Greetings from Peace Lutheran Church as the last days of October soon turn to cooler days of November!
I continue to be grateful to be serving this congregation that has so many fine program opportunities – Bible Studies, Sunday School, Adult Education, music offerings, and so much more! (Didn’t the Sunday School Singers sound great during last week’s Reformation Service? And our Confirmation Students are looking forward to being more visible on Sunday mornings as they welcome people to worship! Finally, don’t forget to sign up for a Listening Session if you haven’t already. Our Transition Team needs your help!) As I hope you know by now, my ministry here INSIDE the congregation is my top ministry priority. That said, there are also secondary priorities OUTSIDE the congregation which sometimes call me to places offsite. For instance, this past week I attended the annual Fall Ministerium that took place at one of our neighboring Lutheran churches in Roseville. Each fall, the pastors from the Minneapolis Area Synod and the St. Paul Area Synod gather for worship, for conversation, and for a formal presentation. This year our speaker was Dr. Paul Pribbenow, president of Augsburg University in Minneapolis. Since joining Augsburg in 2006, Pribbenow has enhanced the university’s role as an active community partner in its urban setting. Under his leadership, Augsburg changed its name from Augsburg College to Augsburg University, recognizing its expansive academic mission serving undergraduate and graduate students on campus and at locations around the world. I’m very grateful that Peace is connected to such a vast network of congregations, ministries, and institutions like Augsburg!
Today, October 31, we will be having the funeral for Joyce Nelson at 11:00 am. All are welcome to attend. Please keep her family in your prayers as they mourn this loss.
And on Sunday we will be celebrating All Saints Sunday. During worship we will remember by name all the Peace members who were baptized in the past year as well as those who have died in the past year. And we will also remember all the people whose names you have written down in our All Saints Memory Book. Please join us for this meaningful service when we celebrate all the saints that make up God’s church – even YOU!
God’s Peace,
Pastor Jeff Engholm
PS Daylight savings time ends! Don’t forget to set your clocks back one hour Saturday night!
PPS Don’t forget to sign up at the information kiosk for the Fall Adult Fellowship Dinner on Saturday, November 15!