A "Campaign of Commitment"

Gentlemen,

First let me say what a pleasure it was to work with you during this process. It was an experience that pushed me outside of my “box”.

I never saw a singular direction for our church. With so many people with so many talents certainly God wouldn’t limit us to one goal. When I prayed, “Lord, what do you want your people at St. Mark to do to touch people with the love of Christ?” I saw individuals, families and groups of families Committed to doing that which God has lead them to do. If you would, think of a family working with a mission to help the people there, a group of families coming together to help start a satellite church or 50 men joining with Fred and the Men at the Cross. There are too many possibilities to see them all. The common thread through all this is the commitment, the commitment to do as God would have you to do and follow through with it. I see the church leading a “campaign of commitment” where our members commit to doing something to touch someone with the love of Christ, to do as Christ has commissioned us to do. I realize this is late in the process, but I have struggled with the question “is this meant for me or the church”. I have come to the conclusion that it is me and my family and it is something we will do. Whether this is God’s vision for our church, I don’t know, but I thought I’d put it in to the forum to see where it leads.

Again, Thanks
Frank Radtke

2819 Club -- Raw Data Results

From May through July several people met for 19 minutes on Sunday morning to ask what the Lord wanted the people of St. Mark to do to touch people with the love of Jesus Christ.

That question was also asked in worship at both services on Sunday, July 27.

The following links to a rather large document which contains the raw answers that basic question. The only editing that has taken place is for style, mistypes, and spelling, and other minor aspects. The responses themselves remain unchanged.

From here, we will go through these results in more detail, categorizing and summarizing them into like areas and fields. Following that, we will prioritizes the goals and the means by which we will reach them by God's grace.

In His service and yours,
Pastor Scott

http://stmarkhouston.org/documents/20080728--2819_Club--RESPONSES--COMPLETED.pdf

Nick Moss Declines Call to St. Mark

Last Wednesday, after prayerful deliberation, DCE Nick Moss declined St. Mark's call to be our Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministries. He feels the Lord still has work for him to do at St. Paul Lutheran in Lakeland, FL.

We praise God for His steadfast faithfulness as we continue to find the person the Lord has chosen for us.

In Christ's service and yours,
Pastor Scott

Wednesday Noon Services Discontinued

It is always difficult to discontinue a ministry option when some still receive benefit from it. However, at this time we are unable to continue offering the noon service time on Wednesdays, effective immediately.

The Wednesday evening service time will remain and is unaffected by this decision.

In Christ,
Pastor Scott

Funeral Announcement for GLADYS BARTA

Good afternoon. This is Pastor Heitshusen of St. Mark Lutheran with an important announcement.

Last Saturday, July 26, the Lord called to Himself longtime St. Mark member, Gladys Barta.

Visitation with the family is tomorrow, Tuesday, July 29, from 6:00-8:00pm at Waltrip Funeral Home on Campbell Road. A funeral service celebrating Gladys’ life in and witness of Jesus Christ will be at St. Mark on Wednesday, July 30, at 2:00pm with internment following at Woodlawn Garden of Memories.

Please keep the Barta family in your prayers during this difficult time.

Funeral Announcement for NEAL LADWIG

Good afternoon. This is Pastor Heitshusen of St. Mark Lutheran with an important announcement.

Last Saturday, July 12, the Lord called to Himself Neal Ladwig; five weeks after He called Neal’s wife, Lois, Home.

Neal was a longtime St. Mark member, and a fun, compassionate man, who was involved in many areas at St. Mark, serving the Lord and His people joyfully.

Visitation with the family is tomorrow, Tuesday, July 15, from 6:00-8:00pm at Settegast-Kopf funeral home in Sugar Creek. A memorial service celebrating Neal’s life in and witness of Jesus Christ will be at St. Mark on Wednesday, July 16, at 2:00pm with a reception immediately following.

Please keep the Ladwig family in your prayers during this difficult time.

LINC Houston News & Needs

The following is from an email I received from Mark Junkans, Director of LINCHouston.

I am posting/passing it on in hopes that some may be able to serve and help.

God bless,
Pastor Heitshusen

---

News from
LINC Houston
http://www.linchouston.org/

Greetings!

Here is some information for upcoming projects that LINC is planning, also volunteer and donation opprotunities for anyone willing to give their time and financial support to local missions in the Houston area.

