Rays of Hope October · PDF fileDanielle Jones 10/13 ... Rachel Stell 10/26 Kristin Arnold...

October 2011 Volume 29, Issue 10 RAYS of HOPE

JOURNAL CROSS OF HOPE LUTHERAN CHURCH

Calling and Educating into Christ

OktHOPErfest An Evening of Food, Drama-Play and Mystery

The pirates are com-ing! Well, actually only one pirate, but he’s a pretty good one! This year’s OktHOPErfest play will be “The Last Pirate of the Carib-bean” by Kimberlee Mendoza. The play takes place at the Wiki Resort where various tourists find themselves in the middle of a mystery.

Who is Captain Red Boots? What is the treasure? Who can find it? While every-one tries to find the treasure and solve the mystery, some people find that their real treasure isn’t found in a treasure chest. The Cross of Hope Drama Team, led by Diane Pressel is having a great time preparing this com-edy/mystery (with some audience par-ticipation!) and we are sure you would like to join in the fun. Cast members in-clude Doug Perry, Ruth Hinkel, Shelby

Wormwood, Amy Ellis, Richard Hielkema, Geoff Bo-kan, Carolyn Bye, Jon Grice, David Pressel and Nancy Umbreit.

Plan to attend the OktHOPErfest for an evening of food, Drama-Play and Mystery at Cross of Hope on Friday, Oc-tober 21, 6:00 p.m.

The evening will have a wonderful meal of brats and sauerkraut with all the fixings. This will help raise money for the SHY New Orleans Youth Gathering trip. Tickets for the evening will be $12.50 and go on sale beginning Sun-day, October 9, call Richard Hielkema with any questions at 897-0047 or email at [email protected].

New Members Class Begins October 2

If you’d like to commit to the community and ministry at Cross of Hope, a class begins Sunday, October 2, after the last service. Over a period of eight weeks, we look at the

vision, leadership, and ministry of Cross of Hope. This is not a review of Lutheran or funda-mental Christian faith. These concerns are covered in the Alpha

Course (schedule for January 2012) What Does it Mean to be a Lutheran? If you are interested in attending this class offered by Pastor Bauer, call the office

(897-0047) so we can prepare a New Mem-ber Manual for you. Child care will be available if you call ahead to schedule.

RAYS OF HOPE October 2011

Cross of Hope Lutheran Church 6104 Taylor Ranch Road NW Albuquerque, NM 87120

Phone Number (505) 897-0047 E-mail: [email protected]

On the web at www.crossofhope.org New: [email protected]

The newsletter of Cross of Hope Lutheran Church is published each month for the enrichment of the mission, for the life of the people of God at Cross of Hope and our community.

Pastor: Editorial Staff: Columnists: Mailing Editor: Mailing Staff:

Rev. Dale G. Bauer Edee Bauer

Mary Bresnahan Mabel Finney

Nancy Morrison Linda Willoughby

Patty Westerfield

Patricia Gladstone

WE WANT YOUR NEWS ITEMS:

Deadline is 10th of the month for the follow-ing month’s edition. E-mail articles to [email protected] or deliver to church office.

Linda Molde June Slagle

Julie Thompson Carol Russell

Marjorie Covington Garneth Harris Dolores Hughes Marcella Johnson

August 2011 Attendance

Total Attendance: 844

Average Attendance: 211

August 2011 Year to Date

Revenue $32,572.59 $74,488.74

Expenses $57,545.41 $90,501.11

Overage/Shortage $24,972.82 $16,012.37

Family Dinner, Fun, Education, Music

Contact: Richard Hielkema

[email protected]

(505) 897-0047

Join Us at Cross of Hope for W³ (Walking In The Way

Wednesdays) 5:30 p.m.—8:00 p.m.

October Themes Prophecy— 10/5,10/12 Honoring Others— 10/19,10/26

Keep Your Eyes Open For SHY Fundraising Events

Our Senior High Youth (SHY) are raising money to attend the New Orleans Youth Gath-ering through various fundraisers. We encour-age you to support SHY when you are able. The weekly Hope Filled Happenings will post the most current fundraiser such as: car wash; burrito sale; candle sales.

