Welcome Our New Associate Rector Viktoria Gotting

 

We look forward to Viktoria Gotting joining us on July 1st as an associate rector.  She was ordained into the transitional diaconate on June 16th at a service held a Christ Church Cathedral in Houston. Please take a moment to meet her and introduce yourself.  Check out the photos.

Viktoria Gotting was born in NYC to immigrant parents. She was raised in Houston, in a family culture that might be best described as "Berlin on the Bayou." Viktoria holds a B.A. in English/Sociology from the University of Houston, Master of Divinity from Harvard University, and a Diploma in Anglican Studies from The University of the South ("Sewanee"). For more than 25 years, she has worked in health care administration, particularly as it concerns research and fund raising. Among those institutions she has served are Kelsey-Seybold Clinic, Texas Children's Hospital, and Baylor College of Medicine. Vocationally, Viktoria is trained as a hospital chaplain, having completed a residency/fellowship in Clinical Pastoral Education at UT M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. Through her curacy, Viktoria will serve in a unique joint capacity as both Associate Rector with St. Christopher Episcopal Church, League City, and as Staff Chaplain with St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital. Her special interests and past service in ministry include service to the sick and dying, as well as displaced persons, including the homeless. Additionally, she has a loving zeal for Christian hospitality, Anglican tradition, and life as inspired by the sacramental life. Viktoria enjoys the movement of everything from planes to people, and gravitates towards seashores, mountains, and good conversation. She is an amateur artist, working in pen, paint, wood, thread, and photo. Viktoria has two adult sons, one a full-time college student, and the other a middle school science teacher.

Join us for fellowship, food, and fun at our Freedom Sunday Celebration, honoring those who serve our community - our Police Officers, Fire Fighters, and Elected Officials.  Worship Services will be at 8:00 and 10:00 a.m., followed by a Family Picnic at 11:30.  Burgers and Hot Dogs, popcorn, snow cones, cotton candy, watermelon, and cookies. Ummm.  Add a face painter, a water slide, a dunking booth and other fun stuff and have a great time! 

Last week we sent a group of 12 youth and 3 adults to San Diego, California for our high school mission trip. It was a trip that not only had people flying for the first time, or visiting southern California for the first time, but was a first time mission trip experience, even for those who had been on previous mission trips.

This week truly put us in an environment that we were not used to and required us to stand firm outside of our normal comfort zones. During the week the 96 people that had gathered from around the country were divided into 17 work groups that worked at 24 different work sites. These sites ranged from working in community gardens, clearing out fields, tell the story of Jesus to children and cleaning up the streets. No matter what task our youth were given, they gave their full effort and were witnesses with their words and actions.

We would all like to thank everyone in the congregation for all of your support both prayerfully and financially and look forward to sharing our experiences with everyone.

 
  

Vacation Bible School 2012  

Our next Family Promise Host week is rapidly approaching and there is much to do to prepare for our guest families.  

If you volunteer to spend the night as an overnight host, you are required to clear a background check.  Click Here to download the form.  Please fill it out and bring to our secretary Ellen Cook for completion. 

We still need volunteers to make the week run smoothly.  There are linens to wash, beds to make, meals to prepare, activities to plan, and once the week is over, there is lots of cleaning and putting away to be done.  Let me know how you would like to help! 

For more information about the Family Promise Ministry, please visit www.familypromise.org