THE KEY TO ST. PETER THE PARSON S PEN... As I prepared to write this month s Parson s Pen for the newsletter, the Supreme Court healthcare decision was fresh on my mind. Today I received this e-mail from our Synodical President, Rev. Matthew Harrison. Although some of you may have already read it, I thought that it would be very timely to share it with you in this month s newsletter. JULY 2012 NEWSLETTER LCMS President Issues Statement in Response to U.S. Supreme Court Ruling on Health Care Reform Legislation ST. LOUIS, June 28, 2012 In response to the U.S. Supreme Court ruling today to largely let stand the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), the Rev. Dr. Matthew C. Harrison, president of The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, issued the following statement: In light of today s ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court on the constitutionality of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), we remain opposed to the controversial birth control mandate, which is one of the requirements included in the law. The Court s decision today guarantees that we will continue to bring awareness to the threat to religious liberty represented by the birth control mandate, which requires virtually all health plans, including those of religious organizations, to cover birth control drugs and products that could cause the death of the unborn. We are opposed to the birth control mandate because it runs counter to the biblical truth of the sanctity of human life and creates a conflict of conscience for religious employers and insurers, who face steep penalties for non-compliance based upon their religious convictions. We will continue to stand with those who have filed suit in the many religious freedom cases pending against the birth control mandate. Through education and civic advocacy, we will continue to educate the public about the vital necessity of protecting our First Amendment right to act according to the tenets of our faith. We remain steadfast in our opposition to the birth control mandate and will continue working to ensure our right to refrain from paying for products and services that conflict with our doctrine about the sanctity of all human life. And, regardless of the Court s decision on the health care reform law, we in the LCMS will continue to uphold the sanctity of all human life while we care for the sick and work to restore the health and well-being of people in our communities and around the world. The Rev. Dr. Matthew C. Harrison, President The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod Our Synod website has many resources for Bible study, LC-MS beliefs and resources, as well as timely topics that the secular world is dealing with. Feel free to visit and use these materials often. The Synodical homepage is www.lcms.org. ST. PETER LUTHERAN CHURCH 906 Hwy 59 N. P. O. Box 133 Bowie, TX 76230 Phone: 940.872.1886 Fax: 940.872.8837 E-mail: stpetertexscty@att.net INSIDE THIS ISSUE: THE PARSON S PEN CONSTRUCTION SAFETY / QUIET BAGS SERVING GOD S HOUSE / LWML / PRAYER CHAIN FAITH PRIORITY / SPA NEWS / MARRIAGE ENC. CONSTRUCTION / ALLEN BAPTISM SUNDAY SCHOOL / BIBLE STUDY / MEMORIAL BOOK WALSTON FAMILY NEWSLETTER 1-2 2 3 4 5 6 7-10 KID S PAGE 11 JULY CALENDAR 12
They also have a special web page with resources and responses to this healthcare debacle and the Health and Human Services mandate. This material can be found at www.lcms.org/hhsmandate. The 2012 Texas District Convention closed on June 23 rd. Thank you for giving Waldo and I a chance to attend and to make the wishes of our congregation known at the district level. It was a very refreshing time for me. Some of you may have heard a little bit about our interaction with President Harrison. I praise God that he has placed such an unassuming, yet dedicated to the Gospel, man in the office of LC-MS president and we should all join in prayer that he be led by the Holy Spirit as he leads our church body. In closing, remember our construction committee in your prayers as they continue to work with the contractor in these final months of construction. Remember those in Colorado that are fighting the wildfires and those that have lost their homes and loved ones. And also, something I overlook sometimes, pray for each other and for me as your pastor. The devil does not overlook any of us and strives to find many ways to hamper our ministry and shut it down if possible. Praise God from whom all blessings flow and may He continue to bless us as we work towards fulfilling our part of the Great Commission! (Matthew 28:19ff) In Christ, Pastor K. Construction Safety Our contractor has asked and reminded us again that although things are progressing well on our new sanctuary and classrooms, it is still considered a construction area. He is concerned about our safety and asks that if we would like to tour the building during construction that we schedule it with Greg, the site supervisor. For safety reasons, a hard hat and closed toed shoes are required. Quiet Bags We would like to begin making some Quiet Bags for the small children to use during worship. These will contain several items and activities that may be used to occupy young children s attention. If you have sewing skills or would like to help put together an item for the bags, please contact Cyndi K.
