Remember the Sabbath Day, To Keep It Holy. (Ex. 20:8)

Transcription

1 Vol. 7, No June-July 2018 Remember the Sabbath Day, To Keep It Holy. (Ex. 20:8) Is this a command or a gift? Sometimes that s not quite clear. With today s modern mindset and ideologies, any type of COMMAND tends to be met with resistance. You can t tell me what to do! I get to decide what is best for me! Responses like this to any command or thought of absolute truth are not at all uncommon. Regrettably, that means sometimes we miss out on the things that are best for us. June and July are months where many of us take vacations. We put our regular schedules and duties on hold and take a break. We visit with friends and family. We go visit someplace to clear our heads and relax so that we can be happy and healthy for the rest of the year. It makes sense, right? But what if I told you that you HAD to take a vacation? What if I made it a command? If we rebelled to that command of rest, we would miss out on something of great benefit to us. It s the same with time with God. It is a command. But that command is the wonderful gift of REST. Time with God need not be an obligation, just as a vacation need not be a dread duty. God knows you need to be fed, nourished, and recharged spiritually as well as physically. He knows this because He designed you and gave you life. Because of this, he commands you to receive the wonderful gift of Sabbath rest in Him. One Saturday afternoon in a discussion with the Pharisees, Jesus clarified, The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. (Mark 2:27) As you make travel plans and stock up on the sun screen, don t forget the most important item of all Time with God. Time with His Word, time in prayer, and yes, also time in Church. Even though it s summertime, we ll still be here every giving God s Word, and serving up Sabbath Rest. We would love for you to come rest with us! ~God s Blessing, Pastor King CONNECTIONS Page 1

2 Vacation in California Women get excited over weddings. That's how a plan began to spend a week in Santa Maria, CA visit a sister and aunt living in CA and to attend a wedding. The wedding was a surprise, it all started with a Facebook announcement of a Pastor's wedding, a Pastor who served as a Vicar in McAllen, TX and was a close friend all the ladies were excited. Convincing the men was the next step. Sister-in-law Rosa got online to find the best and lowest cost for the trip, she and her family drove from McAllen to Houston the day before the trip. The next morning, we (six of us) departed Houston for Los Angeles, CA. When we arrived, a seven passenger Dodge Caravan, driven by my nephew who drove from Santa Maria, was waiting for us. He drove as we took in the sights. The next day, Wednesday, was dedicated to catching up on all the family news. Thursday, we visited our aunt and were bewildered by the beautiful flowers of all colors in the neighborhoods. Meals were prepared by our host and our ladies. Friday was dress rehearsal for the wedding. Saturday we were invited to a Seventh Day Adventist Church service; our eyes were opened wide seeing the congregation, children, and youth all dressed up for Church. Most of the members were from the south interior of Mexico. We all got up early to prepare for the wedding and to surprise the groom. The groom s father, Rev. Abiut Fajarde, delivered the sermon. Rev. Fajarde was once Synodical President of the Mexican Lutheran Church, and his son Rev. Magdiel Uziel Fajaro Perez was called to Grace Lutheran Church in Santa Maria. The groom was really surprised at seeing old friends from Texas. As I was headed to the car I heard my name shouted out. To my surprise it was Rev. Shuller's son who graduated from the Seminary at the same time as the groom. When he found out I was at Immanuel, he recalled the gym, because he played basketball there; it's such a small world. Wednesday night we returned to Texas. It was nice to be back home! ~Pastor Perez Newsletter Contributors Editor....Barbara Szalkowski Contributors..Kathy & Lonnie Angst..Rev. Jason Braaten..Cathleen Chevallier..Lynn Eickemeyer. Rev. Joel & Clarion Fritsche. Karen Evans Bob Heth..Sandi Hrozek Pastor Jeffrey King Julie King.Connie Meave..Jessie Nelson Pastor Claudio Perez.. Bonnie Thomas Additional Proofreading...Lauren Neu Graphic Design... Matthew Szalkowski CONNECTIONS Page 2

