Thursday, October 15, 2026

CENTERING MUSIC

Méditation by Gabriel Dupont

OPENING HYMN

UMH 577 God of Grace

SUNG INVITATION TO PRAYER

TFWS 2176 Make Me a Servant v.1 

OFFERTORY

8:30 God is So Good by Asbury & Wesley Choirs and Elise Strain, piano

11:00 What Does the Lord Require by Erik Routley 

Chancel Choir and André Courville, organ

SCRIPTURE

Matthew 22:15-22

SERMON

Belonging to God: Bearing the Fruit

CLOSING HYMN

UMH 433 All Who Love and Serve Your City

POSTLUDE

Fugue in A minor, BWV 559 by Johann Sebastian Bach

Join Us Online on Our Website, YouTube, and Facebook:

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• Justice Giving (Pastoral Letter)
• Church Directory Photography
• Fall Fest
• Fall Fest Chili Cook-Off
• Kids Hope

• Social Justice Committee Book Club
• Committee Meetings
• Rise Against Hunger
• Church Directory

Pastoral Letter

Justice Giving

We’re rounding the bend - halfway through - our journey into stewardship. I have fallen in love with the way our Wesleyan Methodist heritage identifies the practice of serving as stewards: through our prayers, presence, gifts, service and witness. How holy holistic!

Notably, over the next week, I hope you receive in the mail a brief letter and a pledge card. You’ll see that our pledge is not only about our financial giving - and yes, that’s part of faithful, fruitful stewardship - but also our commitment to Christ and to each other is about how we pray, how we are present, the ways we serve and the acts of our witness. Please, as you pray about how you might share your resources, know that each area of commitment is beautifully important to the “kingdom work” right here at University UMC. Thank you for considering this, and thank you for your willingness to share your pledge with our community of faith. 

I’ve recently been moved by the example of Jesus’s own giving - his stewardship of obedience. Jesus demonstrates that his life centered upon “justice giving,” which invites us also to consider: “what is due a person in light of each having been redeemed by Christ?” Through his own life and self-giving death, Jesus long ago answered: “Each person is worth my life.” 

How does this relate to our own practice of sharing? Well, powerfully, if we let it! 

I am blessed by God because God has saved me from my sins again and again; and this due to no merit on my end. Accordingly, the overwhelming motivation for justice giving is living, serving and sharing in ways that make sure our neighbors (fellow humans we are instructed to love and care for) have that which is due them given their God-given worth. This spark of motivation has all to do with Christ’s own justifying me. And you. And us. 

The core point of our stewardship - bearing fruit for Christ and his work in this place - our neighbors’ (in the pew, along our street, around our campus community) needs make a claim on us, as a community of faith. 

I wonder, then, as we consider to pledge our prayers, presence, gifts, service and witness, might that deeper notion - justice giving - soak our spirits too. Christ’s calls us, even gives us the clear example, to share our resources, our energy, our time, and our attention - for all of that comes from the Lord, and to the Lord all of that shall also go… How are we stewarding that all the days in between?

Onward,

Rev. Jay C. Hogewood, Ph.D.

Pastor

Church Directory Photography 

It’s time for a new church directory! Join us November 19-21 for our Connections Event and be part of our new church family album. Professional photography sessions will be available at the church, and will take place in the library. Every family photographed by Universal Church Directories will receive a complimentary 8×10 portrait and a directory. This is a great opportunity to celebrate our church family, connect generations, and help us stay connected. Questions can be directed to office@universitymethodist.org. Sign up today and help us to make this the best church directory yet!

Days of Photography:

Nov. 19-21

Thursday 2:00-8:30pm

Friday 2:00-8:30pm

Saturday 10am-4:30pm

You can sign up for your photography session here: http://www.ucdir.com/

Church ID: LA215

Church Password: photosLA215

Fall Fest

Fall Fest is happening on October 18 from 4:30 - 6:30 p.m. in the UUMC parking lot!

We’re looking for volunteers to help by passing out candy from car trunks, serving food, managing chili pots, welcoming guests at the check-in table, assisting with the cake walk, running the cotton candy and popcorn stations, and working the photo booth. Sign up here!

