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Holiday Civility
by brooks schuelke in Our BlogExperts know that too many holidays end up with hurt feelings as family gatherings often degenerate into arguments.
But it doesn’t have to be that way. One of our commission members received two pre-Thanksgiving emails offering ways to have a civil discourse over difficult issues.
The first, put out by the Environmental Defense Fund, is available here: Tips For Talking Climate Over Turkey Without Starting A Food Fight.
The second is available here: Talking Turkey With Your Loved Ones.
We hope you have a good holiday season.
Cradle to Prison Pipeline
by brooks schuelke in Justice News, Our BlogA recent General Board of Church & Society Newsletter had a sad, but insightful article on the Cradle to Prison Pipeline, an issue all who care about justice should care about. When reading it, keep in mind the Austin District’s October 8 education forum.
Save Texas Schools—Statewide Conference
by brooks schuelke in Home Page Right Column Top, Our BlogOn July 15 & 16th, the Save Texas Schools organization will have a statewide conference in Austin at First United Methodist Church. The nonpartisan group will host lawmakers to discuss the education issues and then have training to equip attendees to participate in the primary and general elections.
If you are interested in attending or would like more information, click here.
Austin Interfaith Accountability Session — April 10, 2011
by brooks schuelke in Justice News, Our BlogDo you care about
- Education
- Immigration
- Long-term Job training
- Living Wages
- Worker Rights
- Neighborhood Safety
If so, attend Austin Interfaith’s accountability session to learn where public officials stand on these issues. The session will be April 10, 2011 at 7:00 p.m. at St Ignatius Martyr Catholic Church (126 W. Oltorf).
For more information, call 916-0100
Justice Workshop at University UMC
by brooks schuelke in Home Page Right Column Top, Justice News, Our BlogJustice workshop at University UMC
2409 Guadalupe Street (Cor 24th)
Austin, TX
Rev. Bill McElvaney – Saturday, April 9 & Sunday, April 10
This April, join peace and justice advocate Rev. Bill McElvaney at UUMC for a series of justice workshops. Bill is Professor Emeritus at Perkins School of Theology in Dallas. Each gathering will begin with an opening prayer and a brief justice reading from Bill. Featured readings will be:
- Life After Mississippi - by James Autry
- The Justice Project – by Brian McLaren et al
- Justice – by Nicholas Wolterstorff
- The Last Week – by Marcus Borg & John Dominic Crossan
- Blessed Are the Peacemakers, a Lenten meditation – by Bill McElvaney
On Saturday morning, Bill will outline his reasons for writing the book Becoming a Justice Seeking Congregation: Responding to God’s Justice Initiative, experiences with the book, and some general observations about justice. Saturday afternoon will include participation in a justice exercise. On Sunday afternoon, we will consider where UUMC is in doing justice, including existing and possible new challenges.
The sessions on both Saturday and Sunday will proceed with narrative of doing justice, followed by discussion (action and reflection). The sessions will conclude with Bill McElvaney’s reflections on a chapter of the book. Along the way, we will consider questions at the end of each chapter. Books will be available for sale for $10.
PLEASE REGISTER AHEAD OF TIME FOR THE WORKSHOPS. DEADLINE IS TUESDAY, APRIL 5 AT 5:00 P.M. THANK YOU!
Email Rev. Susan Sprague at ssprague@uumc.org or call 512-478-9387 to RSVP. There is no charge.
Faith-Based Immigration Study — May 15 – June 19
by brooks schuelke in Justice News, Our Blog“Transcending Borders” Training
Join Rev. Madeline Carrasco Henners for a training to lead the faith-based immigration study, “Transcending Borders,” in your local congregation. Laity and clergy who are interested in starting conversations about immigration in their local church are invited to this training. We will go through the 6 week study together:
- Session 1: Getting Started
- Session 2: Immigrants of the Bible
- Session 3: The Alien, Orphan & Widow
- Session 4: Welcoming the Stranger
- Session 5: Citizens of Heaven
- Session 6: Our Christian Response
The training will be from May 15th – June 19th, Sundays from 4:00-6:00 p.m. at Northwest Hills United Methodist Church (7050 Village Center Dr. 78731), in the Family Life Center. Please register by emailing, mc.henners@nwhillsumc.org. The cost of printing the document is the only fee, $10. For more information contact Rev. Madeline C. Henners at (512)345-1743 or via the email noted above.
