The annual council of the Diocese of Texas made history Feb. 11, when more than 1,000 clergy and lay delegates elected the Rev. Dena Harrison, rector of St. James' Church, Conroe, to the standing committee. The election marks the first time in diocesan history that a female member of the clergy has been elected to the committee.

Another first for the diocese came when, following council, the standing committee elected Dolly Bush as president. The job has historically fallen to the senior clergyperson on the committee.

Over the last five years, the Rt. Rev. Claude E. Payne, Bishop of Texas, told delegates in his council address, the average Sunday attendance has risen from 26,000 to more than 30,000. From 1993 to 1998, he said, the sum total of income to churches in the diocese has risen from "$32 million in 1993 to $45 million," while support of diocesan budgets has proportionately declined.

"A daunting task" is what executive board member Andy Doyle called the board's charge to find a non-legislative way in which to deal with referred resolutions from the 150th council concerning "sexuality and violence." After nearly a year of extensive research, a special task force has designed an open forum at which the sexuality issue will be discussed. "We believe that ... having a conversation — outside of council - for issues of pastoral, ethical and theological concern is the way in which a healthy community deals with its brokenness and divisive concerns," he said.

The council also adopted the diocesan and missionary budgets for 2000. The missionary budget supports mission congregations, including two new mission starts: St. Catherine's, Houston, and St. Philip's, Austin. The total missionary budget increased to more than $3 million in 2000. Council also passed a $4.3 million diocesan budget.