Diocese launches new email service

In the survey conducted earlier this year, Episcopalians said overwhelmingly that they preferred to get information from the diocese by email. Hundreds of you signed up for the diocesan email news distribution list—so many of you, in fact, that we have outgrown our email service provider.

We are in the process of switching to a new provider. The good news is that we will be able to better serve more people. The bad news is—you’ve got to sign up again for the email distribution list.

Already 181 of you have completed this re-registration process. If you have not, we urge you to do so, so that you won't miss any news. Please note that re-registration is a two-step process. First, fill out the brief online form and click on the "submit" button. Once you've done that, you will be given a welcome message and instructions to respond to an email that will be sent to your inbox. The sender of the email is "Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth." If you do not see this email, please check in your spam or bulk mail folder for it.

With the start of school, parish and diocesan life are revving up again. So don’t risk being out of the loop—re-register and get your friends to register as well. We hope everyone will sign up to be on our new email distribution list. Click here to begin.

Bob Hicks accepts position as diocesan treasurer

Bishop Wallis Ohl has asked Bob Hicks of St. Christopher to serve as diocesan treasurer through 2011 and he has accepted.

"Bob has been the driving force in getting our budgets, both for this year and 2011 in shape for the Executive Council meeting on 9/11/10," Bishop Ohl said, "and has the willingness and energy to work with Linda Johnson to provide for the diocese all the transparency and reports that we could ever ask for or desire." (more...)

Local newspapers report on St. Vincent's denial of admission to 4-year-old whose parents are lesbians

Both the Star-Telegram and the Dallas Morning News published articles on August 25 concerning St. Vincent's recent denial of admission to a 4-year-old girl whose parents are lesbians. In addition, there was a letter to the editor entitled "Clarifying church ties" in the August 25 edition of the Star-Telegram, submitted by Katie Sherrod, diocesan director of communications. You are encouraged to read all three items. Daughters of the King (DOK) has scheduled their Fall Assembly for Saturday, October 9, at Trinity Episcopal Church. Presenter will be Demi Prentiss, Ministry Developer and Administrative Officer of the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth. They will discuss ways in which they can put into action their sisterhood dedicated to Prayer, Service, and Evangelism. Click here to read their brochure describing the assembly and to get registration details. To ensure you are on their mailing list, please e-mail ststephensec@att.net and include your name and address.

Ice Cream Social Photos

St. Michael Men's Club of St. Simon of Cyrene and St. Christopher collaborated on an Ice Cream Social on August 21. Thanks to Katie Sherrod for snapping pictures of the event. Click here to view them all.

Bishop Ohl visits Christ the King

Bishop Wallis Ohl visited Christ the King, which worships at St. Giles Presbyterian Church (Fellowship Hall), 8700 Chapin Road, in west Fort Worth, on Sunday, August 22. The bishop commissioned Andy and Latha Babbilli as lay ministers to lepers in India, a ministry the two of them have carried out for years; and blessed vestments made by parishioners for the Rev. ClayOla Gitane. Photographer Lefty Brandon took fabulous photos of his visit. Click on the photograph to the right to view them all.

Registration for Strength for the Journey

Many of you have received invitations to the Strength for the Journey conference, to be held in Arlington on September 24 and 25. If you plan to attend, and if you have not yet registered, be aware that the deadline for registration is September 3. You may register online by clicking on the Strength for the Journey icon above.

10/10/10 - Jesus with a Shovel

Taking care of God's creation is one of the tasks with which we are charged. One way to do that is to participate in the 10/10/10 Initiative. Click here for more information. 

If you are interested in this or in other "green" initiatives, please contact either Katie Sherrod or Demi Prentiss.

Episcopal schools have non-discriminatory admission policies

Several news outlets are covering the story of a 4-year-old girl denied admission at St. Vincent's School in Bedford because her parents are lesbians.

Many of these stories refer to the school as St. Vincent's Episcopal School. While this is indeed a private school, it is not an Episcopal school. Clergy at St. Vincent's left The Episcopal Church in 2008, and have, in fact, been deposed by The Episcopal Church, which means they can no longer function as clergy in our church.

