Thoughts from the Vicar

So, What’s with the Apostles’ Creed?

We say it every Sunday. “I believe in God the Father Almighty, the maker of…” That’s all you need before your brain goes on autopilot. You know what’s coming next. Everyone knows what’s coming next. So, if everyone already knows it, why do we say still say it every Sunday? Well, in short, the Apostle’s Creed is a confession.

The word confession conjures up an image of a guilt-stuck man turning himself into the police or maybe a clever detective with a secret recording device; but it can also bring to mind Romeo confessing his love to Juliet. To confess simply means to tell the truth. The truth about a crime. The truth about your love. The truth about what you believe.

When the Church was just getting started, Bibles were fairly rare (no printers!), and it wouldn’t help much because most people couldn’t read. So what do you do if you’re a pastor back in the early church? Do you tell the congregation not to worry about the truth in the Bible? No! You teach them something easier to remember, and that’s where the Creed comes in. The Apostles Creed isn’t in the Bible, but it is a Summary of the Bible.

Look at it closely. It takes you all the way from the very beginning when God created everything (Genesis), to the very end when Christ returns to Judge the world and gives everlasting life (Revelations). Even churches that don’t regularly recite the Creed don’t have a problem with what it says, because it’s all right there in the Bible!

In 2019 we have Bibles all over the place, and most everyone can read. So if times have changed, why do we still say the Apostle Creed? Because the Bible hasn’t changed! It is still the truth. It’s still God’s word. It’s still very, very long.

I think it’s a safe bet that no one has ever memorized the entire Bible cover-to-cover. So we still need a short Summary of what’s in the Bible today. The Creed teaches children who can’t read what the Bible is all about. It teaches new believers reading the Bible for the first time what the Bible is all about. And it reminds us who don’t read the Bible as much as we should what the Bible is all about.

The Apostles Creed is not a replacement of the Bible but is instead simply a summary, and when we come together on Sunday morning and say it again, we are speaking the same truth of the Bible. You are confessing the truth of God’s Word, “I believe in God the Father Almighty, the maker of…”

See you on Sunday,

Vicar Dollar

Peace by the Numbers

Kick-Off BBQ

It is that time!  September 8, 2019 our schedule will change to 9:45 am Sunday School and 11:00 am Service.  Mark your calendars we will be starting our regular schedule of Sunday School and worship and that means we will be having our annual celebration of BBQ, games, picnic, bounce house and fun!

We would love to see everyone contribute a finger food, side-dish, or dessert of some kind to go along with the hamburgers and hotdogs.  Let’s send summer out with a bang!

Bazaar News

Today we are looking forward to our next Bazaar. We’re planning to have another successful event so we can benefit the community with our donations. We need your help to make this happen!

The monies collected go to local charities, Camp Lutherwood, supporting a Seminarian and several other organizations. Please consider contributing to the crafts, baskets, cookie jar and Grannies Attic to help us toward our mission.

On behalf of the ladies Guild I’d like to thank you in advance for your support.  Sign-up sheets will be out soon, so please consider how you can help on the event day. The bazaar will be November 9th, 2019. Hours are 9 a.m. till 3 p.m. with a drawing of our quilt being held at that time. Questions, please contact Jani B. at 541-740-4650.

Tables of Peace

Everyone is invited to join a new way of doing Tables of Peace on the Wednesdays of September 26, October 23 and November 27. Everyone is welcome to come and contribute in some way for a large potluck dinner in the Fellowship Hall at 6 pm. We’ll then draw numbers. Depending on the number drawn, each person will then go to the corresponding room/space of the church for small group discussion. The goal is to be done by 7:30 pm. Come, eat and deepen your connections at Peace!

Continuous Communion

Peace is continuing to grow—this is a blessing and brings challenges. The blessings are obvious—more people drawn to God’s love through Jesus, more people with which to fellowship, more people to volunteer and serve, more people with talents and gifts to share.

