Newsletter - June

Pastor’s desk for June  

 Throughout this year we have been discussing the specific times and seasons of the church year. We  more specifically discussing unique customs or traditions that happen during these seasons. The First Sunday  in June this year is the Sunday of Pentecost. In Scripture Pentecost is the day when the Holy Spirit descended  upon the Apostles.  

There are 40 days from Easter to Ascension, and then there are 10 days from Ascension to Pentecost.  In the ancient church kneeling during services was fairly common. The Council of Nicaea in 325 specifically  banned any kind of kneeling during Pentecost. [Here “Pentecost” is that whole fifty day period from Easter  to Pentecost.] Kneeling, they said, was a mark of penitence and humility. In other words, they wanted people  to pray boldly, standing upright.  

 We know Pentecost is one of the OLDEST holidays celebrated in the church year. Pentecost is even a  Jewish holiday. In the Old Testament it was known as the Feast of the First Fruits, or the Feast of the  Harvest. Originally it was a thanksgiving for the harvesting of the wheat in and around Israel.   In this, can see why this day was picked for the Holy Spirit to descend upon the disciples. The  Holiday should remind us of Jesus words to his disciples in Matthew 9:37-38, “The harvest is plentiful, but  the laborers are few; 38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.  ” The Holy Spirit’s work showed us, it was time for the Disciples to go and spread the word of God  throughout the world. Of course, we are still called to spread that word of God today.  

Taken from “The Year of The Lord: The Church Year: Its Customs Growth and Ceremonies. By Theodore Kleinhans.  Concordia Publishing, 1967. Pages 83-85.

Lana Hui Hope Culp  

Lana Hui Hope Culp is graduating from Ayersville  High school. She has participated in marching band,  choir, powerlifting, wrestling, school musicals,  yearbook staff and National honor society.  She plans to attend Kent State University in the design  program this fall.  

God Bless you Lana in the next chapter of your story,  we love you and are so proud of you

St. Peter – LWML  

80 YEARS AND GOING STRONG – the Lutheran Women’s missionary League Pennies, silver coins and quiet money placed in LWML Mite  Boxes has been a successful mission ministry in the Lutheran  Church-Missouri Synod, in the Ohio District and throughout  the world.  

JUNE 17-18 are the dates for the LWML, OHIO DISTRICT CONVENTION AT   ST. PAUL LUTHERAN CHURCH, NAPOLEON, OH. The theme for the convention is  “Lord of the Harvest”. Mission grants will be chosen and new officers elected.  Attending from St. Peter are Pastor Stuenkle, (candidate for District Pastoral  Counselor), Delegates Betty Hoy and Alice Knepley.  Alternates Ruth Block and Sharlene Bunke.  

ALSO, we are collecting donations of infants new socks and diapers, and children’s  new socks and underwear for Orphan Grain Train. There is a box in the narthex  to receive these items. The deadline for donations is June 12th. Thank you.  

Last but not least, please include in prayer the Convention Committees of the  Defiance, Napoleon and Toledo Zones as they finalize plans for this convention  and our delegates for another inspirational and uplifting time as they “Serve the Lord with Gladness”! 

A Peek from Preschool  

Our Preschoolers finished off the school year with a bang and are so excited for summer break! The children  enjoyed their last field trip to the Florida Library until next school year and had Field Day outside with some  relay games. Our Preschool program was also a great success and the children enjoyed sharing songs they  learned throughout the year with their families. We look forward to our upcoming Rummage sale on June 9,  and drop off of items for this event us on June 8 from 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm. Also, save the date for our  Preschool Carnival on July 13 from 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm. We are looking for volunteers to help with games,  food and anyone interested in clown ministry, face painting or balloons should contact Emilie Parsons with  any information. We look forward to the summer and hope to see you soon!  

Mrs. Arce  

Newsletter - May

Pastor’s Desk  

   Over the last few months, we have been going over the customs of the seasons. When I discuss  Christmas I like to remind people that the Christmas season is 12 days. I always think this puts the church at  odds with the rest of the world, because when the world is completely done celebrating Christmas, we still  have Sundays after Christmas where we celebrate the holiday. Easter is very similar in this regard, with one  caveat. While Christmas is celebrated for 12 days in the church year, Easter is celebrated for 50 days. The  Mood of Easter does not end with Easter Sundown. The feast lasts right on until Pentecost!   This means that all six Sundays after Easter, along with Ascension belong to the Paschal Feast. The  40 days from Easter to Ascension along with the 10 from Ascension to Pentecost were days of such spiritual  excitement that the disciples celebrated them with as much joy as they did Easter.   The Fullest account of Ascension appears in the Acts of the Apostles. Here Jesus charges his  disciples with proclaiming the Gospel and Promises that he will send his Holy Spirit. Then he ascends into  heaven to sit at his Father’s right hand.  

