Covenant on Anti-racism
September 24, 2020

As members of the Rio Texas Conference Cabinet, Conference Directors, and Conference Secretary, we assert:

Our nation has arrived upon a moment of reckoning regarding the sin of racism that has permeated American hearts, systems, and communities since our founding. This same racism has also shaped American Methodism since our earliest days and continues to mark our life as the Rio Texas Conference. We believe that both the suffering of people of color and their lives, faithfulness, and giftedness are bound closely to the heart of God, and as baptized Christians, we have committed ourselves “to resist evil, injustice, and oppression, in whatever forms they present themselves.”

Together we covenant to the following:

We will work intentionally, individually and collectively, to seek out and confront the presence of racism in our own hearts, attitudes, and actions. We will approach this as a spiritual discipline, in faithfulness to our Creator and to Christ’s command to love our neighbor as ourselves.

We will listen to the voices and experiences of Black, Hispanic, Asian, and other persons of color as we learn to act more justly.

We will work together to identify the sinful patterns and practices of racism in our conference, our churches, and our communities. We will take concrete steps to repent and take concrete steps toward equity. We will give ourselves fully to the ongoing anti-racism work our bishop has announced.

We acknowledge that anti-racism is both a perspective and a journey. We will strive to listen, speak, and act with honesty, courage, grace for ourselves and others, and a sincere desire to learn and grow. We will maintain our focus on the needs of those most harmed by racism in all its forms.

We will put our faith in our good and gracious God and will trust that the work of anti-racism will bring blessing and healing to all people.

Tanya Eustace Campen
Director, Intergenerational Ministries

Marcus Freeman
District Superintendent

Greg Hackett
District Superintendent

Karen Horan
Director, Creating/Vitalizing Congregations
& Developing Leaders

Robert Lopez
District Superintendent

Mickey McCandless
Annual Conference Secretary

Laura Merrill
Director, Clergy Excellence
& Assistant to the Bishop

Cynthia Kepler-Karrer
Joseph Tognetti
David McNitzky
Rev. Amelia Beasley
Abel Ramirez
Alice Logan
Christy Fay
Glenn A. Luhrs
Scott Bradford
Carl Rohlfs
Sue Abold
Jere Johnson
Lori Balensiefen
Angela Sparks
Becky Baxter-Ballou
Ouida Bliss Richardson
Smirna Avendano
Rev. Brian Fitzgerald
Barbara Arceneaux
Amy Wendland
Kathryn Lewis
Neil Lewis
Bonnie Bevers
Minnie Trejo
Terry Lord
Marsha Patterson
Tracey Beadle
Rosemary Grattan
Robert Marks, Jr.
Teresa Kingsbury
Yolanda Correa
Peter Castles
Bernard Ritchea
Ryan Jacobson
Al Lindsey
Jackie Freeman
Kyle Toomire
Dawn Baird
Jane German
Julie Smith
Lee Ann Clemons
Roberta Goodman
Dawn Baird

Jozlin Parker
Director, Communications
& Technical Ministries

Diana Phillips
Director, Connectional Ministries

Robert Schnase
Bishop, Rio Texas Conference

Andy Smith
District Superintendent

Abel Vega
Director, Mission, Service & Justice Ministries

Kendall Waller
Director, Finance & Administrative Ministries

Teresa Welborn
District Superintendent

Joan Roberts-Scott
Hilary Marchbanks
Kristina Carter
Ann Lawton
Diana Woods
Cheryl Broome
Judy Bennett
Ray Kiser
Larry Shoresl
Daesub Han
George Bradley
Wesley Craig
Ryan Jenson
Barry Sharp
Kerry Stevens
Thomas Johnson
Tom Stanton
Lynette Wedig
Ralph Thompson
Bethany Graham
Allen Noah
Geoff Cox
Tom Rioux
Robert Davis
Maggie Coleman
Penny Schmidt
Don Davis
John Elford
Jessica Petersen
Debra Stark
Rev Suzette Thorpe Johnson
Eugene HIleman
Jennifer Felty
Scott Felty
Bill Marr
John JP Patterson
Polly Angle
Kelly Shoenfelt
Leila H. Hileman
Sadie
Christi Felps
David Felps
New Seasonings Sunday School Class, St. Matthew's UMC SATX

Interested in signing the Anti-Racism Covenant? Fill out this form. New names will be added to the Covenant document throughout the week.

In conjunction with this covenant, Bishop Robert Schanse has released a letter about an Anti-Racism Working Group. You can read that letter here.

Downloadable PDF’s
Anti-Racism Covenant (English)
Anti-Racism Covenant (Spanish)

Pacto Contra el racismo
Septiembre de 2020

Como miembros del Gabinete de la Conferencia Río Texas, Directores de la Conferencia y Secretario de la Conferencia, afirmamos:

Nuestra nación ha llegado a un momento de ajuste de cuentas con respecto al pecado del racismo que ha permeado los corazones, los sistemas y las comunidades estadounidenses desde nuestra fundación. Este mismo racismo también ha dado forma al metodismo estadounidense desde nuestros primeros días y continúa marcando nuestra vida como la Conferencia Río Texas. Creemos que tanto el sufrimiento de las personas de color como sus vidas, fidelidad y dones están estrechamente ligados al corazón de Dios, y como cristianos bautizados, nos hemos comprometido “a resistir el mal, la injusticia y la opresión, en cualquier forma que se presentan a sí mismos."

Juntos hacemos un pacto con lo siguiente:

Trabajaremos intencional, individual y colectivamente para buscar y enfrentar la presencia del racismo en nuestros propios corazones, actitudes y acciones. Abordaremos esto como una disciplina espiritual, en fidelidad a nuestro Creador y al mandato de Cristo de amar a nuestro prójimo como a nosotros mismos.

Escucharemos las voces y experiencias de Africano Americanos, Hispanos, Asiáticos y otras personas de color a medida que aprendamos a actuar con mayor justicia.

Trabajaremos juntos para identificar los patrones pecaminosos y las prácticas de racismo en nuestra conferencia, nuestras iglesias y nuestras comunidades. Tomaremos pasos concretos para arrepentirnos y daremos pasos concretos hacia la equidad. Nos entregaremos plenamente al trabajo en curso contra el racismo que nuestro obispo ha anunciado.

Reconocemos que el antirracismo es tanto una perspectiva como una jornada. Nos esforzaremos por escuchar, hablar y actuar con honestidad, valor, gracia para nosotros mismos y los demás, y con un deseo sincero de aprender y crecer. Mantendremos nuestro enfoque en las necesidades de los más perjudicados por el racismo en todas sus formas.

Pondremos nuestra fe en nuestro buen y misericordioso Dios y confiaremos en que la obra de lucha contra el racismo traerá bendiciones y sanidad a todas las personas.