The Sheep’s Pen
2011
Serving Our Neighbors as the
Voice, Hands and Feet of Christ…
Our Shepherd Lutheran Church
19704 FM 2100
Crosby, Texas 7732
281-324-2422
http://voicehandsfeet4him.org
[email protected] [email protected]
Services 8:00 AM and 10:45 AM
Sunday School 9:15 AM
Reverend Jonathan F. Meyer, Pastor
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Special events in our church family’s life:
Holy Communion Celebrated
Both Services
1st, 3rd & 5th Sundays
Lenten Worship Schedule
Ash Wednesday March 9 7 p.m.
Wednesdays 7 p.m. through April 13
Holy Week Palm Sunday
Maundy Thursday and Good Friday 7 p.m.
Monthly events:
Bd of Elders
1st Sundays 12:20 p.m. (Not March)
Youth Group
3rd Sundays 4-6 p.m.
Bd of Ed/SS Teachers
2nd Monday 6:30 p.m.
LWML
1st Tuesday 6:30/7:20 p.m.
Adult Bible Study
Wednesdays 10 a.m.
Jr. Confirmation
Wednesdays 6 p.m.
Choir
Wednesdays 7:00-8:15 p.m.
Bd of Evangelism
2nd Thursdays 7:00 p.m.
Church Council
3rd Thursdays 7 p.m. (not March)
Please check the articles in the newsletter
for more information on these and other
events.
281-328-2445
Members of Our Shepherd:
Ruth Bredemeyer; Norma Stuart; Gladys Cornelius; Ralph and
Ethel Dowies; Victor and Viola Eilers; Helen Felscher; Leroy
Flanagan; Walter Fuelberg; Ed and Joyce Gruetzner; Marge
Harting; Roy Johnson; Ed Schroeder; Scot Schroeder; Jan
Upole; Fred and Martha Washek; Havert and Darlene Witte;
Tom Wysoki;
Friends and relatives
Kathy Achterberg; Sharese Amey; Violet Baldwin; Kristi Carlisle; Brandon Cook; Monica Copeland; Wayne Davis; Robert
Eggert, Jr.; Margaret Jones; Ty Nixon; Eva Paxton; Lori Payne;
Roger Trader;
and our military personnel:
Bruce Avriett
Cody Flies
John Hunter III
Jessica Tebbetts
Neil Zaccagni
The Sheep’s Pen
February 2011
Meditating on Jesus’ Passion
Last month I introduced the three-fold emphases of “Witness, Mercy and
Life Together” to you and have been speaking of it in sermons and Bible
class. It’s mentioned regularly in the Lutheran Witness, our Synodical magazine. There is also a blog (www.wmltblog.org) with various entries written
by not only folks in the LCMS headquarters in St. Louis, but also by school
teachers, pastors, and laymen who are making “Witness, Mercy and Life Together” a deliberate focus in their day-to-day lives. I want to thank our
LWML for purchasing a set of banners for our sanctuary and posters for our
hallways that will give us a visual reminder of keeping these emphases in
our minds. And, I encourage you to continue reading these articles and
blogs (or, if you haven’t done so yet, then let me encourage you to start!).
As you read your Bible, pay special attention to passages that speak of
these three elements. What does Scripture say of how we share our Christian faith? How can we show mercy? How do we live together as Christians?
As the pages of the calendar continue to move, if you flip ahead a week
or so, you’ll see that we are now just a few days from Lent beginning. This
year, Ash Wednesday (the first day of Lent) is on March 9.
The greatest theme of Lent is repentance. Repentance, the Catechism
says, consists of two parts: “First, that we confess our sins; and second, that
we receive abs9olution, that is, forgiveness, from the pastor as from God
Himself, not doubting but firmly believing that by it our sins are forgiven
before God in heaven.” Further, the Catechism reminds us that “Before God
we should plead guilty of all of our sins, even those we are not aware of, as
we do in the Lord’s Prayer, but before the pastor we should confess only
those sins we know and feel in our hearts.”
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The Sheep’s Pen
February 2011
Lent and our focus of “Mercy, Witness and Life Together” fit together
very well. Pope Leo the Great (400-461) explained to his congregation in a
Lenten sermon that “Lent was appointed to prepare souls for a fruitful
commemoration of the mystery of Easter; as a time of inner purification and
sanctification, of penance for past sins, of breaking off of sinful habits, or
the exercise of virtues, especially almsgiving, reconciliation, and the laying
aside of enmity and hatred…” We realize our need for the mercy of God in
Christ Jesus. In our living out a life of repentance, we show a Christian witness of faith in Christ as Savior. As we live as brothers and sisters in Christ,
bearing one another’s burdens, we do so rejoicing that just as Christ has
forgiven each one of us for our many, grievous sins so also we are enabled
to forgive each other for lesser sins against us.
