Tag: new members (Page 1 of 2)

Welcome New Members to Faith Church!

November 11, 2022 / Faith UCC

Our church family continues to grow!!!

This month, meet the Blankenship and Fox families!!!

These new members are already jumping into the swing of things and pitching in to support the work and mission of Faith Church to bring peace, healing, and justice to all of God’s created.

Please help us welcome them all and be watching this space in coming newsletters for more information about other new members!

Please continue reading to learn a little about our new members and extend to them our most extravagant welcome!

Trey Blankenship is a native Texan that spent his formative years growing up in Austin. After completing his Bachelor’s in Hospitality Management at Texas Tech, he attended Culinary School at the CIA in Hyde Park, New York. Upon completion of the program, he moved to Napa Valley, California and began his career in the wine industry. Over the next 20 years we worked for some of the top wineries of the region.

In 2011 he met his future wife Katherine and oldest daughter Sofia. Their family continued to grow and in 2017, he brought his family (Katherine, Sofia (16), Kai (10) and Julianne (7)) to Texas via Lubbock where he completed his Master’s Degree in Hospitality Management. Trey and his family moved to New Braunfels in 2020. He enjoys gardening with his wife and taking advantage of all the outdoors activities the area offers with his wife and children.

Brian and Joan Fox were married 45 years ago in a UCC in Norfolk, Va. and lived in Northern California for 40 years. They have 3 outstanding adult children- I know – how can they have adult children? A daughter in Austin, a daughter in Sacramento and a son currently on an aircraft carrier on the waters of Japan. They also have 2 wonderful granddaughters in Austin , hence, the move to Kyle, Texas.

Brian loves to camp, take great photographs, and bike. He has participated in 2 coast to coast bike rides for “Ride for Hope”, raising funds to help children affected by AIDS in Sub – Saharan Africa. He is retired after 33 years in sales with Procter and Gamble Joan enjoys reading, sewing, and creating art with her granddaughters. She loves to write and visit friends and family around the country. She is a retired LPN and paralegal, working in Blood Banking,Skilled Nursing, Long Term and Memory Care, and as an advocate for Medicare beneficiaries. She went on The Journey earlier in the year, and encourages anyone who has the opportunity to go. It will change your life.

Together, the Foxes have served in Children’s Ministry in 2 churches, and individually Brian has served as an usher, deacon and church photographer. Joan has served in Women’s ministry, choir, and as a deacon.

The Foxes live in Kyle, and found Faith Church online during the pandemic shutdown. Joan joined a book study, and met several members of the church, and she knew she had found their new church home without even stepping foot in the door.

“We are so excited and thankful to become members of Faith Church. Here we have found a warmth and love that greets you at the door and wraps you in loving arms. We look forward to being a part of such a great, welcoming church where the mission is to live out Jesus’ commandment to love”

Welcoming Newest Members to Faith Church!

May 9, 2022 / Faith UCC

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.

Welcome New Members to Faith Church!

March 11, 2022 / Faith UCC

Please join me in welcoming our newest members:
Carra McNamara Myers
Molly Dixon and her twins, Gabriel and Grace Quentin

We moved to New Braunfels 3 years ago. We love to hike, go the lake, and visit Landa park as often as possible.

We all were born in Ohio and enjoy the beautiful Texas weather in the fall, winter, and spring. We also have two older brothers that live in Florida and Arizona. We love to travel and visit family and are so excited to join the church.

Being a 3rd generation San Antonio native, I take great pride in this city. The Alamo Heights neighborhood has been my stomping ground, so it is no surprise my home, shared with my partner, Vicki, is here.

Left town long enough to graduate from Texas Tech University to return and begin my 36 year passion with teaching. Later received my Masters from The University of the Incarnate Word. I taught everything from Elementary Physical Education to Sociology with a sprinkle of Special Education.

My children stand out as my greatest achievement. Both my son and daughter have grown into successful and independent thinking adults. They also join me in the quest for social justice! The three who have my heart are my grandchildren. They bring me more joy than I thought possible.

Upon retiring from teaching, I was blessed to live my dream by founding a nonprofit for underserved girls in the Bexar County area! During free time I enjoy traveling, gardening, reading and serving on numerous nonprofit boards.

