March 2012
Peace Talk
Peace Lutheran Church
570-343-9828
www.yourpeace.org
Supporting our members!
Dawn Silvi honored with MS donation. Dawn Silvi, a member stricken with Multiple Sclerosis, was the inspiration behind the church council voting to donate $750 to a Sam's Club fundraiser for the MS Foundation. George Price and Ed Smith, members of Peace who work at Sam's Club asked the church council for the donation when they saw information about the fundraiser. It ended up to be a beautiful thing because in the process of it all, Peace Lutheran became a member of Sam's Club and, on top of it all, Sam's Club donated quite a large selection of paper dispenser products to us!
Quite the large gathering was formed at Sam's Club this past month when Ed Smith (far left), Kevin Woolverton (second from left), Audrey Russel and George Price (not pictured) presented the $750 to the MS Foundation. A great example of our church being "Christ" in our community!
IN THIS NEWSLETTER:
• Supporting MS • Lutheran Education • NEWS AND NOTES • Book Recomendations • Lenten Worship notes. • St. Patrick's Hymn • Youth News! • Mission News!
Marja Bjornstad, posing with Hannah Bjornstad and Nicole Calpin after winning the Banana Cram at the youth Lock in Feb. 17-18 here at Peace. Our numbers were down (compared with our last one), but the fun was NOT! We talked about the Christian civic duty on President's Day weekend!
An Ap o s t ol ic Mis sion Co ngregation of Th e Lutheran Ch urch Mi s souri Sy n od
“So when the devil throws your sins in your face and declares that you deserve death and hell, tell him this: "I admit that I deserve death and hell, what of it? For I know One who suffered and made satisfaction on my behalf. His name is Jesus Christ, Son of God, and where He is there I shall be also!” ― Martin Luther
Lutheran Education Week is March 4-11! Mark 10:13 People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. 14 When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. YES, WE, PEACE LUTHERAN CHURCH, HAVE OUR VERY BEAUTIFUL SCHOOL! In partnership with Immanuel Lutheran Preschool, we provide a VERY excellent Christian Eductation for families in our church and community. This is of more and more importance as our world turns more and more away from our Lord! We are small and we need to grow, but God is good and we are thrilled with each child that God gives us to nurture! Please pray for The Lutheran Academy and the Immanuel Preschool! Thank you for ALL your love and support! Marilyn Wright, volunteer and
supporter of the Academy has three of her grandchildren attending. She has THIS to say about the Academy:
6. Opportunities outside of class to share faith & new skills (such as TODAY & next Sunday in church).
Here's why I favor Christian education, specifically the Lutheran Academy here in Scranton:
7. Promotion of & opportunities for outreach by children in our community. (Teaching an active, servant-faith..)
1. Prayer in school is legal.
8. EXCELLENT TEACHERS!
2. They teach Latin! (Best thing going for broadening vocabulary & understanding English, as well as helping with several other languages).
9. Pastor participation, support, & leadership from 2 churches.
3. Small classes, thus more individual attention. 4. More music education with hands-on instrument learning as well as vocal training! 5. Participation at least weekly in Christian worship.
10. "Ownership" support by members of 2 churches, both financially & through volunteerism. ...and I praise God for the opportunity 3 of my grandkids have to receive this EXCELLENT EDUCATION! - Marilyn B Wright Peace Lutheran Church Member
PEACE NEWS AND NOTES THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THE ACADEMY AT THE FEBRUARY 12TH CHOCOLATE PANCAKE BREAKFAST! $360 was made and another $200 will come from the support of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans!
WE NEED PARADE MARCHERS MARCH 10TH with our float! "Jesus is the Healer of the Nations" We also need help Thursday/Friday (March 8/9) night putting it all together! RECOMMENDED BOOKS: Pastor Bjornstad was asked to publish the books he would recommend. Gleaning his bookshelf he would love to share THESE TWO BOOKS this month: + "How Much is Enough? Hungering for God in an Affluent Culture" by Arthur Simon. (subject plain) + "I Married You" by Walter Trobisch (very good read on the nature of marriage and how we can cleave to our spouse with God's help.) LCMS RELIEF EFFORTS are getting under way in the tornado devestated areas of our midwest already this year. We need to be praying for our brothers and sisters who are in need, and asking ourselves how we might help! CARSTEN BJORNSTAD continues to serve a missionary family by teaching their children in La Paz, Bolivia. He is doing well and will be returning at the beginning of April. Thank you for your prayers! ORGAN UPDATE: The church council and worship committee have met with Robert M. Sides, the organ installers, expressing our disappointment in the placement of the organ speakers. An independent organ installer will be coming to Peace and assessing the installation and make further recommendations to how we can make the organ sound its very best. We hope that this will help us to bring this all to a resolution!
MARCH 24TH is the Fish Dinner at Immanuel Lutheran Church will be from 12noon to 5pm!
St. Patrick's Breastplate Hymn: (excerpt) Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left, Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise, Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me, Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me, Christ in every eye that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me. I arise today Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity, Through belief in the threeness, Through confession of the oneness, Of the Creator of Creation.
