October 2014 Monthly Connections

MONTHLY CONNECTIONS
OCTOBER 2014
A PUBLICATION OF SHEPHERD OF THE HILLS LUTHERAN CHURCH
Read these full Fall Launch Party reflections on pg. 8
“I loved seeing all the new faces...and the
unbridled energy of those children
dancing while the band played…
everyone had a smile on their face.
God was truly with us.” ~Nancy Etzler
“...We also enjoyed listening to the Distant
Brothers Band, accompanied by an energetic
group of young choreographers!” ~Mark D. Smith
“Looking back, the Fall Launch Event is definitely one of
my favorite memories since our family joined SOTH. I
hope they do it every year. “ ~Morgan Paulson
“... To me, the feeling of love for
family and friends was obvious what better way to launch the
new fall programs” ~Nancy Clark
In this issue: Letter from Pastor Felix pg. 3 | Getting to Know You pg. 8 | Finance Update pg. 9 | Ministry Moments pg. 10-11
Shepherd of the Hills
LIVING OUT LOUD…
FAITHFULLY!
O
D
…by Pastor Tom Grevlos “Come to him a living stone…and like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house…you are a chosen people in order that you might proclaim the mighty deeds of God who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” (I Peter 2: 4‐10) C H U R C H S TA F F PASTOR
We got off the Staten Island Ferry boat and walked to the 9/11 Memorial. In the noisy and fast‐paced city of taxis and buses and dense popula on, our walk to the memorial was strangely silent. Perhaps it was because one was caught up in ones thoughts and memories of that tragic day, or perhaps because it was hallowed ground, or both. Like the memorial in Oklahoma City or the memorials in Washington DC, there is a sacred space where one pauses and remembers. Rev. Tom Grevlos ASSOCIATE PASTOR
Rev. Felix Malpica Director of Music
Kevin McClure Financial Officer
Trixi Spinelli Director of Organiza on &
Communica on
Amy Ruedas Communica on & Connec ons
Ministry Specialist
Karen Flint Family & Women’s Ministry
Specialist Jeanne Grevlos Nicholas Der en Interim Youth Ministry Specialist Campus Superintendent
Fred Schleede Bu erfly Chris an Preschool
Director
Lisa Phillips Organist
Vernon Moeller AUGUST 2014 Monthly Connec ons Amy Ruedas, Editor and Design
Karen Flint, Copy Editor
Kathy Gerhardt, Copy Editor
Thanks to everyone who
contributed pictures for this
month’s newsle er.
When I visit my childhood home of Sioux Falls, I frequently make a visit to Hills of Rest Cemetery where I go to see my dad’s grave. We will gather as a family with a thermos of coffee (my father’s beverage of choice) and share stories and toast his life and the memories that burn bright. Our ritual concludes with the reci ng of my dad’s favorite saying later in his life; “I love you honey. I couldn’t love you more.” In the Old Testament there are stories of stones being gathered crea ng a monument where something quite significant took place, where God’s presence was profoundly experienced. The gathering of those stones became holy ground, markers for the faith journey. On the campus of Shepherd of the Hills we have a special place, a sacred space, called the Memorial Garden. In this beau ful spot one can sit, reflect, pray…and remember. It is a gi to have such a place, holy ground amidst God’s crea on. When we gather for worship, the most important hour of our week, we breathe in the Holy Spirit reflec ng upon God’s Word and remembering God’s promises for our lives! Our remembering is not a sen mental journey to recapture the “good old days”. What we remember is that we have a God who is “for us” and not against us. We remember that in Jesus Christ, we are given a second chance, a new birth, and hope in the midst of disillusionment. We remember that the Spirit of God is ac ve and present in our lives and in the world, despite all the brokenness and pain of this world. And we remember God’s calling for us to be “living stones”, building up God’s kingdom here and now. At the 9/11 Memorial there was a profound simplicity that touched me. The waters of Bap sm cascading down the angular walls, flowing together into the divine SHEPHERD OF THE HILLS
center of the memorial. 3525 Bee Cave Road | Aus n, TX. The names of those who 512‐327‐3370 died on that fateful day, www.shephills.org including the men on of unborn children, reminded C H U R C H C O U N C I L me that our names have President: Dana Der en been wri en in the Book Vice President: Jordan Sco of Life. Secretary: Carole Morgan Financial Officer: Trixi Spinelli Norma Smith Jan Burnight Steve Schulz Gary Davis Tom Lueders Bobby McQuiston Mark Nogalski Jerry McDonald Donna Herschleb– Recording Secretary OCTOBER COUNCIL MEETING
Tuesday, OCTOBER 14th at 7 p.m.
