July 3, 2024 | Volume 14, No. 27

Presiding Bishop Elect Sean Rowe

By Bishop Frank Logue

In a first-ballot election among a slate of five well-qualified candidates, the bishops of the Episcopal Church elected the Rt. Rev. Sean Rowe to become the next Presiding Bishop. At 49, he is the youngest person chosen to lead our church. I met Sean in the fall of 1997 when we both arrived at Virginia Theological Seminary. At 22, he was the youngest person in our class of more than forty seminarians. He would go on to be the youngest bishop in the Anglican Communion for many years after being elected on the first ballot at the age of 32 from a slate of four well-qualified candidates seeking to be the Bishop of the Diocese of Northwest Pennsylvania. When you get to know Sean, the pattern is not surprising.

He is the one so many of us in the House of Bishops go to for counsel. By the time of his installation as Presiding Bishop, he will have served for 17 years in this unique call. He has a pastor's heart and knows the role well. He loves our church and yet sees how we must change to respond to the challenges of decreased membership, giving, and attendance. Yet, he is not interested at all in the institution for its own sake, but for the sake people who need to know Jesus.

In seminary, I immediately came to respect his keen intellect, deep faith in Jesus, and his often surprising sense of humor. In a homiletics class, we each found our very different voices as preachers alongside one another. While there is only one Bishop Michael Curry, Sean will always seriously engage with scripture in a sermon that challenges you or challenges our church. The sermon he preached for the closing Eucharist of the 81st General Convention is a perfect example of his seeking to put faith into practice: Sermon for Closing Eucharist

Sean said, "And finally, what about our idolatry of structures and practices that exclude and diminish our witness? We have to get it together. That’s going to mean laying some things down." By the end of the day, an announcement went out to the church that our Presiding Bishop Elect canceled the big, expensive installation at Washington National Cathedral opting for a small service in the chapel of our Episcopal Church Center that will be broadcast to the church online.

The bishops discerned this call and it was a surprising one for outside observers, but the spiritual discernment we did led us to see Bishop Sean Rowe as the right Presiding Bishop for the nine years ahead. He is signaling bold leadership saying "God is calling the Episcopal Church into a new future." What you can know about our new Presiding Bishop is that he is a good man, a faithful pastor, and a devoted follower of Jesus who appreciates what our church can offer a lost and hurting world too much to let us languish.

Looking back on the 81st General Convention

By Cissy Bowden, Lay Deputy



 It was a privilege and a blessing to serve with such an awesome deputation from the Diocese of Georgia at GC81. Each day started with amazing and holy worship in a convention center filled with exuberant Episcopalians and music that sometimes rocked the building! Many of the days were long, and the legislation sometimes tedious and exhausting, but always informative and interesting, and we had the opportunity to gather each evening in our common room to share meals, talk about the resolutions that had been passed, discuss items on the agenda for the next day, pray Compline together, and just get to know each other better.

Our Bishop joined us when he and Victoria did not have other duties or social engagements with the other Bishops and Spouses. We celebrated a birthday, and a couple of ordination anniversaries throughout our week together. We have so many amazing clergy and lay leaders in our diocese, and I was so honored to share this time with all of them. I confess that my eyes leaked on many occasions throughout the week, but most of all when Presiding Bishop Curry celebrated our closing Eucharist and our PB-Elect preached an inspiring and hopeful sermon. The Episcopal Church is in good hands.

Pictured: Jody Grant, Cissy Bowden, and Molly Stevenson (top); the Rt. Rev. Sean Rowe preaching at the closing Eucharist (bottom).

A General Convention full of hope

By Madison Cook, Lay Deputy

As a first-time deputy and young adult, I approached the experience with no specific expectations. Having attended several conferences before, I learned that the best experiences often come without preconceived notions. While I had a general idea of what the general convention would entail, I knew I wouldn't fully understand until I was there, witnessing the work firsthand. One unexpected aspect was how this experience would fill my cup with so much love and faith. Voting on significant pieces of legislation was eye-opening, especially when I saw how life-changing some decisions were for others. For instance, witnessing the Episcopal Church finally confirm and acknowledge the Navajoland Area Mission as a missionary diocese able to elect its own bishop was deeply impactful for that community and this church, and it marked a crucial step toward healing.

