Peace Talk, March 2017

Peace Talk

NEWSLETTER March 2017

House of Prayer on Parker and Main

We will not hide them from their children; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done.

Psalm 78:4

Pastor’s Message: Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Life is astonishing. Beyond words. We examine the accompanying picture of Lorraine Pensak as a small girl in the corner of her family home. Our Lorraine. Still with us today. A sister in faith. A member of Peace Lutheran. We thrill at how God has blessed her through the decades. We marvel at how God has blessed us through her person. In this picture we see the wonderment in her eyes. We see the tenderness of her heart. We bless the Lord that he called her to follow Him. We bless the Lord because He has called her through baptism, washed her sins away, and has prepared a place for her in heaven.

But how did God do that? How did God’s grace and salvation reach out to her? How did God bless her heart and wash her sins and bring her to faith? Did He deliver his saving Grace through the mediation of her pillow while she slept? Did he speak His words of salvation as she did the laundry of her family?

No. Firstly He blessed her with salvation through the faith of her family and the words of scripture her father read from the Schweitzer family Bible… But secondly, incredibly, he brought her into relationship to Him through this little church on Parker St. and Main Ave. Here she was baptized. She had fellowship with the saints. She lived and breathed confession and absolution and the sacraments. Here she was married. Here she worshipped her Savior all her life long.

Peace Lutheran Church.

Her church. Your church. Her Peace. Your Peace.

Praise God for all that He does through this beautiful congregation. How many thousands of souls has God blessed through it? Rejoice! It was for Lorraine and for each and every one of us that Christ lived and died. Believe it! We all are the joy and the crown of all His achievements - on earth and in heaven.

The time has come! We have been working toward this 100th Anniversary for some time now. Life is astonishing. This congregation is remarkable. Treasure it. Bless it. Let us join all our voices with all the saints of heaven. All glory be to God for all His benefits.

In Jesus, Pastor Bjornstad

The Immanuel Preschool and The Lutheran Academy!

Working in partnership with God's people to raise up a new generation of faithful Christian men and women!

Lutheran Schools Week: March 5-12 Did you know The Lutheran Academy, Scranton is one of 804 Lutheran Elementary Schools nationwide?

Lutheran Schools week kicks off with the Worship Service at Peace on Sunday March 5th, and concludes with the 10am Worship Service at Immanuel on March 12th.

How can you make a difference? * Continually pray for our students and staff * Spread the word of our school * Share the information about the school Open House on March 7th from 6:00-7:30pm Spirit week is a fun way for the students and staff to celebrate all the joys of being part of the Lutheran School System.

This year our students will enjoy Crazy Hair Day, Favorite Sports Team Day, Pajama day, and more. You can be sure for some fun photos in next month’s newsletter.

Preschool Bowling Fundraiser The second annual bowling fundraiser at Idle Hour Bowling in Dickson City is scheduled for March 25th from 12:30-2:30pm. Tickets are 15.00 per person and that includes your shoe rental and 2 games.

There will also be basket raffles - an Echo Dot, family game night basket, a mystery basket and more!! For tickets, please contact the Preschool at 570-961-9080.

BOX TOPS FOR EDUCATION Pancake Breakfast Thank You

Preschool & Kindergarten

Thank you to all who supported the Academy through the Chocolate Pancake Breakfast, over $370 was raised!

Supporting The Lutheran Academy can be as simple as saving Box Tops for Education. Box Tops are found on almost 200+ items.

Each Box Top when turned in earns the Academy 10 cents. These Box Tops can really add up. In the past, the school has purchases gym equipement and other essential supplies.

A collection box is located in the back of the church.

Please begin saving the Box Tops. Spread the word and turn them in!

SPONSOR A STUDENT If you are looking for a way to impact The Lutheran Academy, perhaps consider sponsoring a student.

Full Scholarship ($3000) Half Scholarship ($1500) Quarter Scholarship ($750) One Month Scholarship ($300) Or make a simple, one time donation of any amount towards tuition. Brochures can be found at the back of the church.

Pray without ceasing - 1 Thes. 5:17 Remember to ask: "How can I pray for you?"

CHURCH NEWS AND NOTES: + SPECIAL PRAYERS NEEDED For Frank Schulze. Frank has expressed appreciation for all the thoughts and prayers. Please pray for continued spiritual strength as he awaits his trial to begin on March 20th.

For Connie Perry who is once agin battling cancer.

For Amy Betts, who was selected as a Top 25 Women in Business for Northeast PA winner. Her write up will appear in the March 8th edition of the Northeast Pennsylvania Business Journal. + HISTORICAL PICTURE After the 10:30 worship service on Sunday, Feb 19th Pastor snapped some photos for an Anniversary surprise. He also snapped this one of our beautiful congregation.

