Broadcast 200901

News for God’s people at Peace With Christ Lutheran Church January 2009

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2009

Pastor Patrick’s Pen ……………………………………………… ...Page 3 Deaconess Claire’s Note…………………………………………… Page 5 LWML ……….…………………………………………………… Page 8 Christian Stewardship … ….. . ……………………………………. Page 8 TAG/Joy Circle ……… ...………………………………………… Page 9 Youth News………… ..…………………………………………… Page 11 Catechism Connection/Book of Concord …………………………. Page 12 Meeting/Structure & Governance Task Force…………………...… Page 14 Prayer Seminar ……...……...……………………………………….Page 15 Epiphany Season…………………………………………………….Page 16 Rocky Fundraiser/Soup Recipe ...………..…………………….. .... Page 17 “Value of Stillness” ………………………………………………. Page 19 Lutheran Study Bible ………………………………………………. Page 21 Financial Update ……………… …………………………………. . Page 22 Anniversaries …………………… ……………………………….. . Page 22 Birthdays. .…………………………..…………………………….. Page 23

FLOWERS FOR THE ALTAR Members are invited to sign up to place flowers on our altar for special occasions: in memory or honor of a loved one or a special event. Please sign up on the flower chart located in the Sunshine Hall and see posted guidelines for flowers.

PEACE WITH CHRIST LUTHERAN CHURCH 1412 West Swallow Road Fort Collins, CO 80526 Phone: (970) 226-4721 Fax: (970) 204-1570 Email:[email protected] On the web:www.pwchrist-fc.org Prayer Chain: 229-1459

Pastor: Ralph Patrick Deaconess: Claire Rueffer Ministers: All Members Preschool Director/Teacher: Cathy Toomey Editor: Marcy Petago Youth Coordinator: Marilyn Lasich Prayer Chain Coordinator: Cheryl Harsen

Radio Broadcast: KCOL (600 AM), at 9:00 AM Sundays

Church Elders: , Head Elder…... ……………………………………..………….….472-9250 Ray Kaiser, Worship Elder…………………………………….….…………....223-0987 Dan Krueckeberg, Staff Elder…………………………………….….…….… 482-9545 , Elder…………………………………………………………..226-1403 Michael Rohlfs, Elder………………………...…………….….…….…………482-2663 , Elder……………………………..…………...…………...………568-3701

Church Council: President, Chad Hamilton Vice President, Dale Heermann Secretary, Ernestine Munsey Treasurer, Lisa Bernhardt Education Chairman, Eric Petago Education Co-Chair, Jane Pennington Evangelism Chairman, Rhonda Kaiser Fellowship Co-Chairman, Kerri Fagan/Linda Siegfried Youth Ministry Chairman, Amy Hoy Missions & Ministry Chairman, Nancy Moore Head Trustee, Fred Kropp Hands in Harmony Chairman, Betty Keeney Preschool Chairman, Kim Molzer

Next month’s articles are due Sunday, January 18! 2

Pastor Patrick’s Pen

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1

Dear Children of God, Christians confess life! This is true throughout the year, but especially this month. Consider the numerous ways that life is confessed during the season of Epiphany. In Creation. We believe that God created all things. He created you, He created me, and He created the world we live in. He had a purpose for all He created. We are part of that creation, and therefore God has purpose for us! We are not “accidents” of evolution, nor do things occur merely by chance. The catechism sums up God’s purpose for us in these words: “That I might be His own, live under Him in His kingdom, and serve Him in everlasting righteousness, innocence and blessedness.” In Baptism. The epistle lesson for the Baptism of our Lord (Jan 11) is from Romans chapter six and says in part: “If we have been united with Him in a death like His, we shall surely be united with Him in a resurrection like His. For the death He died, He died to sin, once for all, but the life He lives He lives to God. So also you must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.” Through baptism we are given new life in Christ. The life we live daily is a confession of faith in the One who has graciously given us this new life.

