Hosanna Cyberfline - June 20, 2008

"But I pray to you, O LORD, in the time of your favor; in your great love, O God, answer me with your sure salvation." (Psalm 69)

Some quick announcements:

CONTINUE to wear your blue name tags every Sunday to help everyone feel at home.

The Texas District Lutheran Women Missionary League (LWML) is expecting 1,000 women at their convention next week! It is being held at the Westchase Marriott (previously the Adams Mark), at 2900 Briarpark Drive (just east of the West Sam Houston Tollway off Westheimer).

Thrivent Financial for Lutherans provided a grant to give each attendee a wonderful tote bag. There will be a Thrivent display with a 10 ft. x10 ft. model of a Habitat house at the convention. Volunteers are needed to staff the display table during the convention. Are there any Thrivent Builds Champions or volunteers out there who might be interested in staffing the display booth for two to four hours at any of the following times? If you can help, please contact Cindy Lappe: Office: 713-463-5113 - Email: cindy.lappe@thrivent.com

Times volunteers are needed: Thursday, June 26 - Noon to 5 pm; Friday June 27 - 8 am to Noon and Noon to 5 pm; Saturday, June 28 - 8 am to Noon and Noon to 5 pm (or earlier, when it closes).

This Sunday, June 22...

• Blessing of Confirmands travelling to Confirmation Camp at Lutherhill @ 10:45 AM worship.
• Beginning of Confirmation Camp at Lutherhill (through June 27). Please keep Anna Brown, Claire Tyrrell, Brooke Hales, Regan Gunhouse, Jordan Chaney and Sarah Martinez in your prayers as they travel to LaGrange for a week of fun and growing in faith and discipleship. Send letters to them at: P.O. Box 99 La Grange, TX 78945. You can also write Molly Waldo, Laura Greer and Marquette Henderson, who are working at Lutherhill.
• Group Sunday school (through the end of June) for children ages 4 and up.
• No Sunday school for 2-3 year-olds this Sunday. They may join the group class.
• CREW (High School age)—Bill King continues his "History of Rock and Roll." (Senior High Room/Classroom 11)
• Adult Education continues its discussion of "Reclaiming the L Word." This is a timely study with a lively group and some interesting discussion. There's always room for more in this and other any class.

The Week Ahead...

• June 26-28—Texas District Lutheran Women Missionary League (LWML) Convention. =
• Saturday, June 28—Book Discussion @6–8 PM in Classroom 9 (Confirmation Room). Title to be discussed: "Little Heathens" by Mildred Armstrong Kalish. This gathering is for everyone who loves to read and to talk about what they have read. If you haven't read the book, come anyway and get the title for next month's discussion. Those who wish can go out to dinner at a local restaurant following the discussion.

Future items..

• July 29—Mentoring Sunday.
• New Photo Directory Coming... Have you met someone and said I wish I had their phone number or address. Well it’s directory time again. It’s been several years since we have had a new directory and members of the Care Team have volunteered to take on this project. To schedule a photo session, go to http://www.appointment-plus3.com/ap/hosannalutheran/index.php?page=10 Dates are open July 22-27 and 30-31. No computer access? Stop by the church office and a staff member will help you. We hope to have the new directory ready for distribution in early September.

Family Life News from Amber Walker...

• Thanks to Jan Dietzman and Caty Oden for teaching Sunday School last Sunday. Please come to the Opening Room (Classroom 6) for group Sunday school.
• A big thank you to all our VBS volunteers. Take a moment to look at the pictures in the narthex or visit our website for the complete PowerPoint photo show.
• Our confirmation campers leave this Sunday for Lutherhill. We will be blessing them at the 10:45 service.
• If you have not RSVP'd Amber for the CREW trip please do so by this Sunday. We are going to Canyon Lake July 22-24.
• Thank you to Jennifer Jackowski for accepting the role of co-superintendent for Sunday school. Please let her know if you are interested in teaching in the fall.

Other Items...

• Thanks to EVERYONE who helped with IHN this past week—food preparation, hosting, setting up the rooms, driving etc. etc. You are a blessing. Our next IHN rotation is September 7-13.
• A staffed nursery is available every sunday morning during all worship services. The Hosanna Nursery attendant is Biserka Tsenkova (She likes to be called “Bisi,” pronounced "BC"). All children 5 and under are welcome.
• Link to This Week at Hosanna for June 22: http://www.welcometohosanna.com/WEEKLY_NEWS.pdf
• Link to June Hotline: http://www.welcometohosanna.com/MONTHLY_NEWS.pdf
• Your weekly reading is John 2: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john%202;&version=31; (The Wedding at Cana, Jesus', first recorded miracle; also, Jesus clears the money changers from the Temple courts.)

A little humor...

THE SNEEZE... A true story that happened at the University of Maryland, passed on to me by Dottie Kemper

They walked in tandem, each of the ninety-two students filing into the already crowded auditorium.

With their rich maroon gowns flowing … and the traditional caps, they looked almost … as grown up as they felt. Dads swallowed hard behind broad smiles, and Moms freely brushed away tears.

This class would NOT pray during the commencements, not by choice, but because of a recent court ruling prohibiting it. The principal and several students were careful to stay within the guide lines allowed by the ruling. They gave inspirational and challenging speeches, but no one mentioned divine guidance and no one asked for blessings on the graduates or their fam ilies.

The speeches were nice, but they were routine ... until the final speech received a standing ovation.

A solitary student walked proudly to the microphone. He stood still and silent for just a moment, and then, it happened.

All 92 students, every single one of them, suddenly SNEEZED!!!!

The student on stage... simply looked at the audience and said, “GOD BLESS YOU, each and everyone of you!” And he walked off stage...

The audience exploded into applause. This graduating class had found a unique way to invoke God's blessing on their future with or without the court's approval.

Dale Bargmann, Parish Communications, Hosanna Lutheran Church, Houston, Texas