Greetings from Church of Peace 12/6/18

You’ve probably felt it too – the hustle and bustle of the holiday season is upon us. Keep peaceful! Don’t get lost in the “busyness”, and end up not actually having your days to enjoy – to live. Enjoy the season!

Pastor Jack is looking forward to this Saturday morning for his “Wilderness Workshop.” He’s hoping for a large attendance. “The event follows the children of Israel through their sojourn. We’ll look at the last 6 months sojourning as a church – to the present – to what is in store for our congregation.”

Many of you have been participating in the “Reverse Advent Calendar.” Your contributions will be a wonderful boom to our holiday food pantry. We have even had visitors pick up copies from the office, planning to bring items for our pantry, as well.

A reminder: next week Thursday is our Service of Remembrance & Hope. This is a candlelit service in the evening, at 7:00 p.m. The service addresses those who feel a sense of loss during this holiday season. All are welcome.

The following is Jack’s Musing:

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

This is probably my favorite Christmas song. I have a few, but this is right up at the top of the list. Judy Garland first sang it in 1943 during WWII in the film, “Meet Me In St. Louis.” In 1950 or thereabout, Frank Sinatra sang it, and turned the song into the standard Christmas song it has become. He had the last verse of the song changed to give it a positive spin. The last verse of the song originally recognized that life is difficult on the best of days.

The writers, Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane, wrote the words and music that continue to haunt me.

“Someday soon we all will be together

If the Fates allow.

 Until then we’ll have to muddle through somehow.

 So have yourself a merry little Christmas now.”

Sitting at a holiday concert a couple of years ago with my wife, I heard the Ripon College Chamber Singers sing this song. The lyrics the Chamber Singers used that afternoon were the Frank Sinatra lyrics that say something like, “Hang a shining star upon the highest bough.” It was beautiful. However, in my mind’s eye I heard the original words, “Until then we’ll have to muddle through somehow.”

For whatever reason, I began to weep. My wife patted my arm. I was so emotional I decided to leave the concert and walk a mile home in the rain. When I thought about it, I realized that my feelings were complex as they often are this time of year. I was sad that that Christmas I would not be with many people I love dearly. I would not be with our children, my siblings, extended family, and friends. I would have to add the hundreds of people I’ve been fortunate enough to spend time among. I simply get misty-eyed, recognizing my loss and desire to be with the people I care about. The further rub was that so many are simply gone. My grandparents were born in the 19th century. They were important in forming me as a child. My parents are dead as well. That is a whole story all by itself. At the end of the day let’s just say, I loved them and miss them. Many of my teachers have died. These folks were my companions and cheerleaders. I learned much from them. I’ll add to this litany of loss, many dear friends and comrades in arms, with whom I have endured the sharpest battles of life; they are dead too.

Well, someday soon we’ll all be together, if the fates allow. Until then, I’ll have to muddle through somehow. Truth be spoken, that is exactly how I feel when I am reminded of them. I muddle through. I am happy to say, “I am a muddler.” I would be nothing without these memories and acknowledging these losses.

This time of year I encounter the pain and struggles of others, maybe yours among them. Crazy things happen in our lives and sometimes, simply put, our lives sometime spin out of control. I have talked with people who cannot make sense out of their lives, relationships and the hyped up joy of others. This is the time of year many are melancholy, depressed and simply blue.

The last line of the song goes like this, “So have yourself a merry little Christmas now.” I will, with memories intact, celebrate the Nativity. I will remember those not with me physically, as being present. I will tell the messy story of Christmas in all of its glory. The story you know is about an inversion. The poor are celebrated, and the rich are on the periphery of the story. In some manner the story with all its glitches is like your story and mine. It is a story saying that God is for us, and with us. Remember, Jesus was born in a cave, to his unwed mother and credulous father, among animals, shepherds, wise people, and an enemy who from the beginning wanted to do a vulnerable child in, due to his own paranoia and lust for power. I love it. What a great story! It still is one of the best I have ever heard. The people I will be near, you for instance, love the story too. And, you like me will have to choose again to, have a merry little Christmas now. It is the present moment that is crucial, is it not? It is the awareness that we are not alone that matters. We will say again, “Emmanuel or God is with us”, does not leave us alone in the darkness. All it takes is a little light to dispel darkness. A lit candle can change your mood and mine.

