VBS Soap Challenge Update

Posted by Pastor David Tinker in Announcements, Youth and tagged with 2014, Carmine, Lutheran World Relief, Vacation Bible School, VBS, Wilderness Escape, Wilderness Escape VBS, youth August 21, 2014

Great News!

The official count for the Vacation Bible School Bar Soap Challenge has been revised.

After a careful recount of all the packages of individually wrapped bar soap we have a new and higher total.

The Vacation Bible School Students collected 246 bars.

The adults in the congregation collected 233 bars.

That is a grand total of 479 individually wrapped bar soap.

We need only 21 more bars to make it 500! New donations are always welcome.

Check out the previous notice regarding this special project. Click here.

Thank you to the generous children and adults who have given so much so far.

VBS Bar Soap Challenge Report

Posted by Pastor David Tinker in Announcements, ELCA, Women's Ministry, Youth and tagged with bar soap, Carmine, health kits, Holy Week, Lutheran World Relief, LWR, Martin Luther Lutheran Church, personal care kits, soap, Vacation Bible School, VBS, Wilderness Escape, Wilderness Escape VBS August 19, 2014

The results are in for the Vacation Bible School (VBS) Bar Soap Challenge.

The students of the 2014 VBS at MLLC collected 246 individually wrapped bar soaps. These were collected during the week of VBS: August 21-27.

During the 2 weeks following that the congregation was challenged to meet this total. The congregation collected 198 bars of soap.

VBS students: 246

Congregation: 198

Grand Total: 444

For the sake of those in need around the world we will continue to collect these individually wrapped bar soaps through Resurrection Sunday 2015 – April 5, 2015. We will also receive monetary donations to cover the cost of shipping these items. Most importantly, please remember to pray for the ministry of Lutheran World Relief, and for those individuals who will eventually receive these items.

The real winners in this challenge are our neighbors around the world who will get to use the soap for personal hygiene. The soap will be passed along to Lutheran World Relief for distribution to people in need around the world.

Thank you to everybody who participated in this special project. We look forward to the continued collecting of bar soap for the months to come.

A Great Week at Lutherhill

Posted by Pastor David Tinker in Announcements, Synod, Youth and tagged with Bethlehem Lutheran Church, camp, christian camping, La Grange, Lutheran Youth Organization, Lutherhill, Lutherhill ministries, LYO, MLLC, round top, Texas, tx, youth August 9, 2014

The kids from MLLC and Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Round Top have had a great week together at Lutherhill. Lutherhill Ministries is the area ELCA Lutheran Camp. It is within the territory of and supported by our own Gulf Coast Synod.

There were learning and fun events.

Chapel time.

Pool time.

Meals and visiting with Pastor David Tinker and Pastor John David Nedbalek. And some clean up time.

And some experience with wildlife.

Thank you to the people of both congregations who made this wonderful week of adventure, fun, learning, service and worship happen. Also thank you to the families of our youth who worked to make it possible for these young people to have this experience in their faith.

Soap for LWR Challenge

Posted by Pastor David Tinker in Announcements, ELCA, Youth and tagged with bar soap, individually wrapped bar soap, Lutheran World Relief, LWR, soap, Vacation Bible School, VBS, Wilderness Escape VBS August 8, 2014

At Vacation Bible School (VBS) here at MLLC our students collected individually wrapped bars of soap to give to Lutheran World Relief (LWR). During the week at VBS (July 21-25) there were 246 bars of soap collected. Note that this is a revised total from what you see in the photo above.

The VBS students and staff have put a challenge out to the congregation. They want to see if the people of MLLC can gather together at least 246 bars of soap for LWR by Sunday, August 10. Quite a bit has come in already. Together in ministry we would be very happy if the congregation could match this challenge.

Between now and this Sunday, August 10, you still have time to look around your home or to go shopping to get some individually wrapped bar soap to meet this challenge. When you come to worship on Saturday (6 p.m.) or Sunday (9 a.m.) you can drop your soap by at the church in the Narthex.

