Our Assisting Bishop, the Rt. Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori, wrote a letter to the clergy a few months ago on the topic of “Bishop: Institution Perpetuator or Bold Witness?” As we continue the discernment and nominating process for our next bishop, here is her letter for you to consider. A member of the clergy in … READ MORE…
Dale Hoppenrath writes, Uptown Community Services Center, a ministry of St. Paul’s, is in need of a second representative from St. Paul’s to be a member of the Uptown Board of Representatives. The Board meets every other month for approximately 1.5 hours at St. Luke’s Episcopal in North Park. The Board sets the long term … READ MORE…
Dear St. Paul’s family, Thank you for allowing me to serve the wider church by attending our General Convention in Austin as a diocesan deputy earlier this month. I will be giving a forum on my experience on August 12, but I wanted to give you a flavor of General Convention 79 (#GC79) right away. … READ MORE…
Every year each congregation in the Episcopal Church submits a parochial report with a variety of data about membership, attendance, and finances. A new page of the report asks for statistics regarding engagement and volunteerism, something we have never formally tracked. This spring, Chapter member Jim Greer took on the daunting task of cataloging the … READ MORE…
For the first 42 years of my life, I lived in fear; the fear my true self would be discovered. I had a special place in my Roman Catholic Latino family for I was seen as the oldest son and I grew up a good Catholic boy. As I got older, I worked hard to … READ MORE…
Dean Penny writes Day 8 of #GC79: a long morning of legislative business debating and voting on the budget, and resolutions on responsible investment regarding Israel, caring for the children of Palestine, expanding the language of the Eucharistic prayers, and a whoe variety of stuff. I spent the lunch hour getting to know the Dean … READ MORE…
Dear St. Paul’s family, This week parishioner Anita Martinez will begin her series of yoga classes in the nave. I have heard some questions about the spiritual nature of yoga, and Anita has offered some reflections which I have incorporated into this letter. St. Paul tells us that our bodies are spiritual temples (1 Corinthians … READ MORE…
Dean Penny writes, #GC79 day six: committee hearings are starting to wind down. I surfaced a bit late to sit in on one, so I met instead with a former dean, who now works for a senior housing organization, to exchange ideas and share experience. A little shopping in the exhibit hall, then I sat … READ MORE…
Dean Penny writes, Happy Monday! And #GC79 day 5. Committee deliberations were back this morning and I returned to the Safeguarding committee where it was Groundhog Day, as they once again discussed the wording of the resolution about clergy dating. At the morning legislative session we completed debate on the resolution extending trial use of … READ MORE…
Dean Penny writes, #GC79 Day 4: being Sunday, the day didn’t begin with committee hearings, but with a prayer service by Bishops Against Gun Violence, attended by about 500 people. We heard from the parents of Carmen Schentrup and from a remarkable 14-yr-old from Waco called Abigail. Then we piled on to 12 buses and … READ MORE…