Tristen Andrew Dasch

Tristen Andrew Dasch passed away with Bill, Sheila and Taylor at his side earlier this morning. In addition to his parents, Tristen is also survived by his older brother, Taylor, and oldest brother Scott and Scott’s wife, Sandy. As Christians, we mourn his loss in the sense that he’s not here to hold, to talk to, to laugh with, to spend time with. And yet we know beyond all shadow of a doubt that Tristen is at rest and with our Father in heaven.

As you can imagine through the years we’ve all known Bill, he spoke of what a wonderful day this is for Tristen, for he has seen the glory of heaven. Bill reminded me that Tristen is now completely healed; no more sorrow, no more pain, no more tears In the midst of watching his son die before his eyes, Bill was praising God and glorifying His name. He said as it became clear that Tristen’s body was shutting down, they talked to Tristen about how much they loved him, and what heaven would be like.

Funeral arrangements are pending at St. John Lutheran Church in Mansfield, Texas. I will update you as soon as I know the day and time. Our dearest Tristen, we love you so very much. I wrote down some Scripture that was comforting to me and I pray it will be for each of you. God’s words are with us to the very end.

• 1 Corinthians 15:42-57
• 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17
• 2 Corinthians 4:16-15:8
• Ecclesiastes 3:1
• Ecclesiastes 7:1
• Isaiah 41:10-13
• John 6:35-40
• John 11:17-27
• John 13:7
• John 14:1-6
• John 14:27
• Philippians 1:20-23
• Psalm 23:1-6
• Psalm 46:10
• Psalm 103:8-17
• Revelation 21:1-7
• Romans 8:31-39

2010 LCMS Convention – Help Wanted!

As you may be aware, Houston is once again privileged to host the Synodical Convention of The Lutheran Church–-Missouri Synod this summer. The 64^th Regular Convention, with the theme, “One People: Forgiven!” will take place July 10-17 at the George R. Brown Convention Center.

As the host city and one of the host congregations, there are many areas where volunteers, like you, are needed.

Here are some of the specific needs:

• Registration and Information Committee, Friday, July 9 through Sunday, July 11. Contact Kelly Biar for more information.
• Altar Builder(s), as St. Mark is one of the 12 area congregations supplying an altar and accessories for the opening worship service on Saturday. Contact Pastor Heitshusen for more information.
• Others for set-up, tear-down, and transportation of items for Saturday morning and evening. Contact Pastor Heitshusen for more information.

More detailed information can be found by downloading and printing the following document. (Type the following in your web browser and open the file when prompted.)

http://stmarkhouston.org/documents/2010-LCMS-Convention-Help-Wanted.pdf

We at St. Mark are very blest to be able to take part and serve the Lord and His people through the convention this summer! I look forward to your help in this way!

Sincerely,
Pastor Heitshusen

Position Available

As most of you have heard by now, St. Mark Director of Operations, Kelly Biar, has resigned from her position, effective June 30.

Kelly has been called to serve the Lord as the Director of Business Affairs for Houston Christian High School. This is a great fit for Kelly and her skills and she is excited about the new opportunities and challenges she faces.

While we rejoice for Kelly, we mourn our loss of her daily presence and her skills with us as staff. Yet, even so, we know the Lord has plans for St. Mark in this area as well.

If you would like more information about the position or would like to apply, please see the two documents, linked to below and follow up accordingly.

Thanks and God bless,
Pastor Scott

• Job Posting:
  http://stmarkhouston.org/documents/20100520--Job_Posting--Director_of_Operations--StMarkHouston_org.pdf
• Job Description:
  http://stmarkhouston.org/documents/StMarkHouston--Director_of_Operations.pdf

Tristen Dasch Fund

Many of you are aware of Tristen Dasch’s continuing, serious health issues – especially as of late.

For those who may not know, Tristen is the son of former St. Mark Senior Pastor, Bill Dasch, and he has been fighting cancer and other related health issues for many years.

Tristen has been in a hospital in Memphis, TN, for quite some time, now. This is, of course, far away from the Dasch home in Mansfield, TX. Pastor and Shelia Dasch have been “commuting” between Mansfield and Memphis for quite some time now. Obviously, this gets extremely expensive.

To help Tristen as well as the Dasch family, a special fund was established awhile back. This fund helps offset some of the multiple travels back and forth, associated meals, lodging and the like. The costs are in the multiple tens of thousands at this point.

The most important need for Tristen and the Dasch family is that of continual prayer.

If you would like to supplement your prayers with some financial help to the family, a special fund has been set up for just such help. You may send contributions to:

Tristen Dasch Fund
Frost National Bank
  c/o Lydia Lucerio
1000 Walnut Creek Dr.
Mansfield, TX 76063

Thank you for your continuous support.

Need Help Reaching Your Financial Goals & Have Gold? We Can Help!

Those who have been privileged to take Dave Ramsey’s acclaimed “Financial Peace University” [see above for details on the upcoming offering of FPU at St. Mark], you know that establishing an Emergency Fund is the very first “baby-step.”

For some, this is easy. For others, it takes some work and creativity.

One of the ways these funds can be raised is by selling items, like gold.

“Gold Stash for Cash” has been endorsed by Dave Ramsey as a legitimate organization to use in converting your gold to cash.

St. Mark member, Lisa Emery, will be at St. Mark on June 4 to help you in this process. You can contact her at lemery63@gmail.com or by calling her at 713/851-9413.

Summer FPU Class Fast Approaching

Starting June 2, St. Mark will once again offer the acclaimed Dave Ramsey course, “Financial Peace University.”

This course was a tremendous success when offered at St. Mark last January, and we know it will continue to be a blessing to many others.

You can register for FPU at St. Mark by going to the St. Mark home page and clicking on the link there.

VBS Volunteers Needed

Summer is fast approaching and we’re heaving the sails, getting ready for a High Seas Expedition!

It’s going to be a lot of fun, but we need some helpers in our journey!

Contact Wendy McManners (713/255-3625) if you can help.

You can also register for VBS by going to the St. Mark home page.

