AN UPDATE FROM BISHOP RYAN

The Rt. Rev. Kathryn M. Ryan

Bishop Suffragan

- West Region

“The gifts that [Christ] gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ…” (Ephesians 4:11-12)

2022 has been a year in which Christ’s generosity in pouring out the Spirit’s gifts on Christ’s people has been evident in the generous and faithful efforts of the lay people and clergy of the Diocese of Texas. Continuing to emerge from the pandemic, and expanded with the congregations, clergy, people, and counties of the North Region, the people of the diocese have been giving of themselves to build up the body of Christ.

As I make my way around the west region and the Diocese, perseverance through times of struggle and celebration becomes evident. My greatest privilege as a bishop is worshiping with a different Episcopal church each week, visiting with their vestries, and praying for God’s blessings upon them. I made 45 regularly scheduled visitations in 2022, most in the West Region. Confirmations, receptions, and reaffirmations seem to be returning to pre-pandemic levels, with a significant level of energy and commitment shown by the adults and youth presented. For the church plants, St. Cecelia’s, Roundtop, and Jubilee, Austin, were my inaugural bishop visits, complete with confirmations and receptions.

I also participated in congregations’ special events:

• Dedication of St. Alban’s, Waco’s newly refurbished nave;

• Groundbreaking for the construction of St. Julian of Norwich, Round Rock;

• Celebration of 100 years of ministry at St. John’s, Palacios.

It was a special privilege to serve with Bishops Doyle and Harrison at the funeral for the Rev. Armistead Powell, the former rector of All Saints’, Austin, and to preside at the funeral of the Rev. Sid Gervais at St. Richard’s, Round Rock.

Any ordination or installation points to the courage and hard work of the candidate who has said “yes” to God and the church. But no ordination or installation ever comes to be without the support, efforts, and prayers of dozens of persons, gifted in their own ways as callers and guides and teachers. Such collective effort – a desire to partner with God for the life of the Church – perhaps explains why I never cease to feel the Spirit’s movement at ordinations and installations. In early 2022, I presided at the ordinations to the priesthood of Lynn Osgood and Larry Adams-Thompson. Both serve bivocationally. In addition, over the course of the year, I presided at seven installations:

Rectors:

• The Rev. Samantha Smith, St. Paul’s, Waco

• The Rev. Katie Wright, St. Matthew’s, Austin

• The Rev. Genevieve Razim, All Saints’, Austin

• The Rev. Robin Reeves-Kautz, St. Timothy’s, Lake Jackson

• The Rev. Korey Wright, St. Thomas, College Station

• The Rev. Peggy Lo, St. Alban’s, Austin/Manchaca

• The Rev. Keith Pozzuto, Christ Church, Temple

• The Rev. Aimee Eyer-Delevett, Chaplain, St. Stephen’s Episcopal School, Austin

They and our other priests and deacons serve vibrant and diverse congregations helping God’s people come to know, love, and serve Christ, each other, and God’s people in the world.

At Bishop Doyle’s direction, I serve the diocese as the executive for ministry, with oversight of the ordination process, post-ordination formation, and the Iona School for Ministry. The Commission on Ministry (COM), led by Chair the Rev. John Newton, and supported by the Secretary for the COM Ana Gonzales is central to this work, and I am grateful for the faithful discernment of the members. The Committee for the Diaconate, led by the Rev. Jan Halstead, and the Examining Chaplains, led by the Rev. Patrick Hall, also handles aspects of the diocese’s work in shepherding aspirants, postulants, and candidates through the ordination process.

The complete report of the COM is included separately in this Journal. I want to highlight a couple of aspects of the COM’s work.

For those discerning God’s call to ministry, whether lay or ordained, we offer Discovery Weekends. Participants come to Camp Allen for a weekend and join in learning habits to identify God’s call, reflecting in small groups and alone and consulting with a member of the faculty. All adult members of the diocese are welcome to attend a Discovery Weekend. In 2022, we held two weekends. In 2023, in addition to our two adult weekends, we will offer our first Discovery Weekend specifically for youth and young adults, ages 16-22. The weekend will encourage young adults to consider their vocational future with an intent to serve God by living fully into the gifts God bestows upon them, whatever their professional and personal paths. Registration for these weekends is done through the Camp Allen website.

In January 2022, we held our first in-person Vocations Conference at Camp Allen. The spirited event brings together the diocese’s students in the ordination process from seminaries and the Iona School with the bishops; COM; CFD; examining chaplains; and the standing committee for formation, relationship building, and interviews. Forty-five students, all preparing for ordination to the priesthood or the diaconate, participated in the gathering.

