Pharr United Methodist Church Holds Service of Discontinuance of Congregation

On Sunday, June 21, 2015, Pharr UMC held a service of discontinuance of the congregation and deconsecration of the church property.  It was a brief but emotional service, after 103 years of active ministry.  What is important, however, is the way the faithful people of Pharr UMC came to their decision, and the legacy they are sharing with the church at large.

Pharr UMC was long a church that took seriously the needs of its neighbors.  In 1973, they gave birth to what would become the Food Bank of the Rio Grande Valley, where 1 of every 2 children lives at or below the poverty line. The church served as home to the Pharr Literacy Project and launched the Pharr Community Outreach Project as a Shalom Zone of the General Board of Global Ministries.  English as a Second Language and Citizen Preparation classes were standard fare, and the church was home to sewing classes, computer classes, a thrift shop, a home repair program, Justice For Our Neighbors immigration legal aid, a food pantry that recently engaged as many as 70 people in worship, and Sunday worship that was intentionally bilingual, with translation equipment and bulletins prepared in both languages.  Members included Anglos who had belonged since the 1940s, Valley native Latinos, and newer immigrant families.  

The liabilities of the church were two main things--the building and the lack of a stable financial base.  In 2013, the church agreed to conduct a self-assessment and shared the results with me.  They found that everything the church was receiving in offerings each month went to insure, light, cool, heat, and constantly repair the aging structure. What little salary the church could afford to pay its pastor and devoted secretary and to use for non-building expenses came from special donations and the proceeds of various fundraisers during the year.  After much conversation, deliberation, and prayer, the congregation came to the decision this spring that the faithful path would be to end the life of Pharr UMC, in order to allow its ministries to continue. 

In the aftermath of that decision, Pharr UMC has been the giver of great gifts for ministry.  Weslaco First UMC has received a freezer for their food pantry, as well as the Bernina sewing machines, with plans of starting sewing classes there.  They also hope to house the home repair program.  Manos Juntas, in Rio Bravo, Mexico, has received a sound system, computers and a printer, tables and chairs and a set of handmade chancel furnishings.  Computers and children's books will be held in reserve by El Mesías UMC for a hoped-for chapter of Project Transformation.  Altar candles, acolyte robes and hymnals went to Los Wesleyanos UMC in San Juan, Mission First UMC received Godly Play materials, and St. George Orthodox Church received tables.  Pharr La Trinidad UMC has warmly received the transfer of many Pharr UMC members and is hosting the food pantry, as they discern ways to make it even more fruitful.  Many kitchen items and the main chancel furniture have also found their home at La Trinidad.  It is a complex process to find a new church home, especially after the loss of one so dear.  But these faithful United Methodists are praying and working to find the path toward a new future, for the sake of the community Christ has called them to reach.

The order for disbanding a congregation ends with the following declaration:

This congregation...was God's gift for a season.

We are thankful for the many ways it has served the mission given to it by Jesus Christ.

It has accomplished its purpose.

We declare that it is no longer a United Methodist congregation and is now disbanded.

But Christ's holy Church is of God, 

   and will be preserved to the end of time...

We remain part of Christ's ongoing Church,

   and as we scatter into other congregations

   we shall be one with Christ, one with each other,

   and one in ministry to all the world,

   until Christ comes in final victory and we feast at his heavenly banquet.

May it be so.

This article was written by El Valle District Superintendent Laura Merrill. 

Rio Texas Conference to Commemorate Valley Farm Workers’ Union 1966 March in Kenedy, TX this Saturday

NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, June 25, 2015

[Click Here for a PDF version of this News Release]

Rio Texas Conference to Commemorate Valley Farm Workers’ Union 1966 March in Kenedy, TX this Saturday

SAN ANTONIO (Thursday, June 25) –The Rio Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church will be commemorating the 50th anniversary of the 1966 Valley Farm Workers’ Union 400-mile march to the State Capitol this Saturday. They will also be celebrating the induction of a Texas Historical Marker at El Buen Samaritano United Methodist Church, Kenedy, TX for its involvement in the march. 