Dear Rays of Hope Readers, The COH staff would like to give a huge THANK YOU to CopyRite employees for their many years of dedicated service with the various print-ing and copying projects which include the print-ing of the monthly Rays of Hope for Cross of Hope. We were sad when we heard the news from owner John Lacher that CopyRite will be closing their doors of business on October 31, 2011. Our prayers extend to the employees who served us with their expertise and professional-ism in meeting our printing deadlines. Sincerely, The staff at Cross of Hope


Birthdays

LUNCH BUNCH

Tomato Café 6001 Winter Haven NW Wednesday, October 26 Meets at—1:00 p.m.

Lunch Bunch Coordinator: Stan Socha—839-7416

Merlin (Pete) Peterson Westwind House, 6600 Los Volcanes Road NW Albuquerque, NM 87121

Becky Yagow 897-4594 4821 Snapdragon Rd. NW Albuquerque, NM 87120 Jo Threewitt 974-5540 Paloma Landing 8301 Palomas Ave NE #344 Albuquerque, NM 87109

Mary Jane Brown 836-4327 2229 Ana Court NW Albuquerque, NM 87120 Betty Banks c/o Chip and Pat Davis 831-0249 300 Camino Siete SW Albuquerque, NM 87105 Barbara Stalheim Aegis of Napa #216 2100 Rdewood Road Napa, CA 94588

Members of COH unable to worship on a regular basis. Send a card or call.

Anniversaries Celebrating 10 years or more

Heart Strings Caitlein Bye-McCleskey 10/3 Kathy Albin 10/4 Jo Threewit 10/4 Eva Gin 10/5 Kaitlin Leddy 10/10 Jake Salisbury 10/12 Danielle Jones 10/13 Deney Perkins 10/14 Susan McWilliam 10/15 Ralph Aldredge 10/17 Alex Rossetti 10/17 Jan Anderson 10/19 Anita Suazo 10/19 Amy Ellis 10/20 Jacob Spinks 10/21 William Warrick 10/22 Gregg Halstead 10/23 Richard Orona 10/25 Rachel Stell 10/26 Kristin Arnold 10/27 Anthony Girard 10/29 David Pressel 10/29 T.J. Perry 10/31 Anya Salisbury 10/31

Von & Erica Stell 10/2 18 years Michael & Patrice Leddy 10/16 29 years Chris & Julie Morgan 10/22 28 years

Marisol Olivia Madrid was baptized on August 20th during the 5:30 p.m. Saturday service. Her mother Candy Madrid and Sponsors Gilbert Gallegos and Crystal Madrid were at the bap-tism.

Baptisms


THE ELEVENTH SUN-DAY after PENTECOST

Date: August 28,2011

Text: Matthew 16:24; Ro-mans 12:9-21

Title: Taking up the Cross of Hope

Pastor DalePastor DalePastor Dale

One day, Jesus was with his disciples and he said something startling to their ears: If any want to become my followers, let them deny them-selves and take up their crosses, and fol-low me. Peter didn’t get it. The rest of the disci-ples didn’t get it. Members of the first churches didn’t get it. Most of the time, we don’t get it. Now I don’t believe I will get crucified, liter-ally, partially because I live in a country that protects my right to religious expression and partly because what I believe and do matters little to most. But denying myself from getting what I want and removing

myself from the cen-ter of my world is a real challenge. Day after day, week after week, year after year. But thinking and act-ing beyond myself is exactly the call to the cross. The very best outline of what it means to take up the cross of Christ then and now comes from the great-est understander of Jesus of Nazareth, the great missionary Paul. His vision is a letter—email or blog these days—to a real church in a very real place. So let’s turn to Romans 12:9-21. Background. Paul, the great spreader of the Gospel, is writing a letter to a group of Christians in the city of Rome. Rome is the capital of the Ro-man Empire and the most important city of its time, still called the eternal city. Paul did not plant this church but writes to it as an apostle. The word apostle has at its core the sense of a mes-senger. Often it is limited to the twelve disciples of Jesus. Does Paul have a message for these folks in Rome. He has some things to say about how the church should act. (9) Let love be genu-ine; hate what is

