Vol. 6, No. 5, August 2011

In this Issue:
(scroll down to read all the news)

• World Mission Symposium
• You Have What it Takes
• Father-Son & Mother-Daughter Retreats
• Diocesan Youth at EYE
• Special Events and Registration
• News for You

World Mission Symposium

The 2011 Diocesan World Mission Symposium will feature an interactive forum of DWTX mission veterans with symposium participants. The symposium will take place on Saturday, August 20, at 8:45 a.m. until 3:15 p.m. All are invited to attend, whether you've been on a dozen mission trips or have never stuck your toe in foreign waters.

After an opening Eucharist with the Reverends David Chalk and Ripp Hardaway, we'll plunge immediately into the conundrum of expectations. Do we shoot too high, too low; do we know what's expected of us as leaders or team members; are we clueless about diocesan expectations or even our foreign hosts' desires?

Next we'll embrace the sticky subject of fundraising, the practical issue of money and how to appeal to potential donors. Building on what we heard at last year's symposium, the topic of empowerment will again be addressed. Do we really want to empower our mission partners or do we want to retain ownership of the ministry? Everything we do as missioners should be energized by our desire to share the Good News in word and deed. How evangelism works in world missions will be convincingly demonstrated on August 20.

Finally, cross-cultural issues must be addressed, such as the way we dress or the assumptions we make and how they can impact our effectiveness in ministry. Bizarre and amusing examples will be shared. This year's symposium, "A MISSION POTPOURRI: Strengthening the Ministry," will be held at the Bishop Jones Center on Saturday, August 20, beginning at 8:45 a.m. and ending at 3:15 p.m. The $20 fee includes a delicious lunch, snacks, and all materials. You may register by visiting the World Mission department online at www.dwtx.org. To register by phone, call Marthe, Chris, or Betty at 210/888-824-5387.

You Have What it Takes

The first Diocesan Father-Son Retreat was held at Camp Capers in mid February, a successful weekend of focused time together for the fathers and sons in attendance. DWTX Camps and Conferences will offer the second Father-Son Retreat on September 9-11.

The Rev. Scott Brown, St. Alban’s, Harlingen, opened the February retreat by bringing perspective to the table for the fathers in attendance.

“Every time he cries or makes a noise, I immediately respond to him.
I protect him at all costs and take all precautions to ensure his safety.
I always know where he is, and I panic when he's lost, even for a second.
If he falls, my heart drops. I immediately pick him up and make sure he's not hurt.
If he runs out of energy or gets tired I do everything in my power to recharge him and help him regain his strength.
Who is he? He's my iPhone.”

Brown and the Rev. Ripp Hardaway, St. John’s, New Braunfels, led the weekend retreat, encouraging fathers to remember that they are the most important men in the world to their sons, and that the gift of focused time together goes a long away. The weekend was full of rowdy fun as well, with games, such as triple dodgeball, kickball, and capture the dad; hiking; fishing; s’more making; and an afternoon dedicated to leisure time together. Bob Duncan, a father in attendance, said, "My favorite part of the weekend was playing hide and seek with the boys. It was nice to play a game with my son instead of the more typical situation where I’m helping him practice and not actually actively playing with him.” 

About 60 participants gathered at Camp Capers. The scripture verse for the weekend came from Matthew 3:16-17, the story of Jesus’ baptism. God the Father opens the heavens and sends down the Holy Spirit as a dove and proclaims, “This is my son, whom I love and with him I am well pleased.” Through this message, God tells Jesus, “You have what it takes.” In turn, this became the theme of the weekend.

“The weekend proved a blessing and served as a reminder that each father or father figure has the joy and responsibility of shaping a life and teaching his son to be a man, especially a man of God,“ said Hardaway. “We learned some practical ways of building a relationship with our sons that help to assure a relationship built on trust and love to the deepest level.”

The second Father-Son Retreat at Camp Capers is scheduled for September 9-11, for boys ages 6-13 and their dads or other important male figures in their lives. Online registration is available on the Special Events page at www.dwtx.org. The first retreat in February proved a success for the dads and boys that attended. Rob Nelson, shortly after the retreat, said, "On Friday night, my son, Kyle, thanked me for bringing him to the retreat. I spend a good deal of time each day building on relationships (with my clients or my wife) but very little time working on the relationship between Kyle and I. Since the weekend, I find myself thinking about ways to create more time for he and I. Thank you for the gift of awareness.”

