January 10, 2024 | Volume 14, No. 2

Save the Date for Convention 2024

The 202nd Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Georgia will be held November 8-9, 2024. We will return to the UGA Tifton Campus and will be hosted by St. Anne's in Tifton. As mentioned at the 2023 Convention, the Convention Task Group formed by Bishop Logue through Diocesan Council continues to meet and think through our current schedule for the meeting and how we can improve.

Registration will open in September. Hotel blocks will be announced soon.

Policies and Procedures for Electing a Bishop

While we are years away from needing to consider any policies for electing a bishop, the Standing Committee last year fulfilled the mandate listed in the canons to complete a set of policies and procedures. In our reworking the canons, one significant part of that work was to think through what needed to be more difficult to change and what needed to be more flexible when deciding what is in the constitution, what is in canons, and what is in policies and procedures. The Standing Committee's work is built on best practices put together by a Task Force on the Episcopacy that reported to the 2018 General Convention. 

These policies include the Diocese annually publishing a list of canonically resident clergy 120 days prior to each diocesan convention so that, "Any member of the clergy not listed on those rolls who feels they should have residence shall write to the Bishop Diocesan, copying the President of the Standing Committee, so any issues may be reviewed and resolved according to the diocesan canons." We will begin that process this year in July.

Policies and Procedures for a Bishop Election

New way to submit Parochial Report

The General Convention Office has collaborated with WorshipTimes to develop an online version of the service register book that automatically connects to the Parochial Report filing site. The online Register App is available here, as well as a video preview. Beginning January 1, 2024, you can enter your service information online following a worship service, and at the end of the year all the of the tracking and math of your worship services will already be in the Parochial Report database. You will also have the ability to access ongoing analysis and reports throughout the year.

St. Matthew's Savannah to host diocesan group for MLK Parade

The Episcopal Diocese of Georgia and St. Matthew's Episcopal Church and Day Care invite you to join us for the annual Savannah Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade on Monday, January 15, 2024 at 10:00 AM. The parade route begins at East Broad Street and Liberty Street and ends in front of St. Matthew's Episcopal Church, 1401 M. L. King Jr. Blvd, Savannah, GA 31415. We will have a walking group and a trolley-riding group. Marchers and riders may park cars at St. Matthew's beginning at 8:45 AM (enter the parking lot behind the church from Burroughs Street and W Anderson Street) and get dropped off at the parade starting point. The last shuttle will leave at 9:45. After the parade, St. Matthew's will host a brief worship service and a lunch reception. 

MLK Day in Brunswick and beyond

Bishop Frank and Victoria Logue will be in Brunswick on Monday, January 15, to participate with Glynn County's four Episcopal congregations in the MLK Day observances in that city. If you wish to join the group in Brunswick, the parade forms up in Howard Coffin Park, 1402 Sonny Miller Way from 8-10:30 AM with the first parade starting at 10:30 AM. Picture: The Logues are shown here in the 2023 observance in Savannah.

Let us know of your observances

For other congregations taking part in MLK Day observances in your town, please let us know so that we can share this news with the Diocese. Contact Communications Manager Liz Williams (lwilliams@gaepiscopal.org).

Leading with Grace Workshop #1 at St. Paul's in Albany on January 27

Workshop #1—Leading with Grace in Church Ministry—January 27 in Albany, GA, at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Facilitators: The Revs. Tar Drazdowski and June Johnson; Carey Wooten.

In this workshop, participants will

1. learn and use models for examining and enriching congregational development;
2. discover their different leadership styles and learn the value of sharing ministry leadership;
3. practice using facilitation skills in small groups; and
4. practice leading prayer practices and Bible studies.  

Registration is $35 and limited to 50 participants. Sign up today!!!

The following link includes descriptions of each workshop: Workshop Descriptions.

To register, click here.

For more information about Leadership Ministries, click here.

Episcopal Communicators Conference

The 2024 Episcopal Communicators Conference registration is open! Join communicators from across the Episcopal Church in Portland, ME April 16-18, 2024. This year's keynote speaker, Nancy Marshall of the PR Maven podcast, will bring her years of experience in public relations and communications to attendees. Workshops centered around crisis communications, public relations, content creation, and more will give attendees the opportunity to learn from their colleagues.

If you are not able to attend the in-person conference, an online conference will be the first four Thursday afternoons in May. You will get to hear the same workshop presenters, as well as a new keynote speaker. If you attend the in-person conference, you will also be granted access to the online conference.

The term Episcopal Communicators covers a variety of professionals, from those who have 'communicator' in their title to those who just happen to be the one creating communications for their parish or organization. All are welcome!

