News for God’s people at Peace With Christ Lutheran Church May 2009
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Romans 15:13 Holy Spirit. Pastor Patrick’s Pen ……………………………………………… Page 3 Deaconess Claire’s Note…………………………………………… .Page 5 LWML ……….…………………………………………………….. Page 7 TAG/Joy Circle ……… ...…………………………………………..Page 9 Easter Alleluias ...……………………………………………………Page 10 “Thank You”………..……………………………………………….Page 11 Youth News………… ..…………………………………………… Page 12 Marilyn’s Letter to the Youth………………………………………. Page 13 Catechism Connection/Book of Concord …………………………. Page 14 Spring Clean-up…………………………………………………….. Page 16 “Know Your Leadership”………………………………………….. Page 17 Young Families……………………………………………………...Page 19 “Closure” Mission Sunday…………………………………………..Page 20 Presenting CGATFPWC…………………………………………….Page 21 The Kido Family…………………………………………………….Page 22 How to get involved in the work of the church……………………..Page 23 Financial Update ……………… …………………………………. Page 26 Anniversaries …………………… ……………………………….. Page 26 Birthdays. .…………………………..………………………………Page 27
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: Wes Nierman, Head Elder.. ……………………………………..………….….226-5936 Ray Kaiser, Worship Elder…………………………………….….…………....223-0987 Dan Krueckeberg, Staff Elder…………………………………….….…….… ..482-9545 Dan Prevedel, Elder...…………………………………………………………..204-4008 Michael Rohlfs, Elder………………………...…………….….…….…………482-2663 Bill Smith, Elder..……………………………..…………...…………...………663-9229
Church Council: President, Chad Hamilton Vice President, Larry Siegfried 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, Jerry Buchleiter Head Trustee, Fred Kropp Hands in Harmony Chairman, Betty Keeney Preschool Chairman, Kim Molzer
Next month’s articles are due Sunday, May 17! 2
Pastor Patrick’s Pen
Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, the powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, and against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:11-12 Dear Children of God, “Angels and Demons”. That is the title of the book by Dan Brown which is scheduled to be released as a movie on May 15th. Basically the story line goes like this: A secret society called “The Illuminati” plots revenge against the Roman Catholic Church as payback for the persecution their members had undergone centuries ago. The story line is quite clever and the book is quite entertaining. Like “The Da Vinci Code” Brown bases some of the story loosely on biblical concepts and religious ideas. Though a great writer, Brown unfortunately tends to take great liberty in matters of the faith and the conclusions that he comes to concerning Christianity, clearly expressed through his characters. But my purpose is not to write a review on the book, nor to promote the movie. Rather it is to remind us that angels and demons are not simply the subject of books, but in fact are real. They are not creatures of myth, nor are they concepts imagined by superstitious people. Angels are not divine objects intended to be worshipped, but are God’s messengers who protect us. Hebrews 1 speaks of this, and clearly distinguishes between Jesus and the angels.
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Demons are real as well. They are minions of Lucifer, the angel of light who led a rebellion and fell with a third of the heavenly host sometime during creation. He and his hellish host seek to cause the fall of all humanity, and are responsible for far more dastardly deeds than any described in a book. Satan desires something far more serious than the destruction of Vatican City as portrayed in the book—namely the destruction of your body and soul in hell for eternity. This is the reason Jesus died on the cross. In addition to the blessed gift of the forgiveness of sins won there, He also gained the victory over the devil by entering into the domain of death— and coming out alive! Though Jesus won the war, there remain many battles to be fought; battles which we fight every day. As 1 Peter 5:8-9 reminds us the devil roams around like a lion, seeking whom he may devour. Sheep who follow the Good Shepherd are the devil’s favorite prey, and it is for this reason that we are to be equipped for battle by the Holy Spirit, as St. Paul makes clear in the passage from Ephesians 6:11-18. As you read through that passage, two things become very clear: One is that we are to be equipped to battle the forces of darkness, the other that the weapons with which to do so come from Jesus and His Word. When Jesus was tempted by the devil following His baptism, He responded with the Word of God. How much more essential is it for us to do the same! As we observe this Easter season and Pentecost to come, we are thankful that Christ has won the victory over sin, death and the devil, and that we have been equipped by the Holy Spirit with everything we need to fight the good fight of faith! He is Risen! Alleluia! pastor
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Deaconess Claire’s Note Dear Servants of God, As I look ahead in our lectionary series for this year, it seems it will be a few weeks before our Sunday readings are again coming from the Gospel of Mark. We’ll be spending some time in the Gospel of John and exploring the “I AM” statements as we, like the disciples have the scriptures opened to us in light of our Risen Lord, our Easter Christ! But I’ll miss the Gospel of Mark for these few weeks.