Of course, the season of Lent precludes Easter. Easter celebrates the
chief event in the life of Christ and was the major celebration in the early
Church. But these early Christians also realized that Easter needed a time of
preparation. Just as the Law must come before the Gospel, or else the
sweetness of the Gospel is lost, so Lent comes before Easter. Suffering
precludes joy. The pangs of childbirth come before the sweet joy of holding
a newborn child. Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, forty days before Easter.
The forty days of Lent also serve to remind us of the forty days that Jesus
was in the wilderness prior to His temptation, Matthew 4. That Biblical account always is read on the first Sunday in Lent. Interestingly, Sundays do
not count “in Lent.” Sundays are to be celebrations of the Easter victory; as
such, the Sundays that fall between Ash Wednesday and Easter are called
the Sundays in Lent, not of Lent. During the season of Lent, alleluias and
the Gloria in Excelsis is not sung. These liturgical omissions help to recognize the solemnity of the season and also serve to create a sense of longing
for the Easter arrival.
As you begin your Passion-tide ponderings, I would invite you to our
Wednesday evening Lenten services at 7pm. This year’s theme is “Life Together,” based loosely on a book by Dietrich Bonhoeffer by the same name.
The sermon series will consider what it is for us as Christians to live our lives
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The Sheep’s Pen
February 2011
4
together in the face of a culture that is no longer Christian – or, at least, is
no longer openly supportive of Christianity.
Lenten blessings on your meditation,
Pastor Meyer
Jesus, I will ponder now On Thy holy Passion;
With Your Spirit me endow For such meditation.
Grant that I in love and faith May the image cherish
Of Your suffering, pain, and death, That I may not perish.
“Jesus, I Will Ponder Now" LSB #440
†††
Lenten Schedule
Lent begins on Wednesday, March 9 - Ash Wednesday with
Holy Communion and Imposition of Ashes.
Lent continues with services at 7pm on
Wednesdays, March 16, 23, 30, April 6, 13
The Sheep’s Pen
February 2011
5
From the Board of Education
There will be an Easter Egg Hunt on Easter morning during the Sunday
school hour for children through the fifth grade.
Graduation luncheon! Sunday, May 22 following the late service a luncheon
honoring our graduates from High school and college will be held for the
graduates and families and anyone in the congregation that is interested in
showing their support. The Board of Ed will provide sandwiches and salads
for the luncheon and Marcia Krause will make a cake for the affair.
Vacation Bible School… Where Jesus was a Kid will start on Wednesday, June
8 and end on Sunday, June 12. Wednesday through Friday hours are 5:30
p.m. dinner and VBS from 6-8:30 p.m. Saturday hours are 9 a.m. till 1 p.m.
Sunday we will finish during the Sunday school hour.
Lenten coin folders will be available during the Lenten season.
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From the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League
Our thanks to the congregation for your support of our Souper Supper/Quilt
Drawing and Silent Auction. We raised $1,715.50. Thanks also to those who
donated items for our Silent Auction.
We have completed four quilts for the military which will be sent next
month.
The LWML met on Tuesday, February 22 and will not meet in March. We will
resume our regular schedule in April.
“Serve the Lord with Gladness!”
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February 2011
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From Adult Fellowship
The Adult Fellowship will have a Hamburger Cookout at the Noack’s home
on March 12th – all starting at 4 p.m.! Mark your calendar now and come for
the fun, food, campfire and good ol’ fashioned horseshoes!
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NEW DIRECTORY! The dates for church portraits are Thursday, March 31
and Friday, April 1 from 2-9:20 p.m.; and Saturday 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Please be
sure to sign-up on the sheets located in the Fellowship Hall. The times are
color coded from 10-20 minute sessions in case you might need more time
especially if you are having combination pictures made with other family
members. You must sign-up by Sunday, February 20. All the paper work will
be mailed to Olan Mills on Monday, February 21. Flyer sheets with more information are available in the back entrance.
We must have this help: The days pictures are being made, Olan Mills will
be taking care of ALMOST everything. We need several people to help during check-in, making sure address information is correct and appointments
go as scheduled, and to make sure everything is closed and locked up at the
end of the evening. For more information please check with Maggie.
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Janet Upole sends her thanks for the cards, calls, prayers and well wishes
over the past month and is looking forward to seeing everyone again, soon.
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Congratulations to Megan Davis and Bryan Evans who were married on Saturday, February 26. Megan is the daughter of Richard and Debbie Davis.
Bryan and Megan will be living near NASA where Bryan is an engineer.
