Discover
YOUR FAITH.
Live
Grow
IN COMMUNITY.
GOD’S MISSION.
DEEPER WITH CHRIST VOLUME 2 ISSUE 3 2015
Discover. Grow. L i v e.
GoDeeperWithChrist.org
HOLY COMFORTER LUTHERAN CHURCH 1901 WOODLAND HILLS DRIVE - KINGWOOD, TX - 281.358.6500 - GODEEPERWITHCHRIST.ORG - FACEBOOK.COM/HOLYCOMFORTERLUTHERAN www.godeeperwithchrist.org 1
PASTOR’S MESSAGE Greetings brothers and sisters in Christ— “Let’s stop complaining about the church we see and start becoming the church we dream of.” I love this line taken from the book Barefoot Church: Serving the Least in a Consumer Culture by Brandon Hatmaker. So often we have such a hard time letting go of the past that we cannot see the reality in front of us or the opportunities therein, and we most definitely cannot dream of what can or should be. It’s time to be the church God is calling us to be today. What does this church then look like? How about this? A service-based, missional community led and fed by Jesus Christ. In a broken world in need of hope, we are to love our neighbor as we do ourselves. Jesus defined neighbor not by proximity but by need. If we love somebody, then we hate to see them treated unjustly and we do something about it. Sometimes I would like to ask God why He allows poverty, suffering and injustice when He could do something about it. But I’m afraid He would ask me the same question. We cannot think our way into a new way of living; we must live our way into a new way of thinking. What’s easier than inviting your unchurched friend or neighbor or grown child to serve with you in a service endeavor organized by your church? Our role, in part, is to help others see the kingdom of God at work. The more the church lives in faithfulness to God and the gospel, the more visible God’s grace will be for all those who long for it. Looking for something of significance? A place to make a difference? A place that empowers and encourages us to live a life sent? That, my friends, is the church. In Christ,
Pastor Barb He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8
Discover
Faith Story: Family breaks world record Worship & Music Ministry
[page 5]
TABLE OF CONTENTS [page 4]
Grow
[page 6] Worship Workers [page 6] Praise Walkers [page 6] Primetimers [page 7] WOW [page 7] Women of the ELCA
[page 8] Early Childhood Education [page 9] Celebrate! Carnival [page 8] Confirmation Club Game Night
Live
[page 10] Gathering Place [page 10] Gods Work. Our Hands. [page 11] Sam Dykstra Wins T-Shirt Contest [page 11] Day of Service [page 12] Camp Hope [page 13] Team Living Boldly
GO! GO! is a quarterly magazine produced and published by the members of HCLC. The content of this magazine is intended to be shared. It is designed by Michelle Palmer and printed by PostNet - Kingwood. Editor’s Note: For article and photo submission, please contact Pam MacNaughton at 281.358.6500 or pam@godeeperwithchrist.org.
