Whenever I preside at a funeral, I always begin by saying, “We gather together to do three things; to remember the one who has died, to remember and care for one another, and to remember the promises of God.” This is what we do as we grieve the loss of someone we love. This is also what we do as we grieve the loss of this congregation we love.
On November 1st, All Saints Day, at 3:00 pm, we will be holding our last worship service as St. Peter’s Lutheran Church. We will gather to remember this church, one another, and mostly, we will remember and proclaim the promises of God which sustain and guide us.
This will also be at the heart of what we do in the coming weeks. We will tell stories of this place and its ministry and saints. We will care for one another. And we will proclaim, pray, and sing the promises of God. This work of grieving will be done alongside all the other work we do. There is much work which is being done to prepare for our closing and to enable the legacy of mission and service of St. Peter’s to continue for the years to come. This community is hard at work as we also remember and grieve.
One way to help us grieve in ways that are healthy, healing and hopeful is to tell stories. We will be doing this a lot together. We will have pictures out and opportunities to tell stories as we look at them. People will be invited to share their stories of St. Peter’s during worship. We will take lots of time with one another to tell the story of this congregation and its impact on our lives. In the coming weeks, I pray that we will remember this congregation and all of its blessed saints.
Another way we can grieve in ways that are healthy, healing and hopeful is to take good care of ourselves and one another. There is a lot that we will be losing. Each of us will hold onto different things and grieve differently, because our experience of this place is different. As you know, there are lots of ways we respond to grief and loss. we may be angry, denying, numb, lonely, afraid, relieved, guilty or just plain cranky. All our feelings are important.
As we feel all these things, we are blessed with the knowledge that our good and gracious God is here, ready to hear all our laments and anger, all our sorrow and hope. In prayer, in song, and in worship, we come to God with all these pieces of ourselves, feeling all that we need to feel, turning to God for peace and reassurance. As we pay attention to our own emotions, I pray that we will also be gentle and loving to one another, listening to and honoring each person’s experience. In the coming weeks, I pray that we will remember and care for one another.
In the midst of all the tasks to do, the hard work of grieving and loving one another through it, we remember the promises of God. It is God who gives us courage and strength. It is God who will carry us through these coming weeks and bring us into newness and healing. We can trust that while this congregation is ending, the love and hope and grace of God never ends. This congregation has sowed the seeds of God’s love in ways that will be harvested for years to come. God will continue to bless, use and care for each of us as we move from this place. the love and grace of Jesus, which has sustained our ministry for over a century, will indeed sustain each of us and bring us into newness and healing and life.
In the coming weeks, we will work and weep and worry, but we will also remember. We will remember the stories of this congregation. We will remember one another. And we will remember God’s abiding and sustaining love for us and for all God’s people.
The September meeting of St. Peter’s Church Council opened with a discussion centered on the Gospel for next Sunday, Mark 9: 30-37, and a prayer by Pastor Sara.
Father Gorman, from Holy Cross Episcopal Church, presented us with a beautiful plaque containing a resolution from their church council remembering all our shared ministry of the past years and expressing their condolences at our closing our doors. We were all deeply touched by their sincere offering.
On July 11th, a letter was received from Watchung Avenue Presbyterian Church. They are holding our Council, Pastor, and Congregation in their prayers as we progress through this difficult transition, and are grateful for the many years of shared ministry, including the CROP Walk, and Community Thanksgiving Eve services hosted at our church. Again, we were all deeply touched by their sincere and kind words.
The Council voted to authorize Leigh Rink to look into having the side door fixed, since a number of people have had a lot of difficulty getting in. Pat Shebey graciously volunteered to be in charge of making sure we are always well stocked with paper products since their use has been increasing dramatically since we now have two tenants sharing our space. It was also reported that our Sunday school children are participating in Sunday school at St. Stephen’s.
Most of the evening discussion involved the work of all the committees on the closing of the church. While much was accomplished, it was decided that we needed one more meeting before the final congregational meeting in order to have a complete report for everyone. Therefore, the next council meeting will be on Tuesday, October 13th, and the congregational meeting will be held on October 18th, after church. Everyone will be notified, so that all may attend. All the preparations for closing are well underway, as are plans to see that the mission of St. Peter’s continues in other forms and places.
The church office hours are Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 8:30 A.M. - to 1:00 P.M. If the door is not unlocked, please ring the bell or knock. Pastor Sara will also be available at the church on Thursdays.
Weekly Bible Study
Join us each Wednesday for a Bible Study held at the church at 3:30 p.m. We will focus on the texts for that week that will be read at the following Sunday's service. (See “Word for the Week” further on in this newsletter.) Invite your friends and neighbors to join us for this informative time together, as we grow deeper in our faith and understanding of God’s word.
