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February 8, 2017
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Volume 7, Number 23
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This Sunday's Lections
Fifth Sunday After
Epiphany
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Holy Nativity Calls Rev. Tommy Townsend
 The Church of the Holy Nativity, Saint Simon Island has called the Rev. Thomas (Tommy) Townsend as their Priest-in-Charge effective February 20.
Father Townsend, a cradle Episcopalian raised in the Diocese of Upper South Carolina, is a 1985 graduate of the Citadel and one of the first graduates of the Non-Degree Theological Studies Program (NDTP) at the Theological School at the University of the South (Sewanee). He served as a transitional deacon at St. Paul's Jesup and was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Benhase in November. He and his wife Laura have five sons and one granddaughter.
Father Townsend is also one of the first bi-vocational priests in the Diocese and speaks highly of the program.
"It truly is an answered prayer for Laura and I to serve a parish of our own and I can't wait to live in their midst," he said, adding "this allows me to grow into my priesthood yet gives us the flexibility to maintain our careers." He has worked for Stryker Orthopedics since 1989 and Laura Townsend is a nurse.
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Youth News
Registration Closes Sunday for Happening #98
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Charlotte Moffett |
Students in grades 10 to 12 are encouraged to attend Happening #98 at Honey Creek February 17th - 19th. Registration closes Sunday.
During a Happening weekend, participants worship, play, sing, and talk about God's place in their lives. They make new friends who share similar concerns and questions, which can be a reassuring discovery.
A teenager who acts as "Rector" leads the weekend with the help of a staff consisting mostly of young people. This year's Rector is Charlotte Moffett of St. Peter's, Savannah. Together, the staff and participants share in an exploration of the impact of Christian faith in their daily lives.
Happeners who attend a weekend for their first time are called "Candidates." To be a Candidate, one must:
have completed the 9th grade and have not begun college, and fill
out the application. The cost to attend is $101 and financial assistance is available. To register or for more information, please contact Jody Grant directly at jgrantcg@aol.com
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Trinity Statesboro Receives Energy Grant
The Rev. Deacon Leeann Culbreath (left) presents a check on behalf of Georgia Interfaith Power and Light (GIPL) to Jim Bastarache, former Junior Warden at Trinity Church Statesboro, and the Very Rev. Joan Kilian, Rector.
Trinity Episcopal Church in Statesboro was recently selected for a grant from Georgia Interfaith Power and Light (GIPL). Last summer, Trinity undertook an energy audit provided by GIPL. There were two main recommendations: 1) change out the existing thermostats to programmable/digital with wifi capability; and 2) change out fluorescent lighting to lower wattage bulbs. Trinity applied for a grant to upgrade the five thermostats and was awarded a matching grant in December, providing half of the $1190 required to do the work.
The new thermostats were installed in early January. Since they can be controlled remotely, as well as programmed, staff and lay leaders will be able to monitor energy usage. The estimated energy savings are approximately 10%. The church's investment is expected to be recouped in six to eight months. As for the other recommendation, bulbs will be changed out as they need to be replaced. Once all of the bulbs are replaced, the estimated energy savings will be 22%.
On Sunday, February 5, the Rev. Deacon Leeann Culbreath, who is the south Georgia representative for GIPL, presented the check for $595 to Trinity. She, along with Chandra Brown, also presented a program on "The Gift of Water" in between the services.
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Ready to be a Camper or a Counselor at Honey Creek?
To be a Camper
Summer camp season is right around the corner and spots at Honey Creek are filling up more quickly than ever before! Whether you are in high school, middle school, elementary or are interested in a parent/child session, experience the new high and low challenge course, revamped Christian Ecology Program along with both traditional and brand new summer camp programming. Follow this link to register a camper.
To be a Counselor
Being a Summer Camp
Counselor at Honey Creek means joining a family that you can rely on for the rest of your life, and this family is formed by spreading great times and the Kingdom of God, one summer-loving camper at a time. You also get paid to have the most fun you'll ever have on the South Georgia Coast! Follow this
link
to apply to be a Summer Camp Counselor at Honey Creek.
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1Book1Diocese
Living into God's Dream this Lent
 Bishop Benhase encourages the people and churches of the Diocese of Georgia to join together during Lent in reading
Living into God's Dream: Dismantling Racism in America. "This important book offers an invitation for us in the Church to have a serious conversation about race," said the Bishop. "It's high time we stopped talking at one another or passed one another by, and sat down and talked to and with one another.
Living into God's Dream: Dismantling Racism in America is an excellent study guide to help us have those deep conversations. I strongly urge all our parishes to use this resource for your Lenten study."
The authors discuss why dismantling racism in the 21st Century has to be different from the work of the past and offer ways for that journey to progress.
Living into God's Dream: Dismantling Racism in America
is available through any bookseller via the ISBN (
978-0819233219) or through Church Publishing and other online retailers. Information is online at
1book1diocese.georgiaepiscopal.org
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Administrator's Corner
Tell Your Story and Help Me Say Yes
 One of the key recommendations of Project Resource is to identify the stories of your congregation's mission and ministry. For this week's Administrator's Corner, I'm going to share my testimony for the Campaign for Congregational Development. This is our last month of the Campaign, it ends on February 28th:
Anyone who has managed a budget knows that there comes a time where you are looking for additional funding to support something new. Given budget restraints and lack of additional funding, I sometimes have to say, "No, we can't afford that." I can tell you from experience it is not fun to be dubbed the "no person."
The Campaign for Congregational Development was started in the hopes of finding additional funding to support new ministries around the Diocese of Georgia. The initial generous gifts have led to several amazing ministries and stories of growth in our parishes. We've aimed to tell you those stories of how we seek to Lead, Grow, Share. However, as we came to the end of those initial gifts, we knew we could not maintain the momentum without additional gifts to the campaign.