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NEWS

House Church

About 2 months into the launch of 4 new house churches, we are already seeing the fruit of this work. Several new families have joined these groups led by trained leaders. Already we have seen six individuals come to a new found faith in Jesus Christ. One individual who was most resistant, has been a Mason for the past several years.

During the house meetings, he continued to argue that God has many names and that he did not need Jesus to have peace in his heart. A few weeks later, he attended Sunday service at Centro Familiar Cristiano led by Pastor Lincon Guerra. After a sermon that clearly spoke the Gospel of Jesus Christ, he was seen praying, clearly broken by what he had heard. When he stopped, his whole demeanor had changed and he began to hug his wife and children. Pastor Lincon is overjoyed to see new families come faith through the ministry of the church in the homes of its members. We praise God for his power at work in the lives of our leaders.

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NEEDS

Spring Branch Mission Center:

• Volunteers for ESL program - We need individuals that can help our students practice the English they have learned in the lessons. Classes are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday in the early evening at 8149 Long Point. Volunteers only need to pick one night a week that they are available.
• Computer Setup - We need individuals to help setup our computers. Includes setting up drivers and operating system, plugging in monitors, keyboards and mice.

Comunidad de Gracia:

• 2 window unit air conditioners that run on 220 volt.
• Volunteers to help pick up food from the Houston Food Bank Thursday or Friday mornings.
• Repair of a freezer.
• A/C repair for fellowship hall.

School Supplies Needed:

• LINC is in need of school supplies to give away to children in need. Through several of our ministries, we help provide needed supplies for families who don't have the financial means to purchase them. If you or your group is able, please contact the LINC office for more information.

Car Donations:

• Several of LNC's missionaries and church members are in need of good running vehicles. If you are considering donating your car, consider LINC Houston's mission field as a worthy recipient.

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RESOURCES

Mission Shift Video Series

The School of Urban Ministry has put together a 6 week video series to be used in adult education classes called Mission Shift. MissionShift is meant to open peoples eyes to what God is doing in our world and spark a desire to reach out to our new international immigrants. The specific numbers/data used in the videos is somewhat focused on Minnesota, but the overall material has application to communities all over the world.

Here's a link where you can see a short clip of the videos and learn more...

http://web.mac.com/citysitesmedia/Site/MissionShift/MissionShift.html

Sincerely,
Mark Junkans

Voters' Meeting -- July 13

Just a reminder that this Sunday, July 13, directly following the first service (around 9:30am), there will be a congregational Voters' Meeting with the one agenda item the issuing of a Call to a DCE in Florida for the St. Mark position of "Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministries."

There is a biography of the individual being brought to you on the Welcome Center desk at the church. We hope you will pick one up before the meeting so that you have time to pray over this individual and the process.

Please make it a point to attend this important meeting.

Thank you and God bless your day.

In Christ,
Pasor Heitshusen

Our Nigerian Missionaries at St. Mark Last Sunday

What a wonderful Sunday the Lord blessed us with last Sunday, June 29!

Not only did we get to praise Him for this blessed country and the freedoms we have here; we got to hear how our True Freedoms are found in Jesus Christ for us and our country and the whole world.

We were also privileged to have the Rasch family with us. The Rasches (Ivan, Jennifer, Heather, and Timothy) are missionaries who work in Jos, Nigeria. I was very proud of how St. Mark welcomed and responded to them. Thank you!Many have wondered how they may stay in contact with the Rasches. Below is an email I received from them which give a lot of information on how to contact and support them.

In Service to God and Others with you,
Pastor Heitshusen

---

Dear Scott,

Thank you so much for welcoming us to your congregation last Sunday. What a warm welcome we received! We are only sorry that we were not able to have more time with you.

A number of people voiced an desire to donate used computers or band instruments. The best way to take care of that is for them to ship them to my mother’s address in Denton. Then we will pack them to take them with us to Nigeria on the 26th of July.

