Dear friends,

The season of Lent has arrived, and we want this Lent to be spiritually significant for you! It is for this reason that you will be receiving a special Lent distribution package on your front porch on Saturday, February 13. Use these items and consider their significance for your Lent journey:

Ashes—“From dust you have come, to dust you shall return” (Genesis 3:19).

You will notice a small plastic cup covered on top with black ashes inside. When will you use this? Ash Wednesday, February 17 is when you are welcome to apply these ashes to your forehead. I would encourage you to put them on in the morning and wear them all day. Simply make the sign of the cross on your forehead with the ashes and say these words, “From dust you have come, to dust you shall return.” What is the significance of the imposition of ashes? There is nothing magical about these words, they are from Scripture. They were spoken by God after Adam and Eve’s sin. Their purpose is to remind us that we are mortal—a time is coming when we all will physically die. This wasn’t God’s original plan for us, but sin got in the way.   

Peace will be posting an online service for Ash Wednesday (and each Wednesday of Lent from February 17 to March 24). Consider applying ashes after watching the service.

Marks of Love— A Lenten Devotional from Lutheran Hour Ministries

You are receiving a booklet of devotions titled, Marks of Love. When will you use this? The booklet contains devotions for each day in Lent. Go beyond simply reading the devotions and apply each message with the reflection questions at the bottom of the page. What is the significance of this devotional? Have you ever noticed how scars on your body can be both beautiful and ugly at the same time? They are ugly because they have left a mark and changed your look. However, they could be beautiful too as they call to mind a sacrifice you made for someone else. Consider the moment that Jesus appeared to Thomas after he had been resurrected. Jesus appeared with the nail marks in his hands. Those marks were both ugly and beautiful. Ugly because it must have painful to have hung on the cross. Beautiful because those marks signified that Jesus had paid the price for sin! This is the point of Marks of Love.

Bulb—“Behold, I make all things new” (Revelation 21:5).

You are also receiving a bulb. When will you use this? Hopefully every day. Follow the directions and simply watch it grow slowly through the season of Lent. What is the significance of the bulb? Lent ends with Easter. Lent is a reminder of our mortality, yet is even more so a reminder that God will make all things new. This includes us! Death is a reality, but so also is eternal life. One day in the future the bulb given to you by Peace will flower in an amazing way. One day in the future you too will flower and bloom in the newness that God will grant you in eternal life.

I am very hope-filled for the months ahead. Peace is a special church family that has stuck together through a long year. I believe God has some great plans right around the corner for us. He always does! 

I miss seeing you. I miss the chit chat. I miss the fellowship. But I am hope-filled that those times will come back soon…all in God’s good timing.

In Christ’s peace,

Pastor J

Ladies Guild Meeting!

Ladies of Peace Lutheran Church

the pleasure of your company is requested at

the Peace Lutheran Church’s Ladies Guild Meeting

February 4, 2021 at 1:00 PM via ZOOM. Peggy Krueger will be sending out the ZOOM link to those who are interested so be sure

Service Plans through February

Worship & Communion Plan for FEBRUARY

We are going to continue having the pre-recorded online service for you to enjoy from the comfort of your home.  The link will be sent every Sunday morning via email.  You can also access it through the church’s website, peaceinphilomath.org, or by going directly to the church’s Facebook page “Peace Lutheran Church – Philomath.”

We will continue to have a drive in service every Sunday at 11:00 AM in the parking lot with live sermon and music.  If you would like to assist with this service as an usher please let Callie know, we would love to have a couple more people help us direct traffic. 

We will continue to have communion every FIRST and THIRD Sunday of the month as a part of the drive through service.

If you are not ready to have communion in person please contact Pastor or the church office to set up an appointment for private communion at the church.

Update your Calendars! 

March 7 will be the date we will start meeting in the church for in-person service at 11:00 AM.  

