Newsletter - February 2023

From Pastor's Desk: 

 Last Month I discussed the visit of the magi within its cultural contexts, I want to do the same today  with the death of the Holy Innocents. That is when King Herod ordered the death of the children in  Bethlehem. Some historians don’t think this event ever took place. One reason is that there is no mention of  it outside of the account in Matthew. Another reason, is that seems so evil that it is hard to believe.  

 But when you study the life of King Herod it’s easy to believe he was capable of such cruelty. There  are many events that are recorded outside of the Bible that showcase this cruelty. For one thing, he had two  of his own Sons were strangled to death by his orders. He even had his wife Mariamne killed because he  became suspicious of her.  

 There is one account of Herod that has ghostly parallels with the ordered death of children in  Bethlehem. One of the last Herod gave towards the end of his life was to command his troops to arrest  thousands of notable people from across the country and sequester them in Jericho. Then to have them  executed. The purpose of this was that this was supposed to happen around his death, so that there would be  mourning at his death. He knew few would mourn his death, but he wanted people to be mourning at his  death. Even though this was ordered, it was not followed after his death. So, if Herod was prepared to kill  nobles and famous people in the region, he was certainly willing to kill some infants in a small lower-class  town.  

 People often wonder why Matthew included such an account. We certainly see examples of equal  brutality, even today. Russian torturing of captured Ukraine solders in the last year comes to mind. How do  people retain their faith under such conditions? One answer is that even in the midst of the Christmas story  we have parallel story that reminds us of the cross. Matthew presents a picture of evil that reminds us that the  world needs to be redeemed. It also explains the world that God send his vulnerable Son into. Jesus and John  had to deal with Herod’s Sons in their own lives. If the Gospel can flourish in a region that produces the  slaughter of the innocents and the cross, it can flourish anywhere. From this awareness the readers of the  Gospels can take heart in any age.  

[Some of the notes were taken from Kenneth E. Bailey’s Book: Jesus through Middle Eastern Eyes. IVP  Academic. 2007; Pages 56-58.] 

Ash Wednesday and Lenten Services  

Ash Wednesday Service – February 22nd – 7:00 pm at St. Peter  

Ash Wednesday Service – February 23rd – 7:00 pm at St. Paul  

Wednesday Lenten Services – 7:00 pm at St. Peter  

Thursday Lenten Services – 7:00 pm at St. Paul  

This year’s Lenten series is: Lamb of God Pure and Holy

Lutheran Hour Sunday  

St Peter is observing Lutheran Hour Sunday on Sunday, February 5, 2023. 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.  

For over 100 years Lutheran Hour Ministries has been committed to sharing the Gospel with those who need to hear it. Today, LHM energizes, equips, and engages Christians to share the Gospel throughout North America and around the globe. We are able to offer many free or low-cost resources because people like you have already joined our mission. Lear more about how you can get involved at lhm.org/discoverlhm. 

Greetings from Preschool!  

We are off to a great school year and the children have been busy learning about Winter as well as spreading  Kindness in the classroom! For February, our students will be creating Valentine’s Candy Grams to be  delivered to area shut-ins and Healthcare workers at Mercy Hospital and the Filling Home of Napoleon. We  are also now enrolling for the 2023-24 School year! Our Spring Open house will be held on March 7 from 5 - 7 pm. Anyone interested in enrolling at the Preschool can talk to a Preschool Committee member or call the  Church/Preschool to schedule a tour during the hours of 8 am – 1 pm. We look forward to what is to come  the rest of the school year!  

