the
Church
News
January / February 2013 The newspaper of the Episcopal Diocese of West Texas
The youth and staff of Mid-Winter I were the first to use the Camp Capers Amphitheater in Memory of Will Stocker. See construction update on page 11.
Inside this issue
5 10 11 4 Calling All Super Heroes to Youth in Action at the 109th Annual Diocesan Council.
Get the info on page 8.
Blanco Episcopalian Provides for Service Members
Special Section on the 109th Diocesan Council
Winter Outdoor & Wildlife Expo
Update on Construction at Camp Capers & Around the Circuit
in
The
News
News and Features 2 On the Bishop’s Mind: The Holy Innocents
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Blanco Episcopalian Provides for Service Members
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Special Section on the Upcoming 109th Annual Diocesan Council
10 Winter Outdoor and Wildlife Expo 11 Update on the Construction at Camp Capers
In Every
Issue
3 From the Editor 11 Around the Circuit 12 Calendar Cover photo submitted by Camp Capers. the Church News is published six times a year by the Dept. of Communication Episcopal Diocese of West Texas P. O. Box 6885 San Antonio, Texas 78209 Editor: Laura Shaver Laura.Shaver@dwtx.org Deadline for news and advertising is the 15th of the month preceding publication. 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 70 Number 1 January/February 2013 USPS 661-790 The Diocese of West TX is a family of 26,000+ members in 90 congregations across 60 counties and 69,000 square miles in South Central Texas. Bishop of West Texas: The Rt. Rev. Gary R. Lillibridge Bishop Suffragan: The Rt. Rev. David M. Reed 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 reed Bishop suffragan of the Diocese
The Holy Innocents Editor’s note: Following the murder of 20 schoolchildren and six teachers and staff at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut, on December 14, Bishop Reed offered a reflection to the diocesan staff. The adaptations follows.
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t’s so hard to fathom—let alone think about— the horror of that morning, momentary for the victims, lifelong for their mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers. The evil unleashed upon the innocents is senseless, defies explanation, and leads many to wonder, “Where was God?” That’s a question that Christians, above all others, must take with utter seriousness. We are the ones, after all, who insist that God is love… that God’s love abides…that God is actively involved in this world… that the Incarnation means once and for all that God’s love is so full and complete that he chooses to be enfleshed to become one of us and with us…that the Epiphany (the “manifestation” of God’s love in Jesus) is a gift for all. Historically, the Church has taken the issue to heart, so much so that there’s a whole subset of theology (“theodicy”) that wrestles with the question, “If God is good and loving and omnipotent, how come there’s so much evil and suffering in the world?” I mention this only so you’ll know there’s nothing unfaithful or unchristian about asking questions of God, like “Why?” or “Where were you?” It seems instead that these questions are faithful, Christian, and biblical (see the psalms of lament and mourning, or recall Jesus quoting Psalm 51 from the cross). The Sandy Hook massacre reminds us in an intensely, painfully concentrated way, that this world which God created and called “good,” is still fallen, still broken by sin. Someone once observed that sin is “the only objectively verifiable Christian doctrine.” That is, you only have to open your eyes or the newspaper to know the reality of sin. Though sin and death are defeated and “swallowed up” in Christ’s death and resurrection, they have clearly not gone down without a fight. And the fighting continues. We have no easy explanations to offer. To the question, “Why?” we can certainly answer, at the right time, “Because of sin.” Or “Because of profound insanity,” or “Because of evil,” or “Because of free will.” All answers like that may be at least partially true, but, of course, they don’t finally satisfy us or take away our fear and doubt. What we have to offer, after all our other answers have fallen short, is, as St. Paul said, “Jesus Christ, and him crucified” (I Cor. 2:2). What we have received is this Lord we follow who, for love of sinners, became incarnate for our salvation. And where he leads us is to the same places and people he went: to the broken-hearted, the beatdown, the overlooked, the world-weary and soul-starved…to the slaughtered innocents. Finally, the faithful response of the Church—and our response as individual Christians—is to enter into such suffering and to stand with those who suffer. Where the cross is planted is where we
are called to go. The response of the Church to stupid, senseless suffering is not “an answer” or a theological or biblical defense of God. It is the cross, and a Son who, seeing all the anguish of his beloved creation, says, “Let me go there.” Not a bunch of words, but the Word made flesh, and then the Light piercing the darkness.
From the editor Laura Shaver
Since very early in its life, the Church has remembered the coldblooded cruelty of the aging King Herod on the Feast of the Holy Innocents, held on December 28 each year, often overlooked because it falls so soon after the Christmas celebration. Determined to eliminate all possible threats to his power, Herod ordered the murder of all male children in Bethlehem and the surrounding area, two years old and younger. This was in response to the news the Wise Men brought as they followed the star, seeking the newborn King. (Mt. 2:16-18) This may seem wildly improbable or exaggerated to us, but it’s consistent with how Herod ruled. Holy Innocents forces us to contemplate the darkness into which the Christ child was born.
