Make April 27 a day of fasting and prayer

I am calling the Diocese to observe Tuesday, April 27, as a Day of Fasting and Prayer for the special intention of the oral arguments to be heard that day by the Fort Worth Second Court of Appeals. The hearing will be held at 1:30 p.m. in the 9th-floor courtroom of the Tim Curry Criminal Justice Center at 401 W. Belknap Street and is open to the public. Our attorneys will have 15 minutes to state our case, and the other side will have 15 minutes to respond. We then have 5 minutes for closing statements.

We will be represented by Scott Brister, Kendall Gray, and Shelby Sharpe. The justices hearing the case are Lee Ann Dauphinot, Anne Gardner and Bill Meier. If our appeal is successful, the Court will direct that the parties bringing a lawsuit against us cannot do so in the name of the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth or of the Corporation of the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth. It is not expected that a decision will be made that day, but will be released at a later time.

Please pray for our attorneys and the judges during the course of the day. Some churches may wish to have a special service of intercession sometime that morning or at noon. It is requested that some form of fasting or abstinence be practiced until that evening.

The Rt. Rev. Jack L. Iker
Bishop of Fort Worth

April 21, 2010

-∞-