Getting to be a deputy that was a part of the young adult population was an honor, as my focus and passion lie in the future of our church. It was inspiring to see the Official Youth Presence and how effectively they used their voices throughout the week. Their passion and love for the church restored my hope for its future. Additionally, our newly elected Presiding Bishop, Sean Rowe, has a compelling vision for the church's future, emphasizing the importance of youth and young adults. It is clear that he shares our passion for ensuring the vibrant future of the church, making this experience not only meaningful but also hopeful for what lies ahead.

Pictured: members of the Georgia deputation on camp t-shirt day (top); Cook standing when first-time deputies were acknowledged (bottom).

Dioceses, elections, and resolutions, oh my!

By Liz Williams, Lay Deputy

This General Convention consisted of 396 resolutions for each house to contend with, including three resolutions that created new dioceses by merging two or more together, and one resolution to move an area mission to missionary diocese. The dioceses of Eastern Michigan and Western Michigan are now the Diocese of the Great Lakes; the dioceses of Eau Claire, Fond du Lac and Milwaukee have reunited as the Diocese of Wisconsin; Micronesia has merged with the Diocese of Hawaii. The Navajoland Area Mission is now a missionary diocese, which allows the people of Navajoland to elect their own bishop while continuing to receive financial and other support from the wider church.

The House of Deputies also conducted multiple elections, including for the President and Vice President of the House of Deputies. Julia Ayla Harris was re-elected as President, and the Rev. Steve Pankey was elected as the Vice President. Elections were also held for Executive Council, Trustees for Church Pension Fund, Court of Review, Disciplinary Board, Joint Nominating Committee for the Election of the Presiding Bishop, General Convention treasurer, and secretary of General Convention.

The resolutions we worked on from the floor of the House of Deputies spoke to issues that the Church is grappling with, from defining the Book of Common Prayer, to recognizing the 50th anniversary of the Philadelphia Eleven (and the Episcopal Communicators!). I was part of the Formation and Discipleship committee, and one resolution I'm really excited to see come to fruition is the creation of an online hub for resources on the Episcopal Church website. We have long been in need of a central repository for formation resources that can be used with children, youth, young adults, and adults in topics from creation care, racial reconciliation, refugee ministries, and more. Having a central place where any person in formation can look for trusted and vetted resources is going to be an incredible tool for the continued learning and ministry of the Church.

Pictured: Julia Ayala Harris addressing the House of Deputies after her re-election (top); Williams with fellow Episcopal Communicators at the Episcopal Communicators booth in the exhibit hall (bottom).

The Episcopal Church in Navajoland approved as a Missionary Diocese

By Molly Stevenson, Lay Deputy

The House of Deputies was buzzing palpably as Resolution C009 was announced as the next Order of Business on June 25. Navajoland would FINALLY be its own Diocese!



The Episcopal Church in Navajoland (ECN) was established as an Area Mission of The Episcopal Church in 1976. In 2018, the 80^th General Convention “affirmed the desire to empower the people of ECN in the election of a bishop in a way that reflects the values, teachings and traditions of the Dinè”, but the Canons preclude an Area Mission from undertaking such an election. Thus, Resolution C009 was submitted.

The House Rule pertaining to the amount of time allowed for speakers to utilize the mics was suspended in order for members of the Navajoland Deputation to be able to speak and tell their stories. After all had spoken, the Deputation was escorted by the Sergeant at Arms to the platform at the front of the convention hall to be welcomed with a resounding affirmation and standing ovation by the visibly touched and emotional House of Deputies.



This Deputy was honored to witness this historic and Spirit-filled moment!

Pictured: Deputy GJ Gordy of Navajoland speaking to the House of Deputies after the passing of C009 (top); Stevenson recognized as a Senior Deputy (bottom).

Resolutions for social action

By the Rev. Leeann Culbreath, Clergy Deputy



This General Convention was one of many firsts for me—first time serving as a deputy, serving on a legislative committee, crafting resolutions, and moving an amendment. I experienced the legislative process from beginning to end, from impassioned idea to a final vote on the floor, and through it discovered the Holy Spirit at work at every stage of the process, guiding the church through sometimes difficult and contentious changes. 

One of those changes was establishing the church’s official stance on the horrific conflict between Israel and Palestine. The resolutions adopted by Convention guide the advocacy of the Office of Government Relations, the Episcopal Public Policy Network, and the church’s representative to the United Nations. The Episcopal Church has an influential voice with federal and international policy-makers.

