Betas Take On OKC!

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St. George Betas Attend National Convention

On June 14-18, 38 of our Beta Club members attended the Junior Beta Club National Convention in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The following students represented St. George:

Rising 9th Graders Emma Cantwell, Jessie Cromer, Delaney Dwyer, Macie Lin, Sofy Partida, Sofia Perez-Gomez, and George Welch

Rising 8th Graders Briggs Blume, Berkleigh Bowling, Kalina Calvillo, Ramiro Cavazos, Patrick Clausewitz, Rudy Davila, Eric Draeger, Nicholas Fritz, Grace Garrett, Sofia Garza-Serreli, Xander King, Lilly Kate Lannom, Megan Liu, Benicio Martinez, Sofia Pina-Cervantes, Krish Puri, Sofia Scheuerman, Kate Taylor, and Hallie Verstuyft-Trautwein

Rising 7th Graders Brooklyn Bowling, Kiara Dwivedi, Bennett Kiehne, Lauren Lacroix, Emersyn Landrum, Emily McLaughlin, Chase Miller, James Miller Nelson, Viviane Notzon, Sadie Salter, Maria Santandreu, and Rachele Zarattini

The national convention was in Oklahoma, so this year’s convention theme was “Beta Fueling the Future.” Because our students placed in the following competitions at our state convention in February, we were eligible to compete in these national contests:

 

National Office and Skit

Ramiro Cavazos ran for National President, which required him to deliver a speech in front of thousands of voters explaining why he was the right candidate to show all Betas how being an “every day hero” can change the world for the better. Ramiro emphasized that kind words, deeds, and actions transform us all into powerful heroes. Ramiro also articulately answered a live question on stage. Unfortunately, a candidate from another state (with many more voting delegates present than Texas) was elected, but we are all so very proud of Ramiro’s fine efforts.
For the Campaign Skit to support Ramiro, our 37 other St. George Beta members, dressed in 80’s neon aerobics garb, sang and danced their hearts out to a version of Bonnie Tyler’s 80’s classic song “Holding Out For a Hero.” Our lyrics focused on how Ramiro would inspire us all to be heroes as our National Chaplain. Our skit was full of energy and was well received. For the first time ever, St. George was recognized in the Campaign Skit national competition, bringing home 3rd Place!

 

Painting and Photography

Jessie Cromer, after capturing 1st Place in Painting and “Best in Show” at the state convention, entered her amazing “Oliver Tufts” which is a close-up of a lynx. Jessie’s painting unfortunately did not place, but we all agree that it truly is a masterpiece.

 

In the photography category, Sofia Perez-Gomez entered her close-up color photo of her horse Leroy “smiling” as water was splashed in his face. Sofia’s outstanding photo won 1st Place at state but unfortunately did not receive a ribbon at the national level.

 

Written Academic Tests

Emersyn Landrum participated in the written 6th Grade Language Arts test (having won 1st Place at state). Emersyn exited the testing room saying how difficult she thought the exam was. We think she was simply setting us up so that we would not expect much, and it worked because we were thrilled when Emersyn won 3rd place in this contest!

Our Book Battle team of Megan Liu, Benicio Martinez, and Sofia Pina-Cervantes captured 1st Place at the state competition. They read a list of 12 required books and worked together for months discussing the assigned pieces of literature. After collectively answering written objective and essay questions on the national test, this devoted team of readers captured 5th Place!

 

Technology

This year’s contest theme was “The Future Starts with Beta.” Our dynamic team used technology to create an impressive video which captured 2nd at our state convention and then allowed us to also compete in this contest at the National Convention.  The Technology Team consisted of: Lindsay Blanton, Elise Bostain, Ramiro Cavazos, Rudy Davila, Eric Draeger,
Nicholas Fritz, Carolyn King, Xander King, Bradley Landrum, AJ Liang, Gaige Lipscomb, Jackson Pipes,
Krish Puri, and George Welch. We are thrilled to inform you that our video that used a Back to the Future theme, captured 8th Place at National! Team members present at National were Ramiro Cavazos, Rudy Davila, Eric Draeger, Nicholas Fritz, Xander King, Krish Puri, and George Welch.

