Bishop Frank Logue – Daily Journal 2020

A note about this journal. What follows captures much of my work done in service to God as the Chief Pastor of the Diocese of Georgia. To preserve confidentiality, I don’t even mention many concerns my staff and I address this year as in a small diocese it is difficult to even characterize a concern without revealing more than is appropriate. I use names when the information was otherwise made public. In looking back over this journal at year’s end as I am about to make it public, I see how uneven the entries are in capturing this call. I offer what follows as I have enjoyed time exploring the history of this Diocese and wish I had a similar record from my predecessors.

This Journal may also be viewed as a PDF that has photographs of the year as well as the text below: BishopJournal2020.pdf

May 30, 2020
Today, I was ordained and consecrated as the Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Georgia at Christ Church, Savannah with eleven people in the Nave of the Church. Bishop Scott Benhase, my boss of ten years and 10th Bishop of Georgia, is also Vice President of Province IV, and in that role served as chief consecrator. Bishop Rob Wright, who I played flag football with my first year at Virginia Theological Seminary, drove down from Atlanta to serve as co-consecrator. Bishop Sean Rowe, a classmate for all three years at Virginia Seminary, drove down from Erie, Pennsylvania to be the second co-consecrator. My Mom, Julia Sullivan Logue, was a late addition to the list as we were going to keep to ten, but I wanted her to be the exception. For all the changes and varied plans, the liturgy was powerful. I am grateful that the livestream worked to well. During the prerecorded prelude and opening hymn, every church was shown and then a virtual procession of banners recorded processing in their own church was part of a virtual choir of St. Patrick’s Breastplate. The Rev. J. Sierra Reyes, who I first met in 2000 at Honey Creek when she was 14, gave a beautiful and challenging sermon that this day was not about me. Lord you give the great commission followed starting with Albert Culbreath playing banjo and the closing hymn with a youth programs alumni virtual choir singing All in All was so perfect. After lunch, I finished work on a pre-recorded Pentecost service of Holy Eucharist for the Diocese.

May 31, 2020 – Pentecost Sunday
Texts and emails in the morning let me know that Savannah’s Mayor Van Johnson was asking the city’s clergy to assist in a protest. Racial tensions had risen sharply since the choking death of George Floyd in Minneapolis and the shooting death of Breonna Taylor in her home and the killing of Ahmaud Arbery in Glynn County, Georgia, while he was jogging. The Rev. Michael Chaney, Missioner for Epiphany, Savannah, had arranged for de-escalation training for the clergy at First African Baptist. Victoria and I watched the Pentecost worship on Facebook live that morning. The sermon felt out of sync with the day. I had recorded it on Wednesday so that congregations pre-recording their worship could use it in their Pentecost services. This showed both the potential reach of recorded worship and the downside. That afternoon, I joined a great group of Savannah priests at the peaceful protest.

June 1, 2020
The Diocese of Georgia banner purchased by the clergy on the occasion of my ordination arrived today. It was too late for the liturgy, but the banner is beautiful. Other than dropping by the office to see it, I enjoyed a day off.

June 2, 2020
First staff meeting as diocesan bishop. I have the unusual gift of a staff that I was in on hiring every person. Unheard of for a new bishop without some tragedy. We have a great team to serve the congregations of the diocese. I am taking part this week in the Living Our Vows Program (sometimes called Baby Bishops’ School) in a series of live sessions together with presentations recorded online. Today is the first 3-hour meeting online. It starts with worship and a presentation to the full group of a few dozen persons. Then after a five-minute break, we meet in a breakout room on Zoom with a small group led by an experienced bishop. Each of three new bishops takes a turn offering a critical incident to reflect on with the other three. I am finding the critical incident reflections very helpful.

June 3, 2020
Another three hours with the Living Our Vows Program. Later in the afternoon, I meet via Zoom with the ELCA Lutheran Bishop Kevin Strickland and Bishop Rob Wright of the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta. This meeting is primarily about working together on racial healing and justice, though we also discuss reopening plans. They are excellent colleagues to share this new ministry with.

June 4, 2020
Last day of three-hour Zoom meetings for Living Our Vows Program. Immediately on its ending, I jumped on a Zoom meeting with the clergy of the Diocese for four hours online. This is my first Clergy Zoom as Bishop and I wish I had more space to prepare for it, though all went well. After that call, Victoria and I drive to Albany, Georgia.

June 5, 2020
In Albany to record worship for Trinity Sunday. COVID-19 cases spiked early in Albany and the city is the hardest hit part of the Diocese in the pandemic. I wanted to be with Episcopalians there, if only through a virtual offering. Victoria and I begin at St. Patrick’s where we record the Liturgy of the Word except for the sermon. Next we go to St. Paul’s to record the sermon. Finally, we drive to St. John’s and St. Mark’s for the Liturgy of the Table. As strange as it is to lead worship from empty churches, I find it easy to put myself in the proper frame of mind and heart to really be in the moment. At St. Paul’s, photos of parishioners are pasted on paper plates that are positioned around the church so there is a congregation to look out on. Victoria and I see familiar faces, though we also recognize that they are not all in their usual seats! We drive back to Savannah after a full morning of leading worship.

June 6, 2020
Finish up Sunday’s liturgy.

June 7, 2020
A day off other than participating in worship on Facebook live. The liturgy really came together and I am gratified that the many comments show others found it meaningful.

June 8, 2020
Having rented a car for last week’s trip, I look into selecting a car for the Diocese to purchase. Research had led me to Kentucky-assembled Toyota Camry Hybrids. I found the exact care I wanted online at Savannah Toyota. I emailed the owner, Steve Roberts, who is an Episcopalian and a parishioner and leader at St. Peter’s, Savannah. He surprises me by giving the diocese the car I selected at no cost. By that afternoon, the car is in my driveway at home. Amazing generosity!

June 9, 2020
Election day starts with a lengthy wait at the polls with new voting booths. Staff meeting online. Working in the office in Savannah.

June 10, 2020
I travel to Hawkinsville to record Morning Prayer. I meet the Rev. Judy Keith and her husband Nate. I officiated their wedding at the Diocesan House on East Bay Street in 2012. She is interim at St. Luke’s now and I am so glad to see the two of them. Deacon Jim Strickland, organist Davis Badaszewski and lay reader Harriotte McDannald drop by in turn to record parts of the liturgy. I am finding that while I have to be intentional about it, I can stay worshipful while recording the services in parts. I drive home to Savannah after we record Morning Prayer.

June 11, 2020
Working in the office in Savannah.

June 12, 2020
Working in the office in Savannah.

June 13, 2020
A full day off including a visit to the Savannah National Wildlife Refuge.

June 14, 2020
Other than participating in Morning Prayer via Facebook Live, I have the day off.

June 15, 2020
Working in the office included a phone appointment with a possible intern and a meeting with the Bishops of the Episcopal Church on Zoom. The Presiding Bishop and Episcopal Relief and Development has a half-hour online meeting each Monday and these have been quite helpful.

June 16, 2020
Staff meeting online. Working in the office. I record Evening Prayer for Wednesday and write a sermon for Sunday. That evening, Victoria and I lead the Lost in a Great Book discussion group online. We have been meeting each month for a few years at E. Shaver Bookseller to discuss a recent award-winning book. It is a great way to be outside the church bubble discuss something meaningful.

June 17, 2020
I meet the Rev. Paul Hancock and Doug McPherson at St. John’s, Savannah, where the Rev. Gavin Dunbar assists in my first confirmation. Doug is a long time Episcopalian who never got confirmed (it took me nine years, so I understand). Victoria and I drive to Honey Creek. It is great to be back at our Retreat Center. We are the first guests in months.

June 18, 2020
We record a service of Ante-Communion to have the familiar pattern of the Eucharist even if I don’t consecrate the elements. Wearing a cope and using the crozier that Bishop Louttit used for years was a quite important way to celebrate in the Chapel of Our Savior. Dade and Lydia Brantley joined Victoria and me as the four of us took the roles of the liturgy. I meet with clergy on Zoom in the afternoon.

June 19, 2020
I finish up Sunday’s liturgy and catch up on emails and phone calls.

June 20, 2020
A full day off. Victoria and I are in Statesboro for her brother Tom’s birthday.

June 21, 2020
The diocesan livestream from Honey Creek came together well. I was concerned it might be painful for folks to see a place they miss without being able to be there. Instead, it seemed as healing as we hoped. The virtual choir of youth program alumni was perfect and we used All in All again from my ordination service to really make it a Honey Creek service. The diocesan liturgy was followed by virtual coffee hour with St. Matthew’s, Savannah. It was great to see familiar faces and they had a fun game for Father’s Day with clues about men in the church and the parishioners guessing the identities. I enjoyed the afternoon off after an enjoyable morning online.

June 22, 2020
I begin the day online for the first day of a Digital Vacation Bible School. This project has brought lay and ordained leaders from around the Diocese together to offer VBS to churches that could otherwise not have one this year. Just over 100 people are registered participants or volunteer leaders. The day begins with a livestream with music and a story as one group followed by small group break outs rooms online. The day one story and song by the Rev. Helen White and her sons Ethan and Jay sets a high bar. We break for kids to watch the craft video and do their own projects at home. Just before lunch, we come back together online for the kids to share their crafts and finish up with more singing. It is clear that this innovative VBS is really working and is surprisingly more like a typical one that I expected.

June 23, 2020
We moved the morning staff meeting until after lunch. The Vacation Bible School continues, but I am in the office at work for a full day of phone calls and emails together with writing my sermon for Sunday.

June 24, 2020
Meet Canon Katie Easterlin at Wells Fargo to get listed as a signatory on diocesan bank accounts. Various office tasks in catching up and sermon writing in the afternoon.

