Media Advisory: Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for San Antonio Region Justice for Our Neighbors Opening at Emanual United Methodist Church featuring State Rep. Diego Bernal and Bishop Joel Martinez

MEDIA ADVISORY / PHOTO OPPORTUNITY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, June 21, 2016

Contact: Rev. Suzanne Isaacs
Director, San Antonio Justice for Our Neighbors
revsuzanne4u@gmail.com
 

Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for San Antonio Region Justice for Our Neighbors Opening at Emanual United Methodist Church featuring State Rep. Diego Bernal and Bishop Joel Martinez

WHAT:
San Antonio Region JFON (Justice for Our Neighbors) Legal Aid Clinic will celebrate its grand opening with special guests. Clinic offers free legal aid. 

WHEN:
Thursday, June 23, 2016, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m

WHERE:
Emanual United Methodist Church
3225 W. Poplar
San Antonio, Texas 78228

WHO:         
Texas State Rep. Diego Bernal, District 123

Bishop Joel Martinez, Bishop (Retired, United Methodist Church) of San Antonio Episcopal Area

Rev. Carl Rohlfs, Las Misiones District of United Methodist Church Superintendent 

Melissa Bowe, National Justice for Our Neighbor

WHY:
Justice for Our Neighbors, a faith-based immigration-assistance legal aid service, will offer its first clinic on Saturday, June 25, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Emanuel United Methodist Church, 3225 W. Poplar Street, San Antonio. Immigrants who are presently legal residents wanting citizenship must call 210-847-7245 to schedule an appointment with the lawyer on that day. Appointments are required. 

Saturday, June 25 will be just the first of Justice for Our Neighbors clinics planned for this same location and time the last Saturday of every month. 

The San Antonio Region Justice for Our Neighbors is one of a nation-wide organization operating at 30 different locations throughout the country with the mission of “providing affordable, high quality immigration services to low-income immigrants.” More information is available at their website, sarjfon.org or by calling 210-847-7245. 

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June 2 Update: ERT Teams, Small Groups, Individuals Needed

200 Flood buckets were taken to ingleside umc for distribution due to this week's floods. 

June 2 update: We now need ERT-trained individuals and teams in the following counties: Bastrop, Medina, Nueces. Please contact Eugene Hileman for more information. 

Considerable flood damage has occurred during the May 16 flooding in the Coastal Bend district. 

Disaster Response Coordinator Eugene Hileman is asking for the deployment of ERT teams, small groups, and individuals. 

We are only accepting individuals with ERT certification. Contact Eugene Hileman for more information

Click Here to register your individual/small group

Click Here to register your ERT Team

Click Here for ERT certification training

Don't forget to bring your flood buckets to Annual Conference in June or the Conference Office in San Antonio. You can also arrange with Mr. Hileman to bring your flood buckets to the Martinez Disaster Response Warehouse in Kerrville. 

Kits to be Assembled at Annual Conference

Health Kits and Sewing Kits will be assembled during Annual Conference 2016 in Corpus Christi. Delegates will be asked to donate the cost of the kit, then they will be invited to assemble the kits. Disaster Response will provide the supplies. 

"Health kits provide basic necessities to people who have been forced to leave their homes because of human conflict or natural disaster," according to UMCOM. "Health kits are also used as learning tools in personal hygiene, literacy, nutrition, and cooking classes."

"Sewing kits foster independence rather than dependence. Women can make clothing in their own size and in the style of their culture," according to UMCOM. "Cottage industries often grow out of the sewing classes where women use these kits to practice valuable income-generating skills.

An Important Message from Emmaus & Chrysalis Community

This month the Rio Texas Emmaus & Chrysalis Community will celebrate its 1,839th Walk, 34th year of spiritual enrichment, and the development of Christian leaders in the church and community. 

The Rio Texas Emmaus & Chrysalis Community is an oddity in the international Emmaus community.  Not only are we one of the oldest Emmaus communities in existence, but we are the only regional community that acts as an umbrella or governing body for other communities.  In this structure, for the entirety of our existence, we have served as an intermediary between the Emmaus Ministries Office at the Upper Room International and the 30 Emmaus and Chrysalis groups in the Rio Texas region.