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In Christ’s Healings. The Gospel lessons from St. Mark highlight some of Jesus’ healings. In just the first chapter we see Him clean a man with an evil spirit, a leper, and even Peter’s mother-inlaw. The purpose of these healings is not only to give life to the people He healed, but also to direct us to a greater healing—that which will take place on the Last Day when we are raised from the dead and given eternal life. By Observing the Sanctity of Human Life. Peace With Christ is a “Pro-Life” church. This means that we believe Jesus’ words “I have come that they might have life to the fullest” apply to people from the time of conception to the day of their death. We believe what the Scriptures teach, namely that each person is “fearfully and wonderfully made” and has great value in God’s eyes. We confess life by not shrinking from this message, but proclaiming it and also providing support for groups like the Pregnancy Resource Center and Lutherans for Life.§ May the Lord Jesus bless your life this New Year, may He grant you grace to live life to the fullest, and faith to confess life in Him.

A blessed New Year,

Pastor

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There is a Northern Colorado chapter for Lutherans for Life. If you are interested in becoming involved, please contact me.

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Dear Servants of God, This is the last month we’ll be spending on these five images of diaconal ministry. Thus far we’ve talked about: Washing Feet, Tending the Door, Bearing the Light, and Telling the Story. The last image is that of Waiting Tables. Thank you for allowing me these past months the opportunity to reflect on one of these images and how they apply to the sorts of ministry entrusted to Deaconesses and the whole people of God.

Waiting Tables Like Tending the Door, Waiting Tables is tied to the practice of hospitality, a practice that we learn in worship where God is hospitable to us, poor miserable sinners that we are, and provides for our every need at a humble table. But that’s probably not where we first recognize hospitality. So, I hope you won’t mind a couple stories of hospitality: When I was a little girl, I knew our house to be a safe place where all were welcome. Over Thanksgivings there were large gatherings of friends and neighbors laughing, drinking hot cocoa, and eating much stuffing. The house was always ready for guests. Continued on page 6

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Perhaps it wasn’t always spotless, but there has never been a time when tummy’s left unfed and hearts left unheard. Sometimes the table was set for a king and sometimes our guests would join the family at our kitchen table. When I was working in Joliet, one of the women of the church welcomed me into her home to live for the summer. She set up a space for me in her spare bedroom, made sure that I never left without breakfast, and welcomed my guests into her home as well. It was a comforting place to lay my head at the end of a day. But she wasn’t the only one offering hospitality. The people of the congregation were as varied in class, race, and language as can be. From the Mexican women I received welcome that giving out of poverty to set the table with more food than a king could eat was more touching than any I had yet before witnessed. My family gave hospitality certainly to anyone, but we gave from our abundance. These families gave out of nothing…but could they cook!!!! The little gringa in their midst (me) learned quite a bit. She learned posadas. Las posadas means the welcoming. At Christmas time, in Hispanic and Latino communities, the children of the neighborhood pretend to be Mary & Joseph looking for a room. They go from house to house and knock: Me llamo José (My name is Joseph) Vengo con Maria mi esposa que espera niño (I come with Mary, my wife, who is expecting child.) Vengo a pedir posadas (I come asking for welcome.) They are turned down entrance house after house after house. “There is no room.” Finally, however, they are welcomed at the last house & the party begins. For God, hidden in the pregnant Mary, has been welcomed!

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And what is a party without food? Just so, when we celebrate Easter every Sunday, we gather around a table set by a host who gave up riches to become poor, to be present with his people though every step of life – even death. The fare of the table is simple and broken, but it fills us to the brim that upon leaving worship we might serve the stranger at the door seeking posadas. It might be God knocking after all. Thanks for all you do by grace to welcome, Deaconess Claire Rueffer

p.s. For more on hospitality http://practicingourfaith.org/prct_hospitality.html “The Greek word xenos means "stranger", but also "guest" and "host". From xenos comes the New Testament word for hospitality: philoxenia means a love of the guest/stranger or enjoyment of hosting guests. Recall a time when you experienced the enjoyment of being a host... when you were the guest of a gracious host.”

