ThiS week At st. peTer’s | 2-18-24

February 16, 2024 Announcements, Community

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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FIRST SUNDAY IN LENT 02-18-2024

+ Spring Training +

Welcome to worship. For the Phillies baseball team, spring training in 2024 started on Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. The word “Lent” means “spring”. We Christians are in our own season of spring training as we practice again and again the basic skills of being faithful… become reacquainted with the rules and learn to read the signs and situations of daily living… prepare for present and future competition with our opponent (the Devil)… reach to fulfill our God-given potential… and develop as a unified team with other Christians. Our spring training will last 40 days and will lead us to the cross at Calvary and, beyond that, to resurrection and new life. The traditional disciplines of Lent are the act of giving alms (that is, offering money and resources to help those in need), the act of prayer (that is, becoming available to listen to and to converse with God), and the act of fasting (that is, abstaining from eating for a set period of time, skipping a meal, not eating a food we like, etc.). Are you in good shape? During the 40 days of Lent, GIVE to realign yourself with others, PRAY to realign yourself with God, and FAST to realign yourself with self. The Devil hasn’t given up on you yet. While you still have breath, a functioning mind, and a fighting chance, be fortified in faith and walk the right journey in your life. Walk with Jesus. He knows all about temptations and tests. Yet he refused to put his own human needs and desires ahead of his covenant relationship with God.

TODAY

9:00AM All Saints Choir warm-up for worship.

10:00AM + LENTEN SEASON WORSHIP + (in person and online)

11:20AM All Saints Choir rehearsal.

God’s great grace attitude of gratitude generosity!

If we adopt our proposed Budget for 2024 at our 93rd ANNUAL MEETING (next Sunday) without any changes we will need our Budget Income to average $3,457.44 each of the 52 weeks. We can accomplish this! In 2023 we averaged $3,418.98 each of the 52 weeks. Last Sunday’s offering (not counting online giving) was $3,458.00. God has blessed us to be a blessing! Let’s all stay faithful to the One we call our Savior and our Lord.

Important questions during Lent:

Do you believe that God loves you?
Do you believe that you are a sinner?
Do you believe that Jesus died for your sins?
Will you now trust Jesus as your Savior and Lord?

Join in our new life together which is being shaped by the good news of Jesus Christ crucified and now risen among us! Speak to our Pastors.

93rd ANNUAL MEETING OF ST. PETER’S [February 25]

We did not have a quorum to meet last Sunday, so now we will meet next Sunday following our 10:00AM worship. Both the worship and the Annual Congregational Meeting will be “hybrid” events, allowing for “in person” or “online” attendance. There is no required minimum attendance figure of confirmed (“adult”) members on our Church Roll that must be reached in order for this previously announced “alternate date” Annual Congregational Meeting to be held.

At the meeting we will elect seven new Church Council members to help lead and serve St. Peter’s in its life and mission as Christ’s community of faith. We currently have six members of the Congregation who are willing to serve: Armia Dennis, Janice Henderson, Rashidah Perkins, Trudi Wright, Brenda Draper, Regina Carter. Additional nominations can be submitted now to Diane Hughes or Pastor Gwen / Pastor Neil. Nominations can also be submitted at the Congregational Meeting on February 25.

At the meeting we will consider and adopt a 2024 Budget. An operating budget of almost $180,000 – close to our 2023 Budget and our actual income and expenses – is being proposed.

The Annual Meeting also includes space for “other business” as it arises from the members of our Congregation. A Bulletin of Reports for 2023 has been printed and is available (with an apology to the Scholarship Committee by the Pastors for forgetting the report… that is printed and available separately).

Let’s thank God for this St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church as it continues to live and breathe and love and serve as one small part of the BODY OF CHRIST on this earth!

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”.

ThiS week At st. peTer’s

Every day… BLACK HISTORY MONTH. Discover. Celebrate. Commit to the future.

Monday, 7:00PM Scholarship Committee meeting on Zoom.

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

Wednesday, 10:30AM Senior Ministry “Games and Social Activities”.

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

Friday, 6:30PM Girl Scouts.

Saturday, time? Rental event in Rhoda Hall.

What’s Happening…

February… BLACK HISTORY MONTH.

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

February 25… SECOND SUNDAY IN LENT. Hybrid Worship in person and online at 10:00AM. Pastor David Maddox II will preach. ANNUAL MEETING after worship!

Month of March… Women’s History Month. Remember. Celebrate. Step forward.

March 10… FOURTH SUNDAY IN LENT. Deadline for Easter plant orders.

March 17… FIFTH SUNDAY IN LENT. Hybrid Worship in person and online at 10:00AM.
Pastor Clesha Staten will preach.