Austin Marathon: Cheer Our Neighbors On

Sunday, February 18 | 8:30-10:00AM

The Austin Marathon will once again bring thousands of runners past First Church on their way to the finish line. Our location is perfect for encouraging them in the final leg of the race before they reach the Capitol. For this reason, we will have one worship service at 11:00AM next Sunday.

If you are available earlier that morning, join the cheering section. Wear your FUMC t-shirts and bring signs of encouragement to cheer half-marathoners on as they run in front of the Family Life Center and around the church. We will be serving coffee and donuts on the sidewalk between 8:30-10:00AM for spectators heading to watch loved ones as they cross the finish line. Then at 10:00AM, coffee and donuts will also be available in the Murchison Chapel for a casual time of fellowship and conversation. During this Sunday School hour, all K-8 graders are invited to meet in Wesley Hall for games and activities. Childcare for infants-preK will be available in EDU Room 102 from 9:45AM-12:15PM.

It will be a fun morning filled with encouragement for our community and one another inside and outside the walls of the church. Maybe you will even see some faces you recognize among the runners. If you are running, let us know so we can watch for you and cheer you on! Sign up to serve at a hospitality station using the button below.

Lunch & Learn: Fear, Suffering, and the Endings of Mark

Sunday, February 18 | 12:15-1:45PM FLC Garrison Chapel

Throughout the Lenten season, we are exploring the story of Jesus through the Gospel of Mark—the gospel that depicts Jesus at his most human moments. Unlike our other gospels, we know of several different versions of Mark's ending, each of which illuminates some of the cares and concerns of the community that produced it. Join Pastor Brad King for this opportunity to share a meal, learn about the disciples, and grow together in our faith. Lunch is provided, but donations are welcomed.

Mercy & Justice Movie Discussion: Rustin

Sunday, February 18 | 4:30-7:00PM FLC Garrison Chapel

Rescheduled from MLK Day weekend, our Mercy & Justice and Youth Ministry Teams invite you to a special screening of Rustin, a 2023 biopic, that tells the story of Bayard Rustin, the key organizer of the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, an event that is considered one of the high points of the Civil Rights movement. A committed and charismatic leader, Rustin faced homophobia and his role in the March on Washington has long been sidelined. Rediscover this hidden hero of the Civil Rights movement as we screen the movie (rated PG-13) and discuss it together. Pizza and snacks provided. For more information, email Pastor Cathy Stone.

Book Study: The Gospel According to James Baldwin

Tuesdays, February 20 and 27 and March 5, 12, 19, and 26

6:30-8:00PM

Cherrywood Center

605 East 38 1/2 Street

In his new book, The Gospel According to James Baldwin: What America’s Great Prophet Can Teach Us about Life, Love, and Identity, author and professor Greg Garrett, wants to introduce a new generation of readers to the writer of short stories, novels, and plays who believed America can do better. Baldwin’s fiction, essays, criticism, and dramatic writing offer searing critiques of religion, culture, and discrimination that remain timely. Still, in his writings, and in the witness of his life, Baldwin holds out the possibility of hope and espouses the primacy of love despite the difficulties of a present moment. Join Pastor Cathy Stone to explore this unique portrait of Baldwin.

Little Red Library Back for Black History Month

Sundays in February

Sanctuary Foyer

Looking for resources to support learning and conversations during Black History Month? Books are a great place to begin for people of every age! The Little Red Library will be available in the Sanctuary Foyer before and after worship. This red cart houses books for adults and children, all available for checkout. Children’s books are one of the most effective and practical tools for initiating these critical conversations no matter your age. They can also be used to model what it means to resist and dismantle oppression. Please browse the Little Red Library throughout February on your way to and from worship. Contact Pastor Cathy with any questions.

It's Not Too Late For Lenten Daily Devotionals,

During Lent, get brief daily devotionals delivered straight to your email inbox through Easter Sunday as part of your practice of spiritual disciplines in this season. Each one might include a prayer, poem, song, brief reflection or another way to center yourself for a few minutes as we walk through the Gospel of Mark and prepare for Easter. Sign up for daily devotionals using the button below or catch up on the ones you missed at fumcaustin.org/lent.

Lenten Small Groups

This Lenten season, we will be making our way through the Jesus story found in the Gospel of Mark, the shortest and oldest of the gospel stories. Mark's good news was written with an urgency and immediacy of one who believes that the kin-dom of God is coming soon. With a brief daily reading plan, a simple guide for small group discussion, and the opportunity to connect with friends and meet new ones, we will discover what the Jesus story as told by Mark means for all of us as we prepare for Easter. RSVP using the buttons below to sign up for the one that fits your style, schedule, geography, interests, or stage of life best. 

