Editors:
Rebecca Sweitzer/Nancy Sallaberry
July 29, 2009 |
|
Please consider placing the following in
your church newsletter or on your
website |
| Bishop's Conference on
Stewardship |
|
 The 2009 Bishop's Conference on Stewardship
entitled "I Will with God's Help: Stewardship and the
Baptismal Covenant" will be held at Camp Allen on Friday, July
31 and Saturday, August 1. This year's conference features new
workshops for clergy: Overcoming the Anxiety of Money in your Parish and Developing a
Baptismal Concept of Stewardship in your Congregation. Cost is
$80. Scholarships available. For further information about the
conference or scholarship, contact Julie
Heath/
713.353.2125. |
| Reflections on General Convention
2009 |
|
 Communion, Covenant and our Anglican Future:
Shortly after the conclusion of The Episcopal Church's
General Convention in Anaheim, July 17,
the Archbishop of Canterbury responded with his thoughts on
actions taken at the Convention. They are included in there
entirety here. |
| Message from the Treasurer |
|
Assessment payments have been the
subject of a good deal of discussion at recent Executive Board
meetings. In an effort to clarify their position and
better understand the situation, the Executive Board has asked
that those congregations who are more than 120 days in arrears
with their assessment payments as of August 31, 2009, send
their Head of Congregation and Wardens to attend the Executive
Board's meeting on September 15 at Camp Allen. The
leadership will be asked to explain the financial and
stewardship issues that the congregation is
facing. |
| Mid Year Mission Report
2009 |
To all mission congregations: Remember that the
Mid-Year Mission Report is due at the Diocesan office by August 1. A reminder
was emailed to all Bishop's Wardens on June 12th. The report,
completion guidelines, and additional information are on the
website at this link. If you have any
questions or need assistance completing the report, please
contact Bob Schorr at 800.318.4452,ext. 1001, or
713.353.2108. |
| Godly
Play Workshop |
 Godly Play is an approach to religious education
which uses the sacred stories, parables and liturgical actions
of the Christian faith as tools for approaching the larger
questions of life. For a brochure and registration go
here. For questions, contact
Janie
Stevens, Missioner for Christian
Formation, at 713.520.6444,ext. 1009. July 31 - Aug. 1 - Trinity, The Woodlands,
www.trinitywoodlands.org |
| Safe
Church Ministry Trainings |
 Clergy
training in Safeguarding God's People - preventing harassment
and exploitation of adults will be offered from 9 am - 3 pm
August 22 at St. Michael's, Austin and
Sept. 26 at St. Martin's, Houston. On Sept. 17 one will
be offered at St. Andrew's, Bryan,
from 9:30 am - 3:30 pm. Register here.
A class to train
new trainers for Safeguarding God's Children is scheduled at
Camp Allen on August 6 - 7, 2009. Contact Cecilia
Smith or call her at
512.478.0580 for registration
information. |
| Mission Funding Presenters
Sought |
|
 This fall, the Mission Funding Office will
reinstate the use of Mission Funding presenters to assist
congregations with the Mission Funding process. A new catalog
will be printed in August and accompanying DVD will include a
Sunday School curriculum, a notebook with detailed information
on all ministries in the catalog, a slideshow/message from
Bishop Doyle and an electronic version of the catalog. Mission
Funding presenters are available to review with clergy,
vestries and congregations the materials and the stories we
mutually support through your voluntary giving.
Please contact Kathy
Culmer, Mission Funding
Coordinator, at 713.520.6444, ext. 1050 to make
arrangements for a presentation or to provide the names of
persons interested in being a Mission Funding presenter.
