GO! Volume 8 Issue 1

Discover

YOUR FAITH.

Live

Grow

IN COMMUNITY.

GOD’S MISSION.

DEEPER WITH CHRIST VOLUME 8 ISSUE 1 2021

Discover. Grow. L i v e.

HOLY COMFORTER LUTHERAN CHURCH

GoDeeperWithChrist.org

1901 WOODLAND HILLS DRIVE - KINGWOOD, TX - 281.358.6500 - GODEEPERWITHCHRIST.ORG - FACEBOOK.COM/HOLYCOMFORTERLUTHERAN www.godeeperwithchrist.org 1 GoTemplateVol8Iss1_2.indd 1

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PASTOR’S MESSAGE Be excited. Be encouraged. Not only is God with you; He has gone before you.

Dear friends in Christ, We, like churches around the world, have discovered that the “pandemic era” is an opportunity to make necessary positive changes to move our church forward. We could not gather for in person worship – we live- streamed. We could not meet in person for meetings or ministry – we did so virtually. We could not gather for service projects – we served wherever we were. We could not place our offering in the offering plate – we gave electronically. We could not do church the way we used to – we figured out how to be the church in the world, with God’s continued help. We will continue to journey along this new time of possibilities with hope, promise, and enthusiasm.

While the way we do things may have changed, what we do as the church is, as always, of vital life changing importance. No matter what storms rage around us, or what sunshine shines through, the world needs the good news of Jesus Christ that only the church can share. Life in Christ is different, and life with Christ will get us through.

Our church has entered a new era. To be clear, our church was already moving in that direction, but the pace has been greatly accelerated by the pandemic. We recognize that we are navigating uncharted waters, and every day will bring new challenges. We will have to lead without total clarity. We will have to lead with a lot of uncertainty. We can no longer lead according to bygone expectations, perspectives, and methodologies.

As we move into the future, we must focus on the areas that are primary to the church’s mission and vision. In doing so, we must ask the following questions: During this time of pandemic and beyond, how do we need to think differently about the church?

What is vitally important to be the church?

What does the future church look like?

Prayer is foundational to the health of a church. Any efforts of a church without prayer are humancentered and ultimately destined for failure. The healthiest churches are those with a high priority on prayer.

Please prayerfully ponder these questions with your church leadership as we look to faithfully move into the future. In the meantime, be the church in the world where God has you. Give generously, come back to in-person worship as you are ready, and get involved.

In Christ, Pastor Barb

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TABLE OF CONTENTS Discover

Faith Story: Minister of Communication [page Worship & Music Ministry [page 5] Council Installation [page 5] Christmas @HCLC [page 6] Advent Worship [page 7] Front Pew Sunday [page 7] Taking Lent Home Kits [page 8] Living Lent at Home [page 8] The Ash Wednesday Pivot [page 9] Lent and Holy Week Schedule [page 9]

4]

Grow

HCLC School [page 10] Men’s Ministry [page 12] Women of the ELCA [page 12] Virtual Ministries [page 12] Virtual Ministries [page 12] Virtual First Communion [page 13] WOW Light [page 13] Youth Christmas Gathering [page 14] Staff and Council Retreat [page 14]

Live

College Care Packages [page 14] Rescue Barn [page 15] Praise Walkers [page 16] HAAM Ministry [page 16] Spreading God’s Love [page 16] Blankets and Coats for the Homeless [page 17] Gathering Place [page 17] Pizza and Preparation for Christmas [page 17]

[page 18] Statistical Report [page 19] Farewell to Pam

GO! GO! is a quarterly magazine produced and published by the members of HCLC. The content of this magazine is intended to be shared. It is designed

by Michelle Valenzuela and printed

by PostNet - Kingwood.

Editor’s Note: For article and photo submission, please contact Christy Archer Janacek at 281.358.6500 or christy@godeeperwithchrist.org.

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FAITH STORY: The history of Go Deeper with Christ: Discover your Faith | Grow in Community | Live God’s Mission My family discovered Holy Comforter Lutheran Church in 2007, when our son Evan started attending the pre-school.

