The 199th Convention of the Diocese of Georgia will elect persons to serve on the Board of the Corporation, Church Disciplinary Board, Diocesan Council, the Standing Committee, and a Trustee for the University of the South. Check here on the Nominations Page for complete information on elections at that time. Announcement of nominations will also be made through our weekly enewsletter From the Field.

Form for nominations

For for nominees

Board of Officers of the Corporation – 1 layperson
The Board of Officers is charged with the oversight of the investments and disbursements of those funds entrusted to it through wills, deeds, and other trust instruments. The board meets quarterly. The person elected to it at Convention 2020 will serve through the Convention in 2028.

Becky Cheatham
Christ Church, Savannah
My 20 years of experience as a Development professional has included involvement in the appropriate disbursement of foundation funds and oversight of endowments and serving on the boards of the Planned Giving Society and the Estate Planning Council of Savannah. I was also a grant reader, 2-3 cycles a year for 15 years for The Children’s Trust Fund of Georgia which distributed $1,500,000 in funding to non-profit child serving agencies across the state of Georgia. I have been a member of Christ Church in Savannah since the 1970’s where I’ve had the honor of serving on the Altar Guild, Flower Committee, a Long Term Planning Committee, as a Sunday School teacher and on the Vestry. It has also been a pleasure to serve as chair of the Constitution and Canon Committee since 2009.

Church Disciplinary Board – 1 clergy & 2 laypersons
Previously known and “The Ecclesiastical Trial Court,” the Disciplinary Board of the Diocese of Georgia is vested with jurisdiction to hear and determine all proceedings in which a priest or deacon has been charged with one or more offenses specified in the canons of the Episcopal Church. It meets only when necessary. 2 lay persons and 1 clergy for a term 0f three years through Convention 2023.

Laypersons:

Bill Bruce
King of Peace, Kingsland
I am seeking to continue my present service through re-election. I have served as president of the Board for nine years. I am a retired lawyer (licensed in Tennessee, not Georgia) with 50 years experience practicing law. I also served in the Judge Advocates’ General Corps of the U.S. Army. I have been an Episcopalian since 1956 and a member of my parish for 14 years. In my parish, I have served on the vestry and am a lay reader, choir member, and music leader. I have been active in the Cursillo program and have served on two Cursillo teams in Georgia and about 15 in Tennessee. I also served as Trustee of the University of the South for six years as a lay representative of the Diocese of Georgia.

Phillip Davies
St. Augustine of Canterbury, Augusta
Born in Scranton, PA, I was baptized and confirmed in the Church of the Epiphany in Glenburn, PA where I served as an acolyte for 9 years prior to graduation and entering the U.S. Army. I served for 30 years with overseas tours in Japan, Korea, Thailand, Germany, and in DaNang Vietnam from 1968-69. I retired as the Command Sergeant Major of the 41st Signal Battalion with leadership and personnel responsibilities of over 700 enlisted personnel spread over 5 Companies in the Republic of Korea. Upon retirement from the Army, I went to work as a Department of Defense civilian culminating in my final civilian position as Director of Training for the US Air Force at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. While working at the Pentagon, I attended historic Polnick Episcopal Church in Lorton, VA. After retiring from the Department of Defense, I moved to Augusta, GA and began attending St. Augustine of Canterbury Episcopal Church, where I served 2 years as the Junior Warden and now serve as the Acolyte Director.

Clergy:

The Rev. David Lemburg
St. George’s, Savannah
I have been a delegate to General Convention, Disciplinary Board Member – here in the Diocese of Georgia and other dioceses – as well as other ministries over the last 15 years. I have served parishes & missions in Dioceses of Arkansas, Mississippi, Western Louisiana, Hawai’i. Additionally, I have served in the US Navy in Intelligence before becoming a priest. I have two children, Mary Margaret (16) and Jack (12), and I am married to the The Rev. Melanie Lemburg, Rector of St. Thomas, Isle of Hope.

Diocesan Council – 1 layperson or clergy
Council’s responsibilities are to carry out the polices, programs, and directions of Convention; to deal with contingencies as they arise; and to assist the bishop in developing the ministry of the diocese. It carries out the duties of Convention between Conventions. Council generally has four overnight meetings a year in various parts of the diocese. The person elected at Convention 2020 will serve through Convention 2023.

Lay Persons:

Sarah Eubanks

Peggy Hamlin
St. Patrick’s, Albany
It would be my honor to serve YOU for Diocesan Council. I am a cradle Episcopalian (63 years) and have been active in many aspects of the Church from EYC as a youth, Lay minister, Vestry, Choir, and local activities with both St. Patrick’s and the Episcopal Church of St. John and St. Mark. I was a member of St. Marks, Albany from the early 1960’s until I returned from college (1982) and I have been at St. Patrick’s since. As a child I spent many summers at Kanuga as that was where my mother attended. I have worked at Honey Creek several summers in different positions. Currently, I am in my 4th year of EFM, now via Zoom. I had begun my first year of CDI when the pandemic hit and that is currently on hold. I have attended Cursillo and was in a reunion group until recently. My work history includes positions in law enforcement and nursing. I now work as a part time bookkeeper with the Episcopal Church of St. John and St. Mark. Also, I work as a house and pet sitter. My other activities include volunteering with our local hospice house, and with the palliative care physician at our local hospital. I was a part of “Ales Angels”, our local Beer and Hymns group. We too, have stopped due to the pandemic. Prayfully, we can meet again soon. I enjoy reading, puzzles, and spending time with my family (sister Bunny), friends and my cat, Fiyero. I look forward to being able to serve on the Diocesan Council.

