For Sunday, June 26, 2011
Second Sunday After Pentecost
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.
A Message from Pastor Galen
Come, disciples of our Lord. Jesus sent his 12 disciples out to do the same work he was about - proclaiming the kingdom of heaven, teaching, and healing the hurts of humanity. As Jesus' own disciples today, we listen to our Lord telling us what we must be about, as a church, and as individual Christians. Billy Sunday once said, "Sitting in church doesn't make you a Christian any more than sitting in a garage makes you a car." Like the first disciples of Jesus, we are also sent to do the work of Jesus. Come, let us sit at Jesus' feet, and then let us go in peace to serve the Lord. Advance reading for Sunday: Matthew 10:40-42.
Blessings!
Pastor Galen
Pastoral Concerns
Hospitalized
Pauline Baker – Jacinto City Healthcare
Judy Roese - Tuscany Village Nursing Home
Alice Parker – Kindred Hospital, Pasadena
La Verne Wolff – Kindred Hospital, Pasadena
Millie Rath – Kindred Hospital, Pasadena
Preston Adams- Childrens Memorial Austin
Our Christian sympathy is extended to Ben Remmert and his family on the death of his uncle, David Lott.
Sunday's Events
On Sunday, our newly formed Peace Band will play for us at the 9:45 and 11:00 services.
We practice briefly after the 11:00 service on the 3rd Sundays and play in worship on the 4th Sundays.
The band is open to anyone in Junior High and older who plays a traditional school band instrument. You would be given your music ahead of time and our goal is to play hymns and pieces that are easy for our whole group. Please e-mail Martha Digges at marthadigges@yahoo.com if you are interested.
Registration Deadline for Camp Hope: July 8
Camp Hope this summer is themed as our own circus! Expect an action packed day for our Prek-5th graders which include Bible Stories, crafts, games (indoor & outdoor), songs, & more. Camp Hope is from July 11-15, July 18-22, July 25-29. Registration forms can be found in the church office or the Camp Hope bulletin board in the narthex, PLEASE REGISTER YOUR CHILD SOON SO WE CAN GET AN ACCURATE COUNT FOR SUPPLIES. For more information, please contact Ben Remmert or Camp Manager Jessica Gaul!
Camp Hope & VBS Mentors and Volunteers Sign Ups
There are many ways you can help with Camp Hope and Vacation Bible School this summer: Games mentor, Crafts mentor, Small group leader mentor, or maybe you would like to help behind the scene of these two ministries. If you feel that you are called to help as a volunteer or mentor, please go to our Camp Hope and VBS signs in the narthex to sign up. We hope for these two ministries to be very successful, but only with your help. For more information, please contact Ben Remmert.
Camp Hope and VBS Donations
It’s just around the corner and we are in the beginning process of collecting supplies for these important summer ministries. If you feel so called to, we are asking for supplies such as markers, crayons, paper, scissors, rules, and other classroom supplies to help our staff have a great Camp Hope and VBS. If you have items, please place them under the narthex table in the purple container. For more questions, please contact Ben Remmert.
Congregational Meeting July 17, 2011
In an effort to reduce our current expenditures, the council has discussed, and would like to bring to the congregation the option of refinancing the loan on the facilities. To that end we are calling a special congregational meeting for Sunday, July 17, 2011 immediately following the 11:00 am service. Please mark this on your calendars. We look forward to seeing everyone then.
Parish Life Lunch Bunch
Join us between 11:00 am and 1:00 pm on Sunday for good food and fellowship at Souper Salad on Fairmont. Any questions please contact Owen King.
From the Special Call Committee Prayer Group
When we receive what we ask for in the Lord’s Prayer, we are, in effect, receiving heaven and earth and everything they contain. For when we ask for God’s name to be kept holy, for his kingdom to come, for his will to be done, we are overpowering countless devils and engulfing the whole world with prayer.
–Martin Luther
Remember to thank the Lord for those who serve…the Call Committee, the Pastor the Lord is preparing for service at Peace, Pastor Galen, Ben Remmert, Church Council, all Lay Leaders, and the Office Staff. Also pray for one another. Blessings and Peace from the Call Committee Prayer Team.
