For 18th Sunday after Pentecost,

September 26, 2010

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

Be sure to check out our website http://welcometopeace.com

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.

We invite you to become a friend of Peace on the Peace Facebook webpage. Facebook is an online social networking site that helps communities of friends stay connected on an on-going basis. The cost is free. Facebook is a lot fun and you will enjoy the connections. You will need a Facebook account to join. Go to http://facebook.com for more information and search Facebook for Peace Lutheran Church, Pasadena Texas. We look forward to you joining.

This Sundays Events

Sunday's Sermon
This Sunday we will be hearing the story of Lazarus and the rich man http://www.textweek.com/yearc/properc21.htm A very powerful and hard hitting story about seeing the poverty around us and reaching out with love and compassion.. The title of my sermon is "Bridging the Gap".

We will be receiving new members this Sunday and are rejoicing over their enthusiasm of our community and desire to join us in gathering, proclaiming and serving.

We will also be showing appreciation to our worship leaders and musicians this Sunday. We also continue to invite all the members of peace to engage in this ministry. We have so many openings for service. Please try it, you might like it.

Other News..................
New Administrator Begins Monday, October 4th (changed due to complications of schedule).

We welcome Bernadette Anderson to our staff. We are excited about her addition to our ministry and look forward to her gifts. She will be working 30 hours per week with flexible scheduling due to our expectations.

Journeying Faithfully Together: Human Sexuality and the ELCA
It has been a year since our church voted to allow a congregation to call a minister who is in a same sex publicly accountable relationships. I know that people in our congregation and community have some lingering resentments because of this decision and think that the ELCA is losing a moral compass. I have heard this and I totally respect a person's right to have and share their feelings, opinions and thoughts. I don't think someone else has to be wrong in order for me to be right. I, however, hope and pray that our community will stay focused not on laws of conduct, but on the bigger question of how we might lift the burdens of others and invite them to live lives of dignity and grace. Say what you will about this decision, but it is obvious to me that allowing such ministers is lifting a burden off those who for many years struggled with accepting who they are and loving who they want. The decision is allowing congregations that dearly love their minister the freedom for him or her to serve them with the good gifts of the Gospel.

I am very saddened by those who seek to disassociate over this decision or any policy or social statement of the church. I think such a decision to separate or not support helps no one to grow. Thus, on Tuesdays at 7:00 pm I am inviting all who struggle with this issue to come to Peace and join in weekly study of human sexuality that will include study of homosexuality and the ELCA policy. The approach to such issues is not polarization, but study, prayer, reflection and open minded dialog.

We have about 10 of us who are meeting in the upstairs conference room.

Here are the downloads in preparation for the study. This week we will be doing session 2 on Part One.

Talking Together As Christians about tough social issues

Journeying Faithfully Together: Part One, ELCA Studies on Sexuality

Journeying Faithfully Together: Part Two, The Church and Homosexuality

September Is Worship Servants Recruitment Month
We have been blessed with some very faithful servants who give tirelessly to make sure that our worship services happen. Their numbers have dwindled and we have a huge opportunity for you to share in the fun and joy of serving God's people. We have openings for ushers, readers, assisting ministers, acolytes, crucifers, communion servers. This is a great place to plug into our community.

You can sign up on Sunday morning or online at Worship Servant Sign up.

We are also recruiting for the new "Choir of Peace", a group that gathers on Sunday morning at 8:30am for rehearsal and then performs at the 9:45 service. They also can provide special music for the 11:00 service. For information and to offer your voice to leading the people of God, contact Martha Digges.

On Sunday, September 26 after the 11:00 am service in the fellowship hall, we are going to have a dinner to welcome everyone and thank them for serving others with the great gift of the Gospel.

Thank You’s
Thanks to the 4 people who attended the forum on the ELCA.. We had a great discussion.

Wednesday Morning Bible Study
The Wednesday Bible Study group meets at 10:00 am with our study of other religions. We will be studying Buddhism this next Wednesday. We meet in the upstairs conference room. Everyone is welcome!

Pastoral Care Notes
Bill Cook: Memorial Hermann IMU. Severely injured in motorcycle accident
Julius Worley: Bayshore
Dale Taggart continues his treatment for cancer
Jason Elliott continues his treatment for cancer.

Our Christian sympathy to Don & Janette Knutson on the death of Don’s aunt (Shirley Webb) on Wednesday afternoon.

See you Sunday!
Pastor Tart

We are having to replace the air conditioning unit in the first floor of the education building. Cost is roughly $18,000. Please consider increasing you gifts to cover this cost.

