THE BISHOP’S COLUMN | CAMP ALLEN | DIOCESAN NEWS
Diolog
SEPT. 2011 VOLUME 1
NUMBER 3
The Texas Episcopalian
VOCATION: PASSION AND PURPOSE page 09
LUMINARIES FAITH HOPE CHARITY page 20
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Diolog: The Texas Episcopalian (since 1874) is an official publication of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas.
Our mission is to bring you the wealth of stories from the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion, to inform and inspire you and to deepen your spiritual life. PUBLISHER: The Rt. Rev. C. Andrew Doyle EDITOR: Carol E. Barnwell, cbarnwell@epicenter.org STAFF WRITER: Luke Blount, lblount@epicenter.org DESIGNER: LaShane K. Eaglin, leaglin@epicenter.org
Diolog: The Texas Episcopalian (PE# USPS 10965, ISSN# 1074-441X) is published quarterly (March, June, September and December) for $25 a year by the Episcopal Diocese of Texas, 1225 Texas St., Houston, TX 77002-3504. Periodical postage paid at Houston, TX. Address changes may be emailed to: txepis@epicenter.org
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Contents:
SEPTEMBER 2011
In This Issue: 04 EDITOR’S LETTER Carol E. Barnwell
Photo: Carol E. Barnwell
06
VOCATION 06 Bishop’s Column 09 Discernment of Gifts 10 Living in the Nature of Christ
VOCATION
12 When “Busy” Is Not Enough
Pilgrimage offers opportunity for deepening spiritual growth.
15 Resources for Vocation
14 Called Into Community 16 A Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On 17 For Those Called to Ordained Ministry 18 Allow Yourself Space to Listen
PROFILES Faith Hope Charity
20
Fund-raiser provider scholarships for summer camp at Camp Allen.
CAMP ALLEN
20 Evelyn Howell 20 The Rev. Helen Appelberg 24 Sally B. Rutherford
Rick Patrick, Artist page 26 Martha Lewis, Advocate page 28 St. Mark’s BTB, Houston page 30
Starry Nights and Campfire Lights, held in Houston in the fall and Austin in the spring, is a Camp Allen fund-raiser that provides scholarships for more than 350 campers each year. This October, three outstanding women will be honored at the
32 CAMP ALLEN 34 NEWS & EVENTS
event as Faith, Hope and Charity. Read their stories beginning on page 20. Cover and Inside Cover Photo: Rick Patrick
Diolog
| 3 | SEPTEMBER 2011
EDITOR’S LETTER
Know Your Gifts and Pursue Them The word “vocation” comes from the
vocation of every human being” (according to the catechism of
Latin vocaré (verb to call) and while
the Catholic Church). This idea of vocation is especially associated
it has most often meant a calling to
with a divine call of service to the Church and humanity through
the priesthood, vocation is just as
particular commitments whether that be ordination or the
important for those people who are not
use of one’s gifts in a profession, family life, church and civic
ordained.
commitments for the sake of the greater common good. As Bishop
Vocation is central to the belief that each person has God-given gifts and talents and when realized, life is
richer and more rewarding because there is alignment of those gifts with what a person chooses to do in
Andy Doyle writes in his column, on page 6, the Catechism in the Book of Common Prayer identifies the “ministers” of the church and begins with the laity. “As Christians who are baptized, we all share in this particular order of life—this vocation,” Bishop Doyle
I hope you will be inspired to become more aware of your own gifts ... and to see your whole life in the context of your faith.
writes. Throughout this issue, you will read how the different facets of vocation have
life. Some people are lucky enough to be able to make a living at
influenced various persons, such as those called to join a religious
what they love, like Rick Patrick, our Arts profile, page 26. Others
order or to be ordained, and still others whose lives reflect their
put their gifts to work in the ministry they do at church, whether
giftedness in their daily secular work and in different ways.
it’s reading the lesson, teaching Sunday School or as a deacon, like Ashley Cook, page 12.
I hope you will be inspired to become more aware of your own gifts, to be encouraged to have a broader conversation about
Thomas Merton wrote: “Discovering vocation does not mean
vocation and giftedness in your congregations and to see your
scrambling toward some prize just beyond my reach but accepting
whole life in the context of your faith.
the treasure of true self I already possess. Vocation does not come
Blessings,
from a voice ‘out there’ calling me to be something I am not. It comes from a voice ‘in here’ calling me to be the person I was born to be, to fulfill the original selfhood given me at birth by God.” In the broadest sense, “Love is the fundamental and innate
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Carol E. Barnwell
Editor
cbarnwell@epicenter.org
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WALKING ALONGSIDE HOPE The institutional job market seems to have an hourglass shape these days, and not in any good way. Read more @ tinyurl.com/jasonsierra
David Waddell
EDOT Gallery Features Episcopal Artists
EDOT Gallery is located in the Diocesan Center in Downtown Houston and is open from 9-5, M-F. Call 713.520.6444 for group tours.
Every 60 seconds a child dies of malaria in sub-Saharan Africa.
MENTORS & TRAINERS HELP MUSICIANS WITH THEIR VOCATIONS
Our diocesan goal: 1 net from each of our 27,700 households.
We need your help.
A mentorship program provides that sort of comfort and guidance for church musicians in directing choirs, playing hymns or worshiping in a liturgical tradition. Read more @ tinyurl.com/musicvocation
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PULITZER NOMINATED PRIEST’S PHOTO CHOSEN FOR HISTORIC EXHIBIT The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, chose the Rev. Howard Castleberry’s photo out of more than one million entries to be included in a historic war photography exhibit. Read more @ tinyurl.com/ historicphoto
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| 5 | SEPTEMBER 2011
FINDING VOCATION IS HOLY WORK by the Rt. Rev. C. Andrew Doyle Recently I attended a forum series on vocation that I found very
and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for
interesting. The forum was a three-day discussion with lawyers, artists
food. And to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the
and health care professionals. The participants were spiritual people
air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that
who found that being active in the sacred life of the community
has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.”
clarified their understanding of vocation. Each seemed challenged to
And it was so. God saw everything that he had made, and
link the world of "church" with his or her secular life.
indeed, it was very good. And there was evening and there was
Each diverse panel was asked the same questions. One particular question was: “Do you feel as though your faith led you to your vocation?” What I found interesting was that most of the participants (some 12 out of 15) said that it was really the reverse—that their work led them to seek a deeper connection with a faith community and with God. It struck me that clergy spend most of our time talking about vocation as a God-given spiritual gift. This was not at all how these devoted and spiritual lay people talked. It occurred to me that in some very real way the laity and the clergy come to understand vocation from very different spiritual positions. So where might we begin if we are to reflect together about our understanding of “vocation?” One place in the Scripture where there is common ground is in Genesis 1.26ff: Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image,
morning, the sixth day. And from Genesis 2.15ff: The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to till it and keep it. And the LORD God commanded the man, “You may freely eat of every tree of the garden.” Both of these primordial passages speak to our theological understanding that our human work encompasses the whole of labor within creation. Artists, lawyers, doctors, teachers, moms, dads, farmers, steelworkers, restaurant owners, waitstaff and clergy all are doing work that is the stewardship of life and labor for God. Not unlike the twelve tribes of Israel, each of us has our portion of the cooperative division of labor. We are all stewards. Each of us is given our vocation as part of our spiritual nature that is discovered by us by walking our pilgrim way, but it is ultimately given to us. Our labor on behalf of God as stewards of creation is divided
according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the
into various vocations that occupy most of our lives. We are given
fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle,
authority to carry out and to accomplish different things. The
and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every
conversation tends to separate our lives in the secular world from
creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.” ... God blessed
the world of faith and faith community; however, as Christians
them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill
who hold a particular doctrine of creation, along with all the major
the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of
Abrahamic faiths, we understand our life and labor to be one given,
the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing
shaped and advocating for the God who created us. For Christians, and
that moves upon the earth.” God said, “See, I have given you
Episcopalians especially, we understand that in all of our life and labor
every plant yielding seed that is upon the face of all the earth,
we are to be stewards making God’s redemption and salvific act real in
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the world around us. Each is called by the Holy Spirit to share the gifts of ministry. Paul writes in Romans 12:3-9: …as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another. We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith; ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching; the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness. We understand that we are all given work to do and gifts to help us undertake it. Every one of us, by virtue of our baptism, participates equally in the kingdom of God and we are to work at making Christ a reality on earth and throughout all the created order. We are to study and share in worship. We are to treat people with dignity and we are to work towards a just society (both ethically and socially). This is everyone’s work in and outside the church. As the catechism states: The ministers of the Church are lay persons, bishops, priests, and deacons … The ministry of lay persons is to represent Christ and his Church; to bear witness to him wherever they may be; and, according to the gifts given them, to carry on Christ's work of reconciliation in the world; and to take their place in the life, worship, and governance of the Church… The catechism begins with the laity. As
all are called to step away from a utilitarian
The ministry of a deacon is to represent
understanding of life and ethics and rather to
Christ and his Church, particularly as
mold our lives for the particular living out of
a servant of those in need, and to assist
God’s purposes in creation. We might think
bishops and priests in the proclamation
of Micah’s words to act justly, love mercy and
of the Gospel and the administration of
walk humbly. We might recall Jesus quoting
the sacraments.”(BCP, 854ff)
Isaiah and claiming that his mission is to feed the hungry and release the captives. We can think of the summary of the law and the comfortable words. Our common work is pretty clear—to do nothing less than bring about through mission and ministry the reign of God on this earth, a reign of peace, love, kindness, mercy, etc. We do this in our work, in our families and in our lives. There is no secular job or utilitarian action for a devoted disciple of Jesus Christ. Some of us are called into ministries that
creation. Being a bishop does not give me a greater role than the teacher in a school or a judge on the bench—just a different one. In the dignity of difference we find that we are able to work together for the reign of God. By undertaking our work in its various occupations together, we are able to proclaim the Gospel more effectively. The lay person and the ordained person must endeavor to work together, each with his and her role, for the
are even less free than the general population
missionary purpose of building up the reign
of the baptized. These are the clergy of the
of God.