To register and learn more about the conference, visit the Episcopal Communicators website here or email Communications Manager Liz Williams. Conference scholarships are available through Episcopal Communicators.

Early bird registration will be open until February 14.

RJGA book study in January

On the evenings of January 11, 18, and 25, Racial Justice Georgia will be hosting a Zoom-based discussion of Anne C. Bailey's book The Weeping Time: Memory and the Largest Slave Auction in American History. The book tells the story of a major event in US history, on the Georgia coast, with Episcopalians as key figures. The book is divided into three parts, and we'll discuss one part per session. Please join us, at 7pm, at this link: Zoom link.

13 Icons of the Living God at St. John's in Savannah

St John’s Arts + Faith presents “13 Icons of the Living God,” a selection of portraits by Bertie Pearson, on display at the Green-Meldrim House on Friday, January 12th from 5 - 7 pm. There will be a reception with refreshments and a brief presentation by the artist. The event is free of charge and all are welcome!

“13 Icons of the Living God” is a reflection on a practical consequence of the incarnation — the theological concept that God has forever taken on human nature in Jesus. If this is in fact true, then to look at another human being is in a real sense to look at an image (or icon) of the Eternal God.

Bertie Pearson is a priest, DJ, and photographer whose work has been featured in diverse settings, from London’s National Portrait Gallery to dance clubs in San Francisco to The Oxford American quarterly.

Across the Diocese

Children and adults at Christ Church in Valdosta participate in the Epiphany pageant.

Canon Varner leads Children's Chapel at St. Thomas Isle of Hope in Savannah.

The Rev. Leeann Culbreath at St. Anne's in Tifton enjoys baptizing baby Owen and baby Jacob.

When the organist at St. Barnabas in Valdosta is on vacation, Sarah Riggle pulls out the clarinet!

Burning of the Greens at King of Peace in Kingsland closed out the 12 Days of Christmas.

The Christmas Tree Bonfire on Epiphany at All Saints in Thomasville really took off.

St. Mary Magdalene in Louisville teamed up with St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church and raised $3576 for the Louisville Community Food Pantry by baking and selling boxes of Saintly Shortbread in downtown Louisville between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

The Venerable Yvette Owens setting the table at Christ the King in Valdosta.

Upcoming Events

New Beginnings #61

Who: 7th-9th Graders

When: February 9-11, 2024

Staff Application

Participant Registration

Clergy Conflict Transformation Workshop

Who: All clergy

Where: Honey Creek

When: March 4-8, 2024

Contact the Rev. Becky Rowell (browell221@gmail.com) and the Rev. Melanie Lemburg (revmelanie@stthomasioh.org) to RSVP.

Happening #109

Who: 9th - 12th Graders

Where: Honey Creek

When: April 5-7, 2024

Staff Application

Spring Clergy Conference

Who: All clergy

Where: Honey Creek

When: April 29 - May 1, 2024

Summer Camp

High School Camp

June 2-8, 2024

Registration

Middle School Camp

June 9-15, 2024

Registration

Elementary School Camp

June 16-22, 2024

Registration

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

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. 

January 14 - 20

In our diocesan cycle of prayer, we pray for our congregation in Americus, Calvary, and for our ecumenical partners in Americus especially St. Mary’s Catholic Church and for St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church in Plains. In our companion diocese of the Dominican Republic, we pray for the congregations in Azua—Reconciliation (La Reconciliación) and St. George (San Jorge). 

January 21 - 27

In our diocesan cycle of prayer, we pray for our congregations in Augusta, especially, the Church of the Atonement and Christ Church. We also pray for our ecumenical partners in Augusta, especially Advent Lutheran Church, Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church, and The Church of the Resurrection Lutheran Church. In our companion diocese of the Dominican Republic, we pray for the Church of the Transfiguration (La Transfiguración) in Banî.

31-Day Prayer Cycles - Revised January 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.

Today Bishop Logue will give a lecture on the First Bishop of Georgia, the Rt. Rev. Stephen Elliott, Jr. at The Learning Center of Senior Citizens in Savannah at noon.

He will make his visitation to All Saints' on Tybee Island on Sunday.



To view Bishop Logue's full visitation calendar, click here.

Photo: Bishop Logue with the altar party at Christ the King in Valdosta.

Canon Lasch will be celebrating and preaching at St. Michael's in Waynesboro on Sunday.

Canon Varner will be at St. Patrick's in Albany on Saturday to lead a Safe Church, Safe Communities training. On Sunday he will celebrate and preach.

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.

Being an angel in the Epiphany pageant at Christ Church in Valdosta brings all the fun!