New Every Morning
I wonder—and I hadn’t thought of this before—if Jesus’ great love and respect for children arose partly out of his awareness of Herod’s slaughter of the innocents. The horror story would have been wellknown and often-told in Jesus’ generation. Maybe at some point in his growing up he became aware that the killing of the baby boys was related to his own birth. When Jesus said things like, “Let the children come to me; don’t hinder them,” and “Unless you become like these little ones, you can’t enter the kingdom of heaven,” I wonder if he was thinking of those murdered children, carrying them in his heart. And maybe he wasn’t saying it just that day and in that place, but for all times and places.
Jesus was in the school. Jesus is in our tears. Hard to understand, yes, but true. I have a dear friend, who when talking about a natural disaster said, “If we believe God is God above all, then we must believe that God is God above ALL.” I have repeated this statement countless times in my head, mostly when the unthinkable occurs. And it is what I cling to after the tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut.
The shadow of death cast over us by the killings in Newtown is long. Our ability to respond directly and concretely is limited, of course, because we are here and not there. We can and should pray: for parents, grandparents, siblings, and friends; for the first responders and for the whole community and for all who will surely grieve for a long time to come; for the town’s churches which, in the midst of their own grief, opened themselves to all the pain and lovingly entered into it. Like Jesus does. And maybe, because we are here and not there, we should take a look at our own communities and enter into difficult conversations about what has become of us, as a people. (In Bexar County, 20 children died of abuse or neglect in 2011; in Texas, 231 died in 2011. They didn’t die of disease or in accidents; they were killed.) The national conversation is political, but I’m thinking of a broader and deeper conversation about life (and death) in a culture like ours where life is cheap, violence is entertainment, people revel in meanness and cynicism, and the inherent worth of a human being is diminished and trivialized. We are in a situation like the Wise Men in T. S. Eliot’s “Journey of the Magi.” Having met King Herod and having met Jesus, will we shrug and move on, or will we be “no longer at ease here, in the old dispensation?” If the Gospel of Jesus Christ doesn’t give us a word to speak to our world now, then we simply have nothing to say worth hearing. The Wise Men brought odd gifts to Jesus that didn’t mean much until many years later. Maybe when we think about our response to the Sandy Hook massacre, about what we can do where we are, we should think about gifts we can offer the children that may not mean much to them until years later. For the children who inhabit your personal world, give your time and attention…give them room and patience…show your clear delight in them…share laughter, comfort,
How many tears fell that Friday? One event, miles away. Anger, sadness, questions. Many questions. Parents, children, grandparents, friends cry. Where is Jesus?
This same dear friend, God bless him, also gave me a tune to which to sing Lamentations 3:22-23 – “ The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; They are new every morning, new every morning; great is your faithfulness, oh Lord, great is your faithfulness.”
As you hold the innocents lost in your heart, look toward the light this morning. Find God’s faithfulness in your life, and respond to it. Give thanks. Be a witness. Let love spread. Every laugh and coo, every whine and cry that came from my boys over the holidays was precious. Caleb learned to crawl. Casey played and played, and when he grew tired, he embraced his mommy and said, “I want to hold you, mommy.” I clung tightly to both. Too tightly, I know. For I don’t know how long I’ve been blessed with my miracles. May God be with each parent, each sibling, each son, each daughter, each husband, and each loved one affected in the shootings. May Jesus’ arms enfold you.
forbearance…offer the assurance they are loved simply because they are…show enthusiasm for whatever they’re enthusiastic about…give them a welcoming church home and a sense of their place in it. For the unseen children in your community, find out what enriches their lives and what diminishes them, and support those who spend their lives helping children have better lives. If Jesus is true, then we know how God’s heart shattered at Sandy Hook Elementary. We know the tears he cried. We know also how he immediately sent an army of people to surround and gather up and hold all those who were and are suffering, and how he went with them. If Jesus is real, then we know that he has once again said, “Let the children come to me,” and welcomed the holy innocents into his heavenly kingdom where there is no pain or suffering, but light and joy and life eternal.
the Church News
january/february 2013
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Featured News
Blanco Episcopalian Provides for Service Members
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t’s six weeks before Christmas and “sausage making season” at the Fojtasek household.
Bill Fojtasek, center, and wife Diane, right, give Christmas cards to Raye Foster to sign and send to service members in Afghanistan.
At his home near Blanco, Texas, Bill Fojtasek is baking “tons of cookies and brownies” and preparing pounds and pounds of dried deer sausage “marinated in my special homemade recipe.”
Fojtasek credits his mother with the idea of sending his son special treats: “Every time I went away to school, mama gave me a care package. So I know how much it means to receive something from home.”
Then he’ll pack the goodies and ship them to the other side of the world.
Brandon Fojtasek got packages of jerky, deer sausage, homemade pickles, and even a miniature barbecue barrel. He and his Marine buddies grilled hamburgers on it.
And where’s that? Afghanistan. Ever since his son, Brandon, served in Iraq, Fojtasek has been on a one-man mission to send care packages to servicemen and women overseas. He wants them to know they’re not forgotten and that folks back at home are grateful for their service.
