PEACE CHIMES December January 2015

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PEACE CHIMES December 2014 - January 2015 Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, 209 Eastern Avenue, Augusta, Maine Pastor Erik Karas Telephone 623-9486 Come, Lord, give

.., 4 & 5-Christmas Schedule and Planning, 6-Stewardship Article,7-Thanksgiving Basket Follow-up, 8-Welcoming St.

1 PEACE CHIMES December January 2015 Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, 209 Eastern Avenue, Augusta, Maine Pastor Erik Karas Telephone Come, Lord, give to us your peace. Then with hearts perfected we may joy in your presence. INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Page: 2-A note from the Pastor, 3-Advent-Christ is coming..., 4 & 5-Christmas Schedule and Planning, 6-Stewardship Article,7-Thanksgiving Basket Follow-up, 8-Welcoming St. Marks, 9- December Celebrations - Birthdays and Anniversaries, December Servant Schedule, 10-January Servant Schedule, Leadership, Committees, 11-December Calendar of Events, 12-Office Hours, Service Times, Vision & Mission Statements.

I I ve told this story to some of you, so for those who ve heard it, I apologize, but this seems to be a theme God keeps plopping down in front of me and I m trying not to be as slow about learning

It was a group of people who gathered every week in a craft brewery and studied together, prayed together, laughed together, ate together and cared for one another.

2 I I ve told this story to some of you, so for those who ve heard it, I apologize, but this seems to be a theme God keeps plopping down in front of me and I m trying not to be as slow about learning as I have been in the past. When I was in Colorado, a pastor friend and I started something called Bibles and Brews. It was a group of people who gathered every week in a craft brewery and studied together, prayed together, laughed together, ate together and cared for one another. These were mostly people who had been hurt by the church in one way or another and would never set foot in a normal church again, but they were still hungry for something more. My mistake was that I didn t see what was always right in front of my face. I was always looking for it to be something else. I wanted these people to find enough healing so they could return to real church. Two years after I left Colorado it finally hit me. That WAS real church! Word and Meal and prayer and community. It was all there and I missed it because I wanted it to look one way, while God had already made it look God s way. Since I ve come to understand that I seem to easily miss what God is ACTUALLY doing because I m too busy looking for what I think God SHOULD be doing, I ve also noticed that I m not alone in doing this. My congregation on Vinalhaven does it too. They almost completely dismiss that they live on a beautiful island. For them it s just their regular, normal, get up, go to work, come back home, place they live. When the population doubles in the summer, they don t primarily see twice the number of people who are hungry for a deeper relationship with their seasonal neighbors and with God. They see longer lines at the grocery store and for the ferry. We do it here at Prince of Peace and the ELCA does it too and I ve found in my ecumenical wanderings that everyone else seems to do it as well! We re entering the seasons of Advent, Christmas and Epiphany. These three seasons tell the story of Jesus coming to the world and those who saw what God was doing in a very new and unexpected way. These seasons are also full of the stories of the many, many more people who missed what God was doing because what God was doing came in a very unexpected way, through an infant child born in a backwater town to an unwed mother. Everyone back then was faithfully looking and hoping for the Messiah. The trouble was they were looking for a Messiah of their own creation. They were looking and searching and expecting a certain Messiah to come in a particular way and bring about God s Kingdom in only one particular way. They were looking for it so hard in one way they simply could not see the Messiah that God had actually put into their lives who came in a completely unexpected way. What might we be missing today? Are we looking for and expecting God to work in our lives and in our congregation a particular and only one way, maybe missing God working in another way? Check out this video and if you have a hard copy of the newsletter, ask someone at church to share the video with you there. May we all be open to God working in unexpected ways. Pastor Erik 2

3 ADVENT CHRIST HAS COME! CHRIST WILL COME! CHRIST DOES COME! Sunday, November 30 th, is the beginning of the Advent season and a new church year. Advent meaning coming is more a time of preparation for the one who is always coming to us, than simply a countdown to Christmas. We already know who has come, for God so loved the world that he gave his only Son (John 3:16). And we already know why he has come, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life as well as forgiveness of sin and salvation. But sometimes we get confused about when Christ comes. We already know that he was born in Bethlehem around 2,000 years ago, and we know that he is not born over and over again each Christmas. Rather we celebrate Christmas as the once-and-for-all incarnation of Christ that is, Christ in human flesh just as we confess in the Nicene Creed: for us and for our salvation he came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary and became truly human. And that part of the creed is directly based on the gospel reading for Christmas Day: the Word became flesh (incarnate) and lived among us full of grace and truth (John 1:14). And we know that Christ will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end (as we also confess in the Nicene Creed). We also know that Christ comes to us here and now: when we hear his words in the reading of the gospel; when we witness someone being baptized in his name; and when we receive his body and blood in his holy supper in all of these means of God s grace and truth, Christ still comes among us. So throughout Advent, and the rest of the church year, we hear and receive the very word of Christ, who has already come, and who will come again, and who is always coming among us. Joyce Bagnall, co-chairperson of the Worship Committee 3 3

