Rio Texas Methodist Federation for Social Action

AUSTIN, TX — Leaders of University United Methodist Church of Austin have sent a letter to more than 350 Texas United Methodist churches urging pastors and church members alike to take action to help prevent the deep cuts to education, social services, and other state programs that legislators are considering in the face of a $27 billion state budget shortfall.

Reverend John Elford, Senior Pastor of UUMC, said he and church leaders sent the letter to all the churches in the Southwest Texas Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church, a regional denominational body similar to a diocese. Elford said UUMC felt compelled to alert other United Methodists to the “grave injustice” lawmakers are preparing to do in adopting a budget that cuts services to the neediest Texans.

“The United Methodist tradition preaches a theology of abundance and grace. We simply cannot stand by and watch as lawmakers embrace a narrative of scarcity and fear that produces suffering for millions of Texans,” Elford said. “The long-term costs of making these massive cuts would be enormous because of the damage they will cause to the future of Texas and Texans.”

Associate Pastor Susan Sprague said UUMC has a special responsibility to issue the call to action because it has close ties to the Capitol and is keeping close tabs on the state budget situation. “We know sometimes the details of the legislative session aren’t communicated as broadly outside Austin, and we want to be sure every church in the Southwest Texas Annual Conference understands what’s at stake for Texas in the proposed budget,” Sprague said.

The letter includes information about the budget shortfall, the proposed cuts, and strategies for church members to express their views on the budget to lawmakers.

For more information:  http://texasimpact.org/uumc_shortfall_letter_2011