Grace to you and peace from God our Creator and Christ Jesus, the Light of the world.
When I was living in Moscow, I spent a week in Copenhagen, Denmark to renew my visa and visit a friend of mine. I visited in early February, when Copenhagen and Moscow were still in the dark, gray days of winter. On my first day in Copenhagen, the sun had risen to its highest point, just above the horizon. As the sun set, around 3:00 in the afternoon, we stopped at a cafe for a cup of coffee and a delicious chocolate pastry. As the sun dipped, the waitress started lighting candles, at the tables, in the windowsills, and along shelves throughout the cafe. Suddenly, the gray darkness of winter was shattered with the light of those candles. As we left the cafe and walked through the streets of old Copenhagen, the windows of every building had candles shining on the windowsills. Homes had them lit throughout; their light seemed to conquer the dark winter nights.
In the coming season of Epiphany, we bear witness to the light of Christ, the light which shone through the star to lead the wise men to pay homage to the baby King Jesus, enthroned in a manger. We dare to believe that into the darkness of our lives the light of Christ shines. One of the hymns in the new Evangelical Worship Hymnal sings, “Christ be our Light! Shine in our hearts. Shine through the darkness. Christ be our light! Shine in your church gathered today.” (no. 715) In this season of Epiphany, we proclaim the light of Christ which shines its light of hope and promise into the darkness of our lives. Christ is like those candles in the Copenhagen winter, shattering the darkness. As it is written in the Gospel according to John, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness cannot overcome it.” (John 1:5)
Christ is our light which brings hope and promise into the darkness of our lives. Christ shines light into the darkness of our loneliness, our grief, our exhaustion, and our fear. This light gives us courage and inspires us to face our fears, to reach out, and to live each day. Even for us, at St. Peter’s, as we wonder what the future will be for us, Christ shines His light for us to follow. While there are many things we could despair about, our fear and worries will not energize us to face the days to come. Only the Light of Christ will move us into the future that God has in store for us. We do not know what that future will be, but I deeply believe that as we live in hope, as we follow Christ’s light, our way will be made known to us, and we will faithfully live as God’s people in the world. Our only way forward is to follow the light of Christ, in hope and trust.
We are,after all, people who follow a God who knows how to make a way out of no way, who made a tiny child the ruler of all the world, who destroyed the power of sin and death, and who has chosen us to bear Christ’s light in the world. We are the ones who have been called to experience and proclaim the hope of Isaiah, “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.” In this season, let us shine brightly as that star above the stable, proclaiming to all the world the news of One who has come to shatter our darkness of doubt and fear.
The December Congregation Council Meeting was opened at 7:40 PM on December 10th at the home of Pastor Sara, where she prepared hot apple cider and cookies. Pastor opened the meeting with a prayer.
Financial Secretary and Treasurer: We received an extensive review of the 2007 budget from Irene and Bill through November. There is increasing concern about the increased cost of utilities.
Christian Education: Oretha reported that the children will present a pageant on Sunday, December 23rd at our regular service. The children are practicing reading poems to be presented as part of the pageant.
Evangelism: Barbara Shebey reported that cards continue to be sent to our ill members and that poinsettias will again be delivered to shut-ins.
Finance: Oretha is preparing the 2008 budget for review at the January Council meeting, before presentation at the Annual Meeting.
Stewardship: If you have not yet turned in a Commitment Card for 2008, please do so as it will help so much with decisions to be made this coming year. Joan also indicated a desire to form a committee to help Council assemble ideas and plans to best reflect our commitment to serve God in our congregation, our community and our world. If you have any interest in exploring our place in God’s plan, please speak to Joan.
Worship and Music: Pat Shebey reminded us that poinsettias can still be purchased for yourself or a shut-in. Please speak to Pat. Two artificial pre-lit trees for the sanctuary will be purchased and installed by Lutheran Men in Mission. Girl Scout troop #654 will help with the decorating of the trees.
Other Business: A Nominating Committee will be formed to find replacements on Council for those members retiring. Also, once again, we will ask Tom Johnston to audit our books for 2007.
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.
Annual Meeting
Our Annual Congregational Meeting will be held on Sunday, January 27th, immediately after the church service. All Committee Chairpersons and Organization Leaders need to be preparing annual reports to be included in the Bulletin of Annual Reports for the meeting. These reports are due in the church office no later than Monday, January 2nd. Your promptness will be greatly appreciated.