evil, hold fast to what is good. This is the man who said that three things endure forever: faith, hope, and love—and love was the greatest of these. The word love is used so freely and often that it doesn’t mean much. We love our family and friends, country, and the fla-vor of our favorite cream. Christians use it in a very spe-cific way. Love as we use it is not a feeling or liking. It is the out-landish love shown to us by God in Christ Jesus; it is an ethical love that seeks the good of others even at cost to ourselves; it is forgiving; it seeks to explain others’ ac-tions in the kindest way. Paul begins with love because it is how we understand the cross and it is the foundation of the church. It is false, not genuine, when we fake “niceness.” We are confused these days about good and evil. There are many Christians who don’t believe in the idea of evil, that there is an independ-ent, powerful force opposing good. I was reading a book and it suggests there is real evil in the church and we ally ourselves with evil by repetitious sin-ning and by harboring sympathies and collu-

sions with evil spiri-tual forces. (10) Love one an-other with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. Actually, the words Paul uses con-veys the sense that in the Christian commu-nity we are devoted to each other and show special regard for each other. And it is followed by the sug-gestion that we are not only unusually de-voted to each other, but we build up our brothers and sisters. When we put aside our concerns and lis-ten to our brothers and sisters in the church, we are dem-onstrating philia, brotherly and sisterly concern for each other. (11) Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. You know the phrase, first applied to our Episcopalian brothers and sisters, The Frozen Chosen. The Good New is ours and ours to share. But the frozen aren’t chosen much these days. The mainline church is in serious decline; the most recent research suggests that the people who leave mainline churches don’t go to other churches. They just don’t go. It is part of


a trend across the United States, where people pursue spiritu-ality—whatever that is—rather than disci-plined faith and ser-vice. (Now, when I speak of the frozen chosen, I am not talk-ing about formal wor-ship, liturgical prac-tice; in this worship I experience zeal, pas-sion, and service.) Paul smiles on this congregation, Cross of Hope. This church is designed by inten-tion to be a place of zeal, passion, and service. Our New Member Manual is designed to let those who want to join our fellowship know that the Gospel requires our time, our money, and our commitment. Every weekday morn-ing I watch from my office window as little folks are dropped off for school. They jump out of their cars, get a warm greeting by our principal and teach-ers, and with faces charged with excite-ment and joy head off to a new day at school. (12) Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffer-ing, persevere in prayer. Communities of faith, we are re-minded, are not im-mune to suffering. It was Paul who said the creation groans. But he provides marks of the commu-

nity when it suffers or when it prospers. We live by hope given in the resurrection of Je-sus Christ and we pray. And we pray. And we pray. (13) Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hos-pitality to strangers. Some believe Paul was thinking of the church in Jerusalem which had been dev-astated by persecu-tion. But it extends later in the letter to those in need in a much wider sense. We are providing now in the Horn of Africa. When you greet someone on Sunday morning, you are ex-tending hospitality to the stranger. (14) Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. These words come out of the mouth of Jesus and they require us to take up a cross and trust Jesus Christ. When someone hurts me, I want to hurt them back, naturally. Christ Jesus and Paul call us to a higher, but more difficult, way. (15) Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Christian communities cele-brate with those who have reason to re-

joice. When some-thing good happens to a member of the community, whether that is a new member of their genetic family or a promotion, we celebrate that. We practice empathy, we listen, understanding that grief and transi-tion are part of the human experience. (16) Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are. If the foundation of the Christian com-munity is love and grace, we are all equal. That stands in contrast with the so-ciological tendency for churches to form around likeness and socioeconomic status. Rich churches, subur-ban churches, and poor churches. Living in harmony is accom-plished by recogniz-ing that we all sin and fall short of the glory of God. In this sense there is no room for conceit. (17) Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. These echo the words of Je-sus suggesting in the Christian community, lex talonis, an eye for an eye, has no place.

