You Still Have Time To Provide A Tax Deductable Donation To MFSA In 2009!

The Southwest Texas Chapter is planning a number of social action programs and activities for 2010 that will require additional funding.  Please consider a contribution as a part of your end-of-year giving.

You can pre-pay your 2010 membership this month, just by specifying that you want your contribution to be applied to your 2010 membership.

There are two easy ways to contribute to 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 simply mail a check to our Treasurer, Janice Curry, at 1509 Mearns Meadow Blvd, Austin 78758.  The check should be made out to St. John’s UMC, with “MFSA” on the memo line.

Please help us continue and improve the programs and activities of MFSA through your generosity!

Calendar Notes…

January 14 – Monthly Meeting.  Saint John’s UMC
6:30pm social gathering, 7:00 meeting

Continuing our focus on poverty, our speaker will be Richard Troxel, who works with ARCH and House the Homeless here in Austin.  He will describe a “Let’s Get Back-to-Work” program that will support homeless families of the working poor while taking job certification courses which would enable them to significantly increase their income.  How can we help?

January 18 – MLK Day March

This march traditionally begins at the MLK statue on the UT campus, moves to the Capitol for a program and music, then to Huston-Tillotson.  We’ll be there with our banner!

February 11 – Monthly Meeting.

We are planning a panel presentation to follow up on the recent Hunger Summit in Waco.   Texas ranks 49th in food security for children (only Mississippi ranks lower).  There is money available to provide nutritious meals for school-age children during the summer months, if only there were delivery systems in place.  How can we help?

Join us!

Reconciling Social Event – January 16

You are invited to a Reconciling Ministries Network (RMN) social on Saturday, January 16, 7:30 PM, at 7403 Shoal Creek Blvd, Austin, at the home of Rev. Richard Bates and his partner, Joe.

The social is an informal gathering of Austin United Methodist individuals, Sunday School classes, or congregations who are a part of the Reconciling movement within the UMC, or who are interested in learning more about it. RMN is a growing movement of United Methodist individuals, congregations, campus ministries, and other groups working for the full participation of all people in the United Methodist Church. RMN 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.  You can learn more about this Methodist ministry here, including how you or your Sunday School class or other group can become more inclusive: http://www.rmnetwork.org/.

If you are able to come, everyone is asked to bring wine or an appetizer to share.  No RSVP is necessary.

Updated List of Scheduled Executions

Here is an updated list of executions schedule through March, 2010.

• 11/17/2009 Eldridge, Gerald
• 11/18/2009 Simpson, Danielle
• 11/19/2009 Thompson, Robert
• 12/03/2009 Woods, Bobby
• 01/07/2010 Mosley, Kenneth
• 01/12/2010 Johnson, Gary
• 02/24/2010 Skinner, Henry
• 03/02/2010 Sigala, Michael
• 03/30/2010 Alix, Franklin

We Still Need Your Membership!

Please Help Us Continue Our Programs

If you have not yet paid your membership gift for 2009, please make plans to do so as soon as possible.  There are now two easy ways to join 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 simply bring a check to the next meeting, made out to “MFSA” and we will see that it is registered in our account.  Either way, our local chapter gets a portion of the gift for our programs.  We continue to need funding for visibility within our communities and to advance our social action movement.

Suggested Membership Amounts (you may also select your own amount):

• $60 Subscribing Membership Gift
• $100 Sustaining Membership Gift
• $150 Supporting Membership Gift
• $200 Spirited Membership Gift
• $500 Stellar Membership Gift

Benefits of membership:

• Receive the MFSA newsletter (Social Questions Bulletin)
• Receive the MFSA E-newsletter with action updates
• Receive discounts on events sponsored by MFSA
• Connect with other justice-seekers in your annual conference
• Join with others in speaking up for justice in the UMC and world

Membership in MFSA is not predicated on ability to pay.  Any amount of money you are able to give is gratefully accepted.  Membership gifts to MFSA are tax deductible as provided by law.

Join us!

What Do You Want for Christmas? Some Ideas for Alternative Christmas Giving!

By Janice Curry

Do you wonder each Christmas what you can give to family and friends who seemingly need nothing?  Or, are you ready to forego the Christmas gifts to be part of making a difference in someone’s life?  Last Christmas, when my kids (in their 30s) asked what I wanted for Christmas, I told them that I wanted them to donate to some worthwhile effort to help others in my name.  I “got” a rabbit for the Heifer Project, as well as gifts that helped feed the hungry and provide books to the illiterate (The Hunger Site).

