THE PRINTS OF PEACEMarch 2018

A periodical newspaper for and by the people of Peace Lutheran Congregation, Vernon, BC

IN THIS ISSUE

Pastor David’s Message

Church Choir Corner

Council Highlights

Ecumenical Lenten Journey Schedule

Walk to Jerusalem Weekly Devotions

A M e s s a g e f r o mP a s t o r D a v i d

Our Sacred JourneyWhile all of life is a journey, Lent is a season in which this metaphor fits particularly well. These Forty Days parallel Jesus fasting in the wilderness after his baptism. Noah’s Ark project protected him and creatures he harbored from forty days of torrential rains. There is the allusion to the years of Israel’s wandering in the wilderness for forty years. Our Lenten observance lasts forty days as we take time for personal reflection and spiritual awareness. Yes, this season has a more subdued tone in the cycle of the church, but what an opportunity for spiritual renewal it provides. I encourage you to take advantage of the opportunities provided for this purpose. You may well have your own personal disciplines for Lent, but consider participating in one or more of these. Daily prayers are available through and email subscription. These are very short and take literally less than 60 seconds to read, but they may open your hearts and minds to reflect in new ways on God’s presence in your day. Find the details in the Walk to Jerusalem article below. The Walk to Jerusalem was such a fun activity to share last year that we are offering it again. Physical, intellectual and spiritual activities associated with this program can help you move through Lent in a way that provides a sense of progression toward the cross. I am thrilled to participate in this year’s Ecumenical Lenten Series with services on Wednesdays at 2:00 p.m. The joy of gathering with Christians of other denominations and visiting after worship is deeply rewarding. What a way to expand our reach in the community. Often if we are travelling on vacation, we think nothing of worshiping in a church of a different denomination. At home, we rarely have the opportunity. This is a chance to connect with a broader Christian Faith Community and learn more about how other Christians worship. Consider taking advantage of this unique opportunity. On the last two Wednesdays of the series, we will be playing host. The Lenten season of Prayer, Fasting, Giving and Repentance is an opportunity to Grow together in faith. Parts of these disciplines are very personal and yet there are many pilgrims with whom you share the way. May God who has called us forth from the dust of the earth, and claimed us as children of the light, strengthen you on your journey into life renewed.

Peace, Pastor David

“ P E AC E LU T H E R A N

C H U R C H

C H O I R C O R N E R ”You are welcome to join us Mondays at 7 pm for rehearsals through the month of March. We will continue to learn anthems, psalms and hymns for Lent, Holy Week, Easter and the Easter season. There is a great variety of music to share through the contemplative time of this Lenten season through to the Resurrection of our Lord!

Shalom! Margaret Hundeby Hunter

P e a c e L u t h e r a n C o u n c i l

M e e t i n g H i g h l i g h t s

Fe b r u a r y 2 0 1 8

Chair Russ Crawford called the meeting to order at 7:05 pm.

Present: Pr. David, Russ Crawford, Bob Wettlaufer, Mike Latham, Ralph Litzenberger, Peter Nisse, Susan Lloyd, Irma Lipski, Heather Skerritt, Janice Mezynski

Absent: Ron Birch- Treasurer

Devotions: Russ led in devotions “Through the Night of Doubt and Sorrow”, based on Psalm 118.

Motion 2018-08: MSC that agenda be adopted as amended.

Motion 2018-09: MSC that minutes of January 17/18 meeting be adopted as presented.

Continuing Business

a) BC Societies Act Committee-Bob Wettlaufer gave an update on status of our constitution. After a conversation with BC Bishop Greg, the committee feels a draft of the proposed constitution could be available at the next council meeting. The main issue regards the name applied to the roster of members-Active and Inactive list vs Members and Responsibility List.

Treasurer’s Report: as presented.

Motion 2018-10: MSC that Treasurer’s Report be adopted as presented.

Chairperson’s Report- to be discussed under New Business.

Committee Reports:

a) Worship- as presented.

Motion 2018-11: MSC that expenses for Margaret Hundeby-Hunter to attend the seminar “Singing Locally, Thinking Globally” to be held at the Sorrento Conference Centre July 15-21 be covered by Peace Lutheran. The cost is $335.00 for registration plus $160.00 for meals. Members of Peace will be encouraged to attend the free evening presentation.

c) Congregational Life- Pancake supper was held on Ash Wednesday, February 14/18. Approximately 21 people attended. This committee will also arrange refreshments after mid-week Lenten services on March 14 and 21/18 at Peace Lutheran.

e) Property Management- as presented.f) Mutual Ministry- as presented.