Consider this: you can express your struggle during this wonderful season with the ambivalence of feeling both melancholy and joy side by side. That is how I muddle through. Sing the carols, tell the story, love your neighbor and be fully in touch with who you are.

I wish you the merriest of all Christmases now.

Jack

Greetings from Church of Peace 11/8/18

Greetings from Church of Peace!

This weekend our Confirmands will be attending a Confirmation Retreat at Pilgrim Center. We wish them a faithful and rewarding experience.

The Youth Group also has a bowling trip planned for this Sunday after church.

Church of Peace is in need of a volunteer “Website Guru”! If you know your way around the workings of internet websites – we could use your expertise as the (volunteer) COP Website Administrator. If you’d be interested in helping us out in this area, call the church office at 920-921-8215. Thanks!

The following is Jack’s Musing for this Thursday:

Abundance or Scarcity If you perceive the universe as being a universe of abundance, then it will be. If you think of the universe as one of scarcity, then it will be. Milton Glaser

I often think about what a tricky thing perception can be. I am sure you remember the glass half empty/glass half full debate. It is about how you perceive the liquid in the glass. For many, the glass is always less than half full and you fear you will run out, while for others, it is half full, thus there is plenty. I generally am on the side of believing that the glass is half full, and that the universe is abundant as science is teaching us constantly. I am glad I am in a UCC congregation. Here, I can freely believe that we have not yet scratched the surface of the mysteries beyond our knowing.

I held a fragment of moon rock awhile ago. I was blown away by the anomaly of that piece of rock being on the earth. I am blown away by the gravity wave recently discovered and its implications for science. Having dinner with two Physics teachers awhile back, my excitement about this discovery had me tingling. I am sure some idiot believes that gravity waves should be weaponized, and is trying to figure out how to do so now. After all, one needs to protect ones resources or get a corner on the market, because they’re belief system believes there is not enough to go around. And, after all, me and mine are more important than you and yours.

My point is this, “that is not how I think.” It is the time of year that we think about giving and harvest. For me it is also a time that I believe the Holy One has done and is doing the impossible. It is a time when our imaginations should be running out of control. But, due to being stuck in the mode of scarcity, we place ourselves in a little box labeled just that, scarcity. We place limits on our imagination and go through our lives saying there is not enough. However, when we counteract the fear of scarcity with a vision that there is abundance all about us, we begin to experience everything we see and explore as being new and graced with unexpected possibility.

I am a dreamer. I live in hope. I hate standing around and wasting my time thinking I do not have enough. I literally work toward imbuing my minds eye with the belief that, “there is enough”, and that the universe is miraculous. I do not think I am important in the grand scheme of things. I think I participate in making the world a better place. I practice living and giving away myself in the belief that that is what matters. I want to know more than I do now. I want to always remain on the edge. I want to imagine the shape of things to come with whatever capacities are at my disposal. I am a person of faith. I believe that as I model grace, and generosity, I am influencing outcomes larger than myself.

Congregations are often faced with choices. Those that believe in abundance change whatever they touch. I have witnessed Congregations that practice scarcity, and have watched them whither and die. Sometimes, it gets confusing. I for one, cannot abide the idea of scarcity. The basis of scarcity is fear. I believe that love casts out fear. Where there is love, there is no room for scarcity or fear. So, I believe the universe is a universe of abundance. I hope you think so too. I also believe that the glue in the universe is love.

My mother, who passed eight years ago said, “Jack, there is enough love to go around for everyone.” At the time we were discussing whether or not she took the wrong baby home from the hospital. She said, “I don’t think so.” She added that, “although I did not think, or oft behave like my siblings, because of the miracle of love, she was sure the right baby left the hospital with her that day.” You see, the universe is differentiated. There is endless variety to behold, enjoy and yes, love. It is abundant when we open our hands and celebrate all that is there on which to feast.

