Due to Technical Difficulties, Your January 23rd edition of From the Field Arrives Today!

January 23, 2019

Volume 9, No. 22

Report from the Bishop Search Committee


	The Search Committee: front row, from left: the Rev. Tommy Townsend, Cissy Bowden, Gladys Lyde, Dr. Fred Richter; middle row: Darrell Naylor-Johnson, the Rev. Joy Fisher, Chair of the Committee; the Rev. Tar Drazdowski; back row: the Rev. Will Brown, Bardin Hooks, and the Rev. Kevin Kelly. Not pictured: Lauretta Gibbs-Hadley.

On Friday and Saturday, January 18-19, the Search Committee for the 11th Bishop of Georgia held our first meeting at St. Paul's, Savannah. We were joined by the Rev. Rick Callaway, our search consultant from Atlanta, and, for part of the meeting, by the Standing Committee. We started our time together in prayer, by praying Evening Prayer in the choir stalls of St. Paul's. We kept the Office throughout our time together, as we believe our first and most important task as a committee is to be formed as a faithful community grounded in prayer. At Noonday Prayer on Saturday, the Standing Committee formally commissioned the Search Committee.

With Rick's guidance we laid out the basics of our timeline: first meeting, election at Annual Convention on November 15 & 16, and consecration of our new Bishop on May 30, 2020. Working backwards from those dates, we began to sketch in other important events along the way: listening sessions around the diocese to gather data for our Diocesan Profile; a date to present the Profile to the Standing Committee for their approval; a time for open nominations and then nominations by petition; development, approval, and announcement of the slate of candidates; walkabouts around the diocese; and then the election. As our work progressed we were more and more aware of the scope of our task but also of our sense that with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we have everything we need to accomplish it.

Our next meeting will be on Saturday, February 2 at Christ Church, Cordele. There we will be working to develop the format and content of the Listening Sessions. We will hold open sessions in each of our six convocations; there will also be a Listening Session for the youth of our diocese, and one during a special Clergy Day on Tuesday, March 26 at St. Anne's, Tifton.

This week we are setting up a website for the Search that will be our primary method of communicating with the diocese throughout the search and election: We have also established email addresses for both the Search and Transition Committees. We are committed to openness and transparency.

Below you will find information about the members of the Search Committee and how they were selected. We ask that you keep the Committee, our diocese, and our Bishop in your prayers as we undertake this important work for our diocese.

Background on Search Committee Selection
Early in the afternoon on the Thursday of Diocesan Convention, Bishop Benhase met with the Standing Committee to give us the news he would later share with the rest of the diocese - that he would announce his retirement at the end of Convention. There were tears and well wishes, appreciation and concern, and then a discussion of next steps.

In conversation with Bishop Todd Ousley of the Office of Pastoral Development, who assists dioceses with transitions, the Standing Committee engaged the Rev. Rick Callaway of Atlanta to serve as our Search Consultant. Rick has served as the consultant for the last Bishop Search here, and we were comfortable with having him serve in that capacity again. The Standing Committee met three times in the weeks between Convention and Christmas to complete our first major task, the selection of the Bishop Search Committee.

We compiled a list of 56 names. Some of those were suggested by members of the Standing Committee; others were suggested to us by third parties around the diocese; a few offered their own names for our consideration. We decided to begin with a similar approach to the previous Search Committee, one lay person and one clergy person from each of our convocations. At our last meeting in December, we chose 12 people to invite to serve on the Search Committee. All our decisions were made by consensus, and we believe that the Committee has all the gifts needed to carry out their charge faithfully.

The Rev. R. Kevin Kelly
Member, Standing Committee
Member and Communications Liaison for the Search Committee

In This Issue

Bishop Search Committee

Deaconess Alexander Chapel

Good Book Club Bible Study

St. Peter's Holds Market

St. Michael's and All Angels

Around the Diocese

Prayers

Diocesan Office Update

Baptizing Jesus

Upcoming Events

Web Links

Diocese of Georgia

Diocesan Archives

Episcopal Church Women

Youth Programs

Episcopal News Service

This Sunday's Lections
Third Sunday after the Epiphany

Jonah 3:1-5, 10

Psalm 62:5-12
I Corinthians 7:29-31
Mark 1:14-20

Go here for the full text.

