First English Lutheran Church | Austin, Texas
God Loves. We Love. Everyone!
Wednesday, December 14 at 7:00 PM
As we anticipate the celebration of the birth of the Savior, join us for an evening service when we can listen to Scripture passages and poetry that encourage us to move through fear in faith. We gather in song, silence, prayer, and community.
We gather in person and livestream on YouTube here.
https://www.felcaustin.org/wp-content/uploads/2022-Fear-Not-A-Service-for-Advent.pdf
On Sunday, November 6 we celebrated the feast of All Saints. The gift of All Saints Sunday is that all our sorrows become bearable as we – together – recall the stories of those who have died and how their stories point to the greater story of God’s enduring and inseparable love with all creation and humanity.
We gather with the saints of the past that we remember in various ways: the names engraved on the columbarium, the Cloud of Witnesses saints mobile containing the names of all who have died at FELC since 1936, and the saints icons displayed on the walls that remind us of people who inspire, challenge, and enliven our faith today.
We give thanks for the saints from FELC who have died since All Saints Day last year: Lillian “Lil” Swenson Templeton (January 9, 1924—January 24, 2022), Stanley “Stan” Fred Kornfuehrer (January 6, 1925—August 13, 2022), and Patricia Ann Benedict “Pat” Brueck (January 30, 1936—November 3, 2022). “Rest eternal grant them, O Lord; and let light perpetual shine upon them.”
The All Saints remembrance will be in use through Sunday, November 13.
The sanctuary, nave, chapel, transepts, aisles, doors, and columns have been painted. Cracks in the plaster have been patched and a new white is painted on all walls that are currently white. This project has been funded from our existing capital campaign funds and was approved by the church council at the October meeting. The cost of the project is approximately $12,000. We are enjoying our bright and clean new wall color.
This Advent we begin using our new Advent paraments and vestments. They were designed and created by Jeff Wunrow Designs, the same company that made our recent White, Green, and Red paraments and vestments. These beautiful additions to our worship life were paid for from the Metzger Endowment, established for these very purposes. We have one more new set to be completed next year: Lent.
We welcome your prayer requests for needs and thanksgivings for yourself, for individuals, and for families. Prayer requests for the FELC prayer list (online, in print, and in worship) should be submitted using this online form.
Service & Celebration: Sunday, November 20 at 3:00 PM
Please join Interfaith Action of Central Texas as we celebrate our 38th Annual Interfaith Day of Thanks Service & Celebration on Sunday, November 20, 2022 at 3:00 PM.
This year’s celebration will take place at St Matthew’s Episcopal Church (8134 Mesa Dr, Austin, TX 78759). People of all faith traditions will gather together to celebrate what it is they are thankful for in a stunningly beautiful and moving display of interfaith unity.
This event is free. To register if you plan to attend, click here.
In its first performance together in nearly three years, Austin Cantorum presents “The Infinite Path,” a choral reflection on our journey together through life. Presenting music that explores our intrinsic need for home and connection while acknowledging the drive we have for the unknown. Featuring favorite selections from Cantorum’s past concerts plus works by Thomas LaVoy, Alfred Schnittke, David Lang, Eric Whitacre, and others.
Please join Austin Cantorum. They are always thrilled to provide a charming evening of beautiful and reflective music. You won’t have to pay to attend, but they graciously accept donations at the door.
For more information, click here.
Have you noticed that in our worship bulletins we list Hospitality as the last part of the liturgy? Gathering together to welcome one another is a central theme of church life that we will explore in our next Sunday Symposium.
When have you experienced hospitality that touched you? How have you found joy in welcoming others? Why is hospitality named as an important characteristic of the church in the New Testament?
Join us for an open conversation on this theme as we seek to learn, listen, and seek a deeper understanding of the place of hospitality in our lives and how we might think about it and practice it in new ways.
We’ll gather around 11:30 in the parlor (continuing our hospitality time after worship) for this conversation.
Thanks to everyone who helped make this year’s Oktoberfest a great event with excellent food, beer, and even better fellowship.
The combined choirs from Peace Lutheran Church and St. Michael’s Episcopal Church in Austin present John Rutter’s REQUIEM
Sunday, November 6
5:00 PM
St. Michael’s Episcopal Church
1500 N. Capital of Texas Highway
Austin, TX 78746.
English composer, conductor, and arranger John Rutter’s Requiem is a musical setting of parts of the Latin Requiem. This Requiem has added psalms and biblical verses in English, and was completed in 1985. It is scored for soprano, mixed choir, and chamber ensemble.
Five of its seven movements are based on text from the Latin Requiem Mass, while the second movement is a setting of “Out of the deep” (Pslam 130) and the sixth movement is an anthem “The Lord’s My Shepherd” (Psalm 23) which Rutter had earlier written.