Church News and Announcements

Pray for our members and friends in the Armed Forces:  Brandon Buscha (Marines), Korey Buscha (Marines),  Douglas Cox (Air Force), Adam Dunk (Air Force Academy), Chasen Fehrle (Air Force); Matt Hofmann (Marines),  Bryan Nelson (Air Force), Cory Knox (Marines), Kevin Nelson (Coast Guard), David Newman (Army), Phil Noack (Marines),   Matt Oeltjen (Marines) and Garrett Terral (Army).

Sunday Bulletin Bulletin Notes For Sunday May 4, 2008

CALENDAR OF EVENTS:

SERVING TODAY:

CHANCEL FLOWERS are placed to the glory of God by Calvin & Gale Mersiovsky in honor of their 30^th Wedding Anniversary (5/5).

TODAY’S BROADCAST OF THE LUTHERAN HOUR over Radio Station KBUK (FM 104.9 at 7:00 a.m. ) is sponsored to the glory of God by the Men’s Club.

THIS WEEK’S TV BROADCAST OF OUR SUNDAY WORSHIP on cable channel 16 has no sponsor.  Members are invited to consider sponsoring one of our weekly broadcasts.  Either one family ($65.00) or two different families ($32.50 each) may sponsor a broadcast, by signing up on the calendar in the church narthex.  Or you may make a donation, of any amount, toward this service.  You may use one of the Designated Gift offering envelopes in the offering envelope boxes, and note “Worship Broadcast Fund” on the envelope.

PORTALS OF PRAYER for April-June 2008 are now available in the narthex.  If you do not have one, and desire one, please contact Pastor or Linda in the church office.

OUR WORSHIP LAST WEEK:
Attendances:  Sunday Morning Worship:  111; Communion:  94; Sunday School:  10+6=16; High School Bible Class:  1+1=2; Parents’ Class:  3; Adult Bible Class I:  6; No Adult Bible Class II; Weds. Bible Class:  12.  Offerings:  Home Purposes:  $1,874.50 received, $4,025.00 needed; Behind/Ahead in offerings to this date:  Ahead $6,445.85 as of February 29; World Missions:  $174.00 received, $620.00 needed, Behind/Ahead as of April 27^th.  Ahead $1,256.00; Building & Improvements:  $70.00;  Special Offerings:  In memory of Lawrence Williams, $40.00 to the Lutheran Hour Broadcast Fund.

The PARENT’S CLASS has moved to room 6, in the Educational Building , where the nursery class was meeting.  This way the children have a place to play, while the parents are having class.

BIBLE CLASS II will begin a 13 part series entitled OUR LIFE IN CHRIST.  Join us in the kitchen for a cup of coffee and a discussing of how Jesus brings joy, teaches love, and is the way! Visitors and guests are always welcome.

CHICKEN SPAGHETTI DINNER - The Holy Cross, Warda, Ladies Aid is having a chicken spaghetti dinner today, May 4th. Tickets are $6.00 each and are available from any Ladies Aid member or by calling or stopping by the church office. All plates are to-go only and can be picked up in the new Fellowship Hall between 10:30 and 12:30 .  Please call the Holy Cross church office at 242-3333 if you have any questions.  Matching funds have been applied for through Thrivent Financial for Lutherans.

BBQ CHICKEN - The Holy Cross, Warda, Couples Club will have Mothers Day BBQ Chicken to go on Sunday, May 11^th .  Pick-up will be from 10:30 to 12:30 at the church picnic grounds.  Whole chickens are $6.00 and sauce is $1.50.  Advance orders only; pay for your chickens when you pick them up.  Sign up by today, May 4^th  by calling Dennis and Diann Pietsch @ (979) 542-1141, Danny & Judy Jurk at (979) 242-3484 or the Holy Cross church office at (979)242-3333.

2ND CHANCE WORK SCHEDULE CHANGE:  Due to the fact that our clean-up day falls on the first Monday of the month (tomorrow), we will clean up and straighten the store from 11:00 AM until we finish, about 2 PM .  Do not come any earlier - another church will be clearing out the racks in the morning.  Thanks!

