Pastor's Blog

Dearest Saints,

 

I am excited for our Congregational Retreat THIS Saturday, 9:30 am to 2 pm as we continue to explore together God’s continuing call to PCLT.  This will be a day set aside for us to dream and discern and pray and worship as we join in God’s new calling for this community of faith.  We will talk about what it means to BE a missional church.  We will talk about PCLT’s gifts and passions.  We will talk about the needs around us and how God is calling PCLT to meet these needs at this time and place.  We will share some wonderful fellowship and, of course, good food – there’s always good food.  Most importantly, I hope that we will have a lot of FUN together!

 

So come!  Join us for this special day.  You are welcome even if you didn’t have the chance to sign up.  As always, there will be enough.  Come!

 

With you in God’s embrace,

Laura

Dearest Saints,

It was good to be with everyone last Sunday – both in our overflowing Sunday school class and in our energetic worship service.  I am already looking forward to this Sunday, World Communion Sunday, when we will join together around the table with churches all over the world.

But before we get too far ahead of ourselves, I invite you to pause and reflect with me in this moment midweek…

What has happened so far this week?

Who have you seen, what did you talk about?

Where have you seen glimpses of God in these small things?

Or have you?

Rest assured, whether we realize it or not, God is with us, at work with us and through us, inspiring words and conversation.

And so let us all take a moment to pause… at this midweek moment.

Inviting God into every moment, meeting, conversation, transaction, into everything!

Let us pause… breath… breath… pause… and rest in the One who loves us more than we know.

 

With you in Christ’s embrace,

Laura

Dearest Saints,

When I woke up this morning, the first thing I saw was a notice telling me that today is International Day of Peace.  And I thought, wow, it hasn’t felt so peaceful recently.  I thought about the recent bombings in New York and New Jersey just days after the 15^th anniversary of the 911 attacks.  I thought about this election season and the negativity and dehumanizing words that are being used in this horrific presidential campaign. (only 50 more days!)  And I thought about the recent shootings of two black men, Terence Crutcher and Keith Lamont Scott, while my heart broke all over again.  No, things have not felt so peaceful recently.

And yet, we all have a source of peace within us.  We are all peacemakers. As followers of the way of Jesus, we are called to look for and hold on to the love and peace we see in him.  And we are to share this peace with others, especially those who are different than us. We look for peace around us; we dig down deep to access Christ’s peace within so that we may be part of God’s shalom – God’s healing and wholeness for the world.  It requires courage and strength, but it is not beyond us. May we all be givers and receivers of peace on this day and always.

With you in Christ’s peace,

Laura

 

This week I discovered a measure of peace in the following writing by Naomi Shihab Nye that recognizes both the pain and kindness in the world.

 

Kindness

Before you know what kindness really is

you must lose things,

feel the future dissolve in a moment

like salt in a weakened broth.

What you held in your hand,

what you counted and carefully saved,

all this must go so you know

how desolate the landscape can be

between the regions of kindness.

How you ride and ride

thinking the bus will never stop,

the passengers eating maize and chicken

will stare out the window forever.

 

Before you learn the tender gravity of kindness,

you must travel where the Indian in a white poncho

lies dead by the side of the road.

You must see how this could be you,

how he too was someone

who journeyed through the night with plans

and the simple breath that kept him alive.

 

Before you know kindness as the deepest thing inside,

you must know sorrow as the other deepest thing.

You must wake up with sorrow.

You must speak to it till your voice

catches the thread of all sorrows

and you see the size of the cloth.

 

Then it is only kindness that makes sense anymore,

only kindness that ties your shoes

and sends you out into the day to mail letters and purchase bread,

only kindness that raises its head

from the crowd of the world to say

it is I you have been looking for,

and then goes with you every where

like a shadow or a friend.

Dearest Saints,

What a wonderful Rally Day full of fun, fellowship, and great food.  What a wonderful way to celebrate all God is doing at PCLT! If you were unable to attend, we certainly missed you.  Here are some highlights from the morning:

• PCLT’s Rally Day Brochure – you can pick up one in the church narthex.

• Our new website revealed – click here to view pclt.faith

• Newsletter news – sign up for our new newsletter through the website or through this link http://eepurl.com/cdvPxH

• Congregational Retreat Information (see below) – sign up in the church narthex.

Thank you to Leslie Wilkinson, Rosanne King, and Rosanne’s granddaughter Rachel for making Rally Day so special.

See you Sunday!

 

Grace & Peace,

Laura

Greetings Good Folks of Presbyterian Church of Lake Travis!

I would like to introduce myself as your incoming Pastor Intern. I am a student at the Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, and a member of St. James’ Episcopal Church in Austin. I met Rev. Walters in my ‘Introduction to Preaching’ class at APTS, where we began the conversation of me joining you here.  I will be participating in the life of your congregation for two full semesters. This coming Sunday, Rally Sunday, will be my first as your Intern.

I’m familiar with your building and some of your members from my recent visit, and am very much looking forward to growing and learning in your community. I will be participating in worship, Christian Education, pastoral care, and Session and Committee meetings. I understand you are building your mission and am especially excited to see where this journey leads. I feel like I have a lot to learn from you and from this experience; I also hope I have some useful things to offer your community.

On a personal note, I live with my wife, Sabina Daly, and our two kids – Evie (12) and Jayden (10) in Central Austin. I moved here from Arkansas in 1984 and found my home. I’ve been a bakery worker, a nanny, and a full-time volunteer at a children’s home. Now I am following my call into the ministry at APTS and (hopefully) discernment for the priesthood in the Episcopal Church.

My experience of God manifests itself in many ways, but none more important or enriching than within community. This is true for me on a deeply personal level. Most importantly, however, the community of the Church and of the world is where I see God’s in-breaking Kingdom. I am prayerfully and expectantly awaiting the opportunity to experience God in your presence.
In gratitude for all God’s blessings,
Pam

Dearest Saints,

I hope you all are well this week. I’m excited to tell you about a new project. Recently, I joined with a few colleagues to create a new organization – Women’s Association of Religious Professionals of Texas.*  We are an interfaith group made up of clergy of many faiths to address the needs of Texas’ women and children.  Historically, progress in Texas on issues of education, healthcare, child welfare, and domestic violence have come about due to the voices of Texas women.

As clergy women celebrating the 60th Anniversary of Women’s Ordination and the upcoming 100th Anniversary of Women’s Suffrage, we recognize the importance of voter turnout.  Yet, voter participation in Texas (especially for women) is at an all time low.  We feel a call as women of faith to recommit to our historic role in advocating for woman and children at this critical time in our state.

Last week on behalf of WARP, I testified at a public bi-partisan hearing concerning domestic violence. Did you know that clergy are the third group battered people reach out to when seeking shelter? We were well-received by the committee and even talked a little theology.  We look forward to working with the legislature on new policies around education and prevention of domestic violence.  I’ll continue to update you on our work.  Stay tuned!

Blessing upon blessing,

Laura