WORSHIP and SUNDAY SCHOOL
To access live-streamed Worship and view Worship Folder please use:
Sunday Education Hour for Age 3 to Adult at 9am
Divine Worship at 10:15am
Advent Midweek Services
The News
TOMORROW!!! Cookie Pantry
The Cookie Pantry to purchase yummy treats will be open in the Fellowship Hall tomorrow, Saturday December 9, from 9am-noon.
Elf Help!
Calling all decorators and makers-merry! The elves will meet after worship on Sunday, December 17 to get the sanctuary ready for the Nativity of Our Lord. Please sign up on the Elf Board under the slat wall or just stay after on the 17th. We’re so grateful for many hands!
New Member to be Received Sunday!
We welcome Dan Hertel to our membership under the Long Arms of the Cross! Dan was born and raised in South Bend, graduating from Jackson High School. He holds an Associate’s Degree in Computer Science from IUSB/IvyTech and a Bachelor’s of Science/CISM from Bethel. He is a senior software developer at Maple Leaf Farms in Leesburg, Indiana. Dan really enjoys walking, yard work, bike riding (about 75 miles a week when the weather is nice!), taking guitar lessons, DIY projects, and attending his grandkids’ sports and orchestra events.
Tree Crew: Advent/Joshua Tree Awaits Christmas Joy
Thanks to our tree crew for adorning God’s House and enhancing our Advent worship and preparations. We look forward to lighting the tree with Christmas Joy at Christmas Eve Lessons and Carols, 7:30pm.
Angel Tree for Emmons
We are sponsoring an Angel Tree for four families at Emmons Elementary. Please take a tag and instruction sheet to purchase gifts for these families. Gifts are due by Sunday, Dec 17.
Donations for RLA Classroom Christmas
We have found it best to do Amazon Gift Cards for our RLA teachers to use in their classrooms; this is the easiest way to enable them to pick what they need over time. We need $900 to match the gifts we have given the past several years for all teachers. Please donate by Dec 17 in the Narthex as you are able. Checks to St. Peter, memo: RLA Christmas.
Call for SHEETS!
Do you have extra bedsheets you just don’t any more or that you feel embarrassed to put on the beds? Our Sewing Ladies can use them! Please bring flat or fitted sheets, any pattern/color, any size, (just no flannel, please) and see Helga Platz or Karen Waldron with your donation! Thank you!
Christmas Poinsettias
Altar Guild will order flowers to decorate our church for Christmas worship services. Place your donation in the clear box on the table in the back of the church. Please sign your name on the sheet so we may acknowledge your contribution.
Donations will be accepted through December 10th. Please make checks payable to Women of St. Peter and let Annette Winterrowd know if you have any questions.
RLA: $40,000 Scholarship Match Available for Your Donations
A generous donor has offered $40,000 in matching funds for any donations to the Dale Timm Scholarship Fund. Make checks payable to Resurrection Lutheran Academy, memo: Dale Timm. You can drop your check in the plate at St. Peter, or mail to: RLA, 6840 Nimtz Parkway, South Bend IN 46628.
Do You Have a Church/Braille Handtruck (or know where one is)?
We are still missing one of the handtrucks vital to the Braille ministry. If you know its whereabouts, please speak to or email Pastor Clark: adamclarknd@gmail.com
Offering Envelopes
Envelopes for 2024 are now available on the tables by the slat wall. Please pick yours up! If you visit shut-ins, feel free to grab their envelopes as well and deliver with the December packets when you visit. Any questions, see Cindy Matthews.
Children’s Christmas Pageant
Our children will invite us to LIVE CONNECTED in the story of Jesus’ birth with the Christmas pageant on Sunday, December 17 at 9am in the sanctuary. See Krista Hunt or Renee Peggs with any questions or if you didn’t receive the information.
This year’s Advent devotional
Go deeper into our Advent theme with this devotional from Christianity Today: “The Eternal King Arrives.”
