We love Rio Texas Annual Conference in Corpus Christi, Texas! We enjoy seeing old friends and meeting new ones. Find out where we will be this week so that we can say “hi” to you! WEDNESDAY Our Rio Texas Reconciling Team table will be open in the Exhibition Hall in the American Bank Center this afternoon. Stop by for information on all things Reconciling Ministries and learn more about LGBTQ+ inclusivity! THURSDAY Our Rio Texas Reconciling Team table will be open all day during Exhibition Hall hours. At 6:45am-7:45am we will be at the Reconciling Worship Service upstairs at the … Continue reading ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2018

  Only one week until Rio Texas Annual Conference in Corpus Christi, and we are looking forward to reconnecting with old friends and making new ones! Everyone is invited to visit us at our table in the Exhibition Hall, and Reconciling United Methodists are invited to join us in our singing plenary witness and our ordination witness, both on Friday, June 9. Click here for more info. (Don’t forget to get your tickets for the Methodist Federation for Social Action (MFSA) luncheon on Thursday, June 8, click here.) Follow us on Twitter here for the latest Reconciling happenings at #RioTXac … Continue reading ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2017

Stay tuned to this page for updates about our worship and witness in beautiful Corpus Christi, Texas during the Rio Texas Annual Conference.  For basic conference info, click here: http://riotexas.org/annual-conference-2016/ RIO TEXAS RECONCILING – WORSHIP SERVICE (click image to enlarge)   RIO TEXAS RECONCILING – EXHIBITION TABLE Per new rules this year, all ministries are limited to one table in the Exhibition Hall.  Look for our table to find information and resources about Reconciling Ministries.   RIO TEXAS RECONCILING – ORDINATION SERVICE WITNESS Sunday, June 12 at 10:30am-12:00pm American Bank Center Selena Auditorium A small group of witnesses will wear all-black … Continue reading ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2016

Many of us are processing the events of the last two weeks in Portland. Here we gather responses from clergy in our Rio Texas Conference and elsewhere in Texas.  Send additional responses to RioReconciling@gmail.com  FROM RIO TEXAS CONFERENCE CLERGY: by Rev. Dr. Sid Hall Senior Pastor of Trinity Church of Austin Our divide is over much more than whether the UMC will treat LGBTQ Methodists by the same standards as straight Methodists. Our divide is over whether the government or women should be in charge of their own bodies. Our divide is over whether our long-standing positions on divestment of … Continue reading Shared Responses to General Conference 2016

This testimony is shared by Rev. John Wright, a Methodist from birth who graduated from Kentucky Wesleyan College and received his Master Theology degree from Perkins in 1977.  Rev. Wright has served as pastor at Center Point UMC (near Kerrville), Chapel Hill UMC in San Antonio, Oak Hill UMC in Austin, and Grace UMC in Corpus Christi.  Rev. Wright was appointed co-pastor of First UMC, Austin in 2010 with his wife Barbara Ruth, who retired in 2015. They have two adult daughters and two grandchildren, all of whom they love very much. __________________________________ I believe a strong case can be made … Continue reading Why #ItsTime … Rev. John Wright

This story is shared by Lisa Hildebrand, a member of First United Methodist Church of Austin, Texas. She and her husband, Sam, have two sons:  Cole (21), a Junior at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon studying English and Reed (18), a Senior at Westlake High School who will be attending Oregon State University this Fall to study Civil Engineering. Lisa is very active as a Community Volunteer in various social justice related organizations, her church, and her son’s high school. She is currently exploring what is next for her when she becomes an empty nester this fall. __________________________________ I … Continue reading Why #ItsTime … Lisa Hildebrand

This story (addressed to Rio Texas General Conference delegates) is shared by Adama Brown, PhD, who is a university researcher, an active member of First UMC Austin, and an RMN process coach. Brown is active as a certified lay speaker, adult Christian education teacher, lay delegate, and in congregational care ministries. Dr. Brown is currently pursuing a Masters of Divinity at Iliff School of Theology. _______________________________ Thank you Creator God and thanks to the delegates for the opportunity to share some of my sentiments about full inclusion. My name is Dr. Adama Brown. I’m a university researcher, a third year seminary … Continue reading Why #ItsTime … Dr. Adama Brown

This story is shared by Rev. Richard Bates who graduated from Brite Divinity School (TCU), served as Associate pastor in Del Rio, Windcrest UMC in San Antonio, and First UMC in Seguin. Rev. Bates attended  and received Certification from the Institute for Advanced Study of Human Sexuality in San Francisco (established by UM clergy), then returned to Austin where he had his own private counseling practice in the area of Human Sexuality. He has been retired since 2011 and is affiliated with University UMC in Austin, Texas. __________________________________ Every four years the United Methodist Church loses membership, talent, and finances because … Continue reading Why #ItsTime … Rev. Richard Bates

Searching for an safe and LGBT-inclusive Christmas Eve service in the Austin or San Antonio area?   Try one of these LGBT welcoming & affirming Reconciling congregations: Trinity UMC Austin 5:30 & 7:30pm Services http://www.tumc.org St. Luke UMC Austin 5-6pm Candlelight Service http://www.stlukeaustin.com University UMC Austin 5:30pm & 10:30pm Services http://www.uumc.org First UMC Austin 4pm, 8pm & 11pm Services http://www.fumc.org Saint John’s UMC Austin 5pm, 7pm & 11pm Services http://www.stjohnsaustin.org Travis Park UMC San Antonio 12noon & 7pm Services http://www.travispark.org Journey of Faith UMC Round Rock 6pm Service http://www.jofumc.org  Some content on this page was disabled on September 18, 2018 as … Continue reading Christmas Eve Services 2015

_______________________________________ I loved my children before they were ever conceived. I loved my children upon learning of their existence. I loved my children when I saw the little beans on a screen. I loved my children when deafened by the sound of their beating heart for the first time. I loved my children before knowing which body parts would label them male or female. I loved my children as the beautiful vessels that would carry love into this world adding to the goodness of creation. I loved my children at first glance and danced into and with their soul as … Continue reading A Mother’s Love: “Be Who You Were Created to Be”