Please enjoy this note from Daniel Forman-
The Youth Group kicked back off here on campus this past Sunday and it was absolutely wonderful to see new and old faces. One of the curriculums that we will be using in Youth Group this year is called “Can I Ask That?” The premise of the curriculum is to dive into questions kids have about faith and spirituality but might be afraid to ask. The first question we discussed this Sunday is “Can you trust the Bible?” We had some very interesting conversation about the roots of the Bible and its translations. Perhaps a question to ask yourself is “do you trust the Bible.” Mike Holmes and I personally feel that exposure to these types of questions is highly important to the formation of young, grounded Christian youth. We are excited to see where the curriculum and God lead us this year.
Steve Alwais leads the “Understanding the Gospel” on Sunday mornings. If you haven’t given that class a try, he encourages you to. Please read the following note from Steve.
This Sunday’s gospel reading gives us specific instruction that we are to pay attention to the bible if we want to get to heaven. An excellent way to do that is to attend the discussion entitled “Understanding the Gospel.”
It is held each Sunday in the St. Luke’s room from 9:45 to 10:15. I share an insight into some of the interesting details of the gospel reading and then those in attendance are given the opportunity (if they wish) to share their vantage point or to ask about specifics of the reading.
Whether you are want to be an active participant or would just like to hear a little more insight into the gospel lesson, you are more than welcome. Advance preparation for this group is not necessary and since each week is a different gospel reading you can come as often as you wish. Please give it a try!
-Steve Alwais
The article about our Summer of Service is in the September/October edition of The Church News. Please read below.
St. George Church and School, San Antonio, designated the summer of 2016 a Summer of Service. Each Sunday, between services, parishioners engaged in hands-on service projects to answer 
the “call to serve.”
“As we considered the summer of 2016 we recognized that whenever we had a “multi-generational” service project as an offering on Sunday mornings, we had significant participation across the generations, especially from families with younger, elementary-aged children, “said the Rev. Ram Lopez, rector of St. George Church. “Parents of this age group share their enjoyment of serving and helping others with their children.”
Click to read the entire article.
Everyone is invited to attend a City-wide Ecumenical Worship service which will be held on Sunday, October 2 at 5 pm at Antioch Missionary Baptist Church located at 1001 N. Walters Street. The goal of this time of worship is to provide “comfort, hope and strength” to all those who struggle with mental illness and those who care for them. It is also an opportunity to address the need to remove the stigma surrounding mental illness so that those who need help will reach out for help. Last year St. George hosted this service. For more information, email Fr. Ram (rlopez@saintgeorgechurch.org)
Ever cut up a banana and then tried to put it back together again in its peel? Our KFC kids did just
that at our “Sundaes on Sunday” formation this past Sunday and found that it was not very easy! Lesson learned: When you cut someone down with your words and actions (like they did with the banana), it is very difficult to put them back together again. The kids suggested we needed to use self-control when choosing our words and actions…so we played a game to practice self-control! Each child received an Oreo cookie that they had to place on their forehead. They had to move the Oreo from their forehead to their mouth, only using their facial muscles…no hands allowed! It was quite a sight to see this in action! Afterwards the kids made their own ice cream sundaes before heading home! It was a great KFC “Sundaes on Sunday” Fun Day!
Dear St. George family,
Over the last few days, I have had the pleasure of writing an article about our Summer of Service for The Church News, the official newspaper of the Diocese of West Texas. As you know, we had a project every week over the summer. We organized donations and assembled packages for Magdalenda House, joined in a backpack and school supply drive with the North Central Convening of Churches, and collected and assembled donations for West Avenue Compassion.
All summer long, I wrote a long list of items that we needed to have donated and a description of that week’s project for the eSpear. Marilynne, Keith, Happy, Haley, Maricela, Aimee, Daniel, Fr. Ram, and Dave all worked together to make sure that I had the information to publish so my St. George family would know what we needed to make the Summer of Service a success. Each week’s project came together even though we might have been a little worried about details from time to time. We had speakers from each of the organizations teach us about the people we were helping. We met new friends and reconnected with others we hadn’t seen for a while.
It worked very well to accomplish a task a week. For lack of a better word, it was “satisfying.” I think we all enjoyed it, and we knew we were “doing a good thing.”
However, I think that your perspective may change when you read the article or when you think back on the summer as a whole. A project a week became a discipline, or even more than that–a meditation, or a prayer. It was transformational. St. George serves. It is who we are.
We were able to transform lives with our Summer of Service. I know my life changed. I’m so honored to be part of this family and happy to have had the chance to share our Summer of Service story with the Diocese of West Texas. When it is published, we will notify you all.
