ZION LUTHERAN CHURCH

Transcription

1 SHARING THE GOOD NEWS ZION LUTHERAN CHURCH Friday, Dec 1 st Burton Bridge Ministry Saturday, Dec 2 nd Youth in downtown Christmas Stroll Parade 6 pm Sunday, Dec 3 rd Pastor Katrina s installation 2 pm Sunday, Dec 3 rd Faith Friends Christmas party 5-7 pm Tuesday, Dec 5 th Mary Martha Christmas 2 pm Wednesday, Dec 6 th All Committees meeting 7pm Thursday, Dec 7 th Church Council meeting & Christmas party at B.T. Longhorn 6:30 pm Sunday, Dec 10 th Semi- Annual Congregational Meeting after worship Sunday, Dec 10 th Christmas 3 pm Tuesday, Dec 12 th 4H Club 7 pm Thursday, Dec 14 th Ruth Circle Christmas party at Los 6 pm Saturday, Dec 16 th Youth Christmas program 1 pm Sunday, Dec 17 th Youth Christmas program 5:30 pm Wednesday, Dec 20 th Newsletter deadline Monday, Dec 25 th Church offices closed for holiday Tuesday, Dec 26 th Bluebonnet 11 am Argent Court George Rhodes Brenham Nursing & Rehab Darlene Gaskamp Gracy Lange(Rehab) Focus Care of Brenham Sybil Kumaga Dorothy Tockhorn Homebound Henry & Laverne Ganske Bradley Grimm & parents Josephine Helm Viola Koehn Joyce Meyer L.W. Miller Burney & Edna Schramme Glenn Schroeder Mary Tockhorn Zion Lutheran Church 1800 FM 2679 Brenham, Texas Pastor: Katrina Walther Cell Phone (509) Church Phone (979) Address: zionsville1800@gmail.com zionsvillelutheranchurch.org Council Minutes November 8, 2017 Attendees: Matt Supak, Joe Gurka, Herbert Hardin, Shonda Ziese, Kim Cmajdalka, Steve Capan, Jeanette Ford, Pastor Katrina Walther, Carol Gaskamp. Absent: None The meeting was called to order by President Carol Gaskamp. A moment of silence was offered in memory of Margo Teegardin. Pastor Katrina opened the meeting with a prayer. Financial Report and Minutes of the last meeting were reviewed and approved. Pastor Katrina presented her report. She stated it s been a busy week but she has several items scheduled and has already started visitation. Joe Gurka reported for the Building and Grounds Committee. Joe stated additional bids for the A/C compressor repairs were

2 obtained however neither company could offer the warranty or price quoted originally by Brenham Heating and Air. A motion was made and carried for Joe to proceed with the repairs based on the quoted price with Brenham Heating and Air. Herbert reported the cemetery group will be working on clean up 11/11/2017. The new lawn and garden service has been busy and working on improvements. Carol stated she ordered a defibrillator update kit and it should be in soon. Matt and Joe will look into cleaning the A/C intake panels. Matt Supak reported for the Parish Ed Committee. At the monthly meeting, the 2018 Budget was discussed including the number of camp attendees. The annual Christmas Program will be held 12/17/17 and a Sunday School Teacher appreciation luncheon will also be held in December. Stewardship Committee had no new information to report. Shonda Ziese reported the Worship Committee will again offer poinsettias for sale at a cost of $12. Deadline to order poinsettias will be 12/10/2017. The Christmas Eve services were discussed. It was decided that only a Christmas Eve service at 6:00 PM will be held. The Worship committee will be co-hosting with the Council and Call Committee for Pastor Katrina s installation service on 12/3/2017. Steve Capan to review the ad currently in the Downey phone book publication and update as needed. Carol announced the small monuments for the unmarked graves have been ordered and remarked that a portion of the annual fundraiser profits were earmarked for that expense. The council completed staff evaluations. The 2018 Budget was reviewed and approved to be presented to the congregation at the congregational meeting. Pastor Katrina s housing allowance for November and December was approved at $1150/month. The cost of the Portals of Prayer devotionals were reviewed and the cost to congregational members will remain at $7. A short discussion was held about the new 2018 Council nominees. The meeting was adjourned. Submitted by Kim Cmajdalka Steve Capan reported the Witness Committee reviewed the 2018 budget. Carol asked

