University UMC Sermons: Recent Episodes
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Join us this Sunday worship as Megan Otto takes to the pulpit. She’ll talk about boasting and enduring hope in our lifelong experience of faith.
On Ascension Sunday, we recall Jesus’ ascension to heaven before the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. The scripture passage is Acts 1:1-14.
Join us as we celebrate God’s gift of music in our lives. The scripture reading is John 14:18-29 and Pastor Teresa’s sermon is entitled “A Song for Troubled Hearts.”
We continue celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month! Pastor Earl will preach on a name for God from the Christian mystical tradition—the Ocean of Divinity, and reflect on how God’s vast and boundless love can draw us together as we confront the dividing force of racism.
We welcome Rev. Dr. Jeehei Park to the pulpit. Dr. Park’s sermon is “Not Your (Stereo)Typical Lamb” and the sermon text is Revelation 7:9-17.
This Sunday we celebrate our Confirmation Class of 2025. As we celebrate these youth, we are reminded that confirmation is not a destination but rather a point along the way in our journey of faith and talking about the work we do as a community and our own experiences of faith throughout our lives.
Bluegrass Sunday! An annual tradition at UUMC celebrates the joy of the Easter season with music from some of our own church members sharing bluegrass music. The Gospel lesson shared in worship will be John 20:19-31 when the resurrected Christ appears to the disciple Thomas.
Christ is Risen! Alleluia! We celebrate Easter with a Gospel Lesson from Luke 24:1-12. Concluding our “Everything [in] Between” sermon series, Pastor Teresa preaches on the theme of living in between grief and hope.
This Sunday is the 5th Sunday in Lent and the scripture passage is the parable of the Fig Leaf from Luke 13:6-9. Pastor Teresa’s sermon continues the Lenten worship series “Everything [in] Between” and focuses on rest and growth.
This Sunday is the Fourth Sunday in Lent and the scripture passage is the Parable of the Lost Sheep from Luke 15:1-7.
This Sunday is the 3rd Sunday in Lent and the scripture lesson is Luke 10:38-42 when Jesus visits Mary and Martha. In her sermon, Pastor Teresa will focus on the importance of both faith and works.
This is the 2nd Sunday in Lent and the scripture lesson comes to us from Luke 10:25-37, the familiar story of the Good Samaritan. Our sermon series for the Season of Lent is “Everything [in] Between.” This series is an invitation to navigate the polarities in our lives with more faith, intention, and openness to be transformed. Each week we explore two supposed binaries. In this week’s sermon, Pastor Teresa explores the false dichotomy of “stranger and neighbor.”
On this first Sunday in Lent, Pastor Earl is preaching and his sermon title is “Everything [In] Between: Between the Divine and the Human.” The scripture lesson is Matthew 4:1-11.
We celebrate Transfiguration Sunday, when Jesus was transfigured before his wilderness experience. This Sunday takes place before Ash Wednesday and the coming Lenten season. We will discover together what Jesus’ transfiguration has to teach us about celebrating change and honoring differences. The sermon texts include Luke 9:28-36 and 2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2.
We’ll conclude our sermon series “Called to Compassion.” Pastor Teresa preaches a homily on the challenging scripture passage from Luke 6:27-38 where Jesus calls us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us.
We continue our sermon series “Called to Compassion.” The scripture lesson comes from Colossians 3:12-17.Human compassion is equal to human cruelty, and it is up to each of us to tip the balance. – Alice Walker
This Sunday as we celebrate our affiliation with Reconciling Ministries Network in 2011 and recommit ourselves to the ongoing works of advocacy for the full inclusion of all LGBTQIA+ members in the life of the church. Designed and planned by our Queer Council, this worship service aims to deliver the voices of the underrepresented in this political climate, and our sermon is by A. Villarreal, Music Director, and Jeremy Selvidge, Lay Leader.
The worship theme throughout the month of February is “Called to Compassion” and Pastor Teresa will be preaching about the ways in which the practice of attentiveness deepens our capacity to love. The scripture readings come from I Corinthians 1:4-13 and Hebrews 13:1-2.
Pastor Teresa is preaching and the scripture reading is Luke 4:14-21 when Jesus proclaims the Spirit is upon him to preach the good news. As Jesus looks back to the prophetic teachings from Isaiah to inform his ministry, we will consider the importance of looking to the past as we move into God’s preferred future.
Join us for worship on Sunday as we celebrate the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. and recommit to the ongoing work of justice in the church and in the world. We are thrilled to welcome guest preacher Rev. Dominique A. Robinson, DMin. to the University UMC pulpit.
January 12 is Baptism of The Lord Sunday. We’ll hear the account of Jesus’ baptism from the Gospel of Luke and all are invited to renew the commitments made at their baptism or to anticipate their baptism.
