Vol. 5, No. 6, November/December 2010

How will we welcome the holy entrance of Christ into our lives at Christmas this year? That may depend considerably on how we prepare for it. What if, this year, we approached the Incarnation with holy grounding for our souls? What difference might that make in how we accept the gift, and in how we give the gift to others?

  

Beginning Sunday, Nov. 28, the First Sunday of Advent, ReflectionsOnline (www.reflections-dwtx.org) will offer Journey through Advent. Based on the Advent themes of Expecting, Preparing, Watching, and Submitting, each Friday we will offer a reflection on the coming week’s focus by one of our diocesan writers. The site will also carry suggestions and resources for living out the themes.

  

You can get it all in your e-mail inbox by going to www.reflections-dwtx.org and signing up in the box on the homepage.   

After two very successful Abide in Me conferences (June 2009 and June 2010, both at TMI-the Episcopal School of Texas), Abide in Me III is moving to a new date and new venue. To invite even more participation from our diocesan leadership, the Abide in Me III workshops will be held at the end of the 107th Annual Diocesan Council, on Saturday, Feb. 19, 2011. The location is the Embassy Suites Hotel and Conference Center on IH 35 just south of San Marcos, site of the 107th Council.

  

Council runs from Thursday, Feb. 17, 1 p.m. to Saturday, Feb. 19, 10 a.m. Following that, two Abide in Me III workshop sessions will be at 10:20 a.m. to 11:35 and 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. By moving the workshops to the end of Council on Saturday, planners hope that leaders from all over the diocese, not just those who are Council delegates, will participate. The Council space will be reconfigured to accommodate more seating, and congregational leaders are invited to join Council delegates for this special time.

  

Once again, the focus of the Abide in Me workshops will be churches sharing their mission strategies, successes, challenges, and ideas with other churches.

  

Leading the list of workshops is The Practicalities of Being the Church in Our Communities. This two-part workshop will span both workshop session times and run from 10:20 a.m. to 1 p.m. It will focus on three key issues in taking the church outside the walls of our buildings: forming initial relationships, interacting in a diverse culture, and collaborating within our communities. Several of our congregations are expanding God’s welcoming kingdom into their communities and will present what they have learned. 

     

One other workshop will span both session times and run from 10:20 a.m. to 1 p.m. and will address the topic of The Elements of Anglican Worship. This workshop will help participants "think through" planning and offering worship that is true to our Anglican heritage and also true to our calling to be engaged with the surrounding culture. For the first half of the workshop, Bishop Bob Hibbs will discuss the elements of Anglican worship; then congregations who have explored such worship in new settings will offer their experiences. The diocesan Liturgy and Music Commission will moderate.

  

In addition to these offerings, six other workshops include:

  
From Poverty to Productivity. Good Samaritan Community Services (GSCS) personnel will explain their programs that move young people to viable careers and college programs to break the cycle of poverty. GSCS staff will identify ways congregations can become involved in the programs.

  

Sabbath Time. Recognizing that Sabbath time is hard to come by, the Rev. Mary Earle has suggestions for making room for Sabbath in our busy lives with four disciplines: ceasing, resting, embracing, and feasting.

  

The Role of the Leader in the Church
How do leaders in individual congregations call forth the best from their congregational members? How does the leadership in a church work as a team to further the mission and ministry of their church? This workshop is for all leaders, especially for vestry and bishop's committee members.

  

Empowering our Mission Partners, presented by the diocesan World Mission Department. Empowering means teaching our mission partners around the world how to better their own lives by providing education, expertise, and seed money. Congregations will be given pointers on how to do this.

   

Living the Book of Ephesians, with the Rev. Drs. John Lewis and Jane Patterson. Bishop Lillibridge will assign the Book of Ephesians for diocesan-wide study in 2011, and Lewis and Patterson will construct an online Bible study for congregations, small groups, and individuals. This workshop will introduce the study.

