Farewell Reception for Pastor Brad King

Sunday, June 16 | 12:15PM

FLC Great Hall

For five years, First Church has been blessed by Reverend Brad King’s ministry among us. This Sunday is his last with us before transitions to his new appointment as the Senior Pastor of Cross Tracks Church, a United Methodist community, in Liberty Hill. Help us celebrate Pastor Brad and send him into the next chapter in his ministry with all of our love and good wishes. We will have a reception for him following the conclusion of the 11:00AM worship service. We will also be collecting cards for Pastor Brad and taking a Love Offering for him. Make a gift, marked “Love Offering,” by placing it in the offering basket, mailing it to or bringing it by the church office, or making it online by using the button below.

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.

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.

Whether you tuck these recommendations into a beach bag or a backpack, you are invited to read along with First Church this summer. As temperatures rise, we are looking at books that help us understand our culture, ourselves, and future generations. We are sharing a curated list of books and resources from staff members that we hope you will tuck into your carryon or enjoy as you lay by the pool. We hope these stories will spark conversation and help us think about how this community of faith can help to shape a more flourishing world. This summer’s recommendations include something for every age and stage of life.

Purchase them at here or using the button below and pick up your books in the Sanctuary foyer. All prices include applicable sales tax. Be on the lookout soon for next steps and more specific ideas about how we can engage in conversation that matters around these summer reads.

American Idolatry: How Christian Nationalism Betrays the Gospel and Threatens the Church by Andrew L. Whitehead

Recommended by Pastor Cathy Stone | $11

The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan Haidt

Recommended by Devon Bailey | $22

The Peace Table Bible: A Storybook Bible by Teresa Kim Pecinovsky, Chrissie Muecke, and Jasmine Pittman Morell

Recommended by Lara Greene and Jen Seibel | $27

The Sacred Enneagram: Finding Your Unique Path to Spiritual Growth by Christopher L. Heuertz

Recommended by Emily Buchanan | $14

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.

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.

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.

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.

Capital Campaign and Construction Updates

Last year at this time, we were celebrating a successful capital campaign to repair, restore, and renovate our historic Sanctuary Building. Not only did this faith community exceed our initial goal in that campaign, but we have made significant progress on the highest priority repairs. This month, you will 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 has returned from its careful restoration and has been reinstalled. 

At the same time, there is still much work to do. 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. On July 14, the Administrative Board will vote on a recommendation that will ultimately go to the whole church for a vote on Sunday, August 25.

If you serve on the Administrative Board, please make sure to add the called Charge Conference on Sunday, July 14, at 12:15PM in the FLC Great Hall to your calendar. RSVP HERE>

Q&A Opportunities

Sunday, June 23

10:00AM | EDU Murchison Chapel

RSVP HERE>

Tuesday, June 25

7:00PM | Zoom

RSVP HERE>

Sunday, August 4

10:00AM | EDU Murchison Chapel

RSVP HERE>

Thursday, August 15

7:00PM | Zoom

RSVP HERE>

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.