Category: News

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Transition Team Update March 6, 2024

Thanks to all who were able to participate in the Small Group Meetings last week! We truly enjoyed getting together and hearing directly from you. The Transition Team met earlier this week to talk through our notes taken during those small group discussions. Part of our process is to make sure we, as a team, have a shared understanding of what was said and heard. This is an important step as the valuable feedback received from you serves to directly inform our responses to questions in our Ministry Site Profile (MSP). As we process all congregational input, we continue to draft answers to the final few questions in the MSP. Looking ahead, once the Transition Team completes the MSP, it will be shared with the Council for review. After the Council accepts the MSP, it will be presented to the congregation and then sent to the Synod. While our goal is to complete the MSP by the end of March, we know it’s possible that it could take a bit longer. Thank you for your continued support, patience, and prayers.

With gratitude, 

FELC Transition Team 

FELCTransitionMinistry@felcaustin.org

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Generosity Impact: March 2024

What does the Lord require of you? by Merrily Porter

Many know the Bible verse from the book of Micah, chapter 6: What does the Lord require of you? To do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.” 

That verse is put into action by Micah 6 of Austin, a network of faith communities in the University of Texas campus area that work together to answer the call to:

·     Do justice through education, dialogue, and advocacy.

·     Love kindness by compassionately serving those who come to us for assistance.

·     Walk humbly with God by providing opportunities for the spiritual growth of those we serve, our congregations, and other community partners.

Micah 6 provides two main services for the folks in and around the university of Texas area that are experiencing homelessness and/or food insecurity. There is a food pantry located in University Presbyterian which is open on Thursday evenings and Saturday mornings. Shoppers come from many walks of life. Crucially and most importantly, all are welcome. And, on Saturday afternoons, the youth drop-in center at University Baptist is open for those folks 30 and younger who are street dependent. These clients are able to access toiletries, bathrooms, a laundry, clean clothing, computers and, probably most importantly, a safe and protected place to be out of the heat or the cold or the rain and all the other challenges of being without a permanent home. And finally, these clients are served a hot meal that is carefully and lovingly planned and prepared to be well-balanced, nutritious and delicious.  

First English folks are woven into this picture in several ways. Andy MacLaren serves on the board of Micah 6 and we are grateful for that. Many of us have prepared and served meals to the youth at the drop incenter. Anne Wiebe, Brian Neidig, Heidi Goebel, Marilynn Olson, Sarah Roberts, Kristin Mondy, Jackie Chuter, Meiling Newman, and several others have been loyal participants over the years.   Brian Neidig and Anne Wiebe, especially, have been our head chefs many times and put together wonderful menus. And, despite the chaos of Covid, it is important to note that the drop in center did not miss a single meal during all of that time. I know many of you have served in the food pantry: Andy MacLaren, Ben Rode, Randy and Nancy Baden, Barbara Wiederanders, Charlotte Gilman, Michele Lingo, Henri and Tim Atkinson, and Larry and Fran Collmann. Many have provided water and refillable water bottle donations, and many, many in our community who make monetary and clothing donations on a regular basis that keep this ministry thriving. I’m certain I’m missing some names. You are all so important to this ministry.

For me personally, I have loved my experiences with the drop-in center. Getting to know the Micah 6 staff who keep the network organized and operating, but mostly seeing the young clients able to relax, to nap on clean, comfortable couches, to enjoy a movie with each other, to style each other’s hair, to just be in conversation with the volunteers and with each other – it is a slice of life that is so completely normal for most of us but is a needed break and care for the young clients of Micah 6.  

Please contact Heidi Goebel or me or Andy MacLaren if you’d like more information about what it looks like to work with Micah 6. It is not a difficult task but the generosity impact is substantial and worthwhile. Thank you.

