SUNDAY SERVICE INFORMATION 



Our current worship schedule is as follows:

8:00 AM Rite I Holy Eucharist Service

10:30 AM Rite II Holy Eucharist Service. This service will also be live streamed. 

Live Stream links can be found on our CEC Facebook Page and our CEC YouTube Page.

If you receive an email and/or text message from Fr. Richard or the Christ Episcopal Staff requesting money or gift cards please DO NOT RESPOND, instead, contact Fr. Richard or the staff directly. Thank you.

Celebrating 40 Years of Community and Faith

On Sunday, October 12, our Christ Episcopal Church family came together to celebrate 40 years of worship, service, and community—and what a joyful day it was! More than 160 parishioners, clergy, and friends gathered to honor God’s faithfulness through the decades and to look ahead to the future with gratitude and hope.

A Day of Joy and Connection

The day began with coffee, donuts, and heartfelt reunions on our beautiful grounds. During the special anniversary service, we journeyed through our shared history with a moving slideshow and reflections from three beloved clergy: The Rev. Robert Wearing, The Rev. Trawin Malone, and The Rev. Richard Pelkey.

Our Deacon Jan opened worship with a beautiful reading from the Gospel of Luke, setting the tone for a morning of praise, reflection, and thanksgiving.

Stories, Songs and Memories

Father Wearing shared early memories from 1985—when even longhorns and deer sometimes joined services! We were also touched by a message from Mary Green, recalling special moments from the late ’90s and early 2000s, including the joyful singing of Celtic Alleluia by a young parishioner.

Letters from Father Bruce and Kathryn Bonner, along with reflections from Father Trawin and Father Richard, reminded us that the Holy Spirit continues to move powerfully at CEC. Father Richard also celebrated our growth through the Diocese of Texas LEADS process, which helped clarify our mission and values after the challenges of the pandemic.

We were deeply honored when Mayor Jim Penniman-Morin presented an official proclamation recognizing Christ Episcopal Church for 40 years of faithful service to the Cedar Park community.

Generations of Service

It was a joy to see Brielle Giard and Adam Sterling serve as acolytes—just as they did 30 years ago—alongside Ella Giard and Amalia Sterling, representing three generations of the CEC family! Former music director Sarah Simpson joined our talented musicians for a worship experience full of Spirit and song.

During communion, the congregation sang beloved hymns—Bread of Life, I Looked Up, and One Bread, One Body—and remembered more than 30 members now resting in God’s eternal love.

Celebration and Fellowship

After the service, everyone gathered for a joyful group photo and BBQ lunch. Tables adorned with flowers by Jill McDonald and our beautiful new white chairs—funded by the generosity of our congregation—made the day feel extra special.

Guests explored memory displays, historic photos, and artifacts from every decade of our journey. Many lit candles in the tiny chapel, walked the labyrinth, or contributed memories to our interactive timeline and memory tree.



The afternoon ended with a sing-along led by Dave and Cindy Gravis, joined by Sarah Simpson and Andrew Verdesca. Together, we made a joyful noise to the Lord! 

In Case You Missed It…

Relive the celebration and explore more of our story:



 Photo Gallery & Anniversary Page →

 Watch the Livestream →

 Read the CEC 40-Year History (by Beth Sterling) →

 Download the Kids’ Coloring Book →

The timeline, memory trees, and memorial chapel will remain open for the next few Sundays—please stop by to add your memories and take a moment of reflection.

With Gratitude

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who made this day possible:

• Volunteers who planned, set up, and cleaned up
• Those who shared photos, stories, and history
• Our clergy, past and present, who have led us with grace and love
• Everyone who traveled, served, and prayed with us

Your generosity and faith embody what makes Christ Episcopal Church so special.

“We are the Church—past, present, and future—living in God’s love and light.”

On behalf of the organizing team — Fr. Richard, Beth Sterling, Craig Strauss, Sarah Martinez, the Vestry, Linda Dozier, and Lu McCann — thank you for celebrating with us.

 Here’s to the next 40 years of faith, friendship, and community at CEC!

Read the Full Feature Story

Want to read the complete event recap, including all reflections and thank-yous?

