SUNDAY SCHOOL AND WORSHIP
Sunday School 9am
classes for all ages
Divine Worship 10:15am
The News
Next Three Weeks, Sunday Adult Ed (9am): The Eastern Orthodox Tradition
Continuing our pilgrimage into the wider Body of Christ, for the next three weeks we will focus on the Eastern Orthodox tradition. This Sunday, Pastor Clark will give background and we will hear from Millie Bartlett, who was raised Orthodox and has visited Orthodox monasteries and other sites in Greece. The following Sundays we will hear from other St. Peter members who took pilgrimages to the local Orthodox church, and we will explore key Orthodox emphases in light of Scripture.
Suicide Loss Day: Invite and Pray for Participants
On Saturday, November 23rd at 10:30am, St. Peter will host the International Survivors of Suicide Loss Remembrance Day for the eighth year running. This continues to be a helpful event for those who have lost a loved one to suicide. So please invite anyone you know who would benefit, and please pray for all who do.
Pastoral Installation
The members of St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church in South Bend are excited to announce the beginning of the ministry of the 11th pastor in their 146 year history. The Rev. Matthew P. Schiemann will be installed in a special service at 4pm on Sunday, November 24. Members of sister parishes (that includes us here at SPLC) are invited to take part in the Vespers service and join St. Paul’s for dinner following the installation. Help welcome the Schiemann family to the Michiana community! RSVP not necessary.
Thanksgiving Worship – WEDNESDAY, November 27th, 7pm
“Lord of all, to Thee we raise this: our joyful hymn of praise.” Join us for worship the evening before Thanksgiving as we lift our hearts and voices in thanks to God, from whom comes every good gift. We invite the congregation to purchase non-perishable food items and bring them forward during the offering portion of worship. These offerings will be dispersed to the hungry and needy in our community through our partnership with the MAC Food Pantry. Monetary contributions are also welcome, and will go to the food pantry unless specified otherwise.
Poinsettia Fundraiser for NYG – Extended deadline!
The next National Youth Gathering fundraiser sponsored by SPY is upon us. The group is selling poinsettias that can be used to decorate your home or office, give as gifts, or to donate to the church altar. You may also purchase vouchers to select your own plants from Varner’s at your discretion.
To order plants for your own personal use or gifts, or a voucher:
Contact Krista Hunt directly through Monday, November 25. Pick up your plants on November 30 at church. If you purchase a voucher, you will get that in hand when you pay, to use as you wish.
To donate plants for the altar:
Fill out a form under the slat wall and place it in the clear box through December 8. Altar donations will be handled by SPY and delivered to the church at the appropriate time.
If you have questions, direct them to Krista Hunt at 6sbhunts@gmail.com or 574-339-5479. Thank you for helping our kids get to next summer’s NYG!
Christmas Tree Cutting
Calling all brave and bold souls! Join John Schroeder at his tree farm in Michigan to select and cut down this year’s tree for the sanctuary, Saturday, November 30 in the morning. You can also meet at the church to help install the tree in the sanctuary. Please connect with John at 574-220-1530 if you are interested or have questions at all.
Weihnachts Vesper
The 40th annual Weihnachts Vesper (a Christmas service in the German language) will be held at 4pm Sunday, December 1 at St. Paul Lutheran (corner of Auten and Laurel Roads) in South Bend). A time of fellowship will follow the service. Call the St. Paul office at 574-271-1050 for more information.
Lector Training, Dec 14, 10-11:30am: Looking for New Lectors and Building Up Each Other
Mike Fonck and Pastor Clark are looking for new lectors to join the vital work of proclaiming God’s Word. We also want to rally the Team to encourage and build one another up. This training opportunity will feature a new workshop approach unlike any we have tried before. So if you would like to join for the first time, please email Mike. And if you are a committed veteran please also email Mike your RSVP (we hope to see everyone there). You can reach Mike at: mfonck@comcast.net.
Call for Christmas Trees!
We will be looking to use artificial Christmas trees for our VBS program in the summer of 2025. If you have one that doesn’t make the cut this year and you are ready to get rid of it, please let Krista Hunt know. We’d be happy to collect it early in the season or at the end if you don’t plan to keep it for next year. Another option would be if you have a tree you would be willing to loan us for the week during VBS, consider packing it up and leaving in an accessible location to make a quick grab from your storage area in June. Green trees in all sizes, styles, and shapes would be welcomed. Thank you for keeping us in mind!
Cookie Pantry
Our annual cookie sale will be Saturday, December 7. Plan now to make a batch (or a ton!) of cookies and drop them off in the kitchen no later than afternoon of December 6. See Jill Reedstrom or Paula Ryan with questions. Thank you for your support!
St. Peter Pilgrimages & Renewal
(Lilly Grant)
Considering Traditions, Connecting with the Homebound, Moving toward a Memory Book
Our pilgrimage continues as we consider how to be Confessing Lutherans within the Wider Body of Christ in Adult Ed (see announcement above). Look forward also to hearing more about opportunities to include our homebound members in our pilgrimage and to preserve our journey in a forthcoming “Memory Book.”
Resurrection Lutheran Academy (RLA)
News, Info, and Ministry Opportunities
Gym Floor Fundraiser
Thank you to all the families, church members, and donors who blessed RLA and its students with the ability to completely cover the gym floor. The students and staff are so excited to see the gym floor fully covered soon. The first time it will be covered is the Christmas Program on December 17. We hope to see you all there!
Bible Studies & 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.
Fall Mid-Week Bible Studies
THURSDAY MORNING, 9am at church: we meet in the “library area” of the narthex. Our study beginning Nov. 7 is called “Casting Stones.” We’d love for you to join us! Connect with Paula Ryan or call Renee in the office (574-255-5585).
FRIDAY NIGHT: 1st and 3rd Fridays 6:30pm: we meet 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!
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.
Week of 17 November 2024
Offerings
General Fund: $2793
Worship Attendance
Sunday 11/17: 138
M.A.C. Food Pantry
• 482 pounds donated since the Pantry closed briefly in October
• this week’s shopping list: pasta, Jell-o, cereal, TOOTHBRUSHES, TOOTHPASTE
Contact Cindy Matthews (574) 855-3504 for more information.
Braille Bible Team
• 17 books of Galatians-Philemon in Spanish this week
Contact Sharon Csaszar (574) 904-1411 or Sandy Ellis (574) 220-3636 for more information.
Sewing Quilt Team
• 7 quilts this week
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.
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
If your group needs to use Zoom, please email the office at office@splcm.org.
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 Adam Clark, Senior Pastor
Pastor Bryan Borger, Associate Pastor
Office Hours:
Mon: “flex” (call to see)
Tue: 11:30am-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)