UCC Receives National Clergy Renewal Grant

University Christian Church has received a grant of $60,000 to enable its senior minister, Rev. Megan Peglar, to participate in the 2024 National Clergy Renewal Program. UCC is one of 163 congregations across the United States selected to participate in this competitive grant program, which is funded by Lilly Endowment Inc. and administered by Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis. Established by the Endowment in 2000, the program’s grants allow Christian congregations to support their pastors with the gift of extended time away from their ministerial duties and responsibilities.  

Ministers whose congregations are awarded the grants use their time away from the demands of daily ministry to engage in reflection and renewal. The approach respects the “Sabbath time” concept, offering ministers a carefully considered respite that may include travel, study, rest, prayer and immersive arts and cultural experiences. 

Through the National Clergy Renewal Program, congregations apply for grants of up to $60,000 to support renewal programs for their pastors. Collaborative in nature and implementation, the program allows congregations to partner with their ministers in developing experiences that address their unique renewal needs and aspirations. Recognizing that ministers’ families are subject to the stress and demands placed on pastoral leaders, the program encourages pastors to involve their families in renewal activities. Congregational needs during the minister’s renewal experience also are considered. Up to $20,000 of the grant may be used to support interim pastoral leadership during the pastor’s retreat, as well as renewal activities within the congregation. Since the National Clergy Renewal Program’s inception, more than 4,293 congregations have participated in the program, including the 163 congregations receiving grants in 2024. 

Applicants were invited to answer the prompt question “What makes your heart sing?” Music enlivens the lives and ministry of both Rev. Peglar and University Christian Church, so music infuses the plans and activities for both the congregation and minister during the renewal period. Some highlights include: Commissioning nine new pieces of liturgical music to be composed by current or former UT students; purchasing supplemental hymnals to accompany the Chalice Hymnal; paying for guest preachers’ and speakers’ honoraria – hopefully including special lecturers from UT who will provide presentations about music composition and lyric writing; travel for Rev. Peglar and her companions, to include attending a music festival and a solo songwriting retreat, among other trips; and an open mic night upon Rev. Peglar’s return to celebrate the talents of our community as well as our collective time of reset and renewal. The sabbatical will take place in Fall 2025.

“Pastors play such important roles in nurturing the spiritual lives of individuals and families and guiding the ministries of congregations,” said Christopher L. Coble, Vice President for Religion at Lilly Endowment.  “Yet the demands of ministry can seem relentless. We hope that these grants will help congregations honor their pastors for their extraordinary service and give them time to step away for rest and renewal so they can come back to their communities reenergized.” 

Dr. Robert Saler, Director of the Lilly Endowment Clergy Renewal Programs at Christian Theological Seminary, noted that the grant programs integrate elements of support, trust, and encouragement, which are all indicators of healthy congregations. “The programs are designed to affirm an innate human need to balance active service to others with periods of reflection and renewal. Our goal is that these programs supply congregations with the means to express appreciation for their leaders and actively invest in their pastors’ health and energy for continued ministry,” Saler said. 

Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis also directs the Lilly Endowment Clergy Renewal Program for Indiana Congregations. Click here to view the full list of recipients.

Holy Week & Easter 2024

You are invited to join with University Christian Church as we draw near to God during the holiest of weeks. Read on for details about each service and opportunities for prayer and fellowship.

Palm Sunday, March 24
Worship, 11:00 a.m. in-person and online

Holy Week begins with Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem. We will sing songs of loudest praise, shout "Hosanna!," and wave palm branches as we enter into Holy Week.

Maundy Thursday, March 28
Worship, 7:00 p.m. in-person and online

Around the communion table and as we wash one another's hands, we will experience God's grace -- streams of mercy, never ceasing -- and hear Jesus' commandment to love one another.

Good Friday, March 29
Worship, 12:00 p.m. Online only; email us for the Zoom link.

Join us for a reflective time of scripture, art, and prayer, as we remember Jesus' arrest, crucifixion, & death through the eyes of Peter.

Easter Sunday, March 31
Potluck Brunch, 9:30 a.m.

Please email us to RSVP and, if you’d like, to sign up to bring a dish.

Easter Egg Hunt

This will take place immediately after the breakfast. All kids are welcome!

Worship, 11:00 a.m.

We will rejoice that Christ is risen! Come participate in this joyful service where all are welcome. (Note: there will be no lilies in the sanctuary, partly to be loving to those with lily allergies.)

