Camp Firelight, this summer’s Vacation Bible School (VBS), was a tremendous success. Our campers learned to trust God in all the ways God is with us. We also learned how God equips us to share the good news and to care for others. Some practical ways our campers showed that care for others included making 81 mana bags, rolling 125 pairs of socks, filling 65 treat bags for Pickle Elementary teachers, assembling 50 Beat the Heat care bags, baking muffins for At the Well, and crafting a Pride sign for the Family Life Center and bracelets for the Pride festival to be held later this summer.

All these projects were made possible by generous donations from this community of faith. Twenty-nine of our committed adults and youth served forty young people, almost half of whom were guests. Thank you to all who helped make VBS 2024 a fun-filled chance to share God’s love with children from within and beyond the FUMC community!

One of our favorite parts of VBS is the special relationships formed—among the children, between children and youth helpers, and within the VBS team. A family new to First Church shared they chose us because a parent worked nearby and they wanted to send their child to a safe summer program at a welcoming and inclusive church. Another of our youth volunteers started out as a guest participant 10 years ago. On Sunday, one of our youngest participants scampered to sit behind her new “friends” in worship—two of the youth who led activities. It was definitely a week full of fun, connection, and growth as the Holy Spirit worked through our time together.

We always have room for more to join the fun! If you are interested serving the youngest members of our community through Children’s Ministries, contact Lara Greene and Jen Seibel at children@fumcaustin.org.

Sanctuary Building Construction Q&A

Sunday, June 23 | 10:00AM

EDU Murchison Chapel

Tuesday, June 25 | 7:00PM | Zoom

This month, as the Sanctuary Building restoration constinues, notice the installation of a shiny new face on the dome, the breezeway masonry repair underway, and the first of our balcony stained glass windows returned from its careful restoration and has been reinstalled. We have much to celebrate.

At the same time, there are new challenges. With the scaffolding in place, our contractors discovered that the masonry, in particular, was in far worse condition than we had imagined. As a result, the total cost of the proposed project has increased significantly.

A more detailed update about our options will be sent via a separate email. We are hosting two Q&A opportunities in June and again in early August, where you will be invited to ask questions, share ideas, and have conversation about the next steps of our construction project.

Note: Room Change!

Here for the Summer: A New Seasonal Small Group for Young Adults

Sundays, June 2-August 18 | 10:00AM

FLC Room 110

School may be out for the summer, but plans are heating up for a new seasonal small group for young adults who have graduated from high school in the last seven years. Whether you are just home for the summer or are living in Austin year round, join us on Sunday mornings in FLC Room 109 during the Sunday School hour beginning Sunday, June 2. We hope you will enjoy this casual time to reconnect with friends you haven’t seen in a while and meet a few new faces as we catch up on life post-high school. Email Devon Bailey for more information.

Cheers! Night at the Movies: To Kill a Mockingbird

Thursday, June 27 | 7:30PM | State Theater 

Summertime and living in Austin is hot, so join Cheers!, our community for new and nearly retired people, for a night at the movies to see the classic, To Kill a Mockingbird, at the State Theater, next door to the Paramount. Tickets are $12 at the box office. RSVP at fumcaustin.org/cheers or using the button below by Monday, June 24. With questions, contact Dick Young.

Preordered T-shirts Ready For Pick Up

Rainbow logo T-shirts are here! If you preordered a t-shirt, you can pick yours up on Sunday morning in the Sanctuary Foyer, during church office hours, or by special arrangement by contacting Rachel Wright. If you missed the preorder period and would like to purchase a shirt, they are available in adult sizes S-XXL for $21.60 (which includes applicable sales tax). Order yours at fumcaustin.org/merch or using the button below.

5th Sunday Mercy & Justice Presentation: Pride

Sunday, June 30

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

During Pride, our emerging LGBTQ+ community group will host a conversation about how First Church can continue to lean into our desire to be a church where the queer community is not only fully affirmed, but also deeply integrated into the life of the church. This year, we were gladdened that the General Conference of the United Methodist Church finally removed the harmful and exclusive language from our denomination’s Book of Discipline. As a local church, we celebrate this step and want to dream together about how to deepen our welcome and develop new ministries that meet the needs of our LGBTQ+ siblings.

