Just this. Just now. I was driving to work one day thinking about my schedule – the meengs I needed to aend, reports I needed to finish, preparaons for upcoming travel, email, phone calls, and making a grocery list in my head so that I could pick up what I needed for supper on the way home from work. All of a sudden, I found myself pulling into the parking garage at the Lutheran Center. I had driven the 9 miles to work and had no idea how I got there. I didn’t remember the traffic lights, the turns, the scenery – nothing. I had been so absorbed in what was coming up that I was completely oblivious to the present. I think this experience is not unique to me. We set part of our lives on autopilot and set the planning, list-making, what if scheduling part on overdrive. Now, planning is a good and necessary thing. One ought to be aware of what is coming up and what needs to be done, but I found that I was so driven by the conngencies and possibilies that I was everywhere all of the me, and, therefore, not anywhere at all. I asked my spiritual director about this, and she recommended that I meditate on these four words: “Just this. Just now.” It’s a simple discipline but not an easy one. It can alleviate all that ancipatory stress but only if we are willing to be sll. Here we are in Advent. This season doesn’t exist in secular culture where everything is barreling toward Christmas. No me to wait, no me to noce, no me to be present. Not this. Not now. All of a sudden, we will find ourselves on the day aſter Christmas not knowing how we got there. Advent is a holy season, a season that bids us to be present, to be sll. So much is evoked in this season – hope, longing, and the biersweet awareness that the world is beauful and broken. Consider all of these things. Sit with them. Pray with them. Be aware of this me of great promise that comes, at least in the Northern Hemisphere, when night is longest. Come, Lord Jesus. Wait for the Lord. Disengage the autopilot. Noce. Just this. Just now. Blessed Advent and Merry Christmas, dear church! The Rev. Elizabeth A. Eaton Presiding Bishop Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Evangelical Lutheran Church in America God’s work. Our hands. † January 2018 St. Paul’s Lutheran The Epis le
Transcript
Just this. Just now. I was driving to work one day thinking about my schedule – the meetings I needed to attend, reports I needed to finish,
preparations for upcoming travel, email, phone calls, and making a grocery list in my head so that I could pick up what
I needed for supper on the way home from work. All of a sudden, I found myself pulling into the parking garage at the
Lutheran Center. I had driven the 9 miles to work and had no idea how I got there. I didn’t remember the traffic lights,
the turns, the scenery – nothing. I had been so absorbed in what was coming up that I was completely oblivious to the
present.
I think this experience is not unique to me. We set part of our lives on autopilot and set the planning, list-making, what
if scheduling part on overdrive. Now, planning is a good and necessary thing. One ought to be aware of what is coming
up and what needs to be done, but I found that I was so driven by the contingencies and possibilities that I was
everywhere all of the time, and, therefore, not anywhere at all.
I asked my spiritual director about this, and she recommended that I meditate on these four words: “Just this. Just
now.” It’s a simple discipline but not an easy one. It can alleviate all that anticipatory stress but only if we are willing to
be still.
Here we are in Advent. This season doesn’t exist in secular culture where
everything is barreling toward Christmas. No time to wait, no time to
notice, no time to be present. Not this. Not now. All of a sudden, we will
find ourselves on the day after Christmas not knowing how we got there.
Advent is a holy season, a season that bids us to be present, to be still.
So much is evoked in this season – hope, longing, and the bittersweet
awareness that the world is beautiful and broken. Consider all of these
things. Sit with them. Pray with them. Be aware of this time of great
promise that comes, at least in the Northern Hemisphere, when night is
longest. Come, Lord Jesus.
Wait for the Lord. Disengage the autopilot. Notice. Just this. Just now.
Blessed Advent and Merry Christmas, dear church!
The Rev. Elizabeth A. Eaton
Presiding Bishop
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
God’s work. Our hands.