On Epiphany we remember the visit of the Magi to Jesus. We welcome guest preacher Rev. Lizzie Wright, executive director of Austin Region Justice for Our Neighbors (Austin JFON). Austin JFON is a non-profit law office, welcoming refugees and immigrants into our communities by providing free, high-quality immigration legal services, education, and advocacy.
We continue our celebration of Christmas and we will continue to sing the songs of Christmas. Pastor Teresa preaches on the lectionary Gospel lesson from Luke, when Jesus the child is found by his parents in the temple.
Pastor Teresa preaches on Christmas Eve as we celebrate the coming of God in the Christ child.
We light the candle of Love on this Fourth Sunday in Advent. Pastor Earl preaches and we will hear Mary’s Magnificat in the scripture reading.
In worship this Sunday we continue our Advent journey and light the candle of JOY. The scripture reading reminds us that John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus in the wilderness and Pastor Teresa’s sermon is “The Joy of Service.”
Join us as we begin our journey in this season of Advent! We will hear from the first chapter of Luke and light the first candle on our Advent Wreath - the candle of hope.
Megan Otto gives a pep talk for those who are both hopeful and a bit nervous about the holiday season. This season can be overwhelming but we hope you feel supported by this community. We want to remind you that God continues to be present with us during this time.
We are excited to share with you a beautiful telling of this story from a new book entitled “The Book of Belonging: Bible Stories for Kind and Contemplative Kids” by Mariko Clark. This retelling of the Gospel story will be shared by our own storytellers, Ray Williams and Melissa Wiginton. The sermon text is about Jesus’ visit to Mary following the death of her brother Lazarus. In the sermon, Pastor Teresa will take a look at how we can be a good friend to other people and ourselves when experiencing loss.
We continue our Sermon Series on Grief and Loss. This Sunday Pastor Teresa will explore the concept of Anticipatory Grief and the scripture reading comes to us from Revelation 21:1-7.
Join us for worship as we celebrate Commitment to Giving Sunday. This is always a special Sunday in the life of our congregation as Stewardship Season concludes and members of the congregation offer their pledge cards for the 2025 year. The scripture lessons come from Ephesians 3:20-21 and Matthew 19:23-30 and Pastor Teresa will preach.
Join us for worship as we continue our Stewardship Season’s worship theme “People of Possibility and the sermon text is the great love passage from I Corinthians 13. We will also celebrate Holy Communion on this World Communion Sunday. “Love is not any one emotion. Love is all our emotions: Joy is the gift of love. Grief is the price of love. Anger is what we harness to protect that which we love. Revolutionary Love is the choice to labor for others, for opponents, and for ourselves -- to transform the world around us, and within us.” – Val Kaur“We have all known the long loneliness, and we have learned that the only solution is love.” – Dorothy Day
We begin a new sermon series for the Stewardship Season. Our theme this year is “People of Possibility” and Pastor Teresa’s sermon centers on Isaiah 43:19, “I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth; do you not perceive it?”“There is no greater power than a community discovering what it cares about. Ask “What is possible?” not “What’s wrong?” Keep asking.” - Margaret Wheatley“I have found that among its other benefits, giving liberates the soul of the giver.” - Maya Angelou
Pastor Earl preaches on a short yet interesting story in the Acts of Apostles. It’s about Peter’s vision of the bizarre foods delivered to him from heaven.“I didn’t care about bizarre foods. The show I sold was about preaching patience, tolerance, and understanding about things that separated us: different cultures, different sexualities, different skin colors. I wanted to talk about things we had in common.” - Chef Andrew Zimmern on his show, Bizarre Foods
Pastor Teresa’s sermon “A Life of Service concludes our sermon series on “Numbering Our Days” based on Psalm 90 which reads, “Teach us, O Beloved, to number our days that we might have a heart of wisdom.”“Everybody can be great because everybody can serve.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.“Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.” – Desmond Tutu
Pastor Earl’s sermon is about planning and improvising as we continue the sermon series focusing on Psalm 90 “Teach us O Beloved to number our days that we might have a heart of wisdom.” Are you more like a planner who schedules everything in detail and feels comfortable seeing everything go as planned? Or are you more like an improviser who goes with the flow and feels excited to make decisions on the spot? We all have plans for the upcoming days and weeks. But sometimes, our time doesn’t go as we planned, and many times, we have to improvise depending on the situation. What about God’s plan for us? Has everything in the world been going as God planned? Or has God also improvised sometimes? Let’s reflect on these questions together.
Pastor Teresa’s sermon continues our focus on Psalm 90 “Teach us O Beloved to number our days that we might have a heart of wisdom.” The scripture text is Matthew’s telling of the Laborers in the Vineyard and the sermon references the history of Labor Day and the important work of labor unions.
