The Episcopal Diocese of Texas

Pre-Council Videos Now Available To Watch 
 
Pre-Council videos for the 167th Diocesan Council in The Woodlands are now available to watch here. This year there will be no live Pre-Council meetings so make sure to download materials here and watch the videos on the budget, constitution and canons, electronic voting, Council info and a welcome from Bishop Andy Doyle. Each video contains easy to access links to download the documents necessary to follow along.

       

News Headlines 
Please share these stories in your e-news or reprint in your newsletters

St. Francis Opens Doors to New Primary School Campus

Communiqu� from the Primates' Meeting 2016

The Magdalene Community Comes To Grace

Presiding Bishop Michael Curry on the Actions at the Anglican Primates Meeting
Casa Marianella in Austin Mirrors the Epiphany 

Forty people from across the world filled a room in one of the Casa Marianella houses in East Austin to celebrate an Epiphany service and the 30th anniversary of Casa on January 6. This was the third year that Austin's St. George's Episcopal Church held an Epiphany mass at Casa Marianella - a non-profit organization that currently houses 43 refugees from throughout the world. Casa helps the refugees learn English, become a US citizen and find work in the Austin area. Read more here. 
Episcopal Night with the Houston Rockets This Friday

Episcopal Night with the Houston Rockets is this Friday at the Toyota Center. Bring the whole family to watch the Houston Rockets take on the Milwaukee Bucks. To get tickets click here and then hover over "Tickets" and click "Enter Promo Code" and enter the code "episcopal." For group tickets or questions call Melissa Barousse at 713.758.7231 or at melissae@rocketball.com. Please share this great diocesan event with your friends and family and wear your church t-shirt! For more event questions, contact Kevin Thompson at kthompson@epicenter.org. 
Volunteers Needed at Council

Ever wanted to see how Diocesan Council works? An easy way is to volunteer at Council in The Woodlands, TX this February. We need people to usher, host, check-in delegates, work in floor management and exhibits. The volunteer registration site is open here. Come help make the 167th Council of the Diocese of Texas the best Council yet! 
This year, the Council offering and donations will benefit the Seafarers Center of the Port of Houston. Click here for a list of items to donate and a feature story about this diocesan ministry.
Tolerance: Meditation and the New World Order, January 29 

Fr. Laurence Freeman, a Benedictine monk and director of the World Community for Christian Meditation, will speak at Christ Church Cathedral, Houston from 7:30-9 p.m. on January 29 on the topic of "Tolerance: Meditation and the New World Order." In addition to his work in the contemplative life, Freeman conducts dialogues and global peace initiatives, such as the "Way of Peace" dialogue with the Dalai Lama. From his perspective, local conflicts spreading around the world threaten global peace on an unprecedented scale. Freeman stresses the unique role of meditation as a spiritual discipline among all world religions, and thus as a common ground for interfaith dialogue and the pursuit of peace and social justice. Find more information here.
2016 Trinity Jazz Festival in Houston, January 30-31 

The 2016 Trinity Jazz Festival in Houston features Grammy Award winning vocalist & pianist Diane Schuur, the Dennis Dotson Jazz Quartet and the COTS Jazz Crew, whose members consist of formerly homeless musicians. The Sunday Jazz Masses (10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.) will be held at Trinity Midtown in Houston. Sunday Jazz Masses are free and open to the public. For more information, visit trinityjazzfest.net.
Travel to Southern Malawi with Warm Heart International

Warm Heart International will host an 18-day pilgrimage to Southern Malawi, July 7-24, 2016. Participants will stay in Blantyre with host families who are members of the Diocese of Southern Malawi and will gain a greater understanding of the area through guided activities, worship, ministry and outreach. For more information, contact Nancy Parish at Nancy.P@StDave.org. A trip brochure can be found here. 
Understanding Boys Symposium in Houston, February 2

