Stories from the Canyon and Beyond

Ten years ago, we launched Echoes magazine with a simple goal: to share stories from the Canyon.

In that first issue, I promised we’d send out two editions a year, filled with updates and invitations. Well, we got that wrong—in the best possible way. That first year, we published three issues, and most years, we’ve published four. And the stories? They’ve grown well beyond the Canyon.

Our first cover story featured Laity Lodge—and the start of a two-year renovation process. Those were difficult years. I usually enjoy building projects. In fact, throughout Deborah and my 34 years in the Foundation, we’ve led 20 building or renovation projects, from the Cody Center to Headwaters to Echo Valley 2020 to the Sunset campus in San Antonio. But every stage of renovation at the Lodge seemed to bring another surprising frustration.

When we finally reopened the Lodge, it was so beautiful. It continues to be a physical place that embodies the values we try to live out every day in our work and in our programs: Excellence. Beauty. Hospitality. Stewardship. I recall walking around the Lodge after renovations were finished and thinking, “It still feels like itself.” I felt a sense of continuity. We had honored the past, while also preparing Laity Lodge for the future.

The team behind the renovation understood that their task wasn’t to start from scratch but to discover the heart and soul of the place. They respected the original design. And they created a space that invites guests into beauty, mystery, and reflection.

Echoes didn’t start from scratch either.

It was the natural next step after years of communications and publications from the Foundation. Some of you may recall Connections and before that Newsbriefs. Echoes also began as a renovation process ten years ago and has continued to evolve.

So, looking back, it makes sense that our first Echoes cover story was about the Lodge renovation. Renovation and renewal reflect our mission, after all. In our work. In our homes. In our neighborhoods. Even in our hearts.

Over the years, Echoes has become more than a newsletter. The stories we share now don’t just echo out of the Canyon; they are the stories of communities in San Antonio and across Texas. They are your stories of your efforts to bring wholeness to your neighbors.

Stories, we believe, are part of how we cultivate wholeness and broaden the circle of human concern—in print, in video, and in podcast conversations. We see them as more than news and updates. We see them as a spiritual discipline that brings clarity and focus.

So thank you for reading. Thank you for walking with us. And thank you for believing with us that difficult times can still lead toward wholeness and beauty.