THE GRAPEVINE
Faith Lutheran Church 4010 Williams Drive
Website: flcms.org Georgetown, Texas 78628
June 2017
FOR ALL GENERATIONS
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
(Hebrews 13:8, NIV)
Paris. Brussels. Cairo. Manchester. Where next? No reasonable observer will fail to conclude that western civilization is under attack, and is so largely because it is rooted in Christianity. Last month I addressed persecution on the basis of Jesus’ words to His disciples, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) This month I yield to another pastor who addressed the topic based on Jesus’ word to Ananias concerning the recently converted Paul, “I will show him how much he must suffer for My name.” (Acts 9:16) Here is an excerpt from a sermon preached by the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther in 1535:
If you would be a joint-heir with your Lord Jesus Christ, but will not suffer with Him and be His brother and be made like Him, He will certainly not accept you as His brother and joint-heir at the Last Day, but He will ask you where your crown of thorns, your cross, your nails, and scourging are; whether you too have been an abomination to the world, as He and all His members have been from the beginning of the world. And if you cannot give proof of this, He will not be able to accept you as His brother. In a word, we must suffer with Him, and must all be made like the Son of God, or else we cannot be exalted to His glory.
The marks, nails, crown of thorns, and scourgings I must bear, and so must all Christians, and not just painted on the wall, but stamped in our flesh and blood.
Here St. Paul admonishes every Christian to bear the marks of Christ our Lord. And He comforts them that they should not be afraid even if all human suffering should be laid upon them, as now for some years has been the lot of our brethren. But it will become even worse when the hour of our foe and the mighty of the darkness comes. But let it be. We must suffer or we shall not come to the glory. But they will see what it will profit them to have murdered us.
Luther was a realist. He understood from the Scriptures and from his own experiences of suffering for the sake of the Gospel that the fallen world would be unrelenting in its hostility against the Christian Church. Yet he never surrendered to hopeless or despair. He remained throughout his life fully convinced that the persecuted Church would be the vindicated Church. Looking toward the Last Day and the victory of the faith, Luther wrote this conclusion to another sermon, preached four years earlier:
A holy martyr who now tor the sake of Christ and His Gospel is persecuted and burnt to ashes like a black dull star, will then hover in the air and be drawn through the clouds towards the Lord and will go to heaven like a bright, light, and glorious star. In short, all the elect of God will be assembled in great and wonderful glory. And He Himself, the Lord Jesus, will be seated in the clouds upon the throne of His glory. All nations will be gathered to Him. Then will the whole world be transfigured and will be a thousand times more glorious than it is now.
To which the faithful of Paris, Brussels, Cairo, Manchester, and wherever next say: Amen!
In the confidence that the Risen Christ authors within His Church,
Pastor Walt Pohland
God's Marvelous Color Palette
As summer makes its way into Central Texas, I am once again reminded of how true the old adage is, "April showers bring May flowers," or in the case here, "February showers through May bring a plethora of flowers." We have been so very blessed this spring with frequent rains and an amazing bluebonnet season, followed by an equally amazing wildflower season. It has been breathtaking, to say the least. But now, alas, we are heading into summer and the water is doing what water does at this time of year: it is evaporating. If you were to look out into my backyard, you would have no problem identifying where the sprinkler is not sprinkling. If you look out beyond the fence into the wild field, you would also have no problem recognizing what is going on beyond the sprinklers. The wild once green is now brown. Yes, indeed, the water is evaporating - more like cooking!
This has historically made me very sad. Just a month ago, I was awestruck with how remarkably beautiful the native flowers around here are. The bluebonnets are first on the scene to paint the way for the Indian paintbrushes, then the thistles, followed by prickly pears. It is a collage of reds, blues, and yellows set in a backdrop of green grass and cedar trees like none other. Have you ever noticed how well everything blends together? There are no mistakes in the color palette. God's creation is indeed declaring His glory! "Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these." (Matthew 6:28b-29). Even Solomon had nothing on God's spectacular use of colors in His creation!
This may come as a surprise to you, but oddly enough, I am somewhat an expert on color palettes. My first job in the computer industry was writing software to convert graphic plotter files into a format that could be quickly rendered on a computer screen. My next task, as you might imagine, was to write new software to render these files more efficiently. As I was coding a new solution, it occurred to me that the graphic files would look far better if they were in a fancy graphical user interface. So, I set out to develop said interface. Along the way, I discovered something about myself that I never realized. I'm really not good at picking out colors; however, I can definitely recognize when the color palette works (I'm even better at recognizing when a color palette doesn't work). Consequently, while I cannot create a color palette, I am a "professional" when it comes to recognizing a good palette.