Save the Date:  

April 1, 2023 4:30 – 6 pm Easter Storytime and Egg Hunt Community Event  

April 28, 2023 5:30 - 7 pm Parent Workshop and Dinner (volunteers needed for childcare, please inquire  within)  

Mrs. Arce 

Newsletter - January 2023

From Pastor's Desk 

 This month I want to discuss the visit of the Magi which we celebrate as Epiphany. Last month we  discussed Jesus’ birth though an historical lens and this time I want to do the same with the Visit of the magi.  Matthew describes them as men from “the East”, but he doesn’t say where in the East. Any Christian living in  Rome in the first century would have seen “the East” as Persia. But for the People living in Jerusalem and  Judea, the East would just simply mean “east of the Jordan River.” What we would see today as the West  Bank/Palestine.   According to Matthew 2, the Wise Men arrived with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. There  may have been more than 3 people from the West, tradition had that there were three because there were three  gifts. The gifts are actually clues about where they were from. First, Gold was mined in Arabia.  Frankincense and Myrrh are harvested from trees that only grow in southern Arabia. Wealthy dwellers of  those desert regions would naturally have those three gifts. The interesting thing about Jesus’ birth is that it is  celebrated by both Jews and Gentiles. The shepherds out of the fields at night were most likely Jewish and  the men who traveled from the east would have been seen as outsiders [gentiles].   In the same way, today the whole world can celebrate Jesus’ birth and celebrate what he has done for  the world in his birth, death, and resurrection.  I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.  

[Most of the notes were taken from Kenneth E. Bailey’s Book: Jesus through Middle Eastern Eyes. IVP  Academic. 2007; Pages 51-53.] 

“We Care” Packages  

For the month of January we will be collecting items for our college  students which will be packed at our February 7th meeting. Items for  this mission project can include snacks, treats, personal items, pens,  pencils, packages of facial tissue, gum, candy, quarters for laundry or  vending machines, etc. This year we are collecting for 4 girls and our  adopted seminarian, James Haugen and his wife and their 18 month  daughter. If you care to assist with this project, please place your gifts in  the box on the table in the narthex. Thank you very much for considering  how you can help.  

New Flower Charts  

The 2023 Flower Charts have  been posted in the narthex of  each church.  

St. Peter Council  

President: Tim Buchhop  Vice President: Russ Krueger  Recording Secretary: Trisha Ross  Board of Trustees: Jerry Lindhorst, Roger Jones, Steve Franz, Board of Elders: Mike Volkert, Chad Clark, Treasurer: Jon Block, Financial Secretary Judith Meyer Board of Witness, Outreach and Stewardship: Bridgett  Volkert

Other Elected Officers 

Building Improvement Fund Treasurer: Judith Meyer  Sunday School Superintendent: Bridgett Volkert  Financial Review Committee: Nancy Michaelis, Betty Hoy,  and Sandy Dickman  Endowment Fund Committee: Bette Weddelman, Dave and Nancy Conrad, Jim  Dickman and Tim Buchhop  

Appointed Positions 

Ushers: Tony Mullett and Dave Conrad  Bethany Mathers and Pam Jones  

 Christmas Committee: Bill and Alicia  Richardson, Mark and Deb Oberhaus, Chad  and Melissa Clark  Morning Meditations Representative: Ruth  Block  LLL Representative: Steven Franz and  James Meyer Circuit Forum Representative: Thomas  Meyer Filling Memorial Home of Mercy Delegate  and Resources Person: Nancy Conrad  

Greetings from Preschool  

Thank you to everyone who helped support our Preschool Cookie Walk Drive-thru as well as our Adopt-a Family program for Christmas. We were able to provide over $500 in gifts and gift cards for the family with  your generous support. Our Preschool Christmas program was also a great success and we appreciate  everyone who attended on that Sunday as well. Our Preschool kids also enjoyed Christmas festivities,  Caroling and a visit from Santa to wrap up our school year. We look forward to another great year of  Preschool when we return on January 4, 2023! 

The Preschool is also excited to announce that we have been approved for a 2022-23 Stabilization Grant  through the State of Ohio. A lot of time, work and consideration was put into the application process with the  hopes of raising money for a new playground and to reimburse the costs put into repairs last summer as well.  We appreciate all the support we have had from the church and plan to also give back to the church as well to  help with operating costs. Any questions or further inquiries regarding this Grant can be brought to any  Preschool Committee Member and we are excited for some great things to come in 2023!  

