Bishop Frank Logue – Daily Journal 2022
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 addressed 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. 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: Bishop’s Journal 2022
January 1, 2022
Victoria and I enjoyed starting 2022 with a New Year’s Day off visiting with some of her family.
January 2, 2022
My first visitation of the year was to St. Elizabeth of Hungary in Richmond Hill. The Rev. Dawyne Varas has served as Rector since his February 2020 call, arriving as the pandemic was shutting down in-person worship. The congregation has weathered the waves of the virus and is now well vaccinated and no known cases among members for quite a while. Their attendance is about 75% of pre-pandemic levels, which is quite good. I confirmed, received, and reaffirmed eight persons. Having assisted their search for a Rector when I served as the Canon to the Ordinary, I am delighted to see this call going so well. We enjoyed a covered dish meal outdoors in a large pavilion behind the Parish Hall and then I met with the vestry.
I finished my 2021 Journal and posted it online after church. In the late afternoon, I learned that one person who attended this morning’s worship tested positive for COVID. She was masked and sat apart from others. There will likely be no spread to others in the congregation. We shall see within the week.
January 3, 2022
A day off at home to set the pattern of Monday’s off as the norm.
January 4, 2022
The day included a phone appointment with a priest who wants to step away from parish ministry. In the afternoon, I met Maggie Lyons and Canon Katie Easterlin at Georgia Southern’s Armstrong Center on the southside of Savannah as a part of selecting the venue for this year’s diocesan convention.
January 5, 2022
The first staff meeting of the year began as we customarily do with each person sharing what has been good, bad, and godly in our lives. This was a post-Christmas and New Years time of not all being in the office together and it was good to catch up with each other. We also spent time considering the diocesan convention, its venue and schedule. Two priests came into the office for some in person check in time.
January 6, 2022
The Feast of the Epiphany included a staff training day on the Realm database we use to keep up with the people of the Diocese. Canon Joshua Varner and Liz Williams led this in-house staff development. I met in the afternoon by Zoom with the Deans and the Archdeacon for a regular check in and to get ready for next week’s Clergy Zoom meeting.
January 7, 2022
An in-person check in with a priest in the morning. In the afternoon, Canon Loren Lasch met with a Rector and the wardens as the priest will reach the mandatory retirement age within the year and we are planning for the transition.
January 8, 2022
I drove to Cochran to officiate the funeral of the Rev. Dr. Ed Harvey. He received his Doctorate in Theology of the Old Testament from the University of Heidelberg, West Germany in 1965. Harvey served as the warden (dean) of the newly established St. John Baptist Theological College in Fiji serving six denominations in the nine countries in the South Pacific. He then served churches in Florida and Texas and was a visiting professor of Biblical Studies at the Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, Texas. Dr. Harvey moved to his wife, Mary Anne’s, hometown of Cochran, where he served Trinity Church in retirement from 1996-2005. He assisted in the local formation of the Revs. Gary Abbott, Joy Fisher, George Porter, and Vernon Wiggins. In the process he lifted up a different way of raising up and forming priests for ministry in the Diocese of Georgia. He died July 12, 2020, and the funeral was waiting for a safer time for his family to gather. But with the omicron variant of COVID-19 surging, we ended up making the funeral a graveside service with no Eucharist.
January 9, 2022
On Sunday, I made my visitation to St. Patrick’s in Pooler with a service held outdoors to mitigate risk of spreading the virus, which made for a blessedly, gloriously chaotic morning. We baptized Harrison, confirmed and received several persons, chartered a Daughter’s of the King Chapter, and celebrated the Eucharist. The Internet wasn’t working for the livestream and so we called a new Daughter of the King so she could say her vows while home sick; another person I spoke with by phone later in the day for her to reaffirm her faith as she had wanted to be present and could not make it in person. It was a great morning with a congregation willing to be fluid as we adapted quickly to changes. A very Holy time that we all enjoyed immensely.
The Rev. Karen Barfield has been here a year. Prior to moving to Savannah, she connected Bishop Scott Benhase with a number of seminarians at Duke Divinity School who moved into the Episcopal Church during their studies. While serving as the Vicar of St. Joseph’s in Durham, North Carolina, her regular Daily Offices were a place where those drawn to Anglican worship found a home. Through her, we met the Revs. Kelly Steele, Guillermo Arboleda, Luke Wetzel, Johnny Tuttle, Amy Bradley, Nathan Wilson, Bradley Varnell, and Kyle Carswell. Through these seminarians, we met others including the Rev. Katie Knoll Lenon, coming in a few years to have a significant contingent of Duke graduates. St. Patrick’s is a congregation Victoria and I know well as I served several months there in 2010 when the Vicar resigned abruptly. I have assisted them in calling three priests in the past 12 years. In the afternoon, I drove a few hours toward Sewanee to shorten tomorrow morning’s drive.
January 10, 2022
I drove three hours in the early morning and thanks to Sewanee being in central time zone, I made it to the Chapel of the Apostles in time for Morning Prayer. I then met with our two students in the three-year residential Masters in Divinity Program, one in the two year Masters in Theology Program, and two in the two-year low residency ACTS (Alternate Clergy Training in Sewanee) Program. I really enjoyed getting time with those studying for ordination on site at the seminary.
January 11, 2022
Drove back to Savannah and was back working after lunch for two Zoom meetings and catching up on mail.
January 12, 2022
Several online meetings including with one parish’s leaders on budget shortfalls and a start of the year check in with Racial Justice GA on their plans for the year.
January 13, 2022
I met online with clergy of the Diocese for a check in. Drove to Augusta in the afternoon.
January 14, 2022
The morning began with a rapid COVID test that showed me to be virus free. I then drove to the Church of the Good Shepherd for the Episcopal Schools Week celebration at Episcopal Day School. We met at Reid Memorial Church, a great partner in ministry who has enough room to host the whole school, where Good Shepherd Church can’t hold everyone. The church was packed with fully masked and vaccinated students and staff. The Rev. Sonia Sullivan Clifton is their School Chaplain and she created a modified Morning Prayer included reflections from a student from each grade K-8. With her coaching to get ready for today, they did a great job and I picked up on a thread in the kids’ reflections and spoke of how they saw the importance of “us” in their theme verse, “Let us run with perseverance the race set before us” (Hebrews 12:1). We do not run the race alone, we have one another, our teachers and fellow students at school for example. I then spent time at the school with the religion teacher, chaplain, and head of school.
I had a joyed-filled evening dedicating anew the refurbished Bergamy Hall at Our Savior Martinez, where the Rev. Al Crumpton is the Rector leading the through pandemic and tending to deferred maintenance. We gave thanks for the miracle of a potentially catastrophic issue with the load bearing exterior walls being found in time, an ambitious five-year capital campaign getting completed in three months, and the place of fellowship restored for many years to come. The parish hall work is just a part of the restoration they are doing. They replaced the exterior walls on the church with Hardy Board after learning of a termite issue. They are catching up on needed maintenance with an eye toward solutions that work for the long term. Lots of people and contractors have been part of this effort led by the Junior Warden, Sandy Ribando.
January 15, 2022
Drove back to Savannah in the morning with a stunning sunrise making for quite a show of clouds and light. I gave in to the temptation and stopped several times to take pictures of the rural landscape with the beautiful sky. Back at home before 9 am, I worked on tomorrow’s two sermons a bit and then took the rest of the day off. I received a couple of Saturday calls letting me know of priests, or their family members, with the virus. The first diocesan staff member to get the virus also reported in COVID positive. Fortunately, the cases remain milder than with the original strain of the virus.
January 16, 2022
Victoria and I started the day with my visitation to St. Matthew’s, Savannah, on a cold and very rainy morning. Known for their breakfasts, the ongoing changes due to the pandemic were evident as no one was in the kitchen cooking. The choir was not present as all three of the choir members have COVID-19. We baptized one girl, Blair, in a hybrid service where the camera and a light placed in the aisle livestreamed the liturgy and those leading, whether me officiating or the readers, or Deacon Patti Davis reading the Gospel did so from a lectern place in the center of the altar rail. The altar was visible above that lectern so that when we moved to the liturgy of the table, the camera could stay in place. The setup was turned around to the font in the back of the church for the baptism. The Rev. Guillermo Arboleda has been responding creatively to every turn in the pandemic, finding ways to keep the congregation worshipping online (and in person as possible).
In the afternoon, I officiated a funeral for Thad Welch at St. Francis of the Islands. The sun came out and the interment in their memorial garden was able to take place with military honors for the decorated fighter pilot, who has a road on Wilmington Island named for him because of his heroic actions in the Vietnam War.
January 17, 2022
A Martin Luther King Jr. day off at home. Mayor Van Johnson postponed the parade, which usually has a large Episcopal contingent taking part. I would have enjoyed the walking with the group, but I am grateful for the rest.
January 18, 2022
I worked in the office, catching up after a week in which I was on the road four out of seven days.
January 19, 2022
A Wednesday in the office included celebrating and preaching the Holy Eucharist in the Chapel of Blessed Anna Alexander in Diocesan House which the Episcopal Youth and Children Services board took part in on Zoom. I also inducted their officers. While our churches are worshipping in person, the EYCS Board includes members with greater risk of complications and the whole board opted to all worship online rather than going with a hybrid service of some in person and some online.
January 20, 2022
Met with Canons Katie Easterlin and Joshua Varner on planning the upcoming Diocesan Council meeting to get input on a direction for our work this year. Katie then made a one-pager we will send to Council members tomorrow to get them thinking some questions through. I also met online with a person working in a church as his first job out of college and will admit him to discernment for ordination to the priesthood. We first met about this possible call almost a year ago to the day.
January 21, 2022
Wrote a sermon for Sunday during a morning in the office and took the afternoon off.
January 22, 2022
Victoria and I drove to Valdosta in the morning. I ordained the Rev. Susan Gage to the Sacred Order of Priests at St. Barnabas Church. We had a full church, all masked. The Very Rev. Billy Alford preached a fine sermon on sheep and the Good Shepherd. Susan’s call as priest in charge working bi-vocationally, part time as a priest and part time as a massage therapist, is off to a great start. We drove to Thomasville after. I met at 4 pm with the vestry of All Saints in executive session as their Rector, the Rev. Paul Hancock, reaches mandatory retirement age of 72 year one year from now. We talked through a transition process. Canon Loren Lasch usually handles this, but as I am making my visitation, I met with them on this matter and she will follow up. The church is very healthy. Paul has done wonderful work since arriving in 2012 on retirement from years of serving as head of school at several episcopal schools.
January 23, 2022
A cold, but beautiful morning at All Saints in Thomasville where I had the rare and wonderful honor to be able to baptize and confirm Gene Sun, to confirm his wife Katrina, and to baptize their three children, Kenji, Kami, and Kai, my first whole household initiation rite in many years. I also confirmed and received 9 others all using the 1928 Book of Common Prayer. Such a joyful and uplifting morning.
January 24, 2022
A day off at home until evening when I met online with the members of the Commission on Ministry and Standing Committee for an orientation to our work together on the Holy Orders process.
January 25-26, 2022
Drove to Winterville, Georgia, to assist my Mom in preparing for a move to senior living in Chattanooga, Tennessee. She is moving into the same facility as her sister Emily. She will have her own apartment, while being able to spend time with her sister.
January 27, 2022
Back in Savannah at 8:30 am. I took a rapid COVID test as I learned of a possible exposure to the virus in Saturday’s ordination service. The test was negative. I worked with the Canons on a run through of Diocesan Council so we could make sure that the technology is working for Council members to share feedback using Poll Everywhere. I hope to boost engagement for an exercise we will do in considering what the Diocese needs to create, reevaluate, and continue in the coming year. Online meetings discourage participation from many members who have trouble speaking up on Zoom. We hope this will assist in our work together.
January 28, 2022
Working in the office included working on Sunday’s sermon and meeting with Carey Wooten who is taking over the coordinator role for our leadership training, Leading with Grace.
January 29, 2022
Diocesan Council met on Zoom for its first meeting with the new members elected by convocation councils and convention in October and November. We gave an orientation to the role and work of Diocesan Council influenced by the work last year on the Task Group on Canons. This included a review of some of the heavy lifting done by Council over the past decade to change minimum clergy compensation, lower diocesan assessments, both create and then work to pay off Honey Creek bonds, revise the canons, review and change leadership programs and more.
Then we held a strategic planning exercise with Council members. They were asked to use Poll Everywhere to look back through my episcopacy to name what the Diocese had done that was meaningful for them. We named spring 2020, year-end 2020, mid-year 2021, and year-end 2021. They added words that created a Word Cloud so that the words grew larger the more another person selected it. The words included “virtual support, guidance, compassion, flexibility, availability, financial support, sharing resources, and even online meetings, and dance party.” With the past accomplishments and recent meaningful support, Council broke into break out rooms of 4-5 people each to brainstorm what we need to create, reevaluate, and continue as we move forward. The groups reporting out were very helpful in looking to how we can support congregations as we move into the next phases of the pandemic and look beyond. Topics included supporting congregations to grow, with specifics on how we can helpfully address that, how to raise up more clergy, and how to support lay leaders in their roles, and more.
After the 9 am to noon meeting, Victoria and I drove to Tifton on a beautiful drive meandering across the middle of the diocese over to Pembroke and Reidsville, down to Uvalda, angling on small roads over to Tift County.
January 30, 2022
I made my first visitation to St. Anne’s in Tifton where a large acolyte crew with incense, pennants, banners, torches, and crosses led the choir and altar party. This congregation has been blessed by a long rectorship with the Rev. Lonnie Lacy. He has, with some great lay leaders, done well at guiding them through pandemic. The COVID-19 guidance for St. Anne’s is based on their hospital’s capacity, so while cases are still high, with hospitalizations lower than in recent weeks, we did process. Masks were encouraged, but not required for those who are vaccinated. As has been my practice of late, I wore a mask except to preach and to celebrate the Eucharist. The joy-filled worship with confirmations and receptions was followed by a meeting with the vestry and the drive back to Savannah.
January 31, 2022
I had a day off at home until the evening, when the Commission on Ministry and Standing Committee met on Zoom to interview two aspirants for Holy Orders who feel called to serve as priests. The two committees have worked on how they interview and this evening went very well.
February 1, 2022
A day in the office meant connecting with staff and planning for events to come in light of the feedback we received from Diocesan Council. In the evening, the Commission on Ministry and Standing Committee met again on Zoom. This time, they interviewed two aspirants who feel called to serve as deacons. Then the two groups met and advised me on how to move ahead. These two nights on Zoom were not easy and I appreciate everyone’s prayerful attention to those with whom we met.
February 2-3, 2022
I drove to Winterville, Georgia, and worked with my sister, Leigh, and others to get a moving truck loaded with all my Mom will take with her to Hixson, Tennessee. She is moving to a senior living apartment one floor above her sister Emily. The next day, we got everything moved in and set up, with pictures hung and everything put away. Leigh and I enjoyed a meal with our Mom and Aunt in the dining room with residents before driving back to my sister’s house.
February 4, 2022
Drove back to Savannah and caught up on office work after two and a half days away.
February 5, 2022
I finished writing tomorrow’s sermon and took the rest of the day off.
February 6, 2022
With no bishop visitation to this congregation since October 7, 2018, there were more confirmations and receptions than usual at Christ Church Savannah today. We had certificates for 55 people, but a father and daughter tested positive for COVID-19 and so 53 people were confirmed, received, and reaffirming their faith including 34 youth confirmations. The Rev. Samantha McKean met with the confirmands since the fall to prepare them for today. One of the confirmands was also baptized.
In the afternoon, I was in the office for a Zoom webinar hosted by Racial Justice Georgia, our group working on racial healing and justice in the Diocese of Georgia. I introduced Dr. Westina Matthews of St. Peter’s Savannah who facilitated a conversation with the Rev. Dr. Michael Battle whose latest book is a spiritual autobiography of the Nobel laureate and retired archbishop, Desmond Tutu. We planned the event before his December 2021 death at the age of 90. Dr. Battle shared how a life of contemplative prayer sustained Tutu’s social justice work. Not only did participants take part from around the Diocese of Georgia, but also across the United States.
February 7, 2022
I recorded a 3.5-minute video at St. Thomas Isle of Hope, which will close out a Digital Gathering for Invite-Welcome-Connect (IWC) this Wednesday. St. Thomas had planned to have IWC Director Mary Parmer come to the church to offer training for their congregation and others from the Diocese. That event was put on hold by COVID and this is the first opportunity for the training. The congregation will have a group taking part online and so I recorded at St. Thomas to connect them to the event.
February 8, 2022
I was back in the office on our daughter, Griffin’s, 31st birthday. She is a couple of weeks away from completing the classroom portion of her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree. Next up is a little more than a year of rotations in the field toward taking her North American Veterinary Licensing Examination this November and graduation in May 2023.
February 9, 2022
My first Eucharist at Diocesan House since March 2020. We are beginning staff meetings with the Eucharist for now and praying together as a staff. As the Omicron surge eases, we will invite others to join as was the decades long tradition.
February 10, 2022
Met all morning with clergy on Zoom in a few one-hour sessions with breaks in between as the Rev. Guillermo Arboleda taught us more on how to engage helpfully with law enforcement in our communities. Victoria and I drove to Augusta in the afternoon for a Celebration of New Ministry at Saint Paul’s. I had a great meeting with the vestry, unmasked outdoors on the site of their first church, built alongside Fort Augusta in 1751. I have enjoyed working with them in the past year of transition toward the call of their new rector, the Rev. Eric Biddy. With an adult baptism and ten confirmations and receptions, this is not how installing a rector usually goes, but I enjoy the focus not being on the priest alone and grounding the liturgy in the water of baptism. Such wonderful music accompanied our worship at the Mother Church of Augusta in its 271st year.
February 11, 2022
I followed an early drive back to Savannah with a meeting with the Standing Committee on Zoom to discuss whether to consent to the election of a bishop in another diocese where there are some causes for concern. I prefer not to inject myself into the decisions of another diocese, but we have a process of a bishop being confirmed by the whole church for a reason. Thinking this through with the Standing Committee was most helpful to me and I trust for them. We also approved a revised offer on selling the former Trinity Episcopal Church building in Harlem. They merged with Holy Cross Thomson a couple of years ago and it is good to sell the property so they have the funds to support their ministry together. In the afternoon, I met with my predecessor and boss from 2010-2020, Bishop Scott Benhase. He and his wife Kelly were in town visiting their son, John, and his wife, Sarah, who are expecting a child in April. It was good to catch up with him.
