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Email Us
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Pastor Will
Email: pastor
@stmartinslc.org
Office Manager
Parker Grimsby
Email: officemanager
@stmartinslc.org
Council President
Andy Strom
Email: council
@stmartinslc.org
Choir Director
Alvin Johnson
Email: choirdirector
@stmartinslc.org
Church Musician
Jenny Salyers
Email: churchmusician
@stmartinslc.org
Staff Tech
Amber Nichols
Email: stafftech
@stmartinslc.org
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Pastor's Corner
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A rush of violent wind. Tongues of divided flame. Luke's telling of the Pentecost story in Acts 2 shows us the power of the Holy Spirit as the apostles' fears are blown away and their hearts are set on fire. And as quickly as it comes, it's gone. The wind and the flame are no more. But the Spirit remains and that, truly,
is when the work of the Church begins. Not with the conversion of 3000 people who witness a miracle, but with the day to day building of community.
A rush of violent wind. Tongues of divided flame. These are destructive images. We know the power
that a rush of violent wind can have. Hurricanes and tornadoes leave desolation in their wake. Wildfires and the recent volcanic eruption in Hawaii have shown the devastating power of tongues of flame. In the midst of these disasters, it can feel like time is standing still, but the aftermath is always longer. Because when the winds die down, the waters recede, and the flames are extinguished, that's when the rebuilding begins.
It's no secret that many of us have been shaken up recently. There are so many still reeling in the wake of Hurricane Harvey. Gun violence has rocked the nation and come close to home in Santa Fe. And that's to say nothing of the personal struggles each of us faces; challenges with health, employment, addiction, pain, or grief. And while I don't believe that God has caused these terrible tragedies, I do believe God is present with us in them. The Spirit remains with us. And in the aftermath is the time to rebuild.
Like the apostles, we are called to speak the truth of God in a way the world can understand. And more than words, I believe what is required of us is willingness. The willingness to enter into brokenness with grace. The willingness to bear one another's burdens. The willingness to rebuild houses and hopes. The work isn't over; it won't be this side of Heaven. But in the meantime, the Spirit is here. May we be bold to answer the call to build up our congregation and our community. And may the peace and power of God dwell in your hearts.
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Will
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Honoring graduates
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If you have a high school senior who will be graduating soon, please s
end a short bio and the student's picture to:[email protected] by May 29. We'd like to honor our graduating seniors.
Additionally, if there's someone in your family transitioning to a new life stage, graduating college, middle school, etc. please let us know. Thanks!
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An opportunity for partnership
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In the past few months, representatives from St. Paul Presbyterian Church have been exploring the possibility of leasing space from St. Martin's until the construction on their new church building (to be located off Voss Road) is complete. As these conversations have unfolded, both the leadership of St. Paul and your Church Council here at St. Martin's have discerned that this may be an opportunity not only to provide space, but to engage in an ecumenical partnership.
St. Paul Presbyterian Church is a member of the Presbyterian Church, U.S.A., with whom the ELCA enjoys a full communion partnership. Their interim pastor, the Rev. John Hirling (whom some of you may remember meeting on Good
Friday) has previously served two interim calls in ELCA congregations. As we have discussed the needs and gifts of St. Paul Presbyterian and St. Martin's, there has been a great deal of excitement around the possibilities the Holy Spirit may be bringing about for doing God's work in the neighborhood that both our congregations call home.
The Church Council is supportive of the opportunity for an ecumenical partnership with St. Paul, but we also believe it is important to hear feedback from the congregation, as this arrangement would involve sharing space on Sundays. We'll be holding a brief Q&A session on
Sunday June 3 in the Sanctuary after service to get your feedback about the possibilities for this exciting opportunity. We hope you'll join us!
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Will
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Sundaes for Service
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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. Ice cream and toppings will be provided. Don't miss this chance for service and sweets!
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Family Promise week
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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 are located in the Narthex.
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Register now for day camp
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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
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Summer fun at St. Martin's
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Trivia & Talents
Sunday school will be on summer break soon, but there are still plenty of reasons to stay after church! Starting June 3 there will be Bible trivia and coffee houses on rotating weeks hosted after service. Come test your Bible knowledge at Bible trivia, and prepare to show your talents off at the coffee house. There will be sign-ups for coffee house acts in the Narthex. Also, there will be two dates where a few members will share slideshows of their travels to the Holy Land. Listed below are the dates for the upcoming events:
Bible Trivia
June 3, June 17, July 15, July 29
Coffee House
June 10, June 24, July 8, July 22
Holy Land slideshows
June 3, July 1
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Poker for Peace
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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 cards. Their next meeting will be on the evening of
June 29,
at the home of Shannon Gillar.
