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March 26, 2010
Volume 156, Number 47
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Sabbath often overlooked in today’s culture
 Cherie Robinson enjoys some Sabbath time with her grandson, Jadon Toalson. Their time includes visiting a neighborhood park, examining rocks and insects and walking back home for more rest.
Fourth Commandment
is intended for our good
By Rachel L. Toalson
Managing Editor
“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord Your God.”
Exodus 20:8-9
One day out of seven. Twenty-four hours out of our weekly 168. A little more than a tenth of our time.
In a culture where jobs eat up six days a week and church responsibilities seem more like work than volunteerism and leftover time is reserved for catching up on house and yard work, establishing a day of rest is not exactly easy for church-goers.
But leaders in the Southwest Texas Conference say God’s Sabbath rest is just as relevant today as it was when Moses sandwiched it between “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God” and “Honor your father and mother” on his tablets of stone.
The Fourth Commandment
“We have to deal with the fact that the Bible says a whole day and says a certain day,” said the Rev. Scott Heare, pastor of Riverside Community, a United Methodist congregation in Spring Branch. “We have to start there. Anything else is backing away from the Scriptural idea of Sabbath.”
Sabbath is Biblical, Heare said, and Jesus never missed one.
“If we’re called to be like Jesus,” he said, “we’re called to follow what he did. Sabbath is made for man. You do it because you love God, not because you feel restricted to it.
“God knew how much trouble we would have with rest. If you think about the idea that the opposite of sin is peace, and shalom is peace and rest, then you’d know that if you could really be at rest, then you could remember God is in control, that you’re not.”
He said that because the Sabbath is in the “Top 10” commandments, he believes there’s some danger in not observing the Sabbath, based on Scripture.
“God gets his Sabbath,” Heare said. “That’s something pretty serious.”
Larry Howard, superintendent of the McAllen District, said God knew way before we did that work would be overwhelming.
“So, at creation, God modeled for us the taking of a Sabbath: a day for renewal, refreshment and reflection,” he said. “In the Ten Commandments, God challenges us to remember and honor such a Sabbath—for ourselves and for God.”
 The Patton family enjoys a Sabbath on the beach, looking for sea shells and other “treasures.” Leaders in the Southwest Texas Conference say Sabbath rest is intended for rejuvenating those who practice it. Those who observe the Sabbath every week say they feel “refreshed, renewed” and ready to tackle what’s ahead of them for the week. Leaders admit that it’s a difficult discipline to practice a Sabbath weekly, as God intended, but that those who commit to it will find themselves better equipped for their work.
The Rev. Tina Carter, pastor of Parker Lane UMC, Austin, said she realized, intellectually, the benefits of Sabbath rest long before the truth moved to her heart.
As a former consultant working in a “cut-throat industry where the more hours you charge the more worth you are to the company,” Carter read an article about weekly rest that said “if you work more than 60 hours a week it’s like you’re working 30,” she said.
“After working 60 hours, you actually undo your work,” Carter said. “We do better if we’re out of the office one complete day a week. My engineering brain was convinced this was a good idea before my heart said it’s absolutely something we ought to be doing because God asked us to do it.”
Knowing the logic behind the Sabbath—confirming that God knew what he was doing—and understanding that the commandment was listed before “Thou Shalt Not Kill”—emphasizing its importance—helped her prioritize Sabbath rest, she said.
She has long since realized that observing her Sabbath every week makes her better at her job.
“I can only do this pastor gig for 40 or 45 hours a week,” Carter said. “I’m only capable of doing that much. If I’m going to do my best with it, if I’m going to do the real work of pastoring, I have to be rested.”
Howard said people are much more effective after having taken a rest—a truth he affirms now, after coming through his busiest days as a senior pastor of a large church.
“I can work long hours only if I take time to remember and to rest—that is, only if I take a Sabbath,” Howard said. “I must stop working long enough to remember for whom I am working hard.
“It’s not just me and my needs (one of which is to keep me from being embarrassed in public, another of which is to prove my worth to the world). It’s not just my family (their welfare and support). It’s God. It’s important for me to remember and honor the God who has made me and knows me.”
