Thursday, March 19, 2009
Thursday, March 12, 2009
weekly email for Sunday March 15
Weekly email for Sunday, March 15, 3rd Sunday in Lent,
I continue to encourage you to join my Facebook as a friend of Peace. This has been a lot of fun and makes our community even stronger. You will need a Facebook account to join.
Sunday’s Sermon and Events
This Sunday we will be reading together the cleanings of the temple by Jesus in the Gospel of John. This story functions a means to understand how Jesus replaces the old temple with himself and how he know becomes the meeting ground for God. We know God through the cross and its power to redeem. The title of my sermon is “Zeal for the House” and I will be preaching about how Jesus great passion for God’s vision of the people of God propelled him to Golgotha.
We will be presenting a scout, “God and Me” award to Colin and Travis Rhodes at the beginning of the 9:45 service. If you have a scout, you might want to consider having him work toward this recognition. See me for more details.
Our Lenten services are going well and the soups have been wonderful. We are half way through so if you are planning to attend at least one, your time is running out. The times are 12:30 and 7:00 with soup meals beforehand.
Pony Express Fundraiser, April 19 (one worship at 10:30, SS at 9:00)
This Sunday we will be kicking off publicity for our Pony Express Property Improvement Fundraiser. On Sunday, April 19 at 10:30am we will begin this fundraiser with one worship service and a Bar-B-Que cook off and “Round Up” with games and activities (including Pony Rides for the kids) for the whole family. The fundraiser hopes to collect $100,000 to improve our property by:
1. Constructing a safe and fenced playground for children (We have already raised about $12,000 for this project. Estimated cost is $30,000)
2. Constructing a LED Sign for Fairmont Parkway that will advertise our activities and ministries to the community (Estimated cost is $50,000)
3. Purchasing pull down screens, projectors and LCD Panels for our sanctuary and narthex. (Estimated cost is $20,000)
We will collect estimate of giving cards from everyone by passing a saddle bag from home to home. No money will be collected with the bag, but we encourage everyone to give prayerful consideration to how much they estimate they will give to this special fund. Inside your route’s bag will be a special envelope with your name on it and an estimate of giving card with return envelope for you to seal and place in the saddle bag. These saddle bags will eventually make their way back to Peace. If you would like to make a one time donation, please return your envelope with the donation inside to the church.
On the “Round Up” Sunday, April 19, we will begin passing these bags. As always the success of this mission outreach depends on the participation of everyone. Please choose one or more of the following ministries:
1. Pray for God’s Spirit to move in our hearts with faith, generosity, joy, enthusiasm and unity for sharing the Gospel through giving to these projects (No pessimism or discouragements).
2. Sign up to be one of the Bar-B-Que cook off teams in the narthex. We are asking that you cook your favorite Bar-B-Que dish either at your home or here on church grounds for the April 19 meal and round up. We will have special prizes and recognitions. We want each team to have a name. We would like to have at least 15 teams.
3. Offer to be a “station agent” that monitors the movement of the saddle bags on a predetermined route. You do not have to carry the bag from home to home, only insure that the bag does not get stuck in one place. We will have special training to help you. You will not have to ask anyone for money. We need 30 to 40 of these agents.
4. Offer to help decorate, set up, or clean up on Round Up Sunday. We would like to have at least 10 people to help with this effort.
Education Ministry Workshop, Saturday, March 14, 9:00am at Peace
This workshop is for everyone interested in growing the education ministry at Peace. We will spend the morning working on our current Sunday School Program, Vacation Bible School Plans, Confirmation and other items. Everyone is welcome! We will be done by 12:00 noon.
Return a Visit Team Ministry and Sponsors for new members
The Evangelism team see the need to insure that our visitors feel welcome in our community and that new members have someone to befriend them as they join our congregation. We will have a special orientation and training in the return a visit ministry on Sunday, March 22 at 3:00. Call Elly Wells or the church office if you are interested. This ministry is a lot of fun.
Hurricane Ike Cleanup, From our Synod
We are looking at offering a training for lay people who could be team leaders on work projects.