Coffee Fellowship, after worship

All are invited to enjoy coffee in the courtyard after the service.

The floral cross will be outside. You may choose to bring freshly-cut flowers to add to the cross before or after the service. The floral cross makes for a particularly pretty photo opportunity for your Easter pictures!

Public Art Installation at UCC

Sunray Cat (for UCC Austin) (2024) 
A Public Art Installation by Billy Joe Miller 
Unveiling on Saturday March 23rd, 5:00-7:00 pm 

AUSTIN, TX– This March, Billy Joe Miller and University Christian Church (UCC) will unveil a new semi-permanent outdoor artwork consisting of a sculptural installation and an original landscape design. Miller’s sculpture is an abstract deconstructed arch fabricated from powder-coated aluminum, created in response to the themes of sanctuary and transformation. His landscape design features native plants. Located on church grounds in front of the mid-century limestone building, the work is intended as a gesture of welcoming and a peaceful garden oasis. Its dimensions are 5’1” x 10’ x 13”. 

The installation responds to the surrounding architecture, art inspired by the Christian tradition, and the use of light and color in contemporary art. Developed through a process that included creative community development exercises led by Miller with the UCC congregation, this artwork reflects UCC’s identity as “Disciples of Christ, a movement for wholeness in a fragmented world.” 

The final work joins in conversation with nearby artworks The Color Inside by James Turrell and Austin by Ellsworth Kelly, major influences on Miller, which use light and color to construct “sanctuaries,” or spaces of rest and contemplation. 

In a time of social division, the sculpture’s reflective surface is animated by the movement of visitors from the Austin, Texas community, and the site's daily weather conditions. Visual elements of design, color, and shape combine in this work to create a multiplicity of readings. It seeks to ask: How can we heal divides and provide shelter, sanctuary, and hope? Can we invent new ways to make and expand symbols that signal our desire to truly welcome all? As a work of public art, this installation offers a chance for shared experiences and public discourse. 

Audiences can view the sculpture outdoors at any time at 2007 University Ave, Austin, TX 78705. Visitors are asked to remain off the landscaping. 

Billy Joe Miller was selected by the UCC church members who served on the Endowment for Creative Ministry Program Committee. Find out more about the commissioning process here. 

Artist Bio 
Billy Joe Miller (he/him) is a queer, self-taught, interdisciplinary artist who creates sculptures, installations, and public art in response to the natural world. The themes of belonging, shelter, and sanctuary are integral to his work. As a hospice nursing assistant for many years, Miller accompanied people through the process of dying. His experiences in healthcare-related sites, as well as his diagnosis of multiple sclerosis in 2010, have inspired his desire to create accessible public art for parks, community centers, civic spaces, and healthcare-related sites. Originally from San Diego, California, Miller now lives in the East Mountains of Albuquerque, New Mexico. In addition to his studio practice, Miller creates collaborative community-based projects and produces public art. His work has been supported by New Mexico Arts, the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Meow Wolf, Bridge Projects, Tides Institute and Museum of Art, the Speranza Foundation, City of Palm Desert, City of Brian Head and the National Endowment for the Arts. 

Sunray Cat (for UCC Austin) is made possible by the generous support of UCC’s Endowment for Creative Ministry. The Endowment for Creative Ministry was established in 1981 "in order to enhance, encourage, and develop a more creative ministry to all those persons who may come within its influence." Over the years, it has funded a variety of efforts, including a guest lecture program and the commissioning of a choral work by celebrated composer Bob Chilcott. 

Spring 2024 Minister's Message

Dear UCC Community,

Thanks to the generosity of this congregation, I was able to begin my studies in the Doctor of Ministry program at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary in January 2024. When I shared with the Personnel Committee about my acceptance to the program back in September, I also shared with them some of the reasons I have for pursuing this additional education.

Primarily, I am hoping to strengthen my ministry and benefit UCC in its mission to “actively live out the love of Jesus through thoughtful worship, compassionate service, and spiritual growth.” I’m enrolled in the study track called Leadership for Wonder: Re-Enchanting the Christian Life, but I hope to combine my work with some aspects of the Leadership for Public Theology concentration. As someone who has often felt depleted and drained by the grim state of the world, I am personally invested in helping further the work related to contemplative, Spirit-fueled activism. Through the course of this program, I will explore and develop practices, resources, and connections that will replenish and sustain the spirits of socially-aware justice seekers – whether they are committed Christians, spiritual-but-not-religious folks, or people who are not interested in Church or faith at all. As a church just down the street from our state’s Capitol, we have the opportunity to offer spiritual support to God’s people (who are all people) as they advocate for causes of love and justice.

