August 5, 2020
Volume 10, No. 48
The Rev. Lonnie Lacy on the Today Show
The Rev. Lonnie Lacy, rector of St. Anne's, Tifton was invited on The Today Show this morning to talk about a song and dance video he created for the church's talent show that garnered more than a million views of YouTube in its first week online. Lacy had watched the Broadway musical Hamilton last month. When King George III started singing "You'll Be Back" in his flowing robes, He got an idea.
"I thought, 'You know what? I have a cope that looks just like that,'" he told Episcopal News Service.

Dancing Priest Does Hamilton |
Dancing Priest Does Hamilton
"You'll Be Back"
He wrote a parody of the song - in which King George orders the American colonies to stop rebelling, or else - to remind his parishioners that their church will be waiting for them when the pandemic ends. It was the perfect number to use in the annual St. Anne's Got Talent. "Every year at the talent show, I try to do something really big and really ridiculous as the closing act." he said.

Lacy told the Diocese of Georgia in a Clergy Zoom meeting yesterday of the many emails he has received of people who found hope and joy through his video. This morning, he was able to share that same hope we find in Jesus with a much larger audience. 

To view his interview, click here.
IN THIS ISSUE
Join Our Mailing List
 



Business of the Diocese Carries On
Katie Easterlin, Canon for Administration 
Virtual Meetings
Our committees and boards are meeting virtually to continue to keep informed of the business of the Diocese. Board of the Corporation, for example, had its quarterly meeting last Wednesday, July 29th via zoom for its quarter two report. Most of our meetings are being conducted through remote conferencing options and have been a great way to think through resources and meeting preparation for facilitating but also as a resource for information for our committee members and the broader Diocese. 

Online Tools 
Leveraging our existing resources, the Diocese is benefiting from having a strong online and secure systems to conduct business and store files. Recently, the Diocese upgraded its Microsoft license to include Microsoft Teams, which allows the team to stay in regular contact and conduct business wherever we are located. Our communications manager, Liz Williams, is currently ushering the Diocese through the redesign of the website and we look forward to future enhancements to provide information, helpful resources, and ways to stay connected with the Diocese. 

Meeting the Needs of our Churches
Even in the existing environment, the following are a few of the stats for the Diocesan staff: 
  • Hosted over 15 clergy meetings
  • Hosted 20+ online complines
  • Created weekly online services 
  • Virtual VBS and youth events
  • 10+ administrative meetings (including diocesan council)
  • Supporting PPP loans requests and forgiveness applications totally over $2.2M 
  • COVID-19 support and ongoing guidance 
  • Design and development of a new website 
  • Distanced ordinations 
All this in addition to the "known" business of the Diocese. This article is to highlight that we are a continued resource for our congregations and we are thankful for the opportunity to serve.

Looking for tips on resources during the pandemic? Please visit our COVID-19 resource page: http://georgia.anglican.org/about/covid-19-resources/
A Life Well Lived: 100 Years and Counting
Submitted by Victoria Green, daughter of Enid Stone

Mrs. Stone with her late husband,
the Rev. Hermon Stone in 1947.
Enid Adela Stone is on the precipice of becoming a centenarian. Enid Stone was married to the Rev. Herman P. Stone, the 9th Rector of St. Athanasius Episcopal church for 49 years before his passing in 1994.

Her Early Days
Enid was born August 16th, 1920 in a region of Nicaragua known as Greytown, San Juan Del Norte. She was the youngest of eleven siblings, her dad was an Anglican Priest and her mom the church organist. Enid recalls a happy childhood which she spent traveling between Bluefields, a city on the Atlantic Coast of Nicaragua and Corn Island where her father had established a mission. Since there were no schools on Corn Island, she would travel to Bluefields during the school year to study, staying with her Aunt in a barrio called Pointeen. However, when the school year ended, the Bishop from the Church of England who was making his diocesan church visits, would ask her to join him on the boat ride to Corn Island. Enid lightheartedly recalls the Bishop instructing her to call him "Mi Lord" when addressing him. Enid has many fond memories of life on Big Corn Island with her parents, especially the beautiful beaches and her mother's cooking.

World War II
During World War ll, Enid moved to Colon, Panama, where she met and married Herman P. Stone, a US Navy Submariner stationed in the Panama Canal Zone. They were to go on to have four children together: Yvonne, Sylvia, Herman, and Victoria. They lost their first child Yvonne, to diphtheria, while still in Panama. So, in an abundance of caution in 1945, Enid traveled unescorted and pregnant with her second child, Sylvia, to Harlem, New York. She gave birth to Sylvia in the Brooklyn Navy Yard hospital and lived with her mother- in- law until the war ended and she and her husband could reunite and begin their life together.