Training will be
provided. |
| Kaleidescope
Institute Seminar |
|
Nov. 10-13 at Camp Allen-this-four-day
seminar is a program led by the Kaleidoscope Institute by the
Rev. Eric Law. It is designed to be faith based and addresses
leadership issues surrounding our diverse and fast changing
world. We will explore self awareness and
one's deep understanding of one's cultural values, strengths
and weaknesses, and the privilege and power that come with
one's roles and cultural background. $425 Double
occupancy/ $485 Single occupancy (includes registration,
meals and room for 3 nights.) To register for this
seminar go here. For more information
contact Denise Trevino at 512.478.0580 or dtrevino@epicenter.org. |
| Volunteers Needed to Continue Rebuilding
Effort |
 Volunteers are needed from August through the
fall to rebuild and repair homes in Galveston. Those
interested should email Luke
Blount or call
713.252.9693. For more information visit www.epicenter.org/ikerelief or www.ikerelief.blogspot.com.
So far, over 125 home
owners have been helped by more than 1,000
volunteers. But volunteers are still needed to keep
the labor effort going! Hundreds of homeowners in
Galveston remain displaced from their homes since Hurricane
Ike struck the island last
September. |
| Historical Book on Stained Glass
Windows Published |
|
 St. Paul's, Waco, will publish a book in the fall
of their stained glass windows with historical notes on
each and a history of the church. St. Paul's,
built in 1878 is the oldest church in Waco still
worshipping in the original building. Nine of the
windows are original, others were added in the 1930s and the
1980s. The book will also contain a wealth of old
photographs of St. Paul's and an 11
inch x 14 inch, hard-cover, full
color, format. Pre-publication orders are
being taken at a special price of $32.42. Contact: Randy
Schormann,
or call 254.836.9710.
|
| A
Conversation with the Rev. William Miller |
|
Saturday, August 7 at 7 pm, the Rev.
William Miller, author of The Gospel According to Sam
and rector of St. Michael's Church in Lihue, Hawaii, will be
preaching at St. Mary's, 15415 N. Eldridge Pkwy., Cypress.
Miller has been praised as one of the best preachers in the
Episcopal Church. His book, The Gospel According to Sam,
is a collection of 30 animal stories, filled with wisdom, joy
and truth. Writing with an earthy sense of humor, Miller
explores spirituality in the everyday world inhabited by
humans and their animal friends. A book signing will
follow. Please bring a donation of cat or dog food to benefit
Noah's Ark Animal Shelter. Call 281.370.8000 for further
information. |
| People |
|
Marian Eloise Graham
Westbrook, mother of the Rev. Dr. Carl Westbrook,
non-parochial priest living in Tyler, died on July 16,
2009. Her service was held on July 21 at the Allen
Chapel AME Church in Athens, Texas. Please keep the
Westbrook family in your prayers.
Ruth Madden, wife of the Rev. Allan Madden (assisting at
Christ Church, Nacogdoches), died July 29, 2009 at the
Nacogdoches Medical Center. There will be a funeral
service on Saturday, August 1 (time not yet determined) at
Cason Monk funeral Home in Nacogdoches.Please keep the Madden
family in your prayers
The Rev. Victor Thomas was installed rector of St.
James', Houston on Saturday, July 25, 2009 at 11 am. by the
Rt. Rev. C. Andrew Doyle. Fr. Thomas formerly
served as Rector of St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Harrisburg,
PA.
|
Calendar
|
July 31-Aug.1:
Stewardship Conference, Camp Allen. See above for details.
August
6-8: Offered by the Godly
Play Foundation, Godly Core Training on Thursday: 3 pm - 8 pm
(gather 2:30 - 3:00), Friday: 8 am - 8 pm, Saturday:
8 am - 5 pm at All Saints', Fort Worth. For more
information go here. To register go here.
August 21: St.
Paul's, Orange is hosting a Cursillo: Ultreya on August 21 at
6:30 pm. Please call 409.883.2969 for further
information. This is a no cost
event.
Oct.10: St. Thomas the Apostle, Nassau Bay
Retreat: The Rev. Barbara Crafton, "Forgiveness: What It Is
and What It Isn't." For more information go
here. Sunday
Oct. 11, The Rev. Barbara Cawthorne Crafton will preach at the
8:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. services.
Oct.16-17: The
Diocese of Texas Episcopal Church Women Annual Meeting and
Retreat will be held at Camp Allen. Registration includes
room, meals, three worship services, and a choice of twelve
workshops. For more information contact Lisa
Martin or call
512.292.3424.
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