CDI Graduations held at Augusta, Honey Creek

The ninth year of CDI in the Diocese of Georgia was a banner year.  "Armed with a new manual and revised curriculum, we had excellent participation and some great opportunities for experiential learning and projects," said the Rev. Walter Hobgood, CDI.

The CDI program built on the following core values:  Anglican Spirituality;  Shared Leadership;  Planned Change;  Experiential Learning;  Community Building;  Lifelong Formation
The program consists of 8 weekends (from Friday at noon through Saturday at 3 PM) over a two year period. 

This year, the re was a total 52 participants (29 at Honey Creek and 23 in Augusta) representing 15 parishes. for a combined total of 27 graduates.

Last weekend the graduates were recognized for their commitment to learning over a two year span of time, their leadership in their parishes and in the Episcopal Diocese of Georgia.

Honey Creek Graduates
Donna Becton
Diane Hall
Linda Kidd
George Ann Inglis
Casey Lavin
The Rev. Becky Rowell
George Munro
Mary Helen Moses
Aristotle Rivera
Paul Tobler
Ralph Wade
The Rev. Ashton Williston
Vicki Worden

Augusta Graduates
Lydia Bliven-Smyth
Nina Creech
Mollie Baldwin
Allan Andrews
The Rev. Jim Said
The Rev. Amy Bradley
The Rev. Deacon John Warner
Adelaide Vaughn
The Rev. Deacon Rosalyn Panton
Patricia Solomon
Joyce Brown
The Rev. Erwin Veale
Montine Mize
Mary Andrew

A special thank you to the trainers for their time, energy and faithfulness in leading this important ministry: t he Rev. Denise Ronn;  Carey Wooten; t he Rev. June Johnson;  Kelly Evans; t he Rev. Guillermo Arboleda; t he Rev. Lonnie Lacy, and Rev. Walter Hobgood. The next class will begin in December 2019 in Augusta (at St. Augustine of Canterbury) and at Honey Creek.

Dates for CDI weekends are in December, January, March and May and can be found on the Diocese web site. Contact the Rev. Walter Hobgood if you are interested in participating as part of a parish, convocation or diocesan team. (wphobg@gmail.com)

Front row from left: Mollie Baldwin, the Rev. Bunny Williams, Nina Creech, the Rev. June Johnson, Patricia Solomon
Second row from left: Montine Mize, Hulet Kitterman, Joyce Brown, Amy Bradley, Margaret Jordan, Bob Thompson
Back row from left: John Warner, the Revs. Erwin Veale and Jim Said, Mary Andrew, the Revs. Terri Degenhardt, and Thomas Barron, Lydia Blevin-Smyth, Allan Andrews, Billy Bullard

Front row from left: the Rev. Ashton Williston, Mary Helen Moses, George Ann Inglis
Middle row from left: Lamon Brand, Ralph Wade, Kristi Baranko, Donna Beckton, Kathy Hodges, Marilyn Griffith-Creavy, Paul Tobler, Vicky Worden, Beryl Brooks, Deb Baber, Linda Kidd
Back row from left Rick Lantz, Casey Lavin, the Revs. Melanie Lemburg, Nick Roosevelt, Guillermo Arboledo and Tar Drazdowski; Lesia Irvin, the Rev. Walter Hobgood, George Monro

St. Peter's DR Eye Team Looks to the Future

The St. Peter's Savannah Eye Mission Team to the Dominican Republic celebrated its sixth clinic in San Pedro de Macoris by preparing for its seventh. 

On May 12, members of the St. Peter's Savannah mission team reported to St. Peter's congregation details of the successful February 2019 mission to the Dominican city of San Pedro de Macorís. The health team was joined by the surgical team from the Georgia Eye Institute and celebrated the mission's combined efforts. The missioners, working at La Clínica de Esperanza y Caridad, examined over 900 patients and distributed over 1,500 reading glasses, sun glasses and prescription glasses. The surgeons removed over 90 cataracts. 

