The Rio Grande Conference of the U.M.C.

We celebrate our Christian identity as those redeemed by the power of God in Jesus Christ and strengthened and made part of the family of God by the Holy Spirit.

We celebrate our cultural identity, with its roots in the indigenous people of the Americas, the Spanish people, and the Mexican people, with branches reaching out to include other peoples and cultures.

We celebrate our unique heritage, having been born from the humble roots and of the courageous and sacrificial faith of servants of Christ.


 

Our vision is that every congregation in the Rio Grande Conference shall become spiritual-missional center that enables persons to grow in their Christian discipleship through disciplined study of the Holy Scripture, service, and participation in the sacrament and other means of grace, thereby celebrating God's faithful presence by joining in God's mission of redemption and transformation of communities and the world.
Mission

In response to our covenant with God and each other, the mission of the Rio Grande Conference is to lead persons, particularly the growing Hispanic population living in the boundaries of the states of Texas and New Mexico, to become disciples of Jesus Christ committed to serve and transform the communities of which we are a part, that God's kingdom may be realized more fully.

 

In light of these Vision and Mission Statements, the priorities of the Rio Grande Annual Conference for the 1997-2006 period will be:

• Preparation for Ministry
• Congregational Development and Revitalization
• Nurture and Witness
• Self-Reliance
• Social Justice and Ecumenical Ministries

These priorities may be changed or amended by action of the Annual Conference in order to address unexpected or changing needs in ministry.