Photos by Mike Patterson.
| By Mike Patterson
“They’re happy to get what I send,” said Fojtasek, a member of St. Michael and All Angels, Blanco. “It’s a great morale builder. And they like knowing that people appreciate what they’re doing, and their job is not in vain.”
After Brandon returned home, Fojtasek wanted to continue sending packages to other Marines. But getting their names was another matter. He asked local Marine recruiters for contacts but they were reluctant to help without permission from family members. Fojtasek’s persistence finally paid off when he obtained the name of one Marine. He sent the Marine a package, and when that Marine left, he gave Fojtasek the name of his replacement. From there, it snowballed as more Marines and Army soldiers spread the word about the availability of care packages.
Fojtasek’s endeavor began when Brandon was deployed to Iraq with This past Christmas, Fojtasek shipped several dozen care packages stuffed the Marine Corps. He had enlisted one month before September with his homemade sausage, cookies, and brownies. But he also included 11, 2001, and served in the infantry during the Iraqi invasion. treats made by St. Michael’s Episcopal Church Women (ECW). 4
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The 109th Annual
Pre-Council Meetings
Diocesan Council
All meetings, except the Central Convocation (San Antonio), will begin with a light supper at 6:00 pm. The Central Convocation meeting will begin with coffee and a light dessert at 6:15 pm. All presentations will start at 6:45 pm.
February 21-23, 2013 AmericanBank Center, Corpus Christi Hosted by St. Bartholomew’s
Pre-council meetings are essential to a delegate’s preparation for Council. Many details of the diocesan budget, which Council is responsible for establishing, will be presented at pre-council meetings and not be repeated on the floor of Council.
For Information: http://council-dwtx.org Little is known about the Old Testament Prophet Micah. What we do know about him comes from the book itself. Micah’s prophetic ministry is usually dated sometime between 750-686 BC. While the biography of the prophet is not well known, many are familiar with his well known statement:
“And what does the Lord require of you? To do justice and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God” (6.8). This passage will serve as our diocesan theme in 2013; and it provides the context for our 109th Diocesan Council which will be held in Corpus Christi in February. Do Justice. This includes seeking out those in need and responding to injustice with truthfulness and righteousness. It includes a deep sense of fairness for all; and therefore reflects God’s deep concern for everyone. Love Kindness. When Jesus was asked which commandment is the greatest, he responded by quoting the summary of the law: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind; and love your neighbor as yourself. Loving kindness echoes Jesus’ own life, which He lived fully loving God and fully loving his neighbor.
Walk humbly. Humility, from a Christian perspective, begins by being in right relationship with God. It includes being thankful and not thinking more highly of ourselves than we should. It is about conveying our thoughts, words, and deeds with love, sincerity, and with a gentle heart. All of these things are cradled by the statement, “with your God.” This year, at Council and throughout the year, we will explore the implications, challenges, and blessings of doing justice with our God; loving kindness with our God; and walking humbly with our God.
Are You Ready? Deadlines to Know: Delegate Certification: February 1 Find the certification form online at http:// council-dwtx.org/sign-up/certification. A copy of the form must be mailed to three locations - the bishop’s office, the host church council registration chair, and the diocesan secretary. Parochial Reports: February 1 Reports must be received by the Diocese of West Texas for a church to sit on the floor at Council. Find the forms and instructions at http://council-dwtx.org/sign-up/parochial reports Registration: February 7 Register for Council online at http://councildwtx.org/sign-up/registration
the Church News
Valley Convocation: Sunday, January 20, at St. Peter and St. Paul, Mission Southern Convocation: Sunday, January 20, at Church of the Good Shepherd, Corpus Christi Eastern Convocation: Tuesday, January 22, at St. Francis, Victoria Western Convocation: Tuesday, January 22, at Church of the Redeemer, Eagle Pass Northern Convocation: Thursday, January 24, at St. Peter’s, Kerrville Northeastern Convocation: Thursday, January 24, at Church of the Holy Spirit, Dripping Springs Central Convocation: Sunday, January 27, at St. Francis, San Antonio
This Year - Bring your
church banner to your designated pre-council meeting, and the diocese will transport it to Corpus Christi. The banners will be brought in during the procession of the Council Eucharist.