church. Each has an ordered life particular to their office with authority and rank that is different from the general community’s work. The catechism speaks to us of this particular work and ordered life in this way:
We are all doing Holy Spirit work: doctors, lawyers, teachers, nurses, mill workers, ranchers, ship captains and pilots. ALL OF US. It seems that the work is to figure out how we live out our vocation as Christians, and to seek
The ministry of a bishop is to represent
a greater understanding of how our work (as
Christ and his Church, particularly
hard, difficult and painful as it may be) reflects
as apostle, chief priest, and pastor of
the work the Holy Spirit would have us do. Ro-
a diocese; to guard the faith, unity,
land Allen, a missiologist, wrote of this dignity
and discipline of the whole Church;
of difference when speaking of the Holy Spirit
to proclaim the Word of God; to act
in the book of Acts:
in Christ's name for the reconciliation of the world and the building up of the Church; and to ordain others to continue Christ's ministry….The ministry of a priest is to represent Christ and his Church, particularly as pastor to the people; to share with the bishop in the overseeing of the Church; to proclaim the Gospel; to administer
Christians who are baptized, we all share in
the sacraments; and to bless and
this particular order of life—this vocation. We
declare pardon in the name of God...
Photos: Carol E. Barnwell
We see easily that each of us is given a particular role in the stewardship of God’s
We then find that every form of Christian activity may be used to express that Spirit. Every form of work can be undertaken in that Spirit, each individual finding in his own proper work the best way to manifest that desire for the salvation of [people] which the Holy Spirit inspires. (Roland Allen, The Ministry of the Spirit, 61)
Diolog
| 7 | SEPTEMBER 2011
VOCATION Know Your Gifts and PursueThem pages 8-19
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Discernment of Gifts Is Basis of Formation by Carol E. Barnwell Across the Church there is renewed focus
The diocese plans to offer church
decisions that affect other people, how
on lifelong Christian formation. That
members educational opportunities that
do we deal with challenging situations?’”
includes knowing who we are, knowing
help bridge what they do Monday through
This is reflected in how he deals with a
what unique gifts God has given to each
Friday … to help them see a fulfillment of
disciplinary issue at work: “with a sense
of us and how best to put them to use, at
God’s call in this world, she explained.
of compassion rather than punishment.”
church and in our daily lives. Being called to ordination usually
Dave Sheldon, Minister to Families and Vocation at St. Stephen’s in Edina, MN,
follows a process that begins at “home”
agrees. The notion of “vocation” is about
with the parish priest and a local
how we bring our faith into daily practice.
discernment committee, but in some places, discerning a “call” has broadened to include lay as well as ordained ministry. “We are shifting,” said the Rev. D’Rue Massey Hazel, Canon for Deployment and Discernment in the Diocese of Upper South Carolina. “Everyone begins with a vocational discernment experience.” Whether a person feels called to the diaconate or priesthood or to be a lay Eucharistic minister, he or she now attends a weekend retreat focused on strengthbased leadership where gifts and ministry skills are identified. “We heard how people who participated were enriched in their work, whether they were in the ordination process or not,” Massey Hazel said. “It’s like seeing your career through a God filter.”
St. Stephen’s offered a Lenten class on a “balanced life,” which included some of the
It plays out in designing severance plans when the company has to let people go, making sure the company gives adequate notice and provides care and support. “For me vocation is following God’s call in your life from the big to the small
same gifts assessment that Upper South
picture, changing diapers in the nursery
Carolina’s vocational discernment retreat
at church to working with executives.
used. Sheldon said the church hoped
From Baptism to Confirmation, spiritual
people could look at their calling and how
formation is about how our members learn
it shapes their lives.
to live because of God’s extravagant grace,”
Dave Pylipow attended Sheldon’s class and said it helped him gain “an awareness
Sheldon said. When the Diocese of Texas produced
of vocation.” From the class, he realized
the Discovery Series, a portion of the video
why he was good at his job. An executive
training series was focused on spiritual
for a large company, Pylipow runs the
gifts assessment. Several instruments
human resources department. The question
are available for this personal inventory
for him was: “Can you be a practicing
including SHAPE, developed originally
Christian and an executive?”
by the Rev. Rick Warren at Saddleback
“That’s where vocation comes in,” he said. “Part of how I got into HR is my faith and what I believe … that’s why I’m drawn to this piece of business rather than another. It makes me ask, ‘How do we approach
Church. To learn more about the SHAPE spiritual gifts inventory, go to: www. saddlebackfamily.com/ministry/images/ discoverytool.pdf. Take the assessment and see what SHAPE you are.
Scan this QR code to view more information or to order the Discovery Series. Photo: LaShane K. Eaglin
Diolog
| 9 | SEPTEMBER 2011
VOCATION
Living in the Nature of Christ by the Rev. Canon John W. Newton, IV “I wish I knew what God was calling me to do.” “I want to do something that makes a difference in this world.” “I want my work
vocation. Whether we’re a priest or a plumber, our primary calling
to matter.”
has more to do with who we are in this world than with what we
I’d be rich if I had a dime for each instance I was told something along these lines. We hunger to be caught up in a purpose larger than ourselves. We long to lose our lives in work that’s significant. We yearn to be called by God. And we are. But why don’t we all know that? After all, hearing the call of God will change our lives, which leads me to think that we as a Church don’t yet fully grasp our highest calling—to have our heart conformed to the heart of Jesus Christ. Before God ever asks us to “do” something, he first asks us to be something: a mature Christian. In the words of St. Paul, we are to “grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ” (Eph 4:15). We all want to be called by God. And we are. We are called to “grow up”—to become mature in the Christian faith. Talking about our vocation primarily in terms of “doing”
do. Jesus taught that our actions will inevitably flow from who we are on the inside. “Every good tree will bear good fruit,” Jesus said (Matt 7:17). In other words, Jesus taught that our primary calling has more to do with the formation of our character than our chosen profession. Put differently, who we are in this world should always take precedence over what we do. Vocation is first about being. The Book of Common Prayer describes the primary vocation of all the baptized: “The ministry of lay persons is to represent Christ and His Church; to bear witness to him wherever they may be” (855). Our vocation is to represent Christ, a word that means “to stand in the place of.” We’re invited to submit to the heartshaping work of the Spirit and be transformed into people others are drawn to, are challenged by and trust. Our call is to live in this world with the courage, compassion and servant-hearted nature of Jesus Christ. Only the renovation of our heart will enable us to
something is a trap. People with a vocation to teach, we say,
represent our Lord wherever we may be—at church, the office, the
become teachers. People with a vocation to preach become
classroom, the HR department, the bathroom, the bar, while on
preachers. People with a vocation to heal become doctors. But
the road—it matters little, for wherever we find ourselves the call
what if you work in HR? Or clean toilets? Or sit in a cubicle
is the same. Our call is to represent Jesus wherever we may be.
answering phones? Or drive a cab? Yes, many will say their work is important and makes a difference—and it does! But in my experience, unless you’re a teacher or in medicine, it’s rare to hear someone that isn’t paid to “do ministry” swell with pride and speak of their vocation. So what about the rest of us? Do we have a vocation?
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The answer is a resounding “yes.” All Christians have a
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So why do we get stuck talking about our vocation primarily in terms of doing and not being? The answer is because being like Christ requires everything. As Dietrich Bonhoeffer once noted, “When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.” In other words, it’s easier to collect canned goods than to consistently turn the other cheek. It’s easier to pledge our money than to tithe our
time to the Lord. It’s easier to do something
The Church needs people committed
that heart there is no suspicion, no
good than to offer our bodies as a living
to becoming more Christlike from the heart.
vindication, no resentment, and not a
sacrifice over and over again until we become
What the Church needs more than anything
tinge of hatred. It is a heart that wants
genuinely good like Jesus.
is more disciples—people on fire with a love
only to give love and receive love in
for Jesus Christ that burns so brightly that
response. (In the Name of Jesus, 24)
It’s a simple fact—the lifelong process of becoming like Jesus Christ is harder than being a “member in good standing.” But it’s also so much more rewarding, not to mention the only source of abundant life the Church has been authorized to offer. I know you hunger to lose your life in
it “cannot be hidden.” We need more people that’s in the HR department, or the cubicle, or the dinner table or the church office.
