Welcome to our overview of the Church of the Holy Apostles. We have an active and thriving group of programs and activities. As you scroll down you will learn about our worship at COTHA, our church ministries, community discipleship and formation classes from birth to seniors, outward-facing missions and outreach in our community and overseas, the outlook for the church, and a snapshot of the Greater Katy area, where the church is located.
Worship at COTHA |
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Worship is a lifestyle, commitment, and an action.
At COTHA we believe that we worship God as the body of Christ in spirit and truth, limited only by scripture and our willingness to respond to God. Worship at COTHA follows the liturgy, with Rite I for the early service on Sunday, and Rite II for the later service, which generally appeals more to families with its children's church program, COTHA Xperience. We blend contemporary music and hymns to connect with the families in our congregation. Many in our congregation have said that they feel the Holy Spirit moving during worship at COTHA. Sunday 8:00 a.m. - Holy Eucharist, Rite 1, Simple Contemporary Music Sunday Parish Breakfast 9:00 a.m. - Parish Fellowship and Breakfast in Grand Central Sunday School 9:30 a.m. - Three adult studies (men, women and mixed), Nursery Birth-5 years, Children K-3G (Xplore), Tweens 4-5G (I-45), and Youth 6-12G (COTHA Students) Sunday 10:30 a.m. - Holy Eucharist Rite 2, Full Band (includes a seperate children’s program called Xperience) Wednesday Night Refuel 6:00 p.m., Free Community Spaghetti Dinner 6:30 – 8:00 p.m., Students 6G-12G 6:30 – 8:00 p.m., Adult Programming 6:30 – 8:00 p.m., Childcare and Nursery Services Special Services
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Worship Ministry
The worship team meets before each service to pray and prepare to meet the Holy Spirit as we gather together. There are many dedicated lay people that participate in the worship at COTHA. Here are the current roles that make up this team:
COTHA Connect COTHA Connect is for people who are new, looking to connect, or seeking membership. In this casual class, the staff members and Connect team walk through our church beliefs, the COTHA story, and what it means to connect at COTHA. Attendees also take a tour of the church and lunch is provided for the entire family. This class is typically on the second Sunday of the month from 12:15-1:30 p.m. Baptism Baptism is the first step in beginning our relationship with Christ. We believe that it is the sign of God making a covenant with us, and so it is open to any age—infants through adults. We celebrate baptism throughout the year, however you must attend a short preparation class prior to the baptism. Confirmation Confirmation is defined as a “mature public affirmation” of faith (Book of Common Prayer, p. 412.). For those baptized as infants or young children, it serves to confirm the vows that were made at the baptism. Confirmation classes are usually offered once a year for COTHA students and adults, generally in the Spring or early Summer. Small Groups A place to love God, invest in the community, form friendships, and explore God's Word. Life is not meant to be lived alone. God intends for us to experience life together. A small group is a weekly gathering of three or more people who meet in a home or workplace. They hang out, study the Word, pray together and "do life.” Serving Teams
Annual Events COTHA holds several annual events. In addition to the events listed below, we have also had a number of events where the church members meet for fellowship and fun, including watching sporting events, holding a potluck in Grand Central, and more. Take a look at some of our current events on the COTHA website.
Ongoing Ministries
Occasional Formation Series (Here are a few that COTHA has offered in the past)
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Discipleship and Formation |
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Discipleship is the process of becoming fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ, a lifelong journey that transforms a heart and creates a desire to love the way Jesus loves. At COTHA, we have a number of formation programs to facilitate discipleship. We also have leadership opportunities to take what is learned and practice love in action through service to the congregation and the community. Children are expected to choose an area of service when they reach the 6th grade and enter the youth program, and children as young as second grade can help serve in the Lord of the Streets homeless program.
COTHA KIDS Preschool: Birth - 5 years old Designed so that each preschooler will grow up believing that: • God made me. • God loves me. • Jesus wants to be my forever friend. Elementary School: Kindergarten - 5th Grade Designed to shape identity through planting these truths in the heart of every elementary-aged child: • I need to make the wise choice. • I can trust God no matter what. • I should treat others the way I want to be treated. COTHA STUDENTS Youth: 6th Grade - 12th Grade Designed to give students the lasting understanding that: • I am created to pursue an authentic relationship with my creator. • I belong to Jesus and define who I am by what he says. • I exist every day to demonstrate God's love to a broken world. COTHA ADULTS Our discipleship training extends to adults with many opportunities to learn and grow, including small groups, gender-specific studies and mixed groups. Men The world needs godly men. Men who will step up and courageously lead at home, at church, at work, and in their communities. Iron Men, the Men's Ministry at COTHA, is intentional about offering options for men to get connected to other men.