January/february 2013
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The 1 09 th Annu al Co un cil of t he Dio ce s e o f We st Tex as, h t t p :/ / c o un c i l -dwtx .org
Come on board! Online Registration at http://council-dwtx.org Council Registration: Register by February 7, 2013. Clergy, delegates, alternates - $110 Includes Friday night banquet Clergy spouses - $75 Includes Friday morning breakfast and Friday night banquet Visitors - $35 Meals not included Optional Registration: Thursday Christian Faith in Action Luncheon - $18 Thursday Mission Churches Dinner - $18 Friday noon luncheon, presentation by Friends of the Groom - $20 Extra Friday night banquet tickets - $30 USS Lexington Aircraft Carrier Tours - $5 Youth in Action Event, youth and sponsors - $35 Delegate Certification The official 2013 delegate count is prepared by the diocesan secretary, the Rev. David Read, and is based on each congregation’s average Sunday attendance in 2011. In addition to registering for Council, all Council delegates must also be certified. Each congregation of the diocese completes the certification form and returns it (three copies) to the bishop’s office, the diocesan secretary, and the Council registration chair. Childcare Registration There is never a childcare fee for children of clergy, delegates and alternates, or visitors, but children must be pre-registered. Dropins cannot be accommodated. Ages are infants through eight years. Childcare is provided during all Council business sessions, the Council Eucharist, the luncheons, and the banquet. Childcare is on premises at the convention center. Go to www.council-dwtx.org to register.
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Council Banquet Friday, February 22 6:30 - 9:30 pm Valet parking available Tours – 3D Mega Theater – Flight Simulator We’ll be boarding the USS Lexington Aircraft Carrier for our first-ever floating Council banquet. This Essex-class carrier was commissioned in 1943 and joined the Fifth Fleet at Pearl Harbor. The USS Lexington participated in nearly every major operation in the Pacific Theater and spent a total of 21 months in combat. We’ll enjoy the run of the three covered hangar bays with the buffet dinner served in Hangar Bay #2 and seating throughout Hangar Bays #1 and #2. In addition to the banquet, the Lexington offers tours, a flight simulator and the 3D Mega Theater. Tours of the ship will allow groups to prepare for battle as the pilots did in the Ready Room, inspect historic aircraft on the flight and hangar decks, tour the Admiral’s Quarters and engine room and relive the last-ditch Japanese kamikaze campaign. There is an additional charge of $5 per person for the tours. Along with the tour, we will also watch largerthan-life heroes become just that on the
three-story-tall 3D MEGA Theater. All films are selected for their ability to teach something new and inspire us to achieve. And everyone gets popcorn! Inside the Lexington’s flight simulator participants will be strapped in to the pilot seat of a fighter jet. Through the wizardry of video projection and life-like movement they will take part in a thrilling and heroic mission in the air-conditioned, fully enclosed cabin as the hydraulically powered machine moves in synchronization with actual flight footage projected on a screen.
Nominations In preparing for the 109th Annual Diocesan Council, the diocesan Nominating Committee is developing the roster of nominees.
The Nominating Committee for the 2013 Council of the Diocese of West Texas, appointed by the Bishop, is as follows:
You can view the nominees on the Council website at http://council-dwtx.org/business/ nominations.
• • • •
The Council website also features the offices to be filled with job descriptions along with the Episcopal Church Canons and the Diocesan Canons that apply. A full copy of the Constitutions and Canons of the Episcopal Diocese of West Texas is available on the diocesan website at www.dwtx.org/resources/ congregational-resources. 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 • Trustees to the University of the South Sewanee • Standing Committee
• • • • •
The Rev. Clayton Elder - Chair Ms. Angie de los Santos - Co-Chair The Rev. Lisa Mason - Central Convocation Dr. Elizabeth Manning & Ms. Sandra Slocumb - Northern Convocation Mrs. Kathy Young - Eastern Convocation The Rev. Jennifer Brooke-Davidson Northeastern Convocation The Rev. Paul Frey - Western Convocation Mr. Dan Anderson - Valley Convocation The Rev. Philip May - Southern Convocation
During the registration process for Council, you have the option to choose to “go green” this year. By selecting this option, a fancy green leaf will be displayed on your name tag, indicating that you have chosen to receive all possible handouts electronically instead of on your tabletop on the Council floor. Every handout that is delivered by pages throughout the days of Council will be available for download under the “Go Green” tab of the Council website at http://council-dwtx.org. Additionally, a Council app has been developed. Available for iPhones and iPads, as well as Android phones, the app can be found in the Apple App Store or on Google Play by searching for “dwtx Council 2013.” The Council 2013 app contains all the Council details you need to know, including up-to-date notifications of Council reports. The app features all PreCouncil meeting locations, information and booth numbers of each exhibit at Council, a descriptive list of the activities during Council, and a venue map with the ability to get directions from place to place. Each user can (and is encouraged to) submit comments or questions about a specific detail of Council and submit a Council photo. Links to all the handouts are also available through the app. At Council, registration packets will be slimmed down this year, containing name tags and prayer cards. Paper copies of items, such as maps and the exhibit iPad giveaway, will be available at an information table manned by the men’s group of St. Bartholomew’s, Corpus Christi, aka The Bubbas.