See, Mark is my favorite gospel account for a few reasons: 1. It is short enough to read in one sitting. 2. I love Mark’s prose. While it seems hastily written with all of the statements “and immediately” or “and then,” it does a fantastic job of hurrying readers to the pinnacle of the account – the cross. 3. The depiction of the disciples and of Jesus are not like the “10 foot” Jesus we see in John’s account, but more humble, more common. So common, that the when we see Christ on the cross we recognize with the centurion that “Truly this man was the Son of God!” God is most God on the cross. 4. The resurrection account is striking with the ending of some of the earliest manuscripts.
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“And they went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had seized them, and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.” (Mark 16: 8) What do we do with that? Obviously, they weren’t silent for too long because we have heard the witness of the women from the other gospel accounts. But that doesn’t take away the shock and abrupt close to what, up until then was very captivating. The falling action here is so short that there’s no sense of resolution at all. It feels like there a large “TO BE CONTINUED…” is implied. And so there is. The ending of Mark’s account sends us straight back to the beginning of the gospel and we begin to see the scriptures opened to us bit by bit starting with Isaiah. And we begin to see who is this Jesus of Nazareth who is always on the go, always healing, always teaching, always feeding. And now that we know the climax is on the cross where death brings forth life, we understand that his hurry to Jerusalem is from a love deeper than any human love. It’s a kind of love we can trust. And so we trust the witness of the young man dressed in white. “He has risen; he is not here…he is going before you” (Mark 16: 6). Then, when we start to read through the Gospel of Mark just one more time we can read it with a Joy in the Resurrection, full of awe at the wonders of God, and trusting the promises kept & scriptures fulfilled by the Suffering Servant. Let’s keep on celebrating this new day for… Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!!!! Christ’s servant and yours,
Deaconess Claire
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LUTHERAN WOMEN IN MISSION
LWML May Meeting The next LWML meeting will be held Monday, May 11th at 7pm in the Fellowship Hall. Deaconess Claire will lead our program entitled “The Five Love Languages.” Angela Myers will have devotions and mites. Hostesses will be Colleen Rohlfs and Angela Myers.
Northern Zone LWML Spring Workshop will be hosted by Mt Zion Lutheran Church in Boulder on Saturday, May 2nd. The theme, “Those who wait on the Lord will find new strength,” comes from Isaiah 40:30-31. Cost is only $7 and registration begins at 8:30am. The workshop will run from 9am- 1:30pm including bible study, brunch, and a presentation by Bruce Grover, Development Officer for Dakota Boys & Girls Ranch. “Look to the Hills… God Reigns” is the theme for LWML’s 33rd Biennial Convention to be held June 25- June 28th, 2009 in Portland, Oregon. Those interested in attending may visit www.lwml.org or check out our bulletin board for more information. To take advantage of special convention rates, please book your reservation by May 15th! LWML’s 2009 Holiday Craft Fair has been scheduled for Saturday, November 14th. Given the economic downturn, we expect this year’s customers will be looking for handmade items that are not only decorative, but functional as well. Good food always sells, so our pantry will be expanding to include homemade noodles, German stollen, and fudge. If YOU have a great “functional” craft idea or special holiday recipe to share, please call Colleen Rohlfs 482-2663 or Connie Jesser 484-4393. Future greensheets will announce meeting dates/times for Kay’s Angels AND summer workshops!
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Harry Krueckeberg reports that $7,500 has been received for the South Africa Fund. This grant was approved at LWML’s district convention in Albuquerque last June. The mites that you so generously donate monthly, support MANY wonderful mission projects. The South Africa Fund is very special to Harry and he sends his thanks! The next regular LWML Executive Board meeting will be Monday, June 1st beginning at 6pm in the home of Angela Myers. All ladies are welcome. As LWML’s historian and shutterbug, Hazel Maiorka has photographed and documented our activities for many years. Due to the cost of film and developing, we are hoping to move into the 21st century (finally) with a simple little digital camera. Before we purchase a new one, we thought we should ask…Have you recently upgraded your technology? Is your old digital camera at home collecting dust? If so, we can give it a great new purpose! See Bev Russman or Linda Siegfried if you can help.
