Newsletter - May

From Pastor’s Desk

           This April, we celebrated Easter. Easter always seems like the busiest time of the year. But the time after Easter can seem just as frantic. First, we celebrate the day of Ascension on Thursday, May 10, 2018. This is the day our Lord Jesus Christ Ascended into Heaven. On May 13th we celebrate the seventh and last Sunday of Easter.  The reading for that Sunday is John 17:11b–19. There, Jesus prays for his Disciples. This is fitting because the Next Sunday is Pentecost, May 20th. On Pentecost, the Apostles become filled with the Holy Spirit.  The Next Sunday we celebrate Trinity Sunday. On that Sunday we confess The Athanasian Creed. On Trinity Sunday we remember how we were Created, Saved and Sanctified.  Let us consider the prayer for Trinity Sunday this May.

            Almighty and everlasting God, You have given us grace to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity by the confession of a true faith and to worship the Unity in the power of the Divine Majesty. Keep us steadfast in this faith and defend us from all adversities; for You, O Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, live and reign, one God, now and forever. Amen.

St Peter Board of Witness, Outreach & Stewardship

A special service is being planned for all Ladies and Girls of the church.  On Mother’s Day, May 13, they will be honored and receive a special treat.  Please plan to attend, you are all a special part of the church.

Vacation Bible School will be held in the month of June.

Plans are being made.  Watch for more information in the bulletins. Volunteers and helpers will be needed, so please plan to help.

Congratulations to our Graduating Seniors!

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Ashton Helmke, daughter of Matthew and Stephanie Helmke, will be graduating from Tinora High School in May of 2018. I've been involved in many different activities during high school, including National Honor Society, Art Club, German Club, Yearbook staff, and Fellowship of Christian Athletes. I have also participated in Varsity Bowling my junior and senior year, and Varsity Softball all four years of high school. I have also competed with a club softball team in the summer for the past five years. I plan to attend Marietta College in the fall to study Graphic Design and play college softball.  

ST. PETER LWML

Please mark your calendars now for Monday, June 4th.  St Peter LWML invites all of our congregation members to join us for a Buffet Dinner at The Barn Restaurant, Sauder Village starting at  5 PM.  It is Dutch Treat and on Monday nights you can make as many trips to the  buffet as you wish and at a  price of $8.49 (not including beverage)  for all Seniors.

Please advise Sharlene Bunke, personally or call her at (419) 782-9136  if you can join us   We will be glad to have you come!

Greetings from Preschool!

Can't believe we've reached the last month of the 2017/2018 school year.  What a fantastic year it's been!

April was another fun and busy month in Preschool.  Our themes included Easter, Space, Bike Safety, Earth Day and Flowers/Planting.   We finished up the remaining letters in the alphabet and started working on writing numbers.  Firefighter Kyle Richards from the Florida/Flatrock Fire Department came and brought his fire truck ~ the weather was pretty chilly, but we still enjoyed looking at the truck and visiting with Kyle back in the classroom after.  We sure love when he visits us twice each school year.   On Monday, April 23rd, we had our 2nd annual St. Jude Trike-a-Thon and it was a perfect beautiful day!  The kiddos did fantastic and we had so much fun.  We raised $397 for St. Jude Children's Hospital!  

The Spring Open House was held on Thursday, April 19th.  We had 6 new families come and we were so happy about that!  As of now we have 8 children registered for the Fall and hoping for lots more over the summer.  Word is getting out about our amazing Church and Preschool Program.  Reminder ~ a $45 supply fee will hold a child's spot for Fall.  3 year olds will attend on Tuesday/Thursday from 9-11:30am and the 4/5 year olds will attend on M/W/F from 9-11:30am.  Spread the word!  And make sure to follow us on Facebook at:  St. Peter Lutheran Preschool - Florida

May is filled with more fun weekly themes, learning new numbers, a visit with Ms Barb from the Napoleon Public Library, Graduation pictures and finally our Graduation ceremony on Thursday, May 24th at 7pm.  Our last day of school is Friday, May 25th.  

Thank you for another AMAZING year at St. Peter Preschool.  I am blessed to be your teacher!  

In God's Blessings, 

Mrs. Rees

 

Making a difference, one knot at a time.

   Making a difference, one knot at a time...

      Once a month a few of our church members gather together for fellowship in order to help those in need.  We call them "The Knotters."  These ladies graciously take time out of their day knotting and crocheting.  Most of their materials are found from Goodwill, garage sales and scrap fabric from the Grain Train.  Judy Helmke and Bette Weddelman sew 10 inch blocks together before they begin the knotting process.  Their blankets have been donated to the Grain Train, Filling Home, Henry County Hospital OB, Defiance Sheriff Department and the Genacross Lutheran Services - Napoleon Campus.

