Celebrating 30 Years of Ministry at

The Woodlands Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

DISCIPLES DIGEST
Loving God, Loving Neighbor, Making Disciples

November 19, 2010

Context: Martin E. Marty on Religion and Culture is gone. “For 42 years Marty has
been collecting, condensing, editing, and commenting on articles gleaned from
books, magazines, journals, newspapers, reviews and the culture at large.” – That‘s
what John Buchanan in the latest issue of The Christian Century. I started reading
Martin Marty’s work in The Christian Century. The last few issues of Context have
been composed of highlights from the years of publication. Some of them were
entertaining:

February 1, 1988: MEM: “The old definition of a bore: Someone who,

when you ask him how he is, tells you. The new definition of a bore:
Someone who, when you give him a chance, talks about his word
processor. I try to spare you computer talk here. But a trauma occurred recently. After 37
months of flawless performance, my machine gave me a bit of trouble. So I am reduced to typing
on an old IBN Correcting Selectric typewriter, and it seems to me as primitive as an old yellow
pencil.” (Nov. 2010, Part B, page 4)
Some of the highlights were raising important points that surfaced when unexpected.
June 1, 1987: MEM, in a talk to the Religion Newswriters’ Association convention, musing on what
he would say if he were a veteran religion writer meeting with his editors: “Not to sound grabby,
but could I also write for other pages? Would you trust me to handle religion in features, not just in
news? Religious people almost never recognize themselves or all their interests in just conflict and
combat stories. People are not religious in order to have fights or to assassinate leaders. They want
to find meaning, to belong to something. They often say interesting things and do good things
worth writing and reading about. Our paper talks about athletic games, not just about athletic
scandals. We report on financial trends, not just ‘insider trading’ sleaze. Will you let me dig up and
focus on analogues to these in religion? Two thirds of America’s voluntary hours, two thirds of
America’s voluntary dollars, are channeled through religious causes. Can we show that, on the days
when the religious fund-raising is not corrupt or degrading?

I’m going to miss Marty’s publications. I used to type on a Selectric, that is, when I had access to a really good
machine! These days, it’s hard to remember that a huge part of the charitable work in our culture is a direct
result of faith imperatives. Marty has helped me remember.

Martin Marty has been for me what the church is for many. Just as he has helped me remember, via stories,
what matters, the church does the same. Where else can you count on hearing from Scripture and from
someone you know, every week, a story, a reminder, a challenge from our faith experience of God through Jesus
Christ? Don’t tell me that you can get it on TV. I’ve watched way too many folks talk their way right around the
scripture into something that is anything but Biblical. But the church is more than memory and storytelling.
(Continued on Page 2)

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The church is where we, in covenant with God and with one another, dare to consider the things we see and hear
in the light of Christ. And this is where we act on them.

It’s is appropriate, then, for us to mark Veterans’ Day with recognition, thanksgiving, and prayer. It’s appropriate
for us to mark Thanksgiving, a national holiday, in worship as we celebrate this place and those who prepared the
way for us. To paraphrase an old folk song, This land is God’s land – and God-s world- and God’s bounty. And we
must, if we’re aware at all, be thankful people.

Come to worship this weekend. We’ll be giving God thanks, we’ll be listening for God in the Scripture and the
telling, we’ll sing, pray, and share. Come, let’s remember, and worship Christ together.

Chad’s Chatterbox
My spirit was moved last week during worship as we sang, “How Great Thou Art.” It
is a song that meant so much to my late grandmother, Doris Burks, who passed away
a few months ago. With her passing, our family will spend the next several weeks
celebrating the holidays without her. The family gathering will be incomplete this
year.

The loss of someone dear and close causes many to experience feelings of
brokenness. Wholeness is elusive because we have lost a piece of what makes us whole. Scripture provides us
with many stories of healing from Jesus’ ministry. When Jesus heals someone, we often hear him saying, “Go,
your faith has saved you.” The Greek also can be translated to say, “Go, your faith has made you well.” I prefer
the phrase, “Go, your faith has made you whole.”

