Newsletter - March 2024

From Pastor's Desk

When I was a kid I was always wearing bandages. It seems like my siblings and I were always going out getting bumps and bruises and having to have bandages put on. Before my mother would put on the bandage she would always put something on it first. She would put on iodine. This medicine did a great job of killing germs, but do you know what the problem was? It STUNG! Yes, it burned like crazy. It made me want to not even tell my mother I got hurt, because the cure was worse than the injury. Then somebody invented a wonderful thing called Neosporin (and/or bactine). For some reason, it did not sting when you put it on your sore. The inventor of this product figured out how to leave the medicine in and take the sting away. It was wonderful! I didn’t have to risk letting my injury get infected because I was afraid to use the medicine. I gladly let my mother put it on my sore. The power to heal was still there, but the sting was gone! That’s what Jesus does with the most terrible injury of all. That’s what Jesus does with death. Most people don’t want to die. Death can be painful. Raise your hand if someone you know or love has died. It hurt, didn’t it? Death makes people feel sad and alone and afraid. It’s the worst sting we could imagine. That’s what the devil wants us to feel. He put the hurt in death, and he doesn’t want us to know that death doesn’t have to hurt forever. When Jesus died on the cross, He healed us of our sins, and in the process He felt the sting that the devil caused. Now when we die or when someone we love dies, that sting is gone. Now when someone who believes in Jesus dies, we know that person is really still alive in heaven. And heaven doesn’t hurt. Jesus heals our sadness, loneliness, and fear. We may miss the person who has died, but we know that person is with Jesus, so we are not sad forever. The hurt is healed. We may not realize it but the CROSS OF JESUS is a bandage for us. Jesus through his death and resurrection has taken the sting of death away. Yeah death is painful, but its sting is gone. Now we have the healing knowledge that Jesus has overcome death. This Lenten season we don’t even have to be afraid to die because on Easter Jesus overcome death itself.

Dear Jesus, thank You for taking away the sting of death and sadness by dying for me on the cross. Help me to live with joy, because You are my Savior. Please let me tell others about You, so they can be joyful too.

Amen.

Part of this was taken from: 2011-2012 Chapel Talks: Equipped to Serve 35 (Holy Week).

Holy Week and Easter Schedule

March 24th - Palm Sunday – 10:00 AM

March 29th - Good Friday Service – 7:30 PM

March 31st Easter Sunrise Worship 6:30 AM

March 31th - Easter Breakfast – 7:30 AM

March 31th - Easter Communion Service –10:00 AM

Easter Flowers

It's time to order your lily, tulip or daffodil for Easter. The flowers are $10.00 each. Please fill out the form by March 10th and give it to Bette or Dana. No late orders. The altar guild is ordering from a new supplier through another church.

St. Peter Evangelical Lutheran Church 150th Anniversary Committee

This month’s brief history of St. Peter’s beginnings follows the years from 1888-1909

The next spiritual leader Florida called was Pastor William Schust (1888-1891) of Lockwood, Missouri. He was installed by Pastor William L. Fischer of Napoleon on the 25th Sunday after Trinity, 1888. But soon after this, the congregation at Holgate experienced a vacancy, and asked Pastor Schust to also serve their needs. So the agreement was reached between the two neighboring congregations that they be served jointly by the same pastor. And since the pastor was to teach religious school at Holgate, he took up his residence in the parsonage there. Up to that time Florida had not acquired a minister’s home. The first resident pastor boarded with parish families. However, the majority of the Florida membership preferred to have their pastor in their own midst, so the congregation decided to release Pastor Schust to Holgate altogether and to join with the sister congregation in North Richland Township in calling a new pastor.

This call was submitted to Candidate Ernest Gottlieb Juengel (1891-1893) of the seminary at St. Louis. This young man was ordained and installed at Florida on the 17th Sunday after Trinity, 1891, by his father, the Reverend H. Juengel. But his stay proved to be of short duration as in 1893 he accepted a call to serve a church in Cleveland.

During the following vacancy of seven months. Pastor Herman Diemer of the South Ridge congregation supplied the needs of Florida to the best of his time and ability. Three times Florida called in vain. Then Candidate Henry Kasper Rottmann (1894-1908) from the seminary at Springfield, Illinois was called successfully and Pastor Diemer ordained and installed him on July 29, 1894.

Under Pastor Rottmann’s leadership of fifteen years, the Florida congregation flourished and progressed visibly. It was during this time that the church building was enlarged and the first parsonage erected and other improvements were made. The parochial report of the year 1900 read: Souls: 183; communicants 97; voting members 23; Summer school pupils: 25; baptisms: 13; confirmation 7: marriages 2; burials 1. 8

Re-printing excerpt from “Word and Sacraments 100 Years September 13, 1875 - September 13, 1975” - Centennial Anniversary Booklet

A Peek at Preschool

Dear Christian friends,

Our preschoolers recently celebrated Valentine's Day in a special way by creating Candygrams for the incredible medical workers and church members in our community. It was heartwarming to see the joy they brought to others with their thoughtful gestures.

In another exciting event, we were thrilled to welcome the K9 Comfort Dog Ministry to visit our classroom. The children were overjoyed to interact with these furry friends and experience the comfort and love they bring. Additionally, Dr. Kamcza from Mercy Medical Hospital visited us to share valuable insights on keeping our bodies healthy, educating our little ones on the importance of taking care of themselves.

Mark your calendars for our upcoming events! Our Open House is scheduled for March 5 from 5:30-7:00 PM, offering a wonderful opportunity for new families to explore our preschool. Don't forget to join us for our Community Easter Event on Sunday, March 24 from 3:00-5:00 pm. We are also seeking donations of candy and gently used or new baskets for our Easter raffles to make this event extra special.

Thank you for being part of our St. Peter Lutheran Preschool family. We look forward to creating more cherished memories together!

Love,

Ms. Emilie & Ms. Stephanie

Newsletter - February 2024

From Pastor's Desk  

Do you have some places you’d like to return? Have you said to a family member “Could we go back there?”  Last summer my family went to the Lake of the Ozarks and we liked it so much we are talking about going  back. Maybe you had a similar great day at the park or at the beach. Maybe your family went on a vacation  and you’d like to go back to that same special place. Sometimes children enjoy a visit with grandparents or  friends and they ask, “When can we go back?”  