Congregations who are interested in helping out for the long-haul might want
to consider having a team leader trained in project management...it would go
a long way to help us multiply our capacity. If they are interested, they
can let Volunteer Houston know when the register for the work day. Register
with Volunteer Houston (www.volunteerhouston.org) There will be specific
tabs for "Volunteer First". Follow the directions from there. Each
congregation can register as a group, but it would be very helpful to know
approximately how many are planning on coming. You can expect to be doing
roofing, sheet rocking, or other types of repair labor. Please call Carol
Flores, Lutheran Social Services Disaster Response 281-687-7121,
carol.flores@lsss.org, www.lsss.org <http://www.lsss.org/>
Prayer Concerns:
For our congregation to soon collect enough funds to pay our benevolence commitment to the synod. We are currently $2500 behind in our commitment.
For our Pony Express Outreach Appeal the unity and joy will fill our hearts as we seek to grow our congregation
For our Education ministry as they meet this Saturday that they will find wisdom in leading the disciplining of our members
For the police officer wounded in the line of duty last week that he will find healing
For our Lenten journey that we will be renewed in the great gift and identity of baptism.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
For Sunday March 8
Peace Facebook
Be sure to check out Peace Lutheran’s Facebook. I am posting pictures and regular updates about what is happening in the congregation. It’s kind of fun and you can control the amount of information you want to share. You need to have a Facebook account to become a “Friend of Peace”. Facebook is a great way to feel connected to your church friends during the week. As time passes I can see this becoming a wonderful way to build our community and reach out to others. We can do a lot with it.
To find our Facebook go to Facebook and search Peace Lutheran. I am posting pictures and videos that make it personal.
Sermon Title and Theme
I will be preaching about “Taking up the Cross” and what redemptive suffering for others means. I want to lift up how suffering for others is a great sign of Christ’s church. When we lose our life for others, we gain it.
Daylight Savings Time
This Sunday is daylight saving time Sunday and everyone needs to move their clocks forward one hour.
Saturday Ministry Events
This Saturday we will be having a Men’s Brotherhood breakfast at 7:30 at Peace and a Lay Ministry Workshop at 9:00. The workshop is about growing and supporting Lay Ministry at Peace.
Education Ministry Workshop, Saturday, March 14, 9:00am at Peace
This workshop is for everyone interested in growing the education ministry at Peace. We will spend the morning working on our current Sunday School Program, Vacation Bible School Plans, Confirmation and other items. Everyone is welcome! We will be done by 12:00 noon.
Pony Express Fundraiser, April 19
This Sunday we will be kicking off publicity for our Pony Express Property Improvement Fund raiser. On Sunday, April 19 at 10:30am we will begin this fundraiser with one worship service and a Bar-B-Que cook off and “Round Up” with games and activities for the whole family. The fundraiser hopes to collect $100,000 to improve our property by:
- Constructing a safe and fenced playground for neighborhood children (We have already raised about $12,000 for this project. Estimated cost is $30,000)
- Constructing a LED Sign for Fairmont Parkway that will advertise our activities and ministries to the community (Estimated cost is $50,000)
- Purchasing pull down screens, projectors and LCD Panels for our sanctuary and narthex. (Estimated cost is $20,000)
We will collect estimate of giving cards from everyone by passing a saddle bag from home to home. No money will be collected with the bag, but we encourage everyone to give prayerful consideration to how much they estimate they will give to this special fund. Inside your route’s bag will be a special envelope with your name on it and an estimate of giving card with return envelope for you to seal and place in the saddle bag. These saddle bags will eventually make their way back to Peace. If you would like to make a one time donation, please return your envelope with the donation inside to the church.
On the “Round Up” Sunday, April 19, we will begin passing these bags.
As always the success of this mission outreach depends on the participation of everyone. Please choose one or more of the following ministries:
- Pray for God’s Spirit to move in our hearts with faith, generosity, joy, enthusiasm and unity for sharing the Gospel through giving to these projects (no pessimism or discouragements).
