ThiS week At st. peTer’s

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 8 07-23-2023

Welcome to worship. It is an age-old question: Why is there evil in the world? Even more personal: Why do I have both wheat and weeds in me? In a world where evil coexists with good, what shall we do? Is it foolish of God – or a real blessing – that God waits, that God is patient and slow to anger… and that God gives everyone, including me, enough time? In the days of Matthew and in our own time, let us Christians beware the “weeding” frenzy which makes us so certain that we know the difference and know exactly what to do about it. God, in God’s way and God’s time, will do the judging of us all. And thank God that Jesus is God’s #1 Judge… and also God’s #1 Savior. Member or visitor, baptized or not, may you be and become good and productive soil, bearing love, justice, and mercy. “Lord, let my heart be good soil, open to the seed of your Word.”

TODAY

9:00AM All Saints Choir warm-up.

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

11:20AM All Saints Choir rehearsal.

“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 designate such extra giving as “Trudi’s Challenge”. But it will blend with other general giving toward our 2023 Budget needs. Received last Sunday: $30.00. Total since February 26: $1,819.00. Lord, let me steadily walk your path. Help me to give witness to your love through generous giving!

Remembering Rwanda. It is mentioned in today’s Sermon. Twenty-nine years ago, July 1994, the 100 days of genocide by Hutus against Tutsis (two ethnic groups of the same tribe with the same language, the same territory, the same customs and traditions, much intermarriage, and hundreds of years of peace with one another!) in this central African country ended. Roughly 1.1 million people (the nation’s population was 8 million) were murdered, mostly butchered by hand, by their neighbors, with machetes supplied by the French, in a programmatic campaign prepared and orchestrated by the state to exterminate the Tutsi minority in the name of an ideology known as “Hutu Power”. The government educated one group to hate the other and demanded demonstration of loyalty to the cause through hate and then murder. Policymakers in France, Belgium, and the United States and the United Nations were aware of the preparations for massive slaughter but failed to take steps needed to prevent it. (Rwandans speculate that it was too poor a country with few attractive resources.) Following all the hate and violence, Rwanda underwent an intentional process of reconciliation and healing similar to what occurred in South Africa following the end of apartheid. By God’s grace, people who were raped and tortured and forced to watch family members murdered were able to forgive those murderers. By God’s grace, murderers awash with guilt – the walking dead – were able to repent and to trust the forgiveness offered them by God and those they had hated. By God’s grace, survivors and perpetrators learned to live together as neighbors again.

+ Join our family, share God’s love, and grow in discipleship. +

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

Wednesday, 10:30AM Senior Ministry “Games and Social Activity” in Rhoda Hall.

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

Saturday, 1:00 – 3:00PM YOUTH MINISTRY “GET FIT + BE LIT!”

Come out and join in some dance aerobics and other fun exercise activities!

What’s Happening…

July 30… PENTECOST 9. Hybrid Worship at 10:00AM (in person and online).

August 2… Whole Foods fresh produce distribution, 11:00AM.

August 4… Senior Food Box distribution ministry, 8:00AM.

The Senior Food Box Program is a monthly food package that works to improve the health of low-income seniors by supplementing their diets with nutritious USDA foods. You must be at least 60 years of age and have a household income at or below 130 percent of the US poverty level. Not too many years ago, we were receiving 100 boxes each month and had to “stagger” the distribution to justly reach a longer list of seniors in our community. But some seniors have died and others have moved… currently we are down to a few.

We want to build up this ministry. Frances Maddox has agreed to serve as our new coordinator. We have much gratitude for Steve Tennessee, who fulfilled this responsibility until health issues retired him.

August 6… PENTECOST 10. Hybrid Worship at 10:00AM (in person and online).

August 6… BEAR CREEK CAMP Session 8 begins.

This year’s theme is “IN THE MIDST”. Our children will once again be blessed with a week of spiritual growth, outdoor exploration (3,000 acres of forests, streams, and fields… 30 miles of trails), and small group development at the wonderful outdoor ministry in the Pocono Mountains that is shared by the Northeastern and Southeastern Pennsylvania Synods of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

August 25… YOUTH MINISTRY MOVIE NIGHT at 7:00PM.

Giving in 2023.

Those in the Sanctuary can put their offering in the offering plate to share their gratitude and generosity in response to Christ’s love. Those who are farther away might mail a check or money order to St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, 2169 74th Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19138… contribute online through bit/ly/stpetersgiving and set up one time donation or recurring weekly gift to selected categories…or text to Give+ at 833-914-0896 and follow the instructions to register and record your contribution.

You are also invited to give to: ELCA World Hunger Appeal (direct aid and development throughout the world, our nation, and our local communities… $1,499 received to date); Lutheran Charities Appeal (support of three local social ministry organizations that serve over 30,000 neighbors in need… $664 received to date); and our Mission for July 1 – December 31(Mothers in Charge, Inc., a grassroots Philadelphia community of women who have lost loved ones to violence and who to seek to advocate for violence prevention and to support youth, young adults, families, and communities affected by violence… $0 received to date). Our January 1 – June 30 Mission, recently ended, was Covenant House of Philadelphia… $647.20 was received.

470 DAYS UNTIL THE NEXT PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.

(Just in case you haven’t heard about it yet.)

(And there are some people who are still trying to undermine the last election.)

In these times of political turmoil, national anxiety, and too much violence, live the better life of faith and faithfulness. Close the door to hate, to hate politics, and to hate speech, even right around you. Say and show and be love. Pray and act in a way for God’s peace to grow and for God’s justice to prevail.