Reports of Commissions and Committees - Diocese of Atlanta - 2006
Chancellor's Report - 2006
The Chancellor of the Diocese is nominated by the Bishop and annually elected at the Diocesan Council. There is also a Vice-Chancellor nominated by the Bishop and annually elected at the Diocesan Council. The Chancellors are the legal advisors of and consultants to the Bishop as well as Diocesan officers, board chairs, committees and committee members. The Chancellor currently serves as a member of the Province IV Court of Review.
During the course of the past year the Chancellors have assisted the Bishop, the Standing Committee and the Diocese in a number of matters including consideration of the election and qualification of Vestry and Wardens, sexual misconduct issues, consideration of the rights of a "Break Away" Church, the receipt and utilization of inter vivos and testamentary charitable gifts, termination of employment procedures, absentee ballots and balloting procedures, consulting on proposed Resolutions for Council, issues surrounding real estate exchanges and security for Diocesan Foundation loans and the acquisition of a right of way for St. Mary's, East Point.
The Chancellors have consulted with members of the Diocese with regard to the organization of new churches and made available suggested By-Laws for Parish non-profit corporations to comply with the Georgia Non-Profit Corporation Act.
The Chancellors, along with the Bishop, attended the 24th meeting of the Province IV Episcopal Bishops' and Chancellors' Conference held in Miami, Florida in October.
Respectfully submitted,
Richard P. Perry, Esq.
Fifth Chancellor, Diocese
of Atlanta
Mikell Camp and Conference Center - Annual Report 2006
We continue to improve our facilities and programs for camp and conference center ministries in our Diocese. Our facility improvements included a new porch for Wilkins (Old Dining Hall), painting the porch of Nelson (Dining Hall), a new tongue and groove ceiling in Nelson, the main bathrooms were renovated including the addition of commercial dividers instead of plywood dividers, new porches on Stephens and Eppes Dorms, a new porch between the 500 and 600 buildings in the Bishop Child Retreat Village, and a new break room at the end of Walker. Also, the summer staff took down the deteriorating cross on the mountain and replaced it with a bigger and sturdier cross. It is beautiful.
Smith Cottage, one of the original structures of Mikell, is presently in the midst of a bathroom renovation. From the foundation up, the bathroom on the left of the building is being totally renovated (we didn't want any of our guests to fall through the floor).
We are in the process of building a new steel art building. Under the leadership and initiative of Bishop Allan and support of Bishop Alexander, the building will have 5 pods, or areas, for art activities. There will be space for woodturning, pottery, weaving and other art projects. If you are interested in supporting this project, please contact Bishop Allan. The building will be available for group use. If you are interested in utilizing this wonderful new addition to Mikell, contact us.
At Mikell, we live in the balance of trying to keep the place up and running with our limited amount of funds. We are looking forward to receiving an increase in Diocesan support this year, but this amount will just bring us back to where we were in 2002. Of course, since that time health insurance, food, electricity, propane, etc. have all increased fairly significantly. We also continue to carry significant debt from the construction of the swimming pool in 2003.
The Board of Governors (The Rev. Hendree Harrison, Chair of the Board; Louis Bourne, Treasurer; Kathy Gibson, Secretary; John Ballard, Jane Brubaker, Sue Johnson, Brad Jones, Brandon Rogers, Kim Smith, Angela Williamson, Jim Wilson, Maribett Varner, Chris Watts, Luke Pattison, Molly McAuliffe) continues to be faithful stewards of Mikell. Brandon Rogers took the lead in the Annual Campaign after Angela Williamson's initial leadership, and Kim Smith and Wayne Whitfield helped our Golf Tournament grow again this year. Past Master's Champion and Grace Episcopal parishioner Tommy Aaron was a guest at this year's tournament.
The Mikell permanent staff keeps this place running year round. For them, Mikell is their job, but also their ministry and extended family. Through working weekends, holidays, nights, cleaning and fixing toilets, cooking and serving countless meals, etc. these folks are the heart of Mikell.
Conferences
Even though we are primarily a retreat and conference center for Episcopal groups, we host a wide variety of guests. In 2006, we hosted recovery groups, gay and lesbian groups from other denominations that were not accepted at other facilities, public school groups, private school groups, corporate groups, several non-Episcopalian church retreats, and others. We continue to be constricted by the amount of adult space that we can offer. We often turn groups away due to our inability to host them because of their adult lodging needs. Of course, this includes parishes and the clergy of our own Diocese.
Blue Ridge Outdoor Education Center
Josh Rood is finishing his first full year as director of Blue Ridge. We welcomed the newest member of the Mikell community last month with the addition of Josh and Shannon's new son, Gabriel Alden Rood. Josh is having fun, and being challenged, juggling the demands of being the Blue Ridge Director and a new father.
Blue Ridge is an accredited outdoor environmental education center that serves public and private schools in the southeast. Forest ecology, land navigation, wetland studies, owl prowls, a reenactment of the Underground Railroad are all part of what is taught at Blue Ridge. This outdoor education component of Mikell teaches stewardship to hundreds of young people and teachers each year.
This highly acclaimed program is available for public and private school groups. If you, or someone you know, would benefit from such a program, please contact Josh Rood for further information: blueridge@alltel.net or 706 886 7621.
Summer Camp
This was a most outstanding summer at Mikell. The theme was "Bridges," and building bridges is what we are about at Mikell. Our traditional camp enrollment was up by 45 campers. I believe that this is a reflection of the high quality of programs, safety, love, care and fun that we offer our campers. As an American Camp Association accredited camp, all of us involved in the summer program take pride in our ministry here.
The Deans, and their staff, bring energy, great ideas, and educational programs each week. The Deans for 2006 were Margaret Jones, Peggy Fallon, Rob Wood, Josh Rood, Tim Graham, Hendree Harrison Jr., Laura Leneaus, Brad and Gale Jones, Claiborne Jones, and Chuck Girardeau. The Deans share themselves and the Gospel in some pretty imaginative and engaging ways. Thank you Deans.
The nurses were Melanie Struble, Jody Ewing, Nancy Miller, and Sherry Jalovick. They take care of our bumps, bruises, illnesses and whatever seemed to come along this summer, and often times they end up being a surrogate mom.
We were blessed again this summer with the presence of the Kids 4 Peace. Under the leadership of Nancy Brockway and Ethel Wright and a host of other support from our Diocese, Jewish, Muslim and Christian children from Jerusalem and children from our Diocese spent time learning about peace and how much we all really have in common.