This confusion is understandable because even though they and our former bishop Jack Iker have left The Episcopal Church, they continue to use our name and to occupy Episcopal Church property. The Episcopal Church is in litigation over these matters in the 141st District Court in Tarrant County, Texas.

To repeat, all the schools in the continuing Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth (established by the General Convention of The Episcopal Church in 1982) have policies of non-discrimination in matters of admission. The Episcopal Church welcomes all people, no matter where they are on their spiritual journey.

Jericho Road House Initiative

Episcopal Relief and Development would like to ask your help for one of their program partners, Jericho Road House Initiative, that is currently in an online contest to win a fruit garden. Please vote everyday until the end of August. To vote, click on the picture above, then click on "leaders".

Choral Music available

St. Paul Lutheran Church (ELCA) in Farmers Branch was closed on May 30. They have a great deal of choral music left – about 300 anthems in boxes. If your parish is interested in them, please contact Harold Knight, music director, at haknight@sbcglobal.net as soon as possible.

Seminar to take place on September 17

Brite Divinity School and the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth will co-host a seminar entitled "If We Can Live Through This: Exploring Congregational Identity and Purpose in an Emerging World." The seminar leader, The Rev. John Denson, rector of Christ Church in Exeter, New Hampshire, will share the story of one congregation's continuing journey to redefine its identity and purpose as a new commons - a faith community that is diverse, inclusive, interdependent, broadly connected beyond its walls, and focused on working for the common good. Click here to get all the details and here to register.

A Piece of Episcopal History Blessed at ECPC

The Rt. Rev. C. Wallis Ohl visited the Episcopal Church in Parker County (ECPC) on Sunday, July 18, 2010, an occasion marked by the blessing of a piece of Episcopal Church history. ECPC recently moved into a new worship space in the Parish Hall building of the Community Christian Church, 2 Dean Street in Aledo. Barbara Kerr, who is a member of The ECPC, donated a beautiful crocheted table cloth that has been passed down in her family at least four or more generations to be used as a frontal for the ECPC altar. Bishop Ohl blessed it as part of the worship service. Ms. Kerr's family arrived in Texas before statehood and this table cloth arrived with them. Her family have been Episcopalians in Texas from the beginning and attended church at Christ Church in Matagorda, which is the mother church of all Episcopal churches in the state. Another special treat of the day was Ian Prescott playing his saxophone while Dennis Lasater played guitar. A pot luck luncheon followed the service. View more photographs taken during the blessing.

Picnic volunteers needed

The next diocesan Eucharist and picnic is Sunday October 17 at All Saint's School. The Picnic Planning Committee is looking for some volunteers in these areas:

• Liturgy — Lectors, eucharistic ministers, acolytes and ushers are needed.
• Diocesan Choir — Singers and musicians are needed.
• Picnic logistics — Five volunteers to set up and five to take down.
• Games — Ten volunteers needed.
• Face Painting — two volunteer face painters

If you can help in one or more of these areas please contact Susan Reeves at susankreeves@att.net or Kathleen Dello Stritto at k.dellostritto@att.net.

ECW schedules excursion to visit Painted Churches

The Fort Worth Episcopal Church Women (ECW) has planned a fun and informative bus tour to visit the Painted Churches of Schulenburg, TX, on October 2-3. Schulenberg is about midway between San Antonio and Houston in a lovely area of Texas settled by Czech immigrants hungry for land and freedom. These immigrants created one of Texas’ hidden treasures — the Painted Churches. These buildings may look fairly ordinary on the outside but the interiors are elaborately painted and include such things as faux marble columns. These Painted Churches are listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

The event is open to all adults in the Diocese as well as friends who are not members of the Episcopal Church. The tour cost of $150 covers transportation [a chartered bus] and hotel rooms. The bus will leave at 5:00 a.m. on Saturday, October 2. Arrangements have been made for an additional pickup point in Waco for those who live in that area. See itinerary for more information. Click here to download a registration form.