Celebrating Our Summer Ordinations

This summer brought much to celebrate in the Diocese of Northwest Texas as five members of our diocesan community were ordained to new ministries in the Church. Across three services and three cities, family members, friends, clergy, parishioners, and members of the wider Church gathered to pray, worship, and surround these new clergy with their support.

We give thanks for the Rev. Austin Hackel, the Rev. Bikole Mulanda, the Rev. Monica Smith Hart, the Rev. Jack Dupy, and the Rev. Jimmy Haney, and for the many congregations, mentors, teachers, friends, and family members who have accompanied them in their discernment and formation.

 

The Rev. Austin Hackel and The Rev. Bikole Mulanda

On Saturday, May 30, Austin Hackel and Bikole Mulanda were ordained to the transitional diaconate at the Episcopal Church of the Heavenly Rest in Abilene.

Their ordinations marked an important step in their formation for the priesthood. The transitional diaconate gives those preparing for priestly ministry a season in which to live deeply into the servant ministry of the diaconate before later being ordained as priests.

Both Austin and Bikole have deep connections to Heavenly Rest, and their ordinations were celebrated by the communities that have supported and formed them along the way.

Watch Ordination

 

The Rev. Monica Smith Hart and The Rev. Jack Dupy

A few weeks later, the diocese gathered again on Thursday, June 18, at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Amarillo for the ordinations of Monica Smith Hart and Jack Dupy to the transitional diaconate.

Monica, from St. Andrew’s in Amarillo, and Jack, from St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church in Pampa, completed their formation through the diocesan School of Ordained Ministry.

Their ordinations marked another important milestone in their journeys toward the priesthood. During this season as deacons, they will continue their formation through ministries of service, proclamation of the Gospel, and care for the needs of the Church and the world as they prepare for priestly ordination.

 

Jimmy Haney

The summer’s celebrations concluded on Saturday, August 22, when Bishop Scott Mayer ordained Jimmy Haney to the Sacred Order of Priests at St. Mary Magdalene Episcopal Church in Manor, Texas.

Fr. Jimmy graduated from Seminary of the Southwest in May with his Master of Divinity degree. During seminary, he served at St. Mary Magdalene for his field education, building relationships with the congregation and the wider Manor community. Following graduation, he remained at St. Mary Magdalene to serve as curate.

Although his current ministry is in the Diocese of Texas, Fr. Jimmy remains canonically resident in the Diocese of Northwest Texas. His ordination in the congregation where he is beginning his priestly ministry brought together the communities that have formed, supported, and welcomed him along the way.

Watch Ordination

 

Giving Thanks for New Ministries

Ordination is never the work of one person alone. Each of these celebrations represents years of prayer, discernment, theological education, spiritual formation, mentorship, and support from communities throughout the Church.

This summer also gave the diocese a beautiful glimpse of ministry unfolding at different stages. Austin, Bikole, Monica, and Jack have entered the transitional diaconate as they continue toward priestly ordination, while Jimmy has now taken that next step into the priesthood.

At every ordination, the Church promises to uphold those being ordained in their ministry. That promise continues long after the service itself has ended. As these five begin new chapters of their vocations, we continue to surround them with our prayers and encouragement.

We give thanks to God for calling each of them to serve and for the gifts they bring to the Church. May God continue to strengthen them, guide them, and fill their ministries with grace in the years ahead.