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January 2014 Corrected Edition
| No. 259 |
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(unknown artist)
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THE NEWSLETTER
The Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Northwest Texas
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WELCOME to the Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Northwest Texas--a place where the vast open plains are as wondrous as the big sky above!
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Amarillo Sundog
by unknown photographer
As depicted in the pectoral cross of Bishop J. Scott Mayer, the stars, moon, and sun are representative of the beauty one may find in this region of Texas. The landscape, covering 77,000 square miles is as diverse as the cities and people, with the canyons and rangelands of the Staked Plains; agricultural fields abounding; and the rough and ready country of the Rolling Plains and Permian Basin. The people here are known for their warm and friendly smiles, making one feel like an old and trusted friend.
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Noteworthy News from Northwest Texas |
 TRANSITION NEWS
There are three new priests in the Diocese! Deacons Claude Betty, Mark Lang, and Charles Smith, from the Panhandle Bi-Vocational Priesthood program, were ordained to the Sacred Order of Priests on Tuesday, the 17th of December, at St. Matthew's Episcopal Church in Pampa. A reception was held afterward in St. Matthew's Parish Hall.
The Rev. Claude Betty will serve the congregation at All Saints Episcopal Church in Perryton, and the Rev. Mark Lang and the Rev. Charles Smith will serve the congregation at St. Matthew's Episcopal Church.
Our congratulations to all three men on completion of their journey!
(L to R- The Rev. Charles Smith, the Rev. Mark Lang, the Rev. Claude Betty, and Bishop Scott Mayer)
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For the past ten years, Canterbury Retirement Center in Big Spring, one of our two Episcopal retirement centers, has enjoyed the directorship of a tireless worker. Shannon Nabors is that person. As we all know however, change happens, and 2013 was certainly a year of change for Shannon.
Not only did 2013 bring a new marriage and new plans for the future for Shannon, but also for Canterbury. In late 2013, Canterbury entered into a management agreement, with the eventual transfer of the project, to Christian Church Homes ( CCH ). CCH is a strong company with over 50 years of HUD housing experience and over 5000 units in several states. Their mission and management style and practice was a match with what the Board of Directors of Canterbury was looking for to ensure the continued long term success of Canterbury. Going forward, Julie Harris will be the on-site administrator and will have the responsibility for the day to day operations.
Shannon and her new husband have plans to build a home on the Texas Gulf Coast where she will serve as Operations Manager for CCH for the state of Texas, overseeing their six projects in Texas. She will be able to work from home, but will be on-site at Canterbury once a month.
The entire staff of the Diocese of Northwest Texas wishes Shannon all the best in the future, and much happiness in her new life on the coast!
++++++++++++ The Rev. Linda Kelly, rector of St. Matthew's Episcopal Church in Pampa, has announced her retirement effective January 31st. She plans to relocat  e to Kerrville, TX, where her sister resides. Mtr. Linda has served St. Matthew's since 2005. Prior to receiving the call to St. Matthew's Mtr. Linda served as associate rector of St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Kerrville, and as associate rector of St. Paul's on the Plains Episcopal Church in Lubbock. Additionally, she has served at St. Paul's in Orange, TX., and as Chaplain at Baylor University. Among her many talents Mtr. Linda has served on Executive Council, Quarterman Ranch Board, the diocesan Nominating Committee, as a volunteer chaplain for Quarterman Ranch summer programs, and as an elected clerical deputy to General Convention in 2009 and 2012. Additionally, she oversaw the planning and preparation as St. Matthew's hosted the Diocesan Convention in 2012. The diocese and her many friends will certainly miss her sweet smile and gentle qualities. Best wishes for a happy retirement, Mtr. Linda!! ++++++++++++
Jack Reeve, longtime member of St. Matthew's Episcopal Church in Pampa, died on December 26th, 2013. Jack had been a member of St. Matthews for 57 years, and served 21 years on the vestry. He was also a delegate to Diocesan Convention numerous times. His obituary may be viewed by following this link to the Amarillo Globe-News. Condolences may be sent to his widow, Katherine Reeve, at 1811 Dogwood,
Pampa, TX 79065.