Her Powerful Example
Herman, who worked in the secular world for years as an advertising executive was positively impacted by Enid's father, The Rev. Edward Hawkins. Rev. Hawkins had fielded Herman's cynical questions about God and religion with patience and gentleness years earlier when they lived in Panama. Unbeknownst to Enid her father had planted a seed. In addition, Enid's devotion to the Lord and the church did not go unnoticed by her husband. No matter where Enid traveled or what time she returned home from an evening out; she would always find her way to a pew on Sunday morning. To her surprise, Herman came home one day and announced he had been confirmed in the Episcopal Church. Years later he would become an Episcopal Priest. Enid has many stories to tell about their ministry together both in New York and in Georgia.
 
An Amazing Mother
Enid was and continues to be an amazing mother, always putting her children first. She is a hands-on type parent. She was active in all aspects of her children's lives, their education, PTA, scouting, dance, music lessons, etc. One time as she was driving down the street, she saw a group of teens gathered in a circle to witness a fight. She stopped the car, got out and went into the mob and broke-up the fight. This is one of many examples of her fearlessness, big heart and willingness to be a "neighborhood mother".

Hospitality and Culinary Skills
Enid like her mother before her, Luisa Taylor Hawkins, is known for her hospitality and amazing culinary skills. She once made 250 cupcakes for an ECW convention. She was also known in church circles for her fund-raising Jamaican Meat patties, her signature Red Rice and her delicious cakes. In addition, she was an excellent seamstress who made many of her husband's clericals, as well as church banners and altar garments.

Secret to Longevity
When asked the secret to her longevity, Enid states she has and continues to exercise daily. Also, she loves dance and in her younger days (her late 80's) she would dance at every opportunity. Also, she was a member of the YMCA for at least thirty years. In addition, Enid keeps her mind active by listening to audio books and keeping up with current events. Enid has always paid close attention to her diet, with most of her meals being home cooked. She also enjoys a small glass of Chardonnay with her evening meal. 

Enid is prayerful, she tithes, she continues to be devoted to regular worship. She has been hosting a Bible Study for St. Athanasius in her home for over a year. The Bible Study group continues to meet weekly on Zoom due to the pandemic. In addition, Enid  continues to worship weekly with her family via the internet at the National Cathedral.
Reminder: Update Your Information on AlertMedia 
In the case of an incoming hurricane, there are steps you can take to prepare your congregation, both the members and  your physical space. For more information, visit our website for the Disaster Preparedness Manual at the bottom of our resources page. 


Update AlertMedia Contacts
The Diocese will once again use the AlertMedia system to remain in touch with parish leaders. Clergy, Senior Wardens, and Junior Wardens should always keep the Diocese up to date on email and phone numbers. Send any changes to our Communications Manager, Liz Williams (lwilliams@gaepiscopal.org). 


Livestream Update
Have you adjusted your livestream schedule? Let us know! We have a running calendar that you can find here. Check to see if your schedule is correct, and if there are any changes, email Administrator Assistant Daniel Garrick at dgarrick@gaepiscopal.org.

Cursillo #127 Postponed

Cursillo #127 has been postponed until 2021, with dates to be determined. The leadership training will go on as scheduled on Saturday, August 8 from 10:00am-11:30am via Zoom. The training is open to all and is facilitated by regional leaders of the Cursillo ministry. The training will provide tools to assist Cursillo team members and the Cursillo Commission to broaden their scope and be more effective. If you'd like to participate in the training, please email Rose Wilson at rosewilson50@gmail.com. 
Congregation Audit Due September 1
The Diocesan Canons require audits/financial review of congregation financial operations. If the annual operating budget is greater than $500,000, a full 3rd party audit is required. If less than $500,000, the Diocese has a 36-question internal control checklist that parishes can use for individuals, not associated with financial procedures, to review records and procedures. 

