1. Art and Diseño

February 2015
Faith UCC
970 N. Loop 337
New Braunfels, TX 78130
Glimpses of Faith Newsletter
Church Phone 625-6761
www.faithuccnb.org
Rev. Scott B. Martin, Pastor
Cell Phone 515-2866
Rev. Ray Bizer, Pastor Emeritus
_________________________________________________
The ELCA Lutherans were in New Braunfels for
an annual meeting this past week. The main
speaker was Leonard Sweet. He makes the
claim that Jesus was a "foodie". Sweet quotes
Jean LeClerc who describes the gospel Jesus
proclaimed in word and deed as "eating good food with bad people." His enemies said he
was a "wine bibber and a glutton."
Sweet is on to something here. He points out that Jesus was born in manger, a feeding
trough and before his arrest and crucifixion he is at the "Last Supper" with his disciples. One of
the first things he does after his resurrection in one gospel is to make breakfast for the disciples.
In between his birth, death and resurrection Jesus first miracle was at a wedding feast when he
changes the water into wine. In another miracle he is noted for "feeding the 5,000". When
Jesus talks about the Kingdom of God he often speaks in terms of banquets and tables. He
describes wedding feasts, speaks of the first being last and the last first, of going out into the
highways and byways to invite outcasts into the feast. One of his best known parables is about
the Prodigal Son coming home to an incredible feast in his honor. In another parable he tells
the tale of Dives and Lazarus. Jesus lived out his ministry by eating over and over again with
saints and sinners and being equally happy to do so with both, maybe even more happy to eat
with sinners. In discussing faith with a gentile woman she speaks to Jesus of dogs eating
scraps from the table. Jesus is amazed at her faith and persistence. In a way he tells this story
on himself, even though in a certain light it made him look bad, yet it goes to his central vision of
the kingdom of God as a banquet to which everyone is invited.
Sweet takes off from this to talk about the centrality of the communion table to which ALL are
truly welcomed, where all can find spiritual nourishment, where all can find fellowship and
community. More than this Sweet invited us to consider the importance of our own dinner
tables and meals at home. How can they too reflect kingdom values? How can they model
community and be a source of spiritual nourishment?
Sweet asks, "What are the first and last commandments of the Bible? He answers, “First
commandment and final commandment to humans in the Bible? ‘Eat freely’, Gen 2:16 NASB, and
‘Drink freely’, Rev 22:17. Everything in between these two commands is a table, and on that table is
served a life-course meal, where we feast in our hearts with thanksgiving on the very Bread of Life
and the Cup of Salvation: Jesus the Christ.” This is from Sweet's new book, "From Tablet to Table:
Register now for February 28 Open and Affirming Convocation
WHEN: Saturday, February 28, 2015 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
WHERE: Church of the Savior in Cedar Park (Austin), Texas
KEYNOTE SPEAKER: Bishop Alex Byrd, Co-Pastor of Living Faith Covenant Church in
Dallas, and Regional Bishop for the South in the Fellowship of Affirming Ministries.
COST: $35 Advance Registration. $50 Late Registration (after February 21, 2015).
OFFERING: to benefit the UCC ONA Coalition. Checks should be made to South Central
Conference.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/south-central-conference2015-open-and-affirming-ona-convocation-tickets15463787605
CONTACT FOR MORE INFO: Cheryl von Ehrenkrook,
Minister for Specialized Ministries, (817) 475-3308 or
[email protected].
Bishop Alex D. Byrd is a vessel of God anointed to bring
healing, restoration and empowerment to the Body of Christ. Since beginning his preaching
ministry at the age of 8 years old, he has remained a student of the scriptures and of the Holy
Spirit. His message and practice of Relational Christianity has been forged through continual
prayer, fasting and consecration. The driving force behind his
ministry has been his love for God and the people of God.
Bishop Byrd has a God-given burden for the Church and its
relevance in the twenty-first century. Focusing on
contemporary hot topics such as human sexual diversity,
gender inequality, racial tensions, economic disparity and the
devaluation of the youth culture, he believes that the message
of the Gospel brings liberation from all forms of oppression,
whether spiritual, social, or psychological.
In 1999, Bishop Byrd began the process of developing a
church that married the spirituality of the Pentecostal Movement to a strong social justice
motivation. That process culminated on August 6, 2000 in the opening of Living Faith Church of
the Full Covenant, now called Living Faith Covenant Church. His unwavering message of
"Jesus & Justice" has been the foundation of the work of this church, heavily involved in
community.
Reminder to Mix it Up
and Get to Know Others Better
I want to share a story with you as a lead-in to one
of my concerns. When I was running my resort
business in the woods of northern Wisconsin, I would
shut it down in October and return to the Chicago
suburbs for the winter. During that time I would
substitute at six different schools. During the first
year I realized a phenomenon with which I would
have to cope. I had to eat my lunch alone!
Here is how it went. When I would get to the
faculty lunchroom I would sit down at an open table
and start my lunch. It never failed that I would not
have anybody sit down with me. So I started being a little creative and if I was in a two or three
day subbing role I would make sure on the second day to sit at a table where I had seen a few
people the day before. And sure enough, they would come in and choose another table.
