From the Pastor
Dear Peace family,
What does it mean to walk with Jesus?
I enjoy a good walk. This morning’s walk was extra special. I got up and walked outside just as the sun was beginning to rise on the horizon. The sky was blue, and the horizon was painted bright orange and pink. How could I not relax and enjoy God’s creation?
I also enjoy Jesus. Jesus once said to his disciples, “Come to me, all who are weak and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” He said those words at a very specific moment in time to his disciples after they had returned from a grueling journey. I imagine him saying those same words to me after a day filled with challenge. I cherish the relief and rest that comes from him.
But what does it mean to walk with Jesus? The simple answer is that when we walk with Jesus, we let love be present in our relationships. Jesus was once asked about what the greatest commandment was. Jesus answered, “to love God with all your heart, soul and mind, and to love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22).”
Notice that Jesus gave two answers to the person—not one (love God, love neighbor). Why? The natural work that follows when we love God is to love our neighbor. To put it another way, it is impossible to love God but not love what God cares about and what God has made—our neighbors.
Martin Buber was a famous theologian in Germany during World War I. Buber considered himself deeply religious. He would often lecture about how much more important eternal matters were than the temporal. He thought about what was beyond this world rather than what was in the world itself. His focus was on God, but not necessarily the humans right around him.
Buber’s perspective on things dramatically changed one day in 1914. A young man visited him in distress. The two men had a conversation. Buber, however, was so lost in deep theological thought about God that he failed to be fully present with the young man. A few days after the conversation, Buber discover that the young man committed suicide. From that day on, Buber changed his approach to life. He desired to have a deep faith in God, and he chose to be more present in his love for people.
Martin Buber would then go on to write a famous classic, I and Thou. A distinction is made in the book between I-It relationships and I-Thou relationships. As we celebrate love in the month of February, I share some of the basic differences with you so that we can truly love each other deeply.
| I-It Relationship | I-Thou Relationship |
| Distracted, goal-oriented | Fully attentive, listening-oriented |
| Others are objects or extensions of oneself | Others are persons, unique and separate |
| Judgmental, conditional acceptance | Nonjudgmental, radical acceptance |
| Monologue, debate, make my point | Dialogue, exploration, curiosity |
| Closed, unwilling to learn or change | Open, willing to learn and change |
Included in February’s newsletter are some intentional ways to love our neighbor. Consider participating in Philomath Community Service’s food drive—check out the page put together by Diane Crocker inserted in our newsletter. Consider helping Peace’s blood drive on Friday, February 14. Sign up to help as a volunteer—you’ll notice a few spaces open in this newsletter. These opportunities that I am mentioning are down-to-earth ways to practice Martin Buber’s I-Thou Relationship.
Thank you for letting love flow in the Peace family and happy Valentine’s Day!
In His Joy,
Pastor J
Peace by the Numbers
Peace by the Numbers
February 2 – 10:00am Worship service with Communion. Fourth Sunday after Epiphany
February 9 – 10:00am Worship service. Fifth Sunday after Epiphany.
February 16 – 10:00am Worship Service with Communion. Sixth Sunday after Epiphany.
February 23 – 10:00am Worship Service. Seventh Sunday after Epiphany.
MidWeek Online Bible Study Continues
Are you desiring a closer walk with Jesus in 2025? Pastor is holding online zoom sessions in the New Year to share how you can walk with Jesus in everyday life. Let him know if you’d like to be a part of the study and he will include you in his list. The six sessions will be on Wednesdays at 10 am and last 45 minutes. This week we shared the Grace and Truth matrix. What is the best way to support a friend…a neighbor….a family member? There are certainly different ways to define what support exactly means. Jesus always journeyed with people to the point in which they experienced growth and were thriving. We are at our best when we intentionally focus on mentoring and being mentored. Please join us online on Wednesdays at 10:00.
Men’s Breakfast in February
MEN’S Breakfast: It is time for the Men’s First Saturday Breakfast, February 1st, mark your calendar. Peace will be preparing breakfast this month. A hardy breakfast will be prepared by Head Chef Mark Koeppe and crew. The topic this month will be hearing from Chris McQueen, Director of the “Corvallis for Refugees” office. Coffee on at 8:00 am, breakfast served at 8:30 and topic discussion 9-10. Always good to know how many will be attending, please let Oscar Gutbrod know by January 30th, if you plan to attend.
[email protected] or call 541-231-3954. Do plan to attend.
Lent Soup Suppers
Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, which is Wednesday, March 5. This is a special time of remembrance as we consider our Lord’s life and journey to the cross. Peace journeys through Lent with special mid-week services beginning on Wednesday, March 5 and concluding on Wednesday, April 9. What makes our Soup Suppers so special is having as many people participate and provide food as possible. Sally Stouder is organizing these opportunities to supply soup. Be looking for news this month from her and consider signing up!
