e-communications from University Presbyterian Church February 9, 2020
Austin Marathon THIS Sunday!
There IS a route to church!
SIXTH SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY
FEBRUARY 16, 2020

WORSHIP 11:00 AM

the Reverend Matt Gaventa preaching
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The Chancel Choir sings Maurice Duruflé’s setting of a 9th Century Antiphon text, “Ubi Caritas”.

Cate Miller & Megan Meisenbach, flutes, offer a movement from J. S. Bach’s “Trio Sonata in G”.
On this week's Sunday Morning Matinee, Matt and Adam talk about how the Academy Awards disrupted their own narrative by awarding the Best Picture award to Bong Joon Ho's masterpiece Parasite. After heaping praise on Parasite (and scorn on the award show), Matt and Adam discuss a great year in movies and note some of their own favorites.  Click Here to go to the podcast.
RECENT SERMONS
February 9, 2020, the Reverend Matt Gaventa, Packing and Unpacking

February 2, 2020, the Reverend Krystal Leedy, Do, Love, Walk

January 26, 2020, the Reverend Karen Greif, Witness to the Light

January 19, 2020, the Reverend Rykie Marx, Comfort My People

Find our sermon archive at
Subscribe to our sermon podcast:
IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO SING!
It’s not too late to sing with Laudate for their next Anthem on February 23.

Join us this Sunday in room 210 at 9:30 as we prepare to sing in worship. See you there! 

Questions? You can email Laudate Children's Choir Director Austin Bradley at
Social Witness & Christian Formation:
ISSUES IN 2020: Special Screening
Sunday, February 16, 9:30 a.m., UPC Great Hall
The Christian Formation and Social Witness Committees are excited to partner with the American Constitution Society Austin Lawyer Chapter, #StopRepeatingHistory, and the Henri and Tomoye Takahashi Charitable Foundation for a screening and discussion of And Then They Came For Us. This award-winning film brings history into the present, retelling the difficult story of Japanese-American internment during World War II and following Japanese-American activists as they speak out against the Muslim registry and travel ban.

Following the screening, Don Tamaki, one of Mr. Korematsu’s attorneys who overturned his conviction, will offer remarks on the film and the landmark Supreme Court decision in Korematsu v. United States (1944). Attendees will then have the opportunity to engage in a discussion about the themes of the film and the legacy of Japanese-American internment.

The film is 40 minutes long, so the screening will begin promptly at 9:30 to allow us enough time with Mr. Tamaki. Many thanks to Michael Dodd and the ACS Austin Lawyer Chapter for bringing this special event to UPC!
THRIVING IN MINISTRY Training
February 16, 2020, noon - 4:00 p.m., UPC Great Hall

The Thriving in Ministry program at from the Center of Ministry at Millsaps College is for young clergywomen who are currently serving in or have aspirations of serving in Senior Pastor/Head of Staff roles in their respective denominations. Pastor Krystal is a member of the inaugural Thriving in Ministry cohort. You can meet her cohort members here.
We are excited to offer a congregational training event Sunday, February 16, in the Great Hall following worship. Led by the Reverend Elizabeth Henry, director of the Thriving In Ministry program, the training will equip laypeople and clergy to create cultures of thriving within their ministry contexts. Reverend Henry will share current research about clergy well-being, help us understand what characterizes flourishing ministry, and how clergy well-being correlates to the health of our congregation. We'll also work in small groups on strategic plans to apply this new information in our own ministry contexts to promote vibrant, sustainable ministry.
If you plan to participate in the training, we need to know so lunch can be planned. Please email Pastor Krystal at ukirk@upcaustin.org by this Friday.
Christian Formation:
GENDER JUSTICE SERIES BEGINS FEBRUARY 23
The UPC Christian Formation Committee is excited to host a new spring adult education series called “Gender Justice.” Beginning on February 23, this six-week series features an incredible line up of speakers who will guide us in exploring a range of topics related to gender in the church and our culture. Throughout the series, we will explore issues related to dismantling patriarchal systems of sexism and gender discrimination, feminist biblical interpretation and theology, Womanist and Latina theology, toxic masculinity, and more. All adults and youth are welcome to this class series.

All classes will be held the UPC Great Hall from 9:30 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. on Sunday mornings. Refreshments will be provided. Members of the Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary community are also invited to attend.

For questions about the Gender Justice Series, please contact the Reverend. John Leedy at associate@upcaustin.org.
GENDER JUSTICE TOPICS AND SPEAKERS

February 23: Orientation & Seeing the Patriarchy
the Reverend Dr. Cindy Rigby & the Reverend Krystal Leedy

March 1: Biblical Interpretation
the Reverend Bridgett Green

March 8: Theology – Feminist, Womanist, Latina
Dr. Jennifer Owens-Jofré

March 15: Toxic Masculinity, Microaggressions, & A New Vision
the Reverend Dr. Phil Helsel

March 29: Gender Justice in the Church
The Reverend Dr. Karoline Lewis

April 5: Conclusions & Where Do We Go From Here?
the Reverend Dr. Cindy Rigby & the Reverend Krystal Leedy
SPECIAL EVENT!
AN EVENING WITH THE REVEREND KAROLINE LEWIS

