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Dear friends,

June marks an end and provides for new beginnings at Peace.  Come on Sunday, June 9 to give thanks for the Sunday School year and celebrate a picnic with your friends at Peace.  This is our last Sunday with our regular Sunday worship (11:00 am) and Bible Study hours (9:45 am).  The following Sunday, June 16 certainly will be a new beginning as Peace offers two worship options for the summer: 9:30 am regular worship and a 7:00 pm alternative worship.  Busy over the weekend?  You can still come on Sunday evening to center yourself with worship before the week starts.

I’d also point out another new beginning happening in June.  Have you noticed the building and growth that has already come to Philomath?  Of course, you have!  The traffic.  The delay.  Longer lines at the grocery story.  The Philomath Mayor, Eric Niemann, recently shared with the men’s breakfast group the latest housing development summary for the city of Philomath.  Here it is:

Oak Springs 84 apartments Next to the Nazarene Church on 19th
Boulevard 258 apartments Next to Starker Forest
Millpond Crossing 168 homes On Chapel between 19th and 15th
Newton Creek 53 homes Next to Philomath Middle School
Beelart N 12th 50 homes Annexation only
Woodlands (Habitat for Humanity) 5 new homes Habitat for Humanity
Heather Glenn (N 10th St) 10 Lots, TBD Still being approved
Fawn Meadows (N 9th Street) 15 Lots, TBD Street construction needed

What was interesting about the Mayor’s presentation to me were some of the important questions he posed at the end.  “How do we treat the new people?  Do they matter?  Do we care about their journey of faith?  How can we welcome them?  What can we do?  What does it mean to be a good neighbor?  What can we learn from them?  How can religious values help the community’s division regarding growth?”

These are excellent questions to ask.  This summer I am designing a Bible Study for Sunday mornings (at 8:30 am) on the topic of hospitality.  Come and share your thoughts and experiences—be open to learning some new ones!  Christine Pohl’s book, Making Room: Recovering Hospitality as a Christian Tradition, will be our guide.  My hope is that the discussion, study and book assist us in answering Mayor Niemann’s significant questions.  We’ll start the study on Sunday, June 23rd in the Fellowship Hall at 8:30 am.

Just this past month, Peace had new visitors in worship.  I asked one of them how they heard about us.  His response somewhat surprised me.  He said, “I am new in town and I thought I’d give church another try.”  Driving home from church that day the thought running through my mind was this: “If he is stepping out of his comfort zone to us—shouldn’t we be more willing to step out of our comfort zone to welcome him?”

Let’s let the Apostle Paul answer that question, “……seek to show hospitality (Romans 12:13).”

Thanks for joining me in this new beginning this summer!

In His Service,

Pastor J

Peace by the Numbers

End of the Year BBQ & Picnic!!

Wow, is it really that time of year again?  Yes!  Yes, it is!  The end of the year celebration is upon us and we would like to see you there to celebrate the beginning of summer and the end of the Sunday School Year…and let’s face it…end of the school year too!

On June 9 during the fellowship hour the church will be providing Hamburgers, Hot dogs, all the fixings, chips, and ice cream.  Side dishes are provided by those who wish to share a little something yummy with us.  So, bring on your favorite picnic dish!

It will be fun to celebrate together as a church family!

Men’s Breakfast

Peace has been assigned a Vicar!  His name is Christian Dollar.  Now that we know we have been assigned a Vicar and now that we know his name, what should our expectations be for the year?  Pastor Lucke will be sharing some details about the vicarage program at this breakfast and guide us in brainstorming ways in which Peace can assist in making Vicar Christian’s year special one as he starts his ministry career.  The breakfast is on Saturday, June 1.  The coffee is on at 8:00 am with the breakfast beginning at 8:30 am.  Please RSVP with Oscar if you plan on attending.

Summer Worship TimesIncident Response Team

As many of you have seen this past year, the advent of severe weather and natural disasters have put a strain on emergency response personnel and resources.  This brought the idea to the Synod about each church having a incident response plan and way to assist all those in the church to be ready in the event of an emergency situation, thereby reducing the number of people relying on the limited emergency supplies offered by the community.

The Peace Lutheran Incident Response Team has been formed, being led by Daniel Dusek, to provide information and planning ideas for members.  The Team had it’s second meeting on May 7th. The team is developing the scope of the plan so that we can all be more prepared in the event of an incident. In the coming weeks we will be producing a brochure to offer some ideas of things you can work on in your own home to be more prepared.

In the meantime, here is a tip: Benton County has an Emergency Alert system. This system will notify you quickly in the event of an emergency within Benton or Linn County. To sign up, go to the Sheriff’s Office webpage and click on the “Emergency Alert” button. If you don’t have internet or need help signing up, call the Sheriff’s office at 541-766-6864.

Pool Party

School is out, the weather is warm, we are all scattering into the community and world for our summer plans and traditions.  For people with kids this could mean losing connection, after all we are not at school anymore and seeing those parent-friends; We may miss church due to travel.  So, parents and kids – plan on coming to the party to eat, swim, visit, and connect at the POOL PARTY at Grand Oaks Clubhouse on June 28, 2019 from 6pm to 9pm.  We will have dinner at 6 pm followed with fun in the pool and conversation.

This gathering is for all those families with babies, toddlers, elementary school, middle school and high school kids.  Sometimes parents need a connection too!  RSVP to Pastor Lucke so we can plan for food.

Comfort Dog Ministry

Peace is proud to host Lutheran Church Charities K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry on Sunday, June 16.  A care team including one of the dogs will be sharing more about the ministry After the 9:30 AM service.  The presentation will be at 10:45 am in the Sanctuary and the team will make an appearance in our worship as well.  We may see members of the community and other Lutheran Churches attend the presentation.

