Peace Lutheran Church's

Monthly Newsletter

A PRINTED VERSION OF THIS MONTH'S VOICE OF PEACE IS AVAILABLE IN THE GATHERING SPACE

Merry Christmas to all!

For yes, indeed, it is Christmas, until January 6^th. The first day of Christmas starts counting on December 25^th, and continues for twelve days until Epiphany, when the wise men arrive on January 6^th.



Which is why my trees are still up! And yes, you did read that right – trees are plural, usually five trees, but one never knows from year to year! I’m sure you are all thinking – does she really know and understand the true meaning of Christmas. And believe me, I do. But grant me this one indulgence, please.

Christmas has become, for many of us, a time for family, to gather together around old family traditions, to create new memories, and to honor the Christ who was born into humanity to be one of us. The One who lived as a man, enjoying food and fellowship, traditions and memories.

My trees are nostalgic: one is homemade ornaments we’ve made and collected over the years; another was started by my mother-on-law, as she started collecting Danbury Mint gold ornaments for each of her children. I have continued adding an ornament each year, and the collection will be given to our children. Another tree celebrates our Swedish heritage – all yellow and blue, while the gingerbread tree is adorned with collected cookie cutters. The upside-down tree in the entry is just for giggles as the grandchildren enter our home.

Along with the trees, are creches of a variety of makes and models. We have one from Jerusalem made of olivewood, another painted with quilt patterns on the characters. Add a couple of more wood sets, a Fisher Price one just for the kids, and a soft stuffed one that is made to be played with and the story of our family surrounds us, along with the THE STORY of why we do all this!

And as most of you know, whether intentional or not, an ornament or a figurine is left out every year after all is packed and put away. It is a reminder to me, that Christmas is to be celebrated every day of the year, to be reminded daily that Jesus was born to live among us, to teach us, and to die for us, rising again so that we might have the promise of eternal life.

So, Merry Christmas, dear ones! Live each day remembering and celebrating the Christ born to us.

Pastor Linda

SUNDAYS:

9:00 a.m. Worship at Peace

This Service will be available live-streamed

10:00 a.m. Faith Formation Hour

WEDNESDAYS:

3:00 p.m. Kids Club

Programming in blue resumes January 11:

5:15 p.m. Pizza by the Slice

6:00 p.m. Camp-Style Worship

ALL ARE WELCOME!

6:00 p.m. Grades 4 - 9 Wednesday Education

7:39 p.m. LYF (Grades 9 - 12)

Please mark your calendars for our Annual Meeting, Sunday January 29th following morning worship (so approximately 10:00am) in the Sanctuary. ALL COMMITTEE REPORTS ARE DUE JANUARY 8th!

A CAPITAL CAMPAIGN for Peace Lutheran Church

PEACING TOGETHER

We have wonderful news to share about our congregation’s progress on the Peacing Together What God Has given Us campaign! Thankfully, 120 households have already pledged or given more than $708,000 to support the campaign and to support our 3 priorities: 

• maintenance of our building and grounds, totaling an estimated $400,000 - $425,000
• reducing the $490,000 mortgage balance remaining on the new sanctuary built in 2006
• mission support of 10% for ministry partners in the community, the region, and the world

Just imagine the impact and fun that we can have in the next three years as we work on these projects! Just think of savings in the future by paying down our mortgage. Can you visualize us together giving a large check to a local charity to reduce food insecurity in our community? Thank you to those that have already pledged! 

We now seek to secure the remaining gifts and 3-year pledges that will bring this campaign to completion. Remember that our goal was $750,000 with a stretch goal of $950,000. To accomplish this, everyone’s gift is needed…including yours.

We invite you to:

1. Visit the campaign website at peacenewlondon.org/campaign to learn all about the many projectsand ministries this campaign will provide for.
2. Consider what you can give, over and above your regular offerings, over the next 3 years.
3. Decide how to make your best gift. For some, automated monthly gifts from your income will be most practical. For others, gifts from assets like stock or retirement funds will provide a good tax benefit.
4. Set up an automated recurring gift or make your best one-time gift online. Or share your giving intention in writing using the pledge form and mail it or bring it to worship.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us directly via the church at (320) 354-2774.

