May 2012
St. Mark’s News Volume 15/Issue 5
From the Assistant Rector Have you read that dinosaurs have been discovered that are covered in feathers, rather like the down of baby chicks? Imagine the yellow down that we associate with vulnerable little baby chicks, covering enormous carnivores the size of a bus. Power cloaked in vulnerability. This surprising news makes me look at boat-tailed grackles in a different way. I can more easily see the predatory dinosaur in each, as they stalk past, especially because of the disturbing sounds that come out of male grackles’ mouths. We are now in the final weeks of Easter, and Pentecost lies before us this month. Jesus is appearing among the disciples, still wounded, but no longer dead, risen yet not ascended. The way it was expected to happen is not how it turned out at all. We’ve entered the realm of faith, where we walk with Jesus, newly aware of the ravages of death, but its power over us, through Jesus, is broken. Big changes are afoot. Jesus will return to the Father, and the demoralized followers of Jesus will receive the life giving, fiery spirit of God, which will enable them to speak to each other and go out into the world, empowered. The sounds that come out of their mouths, normally incomprehensible, languages they do not know, they will understand.
In This Issue From the Assistant Rector ............... 1 Vestry Highlights ............................. 2 Outreach.......................................... 3 Parish Life ....................................... 3 Music Notes..................................... 6 Christian Formation ......................... 7 Caffeine Ministry ............................. 9 Celebrations .................................... 9 ROTA .............................................. 11 The Calendar can be found on our web site: http://stmarksaustin.org/communications/ calendar/
The fear and helplessness of the disciples in the upper room is being transformed, and the beginnings of the early church are stirring, as Jesus teaches to them a few more times, and is with them a little while longer. Those same disciples will travel to many places and peoples, and be martyred for their faith as they spread the gospel. Alleluia! The Lord is risen! The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia! +Susie
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