It s Still Lent, But Easter s Coming!

Transcription

1 Words of Peace The chastisement that brought us peace was upon Him - Isaiah 53:5 It s Still Lent, But Easter s Coming! So maybe you saw the article about the surgeon in India who removed a 4.1 pound tumor from a 31-year-old man. Full disclosure here, it was removed from the man s head. What a terrible thing to be carrying around. The surgeon, Dr. Trimurti Nadkarni, said the tumor was the largest in the world based on comparative studies conducted by his team. He added that the surgery, which took place on February 14th, was imbedded in the man s brain. The patient has survived the surgery. Over the past six months what had initially been a swelling quickly morphed into a mass that was almost as big as the man s head. It was so big (gross out warning) it was actually leaking out of the man s skull under his scalp. The compression on his brain was so great it caused him to lose his vision. Sad story. And a little frightening to think something like that could even happen. But it s also a true story, and we wish MARCH 2018 March April May 3/3 3/7 3/14 3/21 3/25 3/29 3/30 4/1 4/6 4/10 4/12 4/14 4/17 4/21 5/4 5/8 5/10 5/15 5/20 5/27 5/27 F&FF Soup Supper Soup Supper Soup Supper Palm Sunday Maundy Thurs. Good Friday Easter Sunday F&FF SuperTuesday Many Meals The Summit Church Council Parking lot sale F&FF SuperTuesday Many Meals Church Council Pentecost Sun. Confirmation Trinity Sunday Page 1!

2 him a full recovery. So, when you first watched your generation s version of Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol, were you frightened by the length of ponderous chain Scrooge s deceased partner Jacob Marley had to drag around as a spirit? A chain forged by the less than stellar life he had led? sin debt. It s so great a weight it tends to bind us and keep us from the life we should be living. But God has also provided a way to be set free through forgiveness. Easter reminds us that freedom came at a price. A blood price because forgiveness requires the shedding of blood. Blood represents life in the Bible. But thanks be to God. By faith he removes our chains. By faith they re shattered and by faith we re restored, not one link left to burden us, because our Lord Jesus shed his blood for us. He set us free when he paid the sin debt we owed. His suffering and death on Calvary s cross allows us to walk around unhindered by a burden of sin, without any worry about what the next life holds or where it will hold it. That s God s Easter promise. His resurrection assurance. His very best Good News! Probably not, because you knew it was just a story. What if it wasn t fiction? What if we were accumulating some great weight forged by sin that we would have to drag around in the next life? What if we could even feel the burden of its weight in this life? If you thought a four pound tumor was a some kind of world record, think again, right? You may be dragging around your own. It s still Lent, the world s longest forty days, but Easter s coming! - Pastor Rob My chains fell off, my heart was free, I rose, went forth, and followed Thee. - Charles Wesley, And Can It Be (1738) There really is a burden encumbering people. A heavy burden formed by sin and guilt. Lent reminds us of that. Every time we fall short of God s will for us. Every time we shatter a commandment. Every time we allow a bad thought or inappropriate desire to find a home in our hearts, every time we allow anger to fester and grow into a desire for revenge or let jealousy rear her ugly head, we really are creating new links in our own sort of chain, forging our own Page!2

3 Pray Pray for comfort & healing: Lili Baehr, family of Ada Bruns, Cindy Fox, Elias Fraser, Ken Haugrud, Vicki Hutter, Mickey Kohut, Pat Lehman, Doug Morrison, Paulette Mouchet, Bee Muenich, Greg Olewiler, Hedy Pein, Josh Shelton, Joyce Snow, Gertrud Stenke, Matt Sullivan, Noreen Taylor, Carol Troglia s neighbors Leo & Teresa, Caroline Wentlandt, David & Sue Zinger s son Lance Pray for all military men & women: Especially, Jeremy Bronner, Jacob Chiles, Daniel Gross, Michael Hanson, Davis Kelly, Brian Miller, Kevin Palos, Stephen Volpei, Amy Waddell, Lucas Wentlandt and also remember their families in your prayers. Rejoice with those born in march: Peggy Frye 3/2 Kathleen Harding 3/6 John Johnson 3/7 Sarah Harter 3/7 Millie Dunivin 3/10 Valerie Warczak 3/12 Steve Herman 3/14 Verna Rawlinson 3/17 Nancy Fitch 3/19 Mark Pettit 3/22 Jean Kohut 3/22 Andrew Geib 3/24 Margaret Nipstad 3/25 Jim Mainland 3/25 Milt Kohut 3/29 Hats off To You! & with those celebrating anniversaries: Richard & Rebeka Medina 3/9 Mike & Ruth Hale 3/15 Michael & Sharon McCracken 3/17 Sean & Lisa Dickson 3/25 Al & Cindy Fox 3/31

4 GET READY FOR JUNE 18-22, 2018 Dear Friends, VBS! Save the date (a week earlier this year)! June God always seems to bless this major outreach with the Good News of Jesus that our church puts on each summer. But we can t do it without YOU! We are always so grateful for the generous volunteers who roll up their sleeves and pitch in for the sake of the children whom the Lord draws to this week-long, exciting event. This year s theme points to the living waters of Splash Canyon. Sign up & join in - the water s fine! Linda La Jeunesse The Spring Blood Drive is scheduled for Sunday April 22, 2018, from 9 AM to 1 PM in the preschool parking lot. Sign-ups will be taken following each service on April 8 & April 15. After Sunday, April 8, 2018, you may also call Linda Young during the week at (805) to schedule your appointment. If you have donated before, please, please, please donate again. If you are a frequent donor, and donate one unit of blood each time, the last donation must be prior to February 26, If you have never donated, step out and give it a try this time. You will help to make this a successful drive. SAVE YOUR ITEMS for the Peace Youth Parking Lot Sale just in time for Spring Cleaning: Sat, April 21, The times are 7am-12pm. The place is our patio area. Please do not bring items to sell until the week of the event. Funds help finance the 2019 Nat l Youth Gathering. Page!4

