December 20, 2023 | Volume 13, No. 51 | |
A Christmas Message from the Presiding Bishop | |
To view the video version, click the photo above. | |
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Hello to my family of faith in The Episcopal Church, and to all of our ecumenical and interfaith friends, and to all people of love and goodwill.
I want to first thank you all for your prayers and well wishes this year as I have weathered some health issues. Please know that I’m doing well, following the doctor’s orders.
I’m also ever more aware of the power of the messages of Advent to watch, to wait, and to listen to the pregnant voice of silence, as one version of the Bible says. And out of that watching, waiting, and listening, following the way of Jesus of Nazareth and his way of love, the Spirit of God being our helper.
So please allow me to offer a reading from the Gospel according to Luke. You know it well. The deep truth embedded in it, simple story of the birth of a baby. That deep truth has long given me strength for these 70 years, strength that I often did not have on my own. For some, it may seem fanciful, but in its own way, it points to what the Bible calls hope beyond hope. It reads:
While Mary and Joseph were in Bethlehem, the time came for her to deliver her child. She gave birth to her firstborn son, wrapped him in bands of cloth and laid him in a manger because there was no place for them in the guest room. Now in that same region, there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. The angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for see, I am bringing you good news of great joy for all people: To you is born this day in the city of David, a savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: You will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!”
The message of the angel is as scandalous and striking now as it was then. For in it is embedded God’s message in the death and resurrection of Jesus: to trust and believe in the invincibility of the good in spite of the titanic reality of evil, because God is good all the time. To trust and believe in the enduring power of love, of truth, of the good, and of justice when the reality of the opposite seems so prodigious.
To trust and believe in the enduring power of love, justice, kindness, and compassion, all because God is love and the author of all that is true, noble, and just. “Do not be afraid,” the Scripture says, “for see, I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: To you is born this day in the city of David, a savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: You will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.”
Lord, we pray, give us this sign anew. Give us the lowly, the tired, those of high estate and low, and those of no estate. Church folk, those who haven’t stepped through the red doors for years or ever, give us all a sign. Give us the working, the watching, the weeping. Give us that sign anew; as you did in the first century, so now in the 21st. Give us the expected, the faithful, the passionate, the undeserving; give us a sign.
“The angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid, for see, I am bringing you good news of great joy for all people: To you is born this day in the city of David, a savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.’”
On behalf of the entire Episcopal Church, we wish you and yours a Merry Christmas and a joyous new year.
God love you. God bless you. May God hold us all in those almighty hands of love. Merry Christmas.
The Most Rev. Michael B. Curry
Presiding Bishop and Primate
The Episcopal Church
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Ordination of the Rev. Kimberly Dunn to the Sacred Order of Priests | |
On Saturday, Bishop Logue ordained the Rev. Kimberly Dunn to the Sacred Order of Priests at Saint Paul's in Augusta. | |
Above, the ordinand says (at left) and then signs (at right) the declaration of belief in scripture and the intention to conform to the doctrine, discipline, and worship of The Episcopal Church. Below, she is prostrate during the Litany for Ordinations. | |
At left, The Rev. Dr. Joseph Thompson from Virginia Theological Seminary preached for the ordination. At right, Bishop Logue and and the Rev. Kimberly Dunn as she was vested as a priest, and below the Eucharistic prayer. | |
At left, the procession out at the end of the liturgy, and The Rev. Kimberly Dunn offers a blessing to Archdeacon Yvette Owens (at right), and to Bishop Logue (below). | |
Progressive Religious Coalition of Augusta to host Dr. John Meacham | |
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The Progressive Religious Coalition of Augusta will hold it's 16th Annual Interfaith Celebration on Wednesday, January 17th at 6:30pm. The event will be held at the Sacred Heart Cultural Center at 1301 Greene St. in Augusta.
Jon Meacham is professor of Political Science and Chair in American Presidency at Vanderbilt University and the Carolyn T. and Robert M. Rogers Chair American Presidency. He co-chairs the Vanderbilt Project on Unity and American Democracy. He is co-chair of Vanderbilt’s Project on Unity and American Democracy which seeks to make a meaningful contribution to bridging America’s deepest differences.
Dr. Meacham is a renowned presidential historian, contributing writer to The New York Times Book Review, contributing editor at TIME, and Pulitzer Prize-winning author of 13 books including American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House (Pulitzer Prize), His Truth Is Marching On: John Lewis and the Power of Hope, The Soul of America, Destiny and Power (George H.W. Bush), Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power, American Gospel: God, the Founding Fathers, and the Making of a Nation, Franklin and Winston, and The Hope and the Glory: Reflections on the Last Words of Jesus From the Cross.
Meacham is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and of the Society of American Historians. He is a contributing writer to The New York Times Book Review, a contributing editor of Time, and has written for The New York Times op-ed page, The Washington Post, Vanity Fair, and Garden & Gun. Meacham is also a regular guest on “Morning Joe” and other broadcasts. He is a trustee of the Thomas Jefferson Foundation, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, The McCallie School, and The Harpeth Hall School, Meacham chairs the National Advisory Council of the John C. Danforth Center on Religion and Politics at Washington University. He lives in Nashville with his wife and children.