Hospice Brazos Valley presents:  LOSS OF A CHILD - A bereavement support group for grieving parents.  Offered at NO COST to all adults.  Spend time sharing your grief with others who have also experienced the death of a child.  Please bring a dish to share tomorrow, May 5^th, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. at the La Grange office 1048 Jefferson .  To register contact Marlise at 979-968-6913.

The May meeting of the MARY MARTHA GUILD will be tomorrow evening, Monday, May 5^th. at 6:30 p.m. at Brisket and Brew.  Members who want to carpool are asked to be at the church parking lot at 6:15 p.m. .  All members are asked to bring a plant for a plant exchange.  Desserts will be furnished by Carol Nelson, Artie Schultz, and Janice Teinert.  The spring social committee of Carolyn Mersiovsky, Bev Albers, Georgette Bragdon and Annie Cook will plan the program.  Members are also reminded to have two baked items at the National Bank by 8:00 a.m. on Friday, May 9^th

A SPECIAL CEMETERY COMMITTEE MEETING will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 6^th  in the Multipurpose Room.  Everyone is welcome to attend.

MMG BAKE SALE : FRIDAY, MAY 9^th :  Members of the Mary Martha Guild, mark your calendars!  Two baked items are due this week, for our Mother's Day Bake Sale, held in front of the National Bank and Trust (on the square), 8:00 a.m. - noon.  Please label your items (we will price them), and leave them at one of these locations: (1) Thursday (any time, mark item "For Bake Sale "), or Friday morning by 7:30 a.m. , at the Education Building .  (2) Friday, by 8:00 a.m. , at the bank.  Thanks for your help!

SERVING NEXT SUNDAY:  Acolyte:  Kayla Jakobeit.  Lectors:  Lynsey Bamsch, Shane Corn.  Children’s Message:  Brenda Fischer.  Head Ushers:  Ricky Dunk, Dennis Schnell.  Ushers:  Brandon Schnell, Justin Schnell.  Greeters:  Jeanette Huelsebusch, Barbara Hofmann.  Video Technician:  Cheryl Roitsch.   Sound Technician:  Linda Streicher.  Chancel Flowers:  Open.

PICNIC AUCTION: The Church Picnic Auction Committee is looking for donations for the May 18^th auction.  In past years many interesting and unique items have been donated, and we are again looking forward to receiving a variety of items to help make this event a great success.  If you have an item or items to donate, and need assistance with pick up, feel free to call James & Nancy Lehmann at 968-3353.  Auction items can also be left at the church office.  Please help us gather all auction items by May 11^th .  Thank you!

Plans for this year’s HOMECOMING PICNIC are well underway and the Picnic Committee needs your help!  We are looking for people to sell meal tickets.  We use advance ticket sales to gauge how much food to prepare, so it’s important that we try to sell as many tickets as possible before the day of the picnic.  Whether you think you can sell 10 tickets or 100 tickets, we could use your help!  Please contact Brenda Fischer (249-3467) to get your tickets.  Questions?  Contact Gary Diers (968-3381) or Dennis Schnell (242-3790).  Thanks for your support!

VOLUNTEERS FOR SET UP:  Plenty of volunteers are needed to help with setup the day before the picnic.  For more information, contact Gary Diers (968-3381) or Dennis Schnell (242-3790).

ALL CHURCH MEMBERS are asked to help at our picnic by providing a cake or two for the noon meal. Please have your item(s) in disposable pans and have them at the fairgrounds before the church service. If you have any questions, please contact Janice Teinert at 242-3347 or 966-3186.

Hospice Brazos Valley presents:  FIRST STEPS - A bereavement support group and lunch.  Offered at NO COST to all adults.  Please bring a dish to share.  Beverages will be provided.  Tuesday, May 20^th , 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. at the La Grange office 1048 Jefferson .  Please RSVP Marlise at 979-968-6913.

