As many of you know, I'm in the process of moving out of my apartment and into my new house. I've
moved around 10 times over the past 10 years, sometimes several states away, and other times just across a parking lot, but each time it is an exhausting process. The cleaning and organizing, packing and
unpacking, planning and preparing and setting up all takes a physical and an emotional toll. But it's
always worth it. All that work and emotion is what turns a house into a home, what makes a place more than just a roof, but a refuge. And especially with this move, I'm excited to do this work so that
everything will be ready when Ryan moves here this summer. I do the work now so that my daughter will be able to feel at home the moment she arrives.

"Here would I find a settled rest, while others go and come; no more a stranger or a guest, but like a child at home." We sang those beautiful words on Sunday, a paraphrase of Psalm 23 by the great hymn writer Isaac Watts. Watts truly captures the promise of our Good Shepherd, made sure for us by the death and resurrection of Christ: God has prepared for us a home, a place we belong. Not just in heaven, but also here on earth. We are called to do the work of building up God's Beloved Community now so that our children might know the God who has claimed them and called them beloved, so that they might never doubt that there is a place for them here. But we do this in the knowledge that the work of our salvation has already been completed, and that a place of refuge and rest awaits us with Christ. In the house of the Lord, we are neither strangers nor guests, but beloved children. May you find yourself at home in this place, until the day the Lord calls us to our eternal home. And may you always know that
there's a place for you here.

Grace and Peace,
Pastor Will

Pastor Will's moving in

You are invited to join us for a house-warming shower for Pastor Will after service at church on April 29. As Pastor Will gets ready to move we would like to be a part of that happy time by showering him with some gifts and necessities for the new house. If you aren't a shopper, you might rather give a monetary gift or a Home Depot gift card to be used to buy a washer and dryer. Hope to see you there!

Connect under the stars

Each year St. Martin's Youth & Family Team organizes this opportunity to pitch a tent on the church grounds and spend the night. St. Martin's family campout is scheduled for Friday, May 4 at 6 p.m.  The fun lasts all evening as we tell stories around the campfire, play games, eat s'mores, watch a movie and generally connect. This event is rain or shine, camp will be made inside in case of inclement weather. It's a whole lot of fun no matter what age you are! Breakfast is a shared affair, bright and early. There is a sign up sheet in the Narthex.  If you have any questions or will be in need of a tent or sleeping bag please contact Shannon Gillar at: [email protected]

Come join us

Are you interested in becoming a full-fledged St. Martin's member? We'd love to have you! Pastor Will is holding a Q&A here at the church for anyone who is interested in becoming a member on Saturday, May 12 from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Come get to know your fellow new members and bring all your questions about St. Martin's, Lutheranism, and what it means to be a member. Refreshments will be available. New members will be inducted in service on Sunday, May 20. Please RSVP for the Q&A at: [email protected]

The Youth & Family Team invites the youth of the church to help set up for St. Martin's next Family Promise week on the evening of Saturday, June 2 at 6 p.m.  Each quarter, St. Martin's hosts homeless families by turning its Sunday School classrooms into bedrooms. The youth will help get everything set up around the church for the incoming families, and then to celebrate they'll make ice cream sundaes. Don't miss this chance for service and sweets!

Our next week of Family Promise is scheduled for June 3 - June 10. Each quarter St. Martin's turns its Sunday School classrooms into bedrooms for local homeless families. We partner with Fort Bend Family Promise to provide food and shelter to these families that have hit hard times. Volunteers are needed to cook meals, welcome the families, set up the rooms and do laundry. Please consider signing up for this very important ministry. Sign-up sheets will be located in the Narthex.

Cards for fellowship

All men of the church are invited to join "Poker for Peace." This group normally meets at the house of one of their members the last Friday of the month for fellowship and fun. Their next meeting will be April 27 at 7 p.m. at the house of Leon Miura. Please let Leon know if you'll be coming at   [email protected]

Bunko brunch

All ladies of the church are invited to join "Bunko Babes." This group normally meets at the house of one of their members the last Saturday of each month to get to know each other and have a little fun. Their next meeting will be  April 28  at 11:30 a.m. at the house of Irene Carleton.  To RSVP please contact Irene at [email protected]

Summer fun

St. Martin's will be hosting Lutherhill Day Camp again this summer. Camp counselors and campers will be at the church July 16-20, 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. each day.  The camp is open to the community and all children ages kindergarten through eighth grade. Registration is now open and space is limited. So mark your calendar and tell your friends! Turn the registration forms in to the church office with your payment to reserve your child's spot. At $75 for the week, it's the best day camp deal in Sugar Land. Also, high school volunteers are needed to help out during the week. If you have questions or have a high schooler who would like to volunteer, contact Glenda Moya at:  [email protected]

Registration Forms

Camp registration

Camp information

Camp photo release

This June the ELCA will be holding their youth gathering here in Houston. The 2018 ELCA Youth Gathering Houston Literacy Campaign will be part of that, an attempt to improve literacy in Houston by collecting and donating books for students in Pre-K through 6th grade. Our Youth & Family team will be collecting certain titles for this campaign via a bin in our library over the next few months. Other books off the larger list will be accepted but the books they are focusing on collecting are:

"Matilda" by Ronald Dahl

"Elephant and Piggie" (series) by Mo Willems

"Dog Man" (series) by Dav Pilkey

"Bad Kitty" (series) by Nick Bruel

"Amulet" (series) by Kazu Kibuisiji

Our pictorial directory has been updated for the spring. You can download a copy here, or drop by the office for a physical copy during our office hours. Thank you so much to Glenda Wilder for keeping our directory updated regularly. If you have any corrections to make please let Glenda know at: [email protected]

Though our Lutheran World Relief kits and quilts have been sent off, the St. Martin's Quilting Group will be continuing on. It is a great opportunity to support your sewing hobby in great company. Even if you are a novice,  the quilts are relatively easy to construct if you can pin a safety pin, cut a square of fabric or run a straight seam. Quilting groups meet the first and third full weeks of the month on Monday mornings and Wednesday evenings to work on the quilts. If you have any questions please contact Jean Short at:

[email protected]  

Next meeting times:

Monday, May 7 @ 9:30 a.m.

Wednesday, May 9 @ 7 p.m.

Come and learn

Pastor Will is offering a few ongoing Bible Study opportunities this year.

Wednesdays at 1 p.m. and at 6 p.m. come for an hour of text study as we examine the readings for the coming Sunday. 

Additionally, there will be a calendar available with daily readings to read the whole Bible in a year. Follow along with daily devotions on Facebook, or come for a weekly check in on Saturdays at 4 p.m. 

Meet outside of church

Every Friday Pastor Will holds office hours out in the community. Follow St. Martin's Facebook page to see where he'll be each Friday: here. Come out to talk or pray with Pastor Will and let God hold your worries for a while. 

Sunday Class Calendar

Sunday, April 29

If you shop at Randalls, you could help support St. Martin's financially. St. Martin's is enrolled in Randalls' Good Neighbor program and will receive a portion of all of your Randalls' transactions if you sign up. 

1) First, you need a Randalls card. You can sign up for these in any Randalls store.

2) Pick up a Randalls Good Neighbor form on the info table in the Narthex.

3) We have already filled out St. Martin's charity account number on the form, so you just have to fill in your personal information. Then, hand it in at any Randalls store and you will be part of the program.

Pat Strom

David Reumont

 

Want to know what's happening at St. Martin's? View the church calendar on our website. Click the Google calendar link and find out the who, what, when and where of any St. Martin's event.