Chair: Rev. Phil Dieke
The North Texas Conference UMC Church and Society Committee is “dedicated to the work of living faith, seeking justice and pursuing peace.” It is our passion and mission in the North Texas Conference to align ourselves with the vision of General Board of Church and Society in creating a conference that is more just and equitable for all people.
Our previous work and commitment focused on eradicating youth homelessness and poverty in the North Texas Conference. Since the NTC has already invested in public schools through the One + One program, we began discussing how we might find a way to more effectively align our mission with the focus of the conference.
This year we will be working to revitalize the Peace with Justice Offering and plan to award grants for local ministries that focus on bringing justice to the community that go beyond acts of mercy. We hope you will watch the video about the Peace with Justice Offering that provides more information on this important work and share it with your congregation. Our Peace with Justice Sunday is the last Sunday in May, but the offering can be taken at any time.
We will continue our work of re-engaging with the local church partners, strengthening their Church & Society Committees, as we gather resources to empower their work.
So, what can you expect from your North Texas Conference Board of Church and Society in the coming year?
In addition to our commitment to eradicating youth homelessness, we will also come alongside the conference in the Journey Toward Racial Justice. We will do this by:
- Recruiting new local Church and Society/Mission committees in both rural and urban churches to join us in this work.
- Strengthening our local relationships with churches, schools, community centers, and other community programs that support, encourage, and engage our mission and vision for racial justice and equity.
- Mobilize and empower local churches to identify target areas of need through supportive training, workshops, and other methods that encourage development and growth.
- Strengthen the connection with the General Board of Church & Society to make our members and communities aware of the powerful and empowering resources that are available through this agency.
We know that the journey ahead will be one filled with challenges but with God’s help we believe we can do it with God’s help. We look forward to continuing our partnerships with those who seek to bring the peace and justice of Christ through ministries that transform lives.