Lifetimers Newsletter February 2016
4
Valentine’s Day Volume 13 Issue 2 February 2016 To live Life fully for the Time God gives us INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Valentine’s Day Shutterbug Moments Concert– David Portillo 1 1 2 3 4 February Program february LifeTimers Gathering — Feb 18 Merry Baker Langlinais is a photographer, writer, historian and amateur naturalist. Her presentation, Critters of Red Creek, will give us a peek at some of the critter neighbors that share our slice of the Bandera Canyonlands in the Texas Hill Country. Merry has lived a very diverse and eclectic life, traveling all over the United States and to many parts of the world. She has seen the Northern Lights and the Southern Cross, the Statue of Liberty and the Grand Canyon, walked through Buddhist temples in Thailand and castles in Bavaria, touched 300-year-old documents in Barbados and archived 100-year-old images of the construction of the Medina Dam in Texas. She has been photographed with senators, presidential candidates, and other POW wives like her. Merry has done and experienced many more things that are too numerous to list in this space. She is a wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. In her words, “This has been a really great ride! The Creator has blessed me greatly, I only hope I have learned the lessons I was sent here to learn.” Join us on Thursday, February 18th at 11:00 AM in Maresh Hall for a delightfully interesting presentation from this wonderfully interesting lady. A LifeTimers one-time membership cost is $10; our delicious lunch is $5. Islands of New England Upcoming Events 3 What exactly is Valentine’s Day and who was St. Valentine? It is generally believed that our celebration of Valentine’s Day began as a Roman festival called Lupercalia. It occurred mid-February and was intended to avert evil spirits and purify the city, releasing health and fertility. Let’s just say that drunkenness and debauchery were involved. In the 5 th Century AD, Pope Gelasius I abolished the “pagan” festival and installed February 14 th as St. Valentine’s Day. There are several St. Valentines, and no one knows for sure which one has the honor of being THE St. Valentine; however, it is commonly believed that St. Valentine was martyred by Roman Emperor Claudius II. Claudius believed that bachelors made better soldiers and banned marriage for young men. St. Valentine defied the Emperor ’s order and continued to conduct marriage ceremonies. Jail and execution swiftly followed. Through many centuries, Valentine’s Day has evolved into the card-sending, candy-buying, flower-delivering holiday it is today. However, the focus has always been love. The word “love” appears over 500 times in the New International Version of the Bible. Some translations have more occurrences and some have less, but no matter which Bible you read, you will find a whole lotta love. When I was a GA (that ’s Girls Auxiliary, or later Girls in Action, for my non-Baptist tradition friends), we played a game like May I. Instead of saying, “May I,” though, we could only advance after reciting a Bible verse. The first verses everyone used were, God is love (1 John 4:8b) because it is short and John 3:16 because it is familiar. Yet, these two verses represent the Good News in a nutshell. And then there is 1 Corinthians 13, The Love Chapter. In a children’s sermon a few weeks ago, Ellen taught us the ultimate test of our love for one another: Substitute our own name for the word “love” and see what happens. “Marilyn is patient, Marilyn is kind, Marilyn does not envy, Marilyn does not boast, ...” I would be embarrassed to tell you how many times none of those statements were true for me. If I am honest, I have to confess they are not true much more often than they are. The chapter closes with the words: the greatest of these is love. Even Jesus, when asked about the greatest commandment, answered that we should love God and love others. From Christ we know that love is the foundation for everything we do, say, and even think --- and love is our challenge as we enter the somber season of Lent that leads to the joy of Easter Sunday. Marilyn Gladson
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Transcript of Lifetimers Newsletter February 2016
Valentine’s Day
Volume 13 Issue 2
February 2016
To live Life fully for the Time God gives us
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
Valentine’s Day
Shutterbug Moments
Concert– David Portillo
1
1
2
3
4
February Program
february LifeTimers Gathering — Feb 18
Merry Baker Langlinais is a photographer, writer, historian and amateur naturalist. Her presentation, Critters of Red Creek, will give us a peek at some of the critter neighbors that share our slice of the Bandera Canyonlands in the Texas Hill Country.
Merry has lived a very diverse and eclectic life, traveling all over the United States and to many parts of the world. She has seen the Northern Lights and the Southern Cross, the Statue of Liberty and the Grand Canyon, walked through Buddhist temples in Thailand
and castles in Bavaria, touched 300-year-old documents in Barbados and archived 100-year-old images of the construction of the Medina Dam in Texas. She has been photographed with senators, presidential candidates, and other POW wives like her. Merry has done and experienced many more things that are too numerous to list in this space. She is a wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. In her words, “This has been a really great ride! The Creator has blessed me greatly, I only hope I have learned the lessons I was sent here to learn.”
Join us on Thursday, February 18th at 11:00 AM in Maresh Hall for a delightfully interesting presentation from this wonderfully interesting lady.
A LifeTimers one-time membership cost is $10; our delicious lunch is $5.
