Posts from February 2015

Posts from February 2015

Church at home on a snowy Second Sunday of Lent

As the sun rises on this snowy morning of the Second Sunday of Lent, many of us in the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth are homebound due to the ice and snow. But because our common prayers are what bind us together as Episcopalians, we can easily be together in Christ even when we are physically far apart. Bishop Rayford B. High, Jr., Canon Janet Waggoner, and the diocesan staff invite you to join us in Morning Prayer in your homes and…

Reflecting on winter weather

Lent is an interruption in our normal habits. This season of the church year invites us to think and interact more intentionally and with greater awareness of ourselves and of the world around us. In Texas, snow and ice also interrupt our routines. So on a snowy Lenten day, where are your reflections taking you? In addition to inviting photos of our churches in the snow, we also invite reflections on anything the weather brings to your attention. What does the snow…

Send us photos of your church in the snow!

“For to the snow He says, ‘Fall on the earth,’ And to the downpour and the rain, ‘Be strong.’  Job 37:6 Texans rarely complain about moisture falling on the earth in any form, and snow does so in a particularly lovely way. So when you can safely take a photo of your church in the snow, please do so and send us the photo. Your cell phone can take excellent photos if you don’t have a camera handy. Let’s grab…

Leadership Inspiration & Training Day – Saturday, March 21

This story was updated on March 6 with links to resources. Are you: an elected or appointed leader in your congregation? a leader who hasn’t been elected or appointed? a paid or volunteer worker-bee who needs more information to be effective? wrestling with a particular question about managing parish money? wrestling with some parish communication issue ranging from pew sheets to websites to social media? wanting to compare ideas and collaborate with others about how to make your congregation grow?…

Call for art – diocesan exhibit will feature Lent, Holy Week

Artists around the diocese are invited to contribute work to a diocesan art exhibit exploring Lent and Holy Week. The art will be on display in the diocesan office at 4301 Meadowbrook Drive, Fort Worth, 76103. People can visit the exhibit during diocesan office hours, 9:00 am – 4:00 pm, Monday through Friday, March 12 – April 10.. The show will be the first in a series of exhibits at the diocesan office focused around themes of the liturgical calendar. If…

Benefit for medical mission work in India successful

A medical mission fundraising dinner at St. Christopher, Fort Worth, on Saturday, February 21, 2015, raised approximately $3,500 for Hopewallah, a tax exempt charity organization helping the lepers of Hyderabab, India. More than 100 people attended the event, which included a meal of Indian food, a slide show of the work of the medical mission, a fashion show of Indian clothing, and the singing of Telugu and English songs by the children and grandchildren of the late Bishop Prabhudas, the first bishop…

Thaw out with beautiful music at All Saints’, Fort Worth

After dreary days of ice and snow, All Saints’ Episcopal Church, 5001 Crestline Road, Fort Worth, is offering a chance to venture out and hear some beautiful music. Solemn Evensong will be at 6 pm Sunday, March 1, 2015, with the All Saints’ Choir. Music will include Plainsong Magnificat and Nunc dimittis, as well as Psalm 8 sung by the All Saints’ Choir and the congregation.The choir will sing “How lovely is thy dwelling-place” from the Requiem of Johannes Brahms, and Ave verum…

Sewanee, Brite, VTS, and Union part of Seminaries that Change the World

The School of Theology, University of the South at Sewanee; Brite Divinity School in Fort Worth, Union Theological Seminary in New York City, and Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria, VA have been selected as four of “26 Seminaries that Change the World” by The Center for Faith and Service based out of McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago. According to the news release, “Seminaries that Change the World (STCTW) is a program of Faith3 (Faith Active in the Head, Heart, Hand).…

Bishop High installs verger, blesses refurbished organ in Stephenville

Bishop Rayford B. High, Jr. visited St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Stephenville, on Sunday, February 22, 2015. He commissioned Milam Hefner as verger and blessed the refurbished Redman organ. Duke DuTeil (left), the recently retired head verger of Washington National Cathedral, also assisted in the service. DuTeil is in charge of training for the Vergers’ Guild of the Episcopal Church. He and his wife, Diane, now live in Austin area and attend and serve at St. Richard’s Episcopal Church, Round Rock.…
Bishop High visits a congregation in Arlington TX in the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth

Bishop High visits St. Alban’s, Arlington

Bishop Rayford B. High, Jr., visited St. Alban’s, worshiping in Theatre Arlington, on Sunday, February 15, 2015. He baptized and confirmed Sherry Morgan, confirmed, Fred Morgan and Robin Vaughn and received Beth Marshall into The Episcopal Church. There was a reception in the theatre lobby after the service. Bishop High then met with the St. Alban vestry. The Rev. Bruce Coggin also was there. He will be serving as interim until St. Alban’s new priest in charge, the Rev. Kevin…

Funding for the Future update

The slide show above can be viewed in your browser or on your mobile device. If you want to move through the slides more quickly or back up, use the arrow buttons at the bottom left side of the viewer. If you want to stop on a slide, push the pause button. You may also download the presentation to your computer to view it or to present to your congregation by clicking the gear wheel icon.
stained glass image with Funding for the Future Campaign as words

Funding for the Future – What happens next?

Now that the planning study for the Funding for the Future campaign has concluded, here’s a brief look at where we are in the process, including what has been done so far and what happens next. View a slide show for an overview. Here is a timeline of the process so far, and looking slightly ahead to a decision point: September – Bishop High holds a preliminary meeting to ask people to serve on a campaign committee. October – The committee reviews consulting…

Bishop High issues letter following court hearing

The Rt. Rev. Rayford B. High, Jr., issued this letter after the Friday, February, 20, 2015, hearing in the 141st District Court, Tarrant County. Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ, In August 2013, you may remember, the Texas Supreme Court returned our case to the 141st District Court, Tarrant County, to be tried on different principles than in the previous hearing. Our hearing before the Honorable Judge John P. Chupp on both sides’ motions for partial summary judgment was today.…

Episcopal congregations featured in news about Ash Wednesday

Six congregations and a campus ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth figured prominently in news coverage of Ash Wednesday in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and on KTVT Channel 11. Read the Star-Telegram story and watch embedded video. These congregations offered Ashes to Go as a form of outreach, taking Ash Wednesday out into the world of commuters, parents dropping children off at school, college students, and people on lunch breaks. Traditional Ash Wednesday services also were offered by…

Technology workgroups offer hands-on help

When a group from St. Alban’s Episcopal Church in Arlington requested help learning to do more with their website, an idea was born: hands-on technology workgroups. Members of St. Alban’s who are involved with the church’s communications formats – WordPress website, Facebook, and the e-newsletter – invited diocesan communications staff to come work with them on Tuesday, February 10, with a follow-up session Wednesday, February 11. Six members of St. Alban’s arrived at Theatre Arlington, tech devices in hand, ready to work. Peter Polk…

Help for job seekers at All Saints’ career workshop

The recent announcement of long-time Fort Worth employer Radio Shack’s demise means some people in North Texas, including some in Episcopal church pews, may find themselves unemployed. The Career Solutions Workshop at All Saints’ Episcopal Church in Fort Worth is a useful resource for anyone actively seeking new employment or hoping to make their next step up the career ladder. The workshop, also known as the Job Seekers class, is offered every Monday at 6 pm in the church’s parish hall. The class…