- Sign up to be one of the Bar-B-Que cook off teams in the narthex. We are asking that you cook your favorite Bar-B-Que dish either at your home or here on church grounds for the April 19 meal and round up. We will have special prizes and recognitions. We want each team to have a name. We would like to have at least 15 teams.
- Offer to be a “station agent” that monitors the movement of the saddle bags on a predetermined route. You do not have to carry the bag from home to home, only insure that the bag does not get stuck in one place. We will have special training to help you. You will not have to ask anyone for money. We need 30 to 40 of these agents.
- Offer to help decorate, set up, or clean up on Round Up Sunday. We would like to have at least 10 people to help with this effort.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
March 1, First Sunday in Lent
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.
Our Lenten Journey has begun with the imposition of ashes this week. I am moved by placing this mark of death and mortality on so many people. Yet our mortality is reality and by facing it, we become more open to the power of the cross and empty tomb. This is only the first step and we will end up with Peter and disciples peering into the empty tomb in amazement.
This Sunday my sermon title is “Tigers, Lions and Bears” and I will be preaching about the power of temptations and evil that prowls around us. Yet we know that Grace and Faith are more powerful and that Jesus fights by our side with weapons of the Spirit. I hope that you will be blessed by it.
This Sunday is Pasadena Community Ministries Food Collection Sunday and we ask people to bring a canned food item to share with the hungry. The collection center is by the kitchen.
Our Wednesday Lenten lunches and service will begin this next Wednesday at 11:45 for the lunch and 12:30 for the service. Our evening soup supper begins at 6:00 and the service is at 7:00. I will be preaching on Martin Luther’s catechism. This Wednesday we will begin with the 10 commandments. We will be distributing free pocket catechisms to all who attend. I am hoping that the series will re-root us in our Lutheran identity.
On Saturday March 7 we have Lay Leadership Workshop to work on identifying, supporting and recruiting lay leadership at Peace. As will all of our workshops, this is an open workshop and we invite you to come and participate. The time is from 9:00am-12:00. Our church lives and thrives on the leadership of our members.
Pastoral Care Notes:
We extend our sympathy to Mark Beinvenu and Susan Chappell and their families on the loss of their father, Warren. His service will be Tuesday at 12:00 at St. Hyacinth Catholic Church in Deer Park.
Prayer Intercessions for this week:
For our Lenten Journey to continue to grow our church in the power of the Spirit and enthusiasm for reaching out to others by inviting them to the Gospel
For our Lay Ministry Workshop that we will find new and exciting ways to call people into leadership in our congregation and give encouragement to those who serve.
Thanks for a safe construction of our new roof and guidance as we continue to repair and improve our property.
For our Pony Express Sunday Leadership and that this appeal will awaken generous support for outreach to our community.
For our national church:
March 1 First Sunday in Lent
Holy God, we give you thanks for the witness of Christians in
March 2 Thank God for the pastors and people of St.
March 3 Thank God for Claudia Bergmann and Scott Moore, who serve the congregation of St. Andreas-Nicolai-Petri in
March 4 Let us pray for Pastor Jensen Seyenkulo and Pastor David Muench as they continue to work with the Inter-Lutheran Committee on Health and Wellness. May this ministry help the church and its leaders live health lives.
March 5 We pray for Pastor James Foster and the people of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Holland, Mich., as they construct a new facility. May their church building and faith community be built with Christ as their cornerstone.
March 6 Pray for the 10 young ELCA members who are serving in the United Kingdom this year through the ELCA Young Adults in Global Mission program, including Kandisa Skaff, Tyler Moe-Slepica and Jacqueline St. Pierre.
March 7 Ask the Holy Spirit to guide newly-appointed mission developers Newman Chu-Sheng Chiu, Torrance, Cal.; the Rev. Kristina Johnson, Greensboro, N.C.; Nadia Bolz-Weber, Denver, Colo.; the Rev. Benjamin Ingelson, Channahan, Ill.; Andres Leone, West Columbia, S.C.; Doris Ng, Richmond, Cal.; and the Rev. Mark Borseth, Harvest, Ala.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
for Feb 22
Weekly email for Sunday February 22, Transfiguration Sunday
We end our Epiphany Season this Sunday with a bang as we remember and ponder the meaning of Jesus “Mountain Top” experience when he was ‘transfigured’ before the eyes of 4 of his disciples. This story functions as a foreshadowing of the resurrection and the identity of Jesus as the Son of God to whom we should listen.