  

The Care and Feeding of Today’s Young Adults
Today’s young adults are characterized by their diversity. Lots of them are suspicious religious institutions but are searching for something spiritual. How do we reach them and engage them in all their multiplicity and all their uncertainty? Three of our congregations who are working through this mystery will present their experiences.

  
There is no cost for the workshops, but pre-registration is required for space planning (pre-registration available at www.council-dwtx.org after December 7). To read full workshop descriptions with presenters listed, go to www.council-dwtx.org.

We are accustomed to thinking of stewardship in terms of the annual pledge campaign. But stewardship is more than that – it is what we do with what we have all of the time.

  
Beginning in late November, the diocesan Stewardship Department will introduce an online Year ‘Round Stewardship calendar that gives congregations suggestions and resources for practicing year ‘round stewardship.

  
Each month, a theme will be identified around which individual and congregational activities might take place in five recurring categories: God’s Creation, Spiritual Growth, Ministry Spotlight, Outside Ourselves, and Finance Thought. You will find the calendar at http://www.dwtx.org/index.php/diocese/Stewardship

    

The concept and introduction to the Year ‘Round Calendar will be officially launched at Annual Diocesan Council during lunch on Friday, Feb. 18, 2011. The event is open to diocesan leadership as well as Council delegates. Location is Embassy Suites Hotel and Conference Center on IH 35 just south of San Marcos. Reserve your spot and lunch (cost of $15) at www.council-dwtx.org.

Churches in the Valley will explore starting an Education for Ministry (EFM) program early next year. The Rev. Robert Soper is the contact point for an exploratory meeting on January 9, 7 p.m. at St. Matthew’s, Edinburg. Soper explains that EFM provides people from all walks of life “with an education to ‘be’ Christians and to carry out their ministry.” The EFM program was developed by the School of Theology at the University of the South in Sewanee TN with the premise that active theologically-literate lay people empower the church to further her mission of bringing Christ to the world. For more information or to indicate interest, contact Soper at soperbob11@hotmail.com.

  

The congregation at St. Michael’s, Lake Corpus Christi, grew recently when it was joined by a group of Lutherans who were looking for a church home. The congregation, now consisting of Episcopalians and ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) Lutherans, are served by Lutheran pastor Victor Anderson. In recent years, St Michael’s had been served by supply priests.
The congregation alternates using the Book of Common Prayer and the Lutheran Book of Worship for their Sunday morning worship. The Episcopal Church and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America are in full communion, meaning their clergy are able to serve in both denominations. In a similar arrangement, the Episcopal congregation at St. Andrew's, Bracketville, is served by a Lutheran pastor who also serves a Lutheran congregation. In the latter case, however, the two congregations have remained separate, sharing their worship space at separate times.

Food for the Hungry
Once again, Good Samaritan Community Services (GSCS) is providing Christmas dinner for families in their neighborhoods who live in continual poverty. To participate, click here for a list of food items you can get at your local grocery store. The filled bags may be returned to GSCS on December 13 o4 14. For more info, call GSCS at 210/434-5531.

  

Communications Up North
The diocesan communications department will present a one-day workshop at Grace Church, Llano, on Thursday, Dec. 2, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The day will include an overview on several aspects of congregational communications including your communications plan, newsletters (print and electronic), website, and social networking. The workshop is open to any church who wishes to participate, and churches in our northern area are especially invited. If your church has someone who can attend, please contact Kelly Harris at Kelly.harris@dwtx.org by Monday, Nov. 29.

   

Make a Plan
The Church Pension Fund (CPF) will present their Planning for Tomorrow conference for lay church employees on March 11-12, 2011, in San Antonio. The conference is extremely beneficial in assisting lay employees to plan for their retirements, no matter how close or far away that date is.  The conference is held in San Antonio only once every five years, and goes from Friday at 4 p.m. through Saturday lunch. Participants are encouraged to stay overnight (rooms have been booked at the Sheraton Gunter, site of the conference.) Planning for Tomorrow topics include life and financial planning (taxes, savings, investments), as well as government benefits (social security, Medicare). Participants may request individual life-planning consultations with conference faculty. Costs are heavily subsidized by CPF and are minimal for church employees. To reserve your spot and for more info, contact Yvonne Elliott or Sean Scheller at 800-223-6602 at the Church Pension Fund. Locally contact Nancy Stinson at nancy.stinson@dwtx.org.