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Faith Story:
Family Breaks World Record for the Largest Cup of Lemonade My wife Olga and I are blessed to have two wonderful sons Jon & Michael. They both are also blessed because they married two amazing wives, Suzanna & Trish. But our greatest blessing is our six grandchildren Braydon, Morgan, Lily, Chloe, Payton & Nicholas. This story is about Lily and how she brings joy to everyone she meets. About eight years ago at a family wedding Lily got sick. At first the doctors thought it was just the flu but then she lost the ability to sit up and with her Mother Trish’s insistence further testing found out that Lily had a brain tumor called ependymona. She was just 14 months old. This is extremely rare for children and is typically seen in the elderly. She was given a 10% survival rate. Everyone was devastated. Lily and her parents live in New Jersey and we live in Houston. The first thing my wife and I did when we got the call was to say a prayer for Lily. We then called Pastor Barb and asked her to also please pray for Lily. She asked if we could share a prayer together. I didn’t want to tell her that we already prayed and felt it couldn’t hurt. Pastor Barb not only asked God to cure Lily and watch over her parents but she also asked God to help the doctors and nurses to do their best. This is just one of many reasons why Pastor Barb is amazing. Lily had the brain surgery the next day and the tumor was removed. But, because of her age she could not have any pain medication. For two days we stared at the monitors and at Lily as she remained ever so still. When my oldest son Jonathan and Suzanna arrived, they talked Mike and Trish into going out to lunch with them because they had not left Lily’s side, and my wife and I stayed behind. When they returned Trish was wearing an Alex’s Lemonade Shirt. In the lobby of CHOP (Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia) they had met Liz and Jay Scott, cofounders with their daughter, Alexandra, of Alex’s Lemonade Stand and was impressed with their desire to raise money to help defeat childhood cancer. The next week Lily and her parents flew to MD Anderson in Houston and for the next two months Lily received Proton Radiation Treatments. The doctors were not sure if Lily would be able to walk but they did not know how courageous and determined this girl is. She had to have a lot of physical rehab; and when Lily first attended school she needed a walker or crutches to get around. One day in a mall Lily decided it was time to walk and she put down her crutches and started walking on her own. She fell a lot but told her parents that she could get back up and everything is fine. Today she takes horseback riding lessons as part of her therapy and because she loves horses. She takes dance lessons and Lily and her sister, Chloe, are members of her Dad’s soccer team. She consistently is a top seller of Girl Scout cookies. They also sing in the church choir. Most importantly, she is cancer free. She knows that God loves us all and she opens her heart to everyone. The past seven years Lily and her family have held their own lemonade stand like so many people around the world do to support Alex’s lemonade foundation and they are friends with the Scotts and work all year long helping the charity.
On June 6th, Lily and Team Adkins broke the world record for the largest cup of Lemonade. It was 10 feet tall and 6 feet wide and held 1,735 gallons of lemonade, shattering the previous record of 1,539 gallons. They went for the world’s record, not for the record itself, but they hoped this would shine more light on Lily’s lemonade stand and Alex’s foundation. Their goal remains the elimination of childhood cancer. In the picture of the giant cup you can see Lily in front with her sister Chloe. In the back her Dad Mike and two officials from Guinness are boarding a sizer’s lift taking them to the top of the cup to measure the lemonade and they announced the new record to the crowd below. In the other picture Lily is presenting this year’s check from the lemonade stand, but what we love is her amazing smile. Lily will never know all the people around the world that have prayed for her but she does understand the power of prayer and knows she can accomplish anything she puts her wonderful mind to. By Bob & Olga Adkins
Going deeper in faith, service, & relationships Worship & Music Ministry in 2015
Voices of Praise at Rosemont
