Saturday, June 15, 2019

Bishop Fisher to Celebrate Eucharist and Preach at St. Francis of Assisi


The Rt. Reverend Jeff W. Fisher, Bishop Suffragan of the Diocese of Texas is the preacher and celebrant at St. Francis of Assisi Episcopal Church in Prairie View on Sunday, June 23, 2019 at 11:00 a.m.  The public is invited to the service which will be followed by a reception in the Parish Hall.
 
Reverend Fisher serves as the regional bishop of the Eastern Region of the Diocese. He was elected bishop Suffragan and consecrated in 2012. In addition to his visitations to parishes and missions, Bishop Fisher serves as executive for pastoral ministries, including clergy and their families.

He serves on numerous boards and institutions, including the Episcopal Church Women, Daughters of the King, Altar Guild, the Little Church Club, All Saints’ Episcopal School in Tyler, St. Vincent’s House in Galveston and St. James House, the diocesan retirement community in Baytown.

Bishop  Fisher  is  known  for  his  compelling  preaching,  his  focus  on  evangelism  and  his  encouragement  of  the  laity.  He teaches homiletics at the Iona School for Ministry. A graduate of The University of Texas, Austin,  Bishop  Fisher  was  previously  CFO  for  Hand  Benefits  &  Trust,  Inc., Houston. He received a Master in Divinity in 2004 and was awarded a Doctor of Divinity in 2013, both from Virginia Theological Seminary. 

Ordained in 2004, Bishop Fisher served as curate at St. Mary’s, Cypress, before being called as rector at St. Alban’s, Waco, where he ushered in a time of unprecedented growth.

Bishop Fisher and his wife Susan have two adult sons, Scott and John.  The Fishers reside in Tyler, Texas.

Additionally, the church will recognize Reverend Cynthia Engle for her eight years of service at St. Francis of Assisi on Sunday, June 30 at 11:00 a.m. The public is invited to worship and the reception. 

Call 936-857-3272 for information.

Monday, June 10, 2019

Willie J. Alexander is speaker for Men's Prayer Breakfast at St. Francis of Assisi


Mr. Willie J. Alexander of Houston, Texas is the speaker for the Men's Prayer Breakfast at St. Francis of Assisi Episcopal Church, set for Saturday, June 15, 2019 at 8:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. in the Parish Hall the church on 204 Dooley Street.  The Free Breakfast is open to the men of the community. Please call 936-857-3272 or email: stfrancispv@sbcglobal.net to confirm attendance.

Mr. Alexander, is Principal and President of W. J. Alexander & Associates, P.C., (WJA), a full-service employee benefits consulting, property & casualty, and insurance brokerage firm. 

Willie graduated from Alcorn State University where he was a first team All SWAC and first team Pittsburgh Courier All American football player. With a degree in Business Administration, he began his professional football career playing defensive back for the Houston Oilers.  His entrepreneurial skills were developed after several years as a lead broker for major insurance companies specializing in life insurance, group health insurance and estate preservation. He established the firm in 1980 and expanded his expertise and service to employee benefits consulting in response to business clients’ need for an optimum mix of insurance coverage and cost containment measures.  He has more than 36 years work experience in group health and welfare benefits, specializing in proposal and renewal processes, benefit analysis, plan design, implementation and marketing group insurance products, and business continuation.  His clients include multi state and international employers of all sizes in diverse industries, with as few as 25 and as many as 30,000 employees. Mr. Alexander is also a Certified Life Underwriter.

As an active participant in industry, business, and civic associations, Mr. Alexander volunteers countless hours to charitable and civic organizations and is a member of various boards.  He currently serves on the board of Amegy Bank of Texas, as well as the boards of Harris County Houston Sports Authority, Texas Children’s Hospital, Texas Workforce Commission, Pro-Vision Charter School, Cyvia and Melvyn Wolff Family Foundation, Texas Southern University Foundation where he serves as Vice Chair, and The 100 Club. He has previously served on the board of the Greater Houston Partnership, as Vice Chair of the African-American Community Campaign for the United Way of the Texas Gulf Coast and was corporate campaign Chairman for the United Negro College Fund and Houston’s Ensemble Theatre.  He is a former President of the Ronald McDonald House, the Harris County Heritage Society, and The Houston Forum Board of Directors and is past chairman of the Greater Houston Partnership Member Services Committee.

In looking to the future, WJA continues to compete to better service its clients as the financial services sector continually evolves.  WJA has always been more than just an insurance brokerage and its service platform has grown to incorporate additional advisory services including human resources, risk management, and technology consulting.  WJA still believes that the opportunities for growth in the insurance and financial services industry are limitless, and the firm pursues those opportunities enthusiastically.

His life has been guided by the God's promise in Jeremiah 29:11, “I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

St. Francis of Assisi will also host the Houston Foodbank/Kraft Mobile Food distribution at the church on 204 Dooley Street on Thursday, June 20, 2019 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and every third Thursday of the month.  The free fruits and vegetables distribution is available to anyone in need in Waller County Area. No qualifications required.  Patrons are asked to bring bags, boxes or carts to carry the food items. Persons will be also able to sign up for other social services, i.e. SNAPS. CHIP and TANF, etc.)  Please share this information with persons you feel will benefit from the service.

Members of the community are also invited to attend Bible Study/Christian Education is held on Sunday from 9:30 – 10:30 a.m. Our Sunday services begin at 11:00 a.m.

