Official Publication of Hope Lutheran Church, Cedar Hill, TX August, 2014 Volume XXVIII Issue 8 Mission Statement: To discover and respond to our call TO KNOW JESUS TO FOLLOW JESUS TO SERVE JESUS in unique ministries. Church 972.291.7902 Fax 972.291.7902 Pastors Joel & Wendy Berthelsen [email protected][email protected]Choir Director Joe Liberatore Organist Sanctuary Choir Accompanist Piano Accompanist Open Secretary Karine Samer [email protected]Heralds Editor Karine Samer [email protected]Church Council Officers President Candy Moltz - 972.723.2932 President-Elect Raymond Luster- 214.789.3030 Secretary Nancy Yedlowski - 972.2793-1179 Members at Large Open Pat Foster - 972.351.9321 Joe Kyle - 972.296.6244 Ed Longstreet - 972.230.3506 Kathy Purkiss - 972.223.6509 Appointees Treasurer Kathy Still - 972.293.8016 Financial Secretary Kathy Longstreet - 972.230.3506 North American Lutheran Church National Convocation This year’s NALC National Convocation was held in Charleston, South Carolina, at the Cita- del military school. The site was perfect for the theme, “Standing With, in Order to Withstand.” The people we were encouraged to “Stand With” were the persecuted church around the world. As we speak, the church in Iraq is on the verge of being wiped out by ISIS (now called IS, for Is- lamic State.) Iraq is just one example of the present day persecution. In Africa churches are being burned and re-burned by Islamist. Even while this is happening, know the church is growing. An Al Qaeda Imam stated on Al Jazeera in 2009 that 6 million Muslims are converting to Christianity each year. He was sounding the alarm. We rejoice. Go to www.persecution.com to learn more, and learn what you can do. We do want to “Stand With.” We were also encouraged to “Withstand.” “Our struggle is not with flesh and blood.” (Eph. 6:12) Jesus is risen! He overcomes all things, including sin, death and the devil’s murderous plans. As pressure mounts in the States, know our brothers and sisters, around the world, are praying for us. This is a very humbling and encouraging fact! You can stand! You can withstand! Christians around the world, going through much more than we, are praying for us that we might do it. So stand! “And this is the victory that overcomes the world, our faith.” I John 5:4 Pastor Joel
Transcript
Official Publication of Hope Lutheran Church, Cedar Hill, TX August, 2014 Volume XXVIII Issue 8
Mission Statement: To discover and respond to our call
TO KNOW JESUS TO FOLLOW JESUS TO SERVE JESUS in unique ministries.
Friends, The Lord is opening many doors of opportunity! With Good Shepherd, there will be a Vacation Bible School day this Sat., August 9, 9am-noon. Good Shepherd just informed us with little detail; so, we will call families of young children when we learn more. Fall is just around the corner; so, watch for discipleship and spiritual growth opportunities for you! The North American Lutheran Church gatherings in Charleston were filled with the promise and hope of Jesus. The written reports (bishop and assistants, finances etc) are out on the credenza. I'm sure there will be much in the upcoming issue of the NALC News as well. The Voice of the Martyrs speaker was powerful ... reminding of spiritual warfare and persecution around the world and that is also becom-ing more prevalent in our own country both within the "church" (like with Dietrich Bonhoeffer) and in the culture. Therefore, we must put on the whole armor of God and "stand" against the devil in order to "withstand" when days of deception and evil come (Ephesians 6). Next year's NALC gathering will be held in Dallas at the Hyatt at DFW airport. Our own Deb Burleson arranged visits with sites. Church officials, Deb and I visited those sites in February and contracts sub-sequently were signed. Coordinators from various churches in our mission district are now putting to-gether volunteer teams for next year. I have someone in mind from our church that I will be asking to co-ordinate volunteers from our church gathering. Regional Missions Team ... As part of my work with the national missions team led by Dr. Gemechis Buba, I will be training people on regional missions teams (one of them in Texas) to work in these minis-try areas: congregational renewal through discipleship, new start churches (various types), and foreign mission (long-term and short-term efforts). I've asked someone in our church to participate on this re-gional team. Hopefully, that person will be able to attend the training events below with me. Upcoming NALC Training Events ... open to everyone
National Missions "Abida" Festival: November 6-8, Columbus, Ohio; Keynote speakers: Bishop John Bradosky & Dr. Gemechis Buba
TX House Church Conference: Taught by Dr. Gemechis Buba, October 31-November 1, All Saints Lutheran, Arlington, TX; Though house churches aren't obvious, God is mightily working through the house church movement in the US, particularly with young people.