Council Activities Christian Faith in Action Luncheon
• The Christian Faith in Action (CFA) Luncheon, hosted by the CFA Department, will be held at the AmericanBank Center in Watergarden B on Thursday, February 21, at 11:30 a.m. Thecost is $18. Log on to the Council website at http://council-dwtx.org for information on the keynote speaker. Council Worship • The Council Eucharist will take place at the AmericanBank Center in the Selena Auditorium on Thursday evening at 5:30. The Rt. Rev. Gary Lillibridge will celebrate, and the Rt. Rev. David Reed will preach. Morning Prayer will be offered on Friday morning, February 22, at 8:00 a.m. at the AmericanBank Center in Watergarden B. An Order of Compline will be held Friday night at 9:30 p.m. inside the Omni Bayfront Hotel, led by the Rev. Lisa Mason. Mission Congregations’ Dinner • Designed for delegations from our mission churches, the Mission Congregations’ Dinner will take place at the Brewster Street Ice House, located at 1724 N Tancahua in Corpus Christi, on Thursday evening at 7:30 p.m. This event requires an additional registration, and the cost is $18. The fun continues with “Texas Country Music Night” at the restaurant featuring Roger Creager with Josh Grider at 9:00 p.m. Brewster Street has reserved a space for the delegations to hear the music and continue to visit without an extra charge. Or you are welcome to purchase a ticket to see the bands and boogie on the dance floor ($17 in advance at www. brewsterstreet.net or $20 at the door). Smaller delegations are invited to come and join in the fellowship, and since the music show is open to the public, all of Council should come on down. Hosted by Church of the Holy Spirit, San Antonio. Clergy Spouse Breakfast • The clergy spouses will gather for their annual breakfast on Friday morning, February 22, at 7:30 in the Bayview Room at the Omni Bayfront Hotel. The breakfast serves as a time of Christian community, especially for these church leaders who hold a unique position in each of our congregations Friday Luncheon with Friends of the Groom • The Friday Luncheon will be held at the Omni Bayfront Hotel on February 22 at noon. The luncheon will feature a presentation by the Christian theater company Friends of the Groom (see below for more information). The cost is $20. Banquet on the USS Lexington • Held on the USS Lexington, the Friday night banquet is sure to delight. The banquet is included in Council Church Registration, and additional tickets are $30/person. See previous page for more details.
Friends of the Groom set to perform at Council
Our Council theme of “Do justice, love kindness, walk humbly with your God” from Micah 6:8 will be enriched and enlivened by the Friends of the Groom theater group throughout Council. The Friends will perform on all three days of Council, bringing their wit, enthusiasm, and piercing truths to the stage.
Friends of the Groom, a Christian theater company.
In their words, Friends of the Groom is a notfor-profit performing arts ministry that works together as believers committed to reveal the Gospel of Jesus Christ through drama, storytelling, music, workshops, and other renewing experiences.
T he 1 09th A n n ual C o un c i l o f t h e Di o c e se o f We s t Texa s , h tt p:/ /c ou ncil-dwtx .org
We’re Going Green
Since 1980 the group has performed original Christian plays, led retreat weekends, and conducted workshops at hundreds of locations from Alaska to Florida. They perform at worship services, conferences, youth events, colleges, potluck suppers, education hours -- just about any event except for stag parties (although a few folks have asked over the years because of their name). Most of their scenes range from five to 35 minutes in length and are designed to build Christian community and inspire faith.
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January/february 2013
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Council LI VE
Council in Action
at http://council-dwtx.org
Instead of bringing things to Council, this year we ask our churches to take something home as we ask the question,
Can’t make it to Corpus Christi? Log on to Council Live (tab at top) at http://councildwtx.org beginning Thursday afternoon, February 21. Throughout the three days of Council, the diocesan communications team will be updating the site with news posts, audio reports, and pictures. See the “email subscriptions” box on the right of the Council Live page to subscribe and receive them automatically in your email inbox.
See
• Council Eucharist sermon • Bishop’s address
Hear
• Council Eucharist sermon • Bishop’s address • Committee reports
Read • • • • •
Bishop’s address Nomination results Resolutions Diocesan budget and more
Council 2013:
There’s an app for that! Download the Council app in the Apple App Store or on Google Play (for Android phones) by searching for “dwtx Council 2013.”
Social Media at Council: the “More” tab on the app will lead you to “Contact Us,” and from there you can follow the diocese on Facebook and Twitter throughout the days of Council.