Read the Full Story on Google Docs →

All Saints' Day is a major feast day in the Episcopal Church. The actual date for All Saints' is always November 1. However, the readings and celebration can be transferred to the Sunday following. A custom is to remember all who have died in the prayers of the people. We will remember those in our congregation who have died within the past year. These names will be read aloud. Furthermore, we will remember in a list those whose names are submitted. If you would like to have someone remembered during the service, please submit the name of that person to Cullen Senger by Tuesday, October 28.

The North Travis County Pride Festival is this Sunday, October 26, 1:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m., at Jones Brothers Park Jonestown. We'll have a booth there and welcome anyone who can join us for the booth. Admission is free but requires an online link (see below).

Parking is $20 per vehicle, so folks might want to consider carpooling. The listed activities are: live music, drag shows, kids' activities, food, and trick-or-treating.

The registration link is:

https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/north-lake-travis-pride-festival--2025

On Saturday, November 8, we will have a dumpster outside the shed to dispose of the remaining contents that are no longer of use. These are mainly in the back section of the shed, accessed through the Garage door. 

If you have any personal items or know of items that we need to keep, please notify Fredrick Khoury, Lu McCann, Linda Dozier, or Josiah MacFoy before that time. 

If you can help with reorganizing the shed, please come on Saturday morning, 11/8, at 9:00 am.  

Save the Date - Fall Festival - Nov. 15



Giving us all a little time to catch our breath after the wonderful 40th Anniversary Celebration, we are shifting our plans for the annual Fall Festival/Trunk or Treat. We will be having a more "Fall Themed" than "Halloween Themed," Fall Festival on Saturday, November 15th. The details are yet to be determined, but please mark your calendars and begin thinking of some Fall themed activities we can do with our parish family and invite the community to come and participate.

UPCOMING BISHOP'S VISIT AND CONFIRMATION

November 23

Bishop Ryan will be visiting us on Sunday, November 23. Along with the bishop's visit is the opportunity for the sacramental rite of Confirmation. If you would like to be Confirmed; or Received if you were confirmed in the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox or ELCA Lutheran churches; or if you would like to Reaffirm your baptism; Fr. Richard and Elizabeth will be leading Confirmation Classes on Zoom on Wednesday evenings: October 22, 29 & November 12, 19 at 6:30-8:00 p.m. Click on the Zoom link to join the classes. Please let Fr. Richard know if you would like to receive prayer and the laying on of hands by the bishop.

Zoom Link

Meeting ID: 848 6359 9808

Passcode: 878086

Intercessors will be at the back of the church in the narthex to pray with anyone who would like special prayers during communion on Sundays. Often people will ask for prayers for healing for themselves or others, but any prayer request is welcomed. If you would like to pray with one of our prayer partners, you are encouraged to come forward for communion and then make your way to the narthex for additional prayers. If you have any questions about this ministry or are interested in becoming a prayer partner to pray with others, please contact Cindy Gravis or Fr. Richard.

Stewardship News - Our Fall Pledge Campaign Is Underway!

Blessings and Greetings from your Stewardship Ministry.

Fr. Richard kicked off our Fall Pledge Campaign last Sunday, October 19th. Please take time during this season of 'Treasure' to pray with your family and join us through the Holy Spirit in furthering Christ Episcopal's mission in the work of sharing the goodness of God. If you have given in past years, we thank you and we could not be where we are without you! If you are new to CEC, we ask for prayer and discernment, because the gift you make is between you and God. 

One way to share the goodness of God is through our creativity. This week's Reflection is about creativity and how when we are creative, we get to experience a small bit of the holy act of creation, much like how God created all things. He gave us these abilities to enjoy. Please experience some creativity in your week this week, and know that whether through working, singing, painting, storytelling or gardening, you are using your God given gifts to 'Tell Out Your Souls', as Mary the Mother of Jesus did in Luke 1:46.

We are reminded of another Mary in the Gospel of Luke, Mary Magdalene, who through her excitement and boldness, exclaimed the Good News of the Risen Christ. Do not be afraid to share the Good News. Be bold in your excitement. Be bold with your gifts.

