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Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd.
The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep”
(John 10:11).


Dear friends in Jesus, our Good Shepherd,

Make no mistake about it: the life of Christ for us was along a hard and painful road. Jesus begins his earthly ministry and his journey to the cross by a time of loneliness and struggle in the desert. So intense is the struggle that the angels attend him! That’s a mystery deep and profound. What possible help could they be? Given the seriousness with which he begins his journey to the cross, you can be sure that his call to repentance was not cute or trivial. 

The good news is that Jesus was victorious in the struggle, and that he won it for us. Now he calls us into his kingdom and to struggle against the foes of the devil, the world and your own flesh… with him as your strength and support and with the holy angels as your companions.

Our Theme for This Sunday: Jesus Defeated the Devil for Us 
The season of Lent began with Ash Wednesday. Historically, it was a period of time during which the Christian would deny himself certain luxuries or behaviors in order to focus more clearly on the tremendous sacrifice that Christ made for us on the cross. Technically, the Sundays during Lent are not considered part of the forty-day season, and, therefore, the passion history itself is not generally part of the Scripture lessons appointed for these days. This Sunday's Scripture lessons remind us of the stark contrast between God’s perfection and our sin-stained imperfection, but also of the victory Christ has won on our behalf and has credited to us.

See you this weekend!

This Week

Sunday

   9:00am-Education Hour 

  • Sunday School for children
  • "Politics Is Driving Me Crazy" Adult Class
  • "Starting Point" Foundation BIC Class

   10:30am-Worship with Holy Communion

   4:00pm-Teen Bible Study

Monday

   9:00am-Pastors Circuit Meeting in Houston

   6:00pm-Discipleship Meeting

   7:00pm-Elders Meeting

Tuesday

   6:30pm-Bells Practice

   7:30pm-Choir Practice

Wednesday

   10:00am-Midweek Bible Study ("Law and Gospel")

   6:15pm-Catechism Class

   7:15pm-Lent Worship

Next Sunday

   Daylight Savings!

   9:00am-Education Hour (Sunday School, Adult and Foundation Classes)

   10:30am-Worship

Join us! Invite others!

Lent Midweek Worship Series
Our midweek Lent services are Wednesday evening at 7:15pm, through April 1. Our theme is “The Son of God Goes Forth to War.” Many people picture Jesus in robes, holding a shepherd’s staff and guiding his sheep. Others see him crowned and bright, sitting on a throne in heaven. Less commonly today, we recognize him as the brave and often-opposed soldier the Word tells us he is. This Lenten season, we will take a thoughtful look at Christ’s role as a warrior by reflecting on Scripture’s telling of the battle against sin and death that Jesus fought and won for us. We will focus on the tremendous courage, humility, and power of our Savior—and his ultimate victory!  Join us! 

Guest Preachers
We are thankful for the opportunity to have guest preachers from our nearby sister congregations. Our Wednesday services also include the pastors and vicar (intern) from Abiding Word in Houston and Beautiful Savior in College Station. Each service will focus on an aspect of our Savior-warrior as he is promised to us, fights our enemies for us, and triumphs over them for us. Here is our series:

Other Updates:

Ushers and Counters
We are in need of volunteers each week to usher during the service and to count offerings for the weekly deposit. If you are interested to serve as an usher, please sign up here: www.gslcthewoodlands.org/ushers If you are interested to serve as a counter, please sign up here: www.gslcthewoodlands.org/counters  You may also sign up on the bulletin board in the entry. We will gladly provide training for you to serve. Blair has prepared a sheet of simple instructions so that the counting process may be done by anyone and take about 15 minutes after worship. She will gladly answer any questions you may have: office@gslcthewoodlands.org Thank you!

Online Sermons and Podcasts
If you would like to watch or share the sermons at Good Shepherd, you may find these online at https://www.gslcthewoodlands.org/sermons. You may also subscribe to our sermon podcasts on your mobile device by clicking HERE.

Our “Above and Beyond” giving emphasis for March: Church Office Remodel

In 2018 we updated the pastors’ offices and the hallway with fresh paint, flooring, furniture, and window treatments. We are now planning to begin the second phase of our office updating project. This phase is a bit more extensive as a couple walls will be removed. We will combine the church office, workroom, and hallway to become one large workspace. This open concept will help us have better space utilization, allow for multiple work stations, and help us to be more collaborative. Our storage organization and accessibility will increase. The secretary will be more visible to visitors. She will also have better access and sight into the hallway. We will reuse the cabinetry and build a movable island for projects.

On February 9, the Voters approved the raising of funds for this project. We hope to gather $25,000. We have a donor that will match gifts up to $10,000. We plan to begin construction after sufficient funds are gathered. It is our hope, God-willing, that this phase will completed this summer.

Would you be willing to help? If you would like to support this effort, please designate your offering at church or online as "Above and Beyond." There are also envelopes for this effort in the church entryway. Thank you for your consideration!

If you have any questions, please speak to our congregation president, Michael Loeffel (832-823-9586, msloeffel@gmail.com) or one of our pastors.
WELS International Youth Rally

This summer is the biennial youth rally for our church body. Would your teen be interested in attending? We are planning to work together with our Houston-area churches for registration and transportation. Our churches are renting 15-passenger vans for transportation, which would add about $50/person.

Here is the basic rally info:
Dates: June 23-26, 2020
Theme"20/20 Vision: Seeing Christ Clearly. Serving Christ Boldly."
Location: University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Benefits:
  • Hang out with 2,000+ peers who share your faith.
  • Listen to speakers with stories of faith and hope from around the world.
  • Attend worships with a biblical perspective on timely teen topics.
  • Worship with thousands of teens.
  • Enjoy music, comedy, recreation, and FOOD!
  • Go on excursions: theme park, tubing, paintball & more.
Registration begins March 2
Ages: Entering 9th Grade in Fall 2020 to Entering College Fall 2020
Cost: Early bird rate $375 (plus $50/person transportation from Houston area)

Contact us soon if you have interest. Please also contact us if you have any questions or would like more information. Our church had three teens attend the youth rally two years ago, and they could share their experience with you.

From our church body:

WELS: Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synodwww.wels.net

Youth and Teen Summer Camps at Camp Shiloh
It is time to plan your summer events! Youth Camp is for those entering Grades 3-8: June 21-26. Activities and living quarters will be divided between 4th-5th and 6th-8th. Teen Camp is for those entering Grades 9-12: June 14-19. $320 per camper and multiple children discounts may apply. For more information or to register, click HERE.

Women's Spring Retreat for Houston-area WELS churches
"A Season for Everything," on March 20-21. Join us for a weekend of fellowship and time in the Scriptures! Our featured presenter, Cindi Holman, will guide us in exploring how God uses us in each season of our lives. Location: Hampton Inn, 120 Ravenwood Village Dr., Huntsville, TX 77340. Dates: Friday, March 20, Retreat Begins at 6:30 pm; Saturday, March 21, 9:00am-3:00pm (Optional Activities from 3:00-5:00pm). Cost: Retreat Registration Only: $40/person, with other options for lodging. To register or learn more, click HERE.


Our CHURCH is a family of believers who gather to worship and serve the Lord, led by our Good Shepherd, Jesus. We focus on faith; We feel like family; We foster fellowship. It is our prayer that you will gather together with us!

Our LEARNING CENTER offers a Christ-centered, quality education in a safe and loving environment, serving children 18 months through transition.


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