Weekly Connections

July 7, 2023

Come release your burdens and surrender your worries to Jesus.

SUNDAY, JULY 9

WORSHIP
8:15 a.m. | Sanctuary
10:45 a.m. | Sanctuary + Livestream
“You are My Witnesses;” Psalm 145:8-21 and Matthew 11:1-15. We will celebrate the baptism of Tobias Hartmann at 10:45!

BREAKFAST
9:15 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. | Activity Center
Feed your body and soul before the Learning Hour!

ADULT BIBLE STUDY
9:30 a.m. | Library + Zoom
Join us this week as we discuss 1 Samuel 17. Contact Ruby Cadenhead for more information.

CONVERSATION CAFE
9:45 a.m. | Room 205

NEW TESTAMENT READ-A-THON
9:45 a.m. | Room 204
This week we’ll discuss our thoughts about Acts 5-22. Click here for the reading guide and join us when you can. Contact Megan Getman.

SUNDAY MOVIE MATINEE
12:15 p.m. | Rm 205
This month we watch Journey Film’s documentary on Reinhold Niebuhr, author of the famous “Serenity Prayer,” one of the most influential American theologians, and cited by conservatives and liberals alike, including John McCain, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and Barack Obama. Lunch and popcorn provided! Contact Pr. Tom.

NEXTGEN
Kids in grades 5-12 are invited to come beat the heat with sweet treats, bible study, and games. Contact Joel Timmons.

FLOWERS
Altar Flowers: Given by Herb and Kathy Palmer, in celebration of their 50th wedding Anniversary. Baptismal Font Flowers: Given by Madeline and Molly Hartmann, in celebration of Tobias’ baptism.

EVENTS

Check the calendars on Realm or the website for more details on these events, plus a complete list of additional events including Yoga, Pickleball, Choir and Bells, PALS, and Bread for All.

DAY CAMP DIAPER DRIVE
Today thru Friday, July 14
Help our Day Campers with their service project by donating diapers of any size for Bread for All. Drop donations off in the Gathering Space or Activity Center (Gym), or order online from Costco or Amazon and have them delivered to the church at 3525 Bee Caves Rd, ATX 78746. Contact Joel Timmons.

W.O.W. (Worship on Wednesdays)
Every Wednesday thru July 19
6:30 p.m. | Fellowship Hall in Butterfly Center
Slow down and reset this summer with this short, contemplative worship centered around singing, reading, and reflecting on the Psalms. We’ll finish with ice cream sundaes! Contact Joel Timmons.

LIRS SEMINAR
Saturday, July 15
9 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. | Butterfly Center Chapel
Dan Beirne, Director of Mobilization and Faith Relations for Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS), will be leading an informative and thought-provoking seminar around these complex issues. Come listen and learn, ask questions, and share conversation in a faithful way. We will also hear how LIRS is responding to the Border crisis. Dan, a former Youth Director with Pr. Tom in Naperville, IL, also brings his experiences as a missionary to El Salvador, Mission Developer, and Director of Young Adults in Global Mission at ELCA (YAGM) into his role at LIRS.

Dan will also be preaching and leading Conversation Café on Sunday, July 16^th. Contact Pr. Tom.

TEA FOR TOTS
Saturday, July 15
2:00 p.m. | Activity Center
Last chance to purchase your tickets and support Baby Care Kits by Lutheran World Relief. Bring your friends and fill a table at this fancy afternoon tea with scrumptious finger food, door prizes, silent auction, and a fashion show with clothes from Bokabuku. Contact Kathy Gerhardt.

INTRO TO PICKLEBALL AND MUSIC FOR KIDS (a.k.a. Picklebells)
Wednesday, July 19 + Thursday, July 20
9:00 a.m. – Noon | Activity Center and Sanctuary
This two-day camp is for students in grades 4-9, all in the coolness of AC. Pickleball will be led by none other than Pr. Tom, resident pickleball fanatic. Kevin McClure will introduce the magic of making music with handbells, and promises no previous musical abilities are required. So whether your kid is a pro or beginner, this is gonna be fun! Friends are always welcome.
Register today (or before July 12) by clicking here. Contact Pr. Tom.

