Join us in the Sanctuary for worship this Sunday as Rev. John Elford, senior pastor, preaches on "The Reality of God: Questions from Our Youth" (Psalm 147). UUMC Youth will lead worship at our 11 am service, and Second Graders in our community of faith are invited to receive Bibles. Soloist Claudia Chapa will offer the gift of music and we'll hear a reflection on financial stewardship by Shawn Dube.
        
You're invited to UUMC's historic Harris Chapel for "Restless" -- a new experience in the worship life of our community of faith. This informal, creative worship service invites people of all ages, especially those who are restless for God in their lives, to come as they are. For more information, click here or contact Megan Otto at [email protected].
 
Come out for Campus Ministry at University UMC on Sunday evenings as Megan Otto, Director of Campus & Young Adult Ministries, leads informal worship in the Harris Chapel. College students are invited to join Megan each Wednesday for lunch and study in the Fellowship Hall at 11 am to Noon and Noon to 1 pm. Watch for more about small groups, social events and service opportunities at Campus Ministry's Facebook page: www.facebook.com/CampusMinistryUUMC. For more information, contact Megan Otto at [email protected].

At University UMC, we recognize that youth are a vital part of our community. For this reason, we are developing a vision together to better incorporate our youth program into the life of the whole church. We have invited Youth Ministry Architects to visit us Sept. 25-27. You can learn more about them at their website: www.ymarchitects.com. They will spend the majority of their time here listening to a variety of focus groups within the church. After two days in these focus groups, the Youth Ministry Architects team will hunker down to write a report, sharing with us what they've heard about the youth programs -- including assets, challenges and how we compare to youth ministries around the country. On Saturday Sept. 27 at Noon, the report will be presented to the congregation in the Fellowship Hall. Lunch will be provided. This time is about making links across generations and letting our youth know they are a vital and valued part of our church. We need everyone involved. Please plan to join us during this exciting meeting as we open ourselves to new connections and directions. (PS: We promise to have you out before the start of the UT v. Kansas football game at 3 pm!)

For more information, contact Heather at [email protected].   

Praxis



University UMC's Social Justice & Mission Ministries 
Praxis is our online venue for news and conversations of social justice and mission at University UMC and the surrounding Austin community. Please contact Heather Lee, our Justice Associate, at [email protected] with mission or social justice updates, opportunities, pictures and event notices. Click on the topics below to learn more about:
Donations Collected for Foundation Communities
Voter Registration Drive
UUMC Partners with Austin Housing Authority

News + Events
Meet up with the pastors and lay leaders of UUMC to learn more about membership and life in our community of faith. This is your chance to ask questions, get answers and find your special place here at church. Lunch is provided. Please RSVP to Rev. Lisa Blaylock at [email protected].
Thurs. & Fri. Sept. 25-26: Connections & Directions Focus Groups
Sat. Sept. 27: Connections & Directions Youth Ministry Report and Church-wide Lunch

Sat. Sept. 27: Parents Afternoon Out, 11:30 am to 3:30 pm 

Sun. Sept. 28: Presentation of Second Grade Bibles & Youth-Led Worship

Oct. 5: Tween Time    

For more information about Children's Ministry events: Contact Natasha Ulack at [email protected]. For more information about Youth Ministry events: Contact Heather Lee at [email protected]. For details about these and other events, visit our University UMC online calendar at www.uumc.org/calendar/.  

 

Nominations Accepted for Lay Church Leadership Positions

Interested in serving the church in a lay leadership role at UUMC? Nominations are open for an assortment of positions on our church committees and teams. Nominate yourself or someone else -- the deadline is Oct. 5. Turn your forms back in to the Church Office or collection plate on Sunday, or you can email your nominations directly to Pastor John at [email protected]. Click here now to download and print a nominations form or pick one up on Sunday in the Sanctuary lobbies.   

 

Registration Now Open for Our New Tuesday Night Lights Classes 
Tuesday Night Lights adult education classes are back at University UMC beginning Oct. 14 & 21. The cost for each class is $20, which includes books and materials. An optional community meal ($6 per plate) begins at 6 pm in the Fellowship Hall. Classes run from 6:30 to 8 pm. Free childcare is available by reservation one week in advance. RSVP for childcare to Natasha Ulack, [email protected]. You may register online for any of the three classes below by clicking here now or visiting the homepage of our church website at www.uumc.org.
Godly Play for Adults
Tuesdays, Oct. 14 to Nov. 11 | 5 class sessions
Godly Play is an approach to faith formation that combines story-telling with spiritual practices that help us explore the mystery of God's presence in our lives. It engages what is most exciting about religious education: God inviting us into -- and pursuing us in the midst of -- scripture and spiritual experience. Godly Play teaches us to listen for God and to make authentic and creative responses to God's call in our lives. Facilitated by Natasha Ulack.
How Is It with Your Soul?
Tuesdays, Oct. 14 to Nov. 11 | 5 class sessions
Bring into balance the inner and outer dimensions of the Christian life. Organized around four verbs -- pray, learn, mentor, transform -- this class will challenge you to become a more vibrant disciple of Christ as we study together "How Is It with Your Soul?" by authors Priscilla Pope-Levison and Jack Levison. Facilitated by Ann McGinley.
The Journey of Self-Compassion
Tuesdays, Oct. 21 to Nov. 11 | 4 class sessions
Many people believe they need to be self-critical to motivate themselves -- but in fact, they just end up feeling anxious, incompetent and depressed. Join in our group study of Dr. Kristin Neff's book, "Self-Compassion: A Healthier Way of Relating to Yourself," as we explore how self-compassion helps us see ourselves more clearly and opens a path away from constant, debilitating self-judgment. Facilitated by Rev. John Elford and Diane Ireson.  

Meals and Hospitality Needed for Campus Ministry

Campus Ministry is looking for groups to provide our Sunday night meals at 6:45 pm to about 40 students who gather in the Fellowship Hall. If you want to get some folks together from your Sunday School class or committee, we would appreciate your help. Dates needed for meals include: Oct. 5 & 19, and Nov. 2, 16 & 30. Please contact Megan Otto at [email protected] if you would like to help. 

 

Prayers at UUMC
Prayer requests are always welcome at UUMC. You're invited to write your requests on the "Additional Notes" pad in the registration books and place them in the offering plate. You may also email your requests to [email protected]. For more information about prayer requests or to join a Prayer Team at UUMC, contact Rev. Lisa Blaylock, associate pastor, at [email protected].