Contributors from around the world reflect on the prophetic announcement of Christ’s coming as an “eternal jubilee” for the people of God, on the divine coronation of this “King of Kings,” and on what it all means for our lives today.
Compassion for those grieving during the holidays
Women of St. Peter Epiphany Tea
The Women of St. Peter invite all women in the congregation to an Epiphany Tea on Sunday, January 7. The time will be mid-afternoon and the tentative location is at Jackie Homann’s house (details to come later).
Jackie will brew delicious tea and serve light refreshments, and Deaconess Amy Smessaert will offer a reflection on baptism. Join us for a cozy and relaxed time of Living Connected as Women of St. Peter! Mark your calendars to join us on January 7, and watch for the sign-up sheet at church -OR- use the sign-up genius link here.
Questions: Contact Jackie at Jackie@athoralaw.com or Amy at amyhsmessaert@gmail.com We look forward to tea time with you!
Ministry Updates and Opportunities
Sunday Servants Gather Before Worship
All who help lead the Divine Service will gather by the font at 10 a.m. to prepare their hearts and minds for worship. If you are serving as altar guild, usher, crucifer/acolyte, lector, greeter, tech person, elder, musician/dancer, doorkeeper or other HEART member, etc. on a particular Sunday, please come together for 5-ish minutes of introduction, reflection, and prayer led by Deaconess Amy Smessaert. Together, we will ask God to bless our service to God’s people as we live connected in spiritual formation in Christ. All confirmands and parents are encouraged to participate, whether or not you are serving on that Sunday.
Sunday Morning Bible Study: Live Connected in Spiritual Formation – The Rhythm of the Word
Have you ever noticed that each Church Year walks us through one specific Gospel, as well as a specific selection of other Bible books? Do YOU have a steady practice for living into and out of the lessons for each week–and the way they are developed in each week’s sermon and liturgy? Join Pastor Clark as a new Church Year begins and enter more deeply into “The Rhythm of the Word” as a vital way to live connected in spiritual formation in Christ.
When: Sundays, 9am; Nov 19-Dec 10 | Where: Church Fellowship Hall
Friday Night Bible Study
The FNBS next meets on December 15 at 6:30pm for dinner, followed by study beginning at 7pm. This year’s focus is Chad Bird’s book, Limping with God: Jacob and the Old Testament Guide to Messy Discipleship. Anyone is welcome to join; no previous bible study experience needed!
Jacob seems to be anything but a model disciple. And yet he is also “Israel,” the namesake of the Old Testament community of God, chosen and blessed. In Jacob’s life we see our lives, our struggles, our failures…but most especially, the God who loves us and chooses us as his own. Come explore Jacob’s story as we learn more together about ourselves and about the God of Israel, who is with us and for us in Jesus the Messiah.
Book: Check it out or order here (the church will cover the cost if needed)
Time: Meal, 6:30pm | Study 7-8:30pm
Dates: 1st and 3rd Fridays [Dec 15, Jan 5 and 19, Feb and 16, Mar 1 and 15]
Where: Fellowship Hall
Sign-up: Please contact either John Schroeder (jschroeind@aol.com) or Mike Fonck (mfonck@comcast.net) to let them know you’re interested.
Dunes Hospice Community Grief Share: 3:30-4:30pm Second Monday of Each Month
St. Peter hosts this group for people journeying together through grief after the loss of a loved one. The regular leaders are Chaplain Matt Barker and a social worker, both from Dunes Hospice. But importantly, the loved one you lost does not need to have been in hospice for you to participate. The group is free and open to the public. Before attending, please contact Chaplain Barker at mbarker@duneshospicellc.com.
Upcoming Dates: Dec 11, Jan 8, Feb 12, Mar 11, Apr 8, May 13
Pick Your Next Usher Date!