 The Old Testament reading for Ash Wednesday is usually Joel 2:12-19. It begins: 12 “Yet even now,”  declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;  13 and rend your hearts and not your garments.” Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful,  slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster.  

 The prophet Joel is saying to God’s people, “Let’s return. Let’s go back.” Prophet Joel was not talking  about going back to a special place. He was writing about going back to a special God. The children of Israel  had wandered from God. They had wandered off to look for other gods and to worship idols. Those gods  could not hear them or help them. In their desperation, they called for God to find them and bring them back.  When we get lost and when we wander from God, the Holy Spirit leads us to say, “Let’s go back.” Sin leaves  us lost and lonely. We want to go back to the place where we are safe. We want to go back to the God who  loves us and forgives us.  

 When Israel went back they would find a loving God who would welcome them and bless them. Jesus  told the story of the prodigal son who wandered from his father. The father saw the son coming back home  and he welcomed him back to his family. Just like it’s great to go back to a special place, it’s always great to  be welcomed back to God. God welcomes us back to His Church where we learn more about Him and love  worshiping and serving Him.  

 God used a prophet to lead His people back to Him. Who are some of the people who lead us back to God  when we wander from Him (our parents, teachers, Christian friends, etc.)? We thank God for the people who  lead us back when we are tempted to wander from Him.  

 Let us Pray: Jesus, bless us as we pray, “Let’s go back!” Lead us back to Your cross where we see You  dying for our sins. Lead us back to Your empty tomb where we celebrate that You rose for us. Thank You  for welcoming us back again and again. Amen.  

Part of this was taken from: 2014-15 Chapel Talks for Lutheran Schools Stand in Mercy: 31

Lenten Meals

Join us for a warm meal with fellowship during Lent at 6:00 pm preceding the worship services. Invite friends, neighbors, and family. The meals begin on February 21st and go through March 20th. Please see the sign-up sheet in the narthex if you'd like to help prepare a meal. We generally serve 15-20 people and 2-3 people sign up per meal. If you have questions, talk to Bridgett Volkert (419-487-2744).

St. Peter – Adopted Seminarian Greetings

To the LWML and Congregation of St. Peter Lutheran Church, grace, mercy, and peace be to you from our Lord Jesus Christ this Christmas season! This is Seth Horn, writing to wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! I hope all has been well for you this Christmas season! Christmas is always a wonderful time of the year, doubly so when you don't get to see your family as often as you used to, like in my case. I hope you all have been in good health and God has provided for all your needs and maybe even some of your wants this Christmas season. I came and visited your Advent Potluck some time ago and was very pleased by the warmth of the people there as well as how nice it was to have such wonderful food! It was a pleasure to come and see the church that prays for me and supports me. I cannot express enough how grateful I am to receive such help and aid even though I scarcely deserve it. Those cookies that were given to me didn't make it through the night back in the dorm (yes, both boxes)! I was always told that it is a very special feeling, visiting a church that has adopted you. I can thoroughly say that it was a humbling and wonderful moment, seeing the faces of the people who keep me going. Right now, I'm at home with my family until the New Year. Then I go back for another 7 weeks until the quarter is over. I'm currently in the struggle of learning Hebrew which has been exceedingly difficult, but I know God will carry me through it. You'll most likely hear from me then again around that time. Thank you for your continued support, it means more than I can express! By the time I write again, I'll be able to preach sermons so perhaps I'll inquire with Reverend Stuenkel about maybe giving me a shot in the pulpit. It'll be one of my first non-Pentecostal sermons that I'll have the pleasure of preaching. I pray that the New Year will hold wonderful and warm things for you. May He who holds all things together continue to hold you in the palm of His hands.

Seminarian Seth Horn

Quilt Raffle

Quilt Raffle - Orphan Grain Train is selling raffle tickets for a Heart Sampler Quilt 90x95. Tickets are $1 for one or $5 for six. Drawing will be on Friday, June 7, 2024 (the last day of the 424 Sales). Money collected through the raffle will help to offset transportation costs in taking deliveries to Kentucky. If you don't want to purchase a raffle ticket but would like to make a monetary donation for transportation costs that will be an appreciated blessing also. To purchase a raffle ticket contact any OGT Volunteer, or see Nancy Helmke or Cindy Cline.

Celebrating National Lutheran Schools Week

National Lutheran Schools Week provides more than 1,800 preschools, elementary schools and high schools with the public opportunity to proclaim and celebrate God’s work among us in schools of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. We thank God for the opportunity to provide excellent academic preparation for the children we serve. We are most grateful for the opportunity to share Jesus’ amazing love with children and their families. National Lutheran Schools Week gives us an opportunity to proclaim these great blessings within the communities we serve. Our schools are amazing incubators for faithful witness of God’s love for us through Christ by teachers and students alike.

St. Peter Evangelical Lutheran Church 150th Anniversary Committee

This month’s brief history of St. Peter’s beginnings follows the years from 1875 to 1887.

*Pastor Detzer’s successor was Pastor Adalbert Kraft (1870-1876) who was installed on September 18, 1870. During his tenure of office, progress was made to the extent that a separate congregation could be formally organized. On September 13, 1875, a constitution was written and signed by the charter members who named the new church for the Apostle St. Peter. Also at this time, subscriptions for the building of a church were gathered from those who were interested in the undertaking. However, this gathering of funds was halted for a time because of the calling away of Pastor Krafft.

After Pastor Krafft had delivered his farewell sermon on the 24th Sunday after Trinity, 1876, Pastor Herman Diemer (1877-1883) was called and installed in April 1877. Now the enthusiasm for the building of a church was revived and by 1880 a nest-egg in the amount of $1,000.00 had been underwritten; half of which had been gathered from members of kindly sister-congregations in Henry and Defiance counties. Soon the building was begun and completed and on Trinity Sunday, 1881, the first Lutheran church in Florida, Ohio, was dedicated to the glory of God. Professor F.W. Stellhorn, of Concordia College, Fort Wayne, and Pastor L. Dulitz, of Napoleon, preached the German festival sermons and Pastor Diemer the English.

