Author: FELC Office

Beloved member Claudine Schoen, who died in 2020, made a bequest in her will of $10,000 to FELC. We have now received this gift. To honor Claudine’s memory, the church council has dedicated part of the gift to support Stephen Ministry at FELC. Claudine was a long-time part of Stephen Ministry and it was dear to her heart.

Claudine’s son, Wayne, hand delivered the check from the estate with the following note written as words from Claudine herself:

To the Congregation of First English Lutheran —

You have provided your constant love, support, strength and spiritual guidance to the Bruno and Claudine Schoen family since the early 1950’s. Thank you for all you do and for the lives you touch. May God continue to bless each of you with peace, love and joy.

My love always to you, Claudine Schoen

Bequests are a wonderful way to honor, give thanks for, and support your congregation. Please consider how you might bless FELC in the future through your estate planning.

Third Sundays at 11:30 AM in the Parlor

This fall we offer a new opportunity for adult learning and growth. Sunday Symposium is a once-a-month gathering on a wide variety of topics. We’ll gather after Sunday hospitality in the parlor for presentations, conversations, and explorations on everything from social issues and theological questions to spirituality and faith. Participants will be encouraged to join in the conversation as they wish. We will emphasize respectful, open dialogue that welcomes a diversity of viewpoints. We will be open to how we might change our own views. We may have occasional guest speakers.

Join us for learning, growth, and community.

Topics for Fall 2022:

September 18	Discipleship in a Democracy: ELCA Social Message on Government and Civic Engagement in the United States
October 16	Theology of Generosity
November 20	Coffee, Sweets, and the Other: Hospitality in the New Testament
December 18	The Body of Christ and Mental Illness: ELCA Social Message

The survey on interests in adult forum topics and formats ended on August 29. Thanks to everyone who participated.

Here are the results that will be used for planning this fall’s adult education opportunities:

What topics interest you?

• 75% Spirituality / faith / personal growth
• 75% Social issues
• 68% Theological topics
• 62% Individual books of the Bible
• 50% Learning about other religions
• 37% New Testament
• 25% Old Testament
• 25% Whole Bible survey
• 25% Community organizations

What evenings work best for you for Zoom meetings?

• 60% Tuesday
• 60% Thursday
• 53% Monday
• 40% Wednesday
• 26% Sunday

Would you be interested in a monthly adult forum after worship and hospitality featuring one-time topics or guest speakers?

• 88% Yes
• 12% No

Searching for a Churchwide Assembly summary? Here’s one! Lots of great work was done by our voting members in Columbus, Ohio on behalf of the whole church.

View here for churchwide assembly highlights

View here about Imran Siddiqui who was elected Vice President of the ELCA. Mr. Siddiqui, a lay person, will serve a six-year term.

From Pastor Coffey

As I’m making plans for the fall, I’d like to hear from you what topics and formats interest you for adult forums — whether you’re a long-time or first-time participant. I’m also making plans for a monthly adult forum after worship and hospitality, and hope to bring in guest speakers on occasion. Your input on this will be helpful for planning. This is a short survey that should take only 2 minutes to complete.

Here is the link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2HZCBW5

Our sixteen saints icons by Kelly Latimore are a beautiful addition to our Chapel of the Saints and facilities. There are many more saints icons and images from the life of Christ in the artist’s series available. They are wonderfully diverse and include saints contemporary and ancient from Asian, Native American, Hispanic, European, African, and American heritages.

We would love to expand our collection. Additional icons will be displayed in the parlor and rotated through the chapel during the year. If you are interested in donating one to add to the collection, they are $150 for the framed prints.

If you are interested in donating one, please contact Pastor Coffey to make arrangements.

Below is the list of images available. You can also view all of the images here.

Christ Breaks the Rifle

Christ in the Wilderness

Christ Swords into Plowshares

Christ the Light

Dorothy Kazel

Etty Hillesum

Flannery OConnor

Henri Nouwen

Holy Family of the Streets

Homeless Christ

La Presentacion de Cristo en el templo

Madonna and Child

Mahalia Jackson

Mama

Mary Oliver

Maya Angelou

Mother Jones

Mother of God Protectress of the Oppressed

Our Lady of Guadalupe

Our Lady of the Journey – Mothers

Our Lady of the Journey 2

Our Lady of the Journey

Pedro Arrupe SJ

Pops Staples

Refugees La Sagra Familia

Refugees The Holy Family

Saint Dulce of the Poor

Saint Therese of Lisieux

St Nicholas Patron of Mariners

The Crucifixion

The Good Neighbor

The Good Shepherd

The Resurrection

The Transfiguration

The Trinity

Thomas Merton

The following have already been donated:

Fred Rogers

John Lewis

John Muir

Marsha P Johnson

Nicholas Black Elk

Pauli Murray

St Seraphim and Bear

On Sunday evening, August 7, FELC hosted the Eagle Scout Ceremony for three young men from our troop. FELC members Nancy & Randy Baden and Tim Atkinson participated.

Nancy Baden writes: “It was really nice. Nice bunch of people. And delicious potluck to boot. Tim Atkinson shared a little history of his time with the troop. He explained how Herb Walenta took him out to our family farm in Pflugerville and taught him how to build a pit fire in prep for Tim taking over the troop. Fun facts.”

Congratulations, Eagle Scouts!

Four years after founding First English Lutheran Church, church members organized and chartered Boy Scout Troop 28 (1940). Cub Scout Pack 28 was chartered in 1951. Since the 1990’s the Pack & Troop have gone through different iterations. Boy Scouts of America is now “Scouts BSA”. Elementary age girls may now join Cub Scouts, and Scouts BSA is chartering Scout Troops for older girls.

We are grateful to FELC Scout Representative Charlie Boas for his leadership.

We have a new fellowship hall AC unit. The previous one was in its last stage of life. Entering the hottest month of the summer in this impressive heat wave was rightly making folks concerned. So, with funds from the church operating budget, the church endowment funds, and the child development center operating budget, a new, 12.5-ton unit was installed on the roof. We are grateful to the child development center board for supplying one-half of the total cost. Special thanks to Terry Porter for coordinating site work with Tal Wiginton of Central Texas Mechanical. We are grateful for the continued generosity that facilitates our church, child development center, and community ministries.    

FELC music director and office administrator Bryan Rust has been away for health issues. As it turns out, both of Bryan’s surgeries were postponed and are begin rescheduled. Bryan will be back with us on Sunday, August 7, then away the following Sunday, August 14, for vacation time with family. We continue to hold Bryan in our prayers and support.

Vicar # 46 (2012-2013), Alex LaChapelle, is returning to FELC to be our guest preacher Sunday, October 9. Alex is currently serving as pastor of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Harvey, Michigan. Previously Pastor Alex served as associate pastor of St. Luke’s Lutheran Church in Park Ridge, Illinois; as country coordinator in Southern Africa and Tanzania for the ELCA Young Adults in Global Mission program; and as pastor of Nairobi International Lutheran Congregation in Kenya.

We are excited to welcoming Pastor Alex back to FELC and celebrating his ministry to the church.