Bishop’s Report to the Diocesan Convention
In accordance with Title III, Canon 18, Section 6
Of the Constitution & Canons of the Episcopal Church (2004) 

1.            Diocesan Council: 

            The Bishop and the Diocesan Council are asking you to authorize a temporary change in our canons concerning the Convocation Council.  Many people have felt the Convocation Councils do not fulfill the needs of regional leadership in our diocese with its large land area that complicates communications and decision-making. 

            The current canon was designed in part to realize significant representation from each congregation. This canon requires six to eleven lay representatives from each congregation in a convocation, plus the clergy. Some people believe this is far too big. If everyone came who was supposed to, we would have between 77 and 130 people at each Convocation Council meeting. Such a group, meeting once or, at most, three times a year is too large for members to know each other and make decisions. It really can’t discuss anything. The many can only listen to presentations by the few, which may be occasionally useful but which doesn’t lead to regional leadership. Now many people don’t come because they don’t think it is a valuable use of their time. Thus the Diocesan Council is going to ask you to adopt a change in canons which would allow for a Convocation Council with only one lay person, who holds an elected position of authority in his/her congregation and one member of the clergy from each congregation. We hope this will initiate valuable cooperation and joint ministries within convocations and, thus, within the diocese.  Note: the canon is written in such a way that unless it works and the Diocesan Convention decides to adopt it on a permanent basis, it will automatically expire after three years. 

2.          Required information under National Canon III.18.6 (Bishop’s Report to Annual Convention): 

      *    All 71 congregations in the Diocese of Georgia were or will be visited by Bishop Keyser or me in the school year 2004 – 2005 as they were in 2003 – 2004: 

•    In 2004 - 333 Confirmations and 51 Received

•    In 2003 – 302 Confirmations and 67 Received 

      *    We have admitted as Postulants for the Priesthood since the last convention in the diocese since February 2004:

• Ms. Ebba Allen (Christ, Valdosta)

• Ms. Kit Brinson (Our Savior, Martinez)

• Mr. Stan Christian (St. James, Quitman)

• Mr. Frazier Green (St. Richard’s, Jekyll Island)

• Mr. James Guthrie (Christ, Valdosta)

• Ms. Loren Hague (St. Paul’s, Savannah)

• Mr. Ben Rockwell (St. Michael’s, Waynesboro)

• Mr. Kenneth Rowland (Holy Cross, Thomson)

      *    We have admitted as Candidates for Priesthood since the last convention:

• Mr. Ted Clarkson (Good Shepherd, Augusta)

• Mr. Lonnie Lacy (Christ, Valdosta)

• Mr. Matthew Moretz (Christ, SSI)

      *    We have admitted as Postulants for the Diaconate since the last convention:

• Ms. Jennifer Highsmith (Christ, St. Mary’s)

• Mr. George Scott (St. Luke’s, Hawkinsville)

• Ms. Sandra Turner (Our Savior, Martinez)

        *    We have ordained to the Vocational Diaconate: 

•  Dr. Mary Kathleen Blanchard – assigned to St. Paul’s, Augusta

      *    At this Convention, we intend to ordain as transitional deacons: 

• Mr. G. Willcox Brown, III (St. Andrew’s, Darien) Yale

• Ms. Tula Cunningham (Our Savior, Martinez) Sewanee

• Ms. Linda McCloud (St. Augustine’s, Augusta) Sewanee

• Ms. Valori Sherer (Christ the King, Valdosta) Sewanee

• Mr. Steven Rice (Holy Comforter, Augusta)

• Ms. Joy Fisher (Trinity, Cochran)

• Mr. George Porter (Trinity, Cochran)

• Mr. Vernon Wiggins (Trinity, Cochran) 

      *    Since the last convention, we have ordained to the priesthood (with current positions):     

• The Rev. Mary Hemmer - Chaplain at Valdosta State University; Vicar at St. Barnabas’, Valdosta

• The Rev. William Stewart – St. Stephen’s, Leesburg

• The Rev. Leslie Hiers Chadwick – Serving a Lilly Fellowship at Christ Church, Alexandria, VA

• The Rev. Denise Ronn – From Christ the King, Valdosta serving the Southwestern Convocation

• The Rev. Willard Carter – Rector, St. Philip’s, Hinesville

• The Rev. William Fisher – Transferred to Diocese of New York 

      *      Members of the clergy who have presented their Letters Dimissory from their previous dioceses: 

• The Rev. Christopher Schuller from SeFl – Rector, St. Paul’s, Jesup

• The Rev. Richard Nelson from WNC – Rector, St. Thomas’, Savannah

• The Rev. Geri Nelson from WNC – Deacon St. Thomas’, Savannah

      *      Members of the clergy moving out of our diocese who have requested Letters Dimissory: 

• The Rev. Troy Beecham –  New York

• Deacon Ann Bowers –  Florida

• The Rev. Thomas Downs –  Central Florida

• The Rev. William Fisher –  New York

• The Rev. Sally Franklin – Upper SC

• The Rev. James M. Parker –  Florida

• The Rev. Stephanie Parker –  San Diego

• The Rev. Patricia Reuss – Western NC

• The Rev. John West – Virginia

• Deacon Kathryn Wheeler – Central Gulf Coast

      *      Members of the clergy on sabbatical/leave since our last convention: 

• Deacon Lynn Anderson

• Deacon James Aton

• Deacon Katherine (Monahan) Kelly

• Deacon Susan Dulany

*    Members of the clergy who have moved: 

•       The Rev. Harriette Simmons – from Assistant at St. Paul’s, Augusta to Rector, St. Augustine’s, Augusta

•       The Rev. John Jenkins – Retired priest now serving Holy Trinity, Blakely

•       The Rev. James Dorn – from Interim at Holy Angels’, Pooler to St. Mary’s, Palatka, FL

•       The Rev. Theodore Atwood – from Interim at St. Michael’s, Waynesboro

•       The Rev. Steven Rice – to St. Michael’s, Waynesboro

•       The Rev. Stephen Norris – from Rector, St. John’s, Moultrie to Chaplain, South Georgia Medical Center, Valdosta

•       Deacon Susan Harrison – from Christ Church, Savannah to St. George’s Chapel, Diocesan House

•       The Rev. Nancy Mills – Pastoral ministry, St. Anne’s, Tifton from where she serves Good Shepherd, Thomasville & St. Matthew’s, Fitzgerald

•       The Rev. George Bowers – from Respite Priest, St. John’s, Bainbridge to Interim, St. Andrew’s & St. Cyprian’s, Darien

•       The Rev. Ronald Davidson – from non-parochial to Interim, Christ Church, Dublin

•       The Rev. Lee Bauer – Through marriage is now the Rev. Lee Shafer 

*    Members of the clergy who have died since last convention:     

• The Rev. Jacob Berlin

• The Rev. David Heil

• The Rev. Henry Williams

• The Rev. Seaman Williams