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FELC AT THE MARCH ON THE CAPITOL

Fred (Fritz) Woody, Mari Ward, Voter Registrar Charlotte Gilman, and Barbara Wiederaenders gathered with a large crowd of others on the Capitol Saturday, March 2.  We were supporting the Mass Poor People’s and Low-Wage Workers’ Simultaneous State House Assembly and Marches on 33 state houses around the country.  After a march circling the grounds chanting slogans and waving signs, we settled in to hear speakers from partner organizations urge us to get out the vote, especially of poor and low wage workers whose participation could make a difference. 

  • Abolish poverty as the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S. 
  • Implement a living minimum wage of at least $15 +/hour (indexed for inflation) 
  • Fully expand voting rights
  • End voter suppression
  • Guarantee workers’ rights & labor rights
  • Implement healthcare for all
  • Guarantee affordable, adequate housing
  • End gun violence, profit and proliferation 
  • Fully protect women’s rights
  • Protect the environment and ensure clean air & water 
  • Fully fund public education 
  • Protect our immigrant brothers and sisters
  • Bring an end to hate, division, and the extremist political agenda

Please see the pictures attached to get a flavor.  Wish you could have been there!

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Learning Ministry Update March 6, 2024

Please mark your calendars for Intergenerational Faith Formation, March 17! We’ll meet at 9am in the Fellowship Hall. 

Adult Faith Formation:

Pastor Bob Karli led the first in a series on the Life Cycle of a Congregation last week, and this week Bob Brueck will lead his second session on the Dead Sea Scrolls and Metaphysics. We’ll meet at 9am Central Daylight Time (springing forward!) in the parlor. The materials for this session are available here. 

Children’s Faith Formation:

Charlie and Kathleen Boas led the final week of the Children’s Faith Formation rotation on the Book of Daniel. Children learned about the fiery furnace and made miracle catchers, describing miracles in their own lives. Children will also meet at 9am Central Daylight Time in the library on March 10. Bailey Barlow will be leading our first session in our Holy Week Rotation.

As always, you can find further events on our Calendar. 

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Introducing our Cantor: Bryan Rust

The FELC Administration Team and the Worship Ministry Team have finalized the Cantor job description.  What is a Cantor, you ask?  The Cantor is a role in the Lutheran church that is broader than a “Director of Music,” encompassing a greater sense of vocation, purpose and ministry to cultivate a richer worship life.  (Read this article if you’d like to delve deeper.)  We believe that the Cantor title is a better reflection of the role at First English historically as well as our vision for the role in the future, as defined by this high-level role description:

The Cantor leads First English Lutheran Church’s music ministry and plans, guides and leads the people in singing and offering musical worship.  The Cantor leads people of all ages and differing abilities in the congregation and in the broader community to develop and grow a robust, multi-faceted worship and arts ministry.  The Cantor prays daily for the mission, ministry, growth, and outreach of the congregation, its organizations, leaders, members, friends, and seekers.

We are excited to work together with Bryan Rust to bring this newly defined and branded to life within our congregation in the months and years to come. If you have any questions, please contact Administration Team members LaRu Woody or Claudia Barlow.

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Transition Team Update February 28, 2024

We are grateful for this week’s small group discussion gatherings! Your input is valuable as we work to complete the Ministry Site Profile (MSP). Thank you to those who have been able to participate. The Transition Team is meeting next week to review important topics and trends that came out of the small group discussions. Additionally, we are working on drafting answers to the final questions in the MSP. Looking ahead, once the Transition Team completes the MSP, it will be shared with the Council for review. After the Council accepts the MSP, it will be presented to the congregation and then sent to the Synod. While our goal is to complete the MSP by the end of March, we know it’s possible that it could take a bit longer. Thank you for your continued support, patience, and prayers.

With gratitude, 

FELC Transition Team 

FELCTransitionMinistry@felcaustin.org

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FELC Council Highlights: February 2024

At the Church Council meeting on February 20, 2024 newly elected members Margaret Bruesch, Mari Ward, Charlie Boas, and Leigh Northcutt-Benson were welcomed! 

A new slate of officers were elected. Officers for 2024 include LaRu Woody/President, Leigh Northcutt-Benson/VP, Nancy Baden/Secretary, Allen Jensen/Treasurer, and Gwen Flory/Financial Secretary.  

