Last year the Rev. Susan Slaughter, retired rector of St. Luke’s in the Meadow, Fort Worth; and the Rev. Courtland Moore, retired canon to the ordinary, and long time priest of the diocese, were asked by Bishop Rayford B. High, Jr., to serve as chaplains to the retired clergy of the diocese. The Rev. Jim Horton and his wife, Anne, stepped down from that role last year.
Since then, Slaughter and Moore have worked to update the list of retired clergy to include not only retirees of this diocese, but also retirees from other dioceses who are now resident here.They attended a regional conference for chaplains to retired clergy and spouses held at Camp Allen in the Episcopal Diocese of Texas; worked with Bishop High to host a luncheon gathering for retirees, and are now in the planning stages for another similar event.They work closely with Bishop High when he knows of situations where their ministry is called for. They also are making use of programs and resources from the Church Pension Group available to chaplains to retired clergy.
“Fortunately we do have the rich experience of our bishop which he is sharing with us,” Moore said. Bishop High served as chaplain to the retired clergy of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas prior to becoming bishop of Fort Worth.
Slaughter was the first woman ordained to the priesthood in the Fort Worth diocese. She was ordained November 15, 2009, at St. Luke’s in the Meadow, Fort Worth, and that same day installed as rector. She was ordained a deacon on October 12, 2002. She served for many years as a deacon at St. Luke’s. She retired from St. Luke’s in 2014. She has served on the Standing Committee of the diocese.
Moore has been a priest for 62 years. He served for many years as rector of St. Alban’s, Arlington, before retiring. He held many leadership positions in the diocese. He came out of retirement in 2008 to help organize those Episcopalians who were determined to remain Episcopalian when a former bishop was preparing to leave The Episcopal Church. Along with Walt Cabe of St. Alban’s, Arlington, Moore served as co-chair of the Steering Committee North Texas Episcopalians. After the former bishop and other diocesan leaders left The Episcopal Church, that group worked with the Office of the Presiding Bishop to elect a new bishop and reorganize the diocese at a special convention on February 7, 2009. Moore served as canon to the ordinary for both Bishop Edwin F. (Ted) Gulick, Jr., and his successor, Bishop Wallis Ohl. He does a “little supply for the new rector at Transfiguration, Dallas, where we attend.”
Slaughter can be reached at (contact information removed). Moore can be reached at courtland.Moore@edotn.org. Telephone messages can be left for them at the diocesan offices at 817-534-1900.