We had been shopping for a church home for a while and we just loved the school and the Youth & Family Minister, Kaylyn Wheeler-Kaelin at HCLC. Kaylyn led a team that created a series of events to serve as bridges from the school to the church, which she asked me to serve on. I instantly fell in love with the creativity of the HCLC programs, the spirit of service of the congregation, the liturgical style of worship, the excellent quality of music and the visionary yet down-to-earth nature of Pastor Barb. My family started attending worship and quickly became volunteers, helping to plan events and taking leadership roles in worship, music, communication and technology. This work fed our spirits and continues to do so today.

A couple of years later HCLC consulted with me to create branding strategy that included creating a tagline, updating the logo and developing a website featuring the new graphics and reorganizing/ updating copy. I updated the logo to its current three dimensional version and together with the Vision Team created the tagline Go Deeper with Christ. When I recommended that the church change the website from holycomforterkingwood.com to godeeperwithchrist.org, the push back was significant.

“It’s too long. No one will ever remember it. Neither Holy Comforter nor Lutheran is anywhere in the name!” But, Pastor Barb and I believed that making our tagline the website domain would go a long way toward helping the congregation and the community begin to understand our vision as a church and a community.

We are called to live in a way that draws us closer to God. We are called to follow Christ and make disciples. We are called to Go Deeper with Christ, so we made godeeperwithchrist.org the primary web domain and it appeared on all materials and became our primary branding.

This rebranding, identity cultivating and strategic focus caused quite a buzz.

The congregation became really involved in the process and we all began to move in the same direction. We grew as a church in almost every way. We added members and events and ministry teams, and people were enthusiastic and willing to volunteer and lead. The energy was there, but leaders struggled with how to help people who weren’t here yet “go deeper,” especially with regard to sharing their faith and stewardship. We had some really smart and gifted people in the congregation who lead exercises and trainings,

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mapped out goals, created documentation and instructional packets on ministry and mission development and created a process for assessing spiritual gifts which matched members to ministry teams. We even developed a 5 year goal “future story” called The Promise. It was an exciting and engaging time. It took a few years, but eventually Go Deeper with Christ was practically synonymous with Holy Comforter Lutheran Church & School. As a congregation we were going deeper in every way, but we were still lacking a clear plan about how exactly to help those who weren’t here yet. We are called to go deeper with Christ, but how do we share that with others?

We needed a discipleship model and I was blessed to help facilitate a team of people that were selected to workshop and brainstorm a model for Holy Comforter Lutheran Church and School that would provide a creative and tangible plan for members to Go Deeper with Christ.

We had some very intellectually and spiritually gifted folks on that team, but the Holy Spirit was almost palpable in Wartburg room that day and after just a couple of hours (which is the speed of sound for church committees and decision making bodies), we had what we called the “the Pathway” and we used it to create an elevator pitch to help us go even deeper in our journey of making disciples.

In order to really accomplish aligning our lives with Christ, we have to be constantly going deeper.

We have to take a good look at our lives and say, “am I making Christ the center of my life”? We do this as we learn and go deeper and grow together in community in small groups. We have to go deeper into the scriptures to find the wisdom and guidance to live right lives. We do this weekly as we go and grow deeper in our faith with worship in the readings, the gospel, the scripture, thy hymns and special music. We go deeper in our understanding of God’s expectations of us to serve others by doing outreach and mission work together in our community and the World.

This is how Discover, Grow, Live came to be.

Now, over 14 years later, I find myself as the Minister of Communication and Community Engagement at HCLC and I’ve never been happier, more fulfilled (or busier). Recently, it came to my attention that there may be some confusion over the order of steps required for our disciple model. Is it Discover first, then Grow and finally Live? What is most important for completion? This really made me take pause because NONE of us, not even Pastor Barb or Marsha, will EVER complete the process of becoming or making disciples. It’s a lifelong pursuit and the

steps, although broken out in “the Pathway” model are intertwined, intermingled and inseparable. The truth is that we are doing all of these things all the time by participating in worship, learning, small groups, outreach and service work. Where do you Discover your Faith? Worship, small groups, through outreach? All of the above!