G-R-E-A-T NEWS!  We will have a Summer Program at Mt. Calvary Lutheran Preschool.  It will begin Monday, June 2^nd and conclude Friday, August 15^th.  The hours will be 7:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. , Monday through Friday.  We would like to have some more children in the Summer Program.  Here is your chance to recruit for us.  Come by the Education Building office to register, or telephone Director Becky Conway at (979) 968-5913.  Janice Teinert, our Director for 2008-09, will be happy to speak with you too!

BBQ PIT UPDATE:  The Mens Club is pleased to report that the BBQ Pit foundation is well underway.  If you would like to make a donation to this project please consider doing so in the NEAR FUTURE by using one of the special envelopes titled “Designated Gift For” found in your offering envelope box and write BBQ PIT FUND on the envelope or you can deliver your donation directly to Eugene Winkler, treasurer for the Mens Club.  The Mens Club would like to thank everyone for their past, present and future support of the BBQ pits and future expansion on the BELL Property.  The Mens Club would like to give special thanks to Kenneth Kruse for his dedication to this project.

SECOND CHANCE/A.M.E.N. is asking if you could start saving your plastic bags from HEB, Wal-Mart, and Dollar General.  Please fold them length wise and bring them in for re-use.

SECOND CHANCE has an immediate opening for a merchandise handler and is accepting applications.  If interested please come by 555 W. Travis (Second Chance Receiving) for an application.

MT CALVARY BUMPER STICKERS:  If you would like to advertise your pride in Mt. Calvary Church we have some bumper stickers in the Narthex.  Please feel free to take one or more.

A tape dispenser and a stapler are MISSING FROM THE CHURCH OFFICE.  If you borrowed or have seen them, please return them.  Thanks for you help!

To request A SPECIAL PRAYER in worship for a special need or celebration, please call the church office with your request.  The prayer list is regularly updated by automatically removing names after two weeks, unless a call is received to continue.  Please let the church office know when there are changes.  Thank you.

LIFE QUOTES:  "You might recall that it is at the Ascension that Jesus enters the Holy of Holies — heaven itself and the presence of God — being taken up in the midst of the clouds . . . there . . . your Great High Priest continually makes intercession for you — a beloved child of the heavenly Father."  Rev. Daniel Feusse, Concordia Lutheran Church , Clearwater , Nebraska . A Life Quote from Lutherans For Life / www.lutheransforlife.org / 888-364-LIFE

GLOBAL LINK – Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church and Preschool is linked to Russia .  LCMS missionaries there share:  “On March 17, Deacon Yuriy Poddelskiy, his assistant Viktor Vovchenko, and a literature teacher taught an extra-curricular class on the Bible at the district Petropavlovka gymnasium.  A help in this outreach activity was the 1996 school textbook that has a section on the Bible, which it thankfully does not include among myths and legends, but presents as a true story and a masterpiece of the world's literature.  All the 25 schoolchildren who attended the class received as a gift a set of seven Christian books including the Gospel of John.  The winners of the various levels of the quiz additionally received children's Bibles in Buryat (a local language), New Testaments in Russian, and other literature.”

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In Our Prayers

Bobby Baxley, (mother of Sam Baxley), receiving chemotherapy;

Martha Clevenger, receiving therapy;

Walter “Buster” Garza, (nephew of Eva, Evelyn, and Lee Roitsch), receiving rehabilitation therapy at home;

the family of Wilbert Gerdes (brother-in-law of Calvin Lange), who died last Sunday;

Braden Gilliam (Marilyn Trlica’s granddaughter’s nephew), seriously ill after major surgery;

Bill Glaiser, recuperating at home;

Gene Mach, recuperating at home;

Diane (daughter of Done & Joyce Newman), recuperating after surgery;

Joyce Newman, having tests and awaiting results;

Sarah Oeltjen, receiving rehabilitation therapy at Monument Hill;

Doris Pietsch, recuperating at home after knee surgery;

Lorine Roensch, hospitalized at St. Mark’s Medical Center after a fall at home;

Evelyn Roitsch, having a pace maker implanted tomorrow in San Antonio;

Also In Our Prayers Today are the members, friends of members, or extended family of our church who are on active duty in the Armed Forces of our country:  Brandon Buscha (Marines);  Korey Buscha (Marines); Douglas Cox (Air Force),  Adam Dunk (Air Force Academy), Chasen Fehrle (Ruby Fehrle's grandson – Air Force); Matt Hofmann (Marines),  Cory Knox (Marines),  Bryan Nelson (Air Force), Kevin Nelson (Coast Guard), David Newman (Army),  Phil Noack (Marines),  Matt Oeltjen (Marines) and Garrett Terral (Army).

