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Priest raises money and awareness with 111-mile journey
 Paddling 111 miles on a stand-up paddle board, the Rev. Alan Akridge raised awareness about Cystic Fibrosis and $10,000 for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. The journey from Key Largo to Key West, Florida, was in support of Charlotte Snyder, a parishioner of St. Mark's Brunswick where Akridge serves as Rector. While none of the funds will go toward her care, they do go to a cure for CF in honor of her.
Akridge's 15-year-old son, Harrison, traveled close by in a skiff carrying supplies and took on some legs of the paddle trip. Father and son stopped at campsites along the way to spread the word about the genetic disease and hopefully raise more money for the cause. A truck traveling by road met them each evening with additional supplies for the trip.
 Akridge covered the costs of the trip so that the donations from businesses, non-profit groups, and individuals all go to the Foundation. The two powered through winds of 20-30 mph and a summer squall which quickly dropped an inch of rain.
The legs of the journey varied from 7 to 26 miles with a rest day included in the plans.
Father and son are pictured at right after a 20 mile paddle that included seeing many nurse sharks.
Donations may still be made online
here.
The view from their tent and the Akridges arriving at the southernmost point in the United States in Key West.
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This Sunday's Lections
The Transfiguration
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Go
here
for the full text.
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Register for Revival Youth Event
This fall, come to a youth event like no other in the Diocese of Georgia. Presiding Bishop Michael Curry will be coming to Georgia to celebrate Deaconess Anna Alexander, who was the first black Deaconess in the Episcopal Church, born the year the Civil War ended. Presiding Bishop Curry will then preach a Revival at Honey Creek on Sunday September 17.
 In conjunction with the Presiding Bishop's Visit, the Diocese is offering a youth weekend for young people in grades 6-12 at Honey Creek. We will explore Bishop Curry's theme "Fearless Faith, Boundless Love" from the perspective of Growth and Renewal. The Presiding Bishop has time on his schedule to spend just with our youth on Saturday evening, and on Sunday morning we will travel to Good Shepherd, Pennick, to participate in the Eucharist held there in honor of Deaconess Alexander. Photo of Bishop Curry splashing holy water on the youth at the Episcopal Youth Event earlier this summer.
We will then return to Honey Creek for the Revival on Sunday afternoon, and our youth will be part of the group hosting and leading this much larger event. We encourage all parents to come to the Revival and pick your children up afterward.
Because this event is longer than usual, and involves travel expenses, the cost of this event is $150 per person. However, cost should never be an obstacle to attendance! If cost is a concern, please contact the Rev. Joshua Varner, Diocesan Missioner for Youth at [email protected]. If you would like to apply for scholarship, please go ahead and register to reserve your space, paying only the 1/3 deposit of $50.
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Revival Update!
Food Trucks Starting at 12 Noon
Food Trucks from the Savannah Street Food Coalition will be set up with a variety of food for purchase at reasonable prices starting at 12 noon and continuing after the Revival.
Hotels for Revival and Clergy Conference
Looking to stay overnight as a part of attending the Revival? We have obtained special rates at two area hotels for Revival attendees. These rates will be available until August 26th. Also, registrations are going well for the clergy conference and lodge rooms are booked. Clergy needing lodging may register as a commuter and select a hotel for the conference.
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Hampton Inn & Suites
128 Venture Dr,
Brunswick, GA 31525
(912) 261-0939
$119/night
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Courtyard Marriott
580 Millennium Blvd, Brunswick, GA 31525
(912) 265-2644
$129/night
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Vicki Schuster's September 1 Retirement Party
 For 17 years, Vicki Schuster has been the first voice you hear from the Diocese of Georgia and the face that greets visitors to the office. As
recently announced, Vicki will retire on August 31, 2017.
On September 1 from 4:30-7 PM, Bishop Benhase and the diocesan staff will host a retirement party at The Charles H. Morris Center, 10 E Broad St, Savannah, GA 31401.
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Project Resource
Hints on choosing a stewardship team
The psychology of fundraising has always fascinated me, probably because some of my education is in counseling and personality theory. When I taught fundraising in higher education, I used a variety of tests for students to help them learn where they stood on a scale of extroversion, conscientiousness, agreeableness, openness to experience, and neuroticism. Considered together, these traits are considered the "big five" in describing personality.