I’ve been asked by Council to redo the graphic presentation of the Pathway (Discover, Grow, Live) in order to demonstrate this point, and it’s on my list, but it keeps falling to the bottom each week as we are down a staff person, lost a week due to the freeze and don’t forget my favorite excuse and yours, COVID-19! For these reasons I also hadn’t set up my Lenten home worship space or designed my prayer rock.

Yesterday, when I was getting all of the weekly have “to dos” done, I felt as if someone had smacked me on the head about my prayer stone. After several smacks, I said, “okay, God” and decorated my stone.

I didn’t even pull out paints, I just used markers and in doing so, something graphic appeared that I hadn’t really realized before. All of the Pathway steps (top words – Discover, Grow, Live) apply to all of the Pathway goals (bottom words – faith, community, God’s mission).

As I recall, this was not part of OUR PLAN when the discipleship model was created, but if we are patient, God reveals HIS PLAN to us over time.

Now, more than ever is a time when we need to know that we can most certainly achieve the goal of Going Deeper with Christ in new and unfamiliar ways. We can not only Discover our Faith, but also Discover Community and Discover God’s Mission by attending WoW LIGHT and Coffee Chat’s via Zoom or participating in Men’s “In the News” and Women of the ELCA’s in-person Bible studies. We can Grow in Community as well as Grow our Faith and Grow God’s Mission by volunteering for Second Family Care Team or Drive Thru/Parking Lot Gathering Place and donating to HAAM, Fie les Dios or Star of Hope. We can Live God’s Mission, Live in Community and Live Our Faith by attending socially distanced in-person or livestreamed worship and volunteering in leadership areas such as lector, usher, altar guild or sound and stream team.

During this pandemic time, people need to hear the Good News. If you’ve been feeling pushed or pulled or nudged or called, come join us at Holy Comforter as we Go Deeper with Christ – Discover, Grow, Live – Repeat!

By Christy Archer Janacek

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Going deeper in faith, service, & relationships orship & usic inistry in

n

2020: What an extraordinary year!

Of course you know the story: It started out feeling “normal,” then by the middle of Lent in mid- March everything changed – for all of us! At Holy Comforter, our in-person worship and programming in the ways we had known and taken for granted came to a halt when the mandated “temporary shut-down” became our reality to “flatten the curve” of COVID-19 for the sake of the health care system. While our newly-formed capable “stream team” worked to provide online access to worship services, we expected to be open for in-person worship for Holy Week and Easter. Not so. Maybe Pentecost? Yes! with health and safety protocols in place. Then the virus numbers climbed in the summer so we closed again, to re-open for public worship in September. At this point, some people choose to participate in person, while others are not yet ready to do so. What a ride this has been, is, and will be as we continue to experience changes along the way. We continue to have worship in-person as well as livestreamed and available for replay. Our leaders and faith community continue to show resilience, faith, hope, and gratitude as we live, work, and pray together day to day.

In the fall, we moved our Wednesday night programming for all ages to a virtual format on Zoom, offering Worship, Word, and Witness on Wednesdays weekly in new ways – WoW LIGHT. Music groups resumed in October. Our Advent midweek worship services were online only, as was our Epiphany service on January 6, 2021. Christmas Eve in-person worship to welcome the Christ child was simplified at 3:00, 5:00, and 8:00 p.m. with candlelight, a few carols, small choirs and handbells.

The 8:00 p.m. service also was livestreamed.

Throughout this pandemic with its uncertainties and frequent changes, we have been gratified to have good participation, even if not our “usual” numbers. Someday, this present that we experience will be in our past. We are making our way into the future daily, with God by our side. Indeed, God is faithful.

We will look back and forward as we give praise for the hope and future God has granted us.

NOTE: Pam MacNaughton has served God faithfully at HCLC for twenty years and now has retired from the staff. She has prepared our worship folders, supported our worship workers, facilitated GO! Magazine, has kept our office running well, and SO MUCH MORE. We thank God for her service and wish her well in her new venture!

