Friday, May 30, 2008

Hosanna Cyberfline - May 30, 2008

"Turn your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue; be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me.” (Psalm 31)

VBS is coming up FAST (June 8-12)! If you have not registered your child(ren) please do so at our website http://www.welcometohosanna.com/. The cost is $25/child or $35/family. VBS is in the evening again this year. The time is 5:30 to 8:15 PM with a meal included. The theme is Rainforest Adventure and we are sure to have fun. I still need a few volunteers if you are free. Lastly, we will be decorating the church for VBS on June 8 after the late service and would love any help. Just show up. Thank you for your support and God Bless! Amber Walker

Don't forget to sign up to help with Interfaith Hospitality Network (IHN) Week at Hosanna, starting June 15. See the back of the green welcome insert. This is a vital ministry that provides a temporary home for families left homeless by circumstances beyond their control.

This Sunday, June 1—
  • Summer worship schedule begins: Services are at 8:15 AM and 10:45 AM. Contemporary Worship service remains at 9:30 AM
  • Deadline for submitting Mulkey Scholarship applications!!!
  • Anna Marie Flusche preaches.
  • Group Sunday school begins and contiunes every Sunday in June @ 9 :30 AM. Jennifer Jackowski and Joyce Evans teach.
  • Adult Education @ 9:30 AM continues an 8-week study of Kelly Fryer's book "Reclaiming the L Word" with a subtitle of Renewing the Church from Its Lutheran Core.
  • CREW end-of-year party @ 6-8 PM at Hosanna

Next Sunday, June 8—

  • After 10:45 AM Worship—Congregation Meeting with election of officers
  • Vacation Bible School begins @ 5:30 PM

Looking ahead...

  • June 11—Pastor John Boldt assumes office duties. His new email is: pastorjohn@welcometohosanna.com
  • June 15—Pastor Boldt preaches and presides.
  • June 15-22—IHN Week at Hosanna (sign up on the back of the green "Welcome" insert).

Other Items...

A little humor...

Some actual headlines:

--Include Your Children when Baking Cookies
--Something Went Wrong in Jet Crash, Expert Says
--Police Begin Campaign to Run Down Jaywalkers
--Drunk Gets Nine Months in Violin Case
--Panda Mating Fails; Veterinarian Takes Over
--Teacher Strikes Idle Kids
--Plane Too Close to Ground, Crash Probe Told
--War Dims Hope for Peace
--If Strike Isn't Settled Quickly, It May Last a While
--Cold Wave Linked to Temperatures
--Red Tape Holds Up New Bridges

Dale Bargmann, Hosanna Communications

posted by Hosanna Weekly Cyberline @ 7:12 AM   0 Comments

Friday, May 23, 2008

"My heart is not proud, O LORD, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me. But I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with its mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me. O Israel, put your hope in the LORD both now and forevermore.” (Psalm 131)

The one big announcement for this week is the Summer worship schedule, beginning Sunday, June 1:

  • 8:15 AM and 10:45 AM - Worship with Communion.
  • 9:30 AM Contemporary Worship service remains at 9:30 AM on June 1 and June 8, then moves to 5 PM on June 15.

Also, an important reminder: Sunday, June 1 is the deadline for submitting Mulkey Scholarship applications!!!

And... Time is running out! Be sure to register for Vacation Bible School, June 8-12 @ 6-8:15 PM—Dinner is included. Volunteers still are needed. Contact Amber Walker. Register online:
http://www.welcometohosanna.com/FORMS/VBS_Registration_Form.htm

$2,194… That is the total amount of funds collected at the recent Garage Sale to benefit NAM’s SOS (Survival Over the Summer) campaign. You can still make donations, matched $.50 on the dollar. Contact Nikkie Brooks for information.

This Sunday, May 25—Youth Sunday and Memorial Day Weekend

  • Evan Moilan, Executive Director of Lutherhill, preaches.
  • Wrapping of High School Seniors: Stephen Brooks, Jacob Romihn, C.J. Welshons, Josh Alewine, Caty Oden and Laura Greer
  • Presentation of God and Life Award
  • Adult Education @ 9:30 AM begins a study based on Kelly Fryer's book "Reclaiming the L Word" with a subtitle of Renewing the Church from Its Lutheran Core.