Howard said God knows that humans cannot “work all the time and continue to be faithful.”
“When we work constantly and succeed,” he said, “we begin to believe that ‘it’ is all up to us and we are providing for our own needs, that the world really does revolve around us.
“On the other hand, when we work constantly and fail, we do so because our bodies and minds are so worn out that we literally don’t think straight. We are not our best selves—the self that God desires you and I to be with rest and refreshment. So, taking a Sabbath, a break for renewal of the body, refreshment of the spirit and reflection upon God is crucial for our best selves so that we can give our faithfulness and work to God.”
Kayla Murray, youth minister at First UMC, Lampasas, said she’s seen lots of benefits in her own life when she takes a Sabbath rest.
“It always helps me to feel refreshed, more alert and effective,” Murray said. “If you go, go, go without ever having a day of rest, you will crash and burn. Fast. Sabbath time is important if you want to keep doing what you are doing for a long time.”
“A Sabbath rest gives vital time for connecting with God and reflecting on his work in our lives,” said Amy Howell, youth minister at First UMC, Pflugerville. “Without that, it can be very difficult to discern his call.”
Brandon Shook, youth minister at Cedar Creek UMC, said he can tell when he’s had a “good time to rest and recharge” versus the weeks he hasn’t prioritized Sabbath.
“It’s important to take a break so that you can keep your focus in life,” Shook said. “It’s more than resting and recharging these days. With more going on and more people and things vying for our attention, it’s a time to invest in those things that make our lives worth living. Sabbath gives us a chance to truly explore the beauty of the Lord’s Kingdom.”
 Jadon Toalson watches fish in an oversized tank during a visit to the zoo for his family’s Sabbath. Leaders say Sabbath rest looks different for everyone.
Today’s culture makes it hard to observe a day of rest, leaders said.
“We live in a culture where if you’re not doing something, your time is being wasted,” Heare said. “We don’t think of rest as an activity. God knew that at the created moment.”
“Too many of us fight and scratch to take care of our families,” Shook said, “but what most of us have failed to realize is that spending more time with our family is more important than spending time for our family.”
“Our cultural influx of constant activity and interaction pushes out the Sabbath,” said the Rev. RustyFreeman, conference director of youth ministries. “The world says to remain constantly busy, but Jesus took time to be alone, and so should we.”
Freeman said he remembers being in Jerusalem more than 10 years ago, when he had the opportunity to observe a Jewish Sabbath.
Jerusalem, he said, is a busy city with lots of traffic noise. But when the Sabbath hits, it’s “dead quiet” because the “Sabbath takes priority,” Freeman said.
People are afraid of missing something or being left behind, Carter said.
She’s had other pastors tell her they wish they could take a Sabbath but that they just don’t have the time.
“What I hear when they say that is, ‘I’m just too important, too busy,’” Carter said. “Some of us are so afraid that we’re not really relevant. We don’t want to disappear for a day every week because people will know we’re not relevant.
“Fear is a normal human reaction, and the funny thing is if we can trust God enough to take a Sabbath every week, trust God and ourselves enough to know that what we’re doing is what we’ve been called to do, we get less fearful and more comfortable.”
Her congregation runs without her on the day she takes her Sabbath, Carter said.
“They know that sometimes I disconnect form e-mail,” she said. “They know how to be the church. They know what my job is, and they respect that. They know how to be the church, what they’re called to do.
“We are called, as pastors, to do the hard thing, to live a life that shows what a balanced life with God can be.”
Sabbath’s challenges
Leaders said people sometimes try to mold Sabbath into something besides a sacrifice of time.
“We make Sabbath convenient to us instead of making us obedient to the Sabbath,” he said. “In the United States, we take our faith life as it is convenient for us, instead of making ourselves committed to our faith life. We have it totally upside down.
“It is hard to do Sabbath. There is nothing more interesting than dishes sitting in the sink and knowing you cannot do them.”
“Sabbath is important to me, but it truly is a struggle to live it out and practice it in my life,” Murray said. “It is difficult to peacefully say that ‘today is a Sabbath, I will not do work,’ when there is a pile of stuff on my desk waiting to be taken care of. I know that if I took care of that pile, there would simply be another one waiting for me.