Classes are week-long intensives; every January and June, I will be in class for one week, Monday through Friday, learning and discussing, and then for the couple of months following, I will work on and submit assignments. The class I took in January was Wonder and the Soul: Living before God -- Models of Prayer from Antiquity to Modernity. Each of the students that week had to do a presentation about prayer in the context in which we are currently serving. I have to tell you, it was fun to share about the approaches, understandings, and practices of prayer here at UCC! I’m a proud pastor and feel blessed to serve this deeply faithful and loving congregation. UCC, I give thanks for you and the ways you make a difference in this world that is so hungry for God’s love!

Peace,
Megan

Christmas Eve 2023

Make plans to celebrate Christmas Eve with the UCC community, and invite your friends, neighbors, coworkers, and loved ones, too!

On Christmas Eve morning, come enjoy a beautiful service of lessons and carols as we recognize the last day of Advent.

That afternoon, you’re invited to attend our annual Christmas concert at 4:oo p.m., followed by a reception in the narthex complete with coffee, cookies, hot chocolate, and tea. This will also be a time for you to take photos with your loved ones in front of the Christmas tree. At 5:00 p.m., we will celebrate Christ’s birth with a service of hymns, communion, scripture, and candlelight. All are welcome!

This Christmas season, we are focusing our seasonal generosity on Micah 6. A special offering will be taken on Christmas Eve to benefit Micah 6, and we will be collecting non-perishable food donations every Sunday through the end of the year.

Ministry Together in 2024

Dear UCC Community,

Back at the end of August, the UCC Leadership (board members, elders, deacons, & trustees) took time at our annual retreat to brainstorm and discern our congregation’s priorities for the next year. While we are already living into these priorities, many of them will fully take shape in 2024. Look for more details soon on one of the bulletin boards, or you can click here to see the full document.

As the people gathered at the retreat prayerfully listened to where the Spirit is leading us to respond to the needs of our communities over the next year, multiple themes emerged. It became clear that in 2024, we see UCC:

Increasing and Deepening Connection - by welcoming visitors and enfolding new members into the life of the church - by reaching out to the UT campus community - and by expanding relationships within the congregation. Some ways we talked about achieving these goals included improving communication, creating more fellowship opportunities, expanding small group events to additional people, and starting several new college ministry programs/events in addition to our ongoing courtyard lunch ministry.

Engaging in Compassionate Service & Outreach - by focusing on supporting Micah 6 in a variety of ways - by responding to local community needs - and by equipping ourselves and others to be able to serve in new ways. We talked about 2024 being “The Year of Micah 6,” and enacting that emphasis through more frequent food donation drives, regular pantry volunteering, and increased financial gifts. We also talked about finding ways to support efforts related to mental health care, affordable housing, and climate care while also connecting to organizations engaged in this work that we’re already related to in some way.

Creating and Maintaining a Safe and Hospitable Environment - by engaging in wise upkeep and maintenance of our building and grounds - by planning upcoming parking changes - by offering our facility for outside groups to use - and by completing the Safety Committee’s workplan. Ideas shared included refreshing the sanctuary and kitchen, making AV improvements for the choir and congregation, and being particularly welcoming to student groups and nonprofits who want to use our building for things like blood drives.

There is a lot of sadness and grief in the world right now, but still we see God’s goodness and Spirit at work, including through the life of our church. I hope you’re looking forward to this next year of ministry together as we connect, serve, and welcome all of God’s children.

Peace,
Megan

Changes

Dear ones,

Lately, we've had multiple farewells to loved ones who have been a part of our community, including Rev. Chelsea McCutchin as our Minister of Education and Community Engagement. While we are excited for her in her new call to Trinity Church, with her departure, we find ourselves in another time of transition. There has been quite a bit of that over the last few years; more than enough to last us for a while. It is hard to say goodbye to people we've shared so much life with, and we need to make sure to honor feelings of grief and discomfort when changes happen.

The Associate Minister Search Committee will soon be starting their work. UCC is blessed with extraordinarily caring, capable, creative people; together, we will see each other through yet another big change and will prayerfully discern what's next for our congregation in terms of pastoral leadership. You will be updated all along the way. In the meantime, please do pray for the process; for wisdom and insight for the search committee; for patience and energy for the congregation as a whole; and for the person who will eventually be called to serve in the future.

