At the Board of Director’s meeting, budgetary directives were set, staff was commended for their work throughout the executive leadership transition process, and the work of the Program Council was affirmed. The Board spent time reviewing MFSA’s Vision, Mission, and Values statements as a way to begin considering a new strategic plan. New Board members were selected (or affirmed if their position is connected to the Program Council). New members beginning in 2014 will be: Kuusela Hilo (Western Jurisdiction Representative); Joey Lopez (North Central Jurisdiction Representative); Laddie Perez-Galang (Program Council Co-Convener); Rev. Michelle Shrader (At-Large Member); and Darlene DiDomineck, Home Missioner (At-Large).  Rowland Curry from our chapter serves on the Board and is the Co-Convenor of the Program Council.  In addition, Julie Fuschak of the Central Texas chapter is the Jurisdictional Representative and attended both meetings.

Also during the Board meeting, two statements were issued surrounding the actions of the Council of Bishops Executive Committee in regards to Bishop Mel Talbert’s officiating at the blessing of marriage of Bobby Pince and Joe Openshaw in Birmingham, Alabama.

The Red Bench – December 3
People’s Choice – What would you like to discuss?

Add your voice to a conversation that matters!

The Red Bench is a dialogue program centered on moderated small group discussions that are genuinely respectful and safe. No one is expected to be an expert on the topics, but all are invited to share from their personal experiences and listen with their hearts.

Sunday, November 24, 2013
3:00 to 4:30 p.m.

St. Louis Catholic Church
7601 Burnet Rd, Austin, TX 78757
Reception follows for those in attendance.

Please bring your favorite dish ready to serve.
Free, family-friendly, all are welcome!
Free Parking at the church.
http://interfaithtexas.org/itsc/

Mobile Loaves & Fishes will be present to accept donations on their trucks and a list of items that they can use this winter:

• CANNED GOODS
• JEANS (MEN’S AND WOMEN’S)
• SMALL SPACE HEATERS
• WARM HATS
• GLOVES & SCARVES

Bailey Lecture Series

2013 Lecturer & Series Title: Bishop John Shelby Spong

November 22, 23 and 24.

All Saints Episcopal Church, Austin

Guest Lecturer, Bishop John Shelby Spong will present a lively discussion. 

Friday, Nov. 22nd: 7:00 p.m. First session followed by Wine & Cheese Reception

Saturday, Nov. 23rd: 8:30 a.m. Arrival (Coffee and Pastries)
Two sessions (Morning Session, Lunch Break, and Afternoon Session)

Sunday, Nov. 24th: Adult Ed Forum 10:30 a.m.

Admission is FREE and open to the public.  No reservations or tickets are required.  Guest lecturers are brought in each year through an endowment set up to honor the Rt. Rev. F. Scott Bailey. 

The lectures take place on the campus of All Saints’ Episcopal Church, 209 West 27th Street, Austin, Texas. One block east of Guadalupe St., on the north edge of the University of Texas campus, between Whitis & University.

The Bailey Lecture Series is approved for CEUs (Continuing Education Unit for Clergy) by the Diocese of Texas.

Parking will be available at the Church, or several parking garages and parking lots in the area. Lunch is not provided on Saturday, but a map of restaurants within walking or driving distance is available to attendees.

http://allsaints-austin.org/bailey-lecture-series

The service will include prayer, a sermon by Rev. John Elford, music and a ritual of remembrance including the naming of those whose lives were taken this year. All are welcome to join UUMC to remember, reflect, and move forward in hope.

Free parking will be available in the Platinum Lot beside Mellow Mushroom across the street from UUMC. Please enter the Sanctuary from the south entrance at 24^th st. Any questions about this event can be directed to Mary Ann Barclay, Justice Associate, at mabarclay@uumc.org.

For more information about ITDOR check out the official Transgender Day of Remembrance site & GLAAD.

For information about State of Texas November 5 ballot items, visit Project Smart Vote at http://votesmart.org/elections/ballot-measures/2013/TX#.UkWkG4asj5X

University UMC (Austin) Supporting Keep Austin Affordable

Next Phone Bank: Thurs, Oct 3. – 6:30-8:30 Heath Conference Room

UUMC believes in affordable and sustainable housing for everyone in Austin. To help ensure Austin can continue to work towards a city where all are housed, we’re working hard to help the Keep Austin Affordable Campaign. KAA is running a campaign to ensure all Austinites are educated on the bond that will be up for vote on November 5th. The bond will provide Austin with the millions of dollars needed for affordable, sustainable housing without raising any taxes. You can read more about how this works at the KAA site.

Below are our upcoming opportunities at UUMC to help but keep an eye and ear out for more as the voting day gets closer.

Thursday Phone Banks are from 6:30-8:30 on the following dates. Please bring your cell phone. Scripts provided!

• October 3
• October 10
• October 17
• October 24

Mary Ann, Barbara Mason, and an organizer from KAA will also be on the corner of UT and UUMC on Mondays in Sept and Oct for voting registration and KAA round-up. If you’re interested in making any homemade goodies to ring in the college students’ attention for one of these Mondays, please contact Mary Ann.

The conference will be held on Sunday, October 6, from 3 to 5:30 p.m. at St. Martin’s Evangelical Lutheran Church at 606 West 15^th St. in Austin.

The conference is free and open to the public. Religious leaders will discuss the need for immigration reform from the perspective of faith, business, worker’s rights and the immigrant experience. The conference will conclude with a Q&A session.

Keynote speakers for the event are Dr. Luis Zayas of The University of Texas and Jeff Patterson of the Texas Catholic Conference.

Bishop Joe Vásquez, the Roman Catholic Bishop of Austin, will participate in the event, along with Rabbi Alan Freedman, of Temple Beth Shalom; Imam Islam Mossaad of the North Austin Muslim Community Center and John Elford of University United Methodist Church and many other faith leaders.

“The current immigration system is broken,” Bishop Vásquez said. “Comprehensive immigration reform has been an issue of great importance to me and to all of the Catholic bishops of the United States for decades. The primary and fundamental reason for our position is that we know and proclaim the dignity of every human person. We believe that each person is created in the image and likeness of God, and we believe that this has implications for public policy on immigration.”