 Scheduled executionsThe State of Texas is scheduled to carry out two executions this month; if they occur, these will be the last executions in our state in 2014:
To date in 2014, Texas has executed nine people, out of 30 executions nationwide. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice still refuses to identify the source of the drug used in executions. Attend a vigil in your community on the day of executions. Updates on these cases will be posted on the TCADP website, as well as Facebook and Twitter. Events Around the State Austin: Columbia Law School Professor James S. Liebman will appear at the Texas Book Festival in Austin on Sunday, October 26th at 3:30 PM in the CSPAN location to discuss his book about the wrongful execution of Carlos DeLuna, The Wrong Carlos: Anatomy of a Wrongful Execution. Mike Farrell will be moderating. More details coming soon. Irving: TCADP volunteers will assist the Catholic Mobilizing Network to End the Use of the Death Penalty (CMN) with an information table at the University of Dallas Ministry Conference, taking place in Irving from October 23rd to 25th. CMN’s Sister Ilaria Buanriposi will provide three workshops on the death penalty and restorative justice during the conference. |
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! |
Meet the New Capital District DS, Rev. Teresa Welborn, at MFSA Meeting
September 8, 2014 — Rio Texas MFSA
Thursday, September 11, 7pm
Saint John’s UMC, 2140 Allandale, Austin, TX
The first meeting of the SWTX Methodist Federation for Social Action for 2014-2015 will be Thursday, September 11 in the Fellowship Hall at Saint John’s UMC. The featured speaker will be Rev. Teresa Welborn, the new District Superintendent of the Austin District. Teresa will tell us about her background and experience, her visions for the District’s future, the challenges the District is facing, and the formation of the new Capital District (our new name as of January 1, 2015), its new territorial boundaries and new member congregations, including Hispanic UMCs in our area.
Please join us at 6:30p for snacks and mingling with old friends and new; the program begins at 7p. And new this month: childcare will be provided! E-mail jessica@stjohnsaustin.org to indicate how many children you will bring and their ages. We hope to see you there!
2014 Austin Pride Parade
September 8, 2014 — Rio Texas MFSA
March with Austin-Area United Methodists
Saturday, September 20, 7pm
The SWTX MFSA and SWTX Reconciling Ministries Team collaborate on the Austin Pride Parade. In 2013, over 400 United Methodists participated in the parade, sharing God’s love and grace with all. Our goal this year is 500 United Methodists participating together in the 2014 Austin Pride Parade.
Late Breaking News!! Joining us this year in the Austin Pride Parade will be Bishop Melvin Talbert, champion of the Biblical Obedience movement and Vice-Chair of the Reconciling Ministries Network, and Matt Berryman, Executive Director of the RMN!
Participants should be registered with one of the church groups. General questions about United Methodist participation in parade? Contact Kenneth Henry: KDHenry@gmail.com or Joy Butler: JoyLButler@gmail.com
2014 Pride Interfaith Celebration
When: Tuesday, September 16th, 7:00pm.
Where: University Baptist Church
2130 Guadalupe St.
Austin, TX 78705
Austin’s Pride Interfaith Partnership announced details on the upcoming 2014 Pride Interfaith Celebration, to be held on Tuesday September 16th, as part of Austin’s Gay Pride Week.
The free event will be held at University Baptist Church at 7pm. The keynote speaker this year will be Randy Roberts Potts, the gay grandson of evangelist Oral Roberts. Randy is a prolific author and speaker, encouraging the LGBTQ community to live authentically. He was featured in the It Gets Better campaign and the performance art, The Gay Agenda. Further information on Randy Roberts Potts can be found on the website www.PrideInterfaith.com.
For more information on the service, please visit www.PrideInterfaith.com or the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/PrideInterfaithPartnership.
Call for Volunteers – MFSA Board Meeting in Austin
September 8, 2014 — Rio Texas MFSA
On October 29 – November 1, MFSA’s national Board of Directors and Program Council will hold their Fall Meeting in Austin! 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.
We will also be seeking volunteers for transportation of our guests to and from the airport, and to other venues, and for meal arrangements. If you are available, contact Rowland or Janice Curry (rcurry@austin.rr.com).
These meetings will be open to any of our friends who wish to meet our board members or wish to observe the meetings. We hope to arrange for one or more opportunities for socializing and learning more about MFSA and the other chapters throughout the country.
Turn Up The Heat To Help MFSA!
September 8, 2014 — Rio Texas MFSA| Summer is almost over, but it’s time to turn up the heat!
We need your help! MFSA has been given a great opportunity to support inclusion for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) United Methodists and their work for justice for all. This past week, we were notified of receipt of a small grant to assist with strategic visioning for the Love Your Neighbor (LYN) Coalition, a group of 10 progressive organizations who are committed to justice in The United Methodist Church – not only for LGBTQ persons, but for all the places we find injustice and oppression in our Church. Unfortunately, this grant only supports the programming, travel, and some technology upgrades for the Coalition, not the personnel costs. Current grant applications for personnel costs are in final consideration, but we need your help today. Since January, MFSA has funded the LYN Coalition Coordinator position. We expected funding this summer, but now will be awaiting word regarding personnel funding in early October. Thus, MFSA has delayed other financial obligations because we believe so much in the work of the Coalition. Our Coalition Coordinator, Rev. Steve Clunn, is central to the work of the LYN Coalition. Help us continue this position until we can secure more funding. Share with your colleagues, friends, family – anyone who believes in justice for LGBTQ persons in the life and mission of The United Methodist Church. Central to this work is coordinating efforts of the Coalition’s cooperative event in August 2015, the Legislative Strategy team, and further fundraising to make sure there’s a strong progressive presence in Portland for General Conference 2016!