Ted Wright
St. Paul’s, Albany
My education includes a Bachelor of Science in Journalism from Ohio University, Athens, Ohio and a Master of Science in Systems Management from the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California. I retired as a lieutenant colonel in 1991 from the United States Air Force after a 21-year career as an Office of Special Investigations special agent. Following retirement I moved to Albany, Georgia where I taught Air Force Junior ROTC to high school students for 20 years in the Dougherty County School System. I have been a member of St. Paul’s, Albany since 2009. I have served as senior warden for two years, the stewardship committee for four years (two as chairman), and as a member of the finance committee. I have also served as a diocesan convention delegate. I also serve St. Paul’s as a Lay Eucharistic Minister, a Minister of Visitation and an usher.  

Standing Committee – 1 layperson & 1 priest
The Standing Committee is the bishop’s Council of Advice. In the absence of a bishop, the Standing Committee would act as the Ecclesiastical Authority for those purposes declared by General Convention. The Standing Committee must approve all ordinations and any financial indebtedness of parishes. It usually meets four times a year at the same time as the Commission on Ministry and in various locations throughout the diocese. Persons elected will serve a four-year term through Convention 2024.

Lay Persons:

Dave Cranford
Trinity, Cochran
I am a member of Trinity, Cochran where I’ve served on vestry and in other leadership roles including fellowship and outreach committees along with helping with youth activities. Currently, I’m honored to serve my parish as a lay reader and lay eucharistic minister. Having recently completed a three-year term on diocesan council, I see being on standing committee as a pragmatic step in my service to the diocese. As a parent of three children who are engaged in diocesan youth activities, I have a love for Honey Creek and a vested desire to support and continue to grow our youth programming. A graduate of the University of Georgia, I’m the finance officer for Middle Georgia Signs-Designeffex, a highway sign and guardrail installation company in Cochran.

Lee Kinnamon
Calvary, Americus
I am honored to have been nominated by a member of Calvary Episcopal Church to serve on the Standing Committee of the Diocese of Georgia.  I have been an active member of Calvary since moving to Americus in 1990 from Atlanta, city of my birth. A graduate of Atlanta’s public schools, I attended The University of the South and graduated cum laude in 1987. Following graduation, I served as Assistant Director of Admissions for three years before moving to Americus to become a public school teacher, a position I have held for almost 30 years.  For five of those years, I have been named Teacher of the year. At Calvary, I have served on the Vestry, and am currently serving a term that began in 2018. Last year, I co-chaired a successful Stewardship Campaign, and I have preached on occasion. I am an occasional Sunday School teacher and Lay Reader and last year I represented Calvary as  a delegate to Diocesan Convention. In my life outside the church community, I have been involved in several historical organizations, including the Sumter Historic Trust and the Georgia Historical Society. I am pleased to have been nominated, and look forward to serving, if elected.

John Michael Rowe
Calvary, Americus
It would be an honor to serve as a lay member of the standing committee. Though I was raised in a Baptist church, I have fallen in love with the liturgy and music of the Episcopal Church. I began attending Saint Patrick’s in Albany in 2018 and have been attending Calvary Episcopal in Americus and was confirmed by Bishop Benhase in 2019. My passion lies in spreading the gospel through music; I find joy in being a part of the choir and music ministry. Being relatively new to the tradition, I am looking to bring a fresh and attentive presence to the diocese and episcopal community. As a Nursing Home Administrator, I am familiar with taking responsibility and overseeing large and complex systems; I am also very familiar with the evaluation process, having been in charge of the hiring on all levels of the facility. I have chosen to dedicate my professional life to serving others, both patients and employees. In so doing,I look to the example of Christ on a daily basis to maintain my focus. This experience has prepared me to bring an unique perspective to the committee and it is my hope that I can use my experiences to serve the Diocese of Georgia in my capacity as a layperson. My hope is to bring all of my training and expertise to represent the Western portion of the diocese on the Standing Committee in a meaningful and considered way.

