1 The Transition Task Force has been meeting. The members of the Task Force are Pastor Eric, Ron Morton, Gary Albertson, and Jan Demro. Carolyn Sauerbrei worked with us until they returned to Missouri, and Charlene Albertson serves as our liaison to the Council. This is the “core” group. We will, however, recruit others to help with various short-term tasks as they come up. Our first item was to see what our surrounding neighborhood and community look like. We found this by looking at census data and ZIP code information. This gives us information on the setting God has placed us in. Included with this is information on the Winter Texans and the impact of SpaceX. We also are looking at the differences between the different generations: The Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millennials, and so forth. We have also begun working on updating and correcting the church roster. Over the years, various errors and omissions have occurred. The task here is to get the computer database and the official “red book” roster to match up and have accurate information. One big help in this process was getting the phone book updated and corrected. Our next step will be to look at the congregation. In the next few weeks, you will be asked to participate in an evaluation and assessment of the congregation. We really need everyone to participate so that we gain as accurate a picture as possible. This information important in discerning what our mission is to be, and will play a vital role in the search for a new settled pastor. More information on this as the time draws near. The Transition Task Force has begun doing the “prep work” that is necessary before Grace can form a Call Committee and begin the formal search for a new pastor. Please keep them in your prayers and help out when asked for help with other sort-term tasks. God has a mission for Grace Lutheran, and our job is to discover it, listen to it, and engage in it. Blessings, Pastor Eric From the pastor April 2015 GRACE LUTHERAN
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The Transition Task Force has been meeting. The members of the Task Force are Pastor Eric, Ron Morton, Gary Albertson, and Jan Demro. Carolyn Sauerbrei worked with us until they returned to Missouri, and Charlene Albertson serves as our liaison to the Council. This is the “core” group. We will, however, recruit others to help with various short-term tasks as they come up.
Our first item was to see what our surrounding neighborhood and community look like. We found this by looking at census data and ZIP code information. This gives us information on the setting God has placed us in. Included with this is information on the Winter Texans and the impact of SpaceX. We also are looking at the differences between the different generations: The Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millennials, and so forth.
We have also begun working on updating and correcting the church roster. Over the years, various errors and omissions have occurred. The task here is to get the computer database and the official “red book” roster to match up and have accurate information. One big help in this process was getting the phone book updated and corrected.
Our next step will be to look at the congregation. In the next few weeks, you will be asked to participate in an evaluation and assessment of the congregation. We really need everyone to participate so that we gain as accurate a picture as possible. This information important in discerning what our mission is to be, and will play a vital role in the search for a new settled pastor. More information on this as the time draws near.
The Transition Task Force has begun doing the “prep work” that is necessary before Grace can form a Call Committee and begin the formal search for a new pastor. Please keep them in your prayers and help out when asked for help with other sort-term tasks. God has a mission for Grace Lutheran, and our job is to discover it, listen to it, and engage in it.
Blessings, Pastor Eric
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Meetings are Thursday mornings at 9:00 AM and lunch follows the Business Meeting at 11:15 AM April 9 2015—WELCA Business Meeting. Hostess Elaine Krueger. Lunch at Great China.
April 16 2015—WELCA Bible Study. Leader Jan Underly. Hostess Charlene Albertson.
April 23 2015—Prayer Shawl.
T h i s I s t h e N i g h t
Thank you to everyone who helped out with soup suppers and extra readings on Palm Sunday. Reminder that the deadline for May Newsletter will be Monday April 27, 2015. Thank you. Council Minutes are posted on bulletin board next to the kitchen in the Parish Hall. Bible Study will be Wednesday evenings at 7:00 PM starting April 8th. Don Stang passed away March 16, 2015 our condolences to his family in their time of sorrow. Synod Assembly is May 1-3.
The Worship and Music Committee : Choir Practice will be at 6:00 PM Wednesdays. Worship and Music will meet Sunday April 12, 2015 after Church Service.
"For Sarah and Abraham, Isaac and Rebekah . . . for Moses and Isaiah, Jeremiah and Daniel . . . for Mary Magdalene and Joanna, Mary and Martha . . . for Paul and Apollos, Stephen and Phoebe: Thanks be to God" (" Litany of the Saints," ELW 237). Thanks be to God for God's faithfulness now and forever, and to the ages of ages. Thanks be to God for the light of Christ, scattering the darkness of night for 2015 years. Thanks be to God for the gift of the Spirit who brings us with all the saints to the river of life. This is the night in which we join them: teachers, healers, listeners, justice seekers, truth tellers, reformers, our mothers and fathers in faith. This is the night in which we follow them to the waters of baptism. These waters, which we have watered all night with our words and our stories—layer upon layer of promise, and the hope of what our lives with God will become—will clothe us in Christ. They will bathe us in light. And then they will lead us to the table, where with sun and moon, wind and rain, angels and archangels, the newly baptized and the saints in light, and yes, even the bees, we will sing the praises of the Lamb who was slain. This is the night in which every bit of God's promise gets poured out on us. This is the night in which we are adopted once again into the story. We are the ones God created in God's own image and called good. We are the ones dancing on the safe side of the sea. We are the ones who live in the city rebuilt from ashes. We are the ones who have been through fire and not even burned, because the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Sarah, and Rebekah, and all the saints, is with us. And now their God is our God. And we are God's people. This is the night.
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MISSION STATE-MENT
God’s purpose for Grace Lutheran Church is:
Welcome to Grace, Welcome the Message.
Principle Values:
Jesus is Lord Everyone is welcome. All serve in different
ways. Seek and share the
message.
God’s love is life changing.
If we missed anyone
PLEASE contact the office.
Ladies of Grace Activities for April: We have distributed 70 kits total as of March 15th. There are enough to do more during the next meeting. They will be distributed to the Women’s Crisis Center and the Harlingen Food Bank. Thank you for supporting the health kit project. Thank you for attending our Spring dinner. Thanks to Marie Sanky and Carolyn Vincent for coordinating the dinner. It was a big success. April 9th is our business meeting at 9:00 in the Parish Hall. The hostess for this event is Elaine Krueger. Lunch will be at Great China at the corner of Business and Treasure Hills Blvd. We have reservations for 11:30. April 16th will be Bible Study with Jan as leader. The hostess is Charlene Albertson. All women who come to church at Grace are WELCA members. We always welcome new attendees. We will have a rummage sale on December 5th. You may bring things for the sale and put them in the room with double doors in the Parish Hall. We need all things for this sale. Bring them before you leave for the north or after your spring cleaning. May will be our last official Bible Study in this series. Bible study will resume again in September.
Mike Thorn 5
Adell and Richard
Brehm 9
Constantine Poulos 11
Al Rudolph 18
Kelly Galloway 22
Rebecca Rislove 24
Cameron County Children’s Advocacy Center (Maggies house) sent a thank
you note for the generous donations of towels and hygiene kits.
Can You Help? I want to apologize to all of you for my failure to keep our congregational scrapbooks up to date over the past two years. I hope to get them back in shape before we celebrate the 90th anniversary later this year, but I need some help. I have some newspaper and other materials for 2013, 2014 and this year, but because of first Mother's ill health and death and then my own illness, I haven't been able to attend most of the church events during this time. As a result, I have no pictures or background material on these activi-ties. I know some of you take pictures when you attend the events. If you have any spare copies you can share or would permit me to scan and return to you, could you please send them to me at 901 E. Cenizo St., Harlingen, TX 78550-2410 or give them to Celia Scott at church? If you have any pictures stored on your cell phone or other device that you can send me by email ([email protected]), I'll be glad to print them out for the scrap-books. In either case, since I wasn't there, I'll need for you to identify the event in the pictures. I'll appreciate any help you can give me. Thanks, Marlene Pegg
(W) Indicates our Winter Texans. When they return north, call the next one on the list.
PRAYER CHAIN 2015
WELCA
March 12—Business Meeting March 15—Spring Dinner March 19—Bible Study March 26— Prayer Shawl *See information on page 2 *All meetings are at 9:00 AM Lunch is 11:15 AM
CHOIR PRACTICE
Wednesdays at 6:00 PM
MEN’S BREAKFAST
8:00 AM on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday’s at Tila’s. All men invited.
BREAKFAST FOR ALL
8:00 am on the 1st, 3rd, 5th Wednesday’s at Lonnie’s Down Home
PANTRY NEEDS Canned Fruits
Macaroni and Cheese
Box Dinners
Peanut Butter
Juice
Toilet Tissue
Congregation members: Eleanor Reinhold, Marlene Pegg, Philip Rislove, Helen
Congregation friends: Marilyn Grady, Cristina Noble, Marilyn Buckman, Joe
Fendt, Alexander Pierce, Jamie Eskew, Morty Eskew, Chris Eskew, Joel
VanStechelman, Rodney Genereau, Lawana Featherly, Richard Deitrick,
Steve Schluender, Mary June Sinnema, Vern Alt, Julie Scott, Molly Mar-
tinez, Betty Border, Christian Dominguez, Tyra Pederson, Becky
Carter, Nancy Peche.
Those who serve: Joshua Underly, Jordan Underly, Edwardo Mujica,
Jacqueline Salazar
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K i d ’ s p a g e Answer: D (See Genesis 28:10-19.)
As Jacob used a rock for a pillow — later to become a pillar honoring God — which of the following did he experience in a dream? A. Angels going up and down on a ladder between earth and heaven. B. The Lord promising that Jacob’s family would be a blessing to all nations. C. God’s assurance: “Know that I am with you and will keep you wherever you go.” D. All of the above.