Motion 2018-12: MSC that recommendation from Mutual Ministry to sign the Employment Agreement with Pr. David be accepted.

Pastor’s Report- as presented.

Motion 2018-13: MSC that Pastor David’s request for Study Leave from May 1- 7 be granted as requested.

New Business:

a) A delegate is needed for the BC Synod Convention on May 24- 27 at Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church in Langley, BC. This will be announced in the bulletin.

Nominations for delegates to the 2019 ELCIC National Convention and nominations for BC Synod Council positions must be made by March 15/18.

b) Correspondence was received from St John’s Lutheran Church in Vernon, requesting use of our sanctuary for 4 hours on Sunday afternoons for services, use of rooms for meetings 3 times per week, and office space for pastor and staff from 9-1 Monday to Friday.

Motion 2018-14: MSC that an email be sent by Chair Russ to St John’s, stating we can only accommodate the request for use of our sanctuary Sunday afternoons.

c) Large screen TV at rear of sanctuary- Pr. David and worship committee will discuss the need for this item.

d) New computer/laptop for Pr. David’s use in office. Discussion was held. Russ C will discuss this further with Pr. David.

Next Meeting: March 21, 2018 at 7 pm sharp.

Devotions: Bob Wettlaufer (also responsible for coffee on March 18/18 after service)

Motion 2018-15: MSC that meeting be adjourned at 8:39 pm.

The meeting closed with the Lord’s Prayer.

A n E c u m e n i c a l L e n t e n

J o u r n e yFour Vernon Congregations of various traditions will be gathering weekly from February 21 through March 21, to share an Ecumenical Journey through the Lenten Season. These Wednesday afternoon services will feature scriptural themes from the Easter Vigil, preparing participants for the coming celebrations of the resurrection of our Lord.

In the Christian tradition, Lent is a holy season that acknowledges our spiritual need for repentance and for God’s mercy. Longing for joy in God’s presence, love of one’s neighbor and harmony with creation, we use Lent as a time to focus on spiritual renewal within our own lives and community. Followers of Jesus are called to a discipline that contends against evil and resists whatever leads us away from loving God and our neighbor. Practicing Lenten disciplines like self-examination and repentance, prayer and fasting, sacrificial giving and works of love, sharing God’s word and gifts are all ways to grow in faith as we anticipate the Joy of Easter.

These weekly services can be part of that Lenten discipline while providing an opportunity to build bridges and connect with Christians of other traditions. The host congregations of All Saints Anglican, Knox Presbyterian, First Baptist and Peace Lutheran invite all to come along on this shared journey.

Services will take place at 2:00 p.m. each Wednesday in Lent and will be followed by a time of informal fellowship.

(For more information please contact David Hunter at 250 309-0747 or davidpop@shaw.ca)

Ecumenical Lenten Journey

Wednesdays 2:00

Date and Theme Host and Location MessageFebruary 21Theme: CreationGenesis 1:1-2:4a

All Saints Anglican3205 27 St

Rev Dr Teresa CharltonKnox Presbyterian

February 28Theme: FloodGenesis 7:1-5, 11-18; 8:6-18; 9:8-13

Knox Presbyterian3701 32 Ave

Rev David HunterPeace Lutheran

March 7 Theme: Deliverance at the Red SeaExodus 14:10-31; 15:20-21

First Baptist1406 32 Ave

Rev Grace WulffVernon Jubilee Hospital Spiritual Care

March 14 Theme: Salvation Freely Offered to AllIsaiah 55:1-11

Peace Lutheran1204 30 Ave

Rev Wendy AdamsAll Saints Anglican

March 21Theme: Deliverance from the Fiery FurnaceDaniel 3:1-29

Peace Lutheran1204 30 Ave

Rev Randy Hamm First Baptist

Walk to Jerusalem Weekly Devotions

Throughout our walk to Jerusalem you are invited to monitor your physical activity and record it at the church. We will be aiming to walk a cumulative distance of some 12,000 kilometers. Every step counts as we move together toward our goal. Participating in this communal event may motivate you toward increasing personal exercise and improving your fitness. Please remember that ANY physical activity can be included. If you are actively exercising for 15 minutes you may count that as one kilometers. How we define active exercise might depend on our lifestyle and fitness level. You be the judge. I always say, vacuuming counts.

Learning about the places on the map through which we travel will also expand our minds. (If someone is interested in contributing to these weekly ‘travelogues’ please contact Pastor David.) The map on the wall in the fellowship hall will be updated weekly to display our progress on the path toward Jerusalem.

The Spiritual component of this journey includes three opportunities. First, consider subscribing to the daily prayer provided by my friend and colleague, Pastor Bruce Ehlert from Mt Olivet Lutheran Church in Sherwood Park, AB. You can receive these by sending an email with the word, ‘subscribe,’ in the subject line to pastor.bru@mountolivet.caThese are short prayers that take only one minute to read but can inspire some personal reflection on your Lenten journey. Second, join us for a midweek Lenten service on Wednesdays at 2:00 p.m. There are three remaining: March 7, at First Baptist Church and March 14 & 21 at Peace Lutheran. Finally, here are some devotional readings for your use. They are provided by the designers of the Walk to Jerusalem and were shared last year, but bear rereading.

Week IMaking the Decision:

“For we walk by faith, not by sight.”2 Corinthians 5:7

The 259 steps up to the Whispering Gallery of St. Paul’s Cathedral in London are challenging. The passageway is narrow, the steps sometimes slippery and the light is dim. The view at the top, however, is breathtaking. Not all visitors to St. Paul’s make the decision to climb to the Whispering Gallery. Some have legitimate physical reasons for bypassing the challenge, but others are too hurried or not convinced that the climb is worth the exertion and energy.

We make decisions everyday regarding our physical, spiritual and emotional health. It is so easy to procrastinate and fill our days with everything but that which is good for us. This week as you begin on this walking journey and decide to be good stewards of the body God has given you, may you walk by faith and grow stronger spiritually and physically as you spend time with your Heavenly Father. Congratulations on making that decision to come on this journey!

Questions to ponder: How has my faith developed throughout the years?Were there special people who mentored me in my faith?What steps am I taking to strengthen that faith?Is God telling me to step out in faith about some issue?

©2003 by St. John Providence Health System. All rights reserved. Rev. 2008Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE. NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®,Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission ofZondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.

Week 2Preparing for the Journey

He told them, “Take nothing for the journey – no staff,no bag, no bread, no money, no extra tunic.”

Luke 9:3

I remember the excitement I felt as a child, anticipating a journey to grandparents who lived1200 miles away. The suitcases were out for a month prior to departure. We wanted to make sure that all items were in place and that we would be well equipped for the journey. Nothing could be left behind that might be necessary for the journey!

When Jesus commissioned the disciples to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick in the Gospel of Luke, He instructed them to travel light! No staff – no bag – no bread – nomoney – no extra tunic! Now that is light travel! Ah – to travel light! What a feeling to beable to simplify our lives of clutter and things and enjoy those things in life that truly last –God, people and the Word of God. Those are the only “items” we will take into eternity –our ultimate journey.

What preparations am I making for that final journey? A deep and personal relationshipwith the Lord Jesus Christ will make Heaven an easy transition and continuation of thatrelationship. Loving relationships with family and friends will continue into eternity.

So – to life! Seize the moment! Enjoy God and people! Keep short accounts! Repairrelationships as much as it is in your ability to repair! Forgive! The energy and time putinto those relationships will bring life, hope and health – physical, spiritual and emotional.

Questions to ponder: Are there any relationships in my life that need some repair?Do I need to make some phone calls?Do I need to simplify my life?

Week 3Taking the Time

“All the days ordained for me were written in your bookbefore one of them came to be.”

Psalm 139:16

Have you ever said, “There just aren’t enough hours in the day ….” Our days can becomepretty cluttered – and yet God says in Psalm 139 that “all the days ordained for me were

written in your book before one of them came to be.” Does that mean that God knows when we waste time or when we pack too much into our days? Isn’t it a mystery that we don’t know the number of our days or what the future holds? Only a wise God – ever knowing and ever wise – could create such a system. And yet, we live and act as if we know everything and can control our future! Maybe we need to ponder how we fill our days. We can take the time to ponder, and while we walk this week, let’s do just that – take the time to ponder the mystery of our all-knowing, all loving God who knows what lies behind, before and with us today.

Questions to ponder: God thinks of me constantly. How often do I think of Him?What percentage of my day is spent on God?What percentage of my day is spent on enriching my relationships with family and friends?

Week 4Plotting the Journey

“In his heart a man plans his course,but the Lord determines his steps.”

