Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church Lent 2013

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1 Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church Lent Wurzbach Road San Antonio, Texas Prayer Requests: Web: Follow us on Facebook and Twitter facebook.com/shlutheran twitter.com/shlutheran Giving up things for Lent Rev. Dr. Daniel G. Mueller, Senior Pastor Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, people God dearly loves, Giving up things for Lent is more common among Catholic Christians than Lutherans. I ve never given up something for Lent my whole life, but I m thinking about trying out that tradition this year. Usually people give up tangible things like coffee or candy or some other favorite item. I m thinking about giving up something less tangible, and what I m thinking about giving up will be far more difficult to give up, I suspect, than giving up something like coffee or candy. For Lent this year I m thinking about giving up complaining. Really! It s so easy to complain and sometimes we have good reason to do so. But so much of the complaining we do is nothing more than a pity-party indulgence. I complain when I m in a hurry and people don t get out of my way. I complain when something happens to interrupt my schedule and routine. I complain when my allergies act up. I never complain about rain; I ve learned to welcome it all the time, any time, because it s just a matter of time before we beg for it. But I complain about the heat when August comes and the drought when my water bill arrives. I complain about... too many things. As I listen to people, sometimes it seems as if there would be nothing to talk about if we didn t complain. So, for Lent this year, I m going to try to give up complaining. I m hoping I can do it, but forty days seems a long time. The idea to give up complaining for Lent came to me while doing my devotions one day. In my prayers I praised God for all the gifts he has given me, including that very moment. It was precisely then that I thought about how incongruous it was for me to say, I praise you, God, in one breath and to complain in another. I began to think about what it means to praise God and so far I think that praising God means to be grateful, joyful, content, and satisfied. The words, I praise you, God, become just words, empty words, when most of the other words that come out of our mouths are laments, murmurs and whines. Continued on page 2 LENT is a period of 40 days of preparation beginning with Ash Wednesday and leading up to Easter. (Sundays are excluded in the counting.) The word Lent comes from the old Anglo-Saxon word for spring. The 40 days of preparation come from the 40 days of fasting by which our Lord prepared Himself for His ministry (Matthew 4:1-11). Purple is the color for Lent; it signifies repentance. During the season of Lent at Shepherd of the Hills, we spend additional time with the Lord at worship services Wednesdays at 12:15 and 7 p.m. Table of Contents Rev. Daniel G. Mueller Pg. 1-2 Giving up things for Lent Rev. Doug L. Bielefeldt Pg. 3 School Ministry Cindy Miller Pg. 4 Children s Ministry Alice Klement Pg. 5 Ministry Matters Tim Eickstead Pg. 6 Frankly Financial Nick Arnold Pg. 7-8 Student Ministry Rev. Ely Prieto Pg. 9 LINC Rev. Christopher M. Kennedy Pg. 10 Dine with Your Elder or Deaconess

2 Giving up things for Lent Rev. Dr. Daniel G. Mueller, Senior Pastor Lent lasts 40 days. Can I go 40 days FORTY DAYS without complaining? I don t know. Complaining is so easy to do. Moses was a prolific complainer, and the Bible tells us that his relationship with God was closer than any of us has ever known; they spoke to each other as one speaks to a friend. Jeremiah complained so much that he was given the nickname the weeping prophet which was really just a polite way to say the whining prophet. Dare I say it, that even Jesus complained? He grew tired of the slowness of the disciples to catch on to the message of the Kingdom of God. On the night before he died, when the disciples expressed their confusion about his promise to prepare a place for us in heaven, Jesus replied by asking, Have I been with you so long and still you do not know me? If the Savior s words were a complaint, that comforts me because the Bible tells us that Jesus never sinned so maybe complaining isn t a sin; it s just a natural, normal human reaction that does little to make anything better. I m writing these words after the second funeral at Shepherd this week. At each funeral I read Psalm 23, words so familiar and so wonderful. It strikes me that Psalm 23 is the polar opposite of complaining. Praise confesses, The Lord is my shepherd. Complaining declares, I m all alone in this world. Praise confesses, I lack nothing. Complaining declares, I have nothing. Praise confesses, He leads me beside quiet waters; he refreshes my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name s sake. Complaining laments, My life is one hard time after another. Praise confesses, Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Complaining, well, when complaining is bad enough we sound like there is no God. It s so easy to complain, and maybe it s not even a sin. Nevertheless, I want to try to stop at least for Lent. (On Sundays maybe I ll complain because technically Sundays aren t part of Lent but that s another story.) For my own spiritual growth and development I want to try to complain less. I pray God will help me to do it. And I pray too for you to find your personal ways to promote your own spiritual growth and development as we go through Lent. God help us all to grow in all the ways he wants us to grow, through Jesus. God be with you, Pastor Dan LOBBY DECORATIONS NEED YOUR HELP The design for the renovation of the lobby includes space to display crosses. You are invited to bring a cross for that display. It might be a cross that you made yourself or a cross that you bought somewhere. As you consider a donation, keep in mind the following selection criteria: many crosses will be displayed, so look for crosses no bigger than inches; look for crosses that contribute to the overall design of the lobby; bring crosses that have a special meaning for you. The display will grow over time. Crosses may be brought to the church office. Page 2

