Dear Peace Members and Friends of Peace,
I still remember it: my first computer. My wife, Marcie, had schemed with our nephew and there in the living room, on Christmas morning, sat a new computer. In that moment, a new world was born for me. Now I had access to a whole new unseen universe (“the world-wide web”!). And there was a whole new way of living that went along with this new contraption. No more typewriter. No more carbon paper. No more dictionary and encyclopedias. A whole new thing had happened in my life.
I’m thinking that the Apostle Paul might have had something of the same feeling when he heard, on that road to Damascus, the voice of the Risen Christ say to him: “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” In that moment, a whole new world was born for Saul, then Paul, and he saw things with new eyes. And, along with a new way of seeing, there came a new way of living that went with it.
That is one of the reasons why I’m looking forward to worship on Sunday (9:30am). We get to hear Paul tells us about this new world and what it meant in his letter to the Corinthian Christians. We hear a summary of what Paul’s new life and ministry was all about, and what ours’ is all about, too, in a message entitled, “A Whole New World.” We’ll share in Holy Communion and hear a Children’s Message, as we gather together as a people of God to worship, support, and encourage one another.
This week the Service and Mission Committee received an urgent request from VEAP (Volunteers Enlisted to Assist People), our local Bloomington food shelf. VEAP reported that food-shelf appointments are up 33%. Typically, VEAP sees about 150 families/day. Now they are seeing approximately 200 families/day. There are more appointment requests from the same families. During the pandemic, families visited VEAP on average 9 times per year. Now households are requesting visits 15 times per year. And there are an increased number of visits from new households—+28% compared to this time last year.
So VEAP is asking for more food shelf items and/or financial donations to keep their food shelves stocked. Current “most needed” items are: laundry detergent, paper products (paper towels, toilet paper), dish soap, personal care items (shampoo, toothpaste, hand soap, toiletries), diapers, baby wipes, flour, sugar, and cooking oil. You can drop items at church and/or make a check out to Peace Lutheran Church and write “VEAP” in the memo line. Thank you for anything that you can do!
See you in worship!
Mark