Scott Lee, a third year student of Seminary of the Southwest (SSW) was ordained to the Transitional Diaconate by the Rt. Rev. Scott Mayer, Bishop of Northwest Texas on January 14, 2012, in Amarillo. Deacon Lee hails from Amarillo where he served as an elementary school teacher and youth minister prior to his studies at SSW. He will serve as a Transitional Deacon for a period of six months to one year. Scott will be ordained to the priesthood in the parish into which he is called to serve after his graduation from seminary in May of this year.

The Rev. John Watson of Amarillo served as preacher for the service, held at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in Amarillo. A reception was held in the parish hall at St. Andrew's immediately following the service.

Family and friends from St. Andrew's celebrated the event with Scott and his family. In attendance were his wife Ashley, and daughters Savannah, and Kara; his parents, in-laws, and extended family members.  

When asked what the most memorable part of the ordination service was for Scott, he responded saying it was the "variety of people who attended the service;" family, current friends, high school friends, and members of the various churches he has served, representing three different denominations. He stated it was heartwarming to see them all and served to make his ordination a very special event.

To listen to the ordination service on the St. Andrew's website, click this link.  

To view photos of the ordination, visit the Diocesan Photo Gallery. Additional photos may be viewed by following this link to a Picasa Web Album.

This month we are excited to hear from Deacon Don Webb.  He has served in the Eastern part of our diocese and in Fort Worth.  Don has gifts in many areas of ministry and I think you will really enjoy seeing how a deacon takes God's love into the world.  

"I was ordained on October 29th, 1999, at The Church of the Heavenly Rest at the Annual Diocesan Convention.  I have served in two churches in the Diocese of Northwest Texas;  All Saints in Colorado City, and Trinity in Albany.  I also served for some six years at Holy Trinity, in the Diocese of Fort Worth.  These three experiences were very different and I have learned that all Dioceses, all churches, and all priesst are not the same.

My favorite prayer is the Great Litany, and my favorite liturgy has to be the sacrament of Baptism, especially when it involves the young.

What would I tell myself as a young deacon?  DO NOT take yourself too seriously and remember your charge.  We are told that we are to take the Gospel into the world and teach and preach that Gospel.  We are then to take the cares and concerns of the world back to the church and cause the church to act on those cares and concerns.

Serving Christ outside the church was and has been a mixed blessing.  Teaching a seventy year old prisoner to read and write and to sign his own name was one of the outright blessings, however working a suicide hot line and working with the victims of domestic abuse and child abuse in a hospital emergency rooms were blessings in which I could never find the meaning.  One of the greatest blessings was teaching in an adult literacy program.  Results are obvious in that service. I have also served as a Chaplain to a fire department and a Sheriff's department.

The youngest person in the three churches I served was thirty- three, so I have had limited experience with children and youth.

I enjoy my retirement in that I have no schedule most of the time.  For most of my life I have had two or more jobs at the same time.  I retired from thirty seven years of government service, twenty years as a paid fireman, twenty years as a master peace officer, and five years as a teacher in the Windom ISD.  Windom ISD is the school district that is responsible for education in our state prison system."

Don's final remarks were spoken in a true, deacon-like manner when he stated, "I can take little credit for the things accomplished.  None of any of it could have been done without the help, guidance, and the grace of God." We wish to thank Don for taking time to share his story.We hope this new year brings many blessings his way!

St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in Amarillo will host a Level 2 formation beginning in the fall of 2012 for adults wishing to work with 6-9 year olds in the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. We will meet one weekend per month from September through May (primarily all day on a Saturday, but with three "long" weekends across the year which will include 3.5 hours on Friday night and 3 hours on Sunday afternoon as well). Fees for the course will be $300 for the first semester and $300 for the second semester for the first person from each parish or school. The charge for additional people from each parish or school is $250 per semester.

In addition, St. Andrew's anticipates offering a Level 1, Part 1 intensive formation (40 hours) over a one week period this in July of 2012, with a Level 1- Part 2 intensive next summer to complete the course. Anticipated fees for the class are $350 for each semester for the first person from each parish or school, with a price break of $299 for additional participants from each parish or school. This course will only take place if a minimum of 10 participants register before June 1.

Brochures are available for download by clicking the blue highlighted links below:  

Brochure1- 2011/2012 Retreat Dates 

Brochure 2- 2012/ 2013 Schedule 

For more information please contact Kay Brizzolara at kbrizzolara@standrewsschool.org.