September 11, 2017

Twenty-fourth Sunday
in Ordinary Time
September 17, 2017

Worship 11:00 a.m.

John Leedy continues the sermon series

Sermon text: Exodus 12:1-14

Evening Worship 7:00 p.m.
UPC Fellowship Hall
Music This Sunday
The Chancel Choir sings words from Psalm 25 set to music by the 16 th Century English composer, Richard Farrant: “Call to Remembrance.”

Laudate Children's Choir
meets Sunday in Room 210 at 9:15 a.m. All school-age children through 7th grade are welcome to join Children's Choir Director Austin Bradley for rehearsal. Then, the Laudate Choir heads over to the Youth Room at 10:00 a.m. for The BIG Hello. Children's small groups meet at 10:15 a.m. Come Shine Your Light this Sunday!
Join us in the Youth Room this Sunday at 9:30 a.m. as we finish up our "Sweaty Sundays" Gifts of the Heart Kits for Hurricane Harvey recovery efforts. This Sunday, we especially need
  • Dry laundry detergent, 50-78 oz.
  • Liquid concentrated household cleaner, 12 oz.
  • 24-28 ct. roll heavy-duty trash bags, 30-40 ct.
  • Bottled insect repellant, 6-9 oz.
  • Wide-tooth comb
  • Nail clipper
  • Adhesive bandage strips
UKirk Dinner, Evening Worship
All college students are invited to share a meal each Sunday during the academic year. Join us in the UPC Fellowship Hall at 6:00 p.m. this Sunday. Following the meal, you are invited to evening worship at 7:00 p.m. See you Sunday!
Taizé Musicians Needed
During the academic year, UPC offers a contemplative Taizé service on the last Sunday evening of each month (excepting December), where all are welcome. This service consists primarily of scripture, song, and prayer, and the music is led and accompanied by cantors and instrumentalists.

The music is simple, melodic, and repetitive—if you can sing the melody line of a hymn, you can lead Taizé music! And all kinds of instruments are welcome.
I invite you to consider contributing your talent, as a singer and/or instrumentalist, even if only occasionally, or just once to give it a try.
Or if you meet a new member or student with musical interests, please tell them about this wonderful opportunity.Let me know if you are interested or have questions, and please come to this month’s Taizé service on Sunday, September 24 at 7:00 p.m., to see what it's all about!

Kim Vitray
cell 512-658-8587
PDA leaders join Mission Presbytery to assess Harvey damage
Churches reach out to community in need despite losses
By Rick Jones | Presbyterian News Service
CORPUS CHRISTI – It’s a sunny day, and a light breeze blows across Port Aransas, Texas, a small island near Corpus Christi. It’s a stark difference to the weather two week ago when Hurricane Harvey crashed into the community.

On Thursday, leaders of Presbyterian Disaster Assistance and Mission Presbytery got their first look at Harvey’s wrath. Streets are still littered with debris from the powerful storm. Some homeowners have been able to clear out old carpeting, furniture and appliances. The roofs have been ripped off several businesses, power lines are down, and tangled metal that used to be an awning or a fence now litter fields and streets.

At the Community Presbyterian Church pastored by the Rev. Steve Shullanberger, volunteers have already ripped up water-soaked carpeting while dirt and mold cover the floors, walls and ceilings. The sanctuary, classrooms and fellowship center are unusable. A multi-faith food pantry at the church is in ruins.

“A huge, metal container landed between our church building and two palm trees, just inches from the building,” said Shullanberger. “I don’t know how that could have happened without causing more damage.”

On the back of the property, a fishing boat sits in the middle of the church yard, and downed power line are draped across the church parking lot. There is no electricity, and debris and a damp stench fill the sanctuary, office and education facility.


Hurricane Harvey aftermath in Port Aransas, Texas. (Photo by Rick Jones)
Ways to Give to PDA Disaster Relief
Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) continues to be in touch with presbytery leadership in New Covenant, Mission, and South Louisiana Presbyteries.

