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St. John’s HELPER St. John’s United Church of Christ 1513 West Street Rosenberg, Texas 77471 Church Office: 281-342-5159 Fax: 832-759-5548 Church Email: [email protected] Church Website: www.stjohnsunitedchurchofchrist.org Rev. Daniel Haas, Minister Cell phone #801-368-1180 March 1, 2017 Rev. Donald Kolkmeier, Pastor Emeritus No matter who you are, or where you are on life’s journey, you are welcome at St. John’s United Church of Christ “I’m Going Cold Turkey for Lent”

So last Saturday something strange happened: I woke up early to go exercise. Now, that is not strange, that is normal for me. But what struck me was what I did not do: After the workout I did not rush to get myself a coffee. Instead I let the day go on – without the tiniest dose of caffeine. Maybe coffee does not rule my life? Maybe I can do it without the rush? Then came Sunday morning with a splitting headache and a fatigue that would last all day. Withdrawal was real and carried into Monday with general grogginess and muscle stiffness. There used to be a strict at our house in the mornings: “Don’t talk about anything important Today is Tuesday, day three without any caffeine, before I had my first cup of coffee.” I would and I am okay. I am reasonably awake and misunderstand you. I would not be able to pay attentive. It still feels somewhat funny but I am attention. Short: I would not be at my best. So it managing. In case you were wondering why I was safest for myself and everybody else to avoid invite you so deeply into my intimate habits: That human interaction before the beast was tamed by is what Lent is all about. Lent is an opportunity to caffeine. So whenever this rule was broken that give yourself a reality check of where your could result in a rough start for everybody priorities are, what you can do without. “What are involved. Coffee ruled my life. you giving up for Lent?” is not a cute question on the side. It has to puncture your very heart. It Matthew 6:21 reminds me, “for where your must reveal where your treasure truly is. Maybe treasure is, there your heart will be also.” That is a the better way to pose the question is: hard cup to swallow. Because it means that in What is one thing I cannot live without? effect I have made coffee the king over my What is one thing I wish I did not do? morning if not over the whole day. Because in the Even though I started before Ash Wednesday I afternoon I would need another dose. I treasured intend to stay away from caffeine all the way coffee to a level that I said I could not make it through Easter. through the day without it. But coffee and I, we are not unique: Just today I had a lunch Can you imagine Jesus stood up on Easter conversation where several people outed morning from the grave without a single cup of themselves as tea addicts. They could not even coffee? fathom giving up their ice tea that comes with every meal. I have known soda fanatics and from Blessings, anecdotal evidence I think Diet Coke die-hards Rev. Daniel Haas are the most fanatic. Preparing for Sunday, March 5 Offering for February 26, 2017 Scripture: Psalm 32 Unrestricted Income Matthew 4:1-11 General Fund ………… $1,693.00 Sermon: “The Great Temptation”

General Fund income is used to pay our Adult Sunday School congregation’s operating expenses. We must The Adult Sunday School class meets at 9:00 receive $3,175 each week in unrestricted giving to a.m. and typically ends around 9:30 sustain our annual budget of $165,108 a.m. on Sunday mornings in the Disciples Classroom. All are invited Month to Date for unrestricted: $10,204.00 and welcomed to attend and share in discussion of various weekly topics. Lessons are Restricted Income-February 26, 2017 led by Leo Niemeyer. This week’s topic will be Benevolence ………………. $107.00 “What is Ash Wednesday?” Restricted Income is money given for a specific purpose. It is never used to pay our church Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! operating expenses. I want to thank everyone so much for all the prayers, cards, visits and concerns during my Offering for February 26, 2017 $1,800.00 illness. I am so blessed to have such a good and caring church family. Attendance for February 26, 2017 Church Attendance 56 Blessing, Sunday School 14 Emma Lee Marek

February Food Drive Month Thank you for your continued support of Helping Hands through our food THOSE IN OUR PRAYERS drives. For the month of Requesting Prayer for Themselves: February 230 pounds of Denver McFarland non-perishable food was Requesting Prayers for Others collected. This Sunday, Steve Brown by Family Ministry & Ella Brown March 5th Diane Clark will Adolph Chabisek by Glenn Urbanek be worshipping with us so Nathan Gaskamp by Florence Gaskamp that the Women’s Guild can also present her with Nelda Gutowsky by Florence Gaskamp a check for $1975 from our SOUPER Bowl of Gary Harbes by Melba Ashley Caring lunch/auction. Thanks again. Stan Kubelka by Kathy Kubelka Sharon Loesch by her family Emma Lee Marek by her family Ginger Pawlek by Gloria Himly Wolfgang Schmidt by Angelika Schmidt Bake Sale Kara Schmith by Michelle Gutowsky The ladies of the Women’s Sara Schoditsch by June Weiss Guild will be hosting a bake Rebecca Schulte by Gloria Himly sale in the Narthex on Sunday, Darlean Swallers by Diana Beck March 5th. Please mark your Mary Weimer by Petra Weimer calendars and come support the Women’s Guild. Sarah Weimer by Petra Weimer