3 School Ministry Rev. Douglas L. Bielefeldt Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. Sound familiar? Hopefully it does because it was part of the Epistle lesson that was read and preached in church a few weeks ago. St. Paul included this statement in his teaching on spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians 12. It helps us remember the true purpose of the gifts with which God blesses each of us, no matter how large or small. His gifts to us are meant to help us build up and encourage one another for the common good the Body of Christ. Each Wednesday after school, our school teachers gather for faculty devotions and prayer. I often use one of the Scripture readings for the coming weekend s worship for our devotion. A few weeks ago we focused on Paul s teachings about spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians. As we did, several teachers asked about taking the Spiritual Gifts Inventory our new members complete when they join our church. Since it had been a while since most had taken one, they were interested in identifying their specific gifts as it related to the teaching in 1 Corinthians. The following week, we did so. As I watched our teachers gathered together in the Worship Center quietly completing their questionnaire, I couldn t help but think that if St. Paul had been present, he would have smiled, pointed to them and said, That s what I was writing about! If you are searching for a tangible example of the gifts of the Spirit being manifested for the common good, look no further than what takes place daily in our classrooms and on our school campus. Each of our teachers and staff possess unique, individual gifts, and I marvel and thank God for how they collectively utilize their gifts for the common good : to teach, touch, and minister to each of our students and their families! Below are the names of the faculty and staff of Shepherd of the Hills School. As you glance through the list, I encourage you to regularly keep them and their spiritual gifts in your prayers. God has placed each of them here for the common good of our students and families to share the good news of the greatest gift of all: the gift of a Savior in Jesus Christ! In the next Voice newsletter, I will share the gifts of our Child Care program and staff. Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran School Teachers & Staff Debbie Eickstead (Pre-K) Carrie Jasso (Pre-K) Erin Solomon (Pre-K) Linda Diaz (Kinder) Monica Farias (Kinder) Joanna Rodriguez (1 st ) Katy Rohr (1 st ) Audrey Foley (2 nd ) Diane Wallis (2 nd ) Melissa Beisert (3 rd ) Candice Dominguez (3 rd ) Susan Larssen (4 th ) Kathy Becker (5 th ) Virginia Axtell (6 th ) Cindy Garza (6 th ) Mary Bitner (7 th ) Michelle Eggold (7 th ) Joshua Cooper (8 th ) Judy Friesenhahn (Spanish/8 th ) Doug Urban (Band/technology) Pastor Meissler (Music/choir) Karl Raesch (Athletic Director) Debbie Salinas (Art/5th) Sue Gary (Principal) Donna Rupp (Asst. Principal) Jenny Vogtlin (PROS) Evelyn Almaguer (Office) Amber Gunn (Office) Ashley Kennedy (Office) Kay Olson (Treasurer) I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13 Andrea Melcher (Outreach) Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran School & Childcare Mission Statement Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran School and Childcare is a community of parents, students, and staff working together to foster Christ-like qualities in all we pursue: spiritual growth, academic excellence, social, emotional, and physical development. Page 3

