POWER IS SURGING throughout our congregation! For I have now concluded my Sermon Series based on the book, "Power Surge," by Pastor Michael Foss of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Burnsville, Minnesota. He has emphasized that faith shapes our lives by outlining "THE MARKS OF DISCIPLESHIP" for passionate followers of Jesus Christ! Last month, in this space, I summarized: PRAYING daily, WORSHIPPING weekly, and READING the Bible. Now let me review for you the remaining "MARKS."
SERVE at and beyond St. Peter's - Foss's overall theme is that a congregation, like ours, in search of rejuvenation, inspiration, and growth, shift from a "membership" model of doing church to a "discipleship" model. A "membership" church focuses on the members, and maintaining the institution for the sake of the members, and "the church is tamed, privatized, turned in on itself." A "discipleship" church "casts a vision" toward mission, toward others, toward need, toward love! "'Faith active in love,' says Foss, is the chief characteristic of a discipleship church." "It is not that we are good, but that we can do good, because God is good to us!"
RELATE with others to encourage spiritual growth - "At Prince of Peace," Foss writes, "we expect people to grow spiritually and we believe that such growth is best nurtured through spiritual friendship and mutual accountability around our common commitment to the marks of discipleship...Spiritual friends pray for each other and with each other, encourage each other, share insights into Scripture, and help one another reflect on the ways God is present and active in their lives." Build each other up in faith...Help each other practice "THE MARKS!" "The power of expectation spreads throughout the congregation."
GIVES a tithe (10%) and beyond - "Membership is about getting; discipleship is about giving. Membership is about dues; discipleship is about stewardship..." and many ESTIMATE OF GIVING cards and TIME AND TALENT sheets are still being pondered in your homes. "...We teach tithing as a reasonable, biblically based model for giving...of the giving of one's self to the God who loves us with an everlasting love...when the heart softens in wonder and gratitude for the immensities of God's many and varied gifts to us...Many, if not most, of the people I have known," reflects Foss, "who began to tithe didn't stop there." Soon you find that you can and even that you can go beyond!
O, "The benefit," writes Michael Foss, "to paying the price for moving from membership to discipleship is a power surge for the congregation - the release of the Spirit of Jesus Christ...new energy and passion, with a new lease of joy and meaning..."
The September meeting of St. Peter's Congregation Council was held on October 11th. The meeting was opened with devotions, "In God's Healing Presence," based on Isaiah 53:4-12.
Under Communications, the Council voted to let the FISH Hospitality Board meeting be held at St. Peter's on October 21st, at 7:30 pm.
Pastor reported that we now have 4 confirmands. Classes will be held the first Monday of each month.
Our Cluster will be having a meeting on October 29th, at 7:30 pm, at Zion Lutheran in Rahway. All members are urged to attend.
Remember to wear RED on Reformation Sunday, October 26th. Also to those who are interested to sign up to walk for the CROP WALK, or perhaps sponsor someone who is walking, the event is scheduled for Sunday, October 26th.
Patrick Salaman is sending out a letter to the family of the two children invited from Vacation Church School who attended both Sunday School and Church on Rally Day. He's sending them SCS lessons, and an invitation to come back to the "Welcome Place."
The McCutchen Home program was canceled in October due to the fair at the home, but Dorothea Sundvall will do a program in November, and Evelyn Troy in December.
The Spring Fling will be held on May 1st.
St. Peter's will host Ministry to Persons Without Homes starting on Sunday, November 23rd.
The Property Committee reported that the roof was repaired. The St. Peter's Cleaning Crew cleaned all the windows and kitchen curtains, painted the outside doors, and filled in the empty edges of the sidewalk. They are checking to see where the drapes can be cleaned at a reasonable price.
With no further business, the meeting was adjourned with The Lord's Prayer.
Our informal alternative worship experience is once again gathering each Sunday morning at 8:30 am. in the sanctuary. This service is accompanied by guitar, is only one half hour in length, and offers Holy Communion every week. Join us if you'd be interested in something different. Worship at 8:30 am if you must be elsewhere later on. Invite your friends. "Sing to the Lord a new song, for He has done marvelous things."
Funeral
We are deeply grieved by the loss of our good friend and faithful member, Bud Gilde, who died rather suddenly on October 1st. At his funeral, Pastor Anderson compared Bud's peering out from his Army tent in Hawaii on the morning of the attack on Pearl Harbor to his peering out from his "earthly tent" which he no longer needs to that "house not made with hands eternal in the heavens." May our faith be strengthened in the hope of Christ's resurrection.
Ministry to Persons Without Homes
Our guests next arrive on Sunday, November 23rd, and therefore, will be with us over the Thanksgiving holiday. Perhaps appropriately, as we give thanks to God for all our blessings, our hearts will obligate us to share those blessings with those in particular need. So, though at holiday time, maybe volunteering as an early evening or overnight host, kitchen crew, food donor or set-up/clean-up person is just the right thing! Watch for the sign-up sheets which will very shortly appear on the bulletin board near the kitchen. Thank you very much.
Comedy Night/Dinner Theater
This much anticipated annual event is now set for Saturday, November 22nd,at 6 pm, in our Fellowship Hall. Get ready for dinner. Prepare to laugh. Rehearsals for the cast are continuing. Please sign up to attend on the Men in Mission bulletin board entering Fellowship Hall.
Stewardship
"Would that all the Lord's people were prophets," Moses exclaimed to the people of Israel after 70 elders were appointed as leaders and filled with God's Spirit.
Would that all the Lord's people were filled with God's Spirit! Would that all the Lord's people were not only God's people, but Christian disciples! Would that all the Lord's people were brimming over with awe and wonder and thanksgiving for God's gracious gifts! Would that all the Lord's people kneel reverent before the cross and incredulous beside the empty tomb! For to paraphrase Jesus, where your heart is, there will your treasure be also.
