In PDF format: 11-2018- newsletter w   &    11-2018 – Calendar

Dear Peace family,

Be on the lookout for Peace’s new Blessings Board in the month of November!  Each one of us (young and old) has a strong desire to live out Jesus’ teaching, “Let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father” (Matt. 5:16).  The Blessings Board will serve as Peace’s way to connect our members with ways to help others and connect with the community.

How does the Blessings Board work?  This does NOT involve a meeting for a long term commitment.    Whew, thank goodness!  Be on the look out for the Blessings Board (around the time of Thanksgiving) in the narthex of the church.  The Blessings Board will be filled with requests from church members and community partners who are requesting help.  Pick a request off the Blessings Board and fulfill it (most of the commitments will only ask an hour or two from you).  Then, once you have fulfilled the request, put the card in the offering plate, as part of your offering.  It’s pretty simple AND more importantly, moves us one step closer to fulfilling Jesus’ request in Matthew 5:16.

If you are a person who needs help of some kind, or if you have questions about the Blessings Board, contact me, at (541) 609-8057.

I think the Blessings Board communicates to each other and the community what we are for, rather than merely what we are against.  A recent survey by Barna asked, “Thinking about your faith, how do you feel, personally, in society today?”  While 88 percent of the population of US adults felt that they were a “force of good”, 98 percent of practicing Christians responded that they were a “force of good.”  The survey concluded that Christians feel that they are greatly needed in their communities and that if they were no longer present, the community would not be the same.

I agree with those findings.  I truly believe that if Peace Lutheran Church were not a part of the Philomath community, there would be a feeling of great loss—things would not feel the same.

The purpose, of course, for doing this is important to keep in mind.  Jesus says, “so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.”

Thank you for having an open mind and heart to serve.  You are a great blessing to me!

In thanks,

Pastor J

Connections Corner

By Joyce Long

November 2018

Greetings Peace Family! It has been a couple of months since you have heard from me. Here we are in November! This is the start of holiday months and I invite you to participate in another of my challenges. Ok, I’m sure you are all aware around the holidays that the focus tends to be on connecting with your family and your close friends. My challenge is this. You might not be in a position to invite a single person to your celebrations, but you can be thinking of a person who may be alone, unmarried, single, widowed, etc. and at least reach out and give them a card. Sometimes those of us who are alone don’t feel comfortable with joining someone else’s family, but some do. The general idea is to help those who are alone to feel loved and included even if we decline an invitation. I think this is a great way of connecting with people you may not know and help them feel included. Now, don’t accept my challenge to invite unless you are completely comfortable with it because it would be awkward otherwise. But all of you can get an extra card and find someone to write it to or put it in their mailbox. You may know someone outside of church who you know will be alone. Please extend my challenge and give a thoughtful card to someone else. You will be spreading Christ’s love to your friends and neighbors.

…to be continued…Blessings Peace Family

Youth Christmas Program

Sunday School Students:  We need YOU to begin thinking about participating in our annual Christmas program!  Practices are always fun, we sing lots of Christmas carols, we practice our parts, and we always have snacks!  Practices start promptly at 10 a.m. right after our Sunday School opening in the Sanctuary; so don’t be late, and be sure to attend all practices.  We are counting on you to be there each Sunday as others are depending on you saying your lines.  Please let us know if you have to miss a practice.

Also, please be thinking about prelude music–instruments you may want to play or songs you would like to sing.

Our schedule is as follows:

  • Sunday, November 4–First practice and students will receive their parts
  • Sunday, November 11 –Practice
  • Sunday, November 18–Practice
  • Sunday, November 25–Practice
  • Sunday, December 2–Practice & Costumes given to students
  • Sunday, December 9–Dress Rehearsal and Christmas program presented to the congregation.

If you have any questions, please see Colleen or Sally.  We are looking forward to seeing you on November 4!

COOKIES, COOKIES, COOKIES

We still need your help!!  Your wonderful cookies would be very much appreciated.  Last year 100 dozen cookies were sold.  So far we only have a commitment of 24 dozen.  Please add your name to the list for cookies on Sharon’s clip board.  Also, there is a need for additional hands to help on the day of the bazaar at the Cookie Jar table.  I still need help with the 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. shifts.   There is also a clip board for signing up to help at the Cookie Jar table.  If you have any questions, please see Sharon Starr.

Tables of Peace

During Jesus’ day, to sit down and have a meal with a person meant something. The act of eating a meal meant much more than simply “grabbing a bite”. As Jesus ate with Pharisees, tax collectors, disciples, and all sorts of people, he was in essence saying “you and I are one”. We can imagine just how well Jesus came to know these individuals as these meals sometimes took whole afternoons and evenings to complete.

Some things never change. In today’s very busy world having a meal with someone is quite significant. Taking the time to share a meal communicates, “I care about you…” “I am interested in what is happening in your life…” “I want to know more about where you came from and what you want to do.”

We want as many people as possible in the congregation and in the community to take part in Tables of Peace. There is a sign-up sheet posted in the hallway on the way to the Fellowship Hall. Please consider signing up and joining a group for fellowship. If you would be willing to “host” put a star by your name. We will form groups of about eight people.

Hosting does not mean you have to cook for the group. It does not even mean that you have to use your home. You can choose to use the Fellowship Hall and/or the patio. Hosting means you will organize the group by coordinating dates and making food assignments.

After each meal there will be time for a devotion, discussion and prayer. Pastor will prepare the devotion for the group. After every home has had their meals, we will then “mix” everyone up and send a different group to a new hosting home.

The meals will take place once every month for three months and at least one of the groups will meet during the day so that those who don’t like going out at night will not have to.

Please sign up on the Bulletin Board by May 1st or speak with Kay Glathar or Pastor Lucke if you would like to participate. It’s a great way to get acquainted with your fellow Christians.

Holiday Shopping with a Smile!

Peace Lutheran Church has set up a link on smile.amazon. When you use smile.amazon, 0.5% of the cost of eligible purchases are donated to our church quarterly. This may not seem like a lot, but it all adds up.

To use smile. amazon all you need to do is to go to https://smile.amazon.com/ch/93-0584921  and sign in, or you can go in to smile.amazon.com, sign in and select Peace Lutheran Church—Philomath, OR.

When you log in through smile.amazon you are in the same data base as Amazon, there is no difference in prices or items. The only difference is that Amazon will donate to Peace Lutheran Church based on the total amount of your purchases.

Please share with your friends and family. Anyone can use Smile and have their donations go to Peace Lutheran Church.  If you have questions, you can contact  Jim Holroyd .

Men’s Breakfast

November 3rd is the Peace men’s First Saturday Breakfast, mark your calendar!

The topic will be “Landscaping/Cleanup”, yes, a fall cleanup day.  Bring your gloves, hoes, and whatever else will help make our property and building look nice. Jan Lane will be directing the cleanup. Head chefs will be Bob Glathar and Rick Durling.  So, our chefs know how to plan, please let Rick Durling know whether you Can or Cannot make breakfast.  Thanks   Ricks e-mail:   [email protected]