Calling

Reflecting on Your Call in Light of the United Methodist Church’s Mission & Vision

The Mission

The mission of the Church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. Local churches and extension ministries of the Church provide the most significant arenas through which disciple-making occurs. (BODBook of Discipline (BOD) The United Methodist Church’s book of law. It includes historical information, doctrinal standards, and policies that can only be changed by General Conference. It is updated and reprinted to reflect decisions made by the General Conference. ¶ 120)

The Vision

The United Methodist Church forms disciples of Jesus Christ who, empowered by the Holy Spirit, love boldly, serve joyfully, and lead courageously in local communities and worldwide connections.

LOVE BOLDLY: We passionately love God and, like Jesus, embrace and include people of every age, nation, race, gender, and walk of life. [Matthew 22:37-39 | John 13:34-35]

SERVE JOYFULLY: With the heart of Christ, we journey alongside the most vulnerable among us, offering care and compassion with joy. [Psalm 100:1 | Nehemiah 8:10 | John 13:14-15 | 1 Peter 4:10]

LEAD COURAGEOUSLY: Following Jesus’ example, we seek to resist and dismantle all systems of evil, injustice, and oppression, striving for peace, justice, and reconciliation. [Joshua 1:9 | Ephesians 6:10]

The Call to Action

This vision is an invitation to embrace joy and hope as we live God’s mission. It also provides us with a clear, Christ-centered framework for missional unity and collaboration across our worldwide connection.

Throughout Scripture, God calls ordinary people into extraordinary lives of faithful discipleship. That call is personal, but it is never private. In the United Methodist tradition, our calling is discerned in conversation with the Holy Spirit, affirmed by the Church, and continually shaped through prayer, community, learning, and service.

Whether God is calling you as a lay servant, licensed local pastor, deacon, or elder, your vocation is rooted in following Jesus Christ and participating in God's mission of making disciples for the transformation of the world.

The United Methodist Church's vision invites us to love boldly, serve joyfully, and lead courageously. As you reflect on your own calling, consider how God may be inviting you to embody this vision as a Christ-like leader who forms disciples, stands in solidarity with the poor and vulnerable, and participates in God's work of healing, justice, reconciliation, and wholeness.

Ministry

CALLED BY GOD, AFFIRMED BY THE CHURCH, FORMED FOR THE WORLD

Jesus loved without limits and welcomed those often left on the margins.

LOVE BOLDLY: In your group, answer one of the following questions. Each person can may choose a different question.

1. What does loving boldly mean to you as someone discerning God's call?
2. How is God calling you to love people who are different from you or whose experiences challenge your own?
3. Who are the people or communities your heart is especially drawn toward, and why do you think God has placed them on your heart?
4. What barriers, fears, or biases might God be inviting you to confront as you grow in ministry?
5. How are you growing in your love of God and neighbor, and how might that shape your ministry?

Jesus came not to be served but to serve.

SERVE JOYFULLY: In your group, answer one of the following questions. Each person can may choose a different question.

1. Whom do you sense God calling you to serve at this point in your journey?
2. How do you see your calling contributing to the flourishing of individuals, churches, and communities?
3. In what ways does your call invite you to stand in solidarity with those who are poor, vulnerable, marginalized, or overlooked?
4. How might your ministry participate in God's work of healing, justice, reconciliation, and wholeness for all people?
5. What brings you the greatest joy when you serve others, and how might that joy sustain you in ministry?

Faithful leadership often requires courage, humility, and trust in God.

LEAD COURAGEOUSLY: In your group, answer one of the following questions. Each person can may choose a different question.

1. What fears or uncertainties do you bring as you consider God's call to ministry?
2. Where might God be calling you to exercise courage for the sake of the Gospel?
3. How will you remain rooted in Christ while leading through change, conflict, and uncertainty?
4. How do you hope to help others grow as disciples of Jesus Christ?
5. What kind of Christ-like leader do you believe God is forming you to become, and what practices will help you continue growing into that calling?