The Church of Peace is no different. The only thing that can keep the Church struggling financially is the practice of scarcity. However, being a congregation committed to love, grace, and generosity our practice must be abundance and a willingness to see through the eyes of the one who fed the multitudes who were like sheep without a shepherd. For you and me, it is time to choose which God we serve. The God and father of Jesus, the creator of the universe, practices making what to our minds eye impossible, possible.

If you can, open your mind to possibility. There is enough. If you come to church on Sunday morning, I will ask you to choose. I will ask you to open your heart and make a generous pledge to God and the Church of Peace. It will be up to you to decide, abundance or scarcity? Jack

Greetings from Church of Peace 05/17/18

Greetings from Church of Peace!

Fire and wind – it is Pentecost this Sunday and the sanctuary is all set in its fiery red cloths. Please wear red if you have it and join in the celebration of the birthday of the church. Three young men will be confirmed. The choir will sing. It will be a joyful hour of worship, beginning at 8:45 a.m.

Betty Hall will be having surgery in Madison tomorrow. Please remember her in your prayers.

This Sunday is Faith Formation Sunday and people of all ages are invited to participate in a trip to Christo Rey Ranch. The bus will leave Church of Peace at 10:00 a.m. and return at noon. The cost is $5.00 per person. Join us as we enjoy animals from the Bible and grow in Christian friendship.

On Tuesday the Golden Fellowship Spring Trip to Mayville will begin at 9:00 a.m. It includes a tour of Metalcraft of Mayville, lunch at Cooper Shop Restaurant in Keekoske, and time at the Horicon Marsh Visitor Center. We’ll return at 3:00. The cost is $12.00 per person. Please sign up on the bulletin board.

That’s the news from Church of Peace.

We’ll see you in church! Pastors Jenny and Jim

A prayer for today: Open my heart wide today, O God, to receive your inpouring of love and peace. Then I will be able to live faithfully, sharing that love and peace with others. I ask your special blessing upon Betty Hall as she undergoes surgery tomorrow. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Greetings from Church of Peace 05-10-18

Greetings from Church of Peace!

Sunday is Mother’s Day and we will be remembering our mothers with love. The choir will sing a special anthem. The sermon will be Pastor Jenny’s “motherly” words to the people of Church of Peace.

Ken Meyn is a patient at St. Agnes Hospital. Please remember him in prayer.

Want to help our food pantry? This Saturday afternoon we need volunteers to sort the food that Church of Peace will receive from the Postal Carriers’ food drive. Please come to the church about 1:00 p.m. if you can help. Thanks!

This is the last Sunday of traditional Sunday School for the season (10:00 a.m.) We salute our teachers for another successful year. Next week, May 20th, a Family Faith Formation event will begin at 10:00. It is a bus trip to Cristo Rey Ranch to see animals from the Bible. The cost of the trip is $5.00. We will return at noon. Permission slips are needed for children whose parents are not going to attend.

Tuesday, May 22nd is the final Golden Fellowship event of the spring. We will be going to Mayville to tour the Metalcraft factory, eat lunch at the Cooper Shop Restaurant, and then visit the Horicon Marsh Education and Visitor Center. The bus leaves here at 9:00 a.m. and returns at about 3:00 p.m. The cost is $12.00 plus your lunch. Please sign up soon!

That’s the news from Church of Peace.

We’ll see you in church! Pastors Jenny and Jim

A prayer for today: Gentle and powerful God, I need your help today. I need your blessings of wisdom and guidance, peace and love. Please shine within my life. Bless Ken Meyn with continued healing and increasing strength. I pray remembering Jesus. Amen.

Greetings from Church of Peace 05-03-18

Greetings from Church of Peace!

Sunday’s service will bring us Holy Communion in the pews, lots of uplifting music, and a message on Jesus feeding the 5,000. Join us at 8:45 a.m. for this inspiring worship service.