My final thank you goes to the summer staff. This group of young people selflessly gave of themselves day after hot summer day, and did everything (well, almost) that I ever asked of them. The staff leaders were Dan Murphy and Kathleen Varner, counselor coordinators were Kristina Murray and Joe Thomas, and the rest of the staff were Cat Brantley, Dot Brantley, Meghan Sweet, Bethany Taylor, Whitney Reeves, Leslie MacDowell, Ashley Graham, Lucy Morgan, Scott Dudley, Kyle Tuttle, Ben Carroll, Brice LeFiles, Malcolm Velasco, Taylor Brown, Thompson Faegg, and Thomas Dunbar. Thank you all.
Mikell has a new website. Visit us at www.campmikell.com to find out information about Blue Ridge, our summer camps (including our new Frequently Asked Questions section), conferences and retreats, and news at Mikell.
Respectfully submitted,
The Rev. Kenneth C. Struble
Executive Director
Mikell Camp and Conference Center
Antiracism Commission Report for 2006
The Commission on Anti-racism has been busy! Activities early in the year included a retreat for commission members led by Canon Debbie Shew, staff liaison to the commission, and the gathering of historical materials about anti-racism work in the diocese, with particular contribution from commission member Dabney Hart, of the Cathedral of St. Philip. Monthly meetings at All Saints', Atlanta, helped keep momentum moving forward, with a major piece of the commission's ongoing work centering again on Anti-racism Dialogue Workshops. Two diocesan-sponsored trainings were offered, providing the chance for dialogue to 66 clergy, lay staff and lay leaders. In addition, several parishes invited the Commission to offer training, including St. Mark's, Dalton, All Saints', Warner Robins, St. Gabriel's, Oakwood and Trinity, Columbus, bringing to 698 the number of people trained in our diocese since this work began in 2003. A "train-the-trainers" workshop expanded the base of those who can continue this work, and diocesan training coordinator Barbara Culmer-Ilaw, of St. Luke's, Atlanta, had the honor of being named Lead Trainer for The Episcopal Church. Our link to the larger Episcopal Church was also strengthened when Bp. Alexander and the Commission hosted the National Anti-racism Committee of the Executive Council, bringing to Atlanta the Rev. Jayne Oaisin, Social Justice Officer, and other key leaders from around the country.
On Jan. 29, 2006 the Commission hosted its annual MLK, Jr. Memorial Concert, this year at St. Bartholomew's, Atlanta. A full house was treated to an evening of choral and instrumental music, congregational singing and a chance to hear about the Commission's ministry. Musical highlights included both youth and adults, including new pieces commissioned during 2006. Next year's concert is planned for at the Cathedral of St. Philip.
The Ministry Fair again provided teaching/learning opportunities for the larger diocese and for the first time, commission leaders met with leadership of the Diocesan Youth Commission, to formulate ways to enhance anti-racism work among our young people. Another new initiative this year was an initial, exploratory trip to the Jonathan Daniels and Martyrs of AL Pilgrimage, in advance of next year's planned inter-generational visit. A key piece of the pilgrimage was the establishing a relationship with Pastor Robert and Jeannie Graetz, of the ELCA, to learn about how they might assist us with spiritually-based, experiential civil rights pilgrimages, with an initial offering available to members of the diocese in early 2007.
Finally, the Commission is excited to announce that our centennial offering to the diocese will be the launch of an oral history project, with plans now in the early stages. We pray that it will be an engaging, enriching way for the diocese to look not only at its past, but also to its future with excitement and hope.
Submitted by Bill Nevins, Commission Chair and the Rev. Canon Debbie Shew, staff liaison
Commission on Spiritual Growth
Early in 2006, the Commission on Spiritual Growth began the formulation of a formal mission statement: "The Commission on Spiritual Growth supports the spiritual nurture of the people of the Diocese of Atlanta. Through a variety of initiatives, we encourage and equip layperson, clergy and parishes to engage in the ongoing discovery of God's presence in their lives and to lead others in deepening their relationship with God, neighbor and creation."
Other projects have included the launch of a COSG webpage on the Diocesan website; the implementation of a clergy survey; COSG members offering workshops at the 2006 Ministry Fair and the development of a laity survey that will be implemented this fall.
However, we remain challenged to reach a broader segment of the Diocese, particularly on the parish level. The Commission is discussing the implementation of a Speaker's Bureau, support for practicing Spiritual Directors, and assistance for smaller parishes to offer education on the rich traditions of Christian Spirituality.
The Commission asks for your prayers for discernment and wisdom for the work at hand.
The members of the Commission are as follows:
The Rev. Canon Debra Shew, Diocese of Atlanta
Nancy Armstrong, St. Martin in the Fields
Karen Kassinger, St. Gregory the Great
Patrick Edwards, Cathedral of St. Philip
Margaret Jackson, Cathedral of St. Philip
Jim Morton, St. Julian's
The Rev. Bill Payton, Cathedral of St. Philip
The Rev. Ellen Purdum, The Fund for Theological Education
The Rev. Dr. Thee Smith, Cathedral of St. Philip
Respectfully submitted,
Anne Elizabeth Swiedler, Chair
St. David's
Congregational Growth and Development
The Commission on Congregational Growth and Development began in 1993 as a task force to support and assist the clergy in developing parishes and to address the immediate needs of specific parishes. Later, when the need for an ongoing support system for parish growth and development in the diocese became evident, the task force was made a commission of the diocese. The commission meets monthly to discuss and plan strategy for ongoing and future projects.
The Commission clarified its work in 2006 by restructuring to concentrate on established congregations. The shift occurred as the Commission focused on ways to help congregations develop and implement best practices in congregational development. Best practices include how to be proactive before a congregation finds itself in trouble
The major initiative of the Commission this year was the possibility of bringing the Congregational Development Institute (CDI) to the diocese. Starting in February 2007, clergy and laity will be able to enroll in a two year course (four weekends a year) in congregational development. The purpose of CDI is to empower congregations to move forward with a clearer sense of ministry and spirituality.
The Commission participated in the Ministry Fair held in March. Workshops offered by members of the commission included a Percept session that explained demographic information. In addition, two information sessions about CDI were offered. Other members of the Commission offered workshops on leadership and new member incorporation. Members of the commission were on hand at a display about CDI and the other opportunities offered by the Congregational Growth and Development Commission.
