Church News Jan/Feb 2018 by Episcopal Diocese of West Texas

the

A beautiful blanket of snow covered much of the diocesan area on Friday, December 8, 2017. Pictured is the entrance to Mustang Island Conference Center.

Church

News

January / February 2018 The newspaper of the Episcopal Diocese of West Texas

Inside this issue

The 114th annual Diocesan Council convenes on Thursday, February 22, at the Embassy Suites Hotel and Conference Center in San Marcos, Texas. Find the details on pages 7-10.

4 2 Theme for 2018: The Word is very near to you

Betty Chumney, founder of World Mission Dept., retires

6 12

Kingdom Builders: The Rev. Fred Brown

Harvey Recovery: Homes for Displaced Marlins

The

News

News and Features 2 Bishop Reed: The Word is very near to you 4 Betty Chumney, founder of the World

Mission Department, retires

6 Kingdom Builders: The Rev. Fred Brown 7 Special Section: Diocesan Council 2018 12 Harvey Recovery: Homes for Displaced Marlins

13 Harvey Recovery: Update from the

Bishop’s Deputy for Disaster Recovery

In Every

Issue

14 Around the Circuit 16 Calendar Cover photo by Kevin Spaeth.

the Church News is published four times a year by the Dept. of Communication, Diocese of West Texas of the Protestant Episcopal Church P. O. Box 6885 San Antonio, Texas 78209 Editor: Laura Shaver Laura.Shaver@dwtx.org Periodicals Postage paid at San Antonio, TX and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Church News P.O. Box 6885 San Antonio, TX 78209 Volume 75 Number 1 January/February 2018 USPS 661-790

The Diocese of West TX is a family of 26,000+ members in 86 congregations across 60 counties and 69,000 square miles in South Central Texas. Bishop of West Texas: The Rt. Rev. David M. Reed Bishop Suffragan The Rt. Rev. Jennifer BrookeDavidson The Bishop Jones Center 111 Torcido Dr. San Antonio, Texas 78209 Telephone: 210/888-8245387. FAX: 210-824-2164 general.mail@dwtx.org www.dwtx.org

Communication Department Staff: Marjorie George: editor, Reflections Magazine and ReflectionsOnline Laura Shaver: communications officer

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On the Bishop’s Mind the Rt. Rev. David M. Reed Bishop of the Diocese

The Word is very near to you

e have just recently kept the Feast of the Incarnation, remembering and celebrating one of the two core proclamations of our faith: “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). And we will soon be travelling together again on the Lenten pilgrimage toward the celebration of the Church’s other core proclamation, the Easter shout: “Christ is risen!” In between the two is our annual Diocesan Council. Not an observance on the Church Calendar, of course, but still, February 22-24 looms large in the life of the Diocese of West Texas. The biblical theme for Council (and for the Diocese in 2018) comes from the end of Deuteronomy, as the people of God are preparing to enter the Promised Land, and Moses is giving them his final reminders for taking to heart all that God has taught them. Moses says, “Surely, this commandment that I am commanding you this day is not too hard for you, nor is it too far away. It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will go up to heaven for us, and get it for us so that we may hear it and observe it?’ Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will cross to the other side of the sea for us, and get it for us so that we may hear it and observe it?’ No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it” (30:11-14).

“In keeping with this theme, I will call on all our churches to read, study, pray, and discuss the Bible during 2018. The best testimony I can offer for taking this on is that studying the Bible changes and renews us, it both informs and forms us for life. ” - Bishop David Reed

In keeping with this theme, I will call on all our churches to read, study, pray, and discuss the Bible during 2018. Several curricula and programs for reading the whole Bible (or most of it) in a disciplined and comprehensible way will be presented during Council. Clergy and delegates will do Bible study and be sent back home at the end to invite others into a sustainable and nourishing spiritual practice, in which we gain confidence that the Word of God is not elusive and far off, but very near, and that we can not only hear it, but do it.

As I’ve begun talking about this plan around the diocese, I’ve been encouraged by the number of laity and clergy who say (with enthusiasm), “We’ve done that! People loved it!” Theirs is the best testimony I can offer for taking this on—studying the Bible changes and renews us, it both informs and forms us for life. When Moses says, “The word is very near you,” he’s not talking about that heirloom Bible your grandmother gave you that’s on a shelf … somewhere. The reference here is not to words in a book or a scroll, but to the present and powerful Word, the enlivening Breath of God. This Word is not somewhere out there—interesting but external to our lives—instead it is up close, even within us, as near to us as our own breathing. In the soaring and beautiful (and deeply mysterious) words of St. John, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God … in him was life, and the life was the light of all people … And the Word became flesh and lived among us …” (See John 1:1-18.) For those seeking to live faithfully, reading Holy Scripture is never simply an academic exercise, but a primary means of sustenance in our life with God and with one another in Christ. The image of Scripture as food is woven throughout the Bible. In a vision, the prophet Ezekiel is given a sacred scroll and told, “Take and eat this, and fill your stomach with it” (Ez. 3:1-3). Similarly, Jeremiah writes, “Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart” (Jer. 15:16). And the Psalmist sings, “How sweet are your words to my taste! They are sweeter than honey to my mouth” (119:103). To partake of Scripture regularly (which, by the way, we do, every Sunday in church, check it out!) is to find that we are not only “taking it in,” but it is also drawing us in. We find that we can see more clearly our own lives and the life of the world. We find ourselves inhabiting the landscape of Scripture, no longer spectators, but participants in the biblical story of God and his people. As we read and do the Word over time, we discover that it isn’t so much that Scripture needs our interpretations, but that all our interpretations (of life, of others, of ourselves) need Scripture. As Episcopal priest and New Testament scholar Fleming Rutledge writes, “The right approach is not ‘What questions do I have to ask of the Bible?’ but ‘What questions does the Bible have to ask of me?’” (The Crucifixion, p. 20) By inviting you and the members of your church to read and study the Bible, I hope that you will encounter anew God’s Word speaking in and through the words of Scripture, and that Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh, will breathe new life into all of us. My prayer is simply the prayer of our whole Church, which we pray each year during Advent: “Blessed Lord, who has caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn and inwardly digest them, that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ” (Prayer Book, p. 236). Between the two great Christian feasts of Incarnation and Resurrection, I invite, encourage, and implore you to take and read, to seek the Word that is near to you, to feast on God’s holy Word.