4 MUSTARD SEEDS K-6 Christmas Eve December 24th 5:00 PM St. Matthew s Episcopal Church in Hallowell December 7:30 PM Festive Candlelight Worship, with choir and Bells, and Holy communion. All are welcome! 9:00 AM worship service Blessing of the hands that serve 11:00-1:00 PM 4

COMMUNITY CHRISTMAS DINNER AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE CHRISTMAS JOY The season of Advent begins November 30th.

Peace on Christmas Day. Fellowship and a hot meal are shared with hundreds of people who might be alone or otherwise not have a Christmas dinner. Many meals are also delivered to those in need.

There are many specific jobs involved which need volunteers, but sharing a smile, a listening ear, a kind word, and the love of Jesus are a few of the most important.

5 COMMUNITY CHRISTMAS DINNER AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE CHRISTMAS JOY The season of Advent begins November 30th. Let us use this time of preparation for the birth of our Savior to also prepare to hold a wonderful celebration of Jesus' birth with a community dinner from 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM here at Prince of Peace on Christmas Day. Fellowship and a hot meal are shared with hundreds of people who might be alone or otherwise not have a Christmas dinner. Many meals are also delivered to those in need. Please consider adding your time and talents to this celebration, and make this a part of your own Christmas Day activities. There are many specific jobs involved which need volunteers, but sharing a smile, a listening ear, a kind word, and the love of Jesus are a few of the most important. Sign-up sheets for volunteering and providing pies will be posted in the Narthex at Prince of Peace. You may also volunteer by calling Carlene Kaler at or Bobbi Jo Burdin at You can also call Patti in the church office for more information. ( ) Finally an easy way to volunteer is to sign-up online at Volunteer Spot : This link will take you directly to a sign-up page for the 2014 Christmas Dinner and lists volunteer assignments and items to donate (pies). Ways to help: Greeters, serve as a host, a server, pie cutter, set-up tables, bus tables, wash dishes for one hour shift, serve in gift room, deliver meals to homebound, clean-up of kitchen and / or dining room, pack up leftovers, transport to the dinner. Etc. Christmas Poinsettias There will be a sign-up sheet in the narthex from November 30th thru December 14th to purchase poinsettias which will decorate the Sanctuary for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Cost per plant is $ Please put money or check in envelope labeled, "Christmas poinsettia" and place in offering plate or mail to church. It s time to prepare! Join us for the fun of decorating the church for Christmas on Sunday, December 14th following Worship. Then, stay and enjoy some Deee-licious fish chowder, corn chowder and perhaps some chili in the Christian Community Room! Please sign up in the Narthex or let Bobbi-Jo know if you are coming. ( ) Thanks! Prepare the Way! 5

WHAT THE NEW TESTAMENT HAS TO SAY ABOUT STEWARDSHIP An article from The Lutheran by Mark Allan Powell, professor of New Testament at Trinity Lutheran Seminary in Columbus, Ohio excerpted and abridged

