A Monthly Publication of Atascocita Lutheran Church 7927 FM 1960 East, Humble, Texas October 2008 Volume 12 Number 10 ALC FALL FESTIVAL It s our 30 th year!! ALC's Fall Festival Benefit has been a tradition now for 30 years! It is one of our congregation's most visible outreach events in the community, and one that provides much needed funding for local charitable organizations as all net proceeds are disbursed to local charities. Vendors pay for booth space to sell their wares. In addition to the raffle booth, ALC also hosts a bake booth with homemade baked goods, concessions, a book nook, and a children s area. There s a not-for-profit section where organizations get a free booth (sponsored by ALC members) to promote their work and get volunteers (we even had a few dogs adopted!). We showcase our local ALC talent by providing entertainment by the dining patio. This is an 'all hands on deck' event as many volunteers are needed to stage a successful Festival. The Festival is always held on the second Saturday in October, which this year is October 11th. Sign-up sheets for volunteers are posted in the Fellowship Hall, and we need everyone's participation. This is an opportunity to serve God as a church family, reflecting Christ in our lives to the community in which we live. For more information contact: Joy Berthold at 281-812- 1280 or via e-mail at mencrv@aol.com Begin Baking! ALC's Annual Fall Festival Benefit is Saturday, October 11 th. Please remember the church's bake booth needs your goodies as a part of the Fall Festival! You can deliver your baked goods to the church on Friday, October 10th until 8 p.m. or on Saturday directly to the bake booth. Homemade breads, rolls, muffins, cookies, cupcakes, brownies, and pies are popular items. Please package cookies and brownies in individual baggies of 2 or 3. We're looking forward to another successful year, but it is not possible without the help of everyone! We encourage every family at Atascocita Lutheran to make a baked donation for the bake booth! Please consider supporting this important effort to help those in need. Contact Heather Espenlaub at 281 852-0350, 713-417- 8223, or thespenlaub@embarqmail.com with any questions.
Brothers and Sisters in Christ, As I write this, our country is experiencing homes being foreclosed on at a record pace, many of our largest banks and savings and loans have collapsed, our nation is in debt to the amount of eleven trillion dollars (let s see; that s $11,000,000,000,000 I think), near record high gas prices, two on-going wars with no end in sight, a crashing stock market, and if that is not enough, we here in Houston just experienced one of the worst hurricanes to hit our coast in the last one hundred years. So where is the good news in all of this? Well, we ve heard it over and over again, it really brought people together. I would guess that many of us met neighbors for the first time. Families came together to support one another. Friends would gather what they had in their refrigerators and freezers and get together for a meal. People shared. You could see this by the extension chords running all over neighborhoods. Indeed, it brought us together for a moment in time. But then the electricity came back on. And we all retreated back into our homes, closed the doors and the windows, turned on the AC and the television, resumed surfing the internet and playing our video games. Perhaps we will meet our neighbors again when the next storm comes. Food for thought. Pastor Gary L. Anholt This past month has been a difficult one for all of us. Before the hurricane, I tried to call as many people as I could in our congregation to make sure that they were as prepared as possible, especially those who are elderly or live alone. I did the same thing as soon as I got phone service after the hurricane. To my knowledge, no one suffered any physical injuries during the storm. And for that, we can be thankful. Several people in our congregation lost personal belongings that cannot be replaced due to the memories they represented. However, even though they have lost material items, the memories still remain.
