Hosanna Cyberline - May 25, 2007

Hosanna Cyberline - May 25, 2007

A good and God Blessed Friday before the Memorial Day Weekend. I was reminded last week while in Colorado that this the weekend when plowing crews work feverishly to open 12,000-foot-high Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park. There's still a lot of white patches on the high peaks of the Front Range, visible from I-25 north of Denver.

Here is the link to the weekly news for the coming Sunday (Pentecost): http://www.welcometohosanna.com/weekly_news.pdf

Here is the link to the New June Hotline, to be mailed out to homes next week:
http://www.welcometohosanna.com/monthly_news.pdf

Next Sunday, June 3
Day of Celebration for Sunday school and Pastor Tart’s 9 Years of Service at Hosanna
It all begins with worship @ 10 AM,followed by short congregation meeting to elect vacant council positions.
There will be a catered meal.
Share your memories as we “roast” Pastor Tart
Games and Activities for Children
Everyone is invited! Let’s party and let’s send Pastor Tart off with fond memories. Sign up on the back of the green “welcome” insert to aid in planning the meal.

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The congregation has an opportunity to contribute to a special fund to present to Pastor Tart on Sunday, June 3rd as a going away gift, Please make checks payable to Hosanna and mark them “Pastor Tart Gift.”
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Summer schedule begins June 17 with worship
@ 8 and 11 AM, fellowship and education hour @ 9:30 AM.

Contrary to any misinformation that may be floating around, Adult Education will continue through the summer months!
We will be using the study, “Daily Discipleship” from the ELCA website.

It is an Online Bible study designed for personal devotions, small or large groups. Each session can be downloaded and copied for participants, in PDF format or MS Word.

Each two-page session includes: Word of Life: biblical background, Word Among Us: a connection of the biblical theme with daily life, and Last Word: a suggestion for applying a faith practice in the coming week.
Length: 45-60 minutes

You can read the lessons and print out the study at the NEW Bible Studies Online link on Home Page of the Hosanna Website:
Or, http://www.welcometohosanna.com/Bible_Study.htm

I've added other resources to the page, such as a read the Bible in a Year link, a daily Bible reading, links to online Bible translations, a Hebrew/Greek text search, and various Bible quizzes, just for fun. More will be added later, so check it out from time to time.

Family Life News
Russ and Amber Walker are celebrating their Tenth Anniversary this weekend. Congratulations!!!! Here is the message she wrote before they flew off to Belize:

Hey Everyone! Hope your summer is off to a great start. What a wonderful school year we had. Let's make this summer just as fun. Things to remember this month:
VBS starts Sunday night, June 10 at 5:30 with a meal. You can register by visiting the website.
Summer Sunday school starts June 10 and we still need a couple more teachers. Please see Amber if you would like to help out. The curriculum is great and online for your convenience.
CREW we will continue to meet this summer on Monday nights from 6:30 - 8:30.
Also, your trip money is due by July 1 so check your mail for your bill.
Confirmands leave for camp this month. If you would like to drop them a line let me know and I will get you the address.

VBS: This year VBS will be in the evening, June 10-14, beginning with dinner served at 5:30 PM. VBS itself is from 6:30 to 8 PM. Sign on the Home Page of the Hosanna Website (see the gold button near the bottom), or click here:
http://www.welcometohosanna.com/FORMS/VBS_Registration_Form.htm
The form also includes a sign up for those who can help with VBS.

We are still collecting items for VBS. Please pick up a list and make a donation. It all helps the kids.

Final Garage Sale Report
The total came to: $1804.80. Care Team thanks everyone for their help and support.

Last, I want to leave you with this List of things to do:

• Sign up, online, for VBS (also to teach or to prepare meals).
• Sign up for the catered meal next Sunday.
• Sign up to help with IHN: June 17-24.

