CHRIST LUTHERAN CHURCH

86 Plantation Drive/ P.O. Box 948

Lake Jackson, TX 77566

THE TIDINGS is published monthly by

CHRIST LUTHERAN CHURCH, 86 PLANTATION DRIVE, P.O. BOX 948

LAKE JACKSON, TX 77566-0948

Pastor…..Pastor Paul Geisler, Jr…... clcpastorlj@sbcglobal.net

Secretary…..Rachel Wood….. clcoffice@sbcglobal.net

Office Hours…..Mon.-Fri…..8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Phone….979-297-2013

Fax…..979-297-7868

Web Site…..www.christlutheran-lj.org

Ministers…..The People of Christ

Missionaries

Pastor Dana Nelson/Thomas Osaski…..Serving in Peru

Pastor Horacio Castillo…..Serving in Guatemala

Stephen Deal…..Serving in Central America

The Hands of Christ

Worshiping Learning Serving

Together

Worship Schedule

Sunday 8:00 and 10:30 AM

Education for all ages at 9:15

Christ Lutheran Church

ISSUE #294

DECEMBER 2012 The Tidings

CHRIST LUTHERAN CHURCH

Joy To the World and joy to all our Tiki players who will be playing on Thurs-

day, December 6 at 6:30 pm. Thank you to Betty Massey for the November

snacks and to Sharon White for the December goodies. Marge Janke and

Nancy Schoppe will be defending their scores. We welcomed Paul and Leo-

ta Romine to our growing list of players. Get a start on the holiday season

and give yourself the present of fun and fellowship.

NAMI Gulf Coast receiving a check for $906.93

from Christ Lutheran Church...proceeds from

drink and cookie sales in the Pumpkin Patch.

“Many thanks from all of us at NAMI Gulf Coast

for all your hard work and efforts on the Pump-

kin Patch! Your donation will go to helping indi-

viduals affected by mental illness get transporta-

tion to holiday events so they will not be isolag-

ted over the holiday. What you have done really

make a difference.”

Christmas Program

and Dinner December 16

5:30 PM

Rehearsals will be taking place during the 9:15 Sunday

School Time

Amanda Benson of NAMI and Walter

Dean of Christ Lutheran Church.

Stewardship Commitment Sunday—December 2

Return your stewardship packets if you have not al-

ready done so.

New Member Class Sunday’s at 9:15

December 2nd, 9th, and 16th

Will meet in the Parlor. The adult Sunday

School room by the Gathering Area.

PAGE 2 THE T IDINGS

God’s peace,

Pastor Paul Geisler

From the Pastor, to my partners, . . .

It was a dark and stormy night … Well, maybe not that stormy – perhaps it just smelled like rain. You would soon discover it hardly ever rains in this territory. And of course it was dark; it was

nighttime!

Anyway, you have found yourself stranded on your journey to the big city, which you cannot reach until at least tomorrow. You discover that you are close to a tiny town in the middle of sheep coun-try, surrounded by nothing but rocky, mountainous terrain. You gather your wits and desperately

begin to search for something of significance in the little village.

Down the narrow path, you see the old sheep town lying still below you. And above the deep and dreamless sleep, the silent stars go by. Yes, it’s Bethlehem! In the dark street shines the everlast-

ing light! The hope and dreams of all the years will be met here tonight!

Come with us, and spend “One Night in Bethlehem.” We gath-er for Advent worship on Wednesdays, December 5, 12, and 19, and visit the inn, the fields, and the stall. We’ll see a string of unlikely, unpredictable events all come together to bring God to us, in the birth of the baby Jesus. We meet the grubby, unlikely messengers of God’s angelic message of peace on earth and goodwill to all the world’s inhabitants. We finally meet Jesus in his natal throne – a manger, or feed trough, in a stable – which will one day become a cross on a hill far

away, not a royal chair in a palace.

Open your week, and join us for worship these Wednesdays. Take about thirty minutes to sing, pray, and listen to the story unfold once again. God works through all kinds of situations, in many different places, with all types of people – all bringing together the glorious story of “emmanuel,” that is, Christ with

us, to bring forgiveness and salvation for us all.

