The Daily Examen

     During this Lenten season, I have been including brief Lenten Reflections in the worship bulletin. This month for our newsletter, I include a piece you can use for your own reflection: The Daily Examen. The Daily Examen, created by St. Ignatius, founder of the Jesuit Order, is a practical approach to finding God at all times, in all things, and in all places. There are four steps to the prayer. In the first, we bring ourselves consciously into the presence of God. In the second, we pray for light, wisdom and knowledge that we may see the world and the events of our day as God sees them. In the third, we experience thanksgiving, joy, and/or sorrow for what occurred during the day. In the fourth, we pray that we will be more conscious of God's guidance through our day tomorrow. You do not have to recite the words printed below exactly as I offer them. Rather, let them lead you into the spirit of the exercise. Allow them to guide you to find your own words, words that will enable you to examine your life and to discern God's presence in your life.

1. We bring ourselves consciously into the presence of God. God, I seek to direct all of my attention towards you at this time. How have you shown your love for me today? This morning? This afternoon? This evening? How did you seek to make yourself known to me today? In what circumstances and events? Through which people? Where did I miss your presence? Looking back, where can I now see your presence in my day at a time when I missed it? God, I seek to be ever more conscious of your presence in my life.

2. We pray for light, wisdom and self-knowledge. Gracious God, enlighten me. Fill my thoughts and remembrances with your light. Enable me to see the world as you see it. Enable me to see the events of my day as you see them. Enable me to see other people as you see them. Enable me to see myself as you see me.

3. We prayerfully reflect on our day with thanksgiving, joy and sorrow. What was my response toward other people, those with whom I live and work, those with whom I had chance encounters? My response today toward events and circumstances? My response toward the earth and other living creatures? My response toward physical objects? Gracious God, thank you for being with me through this day. I experienced joy today just being myself, in my encounters with the following people (name them), in my participation in the following events (name them). Gracious God, I feel sorrow because of how I treated myself, because of how I treated the following people (name them), for doing the following things (name them).

4. We ask for help for tomorrow. Gracious God, I know you will be with me at all times, in all places, in all the events of my life. Enable me to be more conscious of your presence in my life tomorrow, in all my decisions, in all my choices great and small, in my relationship with myself, in all my encounters with other people. Help me fulfill your deepest desire for my life, that I may express your spirit of love, compassion, justice and righteousness in this world.

Tom    

COUNCIL NOTES: February 28th meeting

     The Coordinating Council has begun the arduous task of implementing the new church safety policy, adopted at the annual congregational meeting. Firstly this involves the distribution of disclosure forms to all elected church officers, employees, and Sunday school teachers. Once filled out, these forms will be delivered to our church secretary, who will be charged with maintaining the records in confidence. Secondly, we formed a "response team", whose initial task will be to review the disclosure forms, contact listed references, and report to the council should any issue of significance arise from this review. Only the church secretary and the response team will have access to the disclosure forms. The response team will then be charged with evaluating and responding to any complaint that may arise regarding improper conduct within the church, mediating the dispute if possible but recommending a course of action to the council if not. The team is composed of three members of the council: John Goff (as moderator), Robin Chapman and Reuel Nash. The three members allow one to excuse themselves for any conflict of interest and still enable the team to function.

DEACONS NOTE

     Join us, and hundreds of Austinites, for sunrise Easter service on Mt. Bonnell, April 8 at 7 a.m. A highlight will be songs from Melanie Wilkinson. Church service will be at 11 .m., and Easter lilies can be purchased now at church or by calling the office.
We will be hosting a book sale in May -- be sure to get your donations in right away.
The latest round of Friendship Suppers (small gatherings in members' homes) has just ended. If you attended and enjoyed these suppers, let others know, and plan to attend or host when we repeat the series in the fall.
     Rev. Tom has been asking the congregation to consider how our community experiences spirituality. The Deacons Board was the first to meet to discuss our questions and share our spiritual journeys. We will continue our exploration periodically and invite other boards to take up the challenge.

Chairs of our Boards

Trustees:                    Reuel Nash
Deacons:                    Betty Bodman
Christian Education:    Nancy Edison & Doyal Pinkard
Christian Outreach:     Tommie Pinkard

HOLY WEEK WORSHIP SCHEDULE

Palm Sunday Worship Service with Children's Palm Procession. Sunday, April 1, 11:00 am

Good Friday Service: Jesus at the Table, Jesus on the Cross. Good Friday, April 6, 7:00 pm

Easter Sunrise Service on Mt Bonnell. Easter Sunday, April 8, 7:00 am

Easter Worship Service: Flowers on the Cross, Transforming Death into Life. Easter Sunday, 11:00 am

THE PROPHETIC IMAGINATION
SERIES BEGINS APRIL 15

     Our Spring Adult Discussion Series will begin on Sunday, April 15, following worship. We will also meet on April 22, May 13, and May 20 after worship. Our primary text for the series will be Walter Brueggemann's The Prophetic Imagination, but shorter pieces written by Richard Rohr, William Countryman, and others will be distributed as well. The Brueggemann book can be purchased used or new through major on-line book sellers. Please order a copy of the book and begin reading it. You do not have to finish it before April 15.
     Board Chairs, if at all possible, please try not to schedule meetings or other events on April 15 and 22, and on May 13 and 20, so as not to conflict with this series. Thank you!