June 25, 2020
Some phone meetings and then a Zoom with a small group of bishops and their canons talking about racial healing and reconciliation. I enjoy opportunities to meet with colleagues and think through the work we are doing in this call. Drive to Thomasville after lunch. During the drive, I log into the clergy Zoom meeting while Victoria drives. We are discussing the Phase 1 guidelines for in person worship, which are quite restrictive. It is very difficult to discuss such important matters without being able to see anyone but myself on the screen and with all participants muted. The technology is helpful in gathering us, but so limiting in other ways.

When the call ends, we are west of Waycross on Georgia 122. This backroads drive is a favorite of mine, cutting by Banks Lake and through Pavo to Thomasville. A beautiful drive.

June 26, 2020
Victoria and I go to Good Shepherd, Thomasville, to record Morning Prayer for Sunday. We meet Senior Warden Laquan Smith and parishioner Larry Davis. I love this church and appreciate the witness this African-American congregation has offered its neighborhood through a school before integration and more recently a feeding ministry. I am grateful to take the diocese there and to have readings and music from the other two Episcopal Churches in the town, St. Thomas and All Saints. The three congregations have worked together in ministry in recent years with the Oak Street Episcopal Mission. Victoria and I stay in Thomasville that night.

Reports on the Vacation Bible School that concluded today are very positive. I am so pleased that we were able to pull together a team to accomplish together what would be very difficult for most individual congregations. Though I was not in the VBS today, my pre-recorded story played for the group this morning. I wrapped up the week with a recap and telling how God invites us to love those who are different from us.

June 27, 2020
We drive to the University of Georgia’s Black Shank Farm Pavilion near Tifton, Georgia. I ordain the Rev. Leeann Culbreath to the Sacred Order of Priests. Having the service outdoors (under an open covering) allows the 25 mask-wearing, physically-distanced participants to stay safe while coming together for a moving service. The Rev. Lonnie Lacy preached a rousing sermon about God being on the move that fits Leeann’s ministry. While we do anticipate her serving in a settled call, she begins as a priest the way she served as a deacon with room to roam. Culbreath serves as the Co-chair at South Georgia Immigrant Support Network (and shortly after her ordination would become the Co-Chair of a newly forming Immigrant Detention Network across the Episcopal Church). Victoria and I drive home after a rewarding ramble around the Diocese.

June 28, 2020
A day off at home other than worshipping with the Diocese on Facebook at 10 a.m. with Morning Prayer hosted by Good Shepherd, Thomasville.

June 29, 2020
Phone calls and emails in the office. I write a communication to the clergy and Senior Wardens of the Diocese and get staff input. It will go out in the morning.

June 30, 2020
Staff meeting online. In the afternoon, I meet online with two groups created to work on racial justice and healing. The Racial Reconciliation Resource Team was created by Bishop Scott Benhase with a clergy and lay representative from each of the six convocations to offer convocational and congregational opportunities for Episcopalians to learn. Then there is the Leadership Team for the St. Anna Alexander Center for Racial Healing & Reconciliation established by Bishop Benhase in his final convention address. We discuss how to combine the groups that already have some overlap and I charge the group anew with work including leading trainings, offering lynching memorials around the diocese, developing new training materials, raising funds to assist the Good Shepherd Pennick vestry in restoring Deaconess Alexander’s School. That evening, I lead Compline for diocesan youth. Canon Joshua Varner has led Compline each Tuesday and Thursday evening since in-person worship was suspended. This is the 30th Compline. I am grateful for these gatherings and for Canon Varner’s creative leadership.

July 1, 2020
The Rev. Canon Loren Lasch began working as Canon to the Ordinary. She is still in Missouri where she has served as that diocese’s Canon for Formation. She will move to Savannah in the middle of the month. Phase 1 guidelines take effect today. Most congregations are waiting to return to even this restricted opportunity to gather in the church as cases of COVID-19 are rising sharply in many parts of the Diocese.

July 2, 2020
A very full day began at St. Mary the Virgin in Augusta. Victoria and I met the Rev. Andy Menger, their Vicar of 20 years, as well as organist Clara Park and lay reader Robert Hopson. We recorded Morning Prayer for this coming Sunday. It was my first time at St. Mary’s and I was grateful to be there, even under the unusual circumstances. Victoria and I then drove up the hill to the Church of the Good Shepherd. The Rev. Andy Menger and I both spoke at the burial office for the Rev. Curtis Johnson and I officiated together with the clergy of the church. I met Curtis 24 years ago when we both went through a convocational discernment process for Holy Orders (together with the Rev. Kurt Miller). A scientist who worked at the Savannah River Project, Curtis was brilliant and he had a real pastor’s heart. Victoria and I then drove to Swainsboro where Teresa Martin read and I recorded the worship for July 12 with a sermon on the Sower. While in Swainsboro, I led the Thursday Clergy Zoom call. The internet would not work, so I phoned in. Canon Loren Lasch spoke movingly about Curtis to the clergy. Victoria and I drove home after finishing up at Good Shepherd, Swainsboro. A full and meaningful day.

July 3, 2020
Finished up the Sunday liturgy. Caught up on emails, texts, and phone calls.

July 4, 2020
A day off at home. Took part via livestream in the wedding of the Rev. Charles Todd to James Weaver at St. Paul the Apostle, Savannah. They had a great virtual attendance adding to the small group at the church.

July 5, 2020
A day off at home other than worshipping with the Diocese on Facebook at 10 a.m. with Morning Prayer hosted by St. Mary the Virgin, Augusta.

July 6, 2020
Working in the office included meeting with a priest who may be moving to Savannah. Learned late in the day about a $75,000 grant from the Episcopal Church to assist in racial healing and justice ministries. I signed on to a Diocese of Atlanta proposal weeks ago and was surprised to have a separate grant for us to take part.

July 7, 2020
Working in the office. Canon Loren Lasch’s first staff meeting. Spoke twice with Dr. Catherine Meeks of the Absalom Jones Center for Racial Healing in Atlanta. Also talked with prospective person to lead our work on this grant.

July 8, 2020
Working in the office included a matter with the Chancellor, the Rev. Jim Elliott and Vice-Chancellor, Mills Fleming. I really appreciate their ministry and the counsel they offer.

July 9, 2020
Working in the office. Clergy Zoom call at 2 p.m. We will move these to every other week on Tuesdays now based on a survey of deacons and priests.

July 10, 2020
Working in the office. First full five-day week in the office since my ordination and it was productive. Lots of phone calls, emails, etc.

July 11, 2020
Day off at home, except for attending a telephone conference call Evening Prayer with the Rev. Andy Menger and parishioners of St. Mary the Virgin, Augusta. This was a lovely follow up to diocesan worship last Sunday hosted by that congregation. Andy is a gifted pastor and I so blown away by how well he used a telephone conference call to keep the congregation together. He noted who came in, asked follow up about prayer requests, and later managed the call inviting specific people to speak. There was no cross talk or confusion, just quality time together in pandemic.

July 12, 2020
A day off at home other than worshipping with the Diocese on Facebook at 10 a.m. with Morning Prayer hosted by Good Shepherd, Swainsboro.

July 13, 2020
Working in the office in Savannah.

July 14, 2020
Working in the office. All the staff who work at diocesan house were in the online meeting for the first time, though Dade Brantley (Executive Director of Honey Creek) is away on vacation.

July 15, 2020
Started the day celebrating the daily mass at St. Paul’s Savannah for the Rector who is on vacation. My first-time celebrating St. Swithun’s Day. Working in the office today included meeting with an aspirant feeling a call to serve as a vocational deacon. In the afternoon, I met with the diocesan group working on racial reconciliation. Dwala Nobles agreed to assume the role as chair of the group with the Rev. John Jenkins as Secretary. We also set up four committees. I am grateful to have this team. I am continuing to work on getting the follow up to the grant that came through to work with the Absalom Jones Center and have a prospective part-time staff member talking to our partners in Atlanta.

July 16, 2020
Drive to Darien, arriving at St. Cyprian’s to record worship for Sunday. This is a beautiful tabby church. They have been partnering more closely in recent years with St. Andrew’s and have made an impact on their community with a tutoring program, after-school program, and a community youth group as well as a thrift store and feeding ministry. Back in the office after lunch.

July 17, 2020
Working in the office. The morning included a phone call with a priest set to retire.

July 18, 2020
A day off at home.

July 19, 2020
A day off at home other than worshipping with the Diocese on Facebook at 10 a.m. with Morning Prayer hosted by St. Cyprian’s, Darien.

July 20, 2020
Working in the office. A morning full of phone calls checking in with clergy and lay leaders. I enjoy these and there never seems to be enough time to get to everyone I want to touch base with. A key take away for this morning is that those offering a return to in-person worship under the restrictive Phase 1 Guidance (including no singing, wearing masks, keeping at least six feet apart, and a total service time of 30 minutes for no more than 40 minutes in the building) are finding that the people attending are following the new rules very well. The afternoon spent on planning liturgies and writing sermons for the two I will record this week as well as answering emails.

July 21, 2020
Working in the office included a number of phone appointments and three Zoom meetings, including the Clergy Zoom moved now to every other Tuesday afternoon. Late in the day met with other owning bishops of Sewanee with the new Vice Chancellor. The First Bishop of Georgia, the Rt. Rev. Stephen Elliott, Jr. was a key founder of the university both before and after the American Civil War.

July 22, 2020
Worked in the office in the morning. Drove with Victoria to Moultrie.

July 23, 2020
Recording in Moultrie and Douglas. Both congregations are served by bi-vocational priests and appropriately, we met with lay persons at each church. Working well bi-vocationally is challenging for a priest, but it does allow lay persons to step more fully into roles that do not need a priest.

July 24, 2020
Working in the office.

July 25, 2020
A day off at home.

