October 18, 2023 | Volume 13, No. 42

Prayers for the conflict in Israel and Palestine

As the Israeli-Hamas war continues, the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem, issued a call for continued prayers for those affected by the conflict.

They say: “our beloved Holy Land has changed dramatically over the past week. We are witnessing a new cycle of violence with an unjustifiable attack against all civilians. Tensions continue to rise and more innocent and vulnerable people are paying the ultimate price as the dramatic level and death and destruction in Gaza clearly show.” The stained glass is a peace window in a chapel at St. George's Cathedral in Jerusalem.

The Anglican Archbishop in Jerusalem, the Most Revd Hosam Naoum, is a member of the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem group. In his own statement, he said: “we pray without ceasing for justice, reconciliation, peace, and an end to hatred and war. We also pray for God to change the hearts of all leaders and decision-makers in our countries and around the world, For we are in dire need for hearts that love, show mercy, and are willing to live in unity with others – hearts that respect human dignity and choose life rather than death.”



The Anglican Communion News Service wants to ensure that coverage is given to this important ecumenical moment of prayer. If your congregation holds any special services or prayer initiatives, please send details and, if possible, photos, to news@anglicancommunion.org.

The following resources are available:

•  Statement from the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem

•  Statement from Archbishop Hosam Naoum

•  Statement from Bishop Anthony Poggo

•  Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem Facebook Page

A Prayer from Archbishop Hosam

O God of all justice and peace we cry out to you in the midst of the pain and trauma of violence and fear which prevails in the Holy Land.

Be with those who need you in these days of suffering; we pray for people of all faiths and for all people of the land. 

While we pray to you, O Lord, for an end to violence and the establishment of peace, we also call for you to bring justice and equity to the peoples. Guide us into your kingdom where all people are treated with dignity and honour as your children for, to all of us, you are our Heavenly Father. 

In Jesus’ name we pray. 

Amen.

St. Mark's in Brunswick was packed on Friday night as they hosted Temple Beth Tefilloh for a Sabbath Service with prayers for peace in Israel. The service brought out a strong community presence to join members of the synagogue in prayer.

Ordination of the Rev. Gabriel Lawrence to the Sacred Order of Deacons

On Saturday, Bishop Logue ordained the Rev. Gabriel Michael Lawrence to the Sacred Order of Deacons at St. Patrick's in Albany. Gabriel is a graduate of the University of the South's School of Theology. He has accepted a call to serve as an associate at St. Paul's in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, where he will serve for a transitional period as he continues his formation for ordination to the priesthood.

Volunteers needed for convention

The Diocesan Staff are looking for volunteers to assist in the behind-the-scenes assistance at the 2023 convention in Augusta.

Specifically the staff asks for volunteers for clergy and delegate check-in and a welcoming committee for Friday morning. See below for more information.

Check-In

2-3 very organized people to assist with clergy and delegate check-in

Thursday, November 9: 3:30-5:30pm at Our Savior Episcopal Church

Friday, November 10: 7:30-9:00am at Episcopal Day School

Welcoming Committee at Episcopal Day School

Group of no more than 10 to greet and direct attendees around the property. Would also be willing to assemble a list of restaurants/activities to do while in Augusta.

Friday, November 10: 7:30-9:00am

Voting Assistance

2-3 tech savvy people to assist with online voting and other online documents

If you are interested in volunteering, contact the Executive Assistant to the Bishop Maggie Lyons at mlyons@gaepiscopal.org.

New dental plans rolling out in 2024

In 2024, the Diocese of Georgia will be moving its dental coverage plans with CPG, to Delta Dental. You will be able to access services in two Delta Dental dentist networks (Delta Dental PPO and Delta Dental Premier) or use out-of-network dentists. 

Why are my dental benefits changing?

Delta Dental provides the largest network of dentists, especially in rural areas, along with a much richer set of benefits.

What the plans cover cover:

• Diagnostic care and preventive care.
• Three dental cleanings a year (four cleanings based on certain conditions).
• Basic and major restorative services, subject to applicable coinsurance, deductibles, limitations, and exclusions.
• Orthodontia services have an enhanced in-network lifetime benefit in the Premium Plan and are also offered in our Comprehensive Plan.

