West Texas

DIOCESE OF WEST TEXAS

The Diocese of West Texas web pages are at www.westtexasonline.org

The Bishop of  West Texas:  The Rt. Rev. James E. Folts

         Bishop Coadjutor :   The Rt. Rev. Gary Lillibridge

        Suffragan Bishop: The Rt. Rev. Robert B. Hibbs
 

The Diocese of West Texas delegates to GEM are:

        Ms. Betty Chumney, chumneyb@aol.com

        Canon Garry Schnelzer, schnelzer@aol.com

Companion Diocese:  

The diocese is in the process of forming a Companion Relationship with the Diocese of Nebbi in Uganda. The two dioceses will exchange missionaries and resources.

Interesting and useful material from the diocesan website:
Praying for Missionaries - What to Pray For

For Health
There are many dangers to health through food, unsanitary conditions, and disease. It is not God's will that sickness strip the mission fields. It is his will that his children have health and strength to carry out his work.
Pray from Scripture: Deut 7:15,  Ps 97:10;  Is 53:5;  John 10:10b

For Protection of Mind
Climate, cultural differences, and loneliness are all contributing factors which lead to a breakdown in the normal functions of the mind. The missionary needs to enter into the provisions promised in Scripture and enjoy the Lord's peace.
Pray from Scripture: Ps 42:11;  Ps 147:3;  John 14:27;  Heb 4:9-11a

For Protection in Travel
There is great danger when traveling over narrow roads on the edge of mountains, derelict bridges, in areas where safety is not a design consideration, and in merciless weather conditions.
Pray from Scripture: Is 43:2

For Unity
Differences arise among missionaries, especially team ministries and in isolated situations.
Pray from Scripture: Psalm 133

For Protection of Spirit
Discouragement, a sense of failure, a sense of being out of the will of the Lord, are missiles used by the enemy on those who serve on the front line. The missionary needs encouragement and the strength to resist the powers of darkness.
Pray from Scripture: Deut 31:6;  Matt 18:18;  James 4:7;  Peter 5:8-9

From the South American Missionary Society.

 

 

Missionaries from the Diocese of West Texas:

 
Long-term missionaries Frank and Louise Samuelson - Kenya

Bishop Henry Orombi - Uganda

Gather family - China

Malcolm Alexander - Honduras

Bill Fitzgerald - Mexico

Missionary activity in the Diocese of  West Texas: 

Hunger Ministries

The commission addresses issues of hunger around the world and the in the diocese. It supports Bread for the World, a national effort to eliminate hunger. It also supports food distribution in parishes throughout the diocese.
Chair: Bob Gates
St. Barnabas Church
601 W. Creek
San Antonio TX 78624

International Episcopal Consultation

The "consulta" is a consortium of five dioceses in the state of Texas and the Diocese of Northern Mexico who meet twice a year to plan mission opportunities between the United States and Northern Mexico.
Chair: Glen Polhemus
Diocesan representative: Ms. Betty Chumney
P O Box 6885
San Antonio TX 78209
(210) 824-5387

World Mission

World Mission coordinates mission trips outside the diocese, assists in fund-raising for mission trips, supports missionaries through prayer, and serves as a resource for local congregations.
Bishop's Deputy for World Mission: Ms. Betty Chumney
P O Box 6885
San Antonio TX 78209
(210) 824-5387
For more information on World Mission

Mission work at the inter-diocesan level The Diocese of West Texas belongs to and strongly supports The International Episcopal Consultation, or Consulta, whose membership includes four dioceses in Texas and New Mexico and the Diocese of Northern Mexico. The consulta works actively to share resources on both sides of the border and to respond to the needs of our brothers and sisters in Mexico.

 
Mission work at the diocesan level The World Mission Division of the diocese collects, coordinates, and distributes information about mission activities to the churches and people of the diocese. The Bishop's Deputy for World Mission, Mrs. Betty Chumney, maintains an office the diocesan office in San Antonio. She may be reached at The Bishop Jones Center, P. O. Box 6885, San Antonio TX 78209, phone (210) or (1-888) 824-5387, fax (210) 822-8779, e-mail: DioceseWTX@aol.com.

 
Mission work at the
parish level		 Many parishes of the diocese make annual mission trips to Mexico, Honduras, Costa Rica, Cuba, Russia, Jamaica, and other countries. Teams typically take medical, dental, and/or veterinary care to people who are often without so much as running water and electricity. Educational teams provide Bible school and English as a second language classes; construction teams build houses, schools, and churches.

 

                                            

Please send any comments about this website to the site deacon, Jim Heathcote  or telephone GEM Network President, the Rev. Bill Wood at (207) 276-5588 (williamjwood@hotmail.com) with questions or comments.

Last modified: January 12, 2008