Econnection: November 7, 2024

EConnection

Nov 7

Written By Renee Moreno

HTML Econnection - November 7, 2024

Featured Events

The Power of Planning

Sunday | 9:45 am

Fellowship Hall

This seminar is an opportunity for persons to gain information that can assist in end-of-life care decisions as well as memorial/funeral service planning. Members of The UUMC Foundation will also provide information about opportunities to give to The Foundation.

Poinsettia Orders

Every year, we order beautiful poinsettias from Down Home Ranch, a local farm that helps provide social and vocational opportunities to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Our tradition at UUMC is to dedicate these poinsettias in memory, or in honor, of a loved one. Each plant is $12. You can order them on our website (credit card payments only). If you’d prefer to pay via cash or check, forms are available in the Front Office and Narthex. Poinsettias will be in the sanctuary through the Advent season and Christmas Eve.

We will list the memorials and honorees in the Lessons and Carols bulletin. The deadline for inclusion in the bulletin is December 1.

Church-Wide Workday

Sunday, November 17 | 12 pm

Wear some working clothes to worship! After worship, join staff and Trustees for a church-wide workday. We’ll meet in the Fellowship Hall following worship for a quick lunch and to hear more about the various work areas including: landscaping, cleaning and organizing. Bring your own lunch. Drinks provided

Service of Worship

Sunday | 11 am

Scripture: Revelation 21:1-7

Join us for worship as we continue our Sermon Series on Grief and Loss. This Sunday Pastor Teresa will explore the concept of Anticipatory Grief and the scripture reading comes to us from Revelation 21:1-7. We also celebrate Holy Communion this week and will receive a word from the UUMC Foundation. The UUMC Foundation helps ensure our ability to serve as a voice for God’s love in the midst of a broken world…to be a community of faith where the truth is told, where all are welcome, and where worship, outreach, reconciliation, healing and justice are our reasons for being.

The Foundation will join Pastor Teresa and Megan in leading a “Power of Planning” workshop during the Sunday School hour in the Fellowship Hall as we take a look at everything from planning funeral and memorial services and legacy gifts.

“I thought faith would say, ‘I’ll take away the pain and discomfort,’ but what it ended up saying was, ‘I’ll sit with you in it.’”

- Brené Brown

“Be a comfort to me, Beloved, for I am in distress; my eyes are dim from weeping,my soul is deep with grief. Still, I trust in You, O Beloved,I repeat, ‘You are my Life.’ My life is in your hands; deliver me from the fears which separate me! Let your face shine on me; hold me in your steadfast love!”

- from Psalm 31

translated by Nan Merrill

in “Praying the Psalms”

Are you receiving Pastor Teresa’s Friday Notes? If not, you can subscribe by visiting uumc.org/newsletters. Her recent newsletters include resources and writings on grief and loss.

Stewardship

Pledges put stewardship campaign on track. Thank you!

Thank you for the fantastic response to our 2025 stewardship campaign.

On Sunday, we received 134 financial commitments totaling $698,915. That includes 15 individuals or families returning pledge cards for the first time. This is a fantastic first tally of commitments and speaks to the generosity and aspiration of our church community.

We know that many current givers were not able to be in worship Sunday and have yet to submit their 2025 commitments. We’re optimistic that those commitments will be made soon, putting us on target to meet our goal of $810,000.

If you have yet to submit your financial commitment for 2025, you may turn in a pledge card in worship or to the church office. You may email Cindy Reeves at finance@uumc.org.

We will continue to tally commitments through mid-November before putting together our budget for 2025. Commitments made now allow us to serve our community in the coming year.

We indeed are people of possibility!

– John Bridges, finance chair

News

Charge Conference 2024

Rev. Dr. Marcus Freeman, District Superintendent of the Capital District UMC, will hold an in-person Group Charge Conference on Sunday, November 17, 2024 at 4 pm at Lake Travis UMC, 1502 RR 620 North. All are welcome to attend and members of the Church Council at UUMC have voice and vote. This year, all Rio Texas Charge Conferences will follow the theme Better Together. With this theme, we recognize the many ways that our spirit of connection strengthens our shared ministry and witness. Our new Episcopal Leader, Bishop Cynthia Fierro Harvey, will address us in a video greeting during our time together. We will then continue with our Charge Conference business.

Teresa’s Interview with

Texas Freedom Network

Finally, I had the joy of visiting with Texas Freedom Network recently. "Members of our Just Texas community, like Rev. Welborn, consistently show us that the religious right does not speak for all faith communities."

Listen to the Interview Here

College Ministry Fun!

Megan and the college students just keep having fun! Last Sunday, they had a Pizza Night Out! Any college kids wanting to join in on the fun should email Megan at motto@uumc.org.

Stolen Lives Art Display

UUMC is currently working with Texas Impact on a state-wide installation campaign called “Vidas Robadas” or “Stolen Lives.” Every year lives are lost to gun violence through homicide and suicide. Vidas Robadas seeks to raise awareness by representing the names of those lost on a shirt that will be displayed here at the church. To learn more about this initiative and the work Texas Impact is doing visit their website here.