3 Friends of Down Syndrome Helps to Make Immanuel Beautiful Like many church goers here at Immanuel and Early Childhood Education parents, I love to look at the beautiful plant and flower beds in front of the office and on the grounds here at Immanuel Church and ECE. Little did I know that it is a very special group of individuals who help to take care of all of the plant beds. The Friends of Down Syndrome group brings individuals who have Down Syndrome every week for some vocational training, and Immanuel gets to benefit too! One of the tasks that these students do every week is water the flower and plant beds, including Ms Winnie s butterfly garden and a small vegetable garden over by the Early Childhood building. But taking care of flower beds is not all they do! They also help to wash daycare toys, sweep the gym floor and help to dust and straighten Bibles and hymnals in the sanctuary. All of these activities not only help to make our campus and church more beautiful, but also give the Down Syndrome students a job they can be proud of. On days when there is Hamburger Fry, the students help to place salt and pepper shakers and wipe down tables and chairs when the event is over. On Friends of Down Syndrome work days, the students also act as gatekeepers, opening and closing the front and side gates for parents picking up their kids from the ECE program. Students can also practice their microwave skills on the Immanuel kitchen microwave, a skill that can enable them to prepare simple foods for themselves. The Friends of Down Syndrome Academy has been open for four years and began with 17 students. They now have 72 students and a waiting list. For more information or if you are interested in giving to the not-for-profit group, Friends of Down Syndrome, you can visit their website Voter s Meeting Approval of Budget Election of Officers for FY , June 3 rd Immediately following School/Bible Class ~Julie King CONNECTIONS Page 3

4 School In School, we pray together. We sing and play together. We have fun at it. One, as we learned together about Jesus, we used Play-Doh to remind us about Creation and just how awesome our Creator really is to create everything in 6 days. Before Mother s Day, everyone made happy pictures to include with our Mother s Day cards that were mailed to the Shut in mothers. On Mother s Day, to let the moms know how special and loved they are, we made special presents and snacks to share. SAVE THE DATE! AUGUST 26 TH, RALLY DAY (Left) We love sharing our artwork with those who grace the hallways downstairs by displaying it on the outside of the classroom door. Coming up this Summer! Everyone Welcome. Join Us! In June, Robots. Robots are made to serve. They re designed to do work that we d rather not do. Jesus taught us that if we want to follow him we need to be a servant to others, like he was. Children will learn 4 ways to serve God and others by making 4 unique robots to be used in school. In July and August, Bible Science. God created the heavens and the earth and everything in it. Pure science will always point us back to our loving Creator. We will be using experiments from soda geysers and slime to exploding bags and potatoes to help us learn about experiments in Faith. Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. Proverbs 22:6 ~Cathleen Chevallier School Superintendent CONNECTIONS Page 4