Go deeper with Christ – through music! Would you like to learn to sing or improve your ability to sing? To ring handbells? To join others in music-making, learning and growing as disciples, using and developing the musical gifts that God has given you? To make new friends or deepen friendships that already have begun? To be part of a group that prays, worships, serves and plays together? To find an oasis in a week filled with the busy-ness of life? Holy Comforter has a history of excellent music-making, as ordinary people work together to grow deeper as disciples of Jesus, ministering the Word of God through music. Fall is the very best time to join a musical group at HCLC, and we have opportunities for almost everyone to participate. As individuals serving in smaller groups within the larger congregation, we can go deeper with Christ as we: • pursue excellence in gifts God has given to us, offering our best to God, as stewards of the talents God has entrusted to us. • work together on common goals. • learn to be responsible team members. • serve the common good of the church. • pray for and with each other specifically and frequently. • support each other, especially in times of crisis. • enjoy fellowship together as brothers and sisters in Christ. • grow as committed, disciplined disciples of Christ. Groups of singers & instrumentalists can be a training ground, theologically & musically, working together to go deeper with Christ as we: • offer music to glorify God as our response of gratitude to God. • lead and enhance the worship life of the congregation. • model the gospel life of servanthood. • grow in the knowledge and love of God. • work together on something greater than the individual parts. • support the common good of our community of believers. • share our faith with others, proclaiming God’s story of love and grace. Of course, the congregation is the primary “choir” that sings when we come together to worship God, but some of us find deeper meaning in participating in a group that rehearses regularly, that delves deeper into the music we sing, ring, and play, that makes special offerings in worship – usually a choir. We invite you to join us in music ministry, whether or not you have ever done so before. The rehearsal schedule, all meeting in the sanctuary except children and youth: • Flute Choir – as schedules permit • Voices of Praise - women’s choir – Wednesdays 1:30-2:30 p.m. • Middle School Choir – singing, percussion, more – Wednesdays 5:30-6:00 p.m. • Children’s Music – grades K-5th – Wednesdays 6:30-7:00 p.m. as part of WoW • Bells of Praise – handbell choir grade 6 through adult – Wednesdays 7:30-8:45 p.m. • Gloria Dei Choir – mixed choir grades 6 through adult – Thursdays 7:30-9:00 p.m. Fall rehearsals for all groups begin on Wednesday, August 26, except Gloria Dei Choir, which begins on Thursday, August 20. Middle School Choir for grades 6-8 on Wednesdays from 5:30-6:00 p.m., just before WoW. This high energy group began by request last year, and the rehearsal time has been tweaked a bit. Come as soon as you can! For more information, contact Marsha Seale. Everyone is welcome! Join us! By Marsha Seale, Minister of Worship and Music Ministry Gloria Dei Choir Crawfish Boil
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Women of the ELCA
In May the Women of the ELCA enjoyed a pot luck salad luncheon before the general meeting. The May general meeting is held to elect the officers for the next year. The program for the meeting involved making greeting cards to be donated to the Blue Star Mothers for inclusion in care packages sent to our military men and women overseas. Michelle Moseman had organized all the materials needed to make six different greeting cards. All present had the
Blessing of the Prayer Shawls
choice of making one type of card, or all six different cards. Over 25 packs of the six different birthday and thinking-ofyou cards were made. The whole congregation is invited to the September general meeting of the WELCA which will be held on Sunday, September 27th at 12:30 p.m. after the late service. A pot luck lunch with Peruvian snacks is planned. The program about the visit with our sister congregation in Peru will be presented
by Pastor Amy and Sheryl Stucky. Priscilla Circle (lunch)/Prayer Shawl Ministry meets on the third Thursday of each month at noon in the narthex area for lunch followed by some knitting and crocheting of prayer shawls. It’s a potluck lunch and you’re welcome to come just for lunch or just for prayer shawl making or for both. Contact Beth Moseman 281-358-5501 or Judy Hunt 281-360-8318 if you’re interested. By Faye McKinzie & Beth Moseman
PRAISE
WALKERS
Praise Walk is a group that meets every morning from 8 – 9 a.m. Monday - Friday for an hour of exercise. During the summer we have been doing water exercise in private pools. By late September or October we will be back to walking, weights, aerobics, stretching, yoga, etc. at the church. If you’d like to add some exercise to your daily routine come join us. Contact Lynette Schmit 281-360-4957 or Beth Moseman 281-358-5501 for questions. Also – if anyone is interested in an exercise group meeting in the late afternoon please let us know. Some of the preschool teachers may be interested in a class after school. It could be yoga, aerobics, or whatever fits the group needs. Contact Beth Moseman 281-358-5501 or Colleen Engel 281-358-9337. By Beth Moseman