4 Children s Ministry Cindy Miller, Director of Children Ministry cmiller@shlutheran.org Walking with Jesus Daily A Family Lenten Journey Much of the time we view events and the passage of time by hours, days, months, or even years, but in the Christian church we focus on special seasons. Advent is one of these special seasons. Christmas is another season. February 13 is Ash Wednesday and the beginning of the season of Lent. Lent is a time of preparation and reflection on the life of Jesus, his suffering and death, burial and resurrection. Sometimes people observe Lent by giving up something such as desserts. Other people choose to do something for others during Lent such as visiting shut-ins or collecting food for the poor. In the early church Lent was often a time of instruction and preparation for the baptism of new converts. Today, we can use the season of Lent to reflect on our own baptism. We can remember and give thanks that we are God s own dear children through the waters of baptism. A special event for children and their parents called Walking with Jesus Daily-A Family Lenten Journey is planned for Sunday, February 17 from 9:30-10:30. This activity will take the place of children s Sunday school on this day. Participating families will come together in the gym to learn about Lent and create a special take-home project to be used at home during Lent. Come, join us as we draw closer to Jesus in our Lenten journey. Other children s activities that are planned for this spring include: An Easter egg hunt for children ages 1+ thru 4 th grades will be held on Easter Sunday during the Sunday school hour as part of our Resurrection celebration. We have a fairly generous amount of eggs recycled from previous hunts, but, donations of small Christian-related trinkets, Bible verses and stickers, as well as individually wrapped candy (no chocolate please it melts) would be joyfully appreciated. You may leave donations in the church office. Camp Style Capers is planned for Sunday, April 14. Students in 1 st thru 6 th grades will get a little taste of summer camp as they participate in camp style activities and games led by staff from Camp Eagle. Camp Eagle is the summer camp destination for our high school students. In You, O LORD, I put my trust; Let me never be ashamed; Page 4

5 Ministry Matters Alice Klement, Dir. Of Equipping Ministry, In 1 Peter 4:10 we read, Each one should use whatever [spiritual] gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God s grace in its various forms. In the two articles below we see examples of Helen Stein and Jan Moore doing just that. The Yak Pak Multiplies Places of Refuge in Haiti Helen Stein, pictured on the left, has been instrumental in beginning this group that gathers for some Bible study, missional service, and, as the name implies, visiting. Beverly Blann s sister, Donna Kaufman, had instructions for making pillowcase dresses. The women in this group have a passion for missions and decided to make some dresses to send to Haiti next time a team from SHLC goes. In addition to the women mentioned above, Jackie Bowman, Jackie Shockey, Pat Adams, Jane Solberg, and Karen Sifert gathered at Beverly Blann s house to complete 32 dresses. Great example of using gifts and talents in ministry! Technology Multiplies Places of Refuge among College Students When Jan Moore s (pictured on right) two sons left home for college, she was searching for a way to keep Scripture before them. She wanted to share the Bible with them in a way that she was sure they would read. That s when she came up with the idea of texting a Bible verse and short prayer to them every day. As word of what she was doing got around, more and more people asked for her texts for themselves and/or their children, until now Jan s address book contains hundreds of contacts. If you would like to be part of Jan s congregation, just text her at (210) In You, O LORD, I put my trust; Let me never be ashamed; Join us as we CONNECT our families Please be a part of our new family pictorial directory we need YOU to make our new family album complete. We work diligently at SHLC to make our congregation a warm, loving place of refuge in a stormy world. A church family album is an effective way to do that. New members and those who work on ministry teams have told me how often they refer to our church family album in order to put a name with a face. The thing is, our current directory is out of date. We have been blessed with many new family members. It s time to include them in our family album. Please use the sign-up sheets in the lobby or go to to reserve your photography time now. Page 5

6 Frankly Financial Tim Eickstead, Director of Operations God continues to richly bless the work of His kingdom through His Holy Spirit in the members and friends of Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church. On an annual basis our congregation approves a Ministry Plan. The Ministry Plan is comprised of expected expenses for the coming fiscal year of the church, which runs on the calendar year from January 1 to December 31. This plan is a compiling of the opportunities which our staff and church boards envision as the needs for the ministries of the congregation during the next year. The 2012 Ministry Plan finished the year with a giving short fall of about $26,000. However, the actual expenses for the 2012 fiscal year were $1,139,080 and the actual income was $1,141,222. Which means the actual income above expenses come out to be $2,142 for the 2012 fiscal year. Our congregation also does an annual Gifts for the King drive at Christmas time. In 2012 the total amount given to this drive was $24,120. The funds raised were approved to be divided among the following ministry opportunities: $12,000 for the continuing education of our newly ordained pastors in their SMP studies; $6,090 for the mission church in Del Rio, Texas; $2,030 for the ministry to the Nepalese Refugees; $4,000 to LINC San Antonio, a LCMS ministry to inter-city ethnic Lutheran ministries in our city. The current 2013 Ministry Plan for Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church calls for a weekly offering of $22,954 to meet the projected expenses. At the time this article is being written, the current weekly average giving is at $23,474. The new fiscal year is off to a positive start! And it is important to share with the members and friends of the Shepherd of the Hills congregation that the way you are responding to God s blessings in your lives is having a positive impact on the ministries which can take place through His people in this place. Praise God that we are a part of a congregation where the members seek to give their offerings as gifts of love back to God, because He first loved us. May God continue to richly bless the work of His people at Shepherd of the Hills! Working for Christ, Tim Eickstead Director of Operations In You, O LORD, I put my trust; Let me never Our Mission To multiply places of refuge throughout our world Our Vision To be a place of refuge in a stormy world. Page 6

