August 3, 2022 | Volume 12, No. 31

“Like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house” —1 Peter 2:5a

I am at the Lambeth Conference of Bishops of the Anglican Communion with more than 650 bishops and more than 460 spouses from 165 countries. Our time together includes a deep dive into the First Letter of Peter led by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby. This week Bishop Hosam Rafa Naoum, the Bishop of Jerusalem and the Middle East, who I met at his church in 2018 before either of us were elected as bishops, told me then and repeated again to a gathering this week that people go to the Holy Land to see the stones, but need to meet the living stones, the Christians of the Holy Land. Now here at Canterbury Cathedral, an ancient site of pilgrimage, I have enjoyed this historic place, but am being transformed by the living stones, the bishops and spouses from around the world.

I am in a small group Bible Study like no other as the Archbishop of Canterbury, who as an evangelical places a very high priority for scripture, opens up a passage for us. Then I gather with a group facilitated by a bishop from Kenya and meet with bishops from Northern India, South Sudan, Zimbabwe, and England. You get a passage to consider and soon you are hearing about a group of people faced with: how can we forgive the people who killed our families as we think God is calling us to do? Or how do I navigate my role as President of the Council of Churches with a Dictator who does not want to hear the truth, but my role is to speak it? There are so many more transformative conversations I have enjoyed in my time here. Like Sunday evening when I had a long talk with a 21-year old man from Sri Lanka who is a cradle member of our Church of South India, and learned of the ways his faith has been tested and yet he hears the Holy Spirit calling him to reach those hurt by the church who struggle with the same questions he encountered.

I am finding this time so humbling. The problems we face in Central and South Georgia are put into perspective by dedicated followers of Jesus who love Word and Sacrament as we do and face daily challenges we can not imagine. This is the 15th Lambeth Conference since the first in 1867. While the provinces of the Anglican Communion, such as our Episcopal Church, are independent, we are also deeply interdependent and while this conference has no authority over us, the moral authority over time makes a difference.

I have so enjoyed seeing people around our church, like Bishop Lloyd Allen of Honduras who is part of the Episcopal Church. I enjoyed serving with him on Executive Council and we both have daughters in Vet School. And then there is Bishop Mark Strange the Primus of Scotland who was in my Zoom small group in the lead up to this conference and who took part some in our pilgrimage to Scotland before Lambeth. I have also been amazed by the providence of finding myself in line for the procession on Sunday alongside a bishop to whom I introduced myself. I learned he is an assisting bishop in Kibondo, Tanzania, where I served as an intern while in seminary in 1998. We have never met and yet we know so many of the same people! What a delight.

I am here because you elected me as your bishop and I represent you here in a worldwide gathering. I remember Bishop Harry Shipps talking glowingly of meeting colleagues from around the world and coming home to share his joy in being a member of the Anglican Communion. I remember Bishop Henry and Jan Louttit being here in 2008 for the last Lambeth Conference on our behalf. (The Lambeth Conference was not held during Bishop Scott Benhase’s episcopacy).

Know that you are connected to millions of followers of Jesus around the globe who get what it is to be Prayer Book people. They face hardships we don’t have to endure and are supported by the same Jesus we know and love. This is such a comfort, a gift, and a sign of grace.

pax et bonum,

+Frank

You can see more photos from the Lambeth Conference on Bishop Logue's Facebook page.

Pictured: Bishop Frank and Victoria Logue with Flora and Bishop Ignatius from Zimbabwe (left); Bishop Logue with the Sheriff of Canterbury in the cassock Bishop Logue borrowed from Presiding Bishop Curry. You can read more about Bishop Logue's luggage debacle in this article from Episcopal News Service.

Frederick William Mingledorff, Jr. (1924-2022)

The diocese mourns the death of Fred Mingledorff, spouse of the Rev. Patty Mingledorff.

Frederick William Mingledorff, Jr., passed away peacefully at his home on July 29, 2022, surrounded by his loving family. He was born in Savannah, Georgia on April 13, 1924, to his parents Frederick William Mingledorff Sr. and Inez Tippins Mingledorff. Fred grew up in Hinesville and graduated from Bradwell Institute in 1941. He then enlisted in the United States Marine Corps at the age of 18.

He served during World War II in the Pacific Ocean theater during the Battle of Guam and was invited to and attended the WW II honor flight in 2014. After the war, he returned to the States and attended North Georgia College, Furman University and finally the University of Georgia where he was a member of Kappa Alpha Order and became a lifelong Georgia Bulldog fan. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge 271 for 75 years. He was also a member of the American Legion Post 168, The Hinesville VFW Post 6602, and the Clown Unit of the Alee Shrine. He was a founding member of St. Philip’s Episcopal Church of Hinesville where he served as a Senior Warden. He was the owner of Hinesville Ford Company for 57 years before retiring at the age of 92. Fred has resided in Savannah since 1989 and was a faithful communicant of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church at Skidaway Island.

