Lutheran Congregations

in Mission for Christ

APRIL NEWSLETTER 2017

Immanuel Lutheran Church “Grace Happens at the Church on

the Hill”

P.O. Box 1355 - 411 CR 401 Taylor, Texas 76574 Phone: (512) 365-9494 - ilc@eccwireless.net

Sunday Schedule Discipleship Classes 9:15 Worship 10:30

Church Secretary Sharon Fritz (512) 560-0908 Financial Secretary: Evelyn Remmert

This first month has been very enlightening and challenging. It is a joy to get to know you,

though you will have to be forgiving if it takes me a while to get your names and faces

right. The picture directory is a big help in this regard and is useful tool of getting to know

you and your families. The format you have selected makes updating this directory very

easy, so I urge you to think about having a time to fill in the missing pictures, edit those

that need updating, make additions and retire those who have passed to a memorial sec-

tion. This will help all of us to stay in touch and will greatly aid your new pastor when that

time comes. I am looking forward, after Easter, to get out and visit with each family. The

Wednesday Lenten gatherings have been a positive time to get to know one another in

these first weeks. Our Lenten program has been focused on prayer and defining our-

selves in relationship to our faith and ministry. Immanuel Lutheran has a long history, be-

ing one of the first congregations formed and church buildings built in the Taylor-Hutto

area. May we seek the blessing of our God our Father through Jesus Christ to be a con-

gregation of Word and Sacrament practicing the Means of Grace.

Pastor Report

Pastor Rusty

He

Is

Risen

Page 2 Immanuel Lutheran Church

April 5th Lent 5 – Awareness of God and His Timing

April 13 Maundy Thursday - “The New Covenant in My Blood”

April 14th Good Friday - “Repentance at the Cross”

April 16th Easter – Sun Rise “HE has risen – HE has risen indeed! Alleluia – Alleluia

Worship He Shall Reign forever and ever – Alleluia - AMEN

Our concluding Wednesday Lenten gather-

ing will be on April 5th, at noon and 6:30

pm. We have sought “An Audience with the

King”, and hopefully will have watered the

seeds of our congregational life with

prayer, drawing closer to our Lord and God.

We hear the “old timers” talk of when the

church was a buzz with activity. Back then

Sunday’s were a conclusion of congrega-

tional activities and the beginning of new

ones. However, in today’s world this is not

the case. Other activities apart from con-

gregational life draw our attention. If Im-

manuel Lutheran is to be a beacon of light

in Jesus Christ to the community it will be

because this congregation is committed

and obedient to the will of God. Easter is a

time of new birth, new beginnings express-

ing and living in the love of God through

the ministry of Jesus Christ - being the

Church. Pastor Rusty

If you would like to purchase an Easter

Lily to be placed in the Sanctuary,

please contact Bonnie Kaderka or

Phyllis Johnson. There will be order

forms in your bulletin and at the en-

trance. The deadline is April 9th. You

may take your lily home following Easter

Service. $10.00 ea. THANK YOU for sup-

porting WOW!!!!

April 2nd, fundraiser for pew refin-

ishing. Bring something or stop

and buy something!

Page 3

Help Support our Kids!

Easter Breakfast is a Camp

Fundraiser for our kids.

Please sign up to help cook

and/or clean up!

It will be delicious!!!!

Live on Purpose

“How many souls have you won for Christ?” That question was

recently posed by one of our pastors to a group of colleagues

to begin what ended up being a very lively conversation on

evangelism and discipleship. This question is not often dis-

cussed by Lutherans and the terminology tends to make us a

bit uncomfortable. In our good Lutheran theology, we under-

stand that a person coming to Christ does not happen apart

from the work of the Holy Spirit, so we tend therefore to not

see ourselves as responsible for such a victory. But it made

me wonder if the same thinking might have led many of us to

forget that we do have a responsibility as followers of Jesus.

In Acts 1:8, Jesus sends his disciples with the command to be

his witnesses to the ends of the earth. And while we don’t

have the power to “bring” someone to faith, we do have a role

to play in others coming to Jesus.

I believe the key for most of us is we need pause and think

about living our lives for a greater purpose. As followers of

Jesus, we have a calling to live with an intentionality in our

relationships. Each relationship represents the opportunity to

bear witness to Christ and the grace and mercy that our Lord

and Savior has given his life for.

And it can be as simple as paying closer attention to the peo-

ple that God has already brought into your life. Think for a

moment about all of the people that you know that you don’t

know about their faith lives. Don’t know any non-believers?

Then get to know some. Begin with your neighbors or co-

workers, or start befriending employees of businesses you

frequent. We can all do a better job of befriending the 85+%

of the population who don’t attend worship in a week!

Next, pray to God for opportunities to love these people with a

Christ-like love. Pray for open doors to begin spiritual conver-

sations. And don’t forget that we believe in a God that can

transform lives, so be sure to include those people who you

might first write off as lost causes. We cannot forget that we

ourselves are our own lost causes in need of God’s grace just

as much as the next person!