As with all organizations, there comes a time when we must step back and evaluate the health of the organization - structurally and financially.  Over the past two years, the Executive Committee of RTECC has bathed the Community in prayer, asked tough questions, made critical choices, and worked to create autonomy and health within the 30 groups. 

After much prayer, counsel, and careful examination of the financial impact RTECC has and would have had on the groups, on April 15, 2016, the Executive Committee made the voluntary decision to dissolve.  This dissolution will include a transition period in which the Executive Committee is committed to walk alongside the Rio Texas Emmaus and Chrysalis groups to support their emergence as healthy, viable, independent communities.

We believe that this will be a positive step forward for the Emmaus and Chrysalis community. Thousands of lives have been transformed by God's grace through the Emmaus and Chrysalis movementand we believe God will continue to transform thousands more.

De Colores,
Heather Adair, Lay Director, Rio Texas Emmaus & Chrysalis Community

Annual Conference to Accept Flood Bucket Donations

We are still encouraging all churches to help replenish our flood bucket supply. There will be several donation stations at Annual Conference 2016. We will haul all flood buckets from Corpus Christi back to the Bishop Joel and Dr. Raquel Martinez Disaster Response Center in Kerrville. 

If hauling your flood buckets to Corpus Christi is a little too troublesome, take a photo of your flood buckets you plan to donate. We will post them on the Disaster Response bulletin board at Annual Conference. Each district will have a designated area for buckets and a place on the bulletin board for pictures.  
 

You can also drop-off your flood buckets at the Conference Office in San Antonio during regular business hours or at the warehouse in Kerrville (but please make prior arrangements with Eugene Hileman) 

Over 1,000 flood buckets were donated to help victims near the Sabine River in March 2016. 

May 20 Update: 200 flood buckets were distributed in Ingleside, TX due to strong flooding in the Coastal Bend district on Monday, May 16. Please help us replenish our supply! 

Clergy Choir Rehearsal

CLERGY CHOIR REHEARSAL for singing at Ordination Service.  Please make every effort to attend. It should last no more than about 30 minutes.

Thursday, June 9

5 p.m.

First UMC, Corpus Christi—Choir room (2nd floor)

Bring a black choir folder if you have one.  If not, one will be provided.  Be sure and bring your anthem copies if you already have them.

For the service wear a robe or alb (white or black) and a red stole.  We’ll meet on stage as soon as possible after the plenary is over that morning to warm up.

Questions?  Call or email:

Russell Miller

rmiller@fumc-boerne.org

Office:  830-249-2565

Cell:  210-445-5109

Webinars Benefit Conference

The Rio Texas Conference hosted several webinars since February 2016. Three delegation listening sessions took place via the ZOOM Meeting platform.

At these listening sessions, approximately 100 people participated in virtual presentation sessions complete with question and answers.

These ZOOM webinars helped the delegation prepare for May’s General Conference. 

“These Listening Sessions have been an amazing blessing in our work as a delegation.  They have provided a great opportunity for us to listen and interact with many members across our conference concerning the issues and legislation that will come before us at General Conference,” said Teresa Keese, General Jurisdictional Conference Delegation Leader.

“I have been so impressed with the participation and feedback we have received from the participants during each session, and I appreciate those who took the time to give presentations as well.  These sessions have helped us connect with the entire annual conference membership and hear their views and input on important church issues; and we will take this input to heart as we head to Portland in early May and discern God’s will in each decision we make.”

Outreach Vitality Director Abel Vega looks at these webinars as a learning experience.

“These listening sessions have been a great learning experience. It was great to see the initial responses and interactions in these sessions,” said Vega. “As the church, my sense is that we will see more venues like this emerge as we discern and learn together into the future."

Another webinar took place on Friday, April 29. The topic was regarding the integration of social media with the local church’s ministry engagement.

Rev. Will Rice hosted the social media webinar with J.R. Atkins, author of Social Media 2.0.

“A friend of ours had J.R. Atkins in town for another event and asked if we would be interested in having him stop by and offer a webinar,” said Conference Communications Director Rev. Will Rice. "I jumped at the opportunity. J.R. shared some great insight into how churches can engage people on social media instead of just sharing photos and announcements."  

