ANNUAL CONGREGATION MEETING January 30, 12:00 noon. We re on the web! alutheranchurch.org

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1 A Monthly Publication of Atascocita Lutheran Church 7927 FM 1960 East, Humble, Texas January & February 2011-Volume 17--Number 1 & 2 First Communion Class The ELCA statement entitled The Use of the Means of Grace states; "The Holy Communion is Given to the Baptized". Under this heading, the statement reads; "Admission to the Sacrament is by invitation of the Lord, presented through the Church to those who are baptized." Throughout the history of the Church, people have began to commune at various ages. No matter what age a person begins to commune, baptism has always been a prerequisite. The statement goes on to say under Application 37 c: "Baptized children begin to commune on a regular basis at a time determined through mutual conversation that includes the pastor, the child, and the parents or sponsors involved, within the accepted practices of the congregation. Ordinarily this beginning will occur only when children can eat and drink, and can start to respond to the gift of Christ in the Supper." In the tradition of this congregation, generally this occurs between 1 st and 3 rd Grade. First Communion is simply the time when a young person shares in the bread and wine for the first time. Beginning February 6 th, I will be teaching a First Communion Instruction Class entitled Fed and Forgiven. The class will be held during the Sunday School hour from 9:30-10:30 for four consecutive weeks. This class is for children who have already been receiving communion, but have not been part of a First Communion Instruction Class, or for children who are interested in receiving the Sacrament for the first time. Parents are asked to attend the class with their child. The children will then celebrate their first communion or the completion of the class during worship on Sunday, March 6th. Please call the church office to register your child so that materials can be ordered. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to give me a call at Pastor Gary Anholt We re on the web! alutheranchurch.org Liturgy of Healing Sunday, January 30 th, 7:00 p.m. As a worshiping community of Christians, God calls us to come together for the sake of healing and renewal. Set within the Liturgy of Holy Communion, people may come forward for laying on of hands and anointing with oil. All of us suffer from dis-ease in our lives whether it be physical, emotional, relational, or spiritual. The Church, as the Body of Christ on earth, has been given the privilege of offering healing to a broken world. Please take time out to encounter God s healing touch in your life. Transportation to the Healing Service is readily available. Please call the church office at by the Wednesday before the service if you need transportation. ANNUAL CONGREGATION MEETING January 30, 12:00 noon Looking for good news in a sometimes discouraging world? You ll find that good news at ALC. We are pleased to tell you that ALC s ministries are thriving! Please join us at our Annual Meeting and hear about all that is going on about how lives are being changed. We will also be asking you to affirm two new members of our Leadership Team along with approving the funding plan to support our ongoing vision for mission. And the best part of all.. Lunch will be provided!!! Blood Drive at ALC Atascocita Lutheran Church is sponsoring a blood drive from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday, January 30 th. Sign up sheets are available. Busy holiday seasons often leave blood banks in need. If you can donate, please sign up to help!!!

2 Brothers and Sisters in Christ, First of all, I would like to thank all of you who contributed to the Pastor s Christmas Gift. Your generosity is so greatly appreciated. Thank you also to those of you who sent our family cards and greetings during the Christmas season as we celebrated the birth of our Lord. We are truly humbled and grateful. We are now already into a new year. I must confess that I did not make any specific, measurable New Year s resolutions this year. Every time I have done that in the past, I have set myself up for failure. And indeed I have failed. I sometimes wonder why that is. I might say that I am going to eat 7 helpings of fruits and vegetables a day, exercise 5 times a week, pray an extra half hour a day, read the Bible from beginning to end, take my daughter camping 3 times, go on a date with my wife once a week, etc. I always have such good intentions. But I always end up falling short. Perhaps some of you feel that way also. Well, you are not alone, and this is nothing new. The Apostle Paul in his letter to the Romans writes; For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do. Paul goes on to say; Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! It sounds to me that Paul did some things a little worse than just not eating enough vegetables. We all fall short of expectations, both our own expectations, and the expectations of others. That is why we begin each worship gathering with confession. The great Lutheran Theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer once wrote a prayer of confession that I thought we could all relate to as we begin this New Year. The prayer goes as follows: YOU KNOW THE WAY FOR ME Oh God, early in the morning I cry to you. Help me to pray And to concentrate my thoughts on you. I cannot do this alone. In me there is darkness, But with you there is light. I am lonely, but you do not leave me. I am feeble in heart, but with you there is help. I am restless, but with you there is peace. In me there is bitterness, but with you patience. I do not understand your ways, but you know the way for me. Restore me to liberty, And enable me so to live now That I may answer before you and before humanity. Lord, whatever this year may bring, Your name be praised. Dietrich Bonhoeffer We have no idea what life will bring in With so many serious issues facing the world, our country, our communities, and even our families, it is hard to know what to expect. One thing that we can know is that God s peace will always go with us. For Jesus was given to us on this day and every day to come. And he is the Prince of Peace. May His peace be with you during this coming year. Pastor Gary L. Anholt

