Coffee Talk

Sunday, July 16 | 10:00-10:45AM

EDU Murchison Chapel

Coffee Talk is in Murchison Chapel for the summer! Meet staff members and Sunday School class representatives who host Coffee Talk throughout this season. Come for coffee, community, and a chance to get to know each other better.

Welcome Reception for Rev. John Hathaway

Sunday, July 16

12:15PM | SAN Wesley Hall

Join us for a time of fellowship as we celebrate the commissioning and appointment of Rev. John Hathaway as a provisional deacon to First United Methodist Church of Austin. This reception, hosted by the Staff Paris Relations Committee (SPRC), will take place in Wesley Hall immediately following the conclusion of the 11:00AM worship service. We will have a table and basket set aside to collect cards, gifts, and/or letters of appreciation for John as we welcome him to this new role.

Popsicles in the Park

Sunday, July 16

3:00-5:00PM | Eastwoods Splash Pad

3001 Harris Park Avenue

Splish-splash! Summer is a great time to cool off at the splash pad and treat yourself to time with other families with little ones at this casual, come-and-go gathering. Light refreshments will be provided by our Children's Ministry Team. For more information, contact children@fumcaustin.org.

Mobile Loaves & Fishes for First Timers

Sunday, July 16

4:00PM and 5:00PM

MLF Kitchen

Help feed people experiencing homelessness daily on the streets of Austin. We are offering a monthly opportunity, primarily for first-time individuals or families, to serve with Mobile Loaves & Fishes. We will have 1-2 veteran volunteers for each run who will be there to lead the way! Volunteers can serve on the make-ready team from 4:00-5:00PM, the truck team from 5:00-7:00PM, or both!

Joy Circle Tea Party

Thursday, July 20

10:00AM | RSVP For Location Details

All women are invited to join the Joy Circle of United Women in Faith for an informal tea party. Dress is casual and cool. For location and to RSVP, contact Karen Janes by Tuesday, July 18. For information about the Joy Circle and United Women in Faith, contact Elizabeth Lerner.

Table at Emmaus:

A Summer Retreat

Saturday, July 22

10:00AM-4:00PM

SAN Parlor

The table is set for you. Take the chance to slow down this summer and carve out time for this experiential retreat, exploring, food, communion, and how we know God and remember presence in the breaking of bread. Join members Tabatha Stephens, Dan Kilday, and Amy Wink as they guide you through the time spent together.

Appalachia Service Project (ASP) Slideshow

Sunday, July 23

12:15PM | FLC Garrison Chapel

Thank you, First Church, for your faithful support of our ASP Team again this year! For more than 40 years, we have worked together to make homes warmer, safer, and drier. This year, the team traveled to Breathitt County, Kentucky, where homes were ravaged by floods in 2022. Learn more about the projects we worked on—some of the hardest we have ever been assigned—along with the camaraderie and fun we shared through photos and stories from this year's trip. Our time together will be even sweeter with ice cream treats. We can't wait to show you the impact that your support had on so many!

Youth Movie Night: Barbie

Sunday, July 23

Time TBA | Bob Bullock IMAX

All youth are invited to the highly anticipated Barbie movie! Showtimes are not yet listed, but tickets will be available at fumcaustin.org/youth. We recommend being early to both buy your tickets and arrive at the theater to ensure we can sit together. More details to follow!

FEAST Dinner Event: Cancel Culture, Consumerism, and Christianity

Sunday, July 23

6:30-8:30PM | FLC Garrison Chapel

Media portrays our culture as being so divided that practically everything we do, buy, or desire is associated with (sometimes claimed by) one side or the other, making it tough for many people to decide what the "right" or "ethical" choice is. Can we condemn J. K. Rowling's transphobia and still enjoy Harry Potter? What about R. Kelly's music? Join us this month to delve into this complex topic as we share in food and fellowship. Dinner is provided for those who register by Saturday, July 22. Questions? Contact Pastor Brad King.

Feed My People Fourth Tuesday Breakfast

Tuesday, July 25

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

Start your day with service to your unhoused neighbors. Once a month, we not only provide this program with a facility home, but we also become the hosts. On July 25, we 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, with plenty of time to get to school or work on time.

Family Service Day: Serving Our Neighbors

Wednesday, July 26

It's a full day of service opportunities for our families! Choose the one that fits you best - or join us for both if you're feeling moved. This service day is designed for you to serve side-by-side with your young person(s), sharing your time and values with them by practicing them together.

9:30-11:00AM | FUMC Church Office

We will gather in the FUMC Church Office, in front of Murchison Chapel, before moving to the first floor for fellowship, snacks, and hands-on work to serve our neighbors.

12:00-2:00PM | Rainbow Room

Rainbow Rooms are 24/7 resource centers where CPS caseworkers can get supplies for children who are victims of abuse or neglect—clothing, school supplies, diapers, and much more. We will work at the Austin Texas Department of Family and Protective Services Rainbow Room. Spaces are limited and participants must fill out a form from DFPS, so pre-registration is required for this portion of the day. Address and a link for the form will be sent upon your registration at the link below.

For more information or with questions, contact children@fumcaustin.org.