As Far As We Can Go
“He was a cowboy from Oklahoma, and his story is familiar to most of us. He had been in Kansas City seeing things he had never even imagined. His eyes had been opened on that visit, and he went back to Oklahoma singing to his friends, ‘Everything’s up to date in Kansas City; they’ve gone about as far as they can go.’
“He then proceeded to describe just how far they had gone. He saw 23 gas buggies on one day, he said. He put his ear to a strange apparatus and heard someone talking. They called it a telephone. He saw a skyscraper seven stories tall, ‘about as high as a building ought to go.’ No wonder, then, that he went back shaking his head in wonder at all those folks in Kansas City who had ‘gone about as far as they could go.’
“That young man reflected an instinct as old as humanity, one that is a problem for us, the feeling that when we reach certain levels, surely, we’ve gone about as far as we can go. There is the story of the Hebrew people in Moab, for example. Remember? They had overcome great odds, and had escaped from the Pharaoh in Egypt, and were bound for the Promised Land.
But something happened to them on that journey from captivity to the Promised Land. They reached Moab, and found it comfortable, and they began to settle down there. ‘We’ve gone about as far as we can go,’ they said to one another, and several years passed without another step being taken toward the Promised Land. Finally, one of God’s messengers appeared to them with this message. ‘You have stayed long enough at this mountain. Get up and get going.’ In short, they hadn’t really gone about as far as they could go.
“…A church or an individual begins to die when the message it hears is ‘You’ve gone about as far as you can go.’ We find our life renewed and invigorated when we keep reaching out and growing.
“…The minute we sit back and say, ‘We’ve gone about as far as we can go.’ Life begins to go out of us. It is when we set hard goals for ourselves, and in the name of Jesus Christ reach out for them, then we grow. This is the message that we need to hear, that we must hear. As much as we would like to, we cannot stay the same as a church. Anytime our objective becomes simply to retain what we have, we start to die. For churches weren’t created for the purpose of surviving—they were created to spend themselves in service and in growth.” [Eugene Brice, sermon, Kansas City]
You and I are the same way. We are not created for the purpose of surviving. We are created for service and growth. We celebrate that fact each week when we give our offerings to God. By giving our money, we move toward God’s goal for our soul—service and growth.
“Stewardship Nuggets”. Herb Miller. Abingdon Press, 1999. Used by permission.
Year to Date Financial Report
May’s YTD Preliminary Financial Numbers:
Actual Income $196,710 Estimated Income $220,833
Actual Expenses $229,098 Budgeted Expenses $220,833
At the end of May, we have a deficit of ($32,388). We were under our estimated income goal by ($24,123).
For our expenses, we went over our budget by $8,265.
General Operating Fund deposits for May 2011:
5-1-11 $7,810.50
5-8-11 $6,604.50
5-15-11 $12,107.50
5-22-11 $9,479.50
5-29-11 $5,518.50
To meet our budgeted income, we need $10,193 a week.
In January, we received 80% of our income goal.
In February, we received 90% of our income goal.
In March, we received 91% of our income goal.
In April, we received 95% of our income goal.
In May, we received 81% of our income goal.
May’s YTD Expense Breakdown:
YTD Actual YTD Budget Difference*
Salaries $100,704 $108,118 ($7,415)
Admin $15,731 $11,750 $3,981
Mortgage $59,000 $59,000 $0
Insurance $11,438 $8,375 $3,063
Utilities $15,751 $14,125 $1,626
Property $18,210 $12,153 $6,057
Education $680 $1,000 ($321)
Evangelism $84 $104 ($20)
Parish Life $492 $313 $179
Steward $876 $833 ($43)
Worship $2,131 $2,000 $131
Youth $4,368 $3,063 $1,305
*Note: Numbers in parentheses indicate expenses that came in under budget.
Cash Balance
At the end of 2010, we had a deficit of ($49,000) which left us with an operating cash balance of $87,000. In 2011, we continue to have a large deficit. At the end of May 2011, the deficit is ($32,388). If we continue at this rate, we will have a deficit of approximately ($77,700) by the end of the year. A deficit this large would deplete our operating cash. As a result, we would not be able to maintain our current state of operation.