Peace Lutheran Ladies Guild News
We are working on our budget for this year and want all youth and families to know that we are giving 5 scholarships of $300.00 each to those desiring to go to Camp Lutherwood. This camp is only an hour away, yet so versatile in its many activities. We encourage you to check this out on the web. If you are desiring a scholarship, please contact Peggy Krueger for an application.
We have many plans for the year and will keep you informed as they develop.
If you want to join Guild, please just come to the monthly meeting or contact one of the Guild members. Peggy Krueger is always available to receive your questions regarding our activities. Call her any time.
Guild will be meeting Thursday, February 6, 10-12 in the fellowship room. Please come join us!
Another event open to all women at Peace is a Bunco party at Zion Lutheran Church on February 8th, 12-2p.m. Please bring a finger food and a white elephant gift, unwrapped for the Bunco party. No need to RSVP, just go and bring a friend or two with you.
Peggy Krueger, Guild President
Red Cross Blood Drive
February is Blood Drive month again. This Valentine’s Day, consider giving the gift of life. We are having a blood drive on Friday, February 14th from Noon to 5. There are still some spots available if you would like to donate. Also, cookies or other baked goods would be appreciated and can be delivered to the church kitchen on Thursday or Friday morning by 11:30. Your prayers for a successful drive for this life saving item are very much appreciated.
2024 Donations to Philomath Community Services
Peace had a record year in 2024 for donations to the Philomath Food Bank and June’s Kids Kloset. Thanks to all your efforts and donations, Peace provided 632 pounds of food and 44 pounds of clothing to Philomath Community services. For the food bank this is almost double what we donated last year and more than four times the amount of donations provided during the pandemic years. Thank you for showing compassion for our less fortunate neighbors in the community and let’s keep the trend going and make 2025 an even better year.
Backpack Ministry Working Party
On Monday, February 17th at 11:00am, we will be having our last backpack work party of the year. The work party typically lasts about an hour and needs volunteers to help place warming items (hats, scarves, gloves etc.) into a backpack, as well as hygiene items and food/snack offerings. We will be filling 100 backpacks to be handed out to those in need, especially those without homes. If you would like to bring something to contribute, men’s warm socks (new OR laundered used) or individually wrapped snacks are always needed. There is no requirement for bringing items to help. Please see Diane Crocker if you have questions. Thank you!
Caring for the Caregiver Support Group
When a loved one is living with cancer, the role of a caregiver can be challenging and rewarding. This group invites caregivers of cancer patients to join us online and discuss ways to manage the emotional and physical demands of being a caregiver. We will provide information and ways to practice self-care.
This group is currently being held via Microsoft Teams. You can join by using your computer, tablet or smart phone.
If you would like to participate in this virtual online event it will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 5, 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm. Registration is required. The event is completely free. To register contact Heather Perue, MSW, CSWA, [email protected] or call 541-812-3354 or 541-451-6432
Calling all Helpers for a Community Food Drive
Philomath Community Services is organizing a food drive that will benefit the food bank and the PCS Gleaners. We are looking for volunteers to help distribute information tags and bags to the doorknobs of certain areas in Philomath. This would happen on February 22 from 9 am to 11 am. The bags would be picked up on March 1 from 9 am to 11 am. Can you help on either date? The need is great! Please let Pastor know if you could assist by February 14. Thank you!
It Start with Mothers…
Question: how you free children around the world from lives of poverty, violence, and exploitation? Answer: Give them a quality education – Education is hope…
- Every month, 6 million children turn 10 without knowing how to read.
- Half the world’s children are falling through the cracks.
- How do we solve this global education crisis?
This month on February 18th at noon the Fellowship Hall, the Philomath Rotary Club has a great presentation from Mr. Gem Munro, the co-founder of Amarok Society who will bring to us information of the Amarok’s unique education projects amongst the world’s least-advantaged people and how Rotary has been instrumental in its extraordinary success.
Some background on Amarok Society… In 2005, Dr. Tanyss and Gem Munro packed up their 4 children and moved from Vancouver, Canada to Dhaka, Bangladesh. They’d been invited by an international organization to make improvements to the country’s education system. But as they worked within the existing school system, they noticed thousands of children who weren’t in school at all.
It turns out the biggest threat to education in the developing world isn’t a deficient school system; it’s that even those deficient schools are out of reach for millions of children. So, they tried to help in the most obvious way: by opening their own free schools for children. But teaching 60 children at a time, in a world where 250 million of the world’s 650 million children are growing up illiterate – well, it was like trying to drain the ocean with a spoon. A chronic global challenge needed an innovative approach: teach mothers to teach others. The first school for mothers opened in January of 2006.
We hope you can come and remember – lunch will be provided. Please RSVP to Lindy if you will be attending so we can plan the number of meals.