From the editor Laura Shaver

The Word stands forever

he first Bible verse I committed to memory was Isaiah 40:8, “The grass withers, the flowers fade, but the Word of God stands forever.” I don’t remember why I chose this verse, or even how I came across it to begin with. But I do remember being eight years old and thinking it sounded nice and pretty because I envisioned a field alive with springtime green grasses and flowers of multiple colors. I imagined this field blanketed with white, puffy snow that, when melted away, left the flowers wilted and drooping and the grasses damp and brown. I thought of the front yard at my grandparents’ home. They lived in Montell, Texas, when I was a small child, and the front acre of their property would erupt with wildflowers each spring - bluebonnets, Indian paintbrushes, buttercups, and more. It was among these wildflowers that surrounded magestic oak trees where I sat with my parents and aunts and uncles and cousins one afternoon in early summertime when I was eight years old. My grandfather, magestic in his own right, walked among us, taking care of his property, his home, his family. My grandmother sat in one of her rocking chairs that had been pulled into the front yard. As we all chit chatted and laughed and drank sweet tea, my mom gently brushed my grandmother’s beautiful white hair, and we all watched it fall out in clumps at a time, as gently as the summer breeze passed through. My grandmother, Nani, laughed the Church News

along with our conversation, showcasing her wide, bright smile, and she kept her hands folded sweetly in her lap, on top of her vivid purple Mexican dress. Our Nani lost her short battle with cancer that fall, and the day I said good-bye to her the skies were gray, the leaves had browned on the oaks, and the wildflowers were no longer present. They had gone to their hiding place beneath the soil for the winter. They had withered and faded. As I have grown up and grown older, the verse from Isaiah still brings such a sense of peace, and my heart settles a bit each time I read or hear it. It’s funny to me that as a child I picked it for its imagery. And now as an adult, I hold on to it with a spirit of gratefulness, of trust, of faith, knowing yes, indeed, the Word of God stands forever, even when nothing else does. The beauty of nature, people close to our hearts, homes, property, even our sense of self identity and securtiy - these can all fade and wither away. But not God’s Word, which is our source of faithfulness in trying times, in times of joy, in our everyday lives. As we embark on a journey this year to keep God’s Word very near to us, I know my trustworthy and steadfast verse from Isaiah, among others I treasure, will continue to remain in my back pocket. And I look forward to understanding more stories, passages, and verses from the Word of God that stands so firm.

January/February 2018

Featured News

Kingdom Builders: The Rev. Fred Brown by Mike Patterson

This feature article is the first in a series entitled Kingdom Builders, which profiles members of the Diocese of West Texas working to further the work of the Kingdom in a unique way or with a unique story. If you know of someone we should consider for a featured profile, please send your suggestion to Laura Shaver at laura.shaver@dwtx.org.

n April 1963, nearing the end of a 10day leave from his U.S. Navy SEAL team unit stationed in the Mediterranean Sea, Lt. Fred Brown swung into Rotterdam to buy a diamond engagement ring to slip on his fiancée’s finger when he returned to the states in a few weeks. He didn’t get a ring, but he did find a reconditioned World War II Harley-Davidson he had to have. “I should have bought a ring instead,” he said. Setting out for Barcelona to meet his ship, he “made it only to the Belgium border with France. That’s where I hit the fog bank. I couldn’t see and was trying to get off the road. Well, a guy in a car couldn’t see me either.” The car T-boned him, sending the motorcycle and Brown into a fiery explosion. A bystander pulled Brown from the wreckage, wrapped him in his overcoat and extinguished the flames. Three days later, Brown regained semiconsciousness in a Belgium hospital, suffering from near blindness and thirddegree burns covering half his body. “That was pretty much a death sentence in those days,” he said.

Photo by Mike Patterson.

Now Vicar of St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church in Blanco, Texas, Brown’s story of recovery is a story of the power of prayer, faith, personal courage, and the physical strength required for his rehabilitation. Brown remained in and out of a coma for six weeks and lost 60 pounds, going from a fit Navy SEAL weight of 155 pounds to a bag of bones weight of 95 pounds. His injuries were so severe that the doctors planned to transfer him to the burn unit at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio. His flight made it only to the East Coast.

“They thought I’d die before I got to Fort Sam,” he said. “They stopped the plane and put me in the hospital at St. Alban’s.” As he drifted in and out of consciousness, “I’d reflect on the liturgy, bits and pieces of it. The liturgy was a source of strength for me.” For spiritual strength, he especially relied on the 23rd Psalm. “That was something I recited quite a bit, ‘the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.’ It was funny how those things came out of my subconscious mind.” Meanwhile in Houston, his mother enlisted her interdenominational The Rev. Fred Brown currently serves as Vicar of St. Michael and All Angels, Blanco. prayer group of some 200 women. They were part of Fighting the infection which ravaged his a larger chain, which multiplied the numbers body also called upon the physical strength praying for Brown’s recovery. “They were real and mental toughness Brown had developed prayer warriors,” he said. “I could feel their as a track and swimming athlete at the power. I think it had a very large influence University of the South and his grueling in my ability to withstand six weeks of 105 training as a Navy SEAL. degree temperature and finally come out of it.” His bride-to-be, Sue Parker, lived in Roanoke, Virginia, and frequently visited him in the His mother sat beside him for hours in the hospital over the weekends. When they hospital. At one point, she asked if he would decided to proceed with a wedding, a like her to read from a novel. He shook his hospital chaplain approached Brown. head and pointed to the Bible. There he found inspiration from biblical characters They were married almost a year to the day who overcame their own hardships, such as after his accident. “I had to check out of the David facing Goliath and Samson asking for hospital to go to Roanoke for the wedding,” a last ounce of strength. he said. He was discharged from the hospital a year later and retired from the Navy. Continued on page 11.

