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Rituals

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Austin Civic Orchestra, May 2023 at Bates Recital Hall, University of Texas at Austin I have a ritual on Tuesdays.   It’s something that I do each week during the school year; something that I’ve done faithfully for the last 15 years.   It brings me immense joy, even if it’s a pain to carve out the time in my schedule. Each Tuesday, I attend rehearsal as a violinist in the Austin Civic Orchestra.   Each week is different, yet feels the same- I sit down at my chair in a public high school band hall that smells strongly like spit from emptied spit valves and has a lingering smell of teenaged sweat mixed with body splash. We wait for the minute-hand to hit the quarter hour after seven and watch the concertmistress call our 90 piece orchestra to order. We silence our side conversations and listen closely for the oboe player to articulate the perfect A, 440 hz to be exact, to which I attempt to precisely match my A string on my violin. Once all my stings are tuned, I silently wait for our
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A prayer for women and girls

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A pastoral prayer, for the people of First Baptist Church of Austin February 11, 2024 I wrote this prayer thinking of all the women who have come before me, fighting for a place of leadership in the church, for the chance to preach in the pulpit.  I wrote this prayer for all those who will come after me, a generation of women who I hope will be encouraged and championed into leadership in all areas of our society. And for my daughter. May she believe that she is worthy and loved by a God who calls women to participate in God's plan for the world.  God of equality, and inclusion, God of possibilities and futures, God of empowerment and companionship… We are thankful that your love extends to all people, that your call makes no distinction of gender. You are the one who invites us all into your work to bring heaven to earth.  We are thankful for the mothers of our faith, women like Sarah, Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Mary, Deborah, Anna, and Phoebe and countless other brave women who faithful
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Patiently Waiting: The Song of Simeon (and Anna)

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A Sermon for the People of First Baptist Church of Austin December 31, 2023 from the collection "Book of Gospels" by Laura James "Patiently Waiting" Luke 2:22-40   Well, we’ve made it! We’ve made it to the last day of the year.  There is a buzz in the air. A buzz of excitement, of expectations, of champagne glasses and confetti.  Parties with old friends and parties with new ones. Parents letting their kids stay up to watch the ball drop, which they will end up regretting because it will be way too late. Parents forcing themselves to stay awake to watch the ball drop, which they will end up regretting because it will be way too late. Fireworks. Noise makers. Party hats. Those ill fitting 2-0-2-4 glasses that haven't quite looked right over our eyes since 2009.  Televised scenes of thousands of strangers standing shoulder to shoulder in the streets of new york city cheering for the inevitable new start a new year brings. A midnight kiss from a new love or from on
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A Christmas Eve morning meditation for the People of First Austin

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A Christmas Eve morning mediation for the People of First Baptist Church of Austin, Texas December 24, 2023 Written by Rev. Carrie Houston On this fourth Sunday of Advent, you’ve probably realized by now that the service is different than you’re used to. For starters, worship is a whole hour earlier! We are glad you made it a point to come a little earlier. I hope you grabbed a donut or taco and a cup of coffee, chatted with a beloved friend, and you look forward to what Christmas Eve holds.  This service is a special and unique one, one filled with church members who bring their gifts of music as an offering of love and worship this Christmas Eve morning. This service has been a long held tradition here at first Austin and we are glad you could share in it with us.   While the service has a different flow and feel than our traditional worship services, this is still a time of worship! Each artist is a worship leader this morning in their own unique gifts and talents. May we see God in
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