Austin Frederick to autograph
new book Sept. 27 in San Antonio

A Southwest Texas Conference author is to autograph copies of his new book Sept. 27 in San Antonio.
The Rev. Austin Frederick Jr., assistant to the episcopal office, is to sign Quest for Inclusiveness from 10 a.m. to noon at the United Methodist Center, 16400 Huebner Road.
John Wesley Press published the 80-page book in August. The work offers Frederick’s firsthand perspectives on cross-racial and cross-cultural ministry in The United Methodist Church.
“The persistently elusive goal of an inclusive church will not be realized without leaders who model that vision,” Bishop Joel N. Martinez said in the foreword. “Austin Frederick shares his vision and offers helpful encouragement to all who want the church to embody inclusiveness. …
“Dr. Frederick focuses on a central dilemma that still faces all church leaders and congregations: placing pastoral leadership across cultural and racial-ethnic boundaries for effective ministry. He articulates several key insights born of personal experience, observation and professional assignments in his ministry.”
The book examines cross-racial appointments from three perspectives:
> Pastors.
> Pastoral families.
> Laypeople in congregations served by pastors of a different ethnic background.
Frederick devotes one chapter to his experiences with cross-racial pastoral appointments. Three other chapters come from presentations made to a South Central Jurisdiction convocation on cross-racial ministry that Frederick helped organize.
Frederick also provides background on the history of cross-racial ministry in The United Methodist Church and theological reflections on the topic.
“Theologically, this book reflects my search to find God in the midst of cross-racial and cross-cultural ministry,” Frederick writes in the introduction. “The added blessing of this book for me was not only finding God in the midst of but also affirming God’s continued presence in cross-racial and cross-cultural ministry.”
John Wesley Press is the book-publishing imprint of the conference Communications and Public Witness Office. Since 1998 John Wesley Press has issued five titles. The most recent was In the Line of No Resistance: God’s Will by Alberto Merubia.
Quest for Inclusiveness is available from Frederick for $8.95 per copy plus $2 for shipping. Send orders to P.O. Box 781506, San Antonio 78278. Copies are also on sale at Cokesbury Bookstore in San Antonio.