The week ahead...

  • May 31—Hosanna Book Discussion @ 6 PM
  • Next Sunday, June 1—Begin Summer worship schedule (See above note).

Looking further ahead...

  • June 11—Pastor John Boldt assumes office duties.
  • June 15—Pastor Boldt leads worship for the first time as Hosanna pastor; Contemporary worship moves to new time: 5 PM
  • June 15-22—IHN Week at Hosanna (sign up on the back of the green "Welcome" insert).

Other Items...

A little humor...

While driving in Pennsylvania, a family caught up to an Amish carriage. The owner of the carriage obviously had a sense of humor, because attached to the back of the carriage was a hand printed sign... "Energy efficient vehicle: Runs on oats and grass. Caution: Do not step in exhaust."

A Sunday School teacher began her lesson with a question, "Boys and girls, what do we know about God?" A hand shot up in the air. "He is an artist!" said the kindergarten boy. "Really? How do you know?" the teacher asked. "You know - Our Father, who does art in Heaven...

A minister waited in line to have his car filled with gas just before a long holiday weekend. The attendant worked quickly, but there were many cars ahead of him in front of the service station. Finally, the attendant motioned him toward a vacant pump. "Reverend," said the young man, "sorry about the delay. It seems as if everyone waits until the last minute to get ready for a long trip." The minister chuckled, "I know what you mean. It's the same in my business."

"Somebody has well said that there are only two kinds of people in the world there are those who wake up in the morning and say, "Good morning, Lord," and there are those who wake up in the morning and say, "Good Lord, it's morning."

Dale Bargmann, Hosanna Lutheran Church Communications

posted by Hosanna Weekly Cyberline @ 7:17 AM   0 Comments

Friday, May 16, 2008

Hosanna Cyberfline - May 16, 2008

"When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?” (Psalm 8)

First, this very good piece of news, in case you have not heard: John Boldt has accepted the call to serve as Hosanna pastor! To quote the last line of a brief letter, dated May 5, received by Congregation president, Jeff Hartmann: "May the peace of our Lord Jesus sustain us in the years to come as we seek to be faithful to the mission He has called us to do. Together now, let's go!"

Second, we grieve with the Meier family. The church office was notified yesterday that Diane's sister, Donna, passed away. Pray for comfort and support, not only for the Meiers, but all who have suffered recent losses.

New Sunday School for 2 and 3 year olds: Meets @ 9:30 AM in the room next to the nursery. Parents are welcome to attend, to have fun and interact with their children as they learn basic Bible stories. Info: call Christi Frerking, 281-851-2002.

Children's Summer Sunday School:
  • Group Sunday School every Sunday in June @ 9:30 AM.
  • "Share, Save, Spend" intergenerational Sunday School in July @ 9:30 AM.
  • "God and Me" children's Sunday School in August @ 9:30 AM

This Sunday, May 18—Holy Trinity Sunday

  • Mulkey Scholarship Fundraiser @ 5-7 PM - If you can’t attend personally, please consider a donation to aid Hosanna’s youth as they seek higher education.
  • Don't forget that a staffed nursery is available for all children 5 and under. The nursery attendant is Biserka Tsenkova (She likes to be called “Bisi”).

Next Sunday, May 25—Youth Sunday (* new or changed items)

  • Evan Moilan, Executive Director of Lutherhill, preaches.
  • Wrapping of High School Seniors.
  • Last Sunday School
  • Recognition of Sunday School teachers
  • Adult Education @ 9:30 AM begins a study based on Kelly Fryer's book "Reclaiming the L Word" with a subtitle of Renewing the Church from Its Lutheran Core. The author is passionate about what it means to be Lutheran and how congregations live out that calling. The book is very readable and it is timely as we begin working with Pastor Boldt. The author's bishop advised the book should carry a warning label: 'Caution, reading this book could result in the transformation of the Church!' Join in the lively discussion. The book is available from Sue Loudermilk or Nancy Agafitei for $6.