www.dwtx.org

Special Section: 114th Diocesan Council

Registration is open online for

Visit http://council-dwtx.org Registration will close on February 12. Summary of Fees: Clergy, Delegate, Alternate $165 (Friday Luncheon and Banquet included) Clergy Spouse $120 (Friday Breakfast, Luncheon, and Banquet included) Visitor $35 (meals not included)

God makes promises ... God keeps promises. Of us, he asks that we love him with all our hearts, all our souls, and all our minds, and that we love our neighbors as ourselves. And the greatest way to learn how to love God and love our neighbor and lean on his promises is to hear and read God’s Word. The theme for Diocesan Council 2018 is from Deuteronomy 30:14 -

“The word is very near to you.” This passage finds itself bookended in the Torah between “assurance” and “decision.” God’s promise is that he will always be with us, through thick and thin, but the decision is ours to answer the call or not. To love the Lord our God. To walk in his ways. To obey his commandments. To choose life. In this coming year, as a diocesan family, we will keep God’s word very near. We will engage in diocesan-wide Bible readings and study, we will continue in our mission work locally and abroad, we will reach out in kindness and fellowship to all our neighbors, and we will worship together and walk as leaders in the way of the cross. We will continue to go this way, toward the Kingdom of God. May God’s call for us, as the Diocese of West Texas, be in our ears and our hearts as we come together to renew relationships and to step forward under new leadership. May his words of life be in our mouths as we spread the Kingdom beyond ourselves in each of our churches, our communities, and our ministries. Come with open senses and open hearts, for God has promised his word will be found just there, so we may hold fast to it and continue to grow as Jesus’ witnesses.

Thursday Commission for Women’s $25 Ministries Luncheon Thursday Christian Education $25 Department Working Luncheon Thursday Mission Churches Dinner $25 Friday Bishops’ Luncheon $30 Friday Banquet Ticket $40 Childcare $10 ($10 per day per child)

Nominations & Voting: Each year at Diocesan Council lay and clergy members are elected to various boards and committees. You can view the nominees for this year’s Council at http://council-dwtx. org/business/nominations. The Council website also features the job descriptions along with the Episcopal Church Canons and the Diocesan Canons that apply. Council will elect new members to the following governing bodies: • Officers of the Diocese • Executive Board • Trustees of the Episcopal Church Corporation • Trustees to TMI - The Episcopal School of Texas • Trustee to the University of the South Sewanee • Standing Committee

@DioceseWestTX #ReadtheWord the Church News

January/February 2018

T he 1 1 4 th A n n ual C o un c i l o f t h e Di o c e se o f We st Texas counc il-dwtx .org

• Churches (clergy, delegates, alternates, clergy spouses) • Individuals (visitors, volunteers) • Childcare • Exhibitors • Youth in Action

Th e 1 1 4 th Annu al C ou ncil o f the Dioc e s e o f We st Tex as c o un c i l -dwtx .org

Commission for Women’s Ministry Honored Women Luncheon The Commission for Women’s Ministry Luncheon on Thursday, February 22, at 11:15 a.m. will recognize and celebrate the nominated Honored Women from around the diocese. The luncheon will be held at the Embassy Suites Hotel and Conference Center before Council convenes from 11:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The cost is $25, but the luncheon is free of charge for all the nominees. During a prayer service at Diocesan Council 2016, congregations were invited to begin praying for God to reveal to them the woman or women in their congregations who brought the “Joy of Christ” into their lives. Names were gathered during the Spring Women’s Gathering 2017 at Camp Capers of the women chosen by their church families because of the many ways they exemplify the “Joy of Christ” in all that they do. The Commission for Women’s Ministry is excited to welcome all to celebrate this special recognition for each Honored Woman. Bishop Brooke-Davidson will open the ceremony, and Patty Brooke will be the speaker. Register your attendance at the luncheon on the Council website at http://council-dwtx.org/sign-up/registration

“... for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10 (theme from Council 2016) Christian Educators Working Luncheon Hosted by the Christian Education Committee Thursday, February 22, 11:15 a.m. Cost is $25/person * Register online at www.council-dwtx.org

• Priests, staff, and volunteers of Adult, Children, Youth, and Family Ministries are invited to participate and mingle with fellow church workers. • Come meet, share, and learn over lunch with passionate Christian Educators in your diocesan family. This year we are focusing on Formation Across the Lifespan with an emphasis on Adult Formation. Adults are the primary educators of our youth and children; let’s ensure they have the tools to teach and model what it means to be a disciple of Christ. We also have new and exciting online resources to share for all ages. • Contact Sarah Kates at sarah.kates@att.net, Christian Education Committee Chair.

Mission Congregations’ Dinner

Thursday, February 22, 7:30 p.m. at the Rocky River Grille (inside the Embassy Suites) Cost is $25/person * Register online at www.council-dwtx.org Holy Spirit, San Antonio, will once again host this event. Although this Council event is billed for mission congregations only, we extend an invitation to smaller delegations that would like to share an evening in community with food and conversation.

Clergy Spouse Breakfast

Friday, February 23, 7:45 a.m. Included in Clergy Spouse registration The annual Clergy Spouse Breakfast will begin at 7:45 a.m. on Friday, February 23, in the Embassy Suites in Veramendi Salon D. The cost is included in the Clergy Spouse registration price. This is an opportunity for clergy spouses to gather for food and fellowship. We will also welcome our newest spouses to our community of DWTX Clergy Spouses.

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Council Worship: Council Eucharist Thursday, February 22, at 5:30 p.m. Veramendi Salons A-E Embassy Suites Hotel and Conference Center This year, we will gather to worship at our annual Council Eucharist on Thursday evening at 5:30. Clergy are invited to vest, beginning at 5:00 in the San Marcos River Room AB, purple stoles, please. Bishop Brooke-Davidson will preach, and Bishop Reed will celebrate.

Banners:

Bring your church’s banner and stand to Diocesan Council for the worship procession. You will receive more information on a specific location for the banners from St. Andrew’s, Seguin, a host church, in January.

