king of peace episcopal church 2011 parish profile...

King of Peace Episcopal Church

2011 Parish Profile 2011

6230 Laurel Island Parkway Kingsland, GA 31548

(912) 510-8958 www.kingofpeace.org

We believe all people are called to be ministers and to serve God, his Church and the community in

which they live.

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LEADERSHIP

Bishop The Rt. Rev. Scott Anson Benhase

Mentor/Advisor

The Rev. Ray Worthington

Interim Associate Rector The Rev. Iané Sastre

Senior Warden

Dave Callen

Junior Warden Jim Hudson

Other Vestry Members

Chuck Castiglione Robin Davenport-Ray Mary Kay Lindquist Ruth Proctor-Terry

Gilmer White

Appointed Positions (non-voting)

Treasurer – Melissa Rogers

Secretary – JoAnn White

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Table of Contents

HISTORY OF KING OF PEACE…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………1-9 LAY MINISTERS, LAY READERS, ACOLYTES…………………………………..………………...…….………………………………..10 MUSIC MINISTRY………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………10-11 ALTER & FLOWER GUILD……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….……….12 DAUGHTERS OF THE KING……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..12 EPISCOPAL CHURCH WOMEN (ECW)……………………………………………………………………………………………………..13 CHILDREN’S CHURCH………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….………….13 KIDS IN THE KINGDOM SUNDAY…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….14 KIDS IN THE KINGDOM WEEK………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..14 MEMORIAL GARDEN……………………………………………………………….………………………………………………………..14-15 BOY SCOUTS………………………………………………………………………………………….………………………………………….15-16 GIRL SCOUTS…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….16-17 KING OF PEACE EPISCOPAL DAY SCHOOL………………………………………………………………………………………….17-18 KING OF PEACE EPISCOPAL CHURCH - FINANCES…………………………………………………………………………….…….19 KING OF PEACE EPISCOPAL DAY SCHOOL - FINANCES…………………..…………………………………………….…………20

RECTOR PROFILE……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………21

FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES FOR KING OF PEACE………………………………………………………….……………………………21

THE DIOCESE OF GEORGIA…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….22

COMMUNITY PROFILE………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………23-26 DIRECTIONS AND SERVICE TIMES……………………………………………………………………………………………………..……27

King of Peace Parish Profile 2011

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PARISH PROFILE

KING OF PEACE EPISCOPAL CHURCH KINGSLAND, GA

A HISTORY OF KING OF PEACE King of Peace began in September of 2000, with Questioning Your Faith, a series of talks and discussion, which began at the Camden County Recreation Center, continued after four weeks at the Days Inn and concluded November 1 in a house purchased that day by the Diocese of Georgia.

The first night, there were 16 people total present, including children. By the last night of the series, there were 34 people taking part. Emily Gross was baptized that final night of the series.

The first public worship service was Christmas Eve of that year in the living room of the three-bedroom, two-bath house on the seven acres of property planned to house the new congregation. 44 people attended that first worship service.


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From the start, the congregation was different by design.

Bishop Henry Louttit conceived of a third Episcopal Church in Camden County and asked seminarian Frank Logue, his wife, Victoria, and their daughter Griffin, to undertake the effort. With two existing Episcopal Churches each ten miles away, the new congregation was to reach those not then being reached by the Gospel. This is why the congregation began with the Questioning Your Faith talks on topics including Why does God allow suffering? Can other religions be true? and Why should we believe the Bible?

Perhaps the most unique piece of the founding story is how much of the congregation’s life was set by those who would never attend the new church. When Logue arrived to start work on June 1, 2000, he began knocking on doors. At each house, he would explain that he was starting a church, but was not looking for them to attend. He wanted to know, “What can a new church do for Kingsland?” At 100 households around Kingsland, he listened to people who told him how the new church could benefit the community. He also went to the City Council to ask the same question. A newspaper article followed which generated interest from some of the first persons to come to the congregation. Out of this process, came the plan to start a full day, full year preschool and to grow that school to a primary

school, elementary school and beyond. Also, the first 25 people were asked which of 6 church names they preferred for the new congregation. All 25 picked King of Peace from a group that included saints’ names, such as St. Timothy’s and Saints Mary and Martha. After finishing the Questioning Your Faith series, a Wednesday evening Bible study continued. Kids in the Kingdom Sundays, youth group and a women’s group led by Victoria Logue were all underway before Sunday worship began, so that there would be a real church growing and not simply a worship service.