Speaking of change, some potential denominational-wide changes will be voted on at the General Assembly; by the time this edition of the Caller goes out, the Assembly will have already voted on many business items, including GA-2343, Amendments to the Design of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). There are many proposed changes, including calling for the General Assembly to meet more often during a three-year cycle. Every third year, there will be a hybrid meeting, and in the other two years, the Assembly will meet in online-only gatherings. The work of the General Assembly will shift from primarily voting on resolutions to engaging in conversation and prayer more frequently. There are additional proposed changes including a smaller General Board which will be able to more adeptly receive missional priorities from congregational representatives who attend the online-only gatherings for dialogue and discernment. Visit disciples.org/covenant-project/ to learn more details about how this new vision will come to life as well as the reasoning behind the changes.

Change can be hard, and change can be good, and change can be both at the same time. Let's keep ourselves open to the ways the Spirit of God is inviting us to give thanks for what has been and to greet the possibilities before us.

Peace,
Megan

New View of Creative Ministry: An Update from the Endowment for Creative Ministry Program Committee

At UCC we embrace expansive, welcoming love and wholeness in a fragmented world. In order to bring this message into our community, the Endowment for Creative Ministry Program Committee focused on commissioning a work of art that represents this vision. The Program Committee is presently composed of Susan Cassano, Ron Martin, Cody Summerville, Nancy Bessent, Zach Kilborn, Ron Boerger, and Megan Peglar. We reviewed submissions from over 20 artists, narrowed it down to three intensive interviews, and then to one outstanding artist.

We chose Billy Joe Miller, an interdisciplinary artist from Santa Fe. He creates architectural interventions, performance art, and immersive environments to engage a community in creating a sense of sanctuary out on the street. Miller creates intimate site-specific installations that evoke sacred spaces. His recent work has been focused on the creation of public, inclusive sanctuary spaces. Learn more about him here.

Miller grew up in a conservative Christian church and has since found inspiration, community, and sanctuary with the United Church of Christ, some Mennonite communities, Unitarians, and other faiths.

He has created an initial design inspired by the arches on our own UCC bell tower. It’s 5 to 7 standing stained glass-like (acrylic) arched panels, positioned at an angle and standing on either side of the entrance to our portico to welcome all to our sanctuary. In effect, the arches with stained glass-like color will enlarge our sanctuary right into the portico. He envisions native plants surrounding the arches, with lighting hidden in the plants for night lighting when desired. Click here to read a statement from Billy Joe about the concept.

Billy Joe will spend more time at the church and work with our congregation and the broader community to further develop and finalize the design and production of his art.

He inspired the creative process even in us during his interviews. Drawing out contributions from each of us then inspires his design of the work. Our hope is that he will draw our congregation together with others in our local community to create a piece that belongs to all of us. The unveiling could include the community through performance and music, adding another layer to the creative process and community integration. He will be with us on June 4 and June 11, in the Sunday school hour on each day as well as for after-church fellowship and brainstorming activities, so please mark your calendars.

Respectfully,

ECM Program Committee

Holy Week 2023 at UCC

Palm Sunday: April 2, 11 a.m.: Join us for a special worship service, when we will journey from sharing in the jubilant palm processional to hearing the entirety of the story of Jesus’ arrest, crucifixion, and death.

Maundy Thursday: On April 6 at 7 p.m., we'll remember Jesus' commandment to love one another, entering into a holy time of watching and waiting.

Easter Day: Breakfast, Egg Hunt, Worship, and Floral Cross Photos

Easter Day is Sunday, April 9, and it will be a full, joyous day at UCC! Join us for any or all of the day's festivities.

  • Please join us for an Easter Potluck Brunch at 9:30 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall. Bring your favorite breakfast dish to share! RSVP here and sign up here to bring food.

  • An Easter egg hunt will follow the Easter potluck brunch.

  • Worship will be at 11 a.m.; bring loved ones with you!

  • We will have Coffee Fellowship in the courtyard after worship. The floral cross will be in the courtyard. Please bring some freshly-cut flowers that morning to add to it. It's a wonderful spot to take Easter photos!

