Dec 28 email

I want to remind you that we will be having one service this Sunday at 10:00. We will not be having Sunday School nor will we be celebrating communion. We will be having a special “Lessons and Carols” service with a sermon.  We will have fun being together.

Thanks to everyone who made our Christmas Eve services so meaningful.  Such a celebration will linger long in our memories. It will be especially heartening to see so many families worshiping together.

This Sunday I will be continuing preaching the Christmas Gospel of God’s presence with us. My sermon will be about the great truce of God and the peace that Christmas gives to us.

Be sure to pick up your 2009 stewardship packet in the narthex beginning Jan 4. We are looking forward to a wonderful January.

I look forward to seeing you on Sunday!

Pastor Tart

Advent Conspiracy Video

Share with me your comments

http://www.adventconspiracy.org/resources/advent_conspiracy_promo_video/

email for Dec 21

Weekly email

We now have reached our last Sunday in our journey of Advent. I came across an interesting online video that I thought you might enjoy. The video makes a point that advent calls into question the materialism that grips the hearts of us this time of year.  If you have a few minutes I encourage you to watch it.

The link is on the blog for this Sunday. If you want please share a comment on the blog about it. 

My sermon this Sunday is about the mystery of the incarnation and how this mystery of Christ is the source of the true joy of this season.  I hope that you enjoy it.

The big news is our upcoming services on Christmas Eve. Remember the times:

4:00 family service with communion. We will be involving the children who attend in the service. This should be a lot of fun

7:30 Communion with candlelight and will feature our Spirit of Peace musicians and vocalists. We thank them for sharing their service to our community

11:00 Communion with candlelight and will feature our choir and musicians with a special violinist. We thank them also for their service to our community.

We should have a special evening and I hope you can attend one of the services.

Remember also that we are going to have one service on Dec 28 at 10:00. There will be no Sunday School or communion. We will also be celebrating the baptism of Kara Grace Gregory this morning.

We will begin our annual stewardship appeal on January 4. Please be sure to pick up your packet in the narthex on that Sunday. We will end the appeal on Jan 25 with a dinner and a talent show. 

Also note that in January we have moved the Worship Workshop to Sunday, Jan 18 after the 11:00. Service. The workshop is open to anyone interested in improving our worship life at Peace. We will have lunch and should be done by 3:00. This is a great opportunity to get involved in your church.  We will be planning our lent and Easter services.  We will also be discussing our current liturgies and worship practices.

Sunday Dec 14 Sermon

For something different and also because I am a bit home bound due to laryngitis I developed this PowerPoint for my sermon. Let me know what you think. 

Trying Times Sermon Presentation

weekly email for Dec 7

To my friends and partners in the Gospel,

We continue our Advent Journey this Sunday with our second Sunday. Two candles will be lit on our wreath reminding us of the coming light of celebration of Christmas Eve and the coming light of Christ's return. I will preaching this Sunday on preparing for the coming of Christ and how John the Baptist invites us to "cross the river Jordan' to a new beginnings in life.  The best way to prepare for Christ's coming is to step forward in faith.

We will also be celebrating the baptism of Kara Grace Gregory at the 11:00 service. We look forward to her big day. Proud parents are Kevin and Kellli Gregory. 

The big event for this Sunday is the annual meeting after the 11:00 service. There will be no meal. The main agenda items are the approval of the 2009 Mission and Ministry Spending Plan(budget) and the election of council leaders. The nominees are Mary King as President, Bob Wells as president, Darla Haygood as Personnel and Policy, Sandee Page at member at large and Joe DeKunder as Financial Secretary. Nominations are open from the floor.

We will also have an update on refinancing, roof replacement, and insurance from Kenny Sanders. 

As with every meeting we will also have a time for "The Good of the Church" when members can celebrate what is going well with our church and make suggestions for improving our congregation's mission and ministry work.  We hope to complete our work in an hour.

I will also at the meeting be showing a 10 minute presentation about our January Stewardship Appeal, "Stories to Tell and Gifts to Share".  This presentation is now available on line at   http://newvinelearning.com/aPLiteFlash/index.swf

The presentation will also be playing in the narthex beginning Dec. 14. I am excited about January.

Don't forget our Christmas Schedule:

Dec. 14, 5:00 Sunday School Christmas Program

Dec 24: 4:00 Family Christmas Eve Service- We will be involving the children in the service, We ask that children bring a bell from home if they can. If not, we will have some to handout. 

             7:30 Our usual Christmas Eve candlelight communion service featuring "Spirit of Peace"

            11:00 Our usual Christmas Eve candlelight communion service featuring our choir. We will also have violin accompanying our carols and our special music. 

Dec 28: ONE SERVICE at 10:00. This will be a lessons and carols service. No communion will be offered since we offered on Christmas Eve.

For Nov 30

My fellow members of Christ’s Body, the Church,

I want to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving and hope that you find the next few days a joy. God is good and God is good all the time!

