February 14, 2024 | Volume 14, No. 7 | |
Ash Wednesday - Remember that you are dust | |
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Bishop Logue offers a reflection for Ash Wednesday in the video above.
Click the image to watch the video on YouTube.
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Almighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing you have made and forgive the sins of all who are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of you, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
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Y'all come! Plan a visit to our Companion Diocese | |
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The number of Episcopal mission teams traveling to our Dominican Republic Companion Diocese has increased this year. There’s time for more. That’s the important report from the annual meeting of the Dominican Development Group, the organization that coordinates mission trips. The 22 mission trips set for the first seven months equals the number made all last year. More than 50 teams visited the Dominican Republic in 2019 before the COVID pandemic. This year’s trips include medical teams, construction teams and Vacation Bible School teams from ten diocese.
The message from the DDG is simple: there’s work to do, and you can help. If your church has a team with a specific project in mind or are looking for more information, contact Jim and Haydee Toedtman, co-chairs of the Georgia Diocese companion diocese committee, (jstoedtman@gmail.com) or Christy Wallace of Augusta, who is executive director of the DDG (cwallace@dominicandevelopmentgroup.org).
Currently, only one team from Georgia is scheduled to travel. The Gift of Sight eye mission team from St. Peter’s church in Savannah arrives Saturday and expects to examine the eyes of nearly 1,000 people in San Pedro de Macoris before returning to Savannah on February 24. Bishop Frank and Victoria Logue will also be in the DR this year to visit sites where the Diocese has been engaged in ministry and to sign a new companion diocese agreement following approval by the 2023 diocesan convention of a plan to renew the connections between our dioceses.
Photo: The Dominican Development Group at their meeting this week, including Jim and Haydee Toedtman from St. Peter's in Savannah.
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Historic Square Dedication in Savannah | |
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Savannah Episcopalians were at the forefront of an effort to name an historic square in the city in honor of Susie King Taylor. The work resulted in the City of Savannah's February 10 dedication to name one of its premiere squares to a Black woman, enslaved and raised in Savannah. The renaming of Calhoun Square, named after John C. Calhoun, a Confederate defender and advocate of slavery, took 3 years of intense, difficult work by a coalition and the city government to accomplish this. The Rev. Jamie Maury and Dan Snyder became part of the coalition led by Patt Gunn after working with her in a Healing Racism Forum at All Saints, Tybee Island.
Maury was asked by Mayor Johnson to deliver the prayer for the dedication, and Dr. Bertice Berry, a candidate for ordination to the diaconate, delivered a reading as part of the ceremony. Another Episcopalian, Hermina Glass-Hill is the founder of the Susie King Taylor Institute and Ecology Center in Hinesville. She describes how serving as a nurse in the Civil War changed Taylor's perspective, “She goes to Beaufort, South Carolina. She is in St. Simons. She is in Florida after the war, she is experiencing the Emancipation Proclamation. She returns to Savannah to open two schools.”
Additionally, historian Catherine Clinton noted that Susie King Taylor had an Episcopal connection of her own as she, "....was allowed to attend the Christ Episcopal Church Sunday School, where a handful of black communicants worshipped. Of the 185 pupils in the Christ Episcopal Sunday School in 1854, 100 were black."
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The Rev. Jamie Maury at the dedication (left). Dr. Bertice Berry standing with the new marker (right). | |
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This past weekend, about fifty youth and adults gathered for New Beginnings #61, a youth retreat for youth in grades 7-9 led by youth in grades 9-12. The Lead Teen for this weekend was Eva Purdy, from Christ Church, Frederica. During the weekend the participants heard staff give talks on topics that directly impact them in their daily lives. During each of these talks the high school staff shared events from their own lives that made seemingly abstract concepts such as “The Church and Me” or “Who is Jesus” come alive. Small group time included projects that led to discussions about these topics and more, such as what makes a good friend, or how can I pray?
New Beginnings #62 will take place in the fall of 2024. The Lead Teen will be Tucker Lamb, lately from St. Anne’s, Tifton. Be sure to follow our youth Instagram page, @diogayouth, for more information as the time approaches!
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Happening #109 Registration Open | |
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Registration for candidates (participants) for Happening #109 are now open! Candidates must currently be in 9th-12th grade to attend as a participant. The retreat weekend will be held at Honey Creek April 5-7, 2024. Happening is a weekend for teens, led by teens. The weekend will invite candidates into conversation and reflection about their life in faith and community.
