The Church News September/October 2017

the

Church

News

September / October 2017 The newspaper of the Episcopal Diocese of West Texas

Trinity-by-the-Sea, Port Aransas, served as one of the first supply depots for victims of Hurricane Harvey. See Hurricane Harvey relief information beginning on page 4.

Inside this issue

Hurricane Harvey left a trail of destruction across the Southern Convocation in our diocese.

Learn more about responding as we strive to Be Jesus’ Witnesses.

See page 4. Photo credit unknown.

6 2 An update on Bishop Reed’s six initiatives

Coffee & Compline, an offering for young adults

7 11

Healing Conference at St. Thomas, San Antonio

Jennifer Wickham, Bishop’s Deputy for Disaster Recovery

in

The

News

News and Features 2 An update on Bishop Reed’s six initiatives 4 Hurricane Harvey: how to respond 6 Coffee and Compline for young adults 7 Healing Conference in November at St.

Thomas, San Antonio

10 The Rt. Rev. Jennifer Brooke-Davidson

consecrated Bishop Suffragan

10 Mustang Island Conference Center after

the storm

In Every

Issue

10 Around the Circuit 12 Calendar Cover photo by Jennifer Wickham.

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 74 Number 4 September/October 2017 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 Six Initiatives an update

By Laura Shaver At Diocesan Council in February 2016, Bishop David Reed said his vision for the Diocese of West Texas is, simply, to be the Kingdom of God. He wants the diocese “to go that way,” following the way of Christ, on the way toward the Kingdom.

To proceed “that way,” Reed emphasized six initiatives to focus on during his episcopacy. The work in each of these initiatives: Military Ministry, Evangelism, Young Adult Leadership Formation, College Missions, Church Planting, and Small Church: Big Mission has been well underway for almost two years now.

In addition to the specific ministry focus, Reed called for the formation of a Budget Task Force at Diocesan Council, held in February of this year, to examine not only how we as a diocese support the larger Episcopal Church financially and why we do so, but also to explore the questions of apportionment, sustainability, budgeting, stewardship, education, and communication within the Diocese of West Texas.

“Every so often, the diocese needs to step back and assess our finances - how we set priorities, how we build the budget and fund ministries, how we find money for new work, how we balance spending on our own needs with serving the world, and how we communicate and collaborate on budgetary matters around the diocese,” said Reed.

Budget Task Force Reed asked Caroline Mowen (St. Luke’s, San Antonio) and John Warren (Good Shepherd, Corpus Christi) to serve as co-chairs of the Budget Task Force, which began its work following Diocesan Council 2017 and the approval of Resolution 7-2017 (formation of a Budget Task Force).

“Due to the complex and detailed work, the Budget Task Force members divided the resolution into four different subcommittees to address the directives, prior to reporting to the Executive Board in November later this year,” said Mowen.

The subcommittees are: • Sources of funding for mission and ministry (apportionment, endowment, special offerings, restricted gifts) and the process by which the budget is created • Work of entities which have an impact on the diocesan budget and ways new initiatives are funded • Local church option 1A and 1B (designating giving to the Episcopal Church and/or to the work outside the Diocese of West Texas)

• Quality and quantity of stewardship education and most effective practices, and effectiveness and clarity of diocesan communication to churches about stewardship and budget.

Along with the task force members, a Council of Advice that includes 21 congregation priests and one lay leader from each of those congregations participated in a focused workshop this September on different aspects of the work of the task force, especially regarding Lines 1A and 1B. “Information gathered at this workshop and defined priorities set within each subcommittee helped the task force work toward recommendations for the Executive Board,” said Mowen. The Executive Board will receive the task force’s report and recommendations on November 30.

An update on the Initiatives: Military Ministry One of the first tasks of Military Ministry, chaired by the Rev. Karen Brandon, Chaplain Lt. Col. (ret.), U.S. Army, and Chaplain Susan Douglas, Chief Master Sgt. (ret.) U.S. Air Force, with diocesan liaison, Leslie Mixson, was to identify a Military Ministry Contact Person (MMCP) in each congregation. To date, there are 38 MMCPs representing 31 churches in the diocese. If you are interested in becoming a MMCP, please visit www.dwtx.org/military.

Military Ministry held its first planning retreat in July at the Bishop Jones Center in San Antonio, during which resources and tools were pulled together for churches to use to reach out to active military members and veterans in the congregations.

“This is one area where Military Ministry at the church level is thriving and growing,” said Mixson, referring to outreach opportunities.

This year, churches have participated in sending care packages to military troops overseas, making Quilts of Valor for veterans, offering peerto-peer veterans group meetings, providing clergy support for military funeral homes, planning Christmas care packages for troops, hosting the Remembering the Fallen Memorial Day exhibit, holding Requiem for Peace services, providing a local military resource book of information.

On the diocesan level, Military Ministry partnered with Joint Base San Antonio (Randolph and Lackland) to support two events for children of deployed families. Mock deployments were set up for children to help them to understand what their parents would be experiencing during deployment.