This Sunday we begin our Advent journey and a new year with the Gospel of Mark. Mark’s main emphasis in his telling the story of Jesus is the cross. For him the death of Christ defines his mission and his ministry and so defines those who follow him.  We will see this year the power of suffering love and how suffering love transforms lives.

We will begin our traditional Wednesday Advent soup suppers followed by a prayer service. I hope that you will plan on attending.

We are also inviting people to wear blue during this season as we clothe ourselves in the hope of Jesus Christ.

On December 7 following the 11:00 service we will have our annual meeting. Everyone should have received a notice in the mail with the agenda. If you did not, contact the church office. Copies of the annual reports and 2009 Spending plan (budget) are available in the narthex. 

Weekly Email for Nov 23

This Sunday we will be celebrating “Christ the King” Sunday and the conclusion of our church liturgical year. We have been reading from the Gospel of Matthew, and in many ways I am reluctant to tell Matthew goodbye. He has taught us much about the compassion and mercy of God and our call to embody this compassion in our community. Learning what it means to be merciful is hard work, for it calls us to see the vulnerabilities of others. Yet, for Matthew this is the curriculum of the church.  We are to be known by our kindness to strangers, our feeding the hungry, our caring for the sick and our clothing the naked. This Sunday the title of my sermon is “A Fitting Conclusion” and I will be preaching about the centrality of compassion in our lives and community.

 

The main event for this Sunday is our annual Thanksgiving Dinner in the fellowship hall after the 9:45 and 11:00 services.  We will be having a potluck, so bring something to share.

 

Advent begins the following Sunday, November 30, and we want to invite everyone to wear blue during this season to Sunday worship. Blue is the color of hope and we will spend the next few Sundays learning what it means to hope in Christ and to be conveyers of hope. With all the news about the economy, Advent season takes on even more added meaning.

 

This advent I will be preaching a sermon series of sorts entitled, “Christ is Coming”

The Sermon Titles are:

             Nov 30 “Plead for Coming”

            December 2 Prepare for Coming

            December 14 Proclaim the Coming

            December 21  Participate in the Coming

 

We will also have our Advent Soup Suppers and Prayer on Wednesdays. As something new we are inviting participants to stay for a few minutes after the prayer service as we decorate our tree and sanctuary each Wednesday in preparation for Christmas. Members of Peace will be sharing a devotion at these meetings.  We will begin at 6:00 with the suppers and be done by 7:45.  Come and enjoy.

 

Our annual meeting is December 7 after the 11:00 service. The annual report and the 2009 Mission and Ministry Spending Plan (budget) are available in the narthex (1 packet per family, please). If you would like one mailed to you, please contact the church office. As soon as the annual reports are approved we will post them to our website.

 

Just to let you know, our refinancing with Thrivent has been approved. This means we can move forward with the roof repair and parking lot. We are still awaiting word from the insurance company.

Worship Assistants Needed: Our December calendar is on the bulletin board in the narthex, and waiting for volunteers to sign up. Training is available. If possible please sign up in advance for our Christmas Eve services at 4:00, 7:30 and 11:00.  We are also still in need of assisting ministers and lectors. Thanks for all of your hard work.

Robin Wilkerson 281-867-0069

Soup Supper – December 3: The men of the Brotherhood will be supplying the soup for our first soup supper. We need 7 more pots of soup. If you would like to bring a pot, please call Gene Hlavaty at (713) 305-0315.

Bazaar News: We have several pairs of Christmas Skis left from the bazaar that we would rather not have to store. They will be on display in the narthex.  We sold them at the bazaar for $20.00 but will sell for $15.00. If you would like a pair, please remove the attached envelope to enclose your money in and put in the provided marked box on the table in Narthex.  If you write a check please make check out to Women of Peace and mark for skis. Thank you, Jany

Lutherhill Advent Retreats Are Coming! Come join us as we travel to Lutherhill for Advent Retreats! 3rd graders through 12th graders are welcome as we spend an overnight retreat at Lutherhill filled with campfire worships, s'mores, Bible studies, games, great food, canoeing, crafts, high ropes for older youth and inflatable playgrounds for younger kids All in the beauty of a cool, Texas winter The cost is only $50, scholarships are available and time is running out! If you have questions contact David Booher.

HAVE A GOOD WEEKEND! If you're planning to leave town for Thanksgiving, be safe.

See You Sunday!

Pastor Tart

Video log for Nov 16

Pastor Tart's weekly email

Weekly Email

This Sunday is Lay Leadership Sunday.  We will be recognizing and thanking our leaders at Peace for their commitment and service to our congregation.  Leadership is at the heart of our accomplishments and we need individuals who are willing to create visions and bring these visions to reality.  Someone once said,  that leadership is being the drain pipe that brings the rain of resources from the roof to the soil on the ground so that  seeds may sprout and give life to the world.  

