The Big Bend Episcopal Mission 510 N 6th St. Alpine, Texas

Parish Profile 2017

We are a welcoming community in the Episcopal tradition seeking to be part of

the Kingdom of God by serving Christ in the world with vision, courage and joy.

Our Mission Statement Big Bend Episcopal Mission is a community of Prayer and Worship, proclamation of the Gospel and the Promotion of justice, peace, healing, love and committed to serving all of God's children.

Our mission consists of St. James Episcopal Church, Alpine, and in “South County” Santa Inez, Terlingua Ghostown, and The Chapel of Saints Mary & Joseph, Lajitas. Our office is in Alpine, at St. James’ Episcopal Church.

Big Bend Episcopal Mission 2017

Search for Part Time Priest

We are looking for a priest who will be rooted in serving the people of the Big Bend Episcopal Mission. This part time position offers an opportunity to provide ministry and pastoral care for our communities. We are part of the Borderland Ministries of the Diocese of the Rio Grande, a warm and welcoming group reaching out to even small communities on the border of Texas and New Mexico.

These are exciting and challenging times in the Diocese of Rio Grande – across the diocese, church communities are partnering together in Mission Areas to allow themselves to be stronger together and prepared for growth.

We hope after you read our profile, you will find that we fit your call for ministry. We are looking forward to finding an enthusiastic partner in helping us to build our congregation.

Please send your resume, and cover letter to the Diocese of the Rio Grande Transitions Officer, The Rev. Canon Raymond Raney at rraney@dioceserg.org.

Table of Contents

Who We Are ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1

The Big Bend of Texas ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3

The Church as People ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4

Our Worship --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5

Outreach Services & Programs ------------------------------------------------------------------- 6

Our Churches -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7

Our Vision at Big Bend Episcopal Mission ------------------------------------------------------- 9

Qualities We Seek in Our Next Priest ------------------------------------------------------------ 9

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Big Bend Episcopal Mission 2017

Who We Are at the Big Bend Episcopal Mission

Our three congregations are small but spirit-filled: St. James, Alpine has 40 on the rolls with an average

Sunday attendance of about 25 members; Santa Inez, Terlingua, about six; and Chapel of St. Mary & St. Joseph,

Lajitas, three or more, when visitors and staff from the Lajitas Resort attend.

All together, we are an important, vital, and visible part of our communities. We love where we live and

those we live with. Alpine, the county seat of Brewster County, is largest of the 254 counties in Texas. Terlingua

and Lajitas are in the southern part of Brewster County, an area often referred to as “South County.” Altogether,

Jeff Davis, Brewster, and Presidio counties comprise the sprawling Big Bend area. We are some 18,000-people

living within 12,313 square miles--and we love it that way. Alpine has a population of more than 6,000, and

Terlingua and Lajitas have a year-round population of plus-or-minus 275, with a larger seasonal-resident and

tourist population during the cooler months.

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Big Bend Episcopal Mission 2017 Alpine, Texas

Alpine is a college town, with Sul Ross State University, a school of some 2,000 students,

being our main employer, along with various local, state, and federal government jobs. The

university offers many opportunities for advanced learning and new experiences for residents

and students, and it contributes fine cultural events for the entire area and houses the Museum

of the Big Bend.

Alpine has many events including Art Walks; Viva Big Bend

(music); Cinco de Mayo; Cowboy Poetry Gathering; Trappings of Texas

(western art show); R3 Art Show (recycled and repurposed media

sponsored by Big Bend Art Council); Native Plant Sale; Master Gardeners

group; Hummingbird Count; Big Bend Gem and Mineral Show; Saturday

morning Farmers’ Market; Recycling Center; Sul Ross State University

(SRSU) theater offering performances indoors and at an outdoor

amphitheater; SRSU music series. Alpine Community Band and Big Bend

Community Chorale shows; Travel Talks at the Alpine Public Library; annual Quilt Show and two quilting groups

(Desert Sky Quilters Guild and Busy Bee Quilters); Kiwanis 4th of July Celebration; active Rotary and Lions Clubs;

Flea Markets; a semi-pro baseball team, the Alpine Cowboys; Star Parties at McDonald Observatory in Fort Davis;

Community Thanksgiving dinner; Community Thanksgiving Service; and Easter Sunrise Service; National Day of

Prayer; a live nativity during the Christmas season; Alpine ISD student activities; annual photography contest;

and the Marathon 2 Marathon.

