Greetings in the name of God our Father and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! Amen.

Transcription

1 THE KEY TO ST. PETER THE PARSON S PEN... Greetings in the name of God our Father and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! Amen. DECEMBER 2012 NEWSLETTER Well, believe it or not, it is December is at a close and Christmas will be here and gone before you know it. What an exciting year this has been! Closing out last year with the Service of Disposition as we bid farewell to our old church building. A few tears were shed as the structure that had served the saints of St Peter for so many years, was taken down in preparation for a new worship facility. Then came the Groundbreaking Service in early December and we began to worship in the Fellowship hall. As we watched the new building begin to come together, there were some tough meetings among the committees and with the contractor, but now, a year later, we are in our new offices and classrooms and almost prepared to begin worship in the new facility. Again, what a year! Although things have been a little hectic as we worked to get everything in line and continue to function as Christ s church on earth, there is one thing that has remained constant. Our vision for local missions. Even though we had to skip a year of midweek school, we, as a congregation, did our best to keep everything else as normal as possible. Everyone seemed to pull things together and get the various jobs done in spite of the devil trying to interfere with different aspects during the construction. Praise God! As we faced many challenges over the past year, something that I heard quite often was the desire to expand our outreach. Ideas have been pitched around about what we could do once we were able to move into the new worship facility. How we could reach out once we had more room to do things. The excitement has been building in our community. Members of other churches have volunteered to help us during the construction for funerals, wedding showers and the like. Some have even asked if we needed help in moving in once our new facility was ready. Is this excitement just about a new building in Bowie, or is it excitement about God s work being done in Montague county? There is definite excitement about what God is doing through our congregation and numerous people are asking when our first service will be. We have been making plans to invite the community to our dedication service so that they can learn a bit more about how Lutherans do things but more importantly so that they can learn more about God, His Word and His Son who died for their sins. I m not sure we fully understand the great missionary opportunity that we have here. We have many people longing to come through our doors and to see what God has done here and to hear His Word proclaimed! We can sit back and look at the new worship facility as ours to do with as we please or we can open the doors and welcome our neighbors in for fellowship and worship. Do we sit on our hands and talk to each other or do we open our arms and share the love of Christ with strangers who might be longing to hear about their Savior? Jesus didn t instruct His followers to build a fortress to keep their people in and others out, He told them to GO! Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age. (continued next page) ST. PETER LUTHERAN CHURCH 906 Hwy 59 North P.O. Box 133 Bowie, Texas Phone: Fax: stpetertexscty@att.net INSIDE THIS ISSUE: THE PARSON S PEN BIBLE STUDY / MIDWEEK NEWS SERVING GOD S HOUSE / LWML / SS & BIBLE CLASS / LIVE NATIVITY / LESSONS & CAROLS BAPTISMS/WEDDING FAITH PRIORITY CHILDREN S PROG / CAROLING / THANK YOU S WALSTON FAMILY NEWSLETTER KID S PAGE 11 ADVENT SERVICES 12 DECEMBER CALENDAR 13

2 We have a great opportunity to reach the lost, the un-churched and the under-churched. Now is the time to act on the plans that have been talked about over the years and especially the ones that have come up over the past year. This opportunity will not last forever. Throughout the building program we have continued to use the Great Commission of Christ to guide us. I pray that the Holy Spirit continues to move us in that same direction. Keep an eye out in the Sunday bulletins and this newsletter for upcoming events related to our Advent and Christmas services as well as other events such as our dedication service. I look forward to spending the Christmas Season with you as well as looking forward to a great New Year among the people of St. Peter Lutheran Church as we all are in His service. In Christ, Pastor K. BIBLE STUDY OPPORTUNITIES Pastor s Bible Study A Closer Look at the Lessons 9:30 a.m. Sunday mornings In the Sanctuary Led by Pastor Knobloch Young Adults Bible Study Join the young adults to explore scripture 9:30 a.m. Sunday mornings In the Young Adult Classroom Led by Arn Anderson Wednesday Night Bible Study The Book of Isaiah 7:00 p.m. Wednesday evenings In the Young Adult Classroom Led by Jim Atkinson Women s Bible Study Studying Ephesians Finding your identity and purpose in Christ 9:30 a.m. Thursday mornings In the Young Adult Classroom Led by Wanda Brummett Men s Bible Study Taking a break until January The kids are excited to be in the new Sunday School rooms! Each Wednesday after school, the kids enjoy bible study, music and crafts. We have plenty of room for more kids, so invite friends and neighbors to join us. If anyone knows of someone who would like to attend and needs a ride, they can call the church office at and let us know. Midweek kids are starting to work on the Children s Christmas Eve Program. You won t want to miss this year s very special program the kids will be presenting. Please join us Christmas Eve at 7:00 pm! We need people to sign up to bring snacks in the new year. There is a sheet located on the piano, please take a moment to sign up.