“That makes it very difficult to leave sometimes and take some Sabbath time without feeling guilty or thinking the whole time about what I need to be doing.”
Carter said Sabbath is not something people can just ease into but that they have to “bite the bullet” and practice it whether it’s convenient or not. She said she challenges congregation members to take Sabbath as a Lenten discipline until it’s a habit.
Heare said Sabbath looks different for everyone and the first step is families opening a conversation about it.
“It needs to be as much a journey as it is a destination,” he said. “If you think you’re going to get the final, ‘This is how you do it,” even then you have to figure out what works. We get frustrated with that, but that’s the whole point. We have to seek God and his presence to figure out how he wants us to be in peace.”
See the April 9 issue of The United Methodist Witness for the next Sabbath story.
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President of Methodist Children’s Home to retire
Waco—Bobby R. Gilliam, president and chief executive officer at Methodist Children’s Home, announced his plans to retire during a meeting of the Home’s board of directors Feb. 26.
Gilliam, who has served as MCH president since 2003, is battling Parkinson’s disease. His retirement date will be discussed with and agreed upon by the MCH board of directors.
“I certainly feel sadness that the effects of Parkinson’s have led me to this decision,” said Gilliam, 57. “I wish I had many more years to serve in this ministry. However, my sadness is outweighed by my great joy at the thought of the increased opportunities I will soon have to spend time with my loved ones and the realization of the great honor it has been to lead this special ministry.”
During his tenure as president, MCH increased the number of children in daily care from 500 to more than 1,400, strengthened its endowment fund, added a residential program in Waxahachie and expanded services offered in communities throughout Texas and New Mexico. In addition, the Home joined the University of Texas charter school system, added an athletics program for youth on the Waco campus and Boys Ranch, built a recreation and activities center at its Boys Ranch and implemented a plan to remodel the home units on the historic Waco campus.
“As I reflect on what the Home has accomplished during my time as president, I am reminded that God is amazing,” Gilliam said. “Opportunities to implement innovative programs to better serve children and expand our services testify that God has His hand on this special ministry. I am also grateful for our staff members who work tirelessly to serve the boys and girls in our care, for the many benefactors who provide their financial support to this ministry and for the loyalty and faithfulness of United Methodists.”
A native of Robinson, Texas, Gilliam is the ninth president in the Home’s 120-year history. He has served MCH for more than 30 years during his child care career. He joined the staff in 1973 and quickly rose through the ranks, serving in a variety of child care roles at MCH as well as other agencies. He served nine years as vice president for child care at MCH in the 1990s. He served three years as director of Mooseheart Operations at Mooseheart Child City and School in Illinois before returning to MCH as president in 2003.
Gilliam has earned widespread respect from child care professionals across the country. In 2006, he was named Administrator of the Year by the Coalition for Residential Education (CORE) for his contributions to child care at the national level. As a member of its board of directors, Gilliam played an important role in helping CORE develop its national standards for residential excellence.
He is a member of the National Association of Social Workers, the Academy of Certified Social Workers and a Diplomat in Clinical Social Work. He is a peer review team leader for the Council on Accreditation and has conducted workshops, seminars and training presentations at the local, state and national levels. Gilliam earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Baylor University and a Master of Social Work from the University of Texas at Arlington.
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Families, communities are spiritual training grounds for Christ-character
 Leadership and development
This unique re-conception is one we can consider looking at closely. Your Conference Evangelism Team is already there, seeking stories from healed and healthy congregations of what the Lord is doing. Your Family Council has already begun to energize around helping create environments of intergenerational love & learning in our church. The Children’s Council continues the clarion call to offer Christ to the least of these so that when they are old they will not depart from the faith. The Christian Education & Formation (CEF) Team has long recognized the deep impact of good teachers who’ve caught the Spirit and are passing it on and the ongoing responsibility of local church councils to help identify & recruit leaders. The CEF Team intends to develop a fully-graded (older elementary to older adult) scope and sequence of dynamic and proven confirmation resources which they’ve discerned is long overdue. Excitement about the project is palpable and contagious. The Board of Higher Education & Campus Ministry reminds faith communities to encourage young children, to continually affirm and challenge the youth, and to make sure your graduating seniors become connected at college to a campus ministry or nearby local church. The Older Adult Council believes that the longer we grow, the more we become wise, generous and desirous to give back to the community of youth, young adults and young families who are open to sharing space and grace.