5 Focus on Stewardship There are three conversions necessary to every man: the head, the heart, and the purse. Attributed to Luther, though yet to be located in his vast writings, this statement echoes what Jesus taught about hearts and treasures. He said, For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also (Matthew 6:21; Luke 12:34). But which conversion comes first? I submit that the order is this: first the head, then the purse, then the heart. Let me explain. Our Lord Jesus Christ dwelt among us to save us. He took on our flesh, fulfilled the demands of the law in our place, became sin for us, and suffered torture and death on our behalf, in order that we would be free from sin, death, and hell. He gives us what He accomplished through Baptism, Absolution, and the Lord s Supper. And so, He doesn t just do it for us but gives it to us, makes what He did ours by making us His. Thus, we are called by His name: Christians. We have a new life in Him. Through the preaching of Law and Gospel, God grants us repentance, a changing of our minds. It is a conversion of the mind. We are called to turn away from our sins and turn toward Him for forgiveness, life, and salvation. For when God calls us away from something, He is, at the same time, calling us to something. And thus, He calls us to a new life, with new deeds. This is the conversion of the purse. Jesus said that it is easier for a camel to enter through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God (Matthew 19:24). For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Notice that our hearts follow our treasures, not the other way around. As Christians, God calls us to invest our treasures in His Kingdom to ensure that the gospel is preached and the sacraments are administered. He calls us to share all good things with the one who teaches us the doctrines of Christ. He calls us to be generous in giving to the church, for it is more blessed to give than to receive. So where is your treasure? If it is not invested in the kingdom of God, then the only response is repentance a conversion of the heart and to begin doing just that. And as our Lord promised, where your treasure is there your heart will be also. This is not to say that you earn your way into heaven. It is simply to say that as Chritians, those who have been made to be temples of the Holy Spirit, who have been given a new life in Christ, who are dead to sin and now alive in Him, we are, actually, to live think (conversion of the mind), do (conversion of the purse), and be (conversion of the heart) a new life in Him. And when you fail, know that God in Christ loves and forgives you and still calls you away from that and to Himself. ~Rev. Jason Braaten Immanuel Lutheran Church Tuscola, Ill. ~submitted by Kathy Angst (Stewardship newsletter insert for June 2018, from the LCMS website src=lcm&id=5125) CONNECTIONS Page 5

6 Lutheran Schools Week God is our Rock! DRESS Older Than Rocks Like You Are 100 Years Old TRULY HE IS MY ROCK AND MY SALVATION: HE IS MY FORTRESS, I WILL NOT BE SHAKEN. PSALM 62:6 NIV DRESS Like a Rock Scientist Archeologist CONNECTIONS Page 6

7 DRESS Like People Who ROCK at Keeping Us Safe DRESS Like a Rock Star! ~submitted by Connie Meave CONNECTIONS Page 7

8 [Excerpt of a column published in the Houston Lutheran Chorale s May 2018 newsletter. Thanks to Sandra Petersen, Community Liaison, for sharing it.] The Houston Lutheran Chorale is holding a revival. A revival meeting is a series of Christian religious services held to inspire active members at a church body, to gain new converts, and to increase excitement. It usually consists of several consecutive nights of services held at the same time and location. I was surprised to find that revivals have been held in America as early as the 1700s. They were very popular in the 1800s and into the mid-1900s, often called awakenings. Revivals were usually held at local churches. Early revivals sometimes occurred in towns that didn t have a church yet; these were usually held in tents. Tent revivals became popular even for local congregations. Modern revivals have tended to be big events at large arenas. At revivals, preachers preach the Word, and music and food are a prominent part of the experience. followed by a free will hot dog dinner with all the trimmings. Being located near downtown Houston, Trinity is an excellent place to watch the City of Houston s fireworks display once it turns dark. ~Bob Heth, President The first day of school is August 15. The Paper Registration Day for all families will be held on July 17, 7:30 am to 6:00 pm at the Immanuel Office. More information will be e- mailed in early June. The Academic Calendar is at ~Connie Meave Our version of a revival meeting will not be quite the same as described above, but music and food will be important parts. Old hymns and spirituals of the church will be sung. Of course, since it will be performed on the 4th of July, we will also sing patriotic music including the Star Spangled Banner, A Tribute to the Armed Services, America, and others. We invite you to come to our revival, entitled Revive Us Again. Our concert will be at Trinity Lutheran Church-Downtown on Wednesday, July 4, at 6:00 pm. The concert will be If you have questions, or need more information, the Young Professional Houston LMCS at yphoustonlcms@gmail.com CONNECTIONS Page 8