  • * May 31—Hosanna Book Discussion @ 6 PM (new date)
  • June 8-12 @ 6-8:15 PM—Summer VBS, with dinner included. (Volunteers are needed. Contact Amber Walker.) Sign up online (see "Bulletin Board" on the home page of the Hosanna website: http://www.welcometohosanna.com
  • * June 11—Pastor John Boldt assumes office duties.
  • * June 15—Pastor Boldt leads worship for the first time as Hosanna pastor.
  • * June 15-22—IHN Week at Hosanna (sign up on the back of the green "Welcome" insert).

Other Items...

This Sunday is Holy Trinity Sunday. How do you explain the Holy Trinity, that God can be one yet three, how the Trinity can be separate but the same? Some will say, “We’re not supposed to understand it.”

Well, that answer isn’t going to cut it with curious adults or children. They want an answer, in black and white, and they want it now! Here are some ways to illustrate the Trinity.

Shamrock

The three-leafed clover, or shamrock, is the way that St. Patrick explained the Holy Trinity to the Irish people. Take a sheet of green construction paper and cut out a shamrock. Write “God” on the stem, and “Father,” “Son” and “Holy Spirit” on each of the three leaves. As St. Patrick explained
it:: “Even the plants of the field tell about God. The shamrock has three leaves but only one stem. Father, Son and Holy Spirit are not three gods, but one God.”

The Triangle

Draw a triangle on a piece of paper. The three points are Father, Son and Holy Spirit. When God sent his Son, Jesus, to us and when he sends the Holy Spirit to us every day, he sends part of himself – part of the triangle as a whole – and not just a separate entity.

The Apple

Cut an apple down the middle from top to bottom. Note that an apple is skin, flesh and seeds – three parts. Without any one of them, it wouldn’t be an apple. The Trinity, too, works together as one.

Three Candles

Light three candles. Notice that there are three separate flames. Now tilt the tops of the candles so that the flames come together as one flame. Together they are one flame, yet three separate flames.

A Little Humor... Football finally makes sense:

A guy took his girlfriend to her first football game.

They had great seats right behind their team's bench.After the game, he asked her how she liked the experience.

Oh, I really liked it, she replied, especially all the big muscles, but I just couldn't understand why they were killing each other over 25 cents.

Dumbfounded, her date asked, What do you mean?

Well, they flipped a coin, one team got it and then for the rest of the game, all they kept screaming was: "Get the quarterback Get the quarter back!"