As we come closer to this holiday season, may your faith bring you ever closer to the one who is your stronghold
and your fortress. May your faith allow you to feel yourself under God’s wing. May your faith make you whole.

Blessings,

Chad
Youth Ministry
Upcoming Events
Saturday, Nov. 20 – 10:00 a.m. Meet at the church to shop for Christmas Angels.
Sunday, Nov. 21 – No youth activities.
Sunday. Nov. 28 – 5:00 p.m. Hanging of the Greens

Children’s Ministry
Upcoming Events
We are planning a Christmas party for the children’s fellowship group on Sunday,
December 12 from 4:00-6:00p.m. Please contact Chad for more information!

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 “Music is the universal language of mankind“
- Longfellow
Sunday Hymn Spotlight:
Gather Us In (Chalice Hymnal #284)
Words and music by Marty Haugen
©1982 GIA Publications
For many of us, the expression “contemporary Christian music” will connote
songs that imitate the style of commercial music heard on Top 40 radio stations. However, the Chalice Hymnal
contains a generous selection of hymns written in the last quarter-century that, despite their obvious modernity
of music and text, really fit quite comfortably with the tradition of hymnody that began with Ambrosian and
Gregorian chant (and these may actually have roots in ancient Jewish music), and continued with Lutheran
chorales, psalm paraphrases of Isaac Watts, and the stirring choruses of John Wesley. The tradition was
enlivened by African-American spirituals, revival choruses, and, more recently, the rhythms and melodic
inflections of rock. These varied styles shared singability, engaging poetry, music that reflected the mood of the
text, and a willingness to deal with specific theological ideas.

Gather Us In is a modern song. Its energetic guitar-generated rhythms and modal (pitches derived from sources
other than conventional major and minor scales) harmonies are strongly reminiscent of music from the 1960’s.
What sets this song apart from most Christian “pop” music is its text, consisting of real poetry in several stanzas.
Avoiding the intentional theological vagueness of many new songs, this one employs a lively imagery to celebrate
the sacraments of the Christian faith and to petition God to “gather in” his people for worship. The dominance of
light as an image recalls another contemporary song , Shine, Jesus Shine , that also feels as much like a traditional
hymn as it does a popular song.

For the 11:00 worship this Sunday (Nov. 21), we will sing Gather Us In as a Communion hymn, as the third stanza
refers to the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper. The Chancel Choir will use the first stanza of the hymn as an introit,
helping the congregation to learn the melody. A versatile hymn, indeed!

According to the Chalice Hymnal Worship Leader’s Companion (St. Louis, 1998), Marty Haugen was born in a
small Minnesota town in 1950, graduated from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, and studied at St. Paul School of
Divinity. His songs are immensely popular in the Roman Catholic church, and seven of his hymns appear in our
Chalice Hymnal. He currently works as composer-in-residence at Mayflower United Church of Christ in
Minneapolis.

Other important writers of hymns in our time are Fred Pratt Green, Brian Wren, Ruth Duck, Hal Hopson and
Austin Lovelace. In the more populist praise and worship movement, writers that stand out for integrity of their
texts are Chris Tomlin and Brian Kelly. We should encourage the creativity and theological depth of these artists
by including their songs in our worship when suitable.

Rob

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 Youth In Action
Lauren Ward performs at
halftime of the York Jr.
High football games.
Lauren is a member of the
York Liberty Babes Drill
Team.

Mitchell
department at The Woodlands CollegeMackert
Park High & Cortland
School.
Samford attended the Coastal
Plains Area Chi Rho Fall Rally in
Galveston on Nov. 12-14. The 6th,
7th & 8th graders are pictured
here after picking up trash off
the beach.