3 PAGE 3 SERVING IN GOD S HOUSE DECEMBER Elder William Pickett Counters Brent Husfeld, Art Noack, William Pickett Lay Readers 12/2 - Bryan Roth 12/9 - Monty Moeller 12/16 - Arn Anderson 12/23 - Bob Aune 12/30 - William Pickett Altar Guild Rebecca Horton Altar Care Brenda Jones, Jo Kleinhans, Lisa Lawson, Wendy McCarty, Lynda Medley Acolytes 12/2 - Mary Atkinson / Shelby Keyes 12/9 - Aubrey Gill / Lauren Gill 12/16 - Josh Knobloch / Shelby Keyes 12/23 - Katie Jones / Will Jones 12/30 - Hattie Hammer / Marli Moeller Lutheran Women s Mission League St. Peter Lutheran Cookbooks are on sale NOW! The book contains over 700 recipes from the past 10 years of Tasting Bee's and MORE. Get yours for only $18 before you start Christmas baking. They also make great gifts! The next LWML meeting is a Christmas party, being held on December 11 at 7:00. In lieu of gifts, we are gathering a free will offering to benefit Angel Tree. Please come enjoy fellowship and bring a friend! Starting in January, we will be offering babysitting for anyone who would like to attend and would need babysitting. Please contact Jeannine Yowell at or Jo Kleinhans at and let us know so it will be available. SUNDAY SCHOOL AND BIBLE CLASS STILL SERVE A PURPOSE As busy as many of our weeks are, it seems that the only significant time we have to spend with our Creator is Sunday morning. Sunday school and Bible class are a great way to spend this time. Spiritual growth is a vital part of life for everyone, no matter their age; and we want to encourage you to get involved in a Sunday school or Bible study if you are not already attending. This time not only provides an opportunity for your continued spiritual learning, but it is also a great way to develop a small group to belong to. If you would like to find out more about our Sunday school and Bible class opportunities, please call the church office. Sunday school meets from 9:30 10:15 a.m.

4 Live Nativity Hayride The SPA (St. Peter Activity) group has planned a trip to Lamb of God Lutheran Church in Flower Mound Saturday Dec. 8th 3:00-8:00 p.m. This trip is for the young, young-at-heart, members and friends of St. Peter! Our itinerary includes: Hayride through the nativity story at Lamb of God Lutheran Church, hot cocoa, cider, cookies, live entertainment and petting zoo; dinner & viewing Christmas lights around town. The only cost is whatever you plan to spend on dinner. Join us! A Festival of Lessons & Carols St. Patrick s Anglican Church 902 N. Highway 81, Bowie, Texas (Next to Chisholm Trail Pet Clinic) Sunday, December 9, 2012 at 4:00 p.m. Join us for beloved Scripture readings, traditional Christmas Carols, and choral anthems that carry us from Old Testament Prophecy to the Birth of Christ. With the Participation of Clergy and Members of Area Congregations and Civic Leaders All Are Warmly Invited Reception to Follow

