All Saints' Chapel, Camp Allen

            The Diocese of Texas, which describes itself as “a community of Miraculous Expectation, under the leadership of Christ, welcoming all sorts and conditions of God's people”, began developing its vision of a missionary church seven years ago, following the election of Bishop Claude Payne in 1993. This is the third year that Bishop Payne and leaders in his diocese have shared with bishops “and their leadership teams” from other dioceses their experience of discerning and implementing a missionary vision.

Bishop Claude Payne

            The Diocese of Texas offers on its Web site an outline of its vision and mission. These are excerpts from that presentation: 

What are we here for?  What is there to offer through the body of Christ which the Church has that far surpasses what anyone else offers?  Transformation, through a combination of our own resources and divine power.  Transformation in this life now for individual and community wellness.  Transformation into eternal life which has no end. 

Everything Jesus said or did during his early ministry was aimed at the glorious transformation of lives, and those transformed lives worked to change the culture in which they lived.  Transformation undergirds the Prayer Book definition of mission found in the catechism: "The mission of the church is to restore all people to unity with God and each other in Christ."  BCP p. 855

 For whom are we here?"  Biblically, these are the lost.  Today these are those outside the church, often referenced as the unchurched, or those with no faith involvement.

 This does not mean as disciples we have no concern for our own needs.  But the nurture of the faithful is most beautifully fulfilled when they are engaged in reaching out in miraculous expectation to those beyond the community of miraculous expectation…Very definitively, the result of transformation is joy that enhances personal wellness and self-esteem. 

 The source of our common mission is none other than Jesus' vision.  At the beginning of his earthly ministry, He announced the vision:  "The kingdom of God is at hand."  He codified it in the Lord's Prayer in the words, "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."  Everything He said and did while on earth reinforced this vision.

 Today the Holy Spirit is available as the power source for the glorious transformation of lives.

 The Episcopal Church in the United States has been increasingly influenced by our efforts and the efforts of other dioceses to transition into a missionary church from a predominately maintenance-dominated church culture.  The General Convention meeting in Denver during the summer of 2000 adopted a national goal to double the size of the Episcopal Church by the year 2020.  Dioceses that have become missionary in focus are now gaining insights from each other.

 Click here for the complete presentation. (http://www.epicenter.org/attachments/missionEn.ppt)

             You will soon hear more about this challenge to change the way a diocese—our diocese—sees its mission and does its ministry. Those who attended the conference returned eager to share what they experienced.

Click here for pictures of our group at "Clear Vision".