AUGUST 2024 - News & Views
A Message From Pastor Jen
The Greatest of These is Love
“And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.”
~I Corinthians 13:13
I want to begin by saying “Thank You! From the bottom of my heart, thank you!” The love you all have shown to my entire family, and I is overwhelming and never ceases to continue to amaze me. Our Redeemer Church family knows how to love – knows how to demonstrate God’s love toward others! And what a blessing to be part of it and recipients of it.
I was just telling someone at church on Sunday that it’s interesting how God put us into such a loving church family when He knew that our family would be changing – the death of our parents and our children leaving the nest. And to God, I am very grateful!
Over this past year since we brought my mother down to live near us so we could help take care of her, God has been teaching me and her and our family some very important things – things that would help to heal our past and mend our present. And that is found in the verse I noted above: “And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.”
First, I can’t imagine doing life and death without faith – complete trust & confidence in a God who loves us and sent His Son to save us – save us from sin, death, and the devil. As many of you
have shared with me and we have all now experienced, death is never easy, but it’s made easier by faith – trust and confidence in the unseen promise that death is not the end and heaven is for real.
Second, hope was my mother’s “One Word” for 2023 and 2024. She had hoped that she would get more time with us and to see her grandchildren graduate but that was not meant to be on this side of heaven. However, more importantly, she clung to the hope that this earth is not our home and our eternal home is in heaven.
Third, love – the greatest of these three and now I know why. When all else fails, love wins! When death is encroaching and you know it’s inevitable, nothing else in this world like material things matters, except love. In the end, it doesn’t matter anymore about what we did or what we had, what matters is WHO is with us – Jesus (God with us) & family – those who love us and those whom we love. My mother probably told me “I love you!” more times in this past year than she did the other parts of our lifetime together because she and we learned – love is all that matters! Love abides where material things and successes just don’t matter anymore.
So, to whom do YOU need to say, “I love you”? With whom do you need to make amends before it’s too late? People (even the hard-to-love ones) are in our lives for a reason. Even if you cannot reconcile a relationship, who do you need to ask God to bless instead of resenting them? Trust me, God is always right, “faith, hope and love abide…but the greatest of these is love.” And why? Because God IS Love and He created us to love just like Him!
IN OUR PRAYERS
Frank Bird, Betty Jo Zunker, Glen (Cowboy) Collins, Judi Bullington, Garrett Schulze, Erica Williams, Donnie Achterberg, Charlie Meckel, Laurie Leach
IN SYMPATHY
Family of Whilma Achterberg
Family of Chloe Belicek
Family of Dennis Wendel
Family of Donna Sagebiel
Happy Wedding Anniversary
Don & Marion Denson – 64 years
Jerry & Sherilyn Beckmann – 56 years
Reno & Vangie Bielke - 51 years
Horace & Laura Luensmann – 40 years
Please continue helping us to give special recognition and to honor these wonderful mile markers. If you know of someone going to be married 25, 40, 50 or more years, please let the Church Office know for that month’s newsletter.
DOMINOES & LUNCH
The next dominoes & lunch will be Wednesday, September 11, 2024 at 10:00 A.M. Lunch is served at noon; come and join us!
POTLUCK FELLOWSHIP BREAKFAST
Bring your favorite breakfast food to share and join in fellowship around food, faith & church family!
9:15-10:15 A.M.
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 15TH
WORSHIP IN THE GROVE SEPTEMBER 22
Everyone is invited to Worship in the Grove on Sunday, September 22 at 5:00 PM. We will gather together outside in the grove for hotdogs and ice cream and bluegrass gospel music led by banjo player, Brenda and Wayman Williams. Bring ice cream to share. Homemade is always best but any kind is good! BCE will provide hotdogs to roast over the fire and drinks. Bring your family, your kids, and Pastor Jen just might bring her kids too – the 4-legged ones that is!
ADULT BIBLE STUDY CONTINUES THROUGH THE GOSPEL OF JOHN!
Sunday School for all ages, including adults, kicks off on Sunday, September 8! I invite the adult class to join the Pancake breakfast and the painting that will happen with the children for Grandparents’ Day. Then on Sunday, September 15, the adult class will gather in the multi-purpose room to continue our study through the Gospel of John! All older youth and adults are welcome to attend. The class is led by Pastor Jen.
NEW BERLIN SAUSAGE FESTIVAL
@ New Berlin Community Center
Sunday, September 1st – 11:00 A.M. to 11:30 P.M.
Sausage Plates $15.00
Serving from 11:00 A.M. to ??
►For Raffle Tickets◄
6 for $5.00
►Contact Glen & Beverly Muenchow◄
210-269-4985
BEXAR ANNUAL SAUSAGE SUPPER
15681 Bexar Bowling Road, Marion TX 78124
830-420-2512
Saturday, September 14th
Homemade Sausage Supper
Serving 4pm to 8pm
Plates - $15/each
Sausage Wraps Available Outside
Raffle Tickets
Bake Sale
Children's Games
Silent & Live Auction
Dance w/DJ until Midnight
Redeemer United Church Council Meeting Minutes – Condensed
No minutes this month because Church Council did not meet in August.
Thank You
Redeemer Church,
Thank you to all who helped to make our mom’s service so special. The service and reception and especially the comfort from everyone was exactly what we needed.
