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TEXAS IMPACT PRESENTS

WEEKLY WITNESS

WITH SCOTT ATNIP

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Weekly Witness is a weekly opportunity for Texans of faith to learn about important public policy issues through a faith lens, and find out timely opportunities to participate in the public policy process. Host Scott Atnip is Texas Impact’s Director of Public Witness. His guests come from a wide assortment of policy disciplines and faith traditions. Each week’s episode also features a “Weekly Word” reflection by a Texas religious leader.

NEWEST EPISODES

This week we turn our attention to the other side of the globe as we welcome Texas Impact’s Climate Action Fellow, Rev. Dr. Becca Edwards to the program. Becca recently returned from the 29th UNFCCC Conference of the Parties (COP), the global climate negotiations held this year in Baku, Azerbaijan. She will talk to us about the priorities being discussed on the world climate stage and what people of faith in our own communities can do. We will also discuss concerns over the federal climate response over the next few years. But, climate is like many other issues, where we can make substantive progress, even when positive federal policy outcomes seem less likely. We have steps we can take at the state level, local level, and in our own congregations and communities. Keep an eye on our website at texasimpact.org for content from COP29 Baku and ways you can get involved, or to join our Climate Action Team to connect with advocates from throughout the state who care about these issues. Climate Action Team sign up --- https://texasimpact.org/action-center/

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Weekly Witness Ep. 415 COP and Go: Updates from the Global Climate Summit

Texas Impact November 20, 2024 1:19 pm

Well... we had an election… and we know folks have lots of feelings, and we are going to talk about feelings today. But, in addition to that, we are going to talk about how the election impacts Texas, and we are going to talk about what Texans of faith can do. All of that with Texas Impact’s Executive Director Bee Moorhead. This isn’t a time to hide, because our communities, our neighbors, our democracy needs us. What’s clear in this divided political sphere is that we all need to be more willing to engage in conversations. To listen. To learn. And then yes, to advocate. Hopefully after finding and developing some common ground in our own communities. As always, Texas Impact has tools and teams for all of this and more on our website at texasimpact.org

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Weekly Witness Ep. 414 Turn, Turn, Turn

Texas Impact November 13, 2024 12:46 pm

Election day is almost upon us! You have heard us talk for years about Texas’ low voter turnout and how that impacts public policy. If you are listening to this before election day, you have a chance to do something about that. Many of us are consuming lots of news running up to the election, and many are feeling anxious about what will happen. We need to emotionally and spiritually prepare ourselves for what happens when we wake up on Wednesday, November 6th. And, this week we are joined by someone who can help us prepare for that as we have long-time friend of Texas Impact, Rev. Ann Helmke, who serves as the Faith Liaison with the City of San Antonio, on the show. As always, Texas Impact has tools to help you engage with Texans this election season and with fellow advocates throughout the state. Learn more about all of it at texasimpact.org.

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Weekly Witness Ep.413 Every Day: Civility and Compassion for Community

Texas Impact November 4, 2024 2:34 pm

We are about a week away from election day, and joining us for today’s conversation is Rev. Richie Butler, Senior Pastor at the historic St. Luke Community United Methodist Church in Dallas, Texas. We are going to talk about their civic engagement work and the importance of voting, but also about their work in bringing people together for conversations that focus on the importance of coming together as a community after the election-and the important role faith leaders will play in that. Find out more about Project Unity at projectunity.net Visit us at texasimpact.org

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Weekly Witness Ep.412 "It's Who We Are" Rev. Richie Butler and Congregational Civic Engagement

Texas Impact October 30, 2024 12:24 pm

By the time you hear this, early voting will either have already started or will be kicking off soon. It is getting real. So, it seems like the perfect week to hear some stories from some congregations who have been doing some incredible civic engagement work this election season. Last week you heard from Texas Impact’s Houston Faith Votes Project Manager, Rebecca McIlwain, and this week we will hear from three leaders from her cohort of congregations doing civic engagement work as we welcome Mattie Thomas, a member of Missouri City Church of Christ working with Bridges 2 Empowerment, Cathy Reinhold, Area Missioner of the Galveston Convocation of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas working with St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church, and Juanita Jackson of Trinity East UMC. Find more about Houston Faith Votes and ways you can still get engaged on our Texas Faith Votes page on our website.

