Saturday, October 24, 1998

Convention celebrates 40th anniversary

By LORETTA FULTON

Senior Staff Writer

BIG SPRING -- In one respect the 40th annual convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Northwest Texas won't be any different from the first one.

"I never saw so many people work so hard in all my life," said Rich Anderson, a delegate to that first convention held at St. Mary's Episcopal Church in Big Spring in October 1958.

The same can be said this year as the convention meets again at St. Mary's for the first time since that inaugural meeting 40 years ago. With the theme "New Life Begins at 40," the 40th annual convention got under way Friday evening and concludes Sunday afternoon.

Several hundred delegates and visitors are expected for sessions today and Sunday at St. Mary's and at the Dorothy Garrett Coliseum. The Rt. Rev. Wallis Ohl, the fourth bishop to serve the diocese, will preside.

A new twist has been added this year with Rich and Barbara Anderson hosting the gathering tonight on their ranch for a chuckwagon dinner.

For that first meeting 40 years ago, delegates met in the parish hall of St. Mary's before the nave had been constructed, and meals were served at the now vacant Settles Hotel.

Even though the convention wasn't as large then as it is now, Anderson remembered seeing a lot of local people he didn't recognized as fellow churchmen.

"A lot of people came out of the woodwork I didn't know were Episcopalians," he said. That's what happens when you have a convention -- it just kind of rejuvenates the church."

Bishop Ohl hopes that will happen this weekend as his flock begins its 40th year together. In his charge to the convention today Ohl will stress a renewal of the understanding of the ministry of all baptized persons.

"I think we're really starting to take hold on that," he said.

Ohl also will touch on the rebirth of excitement about "growing the church" and strengthening young people in their work in the church.

Although the Diocese of Northwest Texas is celebrating 40 years of existence, the Episcopal church has been present in this area much longer. The present diocese, consisting of about 10,000 Episcopalians, extends from the Panhandle to San Angelo and from Albany to Midland/Odessa.

In 1874 the state of Texas was divided into three parts and the General Convention of the Episcopal Church sent Alexander Garrett to be Bishop of Northern Texas and Robert Elliott to be bishop of Western Texas. Both bishops visited Northwest Texas and established churches here.

In 1910 the General Convention created the Missionary District of Northwest Texas and consecrated Edward Temple to be bishop. He was in office until 1924 when Eugene Cecil Seaman took over, serving until 1945.

In 1946 George Henry Quarterman became bishop and was in office when the Diocese of Northwest Texas was created. He was followed by Willis Henton, Sam Hulsey and now Wallis Ohl.

A highlight in the history of the diocese came in 1978 when the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church in the United States, the Most Rev. John M. Allin, visited during the 100th anniversary celebration of the first Anglican service in West Texas.

Allin, who is now deceased, presided over a ceremony at Dudley in south Taylor County commemorating the Feb. 23, 1878, service in what is now the Northwest Texas Diocese.

A 16-foot monument now marks the location of the service that was held in a log cabin owned by Captain John Trent and his family.

The church has come a long way from a log cabin in south Taylor County, and longtime members, like Mozelle Scarborough of the Church of the Heavenly Rest in Abilene, are proud of that journey.

"It's been a glorious experience to watch it grow and to share in it," she said.