PDA has been in touch with the leadership of the Synod of Boriquen (Puerto Rico) and the Presbyteries of San Juan, Noroeste (Northwest) and Suroeste (Southwest) to share contact information and grant information. PDA is also in touch with the Florida Presbyterian Disaster Assistance Network (FLAPDAN), which is a mutually agreed upon partnership between six presbyteries in Florida. This is a unique platform in which PDA can relate to all six presbyteries at once for disaster situational awareness.
 
Please designate gifts to DR000169-Harvey. You can give online  HERE. Giving information (where to send checks, how to give via phone, etc.) can be found  HERE. 

Gifts for Irma disaster relief can be designated to DR000194-Irma.

To send a check, please designate where you want your gift to go on the memo line and mail to:
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
P.O. Box 643700
Pittsburgh, PA 15264-3700
Sunday, September 24, Let's Overflow the Cart!
Each Sunday during our offering time, UPC Youth bring around a shopping cart for in-kind donations to the UPC UPLift financial assistance program and the Micah 6 food pantry.

September 24 will be a special celebration and dedication of these ministries, and we want everyone to participate. When you're shopping this week and next, pick up a few items from the lists below and let's fill the shopping cart to overflowing on September 24. Thanks!
UPLift List
  • Snack or breakfast bars
  • Toothbrush
  • Toothpaste (regular size)
  • Dental floss
  • Bar of soap (regular size)
  • Feminine products
  • Razors
  • Deodorant
  • Travel-sized toiletries
  • 10-lb. box of regular oatmeal
  • Brown sugar
  • Raisins
  • Cinnamon
  • Salt
  • Peanut butter (not organic)
  • Jelly or preserves
  • Sugar 4-lb.
  • Bags of dried beans
  • Cans of diced tomatoes
  • Cans of Rotel tomatoes
  • Cans of tomato paste
  • Oregano
Micah 6 Food Pantry List
  • Items with intact, unopened consumer or commercial packaging
  • Items with non-breakable packaging (no glass, please)
  • Food within the expiration date food from your community or backyard garden
  • Healthy, non-perishable food
Most needed:
  • Canned meats like SPAM, tuna, stew and chili (pop-tops preferred)
  • Canned vegetables
  • Pasta and pasta sauce
  • Beans
  • Healthy cereals
  • Peanut butter
  • UHT packaged milk and juice that requires no refrigeration—(Ultra High Temperature, or long shelf storage packing
New IHN Volunteer Coordinator Opportunity Beginning January 2018
UPC's Service Committee is looking for someone who will take on the coordinating duties of the IHN Volunteer Coordinator. Please consider this opportunity! The IHN program is the only program in Austin that serves FAMILIES in need of temporary housing. The IHN (or Family Promise) program falls under the umbrella of the Foundation for the Homeless. The FFH also rents three houses, and many of the families in the program are able to stay in these houses. However, some families do not have the resources or capabilities to stay in the houses, and need (for various reasons) to be housed in participating churches, instead. For those families, University United Methodist Church and UPC partner together to provide housing, meals, and companionship. FFH provides transportation and caseworkers.

The IHN Volunteer Coordinator duties are

  1. Four times a year, UPC partners for one week with University United Methodist Church to co-host families who have been admitted into the Interfaith Hospitality Network.
  2. The coordinator sends an email to recruit volunteers for the next IHN co-hosting. (usually about 3 weeks ahead of time) Jenny Whitten has a detailed list of volunteers, their emails, and their phone numbers, along with the schedule UPC has followed in the past.
  3. The coordinator schedules volunteers to fill the shifts.
  4. The coordinator sends out a final schedule a week ahead of the hosting, with a list of volunteers and their phone numbers.
  5. The coordinator checks with the coordinators at UUMC periodically during the week, and is available to the volunteers for trouble-shooting (along with the UUMC coordinators, and the FFH liaison.) The coordinator secures a seasoned volunteer to work with any first-time volunteer, if possible.
  6. After the hosting, the coordinator thanks the volunteers, reminding them of the next co-hosting date!
Thirty-three folks in the UPC congregation regularly volunteer to help with the Interfaith Hospitality Network! Coordinating the volunteers for IHN brings challenges and joy!
Take the challenge!!! You will not regret serving with these wonderful volunteers and making a difference to families in need!!
The Heart of a Servant :
IHN Austin
Foundation for the Homeless IHN is a shelter program based on a national model (Family Promise) that provides emergency shelter for children and their families experiencing homelessness. Host churches, synagogues and support congregations work in collaboration to provide year round shelter, meals, and a caring supportive environment.

