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United Thank Offering Ingathering November 4th
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Last year's fall ingathering at St. Augustine of Canterbury, Augusta
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The United Thank Offering, UTO, a ministry of The Episcopal Church, encourages the spiritual practice of gratitude by everyone. By dropping coins and paper money into the UTO Blue Boxes or envelopes with a thanksgiving for the blessings you have received, you are enabling others to receive blessings through grants.
From 2015 through 2017, $4,000,000 was collected by UTO offerings. In the same time period The Dioceses of Georgia received $92,740.00 in donations to help show our love and care of others.
Checks need to be made out to UTO Diocese of Georgia; Mailed to Linda Sigg, 305 Wakefield Lane N, Martinez, and GA. 30907.
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This Sunday's Lections
20th Sunday
After Pentecost
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Job 1:1, 2:1-10
Psalm 26
Hebrews 1:1-4; 2:5-12
Mark 10:2-16
OR
Genesis 2:18-24
Psalm 8
Hebrews 1:1-4; 2:5-12
Mark 10:2-16
Go
here for the full text.
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Convention Reports Due Friday
Annual Reports for the 197th Convention of the Diocese of Georgia, November 8-10 are due by 5 PM on Friday, October 5th.
We collect reports from the following groups:
- Board of Officers of the Corporation
- Honey Creek
- Campus Ministry -SAV
- Campus Ministry - GSU
- Campus Ministry - VSU
- Chancellor
- Commission on Ministry
- Companion Diocese
- Creation Cares Commission
- Cursillo
- Deacon Formation Committee
- Diocesan Council
- Education for Ministry
- Episcopal Church Women
- Episcopal Relief and Development
- Episcopal Youth and Children Services
- Integrity GA
- Standing Committee
- Treasurer
- United Thank Offering
Reports are typically two-three paragraphs in length about the prior year. When submitting reports, please include your name, position on your council , commission, or committee, the name of your predecessor (if applicable), and any financial reports (if applicable). Examples from last year may be found here:
2017 Convention Book
For more information, contact Anna Iredale
[email protected]
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In Advance of the 197th Convention
Convocation Meetings Scheduled
Central
3 PM, Sunday, October 14
Annunciation, Vidalia
Southeast
2 PM, Sunday, October 21
Location: TBD
Southwest
3 PM, Sunday, October 21
Christ the King, Valdosta
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Youth: Your Presence is Requested at Convention!
Come and participate in the 197th Annual Convention of the Diocese of Georgia, held in Albany November 8-10th this year! Youth who can do so are asked to arrive on Friday morning to serve as pages, as ballot distributors and collectors, as tech support, and in other ways throughout the day. They will also be assigned to tables for the discussions and presentations during Convention and invited to offer their own thoughts and ideas during those times. Youth who cannot miss school on Friday are encouraged to come for the Convention Eucharist and remain for the Lock-In and Convention on Saturday.
Youth will be spending the night at St. John's & St. Mark's, Albany, to reflect on their experience of Convention, and plan for leading worship on Saturday morning. The Rev. Johnny Tuttle, is coordinating the work of St. John's & St. Mark's in providing this hospitality to our youth.
To register for the full convention at a cost of $10, go
here. To register for the Lock-In only at a cost of $30, go
here.
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2019 Diocesan Minimum Priest Salaries Set
 During its September meeting, the Diocesan Council approved a revised set of minimum priest compensation standards for the Diocese of Georgia in 2019. While that minimum had not been adjusted for five years, the Council in 2013 had approved a standard that any new compensation should be adjusted annually to account for inflation, using the inflation calculator at the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That site reports an overall 8% increase in the cost of living from the last time Council issued a new chart of minimums.
The diocesan minimum compensation has not changed since 2000 other than adjustments for inflation with one notable difference. In the fall of 2010, the Diocesan Council moved to a chart like the one linked below that takes into account the tenure as a priest and size of the congregation served. This structure was in place in other dioceses in the southeast and was adopted at that time to assist moving compensation in Georgia to more appropriate levels.
Addressing minimums alone is not the best way to address proper compensation. We do also offer a Priest Salary Survey and an Assisting Priest Salary Survey released each July to help with transparency around compensation. The changes made in the past ten years have been a part of why the Diocese of Georgia has been able to have more cross diocese moves rather than losing priests to other dioceses.