In our world of loneliness and despair, there is an enormous need for men
that you yearn to engage in significant work. I
and women who know the heart of
know you want to be called by God.
God, a heart that forgives, that cares,
hasn’t changed and it never will. We are to grow up into mature, transformed disciples of Jesus. Focus on the being, and the doing
In the words of the late Henry Nouwen,
and for something bigger than yourself. I know
You are.
Our primary vocation as Christians
representing Christ in this world—whether
will fall into place. Jesus requires everything. Partnering with the Spirit to have our heart conformed to the heart of Jesus Christ isn’t a hobby or a side project. It’s either the central focus of our life or it isn’t.
that reaches out and wants to heal. In
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| 11 | SEPTEMBER 2011
VOCATION
When “Busy” Is Not Enough by the Rev. Ashley Cook It was a hot Friday afternoon in August 2008, but that didn’t stop an excited chill from coming over me as I slowed my minivan for
I met my classmates. I
the turn off FM 326 at Navasota into Camp Allen.
would come to know
My trip to the diocesan camp and conference center wasn’t for canoeing or corporate retreat—but the beginning of my first year at the Iona School for Ministry. The school is designed to train new clergy through a rigorous three-year curriculum structured like an executive MBA program. Graduates take holy orders and serve as deacons or as bi-vocational priests, blending new life in ministry with established families, careers and community involvement. Days at Iona are long but balanced with a mixture of academics, formation, worship and fellowship. All services are practicums for students to preach, practice liturgics and organize worship. Classes meet one weekend a month for 10 months a year. The second and third years offer semesters of fieldwork, internship and pastoral leadership. So what was I doing at Camp Allen that hot summer day
them as a second family, growing close through shared spiritual development, supporting and encouraging each other under the guidance of our dean, instructors, school chaplain and dedicated graduates. But that first day I thought, “What was
Ashley Cook’s ordination to the diaconate, June 18, 2011, at Christ Church Cathedral, Houston.
I doing here, a 37-year-old, married mother of two with a fulltime job. How in the world am I going to make it?” With God’s help, I prayed. All it had taken to get there—years of personal and supervised discernment, committees, exams, interviews, an
in 2008? I was a married mother of two, children then ages 8
enduring call to serve God and his Church—circled in my head as
and 13, holding down a job as city editor at a local newspaper
I parked and began that first day.
while juggling church work, laundry, Girl Scouts and band parent duties. But through the busyness of life was a persistent call, ringing steadily in my soul. It wasn’t going away, so neither was I, I decided. I accelerated my van up the hill, slid into a parking spot near the main building, got out of the van and took the first steps toward my vocation as a deacon.
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That first evening
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For the next three years, with the loving support of family, friends and coworkers, I added to my busy life a study and travel schedule packed with classes and exams. I learned again the practice of self-care and cherishing family time, studying everywhere possible after accomplishing both of those. When you answer your call later than your brothers and sisters who move
away to study at seminary, you have a sense of urgency, not so much to make up for lost time, but from a deep hunger fostered in at last having the opportunity to live fully into God’s purpose for your life. I hadn’t known what is meant by an ontological change, a change in one’s being, happening through the ordination process, but I am beginning to know. God has been forming me, awakening my spiritual DNA, mind and body, as something new: a deacon—a living, breathing icon written by God through whom, with his help, others may encounter Christ as Servant and their own call to enact the Gospel in the world. That image was what gave me chills on the warm morning of June 18, 2011, as I walked into Christ Church Cathedral to be ordained. I pray I never forget the feeling in the work I do today: hospice chaplaincy, empowering and leading parishioners to enact mercy among East Texas’ needy, or teaching spiritual development to community nonprofit staff. May I never forget in the future, in whatever work to which I am called, Godwilling, over a lifetime of vocation. Cook is a member of St. Cyprian’s, Lufkin. Learn more about the Iona School for Ministry at: www.epicenter.org/ionacenter
Photos: Carol E. Barnwell
Archdeacon Russ Oechsel offers dismissal at the Cathedral.
Where talents and the needs of the world cross, therein lies your vocation. — Aristotle (384—322 BC)
Diolog
| 13 | SEPTEMBER 2011
VOCATION
Called Into Community by Sr. Grace Gallant The Sisters of St. Margaret are an Episcopal Religious Order of women called “to glorify God and proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ through worship and work, prayer and common life.” Their commitment to God and to one another is expressed through vows of poverty, celibate chastity and obedience. mes Key to answer a few questions.. I always had a yearning for something that I couldn’t define. I must say, I had a really good life in my twenties: a good job in the mortgage business (of all things), an apartment, a nice car, and a good salary. I had friends and was even engaged for a time. But every morning and every night I still felt, “There has GOT to be more to life than this!” There was such a sense of something missing. Church was really important to me but services once or twice a week just didn’t seem to cut it. I wanted more … more God … more prayer … more service … more community. I wanted to live my life wholeheartedly for God but I never really felt called to ordained ministry. While many member s of religious communities are ordained priests, most in women’s communities are not. For one reason, women haven’t had the opportunity to be priests or deacons as long as men have. Sisters of St. Margaret wear a white collar with our habits because it was designed by our Founder in England in 1855, and there was certainly no chance that a Sister could be confused with a priest at that point! The Sisters of St. Margaret do have three ordained Sisters. So you can be both a priest and a Sister, but 14 |
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you don’t have to be. What made the religious life so different from becoming an ordained person or a lay minister or a missionary or even a nurse or a social worker? For me, the difference is in the deliberate, structured way we live our lives within community. Our times of common worship, as well as our private prayer, act as a trellis that gives our day its strength, stability and purpose on which everything else depends. Every chunk of time during our day can be in some way dedicated to and hallowed by God in very specific ways.
As Sisters of St. Margaret, the first thing we try to do when we wake up every morning is to pray, “Everything for God alone, to his greater glory and more perfect love.” That is what our founder, John Mason Neale, called our “First Internal Rule,” and as we pray it, we know that Sisters have been praying that every day since 1855. We go about our morning routine observing the Great Silence, which lasts from 9:00 p.m. until after breakfast the next morning. We believe that we should spend that sacred time talking about our day ahead and our hopes and dreams and fears and frustrations to God
Sister Grace ministered to New York City fireman following the World Trade Center collapse.
first, and then later to each other. So we build that time into our
guests and groups, lead retreats at our house or at parishes around
day and we protect it fiercely.
the country. We talk on the phone, answer email, and even post
I remember after my first few visits to the convent, I decided
status updates on our Facebook pages.
that I didn’t have to become a Sister or give up anything. I could
Many of us aren’t at home at 12 noon for Noonday Prayers,
just copy their schedule in my regular life outside the convent. That
but we know that the Sisters who are there are saying it for all of
lasted about as long as my New Year’s resolutions do. Without the
us who aren’t there. By 5:30 p.m. we gather for Evening Prayer, eat
support of a community, there is simply no way to reproduce that
supper, have various meetings or activities and then we end our
life. At least there wasn’t for me.
day with Compline. Our last act of the day, much like our first, is
That next part of our corporate schedule begins in Chapel at
praying together in a darkened Chapel as a community.
6:00 a.m. with Morning Prayer. The very first audible sound that
There’s a prayer that we sing near the end of Compline, part
comes out of our mouths every day is, “Lord, open our lips and our
of which reads, “Grant that we may never forget that our common
mouth shall proclaim your praise,” and then we pray in the Office
life depends upon each other’s toil.” Each and every one of us
followed by an hour of silent meditation in our rooms. We have
recognizes that our individual lives are made possible by our life in
Holy Eucharist at 7:30 a.m. and after breakfast our “regular” day
community. As we drift off to sleep, we pray again, “Everything for
begins, which probably looks very much like your “regular” days.
God alone, to God’s greater glory and more perfect love.”
We go about our work inside the house or we go to our ministries outside the house, which can include everything from preparing meals to shopping for cleaning supplies, to going to school or to
For more information on religious orders visit the Conference of Anglican Religious Orders in the Americas: www.caroa.net.
seminary. We drive Sisters to medical appointments, meet with
RESOURCES FOR VOCATION
Let Your Life Speak: Listening for the Voice of Vocation, Parker J.
God, Pierre Teilhard de
Palmer (Jossey-Bass: 2000).
Chardin (1881-1955, Jesuit,
Strength Finders 2.0, Tom Rath (Gallup Press, 2007)
Strengths Based Leadership, Tom Rath and Barry Conchie (Gallup
Philosopher)
Farnham, Gill, McLean and Discovering Your Motivational Spiritual Gifts, Lawrence F. Selig
Ward (Morehouse Publishing:
(Presbyterian-Reformed Ministries International)
2004).