CAN YOU HELP?

• VACATION SUBSTITUTES FOR MEALS ON WHEELS. Various Wednesdays and Thursdays. If you’re in town, please consider being on our list of substitute drivers for when our regulars are on vacation! It’s simple: Pick up meals at Holy Cross Lutheran between 11am- 12pm and deliver them to roughly 4-6 clients, all in close proximity to each other. Takes about 45 minutes.. Contact Weldon Allison.

• BREAD FOR ALL (BFA) NEEDS VOLUNTEERS. BFA needs a few extra volunteers to periodically cover the 4-6:30 p.m. shift on Mondays while the regulars go on vacation. Please contact Weldon Allison.

• FEED MY PEOPLE If you’re traveling this summer, please bring back hotel toiletries for distribution to the unhoused served by Feed My People. Helpful hint: Hotels will often give you extra if you tell them why you want them. Place items in the basket by the library entrance. Contact Norma Smith.

MINISTRY UPDATES

JUNE BeREAL UPDATE
Thanks to your generous gifts, BeREAL (a ministry of Upbring serving young adults aging out of foster care) has added two new young adults to the program. Of the 19 young adults served by BeREAL, 9 have just finished spring semesters in school! To read the full update, click here or go to Ministry Updates under Newsletters on the website.

GIVING AND SERVING

Giving is an expression of joy and gratitude for the bounty of God’s goodness! There are so many ways to give-both financially and through serving.

PLEDGES, GIFTS, AND DONATIONS
Keeping current with your pledged or regular giving has never been easier because you can do it all online!

• BREAD FOR ALL (BFA) FOOD DONATIONS BFA needs specific food and lots of it. Requested items: dried beans; peanut butter; canned tomatoes/sauce, beans, fruit, soup; mac & cheese, and diapers. Please bring it to the bins on weekdays from 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Saturdays from 9-11 a.m., or on Sundays from 8-noon.

SERVING
Whether you are interested in serving locally, being part of a global mission, or volunteering to help in a variety of ways on Sundays, we have a place for you!

PRAYERS

In need of prayer? Please contact a pastor to be put on the prayer list.

We pray for Rodney Varner, Tom Felger and Nancy Etzler.           

We pray for family and friends of Shepherd members: Krista Bowers, niece of Herb and Kathy Palmer; Stirling Johnson, granddaughter of Sylvia & Curtis Johnson; Suzanne Doughty, friend of Dawn Paulson.

We pray in celebration of the baptism of Tobias James Hartmann. He is the son of Madeline and Molly Hartmann, brother to Coraline.

We give thanks for the witness of the saints who have gone before us in faith and now rest in eternal life, especially Mogga Dogale, son of Flora Lado. We pray for Flora and family, Ruth and Tom Felger as they grieve this loss. Give comfort and peace to those who mourn, and a sure trust in the promise of resurrection life.

We pray for our 14 day campers and the day camp staff who will lead them in songs, games, Bible studies, and prayer this week at Day Camp.  Bless these students and camp counselors with health, safety, and the gift of community as they learn and grow in faith!

Merciful and Loving God, as war and violence rage in Ukraine and other parts of the world, we pray that leaders of the world will practice peace-making, bringing together people of every tribe and race under the umbrella of your amazing grace.

We pray for our global ministry partners: Rev. Karen Castillo in Guatemala; Iglesia Luterana Augustina Virgen del Rosario, Aurora 8 de Octubre, Guatemala. We pray for Malcolm and Joy Henderson and the ministry of CHARIS in Haiti. 

We pray for our local ministries: Mariposa Family Learning Center, Bread For All, and Upbring Ministries.

We pray for our faith community, that we may be a church without walls and live out loud…faithfully!

Would you like someone to pray alongside you during troubling times? Contact a Stephen Minister who can travel with you on life’s sometimes bumpy road.

*Prayers for family and friends are listed for 2 weeks unless we are notified otherwise.