As often happens in college towns, our membership ebbs and flows as students, faculty and staff come

and go. In 2014, St. James lost almost half our congregation through deaths and members moving from the

area. (One member says, “We are the church that launches people.”) With these losses came a steep decline in

income. Despite this stark reality, we moved ahead with community involvement, outreach, a regular schedule

of services, Christian formation and bringing new people into our church. One hundred percent of our regular

donors pledged to support a new priest.

“South County”

The Terlingua, Lajitas areas comprise approximately fifty square miles, yet we have a small-town

atmosphere and a close-knit community. Life can be difficult at times with 100 degree + temperatures for four

months of the year and little rainfall, but the caring and concern for our friends and neighbors more than make

up for that. We are a diverse community of Anglos and Hispanics, conservatives and liberals, hippies and

survivalists, atheists and evangelicals, uneducated and highly educated, rich and poor, etc. What sets us apart

is our willingness to set aside differences to work together for our community, whether it’s a fundraiser for our

local volunteer fire department or for someone’s medical bills, building a school, or taking turns to care for

someone who has hit on hard times. Located in the remote area between Big Bend National Park and Big Bend

Ranch State Park, Terlingua and Lajitas are situated on the Mexican Border. We have always had close ties with

the Mexican communities along the Rio Grande. Though border closure in 2002 after the 9-11 attacks negatively

affected the communities on both sides, we have been able to maintain our ties through cross border events

(having to travel many miles to cross at legal crossings until the reopening of the Boquillas crossing in April

2013) and sheer determination.

Events in Terlingua include Farmer’s Market; Chili Cook-offs; New Year’s Day “Black-Eyed Pea Off”; Dutch

Oven Cook-off; mountain bike race; Homecoming of families who worked the Chisos Mining Company mine; Day

of the Dead (Nov 2); music performances at the Starlight Theatre; Voices from Both Sides, a Community-Building

International Project of Music & Hope (in the Rio Grande at Lajitas every May); Terlingua CSD student activities;

and the Chihuahua Races, an annual fundraiser.

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Big Bend Episcopal Mission 2017

The Big Bend of Texas

The Big Bend is in the high desert of Far West Texas, part of the

great Chihuahuan Desert, which lies mostly in Mexico, but extends

northward across the entire western “wing” of Texas and into southern

New Mexico and extreme southeastern Arizona. In the mountains,

summers are temperate and winters mild, with occasional snow. Along the

Rio Grande, summers are scorchers with many residents fleeing to cooler

climates for the season. Temperate winters attract snowbirds from across

the country. Our area is close to two national parks, a national historic

site, three state parks, vast ranches, beautiful mountains, and desert scrub

scenery. Our beckoning vistas attract hikers, astronomers, nature lovers, eccentrics and retirees with expertise

in everything from poetry to physics.

There are 18+ churches in Alpine. The community has many very involved in the work of the Kingdom;

some who shy away from traditional Christianity – they’d rather take a hike than come to church; and many

unchurched.

Living in the Big Bend is a beautiful, intellectually stimulating, diversity-celebrating, multicultural

experience. We see the Milky Way each night; have beautiful sunrises and sunsets; have world-class art as well

as a ranching heritage; a uniquely multifaceted population; and a genuine respect and camaraderie for one

another.

Follow these links to see and learn more about us and where we live:

http://visitalpinetx.com/

http://bigbendtravelguide.com/

http://visitbigbend.com/

http://www.bigbendepiscopalmission.org

www.mcdonaldsobservatory.org

www.alpinetexas.com

http://alpine.pecosleague.com/

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Big Bend Episcopal Mission 2017

The Church as People

Alpine, St. James’ Episcopal Church

Our core congregation tends to be in the 45 to 80 age range with younger families and children among

those who come and go with college or job assignments. None of us are wealthy; some struggle financially, but

the majority of members pledge financial support annually.

