St. Paul Lutheran Church 602 Morgan Blvd. Harlingen, Texas Semi Annual Ministry Report

Transcription

1 St. Paul Lutheran Church 602 Morgan Blvd. Harlingen, Texas Semi Annual Ministry Report June - September 2018

2 2 BY Pastor Wendorf Master Plan & Campus Improvements We are very excited that we have entered into a partnership with Groth Design Group (gdg-architects.com) for a visioning process and master plan development for our campus here at St. Paul. Groth was chosen among other options considered for their approach to listening, building conscious, and understanding the uniqueness of churches especially Lutheran ones. Phase 1 of this process will involve an on-site visit anticipated to occur November 3-6 here at St. Paul. During this visit the architect will spend a lot of time listening to all of our ideas and thoughts regarding how to best utilize the facility resources we have based on current and future ministry needs to best accomplish the mission that Jesus has called us to join him on! To do this, all who are interested will be invited to a Nov 4th Visioning Session on Sunday afternoon (exact date and time TBA) that will help us look at our immediate and long-term outlooks and dreams. Additional meetings with smaller groups and individuals will also be a part of the process. The Groth Team will then take all that they have learned putting it together sharing things like a site analysis, vision session outcomes, initial master plan document, and initial design ideas. This phase is anticipated to be followed up by the next phase that will get further in the design and development. Stay tuned for more information that will be shared as we quickly approach Nov. 4th! Contact the church office for more information. PICTURES ARE EXAMPLES ONLY FROM GROTH DESIGN GROUP Saint Paul Davenport, IA FOR MORE DESIGNS VISIT COM/RELIGIOUS/ Official Acts BAPTISMS We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death; in order that, just as Christ was raised from the death by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. (Romans 6:4) Adrian Rodriguez Evelyn Marie Ramaker Nikolas Finn Campbell-Gallegos Achilles Dimitri McFarland Joseph Dylan Cortez Madelynn Leigh Stinnett DEATHS Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.(psalm 116:15) Marilyn Anderson (July 28, 2018) NEW MEMBERS JoAnn Kay Prosek Mauricio and Gladys Franco TRANSFERRED Mark and Robin Jetzke WEDDINGS Therefor a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. (Genesis 2:24) Joe and Charlie Lewis (September 2, 2018) Grace Lutheran Church Grafton, WI

3 3 MESSAGE FROM THE Board I appreciate the chance to share news with you about the work of the St. Paul Board of Directors in It s important to remember that the Board does not run the ministry of the church. We have capable staff and Pastors to do that work. Our work focuses on clarifying the difference we want St. Paul to make in people s lives (Knowing Jesus), the people we want to reach with that work (Making Jesus Known), and determining what costs and resources will be necessary to accomplish that work. We are also responsible internally for Voters Meetings, the election of Board members, and assuring that the work we ve identified as the mission of St. Paul is carried out effectively by our staff and church volunteers. Here are some highlights so far in 2018: the Board approved the addition of Chad Bresson to our ministry team as Vicar coordinated the Call process and recommended to Voters that we Call Pastor Mauricio Franco as Associate Pastor. We were blessed to have Pastor Mauricio join us in July. the nomination and election of new Board members at the May Voters meeting set compensation and benefit guidelines for staff continue to review and modify our policy manual to adapt to ministry changes The Board contracted in September with a national financial auditing firm to conduct a detailed 5-part analysis they call a Church Checkup. This company specializes in CURTIS WALTHER PRESIDENT assisting faith-based ministries around the country both large and small with auditing, financial monitoring and other legal responsibilities. The four parts of their work encompass: a document review of our Constitution, Bylaws, Policy Manual and other legal incorporation documents, a financial procedures review of the processes we use to receive and spend money, an accounting review of our budgeting, bookkeeping and financial reporting, a tax review of our payroll and other tax liabilities that may affect non-profit institutions like St. Paul ongoing web-based monitoring via a Health Dashboard for 12 months They will be working with Pastor Wendorf, our Treasurer Corynne, and our staff. We are looking forward to their detailed report this fall, and hope to share what we learn with Voters at our January meeting. The Board continues to look to the future to see where God is leading us and how we can be best prepared. We have committed resources to partner with an architectural company that will help develop a detailed plan for facility improvements. You will hear much more about this over the months ahead, and a top priority is to find ways to listen and collect ideas from our members and visitors. The Board has also formed a Call committee to collect candidate names and conduct interviews for the position of Minister of Discipleship. The person filling this role will work with children, youth and their families. Pastor Wendorf will share more about this new position in the coming weeks.

