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Paper: Houston Chronicle
Date: Thu 03/09/2006
Section: ThisWeek
Two churches come together / Congregations join to become Hope Episcopal

By KIM HUGHES, Houston Chronicle Correspondent

Two Houston Episcopal churches have united to form a new congregation.

The former Episcopal Church of the Incarnation, with a predominately black congregation, has joined with St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, with a primarily white congregation, to create Hope Episcopal Church, 1613 West 43 St.

“From time to time, churches suffering difficulties have been put together, but this particular union was done a little differently,” said the Rev. Andy Doyle, Canon to the Ordinary, Episcopal Diocese of Texas, 3203 West Alabama.

“While it may financially be a good idea, if they don’t desire to be together then it’s not a good idea. In this case we brought them (both churches) in, put them in the same room and said, what do you think? They had a conversation which led to the union. They did all the work and did an excellent job.”

The (then) rector of the church, the Rev. Martha Frances, said what’s unique about Hope Episcopal is the coming together of the different cultures.

“Before both of these churches came together, we were minimally integrated,” Frances said. “Part of my interest here is that Incarnation has traditionally been an African-American community. St. Michael’s has traditionally been an Anglo-American community.
“This opportunity is one in which we can bring two cultures and traditions together, which is the way we should be working in the world anyway.”

Sherley Holden, previous bishop’s warden of Incarnation Episcopal, said the union came about at a time when both churches were facing difficult situations.

“The St. Michael’s side had lost their priest, and we were having financial difficulties with our congregation diminishing,” Holden said. “We also did not have a regular priest, and our building was being sold. We were looking for another place to worship, and asked St. Michael’s if we could use their space. That’s how it all got started.”

After realizing the relationship was mutually beneficial for the congregations, church officials sought the blessing and support of the diocese in making it official.

“There were still some concerns on our part,” Holden said. “We kind of felt we were homeless, but we wanted to continue God’s work, and we didn’t want to give up our identity and be assimilated into another church.”

Although the congregation physically worships out of St. Michael’s facility on West 43rd street, members voted on a new name, since it was the “beginning of a new creation.”

They also have a new mission statement, which says in part, “We are servants of Jesus Christ. An inclusive community called to spread God’s transforming love to all people.”
Hope Episcopal now has approximately 80 to 100 members attending Sunday services, with about half of those coming from Incarnation.

“Geographically, the churches were about 5 miles apart, so were very much in the same area,” said Joyce Moss-Clay, a senior warden at Hope Episcopal. “It was just a natural union. They needed to relocate, and we welcomed them wholeheartedly.
“We feel like this is a marriage made in heaven. We came as equal partners.”

The church recently hosted an African-American concert in honor of Black History Month, which featured performances by the Houston Ebony Opera Guild and gospel recording artist Barbara Johnson-Tucker.

Hope Episcopal services are held at 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. on Sundays.
Call 713-681-6422 for details.