Blogs And Devotionals (Page 4)
CYF Blast February 13, 2025
Dear Families and Friends of Peace, Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day, a day to celebrate love—a subject that the Bible talks about a lot! For example, 1 John 4 proclaims: “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we…
E-Note February 7, 2025
Dear Peace Members and Friends, We had a good annual meeting last Sunday! Among other church matters, ministry reports were presented, gratitude to many was offered, a budget was passed for 2025 (totaling $776,546), new council members elected (Robin Kennedy, Michelle Stockinger, and Tom Tisthammer), and there was good conversation. My thanks to everyone who attended! Beginning this Sunday, I’ll be taking some vacation time with my wife, Marcie. Meanwhile, the season of Epiphany continues in worship. Pastor Joe will…
CYF Blast February 6, 2025
Dear Families and Friends of Peace, As I mentioned last month—and as you’ve hopefully seen in the Blast, Sunday worship bulletin, and the Peace website—our deadline for summer camp registration is quickly approaching! The deadline to sign up for Camp Wapo Seeds, Camp Wapo Youth Camp, Camp Wapo Family Camp, and the Boundary Waters canoe trip through Wilderness Canoe Base is just one week away—next Saturday, February 15. After that, the spots that are reserved for our congregation become open to…
E-Note January 31, 2025
Dear Peace Members and Friends, Last Sunday in the Adult Education Hour, we previewed Sunday’s annual meeting and then met in small groups to talk about ministry at Peace. I was reminded once again of how faithful and talented our congregation is, and how joyful it is when God’s people gather together! So it’s all the more reason to look forward to the annual meeting of our congregation on Sunday at 10:45am in the sanctuary. This meeting is an opportunity…
CYF Blast January 30, 2025
Dear Families and Friends of Peace, This Sunday, immediately after worship, we will gather together as a congregation for the Peace Annual Meeting. During it we will review and rejoice in our 2024 ministries, elect new church council members, pass our 2025 budget, and hear some of the wonderful ways God has been moving through our community. In addition, I hope you’ll read through our Annual Report, which will be available at the meeting. The booklet contains ministry reports from me…
E-Note January 24, 2025
Dear Peace Members and Friends, I wonder if, before you read the rest of my note, you would pause to pray for two groups; for all who remain affected by the wildfires in California, including the firefighters, and also all those in Israel/Palestine; giving thanks for the truce and praying for all those who are just beginning to recover from that long and horrible conflict. Thank you. So why do people come to worship? There are all sorts of answers…
CYF Blast January 23, 2025
Dear Families and Friends of Peace, Last week in Confirmation, our students discussed the section of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount called “The Beatitudes”—where Jesus invited people to change their perspective on what it meant to be God’s people and to be a part of God’s kingdom. Jesus wanted everyone to know—despite what society had said about them—that they were blessed and loved by God, and that God had made a place for them in God’s kingdom. Inspired by this,…
E-Note January 17, 2025
Dear Peace Members and Friends, Wherever you are, I hope you’re staying warm! I identify with Garrison Keillor when he describes a recent return to Minnesota cold: “Nobody is out for a walk, nobody is hanging out, everyone is heading briskly for a car or for a warm building. And there is no complaining. This is the remarkable thing. Nobody says, “My God, it’s cold out, I have no feeling in my face,” because (1) this is not a personal…
CYF Blast January 16, 2025
Dear Families and Friends of Peace, As of Wednesday, registration for summer 2025 is officially open!Our schedule for summer 2025 is as follows: June 23-26: VBS @ Peace July 27-31: Wilderness Canoe Base July 27-August 1: Wapo Youth Camp August 1-3: Wapo Seeds Weekend August 8-10: Family Camp @ Camp Wapo Please see the “Summer Camps” section below for more information and for registration links. An important note on registration: Registrations are taken on a rolling basis. In other words, the earlier you sign…
E-Note January 10, 2025
Dear Peace Members and Friends, Little did I know that when we had an Adult Education Hour in December on “Preventing Becoming a Victim of Fraud and Scams” that I would become one so soon! Many of you caring (and discerning!) Peace members who received an e-mail or text from me in the last day asking “for help” have written or called to find out whether this was a legitimate request from me. To which I said to them and now to all of you: “This…
CYF Blast January 9, 2025
Dear Families and Friends of Peace, As we step into the new year, there are a lot of things that might catch us by surprise. For example, it’s already time to start planning for this summer! Our schedule for summer 2025 is as follows: Vacation Bible School will be hosted at Peace once again, and in partnership with Community of the Cross Lutheran Church. Our students will be venturing to the True North, where they will learn about “Trusting Jesus in…
E-Note January 3, 2025
Dear Peace Members and Friends, Remember Christmas? It’s almost a distant memory now. Many have packed up their trees, the decorations, and returned gifts that didn’t make the cut (or the size!). Those lights don’t seem to twinkle so brightly and the lefse is gone. And we plod into the new year because winter—real winter—begins now. Christmas? “Hark!” the herald angels sang. Then they stopped. And now it seems we are left to fend for ourselves. Not so fast! Sunday…