Bonner Named Representative for SCJ OCUIR

Mr. Byrd Bonner of Travis Park UMC, San Antonio was named lay South Central Jurisdictional representative for the United Methodist Council of Bishops Office of Christian Unity and Interreligious Relationships (OCUIR) at an Atlanta meeting on Feb. 7-8.

Members of the OCUIR includes one lay or clergy from each jurisdiction in the USA, one lay or clergy from Europe, Africa and Asia, two ecumenical members, and four bishops. Byrd will represent the South Central Jurisdiction.

“The Ecumenical Movement and the Unity of the Body of Christ are at the heart of my walk with Christ,” said Byrd. “Our world and our Church have perhaps never seen a more needful time for interfaith understanding and relationship. I am honored to be asked to be a part of this journey through the coming quadrennium.”

Conference Seeks Coordinator for Volunteers In Mission

April Update: This position has been filled. Thank you for your consideration and your prayers. 

The Office of Outreach Vitality / Mission Vitality Center seeks a volunteer who will coordinate the Volunteers-In-Mission [VIM] ministries of the annual conference in cooperation with the General Board of Global Ministries mission volunteers’ office and the jurisdictional Volunteer-In-Mission office.

The coordinator will work through and receive administrative support from the conference Mission Vitality Center - Office of Outreach Vitality and the Transforming Communities Vision Team. Volunteers-In-Mission is a grassroots movement within the United Methodist Church designed to provide an official channel whereby Christians, both lay and clergy, may offer their skills and talents for Christian service at home and around the world on short term assignments at their own expense.

For more information and an application, please click here

Click here for more information about UMVIM

If you have a question or a comment, please contact Shelly Kennerdell, Outreach Vitality Office, at skennerdell@riotexas.org

Annual Clergy Convocation Focuses on Crossing Borders

Robert Schnase, Bishop of the Rio Texas Annual Conference, addresses the gathered clergy at the 2017 Clergy Convocation.

Over 350 pastors gathered at Mount Wesley last week for the annual Rio Texas Clergy Convocation. Ordained elders, deacons, local pastors and commissioned members were present for two days of worship, teaching and fellowship led by Robert Schnase, Bishop of the Rio Texas Annual Conference.

Dasub Han, Pastor of Faith United Church in Woodsboro shares his experience of crossing borders.

This year's theme was "Border Crossings." It was centered around stories shared by the bishop of his time growing up and working on the border. Pastors also shared their experiences of border crossing ministries and opportunities to cross. Physical borders as well as other boundaries to fruitful ministry were discussed.

When asked about this year's theme, Schnase said "The grace of God is borderless. Border Crossing seemed to offer a great metaphor for the many social, cultural, ethnic, age, and language borders we're called to cross in our following Christ."

Abel Steward, Director of Contemporary Worship at Northern Hills UMC in San Antonio, leads that gathering in song.

It was a time of profound worship led by Abel Stewart, Director of Contemporary Worship at Northern Hills UMC and his group of pastors who have been leading worship together since their seminary days.

Reflecting on the experience, Schnase said, "I thoroughly enjoyed the great conversations, the positive spirit, the excellent worship, and the deep sense of community at this year's convocation.  My thanks to all those who planned, led, and attended."

El Valle District Superintendent, Robert Lopez, shares a moment of fun with Rev. Laura Heikes, Senior Pastor of Bee Creek UMC.

Volunteers Needed in Laredo Saturday

April Update: Volunteers are not needed at this time. Thank you for your prayers. 

Twenty to 30 volunteers are needed this Saturday, February 4, at the First UMC Laredo to help sort two trailer loads of supplies that have arrived to assist Cuban refugees who are stranded in Nuevo Laredo. The supplies are from Cuban American communities in response to the humanitarian crises that occurred when the special status of Cuban refugees was discontinued by President Obama several weeks ago [CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT THIS ISSUE]. The exact number of people stranded is not known but it is estimated to be between one and two thousand.  

Two churches in Nuevo Laredo are providing kitchens to prepare food.  The items to be sorted will be carried across the border to supply the kitchens as it is needed. 

Volunteers are being asked to come to Laredo on Saturday.  Those from San Antonio and points south will drive down Saturday morning and return Saturday evening.  Space is available at First UMC Laredo for those wishing to spend Friday or Saturday night.  

Volunteers will work in Laredo.  They are not being asked to cross the border so no passport will be required. No training is required.  Youth are welcome.

Contact:

Eugene Hileman
Disaster Response Coordinator
Rio Texas Conference
United Methodist Church
aehileman@riotexas.org
210-557-8698

Conference Offers Community Development Program

April Update: Registration has closed for the Transformational Communities of Praxis program

Through support funding from Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas, Inc., The Mission Vitality Center / Outreach Vitality Office & Transforming Communities Vision Team announces the Transformational Communities of Praxis program.