The 400-mile march stopped at El Buen Samaritano United Methodist Church in August 1966. They were invited by Rev. Isabel Gómez, (pastor of El Buen Samaritano) and Rev. Roy Fisher (pastor of First United Methodist Church, Kenedy), for a brief service of scripture and worship. It was the only protestant church that welcomed the marchers. After stopping at Kenedy, they also stopped at the Alamo in San Antonio and met Cesar Chavez at the Capitol in September 1966. 

“We are going to memorialize the people that died for that march,” said Retired Bishop Joel Martinez. “They put hard work into raising that cause for higher wages and better working conditions. We must not forget them.” 

The celebration this Saturday will include a service of remembrance and thanksgiving. Speakers include Rev. Isabel Gómez, Doris Hudspeth Miller (widow of Rev. Roy Fisher), Retired Bishop Joel Martinez (former Bishop of the San Antonio Episcopal Area from 2000 - 2008) and Bishop James E. Dorff (San Antonio Episcopal Area Bishop). A fellowship luncheon will follow the worship service. 

This open event will take place at El Buen Samaritano United Methodist Church in Kenedy, TX (249 Booe St., 78119) this Saturday, June 27 starting at 11 a.m. Multimedia professionals are welcome. 

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ABOUT:
The Rio Texas Annual Conference aims to reach out to people of South and Central Texas. Some of our churches are located in some of the fastest-growing areas of the country.  Others are located in areas where people are struggling with issues of poverty, lack of affordable housing, and a loss of hope. We are committed to providing vital missions, vital congregations, and strong leaders to connect our churches to the people. Our churches are in large cities and small towns from Austin to McAllen, from San Angelo to Victoria in vibrant cities, historic small towns and struggling communities.  Our churches and congregations meet annually during the month of June to conduct the business of the conference and gather for worship in Corpus Christi at the American Bank Center. Our Bishop is Bishop James E. Dorff, who has presided as Bishop of the former Southwest Conference and the Rio Grande Conference (now Rio Texas) since 2008. For more information about the conference or our bishop, please visit http://riotexas.org and follow us on Twitter @RioTxAC. 

CONTACT: 
Rev. Will Rice
210-408-4500 Ext. 505
wrice@riotexas.org
16400 Huebner Road
San Antonio, Texas 78248 

Click Here to view this on our calendar! 

Click Here to read a letter from Bishop Martínez and watch a video about this event. 

Watch Project Transformation on Local San Antonio News

Project Transformation Rio Texas Executive Director Nathaniel O'Dell was on the 6:30 p.m. News 4 San Antonio broadcast on Thursday, June 18. Click the image above to watch the interview! 

Click Here if you want to learn more about Project Transformation Rio Texas. 

Click Here if you would like to volunteer for Project Transformation Rio Texas. 

Click Here if you would like to contact someone about signing up your child for Project Transformation Rio Texas' literacy camp. 

Follow Project Transformation Rio Texas on Facebook and Twitter. 

Inaugural Rio Texas Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church held at American Bank Center in Corpus Christi

[Click Here for PDF Format]

NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday, June 16, 2015

First Inaugural Rio Texas Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church held at American Bank Center in Corpus Christi

SAN ANTONIO (Tuesday, June 16, 2015) – The Rio Texas Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church held its first annual meeting at the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi from June 11-14. Over $13,000 was raised for the Spring floods that devastated victims in San Marcos, Wimberley, Blanco, and others across the conference. 

Approximately 1500 United Methodist delegates plus friends, family and other Methodists gathered to participate and witness the historic gathering. This is the first conference since the Southwest Texas Annual Conference and the Rio Grande Annual Conference voted to become the Rio Texas Annual Conference in June of 2014. The Southwest Texas Conference and Rio Grande Annual Conference became the Rio Texas Conference on January 1, 2015. 