The Columbarium Garden Design is posted in the Kitchen Hall. The design has been updated and a “key” is posted to help you identify plants used in the garden. You may help by purchasing a plant for the garden. The cost of plants: $6/$7 for perennials, $16/$17/$20/$22 for shrubs, roses and other bushes. We plan to begin planting in the next few weeks.
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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, May 5th at Noon This month is our traditional faux Mexican lunch. Please sign up for the ingredient to bring. Bible study follows at 1:00pm led by pastor. Tuesday, May 19th at 10:00am It’s time for our annual morning of miniature golf at Fort Fun in Ft. Collins. After the round of golf we will find a place to have lunch. Please sign up for this activity.
Joy Circle Thursday, May 7th we will go “out to lunch” to Hunan Restaurant. Meet at church at 11:15am or at Hunan at 11:30. All ladies are welcome to come join us!
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Easter Alleluias! At Easter the sound of Alleluia resoundingly rings throughout the church and among God’s people. It is a sound of eternal rejoicing, and indeed there are many reasons for us to rejoice in the resurrection of our Lord. I thought I’d share some of my “Easter Alleluia’s” with you. Alleluia for:
• hymns and choirs and organists and trum• • • • • •
pets. ushers and altar guild and all the people who faithfully serve. children and parents and family and friends. faithful staff who plan and print services. special touches that reflect the love of the savior. a congregation that gathers around the Gospel and Sacraments to be nurtured and fed, so that they can nurture and feed others. Peace with Christ Lutheran Church!
Musicians and Vocalist - Put Saturday, June 13th on your calendar for a Spring Concert to benefit the Mission and Ministry’s “Needy Family” Fund. Please sign up if you will be able to take part or let Marilyn or Deaconess Claire know…..Thanks! 10
Thank you - to all for your support of the Youth at the Easter Breakfast. We had a wonderful turnout and a very generous offering of $600! Thank you and have a Blessed Easter Season. The monies raised will help with Youth Service projects for this summer and the SOLA Conference. Scrip Fundraiser We have many cards for immediate purchase and you may order any available card and receive it the following Sunday. We now have the following cards - Babies R’ Us for $20, Blockbuster Single Rental for $3.79 and Starbucks for $25. Stop by the Youth Table and see what is available. Thank you for supporting the Youth!
Dear Peace With Christ Church, Thank you for all you do for Rocky students! You achieve an incredible feat every Thursday. And thank you for helping my students learn job and life skills. They’re on their way to becoming successful adults! Sincerely Emily Ring - Integrated Services Teacher The note was also signed by 7 Special Ed. Students. 11
YOUTH NEWS
To the Youth Members - Thank you for your participation in the Easter Breakfast. The hard work of all the youth members, parents and others was greatly appreciated! It was a busy and full weekend but it was a great success and fun. You are wonderful to work with and I thank God for all of you - Marilyn LVR Catechism Retreat - Please turn in your registration forms to ASAP - Registration date is May 10. Check my box #131 for forms if you can’t find yours at home. Cost is $45 for those in Confirmation, including this year’s class; $75 for those in Grades 9—12. Service Project for the Summer - Yard Work for the Brown family. We will be helping Carolyn & Lynn Brown with mowing their grass and keeping the weeds down. Please sign up if you will be able to help - this should only take an hour or two each month. This is a wonderful way to put your faith into action through service to others! As usual there will be food and fun involved too. Save May 2nd at 4:00pm! ALL youth are invited. We will meet at PWC to make bags and travel pillows from T-shirts for the SOLA trip and other activities. Bring a large or Xlarge t-shirt of your favorite color for the inside of your bag and a 20 oz. or bigger bag of Fiber Fill studding for your pillow (available at Hobby Lobby or JoAnn’s). The bags and pillow will be made from “Lawspel” shirts. If you would like one to wear - let me know! Continued on page 14
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To Youth Members and Parents“He is Risen”, “He is Risen Indeed, Alleluia!” Today the sun is shining, the grass is green after the blessing of snow and rain and it feels like Spring is here! What a wonderful reminder of Christ Resurrection! April was a very busy month for the Youth Group at PWC. Thank you to all who helped in any way with the meals, Easter Breakfast and other activities! Your help was greatly appreciated by me and a blessing to many others. The month of May will be a much calmer month at church especially as I know how busy your schedules are as school winds down for the year. That is amazing – the school year is almost at an end and we will be gearing up for summer activities! This summer, we will again be doing some hiking, and many other activities as well as the trips. I plan to have all summer activities planned by the end of May. Have a blessed month – continue to attend church services and keep praying for yourself, your families, your friends and all those in need!
