July: Celebrating the Rev. Portia Sweet

LETTERS FROM OUR RECTOR, THE REV. JIMMY GRACE-

Dear Friends,

As many of you all have heard by now, our Deacon for the past few years, the Rev. Portia Sweet, will be reassigned by the Diocese of Texas to another parish.  At the time of this writing, I do not yet know the name of the parish where Portia will be serving, but as soon as we hear that information, we will be sure to share with you.

As a Deacon, Portia serves at the Bishop’s request, meaning her “boss” is the Bishop of the Diocese of Texas, the Rt. Rev. C. Andrew Doyle. Therefore, Bishop Doyle and his staff have been working with Portia to reassign her to a new ministry setting in greater need of a Deacon than St. Andrew’s is currently.

While we are sad to see Portia leave St. Andrew’s, we also send her on her way with our prayers and thanksgivings. Portia has had substantial impact at St. Andrew’s with all of her involvement in our outreach ministries; from the Boulevard Alliance Mininitry (BAM), Heights Interfaith Ministries Food Pantry, Houston Heights Towers, and many others. Portia also has done a superb job organizing our prayers of the people writers, guiding them to write prayers each week that reflect the needs of our community, nation, and world. Personally, I am grateful for her work here, and honored to count her as a colleague in ministry.  

As a token of St. Andrew’s gratitude to Portia, we will designate all loose plate funds collected at both the 8:30 and 10:30 AM services on July 5 to go to an the Heights Interfaith Ministries Food Pantry in Portia’s honor. We will also celebrate Portia’s ministry at St. Andrew’s at a reception in the Parish Hall following the 10:30 AM service that day. Please plan on joining us for our farewell celebration.  

Transitions are never easy for clergy or for the parishes they are leaving or going to. Please hold Portia in your thoughts and prayers as she makes a transition to a new chapter of ministry that is full of promise.