Plus, our offerings in September have been low. We need to all increase our offering so that our community may continue to engage in mission and ministry. Thank you!

General Operating Fund deposits for September 12th:
9-05-10 $10,895.50
9-12-10 $6,381.50
9-19-10 $5662.84

To meet our budgeted income, we need $10,673 a week.
Overview of actual vs. estimated income for 2010:

Actual Estimated

January $44,549 $53,365 (five Sundays)
February $41,879 $42,692
March $41,563 $42,692
April $42,518 $42,692
May $45,594 $53,365 (five Sundays)
June $36,092 $42,692
July $33,586 $42,692
August $42,457 $53,365 (five Sundays)
September
October
November
December

Designated deposits for January 3rd through September 12th:
Adult Education $70
Building Fund (Mortgage) $13,652
Building Maintenance $200
Building Rental Fee $50
Fair Trade Coffee $502
Good Samaritan $128
Habitat for Humanity $1,340
Haiti Relief Fund $1,390
Labyrinth $852.25
Loose Offering $6,343.17
Lutherhill Camp Registration $170
Memorial Fund $5,371
Office Supplies $30
Parish Life (free-will offering 4th July) $220
Pasadena Community Ministries $4,057.7
Pasadena Faith in Action $130
Pastor Discretionary Fund $250
Pony Express $660
Ruth Petty Kitchen Fund $1,490
Sheet Music $940
Souper Bowl $454.70
Sound System $7,005
Sunday School $340.65
Telephone Refund $174.40
TX/LA Gulf Coast Synod $5,800
Vacation Bible School $518
Wedding Deposit $550
World Hunger $170
Youth Expense/Confirmation $684.90
Youth Education/Concert $464
Youth Mission Trip $30

August Financial Numbers:
Actual Income $335,605 Estimated Income $370,000
Actual Expenses $368,670 Budgeted Expenses $370,000
Income vs. Expense ($33,065) deficit
YTD Expense Breakdown:
YTD Actual YTD Budget
Salaries $154,532 $180,003
Administrative $30,363 $21,698
Mortgage $98,624 $98,624
Insurance $16,928 $14,933
Utilities $26,916 $24,600
Property $28,213 $21,400
Education $3,102 $1,333
Parish Life $451 $500
Stewardship $1,757 $1,333
Worship $6,264 $2,667
Music $185 $333
Youth $1,134 $1,000

From The Youth Director
Wow, this past weekend was super busy. We had a great time bowling together on Friday with our Senior High and Young Adults, we rocked out on Saturday learning about our spiritual gifts with the Junior High, and had our first communion instruction and guided our 4-5 year olds in their journey with understanding the importance of worship and the church calendar! I can not say thanks enough for our youth, our parents, and our adult sponsors that helped out with making these events possible.

Reflecting on the previous weekend, I found myself pondering, “Where does God come to you?” With our Jr. High students, we talked about how God can speak to us through music that is on the radio. For Sr. High and our Young Adults, we found God talking to us through sports and through each other. Finally for our children, it is through our parents and our traditions. But where else does God come to us? So this week I challenge our families and youth to look at their days and see where does God communicate with you?

God Bless,
Ben Remmert, Dir. of Youth and Family Ministry
281-468-4686
benr@welcometopeace.com

C.R.O.P. Walk 2010
WE NEED SOME SPONSORS (OCTOBER 6)! Now we are looking for sponsors to help sour walkers raise money for Pasadena Community Ministry and Church World services to fight hunger, poverty at home and around the world. But I need some help in raising money for me! If you would like to cheer me on (or you want to walk with me) I will be walking at Rotary Pavilion Crenshaw Park on Sunday October 10th at 1:30 pm. So if you are interested in helping, please contact Ben Remmert.

Young Adult Chillin’ Date Change After Oct.31
Calling all young adults ages 18-26 years old! Do you need a time where you can leave your worries from school and work to relax, sit, get some great food, and have a great time for fellowship? Then you should come to our “Chillin” events where we meet at Peace Lutheran Church at 7:30 pm where we have time to catch up on the week and decide together as a group on the activity for the night with a light devotional. Check out our church bulletin, youth board, or our facebook page for more information!

Sr. High and Jr. High Youth Group Date Change For Sr. High Youth Group After Oct. 31!
We are going to change the date of our Sr. High Youth Group because the week is busy for our youth who are in sports, academic clubs, or just need the Wednesday night to spend time with the family. For Jr. High youth group, we will continue to meet at Peace Lutheran Church at 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm right before Confirmation, but Sr. High will meet on Sunday at 3:00-4:30 pm at Peace Lutheran after October 31 For sr. high, I encourage you to bring an item that we can snack on as we do our fellowship together. There will be more announcements and information on the youth board, church bulletin, and our facebook page!