The Commission met in June for a half day session to define its structure and purpose. One of the exciting endeavors will include visiting with each parish in the diocese to talk about Congregational Growth and Development. We will listen to the needs of the parishes and take that information to plan events in the future.
Many of the Commission members are facilitating vestry retreats, rector search processes, and other congregation development events.
Fresh Start
Liaisons to Aided Parishes: continued building relationships with the congregations to whom they were assigned. Liaisons assisted in preparation of budgeted amounts for parishes; various reports on health of parishes throughout the year. We are at an all-time low of only six aided parishes! These are: St. Anthony's, Winder; St. James, Cedartown; St. Luke's, Ft. Valley; St. Mary's, Montezuma; St. Mary Magdalene, Columbus; St. Thomas of Canterbury, Thomaston.
Members serving the commission this year are The Rev. Trawin Malone, The Rev. Paul Elliot, The Rev. Rob Wood, The Rev. Anne Maeroney, The Rev. Ray Gotko, Mr. RPM Bowden, Mr. Bill Monk, Mr. Paul J. Elliot, and Mr. Bradley Hoyt. We said goodbye to Ms. Martha Clatterbuck when she moved out of state. Check out our web page found at the Diocese of Atlanta web site.
The Rev. Trawin E. Malone, Chair
The Rev. Canon Alicia Schuster Weltner, Canon for Congregational Development
Commission on AIDS
The primary focus of the Commission on AIDS for this past year was once again the Annual HIV/AIDS Retreat at the Kanuga Conference Center sponsored by the Province IV Network of AIDS Ministries. The demographics of those attending continued in the same direction as previous years: Over half were People of Color. Over half were women. Well over two thirds needed scholarship assistance to attend the event. Many people were visibly ill from the affects of HIV/AIDS. These demographics simply reflect the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Province IV of The Episcopal Church. The Southeastern United States remains the geographic area of the country with ever increasing infection rates and a higher rate of infection than other areas of the country.
The Commission is very grateful to those parishes who donated to the Retreat Scholarship Fund as a result of a resolution that was passed at Diocesan Council in 2004. We will continue to seek ongoing support over the next few years to allow as many as possible to attend the retreat.
The State of Georgia remains in the top ten states with the highest numbers of AIDS cases. Metropolitan Atlanta - which makes up a very large portion of our diocese - remains in the top ten cities with the highest numbers of AIDS cases as well. Those infected are not nearly as visible to us now as they once were because they are not in our parishes. Most are African American or Latino/a and not likely to be in faith communities at all. The stigma of living with HIV/AIDS remains alive and well and at work in our society.
Those with access to and resources to obtain the medications and medical treatment available are indeed living longer with HIV. That brings its own set of issues with which to deal. Living longer means longer periods of medical treatment. AIDS service providers struggle to meet the needs of those living longer and dealing with issues inherent to that longer life. A major source of funding is the Ryan White CARE Act. That legislation is up for reauthorization this year but as of this writing the House and Senate have adjourned until after the elections. Reauthorization does not look likely before the end of the year. The major changes proposed will have negative effects for some communities on the provision of services to those with HIV/AIDS. Accordingly, there is much discussion about funding levels, determining allocations of funds, etc.
General Convention passed several important resolutions related to HIV/AIDS. Over the coming year we will be looking at how they might impact or assist our diocese.
It has clearly been a year filled with challenges in the HIV/AIDS arena. Fortunately, the brightest spot remains the Annual Retreat. Being able to literally escape from a major part of your life for one weekend each year has proven to be a unique and priceless ministry to those who need it the most. God willing, we will continue our participation in that ministry.
Bruce Garner, Chair
Commission on AIDS
Commission on Education
In 2006, the Commission on Education focused on the development of Christian education and formation opportunities for adults. Through 2008 we will be targeting three particular audiences:
1. Continuing education opportunities for clergy and lay professionals employed in our churches and other Episcopal institutions
2. Lay leadership in our parishes and diocesan ministries
3. People in the pews who are interested in deepening their faith journey
The commission is working in conjunction with the Commission on Ministry, which is following up on continuing education opportunities for clergy, and with the diocesan staff as they begin to communicate and implement the Bishop's vision, "Our Common Mission" which includes the development of an institute of theological education in the Diocese of Atlanta.
The commission is developing an outline for the design of the institute and the process of determining courses that will be offered in several venues including weekly, weekend and special event time slots. Website development will be an additional part of the offerings both in communication of the opportunities and in providing correspondence courses online.
In response to the initiative at The General Convention to include and involve children and youth, and a resolution passed that dioceses follow this example, we will seek ways to do the same at our diocesan councils and other events.
Education for Ministry (EFM) continues to be an important adult education offering in our diocese and this year we have the opportunity to get in on the ground floor of the new Journey in Faith study program being offered by LeaderResources. Our EFM diocesan representative attended the initial training and will be able to train leaders for the program in parishes along with regular EFM mentor trainings.
The Armatus Online Training program for protecting children and youth from sexual abuse has been set up in most of our parishes with Armatus administrators appointed. This is a new way to do training and although it is a difficult subject, most people are finding that this new training tool has proven to be effective and helpful as they work to insure that children and youth as well as adults are keeping their churches safe. We look forward next year to the new model policies and training materials from the Church Pension Fund on the prevention of sexual harassment and exploitation of adults.
The Ministry Fair in 2006 offered 50 workshops and featured special guest, Tom Key. It will continue to be offered as an opportunity for short classes on a variety of topics, a venue for offering introductory pieces on upcoming longer-term educational pieces in the institute, and as a place where those taking the institute courses can lead a discussion forum or panel on the courses taken. We look forward to the 2007-2008 year and the beginning semester of our theological institute in the Diocese of Atlanta.
Commission on Architecture
Commission on Ministry
The Commission on Ministry designs and oversees the discernment process for Holy Orders in our diocese. Appointed by the bishop, our committee meets each month for two to three hours, interviewing candidates, reviewing discernment decisions, and planning for future events for training. Each member is assigned a number of seminarians to follow through the process,
keeping a connection between the seminarian and the diocese. As you can tell from this brief description, it requires a good bit of time and even more energy. However, every COM member would tell you that one never leaves the Commission meeting feeling as if it were wasted time. Rather there is a real sense of participating in significant work. It has been my mission to make
the COM as hospitable as possible as these persons come to discernment in a
rather vulnerable position.
