Southwest Texas, Rio Grande leaders eye joint work

 

Laity, clergy members consider
how to offer Christ to all in region
By Claudia M. Williams
Staff Writer
Forty Southwest Texas and Rio Grande conference leaders discussed last month in Kerrville ways they could work together to offer Christ to all and transform the world.
The Jan. 27-28 gathering at Mount Wesley Conference Center responded to a call from Bishop Joel N. Martinez to “wrestle more deeply with the overwhelming evangelistic and mission challenge that faces us.”
Martinez made that appeal in June during his “state of the church” addresses to the 2005 sessions of both conferences.
The bishop selected the participating clergy and laity leaders for the January meeting to represent both conferences.
“We come together to listen to one another so that we may learn together,” Martinez said. “We join hands and hearts in a renewed effort in unison because both conferences are on that journey.”
He said he would study the observations generated by the joint meeting.
During the opening worship service, a handful of laypeople from each conference told stories about their early life-changing encounters with Jesus Christ. These testimonies set the stage for small-group Bible study and discussions in which Martinez asked the church leaders to consider:
n What do the testimonies tell us about our ministry in offering Christ to all for the transformation of the world?
> What can we learn and apply to our mission from the text in Acts (Acts 11:19-30; Acts 13:1-3) and Matthew 25:31-46?
> What were the challenges for the early church in offering Christ to all? What are ours?
> Paul and Barnabas were sent out as a team. As we seek to offer Christ to all, what team efforts are needed to be effective?
> How does the text reflect connection between churches in the mission? How important was it then? Now?
Jay Brim, Southwest Texas Conference lay leader, said the meeting was about “the partnership theme we have adopted.”
“We’re going to get the leadership to look each other in the eye,” he said.
Brim said he took away from the meeting the realization that the Board of Laity “ought to push to have more partnership with the lay leaders of Rio Grande Conference and the Southwest Texas Conference to take advantage of the skills the other may have.”
David Villalobos, Rio Grande Conference lay leader, said, “We have to make it (offering Christ) real through the ministry of both conferences. How do we work together to serve Christ in our communities?”
The joint retreat was important, Villalobos said, because “the big decisions happen over a cup of coffee.”
Each participant received a Bible with parallel English and Spanish translations.
“The message is that we are one, regardless of culture, in the service of Jesus Christ,” said the Rev. Austin Frederick Jr., assistant to the episcopal office.