One specific challenge, however, Peace is facing with growth is an increase in the time it takes to commune on communion Sundays. In conversation with the elders, it has been decided to try continuous communion on the communion Sundays in October. The pastor, vicar and elder will stand on top of the step in the chancel area while communicants come forward from the center aisle. Once communed, communicants will place their individual cups in the bowl (by the north side wall) and walk back to their seats by going down the aisle by the north side wall.

If you have a concern with this, please speak to Pastor Lucke or one of the elders (Oscar, Elaine, Rick, Kay). We want to both maintain our high regard for Jesus’ real presence in the Sacrament and honor our commitment to keeping the worship service close to an hour in length.

Incident Response Team

The Incident Response Team met on August 6th.  We have created a new Incident Response Brochure that provides some valuable information in your efforts to prepare for a variety of incidents that could occur in the local area. The brochures will be available within in the next few days.  We are also planning on holding training for anyone interested after church service on September 15. The training will take about 20-25 minutes and all are encouraged to attend. Finally, we wanted to remind you of the Emergency Services Preparedness Fair hosted by the Benton County Sheriff’s Office.  This free event will be held Sunday afternoon, September 8th, at the Philomath Frolic and Rodeo grounds from 3:00 pm – 7:00 pm and will feature demonstrations by the Corvallis Mounted Rescue Unit, Sheriff’s Mounted Posse, R3K9 Search and Rescue as well as other teams. There will also be a chili cook-off and beer garden. The next meeting of the Incident Response Team will be September 3rd at 1030 at Peace and anyone is welcome to attend.

 

Preparedness tip of the month:  As temperatures increase and rainy days are few and far between, the potential for wildfires goes up. Below are some steps you can take to make your home more resistant to wildfires:

  • Clean roofs and gutters of dead leaves, debris, and pine needles that could catch embers
  • Replace or repair any loose or missing shingles or roof tiles to prevent ember penetration
  • Reduce embers that could pass through vents in the eaves by installing 1/8-inch metal mesh screening
  • Clean debris from exterior attic vents and install 1/8-inch metal mesh screening to reduce embers
  • Repair or replace damaged or loose window screens and any broken windows
  • Screen or box-in areas below patios and decks with wire mesh to prevent debris and combustible materials from accumulating
  • Move any flammable material away from wall exteriors – mulch, flammable plants, leaves and needles, firewood piles – anything that can burn
  • Remove anything stored underneath decks or porches
  • Mow your lawn regularly and prune any low-hanging tree branches
  • Finally, make sure your neighborhood and home have clearly marked streets signs and house numbers that are visible day and night

Ladies Guild

Ladies Guild is part of LWML (Lutheran Women Mission League) and consists of the women who attend Peace Lutheran Church.  This group meets the first Thursday of each month at 1:00 pm in the Fellowship Hall.  Our main goal is to bring the Gospel story to the people in our church and the community through supportive acts of kindness.  We have been able to donate monies to Philomath Community Services, Philomath Youth Activity Club, June’s Kids Kloset, Paradise Lutheran Church and to our youth to go to Minneapolis to the National Youth Conference.  There are many smaller donations that we give, too.  We also support a Seminarian at St Louis Concordia Seminary, sending him quarterly monies and a special donation at Christmastime.

The Fall Bazaar is our chief fundraiser, which will happen on November 9 this year.  Items are being sought now. If you have a craft item you want to submit, or something you’d like to bake, call Jani Burton.  We will have another beautiful quilt to raffle.

Another date to remember is Saturday, May 10, 2020.   We will be having a catered luncheon for the ladies in our church and their guests.  Tickets will go on sale starting in March 2020.  We need helpers! If you would like to help with this event, please contact Peggy Krueger.

Please mark Thursday, September 5 on your calendar and plan to attend the Ladies Guild

Men’s Breakfast

Men! Mark your October calendar for the 5th; the start of another year of First Saturday Breakfasts. Yes, back by popular demand!  More on a topic will come with the October Newsletter. I am always looking for chefs that can help prepare the hardy breakfast. Please let me know if you are interested in sharing your cooking talents. Suggestion for possible topics would also be helpful.  Contact Oscar Gutbrod – 541-231-3954