Tyler TX Facebook

Follow Donny on Twitter

Username:
Password:
  Remember Me   Forgot password?  Register
0-9  A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z  

Find or Refer a Contractor in Tyler

The Epiphany Envisioning Service at Christ Episcopal Church in Tyler

January 30th, 2011

Christ Episcopal Church Tyler TXThe thirtieth of January, Sunday morning, Christ Episcopal Church officially launched its Epiphany Envisioning Service (EES). A couple of weeks back I wrote an article looking forward to the new service but having attended, I thought I’d offer a hindsight view of the event.

Envisioning is a contemporary service that features modern Christian worship music, (lead by musicians playing guitar, violin and bongo drums), a shorter somewhat simpler liturgy, (currently one borrowed from the Anglican Church of Kenya), and a greater focus on the homily or the teaching.

The first service was well attended by adults and youth alike, from within and without the church. I didn’t get any kind of head count, and I’m generally not very good at judging crowds but I’d guess that there was at least a hundred twenty people or so presented.

Personally, I’ve been a practicing Episcopalian for around ten years now. Prior to that, I grew up around a variety of evangelical and non-denominational churches.

I searched around for some years before deciding on a church to serve as my home for the remainder of my adult life. I chose the Episcopal Church for a lot of reasons, but a central one was the belief in the importance of taking the Eucharist (or communion), on a regular basis.

Over the past few years I have become used to our traditions, liturgies and order of service. But this morning I saw two familiar modes of worship combined in a way I had never seen before.

It was a blending of my past and present. In terms of the music and general flavor, I felt almost like I was witnessing a slightly more conservative Vineyard service, (at least a Tyler Vineyard service, which I’m told is less charismatic when compared to other Vineyard Congregations).

Also present however were the Anglo- Catholic traditions that are so important and meaningful to those who’ve grown up in more orthodox churches. For me, it was almost like I’d come full circle, only infinitely richer for having found a church where I can connect with Christ through the Eucharist. And this is really the strength of the Envisioning service. Its purpose is not to dispose of the ancient and familiar modes of worship, but to make them approachable to those who’ve never really experienced them; or for those who have, to let them re-connect in a new way. I look forward to seeing this ministry grow. I believe the EES will be a genuine blessing to our community. For more information on the Epiphany service or on Christ Church, visit their webpage at http://www.christchurchtyler.org/welcome.htm or call the church office at (903) 597-9854.

Traditional Education For The College Bound

January 12th, 2010

This summer I’ve written a great deal about the educational opportunities offered in Tyler Texas. We are definitely blessed with a wonderful variety of schools and programs which cater to the needs of all kinds of students. One of the more traditional and reliable private schools in Tyler, is All Saints Episcopal School.

All Saints was first established as a kindergarten 1962. In 1984 the land on which it currently sits was donated, and over the years it has grown into a Tyler landmark with a beautiful campus and an enrollment of nearly a thousand students. The official founding date of the school is 1976.

Theologically the school remains true to its Episcopalian roots. Weekly chapel services and classroom devotions help provide the spiritual formation which will (hopefully) provide a foundation for the student’s adult life. Students are encouraged to live out their faith by participating in numerous community outreach and summer ministry opportunities. A resident chaplain helps develop the school’s spiritual growth, as an institution, and as individual students. There are also numerous bible studies and parent support organizations like “Moms in Touch” and others. All this being said however, the school is obviously not limited to Episcopalians. Other denominations easily make up half or more of the schools enrollment.

Academically All Saints is a college prep school. In fact nearly every student who attends the school also attends college. The curriculum is a mix of texts, all focused on teaching students reason critically. The teaching staff is dedicated to academic excellence and to helping each student meet his or her potential.

With such a large campus and student body, the school is able to offer a full slate of extra curricular opportunities. The Athletic program consists of football, basketball, baseball, volleyball, soccer and numerous others. Student clubs include Student Counsel, Chess club, Art Club, Improv, etc.

Because a prep school education is not an inexpensive commodity, All Saints offers numerous forms of “tuition assistance.” For those interested in a traditional college prep education in a Christian environment, consider All Saints Episcopal School. It may be the just the place for your student come fall. For more information go to http://www.all-saints.org