4 4 BY Chad Bresson THE ROOTED EXPERIENCE Los Fresnos is named after the ash tree. However, the tree that dominates the landscape is the mesquite. In some places, mesquite grows as far as the eye can see and thick as a forest. One of the reasons why the Rio Grande River became Mexico s northern border is because the Texans figured out how to navigate the Mesquite with their cannons. The Mesquite is a hardy tree. It is well acclimated to the harsh conditions of the Deep South Texas heat. What makes it so resilient and allows it to grow fast and thick is its root system. Roots for a Mesquite go as deep as 200 feet and as wide as 10 feet past its crown. The deep and wide roots allow the Mesquite to grow in a climate where other trees cannot survive. The Bible talks about the need for Christians to be rooted in Jesus. Paul commends the church at Colosse for being strong in Jesus, and then encourages them to keep it up: So then, just as you have received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, being rooted and built up in him and established in the faith. Just as a Mesquite tree needs a strong taproot and a deep root system to survive the Texas heat, the Christian must be connected to the Vine, the tree of life, in order to live and thrive. Being rooted in Jesus means being constantly connected to the gospel in all of life, so when the harsh conditions of life come our way, we don t wilt and die. We get a picture of what it means to be rooted in Jesus in Acts 2 where it tells us that the very first days and weeks of the church were spent being devoted themselves to the apostles teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer. As the church gathered for teaching and conversation and meals and prayer it was being rooted and built up in Jesus.

5 5 This fall we launched The Rooted Experience at St. Paul Lutheran Church. The Rooted Experience is an interactive 10-week journey in which five home groups get together each week to talk about what God has been showing each group member through their weekly readings in the Bible. While there is focused Bible study and prayer, the gathering of the home groups is the big idea of the Rooted Experience. As we meet, we connect with each other in building a community of faith, where we get to know one another better and become transparent with each other. Just as Paul tells the Galatians that they should bear one another s burdens as a church body, the Rooted Experience in the home group is a place where we learn from one another, lean on one another, and love one another. significant in the growth of The Rooted Experience groups. Here is where we learn to live out that story in community, eating, sharing, and praying with one another as we grow closer to Jesus together. The Rooted Experience also includes a service project. All five home groups, at some point during the fall, will participate in a community activity together, learning to be good neighbors and bringing the love of Jesus to those who need him in Harlingen. Just like the Mesquite tree is rooted for harsh conditions, none of us are left to our own difficulties. Being connected to Jesus means being connected in community, and the Rooted Experience is an opportunity to do just that in the five home groups at St. Paul this fall. Beyond a program, seminar, or Bible study, The Rooted Experience is a catalyst for life-change. It provokes questions, conversations, and group experiences that are designed to help us find ourselves in God s story. Telling our stories is truly

