We’re already seeing results from that work.  We’ve heard stories from a number of Central Texas Methodist churches about ways that they’re becoming more engaged with their schools. 

The “winner” so far appears to be Buda UMC, which went home and pledged to provide 60 mentors to help children at Buda Elementary. 

But we hope all of this work is a beginning and not an end.  These types of efforts will pay off for generations to come.

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.

If you are interested in attending or would like more information, click here.

• 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

2409 Guadalupe Street (Cor 24^th)

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.

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 15^th – June 19^th, 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

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.