In order to inform the dioceses of Province VII about the Province's purpose, the Council voted that during the coming year its members would visit each of the diocesan conventions  to promote the eleven networks in the Province and to discuss and explain the mission of the Province of the Southwest.   Max Patterson,  Vice President of the Council, made the first scheduled visit. He attended  Western Louisiana's convention on October 14, 2006, in Alexandria, and related his experience there.

I started out my presentation by identifying the 12 dioceses of Province VII. I then covered the purpose of Province VII, referring back to the 37th Synod in 1990 where it was affirmed that: "the mission of the Church in the Province of the Southwest is set forth in the Catechism in the Book of Common Prayer: TO RESTORE ALL PEOPLE TO UNITY WITH GOD AND EACH OTHER IN CHRIST. THE CHURCH PURSUES ITS MISSION AS IT PRAYS AND WORSHIPS, PROCLAIMS THE GOSPEL, AND PROMOTES JUSTICE, PEACE AND LOVE."

The special responsibility of the Province of the Southwest is to implement, adapt and initiate mission strategies with particular reference to local needs and resources within the Province. I went on to state that the strength of Province VII is its diversity and the rich spiritual resources and commitment of Episcopalians throughout the Southwest.

Its challenges are to become even more responsive to needs for ministry support and to continue the support and participation of a variety of Episcopalians from all its Dioceses. I then identified the 11 Networks: Youth, Companion Diocese, Ecumenical, Prison/Restorative Justice, Episcopal Relief & Development, Commission on Ministry, Anti-Racism, Christian Formation, Young Adult, Hispanic and Higher Education/Campus Ministry. I recognized Monet Brashear & the Rev. Wayne Carter as Network Chairs (both being from the Diocese of Western Louisiana).

I then talked about the newest and 12th Network on Military Chaplains. I focused on the two main issues which caused the creation of this Network--first, the decline in Episcopal Chaplains in the military and, secondly, the need to provide guidance and support to returning combat veterans through the local parishes near military installations. I also mentioned that there would be a liaison created between the military so that if an active duty person wanted to speak with an Episcopal priest than that could happen. I summed up my talk by emphasizing that the Province was here as a resource to the Diocese to meet their needs.
 
In the future, I plan to discuss the workings of one or two networks--telling real life stories--to give examples of what the networks actually do.