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The Bell April 2018

Well known author, pastor, and leadership expert, John Max-well, wrote “Change is inevitable. Growth is optional.” As I reflect on that statement in my mind and life, I can say that both parts are true. Everyone is constantly changing and adapting to their surround-ings and circumstances. This is true whether or not we like, or even, embrace it. But are we “growing?” If the word “change” was not tricky enough, “growth” is even trickier. That is because we think of “growth” in terms of measurable quantities such as attendance, home runs, and other things that we can number. But is that the definition of Biblical growth (or change for that matter)? It isn’t.

To understand Biblical change and better, Biblical growth, we need to consider the first two verses of Genesis. “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was empty, a formless mass cloaked in darkness. And the Spirit of God was hovering over its surface.” (Genesis1:1-2, NLT) There are numerous biblical stories of change; the exodus, the transfiguration, even Easter! If we look carefully at the Genesis verses, and other biblical stories of change, we probably should use a different word altogether because God is not interested in change for the sake of change. God is interested in something else entirely. What other words could be used? Wait for it for a mo-ment and ponder again these thoughts from Genesis; the earth was empty, a formless mass, cloaked in darkness. Do we see it yet? The biblical story of change is best described as “creation, “rebirth,” “transfiguration,” and even “resurrection.” That means to be a Christian and follow God is to be con-stantly changing, but not changing just to be changing. It means as Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 3:18 “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.” The same word written transformed is the same word from the Transfiguration of Jesus’ story. We might be getting older or some other idea of change measured by clocks, calendars, and counts but are we growing in Christ? Are we moving by God’s grace, from chaos and emptiness to form and meaning? Remember God made a BIG change when he created the heavens and the universe. Simply put, the Bible is a story of constant change – change that moves us ever closer to the im-age of God for us as individuals, a church, a community, a synod, a world…. God is interested in change rooted in Creation and Life as found in most every major Biblical story and is woven into cove-nants with Abraham and David. Change is us! And lastly Easter! I pray that Easter changes your life in a big way. It does mine.

Together in Christ’s service,

Pastor Rusty

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Maundy Thursday 3/29, 12 noon or 6:30 p.m.

Blessed to serve; fed and forgiven.

Good Friday 3/30, 12 noon

Jesus our King reigns from the cross.

Easter Festival Worship 4/1, 9:30a.m.

Easter Breakfast, flowering the cross, and Easter

Egg hunt begin at 10:30 a.m.

FEED MY SHEEP

Thank you to all who helped supply food and time for the March offering. Please consider how you can help; prepare, serve, cleanup? A sign up sheet is located in Fellowship Hall. The next “Feed My Sheep” will take place on Saturday, April 21. We will provide 25 dozen sandwiches, sweet treats, bananas, and water bottles for 150 sack lunches.

In Our Prayers

Members

Janet Murphy—Vernell Wiemers Hattie Lange—Charlotte Goeke Shirley Gilliland—Mary Carlson

Christine Berkland—Minnie Meyer Edna Hurta— Gloria Jackson—Jack Donlon John & Lorene Glaser—William McBride

Non-Members Michele Hander (Marjorie Krueger)

Peter Campbell (Pastor Rusty)

Prayers for our Homebound Members Jeanette Bedrich—Lee Fuhrmann

Edna Hughes—Irene Pagel—Laverne Vanicek John & Lorene Glaser—John Harlan

Hattie Lange

Prayers for those who are in Nursing Facilities

Mary Lou Springer, Ruby Dana, Freddie Schroeder, Betty Youmens, Marge Fuhrman,

Ann Schmidt, Rosalie Tubbs, Albert Swanzy, Toni Gates, Lloyd & Ruby Blankemeir

Prayers for those serving in our Military:

General Mark Simerly— Jimmie Pike Logan Hales (Joyce Petty)

Mathew Dennis Willard Steele (Mildred Gandy)

Chris Doughty (Mike Tubbs)

FLC Happenings

WELCA Spring Gathering

April 14 is getting closer! That’s the

day of the Spring Gathering.

