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Lord of LifeLUTHERAN CHURCH

Seasons Greetings from LOL

The Shack is coming

December 17, 2014

Christmas Eve Schedule

How do we wish to meet this child?Have our hands become too hard and proud from daily workto fold themselves in adoration at the sight of this child?Do we carry our head,which has so many heavy thoughtsand to solve so many problemstoo high for us to bow humblybefore the wonder of this child?Can we one more time forget entirelyall our strivings, accomplishments and importance,to join the shepherds and sages from the Eastand offer childlike adoration to the divine child in the manger?To take, like old Simeon, this child in our armsand instantlyacknowledge with gratitude the fulfillment of our entire life?It is truly a strange sightwhen a proud, strong man bends his knee before this child,when with a simple heart he finds and reveres in himhis Savior.And our old, clever, experienced, self-assured worldmust no doubt shake its head, or perhaps even laugh with contemptwhen it hears the cry of salvation from believing Christians,

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given.”

- Pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Predigten Auslegungen-Meditationen, from his prison cell, 1943

As we prepare for this holy celebration of our Lord’s birth, may your encounter take you deeper into the mystery of holy night. May you and yours be led to the manger to bow and adore! Christmas Blessings to you all! From a pastor very grateful to be among you,

Grace and Peace, Pastor Gary

Educational and Family Events

Sunday School for all ages

Sunday mornings - 9:45 am

Pastor’s Bible Study

Tuesdays - 11:30 am

Strong Women - Strong Faith

Wednesdays - 9:15 am

Women’s Bible Study

Wednesdays - 9:30 am

Busy Women’s Bible Study

Wednesdays - 7:00 pm

Baptism Anniversary

2nd Sunday of each Month

Ladies Lunch Bunch

2nd Wednesday of each Month

Men’s Breakfast

2nd/4th Saturday of each Month

RuthAnn’s Remnants

3rd Thursday of each Month

Service of RememberanceHave you lost a loved one recently?You are invited to come to a Christmas service of remembrance and healing. You will be able to light candles in memory of your loved ones and be anointed for healing for the journey through grief. Lasting about 45 min., this service will be led by Mendy Schoppe, Spiritual Director and social worker, and Pastor Gary on Sunday Dec. 21 at 5pm in the sanctuary at Lord of Life.

Advent at Lord of LifeIt’s been another eventful and joyous Advent at Lord of Life Lutheran Church. From our annual Deck The Halls to our Wednesday Advent Services to our special Magnificat services on Dec. 21, there have been many different ways to celebrate the season.

A special thanks to Jackie Gardiner for crafting and installing the angel behind the altar. Our time in worship is focused and enhanced by her sharing her time and talents with us through her art.

Also, thanks to the ladies of the Wednesday morning Bible study group who helped make wreaths to decorate the sanctuary for the Advent and Christmas season. Pam Dube coordinated the event and the members of the group had fun making bows and weaving ribbons to create the beautiful wreaths.

By the way, our Lord of Life Advent paraments have a new home in our sister congregation Filadelfia in Lima, Peru.

JANUARY 7 – FEBRUARY 4

Begin the New Year With AWeekly Evening Study of “The Shack”

The Wednesday evening ladies’ Bible study group is extending an invitation to all who would like to join them for a study of the thought-provoking book, “The Shack,” by William P. Young. Pastor Chuck Kindsvatter will lead the five-week session that is open to men and women and will begin on Wednesday, January 7 in the upstairs library at 6:45 p.m.

A novel published in 2007 that quickly became a New York Times best seller, “The Shack” has been described as “where tragedy confronts eternity.” Pastor Chuck has led this study for numerous groups and says it offers much discussion, particularly about our image of God – how we relate to that image – and how the Trinity surrounds our lives and challenges our journey in the faith.

Participants are asked to have read the book before the first session on January 7. It is not necessary to attend all sessions of the study, but it is important to have read the book. The participation fee (other than the cost of the book) will be approximately $25, depending on the number of people who attend.

Start the new year in fellowship and study of this engaging book. If you are interested in participating, please sign up in the Narthex.

"Christmas, Was It Really December 25?"What was the actual date? Why was Herod so mean? Why shepherds? How many wise men? Is the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem the real place of Jesus' birth? What was that star in the sky? Did Jesus fulfill the prophesies about His birth?Join us for a brief study of that very first Christmas on Sunday Dec. 21, upstairs in the library around 9:45 am. Come as you are for an hour of friends, fellowship and Christmas cheer.

Opportunities to join Lord of Life happen 3 times a year: January, April and September. Our next class will start on January 11 during the 9:50 worship service and continue Jan. 18 and Jan. 25. New members will be received in to the congregation in a small ceremony at the worship service of your choice on Feb. 1st. We call it our 4-part New Member series. We will cover various topics such as:• Getting to Know You!• Lutheranism 101• Spiritual Gifts & Talents• Exploring Church Ministries.