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A Little Humor

Ten Things You Never Hear in Church

1. "Hey! It's my turn to sit in the front pew!"2. "I was so enthralled, I never even noticed your sermon went 25 minutes."3. "Personally I find witnessing much more enjoyable than golf."4. "I've decided to give our church the $500 a month I've been sending to TV Evangelists."5. "I'll volunteer to be the permanent teacher for the Junior High Sunday School class."6. "Forget the denominational minimum salary. Let's pay our pastor so he can live like we do!"7. "I love it when we sing hymns I've never heard before."8. "Since we're all here, let's start the service early!"9. "Pastor, we'd like to send you to this Bible seminar in the Bahamas."10. "Nothing inspires me and strengthens my commitment to the Lord like our annual stewardship campaign."

Have a safe Memorial Day weekend and drive carefully.

Dale Bargmann, Hosanna Parish Communications dale@welcometohosanna.com
http://www.welcometohosanna.com

Hosanna Cyberline - May 18, 2007

This Week at Hosanna (pdf)

Greetings from Dale Bargmann, Hosanna Parish Communications,

I began writing this edition of Cyberline in Colorado. This morning at 11:30 we will be saying goodbye to my wife Georgia's brother, Garrett Collenberger, who passed away Saturday, May 12. Garrett died a half hour before Georgia's flight landed and she was unable to see him one last time. I only hope that he wasn't alone at time.

Garrett had dreams for things he wanted to accomplish during the last months/years of his life. He wanted to take photographs with his camera, an old-fashioned type, with multiple lenses. It wasn't digital. It used film (you remember... it hasn't been that long). He also wanted to travel to Oregon where he worked as a sound man on motion picture productions. He wanted to visit some old friends. Unfortunately, his deteriorating health prevented him from realizing his vision for his remaining time on this earth.

I'm asking you to pray for Garrett (the older, as we called him), and Georgia, and my step-son, Garrett the younger. I'm also asking you to think about your own dreams and visions and act on them before you realize it's too late.

Another, happier note: As many of you know, I was invited to travel to Minneapolis, to conduct a Communication and Technology in Ministry Conference for our partner Synod. I was anticipating a group of 30 people. 40 attended and 20 more were turned away because there wasn't enough room to accommodate 60. I am happy to report that it went very well. Basically it was the same information Pastor Tart, Pastor Rob Moore and I presented to 25 people at Hosanna on April 26. Subjects included: websites, wiki's, blogs, email, podcasts, accessibility, wysiwyg's, RSS feeds, etc.

For many of you I'm probably speaking a foreign language. But, these are all rorms of communcation we need to be using to spread the gospel in today's world.

Conference participants shared their ideas and knowledge. I learned many things from them that I will be adding to future presentations. Danette Griffith, the conference coordinator, mentioned the possibility of presenting this at the national ELCA convention. WOW!

I pray the participants learned from me. If the applause at the end is any indication then I was successful. It is my vision, for what ever time I have left, to help people better utilize modern forms of communication to teach, edify and spread the gospel. I invite your help. We need to go out into the surrounding neighborhoods and tell them about Jesus, to help them, teach them. We need to continue to reach out to them and help them realize their dreams, look for ways to minister to their needs, to invite them to become a part of God's kingdom and (possibly too) the Hosanna family. It is my dream to have to print 100 bulletins for the 9:30 AM Worship
instead of 35. It is my dream to print 200, no make that 300, bulletins for 8 and 11 worship. I want to study the Bible on Sunday mornings with 50 others, no just 5 or 10.

That's all I have to say for now. I invite your comments and ideas.

Here's the news for this coming week:

Next Sunday, May 27, is Pentecost. It is also Blood Drive Sunday, so stop by the coach in the parking lot.

Gift for Pastor Tart
The congregation has an opportunity to contribute to a special fund to present to Pastor Tart as a going away gift, Sunday, June 3. Please make checks payable to Hosanna and mark them “Pastor Tart Gift.”

Sunday, June 3 is a Day of Celebration for Sunday School and Pastor Tart’s 9 Years of Service at Hosanna, with one Worship Service @ 10 AM followed by short congregation meeting to elect vacant council positions. This will be followed by a Catered Meal and a chance to share your memories as we “roast” Pastor Tart. Games and Activities for Children are planned. Everyone is invited!!!! Contact Theresa White if you would like to help. Sign up on the back of the green “welcome” insert to aid in planning the meal.

