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2013 is a very powerful year for us, marked by sacramental worship and Bible study, as well as very meaningful times together. Even when we were saying goodbye to dear ones on this side of the Jordan, many express their deep satisfaction for such homecoming events that reconnect our church family and provide much comfort to those who grieve.

As our lives are nurtured in our community, we are continually defined by faithful stewardship and the adventure of being a witness to God's one-way love in Jesus Christ.

Why? Because everything we ‘do’ at Saint Richard’s fits into these three categories.

Community We live within a network of vibrant relationships ruled by the Risen Lord Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 2.8 and baptismal vows.)

Discipleship We grow on purpose, in sustainable ways; it’s not just by accident. (Ephesians 3.14-20 and Colossians 1.3-14 and baptismal vows.)

And we serve. As we worship God the Holy Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we internalize the idea that knowing God and serving is what we were made for. (1 Peter 2.9,10; Romans 12.1,2; and baptismal vows.)

Our challenge to you is this: at some point in the coming year, participate in at least one opportunity to (1) be connected in community, (2) grow on purpose and (3) make serving a permanent part of your life.

We cannot take these relationships with folks here lightly. Remember what C.S. Lewis said about people you meet at church and other places. This is taken from The Weight of Glory.

"It is a serious thing," says Lewis, "to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare. All day long we are, in some degree, helping each other to one or other of these destinations. It is in the light of these overwhelming possibilities, it is with the awe and the circumspection proper to them, that we should conduct all our dealings with one another, all friendships, all loves, all play, all politics. There are no 'ordinary' people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilisations -- these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whome we joke with, work with, marry, snub and exploit -- immortal horrors or everlasting splendours. This does not mean that we are to be perpetually solemn. We must play. But our merriment must be of that kind (and it is, in fact, the merriest kind) which exists between people who have, from the outset, taken each other seriously -- no flippancy, no superiority, no presumption. And our charity must be a real and costly love, with deep feeling for the sins in spite of which we love the sinner -- no mere tolerance or indulgence which parodies love as flippancy parodies merriment."

Hey. Stuart here, and as summer arrives, I want you to know two things.

First, I pray for you daily, that you and yours are well aware of God's affections for you, his provision, protection and peace (It's called Shalom in the Old Testament and it's the Apostles' prayer for God's people in Colossians 1). I also pray for God to continue to give us his grace and wisdom as we discern his next steps for our parish, as our vestry, staff, and leaders reflect upon our mission and strategy to worship him, do life together, and prove our Lord's affections to Round Rock and Central Texas.

Second, I want you to make sure you have easy access to Scripture and and some reflection on Scripture. We need such comfort! As I've described it before, the Daily Office in the Prayer Book is a most helpful tool. The Daily Devotions for Individuals and Families on pages 137 and following with a steady diet of a gospel or an epistle.

Scripture Union also provides great tools for a daily diet of Scripture called Discovery and Encounter with God. You can receive them free of charge, advertising junk mail, etc. I encourage you to go to the site below and make your selections according to what you see. Let me know if it's helpful to you.

http://www.scriptureunion.org/receive-bible-guides-email

Much Love, FSS