John H. MacNaughton

The Rt. Rev. John Herbert MacNaughton was born on November 19, 1929, in Duluth, Minnesota, to Canadian parents who immigrated to the United States six years earlier. He was taken home to the Lord, in whom he deeply believed, on Monday, February 28, 2022. A lifelong Episcopalian, he was ordained into the Episcopal ministry in 1954. His first parish assignments were in International Falls, Warroad, Faribault, Excelsior, and Edina, Minnesota. In 1975, he was called to be the Rector of Christ Episcopal Church in San Antonio, where he served for eleven years before being consecrated as the seventh bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of West Texas in 1986. In 1969, he was instrumental in establishing a telephone counseling service in suburban Minneapolis for young people having problems with drug abuse. In recognition of that effort, he was selected as the 1969 "Man of the Year" by the Minneapolis suburban newspapers. In 1977, he was the driving force in bringing the very effective Palmer Drug Abuse Program (PDAP) to San Antonio and housing the program in its early years in the Carriage House of Christ Church. During his parish ministry, he was known for his superb preaching and administrative skills. He was also a committed teacher of the Bible and, together with his wife Shirley, created an adult Bible study program titled "The Path of Life," which has been used extensively in the national Episcopal Church. He was a leader in the field of Christian Stewardship and his book "More Blessed to Give," published in 1984, has been described as "timeless classic in the field." He was awarded the prestigious national "Apostle in Stewardship" by the General Convention of the Episcopal Church. He held many positions at the national level of the church.

As a bishop, he will be remembered for his leadership in guiding Texas Military Institute through its years of financial crisis in the mid 1980s; for Vision 2000, a successful capital fund drive to rebuild Camp Capers for the churchs young people and to establish a new conference center for adults on Mustang Island; and, along with his wife Shirley, for their pastoral care of clergy and clergy families.

He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Shirley Ross MacNaughton; by five children, Craig MacNaughton and his wife Cassi of Spartanburg, South Carolina; Bonnie MacNaughton and her husband Brian Kipnis of Seattle, Washington; Barry John MacNaughton and his wife Patti of Palos Verdes, California; Kathleen MacNaughton and her husband Stephen Farrow of Fort Worth, Texas, and Jennifer MacNaughton and her husband Marty Bryant of Boerne, Texas; and by eleven grandchildren and four great grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at St. Lukes Episcopal Church, 11 St. Lukes Lane on Saturday, March 5, 2022, at 1:00 p.m., and a private inurnment will be in the columbarium at Bishop Jones Center, 111 Torcido Drive. Those unable to attend the memorial service may watch the livestreaming here. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to St. Lukes Episcopal Church or to the Episcopal Diocese of West Texas.

Click link below to view recording of services.

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