As a word of personal thanksgiving, I would commend both diocesan staff members who directly work with the COM. Canon Alicia Weltner has provided a wonderful professional component as she takes care of many of the pragmatic duties of interviewing folks that are initially considering discernment. Cindy Holmberg does the Herculean task of keeping up with our many seminarians who are in various points in the journey toward ordination. I am grateful to both.
Finally, I must laud our bishop who has brought a flexibility to this process that is fresh. We are using processes that fit the person in his/her journey rather than forcing him/her into a form. We are allowing persons to appeal decisions made in discernment. We are reducing the number of years required to pass before a person can reenter discernment. All of these are positive decisions that take the person seeking discernment more seriously. I have been proud to partner with the bishop in this.
Below you will find a list of specific actions taken by the COM this year. If you read them carefully, you will recognize the enormous amount of work we do. I am grateful to my dedicated and hard-working committee members.
Blessings,
The Rev. Dr. David Alan Galloway
Rector, Holy Innocents' Episcopal Church, Diocese of Atlanta
Chair, Commission on Ministry
Summary of Commission Actions:
Recommended for postulancy - Justice Schunior, Grady Crawford, Liz Schellingerhoudt, Charles Fischer, Harvey Hill
Recommended for candidacy - John Keeler, Cynthia Hizer, David Probst, Todd Bruce, Paul McCabe, Holt Grace, Gregory Tallant, Christopher Miller, Marilclair Partee, Richard Game, Stephen Shaver, Candyce Loescher, Allen Pruitt, Leigh Preston, Keith Oglesby, Matthew Grunfeld
Certified readiness for ordination to the priesthood: Tryggvi Arnason, Angela Emerson, Joseph Greene, Elizabeth Roles, Alison Schultz, Joseph Shippen, Mark Smith, Chad Vaughn, Meredith Olsen, Ramon Betances* (*To be received)
Certified readiness for ordination to the diaconate: Christina Dondero, Chip Faucette, Ed Fuller, Kathryn Holman, Terry Howell, Carole Maddux, Joe Pearson, Frances Rees, Bert Smith, Helen Thompson, Cynthia Hizer, John Keeler
The Communications Commission
Since the Bishop appointed this commission in the spring of 2004, its members have been working to bring internal and external communications in the diocese into the digital age while revamping our print communications to reflect twenty-first century needs.
Print
We have completed crossing the bridge from the tabloid DioLog to the interim Connecting to the present-day Pathways. The latter is now the quarterly journal of the Diocese of Atlanta. Here's a list of editions so far...
Spring: Mission and Evangelism - Where Do We Grow from Here? (published March 2006)
Summer: The Interior Journey - Adult Formation and Spiritual Practice (ublished June 2006)
Fall: Children and Youth Ministries (published September 2006)
The winter edition will focus on outreach ministries of the diocese and the parishes. We are fortunate to have the editorial expertise of Nan Ross of the Episcopal Media Center on our team. She edits Pathways as well as the weekly email, Connecting, that is distributed to an ever-growing list of parishioners and friends.
Web/Internet
We have continued to implement the Digital Diocesan Community (DDC). This includes web sites and email tools for the diocese and its parishes. We estimate that about two-thirds of our parishes are using all or part of it to communicate about themselves on the Web. The DDC offers opportunity to post an enormous amount of information about our Church and its parishes in one easily accessible digital database. DDC offers parishes free web hosting on server space dedicated to the Diocese of Atlanta, a browser-based web-page editing kit, and an email partnership with ConstantContact for use in communicating within the parish.
It is interesting to note that our development consultants at the Episcopal Media Center are using the DDC as a base for a national offering called the Digital Faith Community (DFC). Some or all of the elements developed here are now being used by the dioceses of Kentucky, Idaho, Arizona and Rio Grande. New York, Mississippi, Eastern North Carolina and North Carolina are considering coming on board. The software is also being used extensively by Episcopal Global Reconciliation ministries.
Statistics for our diocesan web site and the parish web sites within it continue to show considerable "visiting" from internal audiences on Tuesdays (when our weekly email goes out) and from external audiences (read: prospects) on Sunday mornings. The commission points out the latter to parishes throughout the diocese.
As always, success should be measured ultimately by more people in the pews hearing the Good News as proclaimed by the Episcopal Church in northern and middle Georgia.
Our revamped and very popular diocesan weekly email and has watched its circulation grow from less than 500 or so to more than 1,500 at last count.
The commission commends to you also the writeup on page 25 of the Annual Council 2007 Ministry & Mission Budget document. It illustrates our continuing relationship with the Episcopal Media Center and how we accomplish a great deal with a relatively small budget in the field of communications.
Tom Smith
Communications Manager, St. Martin in the Fields
Chair
Members:
Myra Blackmon, Elliott Brack, Carlos Campbell, Lara Lowman, Mike Miller, Bill Monk, Skip Schueddig, Linda Scott, the Rev'd Dennis Smart.
Global Mission Committee
Q. What is the mission of the Church?
A. The mission of the Church is to restore all people to unity with God and
each other in Christ.
The Book of Common Prayer p. 855
The Global Mission Committee:
Serves as a resource to the parishes and individuals of the diocese for mission activities.
Sponsors an annual Global Mission Event with the most recent being October 7, 2006
Participates with workshops and displays in the Ministries Fair of the diocese.
Offers a town meeting and displays for Annual Council.
Maintains a listing of parishes including mission contacts and areas of expertise.
Supports the Millenium Development Goals and Episcopalians for Global Reconciliation.
Maintains communication with our two formal Companion Dioceses, Central Ecuador and Rio de Janeiro. Most recently time was spent with the General Convention deputies, Triennial Meeting delegates and Bishops Wilfredo Ramos of Central Ecuador and Celso Franco de Oliveria of Rio de Janeiro.
Gives prayer and other appropriate support to our appointed missionaries in Central Tanganyika, The Rev. Dr. Sandra McCann and Dr. Martin McCann as well as to Margaret Griffin a Volunteer for Mission serving in the Diocese of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Encourages and offer requested guidance for mission trips such as the All Saints, Atlanta, J2A Pilgrimage to Rio de Janeiro this summer and the many mission trips being made to Camp Coast Care in Long Beach, Mississippi.
