Hi COTC! 

It was great to be with you so many of you this past Saturday for our second ever Parish Retreat. A big thank you is due to those many people who helped make it possible! Thanks as well to David Springer for taking the above photo.

One of the points that our speaker, Brian Wallace, made on both Saturday and preaching Sunday is that Jesus calls, equips, and sends out his followers on his mission. For the church, part of that work is for the common good, in the name of Jesus. This is a compelling invitation, even as it involves sacrifice and requires courage. I know that is resonates with many of us. 

One of the ways we’ve sought to be on mission with Jesus recently was through a GoFundMe in support of the family of Melissa Ramirez, a murder victim from near Laredo. I’m happy to report that more than $5000 was raised and will be going to the family. 

Of course, as we as the church seek out to be for the good of others, for the common good, we enter into contested turf. Just what is the common good? As we look to answer this question Scripture must be our guide. I’d commend this onevideo, from The Bible Project, as offering a faithful picture of what the justice we are called to work toward, as a part of the common good, looks like.  

One of the arenas where we can seek the common good, and where that vision is contested, is in politics. As citizens of heaven our hope is not bound up in political realities, and no one political campaign or platform fully accords with the kingdom of heaven. Yet, the exercise of our political rights, making informed and prayerful voting decisions, is one of the ways our political system allows us to exercise influence for God’s kingdom, for the common good. With that reality in mind, even as I don’t have electoral agency here as a Canadian, I would encourage you to inform yourself, pray about and cast your vote, and pray over the elections taking place on November 6th. May it be more and more in Austin and Texas as it is in heaven. 

With you in Christ for the common good,

Peter+