Work for common good depends on
grass-roots efforts, speaker says
By Rachel L. Toalson
Staff Writer
Guiding the country toward justice for the common good begins at the grass roots, the featured speaker told the Holy Boldness Urban Ministry Academy Jan. 18.
“We’ve got to have grass-roots people working in their communities on issues that affect their lives to build the common good,” the Rev. Tex Sample told the opening session of the Jan. 18-20 assembly at Travis Park UMC, San Antonio. “And nobody is closer to the grass roots than us.”
Sample, coordinator of the Network for the Study of U.S. Lifestyles and former professor of church and society at UM-related St. Paul School of Theology in Kansas City, Mo., spoke to more than 100 clergy and laity leaders.
The Jan. 18-20 event was the second session in a two-year training program, which began in September. The academy is designed to show United Methodist leaders ways to transform congregational life in city churches. The Office of New Church Development and Transformation is sponsoring the six-session effort.
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2007 apportionment giving sets record
Support for apportionments in the Southwest Texas Conference reached a new high during 2007.
Congregations paid 96.33 percent of the last year’s $10.1 million asking for ministries across the state, nation and globe, the Office of Finance and Administration reported Jan. 16.
The $9.7 million total for 2007 was $410,484 more than Southwest Texas congregations had remitted for
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40 days of Lent give UMs time to learn habits
Forty days has spiritual significance in the Bible.
God poured rain for 40 days and nights during Noah’s time. Moses spent 40 days on the top of Mount Sinai absorbing God’s presence and recording his instruction. Jesus walked in the desert for 40 days fighting physical hunger and
temptations by Satan.
Today, 40 days allows time for breaking bad—or creating good—habits.
So says the Rev. Kim Cape, Austin District superintendent. She gave up criticizing, complaining and condemning last year for the 40 days of Lent.
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UMs to collect food for hungry Super Bowl weekend
By Rachel L. Toalson
Staff Writer
National Football League teams aren’t the only ones planning their strategy for Super Bowl
weekend next month.
For the first year since he’s been at First UMC, Gonzales, Joel Griffin and his youth group are to collect nonperishable items and money for Souper Bowl of Caring. The young people are to be at Gonzales Christian Area Ministries, the recipient of whatever they collect, Feb. 2 and at the church Feb. 3.
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