Book Study: American Idolatry

Tuesdays, July 9, 16, 23, and 30

6:30-8:00PM | FLC Room 104 or Zoom

Power. Fear. Violence. These three idols of Christian nationalism are corrupting American Christianity. Andrew Whitehead is a leading scholar on Christian nationalism in America and speaks widely on its effects within Christian communities. In this book, he shares his journey and reveals how Christian nationalism threatens the spiritual lives of American Christians and the church. Join Pastor Cathy Stone as we learn to identify Christian nationalism and work to build a framework that makes sense of the relationship between faith and the current political and cultural context. This class will be hybrid, happening in person and on Zoom. (Zoom link sent with registration.) We encourage you to purchase your book in the Sanctuary Foyer or locally at Black Pearl Books or Book People. Unable to attend the Tuesday conversations? Join Pastor Cathy for a one-time discussion of this book and Christian nationalism on Sunday, July 28, at 10:00AM in the Murchison Chapel.

Administrative Board Meeting and Charge Conference

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

FLC Great Hall

Join us for the July Administrative Board meeting and Charge Conference. Everyone is welcome to attend and participate in discussion, though only Administrative Board members have voting rights. Register for this meeting by Tuesday, July 9, in order to request an optional light lunch available for $15. Childcare will be provided in EDU Room 104. Contact Rachel Wright with questions.

FEAST Summer Pool Party

Sunday, July 14 | 5:00PM

Location with Registration

FEAST, our community for young adults, is cooling off with a pool party at Pastor Melissa’s house. Young adults and young professionals are invited for food, conversation, and lots of fun! RSVP below so that we can plan for food. The address will be sent to you when you register. We can’t wait to see you as we all take a short mid-summer break from the heat and the grind!

Women's Spirituality Book Study Group

Mondays, Beginning July 15

6:30-8:00PM | Zoom

If you are looking for a small group for women, join the Women’s Spirituality Book Study Group on Monday, July 15, when it returns from hiatus for a one-night discussion of C. S. Lewis’ classic, The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe. Then, on July 22, begin a new book with the group, The Heart of Christianity: Rediscovering a Life of Faith by Marcus J. Borg. The author shows how we can live passionately as Christians in today’s world by practicing the vital elements of Christian faith and reclaiming terms and ideas once thought to be the sole province of evangelicals and fundamentalists. Email Cheryl Bias for the Zoom link or more information.

Youth Pool Party

Sunday, June 30 | 5:00-7:00PM

Location with Registration

It’s going to be a HOT summer, so we are taking a DIP! We are having a lil’ pool party at the home of one of our youth families. We will order some pizzas and sodas and enjoy our evening together. All incoming 6th through outgoing 12th graders are welcome to bring their friends. Register using the button below so we can have an accurate head count send you the location details. Questions? Email Devon Bailey, Director of Youth Ministries. While you are at it, save the date now for another pool party on August 4.

SAVE THE DATE

Youth Movie Outing: Despicable Me 4

Sunday, July 7

Time and Location: TBA

We are headed to the movies! Despicable Me 4 is coming out and we are excited to see what kind of chaos the minions cause this time! We will choose an afternoon showing on July 7 and will send specifics out soon. Please plan to purchase your tickets in advance directly from the box office rather than the day of. All incoming 6th through outgoing 12th graders are invited to participate.

Schlitterbahn

Wednesday, July 10 | 9:00AM-6:00PM

New Braunfels Waterpark

Registration is now open for a trip to Schlitterbahn. RSVP at fumcaustin.org/youth and then follow the links there to purchase your own day pass. We will spend the majority of our time on the old side of the park, which opens at 10:00AM, so meet in the church parking lot to leave Austin at 9:00AM and return to the church by 6:00PM. If you need to meet us at Schlitterbahn or want to coordinate with other families to carpool from the church, these are both options. Email Devon Bailey with your travel preference. This is open to all incoming 6th through outgoing 12th graders.

Draw the Circle wide! We delight that the United Methodist Church is a more inclusive and affirming denomination after the recent changes made at General Conference. It is our joy to share our love for all of God’s LGBTQ+ children with the wider community as we celebrate Pride and prepare to participate in the Austin Pride Parade and Festival on August 10.

We are joining other Austin area UMCs to offer hospitality and connection at the Festival. Then we will join the celebration in the streets of Austin as a witness that God’s love is all inclusive. Our goal is to raise $1,500 to cover the costs of our participation in the Pride Festival and Parade. Funds raised beyond this amount will go to Reconciling Ministries Network (RMN), an organization committed to intersectional justice across and beyond the United Methodist connection, working for the full participation of all LGBTQ+ people throughout the life and leadership of the Church.

Gifts, marked “Pride,” may be placed in the offering basket, mailed to or brought by the church office, or made online during the month of June. To donate online, select “LGBTQ+ Ministries” from the drop-down menu and indicate “Pride” in the memo section.