March 2015 
No. 273


Lent 2015
 

THE NEWSLETTER

The Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Northwest Texas

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!

daffodils-snow
by Audrey Kletscher Helbling
   
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.
 
In This Issue
Quick Links
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Noteworthy News from Northwest Texas
StMatthew_PampaA Celebration of New Ministry will take place on Saturday, April 18th, 2015, at 10:00am, at St. Matthew's Episcopal Church in Pampa. The Rev. Mark Lang, who was recently called to the position, will be instituted as Rector during the service. The Rt. Rev. Scott Mayer will be present for the Institution. A reception will follow in the Parish Hall.

The Pampa News ran an article about Fr. Mark and his new call on February 17th, 2015. A story about Fr. Mark also ran in the January edition of The Newsletter. Click the blue links to be redirected to the stories.

St. Matthew's is located at 727 W. Browning Ave., Pampa, TX.  

Follow this link to a Google map for directions. 

   

(Please note - Clergy in attendance will vest in cassock and surplice with white stoles.) 

 

All are welcome to attend this joyous occasion!

 

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More Great News!

The vestry of St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in Amarillo, has called the Rev. Robert Pace as their rector-elect, to assume the duties of rector of the parish after the retirement of the Rev. Jo Roberts Craig. Mtr. Jo announced her upcoming retirement on Sunday, March 8th, as well as the decision of the vestry. Fr. Robert will continue to serve as Associate Rector until her retirement, planned for the end of May, 2016.

While this is a unique situation, to have a rector-elect serving with the current rector, it will continue to provide the parishioners and staff with continuity during the 14-month interim.

You may read more about the announcement by following this link to their website.

Congratulations to Mtr. Jo on her upcoming retirement, and to Fr. Robert on his new call!

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Patricia High, teacher, beloved wife of the Rt. Rev. Rayford B. High, mother, and BishopandPat_High grandmother, 72, died on Wednesday, March 4, 2015, at her home in Fort Worth.

 

Services in celebration of Pat's life were held on Saturday, March 7, at All Saints' Episcopal Church in Fort Worth. The Rt. Rev. Andrew Doyle, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas, officiated. A service of internment followed at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 8, at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Waco.

 

Bishop High is the Bishop of Ft. Worth, and the retired bishop suffragan of the Diocese of Texas. Bishop High and his wife were partners in ministry. Until her illness prevented it, she was always at his side during visitations to congregations. She will be remembered with great fondness.

 

Condolences can be emailed to [email protected]. Cards can be sent to Bishop High at the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth, 4301 Meadowbrook Drive, Fort Worth, TX, 76103.

 

If people wish, memorials can be sent to St. Paul's Day School, 517 Columbus Ave, Waco, TX 76701; Camp Allen Conference and Retreat Center, 18800 FM 362, Navasota, Texas 77868; Tyler Day Nursery, 2901 W Gentry Pkwy, Tyler, TX 75702; or Thistle Farms, 5122 Charlotte Pike, Nashville, Tennessee 37209.

 

Rest eternal grant to her, O Lord;
And let light perpetual shine upon her.
May her soul, and the souls of all the departed,
through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
(BCP p. 502)
LENT

lent_madness


Founded in 2010, Lent Madness pits thirty-two saints in the "holy smackdown" for the prize, and we decide the winner of the Golden Halo. It's a fun and engaging way to learn about the men and women on the Church's Calendar of Saints during Lent.

The Lent Madness currently reflects these "winners":

Bracket


You may find more information, as well as the Lent Madness bracket on their website or by following their Facebook page.
Conference Opportunity - LAST CALL!

   

Dan Webster Pimps For BFNT
Dan Webster Talks About BFNT

 

 

 

 

Buildings for a New Tomorrow

  

April 13-15  

 

in Raleigh, North Carolina

 

Don't delay, register today by following this link:   

 

           http://www.ecbf.org/bfnt/            

Spotlight on Ministries
Province VII Assembly: Daughters of the King 

Come to Assembly! All Daughters from across dok_mapthe Province are invited to Albuquerque, NM, on April 10-11, 2015, for Assembly.

Please print and share this registration information with your chapters and members who may not have email!


For General Provincial Registration: Download Registration here.


Registration is $75 for Daughters, $5 for JDOK, $30 for a guest (includes meals). Deadline to Register is March 25. This is also the deadline for the special prices at the hotels.

Hotel prices are good for 2 days before and 2 days after the Assembly, so plan to take some extra time! You can reserve a room at the Doubletree here or call the number listed in the registration materials. 

Our speakers this year include Mark Goodman, Dean of the Cathedral, who will talk about the Saint John's Bible. The Cathedral is fortunate enough to have one of the 299 copies of the Heritage Edition of this great work - the first fully illuminated Bible since the Middle Ages.

Our Provincial Chaplain, Fr. Mike Gemignani, will also speak. Even more exciting will be the opportunity to purchase his recently completed book Praying Deeper, which includes 80 of his meditations from his daily blog about Mysticism.
 
Youth News
jesus_superhero

 Jesus: The Greatest Superhero

 

Spring Fling Primary Youth Retreat

Grades 2nd-�5th

 

April17-�19,2015

St. Christopher's Episcopal Church, Lubbock,TX.

 

Cost: Registration fee is $60 if postmarked  

by March27th

 

Registration fee is $80 if postmarked after March 28th

 

For more information or to download the registration form, FOLLOW THIS LINK

A Humorous Thought
spring_fair
  by the Rev. Jay Sidebotham 
Episcopal Church Foundation Vital Posts
A Voice For The Voiceless

By Sim�n Bautista Betances, part of the Vestry Papers issue on Inspiring Advocacy (March 2015) being_present

 

This article is also available in Spanish  here.  

