San Antonio Region Justice for Our Neighbors Ministry Begins

The San Antonio Region Justice for Our Neighbors is one of a nation-wide organization operating at 30 different locations throughout the country with the mission of "providing affordable, high-quality immigration services to low-income immigrants." More information is available at their website, sarjfon.org or by calling 210-847-7245.

Click here for more information about SARJFON

Rev. Dr. Ruben Saenz, Jr. Elected to Office of Bishop

Rev. Dr. Ruben Saenz, Jr. has been elected to the office of bishop by the South Central Jurisdictional Conference of the United Methodist Church. Saenz was elected on the third round of balloting at the conference being held in Wichita, Kansas.

Until his election, Saenz served the Rio Texas Director of Connectional Ministries and the Executive Director of the Mission Vitality Center, developing systems and programs that help local churches reach the rapidly changing mission field. Saenz has a passion for creating new places to reach new people with the Gospel. Prior to this, Saenz served as the Director of New Church Development for the Southwest Texas Conference. During his four years, he successfully implemented the Healthy Church Initiative and resourced districts and local churches to start 11 new faith communities. He was also an integral part of the team that created the unification plan that led to the merger of the Southwest Texas and Rio Grande annual conferences.

Prior to his conference level work, Dr. Saenz demonstrated his ability to bring vitality and growth to the local church through reaching out to the community by raising and training lay leadership.  Under his leadership, 345 persons were incorporated into the congregational life of La Trinidad/El Divino Redentor, El Paso (65) and El Buen Pastor, Edinburg (275) by profession of faith and baptism during Saenz’s 14-year tenure at both appointments. During his tenure, he led his congregations to address the issues of generational, social, and systemic poverty that plague the region. The average worship attendance at his La Trinidad / El Divino Redentor two-point charge grew by 200% in four years and at El Buen Pastor, worship attendance grew by 150% over ten years. Giving increased by over 300% in both appointments as well.  

Saenz is a graduate of Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas and received his Master of Divinity and his Doctor of Ministry degrees from SMU Perkins School of Theology. He has been married to Maye for 34 years; they have four children, all of which are active in the life of the church with his two sons Aaron and Ruben III serving in the Rio Texas Conference.

Bishop Saenz will receive his first assignment as a bishop later this week when the Jurisdictional Episcopacy Committee meets.

Texas United Methodist College Association (TUMCA)

Darrell Loyless, Ph.D., introduces the Texas United Methodist College Association to the Rio Texas Conference. 

All Rights Reserved. Rio Texas Annual Conference. United Methodist Church. June 2016. 

I’m fond of saying that two of the oldest institutions in Western Civilization are the church and the university.

Hand in hand they have sought to provide the knowledge and seek the truth that the Scriptures tell us will set us free.

In that regard, the Texas United Methodist College Association or what we fondly call “TUMCA,” has been the organization that has helped facilitate that relationship through scholarships.

Through the generous gifts of our conferences and the churches that make them up, TUMCA has sought to open the doors of our colleges and universities with scholarship grants.

These resources are used to make possible an education for individuals who might not otherwise be able to afford a Methodist-related college education.  So we see them going to our universities and in many cases learning leadership skills, a profession, but I think equally important, they are given the opportunity to search their own minds and hearts and discover what their true values are.

Often times, this discovery strengthens them in their spiritual journey.

On behalf of some young man or woman, or maybe yourself, please feel free to contact one of our universities.  Call their financial aid office. They are the ones who set down the guidelines for scholarship awards. 

The only requirement we have is that a candidate for the scholarship be a Methodist in one of our churches.

So, let me thank you for your time, and I look forward possibly to meeting you and talking more about the relationship between the church and our colleges.

Media Advisory: Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for San Antonio Region Justice for Our Neighbors Opening at Emanual United Methodist Church featuring State Rep. Diego Bernal and Bishop Joel Martinez

MEDIA ADVISORY / PHOTO OPPORTUNITY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, June 21, 2016

Contact: Rev. Suzanne Isaacs
Director, San Antonio Justice for Our Neighbors
revsuzanne4u@gmail.com
 

Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for San Antonio Region Justice for Our Neighbors Opening at Emanual United Methodist Church featuring State Rep. Diego Bernal and Bishop Joel Martinez

WHAT:
San Antonio Region JFON (Justice for Our Neighbors) Legal Aid Clinic will celebrate its grand opening with special guests. Clinic offers free legal aid. 