July 26, 2020
A day off at home other than worshipping with the Diocese on Facebook at 10 a.m. with the Liturgy of the Word (or Ante Communion) hosted by St. Margaret of Scotland, Moultrie.

July 27, 2020
I got tripped in the morning on social media by looking at Facebook after praying Morning Prayer. I saw an angry post from a lovely person that was the opposite side of an angry post I saw yesterday from another lovely person. I would gladly have coffee with both of them this morning and each was being so hateful in different ways. Polarized political views are not new, but the pressure of the pandemic is and it is painful to see people increasingly at odds.

July 28, 2020
The House of Bishops Met online from 12 noon-3 p.m. I enjoyed the small group discussion as time to hear from colleagues facing similar issues. Phone calls before and after the meeting filled out the meeting-heavy day.

July 29, 2020
Zoom staff meeting in the morning and then the second and final day of the House of Bishops Meeting online from 12 noon-3 p.m. Today included more of a work session during which I was among the majority not wanting to begin a structured conversation on liturgical responses to the pandemic as we did not want a move toward virtual communion. I don’t doubt that the Holy Spirit can use all kinds of means to reach our hearts in minds, but prefer to work well with the tools already available instead of having parishioners hold up bread and wine at home during the prayer of consecration. I drove with Victoria to Dublin after the online meeting.

July 30, 2020
Victoria and I went to Christ Church, Dublin, at 8 a.m. and worked with seminarian Ken Shrader, two lay readers, and the organist on Morning Prayer. We are figuring out how to keep everyone safe with masks and keeping distance while recording. By 10, we were on the road for Sandersville. There we met another small team of four (the Rev. Carlton and Cathy Shuford, the Senior Warden and the organist) at Grace Church to work on a second liturgy in one day. Batch work is allowing me to balance the time working on these online liturgies with the rest of the work of the Diocese. We are working ahead, so that I can take two full weeks off and the worship will go on. Christ Church is for August 9 and Grace Church for August 23. If events change and the sermon no longer works, Canon Joshua Varner will record a new one to go in place of the ones I recorded today.

July 31, 2020
Worked in the office on finishing up the Dublin online worship and general office work.

August 1, 2020
A half day of work at home on Saturday, then the afternoon off.

August 2, 2020
A day off at home other than worshipping with the Diocese on Facebook at 10 a.m. with Morning Prayer hosted by St. Andrew’s, Douglas.

August 3, 2020
Worked in the office catching up on emails and phone calls. Finished the online worship from Sandersville.

August 4, 2020
Recorded Canon Loren Lasch officiating and preaching Morning Prayer at All Saints, Tybee Island. All Saints has begun to offer worship outdoors on Sunday mornings with a smaller group gathering in their garden alongside the church.

In the afternoon, we had the now every other week Zoom meeting with the deacons and priests of the Diocese. A time of “open mic” discussion of what folks are doing that others might benefit from knowing about was delightfully messy and helpful. Online meetings are not all nice and neat. They are often boring and sometimes not helpful. And yet, sometimes the Holy Spirit shows up. I really appreciate our clergy and this 45-minute meeting confirmed again why. We don’t always get there, but we can be vulnerable with each other and offer real support.

August 5, 2020
I watched the Rev. Lonnie Lacy, Rector of St. Anne’s, Tifton, on the Today Show. Lonnie created a video to end an online version of the parish’s annual St. Anne’s Got Talent. He did a brilliant song and dance parody of King George’s song in the musical Hamilton, “You’ll be back” that was so much fun and offered hope of a return to in-person worship. The video had already received more than a million views on YouTube. Al Roker and the others on The Today Show clearly loved the video and did a great interview where Lonnie could share the real hope and longing we feel so beautifully.

Our weekly staff meeting via Zoom was focused mostly on the Diocesan Council meeting in the afternoon. Yet, we still did our check in with each other on the good, the bad, and the Godly since the previous week. These are so helpful at knowing more about where we each are beyond work.

I served on a Panel Discussion for an online Episcopal Communicators Conference. I was on a three person Becoming Beloved Community panel discussion that seemed to work well at opening up the stories we tell and don’t tell and how communicators can assist in work on racial healing and justice.

In the afternoon, the Diocesan Council met via online conference to discuss the upcoming convention. The Council voted to move to an online convention and Daniel Garrick presented the options for platforms we can use and what they can and can’t do. We got excellent feedback on what matters most and how to have a meaningful convention in a shorter, online setting. There were also important concerns raised about how to assist delegates in getting online. We can foster smaller gatherings (socially distanced and masked gatherings) where people take part in the same place and so have assistance in using the technology.

August 6, 2020
The whole diocesan staff formed Diocesan House Choir this morning to record I want to walk as a child of the light for our August 16 online worship. Our four singers are Joshua Varner, Loren Lasch, Daniel Garrick, and Liz Williams. They spread out in Diocesan House where they could hear one another and wore masks as they sang into their smart phones. Katie Easterlin, Maggie Lyons, and I used toy instruments to fake drums, xylophone, and guitar playing. Dade Brantley from vacation added bongos and a didgeridoo. Because of vacations, we have yet to all meet together, but this was some virtual team building. I use the word team excessively, I know. I do enjoy working on some projects alone. Yet, what comes together with the ideas and gifts of others is magical. This moment of joy was proceeded and followed by meetings in person (on the front porch at a distance) and by phone and Zoom for a very full day.

August 7, 2020
Working in the office to finish up a lot of loose ends before leaving for two weeks.

August 8, 2020
I worked a half day from home to wrap a number of matters as well as I could before vacation. It is a relief to have a staff I know can handle whatever comes up while I take time for time off. This time of pandemic has been difficult and I am pleased we have figured out a way to visit our daughter that mitigates risk as best we can.

August 9-23, 2020
Vacation. A road trip to Arizona to see our daughter, Griffin, included significant portions of the old Route 66 in Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona.

August 24, 2020
Back in the office catching up on what happened during my helpful time away.

August 25, 2020
Working in the office included a number of check-in phone calls and emails.

August 26, 2020
Victoria and I drove to Fitzgerald in a heavy, early morning fog that lifted shortly before we arrived at St. Matthew’s. It was a delighted to work with the Rev. Hallock and Lydia Martin on a service of Morning Prayer. They have returned to the church Lydia grew up in after serving for decades in Southeast Florida. Hallock has been offering “porch church” as he and his family sit on their porch at home and lead worship online.

August 27, 2020
Working in the office.

August 28, 2020
Working in the office with the day full of meetings both in person (masked and more than 6-feet apart) and online. This included a productive session of liturgy planning through the end of the year. Joshua, Loren, Liz, and I have set up an ambitious Advent through the Sunday after Christmas of online worship. I remain deeply concerned about the many people neither able to meet in person nor taking part in online offering. I read a Barna Group survey today that matched my own observation and concerns. The survey showed that one in three church goers is not taking part in church at all during the pandemic.

August 29, 2020
A day off at home.

August 30, 2020
Victoria and I took part in online worship at St. Matthew’s, Fitzgerald, in the morning. After lunch, I drove to Honey Creek for an overnight staff planning retreat.

August 31, 2020
At Honey Creek for a staff planning retreat with nine of us—seven who work at Diocesan House and two who work at Honey Creek. It really helped us form more as a team to be together.

September 1, 2020
Working in the office catching up after time away at Honey Creek. The clergy meeting on Zoom gave me an opportunity to address directly concerns about the diocesan assessment letters sent out as I left for vacation. They are the tithe plus the two percent additional for Honey Creek debt approved by the diocesan convention in 2018. The uncertainty due to the pandemic of pledging and giving in 2021 increases the pressure in listing now what a congregation will contribute to the Diocese next year.

September 2, 2020
Working in the office.

September 3, 2020
Working in the office.

September 4, 2020
I drove to Rincon in the morning to record worship for Sunday at St. Luke’s. The congregation is now meeting for an early service outdoors with each “pod” (typically a family, but can be any group that lives together) under a separate canopy outdoors. They also offer a livestream service each week. This mix of in person and online is becoming more common as we move into the fall, though here the outdoor worship is not what the congregation is streaming. The variety of creative approaches to gathering safely allows the priest and vestry to take the specifics of their congregation and building in crafting their plans.

Worked in the office in the afternoon including finalizing a draft budget proposal for 2021.

September 5, 2020
Working in the office included a zoom meeting with Finance Committee who received a completely clean audit of 2019 diocesan and Honey Creek operations. We also presented a draft 2021 budget.

September 6, 2020
Victoria and I took part in online worship at St. Luke’s, Rincon, in the morning, then enjoyed a day off at home.

September 7, 2020
Labor Day off from work. A 35th anniversary for Victoria and me.

September 8, 2020
Working in the office in Savannah with the usual mix of answering emails, making phone calls, and an online meeting with the Canons. I also wrote my sermon for Sunday on forgiveness and will go back over that draft in the morning before preaching it.

September 9, 2020
Started the day preaching my sermon for Sunday in the hallway at Diocesan House. The sermon on forgiveness told the Logue family stories of my great grandfather being stabbed and shot to death and my great grandmother asking the judge to let the killer go free as he was only defending himself. Then the story of my grandfather’s aunt, uncle, and brother taking revenge when a neighbor killed another brother of theirs, also in self-defense. I hope it makes the choice between forgiveness and unforgiveness compelling. The Diocese will share the online worship from St. Anne’s, Tifton, and their pattern is officiants are on their couch at home and the preacher does the sermon from somewhere else and it is all assembled together with readers and music and announcements for their streaming online. Then a day of working in the office.

September 10, 2020
Victoria and I recorded ourselves leading Morning Prayer in our living room for Sunday worship from St. Anne’s. Working in the office included Canon Loren Lasch and I meeting online via Zoom with a priest considering retirement and thinking through church plans for in-person worship according to our guidelines. Loren is taking leadership in this and it is a huge help to me to have someone to think that through with, who responds to churches as we all sort out how some persons can meet safely. We launched registration for the diocesan convention meeting online in November.

