Vol. 3, No. 8 :: June 1, 2010

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St. Peter Lutheran Church in Gun Barrel City

A note burning ceremony - what an exciting day for St. Peter. Pictured above are Pastor Scott Schaller, Rob Anderson, President of the congregation and Steve Block, Executive Director of Church Extension Fund.

Cross Lutheran Church in New Braunfels

They are nearing completion on their new sanctuary. The back building you see in this photo is the old worship center which is also their gym. Plans are to have their first worship service in their new sanctuary on June 13th.

Below are photos of the inside of their new sanctuary.

This is the entrance into the sanctuary. As you enter, on one side is a place for the bell choir and on the other side is a place for the choir.

June 2010 Rates

Scripture

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek."
Romans 1:16

Quote

"You are not only responsible for what you say, but also for what you do not say."
Martin Luther

Culturally Relevant Gospel

Identifying with the people in our communities and communicating with them effectively is an extremely important part of our Christian responsibility, but it is not always easy. While our message remains the same, the way we share it may change. As leaders of the church, it is easy to become comfortable with antiquated technology and media. Unfortunately, someone visiting the church may not be able to hear the message of salvation if they are distracted with old technology and a lack of cultural awareness.

Money Magazine's article, "How to Age Proof Your Career," by Dan Kadlec, offers insights into how to relate to your community in an effective way. While it may sound silly, simply knowing which movies are in theaters, which TV shows are the most popular, and what music is on the top of the radio charts may make you more accessible to a visitor. If you don't understand pop culture, according to Kadlec, "You're also missing chances to build relationships."

Another way to remain "in touch" is by spending some time using social networking sites. Joining groups like Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn will help you connect to the online community. "By reading them," says Kadlec, "you'll stay current and by repeating - or retweeting - what you learn, your newfound edge will show."

As a church, we are uncompromising about the Good News. However, in all that we do, we want to be clearly understood. By taking a few hours a month to keep up to date with pop culture and new technologies, you may be creating a more hospitable environment to communicate the Gospel of Salvation with the people in your community.

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Acts Lutheran Church in Lakeway

This congregation chose May 23rd for their Dedication Service. What a beautiful and exciting spirit filled day it was for everyone!
Below are a few photos taken on this special day.

Trinity Lutheran Church in Houston

Trinity is in the process of constructing an early childhood center. The 8th grade Spanish class took refreshments (cookies & lemonade) to the workers on their job site. The students had a thank you message in Spanish and English and concluded with a prayer in Spanish and English. What a special day for the workers.

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