Youth Bowling Party at UT Union Underground

Friday, July 28

6:00-8:00PM | 2308 Whitis Ave

Youth, if hanging out and having fun is up your alley, join us for a night of bowling. The cost is $10 and includes two games and shoe rental. Dinner included! (Snacks and other activities are available onsite, though they are not included in this cost.) Contact Devon Bailey, Director of Youth Ministries, with questions.

Mercy & Justice Fifth Sunday Presentation

Sunday, July 30

10:00-10:45AM | SAN Wesley Hall

Join Rev. John Hathaway for a chance to get to know him, his ministry, and the organization he will also work with, Life Reimagined for Children. While John has been a member of FUMC Austin for over 30 years and has spent more than 20 as a judge working with children in the child-welfare and juvenile justice systems, he was recently commissioned as a provisional deacon in the United Methodist Church. John's primary appointment will be to serve with Life Reimagined, working to enrich the lives of Travis County children involved in the juvenile justice system. His secondary appointment is here at First Church where he will provide missional leadership through worship, service, and teaching. Hear more about the work God is calling John to as a deacon in the UMC and listen for the ways God might be calling you to join John in the work of the church this year.

Cheers at the Paramount Summer Film Festival:

The Big Chill

Wednesday, August 2

7:30PM | 713 Congress Ave

The Paramount Film Festival is now a summer tradition for Cheers, our community for those young-at-heart who are recently retired, semi-retired, or thinking about setting a date to retire. This August, join us for The Big Chill, the quintessential Boomer movie, which debuted 40 years ago. We will enjoy Austin’s historic downtown theater and plenty of music and laughs as we relive our young adult years! Tickets are $11 per person on the Paramount website and $14 at the door. RSVP below to let us know you plan to attend. For more information, contact Dick Young.

Caregiver Support Group

Wednesday, August 2

8:00-9:00PM | Zoom

Henri Nouwen writes, "Caregiving feels solitary. We look out from our own lives and see so many people who seem not to experience what we feel. But we are not alone. Christ and caring friends are our companions." Caring for a loved one in their season of need is a sacred trust and holy work. Judy Breckbill will host this time that is open to those currently caring for a loved one or who have recently been in this role, whether in home or miles apart. Reflections from Nouwen will guide this time for caregivers to renew their spirits, to just be themselves, and to connect with others in similar circumstances to receive support and encouragement. Whether you have attended before or are wondering if you may need this group, please join us. For questions or the Zoom link, email Judy.

Youth Fun Day

Schlitterbahn

Thursday, August 3

9:30AM-6:00PM

400 N Liberty, New Braunfels

Hey, middle and high school students who recently completed 5th-12th grade. Check off fun-in-the-sun on your summer bucket list and join us for a day at Schlitterbahn! Registration is now open for the second chance to go to Schlitterbahn with our youth. The cost per person is $45. The park opens at 11:00AM, so we will meet at the church at 9:30AM, leave Austin at 10:00AM and return to the church around 6:00PM. Besides carpooling from the church, it is also possible for families to coordinate travel and/or meet at the park. Contact Devon Bailey with your travel preferences once you have registered.

So many of the stories about Jesus tell us that he loved to gather people for meals. He invited all kinds of people to eat together in lots of different places, knowing that in the breaking of bread people often find a chance for deeper relationship with God and one another. Whether you participate solo, with a spouse or partner, or with a family of any age, Table for 8 brings together a small group of adults for fellowship and a meal with a similar goal.

We encourage groups to meet three times in the fall and three times in the spring. The goal of Table for 8 is to meet new friends, connect with other people who live near you, find things you did not know you had in common with people you’ve known for a while, and to deepen your sense of community at First Church. Sign up with a sense of adventure!

As you sign up, please indicate whether or not you are interested in being in a group that includes children. Also, each group needs at least one coordinator who is willing to initiate a conversation to schedule the first gathering. Coordinating and hosting roles can then be shared as the group prefers. Group coordinators will be notified in mid-August, and will then reach out to the rest of their group, with hopes of beginning in September.

For more information or questions, contact Emily Buchanan.

“Everything we do is about relationships. The biggest lesson we have learned over the years is that we are not a food ministry. We merely use food as a conduit to connect human to human and heart to heart.”

—Alan Graham, Founder & CEO of Mobile Loaves & Fishes (MLF)

The primary cause of homelessness is a catastrophic loss of community, which is where MLF comes in. What begins with a sandwich and a conversation with a caring MLF food truck volunteer soon opens the door to community and relationships where they are needed most. The MLF downtown Austin truck, based at FUMC, continues to serve meals to the homeless and working poor in our community—and we are needed now more than ever!

Last year, our MLF truck provided over 20,000 hearty meals with the help of more than 300 dedicated volunteers. That is a lot of sandwiches and conversations! In July, we are lifting up this ministry that fosters friendship and kinship for those who have experienced that catastrophic loss of family. For more information about MLF, contact long time MLF coordinator and advocate Scott Wilder. Please give generously as we work to make a difference. Your gifts, marked “Mobile Loaves & Fishes” may be mailed to the church or donations can be made online, selecting “Mobile Loaves & Fishes” from the drop-down menu on the giving page.