Fred was a gentle spirit with an enormous capacity for quiet service and acts of kindness. He was a humble person who lived a life of purpose and was beloved by his family and many close friends. He loved his wife, Patty and family fiercely and made a point to tell and show them how proud he was of each one of them often.

Fred was a fixer who was known for being highly organized, and if you ever needed a tool to borrow, he had it. He was also a lover of animals, taking in many dogs and cats as well as feeding much of the neighborhood wildlife.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, Julien E. Mingledorff. Fred is survived by his loving wife of 62 years, the Reverend Patty Schirm Mingledorff of Savannah; his two daughters, Ellen Mingledorff Gay of Savannah and Doris Bright Mingledorff and her husband Kenneth Boyd Brower of Greenville, South Carolina, and one son, Frederick William Mingledorff III and his wife Suzanne Harris Mingledorff of Colonels Island; six grandchildren, Alison Stall (Daniel), Joshua Hunter Gay, William Young Mingledorff (Skylar), Benjamin Everett Mingledorff, Larry McKinley Rowland III, Harrison Bright Rowland; and one great- grandchild, Jaxon William Stall.

The family wishes to thank Coastal Care Partners of Skidaway Island and Hospice Savannah for their extraordinary care and love.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, Skidaway Island.

Funeral services will be held on Friday, August 5 at St Peter’s Episcopal Church at 11am. The family will receive friends after the service at a reception in the Parish Hall.

This is a reminder that audits are due to the Diocese by September 1^st. If your congregation is running into challenges meeting that deadline, please reach out to Canon Easterlin to notify her. 

Per Diocesan Canon, congregations are required to submit an audit annually. You can review the language here. The referenced language is canon 9, section 4. 

Key considerations when conducting or planning for an audit: 

• Congregations with operating revenue of $500,000 or more shall be reviewed or audited by an independent Certified Public Accountant (CPA).
• Congregations with operating revenue less than $500,000 may be reviewed or audited by an independent CPA or, alternatively, may be reviewed by a person or committee knowledgeable in financial matters and chosen from within or outside the entity. Many congregations partner with each other to swap reviews. To facilitate the review, the Diocese has a checklist.
• Treasurers and bookkeepers are not allowed to review or audit the financial record of their entities. 
• In addition to submission of the checklist or audited statements, a memoranda should be issued by the auditors/reviewers detailing the internal controls and summary of recommended actions related to the financial protocols of the congregation. 

Please submit questions to Canon Easterlin at keasterlin@gaepiscopal.org. While daunting, this is an important part of governance and helps our congregations each year as they think through their financial health and stewardship. 

“Baptized for Life: A Lay Ministers’ Conference” will take place September 9-10 at Honey Creek! This conference is intended for any lay person in the Diocese who is in any active ministry in their congregation. Examples of such lay ministries include those who assist or lead worship, serve on the Vestry, serve on committees, teach Sunday School or lead youth activities, serve on the Altar Guild, care for the buildings and grounds, lead outreach activities, and more. This conference will be led by Dr. Lisa Kimball, the Vice President for Lifelong Learning and the James Maxwell Professor Chair of Lifelong Christian Formation at Virginia Theological Seminary. “Dr. Kimball has focused her teaching and research on lifelong, life-wide, and life-deep discipleship and Christian vocation…She is a passionate advocate for lay ministry, the full inclusion of all generations, digital literacy, and leaders who are confident teachers of the faith.” For more information about Dr. Kimball’s background and history, click here.

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 of our Baptismal identity and the vows we make at Baptism, and will give participants an opportunity to think toward the future in their own specific contexts. 

There will also be time to rest, relax, worship together, and enjoy simply being together at Honey Creek! The event begins with Evening Prayer at 5:30 p.m. on Friday and ends at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday. Registration is available here. You may choose to register for a single or double occupancy lodge room. If you choose double occupancy, be sure to name your roommate in the registration.

Contact Joshua Varner, Canon for Program and Liturgy, at jvarner@gaepiscopal.org with any questions about this conference.

Happening #106 registration for candidates (participants) is now open! Happening, held at Honey Creek, is a weekend retreat for youth, led by youth. The weekend is focused on discovery and learning about yourself and your faith, all while enjoying fellowship and fun with youth from across the diocese. All youth and adults must follow the diocesan guidelines for youth events, which can be found here.

Who: Youth in 9-12 grade

When: August 12-14, 2022

How: Register here!

For more information, contact Happening Coordinator Sarah Brittany Greneker at sbgreneker@gmail.com.

Convention reports that are to be printed in the convention booklet are due to Communications Manager Liz Williams by Friday, September 23. Email them to lwilliams@gaepiscopal.org.

