PEACE TALK October 2010

Peace Talk - October 2010

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

FROM THE PASTOR’S HEART: Psalm 111:1-3 (ESV) Praise the Lord!I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart, in the company of the upright, in the congregation.

2Great are the works of the Lord, studied by all who delight in them.

3Full of splendor and majesty is his work, and his righteousness endures forever.

Just think on the glory of being a Christian! What a privilege to know the fantastic celebration of life together in Jesus - that mercy of God that we drink in and taste!

And to meditate on the works of the Lord in the scripture, in history, and even among us - what more could we ever desire? To preach his saving Gospel to the world and be a part of his great work of salvation - is there anything more satisfying to share in this work?

“Well, yes, Pastor... but... I have some bills to pay! I have things to do... football to watch... the garage to clean... the dinner to cook... the kids need to get to soccer practice... and Mom is sick and needs me to visit her every day... and I am WAY too tired to be excited about praising the Lord.”

Should the pastor just give up? Is there NO way to live a Spirit led, authentic, “REAL” Christian life whose focus is clearly on Jesus Christ?

In fact there IS a way! This is the understanding that the Reformation of Martin Luther brought about! Got bills to pay? Praise the Lord with your whole heart! Things to do? See His mercy in it and praise the Lord! Football to watch? Praise the Lord! Garage to clean? Praise the Lord! Mom sick and you need to visit her? Praise the Lord! Way too tired? PRAISE THE LORD ANYWAY! Praise the Lord because you can be a Christian and drink His mercy in EVERYTHING that you do!

Pastor Bjornstad

Sunday, Oct. 17 Service of Healing Laying on of hands of those who are in need of healing, as well as a special blessing for our CAREGIVERS

POT LUCK AND VOTER’S MEETING AFTER WORSHIP

Sunday, October 31st is REFORMATION DAY! We celebrate the birth of the Protestant Reformation when Martin Luther posted the 95 Theses on the Wittenberg church door in 1517

MISCELANEOUS NOTES: PRAISING GOD! + CONGRATULATIONS to Sandra and Mike Shaheen at the birth of their little girl Taylor! Kevin and Meredith Woolverton are VERY proud grandparents!

+ The LWML Fall Rally will be held at Grace Lutheran Church in Hop Bottom, PA on Oct. 3 beginning at 2 pm! Everyone is welcome! + The Peace Ladies Guild will be meeting on Thursday, October 7th at 7 pm! + Rev. Matthew Harrison was installed as the President of the LCMS this past month at the St. Louis Seminary. We ask that the Lord bless his leadership of our synod! + Thanks to Cliff Durkin for helping out with picking up Panera Bread while both Kevin Woolverton and Pastor Bjornstad have been “out of service” for a few weeks! + Thanks to the youth who attended the LCMS Youth Gathering for sharing their experiences with the congregation during the Sept. 19th Sunday worship! And thanks also to Pastor Vomhof who came and officiated over the Holy Communion Service that day in Pastor Bjornstad’s absence. + We are trying to provide a basic Nursery service for those families with toddlers who are a bit too antsy during the worship service!

Currently the Bjornstad girls are offering the services until we find someone from outside the congregation who we can rely on every Sunday. We are offering $20

for the hour on Sunday mornings.

Please let George Price know if you know of someone who might be happy to help us out!

Christian History: Dorcas (Tabitha), Lydia, and Phoebe, Faithful Women Commemorated on Oct. 25 These women were exemplary Christians who demonstrated their faith by their material support of the Church. Dorcas (also known as Tabitha) was well-known and much loved for her acts of charity in the city of Joppa, especially for her making clothes for the poor.

When Dorcas died suddenly, the members of her congregation sent to the neighboring city of Lydda for the Apostle Peter, who came and raised her from the dead (Acts 9:36–41). Lydia was a woman of Thyatira, who worked at Philippi selling a famous purple dye that was so much in demand in the ancient world. She was also a “worshiper of God” at the local synagogue. When the Apostle Paul encountered her in prayer among other proselyte women, his preaching of the Word brought Lydia to faith in Christ. She and her friends thus became the nucleus of the Christian community in Philippi (16:13–15,

40). Phoebe was another faithful woman associated with the Apostle Paul. She was a deaconess from Cenchrae (the port of Corinth) whom Paul sent to the church in Rome with his Epistle to the Romans. In it he writes of her support for the work of the early Church (Rom 16:1). ++++++++++++++++++++

Psalm 111:1 (ESV) “ Praise the Lord!I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart, in the company of the upright, in the congregation.” +++++++++++++++++++++

PRAYER CORNER:

Pray also for Jayda Robinson (8yrs) who is suffering heart & lung problems. Praise the Lord that Janelle Wertman has completed her service in Iraq and just now returning to her family - and we pray that she might find a new home also our congregation! Pray also for Mark Koenig and Pastor Bjornstad as they continue their recovery from surgeries. Special prayers also for the Herie family. Our Shut in members include Trudy Makowski, Betty McKeen, and Edith and Elwood Korban.

