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September 16, 2020
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Volume 10, No. 54
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The Rev. Becca Stevens
to Visit Epiphany, Savannah
On Wednesday September 23, The Rev. Becca Stevens will join Epiphany for their Wednesday evening Zoom. Becca is an author, speaker, Episcopal priest, social entrepreneur, and founder and president of Thistle Farms in Nashville, Tennessee. Thistle Farms' mission is to heal, empower, and employ female survivors of human trafficking, prostitution, and addiction.
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The Rev. Richard R. Casto (1926-2020)
 The Diocese of Georgia mourns the death of the Rev. Richard R. Casto who died on September 15. Born in Buckhannon, West Virginia, in 1926, Casto graduated from West Virginia Weslyan College. He married Connie in 1971. Ten years later, he was ordained a deacon and then a priest in 1982 by Bishop Robert Atkinson of the Diocese of West Virginia. He served at three churches in that diocese from 1981-1987. From 1987 until his retirement in 1997, Casto served at Holy Faith Episcopal Church in Dunnellon, Florida. In retirement, he and Connie moved to St. Marys, Georgia, where he was the Interim Rector of Christ Church in 2007-2008. Connie died in 2012. No funeral arrangements are in place at this time. We will announce those plans once they are set.
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Diocesan Online Godly Play on Zoom this Sunday
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Canon Varner tells the creation story
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Godly Play is a Montessori-based curriculum that focuses on telling stories using physical materials and allowing participants to play and work with the stories at their own level.
This coming Sunday, September 20, Canon Joshua Varner host a Zoom call during which children (and their associated adults) can gather to hear the story of Creation and reflect on it together, sharing their ideas, and wonderings. This story was first shared last Sunday on the Diocesan Facebook Page and remains available there as one of the videos, if you would like to see the story in advance! These sessions are appropriate for young people of all ages, and many adults find that the Godly Play method allows them to think about stories they have known for a long time in new and different ways.
The link to the Zoom Call is here, and will also be placed be on the Diocese of Georgia Facebook Page on Sunday morning. Please contact Canon Varner at [email protected] with your questions. |
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Thriving in the Vine Registration Open
Registration for the 199th Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Georgia, Thriving in the Vine, is now open. Due to safety concerns for large public gatherings, the 199th Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Georgia will meet online on the evening of November 6th and the morning of the November 7th.
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Register Today: Down to the Park to Pray
The next Down to the Park to Pray gathering will be held on Saturday, Sept. 26 at 10am at George L. Smith State Park, near Statesboro. Registration is required by 9/24 and group size is limited, so register soon! If needed, the Creation Care Commission will add an additional service in the afternoon to accommodate more people. More information and registration can be found here: https://forms.gle/NjZDb4r4ZUMwZ97k9.
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Episcopal Relief and Development Hurricane Relief
Hurricane Laura pummeled the Gulf Coast recently, and now Sally is making it's way to the same areas that were hit by Laura. Episcopal Relief and Development is working with the affected dioceses and churches to get relief as soon as possible. ERD has come to our aid in past storms with funds to assist in rebuilding, food and gas assistance, and more.
To donate to the Hurricane Relief Fund, click here. |
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Rita Spalding to be ordained to Sacred Order of Deacons
 God willing and the people consenting, Bishop Logue will ordain Rita Spalding to the Sacred Order of Deacons at 11 a.m. on September 26 at St. Mark's, Brunswick. She is an attorney and a Glynn County Magistrate Judge long active in the the community. She currently serves as the Education for Ministry (EfM) Coordinator for the Diocese of Georgia.
All ordinations will comply with the guidelines and recommendations of public officials and healthcare professionals. You can still participate in the service by watching the livestream. To view the ordination of Rita Spalding, visit the St. Mark's, Brunswick Facebook Page.
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Churches finding ways to safely worship in pandemic
We've seen how creative our parishes have gotten during the pandemic, and rejoice in that creativity!
Christ Church Savannah held Neighborhood Gatherings for Compline on Sunday, September 13, so that smaller groups could gather distanced in person. At left, the Rev. Liam and Mary Collins lead one gathering and at right is another gathering led by the Rev. Michael White.
