Pastor’s Message
Over my last few newsletter articles I have been encouraging everyone to pray more this year. I believe one of the reasons we don’t pray a lot, is we don’t know how to.
I have been suggesting an outline to use for Prayers. I have already suggested you begin with an ADDRESS. In the Lord’s Prayer, Our Father is an address to Our Father in Heaven. You follow an address with a Rational. In the Lord’s Prayer our Father who art in Heaven is the Rational. He is in Heaven so he can see everything and knows everything. You can then add what we call a Petition. These are the Things you actually pray for, so it’s sometimes called the requests.
I would suggest some of your Petitions be followed by what’s called The Benefit. Here is an example; Let’s say you pray, “Lead us not into temptation”. Then you say the BENEFIT. You might say, so I do not fall into “false believe, despair, and other great shame and vice.”
This is the benefit to not being lead into temptation. You do not always have to say a benefit, but it can be helpful. It can make your prayers more meaningful, and it can also help your prayers not to be selfish ones. It’s hard to ask for a new car, if you can’t come up with a good Holy Benefit. You could pray for a car in this way. Let’s see what this would look like: God I pray that I can get a car, so that, I can get to work and serve my neighbor.
Here is an example from the Prayers of the Church for The First Sunday in April: [Address] Holy Father, [Rational] You raised up Your Son from the dead so that He might bestow upon us His Holy Spirit and the forgiveness of sins. [Petition] Grant that we might live joyfully as those who have been crucified and raised up with Christ in Holy Baptism, and [The Benefit] that we might boldly testify of Him, His forgiveness and peace, to all who will hear. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lent and Holy Week Schedule
April 10th & 11th - Lent Service – 7pm
April 14th - Palm Sunday – Confirmation 10:00am
April 18th - Maundy Thursday Service – 7pm @ St Paul
April 19th - Good Friday Service 7:30pm
April 21st - Easter Sunrise Service – 6:30am & Easter Breakfast – 7:30am
Congratulations to our Confirmands
MaKenna Helmke – daughter of Andrew & Robyn Helmke
Zander Watson – son of Bridgett Volkert and Clifford Watson
LWML Defiance Zone Spring Rally Saturday
April 6, 2019 Zion Lutheran Church – Edgerton Registration and Breakfast at 8:30am Being the Lord’s Blessings for the Children featuring Pastor Kurt Letcher will speak on Rosa Young: Pioneer Lutheran Educator and Missionary. Anne Compere, a representative from the Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch in Minot, ND will be present to give information about the Ranch and its mission. Monetary ingathering will be for the Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch.
German Lutheran Heritage
You are invited to a German Lutheran Heritage Meeting at 2 PM, April 21 at the Lutheran Social Services Building South of Archbold on State Route 66 across from the Four County Career Center. The special program is entitled “Researching My German Lutheran Heritage” by Joanne Richolt Allison. She and her German speaking Daughter-in- Law toured Austria and Germany so she has a very interesting presentation to share. Beverages and German coffee cake will be served. Public is welcome.
St Peter’s Ladies Tea
Plans are being made for this event on April 28th so mark the date on your calendar! Invite your family and friends, all ages. Anyone interested in helping plan contact: Deb Oberhaus, Nancy Michaelis, Kristin Leaders.
Attention ALL SENIORS! We would like to feature our graduating Seniors (from High School or College) in the May newsletter. Please send or drop off a copy of your senior picture with a bio of your senior accomplishments and future plans to the Church Secretary. Email to stpeterflorida@gmail.com
Greetings from Preschool!
We are so happy that the weather has finally gotten better and we're able to enjoy recess outside ~ the fresh air has sure felt great after that long winter.
March was a busy month in Preschool. We celebrated Dr. Seuss' birthday early in the month ~ always a big hit with the preschoolers. Ms. Barb from the Napoleon Public Library always visits us each month with new books to read. Ms. Evie comes monthly to teach us a wonderful Bible lesson ~ we love her visits! The leprechauns made a visit around St. Patrick's Day ~ and made quite the mess in our classroom! We tried so hard to trap one, but it didn't work! Henry County Hospital came to visit and talked with us about Poison Prevention. A wonderful presentation from them and much appreciated they came to speak to us.
April will consist of our library visit and Bible lesson. Firefighter Kyle comes back this month and will bring the Florida/Flatrock firetrucks!!! We can't wait. We will have our 3rd annual St. Jude Trike-a-Thon the end of the month ~ always such a fun day and raising money for a great cause.
Our Spring Open House is scheduled for Wednesday, April 17th from 4:30-6:30pm. Please spread the word! We have a lot of students returning and have already enrolled a bunch for Fall! This makes me so happy!
Thanks again for allowing me to be your Preschool teacher ~ I am blessed!
In God's Blessings ~ Mrs. Rees