San Antonio Episcopal Area Bishop James E. Dorff presided over the four-day meeting. 

Bishops offer Communion during the Opening Word and Table Worship Service on June 11 at Selena Auditorium in Corpus Christi. Left to right: Bishop Robert Schnase, Bishop Minerva Carcaño, Bishop Joel N. Martinez, Bishop Dan E. Solomon, Bishop James Dorff, Bishop Sharon Brown Christopher, Bishop J. Michael Lowry, Bishop Janice Riggle Huie. 

“The work of United Methodists has been alive and well in this region for well over 150 years.  The names, the forms, the languages, the missional outposts (or churches as we now call them) and the annual conferences have all been in transition during these many years,” said Bishop Dorff. “This transitioning continues through the Rio Texas Annual Conference. In the midst of these transitions and this newness of life, one thing has held steady: our purpose.  We have been here all these years to live out the Biblical mandate to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.  As we gather for session number one, our task is the same.  May we never lose sight of our calling. It is what has brought us this far, by God’s grace.”

He was joined by seven bishops for several worship services held at the Selena Auditorium in Corpus Christi. They all have strong ties to the former Rio Grande and Southwest Texas Conferences. 

Bishop Robert C. Schnase of the Missouri Conference of the United Methodist Church (former pastor of First United Methodist Church, McAllen) encouraged United Methodists to take action while acting as the new Rio Texas Conference. 

“You’ve had the courage to take this step; now lead us. In this fast-growing part of the country, become leaders in starting new congregations,” said Bishop Schnase. “Become leaders in multi-cultural and bi-cultural ministry. Become the leaders in reaching young people. Become the leaders in social justice. We need you to do that for us.”

Worship was at the heart of the gathering. Bishop Minerva Carcaño of the California-Pacific Conference of the United Methodist Church (former pastor in the Rio Grande Conference) preached at the traditional Memorial Service and Bishop J. Michael Lowry of the Central Texas Conference (former pastor of University United Methodist Church, San Antonio) shared the word at the service of Baptismal Renewal.

Bishop Joel Martinez of the former Rio Grande and Southwest Texas Conferences joined Bishop Dorff in presiding over the ordination of the first deacons and elders ordained in the Rio Texas Conference. 

###

ABOUT: 

The Rio Texas Annual Conference aims to reach out to people of South and Central Texas. Some of our churches are located in some of the fastest-growing areas of the country.  Others are located in areas where people are struggling with issues of poverty, lack of affordable housing, and a loss of hope. We are committed to providing vital missions, vital congregations, and strong leaders to connect our churches to the people. Our churches are in large cities and small towns from Austin to McAllen, from San Angelo to Victoria in vibrant cities, historic small towns and struggling communities.  Our churches and congregations meet annually during the month of June to conduct the business of the conference and gather for worship in Corpus Christi at the American Bank Center. Our Bishop is Bishop James E. Dorff, who has presided as Bishop of the former Southwest Conference and the Rio Grande Conference (now Rio Texas) since 2008. For more information about the conference or our bishop, please visit http://riotexas.org and follow us on Twitter @RioTxAC. 

CONTACT: 

Rev. Will Rice
210-408-4500 Ext. 505
wrice@riotexas.org
16400 Huebner Road
San Antonio, Texas 78248 

correction: the last paragraph was corrected to add "deacons." The bishops presided over the ordination of deacons and elders.

Open Letter from the Rio Texas Conference Student Design Team

Dear Pastors and Youth Workers of the Rio Texas Conference,

This letter is written on behalf of the Rio Texas Conference Student Design Team. The conference is currently working on a set of common, conference wide values for the Mid-Winter retreats that will be occurring in the 2016 season.