WE HAVE A NEW YEAR AND A NEW BEGINNING IN MANY WAYS The Season of Epiphany lasted until Ash Wednesday, which is February 17 this year. On January 6, we celebrated the Magi visiting the young Jesus and worshiping him, signifying that Christ came for all people. On January 10, we recognized the adult Baptism of Jesus, when God’s voice proclaimed Jesus as His beloved Son. Then we heard stories of Jesus calling His disciples, performing miracles, and healing people of diseases and torment. On February 14, we experienced the Transfiguration of Our Lord, when God’s voice again proclaims Jesus as His beloved Son. The on to Ash Wednesday and the season of Lent, followed by Holy Week and Easter.

By Marsha Seale Minister of Worship & Music

2021 Council Installation

President – Melissa Lanier Vice President – Wade Wallinger Secretary – Larry Montano Treasurer – Steve Hansen Other members: Gregg Howsmon, Dale MacNaughton, Stacey Taylor, Pastor Barb Bartling

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WORSHIP

Christmas @HCLC

Christmas Eve children’s service

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Advent Worship

Front Pew Sundays

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WORSHIP Taking Lent Home Kits a box of items to enrich our daily faith practices Ash Wednesday, February 17:

Mardi Gras/Shrove Tuesday, February 16: beads, 20-minute King’s Cake recipe, baby toy for cake; prayer stone Shrove Tuesday (Mardi gras/Fat Tuesday) is the last day of the Epiphany season in the church year and also is known as Pancake Day, since ancient tradition used up butter, eggs, milk, sugar, and fat in preparation for fasting in Lent. King’s Cakes also are traditional in many places. Whoever finds the toy baby in their piece of cake is king/queen of the festivities.

“Shrove” is past tense for “shrive” and means to confess and ask for forgiveness. Lent calls us to examine our own lives and to pray. “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts. See if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psalm 139:23-24).

The flat prayer stone may be painted or marked with a cross with paint or a marker. Carry it in pocket or purse or place it in a prominent place as a reminder to pray.

ashes, Q-tips, purple cloth, cross on a stand, Ash Wednesday handout, Taking Faith Home for Ash Wednesday You may sprinkle ashes on heads, or mark the sign of the cross with ashes on a Q-tip after adding a drop or two of oil to the ashes. Read, Wonder, and Pray.

You may set up a home sacred space, using the purple cloth as a base throughout the season of Lent. You may paint or stain the cross or leave it as is. You may add a candle and a Bible.

The Season of Lent:

Forty days from Ash Wednesday through Easter Day, not including Sundays or part of Holy Week.

40 Days of Lent activity calendar Bag of Pretzels and Pretzel Prayer Taking Faith Home: daily Bible readings, prayers and activities for the Lenten season – one for each week plus Ash Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, Easter Vigil, and Easter Pretzels/recipe/prayer

COMING NEXT

More coming for Holy Week, Easter Day, and the Easter season

Living Lent at Home! member photos

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The Ash Wednesday Pivot

Since COVID-19 began in March of last year and ministry had to be done very differently in order to continue our mission while following health and safety protocols and ministering to people in-person as well as online, HCLC leadership has become pretty good at pivoting on the fly.

So, when weather conditions, icy roads and power, cellular and internet outages prevented Ash Wednesday worship in-person and via livestream on February 17th, we pivoted once again. Thankfully, our Worship team, headed by Marsha Seale, had already created and assembled Taking Lent Home kits for people to pick up and work with at home. The kits included ashes for Ash Wednesday, so people could choose to do imposition of the ashes from home and/or join us for worship on the following Sunday, February 21, which was the First Sunday in Lent. Pastor Barb reworked the worship service at a moment’s notice, to include the imposition of Ashes and a time of Ash Wednesday reflection.

Hymns were also eliminated to reflect the more contemplative mood of an Ash Wednesday worship service.

This meant that the Worship Folders were no longer accurate, so perhaps for the first time in HCLC history, we let the Holy Spirit be our Worship Guide. We are so blessed to have a congregation that is willing to adapt to go deeper with Christ for the health and safety of the congregation and the community.

LENT, HOLY WEEK &EASTER

Worship Schedule

)

Ashes remind us that God created human beings out of the dust of the earth, and one day we will return to dust. “Lent” means “spring” or the lengthening of days and lasts for forty days (plus Sundays and Holy Week), as Jesus fasted and prayed in the desert for forty days. Regular weekly Sunday worship services continue at 8:15 a.m. & 11:00 a.m. in-person, via livestream on https://www.facebook.com/HolyComforterLutheran and online at https:// www.godeeperwithchrist.org/livestream.

MID-WEEK WORSHIP

HOLY WEEK

Wednesdays in Lent will have worship at 7:00 p.m. on ZOOM ONLY as part of WoWLIGHT, with WoW activities at 6:30 followed by 7:00 worship.

PALM SUNDAY/SUNDAY OF THE PASSION, SUNDAY MARCH 28

Worship at 8:15 and 11:00 a.m. in person and online.

MAUNDY THURSDAY, APRIL 1

7:00 p.m. worship in person and online. “Maundy” comes from the Latin word for “mandate” (man datum) and emphases Jesus’ mandate that we love one another as God has loved us.

GOOD FRIDAY, APRIL 2

7:00 p.m. worship in person and online – “The Triumph of the Cross”

EASTER DAY, APRIL 4 Festival worship at 8:15 and 11:00 a.m. in person and online, with music led by our choirs and handbells. Celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus!

Easter is more than just a day: it is a whole season of the liturgical year, beginning on Easter Day. The Great Fifty Days of Easter can be considered as “a week of weeks” (7 times 7), culminating in the Day of Pentecost, May 23 this year. The celebration continues as the church year continues its cycles. Be part of it! I look forward to continuing the journey with you.

We created Taking Lent Home Boxes as well as Holy Week/Easter Boxes with at-home activities and reflections for families of all sizes and configurations. *At this juncture, the recommendation continues to be for participants to wear masks, apply “masks” to musical instruments that require air from the participant, to socially distance by six feet, limit rehearsal/worship time, maximize air flow, wash or sanitize hands frequently, and see that the common areas are sanitized. All of these recommendations are in place at Holy Comforter.

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Early Childhood Education@HCLC

Barker Snyder

Bockstanz

Chapel

Loper

Christmas Cheer

Christmas Program

Loidice/Ward

Thanksgiving Feast

THANKSGIVING & CHRISTMAS

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Painting and snow!

Enjoying the weather!

Just a few more arts & crafts!

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bible study and Chirstmas tree set-up

Men’s Virtual Ministries Women Theology on Coffee Chat of the ELCA Ministry tap GoTemplateVol8Iss1_2.indd 12

Our Women of the ELCA unit at HCLC is meeting in-person with masks and distancing for some of the circles.

Martha Circle meets the first and third Tuesday of each month at 9:30 am to tie quilts for Lutheran World Relief. They meet in the Wittenberg room. You do not need any sewing skills to help tie quilts!

Naomi Circle has been meeting for Bible study on the second Thursday of each month at 9:30 am in the Wittenberg room. The Bible study from January through April is “Journeys with Angels.” All women are invited to join us.

Prayer Shawl ministry has returned to meeting on the third Thursday at noon in the narthex area.

Sarah Circle (Busy Hands) meets the third Wednesday at 1 pm.

If you’re interested in joining us please contact Beth Moseman 281-615-1131 or txhusker@pobox.com.

By Beth Moseman

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Virtual First Communion Congrats to the students of our first-ever First Communion class via WoW LIGHT - Advent delighted to welcome Jonathan Kanak, Mary Jean Wallinger, McKinley Martinez, and River Balcom to the Lord’s Table!

We are thankful to the parents for their flexibility and for adapting with us and pushing through screen fatigue to make sure their children followed the pathway of “Discovering their Faith” as they learned more about communion from the Lutheran perspective. We look forward to the day when we can celebrate this milestone ministry together as a church, along with several others that have occurred during this pandemic time.

Martinez Family

Virtual First Communion class for children of all ages was completed on Wednesday, December 16. It was a virtual success with students ranging in age from 5 years to 6th grade. Students and their parents/ grandparents joined us for Advent Midweek Worship at 6:30 p.m. and then were placed into a small virtual group with Pastor Barb for virtual First Communion classes via Zoom! One of our parents shared that, “Pastor Barb did a great job engaging the kids. The activity book is also very engaging. All of the kids interacted with the pastor, the parents, each other, and the book!” What a blessing these students are and we are

WOW LIGHTVirtual Worship, Word, Witness on Wednesday

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YOUTH & FAMILY@HCLC

College Care Packages

SERVICE PROJECT:

Gift Exchange

Individual treat bags

Christmas Gathering

HCLC youth met outside at HCLC for a service project on November 8th to assemble 7 care packages full of member donated goodies to let our college students know that we are thinking of them!

