Celebrating St. Nick

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.
- 2 Corinthians 8:9

Happy St. Nicholas Day! I'm writing this on Thursday, the actual feast day for Nicholas of Smyrna (in modern-day Turkey). Nicholas is celebrated for his love for Jesus, manifested in his generosity to the poor (that's why he's known as a giver of gifts), and his staunch defense of the Gospel against false teaching. A grasp of the Gospel and generosity go together. When we understand the goodness of God's gift of Himself we can't help but give of ourselves for His glory. This season we are challenged to follow Nicholas' example in holding fast to the good news we have received, and giving generously to the poor out of all that God has given us. 

Most of us know St. Nicholas as Santa Claus, but this Sunday we'll have the opportunity to celebrate the real deal!  Join us after worship on Sunday as we'll party at the Parish House with snacks, a story time for kids, and games. Feel free to invite friends to join us! We'll plan to kick things off around noon. Let's celebrate together! 

Also this Sunday we'll be having a short meeting to vote regarding the purchase of the property at 5701 Cameron Road. We had an opportunity for tours and an information meeting last Saturday at the property. Behind the scenes we've been in conversation with attorneys and Messiah Lutheran as we move closer to entering the feasibility period. If you have any questions or concerns about this please don't hesitate to contact myself, members of the Parish Council, or email property@cotcaustin.org. Your thoughts and concerns are wanted! 

Lastly, a care calendar has been set up for the Ingle family as they have been dealing with some persistent illness and health concerns. Would you please sign up to help provide a meal if you're able? The calendar ID is 277556 and the security code is 3245. A big thanks to Meena for setting this up! 

May you experience much joy in this season of waiting,

Peter+