Living Your Strengths: Discover Your God-Given Talents and Inspire Your Community, Albert L. Winseman, Donald O. Clifton, Curt
The Diaconate: A Full and Equal Order, James Monroe Barnett (1995)
Being a Deacon Today: Exploring a Distinctive Ministry in the Church and in the World, Rosalind Brown (2005)
Hearing God’s Call: Ways of Discernment for Laity and
Liesveld (Gallup)
Listening Hearts: Discerning Call in Community,
Press, 2009)
Trust in the Slow Work of
Clergy, Ben Campbell Johnson (Eerdmans Publishing: 2002)
Many Servants: An Introduction to Deacons, Ormond Plater (2004)
Falling Upward: A Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life, Richard Rohr (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2011)
Deacons and the Church: Making Connections Between Old and New, John N. Collins [2003]
Diolog
| 15 | SEPTEMBER 2011
VOCATION
A Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On by Mary Parmer
Now I become myself. It’s taken time, many years and places, I have been dissolved and shaken, worn other people’s faces…
May Sarton’s poem speaks to my spiritual journey of discerning
St. Stephen’s, Beaumont. Shortly thereafter in a Community of
giftedness, and hence, my vocation. Years ago I could not have
Hope class, I experienced an epiphany around my particular
imagined nor predicted God’s hand would move in a mysterious
spiritual gifts. Given by the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, spiritual gifts
way through painful life circumstances, taking me on a life-
enabled early believers to function as the Body of Christ within
affirming journey of self-awareness and transformative clarity,
their community and the world. Although a plethora of spiritual
then utilizing my giftedness in a life-giving vocation.
gifts are listed in Scripture, our COH inventory covered only the
The word vocation is rooted in the Latin vocare, “voice” or “to call,” and it essentially means the work a person is called to by God. Episcopal priest Sam Portaro contends that vocation is
teaching, exhortation, giving, administration, mercy). My primary spiritual gift is exhortation, defined as “the
not a thing once-delivered, but a gradual, lifelong waiting and a
ability to encourage others to grow emotionally and spiritually,
perpetual receiving. Our path to discernment of our call leads
even in the face of hardship and suffering.” The epiphany came as
both backward and forward. Imagining not only who we are now
I recalled that a Southern Baptist inventory 15 years prior to this
and what we are called to do but also examining where we have
had resulted in the same primary gift, yet I was asked to teach
come from will help us make sense of our calling.
ninth grade girls! Feeling like a miserable failure, I maneuvered
Given that many of us find our sense of self through a transformational journey, my story is not a unique one. My journey from darkness into light began after reaching an emotional bottom shortly after my divorce. I heard once that sometimes we turn to God when our foundations are shaking only to find out that it is God who is shaking them. Scarcely able
to get out of teaching the class as quickly as possible. Serving on the staff of St. Stephen’s for ten years following this new insight, I lived into the “God’s cheerleader in the church” description of an exhorter, and my secondary gifts of mercy and administration were a blessing. We are called to live into the Gospel of Jesus Christ with the
to articulate it at the time, my wounded soul cried out for healing
unique giftedness given to each of us. Richard Rohr’s compelling
and transformation. As a business owner actively engaged in the
new book, Falling Upward, emphasizes this point, “All we can give
community, my outward appearance of normalcy decried my
back and all God wants from any of us is to humbly and proudly
interior being, which was consumed with an inordinate amount of
return the product that we have been given—which is ourselves!”
fear, anger and resentment.
Discovering my spiritual giftedness became a pivotal moment in
Two subsequent years of inner therapeutic work brought God’s grace of healing and forgiveness into my life, and one late summer evening I found myself asking, “What is God calling me to do for the rest of my life? What is my next step? Who is God
my faith journey. It was the beginning of God calling me to be the authentic woman God created me to be, rather than conforming to someone else’s image of me. You have been given gifts that are needed by the world
calling me to be?” Pondering these questions, what I knew to be
around you, and my encouragement to you is to pray for God’s
true was that God was calling me to bear witness to the spiritual,
guidance in discernment of your gifts and calling. Trust the
soulful healing I had experienced. I had a deep intuitive sense God
process unfolding in your life, and above all, “trust in the slow
was calling me into ministry, to what or where I had no clue.
work of God…”
Through a grace-filled invitation and loving welcome, I entered the Episcopal Church and was confirmed in 1996 at
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motivational spiritual gifts in Romans 12:6-8 (prophecy, serving,
epicenter.org
Parmer is director of the Gathering of Leaders and a consultant for the diocesan Newcomer Ministry Project.
For Those Called to Ordained Ministry Canons, Local Policies Define Process The Canons (laws) of The Episcopal
reached at the Austin Diocesan Center
Church say that “all Baptized persons
(512.478.0580 or agmay@epicenter.
are called to minister in Christ’s name,
org) for the most recent information
to identify their gifts with the help
regarding the application process.
commission members and then
Discernment
move forward in interviewing with
of the Church and to serve Christ’s mission at all times and in all places.” The Baptismal Covenant in the Book of Common Prayer requires persons who are present to answer the question: “Will you seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself?” So we learn that our formation as Christians is a continual discernment process whether
Discerning a call to the ordained ministry may begin with an “Ah ha!” moment or it may be a feeling someone has felt for a long time. Discernment continues through each step of the journey including the application, formation and ordination processes. One normally begins with this
comprehensive background check. Applicants are interviewed by three individual committee or
the entire committee or commission governing the track of ministry for which the applicant has applied. If further recommended, the applicant will interview for consideration as a postulant in the Diocese of Texas with the diocese’s Executive for Ministry who then makes a recommendation to continue or not. The Executive for
we consider using our gifts at church or
discernment in concert with family and
Ministry’s decision is the final step in
in other areas.
friends. All ministries are defined in
the application process.
For some, there is a call to use their unique gifts in ordained ministry. This important decision is not one made in private. Anyone who feels called to ordained ministry goes through a long, slightly more public process during which their perceived call is evaluated by the Church at large. The Application for Holy Orders in the Diocese of Texas adheres to the canonical requirements of The Episcopal Church and diocesan policies. Three different tracks of ministry include a seminary track to the priesthood, and options for a bivocational priest and the diaconate. These last two are unpaid positions when study is ultimately completed. People who are interested will find more information through the Commission on Ministry. Bishop Dena Harrison is Executive for Ministry and Ana Gonzales May is secretary to the Commission. They may be
the Book of Common Prayer beginning with the Baptismal Covenant on page 304; the Catechism on page 855 and the ordination of priests and deacons beginning on page 525. There are other informational books that may be used as an early step as well (see list on page 15). Youth ministers and college chaplains, spiritual directors, retreats, participation and leadership in church and conversations with the parish priest are also part of a discernment process. Local clergy will help officially begin the discernment process. It is realistic to allow at least one year to navigate the process of discerning your call to Holy Orders. This is done with your priest and a local discernment committee who will submit documentation to the Commission on Ministry. The diocesan discernment period includes a review of the documentation and the completion of an exam phase
Following the applicant’s appointment to postulancy, a three-year formation program will begin. At the successful conclusion of the formation process, persons are ordained to the diaconate. For those on the priesthood track, consideration to ordination as a priest follows six months later. Postulants for the priesthood attend three years at seminary, and bivocational priesthood and diaconal postulants attend three years at the Iona School for Ministry at Camp Allen. This local program meets ten weekends annually to prepare these persons for ordained ministry. One should keep in mind that the decision about whether a person should be ordained is made at the diocesan level. Completion of the discernment process at the local level is simply the first step of the process. For information: agmay@epicenter.org
(both medical and psychological) and a
Diolog
| 17 | SEPTEMBER 2011
VOCATION
When I Grow Up… Allow Yourself Space to Listen by the Rev. Gena Davis When I was a young girl, my mother gave me a scrapbook called “The School Years” that was designed to be personalized by a
listen, we will hear God’s tug on our hearts.
young person throughout his or her primary and secondary
Perhaps it will begin with an idea or an
school education. It was organized by grade, each front page had
image that we cannot shake, no matter how
a place for a photo and a space to write your friends’ names, and
hard we try. We may struggle and wrestle
the back page had space to write your best subjects and what you
with it, especially if it doesn’t fit with our
wanted to be when you grew up. The front and back pages were
plans. Imagine my surprise when I realized
connected to form a pocket for mementos.
that God was calling me to seminary—and
My earliest entry was at age four. At that time I wanted to be a mom when I grew up. That probably was, and still is, the most powerful and natural instinct I have as a woman: the need to grow with, nurture and love another human being. Later entries included wanting to be an astronaut and curing cancer. Imagine that! And then the entry “mom” began to reappear. As usual for most adults, my big dreams for what I wanted to do when I grew up, somewhere along the way, were overshadowed by my fears and doubts. Sometimes we realize that our gifts and talents don’t really lend themselves to our dreams, or we find that our dreams will not come true as we had wished. Often our fears hold us back, or the ideas of others begin to crowd out our own inner truths.