The rector (lead teen) of Happening #109 is Maddie Yarbrough of Christ Church, Valdosta. For any questions, contact Canon Varner at jvarner@gaepiscopal.org or Liz Williams at lwilliams@gaepiscopal.org.
To register at a candidate, click here.
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Christ Church Savannah to rebuild
Organ in Tricenntenial Campaign
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This past Sunday, Bishop Logue offered a prayer for the commissioning of Christ Church's Tricentennial Organ project. The present pipe organ is now over 50 years old, and will be completely overhauled and renovated by esteemed organ building firm Harrison & Harrison, builders of organs at King's College Chapel in Cambridge and Westminster Abbey. The instrument, to be finished in 2026, will be the only one of its kind in the southeastern United States. Colonists arriving with James Edward Ogelthorpe 291 years ago this week founded the congregation as the Mother Church of Georgia. | |
At left, Christ Church Director of George Fergus, Organ Committee Chair Alice Edwards, and Rector of Christ Church the Rev. Michael White with Bishop Logue. At right, a photo of the current organ. | |
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As we move forward in 2024, it is incredibly helpful for the diocesan staff to know who the key members of your parish leadership are and how to contact them. This not only includes contact information for your wardens, but also parish administrators, music ministers, youth minsters, and children's ministers.
The link to the contact form is below. Please updated it with the most current information available. Also note that this information is held within the diocesan office and not distributed to those outside the office.
If you have any questions about the form, contact Communications Manager Liz Williams at lwilliams@gaepiscopal.org.
Fill out the 2024 contact form here
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1Book1Diocese discussion begins next week | |
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This Lent, the Diocese of Georgia offers a study using a book written by the directors of a more than eight-decade-long study of what makes for a fulfilling life. The Harvard Study of Human Development offers a window into lives of meaning and purpose through the data they have collected. The book also looks at what is gleaned from similar studies around the world. While the book itself does not make connections to our faith in Jesus, the discussion guide does.
As the authors write, "The good life is joyful ... and challenging. Full of love, but also pain." And for those of us who follow Jesus, the good life is one in which loving God and loving your neighbor as yourself is central. We will see how these two greatest commandments connect to the key insights of the study that is the heart of this book. Join Episcopalians around Central and South Georgia for this 1Book1Diocese read this Lent.
The discussion guide is designed for a five-week study beginning in the week after the First Sunday in Lent and ending the week following the Fifth Sunday in Lent.
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Updated expense reimbursement form | |
There is an updated expense reimbursement form for 2024 now available. This includes the updated mileage rate set by the IRS. To download the form, click here. It will also be linked in the 'Resource Library' page on the diocesan website in the 'Various Other Documents' section. | |
Christ Church in Valdosta is seeking an Administrative Assistant. Those interested in applying can send their resume and three letters of reference to the Rev. Hal Weidman at rector@christchurchvaldosta.org. | |
The Episcopal Church of St. John and St. Mark in Albany is seeking to hire a song leader for the weekly 11:00 service. The song leader would initially work with the current music team, gradually assuming additional roles. Must be able to read music, and a proficiency with a keyboard or guitar is a plus. For more information, contact Rose Dunnum at rdunnum@yahoo.com. | |
St. Barnabas in Valdosta held a staged reading of the entire Gospel of Mark. For a little more than 90 minutes, the congregation was immersed in the story of God's love as found in the earliest Gospel to be written. | |
The youth at Grace in Waycross hosted the Friendship Day Feast to raise money for summer camp. | |
Trinity in Statesboro had a Low Country Boil with all the fixin's. | |
Youth at St. Anne's in Tifton cooked and served for the Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper. | |
High school students and college ministry interns at Christ Church in Valdosta joined together to provide the congregation's Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper. | |
Parishioners from three St. Simons Island congregations - Christ Church Frederica, Holy Nativity, and Lord of Life Lutheran - once again teamed up to provide Pancakes at the pier in Neptune Park, with donations going to America's Second Harvest. | |
At left, pancakes take shape in the kitchen at St. George's in Savannah, while (at right) parishioners get into the Party Gras spirit early at St. Peter's in Savannah this past Sunday. | |