Next Sports Ministry Meeting- October 17th, 2:00 pm!
Every third Sunday of the Month at 2:00 PM, we will meet at Peace Lutheran for some time to come together to play. For October, we will continue to play some softball in the field behind our church. We are hoping to make this a new ministry here at Peace so please, if you are interested or curious about events happening in our community, please sign-up in the Narthex with your contact information or contact Ben Remmert.

First Communion Classes
On Sunday at 1:00 PM we are going to continue our communion celebration for our youth as we begin by discussing the important elements of communion where we will make our communion chalice and bread plate. We will bake bread and be stomping on grapes on Saturday, October 2 at the church kitchen at 10:00 am, and the children will receive their Communion on October 3 at 11:00 service.

Milestone Ministry- Worship And Church Calendar (4-5 Year Olds): Today At 11:00 Service!
On Sunday at 11:00 am Worship Service all the 4-5 year olds and their families will be blessed by our congregation as our 4-5 year olds continue their celebration of this important milestone with their families and also will be presented with a reminder of this milestone for their families. Last week, we discussed the purpose of worship and the church calendar. Here are the kids that are being recognized.

Andrew Berry         Morgan Baughman
Sara Beck               Trenton Blair
Ben Chicoria           Brady Casas
Jacob Craft             Nathan Cordero
William Glazener     Elise Hagemeister
Kiera Hance           Caleb Herod
Drew Holland         Ethan Hughes
Brody Lambert       Camryn Leslie
Nadeem Mashraqi  Nimat Mashraqi
Joshua Menn          Marissa Papich
William Regan        Aidan Purgason
Rowan Svetlik       Kristina Troutman

If there are any corrections, please contact Ben Remmert so we can update our records!

Sr. High- Haunted House Tour October 23rd, 6:00 Pm
Halloween is here! Go through any Wal-Mart, Hobby Lobby, or Target and you can already see the costumes, the candy, and the decorations. But for our Senior High, we are going to be going on a Haunted House tour. We will meet at the church first for a light devotion and meal and then go through some haunted houses. We will meet at 6:00 pm and meet back at church at 12:00 am. Cost is $40 dollars.

October 9th, 9:00 am-5 pm:
Oktoberfest at the Renaissance Festival. We Have Bought Our Tickets!
What Are We Lutherans if we do not celebrate our biggest German holiday. The Renaissance Festival on its opening weekend is having an Oktoberfest themed day where there are over 200 performances, hundreds of gifts stands, plenty of German foods, and also polka and yodeling contests. We have a total of 14 that have signed up so I have already bought our tickets! So the plan is to meet at Peace Lutheran at 8:00 am and carpool to the Renaissance Festival and leave at 3:00 pm to come back to Peace. Cost will be $12 per adult, $6 for children for this event for those that have signed up. We will be collecting money now until October 6th. Please make your checks payable to Peace Lutheran Church and write “Oktoberfest” in the memo section.

Next Parent Huddle Time: October 2, 7:00 Pm
You asked for it so here it is! It’s a time where our parents can meet with the youth director and share how our ministry together is going. Every Third Thursday of the month, I am asking for parents and youth to come together where we can share together. This is also a time where we discuss future events. We had our first huddle in September and had great discussions. This huddle, we will continue our discussions of the Christmas Pageant, Confirmation, and Sr. High Summer Trip. There will also be a time for us to come together in devotion where we explore our faith together. I would love to have our parents and youth at these meetings so we can build further on our community together!

Next Milestone: “10 Commandments” October 17th
Just to give a head start in October, our next milestone celebration is going to be for our 1st and 2nd graders where we are going to talk about the 10 Commandments and how they are still important to our lives today. We will also spend the time making our own commandments to help us remember them in our everyday lives. On October 24th, we will recognize our families and offer them a reminder of their milestone at our 11:00 service. So if you’re interested, please contact Ben Remmert.

Jr. Hi Gathering at Lutherhill!: Nov. 19-21st
As a teen, challenges are constant. It’s not always easy to remember that you have a firm foundation in God and His Word. Lutherhill is here to show how God’s wisdom and power and love and grace are guiding and protecting you. Lutherhill is opening its doors to all our Jr. High students in our synod to come for the weekend to worship, meet new people all over Texas/Louisiana, small group discussions, open mic night, an ultimate frisbee tournament and so much more. The cost of the event is $160 which includes registration, meals for the weekend, and transportation there. Sign ups are in the Narthex and youth bulletin board. More questions? Contact Ben Remmert.