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Health Insurance cards to be mailed soon | |
A reminder that if you participated in open enrollment for health insurance, your new cards will be arriving soon. If you elected for the new dental plan with Delta Dental, that will be a different card than your health insurance card. | |
Leading With Grace 2024 registration now open! | |
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The Diocese of Georgia’s Leading with Grace Workshop Series aims to train lay and ordained people to lead graciously in a variety of areas, including congregational development and vitality, group facilitation, prayer practices, forming relations across difference, and transforming conflict. Although the themes for each workshop are related, participants may attend any or all of the standalone, one-day workshops. After each workshop, LWG trainers are available to consult with participants about how to apply what they’ve learned in their home parishes. Registration will cost $35/person per workshop or $100 for all four.
The following link includes descriptions of each workshop: Workshop Descriptions.
To register, click here.
For more information about Leadership Ministries, click here.
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This year's Advent choice for 1Book1Diocese, Everything Happens for a Reason by Kate Bowler, traces her journey from her need for certainty in her life, to learning that life is just as beautiful without it.
As the days shorten and the lectionary considers the Second Coming even as we prepare to celebrate Jesus' first advent in Bethlehem, Bowler brings home the depth of our incarnational faith.
Week Four Read chapters 8-9 and appendices
Do you find yourself usually living in the past, present, or future?
In recounting her daily ten minutes of honesty to her pediatric oncologist friend, Kate says, “It feels like I’m hungry and I’ll never be full again.” Who is the person in your life with whom you could share your ten minutes of honesty? What makes them that person? Kate is frustrated that Lent is to be a time when the church has demanded that everyone stare death down with her, yet, Everyone is trying to Easter the crap out of [her] Lent.” How do the rhythms of the church year inform your faith? What is your favorite feast or season and why?
Everything Happens for a Reason is a story to comprehend a paradoxical life and faith; God is good, yet God permits suffering. Mothers beg for the life of their child to be spared, yet children die. How does Kate make sense of a seemingly paradoxical reality? How does your faith inform how you conceive of a life of both suffering and joy?
Do you see differently anything on the short list of things not to say in Appendix I after readings this book? Are there any of the short list of things to try in Appendix II an approach you might now take?
The discussion guide for small groups is online here:
Everything Happens for a Reason Discussion Guide
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Parishioners at St. Luke's in Rincon with their float for the Christmas Parade. | |
Students of the preschool at Christ Church in Valdosta perform their Christmas Program. | |
Clergy Deputies the Revs. Kelly Steele, Leeann Culbreath, David Rose, and Lay Deputy Cissy Bowden representing the Diocese of Georgia attended the budget hearing for General Convention. | |
St. Thomas Isle of Hope in Savannah celebrated their Centennial with food and a street party. | |
St. Paul's in Albany assembled Christmas gift bags for 136 of their neighbors in need for the Ladles of Love feeding ministry. | |
Bishop Logue with those confirmed and received at St. Thomas Isle of Hope in Savannah. | |
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.
The 2024 one year prayer cycle is online here: 2024 Prayer Cycle.
December 31 - January 6
In our diocesan cycle of prayer, we pray for our Bishop, Frank Logue, and our retired bishop, Scott Benhase. We pray for our ecumenical partners, especially, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Savannah and their Bishop, Gregory Hartmayer; and for the Evangelical Lutheran Church’s Southeast Synod and their Bishop, Kevin Strickland. In our companion diocese of the Dominican Republic, we pray for their Bishop, Moisés Quezada, and retired bishops, Julio Holguin, Telésforo Isaac, and William Skilton
31-Day Prayer Cycles - Revised October 1, 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.
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Diocesan Office Update and News | |
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Bishop Frank and Victoria will be in Albuquerque, New Mexico visiting their daughter and son-in-law for Christmas December 21-26.
To view Bishop Logue's full visitation calendar, click here. (Updated for 2024 - 6/20/2023)
Photo: Bishop Logue with his Mom, Julia, and Victoria at St. Thomas Isle of Hope on Sunday.
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Please note that the Diocesan Staff will be in and out of the office over the next couple of weeks in order to spend time with loved ones over the holidays.
The Diocesan Office will be closed December 25, 26, and January 1.
Canon Varner will be on vacation until January 3.
Communications Manager Liz Williams will be on vacation until January 3.
Canon Lasch will be on vacation until December 29.
Executive Assistant to the Bishop Maggie Lyons will be on vacation until January 2.
Assistant Administrator Daniel Garrick will be on vacation December 21-26.
Canon Easterlin will be on vacation December 21-26.
Executive Director of Honey Creek Dade Brantley will be on vacation until January 1.
Administrative Assistant at Honey Creek GeorgeAnne Younger will be on vacation December 24-28.
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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Family photos aren't even safe from Bishop Logue's photobombing! | | | | |
