​Life gets busy. Life gets hard. And sometimes, we just need a little time to pause, breathe, and remember that we don’t have to carry it all on our own.

Join women of all ages for the Illuminate Women’s Conference on Friday, September 25 and Saturday, September 26 as we explore what it looks like—and what it feels like—to SURRENDER it all to God.
Come take a break from the busyness, connect with other women, laugh, learn, worship, and make some beautiful memories along the way!

And yes… there will be food AND a cute Illuminate women’s T-shirt! Registration includes dinner Friday, lunch Saturday, and your conference T-shirt.

Registration deadline: September 4!

Want to know more? Check out kfumc.org for all the details and get registered! We’d love to have you join us!

​Hi everyone!

My name is Grace Carlson, and I have had the great joy of working at Light on the Hill and KFUMC this summer.

The last 3 months have been full of learning new skills, collaborating with amazing colleagues, serving the community, and navigating through another unprecedented affliction to the area. I am so grateful for the experience I gained and the people I worked with, during joyful days, emotionally taxing days, and everything in between. Having the opportunity to work in the vocational area I am called to was such a blessing, and God made it clear every day that I was exactly where He wanted me to be.

When coming home to Kerrville for the summer, I hoped to get a job in my field of interest, so I reached out to Beth Palmer to find out about any open jobs at LOTH. I tried not to get my hopes up, but she didn’t just offer me a job at LOTH, her and Pastor Monica O’Donnell collaborated to design a unique job that perfectly combined ministry and my social work background. They truly went above and beyond for me, and I spent the summer learning about deaconship from Monica, and serving community members with Beth.

I had the pleasure of working as a Health Navigator at LOTH, where I acted as a resource hub for the community. I conducted needs assessment calls, hosted people at the food pantry, made food and supply deliveries, and assisted with LOTH events. Every person I served this summer touched me deeply, and they showed me what true strength and resilience looks like. I also saw God working in the LOTH staff every single day. Some days are extremely tiring- mentally, physically, and emotionally, but the kind souls that work there always show up again the next day to serve their siblings in Christ. I love them and will miss them all dearly!

I also spent time at the church, where Pastor Monica graciously answered my questions about deaconship, and brought me along to church meetings and her Sunday dinner ministry, The Table. I went out of my comfort zone a few times to deliver the message at The Table, and wrote a few devotionals for the church newsletter. While it was nerve wracking for me at the time, it was a fruitful ministry experience that helped me build confidence in my writing.

Peace and Love,
Grace Carlson

​You're Invited!
Sunday, July 19 at 4:00pm we will gather at Light on the Hill to express our gratitude for our chapel and the many ways the space has served us and how it will continue to serve us moving forward.

The kids enjoyed our team building activities like Shipwrecked, Drift Trikes, Underground Mine, and the 3D Web. Through these we got to learn a little more about each other and how to lean on each other for help. ​

Our high element activities included Super Swing, Sherpa, Rock Climbing, and the Zip 3000. These activities really got our youth to step out of their comfort zone and challenge themselves to try new things. ​

​Carrying More Than One Story.
As our nation celebrates its 250th anniversary, our community also remembers. We remember the lives lost, the families forever changed, and the weight that this day now carries for so many.

There is room for both grief and gratitude. We can celebrate the blessings of today while honoring those whose absence is deeply felt. Remembering does not diminish our joy, and celebrating does not erase our loss. Together, we hold both.

"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." — Psalm 34:18

As Seven Days of Prayer reminded us:
"One of the most healing things we can do after a traumatic experience is to be honest about heartbreak and loss. Grief does not need to be hidden, minimized, or justified. Healing often begins not when pain disappears, but when we feel safe enough to acknowledge it."

Today, may we remember with love, support one another with compassion, and move forward with hope.

​Prayer is a Personal and Powerful Thing
Sunday evening, our community gathered for Prayer at the Park to remember those we’ve lost, pray for those who are hurting, and simply be together. It was a beautiful reminder that even in the midst of heartbreak, we don’t have to go through it alone.

As a church family, we are joining our community in Seven Days of Prayer for Kerr County. Wherever you are today, we invite you to pause for a few moments and pray. Pray on your own, with your family, or with friends. Take this time to lift up our community and everyone who has been affected by this tragedy.

