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

August 2019 Volume 22 No. 8

First Things First …

Daily Devotionals by Peter Kennedy:

Devotional - Pray Continually

In Belfast, Ireland, in the 1930’s, a church that ran about 200 attendees experienced revival.

Between 12 and 20 people were saved every night. Every morning at 6 a.m. found 50 people in

the church praying for an hour.

J. Edwin Orr described one of these prayer meetings. The prayers were short, simple, to the

point. Someone prayed for God to reach her wayward son who had gotten into bad company.

There was a chorus of “Amens” and “yes, Lords.” One prayed, “Lord, bless the poor woman

down the street, the one with the black eye. I’ll try to bring her tonight.” Someone prayed for

God to bring conviction and conversion to the man who gave her the black eye.

An hour of prayer like this every morning preceded the 12 to 20 souls saved every night. Orr

continued describing this prayer meeting.

“A second year theological student was in the meeting, and these brief, humble prayers ill-

suited his idea of homiletics. He decided to show the folks how to pray, and soon was launched

upon an oration with introduction, excellent paragraphing, and a theme running throughout the

prayer.

“‘We thank Thee, Heavenly Father, that in spite of the disobedience of our first parents, the

seed of the woman didst bruise the serpent’s head, and Thy plan didst triumph. We thank Thee,

that in spite of the wickedness of the antediluvian world, Thou didst shut the family of Noah in

the ark to preserve Thy seed, and Thy plan didst triumph....’

“The theological student prayed on about Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and the children if

Israel, and Moses. He was traveling with great velocity through the book of Second Kings when

the minister interrupted him. ‘Open your eyes, man,’ he said. ‘You’re not praying. You’re

preaching a sermon.’

Orr concludes: “We returned to the profitable intercession and sincere petition and we saw the

answers come.”

Let your prayers come from your heart, not the print in a book. Today in prayer, open your heart

to the Lord and talk to Him in prayer.

“Conversational prayer is a dialogue with God, not a monologue to God.” – Mark Stepherson

God’s Word: “giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord

Jesus Christ,” – Ephesians 5:20

--- Posted by Peter Kennedy on Monday Jul 22, 2019 under DEVOTIONS IN Thessalonians

“pray continually” – 1 Thessalonians 5:18, Copyright 2019, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN 1 & 2 THESSALONIANS

First School

And Day Care ews

First School currently has 79 children. We have had a busy summer and we are getting ready to kick off our Vacation Bible School week. First School appreciates our volunteers from the church that are helping make this happen. We are so grateful to Cindy Matthews and Kim Ledwig for helping. This is our second year we have had our VBS and both years they have stepped up and volunteered their time and talents. The children absolutely loved our program last year and even talked about it for months and wanted to continue. The VBS week has such a spiritual impact on our children and we are so grateful to be able to provide this program.

Soon our kids will be heading back to school so keep our schoolers in your prayers!

Many Blessings, Bree Joines First School Director

First School Board Meeting – Tuesday, August 13th, 5:30 p.m.

08/04 Psalm 107:1-9,43; Hosea 11:1-11, Colossians 3:1-11, Luke 12:13-21

08/11 Psalm 50:1-8,22-23; Isaiah 1:1,10-20, Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16, Luke 12:32-40

08/18 Psalm 80:1-2,8-19; Isaiah 5:1-7, Hebrews 11:29-12;2, Luke 12:49-56

08/25 Psalm 71:1-6; Jeremiah 1:4-10, Hebrews 12:18-29, Luke 13:10-17

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!

The Women of the Word are planning the

September monthly birthday party for the residents at Garden Villa. In the past we have

needed volunteers willing to provide a cake for

the occasion or a small gift for a man or woman. We also need helpers to come out on

the day of the party.

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

08/03 Gaynard Wigginton

08/05 Alvin Yackel

08/05 Larry Young

08/06 Haley Orsak

08/07 Daniela Rodriguez

08/12 Milton Johnson

08/23 Liam Joines

08/27 Nikolas Woodson

08/28 Ronald Chambles

08/31 Ryan Hanna

08/31 Heather Langston

08/01 Dorothy Atchetee

08/01 Jan Nelson

08/01 Diane Stewart

08/03 David Kight

08/06 Dagny Thane

08/13 Helen Kight

08/13 Ruth Speckels

08/25 Matthew Stewart

08/29 Landon Thane

08/31 Ryan Hanna

08/14 Jimmy & Sharon Nielsen

COUNCIL MEETING Thursday, August 15

th

6:00 p.m.