Webinars are another piece of the mission of the Rio Texas Media Center. Webinars can connect churches to each other and connect leaders with high-quality information without the need for so much travel. This saves time and money and allows even more people the opportunity to be connected to the life and work of the conference.

April 26 Update: Cruise to Cuba

We already have more than 40 folks registered for our Cuba cruise, Oct. 2-9.  Here are the things we have learned: 

• A person born in Cuba can now return at this point.
• Working with Educational Opportunities, American Airlines is handling flight connections to Miami. They do charge baggage fees.
• Flying into nearby Ft. Lauderdale requires a $70 cab ride or $17/person shuttle ride to port of Miami.
• Paying by check allows you to get the 4% cash discount.
• The deadline for final payment has been extended to June 15, 2016.
• Interior cabins have all been filled.
• Ocean view cabins start at $2399 per person (based on double occupancy) or $2848 with airfare from Austin, D/FW, or San Antonio.
• Additional charges: gratuities of $80.50, taxes of $208, Cuban visa of $75 (which EO handles with the cruise line)

Please see attached brochure
 

For more information, contact Director of Tour Ministry for Rio Texas, Lynn Barton, 512.924.6983, or lynnbarton1@gmail.com.

UMCOM Webinars

Increase the Vitality of Your Church

Get ideas that work for engaging your local and global community, develop a realistic plan toward more vitality, and get consultations from a vitality coach.

This is an online, six-week self-paced course designed specifically for United Methodist pastors. Upon successful completion, you will receive two continuing education credits.

Upon successful completion, you will receive 2 ALLLM continued education credits.

Click Here to read more

Engage your church and community digitally

Use current and emerging communication tools to communicate your faith relevantly and effectively. Learn to craft and share powerful and personal stories of faith and engage with social media platforms to reach out to your local community and beyond.

Upon successful completion, you will receive 1 ALLLM continued education credits.

Click Here to read more

Take Your Church's Hospitality to the Next Level

Learn to be a welcoming, hospitable congregation. Identify and enlist congregants for your church's welcoming ministry. Assess what your church does well in welcoming — as well as areas for improvement. Use and participate in specific tools, including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and Blog. Identify what your church is known for.

Upon successful completion, you will receive 1ALLLM continued education credits.
 

Registration ends June 20

UM Army Still Accepting Registrations

There is still time to register and join us in mission this summer!
Just go to riotx.umarmy.org to get your church group registered.
 

Austin Seminary Alumni Dinner at Annual Conference

Click Here to download the invitation flyer. 

New Certifications in Parish Nursing Now Available for Ordained and Lay Leaders

United Methodist parish nurses now have the opportunity to earn certification in their specialized ministry. Developed in consultation with Discipleship Ministries and the Global Health Division of the General Board of Global Ministries (GBGM), the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry (GBHEM) is now offering deacons or elders who are also parish nurses a certification in parish nurse ministry. Discipleship Ministries is offering a parish nurse specialization for nurses through the certified lay ministry process.

While other organizations offer certification in faith-community nursing, the GBHEM certification is explicitly United Methodist in that in entails education in United Methodist history, doctrine, polity, resources and mission. 

“This is an opportunity for United Methodist parish nurses to get a distinctly United Methodist certification and enhance their connection with other United Methodist nurses,” says Victoria Rebeck, director of Deacon Ministry Development and Provisional Membership, Division of Ordained Ministry at GBHEM. She adds, “Parish nurses continue John Wesley’s interest in health and wholeness. This certification recognizes and supports that vital community ministry.”

Parish nursing has long been a part of congregational health under Global Ministries’ Global Health Unit. The term “parish nurse” was chosen by Rev. Dr. Granger Westberg in 1985 to name this specialty practice because it connoted service not only to congregations, but also to the wider community. Global Ministries will promote the ministry tracks for the parish nurse through its UMC Health Ministry Network of parish nurses.  