Thank you, Elaine Robinson, for speaking of “Godbearing” as a practice of the individual Christian and the church conceived as bearing the Christ-character within oneself and bearing God to others for the purpose of furthering life.
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UMW Legislative Event draws women from across Texas
The Southwest Texas Conference United Methodist Women hosted the 22nd Annual Legislative Event Jan. 24-26 in Austin. Women from the Central Texas, North Texas, Northwest Texas, Rio Grande, Southwest Texas and the Texas Conferences gathered to learn about the legislative process and hear discussions on the issues facing Texas.
Bee Moorhead, from Texas Impact lined up the following speakers: Dr. Eduardo Sanchez, a medical doctor, spoke about health issues and obesity in children and medical care to the uninsured and underinsured. Lynn Moak addressed public school funding, budget shortfalls and economic factors. F. Scott McCown spoke about school finance and child welfare. Amy Guellar demonstrated how and when to complete the CHIP forms. Luis Figueroa, the Rev. Bill McElvaney and the Rev. George Atkinson spoke about immigration, higher education, voting rights and immigrant rights. Other speakers included Bill Hammond, Todd Staples, Evan Smith, Don Baylor, Morgan Hargrave, Eva Hernandez and Lynda Turet.
The event was well attended. One hundred ten women attended even though the legislature was not in session. Each conference met in a caucus to discuss which issues would be their focus for the following year. The Social Actions Coordinators from each conference then met to develop four focus areas.
The four areas were based on the Social Principles of The United Methodist Church. The first was the “Health of God’s Children.” A priority of UMW is health and wellness for all Texans. Achieving this priority will require public and private actions on many fronts. The Texas UMW supports legislative actions to: increase access to healthy foods and physical activity for all Texans, especially the disadvantaged; increase the availability of wellness and preventive health programs, such as programs to address obesity; improve Texas’ CHIP and Medicaid programs and ensure that all eligible children are covered; make quality health insurance more affordable for all Texans.
The second area is “The Creation.” A priority of UMW is the renewal of our natural environment. There are many aspects of the natural world, and Texas today is particularly called to offer leadership to the global community in areas of energy production and use. The Texas UMW supports legislative action to: promote alternative energy sources for global ecological preservation and creation of new jobs, clear Texas’ air for the sake of human health and the health of all living things and improve energy efficiency at all levels from households to the largest institutions in our state.
The third area is “Securing Abundance.” A priority of UMW is the thoughtful allocation of our community’s resources to serve the greater good. Public Services, including public education for our children, support for our elderly and assistance for the least, the last and the lost among us make concrete in this world the teachings of our Christian faith and the promise of God’s Kingdom. The Texas United Methodist Women’s Legislative Committee supports legislative action to provide a stable revenue system to ensure equitable and adequate funding for educational and social services.
The final area is “Welcoming the Stranger.” A priority of UMW is the compassionate treatment of strangers within our borders. The Bible calls us as the community of God to give shelter, protection and help to sojourners living amongst us, reminding us that we, too, were foreigners in other times. The Texas UMW Legislative Committee supports legislative action to: identify and work to resolve institutional racism in our public institutions and systems, and support compassionate, comprehensive immigration reform in the United States.
The women who attend this event are adamant about trying to be a voice in society. The women left energized and empowered. They were now knowledgeable on the issues and able to talk to their legislators intelligently. They were also armed with enough information to do something in their local areas.