Fortunately I didn’t take this phenomenon personally as I recognized how much we are all
creatures of habit.
The reason for my story is my concern about our fellowship hour after worship on
Sundays. It is not unusual to see someone who is a visitor or even some of our new members,
sit down at a table and no one joins them. Like the normal humans we are, we tend to sit down
with our usual friends. Now this is not always the case, but I still have concerns when it
happens. So I want to encourage all of us to be aware of this phenomenon. Fellowship hour is
a real opportunity to get to know someone better. After all, we have just shared the peace of
God with them. So let our visit be a continued sharing of that peace.
By the way, in each of the second and third years I had a six week assignment. As I made
friends in the department I could finally join them at the lunch table. As always, I feel the
church is one place we stand apart from the “norms” of
our society. So let’s make friends in fellowship hour
without waiting until we know them better! ....
Peace, my friends,
Jack
(from our sister church in Orange City, Florida, First
Congregational UCC)
February Birthdays
2-2 Sandy Ludwig
2-27 Merle Kosler
If your birthday is not here please let the pastor know so we can update the birthday list.
Thank You Letters
Eden Hill
Please accept our gratitude for the church congregation's
recent donation. Eden Hill Communities has evolved into an institution
singularly positioned to serve seniors from all stations in life and with the
broadest spectrum of healthcare services. Donor generosity and our
institutional stability, longevity, and track record in healthcare delivery have
allowed Eden Hill to proceed with a major campus expansion and
corporate repositioning in the senior care marketplace. These
improvements are an expression of our passion and desire to emerge even stronger and to do
more as a not-for-profit center of excellence in senior care, services, and housing. Please thank
the Faith UCC family and the church council for engaging as loyal donors and for touching the
lives of our residents, residents families, and staff.
Sincerely, Becky Huff, Chief Development Officer
Slumber Falls Camp
We extend a very special thank
you for your consideration of $136.75 that we received on
December 31, 2014. We are certainly blessed by Churches
like yours who keep us in mind. In tough economic times
like these, our ministry is especially dependent on those
who support us through financial contributions. Our camp
and retreat program is a vital part of the ministry of the
wider church. Please know that we are extremely grateful
to have your support. Together with God's grace and your
willing partnership, we will continue the ministry of Slumber Falls Camp.
Sincerely, Rev. Charles L. Stark, Director of Outdoor Ministry
Back Bay Mission
Thank you for your generous gift to
Back Bay Mission! Your gift to Friends of the Mission make
it possible to meet the most urgent needs of the poor and
marginalized of the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Your gift is at
work helping a homeowner stay in their home, providing a
homeless person with an apartment, giving someone
enough food to make it to their next paycheck, and in many
other ways. Most importantly, your gift is at work making
sure that Back Bay Mission is here to provide a safe and
welcoming environment to everyone who comes through our
doors. Thank you for partnering with us through your
generous gift. We - and those we serve - are ever grateful.
Grace and Peace, Rev. Alice Graham, PhD, Executive Director
Ash Wednesday Taize Service February 18th
Ash Wednesday on February 18th begins the 2015 Lenten
season. We will have an Ash Wednesday Service at 7 p.m. It
will not only include a time for the traditional imposition of ashes
and communion. This Taize style service is a great way to
begin the Lenten Season.
Lenten Study: First Half of the Gospel of Mark
We will be using a brand new UCC Bible Study series during Lent.
We will be looking at the first eight chapters of the Gospel of Mark. It
was developed by Rev. Talitha Arnold, Senior Pastor at the United
Church of Christ of Santa Fe, New Mexico. She say "Mark seeks to
strengthen his readers, and us, in that faith. From the very first
verse, his focus is on the good news that this Jesus is who he
said he was - the One worth listening to, the One worth following,
the One worth giving your life for. This is the Jesus we meet in the pages of Mark. That's
reason enough to read this urgent, raw Gospel."
In the introduction to this bible study it is stated that "our primary purpose is to listen and
hear God speak. That also means that it is not our primary purpose to teach you all
about the Bible or all about a particular book of the Bible.....the primary purpose is not
simply learning information about the Bible. It is hearing God speak. There is a
difference." To this end each family will receive a workbook and the workbook has suggested
homework to be done BEFORE each session. The goal is to both help prepare you for each
session but also to enhance your experience and allow the winds of the Spirit to blow!
We will meet on Tuesday nights from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. and this class will be repeated on
Wednesday mornings from 10:30 to noon.
