Texas Conference of Churches

Dear Friends,

As you are, hopefully, aware, the Board of Directors of the Texas Conference of Churches is in the process of rethinking and reimagining the mission and call of the TCC. We have been meeting regularly and frequently with the goal of presenting our new vision and structure to a meeting of the Assembly on Monday, November 17, 2008.  That Assembly will be held in conjunction with the annual “Faith and Order Conference,” Nov. 17 & 18, to be implemented by our two Commissions. You will receive details about these events as we get closer to those dates.

However, at this point, we want you to know the TCC is alive and well.  We have cleared all of our debts, we have fulfilled all of our obligations to former employees, we have committed ourselves to sound financial management, and we are in the best financial condition that we have been in for several years.  All of this is because of the hard work and dedication of the Board of Directors, all of whom are volunteers from the various judicatories and governing bodies of the church of Jesus Christ across the State of Texas. We particularly appreciate the trust and financial support many of you have placed in us during this transition time.

Even in the midst of transition, TCC continues to sponsor a major Disaster Recovery AmeriCorps*VISTA grant program that works in 10 different counties and cities throughout Texas as well as the Jewish-Christian and Muslin-Christian Forums and Texas Rural Church Task Force. TCC also works with other organizations including Bread for the World and Texas Impact.

At a meeting on April 1, the Board of Directors affirmed the following guiding vision for TCC:

TEXAS CONFERENCE OF CHURCHES

Guiding Vision 

The Texas Conference of Churches is an ecumenical organization of Christian churches that seeks to reflect the unity we are called to in Christ while respecting the diversity of our various Christian traditions. 

• We accomplish this by engaging in dialogue, in service, and prayer for Christian unity. 
• We also seek to heal divisions that exist in our communities and in our world by promoting interfaith dialogue and by seeking common purpose in the care of society and creation.

In subsequent meetings, we will be putting flesh and bones onto this vision.

We, the Board of Directors and officers, are not only excited about the future of the Texas Conference of Churches, but we are committed to making it happen. We believe that there is a real need in the State of Texas for a place where Christians of various traditions can come together, learn from each other, struggle together and serve together, despite our differences. And when we can do that together, we are better prepared to reach out to others in our society in common service.

I often challenge the congregations with whom I work to consider the question, “What is it that you can do that no one else in your community is doing? That may be your mission!”  The same applies to TCC. What can we do that no one else is doing? We believe that we can begin to answer that question.

Thank you for your continual support in 2008.  Please know that as you plan for 2009 budgets, the Texas Conference of Churches is alive and well.  We look forward to working in partnership with you in the months and years ahead.

If you have any questions, concerns, or observations concerning TCC, please feel free to contact me at Palo Duro Presbytery, 4820 W. 19^th St., Lubbock, TX  79407 (806-797-2417 (o) or 806-790-1749 (c) .

                                                         Sincerely,

                                                         Richard A. Schempp

                                                         President

                                                         Texas Conference of Churches