 

Group Talent

After winning 1st Place in Group Talent at the National Convention for the past two years, the St. George Betas knew we had “big shoes to fill.” Each of our attending Betas (other than Ramiro, who could not participate in any other contests other than running for office) sang and danced as we told a condensed 6-minute story of Mary Poppins on

stage. After our students gave it their all during the preliminary and final performances, St. George was awarded 1st Place in the nation in the Group Talent category!

We are extremely proud to share that this is our third consecutive year to capture 1st Place in Group Talent at the Junior Beta National Convention! AMAZING!!!!!!!! Click here to watch the award winning performance. 

 

Premier Performers

Macie Lin, Viviane Notzon, and Rachele Zarattini “captured the eyes” of judges at our state convention in February and were selected to perform as Premier Performers at the national convention. After putting in several hours of dance and vocal practices at the convention center in Oklahoma City, these 3 girls were outstanding entertainers in ensemble groups on stage at the convention’s opening convocation. We are proud of you, ladies!

 

Challenge Competitions

Because we earned the right to compete in two on-site contests at a Beta Club Leadership Summit in October 2018, the following teams participated:

Lauren Lacroix, Sadie Salter, Maria Santandreu, and Sofia Pina-Cervantes competed in a challenge called “Lead Outside the Box.” These four Betas were given a problem that involved students’ over-usage of technology and social media. The team had to devise, propose, and explain a solution for this problematic situation. After a brainstorming session, our team’s proposal was to completely limit student internet usage during the school day, while providing many more student opportunities for healthy face-to-face interactions. This group’s quick thinking skills and teamwork made us proud!

In the expo titled “Rapid Response” our team of Kalina Calvillo, Jessie Cromer, Eric Draeger, Sofia Garza-Serreli, Meg Liu, Sofia Perez-Gomez, Krish Puri, and George Welch had to quickly “apply collaborative leadership skills and effective communication to produce a result or response in an allotted time.” Our team employed their abstract reasoning, problem-solving, and memory skills to complete two different on-site tasks within a very short amount of time. They definitely exhibited great teamwork!

 

“We will never forget you, Mary Poppins!”

 

Jumping into nationals like…

 

Paying our respects at the Oklahoma City Bombing Memorial. 

 

Sofia “The Air” Scheuerman

 

The Man, The Myth, The holder of all the things! Thank you, Mr. Davila!

 

No matter what, there is always Starbucks!

 

Betas in Training!

 

“It’s not ok…”-Ms. Leibowitz

 

We are extremely proud of our St. George Beta Club members who represented our school so well at the national convention in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. We undoubtedly showed the nation how bright, talented, well-behaved, and service-oriented St. George Episcopal School truly is! Next year’s national convention will be in Fort Worth, Texas, so we cannot wait to show everyone how Texas Betas host a national convention!

 

Haiti Trip

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Praise God’s blessings! The Lord has provided new opportunities for our Haitian partnership this past spring. Next month, Keith Earle and two representatives from Texas Water Mission will be heading to St. Benoit with Fr. Goursse to asses the current water situation on the campus at St. Benoit. In partnership with Texas Water Mission, we hope to come up with a quality and useful water solution for our partners. Please pray for God’s vision and discernment on this trip as the team works together during this time.  The team is set to head out on July 10 and we look forward to continuing to build the bonds of friendship as well as work on this solution with our partners. If you desire to contribute towards the work of this trip, you may do so by praying for us and offering your voice to God in support. If you wish to support further with your own gifts, you may donate by check, cash or electronically byclicking here. Please designate “Haiti Outreach” in the memo or locate the giving category electronically. If you have any questions, please contact Keith Earle for more details. Thank you for your prayers during this time.

A Summer Schedule Reminder

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Beginning June 3, please note that the best way to contact our staff during the summer break is through an email and a scheduled appointment. We will not be able to effectively address walk-in appointments, and you may walk in at a time when our staff is unavailable, so please use the guide below to contact the office. We want to help, and we look forward to a great summer with you!

Summer Office Hours:

Monday–Thursday 8:00–1:00 PM
Friday 8:00–12:00 PM.