Women Jesus wants women to be theologically minded and grounded in the Scriptures. The Women’s SALT Ministry exists to help women feel welcomed and encouraged. It is our goal to connect women to activities, Bible studies and ministry opportunities. By learning from God’s word and serving in ministry opportunities, women will be in a position to advance their spiritual journey with others in fellowship.
Daughters of the King The Order of the Daughters of the King® (DOK) is a spiritual sisterhood of women dedicated to a life of prayer, service and evangelism. An Order is a community under a religious rule; especially one requiring members to take life-long vows to follow the Rule of Prayer and Rule of Service. We have made a commitment to Jesus as our Savior, and we follow Him as Lord of our lives. We are an Order for women who are communicants of the Episcopal Church, churches in communion with it, or churches in the Historic Episcopate. Today our membership includes women in the Anglican, Episcopal, Lutheran (ELCA) and Roman Catholic churches. Our vision is to strengthen our relationship with God and each other through discipline and obedience in our daily prayer, service, and evangelism. DOK Training Class Membership in DOK is encouraged and supported by COTHA and should be considered after serious thought and prayer. Those who are interested in joining the Holy Apostles chapter must be a confirmed Episcopalian and attend the 6-week training course. Training courses are typically held in the fall. Mixed Classes
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Evangelism is sharing the message of our hope in Jesus Christ to a broken and dying world. As a Gospel imperative, it is best evidenced through our love in action. This is why we refuse to look away! COTHA seeks to share its resources with the entire community from the local Katy area to the far reaches of the world.
At COTHA, ministry begins in our community by greeting guests and helping people get connected to something greater than themselves. The ministry extends far and near with projects and opportunities to share Christ’s love and COTHA resources with those in need. Local Outreach Wednesday Night Spaghetti Dinner Wednesday Refuel Spaghetti Dinner is designed to draw people from the church and community into fellowship. It runs concurrently with many Small Groups and sometimes an occasional Bible Study series. This practical outreach is held every Wednesday from 6-7 p.m. We invite the community to share in a free meal with no strings attached, no commitment, and no pressure. We invite all to come, eat, and fellowship. Additionally, our weekly meal ministry gives small groups, families, and friends an opportunity to serve together. On average. We serve 50 to 80 people each week. Hurricane Harvey Shelter and Response COTHA stepped up to the plate to help people impacted by flooding in Katy after Hurricane Harvey. The church served as a temporary shelter and launched a group of people who helped parishioners who had experienced flooding with financial assistance and with volunteer labor. Lord of the Streets Ministry COTHA supports the Lord of the Streets (LOTS), an Episcopalian, lay-led ministry to the homeless population in Houston. A special worship service is held every Sunday morning at Trinity Episcopal Church for the homeless population. Local congregations take turns cooking and serving breakfast after the service. COTHA serves about four times a year and also holds a special Thanksgiving lunch once a year. Children can start to serve in this ministry when they are about 7-8 years old. The LOTS ministry gives individuals, small groups, families, and friends an opportunity to experience serving together in the local Houston area. Christmas at COTHA Each year, the COTHA community comes together to pour blessings over those in need within our congregation. We identify several families each year and provide much needed gifts, groceries, clothing, and other resources as needed. In addition to specifically requested items, our members also make donations that are used to meet these needs. Mission Trips Uganda Since 2010, COTHA has ministered in Africa with hosting conferences, distributing mosquito nets, sharing the Gospel, and providing villages with much needed medicine and medical attention. COTHA will be returning to Africa this summer to continue with medical and mosquito net distribution. Next Trip Date: October 2018 Guatemala COTHA has been sending teams to Guatemala, in partnership with Living Water since 2010, to participate in drilling a water well and sharing the Good News with the villagers. We have returned every year! Next Trip Date: March 2019 Mission to Mexico One of our earliest mission fields partnering with Mission to Mexico Austin. Due to the current political climate we have reduced our efforts to financial support only the last couple of years. However, we are exploring new opportunities to travel across the border - stay tuned for developments. Student Missions Our students, beginning with the 7G, are encouraged to participate on mission trips across the United States. The trips usually entail light demolition, rebuilding, landscaping, and sharing the Gospel. Next Trip Date: June 23-30, 2018 COTHA's Community Partners Church of the Holy Apostles (“COTHA”) was built to the glory of God. The church building and surrounding property is a tool for the congregation of COTHA to minister to the people of God. Use of the building and surrounding property by the congregation and the people of the community will serve to spread the gospel, reveal God's love and the good news to all who visit our place of worship. These programs are not organized by the church. Support Groups
Click here to see the full calendar and specific meeting times hosted by COTHA |
Heart and Hearth (def). A church with a clearly defined faith lived out in a community with stability, who approach issues from a Biblical perspective, who can easily articulate the line between right and wrong, who provide services to those in need, often with remarkable perseverance; and who welcome straying members back with open arms and ready forgiveness. This is family. |
COTHA is an multicultural and multigenerational Episcopal church that serves the Greater Katy Area. The membership includes over 200 families and nearly 500 members. Membership at COTHA has fluctuated over the years. Our core membership remains steadfast and continues to encourage and invite new members to share our journey as followers of Christ.