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In many ways, King of Peace continued to grow as a self-made church. The members of the congregation worked on the house, expanding the worship seating from 48 through a series of building projects, that included removing part of the wall in the kitchen, enclosing the front porch, and building out the garage until 105 chairs were accommodated. As the congregation began to grow into its newly enlarged home, there were some bumps along the road. Building permit issues slowed construction projects that spring. At Easter, there were more people than chairs when 78

people arrived to worship in a house without all the expansion projects complete. Music was prerecorded by Ginny Lovett, the organist for Christ Episcopal Church in St. Marys.

It was played on a keyboard, by teens who would hit play at the right time. Ginny’s skill was up to the task, but prerecorded music could not take the congregation into account. The result was laughably awkward at times, but all had a good spirit about the problem. During this time, Ruth Proctor spoke with her friend Linda Rice, who led the group of musicians that played the Saturday evening folk mass at Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church in St. Marys, including Freddie and Enree Esparagoza, who very faithfully gave of their talents to the new church. The group began to play monthly, then every other week, and finally each week for King of Peace. This changed the style of worship from more formal hymns to more relaxed folk and praise worship tunes. In general, a church that meets in a house becomes a church family rather effortlessly. Some people brought in soft drinks and snacks for the refrigerator for work days and it was common for kids and teens to check the refrigerator for something before or after church.


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The church began to develop its grounds even before building its first building. Frank and Victoria worked with Mark West to clear small pines growing on mounds of topsoil dumped on the property years earlier and the front part of the land was graded. Jason White built a Stations of the Cross trail as an Eagle Scout project. King of Peace shared a blessing with the other churches when St. Marys United Methodist Church came into a 61 million dollar bequest and tithed on that gift to other Christian Churches founded by 2000. King of Peace just made the cut and came into $48,000 to help the building fund. The church was also awarded a $24,000 United Thank Offering Grant to start the Preschool. The plan had been to build the preschool first and then add the church, but with the grants, it was possible to build the preschool and church at the same time.

To make this possible, Bishop Louttit offered some of the

time of The Rev. James M. Parker, then the Vicar of St. Margaret of Scotland in Moultrie. Jim was a contractor prior to the priesthood. Jim served as the contractor of record for the City of Kingsland, with the Building Inspector knowing Frank Logue would oversee the construction day to day. Jim came many weeks and slept on a futon in a bedroom in the back of the house which was home to the church.


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Members of the congregation did some work on the building. This included staining wood, painting doors, installing door hardware, and other similar projects. Most of the work though was done by sub contractors. In some places these lines blurred as when father and son members Scott and Charlie McCullough installed all the windows and built the arches for the church entry. And the labyrinth was created by Christopher Raine, who was a tile installer in town, but came to join the church. His son was baptized in the new church where his dad had laid many tiles to build the labyrinth at cost. The 9,000 sq. ft. building cost $500,000 with another $50,000 for the parking lot. This was only possible because of the congregation’s work and dedication to the project.

The building was dedicated by Bishop Louttit on Pentecost Sunday, 2004. At that point, the church was averaging 85 people in attendance each Sunday. King of Peace Episcopal Day School opened that July. Video and PowerPoint have frequently been part of worship in the house, and they became more typical in the new sanctuary. While the words of the liturgy were never projected, each week there might be artwork as well as sermon notes, video and audio clips.


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The new building made more outreach possible including expanding work with Girl Scouts and creating first a Boy Scout Troop, later Cub Scouts and a Venture Crew as well. Narcotics Anonymous also expanded to two nights a week. The church building came to be used quickly Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 8 or 9 p.m. and then frequent Saturday use, as well as Sunday mornings. The church that had begun by asking …

“What can we do for this community?” began to live more fully into that promise and the Sunday attendance increased as did the reputation of the church. Growth brought challenges the congregation could no longer relate to as it had when showing up at church meant checking to see what was in the refrigerator to eat. But the growth also meant new possibilities.


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Following the death of Marc Dickman, a Memorial Garden was

planned which further helped develop the grounds, particularly using an area close to wetlands, so it could not be developed any other way. Plans to turn the wet area into a pond did not move forward immediately, but remained in place.

Meanwhile, the Preschool and church grew together with events like “Trunk or Treat” that drew from church and school. Some events were stand alone activities, like a Child’s Safety Awareness Evening put on by the Preschool and Scouts following a kidnapping and murder of a child in Brunswick.

Others became signature events, such as the Epiphany Burning of the Greens with a Low Country Boil and Oyster Roast, or the Holiday Bazaar, which became a major fundraiser through the efforts of Sandy Shutak, Diane Waldron, and Karen Shirley, with their crew of workers.


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The music program grew and changed, with Carol Ludwigson playing for Wednesday evenings and a new Saturday evening service which lasted a year.

Debbie Warden also created the King of Peace Ensemble. Between Carol and Debbie, a vision came together for a quality piano, which was purchased in memory of Lillian Hedges Hughes.