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My First CreekFEST
(rerun at the request of some Honey Creek folks)
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| You haven't lived until you've catapulted a water balloon at CreekFEST! |
I didn't know what I was getting in to when I signed up for CreekFEST last year. New in my job, new to the diocese, it would be my first trip to Honey Creek which I already knew to be sacred ground. There would be archery, team competition, good food, maybe a camp fire and fellow Episcopalians. Sounds good, right?
It. Was. So. Much. Fun!
Our team, Katie Willoughby, Alison Clarkson, Kelly Benhase and Mary Grace Benhase only did well on the Bible trivia because of Mary Grace who can also really swing an ax. There is nothing like seeing a balloon that you have catapulted soar above those tall Georgia pines, or the sun rise at Honey Creek. Our team turned out to be highly competitive and although we did not come close to taking home the biggest hardware, the trophy for "Most Intense" now has pride of place on Katie's filing cabinet, beating out other objects such as stacks of files and an empty box.
There were other, subtler moments during the weekend. The closing Eucharist felt especially meaningful because by then I knew all those who were strangers just a few days before. We had all seen the cotton balls fall from each other's noses during Minute to Win It. Waking up before the birds to go on a walk with Phyllis Hiers and Leeann Culbreath; pushing a child on that great swing that hangs from a high tree, and square dancing at night under the stars are all things I'll remember.
Now that I've experienced Honey Creek's magic I'm ready for more at the third CreekFEST February 15-17, 2019. I hope to see you there.
-Anna Iredale
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Trinity Statesboro Helps Build a Home
  Trinity Statesboro partnered with St. Matthew's Roman Catholic Church, First United Methodist Church (UMC) Pittman Park UMC and students from Georgia Southern University to construct a home through Habitat for Humanity for Mashika and her children. The land for the home was donated by Shirley Helmly, a Trinity parishioner. Volunteers wrote blessings on the studs and walls of the house in Chinese, Arabic, Yoruba, Spanish, German and English. In photos below, at left from left, Shirley Helmly, Mashika Reid, the future owner of the new home, and Jim Bastarache. In the photo at right, the Very Rev. Joan Killian, Rector at Trinity, Aaron Wortham and the Rev. Natalie Whittle, retired Deacon.
 
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Blessing All Creatures Great and Small
The Rev. Melanie Lemburg, Rector, blesses a dog at St. Thomas Isle of Hope.
The Rev. Aaron Brewer, Rector at St. Luke's Hawkinsville blessing a dog.
Holy Comforter Martinez held
a Pet Fair in conjunction with the Blessing of the Animals.
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Around the Diocese
Families joined the students at Episcopal Campus Ministry at Georgia Southern University this past weekend for evening prayer, BBQ and football.
At All Saints Tybee Island, Bettie Makel joined the Rev. June Johnson Sunday for the blessing of infant clothing headed this week to Sierra Leone in West Africa. Mrs. Makel likes to keep her hands busy and knits lots and lots of hats that go to Africa as well as to Memorial Health's Neonatal Unit. Another All Saints member, Beryl Brooks, a retired neonatal nurse, will deliver the clothing as part of her volunteer work with HOPE. Additional clothing was paid for by All Saints' ECW with proceeds from a yard sale.
The parish hall at St. Andrew's and St. Cyprian's Episcopal Churches in Darien continues to take shape.
Those who went on the Creation Care Committee's retreat this past weekend at Reed Bingham State Park in Adel.
Parishioners at St. Augustine's Augusta gathered for a parish photo on Social Media Sunday.
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Participants in the Catechisis of the Good Shepherd at St. Thomas' Thomasville.
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Bishop's Visitation
Bishop Benhase with at his annual visit to St. Margaret of Scotland, Moultrie with the Rev. Stan Christian, Priest in Charge. Note the bell ringers in the background.
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New: Movie Nights at Honey Creek
A new, fun series has launched at Honey Creek: Fall Saturdays when they'll be showing a family-friendly (G or PG) movie on the field with a projector and outdoor screen. "We hope to attract families and whoever would like to spend time at Honey Creek with a picnic and movie night together," said Dade Brantley, Executive Director of the Center, "bring a blanket/outdoor chairs, your picnic food, bug spray, and enjoy the film!"