3 Contribution Percentages for ALC Households with 2010 PONY EXPRESS commitments made in the fall of See chart below. # of Pony Express Commitments Percentage (%) of 2010 Commitment Contributed TWO OFFERING ENVELOPES Information YES...TWO (2) offering envelopes sets have been prepared for each household affiliated or connected to ALC. The record-keeping associated with the two sets of envelopes is important for financial reporting inside the congregation and for synodical/elca connections and for the Mission Investment Fund that made the mortgage loan for the new & renewed worship center. The samples above denote: A - This envelope is for discipleship contributions for the MISSION SPENDING PLAN for the year...programs, salaries, supplies, administration, utilities. B - This envelope is for discipleship contributions for payments on the $7,995 p/mo mortgage for the new & renewed worship center. We are excited to announce that our HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH GROUP is back together again! Our first get together was January 9 and we had NINE high schoolers and THREE adults ready to get things going! I am so excited about this group and our excitement! We have an amazing group of High Schoolers and I can't wait for ALC to see all the great things we're going to do! Please continue to pray for our high school students, their parents and their "leaders" Jesse Anholt and Allyson Evans as we grow this very important program at ALC. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me at any time! Allyson Evans SAVE THE DATE!!! PANDAMANIA is coming soon to ALC and you won't want to miss it! July 11-15, 2011 is the best week at ALC...Vacation Bible School! Come on out and join the fun! Want to help? Talk to Melissa Christensen or Allyson Evans! Positions are filling up fast so don't delay! Crafts, Games, Bible Story, Preschool, Kitchen Crew, Crew Leader...there's a place for everyone! Oh, your kids won't want to miss it either! Mark your calendars, change your vacations and come join us for PANDAMANIA...Where God is WILD About YOU!!! Hey High School Youth! We've met, we've planned and now it's time to en- joy! Our first task is come up with a new name! If you have an idea please share it with Jesse or me or post it on our NEW Face- book page! If you are inter- ested in going to the Lutherhill Retreat February please let me know ASAP! I'm working on our fund raising ideas and hope to have some information to share with you on January 23. You can contact me (Allyson) on my cell phone (text) , allysone@suddenlink.net, or Facebook! Y'all are GREAT and we're looking forward to getting to know you better in the next few months! Allyson and Jesse Here's our schdule for January and February...looking forward to seeing you soon! January 16 Family Promise Evening Hosts at ALC 7-9 January 23 Church Gathering 7-8:30 January 30 BOWLING! (more information to follow) February 6 Super Bowl and Hot Tub Party at the Anholt's February 13 Church Gathering 7-8:30 February Lutherhill Gathering February 27 Church Gathering 7-8:30 March 6 Lauren Potter's House for Pizza and a Movie 7-8:30

