First Edition      

A MOVING EXPERIENCE Peterman’s Postulate
      The first time I saw First Evangelical Lutheran Church a little over a year ago, I was deeply moved by the beauty of the nave and particularly the chancel. The rich paneling on the walls, the handsome furnishings, and the high ceiling impressed me. But I was  especially struck by the beautiful wood-carving of the Last Supper in the front panel of the altar.
      Last December, however, when I began to lead worship here, I found myself increasingly uncomfortable in the chancel. Several things just didn’t seem right.
      For one thing, it bothered me to have to turn around so often. I would face the congregation for the Greeting, then the altar for the Kyrie and Hymn of Praise, then the people again for “The Lord be with you” and then back toward the altar for the Prayer of the Day. Sometimes I felt as though I was doing a fast Viennese waltz!
      Also, it seemed wrong to turn my back on the portrayal of the Last Supper when I came down the steps to the table to preside at communion. Why were Jesus and his disciples symbolically ignored when the congregation  celebrated the Lord’s Supper?          
      At first I thought of moving the altar away from the wall, so I could stand behind it for the liturgy, but I knew that was out of the question. Who was I to rearrange a chancel over eighty years old? Besides, I had promised the Church Council, “No unpleasant surprises.”
      Then two days before Ash Wednesday, Marty Ambrose, Paul Orton, and I tried moving the altar. Ever so carefully, we inched it out from the wall. Once we did, we were amazed. So was the Planning Committee when it met that night. Everyone agreed it was a huge improvement, and I was instructed to leave it just that way.
      Now I stand behind the altar and face the congregation for the liturgy. Now I preside at communion with the scene of Jesus and his disciples in the midst of our community. Now everyone can see the handsome woodcarving of the Last Supper far better than before.

      “No unpleasant surprises,” I had promised. I think I’ve kept my word. For this has turned out to be a very pleasant surprise indeed!EIGHT ASSISTING MINISTERS INSTALLED
      In February the following persons were trained and installed as Assisting Ministers:
            Marty Ambrose                        Brian Oxley
            Mary Ambrose             Rebecca Oxley
            Bill Bammel                              Tony Settles
            Gertie Beutel                            George Soutter
      Assisting Ministers read the first two lessons at worship, lead the Psalmody, and assist the pastor in various parts of the liturgy, including the distribution of communion.
      In several months another training session for Assisting Ministers may be held for others who might be willing to serve. Watch for a notice in First Edition.

FROM THE PARISH RECORD
      Because membership records were somewhat unclear at the first of the year, it was decided to establish as accurate a list of members as possible as of January 1, 2007. Since then it has been necessary to make corrections from time to time. That’s what the term “correction” means in the listing below, to avoid mentioning members’ names. Child member names are shown in lower case, confirmed member names in all capital letters.
Remove from the membership roll:
      Three confirmed members, by correction
Add to the membership roll:
      Three confirmed members, by correction
      Dakota Ryanne Johnson, by Baptism
      MARTY and MARY AMBROSE, by Transfer from St. Martin’s               Episcopal Church, Houston
      SUSA NEITZEL, by Transfer from Holy Cross Lutheran Church,               Houston
      KELLY and LINDA RINNAN, by Transfer from Holy                              Comforter Lutheran Church, Kingwood
Add to the associate membership roll:
      Three confirmed members, by correction

RUTH TRACY HONORED ON FEBRUARY 18
      The members of First Evangelical Lutheran Church paid special tribute to Ruth Tracy on Sunday, February 18, for her many years of dedication as a Sunday Church School teacher, Church Council member, choir member, editor of the news bulletin, and president of the Women’s Guild. Flowers in her honor were placed in the chancel by her children, Georgianne Sigler and Jay Tracy and their families.
      Following the service, a reception for her was held in the Beutel Room. We all agree with Congregation President Millie Thibodeaux when she said, “Ruth, this is not a retirement party. We still have a lot for you to do!”

SPECIAL THANKS TO CHRIST THE KING CHURCH
      The congregation of First Evangelical Lutheran Church is indebted to Christ the King Lutheran Church for its donation of two hundred copies of the newly published Lutheran book of worship entitled Evangelical Lutheran Worship. When the time comes to introduce this new book to our congregation in the spring, we will already have sufficient copies available for use.

