Peter s Net November/December 2017 St Peter s Lutheran Church, Brodhagen 6671A Perth Line 44, RR1 Bornholm, Ontario N0K 1A0 519-345-2535 Email: office@stpetershouse.ca Website: www.stpetershouse.ca From the Pastor s Desk: O come, O come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel, that mourns in lonely exile here until the Son of God appear. On November 26 th we will celebrate the Reign of Christ by worshiping with our Anglican brothers and sisters of the parish of the Holy Spirit at St Thomas in Seaforth. As always, this Sunday marks the end of another year in our Christian calendar, and rings in another season of Advent, which begins this year on December 3. Advent begins four Sundays before Christmas Day, and is between three and four weeks long depending on the year. Its name comes from the latin word adventus, which means coming. Perhaps more so than ever, it s important for us to embrace Advent. In a world that s ready to throw us into full-on Christmas prep mode once all the Halloween decorations are put away, we need the season of Advent because it helps us hold in tension both the beauty and the pain of our world. Advent is a pause before jumping right to the joy of Christmas. It gives us space to lament and grieve and acknowledge the ways in which our world is not as God intended it to be: the violence, the pain, the sin, the death. Advent also invites us to rest in God s promise that God is at work in the world making all things right. It calls us to remember that God cares about the woes of this world so much that God entered into the pain and beauty of this world in the form of Jesus. It summons us to take action for peace and justice in our world. In a sense, for Christians it s always Advent. Our faith is always calling us to prepare and look towards the coming of God s reign of justice and peace; to that day when the lion will lie down with the lamb. It s this hope that grounds our faith and action as followers of Jesus as we seek each day to live into Christ s way of love and peace, trusting and hoping that there will come a day when this love and peace will reign absolutely. As we enter into yet another season of Advent and Christmas, may your heart find rest in the hope and promise of Christ. Pastor Laura KEEP UP TO DATE! Would you like to be informed of what is happening at the church via email? Did you think you were on the list, but have changed your email address lately? To receive our weekly emails please let Pastor Laura know at: lauradsauder@gmail.com 1 or give your email address to any member of the Outreach Committee.
Council Notes Greetings from St. Peter s Church Council. Some significant repairs have been carried out over the last two months on our beautiful heritage buildings. There has been brick work done on the both sides of the church with eaves trough and down spout repositioning. Two of our east stained glass windows have had repairs replacing rotted woodwork. There are plans for painting the outside of the church in the new year. In the parsonage, the main bathroom vanity top was replaced. We d like to thank those who organized and participated in the Skype Service on October 22 with Deb McCracken and the children from the Olive Branch. Although we had some technical problems with our internet connection, we always enjoy seeing the great people in Tanzania. A big thank you to our food committee and those who provided the food for our Local Food Meal after the service. It was truly a delicious way to celebrate the bounty that comes from the rich farmland that surrounds us here in Perth County. Council has implemented some financial changes for our congregation. After investigating all the options available, council voted to switch financial institutions, from CIBC to TD Canada Trust. The procedures and banking conveniences of TD were a better fit for our congregation at this time. Please feel free to direct questions to our treasurer Glenda Morrison, or any member of church council. Our Murder Mystery Fundraiser has been postponed until the new year. Details to follow. We are still looking for additional volunteers for various jobs in the congregation. Some of the opportunities include bell ringers, communion ware washers, readers, greeters, choir members, and as the year end approaches, we will be looking for new church council members. Please prayerfully consider joining us in this important work. Our local Community Care Group had a meeting in October and Lisa Baillie attended as our