Ash Wednesday Reminder that our Ash Wednesday service will be Holy Communion will be observed this Sunday, at 6:00 p.m. in the sanctuary this Wednesday, March 5 with a Celebration of Joy to follow in the March 1st. Parish Hall as a time for refreshments and fellowship.

Available Altar Flowers Dates The following dates are open The Brotherhood Sunday’s in 2017 should you wish The Men of the Brotherhood will meet on to place flowers on the altar in Thursday, March 9th at 6:00 p.m. All men are honor or memory of someone: April invited to attend. 30, June 4, August 20 and December 17th. Please contact the Invite All God’s Children office for further information. In recent years, our congregation has offered to children a morning of fun during spring break. Travis Elementary and Bowie Elementary Helping Hands Food Delivery students are invited from 9 a.m. until 12 noon on Thank you Calvin Lamensky for delivering our Friday, March 17th for a morning of fun activities. food items to Helping Hands all 230 pounds. Children may come for all or part of the morning. We are planning FREE art and craft activities, games, music and fun in our fellowship room and on the church lawn. All children of St. John’s are invited. Please share a generous invitation with your children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews, friends and neighbors!

St. John’s UCC Spring Fun St. John’s church people are planning Spring Fun for children the morning of March 17th. Want to join the crew for this St. Patrick’s Day event? How about helping at a fun game of Bingo? We have the cards ready to go. Would you like to play kickball on the lawn, or musical chairs, or table tennis? Have a talent for face painting? Daily Savings Time Care to share a craft of green or gold? Do you have a recipe for a green drink or a green snack? Mark your calendars that our There will be a brief planning discussion time changes on Sunday, March Wednesday, March 8th at 10:00 a.m. in the Parish 12, so before you go to bed at Hall. For more information please contact Ron night on Saturday, March 11 be Gutowsky. sure to set your clocks ahead one hour. This is also a great time to check the batteries in your smoke detectors and should you need a replacement smoke detector please contact the church office or any member of the Family Ministry team as they would be happy to install a replacement for you.

Holy Communion Calendar Confirmation Class-2nd & 4th Sunday For Sunday, March 5, 2017 Choir Rehearsals, Wednesday @ 7pm Lay Reader: Janet Enax Ash Wednesday service, 3/1 Flowers for Altar: Holy Communion, 3/5 Emma Lee Marek, Florence Gaskamp, Celebration of Joy, 3/5 Nelda & Alvin Gutowsky Guild Bake Sale, 3/5 Brotherhood, 3/9 Greeters & Ushers for March Daylight Savings Time Change, 3/12 Robbie Hartfiel, Christiana Woodard, Women’s Guild, 3/14 Anna Woodard, Lawson Wooten Spring Fun Day, 3/17 Lay Readers for March Church Council, 3/20 Janet Enax, Tom Gaskamp, Mature Adults, 3/21 Michelle Gutowsky, Nina Cooper CROP Walk, 4/29 Altar Flowers for March Marek, Gaskamp, Gutowsky, 3/5 June & Charley Weiss Jr., 3/12 Lena & Johnny Filipp, 3/19 Thought for the week: Linda Knuppel & Donavon Stuewe, 3/26 “ Faith is not about everything turning out okay. Faith is about being okay no matter March 5, 2017 how things turn out.” Rev. Daniel Haas will deliver the morning message entitled, “The Great Temptation” “Enroll” your Kroger’s card with the Brotherhoods Holy Communion Community Rewards Program. Go online and Celebration of Joy use #84302 as the organization number. Bake Sale by the Women’s Guild Link to Kroger’s Community Rewards website: https://www.kroger.com/communityrewards (On your computer push Control and click your mouse at the same time while hovering the mouse over the above link and it will take you directly to the Kroger registration page.)

Looking Ahead Adult Sunday School-9:00-9:30 a.m.