Category: News

On Sunday, November 3 we celebrate the Feast of All Saints’ – a time to remember and give thanks for saints near and far, famous and familiar only to us, those who died long ago, and those who have died recently. As part of the observance we will read the names of those from FELC who have died during the past year.  We invite and encourage everyone to bring photos, drawings, and/or mementos to place on our sacred space of remembrance in the Chapel of the Saints, and to write the names of anyone who has died in the past year in the Book of the Dead. The sacred space of remembrance will remain in the Chapel through November. (Daylight Savings Time ends at 2am on Nov. 3.)

Back in September, we held a God’s Work. Our Hands. project at Casa Marianella, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping refugees. As part of that, we cleared weeds and solarized four neglected garden beds with black plastic to prepare them for planting in October.

On October 19 a small group of enthusiastic people from First English revisited Casa Marianella and planted a number of beautiful succulents, perennials, roses, and spring flowering bulbs. First English members donated plants from their own gardens, others purchased plants and bulbs. The beds have been enriched with compost and covered with mulch. Casa Marianella has committed to watering the beds.

Special thanks to Barbara Schutz, Andy MacLaren, Anne Wiebe, Paul Barlow, Kathleen Boas, and Nancy Baden for donating plants and materials.  Thanks also to Merrily Porter, Terry Porter, Claudia Barlow, and Anne Wiebe for planting. It was so delightful that plants from our own gardens should brighten Casa Marianella! Thanks to everyone who participated!

As we enter the last weeks of this general election season, it is good that we should come together in prayer. Click here for a list of daily prayers.

These prayers come from our Christian tradition. 

You’re invited to share these prayers with others along the way.

May God continue to bless and love this whole world, as God has promised.

Repertory Chorus is the newest addition to the choral area at UT’s Butler School of Music, and the concert on Monday, October 21 at 8pm will be its debut public performance! This new choir serves as a laboratory chorus for the master’s and doctoral students in choral conducting at UT, along with some upper division undergraduate students majoring in music education. FELC is excited to collaborate with UT in this new music and teaching endeavor. This concert is free-of-charge. 

Join the Chamber Ensemble of Chorus Austin in concert at FELC on October 20 at 4pm for the Community Outreach Sunday. Artistic Director Ryan Heller leads a cappella classics from the renaissance to today as Chorus Austin continues the celebration of 60 years of harmony in Austin. This concert is a pay-what-you-can event. For information, including other Chorus Austin performances this weekend and upcoming concerts, visit https://www.onthestage.tickets/chorus-austin-inc/season.

Join us for Faith Formation this Sunday, October 20. Children will meet in the FELC Library at 9am, where Bailey Barlow will lead a session on James and John. Adults will meet in the Parlor at 9am, where Cantor Bryan Rust will review our transition ministry, celebrate our achievements together in these last 21 months, and present our next steps.  There will be hot coffee & treats. Hope to see you then for our engagement & fellowship as a church family! 

On Sunday October 27, Leigh Northcutt-Benson will lead Children’s Faith Formation with the lesson, Bartimeaus Sees. Pastor Bob Karli and Cantor Bryan Rust will provide the second installment of the series, Prepare to Die! Funeral Planning and Making Final Arrangements. 

We invite you to pray for the safety and strength of communities impacted by recent hurricanes & wildfires and for emergency and trade services personnel who are responding diligently. May God’s healing presence give peace and hope. Pray that God will comfort those who mourn.

 Lutheran Disaster Response is on the ground in places of devastation. You are invited to pray for them and support their work financially by going to www.elca.org/ldr and clicking on the Give Now button.

At the festival of the Reformation we celebrate the heart of our faith: the gospel of Christ—the good news—that makes us free to live God’s love fully. By the end of the seventeenth century, many Lutheran churches celebrated a festival commemorating All Hallows Eve, October 31, 1517, when Martin Luther posted his Ninety-five Theses in Wittenberg, Germany. These were a summary of abuses in the church of his time and his call to action. We pray that the Holy Spirit would continue to re-form and empower the whole church in this age and in this place in our witness of love, justice, healing, and joy. The church color associated with the Holy Spirit is red, and we invite you to wear some red on that Sunday.

Join Cantor Bryan Rust on Sunday, October 20 at 9am in the parlor during our Faith Formation time. We’ll review our transition ministry, celebrate our achievements together in these last 21 months, and have a brief overview of our next steps. There will be hot coffee & treats. Hope to see you then for our engagement & fellowship as a church family! 

Thank you to Fred Woody for leading a Children’s Faith Formation session on St. Francis on October 6, along with coordinating the petting zoo! We also are grateful for Andy Maclaren and Rev. Barry Smith for kicking off our Better Know A Ministry Series with an overview of Micah 6.

On Sunday, October 13, Merrily Porter will be leading Children’s Faith Formation on the subject, A Rich Man’s Question, 9 am in the FELC Library. Leigh Northcutt-Benson will be leading an Adult Faith Formation Session about Project 2025, 9 am in the Parlor.

On Sunday, October 20, Bailey Barlow will be leading a Children’s Faith Formation session on James and John and Cantor Bryan Rust will be leading a Transition Ministry Update and Celebration.