Want more Fun in your Marriage
November 3, 2010
You and your mate will have more fun in your marriage after attending a Marriage Encounter Weekend. November 12-14 at the Doubletree Hotel in Dallas across from Northpark Shopping Center. For complete details see page 5 of the November newsletter.
October 31- 5th Sunday Missions Offering: Sierra Leone
October 11, 2010
This month, our fifth Sunday offering will go to benefit the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Sierra Leone (One of our members, Elizabeth Bockarie, is from Sierra Leone). Since 1988, the ELCSL has been the companion synod of the NTNL, and over the years we have supported them in many ways: building a center for worship and leadership training, opening a medical clinic, supporting pastor-in-residence Kate Warn from the ELCA to minister in Sierra Leone, building schools, and digging fresh water wells.
Your special offering will go to further the above good work that is being done in the name of Jesus Christ by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Sierra Leone. Please prayerfully consider how you can support this work. Please keep this country and this branch of the Body of Christ in our prayers throughout the year.
New Lutheran Church Launched
August 30, 2010
The North American Lutheran Church was launched August 26th, 2010 at the annual Lutheran Coalition for Renewal national gathering in Columbus, Ohio. The North American Lutheran Church is similar to the ELCA that used to exist prior to the August 09 vote in Minneapolis, only they have a much flatter organizational structure and congregations are given more power in the decision of the church. (National decisions of consequence, such as the vote that happened in Minneapolis in August 09, would have to be ratified by congregations of the NALC before they would be adopted.) The NALC is similar to the ELCA of old in that its sexuality policy is very similar to the ELCA’s policy before the ELCA changed.
Go to www.lutherancore.org for information regarding the new church denomination. Also, at this website you will see Lutheran Coalition for Renewal also has an ELCA arm. In this way pastors will be able to connect with likeminded pastors while remaining in the ELCA.
Gene Janke’s sister’s church, St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Pflugerville, Texas recently left the ELCA and joined Lutheran Congregations in Mission For Christ. LCMC has been receiving many former ELCA churches and is a second viable option for congregations who are looking for a home after the ELCA left them in August 09. The LCMC is not a denomination per say but rather an association of Lutheran congregations. In other words, LCMC is more loosely connected to each other than those churches connected in a denomination. For more information about Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ go to www.lcmc.net.
For more information yet, go to www.wordalone.org. There you will fine perspective on the developments of the last ten years.
I have pledged to keep you informed about these matters, and will continue to do so.
Pastor Joel
Prayer Walk, Sunday May 2
April 28, 2010
During the 9:00 AM Sunday school hour, youth and adults are invited to go on a prayer walk around the surrounding neighborhood. During the prayer walk, we will be distributing door hangers for the National Day of Prayer. What is a prayer walk? It will look something like this:
- Everyone will be divided into groups of 3-5 people and given a map of your prayer walk route.
- You will be given door hangers for the national day of prayer.
- Individually, you will walk up to a house, drop a door hanger, and say a short prayer of blessing for the house.
- Anyone can do it!
December Newsletter Submissions Due November 16
November 9, 2009
Please note the following deadlines for upcoming Newsletter submissions. They have been changed due holiday schedules:
- December submissions due Monday, November 16
- January 2010 submissions due December 14
- February 2010 submissions due January 13
Custom Designed Seminar: October 16-17
October 1, 2009
Custom Designed
A Life Worthy of the Call
Seminar: Oct. 16-17
Friday Eve 6-9:30PM & Saturday 9AM-4:30PM
Hope Lutheran Church, Cedar Hill, TX
(Directions available here)
Give yourself a gift! Guidance and wisdom will be presented for understanding one’s unique individuality, recognizing God’s guiding hand, and even grappling with two of life’s more practical, yet significant questions: Who am I? What am I to do? Custom designed and custom called for a custom designed life (that’s you)! High school youth and adults are invited, especially those in transition… high school, college, newly married, restlessness, retirement, or a life-changing event. Fun, energetic, and comfortable, multimedia teaching is combined with time for self-reflection.
The presenters are Wendy Berthelsen and Steve Harr. Together with their spouses, they are co-founders of Call Incorporated (www.callinc.org), a non-profit Christian teaching mission dedicated to helping others discover, discern and “incorporate” God’s unique call into all of life. Wendy is president of Call Inc., and pastor of ministry in daily life at Hope Lutheran, Cedar Hill. Previously she was a biomedical engineer, receiving three US Patents. She and her husband Joel are blessed with four children. Steve is a business attorney and founding partner of Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr, P.C. He and his wife Kathy are blessed with two sons. Combined, Wendy and Steve have nearly thirty years of experience helping others discover God’s call. To pre-register or for more information about the seminar, email Wendy at pastor.wendy {at} sbcglobal(.)net
Cost: $35 (includes all materials and Friday dinner, Saturday continental breakfast and lunch)
Summary of Churchwide Assembly Actions
September 6, 2009
A brief summary of the actions taken at the 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly can by found by clicking here.
Or visit the ELCA Churchwide Assembly homepage to find out more details, videos, and reports from the assembly.
Fall Wednesday Activities to Begin September 2
August 31, 2009
Some of our fall Wednesday activities will begin kicking off this Wednesday, September 2. On the schedule this week will be:
- 5:45 PM – Pizza dinner ($3/person)
- 6:00-7:15 – Confirmation (7th & 8th grade)
- 6:30-7:15 – Silent prayer, worship, & holy communion
- 6:30-7:30 – Chimes choir practice (all ages: elementary through adult)
- 7:30-8:30 – Reconfirmed (high school)
The Timothy Project Bible Study will resume on September 9. Various musical groups will begin practicing that week as well. Their schedules will be posted as they become available.
September Newsletter Now Available
August 31, 2009
You can download the September edition of the Heralds of Hope Newseltter on our newsletter page.
Confirmation Retreat Coming Soon!
August 31, 2009
Our annual Confirmation Retreat to Sky Ranch on September 11-13 is coming up very quickly. Below are some deadlines and details.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009 – Paperwork and payment due. Please bring with you:
- Hope Lutheran Church Release form (Either a green or a yellow form). Those who filled out a green form for the summer mission trip do not need a new form. Contact Matt if you are unsure.
- Yellow Sky Ranch Release Form
- $115 – Make checks out to Hope Lutheran Church. Scholarships are available for those who cannot afford the cost of the retreat. Please contact Matt as soon as possible if you need assistance.
Friday, September 11, 6:00 PM – Meet at Hope Lutheran Church. We will eat pizza when we arrive at around 8:00 PM, so bring a snack if you will be hungry before then.
Sunday, September 13, noon – We will return back to Hope Lutheran Church.