April 14, 2015Volume 5, Number 33
In This Issue
Diocesan Office Update
Community Update
From the Field
Rowell Ordination
Clergy Conference
Columba House Augusta
Spring Rally
General Convention
Barney's Run
Social Media Connections
Send us your news
Web Links
 
 

 



This Sunday's Lections
Third Sunday of Easter
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Why Emotional Intelligence Matters? 

As a Faith Leader you are often surrounded by people and as such need to navigate a maze of different personalities, emotional levels, and individual characteristics in order to be successful.

 

Working with committees, individuals, other leaders within your organization and even leaders from other faith institutions are critical to moving your goals forward and representing your congregation with credibility and effectiveness.

 

Not everyone who is called to faith leadership is born with the inherent ability to effectively communicate and relate with others. That ability is called Emotional Intelligence.


Emotional intelligence (EI) refers to the ability to perceive, control and evaluate emotions. Emotional Intelligence Quotient (EQ) is similar to an intelligence quotient, or IQ, but an EQ measures a person's emotional intelligence. An unlike IQ, EQ can be improved.

There have been numerous books published that try to help people be more effective in their relationships with others. Ever heard of Steven Covey's The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People? How about How To Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie? Amazon reports nearly 60,000 book titles on effective management alone. There are hundreds of thousands of books that tie back to the subject of emotional intelligence in some way.  Clearly, this is an important skill to hone.

 

Though technology has improved our work processes in many ways, it also serves to cloud our ability to discern the meaning of communication. A sarcastic tone to a voice, a raised eyebrow, a slight frown, or elated smile are all missing from e-mail, texts and other forms of technology. There is evidence that shows society is losing its ability to handle interpersonal communications and conflict - in part because of the pervasive use of our technological tools.


 The ability to perceive others' emotions and be more self-aware of your own is vitally important in being an effective communicator and leader and especially in building relationships, which is the underpinning of all work as a faith leader. Yet, there is sometimes a gaping hole in leaders' emotional intelligence quotient.

 

The mission of the Center for Emotional Intelligence and Human Relations is to equip leaders within faith based organizations with skills that enhance their leadership abilities by developing emotional intelligence competence, building human relations skills, and providing coaching support.

 

Emotional Intelligence Human Relations Workshop

The Center for Emotional Intelligence and Human Relations in partnership with the Diocese of Georgia is offering an intensive 5-day workshop designed to enable participants to learn about, build, and practice emotional intelligence skills in a small group setting.  Skilled facilitators provide tools and feedback to enable participants to learn about themselves and to immediately practice emerging skills. As group life unfolds, participants give and receive feedback regarding the impact they have on others in the group.  Participants learn both inter-personal and intra-group communication skills.  The content of the workshop revolves around the five areas of emotional intelligence defined in the BarOn EQ inventory that are the keys to improving leadership effectiveness for faith based leaders.


The Workshops are scheduled June 1 - 5 and October 12 -16 at Honey Creek. All clergy are encouraged to attend this workshop. The Diocese will pay the tuition of $595. The cost to clergy within the Diocese is $200 plus room and board at Honey Creek.


For more information please visit The Center for Emotional Intelligence & Human Relations Skills or contact The Rev. Walter Hobgood at (229) 630-6444 or The Rev. Denise Ronn at (229) 630-4299. You can register by contacting Vicki Schuster at the Diocesan Office at (912) 236-4279. 
Diocesan Office Update    

On Sunday, Bishop Benhase will visit St. Paul's, Augusta, in the morning, and St. Mary Magdalene, Louisville, in the afternoon. Next Tuesday, Bishop Benhase will visit the Episcopal Campus Ministry at Georgia Southern. 


Canon Logue will work this Friday through Sunday with the Rev. Helen White and Deacon Patti Davis on the first Homiletics weekend for the diocesan school for ministry. This and other weekends augment the education at Sewanee to prepare persons in the Diocese for bi-vocational ministry, working part-time as priests while continuing with secular employment. The group will meet at Christ Church and St. George's in Savannah.