Confirmation 2009-2010
Our shared confirmation class will continue throughout the coming year in preparation for the Confirmation Service on May 23rd, 2010. Our first class will be on Tuesday, September 29th, here at St. Peter’s, from 6:00-8:30 pm. We’ll meet October 27th, at St. Stephen’s, from 6:00-8:30 pm. See you there!
2009 Crop Walk
The 37th annual Plainfield/North Plainfield CROP Walk will be held on Sunday, October 18, starting at 12:45 pm at the Watchung Avenue Presbyterian Church.
To be a CROP Walker or to sponsor a CROP Walker, please see Pastor Sara.
Archive Committee
Over the summer the entire contents of the basement vault has been moved to the first floor nursery room in order to sort through 117 years worth of items and documents. Rev. J. Frances Watson, Synod Archivist, gave us a list of 22 items to save. These will be sent down to the Archive at the Philadelphia Seminary. So far there are 8 boxes to go to the Archives, 15 boxes to be recycled, and 1 to be shredded. The Committee is about 75% done at this writing.
Tables have been set up in Fellowship Hall with many old photographs and items, from the beginning of St. Peter’s right up to the present, including early Confirmation class photographs, and a Friendly Messenger from 1931. Other tables contain hundreds of photographs taken over the years. You may take what you wish from this selection, and the rest will go to the Archive.
Thanks to Elizabeth Ennis, John Ennis, Oretha Duo-Covin, Cecil Covin Jr., Chad Covin, Walt Blenderman, Tony Pasquarello, Ron Franz, Dave Wilson, Ken Troy, and George Shebey Jr. for all their help.
Evelyn Troy, Committee Chair
Property Distribution Committee
The committee consists of Pat Shebey (chair), Ken Troy, Pat Johnston, Barbara Henriksen, and Ann Kircher. They met several times over the summer to discern what physical items are actually in and around the church property.
So far several other Lutheran churches have expressed interest in certain items: Living Waters, Flemington - the office computer and copier, and possibly a piano, cranberry hymnals, purple paraments, narthex furniture, dishes, flatware and candelabra; St. Stephen’s, South Plainfield - Music, handbells and resting tables, funeral pall, cranberry hymnals, communion set, and outside memorial bench; Spruce Run Lutheran - 24 green hymnals, With One Voice hymnals, and possibly dishes, flatware, and a piano.
Some items such as Mosaic tapes, older hymnals, banners, unused candlesticks, older candelabra, odd kitchen dishes and pots, etc., will be put out for the congregation by mid-October on a first come, first serve basis. Some items such as tables, folding chairs, office furniture, and blackboards, which may be useful to a prospective buyer (hopefully another church) will remain.
If you have any questions about gifts given to St. Peter’ (both memorial and non memorial), or other furnishings, plaques, etc., please see a member of the committee or speak to Pat Shebey, chairperson.
With Gratitude
“...I thank my God every time I remember you...” Phillipians 1:3
God works in amazing ways through the generous and humble service of faithful people. In our newsletter each month we are going to share gratitude for the people who have done so much for our congregation in the past month. The purpose of this is for us to give praise to God for the many gifts and generous work of our community. If there is something or someone you want to thank and give praise to God for, please let the office know and we can include them here...
We thank God for:
The various “Closing Committees,” along with their chairpersons and all who contributed to their work this Summer: the legacy Committee, Archive Committee, Property Distribution Committee, Building Sale Committee, Personnel Committee, Clean-Up Committee, and Closing Celebration Committee. Your hard work and faithful service has made a big difference.
The many hands and hearts, seen and unseen, that enable this place to serve, worship and gather.
The Congregation Council, for their leadership, wisdom and faithfulness throughout this past year.
Katie’s Quilters, for the 100+ quilts completed this year!
All those who served as Readers, Ushers, Communion Assistants and Fellowship Timers this Summer, especially those who were willing to jump in and serve at the last minute.
Kaitlin and Chad, for their participation at Confirmation Camp!
Linda Nietman and Bill Shebey, who lead worship while Pastor Sara was away, and for Irene Plitz’s musical leadership (along with all the great singers) while Mary Ann was on vacation.
Pat Klatt and her faithful leadership this Summer and throughout the year, and for Council’s continued work.
Pia Grant and Oretha Duo-Covin, for their work taking care of the financial side of our ministry, and for money counters throughout the summer.
Lynn and Walt Blenderman, for their work on our website.
