Gracepoint Austin, Texas; A must see!

Well, everyone’s been asking me about what Austin, Texas was like. It’s flat, hot, humid, but a lot of fun! Yee-haw! Actually, people don’t say that there and they sure don’t wear boots either. One thing that I found very surprising was how there are a lot of green trees. More than you would think.

A very typical neon sign in Texas restaurants.

I along with about a dozen from Berkeley were in Austin, Texas 2 weeks ago visiting our sister church, Gracepoint Fellowship Church – Austin, and celebrating with them their Inaugural Service. It was a lot of fun, being with our friends and fellowshiping with Pastor Manny and his wife, Sunny. Much of the time was spent meeting the students at UT Austin and informing them about our new group, Koinonia. And when we were off campus, we were busy working on publications, cooking, cleaning, building shelves in garages and the like.

Many people came to the Inaugural service, including most of the directors from Gracepoint Fellowship Church – Berkeley, Waypoint Community Church, and Bridgeway Church of Silicon Valley. Many of these directors knew Pastor Manny and Sunny for 10-15 plus years, ever since their freshman year of college. Incredible! There was so much genuine love; and it was apparent to everyone there. Hopefully, that type of Christ-centered community of love can also be established there in Austin.

What an amazing trip! I’m still processing all that I experienced there. All I know is that if I get a chance to go again, I’m there – along with my sandals.

Hook ‘em Horns!

BBall Ambassadors?

BBall Ambassadors?

I am really excited that Richard will be teaching Bible study this week. While we are having Bible study/sharing in California, both Ken and Tony will be visiting our brothers and sisters in Austin. Pastor Manny was so excited that he arranged for a ”play-off” between these Berkeley alums and the legendary Austin students. If you are not familiar with UT Austin, the campus has one of the best sports facilities of American universities. One Austin student was so excited about this game he called his other 10 friends to come!

I am not that confident about our Berkeley ambassadors, but I am looking forward to hearing about the action in this Berkeley v. Austin game.

While we are talking about sports, I was reminded of a joke Pastor Ed told me when we were all discouraged in the last anti-climatic season of Cal Football.

Get ready for this:

Mama Bear and Papa Bear are getting a divorce. The judge asked Baby Bear with whom he would like to live. “Would you like to live with Mama Bear?” the judge asked.
Baby Bear replied, “No, Mama Bear beats me.”
“What about Papa Bear?” the judge asked.
“No, he beats me too,” responds Baby Bear.
“Then who do you want to live with?”
“The Cal Bears, because they beat no one.”

GO BEARS!!!