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Bunko Babes
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Bunko brunch
All ladies of the church are welcome to join "Bunko Babes." This group normally meets at the house of one of their members the last Saturday of each month to share brunch and have a little fun. Their next meeting will be the morning of
June 30, at the home of Doris Deonatus.
To RSVP and for more information please contact Monika Miura at: [email protected]
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ELCA Youth Gathering Book Drive
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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 we 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
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Quilting Group continues
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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:
Next meeting times:
Monday, June 4 @ 9:30 a.m.
Wednesday, June 6 @ 7 p.m.
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Bible Study opportunities
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Come and learn
Pastor Will is offering a few ongoing Bible Study opportunities this year.
Wednesdays at
1 p.m. come for an hour of text study as we examine the readings for the coming Sunday.
Additionally, Pastor Will is inviting you to read the whole Bible in a year. There is an assigned reading for everyday and you can follow along with
this calendar. This is not a challenge, but rather a chance for reflection and learning everyday. It's never too late to start and hop in on the most recent verses. Follow along with daily devotions on
Facebook, or come for a weekly check in on
Saturdays at
4 p.m.
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Pastor community hours
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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.
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Read a book
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St. Martin's book discussion group is a great way to take part in the joy of reading. Consider picking up a copy and joining in on the discussion. The group's next meeting is on
June 18
at
7 p.m.
Book picks by the month:
June - "A Wrinkle in Time"
by Madeline L'Engle
July - "Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore"
by Matthew Sullivan
August - "Little Old Lady Who Broke All the Rules"
by Catherine Sundburg
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Thursday Women's Bible Study
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This group of dynamic women meet every Thursday at
9:30 a.m.
for Bible study and fellowship. They'd love to have you!
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Help with yardwork
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More volunteers are needed
to help our grubbing teams keep the property looking tidy. Every week, volunteers try to mow, trim and weed this large, beautiful property that St. Martin's calls home. Many hands make for light work! If you can help in any way, please contact Jason Miura at: [email protected]
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Education Corner
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Education for all ages
Sunday School is after worship at
10:45 a.m.
There are classes for PreK-5th grade, middle school, high school, and adults. The last day of Sunday School classes before the summer break will be May 27.
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Houston Tidelanders performance
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Benefiting Family Promise
The Houston Tidelanders Chorus and Quartets are putting on a show that will benefit Fort Bend Family Promise on
June 9 at
2 p.m. The show will be at Christ Church Sugar Land
(3300 Austin Parkway 77479). Come out and enjoy the 4-part barbershop harmony of the Tidelanders while supporting the work Fort Bend Family Promise does in helping local homeless families. Tickets to the show are $15 and include popcorn and soft drinks. They can be purchased
at this website or by calling 713.223.TIDE.
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Shop at Kroger & support St. Martin's
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If you shop at Kroger, you could help support St.Martin's financially. St. Martin's has enrolled in Kroger's Community Rewards Program and will receive a portion of all of your Kroger transaction if you sign up through their website.
1) First, you get a Kroger card. They are free and can be obtained at any Kroger location.
Sign up for a digital account on
www. kroger.com.
2) Go to your account summary on the website and scroll down to "Community Rewards" and select "Enroll Now" (or the "Edit" option if you've already enrolled with another organization).
3) Fill out the information, then you will be prompted to search for an organization. Search for "St. Martin's" and it should appear. Click "Enroll". From now on when you shop with your member card at Kroger you will be supporting St. Martin's.
Thank you for your support!
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Shop at Randalls
& support St. Martin's
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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.
Thank you for your support!
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Support St. Martin's when you shop
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If you purchase goods through Amazon.com, there's an easy way to donate to St. Martin's at the same time. Simply go to smile.amazon.com and choose St. Martin's Lutheran Church, Sugar Land, as your charity of choice. Amazon will donate a percentage of your purchase directly to St. Martin's. It's so easy!
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Listen to past sermons
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Did you
k
now you can listen t
o Pastor Will's previous sermons online? If you ever miss a Sunday or want to re-listen to a particular message you can find the last few week's worth of sermons on our
SoundCloud account here
. The account is typically updated every Thursday with the previous Sunday's message.