What exactly is a Comfort Dog Ministry?  Launched in August 2008, the Lutheran Church Charities K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry is a national-human care ministry embracing the unique, calming nature and skill of purebred Golden Retrievers.  The LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs are a bridge for compassionate ministry, opening doors for conversation about faith and creating opportunities to share the mercy, compassion, presence, and proclamation of Jesus Christ.

Confirmation

On Sunday, June 30 Nicholas Abele and Ingrid Hellesto will be confirmed in the morning worship service.  Psalm 145:4 says, “One generation shall commend your work to another.”  This service is an opportunity to witness how God is working in the hearts and lives of a new generation.  Praise the Lord!  We will have baskets for you to share gifts and cards of encouragement for Nicholas and Ingrid.  And be sure to stay for Fellowship in which cake will be served in their honor.

Who Uses the Church?

How many times have you walked into the church and wondered…What is going on today?  Who are all the people? Or Why are there so many cars parked in the parking lot?  Well, the best way to answer this is to introduce you to the community groups that meet on a regular basis in our Fellowship Hall.

  • Philomath Rotary Club meets every Tuesday for a luncheon and presentation. There are many members of Peace who participate.  Lunch and presentation start at 12:00 PM so come on down and see what is happening.  Lunch Cost is $10.
  • Philomath Chamber of Commerce meets the third Thursday of the month for a luncheon. They are usually here at noon and enjoy some local catering.
  • Mid-Valley Women of Christ run a bible study in the Spring and Fall. The Bible Study is for all women in the community.  And usually starts at 9:30 AM.

Continuing to Meet

Don’t miss out on continuing your church connections during the summer.  There are still groups who will be meeting regularly during the summer.  This is also an opportunity to meet up and try out a group if you find yourself with some free time.

  • Pieces by Peace meets every second Monday of the month at 10 till 2 in the fellowship hall. Stay the whole time or part of the time. This is a time set aside for the ladies that would like to do anything crafty, to come and join in to make items for our upcoming Bazaar in November. Good Fellowship, projects run from beginners to Advanced.
  • Men’s Bible Study meets every 2nd & 4th Wednesday of the month at 2:00 PM. Pastor Jeremy will be leading a study through Romans.  Gentlemen stop on by and delve into the Word.
  • Eat, Chat, Pray is a group that meets every Wednesday starting at 7:30. Come and have a morning brunch, chat and study the Word, then pray for those who need prayer.  All Ladies are welcome!
  • Men @ Imagine may not meet at the church but this group is still a fun one to meet up with. They meet at 7:00 AM at Imagine Coffee on Philomath Blvd.  They have coffee and talk.  It would be great to see you there.
  • Council meets the third Thursday of every month at 7:00 PM.
  • Elders meet the second Wednesday of each month at 4:00 PM
  • Ladies Guild as you know, is for all Lutheran women and they will meet in June 6 for a special lunch at EATS and TREATS, talk to Colleen Schulze if you would like to attend. July & August there will not be any meetings but  MITE boxes will still be collected in July.
  • Incident Response will meet through the summer on the first Tuesday of each month starting at 10:30 AM.  Come by and see how you can be a part of the plan.

UPDATE Camp Lutherwood

The Board of Directors for Camp Lutherwood Oregon is requesting your congregation’s presence at a Special Meeting of the Association.

When: Saturday June 1, 2019, at 10 a.m.

Where: Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Albany, Oregon

Purpose of meeting: In January 2019, the Association approved a $2.5 million-dollar expansion plan for Camp Lutherwood Oregon and gave approval to enter into a capital campaign to build phase one of the retreat center, a bathhouse, and a covered pavilion. The first approval was for $2.5 million and now the costs and scope have changed.

On April 12, 2019 the main Lodge at Camp Lutherwood Oregon burned to the ground along with all contents in the building. The Board of Directors will bring an updated recommendation to the Association for consideration for rebuilding the Lodge with a retreat center wing as well as the other buildings originally requested. The Board of Directors will share the updated plans, costs, and recommendation for moving forward to the Association for approval.

The Board of Directors needs Association congregations to send a representative to this meeting so that Lutherwood Oregon can move forward quickly with rebuilding plans.

Thank you for sharing this announcement with your congregation and with the individuals that will be your congregation’s representative at this meeting. We appreciate your participation and understanding the urgency of this announcement.

Please RSVP your attendance to [email protected] or by calling the camp office to share your representatives names with us. 541-998-6444.

Thank you for your partnership and support of Camp Lutherwood Oregon as we celebrate 60 years of ministry and prepare for the next 60 years.

Camp Lutherwood has found an amazing response from folks who are reaching out and generously helping to get the lodge rebuilt and to keep the tradition of camp going.  With the demolition of the burnt remains Lutherwood has placed a large tent over the cement pad where the lodge used to be.  They have food prep trailers but are still in need of a few essentials that would make like a bit easier.

If you know someone who has a working, newer freezer they could donate please contact the Lutherwood main office.  The other essentials can be found on an Amazon List under the name Camp Lutherwood Oregon.  It is easy to search once you look for a “registry or list”.  These items can be sent directly to Camp Lutherwood…and be sure and include your name on the gift card so they can send a thank you!

Amazingly, the $100,000 match has been met!  What an incredible testament of Lutherwood’s roll in the community.  The amount needed to completely rebuild is yet to be reached but the gap is considerably smaller than where it started.  If you would like to contribute to the rebuild you can make a donation now at http://lutherwoodoregon.org/

If you happen any photos or memories of the lodge and wish to share those with us, please email them to [email protected].

Letter from Vicar Christian Dollar