On May 29, SCC Annual Meeting Worship will be streamed to churches from the meeting so all church leaders may attend.
On May 29 only, Faith Church will worship from 10 to 11 am. in order to take part in the unique worship experience.
As with the weekly email with the Zoom link for worship, a message will be sent with the link to participate.
More information will be available before the event.
We are collecting information and estimates on repairing playscape, repairing roof and water damage, removing bushes and tending to trees and flower beds.
We will be holding an information briefing on May 22nd in the sanctuary directly after graduation cake to provide updates and collect further input and Q and A.
If you are interested in helping us make the church beautiful or have suggestions, please consider attending.
We are transferring our church accounting from Quickbooks to Realm (an all-encompassing church management software) over the next few months.
We are looking for a small group of people who are interested in helping out with church bookkeeping.
If you have a love of numbers and are willing to learn a new system, please reach out to Michelle Perry.
We hope to set up a training opportunity with the experts from Realm to help us get things transferred easily.
Faith Church hosted the first prayer for unity organized by Serve Spot on May 2nd.
We hope this will be the first of many opportunities to pray for and with our sibling churches to ask God to help us learn to work better with one another.
We received a postcard of thanks and wanted to share with the church.
Please see card below!
From the Treasurer:
As of now we have 28 members who have made their pledges of support for Faith Church this year. Many more members and friends are contributing each month but have not made a formal pledge. Members who have not yet made their pledge for the remainder of the year are encouraged to do so by completing the pledge card that was sent out last month. Our Statement of Faith as well as April reports are filed in the church office and linked here for anyone interested to view. April offerings are reported below:
| General Fund Offerings April 2022 | $11,866.23 |
| Our Church’s Wider Mission Contribution (2.5%) | $296.66 |
| SFC Contribution (1.5%) | $177.99 |
| Eden Hill Contribution (.75%) | $89.00 |
| Back Bay Contribution (.75%) | $89.00 |
| CUE Contribution (.5%) | $59.33 |
| Designated Offerings April 2022 | |
| Faith UCC Youth Group | $500.00 |
| Riverside Pride | $100.00 |
| One Great Hour of Sharing (UCC) | $100.00 |
Church Roofing Project
The church insurance company has determined that all four buildings (the sanctuary, the fellowship hall, the children’s classrooms and the shed) have roof damage caused by hail and wind. We are in the process of getting bids to replace the roofs as well as repair/replace the damaged fascia boards and the gutters. This will be a massive undertaking but will protect our property from further damage for years to come. As we collect bids and deal with the insurance company, we will update the congregation every step of the way.
Please let me know if you have any questions regarding Faith UCC finances.
Sincerely,
Michelle Perry
Treasurer
Please join in welcoming our newest members! We’re so glad you’re here!
I am married to Shannon Pape, we have 3 children and I currently work for Mountain Valley Middle School as a bookkeeper. I have been looking for a new church home and am so excited to find Faith UCC!
I was raised in a First Baptist Church where I was baptized and made a profession of faith at the age of 12. As an adult I became an active member of Northwest Hills Methodist Church in San Antonio.
I have been visiting Faith UCC for a little over a month and I am so happy to find a congregation whose beliefs align with my own. After a lot of prayer, I know this is where I belong.
I would like to thank everyone for making me feel so welcome and I look forward to getting to know each of you better and to being a faithful servant in whatever capacity I am needed.
It was with deep joy that we professed our faith and joined in covenant with the people of Faith UCC on April 24th! As one of our sons and family live in Buda, we have been exploring and roaming the Hill Country for about a decade seeking where to relocate. In March 2021 we purchased a home in Kissing Tree and began the process, and were thrilled to find Faith Church (on the internet) and excited that it’s only 20 minutes down Hunter Road from our home! Now, something about each of us.
Mary is a RN and began her career in the heart/lung ICU at Barnes Hospital in St Louis, MO. After a few years she began working as a research nurse for the Thoracic surgeons at Washington University where she directed clinical trials in thoracic cancers and lung transplantation. She then became the Director of Research for Cardiothoracic Surgery there. After 10 years in that position they moved to Lake of the Ozarks and she began working for a Swedish medical device company (XVIVO Perfusion Inc.) working in lung transplantation as their Product Specialist for North and South America, then Head of Clinical Research for the company, and finally as Senior Clinical and Marketing Advisor. After 20 years of non stop travel, COVID and life helped her slow down and finally retire. She had no idea how good retirement could be!