WHEN:
Thursday, June 23, 2016, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m

WHERE:
Emanual United Methodist Church
3225 W. Poplar
San Antonio, Texas 78228

WHO:         
Texas State Rep. Diego Bernal, District 123

Bishop Joel Martinez, Bishop (Retired, United Methodist Church) of San Antonio Episcopal Area

Rev. Carl Rohlfs, Las Misiones District of United Methodist Church Superintendent 

Melissa Bowe, National Justice for Our Neighbor

WHY:
Justice for Our Neighbors, a faith-based immigration-assistance legal aid service, will offer its first clinic on Saturday, June 25, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Emanuel United Methodist Church, 3225 W. Poplar Street, San Antonio. Immigrants who are presently legal residents wanting citizenship must call 210-847-7245 to schedule an appointment with the lawyer on that day. Appointments are required. 

Saturday, June 25 will be just the first of Justice for Our Neighbors clinics planned for this same location and time the last Saturday of every month. 

The San Antonio Region Justice for Our Neighbors is one of a nation-wide organization operating at 30 different locations throughout the country with the mission of “providing affordable, high quality immigration services to low-income immigrants.” More information is available at their website, sarjfon.org or by calling 210-847-7245. 

        ###

June 2 Update: ERT Teams, Small Groups, Individuals Needed

200 Flood buckets were taken to ingleside umc for distribution due to this week's floods. 

June 2 update: We now need ERT-trained individuals and teams in the following counties: Bastrop, Medina, Nueces. Please contact Eugene Hileman for more information. 

Considerable flood damage has occurred during the May 16 flooding in the Coastal Bend district. 

Disaster Response Coordinator Eugene Hileman is asking for the deployment of ERT teams, small groups, and individuals. 

We are only accepting individuals with ERT certification. Contact Eugene Hileman for more information

Click Here to register your individual/small group

Click Here to register your ERT Team

Click Here for ERT certification training

Don't forget to bring your flood buckets to Annual Conference in June or the Conference Office in San Antonio. You can also arrange with Mr. Hileman to bring your flood buckets to the Martinez Disaster Response Warehouse in Kerrville. 

Kits to be Assembled at Annual Conference

Health Kits and Sewing Kits will be assembled during Annual Conference 2016 in Corpus Christi. Delegates will be asked to donate the cost of the kit, then they will be invited to assemble the kits. Disaster Response will provide the supplies. 

"Health kits provide basic necessities to people who have been forced to leave their homes because of human conflict or natural disaster," according to UMCOM. "Health kits are also used as learning tools in personal hygiene, literacy, nutrition, and cooking classes."

"Sewing kits foster independence rather than dependence. Women can make clothing in their own size and in the style of their culture," according to UMCOM. "Cottage industries often grow out of the sewing classes where women use these kits to practice valuable income-generating skills.

An Important Message from Emmaus & Chrysalis Community

This month the Rio Texas Emmaus & Chrysalis Community will celebrate its 1,839th Walk, 34th year of spiritual enrichment, and the development of Christian leaders in the church and community. 

The Rio Texas Emmaus & Chrysalis Community is an oddity in the international Emmaus community.  Not only are we one of the oldest Emmaus communities in existence, but we are the only regional community that acts as an umbrella or governing body for other communities.  In this structure, for the entirety of our existence, we have served as an intermediary between the Emmaus Ministries Office at the Upper Room International and the 30 Emmaus and Chrysalis groups in the Rio Texas region.

As with all organizations, there comes a time when we must step back and evaluate the health of the organization - structurally and financially.  Over the past two years, the Executive Committee of RTECC has bathed the Community in prayer, asked tough questions, made critical choices, and worked to create autonomy and health within the 30 groups. 

After much prayer, counsel, and careful examination of the financial impact RTECC has and would have had on the groups, on April 15, 2016, the Executive Committee made the voluntary decision to dissolve.  This dissolution will include a transition period in which the Executive Committee is committed to walk alongside the Rio Texas Emmaus and Chrysalis groups to support their emergence as healthy, viable, independent communities.

We believe that this will be a positive step forward for the Emmaus and Chrysalis community. Thousands of lives have been transformed by God's grace through the Emmaus and Chrysalis movementand we believe God will continue to transform thousands more.