We serve families that are experiencing the trauma of homelessness. This service is both an honor and an opportunity to use our time,treasure, and talent to help families move from homelessness into safe, and stable housing. By volunteering we play a vital role that opens doors to change lives for the better. Congregations typically serve three families at a time for one or two weeks, with housing, food and companionship. The number of families in congregations can change rapidly as we all work to assist the transition from homelessness into housing. These are opportunities for celebration but can result in fewer families for volunteers to serve. We look forward to rolling-up our sleeves with you and working together as we guide families home. In everything we do the most imprint role is that of family and children, those that we serve with our mission.

For more information, visit Foundation for the Homeless
Save the Date!
Sunday, October 8
Stewardship Kickoff Potluck
The UPC 2018 Stewardship season kicks off October 8 with a potluck after worship. Sign UP in the courtyard after worship beginning this Sunday, September 17, to let the Stewardship Committee know what you'll be bringing to share.

Look for Suzanne Freeman after worship September 17, 24 and October 1.
Tuesday Evening Bible Study First Class Postponed
The first Tuesday Evening Bible Study on the Parables has been postponed to Tuesday September 26.

The class meets at 7:00 p.m. in Fellowship Hall. My apologies, I will be out of town September 19. See you then.
Jonathan Eddison
512-988-0333
"Anchored in Hope"
Faith & Life Class
  Hebrews 6:19:  We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.

This week, the Faith & Life Class will look at our faith community’s response to Hurricane Harvey. As Christ's followers, we are called to action. It is one way we show our love for Christ, bring hope, and display God's faithful love to those around us. 
We’ve invited a representative from Presbyterian Disaster Assistance to speak to us about what they are doing, and how we can be involved in this disaster recovery ministry.

The Faith & Life class meets in Room 201, upper level. Join us at 9:15 for coffee & conversation, 9:30 for class.
Hope to see you Sunday!
New Adult Christian Formation Class
This fall UPC will offer a new Adult Christian Education course-- The Way -- which is what some early Christians called Christianity before it became Christianity. The class will meet every Sunday from September 3 to December 10, and from January 14 to May 27, 2018. Classes will be held in Fellowship Hall and run from 9:30 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. Jonathan Eddison will lead the class.

Please join us as Kellie Martini leads us in our second discussion of a three part series on Growth Mind Set vs. Fixed Mind Set . Carol Dweck, author of Mindset: The New Psychology of Success and professor at Stanford University, has researched “growth mindset” - the idea that we can grow our brain's capacity to learn and to solve problems. This is a huge concept for parents to think about for their children, but also as adults…are our brains “fixed” or do we have the mindset for “growth”? The below links give you a quick peek into Carol Dweck’s research and results.
 
 
 
Kellie will be providing suggestions to us on how we can promote a growth mind set in our children….and ourselves. Come with your questions and comments. We look forward to seeing you!
-Stephanie Morris, Parenting & Faith Coordinator
Sundays in the Mosaic Studio
There’s lots of work to be done in the mosaic studio. Please sign up to work any Sunday in September, from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Let’s see how far we can get before October comes around!
Or, call her at 512-970-9121.
Please pray for

The family of Sharon Switz, who died Sunday, September 3, after a long illness. Gary Mueller is Sharon's cousin.

The family of Jane Cloan Stevens, who died Saturday, September 2, after a long battle with cancer. Carol Keller is Jane's sister-in-law.

To request prayers for yourself or a loved one, email  [email protected].
To pray for those on our prayer list, download the Celebrations and Concerns folder for September 10, 2017, or pick up a copy in the narthex or outside the church office.
If you'd like to be part of UPC's Prayer Chain, please  email the church office. You will receive emails asking that you pray specifically for people who have requested to be on the prayer list.
Contact
University Presbyterian Church
2203 San Antonio Street
Austin, Texas 78705
512-476-5321

    Rooted in worship

  Growing through education & service

    Connecting to campus & community