Austin Mustard Seed Family Update

September 2nd, 2018 | Daniel Read

To our dear church family —

With a lot of grief, and some hope too, I announced today that our family would be leaving Austin, and my role as pastor in Austin Mustard Seed. My last Sunday with you will be September 30.

There is much grief because I’ve never loved a church more than Austin Mustard Seed. I’ve loved sharing with you and learning from you. My love for all of you is full even while my dreams for our community are incomplete.

There is hope too, though — deep hope that our family can find the physical health and rest that the Austin environment hasn’t been able to offer.  And there is hope for Austin Mustard Seed, as I believe our Leadership Team and Staff are equipped with the wisdom, maturity, and experience to guide our community into the coming seasons.

I expect, and you probably do too, that I’ll have plenty more to say to you in the weeks to come. In the meantime, I welcome your thoughts and questions as we all process this together.

— John & Family

From the Leadership Team:

As the Leadership Team of Austin Mustard Seed, we feel a deep sense of sadness and loss to deliver this news to all of you. We value John and the leadership he has brought our community over these early years at aMS. Our love and prayers go with him and his family and we echo the hope that God will provide them with rest and health in the time ahead. We will miss the Chandler family very much. Please join us on John’s last Sunday, Sept 30, as we say goodbye to John and set aside time to pray for him.

Many of you are wondering what the future holds for Austin Mustard Seed. We want you to know that we love Austin Mustard Seed and discern a commitment and call to seeing this local expression of the Body of Christ thrive in Austin. We aren’t going anywhere. And neither is God. In fact, nothing is more important in moments like this than the truth that God is with us.

We have been talking about what next steps will look like for our church including short-term, mid-term, and long-term plans.

In the very short-term we hope you’ll join us tonight at the Garza’s House, 1008 Rebecca Drive at 6pm for our annual Labor Day Eve cookout and celebration. John & Sherri and their family will be there with us and they hope to see you all there.

More good news is that short terms plans for Austin Mustard Seed are set. Our faithful staff is committed to the work they’ve been called to. Daniel Read, Erin Williams, and Madelynn Marlow will be working together and with the Leadership Team to ensure that Sunday liturgy, Community Groups, Kids’ Time, and our efforts toward mobilization and neighboring continue into the fall and beyond. The week after John’s last Sunday, we will meet for liturgy in the Orange Chapel at Rosedale as usual with quality coffee, our music team will lead us in song, you’ll hear someone you know and love preach, and our aMS kids will be well cared for by our stellar Kids’ Team. We’ll worship together, pray for each other during Prayers of the People, and go to lunch afterwards. Sound familiar?

For the mid and long-term plans we are discussing a lot of options. In fact, while we are sad about John’s departure, we are excited and optimistic about the future of Austin Mustard Seed.

We hope that you will join us for a Family Meeting next Sunday, September 9 immediately after liturgy. Childcare and lunch will be provided. At this Family Meeting we hope to address your questions and concerns as well as present some hopes and ideas for the future.

In the meantime, we are here for you. If you need to process or have questions we are available. We ask that you be praying for Austin Mustard Seed, for each of us, and for the staff as we discern and listen together to God regarding our future as a community.

In the peace of Christ,

Austin Mustard Seed Leadership Team
April Karli, 512-743-1743
Ashley Blackwell, 512-415-7074
Shane Blackshear, 512-550-8765