Continues its membership in the Global Episcopal Mission (GEM) Network. Atlanta GEM representative Gini Peterson represented GEM at The Episcopal Partnership for Global Mission Annual Meeting and served on the planning committee for the first jointly sponsored ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America)- Episcopal Church Global Mission Event held in Amherst, Massachusetts in July 2006.
Welcomes representatives from other provinces and dioceses of The Anglican Communion.
The committee is composed of energetic mission minded people who continue to hold the vision of the mission of the Church and work toward its fulfillment.
Submitted by: Gini Peterson, Chair
Commission on Hispanic Ministry
The Commission on Hispanic Ministry met once this year. We are glad to announce that at the present moment we have seven missions: The Cathedral of St. Philip, St. Jude's in Marietta, St. Mary´s in East Point, Christ Church in Norcross, St. David in Roswell, St. Barnabas in Trion, and the newest one St. Bede´s, Tucker, Ga. Several other parishes have shown interest in starting a Hispanic mission. The Hispanic Ministry is growing in our Diocese and in our Church in general.
As we continue to grow, we feel that the greatest need we are going to face in the future is bilingual priests. For that reason we urge all clergy to keep this in mind by improving their skills in Spanish language as well as in the culture. At the present moment, we have three possible future candidates Hispanic to the priesthood. They will contribute to the consolidation and future expansion of this ministry within the Diocese.
The Commission, through the office of the Hispanic missioner, offers valuable information in regard to steps to take to open a new mission and how to obtain material needed for its implementation.
The Commission will strongly support The Taste of Latin American Dinner, an annual event to be held on February at the Cathedral of St. Philip. All the proceeds from this celebration go to humanitarian projects in Latin countries.
The Commission urges all clergy and lay people to support this ministry by inviting Hispanic people to our services and by offering ideas that will strengthen our efforts.
Nora Cruz, Chair
Committee to Study Same-Sex Blessings
Committee to Study Same-Sex Blessings
A resolution passed overwhelmingly by the Diocesan Council in 2004 directed That the Diocese of Atlanta form a study committee to consider
same-sex unions and the formation of a liturgy for a blessing of such unions. To address the directive of Diocesan Council, Bishop Alexander appointed this Committee. We have been meeting regularly since Spring 2005. In his charge to the committee, Bishop Alexander stated that it is his understanding that the Canons of the Church do not permit him to authorize a liturgy for regular use unless and until the General Convention of the Episcopal Church has authorized such a liturgy. Whether a liturgy for such pastoral occasions will be prepared for The Book of Occasional Services or a future edition of Enriching Our Worship is outside our realm of knowledge at this time.
Several unofficial liturgies already exist and others will come into being. We defer to the Commission on Liturgy and Music of the Diocese of Atlanta for further monitoring and sharing with the diocese liturgies that may emerge from Episcopal Church commissions and other sources.
Both Church and society are presently in a state of flux around the issues of the marriage or the blessing of unions of same sex couples. There are many, many study resources available online and in print – including Bishop Alexander’s excellent This Far by Grace. The materials are so plentiful and readily available that any parish or group that wishes to study the issues can easily find materials to use. Because of the abundance of material – and the fact that more are being published all the time – any bibliography we might prepare would be incomplete, if not out of date, by the time you read it. We observe that where conversation and listening takes place, Christians across a range of points of view are able to remain bonded in fellowship and united in worship. On the other hand, we observe that where such conversation and listening does not take place, any existing polarization becomes worse.
We recognize that some leaders fear that straightforward study, conversation and listening may be divisive in the parish context. We do not agree. We believe our best way forward in this time of uncertainty is to converse with one another and to listen to one another and to trust the Holy Spirit to continue to clarify the mind of the Church.
To this end we have developed a process of conversation and listening which we have tested and which we attach to this report. It is our prayerful hope that clergy and lay leaders at the parish level will choose to use this process. Adult Education forums, vestry retreats, Lenten studies and listening sessions all present themselves as good opportunities. We offer the contours of our study and listening as a model to be used by the parishes and individuals of the Diocese of Atlanta to work towards consensus on the question of the Blessing of Same-Sex Unions. We make no prediction about the shape that consensus will take. The committee studied – and others may wish to study -- the legal meanings of marriage in the state of Georgia and the diverse theological meanings of marriage in the Church. We studied the multiple meanings of blessing and the history of holy unions. We tried to understand some of the complexities of the state of the Church in regard to The Windsor Report and To Set Our Hope On Christ – and to make some sense of developments at General Convention 2006 and afterwards.
It is evident that consensus has not yet been achieved. Some individuals and parishes and clergy object to any such service of Blessing. At the same time we recognize within our ecclesial community pastoral occasions that celebrate the commitment and honor the fidelity of partners of the same sex. This Committee reaffirms our understanding, clear to us from the outset, that these pastoral acts occur within the normal and legitimate life of the Church, as affirmed by General Convention 2003. Attached to this report are sample copies of some services that have been used on such pastoral occasions by clergy within the diocese of Atlanta. Of the pastoral services used – some have taken place in the Church building, some have taken place offsite. It is our understanding that all decisions regarding the use of the buildings are within the authority of the parish’s rector. We, of course, advise communication and consensus among rector, bishop, wardens, vestry, and congregation.
Attachments:
Commission on Stewardship - 2006
The Commission on Stewardship seeks to support and grow the ministry of stewardship in the church through workshops and training and consultation with individual parishes throughout the year. It held regular monthly meetings the past twelve months to review activities of the commission members and plan future activities for the parishes of the Diocese. The current roster of the commission is:
Canon to the Commission:
Rev. Alicia Schuster-Weltner
Congregational Development & Ministry
Ex-officio:
Charles Gearing, Archdeacon
Planned Giving
Members:
Mal Underwood, Chair Chuck Johnson
Karl Woltersdorf Rev. Trawin Malone
Ron Owens Rev. Jamie Stutler
Bill Monk Rev. Doris Smith
Roger Sherrard Ruth Anne Tatum-Brumley
In the past twelve months, the training and education activities of the Commission have been:
Date Activity Parish/Location
October 15, 2005 Education presentation Christ Church Norcross
October 16, 2005 Education presentation Grace-Calvary Clarkesville
October 23, 2005 Homily St. Peter & St. Paul's Marietta
October 29, 2005 Education presentation St. Aiden's Alpharetta
October 30, 2005 Education presentation St. Simon's Conyers
November 11-12, 2005 Display at Annual Council Holy Innocents Atlanta
November 13, 2005 Homily St. Nicholas Hamilton
January 20-21, 2006 Vestry retreat Emmanuel Church Athens
March 4, 2006 Diocesan Ministry Fair Diocesan facilities
March 15, 2006 Education presentation St. James Marietta
March 22, 2006 Vestry planning Holy Innocents Atlanta
May 13, 2006 Education presentation Holy Innocents Atlanta
May 20, 2006 Diocesan workshop Diocesan facilities
June 26, 2006 Vestry visitation and planning St. Teresa's Acworth
August 1, 2006 Education presentation Ascension Cartersville
August 16, 2006 Education presentation St. Timothy's Calhoun
August 26, 2006 Diocesan workshop Diocesan facilities
September 9, 2006 Education presentation Holy Cross Trussville, AL
September 16, 2006 Diocesan workshop Diocesan facilities
September 17, 2006 Homily Atonement Atlanta
There are other activities scheduled in the remainder of the 2006 calendar year that will be reported in the 2007 Commission report.