She and Jim have been married for 46 years and for all of those years Jim has been an ordained minister of the United Church of Christ. Half of that time was serving one congregation in St Louis, where he obtained his Doctorate in Ministry, and the last 20 years living and serving a congregation at the Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri. People will ask what did he do all those years? He did everything!! And finally the time came to move on.
We have three sons, one a retired Naval pilot (now flying for Atlas Airlines) and is married with three girls, one a retired Army helicopter pilot (now flying for Starflight out of Austin) married with 2 girls and one boy, and one a certified chef working in Sweden and is married with one girl and one little one on the way.
We have loved being able to travel the world and have visited all 7 continents. We now spend our time enjoying the kids and grandkids, catching the great music in the area, playing bocce ball, and making new friends. We hope to get back to traveling soon.
We feel we have been adrift for a few years and are thankful to have found a church HOME, because there is NO PLACE LIKE HOME!!
Jim and Mary Pohl
Please also meet Wade Eernisse, the newest member of our Faith Church Family.
He is a gentle and joyful souls with a dedicated heart and we are grateful to have him with us!
Hello Everyone! My name is Wade Eernisse. I’m originally from Weesatche, TX but I recently moved to Seguin with my two dachshunds, Pebbles and Dixie. I work in Sales at Crestview RV in Selma, so if you’re looking for a RV, come see #WadeTheRVGuy and I’ll take care of you!
In my spare time I love to ride my CanAm Spyder, entertain and sing for people, and I’ve also been told I’m a pretty funny guy. I was looking for a more modern church that is welcoming and accepting of everyone from all walks of life, and I happened to run across Faith UCC’s Facebook page and after scrolling through the page and seeing all the posts, I was instantly excited to attend church again.
On my first visit, listening to Pastor Carla’s message that Sunday warmed my heart and touched my soul…I knew I was where I needed to be. Immediately after service I asked her how I could become a member…and I’m so glad I did. I look forward to being the best church member I can be, helping my community, and praising God for all my many blessings along the way!
Thank you for being so kind and welcoming towards me, I love you all.
I’ve lived here for 22 years and am a direct descendant of the original settlers of New Braunfels.
You could say I’ve come ‘full circle.’
My son, John, is a compassionate young man who loves to help those in need; and our pooch Margaret is an 8-year-old mixed breed we adopted from a shelter last year.
Please read below for updates on this loan program that we participate in. Find out more at kiva.org.
More than 1.7 billion people around the world are unbanked and can’t access the financial services they need. Kiva is an international nonprofit, founded in 2005 in San Francisco, with a mission to expand financial access to help underserved communities thrive.
A Borrower Success Story
How one cow changed it all for Neriman
ANIMAL HUSBANDRY, TURKEY
Wondering if microloans work? Read on to see the positive impact of a loan for Neriman.
Neriman lives in Turkey with her husband and nine children. The family struggled until she applied for a Kiva loan and used the money to buy a cow. Its milk fed her children and she sold the surplus for extra income—enough to buy more livestock. Now she oversees an animal husbandry business that supports her family and their future.
Opportunity when options are limited
Neriman wanted to contribute to her household, but there are few economic opportunities for women in rural parts of Turkey. Even if formal financial institutions did serve her area, it would have been hard for Neriman to get approved for a bank loan.
“I was told that banks did not give anything to those without an income,” she says.
How a loan changed everything
“After receiving the loan, my life changed,” says Neriman with pride. “I know that I have a job, I have something to work on. I am contributing to my house. I have money.”
Neriman and her husband, Sehmus, continue to thrive in their village and recently were able to pay for their son’s wedding.
Contributing to Kiva loans helps people like Neriman achieve success. For as little as $25, you can make an impact on individual lives around the world.
Want to be a part of someone’s success story?
A Borrower Update from The Phillipines
This update on your loan to Arlene was written by Kiva’s Field Partner.
Dear Kiva Lenders,
Warm Greetings of Peace and Good Health!
The whole world is indeed experiencing a global crisis right now because of the pandemic. As this brings changes and challenges in all area of our lives, we continue to be hopeful in the coming days.
As an organization, CEVI (A Microfinance NGO) in the Philippines continued to fulfill its mission of helping poor families and communities.
CEVI is moved with your generosity, through the loan for Arlene. It has indeed help sustain her livelihood and family’s needs.
