Council ‘2024 Lift High the Cross

For two and a half days, a total of 835 diocesan clergy, delegates, alternates, guests, and exhibitors convened in San Marcos for the 120th Diocese of West Texas Council to conduct business, hear reports, worship, and enjoy fellowship. St. Luke’s, San Antonio, was a magnificent host — providing hospitality, guidance, a team of dedicated volunteers, and a spread of unique and delicious cookies.

COUNCIL THEME‍
The Rt. Rev. Dr. David G. Read, D.D., Bishop of West Texas, introduced the theme for Council, “Lift High the Cross”, challenging clergy, and congregations to embrace new ways of addressing and solving challenges. A thought-provoking video, The Backwards Bicycle Brain, was viewed, underscoring Bishop Read’s message to think out of the box. He then posed the theme questions for discussion, contemplation, and action in 2024.

THEME QUESTIONS

• The Cross symbolizes God’s Love for us, but it also symbolizes other facets of love. Which of these ways of thinking about the cross most resonates with you at this time and why?
• Where does your congregation need to learn to ride a new bicycle? What’s not working that needs to change? Where do you need to learn new tricks?
• Change is inevitable and change is challenging. Scholars tell us that we don’t fear change, we fear loss. Are there changes happening in your church that are challenging for you? What do you not want to lose?

EUCHARIST
The Holy Spirit was present during Council Eucharist held Friday evening. The liturgy was beautifully recited in English and Spanish, and the talented St. Luke’s choir moved worshipers with their musical talentss.

COUNCIL IN ACTION
Good Samaritan Community Services, 2024 Council in Action recipient, serves the needs of 3,500 individuals and 1,100 families in Central and South Texas. A generous outpouring of donations resulted in:

• Over $1,700 in donations
• 978 Clothing Items

SIP ‘N SHOP
The 2nd Annual Sip ‘n Shop social hour offered a venue to combine some enjoyable activities — eating, socializing and shopping!

REPORTS
Each day, reports were presented, demonstrating how God‘s work is being carried out through the collective dedication of the ministries, commissions, and congregations within the diocese and beyond.

Guest Speakers included:

• The Very Rev. Dr. Cynthia Kittridge, Dean and President, Seminary of the Southwest
• The Rt. Rev. Barry Beisner, Provisional Bishop of Najavoland
• The Rt. Rev. Jonathon Folts, Bishop of South Dakota
• Canon J. Davey Gerhard, Executive Director of The Episcopal Network for Stewardship (TENS)
• Tamara Plummer, Program Manager, Episcopal Relief & Developmen

Bishop’s Address

Bishop Read Encourages Congregations to Embrace Missional Roots

The Rt. Rev. Dr. David G. Read, D.D., Bishop of West Texas, moved and inspired Council attendees with an address that recalled the Diocese of West Texas’ roots and set forth a vision that celebrates both traditional and new approaches for ensuring a healthy and thriving diocese for generations to come.

Looking back at the roots and origin of the diocese beginning in 1874 as the Missionary District of Western Texas, Bishop Read detailed the struggles of the early bishops, clergy, and congregations as they worked to establish churches in an area vast and wide.

Calling on us to mark our sesquicentennial by “giving thanks to God for the saints who came before us,” he encouraged congregations to “Look back and tell our history, for when we do, we will find the Holy Spirit has been moving and shaping and calling us through the years.”

Highlighting the current landscape of the diocese, both geographically and demographically, Bishop Read underscored the culture of divisions and distrusts that has evolved in the American culture as an aftermath of the pandemic. Likening today’s environment as not so different than our diocese’s post Civil War days, he stated, “We are and must more deeply become a multi-cultural movement of missional people, following Jesus into neighborhoods near and far implored to have the mindset of missionaries!”

Embracing this missional mind-set, Bishop Read introduced new initiatives and the expansion of several existing programs:

• Small Church Ministry
• Congregational Development
• Church Planting Task Force
• Diaconate Study Group

Read the Bishop's Address in English or Spanish.

Click here to watch the Bishop's Address from Council '24.

Click here to view 2024 Election Results.