We will also be inviting all who attend to attach themselves to one our ministries. We will have sign-up sheets for each ministry. Even if all you can do is pray for that ministry, please sign up. We have charters for each ministry explaining its scope and specific responsibilities.  I am hope that this Sunday will be a spring board for our congregation to become more involved in leading our ministries.  If you cannot attend this Sunday, we will have the signup sheets available through the rest of November.  Again, we are the body of Christ and working together to make a difference in our community  is fun and exciting.  We always give people the right to pass, but please give attaching yourself to a ministry consideration. You will be kept abreast of your ministry’s work and given opportunity to participate in your ministry’s workshops.

The Sunday is also the deadline for submitting suggestions for nomination as president of our council and for members at large. If you know of someone who would be good at one of these positions, please use the form in the back of the narthex.  The committee will contact them. You can also suggest your own name.  Only one person per position will be nominated with nominations open from the floor.  We will elect at the annual meeting.

The annual meeting is set for Dec 7 after the 11:00 service. Copies of the 2009 Spending Plan(budget) will be available at least the week before along with the annual reports.  We will have a special mailing with the agenda and announcement sent next week.

See you Sunday!

Pastor Tart 

weekly video from Pastar Tart

weekly email

If you cannot attend this Sunday, you can still make an offering using our online service at  Contribute Online   Thank you for your commitment to our mission and ministry.

This Sunday we will be celebrating All Saints Sunday. This feast day is the day when we remember all the faithfully departed since last All Saints Day. We will also be giving people the opportunity to light candles in memory of a loved one.  We will light candles at all three services. We are inviting people to wear white to symbolize the reading from Revelation 7 where the faithful are dressed in white robes.

The title of my sermon is “Who are these robed in white” and I will be preaching about the great glory of heaven and what it means to live with this hope.  I hope that you will be blessed by it.

Of course the big news is the bazaar this Saturday. Be sure to come by and, if you can, offer to help. As always, we could use people for the clean up afterwards. We want to thank the many people who have worked hard to make this happen. We especially want to thank Sherri Olsen and Jany Reeves for their leadership. They have been incredible.

The following Sunday we will be honoring our veterans. The next Sunday we will be celebrating Lay Leadership Sunday. During the morning we will be talking about the vital importance of people being involved in the ministries of our congregation. We will be showing our appreciation and we will give opportunities for people to become involved. We are moving to a ministry workshop model that involves people meeting only four times a year for particular ministry.  This has been very successful for our worship ministry.  On this Sunday we will also have thanksgiving dinner.

Our “Show we Care” appeal is officially over and we want to thank everyone who brought food and donated money to the appeal. We are still putting together our final numbers. We want to thank Thrivent Financial for Lutherans for providing matching funds.

See you on Sunday!

Pastor Tart

weekly video

Weekly Email for Oct 19

If you would like to make an online contribution to the ministry and mission of Peace go to. Contribute to Peace

 

To my fellow travelers on the way to God’s great upward call:

 

This Sunday we hear in our Gospel story about two “political parties” attempting to entrap Jesus with a gotcha kind of question about whether to pay takes to the emperor or not. Jesus in brilliant fashion sees through their hypocrisy and changes the issue to one of seeing the broadness of God’s reign. “Give to the emperor what is the emperor’s and to God what is God’s”, he says. All belongs to God and God, even the emperor. God’s reign can even use the mighty emperor to do God’s will.

I hope that all of you are planning to vote and remember that no matter who wins, God is sovereign.

This Sunday we will begin the ministry of anointing of oil for those seeking healing.  This will happen at the 11:00 service and will continue for the foreseeable future. If you would like to be a part of this healing ministry contact Robin, our worship coordinator.

This week we will have three funerals on Friday, Robert Clayton’s father, Leroy; George Bauer,  and Doyle Wells.  I will be presiding at Leroy’s funeral.  We want to keep their loved ones  in our prayers.

We will be continuing with our collection for  Show we Care through the end of this month. Please bring non perishables to the narthex or make a cash donation.

We will be hosting an inquiry meeting this Sunday for anyone interested in Peace Lutheran. Be sure to invite your friends. A meal will be served.

On Sunday, Oct 26 we will be celebrating Reformation Sunday and are inviting everyone to wear Red this Sunday to symbolize the burning the fire of the Spirit in the Gospel. We will have potluck and showing of the Martin Luther Movie following the service.

ON this Sunday the 8:30 service will begin learning a new liturgy, “Now the Feast and Celebration”  Spirit of Peace will continue to lead the service.

We are in the planning for 2009 and are putting together our spending plan for next year. If you have some projects that need funds for 2009 please give your budget to Kenny Sanders by Oct 31.