My sermon title is “Good to Go” and will I will be talking about how our religious encounters with Jesus become the motivation for us to witness and serve in the world. God does not just encounter us in the great moments when God’s presence and goodness are in bright evidence, but in the challenges of daily walking with Christ. Listening to Jesus is hearing his call to serve others in the real world.
We will be celebrating the baptism of Thadin Lewis Sanders this Sunday at the 8:30 service. His parents, Kenny and Jennifer, and their families are very excited about this great event.
I am glad to announce that the confirmation class at their bake sale raised $844.00 for Lutheran World Relief. With matching funds this total will go to $1600 for serving those in need throughout the world. They want to thank all who contributed and gave to their cause. They will now begin the work of choosing which LWR projects they want to support.
For fun we will have a “Fat Tuesday” pancake and sausage/ham dinner of Feb 24 from 6:00-8:00pm. The choir will be providing the entertainment. We will have a free will offering to help pay for our special musicians on Easter and Good Friday services. The cost for these musicians could be as high as $800.00. (It’s a popular Sunday for hiring special music)
On Wednesday will begin our Lenten journey with two Ash Wednesday Services at 12:30 and 7:00. Communion and the opportunity for the imposition of ashes will be at both services.
Our Lenten services will continue at each Wednesday until the week before Holy Week. I will be preaching and teaching about Luther’s catechism and we will be distributing pocket catechisms. I encourage you to keep one in your Bible as a way of understanding the Gospel contained in its pages.
We will have soups available before each service, 12:30 and 7:00. Be sure to come for the fellowship.
I am adding “Ministry and Mission Prayer Intercessions” to my weekly email as a way to draw us into conversation with God about the mission and ministry of Peace. This came out of our Stewardship Workshop yesterday. These intercessions are not personal in nature but call upon God to engage us in mission and ministry in our congregation and with the wider church.
“Ministry and Mission Prayer Intercessions”
We pray for……
- Generous hearts as we seek to collect enough offering to support our synod and national church. (Currently we are withholding support until offerings increase)
- Our Lenten Journey that it will call us all back to the great Gospel of the cross of Jesus and that faith and love will increase.
- Our confirmation class as they grow in faith and love and we give thanks for the parents and families who are so faithful in supporting them.
- God’s guidance for Pastor Timothy Pan and Pastor Newman Chiu in Los Angeles, who are reaching out to the Mandarin-speaking populations in their communities in two new mission starts.
- For our Bishop Rinehart and the synod staff as they seek to guide and support the ministries of our congregations.
- For New Life Lutheran in Pearland as they meet this Sunday to discern their ministry and mission.
Pastoral Care Notes:
Hospitalized and Released: Sammy Jorgenson, Jason Elliott, David Beck
Hospitalized:
Warren Bienvenu Bayshore
Louis Nicholson at Bayshore
Finally, a little humor…………..
A minister was completing a temperance sermon. With great emphasis he said, 'If I had all the beer in the world, I'd take it and pour it into the river.'
With even greater emphasis he said, 'And if I had
All the wine in the world, I'd take it and pour it into the river.'
And then finally, shaking his fist in the air, he
Said, 'And if I had all the whiskey in the world,
I'd take it and pour it into the river.'
Sermon complete, he sat down.
The song leader stood very cautiously and announced
With a smile, nearly laughing, 'For our closing song,
Let us sing Hymn #365, 'Shall We Gather at the River.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Weekly Email for Feb 1
I have just returned from our annual Theological Conference for our 3 synods located in Texas and Louisiana. The conference is for pastors and professional lay leaders and gives us a time to “talk shop” and to hear speakers. This year’s theme was “The Good Earth” and dealt with our care and conservation of the earth as more than just an economic and political issue, but as a theological issue as well. As stewards of God’s good creation we need to be at the forefront of speaking about the preserving and sharing with future generations of our environment. I want to encourage all of us to practice recycling and care of what God has given to us. Remember to bring your newspapers for our recycling bin in the parking lot.