Other Worship Opportunities:

• Morning Prayer, Friday, February 23, at 8:00 a.m. in the San Marcos River Room • Compline, Friday, February 23, following the Council Banquet in the Embassy Suites Atrium at 9:15 p.m.

#ReadtheWord Beginning at Diocesan Council 2018 and continuing throughout the year, you are invited to share the ways you see God’s Word resonating with the hashtag #ReadtheWord on social media. Share and learn about personal and congregation journeys through the Bible by interacting with diocesan members on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Together we will go “this way” toward the Kingdom. Along the way, we will continue in our outreach efforts, being Jesus’ witnesses in our corners of the world. And we will return to His Word, reading and holding fast to His promises.

Bishops’ Luncheon

http://council-dwtx.org Throughout the three days of Council, the diocesan communications team will be updating the Council website with audio reports, news posts, pictures, and videos.

See

• Council Eucharist sermon • Bishop’s address • Bishop Suffragan’s report

Previously, he served as Domestic Poverty Missioner for The Episcopal Church, coordinating church-wide efforts in ministries of poverty alleviation. Prior to beginning his work on the denominational staff, Canon Stevenson served as Canon to the Ordinary in the Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana from August 2005 until September 2013. Following Hurricane Katrina, Canon Stevenson worked closely with the Diocese of Louisiana as well as local, regional, national and international leaders and groups to put into place the processes for effective relief ministry. Since receiving his Master of Divinity degree from Nashotah House Seminary in 2000, Canon Stevenson has served as Rector in two parishes: the Church of the Annunciation in the heart of New Orleans and the Church of the Good Shepherd in Maitland, Florida.

Hear • • • •

Committee reports Bishop’s address Bishop Suffragan’s report Friday luncheon presentation by the Rev. Canon Mark Stevenson

Read • • • • •

Bishop’s address Bishop Suffragan’s report Nomination results Resolutions Diocesan budget

Also find on the “Go Green” page • • • •

The Council agenda List of activities List of exhibits and their locations All the “Go Green” documents

• Facebook.com/DioceseWestTX • Instagram - @DioceseWestTX • Twitter - @DioceseWestTX

@DioceseWestTX #ReadtheWord

Episcopal Migration Ministries A core ministry of the Jesus Movement and of The Episcopal Church, Episcopal Migration Ministries coordinates, administers, and engages a publicprivate partnership to resettle and minister to refugees – those who have had to flee their homes because of war, violence, or persecution. www.episcopalmigrationministries.org EMM’s broad-based ministry among refugees is in the process of expanding to include communities and partners that do not resettle refugees at present. These networks include two tracks: • “Partners in Welcome” are Episcopal, ecumenical, or multi-faith institutions, organizations, or congregations who commit to long-term, sustainable organizing and action to support refugee resettlement and the broader movement for refugee welcome in the US. Each year, these groups commit to a series of activities in partnership with Episcopal Migration Ministries, while also developing their unique mission and ministry locally. • “Journey to Hope” communities enter into a simpler one-year covenant relationship with Episcopal Migration Ministries to learn about and support refugee resettlement ministry. This covenant can be reaffirmed annually as the relationship deepens, possibly leading to a Partners in Welcome relationship.

EMM’s formal resettlement ministry is focused in four areas and works hand-in-hand with 22 affiliate offices in 17 states and 20 dioceses: • A program of education and engagement, providing training for affiliate offices, reporting stories of changed lives, and making presentations to dioceses, congregations, communities, and other groups. • The Reception & Placement program, serving refugees during their first 90 days in the United States. • The Matching Grant program, an intensive employment case management program which aims to have refugees fully employed and self-sufficient within 180 days of enrollment in the program as an alternative to public assistance. • The Preferred Communities program, an intensive medical and mental health case management program which serves refugees in particular communities across the United States that are able to care for such special health needs.

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January/February 2018

T he 1 1 4 th A n n ual C o un c i l o f t h e Di o c e se o f We st Texas counc il-dwtx .org

The Rev. Canon E. Mark Stevenson, Director of Episcopal Migration Ministries (EMM), will join us at Diocesan Council as the keynote speaker for the Bishops’ Luncheon on Friday, February 23. As director of EMM, he leads a dedicated team in executing a national program of refugee resettlement and related ministries in partnership with the U.S. government, affiliated local resettlement programs, and a developing network of communities and ecumenical organizations across the country.

A Story Portrait Sam Carter Gilliam brought a church lady to Diocesan Council a few years back: Mrs. Barrington, cradle Episcopalian, steeped in tradition, suspicious, and fearful of change. You may be relieved to know that Mrs. Barrington will not be returning to Council this year. So is she. However, Sam has been invited to bring another woman to Council: the Samaritan Woman at the Well, from the Gospel of John. Many of us know her well, or at least we think we do. Her story has been told many times, but there’s a good chance you’ve never heard her tell it. Beneath the surface and in the spaces between the lines, secrets live. And there, what has been silenced yearns to be heard.

Photo submitted by Sam Gilliam.

The 1 1 4 th A nnu al Co un cil of t he Dio ce s e o f We st Tex as c o un c i l -dwtx .org

Youth in Action:

A member of Actors’ Equity Association, the professional union for stage actors, Sam’s career in the theatre and arts education spans over 40 years. In addition to theatrical ventures, Sam writes her own material. She presents for educational venues and diverse religious gatherings, such as adult formation classes, spiritual retreats, workshops, and worship services. Most dear to her heart is a collection of original works inspired by the women of the Bible. Her “story portraits” have been performed throughout the US. Sam will perform a “story portrait” of the Samaritan Woman at the Well on Saturday, February 24, at this year’s Diocesan Council. And secrets will be told! The enduring challenge, then, is to inhabit these beloved stories anew, stretching imaginations, growing capacities that move beyond assumptions and into the light of possibility. The Word LIVES, after all. 10

www.dwtx.org

Youth In Action (February 23-25) is entering its ninth year of service. Like Diocesan Council, this event has become a time of reunion, renewal, and youth business. That business is joining us and reaching out to our community in love, as the hands and feet of Jesus Christ. Online registration is open until Feb. 16.

