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