January 18, 2023 | Volume 13, No. 3 | |
Bicentennial Eucharist on February 25 | |
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.
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.
In February 1823, the three Episcopal congregations in Georgia–Christ Church in Savannah, Saint Paul’s in Augusta, and Christ Church Frederica on St. Simons Island–sent delegates to the first convention of what became the Protestant Episcopal Church in the State of Georgia. The delegates celebrated the Eucharist and prayed Morning Prayer daily through the February 24-28 meeting.
Episcopalians in the Peach State
The delegates to that first convention published an address to Episcopalians across Georgia, “Your number is small, and the individuals composing that number, are perhaps scattered. But be not disheartened.”
Though our impact in spreading the Gospel has been significant, our numbers have never been as large as some other denominations. In 1823, one in every 3,000 Georgians was an Episcopalian. At the time the state was split into two dioceses in 1907, that ratio was one in 293 people were communicants in an Episcopal church. Considering pre-pandemic numbers, one in 174 Georgians was a baptized member of an Episcopal Church in 2019. Looking at attendance, one in 567 Georgians were in worship in an Episcopal Church on a typical Sunday in 2019.
Pictured, Saint Paul's in Augusta.
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Opportunities for clergy to gather | |
Clergy Conference
Save the dates for the Spring and Fall Clergy Conferences at Honey Creek for the deacons and priests of the Diocese.
The spring conference will begin with dinner on April 24 and end with lunch on the 26th. The fall clergy conference will begin with dinner on October 2 and end after lunch on the 4th.
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.
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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
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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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Save the Date for Convention 2023 | |
Convention 2023 will be held in Augusta November 9-11, 2023.
More information, including hotels, will be released soon.
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Register for Leading with Grace today! | |
"During the Leading With Grace course I learned practical tools and approaches to leading in the church context that as a new Senior Warden I was able to integrate into work with our vestry and lay leadership. We learned concrete things like the importance of understanding the community demographics around our church location when developing a strategic plan, budgeting, and managing conflict. But, the most memorable parts of the course were the shared meals, prayers, and breaks when we had time with others from across the Diocese to listen, learn, and share stories about our common struggles and joys, as well as our differences. I would highly recommend the LWG course to anyone serving on vestry or in any lay leadership role within their church. It provided me with a support network to call on and practical guidance on living into the role I have been called to serve in at St. Paul's." --Simona Perry, Sr. Warden, The Collegiate Church of St. Paul the Apostle, Savannah
Program Registration is now available at https://bit.ly/LeadingWithGrace. Registration for Honey Creek can be found here: Room Registration.
**Note that registering for rooms and meals at Honey Creek does NOT register you for the Leading with Grace program, so please register for both.**
Each weekend begins Friday with Eucharist at 5 p.m. at Honey Creek, and concludes by 3 p.m. Saturday on the following weekends in 2023:
- February 10-11
- April 14-15
- August 18-19
- September 29-30
Sign up today! For more information, click on the link above and/or email Carey Wooten at cwwooten@gmail.com.
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E.Y.E. Informational Meeting TOMORROW | |
Episcopal Youth Event
July 4-8, 2022
The University of Maryland, College Park MD
Information Zoom - Thursday, January 19, 7:00 p.m.
Email Canon Varner for the link!
The Episcopal Youth Event is the second largest regular gathering of the Episcopal Church. Held every three years, this event is for youth in grades 9-12, and brings together youth, youth leaders, clergy, and bishops (including Bishop Logue) from all over the Episcopal Church. And the Diocese of Georgia will be there! Below are some of the details of our trip to the University of Maryland. For more information, contact Joshua Varner at jvarner@gaepicopal.org in order to join us on Zoom next Thursday, January 19 at 7 p.m.! You can also fill out this interest form and you will see the Zoom link on the confirmation page..
Here are the details of the trip as we currently know them. For more info, come to the Zoom meeting!:
- Dates: July 4 - July 8, 2020
- Cost: Approximately $800. Payable in one sum, or in two payments of $400 each.
- Financial Aid is available on an as-needed basis.