representative. We participate in the Angel Tree campaign every year. Carol Siemon, the long-time head of this great campaign is retiring. We send our thanks to Carol for her devotion. This group s program is involved in many year-round activities in West Perth. They want to have more participation from the community groups that are involved in supporting Community Care, and are considering forming a committee with 1 or 2 people from each group. Would you be interested in representing our congregation at the 4 meetings a year that this committee would have? Please contact Pastor Laura or any council member. Deb Elligsen Council Secretary A CALL FOR MUSICIANS: Do you like making music in a supportive and positive setting? The Worship & Music Committee is looking to gather together some musicians to play contemporary Christian music, with the goal of playing for worship sometime in 2018. For more information please speak with one of our committee members: Pastor Laura, Ed Havenga, Sherri Bennewies, Jan Leonhardt, Debby Bennewies, or Debbie Elligsen 2
Sunday, September 3 Community Worship at the Mitchell Fall Fair Thursday, September 7 First Senior Choir practice of the year. We had two new members join us and will welcome newcomers at any time! Sunday, October 10 Harvest Home. Thanks to the Beuerman s to the end of the B s for decorating, and to Don and Pauline Beuermann for coordinating. It was beautifully arranged. The Sunday School and Senior Choir sang, and non-perishable food items were collected for the Food Bank. Sunday, October 22 Skype Service with The Olive Branch for Children, followed by our Local Food Meal. Thanks to the Robinson Family for donating the meat, Bob and Barb Jarmuth for donating the beans, and to all who prepared and brought food. COMING UP News from the Pews The Mobility Bus is scheduled for November 5 & December 3. Please contact the church office or Pastor Laura to book your seat. Sunday, November 5 All Saints Sunday; Daylight Savings Time Change; Mobility Bus Sunday, November 26 9:30 Joint Lutheran/ Anglican service at St Thomas in Seaforth (5 John Street); no service at St Peter s. Sunday, December 3 First Sunday in Advent; Mobility Bus. In the evening will be the Advent choir service in Mitchell (watch for posters). Monday, December 11 West Perth Singers Choir Concert 7:00 pm at Knox Presbyterian Mitchell Sunday, December 24 St Peter s Choir Cantata at 10:30 am. Christmas Eve service with Sunday School at 7:30 pm. Monday, December 25 Christmas Day service at 10:30 * Note that the St Peter s Murder Mystery and Dinner has been postponed until the new year SYMPATHY To the family of Lloyd Bauer, who passed away on September 1. His funeral was held at St Peter s on September 9 th, 2017. To the family of Sherri Bach, who passed away on September 5. Her funeral was held at St Peter s on September 11 th, 2017. CONGRATULATIONS To Patrick Bennewies and Christine Benny who were married at the home of Linda & Derek Johnston on September 30 th. Joan Beuermann Office Administrator 3
NEWS FROM OUR SEMINARY: Shape the 21 st century reformcapitalcampaign.ca For more than a century Waterloo Lutheran Seminary has formed pastors for Evangelical Lutheran churches in Canada, and prepared lay leaders for congregations and the broader community. Forming pastors remains a vital role for the seminary but, through the years, the school s pastoral counselling programs have surpassed the Master of Divinity degree program in popularity. As a result, the seminary is educating a record number of undergraduate, graduate and PhD students: Last year WLS was home to 178 full-time and part-time students, and roughly 250 Wilfrid Laurier University students took seminary courses for their electives. As the seminary works to form new leaders for our communities, it has increasingly contended with an aging building. So this past spring, work crews started the construction phase of a major renewal and modernization project. Over the coming month, the seminary s Reform Capital Campaign aims to raise $1.5 million from congregations, alumni, and private donors to help pay for the $9 million renewal and modernization project. When completed, in mid-2018, the seminary will include more classroom space; bigger and brighter gathering areas; charging stations; and energy efficient building systems. reformcapitalcampaign.ca or contact Mr. Don Stockman, campaign chair, at 519.498.7216. (Major donations can be spread over a five year period, and will be given appropriate recognition.) The Olive Branch for Children: October 18 Worried your donation doesn't make a difference? When you donate to The Olive Branch for Children, your donation makes a HUGE DIFFERENCE! 