(18) If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peace-ably with all. Some people are so filled with sin and take sides with evil, they cannot forgive or rec-oncile. Do your best, remembering this is a broken world. (19) Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is written, Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord. Paul reaches back into his under-standing of the Law. He affirms Leviticus 19:18, prohibiting vengeance and Deu-teronomy 32:35, let-ting God do the avenging. Take up your cross, friends, and put aside getting even, no matter how just it seems. And when you have time, read Melville’s Moby Dick to learn the con-sequences of getting even. (20) No, if your ene-mies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink; for doing this you will heap burn-ing coals on their heads. How do you overcome evil? Paul picks up a suggestion from Proverbs (25:22a) that evil is not overcome by evil. My mother would

Continued at page 7


Preschool News By Mary Sue Hale, Director

“Train up a child in the way that he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6

Preschool is in full swing and going strong. The children are adjusting well and so are the teachers. The months of August and Sep-tember were spent helping the children get adjusted to pre-school. We also learned about farm life and apples. In chapel we learned about how “God made the world and everything in it.” (Acts 17:24). During the fall months we focus our activities on the seasonal changes that are tak-ing place. In October we learn about God’s

harvest, pumpkins and hot air balloons. Our Bible story for the month is Noah. The four year old classes hold a Bike Day. The children will ride their own bicycles in the

church parking lot (with helmets!) and learn about bike safety. The three year old classes will learn about fire safety with a visit from some local firemen. In No-vember we focus on thanking God for His many blessings. Each class will host a Family Thanksgiving Dessert Gathering. Yum! December will be here before we know it! Our annual Christ-

mas Play will be Sat-urday, December 10; performances at 10:00am and 1:00pm with a Cookie Social after each perfor- mance. I encourage

you to attend one of these performances. It is a wonderful way to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Sav-ior, Jesus Christ. An important part of our program is our Christian curriculum. Every week the chil-dren attend chapel where they hear a Bi-ble story, learn the Lord’s Prayer and sing and dance to praise music. Pastor Dale and I take turns doing chapel with the

children. The chil-dren love getting to know Pastor Dale. We are currently looking for someone to teach music to our

four year olds. If you are inter-ested or know some-one who might be interested, please call the pre-school of-fice at 899-0928. We are also on the look-out for new board mem-bers. If you are inter-ested, please talk to one of

our board members, Robert Bye, Ron Hil-tunen, Kel Orbinati or Kala Craig-Smith. We thank this con-gregation for your continued support and faithfulness to these little ones that God has entrusted into our care. We look forward to what God has in store for us this year.

Bill Hicks (505) 379-3904 Janille Hicks (505) 681-5605

Emails:

[email protected] [email protected]

www.billhicks.teamasea.com www.amazingmolecules.net

A perfect Health Solution for an Imperfect World ASEA...REPAIR...REBUILD...RESTORE...WITH..ASEA


Lori Aldredge

Taking Care of your Family Hair Care Needs

480-3515

Available Only By Appointment

Daytime or Evenings

P.O. Box 66323

Albuquerque, NM 87193

When you need these services, please think of Rays of Hope sponsors.

We thank them for their continued support in offsetting the costs associated with producing Rays of Hope each month.

Bill and Janille Hicks

quote this verse to me when I was a little guy and she got the inten-tion of it right. As any little person growing up, I had to deal with verbal and physical assaults. My mother cautioned self-protection but added that if I did not return

the abuse, I was scorching them. What happens when you return road rage with road rage? (21) Do not be over-come by evil, but overcome evil with good. The names of

Abraham Lincoln, Ma-hatma Gandhi, and Martin Luther King will live forever because each, in his own way, overcame the evil they experienced with good. Take up your cross.

It can mean many things, but Paul re-minds us what it means in our own community of faith, Cross of Hope. Amen. Edited by Kathy Albin

Continued from page 5


In preparation to thank God for Cross of Hope’s 30 years of ministry, I have chosen a few memories from the earlier days. This is not only for those who will remember but to give newer members a glimpse of the first years of Cross of Hope. Please let me know your “remember whens” and I will put together another article. Remember when:

• The adult Sunday school class was re-ferred to as “the bus” because we met in the hallway of the office park building, two by two?

