[amc] Re: Sunday school on June 18

  • From: <c_a_palmer@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: "garland robertson" <pastor@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "Austin Mennonite Church" <amc@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Sat, 17 Jun 2006 17:30:41 -0500

Hello all,

Bob Koehn has volunteered to discuss the article " What does it mean that God 
was silent? by Richard Cohen that appeared in the Austin American - Statesman 
on June 7.  He will make some copies of the article for the adult Sunday school 
tomorrow, June 18. If you have your own copy, read it ahead of time so we can 
get right off to a lively discussion.

If you have suggestions for activities and/or movies for the youth this summer, 
let the Christian Ed. Committee know, that is Catherina McEvoy, Nevitt Reesor, 
Wilson Tan and myself.

Ann Palmer
acting chair of the Christian Ed. Committee 

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Wright, Walter A 
  To: garland robertson ; Austin Mennonite Church 
  Sent: Sunday, June 11, 2006 11:07 PM
  Subject: [amc] Re: Proposed letter on death penalty


  Dear Members of Austin Mennonite Church:

  As you may know, our congregation is considering joining the Austin Meeting 
of Friends and other religious groups in formally opposing the death penalty in 
Texas.  The initiative involves sending a letter to the Texas Board of Pardons 
and Paroles (with a copy to the Governor) each time an individual is scheduled 
for execution in Texas.  A proposed form of letter is attached to this message.

  At the request of Garland Robertson and Ray Gingerich, I drafted the attached 
letter, which stongly resembles the letter that the Quakers currently send to 
the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles.  Our congregation's Peace and Justice 
Committee reviewed the letter and recommended it for consieration by the entire 
congregation.  Today at Adult Sunday School, those present reviewed and 
discussed the letter.  Everyone present at today's meeting opposes the death 
penalty and is generally in favor of the letter, though some members want to 
discuss further whether our congregation will be sliding down a "slipperly 
slope" towards political manipulation if we begin sending letters of this type. 
 

  Because there was general support for the letter (with the reservations that 
I mentioned above), Garland asked me to forward the letter to the entire 
congretation, which I am doing.  We would like the entire congregation to 
review the letter and express any support, reservations, or criticisms.  The 
plan is to have another meeting later in the year to give the entire 
congregation an opportunity to express views before taking any action, as a 
congregation, to send letters to the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles.

  Some members who were present at today's Adult Sunday School want to begin 
sending letters to the State Board of Pardons and Paroles as individuals while 
we are considering any action that we may wish to take as a congregation.  I 
have agreed to send information to those individuals, on a monthly basis, about 
the scheduled executions.  If anyone receiving this message wishes to receive 
this additional information, please let me know, and I will place your name on 
a separate list for receiving it.

  Best regards, 

  Walter A. Wright
  Associate Professor
  Legal Studies Program
  Department of Political Science
  Texas State University
  601 University Drive
  San Marcos, Texas 78666

  (512) 245-2138 (Telephone)
  (512) 245-7815 (Fax)


------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Other related posts:

  • » [amc] Re: Sunday school on June 18