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| September 30, 2014 | Volume 5, Number 5 |
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This Sunday's Lections
16th Sunday after Pentecost
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Convention 2014
Still Time for Nominations
 During the convention in November persons will be elected to five diocesan committees with other appointments made directly by the bishop. Nomination forms are found below.
- Board of the Corporation (1 Layperson)
- Diocesan Council (1 Layperson, deacon or priest)
- Disciplinary Board (2 Laypersons and 1 Priest)
- Sewanee Trustee (1 Priest)
- The Standing Committee (1 Layperson and 1 Priest)
Committee Appointments
Bishop Benhase also annually appoints members to the Commission on Ministry, the Finance Committee, and the Honey Creek Commission. Persons interested in serving on a diocesan committee appointed by the bishop should express their interest in a letter sent to the Bishop at Diocesan House, 611 East Bay Street, Savannah, GA 31401.
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Diocesan Office Update
Bishop Benhase and Canon Logue are at Honey Creek for the Fall Clergy Conference which ends today.
On Sunday, Bishop Benhase will make his visitation to St. Philip's, Hinesville.
On Sunday, Canon Logue will preside and preach at Trinity, Statesboro.
Canon Willoughby is attending the Episcopal Business Administration Conference for Dioceses (EBAC) in New York.
On Monday, Program Manager Rudy Reyes will meet with the Columba House Augusta Advisory Board in Augusta.
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"We are to be transformed, consecrated,
made sacred to his creative purpose,
and so fulfill the meaning of our life."
-Evelyn Underhill
Fall Clergy Conference Wrapping Up
 The Fall Clergy Conference is wrapping up today at Honey Creek. Our bishop, priests and deacons have been learning how to engage parishioners in discovering more about both new (to them) spiritual practices and disciplines as well as gaining greater understanding of the Eucharist and other familiar forms of Anglican spirituality. The goal is renewal of a church's life through assisting a critical mass of the congregation to ground their daily lives in practices of the faith. The emphasis being less on the institution of the church and its needs and more on the spiritual lives of the people who worship together.
 Bob Gallagher and Michelle Heyne offered resources so the parish church may more fully live what it is - an expression of the Body of Christ, the People of God. Gallagher brings 40 years of experience in leadership training and parish development. Heyne has extensive experience with financial management, interpersonal communications and team dynamics, and developing and implementing organizational change initiatives.
You can see more photos from Spring Clergy Conference on the Diocesan Facebook page.
 
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 The large group above is those baptized, confirmed and received at King of Peace, Kingsland, this past Sunday during the Bishop's annual visitation to the parish. Below left, Jim Harrison is baptized by Bishop Benhase and at right Ansley Proctor is confirmed.
 
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St. Michael's, Waynesboro Celebrates 125 Years
 Sunday morning, Sept. 28, after the ringing of the church bell by the Rev. Deacon Terri Degenhardt, St. Michael's Episcopal Church celebrated its 125th anniversary. Recalling the rich history that started with Lucy Blunt and a handful of other faithful followers, the Rev. Gene H. Paradise (pictured right) reminded members the church is more than just the history and building, it's the people. Father Paradise, who served St. Michael's for sixteen years, recounted briefly the proud beginnings of the church, meeting in Mrs. Blount's home, then borrowing priests from Augusta, before the bountiful times of getting a full-time rector in 1980 and purchasing Wimberly House in 1993, for the benefit of the entire community.
As a surprise for Father Paradise, St. Michael's current priest, the Rev. Dr. James Shumard (pictured below), presented Father Paradise with a plaque and the new title "Priest Emeritus" of St. Michael's, in thanks and appreciation for all his continued gifts and hard work for the church and its congregation.
Finally, St. Michael's also celebrated the fifth anniversary of Deacon Degenhardt's ordination.
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Annunciation, Vidalia
The Rev. Dr. Reed Freeman Serving in Transition
 Church of the Annunciation is being guided through a time of transition by the Rev. Dr. Reed Freeman as its Transitional Minister. He comes to Vidalia from his ministry in Jacksonville, Florida and is accompanied by his wife, Nancy Bruce Freeman. Both are natives of Boston. Prior to becoming an Episcopal priest, Freeman graduated with degrees in chemical engineering from The Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He then spent 32 years in the engineering and management areas of the chemicals and plastics industry.
