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What Does Groundhog Day Have to do With Christianity?
Written: 2/1/2012
by Vance Morton* On Feb. 2, while many Americans “celebrate” Groundhog Day, most of them will most-likely being doing so without recognizing the (somewhat loose) connection that the holiday has with Christianity. What is this connection? Well I’m so glad you asked, otherwi...

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Remember the Future: 30 Days of Preparation on the Key Issues Facing General Conference 2012
Written: 1/30/2012
by Vance Morton* As our Central Texas Conference lay and clergy delegates work to prepare their hearts, minds and souls to serve as our representatives to General Conference in a few short weeks (April 24 – May 4), the other 166,000**-or-so members of the conference are asked to suppo...

Why Start New Churches?
Written: 1/27/2012
by Rev. Gary Lindley* Starting new churches embodies the Great Commission of Jesus to take his message to all people. New church starts serve as mission stations for the Kingdom of God. Established churches play a vital role in fulfilling this call, but new church starts reach new people in...

A Prelude to Powerful Possibilities
Written: 1/23/2012
Members of the Central Texas General Conference Delegation Join in Pre-General Conference News and Issues Briefing Event. by Vance Morton* For the better part of three days last week (a mere fraction of the time to be spent in April and May) the clergy and lay leaders of the Centra...

Celebrating Some Buildings for the Kingdom in Central Texas
Written: 1/17/2012
by Rev. Dawne Phillips* It was a bright and sunny day in many ways earlier this month as FUMC Grapevine dedicated the GO Center at its Heritage Campus. (Just check out that bright blue Texas winter sky in the ribbon cutting photo below left.) The GO Center is a collaborative effort between ...

Central Texas Conference Meets Its Connectional Mission Giving Goals With Extravagant Generosity (Again!)
Written: 1/13/2012
In his most recent "This Focused Center" blog post, Bishop Lowry announced that the members of the Central Texas Conference have paid 100 percent of our Connectional Mission Giving commitment to the General Church. The churches of the CTC gave $10.6 million towards our Connectional Mission...

The Vienna Boys Choir Comes to Central Texas Feb. 5
Written: 1/12/2012
The world-renowned Vienna Boys Choir is coming to the Central Texas Conference on Sunday, Feb. 5. The boys will perform at 3 p.m. in the beautiful sanctuary of Austin Avenue United Methodist Church in Waco. Tickets are $35 for premium seating, $25 for adults and $10 for students and can be pur...

Connectional Table Meets to Listen, Learn & Coordinate Information
Written: 1/11/2012
by Vance Morton* Members of the Central Texas Conference Connectional Table gathered for the first time as an official conference organization Tuesday evening, Jan. 10, to listen to and learn from each other as well as begin to coordinate information and serve as one of many informational f...

Ezra Does It - Helping Make Church Check Out Easy as Pie
Written: 1/4/2012
by Vance Morton* and United Methodist Communications Many United Methodists know one of the church’s seven apportioned funds – the General Administration Fund – pays for the basic costs of General Conference as well as other administrative activities. What they probably do...

Discovering an American Saint - Bishop Francis Asbury
Written: 1/3/2012
by Vance Morton* Recently, through a set of strange circumstances and occurrences (the type that have routinely set the course of my life), I have become enamored by the life, times and work of Bishop Francis Asbury. In my search for information about him I have stumbled across many good in...

New Songs and Hymns for Renewal: A Competition
Written: 1/2/2012
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Ths Spirit of Christmas is Alive and Well and Sweeping Across the U.S. in a Unique Way
Written: 12/20/2011
The spirit of Christmas is sweeping across the country and it is a story worth telling. In the spirit of the season, “Secret Santas” have been going to K-Marts and some other discount outlets and paying off other people’s layaway bills for Christmas presents. While you could Goog...

Korean-American Bishops Urge Peace and Harmony in Korea Following Death of Kim Jong Il
Written: 12/20/2011
The United Methodist Church’s two Korean-American bishops urge prayers for peace and harmony for the Korean people in the wake of North Korean ruler Kim Jong Il’s death. “For the people who yearn for positive change in the Korean peninsula, this could be a time to be cautiously opt...

Christmas Ranks as Most Important American Holiday
Written: 12/19/2011
UMCom Survey Shows Top Christmas Activities Center Around Connecting With One Another Americans believe Christmas is the most important holiday, followed by Independence Day, Thanksgiving and Easter, according to a new holiday survey commissioned by United Methodist Communications. Tha...

Human Relations Day is January 15
Written: 12/14/2011
Human Relations Day is just around the corner. You can still order your free offering resources from United Methodist Communications for this Jan. 15 offering that supports ministries that advocate for those often on the margins of society. UMComms has also produced a series of videos to help ...

Thank You for Your Faithfulness
Written: 12/14/2011
A Salute to the 134 Churches That Have Already Paid 100 Percent of Their Connectional Partnership Share by Randy Wild* CONGRATULATIONS!!! With the excitement surrounding the implementation of the Exodus Project, we have seen within the Central Texas Conference a new hope, a new vision an...

United Methodists Rank Highest in 2011 Favorability Survey
Written: 12/9/2011
A UMNS Report – by Joey Butler* United Methodists rank highest in favorability among five different faith groups in a new survey conducted by the Southern Baptist Convention’s research arm. The research shows United Methodists are held in more favorable regard by the U...

Dr. Michael McKee Unanimously Endorsed as the Central Texas Conference Candidate for the Episcopacy
Written: 12/8/2011
After a process of discernment and prayer, the Central Texas Conference delegations to both the 2012 General and South Central Jurisdictional Conferences have unanimously and enthusiastically endorsed Dr. Michael McKee, senior pastor, First United Methodist Church of Hurst, as the conference’s...

Who is St. Nicholas and How Did He Become Santa Claus?
Written: 12/8/2011
St. Nicholas Artist: Susan Seals All rights reserved Have you ever wondered or maybe your kids or children in your church have asked you where Santa Claus comes from and why his is sometimes called St. Nich...

General Conference Rule Changes Proposed
Written: 12/8/2011
The Rules Committee of the Commission on the General Conference has announced their recommendations for changes to the Plan of Organization and Rules of Order which provides the governance structure for the 2012 General Conference. The changes will be presented to delegates for consideration at the ...