I pray that you are having a restful and delightful summer.  Whether you are enjoying time away from home on vacation or reveling in the slow-downed pace of our warm summer months here in Austin; please know that you are blessed, loved, and cared for by God through your St. George's Church.  

The last few weeks have been filled with celebrations and losses in our community and in the world.  These various monumental occasions have afforded me a time to reflect upon St. George's response to the times at hand.  Last week we celebrated the great decision made by the Supreme Court in its ruling to allow same-sex marriage throughout the entire fifty states.  In our celebration of this monumental occasion it is imperative for us to reflect upon what this means for those of us who celebrate, and those who are struggling with the decision.  I encourage everyone to watch a video our Diocesan Bishop Andrew Doyle released concerning the decision. You can find that video here:   https://vimeo.com/131904958   

Last month we also experienced the loss of a beloved child of God in Nolan Ellison, son of our seminarian, Andrew, and his wife Casie.  Nolan's loss of life from this world is a pure tragedy for the Ellison's and their family here at St. George's.  No words can contain the grief and sorrow that comes with the loss of a loved one.  Yet, if sorrow and mourning is inevitable, which it is at the time of death of a loved one, it is a necessary course of events, a prologue to redemption, where God loves us with a love that defies all finitude, even death, and what makes this so important is that for all the deaths we endure in life, God is never far from us.  The promise of God to the world is that through the sufferings of life we are redeemed through the victory over death in Christ. I know each of you join me in grieving with the Ellisons, and will continue to pray for them and for St. George's in order for God's grace to enter our souls to bring comfort and relief. 

May you continue to be blessed by God this month.  I look forward to hearing of your great adventures from your vacations or staycations.  And, always remember that your home of St. George's continues to be a loving place to worship God and share our faith through word, action, and service.

The adult discussion group known as Wednesday Weavings will meet on the first and third Wednesdays in July from 6:30 to 8 p.m. We share a simple meal, have a short time of centering prayer, and discuss a selected reading from the journal Weavings: A Journal of the Christian Spiritual Life. Because we discuss a different reading each time, feel free to come any Wednesday you can. Please bring a contribution for the salad bar meal (for example, fruit, vegetable, or crunchy toppings). This month, the gatherings are on July 1 at Frances and John Rickard's home and July 15 in Kleberg Hall. Copies of the reading will be available in church on the Sunday before the Wednesday gathering. Please join us if you can.  For more information, e-mail Frances Rickard at fajrickard@gmail.com.