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August 14, 2019
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Volume 9, No. 51
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Eloise C. Snyder Foundation Awards Grant to Holy Comforter
Sometimes it helps to have Corgis. The Rev. Cynthia Taylor, Rector at Holy Comforter, Martinez has long been a member of the Palmetto Pembroke Welsh Corgi Club.
That's where she met fellow Corgi-owner Bevan Weyburn of Lexington SC who eventually became a confirmed member of Holy Comforter. A financial counselor, Ms. Weyburn knew about The Eloise C. Snyder Foundation Grants which are to be used for religious education programs. "Bevan has a deep heart for our church and encouraged us to apply for a grant from the foundation," said Taylor.
This summer the congregation received a grant for $75,000 from the Eloise C. Snyder Foundation to be used exclusively towards the ministry of religious education. "Like most grants, this cannot be used towards staff, operating expenses or debt reduction," said Taylor.
Holy Comforter plans to use these funds over the next several years. "Currently we are working to upgrade our Christian formation classes," said Taylor, "bringing them into the 21st century and reaching out further to our community through live streaming
, especially to the two assisted living facilities with whom we partner."
The grant will also enable the congregation to bring in guest preachers to deepen its mission and ministry. "This is just the beginning," said Taylor. "We are very grateful to Bevan Weyburn and to Ginnie Wilkins, Snyder
Grant Trustee."
 Dr. Eloise C. Snyder, who died in 2015, was a professor of Sociology at the University of South Carolina. Dr. Snyder had a passion for working on the impact of the Juvenile Court system, mentoring students and leaving this world better than she found it. She established a Trust Fund to be used for religious education programs. Dr. Snyder always maintained that any money she had was "God's money" and was to be used as such.
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This Sunday's Lections
TENTH SUNDAY
after
PENTECOST
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Track 1
Isaiah 5:1-7
Psalm 80:1-2, 8-18
Hebrews 11:29-12:2
Luke 12:49-56
Track 2
Jeremiah 23:23-29
Psalm 82
Hebrews 11:29-12:2
Luke 12:49-56
Go
here for the full text.
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To download a PDF version of the timeline suitable for posting, go here.
Next up in the Search for the XI Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Georgia: the Honey Creek retreat with the candidates concludes tomorrow, Thursday, August 15. The Search Committee meets and votes on who the finalists will be. Once the slate is submitted to and confirmed by the Standing Committee and the candidates, names of candidates for the XI Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Georgia will be published. The stated goal is noon, September 1, 2019 for release of that information.
Please continue to keep the Standing Committee, the Search Committee, the Transition Committee, the Episcopal Diocese of Georgia, and the Candidates in your prayers:
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Guest Columnist: The Rev. Tom Purdy
Cool Breezes and Mountain Air at the Clergy Cottage
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The Purdy family added a Fairy Cottage to the Saluda Clergy Cottage this past summer.
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The Diocese of Georgia's Clergy Cottage in Saluda, NC has quickly become a favorite destination for our family. We've utilized the cottage on a number of occasions in the years I've served in this diocese, and each time it has provided a place of respite and retreat, while also serving as a launching pad for adventure. Some of those adventures have made for great life-long stories, like the time our youngest was bit on the foot by a copperhead while hiking in nearby Dupont Forest. Don't let that dissuade you; she was fine, and we have snakes here, too. What we don't have here are the mountains and the cooler weather!
When I speak about the Clergy Cottage, I sometimes find it hard to describe it accurately. It's a quaint little cottage, about one hundred years old. It is simple and cozy, in a quiet street in the cool little town of Saluda. I have heard some call it "rustic", but I don't think that's a fitting description, per se. It isn't showy, by any means, but it has amenities that I don't think apply to rustic structures. It has a small, but full kitchen and a full bath, and there are window air conditioners for use in the main living area and the upstairs bedrooms (there's also a master bedroom downstairs), and it has all the pots, pans, and utensils needed to stay in for meals. Each of these amenities is simple, yet sufficient for a place of retreat, which is what the cottage was designed for.
 In 1893 the Clergy Housing Association was formed with a vision for a series of cottages to be made available for clergy in southern dioceses to have an opportunity for "rest and charge" as they enjoyed, "the salubrious atmosphere" in Saluda. The first cottage was built in 1901, and the original model was for just a few clergy, perhaps as few as one family, to enjoy the cottage during the heat of the summer months. Donations were accepted from individuals, parishes, and dioceses to build on the nearly eight acres donated for this purpose, which is how Georgia came to eventually have its own cottage. The Georgia house and the South Carolina house were the last two that remained from the Association, and the Georgia cottage alone remains in ownership of the Episcopal Church to be used for this purpose, decades after South Carolina sold theirs to a priest from that diocese.
