P e a c e P r e s b y t e r i a n C h u r c h - E l k h o r n , N e b r a s k a

FROM THE PASTOR’S PEN...

Risk Equals New Life: “Jesus said, ‘Come.’ So Peter got out of the boat and

walked on the water and came to Jesus.” ─ Matthew 14:29

This has been a long and challenging six months as we slogged through this pandemic.

Being the church has been more difficult than we might have imagined, especially since

most of us never would have imagined something like this in our lifetime. The Session was just beginning

to set a new vision and plan when things stopped and turned dramatically in our life. So, we are again

ready and excited to finish the task we began.

Each of us has been changed by this pandemic and so has Jesus’ Church. What does God have planned

for us in a new world view? People’s expectations about the church. Most are even more reliant or desir-

ing a digital presence and more engagement in a more flexible way. This means changes ahead for all of

us in a time we feel we’ve made lots of changes already. One of the phrases the Session is keying on in

this visioning process is “reinventing ourselves.” What might that entail?

I read a few thoughts this week from Rev. Jeff Henderson, an entrepreneur, speaker, pastor and business

leader. He talks about why we should consider starting over (reinventing ourselves). Here are a couple of

his thoughts about starting over.

Peace,

Pastor Bonnie “Starting over is often the pathway to reinventing yourself. That’s certainly not the only reason why you

should make the leap. But it’s a really good one if you want to mine more of your potential. It forces you

to shake off patterns or habits that have become stale. It forces you to reinvent yourself. …Use your

experience like a reference book not a guide. …And yet, I wanted God to reinvent me, to improve me, and

to give me new ideas. If I just hit the repeat button, I would be counting on my experience to be my guide.

I would prefer the Lord to be my guide. …In this season, how are you reinventing yourself? Are you allow-

ing fear to have the final say? What reward are you moving toward that is greater than the risk? Have you

counted the cost of staying where you are, of taking no-risk? After all, when God says go, the riskiest thing

to do is stay. …If this journey that we are about to embark on can help us and our community in some,

tangible way, well, that’s worth the risk. We don’t know how this will all work out. But, in some odd way,

we can see it. Dimly, faintly but also brightly.”

September 2020

UPDATE ON THE PEACE COVID-19 RESPONSE and REOPENING

By Session decision, Peace continues to hold On-Line Worship the first Sunday of each month and Drive-In Worship in the parking lot all other Sundays.

The Reopening Task Team continues to meet via Zoom to plan for the safe reopening of the church. If you have questions, please contact Pastor Bonnie,

Peace Staff Members are working from home and outside the building to keep up with the maintenance and business of the church. Pastor Bonnie reaches out to the church daily with Pastor’s Daily Bread and continues to create options for on-line worship and fellowship.

Please reach out if you have needs or questions: Pastor Bonnie: 870-415-2082, peacepcpastor@gmail.com Church Staff: 402-289-1104, peacepresby@msn.com Mary McArdle, Treasurer: peacetreasurer89@gmail.com Church Staff: 402-289-1104, peacepresby@msn.com Mary McArdle, Treasurer: peacetreasurer89@gmail.com Elder Jane King, Youth Leader: 402-699-0921, Janeking94@yahoo.com

COMING SOON - The 2020–2021 PW/Horizons Bible study Into the Light: Finding Hope Through Prayers of Lament

Thursdays, 9:30am, at Peace, under the trees. Start date: TBA (when study guides arrive we will start). In this nine-lesson study, Lynn Miller revives lament as a proper theological response to the difficult situations of our world. One of the foundational points of the study is that, in scripture, lament usually leads to hope. After crying out to God, the one who laments remembers God. And while that doesn’t fix things in the moment—the injustice, the loss, still exists—the lamenter is strengthened to face the world and to hope. And for us as Christians, hope is not just an emotional response or an attitude of pie in the sky. Hope implies movement: both God’s inherent movement toward justice and our movement toward God. Lament is directed toward God because God is the one who has the

power to change situations and God is the one we ultimately trust. Recovering lament may be one of the church’s most timely gifts to the world.

Study guides: $10.00 Large Print Study Guides: $15.00

Excellence - based on the book Run With the Horses by Eugene Peterson A Study With Pastor Bonnie continues Tuesdays September 1 & 8, 12:00-1:00pm

via ZoomMeeting ID: 816-8700-9238 https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81687009238 Watch for Pastor's Flocknote invitation and then click or call in.

Looking at the life of Jeremiah the prophet, Eugene Peterson explores the heart of what it means to be fully and genuinely human. Each week we will read scripture together and talk about what that passage has to say to our lives and about God. We will use Rev. Peterson's study guide to lead us through. You do not need to read his book, Run With the Horses, to do this bible study. But Pastor Bonnie highly recommends it if you want to supplement your study.

BEST WISHES ON YOUR SPECIAL SEPTEMBER DAY!