- Location: University of Maryland, College Park, MD
- Participant Grades: Must be currently in Grades 9-12
Registration Instructions: After next Thursday’s meeting, Registration for EYE will 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.
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Happening #107
- When: March 24-46, 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.
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National Virtual Cursillo Event | |
The ECMC (Episcopal Cursillo Ministry Committee) invites you to join us for our 2nd National Virtual Event on Saturday, January 28 at 1:00 p.m. (EST)! This year’s theme is “Jesus Is Just Alright With Me.”
We will begin the program with a thoughtful and motivating talk and follow by breaking out into groups where we will share with each other our relationships with Jesus today. Included will be the lively, professional music performed by the contemporary Christian band “Live Hymnal.” Our program will conclude with a prayerful summary of our group discussions.
This will be a grand opportunity to be spiritually fed and to be a part of a loving Christian community. Come join us on January 28th to celebrate JESUS! We look forward to seeing you all there!
Registration required. Click here to sign up.
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The Bishops' Crusade brought revival | As we approach the bicentennial of our founding in 2023, we will share the story of the Diocese of Georgia. This week we remember revivals in the Diocese of Georgia. | |
1,700 Episcopalians packed the Aquarama on Jekyll Island in 1965 to take part in service during which the Rt. Rev. Albert Rhett Stuart, commissioned twelve bishops to conduct the Bishops’ Crusade with each bishop in one city or town for five days. Bishop Stuart told the Savannah Evening Press, “The purpose of the Crusade is not to foster our Episcopalianism, but to bring the Gospel to the people of South Georgia.”
To support the evangelistic effort, the diocese used roadside billboards, bumper stickers, posters, stacks of calling cards in motels, signs of every description, radio, TV, and newspaper advertising, and a diocesan-wide telephone campaign.
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“But the packaging of the messages, and the answers to questions, were purely twentieth-century. Humor and slang and good, clear, contemporary language were the media. At night the bishops addressed congregations in churches or auditoriums. By day they spoke to clubs, school and college assemblies, youth groups, ministerial alliances; appeared on radio and TV on panels and ‘meet-the-bishop’-type seminars; addressed workers in factories, knitting mills, and railroad yards.”
In sixty sermons and as many more formal and informal addresses to groups of all sizes, the bishops preached always stressing the Crusade theme, “because He loves us,” each told in his own way of that love and what it means. The Living Church added, “The bishops proved three points: (1) good preaching does happen in the Episcopal Church; (2) evangelism does go on in the Episcopal Church; and (3) the Gospel is still and yet Good News.”
This evangelistic effort was the result of meticulous planning under one General Crusade Committee five subcommittees served, each dealing with a specific area: spiritual preparation, services, finance, promotion and publicity, and follow-up. Each of these had a counterpart in the twelve areas which were designated as preaching stations.
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How successful was the crusade? St. Philip’s in Hinesville was founded as a direct result of the effort. Beyond this, the Episcopal Diocese of Georgia grew significantly during Bishop Stuart’s episcopacy. While it is easy to note that he served from 1954-1972, which was a prime time for church growth, the Diocese of Georgia’s rate of growth outpaced the growth of population in the state as well as the percentage growth of other denominations during this time. While this can not be shown as cause and effect from the Bishops' Crusade. It should not be surprising that such a period of growth for Diocese did correlate with a bishop who put such sustained effort into spreading the love of God as found in Jesus.
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Bishop Harry Shipps held another Bishops’ Crusade in 1986. Twelve bishops from across the country were once again commissioned, this time by Presiding Bishop John M. Allin in a service at Christ Church Savannah. They were sent to twelve parishes around the diocese for a three day preaching mission and interaction with parishioners. In January of 2018, Bishop Scott Benhase hosted a revival at Honey Creek. Presiding Bishop Michael Curry brought evangelical fervor to an immense revival tent filled with 1,300 people hearing the Good News of Jesus on the grounds of the retreat center.