3 Most Highly Favored Lady Imagine gathering in a darkened stone sanctuary in early December. Outside, the sun is just setting. Inside, the electric lights are dimmed to a warm glow matching the candles in the worship space. Worship begins with a responsive chant and a hymn in praise of light, then a reading of the Annunciation Gabriel s visit to Mary. The congregation begins singing: Let my prayer rise up like incense before you, the lifting up of my hands as an offering to you. Then, out of a distant corner of the sanctuary, a solitary female voice, clear and strong: O God, I call to you, Come to me now; oh, hear my voice when I cry to you. ( Let My Prayer Rise Up, Evangelical Lutheran Worship, # 232) This was my first experience with the Holden Evening Prayer Service, my first year at seminary. We used the service only once a year on the evening of the last Thursday of the autumn term. My worship team had been in charge of planning the services that week, and we had chosen Beth from our group to sing the leader s portion of Marty Haugen s sung version of Psalm 141. I knew it was Beth, but for a few moments there, I had goose bumps running over my skin thinking that it was the voice of Mary singing out of the darkness, singing a prayer to God at the joy and fear of what she was about to undergo. We Lutherans, by and large, do not pay very much attention to Mary outside of Christmas. Even then, we tend to give her only a cursory glance. I know I never reflected very much on Mary, the mother of our Savior, until I got to seminary. Sure, I considered her role from an intellectual standpoint, but not from a deeper emotional or spiritual one. In seminary, we talked about her much more than I ever had before. We were studying how to engage in ministry within a mixed Hispanic-Anglo reality, after all. (Plus, two of my professors were of Mexican or Mexican-American descent.) And Mary s importance to the Hispanic community is deeply ingrained in the culture, whether an individual or family is Roman Catholic or not. Still, even then, my association with the Virgin Mary remained far more in my head than in my heart until my final year at seminary, That is the year Laura was born. On our last Wednesday worship service before the Christmas break, we chose to honor the December 12 th festival of the Virgin Mary of Guadalupe a little early. I gave the sermon a simple reflection on Mary and motherhood and the flesh of the incarnation seated in a circle among my classmates and professors, holding a sleeping one-month-old Laura in my arms. Becoming a parent made the Christmas story real for me in a way I had never experienced it before. The Angel Gabriel from heaven came with wings as drifted snow, with eyes as flame; ( The Angel Gabriel from Heaven Came, ELW # 265)

4 I remembered my feelings when I found out I was pregnant. Carl and I had been hoping for a child for quite a while, but when I found I was pregnant, I was scared. Happy, too, but very afraid of what was to come and feeling so unready and I learned the news from a tiny stick, not from a winged-being of frightening beauty and majesty. I knew our lives as a couple were about to change. Mary knew that not only her life was about to change, but the whole world! There must have been some trepidation for her, surely, but her faith in God and her hope for the future the Holy One ordained overrode all other emotions. My soul cries out with a joyful shout that the god of my heart is great, and my spirit sings of the wondrous things that you bring to the ones who wait. You fixed your sight on your servant s plight, and my weakness you did not spurn so from east to west shall my name be blest. Could the world be about to turn? My heart shall sing of the day you bring. Let the fires of your justice burn. Wipe away all tears, for the dawn draws near, and the world is about to turn. ( Canticle of the Turning, ELW # 723) As I knew when I looked at that little plastic stick in my hand that my life was going to be forever different, so, too, do we know that the coming of Christ Jesus means that all of our lives will and shall be forever different. No, not just different: the advent of our Lord means that all things shall be made new! We know in our minds that this is true, but how good are we at letting this joyous and frightening news enter into our hearts? Thinking about Mary, a real mother with a real son, makes the flesh of the incarnation as awesome and undeniable for me as looking into the eyes of my own children. What a strange and wonderful way for God to act! What a miracle for God to come and dwell with us as Emmanuel! Our salvation for all time begins as a tiny flutter in Mary s womb! As we begin our Advent journeys this year, let us open our hearts to the Prince of Peace and pray with Mary: My soul shall laud and magnify God s holy name. Gloria! (ELW #265) Your sister in Christ, Pastor Katrina Questions: 1. What was the name of the man Jesus mother was engaged to at the time she became pregnant? 2. Which book of the Bible records many of the hymns David wrote? 3. From what disaster did the Ark save Noah? 4. What happened to Jesus forty days after his resurrection? 5. What animals did Jesus cause to run into the sea and drown? 1. Joseph (Matt 1:19) 2. Psalms (Ps 1:1-150:6) 3. Flood (Gen 7:7) 4. He ascended into heaven (Acts 1:3-11) 5. Pigs (Matt 8:32)

