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From the Pastor
“We’ve Beheld His Glory”
by the Rev. David Quail
St. John says in the first chapter of his Gospel, “the Word became flesh and dwelt
among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace
and truth.”
To the believer, the glory of God is all around us and in us. We behold it in His work of
creation as we see the new birth of spring, the warmth of summer, the beauty of fall, and the
browns of winter. We behold it in our lives as we have experienced His recreation of us
through the water and the Word of Baptism. We anticipate even greater glory on the day when
Jesus comes again.
What sad words we read, then, in John 1:11: “He came to His own, and His own people
did not receive Him.” God sent His Son to save us, but not everyone enjoys His most precious
gift. Some refuse to receive Him, rejecting the Giver and His gift. Some really haven’t heard or
comprehended the gift Jesus brought. In over 2000 years since Jesus came to His own,
nothing has changed. Some believe; some reject.
God sent John the Baptist as the forerunner to witness to the Savior. “He was not the
light, but came to bear witness about the light,” John tells us in (1:8). Some, because of John,
came to Jesus, listened, and believed. John was not the light; he merely witnessed to the true
light.
We, too, are witnesses of the light. “We beheld His glory, the
glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”
Perhaps some, because of our witness, will come to understand the love
the Father has for us as the glory of the Lord shines through us.
Blessed New Year to you all.
Rev. David C. Quail Senior Pastor
Cell (936) 443-6679 / Home (936) 756-7109
Email [email protected]
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From the Vicar’s Desk...by Vicar Kurt Cockran
Beware of Roaring Lions That Look like Cuddly Kittens
As I learn more about parenthood, I’m discovering that all of humanity is born with the
instinct to run from things that cause us harm, and much of what parents teach children is sim-
ply what to avoid. Eventually, we also develop how to fight against those things as well.
The light-or-fight response is “a physiological reaction that occurs in response to a perceived
harmful event, attack, or threat to survival.” (Wikipedia) We tend to do fairly well. We put our
most dangerous animals in cages. We flee north on I-45 or take shelter for the occasional hurri-
cane. We can even hold our own commuting home during rush hour. However, we’re not very
good at avoiding or fighting the one thing that endangers our lives the most: false doctrine.
In fact, false doctrine (or false teaching) when seen through the eyes of faith make a
roaring lion seem like a cuddly kitten. Recall Jesus’ words: “Do not fear those who kill the body
but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matt.
10:28) We are not to fear physical death, because physical death has lost its sting in Jesus.
What should we fear? Condemnation. Eternal death.
We have this experience in common with our first parents. God taught Adam and Eve
the one thing that would kill them. The fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was
the most dangerous thing in the new world. Enter false doctrine: “You will not surely die,” the
ancient serpent said, and since then he’s become all the craftier at deceiving souls away from
God’s Word.
Be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking
someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith. (1 Pet. 5:8-9)
False doctrine is dangerous because it is hidden. You can’t see the devil prowling about,
yet he is always seeking to place your trust in anything other than God’s Word. The tempter
comes when you least expect. He comes with the teaching that your flesh likes to hear, that
you can be good all on your own instead of having the righteousness of Jesus gifted to you. It
worked on Adam and Eve. It works on you. Resist this temptation. Build yourself up with the
Word of God, and pray that you will finally overcome false doctrine and win the victory through
Christ Jesus, our Lord.
To learn more about the different flaming darts of the devil in our American context and how to
take up the shield of faith against them, join us during the Sunday School hour in the library for
“The Truth vs. the Lie in American Spirituality.”
Anyone post-confirmation age is invited and encouraged to attend.
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Epiphany Service
Wednesday, January 6th at 7:00pm
Epiphany falls on a Wednesday this year, January 6,
therefore we will have a service with communion on that evening at 7:00 pm.
Plan now to come to the potluck at six and stay for the service at seven.
Lydia Guild
Ruth Guild Ruth Guild will meet on January 19th at 9:00am. Ladies, how about making a
New Year's Resolution to become part of this Tuesday morning group as they gather for
Bible Study, fellowship and share in activities of the Lutheran Women's Missionary League.
We meet the third Tuesday of each month. Those interested gather all other Tuesdays for
quilting, cutting, sewing, and assembling quilts for Lutheran World Relief.
There is a place for you!
Please join us on
Tuesday, January 19th at 9:00am
New Member Dinner Sunday - January 24th
Help us welcome our newest members to the St. Mark family
with a potluck lunch in their honor!
Colleen Boytim • Glenard & Penny Honeycutt
The Lydia Guild would like to invite all ladies of our church to join us for Bible Study
and Fellowship on the first Tuesday of each month. We will meet on Tuesday, January 5, 2016
at 7:15pm in the fellowship hall. If you need transportation to the meeting, please let one of us
know. We come from all directions and would love to bring you with us.
