Picture of backpack with text Backpack Blessings August 14

Rally Day & Backpack Blessing

Picture of backpack with text Backpack Blessings August 14
As we prepare for a new program year, we invite everyone to a special worship service on August 14 giving thanks for the many ministry programs of Peace. Our worship service this Sunday will be familiar, but our space will be a bit different…as we sit “family style” and have table centerpieces celebrating our faith family’s many ways of sharing God’s love with the world. All are also invited to bring a bag or backpack for a special blessing…whether students, teachers, workers, crafters, or anything in between…


School Supply Drive 2022

Wow! This year has seen the largest financial donation ever to the school supply drive. Our congregation raised $1115 for the students and teachers of Anderson Mill Elementary. Anderson Mill Elementary is a Title 1 school meaning that more than half of the students qualify for free and reduced lunch. If you are able please consider staying after church this Sunday, August 7th for the blessing of the supplies and for their assembly into grade level bags. Any excess funds will go towards purchase of disinfectant wipes and tissue for teachers to use in their classrooms during the year. The supplies will be delivered to the school on the morning of August 9th.


Pride Celebration Aug 20

Austin Pride Aug 20, 2022

Pride Celebration Aug 20
The Austin area RIC congregations are planning on joining together again to celebrate Pride this year, after two years of cancellations. We’ll be at the festival from 11 am to 6 pm, and marching in the parade at 8 pm.
 
If you are interested in taking a shift at the festival booth or contributing to preparations, sign up here
 
If you want details and to sign up for the parade, click here.
 
We’re so excited to be back at Pride, and excited to have you as part of it!


Welcome Our Summer Preachers

In July, we will have a number of guest preachers join us in worship. On July 17, Seminarian and Austinite Cecie Suknaic Saulnier will be with us, and we will have a Service of the Word. We will celebrate communion on July 24 & 31. July 24, we will be joined by  Rev. Lea Walker-Clark, the pastor of the new multi-ethnic mission grounded in East Austin, Palabra de Vida. And on July 31, the Pastor of Technicolor Ministries, Rev. Katy Miles-Wallace, will be with us. Please come and enjoy the rich good news they will share and welcome them into our community!


Peace Member joins HCCM Board

We give thanks for the invaluable services and care offered to our neighbors through Hill Country Community Ministries, and we are blessed to be able to partner with them. We also give thanks that there will again be a Peace member on the HCCM Board. Jan Massa begins serving a two-year term as board member this summer. You are invited to offer Jan and HCCM your congratulations and prayers for the work ahead!


Book Club News

Peace’s book club, Peace’s Perpetual Page-Turners, always welcomes new members. If you are interested in joining or want further information email us. We meet the 2nd Thursday of each month at 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. We continue to meet via Zoom, although we eventually will have some in-person gatherings. Our reading list for the remainder of the year:


Covid Protocols – Navigating the Back & Forth

COVID rates remain elevated, so we remain in the Medium phase of the APH and CDC staging system. This means we continue wearing masks in worship and holding fellowship outdoors only, when the weather allows.


Crawfish Boil June 5

Come celebrate Pentecost and Confirmation and New Members Sunday, June 5 at the Peace Crawfish Boil! We’ll have a boil of crawfish, shrimp, sausage, corn, potatoes, onion and mushrooms served with baguette bread. There will also be hotdogs, chips, and macaroni and cheese, as well as tea and lemonade to drink. Tickets are $10 adult, $25 Family Maximum, $2 for children or non-crawfish eaters. Tickets can be purchased in person after service on May 15, May 22, and May 29.  For online purchase sign up here.


Ripples of Covid

The COVID-19 pandemic and its effects upended our lives, are still upending our lives, and will continue to affect us long into the future. Whether it was health issues, stress related to staying healthy, physical distancing, meetings on Zoom, new ways to teach and learn, loss of loved ones, changes in jobs, the struggles to return to what seems normal…. Well, you get the point—the pandemic was, is, and is to be stressful. Stephen Ministers are able to listen and walk with you as you navigate the ongoing effects of the pandemic in whatever form it is.
 
If you feel the need for this kind of care or know someone who does and would like to learn more about Stephen Ministry, please email stephenministry@peaceaustin.org with your contact information or call the church office and a Stephen Leader will contact you.

During this period of social distancing, we can provide care by telephone, video conferencing, or other methods needed to maintain social distance. We can also arrange to meet in person safely.