“To refuse to welcome migrants to this country—and to stand by in silence while families are separated, individual freedoms ignored, and the migrant community in the United States is demonized by members of Congress and the media—is complicity to sin.”
– The Book of Resolutions 2008
ACTION ITEM: Education and Budget Matters
by brooks schuelke in Our BlogThe House Appropriations Committee will be hearing evidence on education matters and the budget on Wednesday March 7. See here for all the details. If you are interested, you are encouraged to attend.
University UMC Austin Urges Action On The Texas Budget
by brooks schuelke in Home Page Right Column Top, Our BlogLeaders at University UMC have written to all 350 church leaders in the Southwest Texas Annual Conference, urging action to change the debate and action on the Texas Budget. In the letter, Reverend John Elford states:
Along with University UMC leaders, I write to you today to urge you to speak out as United Methodists against the grave injustice the Texas Legislature is preparing to inflict on millions of Texans through a series of desperate budget cuts. As a United Methodist church in the state’s Capitol, with deep connections to state government, we feel a calling to observe the activities of the Legislature and report them to our sisters and brothers who share our concerns for the welfare of Texas. As I’ve listened to stories from parishioners on the impact of these cuts, I was moved to write this letter and underwrite its cost.
…
As United Methodists, you and I live out of a tradition of abundance. God’s inexhaustible gifts, God’s boundless love, God’s enduring vision for humanity far exceed our imagination. May you and I be part of a new wave that calls us away from scarcity thinking, and back to the inexhaustible gifts of God, the rich blessings of God that we know first hand as citizens of this great state and the sacred obligation of caring for our most vulnerable, for the ones who will be most hurt by these projected cuts.
To read the letter in its entirety, click here.
A (Belated) Valentine’s Request From The General Board Of Church & Society
by brooks schuelke in Justice News, Our BlogToday — Valentine’s Day — the President releases his Fiscal Year 2012 Budget. In many ways the budget is a moral document that provides the clearest sense of who and what we value as a community. During this same week, the U.S. Congress will be considering unfinished spending bills for the current fiscal year with strong implications for our anti-poverty ministries in the U.S. and around the world.
As Christians we are called to love our neighbors and reflect Christ’s particular concern for those struggling in poverty and on the margins of society. This call compels us to ask the simple question of our leaders: How do your proposals reflect our shared love and concern for the poor?
Send a Valentine’s Message to your elected leaders today at www.umc-gbcs.org/showlove.
A few weeks ago, we listened together to the State of the Union and the Republican response for signs of how our leaders are addressing the plight of our brothers and sisters living in poverty. Thanks to all of you who joined the conversation through emails and our online forum (www.umc-gbcs.org/StateofUnionReflections).
The sad reality is that the plight of our neighbors struggling on the economic margins was not a focus of the conversation and failed to rate even a mention in the President’s address.
We can and must change the conversation. We know as Christians we must prioritize the needs of the poor. We know as United Methodists that our church has made eradicating poverty a focus area for our collective ministries. We must now ask our leaders to join us in this effort.
As daunting as this may seem to engage in the budget debate (and yes, I confess to being a bit of a budget nerd) – you might be heartened to know that history is full of examples where we made a difference. The last three major “deficit-reduction” packages in the United States – in 1990, 1993 and 1997 – all included provisions that protected and/or expanded anti-poverty initiatives with the result that following enactment of each we witnessed a reduction in poverty.
But those victories didn’t just happen. They were won because of the constant witness of people of faith and justice advocates who refused to let our leaders ignore the plight of the poor.
In the weeks and months ahead I will be sharing additional education and action opportunities so that we might continue this faithful witness. In the meantime I invite you to send a Valentine’s Day message to your elected officials (www.umc-gbcs.org/showlove) and join our online conversation.
Thank you for all your faithful work and willingness to engage in this critical conversation.
Peace,
John Hill
Economic and Environmental Justice
Muslims Can Be Patriots, Too
by brooks schuelke in Our BlogMohamed Elibiary, a board member for Texas Impact (one of the Amos Commission’s supporting organizations), had an editorial published on the Fox News website that chronicles the problems he has faced as a Muslim being named to the Homeland Security Advisory Council. The editorial may be read here.