Our contact information here in Denton is:

Ivan and Jennifer Rasch
1908 W. Hickory St.
Denton, TX 76201
(940) 566-3848

For anyone in your congregation who asks for contact information for us in Nigeria, here are a few options:

TheRasches@Hotmail.com -or- Ivan.Rasch@LCMS.org

+234 803 288 9202

Ivan and Jennifer Rasch
Lutheran Church of Nigeria
P.O. Box 495
Jos, NIGERIA

People can find out more information about us and our ministry on LCMS’s website:

Information on Nigeria from LCMS World Mission:

http://www.lcms.org/pages/internal.asp?NavID=6754

Information on the Rasch Family and their work in Nigeria:

http://www.lcms.org/pages/internal.asp?NavID=7889

"Pray for Us" inserts for the Rasch Family:

http://www.lcms.org/ca/mission/prayercards/prayercarddownload.asp?prayercardid=286

The Africa Computer Projects that I am involved in is not a budgeted project. It is approved by LCMS World Mission, but because it is "above budget", it is not listed with the rest of the projects for Nigeria. If people have more questions about this project, they can e-mail me any questions – I will answer them as well as I possibly can. If they would like to hear about it from someone other than me, I can help them get in touch with my Area Facilitator (English-speaking West Africa) or my Regional Director (all of Africa).

Funeral Announcement -- Mamie W. Lorenz

The following is the text of an outgoing phone-tree regarding the death of Mamie W. Lorenz; sent out on Thursday, June 19, 2008.

--

Good afternoon. This is Pastor Heitshusen of St. Mark Lutheran with an important funeral announcement.

Yesterday the Lord called to Himself very longtime member, Mamie Lorenz. Mamie and her late husband, Arthur, were involved at St. Mark in many ways for many years.

Visitation with the family will take place at Woodlawn Funeral Home tomorrow, Friday, June 20, from 6:00-8:00pm.

A funeral service, celebrating her faith and life in Jesus will take place at St. Mark on Saturday, June 21, at 2:30pm with internment immediately following at Woodlawn Garden of Memories.

Please keep the Lorenz family in your prayers during this difficult time.

2819 Club -- Leadings

Feedback Form

1. In your prayer time with the Lord, when you have asked the LORD, “LORD, what do You want Your people at St. Mark to do to touch people with the love of Christ?” what do you feel is the Holy Spirit’s movement as an answer in your heart? (Be as general or as detailed as you feel led by the LORD. If you need more space, please attach extra paper to this sheet.)

A soccer team. Perhaps a prayer station or stations


2. Beyond that question, are there other items or areas the Lord is placing on your heart with regard to God’s ministry here at St. Mark?

Dance ministry. Square dancing (at least occasionally).


3. May we share your response with others (via newsletters, the St. Mark blog, etc.)?

Yes!


4. May we share your name? (If “yes,” please do not forget to write your name below.)

Yes!

Singned,
Curtis Heusman

Friends of Christ

Friends of Christ

As I prayed this morning, God reminded me that He is my best Friend. He is always there when I need someone to talk to. He is always there when I need advice. He is always happy for me and with me, when something good happens to me. He "calls" me just to talk to me, to see how I am doing. Not for any special reason, just to see how I am. He gently tells me when I am doing something wrong, yet, He never condemns me. He is oh so understanding when I inadvertently say something wrong; He knows my intent was not to hurt Him, for He knows my heart, He knows that I too am His friend.

In today's world, in our community, in our lives, we need friends. We need those relationships that are caring and always there. We need to know that someone is thinking of us and praying for us. We need to know that someone will be happy for us when we are happy, sad when we are sad, there in times of trouble and need. Today, I believe the Lord is leading me and St. Mark to be a friend to our community. How, I'm not sure. But the Lord brought to mind the idea of the mall that Pastor Scott discussed. Maybe, we could set up a kiosk and be Friends of Christ to the shoppers.

As I finished my prayer time this morning, I asked the Lord to convict me today and to affirm this idea of friendship. After prayers, I ate breakfast, watching the news. As I began to do my chores, I turned the channel to the XM station, "The Message" to listen to Christian Music. One of my favorite songs was on, at my favorite chorus line:

"I just want to feel your presence again,
I'm down on my knees in need of a friend
And I find you waiting there for me."

Talk about affirmation. I finished listening to this wonderful song, by DecembeRadio "Find You Waiting". Then I quickly came to put these thoughts down to share with you, my Friends in Christ. I really believe that we have in our community a lot of lonely people, who just need a friend. I believe that, whether they consciously know or not, they truly "want to feel Your presence again". The words of this song are powerful and I have many times wanted to feel His presence again, and I have often been down on my knees in need of a friend, and I always find Him waiting there for me.