So, as the springtime wanes, I'm always so sad to see the green color palette fade. It is just so beautiful! However, this year I was struck by the reality that as summer rolls in, the green palette is not so much fading as it is blending into brown. As I scan the now brown field behind my house from left to right, I see glimpses of prickly pears still in full bloom. And as my eye wanders over to the edge of the field on the right, I see cedar greens and then I spot, by God's grace, the most spectacular scrub bush of them all. It's a bush that I have had on my "list" to eliminate for over a year and a half now. It has always been in the way. Today, though, I am so thankful that I never got around to it because it is a lantana bush that did not flower last year! This year, however, it bloomed intertwined with upright prairie coneflowers. Why there is a lantana bush with coneflowers there, I have no idea. All I can figure is, it's all part of God's spectacular early summer color palette!
So, if you are sad to see spring go, it’s not too late to look around and take notice of how God makes full use of His color palette. "But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore, do not be anxious… But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." (Matthew 6:30-31a, 33). God has a wonderful eye for bringing all things together and caring for His creation. Especially (most certainly), for the ones whom He sent His Son Jesus Christ to redeem through the red blood He spilt on the brown cross to clothe us in His white robes of righteousness. To be sure, God's color palette works like none other. Thanks be to God for giving us open eyes to see how beautiful the Good News is!
Shalom, Pastor Bill
Helping Hands Lutheran Women’s Missionary League
We will not be meeting for the months of June and July. We will be having our Bible Study - Looking For God Goggles found on page 22 of the Lutheran Woman’s Quarterly for Spring 2017. Lois Howe will be leading this Bible Study on Tuesday, June 13th at 9:30 in Room B120.
We will continue our quilting on the other Tuesdays of the month of June upstairs in the Activity Center beginning at 9:30. We will also be doing the meal set up/clean up for Vacation Bible School on Monday June 19th.
Once again, we will be collecting for the Pointe Store July 2nd - 30th. See the additional article in the June Grapevine for details.
NEXT NEW MEMBER CLASS
WILL BE
SATURDAY, July 15, 2017
Please contact the church office for more information.
The Texas District Church Extension Fund
Decade after decade, what do investors value the most about the Texas Church Extension Fund?
• Trust
• Competitive Rates
• Financial Strength
• Reputation
• Personal Attention
• Texas Mission Growth
Incidentally, financial experts agree a three to six-month emergency fund is essential to financial health. Texas CEF may be the best place to plant your emergency fund and let it grow. Whether you're starting out, or your emergency fund is fully funded, CEF offers a variety of accounts to meet your needs.
To learn more about investing in CEF and make ministry happen, go to or call
1-888-951-1233, or call Calvin Spencer at 512-868-8214.
The current CEF investment rates are:
Flex Savings0.500%
Fixed-rate notes - 1 Year1.500%
Fixed-rate notes - 3 Year1.750%
Fixed-rate notes - 5 Year2.250%
Floating-rate notes - 1 Year1.125%
Floating-rate notes - 3 Year1.625%
Floating-rate notes - 5 Year2.125%
Tess Todd’s More Stories
Book Signing Sunday June 4, 2017
More Stories is my new little book.It is a compilation of stories written sinceLittle Stories was published in July 2015, and includes those through my trip to Africa last September. Its 163 pages and many color pictures invite you join me in ‘Looking back down Memory Lane and ahead Over the Rainbow.’ I will be available to sign copies before and after services on Sunday June 4, 2017. Available at my cost: $15.00. Also available on Amazon.com books at $21.02.
My thanks to Pastors Pohland, Crowe and Selle, to Mindy Swafford and to Faith’s members for the encouragement and support I’ve received in telling you one little story after another. To quote Tiny Tim, ‘God bless us every one’.
Tess
Save the Date!
Faith Lutheran’s annual Church Picnic is
Sunday, September 24th.
Watch for
More Information this summer!!
The Sunshine Friends at Faithwould like to invite anyone interested to a card-making workshop on Sat., June 3rd from 10-12 in B120. The Sunshine Friends is a group of Faith members who send out cards to our home-bound friends who cannot attend church because of mobility limitations. Cards are mailed out monthly and on special days, such as birthdays and anniversaries. The purpose of the workshop is to make cards for our home-bound friends. We will provide all the supplies necessary to make the cards. All attendees will receive aThrivent "Live Generously” T-Shirt while supplies last! Snacks will also be provided. All supplies are provided through a Thrivent Action Team Grant.
Please RSVP by May 27th to Peggy Hill or Sheila Gauntt.
HEARTFELT STITCHERSare always glad when thank-you notes arrive. We've received so many that we wanted to share this one with you.
