August 23, 2023 | Volume 13, No. 34 | |
Fall 2023 Youth Events Open for Registration | |
As we settle into the rhythm of the school year, remember to mark your calendars and register for our Diocesan Youth Events that take place this fall! New Beginnings, an event for youth in grades 7-9, will take place October 20-22. Garrett Grant, of Our Savior, Martinez, is the Lead Teen for this event, which helps middle schoolers and young high schoolers center themselves in who they are as God’s beloved children, even in the middle of all the calls on their time, energy, and attention. | |
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Happening, which is for youth in grades 9-12, takes place November 17-19, which is the weekend before Thanksgiving. Evan Ariail, from St. Thomas, Thomasville, is the Rector for this event. Happening allows high school participants to experience God’s Love in real and tangible ways while also encouraging them to think about how they interact with each other and with the world.
These events are led by youth for youth. Each one has a staff of approximately 20 young people who are already preparing for the events and who will gather together for an overnight staff retreat about a month before each event. Both events are held at Honey Creek.
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Convention early bird registration closing soon | |
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Early bird registration for diocesan convention ends soon! Beginning on September 1, and again on October 1, convention registration fees will increase $10.
All delegates and guests must be registered individually with separate email addresses and cell phone numbers. This will assist in electronic voting and in communications for delegates as we approach convention.
For registration link, hotel information, and more, visit gaepiscopal.org/convention2023.
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Charlie Hough (1934-2023) | |
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The people of the Diocese of Georgia mourn the death of Charles Neff Hough, Jr. who died in Tampa, Florida on August 16. Charlie earned a bachelors degree from Northwestern University where he also attended the Kellogg Graduate School of Business. He retired in 1991 as President and CEO of a company supplying equipment in the automotive aftermarket. A lifelong Episcopalian, Charlie and his beloved wife, Bonnie, moved to Albany in 2000 to found a Harley-Davidson Motorcycle dealership. Charlie was an active lay leader at St. Patrick's in Albany serving on the vestry and as Senior Warden. He chaired their Building Committee from 2003-2007 at the time the church sold their long-time building and worshipped in a Methodist while building anew in a more prominent location on the northwest side of the city. An Education for Ministry graduate, he served as a Lay Eucharistic Visitor and a facilitator for Safeguarding God's Children training, when that training took place in person.
In 2010, Bishop Scott Benhase asked Charlie to chair the Honey Creek Commission in order to lead the camp and conference center through a restructuring effort to cut costs while tackling deffered maintenance. Coming on board with the new Executive Director, Dade Brantley, they moved the business model to as-needed staffing while resetting the rates to cover the costs and brought Honey Creek into the black financially. This work followed an earlier decision to issue Honey Creek Bonds and helped that effort to be successful by not taking on any additional debt.
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"Every baptized Christian is to use their God-given gifts to build up the Body of Christ. In Charlie, we see how skills gained in the corporate world can benefit the church," Bishop Logue said. "His keen business sense was always matched with a tender heart. Charlie cared deeply for the people he worked with and the church and diocese he served. That always came through in every decision."
Hough also served as a member of the Standing Committee, Diocesan Council, and the Board of the Corporation of the Diocese. Bishop Benhase honored Charlie with the Bishop's Award in 2014, at a convention that included a Holy Eucharist on the grounds of Honey Creek.
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Colette Hammesfahr Ordination on Saturday | |
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Colette Hammesfahr will be ordained as a Lutheran pastor at 10 am on August 26 at Messiah Lutheran at 1 Westridge Rd. on Skidaway Island. Hammesfahr has been called to serve as Associate Priest at St. Thomas Isle of Hope in Savannah. Her call to serve in an Episcopal Church as a newly ordained Lutheran Pastor is in keeping with the ecumenical agreement, Called to Common Mission which established full communion between the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and the Episcopal Church more than 20 years ago.
ELCA Bishop Kevin Strickland will ordain Hammesfahr with Bishop Logue presiding at the Eucharist. Episcopalians are invited and encouraged to attend this ordination. Episcopal clergy are particularly invited to process wearing cassock, surplice, and red stoles.
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1Book1Diocese for Advent 2023 | |
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Kate Bowler is a professor at Duke Divinity School who specializes in the study of the prosperity gospel, a creed that sees fortune as a blessing from God and misfortune as a mark of God’s disapproval. At thirty-five, everything in her life seemed to point toward “blessing” when she was diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer.
Her book Everything Happens for a Reason (and other lies I have loved) will be the 1Book1Diocese read for Advent 2023. We will journey with Kate as she is stripped of the certainty she held only to discover that without it, life is hard but beautiful in a way it never had been before.
