November 2, 2022 | Volume 12, No. 4 | |
Diocesan Safe Church Policy Update Information | Several years ago, The Episcopal Church approved new Model Policies for the Protection of Children and Youth. Their expectation was that every Diocese would update their policies based on the new Model Policies. This past September, Diocesan Council approved an update to our Diocesan Policies. These policies are intended to work in conjunction with the Safe Church, Safe Communities Training Modules which can be accessed through Praesidium Academy. They will take effect for Diocesan Youth and Children’s events beginning in January 1, 2023. Each congregation will adopt their own policies either by formally adopting the Diocesan policies or by submitting any amendments in advance to the Bishop’s Office by emailing them to Canon Joshua Varner at jvarner@gaepiscopal.org. | |
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Below is a list of primary differences between the Diocesan Policies as they currently stand, and the older Diocesan policies (approved in 2011). Underlying each difference is a shift in theological approach away from a focus on limiting liability, although that remains a concern, and toward caring appropriately for children and youth in the context of both our call to love God and love neighbor (Luke 10:27) and our Baptismal Covenant which requires us to respect the dignity of every human being (BCP 305).
- There is a list of definitions that is helpful to read through prior to taking the online training modules, as the modules sometimes refer to terms without defining them.
- The number of people who are required to undertake the basic “universal” training, is expanded to include everyone who has unfettered access to the building (key holders) and thus could potentially be present in the building at the same time as children.
- The section that details supervision of programs and best practices is expanded to include helpful guidelines in a variety of situations.
- There is a section detailing how to respond to concerns as they arise. The Diocese will also be providing a reporting form to assist in this responsibility, should it arise. Note that in the state of Georgia Child Protective services considers all clergy and religious leaders, along with those in many other professions, to be mandated reporters.
- Appendix B contains guidelines for Social Media and Electronic Communications with children and youth.
- Appendix C details Screening Expectations for a variety of different paid and volunteer positions in the congregation.
- Appendix D details specific online Praesidium Academy modules that are required based on a volunteer or staff members role. Note that these roles include elected positions such as Vestry Members or Convention Delegates.
The full policies as approved by Diocesan Council are available on the Diocesan website here. Additional information and an opportunity for questions will offered at Convention. In the meantime, please email Canon Varner at jvarner@gaepiscopal.org with any questions or concerns.
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The Rev. Dr. Reed Freeman (1940-2022) | |
The people of the Diocese of Georgia mourn the death of the Rev. Reed Freeman, who died October 26. A priest of the Diocese of Florida, he served as an interim at St. Andrew's in Douglas, Annunciation in Vidalia, and most recently at St. Paul's in Albany through June 2020.
“He knew the work of interim was not simply to ‘keep the wheels on’ but to energize spiritual growth and to foster the discernment of the parish,” Bishop Logue said. “Both Reed and Nancy left every congregation they served better for the care they spent in their time with them.”
The Freemans were natives of Boston. Prior to becoming an Episcopal priest, Reed graduated with degrees in chemical engineering from The Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He then spent 32 years in the engineering and management areas of the chemicals and plastics industry.
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In 1996, Freeman graduated from the School of Theology at the University of the South and was ordained to the priesthood. He and Nancy served numerous parishes in five different dioceses of The Episcopal Church. He had most recently served St. James Lake City, Florida.
The Freemans have three children, Debbie in Virginia, Reed in Mississippi, and William in Georgia. Their seven grandchildren and three great grandchildren are scattered across Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Mississippi, and Georgia. His funeral will be at 2pm at St. Paul’s by-the-Sea Episcopal on November 25, 2022. Dr. Freeman requested donations to the church of your choice in lieu of flowers.
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RJGA to raise funds for Saint Anna Alexander Schoolhouse Restoration Project | |
As Racial Justice Georgia seeks to increase awareness of Saint Anna Alexander’s work in our Diocese and to raise funds for the Saint Anna Alexander Schoolhouse Restoration project, they has partnered with three exceptionally talented quilters from St. Paul’s in Jesup. Neva Pittman, and Judy Nance worked with several members of RJGA to imagine and design a quilt using the liturgical colors to craft the picture frame pattern around Saint Anna. Neva and Judy worked together with Molly McLaughlin to create this unique quilt in Saint Anna's honor.
