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Holy Cross Lutheran Church

“Sharing the

Ointment

for Jesus’ Feet,

Giving God

our Very Best” Cf. John 12:3

Our mission statement:

Celebrating God’s love

by worshipping God,

caring for each other,

and serving in community.

BERGY’S BABBLE:

Pre Apocalyptic Tension Disorder - PATD

Vol. 18 No. 7 July 2012

One of the nicest things about TEOTWAWKI (The End of the World

As We Know It) is that even though it has been calculated endlessly in an

infinite variety of ways, all of the exact time predictions to date have been

100% wrong. It would seem that every geological, international or social

crisis triggers a new tsunami of speculation.

For instance the latest weird drug making the news, called ‘Bath

Salts’ has, in some hapless users, stimulated blackouts with extremely aggres-

sive biting behavior. Since I collect apocalypses as a hobby, naturally I was

asked, “Do you think this is it? The Mutant Zombie Apocalypse?” It could

happen, but rabies does exactly the same thing and has been around a long

time, and just hasn’t made much headway. It is really only a few very sick

people out there that are yelling, “Come Here Cujo!” I predict that facio-

phagia is not going to catch on.

Some calendar dates always raise the PATD level which is odd be-

cause with all the dozens of different cultural calendars and ways of marking

time, it seems arbitrary to pick one and get all in a huff over it. For us this

year is 2012. For Armenians, 1461. For Baha’ists it is only 169. The Bud-

dhists call it at 2556. The Hebrew calendar says 5773. Islam says it’s only

1433, while the Assyrian calendar claims it is 6762. Three different Hindu

calendars claim variously 2069, 1935, or 5114. The Holocene calendar says it

is 12012 and Unix time is up around 1,356,998,399. In a way, the question

that doctors and psychiatrists use to test patients for lucidity, (what year is it?)

is kind of tricky.

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According to legend, on the last day of 999, Europe fell ill to a fit

of terrible millennial panic. Truthfully, “The Terrors of the Year 1000”

as they were called, date back only to the 16th century when a Vatican

historian thought them up. In the 9th and 10th centuries, any speculation

about the timing of TEOTWAWKI was regarded by the Church as

heresy, and the Church was willing to go to extreme lengths to avoid

millennial panic.

The Anno Domini calendar was adopted in the 9th century just for

this reason. The former Anno Mundi calendar had reached its 5900s and

was dangerously close to the year 6000 which was then regarded as the

length of world history from creation to the end of the 1000 years of

Christ’s reign on earth.

There was a lot of hoopla around the year 2000 as you may recall.

It never hurts to be prepared for the odd and challenging eventuality but

some folks got downright antisocial with their PATD. Aum Shinrikyo

and his cult in Japan tried to escalate the eschaton with the Tokyo

subway gas attack. It is interesting how some fringe groups are always

trying to help a helpless deity get things right. If they could just be

patient, there are lots of other possibilities out there for TEOTWAWKI.

The Yellowstone Supervolcano is always perking, and a tectonic plate

shift could cave in the Canary Islands triggering a tsunami that would

slop over the Appalachians. The New Madrid Fault could just as easily

become a rift valley separating the contiguous 48, east and west. There

are a variety of nuclear mischiefs that we can rain down on ourselves,

and if we have time, the asteroid, 99942 Apophis, is scheduled to come

close enough in 2026 to guarantee a direct hit on its next pass in 2039.

Howeve, there are 7 other asteroids with a better chance of impacting on

the Palermo Technical Impact Hazard Scale.

Then, the distances are astronomical, but a direct hit from a large

solar flare would produce an electromagnetic pulse that would pretty well

turn everything off long enough to wipe out anything resembling civiliza-

tion. And there is at least one culture on the planet right now that would

like to do the same thing.

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And I’ve heard that if the wrong kind of nanotechnology gets

loose, everything on the planet will turn into Gray Goo (but it might be

smart gray goo.) With all of that, it is still very simply the truth, that our

odds of experiencing TEOTWAWKI personally, are highest in an auto-

mobile. If I knew that I was guaranteed to live to 1000 years of age

naturally, I’d never set foot in a car again.

Those who study this stuff, tend to agree that PATD is a common

response to disorienting change. Apocalypses abounded in Persia as an

ancient pastoral society gave way to a brutal warfare state. In the Middle

Ages, the fall of feudalism and the rise of urban populations made every-

one nervously anticipate the worst world ending punishments.