Childcare will always be available. For more information, you can contact our church office a 281-367-7016 or Marna Arlien, Director of Connecting Ministries at marlien@lordoflifeonline.org.

A BIG "Thank You" to all sponsors, patrons, donors, participants, vendors and volunteers who supported the "Matthew 11:28" 20th Annual Gebert Mission Outreach Fund golf tournament on October 30. God provided a perfect day for "Golf with Love" under sunny skies and balmy temps. Shrieks of joy and surprise were heard throughout the forest that day. Smiles and laughter followed good and bad shots all afternoon.

Ronald McDonald House - Houston was our "Featured Charity" this year. The Gebert Endowment fund was made richer by over $44,000 because of you.

God bless us all - and our 2014 recipients. Joy to the World!!

The Chili Cook-off was a great success with a record setting 14 pots of chili being entered in the competition.Winners were: • Hottest.....Scott Mack• Most Original.....Kristin Vacha• Judges' Favorite...Kent Frappier• People's Choice.....Craig White

Coming SoonDave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University will be offered here at Lord of Life on Mondays at 7:00PM beginning January 26th. Financial aid is available. Sign up on-line at daveramsey.com or contact Mark Ruch for more information.

The Souper Bowl Tailgate Party is back! Join us on Sunday, February 1st. Pick a team and enter your best tailgate recipe. Or come to the event, and bring your appetite… and your dollar bills. There will be activities for family members of all ages. All proceeds will benefit the hungry of Montgomery County.More details to follow – the Souperbowl Tailgate Party is sponsored by the LOL Dads group.

Teen Life at LOLValentine’s Day Dinner!

Mark your calendar’s everyone for an evening of food, fellowship, music and love. Our Youth are hosting a dinner on February 14th for the congregation to raise money for our National Youth Gathering trip. We will have sign ups outside of church starting January 18th.

Our Youth program has a new Instagram! Follow LOL.Youth on Instagram for pictures and updates on what is going on with the youth program.

Senior High News

Praise night 5: The Praise strikes back. “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result” – Albert Einstein. We are starting a new series tonight called “this time around” based on the patterns we form and how to break them. Dinner at 5:30!

Sr. High Camp at Lutherhill: We are heading out to Lutherhill from February 22-24 for our Sr. High retreat. The cost for the weekend is $100 and you need to sign up with Patrick by January 25th.

Sr. high Mini-Mission trip: We are going to the National Youth Gathering this summer for our big trip but we still want the chance to have a service experience, so we are looking at ways to serve in our own backyard – right here in the Woodlands. Our Mini-Mission trip will be from June 28- July 2. More details coming soon.

Junior High News

Human Dignity retreat February 6-7: This is a retreat for 7th and 8th graders that centers on relationships and sexuality. It is a synod wide event and they will have a chance to ask questions and hear what god has to say about these things. The cost is $25 a person. Sign up with Patrick by January 11th.

Confirmation Camp this summer: Mark your calendars for June 14-19 for our rising 7th and 8th graders for confirmation camp at Lutherhill. More details coming soon.

Adult Sunday SchoolInterested in Adult Sunday School? Starting January 11th, we will offer three classes during the Sunday School hour, from 9:45 – 10:45. All three are located upstairs.• Don Kluth, Al Reese and Lois Payton lead “The Bible, Christianity, and You” in the Library. They will

begin a new DVD/study from Jim Cymbala on PRAYER.• Pat Patterson will lead a Bible study on the book of JOB. They will meet in Room 23.• Mike Hall will lead a comparative study of MATTHEW, MARK, LUKE, AND JOHN – The Four Gospels.

They will meet in Room 26.Join us!

Outreach Ministries UpdateFair Trade StoreZooties by Silk Road Bazaar are handcrafted in small batches in rural

villages of Kyrgyzstan. In addition to being the cutest baby booties ever,

purchasing Zooties supports the arts, craftsmanship, and helps reduce

global poverty. Visit the Hands of Faith Fair Trade Store at Lord of Life for

unique gifts that will please everyone on your Christmas list!

SeaFarers 2014 UpdateThe Seafarers Christmas Box Committee wishes to thank everyone who participated. It was a very successful year. We had a total of 285 boxes. Congratulations to all of our winners.

Global BarnyardBuy a goat for any old goats you know! Global Barnyard, through the

Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, enables us to buy an animal that

can provide life-sustaining income or food for an impoverished family in a

far-off corner of the world. Check out the table in the Fellowship Hall and say

“goodbye” to traditional gift-giving and “hello” to meaningful gifts that really

make a difference in the world.

Hug-a-Bears sews and stuffs ‘Bears’ for Memorial Hermann Hospital and

the Community Clinic. Don’t have basic sewing skills? You can still buy fabric and cut patterns. Hug-a-Bears meets the 4th Thursday at 9:30 am. Contact Annette Haut 281-296-6563 annettehaut@gmail.com

Volunteers wantedCitizenship classses begin January 5th (see flyer for more details). If you are interested in volunteering as an “assistant,” please call Linda Page at 281-703-7724.

