Your Prayers are Needed!!!!

To the clergy, convention delegates, Executive Council, and vestry members,

Well, we're headed back to court in Hood County on Thursday morning of this week, where Judge Walton once again has several motions to be heard from both sides. You may recall that this all has to do with The Episcopal Church trying to get its hands on a bequest left to St. Andrew's in Fort Worth. Your prayers are asked for attorney Shelby Sharpe, who represents our interests in this case, as well as for Lisa Jamieson and R.H. Wallace who are the attorneys for the parish.

Here are a few comments by Shelby regarding this hearing:

"On Thursday morning, September 2 at 9:00, the court in Granbury will have an opportunity to dismiss those parties affiliated with The Episcopal Church who are trying to get the trust proceeds that have been left in trust for St. Andrew's Episcopal Church. Pray that the court will see clearly the issues and have a heart to rule justly. Our opponents are trying to get a postponement of the motion that will knock them out for lack of standing to be in the suit. Pray that the court will not grant that motion.

"Additionally, our opponents are trying to get me and the attorneys for St. Andrew's disqualified claiming we have not been hired by persons in authority to hire us based on an incorrect reading of the opinion from the Fort Worth Court of Appeals that granted our motion to order the trial judge in Tarrant County to dismiss the pleadings of two opposing counsel who failed to prove they were hired by people who had authority to hire them.

"Lastly, the court will have an opportunity to end the litigation that day by ruling that St. Andrew's named in the trust is still entitled to continue to receive what was left to it in the trust."

St John's in 1948!

This is about 5 minutes of old movie film of St. John's Episcopal Church, Fort Worth, Texas. The film was found in the Parish Archives. It was filmed in 1948-1949. You will see the original Church built in 1925, the original Mitchell Hall and the first Rectory. You will also see Fr. John Leatherbury, Bishop Mason of Dallas, and Fr. Sherwin Clayton, former rector of St. John's; and the Leatherbury children, Hester, Tom and John. The film is in poor shape, and at one point there is a bit of slippage common to reel films.

Comments have been made on my Facebook (which I have also posted this video on) that the film seems to cover several seasons. Some parts have bare trees and other parts have trees in full bloom. To me, most likely it was made over a period of time. All we have on the reel is "1948 Installation." Also keep in mind that the original church was torn down in 1950 when the present sanctuary was built. You might also notice how College Avenue went through into Fairmont. It went uninterrupted to downtown. The original entrance of Dagget School faces what was College Avenue. This street was closed off I believe in the 1960's-70's. And of course caps for the choir ladies.... ah, the good old days! :)