May God bless us in our remembering that we might be living stones, called out of darkness into his marvelous light. Peace~ Pastor Tom
2
Council Corner
UPDATES & NEWS
Right of Way Update
The sale of the Right of Way parcel to the City of Westlake closed on September 11th. Hooray! Special thanks to
Jeff Cullinane and Mark Nogalski for all their work negotiating the sale and preparing all the necessary paperwork
for the sale and closing. Thank you also to Ed Christians, Tom Lueders and Jordan Scott, other members of the
ROW Task Force, and all the congregation members who lead/attended congregational meetings and gathered
input and recommendations on the original donation request from the City of Westlake. Council approved tithing
$14,000 from the proceeds of the sale to be given in Benevolence this year above and beyond the already
budgeted Benevolence giving.
Also:
The congregation approved the proposed changes to the Articles of Incorporation/Constitution/By-Laws at the
September 14th meeting. The changes will not be effective until they are ratified without change at the November
16th Annual Meeting.
FROM INTERIM TO LONG‐TERM It is a joy to have been called here to serve as Pastor and par cularly to serve the families of this congrega on. Family Ministry is something close to my heart and something that this congrega on is seeking to re‐develop. Family and Women’s Ministry Specialist, Jeanne Grevlos, and Interim Youth Ministry Specialist, Nick Der en, have been great partners in helping to create a pla orm for faith forma on through which a holis c Family Ministry can undergo the redevelopment necessary. This pla orm for faith forma on is called “A Faith That Fills” and will be central in our redevelopment. I am very happy to see the energy and enthusiasm as we enter the fall, I believe it will carry us into the future. I look forward to the redevelopment process and see a great need to make the transi on from an Interim Youth Ministry
Specialist to a Long‐Term Director of Youth Ministries. As a part of this process, Nick Der en was given the op on of either par cipa ng in the interview process to be considered for the long‐term posi on or joining the search process and helping to facilitate the transi on. Nick has chosen to be involved in the search process, to assist with this transi on and to help make this a healing process. Nick has been a great asset to youth ministry here at Shepherd of the Hills. I want to express my utmost gra tude and apprecia on for the work Nick has done. Since Nick helped in the crea on of the “A
Faith That Fills” pla orm, he will be a great support throughout the fall. Nick will step down as Interim Youth Ministry Specialist in the beginning of December in an cipa on of the January start of a new Director of Youth Ministries. We have posted the posi on and will be receiving
applicants through early October; hoping to schedule
interviews in late October. The search team consists of Sam
DeVaney, Megan DeVaney, Beth Jackson, Weston
Eastwood, Nick, Jeanne, and myself as a leader. If you have any comments, ques ons, or concerns… please contact me personally at church in person or via phone, or email me to set up an appointment. Peace, Pastor Felix Malpica SPARK! Small Group Ministry news: Close to 100 members and a enders of Shepherd of the Hills are par cipa ng in a 6‐week small
group study in host homes. The study is focused on the book of Ephesians, which is our preaching texts for the fall as well. Throughout October groups will be mee ng for fellowship, study, and prayer. On November 2nd there will be a potluck celebra on at the church
that will conclude the series. If you missed this opportunity, another SPARK! 6‐week series is scheduled to begin in Lent. There will also be other small group opportuni es. Please con nue to check the website and Monthly Connec ons for small group updates. A special word of thanks to our Small Group Development Team: Dawn Paulson, Weldon Allison, Larry Wikelius, Sara Dawson, Clay
Johnson, Dawn Buffington, and Cur s Johnson.
3
STICKY FAITH—CULTIVATING A FAITH THAT STICKS! Is FAITH CONVERSATION in your FAMILY DNA?