https://council-dwtx.org/ youth-in-action Online you can find:

• • • •

Youth registration form $35/youth Sponsor registration form $35/sponsor Liability and medical release forms Deadline to submit forms is Monday, February 12. • Each church must send 1 sponsor per 5 youth • Payment is required at the time of registration • The event is expected to fill quickly with room for 75 youth and 25 sponsors

Location and Contacts:

The hosting congregation for YIA 2018 is St. John’s, New Braunfels, and the headquarters for Youth in Action will be at St. Mark’s, San Marcos (3039 Ranch Road 12; San Marcos, TX 78666). Primary Contacts are Sue Hardaway (suegroovy@hotmail.com), the Rev. Ripp Hardaway (ripp@stjohnsnb.com), or Laura K McGrew, Camps and Conferences Administrator (laura.kean@dwtx.org).

Mission Projects:

• Projects for Youth In Action 2018 will be varied. We will assist several non-profits serving South Texas, including the Head Start program in San Marcos. • As projects are confirmed, they will be announced on the Council website: council-dwtx.org/youth-in-action

A new mission partnership The Rt. Rev. David Bailey, who serves as the Bishop of Navajoland, pictured above with Bishops Brooke-Davidson and Reed, visited the Diocese of West Texas in early December to discuss the beginnings of a new mission partnership. The first exploratory mission trip to Navajoland is scheduled for April 2018. Bishop Bailey will speak at Diocesan Council, giving a brief presentation on the Episcopal Church in Navajoland, the people and the culture, and some thoughts on our developing partnership. The Navajo Reservation, located in Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico - the Four Corners region in the Southwest United States - spans 27,000 square miles. The Episcopal Church in Navajoland comprises 1,000 members in 11 congregations, two as home churches. The Episcopal Church has had a presence in Navajoland since 1894, when the church opened an eye clinic to respond to the health needs of the Navajo. The Episcopal Church eventually opened an orphanage, as well. Bishop Bailey and a couple of Navajo seminarians that will travel with him will also have a booth in the exhibit area near the Department of World Mission. Please visit and learn more about this developing partnership.

Kingdom Builders: The Rev. Fred Brown, continued Although he considered entering the ministry, “I was still pretty beat up” and figured it would be easier “to go to law school and ease myself into law practice with my dad. I just didn’t feel ready to take on a church. I was still in recovery.” So the son of a Houston attorney entered law school, though “the doctors had warned me not to because of the head injury and operations I’d had. They said it would take about five years to recover enough to go to any kind of graduate school.” And his grades kept drifting to the level of probation. “I ended up at St. Mary’s University law school in San Antonio in 1968 and started using a tape recorder to capture lectures.” Severe injuries to his hand made it hard for him to take notes and seared tear ducts continually blocked his eyes and impaired his reading. With the technical aid, “I finally started making good grades. I figured it out that it was exactly five years after my accident. Those doctors were right. It was five years before I could finally handle that load of work.” In 1989, after practicing law with his father for 25 years, he entered a seminary program in Houston and soon found himself volunteering in a Harris County jail facility. A friend suggested that he volunteer to lead chapel services there to learn how to relate to “people who are really down and out.” He ended up going by himself every week for six years. “Every Sunday when I’d go out there I’d sit in my car and spend a few minutes praying to get up the courage to

Interior stained glass at St. Michael and All Angels, Blanco.

go in. There were at least four doors that clanged shut behind you as you made your way to the chapel. That was always unnerving,” he said. The guards told him he was wasting his time trying to help the prisoners, but Brown got several into Episcopal rehabilitation programs and jobs after they had served their sentence. The Browns joined St. John the Divine Church in Houston where he served 15 years as a mentor or leader of the Education for Ministry program offered by the University of the South. The EfM is a four-year distance learning certificate program in theological education based upon small group study and practice to help individuals discern their call to Christian service. “The purpose of Education for Ministry was reflection and how to relate your life to the lives you’re reading about in the Bible,” he said. “The first time I really got into looking at my accident and reflecting seriously on it was in Education for Ministry.” “I had made some reflective witnessing at church before that, but it was pretty limited. It was hard to talk about it. It was upsetting. But after reflecting on it theologically, I would talk about it at length and see the benefits of being able to reflect on it.“ The first exercise of the EFM program is “a reflection on your biography, on your past and what got you to the present point of your life. For some people they could not talk about it without bursting out in tears. So I’d tell my story first in the goriest details possible.” “I could really relate to guys from Vietnam or that I met in the hospital that had what we now call PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder), what they called then shell shock. I could relate to that. How you deal with serious trauma is how the rest of your life is going to pan out,” he said. “If you’ve got a strong person like Sue to help you deal with it you are very fortunate,” he said. “A lot of people don’t have that. I had a lot of strong family ties. That’s helpful, the ones who will listen to you anyway. You survive better with a group after a serious trauma. That’s what I was trying to impress on them in Education for Ministry.”

His sermons today are filled with vignettes of his own life and trauma and his own relationship to the struggles of biblical characters, an obvious influence of his years in the Education for Ministry experience. One Sunday morning, reflecting on Peter asking Jesus how many times should a sinner be forgiven, Brown declared “I was mad at God” following his accident. “But even more, I was mad at myself. I implored God for healing, but it wasn’t happening. I was getting weaker. Finally, I turned my anger at myself over to God. Suddenly, I was free to be healed, free to receive the forgiveness that I had been blocking out.” After finishing seminary, he did an extra year of graduate theological work at the Theological Union in Berkeley, California where he focused on Anglican studies. He was ordained as a deacon in 1996 and ordained as a priest in January 1997 at age 58. “I was a late bloomer,” he said. Brown has served Episcopal churches in East Texas and in Northern California for three years to be near relatives. He has served as Assistant Rector of St. Helena’s in Boerne and as an interim priest of Saint Elizabeth’s in Buda, Grace Episcopal in Llano, St. Christopher’s in Bandera, St. Andrew’s in Seguin, St. Margaret’s in San Antonio, and a “few weeks in Corpus Christi.” “He’s a remarkable man, a remarkable priest,” said the Rt. Rev. David Reed, bishop of the diocese. “He’s a kind and gentle person. His pastoral abilities run deep. It could be his own injuries and suffering that have given him that kind of heart to be such a compassionate person.” Brown, 79, lives in Boerne, Texas. His wife, who stood by him throughout his recovery, died in October 2014. They had four children. And once almost given up as dead, he has since run 11 marathons. Mike Patterson is a freelance writer, a frequent contributor to the Church News, and a member of St. Michael and All Angels, Blanco.

the Church News

January/February 2018

Photo by Mike Patterson.