Priorities

Dear ones,

Back in the fall at the annual leadership retreat, current board members, deacons, and elders discerned our congregation's priorities for the year. These particular three top emphases emerged that they might guide us in our ministry together for a time such as this (emerging from the worst of the pandemic, finding a new normal, responding to a changed world). These priorities have been influencing how we plan fellowship events and work projects, respond to various needs, cooperate and organize with our neighbors, and reach out to friends, visitors, and strangers. We imagined how we can communicate and live out the vision of UCC as:

  • A Welcoming Presence, offering wide and deep welcome to all of God's beloved. Some of the tangibles that have come from this priority so far include opening our building to various groups, including Bike the U.S. for MS; making the property more welcoming through all-church work days; the new bulletin format that has explanations; fellowship time before and after worship. We also talked about exploring using our building as a warming center and a polling place, planning more events other than Sunday morning worship to connect to those who are spiritual-but-not-religious, and being clearer about our status as an Green Chalice congregation and an Open and Affirming church.

  • A Vibrant Community, creating an active community that deepens our love for God and others. Since the fall, we have intentionally planned fellowship lunches and monthly "Snack and Serves;" offered quarterly social outings; launched new affinity groups; and participated in more frequent hands-on service opportunities.

  • A Healthy Organization, using organizational best practices to inform, include, and lead UCC into the future. Thanks to this identified priority, we have made efforts to improve communication about building use and board meetings; to become more comfortable and familiar with the new-as-of-2020 organizational structure; and to create dependable and organized documentation across the ministry groups so that there will be consistency.

You'll soon see these priorities on the bulletin boards in the church so that they will help keep us on the path to which God is calling us. Which reminds me of the quote by the Spanish poet Antonio Machado: Wanderer, your footsteps are the road, and nothing more; wanderer, there is no road, the road is made by walking. Together, we are taking steps toward the kin-dom of God -- through prayer, through action, through community. I'm so glad we're making the road together.

Peace,
Megan

Christmas Eve 2022

YOU ARE INVITED to Christmas Eve with UCC

Concert
Saturday, December 24, 5:30 p.m.
Come enjoy some holiday music before the Christmas Eve service.
Both the concert and the worship service will be in the sanctuary.

Worship
Saturday, December 24, 6:00 p.m.
Let us celebrate the birth of Christ! At this service, we will sing, pray, listen to scripture, share Communion, and light candles to give thanks for the hope, peace, joy, and love of Christ.

30 Days of Thanks

Dear ones,

As we approach the holiday season, many of us turn our minds to gratitude, between All Saints Sunday, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and a new year. That's especially the case for us at UCC as we celebrate 75+ years of ministry together on the corner of 21st and University and beyond. We give thanks for the departed saints who first showed us God's love; for those among us who are still showing us the way of Jesus with how they live their lives; for the partner organizations and ministries that make positive change in the world God so loves.

Through this season of gratitude and giving, of preparing and celebrating, of watching and waiting, let us give thanks for the beloved children of God who have influenced our lives and made the lives of our neighbors better in some form or fashion. Below are a series of daily prompts for the month of November, from Rev. Laura Stephens-Reed. Perhaps we can join together and go through this list a few times over the coming months in our prayers, expressing our gratitude to God for saints departed and still living.

Peace,
Megan

Day 1: Mentored you
2: Helped you grow in faith
3: Gave tangible help in a difficult time
4: Founded an institution or movement that is important to you
5: Showed tough love
6: Coached you as you grew in skills & confidence
7: Led a group that was significant in your formation
8: Treated you like a sibling
9: Introduced you to grief by their loss
10: Wrote something that deeply moved you
11: Died before you could reconcile or reconnect with them
12: Introduced you to a group/community
13: Reminded you to see the world like a child
14: Advocated for you
15: Showed you something key about yourself by being your adversary

16: Gave you a tangible object that continues to inspire you
17: Parented or grandparented you
18: Governed in a way that fostered trust and cooperation
19: Took you somewhere life-changing
20: Made you feel seen in a time/place that you felt invisible
21: Trusted you with difficult but important knowledge
22: Created art that speaks to your soul
23: Let you ask your questions
24: Pointed out your gifts
25: Introduced you to a hobby
26: Prayed for you
27: Embodied the values you aspire to
28: Disagreed with you but still loved you
29: Supported you emotionally through a low point
30: Did something for others that took great courage and sacrifice

A Blessing for Presence

Dear UCC,

Lately, my morning prayer time has included reading blessings by Irish poet John O'Donohue from his book To Bless the Space Between Us. It's a lovely collection of prayers that offer encouragement, connection, and wisdom. In the book's introduction, he writes that the "quiet light that shines in every heart. . . .is what illuminates our minds to see beauty, our desire to seek possibility, and our hearts to love life. . . . Though suffering and chaos befall us, they can never quench that inner light of providence." The blessings are wide-open enough for folks of any religious tradition to appreciate and employ, but O'Donohue explains that "for me personally, when I bless, I do it in the name and spirit of Jesus."

