One year and counting!  On February 6 we celebrated our first anniversary as a community of faith.  How nervous I was to go to this meeting in Boyd, wondering what we would say and do.  I prayed that morning, asking our Lord to let me speak His words and to fill me with His peace.  It was an exciting thought that, with God’s help, we were going to bring the wonderful Episcopal tradition to Wise and her surrounding counties.

I mentioned one time during the announcements how “we have waited so long to have a church building.”  After I said that I said, “Well, I guess it wasn’t that long, seeing as it has only been 3 months from our very first organizational meeting!”  We kind of laughed at that.  Plus, it was only 3-1/2 months before we were appointed a Priest-in-Charge. Because of all the hard work of our faithful congregation we have a beautiful historic building in which to worship.

We had our very first Annual Parish meeting on January 31, 2016.  Canon Janet Waggoner helped us as we made goals as a Mission Station in the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth.  At that meeting our first Bishop’s Committee was established.

Class of 2017

Clydie Walker

Pat McGowan – Clerk

Class of 2018

Jill McClendon – Senior Warden

Julie Lundy-Booker

Class of 2019

Angie Whitley – Treasurer

Ellen Whitley – Junior Warden

At this time, I would like to give thanks for the following contributions which allow us to have a beautiful space in which to worship and to help things run smoothly:

• Hand-made altar, Paschal candle stand, lectern, credence table, candle holders, altar book stand, stand for the processional cross, Sanctus bell box.

• Hand sewn frontals for the altar and lectern as well as veils and burses for the chalice, in white, purple, green, and soon to be—red.

• Hand-hewn cedar cross which hangs on the wall behind our altar.

• 1965 Conn organ which was donated by a member of the Decatur community. We give thanks for the donation by one of our members for the repair of the organ.  It sounds wonderful.

• For our organist who prayerfully chooses our hymns and leads us in our “Joyful noise unto the Lord…” — Psalm 100.  Music makes for a beautiful experience during worship.

• For our great priest and his precious wife for leading us and feeding us with God’s word and showing us the love of Christ.

• For all who serve: our acolytes, lay readers, and ushers.  You’re the best!

• For those who dust, sweep, and clean the sanctuary. It’s great that we have folks to help keep our building tidy.

• For our newly formed Bishop’s Committee.  Now we can really move forward to do what God has planned for us.

• For all who bring goodies (coffee, donuts, other sweet and savory snacks) for our social time after the service.

• For those offering to organize a Mission of the Month, and to all who donate. It amazes me each time we collect items to donate.  The hearts of this congregation are caring and giving—it makes me so proud.

Please forgive me if I have forgotten anything.  I also want to thank you all for your support of our journey in this area of the diocese.  Without your prayers it would have been a difficult year.  Hard work, prayer, love, God’s grace, His guidance—all these have been with us on this walk.  I know we will continue down the right path because Jesus walks with us each step of the way.

May God richly bless each and every one of you.