Continued from page 6.

Featured News

Harvey Recovery: Homes for Displaced Marlins by Laura Shaver

he idea was verbalized and set into motion during a walk in search of free fried shrimp. One week after Hurricane Harvey made landfall along the Texas Gulf Coast as a Category 4 storm and devastated the community of Port Aransas, Texas, the Rev. James Derkits, rector of Trinity-by-the-Sea, Port Aransas, met up with Walter Sohl, parishioner at Trinity-by-the-Sea, after they both heard someone was serving free fried shrimp to the residents of the island town. “Walter had the idea. He was worried about the schools in Port Aransas,” said Derkits. Hurricane Harvey affected over 90 percent of the community and left many families displaced. “He was afraid of all of us losing even more - local kids losing friends and the threat of closing the Port Aransas schools permanently.” Sohl’s idea was to buy RVs (recreational vehicles) for displaced families who could not otherwise return to the island. He wanted to raise $400,000 to buy 20 RVs at $20,000 per and bring 20 families back home. “I knew Trinity-by-the-Sea would love to be part of this, and I offered the church’s assistance right away,” said Derkits. On that walk in search of fried shrimp, the two also ran into Bishop David Reed who was visiting Port Aransas to learn of the initial impact after the storm. “Bishop Reed said the diocese would support this endeavor, as well,” said Derkits.

Photo by Timothy Burdick.

With the help of some local business-savy folks and the incredible photography and videography skills of Timothy Burdick, a Port Aransas local who is everyone’s friend, Homes for Displaced Marlins took shape. “Marlins” is the mascot of the Port Aransas schools. As the promotional video by Burdick began to make its way around, donations were received. Several corporate sponsors joined the initiative, but the majority of donations came from individuals and families. One anonymous donor gave $200,000. A homeless man, who lives on the beach and has remained in Port Aransas after 12

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Hurricane Harvey, contributed $5 found in his backpack after he heard about the project and also wanted to bring families home. The application process was quite simple. Families to be given RVs could not own a home, and their children had to be enrolled in Port Aransas schools before the evacuation date of August 24, 2017. They also needed to include personal and work references.

Walter Sohl (far left) and the Rev. James Derkits (far right) stand in prayer with a family after they receive their RV from Homes for Displaced Marlins.

The RVs came with the title in the recipient family’s name, so that neither Trinity-bythe-Sea nor an individual managing the fundraiser would serve as landlord. Port A RV offered 20 spots for the families to park with a reduced rental rate for one year. Spots in other RV parks were also secured.

“Some families had property or had relatives with property on which they could park their new RV,” said Derkits. And those in an RV park take care of all the rental fees. The first RV was given to a family who had lost everything in the storm, and when they were chosen said they had no other way of coming back to the community. “This was a big step for us,” said Derkits. “It showed us that it worked, that a family was back, and their kids were in school.” The parents in one family awarded an RV are local restaurant workers at Irie’s; another family’s dad works in maintenance for an RV park and also at Zarsky Lumber. And another family’s dad works offshore, and the five children are very active in the community,

school sports, and theater. “They were the poster family for what we were able to achieve,” said Derkits.

“As of mid December 2017, close to $1 million has been raised and 28 RVs have been given to displaced families.” “We have brought back 48 children. And in schools with a total of 527 students, that’s a pretty good percentage of kids that otherwise would not be here,” said Derkits. “There have been so many tears of joy. The families see the RV, and it sinks in - they have a home once again. It’s been amazing.” Many of the families who have received an RV have donated funds so that other families are able to receive one, as well. A video produced by Burdick shows some of the families receiving the RVs and can be viewed at www.facebook.com/ homesfordisplacedmarlins. Continued on page 15.

Harvey Recovery: An Update by Jennifer Wickham, Bishop’s Deputy for Disaster Recovery

urricane Harvey made landfall in Texas on August 25, 2017 as a Category 4 storm. The highest recorded wind speed in Rockport was 150 mph, with Port Aransas recording a peak reading of 132 mph. (However, because many weather stations were eventually disabled by high winds, the National Weather Service has reported that wind speeds across South Texas are statistically underestimated.) The storm continued to produce high winds and record-breaking rainfall across Texas for several days before eventually making landfall again at Cameron, Louisiana, on August 30. After the storm passed, experts reported that Harvey was the first Category 4 hurricane to make landfall in Texas since Carla in 1961, with damage estimates surpassing $180 billion. In the early days after the storm, a variety of organic relief and response efforts began taking place across the Diocese of West Texas, many of which were supported by the communication and supply efforts provided by the Revs. Nancy Springer (St. Alban’s, Harlingen) and Sean Maloney (St. Bartholomew’s, Corpus Christi). Within two weeks, representatives from Episcopal Relief and Development (ERD) arrived in the diocese to visit with leaders about relief and recovery. During their conversation, Katie Mears (Director of ERD’s US Disaster Preparedness and Response Program) recommended to Bishop Reed that a coordinator be hired to oversee the diocesan response. On September 15, Jennifer Wickham (All Saints’, Corpus Christi) assumed the position of Bishop’s Deputy for Disaster Recovery. Wickham had already been deeply involved in recovery efforts in Port Aransas. Traci Maxwell (Saint Elizabeth, Buda) agreed to serve as volunteer coordinator, and Sean Maloney continued to coordinate donations. Nancy Springer turned her attention to continued development of the DWTX Disaster Preparedness and Response Commission. The Diocese of West Texas comprises 15* of the 41 counties that were declared federal disaster areas. There are 23 congregations serving these counties, many of which sustained some sort of property damage. While there is a wide range of needs across the 15-county

area, diocesan response efforts are currently focused on the hardesthit communities of Aransas Pass, Corpus Christi, Port Aransas, Refugio, Rockport, and Victoria. Property damage is widespread, and there continues to be a great need for both skilled and unskilled labor, as well as for material and monetary donations. Though much has been accomplished in the nearly five months since the hurricane, experts expect recovery to take a minimum of seven to 10 years.

