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June 9, 2021
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Volume 11, No. 40
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Book Your Hotel for Convention
The 200th Convention for the Diocese of Georgia will be held at the Jekyll Island Convention Center on November 4-6, 2021. As it is the same weekend as the Shrimp & Grits festival, we encourage you to go ahead and book your hotel rooms now. Registration for the Convention will be available soon.
 Hamton Inn & Suites Jekyll Island
200 S. Beachview Drive
Jekyll Island, GA 31527
(912)635-3733
Group Name: Episcopal Diocese of GA
To book online, click here.
 Holiday Inn Resort Jekyll Island
701 Beachview Drive N
Jekyll Island, GA 31527
(912)635-2211
Group Name: Episcopal Diocese of GA
Group Code: EDG
To book online, click here.
Stay at Honey Creek
Rooms are also available at Honey Creek. For rates and reservation information, contact GeorgeAnne Youngner at georgeanne@honeycreek.org or call at (912)265-9218.
To prepay for your island pass, visit https://www.jekyllisland.com/visiting/parking or call (912)635-3636.
The group rate for hotels is only available for a limited time, so we encourage you to make reservations as soon as possible.
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The Rev. Ed Williams (1932-2021)
The Rev. Ed Williams, much beloved Deacon at St. Mark's, Brunswick, died peacefully in his sleep at home in Hospice Care on June 8. We will announce any funeral plans as they are set. A full memorial will be in next week's edition of From the Field. Please pray for Ed's wife, Bobbi, and family.
Deliver your servant, Ed, O Sovereign Lord Christ, from all evil, and set him free from every bond; that he may rest with all your saints in the eternal habitations; where with the Father and the Holy Spirit you live and reign, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
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Funeral plans for the Rt. Rev. Henry I. Louttit, Jr.
Bishop Logue has been working with the Louttit family to plan the funeral for the ninth bishop of Georgia, Bishop Henry Louttit.
There will be a Memorial Eucharist on Wednesday, December 29, 2021 at 10:00 am at Christ Episcopal Church in Savannah.
On Thursday, December 30, 2021, there will be a Burial of Ashes at 1:00 pm at Christ Episcopal Church in Valdosta.
The two liturgies offer the opportunity for those who attend to chose a single liturgy to permit more people to pay their respects in these two services. More details will be shared closer to the dates.
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Family Camp Session One Kicks off the Summer
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| | Evelyn Clements (left) and Ava Rawl (right) compete in the legendary minute-to-win-it Oreo game. |
This past weekend, 27 people gathered together for the first session of this summer's Family Camp at Honey Creek. Participants included first-time visitors to Honey Creek, and those whose experience of the Creek stretches back decades. Activities included all the summer camp favorites, from arts and crafts to games and pool time, and self-guided options for meditation and reflection. Daily worship took place both outside and in the Chapel with music from summer camps past.
There is limited space left for Session Two, which takes place June 18-20, and registration closes either at the end of this week or when the spaces are filled, whichever comes first. There is more space still available for Session Three, July 16-18. Sign up now and join us at Honey Creek for a Family Camp weekend!
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Hurricane Season Preparedness
In the case of an incoming hurricane, there are steps you can take to prepare your congregation, both the members and your physical space. These suggestions are not an exhaustive list, but a good start.
Make an Inventory List Forms like this set of Church Inventory Forms offer a way to get down serial numbers for your more expensive office equipment and other key data that will assist if the church suffers damage. Once forms are completed, make a few hard copies to share among leaders. The best practice is also to scan the forms and place as a Google Doc, in DropBox, or another online storage site so they can be accessible from any computer once the storm has passed. In addition to these paper forms, record a smart phone video of church offices, narrating the equipment, and get photos of the church organ or other high cost items and place these at an online storage site. These will be of invaluable assistance in making an insurance claim.
Identify Potentially Vulnerable Parishioners
Identify senior citizens, disabled persons, single parents, and those living alone. Add any families living in trailers, or in low lying areas prone to flooding. Have a plan for who will contact these persons in order to ensure that they are in safe areas. To the degree we can, the Diocese will assist in identifying locations in safe areas with churches and homes open to those who need assistance. Make sure everyone you assist in leaving their homes has needed medicines.
Update AlertMedia Contacts
 The Diocese will once again use the AlertMedia system to remain in touch with parish leaders. Clergy, Senior Wardens, and Junior Wardens should always keep the Diocese up to date on email and phone numbers, sending them to Canon Loren Lasch (llasch@gaepiscopal.org) and copying Ms. Maggie Lyons (mlyons@gaepiscopal.org). The above are a few minimal steps you can take now. If a storm path looks like it could impact your congregation and you don't have a plan, we have an 11th Hour Checklist. Creating a Better Plan
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Save the date for National Grand Ultreya
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| | Save the Date! |
The first United States Episcopal National Grand Ultreya will be held on Saturday, August 21, 2021 at 11 AM eastern time.
Presiding Bishop Michael Curry will be presenting. Savannah's Beer and Hymns will be providing music for the event.
This will be via Zoom and only 1,000 people will be able to access so you will need to reserve in advance and sign up early. Internet site for sign up to be provided in later updates.
Don't miss out on what promises to be a very special event.
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Being Changed by the Face of Christ - A Retreat Reflection
This reflection is written by Shelley Martin, Campus Missioner at Augusta University on her first experience at Honey Creek and her time at the Deacon's Retreat.
