From the Field, Wednesday, November 13, 2019

All the candidates standing for diocesan elections. To learn about the available offices, find out who they are and to read their biographies/statements, please go here.

320 people have registered for the 198th Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Georgia to be held at the Nessmith-Lane Building on the campus of Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, beginning at 2 PM tomorrow, Thursday, November 14 and continuing through 11 AM Saturday, November 16th. This convention will serve as an electing convention for the 11th Bishop of Georgia, while also conducting the usual business of the annual meeting including approving budgets and electing persons to diocesan offices.

When You Arrive

Given the large number of attendees at this year's convention, please consider checking into registration early on Thursday from 2-4 PM at Trinity, Statesboro AND attending one of our workshops! We will have a tight window to complete registration on Friday morning prior to Eucharist at 9 AM. If you check-in on Thursday you'll have to pick up your voting ballot on Friday morning. There will be a table at the convention center clearly marked to do so.

The Book, Addendum and Abbreviated Agenda
Click here to view and/or download a copy of the 198th Convention Book, it's been updated already!

Click here to view and/or download a copy of the addendum which includes corrected changes to the canon and nominees not included in the printed book.

Click here for an abbreviated agenda for the 198th Convention.

Visitor's Gallery

For Clergy Spouses

Two special events are scheduled for spouses of clergy: a reception on Thursday at 5 PM and a private breakfast on Saturday morning, see below for more details.

Important News About Workshops

NEW: We've had LOW registration for this year's workshops. Please register in advance of 2 PM Thursday, November 14 so that leaders have an idea of the size the audience. The Godly Play Workshop has been cancelled due to low enrollment. Thank you!

For more information and/or to register for 198th Convention Workshops, click on the title below:
Planting Trees to Care for Creation

Insights into the Board of the Corporation

Church Communications 101

Stand for Office

In addition to electing the 11th Bishop of Georgia, the 198th Convention of the Diocese of Georgia is charged with electing persons to serve on the Board of the Corporation, Diocesan Council (at large), Disciplinary Board, Sewanee Trustee, Standing Committee, and delegates and alternates to the 2021 General Convention of the Episcopal Church.

Nominations for all offices remain open, by the canons of the Diocese, until the floor of convention, and until November 14th can be added to the website.

Liz Williams of All Saints Thomasville is the Nominations Chair and will oversee the nominations for the offices up for election other than diocesan bishop.

Nominations so far include:

For Board of the Corporation

Edward Field, St. Peter's, Savannah

Mary Willoughby, Collegiate Church of St. Paul the Apostle, Savannah

For the Disciplinary Board
Neal W. Dickert, Good Shepherd, Augusta

The Rev. Becky Rowell, Christ Church, St. Simons

For Diocesan Council at Large, Lay Person, Priest or Deacon
The Rev. Ashton Williston, Christ Church, St. Simons Island

NEW: Cuffy Sullivan, Collegiate Church of St. Paul the Apostle

For Sewanee Trustee, Lay Person

Isabella Stuart Reeves, Christ Church, Savannah

For General Convention Deputy, Lay Person

Cissy Bowden, Good Shepherd, Augusta

Dade Brantley, St. Mark's, Brunswick
Katie Easterlin, Collegiate Church of St. Paul the Apostle, Savannah
Jody Grant, Our Savior, Martinez
Molly Stevenson, Christ Church, Valdosta
Elizabeth Williams, St. Thomas', Thomasville

For General Convention Deputy, Deacon or Priest

The Rev. Ted Clarkson, St. Andrew's and St. Cyprian's, Darien

The Rev. Tom Purdy, Christ Church, St. Simons

The Rev. Nicholas Roosevelt, St. Patrick's, Albany

The Rev. David Rose, St. Luke's, Rincon

The Rev. Dee Shaffer, St. Paul's, Jesup

The Rev. Kelly Steele, St. Peter's, Savannah

The Rev. Cynthia Taylor, Holy Comforter, Martinez

The Very Rev. William Willoughby III, Collegiate Church of St. Paul the Apostle, Savannah