Newsletter - December 2022

From Pastor’s Desk December 2022  

 December is the Month of Christmas. Last year, I went through customs around the world describing  how they celebrated the seasons and festivals of the Church year. This year I want to do something different.  I want to look at the life of Jesus through the customs of his own time period. Today I want to clarify an  aspect of Jesus’ birth that we usually misunderstand. We usually imagine Mary and Joseph coming into  Bethlehem and being unable to find room in an Inn so they are forced to go sleep in a Barn.   Kenneth Bailey in his Book “Jesus through Middle Eastern Eyes” sees it differently. He points out  that the word that gets translated for INN is not “pandocheion” which usually means commercial Inn.  Instead, Luke uses, “Katalyma” which can just be a Place to stay. He also points out that most simple ancient  world houses had two rooms. The first was the Family room, and the other was stable, this is where the  animals would sleep at night. Some homes had a third room which was the GUEST ROOM. This third guest  room is the kind of room Jesus eat with his disciples on the night on which he was betrayed. So Joseph and  Mary came to an ordinary Home, found the house full, and even the guest room was full, so they had to sleep  in the third room which was the Stable room. This is the “Manager”.   This gets reinforced in Luke 2:8-14. This is where the Shepherds are told to find Jesus, lying in  Manager. That is they would find the Christ Child in an ordinary Peasant home such as theirs. He was not a  rich person’s house, but in an ordinary two room home like theirs.   I bring this up because the image we sometimes have of Bethlehem is where the people push them  away and can’t seem to find shelter for a poor woman who is pregnant! But understanding how an ordinary  Jewish home in the first century looked can help us understand that it is not what happened.   I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.  

[Most of the notes were taken from Kenneth E. Bailey’s Book: Jesus through Middle Eastern Eyes. IVP  Academic. 2007; Pages 26-37.] 

Christmas Services  

December 24th – Christmas Eve  

8:00 pm St. Peter Children’s Christmas Program Service  

December 25th - Christmas Day  

10:00 am St. Peter Christmas Day Service 

Sunday School News 

 We will be doing a Christmas Eve Children's  Program called "Catching the Christmas Spirit" this  year. I have contacted parents, so I know who is  participating to assign parts. If I missed anyone,  please contact me at 419-487-2744 ASAP. Parts  and practice information will be coming soon. The  more the merrier! Any child is welcome to join.  We look forward to seeing everyone at the service. 

Board of Witness 

 We are adopting a family again for Christmas. The  Board of Witness is joining with the Preschool in  collecting for a family with 3 children (a senior in high  school, a preschooler, and a baby). The baby has  medical issues. There is a collection basket in the  narthex. Please consider donating.  Thank You!

LWML  

A very interesting letter and picture has been  received from our adopted seminarian, James  Haugen. He thanks us for the blessings he and his  family has received during their time at the  seminary. He served as vicar at St. Paul Lutheran,  Napoleon this past year as well as serving the vacant  congregation at St. John Lutheran, Holgate of which  he is still serving during this fourth year at the  seminary. He tells of all the knowledge and  experience he has gained through his vicarage. He  states it was great being close to home. His wife,  Michaela felt comfortable in the new congregation  and was able to make great relationships that will last  forever. Their daughter, Ella was cared for and was a  part of these great families during his vicarage.  His continued prayer is that we all share the Gospel  with others and that we will continue to bless future  pastors in the ministry set before them. He hopes to  see us soon.

Poinsettias  

Members place poinsettias in memory of their  loved ones who have passed away this year and years  before. Poinsettias symbolize Good Will &  Community Spirit. The shape is the Star of  Bethlehem and the red leaves the blood of Christ.  

Poinsettias - This year the Altar Guild has decided  to let members purchase their own  poinsettia/poinsettias and bring them to the church on  December 17th by 12:00 noon with your name and  in Memory of_____________.  

I have called Ivy League, Napoleon and she has a  limited supply, so orders need to be called in soon.  They are $15 for a 6" plant, with a selection of colors.  Questions call: 419-762-5397.   Thanks!