Calling All Super Heroes:
Youth In Action 2013 Friday, Feb. 22 - Sunday, Feb. 24 Youth in Action enters its fifth year of service. Like Diocesan Council, this event has become a time of reunion, renewal and the business of the youth. And that business is mission work! Who should attend? All students in 6th through 12th grade are invited to attend along with adult youth workers and volunteers. NOTE: Churches provide their own chaperones who are available the entire weekend (cannot be participating in Council), and each chaperone must have his or her own vehicle to aid in transporting students. The ratio per vehicle is one adult to five youth. Location & Contacts: Headquarters for Youth in Action will be at Church of the Good Shepherd, 700 S Upper Broadway St, Corpus Christi, TX 78401. Primary Contacts: Scott Parnell, Youth Minister at sparnell@cotgs.org OR Brian Kates, Camp Capers Program Director at Brian.Kates@dwtx.org. Mission Projects: We will be working at the Ronald McDonald House (RMcD) and Cliff Maus Village (CMV) (an apartment complex supported by the Episcopal churches in the coastal bend area.) At RMcD we’ll be deep cleaning their facility so that the families staying there will have freshly cleaned rooms. At CMV we’ll be doing service projects to help beautify the facility for all the residents who live there. http://council-dwtx.org Find a schedule of activities and register. Cost is $35 each for participants. Register by February 17. A flyer you can print out to help advertise YIA and forms needed to attend are also on the website: • Liability/Release (youth) • Community Covenant (youth) • other forms needed from chaperones and churches
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“What impact has your faith had on your life?“ On May 16, 2013, members of our churches across the diocese will gather in local small groups to reflect on this question. The evening will begin with a simple meal in parishioner homes. Then group members will respond to conversation-openers designed to elicit stories about how they see God at work in their lives. We will be joining, in spirit, the Diocese of Texas and several other dioceses throughout The Episcopal Church who will gather on the same evening in their own congregational small groups to explore the impact of faith on their lives. On this evening of Sharing Faith, it is our hope that we will all experience a deeper understanding of our own faith as Christian disciples. To begin the process, Council 2013 delegates and clergy will form their own small table groups and respond to similar conversation-starters on Friday afternoon at Council. Delegates from each congregation will then be the core group that presents the process in their churches on May 16.
Student Art Exhibit The creative talents of our Episcopal schools children will brighten some of the display areas at Council with artwork from students in grades one through 12. Fifteen of our Episcopal schools from all over the diocese will contribute student art for the made-for-the-occasion art gallery located outside the business session room. After the close of Council, the entire student art exhibit will hang at Cathedral House Gallery at the Bishop Jones Center in San Antonio. Students, parents, grandparents, aunties, and friends are invited to view the art at both locations.
Continued from page 4.
“When we visited with Bill during a pot luck lunch [last] summer, we learned of and were amazed at the commitment he had made to send comfort parcels to the troops,” said Betty McNallen, president of St. Michael’s ECW. “The more I talked with him and learned how and what he was sending, the more I became convinced that we needed to become a part of it.”
“Every time I went away to school, mama gave me a care package. So I know what it means to receive something from home.”
“We learned from Bill that many of the soldiers do not have much or any family support,” McNallen said. Fojtasek also provided Christmas cards for school children to sign and write notes. He did the same at the local post office. These are included in the care packages, too. Although Christmas is a busy shipping time for Fojtasek, he actually sends packages yearround, averaging nearly a hundred boxes a year. He sends canned meats, personal hygiene items, dried soups, cookies, brownies, candy, and even baby wipes to help the troops keep clean in harsh conditions. “Their food is so bland that they crave anything with flavor and salt to replenish their bodies,” he said. “They even drink the vinegar in the pickle jars.”
On a recent Sunday in November, Fojtasek brought armloads of Christmas tins for the ECW to pack with snickerdoodles and brownies. Church members also took the names of servicemen and wrote them Christmas cards, so that each would get his own piece of mail in the goodie box.
A care package ready for shipment.
members, and others in the community have supported his work. “Everything given to me has been through their own kindness,” he said. Fojtasek has established a separate “care package” account at Blanco National Bank named “We Care for the Troops.”
Initially, Fojtasek paid for the food and postage out of his own pocket. Over the years, he’s shipped nearly 400 boxes and has spent more than $4,600 on postage alone. Each package costs $13.45 to ship.
As if the packages weren’t enough, Fojtasek has embarked on another project for the troops: He sends state flags that have flown over the capitol in Austin to Texas Marines.
Although he has not asked for gifts, Fojtasek’s work has caught the attention of others. St. Michael’s, the ECW, individual church
He’s shipped more than four dozen so far and proudly shows photographs of Marines displaying the flags at outposts in Afghanistan. Fojtasek said he takes seriously the biblical message that it’s better to give than to receive. He calls the troops his adopted sons. “If they’re my adopted sons, I try to make it as easy on them as I can.” “I’ve lost some Marines,” he said. “It’s always sad to get that letter, but overall I’ve been very, very lucky” to have lost only a few. One recipient of a care package has even visited him in Blanco. Fojtasek extends an invitation for others to stop by. “We’ll have some homemade barbecue and a beer,” he said. Mike Patterson is a freelance writer, frequent contributor to The Church News and member of St. Michael and All Angels, Blanco. Editor’s note: Please see page 11 for a thank you letter Fojtasek received from Gunnery Sergeant Michael J. Montour (USMC).