Pray for our loved ones

In the Military

Jake Barosh U.S. Armed Forces

Pastor Clyde Grier:

Phone: 979-541-6173

Our FLC Family

Dorothy Atchetee

Evon & Linda Atchetee

Charles Bard

Ron Chambles

Nora Hollingsworth

Jewel Deen House

Harry & Marilyn Kight

Helen Kight

Kim & Larry Ledwig

John Nelson

Friends of FLC

Vanessa

Eugene Bard

Ernest & Rozell Giesie

Peggy Glaze

Verna Roy

Kim Walker

Monica Harris

Riley Sless

Sherry Morgan

S J Swanson

Shawn

Daniel Wittig

Kim S

Luke Streiferd

Scott Mollnar

List will be cleared on the 1st

in January, April, July

and October. Please help us stay current; call the

office with changes or additions.

WOMEN OF THE WORD

MEETING

Monday, August 12th

6:00 p.m.

WOW Food Drive

Sunday, August 4th

LCMC Annual Gathering

September 29 - October 2, 2019

CHI Health Center

Omaha, Nebraska

Keynote Speakers – Worship -- Fellowship –

Networking – Breakout Sessions

Theme: Listen Up!

To Register: Registration forms are available in the church

office

For more information and to register online:

www.lcmc.net/annual-gathering

Register by August 15th to receive lowest price!!

Camp Eagle was awesome!! (Ask our youth about their fun time at camp.)

Mark your calendars for next year: Camp Eagle --- Summer, 2020 (TBA)

+ + + + +

Thank You!

Thank you to everyone who sent cards,

prayers, and brought food during the time of

my recent surgery. I greatly appreciate it!

Sincerely,

Helen Kight

Semi-Annual

Congregational Meeting

Please mark your calendar for

Sunday, August 25, 2019.

Following worship, we will have a

Potluck Lunch and then our semi-

annual meeting.

Memorial Commemorative Plates

The Church Council is working on updating the Memorial Board located in the side entry to the Fellowship Hall. With recent gifts, we know that some plates need to be added to this board. (For example: Back Pew Cushions – Vernell Bard; Grand Piano – Ellwood Family; Re-furbishing Altar Cross – Lorraine Newton; Sound System – Forrest Newton; White Chairs for Fellowship Hall – Justine Nielsen; Ceiling Fans in Sanctuary – Ingebor Atchetee) We are requesting information on memorial fund designations that may not have been commemorated with an engraved plate. Please contact a council member or the church office.

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1

2 LCMC Texas Faith Lutheran

3 District Gathering Seguin, Texas

4 Sunday School

9:30 AM Worship Service

10:45 AM w/Communion

WOW Food Drive

5

6

7

8

9

10

11 Sunday School

9:30 AM Worship Service 10:45 AM

12

WOW Meeting 6PM

13 First School

Board Meeting 5:30PM

Newsletter Items Due

14

15

Church Council Meeting

6PM

16

17

18 Sunday School 9:30 AM Worship Service 10:45 AM

w/Communion

19

20

21

22 Manna Meals

5-6:30PM FLCEC Team

serves

23

24

25 Sunday School

9:30 AM Worship Service

10:45 AM Congregational

Meeting

26

27

28

29

30

31

August Responsibilities

ASSISTING MINISTER: Daniel Wilfert

SEXTON: Jimmy Nielsen

USHERS: Lynn Talafuse, Ted Schoenfield

ALTAR GUILD: Karen & David Kight

ACOLYTES READER

4th

Cathy Schoenfield 11

th Diane Stewart

18th

Helen Johnson 25

th Lynn Talafuse

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

AUGUST FLOWER

CALENDAR

August 2019

4th

Kirk & Pat Marek

11th

Open

18th

Open

25th

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.

Clyde Grier, Pastor

Helen Marie Kight, Organist Christine Richter, Office Manager

Bree Joines, Director of First School

Join us on FACEBOOK or check us out at

www.FIRSTLUTHERANEC.COM

CHURCH COUNCIL MEMBERS: Sheila Herrington, Milton Johnson, David Kight, Sheila Miller, Jimmy Nielsen,

Cathy Schoenfield & Lynn Talafuse.

Our Newsletter

can be found on

our website at www.firstlutheranec.com

Join us on Sunday mornings!

Sunday School – 9:30 a.m

Worship Service – 10:45 a.m.

A Prayer for Students

Dear Heavenly Father, hear my prayer on behalf

of those students beginning a new year of

school. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of

wisdom” (Psalm 111:10). So grant them, first of

all, a reverent respect of Your will and Your

ways. Through their lessons, guide them to a

proper understanding of their vocation so that

they may grow to serve You by serving their

neighbors. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

--- Portals of Prayer (July-September, 2015) page 116