Pictured: Promotional materials and press coverage of the 1965 Bishops' Crusade are shown in the photo at top. The chart in the middle shows the percentage growth from 1954 to 1967 with the Episcopal Diocese of Georgia's percentage growth well beyond that of population growth. The bottom photo shows Presiding Bishop Michael Curry preaching at Honey Creek in 2018 as his Canon for Evangelism, the Rev. Canon Stephanie Spellers, looks on.
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Saint Paul’s in Augusta and neighboring Springfield Baptist Church worshiped, sang, and prayed together on Sunday evening as they commit to building friendship. The Rev. Eric Biddy, Rector of Saint Paul's preached. At left, Pastor Hardy Bennings, III prays and at right, the Saint Paul's choir sings. | |
Acolytes at St. Anne's in Tifton assist the Rev. Leeann Culbreath with a sermon illustration. | |
The Rev. Tommy Townsend, Rector of Holy Nativity on St. Simons Island, chats with a visitor. | |
Bishop Logue with the clergy and those confirmed, received, and reaffirming their faith at St. Peter's in Savannah on Sunday. | |
On January 8, Bishop Logue made his visitation to Trinity in Statesboro where he blessed a new outdoor altar and prayed with the Rev. Steve Darby who was retiring after 17 years as a deacon. He also confirmed and received 11 persons. | |
Bishop Frank and Victoria Logue (left) and Margaret Anne Pearson, the Rev. David Wantland, and Karsten Tyson (right) participate in the Savannah MLK Day Parade with others from congregations in the Savannah area. | |
Parishioners from St. Luke's in Rincon participated in the MLK Day Parade. | |
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.
January 22 – January 28
In our diocesan cycle of prayer, we pray for our congregations in Augusta, especially, Good Shepherd and St. Alban’s. We also pray for our ecumenical partners in Augusta, especially the Catholic Churches of St. Ignatius of Antioch, St. Joseph, and St. Mary on the Hill. In our companion diocese of the Dominican Republic, we pray for the congregations in Barahona — Jesus the Pilgrim (Jesús Peregrino), Redemption (La Redención), and Lamb of God (Cordero de Dios).
January 29 – February 4
In our diocesan cycle of prayer, we pray for our congregations in Augusta, especially, St. Augustine’s, St. Mary’s, and St. Paul’s. We also pray for our ecumenical partners St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church in Adel, and St. Ann Catholic Church in Alapaha. In our companion diocese of the Dominican Republic, we pray for the congregations in Boca Chica —Grace (De la Gracia), Mount Zion (Monte de Sión), and St. Joseph (San José).
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 | |
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This morning, Bishop Logue meets with the Episcopal Youth and Children Services (EYCS) Board at St. Paul the Apostle in Savannah. They will celebrate the Eucharist with an induction of a new board member and organize for the coming year. Victoria Logue becomes the President of this group that distributes college scholarships and assists with the costs of campers going to Honey Creek.
On Friday, Bishop Logue will have a full day at Episcopal Day School in Augusta for his visitation including Morning Prayer with all of the school, spending class time with students in three blocks, lunch with students, and a visit to the nature preschool.
On Sunday, Bishop Logue will make his visitation to St. John's in Bainbridge.
To view Bishop Logue's full visitation calendar, click here. (Updated for 2023 - 1/2/2023)
Picture: Bishop Logue with Ginger Vasquez who wore the mitre and held the crozier before the procession into St. Peter's in Savannah. The church's Rector, the Rev. Kelly Steele, and Associate Rector, the Rev. David Wantland joined in the ussie before the opening hymn.
Canon Katie Easterlin remains on maternity leave.
Canon Lasch will be on vacation January 13-22.
Executive Director of Honey Creek Dade Brantley will be attending the Episcopal Camps and Conference Center (ECCC) Annual Conference at St. Crispin's Conference Center in Oklahoma January 22-27.
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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On Sunday, January 15, the parish of Grace Church, Waycross, celebrated Ms. Dot Dunbar’s 100th birthday. She has faithfully attended Grace since May 1947. She says that since she made it to 100, she thinks she'll try for 200! Her church family wishes her many more happy returns of the day. | | | | |