One of his blessings I recently read made me think of Sunday mornings at UCC. Worshiping together has taken on new dimensions after so long of online-only worship through the pandemic. Sundays in the sanctuary -- seeing other worshipers, sharing bread and cup, holding hymnals, and hearing each other's voices and the gorgeous organ music -- refresh our souls and renew our spirits. It's a joyful thing to be together. Here's the blessing. Let me know if it speaks to you as much as it does to me!

Peace, Megan

For Presence by John O'Donohue

Awaken to the mystery of being here and enter the quiet immensity of your own presence.

Have joy and peace in the temple of your senses.

Receive encouragement when new frontiers beckon.

Respond to the call of your gift and the courage to follow its path.

Let the flame of anger free you of all falsity.

May warmth of heart keep your presence aflame.

May anxiety never linger about you.

May your outer dignity mirror an inner dignity of your soul.

Take time to celebrate the quiet miracles that seek no attention.

Be consoled in the secret symmetry of your soul.

May you experience each day as a sacred gift woven around the heart of wonder.

A Pastoral Message in Response to Recent Shootings

Dear ones: Our hearts are broken by the pain in the world: most recently, by the tragic school shooting in Uvalde, which happened only 10 days after the shooting at a grocery store in Buffalo and 9 days after the shooting at a church in Laguna Woods.

Our hearts break over and over. Our hearts break when we remember that going to school, the grocery store, or church shouldn't be activities that are life-threatening. And God's heart breaks, too. For all of this. For all God's beloveds who are killed or injured by gun violence.

This Sunday, May 29, we are going to continue our Untroubled Hearts worship series, but our hearts are rightfully very troubled. So, together during worship, we will join in lament at a world that is off-key and out of tune. We will acknowledge our despair. We will cry out to God and sit in the stillness of grief, injustice, and righteous anger at the status quo. And then we will join with Jesus in his prayer that God's love be made known in the world, and we will act on that prayer. There will be pre-stamped postcards, message prompts, and addresses for elected leaders available for anyone who would like to encourage those in positions of power to take some common-sense, widely-agreed upon steps toward a safer, more loving world.

The Reconciliation Ministry posted yesterday on social media: Words are insufficient in these times. Our children are perishing, our grandmothers, too, and our teachers are traumatized over and over again. Lord, we need your mercy and a dispatch of your healing angels. Whom shall You send? Send us, Lord. Send us.

Beloved, let us all be healing angels to a hurting world. Take care of yourselves and each other. During these grief-filled days, community helps, so I hope to see you at church on Sunday. In the meantime, you are close in my prayers.

Love,
Pastor Megan

Coming Up at UCC!

Dear ones,

There are some exciting things going on here at UCC! Although the pandemic is not yet over, we're able to enjoy more in-person activities than we've been able to over the last couple of years. I'm really proud of the way that we kept up connections through the worst of COVID, but there is an energy connected to more "normalcy" in the world. That energy is leading to new initiatives in our congregational life together. The Spirit is at work! Here are a few highlights of how God is doing a new thing here, all of which you'll hear more about in upcoming months:

  • Interest Groups: In addition to the ongoing monthly book group and other opportunities, various new groups will be rolling out soon. Watch for more information about groups related to hands-on service, prayer/spirituality, advocacy, and a new Sunday school group that will kick off in the fall.

  • Church-Wide Outreach Activities: Rev. Chelsea is working on establishing some regular service opportunities in addition to service projects spearheaded by the neighborhood groups.

  • Fellowship Events: We'll be getting together for more fellowship meals and outings now that things are a bit safer! This summer, join us for a luncheon after church on June 19, and hopefully also a Round Rock Express game (details to come). The 75th Anniversary coordinating committee has also talked about field trips related to our history. (P.S., if you'd like to help plan those, contact me!)

  • Neighborhood Groups: As you all know, neighborhood groups are BACK! We had some wonderful initial gatherings and will continue to get together regularly.