Your third quarter statements should be mailed next week

Sympathy to Family and Friends of Doyle Wells

Doyle passed away this morning. A graveside services will be at 2:00 at Grandview Cemetary on Spencer

Bauer Memorial Service

George's memorial servcie will be Friday at 1:00 at Faith Lutheran, 4600 Bellaire. 

Sympathy to the family and friends of George Bauer

George passed away early Sunday Morning.  His arrangements are still pending.  He and his wife, Joyce,  were longtime members of Park Place Lutheran and  had joined Peace.  They had recently transferred to Faith Lutheran in Bellaire because of living arrangements.  We will post to the blog and send out a phone tree message as soon as we know of the time and place of the memorial service. George was a great man of faith and  a lover of God's church. Pastor Tart

Leadership Conference has been postponed

I received an email yesterday that the leadership conference for this coming Friday and Saturday has been postponed due to the effects of Hurricane Ike. They are encouraging congregations to participate in the global mission festival at Living Word Lutheran. 

Pastor Tart

Leadership Conference

It is still not too late to attend this synod wide event to bring our syond's lay leadership together for a day of working together to improve the life of our congregations. If you would like to attend, call the church office. I am encouraging our leadership in particular to attend. It will be fun and you will be inspired. For more information go to http://www.gulfcoastsynod.org/FallLeadershipConference.htm

Pastor Tart

Show We Care

“SHOW WE CARE”

So far we have collected some food and about $1000.00 toward this effort to help others. 

Continuing through October 19^th, our congregation will be collecting items for Pasadena Community Ministries to help those people in our community who were left without essential items following Hurricane Ike.

• Non-perishable food items
• Baby food and formula                       
• Diapers/baby wipes
• Personal Hygiene items

 

You can bring your items during the week or on Sunday.

Money to purchase needed items is also welcome. Please make your check payable to Peace Lutheran Church and in the memo section write “Peace Disaster Fund.”  

You can also make a contribution through our website at Welcometopeace.com 

Weekly Email

Now even if you can’t attend on Sunday you can continue to financially support the life giving work done in our congregation.  This service is available on our new website, http://welcometopeace.com   You can also go directly to this site to make a contribution to Peace using our secure online transfer system by clicking on this link Contribute to Peace

This Sunday the lectionary presents to us the story of the King’s whose invitation is rejected by those who were supposed to come and whose invitation was accepted by those who had no right to be on the invitation list. The title of my sermon is “Life on the D List” and I will be talking about the great hospitality of God that welcomes those who have no right to be included. God’s great invitation is for all. Thus you and I need to extend the invitation to all and be about the work of messengers of this great Gospel of grace. I look forward to sharing this with you.

Thanks to Pastor Gary Morgan-Gohlke for presiding and preaching this past Sunday. I have heard all went extremely well. We are most fortunate to have him and his wife, Carol,  as members of Peace.

We have some important happenings at Peace.

            On next Sunday, Oct 19 at our 11:00 service during communion we will be offering a healing ministry by inviting those who wish to have the ritual of anointing. This ministry is not about invoking a ‘supernatural’ healing, but to affirm God’s spiritual, emotional and physical healing in our lives. We hope that this will become a ‘station of comfort’ for you.  On this Sunday we will also have an inquiry meeting for all those interested in Peace.  If you would like to learn more or have a friend who might be interested, invite them to this meal and conversation.

            On Sunday Oct 26 will be Reformation Sunday and we invite everyone to wear red. We will also be celebration first communion and those who have completed communion instruction.  We will also be having a potluck and watching a movie about Martin Luther in the fellowship hall.   We will also begin learning a new liturgy at the 8:30 service by Marty Haugen called, “Now the Feast and Celebration” This service is very popular in many churches and we look forward to “Spirit of Peace” teaching us this uplifting music.

            We will have an Education Ministry Workshop on Oct 25 from 8:30-12:00.This is open to everyone interested in improving our Christian education for Adults and Children.  Please come if you can.

            Of course, begin looking forward to the Bazaar on November 1.  It promises to be a lot of fun.

See you on Sunday,

Pastor Tart

Sympathy to families of Ron Smith and Leroy Clayton

Our sympathy to the family of Dr. Ron Smith on his sudden passing from this life to the next.  Visitation of family will be at Fairmont Funeral home on Fairmont Parkway on Wednesday from 5:00-7:00pm  with a memorial service on Thursday at 11:00 at Peace.  He is survived by his wife Janey, sons: Ronny, Kevin and Erik. 

Sympathy to the family of Leroy Clayton, the father of Robert Clayton.  A memorial service is pending next Friday. Services are through Earthman Funeral Home on Kirkwood. 

weekly email for Oct 5

For a list of upcoming activities go to http://www.mychurchevents.com/calendar/calendar.aspx?ci=G1K5L6N8L6I3N8

 

Be sure to check out the new welcome to peace website http://welcometopeace.com

You will find six buttons to access the site.