9 Summer Camps One week camps Monday-Thursday during June for students in grades 3-9: Immanuel and the King family celebrated the Confirmation of the King s eldest son, Lawrence, on Pentecost, May 20. Naomi Willing Workers The Naomi Ladies are starting a new project and are asking for church members and ECE families help. Naomi will be recycling prescription and over-the-counter pill bottles with all plastic lids and sending them to an organization called Matthew 25: Ministries in Cincinnati, Ohio. Robotics Drama Band/Praise Band Movie Making & Keyboarding Art Mom's & Daughter's Fitness Football Volleyball Baseball Basketball Soccer This group sends these bottles with additional medical supplies to developing countries. In these poorest of the poor countries, medicines are often dispensed into hands, pockets, leaves or any other available containers. If you are throwing away your medicine bottles and you would like to help, please drop your bottles into the basket in the Narthex marked Naomi 25:Ministries or in the church office. Thanks for your help. ~Bonnie Thomas [For more information about Matthew 25: Ministries, see their website at Cheer Track & Field See /summercamp/ for more details and registration. ~Lynn Eickemeyer Social Ministry Door Offering, July 29 th CONNECTIONS Page 9

10 Mission Report The Fritsche Family: A La Republica Dominicana [Excerpt, March-April 2018 newsletter. For the complete issue, see their Facebook page Celebrating Heidelberg in the DR! At the seminary we have been planning our First Annual Theological Symposium to serve the pastors, church presidents and theological educators of the mission fields and national churches from our region. We collaborated with Luther Academy and LCMS Disaster Response to host this three-day conference, which took place April 24-27, and it went very well. Attending were representatives from 13 countries, including 6 church body presidents, 3 seminary directors, and 5 directors of Bible institutes. We came together to celebrate the 500th anniversary of Luther s Heidelberg Disputation. The 95 Theses Luther had written in October 1517 were an invitation to debate indulgences, a debate that never actually took place. In April of 1518 in Heidelberg, Luther presented another set of theses that set forth the distinction between the theology of glory and the theology of the cross. Five hundred years later Lutherans from around Latin America had the opportunity to discuss the theology of the cross as it relates to Mission, Pastoral Practice and Mercy. It also gave us a wonderful opportunity to promote our seminary and have face to face conversations with partner church presidents about sending their men to study with us here. Overall, it was a very fruitful conference as together we studied and discussed theology and enjoyed the fellowship that we have as brothers in Christ. We plan do it again next year. I pray that the Lord of the Church will continue to bless us as we go about the Gospel work here in the Dominican and in places like Mexico, Guatemala, Panama, Venezuela, Chile, Peru, Bolivia and beyond! To God be the glory! The Lord grows His Church Here is what has been happening on the church planting side of our work. In our last newsletter issue I wrote about our emphasis on visitation and what a visit looks like. Today I am very happy to report on the fruits of our visits. Easter was an exciting day for us at Amigos de Cristo in Las Americas (Santo Domingo). Six people were baptized and three were confirmed in their faith. Praise the Lord! Our regular visits to two families I wrote about last time were instrumental in these baptisms and confirmations. We constantly brought God s Word and Christian encouragement to these people. Also, Vicar Paul Flo (above) spent over a year with the youth who were confirmed in their faith. (continued on page 11) CONNECTIONS Page 10

