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October 14, 2011
Volume 157, Number 15
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Creating a new conference for a new era
 Members of the Unification Steering Team meet to discuss ways in which the Rio Grande and Southwest Texas conferences might unify to become more effective in ministry.
By Rachel L. Toalson
Managing Editor
An independent team of consultants has recommended to Bishop Jim Dorff, conference leaders and the cabinets of the Southwest Texas and Rio Grande Conferences that the two individual conferences embrace unification and create one new conference.
Per the team’s suggestion and the affirmation of conference leaders, Dorff has created a UST, or Unification Steering Team, to explore “how this unification could take place” and to develop a timeline, Dorff said.
Consultants recommended (click link to read the full report) that both the Southwest Texas and Rio Grande conferences vote at their 2012 annual conference sessions on a recommendation to take the unification request to the 2012 Jurisdictional Conference in July.
The UST will be working on a resolution to present at both conference sessions from now until June, Dorff said.
“If either one or both of the conferences say we do not believe this is the way God is leading us, we will not go that way,” Dorff said. “But this is a matter of tremendous significance. We’re not just talking. This is an issue that can help shape our future for the next several years and beyond. This is very significant work. I hope people across both conferences will be in prayer about it and will work together to seek God’s guidance.
“This may well be what needs to be done to fulfill our mission. If it’s not where God is leading us, that’s alright, too.”
If both conferences vote to move forward with unification, a resolution will be taken to Jurisdictional Conference, and, if approved, a brand new conference will be created when operational details are completed.
For the Southwest Texas Conference, consultants’ recommendation to unify had to do with a change in the demographics of the area, Dorff said. The conference, comprised mostly of Anglo middle-class members, has not been as effective at reaching out to those who don’t fit into the Anglo middle-class demographic as it should be.
“After a period of time, we will continue to diminish until we’re no longer relevant,” Dorff said. “That’s not what God wants for us.”
For the Rio Grande Conference, consultants’ recommendation to unify had more to do with the size of the conference and the missional challenges that come with a smaller size, Dorff said.
“This may mean that God has led us to a time to say, ‘Okay, we have things to offer each other, and it’s time to do a new thing,’” Dorff said.
The UST has committed itself to “holding listening sessions across both conferences, to receive input and ideas from broad cross-sections of both conferences,” Dorff said. Once a basic plan is constructed, the group will report back to the conferences to provide more information.
“This committee’s role is to determine how this might be done and what it might look like, not with all the final details in place but with a basic outline for how it could be done and how it could promote the making of disciples of Jesus Christ in our region,” Dorff said.
“This is not any kind of secretive or behind-the-scenes effort. It is a conversation that has gone on in various places for many, many years. But (consultants’) report did push us to go ahead and seek to make some decisions affecting our long-term future.”
The UST includes leaders from both the Rio Grande and Southwest Texas conferences.
Dorff said he hopes members of both conferences will continue to pray for God’s wisdom for the future.
“We must seriously consider the real possibility that with the many conversations that have been held over many years,” Dorff said, “and given the demographic changes and the cultural changes, which have occurred in our areas in recent times, now may well be the time for us to step out in faith, in creating a new conference for a new era.”
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Early response teams begin clean-up in burned areas
 Early response team members help clear rubble from burned homes in Bastrop. More than 1,700 homes were damaged in the Texas wildfires.
Managing Editor
The Austin District and United Methodists around the Southwest Texas Conference continue to respond to the devastating wildfires that tore through the Austin area in early September, destroying more than 1,700 homes.
Early Response Teams have been helping homeowners clear away debris—all that’s left of their homes—and sift through the remains.
And as long as there’s a need, United Methodist will be there, said the Rev. Bobbi Kaye Jones, Austin District superintendent.
“We will continue what we began the day the fires started to burn: connecting with our most impacted pastors, communicating the needs of their communities and coordinating the donations, work teams and general support,” Jones said. “We have learned that the early response phase will last up to 10 times the length of the disaster itself, and the long-term recovery phase will last up to 10 times the length of the early response.
“The fires in the Austin District burned for two weeks, which gives an idea of what we are facing. We have ‘staffed up’ to include additional folks working out of our office so we can be both proactive and nimble in addressing this staggering event.”
Margery Marshall of the Austin District, has been helping Gene Hileman, conference disaster response coordinator, schedule early response teams for the affected areas. If someone is interested in serving on a team and has been certified for early response, call the Austin District Office at (512) 444-1983.
Help will be needed for quite some time, said Rachel Wright, director of congregational excellence for the district.
A tremendous response has been seen in early response trainings, Wright added. In the last two weeks, more than 120 people have undergone training, and more are expected in the next several training events.
While individual churches have figured out their own ways to help their community—like First UMC, Bastrop, hosting a daily lunch for people working on homes and First UMC, Smithville, hosting a free store for fire victims and Cedar Creek UMC housing early response team members—the district is helping coordinate many of those efforts and efforts of their own—like arranging for affected pastors to get an evening meal each week.
“We’re trying to find ways to encourage pastors and people with some skills for compassionate response to volunteer and help back up our pastors in those areas,” Wright said. “When you’re working in that environment day in and day out, the burnout factor is really high. We’re trying to take a little bit off (pastors) every once in a while.”
Compassionate response is important, Wright said, because the majority of homes are not simply damaged---they’re gone.
The Austin District has also set up a system where churches that have donations are partnered up with one of the four affected churches, which helps ensure that donations are used and affected churches’ needs are filled. Ongoing needs are revisited “very regularly,” Wright added.
The Rev. Katy Fitzhugh, who works with Haynie Chapel and Cedar Creek UMC, one of the churches affected by the fire dubbed “Union Chapel fire,” said that in the days after the fire, Cedar Creek has become a hub for early response teams.
 Early response team members clean up sites in Bastrop after wildfires destroyed hundreds of homes.
“That’s the one thing people hate to hear, but that’s the truest need when people are rebuilding,” she said.
Paul Harris, pastor of Cedar Creek UMC, said the church has been “blessed with partnering churches in the conference that have given significant donations.”
One church delivered 16 prayer quilts for victims of the fire.
“It’s been an outpouring of love that is very real and evident of our sense of connection,” Harris said. “It shows what connection means in the United Methodist connection. People may not have grown up here or even lived here, but the ‘neighborhood’ stretches across the state and the country.”
Nancy McDougall, who is coordinating relief for the Austin District, said the district received recently a shipment of about 10,000 masks—the kind needed for working with ash and debris—from the North Texas Conference—indicative of the United Methodist connection.
She added that the registration fees for the Austin District Rethink Church event this year are designated to benefit the school districts that have set up funds for fire victims. Smithville Independent School District had 57 students and eight staff members lose their homes. Bastrop ISD had 93 staff members and more than 450 students lost their homes.
The scale is massive, which means the need will not disappear anytime soon, Wright said.
“For those of us who aren’t directly affected, this fades away pretty quickly and our lives go on,” she said. “For the communities affected, they’re looking at long-term recovery of three to five years. Because we’re a connectional church, we have the power to continue to be in relationship with them as they walk through that. I think that’s wonderful.”
Donations for fire recovery can be made to Advance #2050 Wildfire Relief and sent to UMC Treasurer, 16400 Huebner Road, San Antonio, TX, 78248. Churches interested in partnering with affected churches and meeting ongoing needs, or individuals interested in early response training can e-mail disasterresponse@umcad.org.
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Real living comes with extravagant generosity
By Rachel L. Toalson
Managing Editor
“Ultimately, the true life of generosity requires trust on our parts…trust that Jesus’ words from Acts 20 are true and that our sacrifices will result in beautiful rewards for us and the recipients of our gifts—sometimes here on earth, and sometimes reserved for us in heaven. In short, generosity comes down to an act of faith in him who not only first modeled the practice of joyful giving but also promised the blessings that come alongside.” –Gordon MacDonald, Generosity
Generosity can show us so much.
Trust. Freedom. The path to an unrestrained, truly-living life.