SOCIALLY DISTANCED COUNCIL AND STAFF RETREAT

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Rescue Barn - Youth Service Day 2.3.2021 HCLC middle & high school came together for an amazing day of service at the K-9 Airlift Rescue Barn in Huffman. Four high school youth, one middle school youth, one young adult, and four adults from HCLC worked with the animals, brushing, feeding, and socializing as well as shoveling, yard work, cleaning and sorting eggs, washing food and water dishes, soaping saddles, and other chores on the farm. The group was so happy to be together, in nature, and Lynn at the Rescue Barn was overjoyed to visit with everyone and to have the help. Contact Rick Janacek at rjanacek@dreamonent.com if you have a middle or high school student who would like to learn more about our youth group.

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HEALTH CABINET Praise Walkers Change Schedule

Praise Walk is a group that meets every morning for an hour of exercise but over the last few weeks we have changed our schedule a bit. We are now walking Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 8:15 -9:15 am inside in the narthex area using mostly DVDs with a variety of types of exercise (walking, aerobics, weights, yoga, bands, etc.). We are following guidelines of masks and social distancing. On Tuesdays and Thursdays we are walking outside from 8:30 – 9:30 am. You are welcome to join us either inside or outside or both. Call Beth Moseman 281-615-1131 for details.

Second Family Care Team Updates

The Second Family Care Team will met in-person with masks and distancing on Tuesday, March 2nd, at 2:30 pm in the narthex area. We will be assembling Easter bags for our care partners. We have been in contact with care partners regularly via phone since we cannot visit in-person during this pandemic. We have been delivering food, gift cards, books, etc. when needed. We are in special need of drivers to help take care partners to a doctor appointment or other such errand. The SFCT is a ministry that provides practical, emotional and spiritual support to our care partners. We do such things as visits, household tasks, transportation, social outings, assistance with errands, and more depending on the needs of each individual. We are committed to serve with dignity, compassion and respect for each person. Currently we have 25 care partners that we are assisting. If this sounds like something you would enjoy doing, please contact Beth Moseman 281-615-1131. We can always use more volunteers!

By Beth Moseman

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HAAM Ministry

As Holy Comforter’s representative to the quarterly meetings at Humble Area Assistance Ministries (HAAM), I want to share with you some information about their services and programs in 2020.

HAAM impacted the lives of 11,137 individuals in 2020: *80,926 individuals with food *1,535 individuals with housing *1,505 individuals with utilities *667 individuals with transportation *147 individuals in employment/ education programs *Back to School – 1,120 families with 1,336 students *Seasons of Sharing for Thanksgiving and Christmas – 3,163 households with 11,122 family members received supplemental holiday food *1,702 individuals received gifts for Christmas Did you know?

Your donations of household goods, clothing and furniture are important to HAAM? The revenue from the items you donate goes directly into HAAM Social Services programs.

You can request a furniture pick up online? At https://haamministries.org/furniture-pick-up/ 3,963 people volunteered for HAAM in 2020; 34,582 hours were provided Volunteer opportunities are available for people what want to make a commitment to volunteering each week. *Resale stores – Accept donations, sort, price, stock and other duties *Food Pantry – Warehouse worker *Pick up and delivery (must be able to lift and use their vehicle) If interested, contact Cathy Schrof, Volunteer Coordinator, at 281-446-3663 x 120 or cschrof@ haamministries.org.

Spreading God’s love

“across the ocean” for Christmas!

Holy Comforter Lutheran Church and pre-School children created handmade Christmas cards (in Spanish). Some of the school children (pictured below holding cards) were thrilled that their cards of love would be “going across the ocean” to our friends at Fiel es Dios, our partner congregation in Iquitos, Peru. Through your donations, even in this pandemic time, we were also able to send them money for the children’s Christmas gifts as well as 24 handmade cards.

