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.