• One of the balloons released at Easter

(see photos below) with scriptures at-tached reached Carbondale, Illinois? The lady who found it wrote to us and in-cluded a check, which became the begin-ning of our building expansion fund.

Remember When? Janet Wormwood, Founding Member

• The high school youth group went to Catalina Island for a “retreat?”

• Our stewardship drive was called the

“Pony Express?” The horse being used as a part of the presentation got loose and ran past the windows on the east side of the church during the service.

• We first heard Pastor Dale sing? It was

during the call process when he met with the congregation and sang “I Love to Tell the Story” acapella! He was called any-way and has continued to tell us the story!

• The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders came

to our Fiesta?

Thank you Lord for Cross of Hope!


Women of the ELCA—Rocky Mountain Synod Fall Gathering 2011

Pastor Elizabeth Purdum is a native of Seattle, Washington. She has been in the Rocky Mountain west since 1986 serving

congregations in Colorado. Pastor Pur-dum is a graduate of Western Washington University and Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary. Pastor Pur-dum brings expertise in preaching, teach-ing, evangelism, building ecumenical relationships and con-flict resolution and meditation. She par-ticularly enjoys fine arts, music, reading bicycling and being a soccer referee.

Pastor Elizabeth Purdum

Bewildered Barbara asks, “I hear a lot about praying God’s word.” Please explain. Hmmmm. First, let me say I have not al-ways been so wise about this myself. When I do I am taken to another level of spirituality. Simply put, it is read-ing the Bible and talk-ing to God about what you are reading. As you read, there will be nudges from the Holy Spirit about certain passages. You just talk to God about it; just as you would talk

to Pastor Dale. You can reword the pas-sage as God leads and pray it back to Him. In Beth Moore’s book, Praying God’s Word, she states when you read the Bible and a passage speaks to you, it is time to pray God’s word. Some examples for getting started and used to praying God’s word are: • Restate God’s truth, affirming your faith.

• Talk to God about

passages you

don’t understand. For example: 1 John 2:6: “Whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Je-sus did.”

When I read this passage, I under-stood the words but how do I to apply it to my life? You could meditate on this scripture and ask God to show you how to walk like Jesus did. Talk to God until you really get it! Once that is in your heart, the rest is easy. May God bless you

From Solomon’s Desk with His word during the month of August (and always).

One of our mem-bers suggested a cer-tain person get the cinnamon heart for August - actually he said we should give him a whole bag. That someone is Ron Cordova. Ron, it seems, is one of the first ones to arrive on Sundays besides Pastor. He cheerfully greets everyone as they enter the sanctu-ary and provides or-der to our service - and so much more! How blessed we are to have him and his always present smile.

The registration fee is $50 which includes lunch and child care (check payable to Women of the ELCA). You may find registra-tion forms at the con-nection center or contact the church office at 897-0047. For further details please visit: http://www.rmselca.org/women

The Women of the ELCA—Rocky Moun-tain Synod, will hold it’s Fall Gathering on Saturday, October 22 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at All Saints Lutheran in Albuquerque NM. The theme this year is the “Unpaved Road” based on Psalm 77:19 Enjoy the leadership of Pastor Elizabeth Purdum as the jour-ney to finding God’s path is explored.

great fellowship, delicious pas-tries and the melodic “gift” of music performed by James Hersch. Mr. Hersch stayed through Sunday and played and sang for both worship ser-vices.


A “gift” of love from James Hersch’s song “Send Us Out”: We have been called by the Lord. We have been saved by The Word. Now let The Word be re-stored. Now let the Gospel be heard.

Send us out to teach, What God has done. Send us out to reach every single one. Send us out…Send us out.

