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