2008 STEWARDSHIP FOR A VISION COMMUNITY INTRODUCTION VISION FOR A COMMUNITY OF FAITH The Atascocita Lutheran Vision: As a growing, diverse community of believers on a journey of faith, we seek to make Christ known through reflecting Christ in our lives. Vision is a word that confuses some and scares others. And yet, if each of us remembers and can claim the intent of the concept of vision, we will live with a clearer view and less discomfort. Vision is about destiny (reputation, intent and accomplishments) for the Kingdom of God. Vision is not about fortune telling or crystal ball like endeavors. So, the vision of Atascocita Lutheran Church is focused on who we are, whose we are and what we believe God s preferred future is for us. As we think about our discipleship commitments to the near-term and longer range vision of our community in Christ, let us embrace faithfulness with eagerness for our roles and gratitude to God for inviting us to a partnership for good. STEWARDSHIP NEWS NOW LOOK WHAT YOU VE DONE! (August) The congregational ministries of worship & music, learning, witness, service and support were gaining momentum as August ended. It is anticipated that participation will improve across all dimensions: attendance, contributions, serving and planning. We are beginning to rebound from our collective summer slump as the end of August neared. Income for the month was 98% of the plan ($23,036). The spending was below the plan so there was a net gain for the month. Average weekly worship attendance for the month was. Together our giving has made it possible for us to offer an outstanding Vacation Bible School, materials and supplies for the new Sunday School year, planning for Youth & Family Ministry, a terrific setting for such events as the annual Sisters in Christ dinner and program, the monthly ALC Men s Breakfast Group and more, and more. Through the end of August income is approximately 10% below the planned amount. At the end of summer most vital congregations are typically running behind at levels of 15% or more. So, while we are experiencing a cash flow disconnect it is not a disastrous situation. A matter of concern is that the designated amount for a cash reserve has been diminished. It is anticipated that some of the desired one-month reserve will be replenished in part by the end of December. The contributions for the first five months FAITH VENTURE 2007 (FV07) have been good. Gifts will have surpassed the $100,000 level by the time you receive this publication. Thanks be to God for motivating us to grow forward!!
Join us for Bunco for Boobs! Everyone is welcome! Friday, October 10 At Atascocita Lutheran Church 7 p.m. $20 donation $30 for couples Food and beverages provided Winners will receive FABULOUS prizes! RSVP to Allyson allysone@cebridge.net All proceeds to benefit The Breast Cancer 3 Day Walk and Susan G. Komen for the Cure In support of www.the3day.org
DISCIPLESHIP RATHER THAN MEMBERSHIP...Some insights. Healthy, effective congregations communicate seven expectations of all disciples (veterans and newcomers). Four of these (highlighted) expectations suggest less about behavior of doing church and more about and attitude of being the disciples as an aspect of being in or with the church. Together over the next few months we will consider these behaviors and attitudes items and reflect on behavior modifications and attitude adjustments for all of us: 1. Commit to spiritual growth. 2. Commit to worshipping with others. 3. Commit to financial support. 4. Commit to the congregation s vision and mission. 5. Commit to the needs of the local community and beyond. 6. Commit to hospitality. 7. Commit to prayer. Adapted from T H E PA RIS H PA PER (Volume 16, Number 10) TITHE SUNDAY CONTRIBUTIONS WERE STUPENDOUS Giving for Tithe Sunday (September 7) was $12,772!! This represents an amount 2 ½ times what has been contributed on average each Sunday this week. And combined with nearly $3,000 in FAITH VENTURE 2007 gifts the offerings for the day approached $16,000. This total is one of the highest in the congregation s history. Thanks to all who responded to the ALC Leadership Team invitation to try a tithe for one Sunday. Your attitude of generous gratitude provides the Financial Oversight Team some breathing room as the congregation s ministries resume at full speed. Those not present last week may still contribute and add to the joy and thanksgiving. Soli Deo Gloria! is the signal that J. S. Bach gave to his religious works the phrase means To God alone (goes the) Glory. Oops! IKE-effect on September Income for ALC Attendance and Income have been thumped in the after-ike life of ALC. Thanks for doing what you can to catch up with your giving plans.