Consider the Apocalyptic Potato imported from the New World

which eased starvation, raised birth rates, promoted unanticipated popu-

lation growth, enhanced craft specialization, expanded the marketplace,

and fueled an Industrial Revolution. That’s a lot of global impact for a

lowly spud. I wonder if a Cray would change anything?

“We are stardust, we are golden…And we’ve got to get ourselves

back to the Garden…” (Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young). Yes they were

special, this enlightened generation. Their new vision would sweep away

the rigid old order of their fathers with a 20th Century renaissance prom-

ising hope for all future generations. When their mantle of responsibility

was assumed, a new world would be born.

New thought spawned a youth culture embracing vegetarianism,

herbal healing, communal living, sexual libertinism, magical meditation,

multicultural folklore, mysticism and occultism. They concerned them-

selves with the environment and banned DDT which was the equivalent

of 3rd World Genocide, because DDT has killed one millionth of a per-

cent less people than the malarial mosquito. They emphasized organic

and health foods, promoted earthdays, institutionalized child care, prac-

ticed population control and euthanasia. They nationalized health care,

and instituted innumerable welfare programs, the federal takeover of edu-

cation, and massive deficit spending. Those were the days….the 1920’s

and 1930’s in Germany.

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What Nazism and Communism and Everyism have in common are the

idea of a prodigious and heroic struggle against a demonized enemy, and then

world-changing victory, followed by the golden age of the return to the garden

of Eden, all smiles, where everybody is an equal noble savage inherently good

and eminently perfectible. Somebody’s always selling that bill of goods, and

people are lining up to buy it. The snake-oil salesman is saying, “Hey

Sonny…snark, snark…..got a special deal here just for you, only today. Buy

one and never worry about Judgment Day again! No more God. No more sin.

No more zits. You’ll be PERFECT! Get two, one for your girlfriend, too!

Oh, need money? Just printed some I’ll sell to you cheap!”

Indulgences may temporarily ease Pre Apocalyptic Tension Disorder.

It is not confined to wealthy preppers, crazed survivalists, medieval peasants or

totalitarian movements. The comfortable middle-class of the New Age Move-

ment would probably be shocked to think of themselves as exhibiting extermi-

natory drool, but you can’t help but notice that the politically correct often

have rather violent ideas about what should happen to people who don’t agree

with them. “Isn’t that special?”

The word “apocalypse” merely means that which is revealed. But

nowadays when people use it they invariably mean something like

TEOTWAWKI, and that usually boils down to just one thing: the removal of

all imperfect human beings. If you are not driving when the rapture comes its

curtains for you anyway, bubba. So get behind the wheel and wake up. Trust

God to lead the way.

In Luke’s Last Supper narrative, Chapter 22, Jesus mentions that it

might be good to be prepared for the occasional, odd, and sometimes extreme

eventualities. Verse 36 paraphrased; ‘pack a bug-out bag with necessities, cash

and a sidearm.’ Simply be alert and ready without worrying. Have fun and

learn how to do things from the Stone Age to the Space Age. If you’re simple,

try a little hi-tech. It’s kinda fun. If you’re a techie all the way, go milk a cow

and skin a catfish for supper. Learn what you can, stay loose and rely on God

all the way. Then apocalypse---the next step will be revealed. That’s all.

TEOTWAWKI.? That happens to me every night when I fall asleep.

APOCALYPSE? That happens to me every morning when I wake up.

See you in worship, ………………… Bergy

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FRIENDSHIP CLUB

JULY 21, 2012

Games at 4:00 p.m.— FLC

Pot-luck dinner served at 6:30 p.m.

Guest Speaker:

Dr. Ricki Finstad

Host & hostesses:

Bill & Dorsey M. Alexander 713-462-3891

Helen Jacob 713-468-7430

Bill & Bernice Rogge 713-465-5077

Betty Mooney & Sheldon Urwitz

THE NEIGHBORHOOD

CIRCLE # 4

is meeting at the home of Wendy and Alan Lambeth, 6317 Buffalo

Speedway, on July 1st at 6:00 p.m. You may contact Wendy (713) 668-

8824 or Stan Crick (713) 213-5582.

ALPHA & OMEGA

A & O Neighborhood Circle

will not meet in July.

We will meet again in August.

Have a fun 4th!!!

For information call

Lucy Candler (713) 460-2023.

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June - 2012 03 Loy Dell & Jo Rita Kaltwasser

10 Fredda Yurk

17 Alma Laubenberg

27 Sheldon Urwitz & Betty Mooney

MAM’S 2012 - BACK TO SCHOOL

SPONSOR A CHILD!

