Heeding call to make disciples

More than 300 of the 1,100 members attending the 2010 Central Texas Annual Conference June 6-9 in Fort Worth responded to Bishop Mike Lowry’s challenge to follow Jesus’ plea to be disciples.

One by one, clergy and laity came forward with their signed Holy Covenant and took a scrolled copy back to their local church. About 47 percent of those who came forward were laity. The Holy Covenant reads:
Before Almighty God and my sisters and brothers in faith, I enter into this Holy Covenant to heed Jesus’ call to “make disciples of all nations” by extending the hand of Christian witness to at least two people each week until God calls me from this life.
Being Christ’s disciples in the world by witnessing means greeting new people you meet and even those you have known a while with statements like, ”Do you have a church home? If you don’t, I would really like to invite you to mine.”
The Holy Covenant comes after a year of discussion and discernment by the Conference Evangelism Task Force. Two members of that task force, Rev. Joel Robbins of Ovilla United Methodist Church (chair) and Rev. Brad Brittain of Mexia First United Methodist Church have been providing training to church leaders who are interested in adopting what Bishop Robert Schnase refers to as “radical hospitality” in his books on Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations and Fived Practices of Fruitful Living.
The task force stands ready to do this training in churches, clusters of churches or districts. The training includes an inspirational component tied to success stories in other churches and well as how to’s and new ideas. To schedule a program for your church or for a cluster of churches, please contact Carolyn Stephens at Carolyn@ctcumc.org.
 
 
The names of those who signed the Holy Covenant are listed below. Others wishing to join in the radical hospital covenant and add their name to the list may download and sign the Holy Covenant document and then notify Susan Briles susan@ctcumc.org of their commitment.
 

Georgia

Adamson

Brenda

Adkins

Ron

Albertson

Mike

Alexander

Kathy

Alexander

Darlene

Alfred

Mary Frances

Almquist

Gena

Anderson

David W.

Archer

John

Aymond

Vaughn

Baker

Jacque

Baker

Jan

Baldwin

James

Ballard

Mary

Bassett

Virginia

Bassford

Tom

Beaty

Tae

Beckling

J. Kent

Berry

Kay

Berry

Martha

Bessac

Mel

Bishara

Sara

Black

Denise

Blakely

Toni

Bliss

Lynn

Blumenstetter

Joe

Boatman

Debbie

Bosch

Cindy

Boyd

Harrell

Braddock, Jr.

Max

Brennan

Jackie

Brennan

Susan

Briles

Brad

Brittain

Shelly

Brooks

Belle K.

Brownlee

Tim

Bruster

Jane

Bryant

Steven

Buchele

Eva

Buckner

Judy

Burdette

Chris

Buse

Leslie

Byrd

Bill

Canet

Carlos

Careaga

Louis

Carr, Jr.

Aurora

Cepeda

Joe

Chamness

Betty

Chandler

Jim

Chandler

Jerry

Chism

Valeria

Clawson

John

Clifford

Jim

Conner

Tom

Connolly

Lori

Cotton

Paul

Cox

Dianne

Cree

Debra

Crumpton

Janice G.

Culpepper

Cindy

Damon

Tiffany

Danna

Gayland

Daugherty

Edna

Davis

Jerden

Davis

Kit

Dean

Viola

Dean

Lynne A.

Dechairo

Sharon

Dickson

Pam

Dieckert

John A.

Dirk

Bliss

Dodd

Carolyn

Duderstadt

K.

Duderstadt

Darcy

Dupree

Gerald

Eddings

Shawnee

Elizabeth

Jackie

Elliott

Jerry

Ellis

Matthew

Epting

Cecilia W.

Erlund

Barbara

Evartt

Tom

Faile

David

Fergeson

Sheila

Fiorella

Sally

Fleming

Alex

Flores

Peggy

Ford

Amy

Forsythe

Mary E. McGuire

Fortner

J. Andy

Fowler

Larry

Francis

Renee

Fraze

Jay

Fraze

Linda

Freeto

Carl

Freeto

Nancy

Froman

Verne

Fuqua

Lois

Gabaree

Jerry

Galloway

Yvonne

Gillar

Beverly

Gilliam

G.F.

Glasscock

Steven

Glockzin

Betsey

Godbold

Dave

Goodrich

Allen

Grant

Ethan

Gregory

Janice

Gregory

Betty

Griffin

Evelyn

Guerin

Gene

Gurley

Raul

Gutierrez

Matt W.

Hall

Jason

Hamilton

Jackie

Hammar

April

Hankins

Pat

Hardt

Yvonne

Harpole

Mary

Hart

Kay Koos

Hawkins

Chris

Hayes

Peggy

Herod

Leah

Hidde-Gregory

Charlotte

Hill

Mary

Hill

Richard

Hill

June

Hill

Liz

Hill

A.J.