LINC Houston Mission Festival at St. Mark

St. Mark is very proud to once again host the 2010 LINC Houston Mission Festival!

There will be food at 5:00 p.m., pre-service music starting at 5:45 p.m., and worship from 6:00-8:30 p.m.

It is fitting that this takes place on Pentecost Sunday. Come and celebrate with us in an exciting way!

I can personally attest that this event last year was one of the best I have attended and I enjoyed it thoroughly!

I hope to see y’all there!

With you in Christ,
Pastor Scott

P.S. For the Germans out there at St. Mark; we would love for you to take part in the beginning of the service by dressing in German attire and carrying the German flag into the sanctuary. If you can help in this way, please contact Pastor David Kim.

Kelly Biar

It is with both heavy and joyful heart that I announce to you that our beloved Director of Operations, Kelly Biar, has resigned from her position, effective June 30.

Kelly has been called to serve the Lord as the Director of Business Affairs for Houston Christian High School. This is a great fit for Kelly and her skills and she is excited about the new opportunities and challenges she faces.

While we rejoice for Kelly, we mourn our loss of her daily presence in the office at St. Mark. Yet, even so, we know the Lord has plans for St. Mark in this area as well.

A job posting will be forthcoming.

Please feel free to congratulate Kelly when you see her.

In Christ,
Pastor Scott

St. Mark School Recognition

St. Mark Lutheran School has been recognized by the HoustonWest Chamber of Commerce.

St. Mark was nominated for this award by The Arbor School.

Congratulations, St. Mark School!

Celebrating Volunteers

This Sunday, May 23, St. Mark will celebrate the countless volunteers who serve the Lord by serving His people at St. Mark.

Come and celebrate with us!

FINAL REPORT: “GIVING 100%: 10 Goals of 10 by May, 2010”

In May, 2009, I put before the congregation and her leaders ten goals for St. Mark church and school to be completed by May, 2010.

Some of these goals have already been met. Others have not.

The following shall serve as a status report for where things are right now.

I do want to extend a heartfelt “thank you” for so many people who put so much time and effort into these goals. The dedication and work by those on these teams is greatly appreciated!

You can find the Final Report of the “Giving 100%” campaign here.

Ken CONFER & Bill WOHLT

On Sunday, April 25, the Lord called to Himself, St. Mark member, Ken Confer.

On Tuesday, April 27, the Lord called another St. Mark member Home; Bill Wohlt.

There will be a memorial service celebrating Ken Confer’s life in Christ at St. Mark on Friday, April 30, at 1:00 p.m.

On Friday evening, from 5:00-7:00pm, there will be visitation with the family of Bill Wohlt at Memorial Oaks Funeral Home. A funeral service celebrating Bill’s life in Christ will take place at St. Mark on Saturday, May 1, at 1:00pm.

Please keep Ken and Bill’s families in your prayers during this difficult time.

Combined Worship, Church Picnic, & Celebration for Rita Schaller!

This is a reminder about the great events going on at St. Mark this weekend, April 25.

9:00-9:45am Sunday School & Bible Classes

Sunday School & Bible Classes will still meet in their usual rooms. However, they will meet from 9:00-9:45am rather than the usual 9:45-10:45am.

10:00-11:00am Combined Worship Service

We will have one, combined worship service beginning at 10:00am.

We will also have a treat as there will be singing and band playing by school students during worship!

Please remember to adjust your alarms and routine accordingly.

11:00am BBQ Picnic at St. Mark

This event is for the whole family! Enjoy fellowship, games, music and much more. Don’t forget your lawn chair and sunscreen!

The BBQ lunch will have a free will offering. If you have volunteered to bring a tarp for this event, please drop it off at the church either Friday during the day or on Saturday at 4pm in the north parking lot.

Volunteers are needed for various activities, please contact Wendy McManners if you are interested in helping to make this a fun filled day for everyone. wmcmanners@stmarkhouston.org, 713-468-2623 x 327.

CELEBRATION OF RITA SCHALLER’S RETIREMENT

On Sunday, both during the worship service and picnic, we will be celebrating God’s gift of Rita Schaller. Rita has been a teacher in God’s Church for over 40 years! She has taught countless children (and adults!) about Jesus and His love for them over the years. It is an honor to praise God for her and her service! Come and celebrate with us!

The dress for the day (including Bible class and worship) is comfortable and casual!

See y’all there!

In Christ,
Pastor Scott

Staffing Changes

Several weeks ago, we informed you that Mrs. Jentry Workman and Mrs. Rita Schaller would not be returning to St. Mark Lutheran School for the 2010-11 school year. During these past few weeks, we have been actively seeking Mrs. Workman’s replacement. I am pleased to announce that we have offered the Grade 7-8 Language Arts teaching position to Mrs. Katie Murray (this is a different Mrs. Murray than the one we had for Grade 5-6 English), and she has accepted our offer of contract. Mrs. Murray is an individual with two years of middle school Language Arts experience. She has also served as a youth director and a special education teacher. Mrs. Murray graduated from Texas Lutheran University with a degree in Theology and a minor in English Studies. She is married and is the mother of 4 children. She is a very flexible and enthusiastic individual who believes that each student has a wealth of God-given potential that deserves to be recognized and challenged inside and beyond the classroom. We look forward to her joining the St. Mark staff.

In regard to Mrs. Schaller’s position, we will not fill that position until we have the enrollment to justify a second Kindergarten class.

A second Grade 1 class will be provided for the 2010-11 school year. The second Grade 1 teaching position has been posted. As a result of that posting, Ms. Elizabeth Imrie has been offered and accepted the position of the second Grade 1 teacher. This is an excellent move for St. Mark since Ms. Imrie has over 10 years of teaching Grade 1, and this is her preferred grade level to teach. We look forward to her joining with Ms. Hahn to provide us with two excellent Grade 1 teachers.

With Ms. Imrie moving to teaching Grade 1, we will now have a Grade 5 teaching vacancy. At this time, we are interviewing for this position. We ask for your prayers as we continue to seek those individuals that God will provide to fill this position.