  

Do You have a School?
In response to a resolution passed at the 2009 General Convention, The Episcopal Church is collecting information about congregations that have a relationship with a nearby public school through direct service, advocacy, or teacher support.  If you have such a relationship and you wish to respond, send the name of the program; name of the church and diocese; and a contact person’s name, address, phone, and email address to ResolutionB025@aol.com.  Please copy the diocesan office at Marjorie.george@dwx.org in your response.

  

Mustang Island Conference Center Position Openings 
The diocesan conference center on Mustang Island has position openings for a director of operations and a property manager.  The director of operations is responsible for managing all aspects of the conference center, including hosting user groups, finances, supervising staff, publicity, reservations, and facility maintenance. The property manager is responsible for coordinating and carrying out the maintenance and repair of the buildings, grounds, and equipment.  For more details about both position, visit the diocesan website “Help Wanted” page www.dwtx.org > Visitors > Help Wanted or directly: http://www.dwtx.org/index.php/diocese/Help_Wanted

  

Youth Ministry Tools
Seminary of the Southwest in Austin will offer a short course in Bible for youth ministers, January 17-21, 2011. The course, “Conversations in the Bible: Tools for Teaching, Pastoring, and Leading Youth in the Church,” will examine a variety of conversations that take place in both Old and New Testaments and will discuss the variety of moral, theological, and educational strategies for equipping youth in their ministry in and outside the church.
For more information, contact Jana Strukova at 512-472-4133, ext. 342 or by email at  jstrukova@ssw.edu or click here http://www.regonline.com/Register/Checkin.aspx?EventID=867655  to register online.

  

Learn More about the Diocesan Altar Guild
A new page on the diocesan website is the “Diocesan Altar Guild.” To read more about this ministry, participate in a workshop, or to join the guild, go to their new page. It can be found at: www.dwtx.org > Diocese > Committees & Commissions > Diocesan Altar Guild or directly: http://www.dwtx.org/index.php/diocese/Diocesan_Altar_Guild

  

That’s a Wrap
After ten fun-filled weeks, the 2010 DWTX Volleyball season has come to a close. Multiple churches met at the net in the St. George Episcopal Church, San Antonio, gym. We were even told that innocent bystanders were sometimes pulled into games. To see the highlights of each week or view multiple pictures, go to the DWTX Sports page. http://www.dwtx.org/index.php/diocese/Sports_in_DWTX
Also, look for upcoming information on this page about the 2011 basketball season.

  

Diocesan sports
After ten fun-filled weeks, the 2010 DWTX Volleyball season has come to a close. Multiple churches met at the net in the St. George Episcopal Church, San Antonio, gym. We were even told that innocent bystanders were sometimes pulled into games. To see the highlights of each week or view multiple pictures, go to the DWTX Sports page http://www.dwtx.org/index.php/diocese/Sports_in_DWTX

   

Basketball begins January 3, 2011; games will be played Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings from 7:30 to 9:30 pm in the gym at St. Luke's, San Antonio. Males and females of high school age or older are welcome; a medical release is required and those under 18 must have it completed by a parent or guardian. For other information or a copy of the medical release, visit sports page on the docesan website.

    

Camping in the Cold
Registration is now open for the 2011 Mid Winter youth weekends. The dates are: High School Mid Winter I - January 7-9; Middle School Mid Winter II - January 14-16; Elementary School (grades 3-5) Mid Winter III - January 21-23. To register online, view brochure with schedule, and all information, go to the Mid Winter page. Questions? Contact Brenda Johnson at capers@hctc.net or 830-995-3966 ext 10.

