Announcements for 11 October (Pr23-L28)

WORSHIP and SUNDAY SCHOOL

Sunday School for all ages 9:00am
Divine Worship 10:15am

The News

Cheeseball Time!

It’s everybody’s favorite time of year! Sign up to help MIX (Tuesday, October 20, beginning at 3pm) and/or WRAP (Thursday, October 22, beginning at 5:30pm). We especially need MEN to be there on Tuesday for the mixing.

Purchase forms are also available under the slat wall. Cheeseballs are made either with or without nuts. Each is $10. Order must be turned in no later than Sunday, October 18.

We make ONLY 500 cheeseballs. Once we reach orders for 500, we close it off. We’re unable to accommodate orders after the 18th, and no walk-up purchases will be available. So get your orders in NOW!

Any questions, see Jill or Paula. If you’re new to St. Peter, you probably wanna order. Trust us. 🙂 They even make great Christmas gifts! Stock your freezer for year-round enjoyment.

Wine & The Word Explores …

USA Wines & American Lutheran Women Musicians – Sun., Oct. 25

Dear Women of St. Peter, 

Join us for Wine and The Word at 2 p.m. on Sunday, October 25, at the Homann residence, 21715 Jackson Road, South Bend. In celebration of the 250th birthday of the USA, we’ll explore American women hymnwriters, composers, and translators. And, we’ll study – and taste – some native wines. 

Jackie Homann will host and teach us about wine, and Deaconess Amy Smessaert will facilitate our conversations about women who have used their musical gifts to enliven and deepen our faith through song. The event will last about two hours. 

We look forward to this time of learning, sharing, and being together. Please come! 

RSVP by Tuesday, October 20, on the sign-up sheet at church, or email Amy at amyhsmessaert@gmail.com or Jackie at  jackie@pinnaclelegal.us . We hope to see you there!

Amy and Jackie

P.S. Non-alcoholic beverages will be available. 

Parenting Group

The Parenting Group will meet next on Sunday, October 18 following worship, in the Fellowship Hall. ANYONE can be part of this group, regardless of number/age of kids. We share what’s going on, joys/concerns, offer encouragement, and close with prayer. Paid childcare is provided for those who need. See Renee with questions. New folks always welcome!

Livestream or Catch Up on Bible Studies!

Thanks to our new A/V setup in the Fellowship Hall, you will now be able to livestream some of our bible studies, or watch the video later if you miss it. Note that this is a one-way video (you can watch but not participate, even on the livestream).

• Sunday Study: John’s Gospel
  • John’s Gospel Livestream link (same every Sunday)
  • John’s Gospel: Previous Studies (Vimeo “Showcase”)
• Friday Night Bible Study
  • FNBS Livestream Link (same every week)
  • FNBS Previous Studies (Vimeo “Showcase”)

RLA: Immediate Need for Financial Secretary

Our brother David Orlowski was a devoted Financial Secretary for RLA. Now that he has entered God’s nearer presence, we are looking for someone to fill out his term for this year (ends in June 2027). This is a truly essential position. Duties include: signing checks, taking deposits, reconciling the books using Quick Books (training provided), and three monthly meetings: Executive Committee (first Thursday), Finance Committee (second Thursday), and Board (third Thursday). If you would like to explore serving, please email Board President Brian Ruch at ruch23@yahoo.com.

Thrivent Financial

• Q4 Allocations!

If you are a member of Thrivent Financial, please remember to allocate your Thrivent Choice dollars for 2026 to St. Peter. If they are not allocated, you lose them. Call the Thrivent home office for more details.

• Money Canvas

Money Canvas is a completely free program through Thrivent to help build healthy budgeting, saving, and spending habits. Meet three times (online, at your convenience) with a certified financial associate – did we mention it’s free?! You do NOT have to be a Thrivent client. Money Canvas is available to everyone. Sign up online!

