Easter Celebration You`re Invited Holy Week 2015 at Lord of Life

You’re Invited
March 18, 2015
Easter Celebration
Holy Week 2015 at Lord of Life
Palm Sunday ∙ March 29th
Procession with Palms 8:30am | 9:50am | 11:00am
Maundy Thursday ∙ April 2nd
Seder Meal | 6:00pm
Communion | 7:30pm with Stripping of the Altar
Good Friday ∙ April 3rd
Silent Prayer | 10:00am -Noon
Worship at Noon: Service of Shadows
Good Friday Cantata " The Colors of Grace"
with Choir & Chamber Orchestra | 7:00pm
Saturday ∙ April 4th
Easter Vigil | 7:00pm
Easter Sunday ∙ April 5th
Sunrise Worship 6:30am | 8:30am | 9:50am | 11:00am
inside
Easter Breakfast | 7:30am-11am in the Fellowship Hall
Prayer
Pastoral
Breakfast
Lord of Life
Care
Lord
of Life Lutheran Church
LUTHERAN CHURCH
at
LOL
Update
3801 South Panther Creek Drive, The Woodlands, TX 77381 | (281) 367-7016 | lordoflifeonline.org
PJ’s Corner
PJ’s Corner
I’ve been thinking lately
about the daily rhythm or
routine of life. We all have a
routine or plan for each day.
Some days it’s the regular
or possibly mundane stuff of
life. Other days you get to
shake things up and create
a new rhythm. For instance, I loved that my grandparents and dad came to
visit for a few days. We had a great time playing cards and dominoes, going
out to eat, touring The Woodlands, going to church and of course spending
a day at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. My favorite moment was
during the Alan Jackson concert watching my grandparents (married for 66
years) hold hands and cuddle (as much as you can in stadium seating!) while
Alan sang “Remember When”. It was precious. Anyway, having my family
visit was wonderful and it changed the daily rhythm for a few days.
After their visit I went into recovery mode and experienced a different
It was 90 minutes of surrendering to the
kind of rhythm…..a massage!
rhythm of the massage therapist as she paced her way through stressed
out shoulders and neck muscles. She used her elbows, fingers and palms in
circles and lines to create a rhythm that became motions of healing for me.
What are your rhythms of healing and reframing? Click to read the rest of
PJ’s blog at http://lolonline.org/got-rhythm/.
BATS AT LORD OF LIFE
There are BATS in the Belfry. No, really there are. You may have noticed
that the Fellowship Hall was closed on Mar. 15 due to bats. We just
wanted to update you on the situation. Six colonies of bats have been
found around the roof of our building. Don’t worry, they are harmless.
No one will turn into Edward or
Bella or even Batman. However,
animal control is working on a
solution to eliminate our bat
problem. Please be patient as
we work to reclocate them.
Educational
and Family Events
Sunday School for all ages
Sunday mornings - 9:45 am
Pastor’s Bible Study
Tuesdays - 11:30 am
Strong Women - Strong Faith
Wednesdays - 9:15 am
Women’s Bible Study
Wednesdays - 9:30 am
Baptism Anniversary
2nd Sunday of each Month
Ladies Lunch Bunch
2nd Wednesday of each Month
Men’s Breakfast
2nd/4th Saturday of each
Month
RuthAnn’s Remnants
3rd Thursday of each Month
Pastoral Care at Lord of Life
"Pray for one another, that you may be healed." James 5:16
Good news! A Pastoral Care Team has been established to revamp
Pastoral care ministries at Lord of Life. This has been a strong area of
ministry at Lord of Life, and we want to make sure our people have
the care they need. Areas of pastoral care include:
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Crisis intervention, support, assessment and referral for individuals or families
Stephens Ministers - A team of trained lay ministers to walk with those needing ongoing support
Hospital, home bound and rehab facility visitation
Care and Share - providing meals and transportation for those going through challenging times
Grief Care for those going through the loss of loved ones
Support systems for separated and divorced families
Support groups for various needs of our members
Prayer Ministries - including members who pray for those who are on our prayer list, coordinating
prayer vigils for various occasions, encouraging use of our Labyrinth and other prayer resources
available to our people
• Offering and locating resources to deepen the spiritual life of our members
The team will be seeking members who have gifts in these areas to strengthen our pastoral care presence
in the congregation and in the community. If you feel called to any of the above areas of ministry, please
contact the church office by email at [email protected], or 281.367.7016.