Let’s remember those who were lost.

Let’s pray for the families who are grieving, for first responders, and for everyone carrying the weight of these difficult days. Let’s pray for God to guard our hearts and minds as we continue to walk through this together.

As we move toward the 4th, our community will be gathering for a number of commemorative events across Kerrville and Kerr County.

These moments are an opportunity to remember, reflect, and stand together with those who are grieving and those who are healing.

Click below to view the full list of events hosted through Kerr Together and find ways to participate throughout the week.

​MHDD Emotional Support Center:
(830) 955-1745

Crisis Hotline:
(877) 466-0660

​Welcome, Grace Carlson!
Hi! I'm Grace Carlson and I have the pleasure of serving at LOTH and KFUMC as a Health Navigator this summer.

I was born and raised in Kerrville at KFUMC and am blessed to have it as my church home. I had the opportunity to grow up with friends in Sunday School, become a confirmed member of the church, play all-night laser tag at Youth Group, and so much more.

Sermons, mission trips, and worship I observed in this church aided me in my faith journey tremendously, and even though I was terrified to receive a call to ministry my senior year of high school, Pastor David embraced me with open arms and showed me so much support.
​

​With a few bumps in the road, I continued my call journey throughout college with the help of my Texas Wesley student ministry pastors. I recently became a certified candidate for ministry and graduated from UT Austin with my Bachelor of Social Work, and I am moving to New York City in the fall to pursue my Master of Arts in Religion at Union Theological Seminary, with the goal of being ordained as a deacon in the United Methodist Church and cultivating an outreach ministry.

I am so grateful for all the experiences I had during college that showed me more of my calling, and one of the most impactful experiences I had was interning at a faith-based non-profit called Community First Village.

​To finish a social work degree at UT, students are required to complete a field internship during their last semester, and there is a list of available organizations to choose from. When I read about Community First Village, it immediately went to the top of my list as my first choice, and I had a truly wonderful experience there.

Community First Village was born as a second program from the organization Mobile Loaves and Fishes, aiming to implement a tiny home community for unhoused people in addition to feeding and clothing them through its food truck ministry. In the last 20 years, the Village has gradually grown and expanded into a community of about 500 people (neighbors as we call them) who were previously unhoused for at least one year and now can have a home for life.

Community First’s mindset is that shelter alone won’t solve homelessness, but community will.

The founders and expansive staff have a goal to “empower communities into a lifestyle of service with the unhoused,” and that is reflected in the physical layout and the culture of the Village. There are community-wide events, a recreation room, art house, community garden, and so much more that aim to bring people together to build connections and relationships.

I made many connections with neighbors and my fellow interns and colleagues at the Village, and I saw firsthand how devoted the staff are to make every neighbor feel equal in dignity and worth to others, because all of God’s children were beautifully and wonderfully made. I had the pleasure of working as a case manager for some neighbors, and we worked together to accomplish tasks such as renewing SNAP benefits, acquiring wheelchairs, finding food and rental assistance, and more.

I will never forget the joy on my neighbors’ faces when they felt joyful and proud of themselves, and that immediately made all the hard work worth it.

There is also a committed group of volunteers that regularly help with food drives, village events, home building, and more.

The neighbors touched me so deeply when I worked there that I returned to volunteer a few times this spring, and I could not recommend it enough.

Whenever you’re in Austin, consider signing up for a volunteer shift at Community First Village, because one day there can completely shift people’s mindsets about the unhoused community. The people at the Village are truly the hands and feet of God, serving our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ and changing lives for the better every day.

​Walking With Our Neighbors Towards Hope

As our church has committed to walking alongside our community as we move forward after the devastation of the July 4th flood, I find myself leaning into learning more about trauma-informed care. Many people carry untold stories of life-altering pain. Trauma, no matter its origins, shapes not only the mind, but also the body, relationships and spiritual life. I recently read some excerpts from Understanding Trauma and Resilience by Evan Marbury, a pastor and counselor. Today, I am sharing some from his book that helped me.

For Christians committed to embodying the compassion of Christ, understanding trauma is not optional; it is a necessary expression of love. Jesus consistently drew near to the wounded, responding with tenderness, protection and truth. To follow him faithfully requires that we become communities where those who suffer are seen and gently accompanied toward healing.