Prioridades Estratégicas Propuestas

Las prioridades estratégicas propuestas están organizadas en cuatro áreas que reflejan las esperanzas y necesidades compartidas de nuestra conferencia.

Categoría 1: Crear una cultura de confianza Nosotros, los Metodistas Unidos del Conferencia Río Texas (RTC), centramos la CONFIANZA como la base absoluta de nuestra identidad conexional al fortalecer la colaboración y el ministerio compartido en toda la conferencia. Estamos comprometidos a construir confianza mediante la transparencia, la claridad (comunicación clara) y la propiedad compartida, creando conexiones y reduciendo las divisiones en toda la conferencia.

Categoría 2: Discipulado Centrado Nosotros, los Metodistas Unidos de la RTC, tenemos el discipulado en el centro de nuestro trabajo. Como discípulos de Jesucristo, vemos el discipulado como un ministerio de compañerismo; es personal, relacional y comunitario a medida que crecemos en el amor por Dios y el prójimo. El discipulado honra el valor sagrado, fomenta la vocación de personas de todas las edades y nos envía a nuestras comunidades para participar junto a Dios y entre nosotros en la obra de transformación.

Categoría 3: Cultivar relaciones para pertenecer y tener voz Nosotros, los Metodistas Unidos del RTC, fortaleceremos el ministerio conexional cultivando el sentido de pertenencia a través de la participación inclusiva, las relaciones colaborativas y un ministerio compartido que refleje la diversidad del cuerpo de Cristo, fomente la confianza y prepare a las iglesias locales para prosperar mientras se dedican a la misión de Cristo.

Categoría 4: Derribar barreras y crear puentes con nuestros vecinos Nosotros, los Metodistas Unidos del RTC, somos compañeros comunitarios de Mateo 25. Estamos cambiando nuestra comprensión de "quiénes somos" para incluir a las personas de nuestros barrios, comunidades, pueblos y ciudades. A través de relaciones intencionadamente cultivadas, derribamos barreras y construimos puentes, para que nuestras iglesias y comunidades locales se enriquezcan mutuamente. Nos comprometemos con un ministerio compartido arraigado en los dones de nuestros prójimos mientras nos unimos a la obra de Dios para la sanidad, la justicia y la renovación por el bien de nuestro mundo.

03/06/26

Proposed Strategic Priorities

The proposed strategic priorities are organized around four areas that reflect the shared hopes and needs of our conference.

Category 1 – Creating A Culture Of Trust We, the United Methodists of the Río Texas Conference, center TRUST as the absolute foundation of our connectional identity by strengthening collaboration and shared ministry across the conference. We are committed to building trust through accountability, transparency, clarity (or clear communication), and shared ownership, building connections, and reducing divisions across the conference.

Category 2 – Centering Discipleship We, the United Methodists of the Río Texas Conference, hold discipleship at the heart of our work. As disciples of Jesus Christ, we see discipleship as a ministry of companionship; it is personal, relational, and communal as we grow in love for God and neighbor. Discipleship honors the sacred worth, nurtures the calling of people of all ages, and sends us into our communities to participate alongside God and one another in the work of transformation.

Category 3 – Cultivating Relationships for Belonging and Voice We, the United Methodists of the Río Texas Conference, will strengthen connectional ministry by cultivating belonging through inclusive participation, collaborative relationships, and shared ministry that reflects the diversity of the body of Christ, builds trust, and equips local churches to flourish as they engage in Christ’s mission.

Category 4 – Breaking Down Barriers and Building Bridges with Our Neighbors We, the United Methodists of the Río Texas Conference, are Matthew 25 community companions. We are shifting our understanding of “who we are” to include the people in our neighborhoods, communities, towns, and cities. Through intentionally nurtured relationships, we break down barriers and build bridges, so that our local churches and communities are mutually enriched. We commit to a shared ministry rooted in the gifts of our neighbors as we join God’s work for healing, justice, and renewal for the sake of our world.

03/06/26