September 27, 2023 | Volume 13, No. 39

St. Michael and All Angels to Close

The Parish of St. Michael and All Angels in Savannah will mark its final liturgy this Friday. This follows a May 22 vote of the vestry to turn the church property over to the Diocese. Since then, diocesan staff has worked with the parish as they kept services and ministries going during a period of discernment of next steps. In August there was a parish meeting with a vote in the week that followed, where a significant majority of the parish agreed that the time had come to close the church. 

“We give thanks for all God has done through this church over many years,” Bishop Logue said. “The decision of the congregation has been a heavy one for the vestry and the parishioners and I ask your prayers for them on this solemn occasion.”

The church has an active food pantry that is vital to the neighborhood as well as recovery ministries and Savannah’s first Boy Scout Troop. These have all continued in the interim and all continue while Bishop Logue and the Standing Committee work on what happens next with the property. Please note that while every Eucharist is open to all, the intention is that this week’s liturgy will be one for the parish family as they give thanks for this congregation and mourn the closing of the church.

Open Enrollment begins in October

The Episcopal Church Medical Trust (Medical Trust) 2024 health benefits offerings and Annual Enrollment details are public. Premiums have increased from 6-8%, depending on the plan. Most of our participants are in the CDHP 20 Plan, and the rate increases by 8%. The overall national average increase is expected to be 6%. Our Diocesan-wide claim data showed a higher claim year than in years past, leading to a higher loss ratio. The Diocese recognizes that health insurance is one of the most significant costs for our congregation’s budgets. While we’ve been in line or below national averages for several years, our usage and the overall increases across all Med Trust plans are seeing significant growth this year. Additionally, Medical Trust paused substantial increases last year due to the financial impacts of the pandemic. 

Annual Enrollment for 2024 will run from October 11 to November 1.

Important change information for 2024 includes:

• New dental plan for all employees- Medical Trust has ended Cigna plans and will switch to Delta Dental. All employees with dental MUST enroll in the new vendor. 
• Now offering both Cigna and Anthem plans- some in-network providers dropped Cigna coverage in the middle of 2023 (the Augusta area in particular). We are offering both plans so employees can have better access to their choice provider. 
• New enrollments still go through the Diocese- If you employ a new employee between now and the end of the year, submit their enrollment through the Diocese. 

If you are enrolled or need to enroll, read the details on the Diocesan website here and make your changes by November 1^st. If you do not desire to change your existing coverage, you are still required to take action on your dental plan coverage if you wish to maintain it with the new vendor.

If you turn 65 in 2024, you will become eligible for the Medicare Secondary Payer (MSP) Plans. It would be best if you shifted into the corresponding PPO plans to speed up the transition to the corresponding MSP plan. However, this is not required. Please be in contact with Canon Easterlin for any questions at keasterlin@gaepiscopal.org.

You can view 2024 rates here. 

For information about eligibility for the Episcopal Health Plan, the Small Employer Exception (SEE) Plan, and the Group Medicare Advantage Plan, refer to the Medical Trust Administrative Policy Manual.

Please note that you can also leverage Health Advocate to assist with Annual enrollment decisions. They can be reached at 866.695.8622. If you need additional support, please reach out to Canon Easterlin (keasterlin@gaepiscopal.org) or Daniel Garrick (dgarrick@gaepiscopal.org).  

Reminder: Safe Church policies to be adopted by convention

Almost a year ago Diocesan Council approved the update of our Diocesan Safe Church policies in order to be in compliance with The Episcopal Church's Model Policies.

Part of this adoption of the policies includes a provision that all parishes must update and adopt their own policies and procedures in line with the new policies by convention 2023. If there are amendments to the Diocesan policies, they must be submitted in advance of implementation at the parish to the Bishop’s Office by emailing them to Canon Joshua Varner at jvarner@gaepiscopal.org.

The full policies as approved by Diocesan Council are available on the Diocesan website here. Additional information and an opportunity for questions will offered at Convention. To read more about the differences of the old versus new polices, click here for a past edition of From the Field.