Not sure what to say? Get some help. Be sure to turn to God

in prayer for the words and don’t be afraid to ask others for

help. Talk with your pastor and other brothers and sisters in

Christ for ideas on how to share the Gospel. I highly recom-

mend Bill Hybel’s book, Just Walk Across the Room, as a guide

to relational evangelism. But most of all, make a commitment

to God and yourself to live your life with a greater intentionality

and purpose: to be a witness for Christ in all of your relation-

ships. While it is indeed by God’s grace and power that any-

one comes to faith in Jesus, as his followers we also have a

responsibility and therefore we share in the joy of victory of

souls won for Christ

"Christ Jesus is the one who died-- more than that, who was raised-- who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? …No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. (Rom. 8:34-

35 ,37 ESV)

Page 4 Immanuel Lutheran Church

APRIL FLOWERS

DONATIONS:

APRIL

ACOLYTES:

4/2/17 Rachel

4/9/17 Kileigh

4/16/17 Myleigh

4/23/17 Abigayle

4/30/17 Bodie

APRIL ALTAR GUILD:

Claris Randig

Tricia Sheppard

Donna Rinehart

APRIL USHERS:

Pam Leschber

Josh Weise

APRIL LECTORS:

4/2/17 Arthur & Anna Siptak in honor of

their anniversary & Anna’s birthday

4/9/17 Palm Sunday

4/16/17 Easter Lilies—flower cross

4/23/17 Cheryle Kruger, in honor of her

parents 60th wedding anniversary—Ted &

Glenna Williams

4/30/17 Shirley Mundkowsky, in memory

of Gene Mundkowsky

DONUT & COFFEE TIME_

Everyone loves a cup of hot coffee or juice and a donut when they

come to Sunday School. If you can volunteer to make coffee and

bring donuts on some Sundays, please sign up on the sign-up sheet

which is posted on the refrigerator in the kitchen. Please have cof-

fee ready by 9:15—and remember that you will be responsible for

clean up. Thanks so much!

4/2/17 Cheryle Kruger

4/9/17 Bonnie Kaderka

4/16/17 Cindy Bailey

4/23/17 Paige Morris

4/30/17 Kristina Weise

WOW thanks everyone for your deligence and hard work to make our Turkey and Dressing

Fundraiser a huge success. From parking cars, filling plates, runners, inside help, to selling

tickets, YOU were awesome! God blessed us with beautiful weather! As you know the

money raised is helping referbish and recover our pews! In addition to the fundraiser and

our bake sales, we have had an awesome response in that 11 families have either "adopted

a pew" or gave a conribution to this fund! We thank God for blessing our congregation and

ask his guidance as we continue our journey.

Jesus brings hope to others.

We can bring hope to others too!

Page 5 Immanuel Lutheran Church

The purpose of our year together is seeking the will of God our Father through prayer, find-

ing direction and clarity, (Identity) that you the congregation of Immanuel Lutheran might

be defined and purposeful in seeking your next long term pastor. To this purpose your

Church Council created “Standing Committees” that are designed to allow each member

of the congregation to participate in the decision making of Immanuel Lutheran Church.

Any member is welcome to participate on any or as many committees as they feel called.

A standing committee is designated for each segment of congregational life. The commit-

tees are Finance and Stewardship, Education, Evangelism and Worship, Mission, and

Property. The structure of these do not require election or appointment but rather are

open to your ideas and opinions. If you have an idea these are where you can make them

known and discuss them with other members. A member of the Church Council will be as-

signed as chair and report to the council the input and consensus of the committee. The

Council will then determine how the findings of each committee can be incorporated into

the life of the congregation. Pastoral involvement will be made available to each commit-

tee to guide and help each group for the building up the congregation. Pastor Rusty

April 2—Book Fair Ends

April 9—Palm Sunday—Procession of Palms by kids.

Skit on The Beatitudes, Drawing for Pizza Party

April 16—Easter—Breakfast & egg hunt (fundraiser for camp)

If you can, please bring any type of

flowers for the Easter Flower Cross

Serving Our Lord….

Anna Siptak..………………….4

Rhonda Inman…....…………4

Craig Eulenfeld..……………11

Irene Schmidt..…...………..20

Martha Hobbs.....…………..22

Pam Leschber…………….....27

APRIL

Birthdays

FAITH

CIRCLE

Faith circle is on Thursday mornings at

10am for devotions, card crafting and

chatting. All ladies are invited.

APRIL Memorials Building Fund:

For: Irene Boehm—by Mr. & Mrs Emory Leschber

For: Mary Guenzel—by Lena Lantzsch

Memorial Fund—Church Renovation:

For: Betty Jean Farrack—by Robert & Donna Rinehart

For: Ann Newsom—by Robert & Donna Rinehart

For: Elsie Bachmayer—by Robert & Donna Rinehart

For: Charlie Stalinsky—by Arthur & Anna Siptak

For: Joyce Hoffman—by Arthur & Anna Siptak

For: Elsie Bachmayer— by Robert & Bonnie Kaderka

For: Irene Boehm—by Robert & Bonnie Kaderka

Page 6 Immanuel Lutheran Church

FAITH CARDS

SPRING & EASTER CARDS ARE AVAILABLE

NOW FOR .50 CENTS. MOTHER’S DAY

CARDS COMING SOON!!! Stop and check

them out—they are beautiful!!

APRIL 2017

SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

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Immanuel Lutheran Church

P. O. Box 1355

Taylor, Tx 76574

Phone: 512-365-9494

E-mail: ilc@eccwireless.net

www.ilctaylor.net

Office Hours:

Tues-Fri-9am-noon

10 COUNCIL

MEETING

6:30pm

11 12 13 14 15

16 17 18

WORSHIP

10:30

19 20 21

FAITH CIRCLE

10-12

22

23 25 24

WORSHIP 10:30

HOLY COMM

BOOK FAIR ENDS

BAKE SALE

Special Cong. Mtg.

26 27 28

EASTER

SUNRISE 7:30AM

BREAKFAST

WORSHIP 10:30

HOLY COMM

FAITH CIRCLE

10-12

Maundy Friday

Service 7pm

FAITH CIRCLE

10-12

FAITH CIRCLE

10-12

SERVICES

9:15 SUNDAY

SCHOOL

10:30 WORSHIP

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30

HILL TOPPERS

5:00PM

Good Friday

Service 7pm

WORSHIP

10:30

LENT SERVICES

12:00 &

6:30