ST PETER'S NEWS
May 14, 2020
A WORD FROM PASTOR V
Thursday Greetings!

Maybe you have been hiking before and found yourself lost or having gone off the trail. Maybe you went off trail intentionally!

Walking an untrodden path is challenging, and takes way more energy and effort to go the same distance as on a well-worn path.

I wonder if we are entering this sort of time in these days. A bit of social distancing weariness and fatigue starting to set in. Maybe you are getting tired of having the extra meetings and all the extra energy it takes to figure out and navigate what didn't require any meetings only a few months back. This time is like trailblazing...filled with both exhaustion and exhilaration.

I so appreciate the continued willingness of all who make our worship fresh and grace-filled each week. Yet, maybe the novelty of online worship is not so novel anymore, becoming more familiar, maybe even feeling "normal." This new taste of grace may be starting to fade in its impact, like the flavor of chewing gum has a way of doing. One thing I love about worship is not that each week there is some new shiny thing to entertain me and keep me coming back...but that in worship, we experience this well-worn path of grace and love of God for us all. God is the best life hiking partner...one who knows when we need a well-worn path...but also one not afraid to challenge us with a little grace-filled trailblazing.

Speaking of trailblazing, council, with the support of the Building Committee, voted this past week to move forward with installing live-stream capabilities in our sanctuary as part of the other upgrades to our sanctuary through Building to Bless (BtB). Our hope is that when we re-start in-person worship in the near future, we continue to offer an online worship option.

In many ways, this time is a little like starting a satellite worship site. Yet, this new worshipping community was not something we asked for, but has come to us as we began having online worship. This is a moment we get to ask, "what does it look like to BOLDLY living and sharing God's grace online?" Below are our worship attendance numbers so far for 2020.
The Building Committee also met this past week and is looking at how recent events might impact our building project. All have agreed we stand with both opportunity and gift before us with our BtB campaign continuing to do well. Thank you.

Council, Worship Committee, and ministry staff are still working on details around phasing back guidelines and details for our in-person worship and gatherings. We hope to share those shortly. I met with the bishop and about 70 of our synod pastors this past week to have a conversation on communion, something I know is dear and very important to our experience of worship and faith life. One sentence captures why this requires faithful thought: "the paradox is that something which promises the spread of grace also carries the potential for spreading this virus." Thank you for your continued input and thoughts regarding your hopes for our life together. Expect a survey soon to help leadership get a pulse from you around all these things.

Did I just go off the well-worn path in this email?
Does it feel like we are trailblazing a bit?

Hear the Easter message once again and with new ears. He is risen! He is risen indeed! Translation: God has been blazing a trail before us all along...and promises to continue doing so in the days ahead.

Eastertide blessings to you all,
Pastor Vanicek
SOCIAL OUTREACHING
FROM THE SOCIAL OUTREACH COMMITTEE...

PEC has established a Covid Relief Fund, whereby the public can make donations to help out members with their bills.

PEC members may donate to the fund by logging in to their account at pec.smarthub.coop . Members with no web access may call a Member Relations Agent Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. to verbally provide donation information. Our contact phone number is 888-554-4732.

Members can visit our website for information about applying for assistance: pec.coop/member-assistance . These members are encouraged to call and speak with an agent regarding their individual accounts and options.
BOYSCOUTS LOOKING FOR A NEW TROOPMASTER...

The BoyScouts called the church asking if we would see if you know of someone that might have the gifts to the new Troopmaster for our Troop 284 Boyscouts in Marble Falls? If so, contact Brady Bowers, the Committee Chair (bradyb@whiteconst.com).
CALENDAR UPDATES
VBS UPDATE
from Vonda Orton

Unfortunately , our traditional VBS will not occur at church this summer the week of June 15th because of social distancing and safety within large groups. 

Fortunately , we do have something for VBS in the making, please watch for further information and dates.
BIBLE STUDY AT HOME
Faith is scripture is rarely a noun...but most often a verb...an active and alive thing. Faith is like muscles, requiring exercise to stay healthy and strong. While we are in Diaspora (separated...), use these short videos as a weekly way of growing in your faith and love.

We begin each Sunday this Easter season with a Thanksgiving for Baptism. This week we take a closer look "exile." May exile is a good word to describe our present reality. What does it mean to be in exile? How does it change our understanding of hope, our vision and the way we live for the future? This is what the Jewish and Christian people have been asking for generations.
CLICK HERE to go deeper into the
theme of "way of exile" in scripture.
DEVOTIONS AND MAGAZINES IN THE PORTICO BIN
CHRIST IN OUR HOME
WORSHIP & PRAYER RESOURCES
If you missed a recent online worship, want to read the text of sermon, are looking for daily prayer resources, or want to find something noted in our weekly emails, CLICK HERE for a one-stop page on our website.
WORDS OF GRATITUDE
From Jan Olafson, Dottie Burke's daughter. PV sent her flowers on behalf of St. Peter's as she recovers from her broken hip. - "My mother was so very pleased by the bouquet of flowers that arrived in her room yesterday! They are bright and cheery and made her feel so loved. She asked me to please ask you to put a note in the church newsletter, online, or wherever is appropriate, letting the congregation know that she treasures your prayers and friendship dearly. Any cards or calls would be welcome! She seems to be doing some better yesterday and today and so we are praying that the healing has truly begun and that her future looks brighter than it did a few days ago. Please know that your expressions of caring mean the world to her. They do to me, too.

Brookdale Santa Catalina Skilled Nursing Facility
Dorothy Burke - Rm 136
7500 N. Calle Sin Envidia
Tucson, AZ 85718
OTHER RESOURCES