During the periods when Pastor Krafft and Diemer provided Florida with church services and official acts, such as baptisms, marriages, etc, these men had their homes in Archbold. Considering the almost impassable country roads of that day and the great distances between the mission stations, it is only natural that these early preachers met with untold hardships on their journeys. But when they would arrive at Florida, they would always find a hearty welcome and good lodging with families such as the Fred Leonhard’s and others.

In 1883 another pastoral vacancy ensued for the Florida congregations when Pastor Diemer accepted a call to Pomeroy, Ohio. At this turn of events the churches in Archbold and Ridgeville Corners decided to call a pastor of their own. So Florida was forced to look elsewhere for spiritual guidance. It did find ready response when Pastor G. M. Zucker of Defiance consented to serve as vacancy pastor. This arrangement lasted for a year and a half, until the Florida congregation extended a call for their own shepherd. The call was received favorably by the St. Louis seminary and on the 12th Sunder after Trinity, 1885, theological candidate Theodore Karl Horst (1885-1888) was installed as the first resident pastor of Florida. From that time forward, it was possible to enjoy divine public worship on every Sunday and to institute religious instruction for the children. Under such single blessings, the congregation grew both spiritually and outwardly for three years when the next interruption occurred. Pastor Horst accepted a call to become the pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church of Toledo, Ohio.

Historical information is reprinted from “Word and Sacraments 100 Years September 13, 1875 - September 13, 1975” - Centennial Anniversary Booklet

Greetings from Preschool

Dear Christian Friends,

Valentine's Day is just around the corner and love is in the air! It's the perfect time to show appreciation for those who matter most in our lives. Our very own St. Peter Lutheran Preschool students are excited to offer personalized candy Grams to help spread some cheer with our church shut-in members and the Filling Home and show someone how much we care. Each candy Gram comes with a full-size candy bar and a special hand-colored card made with love by your children. All proceeds will benefit the local Lutheran Church K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry, making our act of kindness go even further.

Our preschool students will also be joining our Sunday School for a special music service and Chili Cook- Off on February 25th, at St. Peter Lutheran Church. They will be singing "Praise Him, Praise Him, All Ye Little Children". We can't wait to hear their beautiful voices!

We also wanted to share some exciting news about our class guinea pigs, Miss Piggy & Princess Sparkle! They recently visited the Florida Public Library for Storytime and Craft. Area children read stories to our little ladies and our piggies even took home a library card! We are so proud of our furry friends and their love for reading.

Thank you for your continued support of St. Peter Lutheran Preschool. We are committed to providing a loving, nurturing environment where our children can grow and learn.

Blessings,

Ms. Stephanie & Ms. Emilie

Newsletter - January 2024

Pastor’s Desk for January 2024 Happy New Year!

I pray that God blesses us all in 2024! (Many of us will spend Jan 1 st wishing each other a Happy New Year.) One thing people do every year is make New Year’s Resolutions What is a new year without resolutions? They are often things that people plan to do in the new year. Sometimes people give up things like sweets or go on a diet. Other people say they are going to start exercising. For this reason most resolutions are things that people hope to do to make their life happier or healthier. Making resolutions is one thing. But what is the hard part? Sometimes the hard part is sticking to it. I have a family member who has been going to gym just every week for years. He said that the first week after the new year the place is packed. HE also said that by the end of the month the place is back to normal and is nearly empty again. It takes a lot work to carry out resolutions. Often, it takes sacrifice. For example, if someone wants to lose 20 pounds in 2024, what must they give up? Have you ever thought of resolutions having anything to do with God? God tells us He wants the best for us, and so it’s good to make resolutions that improve our lives. But it’s easy to forget other people when we make resolutions. It’s easy to forget plans for serving God and His people. When God chose Solomon to be king of Israel, Solomon made some resolutions for his new life as king in 1 st Kings 3:1-15. His resolution came in the form of prayer. He prayed, “Give your servant . . . an understanding mind to govern you people that I may discern between good and evil . . .” (1 Kings 3:9). Solomon’s resolution was to be the best king possible for God’s people. We can all imagine how much hard work that would take. Do you agree that many of our own resolutions should be about how to help others be happier and healthier? We can make those kinds of resolutions, because when Jesus died to take away our sins, He also gave us the power to serve others as He served people during His time on earth. Resolutions are good; resolutions often are broken. It doesn’t matter what year it is we are going to sin in that year. Every year we need the reminder that God forgives us when we fail at the resolutions. He has blessed us because Jesus perfectly carried out His resolution to be our Savior. Unlike how we sometimes give up on our Resolution, Jesus was determined to save us he went to the cross to die for our sins. That is something to happy about no matter what year it is. 1 Dear Jesus, all that we are and all that we have is Your gift to us. Thank You for the talents You have given to each of us. Help us to use those talents this new year to give You glory and help Your kingdom to grow. Amen. Part of this message came from LCMS 2011-2012 CHAPEL TALKS FOR LUTHERAN SCHOOLS Equipped to Serve: Page 26

“We Care” packages

LWML PROJECT FOR JANUARY is collecting items to fill six (6) "We Care" packages for our 5 college students and our adopted seminarian, Seth Horn. This is an annual project for our congregation and all members are asked to help. Items can include popcorn, hot chocolate mix, snacks, candy, gum, toothbrushes with tooth covers, toothpaste, dry erasers for white boards, combs, nail files, deodorant, Band Aids, personal packs of facial issues, note pads, pencils, pens, stamps, quarters for laundry or vending machines, or inexpensive earbuds – nothing fancy, etc. There is a collection box in the narthex for your contributions of the above items. We will be collecting until February 4 th .

