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Find us on the web at www.epicenter.orgTexas Episcopalian • April 2010
1
Volume 113, No. 4 Houston, Texas April 2010
INSIDE
Bishops’ Calendars ........................15Bishop’s Column .............................2Calendar of events...........................8Diocesan News.....................9-11Parish News .........................3-79Sam Todd’s Column .................14
See
Satcher,
page 16
By Carol E. Barnwell
I
n his first 45 years, Dr. Robert “Bobby” Satcher, Jr. has accumulated a lifetime of accomplishments thatmost recently include walking in space. An orthopedic surgeon, Satcher received a doctorate in chemicalengineering from MI in 1993 and a doctorate of medicine from Harvard in 1994. One of the fellowshipshe did before going into practice in Chicago was in musculoskeletal oncology and another was at the AlbertSchweitzer Hospital in the West African nation of Gabon.On several occasions during his residency, Satcher met astronauts who encouraged him to apply for theprogram but he had practically forgotten about his application when NASA finally came calling. “I was in Chicagopracticing in a very fulfilling position and had just kind of forgotten about NASA and the possibility of being an
Astronaut Robert Satcher, STS-129 mission specialist, flew to the International Space Station in November. The St. James’ parishioner and osteo-oncologist said thathe has never seen science and religion as a conflict.
astronaut,” Satcher said. His cell phonerang during clinic one day and NASA wanted to know if he was still interested. After talking with his family, he and his wife decided they would accept the newchallenge and moved to Houston.Satcher was selected by NASA in May 2004 and finished astronautcandidate training in February 2006. He
BoBBy Satcher
aStronaut’S paSSion iS model for youth
P h o t o : N A S A
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Texas Episcopalian •
April 2010Find us on the web at www.epicenter.org
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The Texas Episcopalian
(since 1897) is an officialpublication of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas.
Mission: In the name of Jesus Christ, the
Texas Episcopalian
seeks to inform the people in the diocese of events andphilosophies which affect the mission and life of the Church.
Publisher: The Rt. Rev. C. Andrew DoyleEditor: Carol E. Barnwell, cbarnwell@epicenter.orgParish News Editor: Nancy Sallaberry, nsallaberry@epicenter.orgGraphic Designer: LaShane K. Eaglin, leaglin@epicenter.org
The Texas Episcopalian (ISSN# 1074-441X) ispublished monthly except July and August for $15 a yearby the Episcopal Diocese of Texas, 1225 Texas Ave.,Houston, TX 77002-3504. Periodical postage paid atHouston, Texas. Deadline is the 10th of the monthpreceding publication. Articles, editorials and photosshould be submitted to the editor at the above e-mailaddress. Photos will not be returned. Address changescan be made at www.epicenter.org/infochange.
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As I drove along the heavily wooded terrainfrom yler to Palestine on my way south during January and February, I could not help but noticethe starkness of the landscape. I love this timeof year because I am able to see deep withinthe woods. Tere is no underbrush to cluttermy view; and I notice structures, animals andlandscape I cannot see in the spring and summer.Lent is like that for me—a time when wecan strip away so much and look deep withinourselves, noticing things, behaviors, longings we may not observe during the rest of our busy year. Tat season has passed for another year, and we are experiencing all kinds of new life aroundus. In the Pineywoods of East exas, with anabundance of rain (and snow!), we are very blessed by such an extraordinary spring.Te Easter season is all about new life: newlife for the crucied and dead Jesus, new lifefor us followers of the crucied and resurrectedChrist, the new life of Christ we share with othersthrough our actions, our deeds, our reaching outto those society often neglects. And the message we carry with us this season is one of Christ’s love for all humanity.From Forward Day by Day,“Te Message? LoveTe Messenger? YouYou’re in good company”So, Lent is our gift to peer deep within our soul as winter allows usto look far into the woods. Easteris the gift of new and eternal lifegiven to all of humanity throughGod’s gift of the resurrected Jesus, asspring is when new life emerges outof the barren and seemingly deadground.
Good Company
Bishop Suragan Rayford B. High, Jr.
