WORSHIP and SUNDAY SCHOOL
To access live-streamed Worship and view Worship Folder please use:
In recess until January 14: Sunday Education Hour for Age 3 to Adult at 9am
Divine Worship at 10:15am
Divine Worship for the Nativity of Our Lord
The News
Women of St. Peter Epiphany Tea: Updated with time and location
The Women of St. Peter are hosting an Epiphany Tea at 3 pm on Sunday, January 7, at Jackie Homann’s house (21715 Jackson Rd., South Bend, 46614).
There is room for a couple more women to attend! If you haven’t already signed up, please RSVP directly to Jackie or Deaconess Amy Smessaert.
Jackie will brew delicious tea and serve light refreshments, and Amy will offer a reflection on baptism and a spiritual practice you can use to recall your baptism. Join us for a cozy and relaxed time of Living Connected as Women of St. Peter. We look forward to tea time with you!
College Care Packages
We have several students this year who will be looking forward to receiving care packages from “back home.” Please bring in items such as cookies, chips, hot chocolate, popcorn, granola/breakfast bars, candy, nuts… No liquids! All donations need to be dropped off in the bin under the slat wall no later than Sunday, January 21.
If your college student has a different address this year, please email the update to the office immediately, so we can have labels ready when Cindy Matthews returns.
Offering Envelopes/Year-End Reports
Envelopes for 2024 PLUS year-end contribution statements 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/statements as well and deliver with packets when you visit. Any questions, please email Cindy Matthews (she will be traveling a LOT coming up, so email is the best way to get a response).
Congratulations, Meghan Carter!
The SPLC Endowed Scholarship Fund was established in 1986 by members of the congregation as a way to support Valparaiso University. Our own Meghan Carter has been awarded a 2023-’24 scholarship through the endowed fund that SPLC supports. Meghan is a freshman health sciences major at Valpo. Congratulations, Meghan, and thank you, St. Peter, for supporting this endowed fund!
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.
Compassion for those grieving during the holidays
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.
Friday Night Bible Study
The FNBS next meets tonight, January 5, 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 [ 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: 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 31, 2023
Offerings
General Fund: $4,239
Deficit Reduction: $9,650
Pastors’ Discretionary: $520
Worship Attendance
Sunday 12/24: 117
Christmas Eve: 149
Christmas Day: 58
Sunday 12/31: 94
M.A.C. Food Pantry
• food collected last week: 518 pounds
• this week’s shopping list: soup, hamburger helper, syrup
Contact Cindy Matthews (574) 855-3504 for more information.
Sewing Quilt Team
• no 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
• no books this week
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:
Tue: 11:30am-2pm
Wed: 12:30pm-3pm
Thu: 11:30am-2pm
Fri: “flex” (call to see)
Sunday Schedule
- Education Hour: 9am
Ages 3-Adult - Divine Worship: 10:15am
(stream: splcm.org/worship)