Your Stewardship Ministry

WEEKLY REFLECTION

There is Little To Say That We Cannot Say Through Song by Mickey McGroarty

When I was in high school, my drama teacher told us that when we are creative - whether we are performing, drawing, playing music, etc. - we are participating in our own small way in the holy act of Creation in much the same way that God created all things. It had never occurred to me that something as simple as writing a song was an echo of God creating the universe.

The human voice is the vehicle of the soul - it is the means by which we communicate with one another from the moment we emerge screaming into the delivery room. Song is an illumination of that communication, a way to come together as an entity and speak with one voice. As a congregation, song is a means by which we breathe as one body and pray as one soul. As I’ve heard it said, “when we sing, we pray twice.”

Composing music is not only my form of praying as an individual, but my way of bringing the choir together to pray as one with music written especially for them. It’s my way of giving a gift to the congregation as well as using the gifts given to me to participate in my own tiny echo of Creation.

Music can serve as a vehicle for healing, for social justice, for experiencing grief, or for expressing great joy. We see senior choirs form for the benefits to the mind and body, choirs for the unhoused to feel the benefits of community, and social justice choirs form to spread the word of change throughout the world. There is little to say that we cannot say through song - and little more powerful than saying those things as a gathered community of love sharing in the act of Creation

Questions for Reflection:

• Does art need to be good to be valuable? We talk about sharing the gifts that God gave us - but what about the areas we are not especially gifted in - should we create art anyway – as we Tell Out Our Souls?

Mickey McGroarty is the keyboardist and Choir Director at Church of Our Saviour in Akron, OH in addition to directing the choir at the University of Akron, directing Sing Stark’s Vox Audio, playing at Temple Israel in Fairlawn, and composing.

If you would like to learn about other ways to financially contribute to the life and work of our parish, please contact our Treasurer.

And Mary Said, "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior..."

Luke 1:46-47 NRSV

CEC VESTRY MEETINGS

The Vestry usually meets on the third Monday of each month, at 7:00 p.m. Any congregant can attend a Vestry meeting and observe. Only Vestry members have voice and vote. Vestry meetings do become "closed" when discussing personnel issues or staff salaries. Vestry meets via Zoom. If you wish to attend, please notify Fr. Richard, and he will send you the Zoom link.

CEC Finances – Available in the Library

Quarterly financial statements are available on the bulletin board in the library following the vestry meeting.

Discipleship Group - This group meets the first and third Sunday of the month at 6:00 pm in the library. It includes study of the Sunday service gospel readings and is open to anyone wishing to participate. Please contact Bill Sterling at silverbillwes@gmail.com for more information.

The Senior Shepherds is a Service/Social organization at CEC. Anyone over the age of 50 in the church is welcome. We meet on the 3rd Wednesday of every month at 11:45 am in the Library for a delicious Potluck meal and lively conversation. A short program normally follows the meal. We do various interesting and creative service projects for the church children and the local community; host exciting outside speakers; visit unusual local places and have occasional seminars for better living. Contact: Fr. Richard at rector@cectx.org for more information. 

The Prayer Shawl Ministry meets on the 3rd Sunday of every month from 4-6pm in the library. We knit, crochet and do various other needlework and sewing crafts to meet a known need in the community such as providing pretty and comfortable caps for cancer patients, providing crocheted and knitted prayer shawls for those in need of comfort in our church community. These items are made with prayer and much interesting conversation. They are blessed by Father Richard before being distributed. Learn to knit or crochet at our meetings. Teens are welcome. Contact Mary Wybenga.

The Tuesday Book Club is reading The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. They survived more than 50 years of exile and the soul-crushing violence of oppression. Despite their hardships or, as they would say, because of them, they are two of the most joyful people on the planet. Currently, we will be meeting from 10:30-12:00 in the Outreach Room. We have about 12 regulars that come and go as their schedules permit. All are welcome: men and women, younger and older adults, introverts and extroverts and everyone in between. We enjoy seeing new faces and hearing differing thoughts.

Questions, please contact Mary Wybenga at EJayW@msn.com or at 303-587-2373.

Choir Practice is held every Thursday at 2:30 PM in the sanctuary. Anyone who is interested in joining, or getting more information on our choir, is invited to attend a practice. Questions? Contact Dave Gravis.

