Announcements for 8 September: the 16th Sunday after Pentecost (L23 – Pr18)

Sign Birthday Cards for Homebound Members: Gerry LaCluyse and Joyce Frederick

On Sept 25, Gerry LaCluyse will turn 99, and on Sept 11, Joyce Frederick will turn 100! Please join in celebrating and encouraging these wonderful “Older, Wiser Lutherans” (OWLs) by signing a birthday card for each (in Narthex) over the next few Sundays.

Another Scam Caution: Do NOT Give Out the Church Website Password

Pastor Borger received a “phishing” scam text, supposedly from Pastor Clark, asking for the password to the church directory. In fact, the church directory is no longer available online, to protect our information. However, we still do not want to give out the website password, which gives access to prayer requests, etc. NO ONE SHOULD ASK FOR THIS by text or email; only talk to fellow members in person, or refer to the office. Thanks!!!

Fall Mid-Week Bible Studies Resume in September

Join the morning bible study group on Thursdays at 9am beginning September 19 in the “library area” of the narthex. If you’d like to participate, sign up on the table under the slat wall so we can order you a book. The title is “Sip, Savor, and Drink Deeply: Receive God’s Overflowing Gifts.” See Paula Ryan with questions.

Join the evening bible study group on 1st and 3rd Fridays beginning September 20 at 6:30pm in the fellowship hall. Hosts offer dinner from 6:30-7, with study beginning at 7 and lasting about an hour, usually. This year begins with a study of 1 Corinthians, followed by Isaiah around the first of the year. If you’ve never been part of this group and would like to join, please see John Schroeder or Mike Fonck. All are welcome!

Fall Adult Education Hour: Spiritual and Ecumenical Pilgrimage

On Sunday Sept 15 and Sunday Sept 22, Adult Ed will feature stories from our various pilgrimages over the summer. Come and share!

Afterward, we will focus on this theme: how do we live as Confessional Lutherans within the wider Body of Christ? What direction do we find in Scripture? What can we learn from others? How can we connect with believers of all stripes and yet be faithful to our key convictions–and bring them as an offering TO the wider Body? Pastor Clark will share from his experiences but also invite you to share from yours.

Are you missing a coat?

Two leather jackets have been in our coat room since Easter weekend. Perhaps you had relatives in from out of town that weekend who may have left their jacket? We will hang onto these until after Rally Day before they are donated. Please call the office or just grab it if one of them is yours (or you know the owner). Thanks!

LWML Zone Rally

Head on down to Calvary Lutheran in Plymouth on Sunday, October 6 at 1:30pm for the Ladies’ Fall Zone Rally! Meal cost is $5 and speaker is Laurie Hayn, who lost her arm and leg in an accident several years ago. Special ingathering for Phil’s Friends – see flyer on table in back of narthex for details. RSVP is not necessary. Just show up and plan to have a great afternoon with the other ladies!

Save the Date: Wine and Word – October 20

The Women of St. Peter Wine and Word event will be on the afternoon of Sunday, October 20, at the home of Jackie Homann. A specific time and more information will be shared in the coming weeks. Mark your calendars now! 

Questions: Contact Amy Smessaert at amyhsmessaert@gmail.com or Jackie Homann at Jackie@athoralaw.com

Chrismon-making was a success!

Thanks to the ladies who came out to learn how to make chrismons for our Advent/Christmas tree!

St. Peter Pilgrimages & Renewal
(Lilly Grant)

Resurrection Lutheran Academy (RLA)
News, Info, and Ministry Opportunities

This summer Resurrection Lutheran Academy was able to refinish our gym floor thanks to the help of some generous donors. This gift has allowed students and student-athletes to play and practice safely, without fear of sliding around. We use our gym daily for play and gatherings. The entire school gathers at the end of the day for dismissal in the gym, weekly in our family groups for chapel, and for big events like our Christmas program. For the bigger events, we need to put out chairs and tables, which is the leading cause of scratches and damage to the floor. 

To prevent damage from the chairs and tables and preserve the life of our gym floor, we are starting a funding drive for a cover. The cover is 300 tiles that are 6’x3′. This cover style will give RLA the flexibility to selectively protect portions of the floor and leave other parts usable, such as during basketball and volleyball games. As a school, and with the help of our associated churches, we need to meet our goal by Nov. 1st so that the cover can be ordered and in place in time for the Christmas program. If each family works to collect donations equivalent to 2-3 tiles, which are $50 each, we will reach our goal!

If a donor would like to support in the name of one of our school families we are hosting a raffle for the families at school. There will be several items in the raffle for the school families but the grand prize is a $250 gift card to Generations Venture Plex. Every tile that a family brings back funded, or funded in their name, gets entered into the raffle. 

Please reach out to Donald Swift by calling 574-272-2200. Thank you all for all of the support that you show RLA. 

Ministry Updates and Opportunities

Sunday Servants Gather Before Worship

All who help lead the Divine Service gather promptly at 10:05am to take 3 minutes 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 quick introductions and short 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.   

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.

Offerings
General Fund: $5,358.64
Maint and Capital Improvement: $40

Worship Attendance
Sunday 9/1: 80

M.A.C. Food Pantry
• food collected: 349 pounds
• this week’s shopping list: side dishes, soup, CAN OPENERS
Contact Cindy Matthews (574) 855-3504 for more information.

Braille Bible Team
• start date still to be determined…
Contact Sharon Csaszar (574) 904-1411 or Sandy Ellis (574) 220-3636 for more information.

Sewing Quilt Team
• begins September 10
Through the program year, the sewing group 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.

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