From the Pastor
Dear friends,
There are so many ways to enjoy and prepare for the season of Christmas. What do you like to do to help you prepare? Decorating. Sharing Christmas cards. Partaking in outdoor activities like skiing. Cooking. Crafting. Volunteering. Gift shopping. Entertainment. Everyone celebrates differently, yet we all recognize the purpose behind it.
Christmas is about a Savior born for us. Consider the words of the angel spoken to Joseph in Matthew 1:20-21:
Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.
Well, I know that I need a Savior because I know that I could never save myself—I need someone else to jump in and do the work. Sometimes my choices and behavior miss the mark of what God would desire! There I was in the parking lot at Safeway the weekend before Thanksgiving. It didn’t help that the parking was packed and that I was forced to park in the back of the lot. It didn’t help that the item that I stopped by to purchase was almost twice as expensive as lost month. It didn’t help that the line to checkout was backed up into the middle of the candy aisle. As I was leaving the store and turned to exit the parking lot, I kind of lost my cool. I honked my horn at someone who swerved in front of me. I waited another moment and then I honked my horn again.
That little moment (and there are other moments like it) reminded me that I simply do not have the ability to save myself. Thank goodness for Jesus. The name Jesus literally means “he saves” in Hebrew. His birth is the sign that God is in the process of saving us. What a gift.
Perhaps you heard the story last month about ultrarunner Camille Herron? Camille ran 100 miles in a world record time—12 hours, 41 minutes. After the race was over, USA Track and Field officials measure the track again to make sure that they got it right. They discovered that the route Camille took was 716 feet short of 100 miles. Her world record could no longer stand! How frustrating for Camille!
The story of Camille can point us to a spiritual reality. No matter how hard we try to prepare for Christmas and no matter how hard we try to bring significance to the season, we’ll come up a little short. The good news is that we are given a Savior who makes up the difference. Jesus finishes what we can’t accomplish. Jesus deals with all of our shame and guilt and takes it away. Jesus gives us confidence that God is with us.
I am especially looking forward to singing the Christmas hymn, “Joy to the World” in the weeks ahead. One of the lines of the song says, “Let every heart prepare Him room.” Wouldn’t it be great if every heart at Peace Lutheran and in the great community became a manger—a place for Jesus to dwell! I pray that this is the case.
In Christmas Joy,
Pastor J
Peace by the Numbers
Plan for Worship
November 30 –5:00pm Advent Midweek Service – Holden Evening Prayer.
December 4 – 10:00 am Worship Service in the sanctuary with communion – Second Sunday in Advent – Decorate the Christmas Tree following service.
December 7 –5:00pm Advent Midweek Service – Holden Evening Prayer.
December 11 – 10:00 am Children’s Christmas Program – Third Sunday in Advent.
December 14 –5:00pm Advent Midweek Service – Holden Evening Prayer.
December 18 – 10:00 am Worship Service in the sanctuary with communion – Fourth Sunday in Advent.
December 24 – 7:00pm – Christmas Eve Service with Communion.
December 25 – 10:00am Christmas Day Service with Communion.
December 31 – 7:00pm New Year’s Eve Service with Communion.
January 1 – 10:00am New Year’s Day Service with Communion.
Bible Study For Advent
Christmas is really a season that should last 365 days a year. An important word that we’ll hear during Advent and Christmas is Immanuel. Immanuel literally means “God with us.” And the truth behind Immanuel is that God is not with us for one day a year…………..and God is not with us for holiday celebrations……………and God is not with us for the twelve days of Christmas. Immanuel means that God is with us always. How do we keep the Christmas season going on in our lives? Join Pastor Lucke in the fellowship for Bible Study and discussion about ways to keep the Christmas season going beyond December 25. We meet at 9:00 am. Here is our weekly plan:
- November 27………………. “Prepare Him Room” John 1:1-18. Author Ronald Rolheiser says we often arrive at Christmas unprepared, “with ‘no room in the inn,’ no space in our lives for spiritual rebirth.” What crowds your heart and life during this season?