5 Youth News Congratulations to two of our Brenham High School Belles! Arabella Maitland and Jill Rosenbaum, they were named Belle of the week! Way to do those high kicks and splits in your performances! And the 2017 Royal Purple Raceway Winner goes to none other than our own racer Arabella Maitland!! Arabella was presented with the Advanced Jr. Dragster Championship Trophy and a $1500 College Scholarship. Her father, Jeff Maitland was honored as the recipient of the Henry Canales, Sr Award of Excellance. Way to go Maitland Family! In the cattle show ring, one of our own young ladies was feeling blessed!! Laura Zibilski took home Champion Open and Jr. Show Female, best of polled heifer open and Jr. show with her Miss C-P Roberto 748C21. Her Miss TOCR Burgandy was Champion calf in open show & Reserved Jr. Heifer. Her Miss Classy was a class winner in the Jr. Show. Laura also won the Sr. Showmanship! Way to go Laura! A BIG THANK YOU goes out to all of the people who came out to the Burton Bridge Community Thanksgiving meal to lend a helping hand. A delicious meal was served, many many desserts were served, Awesome music was heard and a lot of fellowship was had. Thanks to Gavin Blum, Ella Pieper, Allison Marburger, Dylan McKee,, Judy Jeske, Nina Runge, Gladys Hodde, Darlene Gaskamp, Shawnda Saunders, Dorene Marburger and myself for helping out any which way we could. Thanks to Allison Crowson, Craig Conner, Kweyn Emshoff, Robert Zientek and Ricky Weiss for playing at the Beer and Hymn Fest! Great time was had by all and the monies raised went to The Miracle League!! Drum Roll please Thank you everyone who brought cereal to help out the families who may go hungry to work or school! We collected over 100 boxes of cereal! Our bowl over flows. Thank you all so very much. Love you all Mrs. Cindy Upcoming Events!!! Come to the Christmas Stroll Parade on Saturday, December 2 as many of our youth will be performing and rolling through the parade. Watch for the Red Farmall Tractor filled with Elves as the make the toys for all the boys and girls. Those wanting to be an elf Let Mrs. Cindy know. December 3 Faith Friends mark your calendars for this date from 5 PM 7 PM as we share in fellowship, games and exchange of Christmas Ornaments.. This is for all youth in confirmation class and those who have been confirmed and still in High School. See you all there.

6 Mark your calendar for December 10 th as our Confirmation students and anyone else bring Christmas cheer to our homebound members. If you can sing o not join us! December 16 th 1:00 PM Christmas Program Practice December 17 th Need some desserts for your family Christmas. Those who are going to the 2018 ELCA Youth Gathering will be holding a Food Fight. Bid on you favorite dessert and share with your family. Come One Come All. Lend us your ear as the youth of Zion present H.A.L.O. on the Air It s Christmas! Don t Touch That Dial - Followed by a Harp and Horn Radio Party Coming to Zion on Sunday Sunday December 17 th at 5:30 PM December 18 th Sunday school teachers Christmas Party Merry Christmas to all. Mrs. Cindy Well done, good and faithful servant. To all of our 2017 council members, church committee members, worship assistants, nursery caregivers and all the volunteers: Thank you for the time, talent and expertise you have given to Zion. What you do is important and makes an eternal difference. You have made a difference through your dedication and continued support of this congregation. Your willingness to use your gifts and abilities has strengthened the mission and ministry of this church. You have also been an example of servant-leadership and giving. For all your time, effort, hard work, and prayers, please accept the thanks and appreciation of this church congregation and its leaders.