Mal Underwood
Chair
REPORT ON THE PLANNED GIVING MINISTRY - 2006
During 2006 a small advisory group was formed to give guidance and counsel to the planned giving advisor. Participating are: The Rev. Trawin Malone, Karl Woltersdorf and Bill Monk (all from the Commission on Stewardship) plus Paige Martin (Dir. of Stewardship, All Saints) and Melinda Smith (Dir. of Development, Canterbury Court). This group met several times to review ideas and plans for developing the planned giving ministries and activities in the congregations of the Diocese, and they were very helpful to the planned giving advisor.
A major milestone was achieved in the creation of the Bishop Charles Judson Child Heritage Circle, and a descriptive leaflet and enrollment form were printed. This entity was established to acknowledge and honor those individuals who have made provision through their estate plan for the future life and ministry of their parish or other Episcopal institutions within the Diocese of Atlanta and beyond. Those persons will be designated founding members who have informed the Office of Planned Giving that they have made such provision by Annual Council, 2007. Our goal is to enroll at least 500 founding members.
All Saints Sunday, November 5, 2006, was designated Legacy Sunday by Bishop Alexander, and all congregations were asked to raised awareness of the Bishop Child Heritage Circle and the planned giving ministry in general. To aid the congregations in doing this, a bulletin insert was prepared and distributed to each parish along with copies of the brochure and enrollment form.
Most of the work of the planned giving advisor has been in direct consultation with about thirty or so individual congregations to provide guidance and assistance with establishing or sustaining an active planned giving ministry in the parish. There are many aspects to this so these contacts can take a variety of forms, from meeting with the Vestry to making presentations to groups to consultations with individual leaders of the parish.
The challenge of establishing a planned giving program in the congregation can be daunting, but with faithful leadership coupled with experienced guidance and advice it can be done quite successfully; and the long term benefit to the church can mean the assurance of the continued life and ministry of that congregation.
Charles E. Gearing, Archdeacon
Planned Giving Advisor
Youth
The Diocesan Youth Coordinator is responsible for the training and development of parish youth directors and the coordination of Diocesan youth events. The Youth Program in our Diocese continue to gain momentum as youth events are expanded and more parishes are staffing full or part-time directors. The monthly youth worker's meetings and the annual youth worker's conference are a good reflection of this as we strengthen leadership among youth leaders in the diocese. Periodic mailings are being sent to all churches, youth leaders and the youth in the Diocese as a resource of ideas and upcoming events. For over twenty years the Diocesan Youth Committee (DYC) has facilitated senior and junior high youth retreats at Camp Mikell. Happening is for senior high youth and holds two retreats a year. One youth and one adult are on the National Happening committee representing the Diocese. New Beginnings is for junior high youth and holds two retreats a year. Episcopalooza held its fifth overnight lock-in for senior high youth. Vocare held its first retreat in the spring of 2006 for young adults. The Provincial IV Network meeting is attended by the Diocesan Youth Coordinator and two youth every year to network and plan on a provincial level for upcoming provincial (PYE) and national (EYE) events. Two youth sit on the Mikell Board of Governors to have input on youth issues that affect Camp Mikell. The Diocesan Summer Mission Trip is for senior high youth. The youth intern helps in the Diocesan Youth Coordinators office twice a week. A new youth website is up and running with information about youth events and other diocesan activities. On-line registration has being implemented for all youth events.
Kim Smith, Youth Ministries Coordinator
Alicia Schuster Weltner, Canon for Congregational Development & Ministry
Liz Beal Kidd and John Ballard--DYC Chairs
Randy Winton--Happening Chair
Amanda Livermont--New Beginnings Chair
Doug Chunn--Vocare Chair
University of the South at Sewanee
2006 REPORT TO THE DIOCESE OF ATLANTA
Enrollment for the 2005-2006 Academic Year from the Diocese of Atlanta
35 Episcopal Students in the College of Arts and Sciences
Seminary Students Studying for Master and Doctoral Degrees:
Holt Buff Grace III, Social Circle
John F. Herring, Roswell
John D. Keeler, Elberton
Paul C. McCabe, Marietta
Thelma Monique Panton, Athens
*The Rev. C. David Huggins, Kennesaw
*The Rev. James E. Korzun, Villa Rica
*The Rev. James B. Rosser Sr., Smyrna
*The Rev. Michael A. Tanner, Marietta
*Graduate students enrolled in the Advanced Degrees Program
2005-2006 Financial Aid Awarded to Undergraduate Students from Atlanta:
$1,708,989.00
2005-2006 Amount of Support from Atlanta Churches and the Diocese of Atlanta:
$9,234.00
Governing Board Representatives From Atlanta:
Board of Regents
The Rt. Rev. J. Neil Alexander, D.D.
Board of Trustees
The Rt. Rev. J. Neil Alexander, D.D.
John Evans (Dec. 2008
The Rev. C. Dean Taylor (Dec. 2007)
Elizabeth Fitch (Dec. 2006)
Programs Center Information for Atlanta:
EFM groups: 58
EFM Coordinator: Ms. RuthElizabeth Conine
reconine@hotmail.com
434.244.3577
About Sewanee
The University of the South, or Sewanee as it is more popularly known, is home to one of the nation's top liberal arts colleges and a seminary of the Episcopal Church. Since its founding, the College of Arts and Sciences has graduated 25 Rhodes Scholars, 33 Watson Fellows, and 26 NCAA Postgraduate Scholars, while the School of Theology counts as alumni numerous bishops, including three of the last four presiding bishops of the Episcopal Church.