Kids are FULL of ques ons! They are naturally curious and look to moms and dads to provide answers which give shape and understanding to their world. But ques ons of faith can throw us all into a whole different arena. As parents—we o en think we should know the answer to ques ons of faith, but we don’t. So instead, we shut down, or minimize the ques on itself. As with most of life, lots of mes children aren’t looking for answers, but conversa on!** They want to know what you think…but they also want to share their thoughts. So—ask right back! And for future reference…what ARE some good faith and life ques ons?! Here’s a sampling for dinner, car rides, playing with Legos, or bed me…
What was your high today? Your low? (other ways to get at these…pows and wows!) What mistake did you make today? What did you do really well? Do you think God loves you any more or less depending on your answers? What do you think Jesus looked like? How do you think Jesus treated people? How do you think Jesus would treat _____________? ( a classmate, a friend, someone sick, etc.) What would your friends say about you? What’s your idea of the best day ever? Do you think our family is too busy, not busy enough, or just right? **Research shows most 12‐14 year olds have many ques ons about faith that were ignored by their parents. (From: The First Year Out; a book about college students who have walked away from their faith by sociologist Tim Clydesdale.) T
: W
’ S
Thirst
There are mes when the sun blazes hot overhead, the day
stretches long in front of us, and we iden fy our thirst. Like
empty jars, we drag our bodies to a source of water hoping to
be filled. A few hours later, our thirst returns. Jesus promises
something different! To the Samaritan woman, he speaks of
water that quenches our spiritual drought…our dusty souls…
our dry and empty wells.
Thirst is for women who seek a deep connec on to themselves and God. This women’s spirituality experience will be first engaged through... IMAGINATIVE PRAYER! Imagina ve Prayer connects us through an internalized, deeper knowing of God. Beginning Thursday, October 23rd we will meet for four
consecu ve weeks from 7:30‐8:30 p.m. in the Library.
Come as you are able for scripture based prayer. Our theme is: Images of God
Contact: Jeanne Grevlos [email protected] or
512‐327‐3370 for more informa on.
*God as Eagle
*God as Mother
*God as Po er
*God as Rescuer
Join us as we both rest and wander in God’s presence, to take the inward journey and to see where it winds. Come and share the rest of Peter: Learning to be like Jesus, Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the library through October 16th. Beginning October 23rd, SISTERS BIBLE STUDY GROUP will study Ephesians: Wholeness for a Broken World. We hope this study will complement the Spark series. This study is part of the LifeGuide Bible Studies through IVP. We have enjoyed many of the tles in this series and invite you to join us . We welcome all to share our lives, our prayer concerns and our study. Contact: Karen Flint for October only, [email protected] 4
The Fall 2014 faith forma on curriculum for High School Youth is called The Vastness. This curriculum incorporates science, medita on, and scripture. We will focus on science of big (vast) concepts in the world and medita on prac ces. Medita on will help to cement the “vast” concept in the mind of each par cipant. Scripture will help to shine a different light on the “vast” ideas while allowing for a safe space for "messy conversa ons". All High School youth are invited to par cipate in this new, engaging faith forma on curriculum each Sunday morning from 9:30 a.m‐10:30 a.m. in the Youth Room. Faith Forma on hour for all ages is Sunday 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Faith Alive also holds fellowship me at 12:30 to
2:30 on Sundays. The Vastness blog can be found at :faithalivethevastness.blogspot.com. Please contact Nick
Der en, Interim Youth Ministry Specialist for more informa on at [email protected] or 512‐327‐3370.
Jus n is a Boy Scout from Troop 31 who is working on his Eagle Scout project. Jus n designed and built a walking trail
connec ng the Memorial Garden to land where the Labyrinth is located at the back of the church parking lot. Thank you Jus n and Boy Scout Troop 31!
5
When a child is bap zed, not only do parents make a promise to raise the child in faith, but the whole congrega on does! That can mean anything from sharing our financial blessings in buying curriculum and supplies, to helping with events, to teaching our children. The Holy Spirit promises to be with us as we embark on this mission. Jesus calls us all to pass on the faith to future genera ons needing to hear and love God’s story! Dee Jackson, Melissa Robertson, Dana Der en, Kristen Murray,
Cecilia Machado, and Larisa Norris.
