Diocesan Council 2020 Updates

Rebecca Taylor’s words on her first DWTX Council:

With the beautiful Corpus Christi shoreline as our backdrop, hundreds of delegates from the Diocese of West Texas met last week to see old friends, meet new ones, worship together, and vote on the 2020 leadership of various offices of the Diocese. In between the voting (there was a LOT of voting ☺) we heard reports from various departments on the work they are doing within the Diocese.

Our theme this year is “With the Eyes of our Hearts Enlightened” and The Rt. Rev. David Reed invited us to see the world, each other, and God Himself as Jesus would want us to see. Jesus is all around us, we only have to open our eyes to the wonder and love in order to experience it. I highly encourage you to listen to Bishop Reed’s address here. He is much more eloquent than I could ever be, and I was moved to tears several times listening to his message of waking up and seeing, sometimes for the first time, what is happening in our world.

From workshops to fellowship with Lory, Kelley, Mike and Cyndy, the weekend opened my eyes to work that is still left to do for my church and my community. I came back fired up and renewed in the knowledge that our work is not to be done alone, but with others in Uvalde, the Diocese, and the world.  Thank you for allowing me to attend Council as a representative of St. Philip’s – it was an honor. – Rebecca Taylor

Other Diocesan Council News:

The diocese has updated their website and you can find recordings of the Bishop’s Address, Becca Stevens’ sermon, ministry reports, outcomes of elections and more by clicking here.

One resolution was presented at council this year which allows for the creation of an Assistant Bishop to assist Bishop Reed for a period not to exceed three years. An assistant bishop is an already consecrated bishop called by the diocesan bishop. They can serve in a full-time or part-time capacity and typically have resigned all previous responsibilities to other dioceses. The Assistant Bishop’s tenure cannot extend beyond the tenure of the diocesan bishop who called him or her.

St. Philip’s Serving at the Diocesan Level:

• Kelley Kimble serves as the diocesan chancellor (attorney);
• Lory Zimmerman is serving year 2 of her 3 year term on the Standing Committee;
• Diocesan Council elected Kelley Kimble to be a deputy at General Convention in 2021;
• Blaine Bennett currently serves on the Executive Board;
• Bishop Reed reappointed Fr. Mike to the Examining Chaplains, Discernment Committee, and the Continuing Education Committee.