How do I enroll?

• Sign in to MyCPG Accounts at cpg.org to enroll in a Delta Dental plan by your Annual Enrollment deadline.
• For more information visit the Delta Dental page on the CPG site at cpg.org/deltadental or call 888-894-7059.

Leading With Grace looking for feedback

The Diocese of Georgia’s Leading with Grace Saturday Workshop Series aims to train lay and ordained people to lead graciously in a variety of areas, including congregational development and vitality, group facilitation, prayer practices, forming relations across difference, and transforming conflict. Although the themes for each workshop are related, participants may attend any or all of the standalone, one-day workshops. After each workshop, LWG trainers are available to consult with participants about how to apply what they’ve learned in their home parishes. Registration will cost $35/person per workshop or $100 for all four. 

Workshop #1: Leading with Grace in Church Ministry, January in Tifton, GA

Workshop #2: Congregational Vitality Workshop, April in Statesboro, GA 

Workshop #3: Building Relationships Across Difference, August in Augusta, GA 

Workshop #4: Conflict Transformation, October in Savannah, GA

The specific dates have not been set and the locations are tentative. Please see the more detailed descriptions of the workshops by following the link below and complete the survey that follows. This will help determine the best Saturday to offer each workshop and whether these locations are best for serving the interested participants. 

Click here for the Saturday Workshop Series Survey

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).  

Convention 2023

Nominations

The following committee positions are open for nominations.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: A table discussion during the 2022 Diocesan Convention.

Board of Officers of the Corporation – 1 lay person

Whit Davis

Church Disciplinary Board – 2 lay persons & 1 clergy person

Diocesan Council – 1 lay person or clergy

Standing Committee – 1 lay person & 1 priest

Lay

Lisa Gibbs

Priest

The Very Rev. Al Crumpton

The Rev. June Johnson

The Rev. David Wantland

Trustee of the University of the South – 1 clergy person

The Very Rev. Tom Purdy

To view full nominee bios, click here.

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/

Calvary Episcopal Church, Americus, GA is looking for an organist. Duties include Sunday services, choir practice, Holy Week services, Christmas Eve, funerals, weddings, and coordinate with the Choir Director. For more information, please contact the Rev. Richard Nelson at frrichard388@gmail.com.

Across the Diocese

The Rev. Kelly Steele dressed as a dragon for Michaelmas and enjoyed reenacting the defeat of the dragon with the younger members of St. Peter's in Savannah.

The parishioners of St. Cyprian's in Darien participated in the Butler Island Day for the third year by giving away beans and rice, which was a typical meal for the enslaved people.

Roger Speer, a current student in the School of Theology at Sewanee, won the Woods Leadership Award "for recognition of exemplary leadership skills and unrivaled initiative in fostering community cooperation in assigned tasks and projects."

Children at Christ Church in Savannah share their interpretations of the day's lesson.

Members of Albany parishes and community gathered to walk together in the annual Albany State University Homecoming Parade representing the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).

Upcoming Events

Diocesan Convention

When: November 9-11, 2023

Where: Augusta

To register, click 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.

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 22 – October 28

In our diocesan cycle of prayer, we pray for our congregation in Tifton, St. Anne’s. We also pray for our ecumenical partners in Tifton, especially Our Divine Saviour Catholic Church and for Holy Family Catholic Church in Willacoochee. In our companion diocese of the Dominican Republic, we pray for the congregations in Santo Domingo, especially Holy Family (Sagrada Familia).

October 29 – November 4

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).

31-Day Prayer Cycles - Revised October 1, 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 10/1/2023)

Bishop Logue is visiting Sewanee this week, returning on Thursday, participating in the Board of the Trustees meeting and visiting with our seminarians. On Sunday he will make his visitation to St. Luke's in Rincon.

Photo: Bishop Logue receives Mark at St. Phiilip's in Hinesville on Sunday.



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

Canon Varner is glad to be back from sabbatical! He will be at New Beginnings at Honey Creek this weekend and in Nashville for the annual Diocesan Youth Leaders' Conference next week.

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.

The staff of Happening #108 have a little fun with the Rector, Evan Ariail, at the end of their staff meeting lock in at St. Thomas in Thomasville.