The Episcopal Diocese of Texas

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Invite-Welcome-Connect Summit at Camp Allen, April 28-30
 
The Invite-Welcome-Connect national summit is open. The Summit features dynamic speakers that include the Rev. Dr. Hillary Raining, the Rev. Marcus Halley, the Very Rev. Carol Wade, and the Rev. Jimmy Abbott. Workshops on how to use the Invite-Welcome-Connect materials will be held in addition to a number of practical offerings from those who have used the resources in their own churches. These materials provide excellent congregational development tools that include creative, concrete resources to form a strategic, intentional, and transformational newcomer ministry. Send a team, grow your church. Find out more here.

       

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

Churches Sow Seeds of Hope by the Bucket
St. George's, Texas City, and St. Christopher, League City, recently stumbled upon an idea to spread seeds of nutrition awareness and skill at gardening to the wider community. Members assembled buckets, donated from bakeries at grocery stores and other locations, drilled holes in the bottom, added a bag of soil, seeds, instructions and a prayer, and distributed through the Galveston Food Bank. Read more here.

Episcopal Church Commended for Respecting Differences on Marriage
The Episcopal Church and its individual members earned praise here April 11 from Anglican Communion Secretary General Archbishop Josiah Idowu-Fearon for working hard to walk together despite differences over same-sex marriage. Read more

Archbishop Welby Briefs ACC on Primates' Meeting (video)
The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby briefs members of the Anglican Consultative Council on the outcome of January's Primates' meeting and gathering. Read more.
Volume II of the Journal of the 167th Annual Council is available for download here.
Become a Mental Health Informed Faith Community

St. Martin's Hope and Healing Center now offers a program to help congregations become a "mental health informed faith community." They will assess the mental health contact points of a congregation, train clergy and ministry staff in how to recognize mental health problems, help set up and train a pastoral care team, put support groups in place at the church and connect the congregation to a professional network of providers through the Hope and Healing Center. Clergy and ministry staff also have access to mental health coaches for help with referrals or to ask questions about specific cases. Mental Health 101 is free of charge and HHCI will come to you to do the training, which takes 3 to 4 hours. Please contact HHCI if you are interested in participating by calling 713.871.1004 or emailing [email protected]
St. James, LaGrange Offers To Host MS150 Riders

St. James, LaGrange, still has a few spots to host riders for the MS150, April 16-17. The congregation regularly welcomes 60-70 riders with a full range of services: showers, clothes washing, supper, accommodations, breakfast and transportation to back to the second day's starting point of the ride. The Rev. Eric Hungerford even provides a blessing for riders as they leave on the final leg of their journey. Contact Cathy Sterman for reservations, this year or next, at 979.968.3910 or [email protected].
Starry Nights and Campfire Lights in Austin, May 5 at SSW

Add a description All are invited to join for this annual gathering of the "Austin Area Episcopal Family" on May 5 at 6:30 p.m. to raise support for scholarships that help families send their children to Camp Allen each summer. As a part of the gathering this year, we will honor Bill and Renee Carberry and John and Kerry Hancock, of Christ Church, Temple, for their years of dedicated service to their church, the Diocese of Texas and the community at large. The evening will included Maudie's Tex Mex, music, a live auction, and drinks on the patio at Seminary of the Southwest. Tickets are $75 and can be purchased at www.campallen.org. For questions, please email event co-chair, the Rev. Miles Brandon, [email protected].
Make Plans To Join a Sharing Faith Dinner on May 19

sharing faith 2013 This year's Sharing Faith Dinners will take place on May 19 all across the Diocese of Texas and The Episcopal Church. Join others from Kansas, North Carolina, New Mexico, Maryland and Rhode Island For more information, go to sharingfaithdinners.com.
2016 Christian Formation Conference at Kanuga, June 13-17

Take. Break. Bless. Give. These are the words of our faith, but how do we live them out in this complicated, multi-cultural, technologically advanced century? Learn how to be the Church. Christian Formation Week at Kanuga, June 13-17,  will include more than 20 workshops covering such topics as racism sensitivity training, reconciliation, ministry with the homeless, how to host a dinner church and a wide variety of nuts-n-bolts workshops about formation basics.
For more information and to register, click here.
 Save the Date for Episcopal Night with the Astros, July 1

Bring the whole family out to Minute Maid Park in Houston for the annual Episcopal Night with the Astros on Friday, July 1 at 7:10 p.m. as they host the Chicago White Sox. Come early to enjoy hot dogs and fun at a pregame cookout at Christ Church Cathedral. For ticket information contact Brent Broussard at [email protected] or 713.259.8316.
Diocesan Music Camp in Brenham, July 10-16

music notes This year's 24th Annual Diocesan Music Camp, presented by the Diocesan Music Commission, will feature musical training for rising grades 6-12. The camp, held at St. Peter's Episcopal Church and Blinn College, will feature large and small ensemble rehearsals, local outreach projects, field trips, swimming and other fun recreation, pottery and art. Cost is $450 for the week, with generous scholarships available. For more information, contact Linda Patterson [email protected] or 979-836-7248 ext. 13. For more information, click here. Registration can be found here.
Like the EDOT Facebook Page for News & Info

facebook Make sure to Like the  EDOT Facebook page for lots of great information on Diocesan activities and resources for congregations. From events to ready made shareable social posts, the quickest way to keep up with everything going on in the Diocese of Texas is on our Facebook page. We also have a Spanish language Facebook page here.

Your Next Meeting or Vestry Retreat Could be at Mosaic

Mosaic, a missional community out of St. Andrew's, Pearland, seeks to build relationships and serve the community. Located just south of Beltway 8 off of 288, they operate out of a 3,200 square foot store front in a strip center. Learn more at www.notyourmotherschurch.comIf you are looking for an off-campus site for a day, night or weekend meeting, staff or vestry retreat, we welcome you. For more information, contact Jim Liberatore at [email protected].
Employment Opportunities
 
Please 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

Christ Church Cathedral, Houston seeks a minister of communications to oversee all external communications and public relations. The position entails working closely with parishioners and clergy in order to manage regular publications - both print and digital - and general community announcements. The ideal candidate possesses a proven history of managing communications for a sizable, well-established community or corporation. Characteristics sought include professionalism, flexibility, and the desire to become part of a spiritual community. For a detailed job description and application information, visit https://goo.gl/jEK9e1.

Holy Spirit Episcopal School, Houston, seeks a middle school science teacher that will report to the head of middle school. A full job description can be found here. Please send all inquires along with resume and cover letter via email to Nikki Elmiger Bermudes at [email protected]

St. Mary's, Cypress seeks a full-time children and youth missioner to coordinate the children's and youth ministry with assistance from volunteers and other church leaders and ministry participants. A full job description can be found here. For more information, contact the Rev. Beth Fain at [email protected].

Find full details on these and more employment opportunities here.  
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