We welcome guest preacher Rev. Dr. David F. White. Dr. White served on the faculty of Austin Seminary from 2005 until his retirement in July 2023. Throughout his career, Dr. White’s areas of interest and research focused primarily on youth ministry. His most recent book, Tending the Fire that Burns at the Center of the World: Beauty and the Art of Christian Formation, further explores the subject of his sermon this Sunday.Maybe the desire to make something beautiful is the piece of God that is inside each of us. - Mary Oliver
Pastor Teresa is preaching and continues the sermon series “Number our Days” with a look at belonging and community. We will hear the familiar scripture lesson from I Corinthians 12 about the church being The Body of Christ - one body with many members.“Education is for improving the lives of others and for leaving your community and world better than you found it.” - Marian Wright Edelman
We begin a new sermon series inspired by Psalm 90 entitled “Teach us to Number Our Days.” Many activities fill our schedules and days to overflowing and a life of faith can assist us in being attentive and intentional about making choices that foster joy. On this first Sunday in the series Pastor Teresa will preach about the gift of pastimes and hobbiesHow we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives. - Annie Dillard Teach us, O God, to number our days, that we may have a heart of wisdom. - Psalm 90:12
Megan Otto preaches a little about her renewal leave time and the journeys we are on in our lives of faith.
Pastor Earl preaches on the miracle story of feeding the multitude in the Gospel of John and its enduring message of the world that Jesus wants to make with us here and now. “ At its essence, a miracle is a message… A miracle is God’s extraordinary message in the midst of the ordinary; it is an exercise not in the supernatural or in the irregular but in communication.” – Peter J. Gomes
Pastor Teresa preaches and the sermon text comes from Mark 6:30-34 where Jesus invites the disciples to get away for a time of rest. We also hear a reading from Psalm 23 as we remember Jesus The Good Shepherd who extends compassion to our weary souls. “A great benefit of Sabbath keeping is that we learn to let God take care of us — not by becoming passive and lazy, but in the freedom of giving up our feeble attempts to be God in our own lives.” –Marva J. Dawn
We hear the Gospel story from Mark 6:1-13. Jesus is rejected in his hometown and then sends the disciples out two by two. In her sermon “Shake it Off,” Pastor Teresa reflects on instructions from Jesus in this Gospel Lesson–instructions that just might be helpful for us in navigating these challenging times in our current political landscape.
Join us for worship this Sunday! The Gospel Lesson comes from Mark and is often called “The Healing on the Way to A Healing,” as it includes two healing stories.
Join us for worship! Our sermon text is Mark’s account of Jesus in the storm with the disciples and Pastor Teresa preaches.
The scripture reading includes The Parable of the Growing Seed and the Parable of the Mustard Seed. We welcome guest preacher Ron Welborn (Pastor Teresa’s dad) who will share about his work at a #StayUMC gathering in Seguin following Seguin FUMC’s disaffiliation from The UMC. Ron is a retired band director and in recent years retired from a 2nd career as a pastor in the Río Texas Conference. He has served churches in Cuero, LaFeria, and Seguin and jokes that he “followed in his daughter’s footsteps into the ministry.”
This Sunday, Pastor Teresa preaches and shares about her call to ministry. The Gospel Lesson comes from Mark 2 and focuses on themes of The Sabbath.
We celebrate Trinity Sunday! The doctrine of the Trinity often sounds heavy and makes us wonder what this ancient doctrine about who God is has to do with who we are today. Come with an open heart as we meditate on the meaning of the Trinity and celebrate divine love in its diversity and communion.
This Sunday, we celebrate Pentecost Sunday! Pentecost is the day in the Christian Calendar when we remember the coming of the Holy Spirit that birthed the early church“If we are willing to be amazed, Pentecost is one of the most awe-inspiring days in our Christian calendar. If we are willing to be transformed, it is an opportunity to be renewed in energy and faithfulness toward the work of God’s kindom on earth when all people will experience true liberation and boundless love.” - Sarah Speed, A Sanctified Art
We continue our sermon series, Climate Justice and Creation Care. Pastor Earl preaches on Famine and Feeding.
