February, 2017 Newsletter

Lately the front and back doors to the sanctuary have been left unlocked. Please help us be vigilant if you are one of the last ones to leave the campus and ensure that the doors are locked and the security alarm is set.

As a footnote, there was an attempted break in through the exterior office door. Thankfully, they were not successful but let this serve as a reminder to please, please, please, check any doors that you use (and even those you don't) to insure that they are secured. Thanks!

I am urging you to join the Faith Presbyterian Church Team for this year's Austin CROP Hunger Walk. The Walk is:

February 26, 2017, at Camp Mabry. Registration begins at 2:00 pm.

The Walk is approximately 3 miles or a shorter 1 mile on the surfaced trail in the parade grounds.

If you can't walk on the 26th, you can do your own walk anywhere at anytime.

GO ONLINE; http://austincrophungerwalk.org/; go to the website and hit the REGISTER button or the DONATE button and follow instructions.

If Registering, BE SURE THAT YOU SIGN UP WITH THE Faith Presbyterian Church Team!

If you can't walk, hit the DONATE button and donate to Kathy Renfro or another Faith Presbyterian Church Team member!

The web page describes what the CROP Walk supports throughout the world through Emergency Disaster Relief, Refugee Assistance, Self-Help and Development of Communities, and Education and Advocacy for all who hunger or are malnourished. 25% of all funds return to Austin for hunger relief.

This year's local recipients are:

Refugee Services of Texas
Casa Marianella (refugee housing and nutrition)
Sustainable Food Center
Austin Baptist Chapel Angel House
Central Texas Food Bank (includes funding for Faith Food Pantry)

Poor nutrition causes nearly 45% of deaths in children under five - 3.1 million children annually.

If you have questions, please email the Faith Presbyterian Church Team Captain, Kathy Renfro.

[email protected] or 512-636-8186.

ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL:

Next Sunday, February 26th, we will be in the parlor to take a final look at Martin Luther King, Jr's book "Letters From a Birmingham Jail", one of the great hallmarks of the fight for civil rights in America.

FOURTH TUESDAY CELEBRATION!! This is a holiday month! Circle meeting was on Valentine's Day, and Fourth Tuesday is on "Fat Tuesday," or Mardi Gras (the 28th). Let th e good times roll! Potluck begins about noon, so please bring a dish to share and enjoy some good conversation and friendship before we begin eating. Everyone is invited. Wear those Mardi Gras beads, a mask if you want to, and dance!

THOSE INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT OUR CHURCH:

Please remain after worship to meet with Kyle so we can calendar our meeting times. We will be gathering to provide time to learn more about the church, what membership means here, and what Presbyterians are like out in the world. This will be a casual Q&A experience.

No test, no altar call, no kool-aid. We promise!

FAITH BOOK GROUP

Book group meets on THIRD Monday nights after yoga in the parlor from 7:30 - 9:00-ish. Everyone is invited to join us for any or all of the following book discussions.

This is our spring book selection for 2017:

Feb 20 Being Mortal by Atul Gawande

Mar 20 Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates

April 17 The Moor's Account by Laila Lalami

May 15 Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl

Other titles for later in the year:

My Life on the Road by Gloria Steinem

The Man Who Knew Infinity by Robert Kanigel

And maybe these:

Faithful Resistance by Rick Ufford-Chase

Waking Up White by Debby Irving

Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Biblical Literalism; a Gentile Heresy by John Spong

COFFICE!!!

Recognizing that the hours our office is open are not always the best time for people who wish to drop in, Pastor Kyle will be available Wednesdays and Thursdays from 2-3:30 p.m. for "Coffice Hours". Locations will be posted both on here and in the weekly announcements.

No Coffice Hours this week while Pastor Kyle attends the
More Light board meeting in Louisville, Kentucky.

EASTER LILIES

Be a part of our tradition at Faith as we decorate the sanctuary with Easter lilies. Remember a loved one or give thanks for blessings in your life with flowers at the Communion Table for Easter.

Make a donation in memory of a loved one.

Make you check payable to Faith Presbyterian Church
Checks may be included in the regular Sunday collection
Please note "Easter flowers in honor of_______________________________" or "Easter flowers in memory of_____________________________" on the memo line of the check.
Suggested donation is $11.00

2017 LENT SCHEDULE

March 1st Ash Wednesday 6:00PM

Lent begins with Ash Wednesday service

in the courtyard in-front of the sanctuary.

(In-case of rain the service will be held in the Parlor).

April 9th Palm Sunday 10:00AM

Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday. Our service

opens with the waving of palm branches as we

enter into the sanctuary. Palm branches will be

distributed as you enter the sanctuary.

