 |
 The Millennials (ages 18-34) are now the largest part of our nation with 75.4 million people. According to Pew Research one-third of the millennial generation has left the church and may never come back. The most rapidly growing religious preference in America is "none."
Some of that is the church's own fault. We are slow, too slow, to adapt to people, preferring instead to make people conform to our traditions. We are too wired for institutional preservation and not enough about meeting people where they are. We are too comfortable about what is comfortable for us. The apostle Paul never stepped outside the box of Holy Scripture, but he was very willing to step outside of any other "box" if it would save souls. "I make myself a slave to everyone," he said, "to win as many as possible" (1 Corinthians 9:19).
But much of the "nones'" problem is simply Satan's work. And while church skippers and church skeptics feel smug about sleeping in on Sunday, anyone cutting him/her self off from the Word and the Lord's Supper is ultimately spiritual suicide: '"I gave you empty stomachs in every city and lack of bread in every town, yet you have not returned to me,' declares the LORD. 'Therefore...prepare to meet your God'" (Amos 4:6,12).
Let's listen to the new generations. Let's ask them why they want to or don't want to come back to our church the second time. Let's learn from them. And let's love them enough to tell the urgent story of Jesus in terms that make sense to them and with changing methodologies (not "theologies") that say, "I care about meeting you where you are at in 2016."
Grace and peace!
Pastor Tom Schmidt
|
|
|
|
Abiding Word welcomes Pastor William R. Gabb and his wife Beth. Pastor Gabb will serve our congregation as Interim Pastor in the weeks prior to the October 9th installation of Pastor Matt Brown. Who is this Pastor Gabb whom earliest members of Abiding Word recall with great fondness, respect and appreciation?
Pastor Gabb was the first resident pastor of Abiding Word and served our congregation from 1970-1977. During those early years Abiding Word, under his spiritual leadership and guidance, purchased the Red Oak property, saw the arrival of its first chapel (a relocatable building), the construction of the Red Oak parsonage, the dedication of the first permanent worship/education facility (one-story structure currently occupied by the Early Childhood Education Program) and the establishment of our school with an initial enrollment of nineteen students.
Prior to installation at Abiding Word Pastor Gabb served St. John Lutheran, Rising City and St. Paul Lutheran, Columbus, NE (1967-1970). From Houston he accepted the call to serve as Dean of Students at Northwestern Prep (1977-1984) and at Trinity Lutheran Church (1984-1999), both in Watertown, WI. He returned to Texas in 1999 and served Atonement Lutheran in Plano until his retirement in 2011.
Pastor and Beth's fifty-year marriage has been blessed with four children: Anne, Kim, Mark and Steve. Both Mark and Steve followed in their father's footsteps and serve as pastors in the WELS. Pastor Gabb enjoys golfing and he and Beth share interests in spending time with family, including their fourteen grandchildren, travel and classical music. Both actively serve their congregation in Scroggins, Texas where they currently reside.
Abiding Word is extremely grateful and excited to once again welcome the Gabbs into our fold. For a short time they will again reside within the walls of the Red Oak parsonage that they, along with congregational members, built with their own hands. Our campus has changed significantly, members have come and gone but the powerful message of God's Word brought to us by Pastor Gabb over forty years ago and by many others in the years since has remained the same. Abiding Word continues to be blessed. To God be the Glory!
Dorothy Hildebrandt
Barbara hahn
|
|
|
Abiding Word is excited to welcome Pastor Matt and Katie Brown, along with their five children, Joseph (12), Sam (11), A.J. (9), Ella (5), and Ruby (3).
The Browns come to Texas from Clarksville, Tennessee, where he served the congregation of Beautiful Savior for the past 16 years. Pastor Brown grew up in the southern part of Wisconsin and is a graduate of Northwestern College- Watertown, WI. He went to seminary and served his vicar year in Orlando, FL. He also taught at Luther Preparatory School in 1998-1999, and our members, Karl Valleskey and Ben Carlovsky are former students of his. He graduated from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in the year 2000. Pastor enjoys fishing and is a big sports fan. His favorite teams are the Packers, Titans, and Texans - in that order. He told his boys they will be Astros fans now too.
