What Members Say About UPC
"...the friendliness of the congregation and the quality of the music program made an immediate impression on me."
 I moved to
Austin during the summer of 2004 with a strong desire to
get involved in a church. It had been a while since I
was active in a church, but I knew what I wanted to find
– a warm, caring congregation that actively reached out
to the local community.
When I first visited UPC, the friendliness of the
congregation and the quality of the music program made
an immediate impression on me. Then San preached about
UPC’s three-fold mission of worship, service, and
fellowship,
placing equal emphasis on all three. Here was what I was
looking for – a church that took service seriously! It
was almost too good to be true. For the first time in
quite a while, I found a church community in which I
felt welcomed, comfortable, and spiritually and
intellectually stimulated. -Ann
"I am grateful that UPC
offers me a place where I can discern the content of my
faith."
Upon attending my first evening worship
service, I instantly saw the close-knit bond the college
community had formed with one another. This
relaxed, thoughtful atmosphere made me feel very
comfortable. People here at UPC genuinely welcomed
me, encouraged my questions, and showed enthusiasm about
my exploration of the church. I then decided to
see what a morning service was like, and once again I
was greeted with warmth and cheeriness. Morning
worship also introduced me to UPC's exceptional choir
and music ministry, which is a great draw for me!
Before I knew it, I had become involved
in several programs the church had to offer--the food
pantry, Habitat for Humanity, the Adopt-A-Student
program, a college Bible study group and, of course, the
renowned UPC Barcodes softball team! Yet I came to
appreciate the conversations with my fellow students
most of all. I knew I was fortunate to find a
group of college students who valued one another, but
also stressed a commitment to growing in faith through
challenging one another and questioning traditions.
It is truly a blessing to venture into matters of faith
that aren't clear-cut, and to learn to find comfort in
questions. To borrow a quote from the UPC College
and Young Adult pastor, Ben Johnston-Krase, "Preaching
should never be definitive answers, but rather a
reflection of the conversation of the community of
faith." I am grateful that UPC offers me a place
where I can discern the content of my faith. -Laura Michelle
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