Posts by Pastor Joe Orner (Page 3)

Dear Families and Friends of Peace, A very happy Thanksgiving to you all! As you gather together with family and friends this weekend, I pray that your time together would be filled with love and joy. That you would be able to laugh over old stories, see the smiles of your loved ones across tables of delicious food, feel the satisfaction of a full stomach, and enjoy a time of peace and rest and relaxation (after everyone helps clean up!).  And as…

Dear Peace Parents and Families, Last Friday, November 10th, our Confirmation students had the privilege of visiting Temple Israel, a Jewish synagogue in Minneapolis. Temple Israel describes themselves as an “urban congregation dedicated to serving a diverse community,” and it was actually the first synagogue established in Minneapolis. Additionally, it’s currently one of the ten largest Jewish congregations in the United States.  We began the evening with a tour the synagogue and some conversation time with our host, Jonathan. After, we…

Dear Peace Parents and Families, As we move through November and daylight “savings” time has hit, it’s clear that warm and  colorful fall has officially become cold and dull fall. For me personally, all the seasonal change can be pretty challenging–especially as it gets so dark so early.   I have a distinct memory from a few years ago that describes my viewpoint on late fall well. Looking for something to help improve my mood, I went to Bed Bath and Beyond…

Dear Peace Parents and Families, Thanks to everyone who came out to our Trunk or Treat event this last Saturday—and for persevering through the cold weather! I was so grateful to all those who hosted trunks as well. Each of you displayed top-notch hospitality and creativity.  In reflection on the event, I want to give you a small look into how big of an impact you all had. Three examples: This event truly would not be possible without you—kids, parents, trunk hosts, community…

Dear Peace Parents and Families, Over the last two weeks, students in Confirmation and Sunday School have been working on a service project—making care packages to send to Peace’s college students around the country.  I’ve been so impressed with the time and intentionality all of the students put into making their cards and the kind and encouraging notes they wrote inside. And I know that our college students will really appreciate receiving the packages too—especially as they prepare for their upcoming midterm exams, projects,…

Dear Peace Parents and Families, We’re just one week away—Trunk or Treat is almost here! Next Saturday, October 28, from 3:30-4:30pm (people hosting trunks should arrive at 3:00pm), we are so excited to welcome kids and families from all across our neighborhood and community for this event. With your help, we hope to greet them with a wonderful and joyous hospitality, which will include plenty of candy, smiles, and laughs—and I’m sure there will be plenty of all three to go around! …

Dear Peace Parents and Families, It’s been very disheartening to see and hear about the terrible acts of violence and war that are occurring in the Middle East; it’s even more tragic to see and hear how those acts of violence have affected children and families and communities and countless innocent people. It’s times like these when it’s important to turn to our loved ones for support and to God in prayer. As we also navigate how to discuss violence…

Dear Peace Parents and Families, On Sunday we concluded our 3-week series during the Education Hour on Teen Mental Health and welcomed in Dr. Marguerite Ohrtman, who spoke on the impact of social media on teens and adults. Dr. Ohrtman is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor at Next Adventure Counseling and Consulting and the Director of School Counseling and Clinical Training at the University of Minnesota in the Counselor Education Program. During the session, Dr. Ohrtman shared that about 90% of…

Dear Peace Parents and Families, On Sunday, Sandy Mortensen led our education hour and discussed the subject of values and mental health.  Her primary thesis was this: When life presents challenges, when you experience self-doubt and low self-esteem, or when you’re experiencing mental health issues like anxiety or depression, there are steps we can take to manage them well. First, we can reflect on our values to remind ourselves of what’s most important. Second, we can take value-based actions to recenter ourselves. Third,…

Dear Peace Parents and Families, I’m so grateful to those of you who attended Sunday’s education session on teen mental health. As someone who has worked with students for over a decade, I can’t emphasize enough how important an issue it is for them and needs to be for you. For those who weren’t able to attend, mental health has been declining in the United States—across all ages and demographics—for decades. But it has been particularly poignant among American teenagers. …

Dear Peace Parents and Families, Thank you to everyone who made Gathering Sunday and our Fall Kickoff Festival so fun! It warmed my heart to see all the smiling faces, hear all the laughs and good conversations, and feel all of the positive and Spirit-filled energy. As we look ahead and move forward into the fall, there will be plenty more opportunities to grow in faith and community—for all ages. On Sundays we have worship, fellowship time, adult education, Sunday…

Dear Peace Parents and Families, Gathering Sunday is this weekend, and I am so excited to begin the new year of ministry together. We will kick it off with worship at 9:30am, a brief Sunday School Preview immediately following worship, and a Fall Kickoff Festival in the upper parking lot at 10:45am. We’ll have snow cones, walking tacos, and plenty of games. Everyone is invited—we hope you can make it! And as we move into the fall season, I want…