Blogs And Devotionals (Page 19)
E-Note October 20, 2023
Dear Peace members and friends, At the end of this e-note, I send along a letter of appreciation from Bishop, Sani-Ibrahim Azar, the Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land (ELCJHL). After all that has happened in Israel/Palestine this week, I hope you’ll take a moment to read his words of faith and gratitude. “Teacher, is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?” “Should we or shouldn’t we, Jesus? Yes or no?” Jesus has been teaching about…
CYF Blast October 19, 2023
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! …
E-Note October 13, 2023
October 13, 2023 Dear Peace members and friends, As this week has gone on, we have been shocked and heartbroken as we have learned of the increasing violence of the conflict between Hamas and Israel and the growing number of deaths and injuries. At the end of this e-note there are some comments and a prayer that I encourage you to pray for those in Israel/Palestine. This Sunday we continue our sermon series, “The Hard Sayings of Jesus.” I think one of the hardest things about…
CYF Blast October 12, 2023
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…
E-Note October 6, 2023
Dear Peace members and friends, I came out the door this morning on my way to church, and I immediately asked myself, “What happened to summer?!?” Then, upon getting to the office, I read again the Gospel for this Sunday. It was summer in Galilee, too. Winds blowing off the Mediterranean from the west. (Sounds wonderful!) Luke says that great crowds followed Jesus, “…..thousands, so that the trampled on one another (12:1).” Jesus was catching on, becoming a celebrity. Then Jesus, along the way,…
CYF Blast October 5, 2023
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…
E-Note September 29, 2023
Dear Peace members and friends, I’m looking forward to Sunday! In worship we begin a new sermon series, “Hard Sayings of Jesus.” Jesus was a teacher and, often, he got a strong response. He told stories and one-liners that turned the common views of God and us upside down. As a result, Jesus offended some people…or just left them more than a little confused and puzzled! So, over these next weeks, we’re going to look at some of those hard sayings of Jesus and unpack…
CYF Blast September 28, 2023
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,…
E-Note September 22, 2023
Dear Peace members and friends, A blessed and good fall Friday morning to all of you! I’m looking forward to Sunday…..for many reasons. There’s worship, for one. Worshipping together is at the center of everything we do at Peace. It is, simply, why we exist. Taking time to thank God for all our blessings, refresh our faith for the week ahead, and be in community with one another sustains both you as an individual and all of us as a congregation. The time…
CYF Blast September 21, 2023
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. …
E-Note September 15, 2023
Dear Peace members and friends, It was terrific to see so many of you last Sunday! Children and families gathered inside and outside as we began the Sunday School year. The Peace Choir blessed us in worship. The smiling faces! All in all, a great Sunday; thank you to all! This Sunday, we continue the sermon series, “Church and Community.” As you know, when Jesus called the disciples to “follow me,” he called them not just as individuals, but as a group. You and I have been…
CYF Blast September 14, 2023
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…