FORT WORTH: Three loyalist congregations merge

Remaining Episcopalians 'excited' about being the Episcopal church

By Pat McCaughan November 19, 2008 [Episcopal News Service] The red and gold banner was hand-made; the altar, a card table; the credence (side) table, a TV-tray and hymnals and prayer books were scarce as the Episcopal Church in Parker County met for its first Sunday worship on November 16 in an elementary school cafeteria.

It was one day after a majority of the diocese had voted to realign with the Anglican Province of the Southern Cone, but the worshippers from three congregations gathered to celebrate remaining with the Episcopal Church.

"I like being an Episcopalian," said Victoria Prescott who helped organize the gathering of about 20.

"I treasure the splendid diversity and tolerance of the Episcopal Church and how marvelously our liturgical life knits us together," said Prescott, an attorney with the Securities and Exchange Commission in Fort Worth. "And I love the way we manage to combine our rich catholic heritage with an understanding that God's revelation to us continues."

The group, made up of worshippers formerly from St. Francis of Assisi, Willow Park; All Saints, Weatherford and Holy Apostles Church, chose the McCall Elementary School because "it is located in one of the fastest-growing areas of Texas and we do intend to reach out to the community," said Prescott.

The Rev. John Keene, a retired priest who led the congregation's worship, invited the congregation truly to engage all of the Bible. "When you regard the Bible, don't ignore your queasiness or uncertainty if you run across something that puzzles you or bothers you. God has given you a mind and I ask you to use it. It's when you start to get fundamentalist about it, that you have a problem."

The group is among several other faith communities who remain with the Episcopal Church, said Lynne Minor, an executive board member of Fort Worth Via Media and a member of the Steering Committee North Texas Episcopalians.

You name it, liturgically, and the fledgling congregations need it, added Minor, who is coordinating the supplies, everything from prayer books to candles, altar hangings and cloths, vestments.

She said the groups "have been working really hard to prepare" for what happens next, including renting buildings for worship. She asked that those desiring to donate prayer books, vestments, and other items contact her at: elm3cats@yahoo.com

"They … will need all kinds of things to set up worship in places other than their churches," she said. In addition to the Episcopal Church in Parker County, the new congregations are: St. Alban's, Arlington; St. Stephen's, Hurst; Church of the Good Shepherd, Granbury; and All Saints, Wichita Falls representing approximately 250 communicants thus far.

Contact information for the faith communities is listed on the steering committee website at: http://www.steeringcommitteente.org/misc%20pdfs/faith%20community%20info.pdf

Meanwhile, the Parker County group has already begun an outreach ministry. "We have our work cut out for us," acknowledges Prescott, "but the work ahead of us will be so positive and exciting! Please keep us in your prayers."