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Altar Guild – There is an Altar Guild meeting on Jan. 17th at 10:00 am. Please plan to attend if you are interested in helping or if you are a returning member. Contact Marilyn Lasich if you have any questions.

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LUTHERAN WOMEN IN MISSION

LWML Executive Board: The next meeting will be Sunday, January 4, at 10:30a at PWC. This will be a joint meeting of all 2008 and 2009 Executive Board members (exiting, new and current). All ladies are welcome! ******************************************************

Christian Stewardship Christmas ends and Epiphany begins with the visit of the Magi. The Scriptures do not tell us how many wise men there were, though popular myth pictures three—and even gives them names. The Scriptures DO tell us that the magi brought gifts to present to the baby Jesus. This is part of the reason we give offerings on Sundays. Like the Magi we acknowledge the presence of God, and give Him our gifts. Thank you and God bless you for your faithfulness in doing so throughout the past year, and may you continue to follow this faithful pattern throughout the year to come. 8

TAG Tuesday Afternoon Group All older adults are welcome to attend the various activities and Bible studies of this Older Adult Ministry Group. Our meetings are on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of the month. Come and enjoy the fellowship. Tuesday, January 6th at Noon This month the meal will be a potluck with everyone bringing a favorite dish. Bible study will follow at 1:00 pm led by Pastor. Tuesday, January 20th at 1:00pm Carl Ziehm will once again show us some of the interesting slides he has taken on his many trips. This time it will be on the Lincoln Highway.

Joy Circle Joy Circle will meet at 1:00pm on January 8 in the Fellowship Hall classroom. We will have a Bible Study. Ida White will have devotions and hostess will be Shirley Farrier. All ladies are welcome to attend!

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Dear Youth members and parents, Happy New Year! It is always exciting to look ahead at the new year and wonder what will happen during the coming twelve months and where God will lead us in that time. I am thankful to have Him be a part of my life and to know that He guides me every day. “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:13 That’s a comforting thought in busy times! This will be a busy month for the youth group. The Valentine’s Day Dinner I coming up fast and we have only six weeks to finalize plans for it! We will be planning the servant events and other activities for next summer. There will be an important meeting on Wednesday, January 14 after Confirmation class for all youth (grades 6th - 12th) and parents concerning upcoming events Mark your calendars! Fun activities in January include Surprise Night Out, Girls Night Out and Sledding! Reading the articles for more details and watch the Greensheet. I hope and pray that you had a wonderful, restful vacation and are now eager and ready to begin the new year of youth activities at PWC. Please let me know when you have upcoming events such as plays, concerts, recitals, games or other important events or if you have any prayer request or other needs, I would be very glad to be able to help in whatever way I can. I am thankful to be at PWC and keep all of you in my prayers. Please email me at [email protected] or call 568-3701 or 391-4946. Serving Christ with joy, Marilyn

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YOUTH NEWS Valentine’s Day Dinner Planning: January 7, meet at 5:30pm (we will eat together) in the Youth Room to help with plans for the dinner. We will also meet briefly on Sunday, January 11 before Sunday School again in the Youth Room. Youth Surprise Night Out: January 9, meet at PWC at 5:00pm for an evening of fun. Dinner will be provided! Bring $10 to cover the cost of other activity. Parent Night at Confirmation: January 14, parents of Confirmation Age Youth are invited to join their child in class this evening and to stay for an important Parent/Youth Information Meeting. Information Meeting for Youth/Parents: Youth 6th - 12th grades, January 14 at 7:00pm, meet in the Fellowship Hall for an important meeting for all youth interested in learning more about the upcoming events of next summer. Dates, cost, fundraising, and other information will be available. Plan to be there! Girl’s Night Out: Mark your calendar, Saturday, January 24 from 5:00pm to 9:00pm at PWC. Sledding Day: Calling all Youth and congregation members! Plan to meet at PWC at 9am to go sledding. Bring your sled, warm clothes, a lunch and we will head out to a sledding hill (destination to be announced depending on snow!) Sign up to attend and to drive!