The Conference has secured dates and locations for the Mid-Winter retreats which will be made available to the Districts through a meeting with the District Superintendents. Registrations can then begin for the Districts that choose to attend after the Design Team meets with the District Leaders to discuss the context of the Mid-Winter retreats.

We will be in touch with more details soon. Look forward to hearing from our team as God shapes the Mid-Winter retreats ministry, we will continue to update you so that you can be part of the dialogue. If you would like to contribute any input, please feel free to reach out to Bob Allen (ballen@riotexas.org), Aaron Buttery (aaron@theu.org) or any of us on the team. We are striving hard to listen to the voice of God in our midst, and it could very well be coming from you!

Please be in prayer for us and for our new conference, and know that we are praying for you. Thank you for your ministry and your commitment to see young people thrive in faith. May God bless you and your endeavors.

Blessings on behalf of the Rio Texas Conference Students Design Team, 
Pam Dwyer and Christian Moore

Let's Stay Connected During Relief Efforts

We are trying to stay connected, as best we can, to relief efforts throughout the annual conference. Our District Superintendents and District Disaster Coordinators are coordinating information and efforts at the district level. Meanwhile, our Conference Disaster Relief Coordinator is coordinating the work of the districts and the United Methodist Committee on Relief.

We have people throughout our conference and throughout the connection who are interested in hearing about the current situation. If you are in a position to share reports, photos or video, you are welcome to post them here in the comments or email them to us at media@riotexas.org.

We continue to pray for those who are suffering and those who are serving.

Special Statement from Bishop Dorff

Friends,

As you know, over this past weekend, many parts of our Annual Conference have experienced severe storms and historic flooding. In the wake of the violent weather, many in our mission field have lost their homes and more have been forced to relocate.  Tragically, lives have also been lost.
 
As United Methodists, we want to do all we can to show grace and mercy to those affected by the storms and floods. We are currently coordinating with our Conference Disaster Relief Coordinator, Eugene Hileman, our District Disaster Relief Coordinators, the District Superintendents and the United Methodist Committee on Relief to determine how we can best aid those in need. We are already delivering supplies in the form of flood buckets. Two Early Response Teams and one Chainsaw Team are currently working in Wimberley. We are now organizing more Early Response Teams and offering more Early Response Team trainings. Click Here to sign-up for the ERT training in Wimberley this Saturday. 
 
We know there is a great need, and we know there are many hands willing to help. We also don’t want to be in the way or obstruct the work of communities and agencies already on the ground. For most of us, here are some of the best ways we can be help:

• Pray. Pray for those who have lost family members, homes and livelihoods. Pray for those who are already offering assistance.
• Pack. We will need more flood buckets, and we will need to resupply our warehouse with flood buckets for the future.
• Give. Your church can take an offering and designate it for the Conference Disaster Relief Fund. These funds will be spent to aid directly the victims of the floods and storms in the Rio Texas Conference.

You can find more information on how you can help on our website at RioTexas.org. Keep up-to-date with the relief efforts by clicking here. 
 
Our God is a God who speaks order over the waters of chaos, who brings calm to the storms of life. While we offer our hands, feet and money to aid those in need, we will also trust in God to bring peace and calm to our communities.
 

Bishop James E. Dorff
Rio Texas Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church

Severe Flooding Hits Rio Texas Conference

Click The Picture Above to see the most updated information about the floods in Texas. 

 

Over the weekend, record flooding has caused widespread damage throughout the conference. The worst damage has been in Wimberly, San Marcus, Blanco and other parts of Hays County along the Blanco River. At least one person is dead, more are missing and over 1,000 people are housed in shelters in Hays County. 400 homes have been destroyed, and many more are damaged.

Rio Texas Disaster Response Coordinator, Eugene Hileman is already coordinating with local officials to plan our response. While details continue to unfold, here are some ways you can help immediately:

• Give money to the Conference Disaster Response fund. - We are working on a direct link to give. Check back soon.
• Resupply the warehouse with flood buckets - Click here for information on assembling flood buckets.
• Begin assembling teams and register them here - Teams will be needed to help in affected areas. We will have information soon on where and when teams can go. Only ERT Teams can be registered. Individuals may register for volunteer opportunities at a later time and date. 