6 6 Costa Rica summer St. Paul lead a trip of 21 people to Costa Rica from 4 different cities and God worked big. Thispast I always get a little nervous with so many different groups coming together for a trip like this, but my prayer as we lead up to the trip, was continually that God would make us one family. And God did just that! From day one on the ground in Costa Rica, He brought us together as a family. As we were riding from the airport to Hogar de Vida, our trailer carrying all of our luggage and donations got a flat. I don t mean just any flat. The rubber was completely off the rim and sparks were flying! Tracy Campbell calmly called from the back, Hey Matt, is there supposed to be sparks flying from the tire?. God provided a place for us to pull over safely near a karaoke bar so we had room to unload over 40 suitcases and detach the trailer. Because we were close to the children s home, one van went ahead of us and took extra people and luggage while the rest of us waited and bonded and listened to karaoke. Our 21 individuals from 4 different cities and churches were quickly becoming one family! Because we go to Costa Rica in the wet season, God sent heavy rain every day during the afternoon. One afternoon, the storm shut down the electricity at Hogar. Our first thoughts: no big deal. It was light outside and we were thankful for the cool breeze and the laughs of the children and rainy day games of chase. But soon, dinner came and there was still no power or running water. The sun sets around 6pm in Costa Rica and we were realizing Thank you, St. Paul, for your support, prayers, and encouragement. that dinner would be in the dark. We ate, got creative for light, and put dishes aside in hopes to wash them later that evening. No power lead to our group reading together, playing some games together, and singing worship songs. It was beautiful to watch God take our team and make us a family. God did some great and exciting things that week. I got to not only watch our team become a family, but also got to watch our youth gain a deeper love for serving and learn that God works outside of language. I got to watch our team work hard and give with their all each and every day. I got to pray with them. I got to hear how God worked in their lives. And I got to experience hearing them dream and brainstorm how to bring all that they learned back home. It was an incredible week and God did some amazing things!

7 7 BY Velia Sanchez My Trip to LWML When I first got to the LWML Convention I was super nervous being around all these people I did not know. When I was waiting with Dawn, someone called my name. I did not know who it was, so I just said hello and I saw Krista coming towards me yelling my name and then I yelled Krista s name and gave her a big hug and told her I was nervous. Krista took my hand and let me to the exhibit room to see Brenda and meet some of the girls. After I met the girls - they were so nice to me - I went walking with them to say Hi to people. Later, after that, Krista took me to go see her sing in the choir and while I was watching her sing in the choir this wonderful nice lady came to me and asked me what my name was and I told her it was Velia and said it was a pretty name and we talked through rehearsal for choir and her husband, Pastor Mike came and greeted me, and his wife, the wonderful lady told him how I was shining for Jesus. After we talked, I went to a meeting and played (Never Have I Ever) and soon after that Krista walked in to make sure I was okay and I said yes. After she left everyone asked me if Krista was my Mom and I said no, ha ha. I told Krista and Brenda and they thought it was hilarious :) anyways. After the meeting they asked me for my phone number and I gave it to them. The next day we went to the Dr. Pepper Museum and my team leader got me a Dr. Pepper float, but before that we went to Magnolia, it was super hot, but it rained so we played charades in the rain. I laughed so much my stomach started hurting. My other team leader Jeana was super hilarious and very nice!! Later on we all went to the pool together and played a bunch of games. That day I made a lovely best friend Myra. We were partners a lot. :) On the very last day we all had skits to perform on stage, it was funny. Myran and I were both dogs that comfort people and after the skits the team leader played a slide show of all of us having a good time. I had a great experience and I hope I can do it again next year. I thank Dawn and the Ladies Aid for inviting me and taking care of me. Thank you Dawn!! P.S. Pastor Wendorf I saw and met your mother, she was very nice, she told me she sends you, your children and Mrs. Wendorf her love. :) Marilyn Hensz loving LWML Velia Sanchez getting ready for choir at the LWML District Convention in Waco, TX. Krista Peña, Marilyn Hensz, Janice Wendorf, Brenda Segovia and Dawn Tighe enjoying the LWML District Convention in Waco, TX.

8 8 Life In The Valley With the Franco s! El Tiempo Vuela! We still cannot believe that 81 days have passed since we moved to the valley, about 100 days ago our hearts were invaded by anxieties and uncertainties; We did not know what things the future would bring. Our desires were always that God bring us to the valley, we prayed and we prayed; but at the same time we questioned our future. Today after 81 days, we are living life in the Valley. The rumors and the fears, are a praise to share. We have an awesome God!