 One interesting tradition with Ascension is what happened to the Paschal Candle (Sometimes Christ  Candle). This candle was seen as Christ’s presence with his People. The candle was solemnly extinguished  during the Ascension service. This was to show that Christ would no longer be visibly present with His  people, but would instead send the Holy Spirit.  

  I hope the joy that we have on Easter Sunday does not get extinguished during our 50 days of Easter.  

Taken from “The Year of The Lord: The Church Year: Its Customs Growth and Ceremonies. By Theodore  Kleinhans. Concordia Publishing, 1967. Pages 77-84. 

High School and College Seniors  

St. Peter and St. Paul would like to feature our graduates in the June Link. Please  

email or drop off a copy of your senior picture with a bio of your high school or  

college accomplishments and future plans to the Church Secretary, or email to  

stpeterflorida@gmail.com. 

A Peek from Preschool  

What a busy month we had in April! Our children enjoyed fun activities and guest readers for Week of the  Young Child. We explored many activities related to food, music, and art and working together in the  classroom. We want to thank all our guest readers and visitors who attended our classroom last month to  make it such an amazing time. Our 1st annual Easter Egg Hunt & Storytime also went so well with over 75  children along with their families in participation. A BIG thank you to our church members and board  members who helped make this event a success and we look forward to having one again next year. As  Spring is upon us, we will begin doing some Spring Cleaning in May/June and plan on holding a  Church/Preschool Rummage Sale on Thursday, June 9 with drop-off of donated items on Wednesday, June 8  from 4-6 pm. Church members and Preschool families are invited to donate gently used items in good  condition for our Preschool Freewill Donation Rummage Sale. Please contact Emilie Parsons with any  information and look for an information flier to be posted in the narthex soon! We look forward to our last  month of Preschool and church members are invited to attend our end of year program which will be held on  Tuesday, May 24 at 6 pm.  

Mrs. Arce 

Newsletter - April

Pastor’s desk  

 Over the last few months, we have been going over the customs of the seasons. For the next two  articles I want to go over some of the customs of Easter. I want to discuss a day that usually gets forgotten in  our Easter Customs, that being the day before Easter. It is sometimes called Holy Saturday or Easter Eve.  At Dusk on Holy Saturday, people used to light lamps and candles. It was to mark the beginning of the  Easter Vigil. People were waiting to celebrate Easter. This light was the symbol of Christ who was the light  of the world.  

 In some places Easter Vigils lasted the entire night with people hearing readings from Scripture,  antiphons, and prayers. There were a lot of customs surrounding Holy Saturday in the ancient church.  Previously pagan adults were still being converted to the Faith and had gone through instruction were now  ready to be Baptized. At Midnight, people who were going to be baptized stripped themselves of Jewelry.  Then they listened to the final exhortation of the bishop and then marched to the Baptistery.   There the Bishop Baptized them. After being anointed with Oil, they donned fresh white linen tunics  and were given new sandals. They then stayed in these outfits for the Easter Service.   Later in the Easter Procession the Bishop, other clergy, the newly baptized, and other faithful,  gathered up the sacred vessels and the bible they would do the readings from. Then they left out a side door  of the church and then marched around the church. Others would come to join them as everyone gathered  around the main entrance which was now locked and closed. The closed door represented the closed tomb of  Christ. When dawn approached the doors would swing open. The people would chant “Christ is Risen”.  Then the whole assembly would re-enter the sanctuary for the Service of Eastertide. That would have been  the end of a very eventful Saturday Night.  

 I always try to think of these old Customs on Holy Saturday. The new converts ready to be Baptized.  Spending a whole night praying then in the middle of the night being Baptized. Then entering into a new  day, washed with water and oil. Then putting on new clothes. All of this to celebrate Easter. It would be  easy to see yourself as reborn, as a new creation. Is this not what Easter is all about? How the death and  resurrection of Christ has made us a new Creation.  

Taken from “The Year of The Lord: The Church Year: It’s Customs Growth and Ceremonies. By Theodore Kleinhans.  Concordia Publishing, 1967. Pages 75-76.

Holy Week and Easter Schedule  

April 10th - Palm Sunday – Confirmation 8:30 am and 10:00 am 

April 14th - Maundy Thursday Service – St. Paul at 7:00 pm  

April 15th - Good Friday Service – St. Paul 6:00 pm and St. Peter 7:30 pm  

April 17th Easter Sunrise Worship 6:30 am at St. Peter  

April 17th - Easter Breakfast – 7:30 am – Both Churches  

April 17th - Easter Communion Service – 8:30 am and 10:00 am 

Congratulations to our Confirmands  

Willa Culp – Daughter of Jeffrey and Carrie Culp  

Ashlyn Mullins – Daughter of Gregory and Stacie Mullins  

Cole Cereghin – Bill and Alicia Richardson 

LWML  

You are invited!  

LWML members from the Defiance, Napoleon and Toledo Zones are preparing for the first ever LWML  Ohio District Concise Convention to be held June 17-18, 2022 at St. Paul Lutheran Church, Napoleon,  OH. The theme is “Lord of the Harvest”. This will be an inspiring and fun-filled time for all who attend.  The Friday evening worship/communion service will be led by Proclaimer Rev. Keith Witte, LWML Ohio  District Counselor. The Bible study leader for this convention will be Rev. Peter Marcis, Pastor, St. Paul  Lutheran Church and the Keynote speaker will be Rev. Dr. Ryan Peterson, Vice President of Administration  and Chief Liaison to the Office of the President Concordia University, Ann Arbor, MI. Mission grants will  be chosen and District officers elected. Betty Hoy and Alice Knepley will represent our unit as delegates,  along with Pastor Stuenkel. Ruth Block and Sharlene Bunke will attend as alternates. All information  concerning the Convention is featured in the current and next ODE publication which is inserted in the  LWML Quarterly or ask any of our St. Peter LWML members. This information can also be found  at www.lwmlohio.org. 

All women of LCMS congregations are encouraged to attend. Plan to attend all or part of the LWML  Ohio District Convention. There is a registration fee for attending the convention. The uplifting Friday  evening worship service with Rev. Keith Witte, LWML Ohio District Counselor, as Proclaimer is open to  everyone at no cost. There is a registration fee for attending the convention. Registration forms are posted  on the bulletin board. 

  Our adopted seminary student, Michaela Dub, wrote in a recent note, “Dear Saints at St. Peter Lutheran  Church, Thank you for your continued prayers and support. So far my studies have been going very well as I  continue to learn and grow as a future deaconess. I am grateful to have your support as I continue through  my final year of classes at the seminary. It was very nice to get to come visit and meet you. I hope to get to  visit again soon”. Michaela Dub.  

  We sincerely appreciate all the assistance and support our congregation gives towards our mission projects. 

Easter Breakfast

The Easter Breakfast will be happening following  Sunrise Service Easter morning, Sunday, April 17th.  There will be a signup sheet in the narthex and also  evites will be sent. Please RSVP so we know how much  food to prepare! Ladies mark your calendars for April  30th to make earrings. If your ears aren't pierced, you can  come and make them as a gift for a friend or family  member. Bring a friend to join in the fun!  

Stay tuned for a Picnic in the Park date. Lastly,  remember new ideas and activities are welcome. Let's  share God's love as well as our own with our community!  

Blessings to all,  

Bridgett

Greetings from Preschool!  

Our class has been busy welcoming Spring and have finally been able to get outside to enjoy some  nice weather. We had our Spring Open House on March 8th and it was such a great success! We enrolled a  few new children for the upcoming school year and ALL our students in our current class will also be  returning next year in the 4-5 year old class! We are currently preparing for Easter in the classroom and look  forward to our Community Egg Hunt & Storytime on April 8th from 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm. Mrs. Arce will be  reading the Easter story to the children and the Easter Bunny will also be making an appearance. We are still  in need of egg/candy donations for that event and appreciate any help we can get. Our Preschool also helped  host concessions for the area Dartball Tournament held at the church on March 13th and we were excited for  the donations we did receive that will be put towards playground improvements! We look forward to our  upcoming month and focusing on the Resurrection of Jesus Christ with the children!  

Mrs. Arce 

Newsletter - March

From Pastor's Desk 

This year we have been discussing the seasons of the church year. The church year mirrors the life of Christ  and all he has done and taught. For this article I want to discuss the time of Lent, which is sometimes called  Pre-Easter. Through the centuries Lent has taken on so many overtones with fasting and penitence, that it  somewhat disguises the true character of the season.  

 The proper mood is one of expectation, of waiting, not unlike that of Advent. The Christian ought to  feel not only sorrow, because of their sins, but also joy. They should have joy because of the triumph of the  Resurrection.  

 Lent is usually 40 days. The 40-day period (not counting Sundays) parallels Christ’s time in the  wilderness. This is the reason why the First Sunday Gospel reading of Lent is often Christ’s confrontation  with Satan. If you go to a church that reads through the One Year lectionary they add three Sundays and call  it “Pre- Lent”. The first Sunday is Septuagesima (means Seventh). The Second Sunday is Sexagesima  (Sixtieth). The third Sunday, and the Sunday before Ash Wednesday is called Quinquagesima (Fortieth). St.  Peter and St. Paul read through the Three Lectionary and Transfiguration Sunday is always before Ash  Wednesday.  

 The mood we usually associate with Lent is Sorrow and Sadness, but it need not be. The Eastern  church retain the Hallelujahs, because they look forward to Christ’s Resurrection. In the western churches the  mood of lent is marked by an ancient ceremony known as “Farewell to Hallelujah”. In the west Lent tends to  focus on Jesus Death and suffering. Since we are heading towards the Cross with Christ. We should  remember that Lent is leading us towards Holy Thursday Good Friday and Easter. Lent is not the End. This  is why the Hallelujahs come back at Easter, and we are reminded of Christ’s victory over death. In Christ,  Rev. Jacob Stuenkel.  

Some of the information was taken from “The Year of The Lord: The Church Year: its Customs Growth and  Ceremonies. By Theodore Kleinhans. Concordia Publishing, 1967. Pages 61-63.

Ash Wednesday and Lenten Services

Ash Wednesday Service – March 2nd – 7:00 pm

Wednesday Lenten Services – 7:00 pm

St. Peter - Sunday School  

The Sunday School children have been  learning stories that show God's eternal love  for them as well as how faith works in us.  They have been singing songs like "Rise and  Shine" and "Love in a Box." We made  special valentines for every Congregation  member and handed them out after church on  February 13th. All are welcome: preschool 8th grade; so invite your neighbors, friends,  and relatives!  

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to  me, and do not hinder them, for the  kingdom of heaven belongs to such as  these.” Matthew 19:14 

Board of Witness News  

The Lenten season is here and I still need a couple of volunteers for Lenten Meals (March 16, 23, 30) as well as Easter breakfast. A big thank you to all who have already signed up. I am willing to help cook one of the meals with someone if you don't want to do it alone. If you are not into cooking, think about helping with a game or movie night. Maybe our dartballers would like to open the game up for a friendly competition among families?? Some of you have talents you could share by leading a how to class. People are drawn into the church when they feel connected to the other members. We don't need 50 people to show up to do something or have lots of preplanning. These events help foster fellowship with Christians and provide a less  intimidating atmosphere for people looking for a church  home. I believe we need to go out in the community and not  just invite the community in. That is why I threw the Picnic  in the Park idea out in my first email. I also think an Easter  egg hunt/roll would be a super idea. Call, text, email, or catch  me at church if you have other ideas or want to help with one  I suggested. We have a beautiful church and wonderful  people and we all believe in an AWESOME GOD! Let's  share it. 

 God's Blessings, 

Bridgett

Easter Flowers

Spring is coming! Easter flower order forms will be posted on the narthex bulletin board. Price is $8.50 per plant. Cash or checks can be made out to Jeff Brubaker)

Choices: Lily or Regal Geranium Orders must be in no later than Marth 20th. Please place your order in the offering plate or contact Bette Weddelman.

Newsletter - September

Pastor’s Announcements:

I thought for this Pastor’s desk article I would explain the last few weeks and a few of my plans for the future. A few weeks ago I announced in Church that I was returning the call that I received from Lincoln IL. Dana and I did go visit the church, and it seemed like a nice congregation. We still decided to stay. I appreciated all the prayers and thanks we received from members of both congregations while we considered the call. It did get me to think about the future specifically about the things we could do at our two churches going forward.

The first thing I would like to announce is I plan to do two Adult Bible studies on a weekly basis. The first will be at 10:00 am on Wednesdays at St. Peter. The second will be at 7:00 pm on Thursdays at St. Paul. The Two Bible Studies will be similar and cover the same material. The reason why I am doing it at both churches and at two different times is to make it easier for members to come to the Bible studies. I purposely made one in the morning and the other at night so that people could choose the one that worked for their schedule. The reason why I made it at both churches was so people could come to their own church for the Bible Study if they so wished.

The second thing I wanted to talk about was Confirmation. For the months of September and October we will be having Confirmation on both Wednesday night and Thursday both at 6:00 pm. I am doing this to give parents a chance to pick a night that works for them and to make it possible for them to be at their own church building. It might change though in November if only one child or no child is coming to one of the two nights.

If you have a question about either one of these two announcements call me 715-663-1845.

Catechism Classes

Catechism Classes will begin on Wednesday, September 1 st at 6:30 pm. The First class meeting will include the parents for an important organizational meeting will be held at St. Peter.

Joint Council Meeting

Joint Church Council Meeting will be held September 13 th at 7:30 pm at St. Peter.

First Day of Sunday School

is September 12th starting at 9:00 am! All children in preschool through 8th grade are welcome to join us.

Blessing of the Backpacks – We will be blessing the children’s backpacks during our 10:00 am worship

service.

LWML

Our next meeting is September 14th at 1:30 pm. The September’s project collecting new underwear and socks in all sizes for the Orphan Grain Train. These items can be placed in the box on the table in the narthex. Thank you for your assistance with this project.

LWML Retreat – Napoleon/Defiance Zones

Saturday – September 18 th St. John, Stryker – Corners of St Rts. 6 & 66 8:30 am – 2:00 pm The LWML provides the planning for the program, church service conducted by Pastors Stuenkel and Stottlemeyer. The theme is “The Wonderful Surprise, based on 1 Corinthians 2:10. The Bible study leader will be Rev. Dr. Thomas Ahlersmeyer, senior pastor at Holy Cross Lutheran Church and School in Ft. Wayne, IN. Please bring your Bible! All women of our churches are invited and urged to attend.

Registration forms are on the bulletin board in church narthex and need to be sent to Linda Bostelman with a check for $14 for each registrant. Deadline for registration is September 3rd.

Big Thank you!

Pastor would like to thank Ken Helmke, Doug Dammann, and Tim Buchhop for working on the parsonage property this Summer.

Notes from Preschool

We are excited to start school on August 31! We had our Preschool Fall Open House on August 18 and had 6 families attend and 1 follow up about enrolment. We currently have 7 children enrolled for the fall and will have combined classes on Tuesdays/Thursdays and our 4-5 year olds on Wednesdays. We understand this is a "rebuilding year" with all new children and have hopes of possibly adding more as the school year progresses. September 9 is our School picture day and our Back to School night for current families will be on September 29 at 6:00 pm. We look forward to a great start to the school year!

We are currently looking for classroom subs on September 14, 15, 16, and 21. If you are interested in helping out those days from 9:00 am - 11:30 am, please email Stephanie Arce at stpeterpreschool123@gmail.com. Thank you so much for your support!

Mrs. Arce

Newsletter - July

From Pastor's Desk

I didn't really know what to talk about for July. So I looked up what Saints' Days and festivals were in July. Mary Magdalene’s day is July 22nd. St. James the elder's day is on July 25th. There are a lot of eoplenamed James in the Bible. One is James the Brother of Jesus. In fact there are two Apostles named James. This is the more famous one. This is James the son of Zebedee. Which means this is also John's brother. James was called with his brother by Jesus. He was with John and Peter when Jesus was transfigured. James was with the Apostles when they saw the Resurrected Christ and when they saw him ascend into heaven. Unfortunately James was not there to witness how the faith was spread throughout the whole Roman world. The reason for this is that James is martyred in Acts 2:12. There we are told that Herod the king killed James the brother of John with a Sword.

Although James did not get to confess his faith throughout the whole Roman world, "The strongest of all confessions is confession made in the face of martyrdom". "So the church rightly accords highest honor to martyrs who have shared in the suffering of Christ."1 We should remember the promise Jesus makes to his followers, "Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life."

Sunday, July 25th - Friday, July 29th

6:00PM - 8:00PM

Let the games begin! Join us for a fun filled Olympic VBS as we learn amazing Christ-focused Bible lessons. Your kids will enjoy fun Olympic games. Our Olympic VBS is perfect for Preschool - 5th Grade! Be prepared for fun-filled lessons, games, music and snacks!

(VBS will be held outside. If weather does not cooperate we will be inside. Masks are encouraged INSIDE for those 2 and up who are not vaccinated.)

SIGN UP HERE FOR VBS

Thank you from the OGT

The 424 Garage Sale was a HUGE Success! Thank you to everyone who supported us with their time, and baked goods we were able to sell. We couldn’t have done it without you.

Preschool Carnival Open House

Our Preschool Carnival Open House was a BLAST! Thank you to everyone who stopped in to see the classroom and meet Mrs. Arce. A Huge shout out to Eric's Ice Cream for amazing treats, Kyle Richards for bringing out the Fire Truck and we couldn't have done it all without our wonderful volunteers! ♥♥ Thank you! Thank you! Below are some of the pictures showing some the events.

Come join us at St. Peter Lutheran Preschool for a storytime and a special craft! We will be featuring one of our favorite stories "The Very Hungry Caterpillar". This event is free and recommended for ages 18 months to 1st grade. (Parents ARE required to stay for storytime and craft!) **Masks are encouraged for those who are not vaccinated.**

For more information contact: Teacher/Director, Stephanie Arce

stpeterpreschool123@gmail.com

Newsletter - June

From Pastor’s Desk,

This Month is June. A year ago in June we started having live in person service again. We went about 14 weeks without live services, and I just recorded them and put them online. June of last year we decided to bring back “in-person” services. For the last 12 months, I can tell you we worked at both Churches to try and to stay as close to CDC guidelines as possible. Now recently in OHIO guidelines are being relaxed. They aren’t just being relaxed for churches but they are being relaxed almost all over. I recently went to a store and nearly no one was wearing a Mask. Whither that is right or wrong things are changing.

In a year of transitions we are all being asked to make another Transition, returning to some semblance of normalcy. As we enter into this Final Transition the thing I would call on everyone to try and do is... FORGIVE.

We talk about forgiveness every Sunday, but we often don’t talk about how hard it is to forgive. It is hard, and sometimes it is something we have to work at. In the coming weeks we might have to forgive someone who approached this period differently than we did. Maybe they took it less seriously than we did, or maybe they took it more seriously than we did. Either way, we are called on by Christ to forgive each other.

There is another person who we might struggle to forgive... ourselves. Many people’s lives changed a year ago. Maybe they got to spend more time with Family, maybe they didn’t have to spend as much time at work. Now things are maybe changing again. That can be struggling, we need to forgive ourselves. If you think that sounds strange consider that sometimes people struggle to transition back to work after a vacation.

For some people they are transitioning back to normal after a year! It’s going to take some time for it to be feel normal again. And it’s ok to ask for forgiveness during this time. The same is true for our churches and our congregations. It might take a while for it all to seem normal again. And during this time we should remind ourselves that we are forgiven Children of God and so are the other members of our Congregation. I need forgiveness, we need forgiveness, and others need forgiveness.

The thing that is going to bring us back together is not anger, it’s not resentment, and it’s not frustration. The only thing that is going to bring us back together is the Blood of Jesus Christ and the recognition that I need to be forgiven as much as my neighbor.

In Christ,

Rev. Jacob Stuenkel.

Concordia Seminary Seminarian Call and Vicar Assignment Day

Ryan Pumphrey, the adopted seminarian of the St. Peter LWML received his Call to serve St. John Lutheran, Villard, Minnesota and Trinity Lutheran in Grove Lake, Minnesota. Anthony Keilani received his Vicar assignment to Faith Lutheran Church, Green Bay, Wisconsin.

May the Lord Bless both of these men as they begin new chapters in the Lord’s Service. Concordia Seminary, Fort Wayne assigned 32 Vicars and placed 33 Pastors this year!

424 Garage Sale and Orphan Grain Train

Orphan Grain Train will be participating in the 424 Garage Sale Event this year on June 10th and 11th.. They will be set up at the Florida Firehouse featuring baked goods. They are looking for volunteers to work the event and to make delicious baked goods that will be for sale. If you can help please call either Cindy Cline at 419-261-3409 or Nancy Helmke a 419-576-2910.

Mallory Renae Watson

Mallory graduated on May 30, 2021 from Napoleon High School with an Honors Diploma. She will be attending Honors College at BGSU in the Fall and her major will be Middle Childhood Education, with her focus areas in math and science. Mallory was a member of National Honors Society, Spanish Club, and Girl Scouts. She has been an active member of St. Peter by being a member of the choir and youth group, helping with VBS, and teaching Sunday School. Mallory played volleyball, ran track, and earned her varsity letter in soccer. Mallory was chosen to participate in the Ohio Envirothon where her team placed 10th. We are so proud of you! Keep sharing your light and walking with God. Remember: “With God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26 Love Always,

Mom and Mike, Cole, Blake, and Zander

May Preschool News

This month has been full of bittersweet emotions and loads of fun! We had our end of the year party/ field day, awards and graduation. The preschool graduation went so smooth. The children did so great, and I am very proud of all their hard work this year. Unfortunately, I will not be returning next year. My family and I will be relocating out of the area. The new teacher will be Stephanie Arce and the Assistant will be Emilie Parsons. I am sure they will be great teachers. I appreciate everyone’s support and prayers for our Preschool throughout the year. I could not have asked for a better class. I am proud of all my students and I wish them well as they take on their next adventure of Kindergarten! It has been an honor being part of St. Peter Lutheran Preschool this year. I hope everyone has a great summer!

God Bless,

Mrs.Morgan

Meet our new Preschool teacher!

Hello, my name is Stephanie Arce (Plummer) and I live in Defiance, Ohio with my husband, Gamali, and 2 daughters, Graciella (11) and Skyla (6 mos.). I have over 15 years of Educational experience and have always had a love for God, animals and children. I graduated from Tinora High School in 2004 then studied at Northwest State Community College where I got my Associates Degree in Early Childhood Education. In 2006 I moved to Fort Wayne, IN to pursue my Bachelor's degree in Early Elementary PreK-3 and maintained my degree in 2013. After several years of working within daycares and preschools, my family moved back to Defiance, Ohio in 2017 where I currently reside with my family. We regularly attend Family Christian Center and enjoy attending community events and playing games together. When I'm not teaching during the school year, I enjoy helping my sister groom dogs at her business in Ayersville. I also enjoy camping, swimming, music and spending time with my family and friends.

Newsletter - February

From Pastor's Desk 

 How many of you think of February 2020? In some ways it was the last “Normal” month. We have  gone through nearly a year that few of us would call NORMAL. I remember a trip I made to the grocery  story about a year ago. The trip was either at the end of February or at the beginning of March. I had heard  about the Virus in China, but I had yet to hear of any cases in America. So I had no idea that the country was  going to be shut down for a few months. I was afraid something was going to happen. I decided to go to the  grocery store and buy a few things just in case. I mostly bought things in a can or things that wouldn’t go bad  like spaghetti. There was one thing that I did not think to get but would have been really smart, toilet paper.  At the house I was almost out of toilet paper and it was the thing that disappeared the most at convenience  stores. Yet that day I did not know I needed it nor did I think it would disappear when people started hording  things. In contrast, the spaghetti I bought at the start of this COVID pandemic has yet to be eaten.   That made me wonder how many things in our lives do we need and how many things in our lives do  we think need and yet have never used. On a day to day basis we might not think we need Jesus or his word,  but throughout the year we discover how much we use it.  

I can’t tell how many times I have said the words of Philippians 4:6 ESV  

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your  requests be made known to God.”  

I have also seen, heard, and spoken Romans 5:3 ESV many times. “More than that, we rejoice in our  sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance,”  

 I had a friend a few years ago who told me he was dying. He told me that he has always believed that  Jesus had promised us eternal life. He said, but now he needed it to be true. I wonder how many of us have  been comforted and encouraged by the promise of eternal life in a face of a year of death. There are many  things we think we need. There is one thing we actually need, Jesus and His Promises. 

Ash Wednesday and Lenten Service Schedule  Ash Wednesday Services  

February 17th 7 pm at St. Peter  

February 18th 7 pm at St. Paul  

Lenten Midweek Services  

Wednesday Services – 7:00 at St. Peter  

Thursday Services – 7:00 pm at St. Paul  

St. Peter – LWML  

Our LWML will be packing COLLEGE CARE PACKETS at their meeting on February 9that 1:30 pm. Snacks, treats, personal items, pens, pencils, currency and change are suggested. There will be 5 packets sent, (three girls, one boy and our Seminarian Ryan Pumphrey, his wife and their two teenage daughters). If you care to assist with this project, please place your gifts in the box on the table in the Narthex. We will be collecting until February 7th. Thank you very much for considering how you can help.

Lutheran Hour

St Peter is observing Lutheran Hour Sunday on Sunday,  February 7, 2021. Literature and gift envelopes will be inserted in the  church bulletins. For those interested in sponsoring a local Lutheran  Hour radio program the envelopes with the information are located on  the narthex bulletin board. Thank you in advance for supporting this  mission.   The Lutheran Laymens League has been in existence for over 100  years and the LLL began the Lutheran Hour Broadcasts in 1930 with  Dr. Walter A. Maier as its first speaker and has continued that very  special ministry of sharing God’s Word by bringing Christ to the  nations and the nations to the church throughout the world. Many of  our parents and grandparents have faithfully supported this ministry  over the years with their prayers, financial gifts and by listening to the  broadcasts. The present speaker is Dr. Michael Ziegler. Our area is  blessed to have the local Napoleon radio station WNDH 103.1 provide  air time to the weekly Lutheran Hour broadcasts. 

Dear Confirmation Parents:  

I would like to thank all you parents for getting your kids to class over these last few months. I also thank  you for the times you have let me know your child would not be in class.  

I am going to be making some changes when we get to ASH WEDNESDAY. I thought you should all know  about the changes. The first Change is starting Feb 17th and 18th I will be having Class at both Churches at 6  pm. This means we will be having Class at St. Peter on Feb 17th. Then we will be having class at St. Paul on  Feb 18th.  

I suspect that most parents will go to whichever is closer or is their home church. Both Classes in the same  week will cover the same material. If you are a member of St. Peter but you know that Thursday is a better  night for you feel free to come to St. Paul’s instead (or vice versa), but just let me know.  

One of the reasons I am doing this is because we will also be moving back into the class room. Since church  is at 7 pm at both Churches people will be arriving and wanting to sit down long before church starts. So we  are going to be moving back into the class room. We will still be practicing social distancing and be wearing  our masks we just won’t be the church sanctuary anymore.  

 We will still be following the same schedule of memory work and topics. We just will offer the same class  on two different days. If you have any questions or concerns please reach out to me.  

In Christ,  

Rev. Jacob Stuenkel  

Phone: 715-663-1845  

Greetings from Preschool!  

We made it to the second half of the school year! Unfortunately, Ms. Marcy is no longer with us and we  wish her well on her future endeavors. We were able to hire a new assistant, Codie Brubaker and she will be  joining our class on February 1. We are currently working on kindergarten assessment review and the  children are doing great! They seem to adapt to the changes well too. We have a lot of new activities, and  some exciting changes coming in the near future. The calendar sale went great, and they turned out so  adorable. There are plenty left if anyone is interested in one! Thank you all for your continued support in the  preschool!  

Gods Blessings,  

Mrs. Morgan 

1-31-2021 Church Cancelation

DUE TO CURRENT WEATHER CONDITIONS: Our 10:00 AM worship service at St. Peter Lutheran Church is cancelled. Please 'share' and help spread the word. Stay safe!

Letters Of Hope

The leadership at St. Peter Lutheran Church has recently been faced with some difficult decisions. Covid-19 is something we are taking very seriously as a congregation and our number one concern is for the safety of our church family. During this time we have found comfort in attending services from our homes as we watch Pastor Stuenkel's sermons and Bible lessons, Becky Buchhop providing music videos to sing along to, and Emilie and Henry entertaining us with upbeat Sunday School video lessons. Thank goodness for these individuals and for social media we can still feel a bit more connected.

This congregation is more than a group that meets every Sunday in a church building. We are a family and when you are unable to see your church family, this can be hard on a lot of us. “Did Karen have her baby?” “How is Todd doing after his surgery?” Maybe you had many questions running through your mind about fellow members? In the month of April, St Peter and our sister church St Paul church members sent greeting messages just to say hello and send words of encouragement. If you missed the video be sure to click here.

One of our St. Peter members, Bridgett Volkert, found another way to reach out to our fellow church members. She has decided to make a goal of sending a letter to every active member of our congregation. Attending church and teaching Sunday School is her most missed activity.  She says they bring her peace, hope and joy.  Bridget says she has spent more time in prayer and reflecting on her life more than ever.  We are reminded in 1 Peter 4:10 - “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful servants of God’s grace in its various forms.” Bridgett is accomplishing that through her letters of hope.

How can you be a willing servant at home? When we choose to serve God, we start a chain reaction of events. By serving God, we also serve others.