Located atop the Cumberland Plateau between Nashville and Chattanooga, Tenn., Sewanee's 10,000-acre campus provides vast opportunities for research, recreation, and reflection. Within the traditionally strong curriculum in the humanities and sciences and graduate theological studies, Sewanee faculty members promote intellectual growth, critical thinking, and hands-on research. According to its mission statement, Sewanee "is an institution of the Episcopal Church dedicated to the increase of knowledge, understanding, and wisdom, pursued in close community and in full freedom of inquiry, and enlightened by Christian faith in the Anglican tradition, to the end that students may be prepared to search for truth, seek justice for all, preserve liberty under law, and serve God and humanity."
Sewanee's Relationship to the Episcopal Church
Founded in 1857 and chartered in 1858 by bishops of the Episcopal Church, Sewanee has a long history of combining academic excellence with reverent concern for the world. Sewanee is the only university in the country with both a college and graduate seminary established by the Episcopal Church and in which the Episcopal Church is actively involved in its governing board.
The chancellor of the University is a bishop of an owning diocese, elected to that position for a six-year term by the University Board of Trustees. The current chancellor is the Rt. Rev. Henry N. Parsley Jr., Bishop of the Diocese of Alabama. Lay and clergy trustees are elected from the 28 owning dioceses: Alabama, Arkansas, Atlanta, Central Florida, Central Gulf Coast, Dallas, East Carolina, East Tennessee, Florida, Fort Worth, Georgia, Kentucky, Lexington, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Northwest Texas, South Carolina, Southeast Florida, Southwest Florida, Tennessee, Texas, Upper South Carolina, West Tennessee, West Texas, Western Louisiana, and Western North Carolina.
2005-2006 Statistics
College of Arts and Sciences students: 1,415
First-year students: 421
Middle 50 percent ranges, undergraduate Class of 2009
SAT combined: 1180-1330
ACT: 26-31
High School GPA: 3.5
Student/faculty ratio: 10:1
Percentage of college students on financial aid: 40 percent
Percentage of college students declaring Episcopal heritage: 36 percent
Percentage of female, male students:
55 percent female, 45 percent male
Majors offered (college): 39
Minors offered (college): 25
School of Theology students: 171
Newly enrolled students: 31
Returning students: 63
Advanced degrees total student enrollment: 87
Percentage of seminarians on financial aid: 95.5 percent
Percentage of female, male seminarians:
35 percent female, 65 percent male
Degrees offered (seminary): Master of Divinity, Master of Arts in Theology, Master of
Sacred Theology, Doctor of Ministry. Other programs: Certificate of Anglican
Studies, and Certificate of Advanced Theological Studies
Fiscal Year July 1, 2005-June 30, 2006:
Unrestricted operating revenues: $59.5 million
Endowment: $270.4 million
University Financial Aid
Sewanee consistently ranks as a top value in higher education. In the 2005-2006 academic year, 40 percent of undergraduates received some form of institutional financial aid. Scholarships in the amount of $13.1 million were awarded to undergraduates, and more than 95 percent of seminarians received financial aid, depending on need and established institutional guidelines. Financial aid is a top priority of The Sewanee Call, the University's current comprehensive campaign. Of the campaign's $180 million goal, $41 million, or nearly a quarter of funds raised, will serve as endowed funding for scholarships, financial aid, research, and internships. The University strives to ensure that accepted students can afford a Sewanee education and that seminarians can graduate with as little education-related debt as possible.
Finances and Academic Grants
Between July 1, 2005 and June 30, 2006, Sewanee's alumni, parents and friends gave $28.8 million to the University, a new all-time high for the institution. With that generosity, The Sewanee Call campaign, which supports major funding objectives in endowment, capital projects, and operational expenses, climbed to $138.8 million toward a goal of $180 million by the summer of 2008. The Sewanee Annual Fund, for the first time in its history, topped the $3 million mark, as the University's seminary and college alumni, parents, and friends contributed $3.1 million. A record number of May graduates participated in class giving with 98 percent from the School of Theology and 91 percent from the College of Arts & Sciences. In Sewanee alumni annual giving, 45 percent of college alumni and 34 percent of seminary alumni participated. The total number of Sewanee Annual Fund donors reached an all time high of 7,436 donors. Church giving through the Episcopal One Percent Program supports services to ease the financial burden for seminarians and their families. This year contributions from parishes to the seminary totaled $260,430, a decrease from last year's total of $277,779. In the 2005-2006 fiscal year, Sewanee's endowment grew from $252.9 million in June 2005 to more than $270.4 million in June 2006. The University's 2005-2006 operating budget was $59,580,000. Approximately 53 percent of revenues to the University come from student-funded tuition, room and board, and fees.
Competitive foundation grantors included a $1 million grant from the C.E. and S. Foundation of Louisville to fund innovative student-faculty research collaborations. A 2006 Coca-Cola Foundation grant, payable over the next two years, will establish an endowed fund for Coca-Cola Scholars. Five continuing students will be identified each year as Coca-Cola Scholars with up to $5,000 of their financial aid award converted from student loans to a grant in aid. In 2006, Lilly Endowment Inc. renewed its grant entitled, "Programs for the Theological Exploration of Vocation," giving Sewanee $426,842 to continue its own Theological Exploration of Vocation program. The program was established in 2001 and includes the Lilly Summer Discernment Institute, a popular program that allows students to develop internships for vocational exploration in either church or church-related organizations or within service and non-profit spheres. The grant also helps support faculty development, scholars and fellowships and a lecture series. A $200,000 grant from the Starr Foundation of New York provides new scholarship funds for students with demonstrated need.
Faculty and Administration
This past year, Dr. Rita Smith Kipp, formerly professor and associate provost at Kenyon College, became Sewanee's new dean of faculty. Eric Hartman was named Sewanee's dean of students, succeeding Dr. Robert Pearigen, C'76, who was appointed vice president for University relations. The Rev. Thomas Macfie Jr., C'80, T'89, was appointed as the new University chaplain, succeeding the Rev. Thomas Ward Jr., C'67, who served as University chaplain for 11 years and retired in December 2005.