St. Peter Council Church Council

President: Russell Krueger

Vice President: Tim Buchhop

Recording Secretary: Nancy Conrad

Board of Trustees: Roger Jones Steve Franz James Meyer

Board of Elders: Chad Clark David Conrad

Treasurer: Jon Block

Financial Secretary: Judith Meyer

Board of Witness, Outreach and Stewardship: Bridgett Volkert

Building Improvement Fund Treasurer: Judith Meyer

Sunday School Superintendent: Bridgett Volker

Financial Review Committee: Betty Hoy, Sandy Dickman, Sharlene Bunke

Endowment Fund Committee: Dave and Nancy Conrad, Jim Dickman, Tim Buchhop, Nancy Helmke and Mary Ann Ramey

Ushers: Bethany Mathers, Pam Jones, Steven Franz and Mike Volkert

Christmas Committee: Mark and Deb Oberhaus, Chad and Melissa Clark, and Andy and Robyn Helmke

LLL Representative: Steven Franz and James Meyer

Circuit Forum Representative: Thomas Meyer

Filling Memorial Home of Mercy Delegate and Resource Person: Nancy Conrad

St. Peter Evangelical Lutheran Church 150th Anniversary Committee

Happy New Year 2024 from your 150th Anniversary Committee! Your anniversary Committee is already looking to the future and planning for a celebration on Sunday, September 14, 2025. Please save that date and know that there will be many reminders and more details as we get closer to the celebration. We will be reminiscing every month in the newsletter leading up to the celebration by sharing and remembering our history as a congregation. This month we start with the beginning: 1850 - 1875 On September 13, 2025, one hundred fifty years will have passed into history since the St. Peter Evangelical Lutheran Congregation of Florida, Ohio became an officially organized body. The initial beginnings, however, date back much farther than one hundred fifty years. It can be said quite safely, the congregation is really more than a hundred fifty years old. A number of charter members who signed the first constitution of St. Peter in 1875 had settled in and around the village of Florida in the middle part of 1800. As far as can be ascertained, we find among such early Lutheran families the names of Fred Leonhard, William Goldenstern, John Lange, Christian Barth, and William Spengler. These members had not formed an organized congregation before 1875, but up to that time held divine services together with St. Johns - Michaelis Congregation in North Richland Township, Defiance County. The history of St. Peter before 1875 coincides with that of the sister-congregation in Richland Township. This neighboring church which no longer exists, had been served by Pastor Adam Detzer for a number of years, when on January 1, 1854, it was organized under the leadership of Pastor Henry Koenig into a formal congregation. Among the 17 families who constituted the newly founded church there were several who lived in or near Florida, namely the families mentioned above. From 1854 to 1870 these people were supplied with religious services by Pastor Detzer, then residing in Defiance. Already at this time Sunday worship was held now and then in private homes of Florida and later in an old school house, which later was turned into Florida’s Town-hall.

The first recorded baptisms in St. Peter Church Records are:

• Jakob Peter, born July 5, 1851. Parents: Philip and Katharina Peter. Baptized on August 3, 1851.

• Wilhelm Heinrick Stockmann, Born August 5, 1851. Parents: Johann and Maria Stockman. Baptized on August 5, 1852. Witness: Wilhelm Goldenstern

  The first death recorded was:

• Philip Peter, Born on November 7, 1847 and died on March 8, 1855.

  The first marriage was:

• Jacob Thieme and Maria Laucher on November 14, 1854. The first Confirmation Records are dated May 7, 1855. Historical information is reprinted from “Word and Sacraments 100 Years September 13, 1875 - September 13, 1975” - Centennial Anniversary Booklet ( With one hundred fifty years substituted for one hundred years) And from “St. Peter Lutheran Register 1854 - 1920” Translated from German by Mr. Henry zumFelde

Greetings from Preschool

Dear Christians Friends, We want to extend our sincerest gratitude to each and every one of you who generously donated cookies to our recent cookie drive-through event. Your donations will benefit our preschoolers in countless ways, and we are so grateful for your support. Additionally, we wanted to thank you for inviting our preschool families to St. Peter Lutheran Church’s congregational Christmas potluck. It was a wonderful event! During this time, we took the opportunity to talk to the children about the true meaning of Christmas which is about the birth of Jesus Christ our Savior. We introduced the Giving Manager to our preschoolers this year. The Giving Manger helped our students focus this Christmas on giving to others. A piece of straw is placed in the manger for each kind deed or act of service performed. On Christmas Day, the Baby is placed in the manger filled with service and love. We worked together to give gifts of service to others which filled our hearts with more joy during the holding season that ever before. Our manger is now full of the straw that represents the acts of love and service done in honor of Jesus’s birth. We hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and we wish you a happy new year:

Love, Ms. Stephanie and Ms. Emilie

Newsletter - December 2023

From Pastor's Desk

Each December we start a new church year. Each church year starts with the celebration of Advent. What does Advent even mean? Advent means the coming or “arrival” of an important event or person. Just like our family makes preparations when we expect the arrival of a really important person in our lives, so does the church. There are two advents. The first Advent is when we celebrate the coming of our Savior, Jesus. That Advent became reality when Jesus was born at Bethlehem. Jesus came to fulfill God’s plan for our salvation. Jesus fulfilled that plan of Salvation through his death and resurrection. Jesus’ resurrection is good news, because He conquered death and the devil. We now are in the Second Advent, waiting for Jesus’ return to Earth. Yes, He is coming again! Advent is when we remember that Jesus will come again. God tells us in Scripture how we are to prepare for Jesus’ Second Coming. Consider Romans 13:11-14 NIV: 11 And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. 14 Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh. We can put that Armor of God’s light on every day of our lives as we wait Christ’s Second Advent. We can wake each day knowing we are completely cleansed and forgiven because of Jesus’ first coming. You are already ready for Jesus to come again! God tells us the time is almost here. Allow Jesus’ light to shine in you and to the world through you. Live as a redeemed and forgiven child, made strong in faith by the living Savior, Jesus. Daily read God’s Word in the Bible. Daily remember your baptism. Look forward with joy to the time when Jesus comes again to take all believers to heaven. [Prayer] Dear Jesus, thank You for being our Savior. You are indeed Someone Special. Remind us to ask forgiveness when we have done wrong. Help us remember that each of us is someone special to You. Because of Your forgiveness, help us to remain prepared for Your coming again. Help us to tell others about You, so they too will be prepared. In Your dear name we pray. Amen. [Partly taken from Chapel Talks 2008–2009 Jesus Gives Me Strength Page 16. LCMS]

LWML

Thank You Ft. Wayne Seminary Food Bank - November 19 th is the last day for collecting seasonal baking supplies for the seminarians and their families. These items will be taken to the seminary shortly after. Thank you to everyone who donated to this project

Poinsettias

Christmas Poinsettias can remind us that Jesus Birth Is the Reason!!! Please help the Altar Guild beautify our church altar again this Christmas. How?? Contact Deb Oberhaus: 419-980- 0979.

