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Sunday, January 8
Baptism of the Lord
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At the beginning of his public ministry, Jesus presents himself to John to be baptized in the Jordan. The heavens open, the Holy Spirit descends as a dove and we hear the voice of God: “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased” (see Psalm 2:7).
At this festival of the Christian year, we not only remember Jesus’ baptism, but we celebrate our own: the baptism we share with Christ. Accordingly, this Sunday is an appropriate time to celebrate the sacrament of baptism or the reaffirmation of the baptismal covenant. It also foreshadows the season of Lent, as Jesus was immediately driven into the wilderness for 40 days after his own Baptism.
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Sunday School for All
9:30 a.m.
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Mission Opportunity for
UPC Children and their Parents
Youth Room 9:30 a.m., January 8
Start the New Year right by joining your children (5 years old and up) for a toy making workshop. All supplies will be furnished but feel free to bring
- scraps of adhesive-backed contact paper or vinyl
- used or new plastic or rubber toys (smaller than your fist and suitable for suspending from a frame)
- colorful stickers are good too!
UPC children will be making books and a “ball run” for other children who are living in a shelter in Vietnam. Nearly all of the children at the shelter have a significant mental or physical disability with no access to toys or fun things to do. Gretchen Stone will take the things we make to Vietnam at the end of February.
Please come!
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UPC Adult Sunday School classes
had a wonderful time at
the toy workshop
in December!
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Faith & Life Class Begins New Series
Room 201 9:30 a.m., January 8
Coffee & conversation begins at 9:00
The Faith & Life class begins the new year with class member and retired Presbyterian minister Fred Morgan leading a series of four classes based on Tom Currie’s book Searching for Truth: Confessing Christ in an Uncertain World.
Please plan to join us this Sunday!
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Congregational Meeting
Sunday, January 8
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The Session of UPC has called a Congregational Meeting for January 8, 2017, following morning worship to dissolve the pastoral relationship between Kathy Escandell and UPC and to change the terms of call for Krystal Leedy.
Session members, as well as the Staff Support, Finance, and Pastor Nominating Committees which initiated the process leading to the proposed changes, are aware of (and experiencing themselves) the array of feelings such difficult changes and transitions bring. Those of us involved in this decision have been informing ourselves; reaching out to Presbyterian ‘consultants’; discussing / debating; worrying and praying over these decisions for some time but we are aware that the announcement to the congregation of the proposed changes may have felt sudden to some. We are offering two meetings to help any concerned or interested congregation members understand the problems which led to this proposed change, as well as the process and reasoning behind it.
Please join us at one of the two informational Q and A meetings on either
Thursday, January 5, 2017 at 7:00 p.m. or
Saturday, January 7, 2017 at 10:00 a.m.
Both meetings will be in the Youth Room. Representatives of Staff Support, Finance, and the Pastor Nominating committees will make a brief presentation and then be available to answer questions.
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Please continue to pray for
Debbie Warden, who remains in intermediate care, where she has been since December 30. Debbie's medical team is hopeful that she can be moved to a physical and cognitive rehabilitation facility sometime next week.
A note from John regarding emails:
and generally am keeping up with reading them (brevity is prized!). In lieu of writing many responses I'm concentrating on updates here on CaringBridge, but it's good to hear from you by postal or email. I've been reading your cards and notes to Debbie a few at a time and can add some emails to the mix.
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If you'd like to be part of UPC's Prayer Chain, please email the church office.
You will receive emails asking you specifically to pray for people who have requested prayer support.
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Tuesday Evening Bible Class
Fellowship Hall, January 10, 7:00 p.m.
This spring, the class begins discussion of the "real Jesus," continuing over several weeks.
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Ruth-Dorcas Circle Meets January 10
home of Dottie Penn 2:30 p.m.
For more information, contact the church office at 512-476-5321.
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Martha Circle Meets January 14
Fellowship Hall 11:30 a.m.
Jonnie Overton will be our hostess and Karen Grice will be doing lesson 5 on Paul's view of Jesus.
Members are asked to prayerfully consider leading an upcoming lesson. Please look at your calendars and decide which month you would like to lead! Email Karen Grice for more information.
Hope to see you all there!
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Present Word Members Join the Airwaves on
KOOP 91.7 FM TODAY
1:00-2:00 p.m.
Roscoe Overton, class leader of the Present Word Sunday school class, and class member Dr. William (Bill ) Martin, will be introduced to the local air waves on Monday, January 2, 2017, from 1:00 until 2:00 p.m. in a call-in talk radio show entitled "Light into Darkness in Religious Practices." Roscoe, a member of Radio Station KOOP 91.7 FM Community Council, proposed the format to the council. Tune in and call in your questions and comments!
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Service of Public Witness at the Opening of Texas Legislature
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South Steps of the Texas Capitol
Tuesday, January 10, 10:00-10:30 a.m.
Faithful engagement with civil power has always held in tension the prophetic and the pastoral, the pragmatic and the pure.
Tuesday, January 10, 2017 is the opening day of the 85th Texas Legislature. Join us Tuesday morning at 10:00 a.m. on the South Steps of the Capitol for our Interfaith Service of Public Witness, featuring prayers and wisdom from leaders of diverse religious traditions about our shared responsibility to work together for the common good.
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La Follia Austin Baroque presents "Tell Me A Story"
Concerts
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La Follia Austin Baroque, directed by UPC organist Keith Womer, presents a program of stories told through baroque music.
Saturday, January 7, 2017 at 8 p.m.
Sunday, January 8, 2017 at 4 p.m.
First Presbyterian Church
8001 Mesa Drive, Austin, Texas
Free, ample, safe parking
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$30 General / $25 Senior / $10 Student
Tickets available at the door via cash, check, or credit card, or pre-purchase online at
www.lafollia.org
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PAM Professional Gathering at UPC
January 19-21
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The 2017 PAM Professionals Gathering, hosted by University Presbyterian Church in downtown Austin, will offer opportunities for professional renewal and rejuvenation, particularly for church musicians and the clergy with whom they serve. Highlights will be a hymn festival led by Eric Wall and a choral concert January 20 featuring the Huston-Tillotson Choir, Conspirare Youth Choir, and our own UPC Chancel Choir.
Plenary speakers include J. Herbert Nelson,
newly elected Stated Clerk of the PC(USA)
General Assembly and Margaret Aymer,
Associate Professor of New Testament at A
ustin Presbyterian Theological Seminary. Dr. Nelson will also preach at UPC on Sunday, January 22.
Click here for the PAM Gathering site
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Watch for opportunities
to volunteer to help with the Gathering and Choir Concert
in next week's UPdate!
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Contact
University Presbyterian Church
2203 San Antonio Street
Austin, Texas 78705
512-476-5321
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Rooted in worship. . .
Growing through education & s
ervice. . .
Connecting to campus & community. . .
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