All audits are submitted for final report to the Diocesan office by September 1st. Many congregations partner each year to review and conduct checklists for submission. You can find the checklist here:

It can be a daunting task each year for administrators, clergy, and volunteers to get themselves organized for a review. Especially now under special restrictions. The following are some best practices to consider when preparing: 

1. Keep detailed records- Each year, a vestry should review the record keeping practices of its parish/organization. Whether it is paper or electronic, detailed records of accounts payables, receivables, endowments, assets, and other detailed financial transactions should be kept in a well-organized and effectively searched method 

2. Maintain security- Many records hold sensitive information. Please ensure that files are either password protected, on a secure network, or kept in lockable file cabinet 

3. Make a checklist- Many professional audit firms will provide a detailed checklist of items to gather and review. Checklists are a great way to organize yourself for record pulling and review. Review the internal controls checklist to determine what files and reports help answer audit questions. Your checklist can also help administrators and volunteers divvy up tasks and take ownership or reporting information 

4. Determine recommendations- Each year should result in recommendations for improvement of procedures, policies, and reporting -- even if it is small improvements and determining best practices for financial controls 

5. Report and communicate- Once an audit is complete, make sure to supply reports to vestry members and communicate impacts of reports to congregations. This helps to support budget and annual stewardship campaigns 

Many of these task can be handle online or electronically. Audits are designed to help churches manage its resources. It is also a great opportunity for vestries to learn detailed administrative requirements. Many people get nervous around this time-period, but it can be a wonderful learning opportunity for your leadership and community. 

For any questions, please reach out to Canon Easterlin at Diocesan house at keasterlin@gaepiscopal.org.
11,000 Masks Sent to the Dominican Republic
Donna Tumm of St. Augustine's, Augusta sent 75 masks

The first shipment of 11,475 masks bound from Georgia to school children in the  Dominican Republic will arrived on Friday, July 31. They're the handiwork of mask-makers at six churches in the Diocese of Georgia Diocese.

Christ Church Valdosta sent 125 handmade masks and 1200 pre-made masks.
Only a month ago, Bishop Moises Quezada Mota in the Dominican Republic asked for help supplying masks for the 8,000 students attending 22 Episcopal schools throughout the Dominican Republic. The response has been terrific. 

Six churches from across the Diocese immediately started making and collecting masks and shipping them. The largest supply of masks came from Joseph and Billy Ulm of MLU Services, a medical supply company in Athens, GA. The masks are being flown to Santo Domingo by Agape Flights, which transports mission supplies throughout the Caribbean. 
 
The venture rises from the special Companion relationship we in Georgia have had with Episcopalians in the Dominican Republic for 20 years - a period of both physical and spiritual growth.

Mission teams from Georgia have helped build churches and schools, they've painted and landscaped school and church properties, conducted vacation bible schools, provided health care and improved the vision of families, children and the elderly. It is a rich relationship that has brought parishioners and churches in Georgia and the Dominican Republic especially close. 

The Georgia Episcopal Mask-making Team was led by Roberta Landau of King of Peace, Kingsland; Cindy Richardson of St. John's and St. Mark's, Albany; Kathy Armstrong of Christ Church, Valdosta; Donna Tumm of St. Augustine of Canterbury, Augusta; Claudia Griffis of St. George's, Savannah; Bill and Ann Young of St. Patrick's, Albany;  and Aubrey Brawner, Emilie Miller and Susan Homar of St. Peter's, Savannah.



Masks makers from King of Peace, Kingsland: Mary Kay Lindquist (left), and Tammy Suzo had help from her trusty assistant, Sally (right)

Neighbors to the north, Kathryn Theodosakis and Rev. Tula Henson of St. Timothy's Episcopal Church, Columbia, SC, have also been making masks for the children. 

The Dominican Republic has been particularly hard hit by the Coronavirus, a situation that puts a premium on using the masks. That means the need continues. There are two ways to help. Make the masks yourself, or buy them. The most efficient way to ship them is to send them to the Dominican Development Group, c/o St.  Mark's Episcopal Church, 13312 Cain Rd., Tampa FL, 33625, phone: (813-400-2722.) Any questions can be directed to Jim Toedtman by email (jstoedtman@gmail.com) or cellphone - 703-967-0652. 




The masks were flown to the Dominican Republic by Agape Airline out of Tampa. Agape traditionally flies mission supplies to the 
Caribbean.
Creation Care Corner - Attracting Pollinators
Submitted by Noelle Raiford, Creation Care Commission
Yarrow

How am I conserving the world's resources? How am I helping with sustainability? These are common questions that I imagine we've all asked ourselves. What I've not heard up until now is a question posed by our diocese's Creation Care Commission:  "What is my congregation doing to care for Creation?"

I look forward to hearing from other churches in the diocese as they share their ideas and practices with us. My own church, Trinity Episcopal Church in Statesboro, has had some standard practices in place for years, like a complete recycling program. We also decided years ago to stop investing in plasticware, such as cups and utensils, and only use dishware and real utensils.

But there's more that we can do at Trinity and, recently, a fellow parishioner began working on an idea to expand our garden areas, focusing on planting specific flowers and plants that draw in pollinators.