Deaconess Anna Alexander Chapel

The Chapel at Diocesan House will be dedicated to St. Anna Alexander, Deaconess, in a liturgy at 4 PM on Friday, May 3. All from the Diocese are invited to attend this celebratory event.

Recognized as a Saint of Georgia by the Diocese since 1999, the Episcopal Church added Deaconess Alexander (1865-1947) to the Calendar of Saints at the General Convention in 2018.

She was the only African American to serve as a deaconess when the Episcopal Church recognized that ministry from 1885-1970. More than 500 deaconesses served during those decades. Following 1970, women could be ordained as deacons and Alexander and all others who had served as a deaconess, were automatically "assumed into the diaconate" by act of General Convention.

But Deaconess Alexander is not recognized as a saint for being the first African American deaconess. Rather she is so honored for her holiness of life and heroic faith against great obstacles as she worked with others to found the Good Shepherd Church and School in the Pennick Community of Glynn County.

Our small chapel holds a Eucharist each week to pray for the prayer needs of the Diocese while spiritually feeding the diocesan staff and others who join us in worship. Find out more about Deaconess Alexander at deaconessalexander.georgiaepiscopal.org

Join the Bible Study with the Bishop

The Good Book Study with Bishop Scott Anson Benhase continues on Wednesdays, 10:30 to 11:30 at St. Peter's, Savannah, and also live on Facebook through February 20. Watch recorded versions of the sessions (there are now three) on Facebook and on YouTube
here
.

For more information on the series, go here .

St. Peter's Hosts The Market at 3 West Ridge

Opportunities to shop abound at The Market at 3 West Ridge. Change your wardrobe and change a life. Buy a plant and help a family on the brink of homelessness transition to permanent housing and employment. Proceeds from the 2019 Market will be divided between Family Promise of Greater Savannah (formerly known as Interfaith Hospitality) and Heads-Up Guidance Services (HUGS), two organizations devoted to improving the health and well-being of Savannah's children and families.

Wyndie Eberle, 2019 Market co-chair, shared some details about the event: "The Market brings vendors from around the country who offer unique products ranging from casual to classic, including clothes for men, women and children; eye-catching jewelry; French linens; leather bags and fashionable and comfortable shoes for every occasion."

For more Market details, a vendor list and some photographs of merchandise visit stpeterssavannah.org. While there, be sure to click on the form to pre-order blooming plants--this Early Bird opportunity ends February 6.

Market Hours
February 12: 5 to 7:30 PM
Evening shopping with complimentary wine and hors d'oeuvres
February 13 10 AM to 5 PM
Café-style lunch $10
February 14 10 AM to 4 PM
Café-style lunch $10

The Bishop Knocks on the Door

St. Michael's and All Angels, Savannah

St. Michael's Savannah began as a "sewing club" held by missionary-minded members of Christ Church Savannah in 1890. A year later, they had built a chapel.

At the 76th Convention of the Diocese of Georgia in 1898, St. Michael's was recorded as a congregation. A year later they called their first priest. In 1940, St. Michael's moved to its present location on the southwest corner of Waters and Washington Avenue. And when the name of St. Michael's Feast Day was changed to St. Michael's and All Angels, the name of the church changed too.


I AM Food Pantry volunteers, from left: Jean Brown, Judy Berube and Cindy Crawford.

Today the church continues its own mission work through the I AM Food Pantry. Under the leadership of parishioner Judy Berube, the pantry has grown to feed approximately 900 people a month--the highest volume of any in Chatham County. "We used to bless the donations each week with the offerings, but sometimes the pantry can't wait so we will bless them as they arrive," said the Rev. Kevin Kelly, Rector. "It's an amazing ministry for a church of our size."

Another signature ministry for the Ardsley Park parish is the annual Christmas tree and wreath sale held across the street in Daffin Park. St. Michael's has held the sale for about 40 years and this year they raised $13,000 in profit which will go to the church's Boy Scout Troop #1, the food pantry and other outreach efforts.

Gathered after the Sunday service are Georgia Fogarty (senior warden), Sandy Derks, Charlean Smith, Anne Salley, the Rev. Kevin Kelly, Rector; the Rt. Rev. Scott Anson Benhase, Nathan Wilson, Cindy Coward, Reneé Brown, David Bradley and Richard Hood.