1.    About Peace-on this page you will find a description of our beliefs, history, ministries, and staff.

2.    Visiting Peace- on this page visitors can find a map, contact information, and descriptions of our worship and education ministries.

3.    News and Activities-on this page people can find our interactive calendar, newsletter, weekly news, and blog link. 

4.    Peace Connection-on this page people can connect to each other and Peace through the blog and can sign up for our weekly email. Eventually this page will grow with other ways to connect with people and our community.

5.    Online Learning-on this page people can engage in online education. We have a special Martin Luther Quiz, Life of Jesus and a picture tour of Jerusalem. More will follow

6.    Contribute to Peace. On this page you can make a financial gift to Peace using a credit or debit card or by having funds transferred from your account. It is manage by Vanco Services, an online financial management service that provides secure and reliable financial transfers for congregations.  Eventually people will also be able to volunteer for ministries.

The website is a wonderful place for you to stay connected to the congregation even when you are not attending Sunday Services. Make it one of your favorites.

The blog will become even more useful and I hope that you will go there to find out what is happening. You can even make a comment.

On October 18 our synod will have a Leadership Conference at Covenant Lutheran Church in Houston. Go tohttp://www.gulfcoastsynod.org/FallLeadershipConference.htm  This conference is open to all members of our congregation. Please go to this link to see examples of the great workshops that are available. The cost is $10.00 and I am sure you will enjoy it. I and others are planning on attending. Call the church office or email me if you want to go.

 On reformation Sunday our 8:30 service will be introducing a new Marty Haugen Service, "Now the Feast and Celebration" that we think you will enjoy. Spirit of Peace will continue to provide their wonderful musical support.  This service is enjoyed in many churches throughout  America.

 See you Sunday!

 

Pastor Tart

 

First Communion Classes Begin On Sunday:  All students ready for instruction in First Communion (we suggest 3^rdgrade or higher) are invited to attend classes every Sunday at 1:00 p.m. on October 5^th, 12^th and 19^th. We will bake bread on Saturday, October 25^th at the church kitchen at 10:00 a.m., and the children will receive their first Communion on October 26^th, Reformation Sunday, at the service that their families normally attend.

Missing A Dish?:  We’re trying to clean out the kitchen to get ready for our Bazaar. There are quite a few containers on the counter by the microwave. If you’re missing one, please be sure to stop by the fellowship hall to see if yours is there.

Cooking Retreat at Lutherhill:          Date: October 24-26            Cost: $150.00 per person

Cooking’s not just for women anymore! Join us for a refreshing weekend that will positively affect your personal health and nurture your spirit. Enjoy a fall getaway with new friends, new recipes and new ideas!

For more information or to register, contact Lutheran Hill Ministries at 888-266-4613 or visit the website atwww.lutherhill.org. Online registration is available.

 

“SHOW WE CARE”

Continuing through October 19^th, our congregation will be collecting items for Pasadena Community Ministries to help those people in our community who were left without essential items following Hurricane Ike.

• Non-perishable food items
• Baby food and formula                       
• Diapers/baby wipes
• Personal Hygiene items

 

You can bring your items during the week or on Sunday.

Money to purchase needed items is also welcome. Please make your check payable to Peace Lutheran Church and in the memo section write “Peace Disaster Fund.”  

You can also make a contribution through our website at Welcometopeace.com 

Let’s show how much we care!

weekly email for Sept 28

I am back in the pulpit this Sunday following a wonderful sermon by Jan Woodard. Everyone loved it and we are grateful for her sharing of her faith and her message about the centrality of God's grace.  This Sunday I will be preaching on the parable of the two sons working in the vineyard. I will be preaching about how God wants not words of mercy, but deeds of mercy. We have seen these deeds of mercy in our church as we continue to respond to Ike. Thanks to all the people who continue to show hospitality and service.

This Sunday, at the 11:00 service, we will commission Stephen's Ministers and celebrate the baptisms of Conner Hill and his mother Christi Hill.  Christi is the wife of Alan Hill, a member,  and daughter-in-law of Donny and Carolyn Hill. What a wonderful Sunday it will be.

Yesterday we hosted about 60 pastors and lay leaders in a meeting to gather the leadership of our synod.  We heard from Lutheran Social Service and Lutheran Disaster Relief.  The plan for the hurricane response is still unfolding. Both of these organizations missions are to work at restoring the whole area and not specifically Lutheran congregations and members.  Thus, in terms of rebuilding our congregations and membership, this will be done by the local congregations with synod and church wide assistance. So if you have passion for rebuilding the area, give to LSS and LDR. If you have a passion for rebuilding congregations and their membership, give to Peace or to the synod disaster fund.  We have started a Disaster Fund at Peace and will be chartering a team to administer it at our council meeting this Sunday.  This fund will give direct aid to members who have been affected by the storm. We will also use the fund to give direct help to our area.  More details will emerge after our council leadership has decided the charter.

