NEWSLETTER May 2015
Peace Talk
House of Prayer on Parker and Main Supporting the Traditional View of Marriage LCMS President Rev. Harrison joined 34 other religious voices to speak of the blessings of the God-given institution of marriage and express support for the freedom of conscience that belongs to all, including Christians. Released April 23, the letter “promotes and defends” marriage as the union of one man and one woman, and acknowledges that “marriage is the foundation of the family where children are raised by a mother and a father together.” “The Defense of Marriage and the Right of Religious Freedom: Reaffirming a Shared Witness,” is an open letter to “those in positions of public service.” To read his letter visit http://blogs.lcms.org/2015/harrison-joins-faith-leaders
May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you. May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you,
Pastor’s Message: I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. 7 But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift. - Eph. 4:1-7 The blessings of the Lord continue to pour down upon our heads here at Peace Lutheran Church, the “Prisoners of Hope” that God has won from sin, death and the devil. The shouts of “He is Risen! He is Risen Indeed! Alleluia! Amen!” continue to echo in our worship every Sunday here in the season of Easter - and we certainly “see” what that means in our working together here on the front lines of the battlefield against the devil and all the spiritual forces of darkness. The biggest and most amazing blessing that I see is how the Lord has built up our ministry team here at Peace. Heather Luklanchuk and Wendy Laird, along with all our volunteers at the Academy continue to give the BEST elementary education in Scranton, bar none! Bonnie and Jerry Cornog are almost full time volunteers doing the church books and managing the renovations over at the Lutheran Ministry Center. Then there is Susan Crosbie,
our Parish Nurse, who is visiting our sick and ministering to them. Even more, Amy Betts has completed her “orientation by fire” and is dong an incredible job in ministry. Amy is NOT a secretary, but she is a full partner in ministry organizing and administering the congregation. And then Pastor Nischal has been working every day in partnership with us to raise up a new mission church, “The Church of All Nations,” at the LMC. All of this is just the tip of the ice berg! There are SO many others who are part of this amazing “body of Christ” who have been raised up and strengthened to be participants in the true miracle that our congregation is. Bulletin Mailer? Elsie does it! ESL volunteers? Check! Youth Night volunteers? Check! Acolytes and Altar servers? Check! Sunday School and VBS teachers? Check! Ushers? Check! Council members? Check! Prayer warriors? Check! Janitors? Check! Organists? Check! Devoted tithers? Check! And the list goes ON and ON. How the Lord has anointed us! How we love each other and encourage each other and work with each other. We are not perfect (that is for sure), but we are forgiven and empowered by God. Be encouraged… keep the faith… exercise your God given gifts… rejoice always! The Kingdom of Heaven is ours and our God is far bigger than we can imagine. We don’t know the future, but we can be sure that God is preparing us for even greater miracles. In Jesus,
Pastor
The Immanuel Preschool and the Lutheran Academy! Working in partnership with God's people to raise up a new generation of faithful Christian men and women!
Academy Board UPDATE The April TLA Board meeting was held at the new Lutheran Ministry Center. Decisions are being made about classroom space and how best to use the avaialable space while keeping the sudents comfortable and safe. Some new desks were purchased for quite a good deal, along with more white boards. The faculty and board are excited to show the public as well as you, our supporters, just how lovely the space is going to be for the Academy at the May 31 Celebration Dinner and Dedication Service. We hope you will make plans to come to all or part of that special day. The Board is still in search of a second full-time teacher for next school year. The ad below is being shared throughout the area. Please help us spread the word, and most of all, pray for a skilled, caring Christian teacher.
Spirited Art Fundraiser
Peace members and TLA supporters in attendance: Back row- Jane Borchin, Bill Stavisky, Brenda Colbert, Pastor Bjonrstad, Susan Crosbie. Front row- Heather Luklanchuk, Lillian Colbert, Kate Hughes, and Amy Betts.
On Thursday, April 23rd 36 painters tackled an interepretation of Irises by Van Gogh. The Lutheran Academy received a check for $360 as a result of this fundraiser. TLA principal Heather Luklanchuk shared information about The Lutheran Academy in hopes of spreading the good news of our school. A huge thank you to Brenda Colbert for organizing, Colbert & Grebas, P.C. for the refreshments, and Ky Betts for his Van Gogh knowledge and instruction of the painting.
Classical, Lutheran School in Scranton, PA looking for a Christian teacher for grades 5-7 beginning in the fall for the 2015-2016 school year. Teacher will be responsible for teaching the following to those grades: Grammar, Literature, History, Science, Math. Latin experience is a bonus. Please submit your resume to lutheranacademyscranton@verizon.net. Please put “Resume” in the subject line. You can email with further questions, and we will respond as quickly as possible.