Currently, Military Ministry is working with Open Table in San Antonio on a pilot to connect veterans with Tables sponsored by current and future licensed Open Table churches.

The Open Table Model brings together a handful of volunteers that make a year-long commitment to act - through relationship - as a team of life specialists, encouragers, and advocates for one “brother” or “sister” who lives in poverty. Over the course of a year, the Table works together to set goals, foster accountability, and implement a plan to create change.

Veterans who join a Table will be referred from the Bexar County Veterans Services Office and the Bexar County Reentry Program Manager, once Military Ministry finalizes agreements with these agencies.

The model developed will ultimately be shared with other communities across the country by Open Table. Since every Texas county has a Veterans Services Office, all diocesan churches should be able to connect with veterans who need support.

From the editor Laura Shaver

The Body of Christ

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wo Sundays after Hurricane Harvey hit the Gulf Coast, my family and I attended an outdoor service at St. Peter’s, Rockport, a community hit hard.

It was hot and so very humid.

The heat only intensified the work being done all over the community: the removing of downed trees and branches, the clearing of debris, the setting up of supply stations and free food, and it was all overwhelming. There was much work to be done.

And there still is, and there will continue to be. Our area on the Texas Gulf Coast is devastated, and the sights are hard to see.

But the resiliency of the people is easy to identify. And the response to the cries for help across this diocese and across the nation has been incredible.

At this outdoor service, held in St. Peter’s parking lot because of the damage to the interior of the church and the dangerous conditions around the grounds from scattered nails and broken glass, the people embraced one another in longer and tighter than usual hugs.

When it was time to receive the Eucharist, my family got in line, and I carried Colton, our one-and-ahalf-yearold. When we reached Father Jim Friedel, I asked for a blessing for Colton, but his little hands reached for the sacrament. That was too much for Father Jim, who, in turn, offered him a wafer, with my approval.

What Father Jim wasn’t ready for was Colton’s enthusiasm, which he has for all food. His little grubby hand reached for the remaining wafers, and they all stuck to his sweaty palm.

I removed the wafers from his grasp and gave an apologizing glance at those still in line behind me.

Later that day, I received an email from Father Jim, who said during the service he learned that one can never literally have too much of the “Body of Christ.” Absolutely.

I had received an extra dose that morning when I had to pick up and eat Colton’s original wafer that he lost interest in once it was dipped in the wine.

But that morning we all received the hands and feet of Jesus as sentiments and embraces were exchanged regardless of how well we knew one another.

“How are you?” was asked. And after the response of “Okay,” a period of eye-to-eye understanding was heartfelt.

As the service began, the people sat under golf umbrellas and car windshield shades to deflect the sun’s intense rays.

As helicopters flew overhead, the sound of a neighboring congregation singing “Bless the Lord, oh my soul” could be heard during the morning’s readings.

And actions such as this - not to mention the hard labor, the organizing, the feeding, the caring - continue to serve as witness to Jesus and his love. The people in the Coastal Bend, and all those coming to help, are the Body of Christ, and there can never be too much. Thanks be to God.

Continued on page 8. the Church News

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Featured News

Hurricane Harvey

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the massive clean up effort, the church opened its doors immediately as a respite center for weary workers, residents, and volunteers.

In a letter to the diocese on August 26, Bishop David Reed and Bishop Suffragan Brooke-Davidson said, “Because people always matter more than buildings and belongings, we are glad to tell you that all of our clergy in the affected areas are safe and well. ... Also, so far as our clergy know, all members of their congregation are okay.

The great majority seems to have followed evacuation orders where they were issued.”

“I am exhausted, but amazed by the people, resources, and love that keep pouring in,” said Derkits. Derkits, who offered live prayers on Facebook the night of Hurricane Harvey’s landfall, has continued that practice with a live service of Morning Prayer on Facebook each and every day since. Trinityby-the-Sea also opened its doors on Sunday, September 3, for the first church services since the hurricane. “We did it old school,” said Derkits, “with no bulletins and no air conditioning.”

n August 25, Hurricane Harvey made landfall near Rockport, Texas, as a Category 4 Hurricane. In its path was much of the coastal area in the Diocese of West Texas.

While much of the property damage included fallen and broken trees and limbs, as well as large amounts of debris that were distributed with the 100+ mph winds and the storm surges, some of the churches in the diocese sustained roof damage and broken windows, and many of the coastal communities were without power for up to four weeks or more.

The communities of Rockport, Port Aransas, Aransas Pass, and Refugio took the hardest hits from Harvey, and while the church buildings are mostly okay, the communities are dealing with devastating losses of property.

The rectory where the Rev. James Derkits and his family live in Port Aransas was destroyed.

Derkits is the rector of Trinity-by-the-Sea, Port Aransas.

While the Derkits family and friends sorted through personal items and worked through

Jennifer Wickham, member of All Saints, Corpus Christi, arrived in Port Aransas on August 26 and has since served as Trinityby-the-Sea’s Hurricane Relief and Operations Director. Along with Derkits, she has attended numerous organizational meetings with city leaders and has been instrumental in bringing the entire community together in its efforts to respond and rebuild. In mid September, Reed called Wickham to serve as the Bishop’s Deputy for Disaster Recovery for the entire affected area (see page 11).