Greetings from Preschool!

Our Preschoolers enjoyed learning about turkeys, Pilgrims and Indians for Thanksgiving along with a Family  Feast to wrap up the month of November. The children are already eager for Christmas and will begin  counting down the days along with our class elf who should be making an appearance soon! Thanks to  everyone who helped support our Thanksgiving Food Drive for a Preschool family in need and we were also  able to contribute items to the Grain Train as well! We will continue to support this family for Christmas and  will be collecting gift cards and items including: gas cards, food cards/family experiences, size 12-18 month  girls’ clothing, 3T-4T girls’ clothing and size 4 diapers and wipes. Please save the date for our annual Cookie  Walk/Drive-thru fundraiser on Saturday, December 10th from 8:30-10:00 am. Anyone interested in donating  cookies for this event may inquire with Emilie Parsons or any Committee member. Our children are also  looking forward to singing during the church service on Sunday December 11!  

Mrs. Arce  

Newsletter - November 2022

From Pastor's Desk 

 This year I have been going through the church year and discussing the seasons and festivals and how  those festivals have been celebrated throughout the world. In November I wanted to talk about Thanksgiving.  Which we usually don’t see as a religious holiday. It isn’t attached to the life of Christ like Christmas or  Easter. So, I had always seen Thanksgiving as a Secular holiday that we as Christians gave religious fervor.  

 This is not the Case. Thanksgiving services are as common and as early in America as the  thanksgiving services themselves. Thanksgiving services were routine in what became known as the  Commonwealth of Virginia as early as 1607. Jamestown Virginia held Thanksgiving in 1610.1  

 In 1619, 38 English Settlers celebrated a thanksgiving immediately upon landing in Virginia. “That  day of our ships arrival at the place assigned for plantation in the land of Virginia shall be yearly and  perpetually kept holy as a day of thanksgiving to Almighty God.”2  

 I think in this way Thanksgiving is at its core a Religious Holiday. It is for us to Thank God for our  welfare, our health, and our Harvest. Today as Christians we can continue to use the day to thank God for all  the good things in our lives, He has given us.  

   Footnotes:  1. taken from the Wikipedia article on Thanksgiving (United States) on 10/27/2022  [The wiki article Citation is “Teacher’s Guide Set: Thanksgiving.” Library of Congress.]  2. Ibid: [Citation Dowdy, Clifford (1957). The Great Plantation. Rinehart and Co. pp. 29-37.] 

Thanksgiving Services  

 Wednesday – November 23th Thanksgiving Eve Service at St. Paul – 7:00 pm  Thursday – November 24th Thanksgiving Day Service at St. Peter – 9:00 am 

Offering for for LCMs World Relief  

St. Peter – Changes CHANGES: The Christmas Poinsettias & Easter Flowers will no longer be  available from Hastedst/Jeff Brubaker. We have priced with area florists and their  prices are considerably higher and they do not deliver. The Altar Guild only has a  few active members and we are reaching out for more help. Option: Members  can purchase their own poinsettias where they want and bring them to church to be  displayed for the Christmas services. More information will be given. Questions  call 419-980-0979 

St. Peter - Board of Witness  

Starting Sunday, November 6th, we will be taking  monetary donations in the narthex to provide a  family in the community with a brighter  Christmas. There will be information to come  about the family we will be adopting this year.  Donations will be taken through Sunday,  December 12th. 

St. Peter - Sunday School Christmas Program 

I would love to do a Christmas Program again as we  usually do, but it is difficult when we are only having 2-6  kids come to Sunday School on a weekly basis. I  encourage you to have your children bring friends,  cousins, and neighbors. As the saying goes, the more the  merrier! Contact Bridgett with ideas, questions, and  concerns in regards to Sunday School. 

Greetings from Preschool!  

