Rio Texas Commissions New Trusted con Confianza Facilitators

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27 new Trusted con Confianza facilitator trainers. 

Members of the Rio Texas Safety Task Force Team welcomed 27 leaders from across the conference to the very first Trusted con Confianza facilitator training retreat March 23-24. These leaders represent each of our districts. Many were recommended by their District Superintendents and all filled out an application, received a recommendation from their senior pastor, and signed a covenant committing to the work of equipping and supporting churches in the work of keeping all of God’s children safe.

The group met at Laurel Heights United Methodist Church for a 24-hour training retreat that prepared them to lead Trusted con Confianza facilitated sessions across our conference.

Rev. Joy Melton, United Methodist Deacon, lawyer, and author of the Safe Sanctuary resources led the training as the keynote speaker. In her remarks, she reminded the group of the importance of doing the work of keeping children, youth, and vulnerable adults safe.

Rev. Melton praised the Rio Texas Conference on their work to create a strong, solid, and faithful policy and certification process. She noted that she was excited to share that the Rio Texas Conference is now a Safe Sanctuary conference. Rev. Melton encouraged the new facilitators in their work as they go out to equip and support churches in keeping all of God’s children safe.

These facilitators will be leading Trusted con Confianza certification facilitated sessions across the conference. For a complete description of the certification process please visit this page

Need to attend a training? Check out information about upcoming trainings at: riotexas.org/safetrainings.

Trusted con Confianza facilitators:

  • Carrie Anders
  • Lori Balensiefen
  • Bonnie Bevers
  • Laurel Bradford
  • Tanya Campen
  • Kim Carroll
  • Rita Cavazos
  • Meredith Copeland
  • Kelly Duke
  • Pam Elliott
  • Megan Getman
  • Jodi Gutierrez
  • Anne Hardegree
  • Chéri Heldstab
  • Patrick Jackson
  • Cheryl Kendall
  • J’Nevelyn Lloyd
  • Donna Magee
  • Valerie Mendoza
  • Mark Mitchell
  • Bridget Preece
  • Lisa Rush
  • Barry Sharp
  • Michael Smith
  • John Paul Spurlock
  • Erika Stiner
  • Vanessa Tirey
  • Carol Ann Weston

Bishop of Puerto Rico Visits Conference Office, Leaders about Recovery

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Bishop Ortiz met with leaders at the Rio Texas Conference. Photo by Rev. Will Rice

Almost five months since two Category 5 hurricanes – Irma and Maria – made landfall in Puerto Rico, Bishop Hector Ortiz of the Methodist Church of Puerto Rico was in San Antonio, telling the church’s story of recovery response to the devastation.

Ortiz met with United Methodist Church leaders to share how the church is setting up the infrastructure to receive volunteer teams that wish to come and be part of the rebuilding process.

A third of the population still does not have electricity and over 300,000 people have left Puerto Rico for the U.S. mainland. Upwards of 30 Methodist churches in Puerto Rico were damaged.

Conference leaders empathized with Bishop Ortiz’s story, as Methodists here have been dealing with the recovery of the Texas Gulf coast from the devastation caused by Hurricane Harvey last August, including damage to Methodist churches in the conference’s area.

The United Methodist Committee on Relief, or UMCOR, the church’s global relief agency, is working with both Rio Texas and Puerto Rico to provide funding and support recovery needs assessments through case management.

Bishop Ortiz indicated that in some areas of the island, relief work as basic as placing tarps on roofs to prevent leaking and mucking out debris is still desperately needed. In other areas of the island, the rebuilding of homes and buildings has started.

Bishop Ortiz champions this mission of Puerto Rico’s recovery, a ministry of traveling, connecting and listening to people, offering hope through his pastoral presence and prayers.

A distinct facet of his visit was to invite U.S. United Methodist Churches to partner with Puerto Rican Methodist churches in the rebuilding process. As U.S. volunteer work teams come to help, Puerto Rican Methodists will be alongside them. The bishop highlighted the need for attentiveness to his flock of pastors because of burnout due to “compassion fatigue.”

Bishop Ortiz shared again the country’s recovery status with various UMC congregations and pastors as well as members of San Antonio’s Puerto Rican community.

Despite the story of hardship reflecting the slow and methodical pace of the recovery, Ortiz’ story reflected the confidence that Puerto Rico’s future is bright.

“With the help of God, we want to rise up again. We are going to rise up again,” he said.

Information on how you can help the Methodist Church of Puerto Rico is on their official Facebook page here. You can also send a check or money order to: Iglesia Metodista de PR. PO Box 23339 San Juan, PR 00931.
Or  
Mariana Bracetti #8 San Juan, PR 00931.

Written by Abel Vega, Outreach Vitality Director
This 'Belief' editorial was featured in the March 4, 2018 edition of the San Antonio Express-News

 

 

Virgin Pulse - Wespath Winter Sports Challenge

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Virgin Pulse - Wespath Winter Sports Challenge

Attention clergy, clergy spouses, and staff covered by the conference health plan:

In a couple of weeks, a new challenge will begin on Virgin Pulse, the Wespath Winter Sports Challenge. Teams can be organized with up to 10 people in them. One team, Rio Texas Ramblers, organized by Paul Harper, is already full. Assistant to the Bishop, Laura Merrill has started a team, Rápido Rio TX, and she invites others to do the same or to join teams with empty spots.

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