All of the Israel/Palestine resolutions came through the Social Justice and International Policy committee (LC 06). As a member of that committee, I read every resolution and listened to hours of testimony over the course of seven hearings in advance of Convention. The majority of testimony called for the church to take the strongest stance possible, using words like “apartheid” and “genocide” to describe the Palestinian experience. 

As the Episcopal News Service documented, finding common language proved difficult. The House of Bishops initially rejected several resolutions with this language. The committee did not concur and amended the resolution to retain some of the original language. I supported this effort and was quoted about it in ENS here. Our very busy committee, meeting early in the morning, continued to grapple with the bishops' changes. Ultimately, several resolutions passed and one was assigned to a conference committee of deputies and bishops. The conference committee, through dialogue, arrived at a consensus which the House of Deputies adopted. LC 06 also considered several migration-related resolutions, all of which I helped shape. With support from several borderland bishops and the new Episcopal Migration Caucus, they were all adopted.

As technical as all this may sound, the truth is that change in the church comes through relationships, hard conversations, and complex deliberation. It's messy, imperfect, and often heart-wrenching work. This is peacemaking, and the church cannot call for peace in the world without doing the challenging work itself. May the Holy Spirit continue to guide us at every step.

Pictured: clergy and lay people (including Culbreath) held up signs during a House of Deputies legislative session in silent protest (top); Culbreath speaking to the House of Deputies (bottom).

Presiding Bishop-Elect looks to the future

By the Very Rev. Tom Purdy, Clergy Deputy

With the election of The Rt. Rev. Sean Rowe as the Presiding Bishop-elect of the Episcopal Church, our denomination ends one chapter and begins another. Bishop Rowe currently shepherds two dioceses in the Episcopal Church, The Dioceses of Northwest PA and Western New York. He was elected on the first ballot, a testimony to the respect he has earned from his sibling bishops across the Church. Bishop Rowe is the youngest presiding bishop since at least WWII by several years, at “only” forty-nine years old. Despite his age, Bishop Rowe brings nearly seventeen years of experience as a bishop to his new role.

Bishop Rowe, while not as charismatic as Presiding Bishop Michael Curry (but few are!), will inspire the Episcopal Church to new possibilities in the face of contemporary realities. In his opening remarks to the House of Deputies shortly after his election, and again as he preached the sermon at the Convention’s closing Eucharist, Bishop Rowe began to prepare us all for what his tenure as our Episcopal leader may look like. In that sermon, he said, “How about our attachment to the old ways that no longer serve us…[and] our idolatry of structures and practices that exclude and diminish our witness? We have to get it together…The struggle ahead will require a tolerance for uncertainty, a willingness to make real sacrifices. We’ll actually need to let go of some of our grievances and hold more lightly our beliefs about how the church should work and who has a voice…we must learn to have hard conversations with each other, with love and respect, so that we’re all pulling in the same direction: the transformation of the world by the Gospel of Jesus Christ.” 

Bishop Rowe is articulating a reformation of the Episcopal Church. As Church insiders have been aware for decades, we have work to do to get our house in order, especially as the Church and the world around us have changed. Michael Curry reminded us that love is the heart of the Gospel; I believe Bishop Rowe will inspire us to remember the heart of the Church by helping us focus on what’s most important: “transforming the world by the Gospel of Jesus Christ.” It seems the Holy Spirit has chosen Bishop Rowe for this ministry at this time. We must keep him, our Church, and God’s mission in our prayers as we all write this next chapter together.

Pictured: The Rt. Rev. Sean W. Rowe addressing the House of Deputies after his election and confirmation (top); the ballot results of the election (bottom).

General Convention moves towards more inclusion

By the Rev. David Rose, Clergy Alternate

I returned home from General Conference (GC) more hopeful for the Episcopal Church than I was when I left. This is true for many reasons, and though this GC will mostly be remembered for the election of our next Presiding Bishop, I think we as Episcopalians can be proud of the work and witness of GC81. The theme of this Convention was Together in Love, and overall we made strides at GC81 to put this into greater action, not only as a theme in Louisville, but for us as disciples to better live out.

