San Antonio, Tx 78209
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San Antonio, Tx 78209
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Vol. 2, No. 9, Nov 2007
Direct Line Audio
In the Bishop's Words: Click here to listen.
Coming soon - Council 2008
The theme of Council 2008, to be held February 21-23 at the Municipal Auditorium in San Antonio, is Deny Yourself, Take up your cross, and Follow me.
Each day of council will focus on one
of the three elements. On Thursday we will consider ways in which we might
recognize and respond to the needs of others. One powerful example of that will
be a presentation by Baroness Caroline Cox who has an amazing ministry to the
people of Sudan.
Thursday late afternoon we will worship together at the Council Eucharist then
break bread together at the Council Banquet.
On Friday, Bishop Lillibridge will introduce the diocesan core values that we have spent the fall discerning, and we will consider how we can live out those values as we take up our crosses corporately and individually. Friday afternoon will include the popular table conversations on the same theme, led by Bishop Lillibridge.
Friday evening, the Youth in Action portion of Council begins with a concert by Christian rock band "By the Tree."
On Saturday morning, the young people join Council for a presentation of "The Tale of Three Trees," an inter-generational musical presented by Christ Church, San Antonio. The young people will then be commissioned to go forth and "follow" as they move to the Good Samaritan Community Services for a mission project.
We will continue the good work accomplished through Council in Action collection activities by creating disaster relief kits and gathering supplies for the Vacation Bible Schools held in Mexico through the efforts of Christ Church, San Antonio.
Throughout the three days of Council, we will hear of the many ministries our dioceses accomplished through its budget, its churches, and its people.
Council host this year is Christ Church, San Antonio. The venue is the San Antonio Municipal Auditorium, and the headquarters hotel is the Crowne Plaza.
What you should be doing now:
Submit names for
nomination:
The work of Council includes
the election of persons to the diocesan Executive Board and the Standing
Committee, as well as election of trustees to The Episcopal Church Corporation,
TMI-The Episcopal School of Texas and The University of the South. This year, we
will also elect eight persons plus eight alternates to Episcopal Church General
Convention 2009. Names are still being sought to stand for these elections, and
full details about each office -- as well as how to submit names -- are
available at www.council-dwtx.org.
Submit resolutions:
All
resolutions to be considered for action by Council must be received in written
form in the archdeacon's office no later than December 31, 2007. Resolutions may be submitted via e-mail, FAX,
or regular mail. E-mail: Milton.black@dwtx.org; regular mail:
P O Box 6885, San AntonioTX 78209; fax 210 824-2164.
Plan for electing of
delegates:
Diocesan canons state that every parish and mission in union
with the diocese shall elect delegates to represent the parish or mission at the
annual Council. Elections are generally, but not always, held at the
congregation's annual meeting. Delegates should represent the leadership of the
local congregation and should be prepared to report back to their congregation
about the actions and work of Council.
Stay informed:
Follow the
unfolding details of the 104th Annual Diocesan Council at www.council-dwtx.org.
10 (+1) Rules of E-mail Etiquette
Most everyone has broken the rules of email etiquette at one time or another. We get lazy with personal email, and make mistakes from rushing through business email. However, both personal and business correspondence email should be well thought out, reviewed, and spell-checked. Once that "send" button is hit, there is no retrieving it.
These 11 "rules" will help you communicate more effectively.
1. Think before you send - you can't take anything back.
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Once an email has been sent, there's no way to "unsend" it. It essentially becomes a permanent written record with your name attached to it.
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Never send an email in the heat of the moment. Before you send a reply to a group email, be sure your response is suitable for all recipients. If it isn't, you may not want to send it, period.
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Enter the recipient's email address only after you're finished composing an email. If you do so, you'll avoid hasty, incomplete replies or inadvertent (and sometimes inappropriate) forwarding.
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When in doubt, don't send.
2. Be aware
that email is never private.