The next Prayer Breakfast on June 15, 2019.

St. Francis of Assisi Episcopal Church
204 Dooley Street
Prairie View, TX 77445
936-857-3272
stfrancispv@sbcglobal.net

Saturday, June 8, 2019

Reverend Cynthia L. Engle bids farewell to St. Francis of Assisi

The Reverend Dr. Cynthia L. Engle completed eight years as Rector of St. Francis of Assisi Episcopal Church in Prairie View on June 30, 2019.  Members of the church paid homage to Engle following the service with a reception and recognition with a plaque and flowers for her service in the Parish Hall.
Engle joined St. Francis on July 1, 2011 after a two year stint as Deacon and Priest with St. Mark's in Beaumont, where she covered all aspects of Parish Ministry and the implementation of Stephen Ministry. Engle also served as Rector of St. Paul’s Navasota, concurrently with St. Francis.
As rector for both churches, Engle brought her experiences in virtually every aspect of Church life, including officiating, preaching, music ministry, worship leadership, altar guild, Lay Eucharistic Ministry, acolytes, cross-cultural outreach with international communities in USA and England working with the homeless, hospital and chaplaincy.  The members benefitted from the rich experiences which broadened their commitment to being servants of Christ to the communities at large.
In parting, Engle stated that while she would have loved to retire from the Diocese as the rector for the churches, she understands that time brings about a change and wished the members the best in Christ.
She began her professional career as a music teacher in Cypress Fairbanks Independent School District and completed stints with the Corpus Christi Independent School District, Corpus Christi and Incarnate Word Academy in Corpus Christi.  Her other experiences include serving as an Adjunct Professor of Old Testament at the Fuller Theological Seminary Regional Campuses (Texas, California, Colorado, Nevada and Arizona); Tutorial supervisions in Hebrew grammar and text, Cambridge, UK; Teaching Assistant, Old Testament and Greek tutorials, Trinity School for Ministry, Ambridge, PA, teaching at the Philharmonic Summer Workshops in Laredo.  Her other experiences include stints with the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment Service in  Phoenix, AZ and the Bethlehem Haven Shelter for Women in Pittsburgh, PA.
Reverend Engle’s service in the ministry began in 1996 in Arizona where she served as Director for Ioize Worship Group in the Diocese of Arizona, followed with services as a Volunteer Lay Chaplain with St. Luke's Medical Center in Phoenix, Pastoral Assistant, Good Shepherd of the Hills Episcopal Church, Cave Creek, Director of Christian Education, Christ Church of the Ascension and Deacon, Christ Church of the Ascension in Paradise Valley, Arizona. She also completed medical missions to Diocese of Honduras, Central America.
In 2008, Reverend Engle returned to Texas and was ordained a Deacon in December 2008 in the Episcopal Diocese of Texas.  She received her ordination in December 2009
Engle holds the Bachelor of Music from Texas A&M University, Corpus Christi, Master of Divinity from Trinity School for Ministry, Ambridge, PA and the Ph.D. in Old Testament from the University of Cambridge, Cambridge, England and certificates in continuing education in Hebrew Reading from Fuller Seminary Southwest and Languages from Phoenix College in Phoenix, Arizona.
She is the recipient of many awards including academic grants and scholarships from Trinity in Cambridge and Selwyn College and Faculty of Divinity, University of Cambridge, Fuller Seminary Southwest and Mercer, the Board of Women Graduates and the Outstanding Greek Award from Trinity School for Ministry.
As a musician, she’s enjoyed a lifelong and ongoing freelance musical performances with Music Societies at Cambridge University, Cambridge, England, the Mesa Symphony, Mesa, AZ, Symphony North Houston, Corpus Christi Symphony, the Laredo Philharmonic and the Prairie View A&M University Symphonic Band.
Engle was born in Waco and grew up in Houston. She has a son Brian, who teaches gymnastics and daughters Christine, a stylist and theatre director, and a foster daughter Heather Ryland, an artist.

Saturday, June 1, 2019

Canon Kai Ryan Consecrated as Bishop Suffragan - Diocese of Texas

The Rev. Canon Kathryn McCrossen Ryan, former Canon to the Ordinary for The Diocese of Texas, was consecrated in Westover Hills Church of Christ in Austin on Saturday, June 1, 2019. Ryan was elected bishop suffragan at the 170th Diocesan Council at The Woodlands Waterway Marriott February 22, 2019.

She will have oversight of congregations in the western region of the diocese, with an office in Austin. A bishop suffragan is an assisting bishop and serves under the direction of the diocesan bishop, in this case, the Rt. Rev. C. Andrew Doyle, Bishop of Texas. In addition to her Episcopal visitations (and confirmations), Ryan will also serve as the Chair of the Austin-area institutions: The Seminary of the Southwest, St. Stephen’s Episcopal School and El Buen Samaritano.

The Most Rev. Michael Bruce Curry, presiding bishop of The Episcopal Church was the chief consecrator, joined by Bishop Doyle, Bishop Suffragan Jeff W. Fisher, Bishop Assistant Hector Monterroso and other bishops across the country to ordain Ryan. Bishop Doyle was the preacher during the service.

“Kai, you are meant to sing to those who are far off and those who are near. To those who have found their way within God’s garden walls and those who do not yet know the gospel. All people need to be reminded of God’s song,” said Doyle during his sermon.




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