February 12, 2022
A day off at home in the morning with an afternoon drive to Dublin.
February 13, 2022
We found Christ Church in Dublin excited to have two confirmations and two persons to be received. Joshua Kite, who I confirmed in the chapel at Diocesan House earlier in pandemic, is now the mayor of Dublin. I served with Ken Shrader from the congregation who has just completed the Alternate Clergy Training at Sewanee (ACTS program) as he prepares to be a bi-vocational priest. A brief reception and vestry meeting followed the liturgy.
February 14, 2022
A day off at home.
February 15, 2022
A full day in the office began in phone conversation with a bi-vocational priest thinking through creatively some options for church property to assist in financial sustainability for decades to come. I met with the three canons on staff. We mapped out plans for upcoming spring and fall clergy conferences, a fall lay ministry retreat, and the convention to conceptually see how they can all work together in response to the recent Diocesan Council meeting and their input. I also met with Jim and Haydee Toedtman, who represent me on the Dominican Development Group. We discussed yesterday’s board meeting and the coming year of mission with our companion diocese, the Diocese of the Dominican Republic.
February 16, 2022
I had a staff meeting in the office in the morning and made a pastoral call to be with a priest in the afternoon at their church.
February 17, 2022
I worked in the office on a variety of concerns, including working with Canon Katie Easterlin in responding to questions from attorneys working on closing the sale of the property of the former Trinity Episcopal Church in Harlem. The congregation merged with Holy Cross in Thomson. The funds from the sale will support the now merged congregations.
February 18, 2022
Working in the office on Friday included checking in with clergy and finishing my sermon for Sunday.
February 19, 2022
A Saturday off from diocesan work. Victoria and I visited with her Mom and her brother, Tom, in Statesboro.
February 20, 2022
We drove to Hinesville in the morning to make our Sunday visitation to St. Philip’s. Victoria and I were last at the church in September for the funeral of Deacon Chad Chaffee. Today was joyous as we baptized one person and confirmed and received three others. We also had a celebration of new ministry for the Rev. José Vilar, III, who asked me to wear his grandfather’s chasuble. I was so honored to get to don the beautiful vestment used in worship now for 82 years.
Canon Loren Lasch presided and preached this morning at St. Patrick’s, Albany, for the first Sunday after their Rector, the Rev. Nick Roosevelt, left for a call as an interim in the Diocese of El Camino Real in California. Canon Joshua Varner was at King of Peace, Kingsland, to assist the musicians and choir in thinking through new options for church music after Carol Ludwigson’s retirement.
From 7:30-8:30 pm I took part in an online meeting with the bishops on my legislative committee for this year’s General Convention of the Episcopal Church. I am the Vice Chair of the Bishop’s Committee on Evangelism & Church Planting. At the 2018 Convention, I served this committee as the Chair of the Deputy’s Committee. The General Convention meets every three years. The pandemic led to the four-year gap between conventions.
February 21, 2022
A day off at home.
February 22, 2022
Working in the office through the day, I met with the vestry of St. Matthew’s, Savannah, on Zoom from 4-5 pm in follow up to my visitation last month.
February 23, 2022
Working in the office included a Eucharist with the staff, followed by a staff meeting in the morning and an afternoon meeting of the Finance Committee. I also submitted Bishop Endorsement forms for three seminarian scholarships, talked to the Chancellor about the best response to a neighbor threatening legal action due to a tree on the property line of a vicarage, and worked with the Standing Committee President, the Very Rev. William Willoughby, III, on permission for Good Shepherd, Augusta, to sell the house behind the church. The congregation bought the house and land, to enable them to enlarge their property footprint and then sell the house on a slightly smaller lot.
February 24, 2022
Worked in the office in the morning. Victoria and I drove to Thomson in the afternoon.
February 25, 2022
Victoria and I spent some time in Winterville, working with my sister, Leigh, on getting our Mom’s house and van sold to assist with her move to Tennessee. Then we drove to Columbia, South Carolina, where we are taking part in the ordination and consecration of the bishop of Upper South Carolina.
February 26, 2022
This is the second ordination and consecration of a bishop I have been able to take part in, the other being for the Diocese of South Carolina and this for the Diocese of Upper South Carolina. Victoria and I met other bishops and spouses for breakfast, then she met with spouses and I met with the Presiding Bishops and the 14 other bishops present. The liturgy was beautifully done as Daniel Richards became their ninth bishop. Afterwards, we drove to Augusta.
February 27, 2022
In a morning full of blessings, Victoria and I were in Augusta for my visitation to St. Augustine of Canterbury. I confirmed four and received and reaffirmed three others and also blessed a new banner, a number of hand-painted icons, the tabernacle, votive light stand, tech room for livestreaming, and the bells in their bell tower. It was a joyous morning that concluded with a meeting with the vestry. There is so much going well at St. Augustine’s with the Rev. Jim Said as Rector including lots of ministry for their community and 20 new people who have connected to the congregation in pandemic. That makes it all the more noticeable that like every other church, attendance remains well down from pre-pandemic levels. The 80 people present in worship today is the most they have had in person since March 2020.
February 28, 2022
A day off. Victoria’s 61st birthday.
March 1, 2022
I worked in the office, catching up after days on the road.
March 2, 2022
On this Ash Wednesday, working in the office included a staff meeting and later a staff discussion of our 1Book1Diocese read for Lent, Rachel Held Evans, Inspired. At noon, Victoria and I worshipped together, receiving imposition of ashes at Christ Church, Savannah.
March 3, 2022
Working in the office in Savannah included a Board of the Corporation Meeting at noon. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has hit our equities hard, but the Board keeps a balanced portfolio and over the long haul our investments are performing better than anticipated. I appreciate the expertise our Board brings to overseeing the investments of the congregations and the Diocese.
March 4, 2022
Working in the office in Savannah.
March 5, 2022
A Saturday off ended with a drive to Honey Creek, so Victoria and I could be with Happeners in the morning.
March 6, 2022
Sunday began with wake up for Happening at 6:30 am. Mary Margaret Lemburg is the Rector of this weekend and all is going very well. The Spiritual Directors asked me to give the talk on the Sacraments and then I celebrated the closing Eucharist. We made the drive back to Savannah in good time. At 6 pm, I spoke at Christ Church Savannah for the first week of their Lenten program on the practice of spiritual discernment.
March 7, 2022
A day off at home.
March 8, 2022
Back in the office for the workday with a noon luncheon at the Chatham Club in Savannah’s DeSoto Hilton. This was a much delayed thank you for Gayle Dawson who retired in 2020. The pandemic prevented the larger reception we wanted to have then at Diocesan House in her honor. She is such a dear woman who I loved working with for a decade. Gayle served the Diocese for 21 years as Executive Assistant first to Bishop Henry Louttit and then Bishop Scott Benhase.
March 9, 2022
I worked in the office in the morning and in the afternoon, Victoria and I drove to Louisville. We had a very enjoyable evening visit to St. Mary Magdalene where the Rev. Sonia Sullivan Clifton is serving a couple of Sundays a month and her husband, the Rev. Steve Clifton, is serving on Wednesday evenings. After the Eucharist with renewal of baptismal vows, we talked with parishioners in the adjoining house, which functions as a parish hall. After a lovely evening of worship and conversation, we drove home to Savannah.
March 10, 2022
Thursday included an afternoon online meeting with a Senior Warden of a congregation in the last stages before calling a Rector. Canon Loren Lasch and I met with him. Loren has 17 congregations searching for a priest, many in small county seat towns. We have much work to do in raising up and recruiting priests to the Diocese even as we consider new emerging models of ministry. The day ended with two evening Zoom meetings one from 5-6 pm with the Commission on Worship and one from 7:30-9 pm for a legislative committee meeting in advance of this summer’s General Convention.
March 11, 2022
The diocesan staff worked through the second week of our 1Book1Diocese read of Rachel Held Evans’ book Inspired. Much of the day was occupied by an incident at a diocesan institution where our assistance was needed. I also secured the presenters I had hoped for who will speak at the fall lay ministers’ conference and the fall clergy conference.
March 12, 2022
A Saturday off at home.
March 13, 2022
I had a rare Sunday morning off before an afternoon meeting with the vestry of St. Luke’s, Rincon, followed by my visitation. The Sunday evening service is new and my visitation provided an opportunity to invite the whole congregation to take part. It was also Girl Scout Sunday and the church was full of Scouts together with the congregation.
March 14-22, 2022
I flew to Camp Allen in Texas for my first in person meeting of the House of Bishops. Presiding Bishop Michael Curry extended the meeting time from five days to a full week, meaning with travel days I was away for nine days. While I prefer not to be away from home and the Diocese for so long, it did provide the time he hoped for bishops to get to know one another better. More than 20% of the active bishops, including myself, had not attended an in-person meeting of the House. We need to work together this year in the General Convention of the Episcopal Church and at the Lambeth Conference of the Bishops of the Anglican Communion. He decided this additional time was essential. We had time with our class of bishops (those elected in the same year), time with our table group (who had met on Zoom when we had breakout sessions), and then they created other small groups for discussion to emphasize getting to know each other. One day, we also had sabbath time with a variety of optional activities for the day off including horseback riding and skeet shooting. Worship formed the center of our time together with excellent daily reflections.
March 23, 2022
Back in the office catching up after the extended time away. I began the day meeting with a priest in person and then moved into staff Eucharist and our weekly staff meeting. While I did keep up with emails and phone calls as I could in Texas, there is still a lot to catch up on.
March 24, 2022
I started my day with an in person follow up meeting with the priest I met with yesterday. I also enjoyed a phone meeting with a seminarian considering a call in the Diocese of Georgia and the staff discussed Rachel Held Evans’ book Inspired as we continue the 1book1diocese study.
March 25, 2022
I left Savannah early to go pray with a deacon who is moving into Hospice Care and was back in the office just before lunch. The afternoon included a conversation with a member of the Presiding Bishop’s staff to assist a priest who wants to serve with the Anglican Church in Southeast Asia while on sabbatical.
March 26, 2022
Worked on Sunday’s sermon and then Victoria and I drove to Honey Creek to meet with the Creation Care Commission. After spending time in conversation, I celebrated the closing Eucharist for their retreat. We spent the night in Jonnard Cottage, a favorite home base for us.
March 27, 2022
Victoria and I drove to Grace Church in Waycross for my visitation.
March 28, 2022
A Monday off at home included signing my part of the closing documents to sell my mother’s home in Winterville, Georgia, as a part of her moving to a senior living apartment in Chattanooga.
March 29, 2022
I began the day meeting online with a Zoom meeting among Church of England leaders and Episcopal Church leaders on what works in getting small groups started in churches. The conversation was honest about the challenges we all see as well as the benefits of accountability groups. I look forward to our next meeting. During a full day in the office, I also checked in via Zoom with our RacialJusticeGA co-chairs Karen Cote and John Hayes on the work the sub-committees of that group have planned for the coming year.
March 30, 2022
I worked in the office in Savannah.
March 31, 2022
A Rector, current and immediately previous Senior Wardens, and the Chancellor of a congregation came in to meet with me, Canon Katie Easterlin, and our Chancellor, the Rev. Jim Elliott. They gave us a letter detailing the accounting and legal issues with our congregational assessments including funds from the Paycheck Protection Program. This decision of Diocesan Council was one we weighed with input from the Episcopal Church. We will revisit the decision in the light of the case they make and bring it back to Council.
April 1, 2022
A full Friday in the office including some phone appointments and writing my sermon for Sunday.
April 2, 2022
A Saturday morning off at home and then Victoria and I drove to Honey Creek to spend the night in Jonnard Cottage rather than a hotel to be closer to tomorrow’s two visitations.
April 3, 2022
You can go home again! Victoria and I made our first visitation to King of Peace Episcopal Church in Kingsland that Victoria, Griffin, and I worked with others to found from 2000-2010. I got to confirm Sarah who I baptized as an infant. She is also an alumni of the preschool we founded, having been a student from 18 months through age five. I also got to baptize Zeke, the son of a Jonna, who I baptized our first Easter in Kingsland in 2001. Beyond this, we enjoyed meeting lots of new people who now are at home at King of Peace and enjoyed being back in a church that feels so familiar and yet changed over time as churches do with new influences in lay leaders and clergy coming in to the community. They had two confirmations and one reaffirmation of faith planned (Sarah’s Mom wanted to reaffirm her faith as Sarah was confirmed). Then Kenn Hodge and I were talking. He photographed lots of the 118 baptisms I did when founding King of Peace, but was never ready to take that step, though we discussed his faith and baptism often. Their third Rector, the Rev. Al Crumpton, baptized Kenn in Crooked River during a Pentecost celebration at Crooked River State Park. Kenn said he hoped I could confirm him one day and I said, “What about today.” Kenn and the current Rector, the Rev. Aaron Brewer agreed. And as a couple of others heard that it was not too late to make a public profession of faith and were interested, Aaron encouraged them and I also confirmed Sarah’s Dad and received a former ELCA Lutheran into the Episcopal Church. After a memorable morning, we returned to Jonnard Cottage to take a mid-day break.
Victoria and I then enjoyed a lovely evening at St. Rose of Lima Roman Catholic in Baxley, where our St. Thomas Aquinas Episcopal congregation meets in a wonderful partnership. Archdeacon Yvette Owens was with us for both liturgies, the Rite II, Prayer C one in Kingsland and the Rite I Penitential Eucharist in Baxley. Each was beautiful. The 15 of us gathered enjoyed a reception after our worship. They spoke of how the online worship we offered in pandemic was a big help to them as they had not been able to offer their own online liturgies. They talked about how much they enjoyed worshipping in different congregations of the Diocese through those online offerings. They benefit from the leadership of the Rev. Steve Larson, who is such a gift as he also serves Good Shepherd in Swainsboro. We arrived home just after 9 pm, for a more than 12 hour day that was quite fulfilling.
April 4, 2022
A Monday off included getting a second booster shot with the Pfizer vaccine for COVID-19. An issue at a parish also broke into the day via text. I then spoke with Canon Loren Lasch, who is handling it while keeping me posted via text.
April 5, 2022
A Tuesday in the office catching up on a variety of things including a call from a priest we raised up for ordination now serving elsewhere who needed to talk through some issues and get support.
April 6, 2022
I celebrated and preached for a staff Eucharist and then we met as a team to go over what we have now and what is ahead. We also shared what has been good, bad and godly of late as we do each Wednesday morning. Bad storms were headed our way, but Victoria and I looked at the situation and moved ahead with a planned evening service at St. Patrick’s in Albany. We took a route through the middle of the Diocese, coming in just below Cordele and that proved helpful. As we headed west on 300 south of Cordele, a large funnel cloud descended from the sky just to the north as our iPhone blared a tornado warning for the area. As our route was taking us away from the storm, we kept driving and were soon out of the rain. The adventure on the road made the evening feel all the more blessed. The Rev. Jim Bullion is in place while we search for an interim Rector. We celebrated confirmations and renewals of faith that made the drive well worth it. There was a lovely reception and a good meeting with the vestry that followed.
April 7, 2022
Thursday began with an early drive back to Savannah, arriving at 9:15 in the morning. I worked in the office through lunch. Afterwards we had a good discussion of our 1Book1Diocese read of Rachel Held Evans’ book Inspired.
April 8, 2022
On this Friday before Holy Week, I was working on sermons and taking a few calls when issues with a seminarian came into focus and a person made a church discipline complaint about a priest. Next week is Holy Week. I will be following up on the first as Canon Lasch takes on the second even as we walk through the Paschal Mystery in worship.
April 9, 2022
A Saturday morning off at home. I drove alone in the afternoon to Dublin, to be a couple of hours down the road toward tomorrow’s visitation.
April 10, 2022
I celebrated Palm Sunday at Christ Church in Cordele, enjoyed a reception after, then a vestry meeting, and finally time to check in with the Senior Warden. They have been with supply priests each week for a year and a half and are doing well. They are ready to call a full-time priest and are doing the self-study to get ready. The occasion was solemn, but the tone of the morning was joyful. I went to Albany for two face-to-face appointments with deacons while I am on this side of the Diocese and then ended the day in Tifton.
April 11, 2022
On Monday morning in Holy Week, I was at St. Anne’s in Tifton for the first of two Holy Eucharists with renewal of ordination vows for clergy and to bless holy oils. It was such a meaningful liturgy as the 20 of us encircled the altar for the Eucharist. It was such a holy moment. I drove back to Savannah across the afternoon.
April 12, 2022
On Tuesday in Holy Week, I was at Trinity in Statesboro for the second of two Holy Eucharists with renewal of ordination vows for clergy and to bless holy oils with 35 of us present for the liturgy. It was so meaningful to be back at the church that sponsored me for seminary to hold this gathering. Back to Savannah in the afternoon.
April 13, 2022
Wednesday in Holy Week, I was in the office for an early in person meeting and then the staff had a Eucharist celebrated and preached by Canon Loren Lasch. Lots of the usual office work to be done even in Holy Week so that it does not build up. I also wrote a reflection for Holy Saturday for the diocesan Facebook page.
April 14, 2022
A Maundy Thursday in the office in Savannah included working on my sermons for Good Friday and Easter.
April 15, 2022
I was in the office in the morning and then preached for Good Friday at St. Paul’s in Savannah.
April 16, 2022
Holy Saturday at home.
April 17, 2022
A glorious Easter celebration as St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Savannah pulled out all the stops and sang all of the Alleluias with their impressive organ backed with brass and timpani supporting a beautiful choir, led by their newly called organist/choirmaster, Kathleen Turner. I celebrated and preached to a church as full as it has been since the pandemic shut down in person worship with more than 400 people between two services. I also confirmed and received 22 persons. And there was even a bouncy house! This church is hitting its stride with the Revs. Kelly Steele and David Wantland supported by great lay leaders. Victoria and I were among the few persons wearing masks for COVID as case counts are down. I took mine off to celebrate and preach, but wore it for processions, hymns, confirming, and giving communion, though I opted for a liturgically appropriate white liturgical cloth mask from Almay, who also make vestments. It is so difficult to decide what is right as the virus lingers.
April 18, 2022
Monday in Easter Week off at home.
April 19, 2022
Tuesday in Easter Week, I was in the office and meeting with my canons. I had a couple of phone appointments. Reports came in of some St. Peter’s choir members testing positive for COVID. Took an instant test and it came back negative.
April 20, 2022
Wednesday in Easter Week, was a full day with a staff Eucharist and then staff meeting, phone appointments, and a diocesan Finance Committee meeting.