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Avoid sending emails with very sensitive or confidential content. Any email you send may be mistakenly forwarded to others, inadvertently left onscreen where others can read it, or printed at a public printer and accidentally left where others can see it.
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If you have to convey a sensitive or confidential message, consider using a phone call or personal meeting instead.
3. Be careful with "forward" and "reply to all."
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Before you forward a message to others, review the full content of the email and make sure there's nothing private in it. Keep in mind that the forward and reply features on many email programs rehash the text of previous email exchanges at the bottom of the message.
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"Reply to all" is a useful but potentially dangerous feature. Make sure you don't inadvertently reply to all when you mean to reply only to the sender. To avoid making embarrassing mistakes, always double-check the recipient list before you send it.
4. Be careful with humor and sarcasm.
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Subtleties of body language and tone of voice, which may make something funny in person, are completely lost over email.
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Even if you use "emoticons," sarcasm is difficult to convey over email and can easily result in misunderstandings and hurt feelings.
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Crude jokes and insulting language typically have sour effects over email, no matter how well the recipient knows your sense of humor.
5. Write clearly and use standard grammar and punctuation
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Emails essentially are letters without the ink and paper. Follow the same rules of style, grammar, and clarity that you would use in writing a real letter. Always be clear and concise.
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Reread and spell-check your email before sending to catch typos.
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Avoid excessive use of odd punctuation, even in personal emails. Using ...ellipses... to no end... distracts your recipient... and makes your email... incoherent. USING ALL CAPS IS THE EMAIL EQUIVALENT OF SHOUTING AND PROBABLY ANNOYS YOUR RECIPIENT. using no caps says you don't value the recipient enough to hit the shift button.
6. Never open suspicious emails or attachments.
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Viruses are everywhere on the internet. Emails from unknown senders may contain viruses or worms that can invade and damage your files, weaken your computer's security, or attach themselves to your outgoing email.
7. Don't send large attachments unless you have to.
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Some internet users have high-speed connections, but many still have dialup service, which is slow and may require hours to download a large attachment.
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Large attachments may prevent a message from going through at all. Many email servers and networks have firewalls that limit the maximum size of individual emails, and many email services (e.g., Hotmail, Yahoo!) limit the size of each user's inbox.
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If you have to send a large attachment, warn the recipient beforehand and mention the file size in your email.
8. Be mindful of others' software and operating systems
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Not all email users have the same software or even the same operating system (e.g., Windows vs. Mac). Don't automatically assume that your recipient has the same software you do and that he'll be able to open files that you send as attachments.
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Before you send an attachment, let the recipient know what format it's in and ask whether he'll be able to open it.
9. Don't use fancy colors and fonts.
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Although it may be tempting to beautify your email with formatting, doing so creates clutter and distracts from the content of your message.
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Be aware that many fonts and colors don't translate across different email programs. Something that looks great on your screen may come through as a bunch of garbled characters on the recipient's computer.
10. Don't forward every forward you receive.
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Forwards can be fun, but many of them have been circulating on the internet for years, and many people hate getting them. If you want to pass along a particularly entertaining or astute forward, clean it up first. Remove all previous exchanges and recipient's email addresses from the body of the email, and clean up extra characters (such as >>> or ---) to make the email easy to read.
11. Use the subject line wisely
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Be careful what you type in the subject line of your email. Too often, people will exchange emails back and forth and never remember to change the text in the subject line as they move on to other topics. This makes it very difficult when trying to locate a specific email later on. Always use the subject line for text that is relevant to the current email you are sending.
Reprinted with permission from Co+Op, a publication of Church Supplies and Services, November 2007, author Patti Malott. Learn more about Church Supplies and Services at www.ChurchCo-op.org. And, if you are not planning to attend Council 2008 in San Antonio , find out more about the Annual Co+op Church Staff Conference in Houston, February 21, 2008, at www.ChurchCo-op.org.
Briefs
About the RCL
Church Publishing Inc. has introduced a new line of
Revised Common Lectionary resources for congregations, and orders over $50
placed before January 1 will be reduced by 25 percent. To learn more, visit www.churchpublishing.org.
General Convention 2006 declared that the Episcopal Church will start using the Revised Common Lectionary, instead of the Common Lectionary, beginning the first Sunday of Advent, 2007. However, those who wish may continue to use the Common Lectionary, with the permission of their diocesan bishop, until the first Sunday in Advent, 2010. Bishop Lillibridge has given blanket permission; and congregations in the diocese may delay implementing the RCL until Advent 2010.
Coming to a theater near
you
A new film, titled Darfur NOW,
started premiering around the country November 2 and will open at the Bijoux
Theater at Crossroads 6 in San Antonio
on November 16. The movie tells the story of how the crisis in
Darfur developed and traces six individuals
who, in their own ways, have worked to stop the genocide in that country. The
film mobilizes the audience to not just watch it, but to do something. For
showing times, call the Bijoux at Crossroads 6. It is not, as far as we know,
showing in any other city in the diocese.
Help the World
What is your computer doing tonight? Is it on, but idle,
while you sleep? Can you leave your home computer on during the day while you
are at work? The World Community Grid uses volunteers' computers to do computing
tasks that assist in all kinds of research.World Community Grid's mission is to
create the largest public computing grid benefiting humanity. Their work is
built on the belief that technological innovation combined with visionary
scientific research and large-scale volunteerism can change our world for the
better.
In one recent project, 106,000 members donated more than 8,000 years of computer time on 154,000 different computers to benefit Muscular Dystrophy research.
World Community Grid provides the secure software that does it all for free.
To learn more, visit online at www.worldcommunitygrid.org.
The Episcopal Church wants
you
The Joint Standing Nominating
Committee of General Convention is seeking applications from persons willing to
be nominated for five elections that will take place at General Convention 2009,
to be held in Anaheim, California, July 8-17. Applications must be received on or before February 1, 2008.
Elections include
Court for the Trial of
a Bishop
Board Members of The
Church Pension Fund
Members of
Executive Council
Members of the
General Board of Examining Chaplains
Trustees of General Theological Seminary
To learn more about what is expected for each assignment, to learn how to apply, and to get a copy of the application form required, visit the Committee's website at http://tinyurl.com/2dv9fr
The site is available in French, Spanish and English.
Camp Capers
in the winter time
Mid-winter camps for boys and girls ages 8 1/2 through high school
will begin January 11 at Camp Capers. The weekends are mini-camps for those who
have and those have not attended Camp Capers in the past. Registration brochures
are now on the web at www.campcapers.orgwill be available at your local church office by early
December. For info, e-mail Jean Beere at jean.beere@dwtx.org. Online registration
at www.campcapers.org will be available
soon. and
Mid-Winter I - High School (9 to 12th grades), January 11-13
Mid-Winter II - Middle School (6 to 8th grades), January 18-20
Mid-Winter III - Elementary (8 1/2 years through 5th grade), January 25-27
From Our Churches
St. Helena's, Boerne, has acquired an additional piece of property located directly adjacent to their church offices. On the .28 acre piece is a 1,600 sq. ft. house with a two-car garage. The purchase gives the church room for future expansion and means that St. Helena's now owns every piece of property on Rock Street. In the future, the church may approach the City of Boerne about closing the street or even purchasing it. The house will likely be used in the near term for administrative ministries, small group meetings, and storage.
Help Wanted: Church of Reconciliation, San Antonio, has a position opening for a part-time administrative assistant to the rector. The job is 20 hours per week (flexible scheduling) and involves handling correspondence, scheduling, e-mails, and other clerical tasks. Computer skills are a must (Word, Excel, e-mail systems). Send a cover letter and resume to corjob@yahoo.com.
St.
