Category: News

Church leadership is pursuing both short- and long-term plans for filling the role of Office Administrator. In the short term, we have hired Randi Ladolcetta to support our administrative ministry temporarily, taking over the most critical duties (Sunday bulletins, weekly email newsletter, website updates and managing phone/mail) during July and August.

We are also reviewing the activities that were previously performed by the Office to determine which are best suited to be taken over by the new Office Administrator and which are better performed by others. Once that assessment is completed in early July, we will use that agreed upon scope for the Office Administrator to post a job description, with the goal of having the permanent position filled by September. Please continue to direct any administrative needs to office@felcaustin.org. Information sharing to the greater FELC community should continue to be shared with the office by noon on Tuesdays, for all publications. Reach out to a Council member with any questions. A note from Randi:

“I’m excited to join First English as the temporary Office Administrator. In my previous role I worked as the Office Manager at Lord of Life Lutheran Church. I was also a member there and served as Secretary on the Council. While Lord of Life closed, I am grateful to have been a part of a wonderful community there and look forward to working with everyone at First English. I am excited to work with a church that believes in welcoming everyone with intentionality and stands behind that with action. I grew up in Florida, and have been in Austin for over 14 years. Outside of work, I am married and have two wonderful boys. We love to spend our time swimming in our pool and traveling. I look forward to working with the administrative team and meeting the congregation members.”

For more information, contact LaRu Woody woodylaru@gmail.com

While the FELC Music Director, Bryan Rust, is away this summer we welcome Marti Mortensen Ahern as our guest pianist. Marti will be at FELC almost every Sunday through mid-August. Marti studied at Westminster Choir College, Princeton, New Jersey and she serves as artistic director of the Austin Chamber Ensemble. Welcome back, Marti!  Do you want to participate in summer music offerings? Contact Shannon Aguirre at shannon@shannonaguirre.com and Shannon will connect you with other music leaders.

FELC is a founding member of the Micah 6 Food Pantry ministries which serves food insecure people in the UT area.

Micah 6 is in need of these staples: any canned foods are fine; canned fruit is very popular. The type of cans we currently need are corn, green beans, tuna, vegetarian beans, and diced tomatoes; peanut butter would also be helpful; water bottles as well. You can bring these to the fellowship hall on Sunday mornings.

Refillable water bottles can be donated and are able to be refilled at either the food pantry and/or youth drop-in center. Additionally, women’s clothing can be donated to the youth drop-in center or at church.

Volunteers are needed on Thursday mornings from 9-11:00, Thursday nights from 5:00-7:30 or so, and Saturday mornings from 8:00-12 noon at Micah 6 , 2211 San Antonio Street, and parking can be found in the UT Coop garage at San Antonio and 23rd Street.

View a recent financial report from Micah 6 here.

We are grateful to the FELC community as we put our prayers into action.

Contact Andy MacLaren at 512-947-4186 or email at andymaclaren@cs.com. 

On Pride Sunday, June 25, we bid farewell and Godspeed to Bryan Rust, our outgoing office administrator of seven years.  He went above and beyond his role, especially during the pandemic. He has been instrumental in our beginning transitional ministry, holding it all together in so many ways this year. Bryan will be away from FELC for seven weeks and will return in late August in the ministry of music with us.

Bryan writes: “My heartfelt gratitude for the joys, hardships, and learnings in the administrator role with FELC. We did good together and the Gospel was proclaimed. Thank you for offering me the gift to release the congregation from turning to me and depending on me. I am filled with joy in anticipation of returning to share in the music ministry and outreach of our church. I offer my encouragement for the continued ministry here.  Pay attention, First English. The world, this community, and this neighborhood needs our congregation to grow and live abundantly. All my love, Bryan.”

In the last several years the FELC pipe organ has experienced several iterations of restoration. Approved as part of our last capital campaign, the pipe organ needed and needs considerable work to remain functional and a vital part of our worship and music life.

In late March, issues with the organ console (the box that holds the keyboards that the musician plays) became unworkable. This was always known to need adaptation, and now it’s become critical to the use of the instrument.

Music Director Bryan Rust is (re)forming an organ committee through the worship ministry team that reports to the church council. The committee will be gathering numerous proposals and options for a staged restoration of the instrument. These proposals will be gathered in earnest, beginning in late August, and presented to the church council for consideration.

The Racial Justice Taskforce invites you to join them Friday, June 30 at 7:30 PM to view the play, “Box” at the Ground Floor Theatre in East Austin. 

The play explores the life of Henry Box Brown—19^th century abolitionist lecturer, magician, speaker, and mesmerist—who escaped slavery at the age of 33 by arranging to have himself mailed in a wooden crate. Building on actual events and persons, Jarrett King’s play creates a new chapter in the life of one of America’s most overlooked folk heroes.

The Ground Floor Theatre aims to reimagine a classical repertoire by “telling transportive stories that rekindle a sense of shared humanity, empathy and hope.”   

Purchase your tickets now:  https://www.penfoldtheatre.org/event/box/2023-07-08/ . Be sure to check the directions to 979 Springdale Road, Suite 122, before going.

The play runs June 23 – July 8.

For more information, contact Barabara at bwiederaenders@att.net on behalf of the Racial Justice Taskforce,

For many decades FELC has been a Stephen Ministry congregation, training persons to be well-equipped to offer care for those going through difficult experiences such as illness, grief, divorce, depression, and more. We are continuing this kind of care ministry for one another in a new way that will train and support more people.

If you’re interested and want to participate or ask questions, please contact Mari Ward (marirward@gmail.com) or Charlotte Gilman (cefgilman@outlook.com)

June is worldwide Pride Month and FELC celebrates Pride on Sunday, June 25!

As people of faith, we extend God’s welcome to people of all sexual orientations and gender identities.  We value diversity, including sexuality, gender, and expression, and we welcome it as a spiritual gift. We aspire to create an inclusive and affirming community, and work for LGBTQIA+ justice and equity as a core part of who we are. We’ve been doing this work of reconciliation through FELC since 1989. Each person is sacred and valued. We are proud. We have more to learn and we have more justice to seek. God loves. We Love. Everyone!

HAPPY PRIDE!

Your financial stewardship with FELC

To view the May 2023 financial update, please click here.