We continue the sermon series “Creation Care and Climate Justice.” This week's sermon will center on the theme of climate migration. We will hear the account of disciples on the road to Emmaus from Luke’s Gospel and consider what it means to recognize and welcome those God sends our way.All guests who present themselves are to be welcomed as Christ, for he himself will say: “I was a stranger and you welcomed me” (Matt 25:35). – from The Rule of St. BenedictEven a wounded world is feeding us. Even a wounded world holds us, giving us moments of wonder and joy. I choose joy over despair. Not because I have my head in the sand, but because joy is what the earth gives me daily and I must return the gift. – Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants
We continue our Sermon Series on Creation Care and Climate Justice. This week the theme is on floods and we’ll hear part of the Noah’s Ark story in worship. Pastor Teresa will be exploring the theme of water in the physical world as well as our spiritual lives.“When you are working on something as challenging as climate change advocacy, it is important to find things to give you hope. That was the message Katharine Hayhoe gave us as the keynote speaker of the South Central Climate Resilience Forum, a gathering of scientists, city government officials, engineers, and planners.” - Dr. Becca Edwards,
Join us for worship as we begin the sermon series “Creation Care and Climate Justice.” In this first sermon Pastor Teresa will consider the gift and challenge of fire both in our spiritual lives and in the natural world. The sanctuary choir will sing “A Blessing by Fire” Diana Macalintal at the in person service and the online service premiers at 11 am on our YouTube channel.“You are not Atlas carrying the world on your shoulder. It is good to remember that the planet is carrying you.” – Vandana Shiva“All creation is the Lord’s, and we are responsible for the ways in which we use and abuse it….let us recognize the responsibility of the church and its members to place a high priority on changes in economic, political, social, and technological lifestyles to support a more ecologically equitable and sustainable world leading to a higher quality of life for all of God’s creation.” – The Social Principles of The UMC
Join us for Easter Sunday. We will hear the resurrection story from the Gospel of John and Pastor Teresa’s sermon is entitled, “Choosing Joy.Death is natural. Loss is natural. Grief is natural. But those stones have been rolled away this happy morning to reveal the highly unnatural truth. By the light of this day, God has planted a seed of life in us that cannot be killed, and if we can remember that then there is nothing we cannot do: move moutains, banish fear, love our enemies, change the world. – Barbara Brown Taylor in “Home By Another Way” Joy is an act of resistance against despair and its forces. – Willie James Jennings, theologian
Join us as we celebrate Palm Sunday! Palm Sunday begins in celebration and transitions to the sorrow of Holy Week ahead. You can read more about our Holy Week services at uumc.org/easter.
We continue our Lenten sermon series “Hope is Here.” Pastor Earl preaches about the relationship between hope and faith. The scripture comes from the Book of Jeremiah and the Gospel of John.
We continue our Lenten sermon series, “Hope is Here.” Pastor Teresa preaches about “Hope for the World.” The sermon text comes from John’s gospel featuring the famous words, 'For God so loved the world God sent God’s only son.’
This Sunday the sermon text is John 2:13-22 and Pastor Teresa’s sermon centers on hope for the future of the church.“The gospel doesn’t need a coalition devoted to keeping the wrong people out. It needs a family of sinners, saved by grace, committed to tearing down the walls, throwing open the doors, and shouting, “Welcome! There’s bread and wine. Come eat with us and talk.” This isn’t a kingdom for the worthy; it’s a kingdom for the hungry.” ― Rachel Held Evans, Searching for Sunday: Loving, Leaving, and Finding the Church
as we continue our Lenten Journey. The sermons this season follow the lectionary Gospel readings and are inspired in part by the book “Hope is Here” by Luther Smith. In these next three Sundays, Pastor Teresa explores the theme of hope in our own personal lives, in the church, and in the world.
We begin the journey of Lent. Pastor Teresa will begin a new sermon series inspired by the book “Hope is Here: Spiritual Practices for Pursuing Justice and the Beloved Community” by Luther Smith, Jr. On this first Sunday, the Gospel lesson is Mark’s account of the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness and the sermon title is “A Song of Hope.”
We welcome guest preacher Dr. Marlon Johnson and remember our church’s vote to affiliate with Reconciling Ministries Network. Dr. Johnson is Associate Professor of Counselor Education at Seminary of the Southwest. RMN is 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.
As we observe Transfiguration Sunday, we remember the glory of God revealed in Jesus before he begins his wilderness journey.“Each day holds a surprise. But only if we expect it can we see, hear, or feel it when it comes to us. Let's not be afraid to receive each day's surprise, whether it comes to us as sorrow or as joy, it will open a new place in our hearts, a place where we can welcome new friends and celebrate more fully our shared humanity.” ― Henri Nouwen
We are thrilled to welcome guest preacher Dr. Diana Butler Bass to preach on Mark 1:21-28. “This year, I’m wondering: What it would be like to expect epiphanies? Not just in stars, but in the more normal course of things. What if we “attuned” ourselves to “sacred surprise”? – Diana Butler Bass, from “The Cottage” January 4, 2024“Instructions for living a life. Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it.” – Mary Oliver
Pastor Teresa preaches on the lesson from Mark’s Gospel when Jesus calls the disciples to follow Him.“We are safer and happier when we care for each other in community, when we do things for each other.” – Diana Butler Bass“Imagine if every church became a place where everyone is safe, but no one is comfortable. Imagine if every church became a place where we told one another the truth. We might just create sanctuary.” ― Rachel Held Evans
We welcome guest preacher Dr. Marcus Freeman as we remember our baptism. Dr. Freeman is District Superintendent of the Capital and Crossroads Districts of The UMC.
