June 28, 2023 | Volume 13, No. 26

General Convention Deputies set goals in preparation for GC81

The 81st General Convention of the Episcopal Church will be held in Louisville, KY June 23-28, 2024, and your diocesan deputies have begun preparation for the convention. In their first Zoom session, the group voiced what they saw as their goals going into the Province IV Synod and General Convention.

The conversation circled around some of what is typical of a group of deputies: making sure everyone is staying up-to-date on resolutions and committee actions, networking at Synod, and collaborating on relevant resolutions. Additionally, the group mentioned the need to learn from other dioceses about changing models of ministry. Taking the information that Bishop Logue and Canon Lasch presented to the diocese at Convention about the need for new ways to move the Church forward, the group wants to be part of those conversations with the larger church. What tools, resources, and conversations can we have with others that could be fruitful in our diocese?

In addition to regular General Convention business, there will also be the election of the next Presiding Bishop. The Presiding Bishop is elected by the House of Bishops and then affirmed by the House of Deputies. The full profile for the 28th Presiding Bishop can be found here. The deadline for nominations is July 15, 2023, and the full slate of candidates will be presented closer to General Convention.

The Rev. Kelly Steele, Chair of the Deputation, encouraged the group to continue to think about the ideas presented in the meeting, and make sure to pay attention to the news from the General Convention Office.

Clergy deputies for General Convention 81:

1. The Rev. Kelly Steele, Deputation Chair
2. The Rev. Leeann Culbreath
3. The Rev. Tom Purdy
4. The Venerable Yvette Owens
5. The Rev. David Rose, alternate
6. The Rev. Ted Clarkson, alternate
7. The Very Rev. Al Crumpton, alternate
8. The Rev. Michael Chaney

Lay Deputies for General Convention:

1. Liz Williams

2. Molly Stevenson

3. Madi Cook

4. Cissy Bowden

5. Jody Grant, alternate

6. Eli Irvin, alternate

7. Andrew Austin, alternate

For more information on General Convention 81, visit https://www.generalconvention.org/gc81.

Valdosta churches host healthcare workers for second year

For the second year in a row, the three Episcopal churches in Valdosta - Christ the King, Christ Church, and St. Barnabas - joined together on June 20 to provide dinner for the Emory Farmworker Project Medical Team. This team travels to South Georgia every year to conduct clinics for migrant workers. Christ Church volunteered their parish hall and hospitality team led by Pat Denmark to host the event. St. Barnabas and Christ the King brought additional food and helped facilitate the meal. Local United Methodists members, who are currently meeting at Christ the King and St. Barnabas, also contributed to the meal. About 130 Emory team members were fed!

Register for Family Camp!

Spots are still available Family Camp at Honey Creek! Families of all ages and sizes are invited to spend a weekend at Honey Creek doing all the fun Honey Creek summer camp activities - Chapel, swimming, arts and crafts, and, of course, s'mores.

Held July 14-16, the weekend will offer time for fun, rest, and relaxation for all ages. For more information, contact Canon Varner at jvarner@gaepiscopal.org.

To register visit gaepiscopal.org/youth.

Registration open for Cursillo #127

Registration for both team and participants for Cursillo #127 is now open!

Cursillo (pronounced ‘kur-see-yo’) is a Spanish word meaning ‘little’ or ‘short course’. This is the name given to the Short Course in Christianity which first developed after World War II with Roman Catholic men. The short course has now been given to men and women around the world and in the process has assisted generations of Christians to more faithfully follow Jesus in their daily lives. There is no real secret here, just the basics of the faith with an emphasis on how would you like to live it out in your life.

Cursillo begins on a Thursday evening and ends the following Sunday evening. During those three days the participants engage in listening to talks given by priests and lay people, and small table discussions, while worshiping and playing together.

The next Cursillo weekend will be held at Honey Creek September 7-10, 2023.

To register for team, click here.

To register as a participant, click here.

Join RJGA for July book discussion

On Thursday evenings in July, Racial Justice Georgia will be hosting a Zoom-based discussion series of Melissa Fay Greene's Praying for Sheetrock--a gripping account of the struggle for civil rights in McIntosh County, Georgia. The book can be ordered through Amazon, Indiebound, and Barnes & Noble. On July 6, we'll discuss the Author's Note, Prologue, and Chapters 1-4. Please join through this Zoom link: RJGA Book Discussion.

Episcopal Cursillo Ministry National Conference

The national commission for the Episcopal Cursillo Ministry presents the first annual conference since 2019, Come to the Holy Hill. The conference will take place September 21-23, 2023 at Virginia Theological Seminary. To view all conference details, including the schedule and workshop sessions, visit episcopalcursilloministry.org.

Any cursillistas or fourth day group like Walk to Emmaus are welcome and encouraged to attend. Can't wait to see you there!

Across the Diocese

Members of Grovetown Mission in Augusta represented the Episcopal Church at Augusta Pride.

St. Patrick's in Pooler installed new members of their chapter of the Daughters of the King.

Members of Holy Comforter in Martinez at Augusta Pride.

Bishop Logue with those confirmed and received at Grace in Sandersville.

Bishop Logue with those confirmed and recieved at Grace in Waycross.

St. Peter's in Savannah held a magic session (shoes optional?) during their camp.

Upcoming Events

Summer Camp at Honey Creek

Family Camp: July 14-16

Register at gaepiscopal.org/youth.

Funeral for the Rev. Judy Jones Keith

August 5 at 11 a.m.

Bishop Frank Logue will officiate and preach the funeral for the Rev. Judy Jones Keith at St. Thomas in Thomasville. Clergy are encouraged to to vest in cassock, surplice, and white stoles.

Clergy Conference

Fall Clergy Conference: October 2-4

The Fall Conference will be a deep dive into the Gospel of Mark 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. The conference will be held at Honey Creek.



Diocesan Convention

November 9-11, 2023

Registration will be open this summer.

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.

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.   

July 2 - 8

In our diocesan cycle of prayer, we pray for our congregation in Richmond Hill, St. Elizabeth of Hungary. We also pray for our ecumenical partners in Richmond Hill, especially Spirit of Peace Lutheran Church and St. Anne’s Catholic Church. In our companion diocese of the Dominican Republic, we pray for St. Mary the Virgin (Santa María Virgen) in Monte Llano. 

July 9 - 15

In our diocesan cycle of prayer, we pray for our congregation in Rincon, St. Luke’s. We also pray for our ecumenical partners, especially the Lutheran churches in Rincon—Jerusalem and St. John’s. In our companion diocese of the Dominican Republic, we pray for Divine Grace (Divina Gracia) in Mozovi. 

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)

Bishop Logue will make his visitation to St. George's in Savannah on Sunday. He will be joining the Georgia delegation to the Episcopal Youth Event in Maryland.

To view Bishop Logue's full visitation calendar, click here. (Updated for 2024 - 6/20/2023)

Picture: Bishop Logue with campers at Honey Creek on Friday when campers are encouraged to dress for lunch in costumes or silly outfits.

Communications Manager Liz Williams and Canon Joshua Varner will be at the Episcopal Youth Event in Maryland next week.

Canon Lasch is celebrating and preaching at St. Michael and All Angels in Savannah on Sunday.

Assistant Administrator Daniel Garrick with be on vacation July 4-7.

Canon Katie Easterlin will be on vacation July 2-5.

The office will be closed on July 4.

The office has instituted summer office hours of closing 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.

The Rev. DeWayne Cope (left) and Summer Camp Counselor Grace Diamond (right) pretend to battle it out during Camp Saints Mary & Joseph.