     Frieda Boesling likes to sit to the side and crochet blankets for babies.  Frieda’s blankets are included in hospital care packages that are assembled for needy mothers of newborns from the Henry County Hospital.  A typical care package includes: onesie, sleeper, bib, hat, socks, burp rag, thermometer, bottle, towel, washcloth, card, sweater and blanket.  

     Our knotters donate 36x36 Binky Patrol Comforting blankets for children.  Deputies from Defiance County Sheriff Department keep a Binky Blanket in their patrol cars.  The deputies give them away to children who are ill abused or if they have experienced any type of an at the scene trauma from a car accident.  

God bless these volunteers who are making a difference!

*Donations of sheets or light weight blankets are welcome!*

Pictured below (left to right): JoAnn Arens, Ruth Block, Frieda Boesling, Lavina Boesling, Judy Helmke and Bette Weddelman  *not pictured: Sharlene Bunke

Newsletter - February

From Pastor Stuenkel’s desk:

"Remember that thou art dust, and to dust thou shalt return" (Gen. 3:19) .  These are the words the Pastor speaks as he puts ashes on the face of believers on Ash Wednesday.  This year Ash Wednesday occurs on February 14th.  Ash Wednesday begins the season of Lent.  Lent is a time of repentance.  During this time consider the cost Christ had to pay for your sins.  Lent is often times where people give things up.  For instance a lot of people use this time to try to quit smoking.  In the ancient church this was the time adults prepared for their Baptism which would occur on Easter Sunday. Lent for those adults was a time of instruction.  This is not unlike our confirmation classes.  During this time those ancient pastors would often preach the Old Testament in light of Jesus Christ. In spirit of this season of Lent I encourage you to read your Bible in light of the cost Christ paid on the Cross while you eagerly await the Easter Season.

Pastor Stuenkel

Lent Service Schedule

Ash Wednesday: Wednesday, February 14th 7pm

Mid Week Lenten Dinners and 7pm Services: February 21, 28, March 7, 14, 21             

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 LUTHERAN HOUR SUNDAY

 FEBRUARY 4  whose mission is 'BRINGING CHRIST TO THE NATIONS AND THE NATIONS TO THE CHURCH' 

For the past 100 years, God has used Lutheran Hour Ministries to bring messages of hope to the downtrodden, the lonely, the lost.  Decade by decade, we have risen to challenges to proclaim the Savior.  Each milestone required a bold step of faith.  Today, with billions of souls in danger of entering eternity apart from Christ, the need to boldly proclaim the love of Christ is greater than ever.  Lutheran Hour Ministries will not rest until the Gospel is proclaimed to as many of these souls as possible, in ways they can understand. 

Prayerful and monetary support allow LHM to share the Good News with more than 71 million people each week in more than 50 nations around the world through a variety of culturally relevant outreach programs and resources.  In our area, congregations and individuals are also privileged to support broadcasts of the Lutheran Hour on Sundays. 

 February 4 has been designated as LUTHERAN HOUR SUNDAY and you are encouraged to make a special offering in envelopes provided in the Church's Narthex.  Envelopes are also available on the St. Peter Narthex bulletin board for those wishing to support broadcasts of the LH on the Napoleon radio station.

We hope you are humbled to see how God uses our talents and treasures to make His Gospel known.

Lenten Dinners

The Board of Witness, Outreach and Stewardship is planning the Lenten dinners for 2018.  Please watch future bulletins or emails for more details.

We invite everyone to join in the Lenten dinners prior to the services on Wednesday evenings, starting February 21, 2018.  If you would like to assist in preparing a meal or salad/dessert for one of the dinners, there is a sign-up sheet posted on the bulletin board in the Narthex.  Come and enjoy the dinners and the fellowship.

Easter Flowers


Easter flower order forms will be posted on the narthex bulletin board February 4th.  Please fill out your order form and place in the offering plate. (CASH ONLY). Your order must be received by March 4th. Questions: Contact Deb Oberhaus 

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LWML

St. Peter LWML will be packing  COLLEGE CARE PACKETS  at their meeting on February 13th at 1:30pm.  Snacks, treats, personal items, pens, pencils, currency and change are suggested.  There will be 5 packets sent. ( two girls, two boys and our Seminarian and his family)  If you care to assist with this project, please place your gifts in the box on the table in the Narthex. 

Officers for the 2018 year are as follows: President - Sharlene Bunke, Vice President - Alice Knepley, Secretary - JoAnn Arens, Treasurer - Bette Weddelman

Chili Cook Off

Our Chili Cook Off will be held February 11, 2018.  The meal will be following our 10AM church service.  If you are interested in a challenge, sign up and let us decide which chili is the BEST!  If you plan to make chili, contact Bette Weddelman or Deb Oberhaus.  A sign up sheet is posted in the Narthex bulletin board if you plan to attend.