If you have any pertinent issues to bring before the congregation, resolutions will be accepted in writing by the President of Council, Patricia Klatt, on, or before Wednesday, January 23rd, 2008. These items of business will be handled on the meeting agenda under “Other Business and Comments.”
Sunday Morning Adult Forum 9:15 a.m.
Want to nourish your mind and heart? Want to spend some time in conversation and spiritual growth? Come and join us for our Adult Forum, on most Sundays, at 9:15 a.m. Keep your eyes open for the upcoming topics and dates. These will be posted on the narthex bulletin board. All are welcome, and no experience is necessary!
Weekly Bible Study
Join us each Wednesday for a Bible Study held at the church at 4:00 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.Feast of the Three Kings
The Feast of the Three Kings, or “Fiesta de los Tres Reyes,” will be held on January 6, 2008, at Zion Lutheran Church, 215 Elm Street, Rahway, NJ, at 3:00 p.m. Come and celebrate Epiphany with worship, food, music, entertainment and fellowship. Join together with others from the Union Cluster for this special celebration.
Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
In our worship each week as we confess our faith in the Apostle’s Creed, we confess that we believe in one holy, catholic, church. The word “catholic” here, with a small “c,” means universal. In the creed we confess our belief that one day the Christian church, which we know today to be broken and divided, will be brought together by Christ into one body. Throughout the world, Christians work, worship, serve, and pray together towards this end. One of the ways this happens is the international and ecumenical Week of Prayer for Christian Unity from January 18th through January 25th. As we celebrate this, you will receive a copy of daily scriptures and prayers to lead your daily devotions during this week.
Ash Wednesday Service
Join us on February 6th, 2008, at 7:30 p.m., here at St. Peter’s, for this Service of Penitence and Communion. As you begin this Lenten time of fasting, prayer and giving alms, come and center yourself on our human frailty and the joy we receive in God’s great gift to us in Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. Start the journey off here, and continue it with us, as we spend time together, in fasting, prayer and acts of generosity.
Building Wish List
Gail, our secretary, Pastor Sara and the Property Committee will be compiling wish lists which will be posted on the bulletin board near the side door. Please look at these lists and see how you can help in the running of our church by donating something needed or desired. Thanks for your consideration.
Stewardship Update
Here at St. Peter’s we have been abundantly blessed. We have been given so very much and have been asked to give in return. We are blessed to be a blessing. Many thanks to all who gave their pledges in this Fall’s Stewardship Campaign. This year, we received 17 pledges, for a weekly offering pledge of $774.92 and an annual offering pledge of $40,296. This is down from 23 pledges last year, and an annual offering pledge of $46,746. These pledges are put toward God’s work here at St. Peter’, and enable us to do the ministry that God is calling us to do. To those of you who have made a pledge for 2008, thank you for your sign of faithfulness and giving, and for your continued support of St. Peter’s.
We are continuing to receive pledges from those who have pledged in the past and have not yet pledged this year, and from those who would like to begin this step towards further generosity and commitment. There are commitment cards still available in the narthex. Thank you.
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 Pasquarello’s and Girl Scout Troop #654 for decorating our Christmas trees,
Our Altar Guild for all their extra work at this time of year,
LMM and Property for keeping our church warm and well-lit during this cold winter,
Irene and Bella Plitz for hosting the WELCA Christmas Party,
Walter Blenderman for another year of being Recording Secretary,
Sunday School Students and Staff for their work on the Christmas Pageant,
Pat Klatt for her work in organizing the Blue Christmas Service,
Gary Johnson, Ken and Evelyn Troy and Pat Klatt for putting together our Vision Appeal letters, and
All who have donated so generously to the Vision Appeal.
We give thanks to God for you, and for your willingness to share your many gifts!
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 once each month. Our Katie’s Quilters usually meet twice a month on a Wednesday morning at 10:00 and a Friday evening at 7:00. Check with the office for the monthly schedule of activities.
In June, 2007, our women delivered an additional 85 quilts to Lutheran World Relief center in Maryland. Food items for FISH, the local food bank, are continually collected and delivered. They assist our Lutheran Men in Mission at our Annual Dinner Theater. Thankoffering Sunday is held in November. 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!
Lutheran Men in Mission
Our Lutheran Men in Mission (LMM) meet once a month at the Church. All men of the church, young and senior alike, are welcome and encouraged to attend. Check with the office for the monthly schedule of events. In recent years, LMM has sponsored our Annual Picnic, and have have organized and cooked for our Annual Dinner Theater. They also take a regular turn with Fellowship Time after services, plus present our ladies with carnations on Mother's Day.