+ PEACE CHURCH CLEAN UP DAY March 19th following the 10:30am service. Join us for a light lunch and then help give Peace Church a deep cleaning in preparation for our 100th Anniversary celebration.

+ LUTHERAN MINISTRY CENTER CLEAN UP DAY March 24th from 3:00-600pm. Come when you can to help spruce up the sanctuary and lower level of the LMC just in time for the building tours as part of our 100th Anniversary celebration.

+ Our member Brenda Colbert is an Elder Law lawyer!

Many in our congregation has looked to her for help with wills, estate planning, and caring for their loved ones. If you have such a need, please give her a call at Colbert & Grebas, 570-299-7909. + THRIVENT MEMBERS Thrivent Action Teams gives each Thrivent member up to $500 each year in fundraising seed money to benefit your causes! If you are a Thrivent member, and want to raise some money for a good cause, you can apply for a $250 credit card! Go to www.thrivent.com for more information!

+ POT ROAST DINNER for CONNIE PERRY The Pot Roast Dinner held on Saturday, February 25th was a smashing success.

Proceeds totaling over $2250 were raised to help Connie Perry with her expenses as she once again battles cancer and is unable to work. Thank you to all who purchased dinners and special thanks to Jim Calpin and Judy Evans for using their God given gifts and making this happen! Also Jason Sauter, Kerry Hackenberg, Monica Bjornstad, Tom and Arlene Jones, and many others! What a beautiful witness to the power of christian community.

+ BEING SOCIAL MEDIA SAVVY It really helps when others can see that people are excited about what is happening at the church! Take a moment to “like” and “share” the church Facebook posts.

Please ALSO once in a while "check in" to church... Just like you "check in" to a restaurant... This is an exercise in not being ashamed of our Lord Jesus Christ.

You can also add a Review of the church on our Facebook page.

Tell others what you love about your church. Thanks for any help! + CHILD HELPERS Need an extra hand? Feel like it's too hard to come to church with your little one(s)? We have put into place a system, on communion Sundays (1st and 3rd Sundays of the month) to help.

Those Sundays ”child helpers” will be available to help with young children who need a quiet place to be or for those children who need to regroup, or perhaps get the wiggles out, before rejoining the worship service. If you have questions, or desire to serve as a “child helper” please inquire with the church office.

Sunday, March 12th we SPRING AHEAD. Don’t forget to set your clocks ahead one hour and be on time for church.

Church website: www.yourpeace.org.... email: pastor@yourpeace.org, amybetts@yourpeace.org… LMC: 570-703-0607

WORSHIP LIFE AT PEACE LUTHERAN CHURCH: WORSHIP HOURS 8:00 Worship with Holy Communion 9:30 Sunday School for Youth and Adult 10:30 Worship with Holy Communion every other Sunday 6:00 Church of All Nations Worship Service at the Lutheran Ministry Center

SPONSORING FLOWERS If you would like to sponsor the flowers for a particular Sunday, please note that it is the sponsor’s responsibility to provide/order the flowers. Please sign up on the calandar at the back of the church to indicate your sponsorship!

To order from McCarthy’s Flowers, please call: 570-507-9441 or 570-343-1179 and ask to speak with Carol. Or you can stop by the 1001 N. Main Ave, Scranton store and order from there!

Additional Services at Immanuel: 5:30 pm Saturday Evening and 10:15 am Sunday Morning

Peace Anniversary T-Shirts avaialble and only $15 for adult sizes and $10 for youth sizes and come in four colors: light grey, March Sermon Topics dark grey, black and pink.

March 5: You Shall Have No Other Gods The hope is you will want March 12: You Shall Not Misuse the Name of the Lord your God. to wear one of these March 19: Remember the Sabbath Day by Keeping it Holy. great anniversary shirts all year long to the March 26: 100th Anniversary (Guest preacher) various events and outings being planned.

Each week in Lent there will be a 10am Worship at Peace

We will be rotating between the three churches for the 7:30pm evening midweek services. Below is the Evening rotation: March 8: Lutheran Ministry Center March 15: Immanuel Lutheran Church March 22: St. Stephens Lutheran Church March 29: Immanuel Lutheran Church April 5: Peace Lutheran Church The 100th Anniversary Memory Book is in its final stages, in preparation for printing and distribution at the Celebration Dinner.

Please be sure to reserve your copy of this book for only $65. If you are unable to attend the Dinner, we will be sure to deliver your book promptly after. If you have any questions, please call Amy at the church office.

The 100th Anniversary Calendar has been created to help us all remember the history of Peace Lutheran Church as we move through our 100th Anniversary all 2017 long. Calendars are just $12 each. See Amy before or after service to get yours. All proceeds to support the 100th Anniversary service projects.

The BABBITTS Family John and Tanya Babbitts have been married for nearly 24 years and have four lovely children: Grace 17, John 14, Faith 10, and Joy 15 months Tanya is a scheduler at Anderol and John works nights at UPS. He has also been a licensed deacon for 17 years.

The Babbitts began worshipping at Peace in January. They had been members of Emmauel Lutheran Church in Milford, PA for the last 11 years, where John, a licensed deacon, served as their pastor. The closing of Emmauel Lutheran Church in Milford spurred their need to find a new church home. John wanted to look first at churches outside the NJ district he has been a part of all these years. This led their search to Scranton, and Peace Lutheran Church.

John says their family felt very at home and very welcomed from the get-go and continue to make the near hour drive every Sunday for Sunday School hour and worship. “When I visit a church I ask myself this one question, and the answer says a lot.

If I don’t know Jesus going in to the church, would I know Jesus when I left?” said John. Pastor’s sermon that first Sunday we came was Christ-centered and he is so happy that at Peace we are preached the Law AND the Gospel.

Please take a moment to introduce yourself to the lovely Babbitt family if you have not yet done so. Perhaps, reintroduce yourself to help them remember your name. We are so grateful for all the ways the Babbitt family has, and will continue to bless our congregation, as we strive to bless them each week with christian fellowship.

CHURCH OF ALL NATIONS As we continue plans for outreach in our communities, we definitely need a good "core" of worshippers on Sunday evening! We need YOU! We don't want to take away from Sunday morning worship at Peace, but make it your duty and honor to God to attend the evening Church of All Nations service if you are unable to attend the morning at Peace. Families and children are all welcome as well!

100th Anniversary Capital Campaign- Sound System The new sound system is in and final adjustments are being made to the speakers. This is our main anniversary inhouse project and we pray for your support to fully fund it. Any and all donations are welcome.

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4500 4000 3500 3000 On Friday, February 24th Peace Lutheran Church was blessed with a donation of beautiful items for the altar and sanctuary. Gus and Emily, founding members of the donating church, brought a car FULL of items from their recently closed Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Milford, PA. As you can see from the picture, we received a handmade processional cross, banners, a podium, altar cross and bible stand, plus candle holders, flower vases, candle lighters, an advent wreath and more. All these items now reside at the Lutheran Ministry Center. What a blessing this is, since the altar items were sparce over at that location.

Be sure to check out how lovely the sanctuary is when you pop over for your next visit at the LMC, perhaps during the LMC cleaning day on Friday, March 24th or for the LMC/Academy tours on March 26th.

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For Your Reference . . .

DETAILS OF SUNDAY, MARCH 26th: Anniversary celebration plans are coming together and they are EXCITING! Thanks to all who are working hard on these arrangements! Here are the main highlights: 10:30 am Worship & Holy Communion with the Saints: Featuring Special music including Men’s Choir & Rev. Rolf Buchman (former pastor), Preacher of the Word 11:30am-1:30pm Lutheran Ministry Center Open House: Featuring Lutheran Academy student hosted tours, refreshments and light sandwiches. A concert featuring the LMC organ as well as Academy choirs and orchestra.

2:00pm 100th Anniversary Festival Worship: Featuring Academy voice and bell choirs, Sounds of Peace Reunion Choir, Rev. Chris Wicher, LC-MS Eastern District President as Preacher of the Word.

3:30pm Fellowship/Cocktails at Fiorelli’s Banquet Hall, Peckville: Featuring displays of pictures and church historical items.

Anniversary tshirts, calendars and memory books will be available for purchase. Cash Bar and live “Golden Oldies” music!

4:15pm Program begins with 4:30 Banquet: Featuring Rev. Theodore Hanus (former pastor), presentation of the Founder award to the descendants of our congregation’s founders, concluding with a dance! RSVP required by March 19th $20/Adult Dinner $10/ Child Dinner age 3-11 Free for child under age 3 Everything will be over by 6:30pm and we promise you will be tired but very happy and blessed! If you can’t join us for the whole day, please join us for what you can. If you have not yet done so, NOW is the time to RSVP. Return your reply card or visit the Peace website to RSVP and pay for dinner tickets, www.yourpeace.org. Dinner tickets MUST be PAID by March 19th.

Church website: www.yourpeace.org.... email: pastor@yourpeace.org, amybetts@yourpeace.org… LMC: 570-703-0607