Spiritual Care Training Opportunity

All sessions are at Suburban Bethlehem Lutheran 6318 W California Road in Fort Wayne, IN. Registration fee is $25 [St. Peter will pay for anyone who wants to attend]. To earn SFA certification, you must attend BOTH sessions of the training. Sign up: https://lcc.ccbchurch.com/goto/forms/1474/responses/new

A CLOSER Opportunity to Hear from an Israeli Lutheran Pastor about the Gospel in Israel at Emmaus, South Bend

Do You Want to Be a Prayer Partner to our Youth?

Last year, we had 20 members step forward to serve as prayer partners for our children, ages 3 and up. Studies show that if youth feel connected to FIVE adults of faith, they are much more likely to stay in the Church as they grow.

Could you be part of this vital ministry as we begin it again this year? It’s really easy. You simply meet with your partner 4 times throughout the Sunday School year for 10 minutes at the end of Education Hour (i.e. 9:35 “ish”). You get to know them, ask what’s good and what’s hard, then pray briefly. You also have the option of sending birthday, baptismal birthday, and/or Christmas/Easter cards that PC provides for you.

Contact PC ASAP if interested: adamclarknd@gmail.com.

Outreach: Keep it Going!

Click here to link to the Outreach Stories page

*Hit SUBSCRIBE for instant updates*

Sunday School Lessons

11 October – Today, we will study Jacob’s family in “A Family Grows.” Jacob experiences love at first sight when he meets Rachel at the well. Welcomed into his uncle Laban’s household, Jacob agrees to work seven years in order to marry Rachel. When the wedding celebration finally arrives, Laban tricks Jacob into marrying Rachel’s older sister, Leah. Realizing the deception, Jacob confronts his uncle, who gives him Rachel’s hand after another seven years of service.

Thank You – and Thanks be to God

• For all who continue to lead or participate in Ministry Teams and all who minister to our neighbors and to the faithful gathered by the Long Arms of the Cross.

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

Capital Campaign Status Update

During the Back To School Matching Gift Drive in August, we received more than $32,800 in new donations. We also received a very large stock gift of more than $450,000. This puts our total raised to more than $2,600,000! We have less than a million dollars left to go! Praise be to God!

We continue to remain thankful for everyone who has pledged to the capital campaign. You can check this page for progress on the build:
https://www.rlasouthbend.com/expansion-campaign.html

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.

Mid-Week Bible Studies

THURSDAY MORNING, 9am at church
Meet in the church “library” area. The group is finishing a study on the book of Joshua. Next study begins early October (Philippians!). Connect with Paula Ryan or call Renee in the office (574-255-5585) if you are interested in joining.

FRIDAY NIGHT: 1st and 3rd Fridays: dinner 6:30pm, study 7-8:30pm. Ezekiel is the focus through the first of the year, then Daniel beginning in February. Connect with John Schroeder or Mike Fonck if you’re interested in joining.

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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.

Stewardship from the Week of 4 October 2026

Offerings
General Fund: $12,251
Pastors’ Discretionary: $40
Memorials: $100

Worship Attendance
Sunday, 10/4: 93 in person, 6 streaming

M.A.C. Food Pantry
• 386 pounds this past week
• most needed right now: peanut butter, Jiffy mix, pancake mix
Contact Cindy Matthews (574) 855-3504 for more information.

Braille Team
• 12 copies of Galatians – Philemon in Spanish this week
Contact Dave Homann (574) 274-6543 or Kristie Sherburn (574) 229-0634 for more information.

Sewing Quilt Team
• 10 quilts this week
Through the program year, the sewing group meets Tuesdays to cut squares, iron and size sheets, assemble backs and fronts, and pin and sew quilts. Participants of ANY skill level from the least to the greatest are welcome. If you are interested in this human care ministry, see Nancy Kroll or Karen Waldron for more information.

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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.

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Your St. Peter Leadership

• Mission Leadership Team (MLT)
  Brian Reedstrom (President)
  Laurie Miner (Vice President)
  Alex Homann (Secretary)
  David Luster-Bartz (Treasurer)
  Andrew Deliyannides (At-Large member)
  Dan Hertel (At-Large member)
  Kathy Levy (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

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