Our Preschool classes enjoyed learning about Fire Safety and have been learning about all things Fall. They  also enjoyed some trips to the library, to Mahnke Apple Orchard, and T22 farms. We also talked about how  God keeps his promises and is loving and forgiving and learned about some Bible stories including:  Abraham & Sarah, Joseph and his colorful coat, and Moses. Next month, we will be learning about Praise &  Thanksgiving stories from the Bible as well as continuing our Fall study including Harvest along with  Pilgrims & Indians. Our Preschool will be collecting items for a Thanksgiving Food Drive for some families  in need within our Preschool Community. Items will be collected through Sunday, November 20 and  distributed the week of Thanksgiving to those in need. Monetary donations are also greatly appreciated and  will be used to purchase a turkey or ham for families in need. Please see Emilie Parsons or a Preschool  Committee member with any other questions or donations…we greatly appreciate it! Our Preschool classes  will be enjoying a Family Feast with their parents the week of Thanksgiving and we wish you all a Happy  Thanksgiving as well too! Mrs. Arce 

Newsletter - October 2022

From Pastor's Desk  

Throughout this year I have been discussing and talking about the church year. I have been discussing how  the many seasons, feasts, and festivals have been celebrated throughout the year.  

The month of October happens while we are still in the long season of Pentecost. As Lutherans in October  we celebrate the Reformation. Reformation Day falls on October 31st. This was the day Martin Luther  posted his Ninety-five Theses on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg.  

Normally the Reformation is celebrated on the nearest Sunday, usually not on a weekday. Lutherans have  been celebrating the Reformation since the 16th Century.  

In fact Luther wrote this to Nikolaus Von Amsdorf on Nov 1st 1527, "Ten Years after the indulgences have  been destroyed, in memory of this we both drink and are comforted at this hour."  

In the 1800s when Lutherans came to America they also started to celebrate the Reformation. In fact, the  Reformation became a day to remember for the majority of American Protestants.  

The Reformation should be a positive holiday. One in which we thank God for the many gifts he has given to  us. Including the scripture he has given to us, Salvation by Grace, and also recognizing the universal  priesthood of all believers. These are some of the things that Luther championed in his day, and we can  champion in our day.  

Some of the information was taken from:  

Kleinhans, Theodore J. The Year of the Lord: The Church Year: Its Customs, Growth & Ceremonies. St.  Louis: Concordia Pub. House, 1967.

LWML SUNDAY  

LWML Sunday will be observed October 9th with a special service theme “For Us and With Us,” based  on Romans 8:31-29.  

LWML News  

St. Peter LWML has been assigned a Seminarian for the 2022-2023 school year by the Concordia Theological Seminary, Ft. Wayne. He is James Haugen who is a fourth year student. He and his wife, Michaela, have a daughter, Ella, who was born July 11, 2021. He just finished his vicarage at St. Paul, Napoleon. We will support him and his family with a monthly monetary stipend during the current school year. Besides the monetary gifts, we have promised to encourage him with our prayers and we hope you will join us in this service. His home church is Saint John Lutheran Church-Strongsville, OH. His address at the seminary is 6600 North Clinton Street – Campus Box 250 – Ft. Wayne, IN 46825. We look forward to James and his family joining us for worship services sometime in the next few months.

LWML Christian Life  Workshop  

Sunday, October 23 – All ladies are welcome  to attend the Defiance Zone LWML  

CHRISTIAN LIFE WORKSHOP, beginning  at 2 pm at St. John Lutheran Church,  Openlander and Lockwood Roads, west of  Sherwood. The theme is “Israel, a Land  Where Jesus Walked,” based on Matthew  8:10. Guest speaker, Judy Kaufmann will tell  us about her tour of Israel.  

Fort Wayne Seminary Food Bank

Ft. Wayne Seminary Food Bank - During the months of October and November we will again concentrate  on collecting seasonal baking supplies for the  seminarians and their families. Some ideas are: Flour  (all kinds), sugar (all kinds), cookie, brownie and  cake mixes, cocoa, molasses, baking chocolates,  nuts, frostings, decorations, etc. Also cold weather  OTC medicines, lotions, and lip balm. Bring your  donations to the church and put them in the box on the  table in the narthex.  

