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 | Tuesday Night Lights: John Wesley’s Sermons through a Rainbow Lens
**NEW DATES**January 28 - February 25 | 7 pmHybrid - Library or ZoomAre you interested in exploring John Wesley’s sermons and discovering how they are still relevant to us as Methodists for full inclusion and social justice? In this 5-week class, we will read Wesley’s core sermons guided by Queering Wesley, Queering the Church by Keegan Osinski. Together, we will reflect on how the spirit of Methodism can continue to shape our faith and practice in the 21st Century and how the legacy of Wesleyan holiness can inspire an expansive openness to the love and grace of God in queer Christian lives. |
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 | Methodist Youth Fellowship & Tween Time: Game On! NightFebruary 1 | 5 - 8:30 pmTweens (4th-5th graders) and youth (6th - 12th graders), join us for the most fun we’ll ever have! We’ll get dinner together and then head to a game show-inspired experience. Please plan to bring $15 for dinner. Pick up at the church at 8:30pm! Contact Jillian or Natasha with any questions! |
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 | CPR & First-Aid TrainingJanuary 26 | 12:30 - 2:30 pmLAST CHANCE TO REGISTER!UUMC is hosting a CPR & First-Aid Training class for some of our staff and have a few extra spots open! For $30 you can join us for the class, and a light lunch will be provided. This class covers all the requirements for Childcare Provider Certification, and is approved by the State of Texas Childcare Licensing, Foster and Adoption services as well as Child Protective Services. Upon completion of our class, you will receive certification cards at the class for CPR/AED and First Aid that are both valid for 2 years. Registration closes on Friday so register ASAP! |
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Service of Worship Sunday @ 11 amScripture: Luke 4:14-21Join us for worship Sunday, January 26. Pastor Teresa is preaching and the scripture reading is Luke 4:14-21 when Jesus proclaims the Spirit is upon him to preach the good news. As Jesus looks back to the prophetic teachings from Isaiah to inform his ministry, we will consider the importance of looking to the past as we move into God’s preferred future. The Sanctuary choir will sing “O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing” arranged by Mark Miller and Clyde Bennett will share about the UUMC Foundation. We are also excited to welcome new member Nicole Myers who will be joining this Sunday.
Please note: African American spirituals by an unknown author are used at times in worship. In collaboration with our Racial Justice Task Force, a donation of $100 has been made this month to the work of E4 Youth in Central Texas. E4 Youth provides programs to fund and train creative youth of color aged 18-24 in East Austin, Manor, and Pflugerville. You can learn more at e4youth.org |
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“Any message that is not related to the liberation of the poor in a society is not Christ’s message.” – Rev. Dr. James Cone
There is no power greater than a community discovering what it cares about. Ask “What's possible?” not “What's wrong?” Keep asking.” – Margaret Wheatley |
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Rooted GoodOur education building and sanctuary are bustling on Sunday mornings with classes, fellowship, mission, and worship. But how is that space being used the remainder of the week? Might it also better serve our community?
These questions of how we use our church space have been discussed in varying degrees of seriousness through the years. Recently, this conversation began again as we were introduced to a faith-based organization called Rooted Good.
Rooted Good invites churches to examine how their space is used to support their mission to serve the community. The hope is that this reimagining might also act as an additional revenue stream and provide more financial sustainability to the church.
And so we’ve formed a small cohort of staff and lay leaders from Trustees, Finance Committee, and Church Council to begin these talks–understanding this conversation is much bigger than any one of us or any small group.
This effort is in its infancy. No plans will be made without extensive discussions and buy-in from our church community.
We will continue to keep the wider congregation informed as the conversation grows. You can learn more about Rooted Good on their website. If you have any questions, please reach out to our communications director, Chad Jones, at chad@uumc.org. |
| Experimental Arts MinistryOver the course of the year, we get inquiries from people and organizations asking to use space in our building. Sometimes it’s summer camps or people wanting to host recitals. Sometimes it’s as simple as organizations needing a place to host a meeting. We’ve recently begun a much larger conversation about how our spaces are used, as noted in the section above. While that discussion is tackling long-term goals, much of our building, during much of the week, goes unused now.
Ginger Geyer, a member here and a local artist, approached us towards the end of 2024 inquiring about potential space for an art studio she hopes to turn into an art ministry. After some discussion with Executive Team and some staff, we have decided to move forward in offering up a portion of the fourth floor for a trial period through the end of May 2025. After that time we will re-evaluate with Ginger to see how the program has evolved and decide if it would be worth it to her and UUMC to extend her time here. We’re excited to see where this prospective ministry might lead and stay tuned for more information. |
| Sharing Her Story: A Conversation with Bishop HarveyConnect with and learn from Bishop Cynthia Fierro Harvey during a facilitated conversation as she shares her faith story, what makes her passionate about the United Methodist Church, and her hopes and plans for 2025. A groundbreaker in ministry, Bishop Harvey is the first woman and the first Latina bishop to serve as our episcopal leader. The conversation will be held on Zoom on Tuesday, January 28, from 6:30 - 7:30 pm. Click here to RSVP. |
| Microloan Advent Offering UpdateThanks to the congregation's generosity, Microloan Ministries at UUMC received $7,194 during the Advent Offering. These funds will enable the Microloan Ministry team to continue helping individuals grow or stabilize a small business in Travis and surrounding counties. To learn more including a video on this ministry featuring some of our volunteers and businesses we've partnered with visit their page on our website! |
| Charge ConferenceThere will be a called Charge Conference on Thursday, January 23 at 7 pm during the Church Council meeting for the sole purpose of determining the housing allowance for our appointed clergy, Rev. Kim and Rev. Welborn. District Superintendent Rev. Dr. Marcus Freeman will preside. |
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Texas Impact Postcard CampaignTexas Impact is a non-profit that includes People of Faith who are Working for Justice. Texas Impact is currently asking people of faith to write postcards to their legislators regarding the current abortion ban. As it reads on their website: |
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“Texans don’t have to agree on every abortion question to know that pregnant patients deserve the best care, and doctors deserve respect. Texas legislators should fix Texas’ abortion laws so they reflect our shared Texas values.
Unfortunately, many lawmakers are unwilling to acknowledge the Texas abortion ban goes too far. Women are risking death and lifelong health problems from pregnancy complications, while other women are afraid to get pregnant for fear they can’t get help if something goes wrong." |
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| CPR/First Aid Class1/26 | 12:30 pm |
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| TNL: John Wesley’s Sermons through a Rainbow Lensbegins 1/28 | 7 pm |
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| MYF & Tween Time: Game On! Night2/1 | 5 pm |
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| Our Whole Lives
Sex Education:4th & 5th Gradebegins 2/2 | 12 pm |
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| College Ministry: Super Bowl Party2/9 | 5 pm |
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| Parents’ Night Out2/15 | 5 pm |
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| MYF & Tween Time: Austin Justice Scavenger Hunt2/17 | 1 pm |
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| Children’s MinistryIf you have kiddos that you’d like to get involved in our children’s ministry, or just to learn more, reach out to Jillian |
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| Youth MinistryIf you have youth that you’d like to get involved in our youth ministry, or just to learn more, reach out to Natasha. |
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| College & Young AdultCollege Students and Young Adults, we have programs for you too! Contact Megan to get involved. |
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| Music MinistryUUMC is proud of its rich tradition of outstanding music. We offer opportunities for anyone, of any age or skill level. To get involved, contact AV. |
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| Continuing Adult EducationUUMC provides a variety of Sunday School groups, classes, and mission and justice ministries. Contact Pastor Earl to learn more. |
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| Worship & AdministrationThere are a lot of moving parts to operate this wonderful place. If you'd like to learn more or potentially volunteer, contact Pastor Teresa. |
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