Sunday, April 10
Preacher: Rev. Taylor Fuerst
Scripture: Luke 19:28-40; Philippians 2:5-11
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9:00 and 11:00 a.m. | Sanctuary
Worship is livestreamed at 11:00 a.m. each Sunday and is available online through our Zoom worship time, YouTube Channel, and Facebook page. Our Interactive Worship on Zoom includes opportunities to connect with one another, share prayer concerns, and view our video worship service together.
At this time, FUMC Austin requires masks in worship through Easter on Sunday, April 17. For more information about masking after Easter, visit our website at www.fumcaustin.org.
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Capitol 10,000 Race Day
The CAP10K race is this Sunday, April 10. Fortunately, the CAP10K does not use any of the streets adjacent to the church and parking will be as usual on Sunday. However, because we are inside the loop of the race, please be aware of limited access to Lavaca Street. Enfield / 15th Street and Cesar Chavez are on the race route and not accessible from Mopac. The race begins at 8:00 a.m. and, by 10:00 a.m., many streets will have reopened. Look for an update later this week with more details about alternative routes from your home to church for Palm Sunday.
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Maundy Thursday
Thursday, April 14
7:30 p.m.
Sanctuary & Livestream
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Good Friday
Friday, April 15
7:30 p.m.
Sanctuary & Livestream
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Easter Sunday
Sunday, April 17
8:00 a.m. and 9:30 a.m.
Sanctuary
11:00 a.m.
Sanctuary & Livestream
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During Holy Week, FUMC Austin will worship throughout the week, remembering Jesus' journey to the cross and celebrating Christ's final victory over death. For more details about our Holy Week worship services, visit the website (link below). |
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Connect for Tweens
Friday, April 8, 6:00-9:00 p.m.
Family Life Center
All 5th, 6th, and 7th graders are invited to Connect, a program just for tweens! We cook dinner together, play games, and talk about pre-teen life. A chance for youth to have some fun and parents to have a Friday night off, Connect bridges First UMC’s children and youth ministries through building relationships, serving, and helping youth connect with one another and with God during the transitional pre-teen years. For more information contact Director of Youth Ministries Devon Bailey.
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BOPA Recycling Event
Saturday, April 9,
8:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Violet Crown City Church
The Green Team, FUMC Austin’s environmental justice action group, invites you to clear your garage and responsibly recycle items that are hard to dispose of at the district-wide BOPA (Batteries, Oil, Paint, Antifreeze) recycling event hosted by the Rio Texas MFSA in the parking lot at 1300 Morrow Street. Bring any kind of batteries and/or oil, paint (latex, water-based, or acrylic only), and antifreeze in closed containers. No aerosols, please! Just drive up, give your zip code (requested by the city), and volunteers will unload your vehicle. The items will be taken to the city’s hazardous waste recycling depot. This is open to anyone living in the City of Austin, and it is FREE. Spread the word among your friends, neighbors, and co-workers.
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Palm Sunday Party
Sunday, April 10, 9:45-10:45 a.m.
FLC Great Hall
Celebrate Palm Sunday with this special party for the whole family. Instead of children’s Sunday School, parents and children will gather to enjoy crafts, games, service projects, and fellowship as we remember Jesus’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem and prepare for Holy Week.
Come for fun activities like palm branch relays, egg rolling races, themed crafts, Easter egg stuffing for Mobile Loaves & Fishes, and other mission invitations. Stay for the Palm Parade into the 11:00 a.m. worship service in the Sanctuary.
Coffee, juice, and breakfast snacks will be served. There will be no Sunday School for children and youth and no childcare during this hour so that families can enjoy the party together. For more information, email children@fumcaustin.org.
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Atonement, Salvation, and the Kingdom of God
Sunday, April 10, 12:15-1:45 p.m.
FLC Great Hall
Join Dr. Brad King for a lunch and learn discussion about what exactly Jesus' saving work accomplished. We will consider Christ's life, death, and teachings as well as a host of other evidences and ideas from Christ's lifetime and the history of Christianity to dig into this vital topic. In addition to some lecture, this event will include table discussions about our beliefs, experiences, and expectations about salvation and atonement. Sandwiches and salads, with a vegetarian option, will be available for $10 for participants who register. Last chance to order is today, April 7.
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Holy Week Reset and Prep
Sunday, April 10, 12:00 p.m.
Sanctuary
At Easter, an extraordinary number of guests, friends, and extended family join FUMC for worship. As an act of hospitality, help us prepare the Sanctuary for Holy Week by staying after the service to tidy the pews and refill any resources. Give thirty minutes to this work and make the space welcoming for Easter. Contact Rachel Wright to let her know that you are available.
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Butterfly Helpers Needed During Holy Week
During Holy Week, the church needs helpers to assist with our beautiful butterfly display, which, once again, will transform our Lenten prayers into a colorful sign of resurrection on Easter morning. Help glue the butterfly displays by signing up during open times. This can be a meditative individual project or a great group project with the opportunity for conversation as you glue our paper prayer butterflies!
Instructions and supplies will be available in the Library. Please note that you can come and go as needed during those times. Every little bit helps, so even stopping by for 30 minutes will make a difference! If you'd like to come that is not listed, just let us know! We also need a team of people to help us Friday night to install the butterflies after worship. For more information, contact Pastor Cathy Stone.
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TOAST Happy Hour
Sunday, April 10, 4:30 p.m.
Scholtz Garden, 1607 San Jacinto
While our dinner FEAST events delve into the more difficult aspects of our faith lives, our happy hours are a chance for us to TOAST and celebrate one another.
For more information about this any other FEAST events for young adults (ages 25-45), contact Pastor Brad King.
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New Prodigals Study Begins
Monday, April 11, 6:30-8:00 p.m.
Zoom
The Curtis Higgs Prodigals Study Group is beginning a study of The Civil War as a Theological Crisis by Mark Noll. Viewing the Civil War as a major turning point in American religious thought, the author examines writings about slavery and race from Americans both white and black, northern and southern, and includes commentary from Protestants and Catholics in Europe and Canada. Men of all ages who enjoy book studies and discussion based on Scripture are welcome to join. For more info, email Randy Teich or call 512-426-7769.
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Easter Lily Sale Ends Soon
UMC members and friends are invited to place lilies on Easter Sunday. The cost is $13 per plant. You may order lilies online, by turning in the form in the bulletin, or by contacting Tami Kellberg. Order deadline is Monday, April 11.
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FEAST: The Holy Stranger
Sunday, April 24, 7:30-9:00 p.m.
FLC Garrison Chapel
Join Pastor Brad King and the FEAST community (aged roughly 20–45) for our monthly FEAST gathering. Modeled on one of the earliest forms of Christian gathering, we meet once a month to share a meal and talk about the complexities of what it means to follow Jesus in today's world. This month, we're examining the history of holy strangers in Christian culture and tradition. Jesus himself was a stranger, a refugee, and an outcast at various points in his life, and he called us to love and welcome the other, wherever we might encounter them. Register by Friday, April 22, and join us for this important (and interesting) discussion.
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Archivers Work Day
Saturday, April 30
10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
SAN Room 210
Bring your curiosity, stories, and cell phone to this FUMC Archivers work day. Help sort, identify, catalogue, and digitize the holdings in the church archives. By preserving these artifacts together, we get to care for, hold, and share the whole story of this community of faith, which has been bolder than the state of Texas since 1840. For more information, contact Amy Wink.
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Love in Action Preteen Retreat
Friday, April 29-Saturday, April 30
Family Life Center
Drop Off: 6:30 p.m. Pick Up: 2:00 p.m.
Cost: $40
Calling all 4th-6th graders! Come reflect on and live out words from Micah 6:8, “...to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.” Spend the night at church having dinner together, participating in small groups, playing games, and preparing to serve and love our neighbors on Saturday morning. Drop-off and Pick-up are both at the Family Life Center. Register by April 22. Questions? Contact Lara Greene.
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Worship 101
Sunday, May 1, 10:00-10:45 a.m.
Sanctuary
Have you ever wondered why we do certain things in worship? Join us for an interactive workshop to experience the different aspects of the service and to learn how everything works together from beginning to end! All ages are welcome! For more information, contact Amy Wink.
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Environmental Justice
Sunday, May 1, 4:30-6:00 p.m.
FLC Garrison/Zoom
We are committed to joining God in the work of justice as we learn, name, and work to eradicate injustice in our church, community, and world. This monthly gathering is an opportunity to discuss and learn more about racial oppression, issues of whiteness and racism, immigration, and other topics through videos, podcasts and short articles. In honor of Earth Day, our topic will be environmental justice. Zoom link will be sent with registration. Contact Pastor Cathy Stone with questions.
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Get Fired Up! Register for Vacation Bible School Now
VBS: July 25-28, 9:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Join Sparky and the Knights of North Castle for this summer's Vacation Bible School (VBS). Kids, parents, and volunteers, we are excited to finally be questing for the King's armor in person. FUMC Austin is calling all children who have turned four by July 15 (and are potty trained) through those who have completed fifth grade to get ready for fun and adventure as we learn what it means to put on the armor of God.