The Sheep’s Pen
February 2011
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The K.I.D.S. Stamps are available on Sunday mornings after first service and
before Sunday school and adult bible class starts from Kathy Broussard. You
can go online to www.lcms.org and type in K.I.D.S. stamps in the search window for updated news on the K.I.D.S. programs, which is the LCMS CEF. Our
K.I.D.S. stamp program is with the Texas Church Extension Fund:
www.TexasCEF.org.
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If you are not receiving your email notices from the church please email a
note to me at : [email protected] so I will be sure to have the
correct address. Please also notify me if your email, address or phone number changes. - Maggie
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Lay Readers: On Sunday, March 6, we will have a short meeting at 9:17am
in the sanctuary for all who wish to read during the Divine Service of Worship. If you can’t make it, please let David Averre or Pastor know. Thanks!
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Stephen Ministry Update: A few weeks ago, you heard a lot about Stephen
Ministry. Did it excite you? Have you wondered if this might be something
you would be good at? Are you curious…but not quite ready to commit? On
Sunday, March 6, after second service (around 12:15) Pastor and David will
have a brief meeting with anyone who is potentially interested in Stephen
Ministry – if you have questions about the program, the selection process,
how Stephen Ministry works, time commitment, or any other question - join
us! We’ll meet in the fellowship hall, answer questions, and show a brief introductory video.
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Spiritual Gifts??? Me??? Have you ever wondered what spiritual gifts the
Lord has given to you? Have you wondered how you might use those gifts
to serve others? Do you feel that the Lord is leading you into service, but
not quite sure where or how? We want to help you find some answers! On
Thursday, March 10, David Averre will be leading an 8-week study on “Dis-
The Sheep’s Pen
February 2011
8
covering Your Spiritual Gifts.” Space is limited – see David or Pastor to
sign up! (While this might help you determine if Stephen Ministry is for you,
it is not a pre-requisite to become a Stephen Minister.)
The Sheep’s Pen
February 2011
9
March Duty Roster
8am Service
Elder
Altar
Readers
Acolytes
Greeters
6th
John Nicholas
Norma and Elaine
John Nicholas
Colton Hoehner
Susie Wolf
13th
Gary Hutchinson
Mike Haseman
Christi Krause
Mona Schroeder
Colton Krause
Nelbert Krause
Mike Haseman
Rachel Knippa
JaCori Wright
Susie Wolf
20th
Cliff Pleggenkuhle
Trish and Kathy
Kellee Pleggenkuhle
Blake Paul
Carrie Paul
27th
John Nicholas
David Averre
Nancy Hutchinson
David Averre
Colleen Nicholas
Christi Krause
David Averre
Lynette Kiel
Will Bredemeyer
Kellee Pleggenkuhle
10:45 am Service:
Elder
Altar
Readers
Acolytes
Greeters
Mona Schroeder
Cody Lewellyn
Mike Graves
David Averre
Alyssa Meyer
Lynda McKeehan
If you are unable to serve on the Sunday you are scheduled please make arrangements with one of the other members of that
particular duty as soon as possible.
Altar flowers for March:
6th
Susie Wolf in honor of Churck and Jackie’s 14th wedding anniversary
th
13
Sue Hill in honor of Eric’s birthday
20th
Sherry Denton in honor of her birthday
27th
Kathy Broussard in honor of her son Jason’s birthday
If you would like to place flowers on any of these openings please check with Maggie. Flowers are $25.00 per Sunday and may be
taken home following the second service. Please pick up one of the flower envelopes located on the calendar for your payment.
Newsletter items due on or before: Sunday, March 20th
Email: [email protected]
The Sheep’s Pen
March 2011
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
1
2
Adult Bible Study
10a
Jr Conf 6p
Choir 7p
3
4
Megan Meyer
5
6
9:15am – Lay readers
12:15 – Stephen
Ministry Q&A
7
Ralph and Verna
Spurgeon ‘75
8
9 Blake Paul
Adult Bible Study
10a
Jr Conf 6p
Choir
Ash Wednesday 7p
10
Sue Hill
Bd of Evang 7p
Spiritual Gifts Class
7pm
11
Mark and Lori Nixon
‘00
12
Adult Fellowship
Cookout 4p
13
14
Bd of Ed/SS T 6:30p
15
16 Ralph Dowies, Sr.
Adult Bible Study
10a
Jr Conf 6p
Choir
Lenten Service 7p
17
Brittne Britt
Piper Davis
Mike and Linda
Haseman ‘90
18
19
20
Youth Group 4-6p
21
22
23 Carolyn Cook
Sherry Denton
24
25
Joseph Graves
26
Krista Bredemeyer
PICTURES
PICTURES
Adult Bible Study 10a
Jr Conf 6p
Choir
Lenten Service 7p
27
David Averre
28
29
Connor Krause
30 Adult Bible Study
10a
Jr Conf 6p
Choir
Lenten Service 7p
31
PICTURES
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