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| The
Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth formed in 1983 after the decision
was made to divide the existing Diocese of Dallas into two dioceses.
The Diocese of Fort Worth consists of 55 congregations serving 24 North Central Texas counties. Major cities in the diocese include Fort Worth, Arlington, Hurst-Euless-Bedford, Wichita Falls, Grand Prairie, Keller, Brownwood, and Stephenville. We have 128 ordained clergy with approximately 20,000 communicants. The diocesan offices are located on the west side of Fort Worth near the intersection of I-30 and Loop 820. The address is 2900 Alemeda Street, Fort Worth, Texas 76108. The Right Reverend Jack Leo Iker has served as the third Diocesan Bishop of Fort Worth since 1995. His predecessors are the Rt. Rev. A. Donald Davies and the Rt. Rev. Clarence C. Pope, Jr. From its inception, the Diocese of Fort Worth has committed itself to the proclamation and practice of a traditional, biblically-centered faith. There is a diversity of worship in the diocese that ranges from traditional Anglo-Catholic spirituality to Evangelical expression. The churches of the diocese continue to grow steadily as a direct result of our commitment to a traditional expression of Anglicanism and the fact that many of the North Texas communities we serve are young and growing. One of the most exciting ministries in the diocese takes place at Camp Crucis Retreat and Conference Center. Located in Granbury, Texas, the geographic center of the diocese, the facility is the diocesan camp for youth and also serves as a year-round conference center for all ages. Its summer program is comprised of weeklong camping sessions for school-aged children. The summer program includes recreation, worship, and Bible study, and many lasting friendships are formed. Thanks to a building project in 2001-02, the camp now has meeting rooms and overnight facilities for youth and adult retreats and conferences; programs operate year-round. A chapel for corporate worship is the spiritual heart of both the camp and conference center. Diocesan
outreach programs include mission work in Mexico and the African
nation of Malawi. Locally, our churches have helped to build
seven
Habitat for Humanity homes in the last six years. Clergy-led ministries
are provided to students at four local colleges and universities. The diocese takes seriously its ministry to the Hispanic community. The parish of Iglesia San Juan Apostol in south Fort Worth was established in 1985 and now has over 300 communicants. In 1999, with the arrival of Fr. Sergio Diaz, Iglesia San Miguel was organized. In addition, there are ongoing hispanic mission efforts at the churches of St. Anne’s, Fort Worth, and Ascension/St. Mark's, Wise County. 1999 also saw the formation of the thriving congregation of St. Philip’s, Arlington, as a ministry to the immigrant African community. Ground was broken in late 2004 for the congregation’s permanent home. In 2002 an additional church was planted in the Park Glen area of far north Fort Worth. St. Barnabas the Apostle is a strong and growing mission meeting each Sunday at Lone Star Elementary in Keller. Ten congregations in the diocese sponsor schools, offering programs for children from preschool through high school. The
mission statement of the diocese is “To Equip the Saints for
the Work of Ministry.” Taken from Ephesians 4:12, the phrase
sums up the diocesan mission to build up our people for the purpose
of taking Christ's love to the world.
January 2005 |