Posts (Page 11)
Bishop Sam B. Hulsey – February 14, 1932 – August 6, 2020
The Rt. Rev. Sam B. Hulsey, former bishop of the Diocese of Northwest Texas and assisting bishop in the Diocese of Fort Worth, died on August 6, 2020, on the Feast of the Transfiguration, his favorite feast day. He died at Selby Hill, his beloved family homestead in Parker County. He was 88 years old. A memorial service will be held when it is safer to gather. Memorials are suggested to: Communities in Schools, 5601 Bridge St #501, Fort Worth,…
Rest in peace, Tom Keithly and George Luck
Two priests who served in the Diocese of Fort Worth recently died. The Rev. Thomas G. Keithly of Dallas died of Covid 19. The Rev. Canon George E. Luck, also of Dallas, died “surrounded by the love of his wife, Diana, and three children,” according to a Facebook post by his daughter, the Rev. Mary Luck Stanley. Virginia C. Wilder, executive assistant to Bishop George R. Sumner of Dallas, sent word on July 23 that, “Father Tom Keithly, a retired…
Sylvia and Tim Stevens’ generous gift to bolster mission and outreach
Sylvia and Tim Stevens, members of St. Christopher Episcopal Church, Fort Worth, have made a generous gift of $240,000 in honor of the Rt. Rev. Rayford B. High, Jr., provisional bishop of the Diocese of Fort Worth from November 2012 to May, 2015. This gift establishes the Bishop Rayford B. High, Jr., Endowment for Administrative Support for the Mission and Outreach Program, the proceeds from which will be used to bolster the mission and outreach efforts of the diocese. In…
Lay Leader Richard Chowning died July 10, 2020
Long time lay leader Richard Chowning died Friday, July 10, 2020, at Harris Hospital in Fort Worth. His wife, Barbara Evans Chowning, was at his side. Chowning was a faithful member of All Saints’ Fort Worth, the Diocese of Fort Worth, and The Episcopal Church. Long before the split in 2008, he made common cause with other Episcopalians who took seriously the threat of the current bishop to “take the diocese out of the church.” Chowning worked hard to keep…
Five women to be ordained in June
This month, four women will be ordained to the priesthood and one to the diaconate by Bishop Scott Mayer. On Thursday, June 11, Paula Jefferson will be ordained to the diaconate at 1 pm, and Lainie Allen will be ordained to the priesthood at 3 pm, both at St. Luke’s in the Meadow, Fort Worth. Worship leaflets for the June 11 ordinations can be downloaded here. The text of the sermon for Paula Jefferson’s ordination can be downloaded here. The…
Embodying Truth on the Road to Racial Reconciliation
This article is by Corrie Cabes, recent graduate of the Seminary of the Southwest. She will be ordained a priest Monday, June 29, at All Saints’, Fort Worth. ——————- When we are younger, we learn that telling the truth is important. It matters at home, at school, and with our friends. We become a person of trust when we tell the truth. But what do we do when the truth is ugly? Or it makes us uncomfortable? What if telling…
Honor the rage
This is the statement Bishop Scott Mayer issued in the wake of the murder of George Floyd and the ensuing protests, all occuring in the midst of the ongoing pandemic. ————————— “I can’t breathe.” In 2014, these anguished words were the last words of Eric Garner. In 2020, they were among the last words of George Floyd. These words and names became hashtags, digital memorials that use the power of names to encapsulate and evoke the rage and horror of…
Pentecost 2020
The Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth is offering a worship service for the Day of Pentecost at 10 am on Sunday, May 31, 2020. Bishop Scott Mayer is preaching. The Rev. Karen Calafat, St. Luke’s in the Meadow, Fort Worth, is the officient. The Rev. Kevin Johnson, St. Alban’s, Theatre Arlington, is the gospeller. Readers are Eleanor Forfang Brockman of St. Luke’s, and Dave Burrows of St. Alban’s. The organist is Tony Kroll of St Luke’s and the singer is…
Standing in solidarity
Bishop Scott Mayer has shared a letter from the Rev. Celia Ellery, rector of Good Shepherd Episcopal Church in San Angelo. The letter is especially meaningful in that Ellery and her congregation understand very clearly what the situation is here. In 2006, a questionable majority of the members of Good Shepherd voted to leave The Episcopal Church to affiliate with the Diocese of Uganda, Africa; however, they refused the order of Bishop C. Wallis Ohl, then the bishop of Northwest…
The presiding bishop and president of the House of Deputies stand with us
Both Presiding Bishop Michael Curry and the Rev. Gay Jennings, president of the House of Deputies, have sent assurances of their affection, support and prayers. Michael Curry’s letter Curry wrote: Dear Bishop Mayer, Clergy and People of the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth, I recall with great fondness the time not so long ago when I was blessed to make a pastoral visitation with you. We worshipped God together, visited several of your ministries, had opportunity for conversation and fellowship.…
Episcopalians regret Texas Supreme Court decision
This is the statement issued by Bishop Mayer and other leaders of the diocese in the wake of of the May 22, 2020, decision of the Supreme Court of Texas. ——————————— The Rt. Rev. Scott Mayer, provisional bishop of Fort Worth; the Standing Committee, and the Board of Trustees of the Corporation of the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth are saddened by the May 22, 2020, decision of the Texas Supreme Court that failed to uphold the opinion of the…
Bishop Mayer letter to the diocese in wake of Supreme Court decision
This is the letter Bishop Scott Mayer wrote in the wake of the Supreme Court of Texas decision issued on May 22, 2020. ————————– Dear beloveds, On May 22, 2020, the Texas Supreme Court’s decision went against us. This decision is a disappointment to us all, but as followers of Jesus Christ, we live in hope. Read the decision Presiding Bishop Michael B. Curry joins me in acknowledging our disappointment and urging all of us to be gentle with one…
Tracie Middleton assumes presidency of deacon association
The Rev. Tracie Middleton, deacon serving at Trinity Episcopal Church, Fort Worth, has assumed the role of president of the Association of Episcopal Deacons (AED) in the wake of the resignation of the Rev. Douglas Argue. Argue has resigned as president to focus solely on his critical work with the Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio during this Covid 19 crisis. Middleton, who was serving as vice president of AED, will continue her ministry at Trinity. In resigning the…
A Pentecost invitation
We need your help! The Day of Pentecost is May 31. Pentecost is one of the seven principal feasts of the church year in the Episcopal Church (BCP, p. 15). The liturgical color for the feast is red. It marks the coming of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1), shortly after Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension, so Pentecost is a day to celebrate the gift of the Spirit. Some understand Pentecost to be the origin and sending…
Scam alert! Phishing/whaling scammers trying again. Here’s how to fight back
So you open your email and there’s a note from the bishop addressing you by name, and then saying: Hi,how are you doing? I need a favor from you, email me as soon as you get this message. Except – it’s not from the bishop. It’s a scam. And it’s targeting our church folks by sending emails that appear to be from the bishop or another clergy person or lay leader. Often it looks like it’s from the rector asking…
Bishop Mayer extends suspension of in-person worship through May.
Bishop Scott Mayer has extended the suspension of in-person worship through May. Meanwhile, the bishop, clergy, and lay leaders are exploring a phased approach to resuming in-person worship. Because the goal is to keep worshipers as safe as possible during this health crisis, this approach will be based on the best available scientific and medical advice. In the meantime, the medical community urges us to continue to love our neighbors and ourselves by sheltering in place, maintaining physical distancing, frequent…