PEACE TALK December 2010

Peace Talk - December 2010

Apostolic Mission Congregation of the LCMS Pastor Kristian Bjornstad 2506 N. Main Ave. 343-9828 www.yourpeace.org

FROM THE PASTOR’S HEART: Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way.

When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." Matthew 1:18-21 (ESV) Christmas is such a beautiful time of year. I have even stopped along the side of the road already this year to take in the lights of at least one decorated house. And I am looking for a nice (12 inch) blanket of snow and a fire in the fireplace to make it “really” Christmas. But you?

You aren’t so crazy as I am - but you all have our own requirements for making it a “real” Christmas. It might be Christmas presents under the tree or having family home for the holidays. Ham dinner. Christmas carols.

Even the Christmas Eve Candle light service here at Peace church (at 9 pm!)

But then it is kind of fun to ask about what makes Christmas “really” Christmas for our Lord God. What IS it in heaven that warms the heart of God and makes his eyes moist as he lays his head across the nations and tenderly embraces his precious globe?

The Bible makes the answer pretty plain. It isn’t a secret.

Christmas isn’t really Christmas for God unless he is able to share with the world his beautiful Savior, His only begotten son Jesus: born, died, rose again - for the forgiveness of your sin and mine. SO beautiful.

Jesus be with you and your family this Christmas...

Pastor Bjornstad

CHRISTMAS SCHEDULE: 7 pm Advent Midweek Services at Peace: Dec. 1 “In the Dark Streets Shineth: Jerusalem” Dec. 8 “In the Dark Streets Shineth: Bethlehem” Children’s Christmas Pageant 10:30 am Sunday, Dec. 12 Festival of Lessons and Carols 7 pm Wed., Dec. 15 Presented by The Lutheran Academy Held at Immanuel Lutheran Church Lutheran Academy Christmas Party for all our supporters!

Tuesday, Dec. 21 at 1pm at the Academy! please RSVP 343-9828 Family Christmas Caroling 6:30 pm Wed., Dec. 22 Meet here at Peace Church with treats to follow!

December 24th 9 pm Christmas Eve Candlelight Service December 25th 10:30 am Christmas Day Worship Sunday, Dec. 26th 10:30 am First Sunday of Christmas (no Sunday School this Sunday and Jan 2)

MISCELANEOUS NOTES:

BLESSED CHRISTMAS TO ALL NATIONS!

PRAISING GOD!

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+ THE SUNDAY SCHOOL CHRISTMAS PAGEANT will be Sunday, Dec. 12 as part of the Sunday worship service. Let’s support our children in their love of their Lord and Savior Jesus! + The Confirmation Class and other Youth are practicing our church bells to accompany the service of Holy Communion and also play for Christmas Eve! All are welcome to practice with us Monday evenings at 7:30 pm! + The whole Bjornstad family will be leaving on a WOW(!) vacation to SPAIN beginning Dec. 27! They will be back Jan. 5! + Meredith Woolverton was blessed with a beautiful new job! + A beautiful Thanksgiving! +

CHRISTIAN HISTORY:

Katharina von Bora Luther Commemorated on Monday, Dec 20.

Katharina von Bora (1499–1552) was placed in a convent when still a child and became a nun in 1515. In April 1523, she and eight other nuns were rescued from the convent and brought to Wittenberg. There Martin Luther helped return some to their former homes and placed the rest in good families. Katharina and Martin were married on June 13, 1525. Their marriage was a happy one and blessed with six children. Katharina skillfully managed the Luther household, which always seemed to grow because of his generous hospitality. After Luther's death in 1546, Katharina remained in Wittenberg but lived much of the time in poverty. She died in an accident while traveling with her children to Torgau in order to escape the plague.

New in the office (for you to borrow!):

+ “Lutheranism 101” Pastor ordered three copies to be passed around.

Sort of a “Lutherans for Dummies”, a new publication from CPH. + “Luther” movie on DVD! + We still have an unsold extra copy of the new Lutheran Study Bible!

Take it for $35 in the offering plate! + The official record of last summer’s LCMS convention in Houston. You can check out all the resolutions voted on and reports submitted!

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STEWARDSHIP: Below is a proposed budget for our congregation for 2011. Our Cong. president will be calling a short Congregational voters meeting following the Dec. 12 worship to approve it. Thank you for all your contributions which make this budget possible and God’s ministry thrive here at Peace! Please note HOW MUCH of our budget is for missions and ministry!!!

Infant holy, Infant lowly, For His bed a cattle stall; Oxen lowing, little knowing Christ the Babe is Lord of all.

Swift are winging, angels singing, Noells ringing, tidings bringing, Christ the Babe is Lord of all, Christ the Babe is Lord of all.

WORSHIP LIFE AT PEACE LUTHERAN FOCUS ON THE FAMILY! EDUCATION HOUR: 9:15 WORSHIP: 10:30 AM This year we are focusing in on strengthening and nurturing our beautiful families.