Don't forget that VBS is coming June 10-14. It will be in the evening this year and there will be activities for the whole family. A meal is included, so come, be fed and learn something new. It all starts at 5:30 PM. Sign up online: http://www.welcometohosanna.com/FORMS/VBS_Registration_Form.htmweekly_news.pdf

Let’s Honor Bishop Blom

On Friday evening, June 1, at the banquet held in conjunction with the Annual Assembly (May 31-June 2) of the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast Synod, ELCA we will celebrate the sixteen years Bishop Paul Blom has served this synod. It has been his desire that the Synod Mission Endowment Fund reach the one million dollar mark by his retirement from office. The current total of the fund is just over $800,000. Congregations, institutions, pastors and individuals are being asked to consider making contributions to the Endowment Fund.

All contributions should be marked “Synod Mission Endowment Fund” and sent to the Synod Office:Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast Synod, 12707 North Freeway, Suite 580, Houston, TX 77060-1239

Summer schedule begins June 17 with worship @ 8 and 11 AM, fellowship and education hour @ 9:30 AM.

Finally, I'm sending this Cyberline on Saturday, a day later than usual. Georgia, Garrett and I are back in Houston. The memorial for Garrett, Georgia's brother, was yesterday morning in Boulder, Colorado. It was an absolutely gorgeous day. The Rocky Mountains stood bold and strong on the skyline to the west. There's still a lot of snow on the higher peaks. The trees and grass were bright green. Purple wildflowers lined the roads as we drove west from Dacono to Boulder yesterday morning. I just wanted to leave you with that image instead of describing the memorial for a man who died too young (64), a caring and generous man who had dreams of doing things his body wouldn't allow. Thanks to all who expressed their sympathies. By the way, Garrett was not alone when he passed away. His teenage daughter, Sarah, was with him at the time.

A little humor (courtesy of Dottie Kemper):

Only in America... do drugstores make the sick walk all the way to the back to get their prescriptions while "healthy" people can buy cigarettes at the front.
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Only in America... do people order double cheeseburgers, large fries, and a DIET coke.
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Only in America... do banks leave both doors open and then chain the pens to the counters.
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Only in America!... do we leave cars worth thousands of dollars in the driveway and put our useless junk in the garage.
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Only in America... do we buy hot dogs in packages of ten and buns in packages of eight.
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Only in America... do we have drive-up ATM machines with Braille lettering.
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Get out and enjoy this lovely Saturday.

Dale Bargmann, Hosanna Parish Communications
dale@welcometohosanna.com
http://www.welcometohosanna.com

Hosanna Cyberfline - May 11, 2007

Hello again from Dale Bargmann,

The information below is correct as of this writing. Things seem to change dailly around Hosanna these days.

The parking lot is being striped today. The staff was here yesterday. I walked and everyone else parked at Westfield. The barriers should come down some time today.

Sunday, June 3

Day of Celebration for Sunday school and Pastor Tart’s 9 Years of Service at Hosanna

One Worship Service @ 10 AM, followed by short congregation meeting to elect vacant council positions. Then the fun part!

There will be a catered meal and we will share memories as we “roast” Pastor Tart
Games and Activities for Children

Everyone is invited! Let’s party and let’s send Pastor Tart off with fond memories.

Contact Theresa White if you would like to help.
Sign up on the back of the green “welcome” insert to aid in planning the meal. Theresa would like to know how many are going to attend.

Deadline for submitting June Hotline articles is Tuesday, May 15

Coffee Sunday is this Sunday.

Stop by the table in the narthex to purchase your supply of Equal Exchange free-trade coffees, teas and chocolates.

Having trouble reading the signs and billboards on 1960? It’s time to pamper your wheels. Stop by the CREW Mothers’ Day Car Wash in the parking lot and get your baby spruced up.

Contrary to what was reported last week there will be 3 worship services on June 10 with baptism of Joseph Otis Velasco @ 9:30AM; blessing of the children and Confirmands at all services.

The summer schedule begins June 17 with worship @ 8 and 11 AM, Fellowship and Adult Education @ 9:30 AM.

