THRIVE:

Revitalize, Energize, Spiritualize

We are excited to share that our Faith Enrichment Conference registrations are exceeding our attendance numbers since the pandemic in 2020! Come join us February 21-22, for THRIVE: Revitalize, Energize, Spiritualize. 

If you haven’t registered yet you still have time- registration deadline is January 23rd. More info below under Upcoming Events.

Rev. Rick Douylliez Announces Retirement

The following letter was sent to the congregation at First Presbyterian Church,

St. Marys on January 5th.

Dear Church Family,

Some milestones are worth mentioning. Some are worth celebrating. And most are certainly worth periods of reflection and remembering treasured moments as well as lessons learned. While I think it’s never proper to toot one’s own horn, it is always fitting to give glory to God. The truth is, it’s all God.

In July 1992, I finally answered God’s call upon my life and entered summer Greek School at Columbia Theological Seminary. Many of you know that Cathy has been my inspiration from our very first date in 1979. We knew, having been in the church all of our lives, that our marriage and our family life would be forever changed. I’m thankful to say she’s been my partner in ministry and by my side every step of the way. Her faithfulness has been extraordinary. Pastoral ministry is tough on spouses. They’re often forced to see the worst in a church and yet are in a position where they can’t really engage in church issues the way other members might. In addition, a pastor’s wife is compelled to listen to the preaching of a man whose flaws she knows intimately—week by week, year by year, and in our case, decade after decade. To be able to do so joyfully and profitably while growing in devotion to Christ is a massive display of God’s grace. I’ve been greatly blessed to have my wife, Cathy, by my side for the past thirty years in the same church.

The Pastoral Nominating Committee elected by this congregation called me on February 22, 1995 (my birthday) and invited me to become the 40th pastor FPC St. Marys. I readily accepted the call. I never imagined 30 years later I would be serving the same congregation. It hascertainly been the most joyful period of our entire lives. You helped us raise our two boys (ages 3 and 5 at the time) and watched them grow into successful young men. As a congregation we have celebrated both the joys and challenges of ministry. We have laughed and wept together so many times. What an honor!

After these many years of service, I am announcing my retirement, effective June 1, 2025, with my last Sunday being, April 27, 2025. On that Sunday, a congregational meeting will be called to dissolve the pastoral relationship. A guest pastor will preach and moderate the meeting. 

One of the hallmarks of our connected faith tradition in the PCUSA is lived out as congregations enter periods of transition. Savannah Presbytery will assign someone to partner with the session and other church leadership in forming a Pastoral Transition Team, securing pulpit supply, hiring an interim-transitional pastor, conducting a self-study, and eventually electing your next Pastoral Nominating Committee. 

In the meantime, let’s take every opportunity to celebrate and enjoy our remaining time together. As we elect church officers in the coming weeks to the Class of 2027, I look forward to helping you strengthen our committee structure as we move toward this time of transition, as well as planning a meaningful Lenten season and Easter celebration. 

Love and peace,

Rick

M25 Moment

While Savannah Presbytery has three congregations that have accepted the Matthew 25 call, we believe that ALL the congregations within our presbytery are doing M25 work- reaching out to their communities with their time, talents and treasures as the hands and feet of Jesus.

In January’s first newsletter, we shared a story about how Wilmington Island’s congregationdiscovered the impact their mission partnership with Family Promise of Savannah had on a man’s life. This was just one example of what we call Matthew 25 Moments. In the coming newsletters, we will be highlighting others. 

Share yours with us by emailing Marty at MSusie1@savannahpresbytery.org.  

For a Matthew 25 Moment from a sibling church in Pennsylvania, click the button below:

Upcoming Events

Winter Stated Meeting

Winter Stated Meeting

February 21st

hosted by:

Jekyll Community Presbyterian Church

Jekyll Island, GA

following lunch at noon

Faith Enrichment Conference

Early Bird Discount Deadline: January 8th

Join us for Savannah Presbytery’s 45th Annual Faith Enrichment Conference, February 21-22nd, 2025, at Epworth by the Sea, Saint Simons Island with check-in beginning at 4pm.



Keynote and author, Rev. Dr. Graham Standish will share not only his approach to church transformation, but also newer insights and approaches he’s developed as a clergy spiritual director/coach and church consultant in helping pastors and churches thrive.