ADULT SUNDAY CHURCH SCHOOL
      In March Pastor Peterman will complete the ten-week survey of the Bible, which began in January. The next course will be on the topic of Lutheran worship.
            March 4           The New Testament - Paul’s Letters
            March 11         The New Testament - Other Writings
            March 18         Lutheran Worship - The Liturgical Year
            March 25         Lutheran Worship - The Sunday Service
      The adult class meets every Sunday in the Beutel Room from 10:00 until 10:40 a.m. In February class attendance grew to an average of eighteen each Sunday. All adults are invited to attend.

 

The chief difference between perseverance and obstinacy is that one comes from a strong will and the other comes from a strong won’t.

SYNOD SEEKS NOMINATIONS
      Each year the Nominating Committee of the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast Synod attempts to identify qualified candidates for important synod-wide positions, such as the Synod Council and the Committee on Discipline. Election will occur at the Annual Synod Assembly in late May and early June. This year the following positions will be filled:
            Synod Council:
                  Member at Large - Clergy, Male
                  Member at Large - Clergy, Female
                  Member at Large - Laity, Male
            Consultation Committee:
                  Place 1 - Laity, Male
                  Place 2 - Clergy, Male
                  Place 8 - Laity, Male
                  Place 9 - Clergy, Female
            Committee on Discipline:
                  Position 1    - Laity, Female
                  Position 4   - Clergy, Male
                  Position 7   - Laity, Male
                  Position 10 - Clergy, Female
      This represents yet another way that First Evangelical Lutheran Church can serve on a synodical level. Please consider prayerfully whom you would like to see represent us, get that person’s consent, and then call in your selection to the church office. For more information, go to the synod web site
      Don’t delay. The deadline for nominations is March 15!

MARCH BIRTHDAYS
      Each month we make an effort to provide a list of members who have birthdays during that month. Since the church records are still not complete, it is easy for us to miss someone. If we do, please tell us and we’ll make the correction.
            March 6           Eugenia Schoenfeld
            March 9           Edwin Arnold

FIXIN’ THE GRAND OLD BUILDIN’      Paul Orton
      Since the jury is still out on our roof problems, we will not dwell on them exclusively this month. We are still awaiting the big “test” rain.
      In the meantime we are addressing a big problem with our heating and air conditioning system. We have found out that over the past month we were losing water somewhere in the system’s piping. Our air conditioning man has been working on the problem and now believes that he has located the source of the break—a four inch pipe in the area under the altar. We may have lost over 1700 gallons of water during the month. We hope for an adjustment from the City of Houston Water Department after we present a copy of the repair bill.
      Another area of concern is the flooring in the nave. It appears that over the years, due to water and/or termite damage, a couple of floor boards have been sufficiently weakened so that when someone put a foot down in just the right spot on one of them on February 18 the wood cracked. Our floor person was called for an inspection, and the repair of the damaged area was authorized. By the time you read this, both the air conditioning and the flooring problems should have been resolved. (Then we can get back to worrying about the roof.)
      We thank Gertie Beutel for coming in one Friday and cleaning and polishing all the communion trays. They had been in dire need of a good cleaning. Good job, Gertie!
      Thanks also to Carl Sontag, who sprayed the kitchen and basement to help eliminate crawling bugs and bees. Those bees in the basement have been chasing me for some time now. Really, Carl, thanks!
      Our temporary janitor, Thomas Henry, in addition to his regular cleaning duties, has been cleaning out an area of the basement. When that is finished, he will paint the wall and some storage cabinets there, so that we can regain use of our storage space.
      Now, back to the nave. Marty, Pastor, and I had a moving experience there in February—one that probably has never occurred since 1927. I will not elaborate further on this matter here. I will let Pastor explain. Even better, come see for yourself.

BACH ORGAN VESPERS
      On Sunday, March 18, at 5:00 p.m., an Organ Vespers will occur at Christ the King Lutheran Church under the auspices of the Bach Society. The guest organist will be Christoph Keggenhoff, cantor of the Romanesque cathedral in Speyer, Germany.
      The Bach Society offers its programs as a gift to the community without any admission charge. However, a free-will offering is received at each event to support the work of the Society.
      Christ the King Church is located at the southwest corner of Rice Boulevard and Greenbriar in The Village

WORSHIP ATTENDANCE GROWING
      A steady increase in attendance at Sunday worship has occurred over the past several months. Here are the average numbers:
                   December                      36
                   January                          52
                   February                        57
      This represents a 58% increase in attendance in only two months. The growth is a result of faithful participation by members, as well as the presence of a large number of visitors from the community and from other churches.
     
ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIP
      Our church constitution provides for associate membership in First Evangelical Lutheran Church. An Associate Member is a person who is a member of another church, but wishes to be more formally associated with our church as well.
      In a theological sense, all other Christians throughout the world are, by definition, associate members of our congregation. However, formally becoming an Associate Member is a way of adding one’s name to the list of those who wish to see themselves as directly supporting the life and work of First Evangelical Lutheran Church
      Anyone interested in becoming an Associate Member should call Pastor Peterman at 713-529-3589. Associate membership is open to adults and children alike.

FEBRUARY PRAYER LIST
            Here are the names of those for whom we prayed in February, who were ill or otherwise in special need of prayer:
                          James Cone
                          Senaca Gallien
                          Minnie Johnson
                          Lindsay Lum
                          Lee Ann Minor              
                          Lee Orton
                          Margie Ranft
                          Emilie Ratcliffe
                          Bruce Rogers
                          Ronnie Rossi
                          Bertha Suessmuth
                          Norman Tofte
                          Betty Wade

JULIUS KNIGGE CLASS TO MEET
      The Julius Knigge Class will meet on Friday, March 16, in the Beutel Room of the church building. The meeting will begin with a covered dish dinner. Participants are asked to arrive with food for the dinner at 6:30 p.m., so the group can eat together a little before 7:00. After dinner, a meeting will be held.
      Carl W. Sontag, President of the Julius Knigge Class, extends a cordial invitation to all the members and friends of First Evangelical Lutheran Church to attend.

FORTY ATTEND ASH WEDNESDAY SERVICE
      A total of forty people attended the noonday service on Ash Wednesday. Worshipers included members of First Church, as well as members from a variety of other churches.
      The church extends a special thanks to guest organist Wendy Wentland, who provided an outstanding selection of music by Bach, Buxtehude, and others before and after the service. Most of the people attending were present for the music, as well as the service.

LET’S TEE IT UP!
            The Sixth Annual Lutherhill Ministries Golf Tournament is scheduled for Friday, April 27, at Cypresswood Golf Club’s Traditional Course. Call Marty Ambrose at 713-529-3589 for more information. It would be nice to send a team representing First Evangelical Lutheran Church!

MEMBERSHIP STATISTICS
                                              February 1    March 1
            Child members                        6            7      
            Confirmed members                   75           80
            Total baptized members              81           87
            Associate members                    1            4

BOOKS OF SERMONS AVAILABLE
      Three volumes of sermons by Pastor Edwin D. Peterman have been published under the title of Practically Preaching and are available for purchase in the church office. Each book contains a sermon for every Sunday and every major festival in the church year, 66 sermons in all. The three volumes correspond to the three year cycle of readings for the church year, in which the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke are predominant. Currently, the church is in the liturgical year of Luke.
      The cost is $15 per book, or $40 for a set of all three. If requested, the books can be autographed.

 

“Everyone knows that trades like farming, building, engineering, carpentry all need apprenticeship. But when it comes to the task of interpreting the Word of God–well, any talkative old granny, any old fellow in his dotage, any frothy intellectual will blithely dissect and expound it without bothering to take any lessons in it. This is a childish way of going on, this is circus stuff, to set up as master in your own ignorance. Indeed,  it means that you don’t even know what you don’t know!”          – Jerome, in a letter to Paulinus in 394 A.D.

First Evangelical Lutheran Church 1311 Holman, at Caroline Houston, Texas 77004-3833             Address Correction Requested                                                                                                       Historic First Evangelical Lutheran Church is a congregation of the Texas Louisiana Gulf Coast Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Founded in 1851, the church has played a vital role in the history of Houston and the formation of Lutheranism in Texas. The church building is located at Holman and Caroline across the street from Houston Community College. It is three blocks east of the 3400 block of South Main, convenient to the Ensemble/HCC stop on MetroRail. The office is normally open from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Telephone:            713/529-3589                                                         Email:                   office@FELCHouston.org  Fax:                   713/529-0816                                                         Web site:         www.felchouston.org Charline Thompson, Office Manager and Secretary      Naomi Shiga, Organist Marty Ambrose, Church Administrator           Carroll Shaddock, Director of Worship and Music The Rev. Edwin D. Peterman, Pastor