December 6th, 2017
Volume 8, Number 14
Revving Up for the Revival!
Are you ready for the Revival? We have planned a full day beginning with a morning service at Good Shepherd, Pennick followed by the Revival at Honey Creek Retreat Center. A variety of food trucks from the Savannah Food Truck Coalition will be serving food at a reasonable cost starting at 11 AM. Performances by the Albany State University Choir, the Savannah Children's Choir, and soloists Trina Meade and Roger Moss will begin at noon. The Presiding Bishop will begin to preach at 1 PM. 

Schedule for the Presiding Bishop's Two-Day Visit

Friday, January 19th

5 PM
Presiding Bishop Michael Curry has dinner with clergy of the diocese.
8 PM
The Presiding Bishop spends time with diocesan youth.
Saturday, January 20th

9:30 AM
Service honoring Deaconess Alexander at Church of the Good Shepherd, Pennick
11 AM
Food Trucks open for service at Honey Creek
Noon to 1 PM
Fellowship Hour with performances by Albany State Choir, Savannah Children's Choir 
1 PM
The Revival begins with Presiding Bishop Michael Curry preaching
3 PM
Buses depart

If you registered for the September Revival, you are still registered for the January 20 event. If you have yet to register for this exciting event, go here. 
In This Issue
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This Sunday's Lections
Second Sunday of Advent
Isaiah 40:1-11
2 Peter 3:8-15a
Mark 1:1-8
Psalm 85:1-2,8-13

Go  here 
for the full text.
June 23-30, 2018
Youth Mission Trip to the DR! 
Diocesan youth last traveled to the Dominican Republic in 2015. 

This summer, the Diocese of Georgia is excited to offer the third youth Mission Trip to the Dominican Republic since 2013. This trip is open to all youth  currently in Grades 9-12. We will be staying at the conference center run by Iglesia San José in Boca Chica, which is just east of Santo Domingo. Our work will consist of providing materials and support for Vacation Bible School at two smaller churches, Iglesia Monte de Sion and Iglesia Santo Tomas. 

We travel to seek and serve God in all persons, loving our neighbor as ourselves. We travel knowing that God has already gone before us, and seeking to respond to God's love for us and for the world. Young people who have journeyed to the Dominican Republic before have called it a life-changing experience. They have described moments of working with large groups of children, or sitting quietly with one older person, and their awareness of the presence of God in those times. 

Please encourage high schoolers you know to join the trip! The total cost, including airfare, is $1700. Scholarship is readily available, as is help with fundraising. Preparation includes a mandatory weekend retreat, March 2-4, 2018, at Honey Creek.

More information is available here
Apply for the trip here.
Administrator's Corner
IMPORTANT 2018 Pension Changes

Revisions to Pension Plans and Related Benefits
The Church Pension Fund has announced revisions to its pension plans and related products. These revisions will maintain the overall value of the benefits provided to clergy today and will offer greater flexibility, consistency, and simplicity. Many resources and education sessions have been provided to learn about the changes that start on January 1st, 2018. To learn more, please consider taking the CPG eLearning  course
For clergy, the new Total Assessable Calculation (TAC) worksheet for assessments can be accessed here.
 
It is critical that clergy and administrators review this worksheet and submit the Update New Assignment and Compensation Change Form (see below.)

Updated New Assignment and Compensation Change Form 
CPG has consolidated the New Assignment and Compensation Change forms for clergy and lay employees into one form for changes effective January 1, 2018. The new form incorporates the updates to compensation resulting from the Pension Plan Revisions. Please use this form to report any changes you are reporting for 2018. You can access it here. 

IMPORTANT: You will no longer be able to make changes to compensation directly on the assessment and RSVP bills.

Important changes to the Assessment Bill as of January 2018

  • New features include "Opening Balance" - For the January bill, this is the balance as of December 28, 2017, which will reflect any payments received as of that date.
  • "Total Amount Due Last Statement" and "Payments Received" - both will appear on future statement
  • Employees' 2017 compensation will convert it according to the new definition of TAC under the revised Clergy Pension Plan
  • SUBMIT New Assignment and Compensation Change Forms with updated compensation figures by December 15th, 2017. You can also submit changes through the Employee Roster.
  • Payments received will be applied to the oldest receivable on the bill. This mean that if you make a partial payment, you cannot choose how it will be applied. Your employees will not earn Credited Service for a month unless all assessments due for that month are paid in full.
It is critical that congregations pay assessments monthly and in full. If not, it puts your clergy at risk for not receiving benefits associated with their pensions such as life insurance and disability insurance.