A week from this coming Saturday – on May 12th -- the postal carriers will be collecting food all over town. Church of Peace will be the recipients of a generous amount of food. We need help in two ways. (1) We need volunteers to drive around town, collecting the bags and bringing them to the post office. Can you be assistance in this way? If so, please call Shari Schultz at 924-4588 for further information. (2) We need volunteers to come to Church of Peace at 1:00 p.m. on that Saturday and help sort food. If you can do this, just show up. The work will take a couple of hours and is not strenuous. Thank you!

Looking ahead:

Sunday, May 20th 10:00 a.m. – noon -- Intergenerational Faith Formation bus trip to Cristo Rey Ranch. Join us as we enjoy touring the farm and seeing animals from the Bible stories. The cost is $5.00 per person. More information will be sent home with Sunday School students this week. The whole congregation is invited to join us.

Tuesday, May 22nd 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. -- Golden Fellowship Trip to Mayville Metalcraft and Horicon Marsh State Wildlife Area. $12.00 per person covers bus ride and entry fee. Check your Messenger for more information. Sign up in the narthex.

That’s the news from Church of Peace.

We’ll see you in church! Pastors Jenny and Jim

A prayer for today: Lead me in your paths today, O God, so that I can be a faithful disciple of Jesus. Fill me with your joy and peace so that I can spread joy and peace in the world. Amen.

Greetings from Church of Peace & Rummage Sale News 04-25-18

Greetings from Church of Peace!

Help! We need rummage! This week our Ladies of Peace have been busy setting up the rummage sale. We are a little sparse in the clothing department. We can use other stuff too. This is the time to do some quick spring cleaning of your home and closet. If you have items to share, please bring them in today (Wednesday) or tomorrow so they can be sorted and priced for Friday and Saturday’s sale. Baked goods are also welcomed. Then come back and shop: Friday 8-6, Saturday 8-2. Thanks!

Worship this Sunday features a dramatic story from the Book of Acts. Join us for this time of song, prayer, and Word. Worship begins at 8:45 a.m.

That’s the news from Church of Peace.

We’ll see you in church! Pastors Jenny and Jim

A prayer for today: Thank you, dear God, for this day which is full of possibilities for service in Christ’s name. Please open my heart to your nearness and love as I try to live faithfully for Jesus. Amen.

Greetings from Church of Peace 04-19-18

Greetings from Church of Peace,

Worship this Sunday promises to be interesting and inspirational. Join us at 8:45 for a time of prayer, praise, and song. We will be honoring the Ladies of Peace who are celebrating their 115th anniversary of Christian service. Sunday School will be held as usual at 10:00 a.m.

Church of Peace member Kathleen Burg’s husband Dennis died this past weekend. Please remember Kathleen when you pray.

Sunday night at 6:30 p.m. the Mission Trippers will gather for an informational meeting.

Golden Fellowship is gathering on Tuesday, April 24th to hear Officer Erik Foster from the Fond du Lac Police Department tell us about scams. You are welcomed to join us. Please sign up ahead of time so there is plenty of food for lunch.

It’s rummage sale time! You can bring your donations of clothes and stuff to the church during office hours (9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.) all this week or next week Monday-Thursday. Baked goods are needed and can be brought in Thursday of next week. The sale is Friday/Saturday, April 27th and 28th. Set-up help will be needed every day next week.

Do you find the prayer journeys in worship bring you close to God? Prayer journey CD’s will be available in the narthex after worship for $5.00. All moneys collected will be donated to the General Fund.

That’s the news from Church of Peace.

We’ll see you in church! Pastors Jenny and Jim

A prayer for today: Thank you, dear God, for this day and the opportunities it brings me to love and serve you. Please bless Kathleen Burg with your sustaining peace. Amen.

Greetings from Church of Peace 04-12-18

Greetings from Church of Peace!

Rain, snow, a wintry mix – we might get it all this coming weekend. Come join us at Church of Peace for several heart-warming activities, no matter what the weather is like outside.

Sunday morning worship will begin at 8:45. It will feature a story from the early church as told in the Biblical book of Acts. We’ll celebrate the 115 years of ministry by our Ladies of Peace. Join us as we sing, pray, and grow in faith together.

