What happened at the Rio Texas Annual Conference this Year?

Last week, hundreds of United Methodists participated in the Rio Texas Annual Conference in Corpus Christi. Travis Park Church was proudly represented by attendees *Pastor Cynthia Engstrom, Deaconess Sonia Cruz, Deaconess Cindy Andrade Johnson, Rev. George Bradley, **Beth Smith, David Stone, *Dr. Rachel Jennings, *Kevin Collins, Mary Jo Villalobos, Pastor Rosie Grattan and Kendall Waller.

*Travis Park Church Delegate
**District Delegate

“It was a very authentic, raw, and spiritually rich annual conference where people were speaking from the heart.” – Rev. Cynthia Engstrom

Noteworthy Moments:

Three Travis Park Church members/affiliates spoke from the stage. Kevin Collins opened the second plenary session in prayer. Pastor Cynthia Engstrom who serves as the chair of the Transformation Communities Vision Team, spoke about the mission and work of Shalom. Deaconess Cindy Andrade Johnson also spoke about the important migrant ministry work at the border and General Board of Church and Society (GBCS) in Rio Texas

Reconciling Ministries Network (RMN) was invited to speak from the podium regarding the petition supporting the Resolution to Remove Harmful Language from the Book of Discipline, which many of our congregation members signed. Deaconess Julie Smith represented RMN and spoke with great clarity and conviction in support of the petition. The petition was made available at the Annual Conference, totaling nearly 1100 signatures in support.

In this season of disaffiliation, delegates voted to give permission to an additional 35 congregations to leave the United Methodist denomination. A total of 67 congregations have departed officially from the Rio Texas Conference, with more planning to go. If disaffiliation is new to you, you can learn more about it here.

Thursday evening our own Kendall Waller organized a social gathering for fellowship at Brewster Street Ice House, which was walking distance from the conference center. Many delegates gathered to eat, laugh and share stories.

On Friday morning at the Mission Breakfast, the Transforming Communities Vision Team presented “Seeking Shalom at the Table and Beyond.” This event hosted 150 people at no charge because of the generosity of Methodist Healthcare Ministry underwriting the breakfast. The aim was to stimulate conversations to identify people’s passion and energy around mission and justice, and lifting of voices and undertold stories in our conference. Rev. Javier Leyva spoke of transformation in the lives of marginalized persons when they are received and welcomed into congregations. Carolyn Pittman talked about the literacy project in her community. Her team created a cultural shift in their community through better conversations; the town square named Confederate Square became Independence Square as a result. Velma Pavlasek spoke of her experience in the last year of having changed her heart and mind as it regards inclusion of LGBTQ persons for ordination and marriage in our churches. More than 100 feedback cards were received and will be new seeds planted for work in our conference in the upcoming year, toward greater compassion, courage and inclusion.

The Work of Justice at Annual Conference 2023

By Dr. Rachel Jennings

The Rio Texas Annual Conference in 2023 was a watershed event for the Rio Texas Reconciling Ministries Network (RMN). In general, conference delegates and visitors created a supportive and welcoming environment for LGBTQ persons and their allies. An especially powerful moment occurred at the Mission Breakfast on Friday morning when Velma Pavlasek of Emmanuel UMC in Austin gave her witness as a person who has changed her views on how best to show love for LGBTQ persons. As in the past, the Reconciling Ministries Network shared tables with the Methodist Federation for Social Action in the Exhibit Hall. In this space, RMN volunteers talked with visitors about how to create safe spaces for LGBTQ persons, how to be more inclusive, and how to become Reconciling Congregations. Volunteers distributed rainbow stoles, a sizable number of which were made by Travis Park Church members, to all who wanted them. The booth in the Exhibit Hall and a second table in the registration area had copies of the Resolution to Remove Harmful Language from the Book of Discipline. Volunteers took shifts at the tables to explain the resolution and its purpose to conference attendees. At the morning plenary session on Friday, June 9, Deaconess Julie Smith of Austin read the Resolution along with an opening statement to conference delegates. An RMN presence on the stage was a groundbreaking moment. Following Deaconess Smith’s reading of the open letter, lines of people came to sign the Resolution. The current tally of signers is 1,093. You can still add your name here. The Open Letter can be found here. The Rio Texas Reconciling Ministry Coordinating Team will send copies of the resolution to all General and Jurisdictional Conference delegates and alternates, the Commission on General Conference, and the Council of Bishops.

The annual Reconciling Worship Service was held Saturday, June 10. Pastor Ashley Valenzuela, who spoke at Travis Park Church last October, gave the message. Several members of Travis Park Church were in attendance. Sonia Cruz of Travis Park Church translated the Scripture passage into Spanish.

The Methodist Federation for Social Action (MFSA) also had a constructive conference. The MFSA Luncheon on Thursday, June 8, was well-attended and brought attention to social justice issues, including the death penalty abolition movement, that United Methodists can become involved in. The keynote speaker was Rev. John Elford, who spoke about his new book, Our Hearts Were Strangely Lukewarm (2023), which concerns the history of racism in the United Methodist Church.

The United Women in Faith (UWF) Luncheon, likewise, was well-attended. Sue Doty, UWF president at Oxford UMC in San Antonio, and Hazel M. McClure, Las Misiones Coordinator for Social Action, spoke on “Supporting Our Vision: Advocating for Health Care for Women and Children.” A table at the Luncheon displayed several Puente Pal Dolls created by Travis Park Church and others, the purpose being to inform people how they can make their own dolls.  Mary Jo Villalobos volunteered at the Luncheon and also at the table for the United Women in Faith in the Exhibit Hall.

Resources:

Be inspired and watch more videos from Annual Conference on the Rio Texas website here: Rio Texas Website.