This Sunday I will be preaching about the authority of Jesus for our congregation and for our lives. Submission and obedience to the authority of Christ in our lives is no easy task, but the key to peace and the joy of the Kingdom. I hope that you will be blessed by this Word.
This Sunday we will begin a practice of allowing more silence during communion for reflection. We hope the silence will give you time to reflect on the Word and what God is willing for your life. Let us know what you think.
This Sunday is also Superbowl of caring Sunday and our youth will be collecting money for hunger. It is also food collection Sunday and we encourage everyone to bring non-perishable food for our food pantry.
On Saturday the 7 at 9:00am we will have an Evangelism Workshop for anyone interested in sharing the Good News of God with others. We have lots ideas and need your input. Also bring you ideas. We want to grow our congregation’s outreach and it takes all of us working together.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Jan 25 weekly email
This Sunday we will be concluding our 3 Sunday series, "Telling our Stories, Sharing our Gifts." We want to thank Nancy Carpenter for sharing her story as part of the sermon last Sunday as we preached about saying no to materialism. This Sunday we will be hearing stories from Mary King, president of our congregation. We will be talking about the joy of giving and how giving is part of the call to follow Christ. I know that you will enjoy it.
We will also be having a congregation meal and talent show following the services. It is not too late to participate. Please email Judy or call the church office if you can attend. Bring a talent to share.
Most importantly, this the" Great Sunday of Sharing". We are asking members to write down their estimate of giving for this coming year to help our leadership plan our ministries and for you to give thoughtful and prayerful consideration of your giving to Peace's ministries and mission. We will have a box in the chancel for you to put your envelope or you can mail it to the church office. Your estimate of giving is confidential. Thank you for doing this. It helps all of us. You have until Feb 8 to return your card. Your card is in the stewardship packet you received in the mail or picked up on the narthex table.
We will also be installing our council at the 11:00 service and celebrating the first communion of Adam Sasek.
We will have a youth and family workshop this Saturday from 9-12. If you have an interest in this ministry, please attend.
Our newsletter will go out next week. Be sure to read it. It has lots of information. We also hope to publish our first “Backyard” the first week in February. This publication is for stories of people experiencing or seeing God's generosity, living simply and the joy of giving. If you have a story, email it to me. This is a great place for thank you notes.
Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University: As most know we are having a stewardship campaign in January. This is really great. We all can work on our budgets and finances for the year and decide what we can do to help the church and its various ministries.
Starting on February 3 we will be hosting Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University. This is a great tool to help free you up from the many yokes that keep us down and prevent us from being able to assist in ministry as we would like. Come and learn how to be virtually debt free if not completely debt free. Do you have a financial plan? Would you like one? Maybe you can’t take that special vacation this year, maybe you can’t buy that truck this year or that boat (no matter how much you beg for the boat) and maybe you want to give more to the church or to some other ministry. Come and learn how to make these things occur. Learn things about money and finances you maybe didn’t know or didn’t remember.
There will be an informational meeting on January 25 at 6:00 p.m. and January 27 at 7:00 p.m. The classes will meet on Tuesday nights at 7:00 p.m. beginning February 3. Watch in the narthex for further information.
Kenny Sanders
Girls’ Night Out: Friday, January 30th 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
It's Sweetheart Bunco time! Let's celebrate Valentine's Day early with the first Bunco of 2009. Red and pink food is welcome. Remember to wear your Valentine colors. Cost is $5.00; last names A-L bring main or side dishes and last names M-Z bring desserts. A sign-up sheet is located on the table in the narthex.