For questions, please reach out to CPG at (866) 802-6333 or benefits@cpg.org. 
Creek Fest Returns in February!
The Honey Creek Commission is excited to announce the 2nd Annual Diocesan retreat, better known as CreekFEST! We will be bringing back all of your favorite activities.
Archery Contest
Cornhole Competition
Team Trivia
Water Balloon Catapult
Obstacle Course Relay
Minute to Win it Pentathlon
Who will dominate the cornhole competition? How accurately can you shoot an arrow? Will the obstacle course relay be your best victory ever? There's only one way to find out:

Register at honeycreek.org today and mark your calendars for CreekFest, February 23 to 25! This is a weekend you don't want to miss! Call Honey Creek at (912) 265-9218 for more information.

Interested in volunteering? Contact Jay Lacy for more information at jaywlacy@gmail.com
Around the Diocese
Sixth to 8th grade students attended the St. Nick's Gift Giving Party this past Sunday.
Parishioners of All Saints' Tybee Island participated in the island's annual Christmas Parade this past Saturday.

The Rev. Tar Drazdowski preaching during her first Sunday at Christ Church, Cordele.

St. Nicholas paid a visit to Christ Church St. Simons Island for breakfast with old and young alike, and crafts for the children.

At the reception following his ordination to the priesthood at St. Andrew's Darien, the Rev. Thomas Barron posed for a photo with children who took part in his after school and youth ministries at St. Andrew's and St. Cyprian's. Barron now serves as the missioner for our new church start in Grovetown.
Seasons of Grief Support Group Offered 
Seasons of Grief, a support group for those mourning the loss of a loved one, meets weekly in a private classroom at St. Francis of the Islands, Wilmington Island, 590 Walthour Road. The Rev. Dcn. Geri Lee Nelson is the facilitator.

"Inevitably, we all enter the 'Seasons of Grief' which accompany the death of a loved one," Nelson said. "The more deeply we love, the more acutely we feel the sorrow.  It's important to remember that loss and grief are normal parts of a full life, and through we will always miss our loved one, the pain we feel in the weeks, months and even years following their death, know that the sadness will become less intense.  With God's help, and through the presence of fellow Christians, we live through these Seasons of Grief, learning how to know the joy of the Lord, even though we grieve."
   
The cost of this eight week series is $20, used exclusively to cover the cost of printed materials. "If your budget will not afford the cost, please register anyway and the cost will be waived," said Nelson.

For more information on materials, meeting times or cost, contact Nelson at  912-844-4888.
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  found here. 

December 3-9
In our diocesan cycle of prayer, we pray for our congregation in Waynesboro, St. Michael's. We also pray for our ecumenical partners in Waynesboro, especially Sacred Heart Catholic Church and our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Church in Sylvania. In our companion diocese of the Dominican Republic, we pray for the congregations in Santo Domingo, especially Santa Margarita (St. Margaret).

December 10-16
In our diocesan cycle of prayer, we pray for our congregation in Woodbine, St. Mark's. We also pray for our ecumenical partners, especially the Catholic congregations of Holy Family in Metter and St. Bernadette in Millen. In our companion diocese of the Dominican Republic, we pray for the congregations in Santo Domingo, especially Santísma Trinidad ( Holy Trinity).
Diocesan Office Update and News  
Bishop Benhase is attending the Province IV Bishops and Spouses Gathering at Camp McDowell, Alabama until December 6th. He will preside at the ordination to the priesthood of the Rev. Deacon Leslie Dellenbarger at St. John's Bainbridge on Saturday, December 9th and he will make his annual visitation to Christ the King, Valdosta on Sunday, December 10th at 10 AM. The Bishop's full schedule is available  here.

The Rev. Canon Joshua Varner will serve with the Rev. Denise Ronn as Spiritual Director for New Beginnings #51 at Honey Creek.

The Rev. Canon Frank Logue meets with the vestry of St. George's, Savannah, this Sunday.

The Rev. Jamie Maury, Priest-in-Charge of St. Joseph's Community, Savannah, will officiate at the noon service in St. George's Chapel at Diocesan House tomorrow.
Share your news in From the Field
Send your news, events and photos to   so we can feature them in upcoming issues of From the Field. Deadline for submissions each week is Monday at 4:30 PM.  
Events
CANCELLED: Contemplative Prayer Retreat 
December 8-9
Honey Creek

New Beginnings #51
December 8-10
Honey Creek

Ordination to the Priesthood of the Rev. Dcn. Leslie Dallenbarger
Saturday, December 9, 11 AM
St. John's Bainbridge
 

Revival: Boundless Love Fearless Faith
January 20
For more information, go here:  www.EpiscopalRevivalinGeorgia2018.com

Stewardship Training with Bishop Benhase
January 27, 9:30 AM to noon
St. George's Savannah
Register 
Stewardship Training with Bishop Benhase
February 3, 9:30 AM to noon
St. James' Quitman
Register here.

Clergy Spouse Retreat
February 9-11
Honey Creek 
Register here. 

Stewardship Training with Bishop Benhase
February 17, 9:30 AM to noon
St. Mark's, Brunswick 
Register  here .
Advent Chapeau

Pausing during work on his Advent wreath, a young parishioner at Christ Church Valdosta demonstrates a new use for his creation.
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