Trinity-by-the-Sea served as the first supply depot for residents in Port Aransas, housing the thousands of donated items that came into the city. Once the church’s space was filled to capacity, the city moved all donated supplies to an outdoor, covered community pavilion. The church is now serving as a pastoral care station, offering a free mental health group on Fridays with a licensed psychologist.

Photo by the Rev. James Derkits.

St. Peter’s, Rockport, was surrounded by fallen oak trees and debris, and the building itself took a beating from the winds, losing siding in various places. The sanctuary sustained a significant amount of water damage, but that did not stop the Rev. Jim Friedel, rector, from offering an outdoor service of Holy Eucharist on Sunday, September 3.

The parish hall doors at Trinity-by-the-Sea, Port Aransas, were boarded up and sealed with a blessing before Hurricane Harvey hit.

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In his sermon, Friedel said, “I’ve never seen all the oak trees in Rockport so bare. When I returned from evacuating a few days ago, every single tree was bare. But today, if look closely at the oak trees on our church grounds, new leaves are budding.”

How best to help, now and later Monetary Donations As we move into the long-term recovery phase in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, please know that monetary donations are the best method to help. These donated funds allow those we are helping to buy exactly what they need, and in turn, it helps the local economy recover.

You can continue donating online at dwtx.org/disaster-response or through Episcopal Relief and Development at episcopalrelief.org.

When a specific need arises, the Commission on Disaster Response will communicate the need to all clergy and church offices through diocesan email lists. When you receive such a request, please remember: Communicate what you are doing Let Jennifer Wickham know that your congregation is responding to the specific need, as well as the quantity of items needed you will be sending.

Gather only what is on the list of needed supplies Think reasonable numbers Consider the timeliness factor (immediately, urgent, or ongoing) Remember we are not the only organization responding Please do NOT send household goods or clothing Jennifer Wickham, Bishop’s Deputy for Disaster Recovery 210-548-6996 jstwickham@gmail.com

Volunteer Opportunities www.dwtx.org/disaster-response/volunteer www.facebook.com/DWTXDisasterRecovery Please organize ALL volunteer trips with Jennifer Wickham, 210-548-6996, jstwickham@gmail.com There are opportunities to volunteer in all of the coastal communities in the Diocese of West Texas affected by Hurricane Harvey. This is a long-term effort, so please coordinate your willingness with Jennifer (contact info listed above).

Volunteer Forms Find and fill out the Diocese of West Texas Volunteer Team Sign-up form at www.dwtx.org/disaster-response/volunteer, and email it to Jennifer Wickham. With this form, she will be able to schedule your team to volunteer at one the sights, secure lodging (if needed) in a church parish hall in Corpus Christi, and match your skills and willingness to the best need in the Coastal Bend area.

Before you or your team travels to volunteer, have each member print and take the FEMA Volunteer Registration form, also at www.dwtx.org/disaster-response/volunteer.

When all forms are completed by each member of a volunteer team, they need to be given to city leaders in which city the work was completed. If you need assistance doing this, contact Jennifer Wickham.

Communities receive compensation for the volunteer hours after FEMA has provided assistance, lessening the amount the city owes to FEMA for the assistance.

@DWTXDisasterRecovery Photo above: Volunteers from Christ Church, and Holy Spirit, San Antonio, clean up around Trinity, Victoria, on September 2.

Our Savior, Aransas Pass, also offered a church service on September 3 with no power or water but with piano music. “Several families in our congregation lost everything. The school district has closed, and most of the businesses have been seriously damaged,” said the Rev. Beverly Patterson, Canon Missioner for the Coastal Bend.

September 8 to meet with the bishops, the Commission on Disaster Response, and key leaders in the recovery effort, and plans were made for her to return in the near future.

“This is definitely not her first disaster, and she will be such a knowledgeable and calming presence walking with us in all of the recovery,” said Brooke-Davidson.

“Christ-like people don’t just sit around. Harvey didn’t care about diocesan boundaries, and Jesus wasn’t particularly fond of church walls.” - Colin Hills

The Response While the devastation is tangible throughout the Central Texas Gulf Coast, the response from the people of the Diocese of West Texas and beyond has been incredible.

Hundreds of hygiene kits were assembled and sent to the area in the immediate aftermath of the storm, and the donations continued to come from all over the diocese. So much so, that each community is now requesting all donations stop, as there is no more room to store them and a more than adequate supply is on hand.

Volunteers have put on long pants and boots and braved the high humidity and mosquitoes to take part in much of the initial clean up. Groups have traveled from churches in San Antonio, the Valley, and beyond to offer help in Victoria, Refugio, Port Aransas, and Rockport.

The Diocese of Dallas Disaster Response Committee visited the coastal areas in the Diocese of West Texas on September 9 to get a feel for the entire area affected and to aid in deciding on where best to commit its resources.

“Christ-like people don’t just sit around.

