The Chat. Beitel Memorial Lutheran Church OCTOBER Worship Services 10:30 AM Adult Bible Studies 9:00 AM Sunday School 9:00 AM

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1 The Chat Beitel Memorial Lutheran Church 2515 Austin Highway San Antonio, TX (210) Worship Services 10:30 AM Adult Bible Studies 9:00 AM Sunday School 9:00 AM OCTOBER 2018 Beitel Memorial Lutheran Staff Ministers Senior Pastor Office Administrator All People of Beitel Gary Bertsch Debi Reeh Council Members President Vice President Treasurer Secretary Property Chairmen Lay Ministries Dennis Hickey Louise Duran Barbara Gerhart Nathan Reeh Olga Burdine

2 Pastor's Notes Seems like fall is finally here, and the rains, rains, rains. Besides heralding in Fall, October is the month in which we celebrate the Reformation. People don t get fired up any longer about the Reformation because they think it s something that happened a long time ago and doesn t pertain to me. WRONG! The Reformation is even MORE important today than ever. When Martin Luther began his reform of the Catholic Church, it was in response to the many errors he saw in it at the time; love of power over humility, withholding God s grace to people; financial abuses are just a few. In our prayer for Reformation Sunday we pray the following: Gracious Father, we pray for your holy catholic church. Fill it with all truth and peace. Where it is corrupt, purify it; where it is in error, direct it; where in anything it is amiss, reform it; where it is right, strengthen it; where it is in need, provide for it; where it is divided, reunite it; for the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Our Church today is still in need of reforming, perhaps now than ever before. The Church is beset on every side by the forces of society which say religion and the Church are irrelevant, or the Church had better get in step with society if it wishes to survive- Hogwash! The Church does need to perhaps look at how it can better serve those around it, but not by becoming the very thing it wishes to change. How about ourselves? Look at the prayer above. Instead of the Church, insert your name. Does it still speak truth to you? I pray we 2

3 continue to look the Spirit for our larger Church, Bietel and ourselves that we continue what Martin Luther began over 500 years ago! Pastor Gary God s Work Our Hands WOW, thanks to everyone who contributed items, came to enjoy a great BBQ and to help with packing the bags for the kids at Bulverde. The outpouring was amazing for a congregation our size. (But you know good things come in SMALL packages!) Thanks to WELCA for organizing this event, For the Men in Mission group for putting on the dinner. There are pictures on Beitel s Facebook page and Dennis will be sending in pictures to the Synod and the ELCA churchwide to share what a small congregation like Beitel can do! Transitional Minister Notes Last month I met for lunch with Pastor Paul Ziese of McArthur Park Lutheran to discuss some very very preliminary ideas of how we could expand both our churches ministry in this area. McArthur Park is also looking at how to best serve the people in our Eastern San Antonio, 410 locations. There a number of other churches which may be interested as well in forming a consortium or parish. At this time, that s all I know. I shared this with council and our next step will be for Pastor Paul, myself and our two presidents to meet to discuss if/how we need to proceed to see if this is even a thing we want to pursue further. I ask for your prayers on these discussions. Something new and exciting might come of this. Council Elections are here. Shared this story with council last week. Andrew Carnegie was once asked, Which is more important, Labor, Capital, or Brains? He thought a minute and replied, Which leg of a three-legged stool is most important? Our budgeting meeting is right around the corner. I m asking you that if the Nominating Committee should approach you, to please prayerfully consider the question before anything else. We have become a smaller congregation and as such, we need everyone s help to continue the ministry of Beitel. Even if you have served in the past, please consider the reuest. Each and every one of you is an important leg to this church! Alsqo, our Pledge Responses are coming around as well. Please remember the work of your church in your budgets. 3

4 Time and Talent Sheets. This years time and talent sheets will be again in the bulletins the next few weeks. Please fill one out and return it. We need your hands to make things happen here at Beitel. Confirmation News! This year we have 4 students. Nolan, Kristen and Austin are in their second year and Carlie will be starting her first year. I hope you will read the responses from their experiences at Confirmation Camp this last August and keep them in prayer! Louise has agreed to help teach when I m away! Thanks for the help! Your Impact on our Youth! Speaking of Confirmation Camp. I asked those who went in August to share their memories of camp. Here are some responses. Q. What was the most fun for you at camp? A. The most fun were the songs and the creek. The songs because they were loud and enthusiastic. The creek because that was where we played games. A. Being able to hike up to the bluff and have worship. Q. What were some of the classes you had? What did you learn? A. We had Bible study daily. I learned what the Lord s prayer meant and I learned different ways to pray. A. The classes about worship because that was the time we learned new ways to pray, and we are to give thanks to God when praying. Q. What was the biggest Take away (What did you learn most about camp? A. I learned a lot about prayer and confession. There are many different ways to pray and to confess. I learned there are many different ways to worship and pray. Q. How will this experience help me in my Christian life? A. Camp helped me to experience prayer in different ways and how to pray with others and the proper way to pray as well. A. I helped me to know about God and prayer. Q. Why should the church support things like this? A. We learn so much at camp and we connect with God while we re there. We also meet other kids who want to learn about God just as 4

5 much as we do. A. The church should support stuff like this because it lets us have fun we are still learning about God. Folks, these are just a few reason WHY we need to support kids going to camps. It s an investment in Beitel s and our Church s future. Thanks again to WELCA for helping with a fundraiser this last year. If asked to support camp, PLEASE support our kids. Pastor Gary President Report for the Congregation September Met with the Alamo Metro Chorus on the contract for use of the Fellowship Hall. We discussed the issues that were raised by both parties and reached resolution. The contract will be reaccomplished and submitted to them for signature. 2. The Property Chairman has been working on fixing the issues facing a building as old as the one we are in. We have re-addressed the Terminix contract to help in the termite issue. We are now working on getting a bid for the water leaks discovered in the old day care classrooms due to the last rainfall. We are also working with the contractor on fixing the roof leaks that we found in the Sanctuary. 3. The council approved the addition of 2 more seats on the council. The reasoning for this is to provide 5