One of the big changes this GC made was beginning to change the Book of Common Prayer to better reflect our reality of inclusion in the Church. Resolution A116 was passed overwhelmingly to authorize for trial use a second marriage rite for inclusion in the BCP that will have our prayer book liturgies reflect our current practice. Resolution A160 will change our catechism to state Holy Matrimony is a marriage between two people, not simply a man and a woman. Both of these changes are moves to reflect what we as the Episcopal Church have said we already believe, and both will clean up some of Constitutional messiness past conventions created when our church began to shift towards greater inclusion of our LGBTQ+ siblings. 

Another reality that those of us at GC lived daily was the truth that our church is a truly international and multi-cultural body. This convention attempted to make real strides in having translated floor amendments, instant interpreters for ASL, Spanish, French, and Taiwanese. We had readings in worship in all the above languages, as well as in Navajo and German. These were planned well before we gathered as Convention, but even while together, we continued to listen and make strides towards greater inclusivity as the English captions on the giant screens changed the caption when someone was speaking a language other than English from “foreign language” to “alternate language” – a visible reminder that while our church is small, our reach is wide.

It is partially because of that wide reach, arms opened to embrace and welcome, why I returned a little more hopeful for our Church.

Pictured: the Diocese of Georgia deputation (top); some of the interpreters during General Convention (bottom).

Data Gathering and Church Vitality

By the Rev. Kelly Steele, Clergy Deputy and Chair of the Deputation

The Committee on Congregational Vitality & Data-Driven Initiatives from the 81st General Convention of The Episcopal Church wished to move beyond mere legislation toward experimentation at our meeting in Louisville, KY. We began to model the changes we wish to see in the church. We used the rare opportunity and precious time with so many other invested Episcopalians to pray, dream, and begin work on church vitality in person. Rather than merely legislating or lobbying others to do this work we wanted to incubate what is needed within The Episcopal Church more broadly and General Convention specifically. 

As our Presiding Bishop-Elect Sean Rowe said, quoting Dorothy Day, “‘Everyone wants a revolution but nobody wants to do the dishes.’ Church, we need to do the dishes.” The mission of God, the Great Commission, church vitality, and redevelopment is the preeminent issue in The Episcopal Church but it doesn’t feel that way when we meet. We have infrastructure for creating contextual liturgies and debating resolutions but we do not yet have churchwide infrastructure for the flourishing of our variety of churches and ministries. The Episcopal Church endeavors to be a people of faithful inclusion, welcome and forward-thinking theologically, but has not demonstrated that forward-thinking with its agendas, governance and structure. In short, we’ve not been doing our dishes and focusing on reversing atrophy.

• Could we begin to “do the dishes” at #GC81? 
• How can our structure serve God’s mission and not the other way around
• Could we test a Spirit-driven way of governing?
• Could we demonstrate how The Episcopal Church could balance inclusion, hope, truth-telling, tasks and relationships in meetings but still make progress and focus on the Great Commission? 

"Doing our dishes” involves answering these questions and addressing issues therein:

• The Episcopal Church is at its best when...
• God wants the Episcopal Church to exist and thrive because…
• Something that keeps me up at night (about The Episcopal Church) is…
• When I envision The Episcopal Church 50 years from now, I see…
• We need to…to realize our potential.
• We need to stop…to realize our potential.

You can read our insights, hopes and dreams, collected and summarized by artificial intelligence here. We were not surprised by the results, but heartened by how aligned they were with groundswell discussions around the church. We wish for this conversation to be had churchwide, as well as analysis and usage of data about our condition. 

Pictured: Steele addressing the House of Deputies (top); the women of the deputation on the anniversary of women's ordination (bottom).

Serving with a Deacon's heart

By the Venerable Yvette Owens, Clergy Deputy

My most favorite memory of General Convention was Navajoland becoming a mission diocese. I have been a member of the Diocese of Georgia for almost 30 years and just assumed everyone was either a mission or a founding church. This struck me as an amazing thing straight out of the Bible, which is that God's people are so faithful and so devoted to the teachings of the Gospel. To see them to ask to be a bigger part of the Episcopal church, and have been doing God's work all this time, really moved me. As the Navajo where called up to the mic to express their feelings, I had tears in my eyes. Their faith, love, and truth poured out and filled my heart.

Later in the hallway I asked a member of their deputation, the Rev. Leon Sampson, if they had any deacons. He said they did not, but their Bishop wanted a Deacon to come and talk to them about raising up Deacons for the Navajo church. I put them in contact with the president of the Association of Episcopal Deacons (AED) so that they could have further conversations.