Dale Bargmann, Hosanna Communications

posted by Hosanna Weekly Cyberline @ 7:37 AM   0 Comments

Thursday, May 08, 2008

Hosanna Cyberline - May 9, 2008

"Praise the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, you are very great." (Psalm 104)
  • Hosanna Book Discussion, scheduled for tomorrow, Saturday, May 10, has been postponed. The new meeting date will be announced later.
  • The Care Team is still taking cash donations for the garage sale, matched $.50 cents on the dollar by Thrivent. Please place cash or check in one of the white envelopes in the pews. Mark the envelope "Garage Sale" and place it in the offering plate. Or, click the "Contribute Online" link on the home page of the Hosanna website (use the "other" box). https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-bin/specialwebapp.vps?
Sunday, May 11 - Pentecost (Happy Birthday to the Church!)
    • WEAR RED!
    • Congregation president Jeff Hartmann preaches
    • Mother's Day Car Wash by the Confirmands. Free will offering.
    • Matt Moore will discuss his mission trip to Sierra Leone during Sunday school hour.
    • Save a Life - Donate Blood; 8am - Noon (look for the donor coach). May is "Diamonds for Donors" month. Receive a scratch off ticket to win prizes, just by attempting to donate. Everyone who donates also gets a t-shirt.
    • No CREW that evening.
  • Tuesday, May 13 - Senior's Outing: History lessons from two local museums is the theme, with visits to the Spring Historical Museum and the Tomball Museum. Lunch is at Les Gourmet Bistro in Tomball. Cost: $5 per person + cost of lunch. Meet at church @ 9:15 AM; leave @ 9:30; return to Hosanna by 2:30 PM. Give money to Nancy Wunsche or Dorothy Petersen.
  • Thursday, May 15 - DEADLINE FOR SUBMITTING ARTICLES FOR THE JUNE HOTLINE; Also: DEADLINE for submitting Mulkey Scholarship applications
  • Sunday, May 18 - Trinity Sunday
    • Sunday School ends; Summer Sunday school begins June 1 (Volunteers are needed. Contact Amber Walker.)
  • May 25 - Youth Sunday. Wrapping of High School Seniors.
  • June 1 - Summer CREW begins. All incoming members are welcome!
  • June 8-12 @ 6-8:15 PM - Summer VBS, with dinner included. (Volunteers are needed. Contact Amber Walker.)
Other Items...
Something to think about and a little humor...
This Sunday is Pentecost, the birthday of the Christian Church. The story goes something like this:
The disciples were moping around and trying to figure out what they were going to do now that Jesus was gone. All of a sudden the Holy Spirit came upon them. Scriptures say that there were tongues of fire above their heads. There was a wind blowing. With that wind and that fire the spirit came upon the disciples. Suddenly all those gathered together heard the message of God�s love in their own language. Some of the other people who were on the outside looked at them and said, "Those folks are all drunk". The disciples defended themselves, "You know, it's ten o'clock in the morning. We're not drunk. This is something different. This is the Holy Spirit."
Well, all along people thought that Christians were a little bit strange. They believed odd things. They lived their lives in a different way. They didn't worry about tomorrow. They didn't worry about where money was going to come from. They shared all their things in common. Those who were not believers said, "You're nuts." "You're crazy." When Paul arrives he says, "Don't worry about it. Be fools for Christ because the foolishness of God is much greater than the wisdom of humans."

Now, nearly two thousand years later, we need to hear the words in different ways, because we have been willing to stand up and declare our faith in Jesus. We have been willing to take risks and pay the price of being a Christian. But in doing so we have lost the joy of what it means to be Christian. Can you imagine, if you were an early Christian, what it meant to celebrate Jesus' resurrection from the dead? That wasn't a serious time. That wasn't a somber time. That was a joy filled time. A time to dance. A time to laugh. A time to sing out at the top of your lungs. It was a time for joy. In fact, through many years of the church the Sunday after Easter was known as Bright Sunday. It wasn't a time to withdraw, "We're done with Lent and we're done with Easter, and now we can take a vacation." Instead it was a time to celebrate the joy of the resurrection!

Now the humor part: Speaking of light and brightness, here are a few holy light bulb jokes...
  • How many members of an established Bible teaching church that is over 20 years old does it take to change a light bulb? One to change the bulb; nine to say how much they liked the old one.
  • How many TV evangelists does it take to change a light bulb? One. But for the light to continue, send in your donation today.
  • How many Charismatic�s does it take to change a light bulb? One to change the bulb; nine to pray against the spirit of darkness.
  • How many mainline Protestant Churches does it take to change a light bulb? This statement was issued. "We choose not to make a statement either in favor of or against the need for a light bulb. However, if in your own journey you have found that a light bulb works for you, that is fine. You are invited to write a poem or compose a modern dance about your personal relations with your light bulb (or light source, or non-dark resource), and present it next month at our annual light bulb Sunday service, in which we will explore a number of light bulb traditions, including incandescent, fluorescent, three way and long-life, all of which are equally valid paths to luminescence."
  • How many Tai Chi players does it take to change a light bulb? 100. One to change it and 99 to say: "That's not the way my teacher does it."
Dale Bargmann, Hosanna Communications