January Meeting
Tuesday, January 5th at 7:15pm
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Seniors of St. Mark We closed out 2015 with out annual Thanksgiving & Christmas Dinner.
We had 22 people who shared in the merriment and who also participated
in our Election of Officers. We wish to congratulate the following:
We had a small group who attended the play “Meet Me in St. Louis” at the Owen Theatre on
December 18th. It was an evening enjoyed by all who attended. Note: you don’t have to be a
member of our Seniors Group to attend the plays. Simply sign up...all are welcome!
Please join us for our 1st meeting of the new year on Wednesday, Jan. 13th.
We will be planning our schedule and list of activities for the year during this meeting.
Please bring with you ideas of things you would like to do and places you would like to go.
We will meet for a POTLUCK LUNCH in the Fellowship Hall before our meeting begins.
We wish you all a very Happy and Blessed New Year!
Wednesday, January 13, 2016
Potluck Lunch & Meeting
12noon in the Fellowship Hall
The Lydia & Ruth Guild Ladies
invite you to a
Baby Shower Honoring
Emily Cockran
Sunday, January 31st
After church in the Fellowship Hall
Emily is registered at Target & Amazon
Boy or Girl?...we will know in February.
Frank Hentschel:
Pastor Parker:
President
Vice-president
Harriet Graf:
Shirley Enyart:
Secretary
Treasurer
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The Busy Bee Crafters was started as a crafts, knitting, sewing and
crochet group that is committed to doing all of its work for the Vacation
Bible School here at St Mark. Currently we have 5 active members and
are open to crafters of all skill levels, and levels of commitment.
We ask our crafters to work on what they love to do; there are no assigned projects.
Each item is prayed over requesting God’s blessing on the crafter and the recipient.
Each month we meet and talk about our projects and what else we have in mind.
Love to work with different materials and yarn? Join us the first Thursday of the
month at 4pm! You do not have to participate in meetings to be a part of our team.
We accept all homemade projects from all skill levels and time commitments of others.
Contact us at church and we will help you get started.
Monetary Donations: 100% of all sales and donations go to help support our VBS
Program. We are a completely non-profit volunteer organization so all of your contributions
help. We place all finished projects up to be sold at the Spaghetti Dinner in the fall.
Materials and Fabric Donations: We can always use skeins of washable yarn and soft
fabrics [flannel and fleece.] Craft materials of all kinds can be used toward different projects.
Our storage space is limited, so please contact us if you have items to donate.
Thank You: We would like to thank all who have contributed to our little group and wish you
all a Very Happy New Year.
Dear Lord, Thank you for the talents you have bestowed upon me.
Not only do they allow me to express my creativity, but they enrich the lives of others.
Also, thank you for my weaknesses. They keep me humble and allow me to grow in Your light. Amen.
Busy Bees Crafters
Thank You The Adickes family as a whole would like to thank each and every one of our church family
for all the prayers, help & the love that you have shown through Bruce’s illness & his death.
It means so much to Evelyn & I and the kids.
In Christ,
Virginia Adickes and family
The Sunday School children have worked very hard each week during Sunday School on the
Children's Christmas Service. On December 13 the kids enjoyed a pizza lunch, practiced the
service and took home a "Joy" door hanger and ornament. We had 7 children stay for the
Christmas party. Please make sure to mark your calendar for the 2016 party. It is very
important that all children that are in the Children's Christmas Service attend the party.
There are extra gift bags in the church if you didn't get one.
In 2016 we will reduce the number of Sunday School events.
January 10 - Ice Skating
March 26 - Easter Egg Hunt
June - VBS Carnival
July - Swimming at the Gessner's house
August 14 - Roller Skating
October - Fall Festival
December 11 - Children's Christmas Party
December 18 - Children's Christmas Service
Please mark your calendars now for the 2016 Sunday School events.
Sunday School
St. Mark Nativity Our Advent and Christmas Worship Services were made even more
special through the Nativity Scene that adorned our Sanctuary again
this year. Each week we were greeted by a changing scene as the
Christmas narrative advanced in anticipation of the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Thank you to David & Phylis Davidson for sharing their beautiful Nativity set with the us!
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Thank You! We would like to thank everyone who donated candy for our children’s goodie bags!
We appreciate your generosity!
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Thrivent News
Piney Woods Chapter of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans has been informed that our
supplemental funds will be cut in 1/2 for the 2016 year. If your group or organization has made
a request before, you will need to get those request turned in now (I know it is still 2015 but
you can be put on a list). The board will meet in January to decide how to divide the funds
equally among the congregations. Please submit your request to Mary Embry. If you are
interested in learning how to receive $250 for a Thrivent Action, contact Mary Embry or log onto
your Thrivent account and find out how. You can do 2 action team events a year (total of
$500). Do not let the money go to waste.
