What Starts Here...

Hi COTC Family! 

If you've spent much time around the University of Texas you'll know the phrase "What Starts Here Changes the World." It's bold and confident. I quite like it. 

This Sunday is World Mission Sunday, the penultimate Sunday in the season of Epiphany. On this day the readings, worship, sermon, and prayers remind us that the good news of Jesus Christ changes the world. It's a bold and confident claim! At this moment in world history, with the rumor of wars and various political challenges among nations, I need to be reminded of this glad fact. 

This week clergy in central Texas from our diocese gathered for a brief retreat. It was a wonderful time. I found myself marveling again at the talented and faithful partners in the Gospel who are a part of our Texas deanery. They are prayerfully and skillfully planting churches in Waco and Dallas, shepherding churches in places like Longview, offering spiritual formation to church leaders, writing a book on teens and prayer, and serving the chronically homeless here in Austin, among a myriad of other tasks. 

A focus of our time was the Eugene Peterson biography entitled A Burning in My Bones, taken from the book of Jeremiah. For Jeremiah, for Peterson, and so many others the Gospel set a fire in them that would not be extinguished. The conflagration cannot be contained, until it engulfs all the earth, bringing light, life, and shalom. 

As we come forward to the altar, this Sunday and every Sunday, we can rejoice that the one whom we receive has changed and is changing the world. And as we receive Him the flame of faith is stoked in us, and we are sent out, with the joyful privilege of participating in His mission - confessing the faith and bearing witness to Jesus. When you approach the altar remember, boldly and confidently, "what we receive here changes the world."
In Christ, 

Peter+ 

Ps. We are on the home stretch with the purchase of the 8140 Exchange Dr. property. All inspections have been completed and we are in conversation with the sellers as we move toward closing on the 28th. Thanks for your faithfulness in prayer and giving toward this! More information will be coming shortly!