A Note From Tim Pierce:

Hi, my name is Tim Pierce and I have been forever changed and moved by the UPC and its Austin Agape group. Both my brother and I are from Ohio but he was working in Austin for a Co-Op (work study). I flew down to Austin to help my brother move back to Ohio right before school started. I arrived on Saturday with no idea or expectation do much of anything social aside from hanging out and helping my brother. I remembered my brother telling me that he had found a church but i didn't think much of it. On Sunday, my brother and I went to UPC and just walking in it seemed as if it had life and vibrant... even though some of the people were older that college students.

Later that day, my brother took me to the college dinner and service. There, I was where the movement began. For nearly the first time in my life, someone initiated a conversation with me; not because they were forced to but because they wanted to get to know me. The service was very up beat and the dinner before hand added to the feeling of being in a family even more.

After leaving I was filled with a renewed excitement for meeting new people and i could tell that coming down was a "God moment" where i felt that I was meant to be there. The following day (Monday) there was a social gathering where the family and fellowship grew even more. Some found out for the first time that we were leaving that Saturday, but they didn't stifle their love that they gave to us. My brother had been a part of the group for about 4-6 months, so they knew him better, but i still felt a lot of love by many members of the group. Later that evening was the Bible study. I was bracing myself for a Bible beating where it would be scripture after scripture; fact of the matter, we opened and closed with a scripture and prayer, but the rest was just filled with us: students that don't know who we fully are and we're trying to find our way. The bible was a guiding path but not the sole thing of the bible study. Sadly, it was mentioned to the group that my brother and I were leaving soon. It was then that if felt that i was leaving a place that I had been for a very long time, yet i had been there for only a few days.

In the coming days, several of the members of the Agape group contacted me and we arranged ways to see each other. The final day that I spent with many people of the group was Wednesday when I was invited to a function called Wednesday at Wendy's. Prior to that engagement, I had an intimate discussion with the Youth Pastor, Renee Roederer. We just talked; not God or how I can be saved... just talked one on one. I feel that she knew that God was present in that conversation even though He wasn't called by name. He was ever present in many of my encounters in Texas. There, some of the people from the group were there, but I also met more people arranging meetings with people around the UT campus.

Thursday was my last day in contact with this wonderful group when I was invited to a fun night at a person's house. We played game, ate, and just bonded with each other. Very rarely in my life have i been so welcomed into a group AND loved.

I know for fact that tears were shed with both myself, my brother, and members of the Agape group with our leaving. Tears filled with sadness, mourning, change, but most of all, love. I know in the great words, "God is love" (which funny enough was the theme of the message that Sunday). This group certainly showed me some bit of God's love. While there and still here, it baffles me that so many people could love someone who they barely knew. I was encouraged to find a church group here in Ohio, but from more than a month, I have yet to find anything even close to the UPC group. Many times I have thought back and meditated upon the time that I spent in Texas and I can certainly say that I am filled with sadness because of the love and caring that pours out from that group. I will NEVER forget what was seen, felt, experienced. I have been forever changed by this group. I don't know when I/we will return but I am counting down that days until I am able to return to a place where I felt welcomed and loved. Know that my brother and I dearly miss the group, the congregation, and the family that we had to leave.

God is Love,

Timothy Pierce