First Steps

Sunday, April 14 | 12:15-2:00PM

FLC Garrison Chapel

Meet the pastors and staff in this informal gathering during which you are encouraged to ask questions about this community of faith and explore what it means to be a member of FUMC Austin. Lunch is provided and childcare is available in EDU Room 102. For more information, email Rachel Wright.

Decoration Making Day for Vacation Bible School

Sunday, April 14 | 12:15-2:00PM

SAN Wesley Hall

Make decorations to be used in our Sanctuary and classroom spaces to transform them into Camp Firelight. A pizza lunch will be provided for those who RSVP.

DEADLINE: APRIL 19

Love in Action: Preteen Service Retreat

April 26-27

Friday at 6:30PM-Saturday at 1:00PM

FLC | Cost: $75/participant

Micah 6:8 tells us “...to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.” That’s love in action! Join other 4th, 5th, and 6th graders on Friday night for dinner, games, small groups, and prep for Saturday morning, when we will show our neighbors love through a service project. Register at fumcaustin.org/children by Friday, April 19.

Help Us Celebrate Our Graduating Seniors

Submission Deadline: April 24

Graduation is an exciting milestone—at any age! We want to recognize all graduating seniors—high school, college, or graduate school—in our FUMC Weekly on May 5. Please email the full name of the graduate, a picture of the graduate, the school you are graduating from, degree(s) received, and a sentence or two about your future plans to Devon Bailey by Wednesday, April 24 at 5:00PM.

Tending the Garden: Genesis and Caring for Creation

Sunday, April 21 | 10:00AM

SAN Wesley Hall

Since the beginning of the Jesus Movement, Christians have been uniquely interested in the stories and traditions captured in the Book of Genesis--and especially in the first few chapters that describe the unfolding of Creation, including the Garden and the first humans. In these stories, God makes several covenants with humanity that require us to relate to Creation as responsible stewards. To hear more and grapple with what this means for our lives with God, join Dr. Brad King for coffee, cookies, and conversation about Creation. Register below so we are sure to have enough cookies!

Exploring a Campus Masterplan

Sunday, April 21 | 12:15PM

FLC Great Hall

Last year, First Church took on the repair and restoration of our historic Sanctuary Building so that it can be a spiritual home for generations to come. This vision also inspires us to explore a campus-wide masterplan, one that honors our deep roots in the heart of downtown Austin and helps us to stewards all that God has given us—our unique location, our buildings, and a vital congregation—for vibrant ministry far into the future. Join us for a presentation and conversation hosted by Pastor Taylor Fuerst about the discernment process we are undertaking with support from Christopher Kennedy of Emmaus Projects. Lunch will be provided for those who RSVP using the button below by Tuesday, April 16. Childcare is available in EDU Room 102.

2024 Civil Rights Pilgrimage Info Session

Monday, April 22

8:00PM | Zoom

Interested in this modern spiritual journey to the sacred sites of the struggle for civil rights in this country? Experience the history, horror, and hope of the Civil Rights Movement with stops in Montgomery, Birmingham, Selma, and Jackson on this eight-day driving pilgrimage. Join Pastor Cathy Stone for an info session about the October 13-20 trip and register your interest. Zoom link send with registration. Email Pastor Cathy with questions.

Cheers: Pease Park Troll Stroll

Thursday, April 25

6:00PM | Pease Park, Kingsbury Commons, 1100 Kingsbury Street

Join Cheers, our community of newly and nearly retired people, as we embark on a troll stroll. Danish artist Thomas Dambo has created Austin’s very own troll named Malin. Cheers folks will meet at the large picnic tables adjacent to Kingsbury Commons, then stroll a short way up the hike and bike trail to Malin. Bring your picnic basket for dinner and fellowship afterwards. While parking is limited at Kingsbury Commons, there is ample parking a short walk away at the Austin Recreational Center. Email Dick Young with questions.

