March 30, 2022 | Volume 12, No. 13

These bishops elected in 2019 are Bishop Logue's class in the House of Bishops, with whom he has been working in the Living Our Vows program for bishops during the first three years of their episcopacy. They are pictured here on the evening when classes had a separate dinner during the recent HOB meeting in Texas.

“You have no idea how glad I am to see you all. You have no idea,” Presiding Bishop Michael Curry said in his opening sermon to the 133 of us gathered at Camp Allen in Texas for the House of Bishops’ meeting. From March 15-21, I took part in my first in-person meeting with my colleagues from around the Episcopal Church. The semiannual meetings have been taking place on Zoom since my May 30, 2020, ordination as the bishop of the Diocese of Georgia. 

During our week-long meeting, the heart of our time together was daily worship, in which we prayed and sang together, and heard reflections from one another. We also enjoyed presentations to the whole group, took part in a business session, and had the opportunity to deepen our collegial connections through small group discussions and sharing meals. Pictured above, the seven bishops whose ordinations had very limited attendance due to the pandemic stand for applause from fellow bishops after Bishop Curry offered a prayer and blessing for them during the closing Eucharist.

We also spent time learning together with the Rev. Cynthia Bourgeault teaching Centering Prayer and spiritual practices that take this prayer out into daily life with the Welcome Prayer and the Law of Three. A group of bishops also shared stories of conflict and reconciliation and Bishop Mark Edington of the Convocation of Churches in Europe spoke of our involvement in the expanding refugee crisis caused by the war in Ukraine.

Bishops as a bridge to the larger church

Out of a small group discussion, I read and reflected on a 1991 study paper on the ministry of bishops that resonates with how I have been serving in this call. The report named that one important role I have as your bishop is to serve as a bridge connecting both the congregations of our diocese with one another and our diocese to the church throughout the world. In gathering diocesan clergy together to worship and learn, in making visitations, and in my prayers on behalf of the leaders of the Diocese, I make visible the connections we already share as the Body of Christ in our corner of the vineyard. Then in my connection with my colleagues who are the Lutheran and Roman Catholic bishops with oversight of our same geographic area, I connect us to those ecumenical partners. In meeting with the bishops of the Episcopal Church and bishops of the Anglican Communion, I represent your connections to the larger church. 

While, as bishop, I am connected to the larger church, my identity as bishop is only possible because I am part of the community of the Diocese of Georgia. When I gather with my fellow bishops as your chief pastor, I serve as our bridge to the church. As I meet with them, I share our experiences and concerns in Central and South Georgia, I learn from others engaged in the same ministry in very different contexts, and bring what I learn home. 

One thing I saw clearly in my meeting in Texas is how good things are in our diocese because of our strong sense of connection among our clergy, lay leaders, and congregations. None of us has all the answers, but together, the Diocese of Georgia is responding well to challenging times as we continue to strive to share the love and grace of Jesus Christ with a world in need of Good News.

To read more on the actions of the House of Bishops at this meeting see this ENS article: Spring 2022 House of Bishops Meeting

The bishops of the Episcopal Church gathered for the Spring Meeting of the House of Bishops. 27 of the 133 bishops are in Bishop Logue's class of bishops or the two more recent classes.

Two hotel options for the 2022 diocesan convention have been secured, one in downtown Savannah and one in midtown Savannah.

Both hotel blocks will expire on October 11, 2022.

DOWNTOWN

Courtyard by Marriott - $199+tax + $20 valet

415 West Liberty St. Savannah, Georgia 31401

912.644.6880

Click here to reserve your room at the Courtyard by Marriott (updated link)

MIDTOWN

Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott - $159+tax + $5 per day parking

5801 Abercorn St, Savannah, GA 31405

912-298-0800  

Click here to reserve your room at the Fairfield Inn & Suites

This is the fifth week of 1Book1Diocese for Lent as we read Inspired: Slaying Giants, Walking on Water, and Loving the Bible Again by Rachel Held Evans.

Questions for every week of the study

Each week, the group may use the following prompts as an icebreaker:

• How have you seen or experienced God’s love in the previous week?
• Put another away, what has been Godly or what was your moment closest to Christ?

After working through the questions for the week, close with the following questions as time permits:

• What stood out to you in the section you read?
• What reinforced your existing opinions of the Bible and what challenged them?

Week 5 - Discuss The Beast, and Resistance Stories

Do you ever feel hopeless or cynical about the injustices in the world around you? Does anything from this chapter encourage you?

What comes into your mind when you hear the word apocalyptic? Has that changed since reading this chapter? What about prophet and prophecy?

Who are some people you consider to be modern-day prophets who are willing to speak up for the marginalized? What’s your experience with the book of Revelation? How has your interpretation of that text changed and evolved?

The full reading guide can be found here.

