Posts (Page 107)
Tennessee Court Rules in Favor of Episcopal Diocese in Property Dispute
On April 25, 2012 the Court of Appeals of Tennessee in Nashville issued an opinion in favor of The Episcopal Church’s Diocese of Tennessee in a property dispute with a breakaway group from St. Andrew’s Parish, Nashville. A copy of the opinion is HERE. St. Andrew’s Parish, Nashville asserted its intention to leave The Diocese of Tennessee. The Diocese filed a declaratory judgment action to determine whether it or the local congregation owned and controlled the real and personal property where…
Two diocesan officials issue statements concerning recent amicus brief filed in support of former diocesan bishop
Two separate statements have been issued concerning an amicus brief filed on April 23 by ten Episcopal clergy that support Bishop Iker’s action currently before the Texas Supreme Court: one from the president of the Standing Committee and one from the chancellor.
Statement from the Chancellor regarding amicus brief
Seven Episcopal Bishops File Amicus Brief Against Diocese, Claim “Hierarchy Stops With Me” On April 23, 2012, ten Episcopal clergy filed an amicus (“friend of the court”) brief with the Texas Supreme Court. The filing amici are Bishops Maurice M. Benitez (retired, Diocese of Texas); John W. Howe (retired, Diocese of Central Florida); Paul E. Lambert (suffragan, Diocese of Dallas); William H. Love (diocesan, Diocese of Albany); D. Bruce MacPherson (diocesan, Diocese of W. Louisiana and formerly suffragan, Diocese of Dallas); Daniel H. Martins…
Statement from the President of the Standing Committee regarding amicus brief
Seven Episcopal Bishops File Amicus Brief Against Diocese, Claim “Hierarchy Stops With Me” Dear Friends in Christ, Many of you have heard that seven bishops (two retired and five active) have filed an amicus brief in support of Bishop Iker’s action currently before the Texas Supreme Court. This saddens us all for multiple reasons. Please know that the leadership in the Diocese is exploring an appropriate response to such a shameful action by these members of the House of Bishops. Also, please…
St Elisabeth’s appeal for help brought astounding results
In mid-March, St. Elisabeth’s Episcopal Church sent out an appeal for help to clean up the interior and exterior of their 4.5 acre facility on Saturday, March 31. When that day came, approximately 60 people from eight different churches lent a hand to accomplish some much-needed work that the mission has not been able to accomplish by itself. This number also includes five priests and three deacons of the diocese. People worked both inside and out to help the church…
Liturgy for Rogation Days
Cindy Coe, Christian formation consultant and author of the Abundant Life Garden Project curriculum from Episcopal Relief and Development, has written a liturgy to be used on Rogation Days for the blessing of church and community gardens. Read more about the neighborliness of celebrating Rogation Days, which occur during the season of Easter. The beginning of the litany: As all the earth is a garden, Lord, we ask that you bless this small piece of the earth. As Your Light shines…
Update on prayer visitor project
The Prayer Ministry Project has developed into a ministry that has two distinctive parts. The first part, people pray and plan to visit a specific congregation for four Sundays beginning with Sunday One. The second part, people offer intercessions for specific congregations but cannot plan to visit on Sunday One. Congregations still in need of a Prayer Visitor These congregations need people to consider becoming an intentional Prayer Visitor or Intercessor: Arlington, St. Mark Arlington, St. Peter & St. Paul…
Integrity Fort Worth seeks help in making a video
Integrity welcomes all to help make a video for the “It Gets Better Project.” Integrity will be making a video to help speak out against bullying GLBT teens on April 22, 2012 at St. Martin-in-the-Fields Episcopal Church. In addition to filming the video, Mtr. Amy Haynie will celebrate Eucharist and afterward there will be a potluck supper. Recording of stories begins at 4:00 p.m., the Eucharist is at 5:00 p.m. with the potluck following. You can film your own story, offer…
Tickets still left for Canterbury Cathedral Choir concert
A concert by the world-renowned Canterbury Cathedral Choir of Men and Boys, from Canterbury, England is being presented on Thursday, April 12, at 7 p.m. in the UCC Sanctuary. Co-sponsored locally by University Christian Church and Trinity Episcopal Church, the Canterbury Cathedral Choir, under the direction of Cathedral Organist and Master of the Choristers, Dr. David Flood, is launching a tour of the U.S. in April and will be performing nine concerts in Texas, California, Oregon and Washington. The choir…
Executive Council adopts a new vision/mission statement
The Executive Council adopted a vision/mission statement at its March 17 meeting at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Wichita Falls: The Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth is a welcoming, Christ-centered community of congregations committed to a radical hospitality. Participatory by everyone – laity, bishop, priest and deacon Transparent in all we do Accountable to God, one another, and the wider church Serving • Accepting • Worshipping • Reaching Out Additionally, the committee charged with developing ways to align the diocese…
Come help with a Spring Clean-up at St. Elisabeth’s
Everyone is invited to help with a Spring Clean up at St. Elisabeth’s Episcopal Church, 5910 Black Oak Lane, Fort Worth, Texas, 76114, from 10 am to 4 p.m. on Saturday, March 31. Teams will be working both inside and outside to do as much work as possible on the 4.5 acre grounds and building as St. Elisabeth’s works to make the place more appealing to visitors. St. Elisabeth’s is a small congregation that is seeking to revitalize its ministry…
Author of Holy Ghost Girl to speak in Hamilton
Donna Johnson, author of Holy Ghost Girl, will be in Hamilton at the Fine Arts Center, 112 W. Main, on March 25, 2012 at 2:00 pm for a reading from her book and a discussion of the issues raised by her story. Holy Ghost Girl is Ms. Johnson’s first-person memoir of her childhood with the tent preacher David Terrell during the 1960s and 1970s. Ms. Johnson’s family was part of the inner circle of his ministry from the early days.…
Policy Review Committee seeking new members
The Diocesan Policy Review Committee is seeking people interested in serving on the committee. The Policy Review Committee is a committee of the Executive Council. Each year following the Diocesan Convention the Bishop appoints at least five members to the committee. The term of office is one year. The Policy Review Committee collects, reviews, and distributes new and revised policies and procedures. The chancellor’s office assists in determining when policies may be required by action of General Convention, Diocesan Convention,…
Prayer Partners – be a Prayer Visitor
by Joel Walker, a parishioner at St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Keller. With the resolution to the diocesan legal actions coming to an end, even if very slowly, a need was determined to provide from among the faithful pairs of individuals committed to pray for those parishes not currently with us. This was introduced at the diocesan convention in November 2011, and we were asked to pray about it and select a parish to pray for. Before the convention was over, I and several…
Lenten Meditations by Bishop Ohl
Bishop Wallis Ohl is doing Lenten Meditations on “Things Hidden, Scripture as Spirituality” by Richard Rohr, a Roman Catholic Franciscan monk in Albuquerque, NM. It is based on a series of lectures that explore major themes that flow throughout the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures. To read the meditations, visit the bishop’s blog site Books with the Bishop.
Workshop to equip and support leaders
Feeling stuck? Need fresh insights to jump-start your next initiative? Searching for answers to guide your congregation? Want to get to know other leaders in the diocese? Come to the diocesan leadership workshop on March 10, 9:30am-3:30pm at St. Christopher, 3550 SW Loop 820, Fort Worth. Ministry leaders and rectors. Soon-to-be leaders, wardens, and priests in charge. Vestry members. Strategic thinkers and worker bees. All will find hope, practical insights, inspiration, and fellowship. Bishop Wallis Ohl will be the keynoter and…