WANTED:
WORSHIP WORKERS
We always have need for more people to assist in various ways in the worship life of the church. Countless individuals go deeper with Christ as they give their time and talent to ensure that our worship services go smoothly. If you would like to help in any of the following ways, please contact Marsha Seale or Linda Utecht for information and to set up training. Worship First Team Altar Guild Lectors Communion Servers Crucifers and Acolytes Lay Eucharistic Ministers Ushers Sound board technicians Children’s Chapel Leaders Cantors Drama events Children’s worship sacks HCLC School Chapel
PRIMETIMERS 2015
On Saturday, June 6, twelve of us visited the very unusual Newman castle near Bellville, Texas. This was mostly self-built by Mike Newman, the owner of a bakery and restaurant in Bellville, who intended it for his country home but is now a popular tourist attraction. When we first arrived, we witnessed two demonstrations. The first was of the use of a trebuchet, a catapult designed to fling stones against the walls of an enemy castle. The second was of the ingenious device for raising and lowering the castle’s drawbridge - a large squirrel cage into which two men would climb and operate by the weight of their bodies. At noon we assembled in the great hall and had an excellent bag lunch. Shortly after lunch our group bought some baked goods as well as sausage and other meat products from the meat market. On the return trip we visited the Brookwood Community in Brookshire, where the gift shop was a popular spot for purchases. The July 18 event to view the Holocaust Museum was cancelled due to failure to attain the ten-person minimum which Precinct 4 requires for furnishing one of its buses. Our August 8 event was successful. 18 of us attended a performance by the Alley Theatre of the play, “The Foreigner”, a comedy about a group of people at a fishing village in rural Georgia. The play had been actively promoted by the Alley which helped us have plenty of members for the bus. After the show we enjoyed a fellowship dinner at Birraporetti’s. In September Precinct 4 will receive our requests for buses during the period November 2015 through April 2016. Since this includes the year-end holidays, we might want to attend annual events such as “The Nutcracker” and “A Christmas Carol”. Other ideas are always welcomed. The next planned event will be a tour on October 6 of the George H. W. Bush Library at College Station. It should be interesting to relate President Bush’s term to the present time when our country is heading into the 2016 election campaign.
By Frank Kopta
WOW
Worship, Word, Witness on Wednesday
A fun, educational, intergenerational class on Paul and Silas at WOW (Worship, Word, Witness on Wednesdays) was led by a team of teachers using Camp Hope curriculum! Children, youth and adults created sand art, made cookies shaped in images representing the Holy Spirit, and designed puppets for a puppet show about Paul and Silas from the book of Acts. This fall we invite you to WOW on Wednesdays in Luther Hall starting at 6 pm for dinner followed by a class at 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm. There are separate classes for elementary age children, Confirmation-middle school, Senior Highs, and adults. Our adult class will be In Search of Paul through First Corinthians taught by Pastor Barb. Our first WOW is Wednesday, August 26! All are welcome! By Pastor Amy
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Confirmation Club Game Night!
The HCLC Confirmation Club has monthly activities geared to bring friends together for additional fun and fellowship. In May, five Confirmation Club participants came to our first Board Game Night held in the teen room. Zach, Sam, Evan, Dylan and Michael battled on the board, challenged their creativity and learned new games. Surprises that night included cupcakes and an impromptu Ga-Ga Ball court. The boys enjoyed sharing this game and there were lots of laughs. Thanks Pastor Amy, Tracey Bulau, Jennifer Kell & Michele Dykstra. By Michele Dykstra Photos by Mike Smith
CELEBRATE! CARNIVAL 2015
Early Childhood Education@HCLC THANKYOU!
HOLY COMFORTER LUTHERAN CHURCH SCHOOL WILL BEGIN THE 2015-16 SCHOOL YEAR ON MONDAY AUGUST 24, 2015. The following classes will be held in the education building. Limited space is available in the following classes • 2 year olds - Mother’s Day Out 9:30 -2:30 Monday through Friday • Early Three year olds-- Mother’s Day Out 9:30-2:30 Monday through Friday • Preschool 3 year olds 8:45- noon Monday through Friday • Preschool 4 year olds 8:45- noon Monday through Friday • Extended care is available for all children enrolled in Preschool and Mother’s Day Out.