NEPA LUTHERAN MISSION PARTNERSHIP MEETINGS have been focused these past months on planning for our 2012 NEPA Mission Festival to be held Sunday, April 29th at St. Stephen's Lutheran Church! Please make your plans for that special day starting at 3pm! RESOURCES ON THE SUBJECT OF DEATH AND DYING (our Lenten Theme because we Christians can actually be comfortable talking about it - we have a savior whose name is Jesus!) Pastor has prepared a pamphlet to help plan your funeral service and witness. Pick one up at the back of the church and fill it out. Don't forget to share it with your loved ones! You can keep a copy at the church office as well if you would like! Pastor also has a devotional audio book called "Preparing to Die" which is quite beautiful and good for all those who are seeking assurances about God's word concerning death, dying, and our spiritual attitude toward them. Please ask for a CD! PLEASE KEEP IN YOUR PRAYERS: Grace Morris recovering from foot surgery; Judy and Mark Herie, Liesl Fields, Michele Wilson, Lillian Wheeler, Anita Holzman
Go to dark Gethsemane, ye that feel the tempter’s power; Your Redeemer’s conflict see, watch with Him one bitter hour, Turn not from His griefs away; learn of Jesus Christ to pray.
Thoughts on Worship:
"The actual reason we don’t “have” to worship is that Christ has fulfilled God’s requirements for us! However, just because Jesus has fulfilled the law for us does not negate the desire of the Lord that his people gather in regular worship and praise of His name, hear His holy word, and experience a “holy communion” with God and His family. There is no doubt, for example, that heaven itself is nothing short of a joyful “congregational” worship. And what do we pray in the Lord’s prayer? Only (!) that God’s will in heaven be done here on earth. And when we read the Gospel accounts we see that Jesus himself joined in the synagogue worship on each Sabbath. Who is the fool who says that it was good for him but not for us?" - from a recent blog post of PastorBjornstad's
Worship Highlights for March:
Lenten Midweek Services: "The Sign of Jonah"
March 4 is Lutheran Education Sunday! Our Sunday Sermon Themes for Lent are: Dealing with Death: Dealing with Death: Dealing with Death: Dealing with Death: Dealing with Death: Own
What is it? Hope within our Dying Body The Resurrection Reality The Death of Others The Sacred Death that is Your
Please direct any questions on death you might have to pastor! PALM SUNDAY IS APRIL 1 (with brunch!)
Midweek Services all this month!!!! Wednesdays at 10 am and 7pm
GOOD FRIDAY SERVICES ARE AT 11:30 AND 7PM
THE CHOIR'S NEXT REHEARSALS ARE MARCH 9 AND 16TH at 7pm! Please feel free to join us! EASTER BELL CHOIR WILL BE FORMING!!: Our rehearsals will be Monday evening from 7-7:30 starting March 12th! Please come and share with us in this ministry!
MAKING YOUR APPOINTMENT WITH THE KING POSSIBLE EVERY SUNDAY: We want to THANK all those who make our worship so beautiful! This month we recognize the ALTAR GUILD, including Debbie Price, Amy Betts, Judy Evans, Ramona Brown, and Beverly Gedrimas. And we can't forget that other Altar Guild "member" who just sees what needs to be done on Sunday morning and does it without being asked: Rick Hellard!
NEW WORSHIPPERS: There have been new worshippers that you might have noticed. Among them has been Colleen Mitchell and her mother Rose Czachor. Sometimes they bring nephews and nieces as well! Colleen just gave birth to her new baby Abigail, and she will be baptized soon! OUR DEAR LILLIAN COLBERT is celebrating her birthday in March! We celebrate the many blessings that she loves to share with so many. God is so good! Happy Birthday Lillian! We love you!
GOD IS GOOD YOUTH NOTES: YOUTH NIGHTS EVERY FRIDAY NIGHT HERE AT THE CHURCH FELLOWSHIP HALL! All youth from the church and the neighborhood are welcome! We have been having a blast! Thank you to Cheryl Ann and Tina for organizing this! Help always appreciated!
UPCOMING EVENTS: MARCH 10: St. Patrick's Day PARADE! Join us with our "Jesus, Healer of the Nation" float! MARCH 17: MARRIAGE INVITATIONAL DINNER: All married couples are invited to join our beautiful dinner and fellowship at 6pm here at the church! We will continue our presentations on "Passion" in our marriages! March 19 is our Lenten Fair! (date changed from the 11th) Every year we have our "Lenten Fair" for whole families to experience! This year we would ask children, parents, and grandparents to come at 9am for an hour and a half of exciting activities and learning... everything from ashes to the cross and easter eggs! MARCH 26: MEN'S BREAKFAST! Calling all MEN! We will meet at 9am at Panera Bread in Dickson City!! Be there! APRIL 1st: PALM SUNDAY BRUNCH! Our fabulous annual Palm Sunday Brunch tradition will continue! PLEASE come and share a beautiful breakfast and fellowship beginning at 9am! Sponsored and served by our Sunday School kids! GOOD FRIDAY RE-ENACTMENT OF THE CRUCIFIXION! Building on our first reenactment last year, we hope this year we will once more bring a powerful and beautiful witness to the front lawn of our church. Come and share with us beginning at 11:30. You will hear more about how you can actually participate in the reenactment.
We PRAISE GOD for the Sunday School for their visit to the nursing home to deliver the HEART of God on Feb. 12th! It was a beautiful time!!!! COMING UP IN MAY 11-13th is our CAMP PIONEER WEEKEND!!!!! Join the fun! Also encouraged is summer confirmation and youth camps - and family camps as well! Please see www.pioneercamp.org for more info!
HOLY SATURDAY, APRIL 7th SPECIAL SEDER MEAL and presentation by Jews For Jesus at IMMANUEL LUTHERAN CHURCH, Scranton! More information to come, but Peace is specially invited to join our brothers and sisters at Immanuel. Pot Luck Dinner at 5pm! APRIL 15th, we will have "Concordia Sunday" with Pastor Dwyer from Concordia University, Bronxville, NY coming to preach and share. We want all our area youth to come and meet him!