By the time you hear this, early voting will either have already started or will be kicking off soon. It is getting real. So, it seems like the perfect week to hear some stories from some congregations who have been doing some incredible civic engagement work this election season.

Last week you heard from Texas Impact’s Houston Faith Votes Project Manager, Rebecca McIlwain, and this week we will hear from three leaders from her cohort of congregations doing civic engagement work as we welcome Mattie Thomas, a member of Missouri City Church of Christ working with Bridges 2 Empowerment, Cathy Reinhold, Area Missioner of the Galveston Convocation of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas working with St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church, and Juanita Jackson of Trinity East UMC.

Find more about Houston Faith Votes and ways you can still get engaged on our Texas Faith Votes page on our website.

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Weekly Witness Ep. 411 Many Strategies, Shared Goals: Stories from Houston Faith Votes

Texas Impact October 23, 2024 1:29 pm

Helping Each Other Build Our Community: Houston Faith Votes and Continuous Civic Engagement We are less than two weeks away from early voting kicking off in Texas, so what better time to welcome back to the program Rebecca McIlwain, Texas Impact’s Houston Faith Votes Project Manager. The Houston Faith Votes team and their cohort of congregations in the Houston area are engaging their congregations and communities in civic engagement work, so I am excited to talk to Rebecca about their work and how ALL of us can engage our neighbors this election season and begin preparing for what comes next. Texas Impact has the tool for you to do just that. Check out the website at texasimpact.org and spend some time on the Texas Faith Votes page. There are resources to check who will be on your ballot, door hanger templates, prayer resources and more. And, there are teams to connect you with people who care about issues you care about, so check it out and get plugged in today. https://texasimpact.org/campaigns/texas-faith-votes

Helping Each Other Build Our Community: Houston Faith Votes and Continuous Civic Engagement

We are less than two weeks away from early voting kicking off in Texas, so what better time to welcome back to the program Rebecca McIlwain, Texas Impact’s Houston Faith Votes Project Manager. The Houston Faith Votes team and their cohort of congregations in the Houston area are engaging their congregations and communities in civic engagement work, so I am excited to talk to Rebecca about their work and how ALL of us can engage our neighbors this election season and begin preparing for what comes next.

Texas Impact has the tool for you to do just that. Check out the website at texasimpact.org and spend some time on the Texas Faith Votes page. There are resources to check who will be on your ballot, door hanger templates, prayer resources and more. And, there are teams to connect you with people who care about issues you care about, so check it out and get plugged in today.

https://texasimpact.org/campaigns/texas-faith-votes

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Weekly Witness Ep.410 Helping Each Other Build Our Community: HFV and Continuous Civic Engagement

Texas Impact October 14, 2024 9:21 am

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ABOUT THE HOST: SCOTT ATNIP

Scott rejoined the Texas Impact staff as Engagement Director in 2012 after a stint as a Texas Impact intern in 2002-2003. Scott connects Texans of faith with opportunities to engage in the policy process through Texas Impact programs like Weekly Witness, Rapid Response, Legislative Engagement Groups and Faith in Democracy. He received his B.A. in Political Science from Sam Houston State University and an M.A. of Public Affairs from the Lyndon Baines Johnson School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas and is a Certified Lay Servant in the United Methodist Church. In his free time, Scott coaches his daughter and son’s youth soccer teams.

ABOUT

Weekly Witness was born in 2017 when one Texas pastor decided that for Lent, he would travel to Austin to meet with his state representative every Monday. The week gatherings that began in 2017 with a handful of clergy at the Capitol evolved into Weekly Witness, with thousands of Texans of faith participating in in-person events, Facebook Live and YouTube videos, and a weekly podcast series. 

Weekly Witness is unique in equipping Texans of faith for policy advocacy through a lively and varied talk-show format. Each episode includes leading faith leaders and policy experts discussing important legislative priorities through a faith lens with Texas Impact staff. During the Legislative Session, episodes include weekly Legislative Update and Action Alert segments. 

The Weekly Witness audience continues to grow, thanks to the work and dedication of mainstream Texans of faith committed to justice. Be sure to like, share and subscribe to Texas Impact Weekly Witness in your favorite medium, and let us know how Weekly Witness programming can support your ministry. 

SPONSORS

Weekly Witness is made possible in part by the generous financial support of the following contributors:

The opinions expressed on this program are those of Texas Impact, and do not necessarily reflect the views of our sponsors.