Applications are now being accepted for the first class of the program. The program is looking for church and community resident teams to participate in learning processes in Asset-Based Community Development [ABCD]. Class-size is limited to four teams.

Over a one-year period, participants will gain training, knowledge, and application of asset based community development. The participants will also learn ABCD process and methods, facilitation techniques, action planning and application, identifying underlying contradictions and challenges within communities, and the understanding of Missio Dei – the mission or sending of God.  

The Transformational Communities of Praxis program is designed for a 5 – person church and community resident ministry team to begin the process of community development with the end goal in mind of effecting measurable transformation within a given community. It is hoped that through this program, models of ministries applying community development principles and processes will emerge to serve as reference points and even teaching centers of spiritual transformation within the church and community.

The Ministry Team application deadline is Monday, March 13, 2017. Click here to download PROGRAM INFORMATION & APPLICATION FORM.

For more information or questions, contact the Mission Vitality Center / Outreach Vitality Office at 210.408.4514 or avega@riotexas.org / skennerdell@riotexas.org. Teams accepted into the program will receive notice on April 5, 2017. 

Click Here for additional information about the TCOP program
 

Mount Wesley Facilities to Receive Upgrades and Renovations

Mount Wesley, the retreat and conference center located in the heart of the Hill Country in Kerrville, will finally be receiving some much-needed renovations and additions to the facilities. 
 
The first addition will be the creation of the new “welcome” center. It will be located in the what was known as the "old office." The purpose of this space is to house guest relations. It will also hold a new gift shop. 
 
The Worship Center will be equipped with new chairs and an updated sound system. Some of the original pews have already been repurposed to local churches. For those who have fond memories of the old seating, there will be an opportunity to claim some of the small pews. Between February 15th and June 1 you can claim one for a donation. Contact Christian Moore at cmoore@riotexas.org to claim your pew.

The Wilson building, one of Mount Wesley's most used spaces, is being completely renovated inside with new ADA compliant restrooms. The “slab” will be removed to make room for a new structure, which will be designed at a later time. 

Mount Wesley has faced numerous challenges and changes over the last several years. Over the last several months, the Mount Wesley Advisory Team (with the assistance of Camp Director Christian Moore) has begun a process of finding a path forward that addresses many of the realities that are faced by the camp. These renovations will help address those challenges. 
 
“As we seek to fulfill God's calling for ministry at Mount Wesley, we recognize that we must be active and fruitful stewards of the resources that we have been gifted to help facilitate that ministry,” said Moore. “This first phase of renovations takes several worship and meeting spaces in the ‘core campus’ and updates them to better meet the needs of our guests.”

Bishop Woodie White to Keynote San Antonio Martin Luther King, Jr. Interfaith Service

A wide cross-section of the religious and civic community of San Antonio will be reflected at the 30th Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., City-wide Interfaith Worship Service to be held Sunday, Jan. 15, 2017, at 4 p.m., at the New Creation Christian Fellowship at 8700 Fourwinds Drive in San Antonio. The event is hosted by the MLK Commission of San Antonio; all are invited and welcomed to attend. The service includes members of the Muslim, Jewish, Protestant, Catholic, Sikh, Buddhist, Hindu, and Baha’i communities. 

Guest speaker for the event is United Methodist Bishop Woodie W. White, retired bishop-in-residence at Candler School of Theology at Emory University in Atlanta. An active leader in the Civil Rights Movement, every January he writes a “birthday letter” to Martin Luther King, Jr., chronicling the strides and missteps in matters of race during the previous year. White has also written extensively for both popular and scholarly publications. Each year, White also takes seminary students to Selma, Alabama to participate in the annual march across Edmund Pettus Bridge in commemoration of “Bloody Sunday.” 

The gathering will feature praise and reflective dance from members of the Arathi School of Indian Dance and Holy Redeemer Catholic Church, hymns from the combined choirs of San Antonio Presbyterian churches, Sikh chant, Buddhist chant, and the blowing of the Shofar (ram’s horn) from a representative of Temple Beth-El; among other activities. 

Proceeds from an offertory collected at the gathering will be used to benefit the MLK Scholarship Fund. The event traditionally concludes with the powerful singing of, “We Shall Overcome.” Following the worship service, a reception will be held in the Fellowship gymnasium, where attendees can view an MLK Exhibit from Allee A Wallace and listen to music by the Raindrop Ensemble from Turkish House. The interfaith gathering precedes the city-sponsored MLK, Jr. Commission yearly march and commemorative program, which is held the following day.