STEWARDSHIP: Just arrived in the church office: the brand new LCMS doctrinal statement called "Together With All Creatures: Caring for God's Living Earth". Yes, Christians SHOULD care about how we care for our environment. It is called “Stewardship” of the earth!

If you want to read more you can borrow a copy from the office. It is sure to be online as well at the LCMS.org website. ++++++++++++++++++++

MISSION NEWS/PRAYERS! NEW MISSION CHURCH PLANT!!!

"Join us in our prayers for God's Blessings! We invite you to join our prayers of intersession for the new church plant in Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania. The Service of Dedication at our newest Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod Mission will be held on Sunday, October 10, at 4:00pm. The new Mission address is: 3285 Pheasant Drive, Northampton, PA 18067. All are invited to be with us as we dedicate and give thanks to God for this Mission from which the Gospel of Jesus Christ will be proclaimed. We desire your personal and corporate prayers for this newest mission outreach. Following the service you are invited to join us for a light supper. Please call the Concordia church office (610-262-8500) with any questions. Sola Dei Gloria! In Christ, Rev. Ray Malec" A NEW CHURCH IN NEPA?: Our area congregations have been murmuring about a new mission congregation here in NEPA, but on Saturday, Dec. 4th we are going to begin “talking” and “planning” more earnestly about this large project at our NEPA Lutheran Mission Partnership Meeting at 10 am at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, Wilkes Barre. YOU are invited to share this vision and in this planning!

SAD NEWS: The Family of Christ Lutheran Church in Bloomsburg, a small congregation which formed only a few years ago is struggling and is in great need of our prayers. They are considering closing their mission church.

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OCTOBER IS MISSION MONTH! PLEASE PRAY FOR THE GOSPEL AROUND THE WORLD! CAN A LAY PERSON BAPTIZE? YES INDEED! READ THIS BEAUTIFUL TESTIMONY OF OUR BEVERLY GEDRIMAS:

!

Early this summer I had the pleasure of getting to know a 90 year old woman by the name of Rachel. I would read the Bible to her and she would tell me stories of her past. She never believed the Bible was the word of God and she never believed Jesus Christ was her Savior. This particular evening I went to visit and Rachel was in her last hour. She was able to tell me all we talked about that she came to believe Jesus Christ was her Savior. I thought this was a wonderful thing!!!! She asked me if it was to late for her to be baptized and I said no. There was not much time, so I baptized her immediately. She died 10 min later with a peaceful smile on her face!!! WOW, it is never to late!!!

Jesus will see to it that you have time!!!!

Lutheran Academy and Immanuel Preschool News - thank you for your prayers and support! “I was given the opportunity to drive the van (picking up students and dropping them off) for the Lutheran Academy, while Pastor Kris was recuperating from surgery. Because of this, I Please support The was able to experience what goes Lutheran Academy by using on at the Academy. It warmed my Pretty Good Portraits for all your photography needs. heart to see and hear that these www.prettygoodportraits.org young students were praying before class. It is great to see students being brought up with a knowledge of God, resulting in them having a hunger for God and the Faith. Students in today's public schools rarely get this opportunity due to today's highly secular attitudes. Seeing this makes me believe that there should be more schools like the Lutheran Academy.� - Judy Herie ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

MESSAGE FROM OUR CHURCH COUNCIL PRESIDENT! Greetings, and may God bless you.

On September 23, 2010, I had the opportunity to attend the Pastor/President Conference in Malvern, PA. At that time I met the officers of the Eastern District. I received many ideas and was given guidance on how to better serve you and Peace Lutheran Church.

On October 22-24, 2010, I will be traveling to Camp Pioneer, in New York, for the Junior and Senior High Retreat. We will be taking about 17 youth and seven adults from the area churches for this weekend. If you see it in your hearts to come along and join us, please give me a call. Your help would be greatly appreciated.

On November 6, 2010 my wife Debbi and I will be attending the Annual Volunteer Recognition Brunch at Camp Pioneer, at which time Peace Lutheran Church will be honored as their Congregational Partner in 2010.