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Loretta Fulton, news reporter extraordinaire from Abilene, TX, has been at it again. On January 8th, a story appeared in the Abilene Reporter-News entitled, "Kinard was first leader of woman aviator's group," in which she highlighted the life of Ruby Kinard, longtime Abilene resident who died on January 2nd, 2014. The leading paragraph stated, "Whether flying solo after just nine hours of instruction, running a business, taking care of her family, or serving her church in numerous capacities, Ruby Caldwell Kinard seemingly could do it all. "There wasn't anything that she did not do," said longtime friend Betty Carter. "She was a very special lady."
The Rev. Michael Caldwell, who attended St. Mark's as a child and is the son of Ruby Kinard, is currently a priest in Oconomowac, WI. He, and the Rev. Jim Smart, Associate Rector of St. Mark's, officiated at her service. Mrs. Kinard was an active member of St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Abilene where she is known not only for her efficiency, and administrative capabilities, but also for her pastoral qualities. Fr. Jim commented in the article, "I saw her compassion in action," he said. "She recognized that all are important, and she was sensitive to each person's need to be heard and included." (Our sincere apologies to the Rev. Michael Caldwell and his sister, RuthAnn Caldwell-Rhodes, for the mistake in the first edition stating he knew Ruby Caldwell Kinard when, in fact, he and RuthAnn are the children of Ruby Caldwell Kinard. We regret the error.) "Grant to Jack and Ruby eternal rest. Let light perpetual shine upon them. May their souls, and the souls of all our departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. "BCP p. 498 ++++++++++++ OTHER NEWS  Congratulations to St. Benedict's Chapel, a mission dedicated to feeding the homeless, located in downtown Lubbock. The mission was recently awarded $5000.00 in the City Bank Texas' Community Rewards contest.
According to an article in the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, "The object of the contest is to get the most online votes to receive a donation from the bank. The 10 nonprofit groups with the most votes each receive donations - $10,000 for the top-voted group, $5,000 for the next five and $3,000 for the remaining four." 
The article went on to say that more than 100 local nonprofit organizations were on the online ballot. Voting started during the first week of November and lasted for six weeks. More than 400,000 votes were cast, according to a bank news release. All three Lubbock parishes, St. Christopher's, St. Paul's, and St. Stephen's, are engaged in ministry with St. Benedict's by providing meals for the hungry on a rotating basis. Other Lubbock churches involved in the mission are First Baptist Church, First Christian Church, Monterey Church of Christ, Second Baptist Church, and a local restaurant, The Cast Iron Grill. It is truly an ecumenical project. The mission was started in 2007 by the late Rev. Barry Ferguson, OSB, and his wife, Ann, as a retirement project. Fr. Barry was an auxiliary bishop in the Diocese of Divine Mercy, Reformed Catholic Church. The mission has grown steadily and is now able to support a chaplain. The money will be used to further the downtown feeding program.
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MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
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The Annual Diocesan Convention 2014 will be held in San Angelo, TX, on October 10th and 11th, 2014. A service of Evensong will be held on the evening of October 9th.
The host parish for this year's Convention is Emmanuel Episcopal Church. Please watch for more information as it becomes available.
See you there!
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The Bishop's Bookshelf
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This month's recommendation from Bishop Mayer's bookshelf is a book written by Brother Emmanuel of the Taize' Community. Bishop Mayer has recently finished reading the book, and thoroughly enjoyed the content. The book, entitled Love, Imperfectly Known- Beyond spontaneous representations of God, may be found on Amazon.com, as well as other online booksellers. An online review of the book by Samuel Gibson, a graduate of theology, may be found online by following this link.
Br. Emmanuel's book is a study of how unconscious psychological projections can distort our image of God and of both divine and human love. It seeks to explore an understanding of God that challenges images of God as distant and frightening and exclusively masculine.