Pastor Teresa preaches on the story of the Magi’s visit to the Christ Child from Matthew’s Gospel. “Look closely at the present you are constructing: it should look like the future you are dreaming.” – Alice Walker“Pick a star on the dark horizon and follow the light.” – Regina Spector, “The Call”“An epiphany is not an experience that we can create from within, but one that we can only be open to and receive from another. Epiphanies leave us totally out of control, and they always demand that we change.” – Father Richard Rohr
On New Years Eve before all the parties Megan Otto preached about endings, beginnings, and most importantly the wise church ladies.
Our theme for Advent this year at University UMC has been centered on dreams and the Christmas story reminds us that we are all dreamers. Like those gathered around the manger, we come to this night each year with awe, wonder, and holy imagination for what is possible. Like Mary, we treasure God’s dream in our hearts and commit to keeping it alive. Like the holy family, we believe and trust in a God who comes to us in the vulnerability of a child.
Join us for worship as we celebrate the 3rd Sunday of Advent and light the candle of JOY!“Ultimately dreams sow joy, even if that joy doesn’t immediately spring forth. Sowing seeds into the soil always feels risky and feeble - how can something so small become something so beautiful, so big, and so nourishing? Like Mary, we are called to tend and nurture the dreams God has woven into us.” – A Sanctified Art
Join us for worship as we celebrate the 2nd Sunday of Advent and light the candle of Peace. The sermon text is the story of John the Baptist and Pastor Teresa’s sermon is “Prepare the Way.” ”To prepare the way for just peace is a choice that we must make daily. Messengers know that what we see is not all there can, will, or should be. Messengers face the troubles of the world receptively, perceptively, and attentively, as they proclaim, ‘We shall overcome.’” – Dr. Marcia Riggs, Professor of Christian Ethics Columbia Theological Seminary
On this First Sunday of Advent, Pastor Teresa will be preaching and the sermon text is Mark 13:24-37. The words from Psalm 126 “We were like those who dreamed” inspires our sermon series for this season. The Advent and Christmas season is filled with dreamers. The prophets and John the Baptist; Mary and Joseph; Simeon and Anna; the shepherds and the Magi. They all received and discovered dreams. It is true that we live at a time when our hearts are often weighed down by the worries of the world. And it is also true that dreams are still being born. If we dare to notice and wonder. If we dare to step into the mystery and awe of God’s dreams. If we dare to pray they shape our reality. “It is a strange way to begin this time of Advent. Beginning Advent with weeping and lament? That is unusual! And powerful. This is where we need to begin. The coming of Advent jolts the church out of Ordinary Time with the invasive news that it’s time to think about fresh possibilities for deliverance and human wholeness.” – Patricia E. DeJong
“If you’re grateful, you’re not fearful, and if you’re not fearful, you’re not violent. If you’re grateful, you act out of a sense of enough and not of a sense of scarcity, and you are willing to share. If you are grateful, you are enjoying the differences between people, and you are respectful to everybody, and that changes this power pyramid under which we live.” – David Steindl-Rast
Join us for our worship service this Sunday as we welcome our guest preacher, Rev. Nancy Frausto. Rev. Frausto immigrated to the U.S. as a child and is the first and only DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) beneficiary priest in the Episcopal Church. She is also a founding member of the Diocese of Los Angeles Sanctuary Task Force. As we listen to her story and her witness to God’s loving presence in her life, may we be inspired and challenged to dream together of a just world and to recommit ourselves to God’s work of hospitality and welcome in our own community. We will hear scripture lessons from the Prophet Amos and the Gospel of Matthew.“All we need, all we need is hope and for that we have each other.” – Andra Day, “Rise Up”“Let justice roll down like water and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.” – Amos 5:24
We celebrate All Saints’ Sunday and remember the members of UUMC who have died in this past year.“My culture does not honor the ancestors as a quaint spirituality of the past, but as a living source of strength for the present.” – Steven CharlestonSuddenly all my ancestors are behind me. Be still, they say. Watch and listen. You are the result of the love of thousands. – Linda Hogan
We continue our sermon series centered on “The 3 B’s” of Believing, Behaving and Belonging. What we believe, how we behave (or practice our faith), and how we belong have long been central to many people of faith. Over time, our understanding of “The 3 B’s” have been changing. Pastor Teresa’s sermons will explore this in the light of recent writings from religions scholar Diana Butler Bass.
We begin a new sermon series centered on "The 3 B’s" of Believing, Behaving, and Belonging. What we believe, how we behave (or practice our faith), and how we belong have long been central to many people of faith. Over time, our understanding of "The 3 B’s" has been changing. Pastor Teresa’s sermons will explore this in the light of recent writings from religions scholar Diana Butler Bass.