9 The Beginning Thank God our beginning has been very smooth. The wisdom of the leadership of the church is reflected in each of our steps; from having a place to live to good places to go out to eat. Yes, all of you have received us with such love and kindness that we are definitely in debt for the rest of our lives with each one of you. Every wonderful and precise detail, has captivated our hearts which transfers to a very warm and intentional response from us. Surprised by love In our first month we received the awful news that Gladys vehicle needed a new engine, what a surprise! Yes, even if we knew that the vehicle had to many miles we were still surprised not only of the issue, but, also the price to repair it. The outside looked good, tires were new, air conditioning was refreshing; but, to our surprise the main part that makes the vehicle going was in need of attention, the engine. That was only one of few surprises that we experienced in the past 81 days. Every day we get up in the morning and we continue to be surprised that we are here in THE VALLEY, and that God listened to our prayers (yours and ours). We must be out of our mind, had we not read the Scriptures, had we not only heard, but also experienced so many wonderful things that God has provided for us? It seems that way, it seems that every morning we are surprised by His love for us. So, this surprising love not only comes to us to be received, but it comes and wants to go somewhere; we are not the final resting place of love. Love comes to us to empower us and to move us to every place where the Spirit wishes to go to, with faith and hope. For it is Christ s love that fuels our passion and motivates us, because we are absolutely convinced that he has given his life for all of us. This means all died with him. 2 Corinthians 5:14 Now what? It is also His love that allows us to go to places on behalf of Christ and all of you, places like nursing homes, retirement centers, hospitals, knocking on doors in our community (Los Fresnos), reach out to the community like serving food in community kitchens for homeless people and in the midst of this maintaining a balance with our fellow church members. As a church would like to make a difference in Jesus s name in our congregation, our community and around the world. Keeping in mind our main vision Knowing Jesus and Making Jesus Known, will help us to align our mission to the same objective. Here are some opportunities where we as a church can make a difference: The Youth, Winter Texans, community outreach, nativity nights, follow up after special events and few more. We have many things to be thankful for, our beginning has surprised us with many wonderful things, like the way all of you express your love and affection towards us. But, let us move forward to the next step. And we pray and hope, that the next step will bring many wonderful surprises for all of us, and of course we cannot rule out the likelihood of obstacles; but, how wonderful it is to know that there is nothing that takes God by surprise, and that in his infinite mercy he promised us to be with us until the end. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. Matthew 28:20 HASTA LA PROXIMA!!

10 10 Call Committee Chairman - Daniel Johnson Director of Discipleship At the request of the Senior Pastor, the Board of Directors has authorized the formation of a call committee for the position of Director of Discipleship. In brief, this new position will be in charge of overseeing, developing, and strengthening ministry to children, youth, families, young adults, men s, women s, and marriage ministry. This is a critical position I believe for our time and place as a congregation. The quick departure of Kayla this past summer, the planned launch of Vicar Chad in fall of 2019 for a new Word and Sacrament ministry in Los Fresnos, and the creation of new ministry opportunities here and throughout the RGV through Pastor Mauricio, helped make this clear to me. I recognize that there are gaps and people groups that can be overlooked or not given the focused clarity that is needed for the continuity and growth of ministry at St. Paul. This position will work in step with the senior pastor to make sure ministry to all ages and walks of life continues and grows to help every person know Jesus and make Him known. Ideal candidates for this position will be rostered members of the LCMS who are currently eligible to receive a Divine Call. Key to our desire in this position is a person who will be committed to the long term growth of our congregation and community. An ideal candidate for this position will have a passion for equipping the saints for ministry as outlined in Ephesians 4:12 and the ability to teach and train others. If you would like to submit a name for consideration for this position you can submit it to Pastor Nathan (nw@splch. com) or to Daniel Johnson (BOD@splch.com) the call committee chair person. Please keep this process in your prayers as we look to the Lord of the Church to seek the man or woman he has prepared for this position we hope to have in place by the end of the calendar year! Minneapolis, Minnesota July 9-15, 2019 For more information contact: Emily Troutman at (512) or rossem3@hotmail.com.