Anyone who has damage needs to register with FEMA. It is the gateway to help.

Here is our response so far to the hurricane

1.  We are trying to contact all the membership. This is difficult given everyone's schedules.  We may not be successful due to a lot of factors. If you did not get a phone call, it was just because you were not home or unavailable. Please know that we do care and let us know how you are doing.  We have Hurricane Ike report forms for you to fill out.  We also have the hurricane Ike Forum board in the narthex.

2.  We are establishing prayer partners for all who have been hard hit by the storm. This is to make sure that they know they are not alone.

3.  We are in the process of repairing the roof and leaks.  An insurance adjuster has inspected our building and we are waiting for his report. We are continuing with our refinancing.

4.  Our leadership voted to open two of our upstairs classrooms to hosting volunteer work groups from outside churches.  Word is that portable showers from the Women of the North Carolina Synod may be on its way here. LDR will be administering this program and we are not sure when volunteers will be arriving.  We will be providing the site only. They will take care of food and transportation.

5.  We hosted a meeting of area pastors and church leaders on Wednesday. Bishop Rinehart was here (see thank you below). Our head bishop of the ELCA, Mark Hanson called to greet us and to encourage us.  Many thanks to Ruth Petty and Mary Nell Wallace for hosting the refreshments.

6.  We had a community prayer service on Wednesday for encouragement, comfort and peace.  Bishop Rinehart was part of the service and it went extremely well. Thanks to Cindy Stange, Ruth Petty, Lin Peterson and Anne Joilibois for hosting.

7.  We are in the process of creating work groups to help people clean up their homes. Wayne and Anne Joilibois are leading this effort. If you would like a work group, contact the church office. If you want to help, contact the church office. We will get you in touch with the leadership.

8.  We have postponed our Appeal and the Pony Express. Our Appeal team is meeting this next week to evaluate the next step. 

9.  We have changed the "Show We Care" to an appeal for people to bring non-perishable goods and health products to the church for the next 4 Sundays.  We also are asking for monetary donations.  This is an opportunity to show our compassion for others.  The food will be distributed through Pasadena Community Assistance Ministries. The money will go into the Peace Disaster Fund.

Oktoberfest Tickets: Sunday is the last day to buy your Oktoberfest tickets. The Oktoberfest will be on Saturday, October 4^th at 5:00 p.m. at the Lyondell Recreation Hall. Tickets are $12.00/person. See Ruth Petty to purchase your tickets.

Crop Walk: On October 5^th, 2:00 p.m. at Crenshaw Park in Pasadena, dozens of Pasadena-area churches will unite for the Crop Walk. Sponsored walkers will walk either 1 mile, 5k or 10k to raise money and awareness for hunger. 25% of the funds raised will remain in Pasadena with the Pasadena Community Ministries which our church already supports with monthly food drives.  The rest of the funds support Church World Service and its hunger programs worldwide.  Last year, Pasadena had over 100 walkers and raised over $14,000.  Thrivent also matched funds raised.  This year we are hoping to have both youth and adults walking from Peace Lutheran.  It is a truly exciting day to participate with all the other churches and enjoy live music and the beauty of Crenshaw Park.  If you would like to walk or sponsor a walker, please contact David Booher or Martha Digges. 

The Men’s Brotherhood: Our next meeting will be held on Saturday, October 4^th at 11:00 a.m. We’ll have lunch at La Chine Chinese Restaurant, 10904 Scarsdale Blvd., Suite #230, Houston 77089. Gentlemen, bring your “better half” and join us! For directions or questions, call Weldon Wilkerson at (713) 941-1184.

See you on Sunday, Pastor Tart

Ike 5

Weekly Email for Sunday Sept 21

To my fellow called servants of our Lord Jesus Christ,
What a week we have had, full of fear, joy, great compassion, service, sadness, but, most of all, thankfulness. No one suffered injury from the storm. Many sustained only minor damage and loss of power. It seems that roofs, trees and fences took the brunt of the damage, though a significant number suffered from collapsed ceilings and flooded homes. We are busy trying to contact people to find out how they are doing. You know that we are here if you need assistance. I have been praying for you and asking God to continue to protect us and draw us closer.
Here is the latest.

We were a shelter for the Red Cross, Mon-Thursday. We have moved all of our guests to the Bayshore Baptist church on Spencer due to them having larger and better facilities. Our main objective was to give the Red Cross time to find a place more suitable for people. This happened. We did our duty and we did it well. I want to thank all of those who came to serve and who answered the call. We especially want to thank Lin Peterson and Anne Joibois for co-leading the effort. We have many new friends and stories to tell.

Now we move into Peace’s response. Our council will meet this Sunday afternoon to discuss what we are going to do. We will let you know what we decide as soon as we can. We will be looking to replace the roof that was damaged. We may also have to replace carpet that sustained water damage.