Islands of New England
Upcoming Events
3
What exactly is Valentine’s Day and who was St. Valentine? It is generally believed that our celebration of Valentine’s Day began as a Roman festival called Lupercalia. It occurred mid-February and was intended to avert evil spirits and purify the city, releasing health and fertility. Let’s just say that drunkenness and debauchery were involved. In the 5
th
Century AD, Pope Gelasius I abolished the “pagan” festival and installed February 14
th as St. Valentine’s Day. There are several St. Valentines, and
no one knows for sure which one has the honor of being THE St. Valentine; however, it is commonly believed that St. Valentine was martyred by Roman Emperor Claudius II. Claudius believed that bachelors made better soldiers and banned marriage for young men. St. Valentine defied the Emperor’s order and continued to conduct marriage ceremonies. Jail and execution swiftly followed. Through many centuries, Valentine’s Day has evolved into the card-sending, candy-buying, flower-delivering holiday it is today. However, the focus has always been love. The word “love” appears over 500 times in the New International Version of the Bible. Some translations have more occurrences and some have less, but no matter which Bible you read, you will find a whole lotta love. When I was a GA (that’s Girls Auxiliary, or later Girls in Action, for my non-Baptist tradition friends), we played a game like May I. Instead of saying, “May I,” though, we could only advance after reciting a Bible verse. The first verses everyone used were, God is love (1 John 4:8b) because it is short and John 3:16 because it is familiar. Yet, these two verses represent the Good News in a nutshell. And then there is 1 Corinthians 13, The Love Chapter. In a children’s sermon a few weeks ago, Ellen taught us the ultimate test of our love for one another: Substitute our own name for the word “love” and see what happens. “Marilyn is patient, Marilyn is kind, Marilyn does not envy, Marilyn does not boast, ...” I would be embarrassed to tell you how many times none of those statements were true for me. If I am honest, I have to confess they are not true much more often than they are. The chapter closes with the words: the greatest of these is love. Even Jesus, when asked about the greatest commandment, answered that we should love God and love others. From Christ we know that love is the foundation for everything we do, say, and even think --- and love is our challenge as we enter the somber season of Lent that leads to the joy of Easter Sunday.
Marilyn Gladson
Page 2 LIFETIMERS
Shutterbug Moments—January Meeting
Shutterbug Moments — Holocaust Museum
Page 3 LIFETIMERS
Concert—David Portillo
Wednesday evening, February 24th at 7:00 PM in the sanctuary, our church will be treated to a 45-minute concert by Metropolitan Opera tenor (and UTSA alumnus) David Portillo. Praised by Opera News for “high notes with ease, singing with a luxuriant warm glow that seduced the ear as he bounded about the stage with abandon,” American tenor David Portillo is considered one of the leading artists of his generation. He is the recipient of the 2009 Sullivan Foundation Encouragement Award, 2009 American Opera Society of Chicago Award, 2009 Shoshana Foundation Grant, 2009 Bel Canto Scholarship Foundation Competition and 2008 Men’s Prize of Union
League of Chicago Young Adult’s Music Competition. He has performed with Metropolitan Opera/Juilliard Opera Lyric Opera of Chicago, Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, Netherlands Radio Orchestra, Houston Grand Opera, Washington National Opera, Salzburg Festival Opera Company of Philadelphia, Fort Worth Opera, Colorado Music Festival and Wolf Trap Opera in Vienna. You do not want to miss this rare opportunity to hear this remarkable young man.
Islands of New England Tour
LifeTimers have another travel opportunity this Fall. The Islands of New England tour, guided by Collette Travel, is scheduled for September 30—October 7, 2016. IMPORTANT NOTE: The annual Woodland picnic is October 2nd!! Per person rates: $2,729 (Double occupancy) $3,229 (Single occupancy)
Price includes: Round trip airfare, air taxes and fees, hotel transfers, accommodations for 8 days, and 11 meals. To reserve your place requires a deposit of $250 as well as $240 for travel insurance. For more information, contact Lonnie Shuler by phone at(210) 481-3660 or by email at [email protected].
Editor’s Notes
We are always looking for writers for our newsletter. If you are interested in writing for our front page devotional or provide any other content you would like to see in the newsletter, please let us know. You can contact Marilyn Gladson by phone at (210) 492-4404 or by email at [email protected]. Or you can send an email to Woodland’s Volunteer address at [email protected]. If you would like to receive our monthly newsletter by email instead of print, please sign-up at the meeting or email to the same address(es) listed above. Thank you!
15315 Huebner Road San Antonio, TX 78248
LifeTimers Living Life fully for the Time God gives us
God said to Solomon, "Since this is your LifeTimers Leadership Team
Co-Directors: Linda Mason Kay Morrison
Secretary: Carol Hagler
Programs: Debby Bussey Babs Baugh Barbara Higdon
Treasurers: Melissa Brown Anna Dillon
Travel And Day Trips Coordinator: Lonnie Shuler
Membership: Edith Geurin Elizabeth Myers Pat Bolt Marge Crocker
Food Coordinators: Kathy Barnes B.J. Wachel
Arrangements: Lois Jones Annette Butler Jeannette McDonald
Photographer: John Myers
Historian: Buddy Wachel
Newsletter Editor: Marilyn Gladson
Email Photos and Tidbits to: [email protected]
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
LIFETIMERS MEETINGS
February 18 — Merry Langlinais, Critters of the Heart March 17 — SonShine Singers April 21 — Brent Forrest, Magician May 19 — Barbara & Becky, Fun & Games
Upcoming Events
TBD Alamo Tour Sep 30—Oct 7 Islands of New England Tour
