First Post-Pandemic SOM Graduates

by the Rev. Jim Haney

This spring the School of Ordained Ministry will have two graduates, our first ones post-COVID. To read more about these graduates, click here.

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Big Country Episcopal Day

On Sunday, May 25, Episcopalians in the Big Country will gather for worship at the Presbyterian Encampment in Buffalo Gap. This celebration of “Episcopal Day” will revive a beloved tradition that was an important part of Diocesan life for many years. Members of Heavenly Rest, St. Mark’s in Abilene, St. Stephen’s in Sweetwater, All Saints’ in Colorado City, and St. Mark’s in Coleman will all gather for worship at 10:30, followed by a barbecue picnic. The service will feature a “come as you are band”: anyone who plays any instrument is welcome to bring it to accompany the hymns. Attendees are encouraged to bring a folding chair and a side dish to share! We invite you to join us or hold us in prayer as we celebrate being Episcopalians in the Diocese of Northwest Texas!

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Emmanuel Episcopal Block Party

The Emmanuel School of Fine Arts [ESOFA], a music and fine arts based ministry run by Emmanuel Episcopal Church in San Angelo, Texas, recently celebrated their 10th Anniversary with a 6 hour long Block Party, Art Show and BBQ Fundraiser on May 3, 2025. To read more, click here.

Northwest Texas Attends Inaugural Grasslands Gathering

On April 25-26, Will Masters and Mary Emeny attended the inaugural gathering of the Episcopal Grasslands Network at the Grace Episcopal Cathedral in Topeka, Kansas. To read more, click here.

Saint Francis Ministries Celebrates Lubbock Relationships

Supporters, partners, and friends gathered on April 3 to celebrate Saint Francis Ministries (an Episcopal foster and adotion care service) and community connections at SFM’s Lubbock “Friendraiser” on the Buckner campus. To read more about this event, click here.

The Stars at Night Are Big and Bright Deep in the Heart of Texas

In this article, Deacon Becky Orem from St. Paul's in Lubbock reflects on the gift of the night sky. To read more, click here.

Episco-pipes: St. Christopher’s Hosts English Bagpipe Consort

by Jordon Langehennig, St. Christopher's, Lubbock

On May 1, the St. Christopher's in Lubbock hosted the Caprock English Bagpipe consort. To read about this wonderful event, click here.

To keep up-to-date on diocesan news, check out our website or follow us on Facebook!

Would you like to highlight any news or happenings at your church? Click here to tell us about it.

Diocesan Calendar

May 18

Bishop's Visitation at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in Amarillo*

May 24-29

Canterbury Retreat to Colorado Springs

May 26

Memorial Day - HEC Closed

June 1

Bishop's Visitation at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Midland*

June 1

Twentieth Anniversary of St. Nicholas Episcopal Church in Midland

June 8

Bishop's Visitation at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Lubbock*

June 8

Pentecost

June 11

Trustees' Meeting*

June 12

Dann Wigner's Ordination to the Vocational Deaconate - St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Lubbock*

June 14

Joe Biles' Ordination to the Transitional Deaconate - The Episcopal Church of the Heavenly Rest in Abilene*

June 22-28

Camp Quarterman - Youth Camp for Older Youth - Colorado Springs, CO

July 4

Independence Day - HEC Closed

July 13-18

Camp Quarterman Jr. - Youth Camp for Younger Youth - Ceta Glen in Happy, TX

August 15-16

School of Ordained Ministry (SOM), HEC

September 1

Labor Day, HEC Closed

*Indicates Bishop's Presence

The full events calendar can be found on our website.

Diocesan Announcements

A reminder from the

2025 Nominating Committee

The Nominating Committee of the diocese is looking for qualified nominees for committee positions for election at this year's Diocesan Convention. There are quite a few positions open that need qualified persons, including: (1) Northwest Texas Board of Trustees – one lay for a five-year term

Standing Committee – one clergy and one lay for a three-year term; (2)

Executive Council – one clergy and one lay for a three-year term; (3)

University of the South trustee - one clergy and two lay for a three-year term; and (4) Deputies to the next (2027) General Convention and Provincial Synod – four clergy and four lay

We encourage you to survey your church and urge qualified clergy and lay persons to allow their names to be submitted for consideration for the appropriate positions. The opportunities to serve on a diocesan board, committee, council or as a trustee for the University of the South or as a Deputy to General Convention are sacred and practical ways to live out your faith. To read more or make a nomination, click here.

Mark Your Calendars for the 67th Annual Convention of the Diocesan of Northwest Texas

Convention will be held on October 16-18, 2025 at the Merket Alumni Center on the Campus of Texas Tech.

Update the Episcopal Church Asset Map

Parish administrators and clergy, please remember to update the asset map for your parish. In order to update your parish's information, click here. If you need help with this process, contact the Diocesan Communications Coordinator, The Rev. Leann Wigner at ttucanterbury@gmail.com.