Are you:
Struggling with the stress of the economic downturn?
Concerned about the stability of your job?
Losing your job or losing co workers who have been let go?
In a supervisory position where you have had to let employees go?
Well, you are invited to a
Lord of Life Prayer Breakfast
Thursday, March 26, 6 AM
Hosted by Mendy Schoppe and Pastor Gary.
This prayer breakfast is an opportunity to:
Pray and Eat! ! (Our “Chef” is Peter Hakansson!)
Hear words of encouragement and empowerment from Scripture
Learn a meditative technique for managing your stress
Help Lord of Life determine ways we can support you
Consider Lord of Life's possibility of establishing networking opportunities
You, your spouse, your friends are all welcome to attend
To RSVP, contact Lord of Life
281.367.7016
email: [email protected]
Bi-Annual Seder Meal
Maundy Thursday
April 2nd at 6:00pm
“Because Christ our Passover has been sacrificed for us; therefore, let us observe the festival [Passover and
Unleavened Bread] ... with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth”
1 Cor. 5:7-8
Please mark your calendars for this moving Holy Week
experience, where we remember our roots. Families
welcome!
The Passover Seder is a Jewish ritual feast that marks the
beginning of the Jewish holiday of Passover, performed by a
community or by multiple generations of a family, involving
a retelling of the story of the liberation of the Israelites from
slavery in ancient Egypt. This story is in the Book of Exodus
and is based on the Biblical verse commanding Jews to retell
the story of the exodus from Egypt:
“You shall tell your child on that day, saying,
‘It is because of what the LORD did for me when I came out of Egypt.’”
Exodus 13:8
Traditionally, families and friends gather in the evening to read the narrative of the Israelite exodus from
Egypt, special blessings and rituals, commentaries from the Talmud, and special Passover songs. Seder
customs include drinking four cups of wine, eating matza, partaking of symbolic foods placed on the Passover
Seder Plate, and reclining in celebration of freedom. The Seder is performed in much the same way by Jews
all over the world.
Sign up in front of the Fellowship Hall to participate – even better, sign up to host a table!
The youth group will be providing Breakfast on Easter Sunday this year and we need some help from the
congregation. If you would like to bring a casserole, fruit or a dish to donate to our breakfast we would greatly
appreciate it. We have a sign up located in the hall or ask Patrick for more information. All proceds from the
breakfast will benefit upcoming youth trips, including our summer experience at the National Youth Gathering in
Detroit, MI.
A NEW SUNDAY SCHOOL OPTION!!
Beginning April 12th (the Sunday after Easter),
we will begin to offer an Adult Sunday school
class during 11:00 service. It will be facilitated by
Mark Ruch and Kurt Roberts, and will cover the
same topic being covered in Mark’s 9:45 class.
Worship & The Arts
From the desk of Rob Hunt
Director of Worship and Arts
Saturday@5
Lord of Life has long offered a variety of worship experiences on Sunday
mornings. Now those who have Sunday conflicts have a Saturday option.
Our new Saturday@5 service will go weekly, starting in May. These services
emphasize fellowship, an informal atmosphere, and innovative approaches to
the timeless elements of worship. Music will be contemporary, but open to
occasional changes of style.
Here is the schedule of the first month of services – all begin at 5:00 in the sanctuary:
• April 25 – before Pig Roast, music led by Pig Roast guest musicians; Bonnie Parker, Pastor at
Gethsemane Lutheran Church in Chalmette, LA, preaching
• May 2 – youth-led
• May 9 – music led by Reese Foster
• May 16 – a cappella gospel music
• May 23 – music led by Reese Foster
• May 30 – bluegrass ensemble
There will be a fellowship time with snacks after each of the May services.
Fine Arts Camp
Dates for the 2015 Fine Arts Camp have been set. The Camp will be held in the
mornings (9-noon) of August 3 – 7, with a culminating performance on Friday evening.