Three faculty members retired during the 2005-2006 academic year: Dr. Samuel Williamson, the Robert M. Ayers Distinguished University Chair and former vice chancellor; Dr. Jerry Ingles, professor of economics, who joined the faculty in 1978; and Dr. Barclay Ward, Alfred Negley Professor of Political Science, after 31 years of teaching at Sewanee.
A three-year duPont Foundation grant enabled Dr. Mae Wallace, associate professor of anthropology and director of teacher education, to organize the Rural Teacher Network Conference attended by more than 300 county teachers who shared best practices in this peer-to-peer network. The Rev. Dr. Christopher Bryan's latest book, Render to Caesar (Oxford University Press, 2005), explores the relationship between early Christianity and the Roman Empire. The Rev. Dr. Donald Armentrout, the Bishop Quintard Professor of Dogmatic Theology, and Dr. Corrie E. Norman, chair of the Southeast Commission on the Study of Religion, were co-authors of Religion in the Contemporary South: Changes, Continuities, and Contexts (University of Tennessee Press, 2005). Dr. James Davidheiser, professor of German, and his wife, Marilyn Davidheiser, German teacher at Franklin County High School, co-wrote Deutsch durch Marchen: Beginning German Fairy Tales through TPRS (TPRS Publishing Inc., 2005). The textbook offers a new method of teaching foreign language called Total Physical Response Storytelling (TPRS). Robert Delcamp, University organist and choirmaster, released his fifth CD on the Naxos label, Organ Music of Alexandre Builmant, recorded in All Saints' Chapel on the newly renovated Casavant organ. Elwood Dunn, professor of political science, traveled to Liberia to continue his work with the Liberian government's Center for National Documents and Records and Indiana University's Liberian Collections Project. Safia Swimelar, assistant professor of political science, received a Fulbright Fellowship to teach at the University of Sarajevo and do research on the process of human rights change in Bosnia.
Student Life
Sewanee welcomed its second-largest freshman class in 2005-2006 - 421 students who hailed from 36 states and boasted an overall 3.5 grade point average. Fifty-eight percent of the entering class received scholarships and financial aid.
Among Sewanee's outstanding athletes, Laura Johnston, C'06, was chosen for the 2005 All-American first team by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. She is the school's third women's soccer All-American in the past four years. Johnston, a team co-captain, led Sewanee to a 12-4-2 overall record and a first-ever berth in the NCAA Division III tournament. Sally Jackson, C'06, was Sewanee's fourth leading rebounder (743) and fifth all-time scorer (1,284 points) earning her All-SCAC honors four times. Hallie Blunck, C'06, received a prestigious NCAA postgraduate scholarship in the spring of 2006, the 26th Sewanee student-athlete to have received this scholarship since 1965. Women's tennis compiled a 20-3 record, taking them to NCAA Division III championships in Santa Cruz, Calif., where Gab Carvalho, C'08, advanced to the singles quarterfinals. Celebrating 129 years of athletics history, the University inducted 23 individuals and two teams as the inaugural class of the Sewanee Athletics Hall of Fame.
Sewanee's outreach efforts extended in many directions in 2005-06. As Hurricanes Katrina and Ivan battered the Gulf Coast, the Sewanee community quickly reacted. According to University records, 298 college and theology alumni and 585 parents and friends, or five percent of the Sewanee family, lived in areas devastated by the hurricanes. Many Sewanee residents and alumni opened their homes to family and friends fleeing the area. The College of Arts and Sciences accepted five students from colleges in New Orleans. The Rev. Annwn Myers, associate chaplain and a Mississippi native, was perhaps one of the first to travel to the Gulf area from the Mountain. She did pastoral work out of the Gulf Coast Episcopal School in Long Beach, Miss. At the same time, her husband, Dixon Myers, outreach director, coordinated the relief supplies and funds donated by the community. College and seminary groups continue to raise funds and travel to the Gulf area in the ongoing relief efforts.
During spring break, college students traveled to Kingston, Jamaica; New York City; and Costa Rica. Through their Mission Committee, seminarians worked with local communities, supplying donations of food, clothing, and household goods, and providing 'sweat equity' for Habitat for Humanity and other programs. Summer mission projects are ongoing in Romania, Haiti, and Appalachia.
Internships are an important part of the Sewanee experience for college students. Among the many internships completed throughout the year, Natasha Cowie, C'07, tested soils working with Sewanee's Landscape Analysis Lab. Carla Reed, C'08, interned with Justice Robert Brown, C'63, of the Arkansas Supreme Court, and Logan Gewin, C'06, gained many mentors while interning at Smith Barney in Omaha.
In her address to the Class of 2006 at the University's May 14 College of Arts and Sciences commencement, valedictorian Amy Metzger exhorted her classmates to carry the Sewanee character with them as they make their way into the world. Metzger, of Pensacola, Fla., was one of 290 undergraduates who were awarded bachelo's degrees. Shawn Elizabeth Means of Little Rock, Ark., was class salutatorian, while Megan Lee Hinkle, of Tallahassee, Fla., was awarded the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Prize, the most prestigious recognition given a graduating senior.
Campus
A beautifully renovated Gailor Hall opened in the fall of 2005 as a home for the English and language departments, the Sewanee Writers' Conference, and The Sewanee Review literary journal. The building features the Stamler Center, thanks to a lead gift from Ellen and Bill Stamler, C'56, and the Holmes Atrium, named in honor of Natalie and Francis Holmes, C'37. Gailor was a dining hall and dormitory from 1953 until McClurg Dining Hall opened in 2000. In early May, the University announced that it had received a $6 million gift from William M. Spencer III, C'41, that provided a tremendous boost to a priority of The Sewanee Call Campaign: the construction of a state-of-art addition to Woods Laboratories science building. Also in May, the University dedicated the new Willett Tennis Stadium and the John P. Guerry Pavilion to support two of the most successful varsity athletics programs in the University's history. The Sewanee men's and women's tennis teams annually rank among the nation's top 25 and have produced 37 All-Americans, two national champions, and 21 national scholar-athletes. The Willett family, including current Sewanee team members Lauren and Molly Willett, both C'07, has a rich tennis tradition and the Guerry family has played an important role in the success of the Sewanee tennis program for 70 years.
A generous gift from Nicholas and Mary Babson in support of the pre-business program in the College of Arts and Sciences, has created the Center for Applied Economics (CAE).