New podcast from Our Savior

Our Savior Episcopal Church in Martinez is excited to share with you that we have recently launched Our Savior Speaks, a weekly podcast for all ages. Our Savior Speaks podcast is broadcast globally on Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Music, Google Music and Pandora. The podcast brings hope and encouragement to listeners through scriptural readings and sermons preached. Hear the Good News on the move or when you want to spiritually connect to God through biblical teachings. By the grace of God, Our Savior Speaks podcast is made possible with the gifts and talents of Our Savior’s audio-visual team who are member volunteers in the parish.

Honey Creek Silent Auction

To donate to the silent auction, contact Beth Baker at bethbaker@bellsouth.net.

Essential Pre-Meeting for Convention Delegates

We will hold an online meeting for all clergy and convention delegates that will begin the work of our annual meeting, with presentations not repeated as part of the convention. The Canons of the Diocese call for a Convocation Council meeting and in recent years these have met via Zoom. The purpose is to elect convocational representatives to Diocesan Council, but the Bishop and staff has used these meetings for smaller group discussion on matters coming before the convention.

When: October 5 from 5 pm-6 pm

Where: Zoom

Who: All Clergy and Convention Delegates

Participants will hear the presentation of the budget as well as other important convention information that will not be repeated in the convention itself. This change will allow us to shorten the convention in future years.

A Zoom link will be sent out as the meeting date gets closer.

Convention 2023

Nominations

The following committee positions are open for nominations. To be included in the printed convention booklet, nominations must be submitted by October 10. 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 8.

This year's Nominations Chair is Ms. Katie Grant from Church of the Good Shepherd in Augusta. Photo: All hold hands for the closing prayer and blessing that ended last year's convention in Savannah.

Board of Officers of the Corporation – 1 lay person

Church Disciplinary Board – 2 lay persons & 1 clergy person

Diocesan Council – 1 lay person or clergy

Standing Committee – 1 lay person & 1 priest

Trustee of the University of the South – 1 clergy person

To view the full job descriptions, click here.

To make a nomination, click here.

Once nominated, nominees will need to fill out the nominee form that can be found here.

Biographical information and photo must be received by October 10 to guarantee inclusion in pre-conference printed materials.

Additional Information

For lodging information, click here.

To register, click here. *Please note that each delegate needs to be registered individually with separate email addresses and cell phone numbers.*

Job Openings

Saint Paul's Church, Augusta GA  is looking for a Director of Children, Youth, and Intergenerational Ministries. This person will work collaboratively with a dedicated team of clergy, staff, and volunteers to continue to develop a small but vibrant ministry with and for children and youth in the parish. There is some flexibility in how the position may be embodied. But the essentials are to work within a team of people serving God at Saint Paul’s, while taking primary responsibility for ensuring that our ministries with and for children and youth continue to deepen and expand. This is currently a half time position, with an ambition to extend it to full time. 

A job description is available here:  https://saintpauls.org/director-of-children-youth-intergenerational-ministries/

Across the Diocese

Good Shepherd in Pennick celebrated their 129th anniversary with the Rev. DeWayne Cope of St. Athanasius in Brunswick as celebrant and preacher.

Last evening, Bishop Logue confirmed Kymyatta and Samuel (both are holding the crozier above) at St. Cyprian's in Darien.

Pilgrims traveled from Augusta, Brunswick, Darien, Savannah, St. Simons Island, Tifton, and Valdosta to participate in Racial Justice Georgia’s 3^rd Annual St. Anna Alexander Pilgrimage. Participants were immersed in the life and world of St. Anna, visiting sites like Butler Island, Hampton Point, St. Athanasius, St. Cyprian’s, and the Wanderer Memorial on Jekyll Island. The weekend concluded at Good Shepherd, Pennick, celebrating the 129^th anniversary of the church St. Anna founded and served for decades. Next year's pilgrimage will be September 20-22, 2024.

Members of St. Barnabas and Christ the King in Valdosta enjoy the South Georgia Pride Day in Valdosta.

St. Matthew's in Savannah celebrated their 168th anniversary with a river boat cruise.

The Augusta Convocation clergy and their spouses enjoyed a luncheon hosted by the dean of the convocation, the Very. Rev. Al and Val Crumpton.

The Revs. Tom Purdy and Ashton Williston on a youth bowling trip for Christ Church Frederica on St. Simons Island.

Youth from St. Mark's in Brunswick clean the windows at Honey Creek as part of their confirmation class requirements.

Acolytes practice for their sacred work at St. Thomas Isle of Hope in Savannah.