  • Campus Ministry: It's been a fantastic spring with the UT student dinners and handing out snacks at various times of the semester. We'll keep that momentum going with lots of student outreach in the fall, so make plans to sign up to help!

  • Endowment for Creative Ministry Programs: The ECM Program Committee is meeting regularly and is making plans for an event in the fall. It's still very early in the process, but it's already clear that UCC will be making an impact that reaches far beyond our congregation!

  • Green Team: We are well underway to becoming a Green Chalice congregation, having completed an energy audit, starting to share green tips in our communications, and re-establishing a recycling program. If you'd like to join the team, let me know!

  • Leadership Retreat: The Servant Leader Ministry is planning a leadership retreat for August 27.

  • Testimony HQ: The Testimony HQ team has been working hard and will be rolling out their project soon. There will be opportunities for the whole congregation to be involved in this effort to effectively tell our faith stories in invitational ways to the local (and not-so-local) community.

There's a lot going on, and I hope you'll find some points of connection that are nourishing to your souls. Reach out to me or Chelsea if you have any questions about how to get involved!

Peace,
Megan

Holy Week & Easter with UCC Austin

You are invited to join with University Christian Church as we draw near to God during the holiest of weeks — as we wave palms in jubilation on Palm Sunday; as God gathers us around the Table and Jesus shows us how to love one another on Maundy Thursday; as we grieve Christ’s death on Good Friday; and as we celebrate the empty tomb on Easter Sunday. Read on for details about each service and opportunities for prayer and fellowship.

Palm Sunday, April 10
Worship, 10:50 a.m. in-person and online

  • On this day, we will begin Holy Week together by remembering Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem.

Maundy Thursday, April 14
Worship, 7:00 p.m. in-person and online

  • During this evening service of remembrance, prayer, and love, Jesus’ commandment to love one another will be the focus. Join us for this simple service of scripture, music, and Communion.

  • Before and after the service, you may choose to visit the prayer stations in the narthex and the sanctuary.

  • The chapel will also be open for silent prayer and meditation.

Good Friday, April 15
Worship, 12:00 p.m. Online only; email us for the Zoom link. You may also watch the service on our Facebook page.

  • Through prayer and sharing the story of Jesus’ arrest, crucifixion, and burial, we will give space to grief, sorrow, and loss.

  • The chapel will be open for silent prayer and meditation from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. this day. There will be some prayer resources available on the back pew.

Easter Sunday, April 17
Potluck Breakfast, 9:30 a.m.

  • Please email us to RSVP and, if you’d like, to sign up to bring a dish.

Easter Egg Hunt

  • This will take place immediately after the breakfast. All kids are welcome!

Worship, 10:50 a.m.

  • We will rejoice that Christ is risen! Come participate in this festive service that will include special music and beautiful altar flowers (note: there will be no lilies in the sanctuary, partly to be loving to those with lily allergies).

Coffee Fellowship, after worship

  • All are invited to enjoy coffee in the courtyard after the service.

  • The floral cross will be outside. You may choose to bring freshly-cut flowers to add to the cross before or after the service. The floral cross makes for a particularly pretty photo opportunity for your Easter pictures!

COVID Safety Practices Update - March 2022

Friends,

As the local COVID situation has vastly improved in recent weeks, the COVID Task Group has recommended some additional changes to our practices. We will be flexible and return to additional mitigation layers if they are needed, but for now, we will be relaxing most of our approaches to COVID.

These changes will begin starting this Sunday, March 20:

  • Masks will be optional. If you are high-risk, unvaccinated, or simply want to keep masking for any reason, please feel free to do so.

  • No check-in. The table will still be set up in the narthex for you to pick up your bulletin and communion kit. We will have attendance cards in the pew backs for you to fill out and leave in the offering plate as you exit the sanctuary at the end of the service.

  • Choir returns. We will enjoy the beautiful music of our choir once again!

If the COVID numbers stay low, we expect this change to take place starting April 14 (Maundy Thursday):

  • Passing communion and offering plates. The Community Ministry has devised a plan to keep things as sanitary as possible with the passing of communion, and the individual kits will still be available to anyone who would prefer them.

Some mitigation efforts we will keep in place for a while longer:

  • Socially distanced seating

  • Air purifiers

  • Anyone who feels sick or who has been exposed to COVID worshipping from home

Please reach out if you have any questions.

Love and peace to you,
Pastor Megan