September 8, 2021
Volume 11, No. 53
IN THIS ISSUE
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Safe Church Module Reflection
A few weeks ago, the Episcopal Church began to release a series of new online training modules, which is now called the Safe Church, Safe Communities program. It was previously named Safeguarding God's Children. Three modules have been released so far, and another six are due to be released this fall.

These new training modules seek to approach the protection of children and vulnerable adults from a theological perspective, since safety and respect are foundational to following Jesus' commandment love God and love Neighbor. They are designed to work in conjunction with updated Model Policies for the protection of children and vulnerable adults in the Episcopal Church. As new modules are being released, the Rev. Canon Joshua Varner is working to update the Diocesan guidelines.

As these new trainings come out, Canon Varner will be offering a series of Zoom calls for anyone who would like to reflect on these trainings with others who are responsible for implementing them in their congregations. These sessions are open to both clergy and lay leaders. The first meeting will take place the week of September 12. If you are interested in being part of this Reflection Group, please click this link or type in the following address: 

This link will take you to a Google Form that asks for your name, congregation, and availability. Please list all of the times which you can make. The dates with the most availability will be chosen.

These reflection sessions are in no way required to complete the new Safe Church training, but are a way to discuss together how best to implement these new guidelines into your own parish settings.

For more information on how to complete the modules or about the reflection times, contact Canon Joshua Varner at jvarner@gaepiscopal.org.

Clergy Transitions

The Rev. Steve Clifton has accepted a call to serve as Interim Priest-in-Charge at Grace Church in Sandersville as well as leading weekly formation programs for the Church of St. Mary Magdalene in Louisville. Clifton graduated from Nashotah House Seminary in 1984 and has served congregations in Georgia and Florida.

His recent move to Augusta is a homecoming for Fr. Steve, who grew up in Savannah. He attended Honey Creek as a camper and later a counselor, and after his ordination served congregations in Augusta, Bainbridge, Savannah, Valdosta, and Quitman. He also served as diocesan youth coordinator and spiritual director for Happening for several years, along with other diocesan positions. After more than twenty-five years serving parishes in central and southwest Florida, he is overjoyed to return home to the Diocese of Georgia. He is married to the Rev. Sonia Sullivan Clifton, who has recently accepted a call to serve as the Chaplain at Episcopal Day School in Augusta, and has two grown children and one adorable grandson.

Clifton follows the Rev. Carlton Shuford who served Grace Church since 2009. 

New Dean for Albany Convocation

The Very Rev. Richard Nelson has accepted a call to serve as the Dean of the Albany Convocation. Nelson has served as the priest in charge of Calvary, Americus, since April 2019. He previously served for 13 years as the Rector of St. Thomas Isle of Hope, Savannah. 

Richard, and his wife, the Rev. Geri Nelson, Deacon, arrived in Savannah in 2004 from the Diocese of Western North Carolina where they both served at the Church of the Holy Family in Etowah. After graduating from Seabury-Western Theological Seminary in 1983, he served churches in Chicago and Sarasota, Florida, before moving to North Carolina to serve at St. James in Hendersonville. He and Geri married in 1990. In the Diocese of Georgia, he has been active in Cursillo. 

He follows the Rev. Galen Mirate as the Dean of the Albany Convocation. 


Prayer Shawls for Savannah Healthcare Workers

A small portion of Beth's growing stack of prayer shawls.
As the numbers of new cases of Covid have once again risen, Beth Westgate of St. Francis of the Islands in Savannah wanted do something to show local healthcare workers that someone was thinking of them. "You know, I've been here just making these prayer shawls like crazy and thought that they should be used. I know the healthcare workers are overloaded and wanted to give them something that would provide some comfort." 

Beth already has a good start on completed shawls, but would like to provide the opportunity to others in the Savannah area to donate their own handiwork. If you'd like to donate a prayer shawl that will be given to a Savannah healthcare worker, contact Beth at stfrancisbeth@yahoo.com

Time to renew property insurance


It's the that time of year for parishes to renew their property insurance policies! 