PERSONALS
by Pat Oakes

     Becky Nash, a 9th grader at Kirby Hall, has been on a great adventure to Australia as a part of a class trip for an extended spring break. Ten students and three adults were spending two weeks there seeing the sights in Sydney, Adelaide, Kangaroo Island, and Cairns. We'll expect a full report next month, Becky. Meanwhile, Ellie Nash was in New Orleans for a spring break trip with friends, and Annie stayed in Austin and was involved in a stop motion animation class. The project was to be screened at SXSW. Reuel Nash's eighty-five-year old mom was in a nursing home in Waco waiting for her much loved care-giver to return from a visit home to the Philippines.
     Sarah Gourlie was pleased to have visitors in March. Her parents, Kathy and Bill Gourlie from Wethersfield, CT, and her brother Don, on spring break from the University of Tampa, came for a week's visit. Don was delighted also to get together with his good friend from home Cary Prewett who is at UT. While in Austin they saw the Capitol, the Bullock Texas History Museum, the LBJ Library, the Blanton Museum, and climbed Mt. Bonnell for a sunrise view. Several of them also made the trek to San Antonio.
     Pastor Emeritus John Towery and his wife Eleanor both admit that they are getting on in years. Both are using canes now and don't get out much. They are so grateful to their family who take good care of them and look in on them often. They were looking forward to a visit from Massachusetts daughter Sally Johnson in mid-March. Sally's husband Tommy was planning to come for a visit, too--combined with a visit to his folks, Betty and Hiram Johnson in Del Rio. Sally and Tommy's daughter Pam has a new job working for a lawyer in Austin and also stays busy with her second-grader Andrew. John and Eleanor take care of Andrew often and report that he loves new, big words. Ches and Maggie Towery's kids are doing fine. Krystal is a junior at Stephen F. Austin University in Nacodoches and is planning on becoming a teacher. K.C. is a sophomore at McMurry University in Abilene on a rugby and soccer scholarship.
     Don Miles is inviting everyone to attend his Cinco de Mayo fiesta on Saturday, May 5th, at 3:00 p.m. at Book People, 603 North Lamar. It's in celebration of his recently-published book on that topic, entitled Cinco de Mayo: What is Everybody Celebrating? There will be a singing mariachi group and folkloric dancers. There is more information about the book on his Web site, www.DonMiles.com. Don will be on the road quite a bit between now and then, visiting family in Columbia, Missouri, and Washington, D.C., as well as bookstores, radio and TV stations and newspapers for appearances in places as widespread as El Paso, New York City, Ft. Worth, McAllen and San Antonio. It's not officially confirmed yet, but he may be a guest on "Good Morning, San Antonio," on TV in that city on Wednesday, May 2nd.
     George Hetrick is enjoying his new home--and received bravos from Care Team members who came over for dinner. They were particularly impressed with his new kitchen, especially the 48 inch GE Monogram stove. His brand new home is in Cedar Park at 1018 Brettonwoods Dr., very close to Nancy Edison's new home. The geographical center of our church membership is shifting north and west!
     Fran Briggs will have a few pastel paintings hanging at The Framer's Gallery just north of the square in Georgetown during the month of April. This opportunity came up because of her membership in the Central Texas Pastel Society which meets in Georgetown every month. Fran is a very multi-talented lady who also has written words for hymns.
     Andria Miner and Alan Lippert were married at the church by Tom on Friday, March 23. The trio provided the beautiful music. Andria's parents came in from Connecticut, Alan's parents and his brother came from Virginia and Alan's parents' friends came in from Massachusetts. Alan also has family in San Antonio who came. Three of Andria's classmates from veterinary school came from Minnesota, and two other friends came from Nashville, TN. Her uncle came from Florida, and her sister, her partner and their baby came in from South Carolina. After the wedding they had a celebratory family dinner at Green Pastures. Alan's parents hosted a festive brunch the next morning at the Driskill Hotel. Andria and Alan took a glorious two week honeymoon in Spain. We look forward to hearing about your travels! Congratulations and best wishes from all of us.
