November 17, 2021 | Volume 11, No. 63

The Georgia Trust’s Places in Peril program seeks to identify and preserve historic sites threatened by demolition, neglect, lack of maintenance, inappropriate development or insensitive public policy.

The list raises awareness about Georgia’s significant historic, archaeological and cultural resources, including buildings, structures, districts, archaeological sites and cultural landscapes. Through this program, the Trust encourages owners and individuals, organizations and communities to employ preservation tools, partnerships and resources necessary to preserve and utilize selected historic properties in peril.

“This is the Trust’s seventeenth annual Places in Peril list,” said Mark C. McDonald, president and CEO of the Trust. “To date, 95% of past Places in Peril sites are still in existence. We hope the list will continue to bring preservation solutions to Georgia’s imperiled historic resources by highlighting ten representative sites.”

The idea to apply to be put on this list originated from Dave Cranford, member of Trinity in Cochran and on the Diocesan Council, "I had the pleasure of attending Evening Prayer at Good Shepherd and touring the school. I immediately felt a strong connection to the place and all that it represents. It's truly sacred ground and the historic structures are worthy of documentation. I heard about the list, and thought it would be a good fit for Good Shepherd and passed that on to Dwala Nobles."

Dwala, member of Good Shepherd and part of the vestry took the project and application process head on. “This is a seminal moment for us as a community and diocese. Now a Saint in the Episcopal Church, Anna Alexander could not have imagined 122 years ago in 1899 when she graduated from St. Paul’s Normal and Industrial School that her legacy would be sustained to the degree that we are witnessing today. With the assistance of her brothers, Anna built a little log church that also served as a school, later moved the building to its current site, and built a larger structure around the original. The church, made of Georgia pine logs stand strongly within the interior walls; however, the passage of time and lack of use have significantly compromised the building."

Through Places in Peril, the Trust will encourage owners and individuals, organizations and communities to employ proven preservation tools, financial resources and partnerships in order to reuse, reinvest and revitalize historic properties that are in peril.

With the guidance of the Georgia Trust, Good Shepherd hopes to revitalize the school and offer it as a place not just for members of Good Shepherd to enjoy, but to provide a resource to the Pennick community. "Our commitment to the restoration of the schoolhouse represents our commitment to work as Anna did in the rebuilding of beloved community—in Pennick, Glynn County, the Episcopal Diocese of Georgia, and beyond. When completed, the restored building will serve as the diocesan educational center for racial justice and reconciliation. It will also serve as a food bank and community center. Good Shepherd Episcopal Church, Pennick, extend our gratitude to The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation for their support and training. We appreciate Frank Logue, our Bishop, and look forward to his continued guidance. Ultimately, these partnerships will improve the lives of countless citizens—just as Saint Anna did as a teacher, deaconess, and community leader," said Dwala.

Senior Warden and former student of Deaconess Anna Alexander, Walter Holmes, shared his gladness for the project, knowing that support from the Diocese in her lifetime. He said, "She [Anna] did a pretty good job with the resources available to her to build the school, including from folks as far away as France." He added that, "The diocese didn't help her until they saw what she was able to accomplish on her own. So, I think it's good that they are now trying to help."

If you have expertise in historic preservation, architecture, non-profit grant-writing, and/or capital campaigns for churches, and you are interested in donating time and passion to this project, please contact Dwala Nobles at dwalalnobles@gmail.com.

There will be a Facebook Live presentation with Mark C. McDonald, President and CEO of the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation at 1:00pm. You can find the presentation on their Facebook Page here.

For more information about the 2022 list and the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation, click here.

For the eighth year in a row, #AdventWord will gather prayers via a global, online advent calendar. Forward Movement, the new home of AdventWord, will offer 28 daily meditations and images during this holy season beginning Sunday, November 28. 

Gathering a worldwide community, #AdventWord provides a daily meditation, visual image, and invites your personal reflections via social media to share your own Advent journey. Thousands have participated each year, responding to the words with photos, written responses, crafts, drawings, poems, found art, and Holy Spirit-filled posts.

We want to share your photos

Each year the diocese participates by sharing photo or videos that invoke the word chosen for the day. This year the diocese is asking for photo submissions from you! If you have a photo you'd like to submit, email them with the word choice to Communications Manager Liz Williams at lwilliams@gaepiscopal.org. The photos will be featured on our Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook pages.

Looking for additional Advent resources?

The Society of Saint John the Evangelist in Cambridge, MA are providing a series of six recorded sermons for Episcopal congregations. Interested congregations can find more information here.

The Episcopal Church has curated multiple resources on their website, including Journeying the Way of Love: Advent Curriculum, digital Advent and Christmas invitation kits, and more. To see the full list, click here.

The Rev. Galen Mirate has accepted a call to serve at as the Rector of St. Paul's, Albany. Since January 1, 2021, she has served as the Interim Rector of Christ the King, Valdosta. Part of that time, she continued serving St. John's and St. Mark's, Albany, and more recently serving only at Christ the King, where she was raised up for ordained ministry.

Galen was born in the US Naval Hospital in Charleston, SC, and raised in Nashville, GA. She graduated Emory University with degrees in mathematics and physics in 1977, and earned her JD from the University of Georgia School of Law in 1981. She practiced in her grandmother’s law firm in Nashville, GA for a number of years.