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 Ralph Thompson, president of the Southwest Texas Conference United Methodist Men and Conference associate lay leader, was given Feb. 20 a special recognition pin for his service to the conference United Methodist Women. Presentation was made by David Sidney, honorary member of the conference UMW. Bishop Dorff address the first ever meeting between the Rio Grande Conference Common Table and Southwest Texas Annual Conference Council on Ministries (ACCOM). The meeting took place February 26 & 27 at University UMC, San Antonio. The joint meeting was a chance for both conferences to meet as the San Antonio Episcopal Area to learn and share what the other conference is working on.
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Kerrville District news
Dry rot in The United Methodist Church
This morning I found out that the tires on my truck have dry rot. In other words, whether you drive on your tires or just let your truck sit idle in the driveway, your tires’ usefulness is consumed. Sort of reminds me of my spirituality or my body or my knowledge or . . . you fill in the blank. Leaving what you have sitting in a recliner or sitting on a driveway somewhere doesn’t save anything for anybody. Use what you have for the good of God. Be consumed for holy purposes; don’t just perish from dry rot.
I cannot think of a worse way to go or a title I would least like to have posted over my head: “Dry Rot.” As a District Superintendent, I would hate to think that any of the fine churches in the Kerrville District could be labeled “Dry Rot United Methodist Church.” I much prefer titles such as: “On Fire United Methodist Church” or “Spirit Filled United Methodist Church” or “Servant Hearted United Methodist Church.” However when a church stays parked six out of seven days, cracks begin to appear on the sidewalls even when the tread appears to be in good shape. I would prefer to wear the tread down on a church than to have her think that she still has plenty of tread for the future when in fact she is close to a blowout at any moment.
How do you prevent such a scenario? Get down on your knees and do a regular inspection. Keep your church aired to its appropriate pressure. Keep the leadership rotated and balanced. Have your District Superintendent take a keen look at the whole church on a regular basis. Don’t just wait for a blowout or a flat to call on their expertise. Normally we don’t get called until there is a nail sticking out or a pastor is stranded on the side of the road. Although it is true that we are there for roadside assistance when an emergency arises, we are available for routine maintenance 24/7.
Dry rot is embarrassing and is not Kingdom Building. I simply allowed it to slip up on my truck because I didn’t pay attention to the details. I was focused on other things that I thought were more important. What keeps your church going and getting the Gospel Message out is extremely important. I urge you to go out to the highways and byways to bring others the good news of Jesus Christ.
Worship Reflections
By Robert Molder
District Lay Leader
Why Does Vitality in Worship Matter? Worship matters because people are seeking God.
Perhaps the searching is more evident in people outside the church than inside it. Browse the best sellers that people are reading. Look at the growing number of twelve-step groups and New Age religious expressions. People are searching for something real, spiritual, and powerful. People are longing for meaning, belonging, and something or someone to live for.
With other leaders in your congregations, ask the following questions: Who are we? How do we enact our search for God? How does worship invite us to express the longings we have? Are our people willing to welcome others who are searching to be active participants in worship? Where in worship are we most alive to God and to one another? How could we improve?
“Thy Word is a lamp to my feet,
A light to my path always
To guide and to save me from sin
And to show me the heavenly way.” – Sellers
Because Jesus is the Light of the world, we don’t need to be in the dark about God.
District happenings
Confirmation Celebration
The Kerrville District of the United Methodist Church invites Pastors, Confirmands, their parents and mentors to the District Confirmation Celebration Service on April 10 from 9:30 to 12; worship will begin at 10:00 am. It will be at the Bandera UMC, 1103 Cedar, in Bandera.
Contact the District Office with the number of confirmands you will be sending so that we may order enough crosses for the Yoking Service. (RSVP by April 5th)
There is no cost for this event.
Please share this information with your Confirmation leaders.
For more information,
Call the District Office
(830)896-6400
Basic Lay Speaking Training
Presented by the Lay Speaking Ministries of the Kerrville District May 22 St. Paul’s UMC, 135 Methodist Encampment Road in Kerrville. For information call 830-895-2212.
The training will be from 9 a.m.to 4 p.m. with registration and welcome starting at 8 a.m.
Level One Basic Lay Speaking Training – An intense, one-day workshop focusing on the key elements of Lay Speaking Ministries equivalent to the Conference weekend event. The workshop is open to all United Methodists wishing to become Lay Speakers.