April 13th Maundy Thursday 6:00PM

Maundy Thursday service will be held in the

Wright Fellowship Hall. A ceremonial hand

washing will begin at 6:00pm followed by a

celebration of the Lord's Supper.

(Please bring a dish to share).

April 16th Easter Sunday 10:00AM

Come & Join us for our Easter Celebration!

Easter worship service begins at 11:00 A.M.

in the sanctuary. Special music will be provided

by "Banned from the Church" and our adult choir.

SEE A LIGHT OUT?

Lighting is our campus's best security. If you are here at night and notice lights out, please send an e-mail to [email protected] with the location of the light.

YOU CAN GIVE ELECTRONICALLY

(but we still accept cash and checks as usual!).

How does it work? Scan the QR code below with your smartphone. There are no additional fees for you as the donor. However, as with all such transactions, an administrative fee of 1% will be deducted from your gift before it is delivered to our church. This one-time fee is for the reasonable and customary costs of operation of the Presbyterian Mission Exchange which hosts our electronic giving. If you pay by EFT option, this will be the full extent of the fees deducted. Gifts made using a credit or debit card will be assessed an additional fee of 2.598%+$0.26 (deducted automatically by our card processing vendor). Your full donation, which includes all the fees, is tax-deductible to the fullest extent permitted by law.

YOGA:

Please join us for a free yoga class on Monday evenings at 6:30 in the Fellowship Hall. If you would like more information, please contact Becky Davis at [email protected].

INTERNAL TEAM MEETING WE WANT YOU!

Would you like to learn more about Faith's Internal Team? Then join Scott Haring, Michelle Huddleston and Anne Wingler the second Wednesday of each month from 6:00p - 6:45p. Areas of focus include: Worship, Adult & Children's Christian Education, Hospitality, Nursery Coordinator, and Congregational Care.

Questions? Please contact: Anne Wingler [email protected]

ALL ARE WELCOME!

2017 MEETING DATES: March 8th, April 12th, May 10th, June 14th, July 12th, August 9th, September 13th, October 11th, November 8th, December 13th

PARKING:

Parking is tight again on our campus. If you are able, and wish to have a little walk in the morning, you are welcome to utilize both the front & back lots at Travis High School on Sundays. This would be very appreciated by any visitors to Faith, those who need assistance, and for the congregation of the Wildflower Church. Thank you in advance!

CALENDARS:

If you find yourself with an overabundance of 2017 calendars, please share them with those who need one. You may leave them in Clara's Kitchen (aka the food pantry) or the office. By all means, if you need one,take one. Any not taken will be given by the pantry to those who need food as well as a calendar.

DRIVE A SENIOR - SOUTH AUSTIN

In addition to volunteering as a driver for our older neighbors (ask Martha Loer if you want more information or see contact info below), here's another easy way you can help:

CONNECT WITH US:

You will notice a Connection Card in the pew. If you would like to receive our electronic newsletter and correspondence about the life of the church, please let us know how to find you between Sundays by filling out the information you are comfortable giving us and placing the card in the Offering Plate.

DO YOU KNOW SOMEONE IN THE HOSPITAL OR IN NEED OF PASTORAL CARE?

Hospitals no longer notify pastors. If you wish a visit from a pastor during your stay, please let us know. Also, if you are unable to get to worship for a long time, we now offer quarterly home communion. It only takes a very few minutes to share communion with our pastor and an elder in your home. Let us know if this is something you would like or if you'd like us contact someone in particular and ask if they would like this provided for them.

DO YOU KNOW OF ANYONE WHO IS NOT GETTING THE NEWSLETTER?

If you know someone who does not have email access and who should be getting our newsletter, please call or email Melissa in the office so she can get the information. Thanks!

Alice Simcoe

Deborah Davis

Dorr Scherz

Erin Ebert

Erin Lungwitz

Erin Webb

Jennifer Emmons

Laura Johnson

Liz Long

Nelis Potgieter

Pat Brandenburg

Pat Roeder

Pete Hendrick

Randall Kirsche

Rebecca Rosson

Sandra Kirsche

Sarah Huddleston

IN OUR PRAYERS:

Katie Kerwin for her daughter, Veronica, as she starts her first post grad job
John Preston for a co-worker whose son in law's Lymphatic Cancer is getting worse
For peace in our country in this time of political transition
For all who believe that violence is the answer
Our leaders for wisdom and understanding
Victims of violence and their families
Those suffering from physical, mental, or emotional stress and illness. Those who are homeless, financially despairing and all others for whom our prayers have also been requested