 Once students knew where they fit into the "big five," we began to discuss what they needed to accomplish when asking people for financial support. In a very short time, they realized that being strong in extroversion, openness to experience, and conscientiousness held the key to fundraising success. Then came the difficult question: What if I'm not strong in those areas? Then what?
It's important to realize that not all stewardship is "making the ask" for pledges and gifts. Every stewardship committee needs someone to write the communications, photocopy, make signs and displays, keep track of funds as they are coming in, and write thank-you notes. All these are great jobs for people who prefer to work by themselves or in small groups. Most introverts know who they are, and if they join the stewardship committee, they will gladly accept these jobs.
On the other hand, the leader of your fundraising campaign should be strong on the "extroversion" scale-or as Project Resource tells us, "a Tigger, not an Eeyore." A fundraising leader should be able to speak publicly with passion about your congregation's ministry, offer a spirited invitation to everyone to join in that ministry, and communicate the need to support that ministry with the abundance God has granted us.
A fundraising committee that has a variety of personalities-usually about 5 people-will be successful in developing a theme, a case for giving, and a plan for communication. The committee should meet weekly for the month before the campaign, as often as needed during the campaign, and quarterly during the rest of the year. Don't stop communicating about how the congregation's gifts are being used, and don't stop thanking donors throughout the year. Even more important, continue to recruit new members for your committee, so that in the following year, new ideas can be considered.
Finally, the fundraising committee should work together to create a prayer for their annual giving campaign. A brief prayer that is used regularly throughout the campaign year will bring continuity to the campaign, remind people of the congregation's needs and the reasons for giving, and, on a regular basis, praise God, the true source of all the abundance of our lives.
-Loretta Brandon
Diocesan Project Resource Team
Bishop Benhase will lead Project Resource Workshops in the Central, Augusta, Savannah and Albany Convocations starting in August. Sign up below. Those convocations with no training this fall, will have training offered early in 2018.
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August 26
Central Convocation
Annuniciation, Vidalia
Sign up
here.
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October 21
Augusta Convocation
Holy Comforter, Martinez
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September 9
Savannah Convocation
St. George's Savannah
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October 28
Albany Convocation
St. Paul's Albany
Sign up
here.
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St. John's and St. Mark's, Albany
Congregation Hosts Annual Teacher's Breakfast
 Each year St. John's and St. Mark's invites the teachers from Radium Springs Elementary School and the supporting staff to breakfast on their first day back in the classroom. This is part of the congregation's growing relationship with the school as a "Partner in Excellence" in the Daugherty County School System. In addition to the breakfast, they have volunteers from the parish enter the school on Wednesdays and Thursdays for tutoring, and the Rev. Johnny Tuttle serves on the Local School Governance Team, a group of community members, parents, and teachers who assist the administration in making decisions for the school.
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The Loose Canon
Thank you all does not begin to cover it
 Most of you know that in recent months, I have been a nominee for 5th Bishop of the Diocese of East Tennessee. On Friday that diocese elected the Rev. Brian Cole to that position. While I did send out my heartfelt congratulations to Brian, I would be remiss if I did not take the time to say thank you to the Diocese of Georgia.
First and foremost, Bishop Scott Benhase has been characteristically thoughtful in working with me through this possibility as I discerned it with him prior to applying. He supported me at every turn even through some very funny texts as I was taking part in the Walkabouts. I am grateful to work with a bishop willing to so detach his own best interest from discernment about what God may be doing. The diocesan staff--Katie, Anna, Gayle, Vicki, Joshua, and Dade--likewise has been nothing but supportive and kind as I looked at possibly leaving a team with whom I love to work. They do think they pray harder than folks in Tennessee, but I would like to think all our prayers were answered for God's will in this election.
And then to the many lay leaders and clergy who contacted me during this election process and since the vote, you too have been most gracious to a Canon considering moving away from a position where we have enjoyed great ministry together. This process has given me the gift of seeing anew the great character of this diocese. The Diocese of Georgia has supported me, bringing out the best in me for two decades (and putting up with the rest of me).