“For health ministry to flourish, you need a parish nurse or person with a passion for health to advocate for programs that will improve the health of the local congregation and the community,” says Dr. Olusimbo Ige, executive director of Global Ministries’ Global Health Unit. “Not every community has a hospital or medical facility, but every community has a church which can positively influence and educate congregations and communities regarding holistic health practices of health ministry,” she explains. Global Ministries will assemble a roster of nurses who have completed the certification process for support and networking purposes.  

Click Here for more information

Rio Texas Announces Coastal Bend Case Manager

The Rio Texas Conference is proud to announce the addition of Kimberly White to the UMCOR Case Manager team. She will be working mostly in the Alice and Robstown areas of the Coastal Bend District. Those areas suffered tornado damage in May 2015.

Ms. White is responsible for identifying and prioritizing disaster cases. She was trained at the UMCOR Case Management Training Session at Grace UMC in Corpus Christi. She has already started several home visits and establishing a system.

Ms. White was born in Uvalde and raised on farms in Crystal City and Mathis. She has a lineage of grandparents that helped start First United Methodist Church in Mathis.

We Need Your Help Replenishing Flood Buckets Supply

The Rio Texas Disaster Response Team exhausted the Bishop Joel and Dr. Raquel Martinez Disaster Response Center of its supply of flood buckets. 

1,089 flood buckets were sent to East Texas to help flood victims near the Sabine River. 

We need to prepare for the next disaster. Please gather the materials for flood buckets and donate them to your local church. Click Here for Flood Bucket assembly instructions. 

"We need flood buckets for the hurricane season, as well as the summer and spring flood seasons," said Disaster Response Coordinator Eugene Hileman. "We are completely out of flood buckets."

Churches can drop off flood buckets at the Conference Office at 16400 Huebner Road. San Antonio, Texas. 78248. 

You may also drop-off flood buckets at the Martinez Disaster Response Center in Kerrville. Please make prior arrangements with Mr. Hileman first by emailing him at aehileman@riotexas.org

Flood Bucket donations will be accepted at this year's Rio Texas Annual Conference in Corpus Christi, June 9-12. 

If you wish to volunteer for Disaster Response, sign up for ERT Training. There are two upcoming training dates: April 9 at University UMC in San Antonio and April 16 at Asbury UMC in Corpus Christi. Click Here to sign-up for ERT Training. 

Harry Denman Evangelism Award: nominations due by May 1, 2016

Harry Denman was once described by a bishop as the kind of man who could carry the flag at the head of the parade and at the same time beat the drum, setting the cadence for the march. His leadership in evangelism was unique as was his personal life and witness. He was one who went up to persons and always held out his hand, saying, "Where do you preach?" His friendship encircled the world, and he was at home in a variety of settings.

Harry Denman was a layman who had the gift of making people want to listen whether he was speaking with one person or to a multitude. He was a person who never accepted "no" as final. He sought to try that which others thought could not be done, and he succeeded.

Love for the Lord and his fellow human beings was the keynote of his life. He stood for many things that are today coming to pass, but were not popular causes in his own day: the equality of persons regardless of sex, nationality, or race; simplicity of lifestyle, disregard of false values of materialism; and a search for the true values of life taught by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount.

Harry Denman was truly a "fisher of all persons." He sought to lead the Board of Evangelism into wide presentations of the Gospel to reach people. His personal dedication forced him to follow Christ totally, and he sought to lead others to have what he had: total commitment to a life of faith. He told it like it was as best as he understood it. He did not hesitate to give answers to the tough questions of personal faith, nor did he fail to admit his own personal weakness and frequently asked another person to "pray for me."

To meet Harry Denman was to feel the force of his personality and to be challenged by it. The impact of his spiritual and physical presence is not easily forgotten. He moved tirelessly, confidently, dedicated to one objective: to witness for the Lord, Jesus Christ. When he was part of a group, whether with colleagues or strangers, businessmen or politicians, the conversation was shifted by Harry to the Bible, prayer, and the Risen Lord whom he sought continually to serve. He commanded attention by his dedication and singleness of purpose.

For these reasons, each year the Rio Texas Conference seeks to honor one clergy person, one lay person, and one youth whose lives exemplify the spirit and dedication of Harry Denman with the Denman Evangelism Award. If you know persons who reflect the singleness of purpose in reaching persons for Jesus Christ that was exemplified by Harry Denman, please submit a nomination for those persons: clergy, laity, youth.