In His Name, Marilyn 13
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“Spring” Outing - May 16th, Saturday - We will meet at church at 12pm - leave for the “Outing” at 1:00pm. Wear comfortable clothing! Please sign-up at PWC - you come earlier to help with that!
Reading from the Book of Concord In order to answer the following questions, you will need to read Article I from the Formula of Concord on Original Sin.
1. 2. 3. 4.
What are the two different views of original sin? Why does it matter? What is the result of having inherited original sin? Who alone is able to correct this corruption? How is this done?
What is the distinction between God’s work and the work of the devil?
Catechism Connection: The Angels Continuing the topic of Angels, we examine the first article of the Apostles Creed that deals specifically with the topic. You may look at page 110 in the Small Catechism. Which invisible beings created by God are especially important to us? What does the Bible tell us about angels? 1. They are spirit beings who were created holy. 2. Some angels rebelled against God. 2 Peter 2:4 3. The good angels are many and powerful. Ps. 103:20-21 4. The evil angels are many and powerful. Mk. 5:9
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For this year’s graduating seniors Since it’s beginning, the Christian story has been one of journeys, where Jesus’ followers have been called to gather and to be sent, to celebrate and follow. On May 3rd at the close of the services, there will be a special blessing given unto each of you and a prayer to send you on the paths you will take. We will be praying for you as you go along the way trusting in the Good Shepherd to be your guide and to pick you up when you fall. Congratulation to the Peace With Christ 2009 Graduation Class Rebecca Black Colin Fagan Kelsey Johannsen Tyler Lehman
Rachel Buchleiter Ashley Fox Kyle Lehman Jennifer Saboy
Spencer Yeldell
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SPRING CLEANING TIME . . .
It’s spring and we see rebirth all around us … trees …grass … flowers. Just like our individual homes, our church home is in need of a little spring maintenance and rebirth and the more “family members” who contribute, the faster the job will be completed. We have selected Saturday, May 16 as our Spring Cleanup Day, and we are enlisting the help of all members to come and share whatever time they are able. We will begin at 8:00 AM. We will clean up around the building, as well as the bedding plots in the parking lot, and get everything outside spiffed up, but we don’t want to stop there. We are so thankful for Linda and Larry Siegfried and the splendid job they do in caring for our facility. Their position is only a part-time arrangement and only allows them time to complete the routine cleaning required by our large “family”. When the Trustee Committee decided to have a cleanup session for the grounds, they also asked Linda and Larry if they would compile a list of inside chores they feel the rest of the “family” could help with. So there will also be inside cleaning assignments. A list of jobs will be provided, so you can choose whatever area suits you. If you want to drop in for one hour and leave, that is fine! The combined hours provided by many of our members will get the job completed quickly. Morning refreshments will be provided. . To aid in planning, a sign-up sheet is located in the Narthex. We hope to see a very large family here and working together on the 16th. If you have questions, please call Ken Keeney at 223-1486.