278 children were vaccinated this week through our Mobile Medical Clinic. This means, 278 children will not get the following life-threatening diseases: 1. Polio, 2.Measles 3.Neonatal Tetanus 4.Diphtheria 5.Pertusis 6.Tuberculosis 7. Hepatitis B. Your support is saving lives. In this 500 th anniversary year of the Lutheran Reformation, the seminary is truly at a historic turning point. By helping educate leaders for congregations and the community, you can help shape the 21 st century. To donate to this project, or for more information (including construction update videos), visit the website 4
SCRIPTURE READINGS Date Service Description Title Readings Notes November 5 10:30 Holy Communion All Saints Sunday / God Speaks to Elijah 1 Kings 19:1-18 Mobility Bus Scheduled; SS starts upstairs November 12 10:30 Word and Prayer Pentecost 23 / Amos: Justice Rolls Down November 19 10:30 Holy Communion Pentecost 24 / Isaiah: A Child is Born Amos 1:1-2; 5:14-15, 21-24 Isaiah 9:1-7 SS starts upstairs SS starts upstairs November 26 9:30 Holy Communion at St Thomas Seaforth December 3 10:30 Holy Communion Advent 1 / Daniel: The Fiery Furnace December 10 10:30 Word and Prayer Advent 2 / Ezekiel: Valley of Dry Bones Christ the King Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24 Ephesians 1:15-23 Matthew 25:31-46 Daniel 3:1, 8-30 no service at St Peter s Mobility Bus Scheduled; Christmas Program Practice @ 9:00; SS @ 10:30 Ezekiel 37:1-14 Christmas Program Practice @ 9:00; SS @ 10:30 December 17 10:30 Holy Communion Advent 3 / Word Accomplishes God Purpose December 24 10:30 Choir Cantata Advent 4 / Word Made Flesh Isaiah 55:1-13 Christmas Program Practice @ 9:00; SS @ 10:30 John 1:1-18 Full Christmas Program Rehearsal @ 9:00 December 24 7:30 Christmas Pageant Christmas Eve December 25 10:30 Holy Communion Christmas Day Isaiah 52:7-10 Hebrews 1:1-12 John 1:1-14 December 31 10:30 Lessons & Carols 1 Christmas / A Voice in the Wilderness TBD January 7 10:30 Holy Communion Jesus Says Come & See John 1:35-51 Sunday School resumes January 14 th 5
WORSHIP LEADERS SCHEDULE November/December 2017 Date Acolyte Assistant Communion Washers November 5 Taya Cornish Lynn Hoegy Marion Weir & family Projectionist Reader Greeters Elsie Beuermann Deb Elligsen John & Bonnie Beimers November 12 Katherine Havenga Jarret Pugh Wayne Jarmuth David Bach & Jennifer Hugill November 19 Sheana Beuermann Sherri Bennewies Rodney Hinz & family Jan Leonhardt Kim Finlayson Perry & Kathy Bennewies November 26 Sherri Bennewies Roy & Joan Beuermann December 3 Taya Cornish Deb Elligsen John & Bonnie Elligsen Joan Beuermann Gerald Neeb Dale & Debby Bennewies December 10 Emma Robinson Sherri Bennewies Bonnie Beimers Greg & Barb Beuermann December 17 Katherine Havenga Sherri Bennewies Doug & Sandra Dietz Elsie Beuermann Peter Lejcar Keith & Pauline Siemon December 24 (AM) Sheana Beuermann Greg Beuermann Doug & Sandra Dietz December 25 Taya Cornish Murray Rose John & Marjorie Moore Jarret Pugh Elaine Dietz Bill & Dianne Beuerman December 31 Emma Robinson Jan Leonhardt Amy Lejcar Gwen Neeb Bob Robinson January 7 Katherine Havenga Lynn Hoegy Pete & Judy DeJong Don & Pauline Beuermann Joan Beuermann Kim Leonhardt Jason & Helene Beuermann 6
November 2017 SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY 1 2 3 4 7:30 Confirmation 8:45 Senior Choir 5 All Saints Sunday 6 7 8 9 10 11 10:30 Holy Communion Mobility Bus *daylight savings ends 8:45 Senior Choir 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 10:30 Word and Prayer 7:30 Church Council 8:45 Senior Choir 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 10:30 Holy Communion 7:30 Confirmation 8:45 Senior Choir 26 Reign of Christ 27 28 29 30 9:30 Worship with Anglicans at St Thomas in Seaforth 8:45 Senior Choir 7
December 2017 SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10:30 Holy Communion Mobility bus Choir at Nursing Homes 2:30 Villa 3:30 MNH 7:30 Confirmation 8:45 Senior Choir 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 10:30 Word and Prayer 7:30 Church Council 8:45 Senior Choir 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 10:30 Holy Communion 7:30 Confirmation 8:45 Senior Choir 24 10:30 Choir Cantata 7:30 Christmas Pageant 31 10:30 Lessons & Carols 25 10:30 Holy Communion 26 27 28 29 30 8