April 21, 2022
Thursday in Easter Week, began with a negative test for COVID. I also learned that there are now 14 known cases of COVID among parishioners at St. Peter’s since Sunday. The good news is that all were vaccinated, and the cases are mild. I had a routine doctor’s appointment in the afternoon.
April 22, 2022
Friday in Easter Week, included two difficult appointments. I am especially grateful for Canon Loren Lasch who assists in these issues and Maggie Lyons, my Executive Assistant who also is an Intake Office for matters of church discipline. Additionally, we now know of 21 cases of COVID at St. Peter’s and the pattern reveals that the choir practice on Holy Saturday is the likely time and place where the virus spread as that accounts for 18 of the cases. Cases are also going around their community from non-church events.
April 23, 2022
I began the day with a negative COVID test, the last in follow up to possible exposure in Holy Week and Easter. In the afternoon, I went alone to St. Mark’s in Brunswick to preach for their 5 pm service and then spent the night in Jonnard Cottage at Honey Creek.
April 24, 2022
I had such a fun and spirit-filled visit on this Second Sunday of Easter to St. Mark’s in Brunswick. I got to baptize the sweetest girl, June, and to confirm and receive more than three dozen parishioners. I preached at the 8 am service and then met with the vestry before celebrating and preaching at 10:15 am. A joyful reception followed. Their Rector, the Rev. Alan Akridge, and I played flag football together at Virginia Seminary more than 20 years ago and he got me into a couple of speaking engagements at Kanuga over time. It was great to visit with him as bishop and to see St. Mark’s thriving.
April 25, 2022
Having covered most of the distance on Sunday, I arrived at my Mom’s senior living community. She and her sister, Emily, live a floor apart. I was able to fit in just over five hours for a visit before I had to head on to a meeting. It passed too quickly. I arrived at Camp McDowell, northwest of Birmingham, Alabama, and began the Province IV Bishops’ Meeting with dinner and a check in.
April 26, 2022
It was a great day of meeting with twenty other bishops from around the Southeast U.S. as we considered the existential threat of our churches continuing to lose members and how Jesus is leading us to be faithful at this time. We considered how we can best respond as bishops. Then we met with a couple of people from the Church Pension Group on our health insurance and how our decisions play into the rates we get for insurance. Finally, we looked toward the General Convention and discussed what is coming up for that gathering.
April 27, 2022
The Bishops’ meeting concluded with a discussion on next steps toward being faithful at this time and how we can follow up with one another as we consider combining some dioceses and doing more together even when not joining dioceses together. All of this is about what is best done by a diocese and bishop to promote health of congregations and assist in spreading the Gospel. We concluded at lunch and then in the evening our deputies arrived for the Province IV Synod, which began with a large Eucharist.
April 28-29, 2022
The Province IV Synod heard the presentation from Matthew Price at the Church Pension Group (CPG) on how priests working less than full time are now more than half of those serving that the bishops and others heard at our gathering in New Orleans earlier. We also had workshops and some other presentations from the Pension Group on property insurance and more. I spent time working on a concern back home via phone call and missed a few hours of the meeting, but that pastoral work was essential. In the evening, I met with the six clergy and lay deputies here and we had a great discussion about the General Convention. On the final morning, the Diocese of Georgia presented three of the four resolutions considered, with ones authorizing the Episcopal Church’s Office of Government Relations to work on issues arising in immigrant detention, another asking CPG to bring parity between lay and clergy maternity leave to a 12-week leave for both, and the third resolution arose in the meeting and the Rev. Kelly Steele worked quickly to craft the interest in the meeting into a call for the Episcopal Church to endow work in evangelism and church planting. All three were approved by the Synod. The fourth resolution offered by others was voted down. I drove on Friday afternoon to Albany, Georgia. I learned along the way that I need to preach at the liturgy tomorrow as the planned preacher has had a death in the family.
April 30, 2022
I wrote the sermon in the morning and then celebrated and preached at a Celebration of New Ministry at St. Paul’s, Albany. The Rev. Galen Mirate is their 20th rector and the first woman to serve in that role. She has served in 22 congregations of the diocese as supply priest, priest in charge, and interim. This is her first time as Rector. The liturgy and reception were joyful celebrations with good representation from the churches Galen has served.
May 1, 2022
I drove to Cochran in the morning to meet with the vestry, celebrate and preach the Eucharist, and to have lunch together. It was an enjoyable, laid-back visit to close out a full and fulfilling eight days on the road. The trip included some real high points and helpful meetings. I am also grateful to be home.
May 2, 2022
Home in the morning, doing some writing both for this evening, for Wednesday, and for Sermons that Work for Pentecost. In the evening, I was at the Johnny Mercer Theatre to offer the opening prayer and introduction for JUST (Justice Unites Savannah Together) a 20-congregation coalition including a mosque, two synagogues, and two of the ten Episcopal churches in the city. In the culmination of almost a year of work the Nehemiah Action Assembly had elected officials present for the group to offer steps to make changes for the sake of justice in affordable housing and pre-trial detention.
May 3, 2022
I met with the Canons on staff to catch up after nine days out of the office. In the late afternoon, I went to Christ Church to preach for the Episcopal Communicators conference. More than 100 communications professionals who do writing, photography, editing, design, and video work for Episcopal dioceses, congregations, and institutions are here for their first in person gathering since the pandemic began. After the liturgy, Victoria and I were with Liz Williams, our Communications Manager, for dinner at the restaurant Hop Atomica. Conference goers could sign up for dinner with presenters. It was a good group and a lovely evening eating outdoors. The restaurant is on the site of Victoria’s maternal great-grandmother’s home. Ethel Kelly was a teacher at Savannah Junior High School who raised two sons as a single mom after her husband died in a work accident.
May 4, 2022
A full Wednesday began with a staff Eucharist and staff meeting and ended with a Celebration of New Ministry at St. Peter’s in Savannah as the Rev. Kelly Steele recently accepted a call as their new Rector. The evening was joyful and fun with some playful mixing in of music from the Stars Wars movies by their new organist/choirmaster Kathleen Turner as the date for Star Wars day, “May the Fourth be with you.”
May 5-7, 2022
Time away at Fripp Island in South Carolina. A few days at the beach after 12 days straight of work was a nice pause.
May 8, 2022
While I have been at the church for other occasions since becoming bishop, today I made my first visitation to St. Paul’s in Savannah with two services one in English and another in Spanish. The Mass in English included prayers for our Canon for Administration, Katie Easterlin, as one of two women being prayed for during their pregnancies. Her father, the Very Rev. William Willoughby III has been the Rector for more than three decades and so she grew up here. It was very special to be present for their delight this morning. The Spanish language liturgy was my first bi-lingual confirmation. I did some of the longer prayers in English as the congregation had bulletins in both languages and then I also prayed in Spanish. The Rev Leonel Polanco is doing well with the congregation founded by the Rev. Charles Todd, who now serves as Rector of Trinity in Statesboro. The Spanish language Mass celebrated nine baptisms at Easter and seven confirmations today.
May 9, 2022
The Diocese of Georgia’s Spring Clergy Retreat got underway today at Honey Creek. This will be a retreat not a conference, so instead of a speaker and a program, we have two massage therapists and a spiritual director available for appointments. We also have a yoga instructor coming to offer one session. Beyond this, we will keep the daily offices praying Morning Prayer, Noonday Prayer, Evening Prayer, and Compline. The retreat began with Evening Prayer and dinner. Then we gathered in Bishops’ Hall to sing hymns taking turns picking ones meaningful to us and telling the song’s significance for us and then Canon Joshua Varner led us in singing some or all of the hymn. We finished the evening with a social time that included making Ginger Peach Mojito Mocktails for those who wanted to do so and with other snacks and beverages on hand as well.
May 10, 2022
What a sweet, sweet spirit we felt in this place as the Spring Clergy Retreat continues at Honey Creek with crafts available and the ongoing other offerings. I had a number of appointments for one-on-one conversations with clergy who wanted to meet. I also offered our usual bishop’s time as we all gathered in Stuart Hall. I began with a reflection on how the themes of exile and return and the Paschal Mystery have been seen in the pandemic and our more typical Holy Week and Easter this year. Then we discussed a handful of matters coming up where I wanted the perspective of the clergy, letting them know what I am considering and getting their feedback. For example, a draft decision from the US Supreme Court has been in the news. If this is the final verdict of the court, Roe v. Wade will be struck down and access to abortion will fall to state law. I discussed why I am considering writing a letter sharing the Episcopal Church’s stance since 1967, which upholds seriously both the sanctity of life and the need for safe and legal access to abortion in limited cases. It is good to get feedback from the deacons and priests from their various contexts of ministry. In the afternoon, we had a kickball game for the smaller group who wanted to play, and a variety show in the evening was a lot of fun. This has been a uniquely good day.
May 11, 2022
A memorable Clergy Retreat ended today with Paddling with the Bishop after breakfast and Morning Prayer as we kayaked the tidal creek that gives our retreat center its name. Then a Holy Eucharist with Canon Loren Lasch preaching and me presiding included healing prayers. It was good to pray for those who asked for prayer. I am so grateful for these colleagues in this ministry we share.
May 12, 2022
I had a Thursday back in the office after time away which included time getting ready for the Diocesan Council meeting on Saturday.
May 13, 2022
Canon Katie Easterlin, Dade Brantley, and I met on Zoom with members of the Cursillo Commission to discuss the impact on Honey Creek of cancelling a Cursillo weekend close to the time of the event and we strategized possible next steps. Cursillo assisted in a positive transformation in this Diocese in the 1980-90s, but we have had trouble for some years getting enough candidates for the renewal weekend.
May 14, 2022
The Diocesan Council met at the Church of the Annunciation in Vidalia. After a Eucharist, we met to consider changes to our maternal leave policy, minimum clergy compensation, and the mileage reimbursement rate, as well as to begin reconsidering the decision to include Paycheck Protection Funds in the diocesan assessment. The funds were offered in pandemic as a grant through the Small Business Administration to keep employees from being laid off during the shutdown caused by COVID-19. I so appreciate how Council members roll up their sleeves and work on policy, asking good questions, considering both the impact of a decision and the cost of not changing policies. They did good, faithful work today. I was not sure exactly what we should do (for example in balancing a congregation’s ability to pay with offering fair compensation to a priest) and appreciate their guidance.
May 15, 2022
What a pleasure to be at Front Porch Improv today where the Church of the Epiphany meets on Sundays and to get to receive Deborah and Mary into the Episcopal Church. I also took part in the congregation’s first vestry meeting. The Rev. Michael Chaney has unique and powerful ministry going on in Savannah connecting to people whose lives we would not otherwise intersect with taking up from the Rev. Kelly Steele founding this community five years ago.
May 16-20, 2022
I flew to Richmond, Virginia, for my third and final Living our Vows program “residency” at the Roslyn Conference Center. Victoria and I were last here in February 2020 for a new bishops and spouses conference. The two residencies that followed were days in a row on Zoom. This program, often called Baby Bishops School, brings together new bishops in their first three years of the new call to learn from experienced bishops and others. The heart of the program is reflecting on critical incidents in small groups. The first two years, an experienced bishop takes part in those discussions. We were joined by two bishops from Australia and one each from Canada and Uruguay. The House of Bishops is changing. What most everyone notices is that we have more women, persons of color, and lesbian and gay bishops serving in the House and that is change all by itself. Beyond this, I see how we are all different in defaulting most commonly to more collaborative styles of leadership. This is a shift in how those electing bishops see the role of the Chief Pastors. I am so pleased for these colleagues. Gathering with them and hearing all they face makes me feel all the more grateful to be serving in Georgia, among people I know well, in a place where I love to serve. We may not have all the answers to how to be faithful followers of Jesus in this moment in history, but we work together on those next faithful steps without conflict or distrust left by earlier bishops.
May 21, 2022
A 59th birthday off at home other than writing a sermon for tomorrow.
May 22, 2022
Victoria and I enjoyed a great welcome today to St. Paul’s in Jesup. I confirmed two and two persons reaffirmed their faith. They had two beautiful solos and some tasty barbecue. The Rev. Nathan Wilson is doing great work as their priest in charge, having arrived for a year as they were in transition. He has remained another due to pandemic and will stay longer to see them through landing in a good place to make their next call.
May 23, 2022
A day off at home.
May 24, 2022
My first day in the office after being away for a week was quite a full day of letters, emails, and meetings.
May 25, 2022
I began the day with a Eucharist in the chapel at the office praying for the 19 students and two teachers killed in a school shooting yesterday in Uvalde, Texas, as well as for their families and the community. A staff meeting and a full day of meetings follow ending with a Zoom meeting in advance of the General Convention for committee chairs to learn how to prioritize resolutions with the event cut down to four days due to concern of COVID-19 spreading during the gathering.
May 26, 2022
Phone appointments started the day that ended in the early evening meeting with the vestry of St. Peter’s in Savannah. As I was with them at Easter, I planned to take part in their regular meeting and this was first put off by cases of COVID-19 among vestry members. We had a great discussion of how they are working on their strategic plan and then moved into an exercise on the Shape of the Parish that their Rector, the Rev. Kelly Steele and I led together. The core idea is to accept people where they are and to invite them to move beyond where they are from a vicarious connection to your church, through occasional attendance, to a sacramental faith and beyond by creating pathways for people to be encouraged to go deeper.
May 27, 2022
I began the day at Savannah Toyota at 7:45 am to get the Camry they gave the Diocese serviced, which included new tires as they have 48,000 miles on them. It took four hours, and so one person came and met with me while I waited and I kept two phone appointments. In the afternoon, I met in person with a priest whose congregation that was having trouble affording a full-time priest when he arrived eight years ago is struggling more and may not be able to make ends meet this year without a move to a part-time priest. For congregations already on the edge in 2019, these past 26 months have been even more difficult.
May 28, 2022
A day off ended with a drive to Douglas to get closer to tomorrow’s visitation.
May 29, 2022
Victoria and I enjoyed a delightful morning at St. Matthew’s in Fitzgerald with four new acolytes serving in the liturgy. The 18 of us were larger than Easter this year. The Rev. Hallock Martin and his wife Lydia retired to the area and have brought considerable experience and gifts to leading this congregation. I saw this morning in the register where Bishop Albert Rhett Stuart baptized Lydia in 1953 and confirmed her in 1964.
May 30, 2022
A day off at home. On this second anniversary of my ordination as bishop, I give thanks for discovering that this call is a blast. The pandemic hid that from me for a while, but the return to in person visitations has made the fun of this vocation evident as I get to visit churches when all is going well, and not just in times of transition and conflict as I did when Canon to the Ordinary. The gift of remaining in this Diocese of Georgia for 22 years is the depth of relationships that lead to the heights of joy in a demanding call. I remain glad to be on the team.
May 31, 2022
Back in the office for Zoom and phone appointments as well as meeting with the three Canons on staff on a variety of matters.
June 1, 2022
A staff Eucharist and staff meeting anchored today as they do each Wednesday. Phone meetings with a Rector ably steering a congregation through conflict and a priest who retired to the Macon area that I am licensing to serve as a supply priest were part of the day in the office.
June 2, 2022
A day working in the office included a meeting with the Standing Committee to consider consenting to the election of a bishop. These are usually pro forma, but occasionally issues arise that cause us to pause. In this case, the bishop elect was a founding officer in a branch of the American Anglican Council in 2004 when that group was assisting clergy and congregations seeking to leave the Episcopal Church and retain their property, which led to years of legal battles. We decided to write a letter and ask him directly about his past affiliation and current views.
June 3, 2022
The seven of us who comprise the Diocesan House staff were all at the Armstrong Center at Georgia’s Southern campus on the south side of Savannah this morning to get on the same page in our planning for the November convention. I took off in the early afternoon to have a break in a busy week.
June 4, 2022
In the morning, the Bishop Rob Wright of the Diocese of Atlanta and I spoke via Zoom to the deacons of both our dioceses as they met in person for the first time. It was great to see all the Episcopal deacons in the state of Georgia together and to be able to speak to them about the importance of their leading others in servant ministry. Victoria and I drove to Honey Creek in the afternoon to stay overnight at Jonnard Cottage.
I went over to Holy Nativity on St. Simons Island to meet with the vestry. The church is full week by week and they need to consider their facilities. Tomorrow, they will kick off a listening process with vestry interviewing all of the parishioners on what they see as the needs and the best ways to respond. The Rev. Tommy Townsend began here as a bi-vocational priest and as the church has grown, he moved into serving the congregation full-time.
June 5, 2022
Holy Nativity on St. Simons Island was packed this morning for Pentecost and the Holy Spirit was so present for an adult baptism, receptions, and a reaffirmation of faith. I did not know the church could hold 88 people! After the liturgy, I dedicated the Parish Hall as Cate Hall in honor of their deacon, the Rev. R.V. Cate, who is in Hospice care and was not up to being with us in person. During the Eucharist, I prayed for the Rev. Tommy Townsend as I named him Rector.
June 6, 2022
A day off at home.
June 7, 2022
Worked in the office.
June 8, 2022
Took a personal day to be with my Mom at a doctor’s appointment.
June 9, 2022
Worked in the office.
June 10, 2022
Friday in the Office included gathering a group to discuss a Facebook Message from a teen who had a bad experience at Summer Camp four years ago. I spoke with her priest who had heard some feedback at the time. We let the teen know we are learning from it and Canon Joshua Varner will work with the camp staff on what we learned.
June 11, 2022
A Saturday off with some of Victoria’s family sharing a beach house on Tybee Island.
June 12, 2022
I made the trip to Grace Church in Sandersville where the Rev. Steve Clifton is serving this church as well as St. Mary Magdalene, Louisville, in retirement. We had a great discussion in the parish hall before moving into worship. Though this is my final visitation of this fall to summer calendar, I still have not been to every congregation. The 16-month schedule goes from August 2021-December 2022. I pick up visitations again in August.
June 13, 2022
A day off with Victoria’s family still on Tybee Island.
June 14, 2022
The day in the office included a meeting with me and Canon Loren Lasch meeting online with possible partners of an initiative to support priests in smaller congregations that will have the priests selected learning in a cohort with the ELCA Southeast Synod pastors in our area. The auditors are in the office this week.
June 15, 2022
The audit continues and my day included a staff meeting for those not needed by the auditors at the time, planning how to manage my away time coming up for vacation, the General Convention, and Lambeth.
June 16, 2022
The auditors interviewed me on our financial picture for last year and some details as they closed out their work in the office. I also met with Deacon Ella Roundtree-Davis who has moved down from the Diocese of New York. At her request, I am licensing her to serve as we work on moving her canonical residence. I am assigning her to St. Matthew’s in Savannah.
