Inviting, welcoming, and connecting persons into our congregations are vital steps toward building healthy and vibrant churches. Effectively inviting and connecting newcomers to your church is so important to our congregations that the diocesan convention will give time for all of those attending to learn together. Mary Parmer of the Diocese of Texas (pictured at right) will be our Convention Presenter. She worked with the Newcomer Project in the Diocese of Texas, which took a data-driven approach to learn what was already working in congregations that demonstrated a knack for welcoming newcomers. She then worked with a group in the creation of a tangible, transportable product supporting the development of effective newcomer ministry.

This November, Parmer will present to our convention with the goal of cultivating new practices of invitation, welcome, and connection that are rooted and grounded in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which will gradually change our congregations and help shape an authentic culture of effective newcomer ministry.

The 195th Convention of the Diocese of Georgia

November 10-12, 2016
Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd
2230 Walton Way, Augusta, Georgia 30904

Convention Hotels

We have blocks of rooms in two Augusta hotels for those attending the diocesan convention this November:

The Partridge Inn

2110 Walton Way, Augusta, Georgia

Special Convention Rate of $119

To book your room for the 2016 Convention, please call the front desk at 706-737-8888 and tell the attendant that you are with the Episcopal Diocese of Georgia.

Holiday Inn Express
444 Broad Street, Augusta, Georgia 30901
Click here to register with the Special Convention Rate of $94

Convention Elections

The 195th Convention of the Diocese of Georgia will elect persons to serve on the Board of the Corporation, Church Disciplinary Board, Diocesan Council, General Convention Deputies and Alternates, the Standing Committee, and a Trustee for the University of the South. Full information on these positions as well as forms for the nominator and the person nominated are found online here: Convention 2016 Elections Page

Convention registration will go live in August. Look for more information in From the Field and at our convention website: convention.georgiaepiscopal.org

Diocesan Office Update

Bishop Benhase is on sabbatical through August 23.

Bishop Benhase 2016-2017 Visitation Calendar is online here: VisitationCalendar-2016-2017.pdf

Canon Logue is in the office weekdays through the Bishop's return from sabbatical.

Register Your Team for the Acolyte Festival in August

The Acolyte & Youth Leadership Festival (AYLF) will take place August 13-14 at St. Thomas Isle of Hope, Savannah. The Festival is open to 3rd through 12th graders. During the Acolyte Festival, participants will enjoy an Acolyte Olympics and can also 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!

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 10 am Sunday morning Eucharist at St. Thomas Isle of Hope, Savannah, where the festival will be held (2 St. Thomas' Avenue, Savannah, Georgia 31406. Check in starts at 10 am on August 13 and acolytes will be ready to pick up after the Sunday Eucharist (about 11:30 am) on the 14th. Those picking up acolytes are encouraged to attend the closing 10 am Eucharist. The cost is $40 and includes three meals, a t-shirt, and other event costs. Scholarships are available on request.

For general questions, please contact St. Thomas' Christian Education and Youth Minister, and the event coordinator, Misty Graham at misty.mcintyre.graham@gmail.com. For scholarship requests, please contact the Diocesan Missioner for Youth, the Rev. Joshua Varner at jvarner@gaepiscopal.org.

Click here to register for the Acolyte Festival, August 13-14

at St. Thomas' Isle of Hope, Savannah

"In prayer we speak out of our flesh, the ground of all our experience,

collecting into awareness what our self is saying,

both what we know and what we do not know.

The God to whom we pray came to us in the flesh

and speaks to us now in the flesh of our human self and our world."

-Ann & Barry Ulanov, Primary Speech

St. Francis, Savannah

A One-Day Retreat for Women on August 13

The Episcopal Church Women (ECW) of St. Francis of the Islands invites women to join them for a day of prayerful reflection on the Body of Mary bearing the Body of Christ. Led by The Rev. Lauren Flowers Byrd, the August retreat will include meditations on Mary, her son Jesus, and the Incarnation of God made one of us. Together the group will explore what lives in our heart of hearts and practice the saving gift of "letting ourselves go" in prayer.