St. George Staff Contact Information

Rector – Fr. Ram Lopez rlopez@saintgeorgechurch.org
Senior Director – Keith Earle kearle@saintgeorgechurch.org
Director of Pastoral Care – Marilynne Herbster mherbster@saintgeorgechurch.org
Director of Family Ministries – Happy Wilson hwilson@saintgeorgechurch.org
Director of Youth Ministries – Taylor Brown tbrown@saintgeorgechurch.org
Director of Music Ministry – Bernadette Williams bwilliams@saintgeorgechurch.org
Bookkeeper/Admin. Assistant – Jennifer Kirkland jkirkland@saintgeorgechurch.org
Communications Manager – Aimee Martinez amartinez@saintgeorgechurch.org

Impact Report

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Many St. George parishioners touch the lives of people every day in San Antonio and throughout the world as they “love and serve” in the name of God. “Stories of Humanity and Healing” seeks to share with you the human stories of that work. Do you have a story to share of reaching out to your fellow human beings? If so, please send it to impact@saintgeorgechurch.org.

Click here to read this month’s Impact Report.

Splashin’ Through the Summer, THIS Sunday July 7!

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We’re Splashin’ through the Summer THIS Sunday, July 7, with a one-service July 4th celebration at 10:00 AM! Afterwards we’ll gather together for lunch and some Wet ‘n Wild fun out by the playground! There will be an inflatable water slide for the kids, hula hoops, splash sponge balls, and other outside fun! Make sure kids bring (or wear) their swimsuits, towel, and sunscreen! There are some picnic tables out by the playground, but please feel free to bring your lawn chairs for additional seating. We will have board and card games for those who wish to beat the heat in the Leadership Center Commons.

It will be another great day for us all on our beautiful grounds! So come on . . . join us . . . as we Splash through the Summer and celebrate July 4th . . . St. George style!

Parish Hall Renovation: Update

By | Community, From Fr. Ram | No Comments

Dear St. George Friends and Partners in Christ:

I am pleased to inform you that the Trustees of the Church Corporation of the Diocese of West Texas have approved our Parish Hall renovation project.  Our General Contractor, Marc General Construction, LLC, will begin their work in earnest this coming Monday, June 3.

During these coming Summer months we will be unable to access the Parish Hall as a matter of safety.  We have also adjusted our schedule this summer taking into account this renovation project. One example of that is our Pentecost Worship and Fun Formation Day at 10 am on June 9th.

Below follows a summary of this project:

History:  The Parish Hall and the building connecting the worship space to the existing Parish Hall were part of a St. George Church and School Building Project in the early 2000’s.  Used almost every day of the week during the school year, the Richards’ Building and the Parish Hall have been well maintained. Although many are in agreement that the Parish Hall space is in need of a facelift.

Current:  Over the years both St. George Church and School have seen changes in the way we operate together and use our shared spaces.  The Parish Hall, specifically, has been and continues to be a prime space for our Fine Arts offerings. As our Fine Arts energy has increased over time, the deficiencies of the space have moved to the forefront.  The stage itself is inadequately sized for adult or student fine arts offerings. The lighting is basic fluorescent lighting, non-adjustable and affixed alongside outdated suspended-ceiling tiles. The floor is basic vinyl tile that is showing wear and is not acoustically helpful..

 

Plans:  We engaged an architect familiar with the St. George Community who could help us reimagine the space.  The goals are for a larger stage for both adult and student fine arts offerings; to give us flexibility with new  lighting technology for various types of gatherings; provide a warm, welcoming space for our students, their parents and our faculty who eat their lunch in that space; give us opportunities to host local and national speakers and artists to use the space to enhance our mission; and create a lovely space which would encourage fellowship after Sunday worship.

Recent Actions:  Recently, the Vestry and the School Board met in joint session to discuss the proposed renovation, funding and contractor bids.  After some discussion, both bodies elected to accept the bid provided MARC General Construction, LLC.