Brotherhood Breakfast
All of our men and guests are invited to have breakfast with our men’s group, “The Brotherhood”, on Saturday, July 2nd at 8:00 am in the Fellowship Hall. Any questions, please call Weldon Wilkerson or Art Wiederhold.
From the Youth Director
It’s the second Sunday after Pentecost! Looking into the gospel lesson for sunday, I hear a sense of call for us as Christians in our world today; that when we go out into the world, we are serving our neighbor and they are receiving Jesus Christ. So as we come together this summer, how are you showing Christ in the world?
I just got back from our Sr. High trip in Corpus Christi and we had a blast deep sea fishing (catching a 23 lbs. Red Snapper and a total of 75 pounds of fish), playing football in the ocean, and coming together to serve our brothers and sisters in Christ by helping Mount Olive Lutheran Church with some painting. But what we focus on our time together is what does it mean to be the church today? So when you see one of our youth that attended the trip, I invite you to ask them about their experience.
God Bless,
Ben Remmert, AiM
Confirmation Day Pictures
We had a great celebration of Pentecost with our confirmation students. Thank you to all the parents, sponsors, and youth for making this a special day. If you have any pictures of confirmation, we would love to have a copy. Please either send them to Ben Remmert at benr@welcometopeace.com or through the church office.
Summer Youth Group
Do you have nothing to do this summer? Are you wanting to have fun with people your own age? Why not come and give youth group a try. This is a time where we are going to build on our community through a meal together as a group. We are wanting this to be an engaging time for our youth so the more the better! Here is the schedule for our youth groups for summer 2011.
June: NO YOUTH GROUP
July 3, 10, 17th, and 24th: 12:00 PM at Peace Lutheran
August 7th, 14th: 12:00 PM at Peace Lutheran
VBS 2011- Pandamania – July 31 – August 5
It’s a wild celebration of God's unconditional love! At PandaMania VBS, kids will discover that God has a purpose and a plan for everyone and that he crafted each of us with his own loving hands. Make sure to check out our VBS board in the narthex for more up to date information as we move closer to our event! If you would like to register online, here is the link: https://www.groupvbspro.com/vbs/ez/welcometopeace. For more information, please contact Ben Remmert.
The New Sr. High Lutheran Youth Organization (LYO): The Zone
Youth that are currently in 8th grade through 11th grade are invited to be part of our synod’s youth leadership team. This is an opportunity for our high school students to practice their faith in Jesus together while increasing their leadership skills, study scripture, and grow as disciples. This is a one year commitment from June to June. For more information, please contact Ben Remmert.
Children & Family Kick Off at the Wave Pool: July 21, 8:30 pm – 11:30 pm
First off, sorry for the change in dates as this place is hard to get a reservation, but we finally have our date! What better way to kick off summer for our children and youth than going to the Little Cedar Bayou Wave pool @ 600 Little Creek Bayou Pool, La Porte, TX 77572. We are renting out the pool for us to use as we celebrate our time together remembering our baptism. This is for our elementary students, so be on the lookout for more information as this event! For cost and more information, please contact Ben Remmert.
2011 ELCA Video Contest-Due By June 30th
We are invited by our synod office to submit a video to reflect: "What does it mean to live Lutheran?" The winning congregation could win a $3,000 ministry grant, and individuals could win a $1,500 cash prize. There are also prizes for the most popular congregation and individual video entry. A selection of the videos will be shown at 2011 ELCA Church-wide Assembly this August. Entries are due by June 30. You can vote for your favorite videos until July 15. Enter the contest and share your faith story with the rest of the church! For more information go to www.livinglutheran.com/contest and contact Ben Remmert.
Summer Sunday School
This summer we’re introducing our “Summer Movies” themed Summer school. During the 9:45 worship, youth and children will lead our summer school where we will have a family worship with fun lessons and special activities. We are looking for adults and youth interested in helping out too. If you would like to help out, please talk to Ben Remmert, Jennifer Sanders, or Julie Shaw.
