Rio Texas Methodist Federation for Social Action

FREEDOM RIDERS – The story behind a courageous band of civil rights activists called Freedom Riders who in 1961 challenged segregation in the American South.
Watch the film on PBS, Monday, May 16 at 8:00pm  (Other showings May 17@ 3:00am; May 18 @2:00am; May 22 @ 4:00pm)

FREEDOM RIDERS is the powerful harrowing and ultimately inspirational story of six months in 1961 that changed America forever. From May until November 1961, more than 400 black and white Americans risked their lives—and many endured savage beatings and imprisonment—for simply traveling together on buses and trains as they journeyed through the Deep South. Deliberately violating Jim Crow laws, the Freedom Riders met with bitter racism and mob violence along the way, sorely testing their belief in nonviolent activism.

From award-winning filmmaker Stanley Nelson FREEDOM RIDERS features testimony from a fascinating cast of central characters: the Riders themselves, state and federal government officials, and journalists who witnessed the Rides firsthand. The two-hour documentary is based on Raymond Arsenault’s book Freedom Riders: 1961 and the Struggle for Racial Justice.

American Experience has Invited College Students from across the country to “Get on the Bus”.  From May 6-16, 40 college students will join original Freedom Riders in retracing the 1961 Rides from Washington, DC to New Orleans, LA.  Accepted students will participate at no cost to them. All transportation, hotel and food expenses are covered by American Experience.

SHARE the journey. Through live blogging, Twitter, and Facebook, the students on the bus will be able to share their experiences and, in a sense, bring others along on their journey.

May 15 (Sun) – 11:30 am

Robert Jensen on “What Does It Mean to Be a Human Being?”

The Mistaken Identities of Nation/Race/Gender

Location: First Unitarian Universalist Church, 4700 Grover Ave., Austin 78756

University of Texas Professor Robert Jensen will be the speaker in the First Unitarian Universalist Church Public Affairs Forum.  In his talk, Jensen will examine how nation, race, and gender affect our understanding of ourselves, with a focus on the unjust systems of power and privilege in which they are embedded. In each case he argues against the dominant culture’s ideology and for a radical politics that takes seriously not only political but ecological realities.

May 22 (Sun), 12:15 pm

Screening of video of Tim Wise talk on illusions of “post-racial” politics

Location: St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, 14311 Wells Port Drive (exit off I-35, west on Wells Branch Parkway)

In February, author Tim Wise spoke in Austin about his 2010 book, Color Blind: The Rise of Post-Racial Politics and the Retreat from Racial Equity. This program will screen the video of that talk, followed by a discussion.

Wise is a frequent speaker on campuses across the country and a regular commentator in mainstream media. His other books include: Between Barack and a Hard Place: Racism and White Denial in the Age of Obama; White Like Me: Reflections on Race from a Privileged Son; Affirmative Action: Racial Preference in Black and White; and Speaking Treason Fluently: Anti-Racist Reflections From an Angry White Male.

The talk, which is free and open to the public, is sponsored by the Social Justice Committee at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church. For more information, contact Robert Jensen at 471-1990 or rjensen@uts.cc.utexas.edu.

On Sunday, June 19, University UMC will have a Celebration of the recent vote to become a Reconciling Community.  Rev. Troy Plummer, Executive Director of Reconciling Ministries Network will speak.  Check for details later on the University UMC website http://www.uumc.org/.

New Trial Time, Place, Leaders
June 21-23, 2011

Peace United Methodist Church
Kaukauna, WI

Presiding Officer: Bishop Clay F. Lee
Church Counsel: Rev. Thomas Lambrecht

The Rev. Amy DeLong of Osceola, in northwestern Wisconsin, precipitated the case in 2009 when she agreed to preside at a holy union ceremony for a lesbian couple, and then separately registered with her partner of 15 years under Wisconsin’s Domestic Partnership Law.  She reported both actions to the church’s Wisconsin Annual Conference, the governing body for the church in the state, as part of her annual accounting of her ministry.

She said she knew her actions would have consequences.

“I want to help the church to be true to its proclamations,” she said in an interview. “We don’t have to earn our way into God’s heart. We’ve already been accepted.”

The United Methodist Church, the nation’s third-largest denomination, prohibits ministers from performing same-sex unions and allows gay or lesbian ministers only if they’re celibate, or if they don’t reveal their sexual orientation.

Mark your calendar for the RMN/MFSA Convocation, “Sing a New Song”.
(Reconciling Ministries Network mobilizes United Methodists of all sexual orientations and gender identities to transform our church and world into the full expression of Christ’s inclusive love.)