Once ordained, both stipendiary and bivocational priests take part in formation designed to help build collegial relationships; provide continuing education and support development of priestly identity; and offer mentoring by senior clergy. The Curate Cohort and First Time in Charge for stipendiary clergy in curacies met at Camp Allen, as did Beginning Well, two separate programs for bivocational priests and priests new to the diocese. Each cohort provided significant relationships and encouragement to the participating clergy. Mentor-facilitators this year were: the Revs. Daryl Hay, Les Carpenter, Katie Wright, and Eileen O’Brien, Trawin Malone, Angela Cortiñas, Terry Pierce, and John Johnson. Post-seminary formation is coordinated by my talented executive assistant, Haley Townsend.

Continuing to help address the diocese’s need for more clergy and lay leaders, the Iona School for Ministry (our diocesan school of local formation) forms those studying for the diaconate and bivocational priesthood and offers programs for lay formation for ministry. The Rev. Francene Young (dean of administration) and the Rev. Dr. Andrew Benko (dean of formation) are in their second years of service. In 2022, the threeyear lay ministry program was broken down into three, one-year segments to be more accessible to the laity. The deans are assisted by chaplain, the Rev. Carol Petty; the faculty and instructors; as well as Iona Administrator Laura McAlister. Each of the bishops teaches one or more courses at Iona School over the course of the year.

Continued...

I serve as chair of the boards of three diocesan institutions, relying extensively on three dedicated and skillful executive chairs. At Seminary of the Southwest, Clarke Heidrick serves as executive chair and the Rev. Dr. Cynthia Kittredge serves as dean and president. In 2022, the Seminary began construction for the library and learning center project. Dedication is anticipated for September 2023.

El Buen Samaritano, an outreach ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas serving the Latino community of Central Texas, is committed to recognizing the dignity of all by ensuring access to healthcare, education and essential needs that lead to healthy, productive, and secure lives. Gustavo Hernandez serves as executive chair. Dr. Rosamaria Murillo, the executive director, continued to build up the staff and lead the organization beyond the pandemic.

Chris Oddo continued his service as executive chair at St. Stephen’s Episcopal School, Austin, where Chris Gunnin serves as headmaster. In 2022, a capital feasibility study informed the board’s work to authorize the initial phase of a major campus building campaign. This fall, I was privileged to preside at the dedication of the new solar array, installed to reduce school’s environmental footprint and energy expenditures.

Outside, but related to the diocese, I began service in 2022 as Regent for Sewanee. Our year focused on preparations for the search for a new vice chancellor. I was delighted to celebrate with the School of Theology the Episcopal Foundation of Texas’ gift to support the renovation of Hamilton Hall, the home of the School of Theology on the Mountain.

2022 demanded significant preparations for the work of the wider church. I served as the House of Bishop’s Vice Chair of the Constitution and Canons Committee and as a member on the Legislative Review Committee for the 2022 General Convention. Though the convention itself was only half as long as recent general conventions, the shortened time in Baltimore demanded additional committee work in the winter and spring. The delay in the Lambeth Conference, originally planned for 2020, also resulted in prework. I helped to convene a pre-Lambeth Bible study group and then acted as an assigned Bible study convener during the conference. Between General Convention and the Lambeth Conference, much of my summer was taken up with work for the wider church. Praying, learning, worshiping and working with bishops from around the world deepened my commitment to the church’s work of formation of all our people as disciples of Jesus Christ.

That commitment is shared, of course, by key leaders here at home. As 2022 ended, I was privileged to work with the Rev. Andrew Terry, Stephanie Townes, and the Formation Task Force to research effective formation of lay leaders. We look forward to sharing our report in the first quarter of 2023.

I close with a personal note of appreciation. Last spring, my sister, Celia, died after a long battle with cancer. Your notes and prayers sustained me and my family. I am grateful to the Rt. Rev. Neil Alexander who covered a visitation at Good Shepherd, Austin, and for the understanding of Channing Smith and the people of Good Shepherd, and for the other congregations who were gracious about rescheduling visitations. Through all of you, I experience God’s close embrace, especially in the midst of grief.

What a privilege it is to serve with Bishops Doyle, Fisher, and Monterroso, and to have served in 2022 with Bishop Mayer, and with the other members of the executive team and the diocesan staff, and the people and clergy of the diocese. Tim and I give thanks that God has called us to serve the Diocese of Texas!