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The 79th General Convention Concludes Friday
 More than 1,000 deputies and bishops are working their way through the more the 400 resolutions to come before the once every three years General Convention of the Episcopal Church. The Diocese of Georgia's Deputation is fully engaged with the work of this convention from the first committee meeting at 7:30 am until the deputation meeting ends at 10 pm. Following the convention on social media and in news reports can lead to misunderstanding due to the nature of the Convention as reports filter out after each bit of news happens in a multi-step process by which a committee takes action and then either the House of Deputies or House of Bishops takes initial action and the other House then must affirm that resolution.
 For example, you may have read that the House of Deputies approved Prayer Book revision. That is true, but with the caveat that the path to possible revision would be a nine year one in which the first three years would be a study, which could lead to no further work. Then you could read yesterday that the House of Bishops approved Prayer Book revision, but that version of the resolution mainly called on the church to fully revise its Spanish language liturgies, while also approving for trial use some alternate language. This has been reported as using gender-neutral language for God. This is true in the sense that the alternate for the opening acclamation "Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit" could be given as "Blessed be God: most holy, glorious, and undivided Trinity." But not true in the sense that no proposal would offer trial use language to substitute for every reference to God as Father, Son, and Lord, for example.
The legislative process is indeed a cumbersome one, but this is intentional. The checks and balances are in place to make room for prayerful discernment. When the General Convention ends, your bishop and deputies will make a report on the actions passed by both houses. In the meantime, we report below on what we are tracking now and where those actions are as of the morning of July 11.
The Rev. Canon Frank Logue
Chair of the Deputation
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2 Samuel 6:1-5, 12b-19:
Psalm 24
Ephesians 1:3-14
Mark 6:14-29
or
Amos 7:7-15
Psalm 85:8-13
Ephesians 1:3-14
Mark 6:14-29
Go
here for the full text.
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"Ask the Bishop" From General Convention
 Another special edition of Ask the Bishop will be on Facebook Live Friday at 2 PM. Send your questions to newsandevents@gaepiscopal.org ahead of time or post in the feed during the live event. Go here to see the livestream:
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Marriage Rites for Whole Church
The General Convention meeting in 2015 in Salt Lake City, Utah, approved of trial use of marriage rites for same-sex couples "under the discretion and with the permission of the diocesan bishop." This provision provided also that no priest or congregation be required to use such rites. A resolution making its way through this General Convention seeks to authorize these rites for continued trial use. Your bishop and deputation are working to assure that while all Episcopalians have access to the liturgies, the same provisions for not requiring use of these rites remains in effect.
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The Loose Canon
The Way of Love: Practices for a Jesus-Centered Life
In
his opening sermon for the General Convention, Presiding Bishop Michael Curry called on Episcopalians across the church to take on spiritual practices. Using the seven words Turn, Learn, Pray, Worship, Bless, Go, and Rest, our Presiding Bishop called on the wisdom of centuries within monastic communities which create a rule of life to guide their walk of faith. He emphasized that this is not a new program, "We got programs and there's nothing wrong, but we don't need a new program." Instead, this is a way of faithfully following Jesus.
Last December, I was asked to be a part of a small group meeting with the Presiding Bishop to reflect on evangelism work to that point in his nine-year term. The group felt the Holy Spirit leading us to make an "ask" to go with our sharing the Good News of Jesus so that evangelism leads to discipleship, which begins with turning toward Jesus in repentance. I am grateful to see spiritual practices lifted up by our Presiding Bishop as we know nothing transforms lives like daily prayer and scripture reading, routinely gathering with others for worship, and the other practices in this framework. I have personally found my own life continually transformed by following my own rule of life, which fits well within the seven practices in The Way of Love.
You can watch a short video of Bishop Curry talking about this initiative, read more about The Way of Love, and find further resources at
The Way of Love webpage.
This effort is an important way to call us back to basics, back to our first love of God as found in Jesus. As our Presiding Bishop said in his sermon, "My brothers and sisters, I am asking us as the Episcopal Church, no, asking us as individual Episcopalians, asking us as the Episcopal Branch of the Jesus Movement before you begin your day, meditate on the life and teachings of Jesus." This is an idea we can and should all get behind, encouraging one another in these practices.