Philip's, Uvalde, has two position openings:
Coordinator of Youth and
Outreach Ministries (full time position) and Head of School (full
time or interim). For more information about both, call St. Philip's at
830/278-5223.
When Church of the Redeemer, Eagle Pass, was preparing for Guest Sunday back in September, they produced a brochure that included some provocative questions. Good questions for every church to ask itself:
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Will this church add depth and purpose to my life?
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Is this church concerned with the needs of those outside and doing something about it?
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Is the worship here genuine and to me a meaningful celebration of God's love?
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Do I think I can find some honest, trustworthy, and loving friends in this church?
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Could I give my time, treasure and talent here, and would it be appreciated?
St. Peter's, Rockport, has an organ to donate to a parish or mission that will come and pick it up. It's a Baldwin electric Model C630T, 32-pedal AGO pedal board, two manuals, three couplers, three presets, reverb, internal speakers with capability for external speakers. It is probably 25 to 30 years old. For more info, contact senior warden Jim Reed at jimandfrances@charter.net
World Mission News
The diocesan Water Well Drilling Ministry has issued a call for missionaries for a trip to Honduras, January 31 through February 9, 2008. Missionaries are needed in the areas of drilling, health and hygiene teaching, children's ministries, and music. If you are interested, let Curt Mowen know by December 1. Contact him at CCMowen@satx.rr.com.
Help is also needed to complete building the ministry's third rig, a Buck Rogers rig that will allow drillers to go 300 feet deeper than the previous rigs. Work days are December 1 and 8, at the ranch of Don Lee in Bandera. For more information and directions to the Lee ranch, email Don Lee at dleedio@aol.com
The Anglican Church of El Buen Pastor in Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico is a state-designated disaster relief location in times of emergency. In the aftermath of the tornado, April 2007, the church fed, bathed, clothed, and slept up to 300 people a night.
Every November and December, El Buen Pastor holds a blanket drive in preparation for cold weather. Donations of new or cleaned blankets in good shape can be dropped off at the Bishop Jones Center or St. Luke's Church in San Antonio.
People
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St. Peter's, Rockport, has called the Rev. Jim Friedel as their new rector. Friedel, 52, grew up in Brownsville and has previously served at St. George, San Antonio, and St. Stephen's, Wimberley. He begins at Rockport in February. |
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The Rev. Frank Fuller has been called as rector of St. Mark's, Beaumont. He has served as assistant rector at Good Shepherd, Corpus Christi, since 1995 and previously was rector of St. Mark's, San Marcos. He leaves Good Shepherd in December. |
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The Rev. Betty Fuller leaves her position as rector at Church of the Advent, Alice, also in December. She has been rector at Advent since 1997. She has served at St. Mark's, San Marcos, and Annunciation, Luling. |
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Church of the Messiah, Gonzales, has called the Rev. Randy Melton to be their rector. Melton comes from the Diocese of Northern Indiana and is expected to begin in Gonzales in February. |
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Denise White has been appointed assistant to the headmaster for institutional advancement at TMI-The Episcopal School of Texas. White was formerly vice president for corporate relations of the American Heart Association, Texas Affiliate. She is a member of St. Luke's, San Antonio, and has been a member of the board of trustees for St. Luke's Episcopal School. |
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Leslie Williams of St. Peter's, Kerrville, has authored a new book, A Deadly Thing, They Say. Williams is an English professor at Midland College and a research affiliate of Yale Divinity School. She is also the wife of St. Peter's rector, the Rev. Stockton Williams. |
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Zachary Alexander Robinson was born to the Rev. Christopher and Kristina Robinson, of St. Thomas, San Antonio, on October 28. Zachary weighed 6 lbs 9 oz and was 18.5 inches long. |