- December 4………………… “Worship Works Wonders” Romans 12:1-2. Author Timothy Keller says, “We want to love Christ so much that we are not enslaved to the other attachments that we have in life. Rejoicing in worship is a way of praising God until the heart is sweetened and rested, and until it relaxes its grip on anything else it thinks that it needs.” What are your tight grips?
- December 11……………….. “Seek the Light of Christ” John 1:1-18. Author N.T. Wright has this to say, “Christmas is not a reminder that the world is really quite a nice old place. It reminds us that the world is a shockingly bad place, where wickedness flourishes unchecked….Christmas is God lighting a candle bringing light into a dark world.” Christmas can indeed be a dark time for us—what darkness is challenging you this year?
- December 18………………… “Every Heart a Manger” Ephesians 3:16-19. Brennan Manning writes about how it is hard for people to receive God’s love. He says, “Christians find it easier to believe that God exists than that God loves them.” What hurdles are you facing when it comes to God’s boundless love?
- December 25……………….. Worship only. No Bible Study class.
- January 1…………………….. Worship only. No Bible Study class.
Ladies Guild
The Ladies Guild is welcoming their new President, Peggy Krueger. Please congratulate her when you have the opportunity. The Ladies Guild does so much for Peace and it’s truly a blessing to have such a robust organization within our congregation.
Also, the Guild will be sponsoring a Christmas Family again this year by providing Christmas food and gifts to a family in need. The Guild is working with Love, Inc. to find a deserving family. More details will be forthcoming in the next few days.
Thank You from Granny’s Attic
Being the lead of Granny’s Attic is an honor and with a wonderful congregation like you, my job is made much easier. All of you have given so much time, effort, and gifts and that’s what makes the bazaar a success. Thank you for all the support you have provided. Jani Burton
Holiday Bazaar Wrap-Up
Thank you so very much to our workers who helped make this year’s bazaar such a success. Everything ran smoothly, and we all had a wonderful time greeting people and helping them with their purchases. It was a great day!!! A stream of people showed up all day long, and many of you worked long hours to make everything flow without a hitch. What a blessing you are to our church!!! It would take a whole page to list all who helped with the bazaar but thank you to everyone who helped and to each of the leads (Sandi Kloster, Jani Burton, Maggie Baker, & Kay Glathar) to whom we were able to hand over many of the jobs that needed to be completed to make Saturday such a success; and thank you to everyone who came to purchase items. We made a profit of over $6000.
And last, our quilt winner was our own Kay Glathar–congratulations Kay!
Thank you again everyone! Colleen, Janette, Sally
Philomath Food Bank & June’s Kids Closet
With the holidays coming it is time to think about helping those that have problems getting things that the family needs. One thing that we can do is to make donations of food items to the Food Bank and/or kids close to June’s Kids Closet. As of October 13th, our donations have been 258 pounds of food and 22 pounds of close. There are baskets in the narthex for each of these charities and any help we can give is appreciated.
Vina Moses Center Christmas Program
For many years, Peace has supported the annual Vina Moses Center Christmas program. This year will be no different. We have placed tags on the side windows of the front door that contain the Christmas gift wishes of children from financially challenged families in Benton County. We hope that you will take a tag or two. If you do not have an opportunity to get a tag but still would like to participate, we are asking you to consider purchasing a new toy, game, book, or puzzle for the program. The children participating in the program are between infancy and 18 years of age. For many children, the gift that they receive through this program will be the only gift they receive this Christmas.
Please bring the toy, game, book, or puzzle (unwrapped) to the worship service on Sunday, December 4th. Nicholas Abele will collect them in the Narthex.
If you are unable to bring the toy to the service, please contact George Abele at 541-730-0476 or [email protected] to make arrangements to pick up the toy.
Calling All Shepherds!
This December 11, the youth at Peace will be sharing the message of The Christmas Story. If you know of other children, ages 5-18, in your family or our community who would like to participate in our Youth Christmas Program, please let Karyn Stanley or Diane Crocker know. We would like to invite all children to take part and learn about the birth of our Savior.
