FIRST FRUITS WE GIVE OUR FIRST FRUITS BECAUSE HE GAVE US HIS ONLY SON

August 2014 Volume 17 No. 8

First Fruits – August

A Change is in the Air!

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born,

and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal;

a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn,

and a time to dance.” Ecclesiastes 3: 1-4

If the author of Ecclesiastes is to be believed, there is a time for everything. I was speaking with someone just yesterday about how even though we may be in the height of our “hot” season, there is a noticeable glimpse of fall in the air. Not so much how it feels perhaps, but how the sun light just shines a bit differently through sometimes hazy skies...or maybe it’s because we are entering into a season of transition, a season full of potential and of a fruitful harvest.

Recently, our gospel readings have been rich in agricultural imagery. We have been reminded that good seed has been sown on good soil here at First Lutheran. So as the corn and the cotton are harvested around us, let’s contemplate the direction in which the Holy Spirit calls us to sow good things that we may also reap a good harvest.

Please keep First School and Daycare in your daily prayers as school board, pastor and staff have embarked on a new time of revitalization and re-energizing of the school. Please pray for the School Board and staff as they enter into a season of special training in order that First School grow into a high quality early childhood program. The harvest will be plentiful…of young children who will be ready for school as well as growing in the love of the Lord. We look forward to sharing more news on this in the days ahead.

I look forward to entering into this year’s harvest fields together with you. July 27th marks a new beginning. So let’s be ready

to move forward into whatever direction God intends for us. Together, in being attentive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, I look forward to reaping an abundant harvest in the days ahead.

Pastor Donna

August 7th- Last Youth Night---All Hands on Deck for the Splash Party! Join us in celebrating the end of summer with the staff and families of First School and Daycare: 3:30-6:00: Bring your own chairs, and enjoy the children as they engage in "messy" art activities and games, water slides and wading pools under the trees! Then plan to stay for Youth Night: 6:00-8:30 and meet the kids who have been joining us every Thursday this summer. I am looking for some of you to help distribute flyers and release forms throughout the community and around the neighborhood as some of the kids I have spoken with are very interested. Since additional neighborhood youth are expected this night, a registration table will need to be set up outdoors and "personed" as we will need to make sure release forms are obtained for all of our neighbors who plan to attend. All hands will need to “be on deck” as there may be early arrivals. Everything will be set up outdoors between the church and school this evening. I will need water hoses available to run from the nearest water source (probably the parsonage) and people to help set up at 2:00. We will need plenty of people power to tear down following the activities. We will play first; then eat pizza, popcorn and snow cones following the activities that night.

Sunday, August 24: A Back-to-School Blessing will be given at our 10:45 worship service for students of every age (children - college students) and for returning teachers, both public and private school, as well as our Sunday School teachers.

Youth and Adult Sunday School will not meet during the month of August as we undergo preparation for the upcoming ministry year. Classes will resume on Sunday, September 7. We are in the process of program planning and choosing group studies for both youth and adults.

Youth Sunday School Teachers: If you are interested in joining our Children’s Sunday School teaching team, please let either Pastor Donna or Nora Borak know. Rest assured that the benefits are “out of this world”!

Mary and Martha Bible Study: We will be using the book: Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World: Finding Intimacy With God in the Busyness of Life. The best way to be ready for our class which will

begin on Wednesday, September 10 is to go onto amazon.com and choose your preferred format yourself. I will be happy to place an order for you, though. The price of the book will range somewhere between $5.00 and $16.00 as it looks right now. If you wish for me to order for you, I will continue to search for the best price and will let you know when I place the order.

First School

And Day Care ews

Once August arrives it will be three

weeks before school starts again! This

summer has gone so fast. We will be winding

up most of our summer activities during the

first week of August and then we will have

once a week movies until school begins.

First School is open to children ages six

weeks to 12 years. Our hours are 7:00 a.m. to

6 p.m.