11 Dominica Ministry... (continued from page 10) Updates from the Missionary Wife One of those youth was baptized along with her three younger siblings. Now one of those siblings is in a new confirmation class. Semana Santa, that is Holy Week, I was at the supermarket and I ran into a man from the community around our church. He has been in church a number of times over the years, but is not a regular attender. He told me that one of the families had asked him to be padrino for one of the children being baptized. I explained that he could be a witness, as he is not a member of the church. He was happy to stand up as a witness, and more importantly, it s given us an opportunity for further visitation and conversation with him. He s no stranger to our church. As a painter, he s even done a lot of work for us in the past. He showed up Easter morning dressed up like I had never seen before, along with his family. The next Saturday I put him on our visits list. We spent over an hour at his house with him and his family and, by God s grace, they ve been in church the two s since. We re praying that the Lord will continue to work on him and his family, that they come to catechism class and become regular partakers of the Gospel in Word and Sacrament. We are preparing for Vicar Paul s departure in June. We ll receive a new vicar from our Dominican Seminary to succeed him. Also, Pastor Willy Gaspar s health has drastically improved and we are anticipating his return to pastoral ministry. Thanks be to God, things are looking very well for the months ahead! Thank you for your continued prayers and support! God bless you all! ~Pastor Joel Fritsche Cristo ha resucitado! Easter greetings from the rest of the Fritsche family. We continue to celebrate Christ s resurrection and rejoice in all He has done for us. It has been a busy time, however, we are happy to be part of the incredible work here in the Dominican Republic. Last week we hosted two seminary professors from Brazil in our home. Our evening conversations were a mix of Portuguese, Spanish and English. We were amazed at how much Portuguese we could actually understand just based on our experience with Spanish. We are drawing close to the end of our curriculum. The boys will continue with their studies until mid-june. We will then get to travel to the US for a much-needed vacation for the month of July. We are really excited to see family! We continue to work to find a way to get Andrei the growth hormone he needs. We are still researching options but hope to have him begin receiving the medicine this summer. The process has been long and involved. We are grateful that we are supported by such wonderful people who truly work hard to see that we are cared for. We continue in our routine with gratefulness and joy. May the Lord bless you all with that same joy! Abrazos! ~Clarion Fritsche CONNECTIONS Page 11

12 Support Our Sponsored Missionaries Dominican Republic Ministry Rev. Joel Fritsche & Family Seminary Support You can donate online through the following link: By mail, make a check payable to Lutheran Church Missiouri Synod and specify Dominican Republic Seminary in the memo line. Mail to: The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod Mission Advancement PO Box St. Louis. MO General Support Support/prayer card: % pdf To support the Fritsche s ministry, you may send a tax- deductible gift to either of the following: The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod P.O. Box 66861, St. Louis, MO OR Mission Central Highway E16, Mapleton, IA Make checks payable to The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. Mark checks Support of Joel & Clarion Fritsche. Gifts can also be given securely online through the LCMS website, on our online giving page at or call (888) Puerto Rico Ministry Rev. Richard & Gema Schuller Send a tax deductible gift to: The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, PO Box 66861, St. Louis MO OR Mission Central-LCMS World, Highway E16, Mapleton, Iowa Make checks payable to The Lutheran Church- Missouri Synod, and include Schuller, Puerto Rico, and A in the memo line. Gifts can also be given securely online through their website Alaska Ministry Donate online at: Mail donations to: Alaska Mission for Christ, 8100 Arctic Blvd., Anchorage AK Donate via Thrivent Choice Dollars: Donate via Amazon.com s Smile program

13 Summer Family Fellowship Tuesday, July 17 th Menu: Beef Tostadas Thursday, July 19 th Menu: Chicken Casserole Dinner in Miertschin Hall: 6:00 pm Activities and Fellowship: 7:00 to 8:30 pm Join us for Two Evenings of Fun for the Whole Family! Word, Song, Games and Crafts Reaching Out to the Community Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age. Matthew 28: Cortlandt St Houston, TX immanuelhouston.org

14 Immanuel Lutheran Church - June 2018 Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Usher Team #4 Worship Service 9:00 am Bible Class & 10:30 am Voter s Meeting after BC/SS 10 Usher Team #5 Worship 9:00 am Bible Class & 10:30 am 4 Evening Bible 6:30 8:00 pm 5 7:30 9:30 pm All 7:00 pm :30 9:30 pm 6 Ladies Bible 10:00 am :00 3:00 pm Men s 6:00-9:00 10:00 1:30 pm Men s 6:00 9:00 pm Texas District Convention (Irving) FoD s Dance 4:00 9:00 pm 16 5:00 pm Young Prof s Lutheran Church 17 Father s Day Usher Team #1 Worship Service 9:00 am Bible Class & 10:30 am 18 Evening Bible 6:30 8:00 pm 19 7:30 9:30 pm 20 Ladies Bible 10:00 am 21 Men s 6:00 9:00 pm Usher Team #2 Worship 9:00 am Bible Class & 10:30 am :30 9:30 pm Men s 6:00 9:00 pm 29 30