Rehearsals will be held on Sundays during Sunday School (9am – 9:50am), November 6, 13, 20, 27, and December 4. Two additional rehearsals will be held November 27 from 4:30-6pm, and a final dress rehearsal on December 10 from 8am – 10am.
In addition to the Christmas Program itself, we would love to have any youth that play an instrument or sing, perform a Christmas song for the preservice music. Secular holiday songs, in addition to traditional Christian carols work, as well. If you know of a youth that can play/sing for preservice, even if they are not in the Christmas Program itself, please let Karyn or Diane know.
The Youth Christmas Program will be held during our worship service at 10am on Sunday, December 11.
News From the Freezer Meal Team…
The freezer is stocked!
A few team members got together recently and cooked up some delicious meal options! Sixty-four to be exact! There is even a gluten-free breakfast (or lunch/dinner) item!
We welcome feedback and welcome menu suggestions! Let us know!! Happily cooking…your Peace Freezer Meal Team
Tables of Peace
Tables of Peace will be starting again this month with the first meeting being on December 5. Tables of Peace is an opportunity for members to join in small groups for a meal and a short discussion topic. Each group will be formed with about 6-8 members per group. There will one member or couple that will be hosting the group.
The groups will meet twice a month for about three months before reorganizing and making new groups. This is a great opportunity for Peace members and friends to gather to meet new people and/or to reconnect with people they have missed for the past two years.
Host/hostess responsibilities are:
- Gather the assigned group and organize the dates to meet.
- Either host the meal in their home or choose another location (someone else’s home or the church).
- Arrange food assignments. All meals are potluck.
- Either lead the discussion or choose someone in the group to lead it. (Pastor will prepare
discussion topics prior to the meeting).
- Because of COVID concerns, groups are being organized according to vaccination status. Please indicate your status when you sign up.
Tables of Peace have been very successful in helping people have a planned opportunity to meet and know each other on a more personal level. Please consider joining a group. For more information contact Kay Glathar (541) 609-0620.
Faith & Family Day with the Ducks
For the first time in five years, we are excited to bring back the Faith & Family Day for both the Oregon Ducks Men’s and Women’s basketball seasons. We invite Peace Lutheran Church – Philomath, as well as other churches and religious organizations across Oregon and Southern Washington to join us in these special events.
The goal of this theme day is to give church members an avenue to come together and connect after the craziness of the last two years. You’ll have the opportunity to take in a Ducks game while enjoying time together with family and members of your community.
Churches and religious clubs/organizations will be able to take advantage of specially-discounted tickets for this event. This theme night will be hosted for one Men’s game and one Women’s game.
WHEN: Saturday, January 28th at 5pm vs. University of Utah (Men’s)
Friday, February 3rd at 7pm vs. University of Colorado (Women’s)
WHERE: Matthew Knight Arena
1390 Villard Street
Eugene, OR 97403
Space is limited! For further information on how to secure your tickets, please contact Bailey Levine by phone at (541) 346 – 8452 or email at [email protected].
Computer Help
Does This Seem All Too Familiar?
Are you in a love-hate relationship with your home computer? Your PC loves to torment you and some days you hate to even turn it on.
Peace Lutheran requests your input on a potential computer training class. We want to determine if anyone is interested in such a class, and if so, what topics would you want to see discussed.
You can submit anonymous suggestions on index card(s) via one of the following:
- Insert card in Drop Box located in the Fellowship Hall.
- Slide card under the office door (Be sure to print “Computer Training” on the card).
- Place card in Karen Motlok’s mailbox.
Suggestion cards can be submitted through December 31st, 2022. Once suggestions (if any) have been collected, we will review to determine the level of learning desired.
First topic to get the ideas flowing:
- I do not use my PC for online banking, or I have no money, so criminal hackers would not be interested in me. {If your PC has an internet connection, the above statement is FALSE}.
Thank You Notes from Our Ministry Partners