The practice of generosity in people’s lives, particularly regarding money, creates a new perspective on money, which, in turn, opens up avenues for debt-free living and true freedom, said the Rev. Clayton Smith, pastor of generosity for the Church of the Resurrection in Kansas.
He’s witnessed it time and time again in members of his congregation.
“We find that (generous) people live with a greater sense of simplicity in their lifestyle,” Smith said. “They begin to discover the greater blessing of contentment. We believe that many marriages now have hope—because the number one marriage conflict is usually centered around money and debt.”
The practice of generous giving is transformative, said Dick Young, director of stewardship for the Texas Methodist Foundation.
“When we give and our giving helps other people, there’s a transformation that occurs,” Young said. “It moves from just a transaction where we’re helping the church pay bills to the transformation of seeing how our stewardship affects other people and advances the kingdom.
“There are so many stories about people who practice that long obedience of tithing their entire lives, and they are so eager to explain to others how they felt about their giving, how they never missed the dollars, how they know they’re practicing good Biblical teaching, how they’re helping people and worshiping God at the same time.”
 Experts say the practice of extravagant generosity changes givers’ perspective on money, offering freedom from debt and hope for a promising financial future.
Dan Rebmann, a financial advisor and a member of University UMC, San Antonio, said he began practicing generosity when he realized it was a “requirement to honor God with our offering—specifically the first.”
He had always given to the church, he said. But his family’s first big leap in generosity came during a capital campaign at University, back when he and his wife had young children.
“They were asking for a pledge of a certain amount,” Rebmann said. “The amount we pledged wasn’t huge in terms of the church’s perspective, but it was a huge leap of faith on our part. That was certainly the first time I reached out that way, to say, ‘I’m going to make this commitment and trust that God can make it happen.’”
From a giving perspective, he said, the money was going to something specific—but he didn’t believe it was up to him to determine where the money would go.
“I don’t consider myself accountable to the church in terms of giving,” Rebmann said. “I’m accountable to God for that. And the church isn’t accountable to me for what it does with the money I’ve given. It’s accountable to God.”
He believes it’s important to heed the advice in 2 Corinthians and be cheerful givers—so you’re not giving reluctantly or out of an obligation.
He also believes, Rebmann said, that givers should give their firstfruits.
“One of the things I’ve run into is that people will pay all their other bills first and see what’s left,” he said. “It’s like inherently saying, ‘All these other things are more important than you.’ That’s not what God wants.
“We have to remember that it’s God’s money to begin with. He’s the one who blessed us with it, and we’re supposed to be good stewards of the resources he’s given to us. Not tithing is the equivalent of the guy in the story of talents who went and buried his money in the ground.”
Giving, Rebmann said, is a gradual process.
“I don’t know that folks go from zero to tithing in one step,” he said. “It’s a growth process. The easiest way to start is when you get a raise or a bonus, you take a piece of that and start the process so it’s not as painful. But, truthfully, it’s supposed to be painful and make you uncomfortable.”
He said givers should figure out how much they’re comfortable giving and then give a little more.
Rebmann said he has never turned in a pledge card during University’s stewardship campaign because he doesn’t want to limit God.
He fully believes in God’s promise in Malachi—that he will bless generous givers, he added
“I certainly have never been let down in that,” he said. “It definitely has held true. I gave five times as much in the last capital campaign as the first one we did. And that’s not because of me. I’ve been enormously blessed.”
Truly-living life
Ed Ingleking of the Texas Methodist Foundation, said giving makes a life matter.
“It makes your life feel more beneficial to the world,” he said. “It gives you a place in the world that you can be happy with what God has called you to do. It fulfills your life.”
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The gospel according to Starbucks is nothing
compared with the real gospel
Let me first clear the air and say, I love Starbucks. For those who know me, meeting folks at the coffee shop has become a norm rather than the exception. And I am not alone. Millions across the world have become enthralled with this coffee shop sensation.
