June 14, 2017
Volume 7, Number 42
Are You Ready for Boundless Love?
In This Issue
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This Sunday's Lections
Second Sunday After
Pentecost

Go  here 
for the full text.
Revival Website Launches

Revival: Fearless Faith, Boundless Love is coming to the Georgia coast this September as Presiding Bishop Michael Curry visits the Diocese of Georgia. Find all of the information and register for the event at

Deaconess Alexander
The Revival worship will use the propers for Deaconess Anna Alexander of Georgia (1865-1947) and displays, handouts, and a video will tell the story of this Saint of Georgia. 

The last General Convention added the Deaconess to the observances in A Great Cloud of Witnesses. The next General Convention will act on a recommendation of the Episcopal Church's Joint Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music to add her feast day of September 24 to Lesser Feasts and Fasts. To find out more about Deaconess Alexander and the process for this saint of Georgia to receive recognition from the whole church, visit our Deaconess Alexander website.

Presiding Bishop Michael Curry
Known for his passionate preaching, the 27th Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church embraces his role as the Chief Evangelism Officer for our church. A cradle Episcopalian who well knows we are "God's Shy People," he calls us not to go two-by-two with copies of Forward Day by Day in hand, but to fully embrace the love of God as found in Jesus. His preaching is not typical fear-based evangelism that dangles sinners over the flames of Hell, but a compelling call to love God, and love our neighbors as ourselves. This will be an event not to miss. Make sure to invite your co-workers and friends to join you.
Fourth Mission Team of the Year Now Serving in the DR
The 14 missioners on the Dominican Republic mission team sponsored by Christ Church Valdosta arrived in Santo Domingo on Monday afternoon and immediately boarded a chartered bus for the four-hour ride to the Dominican Episcopal camp and conference center in the central highlands near Jarabacoa, that diocese's equivalent of our Honey Creek. The team will be working on several projects before their return on June 19, including Vacation Bible School for about 120 children in the village next to the conference center, finishing the construction of a house for a village resident, conducting a rabies clinic for dogs and cats, and entertaining the village children with a half-day "splash party" complete with wading pools, slip-and-slides, dancing to pop hits played by a DJ, snacks, and a lunch of hot dogs, cake, and ice cream. 
 
This trip is the fourth by a mission team from the Diocese of Georgia this year. Earlier trips were sponsored by St. Peter's (Savannah), the Southeastern Convocation, and St. Anne's Tifton. For an overview of our companion diocese relationship with the Episcopal Diocese of the Dominican Republic, click here

From left are the Very Rev. Ted Clarkson, Jody Grant, Drew Keane, Canon Frank Logue, Clemontine Washington, the Rev. Kelly Steele, Beth Mithen, and the Rev. Cynthia Taylor in front of the Chapel of the Transfiguration at Kanuga in Hendersonville, NC.

Diocese of Georgia Represented at Province IV Synod
The Diocese of Georgia's deputies and first alternates to the 2018 General Convention, met with representatives of the 19 other Episcopal dioceses in the southeast United States at Kanuga last week for the Province IV Synod. The Synod is a meeting held in the two Junes prior to the once every three years General Convention of the Episcopal Church. During the Synod, deputies and alternates heard presentations from dioceses who received grants through the province. The grant recipients shared what they have been learning in their own ministry that could benefit other dioceses. The Diocese of Georgia group also met to begin orientation (above at left) for those who will be attending their first General Convention.
Education for Ministry Mentor Training
Education for Ministry (EfM) mentors received training at Honey Creek and a second training is coming to Albany in July. On June 1-3, 17 participants from five Episcopal dioceses (Georgia, Atlanta, Upper South Carolina, Florida, and Central Florida) gathered at Honey Creek to certify as mentors in the Education for Ministry (EfM) program.  EfM seminar groups work under the leadership of mentors who contract to serve as guides and administrators. They are not teachers in the traditional sense who are expected to impart information about the Christian tradition. The role of the teacher is built into the program materials.
A mentor must work as a facilitator rather than as an informer of people. Mentors may be lay or ordained persons. Criteria by which mentors are selected include: having experience in serious religious study, having a familiarity with methods of biblical scholarship, possessing a mature faith, being able to live with the ambiguity within the interpretations of the biblical tradition, possessing skills which help a group to develop its own life, and demonstrating a willingness to perform administrative duties.

