Worship at 8:15 and 11:00 AM -

Musical Offerings at 8:15 – Voices of Praise: Go into the World by Natalie Sleeth; Bells of Praise: Morning Prayer by Tammy Waldrop;  at 11:00 – Children’s Choir: Jesus’ Hands Were Kind Hands arr. by Sue Ellen Page; Gloria Dei Choir with Tracey Bulau, flute: They Shall Soar Like Eagles by Laura Manzo

— 9:30 Children’s & Adult Christian Education (click here for details)

—- Sandwich Sunday – The first Sunday of every month, a ministry which provides sandwiches and lunch items to Star of Hope to feed the homeless in Houston.  We delivered over 275 lunches on January 8!  Click here for more info or contact Melissa or Christy.

— Worship, Word, Witness on Wednesdays -  This is a time for every member of the family to have music, bible study, fellowship & service.  Dinner and Devotions @ 6pm.  Music, Study, Fellowship & Service from 6:30-7:30pm. WOW is for everyone!!! Click here for schedule & details. Click here to register online!!!

— 6:30 “Faith Formation—A Conversation with Parents and Grandparents” is in session on Wednesday evenings at 6:30pm.  It is not too late to join in these sessions.  Please contact Chris Ray if you would like to participate.

Friday, Feb. 3rd - Gathering Place - This ministry is free of charge and is available to the entire Kingwood/Humble area.  Interfaith CarePartners works in partnership with Holy Comforter to provide The Gathering Place which meets the first Friday of each month to provide fun, fellowship, food, etc. for our care partners who have mild to moderate disabilities such as dementia, stroke, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.  Contact Pam orBeth for more info.

Friday, Feb. 10th

—- 5:30, 6:15 and 7pm - Night in Italy – Our annual Italian Dinner Pre-School Fundraiser is almost here! Don’t forget to donate items for the silent auction and raffle. Proceeds will go toward upgrading the fire alarm system.

—- The Lutheran Men in Mission Annual Gathering - All men of the ELCA and their friends 14 years to 104— at Christ the King Lutheran Church in Kenner, LA.  More info to follow.

Sunday, Feb. 12th

—- HCLC Annual Meeting, Part II, immediately following the 11:00am service.  Make your plans now to be here.
—- Humble Area Assistance Ministries (HAAM) - H.A.A.M. Day is the second Sunday of each month.  Everyone is encouraged to share from your bounty by offering non-perishable food items. Click here for more information.

February 26^th through April 1st - Small Group Ministry Campaign - Discover the joy of serving others.  In our ‘me-first’ culture, servanthood is the earmark of men and women who have discovered the joy of giving. But the secret to servanthood isn’t running ourselves ragged, trying to be everything to everyone.  It is pouring freely out of a full cup the things you were designed to give. More details coming soon.

February 27,  Registration for HCLC 2012-13 School year will begin for existing families and church member and March 5 Open to public.

Friday, March 23, 2012 - 3rd – 6th Grade Lutherhill Retreat - What a great time to discover how God’s light can be applied to everyday living. You want to know more; more about God, more about your life with God, and more about the light God put in you. Lutherhill is ready to explore God’s light with you and how you can be a laser show for Christ! Arrive Friday at 8pm. Depart Sunday at 11am. Activities include: Worship, Fellowship, High Ropes Course, Campfire & S’mores, Arts & Crafts, Canoeing, Cost: $70 per person (sponsors receive a 20% discount). Contact Chris Ray for details.

Sunday, April 1st – Children’s Choir Sings – Palm/Passion Sunday at BOTH services at the beginning. Save the Date!

• 2012-13 marks the 40th ANNIVERSARY of Holy Comforter Preschool!!!!!!!

• In January, the Sandwich Sunday team delivered 275 sandwiches to Houston’s Homeless. Keep up the momentum folks!!!

• Our bulbs are growing!  Jeanne Street has been helping the preschool students learn about flowers and the bulbs we planted in December are up!  Go see the horseshoe  flower bed in back of the Education building.

• What a glorious celebration we had on Christmas Eve!  A meaningful worship service, inspirational music and a memorable gathering of family and friends.  At the Christmas Eve Worship services there were 463 people at Holy Comforter offering their praises to God.  We were all blessed by these services.  Special thank you to all the musicians for their beautiful music that added so much to all these  services .

• On December 11, we received with joy the following new members:  Scott and Susan Muellner, Christopher; Dan and Kim Snyder, Collin & Cody.  We are so happy to have you as members with us as we minister to God’s kingdom in this place. Please extend your handshake of welcome to our newest members.

• Music Ministry always has room for more singers and ringers!  Please see the calendar, or the blue schedule in the narthex for the rehearsal schedule.  Join us!