The Whilma Achterberg Family
To the Redeemer Family,
Thank you so much for all the prayers, cards, food and support for the loss of our sister, Lucille Haecker. Special thanks to Pastor Jen for a lovely service. Also, for the wonderful music. We are incredibly grateful.
The Lucille Haecker Family
SCRIPTURE LESSONS FOR SEPTEMBER
September 1 – Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost
- Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-9
- Psalm 119:129-136
- Ephesian 6:10-20
- Mark 7:14-23
September 8 – Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost
- Isaiah 35:4-7a
- Psalm 146
- James 2:1-10, 14-18
- Mark 7:31-37
September 15 – Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost
- Isaiah 50:4-10
- Psalm 116:1-9
- James 3:1-12
- Mark 9:14-29
September 22 – Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost
- Jeremiah 11:18-20
- Psalm 54
- James 3:13—4:10
- Mark 9:30-37
September 29 – Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost
- Numbers 11:4-6, 10-16, 24-29
- Psalm 104:27-35
- James 5:13-20
- Mark 9:38-50
September Birthdays
01-Bradley Klein, Jennifer Schulze
02-David Lindley
03-Kassen Dilworth, Cole Swanson, Jeanette Luensmann
04-William Lindley, Henley Pawlik
05-Joyce Kucherka
06-Hailey Hulett
07-Maryjo Contreras
10-Betty Zunker
11-Russell Bielke
13-Karen Metzger
14-Donnie Garrison, Jody Nichols
15-Mark Kriewald
17-Brianna Fulghum, Jo Williford
19-Andrea Missildine, Dorrene Henk
20-Joshua Williford
22-Jessica Sinclair
24-Cameron Luensmann
26-Roy Engelhardt
27-Zach Luensmann, Steven Steinmetz
29-Roderick Reinhard
September Wedding Anniversaries
02-Don & Marion Denson
07-Jerry & Sherilyn Beckmann
19-Tyler & Kelsey Canham
24-Wade & Lora Pape
25-Reno & Vangie Bielke
26-Larry & Debbie Luensmann
29-Horace & Laura Luensmann
MEMBERS IN SERVICE
ATTENTION Ushers and Greeters: Please arrive at least 30 minutes prior to the Church Service. (Two of the Ushers will hand out bulletins and the other one will be greeter.)
Bulletin Cost: $10.00. Please drop off your payment in the church office or place in the offering plate with notation for bulletins.
September 1, 2024 – Holy Communion
USHERS/GREETER – Church Council
LITURGIST – Justin Kurz
ACOLYTE – Ella Maierhofer
ALTAR FLOWERS – Janice Gangawer
SIDE TABLE FLOWERS – Marion & Don Denson
SIDE TABLE FLOWERS – Harry Lee Schneider family
BULLETINS – Elsie Barnett
September 8, 2024 - Youth
USHERS/GREETER – Youth
LITURGISTS – Youth
ACOLYTES – Cade Kurz & Parker Missildine
ALTAR FLOWERS – open
BULLETINS – Victor Contreras
September 15, 2024
USHERS/GREETERS – Shawn & Debbie Wiegand & Donna Luensmann
LITURGIST – open
ACOLYTES – Reese Thayne & Ryleigh Hulett
ALTAR FLOWERS – Dorothy Luensmann
BULLETINS – open
September 22, 2024
USHERS/GREETERS – Brad, Audrey & Brady McDougal
LITURGIST – open
ACOLYTES – Ella Maierhofer & Finn Rackley
ALTAR FLOWERS – open
BULLETINS – Betty Surman
September 29, 2024
USHERS/GREETERS – Jerry & Karen Wieters & Jennifer Swanson
LITURGIST – open
ACOLYTES – Parker Missildine & Matthew Sweet
ALTAR FLOWERS – Laura Luensmann
BULLETINS – Charlie Luensmann & family
Confirmation I Classes Begin September 8
Confirmation I youth in 7th grade will begin classes during the Sunday School hour 9:15-10:15am.
Your teachers will be Jim and Gerry Rackley. Pastor Jen invites the parents to come to part of the first class to learn a little from Pastor Jen about the Confirmation process and expectations for their Confirmation I year.
We have 6 youth part of this group. If you know of other youth in or near 7th grade age who would like to be in the confirmation program, please contact Pastor Jennifer for more information.
DATES TO REMEMBER....
•• No Sunday School September 1 ••
Sunday, September 8th
9:15 A.M. - Kick Off w/Pancake Breakfast
►Grandparent’s Day & Youth Sunday◄
Sunday, September 15th
9:15 A.M. - Traditional SS & Potluck Breakfast
Sunday, September 22nd
9:15 A.M. – Mini VBS in SS – All Ages
5:00 P.M. – Worship in the Grove (hot dogs & ice cream)
Sunday, September 29th
9:15 A.M. Music Sunday in SS
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YOUTH SUNDAYS
2NDSUNDAY OF EACH MONTH
WE ENCOURAGE CONFIRMATION & SR. HIGH YOUTH TO HELP LEAD WORSHIP!
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WELCOME BACK!
Kick Off Sunday School
With a Pancake Breakfast
Sunday, September 8th
9:15 A.M. – 10:15 A.M.