†
January 2018
St. Paul’s Lutheran
The Epis le
The Epistle January 2018
Birthdays
4 –Elaine Lucke 4 – Kelly Migl 6 – Carolyn Smith 10 – Phil Crawford 10 - Gail Salewski 18 – James McGee 23 – Jaime Parker 24 – Tori Rein 24 – Lori Viereck 24 – Laney Cherry 28 - Megan Hess 29 – Virginia Hackfeld 29 – Emily Viereck 30 – Robyn Soileau
Tuesday, January 16th @ 11:30AM El Toro on Decker Dr., Baytown •
Tuesday, February 6th @ 7:30am Heritage Village, Woodville, TX Cost is $20.00. Lunch included at Pickett House Sign-up sheets for both events are in the Fellowship Hall
Open: Thursdays 9 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Clients may come twice a month. Volunteers are welcome!
FOOD PANTRY KICK-OFF February 4th The youth will be standing at the back of the church to receive loose change as you exit after the worship ser-vice. All money collected will benefit St. Paul’s Food Pantry .
BUNCO! The last Wednesday of each month
6:30-8:30pm. Come out for an evening of ladies’ fellowship. You’ll enjoy bunco, faith, and fun. The ladies of St. Paul’s will play and pray together! Talk with Renee Napier for more information.
Church Offices Closed Monday January 15th in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day
December Memorials & Honorariums
In Memory of: Given By: Designation: Leon Jr. and Priscilla Busby Leon Sr. and Charlotte Busby General Fund
Baby Jaysn Delos Santos Hoya and Angie Ash General Fund
Serving Our Country Justin Geese, Kevin Gillespie, Justin Handley, Mitchell Handley, Amy Hoff and family, Brandon Locha, Kaylyn Perry, Chris Salo and family, Cheryl Sisco and family, Kyle Spence, Sean and Hannah Zarsky Wedding Anniversaries 12 - Don & Elaine Eschberger 25 – Kurt & Kelly Migl 28 – James & Jeanie Herrington
In Our Prayers Charlotte & Leon Busby-support Kurstyn Clarke & family- support Cindy Eschberger- shut-in Boo Boo Fojt- healing Betty Ganske- health concerns Barbara Garrett- health concerns Virginia Hackfeld- health concerns Emily McCoy- support Colleen & Ken Peting– health concerns Walter & Doris Rein- health concerns
Bob Steffler- healing June Tieman- health concerns Myrtle Viereck– health concerns Sherry White- healing
Thank you • To Arlen and Russell Holle for
setting up our new ice machine • To Susan Clanton for leading the
Wednesday Evening Advent ser-vice
• To Jon Pfennig for donating all of his office furniture to St. Paul’s
• To all who helped with the Breakfast with Santa. It was a huge success with over 200 peo-ple in attendance.
• To Hoya Ash, Chuck Ohm, • Steve Burns and any others who
work keeping our church grounds so beautiful.
The Epistle January 2018
PROPERTY NEWS
Committee Meeting Sunday, Jan. 7th at 11:45am
BIBLE STUDY GROUPS SUNDAY SCHOOL for all ages 9:00 a.m.
Elizabeth Circle Bible Study group meet the
Second Wednesday of every month at 9:30 a.m.
Education NEWS
Youth & Family NEWS
Committee Meeting Sunday, Jan. 14th at 11:45am
WORSHIP & MUSIC NEWS
Committee Meeting Sunday, Jan. 21th at 12pm
Thank you St. Paul’s
Pastor Nancy, Rick,
and Jada would like to
thank the congregation
for the Love Offering that we received.
Your generosity and love
was overwhelming and much appreciated.
Thank you
2018 Church Council
NOMINATING COMMITTEE John Schlobohm, Sandra McGee, Renee Napier
Annual Congregational Meeting Sunday, January 28th The Annual Report will be printed and ready for reading on Sunday, January 14th
CELEBRATING EPIPHANY Sunday, January 7th
King Cakes will be served.
ST. PAUL’S LUTHERAN CHURCH COUNCIL MEETING December 14, 2017 Members present: Debbie Gillespie, Pastor Nancy Simpson, John Schlobohm, Kim Holle, Becky Linsenbardt, Susan Clanton, Angie Ash Members Absent: Ian Gillespie, Donna Reavis, Kevin Johnston Susan Clanton reviewed Chapter 9 of What Every Church Member Should Know About Poverty (Transitioning the Poor Into Membership) . The December Council Meeting was called to order by President Debbie Gillespie at 6:44 PM.
NOVEMBER MINUTES John Schlobohm MOVED, Susan Clanton seconded, to approve the Minutes of the November 16, 2017, Council meeting as presented. Motion carried. PASTOR’S REPORT
• Advent services continue on Wednesday evenings at 7:00 PM.
• The Tri-Synodical Theological Conference will not be held in 2018, but will resume in 2019.
• The draft of the Social Statement on Women and Justice has been received. In addition to Pastor’s copy, it can be located on the ELCA website for review. Responses will be used to prepare the proposed social statement to be considered by the 2019 ELCA Church wide Assembly.
• The Christmas Eve candlelight service will be held Sun, December 24 at 5:00 PM. There will be no morning service.
• Richard Cain, St. Paul’s member, passed away. The service will be in Kansas.
• Pastor Nancy will officiate at the memorial service of Jaysn Delos Santos.
• The Re:Mind group is not longer meeting at the church due to a decline in attendance.
TREASURER’S REPORT The November Treasurer’s Report was presented by Kim Holle. Kim reported that expenses exceeded income in the amount of $ 3,187.21 for the month. Monthly activity included payment of insurance premiums. John Schlobohm MOVED, Angie Ash seconded, to approve the report as presented. Motion carried.
OLD BUSINESS
• YMCA After School Program now has twelve students attending.
NEW BUSINESS
• The red book timeline was reviewed.
• John Schlobohm volunteered to chair the Nominating Committee for the Annual Meeting and will ask two others to serve with him.
• Committee Reports
Youth & Family/Education- Becky Linsenbardt noted that the Children’s Program will be held on Christmas Eve during the worship service at 5:00. After School children and families will be invited to attend.
Worship & Music Susan Clanton reported that the sanctuary will be decorated at Christmas with poinsettias which have been purchased.
Property John Schlobohm reported that Phase II of the church repair is wrapping up. John suggested that the next phase of reconstruction be the food pantry rooms.
The January Council meeting will be held Thursday, Jan. 11 at 6:30 PM.
The Annual Meeting will be held Sunday, January 28, 2018.
Council will be installed on February 4, 2018 during the worship service.
The Council retreat will be held Saturday, February 10 from 8:00 – 4:00 PM. (Breakfast and lunch will be served.)
The meeting adjourned at 7:53 PM and closed with the Lord’s Prayer.
Respectfully submitted, Angie Ash, Secretary
St. Paul’s Lutheran Church- ELCA 712 Schilling Avenue Baytown, TX 77520 Tel (281)422-9333 Fax (281)422-3648 Web Site: www.stpaulsbaytown.org Office Hours: 9:30AM-3:30PM, M-TH SUNDAY SCHEDULE: Sunday School 9:00 a.m. Worship Service 10:30 a.m. Nursery available STAFF: Rev. Nancy Simpson, Pastor Rick Falconi, Director of Music Ministries Jada Hylton, Director of Office Ministries
Reformation 500
Looking Back & Called Forward
Breakfast with Santa was a huge success! Over 200 people were in attendance. Many thanks to Ben Vircant, Deana and Boo Boo Fojt,
Jordan Fojt, and Jake Fojt. Thank you to all who helped with the event: Ian and Debbie Gillespie, James and Sandra McGee, David and
Lorrie Andrews, Beverly Tomsic, Kevin Johnston, Jessica Fuqua, Bubba Gonzales, Rip and Susan Clanton, and Pastor Nancy Simpson.