  

World Mission News
Much progress has been made in the Diocese of Nebbi, Uganda, from seed money given to the women of that diocese ten years ago. The November newsletter from the diocesan World Mission Department tells the story: 130 organized women’s groups with 15 to 25 members each have made huge impacts on their families and their churches. Read about it at http://www.dwtx.org/index.php/diocese/World_Mission_Newsletter

  
Praying Around the Diocese
The Diocesan Cycle of Prayer that begins with Advent 2010 (November 28) is now up on the website. Find it at http://www.dwtx.org/index.php/prayer/Diocesan_Cycle_of_Prayer

  

Remembering
The Diocesan Book of Remembrance is posted on the diocesan website at http://www.dwtx.org/index.php/prayer/Book_of_Remembrance  The Book of Remembrance is a way to honor and remember those who have died. Send donations through your parish Book of Remembrance/Thanksgiving chairman or directly to Bonnie Cole, P.O. Box 6885, San Antonio, TX  78209.  Please include name of the parish or mission to which the person being honored belonged or, if from another diocese, state “Another Diocese.”  If non-Episcopalian, state “Friend of the Diocese.”  Make checks payable to Book of Remembrance.  Please give name and address of relative to whom acknowledgement of the donation should be sent.

  

The Rev. Nancy Coon has retired from the active ministry. Coon has served as vicar and then rector of Church of the Holy Spirit, Dripping Springs, for 13 years. Her final Sunday at the church will be November 21. Prior to serving Holy Spirit, she was assistant rector at St. John’s, McAllen. Coon graduated from Seminary of the Southwest in Austin in 1994.

  

The Rev. Richard McLeon, who serves the Eastern Partnership of churches, has been appointed by Governor Rick Perry to the State Veteran’s Commission. McLeon is a graduate of the Iona program in the Diocese of Texas and serves as a bi-vocational clergyperson. He was ordained to the diaconate this past summer and will be ordained to the priesthood on December 12, God willing.

  

The Rev. Phil Mason is serving as interim rector at Grace Church, Llano. Mason graduated from Seminary of the Southwest in 1996 and was ordained to the priesthood in 1997.  He served churches in Colorado, and has retired to the Diocese of West Texas.

  

The Rev. Jerry Sneary is serving as interim rector at Church of the Annunciation, Luling. Sneary recently retired as rector of St. Francis by the Lake, Canyon Lake. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1984.

  

The Rev. Eric Fenton is interim rector at St. Andrew’s, Port Isabel. Fenton has served a number of congregations as a supply priest since the closing of Christ Church in the Hill Country in the spring of 2009.

  

The Rev. Ned Bowersox is interim rector at St. Mark’s, San Marcos. Bowersox retired as rector of Church of the Good Shepherd in January 2008 and subsequently served as interim rector at St. Helen’s, Boerne.

  

The Rev. Max Reynolds has been appointed vicar at Church of the Ascension, Montell, beginning January 2.

  

The Rev. Doug Hutching’s tenure as acting rector at Church of the Advent, Alice, will be completed on December 26. He will become interim rector at St. James’, Del Rio, starting January 2.

  

The Rev. David Chalk begins as rector at St. Francis by the Lake, Canyon Lake, on Sunday, Nov. 28. Chalk had previously served as rector at St. James’, Del Rio.

  

Bishop Gary Lillibridge has been recognized as a distinguished alumnus of Texas State University (formerly Southwest Texas State University) in October. He earned his degree from Texas State in sociology in 1978. The Distinguished Alumnus Award is the Texas State Alumni Association’s most prestigious honor and is given to those who gain prominence in their occupations, on a national or international level.

  
The Rev. Jan Naylor Cope has been appointed vicar of the cathedral congregation at Washington National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. Cope grew up in the Diocese of West Texas, attending church at Church of the Ascension in Refugio. She graduated from Wesley Seminary in 2007. The Cathedral congregation was formed in 2007 “to be a worshipping community at the heart of the Cathedral,” according to a Cathedral press release.