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July 22, 2015Volume 5, Number 47
In This Issue
 
 




This Sunday's Lections
Ninth Sunday after Pentecost

Track 1

2 Samuel 7:1-14a
Psalm 89:20-37
Ephesians 2:11-22
Mark 6:30-34, 53-56

or

Track 2
Jeremiah 23:1-6
Psalm 23
Ephesians 2:11-22
Mark 6:30-34, 53-56
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2015 Full-Time Priest Salary Survey

A survey of the compensation for priests serving in full-time positions has been compiled by Canon Logue as a working document for vestries to have in hand as we enter the time of year to plan congregation budgets. This is the sixth year in a row that the salary survey has been published by the Diocese. The charts below do not show the salaries for full-time priest when the salary is supported by funds beyond the parish budget (such as a grant from the Diocese) as these positions do not offer a comparison for vestries looking at their own attendance, budget and years of tenure. 


For the first time, the survey breaks out the compensation for priests working full time, by whatever title or duties, who are not in charge of a congregation. These eleven Associate Rectors, Curates, and other priests are a sufficient sized pool to be surveyed on their own.


The 38 priests on the two charts are only a portion of those serving our 68 congregations. This reflects the many congregations served by part-time priests, who are often bi-vocational or retired. For comparison purposes, the archived Priest Salary Survey 2014, Priest Salary Survey 2013, Priest Salary Survey 2012 and Priest Salary Survey 2011 remain online.


A Note on Priest's Salaries
The compensation data in the chart reflects the combined total of salary, housing and an offset for SECA (the self-employment version of FICA or Social Security). Priests pay this 15% tax out of the listed compensation. For clergy in a rectory or vicarage, the value of that provided housing is included in the compensation figure. To assist in setting salaries, the diocesan staff works with vestries in a new call to consider salaries in neighboring dioceses, around the Diocese of Georgia. We also consider other salaries in the town by looking to the school system. Depending on the complexity of the congregation, the salaries of teachers, assistant principals and principals with a masters degree is instructive as these are local salaries with similar benefits.
 

Full-Time Priest Salary Survey

Full-Time Assisting Priest Salary Survey

Diocesan Office Update    

Bishop Benhase meets today with members of the Standing Committee and others as he considers how the Diocese of Georgia will respond to changes the General Convention made to marriage.

This weekend, Bishop Benhase will take part in the consecration of the Rev. Russell Kendrick as Bishop. Kendrick will be the Fourth Bishop of the Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast, which is comprised of lower Alabama and the Florida panhandle.
 
Canon Logue will preside and preach this Sunday at St. Francis of the Islands, Savannah.
Diocesan Community Update    

The Rev. Lynn Prather is stepping down as Vicar of Christ Church, Augusta, following her last Sunday on August 9. Bishop Benhase met with the Christ Church vestry and appointed the Rev. Curtis Johnson to serve as Vicar starting August 16. Johnson has been serving as the Vicar of Good Shepherd, Swainsboro. 

Have you ever considered the diaconate?

As baptized christians we all seek to find our particular place to serve God in our church. We have chosen to be members of a wonderful community that offers many different opportunities to serve.

 

In both the lay and ordained roles we see leaders emerge in the church who see the call clearly to serve God through work both in the church and in the community.  Many deacons have well established ministries in the community long before they have any thoughts of ordination.

 

The role of deacon is one that lies in between the church and the community.  Many deacons spend time showing the world what God has called us to do, to serve each other and to be the hands and feet of Christ in the world.

 

Because deacons also serve at the alter the church community is able to see the transition of the world to the altar.  Support is given to the priest in the form of Sunday services that can include Gospel reading, assisting with Eucharist, occasional sermons and dismissing the congregation into the world.

 

The decision to seek the diaconate may not be a simple or clear one.  Many times it takes others in the church to point out that you have the 'heart of a deacon'.  Then the journey begins with prayer and discernment with spiritual leaders, advisors, your local priest, the Archdeacon and local deacons to determine how you might want to approach this process.

 

Discernment committees help by offering questions for consideration and reviewing spiritual autobiographies. Shared educational programs involve options of Swanee based Education for Ministry (EFM) or on line programs offered through the University of the South coupled with quarterly weekend sessions at Honey Creek focused on Diocesan level issues for deacons and bi-vocational priests.

 

The deacon is a servant leader and in the traditional role is one of the oldest in Christianity.  While the service is nonstipendary the rewards are invaluable.


-The Venerable Sandy Turner,
Archdeacon of the Diocese of Georgia

Cursillo

An Opportunity to Know and Be Known

Cursillo (pronounced 'kur-see-yo') is a Spanish word meaning 'little' or 'short course'. This is the name given to the Short Course in Christianity which first developed after World War II with Roman Catholic men. The short course has now been given to men and women around the world and in the process has assisted generations of Christians to more faithfully follow Jesus in their daily lives. There is no real secret here, just the basics of the faith with an emphasis on how would you like to live it out in your life.

 

Cursillo begins on a Thursday evening and ends the following Sunday evening. During those three days the participants engage in listening to talks given by priests and lay people, and small table discussion, while worshiping and playing together.

 

The next Cursillo weekend will be October 8-11, 2015, at Honey Creek. You can find out more and register to attend at cursillo.georgiaepiscopal.org

The Cursillo Commission asked Thomas Barron of Darien to share his reflection on the experience:

In colors, in colors
Yes, black and white and red and blue and brown.
All the colors, colors
From people laughing, and shaking hands
All the colors, colors

From people who know freedom.


