Integrity in Fort Worth - Finally!

No good thing will God withhold from those who walk with Integrity. Psalm 84:11

Well, we did it! The Board of Integrity met in Fort Worth this past weekend. And we had a service on the Feast of Justin Martyr with the Reverend Susan Russell, president of Integrity preaching and celebrating the Eucharist.

Hell did not freeze over; nor did the stars fall from the sky. But the Holy Spirit did dance amongst us!

The service was held at an awesome church on Pennsylvania Avenue - Celebration Community Church (www.celebration-community-church.com). Approximately 50 people were there to participate and to welcome the Board to Fort Worth. (more than in several diocesan parishes on any given Sunday morning). I won't embarrass the diocese by telling why we met there rather than in a local Episcopal parish.

I would like to thank every one of you who participated in so many different ways -The Folk Group at Trinity (y'all are awesome!!!!!!!!!); Susann and Marvin for the wonderful reception!!!!!!!!!; the Reverend Carol West and the congregation of CCC for sharing with us and to Lisette -- thank you for being with us! Most of all - all of you who came out and witnessed that night - thank you for your love and support. It is good to be a part of your community!

Many thanks to the entire Board of Integrity - what a great blessing to be a part of this dynamic group!

Shalom,

Barbi

APOLOGIA

The Feast of Justin Martyr

June 1, 2007 ~ Ft Worth, TX

On behalf of the Integrity Board it is truly an honor and a blessing to be here with you in the Diocese of Fort Worth this week. There is much on our agenda as we meet over these three days … and – I hope this isn’t “breaking news” – we actually DO have “an agenda.” And since it’s an Integrity Agenda you arguably COULD call it a “gay agenda” … but the truth is, it looks an awful lot like any OTHER church or not-for-profit Board agenda. We have budgets and financials to approve; action items to account for and strategic plans to implement. There are chapter and network reports and membership issues and database updates. It is mostly just plain old hard work … hard work that is holy work as it is all of it … every bullet point and press release and regional report and line item … offered in the service of this holy work to which we have been called … this living out of the Gospel in our day just as the saints throughout the ages have lived it out in theirs.

read the rest at Susan's blog - http://inchatatime.blogspot.com/