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Greetings from Preschool!

 Welcome to 2018 and the second half of our school year!  Time is sure flying by and we're having a fantastic time in school. 

Despite missing some school days this month due to weather, we've caught up and hoping we don't miss anymore.  The weather in NW Ohio is sure unpredictable! 

This month we've had some fun enjoying winter themes and talking about our good health.  We even made our own snowmen out of marshmallows!  Since this month isn't time we can always enjoy outside, we had a pajama & movie day ~ showing the movie "The Good Dinosaur."  We've worked on the letters N, O and P.   We also have new centers, more activities out during "center time," and Mrs. Rees is working on mid year assessments before conferences in March.  

Upcoming events include:  Ground Hogs Day, Valentine's Day party, visit from the dentist, Ms. Barb's monthly library visits, Dr. Seuss's birthday activities, conferences, Easter, 2nd annual St. Jude Trike-A-Thon, firefighter Kyle visits again, poison prevention week and graduation in May.  We're excited!! 

Please keep an eye out in the preschool hallway for our "All About Me" posters that we'll be starting soon ~ the students enjoy doing these and talking about their family and favorite things.   

As always, feel free to visit us anytime!  We love Preschool!  In God's Blessings,  Mrs. Rees

 

Christmas Eve Highlights

Many thanks to our wonderful Sunday School teachers and children for putting on a beautiful Christmas Eve Service.  Our topic of the day was how God loves us dearly!  Thank you Andy and Emilie Parsons for capturing these precious moments.       

Newsletter - January

From the Pastor’s desk

 

Its 2018, Happy New Year! It is a new year, and that somebody, somewhere is probably claiming this is the year Christ comes back. In 1999 and in 2012 everyone was predicting the world would end. In those years, they could not have been more wrong. So how should we Christians handle predications about the end of the world? We should be highly skeptical of such predications. The Bible clearly teaches no one knows. Jesus tells us in Matthew 24:36 "But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only” (ESV). If the angels in Heaven do not know when the second coming will be, how in the world do ordinary people? The truth is they do not know when the world will end, and neither does anyone else. Yet, just like any year, this could be the year of Christ’s Second Coming. For Jesus’ coming will be like a thief in the night. For that reason we await his coming with repentant hearts. Not like a cop waiting for a criminal but like a bride awaits for the coming of her bridegroom.

 

I hope you have a Happy New Year!

Pastor Stuenkel

 

It’s a new year. It’s a time when we take stock of the year past in order to improve the year to come. It’s a time when we sit down to plan and implement what we want to accomplish and even change. Part of that is planning our stewardship. Often we find this difficult and daunting and even joyless. But it doesn’t have to be. In fact, it is really quite simple and full of joy. We don’t particularly struggle to give to society or family our struggles arise in giving to the church.

 

Your pastor is the one called to preach the Gospel to you and administer the Lord’s blessed sacraments to you. Your congregation is the place where those things happen. Thus, when God calls us to give to the church, He has the local congregation in mind.  How much do we give to the local congregation? Our only instructions are these: to give regularly, proportionally and generously of our first fruits with a spirit of eagerness, earnestness, cheerfulness, and love.  We give regularly keeping in mind our own strengths, weaknesses, and limitations.

 

It’s that easy. And it is joyful. For in stewardship, our gracious and giving Lord invites us to take part in the work that He accomplishes here on earth, providing for the ongoing preaching of the gospel as well as those who are in need. Taking part in that makes all our work holy – work that is done in service to the Lord as priestly members of His kingdom.

An LCMS Stewardship Article

 

St Peter Council

President – Tom Meyer

Vice President – Tim Buchhop

Recording Secretary – Nancy Conrad

Board of Trustees – Ben Weddelman, Marty Helmke, Mark Oberhaus

Board of Elders – Dave Conrad & 1 Vacant

Treasurer – Jon Block

Financial Secretary – Judy Meyer

Board of Witness, Outreach & Stewardship –

Bette Weddelman, Deb Oberhaus

 

Building Improvement Fund Treasurer – Judy Meyer

Sunday School Superintendent – Vacant

Financial Review Committee – Dave Conrad

Marvin Michaelis, JoAnn Arens

Endowment Fund  Committee – Ruth Block, Steve Franz, Nancy Michaelis, Larry Retcher, Jim Meyer

 

Ushers -  Josh Scanes, Tony Mullett, Bethany Mathers, Rollen Zachrich, Pam Jones, Steve Franz, Cole Watson

Christmas Committee – Brad & Kristen Leaders

Morning Meditations Representative – Ruth Block

LLL Representatives – Steve Franz, Jim Meyer

Circuit Forum Representative – Tom Meyer

Filling Home of Mercy Delegate – Jim Meyer

 

Thanks

 

Thank you to everyone in both churches that helped to make the Christmas Season a wonderful experience!

The Sunday School Staff, Children, Choirs and Musicians for the beautiful performances on Christmas Eve.

The Decorating Committees and those that donated Poinsettias to beautify the Churches.

 

Greetings from Preschool!

We had a wonderful and busy December in Preschool.   Most importantly we celebrated the wonderful time of year and the meaning of Christmas.   We had our monthly visit with Ms Barb from the Napoleon Public Library, a visit from Santa, made Christmas gifts for our parents and had our Christmas party.   Since the temps didn’t allow us to go outside - we brought snow INSIDE the classroom!   So much fun!  Pastor visits our classroom every Friday and shares a bible lesson with us - we always look forward to that.

December we also had our annual Cookie Walk.  Thank you to everyone who baked and/or purchased baked goods.  It was another huge success.   Thanks so much!

 

Newsletter - December

From Pastor’s desk

We all know that Christmas is the 25th of December. I doubt many of us think about what saint is remembered on December 26th.  That day is the lesser festival where we remember Stephan the Deacon. He was not only a deacon, but the first martyr of the church.  This means he paid the ultimate price for sharing the good news of Jesus Christ (See Acts 7).  Of course Christmas is a time of celebrating God’s gracious gift to us. That gift being His Son, who would go on to pay the debt for the sins of the whole world.  That Son also calls on us to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him (See Mark 8:34). For some Christians that cross might be paying the ultimate price for sharing the gospel. Christians today are still being martyred. So this Christmas be thankful for the good things we have, but remember to pray for those who are still being persecuted for the faith.

Pastor Jacob Stuenkel

 

Christmas Services

December 24th – Christmas Eve

8:30am St Paul Sunday Worship Service

10:00 St Peter Children’s Christmas Program Service

6:30pm St Paul Children’s Christmas Program Service

 

December 25th – Christmas Day

8:30am St Paul Communion Worship Service

10:00am St Peter Communion Worship Service

 

St Peter – Endowment Fund

The Endowment Fund is now taking applications until the end of the year for projects.  See the narthex bulletin board for more information.  Endowment Committee:  Larry Retcher, Meta Walter, Ruth Block, Steve Franz, Nancy Michaelis.

 

St Peter Congregational Christmas Dinner

All members of the church are invited to attend the Congregational Christmas Potluck to be held, Sunday, December 3rd following the service.  Bring a potluck dish and share in the fellowship of the Christmas Season!

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Henry County Christmas Cheer

St Peter - The list of items for Christmas Cheer is posted on the bulletin board. If you are unable to attend the Christmas Potluck and would like to donate items, a marked box will be in the cry room for those items, through December 3rd. Thanks so much!!

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St Peter - Project We Care

The collection will go till December 3rd.  A collection basket will is marked and placed in the narthex. We will purchase items for a family in need, this may be the only gifts they receive for Christmas.  They will receive an invitation to join us at our Christmas Services, a Nativity, articles of clothing, a game/toy depending on ages etc. Christ is the Reason for the Season and showing we care and want to share Christ with them is the BEST! Questions ask Nancy H., Bette W. or Deb O.

 

St Peter’s LWML NEWS

The 2017-18 School Year Adopted Seminarian for St. Peter LWML is JUSTIN MASON, a fourth year student at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne.

He and his wife Stephanie and their two daughters, Maria and Anastasia, live in  Fort Wayne, IN.  They have been invited to attend our Christmas dinner.  He is a northeast Ohio native, having attended the University of Akron and served as a musician and college music professor prior to coming to the Seminary in 2014.  He has acknowledged with thanks the monthly payment of $40 from our LWML unit since the beginning of the school year.

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Annual Preschool Cookie Walk

Saturday, December 9th, 8:30-10:00am in the St Peter Preschool room. We are asking for donations of homemade Christmas cookies, brownies, puppy chow, fudge, etc. to be brought to the kitchen by 8:30am on the 9th. Whether you donate items or not, please come and purchase a box and fill it with a variety of goodies – easier than baking dozens of different recipes of cookies! Tell your friends and neighbors about our Cookie Walk. Thank you for all your kind support of the preschool by supplying and purchasing these Christmas Goodies.

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New Flower Chart

 The 2018 Flower Chart has been posted in the Narthex.  If you wish to donate a floral arrangement for a special event, anniversary, in loving memory of someone or to the Glory of God, please choose a date and enter the information on the chart so your arrangement may be acknowledged in the bulletin.