Mrs. Cohrs has also indicated that she will be resigning from the Assistant Principal/Early Childhood Director position at the end of the 2009-10 school year. It is her desire to return to full-time classroom teaching where she feels she can better use her God-given gifts and talents. At this time, we intend to offer a teaching contract to Mrs. Cohrs for the 2010-11 school year. The grade level that she would teach is yet to be determined as teaching positions are posted. The vacancy created by Mrs. Cohrs will be filled; however, the job description for this position will be modified. We are waiting the approval of this job description by the Board of Directors and anticipate posting the new position as open within the next two weeks.

As you have noticed, there are several staffing changes for the next school year. The Lord continues to bring excellent individuals to us for consideration. We ask for your prayers as we seek God’s Will in all these staffing matters that He will guide us in all these decisions.

God bless richly!!
Mr. Mock

School Climate Survey

Would you please do St. Mark Lutheran School a favor???

I have a favor to ask of all the parents of St. Mark Lutheran School. Would you please complete a School Climate Survey that will be emailed to you on April 3? It will not take long to complete the survey.

We value your input, compliments, and constructive criticism. I believe St. Mark is already an excellent school, but we would like it to grow in its excellence. You can be instrumental in helping us continue to grow in excellence by completing the survey and providing your valuable input. The information gleaned from the survey will be studied and used to help us shape the ministry of the school to better serve the students and parents of St. Mark. We did listen to your input last year. Your input last year resulted in several changes, and some additional changes that were suggested are in the process of being accomplished. Some of those areas addressed were Spanish instruction in Grades 1-8 and Study Hall availability and supervision. Progress was also made in focusing more on differentiated instruction especially in the lower grades. This was also addressed in the middle school grades as we now offer advanced courses in Science, Math, and English. Areas that are still being addressed that were of major concern were enrichment and remedial programs.

“Thank you” in advance for completing this survey as we work together to help St. Mark Lutheran School become an even better school.

God bless richly!!
Mr. Mock

Important Information from Principal Mock

Dear Parents,

I feel that is important at this time to communicate with you in regard to issues relating

• to staffing for the 2010-11school year,
• to invite and encourage you to complete our Annual School Climate Survey, and
• to invite you to volunteer to assist with the reaccreditation of St. Mark Lutheran School.

I realize that is a rather long letter, but I feel that it is very important that you are informed. I would appreciate your willingness to read about each of these important items.

In addition, if you are willing to serve on any of these committees, please contact Mr. Mock.

Thank you in advance for your help in all of these matters. As we work together, the students of St. Mark will certainly be blessed.

God bless richly!!!
Mr. Mock

Lutheran School Accreditation

I am asking for help from the parents of St. Mark in regard to National Lutheran School Accreditation. St. Mark Lutheran School is accredited through National Lutheran School Accreditation. Our accreditation covers a period of 7 years. We are currently in year 6 and will need to be reaccredited by the spring of 2011. This process involves a considerable amount of work for the teachers and parents. There are 11 Standards on which we evaluate ourselves and also be evaluated by an outside group of individuals selected by the National Lutheran School Accreditation committee. As the teachers complete each of these standards, we invite parents to provide their input in regard to specific standards. It would be ideal if we had at least two parents that would help evaluate each of the specific standards. This would involve from 2-3 meetings. The first meeting would involve meeting with the teachers and becoming familiar with what that group of teachers provided in regard to a specific standard. A second meeting would involve providing parent input. A third meeting might be held to finalize the report on the standard. These meetings would be held between April 15 and the end of the school year. The eleven standards are as follows:

1. Mission and Vision
2. Relationships
3. Leadership
4. Personnel
5. Curriculum
6. Instruction
7. Student Services
8. Health and Safety
9. Facilities
10. Finance
11. Evaluation

God bless richly!!
Mr. Mock

Upcoming Worship Emphases

Following the wonderful celebration of the Resurrection of Our Lord, we will have theme, “CELEBRATE!" with the following subthemes each week:

• April 11: “CELEBRATE: FPU”
• April 18: “CELEBRATE: Life”
• APRIL 25: “CELEBRATE ST. MARK” with one, combined worship service at 10:00 a.m. and a congregation-wide picnic. We will also be announcing the Fall Church Theme: “WE ARE FAMILIY!”
• MAY 2: “CELEBRATE: Confirmands”
• MAY 9: “CELEBRATE: Mothers”
• MAY 16: “CELEBRATE: Graduates”
• MAY 23: “CELEBRATE: Volunteers”
• MAY 30: “CELEBRATE: Memorial Day”

Come and CELEBRATE with us!

Offices Closed

The St. Mark offices (both church and school) will be closed on Friday, April 2, and Monday, April 5, in observance of Good Friday and Easter Monday, respectively.

If you have a pastoral emergency, please contact Pastor Duerr or Pastor Heitshusen on their cell phones.

No Worship, April 7

On Wednesday, April 7, there will be no worship service.

Wednesday evening services will resume the following week, April 14 at 7:00 p.m.

RACE-a-THON

[Saturday, April 10th 8am-3pm]
RACE^aTHON is our next National Youth Gathering Fundraiser! Our expectation is that this be one of our BIGGEST Fundraisers!

We have the track at Houston Christian reserved on April 10th! The plan is for each participant &/or parents to fill up their pledge sheets. They will be asking friends, family, neighbors, teachers, schoolmates, & members of Saint Mark to pledge a donation for the amount of laps they will walk or run on April 10^th from 8:00am–3:00pm. You can do this by pledging a Dollar Amount per lap or mile [4 laps = 1 mile]. If a participant were to run/walk 5 miles & get 20 people to pledge at least $1 per lap, they would make a cool $400! If everyone going to NYG did the same, we would make $12,400!

Thanks for your support!

Sunday Morning Bible Classes

Now that our first “Financial Peace University” classes have (very successfully!) completed, St. Mark has some other Sunday morning courses they will be offering.

The current lineup is as follows:

APRIL 11, 9:45-10:45 a.m.