She can be reached at: absolutelyepiscopalian@att.blackberry.net

Going to the Southern "Baptist" Cone

---

Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth Bishop Jack Iker and the diocesan Standing Committee said January 9 that "the structure and polity of the Province of the Southern Cone would afford our diocese greater self-determination than we currently have under the General Convention of The Episcopal Church." Texas Time Warp By: Katie Sherrod Date Posted: 8/11/2004 Thirty years ago, I stood in my living room and wept with joy at the news that the Episcopal Church had voted to ordain women. But I live in the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth. This diocese came into existence in 1983, seven years after the Episcopal Church (USA) began ordaining women to the priesthood. Its founding bishop, Donald Davies, opposed the ordination of women, as did his successor, Clarence Pope. It is now thirty years later, and our current and third bishop, Jack L. Iker, continues as did his predecessors – he does not ordain women as priests, nor will he license a priest who is a woman to function in our diocese. He does not believe women are "proper matter" for the priesthood or, of course, the episcopate. What's more, the Diocese of Fort Worth has never ordained an African-American man as a priest, nor has it ordained an openly gay man. So what is it like, being a woman in the Episcopal Church in 2004, after thirty years of priests who are women? Well, in Fort Worth, it's a lot like I imagine the Episcopal Church was in the 1950s. Women are expected to defer to men, and laypeople are expected to defer to clergy, because "father knows best" and the Big Daddy of all the "fathers" is the bishop. People of color are kept pretty much with groups of other people of color. "Godhimself" is one word, because in Fort Worth, God IS male and the male is god. There is no inclusive or expansive language allowed in worship services. People can disagree with the bishop on issues such as the ordination of women, as long as they keep quiet about it and don't do anything to try to change things. Gays and lesbians can attend church as long as they stay under the radar screen of anyone who might be upset by their existence. "Don't ask, don't tell" is alive and thriving here and closets are jammed full. There are lots of people here who say they "hate the sin" but claim to "love the sinner," although one woman went to the microphone at our last diocesan convention to declare, "We can't love everybody !" It's not a total time warp. When our General Convention deputies assure the House of Deputies that there are women at altars in the Diocese of Fort Worth, they are referring to deacons who are women. Women also are allowed to be lay readers, and even Eucharistic ministers. Women can run for vestries and for convention delegates. We have very well-behaved women on the Standing Committee. I believe most rectors allow girls to be acolytes, although there are some priests here who "discourage" that, because it gets girls "too close to the altar" and "might give them ideas." A woman who wants to be a priest has to meet with Bishop Iker. He then either recommends her to James Stanton, bishop of Dallas [an adjoining diocese which, while theologically conservative, still permits ordained women to serve in ministry], or he doesn't. If he doesn't, then she's pretty much up a creek. If he does, and Bishop Stanton and his Commission on Ministry agree, the woman has to move to Dallas or figure out how to commute there as she goes through the process. Once she is ordained, there is no possibility of returning to the Diocese of Fort Worth as a priest. In the event a parish has the temerity to call a priest who is a woman, Bishop Iker has said she will be under the authority of the bishop of Dallas and will have neither seat, nor voice, nor vote at the Fort Worth diocesan convention. Her parish and its money, however, will remain in the Diocese of Fort Worth. This is the so-called Dallas Plan that Bishop Iker claims puts him in compliance with the canons on ordination. But whether it does that or not, and I don't think it does, the Dallas Plan does nothing for the lay people here who would like to experience the ministry of a priest who is a woman on a regular basis. But all this has been lost in the froth of male hysteria that followed the actions of General Convention in Minneapolis. I haven't seen this many privileged white males so upset since the Texas Senate was forced to add a woman's restroom when Barbara Jordan was elected in 1966. All of us here in the Diocese of Fort Worth are now part of the Network of Whining White Men And Their Allies, whether we like it or not. The list of people and places with whom we are in broken or impaired communion just keeps growing. Every since it was founded, this diocese has been in "impaired" communion with all bishops who ordain women, with all Anglican primates who ordain women, with all bishops who are women and, of course, with all priests who are women. We also are out of communion with any male priests ordained by bishops who are women. We are in broken or impaired communion with Bishop Gene Robinson and with all bishops and deputies who voted to confirm his election. We are in broken or impaired communion with all bishops who participated in his consecration. We are in broken or impaired communion with any bishop who allows same-sex blessings and with any priest who performs one. EXCEPT, we are in communion with any of the above who are in the Network. I think. It gets confusing. So what's it like, being a woman in the Episcopal Church thirty years after we began ordaining women? Well, it's a lot of work. Women have to be creative in finding ways to be fed spiritually, because chances are, their parishes ain't gonna do it. There are a few, very few, male priests who try hard, but they get tired too. Women who believe that they, too, are made in the image of God have to mentally edit our gender into androcentric liturgies. But you want to know the worst thing about this place? It's watching what it does to our children. It's watching a little girl whose mother is a priest but who has not been allowed to function here tell her mother, "You can't be a priest. Women can't be priests." It's hearing an eight-year-old boy who has been raised since birth by his loving grandmother and her partner say on his return from our diocesan church camp that, "there ought to be a law against two men or two women getting married." It's listening to brokenhearted parents tell of older children who will no longer go to an Episcopal Church in this diocese because they are so fed up with the bad theology and the views on women and gays. For many of us, it's a daily decision to remain in this church in this diocese. Thirty years ago, I stood in my living room and wept with joy at the news that the Episcopal Church had voted to ordain women. I remember thinking, "At last, a church that believes women really are part of the Body of Christ." I was wrong. -- Katie Sherrod is a freelance writer and television producer based in Fort Worth, Texas, and a contributing editor to The Witness . She served for many years as editor of Ruach , the journal of the Episcopal Women's Caucus. Katie may be reached by email at ks1246@aol.com .

Prayer to Saint Michael of the Saints

This was sent to me by a Benedictine Sister. Please pray for my Aunt Polly and brother, Steven.

St. Michael of the Saints who is the saint we can pray to for those who suffer from cancer. He is a Spanish Trinitarian friar. He was born Sept. 29, 1591. He died at the age of 33 and had a great love for our Lord in the Blessed sacrament. This is the prayer to him;

We praise you, Most Holy Trinity, for having sent Saint Michael of the Saints, to be our friend and intercessor in the fight against cancer.

Grant us, we pray , a humble faith that we may follow in his holy footsteps and believe without doubt in your generous gift of healing.

With humble and childlike trust, we ask your Divine help through Saint Michael of the Saints in this urgent necessity.

May this gift of bodily health bring us peace and joy which are but a foretaste of heaven, and may we be counted one day among your saints in glory.

Father, your world is ill with cancer and frightened. We pray you ease the suffering of those afflicted, give loving hands to those who care for them,

and light the way for those who seek its cure.

Merciful Father, extend your healing hand so that we may soon cry out, "A cure at last!"

IN Jesus name we pray. Amen