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April 22, 2021

Church partners with Mexican Consulate

The Christian imperative of welcoming the stranger can take many forms, some rather unusual. For Kingwood United Methodist Church, it recently meant hosting a six-person team from the Mexican Consulate in Houston. 

Church grows by finding multicultural community

Rev. Luis E. Ramirez was appointed to Cedar Bayou Grace in Baytown at the beginning of the year. When he looks at the 30 acres of land on church campus, he imagines the possibilities. He envisions a school building. He pictures a soccer field near the detention pond. He considers potential sources of revenue. “How can we think of something bigger and better to get bigger and better results?” he asks.

Technology tips for churches on a budget

The pandemic is proving that online communication can indeed be a platform for sharing the gospel. More and more congregations are livestreaming their services and developing social media. Churches that were online before the pandemic have stepped up their virtual presence. David Johnson, Associate Pastor at Trinity UMC in Beaumont, said that a number of resources, Apps and software are available to help clergy. He also shares ways to try technology without breaking the bank.

Technology heroes enhance worship experience online

The coronavirus pandemic made it apparent that churches would have to move online and embrace technology to thrive. That meant audiovisual staff had to abandon their normal spots behind-the-scenes to take centerstage. Their work become even more valuable as they helped congregations make needed transitions and increase their production values. For this series, we highlight our heroes in audiovisual ministry, whose skills enhance worship, and who stepped up to help the church navigate the new normal. Our first entry in the series features Andy Howard, light designer at The Story in Houston.

Church founder’s family finds pains and triumphs of Black history

Pastor Johnnie Simpson Jr. has stood at the helm of historic churches before, but his current congregation, Faith UMC in Dickinson, is unique. It’s not about the building itself, but the people in the pews, he explained. A number of the current members are related to church founder Alexander Winfield, who played a key role in forming the church that carried his name. Still, his story remained buried for years until his great-granddaughter started digging.

 

  
 
Other News

Opportunities

Strawbridge United Methodist Church Becomes the First Church to Earn Certified Autism Center™ Designation

Strawbridge UMC including the staff from their pre-school program, Bright Beginnings Learning Center, has earned the Certified Autism CenterTM designation. This designation is granted by the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES) and means that staff have completed an autism-specific training and certification program through IBCCES.
 

Council Awards SMU’s Bridwell Library World Methodist Museum Collections

Bridwell Library, Perkins School of Theology, and SMU Libraries at Southern Methodist University has been named the recipient of the collections of the recently closed World Methodist Council Museum in Lake Junaluska, N.C.  The announcement was made by the World Methodist Council Archival Committee on April 1, 2021. The entire collection will be given and transferred to Bridwell Library at SMU by May 15, 2021. 

 

Churches meeting 100 percent apportionments

The Texas Annual Conference would like to thank all of the churches that met 100 percent of their apportionments this year.
 
 

TAC 2021 FAQs 

Last year we introduced our virtual session of Annual Conference with the acknowledgement, “We’ve Never Done It This Way Before.” This year’s session will be more like, “Didn’t We Do Something Like This Last Time.” Our amazing Tech Team helped to develop a list of Frequently Asked Questions to make this year’s session easier for you.

Find Worship Online

Looking for a way to worship without leaving the house?

A number of churches in the Texas Annual Conference are posting sermons online.

You don’t have to miss a service if you’re out of town or if you prefer to stay at home. Viewers can also enjoy multiple preaching styles and even virtually “attend” different churches. There’s a lot going on Sundays in the TAC that you won’t want to miss. 
Sermons are often available to livestream on Sunday and several congregations also record services for on-demand viewing. Check them out at: https://www.txcumc.org/sermons 

We would like to include your church in this list. Please let us know if you are posting a resource online by sending a link to: communications@txcumc.org

 

Churches in the News

United Methodist Churches are making headlines – leading the way through ministry, outreach and discipleship. Amazing stories about our local congregations in the Texas Annual Conference are popping up – and news publications around the country are spreading the word about UM churches. Read all about it.

 April 29
"Coping with stress: honest space for pastors" Webinar

May 11
"The Pastor’s Moving…Now What?" Webinar.  

April 22 
"Covid Can't Stop Discipleship" Webinar. 

Multiple Dates
Loving Houston has multiple upcoming workshops on Church School Partnerships & Leadership Gatherings.
 The Texas Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church
5215 Main St. Houston TX 77002 | Phone: 713-521-9383
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