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KNOW YOUR LEADERSHIP Betty Keeney, Hands in Harmony Chairman I was born and raised in northwestern Iowa. I grew up on a farm near the little town of Danbury and had one sibling, a brother ten years older. He taught me to drive a tractor at a “very” young age and encouraged me to help in the field (which I enjoyed), so I was trained to work both indoors and out. I had the freedom to explore and learned to be creative and use what I had at my disposal to get the job done. The basics were thoroughly taught in my small town school. Then our local school consolidated with a nearby town when I was a sophomore, a practice that became very widespread in Iowa in following years. The larger school provided more class and extracurricular opportunities, which I took advantage of. With my German and Danish heritage it’s not too surprising I was baptized and confirmed in a nearby Missouri Synod Lutheran congregation. This church had conducted services in German until our country was at war with Germany and such practices were outlawed. My father’s parents and several other families from Denmark immigrated to the area during the time services were conducted in German. Though Danish Lutheran, they all chose to worship at the Presbyterian congregation where English was used. I had great respect for the Pastor of my youth who also confirmed me; faith in God was instilled and the catechism and its contents were well memorized. Shortly after my confirmation, he accepted a call to Sioux City, IA; the same congregation Pastor Ray Holzhauer later served (for those of you who remember him as an assistant at PWC). I was active in Walther League and enjoyed challenging my high school Sunday school teacher’s Bible knowledge. Eventually this Iowa farm girl met the California native (Ken) who was in the army stationed in Texas. His mother was actually responsible for this long distance introduction, and we were married after a whirlwind courtship. We were married in February and he was sent to Viet Nam in April – very scary times. Thankfully, he returned home safely and we made our home in San Jose, California where his family lived. God was working in our lives then and now. Continued on page 18
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courtship. We were married in February and he was sent to Viet Nam in April – very scary times. Thankfully, he returned home safely and we made our home in San Jose, California where his family lived. God was working in our lives then and now. While we lived in California our son Paul and daughter Lori were born. We lived in Mountain View, Santa Clara and San Jose but always attended Lutheran Church of our Savior in Cupertino, a large, traditional LCMS congregation with school. After ten years in California, we made the decision to move (and leave all the traffic) and were led to Fort Collins, Colorado and then to Peace With Christ where we’ve been for over thirty years. Our children have married and we have six grandchildren. Paul’s family lives in Fremont, Nebraska, and Lori, Scott and the boys live in Loveland and attend PWC. While our children were little I had in-home jobs including licensed daycare provider and then my own typing business for several years until one of my clients asked me to come to work for him. From a small roofing consultant to a major corporation and then to CSU VTH, I have performed a variety of administrative functions from receptionist, assistant to director and office manager. Each position and employer provided a growing experience. While our children were young I was involved in a variety of positions in Sunday school, VBS, and Midweek. Ken and I worked as youth leaders (along with Linda and Larry Siegfried) for a couple of years and had many rewarding experiences with the youth. Through the years I’ve also participated in choir, altar guild, and fellowship committee. I can frequently be found in the kitchen. Serving on the call committees for Pastor Winter and Pastor Patrick was very enlightening, as was the Ysleta mission trip last summer. Retirement is my current phase and I appreciate being able to make my own schedule. Ken and I both enjoy traveling. We look forward to more of it in the future and exploring what is over the next hill and around the next bend.
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Cathy Toomey is retiring from ten years as PWC Preschool Teacher/Director and Nancy Spillman as Teacher/Aide for twelve years. We wish these ladies well as they pursue other ventures. To celebrate their years of service, all members of the congregation are invited to a Mexican Fiesta Potluck in the PWC Fellowship Hall at 12:00 on Sunday, June 7th. In loving PWC “roast” fashion, any stories or remembrances you would like to share are welcome. Mark your calendars for Sunday, June 7th. You don’t want to miss the fun!
YOUNG FAMILIES Mother’s Day is coming up soon on May 10.
VBS 2009 – June 5-19 Keep your eyes pealed to find a horse acting as a “supply tree”. Please sign-up to help on the bulletin board. Want to know how you can help? Contact Deaconess Claire or Marilyn Lasich
Please continue to pray for Reena as she prepares to be working in God’s service here at Peace With Christ. BE ON THE LOOK - OUT IN JUNE FOR A QUICK SURVEY TO HELP GAIN UNDERSTANDING AND THEN SERVE THE NEEDS OF YOUNG FAMILIES BETTER.
