Camp Sunday and Pancake Supper!

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pancake 2

Smiling Volunteers!

Miranda Olivia pancake prep

Chopping Strawberries!

Pancake Supper was a great success!  Fun, fellowship (and lots of pancakes) were had by all!  We raised over $650 at the Pancake Supper that will be used for camp scholarships.  The open plate offering on Camp Sunday was for the Diocese to use for camp scholarships, and $1141.00 was raised.  Thank you all for your generosity!

St. George Members are Called to Serve – Sharing Soup With Those Who Can’t Join Us on Sundays

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core-valuesAt the Lenten Lunches, often there is soup left over. Marilynne Herbster coordinates using these left-overs to provide meals for some of our shut-in members. Peggy and Paul Foerster are pleased to have been able to transport soups to Harvey Cox on two Sundays. Harvey is a member of our Coffee and Conversation class that meets each Sunday between services. Harvey has participated in the class for several years although he is almost totally blind. In the past few months he as been unable to come to church even if there is someone to drive him because his inability to see subjects him to motion sickness when riding in a car. Harvey greatly appreciates the contact with fellow parishioners, through the soup ministry, the eSpear, and the weekly emails from Coffee and Conversation. He is able to read these on his computer using his document camera and enhanced view screen. Although Harvey is well into his 90s, he is still alert and communicative. He is a role model for us as we grow older.  In addition, LaRue Acosta has also been part of this ministry, and noted that this act of service fit so well with Fr. Nate’s sermon on February 21st about physical and spiritual nourishment.   Please contact Marilynne if you are interested in taking part in this ministry.

Station 6 – Reflection Series “Stations of the Cross”

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Station 6 – Veronica Wipes the Face of Jesus – Matthew 25:40

6 StationI did not want him to go. I wanted him to stay with me and ignore the rest of the world. The “him” in question was my husband Sam. It was the spring of 1998 and I was seven months pregnant with our daughter. In the space of four hours we had learned that Sam’s father in Ohio was seriously ill, and I had been in a car accident with a San Antonio police officer.

My husband did his best to remain calm, and handle two very bad situations.  As he dealt with the hospital staff caring for our daughter and I, he was on the phone, talking to his sister and cousin, trying to find out how bad his father’s condition was. The answer was: very bad. Sam’s dad might not pull through.  The critical time was in the next twenty-four hours.  Sam was torn.

After I was let out of the hospital the next morning, I made arrangements for Sam to fly to Ohio.  He had to fly out of Austin to catch the next available flight, but his dad was hanging on, still stable though in critical condition. I remember driving Sam to the Austin airport, and crying all the way home. I felt so alone, so scared, but I knew that this was the right thing to do, that God would take care of me.

The next day I tried to go to work, but I did not feel “right” and went home. Day progressed into late evening and I knew that something was not as it should be.  As things came to a head in a very dramatic fashion, I found myself back at the hospital, being hooked up to all manner of medical equipment and monitors, trying to keep myself calm for my unborn daughter’s sake.

I reached out to a friend of mine, a sister in Christ. I called her, hoping for prayer over the phone, some encouraging words.  She immediately came to the hospital.  She sat with me while they stabilized me, and the labor contractions were stopped for the second time.  She prayed with me over and over. She talked to Sam to let him know that I was not alone, and that our seven year old son was taken care of as well.  I later found out that her house had been flooded that day, and she had left a whole team of workers who were ripping up her carpets and drying things out to come and sit with me.  I was not a close friend of hers, more of a casual acquaintance.  Yet she heeded God’s nudging and came when I most needed it.

Sam’s father pulled through. I was released from the hospital after a few days, still pregnant with a healthy baby.  Our life continued on. However I will always be touched by the Godly love my friend showed me.  As I had heeded God’s voice and sent Sam to be with his father in his time of need, so God sent me a reminder of His Love when I needed it.  God is Good!

-Jeannine Klem

 

Haiti Mission Trip

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The spring trip to Haiti is just around the corner. Next week, our own Keith Earle and community members including our Head of School, Rob Devlin, Lynne Devlin, Robby Devlin, Joe Garza, and Greg Merritt will be traveling to St. Benoit in Mombin Crochu, Haiti.  We are commissioning the team during our today’s school chapel and will hold another commissioning  at church this Sunday.