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One of the things that remained about King of Peace is that while it stayed decidedly Episcopal, the congregation continued to bring in people who had not been to church in a while, together with those of a variety of denominational backgrounds. The church expanded to more than 150 routinely in worship and The Rev. John Rogers retired to St. Marys and began as an assisting priest.

Jay Weldon soon after came on board as a lay curate, when he had graduated from a Baptist seminary and was working through the ordination process in the Episcopal Church prior to attending General Seminary in New York for a year.

In 2009, Frank was nominated as a candidate

for Bishop of Georgia. This was a challenging time as there was uncertainty about what would happen next. The congregation began to consider its future without the founding pastor in place. At that same time, King of Peace was working toward being moved to parish status, which happened at the diocesan convention in February 2010. Shortly after this, Bishop Benhase called Frank to be his Canon and a 100-day time of leave taking began. The Rev. Canon Douglas Renegar was called to serve as Interim Rector. Through this time of transition, attendance still averages 90-100 and King of Peace has been moving forward in a way true to its history, redefining itself as

the congregation seeks to call its second rector. The church remains a congregation formed from the inside out, starting with the needs of the community and those who do not have a church home, rather than being concerned primarily with those who are already within the fold.


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LAY MINISTERS, LAY READERS, ACOLYTES There is an array of opportunities available for parishioners to assist in the area of worship. From lay reader, chalice bearer, greeter, to acolytes for the youth, we have a full staff of volunteers for

the monthly list which is published. There is an annual training for those interested in these ministries.

MUSIC MINISTRY The Music Ministry at King of Peace is a growing program. As church musicians, we see ourselves as servants to the congregation, the clergy, and to the community at large. We serve the congregation by inviting and leading in worship music, and by ensuring that the music is appropriate to the setting, the seasons, the lessons, and any special emphasis of the day. We serve the clergy by working collaboratively to support the liturgical aims set for us and by working toward music which is seamless with the liturgy and provides no distraction. We serve the community at large by building relationships with musicians from other churches both in our diocese and with churches of other denominations within our community in order both to support musicians service other Christian communities and to encourage own growth as musicians. We believe that practice, planning, and preparation are not for performance, but are tools for offering our best to God. For congregational music, three pianists cover the services. Carol Ludwigson plays for the early morning services on Sunday. Bill Bruce covers the fourth Sunday of the month and works with a folk mass group from Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church in St. Marys to provide variety. On the remaining Sundays, Deborah Warden provides congregational songs which are more traditional, but not exclusively from Church Publishing sources. All the musicians serve on a


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volunteer basis, and work with each other to make sure that all the services are covered. At this time, there is no music at the Wednesday evening service. For service music, the congregation is accustomed to singing the kyrie, sanctus, acclamations, and amens from several different settings (including one written specifically for this congregation), but are not accustomed to the service being chanted or sung. Service music is usually changed with the seasons of the church year, and those opportunities are used to learn new settings. Some of the music printed in the service leaflet is in accordance with our CCLI license; however there are also many hymns in the 1982 Hymnal for the congregation. The choral ensemble was started in February of 2007, and a great deal has been learned in that short time. The ensemble does not serve every Sunday as a choir, but when there is choral music ready, they function in that role for the entire service. There are no auditions, and anyone who wishes to come is welcome. The choral ensemble hosted a large interdenominational concert in the Spring of 2007, and an Evening Prayer Service (May 2010) in conjunction with the choir from First Presbyterian Church – St Marys, and hosted a Festival of Lessons and Carols in December 2010. These were all outreach events for the wider community. The hand bell choir is the newest group in the music ministry. Begun in the spring of 2010, the hand bell choir is led by Lee Bernasek. This beginning level group prepares music with the goal of providing a prelude or special piece at least once a month. As with the choral group, anyone who wishes to ring is welcome.


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ALTAR & FLOWER GUILD This ministry is carried out by a dedicated group of ladies from the congregation. Each week the Communion table is set up for each service by two ladies from the schedule published at the first of the month. These ladies are also responsible for maintaining the linens and changing altar cloths for the appropriate seasons. The flowers for the Sunday service are bought and arranged by these ladies also. Individual members of the church designate and provide funds for the flowers as a dedication of remembrance or honor. DAUGHTERS OF THE KING

The Order of the Daughters of the King is an international spiritual order for women dedicated to bringing others into a life of prayer, service and evangelistic commitment to Jesus. The Order at

King of Peace was formed in 2007 and continues to grow in number and service. The focus has been on helping Camden House, a local battered women's shelter, with food for their food bank, school supplies, and Christmas toys for the children. They have also distributed Anglican Rosary beads and olive wood crosses. They prepare and serve Lenten meals and held an Easter Bonnet Mother/Daughter event.


