Hosanna Cyberline - September 22, 2006

Greetings again,

First, the links to the most recent newsletters and other information sources so you can stay in touch with what's going on at Hosanna:

"This Week at Hosanna" for Sunday, September 24: http://www.welcometohosanna.com/weekly_news.pdf

NEW... October edition of Hotline, to be mailed to homes on Monday, September 25: http://www.welcometohosanna.com/monthly_news.pdf

It's not too early to submit articles for the November issue. Please email editorials and announcements to: Dale Bargmann.

Also new... October Assisting Minister schedule: http://www.welcometohosanna.com/layministry.pdf

Now for the updates:

I hope you've had a good week. I certainly have. Pastor Tart and I conducted the second in an ongoing series of Ministry and Technology Conferences on Thursday, September 14. A total of twelve attended the conference. It was well received, as verified by several favorable emails from some of the attendees. Bob Fox of Kinsmen Lutheran has asked that we repeat the conference for their staff.

The Hosanna Web site is having an impact. I have been contacted by two other Lutheran churches for assistance in redesigning their web sites, based on the Hosanna site. I'll give everyone more information once I have completed the design and publishing of the sites.

This Sunday is Mentoring Sunday, an emphasis on children assuming roles in worship.

Another reminder of the Annual Hosanna-Kinsmen Golf Classic scheduled for 8 AM, Saturday, October 14 at Bear Creek Golf Course. This is your invitation to play in the Masters and it is open to all men, women and High School-age young adults. Cost is $46 per player, payable by Sunday, October 8. Make checks payable to Men of Hosanna. A box lunch is included. Compete for trophies and longest drives and closest to pin awards. Form your own groups and signup in the Narthex. Contact Bob @ 281-440-5432.

Starting October 1: A month-long emphasis on Martin Luther. We will study his life and teachings. The adult education hour on Sunday mornings will see a PowerPoint presentation on Luther's life, including his posting the 95 Theses, his exile at the Wartburg, his debates with secular and church leaders, his married life with his beloved Katie and their 6 children, his Bible translation, his writings.Justust about everything, including visits to the Wartburg castle and the cities of Wittenberg, Eisleben, Worms, Erfurt, Eisenach, etc. Why did the 16th century church need reform? Does today's church need reform?

Coming in November... the annual Veterans Day service at Hosanna, November 12 @ 2 PM. We will remember those who served and those who continue to serve.

Per a request from the church council I will no longer post these weekly Cyberlines to Cyberline the Blog. In fact that blog has been renamed "Hosanna Blog" (yellow button on the home page). You will see a second silver button beneath it labeled "Weekly Cyberline." This is where anyone can go to read these messages. I was asked recently why these email messages were posted on the web site. The answer: I simply want to make sure that everyone, not just email recipients, has access to these updates and last-minute pieces of information. Remember that our web site has three audiences: congregation members, visitors (aka "seekers") and the world-wide community. We want to be as open as possible.

The "Hosanna Blog" will now be used by staff and church council to discuss important issues--an open forum, if you will. Anyone can comment on anything posted there. Right now there are articles by Pastor Tart, Amber Walker, Jeff Hartmann and others. Please read them and join the discussion.

Jim Meszaros, Hosanna's Thrivent Financial for Lutherans representative, and Valeria Islam, who runs Hosanna's ESL class, will sponsor the coffee hour on Sunday, October 22. They are encouraging everyone to become associate members of Thrivent, for just $10 per year. You will get educational benefits and Thrivent will help with outreach and improvement projects. Please stop by and visit Jim and Val. Then come to the Luther study.

Be sure and check out the Family Life Update posted in "This Week at Hosanna" and "Hotline." Note especially the Pumpkin Patch and the CREW garage sale coming in October. I remember one group of high school-age kids stopping by last year close to Holloween. They told me we were the only place they could find pumpkins at that late date.

A little humor:

"Some Mixed Sayings" - from Faye Mitchell

I dialed a number and got the following recording: "I am not available right now, but thank you for caring enough to call. I am making some changes in my life. Please leave a message after the beep. If I do not return your call, you are one of the changes."

At pilot training back in the Air Corps they taught us, "Always try to keep the number of landings you make equal to the number of take offs you make."

My wife and I had words, but I didn't get to use mine.

As my five-year-old son and I were headed to McDonald's one day, we passed a car accident.

Usually when we see something terrible like that, we say a prayer for those who might be hurt, so I pointed and said to my son, "We should pray."

From the back seat I heard his earnest request: "Please, God, don't let those cars block the entrance to McDonald's."

God bless your week,
Dale Bargmann, Hosanna Communications