Project Transformation–Rio Texas Partners with San Antonio Youth Literacy Program to Decrease ‘Summer Slide’ Among Youth

[Click Here for PDF of Press Release] 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, May 15, 2015

Project Transformation–Rio Texas Partners with San Antonio Youth Literacy Program to Decrease ‘Summer Slide’ Among Youth 

SAN ANTONIO (Friday, May 15, 2015)–The Rio Texas Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church’s newest ministry initiative, Project Transformation–Rio Texas, is proud to announce a partnership with San Antonio Youth Literacy Program (SAYL), the city’s premier literacy program for children in the Bexar County area. 

SAYL volunteers, as well as local church volunteers, will have an opportunity to read with children at one of three local-area church sites where Project Transformation programming will be held for neighborhood children to help decrease ‘summer slide,’ the idea that students drop a level or more in reading during the summer break. 

“Summer Slide describes what happens when our students do not read over the summer break, which can result in the loss of one to two months of reading progress and which then requires teachers to spend the first part of the school year helping students catch up to their earlier reading levels,” said SAYL Program Manager Robyn Myers. “Project Transformation will help to not only put a stop to summer slide for their students, but can also provide the opportunity for their students to actually improve their reading level, which will allow them to return to their schools in the fall ready to learn. This is a huge step in the right direction for school success. “

Project Transformation–Rio Texas is a program with three focus points, the three C’s: College-aged students, Church and Children. Project Transformation, a program birthed from the Greater Dallas area in 1998, aims to promote literacy by trying to solve three problems:

1. How to meet the academic, physical, and spiritual needs of children from low-income communities.
2. How to provide meaningful ways for college students to explore ministry opportunities and develop as young adult leaders for the church and the world.
3. How to help revitalize struggling urban churches.

“Project Transformation is a solution to three predominant problems that we see in churches, children, and college-aged students in our communities,” said Nathaniel O’Dell, Executive Director of Project Transformation–Rio Texas. “We are excited to break ground in the San Antonio-area, but expansion in South Texas is prayed and planned for in the upcoming years.”

San Antonio-area families will have an opportunity to sign-up for this free, church-based literacy summer programming on the following dates: 

First United Methodist Church–Boerne
205 James Street
Boerne, TX 78006
May 15 – 5:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m.
May 16 (if needed) – 9:00 a.m.-11a.m.

Asbury United Methodist Church
4601 San Pedro Ave.
San Antonio, TX 78212
May 18–May 21, 2015
10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. 

Laurel Heights United Methodist Church
227 West Woodlawn
San Antonio, Texas 78212
Register on-site any time. 

The literacy program for children will be held at these church sites Monday-Thursday from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. starting June 8 and ending July 30. 

Volunteer opportunities are available for all three church sites. Reading volunteers are needed to read to children in the mornings from June 15 - July 23. Volunteers will need to submit a background check to the Rio Texas Conference. 

About Project Transformation Rio Texas:

Project Transformation Rio Texas is excited to introduce this problem-solving initiative to the San Antonio-area during the Summer of 2015. Project Transformation aims to promote literacy by using college-aged interns to teach literacy, health and nutrition and arts and crafts programming. The interns, in turn, will be exposed to many different types of church ministry. 70 percent of Project Transformation college interns come back to work in some sort of church ministry. Project Transformation provides local church sites the opportunity to engage with their nearby communities and families in an innovative way. Children who have participated in Project Transformation elsewhere have seen a 96% improved or maintained reading level. To learn more, please visit http://www.projecttranssformation.org/riotx or http://riotexas.org. You can follow Project Transformation Rio Texas on Twitter @ProjTranRioTX. 