I love to drive up to the window near my house and just say, “Hello there, it’s Rusty.” Nine out of 10 times the response is, “Good morning Rusty, do you want your usual?” To which I reply, “Yes, please.” I drive to the window, say hello to one of my friendly baristas, collect my coffee and go on with my day (which often then includes a drive into San Antonio).
When I think about it, I might even go to Starbucks if they didn’t serve coffee. I like coffee, but I like Starbucks better. (The branding, the self-promotion, the concept of community and top-notch service.) Like many, I am addicted to the “Starbucks Experience.” It’s what I also like to refer to as, “The Gospel According to Starbucks.”
At Starbucks, I get what I want. My “usual” consists of a Grande-Carmel-Macchiato, non-fat and extra hot. I also order “The Perfect Oatmeal” with all the toppings and some steamed non-fat milk on top. I pay way too much for this combo, but it makes me happy and helps me start my day off with a bang.
However, in the real world, we don’t always get what we want. We can’t just drive up to the menu and order “a six-figure salary and a ministry that rocks!” We can’t just call up for take-out and say, “I’d like a long life, a healthy body and a basket of happiness.” It just doesn’t work that way.
On the contrary, we take life as it comes. Yet, we are not without a Helper to guide us, lead us and direct us. At Starbucks, I am in command. But in life, I put that job in Jesus’ hands. I can try to tell Him what I want and “order by number,” but most likely He surprises me with unexpected signs of grace, love and forgiveness.
The Gospel According to Starbucks only works at Starbucks. But the Gospel of Jesus Christ—where a loving God comes to earth in a man-suit, and sacrifices himself on a cross so we might have abundant life—works each and every day. It’s a Gospel of good news that doesn’t cost $6.43. The last time I checked it was free.
The writer of Hebrews in 4:14-16 says, “Therefore, since we have a great High Priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”
So the next time you need more than coffee, more than a Venti-Skinny Vanilla Latte, no whip, extra shot; don’t waste your time at the drive-thru. Instead, I encourage you to give Jesus a try. For this High Priest “barista” won’t always give you what you want but will always give you what you need.
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A call for change now in The United Methodist Church
After Methodism’s first century of horseback evangelism, primarily by lay preachers who lived short but vital lives, over the last 150 years we new Methodists have begun to build fortresses of faith. They are designed to comfort our congregations and be museums of our memories; too often now we take to their walls to defend our positions, whether in the pews or at the microphones; too rarely do we go forth into the world, opening our sanctuaries up to be shelters for all the seekers around us. We are too attached to those edifices to let others in.
We have also built fortified places of programming, investing millions of dollars and much of our inter-conference, social-action imaginative thinking in centralized agencies of expertise. They have often served us well but have lost traction with many of our local churches as the ability to Google one’s every idea has replaced reaching for the published volume of United Methodist resources once relied on for assistance.
The United Methodist Church is vastly rich in bricks and mortar and in talent of a certain age. It is also calcified, having cultivated a regulatory culture that rejoices in a fit of legislative madness every four years, rarely producing even one phrase memorable enough to carry home to our local churches.
We have a Discipline that we proudly carry as a reminder of Mr. Wesley but never open for fear that we will notice that we aren’t following its instructions, choosing to ask forgiveness rather than beg permission through antiquated structures. Because of the Discipline’s far-too-detailed guidance, we, as a Church, are inwardly-focused in the extreme, to the detriment of our mission.
What can we do?
We have our divisions, which keep us from acknowledging our common ties. We have our shared history as the people of Wesley, but like the blind experts examining the elephant, we can’t agree from our different perspectives exactly what it is that we share. We have our democratic structure, exercising power equally between lay and clergy, but we are stymied by First World-Third World, economic realities. We have dozens of governing bodies claiming authority but no central way to focus our energies in mission consistently.
The Call to Action initiative laid out by the Council of Bishops and the Connectional Table offers a running start at reform, framed as it is in both legislative work and bolder leadership commitments by the bishops themselves. Two years in the making, it has emulated our modern Church in every way, winding through three different committees of sorts, and culminating in a eclectic set of recommendations, including economic, philosophic, and structural changes. The petitions containing those changes are already inviting conflict, putting forty years of stated purposes and nearly a thousand jobs in general agencies in question and altering traditional lines of authority in ways we can’t predict completely. It will continue to disturb our trust issues, which never rest easy.