Come and Meet Peace’s Missionary

Did you know that Peace is supporting a missionary this year? Yes, it’s true. JP Cima is an official missionary with the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod serving in Cambodia. JP’s family includes wife, Aimee, and three children. They have been serving in Asia for 13 years. Even better than all this is that you will have the opportunity to meet JP and find out more about his ministry. JP will join us for a Zoom session on Monday, February 8 at 7:00 pm Pacific Standard Time. All are welcome to attend! Please email Pastor Lucke by Friday, February 5 if you’d like to attend and receive the Zoom invite. You won’t want to miss this connection…a connection that we are hoping will be at Peace for some time to come!

Lou Rank died peacefully at home in Corvallis, Oregon on January 5, 2021 with her daughter Louann at her side.  She was 93 and had a long and loving life.  She is survived by her beloved children Louann, Carol, Lori and Tom, dear grandchildren Evan, Jon and Sam, and loving step-grandchildren Emma and Sean. Lou was, as one close friend said, ‘beautiful inside and out’ and very devoted to her family. 

Lou, as she preferred to be called, was born Velma Louida Leckband on April 11, 1927 in Riceville, Iowa where she had a happy childhood with her twin, Velda, and her older siblings, Paul, Pauline and Bernita.  Her father was a Lutheran minister and to her parents and their children, the church was always central to their lives. Lou was a member of Peace Lutheran Church in Philomath, Oregon.

She met Bob Rank in 1948 in Washington DC and they were married for 58 years until he passed away in 2006. Lou and Bob lived in San Ramon, California for many years and Lou had an enjoyable career as a librarian for the Walnut Creek School District. 

They retired to Willits, California in 1988 and both became active with the Willits Senior Center.  When they moved to Willits, the Senior Center operated a small thrift shop, which Lou and other dedicated volunteers worked to expand into a new building and make it a big part of the community.  

Lou was a kind and graceful woman who is much missed and will always be in our hearts.

In lieu of flowers, donations in her name may be made to the Chintimini Wildlife Center, 311 NW Lewisburg Avenue, Corvallis, Oregon 97330. 

Backpack Ministry Update

Submitted by Diane Crocker

Peace Lutheran Church has started a new ministry with the 2021 new year. It is called the “Backpack Ministry” because the goal is to furnish backpacks filled with helpful survival items to the homeless population.  Each backpack is filled with items such as: Tarp, Blanket, Gloves, Socks, Hat, Scarf, Mask, Flashlight, Rain Poncho, Toiletries and Snacks.  We have also included a $5 gift card for a meal and often a laundry gift card, detergent and a dryer sheet so one can go to the laundromat to clean their belongings. With the winter weather and the pandemic, we felt it was especially important to get some warming items, a mask and sanitizer into the hands of the homeless as soon as possible, so thanks to your generous contributions on Mondays in January we were able to kick this ministry off with a bang.   With the help of a volunteer homeless advocate named John, we were able to deliver 20 backpacks and 30 sacks (with hats, socks, mask, toiletries and snacks) to people in area homeless camps on January 21. These efforts will be helping 50 people during the threat of snow and difficult times. While this was our big start for the new year, we do not plan on doing another push of this size for a while.  In the mean time, we will continue to fill backpacks as donations come in and give them out to smaller groups or individuals as the need and opportunity arise.

Thanks to the Thrivent Action Team start-up grant, we were able to purchase 24 backpacks and 30 Burger King gift cards. That, along with your donations, has made a difference to those in need.  The general plan is that this will turn into a long term, local ministry program that will go on for years to come.  After the threat of Covid has lessened, the plan is also that a group of Peace people can meet to gather items and separate into backpacks.  If you are interested in helping now, or later when we can meet, please let Diane Crocker know at [email protected] , 541-609-0018 or her address at 2223 Applegate St. Philomath.

Deuteronomy 15:11 For there will never cease to be poor in the land.  Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.’

Saying Thank You!

Something to keep us Laughing