6 WHAT THE NEW TESTAMENT HAS TO SAY ABOUT STEWARDSHIP An article from The Lutheran by Mark Allan Powell, professor of New Testament at Trinity Lutheran Seminary in Columbus, Ohio excerpted and abridged by Ronald Bagnall for Prince of Peace Lutheran Church. There nothing in the New Testament about stewardship programs, offering envelopes, pledge campaigns but it has a lot to say about stewardship and generous giving. Stewards are caretakers who live in a place that is not their own. They are allowed to make full use of the owner s property in exchange for taking good care of it. Everything we are and everything we have belongs to God. Jesus says we should remember that we are stewards, not owners, and we should take good care of what God has entrusted to us We practice good stewardship when we view all these things as gifts from God to be used responsibly. The call to be faithful stewards judges our idolatrous desire to be self-reliant and condemns any mentality that views anything as truly ours. Still, the recognition that we belong to the God who created us, redeemed us, and continues to love and protect us is fundamentally good news, inspiring trust, gratitude and devotion. Stewardship has many facets and can apply to almost any aspect of our lives. Still, when many people hear the word stewardship, they think of money Why does money get more attention than anything else? Perhaps because it s the area in which we need the most help. The New Testament urges us to acquire, regard, manage and spend our money as people who belong to God. We are encouraged to work for a living, viewing our jobs not only as a means of making money but as vocations that enable us to do something worthwhile with our lives An overarching principle is that money is to be spent in ways that exhibit love for God and neighbor (along with an assumption of responsible self-care). Good stewards use what God gives them in ways that serve others. God wants us to have wonderful, happy lives, but we all know that money doesn t guarantee happiness. We need discernment to discover how much is enough. And though no one can ever make that decision for another, the counsel and example of other believers can be helpful, along with the teaching of Scripture and the guidance of the Spirit. The New Testament commends giving of two types: support and sacrifice. It s the duty of every believer to support the religious community or institution of which eh or she is a part. Paul suggests that such giving be proportionate to income and circumstances (2 Cor. 8:3, 11). It is also the delight of every believer to give away a significant portion of his or her income as a sacrificial offering of love, gratitude and praise (Mark 14:3 9; 12:41 44). In church, our Sunday offerings may be occasions for both types of giving: we are invited to make gifts that will support the congregation and its mission, and we are encouraged to make offerings of praise and thanksgiving from hearts filled with love for God. I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. I believe that God has created me together with all that exists God daily and abundantly provides shoes and clothing, food and drink, house and farm, spouse and children, fields, livestock, and all property along with all the necessities and nourishment And all this is done our of pure, fatherly, and divine goodness and mercy, without any merit or worthiness of mine at all! For all of this I owe it to God to thank and praise, serve and obey him. This is most certainly true. 6 Our Father, who art in heaven Give us this day our daily bread. In fact, God gives daily bread without our prayer, even to all evil people, but we ask in this prayer that God cause us to recognize what our daily bread is and to receive it with thanksgiving everything included in the necessities and nourishment for our bodies, such as food, drink, clothing, shoes, house, farm, fields, livestock, money, property, and upright spouse, upright children, upright members of the household, upright and faithful rulers, good government, good weather, peace, health, decency, honor, good friends, faithful neighbors, etc.

Thank you! Thank You!! CALLED BY GOD WE RESPOND WITH GENEROSITY. Pictured above is Beverly Savage who organized the Thanksgiving Basket Project at Prince of Peace.

Supplemented by Thrivent Financial Action Funds of $250, the Service Committee and volunteers have put together 50 Thanksgiving Baskets to distribute to hungry folks this Tuesday.

7 Thank you! Thank You!! CALLED BY GOD WE RESPOND WITH GENEROSITY. Pictured above is Beverly Savage who organized the Thanksgiving Basket Project at Prince of Peace. Thank you Bev for all your hard work and dedication! Supplemented by Thrivent Financial Action Funds of $250, the Service Committee and volunteers have put together 50 Thanksgiving Baskets to distribute to hungry folks this Tuesday. Thank you, thank you! Such a Blessing to hear God's Call and respond with generosity. A special thank you to those who donated vegetables (especially Elvin's Farm in Readfield) and all who gave turkeys, vegetables, stuffing, gravy, rolls, pies, potatoes, onions and money to purchase items. And we couldn't have done it without a very generous donation by the people of Temple Beth-El and Rabbi Erica Asch. Just an awesome collaboration! A special thank you also to those who shopped, set up tables, gathered banana boxes, sorted produce and filled the boxes. Also thank you Patti in the PoP office who maintains accurate records of requests and numbers needed. Thank you to all who will be present when the boxes are picked up on Tuesday. You are all a Blessing! Be sure to join us for a celebratory thank you party next Sunday the 30th after worship. Bev Savage for the Service Committee and the Congregation at Prince of Peace. 7

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HAPPY ANNIVERSARY DECEMBER BIRTHDAYS 10 Carol Durkee December 12 December 21 January 7 Dick & Kathy Belisle Willi & Jutta Hartung Duane & Linda Scott 11 Dan Burdin 12 Kelsey Glynn 14 Brady Joslyn

Burgess Forrest Labbe 28 Mark O Brien DECEMBER SERVANTS DEACONS: 7-Paul Rhoda, 14-Nancy Merrill, 21-Myrna Duplessie, 24-Tom Benn/Nancy Merrill, 25- Myrna Duplessie, 28-at St.