Tracie Miller played the part of

“Grandma Ethel” in the comedy,
Moon over Buffalo, presented
from Nov. 4 – 8 by the theatre
department at The Woodlands
College Park High School.
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Young of Hearts - Dr. John’s Shrimp Boil

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Sunday, November 28 at 5:00 p.m.
“Hanging of the Greens” We are asking
everyone to bring one of your favorite
Christmas decorations to hang our tree. Or
you may come early at 4:30 p.m. and
create your own Christmas decorations for
our tree, and later take home to be a part
of your Christmas traditions.
Poinsettias orders need to
be in by December 8, please.
The order will include a
dedication to honor a loved
one in the bulletin. You may
take your Poinsettias home
or donate them after
Christmas. They are white
with gold foil and $10 each.
DWF Project – Socks for Seniors We will be
collecting socks for our local Senior Citizens on
behalf of Interfaith. Please choose bright, colorful,
fun, SOFT socks for our women, and SOFT calf or
knee high socks for our men. We will be collections
from now through Dec. 4th. Contact Karen
Townsend, Service Chair, for more information
email: 2litttime@sbcglobal.net or call 281-419-
8212. Thank you for your support!
DWF Craft Sale Sunday November 21 in the
Parlor between worship services. Get your
Christmas shopping done early!
Christmas Traditions
Our Advent planning
committee would still like
to try to incorporate
more diversity into our
worship during the
Advent and Christmas
season. We are asking
you to share your own
special memories and
Christmas traditions with
us, with the possibility
that we might just try them out at TWCC.
Traditions that have already been shared in the last
few years are the crismons that have been made
for each family for the Christmas tree, having
Moravian Love Feast buns for communion, and
taking our candles outside to the fire after
Christmas Eve services. Please share your tradition
by emailing a brief description to
becky@atully.com and include your best phone
number just in case we have any questions. We
still need your suggestions as soon as possible,
please. We are looking forward to a blessed and
“traditional" Advent season.
Thursday, December 2 Young of Hearts
Luncheon- Outback Steakhouse 11:30 am
Sign-up sheet in the Narthex. Your hosts are Rose
and Lonnie Sinclair 936-271-0045
New Member Welcome Please Doreen Fiedler
who joined the TWCC congregation on November
14, 2010. If you would like to send a warm note of
welcome, please mail to: 303 Cactus Dr., Conroe,
TX 77385. Welcome to the family!
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 November JOYS and CONCERNS
Happy Birthday Wishes God knows all our joys and concerns
before we do.
Nell Newsom 11/01
Celebrations: We welcome our newest member,
T.J. Ritchie 11/01 Doreen Fiedler! Joyce McGlohn had her highly
Ordie Cherry 11/02 anticipated surgery at Lakeside this week. She is
Akos Lukacs 11/04 currently a patient at St. Luke’s Lakeside, room
Peggy Brittan 11/05 303. Jane Young is at home! We celebrate a
Dennis Cram 11/06 wonderful worship service and Thanksgiving meal
last Sunday.
William Cram 11/06
Bridget Raney 11/11 Prayer and Sympathy are extended to the Dan Cox
Kelsie Hernandez 11/13 family. Dan’s memorial service will be held this
Jon English 11/13 afternoon at 2:00 p.m.
Madison Cherry 11/14
Grace-Full Prayers: Bill Cadwell is at Odyssey Place,
Laura Callison 11/15 room 108 in Conroe; Mary Walther is at Reliant;
Diane Kraus 11/17 Paige DeJarnett; Heather Elliott Ordie Cherry,
Linda Tomlinson 11/18 surgery on the 29th; Paul Cameron III, surgery on
Keith Mackert 11/22 the 30th; Juan Pablo, surgery December 3rd; Cheryl
Jeanette Price 11/22 Barton, missionary friend of the Daniels, cancer
returned; Elmer Hefelfinger, brother-in –law of
Ray Miller 11/24
William Lentz; Aimee Imboden; Diane Rosemond,
Karen Townsend 11/25 cousin of Marilyn Morris; Gayla Shanks; Chad
Wilona Dyson 11/26 Turner; Gorman Vandiver and Shirley Williams; the
Lorene Roy 11/27 Keith Ward family; AJ Gelb; Coastal Plains Area
Paul Heinzer 11/28 Minister Search Committee.
Carolyn Simpson 11/28 Ongoing Prayers: Phyllis Benson; Lucile Castle;
Leon Duff 11/29 Mike Davis; Larry Ducote; Ken Dyson; Ron
Fugarino; Jean Marie Howells; Suzy Lynskey’s son,
November Brian Stanfield; Rose Mae Nokes; Betsy Rabon;
Happy Anniversary Wishes Heide Sumter; Opal Weaver; and for the family and
friends of The Woodlands Christian Church.
Arley & Lonnelle Walters 11/13 Protection and Safety for our traveling members
and for those serving in our military, and all the
Donnely & Gayla Shanks 11/19
medical teams, both civilian and military men and
John & Kathleen Bauman 11/27 women serving around the world, and the family
Paul & Ruth Cameron 11/27 and friends who are waiting at home for their loved
Chad & Cindy Turner 11/28 ones to return.
Bill & Lavena Jennings 11/29