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Catechism Connection What is the Fifth Commandment? What does this mean? What does God forbid in this commandment? A. 1. 2. 3. B. C. Does anyone have the authority to take another person’s life? What does God require of us in the Fifth Commandment? A. B. C.

Reading from the Book of Concord We continue our series on the study of the Augsburg Confession. If you are in need of a Book of Concord, you can go online to the Concordia Publishing House Website and order Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions. Read Article IX in the Augsburg Confession and Apology and answer the following questions: 1. 2. 3. 4.

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Is baptism necessary for salvation? What is offered in baptism? Should children be baptized? Why? Does the Holy Spirit work in little children?

A Personal Thank You from Pastor and Family On behalf of Pat and our daughters I would like to thank all of the wonderful members of Peace With Christ for helping to make our Christmas so blessed. We thank God for your gracious gifts of love, we rejoice in the fellowship we share with you in Christ Jesus, and we pray that our Lord Jesus will make you as much of a blessing to others as you have been to us! In Christ, Pastor, Pat and girls

PWC Vocalists and Musicians - Thank you to all who helped beutify our services with special music during the Advent season. We are truly blessed have so many talented people willing to share their gifts with us! You are gifts from God!

During the months of January and February, as we will have communion every Sunday, it would be wonderful to have special music each week. Please see the sign up in the kitchen hall to participate in our services to enhance the service and give you the opportunity to glorify the Lord with your gifts. Contact Marilyn if you have any questions. We do have some music available if you are not sure what piece you would like to do. 13

CONGREGATIONAL MEETING Mark your calendars on Sunday, January 25th at 1:00. Please plan to attend the Congregational Meeting. The agenda will include a discussion of church staffing needs and election of delegates for the District Convention.

**************************************************** Structure and Governance Task Force Members of Peace With Christ. I want you to be aware that a Blue Ribbon Task Force is looking at the structure of the Missouri Synod and its governance. It is looking at the possibility of increasing or decreasing the total number of districts within Synod with a corresponding decrease or increase of the number of congregations assigned to a district. It is also reviewing the concepts and functions of the circuits within a district. The relationships between the congregations and the Synod will also be reviewed with changes possible. The task force will also look at the possibility of giving larger congregations more delegates to district conventions. The frequency and function of district and national conventions will also be reviewed. Three members of the task force will have visited each and every district’s board of directors in 2008 and presented their “Proposals and Possibilities” document. Responses from the boards of directors will be presented at the individual district conventions in 2009. Ultimately the task force will present its findings at the 2010 synodical convention. I urge you to follow the progress of the task force at www.lcms.org/LCMSFuture. Paul Rubel, Elder. 14

Prayer Seminar Saturday, Feb. 7th from 8:30—11:30 a.m. Throughout this year we will be focusing our attention on Daily Prayer. In order to help us do so I would like to invite the congregation to attend a seminar on Saturday, Feb. 7th devoted to the discipline of prayer. The morning will begin at 8:30 with a service of Morning Prayer. This will be followed by a history of prayer and the place that the daily offices hold in the church. Finally we will consider resources that we have in order to help us in our prayer life. This seminar will serve to prepare us for the Lenten Season, the theme of which is—“Lord, Teach us to Pray”.

Scrip Fundraiser: We have many cards for immediate purchase and you may order any available card and receive it the following Sunday. 15

Holy Communion during the Epiphany Season The church season of Epiphany begins with the Epiphany of the Lord, January 6th (although it may be celebrated on the closest Sunday) which commemorates the visit of the Wise Men to the Babe of Bethlehem. During the Epiphany season the emphasis is on the manifestation of the Incarnate Lord to the world. There is great rejoicing and gladness, since the light of the world is revealed to the nations, “a light to lighten the Gentiles” as is written in the Nunc Dimittis. We commemorate the appearance of God in Christ Jesus in Epiphany, so with great joy and awe we will be observing the season with Holy Communion each Sunday in January and February. We continue to celebrate the Epiphany message through Gospel readings which tell us how Jesus revealed himself to the world through His words and deeds. The season ends with the Festival of the Transfiguration of the Lord, when Jesus revealed His divine glory to the disciples.

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Thank you to all who supported the Youth by purchasing gift cards to use during the Christmas season. We appreciate your help!

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YOUNG FAMILIES MINISTRY BRAINSTORMING SESSION, JANUARY

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AT NOON.

BRING A

SACK LUNCH.

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LIGHTS FOR LIFE, INC. A Non-Profit Dedicated to Helping Children 17

Rocky Soup Supper Fundraiser

Thanks to everyone who provided soup and other food items, helped serve and cleanup, and donated money for the Advent Soup Supper/Rocky Benefit (December 3). To date we’ve received over $1,300 from donations. Thrivent has added a supplement of $966 for the soup supper. An earlier FED night Rocky fundraiser raised $280 and Thrivent supplemented this with $650. Thanks Thrivent!

Kay Rubel

**************************************************** MUSHROOM BARLEY SOUP 1/2 c raw pearl barley 6 1/2 c stock or water 3 to 4 tbsp. tamari 3 to 4 tbsp. dry sherry 3 tbsp. butter 2 cloves garlic minced 1 heaping c. chopped onion 1 lb. fresh mushrooms sliced 1/2 to 1 tsp. salt Fresh ground black pepper Cook barley in 1 1/2 cups stock or water until tender (cook it right in the soup kettle). Add remaining stock or water, tamari and sherry. In another pan, sauté onions and garlic in butter. When onions and garlic have softened, add mushrooms and 1/2 teaspoon salt. When all is tender, add sauté mixture to barley, being sure to include the liquid given off by the vegetables as they’ve cooked. 18

THE VALUE OF STILLNESS By Lloyd J. Thomas, Ph.D. The Chinese word for “busy” is made of two characters. The first is “heart,” and the second is “killing.” For the Chinese, to be busy is to kill the heart. Children raised by insecure parents often learn that the faster they talk, the faster they move, the faster they think, the faster they feel. A moving target is harder to hit. Such children seek safety in the speed of their activity and speech. They take refuge in relentless action. When they feel insecure about what they know, they produce more words and share them in rapid-fire, to hide their perceived ignorance. Constant motion keeps them from being caught. Relentless, busy activity distracts them from experiencing their fear. They are often misdiagnosed as “hyperactive” or having “attention deficit disorder” when they are actually trying only to protect themselves from a frightening environment. Their constant motion of mouth and body, kills their heart. Desperate activity often masks our fear of our own insides. When we are still, we may discover our own pain, our own emptiness, our own fear, or our own self-image. So, rather then confront our own thoughts and feelings, we remain focused on outside activity. We run from one task to another with no moment of rest between completion of one and the beginning of another. We may even use speech to keep us from feeling alone. Loneliness also kills the heart enthusiastic joy. I know a man who was told by his cardiologist, “slow down or die!” He was already working only an hour or two per day. Dr. James Lynch discovered that the mere act of speaking elevates our blood pressure by ten to fifty points after less than thirty seconds of everyday, non-angry, conversational speech. Mahatma Gandhi once said, “There is more to life than increasing its speed.” When overworked and over-talking becomes our lifestyle, we kill our hearts just a little. The greatest psychological danger in constant busyness is we neglect ourselves. We lose our awareness of our own needs, thoughts and desires. We lose the capacity to listen, not only to others, but to ourselves. In our constant rush, we forget our own talents, our own abilities, our own gifts, our own worth, our own inner wisdom. We Continued on page 20