9 HAPPY ANNIVERSARY DECEMBER BIRTHDAYS 10 Carol Durkee December 12 December 21 January 7 Dick & Kathy Belisle Willi & Jutta Hartung Duane & Linda Scott 11 Dan Burdin 12 Kelsey Glynn 14 Brady Joslyn JANUARY BIRTHDAYS 7 Paul Rhoda Jane Labbe 8 Kyrie Gay 14 Lillian Stresser 15 Seth Gay 22 Beverly Savage 23 Dot Waterman 24 Rebecca Waterman 25 Lloyd Balderston 26 Keith Priest Michael Tessman 22 Liz Burgess Forrest Labbe 28 Mark O Brien DECEMBER SERVANTS DEACONS: 7-Paul Rhoda, 14-Nancy Merrill, 21-Myrna Duplessie, 24-Tom Benn/Nancy Merrill, 25- Myrna Duplessie, 28-at St. Marks WORSHIP ASSISTANTS: 7-Roland Pease, 14-Dan Dawe, 21-Peter Matthies, 28- at St. Marks LECTORS: 7-Betty Balderston, 14-Doug Burdin, 21-Joyce Bagnall, 28-at St. Marks USHERS: 7-Bud Walters/Beth Pfeffer, 14-Darryl Praul/ Roland Pease, 21-Doug Burdin/Don Gallagher, 28-at St. Marks ALTAR CARE: 7-Cindy Gyorgy, 14-Joyce Bagnall, 21-Linda Ames, 28-at St. Marks OFFERING COUNTERS: 7-Doug Burdin/Liz Burgess, 14-Bobbi-Jo Burdin/Gene Kaler, 21-Willi Hartung/Gene Kaler, 28-at St. Marks 9

JANUARY SERVANTS DEACONS: 4-Rebecca Grant/Lloyd Balderston, 11-Rebecca Grant/Paul Rhoda, 18-Rebecca Grant/Nancy Merrill, 25-Rebecca Grant/Myrna Duplessie WORSHIP ASSISTANTS: To be announced LECTORS:

10 JANUARY SERVANTS DEACONS: 4-Rebecca Grant/Lloyd Balderston, 11-Rebecca Grant/Paul Rhoda, 18-Rebecca Grant/Nancy Merrill, 25-Rebecca Grant/Myrna Duplessie WORSHIP ASSISTANTS: To be announced LECTORS: 4-Willi Hartung, 11-Tina Barden, 18-Bev Savage, 25-Tom Barden USHERS: 4-Lloyd Balderston, 11-Linda & Walter Lowell, 18-Elmer Praul & Bill Burgess, 25-Gene Kaler & Liz Praul ALTAR CARE: 4-Myrna Duplessie, 11-Betty & Lloyd Balderston, 18-Becky Pearce, 25-Linda Lowell OFFERING COUNTERS: 4-Bud Walters/Bill Burgess, 11-Doug Burdin & Liz Burgess, 18-Bobbi-Jo Burdin/ Diane Richard, 25-Willi Hartung/Gene Kaler DEACONS President - Don Sproul Vice President - Bobbi-Jo Burdin Secretary - Ave Cheprevich Financial Secretary - Darryl Praul Congregational Life - LouAnne Story Learning - Beth Pfeffer Property - Becky Pearce Service - Bev Savage Witness - Tom Benn Worship - Heidi Joslyn Trustees: Don Sproul-Chair, Tom Benn, Bobbi-Jo Burdin, Ave Chuprevich, Beth Pfeffer Nominating Committee: Bobbi-Jo Burdin, Liz Burgess, Ave Chuprevich, Myrna Duplessie, Paul Rhoda Endowment Fund Committee: Bill Burgess, Darryl Praul, Paul Rhoda, Bud Walters, David Wheelock. Lloyd Balderston Tom Benn Myrna Duplessie Nancy Merrill, Head Deacon Paul Rhoda Duane Scott CHURCH STAFF Pastor - Erik Karas Parish Secretary - Patti Gardiner Organist - Alice VanDerwerken Choir Director - Alice VanDerwerken Sextons - Tim Elliott, Diane Richard REACHING OUT MINISTRIES Head Deacon - Nancy Merrill Women s Prayer Breakfast - Nancy Merrill Prayer Shawl - Liz Burgess At Your Side Committee - Liz Burgess Helping Fund - Patti Gardiner - POP Office POP Quilter s Group - Lil Stresser Women of the Church - ELCA Carlene Kaler Dorcas Circle - Jutta Hartung We Celebrate with...church Office - Patti Bread of Life Ministries - Office-Wendy *Soup Kitchen on Water St *Shelter on Hospital St Augusta Food Bank Chelsea Food Bank - Diane Richard

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 6:00-8:00 PM NAMI Support Group CCR Month of December 2 7:00 AM WPB 9:30 AM Dorcas 10 AM BS CCR 6 PM FA CCR 5:00-8:30 PM 3 4 1:00 2:30 FA- CCR 5:30-7:30 PM Cookie Baking

11 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 6:00-8:00 PM NAMI Support Group CCR Month of December 2 7:00 AM WPB 9:30 AM Dorcas 10 AM BS CCR 6 PM FA CCR 5:00-8:30 PM 3 4 1:00 2:30 FA- CCR 5:30-7:30 PM Cookie Baking 5 11:00 AM Support Group TR 6 8:30-10:00AM 1:00-4:00 PM Mainely Harmony Christmas Show SANC/CCR/TR 7 Advent 2 7:30 Choir 8:15 Bell Practice 9:00 Worship 10:30 Christmas Dinner Meeting 4:00 PM Mustard Seeds 8 6:00-8:00 PM NAMI Support Group TR 9 7:00 AM WPB 9:00 AM Quilters 10 AM BS CCR 6 PM FA CCR 5:00-8:30 PM 10 6:00-8:00 PM Veteran s Support TR 11 1:00-2:30 FA- CCR 12 11:00 AM Support Group TR 13 8:30 10:00 AM 14 Advent 3 7:30 Choir 8:15 Bell Practice 9:00 Worship 10:30 Ed. Com. 11:00 Decorate Church & Chowder Lunch 12:30 Council 4:00 PM Mustard Seeds 15 6:00-8:00 PM NAMI Support Group CCR 16 7:00 AM WPB 10:00 AM BS 6 PM FA CCR 5:00-8:30 PM Menswork (DR) :00-2:30 FA- CCR 19 11:00 AM Support Group TR 20 8:30-10:00 AM 21 Advent 4 7:30 Choir 8:15 Bell Practice 9:00 Worship Caroling 4:00 PM Mustard Seeds 22 6:00-8:00 PM NAMI Support Group CCR 23 7:00 AM WPB 9:00 AM Quilters 5:00 PM Christmas Dinner Set-up CCR & TR 6:00 PM FA (L) 24 CHRISTMAS EVE 5:00 PM Mustard Seeds K-6 Pageant St. Matthews 7:30 PM POP Festive Candlelight Service, Bells & Carols, Communion 25 MERRY CHRISTMAS! 9:00 AM Worship & Blessing of the Hands 11::00 1:00 PM Christmas Community Dinner 26 11:00 AM Support Group TR 27 8:30-10:00 AM 28 Christmas 1 7:30 Choir 9:00 Worship Combined Service At St. Marks 4:00 Mustards Seeds :00 AM WPB 6:00 PM FA CCR 5:00-6:30 PM 31 New Years Eve

12 DEC. 2014/JAN CHURCH OFFICE HOURS 8:30 am 3:00 pm Daily PRINCE OF PEACE CHURCH STAFF Pastor Erik Karas Parish Secretary - Patti Gardiner Office Telephone office@princeofpeacemaine.org Web Page: VISION STATEMENT LISTEN! God is calling! We, the members of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, actively seek to put God first and glorify our Lord in all that we do. We strive to be the foundation supporting the growth of good works our Creator puts on each of our hearts as we respond to God s call. SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICE 9:00 AM Communion Service Coffee Hour 4:00 PM MUSTARD SEEDS Interdenominational Christian Education Program for all ages! Everyone Welcome. Handicap Accessible. MISSION STATEMENT Prince of Peace Lutheran proclaims Christ as our Savior and Lord. Prince of Peace Lutheran Church provides a Christian home where all people are welcome and offers everyone opportunities to grow in their faith-walk with God. Blessed to be a blessing, we strive to share our gifts and show God s love to all.

PEACE CHIMES March 2014

PEACE CHIMES March 2014 Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, 209 Eastern Avenue, Augusta, Maine 04330 LENT BEGINS ON ASH WEDNESDAY MARCH 5TH SEE DETAILS ON PAGE 3 INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Pages: 2-Adventures in