August 14, 2024 | Volume 14, No. 33

Preparing for Diocesan Convention

Nominations



Nominations for Diocesan committees are now open!

The 203rd Convention of the Diocese of Georgia will elect persons to serve on the Board of the Corporation, Church Disciplinary Board, Diocesan Council, the Standing Committee, and a Trustee for the University of the South. Nominations will be updated here in From the Field, but also on the diocesan website here: 2024 Nominations.

Nominators must fill out this form.

Nominees must fill out this form.

Board of Officers of the Corporation – 1 lay person

The Board of Officers is charged with the oversight of the investments and disbursements of those funds entrusted to it through wills, deeds, and other trust instruments. The board meets quarterly. The person elected to it at Convention 2024 will serve through the Convention in 2031.

Church Disciplinary Board – 2 lay persons & 2 clergy persons

Previously known and “The Ecclesiastical Trial Court,” the Disciplinary Board of the Diocese of Georgia is vested with jurisdiction to hear and determine all proceedings in which a priest or deacon has been charged with one or more offenses specified in the canons of the Episcopal Church. It meets only when necessary. The 2 lay persons and 2 clergy persons elected will serve a three-year term through Convention 2027. 

Diocesan Council – 1 lay person or clergy

Council’s responsibilities are to carry out the polices, programs, and directions of Convention; to deal with contingencies as they arise; and to assist the bishop in developing the ministry of the diocese. It carries out the duties of Convention between Conventions. Council generally has four meetings a year, two in person and two online including one or two overnight meetings a year in various parts of the diocese. The person elected will serve a three-year term through Convention 2027.

Standing Committee – 1 lay person & 1 priest

The Standing Committee is the bishop’s Council of Advice. In the absence of a bishop, the Standing Committee would act as the Ecclesiastical Authority for those purposes declared by General Convention. The Standing Committee must approve all ordinations and any financial indebtedness of parishes. It usually meets four times a year at the same time as the Commission on Ministry and in various locations throughout the diocese. The persons elected will serve a four-year term through Convention 2028.

Trustee of the University of the South – 1 lay person

The board meets in Sewanee, TN, early in October each year. The two laypersons and one priest who serve on the board from the Diocese of Georgia are to represent the university to the diocese. One clergy person will be elected for a three-year term to serve through Convention 2027.

Resolutions

Resolutions must be submitted to the Secretary of Convention, Canon Katie Willoughby, at least 60 days before the convention. This year the deadline is 5 pm on September 9, 2024. Delegates retain the right to submit resolutions from the floor as long as they are on non-budget budget items and do not seek to amend the Constitution. The Rules of Order of Convention, which name these practices, are on pages 28-31 of the Constitution and Canons of the Diocese of Georgia.

Please submit any resolutions to the Secretary via her email address kwilloughby@gaepiscopal.org.

Convocation Council Meeting

Convocation Council will be held on October 3 at 6:00 pm via Zoom. This will be one large meeting of all convocations, with time allowed for convocations to split off into breakout sessions for convocation elections to Diocesan Council.

Listening Sessions for Strategic Planning Process

While these listening session will be followed by a diocesan-wide survey, that is a second round of work based on what comes up in this initial process. After the survey, our consultants and the committee will offer feedback to Diocesan Council and the Standing Committee on the themes emerging in the process. Based on input from those elected, representative bodies, we will do more work together at our convention in November. This process is designed to offer multiple opportunities to help shape our visions, goals, and strategies. It all begins with these listening sessions.

We need to have a head count before the sessions. To assist with this, please click on the appropriate link to register:

Clergy can register for a session here: https://bit.ly/GAClergyListeningRegistration

Lay people can register for a session here: https://bit.ly/GAListeningSession

Two ordinations to the priesthood

Bishop Jake Owensby will ordain the Rev. Shelley Martin to the Sacred Order of Priests on behalf of Bishop Logue on September 28 at 11 am at St. James in Alexandria, Louisiana.

Bishop Logue will ordain the Rev. Ken Shradar to the Sacred Order of Priests on October 12 at 11 am at Christ Church in Dublin, Georgia.

