Sunday, November 12, 2023, 4:00 pmNorthwest Hills UMC We will hold an in-person Group Charge Conference on Sunday, November 12, at 4:00 p.m. at Northwest Hills UMC, 7050 Village Center Dr. in Austin. I hope this opportunity will work for the majority of our district churches. This scheduling means that all your agenda items should be completed and…Read More »
A Word from DS Rev. Dr. Marcus Freeman – 9/7/23
I recently received some beautiful flowers while recovering from a health incident and they encouraged hope in me in a most unexpected way. It occurred to me that everything about these flowers, with their appealing beauty, their alluring aroma, their natural pollen and seed production, and more, were glowing in their created purpose; to exist…Read More »
Flow and Rhythm – A Word from DS Rev. Dr. Marcus Freeman
Earlier this month I boarded a plane in return to Austin from an orientation session for District Superintendents that was held in North Carolina. I had just settled into my window seat on the airplane and pulled out my iPad to polish a sermon that I was preparing for the coming Sunday, when a nice young…Read More »
A Word from DS Rev. Dr. Marcus Freeman 7/20/23
Greetings, Friends of the Capital District! It is with great joy that I extend a warm hello to all of you! It is a pleasure and honor to be appointed to serve in the wonderful Capital District. I would like to express my gratitude to Bishop Schnase for his trust to appoint me to represent…Read More »
Farewell, and Thanks! – A Word from DS Rev. Andy Smith
Capital District Friends, the time has come for me to step aside into retirement -again. I have been truly blessed by my short time as your Interim DS. I said in my initial newsletter Word from the DS that, “Jumping back into work, and onto the Rio Texas cabinet, was unexpected but not unwelcomed.” It…Read More »
Grief, Joy, Hope and all the Feels
Like many of you, I have just returned from the Annual Conference session of the Rio Texas Conference. It was great to see lots of old friends, and to meet some new ones. This annual conference felt like a homecoming, as we returned to Corpus Christi for the first time since 2019. Corpus Christi was…Read More »
A Guest in My Own Backyard – A Word from DS Rev. Andy Smith
This is a photo of our backyard. When we bought this house a year ago, the backyard was one of the main reasons we fell in love with it. Robyn and I didn’t do all of the improvements, but we have worked very hard over the past twelve months getting the yard and garden into…Read More »
God Save the King – A Word from DS Rev. Andy Smith
For the first time in my lifetime (and I’m getting kinda old) there is a different monarch on the throne of Great Britain than Queen Elizabeth II. I watched with fascination all of the events and pageantry surrounding the Queen’s death and burial last September. And I will watch as much of the Coronation of…Read More »
Meet Mabel – A Word from DS Rev. Andy Smith
Meet Mabel, our cat, who is just about a year old. She came to live with us exactly six months ago. We named her Mabel after Selena Gomez’s character in “Only Murders in the Building,” because she is smart, beautiful and just a little bit damaged. Our good friends who are veterinarians found Mabel for…Read More »
Jesus Wept – A Word from DS Rev. Andy Smith
As Holy Week dawns, and Easter is fast approaching, the Common Lectionary has us looking at a couple of gospel stories in which Jesus wept. The first is in John 11 for Lent 5. As Jesus approached the tomb of his friend Lazarus in Bethany, Mary, one of Lazarus’ sisters was weeping, and the Jews…Read More »