ThiS week At st. peTer’s | 6-16-24
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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PENTECOST 4 / FATHER’S DAY. 06-16-2024
Welcome to worship. In today’s Second Reading Paul encourages the believers in Corinth to live by faith and not by sight. Paul suggests that it is sometimes a challenge to continue to be faithful, and to love and serve others, while living our mortal lives here on earth… to not become impatient and discouraged about the challenges, trials, and tribulations we face “in the body”… and to not become too eager to be “at home with the Lord” through the end of our earthly journey. Paul submits that we can live faithfully and love fervently because God’s authentic love for us, experienced through Jesus Christ, has transformed us. Paul puts it this way: “So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!” Start living your NEW LIFE by the power of the Holy Spirit today! Make Sunday your STRONG day, then the other days will not be WEAK days.
TODAY
9:00AM All Saints Choir warm-up for worship.
10:00AM + WORSHIP CELEBRATION + (in person and online) 11:30AM Meal and fellowship downstairs. Please join us!
We are grateful to Pastor David Maddox II, with roots in our St. Peter’s Church family, for the gift of his faith and the blessing of his words in today’s Sermon. Always a stirring message!
FATHER’S DAY. Today we celebrate all fathers and father figures, all sons and grandfathers, all brothers in the Lord, both young and old. Be humble, faithful, responsible, and loving. Don’t just tell others, show others God’s love. And if you messed up before, start new right now. There’s still time on the clock. Do your best.
- PETER’S CHURCH COUNCIL (06/16): (1) received an oral report and reflected on the Synod “Urban Ministry Resource Days” held on June 8 and June 9 to encourage each other, to share strategy, and to hear about fund possibilities in these challenging times; (2) approved minutes of 5/13 Council meeting; (3) received a report from the Pastors (including Gwen’s healing progress and their humble gratitude for the “35th Anniversary” plans); (4) learned that January – May 2024 Budget Income was $6,948.50 less than Budget Expenses. Pray for your elected servant leaders, pray for your church, and pray for the faith, the love, and the work we all share.
Let the Church embody Christ’s Spirit!
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”.
Reaching out with dollars that become loving deeds.
Beyond support of our 2024 Budget ($179,787 is what we envision spending this year to bear Christ’s name, spirit, and mission) are those special opportunities for giving on behalf of others. They include:
ELCA World Hunger Appeal (meeting international, national, and local hunger and poverty needs)
- $20 last week, $1,218 received to date in 2024.
Lutheran Charities Appeal (assisting three local social ministry organizations – KenCrest Services, Lutheran Settlement House, and Gemma Services – that serve thousands of neighbors with various needs)
- $10 last week, $704 received to date in 2024.
Mission Offering (For January – June we have selected Loaves and Fishes, Capetown, South Africa, suggested by Pastor Bob Holum after he visited there. It is a shelter facility and social ministry that works with homeless people to provide “spiritual, psychological, and material renewal”.)
- $260 last week, $1,394 received to date, with three Sundays to respond. Can we go even higher? At the current exchange rate, this amounts to 25,537.52 in South African Rand!
ThiS week At st. peTer’s
Wednesday… JUNETEENTH (African American historical remembrance).
Wednesday, 9:30AM Senior Ministry “Study and Discussion” in Rhoda Hall. (Please note earlier start.)
Wednesday, 11:00AM Whole Foods fresh produce distribution.
Thursday… SUMMER begins!
Thursday, 7:30PM AL-ANON PROGRAM. Find encouragement to end your own codependence
Friday… Pastor Gwen was ordained 43 years ago to lead, to serve, to listen, to love!
Friday, 6:30PM Girl Scouts trip preparation (Some are traveling to London, some to Mexico!)
What’s Happening…
June 16 – August 9… BEAR CREEK CAMP. Register now for a wonderful week of camp!
June 23… PENTECOST 5. SCHOLARSHIP SUNDAY. 10:00AM in person and online. Preacher: Andrea Wood.
June 26… Neighborhood “Bingo Night” in Rhoda Hall, 6:00PM, $10. Church Council approved a schedule of twice a month to the end of July.
July 6… “Celebration of 35 Years as Co-Pastors at St. Peter’s”. This is a paid event at a hotel to celebrate the long, blessed, and wonder-filled experience as Pastors and Church Family walking and working together in Christ’s service from July 6, 1989, to here and now in 2024. Please contact Jerona Jackson Rice, Trudi Wright, and Carol Chatman for ticket information. It was going to be a surprise… but now the Pastors know… then again, they are old enough to forget.
July 13 – 20… ELCA Youth Gathering in New Orleans. Our group is getting ready for the journey in Christ! The theme is “CREATED TO BE”, Psalm 139:14. We have kids, adult leaders, and adult volunteers all getting ready to go.
July 20… Rental event in Rhoda Hall, 2PM.