I felt called to the election and others affirmed and supported that call to discern with East Tennessee, so I don't regret being faithful to that process. I do, of course, feel disappointment as one does. But I also feel deep gratitude about what I have here and look forward to continuing to serve on a great team with all y'all.
Pax et Bonum (Peace and All Good),
Frank
The Rev. Canon Frank Logue, Canon to the Ordinary
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Around the Diocese
It was Sundae Sunday this past weekend as St. Paul's Albany followed the Blessing of the Backpacks during the Eucharist with a chance to make your own ice cream treat in the parish hall afterward.
The crew from St. Augustine's Augusta worked this past Saturday serving at the Soup Kitchen run by Christ Church Augusta.
The youth from Good Shepherd Augusta enjoyed a beach trip to Tybee Island that included some time spent on beach clean up.
The Junior Youth Group at St. Andrew's and St. Cyprian's Churches in Darien pose for a group photo at the end of their first overnight as a 6th and 7th grade group. They enjoyed fireworks on the river, games in the parish hall, and church the next morning at St. Cyprian's.
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Diocese Seeks Office Administrator
The Diocese of Georgia seeks a motivated individual to serve as its office administrator. This position requires a courteous and competent individual with strong communication skills, experience managing office and IT operations, events, and databases, and the ability to thrive in a self-directed environment.
Located on Bay Street in Savannah, the Diocese supports over 68 congregations and ministries across the state. Given the fast-paced nature of our work, the Diocese is looking for an individual that can help continue to advance and improve our work and ministry to our community.
For a full job description, please go here.
Please direct any questions or applications to Canon Katie Willoughby at
[email protected].
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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.
July 30-August 5
In our diocesan cycle of prayer, we pray for our congregation on St. Simons Island, Christ Church and Holy Nativity. We also pray for our ecumenical partners on the island, especially Lord of Life Lutheran Church and St. William's Catholic Church. In our companion diocese of the Dominican Republic, we pray for La Iglesia de la Natividad (the Church of the Nativity) Salcedo.
August 6-12
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 St. Bartholomew (San Bartolomé) in San Cristóbal.
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Diocesan Office Update and News
Bishop Benhase will ordain the Rev. Ashton Williston to the Sacred Order of Priests at 10:30 am on Saturday, August 5 at Christ Church Frederica on St. Simons Island. The bishop's full schedule is available
here.
Canon Logue will preside and preach this Sunday at
St. Francis in Charleston, South Carolina, which meets in the chapel of a funeral home as a part of our Diocese supporting the Episcopal Church in South Carolina.
Canon Willoughby is on vacation through August 9. Direct any questions for her to Canon Logue.
Anna Iredale, Director of Communications, is away on vacation. Please use the
From the Field email address:
[email protected] to send articles and photos to
From the Field and they will still get in next week's edition
.
The Rev. Lauren Flowers Byrd will officiate at the 12 noon Thursday service in the Chapel of St. George at Diocesan House.
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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.
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Riding the Waves
The youth from St. Thomas Thomasville enjoy their raft trip on the Chattahoochee River in Columbus, Georgia.
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Ordination of Ashton K. Williston
Saturday, August 5 at 10:30 am
Christ Church, Frederica
Finance Committee Meeting
Wednesday, August 9, 10 AM
Diocesan House
Deacons School
3 PM Friday, August 25 to Saturday, August 26 at 1 PM
Honey Creek
Go
here to register
Stewardship Training with Bishop Benhase
August 26, 9:30 AM to noon
Annunciation, Vidalia
Retirement Party for Vicki Schuster
September 1 from 4:30-7 PM
The Charles H. Morris Center, 10 E Broad St, Savannah, GA 31401
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
Fall Clergy Conference
September 17-19
Honey Creek Retreat Center
Cursillo #123
October 12-15
Honey Creek Retreat Center
For more information, go
here.
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
Commission on Ministry and Standing Committee Meeting
1:30 PM Friday, November 3 until noon Saturday, November 4
Trinity Church, Statesboro
Diocesan Convention
November 9-11
Christ the King Church, Valdosta
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