The Transition Team thanks you for completing “The Leader We Seek” survey! This week we will begin to process the results of the survey which will help us complete a meaningful portion of the Ministry Site Profile (MSP). We have information to complete certain parts of the MSP while other sections are moving forward in draft form. Once completed, the Transition Team will work in concert with the Council to review a finalized MSP that will get sent to the Synod. The Transition Team will meet again at the end of next week to review draft portions of the MSP. We look forward to offering additional updates at the Congregational Meeting on January 28. Feel free to reach out to the Transition Team at FELCTransitionMinistry@felcaustin.org.
The 3M Half Marathon will be Sunday, January 21. Some tips to arrive onsite at FELC for worship at 10 AM.
1. Use MoPac if possible and exit at 38th Street or at Northwood to 29th Street.
2. If you’re traveling from the north on I-35, use 45 th Street or 183 to MoPac.
3. If you’re traveling from the south on I-35, take Ben White to MoPac or Cesar Chavez to Lamar Blvd.
4. If you’re traveling from nearby east of Duval Street, north of 45th Street, or from East Austin, take I-35 or local streets to Cesar Chavez to Lamar Blvd. The Marathon will impact getting to FELC only if you’re coming from I-35, or nearby in the neighborhood east of Duval Street or north of 45th Street.
Epiphany and New Year greetings from the FELC Transition Team!
As the 2024 opens, we invite you to engage with us in our transition process by completing a brief survey, which will close on January 14th, at 5:52PM (sunset). Your responses will assist us with “The Leader We Seek” portion of the Ministry Site Profile (MSP). The survey provides a way for you to communicate what ministry gifts and leadership qualities & characteristics are important to you in our search for pastoral leadership at FELC. We invite you to take a few moments of quiet to complete the survey with an open mind and a prayerful heart.
“God of yesterday, today, and tomorrow we hear our lives reflected in the stories with you of our past; we experience our lives now, with you, through each other and those you call into our midst; we experience hope in your call to us now and in all our tomorrows. We ask your Spirit to guide our stories, o God – help us hear you in them as we enjoy them again, mourn them again, and dream through them again. Remind us that our stories are yours, as we are yours, called to serve our Siblings. Keep us building your stories, in Christ. Amen”
With gratitude, The FELC Transition Team felctransitionministry@felcaustin.org Allen Jensen, Barbara Schutz, Elizabeth Zimmerman, Erin McCracken, Lillian Rodriguez-Coburn, Nikki Northcutt, Randy Baden, Tim Adkinson, and Pastor J. Michael Mills
Siblings and friends of First English: in what has become a tradition in our time, our nation has moved quickly into counting innocents as dead and wounded as a result of gun violence. You might recall from this past Sunday, that I invited you to explore and reconcile that innocents are an often-overlooked part of the Magi Story. As we move through this Epiphany season I invite you to recognize that the slaughter of the innocents continues in our time. And “Herod”, as an archetype, continues to exist alongside us. Education Week reports two school shootings already in this year, and 183 such shootings since 2018. US News and World Report offers a much more damning critique on our society in counting 384 school shooting incidents across the country in 2023.
“On Jan. 4, a 6th grade student was killed and seven others—four students and three faculty members—were wounded in a shooting at Perry High School in Perry, Iowa. Police say the 17-year-old student suspect died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. This marks the highest number of casualties in a single incident since the Oct. 24, 2022, Central Visual and Performing Arts High School shooting in St. Louis, Mo.”
We’re Connected
Outside of the reality of our neighborhood returning to school this week, and our sibling-teachers returning to school this week, Al and Kathy Wicks were Vicars (over a two year period) at First English under Rev. Merle Franke’s supervision. Kathy reports that Al’s brother is superintendent of schools in Perry, Iowa where [the January 4th] shootings took place. It was a long, tough day for him [on the 4th], and I shudder and weep to think what it must be like for the families of every child of that school and those that died that day. 2023 has shown us that these events are not likely to stop, unless…
First, Al and Kathy Wicks were FELC Vicars (1977-1978, 1978-1979). While one of them served with us as Vicar, the other served as a chaplain at the Austin State Hospital; after the first year they switched “jobs.” They returned to Austin and served as co-pastors of Holy Cross Lutheran from 1991-1997 before returning to their roots in Iowa. They remain connected to us through relationships born out of their time in Austin.
Al’s brother, Clark S. Wicks, is Superintendent of the Perry Community School District. I’m not sure how long he has held that position, but he’s been with the District for 31 years in (it appears) several capacities, including Principal. A Google search brought up several links to recent days’ news conferences featuring him—trying to deal and rebuild, and restore classes. How godawful!
To quote Rev. Bob Karli, “God damn guns!!!”
What can we do?
Gun violence is a heated and polarizing topic in this nation and amongst our neighbors, regardless of political leanings. Most people like the nation’s constitution, some thrive under the constitution’s protections, and many people like the Second Amendment. We’re not going to debate the efficacy or intended impact of the words collected in one of the largest plagues on our existence as a society. Where a great number of people, gun owners included, agree is: gun control is a step in the right direction.
Supporting candidates whose platform supports gun control is a good step.
Getting connected to a community that is working with our local leaders to engage gun control conversation and legislation is another good step. Who can you connect with? Excellent question, here are some places you might start:
Prayer is always a good option and I would invite you to understand the invitation that prayer can be to us to get involved, and engage action around civic policy and legislative change.
“Most of us don’t live in an agrarian culture with divinely appointed monarchs. My faith tradition doesn’t offer animal or grain sacrifices, but we do hold vigils, we do pray, we do lament, we do oppress, we do cause harm and enact violence. The ways we engage with our faith and the world have changed, but the heart of God’s call through Amos remains the same: Care for the well-being of each person. Adapting Amos draws us closer to the text, connecting and calling us to action in the world.”
