On Monday, January 19 – MLK afternoon – we will meet at the Gateway Theater for the 3:30pm showing of Selma: One Dream Can Change the World http://www.showtimes.com/cinemas/regal-gateway-16-3576/. The theater is located at 9700 Stonelake Blvd. in North Austin. Contact Janice Curry at jlcurry@austin.rr.com if you have questions. Please consider seeing the movie with us, or another time. Dutch treat. We still have much to do about racism.
Join Us to Watch the Movie, Selma
January 17, 2015 — Rio Texas MFSAPoint In Time Count Addresses Homelessness
January 7, 2015 — Rio Texas MFSA
Saturday, January 24th The Austin/Travis County Point in Time (PIT) Count is part of the national effort to eliminate street homelessness spearheaded by the Federal Departments of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and Veterans Affairs (VA). By knowing who is on the street, where they are, and what they need, ECHO and its partner agencies can most effectively target services to those that need them the most. Teams generally consist of at least three members. Volunteers observe and count homeless individuals within a defined area of Austin or Travis County. Volunteers will choose from three available shifts. § Shift 1: Saturday, January 24th, from 3:00 to 7:00 a.m., downtown/urban areas § Shift 2: Saturday, January 24th, from 5:00 to 8:00 a.m., rural/suburban/urban areas § Shift 3: Saturday, January 24th, from 5:00 to 8:00 a.m., furthest parts of the county |
ECHO will provide volunteer training and assign volunteers to areas they know well, if possible. All teams will receive maps, clipboards, pens, flashlights, and all necessary forms. All Volunteers will be required to attend at least one Volunteer Training prior to participating in the count. To register for the 2015 Point In Time Count, visit http://austinecho.org/get-involved/volunteer/.
MFSA Annual Conference Luncheon
January 7, 2015 — Rio Texas MFSA
As we announced in December, our speaker for the 5th Annual MFSA Peace and Justice Luncheon at Annual Conference in Corpus Christi will be Bishop Minerva Carcaño!
Bishop Carcaño is a native of Edinburg, Texas, and is currently serving as Bishop to the Los Angeles Area, the California-Pacific Conference. She is a fierce advocate for human rights and social justice.
Look for more about our presence at Annual Conference, or better yet, help us plan this important witness. Contact Anne Mund ennadnum@hotmail.com for more info.
African Children’s Choir In Concert With Sara Hickman
November 11, 2014 — Rio Texas MFSA Mark your calendars for a very special music event! The African Children’s Choir returns to Saint John’s UMC at 6:30 pm Sunday, December 7, for a concert celebrating the release of the group’s new CD collaboration with Austin musician Sara Hickman. The CD, Love is a Journey, will be released in December.The African Children’s Choir is composed of children ages 7 to 10. Many have lost one or both parents through the devastation of war, famine and disease. They represent all the children of the continent and demonstrate the potential of African children to become strong leaders for a better future in their land. Over the past 20 years, the children have appeared in thousands of concerts around the world. |
MFSA Leaders Meet in Austin Oct. 30 – Nov. 1
October 9, 2014 — Rio Texas MFSANo Chapter Meeting in October –
You Are Invited to Attend the MFSA National Board Events
In lieu of a monthly chapter meeting in October, you are invited to attend the National MFSA Program Council and Board of Directors meetings and social gatherings in Austin from Wednesday, October 29 – Saturday, November 1.
Meetings to be held at Saint John’s UMC
The Program Council is comprised of representatives from each chapter in the country, focusing on programs and activities, and is scheduled to meet as follows:
Thursday, Oct. 30 – 9am to 5 pm
Friday, Oct. 31 – 9am to noon
The Board of Directors is the decision-making body of MFSA, and will meet as follows:
Friday, Oct. 31 – 9am to 5 pm
Saturday, Nov. 1 – 9 am to 3 pm
Agendas found here: ProgramCouncilAgenda Oct 2014; BoardAgenda_October 2014
Both groups will meet at Saint John’s UMC, 2140 Allandale Road, Austin. These meetings will be open to all observers. Please contact Rowland Curry, rcurry@austin.rr.com, for further information.
Meals and Social Gatherings
Breakfast and Lunches will be served at Saint John’s. If you are interested in dropping by to share a meal, see the schedule to be posted soon on our website. https://swtmfsa.wordpress.com
Dinner on Wednesday (10/29) will be a welcoming meal for the participants as they arrive and meet their overnight hosts. Contact Janice Curry jlcurry@austin.rr.com for the time.
We hope that you will be able to attend one or more of these gatherings
to welcome MFSA representatives from around the U.S.
Please join us for dinner on Thursday (10/30) evening at the home of Al Lindsey and Karen Hale, 4711 Lookout Mountain Cove at 6:30pm for a time of conversation and fun. Please RSVP to Janice Curry jlcurry@austin.rr.com.
Friday night’s dinner will be at El Mercado at 5:30pm. An after-dinner gathering is being planned. More information to follow. You are invited to attend. Please RSVP to Anne Mund at ennadnum@hotmail.com.
Volunteer Opportunities
Overnight Hosts – We are looking for volunteers for home stays for approximately 35 adults. If you have an extra bedroom and would be willing to host one or more of these folks from chapters throughout the nation, please let Anne Mund (ennadnum@hotmail.com) know.
Transportation – Please contact Al Lindsey at alind88@gmail.com if you can help transport attendees to or from the airport. Participants will be arriving and leaving at various times, so we can connect you with someone according to your schedule.
Meal Preparation – We will also be seeking volunteers for meal preparations for breakfast, lunch, and Wednesday dinner. If you are available to help, please contact Janice Curry (jlcurry@austin.rr.com).