Dear Kiva Lenders,
Warm Greetings of Peace and Good Health!
The whole world is indeed experiencing a global crisis right now because of the pandemic. As this brings changes and challenges in all area of our lives, we continue to be hopeful in the coming days.
As an organization, CEVI (A Microfinance NGO) in the Philippines continued to fulfill its mission of helping poor families and communities.
CEVI is moved with your generosity, through the loan for Arlene. It has indeed help sustain her livelihood and family’s needs.
A Borrower Update from Ghana
This update on your loan to Moringa Connect was written by Kiva’s Field Partner.
Dear Kiva Family,
With Mother’s Day around the corner, we have teamed up with candle makers extraordinaire Freres Branchiaux (a Black-owned, family owned fragrance company) to build the perfect gift set for the hardworking mamas in your life in need of some TLC. Each set includes their luxurious This Woman’s Work candle alongside our Rejuvenating Body Polish and Simplicity Moringa Oil.
This Woman’s Work Candle – Set the mood for a luxurious bath routine with this hand-poured organic soy candle. The perfect blend of delicate floral and deep sandalwood and musk, This Woman’s Work is an ode to women everywhere – especially to hard working moms who give their all to make the world a better place for all of us.
Rejuvenating Body Polish – Tough on impurities and gentle on skin, our Rejuvenating Body Polish exfoliates with pure sugar and farmer roasted coffee, brings smooth texture, and restores a brilliant glow to dry and damaged skin. Did we mention it smells like Heaven?
Simplicity Moringa Oil – Seal it all in with our signature moisturizing moringa oil. This multitasking, single origin hero ingredient delivers nutrients deep into the skin and provides long-lasting moisture and glow to face and body.
Best of all, 20% of purchases go toward our True Moringa Scholarship Fund for our women farmers and their families to pursue higher education.
Thanks to your generosity, we have surpassed our initial goal of raising $2000 for the True Moringa Scholarship Fund. These funds will provide 1 year of tuition for 5 scholarship recipients from the community of New Longoro where our farm. We have set a stretch goal to raise an additional $1000 through the fund to support our nursery childcare program by Mother’s Day
You can purchase our Mother’s Day bundle here: https://truemoringa.com/products/mothers-day-gift-set
And donate directly to the scholarship fund here: https://truemoringa.com/products/true-moringa-scholarship-farmers
Happy Mother’s Day & Moringa Love,
Kwami, Emily & Team True Moringa
Pastor Carla would like to draw your attention to the following articles in the most recent HOT Association Newsletter below!
1) SPRING ASSOCIATION MEETING VOTING RECAP
2) REMEMBERING REDEEMER UNITED CHURCH UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST
We mourn the decision of Redeemer Church in Zuehl to leave the United Church of Christ. Please keep them in your prayers and if you know of any who may be seeking support during this time of transition, please let us know how we can be of support to them. Read more below from remembrances compiled by Heart of Texas Association Minister, Rev. Nikki Stahl.
3) RECOGNIZING OUR LICENSED MINISTERS
4) SOUTH CENTRAL CONFERENCE ANNUAL MEETING
5) In case you missed Pastor Rene Slataper, interim minister at Hope United and member in discernment from Congregational Church of Austin, as part of April 7th Thursday’s For the Soul program entitled “Make Visible.”
6) INVITATION TO JOURNEY # 17
Pastor Carla has spoken before about this 3-day retreat and has been praying for one to be organized that Faith Church folks could attend. She will be serving on the Clergy Team for this event. Please see below for details and let her know if you would like to attend!
7) UCC HISTORY & POLITY
8) HYGIENE KITS COLLECTION AT ANNUAL MEETING (LINK TO PDF FLIER, TOO)
9) CAN WE DO IT? YES, WE CAN!
Subscribe to the Heart of Texas News directly through the HoT website at: http://www.hotaucc.org/news/news.html
Summer Volunteers Needed at Slumber Falls
The main thing limiting the number of attendees at Slumber Falls Camp is the number of adult volunteers available.
To learn more about donating a bit of time to this amazing experience for so many young people, contact Rev. Jeremy Albers at [email protected]
Slumber Falls Schedule and Registration
https://slumberfalls.org/summer-camp/summer-camp-schedule-and-prices/
https://www.ultracamp.com/clientlogin.aspx?idCamp=505&campCode=sfc
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