Reformation Day Dinner  

Mark your calendar the Congregational Reformation Day Potluck Dinner is October 30th after the worship service. Dust off your favorite German recipes, prepare one and bring  it to our Reformation Dinner Potluck. If you do not have a German recipe, there will be  German recipes posted on the bulletin board that may interest you to try. Also, there  will be a sign-up sheet located on the bulletin board in the narthex. Brats, hot dogs,  buns, beverages and table service will be provided. Some suggestions for the potluck dishes could be:  German potato salad, red cabbage, German sauerkraut, German noodles, or German coffee cake. Come and  learn more about the Reformation. If you have questions please contact either Jim or Judy Meyer. 

Greetings from Preschool!!  

Our Preschool year is off to a great start as the children are getting to know each other and learn the routines  in the classroom. The children have been learning about the Creation story and had their 1st Chapel meeting  with Pastor Stuenkel as well as our 1st trip to the Florida Library! They have begun learning their colors,  numbers, and letters and all about Apples. Our class will begin their Fall & Pumpkin study for October and  will celebrate Fire Safety week with a visit from Flatrock Fire Dept. We look forward to our 1st Field trips to  Mahnke Orchard with the 3 year old class and T22 Farms & Pumpkin Patch with the 4 & 5 year old class!  Our Fall Storytime & Craft is planned for Friday, September 27 at 4:30 pm. Also a BIG thank you goes out  to our Trustees for all their help with our playground...it looks great and we appreciate you!!  

Mrs. Arce 

Newsletter - September 2022

From Pastor’s Desk:  

 This year I have been going through the church year and discussing the seasons and festivals. In the  Summer time and into late fall we are still in the season of Pentecost. On September 29th there is a Feast  Lutherans usually don’t celebrate, but it has been popular since the Sixth Century. It is called the Feast of St.  Michael and All Angels. In the book of Revelation 12, Michael is the one who engages with Battle with  Satan and throws him out of heaven. This is one of the reasons there is a lot of folklore and Legends about  St. Michael. Some believed his primary job was to guide the souls of the blessed to heaven, once they had  finished their earthly pilgrimage.  

 The Feast really marks the anniversary of a Roman Church. The Lutheran reformers later added the  words “And All Angels” to include four other holy days honoring the angels. They were following the same  pattern that the Orthodox church had followed. In the sixth century Michael had five distinct orders of  worship, an Honor that was shared only by Christmas and Easter. Orders of worship are the outline of what  we follow on Sunday. Divine Service Setting Three in the Lutheran Service book is an order of worship. I  think this shows how popular the Feast of Michael was at the time.  

In Germanic Countries the festival fell at the same time as the quarterly meeting of the Thing, which was the name for Parliament. This means the markets, fairs, dancing, feasting, and courts brought in country folk for miles around. So even though the Feast has fallen out of popularity today, it easy to see it was an Important Feast in the Church Year.

Why do we need catechisms? 

While visiting local churches,  Martin Luther found many  pastors and their church  members were unaware of the  true teachings of the Bible.  Because of this, the people  were living immoral lives.  Martin Luther wrote the catechisms to instruct  people in the basics of the Christian faith, that  they might know Christ and His forgiveness and  live accordingly. We still use Luther’s Large and  Small Catechism so that we never forget those  things that are necessary for faith in Christ.  From LCMS Worship.  

LWML Fall Retreat - Defiance/Napoleon  

When: Saturday - September 17th 

Where: St. John Lutheran, Stryker (St Rt. 6 & 66)  Topic: “Fearfully and Wonderfully Made" 

Schedule: 8:30 am Sign in  

 9 am -1 pm Program with Brunch at 11 am  Cost: $15.00 includes brunch 

Ingathering: Filling Homes  

Needs list: Hot chocolate mix, Jello, ketchup, mustard,  macaroni, mixes (cake, pancake, muffin), noodles,  oatmeal, rice, shortening, snack-pack pudding, soups  (all types), spaghetti. Complete list posted on bulletin  board.  