Church Insurance Agency is still not permitted to travel so in the meantime, they are offering virtual meetings for any church looking to review their insurance coverages. If you would like to review your policy as of 10/1/21-22 renewal, please email or call Linda Knowlton. Linda's direct line is (828)874-3004, and her email address is lknowlton@cpg.org.

Happening #104 to be POSTPONED
Happening #104 will be postponed to November 19-21 at Honey Creek. Happening is a youth event for 10th through 12th graders, and was originally scheduled for September.

Our hope when we put this on the calendar several months ago was that we could hold Happening at that time. However, given the resurgence of COVID-19, driven by the Delta variant, and all the public health risks that come with that, we have decided that we need to postpone Happening. In making this shift we are trying both to keep our young people as safe as possible while still offering an amazing experience to our participants. 

The Youth COVID-19 Guidelines will still be in effect for the new date.

The Youth Ministry website, youth.georgiaepiscopal.org, is updated with the new dates, and will continue to be updated, as will the Georgia Happening website, as we move closer to our Happening date! 

Remember the BEST is yet to come!

Registration for the new dates is open! To register as a Participant, click here.

To view the new guidelines for overnight youth events, click here.


United Thank Offering Webinar


For those who are interested in applying for a United Thank Offering grant, there will be in informational webinar on the 2022 focus on September 21 at 7:00pm with the Rev. Melanie Mullen.

The 2022 grant year will be focused on creation care. Additional webinars will be held in October, November, and January. The grant deadline is February 4, 2022.

To register for the webinar, click here.

To learn more and prepare for a grant application, click here.


Christmas in October for Clergy Spouses


To register for the clergy spouse conference, contact GeorgeAnne at georgeanne@honeycreek.org  
or visit honeycreek.org.

A Word About Deacons
Each week we will have a submission from a deacon that will explore topics like what a deacon is, what they do, their history, and other stories.


The Rev. Scott Mithen was ordained to the Sacred Order of Deacons on October 21, 2009 and currently serves at St. Thomas in Thomasville. He says, "The Holy Spirit moved me to become a deacon. I was finishing up my third year of EFM and I felt like God was calling me to do something, to be of service to the community and the church. But I had reservations and many long talks with God ...in the end I knew that being a deacon was what I was called to do. When I first met with Bishop Louttit to discuss the Diaconate and the call I believed I had, he asked me if I had ever been in a church with a deacon or knew what deacons did and I said no, only what I had read. He smiled and asked that I go to Christ the King in Valdosta and shadow Deacon Yvette Owens and then we would talk. Shadowing Deacon Yvette was eye opening and I was sold on the idea of being a deacon." His diaconal ministry is found in serving others through work with Hospice and with feeding ministries. He has been with Kindred Hospice for 13 years now and also serves as a member of the Deacon Council and as the Examining Chaplain for Holy Scriptures for the Deacon School for Ministry. 
                  
Mithen says as a volunteer visitor with Hospice, he loves being able to visit patients in hospice care in hospitals, nursing homes and in their homes. His goal with each visit is to somehow lighten their day a bit, maybe even share a laugh with them. He says, "If I can take their minds off of where they are or the pain they may have, even for a few moments that means the world to them and to me. " The Covid virus of course has changed this ministry, as it was not safe to allow visitors into many of the places he used to go. Even visits in homes stopped, so when he could not visit someone at home he would call and visit with them over the phone. This of course was not the same as being a presence there but it did work and allowed him to visit with patients in other parts of the state.            
                 
For Scott, first and foremost, being a deacon is about the people he meets and serves in his ministries in the community and at church. Just the other day, he was helping to give out food boxes at St. John's Episcopal Church in Bainbridge. An older lady came walking from her apartment and got a box. These boxes were somewhat heavy so he offered to carry hers to her home. They walked for about 3 blocks and talked the whole way. He says, "That day if I had done nothing else, I was where I was needed. " For Scott, being a deacon is a servant ministry that touches so many lives, in so many ways, whether it's serving God's people in the community or in the church.  