NEW: The Rev. Leeann Culbreath, Deacon, St. Barnabas', Valdosta

For Standing Committee, Priest

The Very Rev. Tar Drazdowski, Christ Church, Cordele

The Rev. David Lemburg, St. George's, Savannah
The Rev. David Rose, St. Luke's, Rincon

The Rev. Jim Said, St. Augustine of Canterbury, Augusta
The Rev. Kelly Steele , St. Peter's, Savannah

For Standing Committee, Lay Person

Pat Leslie, St. George's, Savannah

Hughes Threlkeld, Annunciation, Vidalia

While nominations for all offices other than bishop remain open, by the canons of the Diocese, until the floor of convention, submitting a nomination as soon as possible will assist the Diocese in publicizing the nominees in advance of the meeting. Go here to read more about specific offices and to submit a nominee or nominator's form. Go here to see current rosters for offices.

Register for Convention

The cost to register is now $95. The registration fee covers the cost of audio-visual and print production; excellent coffee along with breakfast on Friday and Saturday morning; a catered lunch on Friday, and more. Go here to register: http://bit.ly/Registerfor198thConvention

Details

Attendees are encouraged to car pool to GSU from hotels or area churches.

Creation Care Commission suggests attendees bring their own water bottle and mug, label it!
AND if you have a gently used mug or water bottle to share, please bring it!

Bishop Election Begins November 15

The Rev. Rob Brown

The Rev. Lonnie Lacy

The Rev. Canon Frank Logue

The Venerable Jennifer McKenzie

The Rev. Canon John

Thompson Quarty

First Votes to be Cast Thursday AM

The Rev. Rob Brown, the Rev. Lonnie Lacy, the Rev. Frank Logue, the Venerable Jennifer McKenzie, and the Rev. Canon John Thompson-Quartey have had their names listed alphabetically by last name as a group since September 1.

Before that they went through the rigors of the interviewing process to becom, including a retreat with the Standing Committee in August at Honey Creek, and after that, a five-day Walkabout through the Diocese of Georgia where they met more than 700 people, answered questions, shared their theology and their dreams for the Diocese of Georgia.

We extend our warmest thanks to all for being part of this process. Truly God is among us!

For more information on the candidates, go to georgiabishopsearch.org

A Note on Canonical Changes

The clergy and delegates will vote during the 198th Convention of the Diocese of Georgia on canonical changes designed to conform our governing documents to recent practice. Those proposed changes are printed correctly in the convention book. On that same page, the text marked as current canons is, however, in error. The text came from the 2015 canons rather than the 2018 canons. We apologize for the error. The correct text for the current canon is now below, at the convention website ( convention.georgiaepiscopal.org) and will be correct on the screen when considering the change in convention. It is also available for download here.

In addition, the convention book refers to changes proposed by the Rev. Nick Roosevelt Canons I.13.1 and I.15.5. When Diocesan Council reviewed those proposed changes and agreed with Roosevelt that a change is in order to the canon describing our budget process. The Council recommended the bishop form a committee to work on perfecting a resolution to bring to the next Council meeting. Roosevelt therefore pull the proposed changes referenced in the book. The matter will come before the 199th Convention in 2020.

The Committee on Constitution and Canons received two sets of proposed changes to the Canons of the Diocese of Georgia. Bishop Benhase and diocesan staff drafted the proposal for changes to Canon I.13 to conform the Canons to recent practice.

Canon I.13

The Committee on Constitution and Canons met on September 4, 2019. They reviewed the following proposed changes to Canon 1.13 (Diocesan Agencies, Commissions and Boards) and voted to endorse this proposal, as amended, to Convention. The changes as amended by the Committee are shown below:

Canon 13.2

Current

There shall be a Commission on Ministry consisting of six Clerics, one of whom shall be a Deacon, and five Lay communicants. The Bishop annually shall appoint the members of the commission with the consent of the Diocesan Council. The Commission on Ministry shall have the duties specified in the General Canons. The Bishop shall appoint clergy to the Board of Examining Chaplains.

