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| EMERGENCY APPEAL
From Bishop James E. Dorff
On behalf of Bishop Raul Garcia de Ochoa re: flooding in Eastern Conference Methodist Church of Mexico including the Rio Grande Valley. This is an emergency request for assistance. Items are needed immediately. The last collection date will be Tuesday, July 27. Another appeal may be necessary in order to meet the needs on the U.S. side of the border.
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Annual Conference
2010 Highlights
Bishop Dorff’s Sermon from the
Ordination Service
Rev. Tyrone Gordon’s Sermon
from the Service Renewal
Rev. Clayton Smith’s presentation,
"Creating a Culture of Generosity"
Gospel of John Bible study offered Aug. 17-19 Jaime Clark-Soles, associate professor of New Testament at Perkins School of Theology, will offer a Bible study on the Gospel of John Aug. 17-19 at Mount Wesley. Both clergy members and lay leaders are invited to the study.
Click here to register
2010 Announced Appointments
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Bishop Dorff visits DRC in Africa to deliver bed nets
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Clarification regarding
the position of the
United Methodist Church
and health care
learn more
Walk to Emmaus
learn more
New Church Development
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Current News
Mission trip turns into Disaster Response Mission teams from First United Methodist Church Houston have been coming to stay and do mission work in Del Rio and Ciudad Acuna, Mexico for the past ten years. The mission teams from FUMC Houston stay at FUMC Del Rio while working on local houses in Ciudad Acuna, Mexico. For the last two years however because of border concerns, they have worked on homes in Del Rio.
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Christian Educators Tend Congregations’ “Petri Dishes” Someone’s been asking questions on a national level about whether it makes a difference to a congregation’s ministry of making disciples if there is someone on staff who focuses on Christian education. How do you know/how can you tell?READ MORE
Disaster Response needs flood buckets to aid in clean up Southwest Texas Conference Disaster Response Coordinator Eugene Hileman took the last of the conference’s supply of flood buckets to Del Rio and Laredo the weekend of July 17th & 18th. There is still quite a bit of flooding and the water has just started to receed so that flood buckets can be used. Flood buckets are five gallon buckets filled with cleaning supplies. They are distributed to families to assist them as they clean their home following a flood. Individuals and churches are encouraged to assemble flood buckets and contact Eugene Hileman when you have them ready (210) 557-8698 or aehileman@umcswtx.org
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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
| Holy conferencing proves
leaders are rethinking church
The past month has been a busy time for me. There was an important period of preparation prior to the Annual Conference sessions. The Southwest Texas Conference provided a great opportunity to share together in worship, fellowship and the business matters assigned to us. We had an inspiring and renewing conference.
The next week brought me back to San Antonio for the Rio Grande Conference. Again, the presence of the Spirit and the wonderful attitude of the members meant a blessed time of holy conferencing.
After a week of “catching-up” in the office, I joined the extended Cabinets of both conferences at Mt. Sequoyah Assembly in Fayetteville, Ark., for a period of reflection and education with people from across our South Central Jurisdiction. It was a stimulating time of worship and conversation. Then I went directly to Durham, North Carolina, and the campus of Duke University. The Duke Divinity School hosts 25 bishops from around the country for three days, twice a year. Again, it’s a time of worship, input, fellowship and conversation. I look forward to these days with other bishops.
The past month has been busy. It’s also been a great, great blessing. I have experienced the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. I have experienced the energy of conference members, Cabinet members, and other bishops. The Spirit is alive and well among us.
Perhaps the greatest blessing of the past month has been the clear signal from Corpus Christi, to San Antonio, to Arkansas, to North Carolina that the Church and its leaders are Rethinking Church and hard at work moving into God’s future. The church’s leaders are engaged and encouraged. So am I.
God has a mission for us all! It’s been a busy month and I’m grateful for the opportunities it’s provided me.
However, I must also let you know that vacation is just around the corner. I guess I’m glad for that, too. |
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