June 17, 2022
Last day in the office before vacation included responding to Ember Day Letters, written quarterly by those studying for Holy Orders so that I keep up with what is going on in their lives and with their formation for ministry. It is a real honor to shepherd candidates through their preparation.
June 18-26, 2022
Vacation at the Clergy Cottage in Saluda, North Carolina, and then to Tennessee to visit Victoria’s sister and brother-in-law and then my Mom before returning home.
On Friday the 24th, the US Supreme Court issued a ruling that the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision is struck down and access to abortion will fall to state law. Though still on vacation, I had spoken with the clergy about this in our clergy conference. I pledged to make a statement when this ruling was issued that points to the 1967 General Convention resolution. I contacted Bishop Rob Wright of the Diocese of Atlanta, who agreed to put out a statement from the two of us. I drafted the brief text, and he offered a helpful edit. This is what we shared. I posted it to my personal Twitter and Facebook accounts:
We, the Episcopal bishops of Georgia, join with leaders of many faith traditions, and many others around the State of Georgia, in lamenting the US Supreme Court decision in the case of Dobbs vs. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. We hurt with all who are grieved and angered by the court’s action.
Since 1967, the Episcopal Church, acting through its General Convention, has been on the record for upholding legal abortions with the critical nuance that comes from the lived experiences of our parishioners and clergy.
That statement as affirmed in 1976 is found in full here:
*https://episcopalarchives.org/cgi-bin/acts/acts_resolution.pl?resolution=1976-D095
We will continue in prayer for all impacted by this decision and will work, when appropriate, to advocate for legislation that reflects these principles.
Frank Logue, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Georgia
Rob Wright, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta
*The text found at that link:
Resolution Number: 1976-D095
Title: Reaffirm the 1967 General Convention Statement on Abortion
Legislative Action Taken: Concurred As Amended
Final Text:
Resolved, That the following principles and guidelines reflect the mind of the Church meeting in this 65th General Convention:
- That the beginning of new human life, because it is a gift of the power of God’s love for his people, and thereby sacred, should not and must not be undertaken unadvisedly or lightly but in full accordance of the understanding for which this power to conceive and give birth is bestowed by God.
- Such understanding includes the responsibility for Christians to limit the size of their families and to practice responsible birth control. Such means for moral limitations do not include abortions for convenience.
- That the position of this Church, stated at the 62nd General Convention of the Church in Seattle in 1967 which declared support for the “termination of pregnancy” particularly in those cases where “the physical or mental health of the mother is threatened seriously, or where there is substantial reason to believe that the child would be born badly deformed in mind or body, or where the pregnancy has resulted from rape or incest” is reaffirmed. Termination of pregnancy for these reasons is permissible.
- That in those cases where it is firmly and deeply believed by the person or persons concerned that pregnancy should be terminated for causes other than the above, members of this Church are urged to seek the advice and counsel of a Priest of this Church, and, where appropriate, Penance.
- That whenever members of this Church are consulted with regard to proposed termination of pregnancy, they are to explore with the person or persons seeking advice and counsel other preferable courses of action.
- That the Episcopal Church express its unequivocal opposition to any legislation on the part of the national or state governments which would abridge or deny the right of individuals to reach informed decisions in this matter and to act upon them.
Citation:
General Convention, Journal of the General Convention of The Episcopal Church, Minneapolis, 1976 (New York: General Convention, 1977), p. C-3.
Being a pastor invites one into the lives of others during difficult times. When I read of state legislation that makes no exceptions for rape, incest, and the health of the mother, I see such rigid decisions as not reflecting the difficult decisions that real people face more frequently than we want to admit. I have read about the issues with Roe v. Wade as law, as it is based on the right of privacy found to be implicit in the due process clause of the 14th Amendment. I know I should care about such technicalities as getting the law right should matter, but my concern is for the human tragedy that will follow as we go back to a patchwork of state laws. These laws present no problem for the well to do who can travel as needed for medical procedures while the poor have no such option. This is not academic for me.
Victoria and I lost a baby five and a half months into a pregnancy in 1988. The molar pregnancy threatened Victoria’s life. The child had died. While not an abortion, the D&C she received as essential health care would have been more difficult under some state laws and would have added more trauma to a painful situation. We have grieved for decades the loss of a child. Our story is far from alone and does not touch on cases that are equally painful where some states’ laws would not permit an end to the pregnancy.
I have in my ministry found the numbered points of this resolution helpful as, while it upholds that abortion should be legal, it takes life as sacred and shows how abortions should be never taken lightly. As Chief Pastor, I wrote so that the clergy would have a statement to which they could point rather than each having to point to the helpfully nuanced resolution. Rigid rules do not allow for compassion. Jesus’ well-known and loved parable of the Good Samaritan showed the legalistic concern of the Priest and Levite were not on the side of godly compassion, which the Samaritan showed in saving the life of the man left for dead.
The reactions on Facebook and Twitter show that many considered our statement to be politically partisan. That has been difficult to read as I know my own heart and mind and I am concerned for protecting life. I am viewed as being political. My concern is solely pastoral.
June 27, 2022
On Monday, I was back in the office after vacation with this the only full week before the General Convention in Baltimore.
June 28, 2022
I met in the afternoon on Zoom with the clergy of the Diocese to check in on a number of matters before I head next week to the General Convention in Baltimore and then a week after that return I go to the Lambeth Conference.
June 29, 2022
I worked in the office with a staff Eucharist and staff meeting in the morning. Then I worked from home, in the afternoon, spending a little of that time to take our cat, Olive, to the vet, while also catching up on correspondence and phone calls.
June 30, 2022
I met with a priest who was thinking through a vestry meeting this evening and then the Revs. Ella Roundtree-Davis and Guillermo Arboleda came by so I could sign the agreement for Deacon Ella to serve at St. Matthew’s in Savannah. She is a deacon of the Diocese of New York who recently moved to the area following she and her husband retiring. I also met with a priest of a neighboring diocese and then drove to Statesboro to meet the Very Rev. Billy Alford to sign a form endorsing his retirement at the end of July after 30 years of ordained ministry. Billy is a wonderful priest, and a good colleague who has served the Diocese in many important roles while serving as the Rector of St. Alban’s in Augusta throughout his ministry. In recent years, he also served at Atonement at the same time.
July 1, 2022
Victoria and I drove to Honey Creek to spend some time with campers at the St. Joseph and Mary session of Summer Camp. As this is our youngest camp session, the pandemic meant that this was the first time at camp for all of the campers. I roamed around watching them compete in the Amazing Race, as each station gave them a clue for the place to go next as they worked their way around campus. Friday lunch is traditionally a dress up day and Victoria and I took part in the fun. She wore a pink wig and butterfly wings. I opted for a Viking helmet and a braided yarn beard with Thor’s hammer to complete the look. Then we drove home and I took the afternoon off.
July 2, 2022
On Saturday, I presided at the funeral for Ned Smith at St. Peter’s in Savannah. A committed lay person, he was a dedicated member of vestry and Senior Warden. He served the Diocese faithfully as well for many years. In 2018, the Board of the Corporation took the unprecedented step of naming Ned as an emeritus member of the board in appreciation for his many years of dedicated service. In the afternoon, I drove to Dublin to get closer to tomorrow’s start at Lake Blackshear.
July 3, 2022
I started the day with a drive to Georgia Veteran’s State Park where Worship on the Water meets on the resort dock at the park. Christ Church in Cordele started this Memorial Day through Labor Day worship outreach 19 years ago. The waterfront services generally draw 50 to 60 people most weeks, the majority of whom attend live or vacation on the lake, stay at the resort, or at the nearby campground. Then I drove to Cordele for the Sunday Eucharist at Christ Church followed by a reception and the drive home.
July 4, 2022
A day off at home.
July 5, 2022
A Tuesday in the office lining up what I can before a full month with the General Convention and the Lambeth Conference. The day concluded with an evening Zoom meeting with the Deputies to General Convention. Victoria met this evening with the bishops’ spouses leadership team as she takes over being their technology person for the website and an app to stay in contact.
July 6, 2022
Wednesday began with a staff Eucharist and staff meeting. The day of work in the office included asking the Rev. Al Crumpton to serve as Dean of the Augusta Convocation on the Very Rev. Billy Alford’s retirement on July 31 as well as a number of other phone calls as I prepare to be away.
July 7, 2022
I flew to Baltimore, Maryland where the 80th General Convention of the Episcopal Church begins in the morning. It was great to see friends from across the church as I arrived, checked in, and visited with other deputies. On check in, I did take a COVID test showing that I remain negative for the virus. We learned more from the Rev. David Rose of a shooting near the hotel that was being rumored. He heard the shots and saw people running away as he was arriving by car. I could later see the police at the scene from my hotel window as a man had been killed in the street within a block of the hotel. News reports told of a man cleaning car windshields for donations as part of a squeegee crew who had shot and killed a driver who had gotten out of his car after a verbal altercation. The driver started viciously hitting the squeegee crew with a baseball bat and was killed by a member of the crew. Such an unnecessary tragedy.
I ended the day praying Compline and hanging out with the seven lay and clergy deputies from the Diocese of Georgia already here this evening in the suite we have for group meetings. Two more deputies will arrive tonight.
July 8, 2022
The first day of the 80th General Convention of the Episcopal Church began with a Eucharist. For the first time ever, the House of Deputies and the House of Bishops met separately for the opening Eucharist. The sermon by Presiding Bishop Curry was projected from video recorded earlier and the rest of the liturgies live in each large meeting room with different officiants. I sat at a table with my same evolving small group that I have been in since my election. Evolving in that adjustments are made with new elections and resignations. At my table are Bishops Betsy Monnot (Iowa), Ruth Woodliff-Stanley (South Carolina), Moisés Quezada (Dominican Republic), and Matt Gunter (Fond du Lac). Bishop Cristóbal León (Ecuador Litoral) was assigned to the table, but did not attend due to COVID concerns. There were issues with the Wi-Fi for us and greater issues for the House of Deputies. By getting bishops who could do so to vote using their smart phones and cell signal, we were able to get underway with elections and matters on a consent calendar. Having served for six conventions in the House of Deputies with more than 850 deputies, I see so clearly how the smaller House of Bishops (122 bishops and 4 bishops elect) which also meets regularly and knows each other better functions differently.
This smaller, more familiar group mattered when we took up a resolution setting the pattern for revision of the Book of Common Prayer. We could hear concerns raised in the room about the process not being clear enough as written. We moved to table discussions and then asked a few bishops who had been very involved with the committee that drafted the resolution to speak to us about the intent. We discussed how best to clarify the text. Then we tasked a smaller working group with drafting a revision overnight that would take our discussion into account. I had been asked by the Presiding Bishop’s office to stand for election for the Court of Review, the appeals court for bishop elections and clergy discipline. I was one of four elected on the first ballot from a group of eight nominees.
In the afternoon, Bishop Glenda Curry of the Diocese of Alabama addressed her colleagues with members of the Alabama deputation on the daïs with her as we sought to recognize, honor and lament the three members of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Vestavia Hills, Alabama, who were murdered June 16 by a man who was attending a potluck supper at the church. She said the families of those killed reminded everyone that love overcomes hate. Curry added, “And that is what we’re going to do. We’re going to love, and we’re going to keep welcoming.” Following the afternoon session, bishops and deputies processed to a park across the street from where someone was shot and killed yesterday. We sang on the way there and prayed at the site. I had dinner with some colleagues and then both the Houses met for evening sessions going to 9 pm.
July 9, 2022
Today, we began with worship and moved to resolutions. We heard moving testimony about Resolution A125 to establish a voluntary Episcopal Coalition for Racial Equity and Justice among dioceses and congregations, and Resolution A127 to pledge more than $2.5 million over the next biennium to further The Episcopal Church’s commitment to investigating its role in Indigenous boarding schools. Each of these means reckoning with our church’s past in a way we have avoided until now.
The House of Deputies elected Julia Ayala Harris to be President of the House of Deputies. I ran for this office in 2012 against the Rev. Gay Clark Jennings, who was considered a sure thing that year. I had pledged to return President of House of Deputies to its canonical role. 2012 had been the year for the Task Force for Restructuring the Episcopal Church, which led to my move to downsize the office. Julia was on TREC and we later served together on the Executive Council of the Episcopal Church. In January 2019, I encouraged her to consider standing in this election and I am so pleased that she not only discerned this possible call, but that the House of Deputies agreed. She loves Jesus and wants the church to really be the Body of Christ and her election makes me hopeful for the coming years.
We later returned to the matter led by Bishop Andy Doyle of the Diocese of Texas who was on that working group. We spent two more hours discussing the important matter that ended with greater clarity. The resolution we ultimately passed with slight revision from the deputies, would not change the status of the 1979 prayer book or of the various liturgies authorized by General Convention that are not in it. The goal was to rein in a situation in which more than a dozen liturgical texts have been “authorized” – for trial use, experimental use, or simply “made available” – by General Convention over the years without clear guidance. The change to the constitution and this convention requires a second reading in 2024. The resolution leaves in place the requirement that any prayer book changes must be approved by two successive General Conventions and specifies that any changes must be authorized for trial use first. This means a new prayer book is at least eight years away and more realistically would take 11 years.
July 10, 2022
The two houses met in joint session today to receive the budget. The bishops sat in the far back, rather than joining their deputations, to reduce risk of spreading the virus. Thirteen cases have been reported since the convention began. There is a good spirit in the House of Bishops with a mood of pushing against resolutions that are more political and thin on scripture and theology. This included voting down a resolution decrying crisis pregnancy centers. We also have a working group look seriously at steeping a statement on creation care and climate change in the witness of scripture. Bishops are making this mind of the house resolution advance of the Lambeth Conference which will include conversation on climate issues. I am told the spirit of candid conversations that remain not just courteous, but come from genuine care, is new for the House of Bishops. The evening ended in the Diocese of Georgia suite as the deputation gathered to talk and reflect.
July 11, 2022
I was awakened in the night with a sore throat and had trouble sleeping as I worried over COVID, where I might have gotten it and if I might have infected anyone. In the morning, I had a positive test for the virus, reported it to the Presiding Bishop and the physician for the General Convention. I was so wiped out that I could barely raise my head. The Georgia deputation dropped off care packages including lunch and medicines including Paxlovid, an antiviral that assists a lot if taken early. The General Convention closed with me watching via livestream from my bed in the Sheraton. I also learned of one other bishop with COVID and a case count of 36, which is not bad for a gathering of 1,200 people.
July 12, 2022
I woke up early, packed and double masked. I met Molly and Paul Stevenson in the lobby. Molly is a deputy to convention and Paul drove up and visited family while we met. I sat in the backseat letting air in through the window and they drove me the nine hours back to Diocesan House. Victoria had prepared the carriage house apartment there with everything I needed to quarantine. The day was beyond exhausting, but it was good to get back to Savannah. That evening, I learned of a clergy deputy from Georgia who returned home and tested positive for COVID when not having been positive before the flight.
July 13-18, 2022
I stayed in quarantine in the Carriage House apartment behind the office. Victoria delivered fresh cooked food daily with anything else I needed. I read and in the evening Victoria and I would simultaneously watch streaming TV or movies together, texting about what we saw in order to spend some time together. On Saturday, Bishop Scott Benhase officiated the funeral for the Rev. R.V. Cate at St. Mark’s in Brunswick. A positive COVID test that morning kept me ruled out. I am grateful that he could officiate for our beloved deacon who died of heart issues at 62. I watched and prayed as we livestreamed the liturgy. On Sunday evening, I got a negative COVID test. I tested twice more across 24 hours and went home to get ready for the trip to Aberdeen, Scotland, and then the Lambeth Conference.
July 19-20, 2022
Victoria and I finished getting ready and left after lunch for our trip to Aberdeen and the Orkney Islands ahead of the Lambeth Conference.
In the spring of 2020, Presiding Bishop Michael Curry saw how the pandemic led to history repeating itself when planning was underway to consecrate a handful of bishops with only the minimal people present as required by canons. He was reminded of the Scottish Episcopal Church’s cathedral in Aberdeen where a small gathering consecrated Samuel Seabury as the first American Bishop in November 1784. Bishop Curry referred to the liturgies in pandemic as “Aberdeen Consecrations.”
When I became the first person made a bishop with a congregation largely online, the image was even clearer as Communications Manager Liz Williams’ photo of the moment with just three bishops laying on hands looked more like a stained-glass window in Aberdeen than any consecration in memory. Today, Seabury is better know as being a rival to Alexander Hamilton thanks to a Broadway Musical, but his consecration in Scotland became a catalyst for the interconnectedness we see Anglicanism developing in the centuries since. Seabury had been duly elected Bishop of Connecticut, but when he went to England seeking consecration, he was told he would have to pledge allegiance to the King for the consecration to go forward. This was a non-starter for a bishop of the new nation. The independent streak that runs deep in Scotland, made it natural for the bishops there who had refused to swear an oath to William and Mary to consecrate a bishop with no such requirement. The Scottish Episcopal Church and the Episcopal Church in American forged close ties in the 18th century that have remained. To honor this history and further renew the connection, Victoria and I, together with Bishop Deon Johnson of Missouri, Bishop Glenda Curry of Alabama, and Bishop Craig and Melissa Loya of Minnesota are traveling to Scotland for a series of visits in the Diocese of Aberdeen and Orkney.
We flew from Savannah to Atlanta to Amsterdam to Aberdeen. Victoria and I gathered with five other bishops (including Bishop Anne Dyer and Bishop Laura Ahrens of the Diocese of Connecticut, two bishops’ spouses, at Bishop Anne and Roger Dyer’s home in Aberdeen. She is the Bishop of Aberdeen and Orkney. We enjoyed a wonderful lunch and tea with them and then traveled on by way of a prop plane flight to Kirkwall. The food prepared by church members there was phenomenal, worth the 36 hours of travel on little sleep. We were hosted by Bishop Dorsey and Betsy McConnell. Dorsey is serving in the Orkneys and the Shetlands to assist Bishop Anne. One note: My suitcase arrived with us, but Victoria’s did not, and neither did a shared garment bag with my vestments and a couple of dresses for Victoria.