Austin CROP Hunger Walk

Sunday, February 25 | 2:00PM Gathering; 2:30PM Step-Off

Camp Mabry, 2200 West 35th

Forget casual Friday. Pull out your favorite athletic wear and comfy sneakers for casual Sunday and join our team for the annual CROP Walk. This family-friendly interfaith community event raises funds for hungry people here in Austin and around the world. 

Does a little bit of healthy competition motivate you? Our Children's and Youth Ministry teams have a friendly one headed into this church-wide event. Whichever group has the most participants join our team and attend the CROP Walk gets to dress Devon, Lara, or Jen in a costume that they will wear to church one day! 

This year’s walk route is around the fully accessible 1.1 mile track. Come early to enjoy music, meet representatives of local agencies to learn more about their mission, and visit education booths. Enjoy an energetic performance by special guests, the Sonyashnyk Austin Ukrainian Dance Ensemble. There will even be Kona Ice (weather permitting!), with a portion of the proceeds going to the Walk. IDs are required for drivers and adult passengers as you pass through the Camp Mabry Security gate. Dogs are welcome, and are allowed to be walked on the track if they are cleaned up after and leashed. 

For those who want to stay local after church and before Step-Off, join us for lunch at either Central Market or Rudy’s on North Lamar. Sign up or support the First Church Walk Team today. You can do this as an individual or with one of your FUMC small groups. To join our team or to make a donation, visit fumcaustin.org/austin-crop-hunger-walk.

Vacation Bible School Listening Session

Sunday, February 25 | 5:00PM

Zoom

Parents, grandparents, volunteers, Sunday School teachers, and people who want First Church to remain a place where children flourish spiritually in community are invited to dream about VBS in 2025. This is a chance to step back and talk about purpose, consider what works (and what does not) for young families today, share ideas, consider possibilities, and dream! Zoom link will be sent with your RSVP.

FEAST: Lost in Translation

Sunday, February 25

6:30-8:30PM

FLC Garrison Chapel

Pastor Brad King will help the FEAST community of young adults take a look at one of the most important steps in making scripture accessible: translation. How and why we translate a given text significantly impacts how that text is understood. In the case of sacred texts like the New Testament, which shape the spiritual and moral lives of practitioners across the globe, translation is an especially important task. From attempting to rewrite morality to making sense out of nonsense, we will take a look at some of the best and worst English translations and learn about some of the ways that bad translations have been used to support bad purposes. Dinner is provided for those who register by Saturday, February 24. Doors open at 6:30PM and the conversation starts at 7:00PM.

Curtis Higgs' Prodigals Study Group: A Cry of Absence

Mondays Beginning February 26

6:30-8:30PM | Zoom

Men of all ages, who enjoy book studies and discussion based on Scripture and Christian faith, meet for study, prayer, and fellowship. Beginning February 26, we will be discussing Martin Marty’s new book, A Cry of Absence: Reflections for the Winter of the Heart, which describes a “wintry sort of spirituality”—a movement toward faith that grapples with pain, uncertainty, evil, loss, and the mystery of death to discover “hope on the winter-fallow landscape.” For the Zoom link or more information, contact Randy Teich.

Feed My People Fourth Tuesday Breakfast

Tuesday, February 27

5:15-7:15AM | Family Life Center

Start your day with service to our unhoused neighbors! Once a month, we not only provide this program with a facility home, but we also sponsor the cost of the meal and provide the volunteers who make and serve it. You can prepare and cook this breakfast beginning at 5:15AM. Clean-up is finished by 7:15AM.

Poor People's Campaign Rally

Saturday, March 2

11:00AM | Texas Capitol

The Mercy & Justice Team invites you join this nationwide day of gatheringd to raise awareness of the plight of income inequality in America. This assembly will bring Texas residents together in solidarity on voter rights, healthcare, immigration, livable wages, and education. If you would like to meet and go together, email Pastor Cathy Stone. Learn more about the Poor People’s Campaign’s goals at poorpeoplescampaign.org.

General Conference Lunch & Learn

Sunday, March 3

12:15PM | FLC Great Hall

The General Conference is the legislative body of the United Methodist Church and is the only body that can set official policy and speak for the denomination. This worldwide gathering is scheduled to meet in North Carolina in April after long pandemic delays. In the midst of denominational division, this body will consider proposals that would make progress in removing the language that harms the LGBTQ+ community. Join Pastor Taylor Fuerst and Rachel Wright, who will be delegates to General Conference, to learn about the process, proposed legislation, priorities, and hopes for this year’s gathering. Bring your questions and your appetite to this Lunch & Learn. Email Rachel Wright with questions.