Ministry to and with Infants/Toddlers and their Families.

We have three spaces available to minister to our youngest members and their families on Sunday mornings.



1. Our church nursery is open from 9:00 am to noon. The nursery is located in the Family Life Center. The nursery serves children through the age of 4 and is open every Sunday morning.
2. A “soft” play space is located in the back of the sanctuary where children will find a small selection of toys and parents will find rocking chairs.
3. A “cry room” is located above the sanctuary and accessed by the stairs in the narthex/lobby of the church. The cry room contains comfortable seats, toys, and a changing table.

Children who are attending the 10:30 service participate in the service with their parents until after the Collect (the Prayer of the Day). After the Collect, the officiant calls all the children to the altar. The Children’s minister will select one of the children to come forward to be the children’s crucifer, who will lead, and the others will follow the cross out of the church to the Family Life Center. Children return at approximately The Peace in time for the Communion Service. Lessons will focus on learning about either the Gospel or Epistle or one of the Prophets or Kings.

Volunteers assist with the crafts, songs, prayers, or playing Bible games. Once a month or quarter, the children will ‘perform’ a song, recite a prayer or Bible verse, or act out a Bible story for the congregation at the end of the announcements.

If you are one of the volunteers for this ministry, you will be asked to help once a month or once every other month on the same Sunday of the month so that it is easier to remember when your commitment is. Swapping is, of course, allowed. Please join us in our fun way of learning about our belief, our faith practices, and Bible stories that we all remember from our youth!

If you can volunteer, please contact Lea Melvin.

During youth group meetings, Roots teens discuss Christian educational topics. Teens have input into the selection of topics. Teens also participate in Service Projects such as Trunk or Treat and the Easter Egg Hunt in Spring. Teens also vote on Social activities/outings. Events in the past have included visiting a hay maze, meeting at movie theaters, ice skating, touring Main Street Bethlehem, having parties, swimming, hiking, etc. Join us!

Contacts: Ruth Sobieralski and Fr. Richard

Let us know if you're having a birthday or anniversary this month so we can celebrate with you. Be sure to come to church and get your birthday / anniversary blessing!

Birthdays: Anne Fowler-Smith, Curt Fuhro, Cindy Gravis, Bill Hill, Cooper Livingston, Jora Macfoy, Brian McCarthy, Cidnie Scanlon, Keith Sobieralski, Christy Clearly, William Sterling, Bobbie Wallstrom, Jenny Warner, Cassidy Warner, Delinda Woltring

Anniversaries: Brielle and Dan Giard, Sandee and Fredrick Khoury, Rev. Richard and Helen Pelkey, Wendy Snyder and Dan Tolliver, Pam and Bob Thomas, John and Karn Willbanks

• Thanks to everyone who helped to prepare for the 40th Anniversary Celebration.
• Karen Willbanks for locating a new credenza for the Narthex.
• Karen and John Willbanks for installing new drapes in the library.
• Brad Powell and the Scouts for clearing tape from the back patio concrete.
• Patty McDaneld for helping to prepare for the Scout project.
• Lea Melvin for her perseverance and determination into getting the Children’s Chapel processional together.
• Dan Giard, Tony Alvarez, Dale Sanders and Richard Wallstrom for heavy lifting - moving furniture.
• Frederick Khoury with help from Josiah Macfoy for new landscaping donation and installation.
• Josiah Macfoy for trimming tree limbs over outreach parking spaces.
• Delinda Woltring for cleaning and organizing the kitchen and pantry.
• Thanks to Martha Burnett and her son, Nick, for assembly and delivery of the new table for the library.

All third party events held at the church are listed here. For parents, if at the church campus while the event(s) is taking place, children should be supervised by a trusted individual, as Safeguarded personnel / volunteers will not be present.

Upcoming Third Party Events:

AA Meeting - Wednesdays at 6:30 PM in the Library, Stone Building

ROCK Enrichment Academy - Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM, FLC and Grounds; Tuesdays and Thursdays, 8:00-12:30 PM, Stone Building

PEACE Homeschool Village - Fridays, 8:00 AM - 4:30, PM, FLC and Grounds