Bishop Iker has received a letter from the Rev. Canon Len Giacolone, Rector of St. Francis Anglican Church in Austin, Texas, saying that the parish voted unanimously at its annual parish meeting on Feb. 1, 2015, to seek affiliation with our Diocese. The parish was formed in 1993 as part of the Episcopal Missionary Church, then under the leadership of Bishop A. Donald Davies, who had served as the first Bishop of Fort Worth.
Currently there are 115 parishioners at St. Francis with an average Sunday attendance of 60-70 worshippers and an annual budget of $185,000. It is a traditional 1928 Prayer Book church, sharing the theological and biblical stance of the Diocese of Fort Worth.
The next step is for Bishop Iker to visit the parish and to interact with the Rector and church members. This will take place on Sunday, March 22, when he will celebrate and preach at the 11 a.m. Eucharist.
If the affiliation goes forward, this would be the 59th member congregation of our Diocese. Please pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit as these conversations unfold.