July 21, 2022
Walking on Orkney Island in the way of St. Magnus meant learning a story of forgiveness and the grace of hospitality as we spent quiet time in a most beautiful place. Victoria and I were Peedie Pilgrims taking a much shorter route (Peedie is Orkadian for the Scottish “wee” for little) and still enjoying the beauty and the stillness as I continue to recover from COVID-19. The weather was ideal and wildflowers were in bloom everywhere. After the hike between and through pastures and along the coastline, we made the short drive to visit Kirkwall. Bishop Dorsey celebrated the Eucharist in the Church of Scotland’s St. Magnus Cathedral. Then we walked to dinner at a restaurant in town. We finished the day with evening prayers at sunset by the Standing Stones of Stenness with sheep grazing nearby.
June 22, 2022
Our last day in the Orkney Islands included a visit to the Ring of Brodgar which is the Heart of Neolithic Orkney UNESCO World Heritage Site. The ring was built around 2500-2000 BC and is the third largest stone circle in the British Isles (only a little smaller than Avebury and Stanton Drew). We also visited archeologists leading volunteers in the dig at a nearby the Neolithic community center. This was a thriving center for a millennia starting about 7,000 years ago and ending in one great feast with 400 cattle slaughtered at once just as the site was abandoned.
We also visited the Italian Chapel built by POWs for their worship on a small island in Scapa Flow now connected by a bridge first built by the POWs to block submarine access to ships in the huge natural harbor. Our guide was an Episcopalian who knew the main artist for the project, Domenico Chiocchetti, as her grandfather was integral to the story and she stayed in contact with his family. She told touching and fun stories of the relationships that developed between Scottish captors and Italian prisoners during the war and over years after. We enjoyed an excellent lunch of local food at the restaurant attached to Sheila Fleet’s gallery. Sheila Fleet OBE is one of Scotland’s leading jewelry designers all made and finished at her Orkney workshop-by-the-sea. In the afternoon, we flew back to Aberdeen. Victoria’s suitcase was waiting for us at the airport. The garment bag is still missing.
That evening, we arrived at the Royal Northern and University Club (RNUC) near the city center in Aberdeen. Founded in 1854 and given its Royal status following a visit to Aberdeen by Queen Victoria in 1863, the RNUC is a traditional gentleman’s club where Bishop Anne is a member. Our group enjoyed a private dinner in the club before going to bed.
June 23, 2022
We walked from the RNUC to the plaque on the wall in a courtyard at Marischal College commemorating Samuel Seabury’s November 14, 1784 consecration by three Scottish Episcopal Bishops. Standing by a plaque on the wall of a grand building, and then as we walked the hundred feet or so to the diocesan office for the Diocese of Aberdeen and Orkney which is in Marischal College, we talked of how the Episcopal Church was born out of graciousness and holy hospitality offered in Scotland. It was when the potential for the Anglican Communion was first realized, not merely in acknowledging historic ties, but in aid given to another church in need that was from the same historic root. Next we walked to the Aberdeen Art Gallery to see the Book of Deer. This book is a 10th century personal Gospel book (not a large one for liturgical use) that in some 12th century additions contains the earliest written Gaelic text in the world. The book brought to mind how long we have been guiding our lives by the call to love God and love our neighbors as ourselves. We find in this text written as long after Jesus’ death and resurrection as it has now been since the Book of Deer was created a touching reminder of the depth of our story as we prepare to gather with bishops from around the world.
During the day, we learned of a significant change to the upcoming Lambeth Conference. The Lambeth Conference was not to be legislative, but solely prayer, Bible study, and conversation. We bishops received from the Archbishop of Canterbury a large document to vote to affirm or discern further. I wrote to the clergy on a private Facebook group to update them on this evolving situation as no votes (which tend to produce winners and losers) had been anticipated.
In the afternoon, we bussed to the countryside to visit the East Aquhorthies Stone Circle. This is one of the best-preserved examples of the 70 distinctive recumbent stone circles in Aberdeenshire. It is also one of the few that still have their full complement of stones and the only one that has all its stones still standing without having been re-erected. Then we rode on to Auchterless, the home of Ferdinand von Prondzynski and his wife, Heather Ingman. We had dinner in a tent on the lawn with some local clergy, senior laity, and their families. Then we went back to the RNUC for the night.
June 24, 2022
Victoria and I rode with Bishop Anne’s husband, the Rev. Roger Dyer, to St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Alford, Scotland. I preached with Roger presiding. The nave of the old stone church was set up with tables to also serve as the hall for the luncheon that followed. What a fun time we had with a laid-back congregation. They seemed to enjoy my sermon on prayer and we sure enjoyed the covered dish lunch. It was, as Roger would say, “Fab!” We stopped by the airport on the way back to Aberdeen and learned there was no word on the lost garment bag. We have filed a lost bag report and given them details on when we will be in Aberdeen and Kent and home with all the addresses.
At 5 pm, we joined a Pre-Lambeth Evensong at St. Mary’s Pro-Cathedral at Carden Place. It is serving in the place of the cathedral which has repairs underway. Primus Mark Strange, the Presiding Bishop of the Scottish Episcopal Church joined us for a beautiful liturgy. My vestments not having arrived, I did not process, but read the first reading for the liturgy in clericals, though without a jacket as those were in the garment bag. We then walked back to the RNUC for a Pre-Lambeth Scottish Dinner with diocesan clergy, members of the Standing Committee, and some ecumenical guests.
June 25, 2022
We had a day off and used it to rest. I am still recovering from COVID-19, which had really sapped my energy. I am doing well, but taking it easy and getting in a long nap really helped. We had supper at the home of Dr. Julia House, our group joined by Bishop Bonnie Perry and her wife, Susan Harlow. It was an excellent dinner with a relaxed discussion about the charged atmosphere developing online about the Lambeth Calls document. Buried on page 31 of the 60-page document that was dropped on us days before the meeting, in the section on Human Dignity, is the call to “reaffirm” the Lambeth 1.10 declaration that homosexual practice should be rejected as incompatible with Scripture. The section on Human Dignity is not completely anti-LGBT, as it does call for “deeper work to uphold the dignity and witness of LGBTQ Anglicans” – a clear step forward for many countries represented in the communion. Yet, a vote on this call as written could be Communion dividing. Those of us gathered in Scotland are in touch with other bishops. We are hopeful that an honest description of where the Anglican Communion is now will be more helpful than a prescriptive approach. We shall see.
June 26, 2022
We flew to London and bused to the University of Kent and checked into our dorm room for the Lambeth Conference. Meals are in university dining halls. At a previous Lambeth Conference, shared bathrooms on the hall led many bishops who could afford to do so to stay in hotels. Our Presiding Bishop, Michael Curry, asked us to stay in the dorms and eat in the dining halls to stay alongside those who can’t afford other accommodations. Victoria and I are happy to do so as is Bishop Curry who is in the dorm next to ours.
We learned today that the part of the Lambeth Call on Human Diginity related to sexuality has been revised to descriptive of the various positions in the Communion. We have a meeting of the Episcopal Church’s House of Bishops to discuss the Conference planned for tomorrow evening.
June 27, 2022
I walked down to Canterbury this morning for Holy Eucharist in the crypt at Canterbury Cathedral. Then I bought myself a jacket and Victoria a dress and then walked back up to the University of Kent. The Lambeth Conference began with an orientation led by Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, his wife, Caroline, and others. He started the conference in a black clergy shirt with the long sleeves rolled up, a working class look for a head of the Communion. The more than 650 bishops and 460 spouses represent dioceses from around 165 countries of the Anglican Communion. The provinces of Nigeria, Uganda, and Rwanda did not attend as some LGBT bishops will be present with their spouses, though the spouses were not invited to take part in the official spouse program. After the orientation, Victoria and I were among about a dozen bishops who took part in the Lambeth Walk with students from the University of Kent. The walk had been planned months in advance as part of the university’s parallel programming during the conference, which it is hosting despite its objections to how the conference is handling LGBTQ+ issues with spouses of LGBT bishops permitted to be present as observers, but not to take part in the official spouse’s program.
My Zoom meeting small group of 15 bishops from India to the Yukon met today. This gave me time led by Primus Mark, the Primate of the Scottish Episcopal Church, in significant conversations with bishops from England, Canada, America, Kenya, Malawi, South Africa and South Sudan. There is a strong, shared desired to focus of our faith in Jesus as we follow the leading of the Holy Spirit.
Bishops from the Episcopal Church gathered in a meeting room. With the significant changes to the Call on Human Dignity, the major concern of the House of Bishops of the Episcopal Church gathering this evening was sufficiently dealt with that we shifted focus. We broke into table groups for discussion and then brought those discussions to the full group. We shared concerns and our Presiding Bishop listened and asked clarifying questions. He really heard us on our concerns about any votes taking place. He is then part of Primates Meetings during Lambeth. We are working together with each other as we are working with bishops around the world. The meeting here is a little different as we are here as individual bishops. We are not a caucus and are not deciding together how to act together, but it was good to talk with colleagues and for us all to talk with Bishop Curry. My garment bag has yet to surface. It is still shown in tracking as being on the flight from Atlanta to Amsterdam that we took on July 19. It never got a check in scan to Schipol Airport which is in the news for being swamped with luggage. They are now accepting no checked bags for a few days. I need vestments for the group photo on Friday, but it is not looking hopeful.
June 28, 2022
The Lambeth Conference began with a retreat at Canterbury Cathedral that ends tomorrow. We heard meditations on texts from 1 Peter and prayed and sang together. I heard a question coming through asking whether I am working for/with church, empire, or God with the knowledge that I need to be centering Jesus. We did, of course, have some breaks during a long day, but we did enjoyed hours of worship and reflection today, for which I am grateful. We were to reflect some in small groups with bishops we do not know or at least do not know well. I met with Bishop Phoebe Roaf of the Diocese of West Tennessee and Bishop Vicentia Kgabe, Bishop of Lesotho in the Province of South Africa. It was great to spend time with some wise colleagues.
The day also included several worship services including a Eucharist. More than 650 bishops singing in worship together at Canterbury Cathedral was breathtaking as the instruments dropped away in a song and the music was our chorus of voices with different tones and accents singing in harmony.
June 29, 2022
We enjoyed significant prayer and reflective time during the bishops’ retreat that concluded today at Canterbury Cathedral while having more meditations on 1st Peter and another Eucharist. The Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches is calling on their bishops to not receive the Eucharist in worship with LGBT bishops. I have received the Eucharist twice while here and had heard a group of bishops was not receiving. As I was seated up front, I could not tell as I saw hundreds coming forward. It does not seem to be a significant percentage of bishops other than the province of South Sudan, whose Archbishop Justin Bidi is leading this effort. That aside, in the retreat, I saw graves and monuments all around, the site where an Archbishop of Canterbury was martyred and a king repented. I found myself contemplating the differences that must have existed between all the people those monuments honor. What came to mind was the praise song, “Jesus, Jesus, there is something about that name. Kings and kingdoms shall all pass away, but there is something about that name.”
Then in the afternoon, it was time for the group photo, a regular part of every Lambeth Conference since the first met in 1867. The photo is a big operation as it is a photo of more than 700 people, with bishops and ecumenical partners. The spouses photo came first as bishops changed into cassocks, with a rochet and chimere over it. My garment bag remains lost. I just wore a clergy shirt without the jacket assuming the purple will blend in better than a bishop in a jacket. It seems to have worked as not everyone owns the white and red rochet and chimere and opt for a purple cassock only. Some have different colored cassocks. I was at peace with it and it all went well even in the heat with standing for two hours. They had lots of water on hand.
Archbishop Justin Welby gave his first of a series of three keynote addresses beginning by calling us to fall more in love with Jesus. He named the “lions” that threaten us with greed that keeps some well taken care of as others suffer from poverty, war, and the disruptions of climate change, saying we need the church to respond and to be the good news in this moment.
June 30, 2022
Today, we began a small group Bible Study like no other as the Archbishop of Canterbury, who as an evangelical places a very high priority for scripture, opens up a passage for us. Then I gather with a group facilitated by a bishop from Kenya and meet with bishops from Northern India, South Sudan, Zimbabwe, and England. Today, we discussed hope, holiness, and mutual love. We also talked candidly about the issues we face within ourselves. This is a great group to engage with on scripture. At dinner a clergy spouse told Victoria and me that he intended to stay in safe territory in his Bible Study and then a bishop’s wife from South Sudan told her deepest truth about her role in her place with what they are facing and he knew he had to bring his whole messy self too.
We returned to the main venue and were joined again by spouses who are in their own Bible Study groups. Victoria’s group of four spouses includes three spouses married to three of the six bishops in my study group. We thought this must be the norm, but then in checking could find no one else whose groups had crossover. In plenary, we heard excellent presentations this morning on Evangelism and Mission. The Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, was especially compelling. Along with these talks were moving videos of testimony from people around the communion. This afternoon we had the discussion and vote on the Mission and Evangelism Calls. Here the process was bad and so the results were not stellar. I feel confident that this will be reported poorly in the British press as with more than 650 bishops in the room only 465 voted at all and then 33% wanted to discern further. 1 bishop voted no and 66% (including me) voted to affirm the calls.
But what happened in the lead up to the vote matters. We first discussed at tables with our Bible Study group the portion of the document leading up to the calls and noted whether we thought it made the case well. Note takers emailed the input to the follow up team. Then came discussion of the calls at each table. After 15 minutes of discussion selected in advance tables were asked to have one person speak and then a few others not expecting it were called on. Some brought up good points to consider. We were told that notes are being taken and a group will consider our input on the final draft, but first we are to vote. This voting without seeing the final document as well as folks being opposed to any vote led to the counts above.
I would have preferred we take no votes at all and had expressed this through two different channels to the organizers. As a vote was to happen, I wanted to register my opinion. I was good with the text as it stood at the vote and was okay with the edits and so did not mind affirming mission and evangelism.
June 31, 2022
Today is Sunday and we had our opening Eucharist at Canterbury Cathedral. Our Presiding Bishop Michael Curry is, we all know, the sort Jesus follower who would give you the shirt off his back. Today, he lent me his cassock to wear for the Eucharist at Canterbury Cathedral. My garment bag with vestments entrusted to Delta on July 19th has yet to arrive and my brother in Christ insisted that I wear his cassock, which would usually be under the rochet and chimere he wore. This is just who he is and I am grateful for him.
The Eucharist was our church at its best with well-done liturgy that really focused on Jesus in our midst. The procession with more than 750 people took an hour. Bishop Emmanuel Bwatta, of the Diocese of Western Tanganyika and I fell together in line for procession and got talking. The diocese where he assists the diocesan bishop is headquartered at St. Hilary’s in Kibondo, Tanzania, where I served as an intern in the summer 1998 while I was in seminary. The diocesan bishop is Bishop Sospeter Ndenza, who was a classmate in seminary. We found we know many people in common. What a delightful bit of providence to fall together in procession!
Also, I already wrote that I spent a good bit of time in the retreat that was to be done in a small group with Bishop Phoebe Roaf of West Tennesse and Bishop Vicentia Kgabe of Lesotho. I was beyond pleased and proud that my sister Vicentia delivered an excellent sermon today that opened up hospitality in a helpful way. Almost everyone is taking communion and the Archbishop of Canterbury was good about speaking to those who do not and making room for their not receiving as leaving room for them to be with us in worship.
After we got back to the University of Kent, we had a presentation on Safe Church standards and then a discussion on the Lambeth Call on safe church. While we have more to do in the US, we do have agreed standards and clear policies. This is not true around the Communion. We had some real talk as bishops about the pain of learning of predecessors hiding problems and the pain of seeing leaders being the abusers. Archbishop Justin Welby spoke movingly of his disappointment at learning of bishops as perpetrators. He seeks to bring justice and to work toward healing. We also heard heart-wrenching testimony from a Canadian bishop who was sent to a boarding school for First Nations people and the problems of abuse he witnessed there.
Archbishop Welby did away with voting machines and tried something that is far less than ideal, but an improvement. He said that he would after each discussion personally name what he heard in comments and offer a statement toward a consensus if there is one emerging and then we could accept or reject his framing of consensus. After the discussion on Safe Church, he named that while some details can be worked on, he saw a clear consensus that the bishops share this work as a priority. We want to encourage those abused to speak up, and we need for us as bishops to listen knowing that all but always the person reporting the problem is telling a truth that is difficult to hear, but needs decisive action.
He then offered us a chance to confirm or not what he heard as our consensus saying, “Those who agree remain silent” and looked around the room for a long minute. Then he said, “Those who do not agree that I have this right are encouraged to say ’No’”. Silence. He then said, so we want to work out the details and move forward with making our churches safe and there was applause.
He next asked us if we were willing to consider the previous day’s call on Mission and Evangelism and he got a positive reaction. He reminded us of the presentations we heard and the calls and that the votes had the press thinking we are divided on this. Then he said he thought we had some important minor points we wanted attention to be paid to, but by and large we were all in favor of the direction. Again there was silence. Then he said he encouraged a “No” from any who do agree and the silence held. He then proclaimed we agree with the direction of the call to Mission and Evangelism and received an ovation. I do not like the process as it is unlikely to serve us well where there is disagreement, but it worked for now in this continuously evolving conference.
I also had some great chats through the day and into the evening that touched on our dioceses and the joys and struggles. I ended the day at the Old Palace, which is the Archbishop of Canterbury’s home when in Canterbury. We passed through the entry to the house into a garden alongside the cathedral. I enjoyed an unforgettable long conversation with a man from Sri Lanka who is here for the Community of St. Anselm, a religious order Archbishop Welby founded at Lambeth Palace for 20 somethings from around the Communion. He told me of how he came to be in the Community and his hope for a call to those wounded by the church who still need and long for Jesus. I hear from others this similar pattern of meaningful chats and some deep conversations.
I have occasionally experienced days as bishop in which I struggled with imposter syndrome. Who am I to serve as a bishop? Today at Canterbury Cathedral, literally surrounded by colleagues I know well and others I am meeting, I knew with a certainty that none of us has what we need and all of us are there for a diocese who we know and love. I did not feel worthy or deserving (who feels that?), but a sense that I was where I am to be. Wearing the Presiding Bishop’s cassock did not hurt, but it was my connection to the people of the Diocese of Georgia, that was my sense for why I am where I am, trying to remain curious and listening even as I find it impossible not to be humbled be the experience.
August 1, 2022
We are now to the typical days of the conference with the same daily schedule all week: pray, exposition on a passage from 1 Peter for bishops and spouses, then go to small group Bible Study, then back together as bishops and spouses for a session on the theme for the day (today was Anglican Identity). Then lunch at 1 pm, workshops on a variety of topics and in the afternoon a session for bishops on the Lambeth Calls on the day’s topic then dinner and any evening activities.