he Rt. Rev. Rayford B. High, Jr.Bishop Suffragan of exasis built upon the basic structures of faith passed downthrough the last two centuries from the experience of thefirst witnesses to Jesus' life, death and resurrection. We join with saints and angels in an unbroken line of celebration toproclaim an eternal and unique truth that Jesus is risen andbecause of that, our lives are forever changed. We understand God primarily through the lifeand work of Jesus Christ. It is a difficult thing to fully articulate the theology of resurrection, however I think most Christians would say that they experience a sense of resurrection in Christian community. In the EpiscopalChurch, and communities like it, individuals experiencetrue transformation in their own lives through relationships with others, through the community a congregation offersand from service and outreach to other people. Christianstestify that they experience, receive and act out of themystery of resurrection-this feeling of constant renewal.Resurrection also gives us hope for our future, both inthis life and the life to come. We have hope of a future where we will gather with all the saints that have gone before usinto the loving embrace of God. While there are many ideasabout what lies on the other side of death's door, Christiansproclaim that it will be an ingathering--God wishes togather his people under his wing as a hen gathers her young. When we celebrate the life of someone who has died our worship is characterized with "joy, in the certainty that'neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, northings present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height,nor dept, nor anything else in all creation, will be able toseparate us from the loveof God in Christ Jesusour Lord.'"My prayer for youas we greet this newEaster morn and singonce again, “Hail heeFestival Day,” is thatyou may experience with the certainty of our inherited faith theancient Christian truththat indeed Jesus Christis risen. As we celebratethe resurrection, I pray each one of us knows the presence and power of Christ inour own lives and that through us he lives and reigns. As I think back tomy childhood memoriesof Easter I hear “Hail TeeFestival Day” played in all its glory.How wonderful and beautiful andmiraculous that hymn seemed tobe. Te church was transformed andlled with lilies. Ladies were bearingplumed and owered hats in every color of the rainbow. Te procession was resplendent and the sweet smell of incense rose up all around us. As Episcopalians we have made our way through the journey of Lent tryingon disciplines, prayers and testing newhabits. We arrive at churches that areadorned in glorious splendor after theausterity of Lent and we say the ageless words that we repeat every week at worship. But on Easter Sunday we say them with renewed anticipation: Christhas died, Christ is risen, Christ willcome again! A creedal proclamationthat Christ is risen becomes, on this day,the refrain of a renewed life of following Jesus Christ. A Christians' belief in theresurrection transcends an event thatis historically verifiable to scholars and
Hail Thee Festival Day
Bishop Andy Doyle
he Rt. Rev. C. Andrew DoyleIX Bishop of exas
Find us on the web at www.epicenter.orgTexas Episcopalian • April 2010
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PARISH NEWS
By Jeanie Sablatura
he moment she begins to speak, you know there issomething deeply interesting and unique about her.he heavy Israeli accent immediately draws you inand has you wondering how she ended up “here” at rinity Center in Austin, exas.Irit Umani became the new executive director of rinity Center just after the new year. Located in downtown Austinat St. David’s, rinity Center serves the spiritual, emotionaland physical needs of people experiencing homelessnessand poverty. he mission is to provide that assistance andguidance with dignity and respect. For Umani, it’s theperfect fit.“I have spent my professional life serving people incrisis,” Umani says. “I see my work as part of my servicetoward global peace, as well as an integral part of being ona spiritual journey.”hat journey began when Umani first came to theUnited States from Israel when she was 29-years-old.She lived in California and later worked for he LamaFoundation in New Mexico where, for three years, she joined an ecumenical spiritual community where shepracticed different religions.“I believe all traditions are different paths goingtoward the same place,” Umani explained. “When I literally came down from the mountain, I dedicated my life to social justice.”Umani returned to Israel after the death of her fatherand became involved in the women’s movement. Within afew years she became the the founding director of the Haifa Women’s Crisis Shelter, the first multi-cultural, Jewish and Arab (Muslim and Christian) shelter in Israel. She eventually returned to the United States to continue her work.“It’s time for me to serve from a place of harmony,”Umani said. “My work toward creating a world with moresocial justice and equality was political and social, whileoutside the work place I had a spiritual life. his is the firsttime that my many worlds: social, political and spiritual,come together and inform one another. It is the first time Iam doing this work with joy for the world rather than withanger at it, and I feel free for it.” Within less than a month of being on the job, Umaniannounced rinity Center would expand its services toinclude uesdays, which means it is now offering programssix days a week.“he other day I was walking downtown running anerrand, and one of the neighbors we serve at rinity Centergreeted me saying: ‘Here comes my Jewish Grandma.’Surprised and smiling, I stopped to have a conversation withhim only to find out that his family originally came fromthe Gaza Strip in Palestine. In a regular world he wouldhave called this Israeli woman his enemy, not his JewishGrandma,” Umani said. “he way we serve at rinity Center is not the regular way, it is an extraordinary way.Love thy neighbor as thy self. his is true work of peace asany demonstration I ever participated in as a member of theglobal peace movement.”
Sablatura is the director of communications at St. David’s, Austin.
Trinity Center, Austin, refers to all those they help as “neighbors.” In this photo, Irit Umani (center) helpsa neighbor completepaperwork to obtain a copy of his birth certicate. Trinity Center provides a place for him to get help receiving the properpaperwork and a location to which his documents may be mailed.
By Carol E. Barnwell
B
arbara Vestal sang her way through adolescence inBeaumont and brought a love of Broadway show tunesand performance to the children at St. Catherine’s,Missouri City, writing original musicals for them to perform.In some ways she is carrying on the legacy of EloiseMilam, founder of Melody Maids, a young women’s singinggroup that began in 1942 in Beaumont. Milam gatheredgirls to sing in an eort to raise money for World War IIand as the group gained fame, they often performed for thearmed forces. After the war, Melody Maids became a kind of nishingschool where girls gained self esteem under the tutelage of Milam. Vestal remembers ying on a cargo plane to Asia withthe group in 1966 to perform for troops in Japan and Korea.She credits her love of show music to Milam’s inuence.Vestal, who has a degree in music and creative writingfrom Sam Houston State College, said she was “unsettled”in school and “wrote a lot of sad music” between classes. Shemarried in 1974 and moved to Houston where she and herhusband raised three daughters.She sang everything from show tunes to pop with agroup called Breezy, performed at private functions with Pat Austin’s Classic Jazz and crooned 40s favorites with Al Marksand his Orchestra over the years.Vestal reached a turning point in 1996 when she wasasked to teach music to students at Advent Episcopal School.“I love teaching children and relate to them because I’m achild myself,” she said with a smile. Having never read theBible, Vestal said she was frightened to lead chapel for thestudents. “I put on a school uniform and put my hair in pigtails and sang a song about being afraid,” she said of her rstday. Te warm welcome she received made her understandthat “God listens,” she said. Vestal used music to teachlessons, sometimes dressed in costumes. “God gave me every chapel I ever did.”She wrote her rst script with Broadway music at Advent in 1998. “I nally found what I wanted to do withmy life and the school closed,” she said. It was then that the
Israeli, Women’s Advocate nds Synergy or Work and Faith as Director o Trinity Center
Music and MentorsGuide Talent
See
Music and Mentors
,
page 6
Barbara Vestal
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