Sunday Services will continue with Sunday School as usual. We will have confirmation this Sunday. All activities will continue as planned for next week.
We will have a community prayer service this Wednesday at 7:00pm. Bishop Rinehart will be with us.
We will have hot dinner at 5:00 on Sunday for those without power and those just looking for fellowship. Ruth Petty is cooking so it should be good. The fellowship will also be great.

Jan Woodard will be preaching this Sunday as scheduled. I have been discussing her sermon with her and look forward to hearing it. I will be presiding. We will continue with the Women of Peace thank offering Sunday. There will be no inquiry dinner because of confusion.

The senior high youth will meeting Friday, Sept 19 at Peace from 6-10 for a meal, fellowship, movie and or games.

Congratulations to Jacob and Megan Troutman on the birth of a daughter, McKenzie Kay on Sept 18, Proud grandparents are Tom and Andie Troutman.

See you Sunday!
Pastor Tart

Ike video 4

Important News

Due to the desperate need for shelter, we now have become as of this evening a Red Cross Emergency Shelter. This will be only temporary. We anticipate being a shelter through Saturday morning. We need volunteers to be hosts and hostesses. We need at least 2 people on site at all times. There will be a Red Cross Team of six who will manage the site. We are most grateful for Lin Peterson, Joann Hutton, and Ann Joilbois for coordinating this effort. We also have others coming to ready our facility. We are expecting 75 people to be housed in the upstairs of the Education Building and the Fellowship Hall. Due to this need all activities at Peace have been canceled through Saturday. Sunday we will have our planned schedule. If you would like to help, contact Lin Peterson at 281-476-0632. Pastor Tart

Peace Has Power

I like the title for this post. Yes, we do have electric power and Internet at the church. Yesterday we emptied the freezers and refrigerators so if anyone needs cold space, please call the church office. Our offices will open this morning. If you need a place to cool off, we are also available.
I am going to spend much of my day driving around visiting homes and taking pictures. If you need me call my cell or church office.
Lots of our members have lost roofs and fences. We are beginning to absorb the shock of the event. There is anxiety about work and funding repairs. I want to encourage everyone to remember that "you are not alone". We will all get through this. The is a great time to be the church of grace and hope.
Pastor Tart

Ike Video post 3

Ike post 4

We had services this morning and were blessed by the sharing and centering ourselves on the Word and Sacrament. Thanks to John Woodard and Martha for the music ministry. We handed out crosses as a reminder of the love of God and heard our challenge to bear the cross to those around us. The people who attended the 11:00 picked up most of the shingles that have come off the roof. (Listen to my podcast for a description of the damage).
The church still does not have power, but because my apartment complex is next to the HEB I have power and internet. This will help in communication to those with the same, but I do realize that those without will have difficult time.
Our church is giving serious consideration to a relief organization that will bring truck load of supplies for us to distribute. The truck should be here by Thursday.
I will keep you informed. If you would like to help, call me on my cell. At this point we are canceling activities through Tuesday. We hope to have power back on by then. Check on Wednesday for the latest.
Pastor Tart

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Ike post 3

The church is secure. Thanks to Marilyn Seich, Sandy Smyrl, and Judy Griffin for making sure our records are safe and the building and equipment are protected as possible. We collected some water for us to use on Sunday.
We will still have services as planned, but no activities. This includes confirmation. Pending the results of the storm, we will publish the next weeks activities on this blog. We also hope to do a phone tree. All depends on power.
I remind you to stay safe and to check on each other. Stay in prayer and let the peace of Christ keep you sane during the uncertainty.
God Bless!
Pastor Tart

Ike Video Post 2

Ike Post 2

A group of us are meeting at 9:00am tomorrow morning to secure the church building. If you would like to help, please come. We should be done in an hour or two. Pastor Tart

Comments about how you are doing

Please make comments about how you are coping with the storm. You can do this by clicking on the comments line under this post. Let us know where you are going if you are evacuating.

