Category: News

The Southwestern Texas Synod gathered May 3-5 in Corpus Christi for its 32^nd 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.

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

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.  

A big thank you to Rev. Bob Karli and LaRu Woody who led Adult and Children’s Faith Formation respectively last week. Bob Karli continued an excellent discussion on the Life-Cycle of a Congregation, and LaRu concluded the Prodigal Son rotation with a session on gratitude for home. Each child designed their own home out of an envelope and some children enthusiastically went further, creating popsicle-stick people to inhabit their homes.

Join us this Sunday, May 5: Ulrich Goebel, Heidi Goebel’s father, will be leading Adult Faith Formation, presenting a special one-session only on Martin Luther at 9am in the Parlor. Professor Goebel’s description of his session can be found here. Nikki Northcutt will be leading Children’s Faith Formation, presenting the first in a rotation about the Holy Spirit and the Early Church at 9am in the Library.

Mark your calendars for Sunday, May 12: Merrily Porter will be leading Children’s Faith Formation, continuing the rotation on the Holy Spirit and the Early Church at 9am in the Library. Bob Karli will be leading Adult Faith Formation, concluding his series on the Life Cycle of a Congregation at 9am in the Parlor.  

Sunday, May 5 is Red Dress Day, a national day of support for the families of Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIWG). Show your support by wearing something red this Sunday and include the Murdered and Missing Women, Girls, and their Relatives in your prayers.

In 2021 the ELCA Church council adopted the Declaration to American Indian and Alaska Native People by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, committing to advocacy and being in solidarity with Tribal Nations, MMIWGR organizations, families, and friends who have gone missing or who have been murdered.

As indigenous women and girls go missing at a much higher rate than any other group in the United States, the ELCA advocates that tribes, states, and the US government coordinate efforts to pass legislation and take steps to alleviate the problem. Synod leaders and congregations can also work to establish relationships with Tribal Nations to express solidarity and support prevention and recovery. The ELCA encourages congregations and individuals to educate themselves on the issue of Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG).

A heartfelt Thank You to all who participated in making the annual Chicken BBQ happen! We enjoyed good food and good fellowship with congregation members and friends, CDC staff and families, and firefighters from the station across the street – over 70 in all.  It wouldn’t happen without lots of hands…Firepit Crew, Chicken Schloppers, Potato Salad Assemblers, Setup, Serving Line, Clean up, Chicken Wrappers, Wood Suppliers, and Egg or Potato Boilers. Special thanks go to Tim & Henri Atkinson, Joel Baden, Adam Mayes, Charlie Boas, Ben Rode, Fran & Larry Collmann, Merrily & Terry Porter, Nancy & David Neuse, Charlotte Gillman, Trish & Bob Karli, Tessa Baden, Claudia & Paul Barlow, Bailey Barlow, Katherine Houston, Heidi Goebel, Barbara Wiederaenders, Dana & Andy MacLaren, Mari Ward, Michele Hockett-Cooper & Jesse, Anne Wiebe, Betsy Appleton & Sean Peterson, Monica Lund, Leigh Northcutt-Benson, LaRu & Fred Woody, and Teresa Ringness. Thanks also to our youngest helpers (Della Ann Baden,  Betty Mayes, and Maggie Baden-VanDellen) who scrubbed in to help chop boiled eggs. A few chickens are still available in the freezer for $20/bag.

Randy and Nancy Baden

A note of thanks from Nancy Neuse:

Hats off to Randy Baden, our pit master, and his assistants Joel Baden, Adam Mays, Charlie Boas, Tim Atkinson, Bob Karli and Fritz Woody.  Those birds were amazing.  The sopping crew, comprised of the aforementioned, as well as Ben Rode, Sean Peterson, and Terry Porter, finished off the chicken in fine form.  Has there been any better?  I don’t think so.  

Trish Karli and the potato salad crew (Trish, Tessa Baden May, Claudia Barlow, Bailey Barlow, and Heidi Goebel) deserve our appreciation, as do those providers of the spuds and eggs.  All those hands preparing the potato salad, from the children mincing the hard boiled eggs to the adults working the potatoes and other ingredients – thank you!  What a wonderful and delicious group effort.  

Nancy Baden and her team, working to prepare the beans, the iced tea, the pickles and onions, the set up and the take down – we owe you a great deal.  Thank you. 

To the kitchen crew, both those packaging chicken to go (Dana and Andy MacLaren) and those washing dishes (Barbara Wiederaenders and Margaret Bruesch) and so many other unnamed participants, thank you!

Last but certainly not least, the fellowship that was enjoyed among each of us throughout the entire gathering.  What a joy it was to be there, to interact, to enjoy some amazing food and time together.  Thanks to each of you for making this happen. 

A big thank you to Bob Brueck for concluding his series, The Dead Sea Scrolls and Metaphysics, and to Bailey Barlow for her lesson on The Good Shepherd last week Sunday, April 21. If you’d like to review the materials Bob made available, they are here. The craft children worked on is on display on the bulletin board in the Fellowship Hall.

Please join us this Sunday, April 28 for Rev. Bob Karli’s concluding session on The Life Cycle of a Congregation at 9am in the FELC Parlor. Children will be joining LaRu Woody at 9am in the Library for the conclusion of the rotation learning about the Parable of the Prodigal Son. 

Mark your calendars for Sunday, May 5: Ulrich Goebel, Heidi Goebel’s father, will be in town and will be presenting a special one-session only on Martin Luther at 9am in the Parlor for adult Faith Formation. Children will meet in the Library at 9am for the first week in a rotation about the Holy Spirit and Early Church. There is an opening for a Children’s Faith Formation Leader on May 5. Please contact Betsy Appleton if you are interested in leading this session!

Sparks! of Genius

Saturday, April 20 at 7:30pm

Join Austin Cantorum in a celebration of the human creative spirit as they honor historical discoveries and eureka moments of invention through the evolution of choral music. Featuring pieces by Eric Whitacre, Hildegard von Bingen, Christopher Tin, B. E. Boykin, and more, plus a brand new premiere by Dr. Thomas LaVoy. Presented in collaboration with Pianist Benjamin Dia. The concert is free, but we ask you to RSVP if able. For information, visit www.austincantorum.com.

On April 24, 1989, First English Lutheran Church was designated as a Reconciled in Christ congregation. Since that time, the designation has adapted to a more inclusive ReconcilING in Christ – since we are always in a process of greater welcome, reconciliation, and inclusion.

On Sunday, April 21 we will celebrate the 35th anniversary (!!!) of this distinction and its brave welcome. Cantor Bryan Rust will preach and Pastor Bob Karli will preside. And, we’ll have an anniversary cake during hospitality on April 21! Then on Sunday, April 28, Pastor Alex Darling-Raabe will be our guest preacher. Pastor Alex is the first openly gay and partnered pastor to be ordained in the Southwestern Texas Synod.

Throughout this transition year we’ll be invited to engage and learn more about how this bold welcome to everyone has been made known and challenged – in our life together and in our engagement in the broader community and wider church.