I knew very soon, I would become the person who had to say "no, there's just not enough to accomplish that this year."
As someone who witnesses each dollar spent through the campaign, I can tell you first hand the impact every dollar granted to the campaign has. How a grant to a congregation was enough to hire a full-time priest and see the congregation grow in just two years to become fully sustainable. I witnessed the creation of a vital non-profit community organization impacting the youth in its community and the gift that young adult ministry is having on youth navigating their vocations.
As of today, we've raised close to $2.2M of our $3M goal. Imagine what an additional $800,000 could accomplish. Often, a grant of $1000 can mean the world to the launch of a new ministry. With the help of the entire diocese giving to the campaign, we can continue to say yes to these ministries. I ask you to prayerfully consider how your gift can lead to the creation or support of something within your own community. Then tell me your idea! Help me to say "yes, we can support that!"
Katie Willoughby
Canon for Administration
To make your donation to the Campaign for Congregational Development online, go here; text to give EDOG at 73256 or by mail to the Episcopal Diocese of Georgia, 611 E. Bay Street, Savannah, GA 31404. For a tutorial led by Katie Willoughby on how to give online go here: http://bit.ly/OnlineGivingTutorialKW
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Diocesan Office Update and News
A full report on the
Diocesan Council meeting held February 3 will be in next week's
From the Field.
Bishop Benhase will meet with the deacons at the Deacons' retreat on Friday. He will make his visitation at the 10 AM service Sunday at Christ Church, Valdosta and a 4 PM service at St. Barnabas', Valdosta. The Bishop's full schedule is available
here.
Canon Willoughby will be sending an email to all clergy out shortly, similar to last year's, in which she requests information on vestries and lay leadership so that diocesan records may be updated.
Canon Logue returns today from the Executive Council of the Episcopal Church held in Baltimore, Md. The Executive Council is the Board of Directors for our denomination.
Canons Willoughby and Logue will teach Project Resource training this Saturday from 9 am to 12 noon at Good Shepherd, Augusta, and any vestry or stewardship committee member in the diocese may attend at no charge. See below to register online.
Canon Logue will preside and preach for the Deacons' Retreat and at Holy Nativity, St. Simons Island.
The
Rev. Richard Nelson of St. Thomas' Isle of Hope will officiate at the noon Eucharist to be held at St. George's Chapel at Diocesan House on Thursday.
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Share your news in From the Field
so we can feature them in upcoming issues of From the Field. Deadline for submissions each week is Monday at 4:30 PM.
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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.
February 5-11
In our diocesan cycle of prayer, we pray for our congregations in Augusta, especially, St. Augustine's, St. Mary's, and St. Paul's. We also pray for our ecumenical partners St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church in Adel, and St. Ann Catholic Church in Alapaha. In our companion diocese of the Dominican Republic, we pray for the congregation in Boca Chica, De la Gracia (Grace), Monte
Sión (Mount Zion), and San José (
St. Joseph).
February 12-18
In our diocesan cycle of prayer, we pray for our congregation in Bainbridge, St. John's. We also pray for our ecumenical partners in Bainbridge, especially St. Joseph's Catholic Church. In our companion diocese of the Dominican Republic, we pray for the congregation in Bonao, especially Boca de Yuboa and Pentecost (Pentecostes).
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All Hands on Deck!
Lydia Freeman of St. Patrick's celebrates the completion of cleaning up the labyrinth at St. John and St. Mark's at a work day held Saturday in Albany. Teams of
Episcopalian from St. Paul's, St, John and St. Mark's, St. Patrick's and St. Anne's continued cleaning up from the tornadoes.
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Events
Project Resource Stewardship Training,
February 11
Church of the Good Shepherd, Augusta
Go here to register.
Happening #98, February 17-19
Honey Creek
Registration cloeses February 10
Go here for more information.
Cursillo #122, March 2-4
Honey Creek
Go here for more information.
Project Resource Stewardship Training, March 4
St. Anne's, Tifton
Go here to register.
Clergy Spouses Retreat, March 10-12
Honey Creek
Go here for more information.
Church Development Institute (CDI) March 17-18
Honey Creek
Go
here for more information.
Church Development Institute (CDI) Augusta March 17-18
Our Savior, Martinez
Go
here for more information.
Lenten Prayer Retreat, March 24-25
Led by the Rev. Liam Collins, the Rev. Canon Frank Logue and Victoria Logue
Honey Creek
Go here for more information
New Beginnings #50, March 24-26
Honey Creek
Go here for more information.
Project Resource Stewardship Training, April 8
St. Peter's Savannah
Go here for more information.
Missional Voices National Gathering, April 21-22
Virginia Seminary
Leading thinkers from around The Episcopal Church will discuss innovative ministries, missional communities, and how to participate in the mission of God in our neighborhoods. More details are available at www.missionalvoices.com.
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Historical Society Offers Grants
The Historical Society of the Episcopal Church, founded in 1910, invites applications from individual scholars as well as academic and ecclesiastical groups for grants to support significant research, conferences, and publications relating to the history of the Episcopal and Anglican churches in North America, the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the Church of England. Grants are usually modest, generally $1,000-$2,000, though more or less may be awarded depending on number of awards and amount of funds available. Typical grants include travel to archives, collections or resources, dissertation research, and seed money for larger projects. For complete information, please visit
hsec.us/grants.html.
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Stitchers of Love...that's the name of the ministry that meets the 1st & 3rd Sundays of the month at Christ Church, Valdosta to make knitted and crocheted items for people in need. 