Lenten Coin Bank & Lenten Calendar to Benefit Habitat for Humanity
This year's Lenten Coin bank offering is going to go to our local Habitat
for Humanity Program. The local affiliate is planning on an "Apostles Build"
this year. 12 churches or coalition of churches will come together to build a
house here in New Braunfels. Apostle Build Churches will: pray, raise
money for the house, volunteer and provide leadership for the building
project. The founder of Habitat, Millard Fuller, said, “The theology of the
hammer is about bringing a wide diversity of people, churches, and
other organizations together to build houses and establish viable and
dynamic communities. It is acknowledging that differences of opinion
exist on numerous subjects—political, philosophical and
theological—but that we can find common ground in using a hammer
as an instrument to manifest God’s love. Even though there may be strong differences
on all sorts of things—baptism, communion, what night to have prayer meeting, and how
the preacher should dress, for example—we can agree on the imperative of the gospel to
serve others in the name of the Lord.” Stay tuned for more info on this exciting project!
February Worship Assistant List
2/1
Liturgist: Bill Burns
Acolyte: Adam Gossett
Council Rep: Michael Reinert
Greeter: John Reinert
Communion: Kathy Leber
Hospitality: Florence Burns
Ushers: John & Michael Reinert; Bill & Florence Burns
Children's : Michelle Perry, Nicolle Clark
AV: Tim Marlow
Confirmation Lunch: Dan & Vicky Geisler
2/8
Liturgist: Hulen Brown
Greeter: Wil Brown
Acolyte: Devyn Perry
Hospitality: Florence Burns
Council Rep: Mikki Ward
AV: Jan Hunley
Ushers: Joe & Mikki Ward; Wil Brown; Bill Burns
Children's Church: Joe Ward & Tim Marlow
2/15
Liturgist: Donna Myer
Acolyte: Fisher Marlow
Greeter: Steve Foster
Hospitality: Nancy Foster
Council Rep: Kyle Kramm
AV: Tim Marlow
Ushers: Kyle Kramm; Steve & Nancy Foster; David Myer
Conf. Lunch: Perry-Clarks
Children's Church: Kathy Leber & Kyle Kramm
2/22
Liturgist: Charles Stark
Council Rep: Wil Brown
Greeter: Hulen Brown
AV:
Acolyte: Grace Perry
Hospitality: Karen Dietz
Ushers: Wil & Hulen Brown; Jim Gossett; Charles Stark
Conf. Lunch: Gossett's
Notice: If you cannot serve on the designated date/dates
shown, please try to find a substitute. If that is not
possible, please leave a message at the church office (830625-6761) as soon as possible. If you would like to be
removed from or added to all or part of the Worship
Assistant List, please contact the church office (830-625-6761).
Financial Report
(as of December 31, 2014)
General Fund..................... $13,152
General Fund Savings..... $8,882.14
Building Fund.................. $2,541.51
Memorial Fund................ $4,364.24
Gilbert Fund.................... $4,535.87
Summer Camp at Slumber Falls
The 2015 camp calendar is out. It's on the kiosk in the entry way. There are also camp
brochures on the literature table. Don't forget Faith Church offers 50% scholarships for all
camps! Register and pay in full by April 1st and receive an early bird discount of $20! Bring a
Friend Discount of $25 for a returning camper and first time camper friend. There is a family
discount for A$20 per camper if 3+ campers from the same immediate family are registered.
CIT campers receive a $200 discount. There is a Military Discount of $40 with a military ID.
For further details check out the camp website www.slumberfalls.org You can also register
online.
Don't forget to like Slumber Falls on Facebook for the latest camp info at
facebook.com/SlumberFallsCamp. You can also follow camp on twitter@slumberfalls.
If you have any questions about Camp or our Outdoor Ministry program, please feel free to
contact:
Rev. Charles L. Stark
Director of Outdoor Ministry
830-625-2212
[email protected]
Thank You From Family Promise Family
Thank you Michelle and to all the volunteers that served food and to all who played
games with my daughter. We enjoyed our stay and we want to thank you.
God Bless!
Thank You From the Open & Affirming Coalition of the UCC
Thank you for your generous support over the past year. It is because of donors like you
that we are able to work toward our goal of 100% ONA churches in the United Church of
Christ. 100% i sour theme at this year's National Gathering. (for information on National
Gathering, including on-line registration, please visit our website:
www.openandaffirming.org
February Calendar
2/1
worship 10:30 a.m.
2/2-3
Confirmation 12:30-2 p.m.
Clergy Retreat at Slumber Falls Camp
2/8
Worship 10:30 a.m. 12:30-2 p.m. Confirmation Service Project at SOS Food Bank
2/9
Church Council Meeting 7 p.m.
2/15 Worship 10:30 a.m.
12:30-2 p.m. Confirmation
2/17 Pastor's Lunch at Eden Hill 11:30-1 p.m.
2/18 Ash Wednesday Service 7 p.m.
2/19-21
Pastor at Back Bay Mission Board Meeting in Biloxi
2/19 PFLAG in Seguin 7 p.m.
2/20 SOS Food Bank 1-4 p.m.
2/21
Slumber Falls Work Camp (register on the camp website)
2/22
Worship 10:30 a.m.
2/24
Lenten Study 6:30-8 p.m.
2/25
Lenten Study 10:30-Noon (a repeat from Tuesday night)
Confirmation 12:30 - 2 p.m.
2/28 Open and Affirming Convocation at Church of the Savior in Cedar Park 10 a.m. to
4 p.m.