GOD'S PURPOSE FOR HOSANNA

God has spoken through the people of Hosanna, and we selected a purpose statement during the worship service on September 18:

Serving God, Changing Lives -- 365.

Although this purpose is "new," looking back over Hosanna's history shows us that God has been leading Hosanna in this direction for many years.

            The original mission statement when the congregation began in 1976 was: Our mission as a congregation is to be a vehicle through which God carries on his work in the world and in which he confronts people in every age. We are the Body of Christ, proclaiming the Gospel and engaging in his mission to the world which includes fellowship, education, and service of mankind.

            Revision and updating of the mission statement was done in 1995: As a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Hosanna’s mission is to be the body of Christ in our community and throughout the world, spreading the Good News of the Gospel, and showing our love for God through worship, education, fellowship, and service.

           When the congregation decided to do a major building program in 1999, the theme we chose for the capital campaign was "Growing to Serve."

           Major changes were made to Hosanna's leadership structure in 2002, with a reorganization plan called "God's Servants, Working Together." The new mission statement adopted at that time was: As a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Hosanna’s mission is to grow to serve and praise the living Christ.

           Hosanna's Congregation Council has always had either a Christian Service Committee or a Care Team as part of its structure. The congregation has been searching for a way to reach out and impact our community through our service. The new purpose statement pulls this all together. Through our service, we will change lives -- our own lives and the lives of those in our community and beyond. The addition of the "365" adds our commitment to do this every day of the year, in our families, in our volunteering, in our schools, and in our worklife.

           If you haven't noticed it before, pay attention to the sign over the door the next time you leave the worship space. It has been there for several years, and it says "We go to serve." This is literally "a sign" that the Spirit has led us to discern God's purpose for Hosanna.

WHAT IS GOD'S PURPOSE FOR HOSANNA?

During our small group sessions, 56 potential purpose statements for Hosanna were put forward for discussion. The Mission Focus Team and the Congregation Council has chosen three of these as best meeting the criteria we outlined at the start of this process. These three are:

• 1) Walk with Jesus. Live God's word.
• 2) Loving God and loving our neighbors.
• 3) Serving God, changing lives -- 365.

Whether you were able to take part in one of our 18 small groups or not, we want you to help us discern God's purpose for Hosanna at our worship service on September 18. Please be there to prayerfully help us move on to the next step in our life together. Following the service, we will celebrate with some refreshments and have a brief congregational meeting.

-- Nancy Agafitei, President

EXPLORING OUTREACH: EICKENROHT ELEMENTARY

This summer Pastor John received some e-mails from a teacher at Eickenroht Elementary in the Spring ISD, asking for Hosanna's support for the primarily low income students enrolled there. This school is just 1.5 miles south of Hosanna on Ella.


Principal Robbie Green

 On August 27, a group of Hosanna members met with this teacher and with her principal, Robbie Green. Together we explored ways that our congregation could make a difference at this school. A fuller report on that visit will be printed in the September issue of the "Backyard" which will soon be online. Be sure to check it out. There are lots of great suggestions about ways that we can be involved. One of them should fit your schedule and your special gifts.

TX-LA GULF COAST SYNOD 2011 LEADERSHIP GATHERING

Several of us from Hosanna attended the Leadership Gathering on August 6 at Kinsmen. There were over 100 attendees from various Lutheran churches in the area. We heard some of the things other churches are trying and moving forward on. It helps you realize we are all one church but with opportunities to do God’s work in our own locations with our own gifts.

Bishop Rinehart, Peggy Hahn and Rev. Pedro Suarez facilitated the event but many others with expertise in other areas presented workshops. Folks, the workshops were great! We listened and learned a great deal.

Peggy Hahn talked about the Peru trip and how we are learning from our companion synods and they from us.

Bishop Mike talked about Texas and how we have become a true melting pot of races and cultures --more so than in other area of the U.S. If we are to minister to all people, we must understand and adapt our ministries to do so. He also talked about our youth being the lifeblood of our churches. If we want to continue our ministries and pass on the tradition of our faith, then we have to be intentional about involving and nurturing our youth.

I attended a workshop by Rev. Brad Otto on talking to and listening to our youth, providing a safe place where they can feel they can come and be safe with others. He suggested ways to talk about faith, sex, drugs, etc. in ways that youth do not feel uncomfortable.  He had suggestions for Youth Leaders and parents. I would highly recommend inviting him to come and present a session to our leaders and parents.

The other workshop was on Demystifying Social Media where Rev. David Hansen presented his thoughts on uses of Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Blogging. Using these tools can reach a good portion of our communities. We need to examine how to best utilize these tools. The rapid use of each of these social media is almost mind boggling. These touch our youth and many other members.