Ethiopia Mission Trip: November 11-17 ... led by Dr. Gemechis Buba is again happening! Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ Annual Gathering: October 5-8, Des Moines, IA "Reason to Hope" Pastors Joel & Wendy will be attending. Thank you for your prayers during the Lutheran Core and NALC national convocation week in Charleston, SC. It was a great week. My discipleship workshop went well and was attended by about 50 people. I was re-elected to the national board (steering committee) of Lutheran CORE and was very honored to be elected to the inaugural Board of Regents of the North American Lutheran Seminary which is partnering with two established seminaries, Trinity School of Ministry (Ambridge, PA) and Gordon-Conwell Seminary in Charlotte, NC.
Listen for the call of Jesus and press on (Philippians 3:7-14)!
Pastor Wendy
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Support Rev Dr. Gemechis Buba Media Minis-
try... now reaching 17 million per week including
the Islamic world. Make an extra offering of $50 to
$100 (supports one broadcast). Designate to "Buba
Media Ministry." Rev. Buba is the
Assistant to the Bishop for Mission
for the North American Lutheran
Church (NALC). Learn more on our
website.
Timothy Project Bible Study will resume in September following Labor Day.
Quiet Worship and Holy Communion on Wednesday evenings will resume in September following
Labor Day!
Vacation Bible School for Children! This year, we will again partner with Good Shepherd and also
Thanksgiving Tabernacle! We will have several single special days for children throughout the sum-
mer! Watch for the various dates and more details!
Ethiopia Mission Trip: The Ethiopia trip in November has been postponed because of some unrest.
New and Updated! Custom Designed Reflection Guide: Ordinary People Hearing God’s Call by
Pastor Wendy & Steve Harr. Discover how you are already custom designed and called by Jesus to
transform the world by bringing Jesus’ kingdom plans and purposes to people, places and problems!
Special offer for Hope: $13.49 (Regular: $14.99)
Ladies - calendar this: Horizon of Hope Lunch-
eon; Saturday, September 6, 11:30 am @ All
Saints Lutheran Church, Arlington. Silent auction
& raffle items help raise money to help fight can-
cer through education & research. Donation: $20
includes lunch and a gift from Longaberger. Im-
perative that you RSVP to Kathy Longstreet so
there is enough food.
The Women of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church
in Grand Prairie would like to invite you and
your teen-aged daughters or nieces to join
them on Saturday, August 9 from 9.30-3 for
their Summer Retreat. It will be led by Pastor
Kathi Johnson & Pastor Vicki Taylor. Please
RSVP to ORLC at (972) 642-5683. More details
to follow. Kathy Longstreet has attended for
the last two years and has returned home re-
freshed and renewed.
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August Birthdays
Pete Hackney 8/03
Clint Trimble 8/03
Donna Hackney 8/04
John Moltz 8/04
Michael Emmons 8/12
Raymond Luster 8/12
Jill Heyerdahl 8/17
Deb Burleson 8/20
Susan Rushing 8/20
Nathan Harr 8/22
Elise Collins 8/23
Marty Martinez 8/23
Karen Mitchell 8/23
Kalli DeWeerd 8/30
Lauren Harr 8/30
Philip Berthelsen 8/30
Send Us Your Favorite or
Most Significant Bible Verses
Each month we are featuring, in the Hope Women’s
Page, Bible Verses that the ladies of Hope consider
a favorite or as significant in their lives. We would
like you to share your verses with our readers.
Please send your verses to Karine Samer at hopese-