WE PRAISE GOD FOR THE WAY GOD HAS USED OUR CONGREGATION TO HELP CAMP PIONEER THIS YEAR! Susan Crosbie, R.N. was a volunteer camp nurse there for a week under extremely difficult and dangerous conditions.

Erika Bjornstad served two weeks as a Jr. Counselor Pastor Bjornstad served as a Camp Pastor there LAST summer as well.

As individuals and as a congregation we pledged $5000 for the upgrading and repair of one of the lodge buildings on the Camp grounds. Amazingly our individual pledges reached over $3000! THANK YOU TO ALL!!!! God is doing amazing things through Peace. Camp Pioneer is truly a beautiful ministry of our Eastern District! It is such a great organization to support!

CHECK OUT www.pioneercamp.org to see how your family can be served by Camp Pioneer! The Bjornstads are hoping to bring you all to Family Camp!

Excerpts from “You’ve GOT to be KIDNEY!” by Pastor Bjornstad. The complete article is online at www.fysherofmen.wordpress.com. Hard Copies also may be obtained at the back of the church.

Pastor Bjornstad and the family would like to THANK ALL OF YOU WHO PRAYED AND SUPPORTED US THROUGH THIS GREAT BLESSING. Mark and Kim Koenig have been so VERY blessed by you all as well!

THE HOUR ARRIVES The gown was donned and the pressure socks fitted. All the papers were signed. The doctors had finished their briefings. The personal items were collected and bagged.

The call home to Monica was made to let her know that everything was ready to go.

The time had actually dragged on now to be almost 1 pm, but I was doing very well indeed. God had given me a beautiful calm that was ready for whatever lay ahead. The operating nurse finally came and wheeled me through a great maze of hallways to the operating room. It was in the basement and going there was almost like participating in a game of bumper cars – the bed crashing against hospital equipment and a myriad of paraphernalia as we traveled. Finally we arrived and entered the operating room behind sealed doors. Great orbs of lights hung above the thin narrow operating table and a multitude of medical instrument pallets surrounded us. It was quite different than the operating room on “House” in that it seemed much more cluttered and not as pretty. But it most definitely was a place of great and important business. After maneuvering myself off the hospital bed and on to the operating table I chatted briefly with the nurses and just as the anesthesia warmed my arm I admonished them all with a smile on my face to “Have a great time at it!” And I slept very well....

THE MIRACLE OF HEALING Susan Crosbie hung around until Saturday in Baltimore with her friends, waiting to see if she could take me home. But still no progress with my digestive system. She decided to go home.

Saturday I still did not drink anything, much less eat anything. Kim and Mark paid for my TV for me so I could watch some college football. I enjoyed a couple games on and off while I tried to concentrate on editing the Sunday bulletin and making arrangements for the service since it was clear I wasn’t going to be there like I had hoped.

During the day the food commercials made me hungry for food even as my nausea grew in its

intensity. Finally after I got my work done I took the anti-nausea meds that finally settled my stomach. At about 9 pm I prayed really hard, ate three crackers and drank about three containers of juice over the course of an hour before I fell asleep.

At 3 am I woke up to a very blessed sensation! I could tell immediately that I was better! I felt SO VERY excited. For the next four hours until the nurse came in to check on me, I sat up in bed and just prayed and praised the Lord. Finally the nurse came in and asked how I was doing. I pleaded with her to talk with the doctor to advance my diet. I had been dreaming about a plate of scrambled eggs all morning and I pleaded with her to beg or steal something so I could eat. Kim was going back to Scranton that afternoon and I really WANTED to get home. I was ready. Before that morning I had no desire to go home. But the switch had been flipped and I was definitely ready!

I was SO thrilled when the nurse came back to my room about a half an hour later with a plate of scrambled eggs and blueberry coffeecake. I would have given her a big hug if I could have! I got out of bed, sat in the chair, put the food in front of me.

I CRIED as I thanked God for this sustenance, and for the first time in six days I ate a real meal. It was one of the most joyful and spiritual experience I have ever had. To tell the truth they were not very good eggs (and the coffeecake wasn’t any better) but I was DELIGHTED to eat them....

REFLECTIONS: I am finishing this memoir now 16 days after the surgery. I am doing very well indeed. I am in very little pain and am probably working at a 80% energy level. My wife still likes to order me around and tell me what to do and not do. It is of somewhat limited effect, but it is good for our marriage. Erika went shopping with me last night because I am not supposed to pick up anything heavier than 10 pounds. We had a lot of fun together and she was a big help.