De Colores,
Heather Adair, Lay Director, Rio Texas Emmaus & Chrysalis Community

Annual Conference to Accept Flood Bucket Donations

We are still encouraging all churches to help replenish our flood bucket supply. There will be several donation stations at Annual Conference 2016. We will haul all flood buckets from Corpus Christi back to the Bishop Joel and Dr. Raquel Martinez Disaster Response Center in Kerrville. 

If hauling your flood buckets to Corpus Christi is a little too troublesome, take a photo of your flood buckets you plan to donate. We will post them on the Disaster Response bulletin board at Annual Conference. Each district will have a designated area for buckets and a place on the bulletin board for pictures.  
 

You can also drop-off your flood buckets at the Conference Office in San Antonio during regular business hours or at the warehouse in Kerrville (but please make prior arrangements with Eugene Hileman) 

Over 1,000 flood buckets were donated to help victims near the Sabine River in March 2016. 

May 20 Update: 200 flood buckets were distributed in Ingleside, TX due to strong flooding in the Coastal Bend district on Monday, May 16. Please help us replenish our supply! 

Clergy Choir Rehearsal

CLERGY CHOIR REHEARSAL for singing at Ordination Service.  Please make every effort to attend. It should last no more than about 30 minutes.

Thursday, June 9

5 p.m.

First UMC, Corpus Christi—Choir room (2nd floor)

Bring a black choir folder if you have one.  If not, one will be provided.  Be sure and bring your anthem copies if you already have them.

For the service wear a robe or alb (white or black) and a red stole.  We’ll meet on stage as soon as possible after the plenary is over that morning to warm up.

Questions?  Call or email:

Russell Miller

rmiller@fumc-boerne.org

Office:  830-249-2565

Cell:  210-445-5109

Webinars Benefit Conference

The Rio Texas Conference hosted several webinars since February 2016. Three delegation listening sessions took place via the ZOOM Meeting platform.

At these listening sessions, approximately 100 people participated in virtual presentation sessions complete with question and answers.

These ZOOM webinars helped the delegation prepare for May’s General Conference. 

“These Listening Sessions have been an amazing blessing in our work as a delegation.  They have provided a great opportunity for us to listen and interact with many members across our conference concerning the issues and legislation that will come before us at General Conference,” said Teresa Keese, General Jurisdictional Conference Delegation Leader.

“I have been so impressed with the participation and feedback we have received from the participants during each session, and I appreciate those who took the time to give presentations as well.  These sessions have helped us connect with the entire annual conference membership and hear their views and input on important church issues; and we will take this input to heart as we head to Portland in early May and discern God’s will in each decision we make.”

Outreach Vitality Director Abel Vega looks at these webinars as a learning experience.

“These listening sessions have been a great learning experience. It was great to see the initial responses and interactions in these sessions,” said Vega. “As the church, my sense is that we will see more venues like this emerge as we discern and learn together into the future."

Another webinar took place on Friday, April 29. The topic was regarding the integration of social media with the local church’s ministry engagement.

Rev. Will Rice hosted the social media webinar with J.R. Atkins, author of Social Media 2.0.

“A friend of ours had J.R. Atkins in town for another event and asked if we would be interested in having him stop by and offer a webinar,” said Conference Communications Director Rev. Will Rice. "I jumped at the opportunity. J.R. shared some great insight into how churches can engage people on social media instead of just sharing photos and announcements."  

Webinars are another piece of the mission of the Rio Texas Media Center. Webinars can connect churches to each other and connect leaders with high-quality information without the need for so much travel. This saves time and money and allows even more people the opportunity to be connected to the life and work of the conference.

April 26 Update: Cruise to Cuba

We already have more than 40 folks registered for our Cuba cruise, Oct. 2-9.  Here are the things we have learned: 

• A person born in Cuba can now return at this point.
• Working with Educational Opportunities, American Airlines is handling flight connections to Miami. They do charge baggage fees.
• Flying into nearby Ft. Lauderdale requires a $70 cab ride or $17/person shuttle ride to port of Miami.
• Paying by check allows you to get the 4% cash discount.
• The deadline for final payment has been extended to June 15, 2016.
• Interior cabins have all been filled.
• Ocean view cabins start at $2399 per person (based on double occupancy) or $2848 with airfare from Austin, D/FW, or San Antonio.
• Additional charges: gratuities of $80.50, taxes of $208, Cuban visa of $75 (which EO handles with the cruise line)

Please see attached brochure
 

For more information, contact Director of Tour Ministry for Rio Texas, Lynn Barton, 512.924.6983, or lynnbarton1@gmail.com.