15 Immanuel Lutheran Church - July 2018 Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 Usher Team #3 Worship Service 9:00 am Bible Class & 10:30 am 8 Usher Team #4 Worship 9:00 am Bible Class & 10:30 am 15 Usher Team #5 Worship Service 9:00 am Bible Class & 10:30 am 22 Usher Team #1 Worship 9:00 am Bible Class & 10:30 am 29 Usher Team #2 Worship Service 9:00 am Social Ministry Door Offering Bible Class & 10:30 am 2 NO Evening Bible Study 3 7:30 9:30 pm All 7:00 pm :30 9:30 pm Church 7:00 pm 16 NO Evening Bible Study Summer Family Fun Dinner 6:00 pm Activity & Fellowship 7:00-8:30 pm 7:30 9:30 pm 7:30 9:30 pm :30 9:30 pm 4 Offices Closed No Ladies Bible Study Ladies Bible 10:00 am 5 1:00 3:00 pm Men s 6:00 9:00 pm Men s 6:00 9:00 pm 19 Summer Family Fun Dinner 6:00 pm Activity & Fellowship 7:00-8:30 pm Men s 6:00 9:00 pm 25 10:00 1:30 pm Men s Basketball 6:00 9:00 pm

16 June 3 June 10 June 17 (Fathers Day) June 24 Elder Max B. Max B. Max B. Max B. Acolyte Jacob K. Emily H. Lawrence K. Cameron W. Usher Team #4 John C. #5 Bill O. #1 Bill E. #2 Larry G. Media Karen E. Jackie A. Barbara S. Karen E. Audio Max B. Ray T. Gerald O. Max B. Altar Guild Evelyn M. & Bonnie T. Evelyn M. & Bonnie T. Evelyn M. & Bonnie T. Evelyn M. & Bonnie T. July 1 July 8 July 15 July 22 July 29 Elder Ray T. Ray T. Ray T. Ray T. Ray T. Acolyte Jacob K. Emily H. Lawrence K. Cameron W. Jacob K. Usher Team #3 Ralph E. #4 John C. #5 Bill O. #1 Bill E. #2 Larry G. Media Jackie A. Barbara S. Karen E. Barbara S. Jackie A. Audio Gerald O. Ray T. Gerald O. Ray T. Max B. Altar Guild Maria O. & Leticia L. Maria O. & Leticia L. Maria O. & Leticia L. Maria O. & Leticia L. Maria O. & Leticia L. If you would like to fill in, trade, or substitute please contact the church office. Thank you.

17 August 5 August 12 August 19 August 26 Elder Steve H. Steve H. Steve H. Steve H. Acolyte Emily H. Molly H. Lawrence K. Jacob K. Usher Team #3 Ralph E. #4 John C. #5 Bill O. #1 Bill E. Media Karen E. Jackie A. Barbara S. Karen E. Audio Max B. Ray T. Gerald O. Max B. Altar Guild Mary O. & Larry Stephens Mary O. & Larry Stephens Mary O. & Larry Stephens Mary O. & Larry Stephens If you would like to fill in, trade, or substitute please contact the church office. Thank you.

18 Immanuel Lutheran Church 1440 Courtlandt St 306 E 15th St Houston, TX NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO NORTH HOUSTON, TEXAS Return Service Requested To the Family of: Love God ~ Care for Others CONNECTIONS Page 12 Text box Tuesday, July 17 th Menu: Beef Tostadas Thursday, July 19 th Menu: Chicken Casserole Dinner in Miertschin Hall: 6:00 pm Activities and Fellowship: 7:00 to 8:30 pm (See enclosed flyer for details)