Progress thus far Financial Support: The Diocese of West Texas is grateful to have received generous monetary donations to aid our recovery efforts. ERD has provided almost $70,000 in grant funding so far, with another sizeable grant expected sometime in early 2018. The Paul Simon and Edie Brickell Foundation awarded us $25,000 for relief efforts, and a recent gift of $50,000 was just given by the Diocese of Texas. Hundreds of thousands of dollars in additional gifts have been received and are currently being distributed throughout the region. A grant process for individual assistance has been created, with intake being coordinated by Susan Linnane and Lauren Brekken of Good Shepherd, Corpus Christi. Donations: Vast amounts of donated goods have arrived from around the country. In addition to food, clothing, tools, household goods, and other items, the diocese received 250 chainsaws from the Diocese of Mississippi and a large shipment of new clothing from G.H. Bass & Co. in New York City. Tens of thousands of dollars in gift cards have been distributed, many of which were collected by congregations around the diocese. Volunteer Support: Our efforts have been aided by the generosity of volunteers from across the United States. Working with points of contact in the various congregations, Traci Maxwell has been connecting volunteer teams to work requests—most of which have come from homeowners with property damage. As of December 20, 2017, almost 5,000 work hours have been provided by 400 volunteers, 228 of whom have received complimentary lodging at Mustang Island Conference Center; Good Shepherd, Corpus Christi; and other area locations. Sue Madry (Good Shepherd, Corpus Christi) currently serves as our Hospitality Coordinator. The Diocese of West Texas is partnering with other long-term recovery groups on developing a coordinated regional response. It is important to remember that recovery will take a very long time and a tremendous amount of resources, and that while volunteers are still needed, the biggest need is for financial support.

“As you begin your new year, please continue to pray for all those affected by Hurricane Harvey, and consider how you can support your diocesan neighbors during this epic hour of need.” * Aransas, Bee, Caldwell, Dewitt, Goliad, Gonzales, Jackson, Karnes, Kleberg, Lavaca, Nueces, Refugio, San Patricio, and Victoria the Church News

January/February 2018

Around the circuit

“An Altar in Your Heart” The 20th anniversary edition of “An Altar in Your Heart: Meditations on the Jesus Prayer” by the late Bishop Bob Hibbs is now available and will be celebrated at a book launch on Thursday, January 25 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. in the Mission Room at the Bishop Jones Center. The purpose of the anniversary edition, which contains a foreword by the Rev. Mary C. Earle was simply “to introduce new audiences to the riches gained from ‘knowing’ - by regularly practicing the ancient Jesus Prayer - and, of course, to celebrate the ministry and teaching of the Rt. Rev. Bob Hibbs,” said Elizabeth Cauthorn with Material Media, who published the edition. Bishop Hibbs, who died in April 2017, served as a priest and as the diocese’s fourth Bishop Suffragan from 1996 to 2003. Tucked inside the royal purple cover of the book, designed by the award-winning Andréa Caillouet of New Orleans, is an audio CD featuring retreat talks on the Jesus Prayer given by Bishop Hibbs in 1993. “The retreat was quite meaningful and magical, and luckily, Charles Garrett recorded Hibbs’ talks,” said Cauthorn. Both Jennifer and Charles Garrett with Stillpoint Media, who led the original retreat, found the messages given by Bishop Hibbs inspirational enough for a book. With the agreement from Hibbs, the first edition was published and became a selection of the Episcopal Book Club and sold over 1,500 copies.

Lord Jesus Christ, son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner. Amen. “An Altar in Your Heart” Book Launch Thursday, January 25, 2018 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Mission Room at the Bishop Jones Center 111 Torcido, San Antonio

The Garretts decided it was time for a re-print in 2016, but before too much was done to progress with the idea, Bishop Hibbs fell quite ill. Cauthorn, who owns Material Media, then agreed to publish the 20th anniversary edition. “An Altar in Your Heart” ($17.00), along with the foreword by Earle, contains reflection questions for each of the six chapters, making it suitable for a six-week study; simple, yet powerful, pen and ink drawings by Luc Freymanc; and it retains the editing by Marjorie George, which captures Bishop Hibbs’ unique style and retains the freshness of the retreat. In addition to the book launch on January 25, the book is also available for purchase online at www.materialmedia.com and at the Material Media booth at Diocesan Council, Feb. 22-24. All proceeds will benefit scholarships for the annual Silent Retreat in the Diocese of West Texas. Of the book, Bishop David Reed said, “For those of us who sometimes become frantic and despairing in our quest for a richer, deeper (and perhaps more elaborate) prayer life, the ancient Jesus Prayer is like a cup of cool water on an August afternoon - refreshing, reassuring, calming. From the heart and lips of Bishop Bob Hibbs, the Prayer enlarges into a spring-fed pool, inviting us to take the plunge.”

Stromberger receives Sam Shoemaker Award Eleanor Stromberger received the prestigious Sam Shoemaker Award for her 17 years of work in Recovery Ministry at the Gathering, the annual conference of the Recovery Ministries of the Episcopal Church, October 5-7, 2017 in Phoenix, Arizona. Stromberger, a member of Christ Church, San Antonio, said she was very surprised to learn she was this year’s recipient and very humbled to be among those who have been honored before her. “Working in recovery has been my joy,” she said. “I got to my recovery because of the Episcopal Church, and it’s important to me to carry it back to the church.” Eleanor Stromberger (center) stands with her husband JC and the Rev. Lisa Kirby, President of Recovery Ministries of the Episcopal Church, after receiving the Sam Shoemaker Award last October. You can read more and see a video of the award presentation at www.dwtx.org/blog/stromberger.