"On behalf of Wesleyan Hospice I want to thank you for the beautiful prayer blankets you have made for our patients! Not only are they lovely to look at but they are soft and cozy and warm--just right for frail bodies with thin skin and little body fat. Your thoughtfulness touches so many with a ripple effect. Patients and families as well as the staff who are blessed in presenting the treasures to our patients. Our hearts are touched by sharing in the joy on their faces when they receive the blankets and hear how you have prayed for them.
May God bless you as you have blessed others! Thank you again.
Warmly, Becky Flynt and The Wesleyan Hospice Team"
We are continuing to stay busy and are just about ready to make more deliveries to Dell Children's NICU and to Wesleyan Hospice. You're always welcome to join us Thursday mornings in the library at 9:30 a.m. Any questions please call Sherry Craig or Sherry Richter.
Reminder of Another Way to Give
It has been some time since the detail of the AmazonSmile program has been printed. By council action, proceeds from this program support our Faith Lutheran Professional Church Worker Scholarship Endowment Fund. Each quarter a total of 0.5% of eligible products purchased is deposited to the Faith Lutheran Church checking account and applied to the Endowment Fund.
For those of our congregation who are Amazon.comcustomers, you have another way that you can give to Faith. That “way” is AmazonSmile. AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support Faith every time you shop, at no additional cost to you. When you shop at smile.amazon.com, you’ll find the exact same prices and selection as you find at Amazon.com. The difference is that 0.5% of your purchase will be donated to Faith Lutheran Church. Eligible products for donations will be marked “Eligible for AmazonSmile donation” on their product detail pages. At this time, recurring Subscribe-and-Save purchases and subscription renewals are not eligible.
You will use the same account for AmazonSmile as for Amazon.com, but instead of going to Amazon.com, you’ll go to smile.amazon.com. On your first visit to AmazonSmile and before you begin shopping, you will need to select Faith Lutheran Church Georgetown, TX as the charitable organization to receive donations from eligible purchases. Faith is already on the list of these organizations. Note there are several Faith Lutheran locations listed so be sure and watch for the Georgetown, TX location. After that, your selection will be remembered and every eligible purchase you make at smile.amazon.com will result in a donation.
HELPING HANDS
New Life Treatment Center
“POINTE STORE” Collection
(Girls ages 11-17)
The “Pointe Store” is a place the girls can “shop” using their “points” for good behavior. Helping Hands is privileged each year to collect some of the items they most like to buy. We invite you to purchase any of the items listed below and place them in the box provided at the Ministry Center.
If you would like to contribute, but would like to leave the shopping to us, you may make your check out to Helping Hands, and place it in the mailbox of our Treasurer, Mary Coats. Please indicate on the bottom left of your check that the check is for the Pointe Store.
A list of the items for collection will also be available at the Ministry Center. We thank you for participating in this important ministry to the girls at Canyon Lake.
COLLECTION DATE: July 2nd thru July 30th
COLLECTION PLACE:Ministry Center
COLLECTION ITEMS: (ALL ITEMS SHOULD BE NEW. PLEASE DO NOT INCLUDE ANY
METAL OR GLASS.
- Lip gloss (plastic containers only)
- Chapstick(plastic containers only)
- Stuffed Animals – To cuddle or use for decoration (Clean/New)
- Candy Bars (chocolate and non-chocolate) regular size bars only
- Pillow Cases – standard size
- Fun/Decorative Pillows – Any size or color
- Decks of Playing Cards
- Adult Coloring Books– (NO spirals on the spine.)
- Sudoku books, Word Puzzle, Crossword, etc. (NO spirals on the spine.)
Non Pointe Store items that are needed:
Underwear - sizes 5, 6, 7 and 8 (most needed sizes are 5, 6 and 7) Ankle length socks (NO crew length or knee high allowed
For information, please contact Karen Kirk.
Last Call to purchase Tickets for our
One-night Movie Event
Don’t miss this special event: a one-time showing of the new
Martin Luther film at:
Cinemark 14 Round Rock, 4401 N IH 35 Ste 3000, Round Rock, TX 78664
Wednesday, June 14, 2017 6:30pm-8:48pm
This special screening is the perfect outreach opportunity... a chance to invite friends and neighbors to an event in a community setting. This entertaining new film follows the great adventure story of Luther’s life, packed with political intrigue, kidnappings, and life-or-death showdowns. At the same time, it's a story about the most important questions of life, including "Who am I?" "What is my purpose" and "How do I get right with God?"
It’s a must-see for any lifelong Lutheran, and a chance to share the message of your Lutheran heritage with others. And the only place you can see the film is in the theater on the night of our church’s special event.
This is the first time in more than 60 years that Lutherans have made a feature-length film about Martin Luther and the Reformation. Filmed in historic locations across Europe, this movie brings Luther’s story to life with exquisite attention to detail. It’s a chance to strengthen your faith by revisiting the birth of Protestant Reformation, and to share that experience with others.