Information Regarding the ECW Retreat

Subject: Jesus Is A Girl's Best Friend-115th ECW Annual Retreat I am excited to extend a special invitation for ALL the women of your church to attend the 115th Annual Retreat for Women at Camp Allen this fall, October 15-16, a full two-days and two nights. St. James’, Houston, is hosting this year, with the theme “Jesus Is A Girl’s Best Friend.” Bishop Jeff Fisher will celebrate our opening Eucharist on Saturday morning, and The Rev. Victor Thomas will conclude worship with our Sunday morning Eucharist. Jan Bethancourt, author of “Be Empowered! Eat Chocolate with Breakfast,” is the keynote speaker, urging attendees to recognize and embrace their strengths and to believe in themselves. An artist, author and motivational speaker, Bethancourt discovered that creative passions can combine to create a mission with passion for encouragement.  We will offer a variety of inspirational workshops, fellowship with other Christian women, and time to relax at Camp Allen. Fran Lantz from St. Christopher’s, League City, will share information on Days for Girls, the ECW diocesan outreach project to provide sustainable hygiene kits and health education to school-aged girls in developing countries. On Saturday night we will share time with our girlfriends. Participants are being encouraged to come in their PJ’s to play games and share in laughter with their besties.  We will also honor special women from our diocese. If you would like to nominate someone from your church for the Honored Women’s program, please download the information at http://www.epicenter.org/ecw-funds/. All Honored Women will receive recognition during the retreat.   Attached is a registration brochure in PDF format (select print on both sides of paper when printing it out) for the retreat. Remember: share with the women of your church. Please pay close attention to the registration deadline which is October 7, 2016.  Online registration and more information can be found at http://www.epicenter.org/ecw-annual-retreat/. (Note: the registration brochure can be found in the Narthex on the information table. Our outreach project for the Annual Retreat is Lord of the Streets, located in Houston. The mission of Lord of the Streets Episcopal Church is to offer spiritual, physical, emotional and social ministry to Houston’s homeless and disadvantaged. Retreat participants are encouraged to bring plastic bags (grocery bags, take out bags, dry cleaner bags, etc.) to the retreat where they will learn to turn these plastic bags into Plarn (plastic yarn). The Plarn is then used to create sleep mats to benefit the homeless. Toiletries, Walmart and Target gift cards and monetary donations will also be collected to benefit the Lord of the Streets. Please encourage ALL women in your congregation to attend this retreat by sharing this information in your newsletters, meetings and email lists. I promise it will be a worthwhile and spiritually enriching experience for everyone attending! Come, join us as we gather, celebrate and give thanks for the 115 years of ministry and mission of the Episcopal Church Women in the Diocese of Texas.  Do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions. I look forward to seeing you there! Faithfully,    Lisa M. Martin Diocese of Texas Episcopal Church Women President 512-431-7716 Commitment Sunday With the Atrium Kids

Father Billy explains to the Atrium kids that they can commit to do good things as their very own ministries. The Atria now has thirty children registered.  Thanks be to God!