I was looking for a church home when I was introduced to Faith UCC. The beliefs and direction of Faith align with mine and I am thrilled to be a member!

Returning members Rev Bill and Florence Burns

December 6, 2021 / Faith UCC

Welcome back Rev. Bill and Florence Burns! Here’s a little about them.

Bill grew up on a farm in Iowa and after finishing his 4 year degree in History he attended Eden Theological Seminary. He was ordained in 1963 and served several churches in Iowa. Bill was involved in the Civil Rights Movement and he became known as a “Freedom Rider”. Once the Vietnam War started the UCC church was seeking ministers who would serve as Chaplains to minister to the troops. Bill answered that call and served with the US Army as a Chaplain on active duty for eleven years as well as serving in the Army Reserve as a Chaplain for many years.

Florence grew up in rural Illinois but knew nothing about farming. Health issues kept her from attending college right out of high school but she worked for six years for the Chicago Motor Club in their small loan department in Chicago. She moved to Iowa when she married her late husband and they owned a business together for sixteen years. Florence graduated from Iowa Wesleyan College with a double major in accounting and personnel administration/industrial psychology. Florence got her realtor license and sold real estate and then after graduation Florence worked for EF Hutton as a financial planner. Florence opened her own office as a financial planner/broker/consultant and did a lot of seminars helping persons with their investment needs.

In 1984, Bill and Florence were married in a beautiful UCC church in Iowa. Our first home was at Eden Theological Seminary and Bill studied for two years furthering his theological studies. Florence closed her financial planning office in Iowa but continued her work as a financial consultant financing our living and college costs. Once Bill got his DM degree he accepted the call to a small church in Baxter IA where we made our home for three years. Florence continued her work as a financial investment planner with her office in Des Moines. Bill continued his work with the Army Reserve which sometimes took him to conferences and education events out of the area.

One such trip, we had lunch with a Chaplain who really wanted Bill to serve as a chaplain with the Veterans Administration. He was called to serve at the VA in San Antonio a few months following that meeting. That is what got us to move to Texas.

Our life in Texas has been very busy with Bill at the VA and Florence working in the investment department with USAA plus active in various ministries. We were involved in starting a home away from home, called the Hospital Welcome Lodge, giving a place to stay for loved ones of VA patients as well as the other hospitals in San Antonio. It was a huge mission. Once they retired from their regular jobs in 1998, Bill accepted a call to two small churches and we lived in Buda for a few years. We were very involved in ministry in real estate, helping people who were losing their homes and we started a branch of the Fuller Center for Housing which helped those who could not do the upkeep and repairs needed in their homes. They have now retired from all that and are presently enjoying the retirement community at Eden Hill Village Community.

Family is very important to them having three adult children and their families in the Midwest and two adult children in Cedar Park, we travel a lot to be with our families. We have 8 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren with another great due in March. Life is good and we are thrilled to be back in New Braunfels and the Faith UCC community.

Welcome New Members to Faith Church!

October 2, 2021 / Faith UCC

Please welcome our newest members, who joined Faith Church in August!

They are Izzy Mason, Lauren Pearce, Philip Graves, and (fiances–yay!!) Lindsey Graham and Rachelle Akpanumoh. Read on and get to know the newest members of our Faith Family and then reach out to welcome them!

Hi! I’m Izzy. I’ve lived in the New Braunfels area for around six years and am so excited to have finally found and joined Faith UCC and am excited to get to know everyone and get involved in the church.

I am a portrait artist by trade. My studio is above the New Braunfels Art League (come visit me!) I’m vegan, bi, and passionate about animals and music. I’ve been married to my husband Lark for 10 years now and am a mom of two (6 and 9 years old).

I grew up in Northern California and resided there until my husband Bawb and I decided to move to Texas in 2005. I have 2 grown sons, CJ who lives in Southern California and Bryan who lives in New York with my two Grandcats.

I am now retired from an extremely demanding, exciting and challenging career which took me all over the world. I am beyond grateful for this season of my life. When I retired, I made a commitment to God that I would work for him and that is what I have been focused on since I got to stop working for money. I must tell you that God is the most loving, kind and forgiving boss I ever had!