Newsletter - November 2023

Pastor’s desk for November :

Giving thanks for everything God has given us. I’ve been trying to go to more sports events this year. Sometimes it’s hard because I get blasted with memories of my own childhood. I am sometimes reminded of my successes when I won and got a ribbon. But more often I’m reminded of my failures. As we near the end of the church year Jesus wants us to examine ourselves, as we look forward to the end times and the return of Jesus. One parable Jesus told about the end times was Matthew 25:14-30. This parable is also parable about successes and failures. 4 “For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants [ a ] and entrusted to them his property. 15 To one he gave five talents, [ b ] to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. 16 He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. 17 So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. 18 But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money. Jesus’ Parable tells about “talents” a master gives to his servants. The master is Jesus. The servants are people, which includes us. In Jesus’ time, the “talents” were often money, and servants were to use their talents wisely. In the parable the master commends the wise servants and harshly judges the unwise servant who hid his talent. The God who through the Holy Spirit so generously gives us our spiritual blessings also gives us gifts to glorify Him. Just like different students have different gifts in school, so do we. If God has given us musical gifts, we are to use them to sing and play to His glory. If God has given us artistic gifts, we are to use them to share the beauty of His creation. We are to use our minds to learn about His Word and to be the best students possible and to develop abilities to serve others. We use the talents God has given us to learn in school, to help our parents at home, to serve in our community and to bless His church. In every place, we use our talents wisely to serve Jesus. It’s easy when we look at our own “talents” to only see the talents we don’t have. This is a form of burying our talents. In the spirit of thanks, it would better if we reexamined our various talents that God has given us and how can we use them to give thanks to God! Jesus wonderfully invites us to share our God given talents with the world as we wait for his return. The best talent we have been blessed with is faith in Jesus. For this reason we can look forward to being with Him when He comes again. It will be exciting to hear Jesus also say to us, “Well done, good and faithful servants.” 1 Dear Jesus, all that we are and all that we have is Your gift to us. Thank You for the talents You have given to each of us. Help us to use those talents to give You glory and help Your kingdom to grow. Amen.

Part of this message came from LCMS 2020 –21 CHAPEL TALKS FOR LUTHERAN SCHOOLS WEEK 14: Proper 28.

Christmas Potluck

We are excited to announce our Annual Christmas Potluck, which will be held on December 10 th right after our 10:00 am worship service. This is a wonderful opportunity to come together with our church family and friends to celebrate this special time of year. The main meat will be provided, but we kindly ask that you bring your favorite holiday side dish to share with everyone. We can't wait to see what delicious creations you come up with! Our preschool class will also be leading us in prayer, adding a touch of innocence and joy to our gathering. We hope you can join us in getting into the holiday spirit and enjoying each other's company. As always, all are welcome, so bring your loved ones and let's make this a festive occasion to remember!

Annual Cookie Walk Drive Thru & Visit With Santa

Mark your calendars! Jump in your car and come see SANTA and join us for our annual St. Peter Lutheran Preschool “Cookie Walk” on Saturday, December 9 th at St. Peter Lutheran Church in Florida, Ohio. The event will be a Drive-Thru, with boxes of pre-packed homemade Christmas cookies, brownies, puppy chow and/or fudge. Santa will be available to wave and visit with your kiddos in the car! Proceeds will benefit St. Peter Lutheran Preschool.

Greetings from St. Peter Lutheran Preschool

Our preschool class had an amazing time at T22 Farm on October 20 th . Every child had the opportunity to feed and pet the farm animals, go on a hayride, and select their own pumpkin. It was a great experience for them, and we want to thank our Preschool parents who supported us to make this trip possible. We also want to express our gratitude to each of you who volunteered and donated candy and stickers for our upcoming Craft Show & Fall Festival. Our first-ever Craft Show & Fall Festival will take place on October 27 th from 5-7 pm. We are excited about the 17 craft show vendors, bake sale, puppet show, and free-will offering of hotdogs, chips, and apple cider. We are confident that this will be an enjoyable and fun-filled evening for everyone! We are also planning a Pizza Fundraiser that will run until November 5 th . We'd love to have your support for St. Peter Lutheran Preschool during this time. You can find order forms in the narthex. Lastly, we have been learning about Noah's Ark in our Bible Storytime, and we are thrilled to announce that we are moving our Chapel times to 11:00 am. We would like to invite the whole congregation to join us. Our students will sing a song, and Pastor will share a short devotion with us. We will keep you updated on our next chapel date. Thank you for your continued support and love for St. Peter Lutheran Preschool. We hope to see you soon! Best regards, Ms. Stephanie & Ms. Emilie

Newsletter - October 2023

From Pastor's Desk  

Every year I usually write something about Luther. Usually, it’s about how he changed the world, or  helped us to better understand scripture. Today I want to talk about his death. Luther had to deal with a lot of  physical and emotional trauma throughout his life. For one thing he dealt with “Sorrow” for most of his life.  We would today call it “depression”. He had such an acute case of it in 1527. Some believe he had a heart  attack that year since he had extreme moodiness afterword and went several Sundays without preaching.  Luther loss of two of his children before his death. He lost a daughter who did not survive a year. In May of  1542 his fourteen-year-old daughter died from an infection.  

 In his own personal life Luther had suffered from Meniere’s disease, vertigo, fainting, tinnitus, and a  cataract in one eye. In 1536 he suffered from a kidney and bladder stones.  

 His last sermon was in Eisleben, the place of his birth, three days before his death. At the church he  suffered a fainting spell. He was taken up to his room where he lay down. He was given wine to help him  sleep. He awoke at 9, and had a room full of people including his children. He asked his sons to pray for our  “Lord God and his Gospel.” Later in the night he recited John 3:16, and Psalm 31:5. After word he slept  peacefully for about a quarter of an hour. He let out a sigh that sounded like “Ja”. Shortly after his face grew  ashen, and despite frantic efforts to revive him, he gave a deep sigh and moved no more.   At 2:45 am on Feb 18th 1546 Luther died. Some have tried to paint Luther’s death as some horrifying  experience, but he seems to me have died of heart complications and old age. He died with a house of people  mourning his death.  