Have you visited our website? This is a great place to learn more about this campaign:

www.peacenewlondon.com/campaign

Peace is in need of your old, ready-to-toss-or-donate blue jeans! This Spring, the 4th-9th   graders will be having a SHOE PARTY, at which they will be cutting sole patterns out of jeans. These soles will then be shipped for shoe construction in Uganda. Working through the NPO, SOLE HOPE shoes are constructed in order to battle the devastating effects of parasitic    chiggers that burrow in the feet of Ugandans, causing infections which lead to amputations. A jean donation tub will be available in the Peace Gathering Space.

FAITH FORMATION:

SUNDAY SCHOOL KIDS:

(3 y/o - 3rd Grade)

All students and teachers meet in the Theater after Worship.

10:10 - 11:00 am

Pick up in the Classrooms

See Sunday School Schedule by clicking Here

SUNDAY SWEETS:

(Grades 4 & up)

Sundays 10:10 - 11am  

Meet upstairs in the Youth Room!

LYF Christmas Party- All students in grades 9-12 are invited to the LYF Christmas Party at Peace Lutheran on January 4 (rescheduled due to weather) at 7:39pm at Faith. We'll have festive food, a Christmas devotion, and a white Elephant gift exchange. For the White Elephant Gift Exchange, students are invited to find something not needed around home or spend no more than $5-$10, and bring it wrapped to the Christmas Party.

Book Club Selection for

JANUARY:

Convergence at Two Harbors

by Dennis Herschbach

Discussion:

Thursday,

Jan 26th 10:00 a.m.

Fireside Room

All are welcome!

Please call Elaine at (320) 905-6960 to get a book!

It’s baaaaaaaack!

Peace is planning another fun-filled evening to celebrate FAT TUESDAY. Fat Tuesday is the day before Ash Wednesday—traditionally set aside to burn the fat before the long, lean season of Lent begins. Last year, the Peace staff put on a fun-filled HOOTENANY for Fat Tuesday. This year’s theme is still, very much under wraps, but promises some good fun, good food and a very good time for all ages. MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

Fat Tuesday at Peace on February 21st at 6:00pm.

Interested in giving the staff a hand? Let Lindsay know in the office.

It’s time again to channel that inner thespian within and get in on all the fun and action of this year’s Peace musical production. Last year’s KINGDOM TALES was a fun success, thanks to more than 60 people involved on stage and behind the scenes. Once again, we will be looking for people in acting roles, a chorus to support the musical numbers (no standing on stage the whole while like last year!) stage crew members and a kitchen team.

Interested? Attend the information meeting on February 12 at 11am, or contact Pastor Todd.

PEACE CHOIR

All are Welcome!

WEDNESDAY 1/25

Rehearsal at 6:30pm

SUNDAY 1/29

Rehearsal at 8:00am

Singing at the 9am Worship

Holy Land Trip | October 24 - November 3, 2023

Registration has begun!

Learn more by viewing the online brochure here or pick up a hard copy in the office. Questions? Call Pastor Art at 320-212-1487

Peace's

Christian Service Day of Quilting

Meets the first Thursday of each month at 9am in the Fellowship Hall.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18th at 1:00 p.m.

(Meets the 3rd Wednesday of every month)

In the Fireside Room

NO COUNCIL REPORT: I will not be writing a council report for the January VOP due to a scheduled hip replacement surgery.

Cliff Gesellchen, Council President

A big, heartfelt THANK YOU goes out to all the people who offered a digital Advent Calendar entry during the four weeks of Advent, preceding Christmas. What fun to have heard about the various traditions and memories shared by Peace individuals and families. The Advent Calendar entries are still available for viewing on Peace’s YOUTUBE channel under playlists and Peace's Facebook page.

OFFICE HOURS:

Tuesday - Thursday 9am - 2:30pm

Friday 9am - 12pm

Please note: the Peace Staff Meetings will be on

Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m.

Staff Email addresses:

Pastor Todd:

todd.mattson@peacenewlondon.com

Pastor Linda:

linda.lagergren@peacenewlondon.com

Quentin Markfort

youth@peacenewlondon.com

Lindsay Freeland

lindsay.freeland@peacenewlondon.com

Gail Olson

gail.olson@peacenewlondon.com

Mike Lagergren

facility@peacenewlondon.com