One online review stated, "Here, he brilliantly offers us a God who does no evil, while our frightening readings of the Old Testament would have made us believe otherwise. Here, he clearly raises the question: Is God transcendent, or even condescending? Between divine fatherhood and human motherhood, Brother Emmanuel is not afraid to topple our ideals, our images of God, our habits and beliefs. All this to bring us closer to a God who is closer than we think, to invite us to discover this Spirit who might well be feminine." While the book clearly offers the reader a chance to challenge the persistent images of a rather distant divine being, the book is not for everyone. The book clearly looks to be a very interesting read, however Bishop Mayer has suggested it may appeal more to the theologically educated reader. |
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Youth News
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Be sure to check the February Newsletter for news and information
from our diocesan youth! 
(Photo from the recent senior high retreat.)
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A Humorous Thought...
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 (by the Rev. Jay Sidebotham)
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Conference Opportunities
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Buildings For a New Tomorrow Symposium
Fort Lauderdale, FL
April 28-30, 2014
It's all about buildings...and now about grounds!
Come meet and hear from the Gangsta Gardener of South LA, Ron Finley, who will teach us how to "Plant Some Sh*t."
 Unearth more about Ron here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/05/
and get all the dirt on early registration here:
http://www.ecbf.org/symposium-2014.html
Episcopal Church Building Fund
583A Southlake Blvd., Richmond, VA 23236
804-893-3436
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The 25th Annual Bowen Conference
Beyond the Shepherd: Re-Imaging God
from Kanuga Camp and Conference Center, North Carolina
As we celebrate twenty-five years of strengthening our faith, this year's Bowen conference engages the most basic and fundamental of questions: how does our image of God shape the way we live, pray, and worship? Traditional images of God range from a benevolent father to a harsh judge to a dove. While the Bible is full of images of God, church folks have paid attention to a narrow range of them. So what if we imagined God as a carpenter or a mother hen? Would our daily lives change?
The Bowen Conference has a history of bringing to Kanuga some of the most important Christian writers and thinkers of our time. Lauren Winner, professor, Episcopal priest, and writer, will join this group to offer a fresh perspective and new voice to our conversations about how to live faithful lives as followers of Christ. Drawing on contemporary novels, anthropologists' writings, and mystical musings, we will ask what it might mean to think of God as - say, a piece of clothing or a dance?
See more at http://www.kanuga.org/conference-calendar/conference-calendar-details/bowen-conference-2014#sthash.l9ibB75B.dpuf
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The Episcopal Church Foundation
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Upcoming ECF Web Conferences: Winter 2014
As part of ECF's on-going efforts to assist congregations in developing their leadership and financial resources, ECF is offering a wide range of web conferences for clergy and lay parish leaders this winter. There is no cost to participate in ECF's web conferences and all lay and clergy leaders are welcome to participate.
Topics include planned giving, capital campaigns, vestry leadership, vision and planning, parish finances, stewardship, endowments, communications, and leading change.
Please follow the blue highlighted link to ECF's webpage for more details.
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Missionaries Around the World
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This month's spotlight on worldwide missions and missionaries is on the director of the Holy  Land Institute for the Deaf, Brother Andrew L. de Carpentier. A recent issue of the Episcopal Relief and Development newsletter Seek and Serve highlighted the work of Br. Andrew in an article entitled Replacing Darkness with the Light of Christ. The article was written by Robert W. Radtke, President of Episcopal Relief and Development. Radtke said, "Br. Andrew has been doing the Lord's work for years, ministering to and empowering people with disabilities in Jordan.
In the article, Radtke went on to say, "Now, he (Brother Andrew) and his colleagues are doing the same for Syrian refugees who have sought shelter in the Zaatari Camp just over the Jordanian border.
Brother Andrew wrote a prayer for refugees that is both deeply moving and a thoughtful explanation of why serving those who have been displaced is so central to Episcopal Relief & Development's mission. I'd like to share it with you:
Dear Lord,
You know what it means to be a refugee. You also lost all and perhaps remembered how you came to be hungry and naked, thirsty and cold, prisoners in a camp or prisoners in our own minds. They even took your cloak and you had nothing left, except some people who came by to quench your thirst, to give you a blanket and to help carry your burden.