Thank you for allowing me to share this with you today. Please pray with me to see if indeed this is how the Lord wants St. Mark to serve our community, and pray that He show us how to be a Friend of Christ to others.

Blessings,
Jimmie Sue Pratt
06/11/08

2819 Club -- Leadings

In response to the planting of a new church, I am very supportive of this mission.

1. My first suggestion for consideration would be a strip center located in the area of Beltway 8 and Highway 249.
   If you look behind the race track you will see a large area which is growing rapidly. Half way between Beltway 8 and I-45 on 249 there are several strip centers which may be available. I feel Christ Memorial, St. Mark and St. Timothy could really work well together as Pastor Henize grew up at St. Mark and I believe you and the associate pastor are friends.
2. My second suggestion is near your home in the Little York & Eldridge area.
   You know this area as well as anyone. As Pastor Simon also lives in the area, this would be ideal but consideration must be given as to how would Epiphany look at this? Would Epiphany join Christ Memorial and St. Mark in this mission?
3. Beltway 8 and Little York/Tanner area could also be considered.

My prayer is we commit to church planting this year! This is another subject that would benefit from a leadership retreat!

It is very hard to change the mind-set up of an established church, but with a new church, you will not hear, "that is not they way we do it."

Blessings,
Willis Schrampfer

Funeral Announcements -- Adell Knippa & Lois Ladwig

The following is the text of an outgoing phone-tree regarding the deaths and services for Adell Knippa and Lois Ladwig; sent out on Monday, June 9, 2008.

--

Good morning. This is Pastor Heitshusen of St. Mark Lutheran with an important announcement.

This last week the Lord called to Himself two people of St. Mark’s family; Adell Knippa and Lois Ladwig.

Adell is the mother of St. Mark member, Marti. Her funeral will be this Wednesday, June 11, at 11:00 a.m. at Concordia Lutheran Church in San Antonio.

In addition to Adell, the Lord called Home longtime St. Mark member, Lois Ladwig. Lois was a dear, sweet woman of the Lord who was involved in many areas at St. Mark and set an example of service in the Lord with an open heart and a big smile.

Visitation with the family is tonight, June 9, from 6:00-8:00pm at Settegast-Kopf funeral home at Sugar Creek. A memorial service celebrating Lois’ life in and witness of Jesus Christ will be at St. Mark tomorrow, Tuesday, June 10 at 2:00pm with a reception immediately following.

Please keep the Knippa and Ladwig families in your prayers during this difficult time.

2819 Club -- Form

As we continue our time in humble prayer, asking God, "Lord, what do You want Your people at St. Mark to do to touch people with the Love of Christ?", we need to have an avenue to share what the Holy Spirit is telling us.

Please use the attached form (click on the title of this post for the file in PDF format) to share where you feel the Lord is leading St. Mark in your prayer time.

Thank you and blessings in Christ, our Lord.

Scott Heitshusen
Your Pastor

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2819 Club -- Scripture Passages

Scripture has much to day about seeking God; praying to Him; asking for His Holy Spirit and guidance; and His desire that we let all know about His salvation in and through Jesus.

As we continue to seek the Lord's guidance in our outreach efforts, the Scripture passages in the attached file may prove helpful to you. I ask that you use these (as well as your own or others the Lord is leading you to use) as you take time to seek His guidance with the question we have been asking of God, "Lord, what do You want Your people at St. Mark to do to touch people with the Love of Christ?"

In God's Plan with you,
Pastor Scott Heitshusen

(Click the title for the file in PDF format.)

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2918 Club -- Leadings

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

About a year and a half ago my mind was opened to many outreach opportunities that I had not previously considered. Many of these came as a part of my classes with the Pastoral Leadership Institute and others through the Texas District, itself. I have always been a proponent of letting others know of “The Way, the Truth, and the Life,” by whom all are saved; but these new ways of thinking about growing the Kingdom of God “clicked” in my mind. I had known many of the truths, but they had not been presented in a way that changed my thinking.

