Commission celebrates border ministries

A part of the vision of the ministry known as the Methodist Border Friendship Commission is seen in the quarterly meetings of area clusters.
The Brownsville/Matamoros cluster meets at least every three months. Pastors and ministers from both sides of the border come together to talk about celebrations in our ministries and visions for the future.
Several things are to be celebrated in the work of this cluster. Here are two:
> A relationship has developed between the Methodist Church of Mexico in Matamoros; First UMC, Brownsville; and the Good Neighbor Settlement House, a UM-supported community center in Brownsville.
The Rev. Ignacio Dominguez from El Buen Pastor Methodist Church in Matamoros, Mexico, has been invited by the director of Good Neighbor Settlement House, Carlos Gomez, to conduct a Bible study for those coming to the soup kitchen. With blessings from the Rev. Kim Cape, McAllen District superintendent, Dominguez comes from Mexico every Thursday to share God’s word with people who come to lunch. The first week he had 15 come and the second week 25. The group continues to grow with people of all ages coming to be fed physically and spiritually.
> In the last two years this cluster, along with others in United Methodist and Mexican Methodist churches along the border, has made several combined Volunteer in Mission trips. These trips have been a blessing to all involved. The mission trips have been to the indigenous people in the mountains of San Luis Potosi and in response to Hurricane Emily in La Carboneras along the coast south of Matamoros.
There is much work to do, and all our gifts are necessary to share in God’s mission.
For information about the Methodist Border Friendship Commission, go to www.methodistbfc.org.