Convention Corner

Registration

Register Individually
Each delegate must register individually. This is important step will assist us to populate our new ACS Realm DataBase and is a necessary step with that system to use a separate email address for each person registered.

To register for Convention, click here.
Please note that registration is needed for each individual instead of a group registration.

To fill out the vendor application, click hereAll exhibit requests are subject to approval by the Bishop's office. Applications are due no later than October 1, 2021. Vendor applications must be approved before registering for convention.

Resolutions

Resolutions are due to the Secretary of Convention, 
Canon Katie Easterlin, by September 4, 2021, in order to be considered by the convention. The rules of Convention governing resolutions are found in the Canons of the Diocese of Georgia and are reproduced here for reference:
  • Resolutions on non-budget items to be placed before Diocesan Convention, except those from Diocesan Council and Convention Committees, must be submitted to the Secretary of the Diocese in writing at least sixty days prior to said Convention.
  • The Secretary will make the resolutions available to the convocations of the Diocese for study and response before the Convention and will provide for their publication in From the Field, at the latest, in the issue next preceding Convention. The Canons of the Diocese are coordinating to visit pre-Convention convocation meetings.
  • Any proposed alteration or addition to the Canons proposed on the first day of the meeting of the Convention, shall be submitted in writing to the Chairperson of the Committee on Constitution and Canons at least sixty (60) days prior to the opening of the Convention. No such proposed alteration or addition shall be considered by the Convention until it has been referred to and reported upon by the Committee on Constitution and Canons. Every amendment or alteration proposed on any succeeding day of the Convention session shall be similarly referred and reported upon but may not be adopted without the consent of two-thirds of the delegates present. The Committee on Constitution and Canons may propose alterations on its own volition at any time. Changes approved at Convention shall go into effect immediately following the adjournment of that Convention.
  • So that content and intent may be clearly understood, any resolution submitted, except those of a laudatory nature, shall be titled and include a summary of its content and purpose. Said summary shall be read when resolutions are presented for referral or vote.
As a reminder, the task force for Constitutions and Canons is working on recommendations for changes to the canons. The comment period ended on August 28. To view their work, click here.


Nominations 

Nominations for positions on Diocesan committees are now open. Delegates will vote on each position during the 200th Convention.

The following positions are up for election. Be sure to get permission before nominating someone other than yourself. For full descriptions of each position, click here.

BOARD of OFFICERS of THE CORPORATION - 1 lay person
CHURCH DISCIPLINARY BOARD - 3 clergy persons & 2 lay persons
DIOCESAN COUNCIL - 1 lay person or clergy person
STANDING COMMITTEE - 1 lay person & 1 priest
TRUSTEE of the UNIVERSITY of the SOUTH - 1 lay person

To submit a nomination click here.

Once nominated, the nominee will need to fill out this form.

To view the current list of nominations, click here.

To be included in the printed convention booklet, nominations must be submitted by September 24. Nominations are open until they are closed on the floor of convention and will continue to be updated in From the Field and online until November 1.

New Banner needed for All Saints Chapel in Sewanee
 
The Episcopal Diocese of Georgia is one of twenty-eight constituent dioceses that affirms and strengthens the Episcopal identity of Sewanee: The University of the South. The Episcopal University houses the College of Art and Sciences, School of Letters, Sewanee Writers' and Young Writers' Conferences, The Chorale Institute, Sewanee Environmental Institute, and the Summer Music Festival. Nestled away from the main campus along Tennessee Avenue is The School of Theology where budding seminarians are prepared for life in ordained and lay ministry. In addition to the regular curriculum, The School of Theology also runs key continuing education and self-development programs for lay persons and clergy that include The Beecken Center, Education for Ministry (EfM), Invite Welcome Connect, Sewanee Ministry Collaborative and the SUMMA Student Theological Debate Society for high school students.