Beginning on August 24th, Holy Comforter will have a Roving Readers program that will encourage church members to sign up to read to our preschool classes at various times during the day. Sign up is in the Narthex and we have a large selection of books to choose from or Roving Readers can bring their own books. Holy Comforter Lutheran School has been certified by the ELCA as an Evangelical Lutheran Education Association Center of Wellness. This year long process involved a self study and focus on standards of financial, social, physical, intellectual, vocational, emotional and spiritual heath. By integrating wellness lesson plans, activities, and educational opportunities for children, staff and parents - our school can make a healthy difference in the lives of those we serve. By Colleen Engel, School Director 281-358-9337
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BOLDLY
TEAM LIVING
Poverty: A Call to Action Understanding a problem is the first step toward solving it. That was the idea behind “Poverty: A Call to Action”, a town hall meeting co-sponsored by Holy Comforter on Monday, April 20th. This exciting event was the result of a collaboration with social justice ministry teams from three area churches- St. Martha’s Catholic Church, Strawbridge United Methodist Church and Kingwood First Presbyterian Church. The meeting included a panel of leaders from local organizations that are working to alleviate poverty in our community and around the world. The evening opened with a presentation by Cynthia Colbert from Catholic Charities, which highlighted the complex nature of poverty. Key to the presentation was the notion that poverty is not just being short of money. It is also lack of opportunity, lack of support (emotional and spiritual), and lack of hope. Once the scene was set, the moderator introduced the five panel members. They included Millie Garrison, Executive Director of Humble Area Assistance Ministries (HAAM); Pam Dickson, Executive Director of Mission Northeast in Porter; Tracey Brogans, Houston Area Representative of Kid’s Hope USA; and Terry Stierman, Director of Development for Conviventia. The panelists answered questions from the audience and shared stories of success and hope from their organizations. The presentation portion ended with a prayer from our own Pastor Amy. After the meeting, twelve booths were sponsored by a variety of Houston area organizations that work toward poverty alleviation. Attendees were invited to visit the booths, learn more about the wonderful organizations working in our community, and take action in the fight against poverty. This was the first of what we hope will be many collaborations with these and other churches in Kingwood. Watch for another great offering this fall! If you want to learn more about this collaboration, or have an idea for a topic we might cover, please contact Stacey Taylor at staylor333@sbcglobal.net or Team Living Boldly. By Stacey Taylor
GATHERING
PLACE
The Gathering Place at HCLC celelbrates 10 years!
It was September 2005 when The Gathering Place at Holy Comforter first began offering respite care for families in the Kingwood area and beyond. Over the past 10 years we have served 125 care partners and their families. We meet on the first Friday of each month to offer respite care to families with a loved one who has dementia, Parkinson’s, stroke, etc. During the hours that care partners are at HCLC our volunteers engage with them in activities, crafts, exercise, music, and more. We offer entertainment and lunch along with fellowship and support. Our next Gathering Place will be Friday, September 4, 2015, from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. Our theme is “Happy 10th Birthday Month” and we will be celebrating by having the Clown Ministry from Grace
Presbyterian Church in Houston entertain us with their antics. On Sunday, September 13, we will be celebrating our 10 years of Gathering Place with the whole congregation during and after each worship service. Come and find out what The Gathering Place is all about. Upcoming Gathering Place dates for this fall are October 2, November 6 and December 4. If you are interested in volunteering (once a month) or know someone who would benefit from attending The Gathering Place as a care partner, please contact Pam MacNaughton 281-460-9252 or Beth Moseman 281-358-5501. By Beth Moseman
Holy Comforter will be participating in God’s Work Our Hands this year on Saturday, September 12, 2015. You are welcome to gather at Holy Comforter in Luther Hall for breakfast at 9:00 a.m. (donuts and kolaches) before heading out to one of four outreach activities. Work starts at 10:00 a.m. and ends at noon with a short (15 minute) time for group reflection. At The Isle of Kingwood a group will be singing for the residents; at The Rescue Barn a group will be working around the barn doing odd jobs; at HAAM a group will be sorting items in the re-sale shop; and at Holy Comforter a group will be assisting with building maintenance and gardening projects. Please join one of these groups for fun, reaching out to our community, and fellowship. Fair Trade Sale Team Living Boldly is really excited to announce that November 5th through the 8th Holy Comforter is going to host our first Fair Trade Sale. We will be setting up a store in Luther Hall. Everyone is invited - from members, friends, family and the whole Kingwood community at large - to purchase items from the store. Fair trade is a movement whose stated goal is to help producers in developing countries achieve better trading conditions and to give a market place for these goods. Members of the movement advocate the payment of higher more fair prices to those sending their goods to us. Between now and the sale Living Boldly will be offering some learning opportunities about Fair Trade and micro finance. We really hope you
will join us in learning more about different ways to help others. Because we at Holy Comforter have made a commitment to concentrate on relationships with people and organizations that promote justice and help give a hand up and out of poverty over the kind of help we have assisted with in the past, which is based on meeting emergency needs, we feel a Fair Trade Sale fits the mission of Holy Comforter well. In addition, Team Living Boldly would love to invite you to participate in the Fair Trade Team. It will convene on August 11th at 7:00 p.m. and meet off and on until November. (Don’t worry if you miss the first meeting; there are MANY service opportunities over the next few months regarding the Fair Trade Sale.) This is a great way for everyone to participate in a short term project at Holy Comforter that is serving the whole community and those in the developing world who will benefit from selling their goods. Please participate by working at the store, being part of the advertising team, helping decorate, or helping clean up. There are jobs for all! If you are interested in this new ministry, please e-mail Melissa Schiefelbein at melissaschiefelbein@gmail.com.
By Melissa Schiefelbein
Sam Dykstra wins T-Shirt 2015 y Design Ma Contest!
Sam Dykstra was the winner of the Camp Hope T-shirt design contest. His design was enhanced with the help of Christy Jancacek to become the T-shirt worn by this year’s campers attending Camp Hope. Sam was awarded with an ice cream party, a certificate, and a mock-up of his design. By Michele Dykstra
September
We will gather for breakfast at 9:00am (donuts kolaches) before heading out to one of four ou activities. Work starts at 10:00am and ends at short (15 minute) time for group reflection.
The Edge of Kingwood The Rescue Barn HAAM www.godeeperwithchrist.org 11 Ho
DAY OF SERVICE Rescue Barn
Below is a lady donkey who came to The Rescue Barn pregnant and had her baby, Merry Noel, right around Christmas. When we went to deliver food and other donations with HCLC over the holidays, Merry Noel was ten days old. Mama’s name is Tina. You could even say that Tina keeps a watchful eye on the service-driven Lutherans as they clean, shovel and prepare the way. By Michele Dykstra he rt e a he th ou out the y b d Did ne a y an ns? o ke ra n e do Luth
At HCLC
As part of the God’s Work, Our Hands service day on May 9th, six persons dedicated four hours of their time, labor, and skill completing several repair and maintenance tasks both inside the church and on the grounds. While Deb Irwin, Dale MacNaughton, Linda and Duane Utecht, and Frank Van Horn worked indoors, Sandy Blocker spent the entire time doing yard work mainly in the courtyard area. The interior work consisted of electrical (replacing a light fixture, a noisy timer, and bulbs in an exit sign), plumbing (resetting a toilet and replacing a toilet seat), touching up the paint in several areas, and a number of odd jobs (adding brackets to the pulpit, adding corner protectors and gluing down carpet in Luther Hall, etc.). Many thanks to the “hands” that made the completion of these work tasks possible. While we enjoyed working together to accomplish many things, we also were thankful for the group lunch that followed our morning of work. Watch for opportunities to participate in other God’s Work, Our Hands service projects in September.
By Duane Utecht
CAMP HOPE 2015 Camp Hope is a Bible day camp for kids led by kids, our youth! We adults mentor senior highs and the senior high counselors mentor middle school counselors in training and teach our community children about God. The middle school youth also teach our community’s children and learn from our senior high staff. Each generation is passing on the faith to another generation and encouraging one another’s leadership. Camp Hope highlights: one brand new counselor in training told her mom that the first day was awesome! A pre K child knew and shared aloud the story of Cain and Abel at the Omega worship! Camp Hope children made thank you cards for Mr. Hector, who cleans the church, and Mr. Hector’s face was full of smiles at their efforts! Camp Hope children collected $77 in change for Star of Hope’s ministry for homeless men! Two counselors in training taught us a fun new song about a pizza man, a Samaritan, and a Christian! 16 middle school youth shared their time, presence, and skills with us! Adults brought fabulous treats every week—we felt surrounded by your love, through the food and your prayers! 43 children participated in Camp Hope during week 3-we can only take 48 children according to Camp Hope rules-we were almost at capacity! A generous adult provided a bunch of balls for us to use for Foursquare and other games when we needed them! Our counselors taught us songs, crafts, shared science projects with us, and got us all excited about God’s Word! It was good! Thanks be to God! By Pastor Amy
Photos by Jennifer Taylor
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ASSOCIATE PASTOR’S MESSAGE Growing in our relationship with God is a lifelong adventure! Team Growing Deeper in Faith is creating a faith development ministry for children, youth and adults at Holy Comforter! We are excited about the fall opportunities we have for you! We hope you will join us on the adventure of studying the Bible together. We are offering a variety of classes for all ages starting on Sunday, August 30th at 9:30 am to 10:30 am at SOS (Story, Song, and Service on Sundays) in Luther Hall and the Wartburg room. Cross-generational SOS will meet in Luther Hall and be taught by families of the church. Join us as we explore Old and New Testament stories through art, games, computer lab, cooking, creative drama, music, science and video! All ages are welcome! Adult SOS will meet in the Wartburg room. The first class is “ln Search of Paul” through pictures taught by Pastor Barb (8/30, 9/6, 9/13); “Fair Trade and Micro Finance: Ways We Serve” taught by Team Living Boldly (9/20, 9/27, 10/11); and “The Worship Experience” taught by Worship First Team (10/18, 10/25, 11/8, 11/15, 11/22). All adults are welcome! You are invited to serve! We make sandwiches and lunches for our homeless brothers and sisters at Star of Hope on the first Sunday of each month (9/6, 10/4, 11/1, 12/6). We can also deepen our faith through WOW (Worship, Word, Witness on Wednesdays), which meets on Wednesdays in Luther Hall at 6 pm for dinner followed by study from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Our classes are organized by your stage of life. We have music and Godly Play for elementary age children. Confirmation is for middle schoolers and we will learn about the New Testament. Senior High is for our 9th through 12th grade. And “In Search of Paul Through Corinthians” will be taught for the adults! We hope you will join us at SOS starting 8/30 at 9:30 am and at WOW starting 8/26 at 6 pm with dinner and we look forward to growing as God’s disciples in God’s world with you. God’s peace, Pastor Amy
CAMP HOPE 2015
Photos by Jennifer Taylor
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Discover. Grow. L i v e.
GoDeeperWithChrist.org
Holy Comforter Lutheran CHurch Staff
The Reverend Barbara Bartling Pastor Amy Oehlschlaeger Marsha Seale Bill Goebel Pam MacNaughton Colleen Engel
Senior Pastor Associate Pastor Minister of Worship and Music Financial Secretary Director of Administration Education Director
pastorbarb@godeeperwithchrist.org pastoramy@godeeperwithchrist.org marsha@godeeperwithchrist.org bill@godeeperwithchrist.org pam@godeeperwithchrist.org colleen@godeeperwithchrist.org
Church Council Members
Sheryl Stucky – President Susan Muellner – Secretary Karen Geffert – Past President Brad Goodwin
Rick Janacek – VP Al Schmit – Treasurer Hans Kell Steve Hansen
Holy Comforter Lutheran Church is the sum of its members blessed and empowered by the Holy Spirit to do ministry together. We are a traditional church & congregation that thinks and works “outside the box” to bring progressive ministries, services, programs and outreach to our local community and beyond! Holy Comforter Lutheran Church & School was the first church and preschool program in Kingwood, Texas. We are a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Visit www.godeeperwithchrist.org for more info on our Mission & Vision, History, Pastor, Staff & Council, Ministries, Communion Policy, Testimonials & Worship Services. Cover Photo by Jennifer Taylor