From Rio Grande to Austin: A New Journey for The Rev. Canon Lee Curtis and Family

Join us as we share both exciting and bittersweet news from the Diocese of the Rio Grande. Reverend Canon Lee Curtis announces that his wife, Hannah, has been accepted to continue her studies in person at the Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, Texas. This means the Curtis family, including their two boys, two dogs, and a turtle, will be moving to Austin in August. Consequently, Reverend Canon Lee Curtis will no longer serve as Canon to the Ordinary for the diocese. We are beginning the search for a new Canon to the Ordinary and invite prayers for the Curtis family during this period of transition. The job description and application details are now available on our website. Let's join together in wishing the Curtis family well and pray for a smooth transition for all involved. Stay tuned for more updates.

00:00 Introduction and Exciting News

00:12 Curtis Family's New Journey

01:16 Impact on the Diocese

02:21 Transition Plans and Future Steps

02:45 Farewell and Best Wishes

03:22 Job Search Announcement

03:33 Final Blessings and Gratitude

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Hey there, diocese of the Rio Grande.

(00:01):
Today is a day when we bring you some exciting news that is also kind of some sad news.
I'll turn this right over to the Reverend Cannon Lee Curtis.
Hey y'all.
This is the Reverend Cannon Lee Curtis coming to y'all today with some exciting news from the Curtis family.
I.
Some of y'all may know that my wife Hannah, is in discernment for Holy Orders here in the Diocese of the Rio Grande, and we're excited to announce that she has been accepted to continue her studies in person, um, at Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, Texas.

(00:32):
What that means is that, uh, she and I and our two boys and our two dogs, and our turtle will be moving to Austin this August.
And I'm hugely excited to be walking alongside my wife as she continues her journey towards ordained leadership in the Episcopal Church.

(00:53):
Some of y'all may not know, but Hannah and I met over 15 years ago at a prospective student weekend for the Candler School of Theology, where I attended seminary and received my Master's of Divinity.
And Hannah has worked as a lay leader in every place that we have lived, and it is such a joy.
And a gift to be able to walk alongside her as she continues to grow and learn and discern how to serve this church as a priest.

(01:16):
What that means for us here in the diocese though, is that as of August of this year, I will no longer be your canon to the ordinary.
And part of the reason we're making this announcement so early is so that we can list the position of canon to the ordinary so that your next canon to the ordinary can start to listen and see if serving this amazing diocese is the next right move for them.

(01:39):
The hope is to make this as seamless a transition as we possibly can to continue with that good momentum that we have created in building up strategic plans for the diocese in the years to come.
And the remarkable works, even in the midst of drastic changes that we're making with borderland ministry, and so that our congregations and transition know that they have somebody there to help and walk alongside them as they work on their own discernment and making their next call.

(02:06):
I will remain canonically resident here with you in the Diocese of the Rio Grande, and so you may see me around at convention or at clergy conference, and it will be such a gift to continue to serve alongside our colleagues here.
This isn't goodbye yet.
I've still got four more months of being your canon of the ordinary, and I intend to use every one of those days, weeks, and months to make sure that the good work that we're doing here, the good work that y'all are doing here, is set up as strongly as it possibly can as we continue to move forward and to the future that God is dreaming up for us together.

(02:44):
Thank y'all.
So you can see how we're overjoyed for the Curtis family and our prayers go with Hannah Curtis as she continues her journey towards ordination, to the priesthood, God willing, and the people consenting, of course.
And our sorrow is at waving goodbye to Canon Lee Curtis, which we don't have to do for a couple of months yet.
However, my dear friends in the Diocese of the Rio Grande, join me in wishing the Curtis family and Canon Curtis well as they enter this period of transition in their lives.

(03:15):
And please, I ask for your prayers as we seek the next canon to the ordinary in the diocese of the Rio Grande.
The job description is now available on our website.
And look for another video in which I will talk specifically about what we're searching for in the next canon to the ordinary.
God bless you, Lee Curtis, I miss you already, my brother.

(03:35):
It has been such a blessing to serve with you these five years, and I know that God will always have us working together as a team for the work of the gospel of Jesus Christ.