UMCOR - Ways You Can Make a Difference

US: SOUPER BOWL SUNDAY Join youth all over the US this coming Sunday by taking part in the Souper Bowl of Caring. Youth groups collect funds on Super Bowl Sunday that support ministries that care for hungry people.   Participating groups decide where and how the food and funds they raise are to be distributed to alleviate hunger in their neighborhoods.   Learn more about Souper Bowl of Caring and register to participate at www.souperbowl.org.   Give to UMCOR’s World...

Recent Sermons from Around the Conference

The following links to sermons were selected at random for your enjoyment.   Proverbs – Rev. Meredith Wende Wharton FUMC http://www.fumcwharton.org/sermons/   Why Do the Innocent Have to Suffer? – Lowell Baggott Moody UMC, Galveston http://www.moody.org/worship-at-moody/sermons   Come and See - Rev. Billy Watson Russell Memorial UMC, Wills Point http://vimeo.com/user5440250   A Man After God’s Own Heart, Really? - Rev. Shinia Kelsey FUMC...

First Gathering of Hispanic Churches

The first Joint Worship Service of the Hispanic Congregations of the Texas Annual Conference (TAC), will be held February 18, 2012 from 5:00 – 9:00 p.m., at St. Paul's UMC in Houston beginning with a community meal. The worship service has been planned by our TAC Hispanic clergy and is the first of many to come. We want to join our hearts together to worship God, ask God’s guidance, power, and provision as we seek to reach the Hispanic community within the TAC for Christ, and...

February Singles Events

There are several churches around the conference with ministries focused on single adults. See what's going on in February at: http://www.txcumc.org/singlesevents...

Lay Ministry Training at The Methodist Hospital

Lay Ministers are gifted men and women who are trained to work in concert with professional chaplains to provide care to patients and families. They also support the patient’s unique spiritual or religious outlook, assist them as they cope with their hospitalization experiences, and make appropriate referrals.   Upcoming Lay Ministry Training dates that will take place at The Methodist Hospital are March 9, 10, 15, 22, 29.     The Application deadline is February 15....

Order of Elders Retreat March 6-8

The 2012 Order of Elders Retreat - Contemplation and Action will be held at Lakeview Methodist Conference Center, March 6-8, 2012.   See Registration Information   Questions? Contact Rev. Katy Ware, Registrar Trinity UMC,  3430 Harrison Avenue  Beaumont, TX 77706 409-892-8121, ext. 106   Speakers Include: The Rev. Dr. Tom Ward has been an Episcopal priest for over thirty-five years, serving parishes in Mississippi and Tennessee; from 1994 through 2005, he...

General Conference Petitions Online

TAMPA, Fla. (UMNS) — The Advance Edition of the Daily Christian Advocate, the official journal of General Conference, is now online and available for download at: http://gc2012.umc.org/ADCA.   The advance contains all the legislation submitted for consideration by the delegates. The edition is available in English, French and Portuguese....

Recent Sermons from Around the Conference

The following links to sermons were selected at random for your enjoyment.   Fasting to Transform Your Life - Dr. Bruce Wood Aldersgate UMC - College Station http://www.aldersgatecs.com/family/sermons/sermons.rss   Dirty Jobs – Rev. Amanda Davis FUMC Humble http://www.fumc-humble.org/574216779326   The Calling of the 12 - Rev. Janet Stillwell FUMC - Conroe http://www.fumc-conroe.org/templates/System/details.asp?id=32980&PG=xcast&LID=1879   Keep...

This Week in Texas Methodist History

The first five sessions of the Texas Annual Conference occurred before the annexation of Texas. The presiding bishops and transferring preachers were thus engaged in a sort of foreign missionary project.   Read more at the Texas Methodist History Blog  ...

Young Adults Needed to Lead Social Justice Startups

The United Methodist Church is taking a page from the tech startup world, and the resulting initiative enables young adults to be leaders in ministry.   Called Spark12, it is an incubator for social justice ministries developed and implemented by young adults. It is one way the denomination is working to develop principled Christian leaders.   The project allows young adults to take the lead in ministry, rather than fitting into existing projects or ministry models.   Read...