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EPISCOPAL CHURCH WOMEN (ECW)

In 2008, ECW was formed, adopted by-laws, and elected a set of officers. Membership dues of $1.00 a month were set in order to build a bank account for operating funds. The first year a Day of Sharing was held with several other groups in the area. A fund raiser as part of the Bazaar bought new acolyte candles and also baptism candles which are given to all newly christened babies and newly baptized adults.

ECW of King of Peace began to meet quarterly with a share a meal, luncheon meetings, ladies night out movies at the church and other fun activities. Coffee between Services on Sunday morning was set up at this time. ECW this year donated funds for seminary student books, the United Thanks Offering, held a Day of Caring luncheon, set-up a Prayer Book study group, and took meals to shut-ins due to illness or other needs. CHILDREN'S CHURCH

The children's church program lasts for about 30 minutes during the 10 am service for grades K – 3. Each Sunday two volunteers share the duties. During the opening hymn the children are taken to rooms used during the week for the preschool. The gospel reading of the day from the Children's Adventure Bible is read to the children. That is followed with a short discussion answering questions raised, followed by a craft closely related to the gospel lesson of the day, a game or snack and closing prayer. The children rejoin their families to share the Eucharist with them. The goal for children's church is to have the lessons as similar as possible to what their families are listening to during

service so that they can discuss the scripture and what they have learned. The lessons are planned well in advance with the schedules for each month.


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KIDS IN THE KINGDOM SUNDAY During the school year, Kids in the Kingdom Sundays are held once a month after the 10 am service, from 11:30-12:30. There are stories, crafts, games and lunch together. This program is for grades K-5. The focus is on the Old Testament, since the emphasis in the Children's Church is on the New Testament.

KIDS IN THE KINGDOM WEEK Kids in the Kingdom week is the Vacation Bible School at King of Peace. Because the Preschool is in session during the week, the program is limited to about 30 children. We have many youth and adult volunteers step forward to assist. The program is scheduled for Monday – Friday, 9 – 12, usually the first week after school ends for the summer. There is Bible study/discussion time, games, crafts, songs and snacks. The children rotate in three groups of ten each to different areas which are run by the volunteers. Each day there is a focus point from the Bible. The goal for this program is to share the love of Jesus with the children and let them know that church is a safe place to learn and grow in God's love. Each day the hope is that they leave feeling loved, happy and to have learned something new through the Bible readings, interactions with the games, songs, crafts and volunteers and of course have FUN! MEMORIAL GARDEN The Marcus Dickman Memorial Garden is located on church property. The setting is designed as a quiet and sacred place for prayer and reflection. The many blossoming trees, flowers and plantings reflect the typical landscaping of the area and serves as a visible reminder of our belief in God's gracious gift of resurrection.


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The memorial garden is designed to remember those who have gone before us in faith, as it is a place where the ashes of the dead are interred. There are approved individual memorials located within the garden and all the names of those remembered are recorded in the parish register. The garden is operated and governed by the Vestry under the supervision of the Memorial Garden Committee. This committee is appointed and chaired by the Clergy-in-Charge, through whom all arrangements for any use must be made. This consultation with the clergy is a necessary first step for members wishing to utilize the memorial garden. BOY SCOUTS

Scouting is one of the largest outreach ministries of King of Peace. Boy Scout Troop 226 was chartered on June 29, 2004 and has grown to over 30 boys, with six being awarded Eagle Scout rank. The troop selected its number based on Proverbs 22:6 "Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it." Since the troop was new, a group of experienced Scouts has been among the group's leadership. Scoutmaster Robert Davenport Ray was a professional executive with the Boy Scouts of America. Rev. Frank Logue said, "As an Eagle Scout, I know how important it is to have the right leadership for a scout troop and we have been blessed with an amazing group of individuals who bring


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the right experience and ideals to the troop." In addition to these seasoned scout leaders, the troop has in place some adults new to scouting and a full committee of adults taking care of the organizational aspects the troop. Four members of Troop 226 participated in the 2010 Centennial Boy Scout National Jamboree held at Fort A. P. Hill in July. The Scout Troop has spawned the creation of both a Cub Scout Pack and a Venturing Crew. Cub Scout Pack 226 was founded in 2007 and has organized Dens in every age group of Cub Scouting, Tiger through Webelos. The Pack has grown to over 60 registered members who have built a community garden, hoping to inspire other youth groups to start their own. The Cubs also participated in the 2009 Scouting for Food Good Turn, gathering food for local food banks.