50+ Bus Trip: On Thursday, January 29th, we are going to the Hockley Lone Star Pinball Museum. There are 300 pinball machines and early arcade games that we can play, enjoy and buy. Dan Ferguson (owner) was featured in the Houston Chronicle on December 23, 2007 as being a “need be” place to see. The bus cost is $3.00 and leaves Peace parking lot at 8:30 a.m. Contact Sharon (281) 489-9790 or Virginia (281) 487-4961 if you want to go on this trip. We hope that you will come and join us.
On March 19th, we're going to tour the facilities of Houston TranStar, which has been a leader in designing and implementing transportation management plans to get citizens where they want to go. Monitoring traffic incidents with more than 600 regional closed circuit television cameras, staff at the TranStar center dispatch vehicles to remove debris or hazardous materials, communicate with emergency vehicles about the most direct routes to an accident scene, and send tow trucks to stalled vehicles. After lunch, we'll go to the Health Museum which provides the ultimate journey inside you - it lets guests explore giant sculptures of human organs, including a brain, ribs, teeth, eyes, etc. They have a giant model of an eye that allows visitors to see how the lens operates and how the eye focuses. Admission to both is FREE!!!
Cost of the bus is $3.00, which leaves Peace parking lot at 9:00 a.m. Call Sharon, 281-489-9790, or Virginia, 281-487-4961, to make reservations for this trip.
Midweek Bible Study/50 + Bus Trip: Pastor Tart and the midweek Bible Study group, along with the 50+ members are sponsoring a trip to the Houston Fine Arts Museum to see the "Birth of Jesus, a Jewish Story". From the museum's website: "Explore the cultural, political and personal events that shaped Jerusalem and the surrounding region more than 2,000 years ago in The Birth of Christianity: A Jewish Story. View the earliest known manuscript containing the story of Christ's birth in the oldest known copy of the New Testament Book of Luke. Examine other ancient manuscripts including the prophetic Old Testament Book of Isaiah - one of the original Dead Sea Scrolls found at Qumran. Witness history first hand and be among the first to view a host of other authentic artifacts from this fascinating time and place, which to this day remains one of the world's most important and influential cultural intersections."
Meet at the church parking lot at 9:00 a.m. (Cost of the bus is $3.00.) We will return to the Fellowship Hall for a meal and discussion.
Cost for the museum is $18.00 per person. Seniors (62+) are $16.00. If we can get 20 people (must be 50+ to ride the Harris Co. bus) to attend, the cost will be $16.00 each. An audio guide is an additional $5.00.
We must have your reservation and money by Tuesday, January 27th in order to get the 20 people discount. Contact Sharon (281) 489-9790 or Virginia (281) 487-4961 if you want to go on this trip.
Sandwich Generation Support Group: The “Sandwich Generation” Support Group is meeting on January 29th at 7:00 p.m. at the church. We will be sharing plenty of holiday stories. Come, share the stories of your experience dealing with being in the “sandwich generation” and know there is a listening ear that is here and understands.
“Souper Bowl” Sunday: The “Souper Bowl” is February 1st. Most people know that the Super Bowl is coming, but whether or not you like football, there’s a more important “bowl” going on. The Souper Bowl is taking place across the country as churches donate dollars and non-perishable foods to fight against hunger. We are a part of this “Souper Bowl” too! All food and cash proceeds will go to the Pasadena Community Ministries as they continue to fight hunger and provide a vital ministry to our area. Help us tackle hunger! Please bring a check, cash and/or non-perishable goods to church with you on Sunday, February 1st.
Women of Peace General Meeting – February 15th, 3:00 p.m.: Ladies, mark your calendars and make plans to attend our General Meeting that will be hosted by the Friendship Circle on February 15th at 3:00 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. The theme is “God’s Conversation Hearts”. If you do plan to attend, we’d like for you to find a picture of yourself that no one would recognize and get it to Geri Warren before the day of the meeting. Any question, please call Geri.
Youth and Family Ministry Workshop: There will be a Youth and Family Ministry Workshop this Saturday from 9 am to 12 pm in the Conference room adjacent to the Sanctuary. All youth and adults interested in visioning, leading, improving, maintaining, or just plain helping our ministries here at Peace are encouraged to attend. Breakfast will be provided.
Have a great weekend!