Pickett's the Ticket!

It's no secret that political discourse is pretty loud at LSTC.  There are probably many reasons why this is, but it's safe to say that you don't have to walk far in our halls to find a few students - or maybe a classroom - discussing political issues, especially during elections like the one going on today.

Sometimes, we can take it all a little too seriously.  Sometimes, a majority opinion needs to be reminded that theirs isn't the only viewpoint represented in our community.  And, as election results are coming in at this very moment, I'm sure there are mixed emotions among all of us at LSTC.

Because of this, it's nice when a little lightheartedness comes to break the tension up a bit.  This morning, when we got to campus, we came upon this sight:

He was running unopposed this time around, I'm told.

On this election day, it was pretty fun to see all the reactions to this banner, hung on the second floor inside the courtyard.  I think it gave everyone a chance to laugh a bit, especially those of us who may have been a little too anxious about the day.  Dr. Pickett, one of our New Testament professors, is on sabbatical this semester, so I don't know if he knows he was at the center of the only political poster on campus this fall, but I'm pretty sure he'd enjoy the silliness of it all.

If anything, I think this one rogue act of a few students (I'm assuming students did this!) helped us all realize that we can't take these elections so seriously, especially when we believe in a God who is working to bring love to all of us in so many ways - including through laughter.

Election Day!

First time you can vote anywhere in Travis County!

So far from my registered state of WI where I vote, I was worried that I may miss out on the election day experience.  And although I know that my home congregation is a polling place in the small town I grew up in, it was a shock to me that of all the places in this college town Austin, my little church is the polling place for our part of town, which now makes us a polling place for anyone in the Travis County area (Austin and some surrounding area).  For the first time you do not have a designated place, but you can go anywhere in the county to vote.
So last night as we were calling it quits we started to see all kinds of signs for candidates and propositions, trying to give voters one last push before the big day.

Needs to be a certain distance away from the entrance...

So this morning the day arrived, Happy Election Day!  As I walked in to the kitchen I could see lines in our fellowship hall and the booths full of people casting votes.  It's an amazing sight to see all the people taking time out of their day to cast their vote, and for this area a lot of young people!

Who you gonna vote for?

Now some may see this as a contrast to separation of church and state, but I love that we are able to offer this service and be a help to our community.  I love that people who never come into our church are here in the most non-threatening and important way...
When I arrived in Austin, some people who I met would say, "Oh, that church by the bar Trudy's?... Oh yeah, I vote there!"
Which just makes it easier to say, "You should come back and visit..."