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Current News
National initiative seeks to wipe out malaria The Rev. Bob Allen, Kerrville District superintendent, will never, ever forget the metal beds, some of them cramped with two or three people, in a foreign hospital—a place where people went to die—where he and his mission team of nine watched malaria steal the life of a man.READ MORE
Pension funding: much ado about something or nothing? Multiple articles, many discussions, and unprecedented fear have been generated about the “pension crisis” in The United Methodist Church. Is it a real crisis or much ado about nothing? Let me try to bring some clarity to this issue READ MORE
Resources, camps, training available for those in various ministries Everything you do is Evangelism” is a PowerPoint show downloadable from www.umcswtx.org (click on “Outreach” tab). It personalizes evangelism and can be customized for congregations using pre-worship announcement slides. Insert photos of disciples in your church who share Christ. Helpful hints in the slide show can help you! The E-Team invites your one-phrase definition of Evangelism, and nominations for lay persons forthe Harry Denman Evangelism Award. Contact the Rev. Dr. Ralph Mann, ralphm@nctv.net by March 31.
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Empowering your ministries to make disciples of Jesus Christ,
our website serves as a valuable resource to you—the more
than 120,000 members in 350 congregations across the
southern third of Texas.
Jim DorffBishop
San Antonio Area
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Lenten season is good opportunity
for serious reflection
During this time of year we have the opportunity to acknowledge who we are in relation to our Lord, the crucified Christ. We can use this time for serious reflection, perhaps even denying ourselves in some way as a symbolic realization of the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross. This is an extremely important time in the life of Christians. Lent is a way for us to recognize the deepest truths about ourselves and the limitless love of God for us all through Christ.
What has your Lenten season brought to you? New understanding? Deeper faith? A sense of the sacrificial? I hope and pray that between now and Easter you will spend some time in prayer and reflection. This can take many forms. The point is to make the effort. Easter is coming. The celebration will be so wonderful and truly amazing. It will be even more so if we can enter the depths of Christ’s suffering and death, even if only for a few moments.
In my world I have received the gift of amazement and humility as I experienced our clergy members at the Bishop’s Convocation. I realized again the joy of their spirits, the depth of their commitment, and the sincerity of their sense of calling. I’m humbled to be among them, much less serve as their Bishop.
I also am humbled as I serve with your Cabinet in the appoint-making process. We work carefully, prayerfully, corporately, and hopefully in seeking to appoint the best possible pastors for each of our churches. It is a challenging task. Your Cabinet is up to the task and diligently going about its work. I am humbled to serve as their Bishop, too. Remember us in your prayers.
It’s that time of year. Work to do. Prayers to offer. Blessings to recognize. All in the shadow of the Cross. That shadow will fall upon us and keep us in the places we need to be in order to do what God has called us to do. May we all sense that shadow and all that it represents. Easter is just around the corner. Have a blessed Lent! |
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