December 20, 2006
The Reverend Deacons
Diocese of
Georgia
Dear
Brothers and Sisters in Christ:
I am very,
very thankful for you assisting me at visitations where there is
no resident Deacon. Each church has a different floor plan and
has slightly different customs of how and when things are done.
It would be helpful to me if you would go into the church and
get a lay of the land such as where we are going to stand and
where do we sit. I also would like for you to ask the priest or
a master of ceremony, if there is one, the following:
1. If
they are using the second rite what prayer is being used after
communion? There are two and that is not normally marked in the
altar book and it's awkward to go and pick up a bulletin, at
that point, and look to see which one is going to be used.
2.
Make sure that the proper preface for the feast for Sunday is
marked and the Eucharistic canon that the bulletin lists is
marked in the altar book.
3.
It's very helpful to me if you would keep your finger at the
front of the line, which is where I am suppose to be reading. I
occasionally loose my place and if your finger is on the line I
can normally pick up where I am in the line with my eye
quickly. But it is harder if I have to read three or four lines
looking for where I was.
4. I
need for you to find out about administrating the communion.
The Bishop should give out the consecrated bread. If the crowd
is very small probably the pastor should administer the
chalice. If they normally use one person administering the
consecrated bread and two chalices then I think it should be the
Bishop with the bread and the pastor and you with the chalices.
If they use four or more administrators then according to the
Constitution of the Episcopal Church, the Prayer Book, they
should use other ordained clergy at the rector's choice. If
there are no other clergy and they need a fourth person a
Eucharistic minister is certainly acceptable, or more than that
if necessary, to administer the Eucharist efficiently.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Henry I.
Louttit
Bishop of
Georgia
HIL/ged

TO: Diocesan Clergy, Senior
Wardens, ECW Presidents*,
DOK Presidents* and Youth
Ministers (*please distribute to
them)
FROM: Bishop Louttit and
Diocesan Council
DATE: March 31, 2006
Dear brothers and sisters in
Christ:
Building on earlier work by
our Long Range Planning Committee and with input of scores of people
- both lay and clergy - from around the diocese, a strategic plan of
mission and ministry has been created. We are grateful to Mr. Belton
Zeigler, Chancellor of the Diocese of Upper South Carolina, who
served as our consultant throughout the process.
An outline of this plan,
Together, We Grow, was presented by the Strategy To
Action Team (STAT) at the 184th Diocesan Convention in
February. We are very excited about what we believe God is calling
us to do as the Body of Christ in the Diocese of Georgia. Now we are
called to work out the details and implement the plan at the
convocation and parish levels. To accomplish this, we are asking for
the prayerful participation of all our congregations and the various
church groups within them.
I request that the following
collect be used when groups come together for meetings and that it
be included it in the Prayers of the People on Sundays and weekdays.
O God, by your grace you have
called us in this diocese to a goodly fellowship of faith. Inspire
our hearts with understanding so that indeed Together, We Grow.
Guide us now in the development and focus of our action teams;
encourage them to follow your will in all they do. Bless us as we
come together, and help us to begin to apply this program throughout
the diocese, moving forward in the example of Christ to the honor
and glory of your name. Amen.
As we proceed with our plan,
we will continue to gather energy and vision from the Holy Spirit,
and apply this vision in a way that works for our diocese. As the
details of the plan continue to develop, we will forward information
regarding our progress to all our congregations, including a series
of collects to continue to focus our efforts as Together, We
Grow.
Sincerely,
Henry I. Louttit
Bishop of Georgia
The Rev. Lee F. Shafer
Vice-President, Diocesan
Council
NOTE: Member Parishes of
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