5 Rise and shine! Rise and Shine! It is the day of joy, and our hearts sing of it. Jesus is alive! HAPPY EASTER! Easter Brunch will be served from 9:15 until 10:45, with love and joy. Ham and juice will be provided for you all. We are requesting donations of coffee cake, deviled eggs, and fruit. Fellowship will gratefully accept your food donations Easter morning. and they said..alleluia! HE IS RISEN...INDEED!!!! Easter traditions such as bunnies, colored eggs, and fluffy yellow chicks all originate from pagan roots. They in some way celebrate spring and the associated new life of flowering plants, baby animals and baby birds. The Christian tradition of celebrating Easter is based on the new life Jesus has given all believers through His life, death and resurrection as full payment for our sin debt (I Corinthians 15:1-11). The red colored egg dates back to early Greek Orthodox Christians. The red symbolizes Jesus life blood shed for all people. The egg holding the new life of a chick symbolizes the tomb opening to reveal Jesus new resurrected life just like a baby chick is born through a separated shell. The white Easter lily symbolizes Jesus purity and innocence given so that we could have His peace and our salvation. These ideas sometimes get lost throughout the year, so it is good to remind ourselves during this Easter season. It is an opportunity to share Jesus story with our friends, family and co-workers. If you find sharing difficult, consider joining our many Bible studies and weekly prayer group to further increase your knowledge, faith and confidence. - Your Peace Elders He is risen! He is risen indeed! Page 5! Easter Sunday Egg Hunt (between services) April 1st kids up to 6th grade 9:15am

6 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Daylight Savings Time Begins Palm Sunday 8 & 11 AM Traditional Service :00 AM 10:00 AM Study (FH) 28 6:00 PM 6:00 PM Soup LightLife Bible Supper (FH) Study 5 6 8:00 AM 10:00 AM Study (FH) 7:00 PM Community Outreach Comm. (FH) 12 8:00 AM 13 10:00 AM 14 Study (FH) 7:00 PM Super Tuesday 19 8:00 AM 20 10:00 AM 21 Study (FH) 7:00 PM Church Council Meeting 26 8:00 AM 27 10:00 AM 28 Study (FH) 7 6:00 PM Soup Supper (FH) 6:00 PM Soup Supper (FH) 6:00 PM Soup Supper (FH) 1 10:00 AM LifeLight 11:00 AM Ada Bruns Memorial Service 5:30 PM Handbell Rehearsal 7:00 PM Choir Rehearsal 8 Many Meals 5:30 PM Handbell Rehearsal 6:00 PM GSA Council Meeting 7:00 PM Choir Rehearsal 15 5:30 PM Handbell Rehearsal 7:00 PM Choir Rehearsal 22 5:30 PM Handbell Rehearsal 7:00 PM Choir Rehearsal 29 Maundy Thursday 7:00 PM Maundy Thursday Service 2 6:00 PM Faith & Fun Friday 9 6:00 PM Confirmation Class 6:30 PM Storytellers :00 PM Confirmation Class 8:00 PM New LIfe Christian 30 Good Friday 12 Noon Good Friday Service 7 pm Good Friday Service 24 31

7 March Servers Date Elder Ushers Altar Readers Greeters Acolytes March 4 Communion March 7 Lent Service March 11 March 14 Lent Service March 18 Communion March 21 Lent Service March 25 + Blaine Wanke + Dave Schmidt + + Ken Anderson* Glenn Benitz Sco; Ehlert Art Schmidt ++ * Ma; Schultze Peter Sandstrum Mike Elbert Bob Lacy Mickey Kohut Eunice Harter Luci Pommers Anna PeQt Melissa Poore Marisa Denninger Blaine Wanke* Gene O Neal Keith Hedrick Todd Harter ++ Mike McCracken* Tom LaJeunesse Dale Sieber ++ Linda LaJeunesse Todd & Janet Harter ++++ Sharon McCracken Craig Frye* Karen Taylor Gary Taylor Bill Young +++ Rick Poore* Dave Miller Tom Taylor Ingrid Poehler Dave Schmidt Karen Taylor +++ Cindy KliQch Carter Supple + Hayden Supple Ryan Tsai William Frye + Derek Olewiler James Miller Bob Lacy* Jim DeVries Helmut Klein Dave Schmidt* Roy Poehler Mike Hale Roy Poehler Lori Schultze Helmut & Susan Klein ++ Mike & Ruth Hale Judy Nomi + Rebecca Nomi March 29 Maundy Thursday Dave Hu;er Anna PeQt March 30 Good Friday Dave Schmidt Blaine Wanke Melissa Poore April 1 Easter Communion Blaine Wanke Al Bosman Blaine Wanke* Gene O Neal Keith Hedrick Todd Harter ++ Mike McCracken* Tom LaJeunesse Dale Sieber Ken Reuter Mike Elbert Stepp family Connie Morris Anna PeQt James Miller 9:30 Service Elder Reader 3-4 Greg Olewiler/Dave Hu;er 3-11 Communion Greg Olewiler/Dave Hu;er Susan Weaver 3-18 Greg Olewiler/Dave Hu;er Jane Capodice 3-25 Communion Greg Olewiler/Dave Hu;er John Capodice 4-1 Easter /Phil Hamilton Craig Frye