ThiS week At st. peTer’s | 9-24-23

PENTECOST 17                                                                                               09-24-2023                           

God is not fair!

Many of us good and decent churchgoing folk are stunned, offended, even angered by the notion that God would reach out with the same merciful love and offer the same eternal life to sinners who have seemingly squandered their entire lives away. Maybe we were “on the job” a long time. Whatever happened to seniority merit and production bonuses in the Kingdom of God? And don’t those who sin less deserve more reward from God? You and I will never understand God’s unexpectedly generous grace… but we ought to be grateful for it. Would you prefer that God should give you exactly what you deserve? Instead God gave you Jesus. The truth is, your salvation is never earned… only received. So get in line to receive God’s love as a gift, to grow in it, to share it with others. Jesus says the first shall be last and the last shall be first. This is a call from comfort to mission, a challenge to seek to fill the church with new faces and new ideas and new life.

 

TODAY

9:00AM                      All Saints Choir rehearsal. 

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

11:20AM WOMEN’S DAY CHOIR rehearsal. Add your voice to the praise!

6:00 – 8:00PM           2024 E.L.C.A. YOUTH GATHERING “Mardi Gras” event at United Lutheran Seminary, sponsored by our Southeastern Pennsylvania         Synod. The Youth Gathering is next July in New Orleans. Is it too early to start packing?    

 “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: $32.00, Received to date since February 26: $2,146.00. Lord, let me steadily walk your path. Help me to give witness to your love through generous giving!  

    

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”

 

ThiS week At st. peTer’s

Tuesday, 6:00PM   Oak Lane Wildcats young cheerleaders in Rhoda Hall.

Wednesday, 10:00AM Senior Ministry “Study and Discussion” in Rhoda Hall.

Wednesday, 11:00AM Whole Foods fresh produce distribution.

Thursday, 6:00PM   Oak Lane Wildcats young cheerleaders in Rhoda Hall.

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

Friday, 6:30PM   Girl Scouts have returned to St. Peter’s. Welcome back!

Saturday, 12:00 noon              YOUTH MINISTRY planning meeting for ELCA Youth Gathering. 

Saturday, 1:00PM Funeral meal in Rhoda Hall (rental event).

Thank you, Scholarship Committee, for yesterday’s “Career Lunch & Learn” for ages 12-20, offering valuable invitation and information for planning a future!

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.

Last Sunday’s offering tally (money given in the sanctuary or mailed, but not online giving) also included:

$290.00 —   ELCA World Hunger Appeal, $2031 received to date in 2023.

$    0.00 –   Lutheran Charities Appeal, $821 received to date in 2023.

$    5.00 –   Mission Offering (Mothers in Charge, Inc., an anti-violence organization), $391 received to date.

[And our January – June Mission Offering, to Covenant House, was $647.20!]

$    0.00 –   Lutheran Disaster Response (Maui Wildfires), $575 received to date.

What’s Happening…

October 1…  World Communion Sunday.   10:00AM Hybrid Worship (in person and online).    

         Let all the sinners and saints gather together from all over the face of the earth to celebrate the sacrifice of love by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ – his body broken and his blood poured out to give us life.

October 7… YOUTH MINISTRY “Car Wash” (and hot dogs!) Support our youth as they raise funds! 

October 14 -15…   38th Annual Women’s Day at St. Peter’s!

Theme:  “Breaking the Chains of Silence!”  See Proverbs 31:8-9 and Psalm 107:13-14. 

Selected Color: blue (Please remember this is a suggested clothing color, but not required.)

PRAYER BREAKFAST on Saturday at 10:00AM. (Please sign up if attending.)

WORSHIP & MEAL on Sunday at 10:00AM. Who might you invite to attend?

WOMEN’S DAY Choir is continuing preparation today! 

WOMEN’S DAY Preacher will be Dr. Obioma Martin. She is endowed with a doctorate in           Philosophy and certified in trauma. She is a published author and a TEDx speaker. She is the founder of an organization committed to aiding battered women with children and teen parents. She is an ordained evangelist and a certified biological counselor. Dr. Martin stands as a beacon of hope and transformation.

Women’s Day project: collecting items for Lutheran Settlement House: gift cards, diapers,       baby formula, non-perishable food items. There is a box for your donations. Lutheran       Settlement House, one of three organizations we support through our Lutheran Charities

Appeal, seeks to provide services for people who suffer from domestic violence situations;

It also reaches out to Philadelphia’s homeless and senior populations.

October 28… YOUTH MINISTRY “Halloween Carnival” for ELCA Youth Gathering.

Mission Offerings

Covenant House (January 1 – June 30). Thank you, members and friends, for giving over $647.20 for the first two quarters of 2023! Covenant House of Philadelphia provides shelter, food, immediate crisis care, and other services to homeless and runaway youth in and around our city to help them get off the streets, into a job, and transitioned into independent living. In 2022, Covenant House reached out to 910 young people through its core programs and services. Mothers in Charge, Inc. (July 1 – December 31). Now we are seeking to help support this grassroots Philadelphia community of women who have lost loved ones to violence. They are a violence prevention, education, and intervention-based organization that advocates and supports youth, young adults, families, and communities affected by violence.

Lutheran Charities Appeal

Four times a year (January, April, July, October) we promote support of three local social ministry organizations as they serve over 30,000 of our neighbors in need: KenCrest Services; Lutheran Settlement House; and  Gemma Services (which includes Silver Springs/Martin Luther School). Give help and hope!