September 11, 2020
Working in the office included writing two sermons to give on Monday for the following two Sundays of online worship.

September 12, 2020
A day off at home.

September 13, 2020
Victoria and I took part in online worship at St. Anne’s, Tifton, in the morning. In the afternoon, we drove to Augusta. That evening, I learned of a priest in the Diocese of Atlanta committing suicide and had a very difficult night’s sleep. I am so concerned by the stresses the pandemic places on deacons and priests, the strain on everyone really.

September 14, 2020
Recorded a welcome message and a sermon on Jonah at the Church of the Good Shepherd, Augusta. Drove to St. Mary Magdalene in Louisville. Following my typical pattern for diocesan worship, I recorded some drone video of the countryside on the way into town and then some images of Louisville and the exterior of St. Mary Magdalene before recording the liturgy. This helps set the scene for the churches we visit and takes a half hour, so relatively little time to add to the experience. The sermon from Philippians 2 emphasized looking not to your own interests, but also the interests of others. On the way home from Louisville, we stopped off in Statesboro. I borrowed prayer books from Trinity and gathered with three family members to say Last Rites for Ed McMains who is dying of complications from diabetes. I have known the family for more than 25 years and Trinity is currently between priests. It was a holy honor to be with them. During the day, two priests asked to step down from their current calls—one to retire and the other just done where she serves. The pandemic and the stress it has brought are clearly factors in both decisions.

September 15, 2020
In the office with several online meetings. The Church Pension Group offered me and my Canons Katie Easterlin and Loren Lasch their view of the Diocese. This included the fact that are using a lot more mental health benefits than most dioceses and also having generally better health outcomes. Bishop Benhase and I spent a decade encouraging clergy to have a therapist and spiritual director and this felt good to see the results. But I was embarrassed after all our work on gender equity for clergy compensation that women priests have median salaries in the high $50,000s and men in the mid $70,000s. Part time calls and men being in charge of our largest churches leads to the disparity. Those in similar size congregations (by attendance and budget) do have parity. The clergy Zoom meeting in the afternoon went well as I was candid about how difficult these times are for us all and pointed to the high use of mental health benefits and encouraged again one having a therapist and/or spiritual director. We had a time of prayer together that was quite lovely and Canon Varner played guitar and Canon Lasch read off prayer requests put in the chat. We ended with 15 minutes of talking it break out rooms for those who wanted to do so. In the afternoon, I had my coaching call with Bishop Brian Seage of the Diocese of Mississippi. The House of Bishops arranges coaching relationships for new bishops. We have not been good about keeping consistent, but we did set dates each month through the end of the year. That should help. I learned during the day that Ed McMains has died.

September 16, 2020
Most of the day was spent online. After a productive staff meeting using the Hopin platform we will use for diocesan convention, I had a 4.5-hour Zoom House of Bishops meeting. The Presiding Bishop preached and a theology committee reported back its work on racism begun a couple of years ago. I led a small group in discussions, facilitating that meeting, which was three hours of our time together. Sunday’s sermon on forgiveness seems to have been helpful as it is shared a lot on social media and has more than 700 views. It felt risky to preach and I am grateful it was received as I offered it, a challenge for each of us to forgive hurts we have held onto and to forgive ourselves.

September 17, 2020
I drove to Pennick, west of Brunswick, arriving at 7:30 a.m. after navigating a flooded Pennick Road where if I had not seen other cars make it through a long section with water running over the road, I would not have risked it. Terry Dickson interviewed me for a Brunswick News article then I recorded a sermon for Sunday as they celebrate the 126th Anniversary of the Church and the Feast Day of St. Anna Alexander. On the way home, I met with a priest in his office to encourage him to leave that call to serve as an interim rector. This was not out of the blue, as he had said he was interested in interim work and felt in his 14 years in a call he had brought what he could and it was time for a change. In the afternoon, Canon Easterlin and Honey Creek’s Executive Director, Dade Brantley, and I worked on the Retreat Center’s financial picture. We have had essentially no business since the pandemic began and have little on the books. The Paycheck Protection Program funds from the Small Business Administration are what has kept us afloat along with containing costs at the diocese and Honey Creek. In the afternoon, Canon Lasch and I met via Zoom with yet another priest stepping down from a call to retire. Harsh treatment by parishioners is a factor and while it can’t all be blamed on the pressures of the pandemic and the presidential election and the divisiveness it has brought, those are certainly part of the picture. Lay leaders too often treat priests as paid employees who need to do whatever they are asked (cleaning the bathrooms etc.), rather than as the spiritual leader of their congregation.

September 18, 2020
Working in the office all day, Canon Lasch, my Executive Assistant, Maggie Lyons, and I had a productive meeting with the outgoing and incoming Presidents of the Standing Committee, the Commission on Ministry Chair, and the Chair of the Examining Chaplains on how we should work together going forward. We made plans for some small changes for our October 10 meeting in Savannah and plans to meet within the quarter with all the members of those three bodies for a facilitator to assist us in thinking through much larger changes to our practices. A phone call with the Bishop of Western Massachusetts alerted me to a priest now dead who was ordained and served in Georgia in the 1970s who was later known to sexually abuse teenagers. I will work with our Chancellor and staff on a plan to discover if there is any abuse we missed and to see how we might offer truth, repentance, and reconciliation. It has been a full and difficult week. I did not have it in me to write the eulogy for Saturday’s funeral yet, though I did spend time on the phone with the widow and children and made notes to assist in writing. I make sure to cut off work by 5 pm and that was left undone.

September 19, 2020
First thing in the morning, I wrote the eulogy then officiated the funeral at Trinity, Statesboro. This is the congregation that sponsored me for seminary and it was good to be there despite the circumstances and to work with folks I have known for years to bring some peace and healing to a family in grief. The liturgy of the word was in the church with people masked, and other than the family that has been together a lot, distanced from each other by at least six feet. To keep the amount of time indoors to the standard of 30 minutes maximum, all stayed outdoors and processed in for the service itself. At the peace, we processed to the memorial garden for the liturgy of the table and committal. All went very well largely thanks to the hard work of their administrator, Jessica. In the afternoon, I read and answered the Ember Day Letters I have received so far. Those studying for Holy Orders write to their bishop four times a year on “Ember Days” to relate their life in general, their studies, and their spiritual lives. The letters are so thoughtful and offer a window into what the Holy Spirit is doing in the lives. It is an honor to read them.

September 20, 2020
Victoria and I took part in online worship at Good Shepherd, Augusta (at 10 a.m.), and Good Shepherd, Pennick (at 11 a.m.) as I was seemingly in two places in the same morning offering two very different sermons. I did not otherwise leave the house as it has been a too full week. A good one, but demanding.

September 21, 2020
Took some time off in the morning after a full week and a funeral on the weekend. Then I worked in the office.

September 22, 2020
Working in the office all day including two lengthy checks in on our work in racial justice and healing. This included our work with an Episcopal Church grant of $75,000 in response to Ahmaud Arbery’s killing in Brunswick and the overall work being done by a committee working now on creating listening opportunities with one on one meetings for the committee members. In the evening, I attended Solemn Vespers at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. The Bishop Elect of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Savannah, the Rev. Stephen Parkes, preached and pledged his loyalty to scripture and the faith as taught by the Universal Church. Tomorrow, he will be ordained as their 15th Bishop. I was given a seat of honor on the front row center for a lower attendance event due to the pandemic. Tomorrow’s liturgy will be for Roman Catholics only in person. We have had an excellent partnership with them when Bishop Shipps was bishop diocesan and a good one in recent years. A Roman Catholic congregation meets in St. Patrick’s, Pooler, and St. Thomas Aquinas, Baxley, meets in St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church. In each case the rental price is a tithe of any offerings. I hope to forge closer ties with the new bishop.

September 23, 2020
Worked in the office including a staff meeting focus mostly on Diocesan Council this week and our Diocesan Convention in November.

September 24, 2020
Worked in the office. Check in phone calls highlight how difficult recent weeks have been on our clergy. The pandemic is proving more difficult to navigate with kids returning to school whether in person or online or a mix. Also, we have 34 of 69 congregations doing something in person (even if not every week) while trying to maintain what they are doing online. I worked with staff in the afternoon on using the HopIn online platform we will use for Diocesan Convention. We will use the website for tomorrow’s Diocesan Council meeting. It took work and patience to learn how to get the system to work as we hoped. I am grateful for staff with skills to make this happen, especially Daniel Garrick who has done the most on this tech side of convention.

September 25, 2020
Diocesan Council met online using the convention platform and it went surprisingly well for 30 attendees. With coaching and hand holding for a few, everyone got in the meeting. After my opening address, the Council went into break out rooms to consider nine appeals to the tithe and the additional two percent for Honey Creek, recommending approval of eight in whole or in part. I did not go into those small group discussions in order for the Council to operate independent of my influence on their recommendations. Canon Katie Easterlin was quite busy answering questions from the groups about some of the appeals. Most of the requests are due to congregations that were already struggling financially before the pandemic finding the dip in giving more difficult than other congregations. I am always impressed with how Council engages with this work. As a test of the convention meeting platform, Council was a success.

September 26, 2020
I drove to Brunswick in the morning for a rehearsal and then to ordain Rita Spalding to the Sacred Order of Deacons. This was my first indoor, in person worship since March 8. 48 people in St. Mark’s Church masked and mostly keeping apart, though distance seems the most difficult part of the guidance to get right. Rita is an attorney and Magistrate Judge who I have assigned to St. Mark’s on ordination. I confirmed one person and received another in the chapel at St. Mark’s even as photos were still being taken following the ordination. Next I picked up Victoria in Savannah and we drove to George L. Smith II State Park near Swainsboro to meet with the Creation Care Commission’s leadership as they plan for the coming year.