If you have not as yet responded by making your ESTIMATE OF GIVING, please prayerfully consider Proportionate Sharing toward or beyond a 10% tithe of whatever you receive in income. Fill out the ESTIMATE OF GIVING CARD,as well as you TIME AND TALENT SHEET, and return them to the church as soon as possible. Thank you.
Thankoffering Sunday
At the Synod Assembly last May, young person after young person paraded to the podium to tell all gathered Voting Members that camp Beisler, now Crossroads Outdoor Ministries, was the most important place in the world to them! It had provided them friendships! It had given them direction! It had taught them about God! It had shaped their lives!
At that same Assembly, it was approved that a Synod-wide Appeal go out to all the congregations to improve the facilities of Crossroads, not only for our young people, but also for adult camping and retreats. If at first you felt lukewarm about yet another "Appeal," after listening to those testimonies you couldn't help but care!
Now, our Women of the ELCA are giving us the chance! The THANKOFFERING on Sunday, November 9th, will benefit the CROSSROADS APPEAL! Along with a major gift already promised, the commitment of some Memorial Fund monies, because at least one of our own already attends the Camp every Summer and others may always do so, and an application to Thrivent Financial for Lutherans for Matching Funds, this years' THANKOFFERING will help us reach the Crossroads' goal of $2,600 adopted by our Congregation Council.
Our very special guest speaker for WELCA THANKOFFERING SUNDAY, during our 10:30 am Service, will be Pastor Ernest Helmke, who is none other than the distinguished brother of our own Barbara Henriksen. We very much look forward to his being with us.
Join us for worship on this significant Sunday.
Thanksgiving Eve Service
On Wednesday, November 26th, at 7:30 pm, we will gather for our COMMUNITY THANKSGIVING EVE SERVICE at Holy Cross Episcopal; Church, across the street from us on Mercer Avenue. This year Pastor Anderson will preach. Please plan to join our whole community in thankful worship.
Sunday Church School
Our Christian Education program for the year is now in full swing. All children are welcome and encouraged to join us as we focus on the scripture lessons for each Sunday.
Our Adult Forum, under the leadership of Pat Johnston, invites and encourages all of us who are just a bit older to continue the never-ending process of Christian Education. Study the Bible. Know Christ. Discuss your faith. Gather in our Nursery Room. Be part of this experience.
Our Sunday Church School program for all ages is held at 9:15 every Sunday morning.
Women of the ELCA
The Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (WELCA) invite all women to participate in their many activities. Meetings with a specific theme or activity are usually held at the church on the second Tuesday of each month at 7:30 pm. Our Katie's Quilters usually meet twice a month on a Wednesday morning at 10:00 and a Friday evening at 7:30. last summer our women delivered 170 quilts and 13 health kits to Lutheran World Relief center in Maryland. Food items for FISH, the local food bank, are continually collected and delivered. They will be assisting our Lutheran Men in Mission at our Annual Dinner Theater on November 22nd. Thankoffering Sunday will be November 9th. Many other opportunities for fellowship and service are coming along. As you can see, our women are very active. To find out how you can join in, and to find out what's happening when, please talk to an active member, watch for announcements in the Sunday bulletin, or call the church office (908-754-0530)for further information and/or the name and phone number of the proper contact person. Our Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America look forward to welcoming you!
Be a Good Samaritan!
Our Women of the ELCA will be collecting items on Sundays, November 23rd and 30th, to be delivered to the Good Samaritan Center in Camden, New Jersey. The Center is asking for, in any size: new or hardly used underwear, socks, hand soap, shampoo, and 2 items per person of used clothing. These items will be delivered by a van belonging to one of our WELCA members in early in December.
Lutheran Men in Mission
Our Lutheran Men in Mission (LMM) meet the first Tuesday of each month at 7;30 pm at the Church. All men of the church, young and senior alike, are welcome and encouraged to attend. We need you! If you need a ride, please see or call Ken Troy. LMM sponsored our Annual Picnic, a spring fishing trip, a spring bus trip to the homes of Mark Twain and Harriet Beecher Stowe, and Mother's Day refreshments and carnations. They are currently busy working on plans for our Annual Dinner Theater on November 22nd. Work days at the church are also scheduled when a need arises. Many other opportunities for fellowship and service are coming along. As with the Women's Group, to find out how you can join in, and to find out what's happening when, please talk to an active member, watch for announcements in the Sunday bulletin, or call the church office (908-754-0530)for further information and/or the name and phone number of the proper contact person. Our Lutheran Men in Mission look forward to welcoming you!
As stated in last month's "Messenger," our support of EPES has spread its mission from Santiago and Concepcion, Chile, over the Andes to Resistencia, Argentina.
Following months of intensive study, the new Union y Salud team of two dozen women and one man is now imparting health and inspiration to family and neighbors in the otherwise down-trodden district of Juan Bautista Alberdi.
These women's experiences of personal growth have not been lost on their children. Halfway into the EPES course, some 40 youths aged 11 to 20 formed their own health team - Union, Salud y Prevencion - to break the silence over AIDS, tackle drug use and lower the high incidence of teen pregnancy. Even the muddy streets of Juan Bautista Alberdi are witness to "people of power," as am empty lot becomes a plaza for neighborhood youths, walls sprout murals, and a rubbish heap becomes a vegetable patch.
Meticulous planning and thousands of kilometers traveled have gone into this pilot project of long-distance dialogue. More to come next month on Resistencia.
You may honor someone's birthday or anniversary or remember a deceased loved one with a gift to EPES. Sign up sheets and donation envelopes are available on the office hallway bulletin board.
Yours in Christ,
Evelyn Troy
Congregation Mission Interpreter
