This Week at St. Peter’s | 3-26-23

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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FIFTH SUNDAY IN LENT                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       03-26-2023

+   The resurrection of Lent   +

Ezekiel, the prophet of the Lord, stood in the middle of a pile of dead bones bleached by the sun and scraped by the vultures and told them not to give up hope. Jesus stood outside the tomb of a friend, long dead for four days, and called for the stinking, rotting, wrapped-up corpse to hop on out of there. Can the dead live again? Can life’s dead situations and hopelessly dried up lives be salvaged? Both the prophet Ezekiel and Lazarus the friend of Jesus answer YES! What do you say, dry and brittle in your own valleys of despair? What do you say, stinking and decaying in your shadowy tombs of death? Why become comfortable and settle for death when you still have breath? Why wait to die before you experience resurrection? COME ALIVE NOW! This Lent may you be restored to the land of the living and find hope in the life to come, both now and also into eternity. Even as you have been brought back to life, unbind others and pass the Word on – Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life!

TODAY

9:00AM All Saints Choir warm-up.

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

11:20AM All Saints Choir rehearsal.

We welcome all who have come to worship!

 

“Trudi’s Challenge”

During our 92nd ANNUAL MEETING OF ST. PETER’S (February 26), Trudi Wright suggested that 70 people giving an extra $143.00 in regular giving during calendar year 2023 would add about $10,000 to our Budget Income, taking care of our anticipated $7,322 deficit and creating a small surplus for 2023. Pastors Gwen and Neil liked that idea. If you would like to join in that quest, please try to designate such extra giving as “Trudi’s Challenge”. But it will blend with other general giving toward our 2023 Budget needs. Received last week: $527.00. Total since February 26: $813.00. A seed has been planted and is taking root… Lord, let my heart be good soil.

 

  1. 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

about Holy Baptism, affirming your Baptism vows, or joining St. Peter’s.

 

ThiS week At st. peTer’s

This month… Women’s History Month.  [This year’s National Women’s History Alliance

theme is “Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories” Who are some of the authors,

      songwriters, playwrights, performers, and grandmothers who have informed you, 

      entertained you, made you aware, or strengthened you? Remember and celebrate!]

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

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

Wednesday 11:00AM Whole Foods fresh produce distribution.

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

Friday, 6:30PM Girl Scouts.

 

What’s Happening…          

April 2…   Palm Sunday / Sunday of the Passion. HOLY WEEK begins.

Hybrid Worship in person and online at 10:00AM.

April 6…   Maundy Thursday. Hybrid Worship in person + online at 7:00PM. “FOOTWASHING,

LORD’S SUPPER, AND STRIPPING THE CHANCEL AREA”.

April 7…   Senior Food Box distribution, 8:00AM.

April 7…   Good Friday.  Hybrid Worship in person + online at 7:00PM.   “7 LAST WORDS”

  Continuing a tradition, we are looking for speakers, singers, etc. as we meditate on Christ’s crucifixion.

April 8…   Eastern Star training event in Rhoda Hall, 10:00AM postponed.

April 8…   Women’s Ministry “Gathering” in person and online, 11:00AM.

April 9…   EASTER SUNDAY RESURRECTION.   He rose!

Hybrid Worship in person and online at 10:00AM.

April 11…   Area Girl Scout leaders in Rhoda Hall.

April 16…   2nd SUNDAY OF EASTER. Is somebody at the door?

May 5, 6… Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod Assembly at Franconia Mennonite Church, Telford PA.

May 6 (corrected date)… Mother’s Day “Pop-Up Shop” fundraising event, 1:00 – 5:00PM. Vendors, contact

Elaine Jones. 

                                                       Giving in 2023.

You are invited to give to:

  1. Lutheran Charities Appeal (which supports KenCrest, Lutheran Settlement House, and

Gemma/Silver Springs – Martin Luther School, three local social ministry organizations, as

they serve over 30,000 of our neighbors with various needs.);

  1. our selected  Mission for January 1 – June 30 of Covenant House, Philadelphia (which helps get

homeless young adults off the streets, into a job, and transitioned into independent living);

  1. ELCA World Hunger Offering (which helps address the needs of an estimated 842 million people

in our world – all neighbors to us – who do not have enough food).

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”.