Este art�culo es disponible en espa�ol  aqui  

 

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." - Luke 4:18-19

 

Luke 4:16-19 is one of the most powerful biblical passages about social justice. Many people, myself included, think this text traces the path Christians should follow to make possible the full establishment of the kingdom of God on earth.

 

The text is definitely the outline of a program of justice pronounced in a prophetic tone. It forms the biblical background of our baptismal vow and serves as a biblical and theological foundation for many Christians who have opened their hearts to the call to stand up for people who are most vulnerable, voiceless, and marginalized. This passage became a traveling companion for me; I repeated the words trying to find the determined face of Jesus of Nazareth that Sabbath in the synagogue. It became where I found my strongest arguments to explain the choice I made to serve the Haitian community in the Dominican Republic. It also served as inspiration when I served congregations and community organizations serving immigrants in the Washington Metropolitan area.

 

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Health Notes
March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness month.

According to the website Dr_Consult for Prevent Cancer Foundation, this year over 136,830 people will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer and nearly 50,310 will die of the disease. It is the fourth most common cancer in men and women. With certain types of screening, this cancer can be prevented by removing polyps (grape-like growths on the wall of the intestine) before they become cancerous. Several screening tests detect colorectal cancer early, when it can be more easily and successfully treated.

Want to know more? Check out our Diocesan Wellness Ministries webpage where you will find more information about colorectal cancer, as well as a yummy recipe for those requiring a
little more fiber in their diets.

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Seminary Updates
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Seminary of the Southwest - Austin
 

Save the Date

 

Heart of Texas Contemplative Outreach--United in Prayer, United in Silence

March 21, 9:00 - 3:00, Weeks Campus Center

 

Harvey Lecture--Bishop James Tengatenga

March 23, 7:00 p.m., Knapp Auditorium

 

Financial Wellness--Fulfilling Your Wishes: Planning for the End of Life

March 25, 2:30 p.m., Knapp Auditorium

 

Commencement--Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde preaching

May 12, 10:00 a.m., St. Matthew's Episcopal Church

 

Southwest at General Convention-

Seminary of the Southwest will host an exhibit during General Convention 2015 in Salt Lake City, Utah and a reception for alumni and friends of the seminary on June 30 at the Salt Lake City Marriott City Center.  

June 23 - July 3, Salt Lake City, Utah

 

Nuevos Horizontes Conference

This Conference is designed for clergy and lay leaders facing fast-paced changes taking place in Latino/Hispanic ministry, including those seeking competency in a re-energized Latino ministry that now must include the multiple generations of American born Latinos. Keynote speakers will be the Rev. Elizabeth Tamez, founder and Executive Director of Nueva Generaci�n 3 and consultant on developing young Latino church leaders and Dr. Ruben Saenz, Director of Connectional Ministries, Methodist Southwest Conference  

August 10 - 12, Seminary of the Southwest

 

 

Details on these and other special events in 2015.

 

 

Sewanee Banner

University of the South at Sewanee -  School of Theology 

 

The Beecken Center Spring 2015 Conference - LAST CALL! 

 

Reimagining Mission: Building a Stronger Church, One Circle at a Time, April 8-10, will focus on reimagining faith, mission, and ministry through the use of innovative, small-group programs for congregations and communities. The Rev. Dr. Scott Stoner, founder of Living Compass, and coach and educator Dr. Frances Baldwin will deliver keynote addresses. Participants will immerse in the programs offered by The Beecken Center and its partners, including Education for Ministry (EfM), VocationCARE,  SUMMA, Living in the Green, The Essential Practices of Christian Disciples, Living Compass�, and Godly Play�.  

 

 Register here.

 

 

For more news and information from Sewanee visit the Seminary website.

Please click the graphic below to view this month's edition of Theology Monthly:

Sewanee Theol Monthly
Diocesan Events Calendar
MARCH

12-17    House of Bishops, Kanuga Camp and Conference Center, Hendersonville, N.C.
13         Commission on Ministry, 10:30am, HEC, Lubbock
22         Visitation, San Miguel Arcangel, Odessa
23-25    Fresh Start Retreat, Christ the King Retreat Center, San Angelo
26         General Convention Deputies Meeting, 10:00am, HEC, Lubbock
26-27    DEROS, St. Paul's, Lubbock
29         Visitation, All Saints, Colorado City

APRIL

2           Maundy Thursday
3           Good Friday
5           Easter
6           Easter Monday - Bishop's Office Closed
10-12     Province VII DOK Assembly, Albuquerque, NM
10-12     School of Ministry, Lubbock
14          Standing Committee, 10:30, HEC, Lubbock
17-19     Primary Youth Retreat, St. Christopher's Episcopal Church, Lubbock (see article)
18          Celebration of New Ministry for the Rev. Mark Lang, 10:00am, St. Matthews', Pampa
19          Visitation, St. Peter's, Amarillo
20-23     Presbyter's Conference, Christ the King Retreat Center, San Angelo

26          Visitation, Good Shepherd, Brownfield

(Items in purple indicate Bishop Mayer's presence.)
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

Contact Info Stylized shield     

 

Newsletter Editor

Deacon Nancy Igo
Director of Communications and Human Resources

Diocese of Northwest Texas  

[email protected] 

(806) 763-1370  x. 5