Plans for the Faith Formation Event on Sunday have been modified. After talking with the farm manager at Cristo Rey Ranch, it was decided to postpone the trip until next month when the weather will be more cooperative. So this Sunday we will meet at 10:00 a.m. in the sanctuary for a time of inter-generational fun. We’ll learn together about the church as the Body of Christ as we do crafts and play instructive games, then worship together. A pizza lunch will follow. We’ll be done around 11:30 a.m. People of all ages are invited. No regular Sunday School will be held on this Sunday.

Saturday will be a wonderful evening at Church of Peace. The Lakeland University Choir will join us for a potluck supper (at 5:00 p.m.) followed by a concert at 7:00 p.m. There is no charge for the potluck (chicken will be provided; please bring a dish to pass) and a free-will offering will be taken at the concert.

That’s the news from Church of Peace.

We’ll see you in church! Pastors Jenny and Jim

A prayer for today: I open my heart to you, O God. Please make a home within it. Fill me with your love and peace. Show me how to bless others as you have blessed me. Amen.

Greetings from Church of Peace 04-05-18

Greetings from Church of Peace!

Thankfully, our Easter joy is not based on weather! We will continue to praise and thank God during Sunday’s service. Todd Whittaker will provide special music. Join us at 8:45 a.m. for this time of inspiration and renewal.

Coming up:

Saturday, April 14th the Lakeland College Choir will present a concert at Church of Peace at 7:00 p.m. Prior to the concert, at 5:00 p.m., the congregation will provide a potluck supper for the singers. We hope that many members of the church family will participate. A sign-up sheet for the potluck is available on the bulletin board.

Sunday, April 15th, the whole congregation is invited to join in a Family Faith Formation field trip to Cristo Rey Ranch. The bus will leave the church at 10:00 a.m. and return about noon. The cost is $5.00 per person. Children may attend without a parent if they have a permission slip. There will be no regular Sunday School on that day.

That’s the news from Church of Peace.

We’ll see you in church! Pastors Jenny and Jim

A prayer for today: Warm my heart, O God, with your gifts of peace and joy. Lead me in the paths of faithfulness. Shine through my life into the world. Amen.

Holy Week Greetings from Church of Peace 03-29-18

Greetings from Church of Peace on this Maundy Thursday!

Here is the run-down on what is happening this week at your church:

 Tonight: Maundy Thursday service at 7:00 p.m. Holy Communion will be served in the pews.  Tomorrow: Good Friday service at 7:00 p.m. There will be a chancel drama. Special music by Pastor Jim.  Sunday: Easter services at 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. Holy Communion will be celebrated at the altar. The choir will sing at both services.

Between Easter services the youth will be sponsoring a breakfast. Please support our mission trippers by attending and donating generously.

We know of no one who is hospitalized at this time.

Parents of youth: the 6-12th graders will be gathering at the church on Saturday morning at 9:30 a.m. to prepare for the Easter breakfast.

That’s the news from Church of Peace.

We’ll see you in church! Pastors Jenny and Jim

A prayer for today: Draw me closer to you, O God, as I walk with Jesus through this Holy Week. Fill me with awe at the faithfulness and love which he showed. Show me how to live following his example. And on Sunday, fill me with pure Easter joy. Amen.

Greetings from Church of Peace!

Greetings from Church of Peace!

“Modern Life” – that’s tonight’s topic at our Lenten service. Join us at 6:30 for a time of renewal, inspiration, and laughter.

Sunday is Palm Sunday. The Worship Enhancement Team will have transformed our sanctuary into a palm-filled wonderland and worshippers will be invited to take a palm home. This service is full of triumph and will lift our hearts. Join us at 8:45 a.m.

Terri Hoffman is a patient in the hospital. Please pray that God’s healing blessing will be upon her.

On Sunday we will receive our One Great Hour of Sharing offering. This annual offering provides disaster relief throughout the year as well as funding development projects for the world’s people who suffer in severe poverty. Let us open our hearts and give generously to this urgent ministry.

Looking ahead:

Next Thursday, March 29th, we will gather to remember the Last Supper of Jesus. We’ll have communion served in the pews. This will be a deeply meaningful service. It will begin at 7:00 p.m.