Bottom line -- the synod has listened to our needs and is providing assistance by presenting such events to help us access information and tools to bring back to our home churches. If we wish to be doing God’s work at Hosanna, then attending these events and others I feel is crucial. Learning from others should become part of our ongoing developmental upgrades.

-- Pat Gibbons,  Mission Focus Team Leader/V.P.

GLOBAL MISSION EVENT IN SAN ANTONIO, SEPT. 23-24

San Antonio is a great city to visit. Need a great excuse to spend a weekend there? Check out this video of the Global Mission Event happening there in September. Why not go and bring back local and global ideas for Hosanna?

LET'S TAKE THE BUS !!

Have you been on a bus lately? NO. Not the County bus that takes care of our senior trippers. NO. Not the Greyhound or charter bus that takes folks to Louisiana to gamble a little, party a little -- ya' know, sinful fun! How about the Metro bus?

WOW ---

Can you imagine? All of our cities offer public transportation and we are grateful for that. Without it, many would be in a world of hurt. It's not easy or fun to take a Metro bus,especially in inclement weather when you have to change buses, and when maybe the next one on your route will be another 20 or 30 minutes in coming. Not every bus stop has a shelter. In fact, few do. But once again...

                                                      WOW ---

What a beautiful contribution Hosanna has made to our community in this gift of a bus shelter. We can only imagine the grateful hearts.

Thanks Daniel and workers and donors!

--- A Disciple of Hosanna

LAST CHANCES TO CONVERSE ABOUT HOSANNA'S PURPOSE IN A SMALL GROUP

Obviously, I hope that conversations about God's purpose for Hosanna are going on everywhere in the church, in the homes of Hosanna's people, or in restaurants or wherever members are gathering.

But if you haven't been part of one of the "official" small groups yet, your chances are disappearing. Only three more official groups are scheduled before the Mission Focus team begins summarizing the results of our discussions. Here are the options:
                  At Hosanna on Sunday, July 10, 11:30am, with lunch and a nursery provided for small children
                  At Hosanna on Sunday, July 17, 11:30am, with lunch
                  At the home of J ean and Branch Waldo, Sunday, July 17, 6:30pm, dinner provided

Because of the materials and foodneeded for the groups, it really helps if you can notify us in advance if you can be there by e-mail (click here). However, if a last minute impulse grabs you, just come anyway. We really want to hear from you.

I am feeling some really important messages coming from these groups, and I am confident that they will make a difference for our church life together as we go forward.

-- Nancy Agafitei, Congregation President

YOUR VOICE MATTERS!

Hosanna small groups continue to meet together to pray, study scripture, and converse about the purpose of our congregation in carrying out God's mission in the world. It's a big question, and the most important one we can ask about our future together as a church. We want to hear your voice as this process continues. If you have not yet been part of a small group, please contact us (or just show up!) and join one of these:

           At Hosanna on Sundays, 11:30am-1:30pm, with a light lunch served:
                     June 19  / June 26 / July 10 / July 17
           At the Waldo's home, on Sunday, June 26, 6:30pm

Lord of Humanity. you have formed us in your own image. You have called us to be your people so that your dreams could be ours as well. Help us to see your purpose for our lives, and give us a common sense of purpose as your church in this place. We ask you now, what is it that we should be more concerned with? How may we help you complete your dream?

Nancy Agafitei, Council President

SERVING IN THE COMMUNITY

Pastor John and members of the Hosanna Church Council served lunch to more than 100 volunteer builders at the Hamill Ranch Habitat for Humanity site on June 11. Habitat is a nonprofit, ecumenical Christian housing organization building simple, decent, affordable housing in partnership with people in need. You can get involved by organizing a group to serve lunch, volunteering to help with the actual building (carpentry, painting, nailing shingles, etc.) or donating to support the work. Hosanna donations have helped to sponsor the house where the council is standing. It will be dedicated today, June 18, and the new residents will soon move in.

DISCERNING GOD'S PURPOSE FOR HOSANNA

I hope you are willing to get involved in figuring out what God wants us at Hosanna to be about. A leadership retreat has started the conversation. Small groups are now carrying it on. Make sure your voice is heard as we try to answer this most important question for our future.

Pastor John has found an interesting article online from the Alban Foundation that gives us much to think about in considering the way forward.

Consider this quote from near the end of the article:

"Congregations not only need a clear and compelling statement of purpose, they also need a sense of purpose. The two are related but different. A statement of purpose puts the big idea into words. A sense of purpose gets you out of bed in the morning and keeps you going in the face of challenges."

