For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. — Jeremiah 29:11 (NRSVUE)

Kindred in Christ,

These words of scripture were addressed to a people exiled, while trying to navigate a new reality. Most of us haven’t literally been driven from our homes or country, but I suspect these words from Jeremiah have resonance. Our lives are filled with change. Nonetheless, God assures us of a future filled with hope. On the path of discipleship, we learn that we are active participants with God in creating that future together!

As your pastor, I give thanks for the long and faithful legacy of this congregation and all the saints of our past, which have brought us to this time and place in our history. And together, we will continue to create and sustain a hopeful, joyful, loving and just community, committed to nothing less than changing our city and our world for the better.

This Sunday begins our 2025 Pledge Campaign (learn more here). If University Gathering UMC has made a difference in your life in the past, then I invite you to prayerfully consider giving toward our collective future! Your financial pledge allows us to create a responsible budget, build inclusive community in the way of Jesus, engage with new people in meaningful ways, and further our legacy of faith and social justice with our neighbors. I hope you will join us on Sundays through November, in-person or online, for our pledge campaign worship series, as together we envision, cultivate, and celebrate a future with hope.

Alongside you,

Rev. Paul Ortiz