K‐1: Donna Auby, Brooke DeVaney, Megan Hansen, and
Rebecca Kodak.
2‐3: Dabney Gomes, Janice Benzel, Sco Kodak, and Michelle Nowlin 4‐5: Jeff and Mollie Cullinane, Joe Harms, and Pa y Rowley Cindy Davis, Nicole McGilvray, Adelle and Mike Connors, have also volunteered their me as able! Outdoor Educa on & Team Building: Jessica Malpica, Michael Wa , Alexis O , Kevin Clark, and Jackie Gerhardt
Supply Coordinator: Susan Vaughan Please remember to both THANK and PRAY for all these folks who have so generously gi ed our children with their presence, enthusiasm, and love for God! W
?! C
:
.
Everyone at Bu erfly Chris an Preschool (BCPS) would like to welcome our new students and staff for the 2014‐2015 school year. It has started off with lots of laughs, giggles, and even some tears. But each day we move forward into our rou nes and the comfort of God’s grace. September has flown by and we are ready to se le into fall and all it brings. October is such a great month. The temperatures are cooling off. The plans for our fall ac vi es come into full swing. Our first program ac vity takes place on Monday, October 6,
with the Bu erfly Back to School Night. Everyone is welcome to a end at 6:00 pm. We will have lots of our classroom work to share AND you will have an opportunity to meet other Bu erfly families. Please make a note on your calendars... Bu erfly will be closed on Monday, October 13, in observance of
Columbus Day. The remainder of the month we will explore the beauty of fall and how God changes not only the seasons but how He can change all of us, crea ng hearts full of love and gra tude for our new rela onships at school. ~Lisa Phillips, Bu erfly Chris an Preschool Director 6
…and they placed a bible near their hearts…
One of our primary emphases this year in The Village is to help children engage with the Holy Spirit. In our baptism, we hear
proclaimed the Light of Christ is within us...that Light IS the Holy Spirit given to us at Pentecost. It is important for children to
learn to recognize this presence in their lives, and quite frankly…they can be much better at it than grown-ups! Why? Because
children are open, trusting, and for the most part, without skepticism. Connecting with the Spirit is what enlivens belief, energizes
our journey, and gives us eyes to see the world through the lens of faith.
And so on the first “official” day of Sunday School, I walked into a classroom, and the teacher had all the children spread out on
the floor, each with a bible covering their hearts, asking what God might be saying to them about the story just taught.
Emmanuel, “God with us” in that beautiful moment, uttered through the simple words of children; once again, lighting the way
for us all.
~Jeanne Grevlos
Hey KIDS AND PARENTS!
Please remember to BRING BACK the
prayer sticks each week…to keep them
moving and to get new ones. It’s our
way of “blanketing”, covering the world
in prayer because:
GOD IS OUR FRIEND!
7
I was born and
raised in
Austin, Texas!
I have 3
children and 5
grandchildren.
I feel closest to God
when I am at church
and my favorite hymn
is “For All The Saints.”