After this date we will still collect individually wrapped bar soap. These can be individual or multi-pacs. In early April 2015 we will bring these to the Brenham area LWR collection site and send these off for LWR to use to help people around the world.

What you can do:

1. Pray for this charitable work for our neighbors and for the ongoing ministry of LWR.

2. Give money to help cover the cost of shipping such items.

3. Bring individually wrapped bar soap (single or multi-pacs) to MLLC.

4. Give thanks for our ministry together.

Youth at Lutherhill Camp

This is a busy week at Lutherhill Ministries in La Grange, TX. Along with youth from a wide variety of communities there is a combined contingent of campers from MLLC and our neighbor ELCA congregation, Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Round Top. Five youth from MLLC were joined by several others of our friends in Round Top. They have been spending the week at this excellent camp. See the photo above with all the kids from these congregations – and an extra friend or two.

Several of the youth have attended camp at Lutherhill several times. One of the youth has lost count, for he has gone to Lutherhill maybe 4, 5 or 6 years in a row. Some are having their first experience at this camp, and are hoping for many more summers.

We at MLLC are big supporters of Lutherhill and Lutheran/Christian Camping programs. We also offer a partial “campership” for MLLC members who would like to participate in the summer camp programs at Lutherhill or other Lutheran summer camping programs.

We will post more photos from this week at camp in the next couple of days. Remember to keep these youth in your prayers as they grow in Christ through the camping programs of Lutherhill Ministries.

Wilderness Escape – Day 3

Posted by Pastor David Tinker in Announcements, Youth and tagged with 2014, bible school, Exodus, learning, Moses, Vacation Bible School, VBS, Wilderness Escape, Wilderness Escape VBS, youth July 24, 2014

We continue to have a great week at Wilderness Escape VBS. Day 3 – Wednesday included a presentation by Moses about how God helps us. To illustrate this he told the story of how the Israelites battled the Amalekites (Exodus 17:8-16). Aaron and Hur helped Moses keep his staff raised above his head during the battle. God’s help for us includes the help of other people in our lives.

Another special feature of Wilderness Escape VBS is the “Israelite Camp”. This is housed in our fellowship hall. The room is set up with tents and special vendors who help the students enter into the world of the ancient Israelites. There are various shops where the children can engage with adults who help them get their food, do crafts, and learn about how various people struggled with their faith in the time of the Exodus. In addition to the food there have been six shops:

Town Cleaner

Rope Weaver

Instrument Shop

Sandal Stitcher

Sand Artisan

Weaver

Wilderness Escape VBS uses a variety of learning experiences to help the children engage with the message of God’s goodness for us.

An engaging message

Joyful and active singing

and Small Group experiences

We are very thankful for the joyful opportunity which these young people have during Vacation Bible School at MLLC. We invite your continued prayers as we complete our week with Day 4 on Thursday, Day 5 on Friday, and our final program at worship on Sunday, June 27, at 9 a.m.

Wilderness Escape – Day 2

Posted by Pastor David Tinker in Announcements, Youth and tagged with 2014, Carmine, Lord Jesus Christ, Martin Luther Lutheran Church, Vacation Bible School, VBS, Wilderness, Wilderness Escape, Wilderness Escape VBS, youth July 22, 2014

We had a wonderful night at Wilderness Escape on Tuesday. We are thankful to our Lord Jesus Christ for providing the opportunity for children in the community of Carmine, and surrounding areas, to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ. Thank you for your support and prayers during this very exciting week.

At Wilderness Escape VBS on Tuesday:

*The children prayed together. See above.

*The children praised the Lord with joyful, active songs.

*They visited with Moses – Guess who?

*Moses told them about the Lord’s gift of “quail” in the evening. (Peeps filled in for the “quail”)

*They even cooked the “quail” over an open “fire”.

*They saw how the Lord provided “manna” in the morning. (Frosted Flakes cereal filled in for “manna”) What is it?