Please sponsor a child through Memorial Assistance Ministries’ annual

program to help children be prepared at the start of the 2012-2013 school

year.

You may make a donation in any amount to help purchase school cloth-

ing for a child in need. 100% of donations will be used to purchase

school clothes and supplies.

Fifty dollars can supply school clothing for elementary and middle

school students so that they can meet their school’s dress code.

Donors are invited to sign their first name on a bookmark that is given to

the child along with the sponsored items. We will accept donations and

provide bookmarks for signing on the following Sundays: July 15 and

July 22, 2012.

Call Angie Eckermann for more information at (281) 497-3022. Please

take this opportunity to help a child start the school year right!

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ELCA GLOBAL BARNYARD FUND

CONNECTED TOGETHER

As a child I may have a mother, a father, 2 sets of Grandparents, sisters,

brothers, aunts, uncles and cousins plus friends. I am not only a child but

a son or a daughter, a grandchild, a nephew or a niece, a cousin, and a

Child of God.

"Come Lord Jesus be our guest and let this food be blessed" is what we

say before meals. Asking God to be our guest and to bless the food.

In a family around the table discussion - just for fun we talked about our

food and how it got to us. There is the farmer who tilled the soil, planted

the seeds to grow the crop, workers helped out to gather the harvest, a

truck and a driver took it to the market or factory, workers prepared it to

be sold (fresh or canned) and then it was taken to the grocery store, put

on shelves or fresh food area. I'll bet you could think of other helpers.

All in all it is another way we are CONNECTED. God blesses each one

as we give thanks.

In poor countries the people feel our love, caring and reaching out to

them in their need. We CONNECT with them as we reach out to them in

their need. Food, clothing, a sheep or goat, water access, mosquito

netting, seeds to plant, etc. God uses us to be his ambassadors as we

CONNECT with others.

Please help us to reach out to help by joining us with an offering to the

ELCA SS Global Barnyard Fund. You can deposit your gift in one of

the Barnyard Banks in the Narthex or by using a white envelope marked

ELCA GLOBAL BARNYARD FUND. Thank you for your gift!

HCLC SS CHILDREN'S GLOBAL BARNYARD BANK

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A year ago, in the July ’11 issue of Crossties, the focus was on the

absence of rain. We remember that time, don’t we? As I sit here now,

the TV behind me is describing how showers will certainly visit my sec-

tion of the viewing area today. And we are aware of the beginning of

“hurricane season” when we’re recipients of a large share of God’s wet

blessing. And what, we ask again, does any of this have to do with

Stephen Ministry?

Well, it certainly is a vivid example of God’s blessings and hard-

ships being visited equally on the just and the unjust. Rain makes no dis-

tinction. Neither does God’s love. Stephen Ministers are available to all,

to help weather life’s storms. Give us a chance to spread our umbrellas

of compassion and love. We’re here, and we care.

In His name,

Marge Carroll

Stephen Ministry Coordinator

713-467-4757

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Holy Cross members celebrating birthdays this month:

If your name is not listed or if this is incorrect information

please let me know so that the list can be corrected.

Bettye Raschke

02 Jim Becker

Elias Escamilla

03 Roselain Larson

Nancy Beamesderfer

04 Gordon Tinker

06 Ana Maldonado

07 Chris Wignes

Yedith Gomez

08 Meredith Schomburg

Christopher Lambeth

09 Laura Ruthstrom

11 Jessica Latigo

12 Calvin Remmert

Ashley Aleman

Lissett Hernandez

15 Angélica Samano

16 Gloria McGarvey

17 Vicenta Yáñez

Alfredo Pérez

18 María Villegas

Giselle Díaz

19 Julián Maldonado

20 Betty Firth

22 Ella Brezina

24 Ilda Torres

Carmela Navarro

26 Jessica Villegas

27 Antonio Díaz

28 Judy Hungerford

Julie Kilkenny

29 Irene Meyer

31 Loy Dell Kaltwasser

Vernon Thielemann

Janett Navarro

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READINGS, PSALMS & GOSPEL

JULY 2012

DATE 1st READING PSALM 2nd READING GOSPEL

07/01/12 Wisdom 1:13-15,

2:23-24

30 2 Corinthians

8:7-15

Mark 5:21-43

07/08/12 Ezekiel 2:1-5 123 2 Cor. 12:2-10 Mark 6:1-13

07/15/12 Amos 7:7-15 85:8-13 Ephesians 1:3-14 Mark 6:14-29

07/22/12 Jeremiah 23:1-6 23 Ephesians 2:11-22 Mark 6:30-34,

53-56

07/29/12 2 Kings 4:42-44 145:10-18 Ephesians 3:14-21 John 6:1-21

HOSTING FAMILIES

Host families are needed for several international students who would

like to attend Lutheran High North or Memorial Hall School for the

upcoming school year. These F-1 visa students speak English, are fully

insured, and have their own pocket money for personal expenses.