• FPU Graduation & Celebration in the cafeteria
• “The Book of Hebrews” [the 11^th & 18^th only as it moves to Galatians from the 25^th on] taught by Charles McDaniels in Room 131 (the school library)
• “Remarkable Women of the Bible,” taught by Cheryl Dinwoodie in Room 145
• “I Have Good News for You” This is an informational class about Christianity, Lutheranism, and St. Mark taught by two elders, Willis Schrampfer and Steve Wible in Room 155.

APRIL 18, 9:45-10:45 a.m.

[The following are scheduled to begin on April 18, but will end on different dates. PLEASE NOTE: ON APRIL 25 ONLY, THE BIBLE CLASS TIME WILL BE FROM 9:00-9:45 a.m. For May 2 on, the time will be at the usual 9:45-10:45 a.m. This is due to one combined worship service on April 25 at 10:00 a.m. with a congregation-wide picnic to follow.]

• “The Book of Hebrews [18^th only]/Galatians [25^th on]” [last class for Hebrews] taught by Charles McDaniels in Room 131 (the school library)
• “Remarkable Women of the Bible,” taught by Cheryl Dinwoodie in Room 145
• “I Have Good News for You” This is an informational class about Christianity, Lutheranism, and St. Mark taught by two elders, Willis Schrampfer and Steve Wible in Room 155.
• “GOD’S TRUSTEES: Managing All of Life and Life’s Resources for God’s Purposes!” Teachers TBA
• “Letters from a Skeptic” This class will be taught by the congregational chairman, Duane Heckmann in the cafeteria, section ‘B’. It follows a true conversation between a son and his skeptic, agnostic father, who later becomes a Christian.
• “THE LOVE DARE: Making Your Marriage Fireproof” This is a great course based on the hit movie, “Fireproof.” It is for anyone who is in a marriage or a committed relationship. It will be taught by Pastors Heitshusen and Duerr in Room 224.
• Possible new course to be taught by Ginny Zuppann and Pastor Runge. Topic and location will be announced if this comes to fruition.
• A class (with topic and location yet to be determined) to be taught by elder, Bill Reese, looks to begin around this time as well.

Please make use of these wonderful opportunities to study, learn, and fellowship!

For God's glory, Christ Jesus' praise, and your edification. St. Mark Lutheran Church & School, Houston, TX

FPU Graduation Celebration !

You’ve cut up the cards, now it’s time to cut the cake!

On Sunday, April 11, at 9:45 a.m. in the cafeteria, we will celebrate all those who graduated (attended at least 12 of the 13 Small Group sessions of the course) from “Financial Peace University.”

There will be cake, so save some room from breakfast!

CONGRATS, GRADS!

SM² Easter Breakfast!

This Easter Sunday the SM² Youth Group will be hosting an Easter Breakfast for all hungry church-goers.

On the Menu: Eggs, Sausage, Pancakes with Syrup, Hashbrowns, Biscuits, & Grapes!

The West Houston Chapter of Thrivent Financial will be supplementing some of the funds & also provided us with 1,000 cups & napkins! THANKS, THIVENT!

Please join us for Breakfast! We’d love to have you!

Youth: Please arrive by 7:00 a.m. for set-up.

Easter Egg Hunt!

Each year St. Mark hosts an Easter Egg hunt with special activities for all young children. This is a great event to invite your neighbors or your grandchildren to! It’s fun, non-threatening, and gets the family out of the house.

The event will take place RAIN OR SHINE (events will be moved indoors if the weather does not cooperate.)

Date:  Saturday April 3, 2010
Time:  9:30 am
Place: St. Mark Lutheran

See you there!

Easter Crosses

Perhaps you've seen them around on lawns; simple, white crosses.

This year, as last year, many people took advantage of these crosses, making them simple witnesses to neighbors and passers-by of their faith and the One in whom they have faith.

The crosses are designed to be blank for Palm Sunday (that's this Sunday!) and through Holy Week and, on Easter, to be turned around. On the other side of the crosses, the message "HE IS RISEN!" is printed.

What a great, easy, witness to the saving resurrection of the Lord Jesus!

These crosses are available for under $7/each at the St. Mark store (next to the patio with the door to the south of the Welcome Center receptionist desk).

Pick one up today -- for you and a family member or friend -- and display it proudly, showing others that you "are not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ!" (Romans 1:16)

You can read more about the "Easter Cross" at eastercross.org. or see a piece that CBS did on it below.


Easter Cross Witness from Austin Fogerty on Vimeo.
A CBS report on the Easter Cross Witness

JESUS IS RISEN!! -- A "Holy Week" for You

"CHRIST IS RISEN! HE IS RISEN, INDEED, ALLELUIA!!"

I love that phrase! It marks the climax of Scripture and all of human history! It marks the reason we have hope amidst despair; joy amidst sorrow; life amidst death. It reminds us that God and His love are bigger than our difficulties and failures!

It is truly the most wonderful time of the year (popular Christmas song sentiments, notwithstanding)!

But before we get to Easter, we continue through Lent and Holy Week. Many of you know that Lent is one of my favorite times of the year. It focuses us [me!] on the passion and love that Jesus, our lord and savior, has for us and for the whole world. It reminds us of our sins which drive us to Him, who forgives our sins by "The Power of the Cross" (our Sunday theme during Lent this year).

Lent ends on Easter Sunday, but the week prior to Easter, "Holy Week," is a very special time of the church year, too. It begins with the Sunday before Easter, called "Sunday of the Passion" or "Palm Sunday." It marks Jesus' entry into Jerusalem for the last time, when he was heralded and welcomed with a reception by people with "palm branches" and the cloths. the week takes a tragic turn when later, after Jesus had His last supper with His disciples while celebration the Passover meal, He is later betrayed to death by one of His disciples and is innocently killed by crucifixion, thus dying for the sins of the world.

But death could not hold Jesus, "the Way, the Truth, and the Life!" He rose on Easter morning, as He said He would, thus destroying sin, death, and the power of the devil and granting to all believers everlasting life!

It is no wonder, then, why Easter is the highest and most holy day on the entire church calendar! It is also the most joyous!