In preparation for the ministry, Freeman earned theology degrees from The University of the South, Sewanee, TN, and from the Graduate Theological Foundation in Mishawaka, Indiana. During this time, Nancy, earned a degree from Fisher College in Boston. Freeman's ministry as an Episcopal priest has covered 18 years, and includes service to ten congregations which included the dioceses of North Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Atlanta and Georgia. He previously served as an interim in this Diocese at St. Andrew's, Douglas.
As a Transitional Minister, Freeman and his wife serve together with congregations that are awaiting a permanent minister. They believe strongly that their mission is not simply to "keep the wheels on" but to energize spiritual growth and the discernment of ministries within the parish which they serve. Freeman is serving a 12-month call to prepare Annunciation for it next rector.
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Youth Programs
Register for October New Beginnings
New Beginnings will take place during the weekend of October 17-19, 2014 at Honey Creek. 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.
 This discovery happens trough making new friends and sharing with old ones, through singing, skits, talks given by teens, videos,games, worship, and conversation with each other! Participants 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.
Applications are now being accepted for New Beginnings #45 which will be held October 17-19 at Honey Creek. Click here to register to participate in New Beginnings #45
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Youth Presence Adult Teams Training
 These photos are from the Youth Presence Ministries training held this past weekend at St. Paul the Apostle, Savannah. Participants worked from the vision established in Youth Presence meetings earlier this year adding work on how to build teams of adults working together in this effort. This second round of Youth Presence Ministry Workshops concludes with an October 24-25 meeting at the Flowing Wells Property in Augusta. At the workshop we will recapture the vision teams set in the spring time. We will also discuss getting the team on board, relational ministry, model of ministry, and faith development and spirituality of our youth. The workshop will take place on Friday evening from 6-9 pm and Saturday from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm. The cost for the workshop is $30, which includes dinner on Friday, breakfast and lunch on Saturday, and all workshop material Contact Elizabeth Burns at the Diocesan Office for more information.
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Convention Website
All the information you need on the 193rd Convention of the Diocese of Georgia meeting on Jekyll Island and at Honey Creek from November 6-8 is found in the convention website: http://convention.georgiaepiscopal.org
There you will find accommodations, election information, a resolution under consideration and more.
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The Loose Canon
Make a Name for Your Congregation
When people who live in your community, that do not attend your church, hear your congregation named, what comes to mind? Is it your food bank or soup kitchen? Perhaps it is your Scout troop? Maybe it is the people they know who go to your church that are involved in community boards and active in many ways beyond the church itself. Perhaps your neighbors have never heard of your congregation.
There are two ways I want to suggest that you can get your name out in a positive way. Either or neither may suit your church, but I offer them for prayerful consideration:
Something for Nothing
 Lots of churches sell food or drinks at a city event. Some congregations have decided that it is better to give away cold water as a way to show hospitality. For example, St. Patrick's, Pooler, is present at local festivals giving away bottles of water ( pictured above). Whatever it is that works for your church, offering someone something they want with no strings attached is a great sign of the unearned grace of God and a way to connect your congregation to a positive first impression. The Place Where the Community Gathers
Your church can become seen as as a place where the community gathers. If your buildings are underutilized, why not offer for events like a Relay for Life planning meeting and a district Scout leader group to meet at your church. By putting this resource (our buildings) together with this need (space for community meetings) we can lower the threshold for newcomers to church by inviting them into our space first for a community meeting. That makes a return visit for worship easier. This is why an attractive church brochure telling about the congregation and giving details like worship times, ministries and a web address should be prominently offered at all such events.
 Historically, this has made a big impact in some cases. Grace Church, Sandersville, was important to that community as the one place where whites and blacks could and would meet together. While racial tensions are not so overt as to require church space for meetings, it is still a wonderful gifts of hospitality when you reach out and offer room for free. Pictured here is a diocesan group in front of St. Matthew's Savannah which offered a gathering place at the start of the MLK Parade in Savannah in the years when the parade started at the intersection by the church.
Whether these two ideas fit your congregation or not, it is worth considering what impression you are making on your naighbors and whether their is anything you can offer with no expectation of return. It will likely help you put your church's name out in a positive way. In any case, it is a chance to show care of your congregation for its community.
=The Rev. Frank Logue, Canon to theOrdinary
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Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have,
for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.
-Hebrews 13:16
Please remember your church in your will.
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Marked as Christ's Own
 Bishop Benhase holds the baby while the Rev. Al Crumpton baptizes and Deacon Carlene Taylor looks on at King of Peace, Kingsland.
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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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