 A short time before his own death he attended the peaceful death of an old Aunt Lene. It was Kate’s  relative who was living with Luther and his family. He said to her this: Your faith rests upon sweet Lord  Jesus. He is the resurrection and the life. Thou Shalt not want. Thou shalt not die, but fall asleep as in the  cradle and at dawn you will rise into eternal life.1 

 What a beautiful way to look at death. 2 

1 H.G. Hail “Luther: an expirment in Biography”. Doubley and compay 1980. Page 325.  

2H.G. Hail “Luther: an expirment in Biography”. Doubley and compay 1980. Page 325.

Reformation Dinner  

Martin Luther will join us for our Annual Reformation Dinner, on October 29, 2023 at  11:30 am. Plan on joining us to meet Martin and hear him speak about the  Reformation. Please prepare your favorite German based dish to share. The main  meat, beverage and table service will be provided. There is a sign-up sheet on the  narthex bulletin board. If you have any questions, please contact Jim or Judy Meyer.  

LWML CHRISTIAN LIFE WORKSHOP 

The Defiance Zone LWML invites all ladies to the Fall Christian Life Workshop on Sunday, October 8 at  Zion Lutheran Church, Edgerton from 2-4 pm. Our guest speaker will present a program about the House of  Ruth, Defiance, 

Trunk-or-Treat  

Trunk-or-Treat - Join us for our annual Trunk-or-Treat on Tuesday, October 31st 6-7:30 pm. If you are  interested in setting up a trunk or would like to just pass out candy we would love for you to join us! (Plan  on around 80 trick or treaters.) Trunk-or-Treat sign-up sheet is on the narthex bulletin board or let Emilie  Parsons know via email or phone/text: emiliejoparsons@gmail.com or phone: 419-769-2212. 

Greetings from Preschool!  

Our Preschool is off to a great start for the 2023-2024 school year and we sure have been busy!! We  currently have 16 children enrolled with 2 more waiting entry beginning in January of 2024. We have been  so busy beginning to learn our letters, colors, shapes and numbers and also wrapped up our Apple study along  with the Creation story just in time for October! We also introduced 2 new "furry friends" to our classroom  as our pets and the children got to name them: Sparkle Jr. And Ms. Piggy. Class pets are a great way to  promote mental health in the classroom and to teach the children about responsibility and taking care of  animals. We enjoy having them in our room!  

Our classes got to visit the Florida Library for their first time this school year and we appreciate everything  they do to support our little learners! The classes walk to our library once a month if the weather allows and  we are looking for volunteers to join us to help keep us safe. If you are interested in joining us on one of  these days throughout the year, please see the signup posted outside our classroom or let us know! We also  enjoyed a visit from Bill Grimes aka Johnny Appleseed and we got to visit Mahnke Orchard and Lily Creek  Farms to learn about how the apples go from the Orchard to the shop. The apples we're so yummy and we  even got to try some fresh apple cider. We look forward to our upcoming Fall Festival and Craft show on  October 27 from 5 pm-7 pm. We are still accepting donations for candy/small toys along with baked goods  for our bake sale. Please contact Emilie Parsons for any inquiries about volunteer opportunities as well!  

Mrs. Arce 

Newsletter - September 2023

From Pastor's Desk  

The first and the last two chapters in the Bible teach us many things about the world that God has  created, redeemed, and is now restoring. In both Genesis and Revelation we see what the world is like  without sin. In Genesis God Creates Adam in his own image. Then he is told he can eat anything he wants,  except the tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil. 1 

Many wonder what was the point of God putting the Tree there if they could not eat from it. Martin  Luther in his Genesis commentary suggests Adam and Eve would have gone to the tree to worship God. By  going to the tree and not eating, they would have been showing their devotion to God’s word, and shown they  were in a relationship where they trusted God. 2  

Adam and Eve failed and yielded to the devil's temptation. Then we are told, "(God) drove out the  man, and at the east of the garden of Eden He placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way  to guard the way to the tree of life" (Genesis 3:24).  

When Jesus came into the synagogue he reads from Isaiah and says this: “18 “The Spirit of the Lord is  upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty  to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, 19 to proclaim the  year of the Lord's favor.”  

Jesus was explaining to the Jews that he has come to restore the relationship between God and Man.  That he wanted to return us to the relationship Adam and Eve had with God. We know that he accomplished  that by his death and resurrection.  

 This is why we find in Revelation that in the New Jerusalem, there the tree of life is restored to God's  people! (Revelation 22:1-2).  

Now what do we do In the meantime? We should acknowledge what Jesus taught us in the Lord's  Prayer. We pray for “Thy Kingdom Come” and “Deliver us from Evil.”  

Luther’s answer for: “How does God’s kingdom come? God’s kingdom comes when our heavenly  Father gives us His Holy Spirit, so that by His grace we believe His holy Word and lead godly lives here in  time and there in eternity.”  

Luther’s answer for the Seventh Petition: “We pray in this petition, in summary, that our Father in  heaven would rescue us from every evil of body and soul, possessions and reputation, and finally, when our  last hour comes, give us a blessed end, and graciously take us from this valley of sorrow to Himself in  heaven.”3 

Joint Counsel Meeting @ St. Peter

Monday, September 18th at 7:30pm at St Peter.  

Sunday School!

September 10th starting at 9:00 am! All  children in preschool through 8th grade are  welcome to join us. Blessing of the Backpacks – We will be blessing the children’s backpacks  during our 10:00 am worship service. 

What is a “catechism”?  

A catechism (pronounced KAT-eh-kizm) is a book of instruction  usually written in question and answer form. The word  “catechism” comes from the Greek word katekhein, which  means “to instruct.” A catechism teaches the basics of the  Christian faith.  

Why do we need catechisms?  

While visiting local churches, Martin Luther found many pastors and their church members were unaware of the true teachings of the Bible. Because of this, the people were living immoral lives. Martin Luther wrote the catechisms to instruct people in the basics of the Christian faith, that they might  know Christ and His forgiveness and live accordingly. We still  use Luther’s Large and Small Catechism so that we never forget  those things that are necessary for faith in Christ.  