Offering: Bring your mites & Christian books  (New/Used) can be hard cover, paperbacks, children’s  books, or CDs.  

Registration forms on the bulletin board.  

Due September 2nd.

Greetings From Preschool!

I Scream, You Scream, we all Scream for Ice Cream at St. Peter Preschool!! Our Fall Open House was a  huge success and the families came to visit the classroom, meet the teachers, and finished off their visit with  an Ice Cream Social! We are excited for our 1st day of Preschool on August 29 and we will be having 2  classes again this year with 4 & 5 year olds on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and our new 3 year old  class on Tuesdays and Thursdays. We have a total of 15 students enrolled for the upcoming 2022-23 school  year with an additional 2 children anticipated to start when they turn 3 in the Fall or Winter. We also want to  thank the Trustees who have volunteered and worked hard to improve our playground for the upcoming  school year. It looks great so make sure you take a look when you are able to and please thank our Trustees  for such an amazing job they did. We look forward to our upcoming school year and have some exciting  plans anticipated and appreciate the wonderful support of the St. Peter Lutheran Congregation! Please  continue to pray for our teachers and students as they return to school this year!  

Mrs. Arce

Newsletter - August 2022

Pastor’s desk  

 Throughout this year I have been discussing the events and celebrations that happen throughout the  year. There is something we should celebrate every week, that being the very word of God. I want to  explain, briefly, how we came up with the readings every week. Some churches just pick every week what  they are going to read and then read it. Some churches go through a book of the bible over a short period of  Time. But going back all the way to the early church they had what is called “lectionaries”, which would  have been a book that would have readings assigned to specific Sundays or Festivals. Then the church would  use that book every week. In the fourth century a twofold reading developed in Rome and became standard  throughout most of Europe. The use of three readings was standard in what today is France. Rome had a  one-year lectionary, which lasted for centuries. A One Year Lectionary that Luther and Lutheran Reformers  kept. Even the One Year Lectionary that the LCMS uses today isn’t that much different than the Lectionary  that Luther used.  

 For this reason you can actually look up Luther’s Sermons for any given Sunday, it will probably be  similar to the Gospel reading that the One Year lectionary today is using. This One Year Lectionary has  stayed in use for more than a millennia. Of course there have been other lectionaries that have been used  throughout the years also.  

 At Vatican II the Roman Catholic Church expanded the lectionary and developed a Three Year  Lectionary for Sunday readings in 1969. Lutherans and other Christian group bodies took notice. Protestants  took that lectionary and made some changes and created the Revised Common Lectionary. The LCMS did  change a few of the readings and choices from both. It is after all this that the LCMS came up with the Three  Year Lectionary reading it uses today. The structure is pretty simple. The First Year is Series A and it uses  Matthew. The Second Year is Series B, and uses Mark. The Third Year is Series C and uses Luke. (The  Gospel of John shows up in all three Series, but shows up the most in Series B since Mark is the shortest  Gospel.)  

 The Old Testament reading is designed to connect and develop or inform the theme of the Gospel  reading. Except of course during Easter when it is taken from the Book of Acts.  

 The Second reading or lesson comes from an Epistle. Usually these Epistle readings are selected so  that an entire letter is read over consecutive weeks. This is why the Epistle reading can fit perfectly with the  other two readings, but sometimes it doesn’t.1  

 I hope this helps explain why we use the readings that we do.  

LWML  

Ft. Wayne Seminary Food and Clothing Bank - During the months  of August and September we will concentrate on collecting all  types of baby supplies for young families at the seminary. Just a  few suggestions would be: Baby diapers and wipes; baby lotion,  shampoo and powder; cereal and juices for babies, etc. Bring your  donations to the church and put them in the box on the table in the  narthex. 

LWML Fall Retreat  

Mark your calendars for the  Napoleon/Defiance Zone Fall Retreat  on September 17th. Watch your  bulletin and September Link for further  details!