Proverbs 16:9

It was one of those long automobile rides through Tennessee on Interstate 75. The triptik did not indicate any detours or road construction, but the large orange “detour” sign and the accompanying orange barrels were unavoidable. The course had been smooth and sleek up until this point with nicely angled roads and well planned rest stops. The detour would delay our arrival and change our plans. We exited the freeway and found ourselves on a narrow winding road dripping with fresh mountain streams, fringed with delightful wild flowers of purple hues, bright yellows and soft magenta. The turns in the road were hard and narrow, and the prospect of an unseen approaching car suddenly appearing on one of those hard turns kept us alert and expectant. But the flowers were beautiful and the streams refreshing even though the road was difficult. The road was also quite brief. It seemed like time stood still as we focused on the beauty and the winding road. In a minute we were back on the super-highway. The drone of the widely paved road lulled us into a senseless stupor of grey cement, blurry green forests and flashy billboards. We struggled to keep awake.As you walk this week, let your senses come alive as you ponder God’s creation and creativity.

Questions to ponder: Am I including God in my decision making? Do I trust Him to direct my paths?Am I taking the time to see and appreciate people, things, blessings in my life or am I riding the superhighway?How do I handle detours along the way? Am I flexible to change or very rigid?

Week 5Where am I Going?

“I press toward the goal for the prizeof the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

Phil 3:14

Are we almost there now? Are we really going to Jerusalem? How much longer before we get there? Are you sure we’re heading in the right direction? These are questions that may bring to mind memories of past journeys traveled as a child or with children. Most of us know what it’s like to be the child and the adult in such a situation. As a child, we must trust that the adult really knows the way. As an adult we must press on toward the goal, knowing that if we follow the map and continue to travel, we will eventually reach our goal. Having a goal helps us to continue until we reach the prize or the destination.

Your physical goal this week may be to walk 2 miles – or 5 miles – or 50 miles. Having thatgoal helps us to continue on. Your spiritual goal may be to read the Word of God daily, praydaily or memorize a Bible verse. The deeper spiritual goal may be to have a deeper personal relationship with Jesus, to confront each other in a kinder more loving manner or to forgive someone. The ultimate spiritual goal is to become more Christ-like in our everyday encounters with people and society.

Questions to ponder: Do I have physical and spiritual goals for this week?Do I have physical and spiritual goals for my life?What is one thing I can do to help achieve my physical goal?What is one thing I can do to help achieve my spiritual goal?

U p c o m i n g a t P e a c e

WORLD DAY OF PRAYER – Friday, March 2nd @ 1:30 PM Trinity United Church

HERON GROVE SERVICE – Sunday, March 4th@ 2:30 PM

CHOIR – Monday’s @ 7:00 PM

CONFIRMATION CLASSES – Tuesdays @ 4:15 (NO Class March 6 th )

ADULT BIBLE STUDY – MAKING SENSE OF SCRIPTURE – Tuesdays, @ 7:00 PM (NO Class March 6 th )

PRAYER SHAWL – Wednesday, March 7th @ 10:00 AM

LENTEN WORSHIP SERVICES : Wednesdays @ 2:00PM March 7th @ First Baptist Church with Grace Wulff of VJHMarch 14th @ Peace Lutheran Church with Rev. Wendy Adams from All SaintsMarch 25th @ Peace Lutheran Church with Rev. Randy Hamm from First Baptist

QUILTERS – Thursday’s @ 10:00 AM

SUNSHINE SENIORS – Friday’s March 9th & 23rd @ 1:30 PM

COUNCIL MEETING – March 21st @ 7:00 PM

DISTRICT 70 AA MEETING – Saturday, March 24th @ 8:00 in the church hall

POTLUCK – Sunday, March 25th

ELW MEETING – Tuesday, March 27th @ 1:00 PM

MAUNDY THURSDAY SERVICE – March 29th 6:00 PM Supper – 7:00 PM Service

GOOD FRIDAY SERVICE – Friday, March 30th @ 10:00 AM

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … …P e a c e L u t h e r a n P r a y e r C h a i n

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …Is sponsored by our ELW, it is made up of individuals who have made a commitment to pray for others in need. Those with a particular concern for themselves or others are invited to contact Rita Makasoff and explain the circumstances for which prayers are requested.

OFFICE HOURS

Tuesday & Thursday 8:30-12:30

Contact UsPam McCreightTelephone 250-545-5787Email plchurch@shaw.ca

Pastor DavidCell 250-309-0747Email davidpop@shaw.caWebsite www.peacelutheran.ca