Merry Christmas

From the staff at Lord of LifePastor Gary, Pastor Jennifer, Rob Hunt, Patrick Nazaroff, Jennifer Rowe, Anne Swetich, Mark Ruch, Marna Arlien,

Steve Shirley, Lanette Jackson and Rick Janacek

God uses money as a test to help us

grow.

“If then you have not been faithful with the

dishonest wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches?” (Luke

16:11)

Someone once said, “Experience is a good teacher, but she gives the test first and then the lesson.” That’s certainly true, and based on many of life’s experiences, we frequently fail the test before we can benefit from the lesson.

The formula “e=mc2” is familiar to many college students but understood by very few people. Most of us know it had something to do with Einstein and was the formula that led to the release of enormous power and to the nuclear age. Similarly, in funding the local church, “e” might stand for every, “m” for member, “c” for commitment, and the “2” for the effort multiplied by itself. The fruit of that kind of effort is much more powerful than what Einstein discovered, even as Jesus described it in Matthew 21:22 — “Whatever you ask for in prayer with faith, you will receive.”

Right now, as we consider the opportunity to support the ministries here at Lord of Life Lutheran Church, God is putting us to the test. As Gordon Moyes stated, “Responsible giving or stewardship is not man’s way of raising money, but God’s way of raising people. . . .The church’s budget is not a list of its expenses, but a record of its vision. It is not a list of bills to be met, but a program of ministry to be achieved.”

As each of us prayerfully considers what God would have us give, and as we obey what God asks of us, we can trust Him to provide the resources. That’s a test — a test of where we are spiritually much more than where we are financially. It’s a test of us as individuals and of us as a church. The question is whether or not we really believe that God has the power and ability to bless our obedience “far more than all we can ask or imagine” (Eph. 3:20).

How are you doing concerning God’s tests regarding money in your life? If God’s provision in your life in the days ahead depends on how you obey His leading now concerning your giving, what will the future be like for you?

In MemoriamLord of Life Lutheran Church mourns the loss of former pastor Mary Hansen, who served at Lord of Life with her husband, Pastor Carl Hansen from 1984 to 1989. Hansen died earlier this year in Minnesota. Here is a link to her full obituary: http://www.johnsonfuneralservice.com/memsol.cgi?user_id=1362807

The Lord of Life Church Council meets on the second Tuesday of every month at 7:00 p.m. Here are some of the highlights from the December meeting:

• Council received report from the Peru travel team

• Concluded the book study with Chapter 8 of strategic leadership

• Reviewed 2015 budget - Draft #2

Council Notes

Year-End ContributionsThe year is drawing to a close, and we want to remind you that in order to receive tax credit with the IRS for 2014, all contributions must be received or postmarked by Wednesday, December 31.You can drop your year-end contributions at the Lord of Life office any time before 4:00 pm on Tuesday, December 30. All contributions postmarked beginning Thursday, January 1, will be recorded as 2015 contributions.

Childcare Attendant

The nursery is seeking a childcare attendant that is available a few hours in Wednesday mornings with the option of other hours as well. Must be good with children under the age of 6 years old. Duties include: distributing snacks, changing dirty diapers, calming hurt feelings, wiping tears, reading short books, using your imagination, and pretending to eat fake food. Must be able to lift 25 lbs and maintain consciousness after rocking a baby to sleep. Free CPR certification, training, background check, and unlimited coffee. Contact Janis Armstrong if interested. 832.948.3570 or at armstrong10210@yahoo.com.

Lord of Life Lutheran Church

3801 South Panther Creek Dr.

The Woodlands TX 77381

www.lordoflifeonline.org

Lord of Life Lutheran Church281-367-7016Fax 281-363-4716www.lordoflifeonline.orglol@lordoflifeonline.org

Kids of the Kingdom Preschool281-298-9901

We invite you to join us for worship on Sundays8:30 am Contemporary Liturgical

9:45 am Sunday School

9:50 am New Life Worship

11:00 am Traditional Worship

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Rev. Gary Heath Senior Pastor

Rev. Jennifer FuhrAssociate Pastor

Rob HuntWorship & The Arts Director

Lanette JacksonDirector of Finance

Marna ArlienDirector of Connecting Minis-tries

Mark RuchDirector of Adult Ministry

Patrick NazaroffDirector of Teen Life Ministry

Jennifer Rowe

Director of Children’s Ministry

Anne SwetichDirector of Outreach Ministries

Michelle McGuireKOK Preschool Director

Janis ArmstrongChild Care Coordinator

Carla SummersChildren & Youth Music

Sarah SchlacksBells of Life Director

Nancy HauglieWedding Coordinator

Sandy DeSelmsFuneral Coordinator

Rick JanacekOffice & Communication Manager

Steve ShirleyBuilding Superintendent

Non-ProfitOrganizationUS Postage

PAID

Permit #17Spring, TX