My favorite Bible verse
is
John 3:16
FAVORITE SPORT
& SPORTS TEAM
“For God so loved the world that he
gave his only Son, so that everyone
who believes in him may not perish
but may have eternal life”
FAVORITE CHILDHOOD MEMORY: playing Hide & Seek. HOBBIES: I like to travel. PERSON I WOULD LIKE TO MEET:
President Obama FAVORITE FOOD: Veal Marsala FAVORITE
VACATION SPOT: Atlan c and Pacific Beaches FAVORITE
RESTAURANT: Carabbas OTHER INTERESTING FACTS: I was a member of the singing sergeants of the USAF Band. My wife Shirley and I have know each other for 80 years. “The SOTH Saturday Fall Launch event was a great
time. I was introduced to my new favorite band, Distant
Brothers. My mom & I loved dancing to their music and
enjoyed them so much that we bought their CD and still
listen to it in the car all the time. But listening to the
band was just the beginning of the fun. My friends and I
took several turns going down the 30 foot water slide …
I couldn’t believe how big it was … and only stopped
when it was time to eat some PoK-e-Jo’s BBQ. Finally,
when we weren’t dancing ourselves, my mom and I
really liked watching all of the little kids on the dance
floor. Looking back, the Fall Launch Event is definitely
one of my favorite memories since our family joined
SOTH. I hope they do it every year. “ ~Morgan Paulson
“What a memorable event! Ask any kid between the age of about 4 & 12 and they'll tell
you how much fun they had at the water slide, scaling the stairs on one side and then
coming up with new ways to skim down the slippery slide of the other. We also enjoyed
listening to the Distant Brothers Band, accompanied by an energetic group of young
choreographers!” ~Mark D. Smith
“What a joy it was to see the children dancing and laughing in front of the band-stand as
Distant Brothers played after dinner! The Fall Kick-off was a time for children to play on
the water slide and adults to enjoy each other’s company and meet visitors who joined
us for the event. To me, the feeling of love for family and friends was obvious - what
better way to launch the new fall programs! I look at this fall season as a new beginning
for my faith journey. Let’s all take advantage of the opportunity to learn and for our lives
to be enriched through a Faith that Fills!” ~Nancy Clark
“From the beginning, I knew I didn't want to miss this special event. All those
responsible did an excellent job of building up my expectations and they
delivered! The spirit of love, fellowship, worship and FUN were felt as soon as I
entered the gym. I loved seeing all the new faces...and the unbridled energy of
those children dancing while the band played…everyone had a smile on their
face. God was truly with us.” ~Nancy Etzler
8
Finance Focus
We received $580.00 for Austin Youth
Leadership & Counseling and $50.00 for
Bread for All at our fun Fall Launch Party on
Saturday, September 7, 2014.
Thank you for your generosity!
Focus on Outreach
During the month of October SotH will be collec ng new and gently used handbags, mascara and lip gloss and lip s ck for women who rely on Dress for Success for support. Please place your dona ons in the collec on box in the narthex. Dress for Success is much more than clothing! The mission of Dress for Success is to promote the economic independence of disadvantaged women by providing professional a re, a network of support and the career development tools to help women thrive in work and in life. See www.dressforsuccess.org/aus n for more informa on. In addi on, our monetary gi s could provide:
 $50 buys 2 pairs of shoes, 2 bras or 3 blouses  $80 buys one business suit  $100 buys basic toiletries for 5 women  $250 supports 1 woman through professional development program  $375 supports 1 woman for 1 year in a pre‐employment program  Each $500 contribu on supports 1 woman for 1 year through all Dress for Success programs To make a dona on, designate “Dress for Success” on any checks payable to SotH and we will combine our gi s. Please join us for a presenta on and ques on/answer session led by Sandy Wikelius on Sunday, October 12, 2014 at 9:30 a.m. in
Room 104/105 in the Educa on Wing. The presenta on will feature a documentary, “In Her Shoes”, about a woman in Aus n involved in the program and see her story of development, opportuni es and success! The Outreach Team con nues to work on development of a mission support statement for 2015. In addi on, we are looking for ways that our congrega on can become partners in these programs to make a difference in a life and share our blessings. Watch for more details to be presented to the congrega on this fall. Thank you for your con nued support of our 2014 benevolence projects. 9
A
M
P
1
th
Sunday, November 16 at 12 p.m. Lunch will be provided. F
F
Sunday, December 7th at 12 p.m. with light lunch 8:15 . . W
…
that praises God with hymns and liturgy …a more tradi onal worship format 10:45 . . W
…
that praises God with blended music and an atmosphere that seeks to engage families of all shapes and sizes 9:30 A.M. F
F
H
for all ages beginning with a 5‐minute
Community Rally in the sanctuary V
:L
M
:I
I
L
H
…F
‐
I
“L
L
!
L
J
, ” C
. OCTOBER UPDATES ...can also be found on the church website
W
O
T
: First mee ng was September 29th at 7:30 p.m.
S
G
M
D
T
: Spark! Groups launched on September 21st with close to 100 par cipants.
