2012 Hal Brook Perry Award
Ernest W. McAfee, Jr.
Trusted pastor, visionary, creative and tireless priest of the church. You have answered the call to serve and lead the people of God doing whatever was needed in the parishes you have served following retirement from “active ministry.”
Following completion of your MDiv degree at Southwest in 1985, you served parishes in the dioceses of West Texas, Texas, and Dallas, and earned a DMin at Drew University. You authored Generations published in 1997 about working with young adults in the Church.
Following your retirement as rector of St. Barnabas, Garland, you began to worship at Church of the Ascension, Dallas, and eventually served as pastoral assistant. “He gave of himself generously, serving joyfully in any area where there was need,” says the rector Kathryn Ryan. While at Ascension, you became fully involved in their ministry to the Dinka, travelling to Sudan to teach theology and scripture to the clergy of the diocese of Bor, and you coordinated efforts to extend Ascension’s ministry to the Spanish-speaking residents of an apartment complex with which Ascension worked.
When the diocese of Dallas called you to serve a parish that had suffered the painful departure of its rector, you went in and built relationships with the people and developed trust. Your encouragement raised confidence and released vision in the English and Spanish speaking congregation, and helped them to identify mission goals which included support for the neighborhood elementary school. Recruiting participation from local businesses, your congregation of less than 100 gathered over 500 backpacks and supplies for children at the school.
You have strengthened bonds between the Spanish and English members of Christ Church and nurtured their faith by leading the congregation to create a common Sunday school for children, youth and adults. Your vision caught the imagination of the people and the program grew. Healing, purpose, spiritual growth and renewed confidence have been the fruits of your ministry.
Whether you are leading mission trips to Honduras, racing your bicycle at the top of your age bracket, or ministering to people of all ages and cultures in the name of Christ, you epitomize the spirit of the Hal Brook Perry award giving the whole of yourself to life and ministry.
Douglas Travis S.Chadwick Vaughn
Dean and President Alumni Association President