Venture Crew 226 numbers 20 young men and women. This is the co-ed program of Boy Scouting. Founded also in 2007, the Crew has traveled to High Adventure outings in central Florida and North Georgia. They attended the 2009 "Venture Quest" in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, which is a regional conference of over 3000 Venturers from all over the southeastern US. Each member of the crew is a High School athlete. Venturing emphasis is on Service, Water & Shooting Sports, and Athletics. They have provided service to the elderly by building a wheelchair ramp and by cleaning yards. Pack, Troop and Crew 226 have begun a special fund raising effort in 2010 that will both support their programs and reach out to other

youth programs in Camden County. As the "King of Peace Camden Youth Outreach", they operate a concession stand on the Main Concourse of EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, FL (Home of the Jacksonville Jaguars). This stand has 20 registers and has average sales of $30,000 at each event. The profits are shared with any not-for-profit youth program who volunteers to work the stand with them. GIRL SCOUTS For over seven years, King of Peace has provided Girl Scouts with a place for a variety of troop meetings, overnight events for every age level, outdoor events, adult training, the monthly leadership meeting plus a place to distribute the annual cookie sales. Presently there is one troop of Girls who meet at the church plus the monthly leader meeting. With this support, the Girl


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Scout program has been able to reach and serve more girls in the county. The support of the church has been greatly appreciated and recognized by the Girl Scout Council of Historic Georgia. KING OF PEACE EPISCOPAL DAY SCHOOL The school was on the drawing board from the beginning dreams of building the church. As such, it was an integral part of the building process. All the rooms and the kitchen were designed for a preschool from the ground up, giving the best possible setting for reaching children. It was created as an independent non-profit corporation in order to meet the growing need in Camden County for education alternatives. The school has its own By Laws and is governed by a Board of Directors chaired by the church Rector. The Board is made up of parents and church members which meet monthly. It is fully licensed by the State of Georgia and always receives the highest marks on inspection by them. Since July, 2004, the Preschool has been offering the best possible care for eighteen month to five year old children. The school received a $24,000 grant from Episcopal Church Women's United Thank Offering which allowed the church to furnish the school as the building was being completed. The vision for the Preschool is for it to be a happy, safe, and loving environment providing the highest quality care possible for preschool-aged children. Rather than simply operating a day care, this is a facility where education, including Christian education, is an essential component and where the children we teach will reach their full potential in readiness for school. It offers a full-day, full year preschool and has a maximum enrollment of 65 children, with always a waiting list. Our staff brings exciting ideas and years of experience in preschool education. The curriculum used is "Links to Literacy" which provides the tools that our teachers need to assist in helping each child reach his/her full potential. "Links to Literacy" addresses all areas of development for preschool children: Language development, literacy, cognitive development (math, science, creative arts), social and emotional development, learning approaches and physical/health development, thus nurturing the essential elements of lifelong learning. The school was recently named a Center of Distinction by the State of Georgia's Department of

Early Care and Learning. This honor places the school among the top preschools in the state, and it is the only program in Camden County considered for the program. Long range planning includes expanding the Preschool into the elementary grades and beyond. To that goal the school purchased a twelve acre plot in October, 2009 to begin the process. This property is located about two miles from the church. The plan is to build in stages, with facilities for


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kindergarten through second grade, and expand by grade from that point. The objective will be a local alternative to public schools, offering the highest quality education for students. We are currently working on plans for that facility.


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KING OF PEACE EPISCOPAL CHURCH - FINANCES King of Peace finds itself in a generally stable financial position considering the recent drop in levels of attendance and giving. This trend is attributed to the "unknowns" associated with the new Rector Search process and also, the overall current economic situation of the country in general. Finance Summary Income 2010 2009 2008 Offering $ 138,422 $ 146,079 $ 154,087 Rental Income $ 18,000 $ 18,000 $ 15,900 Miscellaneous Income $ 5,327 $ 1,031 $ 1,279 Total $ 161,449 $ 165,110 $ 171,266 Disbursements 2010 2009 2008 Staff Salaries $ 53,370* $ 81,482 $ 105,631 Mortgage/Maintenance $ 58,755 $ 51,432 $ 48,052 Administration $ 10,155 $ 12,763 $ 19,260 Diocesan Allocations $ 20,289 $ 17,696 $ 12,691 Total $142,569 $163,373 $185,634 Reserve Funds as of December 2010 Savings Acct: $ 14,786 Money Market Acct: $ 15,894 Growth/Maintenance CD's: $ 45,242 * Rector departed mid-June, 2010


