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  • About Us
    • Mission, Vision, & Values
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    • Our Beliefs & Practices >
      • LGBTQ+ Open & Affirming
      • God is Kid-Friendly
      • Racial Justice
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  • Worship
    • Bulletin
    • Worship
  • What's Happening
    • Church Calendar
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    • Youth
    • Children
  • Give
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    • Pledge Online
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Our Blog: "The Ministry Minute"
featured in our weekly e-newsletters

26 March 2021

3/26/2021

0 Comments

 
​BLESSING OF THE PALMS 
for Palm Sunday
By Jan Richardson

This blessing
can be heard coming
from a long way off.

This blessing
is making 
its steady way
up the road
toward you.

This blessing 
blooms in the throats
of women,
springs from the hearts,
of men, 
tumbles out of the mouths
of children.

This blessing 
is stitched into 
the seams 
of the cloaks 
that line the road, 
etched into 
the branches 
that trace the path, 
echoes in 
the breathing 
of the willing colt, 
the click 
of the donkey’s hoof 
against the stones.

Something is rising 
beneath this blessing. 
Something will try 
to drown it out.

But this blessing 
cannot be turned back, 
cannot be made 
to still its voice, 
cannot cease 
to sing its praise 
of the One who comes 
along the way 
it makes.

Richardson, J. (2015). Circle of Grace: A Book of Blessings for the Seasons. Wanton Gospeller Press.
0 Comments

19 March 2021

3/19/2021

0 Comments

 
Greetings to you, United Christian Church of Austin friends! My name is Karen Cotton, and I’m serving as one of your Elders this year. As Kim Flores explained a couple of weeks ago, Elders serve by “assisting the pastor(s) in the care and spiritual nurture of the congregation.” We send cards and make phone calls, to help us stay in touch as a church family. (Of course, you don’t need to be an Elder in order to stay in touch with others in the church; Elders just work to ensure that EVERYONE knows they’re included, loved, and cared for by their church family.) We want you to know who we are so that if you need a call, or have a prayer concern, you know that you can contact one of your Elders, in addition to Rev. Anna.

A little more about me—my husband, Roy, and I moved to Austin in 2008, and have been members of The United Christian Church of Austin since 2014. We have two sons, two daughters-in-love, and three grandchildren, ages 7, almost 5, and 3.5. They are our sunshine! We are both retired from the workaday world, but seem to have no trouble filling our days at our home in Wells Branch. 

During our quarantine year at home alone, I’ve done even more reading than usual. Contemplative Christian writings have sustained and enriched this very strange year in my life. The idea of the rhythm or cycle of life seems to be popping up in a variety of sources. For instance, the book A Rhythm of Prayer: A Collection of Meditations for Renewal, edited by Sarah Bessey, is divided into three parts: Orientation, Disorientation, and Reorientation. I can relate those stages to the last year or so of my life: 1) my life had a rhythm or schedule of sorts that kept me going; 2) that rhythm and schedule came to an abrupt and prolonged halt, so I tried to use the time to process “stuff;” 3) I can now see light at the end of the tunnel—I look forward to the time, hopefully not too far off, when I can hug and kiss those precious grandchildren again. There is indeed, a rhythm to our lives, both individually and communally. I accept that there will be times of disorientation in life, and look forward with hope and anticipation to a time of reorientation. See you there!

Grace and peace to you,
Karen Cotton

0 Comments

12 March 2021

3/10/2021

1 Comment

 
Dearly Beloved,

When I came to United Christian Church, my title was “Full-Time Mom.” I was ordained, but not interested in pastoring at the time. When UCC needed a choir director, however, something within me ignited - I guess you could say it was a calling. I had a degree in music, but very little experience in choral directing. But you had faith in me -- you believed that I could do it. And so I offered to step in until someone permanent was found…

Then when Rev. John moved back to New England, there was to be a gap before we could find an Interim Minister. We needed someone to fill the pulpit, so again, the need was presented, and something ignited. Rev. Nikki and I decided to take on the task as a team! You believed in us, and so we accepted the call together…

I never thought a year ago I would find myself here. God leads us down winding and surprising paths. But again, the need has been presented, something within me has ignited, and your belief in me has spurred me on.

The grief of this year has been great, but truly, my hopes are still high. Why? Because I have seen God alive and well at UCC in...
  • The interactive Time for Children before worship and your prayers shared out loud afterwards during our Joys and Concerns Coffee Hour - these times of fellowship make my cup overflow!
  • The discussion these past Sunday at our Worship Team Session about Outdoor Worship -- just the thought of seeing you - even masked, 6 feet away, and outdoors - keeps me going! 
  • Meghan and our youth, who have been hard at work making kits for the homeless and cleaning up our outdoor sanctuary!
  • Our Social Justice team, who have been fundraising and marching to end hunger and poverty through CROP walk -- raising more than double our goal this year and finishing in the top 50 teams in the nation! 
  • Emily and her team, who have already begun preparations for our children’s Vacation Bible School... 
  • YOU, dearly beloved, who have shown such an outpouring of care, consideration, and support these past weeks that it has felt like a barn-raising! This is not a common response in churches during times of such extreme stress, sustained transition, and change, but then again, YOU are not a common people! Your kindness and generosity, especially in hard times, is truly inspiring!

So friends, I promise to do my best with whatever time God gives us together. I promise to do my best at exactly what I tell my children to do each morning when I drop them off at school:
                                                                                     “Have courage and be kind.” 

Having courage means that we do not always do the easy thing. Having courage means we speak Truth, even when it’s hard. Above all, it means we strive always to be kind - to live by Christ’s commandment to love one another as Christ loves us.

Praying for you always,
Rev. Anna

1 Comment

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Worship at 10 am CST each Sunday in-person and online (email us for link)
​
We are proudly affiliated with both the United Church of Christ and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

3500 West Parmer Lane, Austin, TX 78727 
512-218-8110
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