Friday, March 30th our sanctuary will be bare and our hearts heavy as we gather to commemorate the death of our Lord. Join us at 7:00 p.m. for a time of remembrance.

Easter Sunday is April 1st this year (no foolin’). We will worship at 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. with altar communion at each service. The choir will sing at both services as well. The mission trip youth will offer a breakfast between the services.

That’s the news from Church of Peace.

We’ll see you in church! Pastors Jenny and Jim

A prayer for today: Strengthen my heart today, O God, with your gifts of hope and faith. Fill me with a deep desire to be a disciple and show me ways to serve you. Grant me wisdom and guidance in the choices that I make. I pray that your healing light will shine upon Terri Hoffman, returning her to health and strength. Amen.

Greetings from Church of Peace 03-14-18

Greetings from Church of Peace! Tonight we gather at 7:00 p.m. to look with the eyes of faith at another facet of human life – aging. The comics of Pickles will make us laugh and the inspiration of Scripture will fill our hearts with hope. Join us – you’ll be so glad that you did!

Sunday’s service brings us a chancel drama, beautiful music, and times of heart-warming prayer. The service will begin at 8:45 a.m.

It’s time for another Family Faith Formation event! We will meet from 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. for crafts, activities, worship, and lunch. The theme this month is prayer.

Nancy and Al Pahnke are both in the hospital. Please pray that God’s healing touch will be upon both of them.

That’s the news from Church of Peace.

We’ll see you in church! Pastors Jenny and Jim

A prayer for today: O God, I look to you today for guidance, wisdom, and spiritual energy as I go about my life. Please bless me with an awareness of your nearness and fill me with your peace. I pray that Nancy and Al Pahnke will be touched by your healing love. Amen.

Greetings from Church of Peace 03-07-18

Greetings from Church of Peace!

Today is a Wednesday in Lent which means you have an opportunity to be spiritually refreshed this evening. Join us at 7:00 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall for a time of song, prayer, Scripture, and commentary on day-to-day life with our friends from the Pickles comic strip. You’ll be glad you came.

Sunday’s service will deal with the perennial human problem of change. Come learn from the Scriptures how to deal with the ever-present reality of adjusting to new situations. The choir will sing and there will be a prayer journey. The service will begin at 8:45 a.m.

Gene Willis is in the hospital. Please remember him in prayer.

Next Saturday night, when you go to bed, be sure to set your clock ahead one hour. You wouldn’t want to be late to church!

See you in church! Pastors Jenny and Jim

A prayer for today: Pour the sunshine of your love into my heart today, O God, so that I might feel your nearness and shine with your love. Open me to your guidance. I pray that Gene Willis will experience your healing power in his life as he recovers from surgery. I pray remembering Jesus. Amen.

Greetings from Church of Peace 02-28-18

Greetings from Church of Peace!

Join us tonight for midweek Lenten worship. Our theme tonight is neighbors. Using the words of Jesus and some comics from the “Pickles” collection, we will think together about how to be good neighbors, even to those irritating people who come into our lives. This heartwarming service will begin at 7:00 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall.

Sunday’s worship will feature Holy Communion in the pews. The Scripture reading will be the Ten Commandments. Join us for this time of spiritual renewal. We’ll begin at 8:45 a.m.

Cynthia Bradjic and Don Gruenwald are in the hospital. Please remember them when you pray.

Following worship on Sunday, you are invited to get a cup of coffee and then come to the Multi-Purpose Room for some stimulating conversation. Cassie and Justin Poirier will lead a brainstorming session for good ideas for Church of Peace. What a fun way to talk together about the future of our congregation!

That’s the news from Church of Peace.

We’ll see you in church! Pastors Jenny and Jim

A prayer for today: Thank you, God, for the hints of spring that I have seen over the past few days. May there be signs of new growth within my heart during this Lenten time as I seek to follow Jesus more faithfully. Warm any coldness in my heart and fill me with zeal for your compassionate work. Please bless Cynthia Bradjic and Don Gruenwald with healing and hope. Amen.

Greetings from Church of Peace 2-21-18

Greetings from Church of Peace!

Tonight we gather for worship at 7:00 in the Fellowship Hall. Our theme will be “Family Life,” inspired by the Scriptures and illustrated with the Pickles comic strip. Join us for a time of learning and worship – and lots of smiles.

Sunday’s service in the sanctuary will begin at 8:45 a.m. and will give us each an opportunity to offer God our thanks. Our spirits will be refreshed for Christian service.

Sunday is the Chili Cook-Off! We’ve got 18 different kinds of chili for you to try. Vote for your favorite! Please support this youth-mission-trip fund-raiser by eating with us ($5.00 for adults; $2.00 for kids under 12) or by making a cash donation. We’ll be serving from 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. You can purchase Seroogy’s candy bars for dessert!

Cynthia Bradjic is a patient in the hospital. Please pray for Cindy’s return to health and strength.

That’s the news from Church of Peace.

We’ll see you in church! Pastors Jenny and Jim

A prayer for today: I am so grateful, O God, for the many ways you have blessed my life today. Show me how to express my thanks in deeds of kindness and words of compassion. I pray that Cynthia Bradjic will experience your healing power in her life. I ask your blessing upon our youth as they raise money for their mission trip. Amen.

Greetings from Church of Peace 02-14-18

Greetings from Church of Peace on Ash Wednesday!

Lent begins today. We will begin this six-week journey into deeper faithfulness with an Ash Wednesday service tonight at 7:00 p.m. Holy Communion will be served at the altar. Confirmands will light the first of the Lenten candles. Join us for this holy time of new beginnings.

Are you ever tempted to do something wrong? We all are. God provides us with the resources to be strong against temptation’s lure. Temptation will be the focus of this Sunday’s worship. Worship will begin at 8:45 a.m.

Family Faith Formation is a time for Christians of all ages to learn, celebrate, worship, and eat together. Join us at 10:00 this Sunday for crafts, games, and worship on the theme of “Jesus Loves the Little Children.” A delicious lunch will follow; we’ll be done about 11:30. This replaces the Sunday School hour. Children are welcome to come without a parent.

The “Feed My Starving Children” program has begun gathering funds for this year’s event. You can talk with Starla Rebedew in the narthex after worship for more information.

A Chili Cook-Off to support our youth mission trippers will be held on Sunday, February 25th from 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. There’s still time to sign up to bring a pot of chili. $5.00 for adults and $2.00 for kids will buy you as much chili as you can eat. Seroogy’s candy bars will be for sale for dessert. Please plan to come and enjoy the delicious food and the fun!

That’s the news from Church of Peace.

We’ll see you in church! Pastors Jenny and Jim

A prayer for today: O God, as this Lenten season starts, I pray that you will lead me into deeper faithfulness and obedience to the ways of Christ. Heal the broken parts of my life and shine your healing light into my heart so that I will be able to follow Jesus more wholeheartedly. Amen.

Greetings from Church of Peace -02-08-18

Greetings from Church of Peace!

This Sunday’s service features the celebration of Christian marriage. Couples married 25-68 years will be honored with a flower. We will install our Church Council and Stewardship Team members. The choir will sing. Join us for this hour of inspiration beginning at 8:45.

We know of no one who is hospitalized at this time, but we do ask you to hold the Oestreich family in your prayers. Mary’s mother died this week.

Starla Rebedew will be available in the narthex after worship to receive donations for “Feed My Starving Children,” an ecumenical event in which Church of Peace participates. Starla will have information about the day the food will be packed for distribution.

Coming up:

Next Wednesday, February 14th, is Ash Wednesday. We will gather for worship at 7:00 p.m. Altar communion will be offered. Begin your Lenten journey with this holy service.

The Family Formation Event will be held on Sunday, February 18th. The theme this month will be “Jesus Loves the Little Children.” It is for people of all ages and will be held from 10:00 a.m. through 11:30 a.m. Join us for this time of faith-building and fun.

The youth are heading to Kentucky for their mission trip this summer. You can support them by participating in the Chili Cook-Off on February 25th from 11:00-1:00. We are hoping our whole congregation will support the kids by eating with us that day. Do you make a pot of yummy chili that you could share? Sign up on the bulletin board. Thanks!

