February 22, 2023 | Volume 13, No. 8

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Ash Wednesday

The Rev. Michael Chaney imposes ashes on Paul Rockwell in front of The Sentient Bean Coffee Shop on Forsyth Park in Savannah.

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.



Above, Palm Sunday's palms burning at St. Thomas Isle of Hope last evening to conclude their Mardi Gras party and prepare for today.

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1Book1Diocese begins this week

The 1Book1Diocese read for Lent is a classic work, Beginning to Pray by Anthony Bloom. This simple and powerful book, gets at the vital importance of encountering God in prayer.


The 1970 book is readily available both in a new edition and in used copies. You can find the reading guide for the Diocese of Georgia here.


The guide offers questions for groups to use for the weeks following the Sundays in Lent with an optional meeting in Holy Week. Groups doing the study together begin next week.

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Bishop Henry I. Louttit, Jr.

As we approach the bicentennial of our founding in 2023, we are sharing the story of the Diocese of Georgia. This is the final article in the series in which we remember Bishop Henry Louttit.

The Diocese elected a liturgist, ecumenist, and the son of a bishop to become the ninth Bishop of Georgia. Henry I. Louttit, Jr. was born in West Palm Beach, Florida in 1938, to the last bishop of the Diocese of South Florida before it was divided into three new dioceses. He was a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of the South who married Jayne Arledge Northway in 1962. Louttit was ordained a deacon in 1963 on graduation from the Virginia Theological Seminary and a priest in 1964. He served first as the Vicar of Trinity Church in Statesboro, then as the rector of Christ Church in Valdosta where he served from 1967 until his election to the episcopacy in 1995. Louttit became the 9th Bishop of Georgia on January 21, 1995.

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In his first address as bishop to Diocesan Convention, Bishop Louttit stated he believed the ministry of the bishop to be: an encourager, friend, and prayer supporter; the link between congregations in our diocese, throughout the world, and back through time to the apostles; the chief administrator, planner, and visioner; trouble-shooter, and reconciler; the sharer of family stories, like the grandfather of the family; an icon model of Christian service. 


Long involved in liturgical renewal of the Episcopal Church, the bishop also had served a term as President of the Georgia Christian Council. He attended the Lambeth Conferences of 1998 and 2008 in Canterbury, England.


Bishop Louttit’s convention addresses focused on evangelism and church growth, conveying a firm concept of the ministry of “all the baptized.” Bishop Louttit promoted congregational development and fostered church planting. In Evans County, Holy Comforter was established from Saint Paul’s, Augusta; King of Peace was established in Kingsland, and St. Luke’s started in Rincon. A mission congregation, Our Savior, met for a time in the Chapel at Honey Creek. That mission and another, St. Stephen’s in Lee County, eventually closed. 

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In order that congregations which could not support a full-time priest would have the Eucharist every Sunday, Bishop Louttit initiated the training and formation of persons locally for ordination as bi-vocational priests, without seminary degree. 45 priests since have been raised up for ministry, formed in a variety of ways other than three years of residential seminary. Those priests have served faithfully in parishes and in significant leadership roles in the Diocese. The number of deacons also increased greatly in the diocese during his episcopate. 


In 2001 he and the Companion Diocese Committee recommended establishment of a Companion Diocese relationship with the Diocese of the Dominican Republic, the third such relationship for the Diocese of Georgia, Guiana and Belize being the previous two.

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A major concern for the diocese, during Bishop Louttit’s episcopacy was the division that occurred in Christ Church in Savannah after the congregation voted in 2007 to separate from the Episcopal Church while continuing to possess the historic building on Johnson Square. Bishop Louttit assisted parishioners in founding a continuing Christ Church congregation to meet on Sunday evenings at the Church of St. Michael and All Angels. The property matter would be decided by the Georgia Supreme Court in favor of the Diocese during Bishop Scott Benhase’s episcopacy (2010-2020). On December 18, 2011, Christ Church Episcopal moved back to the Johnson Square property with a grateful and joyful liturgy during which Bishop Louttit celebrated the Eucharist. Bishop Louttit had kept the diocese largely united during a period of controversy.

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Pictured: (top) Bishop Louttit at his consecration in Roman Catholic Cathedral, St. John the Baptist in Savannah, (upper middle) Bishop Henry and Jan Louttit, (lower middle) Julias Ariail's photo of Bishop Louttit preaching to the 2009 electing convention for his successor, and (bottom) as we close out this series on our history, the 9th, 10th, and 8th Bishops of the Episcopal Diocese of Georgia, the Rt. Revs. Henry Louttit, Scott Benhase, and Harry Shipps, sharing a laugh before the convention Eucharist in 2016 in a photo taken by the 11th Bishop, Frank Logue.

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Bicentennial Eucharist this Saturday

On Saturday, February 25, 2023, the people of the Diocese of Georgia will gather at Saint Paul's in Augusta to celebrate the Bicentennial of our founding. You are encouraged to attend.


The Eucharist at 2 pm will be followed by a reception. Bishop Logue will preside and the Rt. Rev. Robert C. Wright, Bishop of Atlanta will preach. Clergy from the Dioceses of Georgia and Atlanta and those who have served in either of the dioceses are invited to vest and process. Cassock, surplice, and tippets or a white stole for those who do not have a tippet.


The Bicentennial Eucharist will livestream

on the Diocese of Georgia Facebook Page.

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Shrove Tuesday in Photos

Christ Church in Dublin celebrates Shrove Tuesday in their parish hall.

Our combined Episcopal and Presbyterian Campus Ministry at Georgia Southern enjoys their Shrove Tuesday meal.

The Church of Our Savior in Martinez celebrating Mardi Gras in their parish hall.