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If we allow ourselves the space to
epicenter.org
that meant abandoning a corporate career that I had worked hard to build! Struggling with God is part of the process … We begin an internal dialogue with God, and we listen, hoping for a clear answer. Eventually we find that all along, through our many twists and turns, God has been calling us to become the persons we were born to be, made in the image of God, and we begin to acknowledge this “inner voice” or “knowing” that can only be responded to with surrender. It is a process of letting go of what we want and think we need, and offering to let God be in control. Ben Campbell Johnson puts it this way: “Will I permit God to be God, or will I continue to act like I am God?” Identifying our true vocation in life is the process of living into our own authentic selfhood, the path of service in the world that is ours and ours alone. God will use all of our skills, training
and life experiences—even those we deem
again. This time, my birthing was to my
creation in our special, unique way. In the
to be unworthy. As I look back, I can see
life’s true meaning, giving it voice and
process, we meet our heart’s deepest needs
that God has crafted me and molded me
substance, empowered by God’s Holy Spirit
by serving and loving others. Perhaps the
all of my life. When I began to hear the
of truth.
fundamental question isn’t “What do I
call to the priesthood, it was up to me to embrace it. Going through the process of discernment, seminary education and ordination was like giving birth all over
As we follow our vocation, we really don’t know where it will lead. But if we are faithful, God will show us our life’s true work and how each of us is to serve God’s
want to be when I grow up?” but should be “How can I be faithful to becoming who God created me to be and to my unique purpose in the world?”
A society in which vocation and job are separated for most people gradually creates an economy that is often devoid of spirit, one that frequently fills our pocketbooks at the cost of emptying our souls. — Sam Keen, author (samkeen.com)
Diolog
| 19 | SEPTEMBER 2011
PROFILE: LUMINARY
Faith, Hope, Charity Abound
Three to be honored at Camp Allen Fund-rasier In 2011, Camp Allen had more requests for financial help for summer campers than any other time in the camp’s history. Happily more than $73,000 in donations from Starry Nights and Campfire Lights fund-raisers in Houston and Austin, along with grants from the Episcopal Foundation, the Commission on Black Ministry, the Mission Outreach program and gifts from individuals, allowed more than 350 campers to attend a summer camping session. This year’s gala, honoring Evelyn Howell, the Rev. Helen Appelberg and Sally B. Rutherford, will be held October 6 at Houston’s Junior League. Visit www.campallen.org for more information. The Rev. Patrick Miller, who serves as auctioneer at the annual fund-raisers, remembers the scholarships he received to attend Camp Allen and that is why he enthusiastically pours himself into this supportive role each year.
FAITH HOPE CHARITY Evelyn Howell CEB: Evelyn, where do you think the foundation of your faith came from?
EH: My daddy was the first agricultural agent in Mansfield, Louisiana, where I was born in 1926. Even though we lived in town, my daddy said we needed to know where our food came from, so my brother and I milked cows, helped raise chickens and learned how to pick cotton. Daddy was always willing to help people. During the Depression, I remember my mother giving her last fifty cents to the washer woman. They had a great influence on my life.
CEB: Did that sense of service and faith continue to deepen after you married Paul?
EH: I went to LSU and met Paul there at a dance after WWII. He was in the same fraternity as my brother. Paul witnessed what happened at Pearl Harbor and felt he had been spared for something. He wanted to make his life count for something. We were married just after I graduated. We were both raised Methodists, but when we lived in Virginia we attended the Episcopal Church and later became active at St. David’s, San Antonio. We were always active in our churches and continued to
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This sculpture is the last piece of art Paul and Evelyn Howell bought together before Paul’s death. Evelyn says she sees Paul reaching for God’s hand. Evelyn Howell will be honored at this year’s Camp Allen gala. She is the “ Faith” in the Faith, Hope and Charity theme.
grow in our faith.
Faith, Hope and Charity theme of the fund-
for them. I have a prayer that gives God
raiser. What does that mean to you?
control and I have faith he is working his
Episcopal Church?
EH: I’m a very reluctant honoree. I’m
plan. It strengthens all our faith when we
overwhelmed. We are honoring Christ with
join together in prayer.
EH: We were very affected by Faith
our lives or trying to and I don’t feel like I
Alive both in San Antonio and Houston
deserve any honor. We are honoring people
CEB: What has been your experience
where we moved in 1973. It was amazing
like George Dehan and others who make it
to hear people open up and share stories
possible to have a place like Camp Allen.
CEB: How did your faith develop in the
about how Christ had entered their lives. Paul and I attended St. John the Divine and were on Faith Alive teams in other churches on many occasions and we spoke
with Camp Allen?
EH: Well, of course, I’ve been there for some women’s retreats, and I go to the
I worked with Sally through Episcopal
fund-raisers every year. At Camp Allen I
Health Charities. She is so giving, so
see the joy of the Lord.
precious. She and Helen! I feel very humble
CEB: Any wisdom you care to share with
regularly at the Salvation Army here in
to be mentioned with those precious ladies.
Houston. I’ve been active in Daughters
CEB: How has faith shaped your life?
EH: Early on, my passion was to please
EH: There have been times in my life
people. When I learned to please our Lord,
I couldn’t get through without faith.
that became my passion. Every morning I
Paul and I were married for 56 years
thank God for the day and ask him to help
and had four sons. The showered us
me use today as he would have me do it
with 15 grandchildren and seven great-
and honor him with my life. God has given
grandchildren. Having a big family, there’s
me enough years to know what is and isn’t
always something going on. Mothers
important and I’ve learned to let a lot of
want to fix things. When your children or
things go. All of life is a growing process.
of the King and served on the vestry a number of times. Paul and I also took the Community of Hope training that Helen Appelberg designed and we got to serve as lay chaplains, visiting people in the hospital and shut-ins.
CEB: You will be honored with Helen Appelberg (Hope) and Sally Rutherford (Charity) at the Camp Allen fund-raiser this fall. You are the “Faith” part of the
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grandchildren are really hurt, whether it’s a disease or divorce, you just try to be there
the rest of us?
work, the joy, the pain and the love; life was simple, safe and so happy. I earned a BA in Sociology and Government and a Masters in Counseling from North Texas in Denton and the University of Virginia and worked as a guidance counselor in Florida before returning to Tyler to marry Carl Appelberg, an engineer for General Electric International. While we lived in Philadelphia. I was received into the Episcopal Church and we moved to Houston when Carl’s company became one of the first support teams to help create NASA. We have a daughter, Katrina, and were later divorced.
CEB: You are being honored as “Hope” in the “Faith, Hope and Charity” theme of Camp Allen’s fall fund-raiser. What does that mean to you?
HA: The humbling, awesome gift of being honored at “Starry Nights” as “Hope” is beyond my dreams or imagining. Words aren’t adequate to express what this means. The word “Hope” was given to me as child, long before I said or read it. My parents and especially my grandmother always encouraged me to believe beyond what I could see and trust God’s goodness no matter the outcome … “set your sights beyond your reach, stretch your heart
Helen Appelberg CEB: Can you share a bit of your background?
and soul!”
CEB: How did you come to found the Community of Hope? HA: While serving as one of the assistant directors of Pastoral Care in St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital, the director, the Rev. Jim
HA: I was born in Blooming Grove, just 10 miles from Corsicana
Alcorn, called me into his office one day to listen to a layman’s
where Daddy worked for the Post Office. We moved to Tyler a
request. Loved and respected Dan Cobb said, “I want someone to
year later where I lived until I was married. All through school
teach people like me to be a lay chaplain. The laity needs to learn
I followed in the footsteps of my two older sisters, Jean and
how to make follow-up visits to people who are sick and in need.”
Charlene. We called ourselves “the three bears.” We were known
Then Jim turned to me and said, “This is your assignment, Helen.”
as the three “Waller girls” in our Baptist Church, in school and in the community. Those years were a fountain of fullness and joy … all during the pain and stress of World War II our home was open to people in need, we always made room for others, complaints not accepted. Everything was done as a family…and we shared the
I spent a lot of time on my knees: “Please, Lord, show the way, help me to ‘hear’ your plan, your direction.” One afternoon, after a long swim I was floating on my back, watching the clouds when I heard, “Start a Community called Hope and I will provide the rest.” Stunned, I literally sprang out of the water and sat down
FAITH HOPE CHARITY Diolog
| 22 | SEPTEMBER 2011
The Rev. Helen Appelberg will be honored as “Hope” at this year’s Camp Allen gala, October 6 at Houston’s Junior League.
on the lounge chair and prayed, “Lord,
of Hope’s development
is that you?” Still and breathless, I heard
in the U.S., Canada
again, “Start a Community called Hope
and Mexico. After
and I will provide the rest.” In all my life
St. Luke’s Hospital
I had never heard that voice deep within
closed the COH
knowing beyond question that it was not
office all leadership
my thinking or my words …
and operations
CEB: How did the Community of Hope develop?
became volunteer and information is dispensed through our
HA: Several days later I was invited to a
website, which is coh-
week-long retreat at the Pecos Benedictine
international.com. We
Monastery near Santa Fe, New Mexico,
held our 14th annual
to hear Esther deWaal speak on the Rule
conference this past
of Benedict. Esther became my sounding
June.
board and mentor. I discovered that Benedict’s Rule of Life written in the 7th
COHI is primarily about growing the
30 years ago. In the 80s, Evangelism and
Christian community, welcoming the
Renewal events were happening and in
stranger and providing compassionate
the 90s the annual COH activities began.
pastoral care for people in crisis and need.