Peace,
F
rank
The Rev. Canon Frank Logue, Canon to the Ordinary
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Lesser Feasts and Fasts - Deaconess Alexander
 Stanchions naming each diocese of the Episcopal Church stand at even intervals across the House of Deputies marking where each deputation sits. By long practice, most dioceses mark their locations with some mascot of their region, such as the Diocese of Lexington having a piñata of a thoroughbred horse atop their marker. For the second General Convention in a row, the Diocese of Georgia is marked, not by a peach as in earlier years, but we are watched over by a saint. A photograph of Deaconess Anna Alexander sits atop the stanchion for our Diocese, keeping her holiness of life and steadfast faith ever in mind as we seek God's will for our church. But adding the Deaconess to the Calendar of Saints known as Lesser Feasts and Fasts (Major Feasts being those like Christmas, Easter, and Pentecost) hit a bump in the road in convention. While the Standing Committee on Liturgy and Music (SCLM) unanimously recommends Deaconess Alexander be in any new calendar, they put Lesser Feasts and Fasts 2018 on hold pending more information.
It looked for some days like we would leave this General Convention without recognizing the Deaconess or any other new additions to the calendar. But work during the convention has renewed the possibility for the book's approval. Your deputation is tracking these developments and hopes that the saint watching over our deliberations will get the formal recognition from the whole Episcopal Church.
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Cynthia Black Photo
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Fifty-two years ago, the House of Bishops removed the Episcopal Church in Cuba from the American Church. This precipitous action was done in a climate of fear. Those were the days following the Cuban missile crises. There was an inability to distinguish a church, which had been established by the US in Cuba in 1901, from the communist government. Since then, the church has continued to operate in isolation but has been faithful to the loving, liberating Gospel of Jesus Christ, working under conditions that are hard for us to imagine.
Being a priest in Cuba meant giving up what few privileges existed. Until the visit of Pope John Paul II, just holding on to the Christian faith meant being ostracized from society. They share the love of Jesus without the resources we would consider necessary to be a church. And they persevered.
For those of us who live in the US, who take our faith so lightly, the church in Cuba has much to teach us.
 Today, the House of Deputies concurring with the House of Bishops, the Church in Cuba was welcomed home. It was an unanimous action in both houses.
It was an emotional time in both houses (I'm not crying - you're crying). The Cuban deputation, lead by Bishop Griselda, came to the podium waving both the American flag and the flag of Cuba. A week ago, it seemed that this moment would not come, as there were obstacles to surmount from Constitution and Canons. Between yesterday and today, all obstacles were removed. Both houses sang the Doxology in thanksgiving for this homecoming. Cuba Si. Gracias. Bienvenido.
Cynthia Taylor+
Clergy Deputy and member of the Committee on the Episcopal Church in Cuba
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Photo Round Up from General Convention
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| The Diocese of Georgia's Deputation with Bishop Benhase: from left, Dr. Clemontine Washington, the Very Rev. William Willoughby, Drew Keane, Molly Stevenson, the Rev. Kelly Steele, Jody Grant, the Rev. Cynthia Taylor, the Rev. Tom Purdy, the Rev. Canon Frank Logue, the Ven. Sandy Turner, Mary Willoughby, and the Very Rev. Ted Clarkson. |
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The Litany of Lamentation service, the Church's response to the #Metoo movement.
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Suzanne Harrow of Atonement, Augusta, the Province IV Representative for the Church Periodical Club at the organization's booth. The Diocese of Georgia has made a significant contribution through the Miles of Pennies program.
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Christ Church Frederica, St. Simons Island, were an integral part of the services held at General Convention, offering their gift of music at each one.
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Linda Sigg, UTO Coordinator for the Diocese of Georgia at the ECW Triennial Ingathering where Province IV gave more than $700,000. The Venerable Sandy Turner, left, at the Hutto detention center.
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GeorgeAnne Youngner Joins Honey Creek Staff
 GeorgeAnne Youngner has joined the Honey Creek family as the new Office Manager. Youngner
's background includes experience in event and conference coordination. She has organized conferences ranging from small meetings to large international medical conferences.
Asked why she loves Honey Creek, she said, "My husband and I came to Cursillo in 1996 when we had been married only seven years. Our dear friends R.V. and Dee Dee Cate encouraged us to attend, which we did so hesitantly. WOW! I had no idea what was missing from our lives! Honey Creek and Cursillio saved our marriage, which we didn't even know needed saving. Our lives were missing the deep spirituality that we found through Cursillo here at Honey Creek. EVERYBODY who comes to Honey Creek leaves with a story. It changes you, whether you want it to or not! I love hearing stories of a priest first hearing a calling while at Honey Creek, or how couples met here, or how a camper discovered their love of nature while watching dolphins play in the creek.