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habitually ignore who we really are. And when we are aware of our value as the persons we genuinely are, we do violence to the heart of our lives...ourselves. Thomas Merton writes, “There is a pervasive form of contemporary violence...activism and overwork. To allow oneself to be carried away by the multitude of conflicting concerns, to surrender to too many demands, to commit oneself to too many projects, to want to help everyone in everything, is to succumb to violence.” Busyness kills the heart. Stillness is the antidote for busyness. Silence is the antidote for talking too much. Perhaps, like the lake, stillness is our natural state. The surface of a lake is always still unless something disturbs it. In stillness, the lake more accurately reflects the reality of the environment. Confusion and distortion arise only when we are too busy or wordy to listen. We know that muddy water becomes clear only when allowed to remain still. All powerful words and phrases are brief. We only weaken the power of our words with excess speech. Taoist, Chuang Tzu, writes, “Still water is like glass...it is a perfect level. The heart of the wise man is tranquil, it is the mirror of heaven and earth. Emptiness, stillness, tranquility, silence, non-action...this is the perfect Tao. Wise men here find their resting place”. We don’t have to choose between activity and stillness. Life is never exclusively one or the other. We need to create a balance in our lives between actiona nd stillness, between speaking and keeping quiet. In the biblical book of Ecclesiastes there is written: “There is a time for every purpose under heaven, a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak…” Balance is the key. Since the Chinese meaning of “busy” is accurate, perhaps the counter balance to killing the heart is found in what Meister Eckhart, the 14th-centery Christian mystic, said when we wrote, “nothing in all creation is so like God as stillness.”

To subscribe to Practical Psychology: http://lists.webvalence.com/listmgr/subscribe?lists=practicalpsychology Upon subscribing, you will receive Practical Psychology approximately once a week. 20

Life by His Word “Give me life, according, to your Word.” Psalm 119:25 Welcome to the timeless conversation among God’s people. The Lutheran Study Bible (developed by CPH) is the first Study Bible in English to be developed from the ground-up with notes that are exclusively and distinctively Lutheran, prepared by Lutheran theologians, scholars, and pastors from over twenty Lutheran churches around the world. The Lutheran Study Bible is absolutely unique, and combines the very best current Lutheran scholarship and commentary of the Church Fathers with rich personal application and devotion. The result? A study tool that provides meaningful perspective for both young and mature Christians. Engage in a conversation that has been unfolding within and around God’s Word throughout the centuries. Available Reformation Day, October 2009, pre-order your copy in March 2009. Features of The Lutheran Study Bible • 26,500-plus uniquely Lutheran study notes • Over 2,000 life application notes and prayers for every part of the Bible. • 80,000 center column cross-references • Over 900 cross-references to 120 full or half-page maps, charts, and diagrams • 220-plus articles and introductions to biblical books and topics • Insights from early church, medieval and Reformation era church fathers. • The Lutheran Study Bible uses the English Standard Version translation, considered to be one of the most precise English translations available. Samples of the actual Bible will be available on the CPH website by March 2009. 21

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO……… Troy and Joy Bauder

January 30, 1988

We apologize if we missed your anniversary. Please notify the church office to update.

Financial Update As of November 2008 2008 budget: $431,263.00 Year-to-date total PWC income: $327,312.46 Year-to-date total PWC expenses: $354,795.19 Net Income: $-27,482.73 Needed weekly to meet budget: $8,290.24

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HAPPY JANUARY BIRTHDAY TO…………. Karen Stahmer Pam Kropp Brooke Prevedel Jenny Pforr Adele Ahnstedt Nadine Lueker Mike Sharp Heather Dixon Drew Hoffner Chelsie Maiorka Kayleen Patrick John Pennington Linda Siegfried Rhonda Kaiser Brian Lacey Michael Saboy Mike Muth Logan French Zachary Prevedel David Caspersen Tom Lasich Linda Drovdal Jon Juchartz Louise Tuchenhagen Chris Holthouser Betty Walters Eunice Nierman Daniel Cerman Zach Diem Sandy Fiscus Michael Cheuvront Barb Spanjer Betty Heermann Katie Neuhaus Pete White Cheyenne Dixon

1st 2nd 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 5th 8th 8th 8th 11th 11th 13th 14th 14th 14th 15th 16th 16th 17th 17th 19th 19th 19th 21st 21st 22nd 23rd 25th 25th 27th 28th 29th 30th 30th 31th

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