     Pat and Mel Oakes' daughter Beth and the Maia Quartet were to be performing in Tokyo in mid-March. In an attempt at audience building, Pat e-mailed former church members Dennis and Kazuko Schneider to see if they would be able to attend the concert. Dennis and Kazuko were church members here in Austin and at UT between 1973 and 1975 and their daughter Takako was born in Austin in 1974. They have been in Tokyo since 1981 where Dennis teaches English at Tokyo Woman's (sic) Christian University. They were having commencement the night of the Maia Quartet's concert, so they were not able to attend the concert. They are members of the Tokyo Union church there. Takako is teaching Japanese immersion kindergarten in Eugene, Oregon, and loving it. She and her fiancé, Rob, are to be married in their church in Tokyo on June 23. The reception will include cookies and coffee in the church basement afterward. Sadly, Kazuko was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer' several years ago and at only 63 can longer read or write or dial the telephone. She is still able to live at home, but cannot go out on her own as she gets lost. Dennis, Kazuko and Takako were back in Austin in the mid-1980s and came to church for a brief visit (it coincided with a church picnic) and some of "old folks" at church still remember that good surprise.
     The Maia Quartet was also to perform at the Ukrainian Institute in NYC at the end of March. David Pinkard was hoping to attend their concert. He reports that things are chugging along okay. He's got plenty of work to keep him busy: music and sound design for a couple of theatre projects, and a large scale musical that he says may never be finished. You finish it, David, and we'll get a group up from church to come up for the Broadway debut!
     Beth Placek loves to dance--and she had lots of opportunities this past month. There was a big contra dance weekend in Austin the 17th and 18th highlighted by the "dance in the park" at the Zilker Hillside Theatre. This happens twice a year on the outdoor stage, and the music is so good many people sit on the hillside and watch and enjoy the music, but all are invited to join the dancing. The event attracts dancers from all over Texas. The first weekend in April, Beth was in D.C. viewing cherry blossoms, contra dancing at Glen Echo, running on the national mall, and hanging out in the National Gallery of Art. She is looking forward to the last weekend of April when she will be in Lafayette, Louisiana, for the International Festival -a Francophone festival with groups from every French-speaking country in the world--and lots of Cajun and zydeco dancing. Beth will be really in the mood as there was a great zydeco dance in Austin in March with Curley Taylor's band from Lafayette. Beth is delighted that Austin is finally getting the beginning of a zydeco dance scene!
     Lisa Kirch and her daughter Sarah are doing OK in Florence, Alabama, but they still miss us! The show art historian Lisa curated for the Birmingham Museum of Art got a very nice review in the newspaper there. Lisa's colleague and good friend Andreas in Germany and she have an article being published this year. She's got two more conference papers--one in Miami ( she hasn't been back there since 1982) and one in Germany. In Miami she'll also be talking with an editor about the book she's supposed to begin writing. Sarah's coming with her to Miami, so she can show her the old stamping grounds, if they're still there. Sarah's doing very well. She participated in the school spelling bee in January and cried about being so nervous that she misspelled "denim." She sold over $500 worth of Girl Scout cookies, which is not bad, considering that they had to ask strangers instead of church members and local family, resources the other troop members had. Now she's signed up for the St Jude's Math-a-thon. Since it has gotten warm they've been working out in their garden. No cherries blooming yet, but the pear trees and daffodils are pretty, Lisa reports. She's digging up and moving volunteer hollyhocks, building a sort of flower fence. Sarah is raking leaves and grass clippings, once again learning the value of her work: "I can't believe I said I'd do this whole yard for only $20." Lisa says that sounds a lot like statements she made last year, so maybe the lesson hasn't quite stuck.

