ThiS week At st. peTer’s | 8-6-23
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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PENTECOST 10 08-06-2023
Welcome to worship. Originally addressed to those who have been torn from their homeland and forced to live in exile – those who hungered for home and thirsted for righteousness – today’s First Reading is an invitation by a gracious, loving, and merciful God, to all who are hungry or thirsty, to receive food and drink without cost. In today’s Gospel Reading a rejected, grieving, reflective Jesus nevertheless responds with compassion to feed the hungry multitude and to reveal the loving abundance of God. At the eucharistic table this morning, we want to remember all who are hungry or poor in our world today. As we share the bread of life and are fed and filled, we are sent forth to give ourselves away as bread for the hungry. Jesus commands, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” Most of us believers live in the tension between caring for ourselves and caring for others. Seek your answer in the life, teachings, and indwelling presence of Christ. And then go and feed your neighbor in body, mind, and spirit!
TODAY
10:00AM + PENTECOST SEASON WORSHIP + (in person and online) afternoon BEAR CREEK CAMP Session 8 begins.
Our All Saints Choir is on a brief break.
Today we are grateful to Stephanie Fluellen for a song selection and also for some of our former “8:30AM Choir” members from years ago. Singing in worship touches our soul, fuels our faith, and unites us together.
“Trudi’s Challenge”
At 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: $20.00. Total since February 26: $2,082.00. Lord, let me steadily walk your path. Help me to give witness to your love through generous giving!
“One God and Creator of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”
Ephesians 4:6
This year’s BEAR CREEK CAMP theme is “IN THE MIDST” (see Bible verse above) and celebrates God’s unifying presence and power in our world and among humanity. Beginning today, our children will once again be blessed with a week of spiritual growth, outdoor exploration (3,000 acres of forests, streams, and fields), 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. This is a little embarrassing… we don’t know who we are. We do know that we have a good number of kids that are registered for this “Session 8”. We do know who many of the kids are. But we don’t have a list of all the kids. The registration process has changed, so that individual families can now register online. So help us find our “who” by giving the names of this year’s campers to Pastor Gwen or Pastor Neil. Pray for our campers this week.
ThiS week At st. peTer’s
Wednesday, 10:00AM Diane Hughes (volunteer office administration).
Wednesday, 10:30AM Senior Ministry “Games and Social Activity” in Rhoda Hall.
Wednesday, 2 – 4PM West Oak Lane Branch Library “Welcome Back!” event.
Thursday, 7:30PM AL-ANON PROGRAM. Find encouragement to end your own codependence!
Friday… Return from BEAR CREEK CAMP!
Saturday, 10:00AM Scholarship Committee meeting (in person).
Saturday, 11:00AM “BACK TO SCHOOL” bookbags and supplies will be shared
with students getting ready to learn, grow, and go forward!
Saturday, 11:00AM Women’s Ministry “Gathering” (in person and online). Some of the time
will be planning for our 38th Annual Women’s Day in October.
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Join our family, share God’s love, and grow in discipleship.
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What’s Happening…
August 13… PENTECOST 11. Hybrid Worship at 10:00AM (in person and online).
Pastor John Gottschall will be our Preacher.
August 19… YOUTH MINISTRY planning meeting for the national Lutheran Youth Gathering in
New Orleans in July, 2024.
August 25… YOUTH MINISTRY MOVIE NIGHT at 7:00PM.
September 10… Grandparents Sunday.
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 through St. Peter’s to: ELCA World Hunger Appeal (direct aid and development throughout the world, our nation, and our local communities… $1,529 received to date); Lutheran Charities Appeal (support of three local social ministry organizations that serve over 30,000 neighbors in need… $794 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… $20 received to date). Our January 1 – June 30 Mission was Covenant House of Philadelphia… $647.20 was received and mailed this past week.
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”.