Yet, the highs will not be so high unless the lowest of the lows is also understood and experienced. That is why worship during Lent in general and Holy Week in particular, is so very important. We can understand the depths that Jesus went to for us, which make the heights to which He rose and ascended all the more brilliant and wonderful!

Please make sure to join us for all Holy Week services. you will be blessed! The schedule is below.

• Sunday of the Passion/Palm Sunday: Sunday, March 28, 8:30/11:00 AM
• Holy (Maundy) Thursday: Thursday, April 1, at 7:00 PM
• Good Friday: Friday, April 2, at 12noon and 7:00 PM
• Easter Sunday: Sunday, April 4, 6:30 AM (Sunrise); 8:30/11:00 AM 

In Christ's great passion for you and with you,
Pastor Scott

Ash Wednesday and Lent

Next Wednesday, February 17, marks Ash Wednesday. As such, we will be privileged to worship the Lord with Word, Holy Communion, and the Imposition of Ashes.

St. Mark will offer the following worship opportunities:

• 8:15 AM for middle school students (Imposition of Ashes, but no Holy Communion); 
• 9:00 AM for elementary school students (neither Imposition of Ashes nor Holy Communion); 
• 12:00 noon for all (both Imposition of Ashes and Holy Communion) and
• 7:00 PM for all (both Imposition of Ashes and Holy Communion)

And don't forget, we will be worshiping on every Wednesday in Lent at 7:00 PM, focusing on "reconciliation" and on Sundays with the theme, "The Power of the Cross."

We would be honored - and you will be blessed - if you would worship with us on this Lenten journey!

With you on the journey,
Pastor Scott

Soccer & Basketball Camps & Clinics to be Offered

A soccer camp will be held at St. Mark during spring break for kids ages 5-12. Registration and more information is at www.sportsquesttraining.com.

Also, a basketball skills clinic will be held on Sundays in March through May at St. Mark for middle school players (developmental) and high school players (posting and guarding skills). Registration and more information is at www.coachherndon.com.

More information will be forthcoming soon.

Rita Schaller Named "Educator of the Year!"

A very big congratulations to St. Mark's very own Rita Schaller who was recently named "Early Childhood Educator of the Year" for the entire Texas District of the Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod!

WAY TO GO, RITA!!

Tristen Dasch Still in Need of Prayers

Many of you are very familiar with Tristen Dasch, son of previous St. Mark senior pastor, Bill Dasch and wife, Shelia.

Tristen has been fighting the reemergence of his leukemia for some time. Right now he is in Memphis, TN receiving bone marrow from his mom in the newest effort to fight off this terrible disease.

The Dasch's congregation, St. John's Lutheran in Mansfield, TX, recently posted a YouTube video directed at/for Tristen. You can view it below.

Please continue to keep Tristen and the rest of the Dasch family in your daily prayers!

St. Mark alumni, Lindsay Quandt and Evan Newland, as well as St. Mark elder, Rusty Rogers, to Tickle Airwaves!

Tomorrow evening, Sunday, February 14, at 7:30 PM, KKHT, 100.7 FM "The Word," will be airing their usual radio program "Engaging Truth" [produced by former St. Mark pastors Runge and Schultz].

The topic for the show is "Christian Athletes and the Gift of Christian Coaches."

Speakers are our very own Rusty Rogers along with our high school senior athletes Lindsay Quandt (Houston Christian High School) and Evan Newland (Jersey Village High School).

Take some time and tune in!

FPU -- In English AND Spanish!

St. Mark's offering of the Dave Ramsey course, "Financial Peace University" ("FPU") is changing people's lives! People are being blessed by going through this Biblically-based program.

But we now have a chance to bless many others through this program as well.

There is now a Spanish version of FPU (http://www.yanomas.com/)! We have an instructor ready to go and a few families who are interested. If you know of some who would benefit from this program, please contact the church office ASAP.

If you'd like to see the first FPU video update, you may do so below:

Keep "living like no one else so that later, you can live like no one else!"

P.U.B. on Tuesday Evening!

St. Mark's monthly men's only Bible study, P.U.B. (“Personal Understanding of the Bible”) will meet Tuesday night the 16th at 6:00 PM at SRO sports bar behind the Northwest Mall (444 Northwest Mall; 77092). Come as you are after work, and bring money for your appetite! For more information, please contact Pastor Duerr (TDuerr@StMarkHouston.org).

Josh Jackson -- Latin Dancer!

Ever wonder if Josh Jackson, Director of Youth & Young Adult Ministry, can dance? Watch below and decide for yourself!
Go Josh!!

School Open House

St. Mark Lutheran School will host an Open House on Sunday, January 24 from 2:00 - 5:00 p.m. Campus tours, classroom visits, meet and greet the teachers, and experience all that the school has to offer. Empty seats at are missed opportunities for more children to learn about Jesus Christ. We would like to fill those seats with children that are seeking a Christian education! If you know of anyone who might be interested in having their child attend St. Mark, please invite them to theOpen House. What a simple and exciting way for you to be involved in sharing the Good News with a child and making a tremendous impact in their life. Sunday, January 24, 2010 2:00 - 5:00 p.m. More Information

A/V Team Needs You!

An Audio/Visual Workshop will take place on Sunday January 24 from 12:00 until 2:00 p.m. for current and prospective A/V team members. Lunch will be served and breakout sessions will be presented in live sound and ProPresenter presentation software. If you are not currently a part of the A/V team but have an interest, we invite you to attend and find out more! Please RSVP to the Kimberly Radtke in the church office at 713/ 255-3621 or kradtke@stmarkhouston.org so we can get a lunch count and have enough materials for everyone.

Audio/Visual Workshop January 24, 2010 12:00 - 2:00 p.m. Sanctuary

Update Your Information Online!

Church and school members can now verify and update their personal information online. Go to www.stmarkhouston.org and in the drop-down "About Us" menu, click on "Members Only".  (There may be a delay after the click, please be patient.) Request a login if you don't already have one, then view your information.  Submit change requests as necessary. You can view the church directory too.

Lent, 2010: "The Power of the Cross"

Mark Your Calendars It may seem too early to be thinking about Lent, but it isn't. St. Mark will be celebrating Ash Wednesday on February 17 with services at both 12:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. Both services (as well as for chapel earlier that morning) will include the "Imposition of Ashes" for those who would like to receive it. The rest of the Lenten mid-week services will take place on the following Wednesdays leading up to Holy Week at 7:00 p.m.  (If you would like to also see a noon service offered, please contact your elder. To find out who your elder is, please contact Susan DePue.) For the Sundays in Lent, St. Mark will be sharing "The Power of the Cross." This powerful series will point us to Jesus, His immense love for us, and the power that is ours through His suffering, death, and resurrection. Join us!

Financial Peace University Off to a Great Start!

We are so excited to tell you about the amazing response to Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University. After over two weeks of classes we have a total of nearly 250 people participating in this life-changing class! This number also equates into 12 small groups that break-out and meet following each week's video....and that means we have 12 wonderful facilitators too! We heartily thank all who have agreed to and are facilitating FPU here at St. Mark! Thank you to everyone who has embraced this opportunity to be better stewards of your financial gifts. Thanks again for your overwhelming response. We look forward to how God will use FPU for the benefit of His people and His kingdom! We also plan to utilize many of the same financial principles in our church and school financial management, also to benefit the kingdom of God!

Help for Haiti

By now you have heard about the terrible devastation and loss of life in Haiti following a destructive earthquake.

Our church body, The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod, is helping with the recovery effort through LCMS World Relief & Human Care. Other options include the pan-Lutheran relief group, Lutheran World Relief, The Red Cross, or other great organizations.

If there is another respected agency through which you would like to help, please do so!

If you can help, please do! Thank you!

Funeral Announcements

Good afternoon. This is Pastor Heitshusen of St. Mark Lutheran with two important announcements.

This last week the Lord called to Himself two people associated with St. Mark: ⁽¹⁾Jack Cole, husband of St. Mark member, Marianne Cole; and ⁽²⁾Leonard Groeschel, father of St. Mark member and school nurse, Debbie Herbrich.

Visitation with the Cole family will be tonight, September 1, from 6:00-8:00pm at Beresford Funeral Home on Alief-Clodine. A graveside service for Jack will take place tomorrow, September 2, at 2:00pm at Forest Park Cemetery on Westheimer.

Visitation for Leonard Groeschel will take place Thursday, September 3, from 6:00-8:00pm at Heights Funeral Home. His funeral will take place on Friday, September 4, at 10:30am at Immanuel Lutheran Church in the Heights.

Please keep the Cole and Groeschel families in your prayers during this difficult time.

Verna Tomek & Leroy Fritsche

Hi. This is Pastor Heitshusen of St. Mark Lutheran with some important announcements.

On Sunday, August 9, the LORD called to Himself St. Mark member, Verna Tomek, and on Monday He also called St. Mark member, Leroy Fritsche Home.

Visitation with the Tomek family will take place today, Tuesday, August 11, from 6:00pm-8:00pm at Heights Funeral Home on Heights Blvd. Verna’s funeral service will be tomorrow, August 12, at 10:00am in the St. Mark sanctuary.

Visitation for the Fritsche family will take place on Thursday, August 13, from 6:30pm-8:30pm at Waltrip Funeral Home on Campbell. Leroy’s funeral will take place on Friday, August 14, at 10:00am in the St. Mark sanctuary.

Please keep the Tomek and Fritsche families in your prayers during this difficult time.

Thank you all and God bless.

Schweer & Walker Funerals

Hi. This is Pastor Heitshusen of St. Mark Lutheran with some important announcements.

On Monday, July 6, the LORD called to Himself two St. Mark members: Richard Schweer and Mel Walker.

Visitation with the Walker family will take place today, Wednesday, July 8, from 6:00pm-8:00pm at Waltrip Funeral Home on Campbell. A funeral service for Mel will take place at St. Mark on Thursday, July 9, at 1:00pm with internment immediately following.

Visitation for the Schweer family will take place on Thursday, July 9, at 6:00pm at St. Mark with a funeral service immediately following at 7:00pm. Internment for Richard will take place on the morning of Friday, July 10, in Klein.

Please keep the Walker and Schweer families in your prayers during this difficult time.

In addition I’d like to remind you that there will be a short congregational voters’ meeting this Sunday, July 12, immediately following the early service. The meeting has been scheduled so that a call can be issued for a new teacher for St. Mark. Please make plans to attend.

Thank you all and God bless.

The Ordination of Paul Andrew Tonn

Good morning!

This is Pastor Heitshusen with a great reminder.

This Sunday, June 14, St. Mark is privileged to host the ordination service of St. Mark's own, Paul Tonn. St. Mark has helped and seen Paul grow in the Lord over the years and supported him in his studies to be a pastor. His preparation culminates with his ordination this Sunday at 3:30pm. Pastor Hafer from Holy Cross Lutheran Church in College Station will be preaching and the president of the Texas District, President Ken Hennings, will perform the Rite of Ordination. There will be a reception following.

In addition, St. Mark will be blessed with a message from Paul during the two morning worship services that day.

Come and share this wonderful day and occasion with us.

See you then!

Reminders: "Joseph" Musical; Voters' Meeting; & More!

Hi, this is Pastor Heitshusen at St. Mark Lutheran with some great news!

Today, May 14, at 7:00pm and tomorrow, Friday, May 15, at 7:00pm, St. Mark school will present the musical, “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.” The kids are great; the music, wonderful; and the admission is free!

In addition to those two showings, there will also be a special showing of the musical on Sunday, May 17, at 11:30am, immediately following a special, shortened, contemporary worship service at 11:00am. Of course, admission is free for that showing – and worship service – too! Because of the special worship service at 11:00am, Holy Communion will only be offered at the 8:30am traditional worship service this weekend.

At 3:00pm Sunday afternoon, the students of St. Mark’s music conservatory will have their music recital!

At 7:30pm that same Sunday evening, the Texas A&M Women’s Chorus will have a wonderful (free!) concert at St. Mark. Two St. Mark school alumni are a part of the chorus: senior and chorus president, Melissa Fritche and junior Sara Fehler. The music will be fantastic!

Finally, I want to remind you of St. Mark’s annual Voters’ Meeting on Monday, May 18, at 7:00pm. This meeting will include the approval of the 2009-2010 operating budget, the election of officers for the coming year, and reports by top leaders. Please plan to attend. The meeting is in the sanctuary.

God bless your day.

60th Anniversary & Swine Flu (Yes, We're Still Celebrating!)

Hi, this is Pastor Heitshusen at St. Mark Lutheran some important information as well as a great reminder.

In response to the concerns of some regarding the swine flu, the administration of St. Mark continues to monitor and receive updates from the City, the County, the Center for Disease Control, as well as from the District and Synodical offices of the LCMS and other school districts. At this time St. Mark Lutheran Church and School are continuing with the majority of their scheduled activities. Any cancellations would be announced by email and telephone.

We encourage families to take common sense measures to prevent contracting or spreading this flu, just like any other, but at the same time, be ready to respond to needs in our congregation and our community as we proclaim God’s protection and love boldly for all people in Jesus Christ through our words and deeds. We know that God is our refuge and strength and will see us through this as in all things. Because the tomb is empty, we need fear nothing!

I would also like to remind you about the exciting activities this weekend.

This Sunday, May 3, St. Mark will officially celebrate 60 years as an instrument of God’s grace and mercy in the Spring Branch area.

We will have one combined worship service at 10:00 a.m. in the sanctuary with the celebration of Holy Communion. There will be no Sunday school or Bible classes this week.

Following the service there will be a BBQ lunch for everyone (freewill offering). There will be water games for the kids, so bring swim suits, towels, and sunscreen. There will be games for the adults as well, including cards and dominos. (You can bring your own, too, if you’d like!)
We are asking that you please bring your own lawn chairs for the picnic and games.
This celebration will take place RAIN OR SHINE! If weather does not permit us to be outside, we have indoor contingencies in place.

This is a free event and no reservations are needed, so come and celebrate this wonderful time as a family of God here at St. Mark!

See you then and may God bless your day!

Funeral Announcement for MEL POST

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

Last Friday, January 30, the Lord called to Himself St. Mark charter member, Mel Post.

Visitation with the family will take place today, Monday, February 2, from 5:00-8:00 p.m at Woodlawn Garden of Memories, located at 8010 Katy Freeway, just west of Antoine.

A funeral service for Mel will take place tomorrow, February 3, at 10:00 a.m. at Woodlawn Funeral Home on Antoine, just north of I-10.

Please keep Elsie and the rest of Mel’s family in your prayers during this difficult time.

ARCHER, MELCHER, RICHARDSON, WIEDE

Hi. This is Pastor Heitshusen of St. Mark Lutheran with several important funeral and memorial service announcements.

This week the Lord has taken to Himself four individuals – some St. Mark members, others parents of members; including:

1. Marvin Wiede, father of Joy Hamrick
   
2. Mildred Melcher, mother of Larry and Danny Melcher and Linda Leitko
   
3. Jim Richardson, father of Alan Richardson, and
   
4. Ann Archer, mother of Bruce and Jo Ann Raschke
   

Service for Marvin Wiede will be out of town at the end of February.

Visitation with the family of Mildred Melcher will be today, Wednesday, January 28, in Giddings. A funeral service for Mildred will be at Ebenezer Lutheran Church in Manheim, Texas, tomorrow, January 29, at 10:00 a.m. with a graveside service in Houston at Memorial Oaks Cemetary at I-10 and Eldridge at 3:00 p.m., also tomorrow.

A memorial service for Jim Richardson will take place at Waltrip Funeral Home on Campbell on Friday, January 30, at 10:00 a.m.

Visitation with the family of Ann Archer will take place at Waltrip Funeral Home on Campbell today, Wednesday, January 28 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. A funeral service will take place for Ann tomorrow, January 29 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Mark.

Please keep the Wiede, Melcher, Richardson, and Archer families in your prayers during this difficult time.

If you would like to have this message repeated, please stay on the line for instructions.

God bless your day.

Funeral/Memorial Service Announcements for LES KAHANEK & DOROTHY ALBIN

Hi. This is Pastor Heitshusen of St. Mark Lutheran with two important announcements.

On Monday, January 12, the Lord called to Himself longtime and faithful member, Les Kahanek.

A worship service celebrating Les’ life and faith in Jesus will take place at St. Mark on Saturday, January 17, at 10:00 a.m.

In addition, yesterday Dorothy Albin, mother of Carol Walker, passed away. There will be a graveside service tomorrow, Thursday, January 15 at 2:00 p.m. at Woodlawn Cemetary.

Please keep families of Les and Dorothy in your prayers during this difficult time.

Funeral Announcement for CRYSTAL LAWRENZ

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

Last Saturday evening, following a car accident in Florida, the Lord called to Himself Crystal Lawrenz, granddaughter of Pastor and Ruth Lawrenz and daughter of David Lawrenz. Some of you may recall that Crystal’s mother, Dawn, died just over a year ago in August of 2007.

Visitation with the family will take place at Cypress Fairbanks Funeral Home  tomorrow, Thursday, December 18, from 6:00-8:00pm. Cypress Fairbanks Funeral Home is located at 9926 Jones Road.

A funeral service, celebrating her faith and life in Jesus will take place at Jersey Village Baptist Church  on Friday, December 19, at 10:00am. Jersey Village Baptist is located at 16518 Jersey Drive.

Please keep the Lawrenz family in your prayers during this difficult time; especially during this Advent & Christmas season.

Funeral Announcement for ELLA MARKET

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

Yesterday morning, on Sunday’s observance of All Saints’ Day, the Lord called one of His saints Home. That saint is Ella Market.

Visitation with the family will take place tomorrow, Tuesday, November 3, from 5:00pm-8:00pm at Memorial Oaks Funeral Home at Eldridge and I-10.