Photo, Protestor holding a sign during the rally in the Texas Capitol to demand age increase for AR-15 sales. Patricia Lim /KUT Excerpts, Ewing, Emily E. “God Will Not Accept Your Thoughts and Prayers.” Sojourners, June 2, 2022. https://sojo.net/articles/god-will-not-accept-your-thoughts-and-prayers.
Join the FELC Racial Justice Action Team next Sunday, January 14, immediately after our services, at the event described below. Held at the Northeast College High School (7104 Berkman Drive) from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m., food will be provided.
Austin Justice Coalition (AJC), a dedicated organization committed to creating positive change in our community, is thrilled to join forces with the Hogg Foundation, a champion for mental health and well-being. In line with AJC’s mission, we eagerly embrace the National Day of Racial Healing (NDORH) by organizing a special event on January 14th, 2024. We extend a warm invitation to the community to participate in an enriching experience where we will guide attendees through a series of healing activities, placing a spotlight on the profound connection between race, racism, and mental health. Join us in this transformative event, where we collectively foster engagement and facilitate healing discussions on the critical issues of racism, bias, inequity, and injustice. Expect an event that not only enlightens but empowers, as we explore the intersections of race and well-being. We will have free on-site childcare for children under 13, free food and refreshments, and free public transportation passes.
Sunday, January 7, 2024: Sunday of the Epiphany of Our Lord at 10:00 AM
The feast of Epiphany (“manifestation”), traditionally on January 6, concludes the twelve-day Christmas season. It is a celebration of God’s glory revealed in the person of Jesus Christ. Like the light of the star that guided the magi to Jesus, the light of Christ reveals who we are: children of God who are claimed in love and called to witness to that love, invited to be beacons of God’s light.
Epiphany Day, January 6 (or another day during the season of Epiphany) offers an occasion for gathering with family, friends, and neighbors for a blessing of the home or dwelling with readings, prayer, and chalking above the entrance to the home for the year. As the magi visited the dwelling of Mary, Joseph, and Jesus and brought gifts and blessings, we bless homes in the name of Christ.
On Saturday, December 23, we interred the remains of Cynthia Ann Cole Cain (1947-2020) in the Chapel of the Saints Columbarium at First English Lutheran Church. Cynthia’s family gathered for a committal service as we commended Cynthia to the everlasting love and tender mercy of God. Cynthia is survived by her husband Joe, her daughter Caroline, her step-daughter Lisa Pacheco and her husband Andrew Pacheco, her grandchildren Sara and Andrew Pacheco, her brother Tom Cole and niece Maddie Cole. The Rev. Robert Karli officiated at the committal service. All of us go down to the dust, yet even at the grave we make our song: Alleluia!
Many years ago, I was so honored to lead my first Advent Event, sometimes called Advent Workshop. I was very much inspired by Barbara Schutz, who had put together a marvelous Advent Event, probably about 1999. The Advent Event Barbara led was for SERVICE to others, and I thought, THAT’S IT! That’s exactly what Advent is for. We listen for God’s voice, which tells us to prepare our hearts for the Christ Child by doing service for others. In subsequent years, we did a lot of wonderful service projects in Advent Event. So many of us have wonderful memories of those events and of the good that we did. It’s the best part of the Christmas season! So, this year I was again thrilled to be asked to lead Advent Event, with the help of Betsy Appleton and Henri Atkinson of our wonderful Learning Ministry Team, as well as many others.
We had a fantastic time at Advent Event 2023! It was lots of fun!
We produced: Fifty bags of supplies for the houseless, 10 bags of homemade cookies for our homebound elders, many home Advent Calendars to inspire other service projects, and many beautiful Advent wreaths were made too. So many thanks are due to the Learning Ministry committee and everyone who helped, everyone who participated, everyone who brought treats, everyone who set up and cleaned up …
And the Diaper Drive! We prepared all of our hearts to be open and warm for the Christ Child, by generously donating diapers, wipes, and period supplies, in a wonderfully HUGE truckful for the Austin Diaper Bank! What a lovely thing!
The long-ago helpless infant Jesus is manifest in those living among us who need our help, especially new parents and babies who benefit from our donations, as well as students in need of period supplies. “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’ (Matthew 25:40)” It’s so incredible to think that, in doing this, we are doing it for the baby Jesus!
Here’s what the Austin Diaper Bank wrote to all of us:
Thank you for your generous donation and for being part of our community of supporters and friends here at the Austin Diaper Bank.
We are thrilled to have your support to help families in Central Texas with diapers, wipes and period supplies.
Please let us know if we can answer any questions about our mission or if you would like to come in for a tour of our warehouse.
Your donation will help more than 35,000 babies and children with diapers and wipes, and more than 7,500 students with period supplies in our community.
We did so much good! We are shining the light of Christ to the world, in our work! Our hearts are ready for the Christ Child to come in. A blessed Advent and Merry Christmas to us all!
We are grateful for your year-end contributions and your support of the church all year. December is usually our biggest month for income because of your generosity. Any year-end financial contributions received in the Sunday offering on December 31st and postmarked or received online by Sunday, December 31st will be processed for this calendar year. Thank you for helping our giving ministry end the year on a strong financial note.
Wouldn’t you love to join in caroling folks who can’t get out this season?! Join us Saturday, December 23, 2 p.m. to leave from church and brighten someone else’s day. Reconvene afterward for seasonal treats at the church. YES, the day before Christmas Eve. It will be fun and WILL make the season bright for others.
AND please “sign up” with one of us to help us plan the route.