Father-Son & Mother-Daughter Retreats

The second Father-Son Retreat at Camp Capers is scheduled for September 9-11, for boys ages 6-18 and their dads or other important male figures in their lives.  Online registration is available on the Special Events page at www.dwtx.org.

The second Mother-Daughter Retreat will also be held at Camp Capers on September 23-25. Similar in format to the father-son retreat, this retreat is open to girls ages 6-18 and their mothers or other important female figures in their lives. To view the flyer and for online registration, please click here.

Diocesan Youth at EYE

On June 22-26, ten youth and three sponsors from across our diocese joined over 1,200 Episcopal youth from across the nation at an inspirational youth conference at Bethel University in St. Paul, Minnesota. The Episcopal Youth Event (EYE) is held every three years at different locations across the United States. Past events have inspired youth from across the world to continue to grow in their faith journeys, and this year was no different. Lilly Venable said, “My experience at EYE was nothing short of life-changing. It was spiritual, emotional, as well as educational. One of the most amazing parts was the worship services. The fact that 1,299 other Episcopalians were singing and saying the exact same words at the exact same time gave me chills.”

Morning and evening worship services, workshops, small groups, and engaging speakers helped create a friendly atmosphere that encouraged thoughtful discussions and, ultimately, formed new friendships. Peyton Turbeville, said, “By the end, not a single one of us was afraid to go up to a stranger and say, ‘Hi! I’m ____. Where are you from?’ It was the easiest conversation starter, and I don’t regret using it at all. I have so many new friends in different places, even Hawaii, that I continue to talk to.”

The Diocese of West Texas youth and sponsors also led a two-day workshop entitled “Changing our Vision of Mission.” The Rev. Nate Bostian, chaplain at TMI – The Episcopal School of Texas, discussed the biblical foundation for mission work and his experiences, and then each of the diocesan youth encouraged discussions by sharing their personal mission experiences. For more information on EYE, click here to visit the website.

Submitted by Spencer Stocker, Youth Minister at St. Thomas, San Antonio

In attendance at EYE from the Diocese of West Texas:
Sponsors: Beki Treadway, the Rev. Nate Bostian, Spencer Stocker
Youth: Jamie Maxwell, Thad Schneider, Peyton Turbeville, Lilly Venable, Eina Karstens, Davis Schneider, Samantha Ferguson, Barbara Bruns, Tanner Treadway, Renita Walzel

Special Events and Registration

Diocesan Summer Basketball
The Diocesan Sports League summer basketball games are played every Tuesday (through August) from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the St. Luke's, San Antonio, gym. Anyone is welcome to come play in the coed games, and youth directors, please pass the invitation on to your youth group members. To view more information about diocesan sports, go to the DWTX Sports page.

Happening #119
Happening #119 will be held August 5-7 at Church of the Good Shepherd, Corpus Christi. Happening is a spiritual renewal weekend for high school students in grades 10-12. For more information and for online registration, please click here. 

Cursillo Family Reunion
Saturday, August 6, the annual Cursillo Family Reunion will be held at St. Bartholomew's in Corpus Christi from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. This is the one time of the year that all Cursillistas are encouraged to come together and share their common joy in the Cursillo movement. For more information on the Cursillo weekends for adults, please click here.

Diocesan World Mission Symposium
The Diocesan World Mission Symposium will be held at the Bishop Jones Center (111 Torcido Dr. San Antonio, TX 78209) from 8:45 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. on August 20. "A Mission Potpourri: Strengthening the Ministry" will focus on five critical issues: expectations, fundraising, empowerment, evangelism, and cross-cultural ministry. The cost is $20, which will include lunch, snacks, and materials. To register online, click here. Contact: Marthe Curry at 210/888-824-5387 or by email at mcurry09@sbcglobal.net. Facilitators include: Bishop David Reed, the Revs. David Chalk and Ripp Hardaway, Elizabeth Allen, Maria Valdez, Patricia Perea, and Marthe Curry.

World Mission Welcome Back Party
The diocesan Department of World Mission will host a welcome back party at the Bishop Jones Center for Alison Barfoot, a missionary in Uganda whom the diocese supports, on Friday, September 9, from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. Wine and hors d'oeuvres will be served. To RSVP, contact Chris Dohoney by September 1 at seedohoney@sbcglobal.net or 210-259-5282.

