Peace Talk - December 2011
Apostolic Mission Congregation of the LCMS Pastor Kristian Bjornstad 2506 N. Main Ave. 343-9828 www.yourpeace.org
FROM THE PASTOR’S HEART: Isaiah 61:1-2 (ESV) The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn;
This past week I was leading The Lutheran Academy students and the Immanuel Preschoolers in chapel worship and I almost wrecked quite a few Christmases. I was explaining about St. Nicholas, the wealthy and devoted Christian man of the 12th century who started the tradition of gifts in the stockings. He put gold coins in the stockings of three young girls who were to be sold into slavery by their father because he had no money to support them. When they got up in the morning of the day of their sale they went from being penniless to having a dowery. But in telling the story I ALMOST let it slip that Santa really did NOT exist. Whew! Well, it really isn’t so bad at all that little children believe there is a Santa Clause. But sometimes I wonder what the world was like BEFORE Santa became a factor in our Christmas late in the 1800s? It is kind of like how my kids look at me in wonderment when I remind them that I grew up BEFORE the internet. It is so hard to imagine! Was it really that awful to not have the internet? That dreadful to have a Christmas without Santa? Is life so much better today? Sometimes I wonder if many folks emotionally or spiritually ever move ON from Santa... Pray let us move on from Santa... so that the Lord might bless our Christmas. May the Lord’s miracle of Jesus dwell in your heart through true worship and devotion. In Jesus, Pastor Bjornstad
New Shed and Church Van Port! Thanks to the hard work of Dale Newhart, a new shed and van-port was built behind the church this month! The major portion of the costs of the new shed was given through the estate of Mrs. Martha Yochum. Martha was a Christian who had been a member of Peace many years ago - but amazingly remembered us in her will. Praise God for her remembrance and her desire to bless our Lord’s ministry here at Peace Lutheran!