NEWSLETTER January 2016
Peace Talk
House of Prayer on Parker and Main
Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by
such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off
everything that hinders and the sin that so easily
entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus,
the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame,
and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
From the pastor’s heart: Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, This last year was a clear answer from God that He is very alive in our midst and has a special and most wonderful purpose for us. As if there had been any doubts among us! For the three years culminating in our 100th Anniversary celebrations in 2017, I had labeled each year as “Ready”, “Set”, and “Go” (for another 100 years of growth and blessing!) These two first years were supposed to be years of positioning, organizing, and renewing our faith… getting “ready” and “set”. Incredibly it seemed that God’s starting gun went off before we were in any way prepared! The former Trinity Baptist Church came for sale and God parted the waters and made its purchase and renovations all possible. Today the Academy is 50% larger than a year ago, with a new teacher and what looks like a very healthy future! The Lutheran Ministry Center was renovated under the expert direction of Jerry Cornog and most of the bugs of running this massive facility have been ironed out. Plans are well underway to make the LMC financially solvent indefinitely. And finally, our first attempt at a new Church of All Nations mission at the LMC gained fruit that will last. Even though it hit a stumbling
block in December, we are looking to reorganize and renew that mission here in January. So where does this leave us now? Where do we go from here? What if what WE think was God’s “starting gun”, was really just His “getting us ready”? Makes me laugh! We need to adjust to this new reality. The Lord in His wisdom and grace has given us SO MANY gifts. We do need to sit down, put our heads and hearts together with the Lord’s, and plan for the new future with hearts FULL of faith. This is why I am asking for your support and attendance at the January 16th (Saturday) congregational retreat. Pastor Buchmann (former pastor of Peace) and Amy Betts, our Parish Administrator, will conduct this meeting. You will find more details of the meeting elsewhere in this newsletter, and in upcoming communications leading up to the 16th. According to Hebrews chapter 12, WE are the joy SET before Jesus, and it is for US that he scorned the cross… and so WE, as His children, are to look to HIM with perfect joy and expectation. He is our savior and the light of our life… To God be ALL the glory - now and for the next 100 years of Peace Lutheran Church! In Jesus,
Pastor Bjornstad