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FLC This Week
  • Family4Life Meal
  • Worship Notes
  • Save The Dates
Family4Life 
This weekend, First Lutheran is hosting Family4Life. This important organization holds a camp for siblings who are separated while in foster care, to keep them connected as family in a difficult time. They have a trained team to help these children have a weekend together.  They will come and go throughout the weekend and you won't likely see them on Sunday. The program founder, Rob Rodriguez, has been exceedingly grateful to us for hosting them.  The city has had fee increases that make it impossible for them to use the facilities they did.  We are happy to be able to make this possible for kids who have so few opportunities to be with family.  

We will be making Mac&Cheese for them for lunch on Saturday. We will have everything we need at the church, and just need some folks to come stir and serve.  If you can help around 10:30, contact Pastor Tim at pastortim@flcsm.org or 830-534-5507.  

To read more about Family4Life, you can go to https://www.family4life.org/ . 
Worship for September 11th
The grumbling of the religious leaders in today’s gospel is actually our holy hope: This Jesus welcomes sinners and eats with them. That our God seeks and saves the lost is not only a holy hope, it is our only hope. As the writer of 1 Timothy reminds us, “The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” Thanks be to God.

Stained Glass "Lost Coin parable", from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. https://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=54792 Location Unknown 
Zoom Link: 
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81459937029?pwd=Z0pTMXVjUWU5VkxEQXBva2FDRHhXQT09

Meeting ID: 814 5993 7029                     Passcode: 106355
(Those shouldn't be necessary if you use the link)

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/firstlutheransmtx/
(If the above links do not work, try the red buttons on the top of https://flcsm.org/ instead.)
The readings for this Sunday are: 
  • Exodus 32:7-14
    Moses begs the Lord to turn from anger against the Hebrews
  • Psalm 51:1-10
    Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love. (Ps. 51:1)
  • 1 Timothy 1:12-17
    Christ Jesus came for sinners
  • Luke 15:1-10
    Looking for the lost sheep, silver coin: Jesus eating with sinners
You can find the readings each week by going to https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/ and clicking on the date. Our Old Testament reading and Psalm are the second set listed. 

Our hymns are: 

Gathering Song Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing (ELW 807)
Hymn of the Day Amazing Grace, How Sweet the Sound (ELW 779)

Communion hymn: There's a Wideness in God's Mercy (ELW 588)
Sending Song Lord, Speak to Us, That We May Speak (ELW 676)

 
The worship book now has a permanent address so you can find it easily and there will be fewer chances for errors. It will be at http:// http://flcsm.org/next-sunday-worship-book/ . You might find a placeholder file there during the week. It will be posted by Saturday at the latest.  (There may be changes in prayers and other small items, but the link should remain the same. If there are any major changes, which we do not anticipate, we would send another email on Sunday.)
 
More full instructions are on the website. Additionally, if you cannot access from the usual links, check the website because Zoom often implements updates on the weekend.  The website can be changed in minutes if needed to update links or passwords. You can find all the information at 

IF YOU GO there on Saturday and Sunday and find last weeks file you need to fully refresh your browser because your computer is reading its cached version. 
If that does not work try getting the file from the specific date link on the worship page
Save The Dates for Fall
Congregational Meeting Oct 23rd 
Thanksgiving Worship and Potluck: Nov. 20th 
Current FLC COVID Practices 
(Last change in April 2022)
The FLC Council, based on current public health recommendations adopted the following.

“Based on guidance from the CDC, because we are currently in a “low transmission” status, the church council has decided that wearing masks will be optional during hours that Kids Of The Kingdom is not in operation. (7 am to 6 pm weekdays masks will be mandatory to follow State of Texas requirements for child care centers.)

If Hays County goes into a “high transmission” category we will immediately resume mandatory masking at all times per CDC guidelines. 

Zoom and Facebook will continue to be available for those not wishing to be in person.” 

This policy is effective immediately. 

Other notes:  As we adjust to a new phase and the pandemic becomes endemic (a disease that continues to circulate but against which we have more immunity and precautions available), we are all ready to respond to risks differently. Of course we expect everyone in our church community to respect the ways others choose to protect themselves. But we also want to be aware of ways to support one another. For some, wearing a mask may also be a sign that they are wanting to keep more personal space than we might have considered normal a few years ago. As our faith tells us to be more concerned for our neighbor than ourselves, we need to be aware of these signals and make returning to church in-person as comfortable as we can for all, no matter how we are ready to engage the risks of being in public.

Please be aware of the still increased cautions that Kids Of The Kingdom continues to take. The children in our care cannot be vaccinated yet because of age. During operating hours, we must require that you wear a mask when not in a separate space away from more than one other person. These are strictly enforced rules put in place by state childcare licensing and we cannot risk any violation. 

If you visit the church building during KOK hours (M-F 7 am to 6 pm), PLEASE use the main doors by the church office. This is especially important at pick-up time in the late afternoon until 6 pm. Parents are still not allowed in the building and it is confusing to parents and difficult for staff when people use those doors while they are dismissing children. 
First Lutheran Staff and Contact Info: 
Pastor: The Rev. Tim Bauerkemper 
Office Manager: Sue Cole
Music Director: Dr. Cynthia Gonzales
Organist: Joe Callan
pastortim@flcsm.org
firstlutheran@grandecom.net
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