Work days at the church are also scheduled when a need arises. Each month, the men collect and deliver many bags of food to the local FISH program. 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!
E.P.E.S. (Educacion Popular En Salud): “Promoting Health, Hope and Healing!”
The “Mission” - EPES is dedicated to improving the health and quality of life of shantytown inhabitants through the training and organized participation of the residents themselves. Over the past 20 years, EPES has trained hundreds of local people as community health promoters. The great majority (97%) of the health promoters are shantytown women.
The success I witnessed at EPES illustrates that dialogue which respects and listens to all voices, has the possibility of inspiring great and lasting social improvements. The community health promoters often told me that, before EPES, they felt worthless, but when they began participating in the events at EPES it gave them a reason to get up in the morning. The women who work with EPES were some of the most inspired people I have ever met.
St. Peter’s support of $20 weekly, which is given by our members in memory or in honor of a loved one, or to remember a special occasion, helps us keep our yearly pledge of $1,040, which goes directly to EPES in Santiago, Chile. Sign up on the chart in the office hallway, and pleae use an envelope clearly marked EPES Mission Support.
Thank you St. Peter's, for supporting this important and sorely needed mission.
Evelyn Troy, C.M.I.
Katie’s Quilters
The Lutheran World Relief report just came out and reported that 310,856 quilts have been sent throughout the world where needed this past year. The most, 50,120, went to Sierra Leone. In August, Irene and Bella Plitz delivered 85 quilts to LWR in New Windsor, Maryland. It sounds so small, but when all the contributed quilts are put together, 310,856 quilts can result.
So, is it true that it is never too late to say thank you? I hope so, as we received $267.52 as a result of our June Appeal for which we thank you all very much. We now have two bags of filler material that we will need for the quilts we are making now, with money left over to buy more.
In January, 2007, 35 U.S. Lutheran women visited Tanzania as part of a LWR Study Tour. The women witnessed how quilts and kits are transformed into warm and comforting personal possessions for those in need. When they visited a Children’s Home in Dar es Salaam, they found more than 500 children living in dormitory-style housing, each child’s bed carefully covered with a colorful LWR quilt. Hanging from the bedposts were school kits, providing necessary supplies for the children’s education.
“Seeing the beautiful handmade quilts that adorned each bunk bed was very moving in that the quilts were just about the only personal effects that the children had,” said Melissa Buono, one of the Study Team participants.
Every time church members sit in a community to tie a quilt or assemble a kit, they are tied together with communities like those in Tanzania, communities who love, appreciate and use the quilts and kits.
“It is the way that people from different parts of the globe can say to each other: God loves you, God loves me, we all belong to the same fabric.”
We wish you all a Blessed Christmas and a Wonderful New Year.
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 January 6, Epiphany of Our Lord:
Isaiah 60:1-6
Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14 (11)
Ephesians 3:1-12
Matthew 2:1-12
Week before January 13, Baptism of Our Lord:
Isaiah 42:1-9
Psalm 29 (3)
Acts 10:34-43
Matthew 3:13-17
Week before January 20, 2nd Sunday after Epiphany:
Isaiah 49:1-7
Psalm 40:1-11 (8)
1 Corinthians 1:1-9
John 1:29-42
Week before January 27, 3rd Sunday after Epiphany:
Isaiah 9:1-4
Psalm 27:1, 4-9 (1)
1 Corinthians 1:10-18
Matthew 4:12-23
Week before February 3, Transfiguration of Our Lord:
Exodus 24:12-18
Psalm 2 (7) or Psalm 99 (9)
2 Peter 1:16-21
Matthew 17:1-9
February 6, Ash Wednesday:
Joel 2:1-2, 12-17 or Isaiah 58:1-12
Psalm 51:1-17 (1)
2 Corinthians 5:20b 6:10
Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21
Week before February 10, First Sunday in Lent:
Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7
Psalm 32 (10)
Romans 5:12-19
Matthew 4:1-11
Week before February 17, Second Sunday in Lent:
Genesis 12:1-4a
Psalm 121 (1,2)
Romans 4:1-5, 13-17
John 3:1-17
Week before February 24, Third Sunday in Lent:
Exodus 17:1-7
Psalm 95 (1)
Romans 5:1-11
John 4:5-42