This month's film, Hocus Pocus, will begin at approximately 6:30 PM on October 20. All movies and times will be announced using Honey Creek's social media channels on Facebook and Instagram and in From the Field. For more information, call the office during business hours, 912-265-9218, or email [email protected]. In case of rain or inclement weather, the event will be cancelled.
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Change of Address
We are still receiving mail from parishes at our old address. As the forwarding order has expired, we ask you to please ensure that you are sending mail to the Diocesan House at 18 E. 34th Street, Savannah, GA 31401-7433. Thank you!
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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.
September 30-October 6
In our diocesan cycle of prayer, we pray for our congregation in Swainsboro, Good Shepherd. We also pray for our ecumenical partners in Swainsboro, especially Holy Trinity Catholic Church. In our companion diocese of the Dominican Republic, we pray for the congregations in Santiago, especially Christ the Savior (
Cristo Salvador), Emmanuel (
Emmanuel).
October 7-13
In our diocesan cycle of prayer, we pray for our congregation in Statesboro, Trinity. We also pray for our ecumenical partners in Statesboro, especially St. Matthew's Catholic Church. In our companion diocese of the Dominican Republic, we pray for St. Luke (
San Lucas) in Santiago.
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Diocesan Office Update and News
Bishop Scott Anson Benhase will make his annual visitation to Christ Church Savannah at 10 :30 AM Sunday, October 7. He will be attending the Virginia Theological Seminary meeting October 8-9 in Alexandria, Va., and the Sewanee Trustee's Meeting October 10-12 at the University of the South. The bishop's
full schedule is available
Katie Willoughby, Canon for Administration, returns tomorrow from the Church Pension Group's Episcopal Business Administration Conference (EBAC) which began on October 1.
The Rev. Canon Frank Logue will be in St. Augustine, Florida this Sunday through Wednesday to meet with his counterparts from dioceses across the Southeast US in the Province IV Transition Officers Meeting.
The Rev. Helen White, Assistant for Children and Family Ministries at Christ Church Savannah, will officiate at the noon, Thursday service 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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Reserve Time at Saluda Clergy Cottage Today!
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Adding to the Light
Lighting a candle to share a prayer intention at the 6:30 PM Sunday service at the Collegiate Church of St. Paul the Apostle in Savannah.
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October 1-5
Honey Creek
Commission on Ministry and Standing Committee
October 5-6
St. Michael and All Angels', Savannah
Cursillo 125
October 11-14
Honey Creek Retreat Center
Contact Rita Spalding, 912-270-2725, for more information.
Central Convocation Meeting in Advance of the 197th Convention
3 PM, Sunday, October 14
Annunciation, Vidalia
Southeast Convocation Meeting in Advance of the 197th Convention
2 PM, Sunday, October 21
Location: TBD
Southwest Convocation Meeting in Advance of the 197th Convention
3 PM, Sunday, October 21
Christ the King, Valdosta
Project Resource Training with the Bishop
Albany Convocation
Christ Church, Cordele
Saturday, October 27
9:30 AM to noon
To register, go here:
http://bit.ly/AlbanyProjectResourceWorkshop2018
Project Resource Training with the Bishop
Augusta Convocation
St. Augustine's of Augusta
November 3
9:30 AM to noon
To register, go here:
197th Convention of the Diocese of Georgia
November 8-10
Albany, Georgia
http://convention.georgiaepiscopal.org/
Diocesan Council
Saturday, January 12, 2019
Annunciation, Vidalia
Happening#101
January 31 (for staff) through Sunday, February 3
Staff register
here, candidates
here
Honey Creek Retreat Center
CreekFest
February 15-17
Honey Creek Retreat Center
Registration Opens at Convention
Happening #102
Thursday, April 11 (for staff) through Sunday, April 14, 2019
Honey Creek Retreat Center
Diocesan Council
May 17-18
Augusta
Happening#103
Thursday, August 22 (for staff) through Sunday, August 25
Honey Creek Retreat Center
Diocesan Council
September 13-14
Savannah
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@GA_Episcopal
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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.
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