4 Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time AN ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS Beginning February 6 th All Christianity is, to some extent, idolatrous. Christian worship is a response to a worshiper's image of Jesus, and all images of Jesus fall short of his reality--in the same way that all biographies and portraits fail to depict a whole person. In Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time, New Testament scholar Marcus Borg attempts to understand how popular images of Jesus connect Christians to their savior and isolate them from him. Borg writes about his own evolving ideas of who Jesus was, considers the scholarly and popular religious evolution of Jesus' public image, and investigates with special care the effects of Historical Jesus research on contemporary images of Jesus. Please join us for this challenging and exciting discussion. For those who want the book for the class, please contact either Pastor or Ken Holder by January 30 th. The cost for the book is $10.19 plus shipping ($3.99). MARK YOUR CALENDARS The season of Lent begins with Ash Wednesday on March 9 th. Again this year we will offer mid-week Lenten services with the return of our traditional soup and sandwich supper. Plan to make this a part of your Lenten journey as we prepare to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord. More information to follow. The Chrysalis School announces registration for the school year. The Chrysalis School will begin registration for the school year in February. It will be our thirteenth school year providing quality programming in a Christian atmosphere. Registration for church members and current students will begin February 1 st. Open registration will begin February 15 th. We offer parent s day out and preschool classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays during the regular school year. Registration packets will be available on our website and in the preschool office. Please call Renee Wallace at for more information and tours. Our website is ALC is Getting Greener! As good stewards of God's earth, ALC continues to look for ways to recycle and conserve. Our latest initiative is providing Seeds of Grace, the monthly ALC newsletter, electronically. Beginning with the March issue, an notification will be sent to all recipients with a link taking them to the newsletter on the ALC Web site. Please make sure that the church office has your correct address, so you can stay informed about all that is happening at ALC. Also notify the church office if you would prefer to receive a printed copy of the newsletter. A small supply of print copies will be available for those without and for visitors. Not only will this method get Seeds of Grace distributed in a more timely manner, we will also save trees and the cost of paper, printing and mailing -- stewardship at its best! JESUS AND ME (JAM) JAM and JAM Jr. continue this winter! We look forward to seeing all students in grades Kindergarten through grade 5 at our JAM events! In JAM Jr. (K- 3rd) we sing, play games, learn Bible stories, do crafts and have lunch. In JAM (4th-5th) we build fellowship by stepping out of the church environment. We bowl, play mini golf, go to the movies and engage in other fun activities after dining with JAM Jr. participants. JAM is a great opportunity to get to know your fellow church members and make life-long friends. Mark your calendars to join us from Noon--2 p.m. on the following dates. January 23 February 27 March 27 April 17 May 22 If you have questions or would like to sign your child up, please contact Melissa or john_melissachristensen@yahoo.com PONY EXPRESS 2010 Statement of Intent for 2011 Contributions FYI Final Results 81 household returned PX2010 intent cards 75 households made a financial commitment Average commitment is $2, for the year. 9 households returned a card without a commitment 7 of the 81 were new commitments Thanks for your cooperation and partnership with congregational leaders as we plan for 2011 spending for mission.

5 THANK YOU TO OFFICE VOLUNTEERS OVER THE YEARS As this will be the last fully published hard copy of the Seeds of Grace, I thought it appropriate to give tribute to those who have volunteered in the church office, some for 20 years, assembling, folding, and labeling the newsletters and Sunday bulletins for worship. Pat Myers has spent every Friday for the last 20 years in the church office folding and assembling the bulletin for Sunday morning worship. I doubt that when she volunteered to work in the office all those years ago, she had any idea that it would turn into a permanent unpaid position!!! Don & Bette Nelson have also spent many years in our church office volunteering tirelessly. Not only have Pat, Don, and Bette worked tirelessly and endlessly for their church and God, they have also provided for me by being my support in times of illness, hardship, etc. It did not matter whether I was at the church the day they volunteered, at home sick, attending to sick relatives, or planning my Mother s funeral, they ensured that the bulletins and newsletters were folded and assembled! They have given selflessly for years. So when you quietly sit down in church (to Remember the Sabbath and Keep It Holy ) take a moment to give thanks to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, for the people behind the scenes that quietly give of their time and talents week after week, month after month, and year after year, thus enabling you to have a pleasant and productive worship experience on Sunday mornings! Thanks be to God for all of YOU: Larry & Joan Baker James Barry Janet Beauchamp Wanda Burns Joy Cook Heather Espenlaub Delores Ewing Kari Galloway Judy Johnson Irene Morace Pat Myers Don & Bette Nelson Donna Nice Kate O Brien Ruth Schumacher I hope I have not left out any names. May God bless and be with all of you always. Debbie Barry, Office Secretary

