| |
|
January 4, 2017
|
Volume 7, Number 18
|
|
| |
|
|
|
This Sunday's Lections
First Sunday After
Epiphany
The Baptism of Our Lord
|
Isaiah 42:1-9
Acts 10:34-43
Matthew 3:13-17
Psalm 29
Go
here
for the full text.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Episcopal Churches to March in
Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade
The Episcopal Diocese of Georgia will have a float in
 the Martin Luther King, Jr. Observance Day Parade in Savannah, on Monday, January 16, 2017--as it has since the event's inception in 1985. A service of Holy Eucharist at
St. Matthew's Episcopal Church, 1401 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd followed by a reception with a light lunch and speaker in the Parish Hall will be held after the march. "All are welcome to participate in these events," said
the Rev. Guillermo
Arboleda, Priest in Charge, "
Those who are unable to march are still welcome to come to worship and the reception. We promise you won't leave hungry."
Details on the Parade
The parade begins promptly at 10:00 AM. originating from the intersection of East Broad and East Liberty Streets. The Diocese of Georgia's float and marchers will be somewhere in the vicinity of the East Broad Street Elementary School, 400 E Broad Street, in the "middle of the pack." The float will have signs on it and, weather permitting, live musicians from the "Beer & Hymns" crew to lead marchers in song. Be there no later than 9:30 AM and dress appropriately for the weather since the march lasts approximately one hour. If unable to find the float, feel free to call Arboleda at 516-547-6642. For a detailed map of the parade route, click
here.
The parade concludes in front of St. Matthew's Episcopal Church, 1401 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. and diocesan participants will proceed directly into the church for a service of Holy Eucharist. This should begin between 11:00 and 11:30.
For more information go to the event's Facebook page
here or contact Arboleda at [email protected].
|
|
|
Save the Dates!
Bringing Training Closer to Your Congregation
This spring, your diocesan staff will be bringing three workshops to locations around the diocese.
Vestry/Administrators' Training and Communicators'
Round-table
Canons Frank Logue and Katie Willoughby will lead Vestry and Administrators' Training in Albany, Augusta, Savannah, and the Southeast Convocation. Communicators' Round-tables led by diocesan Director of Communications Anna Iredale will be held concurrently. The first session will be held
Sunday, March 12, 2-5 pm at
St. Patrick's, Albany.
Additional sessions will be held March 26, 2-5 pm in Savannah; April 23, 2-5 pm in the southeast; and May 14, 2-5 pm at Our Savior, Martinez.
Project Resource Stewardship Training
A workshop on Saturdays from 9 am to 12 noon is planned for Project Resource stewardship training. Created by the College of Bishops, Project Resource gathers the best wisdom in our church on annual stewardship, major gifts, and planned giving campaigns. We will hold one training a month from February through April. Registration and locations for these trainings, which are offered at no cost, will be in next week's
From the Field.
|
|
The Loose Canon
Build Pathways Into Your Church
Most churches open their buildings for use by groups made up of people who are
 |
|
|
Scout Sunday brings a troop to church. Invite them to return!
|
not members of the congregation. These include Scout troops, Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), and other groups. A few churches also have a preschool, Mother's Morning Out, or other group regularly bringing families into your space who do not attend the church. Beyond this, you may have other activities, such as a yard sale, which bring people onto the church grounds. As we look to Invite-Welcome-Connect with our neighbors, extendthe invitation with people already coming to your church grounds. If you do not specifically invite these persons to worship with you, they are likely to feel, well, not invited, or even not welcome.
Make an in-person invitation
Creating a pathway into the congregation is not difficult, but it does take intentionality and persistence. The most straightforward way to make an invitation is for the priest or one of the church wardens to attend a meeting, if possible, to thank the group for meeting at the church and let everyone there know that if they do not have a church home, you would encourage them to come worship with you on a Sunday. Best practice will be to have something in print to hand out to interested persons whether a welcome card or the latest newsletter. This method would not work for AA, as attending the meeting would not keep the group's anonymity. You could ask that a print invitation be put out for those who attend AA or other 12-step groups to let attendees know they are welcome.