Pollinators, like bees, butterflies, birds and even wasps play a vital role in what we eat. They create and sustain habitats and ecosystems that most animals, including humans, depend upon for survival (see www.growingagreenerworld.com). There's an urgent decline in the world's pollinators, and not enough is being done to help increase their numbers and sustain them once we do.

It may seem too big a job for one person or even a whole church to really make a difference, but every effort helps; and that's where Eric comes in for Trinity. Eric Garside, one of our members, is dedicated to the upkeep of landscaping at Trinity. It's one of his gifts, and he shares it freely with his church family. 

We have a flower garden on one side of the church where he plants flowers and plants that specifically attract needed pollinators. In its center is a bird bath, and surrounding it are bird feeders and butterfly, bee, and bird-attracting plants such as celosia, salvia, cosmos, French marigolds, petunias, butterfly bushes and more. You can find a longer list of pollinating plants and tips for finding native plants from UGA Extension at https://extension.uga.edu/topic-areas/timely-topics/pollinators.html. 

Along with providing this diverse assortment of flowering plants, Eric also protects these fragile pollinating creatures by never using pesticides. As an alternative to using pesticide to kill weeds throughout the property, we use a mixture of vinegar and a mild dishwashing soap mixed together and sprayed directly on the weeds in the brightest part of the day.

The fact is, what we do in our own yards as well as on our church campuses can contribute to the health and well-being of our vital little pollinators, which support our food system. If we feed them well, they will help farmers and gardeners feed us.
Worship with the Diocese of Georgia in Dublin on Sunday
This Sunday, we will stream Morning Prayer at 10 a.m. from Christ Church, Dublin with music from other Episcopal Churches in the diocese. 

These liturgies are stored on both 

Find Livestream Worship 
There are a lot of options each day for Episcopalians in the Diocese of Georgia to worship online and now they are listed in one place. The Livestream Services calendar tells the time, location, and which liturgy the congregation offers for the whole Diocese. Click the image above or this link: Livestream Services Calendar.
Around the Diocese

Church of the Good Shepherd, Augusta opens up for private prayer.


The Rev. Al Crumpton provides Blessing of the Backpacks at The Episcopal Church of Our Savior, Martinez.


Volunteers from Holy Nativity, St. Simons Island, fed 350 meals to patrons to the Manna House.
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 2020 one year prayer cycle is now online here: 2020 Prayer Cycle

August 2-August 8
In our diocesan cycle of prayer, we pray for our congregation on Jekyll Island, St. Richard of Chichester. We also pray for our ecumenical partners on the island, especially Jekyll Island Methodist Church and St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church. In our companion diocese of the Dominican Republic, we pray for the congregations in Puerto Plata, especially Christ the King (Christo Rey), St. Francis of Assisi 
(San Francisco de Asís), and St. Simon the Apostle (San Simón Apóstol).

August 9-August 15
In our diocesan cycle of prayer, we pray for our congregation in Sandersville, Grace Church. We also pray for our ecumenical partners in Sandersville, especially St. William Catholic Church. In our companion diocese of the Dominican Republic, we pray for Divine Providence (Divina Providencia) in San Antonio de Guerra.

Additional Prayer Cycles
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.
Diocesan Office Update and News

This morning, Bishop Logue is part of a panel discussion for the Episcopal Communicators Conference. 

This Sunday, Bishop Logue will officiate and preach Morning Prayer from Christ Church, Dublin, for the livestream on the Diocese of Georgia Facebook page and YouTube Channel. He will be on vacation from August 9-23.

Liz Williams will be attending the virtual Episcopal Communicators Conference this week.

In order to prevent the spread of COVID-19, Diocesan staff are not all in the office at the same time with some working remotely. Email will be the quickest way to get in touch with the staff, although you are still welcome to call us on the phone! If we miss your call, please leave a voicemail with a detailed message. Staff e-mails can be found here.
Let Us Know!

What are you doing to keep community right now? Are you gathering for virtual coffee hours, delivering groceries to your neighbors - let us know! Send any updates or photos to our Communications Manager Liz Williams at lwilliams@gaepiscopal.org. We want to hear from you!
Like Us on Facebook


Follow Us on Instagram
The Diocese of Georgia posts photos from our churches as well as diocesan events at 
 
Follow Us on Twitter
Follow Us on Twitter
The Diocese of Georgia also shares news 140 characters at a time through Twitter @GA_Episcopal
 
Subscribe to our YouTube Channel
 View our videos on YouTubeThe Diocese of Georgia also has a YouTube Channel where you can watch past videos and subscribe to get updates when new videos are posted.