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| | | Shelley at her icon writing station. | |
It was my first time at "The Creek," and on my drive southward I wondered what I'd find when I got there. I had heard others' impressions - the good, bad, hilarious, and holy - but I feel strongly that one can only know a place once they've been there themselves. Now, having been there, this is what I know and what I wish to share with you: Honey Creek is indeed holy ground, not simply by merit of being an Episcopal Camp and Conference Center, but by the holiness within those who visit and thereby bring holy essence into that place, into that space. In sitting alongside our deacons, sharing meals and writing with them, I was privileged to hear their many stories - stories about feeding ministries, campus ministries, racial justice work, community center building, hospital chaplaincy, suicide awareness and prevention - all in the time of COVID, with many having two, three, four or more active ministries each, and I was astonished.
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| | The Rev. Becky Rowell teaches retreat participants |
For those of you who have yet to write an icon, this funny thing starts happening once you've been staring at and working on an icon long enough; you begin to see the world a bit differently. You start noticing the highlights and lowlights of a ceramic bowl holding blessed water, the tonal differences in Spanish moss, and strangely you find yourself staring at everyone's shirts noting the flowing folds and creases (which can cause some awkwardness, especially when people are just getting to know you). As our conversations continued throughout the weekend, I couldn't help but to begin noticing these deacons' contours in a different way as well, focusing in closer and closer to the shape of their eyes, cheekbones, lips, and noses.
Together, in that place, we were experiencing the holy by watching Christ's visage appear from within our icon boards, but I realized that I was being changed most in the short time we shared by those faces around me who brought the holy from within, the very faces of the deacons in our diocese whose ministry is not just to bring the world to our churches, but to be the hands, feet, and face of Jesus and His church in Georgia and beyond. I experienced the holy in seeing the love of God that was evident and written on each of their faces, for which I consider myself - and all parishioners and people of our diocese - immeasurably blessed.
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Open Positions Around the Diocese
Pianist/Music Director at St. Patrick's
St. Patrick's Episcopal Church in Pooler, GA seeks a permanent pianist/music director to support and enhance the worship of the congregation. The pianist will need to provide accurate and supportive accompaniment as we sing praise to God, observing the liturgical year. Someone with experience in a liturgical church is helpful, as well as someone who has experience playing service music. Without such experience, those with the desire and ability to learn are also welcome. Extra services include: Christmas Eve, Ash Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Easter Vigil. Please send resumé to the Rev. Karen C. Barfield at kclaybarfield@gmail.com. For the full description, click here.
Part-Time Youth Minister at Church of the Holy Comforter
Church of the Holy Comforter is looking for our next great youth minister. This is a part-time position, mentoring our youth in grades 6 - 12. Previous experience in working with youth or Christian Education or a background in teaching is a plus. Holy Comforter is an inclusive church located in Martinez, GA. We are looking for someone who is a self-starter but can also work collaboratively with others. And a sense of humor is always a blessing! Please send your resume to the rector, The Rev. Dr. Cynthia Taylor at pastor@holycomforterchurch.org.
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Livestream Calendar Update
 We are collecting updates for our newly organized Live Stream calendar. Please list your updated live stream services including any services throughout Lent and Holy Week. For any future updates to the Live Stream calendar, you can send them to DioGAEvents@gmail.com.
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Across the Diocese
Twenty-two bike riders stayed at St. Patrick's in Albany during a stop in their cross country ride to raise awareness for the Fuller Center for Housing (left). While in Albany they worked on the local Fuller House office. Trinity in Cochran set up a Blessing Box Food pantry outside of their parish hall (right).
100 students from Burroughs Molette Elementary School in Brunswick signed a thank you card to Christ Church in St. Simons Island for their contributions to the Backpack Buddies Ministry.
 Members of Trinity in Statesboro enjoyed their first outdoor coffee hour after Sunday service in over a year!
The Deacons with their finished icons at their retreat at Honey Creek.
Family Camp Session One participants and staff after Sunday's closing Eucharist.
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Prayers 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.
June 6 - 12
In our diocesan cycle of prayer, we pray for our congregations in Martinez, Holy Comforter and Our Savior. We also pray for our ecumenical partners, especially St. Teresa of Avila Catholic Church in Grovetown. In our companion diocese of the Dominican Republic, we pray for Christ Resurrected (Cristo Resucitado) in La Vega.
June 13 - 19
In our diocesan cycle of prayer, we pray for our congregation in Moultrie, St. Margaret of Scotland. We also pray for our ecumenical partners in Moultrie, especially Immaculate Conception Catholic Church. In our companion diocese of the Dominican Republic, we pray for Holy Spirit (EspĂritu Santo) in Las Carreras.
Additional Prayer Cycles
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Diocesan Office Update and News
This Saturday, Bishop Logue will preach at the Memorial Eucharist for the Rev. Richard Patrick McDonnell, III at the Episcopal Church in Okatie, South Carolina at 11am. Canon Varner will be at Church of the Holy Comforter in Martinez on Saturday to consult on youth and children's ministry programming. He will preach on Sunday at Holy Comforter's Bluegrass Eucharist.
You may reach diocesan staff by phone at (912) 236-4279.
Staff e-mails can be found here.
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Let Us Know!
What are you doing to keep community right now? Are you gathering for virtual coffee hours, delivering groceries to your neighbors - let us know! Send any updates or photos to our Communications Manager Liz Williams at lwilliams@gaepiscopal.org. We want to hear from you!
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Back to the Creek 
Family Camp Session One participants were excited to be "back" at the Creek last weekend.
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