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May Bible in a Year Calendar
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Follow along with Pastor Will this year by reading a little bit of the Bible each day, in the order historians believe events would have taken place. The full calendar can be downloaded
here
. This is not a challenge, but rather a chance for reflection and learning everyday. It's never too late to start and hop in on the most recent verses. Check into
Facebook
each day for a daily devotional for the day's reading.
Readings for May 23-June 12
May 23:
2 Samuel 24; 1 Chronicles 21-22; Ps. 30
May 24:
Psalms 108, 109, 110
May 25:
1 Chronicles 23-25
May 26
: Psalms 131, 138, 139, 143-145
May 27:
1 Chronicles 26-29, Psalm 127
May 28:
Psalms 111-118
May 29:
1 Kings 1-2; Psalms 37, 71, 94
May 30:
Psalm 119:1-88
May 31:
1 Kings 3-4; 2 Chronicles 1; Psalm 72
June 1:
Psalm 119:89-176
June 2:
Song of Solomon
June 3:
Proverbs 1-3
June 4:
Proverbs 4-6
June 5:
Proverbs 7-9
June 6:
Proverbs 10-12
June 7:
Proverbs 13-15
June 8:
Proverbs 16-18
June 9:
Proverbs 19-21
June 10:
Proverbs 22-24
June 11:
1 Kings 5-6; 2 Chronicles 2-3
June 12:
1 Kings 7; 2 Chronicles 4
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Stewardship Thought of the Week
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"
... For we will all stand before God's judgment seat ... So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God."
-
Romans 14:10,12
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People Need Your Prayers
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Ephesians 6:18
"Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints."
Please keep the
following people in prayer:
Verlyn Scott
Pat Strom
David Reumont
Al Warner
Herman Harms
Dean Mullen
Martha Gaskin
John Kokesh
Eva Lindstrom
Glenn Woessner
Eric Moeller
Sylvia Whitt
Michael Hoaks
Bonnie David
Mike & Melanie Padilla
Victims & families of violence in our nation and the terrorist activity throughout the world.
Our sister synods in Peru and
the Central African Republic
For prayers contact: [email protected].
For privacy's sake we do not list specific concerns.
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Birthdays & Anniversaries
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Let's celebrate!
Birthdays
Brooke C. May 23
Julianna M. May 23
Chloe W. May 24
Debra G. May 26
Helga C. May 27
Denise C. May 27
Quyn W. May 27
Doyle B. May 28
Phyllis S. May 29
Alyssa M. June 6
Madeline S. June 7
Anniversaries
Chris & Carrie O. May 27
Kristin & James T. May 30
Kevin & Pat R. June 3
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St. Martin's Calendar
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What's happening at SMELC?
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.
May 23
- Pastor Will's Bible Study, 1 p.m.
May 23
- Quilting group, 7 p.m.
May 24
- Thursday Women's Bible Study, 9:30 a.m.
May 26 -
Bible in a Year Bible Study, 4 p.m.
May 27
- Choir practice, 8 a.m.
May 27 - Sunday Morning Worship, 9:30 a.m.
May 29 - Boy Scouts 148, 6 p.m.
May 30 - Pastor Will's Bible Study, 1 p.m.
May 31 - Thursday Women's Bible Study, 9:30 a.m.
May 31 - Houston Area Parkinson's Yoga, 10 a.m.
June 1 - Girl Scouts, 6 p.m.
June 2 - Bible in a Year Bible Study, 4 p.m.
June 2 - Sundaes for Service, 6 p.m.
June 2 - Youth & Family Team meeting, 8 p.m.
June 3 - Choir practice, 8 a.m.
June 3 - Sunday Morning Worship, 9:30 a.m.
June 3 - Bible Trivia, 10:45 a.m.
June 3 - June 10 - Family Promise Week
June 4 - Quilting group, 9:30 a.m.
June 4 - Boy Scout Troop 148 Board, 7:30 p.m.
June 5 - Boy Scouts 148, 6 p.m.
June 6 - Pastor Will's Bible Study, 1 p.m.
June 6 - Cub Scouts, 6 p.m.
June 6 - Outreach Team Meeting, 6:30 p.m.
June 6 - Quilting group, 7 p.m.
June 7 - Thursday Women's Bible Study, 9:30 a.m.
June 7 - Houston Area Parkinson's Yoga, 10 a.m.
June 9 - Bible in a Year Bible Study, 4 p.m.
June 10 - Choir Practice, 8 a.m.
June 10 - Sunday Morning Worship, 9:30 a.m.
June 10 - Coffee House, 10:45 a.m.
June 12 - Boy Scouts 148, 6 p.m.
June 12 - Church Council, 6:30 p.m.
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