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“Closure” Mission Sunday The District Convention June 18-20 brings to a close the fund raising for MISSION: Southern Africa. Peace With Christ has been a major contributor to the fund during the past 2 years. Thank you for your generosity…and we all need to thank our Good Lord for blessing this congregation with a heart for missions and especially the missions that will be accomplished through the training of pastors at the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Pretoria, South Africa. On behalf of the Southern Africa Projects Committee, Rocky Mountain District, I thank each and every one of you who have contributed to the fund. But, we all have at least one more opportunity to contribute to the total goal of $500,000, of which nearly $340,000 has now been contributed. On Sunday May 31, Peace With Christ will celebrate “Closure” Mission Sunday. The final request for contributions for MISSION: Southern Africa will occur on May 31. The funds collected on that Sunday will be taken to the District Convention by our convention delegate to be placed in the special convention offering to be conducted. In addition, during Bible class, Pastor and Pat will discuss their experiences while in South Africa and Botswana. Dear friends in Christ, pray for the success of the fund drive, and please consider participating in the collection on May 31. Blessings, Harry Krueckeberg RMD, SAPC member
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Presenting CGATFPWC And what in heaven’s sake is CGATFPWC? On Sunday June 7, the Church Governance Awareness Task Force of Peace With Christ will hold its first congregational awareness forum. What is this task force? It is a group of members who have decided to learn more about the workings of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod and the Rocky Mountain District and want to share their information with you and you and you!. What have you heard about Synod? Or the District? What have you heard that disturbs you? Is what you have heard the truth or just rumor? June 7 is the Sunday (during the Bible class time) to get the straight scoop to the extent that the Task Force has been able to determine. What is the LCMS? What developments in the synod might effect our congregation in the future? What is “Ablaze” and “Fan Into Flame”? The Task Force of eight members of PWC is attempting to create an awareness within the congregation of what is going on in synod and the district. As actions take place at the Synodical and District levels, the Task Force will attempt to keep the congregation abreast of what is happening. Please join us on June 7 as the Task Force presents its initial briefing of Peace With Christ concerning the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod and the Rocky Mountain District. See you on June 7. (Contributed by Harry Krueckeberg)
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The Kido Family I had the great joy of sitting down with Deb and Toku awhile back to get to know them a bit more and to then in turn help you get to know them. We started talking about what brought them to Peace With Christ. Deb explained that she began searching for a new church when she began questioning Toku’s bibilical teaching. Also, they needed to find something in Ft. Collins. While Deb and Toku weren’t quite used to the liturgical structure of a Lutheran church, when they visited Peace With Christ in August of 2008, they really liked it. They were warmly welcomed right away. Where Deb and Toku had been attending worship for the past 6 years was really large. Only a couple people actually knew Toku. This is in direct contrast with their experience at Peace With Christ. While Deb was mostly unfamiliar with Lutheranism, she did know of Garrison Keillor. :) Toku chimed in a bit with her likes and things that amuse her at Peace With Christ. She likes Sunday School and what she calls the “coffee shop.” Pastor’s jokes make her laugh. She also likes learning scripture, some of the games, and the worksheets. Apparently some of the songs in Sunday School Openings are “a little weird,” but she likes to request “I am a C…” Deb and Toku have a wonderful home life with its ups and downs. They pray together at bedtime with a short devotion of a Bible Story or Psalm. Deb also does her own devotions. Aside from those set aside times for “the family altar,” faith is such an integral part of their life. As Deb says, “it’s just a part of everything.” They must marvel together at God’s beautiful creation on their summer-time walks and moments of just sitting and talking early mornings.
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If you know Toku, you know that she likes to talk and is very creative. Ask her sometime about her home movies and holiday crafts. Perhaps she gets her crafty side from Deb who is a quilter and hear say says that she’s pretty good with origami as well. Deb wants you to know that she really appreciates the community here even as she’s still learning. Have a most blessed continuation of this joyous Easter Season! Grace & Peace, Deaconess Claire
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How to get involved in the work of the church If you are seeking work with monetary reward in a church setting, this may require an investment in time and education, but getting involved in church work on a volunteer basis is usually quite easy. There is always something to be done and the possibilities are endless. Let us explore what it means to get involved with the “work” of the church. It is important to belong to an organized church because as a Christian we need the fellowship of other Christians and the opportunity to learn and grow in our faith! Being a member of a church, even if your congregation does not require it, means using your resources of assets, time, and talent in a God pleasing way. We give not to receive any reward, recognition, or favor. We do it to express our adoration of our God and to express the joy and our thankfulness for His amazing gifts to us which allow our eternal life.