6 assistance to the Property and Lay Ministry positions. As part of that initiative I am also looking at restructuring and renaming the council positions as well as re-aligning the responsibilities of same. See Recommended Council Realignment document. 4. I want to personally thank the members of the congregation who helped Nathan remove the items which were in the classrooms getting flooded by the rainwater in the classrooms downstairs. Their names are listed on the Thanks to the Congregation page. 5. I would like to thank all the members of the congregation for their support of the God s Work Our Hands project this year. You warm my heart and make be proud to be a member of the Little Country Church in the Big City. You have shown what the support of God s Love is possible in doing to help the less fortunate. 6. Most of the carpeting in the downstairs has been taken up and disposed of to reduce the possibility of mold and mildew. Thanks to all who helped Nathan complete this task. Recommended Council Realignment Community Ministry Evangelism Publicity Church Facebook Page Congregational Ministry Fellowship Lay Ministry WELCA LMM Youth Administrative Ministry Office Personnel Council Secretary Executive Committee Call Committee Outreach Ministry Church Webpage Church Chat God s Work Our Hands Habitat for Humanity Financial Ministry 6

7 Spiritual Ministry Worship and Music Education Facility Ministry Real Property Grounds Maintenance Budget Preparation Monthly Reports Offering Counters Pastoral Ministry Shut In Ministry Supply Pastor support Equipment Ministry Media Systems Tables/chairs Kitchen appliances Office Equipment For Prayerful Consideration: Ill or Injured: Lee Everson, Joan Feldman, Dr. Pelphrey, Lilly Kemp, Kristen Ahrens, Jeffrey Krieger, Bob McVey, Walter Molder, Richard Larson, Samantha Benson, Greg Nugent, Kelly Gertz, Sissie and Mike Mirhashemi, Delores and Emmett Engelke, and the Pool Family. Bereavement: The Family of Marietta Gerhart Employment: Sherri (Siebold) Creighton Military Service: Ruben Guzman 7

8 SUNDAY, OCTOBER 7 Worship Assistant Lector Communion Assistants Hymn Leader Organist Sound Media Greeters Ushers Don Russell Darleen Lange Don Russell, Louise Duran Beckie Bertsch Arlene Witzel Dennis Hickey Harold Richter Steve Prewitt, Harold Schulmeier SUNDAY, OCTOBER 14 Worship Assistant Lector Communion Assts. Hymn Leader Organist Sound Media Greeters Ushers JoAnne Benson Louise Duran Beckie Bertsch Jay Miner Ginny Daniels Sam Dennis Michelle Sorrell Cynthia Timm Dennis Hickey, Don Russell SUNDAY, OCTOBER 21 8

9 Worship Asst Lector Communion Assistant Hymn Leader Organist Sound Media Ushers Dennis Hickey Barbara Gerhart Dennis Hickey JoAnne Benson Arlene Witzel Mason Urias Harold Richter Steve Prewitt, Clinton Hahn and Donald Gerhart SUNDAY, OCTOBER 28 Worship Assistant Lector Communion Assts. Hymn Leader Organist Sound Media Greeters Ushers Jay Miner Beckie Bertsch Jay Miner Beckie Bertsch Ginny Daniels Sam Dennis Michelle Sorrell Rose Ackerman, Julie Prewitt Craig Schraub, Glenn Siebold I would like to thank the congregation for the help they provided for the God s Work Our Hands. We packed 30 duffel bags for the foster children. Your generosity, both monetary and weekly items, made my heart swell with pride. I would also like to thank WELCA and Men in Mission for the great work they put in. Love and God Bless Pam Hickey 9

10 FELLOWSHIP AND DINNER The ladies would like to remind the men and women of the congregation are invited to an evening meal on Monday, October 15 th at 6:00 PM in the Fellowship Hall. A meal of King Ranch Chicken, pinto beans, salad, dessert and beverage. There is no charge just a night of fellowship. Signup Sheet is in the Narthex. For more info call Pam Hickey at

11 SUN MON TUE WED THUR FRI SAT WELCA 10: AMC 6: WELCA 10: Men & Women Dinner 6:00 PM Young At Heart 9:30 28 Reformati on Sunday AMC 6: WELCA 10:30 AMC 6: WELCA 10:30 Council Meeting 4:30 PM AMC 6: Men In Mission 8:00 AM

12 Marietta Gerhart June 29, 1923 September 19, 2018 Marietta Viola (Finck) Gerhart, born June 29, 1923, to Charlie and Frieda Finck, died September 19, She attended Bexar County Rural Schools having graduated from 9th grade as Valedictorian of her Seay Class. She was confirmed and married at Beitel Memorial Lutheran Church. Marietta and Viola Siebold started the first children's Sunday School in the 1940's. She married Calvin Gerhart, her childhood sweetheart, on February 7, They made their life in rural Bexar County farming, dairy farming, raising chickens and selling eggs, registered German Shepherds, rabbits, and pecans. In 1981, the Gerhart family moved the dairy farm to Guadalupe County. Her beautiful yard was the site for many family parties. Marietta was preceded in death by her parents; husband Calvin; sons, Calvin, Jr. and David; brother Delroy and wife Delrose; Calvin's sister Lorene Heitkamp and husband Fritz. She is survived by her children Donald (Barbara), Doug, and Grace Kunde (Wyatt), grandchildren Jonathan Gerhart, Wyatt (Monica) Kunde, and Scarlett Kunde. 12

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