Dear Christ Church Family,
I am pleased to announce our slate of new Vestry Candidates for 2026: Scott Murphy, Sara Morris, and Craig Doerksen. These three parishioners exemplify servant-leadership in the parish and city through faithful care and service, commitment to the church, and are people of Christ-like character. I would like to take this moment to introduce you to them.
Sara Morris
My family and I have been part of Christ Church since 2012, when we moved back to our hometown of Austin after serving overseas. I have been married to my high school sweetheart, Jason, for 27 years, and we are proud parents to Adah (21), Claire (17), and Josephine (13). We have found Christ Church to be a place that celebrates God with beautiful and whole-hearted worship, loves generously and sacrificially, and makes room for suffering while holding out real hope. I have been deeply formed through the weekly, Scripture-soaked Eucharistic liturgy, the rhythms of the church year, and authentic, hospitable community.It was my privilege to serve many years with the Mission Team as a founding member, and to participate in eight different trips to Cambodia, Guatemala and El Paso/Juarez. Christ Church’s heart for holistic mission among the underserved and vulnerable is remarkable. I have also been indelibly formed through my experiences in the Fuller Cohort, Living Waters, and in small group leadership. I am deeply grateful for this community of friends following Jesus together.I have been teaching 8th grade at City School for nine years. I love exploring literature, church history, poetry, Latin and Shakespeare with my students, as well as inspiring them to put faith into action through service around our city. In my free time, I enjoy reading, cooking, long walks, coffee with friends, and crossword puzzles. I am honored to be nominated to serve on the Vestry. My prayer is that our life together in Christ will bring flourishing and Shalom to our geographical parish and to every corner of Austin where we are scattered.
Lori and I have been members of Christ Church for nearly five years, following almost three decades at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church here in Austin. From the moment we arrived, we were graciously welcomed by parishioners, staff, and clergy, and we quickly felt the presence of a community deeply committed to worship, discipleship, and service. We are both originally from Kokomo, Indiana, where we met as high‑school sweethearts. A company relocation brought us to Austin in 1992, and aside from a brief assignment in California’s Bay Area, this has been our home ever since. As a cradle Episcopalian, I’ve been blessed to serve in many lay leadership roles over the years, and I am grateful for the opportunity to continue that pattern of service at Christ Church.
We have two grown children—both married—and four wonderful grandchildren. Nathaniel and his family live outside Columbus, Ohio, and Chelsea and her family live in Lake Jackson, Texas. One of our greatest joys is seeing our children, their spouses, and our grandchildren remain spiritually rooted through their faithful worship and service to Jesus Christ.
Since joining Christ Church, Lori and I have been thankful for the ways God has invited us into deeper participation in the life of this parish. I serve as a Chalice Bearer, and together we serve as Healing Prayer Ministers and on the Altar Guild, where Lori is the leader. We co‑lead, along with Mark and Merry Klonower, the Jester small group, and I am also part of the Men of Waterloo group on Friday mornings. In addition, I have been active in Kairos Prison Ministry for the past ten years, serving at a men’s maximum‑security prison in Gatesville, where I have witnessed God’s transforming grace in many profound ways.
It is a privilege to be asked to serve on the vestry, and I am humbled by the opportunity. My hope is simply to listen well, serve faithfully, and help support the ongoing work of Christ Church as we seek to follow Jesus together.
Dana and I moved to Austin in 2007. Dana is a private counselor and I am the founder and director of Waterloo School, a small private high school on South Congress Avenue. We love our time in the greenbelt, playing with our hopelessly excitable German Shepherd, Stella, and being creative through art (Dana) and wood and words (Craig).
We have been attending Christ Church since around 2010. It has been a spiritual and community home for us in important ways, since our own families are in North Carolina and Oregon respectively.
We have been able to serve in many different ways over the years, from Prayer Team, Chalice, Small Group Leaders, Church Under the Bridge, Marriage Preparation ministry, as well as going on learning and service experiences in Guatemala and El Paso.
Small Group have been perhaps one of the greatest ways that Christ Church community became our spiritual family. Consistent time walking through life with incredible people spanning the range of stages of live and past church and faith journeys was humbling, inspiring, enriching, and grounding. We’ve been here through the joy and pain of planting churches and losing proximity to people, personal triumphs, griefs, and sorrows, and through seasons watching with joy and support, the courage and grace of our rectors and staff shepherding us and caring for the body of Christ through challenges of all kinds. It’s a special place to us.
Thanksgiving for Kyle and Sarah
In this transition, the Vestry and I also want to express our deep gratitude to those who completed their terms of serving on the vestry: Kyle Frazier and Sarah Hadd. Both Sarah and Kyle served in overseeing Cliff’s transition off of staff, my transition to being the Rector, and in helping to keep Christ Church steady. They are wonderful leaders, and I’ve felt the joy and honor of serving alongside them. Please join me in thanking Kyle and Sarah for all the ways they have loved and served this congregation. Thank you!
Purpose of a Vestry
If you’re new to the Anglican world, you might wonder: what is a Vestry? Similar to a board, the Vestry is “responsible for the temporalities of the congregation and, except where otherwise provided by canon, supports the clergy in the spiritual leadership of the congregations.”
This finds expression in five key responsibilities:
- They, along with the Rector, protect the long-term vision of the church.
- They exercise gifts of wisdom, discernment and counsel, working closely with the Rector regarding core values, church mission, and programs.
- They have full and final authority for all matters related to the facility and finance of the church.
- They assist the Rector in guarding the unity of the church, crisis response, and encouraging the clergy and staff.
- As appropriate, they provide for the succession of the Rector.
Process
Given the significant nature of this position and the responsibilities it includes, these candidates were carefully chosen. Church members, Staff, and Vestry submitted nominations of mature, faithful men and women who demonstrate a cruciform life and may be uniquely qualified and called to serve. The Vestry reflected on the church’s mission and needs, reviewed the nominations, and entered a prayerful discernment process to determine who will be invited to serve. The candidates entered into their own time of prayer and discernment, and sensed a call to serve. It is with confidence and joy that the Vestry and I recommend Scott, Sara, and Craig.
With gratitude for God’s provision,
Matt+
*P.S. Earlier this week, I announced my upcoming sabbatical. Read that letter here.