We welcome guest preacher Rev. Dr. Amy Laura Hall an ordained elder in the Rio Texas Conference of The United Methodist Church and Associate Professor of Christian Ethics and Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist Studies at Duke Divinity School. Dr. Hall continues our look at Old Testament families of the Bible and preaches from the book of Ruth.
Pastor Teresa continues the sermon series “Old Testament Families of the Bible” with a scripture lesson from Exodus 2:1-10 about baby Moses.
Pastor Teresa continues the sermon series “Old Testament Families of the Bible” and the scripture lesson is about the brothers Jacob and Esau.
“There is a time to wake up because the world needs us. The shofar is like your heartbeat. We listen to it and realize our lives are holy and they matter. Think about the gifts you have and what the world might need from you.”
– Rabbi Neil Blumofe of Congregation Agudas Achim in Austin, TX
Pastor Teresa preaches as we begin a new sermon series “Old Testament Families of the Bible,” with a scripture lesson from the 2nd creation story of Genesis.
“If you're lucky you find your way into a spiritual community and you start to find the great teachers of all the ages who said the same thing. There's only love, you're made of love.”
– Anne Lamott
Megan Otto preaches on finding contentment in the gray spaces of our lives and our belief systems. What is something you believed as a child that you don't believe anymore?
Our Director of Campus Ministries, Megan Otto, brings a message about cultivating an awareness of God every day in all that we do.
We will hear a New Testament lesson about Jesus calling the disciples and we will consider God’s call on our own life. With the changing landscape of religion in our culture, the metaphor of being on a road trip just might provide some helpful lessons!
UUMC welcomes guest preacher Rev. David McMinn, the Director of Texas Wesley Campus Ministry at The University of Texas, Austin. His sermon “Choosing Abundance” centers on Mark 6:30-44.
Pastor Heather preaches from the Gospel of Mark on Jesus calming the storm. Karoline Lewis says, “Perhaps the act of faith is not just the trust that Jesus will still the storm. The act of faith is taking Jesus’ invitation to heart.” Explore the wonder of this miracle story in Pastor Heather’s sermon, “God Magic.”
Our Director of Music Ministries, Alicia Villarreal shares this Sunday. In their message, "How Can I Keep From Singing?" they share a few hymns that have been meaningful to them over the years.
Pastor Teresa’s sermon, “A Grace So Big” is based on 1 Corinthians 13 as we acknowledge the ongoing struggle for full inclusion and name the complexity of emotions as some conservative churches are making the decision to disaffiliate from the denomination.
We conclude our sermon series “All Creatures Great and Small.” The sermon text is from Matthew’s account of the faith of the Canaanite woman and the animals of focus are dogs.
We continue our sermon series “All Creatures Great and Small.” We hear a special reading of Psalm 23 and a reading from John’s Gospel. Pastor Earl preaches as we focus on this week’s animal: sheep.
We continue our sermon series “All Creatures Great and Small.” Pastor Teresa preaches from the book of Jonah and the animals of focus are whales.
We begin a new sermon series “All Creatures Great and Small.” Each week will focus on animals featured in Bible stories and we will remember together our call to care for creation. This Sunday, Pastor Teresa preached on Matthew 6:25-34 and we take a look at what we can learn from Jesus’ invitation to think about the birds of the air.
This Sunday, Megan Otto shares a message with us about things we've hoped for and things we've missed.
We gather this Easter Sunday and rejoice in the Good News of the Risen Christ. Pastor Teresa’s sermon, “Practicing Resurrection” is based on the Gospel of Luke’s account of the resurrection.
Palm Sunday begins in celebration and transitions to the sorrow of Holy Week ahead. The sermon is from Rev. Earl Kim, who concludes our series on Spiritual Practices with the theme of “Mourning.”
We continue our Lenten Sermon Series on Spiritual Practices. The scripture lesson is the story from John’s Gospel on the raising of Lazarus, and Pastor Teresa preaches about the spiritual practices of tending to the body and aging.
We continue our Lenten Sermon Series on Spiritual Practices, and Pastor Earl preaches. His sermon title is “Hospitality: A Place at the Table,” and we hear scripture readings from Leviticus and Luke’s account of the Last Supper.
This week, we explore the spiritual discipline of prayer. Martin Luther said, “I have so much to do that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer.” Let’s explore together the different types of prayer and how we prioritize it in our lives. Pastor Heather will be preaching from the book of James.
We continue our Lenten journey and sermon series on Spiritual Practices. We hear scripture readings from Deuteronomy 5:12-15 & Mark 2:23-28 and Pastor Teresa preaches on Sabbath Keeping.