Church of the Holy Apostles has a committed congregation that is eager to help our new rector be successful. In a survey taken in early 2018 after our former rector left, parishioners overwhelmingly reported that they are ready to accept the leadership of a new rector. While change is always a challenge, the congregation is ready for a leader who will focus on the priorities of this family-oriented Heart and Hearth church. The top five priorities outlined by the parish are:
Numbers and Demographics As noted in the parochial report, as of December 31, 2016, the basic numbers and demographics for Church of the Holy Apostles are:
Financial Summary COTHA has 124 pledging units out of a possible 210 with an average pledge of $6,800 2017 Budget: $1,050,024 Operating net income Jan.-May 27, 2018: $94,735 Assets & Liabilities (as of 12/31/17) Total Fixed Assets 4,057,974 Total Current Assets 738,996 Total Liabilities 1,907,896 Current Staff You can read more about our current team on the COTHA website. The following is a list of positions and their current status.
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The Greater Katy Area is a suburb of Houston, the 6th largest City in the United States. We are a vibrant area with a population of almost 270,000. The Katy area stretches across three counties: Harris, Fort Bend and Waller. The Greater Katy Area roughly follows the boundaries of the Katy ISD School District.
Our city has won national accolades for growth and sustainability, among them the Gadberry Group, which ranked Katy the number one city for growth in the United States in 2011. Katy is thriving, and we are pleased to be home to a variety of industries, from the Energy industry in the famed Houston Energy Corridor District, to Igloo and Amazon. Katy is home to many retail centers, including the Katy Mills shopping mall, LaCenterra at Cinco Ranch, HEB, Costco, and Sam’s Club, among others. Downtown Houston is just 30 minutes east of Katy on I-10, where we have the world-renowned Texas Medical center, financial institutions and of course, loads of restaurants. Houston has been named one of the top restaurant destinations by the Washington Post (No. 5), U.S. News (No. 10), Thrillist (no. 8), and Zagat (no. 13). The beauty of Katy is that while we have big city living readily handy, we benefit from small-town connections. Katy is home to several nationally renowned subdivisions. Construction of the Katy Boardwalk District is ongoing with completion expected soon, and which includes Typhoon Texas and other amenities suitable for families. For the cultural aficionados, the nearby city of Houston has many world class museums in the Museum District; to list a few – Museum of Natural Science, Museum of Fine Arts, Health Museum and not to be forgotten, the Children’s Museum of Houston. Best of all, we have the people of Katy, and our care for our neighbors was exemplified by neighbors helping neighbors when Hurricane Harvey impacted the city in 2017. Church of the Holy Apostles served as a shelter to help our neighbors after the storm and created a fund and volunteer work crew afterward to help parishioners who suffered losses. This is where we really found love in action hard at work. As we say in Texas, come on down to Katy! Helpful Links to Information About Greater Katy About Katy ISD: http://www.katyisd.org/Pages/About-KatyISD.aspx About the Greater Katy Area: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greater_Katy About the City of Katy: livability.com/tx/katy Katy Area Chamber of Commerce: http://www.katychamber.com Area Schools Katy is served by the Katy Independent School District (Katy ISD) which has the highest rating of “Recognized," from the Texas Education Agency. Katy ISD is ranked 148 of 10,574 School Districts in the United States, and ranked 14th in Texas, with a student-teacher ratio of 15-1. There are 40 Elementary, 15 Junior High and 10 High schools in Katy ISD, and growing. Katy ISD is recognized as being one of the best, if not the premier, school district in the greater Houston area. It is also in the top 20 in the state. We are also home to many top-ranked sports teams, including Katy High School, who have won 6 State Championships and produced Andy Dalton of the Cincinnati Bengals. Charter and Private Schools
Colleges and Universities Katy is surrounded by some of the best colleges in the nation. Rice University, the University of Houston, Texas Southern University, South Texas College of Law Houston and St Thomas University are near downtown Houston. Prairie View A&M University, Texas A&M University, and University of Texas are within a couple of hours of Houston. The Houston Community College has campuses throughout Houston. In addition, Houston area is the home to the UT Health and Science Center, Baylor College of Medicine and the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, which features one of the nation’s largest medical schools and the highest-ranked nursing graduate school in Texas. Located in Katy
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