We use the 1979 Prayer Book at all services and sing from the 1982 hymnal – and wish we knew more

of the hymns new to that book. All our Worship Leaders are trained and licensed.

Our members are all active members, using our gifts for the good of the Body.

Since August 2015, The Rev. Kay Jennings has been our Priest in Charge; then Vicar (Dec 2016). She

has joined in our congregational life with enthusiasm and broadened pastoral care opportunities as well as

teaching, celebrating, and preaching with faith and creative imagination. Her retirement came June 1, 2017.

While there is a core group of people at St. James who do a lot of

work, because our numbers are few, all participate significantly. Members

interact and work together, and relationships are correspondingly close.

Recognizing the need and desire to attract young families with children,

we began a Godly Play program which serves children from the Mission

and community. Another great strength of our group is the general

openness, acceptance, and welcome given to everyone. Children are

welcomed and cherished, as are the childish sounds they might bring to

the services. St. James has a service, Holy Eucharist or Morning Prayer,

every Sunday, complete with a most gifted organist who has been playing

to God’s glory at St. James’ for 25 years.

Attendance varies from 20 to 30 at Sunday Eucharist, 15 to 20 at Morning Prayer; and 2 to 8 at weekday services.

Attendance is greater at Christmas and Easter services. Many Alpine residents tend to leave town for the

holidays; yet they are often replaced by visiting relatives of those who stay at home.

Terlingua, Santa Inez Church

Santa Inez church in the Terlingua Ghostown meets for Holy Eucharist on the first Saturday and the third

Sunday of the month when we have a priest. From May thru September there are no services held at Santa Inez

(no air conditioning and very intense heat in these months). We are informal and welcoming, even sharing the

church with a family of swallows and other critters which happen to wander in.

Our congregants are friends in and out of church, so when, like all small communities, we have our

differences of opinions and minor conflicts, we work through them and continue to work closely and to worship

side by side. We’re decision makers, consensus builders and doers. We’re truly thankful

that we have a place to come together to worship and to share our troubles and our

joys--and for us, that is what makes us a church.

As there is no active Roman Catholic parish in Terlingua, many Catholics attend

our services on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, Easter, and Christmas. In an effort to

make the services more accessible to all who attend and in the hope that they will

attend more often, we now have bilingual prayer books, and we switch between

English and Spanish throughout the service. A Spanish speaking priest would be a plus.

Because Terlingua is a seasonal residence for many, attendance depends on the time

of year and the type of service. The average attendance for Morning Prayer and Holy

Eucharist is seven, but on Easter attendance swells to forty, and on Christmas, to sixty.

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Big Bend Episcopal Mission 2017

Lajitas, Chapel of Saints Mary & Joseph

The Chapel of Saint Mary & Saint Joseph, Lajitas, meets for Holy Eucharist the third

Sunday of the month, when we have a priest. This is a resort area where the attendees

are mostly employees of the resort and some people that live in the area. There are usually

tourists from the resort at the services but in the hot months the tourism is light.

The attendance varies from 3 to 6 and then larger on special holidays.

Our Worship at The Big Bend Episcopal Mission

Alpine, St James’ Episcopal Church

• Sunday – Godly Play before the service, September thru May.

Holy Eucharist Rite II is our service when a priest is here. When a priest is not here, we have

a lay-lead Rite II Morning Prayer service with a sermon from Sermons that Work. Coffee hour

or potluck lunch follows.

Bible Study, 1-2 pm second Sunday of the month thru last Sunday of the month.

Taize Service followed by a soup, salad, and bread supper on the last Sunday of the month,

September thru May.

• Monday – Centering Prayer at 12:30 pm; includes many

participants that do not attend on Sundays.

• Tuesday – Informal gathering to pray for our church, its

members, and other needs/thanksgivings, meeting in

congregants’ homes.

• Wednesday –Centering Prayer, 5:30 pm

• Friday – Evening Prayer and Prayers for the Healing of the

World; in the choir by candle light and setting sun. Rite II

Evening Prayer with prayers also from Compline and the

heart. Offering goes to the United Thank Offering.