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KING OF PEACE EPISCOPAL DAY SCHOOL – FINANCES The Day School opened its doors on July, 2004 with 25 students. Enrollment grew steadily during the first year as word spread in the community about the excellent care and education provided for students . By the second year, and every year thereafter, we have had a waiting list of potential students for 18 months to 5 years of age. We are licensed by the State of Georgia for a maximum of 65 students, and the School was recognized in 2010 by the State as being a Center of Distinction, the only school in SE Georgia to achieve this rating. A summary of operations is presented here: 2008 2009 2010 Gross Income Tuition $393,900 $412,943 $405,400 Fund Raisers 3,800 1,623 4,100 Total Income $397,700 $414,566 $409,500 Less: Expenses $366,425 $388,149 $395,966 Leasehold Improvement 15,735 4,890 0 Total Expenses $382,160 $393,039 $395,966 Net Income $15,540 $21,527 $13,534* Reserves $22,257 None* $2,000 Property Purchase - 10/2009* $55,000 Note Due King of Peace Church $10,300 Paid in full 10/2010 * Property purchased, 11.6 acres, for expansion of current day school to a school for kindergarten through eighth grade.


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RECTOR PROFILE We at King of Peace are looking for an individual who, guided by the Holy Spirit, will be a worship leader within the broad traditions of Episcopal worship, will be a counselor and guide on Spiritual and personal matters, is a good speaker and teacher, will be an enthusiastic developer of and participant in youth activities, and will nurture others' ministries. It is very important that our new Rector assumes a strong leadership position with respect to both our current Day School as well as in the opening of the new elementary school. Our new Rector should be competent in general Church administration, including supervising staff, preparing budgets and engaging in long range planning. In addition, we expect our Rector to seek opportunities for his or her personal spiritual growth and continuing education, to attend and participate in both parish functions and in civic and community activities, and to be liaison to the Diocese of Georgia, the wider Church, and the world. Whether he or she is male or female, or is a member of a minority, is not important.

FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES FOR KING OF PEACE

Our new Rector has some exciting challenges awaiting his or her arrival. We have plans to build a new church building on land that is already owned by the parish, as well as the

conversion of our current church building into a parish hall, a more social use facility.

We are also preparing for the growth of our day school into a complete elementary school with the intention of growing by two grades per year beginning in 2013, continuing through the eighth grade. This is planned on property acquired by the school in 2009. The current school building will have an addition for housing the kindergarten as well as the rector's study. Because we have many young families with small children, there is the hope for a dynamic youth ministry that will encourage growth of the parish by being a place our youth and their friends wish to be. In addition to Vacation Bible School, we would like to see other youth oriented programs so that the children become more involved in the life of the church. We now have a Spanish Language Eucharist , La Santa Eucaristia, which began in February 2011.


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THE DIOCESE OF GEORGIA

Among the settlers arriving with Georgia founder James Edward Oglethorpe in 1735 was a clergyman from the Church of England. The Diocese of Georgia was established in 1823 and by 1907 had grown so much that it was divided geographically and the Diocese of Atlanta was created.

Today the Diocese of Georgia covers the southeastern 32,994 square miles (85,450 km2) of the State of Georgia, running from the Chattahoochee River west of Americus to the Savannah River north of Augusta. Savannah is

the see city. In February 2007, the Diocese of Georgia reported 18,651 communicants with an average Sunday attendance of 7,127 in its 71 churches.

Our current Bishop, the Right Reverend Scott Anson Benhase, was consecrated in January of 2010. Approximately 150 clergy are canonically resident in the Diocese of Georgia at any given time. Included in the active clergy are more than 30 non-stipendiary vocational deacons, who serve in the Diocese under the guidance of the Bishop. Most of the clergy in the Diocese serve in parishes and missions; some serve as school, hospital and hospice chaplains or in other non-parochial ministries expressing their special gifts.

Clergy are expected to participate in convocational clericus meetings (monthly through most of the year), clergy conferences and diocesan convention. Clergy are also called upon to serve on various diocesan boards, committees and commissions as part of their service to the larger church.