We welcome all children going into 1st grade through those going into 7th grade.
We hope to build on the success of last year’s Camp by offering a greater variety of
activities in singing, music reading skills, drama, and art – all in a Christian context.
Holy Week
Children’s choirs/handbells will lead the processional at both 8:30 and 11:00
services on March 29, Palm Sunday. The LOL Choir will present the cantata
Colors of Grace as the Good Friday 7:00 service. They will also sing for the
Saturday Vigil and for 8:30 and 11:00 services on Easter Sunday. Brass players
will play at 8:30 and 11:00 on Palm Sunday, for Saturday Vigil, and for 6:30,
8:30, and 11:00 services on Easter. The Good Friday evening worship will feature a full orchestra with the
Choir.Our musicians are very busy during Holy Week. We deeply appreciate their dedication and service.
Recording
The LOL Choir will record their performance of John Rutter’s Magnificat. The recording session
on March 28 will be engineered by Brad Sayles of KUHF. A CD will be made available for the
2015 Advent season.
Reformation Heritage Tour
Planning has started for a proposed choir tour of sites in Germany associated with
the life of Martin Luther. The 500th anniversary of the nailing of the 95 theses on
the Wittenberg Cathedral door occurs in 2017. Our trip, tentatively set for June of
2016, will be open to non-singers as well as choir members.
Outreach Ministries Update
KRAUSE CHILDREN’S CENTER
Dance to Beatles music (LIVE BAND) while
supporting Krause Children’s Center for abused
and neglected girls at the 4th annual Lutheran
Social Services Healing Hearts Gala at
Warehouse Live on Saturday, March 28, 2015.
Isn’t it wonderful that there is a place that not
only offers shelter, but education and spiritual
counseling to young people? Be proud of what
Lutheran Social Services is doing and support
them while also having a great time!!
Visit www.KrauseChildrensCenter.org or call 800-938-5777 for reservations. Free valet parking.
LUTHERAN WORLD RELIEF KITS
Make school, personal care or sewing kits for Lutheran World Relief.
We should be able to TRACK them and see which of 20 Countries
they go to!! Come help pack quilts @10:00AM ON Tuesday,
March 31st.
It’s Game Night for the Grown ups!
Friday, March 27 at 6pm, Upstairs at Lord of Life.
$10 per person to cover the cost of dinner. This month’s
menu: Italian! BYOB. (Tea, Water and Coffee will be provided.)
We’ll have Poker, Rummoli, 42, Eucher and “Oh He!!”.
Bring your favorite board game to Share.
Kids age 5 through 6th grade are welcome to attend Kid’s Night Out in
the Fellowship Hall. Kids age 6 weeks to age 5 are welcome in our free
nursery. Please bring $2 per kid for pizza.
Come Bike With US!
It’s time to sign up for the Dads Bike Trip! It will be April 10-12, and we will be
staying at Lutherhill. Total cost will be $120 plus your transportation and late
night snacks. The whole weekend is meant to be a time of good fellowship and
fun. Lutherhill is a wonderful place just to be, and made even better if you’re there
with old or new friends. We plan to ride both at Bluff Creek Ranch and Rock Creek
Ranch. The biking will give us some stories to tell on Saturday night and countless
DRAFT happy hours. Please sign up through the Lord of Life website at http://
lolonline.org/dads-bike-trip/, or contact Keith Patterson.
Calling ALL DADS – We have a new schedule for DRAFT!
(Dads Refreshing And Fellowshipping Together). We will
now meet from 8:00-10:00 at Gooses’ Acre on the 2nd
Thursday of each month – NEXT MEETING: APRIL 9TH.
Join us for beer and fellowship! Questions? Contact Mark
Ruch at [email protected]
Dads n Kids Camping
It was part cold, part wet, and all fun! Check out these photos from our trip:
Upcoming
Events
March 27
Kids Night Out
March 29
Easter Egg Hunt
March 30
Day Camp Registration
April 19/26
Third Grade Footstep with
Christ
Easter
March 29
12:00 (after last worship service)
At Lord of Life
Toddlers—Grade 4
Bring your basket and friends!
