A Word from the Pastors | 01-15-2021 – St. Peter's Evangelical Lutheran Church

A Word from the Pastors

Church Council

Your elected servant-leaders gathered for a Zoom meeting on Monday, January 11. They will meet again on February 15 for a Zoom meeting beginning at 7:00PM. Some notes from January’s meeting:

Ben Shipanga issued a summary financial report for last year. 2020 Budget Income was $161,710.81 and 2020 Budget Expenses were $165,011.49. In a year challenged by COVID-19 (and experiencing a little income gap mid-March through April as we all adjusted), we had but a $3,300.68 final deficit. Hallelujah, thank you, Lord!
Church Council determined that our congregation would suspend having its 90th Annual Congregational Meeting (held in January, February, or March each year) until after COVID-19

is no longer a great threat. Council approved a provisional 2021 Budget of $174,855.36, which is the 2020 Budget of $173,420.36 plus a slight increase for our commercial insurance. Church Council terms that have expired (Roland Thompson, Carol Lee, Rev. Clesha Staten, Valerie Taylor Samuel) will be continued during this pandemic time.

Pastors Gwen and Neil gave a brief oral summary of their Pastors’ Report for 2020. On 12-31-2020 our baptized membership was 426. On 12-31-2020 our confirmed (“adult”) membership was 244. Worship attendance in the Sanctuary for the 11 Sunday services before COVID-19 averaged 66 persons per Sunday… for 39 Sundays after COVID-19 (with two missed Sundays, 03/22 and 05/17), Zoom attendance averaged 67 households per Sunday (the worship was also available on Facebook and our Website for delayed viewing). And there were two big events before 2020 took a strange turn: Martin Luther King, Jr. “Day of Service” on 01/19 with 49 participants in property projects at our location; and the 02/09 celebration of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church’s 90th Anniversary with worship upstairs and our “last meal” pre-COVID downstairs.
Church Council will continue to monitor medical wisdom and government rule regarding “reopening” and notes that our Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod Bishop, the Rev. Patricia Davenport, has “strongly recommended that congregations do not offer in-person worship until further notice.”

Sunday School

On most Sundays, immediately following Zoom worship and beginning a bit after 11:00AM, there will be Zoom Sunday School for children and teens. Tune in. Invite.

If LIGHT has dawned on us, we want to share it. If there is GOOD NEWS to tell, we can’t help but say it and spread it. This LIGHT is too bright, this NEWS is too good NOT to share, especially with a friend, especially with anybody and everybody that you care about! Don’t keep silent! Don’t hold back! KNOW OF OUR LOVE AND OUR PRAYERS FOR YOU, OUR GRATITUDE FOR YOUR WITNESS AND SERVICE.

Pastor Neil & Pastor Gwen