For the past six years, Parents of Hope have created a time for mu-sic, food and fellow-

A “Gift” To Be Remembered Is A “Gift” Given With Love Submitted by SMORES – Stewardship, Mission, OutReach, Evangelism, Servants.

ship. This year they invited Mr. James H. Hersch, classical gui-tarist, composer, award-winning re-cording artist and art-ist in residence for ELCA colleges, camps, schools and communities across America. Friday morning, Sep-tember 16, Mr. James

held court over the school assembly cap-tivating children and adults with songs and stories. No doubt, all will remember with laughter the songs of cows, bugs, aard-varks…and such. Friday evening, the adult Dessert Concert was enjoyed, with

Many thanks go out to the devoted Parents of Hope, dedicated teachers, administra-tors, Pastor and staff, congregation and Thrivent Financial for your enduring and on-going support. Thank you for caring so much for the future of our children and their growth in Christ.

Being a part of a Koinonia group at Cross of Hope is one of the most enriching active programs. I think one could be-come involved with. The group of people that I have had the blessing of being a member with in Koinonia Boomerang are so wonderful! I totally look forward to our meeting once a


Cross of Hope Elementary School Benefits From Your Purchases Smith's Earn & Learn Program

To signup and learn more about Smith's Earn & Learn, visit the following website. www.SmithsFoodAndDrug.com

you need to do is to present the Barcode in the enrollment form to cashier and he/she will link your child's school to your re-wards card. Then use your rewards card every time you

Earn Money for your child's school every time you use your re-wards card at Smith's. To enroll please col-lect the forms from the Connection cen-ter. It is simple, all

shop to help earn money for your child's school. COH elementary school benefits from your grocery pur-chases.

Be a Blessing and Be Blessed! Seek and You Will Find Through Koinonia By Mary Louise Toledo, Koinonia Boomerang

month, each and every month. We decide together what we want to read, study, and discuss-- all the while feeling free to comment as we think and feel without judgment. All are encouraged to share and make sug-gestions to help each other as well as feel affirmed to be a wanted part taker. Of course this also in-cludes praying for one another concerns as desired. Our Koinonia group, also, will do a couple of community services once a year, as well. This too, is something that is voted on by the group itself. A group effort is

always fun and easy. That is what I have come to experience. A real sense of be-longing. This is one of the best personal growth and fellowship programs that Cross of Hope suggests to the peo-ple attending Cross of Hope to do. I too, want to encourage anyone out there looking for a deeper meaning to their Christian walk, to seek a Koinonia group to participate in. If for any reason you think your life cannot fit one more commitment, please search your well be-ing and consider what is and isn't working for

you in your life. With that being done, be patient... and then try a Koinonia group to enrich and be en-riched by, you will be blessed. I am so happy to be a part of the group I am in! (Don't worry if it does-n't seem to workout for you, at first... as that may happen, for some reason or an-other. That has been the case for a few of us. But press on, as Paul wrote. Some-times there are changes to be made, even if it means switching to another Koinonia group.) Be a blessing and be blessed. Seek and you will find!


Non Profit Organization

U. S. Postage

PAID

Albuquerque, New Mexico

Permit No. 693

Worship times: Saturday evenings at 5:30 p.m. or Sunday mornings at 8:30 a.m. and 10:45 a.m.

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

6104 Taylor Ranch Road NW

Albuquerque, NM 87120

www.crossofhope.org

Rev. Dale G. Bauer, Pastor

C R O S S O F H O P E L U T H E R A N C H U R C H C A L L I N G A N D E D U C A T I N G I N T O C H R I S T

Our Vision: Calling and Educating into Christ

Upcoming Events At Cross of Hope

October 2 New Member Class begins at 12:00 p.m.

October 21 OktHOPErfest—6 p.m.

October 30 Reformation Sunday

November 5 Banner Babes Friendship Tea—11:00 a.m.

November 6 All Saints Sunday—Daylight Saving Time ends

November 18 A Night of Thanks and Joy with the Praise Team—7:00 p.m.

November 20 Fair Trade Fair at Cross of Hope

The full monthly calendar is on Cross of Hope’s website: www.crossofhope.org

Rays of Hope October · PDF fileDanielle Jones 10/13 ... Rachel Stell 10/26 Kristin Arnold...

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