If you are a Thrivent member you may have choice dollars that you can donate to the
church or some other organization that is near and dear to you. We have 58 members in our
congregation who have choice dollars. Only 17 of those 58 have designated their choice dollars
to an organization this year. That means 41 people have not designated where they want their
choice dollars to go. This year St. Mark members (17 of the 58) have designated $2,235. You
have till March of 2016 to designate your 2015 choice dollars. Log onto your Thrivent account
or call Thrivent to see if you have choice dollars. If you do not choose where your money is to
go, Thrivent will make the choice for you.
The Secret Pals from last year were revealed at the Ladies Christmas Party.
There were surprises as to who had their names because they just knew it was someone else.
The new “2016 Pals” were drawn, even though we are few in numbers I am hoping for a
fantastic time again keeping your Pal guessing who you are. Remember to acknowledge your
new “Pal” on their birthday, anniversary, holidays and just a note to remind them someone ca-
res. Small gifts from the heart are the best or a note slipped into their mailbox in the
Narthex helps to make their day.
“May each day of the New Year bring happiness, good cheer and sweet surprises…
to you and all your dear ones have a Happy New Year!”
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Volunteer Opportunities
THRIFT SHOP: We are in DIRE need of people to help staff our Thrift Shop.
Dire really doesn’t describe it…this is an urgent plea! We need your help if we are going to keep
the doors open. All we are asking is ONE DAY PER MONTH. We serve so many people in our
community by providing clothing vouchers and affordable clothing and housewares. Please
prayerfully consider volunteering just one day a month from 9:30am-2:00pm; Wed thru Sat.
You can pick your day!
Contact Evelyn Adickes, Frances Beutow or the church office to volunteer.
SEWING: WE NEED YOUR HELP! We sew simple quilts for Lutheran World Relief.
The sewing is simple and straight forward but we need a few people to lend a hand. This is the
perfect opportunity to learn to sew as the sewing is very simple! We have jobs for sewers and
not sewers. No experience necessary; just a willing heart! They meet on Tuesday mornings at
9:00am and are usually finished by 11:00am. Please contact the church office for all the details.
This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord's people
but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.
2 Corinthians 9:12
We are in need of Elders, Communion Assistants, Usher, Altar Guild and Acolytes for
2016. Signup sheets are now posted in the narthex on the bulletin board in the side hallway.
Please stop by and sign up! If you are an Elder, please remember to sign up for Elder duty
and Communion Assistant. Thank you!
NOTE: The Altar Flower Chart for 2016 is also posted. If you would like to sign up for a special
Sunday, please do so. We have places for 2 sign for each week or you may choose to provide
both vases or both plants for that special Sunday. Please take time to sign up now to ensure
you have the Sunday you want.
Sunday Volunteers Needed for 2016!
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Marketing Committee
On December 12th, St. Mark had a float in the Conroe Christmas parade. The weather was
very questionable. We had a nice drizzle before the parade, but the rain held off until after the
parade was over. Phyllis Davidson, Dana Pyle, Nichole with her three children, along with
Jewell and Kyle participated in the parade. Thank you John Walling for driving the truck and
Justin Holiday for donating a trailer. I really appreciate the people that attended the parade
this year. The streets were filled with people watching the parade.
The next marketing event is: February 20 - Go Texan Parade
Please plan to attend the parade.
President
John Walling
Vice President
Don Beutow
Secretary
Dennis Umlang
Treasurer
Jay Storms
Financial Secretary
Victor Schultz
Board of Missions
Vernon Embry
Pastor Graf
Tom LeBlanc
Elders
Don Beutow
Mark Dube
Melvin Gessner
Chris Laurence
Dana Pyle
Ralph Schuette
Philip Schumpe
Danny Shannon
Dennis Umlang
John Walling
Board of Christian Education
Russell Frosch
Chris Laurence
Dana Pyle
Philip Schumpe
Financial Review Committee
David Hinterberger
George Hughes
Victor Schultz
Nomination Committee
David Hinterberger
David Pyle, Sr.
Finance (Stewardship) Board
David Davidson, Sr.
Melvin Gessner
Victor Schultz
Trustees
David Davidson, Sr.
David Pyle, Sr.
Robert Sander
Danny Shannon
Jerone Theiss
2016 Church Officers
Thrift Shop News After many years of faithful service, Merlette Dottei has retired as the bookkeeper for the
Thrift Shop. We thank you so much for all the work that you have done for the Thrift Shop!
Mary Embry has graciously volunteered to accept that position. Thank you Mary!
We are in EXTREME need of Thrift Shop Volunteers!