Opportunity to Help PIM Teams in Cuba

Partners in Mission has two teams headed to Cuba on Feb. 17th from the Texas Annual Conference. One team will work about 6 hours outside of Havana at a Methodist church site, while the other will be working at the Methodist Seminary in Havana. The Methodist Church of Cuba has requested some important items we feel we must take.   The greatest need is for Over the Counter medications. There is a shortage of medications and imported goods are often of poor quality. Please prayerfully...

A Tribute to Dr. King - We Are Still Lifting Every Voice and Singing. . .

Every year, Houston Chapter BMCR hosts the, “Martin Luther King, Jr. Breakfast,” an event that celebrates the life and legacy of Civil Rights leader, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.   This year’s Breakfast took us on a journey from the beginning of the Civil Rights movement to the dedication of the Washington, D.C. Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial. Having visited Washington, D.C. on a number of occasions, I think Rev. B. T. Williamson said it best; I now have...

DeSobe named Krist Samaritan Center President and Chief Executive Officer

Rev. Gerald DeSobe, Ph.D., LPC has been named president and chief executive officer for Krist Samaritan Center, a Houston-based, not-for-profit, faith-based organization that provides affordable counseling services, psychological testing, psychiatric consultation and educational programs to people of all economic backgrounds. In addition to seeing clients for therapy, Dr. DeSobe will also oversee the operation of the organization, manage financial and physical resources and implement various...

Report Day 2012 — Shaping the Future from a Solid Foundation

This year, the Texas Annual Conference joined over 30 other conferences to move our year-end reporting process to the GCFA written internet data management system named “EZRA”. When looking up the meaning of the name EZRA, the definition is: Ezra \e-zra, ez-ra\ as a boy’s name is pronounced, AIRZ-rah. It is of Hebrew origin, and the meaning of Ezra is “helper.”   This system is indeed intended to be our helper in the reporting process and we believe as more...

Free Webinars for Church Leaders

The General Board of Discipleship is offering free webinars for church leaders.   January 31 - 6:30 PM CST Goal Setting For Vital Congregations This webinar offers a guide for setting realistic numerical goals for your congregation on the website www.umvitalcongregations.org.   February 9 - 6:30 PM CST 10 Commandments For Church Websites A website is the new front door to your church. Patrick Steil, Webmaster for the North Texas Conference and owner of www.ChurchBuzz.org,...

Rethinking Rural Ministry: What's a "S.M.A.C.U.M?"

What might a District Superintendent do in these challenging times? If that District Superintendent is a solutions-minded maverick thinker like Jerry Pennington, he might begin experimenting with some new ideas and ways to do ministry.   Explains Pennington, “The more I learned about the uniqueness of my giant district full of small churches, the more I wanted to find ways to celebrate that uniqueness and help them venture out and rediscover their passions without the pressure of...

2012 Tax Seminars - Clergy and Church Finance

Once again Heartspring Methodist Foundation and the Texas Conference Center for Connectional Resources will co-sponsor seminars covering clergy tax filings and general financial and legal updates for the local church. Active clergy members, and those responsible for local church finance, such as business administrators, financial secretaries, treasurers, etc. should consider attending.   Reserve your seat today! For more information or to register and pay online, use the link below or...

Recent Sermons from Around the Conference

The following links to sermons were selected at random for your enjoyment.   Why Doesn’t God Listen to Me? – Rev. Bert Bagley Moody UMC, Galveston http://www.moody.org/worship-at-moody/sermons   His Name is God - Rev. J. Kambamba Kiboko Houston Holy Covenant http://www.holycov.org/podcasts.html   When One Story Ends - Dr. Nathan Hodge FUMC Hallsville http://www.fumchallsville.org/media.php?pageID=5   God of Second Chances – Rev. Andy...

PIM 2012 Team Leader Training Schedule

Partners in Mission is offering team leader training for anyone who would like to organize a mission team through their church or district.   This training can benefit those seeking to organize any mission project whether it is for recovery work, a two-day local project or a three week mission trip thousands of miles away.   It is designed to help leaders learn to find connectional projects either through Partners in Mission or through other avenues and teaches them how to find...

This Week in Texas Methodist History

Texas Conference Meets in Special Session, W. A. Pounds Honored for Fifty Years as Conference Treasurer, January 17, 1972.   There are some years in which Methodist annual conferences have so much business that they cannot wait a whole year to meet. In such years it is possible to have a special session of the “annual” conference. One such special session of the Texas Conference was held at Marvin UMC in Tyler, Texas, on January 17, 1972.   Read more at the Texas...