From LCMS Worship. 

LWML Fall Retreat -  

Defiance/Napoleon Zones  

When: September 16th 

Where: John Lutheran - Stryker (St. Rtes. 6  & 66)  

Topic: "Serve the Lord with Gladness"  Schedule: Doors open at 8:30 AM, Program  starts at 9:00 AM  

Service projects and Prayer walk with luncheon  at noon  

Cost: $15 includes lunch  

Ingatherings: LWML mites and new regular  size dark colored bath towels.  

Registration forms are posted on the bulletin  board and must be sent to Gretchen Etzler by  September 3rd.  All ladies of the congregation are invited and  welcome to attend.

Adopted Seminary Student 

This year's adopted seminary student is Seth Horn from Euclid, OH. He is a first year student. Seth's home  church is Zion Lutheran Church in Painesville, OH. We will support him with a monthly monetary stipend  during the current school year. Besides the monetary gifts, we have promised to encourage him with our  prayers and cards. We hope you will join us in this service. His address at the seminary is 6600 North  Clinton Street - Box 246 - Ft. Wayne, IN. 46825

Rocky Railway VBS  - Many many thanks!!

We enjoyed an epic adventure at St. Peter this year! We took a ride with  Jesus that we will never forget. Our successful VBS wouldn't be possible  without our amazing volunteers, decorations and snack donations. Thank  you so much!  -VBS Director, Emilie Parsons  

A peek from preschool…

We are excited that summer is almost over and school will begin on August 28 & 29 for the 2023-24 school  year. We had quite a busy summer with a playdate in June, our Carnival in July and the Henry County Fair  Parade in August! Our Preschool attended the parade at the fair for our 1st year and it was a great event. Our  float was awarded 3rd place in the Religious category thanks to the help of Emilie Parsons, Dana Stuenkel,  Justin Pahl and many other church members who also helped donate candy to make it a success! We  appreciate your support and can’t wait to make this an annual event for our Preschool! We also look forward  to the Fall and are excited to announce our next Community event will be held on Friday, October 27 from 5- 7 pm. We will be having a Fall Festival & Craft Show that we invite the church members to attend and  participate in. There will be food, games, hayrides and a puppet show! If you would be interested in  participating, please see Emilie Parsons for more information. Booth rentals will be $10 for church members  or $20 for non-church members. We are also in need of baked good donations and candy to help make this  event successful and will be collecting candy all through September and October! Our next Preschool  Committee meeting is Monday, September 11 at 6:30 pm. We look forward to another exciting school year  and appreciate all the love and support from the church community.   - Mrs. Arce 

Newsletter - August 2023

From Pastor's Desk

Lately, I have been talking about Jewish Holidays in my newsletters. God prescribes many religious Holidays for the people of Israel in the Bible. Today I want to talk about Purim. Although Purim is not as important a holiday as other days we have discussed, it is still Biblical. Purim is celebrated annually on the 14th day of the Hebrew month of Adar (typically in March). The Day celebrates when Esther saved her people while they were living under the Persian Empire. We find out in her own Book of the Bible that Esther is a Jewish Girl. She is made a wife of Ahasuerus (Xerxes I) after he has a falling out with his wife Vashti. This probably happened around 478 B.C. I want to give a short outline to Esther. First in the early section of the book there is a sense that the lives of Jews are in danger (1:1-5:14). During these verses Queen Vashi is replaced by Esther. Then there is a report by Mordecai. He is an older Cousin/father figure to Esther. He discovers assassination plot against Ahasuerus and tells Esther of it. Haman asks permission of the king to kill the Jews since Jews (Mordecai) were not bowing to him. King issues a degree. Mordecai talks to Esther to convince her to go before king. Mordecai says this to Esther in 4:14: "For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?" She goes before the King. The plan gets found out and Haman is revealed as wicked. Mordecai is made an important official. A lot happens in the book and I encourage every Christian to read the book. It’s probably the closest the Bible gets to a spy novel or movie. The holiday of Purim itself is established in the book in 9:20-23. The fun thing about the holiday is the book of Esther is read in public and their actions for the audience who is listening. When Esther’s name is said, you supposed to “ah”. When Mordecai’s name is said, you are supposed to cheer. And when Haman’s name is said, the listeners are supposed to BOO! Apparently, it’s a fun holiday with drinking and dressing up and Jews still celebrated to this day. What does Purim or the life of Esther have to say to us? First, we to should not bow before paganism nor treat Government as a God. Second that God has in a certain time in certain roles to do our duties. We might not know what important roles God has planned out for us.

The Defiance/Napoleon Zone’s LWML Fall Retreat

The Defiance/Napoleon Zones' LWML Fall Retreat will be held Saturday, September 16 th at St. John Lutheran Church Family Center at the corner of 6 & 66 South of Archbold from 9 am to 1:30 pm with registration starting at 8:30 am. The theme is "Serve the Lord with Gladness". The $ 15.00 registration fee for the retreat includes the lunch. Free childcare is provided. Watch for more information in future bulletins and registration forms on the narthex bulletin board. This year rather than having a guest speaker a Servant Event Day will take place in the forenoon and a Prayer Walk in the afternoon. Servant event activities will be assembling layettes for World Relief, assembling hygiene kits for Orphan Grain Train (supplies except for the bath towels will be purchased with a Thrivent Action Team Card), signing cards for Phil's Friends and items for House of Ruth. The ingathering is new bath towels, preferably dark colored, to complete the hygiene kits for Orphan Grain Train. The towels can be brought to the church and placed in the designated box in the narthex or brought to the retreat.