Hillin

Page

Hines

Alicia

Hines-Kelly

Sandra

Hippman

L. Ann

Hitt

Catherine

Hix

Susan

Hoffman

Linda

Holbrook

Martha

Hollis

Bob

Holloway

Rosalind

Honchul

Decee

Horton

Clifton

Howard

Sara

Hughes

Bill

Hughes

Joan

Hughes

Rebecca

Hull

Alison

Humann

Nicole

Hutchison

Krista

Ingram

Jerry

Irvin

Judy

Jackson

H.F.

Jackson

Sarah

Jackson

Valetta

Jackson

Grant

Jacobs

Gail

Jensen

Jo

Johnson

Glenn

Jones

Jason

Jones

Clinton

Jones

Reed

Justus

,

Kaiya

Kershaw

Sylvester

Key, Sr.

Kent

Kilbourne

Gary

Kleinjan

Richard

Klemm

Bridget

Klug

Rankin

Koch

Katie

Koppang

Judy

Kreitner

Cary

Labbe-Steele

Curtis

Lackey

Kay

Lancaster

Steve

Langford

Alex

Latu

Glenda

Lawrence

E. Frank

Leach

Ike F.

Ledger

Cynthia

Lee

Leigh

Leonard

Bill

Leonard

C. Wayne

Lewis

Gary

Lindley

Sally

Loebig

Katie

Long

Arcynthia

Louie

Bishop J. Michael

Lowry

Kenneth

Lunsford

Denise A.

Luper

Larry

Lutz

Howard

Martin

David

Martinez

Fred

Mason

Gayle

Massey

Dawne

McAlpin

Corliss

McBride

J.B.

McCracken

Steve

McIver

John

McKellar

Jim

McMillan

Jackie

Messer

Rod

Miles

Johnny

Miller

Jeff

Miller

Jannette

Miller

Willard "Buddy"

Moore

Lynn D.

Moore

David C.

Morgan

Kevin

Morton

Lee Anne

Morton

Cynthia

Moss

Marvin

Mott

Bobbie

Mungle

Susan

Murphy

Laura

Murphy

Keith

Murray

Steve

Nance

Chauncey S.

Nealy

Dee

Neeley

Lisa

Neslony

Melissa

Nichols

Robert

Nimocks

Nancy

Nold

Andrew

Nunley

Harvey

Ozmer

Vella

Pallette

Curtis

Parker

Debra

Parker

Mary Nell

Partin

Michael

Patison

Jack

Payne

Mary

Percifield

Pam

Phinney

Sandralyn

Pierce

Kwin

Quesenberry

Bennett

Ragsdale

C. Mike

Redd

Richard

Reed

R.

Reeves

Sharon

Reid

Tricia

Reid

Eldon W.

Reynolds

Marlene

Richardson

Judy

Richmond

Cynthia

Rives

Thomas Q.

Robbins

Christie

Robbins

Joel

Robbins

Thomas Q.

Robbins, jr.

Carol

Roberts

Sharon

Robertson

Betty Jo

Robinson

Dwaine A.

Robinson

Denise

Rogers

Rudy

Rudewick

Michael

Rushing

Joyce

Russell

Wanda

Russell

Shelly

Samuels

Jimmy C.

Sansom

Stephen

Schmidt

Dale

Schultz

Don

Scott

Jim

Senkel

Kim

Simpson

Eddie

Smart

Ramon

Smith

Kenneth

Smith

Lianna

Smyers

Jong-Nam

Song

Robert

Soulen

Donna

Sparks

Beverly

Springer

Carolyn

Stephens

William

Sterling

Robin

Stevens

Pat & Pat

Stroman

Eva M.

Stuart

Nancy

Summers

George M.

Sutton

Richard

Thompson

Mildred

Townsend

Allison

Turner

Lianne

Turner

Doug

Vaughn

Kissa

Vaughn

Evelyn

Vonner

Horace

Vonner

Darren

Walker

Donna

Ware

Alysson

Washburn

Laraine

Waughtal

Gregory

Way

Jana

Wear

Mary

Weathers

Martha

Wells

Bob

Wells

Charla

West

Debbie

Whiteley

Lara

Whitley

Janet

Whitley

Brenda

Wier

Dale

Wilbanks

Randy

Wild

Cathy

Williams

Judy Ruth

Williamson

Alphonetta

Wines

Jung Li

Wolf

John

Woodard

Carol

Woods

Julie

Worcester

Russell A.

Wright

Marty

Wright

Shirley

Wright

Mike

Wright-Chapman

Lilli Ann

Yaites

Robyn S.

Young

Scott

Youngblood

Michael

Redmond