Join us for a special Red Bench conversation as a part of Peace Day Austin!

Tuesday September 15, 2015, 6:30pm-8:30pm

Topic: Peace

Location: St. Edward’s University (Maloney Room, 3001 Congress Ave.)

http://interfaithtexas.org/events/the-red-bench-peace/

Monday Sep, 21 2015

Building Green Justice Forum: Cultivating Food Justice

Date: September 24, 2015

Time: 8:30 am  to  4:00 pm

Location: Dickey-Lawless Science Building, Huston-Tillotson University, 900 Chicon St., Austin, 78702, with free parking in the Chalmers Avenue lot and free street parking around campus.

Huston-Tillotson University will host the Second Annual Building Green Justice Forum, this year focusing on food justice. Activists, community members, students, and researchers will explore food access, local and global food systems, community-based solutions, nutrition, and health impacts.

Registration and coffee begins at 8:30 am, with speakers, panels, and workshops throughout the day. A full schedule is coming soon.

The forum—which is sponsored by Green is the New Black, The Dumpster Project, and the Third Coast Activist Resource Center—is free but please register online. For more information, contact Karen Magid,  kmagid@htu.edu

http://www.thirdcoastactivist.org/events/building-green-justice-forum-cultivating-food-justice/

What to Expect at General Conference 2016 Sunday

September 27th 6:00 to 7:30 p.m.

Murchison Chapel

Presented by Jay Brim

Every four years, delegates from all over the world meet to decide on law and policy for the United Methodist Church.  Next year that meeting will be in May in Portland, Oregon.  Jay Brim is Chancellor of the Rio Texas Annual Conference (essentially the Bishop’s lawyer), a member of Westlake UMC, and a lay delegate to the 2016 General Conference.  He will inform us about the issues that General Conference is likely to address.  There is no charge for the course and there are no materials to purchase.

For more information, contact: marilyn@fumcaustin.org

Better Neighbors Immigration Event in San Antonio, September 28, 2015

Time:  Monday, September 28, 2015, 6:30pm – 8:00pm

Place:  University Presbyterian Church.
300 Bushnell Ave, San Antonio, TX 78212

Texas Impact is coming to San Antonio to talk about programs to help strengthen our community!  This event will feature representatives of Texas Impact, discussing refugees, asylees and immigration in Texas. Texas Impact staff will also present details about the Community Partner program to assist eligible residents to access Texas benefits on-line.

The entire presentation is a part of Texas Impact’s Better Neighbors initiative.  Better Neighbors seeks to educate and engage local congregations to be “Better Neighbors” – by reaching out to people through direct service and policy implementation.  Each month Texas Impact provides resources for a “Focus of the Month” campaign on unique topics to inform local communities of faith how they can partner with the state to implement public policy at the local level. http://www.texasimpact.org

This month’s Better Neighbors newsletter, focusing on immigration, may be found online at  http://texasimpact.org/BetterNeighbors/2015-September

To see previous Better Neighbors newsletters, go to http://texasimpact.org/BetterNeighbors

For more information on Texas Impact, the presentation, or to RSVP, please contact our Congregational Outreach Director, Scott Atnip, at scott@texasimpact.org or by phone at 512.472.3903 x109

Tuesday, October 6th, 2015

6:30-9:00pm at the Umlauf Sculpture Gardens and Museum

“A sacred evening of dining and dialogue in celebration of the relationships we have and those we hope to build.”

A Night Under One Sky has become a beloved tradition in our community. It celebrates the notion that there is common ground we can all walk in search of peace and respect in this world.  The setting is magical. The food is delightful.  The music is inspiring. The conversation is uplifting.

iACT brings people of all faiths together to serve our most vulnerable neighbors

The Texas Tribune and the LBJ Future Forum are pleased to present a special event marking the October launch of the Tribune’s newest reporting project, God and Governing, which explores the role Texas lawmakers’ personal religious beliefs play in their legislative decision-making.

In coordination with the project, we invite you to join us at the LBJ Presidential Library for a discussion with lawmakers about religion and the legislature. Tribune Editor Emily Ramshaw will moderate.

Wednesday, Oct. 7
6:30 p.m.
10th Floor
LBJ Presidential Library

http://www.texastribune.org/events/2015/10/07/god-governing/

Our panelists include:

• State Rep.David Simpson, R-Longview
• State Rep.Celia Israel, D-Austin
• State Rep.James White, R-Woodville
• State Rep.Donna Howard, D-Austin

The event will be held on the 10th floor of the LBJ Library. A brief reception with drinks and appetizers will follow. This event is free and open to the public.

The People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond focuses on understanding what racism is, where it comes from, how it functions, why it persists and how it can be undone. Our workshops utilize a systemic approach that emphasizes learning from history, developing leadership, maintaining accountability to communities, creating networks, undoing internalized racial oppression and understanding the role of organizational gate keeping as a mechanism for perpetuating racism.

Tuesday, October 20, 2015 – Thursday, October 22, 2015

Whole Cities Foundation

Austin, TX

Diana Dunn

diana@pisab.org

Date: October 20, 2015

Time: 6:30 pm  to  8:00 pm

Tuesdays, October 20, 27 and November 3, 6:30-8 pm

Location: Thompson Conference Center, University of Texas, 2405 East Campus Drive, Austin

University of Texas professor Robert Jensen will teach a three-session course on “Religion and Politics: Critical Thinking and Constructive Talking.”  Rejecting the common advice to not talk about religion or politics, this course argues that religion and politics are the most important things to talk about—when we can engage both those we agree and disagree with, which means sharpening our critical thinking skills and improving our capacity for constructive dialogue.

How do people within religious traditions reconcile approaches that vary from conservative literalism to progressive interpretations?  How can religious and secular people identify shared values as well as argue about differences?  How do we square our commitment to democracy with the effects of concentrated wealth in politics?  How do we understand the news media’s role in the process?

University of Texas professor Robert Jensen will teach a three-session course on “Religion and Politics: Critical Thinking and Constructive Talking.”  Rejecting the common advice to not talk about religion or politics, this course argues that religion and politics are the most important things to talk about—when we can engage both those we agree and disagree with, which means sharpening our critical thinking skills and improving our capacity for constructive dialogue.

How do people within religious traditions reconcile approaches that vary from conservative literalism to progressive interpretations?  How can religious and secular people identify shared values as well as argue about differences?  How do we square our commitment to democracy with the effects of concentrated wealth in politics?  How do we understand the news media’s role in the process?

There is a fee for the course. – See more.