• Saturday – Prayers over the Pews; prayers by a small group praying for an increase in our numbers, also

the needs and thanksgivings regarding members of church and community; and on first Saturdays,

Stations of the Cross/of the Resurrection.

• Fourth Saturday morning – A meeting of the Thelma C. Hoyle Chapter of the Order of St. Luke at Big

Bend Regional Medical Center followed by a Teaching & Testimony Time, patient visitations, and a healing

prayer service, 9:30-noon. We have lunch together after, at a local restaurant.

Since 2010 St. James has had 3 baptisms, 14 confirmations and 1 reception, 1 wedding, 8 funerals and 1 burial

service.

A member of St. James’ is beginning the process for ordination to the diaconate (classes start in September).

St. James has 5 Worship Leaders, 16 Lectors, 4 Eucharistic Ministers, 2 Eucharistic Visitors, and 5 Bulletin makers.

Terlingua, Santa Inez Church

Santa Inez church in the Terlingua Ghostown meets for Holy Eucharist on the first Saturday and the third Sunday

of the month, Sept-May, when we have a priest.

Since 2010 Terlingua has had 1 baptism, 1 reception, 1 wedding, 1 funeral and 1 memorial service.

Lajitas, Chapel of Saints Mary & Joseph

The Chapel of Saints Mary & Saint Joseph meets for Holy Eucharist the third Sunday of the month, year-round,

when we have a priest.

Since 2010 Lajitas has had 4 confirmations.

“South County” has 3 Lectors and 2 Bulletin makers.

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Big Bend Episcopal Mission 2017

Outreach Services & Programs

• We gather food for the Alpine Food Pantry that has five food distributions a month. Two members are

on the Board of Directors, and some members volunteer during distributions.

• We participate in the Alpine Ministerial Alliance with rotating hospital chaplaincy; in ringing the bell for

the Salvation Army at Christmas; and in the Alliance-sponsored Thanksgiving Community Service,

Easter Sunrise Service, and National Day of Prayer. Donations are used to provide emergency help,

such as for medicine, one night’s lodging if stranded, help to prevent utilities being cut off; to give

students in need school supplies; and to have a Christian radio station broadcast. Monthly meetings

with lunch are hosted at St. James’ twice a year. A member is the organization’s vice president. A

member is on the rotation to write articles for the Alpine Avalanche’s Church page. Three members

regularly attend the monthly meetings.

• We pay our diocesan Fair Share and National Church assessment in full.

• We are active in Borderland ministry along the Rio Grande.

• We contribute to the UTO each year.

• We help Casa Hogar, an orphanage in Ojinaga, through our church, the SE Deanery, and the Diocese

with collections of needed items, POB grants, and a member serving on the Board of Directors.

• We participate in the Good Friday Offering for the Holy Land each year.

• Summer 2015 our community donated a truckload of clothing, towels, sheets and bedding for the

refugee centers in El Paso, which was delivered by two of our Santa Inez congregants who then spent

two weeks as volunteers working directly with Central American refugee families in one of the centers.

• Thelma C. Hoyle Chapter of the International Order of St. Luke the Physician, interdenominational

monthly meetings, visitation, and service at the hospital in Alpine as previously described. The Chapter

also holds an annual conference at the First Presbyterian Church. Each year we have speakers to

inform, inspire, and equip those called to a healing prayer ministry.

• Excellent Altar Guild person and backup, who have the church, linens, amplification system ready for

each service.

• Altar flowers are provided and arranged by a four-person Flower Committee.

• Volunteers keep the grounds beautiful.

• Hospitality volunteers make sure there are refreshments for coffee hour and organize First Sunday

potlucks as well as meals celebrating special occasions.

• A committee looks after building maintenance and repairs; doing what they are able to do, and

apprising the Bishop’s Committee of work that must be outsourced.

• Sunshine House serves the senior community in Alpine: it is supported by many of our members, a

member is on its Board of Directors.

• Social media: We have a website and Facebook page, taken care of by members. Terlingua members

communicate to the area via Facebook and items in the Terlingua Moon newspaper.