St. Francis of the Islands, Savannah (left) and St. Luke's, Rincon (right) both with their own takes on outdoor services. The canopies at St. Luke's permit a group who live together to gather together while remaining apart from other "pods" as described in the Phase 1 Guidance currently guiding in-person worship.
Matthew Benn's parents present him for baptism and the Rev. Aaron Brewer pours the water in the font in an outdoor service at King of Peace, Kingsland.
The Revs. Ashton Williston and Katie Knoll Lenon distribute the consecrated hosts at Christ Church Frederica on St. Simons Island. The church streamed the Eucharist online at 9:15 a.m. After participating in online worship, parishioners could receive the host and then pray the post communion prayer at this drive up station in front of the church's parish house.
As described above about the process in place at Christ Church Frederica, St. Anne's, Tifton (left) and Church of the Holy Comforter, Martinez (right) offered the opportunity to participate online and then receive the consecrated host in person.
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Worship with the Diocese of Georgia in Augusta on Sunday
This Sunday, we will stream Morning Prayer at 10 a.m. from the Church of the Good Shepherd, Augusta.
Find Livestream Worship
There are a lot of options each day for Episcopalians in the Diocese of Georgia to worship online and now they are listed in one place. The Livestream Services calendar tells the time, location, and which liturgy the congregation offers for the whole Diocese. Click the image above or this link: Livestream Services Calendar.
Have you adjusted your livestream schedule? Let us know! We have a running calendar that you can find here. Check to see if your schedule is correct, and if there are any changes, email Administrator Assistant Daniel Garrick at [email protected]. |
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Church of the Holy Comforter Seeks Two Staff Members
Church of the Holy Comforter, Martinez, has two part-time positions open, one for a Children's Director and the other for a Youth Director. The Children's Minister is responsible for caring for our younger parishioners from nursery through 5th grade. The Youth Minister steps in to lead Middle School and High School.
Each position is required 10 hours per week, with the bulk of the time spent on Sundays and potentially a weekday. Applicants need to have a heart for Christ and Christ's children, be a self-starter, but a team player, with a lively sense of imagination and creativity. Holy Comforter is an inclusive church and would expect staff persons to welcome all people.
To view the full job description, click here. For more information or to submit a resume, contact the Rev. Dr. Cynthia Taylor at [email protected].
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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.
September 13 - 19
In our diocesan cycle of prayer, we pray for our congregations in Savannah, especially St. Peter's and Epiphany. We also pray for our ecumenical partners in Savannah, especially Messiah Lutheran Church and St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Church. In our companion diocese of the Dominican Republic, we pray for St. Matthew (San Matías) in Santana.
September 20 - 26
In our diocesan cycle of prayer, we pray for our congregations in Savannah, especially St. Paul the Apostle and St. Bartholomew's Chapel. We also pray for our ecumenical partners in Savannah, especially the Catholic congregations of St. Frances Cabrini and Saints Peter and Paul as well as St. Paul's Lutheran Church. In our companion diocese of the Dominican Republic, we pray for Christ the Savior (Cristo Salvador) in Santiago.
Additional Prayer Cycles
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Diocesan Office Update and News
This Sunday, Bishop Logue will officiate and preach Morning Prayer from Church of the Good Shepherd, Augusta. To find the service, visit the Good Shepherd Facebook page or the Diocese of Georgia YouTube page.
Throughout the remainder of 2020 Bishop Logue will continue to record Diocesan worship from different congregations across the Diocese. To see the calendar for the remainder of 2020, click here.
In order to prevent the spread of COVID-19, Diocesan staff are not all in the office at the same time with some working remotely. Email will be the quickest way to get in touch with the staff, although you are still welcome to call us on the phone! If we miss your call, please leave a voicemail with a detailed message. Staff e-mails can be found here.
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Let Us Know!
What are you doing to keep community right now? Are you gathering for virtual coffee hours, delivering groceries to your neighbors - let us know! Send any updates or photos to our Communications Manager Liz Williams at [email protected]. We want to hear from you!
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Rain, Rain, Go Away
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| | The Revs. Melanie Lemburg and Aimee Baxter enjoying the rain during St. Thomas, Isle of Hope's drive-by communion. |
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