When the Holy Spirit gouged her in the ribs with sharp spiritual elbows, Galen entered the process leading towards ordination via the alternative track intended for bi-vocational clergy. She was sponsored by Christ the King Episcopal Church in Valdosta, GA, and matriculated at the University of the South in Sewanee, TN. The late Bishop Henry I Louttit, Jr., ordained her to the priesthood in 2006.

Much of Galen’s ordained ministry has focused on assisting congregations struggling with various administrative and practical challenges.

Her husband of 29 years, Dr. Donald J. Mirate, has recently retired from the practice of ophthalmology. Their only child, Milo, is a software engineer employed by Amazon.

Mirate will be returning to St. Paul's as she previously filled in there as Priest in Charge as that congregation sought a longer-term interim. Canon Loren Lasch is working with the vestry and search committee of Christ the King on their call process. Her new call will begin on January 1, 2022.

The Episcopal Church invites young leaders ages 21 to 32 interested in a transformative outreach and discernment experience to consider applying to the Episcopal Service Corps for its 2022-23 service year.

Applications open online Nov. 15. Potential applicants can also take an online discernment quiz.

Every year, 80-100 young leaders serve more than 120,000 hours in local and community-based nonprofits and churches through the Episcopal Service Corps, helping in rural ministries, homelessness support, healthcare, immigration and refugee resettlement, housing justice, education for at-risk youth, and much more. Participants live together in community, creating and living by a household “Rule of Life,” and committing to regular spiritual direction and prayer in addition to service.

“Our core values are service, prayer, justice, vocation, community, and leadership,” said Wendy Johnson, manager of the Episcopal Service Corps network for The Episcopal Church. “These values shape and inform every aspect of a service year, and they are what set us apart from other post-graduate options.”          

The service year structure helps guide many participants as they discern their next steps vocationally and spiritually. Many Corps members move into positions of leadership within their churches, the wider Episcopal Church, and community organizations.

Corps members receive housing, health coverage, and small stipends to cover living expenses, transportation, and food. Questions? Please contact Wendy Johnson.

• 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. 

The Rev. Susan Gage at St. Barnabas in Valdosta places the ashes of Emil Borchert, Jr. in the columbarium on All Saints Sunday.

The youth at Annunciation in Vidalia enjoyed an afternoon at Poppell Farms Pumpkin Patch.

St. Anne's in Tifton held their annual Trunk-or-Treat where the cast of Toy Story made it's appearance!

The Revs. Tom Purdy and DeWayne Cope speak with Fox 30 News on November 5 outside the Glynn County Courthouse at the beginning of the trial of three men accused of killing Ahmaud Arbery. Also in attendance was the Rev. Willetta McGovern and the Rev. Tommy Townsend.

To view the story, click here.

The Rev. Michael White (left) baptizes baby Vera, daughter of the Rev. Samantha McKean (center) and Garrett Zajac (right) on Sunday at Christ Church in Savannah.

On Saturday evening, Bishop Logue celebrated 150 years of the Episcopal Church in Valdosta with a liturgy and dinner on the grounds at Christ Church, which was founded in 1871. They met together with parishioners from St. Barnabas and Christ the King.

On Sunday, while Bishop Logue made his visitation to Christ Church, Canon Loren Lasch preached Consecration Sunday at King of Peace, Kingsland, and Canon Joshua Varner preached at St. Augustine of Canterbury, Augusta, and also worked with that congregation on music as part of his visit.

This weekend, when Bishop Logue is making his visitation to Good Shepherd, Augusta, Canons Lasch and Canon Varner will be serving as spiritual directors for Happening #104.

Bishop Logue at Christ Church in Valdosta baptizing baby Jasper, son of Rachel and Adam Deal. Rachel grew up attending diocesan youth programs and created the paper cut out of Honey Creek and

Bishop Logue's consecration invitation.

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  

November 21 - 27

In our diocesan cycle of prayer, we pray for our congregation in Waycross, Grace Church. We also pray for our ecumenical partners in Waycross, especially St. Joseph’s Catholic Church. In our companion diocese of the Dominican Republic, we pray for the congregations in Santo Domingo, especially St. Ann’s (Santa Ana).

November 28 - December 4

In our diocesan cycle of prayer, we pray for our congregation in Waynesboro, St. Michael’s. We also pray for our ecumenical partners in Waynesboro, especially Sacred Heart Catholic Church and our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Church in Sylvania. In our companion diocese of the Dominican Republic, we pray for the congregations in Santo Domingo, especially St. Margaret (Santa Margarita).

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 was in Valdosta last weekend to celebrate 150 years of Episcopalians in Valdosta on Saturday, and a baptism at Christ Episcopal Church on Sunday. This Sunday, he makes his visitation to the Church of the Good Shepherd, Augusta.

To view Bishop Logue's full visitation calendar, click here. (Updated 11/15/2021)

Canon Varner was in Augusta on Sunday at St. Augustine of Canterbury. This weekend he will be on staff for Happening #104 at Honey Creek.

Canon Lasch was in Kingsland on Sunday at King of Peace Episcopal Church. This weekend she will serve as Spiritual Director for Happening #104 at Honey Creek.

Canon Easterlin is on sabbatical until December.

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.

Happening Coordinator Sarah Brittany Greneker and husband Thomas welcomed Mary Thomas Greneker on November 12, 2021.