The inaugural Wiggle Worship service at St. Augustine of Canterbury was this Sunday, led by the Rev. Terri Degenhardt and the Rev. Thomas Barron.

The Balkan Quartet played Sunday afternoon at Christ Church Episcopal in Savannah as part of the Christ Church Concert Series supported Friends of Music in order to bring the highest quality of music to the historic space at no charge to the community.

Upcoming Events

New Beginnings #60

When: October 20-22, 2023

Where: Honey Creek

Participant registration here

Happening #108

When: November 17-19, 2023

Where: Honey Creek



Candidate registration here



1Book1Diocese

For Advent, we will read and discuss Everything Happens for a Reason (and other lies I have loved) by Kate Bowler

Discussion Guide for Advent

In Lent 2024, we will read and discuss The Good Life: Lessons from the World's Longest Scientific Study of Happiness by Robert Waldinger and Marc Schulz.

Clergy Conference

Fall Clergy Conference: October 2-4

The Fall Conference will be a deep dive into the Gospel of Mark with the Very Rev. Cynthia Briggs Kittredge, a New Testament scholar who is Dean and President of the Seminary of the Southwest. This is to prepare us for preaching Year B of the lectionary, with its readings from Mark's Gospel. The conference will be held at Honey Creek.

To register, click here.

Diocesan Convention

When: November 9-11, 2023

Where: Augusta

To register, click here.

Lay Ministers' Conference

This conference is intended for any lay person in the Diocese who is in any active ministry in their congregation. Led by Dr. Scott Bader-Saye, the Academic Dean and Professor of Christian Ethics at the Seminary of the Southwest, this conference will focus on the ministry of the laity, including its joys and challenges especially over the past two years. It will frame our various calls in the context living them in a world in which "Christendom" is no longer the dominant culture (if it ever truly was!).

When: December 1-2, 2023

Where: Honey Creek

Click here to register.

Clergy Conflict Transformation Workshop

Who: All clergy

Where: Honey Creek

When: March 4-8, 2024

Contact the Rev. Becky Rowell (browell221@gmail.com) and the Rev. Melanie Lemburg (revmelanie@stthomasioh.org) to RSVP.

If you would like to have your submission considered for From the Field, it needs to be sent to Communications Manager Liz Williams (lwilliams@gaepiscopal.org) by noon on Tuesday.

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 2023 one year prayer cycle is online here: 2023 Prayer Cycle.    

October 1 - 7

In our diocesan cycle of prayer, we pray for our congregation in Statesboro, Trinity. We also pray for our ecumenical partners in Statesboro, especially St. Matthew’s Catholic Church. In our companion diocese of the Dominican Republic, we pray for The Annunciation (La Annunciación) in Santiago. 

October 8 - 14

In our diocesan cycle of prayer, we pray for our congregations in Thomasville, All Saints, Good Shepherd, and St. Thomas and for their work at the Oak Street Episcopal Mission. We also pray for our ecumenical partners in Thomasville, especially St. Augustine’s Catholic Church. In our companion diocese of the Dominican Republic, we pray for St. Luke (San Lucas) in Santiago. 

31-Day Prayer Cycles - Revised February 28, 2023

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 2/28/2023)

Bishop Logue will celebrate and preach at the last service of St. Michael and All Angels on Friday evening. On Saturday he will be at Trinity in Cochran for Diocesan Council. He will make his visitation to St. Paul's in Jesup on Sunday.

Photo: Canon Lasch taught Sunday School at St. Francis of the Islands on Sunday. The students learned about God's promise to Abraham that their names are written in the stars with all of God's family.

To view Bishop Logue's full visitation calendar, click here. (Updated for 2024 - 6/20/2023)

Canon Easterlin is attending the Episcopal Business Administration Conference in New York September 25-28.

Canon Lasch, Canon Easterlin, and Liz Williams will be at Diocesan Council in Cochran on Saturday.

Communications Manger Liz Williams will be in Austin October 2-5 for the Episcopal Communicators Board Retreat at the Seminary of the Southwest. She will be in Thomasville October 7-8 for the Happening Staff lock in at St. Thomas.

Canon Varner is on sabbatical.

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.

Clergy and clergy spouses in Augusta show their true colors at their luncheon.