Clergy:

The Rev. Leslie Dellenbarger
St. John’s, Bainbrige
I am interested in serving on the Standing Committee as I enjoy working with others and believe that I possess a skill set which could serve this committee in working with those seeking Ordination as well as in others capacities where thoughtful and intentional advice is warranted. I believe that participation in this capacity is a natural progression from the work I engage in at the secular level. As such, my work as a psychologist has offered opportunities for me to serve in leadership roles not only in the area of management, but in the development of budding psychologists. Thus, I believe the skill set which I would bring to the service of this committee is but one way I can continue to serve God, while serving the people of the Diocese of Georgia. Additionally, I am a “young” priest, while seasoned in years, and participation on this committee would afford me an opportunity to serve the Diocese at large, while gaining additional knowledge of its workings. I was confirmed in the Episcopal Church in December of 1999, having previously attended the Methodist Church. In May of 2017, I was ordained a Transitional Deacon and in December of that same year ordained as a Priest. St. John’s Episcopal Church, located in Bainbridge, was my sponsoring Church, and I am very pleased to now serve at St. John’s as Priest-in-Charge. I am a Bi-vocational Priest, having completed my studies at Suwannee in 2017. During the past 10 years, while a Lay member of St. John’s, I served as leader of St. John’s Outreach Ministry, a delegate to the Diocesan Conventions on a number of occasions, in addition to serving on the Vestry, completing CDI, and co-leading a Centering Prayer group as well as a NAMI Family to Family group. I have also served as a Brownie Girl Scout leader for a Troop originating at St. John’s Episcopal Church, participated in Daughters of the King and St. John’s Episcopal Church Women, in addition to having served in the capacity of both member and captain of St. John’s teams for Relay for Life. Since being ordained, and while serving for a period of time at St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Thomasville, Ga., I served as a clergy volunteer with the Church’s Community Clothes’ Closet and assisted for a period of time with their Childrens’ Sunday School. At present, I am participating in the Suwanee Ministry Collaborative. I presently reside in Bainbridge, Georgia with my wife, Alta, and our four legged family of six cats and three dogs. In my secular work, I am employed as the Psychological Services Director for Policies and Programs within Substance Abuse and Mental Health for the Florida Department of Children and Families.

The Rev. David Lemburg
St. George’s, Savannah
I have been a delegate to General Convention, Disciplinary Board Member – here in the Diocese of Georgia and other dioceses – as well as other ministries over the last 15 years. I have served parishes & missions in Dioceses of Arkansas, Mississippi, Western Louisiana, Hawai’i. Additionally, I have served in the US Navy in Intelligence before becoming a priest. I have two children, Mary Margaret (16) and Jack (12), and I am married to the The Rev. Melanie Lemburg, Rector of St. Thomas, Isle of Hope.

The Rev. David Rose
St. Luke’s, Rincon
Over the past 7 years of ministry in the Rincon/Effingham Co. community, St. Luke’s and I have worked hard to keep the focus on God’s transforming grace. This grace has transformed me, St. Luke’s, and continues to transform each of our communities. We find ourselves in a time of transition and transformation in the life of our Diocese and I have prayerfully discerned the time is right to continue my service to the Diocese through serving on the Standing Committee. I am currently a Deputy to General Convention, have served on Diocesan Council, as the Spiritual director for Vocare, summer camp at Honey Creek, and through music, mission trips, and VBS. In the community I am involved with racial justice groups in Effingham, Family Connection, Backpack Buddies, Family Promise, and have served as a volunteer hospital chaplain. I look forward to the opportunity to serve the Diocese of Georgia as a member of the Standing Committee.

Trustee of the University of the South – 1 priest
The board meets in Sewanee, TN, early in October each year. The two laypersons and one priest who serve on the board from the Diocese of Georgia are to represent the university to the diocese. One priest will be elected for a three-year term to serve through Convention 2023.

The Rev. Tom Purdy
Christ Church, Frederica
I would be honored to serve, if elected, as a Sewanee Trustee on behalf of the Diocese of Georgia. I am currently completing a term as an Alumni Association Trustee at Sewanee this year and I have enjoyed being a small part of the University’s leadership structures. These are exciting days at Sewanee with the recently completed Stronger Truer Sewanee campaign, a new Vice Chancellor, and a recent effort to address racial healing around the University’s history. I am a proud alumnus of Sewanee, and I have a great deal of hope for her mission and her future.

I have been active in the Episcopal church at all levels since my childhood. I have served as the Rector at Christ Church, Frederica on St. Simons Island since 2013. Previously I served as an Associate Rector for three years in the Diocese of Central Pennsylvania, and as Rector in the Diocese of Washington for five years. Within the Diocese of GA, I currently serve as the Chair of the Commission on Ministry. In previous dioceses I have served on Diocesan Council, Diocesan Youth Commission (chair), Diocesan HR Committee (chair), and various task forces. In a previous diocese I served as a CDI and Shape of the Parish trainer.

I am currently a Trustee for Sewanee, and a Trustee for the Friends of Canterbury Cathedral, US. Within the local community in Glynn County I currently serve as Chairman of the Board of Hospice of the Golden Isles. I also serve as Vice President of Alivia Care of Georgia, a non-profit umbrella organization for non-profit hospices in Georgia. I have also served on the School Council for Burroughs-Molette Elementary School in Brunswick, GA, the poorest school in the region, for five years (Vice President). I currently act as convener for Glynn Episcopal Ministry, a cooperative outreach effort of the Episcopal Congregations in Glynn County. We focus primarily on support for children’s hunger and educational issues.