We begin a new sermon series on Spiritual Practices based on the book Mudhouse Sabbath by Lauren Winner. Matthew 4:1-11 is the scripture reading and tells of Christ’s time in the wilderness. Pastor Teresa’s sermon “Fitting Food and Fasting” explores our relationship with food impacts our relationship with others and with God.
we hear the reading from Matthew’s Gospel of the Transfiguration of Christ. In this story, three disciples go with Jesus to the top of a mountain where they see a vision that includes a radiant Jesus visiting with Moses and Elijah. This pivotal moment takes place just before Jesus enters the wilderness. Likewise, this scripture lesson is often shared in churches on the Sunday before we begin our Lenten journey.
We hear a scripture reading from the Prophet Isaiah and welcome Rev. Dr. Stephen Ray to the pulpit. Rev. Dr. Ray is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ currently serving as the Black Religious Scholars Group’s Scholar-in-Residence at Seminary of the Southwest.
Pastor Teresa preaches and we hear a reading from the prophet Micah reminding us to “Do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God.”
We celebrate Laity Appreciation Sunday and Pastor Teresa preaches on John 15 which includes these words from Jesus: “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.”
We welcomed Pastor Ashley Valenzuela of St. Mark UMC, Austin as our guest preacher as we remember University UMC’s decision to affiliate with Reconciling Ministries Network. RMN is committed to working for the full participation of all LGBTQ+ people throughout the life and leadership of The UMC.
Pastor Earl preaches on the symbolism of the river in the Bible, and the way it inspires us to see how God created us to live in a network of love. Along with the symbol of the river, we will also reflect on the words of Dr. King.
Some Star Word Suggestions:
Healing, Service, Commitment, Understanding, Courage, Hope, Thankfulness
More about Star Words: https://www.uumc.org/news2/2023/1/4/a-note-from-pastor-teresa-january-6-2023
Megan Otto preaches on Psalm 91. She will talk about perspectives for 2023 and our hopes for new beginnings.
We hear the lesson from Luke’s Gospel about Mary’s visit to her cousin Elizabeth including the powerful words of the Magnificat.
We continue our Advent journey! Pastor Teresa will be preaches on the Gospel of Matthew’s account of an angel visiting Joseph in a dream.
Our Advent Sermon Series is “Generation to Generation” and we will explore together the gift of being connected across time to the great love story of God found in the gift of Jesus. Pastor Teresa’s sermon this week is centered on Isaiah 11:1-10.
It's the Sunday before Thanksgiving and Pastor Teresa preaches about "Giving Thanks for Such a Time as This.”
Pastor Earl preaches on the meaning of having faith in the divine compassion revealed in Jesus and the way his love becomes our hope for today.
We conclude our Stewardship Sermon Series “This is Our Story.” Our commitment is a way of celebrating all God has done in and through us while looking to the future with hopeful anticipation of what God will continue to do.
Pastor Teresa will be preaches from the Gospel account of a poor widow who gave all she had and we discover this story is not all it seems to be on the surface.
What matters most in life? Pastor Earl invites you all to join him in navigating our priorities and searching for authentic answers to the question. You will hear about his own struggles with the question in his sharing of a story of his father as we continue our “This Is Our Story” sermon series
Pastor Teresa preaches on the miraculous feeding of the multitudes and we begin this year’s “This is Our Story” Stewardship Season.
Pastor Heather explores the spiritual practices of Jesus. What can we learn from how he lived his live and engaged in faith with the world around him.
Pastor Teresa continues the sermon series "Embodied Faith" with a look at the sacrament of baptism.
Bishop Robert Schnase of the Rio Texas Conference Bishop Schnase was with us to share a story about a baptism from his time serving in McAllen
We continue our sermon series “Embodied Faith” with a look at the sacrament of Holy Communion. Pastor Teresa preaches and we hear the story from Luke’s Gospel of Jesus’ appearance on the road to Emmaus.
This week we will hear the familiar story found in Luke's Gospel of sisters Mary and Martha who are visited by Jesus.
We continue our new sermon series, "Embodied Faith." Pastor Teresa preaches and the scripture lesson is from I Corinthians 12 about the Body of Christ: "For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ."
Pastor Teresa preaches as we begin a new sermon series entitled “Embodied Faith” where we explore together what it means to live out our faith. This week’s sermon centers on the metaphor of the church as the Body of Christ.
On June 19th, Pastor Heather filled in for Rev. Nancy Mossman in our Sanctuary Worship Service. This week she shares that sermon with all those worshiping online.
Megan Otto wraps up our Summer at the Movies series with Tick, Tick...Boom! We will be exploring the life of Jonathan Larson as well as what it means to be connected to God through vines and branches.