September 27, 2020
Victoria and I took part in online worship at St. Mary Magdalene in Louisville. The congregation meets in a building that was previously a flower shop. I enjoy being able to bring the Diocese with me on a visit just so more people experience worship in our varied settings. This is one of the bonuses to come with all the loss and grief of serving in a pandemic. Also, I have been afforded an opportunity to preach routinely to more of the parishioners of the Diocese than any Bishop of Georgia.

September 28, 2020
Working in the office included debriefing with the three canons on what we learned from holding the Diocesan Council meeting on HopIn and how we can then better assist those taking part in the upcoming diocesan convention. We then turned toward project management on the convention assigning tasks for the staff’s various roles in preparing for the meeting. As a part of this, Canon Lasch and I discussed and she created a survey for each congregation as I seek to be better informed to give a state of the diocese report in my address.

September 29, 2020
Worked in the office. I sent out my Pastoral Letter about the election to clergy and senior wardens in advance of its going public on Sunday. In the letter, I counsel the people of the Diocese of Georgia to Pray, Vote, and Love. I wanted to speak directly to how our treatment of those whose opinions differ demonstrates loving our neighbor as ourselves. I know some will be disappointed that I do not speak for or against a given candidate, but I am willing to bear anger or hurt in order to speak to the core of how we put our own faith into action.

September 30, 2020
Worked in the office with one in-person appointment and one via Zoom as well as our usual staff meeting online, with three of us taking part from our own offices. Went to Savannah Toyota for 5,000-mile service, which was free because of the dealership owner’s gift to the diocese of five years of free service when he gave the car. Amazing.

October 1, 2020
Sermon writing at home, then in the office to meet with an aspirant for Holy Orders. There are now ten new people feeling called to ministry since the virus started us sheltering in place. In the afternoon, I recorded worship at St. Francis of the Islands for this coming Sunday.

October 2, 2020
Working in the office included recording myself reading my Pastoral Letter at the request of some clergy who will add it to their recorded worship. Met online with the Commission on Ministry and Standing Committee to begin our work that will continue with an in-person meeting on October 10 at St. Peter’s, Savannah.

October 3, 2020
A day off at home.

October 4, 2020
Victoria and I took part in online worship at St. Francis of the Islands, Savannah, on this Feast Day of St. Francis. In the afternoon, I spoke to an online Grand Ultreya hosted by the Cursillo Community in the Diocese of Georgia to support that important ministry during this time when they can not hold their usual weekends.

October 5, 2020
Worked in the office with a Canons Meeting online and then a phone check in with Dr. Catherine Meeks of the Absalom Jones Center for Racial Healing in Atlanta on our common work with the Diocese of Atlanta.

October 6, 2020
Worked in the office in the morning and drove to Augusta after lunch. In the evening, Canon Lasch and I met with the Vestry of the Church of the Good Shepherd as the Rev. Robert Fain announced his intention to resign as rector in order to retire. He has been at the church for 37 years, first as assistant and then rector. Loren and I were both impressed with a vestry that moved from surprise and grief to engaging with what comes next. I am so often blown away by the faithfulness of our lay leaders as we work together facing a variety of issues.

October 7, 2020
I began the day at the Church of the Good Shepherd’s Flowing Wells property. Located west of Augusta in Grovetown, the property has a ball field a covered pavilion with bathrooms and two meeting rooms, and an innovative kindergarten where kids spend a lot of the day out in the woods. Canons Loren Lasch and Joshua Varner assisted me in a liturgy of Holy Eucharist for the seven priests who attended. Joshua provided the music. Though we did not sing at the masked and physically distanced liturgy, Joshua did. He remained more than 25 feet away and using a sound system to project his voice and music. Loren preached a beautiful sermon of how the Holy Spirit shows up in the most surprising of ways in worship unlike any we imagined by using the story of having communion with saltines and water with a man who was dying that was all he could have. On the drive home, I took part in a Sewanee Trustee Bishops’ Meeting via Zoom with my iPhone letting me see the group as Victoria drove back and I listened through the car sound system.

October 8, 2020
The full day in the office began with me filming some video for a short film the Rev. Tom Purdy is making for the Christ Church Frederica online worship this Sunday. They close their worship with a humorous “wait for it” video, usually something they found on the internet. Their team have also created a few themselves and wanted their bishop to take part in one. They are making a video in silent film style, black and white and title cards with their organist/choirmaster Kathleen Turner supplying the soundtrack. The film is COVID and shows how the virus came into our lives with Tom wearing a mask that looks like the virus as he moves around like the vampire in Nosferatu. Masks, and sanitizing defeats the virus. I was asked to create a “You shall not pass” clip like Gandalf in the Lord of the Rings movie. With the assistance of Maggie Lyons more as Executive Producer than Executive Assistant, I was able to show me in cope and mitre using my crozier to blow up the virus with about 15 minutes of filming time. I hope the congregation and diocese find it funny at a time when we are taking combatting the pandemic quite serious. Much of the day was filled with a Sewanee Trustees’ Meeting via Zoom.

October 9, 2020
The day included a steady procession of issues via phone, text, and email kept me busy. Some real teamwork with Canons Katie Easterlin and Loren Lasch assisted me in working through a busy Friday. I was the only one of us in the office, but we stayed connected on Microsoft Teams and by phone and provided some real support in a few situations, including a priest and senior warden thinking through meeting with an person who behaves inappropriately and needs to stop greeting parishioners and finding a property deed to answer questions about selling off part of a piece of land donated to the diocese.

October 10, 2020
I began the day at home finishing up my sermon for tomorrow after the necessary interruptions though the week. Then from 9 am to 12:30 pm, I met with the Commission on Ministry and Standing Committee at St. Peter’s, Savannah, as we interviewed two persons seeking postulancy for the priesthood. The Rev. Tom Purdy provided clear masks that block the aerosolized droplets that could contain the SARS-COV-2 virus that leads to COVID-19 but allowed interviewers and interviewees to see each other. The groups also considered two persons for ordination. The conclusion was two yesses and two nos. This is important and difficult work of discernment and I appreciate so much the prayerful and thoughtful work of these two groups.

October 11, 2020
Victoria and I drove to St. Simons Island in the morning so I could preside and preach at their 9:15 am Eucharist at Christ Church Frederica. The congregation is also offering in person worship outdoors at 8:00 and 11:15 a.m. Other than ordinations, some confirmations (if the priest says that it is pastorally important), and the clergy worship I am offering in three locations, I am not taking part in in-person worship. Early on in trying to record, I discovered how difficult it is to counter expectations set by years of Bishop Visitations and if it was difficult when recording, how much more difficult to be with a smaller group selected by a lottery instead of anyone who wants to attend. That concern together with the hesitation as if I did get the virus and went on to the next town, spreading the virus without knowing I have it, has led me and other bishops from not yet resuming in person visits.

October 12, 2020
A day off at home.

October 13, 2020
Working in the office included a face-to-face meeting with a priest canonically resident in another diocese who is now living in Savannah and an afternoon clergy meeting via Zoom.

October 14, 2020
Working in the office on a day when the steady pace of calls, texts, Microsoft Teams messages (used by diocesan staff), was daunting. A lot of moving parts on a variety of issues and only incremental progress rather than a sense of accomplishing something.

October 15, 2020
I drove to Brunswick for a meeting in the middle of the day, as sometimes there is no substitute for showing up. Otherwise I am continuing to push forward on a variety of issues including clergy retirements and other transitions, property sales, convention planning, and staying in touch with a couple of serious non-COVID-19 health issues for clergy families.

October 16, 2020
Worked in the office.

October 17, 2020
At home in the morning. Victoria and I drove to Valdosta in the afternoon.

October 18, 2020
Two services at Christ Church, Valdosta, this morning. A live-streamed Eucharist with a drive-up distribution of the sacrament followed by an in-person liturgy with confirmations held outdoors. Twelve people came forward for confirmation, reception, and reaffirmation of faith. That is a typical bishop visit and yet with limited number of persons, distancing and preaching in a mask, it was everything but liturgy as usual. Drive back to Savannah after. Home at 4:30 pm.

October 19, 2020
I intended to take a day off at home, but three Zoom meetings could not be moved and these led to a few phones calls, so I had the morning off until 10 am and the afternoon off after 2 pm.

October 20, 2020
Worked in the office.

October 21, 2020
Worked in the office in the morning, then at 12:30 pm drove to Tifton so I could be checked into the Hampton Inn for a Zoom meeting with the Racial Healing and Justice Commission.

October 22, 2020
The second of three planned Eucharists with healing prayers for clergy met on the lawn between the current church and the historic chapel at St. Anne’s, Tifton. Five priests took part with me and Canons Lasch and Varner. Though small, I found the liturgy very meaningful and am glad we can provide this to the clergy who want it. I know everyone has a lot on them now. Drove back to Savannah with a number of phone calls along the drive, which took me across the middle of the diocese through little towns like Ambrose, Braxton, and Uvalda.

October 23, 2020
Worked in the office. Did two 30 every 30 meetings with two canons. We meet for 30 minutes every 30 days to talk in an intentional way about how work is working and what needs attention or change. Will do the third next week.

October 24, 2020
At home in the morning. Victoria and I went by St. Matthew’s Savannah to pick up lunch they offered us as a part of a stewardship-focused weekend. Drove to Augusta in the afternoon.