Saturday, March 28, 7:00 p.m.
UPC Great Hall
The Christian Formation Committee of University Presbyterian Church is thrilled to welcome the Rev. Dr. Karoline Lewis for a Gender Justice Special Event on Saturday evening, March 28 from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm in the UPC Great Hall. This event is open to everyone in the UPC and Austin Seminary communities, as well as local area pastors, church staff, and elders. This is a free event with dessert provided. We ask that you RSVP by Sunday, March 22 so we know how many to plan for. 
The Reverend Dr. Karoline M. Lewis is the Marbury E. Anderson Chair in Biblical Preaching at Luther Seminary and she previously taught at Candler School of Theology, Columbia Theological Seminary, and Augsburg College. Lewis is the author of SHE: Five Keys to Unlock the Power of Women in Ministry (including an accompanying facilitator guide, participant guide, and DVD) and John: Fortress Biblical Preaching Commentaries , as well as numerous articles for The Christian Century, Feasting on the Word, Feasting on the Gospels, Currents in Theology and Mission, Lutheran Forum, Word & World, Abingdon Preaching Annual, and Odyssey Network’s ON Scripture .
She was one of the 100 religious scholars in the United States to contribute to the Values and Voices Campaign . Ordained in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, Lewis holds degrees from Northwestern University (B.A.), Luther Seminary (M.Div.), and Emory University (Ph.D., New Testament Studies and Homiletics). She has served as Treasurer of Academy of Homiletics and Regional Coordinator for the Upper Midwest Region of the Society of Biblical Literature.

Lewis is a regular preacher/presenter at the Festival of Homiletics and leads conferences, workshops, and retreats internationally on the Gospel of John, the New Testament, interpreting the Bible, preaching, leadership, and women in ministry. She is a contributing writer for Working Preacher , author of the site’s Dear Working Preacher column, and co-host of the site’s weekly podcast, Sermon Brainwave . Visit karolinelewis.com for resources on preaching and being a woman in ministry.
Join us for our annual All Church Retreat at Mo-Ranch the weekend of April 17-19, 2020! This special event is always one of the highlights of the year and is filled with opportunities to worship, rest, play, connect with friends new and old, grow in our relationship with God and with members of all ages, and enjoy God's creation in the beautiful Texas Hill Country.

Stop by the table in the central courtyard following worship on Sundays February 9, 16, 23 and March 1. Registration is on a first come basis and spots tend to fill up fast! Your spot is reserved once we have both the registration form and payment.

To inquire about financial assistance or for questions about the All Church Retreat, please contact Pastor John at associate@upcaustin.org. Our guest speaker this year will be the Reverend Julie Emery. Looking forward to a great retreat this year! Hope to see you there!
ABOUT OUR RETREAT SPEAKER

The Reverend Julie Emery has been serving as the minister/head of staff of another Westminster: Westminster Presbyterian Church in West Hartford, CT, since October 2014. Before her call to Connecticut, the land of “steady habits”, Reverend Emery served churches in New Hampshire and New York. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Religion from the University of Michigan and her Master of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary in 2004. Between her undergraduate work and heading to seminary, Julie worked at the Domestic Violence Project (SAFE House) in Ann Arbor, Mi and spent a year as a PC(USA) Young Adult Volunteer serving in Juneau, Alaska.

Julie currently serves as the co-moderator of Roundtable, the governing board of the Presbytery of Southern New England, and has served as co-chair of the Committee on Representation for the last two years. She served as a commissioner to General Assembly in 2018 in St. Louis, and recently presented at NEXT Church on the value of Intergenerational Christian Education. She was recently accepted as one of a cohort of twenty into the Pastoral Innovation Network of New England. 

Julie and her husband, Jason have two boys, Aiden (13), and Chase (11), a black Labrador retriever named Juneau and two crazy kittens, Ben and Tate. A proud “hockey mom,” she can be found throughout the fall and winter at various Connecticut ice rinks watching her boys play. Julie’s heart for justice, creative worship, authentic faithful expression all help feed and fuel her ministry.
The inaugural Texas Interfaith Advocacy Conference will bring Texans of faith together for three days of advocacy and legislative training on February 16-18, 2020. UPC will host the first two days.

Speakers and sessions will cover immigration, health equity, and climate – with an opportunity for participants to meet with their state elected officials.


Want more information? Download the flyer here.
CELEBRATIONS & CONCERNS
Please pray for

the family of Elizabeth Jepson, who died unexpectedly at her home in Wichita, Kansas on Friday, January 31, 2020. Bryan Jepson is Elizabeth's husband; Linda and George Henderson are her parents.

A service in witness to the resurrection will be held Saturday, March 7, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. in the UPC sanctuary, with a reception to follow in Fellowship Hall.
To request prayers for yourself or a loved one, email   upc@upcaustin.org .
To have a deacon pray with you, look for the  Deacon of the Day  on the pulpit side front of the sanctuary any Sunday following the postlude.
Celebrations and Concerns of the congregation are published weekly and include prayers and people to pray for. Download Celebrations & Concerns for Sunday, February 2, 2020, or pick up a copy in the narthex or outside the library.
UPC's Prayer Chain is a group of faithful prayer warriors who commit to praying for people throughout the week. If you'd like to be part of the Prayer Chain, click the button below. You will receive periodic emails (no more than one per day), with specific requests from members to pray. Thank you for your faithfulness in prayer.