As the days shorten and the lectionary considers the Second Coming even as we prepare to celebrate Jesus' first advent in Bethlehem, Bowler brings home the depth of our incarnational faith. Look for a Discussion Guide in From the Field as we get closer to beginning this study. Below, see her 2018 TedTalk that led to this New York Times Bestseller.
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Canon Varner begins sabbatical after Labor Day | |
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Canon Joshua Varner will be taking a sabbatical in two parts beginning this fall, starting just after Labor Day, and finishing six weeks later, in mid-October. He will spend some of this time in Savannah with his family. He will also be spending some of this time in the mountains, hiking, playing and learning music, and resting. The second part of his sabbatical will take place fall 2024. Like most letters of agreement for full time priests, and many lay staff, he has a sabbatical provision of two weeks per year served, not to exceed 12 weeks. Canon Varner's reflection on his sabbatical was in the August 16 edition of From the Field.
If you have questions for Joshua before he leaves for sabbatical at jvarner@gaepiscopal.org. While he is away, Communications Manager Liz Williams can be contacted with questions about youth ministry, about Safe Church, and about other Diocesan programs. She can be reached at lwilliams@gaepiscopal.org.
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Children at Church of the Good Shepherd in Augusta get a Backpack Blessing from the Rev. Joe Bowden. | |
Archdeacon Yvette Owens speaks at the mural dedication ceremony at Christ the King in Valdosta. | |
PreYC (elementary school students) at St. Anne's in Tifton during their Wednesday night program (left). Open house at the preschool at Christ Episcopal Church in Valdosta (right). | |
Bishop Logue with the clergy and congregation of St. Barnabas in Valdosta after his visit. | |
Bishop Logue with Dr. Catherine Meeks, Taylor Shaw, Michael Noll, Archdeacon Yvette Owens, and A’Shadrian Clayton at the mural dedication at Christ the King in Valdosta, painted by Taylor and A’Shadrian. | |
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Daughters of the King
Fall Assembly
When: September 15-16
Where: Honey Creek
Participant Registration
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St. Anna Alexander Pilgrimage
When: September 22-24, 2023
Where: Pennick, GA
To register, email racialjusticega@gaepiscopal.org.
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Conflict Transformation Workshop for Clergy
When: September 25-29, 2023
Where: Honey Creek
To register, click here.
For more information contact
the Rev. Becky Rowell at browell221@gmail.com.
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New Beginnings #60
When: October 20-22, 2023
Where: Honey Creek
Participant registration here
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Happening #108
When: November 17-19, 2023
Where: Honey Creek
Candidate registration here
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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.
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Diocesan Convention
When: November 9-11, 2023
Where: Augusta
To register, click here.
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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.
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We want to hear from you! | |
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. | |
Prayer for Weekly Liturgies | |
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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.
August 27 – September 2
In our diocesan cycle of prayer, we pray for our congregations in Savannah, St. George’s and St. Michael and All Angels. We also pray for our ecumenical partners in Savannah, especially the Catholic congregations of Blessed Sacrament, Resurrection of our Lord, Sacred Heart, and St. James. In our companion diocese of the Dominican Republic, we pray for St. Paul and St. Luke (San Pablo y San Lucas) in San Isidro.
September 3 - 9
In our diocesan cycle of prayer, we pray for our congregations in Savannah, especially St. Thomas Isle of Hope and St. Matthew’s. We also pray for our ecumenical partners in Savannah, especially Holy Spirit Lutheran Church and St. Benedict the Moor Catholic Church. In our companion diocese of the Dominican Republic, we pray for the congregations in San Pedro de Marorís, especially The Good Shepherd (El Buen Pastor), St. Stephen (San Esteban), and Holy Cross (Santa Cruz).
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)
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Diocesan Office Update and News | |
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Bishop Logue will be at the ordination of the Rev. Colette Hammesfahr on Saturday at Messiah Lutheran in Savannah. On Sunday, he will make his visitation to Christ Church in Dublin.
Photo: Bishop Frank and Victoria with the Rev. Hal and Michelle Weidman after the Renewal of Ministry at Christ Church in Valdosta.
To view Bishop Logue's full visitation calendar, click here. (Updated for 2024 - 6/20/2023)
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Canon Lasch will celebrate and preach at Atonement and St. Alban's in Augusta on Sunday.
Photo: Bishop Logue and Dr. Catherine Meeks enjoying being together for the mural dedication at Christ the King in Valdosta.
The office is still in summer office hours of closing at noon on Fridays.
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.
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The youth at Saint Paul's in Augusta spent time at Graced Kennels and worked with a team of volunteers from the animal rescue group, Hands to Paws, playing and walking dogs. This ministry is an important way to socialize dogs and prepare them for adoption. | | | | |