School of the Laity

March 8-9, 2025

Around the Presbytery

Watch Party @ Butler Memorial

Service of Installation

PW Annual Gathering

Greetings from the Savannah Presbytery Presbyterian Women Coordinating Team!

We are so excited to invite you to the Annual Gathering of Presbyterian Women in Savannah Presbytery, which will be held on January 25, 2025, in Dublin, Georgia. (Church address: 511 Bellevue Avenue, Dublin, GA 31021)

“Our Cup Overflows!” will be the theme this year. We want to highlight the many blessings God has bestowed upon us and find ways to provide blessings for others who are in need.

We will have a wonderful guest speaker and 3 exciting workshops (the workshops are described on the back of the enclosed registration form.)

Below you will find a poster announcing the upcoming PW Annual Gathering that will be held at Henry Memorial Presbyterian Church in Dublin, Georgia. Please feel free to duplicate the poster as needed and display it on your church bulletin board, etc.

Also enclosed is a registration form for the Annual Gathering. Please duplicate this form as needed and distribute it to those who plan to attend. Each individual needs a separate registration form. Make checks payable to HMPC PW.

The Registration Fee of $15.00 should be enclosed with the registration form and mailed by January 15, 2025 to allow ample time for slow mail. (If mailed later, please call to let us know it is on the way.) Also note that if you are signing up for the Wreath and Bow Making Workshop, there is a separate $20 materials fee, which needs to be enclosed with your registration fee.

Please mail to:

Barbara Riddle

308 Saint Francis Place

Dublin, GA 31021

Digital copies of these two documents have been emailed to your church/contact person for your convenience. Please encourage your ladies to attend this important day of worship, fellowship, and fun.

If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at heartstringsmail@yahoo.com or call me at (478) 290-2627 (cell phone).

We are excited about your joining us for our PW Annual Gathering as

“Our Cup Overflows!” on January 25, 2025.

You don’t want to miss this special event!

Thank you so much,

Barbara M. Riddle, Moderator

Savannah Presbytery Presbyterian Women

SDOP

Bilingual Into the Future First Grant Awarded

Savannah Presbytery Self Development of People (SDOP) representatives Elder Jesse Owens, David Owens, and Rev. Jamil el-Shair joined the officers of Bilingual Into the Future (Bilingual) where they, their, members and other language learners demonstrated their progress by telling their individual stories. These stories capture why Bilingual and others came together to develop a sustainable mechanism for acquiring language skills that enhance their lives, their community, and their future.

Bilingual Vice President Maria Alvarado and President Nieves Martinez accept the Savannah Presbytery SDOP Committee $5,000 check presented by Savannah SDOP moderator Jamil el-Shair. The funds are provided by the National SDOP from there portion of the One Great Hour of Sharing offering funds earmarked to help under resourced communities help themselves.

A montage of people telling their stories on January 11, 2025 at the Lucas Center in downtown Brunswick, GA.

Synod News

February 27- March 1st:

Journey: Setting Out Together Event 



We are the synod together! With a ‘new way’ of living out our call to embody, cultivate, and inspire, you are invited along to learn more about the Journey and how we can align ourselves for the future Church that God is calling us to be.

Learn more or register here: Home | Synod of South Atlantic

Brietenhirt Scholarship Fund

Needs YOU!

Each year 12 to 15 Brietenhirt Scholarships are awarded to help our churches and families offset costs to send children and youth to summer camp and Montreat Youth Conferences to the tune of $2,200-$2,600.

Our fund currently sits with a balance of $2,830. If donations do not come in, this fund will likely be depleted in 2025. To learn more about the fund or to donate, click on the buttons below.

Memorial Service

Sympathy is expressed to the Chambless family in the death of Rev. Dr. Proctor Chambless’ widow, Virginia "Ginger" (Smith) Chambless. 

Wilmington Island Presbyterian Church will hold a memorial service for Ginger on Saturday, January 18 at 2:00 pm, with a reception to follow. 

Festival of Homiletics

Rev. Cathy Belles, Henry Memorial, has attended this preaching conference several times and hopes to attend again in Atlanta this May 12-15. She is looking for some travel partners. Be in touch with Cathy if you are interested. https://festivalofhomiletics.com/

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