A Peek from Preschool

Thank you to all our volunteers and families who attended our Preschool Carnival. We were able to raise $75 towards our St. Jude Children's Hospital lemonade stand challenge and we are still accepting donations until the end of July. Thanks for helping us support a great cause and our event was another huge success! We also look forward to our upcoming Open House and Registration night on Tuesday, August 8 from 5:00-6:30 pm. Families are invited to come meet the teachers, visit the classroom and receive important information for the upcoming school year. Our 1st day of Preschool is on Monday, August 28 and we look forward to another amazing school year!! Mrs. Arce

Newsletter - July 2023

From Pastor's Desk

Lately, I have been talking about Jewish Holidays in my newsletters. God prescribes many religious Holidays for the people of Israel in the Bible. Today I want to talk about The Day of Acclamation which discussed in Leviticus 23:23-25. 23 The Lord said to Moses, 24 “Say to the Israelites: ‘On the first day of the seventh month you are to have a day of Sabbath rest, a sacred assembly commemorated with trumpet blasts. 25 Do no regular work, but present a food offering to the Lord.’” The first day of the Seventh month on the Jewish Lunar Calender is usually in September or October. Tishrei is the seventh month of the Jewish year. This Old Testament Holiday day is celebrated today as “Rosh Hashanah” (literally “head of the year”). It is the first of the High Holidays or Yamim Noraim (“Days of Awe”), celebrated ten days before Yom Kippur. (Yom Kippur is the Day of Atonement). It is celebrated with Trumpet blasts. Trumpets can be used to bring the congregation together. (See Numbers 10:1-10.) They can call people together to repent in a solemn assembly, like they do in Joel 2:13- 15. Trumpets are also used to proclaim God’s victory, like they do in Isaiah 27:12-13. Jesus picks this up in Matthew 24:29-31, when he tells his listeners that his return will be announced with Trumpets. In Revelation 11:15-19, also the trumpets announce Jesus’ victory. I think The Day of Acclamation has all these ideas in mind. That we should at times come together as God’s congregation. First to acknowledge our sins. Second, to acknowledge that our forgiveness is a gift of God. Notice there were food offerings for sins on the holiday. Finally to recognize because we are forgiven we can look forward to spending eternity with Jesus who has conquered sin, death and the devil.

Sign up for Rocky Railway VBS

Are your children ready for the most epic adventure ever? Join us this summer at St. Peter Lutheran Church in Florida, Ohio. Your kids will be taking a ride with Jesus that they will never forget. July 31st - August 4th 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm.

VBS Volunteers!

We are looking for volunteers this summer as we host our upcoming Rocky Railway VBS on July 31st - August 4th 6:00-8:00 pm. We would LOVE all the help we can get!!

VBS Decorations

The theme this year for our VBS is Rocky Railway! Do you have any Christmas trees we could borrow or do you have anything train related that we could add to our decorations?

Thank you from the OGT

The 424 Garage Sale was a HUGE Success! Thank you to everyone who supported us with their time, and baked goods we were able to sell. We couldn’t have done it without you.

Greetings from Preschool!

Our Preschoolers have been enjoying the summer break and had a playdate to celebrate our summer birthdays. We are also excited to announce that our new playground that was provided by the ODJFS grant has finally been installed and is coming along great. Thank you so much for the church members and trustees who have helped along the way to make this possible....we really appreciate it! Just a reminder that our Preschool carnival is July 12 from 5:00-7:00 pm and we are still in need of volunteers! Please let any Preschool Committee member know if you're interested in helping with games! We look forward to another great turnout this year. We are still enrolling for the upcoming school year and our next Open House will be on Tuesday, August 8 from 5:00-6:30. Please contact the Preschool if you're interested in scheduling a tour! Have a great summer!!

Newsletter - June 2023

From Pastor's Desk

This Month I am continuing to teach a Bible class where we go over the main Festivals or Holidays in the Old Testament. Today, I want to talk about Yom Kippur . This, in English, means the Day of Atonement . The holiday is celebrated every year and usually falls in September or October. It is described in detail in Leviticus 16. It’s called the day of Atonement because the word “atone” appears 16 times in this chapter. Atone has the idea of “to ransom” or “to purge away”. The purpose of the day was to perform an act of atonement for people’s sins. The day of Atonement involved the High Priest entering the holy of holies to make atonement for sins. What he would do is put blood on the Mercy Seat. The mercy seat is more famously known as the Ark of the Covenant. It is here where God was present with his people. The High Priest was signifying to God that an animal had been killed for the sins of the people. The High Priest would then place his hands on another goat or lamb. He would confess the sins of the people of Israel on this animal. Then this animal would be taken out into the wilderness. This animal was the “Scapegoat”. The Beauty of Holy Days and Holidays of the Old Testament is that they point us to Jesus. Perhaps no Holy Day points us more to Christ and his salvific work for us than this one. As the High Priest he has entered into the Holy of Holies on our behalf. Just like the blood of the goat covered the Holy of Holies, Jesus as the sacrifice, sprinkled his blood on us to cover us with his Holiness. Just as the goat was led out into the wilderness, Jesus went into the wilderness to face Satan on our behalf. The Day of Atonement and its sacrifices were designed to last for a whole year. Jesus as our High Priest, has paid for our sins once and it has eternal ruminations! (Some of this newsletter used: Kleinig, John W. Leviticus . Concordia Commentary. Saint Louis, MO: Concordia Pub. House, 2003. Especially 345)

Congratulations to our Graduating Seniors!

This year’s High School Class of 2023 includes the following: MaKenna Helmke, Tinora High School, and Zander Watson, Napoleon High School. We wish each of you, along with all of our college graduates the very best in your future plans and God’s blessings for each of you.

424 Garage Sale

424 Garage Sale and Orphan Grain Train Friends of Orphan Grain Train will be hosting a Bake Sale, Food Stand, Thrift and Plant sale at the Florida Ohio, Fire Station on June 8 and 9 during the Historic Route 424 Yard Sales. Stop in to enjoy great food from the lunch stand or baked items and help support this worthy cause!

A Peek from Preschool

We sure did have a busy last month of Preschool and look forward to what the future holds for our 9 students who graduated on May 23, 2023. Our classes enjoyed their last visit to the Florida library for the school year, their last Chapel message with Pastor Stuenkel, a Field Trip to the Florida-Flatrock Volunteer Fire Department, and finished off the year with Field Trips to Meyer Family Farm and the Fort Wayne Children's Zoo. We look forward to what the summer has to hold including playdates, the Carnival on July 12 from 5-7 pm and VBS coming at the end of July! Thank you to our church members who have supported our Preschool over the past few years. We can't wait to see what the next school year brings! If you are interested in helping with Preschool Carnival on July 12 from 5-7 pm, please let a Committee member or Emilie Parsons know. We need lots of help to make these events successful and appreciate your support! Mrs. Arce