Proposed

There shall be a Commission on Ministry consisting of an interview committee of three to six clergy, at least one of whom shall be a deacon, and an equal number of lay communicants plus a chair who shall be a priest. The Bishop shall appoint the members of the commission annually with the consent of the Diocesan Convention. The Commission shall have the duties specified in the Canons of The Episcopal Church. The Bishop shall appoint such clergy members of the Commission who shall comprise the Board of Examining Chaplains with one chaplain for each of the following six areas: Holy Scripture; Liturgy and Church; Church History; Theology; Theory and Practice of Ministry in Contemporary Society; and Ethics & Moral Theology.

Canon 13.3

Current

There shall be a Honey Creek Commission, the members of which shall be appointed annually by the Bishop with the consent of Diocesan Council. The commission shall act in accordance with its charter as approved by Diocesan Council.

Proposed

There shall be a Honey Creek Development Committee, the members of which shall be appointed annually by the Bishop with the consent of Diocesan Council or Diocesan Convention. The committee shall serve with the Executive Director of Honey Creek and other diocesan staff to support the current and future development of Honey Creek as a mission asset of the Diocese.

Canon 13.4

Current

There shall be a Commission on Worship, the members of which shall be appointed annually by the Bishop with the consent of the Diocesan Council. It shall assist the Bishop and the Congregations of the Diocese in liturgical and musical matters, provide leadership in good liturgical and musical usage and practice, serve as liaison with the Standing Liturgical Commission and the Standing Commission on Church Music, and plan and carry out programs within the Diocese consonant with its purposes. The commission shall also give advice on preliminary plans for any construction in Mission and Parish Congregations. Any such plans for renovation, enlargement, or initial construction shall include the recommendations of this commission when submitted to the Bishop and Standing Committee for approval and funding permission.

Proposed

The Bishop with the consent of the Diocesan Council shall appoint ad hoc task groups, teams, or consultants, from time to time, to assist Congregations of the Diocese in:
(1) Addressing particular liturgical and musical matters;
(2) Planning property renovations, enlargements, or initial construction;
(3) Attending to conflict within a congregation;
(4) Developing strategic plans for future mission opportunities; or,
(5) Dealing with other challenges and opportunities the Bishop and Diocesan Council identify.

Go here
to download a printable PDF of this map!

Next Week in From the Field:

Convention Wrap-Up; Return of Regular Features

Diocesan Office Update and News

T he Rt. Rev. Scott Anson Benhase, 10th Bishop of the Diocese of Georgia, will make his annual visitation to St. Luke's, Rincon at 10 AM, Sunday, November 17. To see the Bishop's complete visitation schedule, go here.

There will be no Thursday, noon service this week at Saint Anna Alexander Chapel, Diocesan House.

The Diocesan Offices will be closed on Monday.

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.

November 10-16

In our diocesan cycle of prayer, we pray for our congregations in Valdosta, Christ Church, Christ the King, and St. Barnabas. We also pray for our ecumenical partners in Valdosta, especially St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church. In our companion diocese of the Dominican Republic, we pray for the congregations in Santo Domingo, especially St. Philip the Apostle (

San Felipe Apóstol).

November 17-23
In our diocesan cycle of prayer, we pray for our congregation in Vidalia, the Church of the Annunciation. We also pray for our ecumenical partners in Vidalia, especially Sacred Heart Catholic Church and for St. Andrew the Apostle Catholic Church in Reidsville. In our companion diocese of the Dominican Republic, we pray for the congregations in Santo Domingo, especially St. Peter and St. Paul (San Pedro y San Pablo).

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 .

Events

198th Convention of the Diocese of Georgia

November 14-16
Georgia Southern University

To register, go here.

Diocesan Convention Youth Presence (for grades 6 to 12)

November 15 (all day) through November 16
Hosted by Trinity Church, Statesboro

Register here .

Winter Youth Retreat

January 10-12, 2020
Honey Creek

For students in grades 6 to 12
Register here.

Happening #103

Thursday, February 20 (for staff, participants arrive Friday) to Sunday, February 23, 2020
Honey Creek
For students in grades 10 to 12
Register here.

Consecration of the XI Bishop, Diocese of Georgia

11 AM Saturday, May 30

Johnny Mercer Theater
Savannah, Georgia

Presiding Bishop Michael Curry Preaches in Forsyth Park

11 AM Sunday, May 31

The Bandshell, Forsyth Park
Savannah, Georgia