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What needs to be done? Everything! As I said before the possibilities are endless. What skills has God blessed you with? See if you cannot match yourself up with a good fit. Your church may even have organized service groups that you can join. Are you a good driver? Maybe part of your tithe is picking up a member that needs transportation. See how simple it can be? Common Areas of Volunteer Opportunities 1. Worship Sing in the Choir. Play an instrument. Usher. Assist in the nursery. Greet members and visitors. Help plan hymns for the services. 2. Education Lead a Bible study. Host a Bible study. Assist with Sunday school or Preschool. Provide supplies or treats for Bible study or Fellowship time. 3. Facility and operations Join the management board. Set-up items needed for services. Help decorate for Holidays. Do simple repairs. Assist with office duties. 4. Service to congregation Transport members for services and events. Help church members that have need or are experiencing tough times. Assist with meals for special events such as baptisms, funerals, or weddings. Teach life skills to younger members. Organize support or service groups. Visit members in nursing homes. Send members get well cards or well wishes for special occasions, or sympathy cards 5. Service to others Join LWML or another service organization. Organize an LLL branch. Create your witness statement and share it with others. 6. Spiritual Support Organize or participate in a prayer chain. Pray daily for the church, church members, and church leaders.
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Getting started Contact your church leaders or your church office to see what opportunities are available. Do not be discouraged if they do not have ideas for you to get involved. Often they are just too busy to organize a list of needs and/or members have not shared their needs. You may need to come up with your own service ideas. For example, maybe you've decided the earlier example of transporting someone to church on Sundays is a good idea, but the church leaders are not aware of anyone needing help. Advertise in the church bulletin! You can keep searching for other ways to help. Do not be put off if your congregation requires proof of license or even requires a background check. It may be a legal requirement or deemed a moral requirement in this sinful world. The hectic pace of life may keep you from tithing more than 10% of your free time to your church, and your tithe may only come to a few minutes a day. Do not be discouraged as prayer chains, note writing, or telephoning are all within the realm of possibilities.
Lutheran Family Services Annual Child Abuse Prevention Dinner ‘Anything Can Happen’! Monday, May 18th at 6:00pm Tickets: $50/person & $90/couple Candlelight Dinner Playhouse 4747 Marketplace Dr., Johnstown Purchase tickets, contact Doyle Lott at 303-217-5860 or
[email protected] or visit www.lfsco.org
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HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO……… Chad & Robin Hamilton Richard & Elenore Lund Eric & Marcy Petago Tom & Marilyn Lasich Joyce & Greg Beck John & Barb Volk Karen & Dave McCoy Taylor & Tiffany Wiginton Dan & Shawna Prevedel David & Lynn Boehnke Dean & Shirley Farrier Bill & Julie Cheuvront Scott & Natalie Boehnke
May 1, 2004 May 1, 1960 May 7, 1988 May 8, 1981 May 14, 1977 May 20, 2006 May 22, 1976 May 25, 2007 May 26, 1990 May 29, 1994 May 29, 1953 May 30, 1992 May 30, 1992
We apologize if we missed your anniversary. Please notify the church office to update.
Financial Update As of March 2009 2009 budget: $359,000.00 Year-to-date total PWC income:
$94,722.14
Year-to-date total PWC expenses: $94,024.08 Net Income: $698.06
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HAPPY MAY BIRTHDAY TO……. Joe Walters Larry Siegfried Scott Dahlgren Barbara Holder James Pennington Corey Dahlgren Connie Jesser David Chandler Chuck Black Katie Petago Charles Spillman Marge Westhoff Gennavive Inscho Nancy Moore Scott Boehnke Skyler Yeldell Megan Chandler Megan Foster Robert Sharp Fredrick Upham Gwenevere Inscho Dean Schipper Toku Kido Tiffany Wiginton Karen Carlson Carol Caspersen Doug Scheiwe Nick Allison Heather Scheiwe Adelaide Moellenhoff Shaundra Schultz Mike Allerheiligen Katie Cheuvront
1st 2nd 3rd 3rd 4th 5th 5th 8th 9th 9th 12th 12th 13th 13th 15th 16th 17th 17th 19th 19th 20th 20th 21st 25th 26th 26th 27th 28th 28th 29th 29th 30th 31st
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RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
1412 West Swallow Road Fort Collins, CO 80526
PEACE WITH CHRIST LUTHERAN CHURCH
Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Permit #355 Fort Collins, Colorado 80521