This truly blessed my heart and soul to be a witness to the Jesus movement and the love of a people that continue to move forward. This goes to say it's not about the name on the door, but of the faith and love that one has for our Lord and Savior. 

Pictured: Owens standing during the acknowledgement of first time Deputies (top); Owens praying with a deputy during the Opening Eucharist (bottom).

Official Youth Presence at General Convention

By the Rev. Canon Joshua Varner, OYP Adult Mentor

This year it was my privilege to serve as an adult mentor for the Official Youth Presence for General Convention. This group consists of 2 youth from each of the 9 provinces of the Episcopal Church. The application process for youth began last fall and included both a written application and a Zoom interview with members of the Council of Advice for the Episcopal Church’s Officer for Youth Ministries. The members of the youth presence gathered in Louisville this past February to prepare for General Convention, by learning about parliamentary procedure, committee structure, the many adjacent events that take place during General Convention, and more. Throughout the spring these young people attended and testified at online committee hearings and otherwise prepared themselves. 

During the Convention the Official Youth Presence (OYP) has seat and voice on the floor of the House of Deputies. They do not have vote, but their words have an impact. They spoke on matters ranging from how the Church responds to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza to the need for the Church to be intentional in its welcome and incorporation of LGBTQIA+ people, young people, disabled people, and other groups that often have a hard time finding a way to be connected to the Church. They also weighed in on the amendment of “Article X: Of the Book of Common Prayer” of the Constitution of the Episcopal Church. The OYP also makes a formal presentation to both the House of Bishops and the House of Deputies. Both of these presentations focused on the themes of Openness and Resurrection as ways to revitalize the Church. At the end of their presentations, they told their listeners that “it is so important that you as deputies and leaders with your church, your diocese, your province, and your youth discern unique and individual ways to accept, welcome, and make use of the gifts that youth have.”

It was my privilege to work with these young people from across the Episcopal Church. Their energy and enthusiasm for this work is inspiring, and I am grateful to the Diocese of Georgia for the privilege of being part of it.

Pictured: Rt. Rev. Sean Rowe, PB-elect, with members of the OYP (top); Canon Varner with the OYP at the revival during General Convention (bottom).

RJGA Discussion Series in July

On Thursday evening, July 11, Racial Justice Georgia will begin its four-part discussion series of Dr. Catherine Meeks' recently published memoir, A Quilted Life. We'll discuss the Preface and Chapters 1-4. Please join us! Subsequent meetings will be July 18, 25, and August 1, always 7-8pm.

Click here for the Zoom meeting link.

Across the Diocese

St. Barnabas in Valdosta had two new onlookers during the service.

Calvary, Americus hosted a “Caring for You, Caring for Me,” five week session of education and support for caregivers of people living with dementia or other life altering illnesses. 

This group from Holy Comforter in Martinez packed 360 meals for food insecure seniors in the Central Savannah River Area at The Master's Table.

A young parishioner at Christ Church in Savannah did not need an "altar call" to make a dash down the aisle in worship this past Sunday.

A great team of acolytes faithfully serving through the summer at St. Paul's in Albany.

This group of youth at St. Mark's in Brunswick climbed the tower at the church in the night during their summer lock-in. The lights of the Sydney Lanier Bridge are visible in the background to the left.

Job Openings

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. 

St. Thomas Isle of Hope in Savannah is seeking to hire a nursery assistant. This person would work with the Nursery Supervisor in caring for children ages birth to 5 years old. The schedule is approximately 9:45am to 11:15am every other Sunday at $15 per hour. For more information contact the Rev. Colette Hammesfahr at revcolette@stthomasioh.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

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. 

July 7 - 13 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 14 - 20 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 April 29, 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.

Bishop Logue will make his visitation to Christ Church Cordele on Sunday.

Picture: Bishop Logue with the Rt. Revs. Carrie Schofield-Broadbent and Kai Ryan.

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

Canon Varner will be out of the office on Friday.

Executive Assistant to the Bishop Maggie Lyons will be out of the office on Friday.

Canon Lasch will be celebrating and preaching at Christ Church, St. Mary's on Sunday.

The Diocesan Office will be closed on July 4.

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. Leeann Culbreath baptizes three Ridgon family cousins at St. Anne's in Tifton.