Church Swap

Does your church have items that aren't used anymore but that might be useful to another church in the diocese? Advertise your items to other churches in the diocese on Facebook at "Northwest Texas Church Swap." Click here to access.

Canterbury Campus Ministry at Texas Tech Offers Episcopal Merch

The students at Canterbury Episcopal Campus Ministry at Texas Texas have developed two online stores from which to purchase a host of Episcopal themed items. Shop over 100 designs and items including shirts, hoodies, hats, journals, clocks, bath mats, aprons, phone cases and so much more.

Visit Bonfire Online Store

Visit Redbubble Online Store

Bishop Scott Mayer visited St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Amarillo on April 13, 2025. To see pictures of this joyful event, click here.

Bishop Mayer also visited All Saint's Episcopal Church in Colorado City on March 30, 2025. Pictures from this event can be found here.

Northwest Texas Diocesan Ministries

Check out the ministries below to see how your apportionments are changing lives and making a difference in our diocese.

Easter Youth News Update

Summer Camp!

Summer Camp will be here before we know it! I am so excited to see all the campers and staff at both our camps.

For our older camp, those who live in Lubbock or down that way will get on a chartered bus at St. Paul’s and head to Amarillo, where we will pick up more campers, from the northern part of the diocese, and then head to Woodland Park, Colorado.

For the younger camp, campers may be dropped off at Ceta Glen, which is off of I27 (take exit 94). Detailed directions are sent when campers register.

Great fun, sharing Gods love, learning, and making lasting friendships awaits us at both camps.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Other ways to support camp—please pray for those attending and those working at camp. Send your child, grandchild, neighbor’s child to camp! Or help by supporting financially the cost of a child to attend.

Grace and peace,

Renee

Registration Deadline: June 1

If you have any questions, ideas, or comments, please contact Renee Haney, Diocesan Youth Coordinator and Camp Director at 806-445-3667 or nwtxyouth@icloud.com.

Click HERE to be included on our mailing list to stay connected.

Donate to Diocesan Youth

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Canterbury Easter Update

As of this week, Canterbury has wrapped up the 2025 semester. What a wonderful year it has been. The picture above shows students at our end-of-the-year party and graduate celebration. We celebrated the graduation of three of our students, and celebrated and prayed for two others who will not be returning next semester.

Now, at the end of the semester, our attention turns toward two important events: our yearly retreat and our yearly garage sale. Our retreat begins in about a week. This year, we are going to Colorado Springs, CO and focusing on the the topic of love. Our goal is to address our cultures need to learn an ethical and consistent ethic of love in the concrete world, a topic desperately needed in the world today. Below, we have provided a schedule of events for the retreat. We invite you to follow along with us each day and pray for us as we travel together both spiritually, relationally, and literally. Click here for the schedule.

We want to say a great big thank you to all the Lubbock churches that have made our retreat possible from St. Paul's who allows us each year to use their parking lot for football fundraisers to St. Stephen's and St. Christopher's who allows us to host breakfasts/coffee hours during the spring semester. We also appreciate the many people who have supported us by donating to the garage sale, attended our date night event, prayed for us, and supported us in so many other ways. We exist because of you, and we thank you for your continued love and support.

Garage Sale Donations

Canterbury is currently taking donations for our summer 2025 garage sale. If you have any items laying around at home that you would like to donate to our campus ministry, call 575-631-5345. We will pick up the items or you can drop them off at the chaplain's house. Let us help you clean out your sheds, garages, and spare rooms this spring!

If you have any questions, please contact Mtr. Leann Wigner, Chaplain at Canterbury Episcopal Campus Ministry at Texas Tech at 575-631-5345 or ttucanterbury@gmail.com.

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Small Church Resources:

Best Practices and Overcoming Barriers to Small Church Christian Formation

Enhancing Spiritual Connections in the Digital Age

Registration Open for Iona Collaborative Annual Retreat - June 2-4

Rural Ministry Blog

Small Churches Big Impact Podcast

Subscribe to Small Church Voices Newsletter

Communications Resources:

The Ministry of Communication

Church Marketing Sucks - Blog

REMINDER:

As summer approaches, remember to adapt all your digital and print media for summer hours. Don't forget to changes times on phone messages, bulletins, voicemails, emails, your Google business, your website, Facebook, etc. Also, if you are going to be out of the office at any point, consider an out-of-the-office automated response. For instructions on how to set this up for Gmail users, click here. For setting up an automated response in Outlook, click here.

Do you need help understanding how to navigate church communications?

Contact: The Rev. Leann Wigner, Diocesan Communications Coordinator

Call or Text: 575-631-5345

ttucanterbury@gmail.com