5 If your child would like to be in the Children s Christmas Eve Program, practice will be at 5:00 each Wednesday. There will be a dress rehearsal after church on December 16 and 23. Lunch will be provided. Please contact Belinda Anderson at or Jeannine Yowell at University Lutheran Chapel & Student Center College Station, TX 11/5/2012 Dear Brothers & Sisters at St. Peter, Thank you to the congregation for its recent gift of $396 dated October 6, We are most grateful for your support. Your generous contribution will enable our campus ministry to continue in its calling to make disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ. Our mission is to proclaim Christ on campus, and be Christ on campus. With the continued support of Christian friends like you, we are striving to meet this mission Jesus has given our ministry. The Scriptures declare God loves a cheerful giver. Therefore, it is my prayer for you that the joy you received in the giving of this gift may abound in your life, even as it brings the joy of the Gospel into the lives of those for whom it is used. God bless you! Thank you! In Christ s service, Rev. Paul Hoemann Campus Pastor Christmas Carols We will be spreading Christmas joy through the gift of song on Saturday, December 15 at 4:00 p.m. We will be visiting shut-ins, Bellmire & other friends. Following the caroling, we will meet back at the Young at Heart Adult Sunday School room for a light supper & hot chocolate. Come join us and be a bright, cheery beacon of the hope of Jesus as we sing carols throughout Bowie! December 2012 To the members of St. Peter, Thank you for your continued prayers and support for our family. We had another busy but productive quarter. God is good! We were not able to travel to see family this Thanksgiving break, but we were able to get some preparations made for the new baby coming in January! Merry Christmas and God bless! The Walstons Please see the Walston s Fall Quarter newsletter on the next 4 pages.

6 We rejoice as LeAnn and Logan Hoover were baptized on November 4 (pictured). Ted Essary was baptized on November 18. Praise the Lord! Congratulations! Garrett & Reisha Baker were married on October 20, 2012 Who Started This Christmas Thing? This morning I heard a story on the radio of a woman who was out Christmas shopping with her two children. After many hours of looking at row after row of toys and everything else imaginable, and after hours of hearing both her children asking for everything they saw on the many shelves, she finally made it to the elevator with her two kids. She was feeling what so many of us feel during the holiday season time of the year: overwhelming pressure to go to every party, every housewarming, taste all the holiday food and treats, getting that perfect gift for every single person on our shipping list, and making sure we don't forget anyone on our card list. Finally the elevator doors opened and there was already a crowd in the car. She pushed her way in and dragged her two kids in with her and all the bags of stuff. When the doors closed, she couldn't take it anymore and stated, "Whoever started this whole Christmas thing should be found, strung up and shot." From the back of the car, everyone heard a quiet, calm voice respond, "Don't worry, we already crucified Him." For the rest of the trip down the elevator, it was so quiet you could have heard a pin drop. Don't forget this year to keep the One who started this whole Christmas thing in your every thought, deed, purchase and word. If we all did it, just think how different this whole world would be.

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8 A Series of Special Services for Advent Have you ever wondered what the prophet Isaiah would say to us today? In INTERVIEWS WITH ISAIAH, a special series of worship services for Advent, you will find out! In each service the character of Isaiah will address the congregation and explain the meaning and background behind his most well-known prophecies about the coming of Christ. These interactive services written by Rev. Tom Eggebrecht involve both words and images that help us to learn more about our Savior as we anticipate during Advent the celebration of his birth at Christmas. In THE LIGHT, Isaiah reveals insights about Christ, who came to lighten our dark world of sin with his love. (Isaiah 2:1-5) The gifts of THE SPIRIT that Isaiah tells us about are better than any earthly gifts we might receive. (Isaiah 11:1-10) As we travel on THE JOURNEY of Advent, Isaiah assures us that we will be blessed and strengthened by our Lord. (Isaiah 35:1-10) We will be renewed in THE WAIT, Isaiah explains, which we experience as we prepare for Christ. (Isaiah 64:1-9) On Christmas, Isaiah helps us welcome with joy THE CHILD who is born to save us and lead us. (Isaiah 7:10-17)