Thanks for helping to make this a successful planning event for the National MFSA!
Chett Pritchett, MFSA Executive Director, to Preach in Austin
October 9, 2014 — Rio Texas MFSA
While in Austin at the MFSA Program Council and Board of Directors meetings, Chett Pritchett, Executive Director of MFSA, will preach during the following worship services. All are welcome.
Sunday, October 26: Journey of Faith UMC, Round Rock, TX
November 2: Trinity UMC, Austin, TX
“On The Road” With SWTX-MFSA
October 9, 2014 — Rio Texas MFSA
This Fall, the SWTX-MFSA Executive Committee will be sharing information about MFSA through a Power Point presentation. If you have a group or Sunday School class that would be interested in hearing a presentation about the social justice work that the local and national MFSA organizations do, please contact Anne Mund, ennadnum@hotmail.com, and we will schedule a visit.
Interfaith Action of Central Texas
October 9, 2014 — Rio Texas MFSA
The Red Bench
Conversations That Matter – Mortality
OCT 28
Time: 6:00PM – 8:30PM
Location: Huston-Tillotson University
Mark Your Calendar
An Interfaith Thanksgiving Service & Celebration
November 23
Save The Date! August 6-9, 2015
October 9, 2014 — Rio Texas MFSA
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT!Travis Park UMC AnnouncesRMN and MFSA 2015 GatheringAugust 6-9, 2015This huge event will be hosted at Travis Park UMC and the Sheraton Gunter Hotel in San Antonio. Still in the planning stages, be prepared for amazing worship and music, informative educational sessions on many social justice issues, and incredible opportunities for networking with progressive Christians from throughout the nation. Place the dates, August 6 to 9, 2015 on your calendar now! |
Berryman to Preach at University UMC Austin May 18
May 7, 2014 — Rio Texas MFSAMatt Berryman, Executive Director of the Reconciling Ministries Network, will preach at University UMC – Austin on May 18.
Prior to joining the staff of RMN, Matt spent three years in law school at the Florida Coastal School during which time he worked for churches, law firms, and LexisNexis as a legal editor. From 2002-2009, Matt served United Methodist congregations in the Jacksonville area of the Florida Conference. In addition to serving churches in the United Kingdom, he has led training events and workshops for The United Methodist Church, The Fund for Theological Education, Emory University, and the Fellowship of United Methodists for Music and Worship Arts. He received a B.A. from the University of South Carolina and a M.Div. from Emory University.
Report on Busy Week for SWTX Chapter
April 28, 2014 — Rio Texas MFSAMeeting With Central Texas Chapter
On March 27, the Southwest Texas Chapter joined the Central Texas Chapter for a meeting on immigration issues at the Palm Valley Lutheran Church in Round Rock. The speakers from the Austin Workers Defense Project discussed the plight of both documented and undocumented construction workers in the Austin area. Immigration reform is sorely needed. Please go to WDP’s web site for additional information and upcoming events.
BOPA Recycling
MFSA sponsored our 6th annual BOPA (Batteries, Oil, Paint, Antifreeze) recycling event on Saturday at Crestview UMC. We had 86 vehicles bringing items from 14 different zip codes. (We do not have the official counts yet, but we collected well over 400 gallons of paint, plus hundreds of pounds of batteries!) Thanks to the Crestview United Methodist Men and Rev. Linda Elford, as well as many MFSA volunteers. Thanks to Kerry Stevens for leading this event!
An Unreal Dream – The Michael Morton Story
Our MFSA Chapter teamed up with Saint John’s UMC’s Risk-Taking Mission & Service committee to provide a screening of An Unreal Dream: The Michael Morton Story at Saint John’s on Sunday evening. This inspiring film portrays the harrowing true tale of Michael Morton of Georgetown. Wrongly convicted of the brutal murder of his young wife, Morton spent twenty-five years in the Texas prison system. Collaborating with his attorney and the Innocence Project, Morton was cleared through DNA testing. In the process he brought to bear the plight of America’s unjust imprisonments.
Dr. Marcus Borg this Weekend
April 28, 2014 — Rio Texas MFSA
Dr. Marcus Borg: What Does It Mean To Be A Christian Today? University UMC
University United Methodist Church invites you to join us for a weekend of teaching and conversation with Dr. Marcus Borg, one of the most widely known and influential voices in progressive Christianity. The weekend event – “What Does It Mean To Be Christian Today?” – includes a Friday lecture on “Reclaiming Christian Language” at 7 pm, and two Saturday lectures on “Where Do We Meet the Sacred?” and “Radical Discipleship in an Unjust World” at 9:30 am and 1:30 pm. Borg will preach at UUMC’s Sanctuary worship service at 11 am on Sun. April 6. Registration for the Friday and Saturday events is $40. Student registration is $20. Online registration will begin in February. There will be question-and-answer sessions and book signing opportunities during the weekend. A major figure in scholarship related to the Historical Jesus, Dr. Borg is the author of 20 books and serves as Canon Theologian at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Portland, Ore. Described by The New York Times as “a leading figure in his generation of Jesus scholars,” Borg has appeared on NBC’s “Today Show” and “Dateline,” PBS’s “NewsHour,” ABC’s “Evening News” and “Primetime,” NPR’s “Fresh Air” with Terry Gross, and several National Geographic programs. A Fellow of the Jesus Seminar, he has been national chair of the Historical Jesus Section of the Society of Biblical Literature. Registration at: http://www.uumc.org/borg/ |
Rio Texas Methodist Federation for Social Action 