Small group meetings are commencing, lead by the Transition Team, to gather additional input into our Ministry Site Profile document in preparation for our next called pastor. 

The Council approved the Child Development Center’s request to change its bylaws to allow for child care beginning at 6 weeks of age. We are excited to support this ministry.

The Council appointed Trish Karli as the Worship Ministry Team chairperson for 2024. We thank Shannon Aguirre for her service last year!

The Council approved the transfer of Kris Franke Hill to our membership from Shepherd King Lutheran in San Antonio. 

The Council received a positive January financial report from Treasurer Allen Jensen.

The Council meets next on Monday, March 18 at 7 pm. The Council will regularly meet on the third Monday of the month. 

Respectfully submitted, Nancy Baden

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Racial Justice Taskforce – Call to Action

We have an opportunity to support the Poor People’s Campaign (PPC) in urging the Texas Legislature to vote for measures that address the cause of poverty in America; e.g. need for healthcare, education, and living wages.  Watch the Weekly for ways to join other FELC people Saturday, March 2, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the Capitol.  Here are excerpts from the PPC call to a “Mass Moral March” on state houses in 30 states:

 Poverty is a political choice. It’s not about morality of the individual. We know that when we see injustice, and we see evil, and we see sickness in high political places, we have to know that another world is possible.  It is our moral responsibility to answer the cry for help coming from the people who are hurting the most. It is our responsibility to stand up, take action, and demand justice. It is our responsibility to challenge economic exploitation, because we know there is a connection between civil rights and economic justice.

Join us for mass voter mobilization of millions of infrequent poor and low-wage voters.  If just 20% of them choose to act together, we would have the power to change political outcomes across the nation. 

Register to vote!  And vote!

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Support Micah 6 on Amplify Austin Day

This year, we invite you to join us on March 6-7 for the biggest giving event in Central Texas, Amplify Austin Day. On Amplify Austin Day, you can make an impact on our community with a gift of $5 or more to Micah 6 of Austin. 

 First English Lutheran is a founding member of Micah 6, which has worked for more than 20 years to address food insecurity in Austin. Many of you have volunteered at the food pantry at University Presbyterian or at the Street Youth Drop-in Center at University Baptist, where we serve a home cooked meal to street dependent young people each Saturday. We couldn’t do the work without faithful volunteers like you, so thank you!

Contributions from 11 member congregations cover about 25 percent of our operating budget; Micah 6 relies on grants and individual contributions for the rest. Amplify Austin Day is one of our largest individual fundraising efforts, and happens in a single day! This year, our goal is $15,000.

 So save the date and support our goal for Amplify Austin Day. Go to amplifyatx.org March 6-7 and donate to Micah 6 of Austin.  

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Micah 6 Youth Drop-In Meal

West campus can be challenging!  It’s a maze of one-way streets with multiple lanes blocked off for construction all the time. You’ve got scooters and bikes and pedestrians . . . and then there was that time we inadvertently signed up to provide the meal on move-in weekend.

Well, we encountered something new this past Saturday, protest crowds at the newly re-opened Scientology building catty-corner to the youth drop-in entrance.

Arnold and Melissa [the couple who run things at the center] urged folks to drop off their food and leave as they anticipated that things would get more disruptive as the day wore on.  So food was lovingly prepared and delivered but no one stayed to serve.

Anne W. planned the meal and provided the entree, pot roast with gravy and roasted carrots – YUM!  Thanks also to Sarah R., Merrily P., Kristin M. and Jackie C. for rounding things out with sides and dessert.  I am certain that there were many second helpings served and that the meal was thoroughly enjoyed by all.

And, a note.  Kristin M. reports that her husband discovered a method for making mashed potatoes in the Instant-Pot that was a real time saver.  So much easier than boiling batch after batch potatoes on the stovetop.  So hit her up next time you need to prepare mashed potatoes for a crowd.