Mark has had some complications in his recovery, but is now out of the hospital. The kidney is doing well and it looks like everything is going to work out as hoped. I am just extremely satisfied and thankful to the Lord for everything. I would do it again tomorrow if I had another kidney to give away. It is truly a miracle that this is all possible and that we can be such a blessing to others through a transplant. Not everyone can make a living donation. There are many criteria that have to be fulfilled. But for those who are able, I would encourage them to seriously consider it!

GENERAL NOTES:

WO W! !!

JE SU SR OC

KS

!

Camp Pioneer Oct. 22ff!

Join the grand caravan of youth and chaperones that are going to be descending on Camp Pioneer for the weekend this October! The cost is $75, but it is still WELL worth it! The kids have been having a BLAST each Fall. THANKS to George Price and Kevin Woolverton for heading this multi-church project!

+ CHURCH CHOIR! Kevin Winters, our Organist, is rehearsing Communion hymns and the Matins Liturgy which we hope to actually learn as a congregation soon (again after several years of being out of practice!) Thank you Kevin! This Fall we hope to gain a skilled choir director!

Please speak to Kevin or Beverly Gedrimas if you would like to share your voice or other musical gifts! + THE SUNDAY SCHOOL is looking to be very much larger this year with a couple new families who are attending! As well, Michael Mirarchi will be leading a youth Bible Study on Sunday mornings for those who have already been Confirmed!!!! As well, the Sunday School will be arranging a FUN day trip to visit Concordia College in Bronxville, NY some Saturday in October!!! + THE MEN’S BREAKFASTS have continued on through the Summer on the fourth Saturday of every month at Panera Bread in Dickson City. We continue to have a MOST blessed faith conversation together! Please come and join us.

We have plans to join in with the Men’s Retreat with the men of Grace Lutheran Church, Hop Bottom. Please mark your calendars for the weekend of November 5th! More information is coming soon! + CHURCH MEMBERSHIP! We again have numerous individuals and families who are seeking membership. We DO have a VERY special congregation in which God is working mightily! Pastor will be opening up a new Catechumenate (faith nurturing community).

Please invite YOUR friends and neighbors to come and join our devotional meetings Saturday at 5 pm with dinner if they can stay! MEMBERS are welcome to join us for these devotions and help with dinner! We ALSO need to schedule a New Member/Worshipper Banquet soon! Please make our visitors feel welcome in our congregation!

God’s salvation is for EVERYONE!

WE ARE GOING TO CONCORDIA TO SEE ABOVE! CALL Pastor if you aren’t signed up already!

Sunday Morning Youth Bible Study!!!!! 9:15!

Stay tuned for a November 13th Banana Cram at Our Savior’s Lutheran (Mt. Pocono!!!!

NEW IN THE CHURCH OFFICE LIBRARY TO STRENGTHEN THE FAMILY THROUGH MARRIAGE!: “I Married You” by Walter Trobisch: The Direct, sensitive, and compassionate narrative presents the mystery of marriage as a dynamic between leaving, cleaving, and becoming one flesh!

ALSO: The movie “Fireproof” is available! This movie has literally helped saved marriages in this congregation. If you want to be blessed, borrow it!

INVITE YOUR FRIEND WHO NEEDS JESUS TO WORSHIP!

Please call the office at 343-9828 or pastor’s cell phone at 871-0448!

Check out our Peace web page for any updates to the Calendar at www.yourpeace.org.

WORSHIP IS THE DELIGHT OF THE SOUL IN LOVE WITH THE LORD!

PEACE LUTHERAN CHURCH

JOIN US FOR OUR SUNDAY MORNING ADULT BIBLE STUDY ON THE BOOKS OF TIMOTHY! Our opening theme this Fall will be the study of 1st and 2nd Timothy! These beautiful and challenging letters of St. Paul to his young pastor Timothy are very relevant to our Christian lives today. We will be meeting at 9:30 am after Sunday School opening!!!! Come and share! Our Bible Study keeps getting bigger and bigger every year!!!!

WORSHIP LIFE AT PEACE LUTHERAN FOCUS ON THE FAMILY! Sunday (starting Sept. 12): EDUCATION HOUR: 9:15 WORSHIP: 10:30 AM This year we are focusing in on strengthening and nurturing our beautiful families.

REFORMATION TRUTHS WE CELEBRATE IN OUR CHURCH! 1.

Sola Scriptura: The Scripture Alone is the Standard

2.

Solo Christo! By Christ's Work Alone are We Saved

3.

Sola Gratia: Salvation by Grace Alone

PEACE LUTHERAN CHURCH Apostolic Mission Congregation of the LCMS 2506 N. Main Ave. Scranton, PA 18508

To a special person whom God Loves: