Sunday, October 25
Commitment Sunday
Preacher: Rev. Taylor Fuerst
Scripture: John 21:1-19
Sermon: “Restore”
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On Commitment Sunday, you will have the opportunity to turn in your Generosity Commitment Card at the church in a special way to express your intent and affirm your desire to honor God with your financial generosity (check out the video below). Sharing with the church your prayerful decision to be generous makes it possible for us to confidently make and implement bold plans for effective ministry. You may also submit your pledge online at fumcaustin.org/pledge.
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Commitment Sunday Stations
Sunday, October 25
15-Minute Time Slots, 8:30-10:00 a.m. and 1:00-5:30 p.m
Join us at the church to prayerfully offer your 2021 financial commitment to FUMC.
When you arrive, you will be guided through a series of stations lifting up each of the commitments we are called to make as the Church:
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Prayers | Exercise your commitment to pray for the church and our ministry by tying a cloth prayer strip to prayer lines that will hang between the columns on our front porch.
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Presence | Place your name on the pew in the Sanctuary where you usually sit in worship—or where you look forward to sitting again—as a symbol of your commitment to be regularly present for worship, even virtually. Or, bring a picture of yourself to leave in your spot!
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Gifts | Bring your 2021 Commitment Card and leave it at the altar with a guided prayer of Dedication.
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Service | Receive a manna bag prepared for you by FUMC Volunteers to give away to someone in need of a meal.
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Witness | Fill out a card to share a tangible way you will live into God’s money story in the coming year.
Masks and social distancing are required. Please review the available slots at our sign up and reserve one time slot per family unit. View Commitment Stations Map.
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Sunday School
Children's Sunday School meets weekly on Zoom at 9:00 a.m. for Kindergarten through 5th Grades. Youth Sunday School meets bi-weekly (next meeting 11/01). Please check Sunday morning email for Zoom links. Adult Sunday School classes continue to meet weekly, all interested should reach out to class contacts for more information.
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Sunday Worship
We go live with a video worship service at 11:00 a.m. on Sundays accessible through our Zoom worship time, our YouTube Channel and on Facebook page. This traditional worship service lasts about 50 minutes. Our Interactive Worship service over Zoom begins at 10:50 a.m. and includes opportunities to connect with one another, share prayer concerns, and view our worship service. Check your Sunday morning email for Zoom link.
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ASP Meeting
Sunday, October 25, 1:00 p.m. Zoom
Have a High Schooler interested in our summer service project with Appalachia Service Project? Attend our meeting this Sunday to sign up and learn more. We will be taking our 41st trip to Appalachia, June 18 - June 29, Cost to register is $50. Email [email protected] for more details.
Password: ASP2021
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FEAST — Spooky Halloween
Sunday, October 25, 7:30-9:00 p.m., Zoom Online
This month, FEAST will be eating tacos and returning to last year's Halloween topic (ghosts!) from a different angle. We'll look at a few ways that different Christian groups have thought about our ability to interact with people who have passed on. So join us to share in some good food, awesome fellowship, and great conversation. Register here or email [email protected] for more information.
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Volunteers Needed for Commitment Sunday
Hosts and helpers are needed for our interactive Commitment Sunday experience on Sunday, October 25. There are four 1.5 hour shifts throughout the day. Please consider serving during this onsite opportunity to connect with one another in a safe way, all while renewing our commitment to be a part of what God is doing in and through First Church. You can find additional information and sign up here. Please contact Pastor Cathy at [email protected] with questions.
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Congratulations Confirmands, Our Newest Members
Left to right: Jack Fenton, Adele Boerner, Maddie Greene, Kate Davis, Chloe Roarke, Kennedy Kilday, Kaylee Roarke, and Olivia Greene.
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3rd Grade Bible Presentation Recipients
We had the pleasure of giving Bibles to the following Third Graders this week: Eric Bayliss, Emily Carrell, Amelia Crane, Henry Hollis Daigle, Rex Robert Dow, Eliza Hart Fenton, Hadley Martha Fuerst, Jacob Robert George, Elise Isabelle Kilday, Betsy Grace McMahon, Connor Mays McMahon, Riley Paige Nugent, Stella Ruby Story, and Jack Davis Wooderson. Our 3rd graders received a Deep Blue Bible wrapped in four layers of paper — each with their own meaning tied to Bible verses. They also received a gift bag with special book marks, pencils, highlighters, and other tools to learn how to read, understand, and grow with their first Bible. Thank you to our volunteers, Brenda Prothro and Amy Wink, who helped pass out handouts and took photos, and to Pastor Taylor for helping lead the presentation. If you have a third grader who has not received a Bible yet, please contact Lara Greene [email protected].
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FLC Kitchen Renovation has begun!
Demolition on the Family Life Center kitchen began in early October, and our renovation project is progressing well! Contractors meet weekly with FUMC staff and lay leaders to provide updates, and our construction crew has worked hard to enable us to safely continue carrying out the Feed My People Breakfast and Women's Shower ministries that provide for the needs of our neighbors experiencing homelessness. The team anticipates the project will be complete in January and ready for use in early February.
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Walking the Labyrinth
Month of October
If you find yourself yearning for a space and a few minutes of time set apart to recenter yourself, our labyrinth is available to walk in Murchison Chapel. Labyrinth walking is an ancient practice used by many different faiths for spiritual centering, contemplation, and prayer. Entering the serpentine path of a labyrinth, you walk slowly while quieting your mind and focusing on a spiritual question or prayer. We are being careful to ensure the safety of each person who comes to walk the labyrinth in the Chapel. You’ll find details and can sign up here. For additional information, please contact Cindy Walter at [email protected].
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Creating Spirit, Practicing Presence: Pray Without Ceasing
October 24, 1:30-3:00 p.m.
Join us for the next Creating Spirit Practicing Presence workshop, Pray without Ceasing. Does prayer come easy to you or are you at a loss for words? Does unceasing prayer seem daunting? Facilitated by Dr. Amy Wink, this workshop will explore what prayer means (private and public) and consider different ways to pray, with words as well as without them. Don’t worry, you will not be required to pray out loud during this workshop. Register Here.
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Conversations on Racial Justice
Sunday, November 1, 4:00-5:00 p.m.
(adjusted time due to All Saints Day)
Join us as we work to be anti-racists. This group meets on first Sundays to discuss and learn more about racial oppression, issues of whiteness and racism, and other topics through videos, podcasts, and short articles. The Zoom link will be provided after registration. Please contact Pastor Cathy Stone at [email protected] for additional information. Zoom links provided after registration. Register Here.
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All Saints Observance at FUMC
Sunday, November 1
While safe practices require us to change our usual traditions, we will still offer a meaningful opportunity to observe All Saints Day on November 1. Our Sunday morning video worship services will include reading names and lighting a candle for members of our congregation who have died in the past year, as well as a special time of prayer for all those we will be remembering that day. In addition, we will offer three evening Holy Communion services in the parking lot, with registration required. Following the service, you’ll be invited to enter the Sanctuary (with monitors allowing only a few people at a time) for a time of prayer and candle lighting at the altar rail. The Sanctuary will be open from 5:30-8:30 p.m., with music provided by FUMC musicians throughout the evening. Those who wish to participate only in prayer and candle lighting may do so by utilizing street parking, rather than the parking lot. Registration is only required for Communion, not for prayer in the Sanctuary.
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Book Study: So You Want to Talk About Race
Tuesdays, Nov. 10-Dec. 1 6:30–8:00 p.m. Or
Thursdays, Nov. 12-Dec. 3, 10 1:00 – 2:30 p.m.
In So You Want to Talk About Race, Ijeoma Oluo guides readers of all races through subjects ranging from intersectionality and affirmative action to "model minorities" in an attempt to make the seemingly impossible possible: honest conversations about race and racism, and how they infect almost every aspect of American life. Zoom invitation will be sent after registration. Contact Pastor Cathy at [email protected] for additional information. To view reading assignments and to register, go to fumcaustin.org/bookstudy.
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First Steps
Sunday, November 15, 1:00 p.m.
Zoom Online
Are you interested in joining FUMC? Prior to joining the church, we ask all to participate in a First Steps class to learn about Methodist beliefs and the ministry of FUMC, meet the pastors and other members, and ask questions. For more information, contact Trevor Harper at [email protected]. Register Here.
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Manna Bags Needed
We are collecting assembled manna bags for our hungry neighbors experiencing homelessness. Officer Borton with the Homeless Outreach Street Team hands out manna bags to neighbors they work with and we have provided over 1,000 manna bags for distribution through the Downtown Austin Community Court. DACC has increased their client load and is needing more manna bags. This is a great project for families or individuals, we’ll take 8 or 100! Completed manna bags may be dropped off at the Family Life Center. Please email Pastor Cathy at [email protected] with any questions about items to include and for her phone number to coordinate drop-off. She will unlock the FLC front door remotely. Manna bag items could include: tuna or chicken lunch kit, peanut butter or cheese cracker sandwiches, Nutri Grain fruit bar, raisins, juice box, socks, and an encouraging message such as "God loves you."
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Casa Marianella and World Communion Sunday
This October, gifts to our mission emphasis will be shared between Casa Marianella and World Communion Sunday. Casa Marianella welcomes displaced immigrants and promotes self-sufficiency by providing shelter and support services here in Austin. In addition to shelter, Casa offers access to legal and medical resources, food, clothing, English classes, and other resources. The World Communion Sunday offering helps provide scholarships through the United Methodist Church for national and international graduate students whom God has called to learn and to serve.
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Submit a prayer request online.
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Within our Congregation
Bob and Clo Bains, Sandy Bowles, Mari Perez, Dick Raycraft, Curt Shaw, Pam Tackett, Ann Thurman, Jackie Vanderhule, Willie Wisko, and Dan Wood.
Condolences to the friends and family of Howard Allen on his death; to family and friends of David Rutty, son-in-law to Jim and Ruby Parker and brother-in-law to Joyce McClendon; and to Stephen Dulaney and his family on the death of his mother, Florence Sue Dulaney.
Beyond our Congregation
Curt Ashmos’ friend, Elissa Marek; Grady Basler’s sister, Tonya Basler Stout; Cheryl Bias’ niece, Lauren Stafford; Bob Block’s friend, Tim Sullivan; Fay Brown’s sister, Jo Rene Altenburg; George Gaston’s friend, Dr. Robert Wootton; Marcia Houston’s mother, Johnnie; Cherice Mumford’s friend, Nina Johnson; Sue Norris’ grandchildren; Cindy Reidland’s friends, Carly and Colton Wimberly; Alan Stephens’ father-in-law, Bob McBride; Keely Nugent’s aunt, Sharon Hudson; Cindy Walter’s great-nephew, Titus, and his parents Mike and Courtney Stubbs; and Dick Young’s nephew, Jeff Young.
Condolences to Cindy Walters on the death of her friend, Milton Lindsay.
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Contact Us
First United Methodist Church
1201 Lavaca St. Austin, TX 78701
(512) 478-5684
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