These children and their community have been experiencing a year similar to ours, with lives filled with COVID, masks, stay-athome orders, online school, and even government unrest. Through your donations, even in this pandemic time, we were also able to send them money for the children’s Christmas gifts and celebration.

Thanks for sending some joy to remind them that we love and pray for them.

By Sheryl Stucky

Thank you for your continued support of Humble Area Assistance Ministries.

By Pam MacNaughton

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December

On very short notice Holy Comforter donated 9 blankets, 15 prayer shawls/wraps, one hat, two coats, and two pairs of gloves to Good Shepherd Episcopal Church in Kingwood to be taken to the homeless downtown before the big winter freeze.

Special thanks to the Prayer Shawl ministry for donating a dozen of their heavier wraps to this cause. What a blessing this ministry is, especially to those in need and without hope. Each wrap/shawl has been lovingly handmade, prayed over and includes a special prayer of God’s love and the peace of Christ. Some of us lost power for a day or more during this freeze which was very concerning and frightening, but let us give thanks and pray for those who are homeless and are out in the elements in all kinds of weather. Thanks for your generosity and kindness and please prayerfully consider how God is leading you and Holy Comforter to minister to this marginalized population.

IN THE PARKING LOT

The Gathering Place at HCLC normally meets on the first Friday of each month from 10 am – 1 pm to offer respite care to families with a loved one who has dementia, Parkinson’s, stroke, etc. During the hours that care partners are at HCLC our volunteers engage with them in activities, crafts, exercise, music, and more. We offer entertainment and lunch along with fellowship and support. The pandemic has caused us to change our format.

Currently we are having The Gathering Place in the HCLC Parking Lot. We have some live entertainment, games, exercise and conversation.

Everyone receives a bag of snacks and some paper games to take home. We deliver any bags left over to care partners that were not able to attend.

Our theme for February 5, from 10 – 11am, was “Love.” Our March 5th theme was be “Green” and the April 2nd theme will be “Butterflies.” As we begin to open up more, our format will change so we will keep you informed. If you are interested in volunteering (once a month) or know someone who would benefit from attending The Gathering Place as a care partner please contact Pam MacNaughton 281-460-9252 or Beth Moseman 281-615-1131.

Pizza and Preparation for Christmas

Thanks to WELCA, the Men’s Ministry, our Musicians and the Pizza & Preparation Crew Decorated the Tree and Sanctuary with Advent & Christmas decorations.

HCLC Office gets a little Christmas cheer from Cub Scout troop 603 Cub Scout Pack 603, led by members Anna and Peyton Lowrey, donated a beautiful Christmas wreath for the front door of the church office.

Thanks for sharing a little Christmas cheer with your Holy Comforter Lutheran Church family.

It’s a smaller group that comes through because not everyone is able or ready to get out. However, the faithful ministry team led

by Beth Moseman comes up every month to set up and facilitate the event, rain or shine.

February GP was cold and wet, so none of the care partners were able to join us. I heard one of the team members say, as they dutifully packed up the equipment to put it away, “It’s too bad that no one showed.” Those ten women stood on the front porch of HCLC with goody bags, smiles on their faces, and joy in their hearts. They even decided to sing a few of the songs they had planned, accompanied by team musicians Judy Hunt and Carol Roby. Then, they split up the bags to make home deliveries. Talk about LOVE! Amen?

The theme for February: Love

BLANKETS & COATS FOR THE HOMELESS donated through Good Shepherd.

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FAREWELL TO PAM

it’s a Pam Parade !

Dear Members of Holy Comforter, Words cannot express how overwhelmed I was with the outpouring of love I felt at the “parade” on Sunday, January 31! You made me feel so special with your kind words, beautiful cards, and generous gifts. I want you all to know how truly touched I was.

It was easy to serve in a place that is filled with so many caring, loving, people. I look forward to our continued relationships as we work together to spread God’s love.

-Pam MacNaughton, Former Director of Administration

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STATISTICAL REPORT 2020 Deaths

Marlene Kopta Christa Slack Jim Hammond Frank Kopta John Robertson Jr.