Blessings to All,

First School

8/03 Psalm 145:8-9, 14-21;Isaiah 55:1-5, Romans 9:1-5, Matthew 14:13-21

8/10 Psalm 85:8-13; I Kings 19:9-18, Romans 10:5-15, Matthew 14:22-33

8/17 Psalm 67; Isaiah 56:1,6-8, Romans 11:1-2a,29-32, Matthew 15:[10-20], 21-28

8/24 Psalm 138; Isaiah 51:1-6, Romans 12:1-8, Matthew 16:13-20

8/31 Psalm 26:1-8; Jeremiah 15:15-21, Romans 12:9-21, Matthew 16:21-28

2014 LCMC Texas District Convention

August 1 & 2, 2014 Faith Lutheran Church Seguin, Texas

Focus: As is our custom in LCMC, we will focus our energies on Christ, Fellowship and Mission. We will handle some business, but it will be kept to a minimum.

Keynote Speakers:

Pastor Chris Magnell Pastor Steve Lien Pastor Paul Cross

Meridian - Henrietta Bram, room 402

WE’RE HERE WHEN YOU NEED US

OR

Office hours: Tues & Thurs: 8:00am - 4:30pm Wed: 8:00am – 12:00pm

Phone: 979-543-5847 Email: office@firstlutheranec.com

8/03 Gaynard Wiggington

8/06 Haley Stewart

8/07 Ella Hernandez

8/10 Amy Konarik

8/10 Joseph Rosniak

8/11 Avery Falcon

8/12 Milton Johnson

8/16 Emma Nelson

8/21 Lorene Bard

8/21 Lionel Chatel

8/28 Norma Newton

8/30 Donald Carlsen

8/01 Dorothy Atchetee

8/01 Jan Nelson

8/01 Diane Stewart

8/03 David Kight

8/06 Dagney Thane

8/09 Paul Bard

8/13 Helen Kight

8/13 Ruth Speckles

8/25 Lionel Chatel

8/25 Matthew Stewart

8/29 Landon Thane

8/13 Bill & Ruth Speckles

8/14 Jimmy & Sharon Nielsen

8/14 Reygan & Belinda Sharp

8/31 Rodney & Donna Zipp

COUNCIL MEETING Thursday, August 14

th

7:00 p.m.

Our FLC Family Haley Stewart Lloyd Nelson

Dorothy Atchetee Esther Swanson Gloria Schoenfield

Evon Atchetee J.P. & Charlotte Watson Andy Talbert

Charles & Vernell Bard All caregivers of FLC Cathy Fane

Lorene Bard First School Steve Henderson

Lois Barosh Summer Youth Program Darlene Taylor

Buck & Judy Bezdek Clint Lannen

Bill Englund Friends of FLC ARC of El Campo

Elenora Hadash Donald Berglund Glenna Willey Zanes

Thomas Wayne Hernandez Joan Carter Charles Lucas

Nora Hollingsworth Mary Carter Shawn & Abby Freeman

Robert Hollingswoth Eddie Graeter Thelma Loshe

Bonnie Jones Ashlyn Hanna Vanessa

Justin Lormand Cindy Howell EC Volunteer Firefighters

Forrest & Norma Newton Debbie Hubenak EC Paramedics

Odis & Lorraine Newton Michael Hughes Curt Hall

Jimmy & Sharon Nielsen George Jalowy Cathy Leopold

Elsie Overstreet Connie Martin Dave Schoelman

Ted Schoenfield Mary & Frank Medina Lawrence Berglund

Nancy Mozicek

Pray for our

loved ones In the Military

Jake Barosh Justin Cerny

Sarah Langston Michael Monreal

Pastor Donna Zipp:

Email: pastorfirstlutheran@yahoo.com Phone: 979-332-2938

WOMEN OF THE WORD

MEETING

Monday, August 11th

WOW Food Drive

Sunday, August 3rd

+ + + + + + + + +

Flower Chart

There are open dates on the Flower Chart for the month of August. The Sundays, August 10th and 31st, are open. Please check the chart and sign up if you would like to provide flowers for those Sundays.