Gail Konopada, our secretary, and Mary Ann Schwarz, our organist and choir director, for all they do for the ministry here at St. Peter’s.
We give thanks to God for you, and for your willingness to share your many gifts!
EPES (Educacion Popular En Salud) and AHA (Action for Health in the Americas)
Our own missionary, Karen Anderson, whom we have supported in her mission in Chile for over 25 years, is President and founder of EPES, working in Chile through its first two decades. Karen said in a recent letter to all of her supporters, “Thank you for your continued support on behalf of our friends who work and serve in the shantytowns of Chile. With your help, EPES will continue to help educate and empower people in the poorest neighborhoods throughout Chile.“
Upon returning to the U.S., Karen founded AHA to help continue the support of EPES in Chile. At this time, EPES needs our support, as the declining U.S. dollar is having a devastating effect on organizations like EPES that receive much of their funding in U.S. dollars. The dollar is barely worth 450 Chilean pesos today, compared with 650 pesos 2 years ago. Karen has recently returned to Santiago, Chile, to serve for 3 years on new mission projects for the ELCA.
As St. Peter’s closes its doors, we plan to introduce St. Stephen’s, our receiving congregation, to our mission, which we have supported for 26 years. We will keep you informed as to how we can continue with our EPES and AHA support.
Evelyn Troy, C.M.I.
ELCA World Hunger Appeal
“In 2004, our church’s World Hunger Appeal celebrated its 30th anniversary - 30 years of bringing help and hope to people in need.” These are the words addressed to us in a letter from Mark S. Hanson, presiding Bishop of the ELCA. He goes on to say, “In this anniversary year, our church will be celebrating the work of the Appeal...Through your giving, you have been part of this mosaic of hope that comes through merging relief, sustainable development, advocacy, and education. Your gifts are part of a picture - of a church that is responding faithfully and effectively to its Lord’s command to feed those who are hungry and to seek justice for those who are oppressed.”
Please continue to be a part of this picture by giving generously to our church’s World Hunger Appeal.
Gifts can be given through St. Peter’s, or sent directly to ELCA World Hunger Appeal, P.O. Box 71764, Chicago, IL 60694-1764.
Word for the Week
Each week we are given the gift of God's Word in our lectionary texts, the texts assigned to us for each week of worship. You will hear these words on Sunday mornings and the Sunday School children study these texts. I invite you to take some time during the week before you come to church on Sunday to read, study and pray with these texts each week. It could be a simple way to do daily devotions. On Monday, read the first reading, Tuesday, the psalm, on Wednesday, the second reading, and Thursday, read the Gospel texts. On Friday and Saturday, go back to those readings you had questions about and dig more deeply into your study. These passages can also be read in preparation for our weekly 4 p.m. Wednesday Bible Study held at the church.
One simple way to read these texts is to ask yourself the following questions:
1. What does this piece of scripture tell me about God?
2. What is God up to in this text?
3. What does this text call me (or us) to do or to be?
These are some of the questions I pray and ponder as I prepare for my sermons each week, and perhaps as you begin to ask them with me. We can grow in deeper conversation and connection with God and God's mission in the world. And you might even have a deeper experience of worship on Sunday morning.
Week before October 4, Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost:
Genesis 2:18-24
Psalm 8 (5)
Hebrews 1:1-4; 2:5-12
Mark 10:2-16
Week before October 11, Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost:
Amos 5:6-7, 10-15
Psalm 90:12-17
Hebrews 4:12-16
Mark 10:17-31
Week before October 18, Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost:
Isaiah 53:4-12
Psalm 91:9-16
Hebrews 5:1-10
Mark 10:35-45
Week before October 26, Reformation Sunday:
Jeremiah 31:31-34
Psalm 46 (7)
Romans 3:19-28
John 8:31-36
Week before November 1, All Saints Sunday:
Isaiah 25:6-9
Psalm 24 (5)
Revelation 21:1-6a
John 11:32-44
Please join us for this important congregational meeting. We will be approving the final draft of our legacy directive - which directs the distribution of assets derived from the sale of the building. We will discuss the building sale as well as other important issues regarding our closing. Please plan to attend.
Sunday, November 1st, All Saints Day, will be our last Sunday. We will have a simple worship service with our congregation in the morning at 10:30 am. Later that day, at 3:00 pm, we will have our final worship here with our congregation and surrounded by the presence and prayers of friends, neighbors, other congregations and pastors, Bishop Riley will also be here for this service. A time of fellowship will follow. Please mark your calendars for this important day. More details to come about the schedule for the day, along with information concerning how you can participate in the service and fellowship time.