Katie grew up outside of Nashville and graduated from East Tennessee State University. Matt and Katie were introduced by her pastor's wife and were married in November of 2002. Katie works part time as a dental hygienist, and likes to quilt, sew and bake.
May God bless the Browns as they begin His work here at Abiding Word!
Jeannie Bailey
|
|
Dancers from Risen Savior, Milwaukee. WI, with Pastor & Mrs. Luis Acosta
Daughter, Katherine, first time attendee, participating in the flag ceremony
Checking the latest news feed, you might wonder "What is going on in this world?!" Attending a Lutheran Women's Missionary Society (LWMS) Convention convincingly compels you to say with joy and confidence "Look what is going on in this world!"
The 53rd Annual LWMS Convention was held in St. Charles, IL June 23-26. It was a privilege to attend this mission convention along with 1,053 others. "Christ Alone Our Cornerstone" was the theme chosen and carried out through mission presentations, anthems, displays and of course worship. The name of Jesus continues to be proclaimed in places like Cameroon, East Asia, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malawi, Russia, Taiwan, Thailand, Ukraine...with the hope of reaching out to newer places like Rwanda, South Sudan, Kenya, Ethiopia, Korea, Viet Nam, Liberia and the Philippines. Thirty-nine flags were presented representing all the areas where our synod (Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod) is involved in gospel outreach. Synod World Board Administrator, Pastor Larry Schlomer, reported that calls come in regularly from around the world recognizing the message we have to share, expressing their interest to learn more and their desire to follow the truth of the Bible.
On the home front we were inspired by Pastor Michael Quandt's creative outreach efforts to Mormons in St. Charles and Salt Lake City, Utah, as well as several stage performances by children and adults involved in the ministry outreach by Pastor Luis Acosta and his wife Carolina at Risen Savior Lutheran Church on the north side of Milwaukee. The message of Christ crucified and risen for every tribe and nation, people and language is the cornerstone of it all!
LWMS supports our synod's home and world mission efforts through many powerful prayers, and generous offerings. One fourth of congregational mission box offerings along with the monies offered at the convention worship service totaled $143,874.74. The projects receiving this offering include Summer Student Assistants (which Abiding Word was blessed to experience firsthand through Craig Wilke's ministry with us), TV Broadcast for the Muslim World, Outreach to Asians, and Apache Leadership Training. Along with this the amazing amount of an additional $60,817.70 was received through the Kids C.A.R.E. mission offering which will go toward the Central Africa Medical Mission Orphan and Infant Program.
Find out more at lwms.org. Be faithful in your prayers and offerings!
Not everyone can attend a convention but you can plan to attend our mission event held closer to home! Saturday, September 17 at Good Shepherd, The Woodlands from 9 - 12 noon. Guest speaker is Pastor Dave Bivens and his message is "One World, One Hope!" I'm planning to attend...will you meet me there? It's so exciting to see what really is going on in this world!
Sally Valleskey
|
|
|
3.5/5 stars: Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.
5/5 stars:
I have read a few of the books in the People's Bible Teachings series and this is the best so far. It is well-written, easily relatable, and full of interesting information. While a lot of it I had read before, I was pleasantly surprised to learn a few things.
Kathleen Montemayer
|
|
|
|
|
Early
|
Service
|
Late
|
Service |
Altar
|
Guild
|
Acolyte:
|
Micah Mosley
|
Acolyte:
|
Brandon Edmonds
|
Sept. 3 |
Krista Patton |
|
Elder:
|
Dave Brown |
Elder: |
Jason Edmonds |
Sept. 10 |
Alicia Altman |
|
Ushers:
|
Ross Capeling TL
Raymond Baumgartner
Josh Wakefield
|
Ushers: |
Jackson Freese TL
George Downs
Brandon Edmonds |
Sept.17
Sept. 24 |
Marilyn Miller
Kirsten Semrow |
|
|
|
|