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CONTACT: 

Nathaniel O’Dell
210-408-4500 Ext. 510
nodell@riotexas.org 

Volunteer with Project Transformation - Rio Texas

Project Transformation-Rio Texas is beginning its first summer of programming in the greater San Antonio area, and we need your help! Project Transformation’s mission is to engage young adults in purposeful leadership and ministry, support underserved children and families, and connect churches to communities in need. To accomplish our mission, this summer 24 college aged interns will live in community in San Antonio, and will plan and lead a summer enrichment day camp for 80 underserved children at three site churches in San Antonio and Boerne. Project Transformation interns provide high-quality, structured summer day camp programs that focus on developing the mind, body and spirit of our participants. Interns in turn build leadership skills by serving as positive role models for the participants. For more information, please visit our website at www.projecttransformation.org/riotx

There are many ways to get involved with Project Transformation’s work in the Rio Texas conference:

1)     Read with our kids! We need volunteers for each week at each of our site churches to read with our elementary-aged participants for two hours each day. Our goal is for each child to read with one adult, every day. This is key to building literacy skills for our participants.

To sign up to read with our kids, please contact Stacey Porter, Project Transformation-Rio Texas Program Director, at sporter@riotexas.org.  You can also sign up individuals or groups on our sign-up sheets for each site church.

Asbury UMC, San Antonio: http://vols.pt/9HCP6y

Laurel Heights UMC, San Antonio: http://vols.pt/V2AFBB

First UMC, Boerne: http://vols.pt/A5uvSU

Note: Volunteers with our participants must receive a background check. Please contact Stacey Porter with any questions regarding this policy.

2)     Feed our interns! Our college-aged interns work hard each day planning and executing the summer day camp program. Help them feel welcomed in the Rio Texas conference community by providing a dinner for them. We are seeking groups to provide dinner for 24 interns and our house pastor, each Sunday-Thursday night between May 30 and July 30. This is a great opportunity to get to know our interns, and to hear about the work that they do every day. To sign-up to provide a dinner, please visit http://vols.pt/o9Z4EE or email Stacey Porter at sporter@riotexas.org.

3)     Donate supplies or books! Please contact Stacey at sporter@riotexas.org if you or your group would like to donate a week’s worth of supplies for a site—we give you the specific things we need for each week of fun and learning with our participants.

You can also donate by visiting our two Amazon wishlists:

Books: http://amzn.com/w/3DIS5GN7VZQV3

Supplies: http://amzn.com/w/2NILIZY1EV8PO

To learn more information about Project Transformation, please click on the logo above for a short video. 

Want to Learn More about Project Transformation?

Watch this short video. If you want to learn more, visit www.projecttransformation.org/riotx or email Nathaniel O'Dell.

TUMCA Scholarships Awarded to Rio Texas Conference Students

The Texas United Methodist College Association (TUMCA) has awarded scholarships to seven Rio Texas Conference Students for the 2023 school year. These scholarships represent a personal use of funds contributed to TUMCA by the local churches of the Conference. Scholarship recipients must be United Methodist students from the state of Texas. We are proud of our Rio Texas students…Congratulations!

TUMCA scholarship recipients for 2022 -2023 from the Rio Texas Conference are:

     Name                            University                     Home Church

1. Caleb Bush McMurry Sierra Vista UMC, San Angelo, TX

2. Metts Grant McMurry FUMC Nederland, TX

3. Nolan Steelman McMurry Utopia UMC, Utopia TX

4. Bryan Maxwell SMU University UMC, San Antonio, TX

5. Kaleb Knighten Southwestern St. John’s UMC, Austin, TX

6. Sterlin Rivers Huston-Tillotson Metropolitan AME, Austin, TX

7. John Gilleland Huston-Tillotson First UMC, Bastrop, TX

We at TUMCA are proud of these scholars from churches in the Rio Texas Conference.

James C. Lewis TUMCA President