Please contact Evelyn Adickes, Frances Beutow, or the church office if you can help. a
Thrift Shop Meeting—Tuesday, January 12th at 9:30am
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Jan. 6 Epiphany Service 7:00pm May 22 Voters Meeting & Potluck Lunch
Jan. 10 Sunday School: Ice Skating June 19 Father’s Day
Jan. 24 New Member Dinner July 11-15 Vacation Bible School
Jan. 31 Baby Shower for Emily Cockran Aug. 6 St. Mark Garage Sale
Feb. 7 Super Bowl Sunday Aug. 14 Sunday School: Roller Skating
Feb. 10 Ash Wednesday Aug. 28 Voter’s Meeting and Potluck
Feb. 20 Go Texan Parade - Conroe Oct. 15 Spaghetti Dinner & Auction
Feb. 28 Voters Meeting & Potluck Lunch Nov. 20 Voter’s Meeting & Potluck Lunch
Mar. 26 Easter Egg Hunt Nov. 24 Thanksgiving
Mar. 27 Easter Sunday Dec. 4 Ladies Christmas Party
April 20 Confirmation Questioning Dec. 11 Sunday School Christmas Party
April 24 Confirmation Dec. 18 Children’s Christmas Service
May 1 Church Picnic Dec. 24 Christmas Eve (7:00pm)
May 6 Mother / Daughter Banquet Dec. 25 Christmas Day (10:00am)
May 8 Mother’s Day Dec. 31 New Year’s Eve (7:00pm)
Church Events 2016
Just some of the things we have in store...others will be added as they become available.
Lutherans for Life - Bus Trip to Austin
Sunday, January 23rd
9th annual bus trip to Austin for Life! Cost is $10 per adult. Charter bus departs
from Our Savior Lutheran Church at 8:00am and will return by 7:00pm.
To learn more visit http://www.texasrallyforlife.org/
Overnight Youth Trip to Austin! There is also a special youth bus
for 9th-12th graders. Transportation and lodging is FREE, but you
need to bring money for meals. Reserve your spot today by
contacting Pastor David Vandercook: 713-290-9087 #209.
Wedding Anniversaries
Baptismal Birthdays
3 Campbell Dube
Mary Ann Laird
Art Stamm
Ethel Stark
6 Weston Aden
Judy Gessner
8 Dianne Jones
Daniel Sample
9 Camaryn Ward
10 Lorie Duplantier
Erin Stephens
Patricia Trenary
11 Michele Scheler
12 Emily Miller
13 Shirley Enyart
Courtney Martin
Ken Starr
14 Michelle Klein
15 Victoria Shaw
Pat Stavinoha
16 Aria Quail
17 Bert Schulze
18 Eric Fossler
22 Robert Lindgren
Pastor Parker
23 Dean Gunder
Grady Harrell
24 Gloria Hunt
25 Kris Ward
26 Stacey Aden
28 Rebekah Schumpe
Zakariah Shannon
29 Denise Bernard
30 James Lamendola
3 Mark Parker
Art Stamm
4 Meghan Clancy
6 Amelda Sump
8 Guage Savage
9 Kyle Steen
10 Craig Sample II
12 Christopher Thorn-
ton
13 Randy Ahrlett
Malcolm Enyart
14 Bobby Sander
17 Virginia Hendrix
18 Bert Schulze
22 Betty Hardy
23 Alvarine Neumann
24 Kelcie King
Sarah (Quail) Le
26 Aria Quail
27 Danny Shannon I
Ashley Walling
30 Emily Miller
4 James & Helen
Thornton
5 Tom & Paula
LeBlanc
10 George & Bonnie
Hughes
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Our Response to God’s Love in Christ...
as shown by our interest in His Word and Communion since the last newsletter:
Jan. 3 - Poinsettias
Jan. 10 - Poinsettias
Jan. 17 - Available
Jan. 24 - Philip & Carol Schumpe in celebration of Rebekah’s 7th birthday.
Jan 31 - Vernon & Mary Embry in celebration of Larry’s birthday.
Nov. 22
Divine Service
Nov. 29 Divine Service
Dec. 6 Divine Service
Dec. 13 Divine Service
Church attendance 148 155 151 113
Partook of Communion 114 114 117 87
Bible Class Attendance 16 15 16 13
Sunday School Attendance 13 8 12 9
General Fund Offerings $4,674.00 $7,751.00 $6,310.86 $4,841.25
Voters Meeting
Sunday, February 28, 2016
Please plan now to join us.
St. Mark Lutheran Church
2100 Tickner Street • Conroe, TX. 77301
Church Office (936) 756-6335 • Fax (936) 756-3796
Fellowship Hall (936) 756-5434 • Thrift Shop (936) 756-5388
Email [email protected] • Website www.stmarkconroe.org
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all things shall be added unto you.
Matthew 6:33