Egg
Hunt
This year, we are partnering with Outreach Ministry to raise awareness and funds for several charities. Eggs will be filled with “bucks” and children will determine which charities
their bucks will go to. All children will receive a prize as well.
Lutherhill Day Camp at Lord of Life JUNE 22-26
Participants and Volunteers Sign Up ONLINE March 30!
http://lolchildren.weebly.com/about-day-camp-2015.html
This year’s day camp SERVICE PROJECT is assembling BACK-TO-SCHOOL KITS for kids in
Houston. Lutherhill Ministries is partnering with Communities in Schools, Houston to “surround
students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life.”
We can help by collecting school supplies for the kits such as:
Markers
Manila paper
Scissors
Erasers
Pencils
Crayons
Reams of paper
Composition books
Liquid hand soap
Hand sanitizer
Look for a complete list of collection items at the drop off table near the fellowship hall.
Teen Life at LOL
Drive-In Movie Night : On Friday, March 27, we are doing an outing
to the drive in movies. The cost is $6.00. We will meet at the church at
5:30 and be back around 10:00. The plan is to see Insurgent. We will
also need adults to help drive. Contact Patrick Nazaroff at pnazaroff@
lordoflifeonline.org.
Summer opportunities:
June 22-26 – Lutherhill Day Camp - help out with the PreK and K leadership team – you get to have
fun, help corral kiddos and help with Bible study, crafts, snacks, and story time. Hours: 8:15-12:15 Contact
[email protected] for more information.
June 28-July 1 — Sr. High Mini-mission trip – As much fun as it’s been traveling all over the US
to serve with the youth, it’s important to see that there is service right in our own back yard. We will be
staying at Lord of Life and partnering with local service organizations. Cost: $50 a person (this helps cover
food and gas). Sign up by April 1st. (Will need help with drivers).
August 2-5 — Jr. High Mini Mission Trip – This trip will go into Houston and be involved with serving
organizations in the city of Houston. In the past we have worked with the homeless, children, elderly,
provided meals and worked with Houston Food bank. Cost: $50 a person (Sign up by June 1st).
Kickballapalooza
Check out our Senior High Youth in part two of our Droids vs. Wookies series.
Liturgical Arts Hold Banner-Making Session
Members of the Liturgical Arts committee traced and cut out
pieces of the new banner, designed by Jackie Gardiner. After
a few finishing touches, this banner will grace the entry way
of church for Pentecost.
Liturgical Arts Team Needs Your
Ribbon!
Do you have unused spools of ribbon cluttering
your closet or craft room? If you would like to find
a good home for them, please consider donating
them for an Easter project. We can use unwired
ribbon of any width or color, except black or grey.
There will be a basket in the narthex (the entrance
to our worship space) to collect the ribbon.
Care and Share
Care and Share Ministry is in need of a few cooks! And you definitely
don't need to be an accomplished cook! We like to have several frozen
casseroles or entrees in the freezer for our pastors to take 'on the run'
when they are visiting those with a death, illness, or accident in the family.
Please simply put your casserole or entrée in the church freezer on the top
shelf with a label noting that it is for Care and Share, name of the dish,
date made, thawing and heating instructions, and list of major ingredients.
It's that easy - your leftovers will be fine too. If you've made too much,
just freeze it and bring to church. Meals for 2, 4, and 6 people are appreciated. Thanks and if you have
any questions please contact Nancy Steiner at [email protected].
March 22, 2015 ▫ 2-4 p.m.
Kinsmen Lutheran Church
12100 Champion Forest Dr., Houston, Texas,
77066
281.444.3126
www.kinsmenlutheran.org
•
•
•
•
•
Workshop Topics
How do I search for the school that is right for me?
How do I fill out a strong college application?
How does Financial Aid work, and what is the FAFSA?
Can you give me some tips on the Do’s and Don’ts of this process?
Plus time for your individual questions
Registration Information
This workshop is offered by the Center for Servant Leadership at Texas Lutheran University (Pastor
Stanley J. Meyer, Director of Church Relations) as a service to congregations. There is no registration
fee. The workshop is open to all. Walk-ins are welcome. To guarantee a space, however, you may
sign up in advance by contacting the Center for Servant Leadership: [email protected]; 830.372.8160
A Note from Kids of the
Kingdom: We had a great turn
out with registration for next
year! We will continue enrolling
from now through the summer
so please share our name and
number with your friends and
neighbors who might be new to
the area or looking for an outstanding preschool
program for their family. We appreciate your
continued support! Telephone: 281-298-9901.