Harvey didn’t care about diocesan boundaries, and Jesus wasn’t particularly fond of church walls,” said Colin Hills, the Disaster Response Coordinator for the Diocese of Dallas.

Hills said he heard Wickham say that the church’s role in a disaster should be to “fill the gaps.”

Continued on page 7.

Bishops and dioceses and churches from around the nation have made contact with the Diocese of West Texas, ready and willing to offer money, support, and resources.

Episcopal Relief and Development (ERD) was in touch before Hurricane Harvey hit and has been in touch daily with the diocesan Commission on Disaster Response.

Katie Mears, ERD’s Director of the U.S. A group from St. David’s, San Antonio, traveled to Ascension, Refugio, to help the Disaster Program, Rev. Gina Frnka and other church members clean up on September 2. visited San Antonio on the Church News

September/October 2017

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Photos submitted by Kelly Harris and the Rev. Lisa Mason.

“We have an opportunity to respond in a way that will give new life,” said Friedel.

“Who knows how God will use our hands; he has heard our cries and the cries of this community. We have suffered, and now with grateful hearts, we will press forward.”

Featured News

Coffee and Compline

by Emily Vandewalle

Emily Vandewalle is the Public Relations and Marketing Manager for Good Samaritan Community Services and also a worship leader at St. Luke’s, San Antonio.

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offee and Compline was born out of inspiration from a worship band called United Pursuit. United Pursuit’s records are recordings of live, acoustic, stripped-down, worship gatherings where people gather and sing songs that are written as very repetitive, short-stanza songs akin to Taizestyle worship.

One day in 2015, while I was listening to United Pursuit, I felt overwhelmingly encouraged to re-create and offer a similar kind of experience in the Diocese of West Texas. I remember sharing a music video on Facebook saying, “I’m dreaming of the day when this is an opportunity for young adults in the diocese.” I shared that vision with my house-mate, Lukas Sehlke (a friendship born out of Camp Capers), and together, with support and help from several other peers and friends in San Antonio, we turned a dream into reality.

Photo submitted by Emily Vandewalle.

Lukas and I felt like there was a deep desire among young adults and our peers in San Antonio to gather together in a prayerful, more contemplative, worshipful space. Honestly, we felt like there were many opportunities to be social and have fellowship with other young adults, but not many opportunities to just be still and worship in a contemporary setting.

“We are so desperate for genuine, contemplative space.

Regardless of how Coffee and Compline changes, may it always be exactly that.”

The first Coffee and Compline took place in September of 2015 in our small twobedroom apartment in Alamo Heights. We created a Facebook event, we lit candles, we turned on the Keurig, we sang songs from lyrics presented on our television, and we read the Evening Compline prayer service responsively.

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Coffee and Compline was recently held in the Carriage House at Christ Church, San Antonio. Music was led by Emily Vandewalle and Daniel Kittrell.

Over 30 young adults piled into our living room that first Tuesday evening just to be together in fellowship with liturgy. There was no plan for it to be a recurring event, or no plan to see what it could develop into; we were committed to allowing it to be organic.

When life circumstances changed for Lukas and me, we stopped hosting for several months. This spring, we decided to bring it back, but host it in various churches around San Antonio so that it was more accessible to young adults in the area outside of our friend group. We also felt like we had outgrown the space a house could provide, so we needed more room to accommodate that growth.

In March of this year, we agreed to host them at varying churches throughout San Antonio on the third Tuesday of every other month. At this point, we plan to host it six times per year wherever we are welcome, with financial and in-kind support from members of the Young Adult Small Group of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in San Antonio.

The next Coffee and Compline is scheduled for Tuesday, October 10, at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, San Antonio, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. We plan to launch a Facebook page soon so information can be easily shared across the diocese about gathering times and new developments.

For more information regarding this ministry, feel free to contact Emily Vandewalle at emily.vandewalle@gmail.com.

Honoring Our Mothers

The Mother’s Day Offering benefits the Department of World Mission and honors mothers and other influential women in our lives. In addition to the honorees listed in the July/August issue, the following was also part of the offering: Philip and Mary Caldwell in honor of Louise Laura and Helen Caldwell; Betty Morris in honor of Alice Gray Sears Akin; Ron Lorton in honor of Grace Lorton

Healing Conference at St. Thomas, San Antonio | by Marjorie George

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e all grow up with scars on our souls, says the Rev. Hugh Bromiley, and addressing those wounds will be the topic of an Order of St. Luke (OSL) Healing Conference at St. Thomas, San Antonio, November 3 through 5.

Bromiley and his wife, the Rev. Monte Bromiley, will be the keynote speakers at the conference, titled “Healing the Soul from the Inside Out.” Along with the OSL chapter at St. Thomas, the conference is being sponsored by chapters from St. Andrew’s, and Santa Fe, San Antonio.

From their home in Staples, just outside of San Marcos, the Bromileys conduct Beth Shalom Ministries dedicated to setting people free from the negative patterns in their life that limit and frustrate them.