A Peek from Preschool  

Summer is almost over and Preschool is less than 1 month away! We have been enjoying playdates at the  park and our Preschool Carnival was a huge success thanks to our sponsors, participants, and especially our  volunteers! August 18 is our Back to School Open House and Registration Night from 4:30-6:00 pm for  those interested in attending Preschool in the Fall. We have a few spots left in the 3 year old class and limited  spots left in the 4-5 year old class, so we look forward to school this upcoming year! We also want to send a  BIG shout out to the trustees and thanks for all your help getting the playground ready for the upcoming  school year...we couldn't do it without you! 

Mrs. Arce  

Preschool Carnival was a HUGE success!

The rain held off and we were able to have one successful Preschool carnival!

A HUGE thank you to St. Peter Preschool Committee members, St. Peter church members, Jimbo the Clown, Just Add Kidz, Henry County Health Department, Henry County Sheriff, Florida Flatrock Fire department, St. Paul's UMC of Defiance, Promedica Total Rehab, Tropical Freeze, Johns Manville, Kroger, Culligan and the Parsons family for bringing the Dunk Tank! We had a wonderful time with our community.

How would we get everything done without our amazing Preschool Committee members and congregation? Our Preschool committee members devote lots of time and passion into our Preschool and we are all so very thankful for each and everyone you!

The Funeral of Rev. Douglas Robert Corniels - June 28, 2022

Rev. Douglas R. Corniels Obituary

Rev. Douglas R. Corniels passed away surrounded by his family on Thursday, June 23, 2022. He was 76 years old. He was born to Robert and Eleanor (nee Fox) Corniels on May 10, 1946, in Illinois.
Douglas is survived by sons Mark (Marla) and Tim (Carrie), special friends, many nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends.
A Service in Remembrance of Douglas will be held at 10:00AM at Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church (11313 Riverland Road #35 W, Mequon, WI 53092) on Tuesday, June 28, 2022. In lieu of flowers, memorials to a charity of your choice are appreciated.

Newsletter - July

From Pastor’s Desk:  

 This year I have been going through the church year and discussing the seasons and festivals. From  the end of Easter all the way to Advent is the season of Pentecost, which often times ends up being more than  half the year. There are several festivals that happen during Pentecost. I want to discuss one of the more  famous ones.  

 The Feast Day of St Peter and St Paul is celebrated Jointly on June 29th. It was thought that Peter and  Paul both met their death at the hand of Nero in the early Sixties. Tradition had Peter dying in the colosseum  on an upside down cross. Paul died outside the gates, by a sword.  

 According to Duchesne, the June date marks the day Emperor Constantine exhumed their bodies from  remote tombs along the Appian way, and returned them to the city of Rome. They were then buried in  magnificent basilicas the emperor built to their memories.  

 The Feast itself, in a sense, commemorates their actual martyrdom, and the fact they died for the faith.  It is probably one of the oldest Feast Day’s in the churches history considering it goes back all the way to  Emperor Constantine. 

St. Peter - VBS  

SHINE BRIGHT FOR JESUS VBS - Join us for a fun filled VBS as we learn amazing Christ-focused Bible  lessons. Your kids will enjoy fun glow-in-the-dark games. Our Shine Bright For Jesus VBS is perfect for  Preschool - 5th grade! Be prepared for fun-filled lessons, games, music and snacks! Sign your child up for  VBS or volunteer CLICK HERE and sign up TODAY! VBS will run from July 25th – 29th from 6:00 pm until 8:00 pm. 

A Peek from Preschool  

Thank you to those who donated items for the Preschool Rummage sale held in June. Our Free Will  Donation sale managed to raise over $300 and the remainder of the items were donated and distributed to area  charities. We also want to give a big thanks to our Preschool Committee members and Church members for  helping make the event successful. We are also looking forward to our Preschool Carnival coming up July 13  from 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm. We are still looking for volunteers who would be willing to help set up, tear down,  run games or help with face painting, snacks or any other area which could help our event be a success.  Please let Emilie know if you are interested or have any questions!  

Mrs. Arce