This Week at St. Peter’s | 1-29-23

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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4th Sunday after Epiphany                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        01-29-2023

Most every person on this earth is interested in happiness. Rich and poor, young and old, male and female, we all want to experience some happiness. We all want it, look for it, and try to find it and keep it. We may look to other people. Certain places, events, and activities. Health or safety or freedom. Success, however we define it. Things, things, and more things. Happiness is different things to different people. For most of us, happiness is also quite elusive. It is fleeting and fading. It never seems to last. A lot of people spend a whole lifetime trying to find happiness that is so circumstantial.

When Jesus gave his “inaugural address” to his newly gathered disciples, he started with a blueprint for happiness. But he lifted up true joy rather than temporary happiness. Joy is the assurance that God loves you and is with you in any and all circumstances, good or bad. True joy is trusting that God is not so distant, deaf, and distracted that God will fail to take care of you, even when the circumstances are unhappy. You can be joyful and unhappy at the same time. You can also be “happy” in a worldly way but desperate for joy that has depth and quality and endurance.

Are you searching for happiness that is circumstantial and temporary at best?  Or have you already discovered the blessing of true joy that comes from knowing, loving, and trusting God no matter what?

O Lord, may your light and your love illumine my path and order my steps today.

SHARE HIS LIGHT.   🕆   BEAR HIS WORD.   🕆   DARE HIS WILL.

 

TODAY

9:00AM            All Saints Choir warm-up.

10:00AM           + EPIPHANY SEASON WORSHIP +

11:15AM           All Saints Choir rehearsal.

11:15AM         “New Member” brief discussion.

 

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.

Church Council Servant-Leaders

We are so very grateful for our Church Council members who have served during those difficult days of COVID: Roland Thompson, Carol Lee, Rev. Clesha Staten, Valerie Taylor Samuel, Ben Shipanga, Queen Sutton, Cecil Webb, Michael Wood, Monroe Daniel, Diane Hughes, Judy West, and Veronica Britto. Some of these twelve have previously ended their service or will end it at our Annual Meeting on February 26. We are looking for persons willing to be considered to help lead and serve our congregation. Speak to the Pastors or a current Church Council member to share your interest or to get further information.

Blanket Exercise. Vance Blackfox, Director of Indigenous Ministries and Tribal Relations for our ELCA denomination, will lead participants in an experiential learning experience – of the 500+ years of struggle by indigenous peoples – at United Lutheran Seminary. It occurs on Wednesday, February 1, 7-8:30PM. You must be at least 15 years old to participate.

An invitation to Christian sisters. The Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (WELCA) has started an online Zoom discussion event. Check out boldcafe.org to get more information and to pre-register (no cost). This Thursday, February 2, 8:00PM Eastern Time, the Rev. Ralen Robinson (an African American graduate of United Lutheran Seminary who preached at St. Peter’s one Sunday) will host and lead discussion of “What it means to have worth as people of faith.”

ThiS week At st. peTer’s

Wednesday… BLACK HISTORY MONTH. Discover. Celebrate. Commit to the future. a 

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, 8:30AM Senior Food Box distribution ministry?

Friday, 6:30PM Girl Scouts.

Saturday, 10:30AM Girl Scouts.

 

What’s Happening…          

February 5…   FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY. Hybrid Worship in person + online at 10:00AM.

Jesus encourages us to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. 

NEW MEMBERS TO BE RECEIVED!

Meal and Fellowship, 12:00 noon. Pastor Jack Saarela “book launch” event, 2:00PM. He has written The 

Long and Stony Road about his experiences as a Lutheran pastor during the Civil Rights Movement.

February 11…   Eastern Star training event in Rhoda Hall, 10:00AM.

February 11…   Girl Scouts, 10:30AM.

February 11…   Women’s Ministry “Gathering”, 11:00AM.

February 12…   SIXTH SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY. Hybrid worship in person + online at 10:00AM. 

Turn a cheek, give away the cloak, go the second mile, help a beggar and borrower, and top it off with loving your enemy. Is Jesus serious about this?

February 19…   TRANSFIGURATION OF OUR LORD. Hybrid worship in person + online at 10:00AM.  

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

February 26…  FIRST SUNDAY IN LENT.  Hybrid worship in person and online at 10:00AM.

St. Peter’s ANNUAL MEETING: Approve 2023 Budget, elect Church Council, etc.  

                                                       Giving in 2023.

In January you are invited to give an offering to the Lutheran Charities Appeal, which supports the work of 3 local Lutheran social ministry organizations: KenCrest Services; Lutheran Settlement House; and Gemma Services (which includes the former Silver Springs – Martin Luther School). These three agencies serve over 30,000 persons of various needs each year. In 2022 we gave $1,285.70. At the start of 2023 we have received $60.00. We seek to collect an offering for this each quarter of the year (in January, April, July, and October).

Read about them online… give help and hope to others.