ST. NICK'S
WHERE EVERYONE MATTERS, EVERYONE BELONGS, EVERYONE IS LOVED. EVERYONE!!!
Hello Friends!

On Saturday, July 24th we were set to have our first workday for the new space at St. Nicholas Hill Country Episcopal in Bulverde, Tx. Jeremy and I agreed we were in for a long, full month of hard work for the Lord. We expected to have a handful of our folks from St. Nick’s come and help us. One of our St. Nick's members had called to say that he was bringing some guys to come and help. We weren’t sure what that meant, but okay...
We arrived at 9:00am and by 9:02 we knew we were in for an amazing day. Six young men introduced themselves and shared they had been sent a text about a service opportunity, so they came to help. It turns out, a family in our community have become close to a neighbor, so close they are like family, and they asked if they would come and help us on our workday. The young men, the neighbors, and seven other people from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints located on Stahl road came to help us prepare our new space. So our new friends, and twelve of our St. Nick’s community came together and began to transform our new space. 

Don't you just love it! Neighbors helping neighbors!!!

Because of their help, we accomplished in one day what we expected to take a month! We wanted to preserve the materials from the space to be reused and upcycled and their care helped us accomplish this hope. We were humbled by their commitment to service and their joy in helping us. They shared their trust that all of the work – ours and theirs – is to the Glory of God. 

Throughout the day connections were made and we mutually recognized that even though we have different expressions of belief that we are all called to be reconciling agents in this world. God calls us to love. 

Love one another, serve one another, bless one another. Love with great joy. Love with abandon. Love immeasurably. And when we can do that, we are living into God’s vision for the world!
 
The pictures here are just a few from the day. But what a joyous day and awesome start to our life together. There is still plenty to be done and I welcome your help. We are organnizing and cleaning the kitchen. Eventually we will organize and clean the offices, and there are lots of items to donate to goodwill or local garage sales. There are thank you cards to make, a rock garden to compile, and projects for all ages and abilities. In this email you will find the next week's worth of work dates to come and see the space and help with a project or two. In addition, a COVID update and a link to a letter from our Bishop.

I'm looking forward to many years of working hard with y'all and many years of St. Nick growing and serving her neighbors. And a big and joyous thank you to everyone who is helping, praying, and coming along on this journey!

God's Peace, Love, and Blessings,
Beth+
Projects!
While we are doing some projects ourselves we have also hired contractors to do those things which require more expertise. Over the next few weeks we will have work done on our worship space, bathrooms, and kitchen. Some of this work we can do ourselves. We have a few little projects available for all of us to lend a hand.

The next week's worth of work hours where you can drop by and lend a hand -

Friday 7/30 - 3:00 - 7:00pm
Saturday 7/31 - 9:00am -12:00pm
Sunday 8/1 - 12:00pm - 3:00pm
Tuesday 8/3 - 3:00 - 7:00pm
Wednesday 8/4 - 3:00 to 7:00pm
Friday 8/6 - 3:00 to 7:00pm

Don't forget, we also want your prayers and favorite verses written on our walls before the contractor works on them. So... start finding your favorite verses so when you visit you can write them on the walls of our new church home. We want to surround ourselves in prayer before our walls get covered up with new paint. Let's pray for our future together and give thanks for all our blessings. We'll have the sharpies and markers and you bring your verses, prayers, hopes and dreams for St. Nick's.
Grass needs mowing
Plants needed/wanted
Kitchen cleaning
Floors need TLC
Bench needs painting
Windows need cleaning
Prayers Wanted!
Pictures Adored!
Verses Treasured!
COVID Update
Friends,

I don't know about you, but like many, this roller coaster ride of pandemic life is tiresome. In a pastoral letter to congregations, our Bishop has reminded us of loving words from Colossians 3:12-15 "As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, put on compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. Above all these, put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which you indeed were called in the one body. And be thankful." I am thankful for this reminder to put on love and to think of others. So many people have different thoughts and experiences of pandemic life and dealing with COVID. It is my prayer that we can, as a community of faith, meet each other in our various needs and live out our compassion and care for one another.

Since May, those who have been vaccinated have been told they can go without masks and worry less about social distancing. Unvaccinated folks have been asked to wear masks and continue social distancing measures. We were looking forward to more relaxed measures but as the bishop points out, we are not there yet. Numbers from the Delta Variant are rising and we need to ask ourselves what is the best way forward.

I have been looking at Comal County Regional Numbers from the Comal County Public health site and the county numbers from the Department of State Health Services. You can click on the links above to see the numbers for yourselves. They show a rise in numbers for the Bulverde/Spring Branch area but not as drastic as San Antonio and New Braunfels. The CDC has recommended face masks for all people when they are indoors and in an area that has rising numbers. Given the emergence of the Delta Variance of COVID-19 we are recommending that masks are worn for the 45 minutes we are inside for worship. There are extra masks (cloth to take with you and disposable masks) on the back table and our chairs are still set up with social distancing requirements.

As a reminder, we are continuing our outdoor worship at 8:30am for those who want to be safer and have a casual thirty-minute worship experience. We are continuing our 9:30am indoor worship for those who want to gather with music. We are also continuing our Live Stream at 9:30am for those who feel they need to stay at home and continue isolating. We are counting the days when our new space is finished being prepared and we can utilize the giant garage doors and open them during our worship and have more room to continue to space ourselves out as we live through this time.

Living through COVID-19 has been so exhausting and a time riddled with anxiety and uncertainty. We are in for more of this roller-coaster ride of increase and decrease in numbers. You, my beloved community, are always in my prayers. Prayers for God's peace and grace to uphold you as you make life decisions that are best for you and your family. Prayers that you will remain healthy and God will bless and guide doctors, nurses, and caregivers in the continued fight against COVID-19. Prayers that God will sustain your faith. Prayers that you will have the strength to reach out to me and one another as needs arise. Prayers of thankfulness that we are on this journey together. Life is hard, messy, sad, joyous, beautiful, and loving all at once. Thank God we are in this together!

Faithfully yours - Beth+
20540 Hwy 46 W #464
Spring Branch, TX 78070
Phone: 214-213-0739