6 NOW LOOK WHAT YOU VE DONE 2010 Discipleship Contributions First The POSITIVE: 2010 was indeed another satisfying year of contributions for Mission Spending, Faith Venture2 & FV07. The total of contributions, including Special Gifts ($28,815) for the new worship center, was just short of $400,000! Thanks for your overall faithfulness in giving as you have been blessed. The average weekly contributions for Mission Spending and mortgage payments in 2010 was $7,044 a week. This compares of an average of $5,203 in 2008 and $7,772 in Yes, 2009 was a higher amount! Second The PUZZLE: Attendance AND Contributions trended down from June through December. November contributions were more like a summer month or following a bad weather episode (ice or hurricane). In most Protestant congregations November and December contributions represent 20% to25% of annual income. Not at ALC in The Financial Oversight Ministry Team has discussed the causes and implications and remedies related to the these downward trends. The dilemma of the puzzle is that the expenses for both the mission plan and the mortgage payments continue even when contributions arel less than anticipated. Third Another POSITIVE: ALC disciples have demonstrated a growing sense of mature discipleship with regard to responding by making commitments of intended financial support related to both MISSION SPENDING PLAN (budget) and the FAITH VENTURE (mortgage) programs. The nearly 75% ALC households provided PONY EXPRESS stewardship statement of intent for This is a matter for great rejoicing. Fourth A PROPOSAL: The Stewardship Work Group and the Financial Oversight Ministry Team encourage all disciples to propose to endeavor to be regular and frequent with contributions for the entire 12 months of Each contribution is important and each month has it special demands for financial faithfulness. Whenever absent please consider contributing a catching up offering as soon as possible. Thanks! for your growing faithfulness!! JANUARY 23rd is being observed at ALC as 2011 PARTNERSHIP DAY: LUTHERHILL MINISTRIES Evan Molian, the Executive Director for Lutherhill Ministries, will be our guest for both worship services. There also will be a meet & greet time in the Fellowship Hall from 9:30 until 10:30 for children, youth and adults to meet Evan and to learn more about our outdoor ministries facility, programs and schedules. Lutherhill is located north of La Grange, Texas. Molian has shared that the facilities and program at LUTHERHILL have been upgraded in the past few years to better serve all age groups...and especially more comfortable for adults. Come to listen, learn and get better acquainted with one of our congregation s ministry partners. Contributions for the ALC Mission, Special/Designated & Other DECMBER 2010 Mission FAITH Date Faith Venture Support 2007 VENTURE2 OTHER Total , , , , , , , , , , , , , $ 24, $ 1, $ 7, $ 33,487.00

7 Broadway and Beyond 2011 An Evening of Dinner & Entertainment Entertainment provided by members and friends of Atascocita Lutheran Church Saturday February 19 5:00 P.M. Atascocita Lutheran Church (return engagement) Tickets available on Sundays in the Fellowship Hall Tickets: $20.00 for adults $10.00 for children (10 & under) Ticket proceeds go to Faith Venture 2 (Seating limited)

8 FALL FESTIVAL PROCEEDS DISTRIBUTED!!! Here's the breakdown of the local charities your efforts will help. $1,700 to the Chrysalis School at ALC $1,500 to HAAM $1,500 to The Harriman Foundation $500 to Cub Scout Pack 4154 $500 to Family Promise of Lake Houston $500 to Golden Beginnings $500 to Twyla's Friends Don't forget to mark your calendar for the second Saturday in October NOW, so you can participate again this year. THANKS TO EVERYONE FOR ALL YOUR HELP!!! FAMILY PROMISE Thanks for all the donations of toothbrushes, toothpaste and wash cloths. The response was so overwhelming that we probably have enough of everything now to last the whole year, except for deodorant, thanks to all of you. There are toothbrushes to suit ages 4 through adult and even bubble fruit flavored toothpaste just for kids! We also have a variety of colored wash cloths, so each member of the family will have their own color. It appears we have many travelers in the congregation as we have collected quite the variety of hotel samples. So what is in these little gift bags? For ages 3 through adult we have included: A small pkg of Kleenex 2 hotel size soaps 2 hotel size shampoos hotel size container of hair conditioner hotel size hand lotion toothbrush appropriate for age tube of toothpaste--small for kids, large for adults dental floss--for teens and adults emery board--for age 10 through and adults deodorant for adults (we have enough only for one or two times) wash cloth If you can think of something else that would be nice to include, let me know. Thanks again for everything. You are much appreciated. Sharon Olson "Broadway and Beyond" Second Edition It's time to start getting ready for our dinner theater! It will be held on Saturday, February 19th, at 5 p.m. in the fellowship hall. This will be a fund-raising event for our church. Anyone who would like to share their talent is invited to "get their act together" and perform it at the dinner theater. Just let Zane know, and he will put you in the line-up! When we held our first dinner theater two years ago, it was a great success. We were not able to have it last year due to construction. Now we are ready to bring it back as an annual event! So save the date, and look forward to an evening of food, fellowship and fun! See insert in this newsletter for more details!! Thanks from the Worship Enrichment Team to all who were part of the Advent and Christmas observances at ALC. Some disciples were involved in the worship services and others were involved behind the scenes. Thanks to all who served as assisting ministers, crucifers, torch bearers, Bible bearers, ushers, greeters, offering counters, word and sacrament team. Thanks to those who provided poinsettias for the beauty of the Christmas services. Thanks to the Environmental Design team for the developing Advent and Christmas motifs. Thanks to the musicians who provided vocal and instrumental music. Thanks to the children and youth who shared the story of the nativity through music, words and actions. Thanks to the adults who assisted in this effort. Thanks to the disciples who served during the Advent season as advent wreath candle lighters and readers. Thanks to the staff and volunteers who prepared the worship folders. Thanks to Pastor Gary for his role in leading worship. Thanks to the disciples who worshipped and who invited friends and family to join them for worship during these special seasons of the church year.