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The Rev. David England, retired priest of this diocese, died in Austin on November 4. Funeral services were November 10 at St. David's Episcopal Church in Austin. |
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The Rev. Bob Keith, formerly of this diocese, died in Georgia on October 20. Keith was rector of St. John's, New Braunfels, from 1985 to 1996 and had served at Christ Church, San Antonio, from 1982 to 1985. He was a missionary to Uganda before retiring from active ministry in 2002 and moving to Georgia. Go, see, do
Workshops,
seminars, classes November 30-December 2, Diana Butler Bass will lead "Good News from the Mainline Church" at The Radius, across from St. Mark's, San Antonio. For information and registration go to www.council-dwtx.org. Friday, November 30, from 9 am to 5 pm, and Saturday, December 1, from 9 am to 4 pm, the Rev. John Rayls, Canon Missioner for Strategic Development, will offer the Church Check-up Workshop at the Bishop Jones Center. This workshop is designed to assist churches in determining what their next step might look like in growing the church from its four walls out into the community. Cost is $199 per church, for up to four attendees. To register or for more information, contact Barbara Duffield, Barbara.duffield@dwtx.org or 888/210-824-5387. Training for Catechesis of the Good Shepherd instructors begins in December and continues over the next several months. Level I, Part I training will be Dec.7-8, Feb. 8-9, Mar. 7-8,and Apr. 11-12. Level I, Part 2 training picks up in September and runs one weekend a month through December. For details, contact Lou Taylor in the diocesan Department of Christian Education at lou.taylor@dwtx.org. Trinity Church Wall Street will present Trinity Institute's 38th National Theological Conference, "Religion and Violence: Untangling the Roots of Conflict," on January 21-23, 2008. Keynote speakers will include James Carroll, James H. Cone, Susannah Heschel, and Tariq Ramadan. Presiding Bishop Katherine Jefferts Schori will preach the opening Evensong. For more info, www.trinitywallstreet.org. The Diocese of Northwest Texas will host a Parish Nurse Preparation Course at Mercy Center in Slaton, Texas, April 6-10, 2008. Parish nurse programs in congregations promote wellness, prevention, and clinical programs of health ministry. Their purpose is to empower, educate, and advocate for health and care for people in need. To learn more about the April event, e-mail Margaret Williams at mhiettwilliams@hotmail.com. To learn more about parish nurse programs in the Episcopal Church, visit online at www.episcopalhealthministries.org. April 21-26, 2008, Mustang Island Conference Center will be the location for the Epiphany Institute's clergy and lay leadership development program, "Look Up." For information or to register, go to www.epiphanyinstitute.org or call (828) 324-1351 RetreatsFriday night and Saturday, November 16-17, St. John's, McAllen, will host a spiritual retreat for the Rio Grande Valley, led by the Rt. Rev. Bill Frey. Cost of $10 per person covers dinner, breakfast, and lunch as well as the conference. To register call St. John's at (956) 687-6191 or e-mail info@stjohns-mcallen.org. Just for funSunday, December 2, at 4 pm, St. David's, San Antonio, will host An Advent Feast II; featuring excerpts from Part 1 of the Messiah. The music will be provided by the Choral Consortium, a group of singers primarily from small to mid-size congregations around the San Antonio area. Leading the Consortium are James Edward and Tawni Raye Garcia, conductors, and Dr. Eugene Dowdy, concert master, all of Holy Spirit, San Antonio. The program will also feature other Advent and Christmas classics, including some original compositions by Consortium members. Admission is by donation. For more information call the church office, 210-824-2481. TMI-The Episcopal School of Texas presents two Christmas concerts: December 7 in association with choirs from St. Luke's, San Antonio, at St. Luke's; and December 8 on the TMI campus. For more information, visit TMI at www.tmi-sa.org Cursillo happenings Cursillo #242 will be held at Camp Capers, March 6-9, 2008. Lay rector Curt Mowen (St. Luke's, San Antonio) and Spiritual Director The Rev. Stockton Williams (St.Peter's, Kerrville). To register for any Cursillo weekend, download a registration form or for information contact Cursillo registrar Faith Miller, faith.miller@dwtx.org or (888/210) 824-5387.
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