Thank you to Rev. Bob Karli for concluding his Adult Faith Formation series on the Life Cycle of a Congregation last Sunday. Thank you to Merrily Porter for her Children’s Faith Formation lesson on the Holy Spirit and the Early Church.
On Pentecost Sunday, May 19, 9 am in the Parlor, Bailey Barlow will be leading an intergenerational Faith Formation session. We will be celebrating Pentecost, so wear RED!
There are no Faith Formation sessions scheduled for Memorial Day Weekend, Sunday, May 26. We will reconvene for more learning in June.
The FELC Transition Team will be presenting the draft of our Ministry Site Profile (MSP) and Seven Reflections on Ministry and Context to the Council next week. We are grateful for your prayers and support as we work together with the Council to finalize the MSP package in the coming weeks. With joy and thanks, Allen Jensen, Barbara Schutz, Erin McCracken, Lillian Martinez-Rodriguez, Nikki Northcutt, Randy Baden, and Tim Atkinson. Contact FELCTransitionMinistry@felcaustin.org.
In April 2024 First English designated Global Refuge (formally Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services) as one of our 2024 benevolence partners. Global Refuge provides services such as refugee resettlement, children and family services, advocacy, mental health services and crisis response to those seeking a new way of life in the US. On Tuesday, May 14, FELC received a phone call from Pastor David Wangaard, thanking First English for the generous contribution stating, “Global Refuge can’t do the work that it does without congregations like First English.” To learn more about Global Refuge, visit https://www.globalrefuge.org/.
Thank you to Professor Ulrich Goebel and Nikki Northcutt, who led Adult and Children’s Faith Formation respectively last week Sunday. Our social media posting said it best: “We examined the many faces of love this morning during Faith Formation and Worship: our youth explored sharing love, adults learned about faithful love, and we all heard a message of radical love during the sermon.”
On Sunday May 12, this examination continues, with Merrily Porter leading a lesson on the Holy Spirit and Early Church for Children’s Faith Formation, 9 – 9:45am in the Library, and the Rev. Bob Karli concluding his Adult Faith Formation series on the Life Cycle of a Congregation, 9 – 9:45am in the Parlor.
On Pentecost Sunday, May 19, Bailey Barlow will be leading an intergenerational Faith Formation session on Pentecost. We are invited to wear RED on Pentecost, a color symbolling the power and fire of the Spirit. Our time together is sure to be Spirit-Filled!
First English will continue to collect both new and used backpacks for Micah 6 ministries for the month of May. Leave backpacks in the bucket in the north transept. In addition, we will collect canned meat, canned fruits, canned veggies other than green beans or peas, and any reusable clothing items. Leave food and clothing donations in the bucket in front of the pulpit or in the narthex at the main entrance of the church. Contact Andy MacLaren, andymaclaren@cs.com, 512-947-4186.
Following the biblical accounts in Mark, Luke, and Acts, the whole church celebrates the feast of the ascension of Jesus to heaven on the fortieth day after the feast of the Resurrection. To explore a Devotional Worship Service with bible readings, a homily, a hymn, and prayers, please click here.
Perhaps some of you have admired the lovely original light fixture outside the south narthex doors. It has served us well for almost 85 years. Maybe you’ve also noticed that its twin is nowhere to be found on the opposite side of the building, by the north narthex doors.
At some point it was removed, and a utility-type fixture was installed in its place. As they say, the details are lost to history. That utility fixture is old and damaged; the bulb housing is cracked, wires are exposed and it’s just ugly.
Last December, Tim Atkinson, Terry Porter and I were out by the south entry discussing concrete work associated with the narthex door restoration project. I remarked on the charm of the original fixture there and lamented the fact that its mate had gone missing. Terry disappeared for a minute or two and returned with the missing fixture – sans glass lens! It had been stashed in the basement.
After a few false starts, I dropped by Tipler’s Lamp Shop on North Lamar. A replacement glass shade was ordered, the old wiring and socket were replaced, and a few other details were attended to. It’s not a perfect restoration, but it’s close enough! Charlie Boas helped to get it installed last week. It has been fitted with a photocell lightbulb and will serve our refreshed courtyard space for years to come.
Austin City Lutherans (ACL) is preparing to carry out its fourth rent assistance program through Bread For All Food Pantry. Applications for assistance will be available at Bread For All each Monday in June. Applicants will need to present a photo ID, a rental or mortgage contract, and an explanation of need. After the applications are reviewed, checks will be hand-delivered to office managers and property owners by the end of July.
Last year ACL assisted 37 individuals and families with $57,000 in rent assistance. Our goal is to raise $60,000 by May 31, and we’re already halfway there!
To donate, visit https://breadforall-atx.org/ or send checks to Austin City Lutherans, c/o Abiding Love Lutheran Church, 7210 Brush Country Rd, Austin, TX 78749. Thanks for your part in this specific effort to mitigate displacement and homelessness in Austin!
We are currently working on final reviews of our drafts for both the Ministry Site Profile (MSP) as well as the Seven Reflections on Ministry and Context (an optional component to the MSP) and preparing both documents to be presented to the Council. This final review process will take place over the next few weeks. Our goal is to present the MSP and the Seven Reflections on Ministry and Context to the Council at their May meeting. After the Transition Team presents the MSP package, the Council will have the opportunity to review the MSP package and provide feedback. Once finalized and accepted by the Council, the MSP will be sent to the Southwestern Texas Synod. A copy of the MSP will then be shared with the congregation for informational purposes only. Once the Synod has our MSP, the Transition Team will shift focus as a Call Committee and begin preparing for discernment and interviews with pastoral leader candidates provided to us by the Synod. FELCTransitionMinistry@felcaustin.org.
The Southwestern Texas Synod gathered May 3-5 in Corpus Christi for its 32nd annual Synod Assembly, under the theme “Called and Sent” which is connected to the Synod vision and to the Assembly scripture theme from Acts 1:3-8.
After two days of voting, speeches, and Q & A’s, the Assembly, on the fifth and final ballot, elected the Rev. Susan J. Briner to serve another six-year call as Bishop. The vote of lay voting members and rostered voting members was 146 to 104. The other final candidate was the Rev. Michael C. Coffey, Interim Lead Pastor of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Brenham (in the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast Synod) and former pastor of FELC.
The Assembly (re-)elected Synod Council members: Mike Saulnier, Rudy Losoya, Bianca Blaney, Denise Schulz, Greg Althaus, Tim Clark, Johnnie Jordan, Michelle Schlinke, Deacon Brianna Morris-Brock, Pastor Hephzibah Penumaka, and Deacon Lisa Diana. In addition, the Assembly elected the following as 2025 Churchwide Assembly Voting Members: Pastor Caleb Jeffers, Pastor Lea Walker Clark, Lorie Garcia, Owen and Camila Powell, Michael Riggs, and Lee Schnelle.
The Synod Assembly approved the 2025-2026 ministry budget. There are several “called and sent” videos which you can view at Business (swtsynod.org). To date, the Assembly has gathered over $32,000 for Lutheran Disaster Response, with more to come. They also assembled disaster buckets for use in the Gulf Coast and Rio Grande conferences for the care of immigrants and refugees at the Texas and Mexico border.
We are grateful to FELC Synod Assembly voting members Lillian Martinez-Rodriguez and Michelle Lingo for serving. Other FELC members who participated include Pastor Brad Fuerst, Pastor Kris Franke-Hill, and Pastor Michael Coffey.
We continue to invoke the presence of the Spirit in God’s church.