The focus of the Call to Action recommendations is leadership: clergy and lay, from the general Church to the local congregation, with the Annual Conference as the pivot point. The filed petitions recommend deleting the program boards and commissions and merging their employees into a unified General Church staff in one new general agency. That agency’s board would be comprised of 15 people, elected based on their competencies by a representational advisory board much like the current Connectional Table. Another petition also recommends investing $10 million in theological and leadership training in the central conferences and $50 million in direct support of seminary students and lay leadership in United States annual conferences.
In Mr. Wesley’s time, his people relied on him to point the way and offer bright-line guidance, which is not to say they didn’t argue with him from time to time. When the American Revolution caused the withdrawal of all Anglican priests from the colonies, his colonial people repeatedly petitioned Mr. Wesley to send them clergy to give them sacraments; full-blooded Royalist that he was, it took him eight years to give in and ordain priests for the Americans.
When Mr. Coke and Mr. Asbury arrived on the American shore, they found it necessary to do things differently from their Anglican ways; many years of struggle in the colonies were culminated in the beginning of a new Church, governed by general superintendents elected by their peers. It was a first step toward developing a Christian denomination destined to spread across the world; an experiment mirroring the new American government, it required innovation and sometimes retrenchment from failed or fatigued initiatives, again and again.
That need has returned. We must be true to our forebears who made us rich in resources, to those who were witnesses in the wilderness. We cannot pass this by simply because there is conflict. We must remember the faces of all those who came before us and honor their efforts by committing ourselves to seeking whatever change is necessary, even if it means listening as much or more than we speak. We must covenant to be Witnesses to our faith and our tradition as Wesleyans, and strive to ensure the survival of this now-global branch of Christianity. Millions of people across this world are depending on us to stay in the saddle, just as did our frontier pastors of old, until the Message reaches all of them. Make it so. Let us be Witnesses All!
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Blanco County residents reach out to fire
victims with item collection
George Barnette
Member, First UMC, Johnson City
Help from Blanco County already has begun reaching our neighbors in Spicewood, across the county line on Texas 71, where swift-moving wildfires whipped through neighborhoods and ranches in early September.
First sent was a load of burn buckets, buckets of cleaning supplies specific to cleaning up after fires, assembled by the Blanco County Disaster Response Group and local churches.
“You just have to do something to help those people,” said bucket-stuffer Rosie Danz. “There they were feeling safe at home, and suddenly they were running for their lives with only what they could grab. Anything that wasn’t in reach was just gone in a few minutes.”
As the response in Spicewood progresses from the emergency phase to cleanup, and later to long-term recovery, the survivors’ needs will change and the nature of assistance needed will evolve, too. Local churches continue raising funds because the needs will only grow as families move out of temporary shelter and into longer-term housing.
“When we see the huge job facing families who have lost their homes and belongings, we can’t complain about a little work and sweat,” said Dale Moore,a member of one of the Early Response Teams from Dripping Springs UMC that were cleaning up burned homesites for uninsured residents.
“We can’t put the house back—yet,” added Annette Moore, his wife, “but we can help them find lost items, clean up the mess, and get them started on the recovery process. And when what they need most is just someone to listen to their stories and their concerns, we can do that, too.””
“This is what churches are supposed to be doing for their communities: meeting the needs of people in crisis,” said the Rev Ernest Topper, pastor of Johnson City’s First Christian Church.
“We can’t just stand by and watch our neighbors suffer, and claim it’s not our problem. It is our problem if we’re serious about following Christ’s example, and we know it could be our personal problem the next time the fire alarm goes off. We belong right in the middle of this effort.”
To move the recovery campaign ahead, the churches and the disaster group have launched a virtual used furniture and housewares collection for the survivor families.
But they don’t want anyone to give them anything yet. The families don’t have a place to put it, and, frankly, neither do the collectors.