Thanks to everyone who has served as an usher or part of an usher team. It’s time to pick another date to serve! Please sign up on the Sunday Servants sheet on the slat wall. You can see the specific list of duties, with video demos, here. A veteran usher will assist you and teach you one extra duty beyond communion each time you serve.
Church Set-up
If you are using the church for any reason and need the church set up a certain way, please text or call Matt Rockwell at 574-261-8318.
Coffee Hour/Hospitality
We need volunteers for hospitality on Sundays. Pick up some treats from the store such as mini rolls, strudel, fruit, donut holes, small cinnamon rolls, or similar. Total cost is no more than $20 (3-4 packages). There is a sign-up sheet and instructions on the table by the slat wall. Please contact Nancy Kroll if you have any questions at (574) 229-9496.
This Week in the Lord’s Service
Week of December 3, 2023
Offerings
General Fund 12/3: $20, 956.26
RLA: $98.54
Pastors’ Discretionary: $1700
Memorials: $20
Maintenance: $20
Worship Attendance
Sunday 12/3: 108
M.A.C. Food Pantry
• food collected last week: 385 pounds
• this week’s shopping list: soup, hamburger helper, syrup
Contact Cindy Matthews (574) 855-3504 for more information.
Sewing Quilt Team
• 10 quilts this week
The Sewing Group will be “off” until after the New Year. Through the program year, it meets Tuesdays to cut squares, size sheets, assemble backs and fronts of quilts, iron sheets, sew and pin quilts. Participants of ANY skill level from the least to the greatest are welcome. If you are interested in this human care ministry, contact Helga Platz (574) 514-3751 for more information.
Braille Bible Team
• 24 books of II Chronicles in Unified English Braille plus 13 more II Chronicles thanks to help from SPY on Saturday!
Braille will be taking a break until after the New Year. Contact Sharon Csaszar (574) 904-1411 or Sandy Ellis (574) 220-3636 for more information.
Links and General Info
Prayer Requests may be submitted by:
- Using the convenient on-line Submit New Prayer Request Here Link
- Adding written prayers to the “Our Gathering Prayers” form on Sunday morning
Announcements may be submitted by:
- Using the online form: https://splcm.org/forms/submit-announcement/
- Filling out an announcement form from the left of the slat wall in the Narthex and placing it on the pastor’s chair to the right of the Cross at the front of the sanctuary.
St. Peter Members Website Page
Did you know that we have a dedicated page just for members of St. Peter? This page contains monthly celebrations for birthdays, baptisms, and wedding anniversaries; annual Kingdom Spending Plan (budget); monthly financial reports; MLT and Voter Assembly minutes and announcements; church Constitution, and more. NOTE: Password is the same as “prayers” password; call the church office with questions, 574-255-5585.
Zoom Videoconferencing
Changes have continued. If your group needs to use Zoom, please email PC at adamclarknd@gmail.com.
Your St. Peter Leadership
- Mission Leadership Team (MLT)
Brian Reedstrom (President)
David Seitz (Vice-President)
Alex Homann (Secretary)
David Luster-Bartz (Treasurer)
Andrew Deliyannides (At-Large member)
Elizabeth McGrath (At-Large member)
Dylan Bergstrom (At-Large member) - Elders
Chuck Ryan (Head Elder), Marty Orlowski, Brian Reedstrom, Mark Waldron, David Gurnee, John Schroeder, Jeff Rockwell - Pastors
Pastor Bryan Borger, Senior Pastor
Pastor Adam Clark, Associate Pastor
Office Hours:
Mon: “flex” (call to see)
Tue: 11:00am-3pm
Wed: 11:00am-3pm
Thu: 10:30am-3pm
Fri: “flex” (call to see)
Pastors’ Day Off: Mondays
*Otherwise, call, text, or email to set an appointment. See contact below.
Sunday Schedule
- Education Hour: 9am
Ages 3-Adult - Divine Worship: 10:15 am
(stream: splcm.org/worship)