One Night

In Bethlehem A Series of Special

Services for Advent

Behold, the world’s Creator wears

The form and fashion of a slave;

Our very flesh our maker shares,

His fallen creatures, all, to save. From East to West, verse 2

Coelius Sedulius, d. c. 450

THE T IDINGS PAGE 7

December 2 December 9

8:00 AM 10:30 AM 8:00 AM 10:30 AM

Acolytes Kourtney Gregory Maddie Bone

Tyler Burridge Hope Furlow

Readers Debbie Smith Jean Warren Steve Gluck Lorin Furlow

Ushers Dave Naill James Waldrop

Jose Saavedra George Warren

Duane Rayburn James Waldrop

Shane Pirtle Floyd Ellington

Greeters Bob & Barbara Lundahl

Julie Saavedra Veronica Waldrop Susan Geisler

Ppt Tech Sandy Naill Carrie Baker Dave McCrery Brydon Geisler

Musician Mary Morgan Mary Morgan Linda Pirtle Linda Pirtle

M Counters Mary Morgan/Dave McCrery Floyd Ellington/Marv Dettloff

December 16 December 23

8:00 AM 10:30 AM 8:00 AM 10:30 AM

Acolytes Austin Hughes Jeffrey Sims

Tyler Burridge Riley Matteck Eli Matteck

Readers Betty Massey Jennifer Sims Louise Humes Marv Dettloff

Ushers Louise Humes Patty Northam

Bob Drake Jose Saavedra

James Waldrop Betty Massey

George Warren

Greeters Pat Northam Louise Drake Marge Janke Jean Warren

Ppt Tech Dave McCrery Kathy Sims Steve Gluck Mary Dettloff

Musician Sandy Naill Sandy Naill Mary Morgan Mary Morgan

M Counters Jose Saavedra/Todd Hughes Marv Dettloff/Dave McCrery

Christmas Eve December 30

7:00 PM 11:00 PM 8:00 AM 10:30 AM

Acolytes Hope Furlow Maddie Bone

Readers Carrie Baker Linda Arntsen Dave McCrery Liz Ellett

Ushers Jose Saavedra Dave Naill

Betty Massey Don White

James Waldrop Louise Humes

Don White Dave Naill

Greeters Duane Rayburn Sharon White Agnes Harris Linda McCrery

Ppt Tech Jean Warren Patty Northam

Musician Sandy Naill Sandy Naill

M Counters Don White/Dave Naill

SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT

1

2

8:00 & 10:30 AM Worship 9:15 Education Classes Food Pantry Offer-ing 6 PM CLC Sports Night

3 7 PM-Boy Scouts

4

5

1:30 PM Bread for Life 5:30 PM Living Waters 6:30 PM Adult Choir 7:00 Mid-week worship

6 6:30 PM Tiki

7

8

9 8:00 & 10:30 AM Worship 9:15 Education Classes Congregational Meeting and Stew-ardship Barbeque

10 7 PM-Boy Scouts

11 7 PM-Servant Ministry Meeting

12

1:30 PM Bread for Life 5:30 PM Living Waters 6:30 PM Adult Choir 7:00 Mid-week worship

13

14

15

16 8:00 & 10:30 AM Worship 9:15 Education Classes Living Waters Sing Christmas Pro-gram and Dinner

17

7 PM-Boy Scouts

18

19

1:30 PM Bread for Life

20 7 PM Church Council Meeting

21

22

23 8:00 & 10:30 AM Worship 9:15 Education Classes

24 Worship at 7:00 and 11:00 PM

25 26

1:30 PM Bread for Life

27 28

29

30 8:00 & 10:30 AM Worship 9:15 Education Classes Blood Drive

31

ISSUE #294 PAGE 6

Save the Date-January 27, 2013

Congregational Meeting

ISSUE #294 PAGE 3

Worship & Music Notes

We enter the Advent Season with expectation. We're waiting for the Baby. We're waiting for the Savior, long-promised in Scripture. Each week we light a candle, each with special prayers---as we wait. For children, waiting for Christmas appears to go slowly. They get caught up in visions of sugarplums, toys, and anticipation of jolly old St. Nicholas' visit. For those of us who've been around awhile longer, our expectations are surely different. Did we get the right presents, have we planned the perfect menu, will the family visits go as we hope? Yet the Good News is told. Whether angels herald His birth, or children tell the story dressed as lambs, shepherds, Magi, Joseph, Mary and the Wee Babe. Christmas comes and we are blessed again in the presence of one another as we Gather, hear the Word, Share in the Holy Meal, and go out into the world better for having witnessed the arrival of God's greatest gift.

