The Gilbert & Thyra Plass Arts Foundation of Bryan, TX announced a grant of more than $5,000 to the Diocesan Music Commission for scholarships to the Diocesan Music Camp, June 24-30, 2018. The Foundation, named after the late Music Commission member and St. Andrew’s, Bryan musician Dr. Thyra Plass, has granted scholarship money for the past four years. Many music campers would not be able to attend without scholarship assistance. To learn more about the Diocesan Music Commission and find out about future events, click here.

The 2018 Council will be held in Waco, Thursday, February 15-Saturday, February 17. Nominations are now open through November 10 and position descriptions are listed on the Council information page on the website here. Only electronic forms will be accepted for nominations this year and a link is included on the page. Deadline for resolutions, Constitution and Canon changes/amendments is November 15. Special pricing at convention hotels is available through January 11, 2018 or until the block of rooms are reserved. If you are interested in nominating a convocational youth delegate, please click the link on the Council page for details and a nomination form. Pre-council videos, a schedule and workshops will be listed on the page when they become available. 

The annual Open Enrollment period for health benefits will be from Monday, October 23, 2017 to Friday, November 10, 2017. There will be two Open Enrollment meetings to provide important Information and Plan Array Updates. These meetings will be held at the Diocesan Center (1225 Texas St. Houston, TX 77002) on Thursday October 12, 2017 at 10 a.m. for rectors and parish administrator and on Thursday, October 26 at 10 am for all to attend. We will also conduct a simultaneous webinar for those unable to attend. Instructions for attending the webinar are located on the Diocesan Benefits webpage. Some important changes will take place for 2017, so it is imperative that someone from each church or institution attend a meeting or webinar. For more information, please contact Zee Turnbull at zturnbull@epicenter.org or Jessica O’Leary at joleary@epicenter.org.

St. Andrew's, Bryan, invites the community to its150th Birthday celebration on Friday, October 6, 2017, 5:30-8:30 p.m. as part of First Friday downtown Bryan events. The birthday celebration features singer and songwriter Joey McGee, tours of the church, children's activities and light refreshments. Learn more at standrewsbcs.org.

Join over 160 graduates and commissioned Lay Pastoral Assistants in more than 10 parishes, three dioceses, and two countries at the Good Shepherding School for Lay Pastoral Ministry in La Porte, Texas. There will be a weekend long, condensed session, October 13-15. Please contact gss@stjohns-laporte.org to express interest and receive the syllabus. To learn more, click here.

The Church Leadership Conference is an annual gathering of vestry members and congregational leaders for practical learning, reflection and formation. The 2018 Conference is on March 2-4, 2018 and registration is now open. Speakers and presenters will address core needs in strategic leadership, financial planning and creative communications. For more information and to register, click here. 

Applications are now being accepted for high school students to participate in the General Convention Official Youth Presence (GCOYP) at the 79th  General Convention to be held Thursday, July 5 to Friday, July 13, 2018 at The Austin Convention Center, Austin. Applications and information are available  here.

The Church needs leaders who are entrepreneurial, collaborative, adaptive, diverse and spiritually trustworthy. While we still need to identify those among us who are called to ordination, the Diocese of Texas encourages all Christians to seek their particular call. The discernment process in the Diocese is designed to give greater access to explore ministry in many forms through an initial Discovery Retreat for those who want to serve God in a new way. Participants learn a theological model for vocation that gives them a framework for their own discernment. They explore a variety of Christian vocations, have time for personal reflection and prayer and learn about the canonical processes for ordained ministry in the Diocese. Consider participating in the December Discovery Retreat to see where God is calling you to serve. Registration for the Discovery Retreats is on the Camp Allen website. For additional information, please contact the Rev. Victoria Mason or the Rev. Francene Young.