• Otra Vez, the only thrift shop in South County, is operated by local volunteers and is vital to the “South

County” community. The area has one gas station, one grocery store, a handful of restaurants, a

hardware store, quilt shop and bakery. The nearest shopping areas are 80 miles north in Alpine or 60

miles west along the winding river road to Presidio. The high rate of poverty coupled by the isolation

makes it difficult for many residents to buy clothing and household items. Many in the area don't have

vehicles, gas money, or cannot take time off work to leave the "South County" area. Otra Vez offers

inexpensive clothing, bedding, and housewares. It financially supports the Terlingua congregation and

the Haislip Fund, which is used to meet the needs of the numerous poor in that area, including

contributing to the Boquillas Santa program. With assistance from the Diocese we have doubled the size

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Big Bend Episcopal Mission 2017

of the store, installed a composting toilet, built a shaded staging area and will now be able to stock small

appliances and some furniture. Once informed of the need for more storage space, an Alpine member

hosted a Christmas Open House & Cottage fundraiser raising half of the amount needed for a large

intermodal container. Members of the church and Centering Prayer contributed items and food which

were sold at the fundraiser. Soon, the new storage area will be placed and used to keep merchandise

out of the weather and prepare it for resale.

Hospitality and Fellowship

• Community monthly pot luck

• We offer chamber music concerts and receptions each year for the entire community.

• Cookie Ministry. Cookies are baked and bagged with a note, then distributed after Christmas Eve

service by those in attendance. Cookies are taken to members of the community working on Christmas

Eve, including law enforcement, motel/hotel staff, hospital staff, convenience store workers, etc. This

past Christmas over 20 deliveries were made.

• A monthly Taizé service with supper attracts members and non-members alike, and includes Taize

chants led by local musicians. It is an outreach to SRSU students who have no campus food service on

Sunday evenings and members of the community. Twenty people attend regularly.

• Centering Prayer attracts members and non-members alike; a half day retreat is held every two

months; plus, workshops, such as one on Welcoming Prayer led by Pamela Begeman of Contemplative

Outreach.

• Our parish hall has been used for meetings such as The Native Plant Society, Alpine Texas Garden Club

and other groups.

Our Churches at Big Bend Episcopal Mission

Alpine, St. James’ Episcopal Church

St. James’ church building, which holds about one hundred

people, was built in 1955 with cinder blocks donated by the

community, one by one. It stands on what was then a vacant

lot; the parish hall now stands where the original church was

built. We are in a residential neighborhood, just across the

street from the elementary school. The congregation is over

100 years old, and many of the church furnishings date from

the founders, while other things, like our unique stained-glass

windows, have been donated and dedicated through the years. The stained glass on either side of the altar

was created by a nationally known stained-glass

artist who lives up the road in Fort Davis. The

baptismal font was designed by a member, the

bowl made by an Austin potter and the metal

work was done by an Alpine metal artist who is

also a member. We were recently gifted with

pew cushions from the congregation in

Lovington, NM. Our fellowship hall and the

sacristy were repainted in 2016. In the best Big

Bend tradition, it’s all debt free! And in good

condition.

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Big Bend Episcopal Mission 2017

The church has excellent acoustics and a small grand piano

in addition to a very good electric organ, all of which creates

fine music for our services and makes possible concerts for

the community. Area musicians include Juilliard graduates,

Sul Ross music students and faculty and former symphony

performers. Our concerts attract audiences of 75 to 90, and

are free and open to the community. Enthusiastic audiences

join the artists for post-concert receptions.

Our thirty-year-old roof was replaced in 2011 and

again, after a thunderous, golf ball-sized hailstorm in 2013,

costs borne by our insurance. The Vicar’s office is a small,

light-filled room on the north side of the church. It adjoins

the chancel and has its own lavatory and outside entrance.

Our parish hall has a large modern kitchen, parlor with library for Centering Prayer, spiritual direction, and small

meetings; a Godly Play classroom; and a large gathering room where potlucks, meetings, and socials occur

regularly. A media center in this room allows interface, via Google Hangout, with the Diocesan headquarters in

Albuquerque and with our members in South County. Both buildings have forced air heat and evaporative cooling

(known to all as swamp coolers) that provide chilled, moisturized air in the dry desert climate when the weather’s

warm. In front of the parish hall, we have a native-limestone patio under the trees, surrounded by native plants.

