Ash Wednesday is March 1, 2017

Posted by mllccarmine in Announcements and tagged with Ash Wednesday, faith, Holy Communion, Imposition of Ashes, Lent, Lutheran, Shared Ministry February 14, 2017

Ash_Wednesday with ashes

Lent Begins March 1, 2017

Ash Wednesday services will be at both MLLC and Waldeck Lutheran Church. You are invited to choose which one best suits your situation. Both services will offer Holy Communion and the Imposition of Ashes as we begin our Lenten Season.

Worship at MLLC at 7:30 p.m.

Worship at Waldeck Lutheran Church at 5:45 p.m.

Waldeck Lutheran Church is in a shared ministry with MLLC. The Church is located at 6915 Waldeck Church Lane, Ledbetter, TX 78946 – this is about 6 miles south of Ledbetter at the corner of FM 2145 and FM 1291.

The Exhortation on Ash Wednesday invites us into the season of Lent. Here is that Exhortation as presented in Lutheran Book of Worship – the book used at Waldeck Lutheran Church:

Brothers and sisters: God created us to experience joy in communion with him, to love all humanity, and to live in harmony with all of his creation. But sin separates us from God, our neighbors, and creation, and so we do not enjoy the life our Creator intended for us. Also, by our sin we grieve our Father, who does not desire us to come under his judgment, but to turn to him and live.

As disciples of the Lord Jesus we are called to struggle against everything that leads us away from love of God and neighbor. Repentance, fasting, prayer, and works of love—the discipline of Lent—help us to wage our spiritual warfare. I invite you, therefore, to commit yourselves to this struggle and confess your sins, asking our Father for strength to persevere in your Lenten discipline.

We are very blessed by the opportunity to work side by side with the people of Waldeck Lutheran Church. Together we are glorifying God, loving our neighbors and loving one another.

Baptism on February 12

Posted by mllccarmine in Announcements, Youth and tagged with Baptism, faith, new member, sacrament February 13, 2017

We welcomed a new member this past Sunday. The people of MLLC welcomes Sawyer Ray to the family of God. She joins her parents and her big sister in the fellowship of believers in Christ.

At MLLC we invite all to be in fellowship with God his people. Our life together is a blessing to all involved. We are always welcoming of new members throughout the year. Some join through baptism, while others come from other congregations.

To see information about other recent new members, visit our new member page – click link.

If you or your child are not yet baptized, please contact the pastor to make arrangements for receiving this Sacrament.

If you are not yet a member of MLLC, and would desire to join, please contact the pastor in person, by phone or by email.

Pastor David Tinker

Martin Luther Lutheran Church

P O BOX 362

Carmine, TX 78932-0362

Office: 979-278-3388

Email: pastordjt at industryinet.com

New Member Page Updated

Posted by Pastor David Tinker in Announcements and tagged with adult, Baptism, children, faith, new member, new members, youth November 6, 2016

new-members-nov0616

We celebrated New Member Sunday at MLLC on November 6. This was also All Saints Sunday. We welcomed 6 new members to the congregation on that day. Three of those are pictured above.

We also updated the New Member Page with information about the newest members of the congregation. Click this link to see more about those who have recently joined MLLC.

Getting Ready for Ash Wednesday

Posted by Pastor David Tinker in Announcements and tagged with Ash Wednesday, ashes, Baptism, cross, faith, Jesus Christ, Lent, Martin Luther Lutheran Church of Carmine, repent, repentance, what is ash wednesday February 17, 2015

Adapted by Pr. David Tinker, from an original article by Pr. Thomas L. Weitzel

The Ash Wednesday service at Martin Luther Lutheran Church of Carmine will be on Wednesday, February 18, at 7:00 p.m.

This day is something of a slap in the face, especially when one hears the words, “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” The original name – “Day of Ashes” – was a reference to the ancient Christian practice of sprinkling or rubbing ashes on the head or forehead as a sign of one’s mortality. The same ancient gesture appears in the baptismal liturgy: a cross is traced with oil on the forehead of the person being baptized. In this simple gesture the person is claimed by Christ.

There can be no more solemn and appropriate action on this day than to distribute ashes to all who gather for the beginning of the Lenten season. Here the young and old, men and women, rich and poor, learned and simple. Here the cross is the sign of salvation that all believers share. It is the sign of death and resurrection.

What is Ash Wednesday?

On Ash Wednesday, the community of faith comes face to face with two realities. First, we confront our own mortality. None of us lives in this life forever. Secondly, all of us are sinners and need to confess our sin to God. These two themes (death and sin) are brought together in light of God’s redeeming love in Jesus Christ. As the Apostle John says in 1 John 1:9b, “…(God) who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” The confession of sin on Sundays reminds us, “In the mercy of almighty God, Jesus Christ was given to die for us, and for his sake God forgives us all our sins.” The Lutheran Book of Worship (1978) confession also included, “To those who believe in Jesus Christ he gives the power to become the children of God and bestows on them the Holy Spirit.”

What are the ashes for?

The “ashes” of Ash Wednesday are rooted in the ancient worship of both the Jewish and Christian communities. They are a sign of mortality and penance. Even though we have used the imposition of ashes in our Ash Wednesday worship for many years, they still may seem new or uncomfortable to us. What we should remember about the ashes is they are a visible sign of our cleansing and rebirth, a recognition of our daily dependence on God for life and a promise of eternal life through Jesus Christ.

Should I receive the ashes?

The ashes are not compulsory by any means. You may choose, if you wish, to remain in your seat during the imposition of ashes. But remember that they are a powerful way and a visible way to participate in the call to repentance and reconciliation. If you choose to participate, come forward at the appropriate time in the liturgy with others desiring the ashes. The pastor will did his thumb in the ashes and trace the sign of the cross on your forehead. Afterwards, return to your seat and the liturgy will continue.

Pr. Thomas L. Weitzel’s excellent liturgy site is: http://liturgybytlw.com/

Firemen’s Feast Worship

Posted by Pastor David Tinker in Announcements, Pastor's Ponderings and tagged with Carmine Volunteer Fire Department, faith, Holy Communion, worship July 20, 2014

It is a busy day in Carmine, Texas. Today, July 20, is the annual “Firemen’s Feast”. This is the annual fundraising meal for the Carmine Volunteer Fire Department. At MLLC we give thanks to God for the caring work of these community servants.

The work of cooking the fried chicken for the meal begins early on Sunday morning. Dozens of cooks gather at the Carmine Fire Station for this work. Since this event is on Sunday morning we offer the opportunity for the cooks to gather for God’s Word and Holy Communion. We bring the Church to the Fire Station each year at an early morning time. The cooks are already busy as the worship space is set up between the fire equipment and the food preparation area. For about 10 minutes the cooks take a break for prayer, to give thanks, to hear the Word of God, and to be assured of God’s love and forgiveness in Holy Communion. This year 50 men and boys paused their work to be a part of this special worship service.

We are thankful for the service of the Carmine Volunteer Fire Department. We are thankful for the opportunity to support their work and to encourage them in their faith in Christ.

Here are some additional photos from this special event:

The Luther Rose Symbol

Posted by Pastor David Tinker in Announcements, Pastor's Ponderings and tagged with cross, faith, Grace, Luther Rose, Lutheran Symbol, Stained glass May 12, 2014

We recently added a new page on this church web page about the Luther Rose.

This is an important symbol used in the Lutheran Church to express and teach our faith.

If you have been to the Martin Luther Lutheran Church building you will recognize the window depicted above. It is the most visible our our wonderful stained glass windows at MLLC.

Check out this link to the special page about the Luther Rose