From the Pastor
Dear Peace family,
It helps to know that you are not drifting.
Floating on a lake is quite relaxing in the summer. The gentle bobbing up and down on the water calms. The sun beating down melts away the stress. The pressure of time goes away, and you can live in the moment. Sleep sets in and before you know it, you are floating away from shore. Suddenly, you wake up. How do you know if you’ve floated further away from shore?
It helps to locate an object on shore—a tree, a dock, a telephone pole. The object is helpful to identify because it will then allow you to judge whether you have floated further away. If the object has gotten smaller, you’ve got to make a course correction!
What is true for floating on a lake is true for life. You need to locate something that doesn’t change and is stable. And if you ever unknowingly drift, you can tell for sure that a course correction is needed if you focus back onto that stable object. God’s love can be that unchanging and stable object in your life. Did you know that you are loved? You are! I John 4:9-10 states:
“In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent His only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins (I John 4:9-10).”
In 1995, a reporter named Tim Madigan from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram was assigned to interview Mr. Rogers. Who can forget Mr. Rogers?! Madigan was an up-and-coming journalist. At the time, however, Madigan’s personal life was a wreck. He suffered from bouts of depression, a broken marriage, and a dysfunctional family life.
Madigan and Rogers went on to develop a friendship. Rogers invited Madigan to church. They began to write back and forth regularly. And in a moment of transparency, Madigan shared this with Mr. Rogers, “I don’t want to be here anymore. Don’t know what to do. Want to go back to sleep and sleep the rest of the day. Hide from the world.”
Rogers famously wrote Madigan back, “Tim—You are my beloved brother. You are God’s beloved son. I love you and I’m proud of you.” This was the first time Madigan had heard those words, and they changed his life. Rogers would go on and sign each of his letters to Tim, “I love you, and IPOY”—short for “I’m proud of you.”
I am excited for the beginning of the fall season at Peace. It all begins with Rally Day on Sunday, September 7. The Adult class plus High School students (9:00 am) will be looking at Jeff Cloeter’s book, Loved and Sent. We will have 20 books available and will order more if more are desired. This is an opportunity to refresh our faith seeking that which doesn’t change and stabilizes us—God’s love! All are welcome to join!
Anchored in His love,
Pastor J
Peace by the Numbers
Plan for Worship
September 7 – 10:00am Worship service with Communion. Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost. Rally Day.
September 14 – 10:00am Worship service outside on the patio. Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost.
September 21 – 10:00am Worship Service with Communion. Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost.
September 28 – 10:00am Worship Service. Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost.
Mark your Calendar for the Fall Picnic
Mark your calendars to attend church on Sunday, September 7, for our annual fall kick-off. We will be having our annual BBQ celebration with hamburgers, hot dogs, potato salad, chips, ice cream, and all the fixings, plus music, balloons, and games for the kids. A 30′ fire engine bouncy house will be there for all the kids (and adults if you wish) to explore and enjoy. Everything is provided–no need to bring side dishes. Sunday School starts at 9 a.m. followed by worship at 10 a.m. Bring your family and invite your friends!
Loved and Sent
Week 1 (September 7) The Point: God’s love is expressed in the reconciling love of Jesus. It is the foundation of our being. Before we do anything, God first does His work for us in Jesus.
The Challenge: Ask the Holy Spirit to remove any block that keeps you from more fully receiving and believing God’s love for you in Jesus.
Key Scriptures: I John 4:7-21; Matthew 3:13-17; Jeremiah 31:1-6
Week 2 (September 14) The Point: We are sent by God to do important and holy work. But before we talk about what we do, we must know who we are. You are loved by God the Father.
The Challenge: Ask the Holy Spirit to deepen your appreciation of God’s infinite love for you.
Key Scriptures: Genesis 1-2; I John 2:28-3:3; John 10:22-39
Week 3 (September 21) The Point: We consider Jesus’ identity by looking to the manger….the cross…..the crown.
The Challenge: Pray for a fuller appreciation of Jesus’ saving love and His work for you in the manger, cross and crown.
Key Scriptures: Isaiah 53; Colossians 1:15-23; John 14:1-7
Ladies Guild Update
It’s time! It’s time! Ladies Guild will be starting their monthly meetings on Thursday, September 4 at 10:00 in the fellowship hall. Please join us! We have many ways in which you can become a community care builder. Our biggest project and fund-raiser is our annual Bazaar which will be October 25. We need many hands to make this event successful. Interested? See Kay Glathar or Peggy Krueger for more information. See you September 4!
