Who Are We?
ACL is a volunteer-driven organization focused on serving neighbors in need in the greater Austin community. While we have “Lutheran” in our name, our volunteer force includes civic-minded folks of various backgrounds and affiliations. Austin-area Lutheran churches provide a base-level of support for ACL, so the benevolence of others can go directly to those in need.
Brief History
In 2011, Pastor Lynnae Sorensen of Abiding Love Lutheran Church invited other Austin-area ELCA Lutheran pastors and church leaders to consider the question: What could we do better together to serve the needs of our community? The answer was “Austin City Lutherans,” also known as the “other ACL” in a humurous nod to the bigger and world-renown Austin City Limits music franchise.
“More, Better, Together” has since served as Austin City Lutherans’ guiding principle ever since the organization’s inception. Bread For All Food Pantry was established in 2013, Mariposa Family Learning Center in 2019, and the Move-In Ministry in 2022.
Volunteers
Put Your Name here and help make a difference! Our volunteers come from a network of supporting churches and from Austin neighborhoods where same-spirited folks reside. People – whether Lutheran or not – who desire to make Austin a healthier and more equitable place to live power our efforts. It’s another reason why we like to say, “More, Better, Together.”
Typically, volunteers pitch in a full day or half-day per week. Bread For All Food Pantry operates on Mondays and our furniture pick-up and delivery services operate on Wednesday and Thursday mornings. We do have needs for other volunteers with different schedules, if you would like to get involved.
Staff
ACL has a lean staff consisting of only one employee — we really are a volunteer-driven organization. ACL’s Director, Pastor Tim Anderson, oversees volunteer efforts, coordinates our work with partner agencies, and promotes ACL activities within our network of supporting churches and communities.
Board of Directors
In addition to our on-staff Director, ACL’s Board includes the following volunteers: Dr. Cal Streeter, President; Stephanie Schweinfurth, Vice-President; Mark Stuckey, Treasurer; Janis Coltin, Secretary; Dick Moeller, at-large; and Pastor Tom Grevlos, at-large.