Understanding Trauma 
A trauma-informed Christian recognizes that wounded people are not problems to fix but image bearers whose bodies and nervous systems have adapted for survival. Trauma changes how we perceive safety, trust others and experience God. Without this awareness, churches may unintentionally harm individuals through shame, spiritual cliches or expectations that healing must happen quickly.

Understanding trauma invites us to slow down, honor the pace of the wounded, and cultivate spaces marked by safety, predictability and patient discipleship. It also deepens our theology: Lament becomes a richer practice, the lifeline through which God meets his people in the dark.

The Importance of Resilience
Resilience—the capacity to maintain a God-centered self-directedness—is central to Christian formation. Yet resilience is not merely self-manufactured; it arises through supportive relationships and the presence of God. Understanding resilience helps the church proclaim not only that trauma holds deep impact, but also that God is able to restore, strengthen and rebuild. It shifts our focus from “What’s wrong with you?” to “What happened to you—and how can we walk with you toward hope?”

People that are informed about trauma and resilience become a living testimony of the gospel. We refuse to minimize suffering, yet we boldly declare that suffering doesn’t have the final word. We recognize that healing is often slow, nonlinear and sacred. And we embody the truth that Jesus is near to the brokenhearted, inviting his people into a journey where grace rewrites stories of harm into stories of courage, redemption and renewed life. When Christians understand trauma and resilience, we more faithfully mirror the heart of Christ, becoming a community where wounded people learn not only to survive but to flourish.
​

​I was blessed to be able to participate last weekend in a wonderful learning opportunity in San Antonio organized by the Texas Methodist Foundation.

The title of the conference was "Stewarding the Potential."

Throughout the afternoon on Friday, we were reminded of the boldness of John Wesley who proclaimed "What religion do I preach? The religion of love, and the law of kindness, brought to light by the Gospel."

On Friday evening, Bishop Gregory Palmer encouraged us with the reminder that, "We have everything we need to take the next faithful step."

On Saturday morning, we were encouraged by Pastor Richie Butler to "Go big for God!" The capacity and promise of God are HUGE!

As disciples of Jesus Christ, we need to be ready to show up and fulfill the purposes that God has for every one of us each day. Going big for God is an exercise in faith. And we have "everything we need to share the love, hope and grace of Jesus Christ with a world desperate for it!

Blessings, Beth

​

​Thank You!
Thank you to Ray Dunton and David Newberry for their leadership with organizing volunteers to help flood survivors on their road to recovery and with renovations to areas at Light on the Hill.

Last Sunday, unpaid servants helped get the chapel renovation at Light on the Hill kickstand and this week volunteers will be helping at the home of a flood survivor.

If you want to be a part of what this team is doing, contact Ray 210.781.9886 or David 512.663.6998.

Thank you to everyone for making a difference in our community!

​

​Two Months Away!
We are only two months away from out Costa Rica Mission team trip!
Please continue to pray for our team as they prepare to go and serve. God has big plans in store for them!

​

​Mustard Seed Monday Volunteers!

Thank you, God, for guiding us through this time of reflection and repentance. May we turn our eyes, ears, heart, mind, and soul to You and be open and receptive to Your teachings this Lenten season.

When the World is Churning...With everything that is happening in our world and in our community, I have spent a great deal of time praying and reading scripture lately.

Leaning into God's word is my safe place.

Just last night, as I was praying, a prayer that our friend, Jane Davis shared recently came to mind and it brought me comfort. So, I wanted to share this in the hope that when the world feels heavy, you too will find peace in our Savior.

Blessings, Beth

From Jane...
When the world is churning, uncontrollably, from one end to the other.

God always brings my soul back here.
He displays a glorious sunrise...
He guides my gaze to the "I am with you" reminder on the table...
beside the flickering candles, my instruction, "Abide in Him"...
nestled amidst various paintings, the sign that reads, "Come Holy Spirit"...
and the waft of drifting incense that reminds me that He's here.

He's HERE, now.
He's in the midst of every situation and crisis.
He's in the north, south, east, west, and center of our world...
your world.
And this puts my heart at peace.
I can breathe.
I can listen to His calming voice.
I can know He's ever-so-close.
So can you.

"I have told you all this so that you may have peace in Me. Here on earth, you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world."
​
John 16:33