 For us, the affordability of the cottage makes it a great option for a family getaway in the summer. While my wife and I would enjoy it on our own, our two girls love it as much as we do. When we did not reserve a week at the cottage last summer, they were sorely disappointed! We find the setting to be refreshing, and we have never run out of things to do in the surrounding area. With DuPont Forest and Pisgah National Forest nearby we can find lots of trails and waterfalls to explore. Surrounding towns, like Hendersonville, Brevard, and Asheville (to name a few) are great day trips. Saluda itself is a quaint little town with a good vibe, good restaurants, and eclectic shops. From the Clergy Cottage we've been able to experience hiking, tubing on the Green River, antiquing, shopping, wineries, breweries, the Western North Carolina Cheese Trail (at right, above), Shakespeare in the Park, small town festivals, and so much more.
The cottage itself is quirky, and it has an amalgamation of interesting furniture and decorations that only God would know the original source for. I can admit it wouldn't be for everyone, but we find it to be a soul-feeding place to call home for a week at a time. Sitting on the porch rockers and listening to the trees as they sway, or reading a book in the living room at night with a cool breeze gently coming through the window are favorites of ours. Perhaps you'll have to try it for yourself. Clergy get first crack at the annual calendar, in keeping with the mission of the cottage, yet after a certain point, the open weeks are available to anyone in the Diocese of Georgia. It's a gift that our diocese has such a resource, and the best way to be good stewards of the vision that created it is to use it. I know our family is grateful to those who made and still make it available. I hope the hospitality and the ministry of the Georgia Clergy Cottage continues for many years to come.
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Hiking in Mt. Pisgah National Forest.
The Rev. Tom Purdy is Rector of Christ Church Frederica. For information on renting the cottage, call the Diocesan Office at 912-236-4279.
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Registration Closes Next Tuesday, August 20
Two Weeks Until the Acolyte Festival!
This year's Acolyte Festival takes place in less than two weeks! Acolytes from across the Diocese will gather at the Church of the Good Shepherd, Augusta. The time together will be framed by formation, music, and play. A highlight this year will be Acolyte Lead Training and workshops for Acolyte Masters presented by Roger Speer, Good Shepherd's Director of Student Ministries and the co-author and illustrator of "I Serve at God's Altar," the new Acolyte Training manual by Church Publishing. Participating churches will each receive a copy of "I serve at God's Altar" for their libraries
On Saturday, there will be multiple workshops led by area clergy and lay leaders for acolytes of every age from grade three through 12. Workshops take place Saturday in the early afternoon and include instructions on how to swing a thurible, how to serve at the altar, what all the different vestments are and mean, and lots more! A highlight will be a late afternoon fun activity, and joining the Church of the Good Shepherd's worship service on Sunday, August 25.
Participants arrive on Saturday morning, August 24 from 9-10:30 AM.
Please bring:
1. Acolyte Vestments from your Congregation for Sunday's service
2. A congregational banner for Sunday's festival procession, if your church has one.
3. An air mattress or camp mattress, sleeping bag, toiletries, and Sunday morning clothes
4. Bring a swimsuit and towel for Saturday night!
The full schedule can be found at the Diocese of Georgia Youth Facebook Event, located here.
Congregations who send a group of acolytes are asked to register and send adults who are willing to engage with the activities and with the acolytes throughout the weekend!
Please contact the Rev. Canon Joshua Varner at jvarner@gaepiscopal.org for more information, or to request scholarship assistance. Click this link to register now.
Last year's Acolyte Festival was held at St. Anne's Tifton.
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New Beginnings #55 Coming Soon!
September 6-8, 2019
Grades 7-9
Honey Creek
Cost: $115 before August 16
$125 after August 16
Above, Waverly Brown, Christ Church, Frederica, upcoming Lead Teen for New Beginnings #55, with JD Greneker, Christ Church, Valdosta.
New Beginnings, a retreat for youth in Grades 7-9, takes place in just over three weeks! Participants in grades 7-9 are invited to come together from across the Diocese to pray, play, listen, and talk about God's unconditional love in their lives. Youth who are on staff, usually high schoolers, give talks on different aspects of their life with God and with each other.
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From left: Christyn Riggins, NaJeriah Riley and Eva Purdy get ready to lead the procession across Honey Creek to the Closing Eucharist at the most recent Happenings.
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New Beginnings starts on Friday evening at 7 PM (after supper) and ends on Sunday with a Closing Eucharist around 12:30 PM. Friends and Family are encouraged to attend the Eucharist to support their youth and hear about the weekend firsthand!
Waverly Brown, from Christ Church, Frederica, is the Lead Teen for New Beginnings #55, and will lead the staff retreat this coming weekend. The Rev. Katie Knoll-Lenon, also from Christ Church, and the Rev. Yvette Owens, Deacon at Christ the King, Valdosta, will serve as the Spiritual Directors for New Beginnings #55. Allen Lamb and Karen Bell are the New Beginnings Coordinators. Please keep all the staff in your prayers as they prepare for an amazing weekend next month!
