This Week at St. Peter’s | 3-5-23
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
————————————————————————————————————————
SECOND SUNDAY IN LENT 03-05-2023
+ The invitation of Lent +
Lent is a season of being asked to let God work in our life – and not just in a small way. God, who has given us our breath and time on this earth, lays a mighty claim upon our whole life… God seeks to give us new birth and new life by water and the Spirit. This invitation to be “born again” and to believe in Jesus means different things in different Christian communities. In John’s Gospel, believing and doing are inseparable. So being born from above and believing in Jesus is not so much what one does with one’s mind as about what one does with one’s heart and one’s life. Make a journey of growing in your faith and your faithfulness. The traditional disciplines of Lent down through the ages were the act of giving alms (making an offering to help those in need), the act of prayer (devoting more time to listen and to share 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.). 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. Sundays are not included in the 40-day Lenten period. Each Sunday is a re-enactment of the resurrection!
TODAY
9:00AM All Saints Choir warm-up.
10:00AM + LENTEN SEASON WORSHIP + (in person and online)
11:20AM All Saints Choir rehearsal.
11:20AM Communion Assistants meeting with Judy Echols.
Giving in 2023.
Someone recently asked the Pastor, “Why do churches use offering envelopes?” Some churches perhaps use them in a heavy-handed way to “measure” faith and to “muscle” financial support. But a box of envelopes with weekly envelopes can also serve as a physical reminder of the call to be generous, regular, and responsible in expressing gratitude to God by giving support to the mission of Christ. Perhaps that box of envelopes will help you stay organized, encouraged, and disciplined in your giving and on track with your commitment to Christ. Or perhaps that box of envelopes will help you consider and even respond to special needs and opportunities beyond your weekly offering.
Whether you use the box of offering envelopes or not, whether you are in the sanctuary on a Sunday or at home, we pray that you will give – in the offering plate, through the mail, or online. From beginning to end, Christianity is expressed in giving. In fact, someone once complained that all he ever heard around church was giving, giving, always giving. That’s an accurate description of Christianity. It all begins with what God has given us, especially in the gift of our Savior, Jesus Christ. And we, in turn, are called to be givers. The giving of our money is just one part of it. The gift that God really wants from you is your life. When you give your life to God in complete commitment, then you will not object to giving. You will rejoice in giving. It will be who you really are and what you are trying to do with your time, talents, and treasure. As Pastor Gwen might preach, “It takes you beyond just being ordinary.”
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 kept you informed, entertained you, made you aware, or
strengthened you? Let us remember and recognize them this month!]
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, 10:00AM Eastern Star training event in Rhoda Hall.
Saturday, 10:30AM Girl Scouts.
Saturday, 11:00AM Women’s Ministry “Gathering”?
92nd ANNUAL MEETING OF ST. PETER’S: (1) approved “Notes” from our 89th Annual Meeting held on March 3, 2020 (last meeting before COVID-19); (2) elected Roland Thompson (1 year); Carol Lee (1 year); Ben Shipanga (1 year); Queen Sutton (1 year); Cecil Webhb (2 years); Monroe Daniel (1 year); Diane Hughes (1 year); Veronica Britto (3 years); Herbert Crawford (3 years; Ida Swindle (3 years); Stephanie Fluellen (3 years); and Carol Chatman (3 years) to serve on Church Council; (3) approved a 2023 Budget of $179,172.24. We are grateful for those members of the Congregation who were in the sanctuary and online for the meeting! May God continue to bless us with grace and mercy and lead us on that journey of loving others!
What’s Happening…
March 12… THIRD SUNDAY IN LENT. Hybrid Worship in person and online at 10:00AM.
HOLY BAPTISM!
March 13… Church Council meeting, 7:00PM.
March 14… Area Girl Scout leaders in Rhoda Hall, 7:00PM.
March 18… Rental event in Rhoda Hall, 4:00PM.
March 19… FOURTH SUNDAY IN LENT. Deadline for Easter plant orders… $14 for
lily plants, $10 for other plants… give forms + payment to the Pastors.
April 2… PalM Sunday / Sunday of the Passion. HOLY WEEK…
April 6… Maundy Thursday. Hybrid Worship in person + online at 7:00PM.
April 7… Good Friday. Hybrid Worship in person + online at 7:00PM.
April 9… EASTER SUNDAY RESURRECTION. He rose!
May 6 (corrected date)… Mother’s Day “Pop-Up Shop” fundraising event, 1:00 – 5:00PM. Vendors contact
Elaine Jones.
- 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.
Giving in 2023.
You are invited to give an additional offering to:
- Lutheran World Relief (“Earthquake” in the memo line for urgently needed support and care);
- our quarterly Mission (We neglected to pick a cause at the Council meeting and will announce in the
future… last year we divided the total received between Covenant House and No More Secrets);
- LENT (Many of our Church family have expressed additional gratitude for God’s amazing grace
through the discipline of additional giving toward God’s work that happens at and through St.
Peter’s Lutheran Church.)
And here is some good news – Our printed and numbered boxes of 2023 Offering Envelopes have finally arrived (after COVID-19 supply route delays and lack of seasonal workers to do the printing). Ask for your box.
Or, if you haven’t in past years, start the discipline of weekly offerings. God is not impressed nor pleased when we try to act religious – pretending to care, pretending to share – without actually being very faithful. Giving little or nothing often expresses little gratitude and shows no loyalty to Christ. You can’t fake love and connection, concern and compassion when it comes to God. It must be genuine.
LOVE, NOT HATE.
PEACE, NOT VIOLENCE.
MERCY, NOT GREED.
JUSTICE, NOT ABUSE.
May we each live fully in the time and place where God has called us.
There are several ways to be generous, regular, and responsible in your support of Christ’s work that happens at, through, and beyond this St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church congregation. Those who are you have appreciated financial responsibility use them as a physica located nearby and physically present in worship can give their monetary offerings on a Sunday in the offering plate. [Remember that we are still awaiting our printed boxes of numbered envelopes, but we will have “generic” envelopes here at church or you can create your own, adding your name and/or old envelope box number.] Some who or far or even near mail their offerings (checks, etc.) to the church. Before COVID struck, we had fortunately also established text and online giving. Simply send a text message to 833-914-0896 and follow instructions to register and record your contribution. Give+Text is one of the fastest, easiest ways to give. Information is available on our Facebook page – facebook.com/StPetersWOL. With generous and grateful hearts, let us give back a portion of what has already been given to us, bringing glory to our Lord and peace and healing to the world.