Help us put the big idea into words in a way that instills us all with a strong sense of purpose.

Nancy Agafitei, President

CROP Walk Feeds the Hungry

The Hosanna Walkers and Rockers had a successful day at the CROP Walk in the Woodlands. We had 5 Hosanna representatives at the event: Debbie Rohla, Melanie Rohla, Nancy Agafitei (Spirit Walker), Rick Agafitei and Pat Gibbons. Our team was sponsored for $1,335 between local and online donations. We will also be requesting Thrivent "Care Abounds in Communities" matching funds as well. Thanks to everyone for their generosity in helping serve the hungry.

                       "For I was hungry and you gave me food ..."  Matthew 25:35

ADDING SOMETHING FOR LENT

The season of Lent begins this year on
Ash Wednesday, March 9.

Lent is not all about giving things up. It's also about adding good things to our lives or to others' lives -- the kind of good things that follow on what Jesus asks of us. Try these:

·         Reconcile yourself to someone you don't like.

·         Do acts of kindness for people, just because.

·         Take the time to be in a refreshing, natural spot.

·         Study about what causes poverty.

·         Meditate, and pray over one or two Scripture passages each day.

·         Choose something ordinary that you do every day, and think about God while doing it.

·         Check out your ethnic heritage, and learn how Christians in it mark the season. 

·         Attend special worship services.

·         Find a new way every day to remember Jesus' death on the cross, and why it happened.

-- Submitted by Pat Gibbons, from the Mission Focus Team

    (Adapted from http://www.spirithome.com/lent.html#adding)

Join the HOSANNA Team to WALK to Fight Hunger

When: Sunday, April 3, 2011, 1:30pm
Where: Woodlands Christian Church
             1202 N. Millbend Drive
Who: The Hosanna Lutheran Walkers and Rockers
Why: Help fight hunger globally and locally.
        From Matthew 25: 
                     Jesus said, "I was hungry and you fed me."
                     "When Lord did we ever see you hungry and feed you?"
                     Jesus replied, "Whenever you did this for the least of these brothers
                     of mine, you did it for me."
How: Sign up to walk with the Hosanna Team; sign up to "rock" if you are not
                     a walker; sponsor our walkers and rockers.
Go to the Greater Northwest Houston Crop Walk Site to find out more.
     
-- Contact Pat Gibbons or Lois Heckart from the Hosanna Mission Focus Team for more information.

A GLORIOUS CELEBRATION SUNDAY!

Sunday, February 13, was a glorious day at Hosanna! In case you were not able to be there, here are some of the things that you missed:

Ten beautiful hand-made quilts were blessed to be a blessing to future recipients.

Five new members were welcomed into ministry with us: Ron and Darlene Lindquist, Josh Roszak, and Susheela Beteet and her son William.

It was the "duty and delight" of members to submit covenant cards indicating commitments of $205,560 toward Hosanna's ministry in 2011! [Cards not submitted today can be mailed to the church office. See John Gabrielson if still need one.]

A delicious luncheon was offered by the Stewardship Team chaired by Jeff Hartmann, enhanced by the hospitality skills of Connie and Jeff Chestnut, Jan Dietzmann, Valerie Oden and others.

Ron and Heda Christ, with the technical help of Dale Bargmann, shared stories and photos from their two-year mission to Botswana. What a Spirit-filled adventure!

And these were just the highlights! Good News abounds at Hosanna!

-- Nancy Agafitei, President

HERE WE STAND! THE LUTHERAN COURSE

Now is the perfect time to keep your New Year's Resolution that you will grow as a disciple in 2011! The adult Sunday School class is beginning a new series based on "The Lutheran Handbook." The cover of this book shows a winking Martin Luther. This image combines the serious, formal scholarship that was Luther's life work, with the humor and lightheartedness that characterized his personality.

This course will teach you how to respond when someone sits in your pew; how to survive the service if the AC goes out; and what to bring to a church potluck (by region of the U.S.). Of course, along the way you will also learn a few other important things, like how to defend your faith against attack, how to forgive someone, and how to be saved.

Come and see! It's 9:00-9:50am in Classroom 5.

-- Sue Loudermilk, Class Facilitator

ANNUAL MEETING ON SUNDAY, JANUARY 16

Join us Sunday after the worship service to celebrate our past year of congregational life together, and to do the business we need to move into the future. We will

• Receive the annual reports from all of our ministry teams, support teams, officers, and staff
• Approve our spending estimates for 2011
• Elect delegates to represent Hosanna at the Synod Assembly in Galveston in May
• Welcome home Ron and Heda Christ from their mission service in Botswana

See you there!

-- Nancy Agafitei, President