Diocesan Community Update 

The Rev. Leigh Hall has accepted a call to serve as Associate Rector at St. Paul's, Albany. Hall currently serves as the Associate Rector at Christ Church Frederica. She previously served on the Bishop's staff as the Canon for Youth and Young Adults and as the Episcopal Campus Minister to Georgia Southern University. Hall begins her work in Albany on June 15.
From the Field Moving to Wednesdays 
Since its inception with the first email in August 2010, this email newsletter has come out each and every Tuesday. Over time the diocesan staff have discovered that does not best fit the flow of work in the diocesan office. Starting next week, this email will go out every Wednesday. We also hope the change in schedule will give a little more time to congregations looking to share photos of weekend events to get them in to newsandevents@gapeiscopal.org 
Rowell to be Ordained to the Sacred Order of Priests 
God willing and the people consenting, The Rev. Deacon  Becky Rowell will be ordained to the Sacred Order of Priests at 6 p.m. on April 23, 2015, at Christ Church, Frederica. Clergy wear cassock, surplice, and red stoles.  
Lodge Rooms Full for Clergy Conference 

Registration remains open for the April 26-28 Clergy Conference at Honey Creek, but the lodge rooms are full and the shared accommodations in Hunt and Chapin cottages are filling fast. Contact Honey Creek directly soon to discuss options that work for you. Our main presenter will be the Rev. Chuck DeGroat (pictured here) whose latest book is Toughest People to Love. You are encouraged to read the book prior to the conference: Toughest People to Love at Amazon

 

Cost for the meeting including the conference presentations, room and board are Lodge Room Double for $158, Lodge Room Single for $240, Shared cottage (or Dorm) for $118 and Tent Camping and Commuters for $100. 

 

Click here to Register online for the Conference 


 Call Honey Creek at 912-265-9218 to confirm your rooming preferences.

Apply for Columba House Augusta  

Columba House is an Episcopal intentional community where young adults live together sharing a common rule of life. There are two residential programs for young adults--full-time internships and part-time fellowships. Interns and Fellows will live together intentionally in community through sharing a house, breaking bread, praying, and learning together. Interns and Fellows will support Columba House's mission to build spiritual community among young adults. There will be leadership opportunities and avenues to explore your gifts. Columba House's residential programs are 10 months from August to June with an option to extend for a second year.


Columba House is named for the 6th century Irish abbot and missionary who founded a monastery in present day Scotland. That community shared the love of God with the Picts who lived around them, leading to the evangelization of Scotland.


Columba House is now receiving applications for 2015-2016 Interns and Fellows for Columba House in Augusta. For more information, please contact Program Manager Rudy Reyes at rreyes@gaepiscopal.org or at 912-236-4279 and visit the Columba House website.

Youth Programs
Register Now for a Super Spring Rally
Have you ever wanted to be a hero?  I mean, have you ever wanted to fly or ever dreamed of being a firefighter?  Many of us have.  Come explore what it takes to be a hero at Spring Rally. During the weekend, we will talk about what it takes to be a hero, what is our hero's code for following Christ, how to start a movement, and so much more. Because ordinary people can change the world by doing extraordinary things through the love of God as found in Jesus. During this retreat, participants will also get input into next year's youth programs.

Spring Rally will be held May 1-3, 2015 at Honey Creek. 
It is open to those in 6th-12th grade.
$117 for Participants 

The team for this event are Roger Speer of St. Luke's Rincon, the Rev. Lonnie Lacy of St. Anne's, Tifton, serving as Spiritual Director, and Caroline Johnson of St. Luke's, Hawkinsville, serving as head of music, and Bishop Benhase will also visit with the youth during the weekend. If you are interested in helping with this event, please contact Elizabeth Burns.

General Convention

Deputies to Hold Conversations in May and June

The General Convention, which meets in Salt Lake City from June 24th - July 3rd, 2015, is the governing body of The Episcopal Church that meets every three years. Deputies and bishops representing each of 109 dioceses carry out the work of the Church at each Convention. If you wish to converse with our Bishop & Deputies about issues facing this Convention, then they will be available on the following dates in these locations:

 

Meeting Dates and Times
May 2 at 4 p.m. - St. Mark's, Brunswick
May 16 at 4 p.m. - Holy Comforter, Martinez
May 30 at 10 a.m. - Christ Church, Savannah
June 6 at 4 p.m. - St. Paul's, Albany
June 13 at 2 p.m. - Trinity, Cochran

Reports & Proposed Legislation
Reports to General Convention are assembled in what is called the Blue Book. Reports filed to date may be viewed here: Blue Book Reports. The following reports are now online: 




Standing Commissions

Barney's Run

Kids take part in Barney's Run for Warriors held this past weekend by St. Paul's, Albany, at the Marine Corps Logistics Base. All proceeds from the 5K and 1-Mile Walk/Run benefits a local warrior and his/her service dog.

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Sincerely,                                       
            
Diocesan Staff                             
The Episcopal Diocese of Georgia