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COMMUNITY PROFILE The culture of Coastal Georgia stretches a hundred miles along the Atlantic coast, from Savannah, just south of Hilton Head, to Kingsland/St. Marys, just above the Florida border. The Georgia coastal communities share a relaxed, easygoing lifestyle and ethos and the presence of Interstate 95 along the entire coastal region makes access and interaction among its residents, towns, islands, and numerous arts communities easy and frequent. King of Peace Episcopal church resides in the community of Kingsland, Camden County, Georgia, near Cumberland Island National Seashore and at the southern base of the coastal region. Camden County is blessed with year round sunny weather, but at the same time its location where the Atlantic coast curves sharply westward has protected it significantly from tropical storms and hurricanes. In contrast to coastal areas further south in Florida, and further north in the Carolinas, the Camden County area has experienced only two hurricanes in the past one hundred years. Kingsland, and its contiguous sister city, St. Marys, Georgia, also enjoy a proximity to metropolitan amenities across the border in nearby Jacksonville, Florida, in terms of economic and cultural opportunities while retaining clear small town identities and mores. Both towns sit along the very southeastern end of Georgia’s Atlantic coast, and have interstate highway access via exits 1, 3, 6, and 7 of Interstate 95, just north of the Florida state line. Travel time on I-95 from exit 3 to Jacksonville International Airport is about 25 minutes. Travel time to downtown Jacksonville on the same route is about 45 minutes. Travel time to the beaches at Amelia Island, Florida is about 40 minutes; north to the Jekyll Island beaches, about 45 minutes. St. Marys, the more easterly of the two cities, has a large, public use waterfront on the St. Marys River, as it flows out toward the Atlantic. Both towns are protected from severe weather by Cumberland Island, a barrier island that is a federally protected wildlife sanctuary, and by the out to sea easterly path of the Gulf Stream. Population growth in Camden County, the home to Kingsland and St. Marys, has been explosive in recent decades. Total Camden County population in 1980 was around 13,000. Most recent estimates place it at 47,000, with approximately 13,000 of that in Kingsland and 11,000 in St. Marys. Much of the remainder of the county’s population lives in the unincorporated areas adjacent to the two cities and, to a lesser extent, in Woodbine, the county seat. The most dramatic growth in area population resulted from the establishment in 1980 of a US Navy nuclear submarine base, Kings Bay, which serves as home base to approximately 5,000 US Naval personnel and employs another 3,500 civilians in various service and refitting functions for the sub fleet. Another Navy installation is at Naval Station Mayport outside of Jacksonville, FL and is home to approximately 14,000 naval personnel. Additional population growth for Camden County finds its origin in increasing development pressures northward from the Jacksonville metro area, due to limitations on growth in the intervening counties


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in northeast Florida, and a more attractive tax climate. While such growth has paused significantly for the last couple of years, due to the collapse of the subprime mortgage markets, it is expected to resume with vigor once that episode in the economy has run its course. This has become more likely with the impending expansion of Jacksonville as a major port for increased traffic expected with improvements to the Panama Canal to accommodate larger ships. It is likely that some portion, perhaps much, of the logistics support (warehousing, trucking, rail, etc) for an expanded Jacksonville port will find its way north along I-95 to Camden County, which is closer in time and distance than the currently projected sites at the west of Jacksonville along I-10. The result will be even more dramatic population growth. At this point in time, conventional wisdom and census reports divide the Camden population into roughly equal thirds: one-third raised here and native; one-third “snowbirds” who have permanently emigrated to the area; and one-third families and personnel here solely for the submarine base. Such significant percentages of newcomers (that is, families not having generational ties to local communities) and transitional (that is, families who may only remain in the area for four or five years); presents significant opportunities for and challenges to parish life and Christian outreach. Kingsland and St. Marys residents are served by two Episcopal parishes: Christ Church, St. Marys, the much older parish (founded in 1845), and the more traditional in practice and custom; and King of Peace, founded eleven years ago in 2000, and the more unconventional and eclectic in approach and practice. Further north, but still in Camden County, is a church - St. Mark’s, in Woodbine, the county seat. There is a mission church, Our Savior at Honey Creek and Honey Creek Conference Center, belonging to the Diocese of Georgia. All these congregations are part of the Diocese of Georgia, based in Savannah, and are well within the mainstream of Episcopal life and thinking. Kingsland and St. Marys and their immediate contiguous areas are served by an estimated 26 Christian churches, including all mainstream denominations as well as a significant number of independent, non-denominational churches. Camden County’s total religious community lists 66 churches. Population profile The most telling US Census statistic regarding Kingsland and St. Marys is that approximately 70% of the population (in 2000) had been born in some state other than Georgia. About 19% of the Camden County population holds a bachelor’s degree or higher, compared with a US average of 27%. On the other hand, about 19% of the civilian population in Camden is US military veterans, while that same measure for the US is around 10%. Many Navy retirees stay in coastal Georgia after having been stationed here. Many also resume Navy work as civilian employees of defense contractors employed by the Trident submarine base. Ethnically, the area is about 20% African-American, 75% Caucasian, with the other five percent divided between Asians and Hispanics. Poverty afflicts about 12% of Camden residents, and jobs of any kind are scarce because of the collapse of the construction industry and the demise of a major local employer that manufactured paper -- a