The members and friends of our church who receive care in nursing homes, care centers, and at home:

Esther Behrens, Alma Froehlich, Hattie Giese,  Lucille Lukas,  Johanna Pietsch, and  Marjorie Schoppa in Care Inn;

Alvera Liebscher in Monument Hill;

Lela Grayson at home (Fayetteville);

Myrtle Radenz, at home (Ledbetter);

Eula Harbers,  Hugo Matthijetz  and Emilie Ritter in Jefferson Place;

Nadine Walther, at home (Flatonia);

Ida Mae Riske, at Summerville in Friendswood;

Marge Harting (widow of Rev. Walter C. Harting, former pastor of Mt. Calvary), at Kruse Village (Brenham);

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2008 Spring Mission Festival

CHAPLAIN ( COL ) PAUL F. HOWE

We will be holding a very special Spring Mission Festival on April 20^th, featuring retired Military Chaplin Rev. Paul Howe.  Rev. Howe currently lives in Georgetown , TX and is excited to join us.  He will also lead our adult Bible Class.  

Chaplain ( COL ) Paul F. Howe was born and raised in Adrian , Michigan .  Paul received a Bachelors Degree in Elementary Education in 1963 from Concordia Teachers College in River Forest , Illinois , a Bachelors of Divinity in 1972 and a Master of Divinity in 1975 from Concordia Theological Seminary in Springfield , Illinois .  During his Army career he earned four units of Clinical Pastoral Education.  

From 1963-1965, Paul served in Nigeria , West Africa , as an instructor at the Teacher Training College in Ibakichi.  The decade from June 1965 through 1975, he served in Kodaikanal , India , as Pastor of Zion Lutheran Church, and teacher at the Kodaikanal International School .  From 1975 to 1979, Paul was Pastor of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Cloquet , Minnesota .  

On 5 October 1978 , Paul received his direct commission as a 1^st Lieutenant in the United States Army as a Chaplain.  He attended the Chaplain Officer Basic Course in 1979, the Chaplain Officer Advanced Course in 1988, and was a resident student of the Command and General Staff College in 1991-1992.  The Army awarded Paul an Impact Army Commendation Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal five times, and The Legion of Merit.  

His assignments include: 8^th Combat Engineer Battalion at Fort Hood, TX (79-82), 3^rd Aviation Battalion (82-84) that changed to the 4^th Aviation Brigade (84-87) in Giebelstadt, Germany; 10^th Aviation Brigade (88-91) at Fort Drum, NY; 513^th Military Intelligence Brigade (92-94) in Fort Monmouth, NJ; 417^th Base Support Battalion (94-97) in Kitzingen, Germany, and Deputy 21^st Theater Support Command in Kaiserslautern, German (97-99), and Installation Chaplain at Fort Knox, KY (99-02).  

Paul continues to serve the Army as a consultant in Chaplain Recruiting.  Paul served on the LUTHERAN RECON IX Planning Committee for the October 2007 Reunion in Austin , Texas , and Chairman of the Austin Region Association of Lutheran Older Adult Planning Committee for Lutheran Fellowship Events.  Paul is often asked to lead classes and discussions on The Lutheran Reformation and the Apostles’ Creed.  

Paul and Lois (nee) Kitzmann married on 20 October 1965 , in Kodaikanal , India .  Lois is a Registered Nurse and certified as a High School Teacher of German and English.  The Howe’s are blessed with four children and seven grandchildren.  

Please mark your calendars and make plans to join us for the very special service.