Bill Fojtasek prepares care packages to ship to service members in Afghanistan.
the Church News
january/february 2013
9
Featured News
Winter Outdoor & Wildlife Expo
| Submitted by Ralph Ayers
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he 19th Annual Winter Outdoor and Wildlife Expo, sponsored by St. Andrew’s by the Sea, Port Isabel, will be held on Saturday, February 9, 2013 at the South Padre Island Convention Center. The doors will open at 8:00 a.m. with the opening presentations beginning at 8:30. Featured again this year will be Jonathan Wood’s Live Raptor Show, followed by a day of more than 20 seminars about the natural wonders of the Laguna Madre and South Texas, including fly fishing, bay fishing, surf fishing, kayak fishing, local and worldwide birding, shelling, and local wildlife such as pelicans, dolphins, turtles, native plants, butterflies and more. The seminars and exhibits will continue until closing at 4:00 p.m. Admission is $3.00, with discounts available for groups. There will be free coffee and a refreshment stand for something to eat. At noon there will be a special award presentation recognizing someone whose life and work have helped to preserve the ecology and natural wonders of the Rio Grande Valley and educate the public. The bucket raffle will have several wonderful items each valued at $300 or more, and the traditional silent auction will feature some great donated items. There will be exhibits by non-profit environmental and wildlife organizations and an exhibit hall full of vendors featuring local businesses, activities and artists, and a special area of games for children. The goal of the expo is to provide a fun, educational service to citizens and visitors who love the outdoors. This year, proceeds, after expenses, will be donated to the Port Isabel Boys and Girls Club. In the past checks have been sent to the Rio Grand Valley (RGV) Food Bank and Good Samaritan Community Services - RGV. For additional information or questions contact: Ralph Ayers, 956-943-3630 or ayers.re39@gmail.com.
A butterfly exhibit (left), and a lesson on how to fish from a kayak.
The Winter Outdoor and Wildlife Expo, or WOWE, as it is affectionately referred to at St. Andrew’s, Port Isabel, has been a labor of love for many at the church for almost 20 years. It began with a simple Saturday seminar for about 40 Winter Texans on how to fish locally—what fish they could catch and how best to do it. Over the years, the expo has grown, with the addition of seminars on a variety of subjects, nature and environmental and conservation exhibits, as well as recognition of contributions to the preservation of God’s natural gifts in the Texas coastal area. Volunteers from both St. Alban’s, Harlingen, and Church of the Advent, Brownsville, are assisting on the steering committee for the first time this year. The expo will also feature activities and programs to appeal to families and children. In 2014, St. Andrew’s hopes to grow the event into a two-day expo with attractions for school groups, scouts, and more. St. Andrew’s is grateful for the past sponsorships by both diocesan bishops, the Rt. Rev. Gary Lillibridg and the Rt. Rev. David Reed. To help this outreach continue to grow, other sponsorships from around the diocese are welcome.
Photos submitted by Ralph Ayers.
St. Andrew’s extends a warm welcome to any who might like to attend on February 9, 2013. They are not set up to offer travel assistance, but discounted admission and group rates will be available for those who contact the church early.
Jonathan Wood’s Live Raptor Show.
But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds of the air, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish of the sea inform you. Which of all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this? In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind. Job 12:7-10 Find the expo on Facebook: www.facebook.com/wowespi
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www.dwtx.org
Around the circuit
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he $3,000,000-Phase One renovation, progresses daily at Camp Capers, the diocesan camp and retreat center in Waring, Texas. Following is an update on the progress. To learn more, visit the diocesan website at www.dwtx.org/capers or search for Camp Capers on Facebook.
Deacons Now Ordained During Senior Year of Seminary
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• The slabs have been poured for the new Steves Hall and the 12-room lodge. Additionally, the slab has been poured, and framing is complete for the eightroom lodging facility.
he Rt. Rev. Gary Lillibridge, with the consent of the diocesan Standing Committee, has instituted the practice of ordaining seminarian students to the diaconate midway through their senior year. This new process begins with the senior class of 2013. Tim True, a senior at The University of the South – Sewanee, and Carol Morehead, a senior at Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, will both begin their spring semesters as ordained transitional deacons in the Diocese of West Texas.
• The Health Center and the Elder Welcome Center, which houses staff offices and a small conference room, are both complete and were functioning during the Mid-Winter camp sessions this January.
As part of this change, each deacon is required to send Lillibridge a letter reflecting on the ordination vows of deacons and how he or she will live out these vows during their field-work parish responsibilities in the spring semester.
• The 250-seat Camp Capers Amphitheater in Memory of Will Stocker, set just off the bank of the Guadalupe River, is complete. A dedication service will be held on Saturday, March 2, 2013.
The decades-long practice was to ordain deacons upon graduation from seminary. In the Diocese of West Texas, and in many other dioceses, a transitional deacon usually serves six months before being ordained to the priesthood. “In addition to an intentional reflection of the ministry of deacons in their senior year,” said Lillibridge, “this new process is also more practical for our congregations in that a graduating seminarian will, God willing, begin his or her first assignment as a priest.”
• A 700-square-foot staff house, for a fulltime staff member, will be complete in the spring of 2013. • Infrastructure upgrades are ongoing. Electrical, water, and sewage lines across the property are being placed underground.