PAGE 3 SERVING IN GOD S HOUSE JULY Elder Darren Gill Counters Gary Rainwater, Art Noack, George Drager Lay Readers 7/1 - Bob Aune 7/8 - William Pickett 7/15 - Bryan Roth 7/22 - Monty Moeller 7/29 - Arn Anderson 8/5 - Bob Aune Altar Guild Hazel Beyer & Betty Robinson Altar Care Belinda Anderson, Rose Marie Husfeld, Betty Robinson Acolytes 7/1 - Aubrey Gill & Lauren Gill 7/8 - Dalton & Travis Fechtler 7/15 - Shelby Horton & Victoria Lasch 7/22 - Hattie Hammer & Marli Moeller 7/29 - Josh Knobloch & Will Jones 8/5 - Shelby Horton & Katie Jones Lutheran Women s Mission League At our last meeting, Diana led a devotion on forgiveness and the effect it has on our relationship with God. We will collect non-perishable foods and monetary gifts for Bowie Mission only on one Sunday, June 3, due to our restricted space. Rebecca stated that we will not be able to have Vacation Bible School this summer due to the construction. She will however, look into having a "Fun Day" at the pool for the kids during the summer. We had an attendance of 7 at our last meeting and would love to have more! All ladies of the congregation are invited to join us June 12 at 7 p.m. as Cyndi will be presenting a skit with a very special guest. If you have any questions regarding the LWML or any of their projects, contact our president, Jeannine Yowell at 872-2844. The St. Peter Lutheran Women s League operates a prayer chain for any member, friends, family, etc. of the church. Anyone who is in the hospital, sick, facing difficulties or simply needs to be uplifted in prayer for a time is invited to call Jo Kleinhans at 872-4208, Doris Long at 872-5071 or Jeannine Yowell at 366-3998. Once a request is made, a church wide prayer chain will be activated for the person requested. Also, please call if a need for other assistance arises, such as after surgery, illness, etc. A daily meal will be provided until it is no longer needed.
What does your faith mean to you? For many, it s a comfort. In a crisis, facing a death, their faith sustains. For some, it s a tradition. It ties them back to their roots. For some, faith is their fire insurance policy. It keeps them out of hell. You should go sometime, if it s convenient. But is your faith your reason for living? Each of us needs to establish what will be the priority of our lives. And Jesus tells us what that priority should be. "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." Matthew 6:33 St. Peter Activity (SPA) Family Pool Day is Tuesday, July 10 at the city pool. We have reserved the pavilion for 5:00-7:00 pm and the pool is reserved for 7:00-9:00 pm. There will be food and activities for the kids. Hot dogs and chips will be provided. Please bring homemade ice cream or another dessert. Any questions, please contact Rebecca Pickett at 872-2043. Making a Good Marriage Better Get Connected... to each other. On a Lutheran Marriage Encounter weekend you can make the connection. Marriage Encounter is 44 hours where married couples can get away from jobs, kids, chores and phones - and focus only on each other. If you'd like greater depth, growth and enrichment in your relationship, you'll like the difference a weekend can make. The next weekend is August 3-5. Contact Pastor & Cyndi Knobloch or find out more at http://godlovesmarriage.org.
July Preliminary Construction Timeline Task Name Duration Beginning & Completion Plumbing 128 days 1/12-7/9 Electrical 130 days 1/12-7/11 HVAC 40 days 5/8-7/2 Paint 16 days 6/13-7/4 Ceilings 19 days 6/14-7/10 Flooring 6 days 6/29-7/6 Toilet Partition/Accessories 2 days 7/5-7/6 Final Grade/Owner s Landscape 9 days 7/5-7/17 Punch 8 days 7/9-7/18 Final Clean 5 days 7/12-7/18 Pavement Markings 2 days 7/16-7/17 Certificate of Occupancy 7/17 Move-in 7/19 On June 17, Lee & Davie Allen rejoice with Pastor Knobloch and the St. Peter Lutheran Family on the baptism of their baby boy, Nealee David Allen. His sponsors are Bob and Carrie Aune. We praise God for the newest member of the St. Peter Lutheran Church.
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. 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 Nelson Street house Led by Arn Anderson Wednesday Night Bible Study Study of Second Corinthians 7:00 p.m. Wednesday evenings In the Nelson Street House 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 Nelson Street House Led by Wanda Brummett Men s Bible Study Studying Bible on Trial 6:45 a.m. Friday mornings In the Nelson Street House Led by Pastor Knobloch We are working on a special memorial book and memory book to honor loved ones and need the names of friends, former members, and extended family members of our congregation that would be interested in contributing a memory or a memorial. We would like all the information possible to make the book a rich history of St. Peter. Please place any names and addresses in the basket on top of the organ, drop them by the church office or e-mail them to stpetertexscty@att.net
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