7 Student Ministry Nick Arnold, Director of Student Ministry Reflection on the Christmas/Epiphany Season: Route 56 Along with our normal lessons, we have also begun to sample new curriculum for the Fall (our current curriculum runs out this year). We have a big weekend retreat coming up in April! Confirmation 40 explore their faith each week as they learn about the Six Chief Parts of the Christian doctrine and about God s Word. We are currently talking about sharing our faith, world missions, and other religions. High School students are reading through the Gospel of Mark during our Sunday School gathering. We have been rotating leaders so that some students have a chance to step up and lead. Clash We began a new series at Clash asking the question Who is Jesus? and examining the I AM Statements from the Gospel of John kids hear about Jesus every week. Upcoming Events for the Lenten Season: Guys Lenten Dinner (7th-12th grade guys) - Wednesdays, 5:45 6:45 PM, Ash Wednesday to Holy Week (Feb 13, 20, 27; Mar 6, 13, 20, 27)at the IHOP on I-410 and Bandera. We ll meet for dinner and Bible study, then go to the Lenten Service at 7:00 PM together. We will still meet on Several examples of the fun and crazy things we do at Clash. March 27 even though there is no Lenten Service. Please provide transportation from IHOP to the church as I can only fit so many besides myself in my vehicle. Thanks! Our topic is Anchoring Your Identity in Christ (walking through the book of Ephesians). First Communion for Second Year Confirmands During the Maundy Thursday Service on March 28. We have decided to move First Communion to Maundy Thursday because it matches perfectly with the institution of the Lord s Supper. Winter Jam Saturday, March 30, time TBA. Every year Winter Jam features some of the most popular Christian bands around. We ll meet at the church, head toward the AT&T Center, eat dinner, and then rock out! Cost: $15 (covers ticket and transportation). In You, O LORD, I put my trust; Let me never be ashamed; Deliver me in Your righteousness. Easter Breakfast Sunday, March 31. Help support the Student Ministry as we serve you breakfast. Donations will go to support our big summer events, including Summer Camp Eagle and Summer Serve! Continued on page 8 Page 7

8 Student Ministry Nick Arnold, Director of Student Ministry Save the Date: The Good Fight Faith Statement Writing Retreat Friday-Saturday, April Route 56 Retreat Friday-Sunday, April Sharing of Faith Statements Sunday, May 12 during the Sunday School hour Rite of Confirmation Pentecost Sunday, May 19 during the 10:45 Service Ways to Pray Here are some ways you can be praying for us: Pray for wisdom for our Vision And Support Team as we plot a vision for the next few years. Pray for wisdom, patience, and gentleness for our Sunday School and Clash adult leaders as they share Jesus with kids. Pray for guidance as we seek to bridge the church and the school and reach out to school families who are not members of any church. Thank You Thank you for your prayer support, your encouragement, and your financial support! You make it possible for Shepherd to provide a place of refuge to teenagers and for teenagers to multiply a place of refuge with their friends. The fun and crazy things we do at Clash. If you have any questions about the Student Ministry, please do not hesitate to me at narnold@shlutheran.org! Hey everyone! We have tons of ministry opportunities for high school and middle school students here at Shepherd of the Hills. You ll find a place to CONNECT with friends, opportunities to GROW in your faith, and chances to IMPACT your world for the sake of the Gospel. Our adult leaders are committed to helping you in your faith walk. Our hope is to see you grow up into Christ (Eph. 15). So what are you waiting for? Join us this weekend! Page 8

9 LINC San Antonio Announcements Rev. Ely Prieto, Director, FREE EVENT: "Evaluating Scientific Evidence for God" lecture, presented by Mr. Bob Wetesnik, will be held at Lutheran High on Saturday, March 30, from 9:00 a.m. until noon. The lecture is free and open to the public. Contact for more details or to reserve a space. RSVP is not required, but it helps us prepare. HOMELESS OUTREACH at Haven for Hope: This continues every third Thursday of the month at the chapel on the Haven for Hope campus. If you have a passion for helping the homeless and would like to participate in this program, contact Ely Prieto, elyp@lincsa.org. BE AN AMBASSADOR: LINC is seeking 2 people from each congregation to serve as LINC Ambassadors to their home church. If you're interested in helping LINC stay in touch with your congregation, this is a simple and easy way for you to be both involved with both church and LINC without adding much to your schedule. LINC NEEDS YOUR HELP: LINC is no longer receiving funding from the Texas District; we re on our own, folks. If you believe that urban and cross-cultural outreach is a ministry worth supporting, please consider a one-time or monthly contribution to LINC San Antonio. We also are blessed by your Thrivent Choice dollars. Contact Lydia or Ely for more information, or donate online at In You, O LORD, I put my trust; Let me never be ashamed; Page 9

