From Pastor’s Desk
I thought I would take this newsletter and explain the colors on the altar. Usually the Church Year is broken up in two. The first half is the life of Christ which begins with Advent and ends with Pentecost. The Second half the church year are the Sundays after Pentecost, which is called the time of the church.
The Church Year begins with the First Sunday in Advent, The color for Advent is BLUE. Advent, a preparatory time of waiting and watching, and it communicates the message of hope. After Advent is Christmas which is WHITE; which is also the color for Easter. White is the color of purity and completeness. White is an important color throughout the year. It is also used for Epiphany (Jan. 6) and the first Sunday following it, observed as the Baptism of Our Lord; the Last Sunday after the Epiphany, also known as Transfiguration Sunday; Holy Trinity Sunday; and another twenty-one minor festivals.
Then follows rarely seen color; BLACK. Black only appears on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. The color here calls for us to have a sober reflection on the cost of our redemption. The color for LENT is PURPLE. Purple like black, is a penitential color, in contrast to a festive one. The forty days of Lent, including the six Sundays that fall during this season, use this deep, rich color which has come to represent somberness and solemnity, penitence, and prayer.
RED is a power color and is appropriate for use on Pentecost Sunday. Additional uses of red are Reformation Sunday; Holy Cross Day (September 14); on such festive occasions as dedications, anniversaries of a congregation and its physical structure; festive days celebrating the office of the public ministry, such as ordination and installation.
The color for the time after PENTECOST IS GREEN. Green is also used during the season of Epiphany. For this reason GREEN is the color we see the most during the year. Green is a neutral color, but there is nothing colorless about our need to grow and mature as disciples of Jesus Christ. That's why the "green meadow" time of the church year is so lengthy. I hope this has helped you to understand not only why the colors change, but also what the colors represent.
[Some of the information used with permission for this Newsletter came from lcms.org/worship/church-year/colors-or-liturgical-seasons]
Historic 424 Garage Sale
Orphan Grain Train will be participating in the Historic 424 Garage Sale from Defiance to Waterville on June 7th , 8th and 9th. They will be set up in the Florida Firehouse and will be having a lunch wagon, along with garage sale items and a bake sale! If you plan to participate in this 30 mile long garage sale don’t forget to stop by to support this groups efforts! If you have anything you would like to donate it would be greatly appreciated (No clothing please). They are especially hoping for bake sale items. Bring your donations to the Orphan Grain Train Warehouse in Napoleon on June 6th at 6 PM or to the Florida Fire Station on the mornings of the sale.
LWML
JUNE 22 -24 are the dates for the LWML OHIO DISTRICT CONVENTION AT DUBLIN, OH. Attending from our churches are Pastor Stuenkel as Pastor Counselor of Napoleon Zone; Dana Stuenkel as Young Woman Representative of Napoleon Zone; Sharlene Bunke and Ruth Block, Delegates representing St. Peter, Florida and Nancy Helmke is providing a display for Orphan Grain Train at the Convention.
ALSO, the ingathering to be taken to the Convention, with which we can all help are: Women’s travel size hygiene products to be given with spiritual materials to persons seeking help in women’s shelters and Walmart gift cards in any denomination which will be distributed to victims in disaster areas through the LCMS Disaster Response program. There is a box in the narthex at both churches to receive these items.
Last but not least, we can all include in prayer the Convention Committee of the Central Zone, Pastor and Dana in their first experience at a LWML Convention and our delegates for another inspirational and uplifting time as they “Serve our Lord with Gladness”!
Ladies Tea
Thank You to all the Guys who helped serve at the Ladies Tea on April 29. They were Pastor Stuenkel, Kevin and Jake Leaders, Dave Arens, Tim Buchhop, Andy and Henry Parsons. You did a great job. Also a special Thank You to Andy, who was the M C. Kathy Wilhelm, DOUBLE TALK, provided a wonderful message for the entertainment.
Mallory Watson and Karlee Bostelman greeted everyone and presented the Door Prizes. Thank You.
A big thanks to all the people who let us borrow all the glass ware, it made everything look very special. We hope all had a Great Time. Thanks for coming. Board of Witness, Outreach and Stewardship
St. Peter Board of Witness, Outreach and Stewardship
A special service is being planned for all Men and Boys of the church. On Father’s Day, June 17th, they will be honored and receive a special treat. Please plan to attend, you are all an important part to our church.
Greetings from Preschool!
Well - our 2017/2018 school year has come to an end! Can’t believe how fast the year went. We graduated 5 that will go onto Kindergarten and 3 that will return to St Peter Preschool in the Fall. Congrats graduates! An amazing school year, thank you again for allowing me to be your preschool teacher. I am blessed. Have a wonderful summer! In God’s Blessings, Mrs. Rees