October 25, 2020
In Augusta to live-stream Holy Eucharist from St. Paul’s. Leading live in person worship is something I know how to do and yet livestream is not that in that there is no congregation physically present. It is odd to stand in the pulpit and preach across an empty congregation to a camera on the back wall of the nave. After the liturgy, we hit the road home, not yet knowing if the livestream feed even worked. That afternoon, we saw the service with the pre-recorded pieces added in, as singers are filmed earlier in the week to reduce the number of people present at one time.

October 26, 2020
Working in the office as the diocesan staff turns more to ever more detailed convention planning.

October 27, 2020
Working in the office included finishing two sermons to give the next day and a clergy zoom meeting in the afternoon.

October 28, 2020
Drove from Honey Creek to King of Peace to record worship for Sunday, which is the 20th anniversary of the first worship service held at the church that Victoria, Griffin, and I worked with others to found. Confirmed two persons after the recording sessions. Drove to Pennick to record worship for the following week at Good Shepherd.

October 29, 2020
Started the day with a clergy Eucharist at Honey Creek, the third of the three such gatherings. More than twenty deacons and priests were present and Canon Lasch gave a great sermon and Canon Varner provided music. One priest from Savannah later said that the half hour Eucharist took 3 hours of driving to get there and home and it was completely worth it. I have found these services very meaningful as well as we get to be together and worship. Back in Savannah after lunch to catch up on emails, phone calls, and mail.

October 30, 2020
Tested out equipment for live-streaming the convention Eucharist and discovered changes we need to make. Canon Loren Lasch and I had an afternoon meeting via telephone with two physicians with a lot of experience with COVID-19 to discuss possible revisions to our Phase 1 Guidance.

October 31, 2020
Victoria and I officiated together at St. Elizabeth of Hungary in Richmond Hill in that the liturgy was Cleveland Beach’s life profession in the Third Order Society of St. Francis (TSSF). Victoria has been a life-professed Franciscan tertiary for 13 years and she represented the Order in the profession, while I celebrated the Eucharist. Victoria and I took turns leading the profession portion of the liturgy.

November 1, 2020
A day off at home other than attending diocesan worship at King of Peace, Kingsland, online. Twenty years ago today, the congregation that Victoria, Griffin, and I worked with others to start, held its first worship service. We were meeting in a 3-bedroom, 2-bath house that we closed on that morning. In the living room of the house, a couple of dozen of us completed the 8-week Questioning our Faith discussion series I created and I baptized Emily Gross. Now on the 20th anniversary of that first service, the congregation and its preschool are thriving even in pandemic. Today was significant as I promised Bishop Louttit when I accepted that call that I would stay 10 years as the church planter and then leave. I often thought in those uncertain days as we didn’t know if we could get a self-supporting church launched that I looked to the church having been in existence longer without me than with me as the sign that it was a real church, surviving long after its founding. I would wonder if King of Peace would make it to the 20 year mark and so it was so meaningful today to take part online watching people who were part of that effort writ comments as we worshipped together on Facebook.

November 2, 2020
Convention preparations continue with the usual issues of late or changing registrations and new issues of ironing out how to conduct the convention online.

November 3, 2020
Election Day. A lot of regular work of the Diocese continues even as convention approaches and much of today was spent on routine tasks supporting clergy and congregations, while also getting my bishop’s address drafted.

November 4, 2020
A Zoom meeting for Bishops and Canons in follow up to the election included an inspiring sermon by Presiding Bishop Michael Curry on the promise of our nation and how every generation has to take us further into that promise, including working together and the church’s role in keeping people of different strong opinions in relationship.

November 5, 2020
Convention prep has gone well and all the kinks seemed worked out as we have done run throughs of the whole convention. Daniel Garrick held office hours on the Hop-In platform for our online convention to get as many delegates and clergy used to using the new technology as possible. Many delegates have not taken advantage of the opportunity, but a critical mass has gotten in and navigated the online meeting space well. We are as ready as we can be.

November 6, 2020
During the day, I went back over my address and convention sermon. The day also included a number of routine matters unrelated to the meeting. Convention started at 6 pm. We began the evening on the virtual stage. I was in my office with a camera and microphone on me with Daniel Garrick operating a switcher on the computer to mix in some pre-recorded parts of the opening. Victoria sat off to the side for moral support, for which I was grateful. It is odd to lead the meeting without seeing those gathered or even a monitor for what others see, but as there is a roughly 10-second delay between what I am saying and what the convention is seeing, a monitor would make the situation worse. I gave the address live and we added in a Honey Creek Report and an inspiring video with members of our Racial Justice and Healing Ministries recorded on Zoom. We then moved to break out rooms for discussion related to the theme of Thriving in the Vine.

After a break, the convention gathered back in a meeting room where speakers were seen and anyone attending could ask to be given the floor to speak with questions or comments. That turned out to only be used by those scheduled to speak. For those attending the convention, a chat also allowed them to share their thoughts in real time, which is quite different from an in-person meeting. That also meant that those with technical difficulties were there in the chat as well and it was a relatively small percentage, but leading the meeting meant also constantly seeing the issues going on, which was challenging. The staff did well at following up and assisting people in real time, but it was a lot of new tech and while it worked for two hundred people, it did not work for everyone. All in all, I went home pleased with what we had been able to do and ready for day two. We ended with Compline led by two teens, Fiona and Verity Sullivan from St. Paul’s, Savannah, and a prayer time taking requests in the chat read aloud by Canon Lasch and Canon Varner played guitar. Prayers just flowed in from all around the Diocese. It was beautiful and moving, a fine end to the day.

November 7, 2020
The convention opened in with worship led by the Loren and Joshua and moved into a work session with voting on budgets and elections. The convention went well overall despite challenges in moving more than 200 people to an online platform unfamiliar to any of us. The technology did work as planned. We had backups plans for a variety of scenarios including losing power and internet, but we needed none of the contingencies. The voting was less than satisfactory as all voting delegates could see the count during the voting process, which perhaps not an issue, still seemed odd to have a live count. It did make the voting go much more quickly though.

We had a moving youth video with Canon Varner recording on Zoom teens who had taken part in online diocesan youth gatherings including the weekly (and at first twice weekly) Compline services and the Digital Youth Event. They opened up issues that have touched all of us in this virtually connected and physically more disconnected time. We followed that with small group discussions in break out rooms. There was some difficulty last evening in getting people into the right break out rooms and it went more smoothly today, though it seemed some who had trouble opted out. Those who took part reported the discussions meaningful.

We closed with a Holy Eucharist. Diocesan canons require every convention to include a Eucharist. To make this one as meaningful as possible with just me behind the altar in the small chapel dedicated to our diocese’s Deaconess Anna Alexander, a saint of the Episcopal Church, we mixed pre-recorded video with me presiding live from the chapel. Daniel Garrick had the technology down and it went perfectly. We opened with a lead in video that included new songs from recent diocesan online worship and the prelude and opening hymn from May’s ordination service so we once again saw every congregation’s building (or the field where they meet for our ministry for homeless persons) and had a banner procession in church’s across the diocese. Pre-recorded readers and music recorded for this liturgy filled out the service. I preached live on the Thriving in the Vine theme naming that our only health and healing comes from staying connected to Jesus. We don’t have to “make a difference” as much as stay connected to God.

There were bumps along the way for about 5-10% of those in attendance, which is far from perfect. Yet, more than 200 people experienced an online convention without a hitch. The credit goes to a diocesan staff that rose to the challenge with creativity. I found most remarkable the patience to continue to practice, see issues, and work through them ahead of the event.

November 8, 2020
A day off at home other than attending diocesan worship at Good Shepherd, Pennick, online.

November 9, 2020
I planned to have a day off after working more in the lead up to the convention, but that didn’t work out. The House of Bishops met with one canon from each diocese to hear from public health physician walking us through what we know now about the virus and how churches can best avoid becoming super spreaders when holding in person worship. The meeting showed the revised Phase 1 Guidance set to launch is prudent. Nothing is perfect as risk remains, but we are set to hear feedback from clergy, make changes as needed and launch the revision next week in From the Field. I also met by Zoom after that meeting with other House of Bishops Table Facilitator.

November 10, 2020
We filmed worship at Christ Church, Savannah, in the morning. In the afternoon, the bi-weekly Clergy Zoom was on the revised Phase 1 Guidance for in person worship. We had some good questions and discussion.

November 11, 2020
A staff meeting online allowed us to enjoy having pulled off an unprecedented online convention with fewer hiccups than could have been expected. We have a great team who enjoys working together and I don’t take that for granted.

November 12, 2020
In the office working all day. Met via Zoom with the President of the Church Pension Group as a part of being brought on board as a bishop.

November 13, 2020
Working in the office included a meeting on the front porch with Canon Loren Lasch and the Rev. Richard “Max” Maxwell who has retired to Savannah with his spouse. It was a delightful conversation and I trust we will get him connected to a church where he can worship and rest as he enters retirement.

November 14, 2020
A day off at home.

November 15, 2020
I started the day with a live broadcast from the Parish Hall courtyard at Christ Church Savannah. The Rev. Helen White has been doing very creative work with a live children’s church each Sunday attended by a number of adults as well as children. I acted out the role of the servant who buried his talent in her telling of the Parable of the Talents with a family playing other parts in that skit that Helen narrated and the Rector, the Rev. Michael White serving as camera man with a smart phone. As the Parable ended, I was interviewed by a girl playing reporter Rita Skeeter Jr. who asked about the parable and then reported on learning I was the Bishop of Georgia and asked about that vocation. By the time I got home, worship was well underway, so Victoria and I watched diocesan worship lagging about a half hour behind most of the congregation.

November 16, 2020
Worked in the office.

November 17, 2020
Worked in the office.

November 18, 2020
Drove to Blakely, leaving early in the morning and arriving just after lunch. We recorded worship at the lovely Holy Trinity Church founded by the Rev. Dr. James B. Lawrence who was known as Brother Jimmy. It was the only church in the Diocese I had yet to be inside. It was good to meet with some leaders there and chat before and after recording worship. Victoria and I spent the night in Cordele.