Join hundreds of United Methodists singing of and organizing for justice and inclusion for all God’s children as we celebrate in joyful worship designed by Mark Miller and Tanya Bennett.

In word and song, at rest and play, through action and organizing, being church together, “We are called to act with justice, we are called to love tenderly, we are called to serve on another, to walk humbly with God!”

Sawmill Creek Resort
400 Sawmill Creek Drive West
Huron, OH 44839

For more information, see http://www.rmnetwork.org/sing-a-new-song/

Anne Mund, Joy Butler, Robbie Ausley, and Janice and Rowland Curry have already registered.  Let us know if you would like to attend.  Scholarship funds are available.  Contact Janice Curry at 836-7004 or jlcurry@austin.rr.com.

Please join with us as we connect progressive United Methodists in putting faith into action!

Membership in MFSA is not predicated on ability to pay.  We do not have “dues”.  However, our Chapter and the National Office need funding each year for programs and activities.  Membership gifts and special giving are always appreciated.

MFSA is classified as a 501(c)(3) organization by the IRS.   Membership gifts to MFSA are tax deductible as provided by law.

Here are two simple ways to join or support MFSA:

You can log onto the national MFSA website, http://www.mfsaweb.org and follow the instructions there (you can safely use a credit card).

Or, you can mail a check made out to “SWT – MFSA” to our Treasurer, Janice Curry, at 1509 Mearns Meadow Blvd, Austin 78758.  The suggested annual donation is $60, but any amount is welcome.  Thanks for your support!

Join us!

Austin District Reconciling Ministries Communities

The April meeting of the Methodist Federation for Social Action (MFSA) will be held Thursday, April 14 in the Saint John’s UMC Fellowship Hall.  The program will be about the Reconciling Ministries Network.  RMN is a Methodist movement whose purpose is to foster increased inclusivity in the United Methodist Church.  Representatives from First UMC Austin, University UMC Austin, Trinity UMC Austin, and Saint John’s UMC will discuss the process they are in (or have been in) to become connected to the Reconciling movement.

The meeting will begin at 6:30pm for snacks and mingling.  The program begins at 7:00.

Join us!  Bring a friend!

Join peace and justice advocate Rev. Bill McElvaney at University UMC for a series of justice workshops. Bill is Professor Emeritus at Perkins School of Theology in Dallas, and he is a longtime peace and justice advocate. Each gathering will begin with an opening prayer and a brief justice reading from Bill.  Featured readings will be:

·  Life After Mississippi – by James Autry
·  The Justice Project – by Brian McLaren et al
·  Justice – by Nicholas Wolterstorff
·  The Last Week – by Marcus Borg & John Dominic Crossan
·  Blessed Are the Peacemakers, a Lenten meditation – by Bill McElvaney

On Saturday morning, Bill will outline his reasons for writing the book Becoming a Justice Seeking Congregation: Responding to God’s Justice Initiative, experiences with the book, and some general observations about justice. Saturday afternoon will include participation in a justice exercise.

On Sunday afternoon, we will consider where UUMC is in doing justice, including existing and possible new challenges. The sessions on both Saturday and Sunday will proceed with narrative of doing justice, followed by discussion (action and reflection). The sessions will conclude with Bill McElvaney’s reflections on a chapter of the book. Along the way, we will consider questions at the end of each chapter. Books will be available for sale for $10.

PLEASE REGISTER AHEAD OF TIME FOR THE WORKSHOPS. DEADLINE IS TUESDAY, APRIL 5 AT 5:00 P.M. Email Rev. Susan Sprague at ssprage@uumc.org or call 512-478-9387 to RSVP. A $15 fee includes breakfast & lunch on Saturday.

Our MFSA chapter sponsored a BOPA (Batteries, Oil, Paint, Antifreeze) Recycling Event at Trinity UMC on Saturday, April 2.

We collected over 967 gallons of paint, 93 gallons of oil, 11 car batteries, 160 pounds of smaller batteries, 12 gallons of antifreeze, 47 spray paint cans, and lots of other material that was taken to the City’s recycling station. Thanks to all who volunteered and those who took the time from their Saturday morning to take care of our earth.