Registration forms are available on

the WELCA bulletin board in the

Fellowship Hall. All women of First Lutheran

are invited! If you’d like to donate some

finger food goodies for morning coffee (8:30)

that day, please sign up on the sheet on the

table in the Fellowship Hall.

Church Women of the Temple Area

The women of First Lutheran are invited to the

CWTA annual Silver Tea fund raiser. It will

be on Thursday afternoon, April 5, from 2:00

to 4:00 at the home of Mickey and Jane Wade,

7568 Boutwell East in Temple. The income

from this fund raiser supports CWTA’s

projects: Churches Touching Lives for Christ,

Helping Hands Ministry of Belton, Central

Texas Youth Services Bureau, and Central

Texas 4C (Head Start Program).

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Harvey & Frances

Zuehlke

Harvey Zuehlke was born on August 22, 1946 in Temple. He has four brothers and two sisters. Harvey was baptized at St. Paul Luther-an Church at the Grove on September 22, 1946. He grew up in White Hall. He started school in Moody and finished there in 1964. Harvey was confirmed at First Lutheran on March 6, 1960. He attended Temple Commercial Business Col-

lege. He spent a total of seven years in the Reserve and the Navy. He went to work for American National Insurance Co. in August of 1971 and retired Octo-ber 31, 2014. Now he relaxes in his recliner every chance that he gets. Harvey joined First Lutheran in 1960, where he has been an active member as an usher for many years. He has been a Youth Sponsor, been on the Church Council and Parish Education and now is active in the choir.

Harvey and Frances met in Eddy, Texas in August 1971 and were married on June 10, 1972 in Waxahachie, then moved to White Hall. Harvey and Frances have three children- Angela, Karen, and Steven and 2 grandchildren- Logan and Skyler.

Frances was born in Waxahachie on November 22, 1948 and grew up in the First Christian Church, where she was baptized on April 2, 1961. She gradu-ated from Waxahachie High School in May of 1967. She attended Tarleton State College and graduated in May of 1972. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in general business with emphasis in accounting. Francis joined First Lutheran in 1973, where she has been active as a Sunday School Teacher, a Youth Sponsor, has taken the Youth to the National Youth Gathering, a volunteer Choir Direc-tor, served on Parish Ed Committee, altar guild, a money counter, and hymn leader. Francis worked as a telephone operator, legal assistant, church secretary, and has done accounting work for several Auto Dealerships. She retired from Scott and White accounting department in July of 2015 after 19 years. Now she catches up on her reading and cooking.

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Council Updates Council Highlights

Submitted by Lorna Brockette, Council President

-Council voted NOT to have Polka Worship this year, due to the fact that expenses surpassed the offering from last year’s service. -There will be a special collection on April 22 for the NTNL Assembly. -An Outreach Committee is in the process of being formed. -The congregation has been collecting socks for Palm Sunday to donate to the homeless. -Council voted to continue having one service at 9:30 a.m. through August. If attendance rises, the situation will be reaccessed.

Council meets on the second Sunday of each month at 11:15am.

Anyone is welcome to attend with advance notice to the President.

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APR 1 APR 8 APR 15 APR 22 APR 29

Worship

Assistant

Jurgen Schmidt Keith Maxwell Laura Bridges Jon Wallin Marlene VanPelt

Communion

Servers

Marlene VanPelt

LaVerne Wood Barbara Johnson Joyce Melvin Laura Bridges

Communion

Presenters

Jon & Brenda Wallin

Pat Contrucci Barbara Johnson Molly Kirk Lula Lukens

Communion

Monitor

Offering

Counters

Kathy Winter &

Frances Zuehlke

Caroline Fagan & Charlotte Goeke

Roberta Dennis &

Joy Zuehlke

Diann Anderson & Paula Goynes

Sandy Crockett & Pat Contrucci

Lay Readers Lorraine Brians Kay Matous Joy Zuehlke Diann Anderson Brooke Wallin

Altar Guild

Ushers

Greeters FH:

The Wallins

FH: Lorraine Brians &

Lorna

Brockette

FH: Marlene VanPelt & Yvonne

Haudek

FH: Betty & Bobby Malovets

FH: Molly Kirk & Lula Lukens

Hymn

Leaders

Birgit Marbach Kurt Rager Danelle Rodefer Frances Zuehlke Danelle Rodefer

Altar

Flowers

Easter Larry Gossett Kay Matous Open Open

Harvey Zuehlke & Jurgen Schmidt (Head), Don Geers, Ken Morgan,

Joe Zuehlke, Bobby Malovets

Before: Molly Kirk & Cheryl Maxwell

After: LaVerne Boehme & Lorraine Brians

Molly Kirk or Cheryl Maxwell

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MAY 6 MAY 13 MAY 20 MAY 27

Worship

Assistant

Jurgen Schmidt Sandy Crockett Keith Maxwell Laura Bridges

Communion

Servers

Molly Kirk, Marlene

VanPelt, Lorraine

Brians, Laverne

Wood

Lorna Brockette Robert

Kirkpatrick

Lorraine Brians

Communion

Presenters

Joy Zuehlke Lorraine Brians Joyce Melvin Wallins

Communion

Monitor

Offering

Counters

Kathy Winter &

Frances Zuehlke

Caroline Fagan & Charlotte Goeke

Roberta Dennis &

Joy Zuehlke

Diann Anderson & Paula Goynes

Lay Readers Jon Wallin Laura Bridges Molly Kirk Barbara Hargrove

Altar Guild

Ushers

Greeters FH: Paula Goynes & Diann Anderson

FH: Dee Obermiller & Helen Simcik

FH: Steve Aaron & Jean Sladek Stephens

FH: Ron Gates & Marie Friemal

Hymn Leaders Birgit Marbach Kurt Rager Danelle Rodefer Frances Zuehlke

Altar

Flowers

Sophie Sodek Larry Gossett Pentecost Open

Paul Sutter & Jurgen Schmidt (Head), Greg Fagan, Jason Sutter,

Steve Aaron, Bobby Malovets

Before: Pam Oman & Dianne Becker

After: Sandy Crockett & Angie McBride

Pam Oman or Dianne Becker

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Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

8 9 10 11 12 13 14

15 16 17 18 19 20 21

22 23 24 25 26 27 28

29 30

Feed My

Sheep

(9:30AM-

12N)

Quilters (1PM) Prayer (1PM) Fellowship Committee (4:30PM) Worship Com. (5:30PM)

Quilters (9AM)

Thursday Club (9:30-1:30PM) Men in Mission (7PM)

Choir Practice (9AM) Easter Worship (9:30AM) Easter Breakfast & Egg Hunt (10:30AM)

Dorcas

Esther

Circle

(2PM)

Thursday Club

(9:30-1:30PM)

Thursday Club

(9:30-1:30PM)

Thursday Club

(9:30-1:30PM)

Knit &

Crochet

(1:30PM)

Knit & Crochet (1:30PM)

Quilters (1PM) Prayer (1PM) Property Committee (5PM)

Choir Practice (9AM) Worship (9:30AM) Council Meeting (11AM)

Choir Practice (9AM) Worship (9:30AM) Hymn Committee Mtg. (11AM)

Choir Practice (9AM) Worship (9:30AM)

Quilters (9AM)

Office

Closed

Bob Kalkbrenner (1st), Casin Sellears (5th), Dale Kaulfus (6th), Brooke Wallin (8th), Jaeden Ham-

mond (9th), LaVerne Boehme (13th), Rosalie Tubbs (13th), Alyssa Kerr (15th), Paula Goynes

(22nd), Melanie Hammond (28th), Haley Kerr (30th), Lauren Stone (30th)

WELCA Spring Gathering

Choir Practice (9AM) Worship (9:30AM)

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APRIL 2018

Our Mission

To love and serve Christ in our

Community in the unity of the Holy Spirit

First Lutheran Church

1515 West Adams Ave

Temple, TX 76504-2451

Return Service Requested Phone: (254) 773-9975

Website: www.firstlutherantemple.org

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