Archbishop Justin Welby gave a good presentation on holiness as found in 1 Peter, saying, “People have weaponized holiness, using it as a stick to beat people with as we decide who is holy. Holiness is about divine grace and human response. We do not need to separate ourselves from others to maintain holiness. That is purity, which is not holiness. Holiness is not something over which we have power and control. Jesus is the one who makes the unholy, holy.”
My Bible Study and Victoria’s as well both got real on problems we face at home with our cultures and politics and more. We engaged with holiness as coming from God and the connection to spiritual disciplines as means of grace. Then we moved into a discussion of “Rid yourselves, therefore, of all malice, and all guile, insincerity, envy, and all slander.” We had serious discussions for an hour about some real stuff – rape as a means of war and oppression, the cost of political corruption at every level, alcohol and drug addiction and hopelessness for youth – with some heart wrenching personal examples shared. We also got to the personal problems we face with envy and guile and so on within ourselves.
Next was the Anglican Identity presentation with perspectives from around the world. One intriguing part came from Tanzania’s Archbishop Maimbo Mndolwa, using the analogy of Britain’s “mind the gap” transit signs, warned: “If we don’t mind the gap which exists between ourselves, we can easily destroy our relationships.” He added, “My brothers and sisters all in this conference, we should keep in mind that we have many differences, and in those differences, which are given by God, are here to save us not to break our relationships.”
The afternoon session was the third for a Lambeth Call and the third way of expressing our opinion (which is why I keep describing this as an evolving situation). The head of the drafting team for the calls on Anglican Identity went through each of the separate calls and asked for a show of hands while saying “yes” if we affirm the call, and then a show of hands while saying “no” if we do not, and then in a farcical move that can’t be satired, the presenter seemed to realize he had not thought through what to say for “Needs more work and discernment.” He said to raise our hands and say “Eeyore.” Archbishop Justin Welby told the gathering a couple of days ago that while some people are Tiggers, he tends to have more of an Eeyore personality and he did a little Eeyore bit, moping about, to demonstrate pessimism. Each table also provided fairly detailed feedback via email. FYI: most raised their hands on option three without saying “Eeyore.”
August 2, 2022
We had a plenary with the Archbishop of Canterbury doing Biblical exposition on a portion of 1 Peter teaching about how unusual it was that 1st Peter addresses slaves and women as persons to speak to directly in the church and goes on to show how the Gospel was a community of aliens and exiles in the Roman Empire and we are to be so now as we are citizens of the Kingdom of God. Then we went to our Bible Study time, which continues to go well. Before lunch, we also gathered with spouses in plenary for a presentation on Reconciliation, hearing in person from a mix of people with others added via a video. During this, we bishops were asked to take off our pectoral cross and give it to someone else while others were to give something they valued to someone next to them. I gave my pectoral cross to Bishop Tandema Obed Andrew of the Episcopal Church in South Sudan. A good while later as the presentation ended, we were invited to exchange again. We were experiencing giving something we value to another as part of a teaching on reconciliation.
In a bold leadership move that could have gone quite badly, Archbishop Justin Welby sent a letter to the bishops of the Anglican Communion, those here and those at home which offered a factual description of where the Communion stands to assist bishops in Sudan facing pressure from their government on being part of a church that upholds illegal activity while not sanctioning those who permit same sex marriage and also said “all baptised, believing and faithful persons, regardless of sexual orientation are full members of the Body of Christ” and to be welcomed, cared for, and treated with respect (I.10, 1998).
Then we gathered as bishops and I feel I watched history being made by the Archbishop of Canterbury with a very direct address to the bishops following up on a letter he sent at 1:15 pm. He said that we are divided on human sexuality and will not resolve it here or anytime soon. Then he made a lot of declarative statements about the facts on the ground and how many bishops can’t go home if we have not supported traditional views on marriage and others who can’t go home if we fail to stand by LGBT+ persons in our churches. He made it clear that he will not sanction any church. He said he does not have the authority to remove a province from the communion, would not seek that authority, nor use it if given to him. He received a standing ovation from all.
We discussed this some in our table groups and will discuss it more later in the conference. He tried to create a middle way by being descriptive rather than prescriptive. Lambeth is not binding on the Provinces, like the Episcopal Church USA, so the status quo in the Diocese of Georgia was not up for debate. I stand by my commitments to those in Georgia who differ from each other greatly and will continue that stand. I was heartened to see bold leadership.
To say I saw history is not to say whether history will judge today a success or not. That takes time. But when his time as Archbishop of Canterbury is considered, the time he spoke today will be central to consideration of his faithfulness to a daunting role in a difficult time.
August 3, 2022
Today was a change up in the schedule planned all along as a Lambeth Conference must eventually go to Lambeth Palace on the Thames across from the House of Parliament in London. The Lambeth Palace has been home to Archbishops of Canterbury since the 12th century and the garden was in use longer. It now serves as the London home of the Archbishop of Canterbury, his family, and two religious communities. It is the center of his ministry, worship and hospitality. We heard presentations on climate change. Lunch for 1,450 people was served more efficiently than imaginable and tasted better than believable. We were served Thai green curry chicken, rice, and vegetables with fruit and sorbet for desert in huge tents in the garden. Then we took part in a ceremonial tree planting. From Lambeth Palace, we boarded boats to ride down the Thames to Greenwich, skipping London traffic and getting a different view of the city. Today’s trip gave a helpful pause after a weighty day yesterday and offered opportunity for further conversation outside of our usual settings.
August 4, 2022
In my context…These three words are in every discussion at the Lambeth Conference. The Bible Study questions always ask a question with this qualifier, such as “What does constant love and hospitality in the face of suffering look like in your context?”
Today, we were back to a regular working day with teaching and then Bible Study on a portion of 1st Peter. The presentations today were on Christian Unity (relations with other denominations) and Inter faith relations. It is impossible not to be humbled, having one’s life put into proper perspective, when discussing suffering with people who know from experience far more than me. The Bible Study on suffering would have been different at home, but here I was talking with bishops with church bombings (northern India) a recent civil war and its ongoing aftermath (South Sudan), a country struggling with the government even after a brutal dictator is no longer in charge (Zimbabwe), and a country inundated by refugees from several other neighboring nations (Kenya).
And then there are the surprising conversations, like sitting next to an older bishop wearing a Church of Canada nametag. I began talking with him and I realized as we talked that my assumptions were so wrong. He is Bishop David Parsons, Bishop of the Arctic, a 1.5 million square mile diocese covering 1/3 of Canada’s land mass. The 25,000 Anglicans in his diocese are about a third of the population of the area the diocese covers. The particular missionaries that first served there wanted indigenous priests as soon as practical and supported the local culture. With three assisting bishops, he covers the vast territory. This was my apparently needed reminder not to assume I know someone’s story from a little bit of information. Being humble and curious is my intended approach to this gathering. I need to admit that I don’t always get that right.
What I do see clearly is that we as Episcopalians are connected to millions of followers of Jesus around the globe who get what it is to be Prayer Book people. They face hardships we don’t have to endure and are supported by the same Jesus we know and love. This is such a comfort, a gift, and a sign of grace.
August 5, 2022
A Jesus shaped life—this is the ideal that formed the foundation for Day 10 at the Lambeth Conference. We read today in 1 Peter 5, “Discipline yourselves; keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour.”
In our Bible Study time we reflected on the lions that roar in our various contexts. Bishop Ignatius spoke of being a herder as a boy, caring for cattle in Zimbabwe when animals want to glean from those in your care. He said that each cow is worth so much to your family, you don’t dare return home without one no matter what you must do to protect them and when a calf is born, if it has trouble, of course you carry it any distance. He saw this as transferring to priests and bishops with care for souls. Bishop David Akau Kuol, told us of an innovative way of they are reaching the next generation in his Diocese of Awerial in the Episcopal Church in South Sudan. They send catechists up into areas where herders are tending flocks. They spend time with the herders and talk to them about Jesus and connect them to a church in their home area.
Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby said we should not let being bishops have us think too much of ourselves, “Peter does not describe himself as the ‘Primus inter Pares’ presbyter, but the ‘sum’ presbyter, the elder alongside the elders….Elders must practice humility, because we are also sheep.”
We heard presentations on discipleship in the West Indies and New Zealand and discussed a helpful call to action on discipleship. The Rt. Rev. Dr. Eleanor Sanderson, assistant bishop of Wellington, New Zealand said, “The invitation to be welcomed home to the very heart of God comes with a peace offering in the life of Jesus. When we decide to pick up the offering, bending down to take up a Jesus shaped life we choose peace. Too often we unintentionally tread on the peace offering.”
We also heard a compelling second of three keynotes by the Archbishop of Canterbury in which he named how each of us must continue becoming and the church must continue Revolution. Our faith can break down walls. Mary’s Magnificat offers a word of rebellion so clear that the East India Company banned its use in Evening Prayer when they had a grip on India. Our faith should turn the world upside down, which is actually setting it back right.
August 6, 2022
Our last day in plenary sessions at the Lambeth Conference was marked by more moving moments. We began by hearing concerns on the heart of provinces of our communion. Bishops from Kenya stood and those of us around them laid hands on their shoulders praying for strength and wisdom as they will arrive home just ahead of a contentious national election. And we heard from others including Egypt, Sudan, Sri Lanka, and Myanmar. The unrest around our Communion came into the room as we prayed and offered statements of support for heartbreaking crises.
Then I worked with my small group on Calls on the Environment as well as Science & Faith giving feedback. The spouses joined us as Roman Catholic Cardinal Chito Tagle gave an inspiring talk telling us that the church needs to better develop its own “cultural intelligence,” by first reflecting upon our own backgrounds and then by putting ourselves in the shoes of others who express their humanity based on their own cultural backgrounds. Doing so, he explained, can help us do away with any traces of cultural superiority and prejudice, when uncovered and rightly admitted. We can learn from each other greatly by humbly observing one another and learning to appreciate other experiences and cultures that make us who we are. This has been my experience here at the University of Kent.
Finally, we heard brief reflections from a group of people taking part in the conference, two bishops, two spouses, and two volunteers. I have not mentioned the dedicated volunteers, called Stewards, but there is a large crew of Anglicans from near and far who gave their time to assist with this meeting and I have enjoyed my conversations with them and appreciated their support for this meeting. We were done just after 1 and Victoria and I ate lunch and then walked down into Canterbury, toured the Cathedral and visited the town.
August 7, 2022
This is the final day of the Lambeth Conference. Victoria and I began after breakfast with a labyrinth walk at the University of Kent. Then Archbishop Welby’s gave his final keynote address in which he said, “The practical reality is that we can only tell what we know and explain what we understand. We cannot give what we haven’t got.…The strength of many churches that grow deeper and grow in number is that everyone knows the gospel and can say something about their own testimony of their love and meeting with Jesus Christ. They may not be eloquent. The theology may be slightly crude. But when they speak from the heart others listen. And their transformed lives illustrate their words.”
After lunch, the closing Eucharist at Canterbury Cathedral offered beautiful music and liturgy less formally than last Sunday as bishops did not process and all sat in the great nave without crossing into the choir (Victoria and I are masked on the third row in the photo above). Archbishop Welby preached, “We have met, over the past weeks and days, with people from all the corners of the globe, from contexts and experiences that are totally alien to us. And in these meetings we have found the antidote to fear. We find in John: perfect love casts out fear. God’s promises will be fulfilled. He will draw abundance out of barrenness and riches out of our poverty. That is his promise to us. And that releases us to be radical, bold, courageous, revolutionary today.”
After a bus ride the 1.5 miles up the hill from the Cathedral, I came back to the dorm from the Eucharist walking, holding hands, and talking with the Archbishop of South Sudan, on a lovely late evening in Kent with Canterbury Cathedral at our backs and a return home in front of us. Two bishops from very different contexts with different views of a Jesus shaped life, but with the most important thing in common: we are both beloved children of God, united by one Lord, one faith, one baptism. We ended the day and the conference with dinner on the grounds back at the University of Kent. A meal with all the bishops, spouses, and volunteers in a field of picnic tables was a fitting conclusion to a meeting that was all about drawing together hearts and minds to really see and hear people leading their churches in very different contexts while holding ourselves together in one Communion.
August 8-9, 2022
The long trip home consisted of a bus ride after lunch to Heathrow Airport where Victoria and I spent the night at a hotel in the airport. The next morning, we flew to JFK in New York. Thanks to a flight cancelled earlier, we were no longer getting home just before 6 pm. We stayed in the AmEx lounge for 9 hours as our flight that had moved back, got postponed twice more. Finally, we flew home, arriving back at The Bungalogue in Savannah to two bewildered cats at 2:50 am.
August 10, 2022
A day of settling back in on a few hours sleep. I stopped by the office to drop off some things and to talk briefly with staff. I checked in on a couple of pastoral matters. Victoria and I stayed up all through the day to reset ourselves to this time zone.
August 11, 2022
After a good night’s sleep, I went in to work for a while as I ease back in after having not worked a day in the office since July 6. We will take more vacation, but I prefer to clear the decks a bit first and begin to focus on the fall ahead with a lot of events that need more work. Fortunately, the staff has, of course, been working on all of this in my absence.
August 12, 2022
Friday included a meeting of the Board of the Corporation with a clean audit on the finances for 2021. The current financials look bad with investments down 18% for the first six months, though only 12% down when we look at year to date as of Monday. But we have done very well in recent years and our three and five year overall returns after fees are excellent so the Board voted to keep the 4% spend rate we have had for several years.
August 13, 2022
A day off at home.
August 14, 2022
A new church year of visitations began this morning with All Saints on Tybee Island. They got back to worship as soon as possible during the pandemic, led by their priest in charge, the Rev. June Johnson, to begin with liturgies outdoors. This is my first time to be with them since then, though I was here with Canon Loren Lasch to record worship last year. I received 8 persons including 99-year-old Bettie Makel who knit more than 100 baby caps for a local hospital. I also blessed the new “Garden of All Saints” on adjacent land that was recently purchased. The day was finished with a luncheon in the Mission Hall.
August 15, 2022
Monday, back in the office in the morning, then at St. Paul’s in Savannah in the afternoon for the funeral for the Rev. George Bull Salley, Jr. George died on August 10 at the age of 85. He worked as a CPA in South Carolina before responding to the call to the priesthood. In 1973, he graduated from Sewanee, Tennessee and served the Diocese of Upper South Carolina for 12 years. In 1985 he was called to Savannah to serve as rector of St. Michael and All Angels Church, where he stayed until retiring in 1999 while serving as the Dean of the Savannah Convocation.
August 16, 2022
Tuesday included more time to catch up on correspondence and phone calls and in the afternoon detailed work on the 2023 budget for the Diocese with Canon Katie Easterlin.
August 17, 2022
I had a very full day of meetings beginning with an 8 am phone appointment, continuing with a 9 am Zoom meeting with the convocation deans, a staff Eucharist and then our first staff meeting with all seven of us present since Canon Joshua Varner headed to summer camp at Honey Creek in early June. Then a Zoom meeting with a seminarian and face to face meeting with a Rector wondering about a change in call in the afternoon filled out the day. While all this was going on, I made a serious error in misunderstanding a meeting I had as a meeting with a vestry. I called the Rector and then when they did not know about the meeting, I asked him to cancel it. In the process, I failed to keep a different type of meeting I should have taken with two dedicated lay leaders all because I did not slow down. Assumption is not my friend and it hurt today. I am making the notes here on the day, but really did not grasp my mistake until the next day.
August 18, 2022
I checked in with our RacialJusticeGA team. They just took part in a Pilgrimage in the Diocese of Alabama that was inspiring and points toward possibilities here in Georgia. In the afternoon, I met with interested clergy via Zoom to connect after my month away. In the evening, I rode out to Tybee Island for a very enjoyable conversation with the vestry of All Saints. Like our congregations across the diocese, they responded really well to the challenges of the pandemic and are now trying to rebuild as attendance remains down.
August 19, 2022
Good conversations today with a rector looking to call an assistant, a priest who needed a pastoral conversation, and a committed lay leader upset by my post lamenting the Supreme Court’s decision that overturned Roe v. Wade.
August 20, 2022
Saturday morning was time off at home. In the afternoon, Victoria and I drove to Waynesboro and met the Rev. Larry and Pam Jesion at the church to hang vestments in the closet and drop off the crozier and stand.
August 21, 2022
We held a Celebration of New Ministry with several confirmations as the Rev. Larry Jesion becomes the Rector of St. Michael’s Episcopal Church in Waynesboro. The church was full and the congregation included people who knew the Jesions from other churches of the diocese as we celebrated with St. Michael’s. A catered meal after the liturgy made for more time to be together on this important occasion. We stopped by Victoria’s Mom’s house on the way home, a benefit of serving where we have family.
August 22, 2022
Monday morning, I drove to meet with the two leaders I failed to meet with last week due to my misunderstanding the situation. Grace is unearned favor and I experienced a gracious welcome and a very helpful conversation as we also had time to get to know each other better. God can so weave things together for the good that one could almost think the bad things that happen along the way, like my serious blunder, are God’s will. That is, of course, not true. Yet, on the drive home, I was so thankful for the conversation that would not likely have gotten into such helpful territory without my mistake and their forgiveness that I was tempted to be thankful for my error. Instead, I will look for ways to have this sort of conversation without hurting feelings unnecessarily.
August 23, 2022
Back in the office after the weekend, the day included an in-person meeting with our team for Leading with Grace, the congregational development program that has replaced the Church Development Institute. CDI was two years with four weekend retreats at Honey Creek. The team move to three retreats a year in three parts of the Diocese at once—Augusta, Albany, and Savannah—with a fourth and final session held at Honey Creek. The weekends cover Relationships, Leadership, Strategic Planning, and Conflict. More than 50 participants are enrolled in LWG this year.
August 24, 2022
Wednesday in the office began with a staff Eucharist and staff meeting with one in person appointment in the afternoon with a candidate for ordination to the diaconate (vocational).
August 25, 2022
Canon Katie Easterlin and I met at St. John’s in Savannah with their leadership as we consider the diocesan assessment including Paycheck Protection Program funds. We agreed on next steps toward a September Diocesan Council Meeting. Victoria and I had lunch with Delia Chang, widow of the Rt. Rev. Dick Chang who was Bishop of Hawaii. She is newly moved to the Augusta area and is assisting us in organizing our chaplaincy to retired clergy and spouses.
August 26, 2022
A morning in the office with the afternoon off at home.
August 27, 2022
Saturday morning off at home, then Victoria and I drove to Americus. I met with the Calvary Vestry at the church. They are two years in to a once in a century project, replacing slate rooves and then repairing the plaster and painting. Their church was designed by noted church architect Ralph Adams Cram and is a real gem they are caring for well.