F
Y
M
: Search team formed and process has begun to hire long‐term Director of Youth Ministries
*Bu erfly Preschool—Lisa Phillips began as new Director of BCPS on September 8th. K
Have you no ced the Welcome Kiosk in the narthex? This kiosk was designed and
constructed by Kurt Petersen with assistance
from Len Johnson. Kurt donated his me and
materials to this project in memory of his wife,
Carol Petersen. Church in Ocho de Octubre Guatemala
Many thanks
to Kurt!
Watch this space as we create a plan to fully u lize all of the kiosk’s features! If you have an item for display on the kiosk, please contact Amy ([email protected]) or Karen ([email protected]). Please visit our church
website for more
details and info.
The 2014 Guatemala Mission Trip will be October 22‐29. Traveling as representa ves of Shepherd of the Hills will be Don
Cadenhead, Jerry Schmeil, Becky Chris e, Jeri Porter, Cecilia
Neuhaus, Dr. Bill Deaton, and Steve and Phyllis Youngdahl. As in the past we will provide seed corn, health kits and school supplies for our brothers and sisters in Aurora Ocho de Octubre, Guatemala. They have also requested that we help them buy an electrical system for their church. Your benevolence offerings and
designated gi s are needed to purchase seed corn, health kits,
school supplies, electrical system, etc. totaling $6,000.
Please pray for our Guatemala team members and the
church in Guatemala.
10
Fall Study with Pastor Norb Firnhaber in the Library on Tuesday mornings from 11:00 a.m—
12:00 p.m. for six sessions. “The Story of Our Faith‐‐a Study of Chris an Faith Communi es and Denomina ons.”  October 14 ‐ Background to Reforma on ‐ first 1500 years.  October 21 ‐ The Catholic Family  October 28 ‐ Pastor Norb gone ‐ no class  November 4 ‐ Churches Out of England, e.g. Episcopal, Bap sts, Presbyterians, Quakers  November 11 ‐ Methodism ‐ also out of England  November 18 ‐ Creeds ‐ What is ar cula ng the faith?  November 25 ‐ Final Class ‐ Lutheranism! ...to everyone who made our Fall
Launch Party Weekend a huge
success! We could not have done
it without out you! AND...a
BELATED thank you to all of the
SotH Ministry Groups who
organized our Summer OASIS
dinners: Bible & Wine, Family
Ministry, Sisters, Vintage Friends, Youth Ministry, Boy
Scouts and the Choirs! Y'all are awesome!
C.A.R.E. Moms
(college age requires encouragement) th
Mee ng on Wednesday, October 8 at 7:30 p.m.
in the SonShine Room to organize our group. Mee ng on Wednesday, October 22nd at 7:00 p.m.
to assemble first care package. Contact Carmen Schulz for more info…
clas@aus n.rr.com or 512‐294‐1798 We will tour the Westcave Preserve (on Hamilton Pool
Road) on THURSDAY Oct 16 - afternoon tour 1:30
p.m. - 3:30 p.m. The cost is $10/person. We will
have lunch at noon at Mimi's in the Hill Galleria. We
will car pool or have the church bus. A sign up sheet
will be in the narthex. (The Back-up Plan, in case of rain or
very wet trails, is to tour the Ransom Center for the Gone with the
Wind exhibit - lunch can be nearby.)
November: Annual Thanksgiving potluck soup meal
with corn bread and a speaker.
December: Annual Christmas pot-luck with Culver's
chicken & fixin's at someone's home.
Please check the website for more details.
For more information, please contact the Vintage Friends planning
committee, Fossmeyers ([email protected]), Knights
([email protected]), or Schleedes ([email protected]).
Saturday, th
October 11
at 8 a.m.
PRAY & PUTT GOLFERS:
We are set to play Shadow Glen Golf Club on Thursday,
October 30th, in Manor at 10 A.M. thanks to Bob Cannon's
sugges on. Cost is $29 including range balls & cart.
Contact Jerry Schmeil to sign up or for more informa on:
512‐261‐3404 OR [email protected]
Shepherd of the Hills Mission Statement: LIVING OUT LOUD...FAITHFULLY!
INSPIRING others with the love of God. IMAGINING ways to model Jesus in the world. MPACTING lives through the power of the Holy Spirit. 12
13