10 Dine with Your Elder or Deaconess Rev. Christopher M. Kennedy, Associate Pastor Dine with Your Elder or Deaconess One evening every month, the phone lines in the church office are completely tied up. Maybe you ve received a call on the first Tuesday of the month from the church. That is when our elders and deaconesses are busy on the phone with member families. They might be calling to comfort someone who has just lost a loved one, or they may be calling to celebrate the birth of a child, or to acknowledge various other life events. When these calls happen, the phones in every office of the church building become tools for expressing care and concern. Every member family in the church is assigned to an elder or deaconess. The elders and deaconesses assist the pastors in providing spiritual care to our church. Their main responsibilities are twofold. First, they are examples of Christian conduct and leadership. Second, they actively provide care to our members praying for you, calling you or speaking with you at church, sending notes to you. All of these responsibilities are performed regularly and intentionally. Because of the work of ministry is so large and so important, your pastors count on these individuals to be an extension of pastoral work, and you as a congregation can look to them for support. The work of an elder or deaconess is based on relationships. To further facilitate those relationships, we ve organized a series of meals over the next two months for you to get to know your elder or deaconess better. At the meal, you ll learn more about what the elders and deaconesses do, you ll hear from your own elder or deaconess, and you ll have a chance to enjoy fellowship with other members seated around you. You can know which meal your elder or deaconess is hosting in one of two ways. A display board in the church lobby just inside the Wurzbach Road entrance lists each elder and deaconess along with a roster of families for each. Photos of the elders and deaconesses will help you to identify them by face. You can also expect to receive a postcard invitation from your elder or deaconess inviting you to your meal. The schedule of meals is below. All are in the school cafeteria. Families under the care of Richard Laskowski and John Houston Saturday, Feb. 16 after Prime Time Praise Families under the care of Mike Hinojosa, Steve Deskin, and DeeDee Arcuri Sunday, Feb. 24 after the 10:45 service Families under the care of Pastor Aaron Tilt, John Wilhelm Jr., John Hennessy, and Ed Garza Sunday, March 3 after the 10:45 service Families under the care of Rose Barrows, Ron Sipe, and John Wilhelm Jr. (covering a currently vacant position) Sunday, March 17 after the 10:45 service If you are unable to attend on the day your elder or deaconess is hosting, please attend one of the other days so that you can learn in general what these dedicated servants do and enjoy the fellowship opportunity. When you receive your invitation postcard, you ll see multiple options for submitting your RSVP: marking your plans on the card and dropping it in the offering plate or contacting Alice Klement at x204 or aklement@shlutheran.org. I thank God for the work of our elders and deaconesses. They serve faithfully and in doing so continue the work of ministry set forth in the Bible. Our elders serve in the tradition of the elders of the early church who prayed for healing (James 5:14), provided wise counsel (Acts 15:2), and set an example of Christian living (Titus 1:5-6). Our deaconesses continue in the tradition of Phoebe, a deaconess (a word indicating a servant-leader) in Rome whom Paul described as a great help to many people (Romans 16:1-2). The offices of overseer (pastor), elder, and deacon(ess) are the three majors church offices described in the New Testament. They are not human institutions but are divinely established by God s Word. How that Spirit-led work takes place at our church will be discussed more at the meals. I hope to see you there. My prayer is that these meals will strengthen your connection with your elder and deaconess so that they may more effectively serve you and you can be a mutual blessing to one another. In You, O LORD, I put my trust; Let me never be ashamed; Deliver me in Your righteousness. Please join us for Worship Services Ash Wednesday, Feb. 13, 12:15 & 7:00 p.m. Lenten Midweek Services 12:15 & 7:00 p.m. Feb. 20, 27, March 6, 13, 20 HOLY WEEK Palm Sunday, March 24, 8:00 & 10:45 a.m., 7:00 p.m. Maundy Thursday, March 28, 7:00 p.m. Good Friday, March 29, 5:00 & 7:00 p.m. Easter Vigil, March 30, Prime Time Praise 6:00 pm Easter Sunday, March 31, 6:30, 8:00, & 10:45 a.m. (Please note there is not a 7pm service) Page 10