August 28, 2022
On Sunday, I celebrated and preached at Calvary where we also baptized one person as well as having three others who were confirmed, received, or reaffirmed their faith. A decade ago, in my role as Canon to the Ordinary, I was with this congregation for Palm Sunday and Easter immediately following a split as most of the vestry and 60 parishioners formed a new Anglican congregation. Now they are led by the Rev. Richard Nelson as priest in charge and his wife, the Rev. Geri Nelson, as deacon. It is good to be with them well after that event as they have focused not on that division, but on faithfully following Jesus. After the liturgy, there was a luncheon in the parish hall and then we drove back to Savannah. We are falling back into the rhythm of the visitation schedule.
August 29, 2022
A Monday off at home.
August 30, 2022
Canon Loren Lasch and I met in Pennick with the vestry of Good Shepherd as they consider the future with the Rev. John Butin leaving after serving since 2007. The Rev. Canon Julian Clarke, a retired priest of the U.S. Virgin Islands has co-pastored with John since 2018. He will continue to serve some, but not as the priest in charge. The meeting fell on the 91st birthday of their Senior Warden, Walter Holmes, who was a student of Deaconess Anna Alexander, now recognized as a saint by the Episcopal Church. I was back in the office after lunch for phone calls and emails and catching up.
August 31, 2022
Wednesday included a staff Eucharist and staff meeting, a Zoom meeting about a congregation in transition, and planning time for staff as we work on the liturgies for the diocesan convention in November.
September 1, 2022
Canon Loren Lasch and I met with Bishop Kevin Strickland of the ELCA and others on a grant from Trinity Wall Street that will assist us in funding a program next year for clergy of small congregations (under 70 in average Sunday attendance). I also began annual staff evaluations in one on one meetings.
September 2, 2022
Friday included time at Savannah Toyota getting service for the car they gave the Diocese for use in my ministry.
September 3, 2022
A Saturday morning at home before Victoria and I drove to Valdosta, crossing the state in often heavy rain as we went through bands of storm. I met with the vestry of Christ the King and was able to tour their new building. When I was last with them in May 2021, we thanked God for the four-story building they were in for years across the main street from the county courthouse. Then we walked the short distance to the new building. The move allowed them to get out of debt as they now own their newly renovated building outright and it is beautiful. They have worked hard to create areas to worship and fellowship, rooms for children and babies. Parishioner Jenna Ramer made a perfect large painting of Deaconess Anna Alexander that hangs alongside the entry to their worship space. She said she found the Deaconess and Saint to be a model of the perseverance she saw in Christ the King whose founding pastor, the Very Rev. Stan White died in late 2020.
September 4, 2022
The visitation at Christ the King was a real treat as we enjoyed the space which they put so much loving care into creating. It was a joy to serve with Archdeacon Yvette Owens in her home congregation as she is an important partner in ministry as she oversees the deacons of the Diocese of Georgia. I confirmed two people and received one. We had a covered dish luncheon after. The attendance was excellent for Labor Day weekend.
September 6, 2022
The day included meeting via Zoom with the Central Convocation Clericus, which includes lay leaders with clergy. The meeting underscores what I see everywhere around the Diocese: Sunday attendance is down significantly from pre-pandemic levels, some due to deaths and moves, some due to people moving away, and some due to people losing the habit and not returning.
September 7-8, 2022
A staff Eucharist and staff meeting filled the morning. In the afternoon, Victoria and I went to Jekyll Island on this our 37th wedding anniversary.
September 9, 2022
I had two in person meetings with priests to check in and then drove to Honey Creek for the Baptized for Life Conference which was laity led by Dr. Lisa Kimball from Virginia Seminary. It has been since 2009 that we offered a conference for lay persons similar to holding a clergy conference where we bring in a speaker and also worship and eat together, for time apart at Honey Creek.
September 10, 2022
The conference continues at Honey Creek and it is going better than I hoped with an inspiring call to living out our faith in our daily lives. I slipped out mid-morning, picked up Victoria in Savannah and we made it to Thomson in time for me to meet with the vestry.
September 11, 2022
I made my visitation to St. Mary the Virgin in Augusta. With 34 people in church, it was a big day for the church and it was a joy to be with them and their priest, the Rev. Andy Menger.
September 12, 2022
Monday off at home.
September 13, 2022
Tuesday morning in the office and then I started the drive to Athens in the afternoon to assist Bishop Rob Wright of the Diocese of Atlanta in dedicating a new building for campus ministry at the University of Georgia. I was 2 hours and 45 minutes toward my goal when a phone call alerted me that I had the date wrong in my calendar. Here comes the Too Much Information Moment in this Journal: Having already confirmed a colonoscopy appointment for Thursday, I had to turn around and drive home. 5.5 hours on the road to arrive to no destination. I was able to use the time to have some helpful phone conversation, but those could have been made from the office.
September 14, 2022
Canon Loren Lasch and I worked with our Communications Manager, Liz Williams, to create a video greeting for tonight’s Wright House dedication at UGA. As the campus ministry was important to Loren when she was a student there, it helped that she could also speak to the group in our 5-minute video.
September 15, 2022
A day off for a medical procedure.
September 16, 2022
Two in person meetings with couples (clergy and their spouse) considering options for what is next in ministry. Then working with staff on finishing our preparations for Diocesan Council.
September 17, 2022
The Diocesan Council met at Trinity in Statesboro for a full agenda. We began with a Eucharist. Canon Lasch presided and I preached. The Council reconsidered its decision to include the COVID Paycheck Protections Program funds in the diocesan assessment at the request of St. John’s in Savannah and questions about it from two other congregations. Council approved a resolution that noted PPP funds are included in the calculation of normal operating income (NOI), but a congregation can request a pre-approved waiver by Diocesan Council to eliminate the inclusion of the funds in the calculation. The group also endorsed the Honey Creek and Diocesan budgets, approved of new Safe Church policies, and agreed to cover the costs for a new nominal benefits plan for Deacons from the Church Pension Group at a cost of $354 per year for each deacon. Council members asked great questions and worked well together toward a lot of important decisions today.
September 18, 2022
Victoria and I drove to Swainsboro for a joyful morning for the 15 of us gathered in worship. Two women who grew up attending youth programs at Honey Creek have each moved back to Swainsboro with their husbands and children. It is great to see a small-town church with a new generation active in the congregation. My Executive Assistant, Maggie, gave birth to her son, Atlas Dade Lyons at 4:42 pm. He is 5 pounds and 13 ounces at 19.5 inches tall and looks adorable in the photos.
September 19, 2022
On my day off at home, I joined billions of people in watching the impressive funeral for Queen Elizabeth II. I love that the beautiful prayers used for a long-reigning and much-loved monarch are those used for everyone. Of course, there were processions with military escorting her casket and large crowds along the route. Yet, the heart of the observance was the liturgy of the Burial of the Dead. Elizabeth was a faithful lay person in her church, faithfully driving herself to worship each Sunday and praying at home the prayer book liturgies. This made her well-suited for her role as “Defender of the Faith” and the “Supreme Governor of the Church of England.”
September 20, 2022
Canon Loren Lasch and I met on Zoom with Dr. Courtney Cowart, the Executive Director of The Society for the Increase of the Ministry. She was bringing us up to speed on LeadersCARE, I heard about from Canon John Thompson Quartey in the Diocese of Atlanta at the Province IV meeting in New Orleans last year. We are joining with the dioceses of Atlanta, West Tennessee, and East Tennessee to send lay leaders to learn principles to use in creating experiments to try in congregations with fewer than 70 people on Sunday (which is most of the congregations of the Diocese). The cost is fully covered by a grant from Trinity Wall Street. I am most hopeful about the cross-pollination resulting from committed leaders coming together from our four dioceses.
September 21, 2022
I followed a full day in the office with staff meeting and phones appointments by preaching for Evening Prayer at St. Matthew’s in Savannah on this Feast of St. Matthew for their 167th anniversary.
September 22, 2022
I met with the vestry of St. Andrew’s in Douglas in their Parish Hall from 10-12 noon as we consider next steps now that they are down to five people on a typical Sunday. This was the church my father attended when he died and where we held his funeral. They went through a split ten years ago with ninety percent of the congregation leaving to found an Anglican Church nearby. I spent a lot of time with them as Canon to the Ordinary both then and later when a Senior Warden stole $78,000. We recovered the money, but those two blows really hurt this congregation. While it is likely we will have to close the church within the year, there are funds left that were given to the congregation and we are working to shepherd those wisely as a few vestry members have ideas about growing the congregation.
September 23, 2022
After an 8 am appointment with my therapist, Victoria and I drove to Sarasota, Florida, making it just in time for the rehearsal for tomorrow’s consecration of a bishop.
September 24, 2022
I took part in the ordination and consecration of Douglas Scharf as the Bishop Coadjutor of the Diocese of Southwest Florida. Coadjutor means he will serve with the current diocesan bishop, the Rt. Rev. Dabney Smith, a good friend of mine from Executive Council whose daughter, the Rev. Ashton Williston, is an associate at Christ Church Frederica on St. Simons Island. Editing this text later, I see how we knew of Tropical Depression #9 whose track could take it to the west coast of Florida, no one knew we were days away from the devastating Category 5 Hurricane Ian to crash into the coast not far south of the consecration. It was fortuitous that the plan was for a coadjutor so that the diocese has both bishops during the follow through, one experienced in hurricane relief and a new bishop ready to serve the diocese in its time of great need.
September 25, 2022
I presided and preached at Christ Church Frederica at 9:15 am and then spoke at a parish forum before presiding and preaching at 11:15 am. Then Victoria and I attended a farewell luncheon at Good Shepherd in Pennick for the Revs. John Butin and Julian Clarke as they step back from leading the church. John has been there for 18 years, with Julian joining him in 2016. I then presided and preached for the 128th anniversary of Good Shepherd on this Feast Day of their founder Blessed Deaconess Anna Alexander. Members of Racial Justice GA were with us as that group completed a pilgrimage with the liturgy today.
September 26, 2022
The Fall Clergy Conference began at Honey Creek this Monday evening with Hurricane Ian’s track looking like it could come through this area by Thursday. Dr. Kathy Grieb is with us as we dive into the Gospel of Matthew, which we will be preaching for a year starting on the First Sunday of Advent. She was a professor of mine at Virginia Theological Seminary and I know she has a passion for New Testament studies in support of preaching.
September 27, 2022
As the Clergy Conference continued at Honey Creek, a lot of folks were anxious about the storm as it is expected to come up through the middle of Georgia after landfall south of Sarasota. I made sure they had the best information and encouraged the deacons and priests to make their own decisions about when to leave. Dr. Grieb was set to leave at 2:30 having completed her teaching. I had bishops’ time with clergy following. Most stayed through bishop’s time and went home. Twelve of us stayed on for worship and good discussions around a fire pit.
September 28, 2022
The clergy conference ended with breakfast and a Eucharist as those of us still present completed reading Matthew’s Gospel together. I had an easy drive home on I-95, which was no more crowded than usual. In the afternoon, I met with staff in the office to make plans for Hurricane Ian. Liz Williams sent out a test message from our AlertMedia system, paid for by Episcopal Relief and Development. It allows people to text back a single number to give us a status update for follow up. We also have dedicated text and phone messages in the system if they need to tell us more. Now we watch and pray. The storm is expected to cross Florida, gain strength in the Atlantic and then come ashore again. We will likely get flooding and heavy rains.
September 29, 2022
Canon Loren Lasch and I began the morning with a check in Zoom meeting with Episcopal Relief and Development and bishops and canons from dioceses in the path of Hurricane Ian. Then I worked on a sermon for Sunday amidst phone calls and emails.
September 30, 2022
Hurricane Ian slammed into Southwest Florida as a Category 4 Hurricane, with sustained winds of 150 mph. The storm is now expected to pass east of Georgia in the Atlantic. Canon Loren Lasch and I were back on a check in Zoom meeting with Episcopal Relief and Development (ERD) to see how we might assist others. Then I worked from home reviewing the Advent devotional Victoria and I wrote for the Diocese as it gets set to publish. Then a variety of emails and phone calls. The storm did not have any impact here with little rain or wind in Savannah, but came ashore again in South Carolina as a Category 1 Hurricane. I posted on Facebook asking for donations to ERD or directly to the Diocese of Southwest Florida, where buildings in some communities have been crushed by tidal surges.
October 1, 2022
A day off at home.
October 2, 2022
Victoria and I were in Darien for two Celebrations of New Ministry as the Rev. Mike Gumulauskas is now the Rector of St. Cyprian’s and the Rector of St. Andrew’s. I met with each of the vestries briefly between the services and then we all enjoyed a covered dish luncheon afterwards. The two churches do such great ministry together out of the Parish Hall between the two churches.
October 3, 2022
On Monday, I presided at the funeral for the Rev. Vernon Wiggins (1936-2022) at Trinity in Cochran. He was ordained to the priesthood on August 7, 2005 together with the Revs. Joy Fisher and George Porter. The three were raised up by Trinity in Cochran as a ministry team. Shayna Cranford, who is in the Alternate Clergy Training at Sewanee (ACTS) Program preached an excellent sermon. With the funeral at 11 am followed by a visitation in the parish hall until the graveside liturgy at 2 pm, I had time to talk more with Vernon’s widow, Joan, to whom he had been married for 68 years as well as others from Trinity.
October 4, 2022
A full day in the office working with staff and meeting with others in person and by phone.
October 5, 2022
I drove to Sewanee, arriving in time for lunch with the seminary community, sitting with our three seminarians in the 3-year residential program—Shelley Martin, Brenda Brunston, and Roger Speer. In the afternoon, I met with bishops and the School of Theology’s leadership. It was a very helpful discussion of their role and ours that continued ongoing work with other bishops in how we address the currently worsening clergy shortage in a way that is faithful. In the evening, the Trustees Meeting began with a dinner.
October 6, 2022
The Trustees of the University of the South met all day. Between yesterday and today, I was able to fit in hour-long meetings with each of our three seminarians. This evening, we went to dinner together in Monteagle. I am proud of our seminarians, both those in residential seminary and those in the ACTS program that is distance learning. It was great to spend time with the three seminarians and learn more of their experience at Sewanee.
October 7, 2022
I had breakfast with my Mom in the Dining Hall at her independent living apartments. She lives down the hall from one of her sisters, Emily Hardwick. It was great to spend some time with Mom and then with her and Aunt Emily. I drove home, getting back to Savannah in the early afternoon.
October 8, 2022
A day off at home.
October 9, 2022
Heavenly music assisted my sermon on Living in Harmony at St. John’s in Savannah where I preached for the Family Service at 9 am and for the main liturgy of Morning Prayer at 11 am from the 1928 Book of Common Prayer. They hired the Rev. Jonathan Jameson as an associate this year and he is making a great team with their long-term rector, the Rev. Gavin Dunbar.
October 10, 2022
I was in Augusta today to have a couple of check in meetings with clergy. I enjoyed a breakfast with many of the clergy in Augusta. I recorded some video for our diocesan convention to tell the StoryBox ministry story of St. Augustine of Canterbury. Amanda Peacock had the vision for meeting the needs of the lack of books in households of public schools in their area. They buy new books, read them to the students, and then everyone leaves with their own copy of the book. This has expanded to offering books on Laundry Love nights when they do free laundry for those in need as well as when they serve meals at Christ Church in the Harrisburg neighborhood.
October 11, 2022
I enjoyed breakfast with the rectors and priests-in-charge of the Augusta Convocation. Afterwards, I had two meetings with priests, recorded one more interview and drove home.
October 12, 2022
A full Wednesday in the office including staff Eucharist and staff meeting and other meetings and phone calls after being out of the office for a week.
October 13, 2022
Canon Loren Lasch and I were in Valdosta for a meeting at Christ Church. I came back by way of King of Peace to record interviews for a diocesan convention video. Unusual work for a bishop, but a way I can use my gifts and relatively little time to bring ministries to life in our annual meeting. In Kingsland, I was capturing their hospitality meals for singles and couples without family around at Thanksgiving and Christmas.
October 14, 2022
Working in the office in Savannah.
October 15, 2022
I drove to Grace Church in Waycross to record the third of three videos for our convention (shown above). Canon Loren Lasch heard incredible stories of welcome and connection on her recent visit there and hoped to share them with the convention in their own words. A woman in grief remembered her dad keeping a prayer card from his church until he died and how she started that ministry at Grace. The wardens spoke of gathering the congregation for prayer and care on Wednesday evenings in the interim period after their priest retired. And a woman whose 34-year old husband of seven years died of COVID and how the concerns of parishioners at Grace, which she attended when she was growing up, brought her back to church. All are stories of the impact of the caring for one another.
October 16, 2022
Victoria and I had a sweet homecoming as I made my visitation to St. Mark’s in Woodbine. Present were a number of people who supported and assisted us 22 years ago when we were starting King of Peace in Kingsland. I met with the congregation afterwards to discuss their possibly calling a priest together with Christ Church in St. Marys. I also took communion to a parishioner who could not make the service. That was a rare treat for me as bishop.
October 17, 2022
A day off at home included a Zoom meeting with nine other bishops as we share concerns we hold in common and are seeking to work together toward best practices.
October 18, 2022
Working in the office in the morning, Victoria and I were at St. Luke’s in Hawkinsville in the evening to dedicate an outdoor altar on St. Luke’s Day. Our hearts were warmer and our hands were colder than seems possible as I blessed a new outdoor altar and confirmed Sonya and Ryan. It was unseasonably cold and very windy as we gave thanks for Shiloh Kehayes beautiful Eagle Scout project. A warm meal in the parish hall helped fortify Victoria and me for the drive home.
October 19, 2022
Working in the office with a staff meeting in the morning. The afternoon included a Zoom meeting with the Task Group that reworked the Constitution and Canons last year. They endorsed an amendment referred back for study by the 2021 convention.
October 20, 2022
I worked in the office in the morning and then I enjoyed a great visit in the afternoon and evening with the lively vestry of St. Richard’s Episcopal Church on Jekyll Island where more and more houses are no longer year-round residences, and they enjoy visits each year from snowbirds making return visits. They are faithful leaders navigating a changed landscape.
October 21, 2022
A Friday in the office included meeting with an aspirant for Holy Orders feeling called to serve as a deacon.