Not able to volunteer? You can still help make Fall Fest a success by checking out our Amazon Wishlist and donating items we need for the event. Also, non-chocolate candy can be brought to the church office any day. Your support is greatly appreciated!

Fall Fest Chili Cook Off 

Our annual Chili Cookoff will take place during our Fall Fest on October 18 from 4:30 - 6:30 p.m.. Put your cooking skills to the test as Fall Fest Attendees vote on their favorite. Can your Chili handle the heat?

Kids Hope



Kindergarten Mentors are in full swing now meeting with their children on Tuesday afternoons. After reading and practicing ABCs and 123s, everyone gathers around and plays games together to practice sharing, taking turns, and being a good sport. It is a joyful sight to behold! 

Garden Team is in need of some extra hands on deck as we are now meeting with 35-40 1st and 5th graders on Tuesday mornings from 8:00-8:45 a.m. No gardening experience needed…just a willing spirit to engage with precious kids in the garden. 

Fall Semester Garden Team 

• October 20
• October 27
• November 3 - ELECTION DAY- No gardening
• November 10
• November 17 - Friendsgiving Celebration in the Garden
• November 24 - THANKSGIVING BREAK
• December 1
• December 8 - last garden day fall semester

Shirley Flake

Kids Hope Director

shirley@universitymethodist.org

Social Justice Committee Book Club

The Social Justice Committee Book Club invites you to join us for monthly gatherings in the Parlor on Sundays, October 4 (4:30 - 6 p.m.), November 15 (time TBA), and December 6 (4:30 - 6 p.m.). Facilitated by Trey Bickham, the group will discuss selected chapters each month from Making Sense of the Bible: Rediscovering the Power of Scripture Today by Adam Hamilton.

For more information or to join the discussion, please email Trey at trey.bickham@gmail.com.

Committee Meetings

Executive Committee : Canceled 

Finance Committee: October 18 | 7 p.m. | Zoom only

Church Council: October 19 | 7 PM | Chapel

Social Justice Committee: November 15 | Time TBA

For more information, please email office@universitymethodist.org.

Rise Against Hunger

On Sunday, November 1, University UMC is hosting a Rise Against Hunger event during which volunteers will pack more than 10,000 meals that will be sent to countries around the globe. For those of you who have participated in RAH in the past, you know how much fun this event can be for the entire family! The packing will take place from 4 - 6 p.m. We will need four to five volunteers to come earlier from 3 - 4 p.m. to help with offloading supplies from the RAH truck. Cleanup is immediately following packing. All of the jobs are easy and the kids have a great time while learning about how important it is to help hungry families in impoverished countries. The event will take place in the Fellowship Hall.

Registration Link: Register here!

Youtube: Introduction Video

Questions? Call Betty Backstrom at (225) 572-3348.  

Church Directory



Church members who have attended within the last year have been invited to the church directory. If you haven't received your invitation, use the link below to access your profile. If the link does not work for you or if you have any questions, please email Rev. Mary Rachel at revmaryrachel@universitymethodist.org.

If you haven't already, we'd love for you to upload a photo of yourself and your family to the directory. Pictures help us learn and remember each other’s names!

Bing Godail, Janis Kile, Jessica Roux Brown The family of Rev. Lamar Smith, Elliot Irby and the Irby family, Bill Nelson, Ann Barney, Stacy Hudson, Paul Miktus, Ann Flack, Khetia and Khetie Jean-Louis, Karl Buchholz, Alison McCrary, Mary Juneau, Beth Courtney, Darby Ralls, Ellen Wiemers, Garrett Ward, Gregg Jones, Jessica Roux’s Ukrainian host family, Kristine Hawkins, Lupi Sucre, Maria and Oswaldo Linares, Mindy Piontek, Robert Blackledge, Susan Horton, Susan Pourciau, the family of Arnold Jackson, the Bickham family, Wesley Foundation leadership, Melanie Brooke Civils, and all those in our congregation who are in nursing homes or homebound.