Each Sewanee diocese has a banner that is hung along the corridors inside All Saints Chapel located on the main University campus. The Diocese of Georgia's existing banner at the Chapel needs to be changed in order to reflect the Diocesan seal rather than the Coat of Arms (learn more about our two emblems here).


The clergy in the Diocese of Georgia bought a banner with the diocesan seal and gave it to the Diocese at Bishop Frank Logue's consecration in May 2020. Trevor Floyd arranged having that banner created for us with beautiful stitching by Juliet Hemingray. Trevor has also done another diocese's banner for All Saints Chapel and will work with the University on making sure that the Diocese of Georgia's banner will meet the standards of the University and be installed properly. The cost of the banner is also reduced since the design work has already been done.

The Sewanee Trustees would like to appeal to the Sewanee Alumni and friends of Sewanee to consider contributing towards the purchase and installation of the new banner at All Saints Chapel. Donations can be made to the Diocese of Georgia with indication that it is for the "Sewanee Banner" and sent to Episcopal Diocese of Georgia, 18 E 34th St, Savannah, GA 31401. The Diocese will inform you when our fundraising goal is met. If any excess funds remain, these will go towards the Sewanee School of Theology Scholarship Fund that supports seminarians in residence.

Register for the Fall Clergy Conference
 
The Fall Clergy Conference will be held
 Monday, September 27 - Wednesday, September 29, 2021 at Honey Creek.  We will begin with dinner on Monday and end after lunch on Wednesday. 

We hope this time apart with one another will be a period of rest and refreshment, and will provide opportunities for in-depth conversation among colleagues. We will also be learning about three offerings that you can bring back to your congregations, for little to no cost: Sacred Ground, Transforming Questions, and Sharing Faith Dinners. 

The registration link for Clergy Conference can be found here.

Across the Diocese
  
The Rev. Kelly Steele, Priest-in-Charge at St. Peter's in Savannah (center) leads Evening Prayer every Monday through Thursday via Zoom and Facebook Live.


   Bishop Logue (center) with the Very Rev. Leslie Dellenbarger (left) and the Rev. Scott Mithen, Deacon (right) at the outdoor Eucharist this Sunday for the Bishop's visitation to St. John's in Bainbridge.


Members of the Glynn Episcopal Ministries donated 10 dozen donuts, 10 dozen bagels, and 20 carafes of coffee from local businesses to the local health system. Glynn County is facing one of the worst current outbreaks of the virus in the United States, with last week reaching the highest deaths per capita in the country. All Glynn County churches are worshipping virtually in an effort to support the health system, which is overburdened and understaffed.

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 2021 one year prayer cycle is online here: 2021 Prayer Cycle

September 12 - 18
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 19 - 25
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
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 Logue will officiate and preach the funeral for the Rev. Chad Chaffee, Deacon at St. Phillip's in Hinesville on Sunday.

Communications Manager Liz Williams will be out of the office Thursday, September 9 and will return to the office on Tuesday, September 14. She will meet with the board of Episcopal Communicators upon her return, who will be in Savannah for a site and planning visit for the 2022 Episcopal Communicators conference.

To view Bishop Logue's full visitation calendar, click here. (Updated 8/31/2021)

You may reach diocesan staff by phone at (912) 236-4279. Given staff schedules of meetings and travel, the best way to reach a staff member is via email as we will always get back with you promptly in many cases and in 24-72 hours when working on more pressing matters. 

Staff e-mails can be found here with a list of responsibilities so you know who to contact for what.

Let Us Know!

What are you doing to keep community right now? Send any updates or photos to our Communications Manager Liz Williams at lwilliams@gaepiscopal.org. We want to hear from you!

Fun Socks Required
The Rev. Terri Degenhardt of St. Augustine's of Canterbury in Augusta shows off her corgi socks 
Sunday morning before the service.

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