[m-m-online] September 8th, 2006

[Minister to Minister online]

Minister to Minister Online

CONGRATULATIONS TO . . .

Pastor and Marcia Huebel on the birth of their first grandchild,
John William Fiene, born August 22 to Hans and Katie Fiene.
Hans is on vicarage at Immanuel Lutheran in Terre Haute, IN.
The new family is doing well. John will be baptized on Sept. 3
with both grandfathers (Glenn and Pastor John Fiene of
Zionsville, IN) participating.

Claudetta Theiss on her retirement from the Texas District, LCMS 
president's office.

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UNDECIDED

Brad Heintz, Gloria Dei, Houston, to Holy Cross, North Miami, Florida

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INSTALLATION OF DISTRICT PRESIDENT

You are cordially invited to the installation of Rev.
Ken Hennings as President of the Texas District and
also the Vice Presidents, Rev. Ralph Hobratschk,
Rev. Carroll Kohl, Rev. Robert Preece and Rev. David Schroder.

Sunday Sept. 10 at 3 p.m.
Redeemer Lutheran Church
1500 West Anderson Lane
Austin, TX

A buffet reception will be held in the Redeemer gymnasium following the 
service.


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RETREAT FOR PRAYER AND SPIRITUALITY

The Need for Retreat – The Need for Solitude with God

Walter E. Waiser, Peace, Hurst

Several years ago, at the same conference but at separate
times, two friends made the same comment to me: “I need
to learn how to be alone with God.” Each knew of the
48-hour retreat I lead, and of my personal practice of
retreat. Interestingly, one is about seven years older,
the other seven years younger than my 56 years.

“I need to learn how to be alone with God.” It was January
of 1990, when I went off alone to spend a week in the
desert of Big Bend National Park. At least seven years prior,
I began to explore the idea of retreat. It began with a
monthly eight-hour day at a nearby lake. Then I wondered
what a 24-hour, overnight retreat would be like. After
a number of overnights, I explored a 48- hour retreat
for solitude with God. A number of quarterly 48-hour
retreats led me to a week in the desert.

As I write this piece, I am completing my quarterly,
personal 48 hours of solitude with God. Even after 20
years of intentional retreat and two weeks in the desert
of Big Bend, I still experience resistance to being
alone with God. Sometimes I still struggle at the
beginning to heed God’s words of Psalm 46 – “Be still
and know that I am God.” Sometimes I still struggle
to let God “make me lie down in green pastures, lead
me beside still water, (to) restore my soul” [Ps 23:2-3a].
Almost always, it feels like there are more important
things I need to do at work.

Having learned over the years of retreat, how renewing
it is to have God “restore my soul,” I now deal with
the resistance and the struggle. God has also impressed
on me that alone in retreat, He will energize and renew my
passion for ministry in the Name of Jesus.

Come with me on October 2 – 4, to beautiful Canyon of
the Eagles on Lake Buchanan. This 48-hour retreat is
a guided opportunity with other professional church
workers and spouses to explore solitude with God.
It’s your opportunity to discover not only how God
will “restore your soul,” but give you a renewed
energy for life and ministry.

Come with me: Pastors, Educators, Business Managers,
Music Directors, any full-time Church Workers AND
your spouses, if they desire. Join me Monday,
October 2, 1:30 p.m. through Wednesday, October 4 at
12:00 noon. If you regret the time spent, I will
refund your registration fee. For more information
and to register, please go to: www.txdistlcms.org
and open Retreat for Prayer and Spirituality –
right on the Texas District’s homepage! I hope
to see you on Retreat.


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Retirement Planning Workshop

Concordia Plan Services and the Texas District
are hosting a 2-day workshop for professional
church workers and their spouses in help
understand the process of planning for retirement.
This workshop will include sessions on budgeting
and finance, income, envisioning retirement
lifestyle, health concerns, where to live and
what to do with you time in retirement. It will
be held October 16-17, 2006 at Trinity Lutheran
Church, Houston, and beginning at 9:00 am. on
the 16th.

Registration is $20.00 each person to cover three
meals and another $20.00 for each person to take
a financial planning instrument provided by CPS.
(Housing is on you own, but a Comfort Suits
has given us a reduced rate.) Space is available,
but time is running out. The planning instrument
needs to be taken on line in time for
results to be printed and brought to the workshop.
Each couple will have a chance for a personal
meeting with a rep. from CPS at the workshop.
Questions? Contact John Hirsch in the District
office. (800-951-3478 or jhirsch at txdistlcms.org)

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To make submissions to this newsletter, please email bittner at txdistlcms.org