On May 14, 14 team members met again at St. Peter's to focus on the future. They spent the day employing a traditional business exercise of analyzing the mission's Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. They concluded that the project's greatest strength was the "relationship and partners in the Dominican Republic." Its greatest weakness was a lack of structure and the lack of a succession plan. Their conclusion: there's work to do.

The session benefited from the attendance of Rev. Milquella Mendoza from San Esteban and La Clínica, who also participated in the Eucharist at St. Peter's earlier in the week. She reaffirmed the importance of the annual mission to the people of San Pedro de Macorís. Participants in the day-long planning session ( photo above ) also included Dave Sweeterman, Randy and Val Stolt, Jim and Haydee Toedtman, Dr. Hank and Suzanne Croci, Bruce Fischer, the Rev. Kelly Steele and the Rev. Guillermo Arboleda, Jurgen and Ximena Dinger, Judy Kenney, and the Rev. Hunt Priest. 

The team is looking for professional volunteers and bilingual (English/Spanish) talent for the next mission trip on January 26, 2020. For more information, contact Jim or Haydee Toedtman, 912-598-5012.

The planning group front row, from left: the Rev. Kelly Steele, Suzanne Croci, Judy Kenney, Haydee Toedtman, La Reverenda Milquella Mendoza, David Howell, Bruce Fischer. Second row: The Rev. Guillermo Arboleda, Jim Toedtman, Dave Sweeterman, Dr. Hank Croci, Jurgen Dinger, Valerie Stolt, and Randy Stolt.

Leslie Dellenbarger called to St. John's Bainbridge

	The Rev. Leslie Dellenbarger, second from right, with family at her ordination to the priesthood: from left, her brother-in-law John Moody, brother Lynn Dellenbarger III, sister March Moody and spouse Alta Holton

St. John's Bainbridge, has called the Rev. Leslie Dellenbarger to serve as Priest-in-Charge. Dellenbarger completed her theological studies through the Alternative Clergy Training program (formerly know as the Non-Degree Theological Studies Program) offered through the School of Theology at Sewanee-University of the South. Ordained as a transitional deacon in May, 2017 by the Rt. Rev. Scott A. Benhase, she was ordained as a priest by Bishop Benhase in December, 2017. She served as a transitional deacon as well as assisting priest at St. Thomas' Thomasville with the Rev. Dwayne Varas, and the Rev. Scott Mithen, Deacon. In addition to serving as an assisting priest at St. Thomas', Dellenbarger also served as a supply priest to St. John's Bainbridge.

Dellenbarger is a bi-vocational priest, as in addition to her duties at St. John's, she has secular employment with the Florida Department of Children and Families where she serves as the Psychological Services Director for the Division of Mental Health Treatment Facilities, Policies and Programs within the Office of Substance Abuse and Mental Health. Dellenbarger received her undergraduate degree in psychology at Georgia Southern University, her master's degree in applied psychology at Augusta University, and her doctor of psychology degree at Florida Institute of Technology.

Dellenbarger and her spouse, Alta Holton, reside in Bainbridge. 

Around the Diocese
The Church of the Good Shepherd, Augusta, marked its 150th Anniversary! For more photos, go  here. 

Saint Paul's Augusta honored graduating seniors this past Sunday.

Parish Communicators Meeting

A conversation on Liturgy/Bulletin, Bulletin Announcements, & Worship Copyright, presented by Episcopal Communicators at 1 PM Monday, June 10, is geared for parish communicators and volunteers who want to talk about the best ways to more easily put together church bulletin, announcements, and learn the basics of copyright in regards to your bulletins. Share what works, what doesn't, ask any questions, and more. Sarah Martinez, Communications Manager for Trinity Episcopal Church in Fort Worth, Texas will be the call facilitator.

To join the Zoom Meeting:  https://zoom.us/j/816848452; to dial by location
+1 646 876 9923 (US); Meeting ID: 816 848 452

Well Hello History!

The Rev. Weed (Jim Price) and Artemas Gould (Whatley Bush), key figures in the founding of Church of the Good Shepherd Augusta, showed up at the celebration. For more photos from this event, go  here.