While our travelers are in Haiti, we want to ensure that we stay in touch and stay up to date with what is going on. All are invited to connect with our team in Haiti on Palm Sunday in between services at 10:00AM.  We will have limited connectivity with them, but will try to video chat and talk with them. You can also “like” the St. George Episcopal Church or School Facebook page for updates. This will be vital in connecting our communities together.

Please keep these travelers in your thoughts and prayers as they journey to Haiti. They are embarking on an incredible journey of service and faith. We look forward to all they bring back with them as we continue this partnership with Father Wilky and St. Benoit.

*Our Haiti Team was commissioned in Chapel on Thursday, 3/10 (see picture) but will receive our blessing again in church on Sunday.

Station 5 – Reflection Series “Stations of the Cross”

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Station 5 – Simon of Cyrene Helps Jesus to Carry His Cross – Mark 15:21

5 StationSeeing that even Jesus needed his brother in flesh to help carry the heavy, awkward cross reminds me of when I felt the pull between anger and finding forgiveness in the time of my father’s death. It was cruel and unfair to a man who served his brothers and sisters and honored our God. He was killed in a painful way and suffered greatly at the expense of another person’s ill choices and actions. I wanted to feel anger at the unknown person responsible. I knew that both my earthly and heavenly Fathers would want me to forgive and find the goodness I was blessed with.

Being angry took no effort, but to forgive and release the darkness that filled my heart took an enormous amount of discipline. So, I prayed. I sat still. I watched a sunset at my father’s gravesite. I hugged others a little tighter and imagined I was taking a little of their love to fill my dark anger and I went to my happy place, the beach. I soaked in the feeling of being so small in the vast ocean lit by nothing but the moonlight and glorious stars that I imagined were my ancestors from years past. I dug my feet in the cool sand and breathed the salty air. Here my tears tasted the same running down my face as the ocean water that splashed on my face. God’s presence has always been in nature for me and I found it again.

I forgave and I shared this warm feeling with my family so that I could be reminded that anger is not capable of seeing the bright moonlight. I reflected Jesus’s spirit by speaking of His mercy and love to anyone who would hear me. I shared the loss of my father, but in the same breath I would share the goodness that I felt in my heart when I opened my heart to Love. I took the hurt and made an origami flower to wear proudly. I worked to help others in their time of sadness.

When I had a major surgery, I was utterly helpless and was forced to be still yet again due to the intense pain. It was hard to accept the help from my church family and friends, but I tried to be still. I found the discipline I had once before and forgave myself for needing to have a major surgery and embraced those who came to my aide with love. I taught my children how Christians care for one another in times of need. Even on days when the pain cripples me, I feel such joy when I reach out to help others in need. It is a sort of high now. I no longer need to be in the physical presence of that beach to feel the presence of God. All I need to do now is hug someone who is hurting, call a lonely friend or offer a warm meal. Helping others fills my heart and dampens any brewing anger I begin to feel.

-Maricela Ramos

Station 4 – Reflection Series “Stations of the Cross”

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Station 4 – Jesus Meets His Mother – John 19:25-27

4 StationToday’s devotion suggests that looking into his mother’s eyes gave Jesus the strength to continue on his very difficult path.  This may be the case, but, being a mother, I imagine that Mary’s initial human reaction, though held within, was to cry out, “No! No, you are my son – don’t leave me!” But, when her eyes met his, she saw that He was in control, and was reminded yet again that her son was no ordinary man. Though it pained her to see him suffering, to see the blood and sweat dripping from his brow, his face disfigured with swelling, as he limped along the route to Golgotha, the “place of skulls,” she knew that he wasn’t being forced to do anything. Rather, he accepted such torture and ridicule by choice, with dignity, out of obedience to the Father and love for humanity. Upon recognizing this, she, too, was strengthened. 

Mary was chosen by God, the Father and Ruler of all creation, to be the mother of the Word Incarnate because of her purity, her obedience, and most of all, her secure and steadfast faith.  Though she would have preferred to have the son she bore and raised see her to old age, she obediently accepted God’s word. No matter that this came from the lips of one who had once suckled at her breast, one whom she had consoled through everything from teething to puberty and beyond, whom she had watched grow into a man, even as he was God. Later, I imagine, she was grateful. She was grateful for his thoughtfulness and consideration, and for his love and honor of her.  In the midst of bearing his singular burden, he took the time to look to the needs of his mother, to see to her security in old age when he wouldn’t be around to take care of her. 