When the Iona School for Ministry
Now spreading across the Atlantic the most
began, I delighted in my time as chaplain
recent COHI training took place in the
and teacher and in 2004 we began the
Diocese of Northern Malawi. Today there
annual Abundant Living Conference on
are 125 COHI training centers, 90 percent,
aging. I have the greatest respect and
in Episcopal Churches and the other
love for all the staff and George Dehan
10 percent are in other denominations,
has become a mentor, confidant, friend
hospitals and medical centers. At present,
and great co-facilitator of the Abundant
every month requests for starting new
Living conference. Through the years,
institutions across the country began to
centers are being received.
especially with George as president and
request information and I was invited to
CEB: What are your connections to
century for men and women living in monastic communities says, “The care of the sick must come above and before all else because Jesus said, ‘When you do this to least of these you do it also unto me.”’ The Rule provides the theological foundation and framework for the 42hour, 14-week curriculum that is taught to a class of 10 to 18 men and women. The curriculum was written over a two-year span by lay and clergy from across the Diocese of Texas. By 1998 churches and
speak in dioceses from Oregon to New York. By 2005 a Community of Hope International (COHI) board provided volunteer oversight for The Community
Camp Allen?
Gloria Klepper as director, Camp Allen’s ambiance, its spiritual and physical warmth, speaks to each who comes saying,
HA: Like most people I fell in love with
“all is well, come rest … receive God’s love
Camp Allen the first time I went nearly
and peace.”
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| 23 | SEPTEMBER 2011
FAITH HOPE CHARITY Sally B. Rutherford CEB: Where did you grow up and become involved in the Episcopal Church?
SBR: I lived in Paris, Texas, during WWII. I went to school in Houston and studied elementary school education at UT, then got married and had three children. I have eight grandchildren. I grew up in the Baptist church. My dad had a Bible study at South Main Baptist Church until he died. I started going to St. John the Divine when I was at Lamar High School (across the street), but I also was active at South Main. When I married and lived in Austin, I joined the Episcopal Church. I joined St. Martin’s, Houston in 1960. I taught Sunday school and helped with fund-raisers, VBS, always real active with the children. Altar Guild, etc.
CEB: How did you get involved with outreach?
SBR: Well, I volunteered at Texas Children’s Hospital when I was 15. I was too young to work on the floor so I worked in the snack bar. Later I was director of lay ministries at St. Martin’s for 12 years when Claude Payne was rector. We created the job to encourage people to be involved. We set up a lay calling team Sally B. Rutherford will be honored as “Charity” at this year’s Camp Allen gala, October 6. 24 |
epicenter.org
and I ended up overseeing pastoral care,
unique expression of the healing ministry of
conferences and events at Camp Allen.
working with homebound seniors, all kinds
the diocese in partnership with the Health
of things. Barbara Payne and I started the
System and our communities. It is the area’s
CEB: What would you say to people about
gift shop at St. Martin’s and all the profits
largest charity focused solely on health
went to outreach. That was in 1985.
and well-being and works to strengthen
CEB: When did you bring your gifts to the diocese?
SBR: I came to work at the diocese after
communities in a collaborative way. It’s been my privilege to be part of this amazing effort.
Camp Allen?
SBR: Throughout the years, what has stood out the most to me is the incredible summer camp—1722 campers this summer—the welcoming hospitality of all of the staff members, and the physical and
Claude Payne was elected bishop in 1996.
CEB: What did you enjoy most about your
spiritual beauty of the camp. The camping
He wanted someone in-house to oversee the
ministry?
program has been an unbelievable blessing
Department of Ministry for Human Needs.
SBR: I like the people part of it. And the
to so many children, many of whom are on
I set up the interactive database with all the different categories of ministries to help people network. Today there are more than 1600 ministries. Bishop Payne also wanted outreach coordinators in every congregation and I helped to do that. I remember one Vestry and Warden’s Conference, we had so many people attend the outreach workshop they had to move us to a bigger room! Everyone wanted to talk about what they were doing and get ideas from other people. It’s unbelievable, to see what’s happened
fact that people are excited about what they are doing. When you see all the things that are happening, it’s amazing to see the growth and the awareness and excitement people experience from being involved in outreach in a hands-on way. Years ago, the churches’ outreach was more isolated. Today, there is more emphasis in collaboration, like the health outreach that St. Martin’s and Santa Maria Virgin do together. That’s been a real blessing.
CEB: What has been your involvement
across the diocese.
CEB: St. Luke’s Episcopal Health Charities
with Camp Allen through the years?
was founded in 1997. Can you tell me about
SBR: I first visited Camp Allen when I
your involvement with The Charities?
was a teenager in the early ‘50s when it was
SBR: I was a founding board member and as Diocesan Outreach Coordinator, I remained on the Charities board as the diocesan liaison. Since 1997, The Charities has distributed more than $82 million to 365 organizations to help provide services to more than 14 million men, women and children in the diocese. The Charities is a
on Trinity Bay. I never dreamed it would become the widely renowned, incredible place it is today and play such a special role in my life. Over the past thirty years, I have visited Camp Allen as a member of the St. Martin’s staff and for vestry retreats. As a member of the diocesan staff, one of the key perks I had was to participate in planning
scholarship, from at-risk situations, with parents who are incarcerated or children who are medically challenged. The last thing that I always tell people about Camp Allen is how lovely the environment, the atmosphere, the facilities—combined with the perpetual friendliness of the staff—it is truly a unique, spiritual Christian environment.
CEB: You are being honored at Camp Allen’s fund-raiser as “Charity” of “Faith, Hope and Charity.” What does that mean to you? SBR: I’m grateful that I was able to be involved in so many ways and happy to be associated with such wonderful women as Helen Appelberg and Evelyn Howell. It’s an honor and a bit humbling. I hope to keep on encouraging people to be involved to make a difference in the world around us.
Starry Nights and Campfire Lights, October 6, 2011 at Houston’s Junior League www.campallen.org for more information. Photos: Carol E. Barnwell
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| 25 | SEPTEMBER 2011
Through His Eyes Behind the Scenes, In Front of the Camera by Jeanie Sablatura
PROFILE: THE ARTS In the late 1960s, Rick Patrick was working on his undergraduate degree in communications at the University of Texas in Austin. He
to have a lot of time on my
enrolled in a photojournalism class and, in his last semester, he
hands.”
began working for a small weekly paper, the Austin Citizen, which targeted north Austin residents. The paper was mostly filled with human interest features and want ads and, since the paper was a small operation, Patrick was the only photographer. Art directors soon took notice of his pictures and began inquiring about advertising photo shoots. That was all the push he needed to make the decision to quit working at the paper and become a freelance photographer. “Although I studied journalism in college and expected to write for a living, in photography I discovered a way to express
Casually dressed in shorts, a T-shirt and hiking boots, Patrick can often be found these days popping in and out of St. David’s where he has been a parishioner for 20 years. The church is just a few blocks away from where he opened his first studio
myself artistically and I found that I had an ability to see and
in 1977. By 1983 he was in
visually interpret the world around me in ways more satisfying
a new downtown location
than the written word offered. Once I found photography, no other
and was raising a family.
occupation entered my mind, and I’ve been blessed so many times
Soon he turned his camera towards St. David’s and began taking
by unexpected opportunities that my work seems to me a gift and a
pictures of youth activities chronicling ski trips, lock-ins and retreats.
calling.” At first he bought a couple of lights and an answering machine. Smiling at the memory, he added, “and [I bought] a tennis racket 26 |
because I knew I was going
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Rick Patrick
“I was shooting and sharing pictures with the youth community on a bulletin board at the church,” Patrick said. Film still prevailed and the 4x6 color print was the most common format at the time.
St. David’s youth pilgrimage
“The big change occurred with the shift to
Photos: Rick Patrick
Austin was exploding with new condos,
time and talent for the sake of the Kingdom,
digital photography. I could really begin
the Rev. Mary Vano asked Patrick to help
and as a Christian in the world, Rick truly
‘sharing’ the pictures with everyone in the
launch a marketing campaign that would
does demonstrate his faith through his
church, easily, inexpensively and instantly.”
target more than 3,000 people moving into
vocation.”
Digital photography also transformed how Patrick began sharing his faith with others as he built and maintained his business website, which includes St. David’s photos. “My peers and my clients know that I’m a Christian and that I’m actively involved in my church,” Patrick said. “I like blurring the lines between my professional life and my beliefs. Hopefully if I’m authentic and faithful, they see my witness without it being in-your-face evangelism.” In 1994, as downtown stretched across the highway into east Austin, Patrick opened a new studio. For someone who never considered photography a hobby or vocation growing up, Patrick had managed to make a name for himself in Austin, and he knew the city well. In 2009, as downtown
these units. Patrick was eager to help and excited that the church was exploring new ways to connect. After a series of photo shoots, Patrick finalized six photos that were featured on six different postcards. The postcards invited residents to “Come for a walk, stay for the journey” and “Come for a meal, stay to be fed.” The campaign was a success. “That campaign really validated what I had been feeling for a while—that the church shouldn’t be afraid to ‘advertise’ the good news, for lack of a better word,” Patrick said. “Rick is one of the most faithful men
Photos by Patrick are now a mainstay at St. David’s. His images cover the church’s website and Facebook page, and professional headshots of the St. David’s staff and vestry hang in the main hall. Each week parishioners can see recent images on Patrick’s Shutterfly page, which often includes visits from the bishop, baptisms and parish-wide celebrations. “It’s a privilege to take pictures of worship and—it’s very moving,” Patrick said. “The liturgy, the beautiful church building, and the wonderful people of St. David’s combine to offer endless opportunities to document the life I have as a parishioner. It’s
I have ever known,” said the Rev. David
another kind of assignment, one that I find
Boyd, St. David’s rector. “His photos express
fulfilling, even if not financially rewarding.
his heartfelt love of God’s people and the
My camera allows me to be a witness to the
church. He gives freely of himself and his
things I experience here.”