Go to www.cph.org to order your very own LSB hymnal! The Lutheran Service Book has a wide variety of resources for personal and family devotions. A beautiful and meaningful gift for the faith-filled Christian! (available in a leather-bound soft cover version as well as the regular pew edition. There are many OTHER Christmas gifts also available from CPH!

A journey of God’s Blessings in my Life...

by Meredith Woolverton, member of Peace

As I reflect on the past year and actually this particular Thanksgiving, my life’s journey that has brought me to such a wonderful place I am compelled to share with everyone how much God can bless you in an impossible situation. It started 20 years ago when I was in a terrible accident that left me with three broken vertebrae in my neck. The doctors were saying I may never be the same again and under the knife I went. They put me back together again and years of therapy got me to a 90% recovery a miracle considering the extent of my injuries but I know God had plans for me. I was in a horrible marriage that was abusive and with no education and no self esteem, I got on a bus with three children and pregnant and began my life over again. I went back to school and never looked back. I always knew God had big plans for me but being scared, on welfare and no formal education I did not have a lot of hope.

After Joseph was born I met Kevin my second husband, a man who loved me and my four children, a miracle I never thought would happen. We were married and began our life together.

This past year has been a tough one. Over the years Kevin and I worked hard and always did our best but never really saw ourselves successful because of company closings and situations that just kept us financially depressed.

We stayed together through difficult times and illnesses that somehow made us stronger as a couple; I think that is only possible because of God being the center of our marriage. My career has gone from being a tele-marketer to Director of Business Development but the pay has always been just below what we needed to survive. Companies in this area keep salaries down and with cars that have never been new it has been hard to move forward until this past month. I was approached by Avon to be a District manager; I was up against some very tough competition. People with education and experience much better than mine. But God had a plan and this week I was offered an opportunity to be a District Manager that will give me a car, expense account a home office and double my current salary. I am truly blessed and know through all my life God had a plan and I cannot wait to see what his blessings bring in the future.

Lutheran Academy and Immanuel Preschool News + YOU ARE INVITED TO THE ANNUAL ACADEMY CHRISTMAS PARTY! December 21st at 1 pm please know that you are invited to a small, sweet, Christmas Party hosted by our beautiful students! It will be held at the Academy and we just ask that you please call ahead and RSVP at the Academy 851-6744 or at the church office 343-9828. + TROLLY MUSEUM CHRISTMAS TREE DISPLAY! The Academy once again made decorations for a tree at the Trolly Museum based on the theme of the hymn “Savior of the Nations, Come”.

This last week we all went and put the decorations on. Various organizations Please support The from the community put up trees and last Lutheran Academy by using year we were the ONLY organization that Pretty Good Portraits for all had a Christian themed tree. We can only your photography needs. hope that there is another one this year - or www.prettygoodportraits.org two or three! +This last month was SUPER exciting for the students at the Academy. We had a field trips to visit the coal mine and learn about the history of PA. We spent a whole morning at the Everhart Art Museum and experienced many different activities! + PLEASE NOTE THAT YOU CAN SUPPORT THE ACADEMY BY SPONSORING A STUDENT! Currently there are three students that are in need of sponsorship! You can sponsor them at whatever level you would like to, but full tuition for the year is $1700. Your support would be MUCH appreciated! You can also support with a designated offering in the Sunday offering plate. +PEACE LUTHERAN CALENDARS! Pastor Bjornstad designed and ordered Peace Lutheran Church 2011 Calendars. They will be for sale

by Dec. 10th. They cost $20 and all proceeds go to The Lutheran Academy! For yourself or perhaps as a gift!

Young Mothers' Gatherings?

There has been a request by a couple young mothers to have some kind of a support group for Christian mothers. Mary Durkin is very excited to take your phone calls and get this new blessing off the ground. If you are interested please call her at 1 (607) 765-9988 or the office (if you don't long distance) 343-9828.

GENERAL NOTES:

WO W! !!

JE SU SR OC

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+ COMPUTER REPAIR SERVICES. Robert Herie would like to offer his computer repair and software assistance to those who are having trouble. His rates are VERY reasonable and he will do a very good job. Call 344-2347. + THE MEN’S BREAKFAST: Is canceled this December (fourth Saturday is Christmas Day!), but we will resume our meetings January 22, 2011!

NEPA Youth RETREAT Saturday, November 20!

Games, Bonfire, Banana Cram, great food! There were over 25 youth from several different churches at the youth gathering at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Mt. Pocono!

We all had a great time!

Erika Bjornstad, of course, won the Banana Cram again!

She “crammed” a banana without the help of her hands in 30 seconds flat - a good 30 seconds faster than the second and third place winners Anthony Mandile and Patrick Rickert. The funny thing is that out of the 25 youth, the three top crammers were all “PK”s (or Pastor’s Kids!)

Dealing with suicide!!

Christine Erickson (right), licensed counselor, came to Peace on Nov. 16th and shared with four of our youth concerning their feelings about suicide. It was a beautiful time and everyone agreed that it was well worth the time and effort. Please contact Pastor if there is any need for further counseling or information. PARENTS: please speak with your children about these issues! YOUTH: PLEASE speak with your parents and other trusted adults (maybe even your pastor!) if you need to talk about things that are troubling you!

