As we reflect on 2024, we have much for which to be thankful!
Deborah and I celebrated 30 years of marriage with a trip to Bruges and Florence where we enjoyed the historic sites and museums, the chocolate in Belgium (which is as delicious as you may have heard) and the pizza and gelato in Italy. The golden age for both cities was in the 14th century so it felt like we were time travelers!
Trevi graduated from Westmont University in Montecito, CA with a degree in Psychology. She spent her senior year as a Resident Assistant and leading worship at chapel where I got to speak in April. Her last semester she interned and then worked for the Friendship Center in Montecito where she served, befriended, and entertained senior adults with dementia. We were able to go back to CA for her graduation (straight from Europe). My Mom, Caleb, and Trevi’s best friend Inayah joined us in Santa Barbara. Then Deborah, my Mom, and Caleb celebrated her graduation at Disneyland without Trevi. (Pics and a funny story here).
Trevi also got engaged!
Adrien Ropert, her boyfriend of 3 years proposed in front of a castle in Italy! Their wedding date is spring 2025 in France. They plan to marry in the church where they met in 2021 with a reception at a nearby chateau.
Adrien is French and has been a college pastor in the past and is now a resident at our church in Austin through June 2025. We are unsure of where they will land after the residency ends. We love having them in Austin for now. Adrien serves at our North Austin campus, and Trevi is singing in the band at our South Austin campus. They both serve our college students. Appreciate prayers for the young couple.
Caleb got a new job which he truly loves! He works 40 hours per week in 4 days in the warehouses at Tito’s Vodka. He’s involved with our young adults at Gateway South Austin and loves producing music in his spare time.
Deborah is working as an occupational therapist helping kids with special needs a couple days per week. She’s really great at it! The parents and kids love her, and there is even a waitlist of families wanting her to be their OT.
I’m finishing up my 14th year on staff at Gateway in Austin. We’ve had an amazing year in many ways with so many more than usual getting baptized, new leaders stepping up to serve, and a fantastic staff team! We hired 4 of the 8 on my team this summer.
At the same time, we’ve been through a lot of change with one of our 5 campuses becoming a church plant, another being absorbed into our remaining 3 campuses. After 4 years on the executive team overseeing our marketing, film, worship, production teams along with my role as campus pastor in South Austin and online, I am excited to be able to focus on being a campus pastor again.
I have enjoyed another year of coaching pastors with the Damascus Road Collective, interviewing innovative faith leaders for my podcast, and helping church leaders make disciples in our increasingly post-Christian world through my non-profit organization we started in 2017 called Catalyzing Community.
Are there any ways I can be praying for you in this new year?
Please never hesitate to reach out!
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Eric, Deborah, Caleb, Trevi, and Adrien (“Ady”)
