All Saints Sunday: November 7th, 2021

 On All Saints Day we celebrate the victory won for all the faithful dead, but we grieve for our beloved dead as well, knowing that God honors our tears. We bring our grief to the table and find there a foretaste of the feast to come.

Family Worship, 9:00 am

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Traditional Worship, 11:00 am

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News & Announcements

As we move toward Stage 2, the council regathering team is pleased to announce that we will begin receiving communion at the altar on November 21 at both services. We continue to ask everyone to wear a mask during activities when children are present, especially while in the building during Preschool hours and during worship services.

Listening Sessions have emphasized how integral fellowship on Sunday morning is to being St. Martin’s. Check out all the ways we are coming together, on Sundays and beyond!

God and the Real World | Tuesday, November 9th, 7:00 pm
In our next God and the Real World session we will be breaking open the prism to explore all the colors that make the rainbow. Bunny Oliver will share from her experience as a painter. You are invited to bring examples of the uses of color in your life. Come in person, or join in via Zoom. Find the link at saintmartins.org/GRW.

Family Hike! | Saturday, November 13th at Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge
Join us for some outdoor adventure and fellowship. Contact Cason Miller for details. (cmiller@saintmartins.org)

Meet & Eat at Austin Beerworks| November 14th following the 11:00 am service
Join us at Austin Beerworks for food, drinks, and fellowship!  Aim to arrive between 12:30 and 1:00 pm. All are welcome!

A Listening Session Reflection will be held after lunch and fellowship at 3:00 PM, in-person at the church and on Zoom. Please join as we think together about the ideas that came out of our listening sessions, sharing reactions or impressions and asking questions.

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All are invited to attend a Reception Honoring Steve Wager
November 21, 2021 at 10:00 am

 Steve is retiring as director of the “Praise Force” 9 AM worship band on Sunday, November 21. He has been a member of St. Martin’s Lutheran Church since 1995 and a key leader in the music ministry for over 20 years.  The reception, with light snacks, will be held in front of the church building (on the mall) between worship services. A basket will be available for cards & other acknowledgments. 

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Sunday Food & Fellowship
Starting November 28, the first Sunday in Advent, we will begin Food and Fellowship on the Mall (or in the lobby in bad weather) between services. You are invited to sign up with Anita Salmon or info@saintmartins.org to provide snacks. Coffee will be available.

Lutheran World Relief Ingathering 2021
The St. Martin’s Women of the ELCA (WELCA) will be delivering 188 boxes for Lutheran World Relief to St. John’s Lutheran Church in Marion, TX on Saturday.  This represents 251 quilts, 359 school kits, 464 personal care kits and 247 baby care kits.  We thank you all for supporting this ministry of St. Martin’s with gifts not only of money, but also of fabric, bed sheets, bar soap and other items. Thanks also to Mop and Hammer for loading the trailer and church van and driving to Marion.

Thank you to everyone who participated in our fall listening sessions and shared hopes and dreams for our future! This initial phase for strategic plan development is nearly complete, but if you were not able to attend a session and would like to contribute, you can submit written answers via email to info@saintmartins.org. For answers to be included in the Reflection, please respond by Monday, November 8th:
What is the one thing you like best about SMLC?
What is the one most important thing that you think needs to be changed?
How do you envision SMLC in 10 years?
What are your concerns and how do you want them addressed?
How do you envision the land we own on the eastern and western blocks used in 10 years
How do you want to participate in SMLC in the future?
What is something you would like to see us do in the future that we are not doing now?

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Beyond St. Martin’s

ACL Homelessness Initiative Zoom Meeting | Wednesday, November 17, 7:00 pm
Join Austin City Lutherans for a summit meeting featuring special guests who are leaders in homelessness ministries in Austin: Pastor Mark Hilbelink of Sunrise Homeless Navigation Center, Haleh Kersten of LINC-Austin, and former ECHO Executive Director and St. Martin’s Lutheran member Ann Howard. Please join us for this important next step in ACL ministries. As with Bread For All Food Pantry and Mariposa FLC, we are able to do “more, better, together” in Christ’s name and in his compassion. For more information, go to breadforall-atx.org/homelessness.

The Balcones Community Orchestra presents soloist Dr. Bryan Hall performing J.S. Bach Concerto in A Minor Sunday, Nov. 21, at 4:00 pm at St. Martin’s Lutheran Church
Dr. Robert Radmer conducts the 1-hour concert including: Mozart:  Divertimento in B-flat K. 137; Suk:  Meditation on an Old Bohemian Chorale; Holst:  St. Paul’s Suite. Free to the public. BCOrchestra.org

Love Letters at the Dougherty Arts Center
The Stage Austin is proud to present A.R. Gurney’s Pulitzer-nominated Love Letters, a tender, tragi-comic, and nuanced examination of missed opportunities and the deep closeness of two lifelong friends. Performances will feature a rotating cast with new actors reading the roles of Melissa and Andy each evening. Directed by St. Martin’s own Jeff Hinkle. The third weekend of the show ( Wed 11/10, Friday 11/12,  Saturday 11/13) features Michelle Cheney as the female lead.

“Michelle is as big a star as there is in the Austin Community theater, and she attends St. Martin’s every Sunday with us. I invited her to visit St. Martin’s three years ago and she has worshiped with us ever since.”  – Jeff Hinkle

St. Martin’s members receive a $5.00 discount off the ticket price by using the code “Church” online or at the door say “St. Martin’s” and receive the $5.00 off. Also, for every ticket sold to the show we are donating $5.00 to Refugee Services of Texas, a non-profit that is directly helping Afghan refugee resettle in the central Texas area. For more information or to purchase tickets, go to thestageaustin.com.