+ MARCH FOR LIFE is January 24th! Every year on the anniversary of Roe Vs. Wade thousands upon thousands travel from around the country to march on the Supreme Court to “March for Life”. If you would like to join us this year, please speak with Pastor Bjornstad. + TRYING TO THINK OF A GOOD FAMILY VACATION NEXT SUMMER? THINK CAMP PIONEER! Pastor Bjornstad and family have been invited to be sort of host family for the camp Family Camp the week of July 17th. We would LOVE to have whole bunches of Peace family along with us! Plan for it! Going to the www.yourpeace.org website you will find a registration form with further information! + MARRIAGE WORKSHOP COMING IN FEBRUARY here at Peace! Look for more information about what a Godly and Beautiful marriage can be with the help of our workshop leader Christine Erickson! + PEACE PRAYER CHAIN: We haven't advertised it in forever, but did you know that Peace has a prayer chain? YES it does! And if you love to pray you are encouraged to join it by calling Edith Korban at 289-4479. If you or someone is in NEED of prayer, you can call Edith at the same number and that prayer will be shared down the list of prayer warriors! +CHURCH WEBSITE! Please know that Pastor tries to keep the website updated with all kinds of extra news and pictures and calendars and such!

Please check it out at www.yourpeace.org! +PLEASE PRAY: for Elsie Schweitzer as she recovers from foot surgery, our shut ins Elwood, Edith, Trudy, and Betty. Also please pray for all our soldiers and missionaries away from home in these evil days! May God bless us all with His grace and mercy! + CHRISTMAS BLESSING: We have a couple families that are in grave financial situations. If there is anyone who would like to help with food gift cards, Christmas dinners, or whatever other Christmas cheer you might muster, please contact Pastor Bjornstad! It was so beautiful at Thanksgiving when several Thanksgiving dinners were brought and distributed!

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"And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a witness to all the nations, and then the end shall come." - Mt. 24:14

bring hope to Haiti abound. We are looking to be in contact with anyone who would be interested in joining a mission to Haiti. Let's work together to make this happen!

Call Debi Hartzell at 1-610-844-5103 to join this Godly cause!

+ NEW initiative: Building Hope and Homes in Haiti. The opportunities to

+ Plans are also underway for a new Alaska VBS Mission effort this coming summer. Please call Carolyn T. Loch at 942-6107 for more information on what it would take to participate!

After the presentations and prayers, several folks who are looking forward to the New Orleans Camp Restore Relief trip gathered and set a date for the trip: January 22-30, 2011. There is still room for you to join them! Skilled and unskilled construction workers are needed. You will find registration forms on the Partnership website. Otherwise call 343-9828 for more information.

The MISSION DINNER held at Peace Lutheran Church, Scranton Sunday, Nov. 14, had an attendance of almost 40 mission minded individuals.

We ate New Orleans and Haitian food and were thrilled to hear and see pictures of the Haiti mission trip that Debi Hartzell (at right) participated in. Thank you, Debi!

New Orleans Mission Dates Set for January 22-30!

November 2010 Bulletin

NEPA LUTHERAN MISSION PARTNERSHIP

Check us out at: www.nepalutheranmissionpartnership.org or call 570-343-9828 In step with the Ablaze! movement of the LCMS

NEPA LUTHERAN MISSION PARTNERSHIP IS ALL ABOUT: Envisioning and Facilitating current and future LCMS Lutheran Missions in North East Pennsylvania!

We call ALL the mission minded to our three meetings a year. PLEASE JOIN US! If you can't join us in person please join us over a conference phone!

Please check out our webpage and facebook discussions for updates.

The Next Mission Partnership meeting will be DEVOTED TO PLANNING A NEW MISSION START HERE IN NEPA!!!!

10 am Saturday, December 4, 2010 at St. Peter's Lutheran Church, Wilkes Barre

ST. PETER'S LUTHERAN CHURCH endeavors in the revitalization of its mission and ministry: The weekend of Nov. 12-14 several staff of the Eastern District came to St. Peter's, Wilkes Barre, and after intensively interviewing all the staff and large numbers of congregational members, presented a revitalization plan based on the congregation's strengths and weaknesses. Pastor Mike Erickson was very impressed with the proceedings and hopeful about the congregation's future. The congregation will be praying over the next weeks on how these recommendations might be carried out and God's mission furthered in their neighborhood! The Eastern District encourages all congregations to participate in this opportunity to revitalize their ministries. The services are without cost to the congregation.

PRAISE GOD FOR A NEW MISSION START! The Service of Dedication was held at our newest Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod Mission on Sunday, October 10, at 4:00pm. Concordia Lutheran Church, Northampton campus is located 3285 Pheasant Drive, Northampton, PA 18067. The impressive campus also houses The Lutheran Academy! You can see more pictures of that great day at the Partnership website (below).

MISSION NOTES: