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2019 ANNUAL REPORT

TO TEXAS ANNUAL CONFERENCE

Black Methodists for Church Renewal, Inc. (BMCR) is the organized Black caucus of The United Methodist Church. The Houston Area Local Caucus of the Texas Annual Conference in the South Central Jurisdiction (SCJ) will address the concerns and needs of black Methodists.

 

 “Our time under God is now,” is the prophetic motto of BMCR and it is as relevant today as when they were uttered 50 years ago.   Strong and inspired leadership continues to sustain BMCR. The need for leadership among lay and clergy has never been greater because we face challenges of a new generation. We find that the challenges are eerily the same, only packaged differently.

 

Regardless, our members will continue to fight the good fight of faith. Here are a few of the accomplishments made this year:

  • Approximately 400 participants embraced a ‘Unity and Service’  Brunch honoring the life and legacy of Reverend Dr, Martin Luther King, Jr. featuring the Phillip Hall Singers. At the Brunch, the President of the SCJ reminded us “to raise up prophetic and spiritual leaders who will be advocates for the unique needs of Black people in The United Methodist Church.”5

  • We established a ‘Go Fund Me’ account called ‘Standing in the Gap’ to financially assist emerging needs of the membership.

  • Black laity and clergy participated in the SMU Houston Lay School of Theology lecture featuring Dr. Tamara Lewis ’Praying with the Desert Fathers and Mothers on the St. Paul’s UMC campus.

  • In support of the TAC delegation, several BMCR Houston Caucus members served as Marshalls to the Called session of the 2019 General Conference.   

  • A ‘Holy Spirit’ Convocation was held at Journey of Faith UMC featuring words of inspiration from TAC’s black clergy leaders and prayer warriors.

  • A group of African American Clergy provided ‘mock interviews’ for potential candidates in preparation of their ordination interviews.

  • Financial support was given to the 3rd Ward Alliance of UMC churches (Trinity East UMC, Trinity UMC, Riverside UMC, and Boynton UMC) giving dental care to the community.

  • As a Caucus, we resolve to remember our senior saints with Resolutions and tokens of love for the support they provided to their church.

  • We recognized the Lent Season by reaching out to a very diverse membership church Westbury UMC to host our ecumenical ‘Seven Last Words’ worship service.

  • We’ve asked our churches with buses and vans to utilize them to transport their members to attend the open sessions at the Texas Annual Conference in May 2019.

  • We embraced our graduating high school seniors in a ‘Back To The Baccalaureate’ Worship Services prayerfully sending them out into adulthood with prayers at Trinity UMC.

  • We encouraged approximately (40) youth to participate in the ‘2019 Love Well’ Youth Conference in Kansas City, Missouri.

  • Therefore, we intend to increase our membership because we believe “Our time under God is now. 

Submitted by President Frankie F. Watson

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