Oct. 9 Marty & Barb Poloni 12 Geoff & Amy Potter 22 Jeff & Renee Wallace Celebrating Birth- Oct. 1 Erica Ottmers 8 Sharon Kauffman Devin Wiley 9 Kacey Vuong 11 Don Nelson 14 Bette Nelson Jeffry Schmidt 15 Logan Barras Wayne Hearn 17 Suzie Eubanks Reece Evans 18 Jason Truitt 22 Nathaniel Anderson 24 Brandon Christenson 25 Tara Trautman 26 Ariel Khawaja Nancy Simpson 27 Patti Alley Amy Potter 28 Emily Croskey Jarod Croskey 29 Alexander Dimaala IF YOU HAD A BIRTHDAY OR AN ANNIVERSARY DURING THIS MONTH AND YOUR NAME DOES NOT APPEAR ON THIS LIST, PLEASE CALL THE CHURCH Altar Flowers Given With Love Oct. 5 by Marie Wilkinson in memory of her parents 12 by Nathan & Patty Hutchinson in memory of Friday Santillana & R. Keith Hutchinson 19 by Matthew Johnson in memory of loving Grandmother, M. Louise Stoke 26 by Dan & Julie Langler in honor of Alex s 2nd birthday Sign up in the narthex to give altar flowers. Our church florist will make a beautiful arrangement. Cost is $35. Affirmation of Baptism The Rite of Confirmation On Sunday, October 26 th, two of our young people will affirm their faith in the Rite of Confirmation. They are: Tyler Olen Hoyt Baptized February 8 th, 2004 Lauren Ashlee Potter Baptized March 26 th, 1994 Please keep these young people in your prayers as they affirm their faith. Broadway & Beyond Postponed The lights on broadway were dimmed ok they were put out by Hurricane IKE. The lights will be bright, and the evening of dinner and entertainment will come soon to Atascocita Lutheran Church. Time, location, menu and excellent talent remain the same. Watch for the announcement and plan to attend!
From Our Missionaries Change, loss, grief, fear of the unknown, autumn seems to bring forth these things. For many hurricanes have created such, and we hold you in our prayers during this time. But it can be also be this for children as they begin school, perhaps with new friends, old friends having departed, this is quite common for missionary children going to school overseas where their playmates and school friends from within or without the culture they are in are constantly changing as they grow older, go to other schools and perhaps other countries, even their own. It is never easy for them. This fall Kristian began school at a Montessori school, Malagasy, and expatriate children playing, learning and napping together. While Barbara was at the National Synod Meeting of the Lutheran Church of Madagascar with church leadership elections and all the uncertainty that comes with that, I was helping get Kristian acclimated to his new surroundings and teachers. The first week was rough, with each day spending less and less time there until I only dropped him off and picked him up. As you can imagine the first day he was fine, I was always present, but the second day when I stepped out for a moment at the encouragement of the teachers, he became frightened, for the visible sign of his dad was gone. When I came back he was fine. The third day he knew I would be gone for a bit but still was nervous. By the end of the week he was good to go. A Malagasy friend also went through this experience with his daughter, and we both shared the sense that all would be fine once our children knew that we did indeed come back. Kristian would say every time I came back, "Dad, you came back," as though it was a surprise, but now he just says, "Dad, you're back," as does my friend's daughter and most parents children. The second week his daughter didn't cry when he left, she knows he'll be back. So does Kristian. But it's hard for any of us who want the visible presence of one we rely on. Yet it is precisely God's invisible presence that we have to trust in, that God is always with us. Jesus promised, "Lo I am with you always." Promise made, a promise kept. It's important between God and us, parents and children and all of us that we keep promises as they are too easily broken. Grieving is necessary, loss happens, change and the unfamiliar are always around us, but our Lord is with us through it all and will sustain us in the times that seem the most turbulent and difficult. Often I find, though it sounds trite, that clouds can have silver linings when we're open to God's work in these times. Barbara, as I said, was at the Synod meetings this month. A Malagasy asked me, "Who do you want to win the church elections?" I said who wins doesn't matter to me, "I will work with whomever the people elect and God chooses. But I'm sure it matters to you." He said yes, as the leader is the one who would influence what changes the church made for they would look to him for guidance. Change is scary; who leads has a mighty burden on their head that they don't lead poorly, selfishly, unwisely scaring others. Maybe why I think of Solomon with good leadership skills when he asked God for the wisdom to lead. May we all ask God for that guidance in all we do: from helping others, caring for children or those in need, to electing those we would have lead justly and wisely that all children have the opportunity for proper education. Thanks so much for your prayers and support. See you in the summer of 2009. Blessings and peace in Christ from THE HINDERLIES Antananarivo, Madagascar
ATASCOCITA LUTHERAN CHURCH 7927 FM 1960 East, Humble Texas 77346 - (281) 852-7333 www.alutheranchurch.org Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Huffman, Texas Permit No. 19 ATASCOCITA LUTHERAN CHURCH Our Vision: