Newsletter - July 2017

July 2, 2017 Emilie Parsons

From Pastor's Desk:

Every summer we look forward to the fourth of July where we celebrate our nation’s founding. One of the best things about America is we have the Bill of Rights, especially the First Amendment. The Amendment starts by stating, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof”. (1) We often times forget Freedom of Religion is the first freedom given. It’s stated before Freedom of speech, press, assembly or petition. I think it points how important and central freedom of Religion is to all the other freedoms. In other words, if you don’t have Freedom of Religion, you don’t really have any freedoms.

Often you will hear Modern day people state we have freedom FROM religion. I always thought that the Government and people of the founding were far more worried about Government having influence over organized religion, than the other way around. I have one example of why I think this is true. In the early days of our founding, the Federal government allowed religious services to be held in the buildings in Washington DC.(2) Not only that, but Thomas Jefferson when he was president would often times attend the Services! (3) Even Today Christians should not be afraid to use their faith to mold how they feel about their Government and its proper role.

Pastor Stuenkel

(See footnotes below)

https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/bill-of-rights-transcript. Quoted on 6/28/2017

2 Hecht, Bill. Two Wars We Must Not Lose. Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne IN, 2012. 415.
3 Hecht, Bill. 415.

St Peter - Lutheran Witness Subscriptions are due –
If you would like to subscribe to our Synod’s official publication The Lutheran Witness you can do so by using the special offering envelope in your box. If you are not familiar with this publication there are several issues in the Narthex for you to borrow. If interested the annual cost is $15.96.

Congratulations to Brian and Dana Tietje on the birth of their daughter Emma Danielle on May 18th.

Congratulations to Mike and Erin (Rettig) Terry on the birth of their son Henry Dunbar on June 9th.

Congratulations to Andy and Emilie Parsons on the birth of their daughter Anna Emilie on June 25th.

Homemade Ice Cream Social

SUNDAY, AUGUST 6, 2017, 11:30 AM - ?
ST. PETER LUTHERAN CHURCH, FLORIDA, OHIO

NEEDED ARE: HELPERS TO MAKE ICE CREAM ON SATURDAY MORNING, AUGUST 5
HELPERS TO MAKE AND SERVE FOOD ON DAY OF THE SOCIAL
MEMBERS TO DONATE ITEMS FOR MENU (LIST ON NARTHEX BULLETIN BOARD.)

MENU: HOMEMADE ICE CREAM HOMEMADE PIES AND CAKES;
GRILLED BRATS, SAUERKRAUT, CHICKEN AND HOT DOG SANDWICHES;
POTATO CHIPS; BAKED BEANS AND BEVERAGES.

FREE WILL OFFERING WITH PROCEEDS TO FINANCIAL AID FOR SEMINARIANS
THIS IS A THRIVENT ACTION TEAM EVENT

Newsletter - June 2017

June 21, 2017 Emilie Parsons

From Pastor's Desk:

June is really the first month where it’s summer. There are always a lot of things to celebrate in June. Schools over and vacations are starting. In June the Lutheran Church celebrates a unique day in our history. June 25 1530, The Augsburg Confession was read to the Emperor. Charles V at the time was the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. The Augsburg Confession was written in Latin, which was the language of Scholars and Theologians. It was however translated into German, and that is what was read to the Emperor.

This is an important day, because the Augsburg Confession is the first confession of faith coming out of the German Reformation. It was written by Philipp Melanchthon. This was the Lutheran Theologians’ way of explaining their difficulties with Rome. Here was Lutheran Doctrine being delivered to the Emperor. We should also remember that it the Augsburg Confession was signed by princes. This was German’s way of telling the Emperor that these Confessions were their Confession. And that this Confession was worth fighting for. This is not unlike how our Declaration of Independence was signed by our own Founding Fathers. The Augsburg Confession was not however meant to be seen as a Declaration of Independence.

On this day we should Thankful for Philipp Melanchthon’s great work. We should also be thankful for those great princes who were willing to say the Bible’s truths were worth dying for.

Pastor Stuenkel

NEED A SUGGESTION FOR YOUR MONDAY, JUNE 12th EVENING MEAL?

St. Peter LWML invites you to join them for the Monday night Senior Buffet on Monday, June 12th at The Barn Restaurant at Sauder Village near Archbold, commencing at 5 PM. We have reserved the Granary Room for St. Peter members and their guests to enjoy a Dutch treat meal. Camaraderie and fellowship are sure to greet you. Please advise Sharlene Bunke by June 11th if you can attend.

Donations & Volunteers Welcome! Orphan Grain Train will be participating in the Historic 424 Yard Sale on June 8th & 9th (from Florida to Waterville). They will be set up in the Florida Firehouse and will be selling Plants, Bake Sale items and miscellaneous garage sale goodies as well as having a Lunch Wagon. They are looking for donations of any items on the sale list as well as volunteers to assist on those two days. Please see Nancy Helmke at St Peter or Cindy Cline at St Paul if you are able to help in any way with a donation or time.

Greetings from Preschool!

Can't believe we’ve had our last week of school - what a fantastic school year its been!

Our preschool Graduation was held on May 24th at 7pm. The students were very excited for the ceremony and so was I!

Thank you to everyone at St Peter for the support throughout the school year - it's been very appreciated.

School will start for the 2017/2018 school year on Tuesday, September 5th. We will have the 4/5 year olds on M/W/F from 9-11:30am and the 3 year olds on T/Th from 9-11:30am. Enrollment is open, please help spread the word!

In God’s Blessings, Mrs. Rees

St Peter Sunday School -

God’s Biggest Blessings are the Little Ones

We BEE-lieve!

Sunday school end of year party

We sang “The Perfect Ten” in church, as you've probably guessed it's a Ten Commandment song. All the children now know the Ten Commandments. 72 people stayed for our potluck. We started off with the preschool – first grade class leading us in prayer. After our delicious dinner we went through what we do each week in Sunday school. Our object lesson was about “The CREEP” who was sneaking around, sitting on shoulders and whispering in ears! Oh my, be sure to knock him off your shoulder and don't listen to what he wants you to do, but listen to Jesus! Then, we played Bible Trivia, the Busy Bees (Sunday school children) versus the Bumbly Bees (congregation). The Busy Bees won, great job kids! Better luck next time Bumbly Bees. We then invited the congregation to sing our favorite songs about what we BEE-lieve with us.

I would like to thank Dalton Krueger for being our thunder and lightning, Kristi Leaders for designing our posters and shirts and helping us sing, Jake & Addi Leaders for helping with The Creep, My wonderful teachers and subs for all their dedication and putting up with me, all of the Sunday school children for being so great, and everyone who came and supports the Sunday school program. We love you all and wouldn't have the program we do without you! But most of all, I thank God for all the blessings and guidance He has bestowed on our Sunday school program and for always being with us!

Children with perfect attendance for May were: Addi & Jake Leaders, Maddox, Irelyn & Ashlyn Mullins, Lana Culp, Emma, Rebekah & Rollen Zachrich. Great job kids and parents for getting them here!

Looking ahead -- Sept 10th Rally Day – Sing in church, blessing of the Backpacks and Donuts & drinks after church

God bless, - Evie

St Peter VBS Program

“A Mighty Fortress, In Jesus the Victory Is Won!” is our VBS theme. We welcome all children ages 3-11, grades PK-5. Invite your grandkids, neighbors, and friends to join us as we travel back to medieval times to learn the word of God through lessons, crafts, snacks, music, and games. Come the entire week, June 19-23, or just a couple days if that is all that works in your schedules. It runs from 6 p.m. -8 p.m. nightly. Please RSVP to Deb Oberhaus at 419-762-5397or email stpeterflorida@gmail.com by June 12th.

Also, we are in need of 30-35 empty, rinsed 2 Liter plastic bottles for a craft project. Please give to Bridgett, Dana, or Nancy Conrad. Thanks for your help!

Newsletter - April 2017

March 23, 2017 Emilie Parsons

From Pastor’s desk:

This April Christians everywhere will celebrate Easter. Of course, before we celebrate Easter we have to experience Good Friday. Good Friday for me has always been a difficult day. Should I be happy, or should I be sad? Maybe this Good Friday we can consider the words we learned in the Small Catechism.

In the meaning for the second article: We confess that our Lord Jesus Christ “Has redeemed me, a lost and condemned person, purchased and won me from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil; not with gold or silver, but with His holy, precious blood and with His innocent suffering and death.”

Maybe on this Good Friday we can remember these words of Luther. It is on Good Friday when Jesus showed his Love for you. It is on this day that he redeemed you. It is on this day that he purchased you with his own blood. It was on this day that God the Father shows us His love for us is was so great that he was willing to send his Son to die on the cross for you. So I hope you have Happy Easter, but I also hope you don’t forget Good Friday. For without Good Friday, we would have no reason to celebrate Easter.

April Lent and Holy Week Schedule:

Lent Services 7pm – April 5th St Peter; April 6th St Paul

Palm Sunday Services – April 9th – 8:30am St Paul; 10:00am St Peter with Confirmation

Maundy Thursday Service – April 13th 7pm – St Paul

Good Friday Services – April 14th – 6pm St Paul; 7:30pm St Peter

Easter Services – April 16th

Easter Sunrise Service 6:30am St Peter

Easter Breakfasts 7:30am – Both Churches

Easter Communion Service 8:30am St Paul; 10:00am St Peter

Greetings from St. Peter Preschool!

We've had a busy month in Preschool! The Leprechauns made a surprise visit to our classroom this month, left quite the mess but also some special gold treats for the students. We had our monthly visit from Miss Barb from the public library and also our monthly show-n-tell. New this month was our "All About Me" weeks. The students work on a poster all about them and share with the class. The posters are displayed in the classroom and then moved to the hallway. Please check the posters out! The students have worked very hard on them.

Conferences are currently being held this week, the parents of all 12 students signed up to meet with me and go over their assessments. I am so thankful for that. Each and every student has developed in every aspect. What a great school year its been.

In April we will be talking more about Easter and how Jesus died for us. We will learn the song Jesus Loves Me and talk about the Easter story. The Flatrock/Florida Fire Department will be bringing their fire trucks to the preschool, thank you Kyle Richards for helping organize this. We will also have our first annual St. Jude "Trike-a-Thon!" The students will raise money for a great organization and also learn bike safety. I can't wait for this event.

We will have our Spring Break the week of April 10th - April 14th. Our Preschool ceremony & graduation is scheduled for Wednesday, May 24th at 7pm with our last day of school on Thursday, May 25th. I can't believe how quickly the school year has gone.

As always, thank you for allowing me to be your St. Peter Preschool teacher. I am so very thankful for my job. In God's Blessings, Mrs. Rees

LWML News from St Peter:

Our adopted Seminarian, David Weirauch will receive his first call destination on April 25. 2017 and that service can be viewed on computer that evening at ctsfw.edu. David's graduation service will be on May 19, 2017. Another important event is that David and Kaci are expecting their third child in September, 2017. He recently wrote how grateful he is for the ways he was supported throughout his time at the Seminary. He says, "You have welcomed me into your congregation and I have gotten to know you through the letters and visits. I can't begin to tell you how your support has helped us along the way." St Peter also appreciates his service in conducting some services during our vacancy. Let us include David and Kaci and their children in our prayers with thankfulness that he has chosen such an important part in the ministry of our Church.

The next LWML meeting will be on Tuesday, April 11 at 1:30 PM at the Alpine Village Activity Room on the Lutheran Home campus.

Installation Service of Pastor Jacob Stuenkel