As we approach the beginning of our Stewardship Season, I remember that Fr. Ram once said something like, “Your gifts of treasure, time, and talent enable the church to keep doing this good work that we are doing.” I think we are doing good work indeed, and I’m honored to be part of the St. George family. I look forward to seeing you all on October 2nd as we begin our Stewardship Season with a potluck supper after church!
-Laura L. Kelly
Sr. Warden of St. George Vestry
Leaders and advocates for from the greater San Antonio community gathered to discuss ways to break the stigma linked to mental illness at a conference titled “Pathways to Hope.” The conference which was free to the community was held at the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts and 1400-plus people were in attendance. Therese Trahan-Edussuriya and Fr. Ram were in attendance.
Participants heard from local and state politicians, medical professionals who treat those with mental illness, ordained and lay church leaders and others. Kay Warren, wife of Saddleback Community Church founding pastor, Rick Warren (“40 Days” author) spoke eloquently about the importance of local churches taking the lead on helping those who suffer from mental illness and their families. Robert Emmet, founding pastor of Community Bible Church in San Antonio, also shared his experience with depression and the way his faith, along with medical and psychological professionals, brought him through it.
Fr. Ram participated in a panel discussion alongside other clergy who have experience with mental health issues and serving those with good mental illness through ministries in their local church. Video of all the speakers and panel discussions can be found at this link.
St. George has a long history of ministering to those with mental illness and their families. This ministry was birthed here by Jerry and Betty Fulenwider, both now deceased, whose tireless advocacy of fighting the stigma surrounding mental illness resulted in NAMI Family to Family classes which served both church members and those in the wider community.
Future plans include the re-institution of mental health ministries at St. George. More information will be shared as plans are formed. “It is crucial,” said Fr. Ram, “that we restart our mental health ministries. As we heard over and over at the conference, stigma has to be broken if people are to find the help needed to find health through proper management of their mental illness. Medical and therapeutic intervention and the support of a faith community can bring about health and fullness of life to those who suffer. Stigma kills. And we, the Church, are in the position to help people. The Church is called to be a partner with Christ Jesus in the healing of those who suffer.”
If you are currently in need of support as you or a loved one struggles with mental illness, please reach out to our Pastoral Care Director, Marilynne Herbster, or Therese, who is one of our Community of Hope chaplains, or Fr. Ram.
Therese writes-
As Father Ram has stated, stigma kills. This may sound like a dramatic overstatement, but most people are so afraid of being judged or treated differently that they fail to seek the help they need, and thus suffer in silence. In many cases, the torture of stigma leads to suicide. We, the Church, can educate ourselves and others, removing misconceptions, and offering compassion as well as practical assistance to those who are affected by mental illness. As the conference’s keynote speaker, Kay Warren, shared, we all need a place where we don’t have to whisper, where we don’t have to pretend. The leadership of St. George is committed to providing such a place for us all, but it takes every one of us to truly be successful. The good news is that it doesn’t require any effort or special training, just the willingness to be a friend. “In everything, do to others as you would have them do to you.” – Matthew 7:12
~Therese
To St. George School Parents, Parishioners, and Friends:
You are invited to attend a new Bible based study on John Ortberg’s book, “If You Want To Walk On 
Water, You Have To Get Out Of The Boat.” There will be a short video presentation followed by a brief discussion of the lesson led by Alicia Warr and Pat Whitehouse, both members of the St. George Family. The study will start Tuesday, September 27, 12 noon to 1:00 pm and will meet in St. John’s Room, upstairs in the Learning Center. Feel free to bring a lunch.
Hope to see you on Tuesday, September 27!
Summer has come to an end…let C 3:16 begin!! We are excited to kick-off a new year of family fun formation at C 3:16!! In this Sunday’s lesson, “Lost and Found,” children will discover how precious each person is to God and express what this love means to them through the stories of the Lost Sheep and Coin, Afterwards, families will participate in a fun and engaging activity together to further enhance the lesson. It’s great time for the whole family! So plan to join us at C 3:16 Sunday, September 11th at 10:00 am in the Parish Hall for a fun and engaging family experience! Breakfast tacos will be provided for all those who attend!! We hope to see you there!!
-Happy Wilson (hwilson@saintgeorgechurch.org)
As you contemplate the ways that you are “Called to Serve,” please consider becoming a 
part of our Vestry. Our Parish family is led, not solely by our Rector, but also by a Vestry who work in partnership to oversee the mission and ministry of the St. George community. The Vestry acts as a governing board and decision-making group. The Vestry is comprised of members of the parish in good standing and who desire to become part of a community of leaders learning and discerning together.
If you would like more information, please contact Fr. Ram or our Senior Warden, Laura Kelly, at laurakellymusic@me.com or any other members of our Vestry.