Sunday, April 3
Preacher: Rev. Taylor Fuerst
Scripture: 1 John 4:13-19
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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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Your Generosity Extended
Last week was a difficult one in the life of this community of faith, but it was made easier by everyone who served as an usher or greeter, brought food for the two funeral receptions FUMC held, and found many other small ways to make guests welcome and comfortable even in grief. Thank you. Your generosity touched all who gathered here this weekend and it continues to extend well beyond our walls as well. The food from this weekend also provided guests at the Feed My People Breakfast with additional snacks our unhoused neighbors could take with them. FUMC staff delivered extras to 10 sober homes in the city, and finally we enjoyed lunch together during this week's staff meeting. Your hospitality nourished so many, including the spirits of your staff who have had carried a heavy burden during this week. Thank you!
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The Hymns We Sing
Sunday, April 3, 12:15-1:00 p.m.
Sanctuary
Hymns have been with us since the earliest days of the Christian faith. In fact, some might say that the Psalter is the hymnbook of the Hebrew people. In the 18th century, Charles Wesley, an Anglican priest and founder of Methodist Societies, set all Methodists on a course of vigorous and passionate hymn singing. We are one of the many heirs of his tradition. Join Director of Music Scott Davis and the retired Reverend Kathleen Jones to celebrate and examine these hymns, both theologically and musically. In the words printed in the front of The United Methodist Hymnal by Charles' brother John, "Sing spiritually. Have an eye to God in every word you sing."
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Social Justice Conversations
Sunday, April 3, 4:30–6:00 p.m.
FLC Garrison Chapel and Zoom
You are invited to a conversation with Just Texas, a project of the Texas Freedom Network, which organizes people of faith to shape public policy around reproductive health issues. This information session will cover the history of the Texas Freedom Network and Just Texas; the frameworks that make up reproductive freedom: reproductive health, reproductive rights, and reproductive justice; and what it means to be a Reproductive Freedom Congregation. Contact Pastor Cathy Stone for more information.
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Young Adult Lunch
Sunday, April 3, 12:15 p.m.
All young adults and young professionals (mid-20s to mid-40s) are welcome to join Pastor Brad King and the FEAST community for this monthly event. Meet in front of the Sanctuary after 11:00 a.m. worship! Whether you are new to the church or just looking into how to get plugged in, this is a great opportunity to meet others. For more information about this event or to be added to the FEAST newsletter, contact Pastor Brad King.
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Music Under the Dome:
Free Lunchtime Concerts
Wednesdays, Now-April 6
12:00-12:30 p.m.
Sanctuary
Enjoy free admission to these 30-minute concerts, presented by First Church musicians and friends. April 6 features Linda VanHorne, Contralto, and Scott Davis, Organ/Piano. A boxed lunch will be available by reservation for $10 and can be enjoyed in the FLC Great Hall or taken to go. Lunch reservations can be made by contacting Director of Events Ken Spivey by 12:00 noon on Monday, April 4. (Deadline for requesting a boxed lunch is Monday at noon each week.) Free parking is available in the Texas Trial Lawyers' garage (third floor and above), which can be entered on 13th Street via Lavaca or Guadalupe Streets.
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Caregiver Support Group
Wednesday, April 6, 8:00-9:00 p.m.
Zoom
Caring for a loved one in their season of need is a sacred trust and holy work. At the same time, it can be isolating and exhausting—no matter how much we love the recipient. Often, caregivers need a brief time away to renew their spirits, to just be themselves, and to connect with others in similar circumstances to receive support and encouragement. Pastor Cathy Stone and member Judy Breckbill are the hosts for this time that is open to those currently caring for a loved one or were recently in this role, whether in-home or miles apart. Email Judy Breckbill with questions and for the Zoom link.
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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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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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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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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 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 during the 11:00 a.m. Sanctuary service.
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Easter Lily Sale
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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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 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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TOAST Happy Hour
Sunday, April 10, 4:30 p.m.
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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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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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 grades 3-5 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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On Sunday, March 27, FUMC Austin received several new members into our community of faith. Please welcome Patrick, Sherri, Jason, and Jim as you see them.
If you are interested in membership, contact Assistant to the Pastors Amy Wink about attending First Steps, our orientation to Methodist beliefs and the ministries of FUMC. Our next First Steps class is on Sunday, May 22 from 12:00 noon-2:00p.m.
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Patrick and Sherri Ancipink |
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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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Did you know that the burden of proof for asylum seekers in the U.S. lies with them to show that they need protection? Without legal representation, only 1 in 10 win asylum. Those with legal counsel are three times more likely to win. Still thousands of credible asylum seekers are returned to their home countries every year.
FUMC currently walks with an asylum seeker, who is 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 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 gifts could help achieve that goal. With an offering of $20,000, ARJFON will be able to double its legal team and multiply its impact by helping more vulnerable immigrants and their families achieve a safe, stable future. This faith community is made richer by those that ARJFON serves. This Easter, let’s be generous so that others may also find new life.
Your gifts, marked “Easter Offering,” may be put in the offering plate during worship, mailed to or brought by the church office, or made online by using the button below and selecting “Easter Offering” from the drop-down menu.
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UPCOMING MEMORIAL SERVICES |
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A memorial service will be held for Mack Adams on Saturday, April 2, at 2:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary. |
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Submit a prayer request online.
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Within Our Congregation
Carol Brady, Kathleen Jones, Sallie Novinger, Andrew Pyle, Mary Faye Randolph, Laura Velez, Ben Patterson, and Dan Wood.
Condolences to Cody Kyle on the death of his grandfather, Bud Kyle.
Beyond Our Congregation
Jo Rene Altenberg, sister of Fay Brown; Norman Bach, grandpa of Ashton Brooks; Nate Barnes, cousin of Teresa Bakey; Cathy Ellison, friend of Debbie Rippetoe; 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; 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; Josh Nave, cousin of Rick Russell; 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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