Valentine's Collegiate Care packages are arriving at campuses where St. Paul's in Albany has parishioners studying. These, and other care packages, the church sends its college students are outward signs of the love that unites them even while the students are away from Albany. | |
The Very Rev. Billy Alford, Dean Emeritus of the Augusta Convocation (left) preaches at the Augusta Convocation's Absalom Jones service. The Revs. John Warner, Kimberly Dunn, and Eric Biddy at the altar while Rev. Dunn celebrates the Eucharist (right). | |
The Deacons' School for Ministry met over the weekend to offer Theology and Homiletics to the Postulants and Candidates for ordination. Two candidates were completing their studies as three new postulants began theirs. | |
Eagle Scout Curt Pflepsen (in middle in the photo at right) created a memorial garden as his project to honor his late troop leader and beloved parishioner of St. Paul's in Albany, Tony Blakey. Curt is surrounded (l to r) by Jacob, Kathy, Cole and Colin Blakey and close family friend and colleague (and LEM) Walter Kelley. The garden was dedicated following Scout Sunday for Troop 15. | |
Youth at Holy Comforter in Martinez collected donations for their Souper Bowl of Caring. | |
The Revs. Raymond Taylor, Aaron Brewer, and Daudi Ndahana are shown together at King of Peace in Kingsland. Ndahana is a priest from the Anglican Church in Tanzania, who followed the church's founding from afar after he met Logue in 1998 during our future bishop's internship in Tanzania before the two of them were ordained. Ndahana preached at King of Peace on two visits while at Nashota Seminary in 2007-2008 and returned this Sunday to preach there again. | |
Parishioners at St. Thomas Isle of Hope in Savannah collect plastic bags to be turned into mats for the unhoused community members in Savannah. | |
The Thrift Store of St. Thomas Isle of Hope in Savannah just gave $45,000 in grants to 8 Savannah area non-profits from its 2023 sale of donated items. The store has been awarding grants to Chatham County not-for-profit organizations for 26 years awarding more than $750,000 since the Thrift Store began operating in 1998. | |
Eating local: parishioners from All Saints on Tybee Island enjoyed eating dinner together at a local restaurant. | |
Bishop Logue with the 20 youth confirmands, and the Revs. Samantha McKean and Michael White at Christ Church in Savannah. | |
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Happening #109
Who: 9th - 12th Graders
Where: Honey Creek
When: April 5-7, 2024
Participant Registration
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Cursillo #128
Where: Honey Creek
When: April 25-28, 2024
Team Application
Participant Registration
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Spring Clergy Conference
Who: All clergy
Where: Honey Creek
When: April 29 - May 1, 2024
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Summer Camp
High School Camp
June 2-8, 2024
Registration
Middle School Camp
June 9-15, 2024
Registration
Elementary School Camp
June 16-22, 2024
Registration
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Fall Clergy Conference
Who: All clergy
Where: Honey Creek
When: September 30 - October 2, 2024
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Diocesan Convention
Where: UGA Tifton Conference Center
When: November 8-9, 2024
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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 2024 one year prayer cycle is online here: 2024 Prayer Cycle.
February 18 - 24 In our diocesan cycle of prayer, we pray for our congregation in Baxley, St. Thomas Aquinas and for our ecumenical partners in Baxley at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church. In our companion diocese of the Dominican Republic, we pray for the congregations in Bonao, especially St. John the Baptist (San Juan Bautista), and St. Nicodemus (San Nicodemo).
February 25 - March 2
In our diocesan cycle of prayer, we pray for our congregation in Blakely, Holy Trinity, and for our ecumenical partners in Blakely, especially Holy Family Catholic Church. In our companion diocese of the Dominican Republic, we pray for
St. Cornelius (San Cornelio) in Cabarete.
31-Day Prayer Cycles - Revised January 1, 2024
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.
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Diocesan Office Update and News | |
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Bishop Logue will make his visitation to Saint Paul's in Augusta on Sunday.
To view Bishop Logue's full visitation calendar, click here. Updated 1/16/2024
Photo: Bishop Logue with his mother (left) and wife Victoria (right) at Christ Church in Savannah.
Canon Lasch will be celebrating and preaching at the noon today for the Ash Wednesday service at St. Luke's in Hawkinsville.
Canon Varner will be one of the musicians at the 6:00 pm Ash Wednesday service at St. Thomas Isle of Hope in Savannah. This weekend he will be in Louisville, KY preparing for General Convention with the Official Youth Presence for General Convention.
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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For the love of chocolate | |
St. Francis of the Islands in Savannah held its annual Chocolate Festival this past weekend. | | | | |