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commodity increasingly obsolete because of the internet. There is a well-organized effort by local and county government to pursue redevelopment of the paper mill property, but without much success so far because of the general lack of investment capital in the recession. Current unemployment rates hover above 10%, but actually are much better than adjacent counties that stand at 13% or higher. Camden’s population is surprisingly young, compared to US totals, and especially when compared to other areas that attract retirees. The largest single population group are the “millennials” (ages 0-28) who compose 33.5% of the county population compared to 27.5% for the total U.S. Only 7.8% of the Camden population is 65 years old or over, while the comparable US figure is 12.6%. The median age is 31.4, and females slightly outnumber males, 48.5% to 51.5%. Education Camden County’s children attend a countywide, unified school system with almost 9,800 students in one high school (with a separate ninth grade center), two middle schools, and nine elementary schools. The school board is elected by district and is nominally non-partisan. The school district also has a support center for special education students called Coastal Academy. All schools in the system have met AYP (Adequate Yearly Progress) benchmarks. Over the last four years, however, state budget shortfalls have resulted in annual reductions in funding for county school systems, and the most recent cuts have resulted in reductions of the length of the school year as well as some subject eliminations. The educational level of the overall population is below average, but very stable. While 84.2% of the county population age 25 and over have graduated from high school (U.S. percentage is 80.4%), only 16.6% in the area have graduated from college (compared to the U.S.’s 24.4%). However, the presence of so many high school graduates is a clear indicator of social stability. King of Peace has fostered an award-winning Day Care/Pre-K school for the last eight years. The school serves 65 children and has a significant waiting list. Plans are being pursued currently to expand that school to K-2. Further plans include expanding through the 8th grade. The Rector of King of Peace serves as the chairman of the school’s board, and the members of the school’s board are elected by the parish at its annual meeting. The College of Coastal Georgia, based in Brunswick (30 miles north), provides higher education in Camden County via its sister campus, in Kingsland, near King of Peace. Coastal is a former two-year community college that the University system of Georgia has approved to offer baccalaureate degrees in six areas of concentration, as well as 50 areas of study for Associate degrees. Nearby Jacksonville also hosts the University of North Florida, Florida State College of Jacksonville, Jacksonville University, Florida Coastal School of Law, a campus of Webster University, and several private, non-profit liberal arts colleges. Plans have just been announced to establish a state post-secondary technical college as well on a 31-acre campus donated by a local philanthropic family.


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Shopping Kingsland is well-served by three supermarkets, WalMart, Lowe’s, and Kmart. In both Kingsland and St. Marys, there are a variety of small specialty shops, car dealers, hardware and sporting goods stores, and small restaurants. Extensive collections of specialty shops can be found on St. Simon’s Island, near Brunswick, and at Fernandina Beach, on Amelia Island, just to the southeast. There are large, mega-centers for shopping anywhere from 40 to 60 minutes south in Jacksonville as well a large indoor mall 35 miles to the north in Brunswick. Firm plans exist to establish a mega-center for shopping within Kingsland, pending an economic upturn. Health Services The Southeast Georgia Health System operates two hospitals to serve Camden County: the main, 350-bed hospital in Brunswick, and the smaller 50-bed Camden hospital extension between Kingsland and St. Marys. Specialists from the main campus hold office hours in both locations. Major tertiary care hospitals operate in Jacksonville, including Shands, a trauma center, St Vincent’s, Memorial, Baptist, and Wolfsons Children’s hospital, an adjunct of Baptist Hospital, as well as the Mayo Clinic. Recreation Beaches, golf, fishing, kayaking, surfing, hunting, birding and other outdoor sports abound. For the hearty explorer, Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge lies inland about 25 miles, offering opportunities for guided visits as well as multi-day travels across the swamp’s 700 square miles. Jacksonville also offers world renowned Jacksonville Zoo, Cummer Museum of Arts and Gardens, MOSH (Museum of Science and History), and The Jacksonville Jazz Festival. Dining includes many restaurants from simply excellent pubs to nationally acclaimed eateries. Major spectator sports opportunities include the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars, the AA minor League Jacksonville Suns, the TPC Sawgrass PGA golf tournament, and, beginning this year, the McGladrey PGA golf tournament on Sea Island. High School football is also a major local interest, and the 5A Camden Wildcats have captured a three of state championships. NASCAR racing at Daytona is two hours away on I-95. Significant artists live in all areas of Coastal Georgia from Kingsland to Savannah and in Florida’s First Coast from Jacksonville south to St. Augustine, Florida. Most months there is an outdoor arts festival somewhere along the coast.


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The church is at 6230 Laurel Island Parkway. King of Peace is one mile east of I-95 at exit 6. We own seven acres of land just west of Camden County High School with a building home to our church and preschool.

Worship with us Sundays 8:30AM and 10:00AM &

Spanish Language Eucharist (La Santa Eucaristia) Sundays at 1:20PM

VISIT US ON THE WEB King of Peace Episcopal Church - http://kingofpeace.org/

(The “Rector Search Survey” completed by the Congregation is on this site.)

King of Peace Episcopal Day School - http://kopeds.org/

king of peace episcopal church 2011 parish profile...

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