Category: News

Advent Lessons and Carols. December 8 at 7 PM

with Austin guitarist Anthony Caulkins

Advent is a season for hope and expectation as we await Christ’s coming, whether at the Nativity, today, or the promised future. Advent Lessons and Carols is a service of songs, readings, quiet contemplation, and prayer. We hear the words of the prophets. We sing of God’s promises. We place our hope in God. The carols in this service draw from a variety of countries, cultures, and traditions.

We are pleased to have as our guest musician for this service Austin guitarist Anthony Caulkins, who will accompany our singing. Anthony plays an eclectic range of styles from classical to rock. You can learn more about him here: https://www.gigsalad.com/anthony_caulkins_long_beach 

We will livestream the service on our YouTube Live channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCj9B6jWh3PqO7ojn9-tHHRQ

Following the service, we will offer hospitality on the front terrace, weather permitting.

Throughout our extended Advent season, the Tree of Hope will be on display at the front of the nave. You’re invited to write on one of the blue stars and hang it on the tree. What gives you hope? What do you hope for?

Add to the tree anytime before or after worship, and during hymns and communion.

Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my help and my God.

Psalm 42:11

Available during Hospitality after Worship

Our FELC mugs are available for purchase. $5 get you 2 mugs — one to take home, and one to donate to our hospitality ministry. They will be available from sale from Pastor Coffey during hospitality after worship on Sundays. Please have cash and exact change.

Beginning Sunday, November 14

We will once again be offering refreshments during hospitality on Sunday mornings. This has long been a favorite part of Sunday mornings when we can stay a while and visit with one another. It is the extension of our worship into fellowship.

Returning to offering some treats makes it even more enjoyable. We have many wonderful hospitality hosts who provide for our hospitality ministry.

When we gather outside it is safer to take off our masks as we visit and enjoy some food and drink, especially if vaccinated. Please be mindful of children and others who may not be vaccinated.

We hope you’ll stay after worship, enjoy the hospitality offered, and continue to meet and greet others in the name of Christ.

Chapel of the Saints

The renewed Cloud of Witnesses mobile is now hanging in the Chapel of the Saints. It contains the names of all who have died at FELC from 1936 – 2021. Each year on All Saints Sunday new names will be added.

The Cloud of Witnesses mobile reminds us that when we gather together in the name of Christ we are gathered with all who have gone before us in faith — one great communion of saints.

Sunday, December 5

We are moving our livestream ministry from Facebook to YouTube. Some people prefer not to use it, so Facebook has limited who can watch and participate in our livestreams. Also, there are concerns about how Facebook operates and its impact on individuals and society.

YouTube, which is owned by Google, will give us a broader audience and make our livestream videos appear in search results. Anyone with a Google account (Gmail, Docs, Calendar, etc.) can sign into YouTube to view and comment. Those without an account can view the videos without being signed in. YouTube Live videos will also be viewable on our website Livestream page.

We want to be sure that everyone is ready for this switch before December 5. Pastor Coffey will conduct a brief test livestream on YouTube on Wednesday, December 1` at 7 PM. Join in for a few minutes to see how it works and try out the comments.

If anyone needs additional assistance in finding and viewing our YouTube livestream videos, please contact Pastor Coffey.

Our YouTube channel can be found here (or search on YouTube for FELCAustin): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCj9B6jWh3PqO7ojn9-tHHRQ . If you subscribe to our channel you will receive notifications when we go live. Click on the bell symbol and select “All” to make sure you always get notified of our live and new videos.

Wednesday, November 17 at 7 PM on Zoom

Austin City Lutherans “Homelessness Initiative – Summit Meeting #2” will be held on Wednesday, November 17 at 7 p.m. on Zoom. Linked here: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3419099479 Meeting ID: 341 909 9479. This meeting is scheduled to last one hour. The audio phone-in number is 1-346-248-7799. 

Special guests include leaders in homelessness ministries in Austin: Pastor Mark Hilbelink of Sunrise Homeless Navigation Center, Haleh Kersten of LINC-Austin, and former ECHO Executive Director and St. Martin’s Lutheran member Ann Howard.

ACL has a new website and video on homelessness, linked here: https://breadforall-atx.org/homelessness/

Please join us for this important next step in ACL ministries. As with Bread For All Food Pantry and Mariposa FLC, we are able to do “more, better, together” in Christ’s name and in his compassion.

— Pastor Tim Anderson, ACL Director tca.blueocotillo@gmail.com

Informational Meeting Sunday, December 5 at 11:30 AM

Pastor Coffey is planning a new RE: Renewal at Easter group beginning in late January, 2022. What is RE:? It is a small group spiritual formation process to discover anew what Christian faith means for you. It is based on the ancient church practice of spiritual formation called the catechumenate. It is story based, experiential, conversational, and filled with profound rituals. Components of the program include:

• Small group conversations
• Participation in worship rites from before Lent, to Easter Vigil, to Pentecost.
• Individual retreat
• Sponsor and staff support and guidance

Anyone who is interested in exploring the Christian faith and finding renewal, whether a long-time believer or a newcomer filled with questions, is invited to attend. Pastor Coffey will hold an informational meeting on RE: on Sunday, December 5 at 11:30 in the parlor and on Zoom (FELC Community Zoom meeting info is found at the end of each weekly email news). Contact him if you have questions.

November 3, 10, & 17, 2021 at 7 PM

From Pastor Coffey: I am moving the adult forum from Sunday mornings to Wednesday evenings in November. We currently have several different musicians coming to play for our worship services, and each one is new to our liturgy. Because I need more time on Sunday mornings to prepare them for worship, I will have little time left to lead the adult forum.

Join me on Wednesday evenings on Zoom using the FELC Community Zoom link (look at the bottom of the weekly email for the details).

Note: There will not be an adult forum this Sunday, October 31. The new adult forum “The Endless Conversation” will begin on November 3.

Here is a snapshot of the church’s finances as of September 30, 2021 / Q3:

	In the Month of September	Actual Year-to-date	Budgeted Year-to-date
Total Operating Income	$22,856.07	$233,582.46	$253,125.00
Total Non-Contingent Operating Expenses	$28,592.04	$232,880.90	$247,266.00
Total Contingent Operating Expenses (Synod, Benevolence, Savings)	$0.00	$0.00	$5,895.00
Net Income (Loss)	$-(5,735.97)	$701.56	$-(36.00)

Monthly Giving Income*

	Jan	Feb	Mar (Q1)	Apr	May	Jun (Q2)
Unified, Current, & Benevolent Income (Giving income)*	$16,547.41	$26,668.38	$28,220.38	$22,508.38	$27,110.38	23,913.38
July	August	Sept (Q3)	Oct	Nov	Dec (Q4)
$24,989.69	$37,042.38	$21,855.38

*Our monthly budget for giving in come is $26,250

Operating Income fell short of Operating Expenses by $5,736 for the month of September (see Net (Loss) above). As of the end of September / Q3, the church maintains a year-to-date surplus of $701.56.

Per our 2021 budget structure, here is how the Q3 year-to-date surplus of $701.56 will be allocated:

Southwestern Texas Synod (50%)	$350.78
Transfer to Savings (25%)	$175.39
Benevolence Pool (25%–split between Micah 6 and Sunrise Homeless Navigation Center):	$175.39
Micah 6	$87.70
Sunrise Homeless Navigation Center	$87.69

We will next assess our ability to make benevolence payments and a transfer to savings at the end of 4^th quarter (December 31^st).

With gratitude,

Erin McCracken, FELC Treasurer