“Shalom means ‘nothing missing; nothing broken, and the absence of chaos,’” says the Beth Shalom website (www.bethshalomtexas.com). “Through a specific God-led way of deep prayer and spiritual counseling, we see lives miraculously changed.”

The conference, says Bob Thompson from St. Thomas, is the fifth Order of St. Luke conference sponsored by the St. Thomas chapter of OSL in the past several years.

It will include presentations by both of the Bromileys as well as opportunities for healing prayers with anointing of oil.

It begins with fellowship and registration on Friday evening at 6:00 p.m. and continues Saturday with a continental breakfast, presentations by the Bromileys, a box lunch, and a closing Eucharist at 2:45 p.m. Hugh Bromiley will preach at Sunday morning worship at the 9:15 and 10:30 services.

The conference fee is $25 before October 20 and $35 after that. A registration form is available from the diocesan website at www.dwtx.org/church-events.

Thompson and organizer John Throop say that past conferences have drawn people who are in the healing ministry, those who want to learn more about it, and people who are seeking physical, emotional, and spiritual healing. It is an ecumenical gathering and is open to all, regardless of church affiliation.

The Order of St. Luke is dedicated to the Christian healing ministry and functions through chapters at individual churches in the United States and Canada. The headquarters office is in San Antonio, and more information about the OSL is available on their website at orderofstluke.org .

For more information about the November conference, contact John Throop at johnleethroop@outlook.com.

Continued from page 5.

“Our job as the body of Christ on Earth is to specifically look for the forgotten and left behind, and do everything we can for them,” said Hills. The Diocese of Dallas is planning a long-term partnership with the Diocese of West Texas in recovery efforts.

Also offering long-term support is the Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast, as well as leaders in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina from New Orleans. An Episcopal Church in New Jersey wants to “adopt” one of the affected churches in our diocese, after a similar blessing happened for them post Hurricane Sandy in 2012.

Another Episcopal Church in Kentucky is hoping to establish the same type of relationship.

“We are so immensely grateful for all the support we are receiving,” said Reed. “This is the Body of Christ - the hands and feet of Jesus - doing exactly what we are called to do.”

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Featured News

An Update on Bishop Reed’s Six Initiatives

Continued from page 3.

Evangelism “The Evangelism Committee has been active over the past year with various workshops and conferences on Invite-WelcomeConnect,” said the Rev. John Hill, chair of the committee.

Over 100 people representing 38 churches in the diocese attended the Invite-WelcomeConnect workshops at the annual Abide in Me Conference this past June. Fourteen of those churches have begun the process of implementing the Invite-Welcome-Connect hospitality model.

Resources for churches are being developed and will be available on the diocesan website. Different tools to supplement InviteWelcome-Connect will be available for download, as well as general information on why evangelism matters and how to make it happen. Stay tuned to www.dwtx.org/ evangelism.

Young Adult Leadership Formation Planned for October 13-14 is the first young adults retreat entitled “Finding Our Voice.”

This retreat will be held at Camp Capers and will focus on discerning the call as leaders in the church, as young adults. “We will explore the ways in which God offers himself to us in order that we may in turn share the gifts

given us as members of the Body of Christ. All who consider themselves ‘young adults’ are welcome to come,” said the Rev. Rob Harris, who along with the Rev. Matt Wise, the Rev. Ram Lopez, Sarah Kates, and Lisa Earle, is laying the groundwork for this initiative.

Childcare will be provided for this two-day retreat, and registration is open at www.dwtx.org/events.

In the past year, a Facebook page has been created for young adults across the diocese to facilitate conversation and market events.

You can find the page on Facebook by searching for “Young Adults of the Diocese of West Texas.”

At the annual Abide in Me Conference held at TMI - The Episcopal School of Texas in San Antonio this past June, participants in the Young Adults Leadership Formation workshop presented the following established young adults ministries around the diocese: • Good Shepherd, Corpus Christi, and St. Mark’s, Corpus Christi, offer a program called “Thrive,” which is open to all young adults who have not yet had children. They host a regular Bible study with dinner.

• St. Luke’s, San Antonio, currently hosts young adult small groups in the homes of parishioners.

St. Luke’s is also a host of “Coffee and Compline,” held at various churches around the San Antonio area. See story on page 6.

• Christ Church, San Antonio, offers monthly brunches and dinners and hosts Christian formation gatherings each week on Sunday mornings and Wednesday nights.

Once a month the young adult ministry joins the parish’s food pantry in offering additional services, such as a hot meal, clothes pantry, and free haircuts. The young

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adults also have a midweek Women’s Bible Study held in a member’s home.

Finally, the group has a softball team.

• St. Peter’s, Kerrville, offers a book study each week as well as Bible studies, and regular fellowship events for young adults.

Harris suggested that some qualities of a healthy church that welcomes young adults are being welcoming, missional, authentic, and non-judgmental. “Each church also needs to understand the limitations placed on young adults, such as managing a family, as well as demanding jobs. If you want young adults to lead in the church, opportunities for children are a must,” he said.