We'll also lift up the gift of the human body, its sacramental nature and sacred limitations, in the context of walking a labyrinth on loan from The Rev. John Anderson, All Saints, Tybee Island. The retreat will include lunch and will conclude with a celebration of Holy Eucharist in commemoration of St. Mary the Virgin, Mother of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

Body of Mary + Body of Christ: Praying, Loving, Tending

A One-Day Retreat for Women

St. Francis of the Islands Episcopal Church

590 Walthour Road, Savannah, GA
Saturday, August 13, 2016, 9 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Registration is required in order to provide sufficient hospitality and reflection materials. To register please call our Church Office, 912-897-5725, or register by email, admin@stfrancisislands.org.

Clergy Conference

Save the Dates for the Fall Clergy Conference

The Fall Clergy Conference will meet Sunday evening, September 25 through lunch on Tuesday, September 27. The conference presenter will be the Rt. Rev. Anne Hodges-Copple, Bishop Pro Tem of the Diocese of North Carolina. In addition to working in parish ministry, she was the Episcopal chaplain to Duke University for more than a decade. Bishop Hodges-Copple will share with the clergy of the Diocese in how to engage in effective young adult ministry through hands on ministry in our communities.

The Fall Clergy Conference will also offer a time for the deacons and priests of the Diocese to hear from Bishop Benhase following this summer's sabbatical and to reflect together on what is next for the Diocese of Georgia.

CreekFEST is coming to Honey Creek, October 21-23

CreekFEST is coming! The Honey Creek Commission would like to invite you to the event of the year. Come on down to Honey Creek for a weekend filled with activities for all ages. Join in on the fun with your fellow brothers and sisters all throughout the Diocese of Georgia. We have many activities planned including silent/live auctions, a 5k, field day events and a square dance. So grab your partners, pick your teammates and register today!

Participants: Choose a team captain (at least 21 years old or older). Pick your teammates. You may have no more than eight (8) team members. Choose your team name! Get creative with this one.

VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED! If you would like to take part in the CreekFEST activities but do not wish to join a team, please consider lending a hand. Please register online as well and let us know how you would like to help.

Registration will go live this week at the Honey Creek Facebook Page

Administrator's Corner

Welcome to the new Administrator's Corner! From the Field will now feature a bi-weekly tip or resource for our hardworking administrators across the Diocese.

Up this week: How do I get my staff enrolled or unenrolled in health insurance?

Enrollment- All staff health/dental insurance enrollments must be processed by the Diocesan Administrator within 30 days of a start date. The form to enroll can be found here and sent directly to Katie Willoughby at kwilloughby@gaepiscopal.org
Termination- If an employee is leaving a position that termination notification must be sent to the Diocesan Administrator. Please note that it can not be crossed off a bill. Send an email notification to kwilloughby@gaepiscopal.org with a full name and last day of work date. A submission online is conducted by the Administrator and will be reflected during your next billing cycle.
Open Enrollment- Open enrollment is an opportunity to make any adjustments to health insurance plans and coverage. It typically occurs in October and further details will come out closer to October. Otherwise, changes to health insurance can only happen during "life changing events" (i.e. pregnancy, new job, loss of health coverage.)

For guidelines on eligibility, coverage, and CPG client service information visit https://www.cpg.org/administrators/insurance/ or call (800) 480-9967 for health insurance related questions.

Next up: Pension enrollment (clergy and lay)

Connect to God at the September 23-24 Retreat

The Fall Prayer Retreat at Honey Creek will move past simply gaining insight into our lives to real transformation of the heart. In the overnight retreat, we will experience the deep connections that will permit your life to be lived not out of a sense of never being or having enough, but in the power and presence of God. Come expecting God to be present to you.