October 22, 2022
Victoria and I drove to Albany where I had an enjoyable discussion with the vestry of St. Paul’s about the real joy taking root in this congregation. They had started the morning with their big Barney’s Run races on the Marine Base that raises money for companion pets for wounded warriors. Then they had a funeral at 2, all before welcoming me to start my visitation. We sat in the garden and could see where workers are repointing the brick, the latest in a very long list of projects they have taken on to tackled differed maintenance issues.
October 23, 2022
While treated as child baptisms by our prayer book liturgy, Vivian and Callum were ready and able to affirm their baptismal covenants and we joined them in doing so even as their parents and sponsors answered the questions for a child baptism. The Rev. Galen Mirate baptized them and I did the chrismation. The confirmations, receptions, and reaffirmation added to the joy of the morning. The Rev. Joy Davis, a deacon raised up by St. Paul’s, is back serving at the congregation after some fruitful years at St. Patrick’s.
October 24, 2022
I drove to Trinity Conference Center in Pine Knolls, North Carolina at the request of Bishop Rob Skirving who invited me to speak to the Clergy Conference of the Episcopal Diocese of East Carolina. The camp crosses to both sides of the thin island, to have a beach side and an inland side. This is my first clergy conference not in the Diocese of Georgia! He asked me to share photos and stories from the Lambeth Conference and it went surprisingly well. It was good talking with the priests and deacons here.
October 25, 2022
I addressed the Lambeth Calls process and spoke about each of the areas where the conference considered calls and told the clergy gathered in conference about the anticipated follow up. That topic got us into some interesting discussion. I drove back south with a grateful heart, taxed a little by the traffic on I-95.
October 27, 2022
I was back in the office for a full day starting with the staff Eucharist and staff meeting, moving to a Zoom meeting with the Committee on Constitution and Canons that voted to recommend rejection of the amendment referred back to committee by the last convention.
October 28, 2022
I started the day at Savannah Toyota getting 60,000-mile service on the Camry Hybrid the dealership gave the Diocese of Georgia in 2020. A mix of phone and Zoom meetings filled the day, including Victoria and I on Zoom with the Creation Care Commission. That group will be added to the canons if approved by convention and I was speaking to persons who I may appoint to the body newly enshrined in canons after seven years of service to the Diocese.
October 29, 2022
A morning off at home. Victoria and I drove to Augusta in the afternoon.
October 30, 2022
My visitation to the Church of the Good Shepherd including three liturgies for a full and fun Sunday. Lots of confirmations and three baptisms, including the grandson of the Rev. Ted Clarkson, their Interim Rector.
October 31, 2022
I was to drive this morning to St. Luke’s in Atlanta for a board retreat day for the Georgia Interfaith Public Policy Center, but had a rough night’s sleep as I worried I am pushing too hard. I am exhausted. So I remained home and took part in the meeting via Zoom, which worked well. I am replacing Bishop Rob Wright as the Episcopalian on this board. The Center was created in 2019 to witness to our common values of faith in the civic life of Georgians. When Baptists and Methodists join with Episcopalians and Lutherans as well as Jews and Muslims, we can speak to our common concerns in ways we would not be heard when speaking alone. For example, an issue the legislature is working on that could make a real difference are various solutions to offer more healthcare in rural Georgia.
November 1, 2022
A full day of meetings in the office. Even as the staff works hard on our diocesan convention, none of what I attended to today was about that gathering. The rest of the work of the Diocese continues.
November 2, 2022
Staff Eucharist and staff meeting included our surprising Canon Katie Easterlin with gifts as the birth of her daughter draws near. She will give birth sometime around our convention or the week after.
November 3, 2022
Zoom meetings and phone calls in the office.
November 4, 2022
A visioning session for our ministry with persons who are homeless in Savannah started the day. The Rev. Jamie Maury and his husband Dan Snyder worked so tirelessly to start the Community of St. Joseph and it was heartwarming as the Rev. Michael Chaney shared stories of people they all know even as the changes have meant the closing of two camps and a lot of upheaval. Canon Mary Willoughby (who remains an Honorary Canon of the Diocese) is assisting us as we gather a group to reimagine this ministry as a part of the “ecosystem” that exists in Savannah, working alongside others who are also committed to serving this community.
November 5, 2022
Victoria and I drove to Thomasville on a favorite backroad route to arrive at Good Shepherd Church (shown at right). I met with the vestry as we chart a course for the congregation as the Rev. Willcox Brown moves from being their priest in charge as he becomes the Rector of All Saints, Thomasville. These are some great leaders with a realistic view of how they can be the Body of Christ in this time. I celebrated the Eucharist and preached. Then we enjoyed a reception in the parish hall.
November 6, 2022
On Sunday morning, Victoria and I were in Moultrie for our visitation to St. Margaret of Scotland where the Rev. Stan Christian is the priest. I confirmed Michael and we stayed for lunch and conversation before driving back to Savannah. One memorable part was a carrot cake made with the recipe from a parishioner who died in the past year. When asked for that recipe and some others, she always said she would give it, “Over my dead body.” The surprise was that she shared recipes in the bulletin for her funeral. She was as good as her word and the cake was tasty. I had the honor of first preaching here for the dedication of their church building on April 19, 2001, as a very new priest.
November 7, 2022
This is the week of our convention and I am working with staff on the convention script and other details.
November 8, 2022
Victoria and I were at the Salvation Army near our house this morning to join our neighbors in voting. Then into the office for a day of convention week work, together with the usual work of the Diocese mixed in.
November 9, 2022
Working with staff on the Bishop’s Address and my sermon for the convention Eucharist. They were in good shape, but I could see they could use some work and so I sat at the conference table with Communications Manager Liz Williams and Canons Loren Lasch and Joshua Varner. Their insights helped me get each of those pieces of convention where they need to be. We rarely work this hard on something, but a gathering of the leaders of the Diocese matters. I am grateful for a team who help me find my voice and to edit out the parts that belong in a different sermon.
November 10, 2022
A tropical storm is deluging many clergy and delegates driving to Savannah for the 201st Convention of the Diocese of Georgia. Canon Joshua Varner set up in the garage at the office for a drive through check-in as there are doors in and out under the carriage house. We also had check-in inside Diocesan House. I enjoyed welcoming delegates and taking those who wanted to on a tour. In the evening, we gathered for Evening Prayer at St. Matthew’s with beautiful music and a spot-on sermon by the Very Rev. William Willoughby III on going back to the sources that nourish us in daily prayer and weekly Eucharists and all that formed us in our faith. When the future is uncertain, rely on those foundations.
November 11, 2022
More than 250 Episcopalians were at Georgia Southern’s Armstrong Center in Savannah. We attended to the work of the Diocese, passing the diocesan and Honey Creek budgets and hearing reports about ministry across the Diocese throughout the past year. Convention also approved a second reading of the Constitution which put into effect the largest package of changes to our Constitution and Canons since 1967. But I did not want having that group together to be only about that business and mapped out with staff an arc to the convention with three parts today—an opening presentation by Canon Loren Lasch giving the reality of a diocese with lots of cause for hope amidst greatly reduced attendance and giving that is not keeping up with inflation, a Bishop’s Address naming how we are responding with some new offerings aimed at supporting faithful experimentation, a sermon in which I shared insight from my Mom who has often said “God meets us in reality” who is now working through life change due to dementia. These talks were added to with three video of simple ideas bearing fruit in a few congregations. The Eucharist at St. Peter’s had gorgeous music with choir members and organists from multiple Savannah congregations. Canon Lasch chanted the Payer D Eucharist following the ancient Mozarabic Rite. Beautiful and touching. Transcendent. Then we enjoyed dinner and dancing in the parish hall for a fun finish to a day that went so very well.
November 12, 2022
In 2011, I brought a practice that Bishop Scott Benhase readily agreed with of introducing items on day one and voting on them the second day. That gives time for consideration, and it aided us again this year as some folks worked overnight on further amending a proposed amendment about the canon on electing a bishop that was tabled last year. The time between initial debate and final decision is helpful. We heard more reports and passed the items proposed yesterday. I finished with a closing presentation and gave the attendees (via an email sent while I was talking) a pdf with pages of ideas and resources to inspire the faithful experimentation I proposed yesterday. The church is facing challenges and yet I know our communities need Jesus and the Holy Spirit is calling us to be faithful. It was great to get the diocesan community together.
November 13, 2022
A memorable morning at the Church of Our Savior in Martinez included four adult baptisms and a host of confirmations and reaffirmations. The Very Rev. Al Crumpton baptized his brother and sister-in-law, Brad and Dori, and I got to confirm them. They have worked very hard on addressing deferred maintenance and their buildings and grounds look great!
November 14-16, 2022
Church nerds unite! I was in Baltimore Monday through Wednesday for an initial meeting for many of the key committees and commissions of the Episcopal Church where my part is serving as Vice Chair to Structure, Governance, Constitution, and Canons. Every level of the church from parish to denomination depends on committee leaders giving their gifts as parts of the Body of Christ. I am pleased with the people I get to serve with and hopeful for our work together in preparation for the General Convention in 2024. While in Baltimore, I learned of the birth of Mary Amelia Easterlin to Canon Katie and Travis. She is 7 pounds 10 ounces and 20 inches long. Both mother and baby are well.
November 17, 2022
I flew back to Savannah, repacked and Victoria and I drove to Montgomery, Alabama.
November 18, 2022
We made it the rest of the way to New Orleans for me to attend the rehearsal for tomorrow’s ordination of a new bishop for the Diocese of Louisiana.
November 19, 2022
My heart is full after taking part in the ordination and consecration of my friend as the Bishop of Louisiana, the Rt. Rev. Shannon Rogers Duckworth. We were Canons to the Ordinary together and she was a great colleague who will be a gifted bishop.
November 20, 2022
Victoria and I made it well over halfway back to stay in Quincy, Florida, yesterday. This morning, we drove to St. Marys for a visitation to Christ Church with one reception of a parishioner from King of Peace. We had a good meeting over lunch with all present as they consider calling a priest together with St. Mark’s in Woodbine. The vestry has done great work and we share optimism about the coming years for these two congregations that were great partners in ministry for me when we were starting a church between the two of them. Lots of people I have known for years and I am grateful to serve as their bishop. I took Victoria home and started for Chattanooga, making it as far as Adairsville.
November 21, 2022
I met my brother, Randy, and sister, Leigh, in Chattanooga on this our Mom’s 86th birthday. We had a great time together.
November 22, 2022
A full day of work ended with a vestry meeting as a congregation looks to moving from a full-time priest to part time in 2023. Canon Loren Lasch was with another congregation yesterday that is making the same move.
November 23, 2022
I met on Zoom with RacialJusticeGA in the morning and then Victoria and I went to St. Francis of the Islands in Savannah to record four of the seven videos we are making to accompany Feast of Feasts, the Advent through Epiphany devotions we wrote for the Diocese. We gave books of the devotions to all who attended the convention and offered PDFs and ePub copies for free. The videos are for congregations offering a weekly discussion. The 10-minute videos introduce the theme of the week and have additional questions for them to consider.
November 24-25, 2022
We celebrated Thanksgiving with Victoria’s family in Statesboro.
November 26, 2022
A day off at home other than writing a sermon for tomorrow.
November 27, 2022
Victoria and I were at St. Andrew’s in Douglas to make our visitation to this church where I preached my father’s funeral in 2008. They were good to me and my family. Since then, they have been through a split with about 90% of the congregation leaving to found an Anglican congregation nearby a decade ago. They have just made it through pandemic and will be closing within the coming year. It was good to be with the small group remaining even as we look toward what comes next. This is a very difficult part of what it is to serve as Bishop in this time.
November 28, 2022
A day off at home.
November 29, 2022
Back in the office after being away at Thanksgiving with a lot of catching up and a couple of meetings.
November 30, 2022
The staff Eucharist and staff meeting in the morning and meeting for a couple of hours on Zoom with the Rev. Tar Drazdowski as she begins serving as the President of the Standing Committee.
December 1, 2022
In this office in the morning working on various matters. After lunch I began time off through Sunday.
December 2-4, 2022
Victoria and I went to Key Largo, Florida, for the wedding of my niece, Jessica Neil, and her now husband, Greg Matthews. They live there year round and the wedding was on the dock of the sailing club that Jess serves on the board as the Secretary. It was a wonderful time away for a family wedding.
December 5, 2022
I caught up in the office in the morning. In the evening, Canon Mary Willoughby led a visioning session for our ministry with Savannahians who are homeless, the Community of St. Joseph. We were able to move beyond what we are not (non-judgmental and non-transactional for example), to what we have been at our best when Holly spoke. She was homeless for five years and a regular parishioner at our Sunday worship near where she lived in a tent. Mary asked what kept her coming back. She said she wanted to be where she was loved and respected. That is it. The essence of being with our neighbors living in tents and fending for themselves on the streets. Yes, we offer a path to being housed, which Holly could eventually benefit from. But there are a lot of reasons that make it difficult for someone to stay in a shelter or to make the transition through the system. Being with people in real relationships, marked by love and respect, that continue over time. This is what we want to work to establish the structure that will support this for years to come.
December 6, 2022
I worked in the office on the usual variety of issues that make up overseeing the Diocese.
December 7, 2022
Maggie Lyons surprised us coming in with her son, Atlas Dade Lyons, for a visit. Her maternity leave is a blessing. I am so glad to see our family leave policy working. They were with us for the staff Eucharist and then we moved into staff meeting planning all the things to do toward year end. We also prepared for this week’s Diocesan Council meeting and next week’s Finance Committee meeting.
December 8, 2022
A morning meeting and then time getting set for Council and preparing for this weekends’ Postulancy Retreat at Honey Creek.
December 9, 2022
Meeting in the office in the morning with the Rector and Treasurer of a church facing decisions after yet another drop in giving that has them unable to afford a full-time priest in the coming months. This is a church started in the late 1800s that had benefitted from full-time clergy for generations.
After lunch, I drove to Honey Creek for the first Postlancy Retreat. As we have worked on our ordination process, we are adopting the practice from other dioceses, of not just having hour long interviews, but spending more time with those feeling called to ordained ministry. This first time, there are three men feeling called to the priesthood. Two will be bi-vocational, continuing in their current work as a teacher and as a civilian working for the Air Force. The third is looking toward full-time ministry. This format is so much more helpful than an interview alone.
December 10, 2022
The Postulancy Retreat continued. I stayed through the morning. The Commission on Ministry and Standing Committee continued their work as I went to Savannah, picked up Victoria, and drove to Augusta. At 4:30 pm, I met with the vestry of St. Alban’s. They are in a transition following the retirement of their priest of 30 years, the Very Rev. Billy Alford. Reports from the retreat are positive from committee members and aspirants alike.
December 11, 2022
I made my visitations to the Church of the Atonement as well as St. Alban’s. They have been sharing a priest for a few years and so the visits fit well together. At St. Alban’s, they were having a homecoming and I was able to pray for the granddaughter of a member who is home for Christmas from serving in rural Guatemala as a missionary. I confirmed three persons at Atonement, where we also shared lunch before driving home.
December 12, 2022
A day off at home. I learned that Virginia Maxwell died in the night. A widow since 2016, she had been active in assisting other clergy spouses as the wife of the Rev. George Maxwell, long-time Rector of Christ Church Savannah. The family asked me to preach her funeral on Friday.
December 13, 2022
I began the day with service at Savannah Toyota. Then Bishop Kevin Strickland, of the ELCA Southeastern Synod, and I met in my office. We have worked together for 2.5 years and this was our first face-to-face meeting. He is such a great colleague and we shared some about what our vocations are like compared to what we expected when elected before the pandemic. We have a new initiative starting in 2023 with 8 Lutheran Pastors and 8 Episcopal Priests taking part in an expert led peer cohort funded mostly by a grant from Trinity Wall Street.
December 14, 2022
I started my day at WTOC TV station with the Rev. Melanie Lemburg for a live interview about their centennial celebration this weekend. The TV station did a great job, having interviewed parishioners at the church for a short video leading into the interview and then running the whole package several times today. Back in the office, we focused the staff meeting on everything that needed to be done through the end of the year with a look at what is coming up big early in 2023.
December 15, 2022
A full day included a Finance Committee meeting on Zoom at noon and a vestry meeting at 5:30 with a church needing to move to having their priest serve part time.
December 16, 2022
I preached at Christ Church in Savannah for the funeral of Virginia Maxwell, a woman universally described as elegant as well as being unselfish and a lot of fun. Her husband, George, had been a long-time Rector of the church that went through a bitter split after they retired. The church voted to leave the Episcopal Church and keep the building on Johnson Square. Virginia had been in a prayer group with three other women and they stayed together all this time, meeting for more than 40 years including when their husbands were diametrically opposed with the matter having to be resolved by the Georgia Supreme Court.
December 17, 2022
Finished my sermon for tomorrow. Met with the vestry of the Church of the Atonement as some members were sick when I visited last Sunday. We moved the meeting to this morning via Zoom.
December 18, 2022
My visitation to St. Thomas Isle of Hope in Savannah is the kick-off for the congregation’s centennial. I officiated at all three services, which included 3 baptisms and confirmations, a reception, and reaffirmation of faith. There is so much going well here on their 100th anniversary with the Rev. Melanie Lemburg as Rector and the Rev. Aimee Baxter, a United Methodist Deacon working in Christian Formation and serving liturgically with express permission of Presiding Bishop Michael Curry as part of an agreement with that church.
December 19, 2022
Working from home and finishing up a number of last things to prepare for a Christmas break.
December 20, 2022
My last day of work before taking vacation included a staff meeting as we continue to work through our checklist of what needs doing to close out the year.
December 21-27, 2022
Victoria and I flew to Arizona to be with our daughter, Griffin, for Christmas. We also spent time with her fiancé, Chaz’ family. They are getting married on March 11, 2023. She is near the end of her four-year program at Midwestern University working on a Doctor in Veterinary Medicine, which is a real vocation for her.
December 28, 2022
Catching up in the office after a break for Christmas.
December 29, 2022
Work in the office today included a Zoom meeting to elect Bishop Jake Owensby as the Chancellor for the University of the South (Sewanee).
December 30, 2022
On this last day in the office for 2022, Canon Katie Easterlin came in with her daughter, Amelia, and she worked with me, Daniel Garrick, and Canon Mary Willoughby to make final deposits and cut last checks, including paying off the remaining $770,000 owed on the loan taken to cover the Honey Creek bonds while the last year of the special 2% assessment came in. The plan worked. Our retreat center is debt free for the first time in decades.
December 31, 2022
A Saturday off. Grateful for this year in a demanding and rewarding vocation with a great team to work with in fulfilling our common call to follow Jesus.