Website: www.kokpreschool.net.
Quilters needed for Prayers & Squares
Make a quilt and pray for those in need. To
request a quilt or to volunteer your skills,
contact Francine Atkinson, 281-367-4518
[email protected].
THANK YOU FROM THE TOBECKSENS
On behalf of myself and my family, I would like to
sincerely thank the conregation of Lord of Life for
their thoughtful expressions of sympathy on the
passing of my mother, Elsie Vogrig. Your cards,
thoughts, and prayers meant so much to us, and helped make the last few months
easier.
Thank you,
Carol Tobecksen
L.I.F.T Upcoming Events
Forget those New Year's resolutions for one evening and surrender to the
siren call of chocolate! The next L.I.F.T. (Ladies in Fellowship Together)
outing will be a Tuesday, March 24 trip to Schakolad Chocolate
Factory, 1500 Research Forest Drive, Suite 130 in The Woodlands.
From 6:30 pm until 8:00 pm we will learn about the history and types of
chocolate, watch demonstrations of dipping and molding, sample a bit
and then decorate our own chocolate bar. The price for this bliss is $20.
To reserve your spot please contact Dana Berlin at [email protected] or
281-635-9823 no later than March 20th.
Saturday, April 18th - Bonhoeffer Tour at the
Holocaust Museum Houston
The Holocaust Museum in Houston is commemorating
the 70th anniversary of the death of Pastor Dietrich
Bonhoeffer. The tours provide an opportunity for
museum visitors to learn the story of his ministry and
his message to the church in the context of the events of the Holocaust. He was very outspoken in
his opposition to Hitler. Pastor Bonhoeffer was arrested, put in a concentration camp and then put
to death for his support of the Jews and opposition to Hitler. Admission is free for members and
students, $12 for nonmember adults, $8 for seniors and members of active-duty military. Our group
tour is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. We will meet at the church at 9:00 a.m. and carpool to the museum.
We will then have lunch nearby afterwards. Please let me know if you would like to attend.
Saturday, May 2nd. - The Painted Churches of Schulenberg Tour.
From the outside, they look like many American country churches
built around the turn of the last century -- arched Gothic Revival
windows, facades clad in white frame siding or in stone, lone
steeples rising up into the Texas sky.
Cross the threshold of these particular Texas churches and you'll
encounter not a simple wooden interior but an unexpected
profusion of color. Nearly every surface is covered with bright
painting: exuberant murals radiate from the apse, elaborate foliage
trails the walls, wooden columns and baseboards shine like polished marble in shades of green and
gray. These are the Painted Churches of Texas. There are 20 painted churches throughout Texas. We
will be seeing four of them near Schulenberg.
Our tour guide is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. During our tour we will stop for lunch at the Oakridge
Smokehouse. We will depart from The Woodlands by 8:15 a.m. Depending on the size of the group, our
transportation will either be a large passenger van or a bus. The cost for the tour is $10 pp. The tour
guide's tip of $60 and the transportation will be divided among those attending. Please RSVP Dana Berlin
at [email protected] no later than Sunday, April 19th so I can line up the appropriate transportation.
We are to be content with
what we have.
“Keep your lives free from the
love of money,
and be content with what you
have; for he has said,
‘I will never leave you or
forsake you’” (Heb. 13:5).
Suppose that God allowed you to have one wish. Without limit, you could have anything you desire. You
could have unlimited wealth. You could have perfect health and live 1,000 years — or more. You could —
like Solomon — have great wisdom. Whatever you want, you may have it. But you only get one wish. What
would you choose?
Sad to say, many people would choose great wealth and material possessions. Unfortunately, that would not
be a good choice. Listen to the counsel of God as expressed in this contemporary translation of Proverbs
27:20 through Solomon, one of the richest people who ever lived — “The eyes of man are never satisfied.”