The Rev. Liam Collins is teaming up again with Canon Frank and Victoria Logue to offer the Fall Prayer Retreat which will meet September 23 at 5 p.m. and conclude by 2 p.m. on the 24th.

The rates for the conference including three meals are: Lodge 1 Single $144, Lodge 1 Double $99.50, Lodge 2 Single $133, Lodge 2 Double $94, Cottage $90, and Campers and Commuters $64.

Click here to register online for the retreat

Integrity Georgia Fall Retreat Meets October 28-29

National Integrity President Bruce Garner will facilitate Integrity Georgia's Fall Retreat, which will meet October 28-29 at Honey Creek Retreat Center. The retreat starts Friday evening at 5 pm and ends Saturday at 12 noon. During the retreat, participants will explore our visibility as LGBTQ people and how that impacts our personal spirituality, those around us, and ultimately our church and communities. Transgender and teen issues will be discussed in a concurrent session. Integrity is a nonprofit organization of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Episcopalians and our straight friends providing a grassroots voice for the full inclusion of LGBT persons in the Episcopal Church and our equal access to its rites.

Cost for lodging, three meals and the social reception is $118 for a single in Lodge 2; $129 for a single in the renovated Lodge 1 rooms. A double room is $79 per person in Lodge 2 and $84.50 per person in Lodge 1. Commuter rate is $49. Call Carolyn at Honey Creek to arrange to arrive early or stay later (912) 265-9218. For questions about Integrity Georgia, contact Clayton Gagne-Thomas (912) 655-6986 orcetsag@yahoo.com

Click here to register online for the Integrity Georgia Retreat

Camp St. Joseph and Mary II is closing out another successful Summer Camp season at Honey Creek.

Final Summer Camp Session of 2016 Underway

Summer Camp wraps up this week after a successful summer. We will report on the camp season in an upcoming From the Field.

Campers staying cool and enjoying the marsh during last week's Camp St. Peter's II.

Campers dance during last week's Camp St. Peter II.

Upcoming Gospel

The Change Agent

A Reflection on Luke 11: 1-13

by the Rev. David Somerville

Mother Teresa, the nun who founded the Missionaries of Charity, and who did her life's work among the poor in Calcutta, wrote that "prayer enlarges the heart until it is capable of containing God's gift of himself".

If we pattern our prayer-life as suggested by this remarkable woman, the end result will be that we, the baptized in the Church, can all become bearers of Christ by the acts of our lives-just so long as we strive to be as Christ not as individuals alone, but as a people in the mutually supportive community of the several, that together, are the body of Christ. The people of God united and bonded in prayer become like the firm stonewalls with its pieces of various shapes interlocking to support a sturdy temple of prayer.

"The Lord's Prayer" will be brought to our attention next Sunday, July 24. It has numerous implications packed into its simple language in the Greek of Saint Luke's Gospel. Its English translation consists of about thirty-six words. No short article can begin to cover all of what those words suggest. Each soul who reflects on this prayer, then, will come up with different ideas as to what themes in the prayer are the most important. So, Dear Reader, and friend in Christ, here are just a few of my thoughts on what this prayer means to me as gleaned from the commentators I have read. The Lord's Prayer binds individuals together like the stones that support a fortress of faith. When said in the company of others, it unites people in their diversity.

I believe that an important truth underlies the spirit of the prayer. It is this: The activity of praying, as Jesus taught, is not a tool like a plough or wrench. It is not a ritual formula to manipulate either God or his creation.

Continue reading this reflection online: Upcoming Gospel for July 24

Prayers for Weekly Liturgies

Our 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 17-23

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 24-20

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).

Hello from Camp St. Peter's

Campers from last week's Camp St. Peter's II session of Summer Camp at Honey Creek pose together following their Crazy Costume Lunch.

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Sincerely,

Diocesan Staff

Episcopal Diocese of Georgia