Scroll Stories: Meredith Jarrett

Scroll Story: Sunday, October 23

My name is Meredith Jarrett, and my husband, Ted; my daughter, Georgie; and our soon-to-arrive child, are honored to be a part of the Good Shepherd family and tradition.  Signing the scroll is important to our family because we want to share our commitment to Good Shepherd with our beloved community and thank God for our many blessings.

Like many others, we are not natives of Austin. When we made our choice to live in this area in 2008, we quickly set our sights on finding a parish where we felt at ease – attending the various Episcopal congregations in town. During this time, we became engaged and chose Good Shepherd for our pre-marital counseling, and from that point forward, our path was set in motion. Morgan, the clergy, and staff have an infectious enthusiasm and love for Good Shepherd; the Word of God; and, while terribly busy, take time to personally know parishioners and their families. This further solidified our decision to make Good Shepherd our home. We truly feel as if we were called by God to be a part of the Good Shepherd family.

Since that time, our lives at Good Shepherd have seen Ted’s confirmation, Georgie’s baptism, the baptism of two of our Godchildren, and my own Reaffirmation. As we have cultivated relationships with other Good Shepherd parishioners and further explored our faith with the clergy, we have felt called to give more to the church in both time, as well as, offering. The more we become involved the more we have been moved to increase our contribution. Our pledges to Good Shepherd, be it our Annual Fund commitment, the Capital Campaign, or contributions to the school, have become a priority for our family’s finances. “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:21

The signing of the scroll in 2017 is our renewal to our faith and a renewal to our worshiping family. Please join us by renewing your commitments to Good Shepherd in 2017, and by placing your names next to ours on the scroll.

Stewardship Promise:
We will persevere in resisting temptation, seeking one another’s forgiveness and God’s.

Guiding Scripture:
The Prodigal Son, Luke 15:1-3,11b-32
So Jesus told them this parable: 
“There was a man who had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.’ So he divided his property between them. A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and traveled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living. When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. He would gladly have filled himself with the pods that the pigs were eating; and no one gave him anything. But when he came to himself he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands.”’ So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. Then the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly, bring out a robe–the best one–and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!’ And they began to celebrate.

“Now his elder son was in the field; and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. He called one of the slaves and asked what was going on. He replied, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has got him back safe and sound.’ Then he became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him. But he answered his father, ‘Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command; yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!’ Then the father said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.’”