I am very involved in some recovery groups which occupies a good amount of my time. My husband Bawb and I love to play golf which we try to do twice a week. Bawb is a musician so I become a merch person at his bigger shows to sell his merchandise. I enjoy painting and am trying to learn to play the piano, but have a long way to go.

My most important priority is to be as kind, loving and compassionate to every person God puts in my path. This is what I challenge myself everyday to accomplish, with God’s help. Believe me that takes a lot of work!

Philip Graves is a short nerd who runs too much. He also reads a lot of philosophy, and likes to play his fiddle when he’s not verbally sparring with his twin brother over systematic theology. He’s non-monogamous, but has a life partner named Bonnie who is a casual pagan, and she is both loving and patient with his many quirks. She’s the best thing that’s ever happened to him, and he cherishes every moment he spends with her.

He works at a running store, where he outfits runners who need new shoes, but also helps those recovering from injury or suffering from limited mobility by finding footwear solutions that work for their needs. He’s the store manager, which means he does almost anything and everything store-related that needs to get done. He is also planning to return to college in the spring of 2022.

Philip joined Faith UCC because he is progressive, bisexual, and polyamorous, and wanted to find a faith community that wouldn’t condemn him, but would remind him weekly that Jesus loves him. He’s really interested in observing the traditions of the historical Church (He loves traditional services!) but recognizes that it’s important to exercise autonomy over his faith inheritance, rather than blindly follow it. As the composer Gustav Mahler once said, “Tradition is not the worship of ashes, but the preservation of fire.”

Lindsey: I am a registered nurse currently working at Christus Santa Rosa New Braunfels in the ICU. I come from a very large family (one of five siblings, 20-something first cousins on my mom’s side) and a very conservative faith tradition (Assemblies of God). I read too much fiction, especially sci-fi and fantasy, and one of my favorite pastimes is making fun of Rachelle for reading 1/2 of all her gazillion books (she really loves physical books). Another hobby of mine is taking care of Rachelle’s 50 some-odd house plants that I swore I wouldn’t be responsible for if she got too busy. I loved working in the homeless ministry of one of my prior churches and am looking forward to getting more involved at Faith UCC.

Rachelle: First-generation American and born to Nigerian parents, I am an outgoing introvert on the best of days and a lover of music and all things outdoors on all days. I’ve wandered from a more or less Pentecostal upbringing (no make-up, no jewelry, no dancing, dresses/skirts only, fire and brimstone, the whole works) and have been searching for a church where I feel like I can be myself the way God made me and shine whatever weird light I have as a reflection of Him. I am glad to have found Faith UCC and other churches along the way on this journey. I am looking forward to dusting off the ol’ trumpet and using it to make a somewhat joyful noise at church.

We began dating in 2009 while both working at the rock climbing gym at the University of Houston. Outdoor adventures still have our affection with our most recent outdoor love being mountain biking. We both grew up in Houston, Texas but have lived in Dallas, San Antonio, Oklahoma City, and now Canyon Lake (all for Rachelle’s job).Our wonderful furbaby, Annie, was introduced into the mix in 2018, and we love her to pieces except for the first two weeks when Lindsey cried and wanted to give her away after realizing potty-training on a 3rd floor apartment could get old really quickly. We got engaged in July 2020 and hope to be married sometime soon!

From everyone at Faith UCC, welcome!

Welcome New Members to Faith Church!

September 5, 2021 / Faith UCC

Please welcome our newest members, who joined Faith Church in August!

They are Izzy Mason, Lauren Pearce, Philip Graves, and (fiances–yay!!) Lindsey Graham and Rachelle Akpanumoh. We’ll be adding photos and short bios for each of these in the coming days, so check back to get to know the newest members of our Faith Family and then reach out to welcome them!

Hi! I’m Izzy. I’ve lived in the New Braunfels area for around six years and am so excited to have finally found and joined Faith UCC and am excited to get to know everyone and get involved in the church. I am a portrait artist by trade. My studio is above the New Braunfels Art League (come visit me!) I’m vegan, bi, and passionate about animals and music. I’ve been married to my husband Lark for 10 years now and am a mom of two (6 and 9 years old).

More coming soon!

Tag: new members (Page 1 of 2)

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