Great Grown-up Spelling Bee

     It's time for the Literacy Coalition of Central Texas Great Grown-up Spelling Bee again--Thursday, April 12, 11:30-1:30 at La Zona Rosa. Check out their Web page, www.willread.org to see all of the good things they do for literacy in this area. The Church Ladies (Pat Oakes from Congregational Church of Austin and Susan Richter and Kathy Blackburn from Central Presbyterian) will be competing for the 4th time. Since they have won the previous three bees, they are understandably nervous this time. Each competing team must raise $1000 in order to field a team. Tommie and Doyal Pinkard have graciously accepted the job of team co-captains and would greatly appreciate any donation you can make to the cause. Please make out your check to the Literacy Coalition of Central Texas and give it to Doyal or Tommie or Pat as soon as possible.


APRIL BIRTHDAYS
 2 Ellen Luna
 3 Mary Tomasek
 4 Ricky Masters
 5 Sarah Oakes
    Katherine Anderson Ashton
10 Lynne R. Lemley
14 Susan Ashton
16 Eleanor Towery
22 Suzanne L. Bradford
24 George Lemley
28 Sarah Bentley

NEWS FROM THE BRAZOS ASSOCIATION

     I have noted the location and dates of our Brazos Association Spring Meeting in my previous articles. However, it's well known that most of us need the essential details of an invitation a few times to have it stick! So here are the details once again:

Spring 2007 Meeting of the Brazos Association, United Church of Christ
Church of the Savior, 3402 Little Elm Trail, Cedar Park, TX, (512) 331-5274
Sunday, April 29, 3:00 pm. Supper included.

     RSVP to Church of the Savior with the number attending from your church (so they can plan for the number for dinner)
     At the meeting, we have a wonderful opportunity to welcome a new church, Church of the Savior, in covenant as a member of the Brazos Association. Church of the Savior will retain its American Baptist and Alliance of Baptist denominational affiliations as it joins the UCC. The motivation for exploring UCC affiliation came from the membership of the church after several saw the UCC "God is Still Speaking Ads" and felt that they wanted to be part of a denomination like ours. Since then, the church has explored what it means to be in covenant as a church within the UCC. Ernie and Shirley Dean have joined them for sessions after worship as Ernie lead classes in UCC polity. Their pastor, Mary Wilson, has joined in our Association clergy gatherings as a friend and colleague. Mary shared about the church at our Fall Meeting.
     In addition to welcoming Church of the Savior, this meeting will be the first opportunity many of you will have to meet and hear from our new South Central Conference minister, Rev. Douglas Anders, as we covenant with him. We will honor those with significant ordination anniversaries, install officers including Rev. Tim Tutt as Association moderator, and plan to welcome our new in care students, a new Lay Licensed Minister, and a new candidate for Lay Licensed Ministry. More opportunities for reflection, questions, and welcome will come during the two ecclesiastical councils we anticipate holding (perhaps in one joint session for Rev. Dan DeLeon and Rev. Mary Wilson as they seek privilege of call in the United Church of Christ.
     Church of the Savior is located off of Hwy. 620 on Little Elm Trail in the northwest Austin area. Traveling south on 620, Little Elm Trail is about the fifth right after the 620/US 183 intersection, one block beyond the intersection of 620 and Lake Creek/Great Valley. Traveling north on 620, Little Elm Trail is the third left after the 620 and Anderson Mill/Volente intersection. There is a Valero gas station on corner at Little Elm Trail and 620. The church is on the right a short distance down the street. You can learn more about the church and find a map of their location by visiting their website, http://www.icots.org
               Blesssings in Christ,
                    Liz Nash, Associate Conference Minister, Brazos Association

Youth Trip Fundraiser: April 21 Rummage Sale

     In early June, Oliva Vache', Becky Nash, and Liz Nash will be joining with youth and adults from United Christian and several area Disciples of Christ churches to go on a youth mission trip to Washington, DC. One of our major fundraisers will be a rummage sale at United Christian (on Parmer, just west of MoPac) on Saturday, April 21 from 7 am to noon. We encourage you to drop by and buy and to donate things to sell. Part of Liz Nash's garage is available for storage until that time, as well as a storage room available through University Christian for large items. (They can arrange a truck to haul, if necessary.) Also, we will be able to take things by University Christian from 8 am to 8 pm on Friday, April 20th. Contact Liz or Becky Nash, 231-0045 (or talk with us at church) if you have things to donate. We will work out how to get them where they need to be. We would appreciate lots of things to sell and lots of buyers. Thanks!

COFFEE HOUR

     Please sign up in the Fellowship Room to be coffee hour hosts on an upcoming Sunday. The coffee hour time is such a good opportunity to visit old friends and meet visitors. We keep coffee and ginger ale and some punch fixings in the pantry in the kitchen. There are usually paper napkins, and we use coffee mugs and punch cups to avoid wasting natural resources. Your menu can be as simple or complicated as you want. Cookies and/or chips and salsa are just fine! If you have questions, talk to Pat Oakes, Tommie Pinkard, or Lynne Lemley.

PREPARING TO BE SURPRISED BY GOD
Spring Retreat, Slumber Falls Camp, New Braunfels
April 27-29, 2007
Relax, Refresh, Renew

     The spring retreat at Slumber Falls will offer lots of time for quiet reflection, outdoor activities, and socializing. With the theme, "Preparing to Be Surprised by God," we will share and deepen our spiritual journeys. Evenings we'll have Taize chanting and a movie, mornings will start with meditation, and in between will be a labyrinth walk and time at the pool and the river.
If you haven't already registered, please contact Marilyn Vache.

Deadline for May VISITOR -- April 16