November 19, 2020
We drove to Cochran in the morning to record worship for the First Sunday of Advent. Canon Lasch officiated and Canon Varner told a Godly Play Story and played music behind the prayers. I preached. We are taking a more contemplative tone for the four Advent liturgies for the Diocese and that seemed to come together well.

Shayna Cranford was there with the Rev. Joy Fisher to make sure we had what we needed. Shayna is about to start the Alternative Clergy Training at Sewanee (ACTS) program, which offers theological training for part-time or non-stipendiary priests in small congregations. The Diocese of Georgia has a quarter century of great experience with bi-vocational priests. Joy was also formed locally for the priesthood together with Team Ministers the Revs. George Porter and Vernon Wiggins who have since retired. Back in the office in the afternoon, I had a coaching call with the Bishop of Mississippi who is my assigned bishop coach. I finished the day with an early evening Church Disciplinary Board organizational meeting to elect officers and do brief orientation.

November 20, 2020
Worked in the office. In the morning, Canon Lasch and I met with a priest who is discerning his next call and we had a helpful conversation with each of us wearing face masks and 10 feet from the other in Loren’s office. The conversation seemed fruitful for the priest’s discernment.

November 21, 2020
A day off at home. Victoria and I reported bed bugs to the hotel in Cordele after noticing bites characteristic of the insects. This is the second time in 12 months we have gotten bit by bed bugs while traveling for the Diocese, with no bed bugs ever in our lives before a year ago.

November 22, 2020
A day off at home other than attending diocesan worship online from Holy Trinity, Blakely. The church has a typical attendance of 8 and it was great to have roughly 60 logins worshipping together with more than 100 people watching the liturgy before the day was over. Not big numbers for an internet video, but I think significant for this congregation.

November 23, 2020
Working in the office included meeting with a priest on Zoom about an aspirant for the priesthood. It seems that the Holy Spirit is continuing to use them time to encourage people to ordained ministry. I met with the three canons on staff on the porch at Diocesan House to map out a strategy for looking into assessing a number of larger processes in the Diocese. We will be assessing the Congregational Development Institute and other leadership programs, for example. These have been effective at making a cultural shift in the Diocese in the decade of Bishop Benhase’s episcopacy through creating deeper connection and a shared way of looking at our ministries. But taking stock of the programs that also include coaching and emotional intelligence and conflict management training should allow is to learn and adapt or change as needed.

November 24, 2020
Preached for Episcopal Day School Thanksgiving service via Zoom. There chapel services already work this way with the chaplain in the church shown on the walls of classrooms and in the homes of those in school from home. Board of the Corporation Zoom on the Investment Policy Statement. Short clergy call.

November 25, 2020
I wrote a column for the Savannah Morning News on Advent that will run in Saturday’s paper.

November 26, 2020
Working in the office on a quiet day before Thanksgiving with just a few phone calls.

November 27, 2020
Thanksgiving Day. Victoria and I were going to stay home out of concern for the sharp rise in COVID cases and strong public health warnings to avoid family gatherings as these are an ongoing source of spread. As of today, there have been in the United States 12.8 million cases in with 263,462 deaths. But Victoria’s Mom, Laura Campbell, had to have a pacemaker put in a few days earlier and so could not lift her arms over her head or lift the turkey in the oven. She and my brother-in-law Tom live in Statesboro and have kept to themselves in pandemic. My brother-in-law Breck lives in Athens and works remotely and so is quite isolated. The five of us gathered for our Thanksgiving meal.

November 28, 2020
A day off at home included recording at home an Advent Message to the Diocese in which I spoke of how even a glimmer of light dispels darkness and we can be that light to others, giving them hope through a phone call or note in pandemic.

November 29, 2020
A day off at home other than taking part in diocesan worship online from Trinity in Cochran. We were successful in creating a more contemplative tone for this First Sunday of Advent.

November 30, 2020
Working in the office. I had hoped to get in a number of check in phone calls with clergy both active and retired as well as a clergy widow. I did get a few calls in, but then issues arose through email and phone calls and it ended up being a full day with little progress on my hoped for touching base with clergy.

December 1, 2020
Working in the office included two meetings, one by Zoom and the other in person, with two persons discerning a call to the priesthood.

December 2, 2020
Started the day with a full morning recording worship at St. Matthew’s, Savannah. Then working in the office in the afternoon proved challenging with a lot of things going on at once including a call of a new rector, a priest in intensive care with pension payment issues, and more coming in by phone, email, text, and even Facebook message, that really needed attention. It really takes a team and today I am especially thankful for Senior Wardens rising to a challenge. My years on diocesan staff have given me a chance to see persons elected to a role having more placed on them in an emergency and I was once again honored to assist them as did Canon Katie Easterlin and Canon Loren Lasch. It was a full day. On the way home, I learned that I was possibly exposed to COVID-19 in the morning.

December 3, 2020
Working from home as I was possibly exposed to the virus. Lots to do to continue to follow up on new items raised yesterday. The person who was my possible exposure as he was for sure with someone with the virus on Saturday, received a negative test for the virus in the afternoon.

December 4, 2020
Drove to Valdosta for separate meetings with a priest at one congregation and the senior warden at another, then back to Savannah. Sometimes nothing beats sitting down to talk face to face. I used some of the time in the car for check in calls with priests and time to think and pray.

December 5, 2020
A day off at home.

December 6, 2020
A day off at home other than taking part in diocesan worship online from St. Matthew’s, Savannah. This week two additional churches needed this to be their worship for the week due to a priest having COVID in one case and the priest being hospitalized for other issues in another.

December 7, 2020
At St. Andrew’s, Darien, in the morning to record worship. I preached and Canon Lasch officiated, with Canon Varner opening the service with a brief Godly Play story and lighting the Advent Wreath. This congregation (and St. Cyprian’s with whom they have partnered closely and share a priest) lost their Rector and Vicar at the end of last month as the Very Rev. Ted Clarkson is moving to Augusta to serve as the interim at Good Shepherd. These congregations are doing so well. They completed a beautiful parish hall between their two churches earlier this year, adding to a smaller building they have used so well to serve McIntosh County. I am so pleased the Rev. Bill Barton, a retired priest from Tennessee is already in the county and known to the churches, having served during Ted’s sabbatical. He will take charge for what we hope to be an interim that goes until summer. I was back in the office after lunch.

December 8, 2020
Working in the office included a handful of phone appointments through the day and one in person meeting with a priest and senior warden facing financial concerns caused by the pandemic. In the evening, Canon Lasch and I met with the vestry at Christ the King, Valdosta, as their priest is hospitalized for issues unrelated to the virus. We were there to support them as they plan through Christmas and the end of the year without their full-time priest.

December 9, 2020
Victoria and I drove to Huntsville, Alabama so that I could preach at the Rev. Ranie Neislar’s ordination to the priesthood. St. Thomas, Huntsville, needed an assistant. This is an ongoing issue for the Diocese of Georgia, that when seminarians graduate, we don’t have curacies for them and serving alone at a church is not best for most newly ordained priests, with rare exception. I am grateful she found a call at a healthy church in a city where she already has a couple of clergy friends. It was a joy to be able to preach the occasion.

December 10, 2020
Returned home from Huntsville. Worked in the office in the afternoon. There is a lot going on at present including more congregations with budget concerns for 2021 based on lower pledges.

December 11, 2020
Victoria and I drove to Cordele to record worship for the Fourth Sunday of Advent. We want to have completed Advent worship before we gather at Honey Creek on Monday and Tuesday to record Christmas Eve liturgies. Canon Lasch preached and I officiated. We drove back to Savannah and I worked in the office in the late afternoon.

December 12, 2020
I worked in my office at home for most of the day including a Zoom meeting on our revised guidance for in person worship and emails and phone calls with clergy and lay leaders. I received my negative text result for COVID-19 via email. Diocesan staff recording worship this coming week all tested to assure that our bubble does not have the virus before we spend hours together in the Chapel of Our Savior at Honey Creek creating worship for Christmas.

December 13, 2020
Joined in diocesan worship on Facebook live and then went out to St. Thomas Isle of Hope with Canon Varner to record three songs for Christmas worship.

December 14, 2020
Worked in the office in the morning, then Victoria and I drove to Honey Creek to meet Canons Lasch and Varner, Daniel Garrick, and Liz Williams to record Christmas worship. Archdeacon Yvette Owens drove over from Valdosta to assist by serving as the deacon for the Eucharist that will be the later service on Christmas Eve. The diocesan staff quartet named above also record three songs to use across three worship services on Christmas Eve and Christmas. I enjoy the joy they get out of singing.

December 15, 2020
Victoria and I met Canons Loren Lasch and Joshua Varner at the Church of the Holy Nativity on St. Simons Island to record a Holy Eucharist for Christmas Day. I celebrated the Eucharist, with Loren preaching an excellent sermon and Joshua playing music with the prayers of the people. Holy Nativity also had two lay readers, Deacon R.V. Cate, and their organist come to record their parts of the liturgy. We made phone calls and answered emails in the afternoon. There is a lot going on and Loren and I in particular are keeping everything else going while recording the liturgies. In particular, there are a lot of clergy transitions and small congregations that need a priest.

We went back to recording Christmas Eve worship once it started to get dark. Joshua officiated and preached for what will be the early services for families with a Nativity Pageant. He offered voiceover and we have video of kids in costumes sent in from around the Diocese. Loren officiated and I preached the later service for Christmas Eve. During our recording time, Joshua and Loren slipped over to Stuart Hall for Compline, the online services continuing live on Zoom for Youth programs. Loren offered the meditation. This evening the two canons each celebrated the Eucharist for the first time since the Diocese halted in-person worship on March 13.