Pastor Earl will be preaches from Raya and the Last Dragon. We focus on their journey of mending their broken land with trust and reflect together on God’s unwavering trust in us and our work of trust as God’s people in the world. You'll also get to hear a song from the movie by our Director of Music Ministries, Alicia Villarreal. No worries at all if you haven’t watched the movie – just come with open minds and open hearts.Raya: “Yeah, well the world’s broken. You can’t trust anyone.”Sisu, the last dragon: “Or maybe the world’s broken because you don’t trust anyone.”
We continue our Sundays at the Cinema sermon series. This week Pastor Teresa preaches on a healing story from Luke 8 and we will remember that the gift of the incarnation means valuing our own bodies and one anothers' as sacred. The movie referenced this week is Turning Red, a Pixar film about the coming of age of a Chinese Canadian girl.
This Sunday, Pastor Teresa preached a sermon referencing the movie "Encanto" and the scripture lesson came from Psalm 139.
This week Pastor Heather will be preaching from the movie Trolls 2: World Tour. In a sermon titled, “A Hope that Sings,” she will demonstrate how this film can be an inspiration and model for life today. As Emily Dickinson says, “Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul and sings the tune without the words and never stops at all."
UUMC welcomed Rev. John Wright to the pulpit. Rev. Wright is a retired elder in the Rio Texas Conference. He and his wife Rev. Barbara Ruth have served churches throughout the conference including First UMC Austin. He will be preaching on Luke 9:51-62 and Jesus’ call to sacrificial love.
This Sunday, we're joined by Rev. Nancy Mossman, a Retired Elder in the Rio Texas Conference. She preaches on "Meeting Fear with Love"
Pentecost is often called the birthday of the church. It is a day of celebration for all that God has done and is doing within the life of the church.
We welcome guest preacher Pamela Benson Owens to the pulpit. Mrs. Benson Owens' sermon text is James 1:17 . Mrs. Benson Owens is the President and CEO of Edge of Your Seat Consulting, a unique consulting firm that is dedicated to assisting for-profit, nonprofit, and faith-based entities. She also serves as CEO of Six Square, a non-profit dedicated to preserving and Celebrating the historic legacy of the African American community that once thrived in Central East Austin and is host of the podcast Rooted.
We continue our sermon series, For the Beauty of the Earth, with a focus on "sky." The scripture text is the traditional reading for the Sunday known as Ascension Sunday from Luke 24:44-53, when Jesus is taken up into heaven.
We continue our sermon series "For the Beauty of the Earth." This week's theme is "Trees" and the liturgy and music will be centered in stewarding and celebrating the gift of creation. The scripture lesson is from Isaiah 55 and includes the beloved verses "Even the mountains and the hills will burst into song before you; all the trees of the field will clap their hands."
We continue the series “For the Beauty of the Earth.” Pastor Teresa’s sermon will be centered on the gift of water and the sermon text is from The Book of Revelation.
We begin a new Sermon Series, "For the Beauty of the Earth." Pastor Teresa's sermon will be centered on the gift of land and the sermon text is from Deuteronomy 8.
Pastor Lisa preaches on music in our worship and how "when we sing, we pray twice." The scripture readings for this week are from the Psalms.
Pastor Teresa will conclude our Lenten Sermon Series with "Spiritual Practices for the Wilderness: Expanding Imagination."
Pastor Teresa continues our Lenten series with the sermon “Spiritual Practices for the Wilderness: Distributing Power.” The sermon text is John 12:1-8, Mary anointing Jesus
Pastor Teresa continues our Lenten series with the sermon “Spiritual Practices for the Wilderness: Discerning Purpose.”
Pastor Lisa continues our sermon series “Spiritual Practices for the Wilderness" with "Walking Alongside.” We will take a look at the ways we can support our neighbors when they are suffering.
Pastor Teresa continues the sermon series “Spiritual Practices for the Wilderness" with "Grieving Well.” She looks at the ways we can honor our collective and individual grief experiences and find comfort in the presence of God and one another.
Pastor Teresa preaches on Luke 4:1-13 and as we recall Jesus' wilderness experience we will reflect on our own wilderness experience of the pandemic.
We conclude our “A Season of Love” series and welcome guest preacher Rev. Andrew Fiser. Rev. Fiser is the Associate Director of Missional Outreach for the North Texas Conference of The UMC. His sermon “Discerning the Body” will be centered on I Corinthians 11:23-32.
As we continue to celebrate the anniversary of becoming a Reconciling Congregation, we feature 3 of our church members who share part of their story and why UUMC is important to them. Pastor Heather also shares a few words.
We continue our February sermon series “A Season of Love.” Pastor Teresa will be preaching and the scripture lesson contains words about the greatest commandments - to love God and our neighbors as ourselves.
We begin our February sermon series“A Season of Love.” Pastor Teresa will be preaching and we will hear the familiar words of 1 Corinthians 13 reminding us “Faith, hope and love abide, but the greatest of these is love.”