TWCC Permanent Endowment Fund

Account balance to date: $82,036.66

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Daniel Martin Cox
January 12, 1929-November 18, 2010

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 New Stephen Ministry Class to be offered at TWCC
February –April/May 2011

Would you like to join a group of caring individuals who will receive 50 hours
of training to become Stephen Ministers at TWCC? If we can get enough
persons, we plan to have our next class in the February-April/May 2011
period. You could become part of this team that provides care and support for a person who
has suffered a recent loss. Here is an excerpt from a Stephen Minister’s experience.( She is not
from our Area).

Twenty-four years ago, Joanne, the young mother of an infant child, was devastated by the
unexpected death of her husband. In the weeks and months that followed, she tried several
ways of dealing with her grief, but found few resources to help her. As a result of this
experience, a seed was planted in her heart--a desire to be there for others who faced similar
circumstances.

Several years later, when Joanne saw a notice in her church bulletin calling for people to serve
as Stephen Ministers, she responded. "It sparked something in me," Joanne said. "I went to the
training, and I've been with it ever since."

In her decade of service as a Stephen Minister, Joanne has had the opportunity to care for
people with a variety of needs, including a recent care receiver who was a young widow.
Joanne noted, "This care receiver's circumstances were similar to what mine were. It was very
satisfying to be able to give her the kind of help I didn't have."

Like many Stephen Ministers, Joanne has noticed a positive ripple effect on many other aspects
of her life as a result of her involvement in Stephen Ministry. "It helps me handle my friendships
and family relationships more maturely, and before I retired a couple of years ago, it improved
the way I related to my co-workers, too. I think I've developed a more compassionate and
listening nature." Joanne also uses the skills she's learned as a Stephen Minister in her
volunteer work with a local ministry that aids the working poor.

Each of our TWCC Stephen Leaders, Sue Liptrap, Nathan Higginbotham and Steve Montgomery
has over 12 years experience in Stephen Ministry. They will be teaching this class. Please see
them, or one of our current active Stephen Ministers, Kay Benes, Paula Byrd, Tom Evans, Billy
Shaw, or Luke Vandiver to express interest in becoming a part of this wonderful ministry. Also,
pick up a Stephen Ministry brochure in the church foyer for summary information.

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The Woodlands Christian Church
(Disciples of Christ)
1202 N. Millbend Dr.
The Woodlands, TX 77380
Phone(281) 292-8858
FAX (291) 292-8881
www.twcc.org

Ministry Team
John C. Callison, D.Min., Senior Minister
Chad Turner, M.Div., Associate Minister, Children & Youth
Dr. Robert Hunt, Director of Music Ministries
Suzanne DuBois, Office Manager
Shelia McFarland, Receptionist

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