Children completing fourth and fifth grade will be part of our VBS Service Squad. Don't let this "drag-on." Sign up now to get the early bird price of $30 per child. And, remember, it takes a village to build this castle! Volunteer today to help make VBS a fun-filled, in-person chance for our brave knights (who have been particularly brave throughout the pandemic) to learn and grow in their knowledge of God's love. Visit the FUMC website to register and volunteer. Questions? Contact children@fumcaustin.org.
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We're Hiring Childcare Staff
FUMC is hiring new Childcare staff to work 4 hours per week, 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. on Sundays. Opportunities to earn extra hours may be offered on occasion. Email Jen Seibel with any questions and/or to apply.
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Dear Church,
New Life. This is the promise asylum seekers cling to as they first navigate foreign terrain and later foreign languages, laws, and systems of power on the journey to legal status in the United States. "No one leaves home/unless home is the mouth of a shark," writes British Somali poet Warsan Shire in the opening line of her poem "Home." Her words describe the stark reality— the risk of death that asylum seekers take just for the slim chance at new life, a risk outweighed only by the risk of staying home.
Still, in the U.S. the burden of proof lies with asylum seekers to demonstrate evidence of that threat. Without legal representation, only 1 in 10 will get the protection they seek. Those with legal counsel are three times more likely to win the right to remain in the US, while thousands of credible asylum seekers are returned to their home countries every year.
New Life. This is also the Easter promise, the gift at the very heart of God's work of redeeming love in Jesus' death and resurrection.
This year, we cling to that promise with anxiety and hope as this faith community walks beside an asylum seeker, who is also in the legal care of our partners at Austin Region Justice for Our Neighbors (ARJFON). ARJFON welcomes refugees and immigrants by providing free, high-quality legal services, education, and advocacy. They focus on asylum and unaccompanied minor cases, some of the most critical and complicated in immigration law.
Last year, ARJFON represented 160 clients and their families in their pursuit of justice and did this with only one staff attorney. ARJFON’s goal is to hire a second attorney as soon as possible.
Our Easter Offering could help finally achieve that goal. With additional gifts totaling $20,000, ARJFON will be able to double the legal team and multiply the organization's impact by helping more vulnerable immigrants, like the asylum seeker in our community, find a permanent home in the US and, with that, a safe, stable future. Our city and this community of faith are made richer by those that ARJFON serves. At Easter, we come face to face with the risen Christ. Let us meet that outpouring of love with this act of generosity so that others may also find new life.
Your gifts, marked “Easter Offering,” may be brought to worship, mailed or brought to the church office, or made online by selecting “Easter & Christmas” from the drop-down menu on the giving page of the website.
With Easter Hope,
Pastor Taylor
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Submit a prayer request online.
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Within Our Congregation
Janie Basham, Carol Brady, the Drazic family, Kathleen Jones, Sallie Novinger, Ben Patterson, Andrew Pyle, Mary Faye Randolph, Laura Velez, and Dan Wood.
Beyond Our Congregation
Jo Rene Altenberg, sister of Fay Brown; Nate Barnes, cousin of Teresa Baker; Carly Faulkner and Colton Reeves, friends of Cindy Reidland; Bonnie Fuerst, mother of Brad Fuerst; Jill Gentry, cousin of Ken and Susan Hensley; JQ Goetz and Texey, friends of Ben Patterson; Andy Jackson, father of Jeff Jackson; Glenn and Debbie Johnson, friends of Judy Kostura and Randy Teich; Betty Henson, aunt of Amy Monkman; Glen Holt, brother of Robbie Ausley; Johnnie Houston, mother of Marcia Houston; Tory Livingston, wife of Dori Livingston; Anya Lucas, Grace, and Lauren, friends of Judy Kostura; Elissa Marek, friend of Curt Ashmos; Betty McBride, mother-in-law of Alan Stephens; Sandra Mills, mother of Kelly Mills and grandmother of Haley Mills; Martha Rees, friend of Tom Ward; Jordan Roehl, daughter of Janet Roehl; Stacy Shaw, daughter-in-law of Debbie Shaw; Heidi Sloan, daughter of Sally Keeler; Esther Srifuengfung, friend of Tom Ward; Lauren Stafford, niece of Cheryl Bias; Tonya Basler Stout, sister of Grady Basler; and Dr. Robert Wootton, friend of George Gaston.
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Contact Us
First United Methodist Church
1201 Lavaca St. Austin, TX 78701
(512) 478-5684
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