Your financial support – large or small – will make a difference in the future of our movement for justice and in the future of the Church! Let’s turn up the heat and get this thermometer rising! |
Donate now at http://bit.ly/1ktKNEJ
“On The Road” With SWTX-MFSA
September 8, 2014 — Rio Texas MFSA
This Fall, the SWTX-MFSA Executive Committee will be sharing information about MFSA through a Power Point presentation. We will begin this program at Buda UMC on Sunday, September 14, at 10:00am, at the invitation of Rev. Barbara Day. 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
Important Economic Justice Conference in Houston
September 8, 2014 — Rio Texas MFSA
As religious progressives we embrace a non-violent resistance to domination systems that marginalize the poor and the weak. Both Torah and the New Testament are clear about God’s dream for the world – a society of equality and justice where everyone has enough. As people of faith we recognize that all women, men and children are members of the family of God; they belong to us and we belong to them. We now deliberately join together determined to create economic and social justice for all. As progressive religious people – regardless of our faith or political affiliation – we must pay attention and take action to combat this injustice. It’s time to turn the page in Texas!A three-day organizing event to unite religious progressives, academics, and justice activists to act in solidarity to promote economic justice.
Presenters include Ralph Douglas West, Amy-Jill Levine, John Dominic Crossan, Joerg Rieger, Keri Day, Robin Meyers and many more.
For more information, click here.
Step Up For Africa
September 8, 2014 — Rio Texas MFSA5K and 1 Mile Family Fun Walk/Run
Saturday, September 20, 8:30 AM
Brushy Creek Lake Park – Cypress Pavillion
3300 Brushy Creek Road, Cedar Park, TX 78613
Come join us for this no frills 5K and 1 Mile Family Fun Walk to benefit clean water projects in Matete, Kenya. Walkers Welcome! Strollers Welcome! Digital timer for personal record. Inflatable!
Proceeds benefit water, education, food, and medical projects
in Matete, Kenya through World Vision.
Civil Rights Conference at TSU
September 8, 2014 — Rio Texas MFSA
2014 CIVIL RIGHTS CONFERENCE
Saturday, September 20
Texas Southern University
YOU KNOW THE ISSUES – ARE YOU READY TO DO THE WORK?
At the 2014 Civil Rights Conference you will learn how to strategize, organize and stand up for civil rights. You will learn to be an effective and dynamic activist. The conference is a day-long program that will feature speakers addressing topics such as:
- Community organizing
- Political strategies
- Media strategies
- Immigration issues
- Criminal justice reform
- Coping with discrimination and voter suppression
Our keynote speaker will be Jim Harrington, Director of the Texas Civil Rights Project and long-time civil rights activist and role model. The conference will be held on Saturday, September 20, 2014, from 9 am to 4:30 pm at the Mickey Leland building on the Texas Southern University campus. Registration fees: $7 with pre-registration, $10 at the door, $5 for students. Register here.
Candidate Forums In Austin
September 8, 2014 — Rio Texas MFSAThe City of Austin’s Ethics Review Commission and the League of Women Voters of the Austin Area are co-hosting a series of candidate forums in September to which the public is invited. If you are unable to attend, these forums will be televised live on City Channel 6 (cable). They also will be broadcast repeatedly this fall, and will be webcast on the City’s website: austintexas.gov/.
All candidates for each of Austin’s ten geographic districts as well as all candidates for mayor have been invited to participate. The dates, times, and locations can be found here.
Austin Interfaith Fall Election Events
Austin Interfaith is a non-partisan coalition 41 of congregations, schools and labor unions that work together on issues affecting the families of Central Texas. The organization does not endorse candidates, but has an agenda and a vision for an affordable, safe and healthy Central Texas for all families.
Candidates for Mayor and County Judge
Tuesday, September 16, 7:00 pm
Temple Beth Shalom – 7300 Hart Lane
Candidates for Mayor and City Council
Sunday, October 5, 3:00 pm
Abiding Love Lutheran Church, 7210 Brush Country Rd
Interfaith Action of Central Texas
September 8, 2014 — Rio Texas MFSA
The Red Bench is an on-going dialogue program designed to address the most pressing needs of our time: improving interfaith understanding and civil discourse in our society.
Next Red Bench Conversation
September 23
Time: 6:30 – 8:30pm Location: Trinity United Methodist Church
A Night Under One Sky
October 7
ANUOS
Time: 6:30 – 9:00pm
Location: Umlauf Sculpture Garden
Purchase Tickets
Become a Sponsor
Mark Your Calendars!
An Interfaith Thanksgiving Service & Celebration
November 23
Rio Texas Methodist Federation for Social Action 