Education for Ministry (EfM) Mentor Training
EfM Mentor Training will take place at the Mustang Island Conference Center on September 16-18. EfM is a four-year course designed at the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee, and is theological education for laity. For more information, contact Ada Sutherland, adazsuth@att.net or 361-572-4816. To learn more, visit the EfM page.

Cursillo #254
Cursillo #254 will be held at the Mustang Island Conference Center on October 13-16. Cursillo weekends are for adults and provide the tools and "rules of life" for sharing the joy of knowing Christ. The rector for the weekend is Elizabeth Neally, St. Andrew's, Port Isabel. Spiritual director is the Rev. Richard Speer, Grace, Weslaco, and assistant spiritual directors are the Revs. Tom Turner, Advent Alice, and Robert McAllen, Epiphany, Raymondville. To view the Cursillo page, click here. To register online, click here.

Food for the Soul
From Friday's wine pairing dinner through Sunday's brunch enjoy fine food while praising God. Learn favorite Mustang Island Conference Center recipes alongside Kathy and Sandra, chefs, October 21-23. Cost to attend Food for the Soul is $248 per person for double occupancy and $295 per person for single occupancy, if available. Each person, including spouse, must register individually. Contact Lynn Corby at lynn.corby@dwtx.org or 361-749-1800 for more information. To register online, click here.

Fore! It's almost time...
The 2011 Bishop's Golf Classic will take place at Canyon Springs Golf Club in San Antonio on Friday, November 4. Funds raised benefit the youth programs of the diocese. Entry fee is $135 per player. First place wins $500 for church's youth group; second place $250, and third place $150. To view more information and sponsorship info, click here. To register online, please click here. 

News for You

The Rev. John Stott, Anglican evangelist and biblical scholar, died July 27 at 90 years old. Read the full story on the Episcopal News Service website. Read the statement from the Archbishop of Canterbury on the Anglican News Service website.

Grants for Mission Churches
The Episcopal Church of the Holy Spirit is offering financial grants, through its 6676 Endowment Fund, to mission churches in the Diocese of West Texas to support work in the areas of outreach and evangelism. The grant application deadline is Monday, August 15, 2011. Soon after this date, grant applications will be evaluated and distributions will occur. Please call 210-314-6729 or email the Rev. Jason Roberts, jroberts@chssatx.org, to learn more or request a grant application.    

Mileage Rate Increase
The Internal Revenue Service announced an increase in the optional standard mileage rates for the final six months of 2011. Taxpayers may use the optional standard rates to calculate the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business and other purposes. The rate increased to 55.5 cents a mile for all business miles driven from July 1, 2011, through Dec. 31, 2011. This is an increase of 4.5 cents from the .51-cent rate in effect for the first six months of 2011, as set forth in Revenue Procedure 2010-51. Please click here to read more.  

Lectures by Duane Miller
Duane Miller, one of the diocesan missionaries to Israel who teaches at a seminary in Nazareth, has prepared a series of lectures: "The Role of the Bible in Mission to Muslims," "Liberation Theology and Ex-Muslim Christians," "The Religious Marketplace," and "Anglican Mission in the Middle East." These extremely informative teachings are on one CD and would be an excellent resource for your church library. If you are interested in purchasing this teaching, please send a check for $5 made out to the Diocese of West Texas to cover cost of production and shipping: World Mission, PO Box 6885, San Antonio, TX 78209.  

Book of Remembrance
The Books of Remembrance and Thanksgiving are ways to honor and remember those who have died or to give thanks for special persons or special events in our lives. The donations made are used to help fund scholarships for seminarians in the Diocese of West Texas. To view the most recent honorariums, please click here.

Lunch at ORDERUP to Benefit World Mission
Now - September 1 ORDERUP in San Antonio (Stone Ridge, Lincoln Heights, Colonnade) will donate 15 percent of the pre-tax total from tagged receipts to our diocesan world mission department. All you have to do is mark the back of your receipt with "DWTX World Mission" and place it in the "Speak Up" box in the restaurant. It is located near the "Listen Up" sign. Remember to invite your friends and co-workers, and go eat at ORDERUP. Visit their website for more information and to view their menu: www.orderup-sa.com.

Blue Grass Pentecost Mass
The Church of the Holy Spirit, San Antonio, celebrated Pentecost Sunday with a Blue Grass Mass, featuring The Descenders, the church's Blue Grass band. Follow this link to view a video of the highlights of the worship service. Be prepared for some foot tapping.