• Registration is currently underway for the Fall 2011-12 school year.  We offer Mother’sDay Out, Preschool, and Extended Care for children ages 2—5.  Contact Colleen Engel, Director, at 281-358-9337 or email her for more info.

• Click the link below for other opportunities and information.

• Thank you! Thank You! to those folks who responded to our Wartburg Renovation Fund.  $1,765 was donated recently, so we are getting close to our remaining goal of $2,500.
• We are so happy to announce that Roy and Missy Schmidt have volunteered to be the new Blood Drive Coordinators.  Thanks so much for assuming this leadership role in this very important ministry.

• Welcome to  these new members to Holy Comforter: Cathy Cawelti, Steven & Marianne Moore, Adriane Neves and Lilian, Kelly & Linda Rinnan, Ryan & Carmon St. Clair, Skyler Smith and Adelynn St. Clair, Laurie St. Clair, Peggy V. Bear Vespia, Jonathan & Sarah Vigorito and Anthony. 
• Use your Kroger and Randall’s cards designated to Holy Comforter when you shop.  We just received $1,022.34 from Kroger for HCLC’s percentage of your purchases.
• Kids Hope USA is a national organization that believes one person can change another’s life with a friendship relationship.  Their motto is “One child, one hour, one church, one school.”  We have a great opportunity again this year to volunteer at Bear Branch Elementary School as mentors to children who need a friend, or as a Prayer Partner to those mentors.  Applications are available  in the narthex.
• It’s the 6th anniversary of Holy Comforter’s Gathering Place!!!

• We are pleased to install the leaders of the Women of the ELCA.  We thank these ladies for their service to God’s ministries:  Gayle Morgan, Joanna Hammond, Linda Petterson, Marlene Kopta, Jane Post, Beth Moseman, Dawna Kaleda, Joan Dekan, and Cathie Tanner.

• August 27th Macy’s partnered with Holy Comforter Lutheran Church to invite customers to participate in Macy’s sixth annual “Shop for a Cause” charity shopping event and raised $600 for the Youth room renovations.  Click here to the see the press release.
• Worship Sacks -12 NEW Worship Sacks are available in the church lobby for our younger church goers.  These bags are full of quiet distractions and our sacks have never looked better! This ministry is currently funded with personal funds from a member of the congregation. If you would like to to assist with this worthwhile ministry, please click here for more info.
• Thanks to everyone who gave their “Gift of Life” during our recent Blood Drive.  You have made such a difference in the lives of so many people.
• When  you are in Luther Hall be sure to take a walk through our two new rooms in the old Wartburg area.  Also, have you been up to the Loft to see the improvements there. Now we have more rooms for ministry, fresh paint, waxed floors, and a beautiful space.  Take a look!  Oh, and we are taking contributions to cover the cost of the build-out.  Can you help?  Just mark your check “Wartburg Build-out.”
• WELCA’s  (Women of the ELCA) “Back to School” drive resulted in $230 and a large basket of school supplies donated to HAAM (Humble Area Assistance Ministries)  during their current “Back to School Supplies Drive.”  Thanks to everyone who contributed.
• The profits from the Media Sale have enabled us to purchase two air conditioning units for the Loft upstairs.  Lowe’s gave us a $200 discount per unit.  A big thank you to all who participated in donations and purchases and to Lowe’s for their generosity!
• Your support of our school resulted in a check for $232.18 from Skeeter’s Restaurant from all of you who had dinner there on May 16.  These funds will be used towards improving the school playground.  Thanks to all!
• The Media Sale is over and it was very successful.  We raised almost $600 and your support made it happen.  Thanks to Michele Dykstra for coordinating this annual event.
• We congratulate and welcome the following persons who became full members of Holy Comforter as they affirmed their baptism through the rite of Confirmation on May 15: Cameron Barrett •Corinne Fahner • Ryan Findley • Rachel Heffelfinger • Alex Kaleda • Samantha Wiedrich
• Pastor Barb, Duane Utecht, Peter Kaleda, and Stephen Wagner were Holy Comforter’s delegates to the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast Synod meeting in Galveston in May.
• The Voices of Praise women’s choir recently sang for the residents and staff at Oakmont Healthcare, as well as at Sarah Care adult day care center and at a private residence in Kingwood, taking their ministry into the community.
• 40 Days of Lent was a great success. We are sending $2,607.50 to the Lutheran World Relief Water Projects as a result of your pledges and donations.  Thanks again for your participation.
• What a great time we had on Sunday May 1.  Thanks to everyone who made the day a success.  A big “tip of the hat” to our 44 graduates from our Preschool program; to their teachers and their parents.  A special thank you to the Fellowship Committee for a delicious lunch and all the trimmings.  What fun we all had!  Let’s do it again soon.

