Category: News

Being an unpaid caregiver means accepting responsibility for assisting another adult with the activities of daily living, in home or at a distance. This can be very rewarding, knowing that God is enabling you to love, sometimes sacrificially.  It can also be very isolating. Even motivated by love, there can be moments of resentment and dismay. 

If you are an unpaid caregiver, we invite you to join our support ministry, the FELC Caregiver’s Circle.  We meet Monday, September 23, and every 4^th Monday, 7-8:30 p.m.  Participants pledge strict confidentiality to one another, allow time for each person to share as much or as little as desired, hear about available resources, exchange ideas, and take time for prayer and meditation. 

Contact Barbara Wiederaenders (bwiederaenders@att.net) to receive the Zoom link and to learn more. All are welcome!

Join our music partner, Austin Cantorum, and storytellers from Testify, for an evening of grown-up bedtime stories and music on Saturday, September 21 at 7pm at FELC. Through powerful real-life experiences and curated choral music, we’re sharing stories about stories and how they impact our lives for the better. We’re also holding a book drive as part of the event to benefit the Women’s Storybook Project of Texas: bring your favorite new children’s storybooks to donate to families in need. Featuring choral selections from Craig Hella Johnson, Tara Mack, Eric Whitacre, Aimee Jensen, and more!  Free admission with suggested donation of $25. Please note: some content may not be suitable for small children. For more information, visit: www.austincantorum.com

Thank you to Leigh Northcutt-Benson and Pastor Bob Karli for their leadership on Sunday, September 15. Children’s Faith Formation learned about Peter’s Faith and Adult Faith Formation began the three-part series, Prepare to Die! Funeral Planning and Making Final Arrangements.

On Sunday, September 22, Nancy Baden will be leading Children’s Faith Formation on the subject, “Who is the Greatest?” at 9:00 am in the FELC Library. Pastor Brad Fuerst will be leading Adult Faith Formation in a discussion of the recently published book, The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness, at 9:00 am in the FELC Parlor. Please join us!

Click here to view the financial summary for August 2024.

At the September 16 FELC council meeting guest Andy MacLaren invited discussion on the Micah 6 ministry as their Board undergoes a regular review of their mission. He announced that Barry Smith, the Executive Director of Micah 6, will lead our Adult Faith Formation session on Sunday , October 6. 

Merrily Porter was a guest at the Council meeting to provide an update on the one-year anniversary of the re-starting of operations of our CDC. She clarified that the CDC has been serving children in the foster care system and others through the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC), which is consistent with the original mission of the CDC.  Reimbursements do not fully cover expenses, however. The Council approved the request of the CDC Board to have the CDC prepare a presentation which will update the congregation on critical needs they may want to be aware of.  Merrily also requested that all consider supporting Prop A on the next ballot, which could provide a better tuition reimbursement rate for those TWC families.

President Woody relayed an update on the Call Committee activities after communicating with Chair, Erin McCracken, saying they are continuing to make progress toward their goal.

Anne Wiebe thanked participants in the God’s Work. Our Hands. project at Casa Marianella on September 8. Donations were sorted, garden beds were prepped and much was learned about their ministry.  Anne reminded all that a follow-up visit will be scheduled for October to plant things in those gardens. 

Reports were received from Ministry Teams.

Council members are looking forward to the training sessions “Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Council,” led by Claudia Barlow, scheduled for the afternoons of September 22 and September 29. 

The next council meeting will be Monday, October 21.

Respectfully submitted,

Nancy Baden, Council Secretary

The FELC Racial Justice Action Team invites you to join us during Hospitality after worship beginning Sunday, September 15, to address postcards to new and inactive voters. The message on the postcard is non-partisan. It just encourages people to VOTE! We will provide postcards, pens, stamps, and addresses. In the previous two elections we have written 300 postcards that are mailed two weeks before the election! 

We will meet each Sunday until our 300 are ready for mailing. Donations toward the high cost of postage would be appreciated. It’s an enjoyable time to spend together doing something really important for our country. Hope to see you there!

On Sunday, September 8, 17 FELC members and friends gathered at Casa Marianella, a local non-profit which helps immigrants resettle in the US, for the ELCA’s annual service day, God’s Work. Our Hands. The group brought and sorted donations to help refugees get on their feet and cleaned out several flower beds.  Jennifer Long, Casa’s executive director, shared the organization’s history, educated the group about the realities of refugees coming to the US, and introduced current residents and alumni who frequently visit the East Austin location.  Thanks to everyone who participated in God’s Work. Our Hands. this year!

You are invited to become a part of our congregation’s Prayer Circle. This a special invitation and opportunity.

The Prayer Circle gathers Tuesdays at 12:30 pm via ZOOM.  Our gatherings last about an hour. We share prayer concerns that we are aware of, then offer our prayers.  Prayers can be spoken aloud or silently as we feel moved. Some prayers are printed, which we pray every week. Prayers may be for personal needs, local//national/international concerns, ministries and care groups, congregational issues, and in thanksgiving. As always, prayer requests are welcome and are kept strictly confidential. To learn more or to experience the Prayer Circle, contact Barbara Schutz,  bschutz@sbcglobal.net

We have received five pastor candidate names thus far. Two of the candidates have been prayerfully released from further consideration and the interviewing and discernment process continues to unfold with the remaining candidates. Thank you for your prayers as we seek to do the work that God would have us do. Feel free to contact the Call Committee at: felctransitionministry@felcaustin.org. 

We are grateful to Nikki Northcutt and Betsy Appleton for leading Children’s and Adult Faith Formation respectively on September 1. Children started their sessions following the lectionary and prepared a delicious “first fruits” contribution for Hospitality. Betsy Appleton started a series of Faith Formation Sessions on the ELCA Social Statements and Messages, with the current draft statement that will be voted on at the 2025 ELCA Churchwide Assembly. The draft’s comment period is open until September 30. 

Sunday, September 8, is God’s Work. Our Hands. Sunday. Learning Ministry is coordinating the light lunch after worship, so we will not be convening at 9 am. For lunch we will be enjoying a play on our Stone Soup lesson from August. So enjoy sleeping in a little, and bring your favorite salad ingredient to share with all God’s Work. Our Hands. participants after worship on Sunday, September 8.

On Sunday, September 15, Leigh Northcutt Benson will be leading Children’s Faith Formation on the topic, Peter’s Faith, at 9 am in the Library. 

Pastor Bob Karli will be starting a three-part series, “Prepare to Die! Funeral Planning and Making Final Arrangements,” at 9 am in the Parlor.  Why a forum on this topic? Because we’re all going to die, and someone will need to make final arrangements, be it planning a service or making end of life decisions. Give a gift to your family/survivors by making arrangements in advance. Do it now, because none of us knows when death will come. Far from being a topic from which we should shy away, this can be a thoughtful, even enjoyable, journey.