Ike post 1

Subject: Hurricane Ike preparations
Okay, Ike seems heading our way or at least near us. I am confident that you have been informed about the evacuations. Please heed our leaders’ guidance. The key to getting through these kinds of situations is to work together.
The staff has begun enacting our disaster plan. Here are some important information.
1. Communication: I will post to our website, welcometopeace.com information. We will be doing a phone tree today for those without web access. We will also be putting information on our phone answering machine in the office. I will be directing you to our Blog that will be linked to our website. On the blog you can post comments and questions. If you evacuate, contact the church office or post to the blog. If we lose phone service and electricity, communication will be posted on the office door.
2. Care for People: The church is here to help you. If you feel you need to leave your home, I urge you to go to a relative, friend or an approved shelter. They have the resources to sustain you through the uncertainty of the next week. If you would like to ride out the storm at the church, contact me at 713-992-0915. This is an option for you, but remember we are not equipped with relief supplies. So if you do come, bring water, sleeping stuff, non-perishable food, and clothes with you. We will not take any flammable things inside the church. I am not leaving and will be staying at either my apartment at The Park on Fairmont (6060 Fairmont Parkway #15208, next to the HEB by the church) or the church. Care for our people is our first priority at Peace. If you need help, contact me or the church office.
3. Care for our property: The staff is securing records and items as the disaster plan indicates. We will do our best.
4. Spiritual Care: We will be having services no matter what at Peace on Sunday at regular service times (Be sure to bring your cross). Because of the Saturday landfall, we do not have time to communicate a change in service times. This is important: Due to the uncertainty of Sunday, we are canceling Sunday School for this Sunday. I am encouraging all of us to be in prayer and use our spiritual resources to find calm. Remember the most important response to storms is to find a sense of calm so that you can make good decisions. God is a mighty source of strength. I urge you to read Psalm 46 and hear its message. Be the eye of the storm not the swirling winds and waves. If you need pastoral care, call me or the church office
5. Remember you are not alone. One of the great and wonderful blessings of following Christ is that we have our God’s help and we have each other. Peace is wonderful community of caring people and we will help each other and our neighbors. If you see an opportunity for ministry to others, do it. Call your church members and check in with them.

6. Helpful hints:

a. Do your laundry and then fill up your washing machine with water. Use this water for non-potable purposes.
b. Turn your refrigerator and freezer to lowest settings. After you lose power tape the door shut for added insulation and sealing
c. Be sure to fill up containers with water, including bathtubs
d. Fully charge your cell phone and turn it off when you are not using it. Check periodically for voice messages.
e. Most importantly have a positive attitude and look for solutions instead of dwelling on problems.

Ike Video Cast 1

Weekly video for Aug 24

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Confirmation Camp 2008 - Day 3

Confirmation Camp 2008 - Day 2

Confirmation Camp 2008 - Day 1

Lutherhill Live for Thursday

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Live From Lutherhill for Tuesday

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Live from Lutherhill for Monday

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podcast for June 15

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post for June 8th, Pentecost 3

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Weekly audio for April 6, Easter 3

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Weekly Podcast for Sunday March 30

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Weekly podcast for Peace Lutheran Pasadena, TX

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Palm Sunday, March 16 podcast by Pastor Tart

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a message for you

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test utter

test cast

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Weekly email for March 3

For an audio version click on the main link or the mp3 link below. This should activate your audio player.

Hope all is going well with you and yours.
Congratulations to Bryan & Lindsay Lina on the birth of their son, Dylan, on February 26th. Tom & Caren Lina are the proud grandparents. In case you have not heard, Sandee Benninghoff (now Page) has resigned as Director of Worship due to working full time at San Jacinto College. She has been a faithful and dedicated worker. We are grateful for her service. She will continue to help with Worship as a member and we are grateful for her continual help.

The council voted to create an interim worship assistant coordinator to recruit, train and schedule our worship assistants. This should be a big help. We have a prospective candidate that is nearing an announcement. We should know something by this Sunday.

This Sunday we hear in worship the wonderful story of Jesus healing the blind man. His story challenges our own blindness to God’s grace and mercy in our lives and the lives of others. The title of my sermon is “Seeing What the Blind Man Saw”. Hopefully the Spirit will move you to see the implications of God’s grace in your life. God’s Grace, indeed, opens eyes. I know it has mine.

Our Lenten journey only has two more Wednesdays left. Both the 12:30 and 7:00 services have been well attended, and people are enjoying the fellowship and prayer. This coming Wednesday the theme is “The Eyes of Christ”. When Jesus looks at us, what does he see?

Holy Week begins with Sunday of the Passion (Palm) on March 16. We will have a healing service on Wednesday, March 19 at 7:00 p.m. in addition to Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. The healing service is for all who seek comfort, not just physical, but spiritual and emotional comfort as well. This is open to all.

We also have open cottage meetings in April the dates are:
April 3 - 7:00 p.m. April 5 - 10:00 a.m. April 6 - 6:00 p.m. April 8 - 7:00 p.m. April 10 - 7:00 p.m.
If you haven’t attended a cottage meeting, please attend one of these. Email Judy at jgriffin@welcometopeace.com and let her know which one you can attend.

Looking forward to seeing you on Sunday! Be sure to greet others when you come.

Grace and Peace,
Pastor Tart


The Parish Life Committee has begun working on a new Pictorial Directory here at Peace, and will be setting up appointments to have your family picture taken during the month of March. Please be sure and sign up in the narthex on Sunday. Thank you in advance for making this a big success for all of us.

The 30 Hour Famine: Our annual fast/service project/lock-in is coming up soon – March 7-8. This year we’ll be participating in the Fast with other Lutheran youth groups around Houston. It’s not too late to start raising money to fight world hunger! Contact David Booher ASAP.