The La Grange City Council voted unanimously at a meeting Monday to donate three lots in the Hope Hill Subdivision to Fayette County Habitat for Humanity. The Christian nonprofit Samaritan’s Purse built the Hope Hill neighborhood for local victims of the 2017 Hurricane Harvey flood.

A Multi-County Child Care Conference was hosted on April 30th by Colorado, DeWitt, Fayette, Lavaca, and Gonzales County Family & Community Health Agents. The event was held at the Shiner Lutheran Church in Shiner, and provided childcare providers with six workshop hours for their annual state mandated training.

Congratulations to Fayetteville resident Miles Gillette who was named an Outstanding Undergraduate by Baylor University as part of Baylor’s recent Academic Honors Convocation. The celebration is hosted by Baylor’s Honors College and recognizes students who have distinguished themselves in their field of study.

The Ellinger Chamber of Commerce has scheduled Bingo for Saturday, May 14. Doors will open at 4:30 p.m. and the games will get underway at 6 p.m. There will also be two Jackpot games. Refreshments will be served including hamburgers, hot dogs, nachos, and delicious desserts.

Founded in 1971 by concert pianist James Dick, Round Top Festival Institute offers selected talented young artists a six week program including Orchestral, Chamber music, and solo repertoires... in the smallest incorporated town in Texas. (pop. 90)

The La Grange Senior Citizens Activity Group, Inc. held their meeting/luncheon on Thursday, May 5 at the City of La Grange Randolph Recreation Center. President Glenn Altwein welcomed the group and Board Member Audrey Huenefeld had a prayer.

The staff of the Fayette Heritage Museum and Archives is excited to resume its series of Texas history programs with a book signing and talk at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 19, by Thomas Alter, II, associate professor of history at Texas State University, who specializes in labor and Texas history.

Fayette County Habitat for Humanity is doing a major remodel on their garage sale fundraisers. On June 4 the housing organization will be celebrating the grand opening of Habitat Home Supply, a resale shop in Schulenburg.

In this monthly series, local realtor Andrea Schutter Riebeling does a Q & A with local business leaders about what inspires them. This month’s spotlight is on Sherrie Cooke of Busted Oak Cellars in Carmine.

Since the early days of the 16th century reformation, the Lutheran church has enjoyed a reputation as a singing church. It is a heritage in which we ought to take pride and one which we ought to preserve for future generations. Leaf through our hymnal, Lutheran Service Book, and you will find a treasure trove of texts and tunes. We have hymn texts dating back as far as around 400 AD (“Of the Father’s Love Begotten,” for example) that Christians have been using for centuries. Of course we have hymns of the Reformation by Martin Luther and others. What would our Reformation celebration look like without a rousing rendition of “A Mighty Fortress?” There are settings arranged by musical genius and Lutheran cantor J.S. Bach, such as that of “Break Forth, O Beauteous Heavenly Light.” Our hymnal also includes a number of newer hymns by modern-day authors such as Pastor Stephen Starke and composers like Kevin Hildebrand. Through the ages, God’s people have been making music to the glory of the Triune God.