We are living in a country and with a whole generation of people who are biblically illiterate and far from God and, hence, salvation. We, at St. Mark, have been abundantly blessed by God with resources many congregations could only dream of. But more importantly, we have enormous harvest fields all around us. People for whom we are to share Christ with through the use these resources.

When Pastor Woolsey of CrossPoint Community Church, Pastor Steve Simon of Christ Memorial Lutheran Church, and I originally met about a mission plant in West Houston, I was excited (and still am)! There are so many people who are meeting with the Gospel at St. Mark; but there are so many, many more people all around us who are not going to step through our doors to hear about Him. It is, therefore, our privilege and responsibility to “send” us out and “seek” them; as our mission statement declares.

There are many places within 10-15 miles of St. Mark where a “more traditional” church plant could go and do well. (One being in the neighborhood I live in.) But my mind keeps going back to another vision. This has been resonating more and more as I have been with so many others praying to the Lord, “Lord, what do You want Your people at St. Mark to do to touch people with the love of Christ?” during the 2819 Club prayer time each Sunday morning.

Before I share my heart here, let me share this:

• The “target group,” in my mind, would be primarily the “busters” generation. Of course it would touch many others, but this is a generation of “post-moderns” who, by and large, do not know Christ and are completely biblically illiterate. Most of them did not grow up in church and have a very pluralistic and mystic mindset of “god.” They are very tolerant of others, but question everything.
• A meeting place needs to be where the people are, as they have no inclination of going to a traditional sanctuary or church campus. (It’s not really that they are opposed to this; it just doesn’t cross their minds.)

With those, and other factors in mind, I started thinking about a place that has countless people passing by and browsing every day – seven days a week, 365 days a year. People of all ages, races, and backgrounds meet there and interact on a regular basis. It is a place that is minimally affected by fluctuations in rain or heat.

Have you guessed it? It’s a mall. More specifically, I have been thinking of Memorial City Mall.

The opportunities boggle my mind!

This is where I am feeling led when I have been talking with the Lord about the opportunities He has in mind for us at St. Mark for the people of Houston, Texas.

What is He saying to you?

In His Plan with you,
Pastor Scott Heitshusen

2819 Club -- Leadings

Greetings Pastor Scott,

Here are several thoughts that I have had in response in praying, “Lord what do you want your people at St Mark to do at this time and in this place to touch people with the love of Jesus Christ?” Here are several things that I feel that the Lord is saying to me as I have been praying and listening…

1. Be in the Word…pray the Word of God…Call upon the Lord by praying the Word…seek the Lord by reading the verses that tell me to seek the Lord…ask the Lord to give me that Hunger and thirst for the sweetness of His Word…Meditate on those verses…then ask the Lord to tell me what He wants me to hear…really get quiet and listen…
   
2. I felt the Lord leading me to ask Barry [Leitko] to come to our Friday, 6:00 a.m. prayer time at the altar and to inform other men about this so that they have a chance to join us in a great time of prayer.
   
3. I felt the Lord leading me to attend the presentation on “Men at the Cross”…to share it with Pastor Scott and Pastor Schultz…with the elders…with or Wednesday morning Bible Study…and with personal friends. I feel that the Lord is calling me to go to the August 22-23 Men at the Cross week end at the Toyota Center…to become a mentor of a man for the next 6 months…to encourage men to go with me in to the August week end…to ask the Lord to show me who He wants me to mentor for 6 months…to pray that the Lord touches hearts of men that I have talked to with a desire to go to the August week end and to feel a call from the Lord to mentor another man. This all happened just at the time we decided to focus on prayer and start the 2819 team.

Blessings and Joy
Fred Tonn
Elder

2819 Club

How awesome it is to have established a group such as the 2819 Club to explore - through prayer and fellowship - what God wants us to do in the area of outreach. I look forward each Sunday morning (10:50-11:09) coming together with my fellow St. Mark members and pray for even more to become involved.

Thank you to all who have joined us thus far.

In His Service,
Ed Hardin
Elder

No Wednesday Worship Tomorrow!

This is a reminder that there will be no mid-week worship services tomorrow, Wednesday, May 28, due to Kindergarten Graduation in the morning and Eighth Grade Graduation in the evening.

Mid-week services will resume the following week, Wednesday, June 4, at the normal times of 12:00 noon and 7:00 p.m.