addition to the church yard.

Undie Sunday Celebration

St. John's celebrated the Second Sunday of Easter, sometimes known as Low Sunday, as Undie Sunday. Parishioners brought a wide assortment of underwear from tighty wighties and skivvies, to briefs, bloomers, and Depends.  All undies will go to the StillWaters Homeless Women's shelter in Bainbridge and to His Hands Clothes Closet.

The Spring Clergy Conference will be held at Honey Creek from May 4 to 6. The main speaker will be Lauren Winner, Assistant Professor of Christian Spirituality at Duke Divinity. Winner is the author of numerous books, including Girl Meets God and Mudhouse Sabbath. Her study A Cheerful & Comfortable Faith: Anglican Religious Practice in the Elite Households of Eighteenth-Century Virginia will be published in the fall of 2010 from Yale University Press. 

Click here to register for clergy conference

If you have any questions about the variety of accommodations, call Carolyn Middleton at Honey Creek at (912) 265-9218, but remember to register online rather than over the phone. 

Christ Church, Frederica is searching for a full time Youth Missioner.  The ideal candidate is a lay Episcopalian with a passion and calling around teenagers and youth ministry.  The person who answers this call will not be spending most of their time in an office, but out in the community building relationships with teenagers and their parents while fostering a community that extends well beyond the walls of our buildings and the boundaries of our properties.  Interested candidates should send Christ Church's Rector, Tom Purdy, a resume and answer the three questions at the end of the ministry description by May 9, 2014.  You can find a link to the description for this ministry here: Youth Missioner Position Listing

The Episcopal Development Agency of Thomasville (EDAT) is searching for its Founding Executive Director. EDAT is joint initiative of the three Episcopal Churches in Thomasville, GA. It is a service ministry focused on the revitalization of the neighborhood known as The Stevens Street Historic District. This neighborhood surrounds Good Shepherd Episcopal Church and is an historically African American neighborhood. In addition to the physical rehabilitation of structures in the neighborhood, EDAT works to address factors impacting local residents, issues of health and nutrition, education, life-skills and employment. EDAT's effectiveness in these areas depends upon strong working partnerships with other local agencies.

EDAT employs paid staff but it also encourages volunteer participation from members of the three churches and the community. This appointment is for the Founding Executive Director. The successful candidate will be a self-disciplined initiator, a person of vision who also has superior management and communication skills so as to provide leadership and direction for all projects and programs of EDAT.  The Executive Director will work with the Board of Directors and will act as a liaison with the three sponsoring Episcopal Churches. The development of relationships and trust with local residents must be an early priority. The relationships that can be created with partner agencies will also be crucial to the long-term success of EDAT. A willingness to organize and participate with the Board of Directors in developing the funding for EDAT is essential. 

For full information, see the position listing online here: Executive Director Position Listing

Pictured above is work going on now to renovate the vicarage and some EDAT board members with the community garden.

Registration is open for the 2014 Annual ECW Meeting on May 16-17, 2014 at Honey Creek.

Registration is $25.00 and should be sent to Karen West at 218 Earlwood Dr. Dublin, GA 31021.  Meals and hotel will go through Honey Creek - meals for Friday dinner/Saturday breakfast, lunch is $36.00. 

Room cost are as follows:

$80.00 for single occupancy lodge room

$40.00 for double occupancy lodge room

$20.00 day for Hunt/Chapin Cottage

$100.00 day for Jonnard Cottage

Please call Carolyn Middleton at Honey Creek at (912) 265-9218 for meals and lodging. 

If additional information is needed please contact

Cristy Jordan 912-659-0287 cristy@cdrepro.com

or Norma Akins 478-984-8872 / hakins@8089charter.net

If you or loved ones are under a tornado watch or warning, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) website lists a number of important strategies and resources for before, during and after the storm. You will also find information on how to select refuge areas in buildings and how to build a safe room. Click here to view.

Remember the Cigna EAP Disaster Resource Center

The Cigna EAP Benefit is available if you are a member of Medical Trust health plans. It's there to help you. Call toll-free: (866) 395-7794, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. There is also an online disaster resource center available to you. To explore the materials and resources related to disaster recovery, go to www.cignabehavioral.com:

1. Enter your Employer ID: episcopal 
2. Then choose: Disaster Resource Center

Our Summer Camp Director, Elizabeth Burns is making an open call for proposed t-shirt designs for this year's summer camp. Click here for more information: Camp T Shirt Contest Flyer