This Week at St. Peter’s

St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

2169 74th Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19138

Church Office: 215-424-5122 Fax: 215-424-7841

e-mail address: stpetersinfo@yahoo.com

Revs. Gwendolyn Johnson-Bond & Neil A. Bond, Co-Pastors

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2Nd Sunday after Epiphany 01-15-2023

REV. DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.

Last Sunday we remembered the Baptism of Jesus and the start of his ministry. Last Sunday we remembered our own baptism and renewed our Baptism promises. Last Sunday we prayed that we might always remember our identity as God’s baptized child… might never forget our mission as God’s anointed servant… might never stop trusting in God’s power to enable us in difficult times.

This Sunday we might hear the voices of Isaiah the prophet and of St. Paul the missionary and of Jesus the Son of God calling out to us… the voices of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Barack Obama urging us to get involved, to keep working, keep trying… and we might even feel the presence of those departed loved ones of faith – a Christian father or a mother or a former pastor or a spouse or a friend who was faithful – as well as those saints still living on this earth both near and far away… a great cloud of witnesses people who are dreamers, proclaimers, and doers of the love and justice of Jesus – working beside us, cheering us on.

Jesus asks each of us, “What are you looking for?” And he does more than that – he speaks a dramatic word to our hearts, he invites us into new living that is centered in God and not ourselves, he shines forth with a radical love that transforms our vision and our way, he calls us to risky obedience. COME AND SEE WHO JESUS IS. THEN GO AND TELL OTHERS. WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? JUST DON’T DREAM… DO SOMETHING.

TODAY

9:00AM All Saints Choir warm-up.

10:00AM + EPIPHANY SEASON WORSHIP +

11:15AM All Saints Choir rehearsal.

We are grateful for this morning’s Sermon offered by Mr. Herbert Crawford!

PETER’S CHURCH COUNCIL (1/9/2023): (1) approved Minutes of 11/14.22 and 12/12/22 meetings; (2) learned that 2022 Budget Income was $167, 294.25, while Budget Expenses totaled $176,361.76 (a loss of about $9,000 – a concern but not fatal); (3) accepted a 2023 Budget proposal of $179,172.24 for presentation to the congregation (4) selected Sunday, February 26 for an Annual Meeting of the Congregation after a 2-year COVID related absence. [The intent is to have hybrid worship at 10:00AM, followed directly by a hybrid meeting that would include approving the 2023 Budget and electing some Church Council members… still working out some of the details.]; (5) received oral reports from the Pastor and Property Committee; (6) had discussion about musical instruments (what might be discarded, plus the offer of two donations) and about Communion Assistants wearing masks during distribution.

Join our family, share God’s love.

Welcome to worship. We invite you to share in our new life together, which is being shaped by the good news of Jesus Christ crucified and now risen among us. Several persons have recently expressed an interest in being baptized or in affirming the faith into which they have already been baptized… and in either case becoming a member of our St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church family. Please speak to our Pastors if the Holy Spirit is leading you into this place and into this people.

LOVE, NOT HATE. PEACE, NOT VIOLENCE.

MERCY, NOT GREED. JUSTICE, NOT ABUSE.

HUMILITY, NOT ARROGANCE. GOD’S TRUTH, NOT LIES. THE WAY OF JESUS, NOT JUST “MY WAY”.

Monday… Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

Wednesday… WEEK OF PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY (January 18 – 25).

Wednesday, 10:00AM Diane Hughes, volunteer office administration.

Wednesday, 10:00AM Senior Ministry “Bible Study”.

Wednesday, 10:30AM Whole Foods fresh produce distribution.

Thursday, 7:30PM AL-ANON PROGRAM. Find encouragement to end your own codependence!

Friday, 6:30PM Girl Scouts.

Saturday, 10:30AM Girl Scouts.

What’s Happening…

January 18 – January 25… Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.

January 22… THIRD SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY. Hybrid Worship in person + online at 10:00AM.

Jesus begins his public ministry by calling fishermen… he continues it by calling you.

February… BLACK HISTORY MONTH. Discover. Celebrate. Commit to a brighter future.

You are invited to wear Afrocentric clothing or appropriately messaged shirts this month.

February 5… Pastor Jack Saarela “book launch” event at St. Peter’s, 2:00PM. He has written The Long and

Stony Road about his experiences as a Lutheran pastor.

February 22… FIRST DAY OF LENT (Ash Wednesday).

February 26… FIRST SUNDAY IN LENT. St. Peter’s ANNUAL MEETING.

Giving in 2022.

World Hunger offerings (to our ELCA denomination for local, national, world use): $2,935.76.

Lutheran Charities Appeal to be shared by 3 local Lutheran social ministry organizations: $1,285.70.

Mission offerings to be divided by No More Secrets which addresses inadequate access to menstrual sanitary products and hygiene education in Philadelphia… and Covenant House in the Germantown neighborhood which helps get homeless young adults off the streets, into a job, and transitioned into independent living: $1,497.20.

Lutheran Disaster Response to help in special times of need: $171.40

“Thanksgiving Pies” (fundraiser for our Building Fund): $786.00

Senior Ministry “Pop-Up Shop” and “Flea Market” (fundraiser for window repair): $1,812.55

Women’s Ministry Account, end of 2022: $5,091.30.

Building Fund Account (not counting “pies”), end of 2022: $7,085.00.

LOVE is the true call no matter what the world says.