So they’re asking people to identify surplus items in the attic or closet or garage and email that information, with a description and—preferably—a digital photo, to collectiondrive@bnpr.com. Then they’ll add it to a “catalog” of available items, and as the families get a place to live, they can choose the pieces they can use, and only then will the actual pickup and delivery happen.
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San Antonio District news
Non-denominational or Inter-denomination or?
My wife gave me an Alaskan cruise for my birthday. The cruise was for two, so I graciously invited her to join me.
We were ship board on Sunday and the daily blotter listed a Catholic Mass and an “inter-denominational” service. We decided on the latter. I wondered what the service – gathered in one of the bars aboard ship – would actually be like. About 100 folks gathered. The service – led by one of the crew – was not really “inter” denominational. The liturgy was extracted directly from the Anglican Prayer Book, probably sourced by the Philippino mate from his local Anglican congregation back home. The offering was dedicated to a foundation for families who had lost a mariner at sea.
As the service progressed, I pondered the terms “inter-denominational” and “non-denominational.” My mentor on my seminary internship, Luster Lockett, used to scoff at the term “non-denominational” because, as he put it, there is no such thing. In his thinking – and mine as I grasped his point – a “non-denominational” congregation is either a “denominational” congregation trying to hide under the radar or it was a congregation that was led by someone unaware of ecclesiological history or theological thought. In essence, they were not “non-denominational” they were simply denominational, but unwilling or unable to be forthright about it.
At sea, the service was billed as “inter-denominational.” In its presentation it was quite “denominational.” The problem for me was not the presentation of worship; it was the mis-labeling.
As my thoughts continued I remembered John Wesley and his response when folks wanted to peg the “Methodist” movement in one or the other of the classic Western Christian traditions. When asked if the “Methodists” were Catholic, Evangelical or Reformed, Wesley responded that “Methodists” are all three! Wesley’s intent was to renew and revitalize Christian disciples rooted in any Christian tradition. He did not intend to lift one root above another.
With that thought in mind I hit upon a new word for describing United Methodists as a tradition within the realm of historical Christian expression. According to Mr. Wesley, we are not a “denomination” in the pure sense of the word; we are much more “omni-denominational.” In other words, our mission is not to promote ourselves, but to promote our Lord; our goal is not to convert people to Methodism, but to be a means through which God can convert people to vital faith and authentic happiness; our focus, at its best, is not self-promoting, rather we promote holy living in whatever form that takes and from whatever Christian root it has sprung.
Being a part of an “omni-denomination” allows us to respect and honor faith pilgrimages of various experiences, all the while inviting all persons to ground that faith journey in the Scriptural witness and express it through social and personal holiness. Being a part of an “onmi-denomination” allows me to experience the presence of God and offer myself to God anew even in the midst of the ancient language of Anglicanism. Being a part of an “omni-denomination” allows us “Methodists” to see ourselves as part of God’s dream of saving the entire universe without having to spend energy focused on identifying whom we would decide remain outside the realm of saving grace. Being an “omni-denominationalist” invites us to live beyond diminutive sectarian arguments and perceive others as brothers and sisters in the family of God. For me, that beats “non-denomination” and “inter-denomination” all to pieces. Thanks be to God!
San Antonio District happenings
Lay Speaker Training in San Antonio
Terry McCandless
The San Antonio District Lay Speaking Ministries is once again offering classes in Basic Lay Speaking as well as an Advanced class for recertification. The classes will be held on October 22, 2011, at Oxford UMC, 9655 Huebner Road. For information or to sign up for one of the classes, please contact Terry McCandless at the District Office. An Advanced class for initial Conference Certification will be offered by the SWTx Conference in the spring of 2012. Dates and additional information will be provided as soon as planning has been completed.
Religious Leaders Dialogue on the Death Penalty
Monday, October 24, 2011 7:00 to
9:00pm Laurie Auditorium, Trinity
University, One Stadium Drive, San Antonio.