Save the Date: Recovery Ministries National Conference
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athering 2013, “Carrying the Blessing,” the national conference of Recovery Ministries of the Episcopal Church will be held at the El Tropicano Riverwalk Hotel in San Antonio on April 4-6. The keynote speaker is the Rt. Rev. Steven A. Miller, bishop of the Diocese of Milwaukee. Workshops presented by bishops, priests, laity, and professionals will inform about carrying the blessing of recovery with a special focus on spirituality, addressing the needs of young people, and addiction.
Phase One of the three-phase renovation of Camp Capers progresses daily.
The registration fee of $175 includes all workshops and lunch and dinner Thursday and Friday. The hotel offers a rate of $109 per night, which includes a full breakfast buffet. CEUs for clergy and professionals are pending. Visit www.episcopalrecovery.org for information and registration.
A Thank You to Blanco, Texas (in reference to story on page 4.) Ladies and Gentlemen, I am writing to thank you for the amazing support you have given the Ordnance Marines of Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 16 (MALS-16) over the past year. As we prepare to hand over our responsibilities to MALS-40, we are looking back at all the great things we have accomplished in light of all the challenges we have faced. The Taliban attacked our base on September 14, and these Marines moved toward the sounds of the guns to protect each other, America’s property, her values, and her way of life. When the fighting was over and the smoke had cleared, we went right back to our normal duties, and these amazing Marines went right back to being America’s sons and daughters. And for many of them, the care packages from Blanco, Texas, are the only mail they’ve received from home. It makes my day when I get to pass out cookies, brownies, beef jerky, candy, and the hundreds of other things that you all have given to us. I love when one of my Marines comes into my office, head to toe in cold weather gear, and says, “Gunny, have we gotten any more snickerdoodles?” We had a great time comparing our Christmas cards we received from Blanco Elementary. We all began to share stories about our sons and daughters, nieces and nephews. I hope someone is able to tell those kids how they made a bunch of hard Marines crack smiles. As leaders of Marines, we can give our troops many things to make their lives a little better, but we can’t give them home. You kind and wonderful folks have done more than enough to give these Marines a taste of home while deployed. With the holidays around the corner, that little bit of home is going to help them have some Christmas snacks far better than whatever the chow hall has planned for us. I know that this type of generosity is something that Marines remember. I cannot express enough how appreciative we are for everything you do. From the bottom of my heart I thank you all for giving back to the warriors fighting for the country we all love so much. God Bless. Very Respectfully, Gunnery Sergeant Michael J. Montour (USMC)
the Church News
January/february 2013
11
Photo of construction at Camp Capers by Amy Lillibridge.
Camp Capers Construction Update
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
the
Church News
calendar of events
Diocesan events february
Crafts Retreat The Crafts Retreat at Camp Capers will be held Friday-Sunday, February 1-3, led by Sue Hardaway. Cost is $120 per person, and that includes lodging and meals for the weekend. Participants are encouraged to bring their crafting supplies to work on the project they choose. Space will be provided. This is a weekend for fun and fellowship among fellow crafters. 109th Diocesan Council Diocesan Council will convene in Corpus Christi on Thursday afternoon, February 21. Hosted by St. Bartholomew’s, Corpus Christi, Council will meet at the AmericanBank Center. See pages 5-8 of this issue for Council info, and visit the official Council website at http:// dwtx-council.org/.
March
Clergy Lenten Retreat The annual Lenten Retreat for diocesan clergy will be held at Mustang Island Conference Center, beginning with dinner on Sunday, March 3, at 7:00 p.m. and will conclude with lunch on Wednesday, March 6. For more information contact the Rev. Patrick Soule, 361-424-2468.
DIocesan Blog april
Cursillo #259 (Spanish) The Diocese of West Texas will hold a Spanishspeaking Cursillo weekend, April 11-14, at Mustang Island Conference Center. The Lay Rector is Joy Herrera from Grace Church, Weslaco, and the Spiritual Director is the Rev. Will Wauters from Santa Fe, San Antonio. This weekend will require lots of planning, and those who have been on a Cursillo and are fluent in Spanish are needed to serve on the team. If you are interested, please contact Joy at joyfully50s@aol.com. Spring Gathering for Women The annual Spring Gathering for Women, sponsored by the Commission for Women’s Ministries, will be held April 12-14 at Camp Capers. Catherine Lillibridge will be the speaker, and the Rev. Dr. Jane Patterson will serve as chaplain. “Give Us This Day: Women, Prayer, and God” will help participants to open up to God’s peace and love with four words: breathe, aware, accept, and action. Cost per person is $150. This includes room and board. Scholarships are available; contact Leigh Saunders at 888/210-824-5387. For further information and online registration, please visit www.dwtx.org/events.
www.dwtx.org/blog
Visit the DWTX Blog and you will find current news from the Bishop Jones Center and most importantly, ministry stories from our churches. Read about the life of the diocese at www.dwtx.org/blog. You can also subscribe to the blog and receive each story in your email inbox. If you would like to share a short story about a ministry or activity at your church, contact Laura Shaver at laura.shaver@dwtx.org or 210/888-824-5387. Links to stories on the blog are sent out via email on Fridays. If you would like to receive the Weekly Digest, please let Laura know.