The Diocese of Georgia is hosting another Foundations of Seminar Life mentor training July 27-29 in Albany, GA.  Please contact Misty Graham if interested ( misty.mcintyre.graham@gmail.com or 352-281-6805).
Around the Diocese in Photos

Vacation Bible School games on the lawn at Good Shepherd, Augusta.
Vacation Bible School is in full swing around the Diocese, including here at St. Anne's Tifton where through "Hero Central" kids are discovering thei r strength in God.

Trinity Sunday on the lawn at Trinity Statesboro and St. Barnabas' Day at St. Barnabas, Valdosta.

Christ Church Frederica on St. Simons Island welcomed their new Curate, the Rev. Deacon Ashton Williston and her family with bluegrass at the late service followed by a picnic on the church lawn. 

Working under Camp Director Thomas Greneker and Spiritual Director Lonnie Lacy, these energetic college students spent last week building community, forging friendships, saying their prayers, and training in all aspects of camp life. Please remember these young people in your prayers as they dedicate their summer to God and to the youth and children of our Diocese.  Shown from left: : Liz Swords, Grace Diamond, Ashley Walker, Forrest Buford, Katie Wisenbaker L-R Back: Andrew Diamond, Sarah Lane, Clay Sheffield, Andrew Greneker, Dylan Armstrong, and Thomas Greneker.

The congregation of Holy Cross Thomson are pictured following the Eucharist on the feast of Pentecost.
Participating in the final event of Trinity Statesboro's 15th Benefit Concert Series were (left to right) Susan Thomson (instructor), Daniel Nabert, Abby McNamee, Micah D'Arcangelo, Jameson Orvis, Mary Georgia Keeley, Sarah Harvey, Maria Kartschner, Noel Smith, Linda Cristy (executive director of Habitat for Humanity of Bulloch County), and Amelia McNamee. The event raised $700 for Habitat for Humanity.
The Loose Canon
How Your Congregation Can Satisfy Spiritual Hunger 
Jay Sidebotham
Longing for a meaningful relationship with God, many Christians are not sure how to take steps to more faithfully follow Jesus. Unless congregations get intentional about satisfying that deep desire, the hunger will remain. If this need remains unmet, one might be tempted in time to decide there is nothing more to a spiritual life. Complacency often follows. In fact, one in four Episcopal Churches have no sense that a spiritual transformation is possible according to work by Renewal Works, a ministry of the Episcopal Church agency Forward Movement.

Diagnosing where you are
The four stages of spiritual growth rank across a continuum:  
  •  those who are exploring the faith, 
  •  those who are growing in faith, 
  •  those who are going deeper in faith, and 
  •  those who hold faith at the center of their lives.
Nearly three quarters of Episcopalians (73%) identify in the first two stages when parishioners are "especially reliant on the church and its leadership to guide them into deeper spiritual life." Yet, a longing for more remains with more than half of Episcopal congregations identified as hungry for more. What is needed is to give people the tools to make their faith real through daily practices of faith. In this, we all need a guide or mentor to get started.

Leading the change
"Leaders of vital congregations share these characteristics," says the Rev. Jay Sidebotham who leads RenewalWorks, "they are humble, transparent and vulnerable as they lead others in the spiritual journey." 

You can read Jay's reflections on Discipleship in the Episcopal Church Today and discover more at the RenewalWorks website. The main takeaway is that church leaders, including clergy and lay persons, will see more lives changed by the power of the Gospel when we both regularly teach and consistently model spiritual disciplines. Attending church is essential, but making faith real through daily, intentional practices is how real and lasting life change occurs. If the surveys are accurate, most Episcopalians have gone years since they talked to anyone about their beliefs and the practices of their faith, much less considered what practices might deepen that belief.

Beginning the shift
As you look to the fall, how might your congregation make a shift? Would you like to try Sharing Faith Dinners, a ready-made plan from the Diocese of Texas for talking about your faith in a way that works well for Episcopalians? Or perhaps you want to start a group meeting each week to pray Morning or Evening Prayer together as a way to support one another in praying these Daily Offices every day individually. Or might you start a new weekly Bible Study and dive together into the Gospels (if you wonder how to lead a group, try the Serendipity Study Bible with a Bible study in a side column for all 66 books of the Bible).

While the approach each congregation will take depends on the local context, every church can find ways to move from complacency to challenge when it comes to putting our faith into practice. Let me know how you are responding to this spiritual hunger so that I can share what's working in your congregation with others.