RSVP for Free Tickets – tcadp.org/religious-leaders-dialogue-on-the-death-penalty/ or call (512) 441-1808, email info@tcadp.org
Bexar County has the third highest rate of sentencing people to death in Texas, yet this does not appear to reflect local community values. The Religious Leaders Dialogue on the Death Penalty at Trinity University’s Laurie Auditorium is an unprecedented interfaith event for San Antonio. Moderated by Karen Clifton of the Catholic Mobilizing Network, the evening brings together seven of San Antonio’s religious leaders to explore perspectives on the death penalty in a city with deep religious roots. The program will also include questions from the audience.
Panelists include Father Larry Christian, St Frances of Assisi – San Antonio Archdiocese, Rev. M.A. Rashad Berry of Canaan Missionary First Baptist Church, Bishop Robert Hibbs of the Episcopal Diocese West Texas, Bishop Rev. Dr. Ray Tiemann of the Southwestern Texas Synod, ELCA, Elder Hillary Shuford of the Mission Presbytery, Rabbi Samuel Stahl of Temple Beth-El and Rev. Virgilio Vázquez-Garza of the Southwest Texas Conference United Methodist Church.
Don’t miss this great opportunity for this most difficult dialogue.
Victoria District news
Every church should have clear mission
Friends, “Are you interested in going to heaven?” Apply for flight training.
I am not talking about the Ostentatious bishop who had his car fitted with stained glass windows and a horn that sounded like church bells, I am asking you to be clear, be focused, and be holy.
Our prayers in the Victorious District are to find mission and ministry in every local church with every person young and old, nursing home and wheel chair, communicating the Gospel of Jesus Christ, “for God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son that whosoever belief in him should not perish but have ever lasting life…”
The verse occurs in a narrative in the New Testament third chapter of John taking place in Jerusalem. Nicodemus, a member of the ruling council, comes to talk with Jesus, whom he calls Rabbi. Jesus’ miracles have convinced Nicodemus that Jesus is sent from God. In reply, Jesus declares, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again” (v:5–6). John 3:16 summarizes Jesus’ lesson to Nicodemus: that belief in Jesus is the path to eternal life. How about you in your local church?
Friends, make signs, dance, reinforce it in your homes, churches, and sing it to your babies! Bring your pastors to your jobs, and have her pray for people. Bring your kids teams to church. Go to your child’s school and pray for the principle privately in her/his office.
Be holy, in the example of Christ. Laugh out loud as I am sure Christ did. Accept change and don’t see it as loss. Be future oriented! Challenge others to be clear, be focused, and be holy!
The United Methodist can change perceptions! Bring information!
My prayer is that every church would have a mission that is clear, focused, and holy. Every church needs to work with the resources of their respective communities and with the resources of their clusters.
And so work in mission, play, teach, recruit, and continuously improve! But most importantly, “Apply for flight training.”
Victoria District happenings
Joint Effort Between Ganado and Edna to Help Bastrop Fire Victims
On September 10, 2011, two communities joined forces to help fellow Texas neighbors in need. Residents of Edna, Texas, and members of First UMC of Edna along with residents of Ganado, Texas, and members of First UMC of Ganado wanted to help the Bastrop community that has been devastated by wild fires.
On Wednesday of that week, emails and Facebook messages were exchanged regarding concern for those affected by the fires and many shared a desire to help. These messages transformed into an immediate, mass gathering of supplies for the Bastrop community. A list of needs from the Bastrop Distribution Center for victims and firefighters was also circulated. In less than 4 days, a 20-foot cattle trailer, two 12-foot box trailers, 6 pick-up trucks, and 2 cars were packed full of items to deliver to those in need. 14 adults and 3 kids caravanned to Bastrop and spent the day distributing supplies and volunteering wherever needed.
W-HUMC Celebrates Women’s Day 2011
Wesley-Harper UMC in Seguin, Texas celebrated Women’s Day on September 11 in an afternoon service with Mrs. Barbara Dorff as our guest speaker. Our theme was A Woman Who Walks By Faith, based on Matthew 15:28 Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith.”