posted by Hosanna Weekly Cyberline @ 5:35 PM   0 Comments

Friday, May 02, 2008

Hosanna Cyberline - May 2, 2008

"Summon your power, O God; show us your strength, O God, as you have done before.” (Psalm 68)
For parents with children age 5 and under: Biserka “Bisi” Tsenkova will be in the nursey every Sunday during all worship service times.
This Sunday, May 4 (Seventh Sunday of Easter)...
  • Rev. Don Carlson, formerly at Zion in the Heights, now at the Synod office, preaches and presides.
  • Council Meeting @ 12:30 PM
Looking further into the future...
  • Saturday, May 10—Hosanna Book Discussion @ 6 PM in the Hosanna Conference Room, featuring a discussion of books on the subject of polio.
  • Sunday, May 11—Pentecost (Happy Birthday to the Church!) WEAR RED!
    • Mother's Day Car Wash by the Confirmands. Free will offering.
    • Matt Moore will discuss his mission trip to Sierra Leone during Sunday school hour.
    • No CREW that evening.
    • Save a Life – Donate Blood; 8am - Noon (look for the donor coach during worship times). Sign up in the Narthex to reserve your time slot.
      May is “Diamonds for Donors” month. Receive a scratch off ticket to win prizes, just by attempting to donate. Questions? See Curtis Haight or Debbie Rohla.
  • Tuesday, May 13—Senior's Outing: History lessons from two local museums is the theme, with visits to the Spring Historical Museum and the Tomball Museum. Lunch is at Les Gourmet Bistro in Tomball. Cost: $5 per person + cost of lunch. Meet at church @ 9:15 AM; leave @ 9:30; return to Hosanna by 2:30 PM. Give money to either Nancy Wunsche or Dorothy Petersen.
  • May 18—Sunday School ends; Summer Sunday school begins June 1 (Volunteers are needed. Contact Amber Walker.)
  • May 18—Mulkey Scoloraship Fundraiser @ 5-7 PM, with dinner from the Outback Steakhouse. Reservation forms available at: http://www.welcometohosanna.com/mulkey_fundraiser_08.pdf Fill out with your meal selection and place in the box in the workroom.
  • May 25—Youth Sunday. Wrapping of High School Seniors.
  • June 1—Summer CREW begins. All incoming members are welcome!
  • June 8-12 @ 6-8:15 PM—Summer VBS, with dinner included. (Volunteers are needed. Contact Amber Walker.)
Other Items...
Something to consider...
I received this from old friend and former member Bob Arnold:
Author and lecturer Leo Buscaglia once talked about a contest he was asked to judge. The purpose of the contest was to find the most caring child. The winner was: A four-year-old child, whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman, who had recently lost his wife.
Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's yard,
climbed onto his lap, and just sat there. When his mother asked him what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy just said, 'Nothing, I just helped him cry.'
A Little Humor… (from Gary Hellner)
For all of us who feel only the deepest love and affection for the way computers have enhanced our lives:
At a recent computer expo (COMDEX), Bill Gates reportedly compared the computer industry with the auto industry, stating: 'If GM had kept up with technology like the computer industry has, we would all be driving $25.00 cars that got 1,000 miles to the gallon.' In response to Bill's comments, General Motors issued a press release:
If GM had developed technology like Microsoft, we would all be driving cars with the following characteristics:
  1. For no reason whatsoever, your car would crash........Twice a day.
  2. Every time they repainted the lines in the road, you would have to buy a new car.
  3. Occasionally your car would die on the freeway for no reason. You would have to pull to the side of the road, close all of the windows, shut off the car, restart it, and reopen the windows before you could continue. For some reason you would simply accept this.
  4. Occasionally, executing a maneuver such as a left turn would cause your car to shut down and refuse to restart, in which case you would have to reinstall the engine.
  5. Macintosh would make a car that was powered by the sun, was reliable, five times as fast and twice as easy to drive - but would run on only five percent of the roads.
  6. The oil, water temperature, and alternator warning lights would all be replaced by a single 'This Car Has Performed An Illegal Operation' warning light.
  7. The airbag system would ask 'Are you sure?' before deploying.
  8. Occasionally, for no reason whatsoever, your car would lock you out and refuse to let you in until you simultaneously lifted the door handle, turned the key and grabbed hold of the radio antenna.
  9. Every time a new car was introduced car buyers would have to learn how to drive all over again because none of the controls would operate in the same manner as the old car.
  10. You'd have to press the 'Start' button to turn the engine off.
Dale Bargmann, Hosanna Communications

posted by Hosanna Weekly Cyberline @ 12:27 PM   0 Comments