Thank you!:

• Martha Circle has delivered 83 quilts to Lutheran World Relief to be sent throughout the world to those in need.
• The Women of the ELCA had a delightful lunch on Saturday and the discussion by Rabbi Dan Gordon was enlightening.  Thank you Rabbi Gordon for being with us.
• On Thursday, May 5, the preschool  4 year old students hosted a Mother’s Day Tea for their mothers.  What great fun for them to celebrate their mothers in song and make refreshments for them.

• What a great synod-wide Junior High School retreat was held here on Friday and Saturday.  Thanks to Chris Ray and all who helped make this possible.
• We welcome to the Lord’s table:  Pierce Dietrich and Michael Greco recently received their First Communion.
• Thanks to everyone who helped make our church grounds beautiful for Spring and Easter.

• We are very pleased to announce that the “Night in Italy”  Early Childhood fundraiser dinner resulted in  $3,295.00 in receipts; from that we will have to cover approximately $600 in expenses.  Thanks again to everyone who made this successful event possible and to everyone who enjoyed dinner last Friday evening.

• Your generosity made it possible for us to send $480 to Humble Area Assistance Ministries as a result of our “Souper Bowl Sunday” last Sunday.  Thanks to all the youth who “banged the pots.”

HCLC BBQ Photos – Now available! Click here to review/download.

• SECOND FAMILY CARE TEAM NEEDS YOUR HELP - The purpose of the SFCT is to provide help to families who have a loved one living at home that needs  care so that they can continue to keep that person at home as long as possible.  A SFCT care partner is  the person that needs care.  The family member(s) that provides care for that person is called the caregiver(s).   If you know of someone that needs our help please let us know.  We need people willing to do any or all of the following – make regular phone calls, make home visits, provide transportation either locally or to Houston, run errands, and/or other miscellaneous means of support.  If you are interested in joining our team, or if you know of someone who needs our “care,” please contact Beth Moseman or Bill Brant.

Merry Christmas. Feliz Navidad. God Jul. Mo’adim Lesimkha. Chena tova. Mele Kalikimaka. Prejeme Vam Vesele Vanoce a stastny Novy Rok. There are many ways to say Merry Christmas around our world. But we are really all one family. One community. Especially on a day like Christmas, that is celebrated by Christians around the globe. Join us December 11th for a new way to celebrate the holidays and “Go Deeper” in our faith. We will celebrate the holidays and explore ways to give of ourselves and give back to our family–Our Global Family.

A Christmas Feast From South Of The Border

What a better way to celebrate the holidays than a fiesta. Our journey of being a “Global Family” starts in Mexico with a holiday meal from “South of the Border.” Join us at Noon after the 11:00 a.m. service for an Enchilada dinner complete with tamales, rice beans and a wonderful dessert.

There is no charge for this catered meal. There will be a free will basket and suggested donations are $8.00 per person/$20.00 dollars per family. Your generosity is appreciated.

Celebrating God’s Gifts & Giving to One Another

As we eat as a “Global Family” we will also be learning about God’s gifts to us and how we can give to one another. During this intergenerational event will celebrate and learn about the giving spirit of Christmas.

Angel Tree

Please remember to bring gifts to church on or before Sun. Dec. 11, 2011. Gifts will be delivered to El Buen Pastor Lutheran Church, Azleway foster children, Village Learning Center and ELCA World Hunger through the “Good Gifts” program.

Thank you for making the holidays brighter for these families! For more information click here.

We will have several fun activities to help families talk about God’s gifts to us and how we can give to one another. Activities include: making table runners, creating your own Christmas ornaments to give away, and learning a new way to pray “Come, Lord Jesus.”

December nights are often packed with activities. Come assemble a simple minestrone soup recipe to prepare for a simple easy dinner. Dinner comes with table grace and family devotion!

Come here about different ways to honor friends and loved ones with gifts that will go on to make a difference in the world. With more than 50 different giving options–from ten little chicks to helping a family escape poverty to a scholarship to help a young leader attend seminary–there’s something for everyone on your list.

During this time we will also be collecting fleece for our annual blanket ministry. Join us to hear more about how you can help make blankets that will go to help those in need this holiday season.

Pageants, Blessings and a Special Visit

After we all share a meal and learn just how to give as a “Global Family,” come join us in the Sanctuary for a very special and spontaneous celebration. We will bless all of the gifts you have put under our “Angel Tree.” We will also talk about the true meaning of Christmas in a special Christmas Pageant. And don’t be surprised if a special visitor joins us to conclude this special day.

That’s right—St. Nicholas himself will stop by for a visit.

It will be special day and the start of a new tradition at Holy Comforter Lutheran Church. So come by on December 11th starting right after the 11:00 AM worship service for “The Gift of Christmas: Being A Global Family.”