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The Sam Shoemaker Award is named for the Rev. Samuel Shoemaker, who served as priest of Calvary Episcopal Church in New York City in the 1930s. He helped the Church put together spiritual outreach in the work of recovery. His work had significant influence on the founders of Alcoholics Anonymous in 1935, as he helped them articulate the spiritual side of a recovery program in an easy form. The Sam Shoemaker Award is usually given annually at the Recovery Ministries conference. Past recipients include Betty Ford, as well as the Rev. Betty Fuller (retired, DWTX).

Around the circuit

Diocese of West Texas Summary of Apportionments * through December 29, 2017

Recent Clergy Changes in the Diocese of West Texas The Rev. David Read accepted the call to serve as Rector of St. Helena’s, Boerne. Father David’s first Sunday at St. Helena’s was October 22. The Rev. John Badders is serving as Interim Rector of St. Luke’s, San Antonio. His first Sunday was November 5. The Rt. Rev. Gary Lillibridge will serve as Interim Rector of St. Thomas, San Antonio, beginning in January.

United States Postal Service Statement of Ownership, Management, and Circulation

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St. Helena’s, Boerne, and St. Paul’s, San Antonio, after the snowfall on December 8.

The Port Aransas School District opened for all grade levels on October 16, 2017, nearly two months after Harvey’s landfall on August 25. Currently each grade level is in a temporary building. The high school and elementary school

permanent buildings are scheduled to re-open after the Christmas holiday, and the junior high and middle schools are scheduled to open after spring break in March.

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January/February 2018

Summary of apportionments through December 29, 2017.

The Rev. John Inserra has accepted the call to serve as Rector of St. Alban’s, Harlingen, beginning in February 2018. He currently serves as the Rector of St. Peter’s, Sheridan, Wyoming.

Episcopal Diocese of West Texas P. O. Box 6885 San Antonio, TX 78209 www.dwtx.org Send address changes to The Church News, P.O. Box 6885, San Antonio, TX 78209

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Church News

calendar of events

Diocesan events January Mid-Winter Camps at Camp Capers I: Sr. High, January 5-7 | II: Jr. High, January 12-14 | III: Primary, January 19-21 A weekend retreat for children and youth at Camp Capers filled with games, Bible teaching, worship, friends, activities, crafts, and more! Go to the Camp Capers webpage at www.dwtx.org/capers for more details, what to bring, and links to sign up online. Altar Guild Workshop An Altar Guild Workshop, “Season of Easter: An Altar Guild Primer,” will be held in the Mission Room at the Bishop Jones Center on Saturday, January 20, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. There is no cost; and all Altar Guild members in the San Antonio area and out of town are encouraged to attend. Bishop Suffragan Jennifer Brooke-Davidson will open the day with a Eucharist service. Register online at www.dwtx. org/events. “An Altar in Your Heart” Book Launch A book launch of “An Altar in Your Heart” by the late Bishop Bob Hibbs will be held on Thursday, January 25, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. in the Mission Room at the Bishop Jones Center, 111 Torcido in San Antonio. “An Altar in Your Heart” contains meditations on the Jesus Prayer. The 20th anniversary edition of the book was republished to introduce new audiences to the riches gained from knowing by regularly practicing the ancient Jesus Prayer - and, of course, to celebrate the ministry and teaching of Bishop Hibbs. All proceeds will benefit scholarships for the annual Silent Retreat in the Diocese of West Texas. The book can also be pre-ordered online at www.materialmedia.com.

Crafts Retreat Bring your craft projects (ongoing or brand new) to Camp Capers Friday-Sunday, January 26-28, and create alongside women from throughout the diocese, sharing ideas and building friendships. Online registration coming soon at www.dwtx.org/events.

FEBRuary

Diocesan Council 2018 The 114th Diocesan Council will convene on Thursday, February 22, at 1:00 p.m. at the Embassy Suites Hotel and Conference Center in San Marcos (1001 E. McCarty, 78666). Diocesan Council will conclude at noon on Saturday, February 24. Host churches this year are: St. Margaret’s, San Antonio; St. Andrew’s, Seguin; and Resurrection, Windcrest. Watch for developing details on the Council website at council-dwtx.org and see pages 7-10.

Father-Son Retreat The annual Father-Son Retreat at Camp Capers will be held on Friday-Sunday, February 2-4. Diocesan events: www.dwtx.org/events This retreat is to help fathers (and father Church events: www.dwtx.org/church-events figures) get out of town with their sons (ages 6-18 years old) and invest time in the important things in life, like s’mores and outdoor games and real talk about the real life challenges faced by Christian men today. Registration for this weekend retreat will open online soon at www.dwtx.org/events. The Diocese of West Texas Scholarship assistance is available; email camp. Online capers@dwtx.org with any questions.

www.dwtx.org/blog Abundant Living Retreat The third annual Abundant Living Retreat: Celebrate the Journey will be held at Mustang Island Conference Center Monday-Wednesday, February 12-14. This conference is an opportunity for older adults to have a fun-filled retreat and to reflect on living fully into the golden years. Experts will guide participants in reflection and activities. Delicious meals provided by Kathy and her crew. The cost for the retreat is $245 for double occupancy and $315 for single occupancy. A day rate of $90 is available for those who live close to the conference center. Register online at www. dwtx.org/events or contact Lynn Corby, 361749-1800.

Read ministry stories from our churches in between issues of The Church News. The blog also features current news, national news, and diocesan ministry updates.

Reflections-DWTX.org

ReflectionsOnline is the online edition of Reflections magazine. Adult Christian Formation offers studies for individuals and congregations. www.christianformation-dwtx.org. “Episcopal Diocese of West Texas Bishop Jones Center” @DioceseWestTX @DioceseWestTX