October 27, 2021 | Volume 11, No. 60

The Fall Festival at Liberty Park in Grovetown, held last Wednesday, was a community-wide event put on by the Grovetown Episcopal-Lutheran Mission. The new congregation had previously taken part in many community events, but this fall created their own festival to which they could invite their neighbors. The congregation invited Bishop Logue to take part in the festival in the place of a typical Bishop's Visitation, so he could be a part of their reaching out to their community. The event included lots of food, games, and a pumpkin carving contest. "I was thrilled to see so many of our folks participating in the ministry of outreach to help create and foster beloved community here in Grovetown," said the Rev. Thomas Barron, Missioner.

The Mission meets every Wednesday evening in the gym at Liberty Park typically for dinner church, with worship and a meal together. Barron said, "One thing we like to say about our liturgical dinner church is that there is room for you at God’s table. So you can imagine my excitement as we had to keep pulling out chairs at the festival to accommodate our guests!"

"Carving a pumpkin as part of a visit is a rare treat for a bishop, Bishop Logue said. "It was great fun to take part in this community event as a way of supporting this church plant in meeting more of their neighbors."

The Mission will be following up with a Trunk or Treat in the parking lot of the park. The new church start is funded by an anonymous $100,000 gift to the Diocese as part of the earlier Campaign for Congregational Development. Matching funds came from both the Episcopal Church and the Evangelical Lutheran Church (ELCA). The two denominations are partnering with some of their new congregations, some with an ELCA Pastor as missioner and others with an Episcopal priest.

The people of the Diocese of Georgia mourn the loss of Carolyn Gross Ulmer, who died on October 12 at the age of 91. A parishioner of St. Michael and All Angels, Savannah, she was the widow of the Rev. B. Sanford Ulmer, who served as our diocesan administrator from 1988-2010. When Sanford died in 2011, they had been married to married for almost 60 years. The couple had three children⁠—Sandy, Camille and David⁠—and eleven grandchildren.

Carolyn was a longtime member of both the Habersham Garden Club and the Alpha Tau Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma, an international society of outstanding women educators. A memorial service is tentatively planned for Saturday, December 11, at St. Michael's and All Angels, on what would have been her 92nd birthday.

Happening #104 takes place November 19-21, just over one month away, and we’re counting down the days! Even more exciting, we have made the decision to open this Happening weekend to current 9th graders! Now any young person currently in high school who has not previously attended Happening can register as a Candidate.

In order to meet in person with reduced risk, we will adhere to the updated Diocesan policies regarding vaccination and testing for Covid for all participants and staff. In addition, to allow for some spacing, we are limiting the total number of Candidates and Staff to fifty people.

Happening is a retreat led by youth for youth in grades 10-12 and offers participants (called candidates) a chance to explore their faith together, and address deep questions of piety, prayer, grace, reality, and more. The Rector for Happening #104 is Ellie Copeland, from Christ Church, Valdosta.

The Georgia Happening website, georgiahappening.com, is updated and will continue to be updated as we move closer to our Happening date! 

Remember the BEST is yet to come!

The Georgia Happening website, georgiahappening.com, is updated and will continue to be updated as we move closer to our Happening date! 

To register as a Candidate, click here.

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

• When: January 7-9, 2022
• Who: Youth in Grades 7-9
• Where: Honey Creek!
• Cost: $125 per person

New Beginnings, a retreat for youth currently in Grades 7-9, is open for registration. This event is led by older youth, with adult support. In a time of increased anxiety and uncertainty, New Beginnings offers young people a chance to gather at Honey Creek offers young people a chance to step back from their daily lives and reflect on some of the big issues of life, such as Family, Peer Pressure, Friends, and how the Love God has for all of us is unconditional and everlasting. Participant Registration is available here: https://bit.ly/NBParticipants. 

Applications to serve on New Beginnings Staff are also available! Any youth who has attended either New Beginnings or Happening is eligible to serve on staff. Serving on staff includes a commitment to attend the entire weekend, and to attend the staff lock-in, which is scheduled for December 4-5, 2021. The staff application is here: https://bit.ly/NBStaff. 

Job Openings Across the Diocese

St. Francis of the Islands Episcopal Church in Savannah, GA is seeking a part-time organist and choir director (approximately 8-10 hours per week) to provide music and direct the choir at the 10:30 am service on Sunday morning and other special services as required. Special services primarily follow the liturgical calendar, to include Principal Feasts of the Church, Ash Wednesday, and the services of Holy Week.  

Candidates are to have proficiency at the organ to lead congregational singing and perform organ repertoire. Candidates should also have a demonstrated ability to rehearse and direct choral music. Knowledge of or experience in the Episcopal Church preferred. The ideal candidate will be interested in teaching and mentoring students in the choir's inaugural class of choral scholars, and also serving as a resource for music education in the parish.

For more information and the full description, click here. 

October 13 - November 3

For those with health insurance through the Diocese of Georgia, please find the details for Annual Enrollment below on prices and resources. You may review plans on the Diocesan website here.

Enrolling for the First Time?

Eligible employees and dependents who are not currently enrolled in a Medical Trust plan may enroll during Annual Enrollment for the 2022 plan year. Please submit an enrollment form to me as this process must be handled by the plan administrator.

For any questions please reach out Canon Easterlin (keasterlin@gaepiscopal.org) or Daniel Garrick (dgarrick@gaepiscopal.org).

Convention information is now sent out in a separate email each week, leading up to convention. For more information on convention, visit gaepiscopal.org/convention.

The Rev. Aaron Brewer and members of King of Peace in Kingsland were the talk of the

St. Mary's Hay Days event!

The Rev. Dwayne Varas had his hands full at the pet blessing at St. Elizabeth's in Richmond Hill.

Parishioners at Church of the Holy Comforter in Martinez wore pink in support for their rector, the Rev. Cindy Taylor, as she continues with her breast cancer treatments.

Bishop Logue blesses the cross that sits atop St. Paul's in Albany. The cross was blown down three years ago by Hurricane Michael. All of the needed repairs to the building and the cross have been completed, and the cross will make it's way back to the top of the building in the coming days. The congregation was celebrating the 125th anniversary of the dedication of their current church building. The parish was founded in 1851.

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  

October 31 – November 6

In our diocesan cycle of prayer, we pray for our congregation on Tybee Island, All Saints. We also pray for our ecumenical partners on the island, especially St. Michael’s Catholic Church. In our companion diocese of the Dominican Republic, we pray for the congregations in Santo Domingo, especially St. Andrew (San Andrés).

November 7 - 13

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).

Newly Revised 31-Day Prayer Cycles

We also offer 30-day prayer cycles for those who wish to pray daily for the clergy and clergy spouses: Diocesan Diocesan Prayer Cycle Cycle and Clergy Clergy Spouses Prayer Cycle Prayer Cycle. (Updated 9/25/2021)

Bishop Logue will preach and celebrate at St. Michael and All Angels, Savannah, on Sunday.

To view Bishop Logue's full visitation calendar, click here. (Updated 10/6/2021)

Canon Easterlin will be traveling to Trinity in Statesboro on Wednesday.

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.

The acolytes were asking Bishop Logue about his crozier before the procession on Sunday at St. Paul's in Albany and he showed them how well balanced the silver-plated staff is. The crozier is one created for Bishop Harry Shipps.