Here are some suggestions for alternative giving to consider:

• Shop The Hunger Site where purchases help feed in need. http://www.thehungersite.com/clickToGive/home.faces?siteId=1
  
• Heifer International is a non-profit organization whose goal is to help end world hunger and poverty through self-reliance & sustainability. http://www.heifer.org
• World Vision is a Christian relief, development and advocacy organization dedicated to working with children, families and communities to overcome poverty and injustice.  http://www.wvi.org/wvi/wviweb.nsf
• Consider microfinance such as Grameen- http://www.grameen-info.org or http://www.grameenamerica.com – Grameen America is built upon the success of the Grameen Bank. Founded by Professor Muhammad Yunus in Bangladesh, the Grameen Bank is the most widely recognized microfinance company in the world. This success earned both Professor Yunus and the Grameen Bank the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006.
• Glimmer of Hope Austin – Recognizing that poverty comes in many forms, A Glimmer of Hope Austin was established in 2003 to fund programs designed to make a difference in the lives of disadvantaged youth and seniors in the foundation’s hometown. A Glimmer of Hope is run like a business and it measures its success like a business. It is in operation to turn a profit – a Social Profit.  http://www.aglimmerofhope.org

• Smile Train – Changing the world one smile at a time.  http://www.smiletrain.org/site/PageServer
• Fair Trade products – Working to build sustainable communities.
  http://www.globalgoodspartners.org/template/index.cfm
  
• http://twohandsworldshop.com/
  
• UMCOR – United Methodist Committee on Relief – http://new.gbgm-umc.org/umcor/give/gift-catalog/

And there are so many other ways to make a difference!  Give it a try!

Interfaith Thanksgiving Celebration

Austin Area Interreligious Ministries has announced its premiere event, the Interfaith Thanksgiving Celebration, bringing together over 1000 people to share gratitude for the gifts and blessings of our world. This is a longstanding tradition in Austin and has been going on for the past 24 years.

AAIM’s 25th Annual Interfaith Celebration will be held on Sunday, November 22, 2009, at First Baptist Church, located at 901 Trinity St. in downtown Austin.  The Service will begin at 3:30 pm, and a Reception will follow at 5:00 pm.  Participating congregations are encouraged to bring food dishes that can be shared by all and include an ingredients list.

Our theme this year is COURAGE.

At our upcoming MFSA chapter meeting, we will discuss whether we want to host an information table for MFSA at the reception.

MFSA Continues Poverty Focus

The Southwest Texas Conference Chapter of the Methodist Federation for Social Action will meet at Saint John’s on Thursday, November 12 to continue our series on addressing poverty issues.  Our speaker will be Rev. Paul DuBois of University UMC, who works with the “Open Door” ministries which feed and clothe many of Austin’s homeless.  University UMC feeds an average of 300 people per week through the program.  Rev. DuBois will discuss the Open Door ministry, as well as aiding us in our examination of the root causes of poverty.  Originally from Louisiana, Rev. DuBois is a student at the Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary and leads University UMC’s alternate Chapel Worship service.  The MFSA meeting begins at 6:30 pm in the Fellowship Hall with light snacks, and the program begins at 7:00 pm.  Join us!

Eclipsing Empire at Saint John’s UMC

Monday Evenings  6:30 PM – 8:30 PM, begins September 14th
Sunday Mornings, 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM, begins September 20th

2140 Allandale Road, Austin, TX 78756
(512) 452-5737

This fall Saint Johns UMC is offering Eclipsing Empire from Living the Questions.  This 12-part DVD-based study features world-renown New Testament scholars Marcus Borg and John Dominic Crossan as they follow in the footsteps of the Apostle Paul throughout Turkey, Greece, and Italy.   Along the journey, these scholars show how Paul and Jesus’ message peace through justice directly challenged Roman Imperial authority and its theology of peace through (violent) victory.

Image: Vigil for the 200th Execution under Governor Perry

Sara Hickman sings and plays guitar during the vigil for the 200th execution under Governor Perry.

Chapter Planning Meeting

Our next planning meeting will be Thursday, August 20 for 6 to 8 PM at St. John’s UMC in Austin.

Execution Vigils

The following executions in Texas are scheduled for the remainder of 2009:

Aug 20 – David Wood
Sep 16 – Stephen Moody
Sep 22 – Christopher Coleman
Sep 24 – Kenneth Mosley
Sep 30 – John Balentine
Oct 27 – Reginald Blanton
Nov 5 – Khristian Oliver
Nov 19 – Robert Thompson

These executions are all scheduled for 6:00 PM. Protesters gather at the south steps of the Capitol on 11th street beginning at 5:30 PM and stay until about 6:30 PM. Please join us if you would like to see the death penalty abolished. The more people we have in attendance the better. You may bring your own sign if you would like to.

TCADP Spring Fundraiser

Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty is having their annual spring fundraiser:

• Thursday, June 11, 2009
• First Unitarian Universalist Church, 4700 Grover Ave
• 7:00pm silent auction
• 8:00pm the play “Trying”, presented by Austin’s Paradox Players.  “Trying” is the story of the violent but warm relationship between Francis Biddle who had been the Attorney General under Franklin D. Roosevelt, and a judge at the post-World War II Nuremberg Trials, and his young, spunky personal secretary.
• Refreshments will be served.
• All proceeds from the evening benefit TCADP.
• Tickets $20 available in advance (recommended) at austin@tcadp.org, or at the door.  Seating is limited.  Anne Mund (343-0803) has tickets to sell.