Ladles of Love at St. Paul’s, Albany, introduced a new monthly feature called Maria’s Cafe. Named in memory of their friend, Maria Reghrid-Rodgers, who worshipped at Saint Paul’s regularly and relied upon the vital ministries of Ladles of Love, it brought a new dimension to the current Ladles of Love ministry.

Created by the Rev. Joy Davis and parishioner Tim Wesselman, Cafe Maria will seek to provide their Ladles of Love neighbors with resources to aid in not only food insecurity but housing, health, spiritual growth, recovery programs, and more. They seek to provide homeless and in-need patrons with a variety of services from a coalition of local providers. Each provider was encouraged to bring free materials to share, and to have personnel on hand to answer questions and give guidance in a friendly, pressure-free atmosphere. 

Preliminary research indicates this multi-faceted, community-based approach can be quite effective. Their inaugural event was a wonderful success thanks to enthusiastic community support and attendance by over 100 individuals. 

Hosted by the Rev. Kevin Kelly from St. Michael and All Angels in Savannah, a new retreat focused around those dealing with addiction or mental health issues, either themselves or with a loved one, will be at Honey Creek. There will be a focus for those who have encountered these issues specifically during the pandemic. The retreat is intended to provide a safe space to talk about what's happening, to learn that no one has to face them alone, and that the Church is a place where we can be honest about it.

The retreat is begins on Friday, September 23rd and will conclude on Sunday, September 25th with a closing Eucharist at 11:00am. Registration will open soon. 

For more information, contact the Rev. Kevin Kelly at kevink94@gmail.com.

The Brotherhood of St. Andrew Province IV is hosting a 24 hour Men's Retreat at the Cerveny Conference Center November 4-5, 2022. The theme for the retreat is Renew, Recharge, Rejoice.

National officers of the Brotherhood of St. Andrew will be leading the retreat. Mark the date on your calendar and join us for 24 hours of fellowship, fun, and information in the beautiful natural setting of north central Florida at the Diocese of Florida's camp and retreat center.

Registration forms will be made available after Labor Day on the Camp Weed/Cerveny Conference center website, wwww.campweed.org.

Rain mingled with tears of the people they sold

As we approach the bicentennial of our founding in 2023, we will share the story of the Diocese of Georgia. This week we remember the complicity of Episcopalians in the sale and ownership of enslaved persons.

The largest sale of enslaved persons in American history took place in 1859 to satisfy the gambling debts of a significant lay person in the Diocese of Georgia. Known as The Weeping Time, the auction took place on the Ten Broeck Race Course near Savannah on March 2 and 3. Auctioneers sold off 436 men, women, children, and infants during the two-day event.

The Butler Family owned significant property on St. Simons Island and rice growing land on and around Butler Island, south of Darien. Major Pierce Butler (1744-1822) accumulated great wealth that, as he was estranged from his son, went to two grandsons on his death—Pierce and John. The younger Pierce speculated in business experiencing dramatic losses in the Panic of 1857. Compounding these losses were gambling debts. Butler had to transfer his estate to Trustees for a sale to cover $700,000 in debt. This is calculated at more than $22.8 million of losses in today’s dollars. The Trustees sold his Philadelphia Mansion for $30,000. Even with other real estate, they could not satisfy creditors. His greatest wealth was invested in what was considered “human capital.”

Ads in two of Savannah’s newspapers said, “For Sale, Long Cotton and Rice Negros! A gang of 440, Accustomed to the culture of Rice and Provisions, among them are good mechanics and house servants.” The advertisement did note that families would not be divided in the sale. Buyers came to the track during the four days leading up to the sale to inspect the enslaved workers. They came not just from Georgia and neighboring South Carolina, but as far away as Virginia and Louisiana for the promise of a deal. The first day of the auction brought heavy rain that kept some buyers away. The rain mingled with the tears of those sold gave the event its name, The Weeping Time.

Mortimer Thomson covered the auction for the New York Tribune writing, “On the faces of all was an expression of heavy grief; some appeared to be resigned to the hard stroke of Fortune that had torn them from their homes, and were sadly trying to make the best of it; some sat brooding moodily over their sorrows, their chins resting on their hands, their eyes staring vacantly, and their bodies rocking to and fro, with a restless motion that was never stilled....”

The Trustees netted $303,850 in the auction. A mother and her five grown children brought the highest bid, $6,180 with most people selling for prices from $250 to $1,750. Though the tragedy of this sale disturbs us, sentiment at the time favored Butler as one Philadelphia friend, Sidney George Fisher, entered into his diary, “It is highly honorable to [Butler] that he did all he could to prevent the sale, offering to make any personal sacrifice to avoid it.”