"This place... "she continued, "is a place of love and peace and renewal. It is an honor that I am able to be here."
Youngner is married to Alan Youngner and they have three children, Sydneye (25), Sarah (21), and Elliott (17). They have been long time active members of St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Brunswick. An avid gardener, she is known at St. Mark's for her phenomenal flower arrangements utilizing flowers from her own yard.
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Companion Diocese to Dedicate Sanctuary
 After eight years of labor and love, a congregation in our companion diocese of the Dominican Republic will soon have a sanctuary to call their own. Bishop Moisés Quezada plans to consecrate Espíritu Santo Episcopal Church in the village of Las Carreras on October 20.
This project was started in 2010 by a mission team from St. Patrick's Albany under the care of the Rev. Jay Weldon, and was continued for the past seven years by teams from St. Anne's Tifton.
"For years the people of Espíritu Santo worshipped in an open yard with just a small aluminum folding table as their altar," says the Rev. Lonnie Lacy, Rector of St. Anne's Tifton. "Now after eight years of weeklong mission trips working alongside them, our friends are finally ready to open their church."
Padre Manuel Estévez, the priest at Espíritu Santo, envisions this new facility as more than just a worship space. He also hopes to use it as a childcare center, allowing women in the village to find meaningful work. "The Church is not just here to say Mass one day a week," says Padre Estévez. "The Church-by God's grace-is here to change lives every day."
Members of previous mission teams plan to fly down for the big celebration in October.
Contributions and gifts-in-kind to support the project came not only from the St. Patrick's and St. Anne's, but also from other mission teams at Grace Episcopal Cathedral in Charleston, SC, the Episcopal Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast, and St. Matthew's Episcopal Church in Tampa, FL. The support of these other teams was coordinated by the Dominican Development Group (DDG), the consortium of the dioceses supporting mission teams in the Diocese of the Dominican Republic.
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On Friday, July 6, a group from St. Matthew's Savannah volunteered to serve breakfast at Emmaus House, which provides free meals to hungry people in downtown Savannah every weekday in the Parish Hall of Christ Church Savannah.
Vacation Bible School is underway this week at Trinity, Statesboro. They learned about Jesus feeding the 5,000 and made about 100 knotted yeast rolls to take home and share.
Father Jim Said with the theological interns at St. Augustine of Canterbury as they prepare food for the less fortunate.
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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.
July 8-14
In our diocesan cycle of prayer, we pray for our congregation in Richmond Hill, St. Elizabeth of Hungary. We also pray for our ecumenical partners in Richmond Hill, especially Spirit of Peace Lutheran Church and St. Anne's Catholic Church. In our companion diocese of the Dominican Republic, we pray for St. John the Evangelist (
San Juan Evangelista) in Piedra Blanca.
July 15-21
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 Bernabé) in Pizarette.
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Diocesan Office Update and News
Bishop Scott Anson Benhase, the Rev. Canon Frank Logue and Director of Communications Anna Iredale are
at
General Convention in Austin through July 14th. The Bishop's full schedule is available
here.
There will not be a noon service at Diocesan House this week.
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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.
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Reserve Time at Saluda Clergy Cottage Today!
To reserve time, please fill out and email/mail the reservation form found
here.
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General Convention of the Episcopal Church
July 3-13 in Austin, Texas
Acolyte Festival
Saturday and Sunday, August 11-12
St. Anne's Tifton
Grades three to 12
To register, go
here.
Open House and Blessing
Diocesan House
4 PM, Thursday, August 23
18 E. 34th Street
Ordination to the Priesthood
The Rev. Bunny Simon Williams
August 25 at 11 AM
Church of the Good Shepherd, Augusta
Happening #101
September 14-16
Honey Creek
Grades 10-12
For information, go
here.
Fall Clergy Conference
September 24-26
Honey Creek
198th Convention of the Diocese of Georgia
November 8-10
Albany, Georgia
For information go here
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This Joyful Noise
Eva Purdy from Christ Church Frederica sang the story of Jonah at last night's worship service for the General Convention. Click on the image to hear her oustanding voice!
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