Host families provide room and board and receive a generous monthly

hosting stipend. Families must be able to assist the student with trans-

portation to school.

For more information please contact Angela at 281-229-1649 or angela-

sansom@gmail.com.

Sincerely,

Angela Sansom

Local Representative

NACEL Open Door

International Private School Program

www.nacelopendoor.org/ipsp

ph: 281-229-1649

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TREASURER’S REPORT

If you have any questions call

Wayne Schaper, Sr. at (713) 465-5206.

MAY 2012

Receipts $ 36,011.75

Expenses 36,552.75

Balance < $ 541.00 >

Operational receipts

year to date received ……. $ 181,802.71

Expenditures year to date ……. 189,393.60

Balance …… < $ 7,590.89 >

S U N S H I N E S A I N T S

AVERAGE ATTENDANCE

MAY 2012

Sunday English Services: 126

Sunday Spanish Services: 104

Prayer Chain Telephone and E-mail

Prayer chain requests and anyone who would

like to be added to the telephone

or e-mail Prayer Chain can notify:

Alma Laubenberg 713-996-7479 or email:

CHURCH

OFFICE HOURS

Monday - Thursday

8:30 am - 4:30 pm

Friday

8:30 am - 2:30 pm

Holy Cross

Lutheran Church’s

E-MAIL address is:

hclc@holycross.us

You may sign up for Altar Flowers in the

Narthex. Suggested donation

is $40.00 and $10.00 for a rose.

Remember in prayer the

homebound, disabled, long-term ill,

and prolonged recovering.

Ella Brezina

Ora Dell Dittmar

Betty Dodson

Doris Anne Drosche

Sig Ellerman

Nancy Mendel

Doris Pannell

Doris Polker

Dorothy Storenski

Sue Vogt

Roselain Larson

albob1948@yahoo.com

Ed Cooper

Carol Kirsch

Laura Ruthstrom

Vanna Teschner

Betty Griffin

Gary Gross

Charles Pace

Jerri O’Neill

John Massie

Ken Beamesderfer

Elaine Snell

Jo Rita Kaltwasser

Bill Alexander

R E M E M B E R I N Y O U R P R A Y E R S

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“Holy Cross Lutheran Church is a community of Christians

gathered by God’s grace and reaching out through God’s love.”

TELEPHONE EXTENSIONS

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101

Church Office Sussy Basurto Office Manager & Events Coordinator

103 Rev. Jim Berggren Senior Pastor

104 Rev. Jhon J. Arroyave Hispanic Pastor

105 Karen Davidson Associate In Ministry

107 Financial Office

108 Stephen Ministry Office

109 Family Life Center

110 Nursery

111 Volunteer Office

Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Spring Branch

A Congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)

7901 Westview Dr. — Houston, Texas 77055

Tel. (713) 686-8253 Fax (713) 686-9095

E-mail : hclc@holycross.us

Web Site: www.holycross.us

YOUR CHURCH STAFF

† Rev. Jim Berggren — Senior Pastor email : jberggren@holycross.us

† Jhon Jairo Arroyave — Hispanic Pastor

† Karen Davidson — Associate In Ministry email : aimked@gmail.com

† Sussy Basurto — Office Manager email : hclc@holycross.us

WORSHIP MUSICIANS

Matthew Coffey Choir Director Cathy Elijah Organist Jo Ann Meeker Pianist Ann Crick Pianist

EARLY LEARNING CENTER

(713) 461-5535

OFFICERS OF THE CONGREGATION

Mike Appling President Carol Prokofieff Vice President Wendy Lambeth Secretary Wayne Schaper, Sr. Treasurer

SATURDAY INFORMAL SERVICE

6:00 p.m. — Narthex

SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICES

English Service : 9:00 a.m.

Sunday School : 10:30—11:15 a.m.

Spanish Service: 10:30 a.m.

Estudio Bíblico y Escuela Dominical

11:30 a.m.—12:15 p.m.