Deep Dive: Scripture's Difficult Questions

Wednesdays, March 6-27

6:00-7:15PM | Zoom

As we move through the season of Lent, we will examine some of scripture’s most difficult questions through the lens of the Gospel of Mark. Deep Dive is more than just a bible study! It is a chance to dig into the text with Pastor Brad King, exploring some of the deepest history of our faith and wrestling with the unanswerable questions that scripture invites us not to solve, but to consider. Zoom link sent with registration.

Cheers: The Wittliff Collections Tour

Wednesday, March 14 | 1:00PM Texas State Library | San Marcos, TX

Join Cheers, our community of newly and nearly retired people, as we visit the Wittliff Collections at the Texas State Library in San Marcos. The Collections features stories of Texas, Mexico, and the Southwest. We will see exhibits of Texas music, literature, and the permanent exhibit of the Lonesome Dove television series. Unfortunately, because of Texas State’s spring break, we will be self-guided. Ample parking is available, but carpooling is encouraged! Email Dick Young with questions.

Easter Egg Festival

Saturday, March 23 9:30-11:00AM | Capitol Grounds

First Church welcomes you to our annual Easter Egg Festival in our “backyard” at the Capitol Grounds at Colorado and 12th Street for egg hunts (infants-preschoolers) and egg races (elementary ages). This event is free and open to the public. A visit from the Easter Bunny is a special tradition along with fun activities like face painting and games by our youth. Participants are invited to bring one or more of the following donations to help us love our neighbors as we celebrate and share the gift of Easter: non-perishable food donations for the Capital Area Food Bank or unopened baby wipes and unopened diaper cream for the Austin Diaper Bank. For more information, contact Lara Greene, at children@fumcaustin.org or 512-478-5684 (ext. 211).

Pssst...The Easter Bunny Needs Your Help

Help us ensure there are treats for children at our Easter Egg Festival

on Saturday, March 23.

• Conveniently shop from our Amazon wish list to donate individually wrapped candy and egg-sized plastic toys or stickers.
• If you prefer to shop in person, we recommend candy like Lifesavers, Starbursts, or small wrapped bubble gum. All candy should be nut free and fit inside an egg. Place donations in the bunny boxes found near the entrances of the children’s Sunday School wing and the Sanctuary.
• Volunteer to stuff eggs at home or during a class or meeting by contacting children@fumcaustin.org.
• Volunteer at the Egg Festival on Saturday, March 23.

Early Bird Registration for Vacation Bible School (VBS) Now Open

Now-March 17: $35 Per Child

VBS: June 10-13, 2024

Surrounded by water, trees, and rolling hills, Camp Firelight is the perfect location for every Camper’s favorite summer activities! With the help of Lu the Lightning Bug and the Camp Counselor Guidebook, Counselor Sam and our Campers explore timeless Bible stories that show how Old and New Testament Campers trusted God in the face of their own fears and went on to do great things in God’s name. Through these stories, this program will teach us to trust that God will go with us, lead the way, share wisdom, to give us peace, and spark joy as we celebrate the good news of Jesus in our own lives and in the lives of others. New this year: extend the day with an after VBS camp with Austin Youth Fitness. Kids will bring a lunch and spend the afternoon having fun in the Family Life Center. For more information about VBS, extending the day, or to register now, go to fumcaustin.org/vbs or use the button below.

Black children in Texas make up just 11 percent of births in the state, but nearly 30 percent of all women in Texas who die from pregnancy related complications are Black, meaning that Black mothers experience maternal death rates two to four times higher than white women.

This month’s mission emphasis is Black Mamas ATX, an extraordinary local organization of everyday women dedicated to transforming those dire stats by saving the lives of Black mothers. Through increased awareness, training, outreach, and research, Black Mamas ATX is leading the charge in Central Texas to help Black mothers get the education and access to resources needed to have healthy pregnancies and birthing experiences.

Their goal is to reduce—and ultimately eliminate—the alarming healthcare disparity for Black women that leads to these high maternal mortality and morbidity rates. For this reason, Black Mamas ATX is also deeply committed to policy development and advocacy. In the 2023 legislative session, Black Mamas ATX helped raise awareness and pass House Bill 12, which extends Medicaid health coverage for Texas mothers from just 60 days after giving birth to a full year. Medicaid covers half of all births in Texas. This is a significant step that will save lives.

Your gifts marked “Black Mamas ATX” may be placed in the offering basket during worship, mailed to or brought by the church office, or made online at fumcaustin.org/giving. Follow the step-by-step instructions there or use the button below and select “Monthly Mission Emphasis” from the drop-down menu and indicate “Black Mamas ATX “ in the memo section.