ONE NIGHT IN BETHLEHEM Wednesday @ 7:00pm, (Dec. 5th, 12th, 19th) Our Advent mid-week services will take us on a journey to Jerusa-lem, with an unexpected stop in Bethlehem. What happens that night, at the inn, in the fields, and in the stable, forever change the folks on that tour, and us as well! Take a break from the busy-ness of the season and re-center your thoughts to Bethlehem, where a quiet night changes everything.

Christmas Eve Worship Times

7:00 pm 11:00 pm

6 David Rieschick 28 Dan McDonald

6 Ella Smith 29 Floyd Ellington

24 Agnes Harris 30 Charlene Mann

ISSUE #294 PAGE 4

24 November, 2012

Dear Sponsoring Congregations, Friends and Family, Greetings from Cusco, Peru.

We hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving Day!

We had a two-day celebration of the Reformation at Talitha Kum, “Little Girl, Get Up! Lutheran Church.” On the last Saturday in October we played games, dividing the kids in teams and had competitions with hula hoops, water balloons, and other relay

events. Then after lots of playing we went into the church and ate jello. The next day, Reformation Sunday, we had a piñata after early church.

Our family has a tutor/mentor in Quechua language and culture. He comes to our house once a week and among other lessons is teaching us songs in Quechua. And as a congregation we are adding, one-by-one as we learn them, Quechua hymns to Talitha Kum’s worship book.

On Saturdays the youth get together to make music. (More photos attached.)

Talitha Kum church has a number of instruments, including 2 guitars, 3 zampoñas (Andean panpipes), a Native American flute (Dakota), several recorders, a pianica (melodica), an electric keyboard, and a borrowed violin. In Sunday worship as we all sing the Liturgy, some of the youth are gradually playing along

on the instruments they choose.

Have a wonderful Advent season! We are hoping to finish con-struction in sanctuary in time for Christmas Eve, la Noche Buena. We will let you know. God bless you!

Love, Dana Nelson, Tom Ososki, Tana & Anthony P.O. Box 744 Cusco, Perú.

Please remember these people in your prayers.

Marian Arntsen Joseph Jones Brinly Pirtle Betty Thomas

Kevin Autry Dennis Jones Steve Ray Bradley Thomas

Michael Aycock Betty Keith Sue Rieschick Dora Updike

Staci Ayers Reagan Langford Karen Schubring Clara Veatch

Taylor Bedrich Paul Lydic Doris Schwank Viola Watson

Alison Blevins Macel Magnussen Kim Shelton Ruth Wetherell

Patricia Bradburn Brock Massey Fam Ken Smith Pauline Zabel

Liz Ellett Steve Miller Dennis Smith

Carroll Grigsby Robert Newton Bill Stoerner

Verlene Heady Terry Partridge Van Tetlow

THE T IDINGS PAGE 5

Lord’s Work Income Net Expenses Budget

October $11,916.36 $14,494.89 $17,013.75

Year to Date $149,299.22 $149,782.22 $170,137.50

Building Loan for October

Received $4,111.00

Payment $5,775.70

Balance $468,775.48

Average Weekly Attendance for November --80

YTD Avg. Worship Attendance--73

Christian Love and Sympathy is extended to:

-Jean Warren and family in the pass-ing of Jean’s mother.

Poinsettias for Christmas Eve-

Poinsettias may be ordered

through December 12th. Order

form is on the bulletin board. Each

plant is $10.

CLC Blood Drive—-December 30th

the Commit for Life Blood Mobile will be at Christ Lutheran Church.

Announcing!!

New email address for the office at

Christ Lutheran Church

clcoffice@sbcglobal.net