Staff applications for Happening #106 are now live!

Youth must have attended one previous Happening as a candidate in order to apply for staff.

There is a required staff lock in for all those who will serve on the weekend.

To apply for staff, click here.

• When: May 6-8, 2022
• Who: Youth in Grades 7-9
• Where: Honey Creek!
• Cost: $125 per person

New Beginnings #57, 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/NB57Participants. 

The Lead Teen for New Beginnings #57 is Jake Diamond, of Christ Church, Valdosta.

St. Paul's in Albany's Centering Prayer Group meets each week with an average attendance of 10-15 people. The Rev. Galen Mirate, Rector of St. Paul's, leads the group with study and encourages centering prayer during the week in between gatherings.

Bishop Logue made his visitation to Grace Church in Waycross this past Sunday. Here he is pictured with the Rev. Kit Brinson, Archdeacon Yvette Owens, and those who he confirmed and those who renewed their faith in the liturgy.

The first weekend of Leading With Grace (previously Church Development Institute) met in three locations across the diocese. At left, a group discussion in Augusta. At right, the Savannah groups end the day with Compline.

Leading With Grace in Tifton

Canon Varner (center) with members of St. George's in Savannah before the Sunday morning service.

As each day gets a little bit longer, our thoughts turn toward summer, even while it’s still cold. And this coming summer we are planning to return to our traditional Summer Camp Season! Registration is now open! Visit honeycreek.org/camps to register for the appropriate camp sessions!

• High School Camp (Completed Grades 9-12, & graduated seniors): June 12-18
• Camp St. Peter I (Completed Grades 6-8): June 19-25
• Camp St. Joseph & Mary I (Completed Grades 3-5): June 26-July 2
• Camp St. Joseph & Mary II (Completed Grades 3-5): July 10-16
• Camp St. Peter II (Completed Grades 6-8): July 17-23

We are actively recruiting college students and others who have completed high school to serve as Summer Camp Counselors. If you are or someone you know are interested in a summer experience that can be life-changing both for yourself and for the campers, apply now! The Staff Application is available online here: https://bit.ly/HoneyCreekSummerStaffApp

Have questions about camp? About serving as a counselor? Contact Summer Camp Director Karen Bell at karenmackenziebell@gmail.com or Canon Joshua Varner at jvarner@gaepiscopal.org.

Christ Church in Savannah is seeking an Administrative Assistant. This will be 12-16 hours per week, and includes the following:

• helping to develop and coordinate docents and the docent program
• Coordinate, train, and supervise the bulletin assembly team
• Meet parishioners or workers in the church as needed
• Assist with other administrative tasks as needed

This position will report to the Director of Administration. For more information, contact Catherine Gussler at cmgussler@gmail.com.

St. Peter's in Savannah is seeking Nursery Attendants. St. Peter’s Episcopal Church is a group of Christians enthusiastic about making a difference for others on Skidaway Island, in Savannah and abroad, which you can read about at www.saintpeterssav.org. If you are interested, please submit a resume and cover letter to The Rev. Kelly Steele, Priest-In-Charge at St. Peter’s at ksteele@saintpeterssav.org or 912-598-7242.

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 2022 one year prayer cycle is online here: 2022 Prayer Cycle.  

March 27 - April 2

In our diocesan cycle of prayer, we pray for our congregations in Darien,

St. Andrew’s and St. Cyprian’s. We also pray for our ecumenical partners in Darien, especially Nativity of Our Lady Catholic Church. In our companion diocese of the Dominican Republic, we pray for St. Anthony of Padua (San Antonio de Padua) in

El Carreton. 

April 3 - 9

In our diocesan cycle of prayer, we pray for our congregation in Douglas, St. Andrew’s and for our ecumenical partners in Douglas, especially St. Paul’s Catholic Church. In our companion diocese of the Dominican Republic, we pray for The Ascension (La Ascensión) in El Seibo. 

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 Prayer Cycle and Clergy Spouses Prayer Cycle. (Updated 3/1/2022)

Pictured above: Canon Lasch was at Camp Allen in Texas last week for the annual Transitions Ministers conference.

Bishop Logue and Canon Lasch meet with the Commission on Ministry and Standing Committee on Thursday evening, March 31.

Bishop Logue will make his visitation to King of Peace in Kingsland and St. Thomas in Baxley on Sunday.

To view Bishop Logue's full visitation calendar, click here. (Updated 3/22/2022)

Liz Williams will meet with the Episcopal Communicators Conference planning team on Thursday.

Canon Varner will celebrate and preach at St. George's in Savannah on Sunday.



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.

You may also reach diocesan staff by phone at (912) 236-4279.

St. Mark's in Brunswick held their parish retreat at Honey Creek, which concluded with a beautiful Sunday morning for worship.