Youth and Family Workshop Day- August 14 at 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm
It’s our time to come together as we share our hopes and dreams of our youth and family ministry here at Peace, to learn about youth today and what their faith is telling us about our church, and a time to come together to develop tools for faith formation in our congregation. This is a time to learn and engage ourselves as we do ministry with our families here at Peace Lutheran Church. We will have lunch, which will cost $5.00, and hear about how the summer went with our youth. If you have any other questions, please contact Ben Remmert.
Parish Life Presents…
A Church Picnic/Pot Luck following the 11:00 service on July 24th, including fun activities for the children to enjoy. Please let us know if you are coming and sign up on the sheet on the narthex table. A separate sign-up for a cake walk (fundraiser) is also in the narthex. Mark your calendar, invite your family and friends, bring a dish to share and plan to join us for a fun afternoon.
Sarah’s House
Sarah’s House is always in need of our help. They welcome non-perishable food items, clothing for women and children, paper products, personal hygiene items and household items. Any items you have may be left at the church in the baskets under the Parish Life table in the Narthex, or taken directly to Sarah’s House at 2210 Wichita, Pasadena. Please prayerfully consider making a donation to Sarah’s House.
Thank You’s
“Dear Peace Family,
We will never be able to express our gratitude & thanks for your prayers, visitation, meals, & help during the loss of our son, Flip. The Memorial Service was everything we wanted it to be because of Pastor Galen & our family here at Peace. The food was bountiful & so many people enjoyed it. Pastor Galen's message was right on target & it was so good to share Flip's life with those of you that did not know him. But for those of you that did - you will have wonderful & funny memories to carry you through this difficult time. Our hearts are broken but we know that God has the plan, & His hand has been in Flip's life from birth - leading all of us on our given journey here on earth. We are at peace knowing that Flip is wrapped in the heavenly arms of our Father & is now resting peacefully. May God bless all of you & hold you in His palms. We love you all very much.
Love,
Phillip & Darla Haygood”
♥♥♥♥
“Dear Family of Peace:
I would like to thank you for all the wonderful things you did for the Haygood family – helping to set up, bringing food, and cleaning the fellowship hall. There were so many helping, I can’t say how much I appreciated it. Also, thank you for cleaning the fellowship hall on Sunday. I went back to clean but everything was done. It looked great. Thank you so much.
Virginia Rodriguez”
Upcoming 50+ Bus Trip
On July 20 we will go on a 1-3/4 hour, 17 mile narrated tour around Galveston Island on the Galveston Sightseeing Train. Cost of the tour is $9-10 plus $3 for the bus. After the tour we’ll ride the Bolivar Ferry and have lunch at the Stingaree Restaurant. Bus will leave Peace parking lot at 8:30 a.m.
Aug. 3 - Bayou Bend, the former home of Ima Hogg, which now houses the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston's early American decorative arts and painting collection. Considered one of the premier collections in the country, the rare and beautiful objects dating from 1620-1876 are installed throughout the 1920s mansion in 28 period room settings. There are numerous gardens on the estate that we'll visit. The gardens were created to be outdoor rooms for living and entertaining, not just views to be admired from within the house. Cost of the tour is $6.80 - $8.50 depending on the number of people going on the tour. We'll have lunch at Hickory Hollow. After lunch, we'll visit the Telephone Museum which celebrates an era when telephone communication sometimes relied on the caller's lung power and the words "Hello, Central" were on every lip. The museum covers the period in telephone history from 1876 to 1980. Bus will leave from Peace Lutheran parking lot at 8:45 a.m.
On August 20 reserve your spot as we travel to the Houston Astros Baseball Games. Game time is 6:05 pm, so departure times will be announced later so stay tuned to the weekly emails for this information. Cost is $7.00/person.
If you are interested in going with us on any of these trips, please call Carol (281) 481-5202, Virginia (281) 487-4961 or Judy (281) 470-0407 to get your name on the list for these trips.
Simply Giving Available
Simply Giving is available at Peace Lutheran Church. If you are interested in having your donations to our general fund or building fund done by electronic fund transfer then Simply Giving is for you! There are no fees involved for you or the church. For more information or to sign up, please call the church office. Applications are also available on the table in the narthex