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The quilt will be on display at the RJGA table and during the convention we are welcoming donations to the restoration fund. As a thank-you gift for your contribution, we are giving copies of the icon of Saint Anna written by Jenna Ramer as commissioned by Christ the King, Valdosta. The RJGA ministry team is deeply grateful for the talented work of these amazing artists and especially thankful for their willingness to share their gifts with us. See you at convention!
| Pictured: Completed quilt (top); Judy Nance and Neva Pittman (bottom) | |
Maternity Leave Contacts for Canon Easterlin | |
Canon Easterlin is soon to leave on maternity leave for the birth of her daughter. While she is out of the office, utilize the contacts and resources below: | |
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Convention 2022 is right around the corner and we need your help!
Every convention is able to run smoothly because of the preplanning of the diocesan staff, but also with the generous support of many volunteers. From assisting with check in, to helping direct delegates to the right place, volunteers help the diocesan staff pull off a successful weekend.
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We would love to have your assistance. If you would like to volunteer for this year's convention, please fill out the form linked below.
Volunteer Information Form
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Registration still open!
Each delegate, guest, and clergy spouse must register individually. This is an important and is a necessary step in order to have the appropriate contact information for each person registered. Parish administrators may register a delegation, but will need to use the delegate's cell number and email address in the registration.
To register for convention, click here. If you are receiving an error message when you click on the link, switch to a different browser.
Fill out the vendor application here.
Elections
The following have accepted a nomination to run for a position in the Diocese. Please note that we are electing deputies for the next General Convention, which will be held in 2024 in Kentucky. 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. We will elect persons to the following:
Board of Officers of the Corporation – 1 lay person
Carolyn Eager
Church Disciplinary Board – 2 clergy persons & 1 lay person
Clergy
The Rev. Eric Biddy
The Rev. Mike Gumulauskas
Lay
Pat Burau
Diocesan Council – 1 lay person or clergy
Clergy
The Rev. Terri Degenhardt
The Rev. Ri Lamb
Standing Committee – 1 lay person & 1 priest
Clergy
The Rev. Becky Rowell
The Rev. Sonia Sullivan Clifton
Lay
Charlotte Blue
Molly Stevenson
Trustee of the University of the South – 1 lay person
Whit Davis
General Convention Deputies – 4 clergy deputies and 4 clergy alternates; 4 lay deputies and 4 lay alternates
Clergy
The Rev. Michael Chaney
The Rev. Ted Clarkson
The Very Rev. Al Crumpton
The Rev. Leeann Culbreath
Archdeacon Yvette Owens
The Very Rev. Tom Purdy
The Rev. David Rose
The Rev. Kelly Steele
Lay
Andrew Austin
Cissy Bowden
Madison Cook
Jody Grant
Molly Stevenson
Liz Williams
To make a nomination, click here.
Once nominated, nominees will need to fill out the nominee form that can be found here.
To view full nominee bios, click here.
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Georgia's longest serving Bishop, Frederick F. Reese | 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 ministry of the Rt. Rev. Frederick F. Reese. | |
When the state of Georgia split into two Episcopal dioceses, Bishop C.K. Nelson became the first bishop of the Diocese of Atlanta. Within the new bounds of the Diocese of Georgia, transportation to churches and income for ministry both presented significant issues for whoever would become the bishop of the southern 2/3s of the state. As to transportation, only local trains on two secondary branches of the Coast Line and Seaboard served south Georgia. They arrived at all of the western points in the diocese at two o’clock in the morning and returned to Savannah at about the same hour. This made for a difficult travel schedule for a bishop. With regard to money for mission, the Diocese of Atlanta retained the endowments which had been left in the wills of faithful churchmen and women even of the Coastal area. The sole endowment remaining was the Dodge Fund that could only be used for the education of poor boys.