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Around the Diocese
Blessing of the Backpacks at St. Anne's Tifton above, and Holy Comforter Martinez, below.
Blessing backpacks at Christ Church, Frederica, above, and St. Thomas' Isle of Hope, below.
August birthdays celebrated at All Saints' Tybee Island.
 
The Rev. Tommy Townsend baptizes Jane Wylie Goodloe, left, and Jim Ross Flanagan through the Holy Spirit at
Holy Nativity, St. Simons Island
Three generations of Wrights helped smoke the meat at Good Shepherd, Augusta, above. At the farewell and thank you reception for the Rev. Galen Mirate at Calvary Americus.
Post pizza-making for the youth at St. Anne's Tifton.
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Know Your Delegate Count for 198th Convention
From the Standing Committee
Regarding Delegates to the Diocesan Convention
and Election of the XI Bishop of the Diocese of Georgia:
T
his is a reminder that the new Article III, Sec. 2 of the Canons of the Diocese of Georgia will be in effect at the upcoming Convention and Bishop Election of the Episcopal Diocese of Georgia on November 14-16, 2019. This Article states that the calculation of each congregation's READ MORE
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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 Christ Church Cordele at 9 AM, Sunday, August 18th. The Bishop's full schedule can be found
here.
The Rev. Frank Logue, Canon to the Ordinary, will serve this Sunday at St. Luke's, Hawkinsville.
The Rev. Joshua Varner, will be at Christ Church Frederica this weekend, making preparations with the New Beginnings #55 Staff for New Beginnings #55, September 6-8 at Honey Creek.
The Rev. David Rose, Rector at St. Luke's Rincon, will officiate at the Thursday, noon service at Saint Anna Alexander Chapel, Diocesan House.
Diocesan House closes at noon on Fridays in the summer.
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Daughters of the King (DOK) Assembly Set for September
The DOK Fall Assembly, a gathering of celebration and prayer, will be held Sept 20-21, 2019 at Honey Creek. Diocesan Chaplain Amy Bradley will be the guest speaker.
The Assembly is open to all daughters, with organizers hoping that as many chapters in the Diocese of Georgia can be represented. For an agenda, go
here.
To register, download this
form
.
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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.
August 11-17
In our diocesan cycle of prayer, we pray for our congregation in Sandersville, Grace Church. We also pray for our ecumenical partners in Sandersville, especially St. William Catholic Church. In our companion diocese of the Dominican Republic, we pray for
Divina Providencia (Divine Providence) in San Antonio de Guerra.
August 18-24
In our diocesan cycle of prayer, we pray for our congregations in Savannah, especially Christ Church, the Mother Church of Georgia. We also pray for our ecumenical partners in Savannah, especially the Catholic Cathedral of St. John the Baptist and Ascension Lutheran Church. In our companion diocese of the Dominican Republic, we pray for
San Bartolomé (St. Barthlomew) in San Cristobal.
Additional Prayer Cycles
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Every Vote Counted!
The results are in! Last week we featured parishioners at St. Paul's Albany voting on a new name for the congregation's soup ministry. Ladles of Love was announced Sunday as the winner.
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Events
Candidates for the XI Bishop Retreat with Search Committee
Sunday, August 11 to Thursday, August 15
Honey Creek
Ordination to the Priesthood of the Rev. Samantha McKean, Deacon
Christ Church, Savannah
10:30 AM, Saturday, August 17th
XI Bishop Transition Committee Meeting
St. Anne's Tifton
Wednesday, August 21
Acolyte Festival
Saturday, August 24 (morning) to Sunday, Augusta 25 (after worship)
Church of the Good Shepherd, Augusta
Grades three to 12
Register here:
http://bit.ly/AcFest2019
New Beginnings #55
September 6-8
Honey Creek Retreat Center
Register by going
here
.
Diocesan Council
September 13-14
St. Peter's, Savannah
Cursillo #126
October 17-20
Honey Creek
Go
here for more information.
Walkabout with Candidates for the XI Bishop
6 PM Tuesday, October 22: Good Shepherd, Augusta
6 PM Wednesday, October 23: St. Thomas, Isle of Hope (with live Spanish interpretation)
11 AM Thursday, October 24: Christ Church, Frederica
6 PM Thursday, October 24: Christ Church, Valdosta
6 PM Friday, October 25: Calvary, Americus
198th Convention of the Diocese of Georgia
November 14-16
Georgia Southern University
Diocesan Convention Youth Presence (for grades 6 to 12)
November 15 (all day) through November 16
Hosted by Trinity Church, Statesboro
Winter Youth Retreat
January 10-12, 2020
Honey Creek
For students in grades 6 to 12
Happening #103
Thursday, February 20 (for staff, participants arrive Friday) to Sunday, February 23, 2020
Honey Creek
For students in grades 10 to 12
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