11 11 Stewarding our resources We are almost one quarter into our fiscal year which began on July 1st for us as an organization. First some really good news with an update regarding our Early Childhood Center, Great Beginnings. Last January we shared with our Voters meeting how the center was struggling in their financial position last fiscal year to which the church was able to provide additional resources. The current update now 9 months later is that thanks to some great work by our Director Carla and her team that financial position has been greatly stabilized and the center has no longer needed to borrow funds and is able to pay all of their obligations. This stability and positive cash flow will allow the center to continue to provide a great environment with an incredible staff while continuing to invest in the program and workers. On the congregation side our giving for the fiscal year and summer is behind by about $15,000 less than where we anticipated being at this time of year coming out of July and August. The good news is that we have plenty of time to make up that number in the next few months as we get out of our summer mode and back into regular habits of being in worship and responding with joy through the giving of the resources that God has entrusted with us. One of the things I know that helps our family in the midst of the hustle and bustle of life, to make sure we fulfill our desire to give to our church first as family is utilizing our automatic giving options. Personally we choose weekly contributions out of our checking account to St. Paul. Options in this giving way also include using credit cards. Visit our website stpaultexas.com and click give now to find out more about the ways you can intentionally and regularly financially support the work of St. Paul. Thank you for your partnership in the Gospel!

12 12 VBS

13 13 Vacation Bible School is an important part of reaching Harlingen with the Good News of Jesus. Around 200 children paid a visit to Splash Canyon during Vacation Bible School this July at St. Paul. Dozens of volunteers helped children with crafts, games, science experiments, songs, and learning more about Jesus who loves them. Water was the big theme of the week, splashing through Bible stories involving water such as Baby Moses being saved from the Nile River, God s people crossing the Jordan, Naaman being healed in the Jordan, Paul being saved from the sea, and Jesus being baptized in the Jordan. On one of the days, an Otter showed up to lead the children in songs, and every day, Pastor Nathan wore a different disguise just to keep things interesting. Through it all, children learned that all of God s promises are true for them in Jesus. The key verse for the week is found in 2 Corinthians 1:20: Every one of God s promises is Yes in Jesus. Jesus was the big splash from God, the big Yes to every single one of God s promises to his people, including kids enjoying Kona Ice at Vacation Bible School.

14 14 INSTALL & ORDINATION Celebrating the Installation & Ordination of Pastor Mauricio Franco July 1, 2018

15 15 BY Krista Pena DCE Summer Internship Having the opportunity to serve as the RioMAC summer DCE intern this year was an absolute blessing. Throughout the summer I was in charge of organizing events for the RioMAC youth in hopes to allow them to not only grow in fellowship with one another, but also strengthen their own faith by diving deeper into God s Word in various ways. I was able to host a Where s Waldo Scavenger hunt/devotion event at the Mercedes Premium Outlets, a Beach Hangout at South Padre Island, and a Movie Night/devotion at DCE Brenda Segovia s house in Mercedes, Texas. Through working with the youth, I was able to gain a lot of handson experience that I can not only use in the future when I become a full-time Director of Christian Education, but also implement what I ve learned into my DCE classes at Concordia University Texas. In addition to working with the youth, I was able to participate and take part in other events such as Misssional Youth Retreat (MYR) at Concordia University, Glorybound in the DFW area, and serve as the Rio Grande Valley zone Young Woman Representative at the LWML Convention in Waco, Texas. This internship as a whole allowed me to grow in every single aspect and words cannot describe how grateful I am for the experience and relationships that were made this summer. It is a bittersweet feeling to leave but God only knows why He graciously blessed me with the opportunity to serve here in the valley, and I thank everyone for welcoming me in with open arms and warm smiles. How lucky am I to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard. Winnie the Pooh

16 16 BY Kayla Brock Mission Youth Retreat The first part of June, St. Paul sent 6 youth to the Missional Youth Retreat (MYR) at Concordia University in Austin where they learned, served, and grew alongside other high schoolers from across Texas. They had an amazing time! We asked them what they learned and how they saw God working. These are their responses... I have seen God working this week at MYR though all the kids and counselors in their actions and attitudes toward meeting new people. I have also seen Him working through the band, the pastors, and the kids we worked with. They were all so very kind and accepting of our help. I had a really fun time making new friends and memories and growing in my faith. Thank you to everyone who helped make this happen. It was so worth it! What is MYR? MYR is a Missional Youth Retreat that is hosted by Concordia University Texas to encourage students to discover their calling, experience their purpose, and focus on their passion. Students spend five days participating in experiential programs that focuses on Christian leadership, service, and vocation. Not only that, but they will also be empowered and encouraged to discover their own gifts and talents as well as how they can serve the world in which we live. I have seen God working this week in so many ways. This has been such an amazing experience and I can t wait until next year. First of all, I saw God shining through all of the staff and counselors. They were all so patient and loving to everyone there. Their radiance definitely rubbed off on the kids and the overall mood of the four days. Also, I saw God working in all of us, the kids, and our lives. I met several people that talked to me and told me that by coming to MYR and expanding their journey in faith, that this annual event changed their lives. It is so amazing to be there and see that change and hear stories about how people have applied everything they learned from MYR to real life. My favorite experience from MYR was when we got to go to the Boys and Girls Club and played with the kids there. I got assigned to the gym where we played basketball, dodge ball, and soccer with the children. I found it the most fun because we go to play games while still allowing us to talk to the kids about why we were there and about life in general. When we had to leave, I remember all the kids were super sad and that just really made an impact on me because it showed me just how much happiness, fellowship, and friendship that God s love can bring. Overall I m super sad it is over. I loved this trip so much and met so many amazing people and I grew in my faith so much more than I could have imagined. I am so thankful for everyone who made this happen. MYR 2018 is one for the books. I can t wait until 2019! MYR 2018 was great. There are so many aspects and experiences that made it so well rounded and unique. Each of the days you have something different and you got to learn so much from the people and the service and everything around you. God worked though me an thorough all the people around me. He helped me open my eyes and see things I hadn t before and helped me grow in my faith. And He helped other people open up to me and helped me though things that were wrong. God was present all this week and I could see it all around me. It was an amazing experience. If you are in high school, you should go!

17 17 MYR was one of the best experiences of my life. I met so many people and I feel like I connected to them on more than just a mental level. At MYR, we did service projects - we pulled weeds, moved rocks, pulled more weeds, and sorted clothing (which was the hardest part). Every day we would wake up at 7 to go to breakfast at 8. Then we would all go to chapel where we would sing and dance and pray. My group, group seven, was the absolute best in my opinion. The people were so amazing and we all shared so any stories about our lives. But the best part of group seven had to be our counselors. They were always up beat and fun. It was just so amazing to be around them. My favorite part has to have been the last day. We sang together and a lot of people cried. We all broke off into our small groups and had our last small group talk, which was very emotional. My group sat at the same place we started and shared how we felt about the week. MYR was definitely one of the best times of my life! I totally saw God working though all the amazing people I met at MYR. Especially this amazing guy named Ryan. Ryan did not have an easy life. He always had unsupported family members. Yet he still helped show me to trust everything that Jesus does, even when bad things happen and we don t think God is working. Even though we don t always see God s plan at the beginning, in the end we will see how much God taught us and we will find out what God s was. I can t wait for MYR next year! Thank you, St. Paul, for your support, prayers, and encouragement of our high schoolers! I am so excited about all that they learned and seeing God work and move in their lives. I love that they keep shining for Jesus! I am so glad I came on this trip to MYR! At first, I was scared, but only because it was my first year coming to MYR. But, the group I ended up with was so great. They are honestly the best group of people in the entire world. I was very to myself and not so talkative and when I told them that, I also added that it was something I would like to change about myself. A way I connect that to seeing God work was my group replied with, That will totally change, we ve got you. So they would play games that would help me to talk a lot and be more myself. By the end of the week I was jumping, singing, and dancing around with them. I believe God worked though them to help bring me out of my bubble and help me be my true self. Thank you for helping me go to MYR! Not only did I become closer to God, but I made more life long friends.

18 st C O R I N T H I A N S 33 For Our God is not the Creator of Chaos, but of Peace BY Carla Roller God is Peace The 2018/2019 school year has begun and so many fun activities are already underway for all the children at Great Beginnings! Our theme for the year is God is Peace with the bible verse For our God is not the creator of chaos, but of peace. 1 Corinthians 14:33. This year for our theme shirts, all the children will get to make their own tie died t-shirt, which we will then get our theme and logo printed on. Every morning we go to chapel in the sanctuary and this year we started our year off learning about Creation and each week we will learn a new Bible story through songs, short video clips, and books. This year we look forward to celebrating Reformation, the children will have a chance to dress up and we will have a small parade at which the office staff from both Great Beginnings and St. Paul Lutheran Church will pass out small goodies to the children. During our Reformation Celebration we also have fun activities that teach the children about Martin Luther and what Reformation is all about. We also look forward to our Thanksgiving Feast where everybody from Great Beginnings will gather in the parish hall and have lunch together. Each class will have the chance to make cornbread that we will share together with our very own Thanksgiving Feast. We will end 2018 with a Happy Birthday Jesus Party in December. Every class will meet in the parish hall to sing praises to our Lord, we will have a birthday cake for Jesus and the children will exchange gifts. God is working though us to teach all of the children here at Great Beginnings the Love of Jesus.

19 Great Beginnings PreSchool & Pre-K stpaultexas.com/beginnings / REGISTRATION NOW OPEN!! Parents are saying... The teachers are so kind and loving to our kids. It makes it easier for us to drop them off on school days. We know they are cared for! We Love Great Beginnings Preschool because it is a safe and loving place. We love the encouragement and enthusiasm of the school! Infants, 2-, 3-, and 4-Year Old Classes 602 Morgan Blvd., Harlingen, Texas

20 20 RioMAC is coming off of a very full summer season and beginning to transition into the (slightly) slower pace of Fall here in the Rio Grande Valley! Before sharing all the things we re looking forward to in the coming months, I d love to share some of the beautiful ways that God worked through His people this summer. Between multiple weeks of Vacation Bible School, youth camps, adult retreats, and working with our very first summer DCE intern we hardly had a chance to catch our breath! RioMAC is super thankful for the awesome work that our intern, Krista Peña, did during her 3 short months with us. Krista organized and led three different youth events for middle and high school students, had a leadership role in several district-wide youth events held in the RGV, Dallas, and Austin, and strengthened relationships with our community. We are sure that God has some awesome plans for Krista and her future as a Director of Christian Education! Round Two of Crossroads was held in June this year, and although our week of service and fun was cut short due to flooding, nevertheless we BY Brenda Segovia RioMac In Action saw tremendous growth in both our middle school participants, as well as our high school leaders. We ve identified the need not only to speak about the importance of leadership within our youth, but we also realized that we need to actually give them those specific opportunities to lead, as well as the resources for them to lead with grace and confidence. During Crossroads, we saw our high school leaders step up in ways that were creative and went above and beyond what we had asked of them. During our morning and evening check-in time with our high school leaders they shared the conversations they were having with their middle school groups. We heard about how they had initiated after hours cabin time. The free time left in the evenings for showers and games was used instead as a time for these small groups to dig a little deeper into their faith. This was done through spontaneous devotions and honest conversations about how we live out our faith every day, not just during the mountain-top experiences of camps like Crossroads. Our time together was cut short, but the moments and love shared during those few days was more than we could have hoped for! We praise God for always being bigger than our doubts and better than our own plans! We pray for more creative opportunities to connect youth with one another and with Jesus as we transition into the Fall! One of the ways we hope to do this is by continuing our monthly youth gatherings held in different locations throughout the Valley. This is a time for us to come together to worship, play, eat, and serve together. We realize that getting together once a month is simply not enough though! That is why DCE Brenda Segovia will be popping up in a different spot each week to connect with youth more regularly. Locations will vary from churches, to homes, to Dairy Queen s, Starbucks and everything in between in an effort to find neutral ground where youth may feel more inclined to invite a friend! Keep an eye out for social media, , and text updates from Brenda to stay connected! You can reach Brenda at bsegovia@ splch.com or through her cell (408)

21 21 BY Chad Bresson Serving the People of Los Fresnos I can t believe you re all here giving me gifts, when I should be the one paying you for your service. I can t believe you re all here giving me gifts, when I should be the one paying you for your service. That was the reaction of a Los Fresnos resident after being served by one of the Crossroads RGV teams this past June. One of the hardest philanthropic things to do is donating time and resources with no expectation of getting anything back. Hard baked into the DNA of our culture is I ll scratch your back if you scratch mine. This principle flows out of the corporate world into our generosity. Doing good for others often comes with strings. I do something nice for you, and I ll expect something in return at some point in the future. In June and July, over the course of 3 weeks, approximately 100 middle schoolers, high schoolers, and adults from all over the state of Texas spent time in Los Fresnos helping those who needed our help. The St. Paul community service effort was dubbed #LoveLosFresnos. #LoveLosFresnos exists to love our neighbors in Los Fresnos. And it means loving Los Fresnos, even if Los Fresnos never loves it back. Loving Los Fresnos, just because. Loving Los Fresnos without reciprocity. Lutheran Churches from Houston and the Hill Country joined hands with churches in the valley through RioMac to build a handicap ramp, fix roof leaks (after the big rain in June), clean yards, trim trees, clear brush, deep clean patios, dry wall a water-damaged ceiling, clean refrigerators, do minor home repairs, remove debris, and provide team leaders at the Los Fresnos Boys and Girls club. Not only did the work teams provide all the service to homes around Los Fresnos, every resident served by #LoveLosFresnos received a gift card from Walmart and an invite to a neighborhood cookout (held at the Bressons home). See Los Fresnos Page 22

22 22 Los Fresnos #LoveLosFresnos also received a lot of help from the community to get these service projects done. The Los Fresnos Community Development Corporate, Los Fresnos City Manager, Los Fresnos Boys and Girls Club, Amazing Grace Adult Care, State Farm Insurance Agency, Los Fresnos Church of Christ, and Iglesia Christiana Ebenezer of Los Fresnos all pitched in to help RioMac and St. Paul with #LoveLosFresnos, opening up many doors for service and conversations around the gospel. True Christian love serves even when there is no chance the love will be returned. #LoveLosFresnos wasn t completely without reciprocity. The smiles, the hugs, the thank yous, the conversations, and even showing up at the cookouts revealed appreciation for our time and effort in #LoveLosFresnos. There were so many new people in and around Los Fresnos we were able to connect with and share the love of Jesus. And #LoveLosFresnos opened up many opportunities for future service and gospel witness. The community service has been and continues to be a catalyst for gathering a community of believers in the Los Fresnos Life Group, a St. Paul church planting effort in Los Fresnos. But we are called to love our neighbors as ourselves (Luke 10:27). Among the implications of Christ s story of the Good Samaritan is loving our neighbor even if they cannot love us back. We are to love and to serve just because. That s #LoveLosFresnos.

23 Stephen Ministers: The After People People often ask, What exactly is a Stephen Minister? One way to put it is that Stephen Ministers are the After People. Stephen Ministers are there:... after the phone call you hoped you d never get.... after the funeral, when everyone has left and the emotions you ve held at bay come crashing in on you.... after the relationship falls apart and the bottom falls out of your life.... after the doctor says, I m sorry, but there s nothing more we can do.... after the nursing home director shakes your hand and says, Welcome to your new home.... after the last child honks the horn, waves, and drives away and the house suddenly seems empty.... after the gavel comes down, the handcuffs go on, and your loved one is led away.... after the baby arrives, demanding more of you than you ever dreamed possible.... after you find a pink slip with your final paycheck.... after your family and friends have heard your story one too many times, but you still need to talk it out. Stephen Ministers are the After People. They are ready to come alongside you or your friends, neighbors, coworkers, or relatives and provide comfort and support for as long after as needed. Copyright 2016 by Stephen Ministries St. Louis. All rights reserved. Representatives of a congregation have permission to photocopy this document for use within their congregation to build support for Stephen Ministry. If you believe God is leading you to join our next training class, please contact one of the following for more information: Dawn Tighe sfctighe@gmail.com or Joe Lerma Bobbi Mitzel

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