Benches under the trees offer a cool spot for reading, coffee hours and rest for neighborhood walkers. Future

plans include a columbarium. The back yard is fenced, grassy, and shaded by pecan trees, a native desert willow,

pine trees, and pear trees complete the behind-the-church landscape.

Terlingua, Santa Inez Church

The Terlingua congregation meets in a unique church building in the Terlingua

Ghostown, that part of Terlingua that was home to and headquarters of the cinnabar mining

industry in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The adobe church building dates from this

time and is called Santa Inez. It is viewed as a consecrated space by the community and has

beautiful, often hand-made, furnishings including stained glass windows designed by a local

artist depicting plants of the Chihuahuan Desert and installed by a local artisan. Recently a

large wooden statue of the Virgin of Guadalupe was added. The building is privately owned

by the person who also owns the Ghostown, a member of a long-time South County family.

He is pleased to have us use the building at no cost to us. There is no electricity or air-

conditioning in the building although an adjoining building offers the possibility of an

extension cord. In the winter, the building is heated by a wood burning stove for the Sunday

service.

Lajitas, Chapel of Saints Mary & Joseph

The Chapel of Saints Mary & Joseph, is a beautiful small

building owned by the resort. It is air-conditioned and heated in

winter. The resort sees that the Chapel is cooled or heated before

each service. The building has stained-glass windows and nice

pews and chancel. The story is that many years ago Otra Vez

(thrift shop) was once in the resort area and the old church was

run down, so Otra Vez funds restored the church to the fine state

it is in today.

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Big Bend Episcopal Mission 2017

Our Vision at Big Bend Episcopal Mission

As a church family, we intend to grow and inspire this family, to heal any old hurts of the past, and to

accept all who seek God's love and Christian friendship, even those who may differ from ourselves in sexual

orientation, political viewpoints, age, and ethnicity.

We are seeking ways to reach out to young people to bring them to Christ. We want to turn around

our decline in membership with prayers and work within the congregation. We want to reach out to anyone

who needs help in a difficult time. We hope, with new members, to share our duties and spread the Word. We

have members who have given a lot their time and talents to our church. We want to do our part to help

shape our future, and we look forward to sharing our viewpoints and challenges with a new priest.

Qualities We Seek in Our Next Priest

Our priest should join with us as witness to Christ and walk with us in partnership in the beautiful Big

Bend of Texas. We are people for whom the Holy Eucharist is the most essential activity of the church, and we

need someone who has personal spiritual depth and who can inspire others. We are looking for a person that is

down to earth, spiritually expressive, caring, dynamic and intellectually engaging. We are small town churches,

we need a person that is flexible, compassionate and able to show a good sense of humor. It would be a plus if

we find a bilingual priest, as our community is more than 60% Hispanic.

At St. James, we enjoy being with one another and socializing both within our own congregation and

with other churches in the community. Our congregation reaches out to the larger community with concert series

and other special events. We especially appreciate good music. We long to serve God’s children, our neighbors,

through community service and outreach as well to provide inviting, creative, and beautiful opportunities for

worship. We drive a lot here in the Big Bend area. In Alpine, the next town is 26 miles away in any direction,

and Terlingua is much farther. Enjoying the scenery and quiet time or listening to public radio or audio books is

a peaceful pastime you might enjoy also. And wonderful Big Bend National Park beckons for nature study and

camping opportunities.

Most of all, we want a priest who will partner with our lay ministries in a mutually enriching relationship.

Our Invitation

Come to us as an enthusiastic partner, helping us to build our congregation, with pastoral care; and be

a good preacher, we need the Word boldly and clearly proclaimed. We look forward to the unique talents and

viewpoints that a new priest will bring to us.

How much priestly time can we afford with our budget?

Probably half time. It is important to us to have the Eucharist regularly, and it’s important that the priest

be here enough to become part of the community. We do not have a rectory to offer, but will work with our

priest to find suitable housing. The schedule would need to take into consideration work the priest might be

doing to earn a second income. So, this option remains open to the realities of time and money. We invite you

to consider joining us in our spiritual journeys.