The congregation has an opportunity to contribute to a special fund to present to Pastor Tart on Sunday, June 3rd as a going away gift, Please make checks payable to Hosanna and mark them “Pastor Tart Gift.”


Reminder that applications for Mulkey Scholarships are due this Tuesday, May 15.


Family Life News

May 20 - Wrapping and blessing our graduating seniors. This year’s seniors are Abby Brown, Melissa Burns, Christine Carter, Evan Haight, Cassandra Whitby, Dan Ritter and Marquette Henderson.

May 27 - Last Sunday night CREW meeting until fall.

VBS:

This year VBS will be in the evening this year, June 10-14, beginning with dinner served at 5:30 PM. VBS itself is from 6:30 to 8 PM.

Sign up on the Home Page of the Hosanna Website (see the gold button near the bottom), or click here:
http://www.welcometohosanna.com/FORMS/VBS_Registration_Form.htm
The form also includes a sign up for those who can help with VBS. Also, be sure to check the T-shirt size box.

We are still collecting items for VBS. Please pick up a list and make a donation. It all helps the kids.

Let’s Honor Bishop Blom
On Friday evening, June 1, at the banquet held in conjunction with the Annual Assembly (May 31-June 2) of the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast Synod, ELCA we will celebrate the sixteen years Bishop Paul Blom has served this synod. It has been his desire that the Synod Mission Endowment Fund reach the one million dollar mark by his retirement from office. The current total of the fund is just over $800,000.
Congregations, institutions, pastors and individuals are being asked to consider making contributions to the Endowment Fund. The suggested minimum goal for each congregation is $100 per year for each of Bishop Blom’s 16 years of service to the Synod ($1,600).
All contributions should be marked “Synod Mission Endowment Fund” and sent to the Synod Office:
Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast Synod 12707 North Freeway, Suite 580Houston, TX 77060-1239
The Synod Office has sent brochures with special envelopes to use for making donations. Take one per family and consider a gift to honor Bishop Blom.
The Mission Endowment fund helps develop church leaders supports campus ministry, new congregations and ministries and provides seed money to respond to mission and ministry opportunities.
Check out the Synod website, developed by our own Pastor Rob Moore: http://www.gulfcoastsynod.org

Tuesday, May 15 through Thursday, May 17, I will be in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area to conduct a Communication and Technology in the Church Conference for our Partner Synod. 30 people are currently signed up to attend. Pray for safe travel.
Unless something happens to my brother-in-law in Colorado, who is very ill, I will return to Houston on Thursday.

A Little Humor

Here's some actual bloopers from church bulletins passed on to me by Gary Hellner:
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The Fasting & Prayer Conference includes meals.
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The sermon this morning: "Jesus Walks on the Water."
The sermon tonight: "Searching for Jesus."
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Our youth basketball team is back in action Wednesday at 8 PM
in the recreation hall. Come out and watch us kill Christ the King.
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Ladies, don't forget the rummage sale. It's a chance to get rid of those
things not worth keeping around the house. Bring your husbands.
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The peacemaking meeting scheduled for today has been canceled due to a conflict.
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Remember in prayer the many who are sick of our community.
Smile at someone who is hard to love.
Say "Hell" to someone who doesn't care much about you.
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Don't let worry kill you off -- let the Church help.
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Miss Charlene Mason sang "I will not pass this way again," giving obvious pleasure to the congregation.
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For those of you who have children and don't know it, we have a nursery downstairs.
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Next Thursday there will be tryouts for the choir. They need all the help they can get.
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The Rector will preach his farewell message
after which the choir will sing: "Break Forth Into Joy."
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Irving Benson and Jessie Carter were married on October 24 in the church.
So ends a friendship that began in their school days.
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A bean supper will be held on Tuesday evening in the church hall.
Music will follow.
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At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be "What Is Hell?"
Come early and listen to our choir practice.

There were more, but I'll use those some other time.

Thanks and have a great Friday.

Dale Bargmann, Hosanna Parish Communications dale@welcometohosanna.com
http://www.welcometohosanna.com

Hosanna Cyberline - May 3, 2007

A happy Thursday to all the Hosanna family,

I felt I needed to send this out a day early, so here goes:

The online version of "This Week at Hosanna":
http://www.welcometohosanna.com/weekly_news.pdf.

