E-notes (Page 3)

Dear Peace Members and Friends of Peace, I hope you having a good July 4th holiday week/weekend!   This Sunday in worship (9:30am), we’ll conclude our current sermon series, “Following Jesus in Mark’s Gospel.” In the early chapters of Mark’s Gospel, Jesus has been teaching Discipleship 101 to his followers. Lessons have included the importance of both resting and remembering we belong to God; that we have, not only our own family but God’s family to bless and support us along…

June 28, 2024  Dear Peace Members,  I know that a number of you are traveling this coming July 4th week (more about this celebration near the end of this e-note). God’s blessings on your travel, your reunions, your gatherings, and all your celebrations!  This Sunday in worship (9:30am), we continue in our sermon series, “Following Jesus in Mark’s Gospel.” In Sunday’s Gospel scene, Jesus meets a desperate woman who has suffered from hemorrhaging for 12 years. She has not only…

June 21, 2024 Dear Peace Members,  Believe it or not, I was once a Boy Scout and scouting was, in part, about earning merit badges at summer camp. One of those awards was swimming. And one of the requirements for the badge was to pass a time test treading water. I was pushed off a dock and told, “Keep your head above water.” My fear? I was way, way in over my head.   In Sunday worship (9:30am), we’re going to…

Dear Peace members and friends of Peace, Many years ago, I had the opportunity to attend a workshop about helping organizations discover their strengths. At the beginning of the workshop, the speaker asked us to finish this sentence: “The thing that is wrong with most organizations is…….” Then he said, “The answer that you have just given to this sentence is what you will be looking for before you begin working with a group. That is your point of view.…

Dear Peace members and friends of Peace, Did you know that Jesus had siblings? Yes, Mary and Joseph were his earthly parents, of course, but Mark’s Gospel also tells us that Jesus also had 4 brothers and a few sisters (Mark 6). Jesus had a family! Not only that he didn’t always get along with his family (sound familiar?).   On Sunday in worship (9:30am), continue in our sermon series, “Following Jesus in Mark’s Gospel” with a message about Jesus’ family,…

Dear Peace members and friends of Peace, After a couple of weeks away, I will be back in worship on Sunday. My wife, Marcie, and I have been on vacation in Europe and are really looking forward to being with you! On Sunday, we begin a sermon series, “Following Jesus in Mark’s Gospel.” The series starts with Jesus’ discussion about the Sabbath. This topic couldn’t be more timely. Many of you busy, busy people switch gears into summer and we…

Dear Peace members and friends of Peace, This Sunday is The Holy Trinity (worship at 9:30). Pastor Joe writes, “in mainline Protestantism, the first Sunday after Pentecost is commonly celebrated as Holy Trinity Sunday. Whereas Pentecost Sunday (last Sunday) sees us celebrate the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, this day proclaims the gift of that Spirit: faith in God who is three-in-one—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer. This holy mystery is the foundation of our faith and…

Dear Peace members and friends, This Sunday is the Day of Pentecost, a festival day in the church that comes 50 days after Easter. Pastor Joe writes: On the Day of Pentecost, we celebrate the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the entirety of the early church. This is the same Spirit that Jesus promised to his disciples—and to us. And so, filled with and empowered by the Spirit, our challenge then becomes the discernment of how we will join…

Dear Peace members and friends, I’m guessing that yesterday was likely a fairly normal day. I know it was for me. We welcomed a group of Peace older adults for lunch. We heard the musical group, Bloomingtone’s sing. There was no rain. The sun shone. That was Thursday. Which is too bad because yesterday was also the 40th day after Easter and a red-letter day on the church calendar—the Ascension of Our Lord. Ascension Day marks the end of the…

May 3, 2024 Dear Peace members and friends, A happy May to you all! In spite of the rain, I hope you’re enjoying the green, green, green of creation around us coming to life once again. On Sunday, we continue celebrating the good news of Easter. This season of the church year reminds us that the resurrection of Christ does not only have to do with what happens after we die but, first of all, it has to do with…

Dear Peace members and friends, 30 years ago tomorrow, a momentous event happened in Africa and the world. For the first time, black South Africans were able to vote in a national election. Nelson Mandela became the country’s first President and, 2 years later, won the Nobel Peace Prize. What is seldom remembered is that Mandela shared that prize with another South African leader, F. W. de Klerk. For reasons that are still not completely clear, de Klerk (brought up…

Dear Peace members and friends, Coming up this weekend is that annual Sunday of the Easter season that is often called, “Good Shepherd Sunday.” “I am the good shepherd,” Jesus declares in Sunday’s Gospel. And here’s one thing in this reading that becomes clear: Jesus does everything that ultimately matters. 5 times in 8 short verses he says, “I lay down my life”—for us! For you; for me! To confess that Jesus is our shepherd is to also say that…