St. Richard's, Jekyll Island

Founded in 1968, St. Richard of Chichester on Jekyll Island has met within First Methodist Church for its entire life as a congregation, due in large part to the island being a state park with limited private land holdings.

St. Richard's prides itself on its ministry to Jekyll Island's winter guests with the worship community doubling during the winter season. On the last Sunday of every month, morning prayer is held at Jekyll Island's historic Faith Chapel. Christmas and Easter services are also held there, with more than 100 in attendance.

St. Richard's sponsors a fundraiser for Manna House, which serve meals six days a week to the homeless in Brunswick. The Potter's Guild donates 100 plus handcrafted bowls that St. Richard's sells with a meal of homemade soups, salad, and desserts. The Soup Bowl fundraiser nets over $1500 a year for Manna House. St. Richard's members also prepare and serve lunch at Manna House every fifth Friday during the year.

Around the Diocese

Members of St. Athanasius and Holy Nativity walked in the Martin Luther King Jr. Day parade in Brunswick.

Some B'Hai friends joined with Trinity Statesboro as they walked in Statesboro's MLK Parade.

A group photo of the Diocese of Georgia group on the steps of St. Matthew's Savannah following that city's MLK Day Parade. Below are two more photos of the group taken during the parade.

Members of Grace, Waycross and St. Andrew's, Douglas at the Waycross Martin Luther King parade on Monday.

Bishop Benhase congratulates Will Priest, son of the Rev. Hunt and Lisa Priest, at the All Saints Chapel at Sewanee, just after being inducted into the Order of the Gown at the University of the South.

St. Simons Landtrust donated the shells after its annual Oyster Roast to Honey Creek, which will use them in the living shoreline.

The PreYC at St. Anne's Tifton is learning about Christianity around the world and last week created art inspired by the Indian Subcontinent while studying faith in Jesus in India.

The St. Luke's Strummers played Gospel music for Sunday's Evening Prayer at St. Luke's Hawkinsville.

Congratulations to the Rev. Amy Smith Bradley, named Associate Rector at St. Augustine's.

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.

January 20-26
In our diocesan cycle of prayer, we pray for our congregations in Augusta, especially, the Church of the Atonement and Christ Church. We also pray for our ecumenical partners in Augusta, especially Advent Lutheran Church, Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church, and The Church of the Resurrection Lutheran Church. In our companion diocese of the Dominican Republic, we pray for the Church of the Transfiguration (La Transfiguración) in Banî.

January 27-February 2
In our diocesan cycle of prayer, we pray for our congregations in Augusta, especially, Good Shepherd and St. Alban's. We also pray for our ecumenical partners in Augusta, especially the Catholic Churches of St. Ignatius of Antioch, St. Joseph, and St. Mary on the Hill. In our companion diocese of the Dominican Republic, we pray for the congregations in Barahona - Jesus the Pilgrim (Jesús Peregrino), Redemption (La Redención), and Lamb of God (Cordero de Dios).

Additional Prayer Cycles

We also offer 30-day prayer cycles for those who wish to pray daily for the clergy and clergy spouses: Diocesan Prayer Cycle and Clergy Spouses Prayer Cycle.

Diocesan Office Update and News

Bishop Scott Anson Benhase's full schedule is available

here.

The Rev. Canon Frank Logue

will preside and preach at St. Anne's, Tifton.

The Rev. Canon Joshua Varner will preach at St. Elizabeth's Richmond Hill, this Sunday.

Canon for Administration Katie Willoughby will be out of the office Monday, Jan 14th to Friday Feb 1. Reach out to the following numbers or contact Canon Logue:
CPG Medical- (800) 480-9967
CPG Pension- (866) 395-7794
Health Advocate- (866) 695-8622
EAP- (866) 395-7794

The Rev. June Johnson, Rector at All Saints Tybee, will serve at the noon, Thursday Eucharist at Diocesan House this week.

Baptizing Jesus

On Christmas Eve,
Berkeley Blair Carson portrayed Jesus in the Nativity Pageant at Christ Church Savannah while her dad played Joseph. This past Sunday, she was baptized into Christ's body, the church.