Resolution to Amend the Audit Canon

During their June meeting at St. Paul's in Jesup, the Diocesan Council unanimously voted to amend Canon II.6.4 on Accounting and Audits to adjust the amount of income that determines if a congregation is required to have an annual audit. A Task Group of Council looking at this matter recommended that the amount be increased to $675,000 in order to adjust for inflation since the 2013 convention last amended this threshold in the canons. The revision proposed to the Convention is as follows:

Accounting and Audits. Each congregation and diocesan institution is required to maintain appropriate accounting books and records to properly account for all the financial activities of the entity. Each entity’s financial statements and the underlying accounting books and records shall be audited and reviewed on an annual basis as follows:

(a) Entities having annual receipts from all sources of $500,000 $675,000 or more shall be reviewed or audited by an independent Certified Public Accountant.

(b) Entities having annual receipts from all sources of less than $500,000 $675,000 shall be reviewed or audited by an independent Certified Public Accountant or, alternatively, shall be reviewed by a person or committee knowledgeable in financial matters and chosen from within or without the entity. Treasurers and bookkeepers shall not be eligible to review or audit the financial records of their respective entity.

This Canon is on page 22 of the Constitution and Canons.

The Task Group further recommended that the Council annually review this threshold to propose further adjustments for inflation to the convention as deemed necessary. The Council also endorsed this proposal.

Audits due by September 1

This is a reminder that audits are due to the Diocese by September 1^st. If your congregation is running into challenges meeting that deadline, please reach out to Canon Willoughby to notify her. 

Per Diocesan Canon, congregations are required to submit an audit annually. You can review the language here. The referenced language is Title II, Canon 6, section 4. While the Diocesan Council is proposing an amendment to this canon (see above), the standard for 2024 remains the same as approved in 2013. 

Key considerations when conducting or planning for an audit: 

• Congregations with operating revenue of $500,000 or more shall be reviewed or audited by an independent Certified Public Accountant (CPA).
• Congregations with operating revenue less than $500,000 may be reviewed or audited by an independent CPA or, alternatively, may be reviewed by a person or committee knowledgeable in financial matters and chosen from within or outside the entity. Many congregations partner with each other to swap reviews. To facilitate the review, the Diocese has a checklist.
• Treasurers and bookkeepers are not allowed to review or audit the financial record of their entities. 
• In addition to submission of the checklist or audited statements, a memoranda should be issued by the auditors/reviewers detailing the internal controls and summary of recommended actions related to the financial protocols of the congregation. 

Please submit questions to Canon Willoughby at kwilloughby@gaepiscopal.org. While daunting, this is an important part of governance and helps our congregations each year as they think through their financial health and stewardship. 

Staff Applications and Registration open for fall youth events

Two fall youth events, New Beginnings and Happening, are open for staff applications and participant registration!

New Beginnings #62, led by Lead Teen Tucker Lamb, will be held October 18-20, 2024. New Beginnings is a retreat weekend for middle school youth, led by high school youth. Their time together at Honey Creek gives both staff and participants the opportunity to have age appropriate conversations about faith, family, and life. For more information, contact New Beginnings Coordinator Karen Bell at karenmackenziebell@gmail.com.

Happening #110, led by Rector Garrett Grant, will he held November 22-24, 2024. This event is a weekend led by high school youth for high school youth, participants are led through conversations and experiences that allow youth to dive more deeply into their faith with their peers. For more information about Happening, contact Happening Coordinator Liz Williams at lwilliams@gaepiscopal.org.

Leading With Grace in Augusta on August 24 Building Relationships Across Difference

Parishes and ministries rarely become diverse and inclusive accidentally. Inclusion requires a proactive approach to understanding and appreciating difference in all its forms. In this workshop, participants will (1) learn biblical and theological foundations for developing inclusive ministry across differences using the book of Acts; (2) identify and acknowledge the implicit biases we all carry around key areas of difference such as race, ethnicity, gender, sex, and sexuality; and (3) practice responding to case study scenarios about building relationships across difference.

The Rev. Guillermo Arboleda will lead this important workshop August 24, at St. Augustine of Canterbury in Augusta. Please register here and plan to join us from 9-3. Lunch is provided with registration.

Please register as soon as possible so that we can prepare for meals and room set-up.

Across the Diocese

Members of RacialJustice GA traveled to Hayneville, AL for the Diocese of Alabama's 27th Annual Johnathan Myrick Daniels Pilgrimage. RJGA's Deaconess Anna Alexander Pilgrimage will be September 20-21. For more information, email RacialJusticeGA@gaepiscopal.org or visit their webpage racialjusticega.org.

The Rev. Nathan Wilson gives the Backpack Blessing at St. Anne's in Tifton.