Prayer Meetings

August 5th & 19th

6 PM

Everyone is invited!

A Prayer for Pastors Almighty God, through your Son Jesus Christ you gave the holy apostles many gifts and commanded them to feed your flock. Inspire all pastors to preach your Word diligently and your people to receive it willingly, that finally we may receive the crown of eternal glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

---Lutheran Book of Worship, p.46

Service of Ordination And Installation

For Donna Lou Zipp

Sunday, July 27 3:00 PM

First Lutheran Church

304 Oscar El Campo, Texas

You are cordially invited to join us in

presence and prayer for this joyous occasion!

Following the service, a light meal and refreshments will be served in the Fellowship Hall.

Mary and Martha Bible Study

Wednesday, September 10

We will be using the book:

Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World: Finding Intimacy With God in the

Busyness of Life. Please sign up in the folder in the Narthex or in the church office.

Congratulations!

Congratulations to Kyle and Megan House on the birth of their son, Kutter, on Wednesday, July 16. Congratulations also to grandparents, Kirk and Nerissa House, great-grandmother, Jewel-Deen House, and great-aunt, Sheila Miller.

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

3 NO Sunday School

Worship Service w/Communion

10:45 AM WOW Food Drive

4 5 Prayer

Meeting 6PM

6

7 Summer Youth

Program 6-8:30PM

(Last session) Splash Party!

1/8

2/9 Fellowship Hall

reserved for 8/2/2014

10 NO Sunday School

Worship Service 10:45 AM

Friendship Sunday

11 WOW Meeting

6PM

12 orn

13

14 Church Council

7PM

15

16

17 NO Sunday School Worship Service w/Communion 10:45 AM

18

19 Prayer

Meeting 6PM

21

22

23

24 NO Sunday School Worship Service 10:45 AM Rally Day

25 26 Newsletter Items Due

27

28

29

30

31 NO Sunday School Worship Service 10:45 AM

August Responsibilities

ASSISTING MINISTER:

SEXTON: Evon Atchetee

USHERS: Lynn Talafuse, Daniel Wilfert

ALTAR GUILD: Karen Kight, Linda Atchetee

ACOLYTE READER

3rd

Sawyer Schoenfield Karen Middlebrook 10

th Sawyer Schoenfield Don Al Middlebrook

17th

Sawyer Schoenfield Jaki Smith 24

th Sawyer Schoenfield Ted Schoenfield

31st

Sawyer Schoenfield Sheila Herrington

If you are unable to serve on your date, please find someone to take your place.

AUGUST FLOWER

CALENDAR

August 2014

3rd

James & Diane Stewart

10th

Open

17th

Leroy & Billie Jean Bram

24th

J.P. & Charlotte Watson 31

st

Open

First Lutheran Church

304 Oscar

El Campo, TX 77437

979-543-5847

Email: office@firstlutheranec.com

ESTABLISHED FEB 1893

Worshipping Christ and Sharing the Word for over a century.

Donna Zipp, Interim Pastor Helen Marie Kight, Organist

Christine Richter, Office Manager Lionel Chatel, Technology Specialist Diane Garcia, Director of First School

Join us on FACEBOOK or check us out at

www.FIRSTLUTHERANEC.COM

CHURCH COUNCIL MEMBERS: Calvin Borak, Billie Jean Bram, Nerissa House, Doug Mathews,

Don Al Middlebrook, Ted Schoenfield, & Daniel Wilfert.

Our Newsletter

can be found on

our website at www.firstlutheranec.com

Friendship

Sunday

Join us for Friendship Sunday on

August 10th

!

Sunday School – 9:30 a.m.

Worship Service – 10:45 a.m.

Luncheon – 12:15 p.m.