Registration Information – Event fee is $25 (covers workbook and lunch) and payable at the door. This event is limited to 25 people so you MUST contact the District Office to reserve your spot for the training (830-896-6400).
Bring your Bible, paper, pens or pencils.
Bring your completed application for Beginning Lay Speaking ONLY if not previously submitted.
For more information please contact Dean Pate, Kerrville District Director of Lay Speaking at (830) 612-2357.
McAllen District news
Superintendent expresses thankfulness
3I [will] thank my God every time I remember you. 4In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus…
9And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, 11filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God. – Philippians 1: 3-11
This is the last article that I will write for the Witness as the McAllen District Superintendent. So, it is with mixed feelings that I express my thankfulness to you for your “partnership in the gospel” among the diverse and needy people in this area.
You and I have worked hard to increase our outreach into the communities surrounding our churches, while at the same time we prayed diligently for transformation within our congregations. I am grateful beyond words for the risks of reaching out that most of you have taken and for the signs of transformation that I have observed. God has blessed our efforts with new persons, vital programs, and renewed vigor.
However, I am also disappointed that our hard work and diligent praying may come too late for some of our congregations. This spring I am talking to at least six churches about downsizing there pastoral support, going to ½ time of pastoral involvement or joining another congregation to form a two-point charge. These changes in pastoral support are intended to empower the congregations involved to pull back to a place where there resources can best be used to provide quality pastoral leadership while better paying for their ministry needs. Yet, there is a risk that these congregations will not be able to use this change as a launching pad for new and more vital ministry but will instead see this change as a stop on the way to more serious decline. Do I even dare to mention that there are other congregations who have yet to see the dark valley which looms in front of them unless corrective action is taken now?
When I became a Superintendent, I was shocked at the level of need for transformation among our churches. I knew there were challenges in growing the Church, but I was simply unaware of the depth of the problem. Now I know it far better.
Yet, what I also know better is that God’s power and love are still active. Where congregations dare to risk outside their comfort zone and plan caring programs and ministries that move beyond their walls, great things happen…because God blesses that witness, that action. There are exemplary small churches in this district that both reach out to others in significant ways for their size and take care of those who are within the congregations. A congregation that has not seen children within it in many years now has a Sunday school class for four children. That’s a sign of God’s power and love. A church composed of mostly retired persons still provides volunteers and leadership for a weekly after-school children’s ministry as well as a weekly health clinic. That’s a sign of God’s power and love. A congregation populated by mostly retired or recently emigrated persons provides a monthly legal clinic along with other social services. That’s a sign of God’s power and love. All of these smaller churches have vital worship which fuels their outreach. And there are many others who regularly witness to God’s power and love in their action and worship.
Yes, I am disappointed, but I am more thankful…to you and to God. It has been a high honor and privilege to serve God among you. Like the Apostle Paul, I pray that your love may abound and that your insight will be deep, that you will discern what is best and that you will bear fruit for God. But, in all things may we work and pray to the glory and praise of Jesus Christ. Amen.
A pastor’s simple ponderings
by the Rev. Harold Dailey
Throughout the month of March we remain in the season of Lent. This is a time of repentance but repentance does not come of its own accord. It follows our seeking a deeper relationship with the Living God. Jesus said, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you” (Matthew 7:7) Repentance will not come if we fail to ask for help, seek His presence and knock on His door.
The more deliberate we are in seeking God, the closer we will get to God, and the more aware we will become of our need for repentance and changes in our lives. God’s love can triumph over our failings, conquer our sin, and heal and renew our souls. But this requires an effort; movement on our part. God desires we draw close to Him not so that He can show us our flaws, but to demonstrate His overwhelming love for us in spite of our flaws. And when we draw close, God will provide guidance and strength that will enable us to go forward and be transformed into better people.
Therefore, I invite you during this time of Lent to follow God’s advice found in Psalm 46:10: “Be still, and know that I am God.” Take time for prayer, to read your Bible and to listen for God’s quiet and loving voice, that He may give you peace and renew you through His love.