7 Date Worship Sunday School 10/ / / / / Date Regular Memorial 10/ / / / / Ryan Hegefeld Frances & Leon Konieczny Wanda Kramer Jerry Kunkel Gracy Lange Elroy Maass Marvin Marburger Ben Marek Heather Meyer L.W. Miller Lance & Angela Mundkowsky Evelyn Plueckhahn Ralph Poehlmann Steven Ramirez George Rhodes Ervin Schulz Kyee Koehn Shaver Russell Sommer Robert Sorensen Catherine Stein Mace Studhalter Jimmie Tiemann Robert Wagner Sandy Winkelmann Lisa Wise Memorial Fund Al Stoddard Joyce Boeker M/M Wayne Fuchs M/M Allan Niemeyer Cecil Weiser Natalie Bell Kenneth Goessler Gertrude Krinke M/M Donnie Lyles Kenneth Schiller Patricia Klausmeyer Larry Molitor Ruth Maass Our thoughts and prayers during the past month of November have gone out to: Family of Kenneth Gossler Family of Lori Schroeder Family of Margo Teegardin Lois Albright Robyn Bentke Laverne Blum Raymond Blum Richard Blum Marchel Brennan Chuck Cargill Anne Frank Henry Ganske Leslie Gilbert John Hardin Debra Harrison We are pleased to let you know that a deposit has been made to Zion thru Thrivent on behalf of: Craig Blum Kathy Blum Carolyn Heidemann Charlyn Krause James Pelkemeyer Laverna Schiller Shirley Schiller Don Studhalter Lori Schroeder M/M Donnie Lyles M/M George Lorenz M/M Jerry Vaughn Margaret Schwettmann Allen Neumann Birdie Sommerfeld Margo Teegardin M/M Donnie Lyles M/M Wayne Fuchs M/M Allan Niemeyer Richard Rucker Maydell Steinfeld

8 Delaina Callahan 1-Dec Hayes Weirich 1-Dec Jim Helfrich 2-Dec Jeff Maitland 3-Dec Ella Pieper 4-Dec Isabel Eckelhoff 7-Dec Emily Pohorelsky 7-Dec Tyler Smith 7-Dec Linda Boehnemann 9-Dec Edna Schramme 10-Dec Pamela Zibilski 11-Dec David Draehn 12-Dec Quint Mantey 12-Dec JoAnn Marburger 12-Dec Cooper Raley 13-Dec Michael Redman 13-Dec Timothy Pepper 14-Dec Mike Davis 15-Dec Shirley Ganske 16-Dec Holly Lehde 16-Dec James Keienburg 17-Dec R. W. Luhn 17-Dec Connie Stelter 18-Dec Shane Bentke 19-Dec Darlene Gaskamp 22-Dec Delfred Gaskamp 23-Dec Kelly Pohorelsky 23-Dec Haley Reimer 23-Dec Lisa Bentke 26-Dec Gracy Lange 28-Dec Elmer Marburger 28-Dec Veradell Lehde 30-Dec Kristie McKee 30-Dec Wayne & Joy Fuchs Matt & Bobbi Jo Supak David & Donnie Reynolds Nathan & Carolyn Zibilski Earl & LaVerne Blum Marvin & Doris Blum 2-Dec 10-Dec 12-Dec 18-Dec 21-Dec 25-Dec Articles for the January newsletter must be received by December 20 th. Thank you. Cleo Jaeger Fredrick Pelkemeyer Lauren Pepper Matt Zibilski Allison Bentke Jim Helfrich Walter Rodenbeck Veryl Neumann Ryan Rodenbeck Bobby Mertz Joyce Meyer Darleen Hardin Quint Mantey Kathy Stelter Jay Neumann Fred Pelkemeyer Stacy Hardy Marla Maitland Bruce Muske Beverly Koehler Gloria Stoddard Kathy Blum Doris Redman Milroy Weinert John Keienburg LaVerna Schiller Doris Blum Robert Jeske JoAnn Marburger Mary Lee Schneider Robert Ziese 1-Dec 2-Dec 2-Dec 5-Dec 7-Dec 7-Dec 7-Dec 8-Dec 8-Dec 9-Dec 11-Dec 12-Dec 12-Dec 13-Dec 14-Dec 14-Dec 15-Dec 15-Dec 15-Dec 16-Dec 16-Dec 17-Dec 18-Dec 20-Dec 22-Dec 22-Dec 25-Dec 26-Dec 28-Dec 29-Dec 29-Dec

9 Non-Profit Organization PAID Zion Lutheran Church 1800 FM 2679 Brenham, TX Phone: Return Service Requested Brenham, Texas PERMIT NO 3 If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter, please us at zionsville1800@gmail.com or call the church office at (979)