Student Spotlight
I Don’t Drink Because Life is A Gift
Don’t Let Alcohol Weigh You Down
As mentioned in the March neswsletter, BIG congratulations to two of our students: Nora Betts and Sarah Bjornstad for getting their artwork chosen for the PA Liquor Control Board’s Alcohol Awareness Poster Contest to bring awareness about the dangers of drinking. Nora's poster was chosen as the winner of the 5th grade group from the whole state! Sarah received an honorable mention! Both girls, along with the other state-wide winners, were recognized in a ceremony on Wednesday, April 8th at the capitol building in Harrisburg. The girls represented The Lutheran Academy beautifully! Ky and Amy Betts (and Alfred too) took Nora and Sarah down to the ceremony. While there, they toured the capitol building and learned about state government procedures and saw the Senate floor, State House of Representative hall and even the Pennsylvania Supreme Court chambers. This was an amazing expereince for the girls and only added to the joys of winning the art contest. School websites: www.thelutheranacademyscranton.org
and
www.leccs.org
Pray without ceasing - 1 Thes. 5:17 Remember to ask: "How can I pray for you?"
HAPPY NEWS AND NOTES: + AROUND THE CONGREGATION
Kyle Ward graduates on May 4th from Metropolitan State University in Minnesota with a degree in Philosophy and a business minor. We acknowledge and commend this accomplishment done alongside his wife, two young children and while working full time. Evan Hughes recently created five 9’x4’ baseball-themed canvases for the SWB Railriders in their indoor club and suite sections. Ky Betts completed a Dr Seuss themed mural for the children’s playroom at Toyota of Scranton. Judy Herie is preparing to move to Florida. We pray her preparations be smooth and the transition a blessing. Mike Evans is back after a great experience from his first tour employed with the cruise line. He is in town for a few months and we look forward to seeing him in church. Susan Crosbie has begun working for a nursing home in the Greenridge area. Pastor Nischal was hired to fill a part time chaplaincy position in a hospice agency. This is so important to help with the support of his family. PRAISE THE LORD!! Sharon Alexander's husband Torre, a master craftsman, has agreed to build the new church altar at the LMC. Beverly Gedrimas is getting stronger and healthier everyday. We praise God for his healing hands. Pastor Bjornstad and Mark Koenig are submitting their kidney donation story to the Guidepost magazine this month. Amnada Kilgus, our church orgnist, will be with us for much of the summer as she begins her master’s program to become a physician assistant.
+ SUMMER HOURS
The time is to be determined at the Tri-Council meeting on Sunday, but be aware Sunday May 31 we will switch to our summer worship schedule.
+ ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE
On Palm Sunday, the Scranton Times-Tribune ran a front page article on our English as a Second Language program. As a result of this article, we have at least three new volunteers for our Thursday night classes and Pastor was invited to speak at the recent meeting of the Hill Section neighborhood association.
+ CAMP PIONEER
Camp Pioneer informational brochures are available at the back of the church. Camp Pioneer has summer camp options for youth, teen and family weekends/weeks.
+ LUTHERAN MINISTRY CENTER
General Work Day will be Saturdays beginning at 9:00 am at the LMC. If you want to work during the week (all days except Wednesdays) call Jerry at (334) 655-0682.
PLEASE PRAY FOR: + Immanuel Lutheran Church (without a pastor) + Pastor Vomhof of St. Stephens Lutheran Church + The Lutheran Academy and Immanuel Preschool. May God call new families to these schools. + The Lutheran Academy as the board searches for a second full-time teacher for the fall. + Pastor Nischal as his Church of All Nations ministry has begun to meet Sundays at 4:00 pm. A blessing over Pastor Nischal will be done during the May 31 Dedication Service. + The contractors and volunteers who are making necessary renovations to the new Lutheran Ministry Center.
+ VOLUNTARY ACTION CENTER (VAC)
Need help paying for groceries? The Voluntary Action Center can help see of you might qualify for SNAP, Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, formerly food stamps. If you are over 60, a resident of Lackawanna County and have a monthly income of less than $1966 single and $2642 married, you may qualify. Also, VAC has a group called Caring Hands, a group of lovely ladies that meet weekly to knit and crochet items to donate to social services agencies in our community. While spring cleaning, if you come across any yarn that can be used by the Caring Hands group contact the VAC office, 570-347-5616.
+ GIVING TIPS
Here are some tips to clarify how funds are used when you give to TLA and LMC. *When you choose to support The Lutheran Academy (TLA) this money goes towards general school needs or to help sponsor a student. The Academy board has a budget in place and your giving helps those budget needs, including teacher salaries, supplies, rent, etc. *When you chose to support the Lutheran Ministry Center (LMC) this money goes directly to the repairs, expenses to run the building as a whole and to help pay down the building debt.
+ ONLINE GIVING
A new way to give to the church has been made available. Visit the church website at www.yourpeace.org and click on the word “Support” at the top right. You can support the church and it’s many missions all with the click of a few buttons through a new giving option called - SIMPLEGIVE.