Peace,
Frank
The Rev. Canon Frank Logue, Canon to the Ordinary

Note: RenewalWorks is building on the work of the Willow Creek Association and its REVEAL Spiritual Life Survey to compare Episcopalians to other denominations. Those who want to dig deeper may want to read The Role of Church, Pastor and Individual in Spiritual Growth and the REVEAL survey's technical report as well as the book RISE by Cally Parkinson (NavPress, 2015).
Integrity Chapter to Meet June 17th
On Saturday June 17, 2017, Integrity Georgia will meet from 12 noon to 2 PM at St. Paul's Church in Jesup. The Rev. Dee Shaffer will host the meeting. Susan Gage and Sarah Jane Riggle will share their coming out stories.

Please let one of the following people know if you will attend:  Sarah Riggle, riggle46@bellsouth.net;  Kay Riggle, cks081@yahoo.com;  James Israel, h.james.israel@gmail.com, and  Clayton Thomas, cetsag@yahoo.com.
Share your news in From the Field
Send your news, events and photos to  so we can feature them in upcoming issues of From the Field. Deadline for submissions each week is Monday at 4:30 PM.  
Openings at Saluda Cottage
There are a few openings this summer at the Saluda Cottage. The two-story 1920's era cottage is nestled in the beautiful mountains of North Carolina in Saluda, a lovely historic town close to Kanuga, Asheville, and the Blue Ridge Parkway. Use it as your pied-à-terre for sightseeing or for simply relaxing in a rocking chair on the wrap-around porch...or both! More information is available  here   and a photo album of the cottage is online   here. For registration and availability please contact Vicki Schuster at the Diocese. 912-236-4279 or via email vschuster@gaepiscopal.org.

The main street of Saluda, left, and one of the many waterfalls seen on hiking trails near the cottage.
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. 

June 11-17
In our diocesan cycle of prayer, we pray for our congregations in Martinez, Holy Comforter and Our Savior. We also pray for our ecumenical partners, especially St. Teresa of Avila Catholic Church in Grovetown. In our companion diocese of the Dominican Republic, we pray for the congregations in Mao, La Anunciación,  ( The Annunciation) and Santa María Liena de Gracia (St. Mary, Full of Grace).

June 18-24
In our diocesan cycle of prayer, we pray for our congregation in Moultrie, St. Margaret of Scotland. We also pray for our ecumenical partners in Moultrie, especially Immaculate Conception Catholic Church. In our companion diocese of the Dominican Republic, we pray for   Santa María Virgen (St. Mary the Virgin) in Montellano.
Diocesan Office Update and News  
Bishop Benhase will make his annual visitations on Sunday, June 18th to All Saints', Thomasville at 10:30 AM and to St. James', Quitman at 4 PM. The Bishop's full schedule is available  here. 

Canon Willoughby, Anna Iredale, and Canon Logue will meet with the Revival planning team at Good Shepherd, Brunswick, this Friday afternoon.
 
Canon Logue will preside and preach this Sunday at St. Thomas Isle of Hope, Savannah.

The Rev. Clark Hubbard, Rector of St. Elizabeth's of Hungary, Richmond Hill, will officiate at the 12 noon Thursday service in the Chapel of St. George at Diocesan House.

The joyful parishioners of Holy Nativity St. Simons Island were misidentified in last week's From the Field. Here they are in all their Pentecostal glory.
Events
Evangelism Training
Saturday, June 24 from 1-4 pm
St. Peter's Episcopal Church
3 West Ridge Road, Savannah, GA 31411 
Register  here.  

Evangelism Training
Sunday, June 25 from 1-4 pm
St. Anne's Episcopal Church
2411 Central Ave. N., Tifton, GA 31794
Register here.  

Stewardship Training with Bishop Benhase
August 26, 9:30 AM to noon
Annunciation, Vidalia
Register 
here


Stewardship Training with Bishop Benhase
September 9, 9:30 AM to noon
St. George's, Savannah
Register  here.
 
Revival: Boundless Love Fearless Faith
September 17, 2 PM
 
Fall Clergy Conference
September 17-19
Honey Creek Retreat Center

Stewardship Training with Bishop Benhase
October 21, 9:30 AM to noon
Holy Comforter Martinez
Register  here.

Stewardship Training with Bishop Benhase
October 28, 9:30 AM to noon
St. Paul's, Albany
Register  here.
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