BIRTHDAYS: 1 Andrew Abrahams, Abby Thompson; 3 Pat Seals; 4 Jan Fritsch, Duncan Whisinnand; 6 Karen Fulton, Jyl Hopkins; 7 Jessica Shepherd; 9 Ed Risley; 10 Jim Weaver; 11 Barb Sladek; 14 Rob King; 15 Marin Tartaglia; 16 Bert Peckham; 18 Hal Huff, Graycen Wentworth; 19 Emily Molnar, Kenley Wamsat; 20 Adam Vance; 21 Craig Dreibelbis; 23 Sloan Wamsat; 24 Jean Clanton; 27 Chloe Hazzard

ANNIVERSARIES: 4 Craig & Robbin Dreibelbis; 7 Dick & Roberta Todd; 22 Tom & Barb Sladek; 28 Bert & Donna Peckham

Sunday, 9.13.2020, 4:00-6:00pm

Outside the church building

Tables will be set up to increase social distancing

Every one is asked to please bring: Pop up canopy tents if you have them to help with shade Sharp scissors to cut the blankets Your own fleece Baby blanket = (2) 1-yard pieces, 2 yards total; Child blanket = (2) 1.5-yard pieces, 3 yards total; Teen blanket = (2) 2-yard pieces, 4 yards; total OR if you would like us to buy the fleece for you, give your check to the church office labeled Linus Project Fleece.

Individually wrapped/packaged snacks and beverages will be provided.

Everyone welcome! Invite your friends and neighbors!

The Linus Project mission is to provide love, a sense of security, warmth and comfort to children who are seriously ill, traumatized, or otherwise in need through the gifts of new, handmade blankets and afghans, lovingly created by volunteer “blanketeers”. Peace has been involved in this project for many years. See Jane King or Matt Marshall for more details.

You are invited to join our Youth

and Christian Education

Departments for a

LINUS BLANKET event!

PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN AGAIN COLLECTING ITEMS FOR THOSE IN NEED

The PW will again this year donate personal care items to those in need in our community. Would you partner with them by donating body wash/soap, shampoo, and deodorant? Full size items are preferred, but travel sizes are welcome. Once we are able to return to worship in the sanctuary a collection box will be available for your donation. Thanks in advance!

“Dear Pastor Bonnie and My Peace friends, Thank you all for your love, prayers, cards, notes and support these past few weeks. I appreciate your healing thoughts. And I'm thrilled to have been given one of the Peaceful Quilters quilts! It is beautiful and I surely do appreciate all the time and work it took to create. I am grateful and honored for being the recipient of a special quilt made by many special quilters! Thank you for your prayerful support

now and throughout the time I've known and loved Peace Church. I look forward to when we can gather again - until then, may God bless each of you.” - Fondly, Carolyn Thornton

“We would like to say thank you for all the prayers, phone calls, cards and concerns for our daughter, Tanya, and our son, Ward. Tanya was in a terrible car accident and Ward had surgery on his head at the same time. They are both doing better. Tanya has many more weeks yet recovering with an ankle injury. Her halo cast is now off. Nursing has not been fun. Thanks again for everything!” - Tom & Barb Sladek

“Dear Friends - Linda Hurt delivered the quilt from the ladies of Peace Presbyterian. What a wonderful surprise! Pete is 90 years old and always cold so your blanket is a wonderful surprise - so beautiful, so colorful! Thank you! Thank you!” - Pete & Lu Hill

PEACE HAS A NEW POST OFFICE BOX! We have been notified that several street mailboxes in Elkhorn have fallen victim to someone removing mail from them. Peace has become one of those victims. In order to keep your checks and other items mailed to the church safe, we have opened a Post Office Box for you to use. Please DO NOT mail your items directly to the church.

Instead, address them to: PEACE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, P.O. Box 495, Elkhorn, NE 68022-0495. Mail will be picked up at the Post Office every day. We will work with all our vendors and other organizations to make the address change in their systems. Direct questions to the church office (402-289-1104).

Peace Mission Statement

We seek to deepen our commitment to God through Jesus Christ with meaningful worship

experiences, education, mission, and to welcome all who want to know and learn

about God and the Church.

Website: www.peacepresbyterian.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/peacepresbyterianelkhorn Podcast: “A Soulful Word” @ http://buzzsprout.com/253873 FlockNote: To receive church text and email communications text: peacepc to 84576 Physical Address: 333 S. 204th St., Elkhorn, NE. 68022 Mailing Address: P.O. Box 495. Elkhorn, NE 68022-0495 Phone: 402-289-1104

PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN NAME

2020 LIFETIME HONORARY MEMBERS

Bernie Baker and Michael Young were named

the PW 2020 Honorary Lifetime Members by the group at

the outdoor worship service on Sunday, August 30. The

many in attendance voiced their approval with a round of

applause. Bernie and Michael serve on the Session Building

and Grounds Committee. JoAn Ferguson and Carol Huffman,

PW Co-Moderators, presented the award and noted the many

ways the men have served Peace over the years, and

especially during the pandemic. Included among multiple

other tasks the men have accomplished on behalf of Peace

are:

Purchase/installation of new furnace/air conditioning units Organizing/supervising regular lawn mowing/tree trimming Repair of kitchen refrigerator Routine building security walk-throughs Overseeing custodial services Purchase/installation of security cameras Roofing repairs Post-storm tree trimming Fire alarm maintenance

Purchase/installation of new phone system Covid-19 supplies/deep cleaning/reopening prep Computer hardware purchase/updates Updates to Building Use Policy/documents Installation of security cameras Serving on the Building Security Team

AED installation/upkeep

The men were presented with quilts made by the Peaceful Quilters, headed by Nancy Haack. They also received pins and certificates commemorating the occasion.

The Mission of Peace is truly enriched by the work and spirit of these men. We thank God for blessing the church with such faithful servant-leaders.