Host an Event Together
Consider hosting an event with groups who use your church building. The best way is to ask the group's leaders if they have any ideas for an event the congregation can host together with the group. This worked well, for example, for our All Saints Eve' Trunk or Treat when I served as a parish priest. If you start not with your own idea of what you would like the group to do, but begin by asking where they have interest, you are more likely to find an event that works for all.
Without a specific invitation repeated from time to time, you are unlikely to get many, if any, church visitors from the ranks of people already coming to your building. Taking the steps to welcome people who are part of groups meeting in your church is well worth your time and energy as a way to expand your welcome.
Frank
The Rev. Canon Frank Logue, Canon to the Ordinary
|
Lead, Grow and Share
We are at 70% of Our Goal!
 Thank you to all who have contributed to the Campaign for Congregational Development. Contributions now total $2,124,201! Bishop Benhase has committed to end the Campaign on Shrove Tuesday this year when we hope to have raised $3 million dollars to continue to strengthen leaders, grow the capacity of our congregations and share the love and grace of Jesus with others.
To make your donation online, go
here; text to give EDOG at 73256 or by mailing your donation to the Episcopal Diocese of Georgia, 611 E. Bay Street, Savannah, GA 31404.
|
|
Diocesan Office Update and News
Bishop Benhase' next visitations will be to
St. Mary's Augusta at 11 AM January 8 and to
Christ Church Augusta at 4 PM the same day. For the Bishop's complete visitation schedule, go
here.
Canon Willoughby will be attending the Honey Creek Commission's Retreat this weekend.
Please note: Canon Willoughby mailed the Honey Creek bond payment checks this week.
|
|
Behind This Week's From the Field Banner
Carolers from the Oak Street Episcopal Mission in Thomasville shared their Christmas joy. The Mission is a ministry of the three Episcopal churches in Thomasville, All Saints, Good Shepherd and St. Thomas.
|
|
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.
January 1-7
In our diocesan cycle of prayer, we pray for our Bishop, Scott Benhase and our retired bishop, Henry Louttit. We pray for our ecumenical partners, especially, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Savannah and their Bishop, Gregory Hartmayer; and for the Evangelical Lutheran Church's Southeast Synod and their Bishop, Julian Gordy. In our companion diocese of the Dominican Republic, we pray for their Bishops, Julio Holguin, Moisés Quezada, and William Skilton, and retired bishop, Telésforo Isaac.
January 8-14
In our diocesan cycle of prayer, we pray for our congregations in Albany-St. John & St. Mark's , St. Patrick's, and St. Paul's. We also pray for our ecumenical partners in Albany, the Lutheran Church of Our Savior and St. Teresa Catholic Church. In our companion diocese of the Dominican Republic, we pray for St. James the Apostle (Santiago Apóstol) in Angelin.
|
|
An Entertaining Angel
Before the pageant at St. Augustine of Canterbury, Augusta, a little angel takes some time to play.
|
Events
Honey Creek Commission Retreat, January 6-7
Honey Creek
Church Development Institute (CDI), January 20-21; March 17-18
Honey Creek
Go here for more information.
Winter Retreat for Youth, January 20-22
Honey Creek
Go here for more information.
Diocesan Council, February 3-4
St. Francis' Church, Savannah
Happening #98, February 17
Honey Creek
Go
here for more information.
Cursillo #122, March 2-4
Honey Creek
Go here for more information.
Clergy Spouses Retreat, March 10-12
Honey Creek
Go here for more information.
New Beginnings #50, March 24-26
Honey Creek
Go here for more information.
|
Share your news in From the Field!
so we can feature them in upcoming issues of From the Field. Deadline for submissions each week is Monday at 4:30 PM.
|
|
Like Us on Facebook
Keep up with us on Facebook at our page Episcopal Diocese of Georgia on Facebook
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
 The Diocese of Georgia also has a YouTube Channel where you can watch past videos and subscribe to get updates when new videos are posted. |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