December 16, 2020
I hope to have no longer days in my episcopacy as it was 15 straight hours on a cold, rainy day. I hit the road from Honey Creek at 5:20, to drive across the diocese to pray Last Rites for the Very Rev. Stan White and to spend some time with his brother and several of his children. Stan was a mentor to me 25 years ago when I was an aspirant for Holy Orders and a good colleague when I returned from seminary. He brought his church into the crossroads, buying a four-story building across from the courthouse and successfully working to revive the downtown. While he made national news as a pastor bringing most of his formerly Assembly of God congregation into the Episcopal Church, it was his sharing the good news of Jesus with people who could somehow only hear it from him. Giving him Last Rites was almost as right and good as it was heart breaking.

I drove back to St. Simons Island, sometimes just praying and driving on a rainy day, and when the weather was better, making calls to check in with some clergy. I landed back at Holy Nativity to spend time seeing plans the congregation has tearing down a building, expanding the church, and adding more meeting space. The Rev. Tommy Townsend, Priest-in-Charge, and the Rev. R.V. Cate, Deacon, have worked with the lay leaders in ways that have this church thriving even in pandemic. He had mentioned the plans yesterday and today we had a chance to spend more time on their vision. I drove up to Christ Church Frederica where a team of parishioners was masked and distanced and working joyfully in pack backpacks for kids in Glynn County who would spend more time going hungry if not for this faithful work. Across the Diocese, many congregations have been creative in keeping their ministries to those in need going in pandemic. Even as I try to document this pandemic, there is so much good going on that is beyond the scope of this journal. I led a diocesan staff meeting on Microsoft Teams from the vestry room at Christ Church, met with their Rector. Then I confirmed six women whose scheduled confirmations by Bishop Benhase had to be put off on short notice in March. They had a larger class and I will get to more of them next year, but the service was in the church and we kept it brief by having no music and a small congregation for the Eucharist. They were all so pleased to be confirmed or received and it was a delight to be with them.

I took part briefly in a vestry meeting as I started back for home in my car. The technology didn’t work, despite my Executive Assistant, Maggie Lyons, working from home to get everything going. This is not the first time the dial in part mixing with those on computer failed us, so the Senior Warden put me on speaker phone and others heard me through his Zoom connection. I was grateful for their patience and the brief business I had to follow the canons in getting in some assistance while their priest is on short-term disability went well. I drove home to arrive at 8:35 pm, catching up with Canon Lasch on that drive. She and Canon Easterlin also had full days supporting congregations. The staff is doing a lot of the heavy lifting. I especially am grateful for what little we can offer, even without being asked. I don’t know where we would be without Canon Easterlin’s expertise this year, including walking through how to get a Paycheck Protection Loan. The three canons are all great in assisting me, as are the rest of the staff, and yet I clearly need to make adjustments to not end up with so much in a day. Maggie Lyons is an excellent Executive Assistant and I know I can and will need to benefit more from her assistance in the coming year.

I spoke with the Rev. Kevin Kelly today, who has shared openly that he is in recovery as a means to assist others. He and the Rev. Tommy Townsend both have good ministry in the recovery community and they are seeing a lot of hurt this year. As I shared with Kevin, the good thing about doing ministry you are called to do, even in the midst of a very difficult day, the call is affirmed.

December 17, 2020
I met this morning with a couple who are prayerfully looking at estate planning. I love being witness to that faithfulness in considering one’s legacy in the light of faith in Jesus. A couple of phone appointments were part of getting caught up after being out of the office.

December 18, 2020
I had a delightful meeting with an aspirant for Holy Orders in my office, wearing masks, and sitting apart. I always love hearing what God is doing in someone’s life and how they hear the Holy Spirit calling them. Several other appointments and a brief diocesan staff Christmas party kept the day full.

December 19, 2020
This weekend, I gave some otherwise free time to working on the Christmas Lessons and Carols service. Liz Williams as Communications Manager did a great job at getting readings in from nine congregations and Canon Joshua Varner worked with organist/choirmasters to get in the hymns. Their project management made this workable, but I pulled together the choir videos and the 30-voice Joy to the World. It is a way to use gifts otherwise left in the move to episcopacy. During the day, I also spoke by phone with several priests thinking through how best to handle Christmas with COVID-19 infections rising and hospitals full.

December 20, 2020
Victoria and I worshipped online with the Diocese of Georgia. It seemed a long time since we recorded the worship for today at Christ Church, Cordele, but Canon Lasch’s sermon was, if anything, all the more relevant as she preach how the Virgin Mary was not meek and mild, but a fierce proclaimer of the Gospel and challenged us with her example. Worked more on creating worship videos all through the day.

December 21, 2020
I woke up to news that the Very Rev. Stan White died late last night. Though anticipated, I am so saddened by the news. Started working on funeral plans with his brother, the Rev. Michael White, and the Senior Warden at Christ the King, even as I worked in the office on other matters.

December 22, 2020
Working in the office included Canon Lasch and I working to make sure every church that wanted in person worship had a liturgy. I am accustomed, from a decade of working for the diocese, to emergencies coming up at Christmas and Easter and needing to make sure every congregation is cared for, but the pandemic made this more challenging. I ended the workday by confirming Joshua Kight in the St. Anna Alexander Chapel at Diocesan House with Liz Williams serving as a lay reader. We prayed Evening Prayer with the confirmation service and I found it moving. It is a joy to be a part of what God is doing in his life. Joshua will be serving on the vestry at Christ Church Dublin and that is a congregation Liz has a lot of family active in. It was a nice connection. Our daughter Griffin and her boyfriend Chaz came into town in the evening from Phoenix, Arizona. It was such a difficult decisions whether to gather and we worried over our health as they sought to keep safe in advance of and during the trip. Hopefully our efforts will keep us all virus free. Having her home feels selfish and yet I am so glad to have her here.

December 23, 2020
Time off with family. Two congregations held their Christmas Eve outdoor in person worship tonight as heavy rain is expected tomorrow and worship would likely have to be canceled. One congregation is moving their Christmas Eve to Saturday. There are many right ways to make worship work this year and creativity and flexibility to most helpful.

December 24, 2020
Time off with family. Participated in diocesan worship online that evening. For the 6 pm Holy Eucharist, Canon Joshua Varner told the story of the Nativity with pageant type video from three congregations and some individuals. It came together well. At 8 pm, the Candlelight Mass from Honey Creek was lovely. Loren is awesome at officiating. She sang the ancient Mozarabic chant for the Eucharist, which was so beautiful and a nice complement to Joshua singing a plain chant at the earlier liturgy. I preached for the candlelight liturgy. They seemed to “work” for those for whom this was the option the Episcopal Church was offering for them as not every one of our congregations could offer in person or online options, though most did.

December 25, 2020
A day off with family other than worshipping with the Diocese in the morning with the Christmas Day Eucharist I celebrated and Loren preached at Holy Nativity. It seems a while ago that we recorded this, but once again, Loren’s sermon really preached to me as she told of Linus van Pelt dropping his ever-present security blanket as he got to the angel’s words “fear not” when appearing to the shepherds.

December 26, 2020
Time off with family.

December 27, 2020
We watched the Christmas Lessons and Carols with higher participation numbers as some priests took us up on encouragement to use this liturgy as their congregation’s worship after a busy Christmas. We had some excellent readings and music and I am glad for any break we can give to priests and deacons. Time off with family.

December 28, 2020
Griffin and Chaz departed for Arizona early this morning and I was out at Savannah Toyota when they opened to get an oil change. Worked on catching up on emails, especially the quarterly Ember Day Letters from those in the process toward Holy Orders. Finished the sermon I will preach tomorrow. Victoria and I drove to Augusta in the afternoon.

December 29, 2020
At St. Augustine of Canterbury in Augusta at 9 a.m. This church is really thriving. The Rector, the Rev. Jim Said and his wife Kim (who is gifted in Invite-Welcome-Connect) have done such a great job here and they have an awesome ordained a lay leader team.

December 30, 2020
Working at home on a couple of pieces for From the Field and working on staff evaluations while keeping up on texts and emails. Assisting two Senior Wardens with differing concerns and working on the Saturday funeral for Stan White as COVID cases rise in Valdosta also took a lot of the day.

December 31, 2020
An early call from Jan Louttit and her daughter, Amy, let me know that Bishop Henry Louttit died peacefully this morning. Though his health has been bad, this was quite a surprise. He was a great mentor for me. Without his support, I would never have been able to start King of Peace and certainly would not be bishop. In his first address to convention as diocesan bishop, Bishop Louttit stated he believed the ministry of the bishop to be: an encourager, friend, and prayer supporter; the link between congregations in our diocese, throughout the world, and back through time to the apostles; the chief administrator, planner, and visioner; trouble-shooter, and reconciler; the sharer of family stories, like the grandfather of the family; an icon model of Christian service.

He lived into that vision well, creating a stronger diocesan community in the process. With a pastor’s heart, he left us more connected, a closer community with its eyes on Jesus. Personally, he saw more in me than was present when he saw it and offered me the opportunity to plant a church when the safe bet was that it wouldn’t work.

During the day calls came in of a priest in the emergency room and a clergy spouse’s father being transferred to a larger hospital for heart surgery. And during this I was working on finalizing plans for Stan White’s funeral. In the afternoon, I virtually attended the wedding of the Rev. Leigh Hall and Edmund Roberts. Leigh is a priest raised up by the Diocese of Georgia. I enjoyed being colleagues when she was a fellow canon serving when Bishop Benhase started his episcopacy.

I close the year giving thanks for Bishop Louttit and Jan, for Leigh and Edmund, and I give thanks for this meaningful vocation in a difficult year.

+Frank
The Rt. Rev. Frank S. Logue
Bishop of Georgia