Wedding

Stephen Wagner and Cesar Munoz

New Members

Pat Budnick Sam McDonald Family Jeremy Martinez Family Darin Scott Family Richard & Michele deLuna

First Communion

Mary Jean Wallinger McKinley Martinez

Holy Comforter Lutheran School August 2020-December 2020:

Income [$128,980.60] Expenses [$138,556.84] Monthly building usage fee [$4000] Monthly maintenance & cleaning [$1772] Permitss [$1350] Classroom supplies [$1949] Workman’s Comp [$1061] Payroll & Payroll Taxes [$123,488] Checking Balance 12.31.2020 [$15,960.72] Money Market Balance 12.31.2020 [$83,930.11]

Attendance &Membership Changes Average Weekly Worship Attendance

In Person [60] Online [ 78] Membership previous year [357] Members received during 2020 Total [13] Members removed during 2019

By death, inactive, moved,

transfer, etc.

Total [6] Members as of 12.31.2020 [364] Confirmed Members as of 12.31.2019 [300]

2020 HCLC Finances TOTAL INCOME [$524,004] Budget Offering [$512,019*]

* (Includes $3,031 in unrecorded plate offering, $3,605 special service offering, and $8,525 Special Appeal)

Building Use: Other [$2,035] School [$950] Other [$2,035] Dedicated Contributions total of [$18,404] TOTAL EXPENSES [$538,115]

JUST A FEW THINGS GOING ON AROUND HCLC Pam’s last day

OUTREACH

Synod Benevolence and ELCA Partnership [$41,313] Humble Area Assistance Ministries (HAAM) Covenant Support [$2,000] Total Budget Outreach [$43,600] Other Outreach Contributions Every Sunday Collections Sandwich Sunday [$4,036] Fiel es Dios Peru [$3,547] Water to Thrive [$2,590] Rescue Barn [$1,388] Gathering Place [$637] Other Contributions KIX (Iquitos ExchangePeru) [$1,645]

The freeze of 2021

Total Other Outreach [$12,843] TOTAL OUTREACH [$56,433] • •

• • • • • • • • • •

HAAM Seasons of Sharing for Thanksgiving and Christmas Sandwich Sunday, 550+ lunches and supplies the first quarter of 2020 and $1,000 for remainder of 2020 given to Star of Hope Men’s Development Center Food and Clothing to HAAM Quilts for Lutheran World Relief Well #8 completed from Water to Thrive donations Care packages to college students Christmas cards made and sent to Fiel es Dios in Iquitos, Peru Care cards to Second Family Care Team partners Service Day at Rescue Barn Food collection for animals at Rescue Barn and pets of HAAM clients Gift cards to needy families olunteer at HAAM Food Fair

Spring is in bloom!

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Holy Comforter Lutheran CHurch Staff

The Reverend Barbara Bartling Senior Pastor pastorbarb@godeeperwithchrist.org Marsha Seale Minister of Worship and Music marsha@godeeperwithchrist.org Christy Archer Janacek Minister of Communication christy@godeeperwithchrist.org Bill Goebel Financial Secretary bill@godeeperwithchrist.org Colleen Engel School Director colleen@godeeperwithchrist.org Duane Utecht Operations Coordinator operations@godeeperwithchrist.org General Email office@godeeperwithchrist.org

Church Council Members

President - Melissa Lanier Vice-President - Wade Wallinger Secretary - Larry Montano Treasurer - Steve Hansen Other members: Gregg Howsmon, Dale MacNaughton, Stacey Taylor, Pastor Barb Bartling Holy Comforter Lutheran Church is the sum of its members blessed and empowered by the Holy Spirit to do ministry together. We are a traditional church & congregation that thinks and works “outside the box” to bring progressive ministries, services, programs and outreach to our local community and beyond!

Holy Comforter Lutheran Church & School was the first church and preschool program in Kingwood, Texas. We are a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Visit www.godeeperwithchrist.org for more info on our Mission & Vision, History, Pastor, Staff & Council, Ministries, Communion Policy, Testimonials & Worship Services.

Cover Photo by Christy Archer Janacek

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