Peggy Krueger, Guild President
Fire Safety
Have you ever noticed the purple metal doors that lead from the narthex through the hallway to the fellowship hall. Those doors are fire zone doors and in the unlikely event of a fire within the church, those doors will help contain the fire. The same is true with the metal rolldown doors in the kitchen. If you are one of the last people to leave following an event, please make sure all of those doors are closed to help keep our church building safe.
First Aid & AED Training
Peace will be hosting First Aid & AED training on Saturday, September 13 from 10:00-11:00 in the Fellowship Hall. The training will be taught by the Philomath Fire Department and address basic first aid, including aid for choking, and the use of our building AEDs. This is a refresher course and does not lead to CPR certification. Please talk to Rachel H. if you are interested in coming. We need a general head count so that the PFD can bring sufficient equipment.
Getting To Know You
The “Getting to know You” section of the newsletter will highlight a member or two of our congregation so you can get to know your neighbors better.
Becky Barrett
I am so happy to introduce you to one of Peace’s new members, Becky Barrett. Becky is a very busy lady. Her degrees are in journalism, but she is currently involved with coaching track and cross-country running which she teaches at Linus-Pauling Middle School in Corvallis.
Becky grew up in Alaska and Oregon and has lived in Philomath for 16 years. She is the mother of Jace and Annie and the daughter-in-law of Kathy and Brian Barrett. She has been married for 20 years. Her main hobbies are gardening, running her small farm, raising chickens and cooking. She loves her hens. She is so proud that her husband built them a special hen house, called the” Chicken’s Mansion”. Her “girls” are prolific egg layers.
Becky has joined the Freezer Meals Program and is busy helping to prepare meals. We are so proud that Becky is involved in the worship and programs here at Peace. Say “Hi” to her and introduce yourself; she is very gregarious and outgoing. You will not regret extending your friendship to her.
Corvallis for Refugees
All are welcome for an International Food Flair at Imagine Coffee on Friday, September 12, 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm. This event is sponsored by Corvallis For Refugees–a ministry partner of Peace Lutheran Church. Embark on a culinary journey exploring the rich flavors cooked by our newest neighbors. Enjoy the aromatic spices of Afghanistan, the vibrant delights of Guatemala, the hearty tradition of Ukraine, and the festive offerings of Venezuela. This is an opportunity to appreciate the diversity and unity of global cuisine.
Ethel Post’s Obituary
† Ethel Estella Post †
Give Life in time: October 26, 1923
Given Life in eternity: August 24, 2025
Ethel Estella Post (Quetschke), 101, of Philomath, passed away Sunday evening at Stoneybrook Assisted Living in Corvallis.
She was born to William and Estella Quetschke on October 26, 1923, on a cold and foggy day typical of that time of year. She was the first of their four children, followed by her brother Vernon in 1925, another brother, Virgil, in 1927, and her sister, Helen, in 1931.
Ethel was raised on the family homestead on Woods Creek Road in Philomath. She attended a one-room schoolhouse as a kid, enjoyed 4-H, and graduated as salutatorian with the Philomath High School Class of 1942.
She met her husband, Melvin Post, at a dance. She and Melvin married on March 23, 1945, at the First United Brethren Church pastor’s house while he was on a 30-day leave from the U.S. Navy. Later, she embarked on a cross-country journey with a girlfriend to Charleston, NC, To join Melvin before he deployed in World War II on the USS Reno from 1943 to 1946 as a Seaman First Class.
During this time, Ethel worked at the local post office, which was her only job outside of babysitting. She went on to raise six children on the Woods Creek Road homestead in Philomath. To preserve this legacy and continue providing timber to the community, the homestead is now a managed property by the family and will be passed down through the generations as a testament to the hard work and history of the Quetschke and Post families.
She is remembered dearly by family and friends as Mom, Ethel or Grandma Post. She was a faithful and God-fearing woman who attended Peace Lutheran Church regularly. She loved word games and rummy, and her kitchen table was always a place of welcome with a pot of hot coffee, hot cocoa for the kids, and a gallon jar of dried apples waiting for whoever walked in. She embodied love, kindness, hard work, and, above all, faithfulness.
She is survived by her six children: Candy Koetz (Jim), Tami Faasse (John), Dianna Benton, Bernadine Foster (John), Delia Post, and Henry Post (Ruth). She is also survived by ten grandchildren and 21 great grandchildren and 2 great-great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by Melvin, her parents, siblings, two son-in-laws (George Benton and Jim Ross) and one grandson Richard Reviea.
Services will take place at 11 a.m. on Saturday, September 6, at Peace Lutheran Church. Contributions in Ethel’s memory may be made to Peace Lutheran Church.
To learn more about Ethel’s life and her reflections on reaching 100, you can read the article written about her 100th birthday celebration here: Ethel Post: A lifetime in Philomath – Philomath News