+ FUNERAL PLANNING BOOKLETS
With assurance of eternal life through faith with Jesus Christ, we are able to face the time we will die. To assist your family and pastor, Funeral/Memorial Planning booklets are available in the church office. Consider pick up one to complete and keep with your will or in the church files.
Church website: www.yourpeace.org.... email: pastor@yourpeace.org
WORSHIP LIFE AT PEACE LUTHERAN CHURCH: 8:00 am Worship with Holy Communion every Sunday. (We encourage you to come to this auxiliary service if you are unable to come to the 10:30 worship.)
9:30 am
Education Hour - for all ages!
10:30 am
The Main Worship Service with Holy Communion twice a month (usually on the 1st and 3rd Sundays)
4:00 pm
Church of All Nations Service Consider attending if can not make a Sunday Morning Service
Sermon Series: Prisoners of Hope! May 3: Prisoners of Hope: Abiding in Christ
SPONSORING FLOWERS
If you would like to sponsor the flowers for a particular Sunday, please note that it is the sponsor’s responsibility to provide/order the flowers. Please sign up on the calandar at the back of the church to indicate your sponsorship! Remember you can bring in an arrangement of flowers from your garden - or boquets of wild flowers are wonderful too! But if you want to order “regular” flowers from McCarthy’s Flowers, please call: 570-507-9441 or 570-343-1179 and ask to speak with Carol Kemler! Or you can stop by the 1001 N. Main Ave, Scranton store and order from there!
May 10: Prisoners of Hope in God's Love May 17: Prisoners of Hope! Not of the Evil One May 24: Confirmation Sunday
Below is an example of what the confirmation students will be sharing on May 24 at Confirmation Sunday. The congregation is invited to attend a breakfast prior to church on May 24 beginning at 9:15 am. The confirmation students will have a time of testimony and we as a congregation can show our love and support for them as they complete this faith stepping stone. Please pray for these 5 young people and their families as they enter the final weeks of preparation for Confirmation.
Why I want to be a Christian- by Kerilyn Pon Why do I want to be a Christian? What a good question. Well for one, who wouldn’t? It is like the best thing ever, but I guess you’re looking for reasons, so I’ve got some pretty good ones. Okay well a lot of my friends have gotten up and walked away, so I only have like 3 that haven’t. Being a Christian gives me God, another friend. One who I can count on, who I know will always be there, no matter what I’m going through. I know he will see me through whatever troubles I may face. I know I can trust him and he won’t leave. Well there’s one reason, and here’s another one. Jesus suffered and went through so much pain just so I could be saved. Just to think that someone would die for me, a poor, miserable, sinner, who can never do anything right, is crazy. That just goes to show that he really does love me, and he is a great leader and would do anything to save me. So you tell me, why wouldn’t you want to be part of a religion that has a god that cares so much about you? One that gives you a friend, who died for you, just so you could live happily knowing that in the end, everything will be okay. That promises an eternal life in Heaven, with someone helping you along the way, who won’t give up on you. That is why I want to be a Christian.
2015 Confirmaton Students
Joel Kriger
Emil Nischal
Andrew Harsche
Kobe Sauter
This just in . . . Rev Wisher, District President, will preach at the Lutheran Ministry Center Dedication service on May 31.
Lutheran Ministry Center DEDICATION SUNDAY, MAY 31, 2015 The Lutheran Academy & Church of All Nations BLESSING SERVICE
The public is invited to: 1546 Monsey Ave, Scranton
- 4pm LMC Tours, Gathering & Fellowship - 5pm Banquet (RSVP required) - 6:30pm Dedication/Blessing service
Banquet $20 Adult/ $10 under 12 RSVP by May 21 to 570-851-6744 Catering by Billy B’s Child care available
100th Anniversary Fundraiser Beautful Plaques and sticks (pictured above) have been engraved and are available for purchase. All proceeds go to the Peace Lutheran Church 100th Anniversary celebrations. The plaques and sticks come in various colors. These items make perfect gifts for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Graduation, Confirmation, birthday, etc.
Sticks = $10
Plaques = $15
Measure 9” x 1.5 “
Measure 4.5” x 12”
Cash or check payment (made out to Peace Lutheran Church) and will be available each Sunday or by stopping by the church office Monday-Friday 9:00-noon.
100th ANNIVERSARY PHOTO COLLECTION Plans are underway to produce a slide show and possible digital keepsake scrapbook as part of the 100th Anniversary celebration. We are asking you to go through your photos. You can email if you have them digitally, or bring in originals to the church offce to be scanned. We are looking for any thing you have that commemorates a memory from a church service, potluck, confirmation, baptism, marriage, funeral, vacation bible school, fundraisers, etc. Email photos to amybetts@yourpeace.org. Or stop by between 9:00-noon Monday through Friday to have originals scanned.