The behavior and attitude which always wants more has a name: Greed, and it demonstrates itself in
our lives as though we were at an auction. If we have $5, we want $10; if we have $10, we want $20; if
we have $20 we want $30. Solomon went on to say in Ecclesiastes 5:10, “The lover of money will not be
satisfied with money; nor the lover of wealth, with gain.”
A better choice would be to ask for God’s perspective on life and all that life entails. When we see life as
God does, we realize that everything belongs to Him, that we are just managers and stewards, and that only
what is done for Him will endure for eternity. When we have God’s perspective, we will be able to say with
the Apostle Paul, “ . . . I have learned to be content with whatever I have.”
When we have God’s perspective, we will accept with a spirit of peace and restfulness whatever He entrusts
to us. And when we have God’s perspective, we will put into practice the truth of Hebrews 13:5 — “Keep
your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have; for he has said, ‘I will never
leave you or forsake you.’”
Do you shop
on Amazon?
Of course you
do! Bookmark
the synod's
Amazon Smile page, and use it any time you need
to make your Amazon purchases. When you shop on
Amazon through our smile page, Amazon will donate
% of the eligible purchase prices back us. Help support
your synod every time you shop.
Lord of Life now
has an online
suggestion box.
All comments are
anonymous and
confidential. Go to
LordofLifeOnline.
org and click the
“Resources” tab.
Income Distribution YTD
$250,000
$200,000
$25,655
$25,955
Donation Envelopes
$150,000
$100,000
$163,332
Designated Funds
$50,000
Capital Campaign
If you would like to cancel or
change your subscription for the
monthly donation envelopes that
are mailed to your home, please
contact Lanette Jackson, Director of
Finance at 281-367-7016 Monday
through Wednesday or email
[email protected].
Regular Offerings
$0
�Jan - Feb
Regular Offerings are $26746 below budget of
$189,808 as of Feb 28.
Homeless Ministry
Do you travel? Homeless
Ministry needs your
sample-size toiletries
like shampoo, lotion
and soap. These items
help clients regain and
maintain dignity, and are
a necessity for those who, in finding their way
to an independent and productive life, are
employed or are seeking employment. Your
gifts bring added relief from the struggles and
social indignities that many who come to the
Salvation Army must struggle with on a daily
basis. You can leave your donations in the
wire baskets by the front door.
Would you like to nurture your family’s faith all
week long?
Would you like to practice the 4 keys to faith
formation but aren’t quite sure how to do that?
We have a resource for you:
Taking Faith Home
Visit our website LordofLifeOnline.org/
Resources to get lectionary-based prayers,
blessings, devotions, and service ideas that
you and your family can enjoy.
With this amazing resource, individuals and
families can nurture their faith all week long.
Lord of Life Lutheran Church
Non-Profit
Organization
3801 South Panther Creek Dr.
US Postage
PAID
The Woodlands TX 77381
Permit #17
Spring, TX
Lord of Life Lutheran
Church
281-367-7016
Fax 281-363-4716
www.lordoflifeonline.org
[email protected]
Kids of the Kingdom
Preschool
281-298-9901
We invite you to join us for
worship on Sundays
Your Church Staff
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
www.lordoflifeonline.org
Rev. Gary Heath
Michelle McGuire
Senior Pastor
KOK Preschool Director
Rev. Jennifer Fuhr
Janis Armstrong
Associate Pastor
Child Care Coordinator
Rob Hunt
Carla Summers
Worship & The Arts Director
Children & Youth Music
Lanette Jackson
Sarah Schlacks
Director of Finance
Bells of Life Director
Marna Arlien
Nancy Hauglie
Director of Connecting Ministries
Wedding Coordinator
Mark Ruch
Director of Adult Ministry
Patrick Nazaroff
Director of Teen Life Ministry
8:30 am
Contemporary Liturgical
Jennifer Rowe
9:45 am Sunday School
9:50 am
New Life Worship
Director of Children’s Ministry
11:00 am
Traditional Worship
Anne Swetich
Director of Outreach Ministries
Sandy DeSelms
Funeral Coordinator
Rick Janacek
Office & Communication Manager
Steve Shirley
Building Superintendent