College Missions College Missions programs throughout the diocese are in full swing with the start of another academic year. In the Valley, Chelsea Mueller, college missioner, has now been building relationships with students at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley - on both campuses in Edinburg and Brownsville for over a year.

Mueller offers Bible studies on both campuses of UTRGV, and she continues to build partnerships with other denominational college ministries and neighboring community college, especially South Texas College in Weslaco.

The four established programs in San Antonio and San Marcos kicked off their new year with a Labor Day cookout at the Bishop Jones Center. The weekly programs at the University of Texas at San Antonio, Incarnate Word, St. Mary’s, and Texas State University offer student-led worship and talks, often delivered

by Greg Richards and Allie Melancon, director and assistant director of College Missions.

After the programs on campus, Richards and Melancon take anywhere from three to 20 students out to a late-night dinner. Just this year, they have been intentional on asking the students two questions while sharing the meals: Have you been a blessing this week; and when did an opportunity to be kind present itself, but you missed it.

“This has been the highlight of my weeks,” said Melancon. “Their answers are hilarious, honest, reflective, and it’s been really good to sit with them and watch them put their thoughts together. It’s been a great way to check in and share with them.”

While Mueller will implement similar fellowship activities in the Valley, she also plans to drive the Valley students to take part in events planned for all of the College Missions programs, such as the fall retreat at Camp Capers in mid September and working retreats in the Coastal Bend to aid in Hurricane Harvey relief in late September and early November.

Some of the highlights of the events schedule include the Friendsgiving, held just before Thanksgiving; Advent dinners with the lighting of an Advent wreath and scriptural study; and a backpacking trip through Big Bend in December.

In March of this year, College Missions hosted the first Bishop’s Valley Golf Classic at the Rancho Viejo Resort and Country Club, which ended up quite successful. The program raised $16,000 and is planning the second annual golf tournament in the same location for April 28, 2018.

Church Planting “Our goal remains to plant a couple of new churches in the Diocese of West Texas in the next two to three years,” said John Thompson, co-chair of the Church Planting Task Force. “And our long-term vision is to plant a church every two to three years.”

Meeting monthly over the past year, the Church Planting Task Force has focused on the long-term while completing key components in the initial ground work to begin the process of successfully planting new churches.

A funding model has been developed, and it is one that can be used on an on-going basis.

“This has been a critical step,” said Thompson. “Until you have money available, every conversation is a bit of a challenge.”

Once the funding model is approved by several diocesan committees, including the Executive Board and the Finance Committee, the budget plan will be part of the initiative’s report to Diocesan Council in February 2018.

consultant in Dallas,” said Thompson.

Once a church planter, the location of the first church plant, and funding on a regular basis is all in place, the plan that the Church Planting Task Force has been working diligently on will be put into place.

The church planter, when selected, will serve with feet on the ground for a period of time.

“We will need the The worship space at St. Mary’s University in San Antonio features flags from church planter to every country hung from the ceiling. Students gather for “The Bridge,” the become familiar in weekly College Missions program on campus. the area selected, become a part of Another resource already fully available is the community and make a connection with the diocesan spiritual formation website that the people who live there,”said Thompson. contains numerous Bible and seasonal studies and can be found at christianformationAt Diocesan Council in February of 2018, dwtx.org. Marjorie George, editor of the site, the Church Planting Task Force will give their hosted a workshop at the annual Abide in final report, as they will have completed the Me Conference this past June highlighting ground work that Bishop Reed set into mothe offerings. tion in 2016.

Small Church: Big Mission While there have not been any specific Small Church: Big Mission events in the past year, this initiative is fueled by ongoing support for the smaller congregations in the diocese. “We need to be a reliable source for our smaller churches,” said Bishop Suffragan Jennifer Brooke-Davidson, who has plans to implement file-sharing on the diocesan website.

Part of the resources available will be the extensive package of the Invite-WelcomeConnect program that the Evangelism Committee is bringing together.

“Many of our churches may be served by part-time clergy, but that doesn’t mean the laity can’t conduct a Bible study or other formation studies for Sunday morning groups,” said George.

Currently on the spiritual formation website is the study on the Gospel of John and Jesus’ “I am” statements. Each week the study offers a 10-minute video teaching, a commentary on the readings, and questions for reflection.

paid adv.

Photo submitted by Allie Melancon.

The fellowship activities keep college students’ schedules full, as College Missions offers various activities and events throughout each month, including game and bowling nights.

The task force has also formed a Planter Committee, to identify and select a church planter. “We have a lot of wisdom and material to draw upon to search for a planter, and we are still working closely with our the Church News

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Around the circuit

Brooke-Davidson Consecrated sixth Bishop Suffragan The Rt. Rev. Jennifer Brooke-Davidson was ordained and consecrated the sixth Bishop Suffragan of the Episcopal Diocese of West Texas on July 29, 2017 in a festive service at Christ Episcopal Church in San Antonio. She is the first woman to be ordained a bishop in the diocese.

Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, the Most Rev. Michael B. Curry, led the service as chief consecrator and preacher. More than 750 people attended the two-hour festive service.

During the celebratory service, 25 visiting bishops laid their hands on Brooke-Davidson as Presiding Bishop Curry ordained her a bishop and consecrated her for her role as Bishop Suffragan of the Diocese of West Texas. Visiting bishops included five women bishops from other dioceses across the Episcopal Church.

Co-consecrators included the Rt. Rev. David M. Reed, bishop of West Texas; the Rt. Rev. Gary R. Lillibridge, retired bishop of West Texas; the Rt. Rev. Laura Ahrens, bishop suffragan of Connecticut; the Rt. Rev. Jennifer Baskerville-Burrows, bishop of Indianapolis; the Rt. Rev. Daniel Gutierrez, bishop of Pennsylvania; and the Rev. Dr. Ray Tiemann, Bishop of the Southwestern Texas Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

Following the consecration, a number of gifts were presented to Brooke-Davidson, including a Bible from Curry, vestments, a stole, a

Top photo by John Gaskins. Photo of MICC by Jennifer Wickham.

Refreshed Diocesan Shield Recently the diocesan shield - essentially the diocesan logo received a makeover. Brand by DC, a web development company out of Birmingham, Alabama, cleaned up the details of the diocesan shield so that it will print more clearly across multiple platforms, and so it will stand out when used online.

The files of the diocesan shield can be found on the graphics page of the diocesan website: www.dwtx.org/ resources/graphics.

You can read about the creation of the shield, which was adopted in 1927, online at www.dwtx.org/about-the-diocese.

Recent Clergy Changes in the Diocese of West Texas The Rev. Bert Baetz accepted the call to serve as Rector of St. Peter’s, Kerrville. Father Bert comes from the Diocese of Texas, and his ministry at St. Peter’s began August 27, 2017.

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www.dwtx.org

Bishop Brooke-Davidson stands with her husband, Carrick, daughters, Emma and Kate, and son-in-law, Daniel Rivera, after being consecrated a bishop in the Episcopal Church.

pectoral cross, and a crozier, a gift from Nancy Hibbs, widow of the Rt. Rev. Bob Hibbs, the fourth Bishop Suffragan of the Diocese of West Texas. Bishop Hibbs had carried the crozier for 21 years during his ministry.

See the full story - and watch Bishop Curry’s sermon - at www.dwtx.org/consecration.

Mustang Island Conference Center Mustang Island Conference Center (MICC) suffered relatively minor damage from Hurricane Harvey. Three hallway windows in the main housing building were broken, leaving minimal water damage.

Some water entered the main conference room though the windows and doors but did not cause any permanent damage. No water entered the bedrooms.

Much of the grounds were covered with flood debris and seaweed from the storm surge. The shop near the beach had about 24 inches of moving water run through it, causing the flood panels to bust out as designed. The board walk gates will need to be replaced.

The director’s house lost part of its roof. Part of the ceiling above the kitchen collapsed, leaving sheet rock and insulation scattered across the unit. Other ceilings in the house were also damaged. Twelve inches of water ran through the director’s ground floor, leaving flood residue, (but no real damage), that will need to be addressed.

Power was restored to MICC a little over three weeks after the storm.

Director Kevin Spaeth, as well as volunteers, worked diligently during that time to clean up the debris and restore the property. Operations will continue as scheduled in early October.

Around the circuit

Bishop David Reed announced September 20 that he has called Jennifer Wickham to serve as Bishop’s Deputy for Disaster Recovery, beginning immediately and continuing at least through the end of the year. As the on-going response to Hurricane Harvey’s devastation shifts from emergency assistance to long-term rebuilding, Wickham will oversee and coordinate the recovery efforts of the diocese in the affected areas.

Wickham will represent the bishop in all matters relating to the recovery work— Jennifer Wickham and Bishop David Reed volunteer coordination, communication of in Port Aransas on September 9. needs to the diocese, and distribution of financial gifts and grants.

Reed said, “In the first weeks after Harvey hit, the response from within and beyond the diocese was tremendous. Supplies, donations, and volunteers poured in. Our clergy in the area gave so much of themselves to serve their communities, even as they were dealing with personal loss and trying to sort out the damage suffered by the church buildings and their church members. But as recovery work moves from a complicated and shifting crisis to a more methodical and long-term process, it’s become evident to all of us involved that to sustain the effort, and to be as effective as possible, we need a person in place who can organize and coordinate all that we are doing in response to Harvey.”

Representatives of Episcopal Relief and Development have been in regular contact with diocesan representatives and the bishops since before Harvey hit. “The guidance of ERD has been invaluable to us,” Reed said. “They’ve helped us better understand the phases of recovery and what’s needed when. In our meetings with them, as well as with our people on the ground, it became clear was that the next phase requires a person like Jennifer.”

The bishop had high praise for the clergy and laity who have been putting in long hours since the late August hurricane struck, working to bring comfort and alleviate suffering. Bringing Wickham on board, he said, will allow these people to regain some normalcy. “They are weary. But they don’t want to stop because the needs seem endless, and they worry that widespread support will wane as the public’s attention moves elsewhere.” The clergy, he said, will continue to be integral to this work, but “my hope is that they will entrust much to Jennifer and be able, in time, to return to more regular ministry.”

A significant part of Wickham’s work will be to assist congregations in affected areas as they seek to become centers and resources for their communities in new ways.

She will also be helping the diocese envision and plan for what our recovery efforts should look like a year from now.

“As soon as non-residents were allowed back into Port Aransas, Jennifer and her husband, Jonathan (rector of All Saints, Corpus Christi) were there, helping out. Very quickly, she became a leader in recovery efforts, connecting needs with resources and agencies with agencies through Trinity-by-the-Sea. She is both big-hearted and clear-eyed. That is, she is deeply compassionate, and she also can see the big picture, identify assets and shortcomings, and build a system.

“I’m very grateful, as we all should be, for all that so many have done to bring grace and healing in the aftermath of Harvey. Through them, God has done and is doing miracles. I’m also very grateful to Jennifer for responding to the call to carry this work forward. Volunteers and financial support—and a focused, sustained response—will be needed for a long time.”

Diocese of West Texas Summary of Apportionments * through August 31, 2017

* Please note: 2016 audits were due on September 1, 2017. Please send to Susan Hardaway, susan.hardaway@dwtx.org or mail to the diocesan office, 111 Torcido, San Antonio, TX 78209.

the Church News

September/October 2017

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Summary of apportionments through August 31, 2017.

Wickham named Bishop’s Deputy for Disaster Recovery

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 October Cursillo #276 Cursillo #276 will be held at Mustang Island Conference Center Thursday-Sunday, October 5-8. The lay rector for the weekend is Donald Greer, and the spiritual director is the Rt. Rev. David Reed. Register at www.dwtx.org/events.

Women’s Retreat: Tapestries of our Lives A retreat will be held at Cathedral Park in San Antonio (111 Torcido, 78209) Friday-Saturday, October 13-14, sponsored by the Commission for Women’s Ministries. Friday evening, 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. includes a light supper. Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. includes a continental breakfast and boxed lunch. Overnight accommodations available in homes or nearby hotels. Childcare provided off site. Registration available at www.dwtx.org/events and the cost is $45/person. Childcare extra.

Young Adults Retreat Young adults across the diocese are invited to gather at Camp Capers Friday-Saturday, October 13-14, for the first retreat for those 20-40 years in age, give or take, entitled “Finding Our Voice.” The focus of this retreat will be on discerning your calling as leaders in the Church. Childcare will be available.

The retreat will begin at 6:00 p.m. on Friday and conclude with dinner on Saturday at 5:30. Cost is $150 per couple for a double occupancy room; or $100 for individuals for a single occupancy room or if you are attending on Saturday only. Questions about the retreat or scholarship assistance? Contact Rev. Rob Harris, robh@cecsa.org. Register online at www.dwtx.org/events.

110th Spiritual Retreat in Recovery The 110th Spiritual Retreat in Recovery will be held at Mustang Island Conference Center on Friday-Sunday, October 13-15. This will be a working retreat and one of “disaster relief,” as participants offer to help in the clean-up and repair efforts in the Port Aransas, Texas, area after the effects of Hurricane Harvey.

Only able-bodied persons should RSVP for this weekend. Work is expected to be physically demanding. This will be coordinated with the diocesan Commission on Disaster Response and the Rev. Jonathan Wickham. Cost is $195 per person and includes food and lodging.

The retreat committee is unable to offer scholarship or financial assistance for this retreat. Online registration at www.dwtx.org/ events will close on October 10.

Nature as Soul Care A retreat entitled “Nature as soul care” will be offered at the Bishop Jones Center on Friday and Saturday, October 27-28. Sponsored by Friends of Cathedral Park, this retreat will be led by Spiritual Director Steven Chase, Ph.D., a professor of spirituality at Oblate School of Theology. The gathering will be 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. on Friday and 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Saturday and will include lunch. Cost is $55/ person. Register at www.dwtx.org/events. For more information, visit www.cathedralparkdwtx.org.

World Mission Top Golf Tournament The second annual Top Golf tournament benefiting the Department of World Mission will be held on Monday, October 30, from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. at Top Golf in San Antonio.

This year, all proceeds from the tournament will benefit Hurricane Harvey relief in the Diocese of West Texas. Come for an evening of fun and laughter, with food, drinks, and lots of friendly competition. For more information, contact Kaitlin Rogers at 888/210-824-5387.

November Bishop’s Golf Classic The 12th annual Bishop’s Golf Classic in San Antonio will be held at a new location, the Republic Golf Club, on Friday, November 3, to benefit the annual scholarship fund for Camps and Conferences of the Diocese of West Texas. By registering or sponsoring a team your entry fees help guarantee that financial circumstances never prevent children and families from joining the camp community.

Registration and sponsorship opportunities can be found at www.dwtx.org/events.

Diocesan events: www.dwtx.org/events Church events: www.dwtx.org/church-events

The Diocese of West Texas Online

www.dwtx.org/blog

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