9 Jan. 9 Jerry & Karen Weeks Feb. 21 David & Joy Berthold Celebrating Birthdays Jan. 2 Benjamin Graham 4 Ted Vuong 8 Gavin Lozano 12 Matthew Johnson 13 Nathan Beyer 16 Michelle Grados 20 Jesse Anholt 21 Lauren Potter 22 Zane Barra 27 Stephanie Mikesell 29 Lauren Mena 31 Helen Moyer Marie Wilkinson Feb. 2 Tommy Cook Madison Sather 5 James Barry Hunter Benavidez 7 Steve Galloway Kendall Swendsen 9 Alexander Heinrich 14 Zach Landers 18 Tyler Hoyt 26 Lee Mitchell IF YOU HAD A BIRTHDAY OR AN ANNIVERSARY DURING THIS MONTH AND YOUR NAME DOES NOT APPEAR ON THIS LIST, PLEASE CALL THE CHURCH OFFICE. The WIRED WORD is one of the Sunday morning adult learning opportunities. A group of adults has been exchanging ideas each week about the topics that have been ripped from the headlines. The materials are a subscription service that s the leader s lesson each Thursday a.m. Participants receive an preview copy of the session if they have registered to be on ALC s distribution list. The sessions are held in the Fellowship Hall from 9:30 until 10:30 each Sunday. It s never too late to join the conversation since each week is a new topic. Altar Flowers Given With Love Jan. 2 Open 9 by the Sledge family in honor of Sam Sledge and Jonathan Sledge s birthdays 16 Open 23 Open 30 Open Feb. 6 Open 13 Open 20 Open 27 Open Sign up in the narthex to give altar flowers. Our church florist will make a beautiful arrangement. Cost is $40. Angels Among Us God makes His presence known to us every day, and this blessed assurance that God is working in our lives brings peace, comfort and joy in any season. Very often God s presence is revealed through the graciousness and kindness of others. Just as our family serves God by serving others, we have been blessed by the generosity of angels among us, and we want to express our love and thanks to those who have been so kind during this time of transition in our lives. May you be blessed as richly as you bless others. Joy and David Berthold DINERS GROUP We are staring the New Year by gathering at the Olive Garden on 20 January at 7:00 pm. Yes, the third Thursday is coming up soon. Mark your calendar, and join the group. Take the evening off, and enjoy some great Italian food. On February 17th, we will meet at Applebees in Atascocita at 7:00. We would like to extend an invitation to everyone for an evening of good food & great fellowship. Through The Sacrament of Holy Baptism, we welcome into God s Holy Family: Angela Renee Kimmons

10 ATASCOCITA LUTHERAN CHURCH 7927 FM 1960 East, Humble Texas (281) Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Huffman, Texas Permit No. 19 ATASCOCITA LUTHERAN CHURCH Our Vision: As a growing, diverse community of believers on a journey of faith, we seek to make Christ known through reflecting Christ in our lives.