March 15, 2023 | Volume 13, No. 11 | |
One week left to register for Happening #107! | |
Happening #107 takes place in just over one week! This event, led by youth for youth in grades 9-12 and offers participants (called Candidates) a chance to explore their faith together, and address deep questions of piety, prayer, grace, reality, and more. It is open to any young person in Grades 9-12 who has not yet attended a Happening. Registration for Candidates is open until next week, so go ahead and register now at https://bit.ly/HappeningParticipants. The event begins on Friday evening and ends with a Closing Eucharist on Sunday at 2:30 p.m.
The Rector for Happening #107 is Adair Weston, who is a member of the Church of the Good Shepherd, Augusta. She has been working with her staff for several months now in order to make this Happening an amazing experience for the Candidates. More information about the staff and the currently registered Candidates is on the Georgia Happening Website: www.georgiahappening.com.
Each Happening also has Spiritual Directors who lead worship, offer reflections, and spend time with our youth. At this Happening we are delighted to have the Rev. Joe Bowden, Good Shepherd, Augusta, and the Rt. Rev. Frank Logue, Bishop of the Diocese of Georgia, serving as our Spiritual Directors!
Remember the BEST is yet to come!
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The Rev. Hal Weidman called to Valdosta | |
The Vestry of Christ Church in Valdosta called the Rev. Hal Weidman to serve as the Rector. He officiated his first service with the congregation on Ash Wednesday.
On serving as a priest, Weidman says the heart of his initial call was pastoral care and while that abides, he sees, "My role can be as an encourager, a teacher, a guide, a pastor or a spiritual director so all people can realize they are already ministers as they live their daily lives, both inside and outside of the parish."
Weidman was the Rector of St. George’s in Bismarck, North Dakota, at the time of his call. A graduate of Auburn University, he earned a Master of Public Health in Environmental Science from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. In 2002, he graduated from Sewanee with a Master of Divinity and was ordained a deacon and then priest that same year. He previously served in Georgia and at St. Paul's in Macon. While in North Dakota, he also served on the Bishop's staff as the Canon for Congregational Development.
A fan of SEC football, Weidman also enjoys hunting. He and his wife, Michelle, raised four children. They have family in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi. Michelle is involved in children and adult education ministry with a love for Godly Play. She is also an EFM Mentor and a trained Spiritual Director. They have a beloved Boykin Spaniel.
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Trailer for "The Philadelphia Eleven" released | |
The trailer for the new documentary, 'The Philadelphia Eleven', was premiered during the Episcopal Parish Network's annual conference last week.
The documentary recounts the ordination of 11 women to the priesthood, in a time when women were not able to be ordained. The film includes interviews with the six surviving clergy, as well as two interviews with clergy who has since passed.
The film is still raising money to cover the remaining costs, inlcuding the cost of licensing the archival footage needed for the film. To learn more about the film, read the full ENS article here.
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To view the full trailer, click on the video above. | |
1Book1Diocese discussion questions | |
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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.
Discussion Questions:
- What is the best gift you ever received? What made the gift precious to you?
- Bloom writes, “As long as you are rich there is nothing to thank God for.” When have you been moved past a general thanksgiving and repentance, to being thankful to God in such a way as to know you are loved?
- Think of a time when you had such a great joy or sorrow on your mind that you recalled it even as you worked and went about your day. Does this assist in understanding the presence of God?
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Is there a prayer that has been meaningful to you? Share the prayer with the group and tell how you learned it or when it was particularly helpful. Expect that not everyone in the group will have a prayer to name.
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Members at St. Patrick's in Pooler gather together for the 1Book1Diocese Lenten study. | |
St. Thomas Isle of Hope in Savannah spruced up the garden for spring. | |
We love acolytes! St. Anne's in Tifton held an acolyte training. | |
Trinity in Statesboro held a Potluck and Plant event. | |
Outreach knows no age! Children at Saint Paul's in Augusta filled candy bags for faculty and staff at a local school. | |
Volunteers at St. Michael and All Angels in Savannah make sandwiches and stock the fridge for their feeding ministry. | |
Sean Marnul’s ‘Man of Sorrows’ is on outdoor display under the arches of St John’s Church in Savannah. These powerful expressionistic works, commissioned by St John’s, look for the figure of the invisible God in the figure of the one who was disfigured for us. The display will be up through Holy Week. | |
Bishop Logue performing the marriage of his daughter Griffin in the Redwood Forest in California. | |
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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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.
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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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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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Clergy Conferences
Spring Clergy Conference: April 24-26
Fall Clergy Conference: October 2-4
The Spring Conference will include Mental Health First Aid Training. The Fall Conference will be a deep dive into the Gospel of Matthew with the Very Rev. Cynthia Briggs Kittredge, a New Testament scholar who is Dean and President of the Seminary of the Southwest. This is to prepare us for preaching Year B of the lectionary, with its readings from Mark's Gospel. Both conferences will be held at Honey Creek.
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SWGA Clergy Spouse Gathering
Spouses of clergy in the Southwest Convocation will meet for lunch on Saturday, April 15 at noon at the home of John and Rev Marcia McRae at 2701 Green Meadow Dr Valdosta 31602, spouses from other convocations are more than welcome to join. Lunch will be provided. This is meet and greet for new spouses to the convocation.
Please RSVP to John McRae at jhmcae@bellsouth.net or 229-220-5619.
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Clergy Spouse & Family Retreat
When: Friday, May 5th (arrive after 3:00) to Saturday, May 6th (ending after lunch)
Where: Honey Creek (register at Honeycreek.org by April 21st)
Cost: meals - $76 per adult
Children 0-3 no charge
Children 3-8 half price $38 per child
Lodge One $104 per night.
Lodge Two $92 per night. (contact Helen White for scholarship information)
Who: Clergy Spouses or Clergy Families
Questions: The Rev. Helen White, helen.white@ccesavannah.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. | |
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.
March 19 - 25
In our diocesan cycle of prayer, we pray for our congregation in Dawson, the Church of the Holy Spirit. We pray for our ecumenical partners, especially St. John Vianney Catholic Church in Camilla, and St. Christopher Catholic Church in Claxton. In our companion diocese of the Dominican Republic, we pray for St. Michael’s (San Miguel) in Doña Ana and The Grand Commission (La Gran Comisión) in Doña Lila.
March 26 - April 1
In our diocesan cycle of prayer, we pray for our congregations in Darien, St. Andrew’s and St. Cyprian’s. We also pray for our ecumenical partners in Darien, especially Nativity of Our Lady Catholic Church. In our companion diocese of the Dominican Republic, we pray for St. Anthony of Padua (San Antonio de Padua) in El Carreton.
31-Day Prayer Cycles - Revised February 28, 2023
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 2/28/2023)
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Diocesan Office Update and News | |
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Bishop Logue meets with the Standing Committee this afternoon and will make his visitation to Holy Comforter in Martinez on Sunday.
To view Bishop Logue's full visitation calendar, click here. (Updated for 2023 - 1/2/2023)
Picture: Bishop Frank and Victoria with their son-in-law and daughter, Chaz and Griffin Schaefer.
Canon Katie Easterlin has returned from maternity leave.
The office will be closed on Friday, March 17.
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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Presiding Bishop Michael Curry celebrates his 70th birthday this week! Looks like he's had a love of interesting headwear for a long time.... | | | | |
