November 30, 2016
Volume 7, Number 13
In This Issue
 
 




This Sunday's Lections
Second Sunday of
Advent 
Isaiah 11:1-10
Romans 15:4-13
Matthew 3:1-12
Psalm 72:1-7,18-19 
Go 
here for the full text.
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Lead, Grow and Share!
The Diocese requests that each congregation hold an event or lead a parish-level initiative to support 
the final few months of the Campaign for Congregationa l Development. 

Here are a few ideas on how to do this:
  • Leverage an existing, planned event and contribute the funds to the Diocese.
  • Host a separate, new event in line with the theme of Lead, Grow and Share. For example, Christ Church Valdosta has invited Canon Logue to speak to a gathering about all that has been accomplished so far and what plans are for the future. The Diocese can support this with videos for the Campaign and, schedule permitting, with staff.
  • Designate a Sunday or Feast Day collection in honor of the Campaign.
  • Partner with another local congregation to co-host an event. 
  • Consider contributing an amount above the annual parish tithe, designated to the Campaign.
When you plan your event, let us know at the Diocesan House what it will be and if possible take photos that we can share in  From the Field!

Do you have an idea? Ask your clergy and vestry how to get involved.  Find out more online at:
Project Resource
Two Views on How to Do Stewardship Next Year
Every congregation faces critical decisions based on the funds available for ministry. Therefore, we all have to consider how we ask for the money we need to run our congregations. Too often, this is a late summer to early fall effort to pull together a pledge campaign. Best practice is to work through stewardship year round, but even then, there are at least two ways to move forward--year round work toward an annual campaign, or a year round giving campaign.

Year Round Work on Annual Stewardship
The College of Bishops pulled together the best resources in the Episcopal Church on stewardship. The result is the Project Resource training the Diocese of Georgia is rolling out in the coming year. That training offers a template for how a congregation can improve its stewardship campaign with a flow of work starting in December for the next year's annual campaign. That way of working is outlined completely in this handout from Project Resource Pledge Campaign Task Flow Chart 

Year Round Giving, Community Building
Episcopal News Service has an article out today on how St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church in Poway, California has moved to year round sharing stories of transformed lives. The article says, " Gone also are pleas for assistance with campus repairs from finance-minded parishioners. Instead, parishioners hear personal stories of transformation, of deepening faith and ministry that, said the Rev. Chris Harris, the congregation's Curate, when 'authentic and vulnerable, end up building community in a way that giving flows from that.'" The full article is online here: Stewardship focus shifts to year-round giving, community building
The Loose Canon
Two Ideas from Evangelism Matters
The Evangelism Matters Conference brought together 425 people from across the Episcopal Church from Hawaii to the Dominican Republic and Seattle to, well, Georgia. As one of six members of the Planning Team, I was pleased not so much by the turn out as the energy around sharing our faith in Jesus Christ. I was especially grateful for the excellent workshops that came together. While the event has come and gone, videos of many of the presentations remain. The Evangelism Matters YouTube Channel offers 16 videos from the conference including our Presiding Bishop Michael Curry's inspiring preaching and the full content of seven workshops. I recommend two videos in particular:

Cardboard Testimonies
This video demonstrates a project any congregation can do (it was piloted by a church with about 20 people on an average Sunday). My colleague Stephanie Spellers walks the conference participants through an exercise you could do in your church on a Sunday between services or after the main liturgy. I will let her describe it for your, but I want to share how this exercise got me and a complete stranger first, discover how God had been in our lives anew and then, got us each talking about significant issues with each other in a very meaningful way.

The Episcopal Church's highly skilled video team then cut a video showing the results. That is online here at  Cardboard Testimonies

From Visitor to Member in 12 Months
When Mary Foster Parmer presented on Invite-Welcome-Connect to our recent diocesan convention, I really came to understand how the connect piece is the one I probably needed help with the most as a parish priest.  Chris Girata and Elizabeth Carrière Peeples brought a workshop to the Evangelism Matters Conference on moving a person from a visitor to a member in 12 months. 

While the 1 hour 20 minute video length will seem daunting, this is an excellent workshop ready to give you tools to connect with newcomers in a meaningful way. If you long for your congregation to help visitors become a vital part of your congregation, is there a better use of and hour and a half than learning proven ways to make this happen?
Peace,
 
Frank
The Rev. Canon Frank Logue
Canon to the Ordinary
Around the Diocese
Advent Wreath Making
  
St. Paul's Church, Augusta

Christ Church, Valdosta

 

Parishioners at Church of the Good Shepherd, above in and the banner photo.  
Diocesan Office Update     
Bishop Benhase will be at Calvary, Americus, on Saturday for a Memorial Service for the Rev. Reginald Gunn and will make his visitation this Sunday afternoon at Trinity, Cochran. For the Bishop's complete visitation schedule, go  here. 

Canon Logue will preside and preach this Sunday at St. Patrick's Pooler so that the Diocesan Missioner for Youth, the Rev. Joshua Varner can serve as Spiritual Director for New Beginnings at Honey Creek Retreat Center.

Tuesday's staff meeting included very happy birthday wishes to the Canon for Administration, Katie Willoughby.

 
Bishop Benhase' Visitation     

Following services at Christ Church, Dublin on Sunday, Bishop Benhase and the Elder family (from left, Ellie, Chad and Madeline) gathered for this photo. 
UTO Fall Ingathering Due December 15
The United Thank Offering (UTO) ingathering from the convention was $367.61! Thanks to everyone who contributed to the blue boxes on the tables.

Fall in-gatherings need to be sent in by December 15, 2016 if they are to counted with this year's UTO Report. Please send donations to
Suzanne Harrow
2508 Sheraton Drive
Augusta, GA 30906.
If you have questions you can call 706-494-0773 or email sisharrow@aol.com

This Diocese has been so blessed through the UTO grants that we have received, please continue to keep this special ministry in your prayers.
Prayers for Weekly Liturgies
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 52 weekly prayers are available in one document  found here. 
  
Prayers for November 27 to December 3
In our diocesan cycle of prayer, we pray for our congregations in Waycross, Grace Church. We also pray for our ecumenical partners in Waycross, especially St. Joseph's Catholic Church. In our companion diocese of the Dominican Republic, we pray for the congregations in Santo Domingo, especially Santa Ana ( St. Ann's).

Prayers for December 4 to 10
In our diocesan cycle of prayer, we pray for our congregation in Waynesboro, St. Michael's. We also pray for our ecumenical partners in Waynesboro, especially Sacred Heart Catholic Church and our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Church in Sylvania. In our companion diocese of the Dominican Republic, we pray for the congregations in Santo Domingo, especially Santa Margarita ( St. Margaret)
First Place!

The Day School at St. Thomas' Church, Thomasville won first place in the religious category at the Annual Holiday Parade. 
 
Memorial Service for the Rev. Reginald Gunn, 11 AM, Saturday, December 3
Calvary Episcopal Church, Americus

New Beginnings #49, December 2-4
Retreat led by youth for youth in grades seven to nine. Go here to register. 
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Sincerely,                                       
            
Diocesan Staff                             
Episcopal Diocese of Georgia