July 26, 2023
Dear Resurrection family,
I am happy to announce that the parish vote has reached a quorum with more than an 80% majority in favor of disaffiliation with the Anglican Church in North America and pursuing affiliation with the Episcopal Church with the Diocese of Texas.
The last month has been intense for all of us, and it was certainly not the summer we expected. Thank you for leaning in on such a vital discernment process, opening yourselves up for dialog, and being diligent in prayer. I am so proud to belong to a parish that has never been afraid to face complex topics while demonstrating hope and faith in our Good Shepherd to see us through.
Those who have long been with this faith community will be the first to tell you that we have always aspired to be the kind of place that could welcome everyone in our neighborhood to encounter the love of God, or as we say it, “Life Together in the Goodness of God.” Today our community deepened its commitment to that vision.
While this moves us out of affiliation with our friends in the Anglican Church in North America and the Diocese of Churches for the Sake of Others, we appreciate the support and relationships we have enjoyed with so many sisters and brothers in Christ over the years and hope those friendships continue. We are especially grateful for our colleagues in C4SO and our beloved bishop, Todd Hunter. We also look forward to pursuing affiliation with the Episcopal Church, getting to know the Episcopal Diocese of Texas and the parish communities that have long been at work in Central Texas. Though our affiliation is undergoing change, more importantly, our commitment to the Gospel of the Kingdom and our mission as a parish will be sustained and strengthened.
You all have given your best discernment and prayer to this process. We are thankful to have encountered the face of Jesus in the many testimonies and stories shared. Even in our disagreements and concerns, we have walked in love, sought understanding and reconciliation, and entrusted ourselves to God’s unfailing wisdom and mercy. This journey has brought us immense clarity and conviction about what makes our parish so special and given us a new boldness to participate in the mission of God for the sake of South Austin.
We understand that some of you will not be moving forward with us, and we grieve this loss in our community. Our clergy and diocese have a care plan in place, which includes a local gathering on August 13 hosted by C4SO. Please feel free to contact us so we can support you.
Beloved, we have good work that God has given us to do in South Austin. So, with the hope we have in the resurrected Jesus (1 Peter 1:3), let us continue pursuing Him toward Life Together in the Goodness of God.
The Rev. Dr. Shawn McCain Tirres
Rector
The Rev. Ryan Boettcher
The Rev. Courtney Greene