Among the 20 enslaved workers kept from sale by Butler were James and Daphne Alexander and their children. The couple’s youngest child, born about six years after the auction, was Anna Ellison Butler Alexander. She is recognized as a saint by the Episcopal Church.

Pictured above: Auction of enslaved persons (above), historical marker for Georgia's largest auction site (below).

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.

Please note : the deadline to submit your your amendment will be August 15.

During the 2021 Diocesan Convention that met in November, delegates considered a package of changes to the Constitution and Canons of the Diocese. After passing two amendments and postponing a third, the Convention passed the resolution on a first reading. The proposed changes will come before the Convention this November.

Bishop Logue is appointing a Task Group to shepherd the process this year, allowing time for due consideration and a a way to propose additional amendments. The Constitution and Canons as voted on by Convention in 2021 can be viewed here.

The Constitution and Canons as voted on by Convention in 2021, with all changes tracked from the previous version, can be viewed here.

Propose amendments online

The Diocese will use a Google Form to facilitate the collection of proposed amendments to the Canons. Any member of the clergy or delegate to Convention (2021 delegates remain in effect until a congregation names new delegates) may propose an amendment using this form: Proposed Amendments to Canons.

If you have any questions, please contact Canon Loren Lasch at llasch@gaepiscopal.org.

Convention will be held November 10-12, 2022 in Savannah.

Hurricane season officially begins on June 1, and the diocese will once again use AlertMedia to stay in contact with parishes who may be affected by natural disasters. 

Send your updated information of Clergy, Senior, and Junior Wardens to Liz Williams at lwilliams@gaepiscopal.org.

Church of the Holy Comforter in Martinez held a Dinner Church, which gave the parish the opportunity to gather for a meal, fellowship, and getting to know each other over a meal. Following dinner, they ended the evening with Eucharist.

Christ the King in Valdosta held it's much anticipated potluck dinner in their new space.

St. George's, Savannah's newest Crucifer, Hudson Sumner!

Saint Augustine of Canterbury prays for the Rev. Jim and Kim Said on their last Sunday at Saint Augustine's. "I am especially grateful to the good people of St. Augustine of Canterbury Parish for selecting me as their 7^th Rector and for taking such good care of us during our time here. May they continue to be filled with the Holy Spirit and continue to 'be a home where all can belong and experience God’s love.'” 

St. Anne's in Tifton celebrated St. Anne's Feast Day with a whole hog!

St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in Darien is seeking a part-time organist for Sunday worship and special occasion services. Hymns and service music are typically from the 1982 Episcopal Hymnal. There is also a Tuesday evening rehearsal requirement with the choir, all to total approximately 3-4 hours per week. Candidates should be familiar with an organ with 2 manuals and a pedal clavier, be music literate, and be willing to work collaboratively with the Rector and Music Director. Pay will be commensurate with experience. Interested parties should email their resume to standrew@darientel.net.

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 2022 one year prayer cycle is online here: 2022 Prayer Cycle.   

July 31 - August 6

In our diocesan cycle of prayer, we pray for our congregation on Jekyll Island, St. Richard of Chichester. We also pray for our ecumenical partners on the island, especially Jekyll Island Methodist Church and St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church. In our companion diocese of the Dominican Republic, we pray for the congregations in Puerto Plata, especially Cristo Rey (Christ the King), San Francisco de Asís (St. Francis of Assisi), and San Simón Apóstol (St. Simon the Apostle).

August 7 - 13

In our diocesan cycle of prayer, we pray for our congregation in Sandersville, Grace Church. We also pray for our ecumenical partners in Sandersville, especially St. William Catholic Church. In our companion diocese of the Dominican Republic, we pray for Divine Providence (Divina Providencia) in San Antonio de Guerra. 

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 7/1/2022)

Please note that diocesan staff members will be traveling this summer for both work and personal time. Those updates will be noted in this section, along with the corresponding staff member to contact if there is a need.

Bishop Logue is attending the Lambeth Conference this week. Please direct any scheduling questions to his Executive Assistant, Maggie Lyons, and other correspondence with the bishop to Canon Loren Lasch.

To view Bishop Logue's full visitation calendar, click here. (Updated for 2023 - 7/19/2022)

Pictured: Bishop Logue with Bishop Emmanuel Bwatta of the Diocese of Western Tanganyika in the procession line for Eucharist during the Lambeth Conference. The diocese where Bishop Bwatta assists is headquartered at St. Hilary's in Kibondo, Tanzania, where Bishop Logue served as an intern when the summer of 1998 while he was in seminary.

Canon Lasch will be in Augusta on Sunday celebrating and preaching at St. Alban's and Church of the Atonement. 

Canon Easterlin will be out of the office on Thursday and Friday.

The office's summer hours of operation include closing the office 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.

Camp St. Mark at St. Mark's in Brunswick kicked off this week.