Bishop Logue with the Rev. Jim Pace at the installation of Jim as the new Rector of Christ the King in Valdosta. He is only the second rector, after the founding Rector the Rev. Stan White.

Members at St. Patrick's in Albany worked on the church grounds.

The new pavilion at Trinity in Statesboro gets bricks added to the columns as the project nears completion.

Job Openings

Christ Church in Savannah is seeking a full time Director of Children, Youth and Family Ministries with experience and education in the liturgical tradition, who will continue to support Christian Formation and Parish Life. The Director of Children, Youth and Family Ministries is a critical lynchpin in the overall worship program and will focus largely on children and youth ministries, working alongside the Rector and Assistant Rector to deliver programming that continues to broaden our reach to families.  Ordination is not a requirement of the job. 

Specific Responsibilities include leading Children’s Chapel which is as an educational and spiritual formation program aligned with the liturgical calendar, seeking ways to further develop children’s programs, coordinating nursery ministry, developing and expanding youth programs and supporting events that build the parish life of our community. Link to the full job description here: Job Description Director Children, Youth and Family Ministries.  If you are interested, please email the Junior Warden at WashDender@gmail.com with your resume. 

The Episcopal Church of St. Paul the Apostle in Savannah is seeking to hire a sexton & facilities manager. The position is responsible for maintaining a high standard of cleanliness and readiness of Church facilities, grounds, and buildings. This is an essential staff role in support of the work and ministry of St. Paul’s by helping to create a welcoming and safe environment for parishioners, guests, and staff. Fluency in English is required and basic conversation skills in Spanish are highly preferred. Must have basic knowledge of building systems (electrical, plumbing, HVAC, carpentry, etc.) and intermediate knowledge of repair trades, work safety requirements, and janitorial and housekeeping skills. To apply, please use this on-line form: https://forms.gle/SzLDUJSrEX9Z4rJa9. For more information contact Darrell Naylor-Johnson seniorwarden@stpaulsavannah.org. 

The Episcopal Church of St. John and St. Mark in Albany is seeking to hire a song leader for the weekly 11:00 a.m. service. The song leader would initially work with the current music team, gradually assuming additional roles. Must be able to read music, and a proficiency with a keyboard or guitar is a plus. For more information, contact Rose Dunnum at rdunnum@yahoo.com.

St. Patrick's in Pooler is seeking a a pianist to play hymns and service music for Sunday morning services and Holy Days. For more information contact Senior Warden Karla Davis at (301)667-8744.

Upcoming Events

Cursillo #129

Where: Honey Creek

When: September 19-22, 2024

Fall Clergy Conference

Who: All clergy

Where: Honey Creek

When: September 30 - October 2, 2024

Convocation Council

Who: All convention delegates

Where: Zoom

When: October 3, 6:00pm

Diocesan Convention

Where: UGA Tifton Conference Center

When: November 8-9, 2024

Conflict Transformation Training

Where: Honey Creek

When: January 27-31, 2025

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 2024 one-year prayer cycle is online here: 2024 Prayer Cycle.   

August 18 - 24 In our diocesan cycle of prayer, we pray for our congregations in Savannah, especially Christ Church, the Mother Church of Georgia. We also pray for our ecumenical partners in Savannah, especially the Catholic Cathedral of St. John the Baptist and Ascension Lutheran Church. In our companion diocese of the Dominican Republic, we pray for St. Barthlomew (San Bartolomé) in San Cristobal. 

August 25 - 31 In our diocesan cycle of prayer, we pray for our congregations in Savannah, especially St. Francis of the Islands and St. John’s. We also pray for our ecumenical partners, especially the Lutheran congregations of Redeemer and St. Luke’s. In our companion diocese of the Dominican Republic, we pray for the congregations in San Francisco de Macorís, especially The Good Samartian (El Buen Samaritano), Jesus the Nazarene (Jesús Nazareno), and The Nativity (La Natividad).

Updated 31-Day Prayer Cycles - Revised August 1, 2024

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.

On Sunday, Bishop Logue will make his visitation to St. George's in Savannah.

Picture: Bishop Logue with the altar party just before the procession at St. James in Quitman.

To view Bishop Logue's full visitation calendar, click here. Updated 1/16/2024

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.

Tyler Riddle at St. Anne's in Tifton keeps with tradition by kissing the pig at St. Anne's Rally Sunday lunch.