Reformation Day: Oct. 31 12:30 Pm-3:00 pm
It’s that time of the year! This year at Peace Lutheran Church we are going to celebrate this important Lutheran holiday with a good old fashion Underground Lutheran Gathering where our children are going to be to try and find the reformers around church to find clues to the location of the Lutheran gathering. But be careful as you may run into someone that does not want you to meet with the Reformers. At the end of our large group activity, we are going to close in a camp style worship together. Our Jr. High and Sr. High are invited to trick or treat at 2:00 pm for canned food for the Pasadena Community Ministry. Its going to be a lot of fun and we are asking our youth to wear your Halloween costumes to church. Lunch will be provided! So come one come all!

Lunch Bunch
Parish Life Committee invites you to bring your family and join us for lunch at the Grand Buffet located at 8309 Spencer on Sunday from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm. Any questions on this group, please contact Owen King.

Tellers Needed
One of our tellers has dropped out, so we are in need of a replacement to help count the offering on Sunday morning. You would be counting with another person four times a year. Training will be provided. If you are interested or have any questions please call Joe DeKunder (281) 481-2954 or (281) 269-7255.

Nursery Attendant Wanted
We are seeking to fill a position for a nursery attendant during all three Sunday worship services. If you or someone that you know may be interested please contact Darla Haygood at (713) 986-0502 or (281) 487-7173 or dhaygood@meador.com.

Bazaar News
We need everyone’s help the day of the Bazaar (October16) for this year’s Bazaar to be a success. Look for a sign up sheet on the table in the Narthex. We will continue to sell Raffle Tickets between services. If you have not chosen a tin or plate for Baked Goods please do so. Look for the cart in the Narthex to make your choice. Have a blessed day.

Pasadena Community Ministry Needs
Next Sunday, October 3, we will hold our monthly Food Drive for Pasadena Community Ministries. There is always a big need for cereals, peanut butter and jellies. Monetary donations are always welcome too. Checks should be made payable to Peace Lutheran Church and in the memo section be sure to write “PCM”. Don’t forget the Food Drive is always on going. We deliver food on the Tuesday following the first Monday. Please place food donations on or in the cabinets in the hallway between the narthex and fellowship. Thank you for your continued support.

We will continue to collect clothing in all sizes, but children sizes including shoes are greatly needed. We will have basket or boxes under the large table in the narthex.
Jany

Sarah’s House
Sarah's House is shelter for women who are in crisis and their children. These women have lost their jobs and can't afford housing. Many have to sleep in their cars. Sarah's House provides safe housing for these women and children and with getting the children back in school and rehabilitations and training for the Mothers. Items they are in need of include:

Non-Perishable food items
Cleaning Products
Paper Products (toilet paper, paper towels, Kleenex)
Personal Hygene Items - Toothbrushes, Toothpaste,
Shampoo, Deodorant, etc.

Look for a box in the Narthex under the Parish Life table for your donations. God Bless.

50+ Bus Trip
October 13th - Museum of National History (on Circle Lane) - 9:30 am
Lake Jackson Hatchery (Plantation Street) 11:00 am
(45 minute tour and fish feeding – wear walking shoes, long pants, and mosquito spray)
Lunch at Ryan's

Cost: Program Donation ($3.00) + Lunch Money + FREE. We will leave the church at 8:00 am.

For more information or to register for this trip, please call Virginia (281) 487-4961 or Judy (281) 470-0407. Remember: If you are signed up for a trip and won't be able to go, please call Virginia or Judy and let them know as we have people on waiting lists for our trips that would like to have your spot.

Creative Hands
We are not scheduling a Creative Hands work day/night until after the Bazaar 2010. We will do cards for our special members in October.

For future classes/workshops we are collecting:
-Beads, charms and memory wire and other jewelry makings
-Corks
-Roller Balls from roll on deodorants (or the empty container)
-Artificial carnations and small mums in fall and Christmas colors
-Plastic storage containers shoebox and sweater sizes

These items maybe be placed in the basket under the WOP table. Thanks.

Remember to continue to donate your used toners, and ink cartridges. This saves the environment and helps up purchase our papers, inks and card stock to make cards. Thank you, Creative Hands Ministry

Brotherhood Breakfast
All men of the congregation and guests are invited to join us in the Fellowship Hall on Saturday, October 2nd at 8:00 am for our monthly breakfast. If you have any questions about this group please contact Weldon Wilkerson (713) 941-1184.