The above quote is taken from the Spanish folk song De Colores, a song that is intimately connected with the Cursillo movement. If you've been involved in the Episcopal Church for any length of time you've probably heard of Cursillo by now. Those who've attended in the past can attest to the collage of color that is expressed over the three-day weekend. Those who haven't yet been to Cursillo may wonder what all the fuss is about. 


I attended my first Cursillo last year and served on the team this past year at #119. Like many folks who've gone before me, I was hesitant to get involved. After all I'd seen these strange folks wearing their many colors, adorned in buttons, crosses, and rooster paraphernalia! To make matters worse, whenever I asked about the weekend, one would reply with an air of mischief, "You must see for yourself!"

What I saw and experienced in my heart was exactly what the song De Colores declares. In our culture so devoid of intimate connections, Cursillo gave me the opportunity to know and be known by others, to engage in relationships with people across the diocese. People from diverse backgrounds and spiritual experiences; people all seeking to know freedom together.

Cursillo simply responds to God's command for us to love one another exactly as we are, to be accepted as family. Like any step taken on our spiritual journey, Cursillo demands from us a leap of faith, to taste and see for ourselves that the Lord is good. I can't tell you what will happen because that is God's gift to you. Yet I can promise that the divine will touch your life, and you too will see the colors from people who know freedom! De Colores!
 

Thomas Barron

St. Andrew's and St. Cyrpian's, Darien

Prayers for Weekly Liturgies
A new one-year prayer cycle combines prayers for every congregation in the Diocese of Georgia with prayers for our ecumenical partners and for our Companion Diocese of The Dominican Republic. The 52 weekly prayers are available in one document: http://gaepiscopal.org/docs/oneyearprayercycle.pdf 

Prayers for July 19-25
In our diocesan cycle of prayer, we pray for our congregation in Rincon, St. Luke's. We also pray for our ecumenical partners, especially the Lutheran churches in Rincon-Jerusalem and St. John's. In our companion diocese of the Dominican Republic, we pray for St. Barnabas's Church (
San Bernab�) in Pizarette.

Prayers for July 26-August 1
In our diocesan cycle of prayer, we pray for our congregation in St. Marys, Christ Church. We also pray for our ecumenical partners in St. Marys, especially Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church. In our companion diocese of the Dominican Republic, we pray for the congregations in Puerto Plata-Jesus the Messiah (Jes�s Mes�as) and St. Francis of Assisi (San Francisco de As�s).

Women's Retreat at Honey Creek

St. Elizabeth's, Richmond Hill will again host a Women's Retreat at Honey Creek. The retreat meets October 16-18. With the theme "Deeper Into the Heart of God: Place of Freedom" the weekend is dedicated to bringing participants into an ever-deepening love relationship with Jesus.

 

For more information or to register, contact Emily Hubbard at (912) 856-7902 or email her at [email protected]

  


Summer Camp's Last Session Underway

The final camp session of the summer is taking place now at Honey Creek with the second Camp St. Peter for those in middle school.

St. Luke's, Rincon, holds a summer arts camp instead of a Vacation Bible School. The camp is pictured above and below at right.


 

Vacation Bible School Photos

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 your congregation's photo to our From the Field email address  [email protected].

The photos will be added to a VBS album and used at the diocesan website. Seven congregations are already represented in the 25 photos in the Summer 2015 VBS Photo Album. 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 we will copy a selection of photos to the diocesan album.  

 

   

Kids enjoyed Frozen themed fun this summer at St. Paul the Apostle, Savannah.

Positions Available

 

Youth Pastor in Maritinez 

We are looking for a youth pastor to minister to our young people and continue the work of our collaboration with Cornerstone, an Augusta  Convocation youth program.  Young adults, college age and older, are especially encouraged to apply. Please send resumes to:  The Rev. Dr. Cynthia Taylor at [email protected].  To learn more about Holy Comforter go to our web site at www.holycomforterchurch.org  or go to Facebook at Church of the Holy Comforter. 

 

Children's Ministry Pastor in Martinez

We need a pastor for our children's ministry program, which oversees the needs of all our children from nursery up until Middle School.  We want to continue using our innovative BLAST program, Bible Learning Action Stations, which uses rotational learning to encompass all learning types.  This program really is a blast and uses art, computers, cooking, science and other mediums to share the gospel story.  Previous background in working with children preferred. Please send resumes to:  The Rev. Dr. Cynthia Taylor at [email protected].  

 

Organist/Choirmaster in Savannah

St. Paul's, Savannah is currently seeking a 3/8-time organist/choirmaster (15 hours per week, AGO scale) with organ performance and choral directing experience. Choir rehearsals Wednesday and Sunday.  Two Sunday Masses per week 10 & 12:15.  Major Holy Days and other special occasions.  For more information see Organist.Choirmaster Job Description.  Interviews are being conducted during July.  Position begins in September. Contact Dean Willoughby at [email protected].  

 

Organist in Richmond Hill

St. Elizabeth of Hungary in Richmond Hill is currently looking for an organist. This is a paying position.  For more information, please call the Rev. Dr. Clark Hubbard at (912) 727-2650.  

Feed My Sheep

Pictured above are parishioners of St. Paul's, Albany working in that congregation's monthly Feed My Sheep ministry. This month they fed 124 households.
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Sincerely,                                       
            
Diocesan Staff                             
The Episcopal Diocese of Georgia