Our March 10 meeting on immigration, held at Emmanuel UMC, was well received.  The program focused on immigration issues.  Ms. Marjorie Herbert, a retired attorney, discussed what the Central Texas Chapter has learned about immigration and some of the actions the local congregations in Georgetown have taken.  We met new friends interested in this issue.  Those in attendance have created an email list to communicate ideas and opportunities.  Reverend Madeline Carrasco Henners, Associate Pastor at Northwest Hills UMC, has scheduled  training to lead the faith-based immigration study, “Transcending Borders,” in your local congregation.  Laity and clergy who are interested in starting conversations about immigration in their local church are invited to this training.  The 6 week study topics are as follows:

–      Session 1: Getting Started
–      Session 2: Immigrants of the Bible
–      Session 3: The Alien, Orphan & Widow
–      Session 4: Welcoming the Stranger
–      Session 5: Citizens of Heaven
–      Session 6: Our Christian Response

The training will be from May 15th – June 19th, Sundays from 4:00-6:00 p.m. at Northwest Hills United Methodist Church, Family Life Center.  Please register by emailing mc.henners@nwhillsumc.org.  The cost of printing the document is the only fee, $10.  For more information contact Rev. Madeline C. Henners at (512)345-1743 or via the email noted above.

“To refuse to welcome migrants to this country—and to stand by in silence while families are separated, individual freedoms ignored, and the migrant community in the United States is demonized by members of Congress and the media—is complicity to sin.”
— The Book of Resolutions 2008

The May program will focus on how we can reduce poverty, both locally and around the world.  We will refer back to our study on poverty last year.  Kerry Stevens, Bethany UMC, will talk about Bethany’s program to work with World Vision in Kenya.  More details later.

MFSA will again be active at Annual Conference in Corpus Christi June 8 – 11.  We will sponsor an awards luncheon, Growing the Heart of Methodism (see below) in partnership with Reconciling Ministries Network and the Conference Board of Church and Society.  We plan to again sponsor the MFSA Book Fair, which has been a successful fundraiser for our chapter.  We will have our Informational Display about MFSA and its mission and activities.   We will again sponsor the sale of BeadForLife, which supports Ugandan women and communities.  And we will again co-sponsor a display of the Shower of Stoles, an extraordinary collection celebrating the gifts of GLBT persons who serve God in countless ways, while also lifting up those who have been excluded from service because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
This is shaping up to be an exciting time!  Join us!

A Peace & Justice Luncheon Sponsored by
Southwest Texas Conference Board of Church and Society
Methodist Federation for Social Action
Reconciling Ministries Network

Featuring
Professor Joerg Rieger
Perkins School of Theology

On his new book:
Grace Under Pressure:
Negotiating the Heart of the
Methodist Traditions

This is our chapter’s first large-scale event to be held during Annual Conference in Corpus Christi.  It is being planned at lunchtime on June 10, and will consist of a luncheon, the presentation by Dr. Rieger, and awards for special recognition for Building a Just Community.  We will also have a presentation by Steve Clunn, the MFSA/RMN National Coalition Coordinator regarding national issues and Sing a New Song (see below).

We owe a great deal of thanks to Dr. Rieger for his willingness to rearrange his busy schedule to be with us for this event.  He is extremely supportive of MFSA and its mission.

The luncheon cost is $12.00 per person if paid by May 10, $15.00 afterward.  Registration Deadline is June 1.

This should be a great event to share MFSA’s message with others at Southwest Texas Annual Conference.

We plan to again sponsor the MFSA Book Fair during Annual Conference in June.  We ask our members and friends to contribute their used books dealing with religious, spiritual, or social action topics, and then we offer them to Conference attendees in exchange for donations.  This has been our chapter’s major fundraiser during the past few years.  As a result of your kind donations of books and the generosity of the buyers, we made over $700 at the 2010 event.  As you are doing your spring cleaning or going through your library to discard these treasures, please keep us in mind.  In most cases, we can make arrangements to pick them up.  Please let Rowland Curry (rcurry@austin.rr.com) know if you have books to contribute.

During a recent advocacy effort at the State Capitol by UMC ministers, the Governor and others signed on to release partial monies out of the Rainy Day Fund for the current budget.  While there is still more that can be done for the next budget, 2012-2013, this should soften some of the inevitable impact of the crisis.  MFSA member, Joy Butler, took this photo.  Left to right in the group picture is Dr. George Atkinson, Rev. Julius Malone-Wardley, Dr. Paul Escamilla, Rev. Romonica Malone-Wardley, Rev. Tommy Williams, Dr. Jim Bankston, Rev. Kevin King, Rev. Terry Thompson.

More than 1,500 United Methodists from rural, urban and suburban Texas who signed the letter, which had been signed by all Texas Methodist bishops.