Diolog
| 27 | SEPTEMBER 2011
PROFILE: ADVOCACY
True Calling Segues to Pitch-Perfect Ministry by Luke Blount In 1992, Martha Lewis had a good job
us, we create a healing environment and
as a supervisor for regulatory affairs
the music itself is the medicine. There are
at a natural gas pipeline company in
hundreds of studies showing the effects of
Houston, but after some soul searching,
music on the body such as lowering blood
she left her stable job behind to follow
pressure and heart rate.”
what she considered to be a calling to the performing arts.
When Lewis first discovered therapeutic music, the concept was still new, and there
“I left the corporate world to follow
were not very many training programs in
my heart,” Lewis said. “I came to realize
the country. One of the few trainers in the
that what I really enjoyed was music and
country was Laurie Riley, a professional
dancing and all the arts, but I’m not a
musician located in Washington who began
performer. I never thought I could do
therapeutic bedside music in 1991. Lewis
anything with all of this.”
and Riley teamed up to create MHTP in
Then Lewis found art therapy. The discovery would send her down an
1994. At the time, Lewis knew that combining
unexpected path, leading her to co-create
her love of music with her passion for
the Music for Healing and Transition
helping others was her next vocation.
Program (MHTP) and later to a Master of Divinity degree. MHTP is a training program for musicians, teaching them to “provide live therapeutic music, which creates healing environments for the ill and/or dying and all who may benefit.” “We are not music therapists; we are therapeutic musicians, interactive with the patients,” Lewis said. “Music therapists are also interactive, but with a prescriptive outcome, working towards a cure. For
“It was a true calling,” she said. “You
Martha Lewis
really connect with people one on one with
floor, the hospital played music for a month,
your heart. It’s not a matter of expertise like
and on another floor they didn’t. According
in performance arts, but just connecting
to Lewis, the vitals of those on the floor
and coming from the heart.”
with music were significantly better.
Prior to starting MHTP, Lewis earned
“Any time you use the arts, the arts
her Master’s degree in expressive arts
bypass the brain and go straight to the
therapy from Vermont College. She did
heart,” Lewis said. “You can work through
her research project at St. Luke’s Episcopal
a lot of psychological things.”
Hospital in Houston, measuring the effects of music therapy on the patients. On one
She emphasized that MHTP discourages recorded music because every Photo: LaShane K. Eaglin
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therapeutic music session should be crafted for an individual. What works for one patient may not work for another. MHTP was also one of the first programs to encourage the use of many instruments, including vocals. Other organizations existed specifically for the harp, but Riley and Lewis believed all music had healing power. MHTP now boasts more than 600 Certified Music Practitioners. Lewis served as director for the program until she started pursuing her Masters of Divinity from Church Divinity School of the Pacific, which she received in January of 2000. A former Roman Catholic, Lewis moved back to Texas to take a job at St. Paul’s, Waco, in Christian formation and has since taken several part-time jobs while still lecturing around the country for MHTP. “Ever since I left the corporate world, I haven’t had to look for a job,” she said. “I have always rested in between jobs when other people say I should be putting out resumes every day. To me, I’m resting and I want to listen to the direction that God is going to give me. If I’m busy doing all that stuff, I’m not going to be able to listen. And that has worked for me every time.” To learn more about the Music for Healing & Transition Program, visit MHTP.org
Diolog
| 29 | SEPTEMBER 2011
PROFILE: CONGREGATION
ST. MARK’S BETWEEN THE BAYOUS, HOUSTON by Luke Blount
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Church Plant Nurtures“Organic” Community In the evening of Pentecost Sunday, around 30 people gathered
input, and after a bit of silence, the community started a quick
for the St. Mark’s Between-the-Bayous worship service in a small,
discussion followed by Eucharist.
warm room at Houston’s MECA (Multicultural Education and Counseling through the Arts) School. With chairs arranged in a circle around an altar fashioned from a real tree stump, church members engaged in worship music led by guitar, djembe (an African drum) or a cappella. As a new church community in Houston’s revitalized First
“It’s really a fairly traditional community. We have a Eucharistic prayer, prayers of the people, the Eucharistic community,” Derkits said. “It’s just the expression of it is different. Any liturgical worship service is filled with art and music … We are just trying to say that’s great if it’s of a particular style, but what if we pulled that back and created room for a new style of art and music that
Ward, between White Oak and Buffalo Bayous, St. Mark’s B-t-B
helps people who have never been able to approach the Episcopal
describes itself as a “sustainable, organic and local Episcopal
Church.”
community.” The church seeks to capitalize on a local artistic movement by encouraging creative expression and personal involvement in worship. St. Mark’s, in Bellaire, serves as the parent congregation for the innovative service. “When I came to St. Mark’s (as assistant to the rector), I knew
Members of the community are truly responding to St. Mark’s. As he does at the end of every service, Derkits opened up the floor for offerings of art or insight on Pentecost Sunday. The community noted the newly painted windows and the newly installed treestump altar, which was reclaimed from the MECA property and
I wanted to create a new church community in Houston that was
finished by the Rev. Murray Powell. Other church members offered
truly Houstonian,” Derkits explained. “I wasn’t really sure what it
their feelings about their new community.
would look like, but I wanted to engage folks in their day-to-day lives, especially leaning on artists and musicians and the spiritual work that they were doing.” St. Mark’s B-t-B began meeting at a local restaurant and wine
“When I first came here it seemed like a democratic caucus meeting,” said David Achenbaum. “I was trying to grasp the idea behind all of this. Now I see the purpose of this place is to live and grow creatively and thankfully in God at a place that pays attention
bar in November of 2010. After temporary stays at other locations,
to community and a fragile earth in a way that I haven’t seen
the community settled on the location at MECA, which was a
before.”
perfect fit with their focus on the arts. Derkits leads his community every Sunday at 5:00 p.m. in addition to regular small group meetings. “In a traditional church setting, you can very easily go into a
Janet Thornburg felt as if her soul was thirsty for something different, and decided to try St. Mark’s B-t-B after reading about it in a previous edition of the Diolog. “I wouldn’t have found this place if my water had not run dry at the place I [attended]
church service and not engage with anyone and then leave,” said
previously,” she said. “I’m not sure if this is the place for me, but I
summer intern Will Parker, who is the son of the Rev. Andrew
feel the moisture building up again.”
Parker and the Rev. Elizabeth Parker of St. Timothy’s, Lake Jackson. “With St. Mark’s Between the Bayous, there is very personal engagement person-to-person where people are bringing something that’s really of themselves.” On Pentecost Sunday, some community members met before
Derkits sees the new community as an ever-changing and growing entity that will be shaped by the people who need it. “We continually ask: ‘How do we make this sustainable, organic, and local?’ Instead of opening up a catalog and ordering vestments, we try to create our own.” he said. “We invite people to bring in music
the church service to paint the windows of the meeting room at
or art or poetry. One of my assumptions is that God is at work
MECA. During the service, Derkits sat when the church members
through artists and musicians. Whether they have the Christian
sat and stood when they stood, giving his “shared sermon” from a
language or not doesn’t matter to me. We are not anti-tradition; we
seated position within the circle. There were no books to be found
are just trying to create space.”
aside from the gospel, just a single sheet of paper for the order of service. Most hymns were sung one verse by the music leaders and then repeated by the congregation. Following Derkits’ sermon, he opened up the floor for further Photo: Luke Blount
St. Mark’s B-t-B is part of the diocese’s new Greenfield Initiative, which encourages satellite congregations and new expressions of the Episcopal tradition. To learn more, contact Jeff Fisher at jeff@ stalbanswaco.org.