A worship service celebrating Ella’s life and faith in Jesus will take place on Wednesday, November 5 at 12:30pm, also at Memorial Oaks Funeral Home with internment following at Memorial Oaks Cemetery.

After the internment at Memorial Oaks, there will be a reception at St. Mark.

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

Funeral Announcement for HENRY ISELT

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

Earlier this week the Lord called to Himself longtime active and faithful member, Henry Iselt.

Visitation with the family will take place on Friday, October 17, from 6:00-8:00pm at Memorial Oaks Funeral Home at Eldridge and I-10. A worship service celebrating Henry’s life and faith in Jesus will take place at St. Mark on Saturday, October 18, at 2:00 in the afternoon with internment immediately following at Memorial Oaks Cemetery.

Please keep Henry’s family in your prayers during this difficult time.

2819 Club -- Categorized Results

We took three months (and one Sunday) to pray and seek the Lord's will through The 2819 Club, shared the raw data results of the responses, and now those results have been subsequently been categorized. The results are in a PDF file with it's link below (and also through the title of this post).

Our next step is taking these leadings and focusing on the concretes of what we are to do and how we will go about achieving those goals.

God bless,
Pastor Scott

http://stmarkhouston.org/documents/20080908--2918_Club_Response_Data--Categorized.pdf

Funeral Announcement for DARRELL MURRAY

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

On Tuesday, September 2, the Lord called to Himself St. Mark member and friend, Darrell Murray.

A memorial service celebrating Darrell’s life and witness in Jesus Christ will take place this Saturday, September 6, at 12:30pm at Memorial Oaks Funeral Home, located at I-10 and Eldridge.

Please keep Delores and the rest of the Murray family in your prayers during this difficult time.

"Men At The Cross"

Greetings,

I wanted to share with you what I feel that the Lord is guiding me to do as we have been praying for the last 3 months and asking, “Lord, what is it that you want me to do at this time and this place to touch people with the love of Jesus.”

The second part of the prayer was that we are certain that the Lord will show us the center of His will. I am certain that the Lord wants me to go to Men at the Cross at the Toyota Center on Aug 22 in the eve and Aug 23 in the morning. The speakers, including Max Lucado, Steve Farrar, Tony Evans, and Joe White are truly great, and the musicians including Michael Smith, Steven Curtis Chapman, and Brandon Heath are great Christian artists. Would you please pray that the Lord opens the way for you to be able to go there with me and be touched by the message of Men at the Cross? You can go to the website to view 2 videos and to register for your ticket at www.menatthecross.org. The theme is: “Lord, lead me to mentor and love one man to Jesus till he is ready to love another man to Jesus.”

I feel this is such a tremendous opportunity for us as elders to let the Lord take us to Men At The Cross, and then watch how he will use us. Let's please pray for each other that the Lord touches our hearts with a passion to go. Please also start to pray for the night of the 22nd and 23rd for the Lord

• to truly bless this weekend,


• for men's hearts to be open as they are there,


• for people to be brought to faith there that do not know Jesus,


• for Jesus to share the center of His will for us as we are there, and


• for all the glory to be given to God.

I am excited how the Lord has given us this opportunity right in the center of the time that we, as the congregation of St Mark have been praying for the center of God’s will.

Blessings, Joy, and Excitement,
Fred Tonn

Questions re:1829 Club

Pastor Scott,

After all this time in prayer, I must confess that I have not received a definitive answers to the “what do you want your people to do…” query. The LORD has, however, repeatedly confronted me with two questions.

The first question is whether, in fact, the whole premise of 28:19 is an appropriate one to ask this particular congregation at this particular time. This notion came from the LORD challenging me with the difference between the hearts of this congregation (myself included) for, say, putting together a pageant, with its heart for outreach. Whether it was Met, Lisa, Jessica, Kathy, or John it seemed that all it took was a phone call and hordes would volunteer countless hours to produce pageant and all without complaint. I wonder if we would have the same Spirit-filled effort for planting a church? Or, does the motivation for participation in pageant come from somewhere else? Don’t get me wrong. I love pageant. I just don’t think it is the direct method of outreach contemplated by 28:19.

Of course, this question begs a larger one: is this congregation properly educated about the fundamental importance of witness to the Christian faith? There are certainly many individuals at St Mark that have devoted themselves to the practice of witness. But, for the congregation as a whole, the answer to this question comes back, “probably not”. If that is the answer in the current life of this congregation, wouldn’t this knowledge gap be the first thing to rectify? It seems obvious that we should know about this; maybe it isn’t…

I don’t know much about one of our potential partners in this effort, Cross Point Church, but it seems that their congregational culture is different in this regard, that they have something of this knowledge…

The second question is: as a congregation, once we get motivated, to “whom” do we witness? In prayer, I keep picturing some anonymous face like Paul saw in Acts 16:9 saying, “come over to Macedonia and help us”. If I remember correctly, it would have been Paul’s will to head north and east from where he was in Asia Minor and not into Europe (v.6,7) but the Spirit “would not allow” it. His obedience to this vision changed the whole history of the Christian Church; so, it seems that paying close attention to the leading of the Spirit is critically important here. The man in Paul’s vision said “Macedonia”, but I can’t help but believe that Paul would have known him by dress or speech otherwise. I personally can’t distinguish this man, but he’s out there. By that I mean “they’re out there” as in an ethnic group or geographical location relative to St Mark. I live ten miles southeast of St Mark, so my familiarity with areas north and west that have been mentioned in context with 28:19 are very limited.

Forgive, again the fact that I do not have a glimmer of an answer to this question; but, I am willing to follow someone who does.

In Christ,
Steve Grosmann

Funeral Annoucement for LENA HEWITT

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

Last Wednesday, August 5, the Lord called to Himself longtime St. Mark member, Lena Hewitt. Lena passed away just after her 99th birthday.

Visitation will be at St. Mark on Monday, August 11, beginning at 9:30am with a funeral service following at 11:00am. Internment will follow at South Park Funeral Home in Pearland.

Please keep Lena’s family in your prayers during this difficult time.