Lord Jesus, for God's sake, let us be those people who bring comfort, food and water, and an encouraging word. And may we then hear the words softly spoken: "insofar as you did it unto these people who are the least of my brothers, you did it unto me. Go in peace!"
Refugees are often among "the least of my brothers" even before they are displaced from their homes - living in poverty, deprived of opportunity, struggling with hunger, suffering from preventable illness, unable to access clean water. Those living with disabilities are further marginalized. All too often they live in the darkness, hidden away from others, largely out of sight from the rest of the community.
What Episcopal Relief & Development does, through partners like the Holy Land Institute for the Deaf, is bring the light of Christ into their lives to replace the darkness. The light of being seen and recognized as our fellow children of God. The light of opportunity from gaining skills that enable them to become productive, contributing members of society. The light of being treated with respect and dignity, at long last.
I, for one, cannot think of a better way to put Christ's teachings into action."
To read more about this amazing work, visit the ER-D newsletter online.
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Seminary Updates
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Seminary of the Southwest- Austin
In observance of Black History Month, Seminary of the Southwest will host special events during February 2014, and all are welcome.
February 3 Art exhibit reception
February 14 Holy Eucharist in commemoration of Jonathan Daniels
February 20 Chapel service featuring Huston-Tillotson University Choir followed by reception and public lecture by NASA Administrator Charles F. Bolden, Jr.
All events will be held on the Seminary of the Southwest campus, 501 E. 32nd Street, Austin, Texas. The planning committee includes students and alumni, faculty, trustees, and members of the Austin community.
Click for details regarding time and location.
Payne Lecture features founder of experimental community
Please join us for the 2014 Payne Lecture featuring the Rev. Jimmy Bartz, lead minister and founder of Thad's, a seven year old community in the Diocese of Los Angeles founded with a mission to reach people who would not otherwise darken the doors of one of our traditional parishes.
Creative approaches to the study of scripture, composition of original music, innovative approaches to spiritual discipline and expression of faith make Thad's a lively and growing spiritual family attracting all sorts and kinds of Los Angelenos. Jimmy is also recently engaged in work with RedBull's High Performance Program adapting spiritual disciplines for athletes in order to enhance athletic performance.
Thursday, February 6, 2014
7:00 p.m. in Knapp Auditorium on the seminary campus
"Fear, Risk, Courage, Failure, Intimacy, Change, Mission and The Kingdom"
The Rev. Jimmy Bartz will address the privilege of following Jesus, building Christian community and living in the Kingdom of Heaven at a time of great cultural and religious transformation. He will pay particular attention to Christian virtue and practice and how each informs mission and offers refreshment to the pilgrim and the church experiencing the stress and real challenge of change.
Please register so that we know to expect you.
 University of the South at Sewanee - School of Theology Come & See 2014
On Feb. 20, The School of Theology will welcome prospective students to Sewanee for this year's Come & See visitation weekend. Registrations to date have exceeded last year's by 45%! Anyone in the discernment process as a postulant or lay leader is invited to attend. If you know someone that would benefit from a visit to the Mountain, forward the information from the School's website, or contact the office of admissions and recruitment for a brochure. Please click the graphic below to view this month's edition of Theology Monthly:
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Diocesan Events Calendar
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JANUARY
24-26 School of Ordained Ministry, HEC, Lubbock 26 Visitation, Episcopal Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Big Spring
FEBRUARY2 Visitation, Trinity Church, Albany6 Seminary of the Southwest Trustees, Austin
9 Visitation, Good Shepherd Episcopal Church, Brownfield
13 Fresh Start, HEC, 10:30am
19 DNWT Trustees, HEC
21-23 School of Ordained Ministry, HEC, Lubbock
(Items in purple indicate Bishop Mayer's presence.)
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Heavenly Father, send your Holy Spirit into our hearts, to direct and rule us according to your will, to comfort us in all our afflictions, to defend us from all error, and lead us into all truth; through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN
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