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Despite the challenges, there were seven nominees for bishop–two were clergy from within the diocese while five were serving elsewhere in the southeast. Frederick Focke Reese was among the three leading candidates on the first ballot and was elected by majority vote of both lay and clergy orders on the fourth ballot. Born in Baltimore, Maryland on October 23, 1854, Reese graduated from the University of Maryland and Berkeley Theological Seminary (at Yale University) before his ordination to the priesthood in 1877. He served as an Episcopal priest in Baltimore, then in Virginia. He was well known in the Diocese as he had served as the Rector of Christ Church in Macon, during which time he was the Secretary of the Convention of the Diocese of Georgia. At the time of his election, Reese was the Rector of Christ Church, Nashville. He was consecrated in Christ Church, Savannah on May 20, 1908. Almost immediately, poor health caused the newly elected bishop to take an extended leave of absence. He resumed ecclesiastical duties April 1, 1909.
In his first address to convention in 1909, Bishop Reese spoke of the difficulty in finding priests for the mission stations of the Diocese. He said, “It is cold comfort to ask our mission stations to be patient; they have been patient; but we must ask them, in considering the matter, to bear in mind the great difficulty which confronts us.”
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His successor, Bishop Middleton Barnwell, said of Reese’s tenure, “Again and again he plead, and for a long time in vain, for enough money to raise the salaries of married missionaries to $1,200 a year. $800 seems to have been almost the maximum. He had no travel allowance to speak of, he rented his own house, he had nothing to build with in the mission field and his own salary was often far in arrears. We owed him something like $2,500 in back salary when I came to Georgia in 1935.”
Through the years, Bishop Reese would address conventions about how our churches were seen as strange and different as our manner of worship is different from our neighbors. But he remained steadfast in the conviction that we must share our faith. He told the diocesan convention in 1929, “Christianity is either a missionary religion or it is nothing, and every Christian is a missionary or he denies the faith in his life, if not in his words.”
Pictured: Bishop F.F. Reese. The articles in this series are also online here: Bicentennial of the Diocese of Georgia
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Register for Happening #106 - November 17-20 | |
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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: November 17-20, 2022
How: Register here!
For more information, contact Canon Joshua Varner at jvarner@gaepiscopal.org.
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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. | |
St. Anne's in Tifton held its annual All Hallows' Eve festival. | |
Our Savior in Martinez held its annual Trunk-or-Treat. | |
Holy Comforter in Martinez attracted quite the fun crowd for their Trunk-or-Treat! | |
St. Philip's in Hinesville was decked out for the annual Scarecrow Stroll. | |
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Clergy and parishioners from the Savannah convocation volunteered at the Episcopal Church tent
during Savannah Pride.
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The Revs. Guillermo Arboleda and Ella Roundtree-Davis with members of St. Matthew's at the Episcopal Church tent at Savannah Pride (left); the Episcopal Church group in the Savannah Pride Parade (right). | |
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 2022 one year prayer cycle is online here: 2022 Prayer Cycle.
October 30 – November 5
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).
November 6 - 12
In our diocesan cycle of prayer, we pray for our congregations in Valdosta, Christ Church, Christ the King, and St. Barnabas. We also pray for our ecumenical partners in Valdosta, especially St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church. In our companion diocese of the Dominican Republic, we pray for the congregations in Santo Domingo, especially St. Philip the Apostle (San Felipe Apóstol).
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)
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Diocesan Office Update and News | |
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Bishop Logue will make his visitation to Good Shepherd in Thomasville on Saturday, and St. Margaret's in Moultrie on Sunday.
To view Bishop Logue's full visitation calendar, click here. (Updated for 2023 - 8/30/2022)
Pictured: Bishop Logue with the acolytes at Church of the Good Shepherd in Augusta.
Executive Assistant to the Bishop Maggie Lyons is 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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This little light of mine | |
The Rev. Ted Clarkson with the newly baptized at Church of the Good Shepherd in Augusta | | | | |