From 7 to 8:30 p.m. on February 2, Saint Thomas' Episcopal School (STE) in Houston will host a symposium tackling learning challenges specific to boys. Recent research shows that boys, when compared to girls, often times lag behind in reading and literacy, are more often diagnosed with learning disabilities, are more frequently disciplined, are less involved in school activities, and are beginning to be outpaced in degrees, salaries, and leadership. This symposium, entitled "Understanding Boys," will feature representatives from the Tennessee-based private boys' school McCallie School. Using the most up-to-date research and 80 years of collective experience raising boys, they will equip parents, educators and other attendees with research, best practices, and practical ideas for helping boys thrive in school and beyond. For more information, click here.
EFM Mentor Training, February 19-21

Registration for EfM Mentor Training, February 19-21, 2016 in the Diocese of Texas is now open. There are two sections of basic/inservice training and one section on formation training. The cost right now is $275 plus registration fees and will go up February 3. Fees cover meals, lodging and materials at Camp Allen. Contact Lucy Wagner, EfM Diocesan Coordinator at 713.253.4903 or email her at lmwagner1219@gmail.com with questions. Please feel free to forward this information to any prospective mentors you know.
Council Registration Open

Click here for the online registration form. If your annual meeting is near February, but you already know the number of delegates/alternates that will attend, you can register early as "First Name: Delegate, Last Name: One, Two, Three, or Four and First Name: Alternate, Last Name: One, Two, Three or Four." Seating arrangements are made according to first registered, first seated. You will supply the names of your delegates/alternates when you send in your Official Certification Form, so we will have the names for their badges. 

Electronic Voting
In 2016, voting will be done electronically using smartphones, tablets and laptops. Wi-Fi access will be provided to each delegate, but electricity will not be. Before you register people, you will need to know if delegates are able to bring their own mobile device or will need to borrow one. If your alternates do not plan to share a device with your delegates, you will need to count them also. The online registration form will ask how many devices the Diocese will need to provide for those not able to bring their own.

Council Singers
Join the diocesan-wide choir for Council at the opening service for the 167th Annual Diocesan Council, February 12 at the Waterway Marriott in The Woodlands. Dr. Linda Patterson, chair of the Music Commission, seeks a broad representation of congregations and invites those with interest in joining to contact her at: linda@stpetersbrenham.org for further details. You will receive the music before hand and need only arrive a few hours previous to the opening worship service on Friday evening for practice.

Banner Procession
All churches and diocesan institutions are invited to process their banners at the Opening Service for Diocesan Council on Friday, February 12, at The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel and Convention Center.  They will remain in place until the close of the business meeting on Saturday, February 13. Each church is invited to name a representative to carry the banner and provide the banner and a stand. The representative should arrive at the Hotel/Convention Center beginning at 3 p.m. and report to Kevin Robertson or Ken Fields. Please label the flag stand with the church's name and city. This information should be submitted to Alice Kerr at the Diocesan Center by phone at 713-520-6444 or by e-mail to akerr@epicenter.org. 


Find all Council information at epicenter.org/council
Employment Opportunities
 
Consider publishing these opportunities in your church newsletter or sharing with people who may be interested. A full list of available positions can be found at epicenter.org/employment

The Diocese of Texas seeks an assistant to the Bishop for social media. This is a full-time, salaried position based out of the diocesan center in Houston with the understanding that some of the work will take place around the Diocese in conjunction with the Bishop Diocesan's ministry of presence, teaching and traveling. The assistant to the Bishop for social media will not be expected to travel with the Bishop on Sunday parish visitations, though occasional Sunday and weekend work should be expected. A full job description can be found here. Interested individuals should send a cover letter and resume to the Rev. Canon John Newton at jnewton@epicenter.org no later than March 4, 2016

St. Martin's, Houston seeks a full-time Assistant Director of Student Ministries that will be responsible for working hand-in-hand with the Executive Director of Student Ministries to live out the long-term plan being unveiled and rolled-out. Applicants who are passionate and knowledgeable about student ministry, have an entrepreneurial, creative spirit, are highly relational with parents and students and can take initiative should apply. The successful candidate will have a college degree, experience in student ministry leadership, and a strong personal faith. He or she will join a growing team that currently includes an executive director of student ministries and a full-time student ministry administrator. Submit resumes by email to Kristina Zirschky at kristinaz@ymarchitects.com.

Find full details on these and more employment opportunities here.  
More Upcoming Events

February 12-13 - 167th Diocesan Council

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