The service began with the UM Women entering through the front doors singing “we’ve come this far by faith”. As they made their way toward the choir loft each handed out a cross to a woman in the congregation with whom they chose to share their “walk of faith”. Some crosses were handmade, some were on a necklace, some ceramic and others wood.
After the invocation, Bishop Dorff spoke briefly, encouraging the UM Women’s unit in all that is done at W-HUMC. All UMW members participated in the service, greeting the visitors, reading scripture, or singing with the Woman’s Chorus. Honeybee Powell presented a tribute to women, and Teri Robinson was awarded a special recognition for her work with the youth.
Barbara Dorff, wife of the Bishop, honored women of the church with these words: “when a woman decides she’s going do something, just step back!” She remembered a necklace she had long ago where a tiny mustard seed was encased in a glass ball, representing the strength mentioned by Jesus. Mrs. Dorff told us about this personal project: Travis Park UMC in San Antonio, home of The Upper Room, the Mission Hope, and Goodwill, no longer has a UMW unit. She asked for our prayers in getting a unit going there once more. This is in an area where there is much need. How great is our faith? And how much more can we do?
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Briefs
Contact needed for future Witness series
Several series are planned for future issues of The United Methodist Witness, but we can’t write them without you! Please let us know if you have any contacts for the following themes:
New churches—Are you a lay person who has been a part of a new church plant within the last few years? We are planning a story that chronicles a new church plant from its beginning stages until the launch and maturation season. Contact us with your experience.
Environmentalism—Is your church taking steps to care for the earth? We are in the brainstorming stage of a series that examines the conscious choices churches are making to “clean” up their practices and be better stewards of the planet. Send us names and contacts of people who have spearheaded this in your church.
Evangelism—This series will focus on the ways churches in our conference evangelize. What are the ways your church practices evangelism (old-fashioned door-to-door evangelism, serving-while-evangelizing, home-group evangelism)? Let us know!
Please send all information to Rachel Toalson at rtoalson@umcswtx.org or call (210) 408-4524.
San Antonio District
The San Antonio District staff has compiled
the information for Page 3 and paid to use
the space as a district newsletter.
Carl Rohlfs
Superintendent
carlds@umcswtx.org
Kathy Kafora
Admin. Assistant
ksk@umcswtx.org
Terry McCandless
Program Director
tmccand@umcswtx.org
Address:
16400 Huebner Road
San Antonio, TX 78248
District Office
(210) 408-4520
Fax: (210) 408-4521
Program Office
(210) 408-4533
www.unitedmethodistsadistrict.com
District calendar
October
22 Lay Speaker Training, Basic and Recertification,
Oxford UMC, 9655 Huebnre Rd, 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m.
November
1 District Professionals Meeting, Coker UMC, 231 E North Loop,
Coffee and fellowship at 9:30 a.m., meeting at 10 a.m.
December
1 District Professionals Meeting, Advent service, Oxford UMC, 9655 Huebner Rd.,
Coffee and fellowship at 9:30 a.m., meeting at 10 a.m.
January
14 P/SPRC and Lay Leader Training,
Time and location to be confirmed.
Victoria District
The Victoria District staff has compiled
the information for Page 6 and paid to
use the space as a district newsletter.
Terrence Hayes
Superintendent
Linda Curl
Admin. Assistant
Judith Johnson
Program Director
judith@satx.rr.com
Lori Koonce
District Editor
lflemingkoonce2003k@yahoo.com
Address:
5606 N. Navarro, Ste. 217
Victoria, TX 77904
District Office
(361) 573-4233
Fax: (361) 573-4392
Program Office
(361) 573-4233
New District Web site
www.umcvictoriadistrict.com
District calendar
October
6-8 South Central Jurisdiction BMCR meeting, Oklahoma City, OK
7-8 Conference UMW meeting, Corpus Christi.
11 Pastors & Professionals, 9:30 a.m.
Mt. Sequoya New Church Leadership Institute. (NCLI)
16 Last Church Conferences
17-19 Clergy Benefits Academy, San Antonio.
26-27 Cabinet.
29 District UMM Fall meeting, Wesley Harper UMC, Seguin.
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