The following was agreed upon as the total budgeted amount for the project:

Costs:
Construction and FFE Total…………………………..$384,765

The following sources of funding were allocated:

From the School:
Total:                               $350,000

From the Church:
Richards Unrestricted Bequest:$ 75,000

Total Project Funds Available:  $425,000

In our financial planning, we have provided for significant contingency, primarily in the Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment (FFE) line.  This renovation will not require us to add to our existing loan from the Seeds Project in 2014-2015.

A word about the Margaret Richard’s Bequest:  Margaret and Allen Richards were faithful members of St. George.  The Richards’ Building which houses the Parish Hall bears their family name as the result of their donation to that capital project in the early 2000’s.  We received an unrestricted final bequest after Margaret’s death in 2017. The monies have been in our Reserve Funds since we have received them.

As the Vestry discussed this project it seemed right to participate in its funding, since the Church’s mission and ministry program would be greatly enhanced by this renovation.  The question of where to find the funds remained. We did not want to launch a capital campaign nor did we wish to use operation funds. It seemed right to us to use some of Margaret Richards’ final gift (approximately ⅓ of the total)  to put towards this renovation project.

This project, from inception to approval, has been a very fast process.  It has been so in order to take advantage of the summer window when the Parish Hall is least used.  The time frame and desire to not add cost to the project necessitated a decision to not seek an artistic rendition of the final product.  However, Keith Earle or I will be happy to “talk” you through parts of the upgrade about which you may have questions.

I invite your prayers over the next two months for this project – for safety of those who are doing the work; for safety of all who are on campus during construction; for protection against unnecessary or surprising delays; for the lives of those who will be transformed by the Grace of God in that space as they receive words and music, as they are embraced in friendship and fellowship.

The Holy Spirit is once again stirring up the people of St. George to a significant work.  Join me in giving thanks for all that God will do among and through us in our renovated Parish Hall.

Peace,
Ram+

 

High School Graduates To Be Honored

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Our high school graduates will receive their Bibles during the 10:45 AM worship service on Sunday, May 19.

We will be offering prayers for all graduates during both worship services. It is our hope that these Bibles will be a treasured source of guidance and inspiration for our graduates as they begin a new journey in their lives. We thank you for your contributions.

A Message from Our Rector

By | Community, Worship, Youth | No Comments

Dear Friends in Christ:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

This past Sunday, I announced two items of interest to all in our SG Community.

First, beginning on Sunday, September 8, we will launch a third, late afternoon worship option. The vision for this is to reach those in the surrounding community who, for whatever reason, cannot make it to any church on a Sunday morning. It will also be a help to our own folks who, more and more, find their Sunday mornings filled with personal and professional activities. At this point, what I would ask is that you pray for the design team (Keith Earle, Jessica Leibowitz, and myself) and pray for an opportunity to invite someone you feel God is calling you to share this new offering.

Second, the Vestry and School Board will begin a review of bids from several local contractors on a possible renovation and refreshing of the Parish Hall. The plan would include enlarging the stage for both Church and School Fine Arts performances, raising the ceiling, installing new flooring, and generally upgrading this much-used space. Timing and cost are the two primary considerations and will be the two main factors on moving forward. I will keep you informed about the process as it moves along. Please do pray for the Vestry and School Board as they weigh the options that will come before them. Please feel free to ask questions of Keith Earle, our Senior Director; Susan Alwais, our Senior Warden; or me.

Our beloved community of St. George is in a very healthy place right now – which is a wonderful blessing.  I believe strongly that God is calling us to share that blessing by reengaging our mission of joining Jesus on the mission fields of our life. We are called to go to the mission fields that are nearby and far away, the familiar and the unfamiliar, in order to share the Good News of Jesus with those whose hopes have faded, whose faith has waned, who seek the Light of Christ to drive away the inner darkness which besets their hearts.

I am grateful for all that God is doing among us, around us, and through us! I am grateful to have each of you, my St. George sisters and brothers, as partners in this mission of Jesus to which we have been called!

Peace,
Ram+

Movie in the Park

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The Episcopal Diocese of West Texas

presents

MOVIE IN THE PARK
The Greatest Showman

111 Torcido Dr., San Antonio, TX 78209

Friday, May 10

8:00 PM – 10:00 PM

Popcorn provided.

Bring lawn chairs, blankets, and the whole family!