The Harry Denman Evangelism Award program honors United Methodists in each annual conference whose exceptional ministry of evangelism – expressed in Word (what), Sign (why), and Deed (how) – brings people into a life transforming relationship with Jesus Christ.

Evangelism happens in many contexts and many settings; impacts and engages all generations; and requires relationship among a variety of persons.   What distinguishes a Harry Denman Evangelism Award recipient is the commitment to consistently introduce others to the Good News of Jesus Christ in all ministry settings.  Their ministry is exceptional for the number of new Christ Followers who credit encounters with this person as critical in helping to start or reignite their faith journey.

Nomination Process

Annual Conferences receive all nomination forms and select annual award recipients.  Please do not send nomination forms to The Foundation for Evangelism.  

Rio Texas Harry Denman Evangelism Award Deadline is May 1. Please send your nomination forms to Shelly Kennerdell at skennerdell@riotexas.org

If you have any questions, please contact Shelly Kennerdell, Mission Vitality Office. 

• Nomination Form
• Who was Harry Denman?

Update: Mount Wesley User Survey Closed

We are no longer accepting survey responses at this time. Thank you for your participation and interest. 

From Bill Knobles, President, Rio Texas Conference Board of Trustees

Dear Friends:

The Board of Trustees of the Rio Texas Conference is tasked with the oversight of Mt. Wesley. We have been diligently working this past year to assess the property and then plan repairs and improvements that will facilitate ministry over the long term.   It will be enormously helpful if you would take some of your valuable time to complete this survey. We need to establish some baselines for the property and there is no better way to do so than to ask the people who have most recently used Mt. Wesley.

Not everyone will have had the same experience and that makes it important that we please get as many responses to this survey as possible. It is also important that you be candid with your answers. We want to hear the good and the not so good. If you want to send the questionnaire in anonymously, that is fine with us. At the end of the survey, we will ask for optional contact information if you are willing to allow us to contact you for further discussion.   

We thank you in advance for your help. The Trustees are absolutely committed to the restoration of Mt. Wesley, and the preservation of the traditions and the ministries that Mt. Wesley is known for. Your response will certainly help us do so.  We ask that you share this email with others. 

Please click here to access the Mt. Wesley User Survey

Blessings,

Bill Knobles
President
Rio Texas Conference Board of Trustees

New Assistant Director of Intergenerational Discipleship Selected

After much prayer and discernment, the Rio Texas Annual Conference Mission Vitality Center is proud to announce our selection of our newest member, Rev. Dr. Tanya Marie Eustace as the Assistant Director of Intergenerational Discipleship.  Dr. Eustace is an ordained deacon in the Rio Texas Conference and currently serves as Director, Children and Intergenerational Ministries at Discipleship Ministries (formerly known as the General Board of Discipleship). Bishop Janice Riggle Huie appointed her to this new position beginning on July 1. Dr. Eustace will be serving the District Strategy Teams to assist them in their ministries with children, youth and adults. Her first assignment is to meet individuals and to understand the needs of each district and its churches.

As a native Texan, Tanya was born in Houston and grew up in Midland. She graduated with honors with a bachelor’s degree in Music and Religion from Austin College in Sherman, TX. She attained a Masters of Divinity from Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary. Tanya received her doctorate of philosophy in Christian education and congregational studies from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary. Children's spirituality was her research focus. She has 19 years of experience as a Christian Educator and Minister to Children and Families in the local church. 

When Tanya is not at work, she can be found spending time with her Portuguese Water Dog, Bela Esperança (beautiful hope). Tanya and Bela are working together to become a certified therapy dog team so that Bela can join Tanya in ministry. 

Tanya also spends a lot of her free time outside–experiencing God’s beautiful creation. Running, cycling and yoga help keep Tanya connected to God. She also enjoys personal meditation, prayer, and her time with beloved friends and family. Tanya has completed three marathons and a Bike MS 150-mile ride. Tanya believes that God is actively present in the lives of all people and enjoys discovering God in every life moment.