Much later still, even now, in the heavenly realms, I envision beloved mother and beloved son reunited, she standing with her arm around Jesus on one side and her other arm around her surrogate son, John – members of one happy family.

One of God’s commandments is to honor your parents, and our Lord, Jesus, obeyed this. He also showed us, by example, to take care of the elderly, the widowed, and the orphaned.  But perhaps the greatest message I hope to impart with you today is that obedience to God, acceptance of His will, and trust in Him is what gives us strength. Remember this when it is you who feels like crying out, “No!” 

– by Therese 2/14/2016

Parish Retreat at Camp Capers

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Come experience the beauty of the Texas Hill Country and the refreshing presence of God at Camp Capers the weekend of April 1-3.

It will be a time to be with your family, friends, and your family in Christ at a peaceful location. The new lodge will hold up to 80 people and has been reserved for us. Come and be a part of this great time to connect with others in the St. George community. All ages are welcome to attend this retreat where we will sing, pray, worship, play and learn. Our theme for the weekend will be “The Joy of the Lord is our strength.” Click here for more information on Camp Capers.

Schedule & Meals

  • Arrive and Check-In Friday, April 1 after 6:00 PM.
  • Dinner on your own as you drive to Camp Capers.
  • Saturday breakfast, lunch, and dinner included in fees.
  • Sunday breakfast included in fees.
  • Sunday Eucharist at Camp Capers, then depart for lunch on your own as you drive home.

Pricing (Financial Assistance Available If Needed)

  • Please make checks payable to “St. George Episcopal Church” and put “Parish Retreat” on the memo line.
  • To pay with debit/credit card, please use the PayPal button coming soon. A 3% processing fee has been added for all card purchases.
  • Family of One: $94.00 for whole weekend ($50 lodging & $44 meals)
  • Family of Two: $138.00 for whole weekend ($50 lodging & $88 meals)
  • Family of Three: $182.00 for whole weekend ($50 lodging & $132 meals)
  • Family of Four: $226.00 for whole weekend ($50 lodging & $176 meals)
  • For larger families, please include $44 for meals for each additional family member. If you require a second room, please add $50 for additional lodging.
  • Saturday Only (No overnight): $50 which includes breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
  • ***Children under two are free, please don’t count them in your pricing.

Registration Payment



Use this form to register your family.  There is a lot of interest and we will accept registrations on a first come, first served basis.  For general inquiries, please email stgeorge@saintgeorgechurch.org and we will be glad to help you out.

Station 3 – Reflection Series “Stations of the Cross”

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3 StationAs I reflect upon Jesus bearing the weight of the cross and falling for the first time, I am overwhelmed, and humbled.  The cross he bore was for the world, for all who fall short, and all who have sinned. The cross he bore was for me. This has always been one of the hardest things for me to accept as a Christian walking on my journey. Many times I have struggled and fallen, but through his grace I am redeemed and brought back to my feet and given more than I could ask or imagine.  This grace is so powerful and it is because of this grace that I learn so many valuable lessons as I grow in my faith.

Not so long ago I found myself in the midst of a failing relationship built on the weight of expectations that I could no longer bear.  I thought that this relationship was what people expected of me, and I kept it going at all cost. I was crushed and bruised and slowly drifted away from my center, my faith, because I could not make my false self in this relationship fit into who I knew I was truly called to be.  In my fear of failure and anxiety about being lost and forever “stuck” in the situation, I withdrew from engaging in life and became a shell of myself.  I found myself making choices that only dimmed my joy for the world and stole my love of all that God had provided me with.  It was through my lowest places that I began to realize that I was made for more than this. I began to deepen my prayers to God, asking him to give me strength to do what was best for my life. God provided, and I finally found a circle of strength, and those people through prayer and guidance helped me to see a path that led me to a healthier place and ultimately guided me to the relationship with God that I have today.

I am a person who lives in fear of the fall, however as I grow in my faith I realize that I am truly never too far gone from our Lord.   The fall, and the process of falling and getting back up again has led me to grow into a deeper understanding of the compassion of our Lord.  I have begun to look for ways to hold up the expectations of God in my life, rather than trying to bear the weight of what others expect from me. The weight of others’ expectations of me has been the thing that drives me away from my faith center. By keeping God at the center as my compass, I can learn to lean on my faith in the times when I am feeling pulled or crushed.  As I grow, I am learning to be thankful for the journey I experience through the fall, as it teaches me to walk more humbly with my God.

-Keith Earle