This fast paced world we live in often steals our rest and peace. Follow Paul’s advice in Romans 12:2: “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Remember also the words of Psalm 46:1 that “God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble.” God loves you and wants you to know it. Find the rest, peace and hope that only come from spending time with Him. You will be richly blessed and the problems of this world will seem a little less important.
Corpus Christi District news
Facts on Imagine No Malaria in the District
Thirteen churches have made goals to save 17, 400 lives in the next three years. That is $174,000 at this time pledged. These include Asbury, First UMC Corpus Christi, Goliad First UMC, Island in the Son, Mathis, Nixon, Pettus, Pawnee, First UMC, Portland, St. Luke’s, St. Peter’s by the Sea, St. Paul’s and Taft.
Seventeen more churches have indicated that they want to work on Saving Lives. In this group are: Aransas Pass, Beeville First UMC, Bishop, Cuero First UMC, Grace, Ingleside, Karnes City, Oak Park, Odem, Robstown, Rockport, Runge, Sinton, Three Rivers, Wesley, Woodsboro Faith United, and Yorktown.
A Leadership Team to help answer questions, be available to speak at churches, and to give encouragement is in place within the district. The team consists of Huck Nelson from Taft, Nancy Buzby from St. John’s, Jane Marburger from First United Methodist Church, Corpus Christi, Rev. Dana Hamilton from Island in the Son, and Rev. Linda Morrow, Director of District Ministries. If you or your church has questions or needs help or support call the district office and we will have one of the team come and meet with you.
How many more lives can this District SAVE? That is up to each of you. Just $10. saves a Life. You are invited to help! How will you and your church respond?
District happenings
Brush Country awards banquet held Feb. 25 in Goliad
The Corpus Christi District gives thanks that through the generosity of the laity of the Brush Country attending the Awards Banquet on Feb. 25, 2010 at the Goliad Memorial Auditorium $472.03 was sent to the Imagine No Malaria Campaign. In just one evening the Brush Country of the Corpus Christi District was able to save 47 lives in Sub-Saharan Africa as well as learning facts on prevention, treatment, communication and how we as United Methodist’s can save the lives of our brothers and sisters in Africa. Way to go Brush Country!
Confirmation Rally to be April 10 at Island in the Son UMC
Coming on April 10, 2010 we will have the District Confirmation Rally at Island in the Son United Methodist Church. We have about 75 confirmands from 9 of the District churches attending the event. The various confirmation classes are working on raising money for the Imagine No Malaria Campaign and part of the worship service will be through a visual offering as a net comes to life. These young people have taken the time and energy to raise money so that people in Africa might live and experience Jesus’ healing love through their efforts.
District Small Church Seminar to be March 27 in Robstown
Small Church Seminar hosted by First United Methodist Church Robstown on March 27, 2010 from 9am-3pm (lunch included) Led by Nancy McDougall, Chair, Small Church Commission. To register call (361) 387-4916 or email firstunitedmethodistchurch@clearwire.net
LOGOS training to be May 14-16
LOGOS training (a midweek Children’s program) hosted by Portland First United Methodist Church – May 14-16, 2010 call (361) 777-2000 for more information or to register.
Weekday Ministries Conference to be Aug. 7 at St. John’s UMC
“Jesus is the Light” Weekday Ministries Conference – training for workers with young children is scheduled for Aug. 7 at St. John’s UMC, Corpus Christi. For information call Marcy Williams (210) 654-0404 or e-mail m.williams@windcrestumc.org.
District Conference to be May 16 at First UMC, Beeville
Our District Conference will be held at First UMC, Beeville on May 16 from 3-5 p.m. All Lay Delegate and alternates are urged to attend as we discuss important information about the Annual Conference. A farewell Reception will follow for Barbara Ruth and John Wright.
Farewell reception for Barbara Ruth, John Wright, to be May 16
We will have a Farewell Reception for Barbara Ruth and John Wright at the end of District Conference at 5:00 on Sunday, May 16th at Beeville FUMC. You do not need to attend District Conference to attend this reception. All lay and clergy are invited and welcome!
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