*As we head through the week, remember to bring new, wrapped soap for Lutheran World Relief. This is our outreach and charity project for VBS 2014.

We look forward to seeing you on Wednesday at Wilderness Escape VBS!

Wilderness Escape – Day 1

Posted by Pastor David Tinker in Announcements, Youth and tagged with 2014, children, joy, Lutheran, Moses, Vacation Bible School, VBS, Wilderness Escape July 21, 2014

Moses led the Children of Israel through the Red Sea at the first night of Wilderness Escape Vacation Bible School. Best of all, the children of the community and congregation had the opportunity to get to know more about God’s love and that we can trust in the Lord.

You can still participate in Vacation Bible School at MLLC in Carmine. Come on out Tuesday through Friday. We begin Day 2 at 5:30 p.m. We are having a great time and would love to have you be part of our great time together. Thank you to God for our great time. Thank you to parents, grandparents, friends and supporters who make it possible for this great week of learning and outreach to happen.

Our Final Program will be at worship on Sunday, July 27, at 9 a.m.

First Communion is on Maundy Thursday at MLLC

Posted by Pastor David Tinker in Announcements, Youth and tagged with First Holy Communion, Holy Week, Lutheran Youth Organization, Maundy Thursday, Palm Sunday, The Lutheran Youth Organization April 15, 2014

First Holy Communion Prep 1

As part of our Holy Week observance we celebrate the First Holy Communion for our youth. This year we have one youth who will begin participating in this wonderful Sacrament of the Church. He has participated in First Holy Communion classes during Lent this year. This included Bible Study, discussions, a “field trip” to the Sacristy (the room where the communion is prepared, and the communion vessels are stored), decorating a chalice for receiving his First Communion, videos and bread making.

The Junior High Sunday School class helped the student with the bread making. Much of the bread used for Holy Communion at MLLC is made by our youth, as well as other church members. Above is a photo of the students and their teacher preparing the bread on Palm Sunday 2014. This recipe makes a flat bread, and it is cooked almost like a pancake. Thank you Esther for teaching our youth how to make this bread for this special day. Very tasty and important ministry.

Here are the youth and the First Holy Communion student after they have sampled the finished product. Our candidate for First Holy Communion is in the red/white plaid shirt, 2nd from the right.

As part of worship on this Maundy Thursday the student will also receive a Bible from the congregation. This he will use for personal reading, Sunday School, Confirmation Class, and the like. We partner with parents in helping them to fulfill the vows they made at their children’s baptism. There is a line in the liturgy of Holy Baptism which reads, “place in their hands the holy scriptures…” At the Maundy Thursday service a Bible will be given to the parent, and then that Bible will be placed in the hands of the student. It is a loving ritual form of fulfilling this promise. Here is a photo of the Bible, next to the Baptismal Font, and with our Holy Communion banner in the background.

First Holy Communion Bible 14

Click here to read more about First Holy Communion at MLLC.

Click here to see our Holy Week Schedule for 2014.

Lutherhill at MLLC on March 30

Posted by Pastor David Tinker in Announcements, Youth and tagged with children, Lutherhill, sunday school, Vacation Bible School, VBS, youth March 25, 2014

Members of the staff of Lutherhill Ministries will be leading our Sunday School programming on Sunday, March 30, at 10:10 a.m. At MLLC we have enjoyed the ministries of Lutherhill for many years. Some years they have helped us lead our Vacation Bible School (see photo above of Lutherhill staff, parent volunteers and children from our 2009 VBS). A few times each year we invite our friends at Lutherhill to lead special programs with our children’s Sunday School. This weekend is one of those special Sunday visits.

Lutherhill Ministries is an excellent Lutheran camping and retreat ministry headquartered in our own Fayette County, Texas.

Bring your family this weekend to worship at 9 a.m., and then join in the fun and learning at 10:10 a.m. with the delightful staff of Lutherhill Ministries.

Click the Lutherhill logo to visit their web site.

Martin Luther Lutheran Church

Carmine, Texas

Category Archives: Youth