The busy kitchen at St. Barnabas in Valdosta as the crew turned out pancakes for the Shrove Tuesday feast.

Youth served the Shrove Tuesday feast at St. Anne's in Tifton.

Shrove Tuesday in the parish hall at Grace Church in Waycross.

The huge crew of volunteers for Pancakes at the Pier offered on St. Simons Island by three congregations - Holy Nativity, Christ Church Frederica, and Lord of Life Lutheran.

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2022 Parochial Report due by March 1

The Episcopal Church has launched parochial reports for 2022 data. They are due by March 1st, 2023. The report is one of two mandatory reports due annually, including audits in September. 

 

The Parochial Report is completed online at: https://reports.dfms.orgBeginning in January 2023, everyone will login into this site with a unique login (usually a church or individuals’ email) and password. Diocesan office can reset the login information for a congregation if needed. Reach out to Maggie Lyons or Daniel Garrick for support as needed (mlyons@gaepiscopal.org and dgarrick@gaepiscopal.org). 

 

You’ll need to gather attendance, membership, and financial information to complete the report. If you are unfamiliar with the process of completing the parochial report, please visit the detailed website here.

 

There is a helpful video available here: https://www.generalconvention.org/pr-workbook-and-instructions


You may also find a walk through of how to file here: https://www.generalconvention.org/pr-screencast-for-parish-users


Please know that there have been changes to this year's report, which may mean more time will be needed to fill it out appropriately.

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Update your parish information

The Diocese is requesting that each parish fill out the form linked below with updated information on those in leadership roles at the church. The staff uses this information to make sure that critical communications are directed to the correct person in each parish.


To fill out the form, click here.

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Upcoming Events

New Beginnings #59


  • When: February 24-26, 2023
  • Who: Youth in Grades 7-9
  • Where: Honey Creek!
  • Cost: $145 per person


Participant Registration is available here: https://bit.ly/NBParticipants.


The Lead Teen for New Beginnings #59 is Jackson Beckham from St. Anne's in Tifton. More information is available at https://gaepiscopal.org/youth-ministries/.

Happening #107


  • When: March 24-26, 2023
  • Who: Youth in Grades 9-12
  • Where: Honey Creek
  • Cost: $145 per person


Registration for Candidates is available here: https://bit.ly/HappeningParticipants.


The Rector for Happening #107 is Adair Weston, form the Church of the Good Shepherd, Augusta. More information is also on the Georgia Happening Website: www.georgiahappening.com.



Chrism Mass


During Holy Week Clergy will have an opportunity to renew their ordination vows at two Chrism Mass services in which Bishop Logue will also bless holy oils. Services will take place on 


Monday, April 3 at 10:30 am

at Annunciation in Vidalia 


Tuesday, April 4 at 10:30 am

at Christ Church in Cordele.


Lunch will be provided. Please register online using this Google Form so that appropriate plans can be made: Click here to register.

Clergy Conferences


Spring Clergy Conference: April 24-26

Fall Clergy Conference: October 2-4


These conferences offer a mix of retreat time and training. The heart of every clergy conference is time spent together in worship, in meals, and in fireside and other casual conversations that assist us in staying connected to one another. Both conferences will be held at Honey Creek.

Episcopal Youth Event


  • When: July 4-July 8, 2023
  • Who: Youth currently in Grades 9-12
  • Where: University of Maryland, College Park, MD
  • Cost: $800 per person


Cost should never be prohibitive to participate in diocesan youth events. Contact Canon Varner for any questions regarding the event fee.


Registration Instructions: Registration for EYE is now open through the Diocese. Once youth and adult advisors are registered, Canon Varner will take their information register and register the group with the Episcopal Church.


To register, visit https://bit.ly/GeorgiaEYERegistration.

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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.

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Prayer for Weekly Liturgies

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. 


February 26 – March 4

In our diocesan cycle of prayer, we pray for our congregations in Brunswick, Good Shepherd, St. Athanasius’, and St. Mark’s. We also pray for our ecumenical partners in Brunswick, especially St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church and St. James Lutheran Church. In our companion diocese of the Dominican Republic, we pray for Church of the Holy Name (El Santo Nombre) in Catalina. 


March 5 - 11

In our diocesan cycle of prayer, we pray for our congregation in Cochran, Trinity and for our ecumenical partners, especially St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church in Cairo. In our companion diocese of the Dominican Republic, we pray for St. Gabriel (San Gabriel) in Consuelo. 


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 11/30/2022)

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Diocesan Office Update and News

Bishop Logue will be in Augusta on Saturday to celebrate the Bicentennial of the Diocese at Saint Paul's. On Sunday, he will make his visitation to St. Paul's in Augusta.


To view Bishop Logue's full visitation calendar, click here. (Updated for 2023 - 1/2/2023)


Picture: Bishop Logue with the 23 persons who were confirmed and received, along with their presenters at St. Annes' in Tifton.


Canon Lasch and Liz Williams will be at Saint Paul's in Augusta on Saturday for the Bicentennial celebration.


Canon Lasch will be celebrating and preaching at St. Luke's in Hawkinsville for today's noon's Ash Wednesday service.


Canon Varner will be preaching and celebrating at St. Thomas Isle of Hope in Savannah for tonight's 6:00 pm Ash Wednesday service.


Canon Varner will be at Honey Creek for New Beginnings #59 this weekend.



Canon Katie Easterlin remains on maternity leave.


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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Wait - what does Bishop Frank do?!

The Godly Play class at Saint Paul's in Augusta learn about the different parts of Bishop Logue's job, including the laying on of hands for confirmation, in preparation for the bishop's visit on Sunday.

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