Diolog
| 31 | SEPTEMBER 2011
CAMP ALLEN
Natural Passion Fuels Outdoor Learning by Luke Blount Camp Allen’s Discovery Program served more than 6,000 students last year, giving them a hands-on outdoor educational experience. The success of the program can be traced to the enthusiasm that director Candy Moore brings to her job every day. With degrees in wildlife biology and environmental science, Moore never had any aspirations of becoming a teacher. She thought her career would be in research, learning and discovering rather than instructing. But after earning a Master’s degree in Education and becoming the head of St. Philips Episcopal School in Beeville, Texas, Moore discovered that she loved educating as much as learning. When the opportunity came to start an outdoor and environmental education program that supplemented classroom learning, Moore was ready. “It was a no-brainer to combine two things that I love,” she said. Moore began writing the curriculum for the program in 1990, and slowly, Episcopal schools started to take part in the fledgling program that was then run by Cheryl McCallum. By 1995 the program was still a side project for Camp Allen, serving around 1000 students. The same year, Moore retired from teaching but still worked as a consultant for environmental education. In 1998, Camp Allen lured her out of retirement and she began to fully develop one of the first comprehensive outdoor education programs in Texas. Today, the Discovery Program targets fifth grade students, but serves everyone from kindergarten through college. The Episcopal
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schools from the early days are still loyal to the program, but Moore’s main objective was to reach disadvantaged students in urban areas. “Title I funds are given to schools where at least 50 percent of the kids qualify for free lunch,” Moore said. “Most inner-city schools can use that money to come here. Half of our groups struggle every year to find the money, but we have $50,000 in grants to give to schools that really can’t make it.” It is those students and their enrichment that continue to give Moore the fervor for her work. “I’ve toyed with retiring the past couple of years, Photo: Lauren Day
but I keep staying because it is the greatest job in the world,” she said. “To be able to really open kids’ eyes to the real world is my greatest joy.” Moore says that some of the children are completely unfamiliar with the outdoors. According
Candy Moore wrote the Discovery curriculum and now leads the program.
to her, the latest reports say that children are spending six hours per day of combined time in front of the computer or television. In response, Moore has an initiative at the Discovery Program called “no child left inside.” “They tell me things like ‘We don’t have stars in Houston,’” Moore said. “One little girl asked me ‘Who planted all of those trees?’ They don’t understand that they have always been here.” The Discovery Program teaches students about astronomy, botany, water quality, history and other sciences in addition to offering challenge courses and recreational activities. One of Moore’s favorite activities is a nature walk where the children are given a small stretch of trail to walk through the woods on their own, away from everyone else. “Every kid gets changed out here in nature,” she said. “When they are out here in these dark skies and see the stars, it is absolutely amazing. Those experiences are what give me the passion for what I do.” With close to 6,600 students in the 2010—2011 school year, Moore has filled up just about every space available. On any given day the Discovery Program can host between 75—150 students. Most schools book their next trip as soon as the current one is over, and 85
percent of the next school year was booked by May. Since the Discovery Program’s pioneering start in Texas, about a half dozen other programs have started around the state, but Moore doesn’t see them as competition. She likes the idea that this sort of program will become the norm in education. To learn more about the Discovery Program, visit www.campallen.org.
Diolog
| 33 | SEPTEMBER 2011
NEWS & EVENTS Bishop Doyle’s Calendar September
1 10 a.m. 4 11 a.m. 6-7 7 6:30 p.m. 11 11 a.m. 14-18 19-28 30- Oct.1
Bishops Study Day with clergy, Camp Allen San Mateo, Bellaire, CF Executive Board, Camp Allen St. Stephen’s, Liberty, CF St. John the Divine, Houston, CF House of Bishops, Quito, Ecuador Compass Rose Society, London Province VII Synod, San Antonio
October
1 Province VII Synod, San Antonio 2 10 a.m. Calvary, Richmond, CF 7 p.m. St. John’s, Sealy, CF 6 6 p.m. Starry Nights & Campfire Lights, Houston 14-15 ECW Annual Meeting, Camp Allen 16 10:45 a.m. St. Mark’s, Bay City, CF 19 2 p.m. St. James’ House Silver Tea 7 p.m. Good Shepherd, Kingwood, CF 21 Faith Formation Conference, Camp Allen 22 12 p.m. Stewardship Lunch, St. John the Divine, Houston 23 10 a.m. St. Dunstan’s, Houston, CF 23-26 Clergy Conference, Camp Allen 30 10 a.m. St. Mark’s, Austin, CF
November
6 10 a.m. 9 5:15 p.m. 11-12 13 9:30 a.m. 12 p.m. 5 p.m. 20 10 a.m. 22-23 29 – Dec.1
Christ Church Cathedral, Houston, CF St. Martin’s, Houston, Dinner Speaker Evangelism Conference, Camp Allen St. Paul’s, Houston, CF San Pablo, Houston, CF Armed Forces/Veteran’s Day Evensong, Christ Church Cathedral, Houston St. Andrew’s, Houston Congregational Development Retreat, Camp Allen Province VII Meeting of Bishops, Mustang Island Conference Center
2012 Mission Funding Opportunities Catalog
The 2012 Mission Funding Opportunities Catalog will be available online mid-September. Learn more about the work of the 40+ ministries that are mutually supported by the churches of this diocese. Assessment and Asking letters will also be mailed in September, which will include the Local Outreach Reporting Form used for reporting 2011 tax that each congregation undertook. Deadline for Mission Funding/ Missionary Asking responses is November 18. For assistance, please contact Kathy Culmer, Mission Funding Coordinator at kculmer@epicenter.org or call 800.318.4452.
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People
The Rev. Israel W. Ahimbsibwe was licensed as clergy. The Rev. Laurie Benavides serves as deacon at Grace, Georgetown. The Rev. William “Dub” Brooks, formerly headmaster of St. Mark’s, Ft. Lauderdale, joined staff at Palmer Memorial as associate rector. The Rev. Susan D. Comer serves as curate at St. Mark’s, Austin. The Rev. Cynthia L. Engle serves as rector of St. Paul’s, Navasota and St. Francis of Assissi, Prairie View. She serves half-time at both churches. Engle was formerly assistant to the rector at St. Mark’s, Beaumont. The Rev. Isaias Ginson serves as assistant to the rector at St. Stephen’s, Houston. He was formerly assistant at Good Shepherd, Friendswood. The Rev. Pedro Lopez, previously rector of Redeemer, Elgin, Il, was appointed vicar of St. Peter’s, Pasadena. The Rev. Servio R. Moscoso-Rivera, former vicar at San Francisco de Asis, Austin, transferred to the Iglesia Episcopal Dominicana. The Rt. Rev. Claude Payne, Bishop of Texas (ret), and his wife Barbara have moved from Salado to Abilene, Texas. The Rev. Carol Petty and George Zwicker were married on May 14, 2011 at Holy Comforter, Angleton. The Rev. Robin Reeves serves as acting rector at St. George’s, Texas City. The Rev. Rohani Weger serves as interim vicar at San Francisco de Asis, Austin. The Rev. Susan Kennard, rector of St. Mark’s, Bay City, is the new dean of the Southwest Convocation. The Rev. Stacy Stringer, rector of Holy Trinity, Dickinson, is the new dean of the Galveston Convocation.
Deaths
The Rev. Harland “Scott” Irvin (ret) died June 10, in Austin. The Rev. Clifton Aynesworth Mann, former rector of St. Michael’s, Austin, died on July 16 in Amarillo.
Ordinations, June 18, 2011
Ashley M. Cook ordained deacon and serves at St. Cyprian’s, Lufkin. Chase Danford ordained a transitional deacon serving in the Diocese of New York. Mary Lenn Dixon ordained deacon and serves at St. Francis, College Station. Glennda Hardin ordained deacon and serves at St. Stephen’s, Liberty. Eric LeBrocq, Jr. ordained a transitional deacon and serves as pastoral leader at St. John’s, Sealy. Chad McCall ordained a transitional deacon and serves as pastoral leader at St. Peter’s, Lago Vista. Warren Miedke ordained deacon and serves at St. Aidan’s, Cypress. Mary Robbins ordained a transitional deacon and serves as campus missioner at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville. Kira Schlesinger ordained a transitional deacon and serves in the Diocese of Tennessee. John Soard ordained a transitional deacon and serves at Trinity, Baytown. Francene Young ordained as a transitional deacon will serve as pastoral leader at St. Luke the Evangelist, Houston.
Come experience creative ways congregations are evangelizing, inviting, welcoming, connecting and helping the people of God share their personal stories of faith and transformation. Leave inspired and equipped about the ministry of evangelism.
Visit www.campallen.org to register.
St. George’s College Jerusalem A Center in the Holy Land for Field Work, Study and Reflection www.sgcjerusalem.org
THE DISCOVERY SERIES A Christian Journey Our Christian journey is a continuing process of discovering God in our lives. This comprehensive series for baptism, confirmation, spiritual gifts assessment and discipleship
Courses in Egypt, Jordan and Turkey focus on Desert Spirituality, St. Paul and the Ecumenical Councils. registrar@stgeorges.org.il
Short Courses all year round
provides training for the journey. 15-segment video series also includes a brief history of the Episcopal Church and an instructed Eucharist. The series is intended for new Christians as well as those who wish to deepen their spiritual lives.
Also available in Spanish www.epicenter.org/discovery
Diolog
| 35 | SEPTEMBER 2011
The Episcopal Diocese of Texas 1225 Texas Street Houston, TX 77002-3504
The Episcopal Diocese of Texas wishes to thank the clergy, volunteers, youth ministers, and senior staff for their effort in making the attendance at the Camp Allen 2011 Summer Camp the largest in the 90-year history of the camp.