Youth Skate Outing

Sunday, April 28 | 1:00-3:00PM

Playland Skate Center

8822 McCann Drive

Roll into spring with us at Playland Skate Center. All middle and high school students are invited to an afternoon of pizza and skating. We will meet there, so bring $20/student to cover skate rentals and lunch. Invite your friends and roll into the final weeks of the school year with some old-fashioned fun! Email Devon Bailey with questions.

FEAST: Gender and Genesis

Sunday, April 28 | 6:30-8:30PM

FLC Room 110

FEAST is about sharing stories while sharing meals. Once a month, we come together to wrestle with a complicated issue facing modern Christians while we eat, pray, and enjoy one another’s company. This month, we are taking a bite out of “Gender and Genesis.” Since the earliest years of the Jesus movement, Christians have been uniquely interested in the creation stories of Genesis and what they say about our bodies, our purposes, and our lives with one another and with God. Join Dr. Brad King and the FEAST community to wrestle with this fascinating and illuminating tradition. Dinner is provided for those who register by Saturday, April 27. Doors open at 6:30PM and the conversation starts at 7:00PM.

The Five Day Academy for Spiritual Formation

Early Registration Deadline: May 3 Event: July 28-August 2

Alamo Heights UMC | San Antonio

The Five-Day Academy for Spiritual Formation, a program of Upper Room Ministries, is coming to the Rio Texas Conference July 28-August 2. This is an opportunity for clergy and laity to draw close to a loving God through a daily rhythm of prayer, worship, learning, and reflection. This summer’s Academy will help participants answer the question: what does it mean to be led by the Spirit in a time of doubt and anxiety? Early registration discount through May: single rooms - $550; dorm style beds - $500.

Lunch & Learn: Sharing the Story of At the Well

Sunday, May 5 | 12:15PM

FLC Great Hall

This spring, we are celebrating five years of transformation through At the Well, which offers weekly welcome, respite, and essential services to unhoused neighbors who identify as women. Join our dedicated volunteers for a time of experiential learning as they walk you through what a Friday morning of At the Well is like. We will share a meal and stories of love and transformation as we celebrate a milestone in this ministry of hospitality and compassion. Contact Pastor Cathy Stone to learn more about this event.

Mental Health and Faith: A Wesleyan Perspective

Tuesdays, May 7, 14, 21, and 28

7:00-8:00PM | Zoom

Since 1949, the month of May has been recognized as Mental Health Awareness Month “to increase awareness about the vital role mental health plays in our overall health and well-being.” Two centuries ago, as he struggled with mental-health issues impacting his faith, John Wesley preached and wrote on the importance of a holistic approach to health and healing, emphasizing the interconnectedness of physical, emotional, and spiritual health. Join Pastor John Hathaway for this study of Wesley’s sermons and other writings as we examine the intersection of faith, mental health, and physical wellbeing. Further information (including reading materials available online) and a Zoom link will be provided with registration.

Wanted: Summer Sunday School Helpers

Our faith community is blessed and strengthened by the presence of many children. Our Children’s Ministry Team invites you to get to know FUMC’s youngest disciples better this summer and give our regular teachers a time of rest and renewal by serving with Children’s Sunday School. Help us reach our goal of offering two classrooms for our elementary school kids throughout the summer by signing up to help on one or more Sundays in June or July. All volunteers must be Safe Gatherings certified. Contact Jen Seibel for more information about serving or about Safe Gatherings.

Join the FUMC Staff

FUMC is now hiring a full-time Director of Facilities and Events. This person will manage custodial staff, oversee facility planning, scheduling, and maintenance, and provide end-to-end oversight of facility use by community partners and other groups seeking rental space at FUMC. Skills required include excellent communication and social skills; contract, vendor, people, and budget management; understanding of building maintenance needs and the ability to prioritize resources to the areas of greatest impact. Basic “hands-on” skills are also helpful. For the full job description, or to apply, please email hr@fumcaustin.org.

“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. 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.

For more information about MLF, contact Scott Wilder.