That’s the news from Church of Peace.

We’ll see you in church! Pastors Jenny and Jim

A prayer for today: Bless me, O God, with wisdom and courage as I live this day for you. Show me how to follow in the steps of Jesus. Please shine your comforting light on the Oestreich family in their time of sorrow. Amen.

Greetings from Church of Peace 02-01-18

Greetings from Church of Peace!

This Sunday’s service features Holy Communion at the altar. Join us for this time of spiritual renewal. Worship begins at 8:45 a.m.

This is Souper Bowl Sunday. We invite you to bring a pound of ground meat to be shared with a hungry household. We’ll have coolers at the doors. The meat will be frozen and handed out as need arises. Please leave the meat in its original store wrapper.

Janet Willis and Lola Shady have been patients in the hospital this week.

This Sunday, our Sunday morning Adult Bible Study group is beginning a new study on white privilege. Using a curriculum from the United Church of Christ entitled Let’s Talk – A Resource for Transformational Dialogue, Ray Beilke will be leading this five-week study. It promises to be interesting and inspirational.

Your February Messenger is now available at the church and on-line at subversivecinema.com.

That’s the news from Church of Peace.

We’ll see you in church! Pastors Jenny and Jim

A prayer for today: Thank you, God, for this day and all the blessings which flow from your generous hand into my life. Please open my eyes and my heart to the needs of others so I can be your hands in this world. Bless Janet Willis and Lola Shady as they grow stronger day by day. Amen.

Greetings from Church of Peace 01-25-18

Greetings from Church of Peace!

“Are We Being Faithful?” is a question churches ask themselves every year at the Annual Meeting of the Congregation. Our Annual Meeting will be held this Sunday at 10:00 a.m. Our worship service will focus on God’s call to us as a congregation – where we’ve been in the last year and where God is calling us to go together. Join us as we feel the touch of the Spirit leading and healing us. Worship will begin at 8:45 a.m.

We know of no one who has been hospitalized this week. We know of lots of people with colds and flu, however, so please remember these people when you pray.

Golden Fellowship will be meeting this Tuesday morning at 11:00. Please sign up if you plan to attend.

The Souper Bowl of Caring will be celebrated a week from this coming Sunday on February 4th. This year we are asking members and friends to bring ground meat for our food pantry freezer. Beef, chicken, or turkey – in its original wrapping – will help feed our hungry neighbors over the next few months. Coolers will be available at the doors.

That’s the news from Church of Peace.

We’ll see you in church! Pastors Jenny and Jim

A prayer for today: Shine the sunshine of your love into my heart today, O God, so that I can illumine the lives of those around me with love. Show me where you need my help and I will go. Bless all those who are struggling with illness that they may experience your healing mercies. Amen.

Greetings from Church of Peace 01-18-18

Greetings from Church of Peace,

Worship this Sunday focuses on the theme of discipleship. There will be a special treat for the service – our children are singing! Join us at 8:45 a.m. for an uplifting hour.

At 10:00 a.m. on Sunday, after social hour, the whole family is invited to a Family Faith Formation Event on the theme of “Light.” Crafts, a game, music, and worship will be followed by lunch. We’ll be done around 11:30 or so. All members and friends of the church are encouraged to attend.

We need two people to host the Homeless Shelter Bridge on Sunday afternoon, January 28th, from 3:30-6:30. You can sign up on the bulletin board and we will get you information and the key for St. Paul’s Cathedral where the hosting is held.

Golden Fellowship will be held on Tuesday, January 30th at 11:00. There will be fabulous prizes as we enjoy the game of Yahtzee. Lunch will follow.

The Annual Meeting of Church of Peace United Church of Christ will be held on Sunday, January 28th at 10:00 in the sanctuary.

That’s the news from Church of Peace.

We’ll see you in church! Pastors Jenny and Jim

A prayer for today: I need your peace, O God, to surround and uphold me as I face today’s challenges. Fill me with a calm spirit and help me to experience joy in serving you. Amen.