May Hotline:
http://www.welcometohosanna.com/monthly_news.pdf

First, an important reminder:
Please... You can drop items off at Hosanna anytime for the Annual Garage Sale. The sale takes place this Saturday, May 5 from 8 am to 3 pm in the Fellowship Hall and Narthex. Furniture items are especially needed. Also, people are needed at 3 pm to help pack up any remaining items to go to NAM's Second Change Retail Shop.

Some other important meetings over the next couple weeks:
May 6 - Council Meeting @ 12:30 PM
May 8 - Building Finance Committee @ 7 PM
May 8 - Seniors Trip: Guided Folk Art Tour @ 8:15 AM
May 13 - Mother's Day - CREW Mother's Day Car Wash
May 15 - Mulkey Scholarship Application Deadline (Important for graduating seniors who plan to attend college!)

Also, I need all June Hotline articles by May 15. It is best to email them to me. I will be heading to Minnesota that day but I need to complete work on this issue soon after my return.

A reminder from Hosanna Care Team:

NAM (Northwest Assistance Ministries) is within $18,000 of completing the last phase of a $500,000 challenge grant from the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation. NAM has until Dec. 31 to raise the remaining $18,000. Dollars applied toward the grant actually count two for one.

The Weinberg Foundation has offered to match dollar for dollar funds raised for the endowment fund up to $500,000. The grant is payable in $100,000 installments. NAM has matched and received four installment payments.
Once fully funded, the grant means NAM will have a $1 million endowment and the interest income will help cover the maintenance costs of NAM's main building. Long term, the growth of the endowment means building maintenance expenses may never impact client services.

You can donate online @ http://www.namonline.org
Look for the Donate Now button on the upper right of the Home Page.

NAM also needs candy-making volunteers for their truffle project

NAM's Meals on Wheels Program needs drivers

A note from Janet Flink and the Hosanna Women of the ELCA:

The Women of Hosanna will meet for lunch on Wednesday, May 9 at 12:00 at Northgate Forest Country Club. We welcome all women of Hosanna. Please join us for a wonderful buffet luncheon and fellowship. The cost will be $12. Please e-mail Janet Flink at janet@flinks.net or call 281-444-8089 if you will be able to attend. If you need instructions, please let me know.

As most, if not all, of you know, Pastor Tart has received a Call to serve as Senior Pastor at Peace Lutheran in Pasadena, Texas. We need to pray for him during this time as he contemplates his decision to accept or return the call.

Regardless of his decision the summer worship, fellowship and education schedule for Sunday mornings is:

June 3: One Worship Service @ 10 AM
June 10-September 2: Two worship services @ 8 and 11 AM; Family Fellowship Hour between services with drinks and treats. Adult education continues @ 9:30 AM.

Today is the National Day of Prayer. Keep that in mind as we at Hosanna face some possible decisions in the weeks ahead.

A personal note: Today, my wife Georgia and I are celebrating our 10th anniversary. Thank you, Georgia, for a decade's worth of wonderful days.

A Little Humor:

Top 10 ways the Bible would be different if College students would have written it:

10. Loaves and Fishes replaced by Pizza and Chips.

9. Ten Commandments are actually only five, double-spaced and written in a large font.

8. Forbidden fruit would have been eaten because it wasn't dorm food.

7. Paul's Letters to the Romans become Paul's E-Mail to the Romans.

6. Reason Cain killed Abel: They were roommates.

5. The place where the end of the world occurs: not Armageddon, but Finals.

4. Book of Armaments would be in there somewhere.

3. Reason why Moses and followers walked in desert for 40 years: They didn't want to ask directions and look like a Freshman.

2. Tower of Babel blamed for Foreign Language requirement.

1. Instead of God creating the world in six days and resting on the seventh, He would have put it off until the night before it was due and then pulled an all-nighter and hoped no one noticed.

Have a great weekend!
Dale Bargmann, Hosanna Parish Communications
http://www.welcometohosanna.com