1803 Hwy 1431 W Marble Falls, TX 78654 830 693-2253 [email protected]www.splcmf.org HOLY COMMUNION 8:15 & 10:45 am Sunday School—9:30 Cover Stories Pg. 1 Pastors & Stewardship Pg. 2 Parish News Pg. 3 Bible Studies Pg. 4 WELCA News Pg. 5 School/Youtherans Pg. 6 Calendar & Schedules Insert Confirmation/SPLAT Life Pg. 7 Christmas Projects Pg. 8 Church & Community Pg. 9 Church & Community Pg.10 Church Business Pg.11 SPLC Directory Pg.12 A Look Inside: 2015 Superkids Performance of “Carriers of the Light” Sunday, December 6th at NOON ONE Special Youth Church Service at ONE Special Youth Church Service at ONE Special Youth Church Service at ONE Special Youth Church Service at 9:30am 9:30am 9:30am 9:30am Lunch at Lunch at Lunch at Lunch at 10:45am 10:45am 10:45am 10:45am Superkids Performance begins at Superkids Performance begins at Superkids Performance begins at Superkids Performance begins at NOON NOON NOON NOON Sunday, December 13th Sunday, December 13th Sunday, December 13th Sunday, December 13th 8:15am & 10:45am 8:15am & 10:45am 8:15am & 10:45am 8:15am & 10:45am St. Peter’s Lessons and Carols worship is on Sunday, December 13 at both the 8:15am and 10:45am services. Please join us for this festive day. This is a good opportunity to invite your neighbors, relatives and friends. The service of lessons and carols does not include communion. December 2015 December 2015 December 2015 December 2015 St. Peter’s Lutheran Church December 2015 Together, BOLDLY BOLDLY BOLDLY BOLDLY living and sharing God’s grace with all. St. Peter’s Lutheran Church Presents Celebrating Jesus’ Birth December 24 th 5:00pm and 8:00pm Holy Communion and Candlelight Carols Welcome the Joyous Nativity of Our Lord! As the birthday of God made human approaches, we welcome Christ by celebrating the sacrament of Holy Communion and singing Christmas carols. Bring the children, relatives, and friends. These services have been a great blessing for many individuals and families. It is a special night, a holy night. Can you find the 12 Christmas trees in this issue?
2015 Superkids Performance of “Carriers of the Light”
Sunday, December 6th at NOON
ONE Special Youth Church Service at ONE Special Youth Church Service at ONE Special Youth Church Service at ONE Special Youth Church Service at 9:30am9:30am9:30am9:30am Lunch at Lunch at Lunch at Lunch at 10:45am10:45am10:45am10:45am
Superkids Performance begins at Superkids Performance begins at Superkids Performance begins at Superkids Performance begins at NOONNOONNOONNOON
Sunday, December 13thSunday, December 13thSunday, December 13thSunday, December 13th
St. Peter’s Lessons and Carols worship is on Sunday, December 13 at both
the 8:15am and 10:45am services. Please join us for this festive day. This is a good opportunity to invite your neighbors, relatives and friends. The service of lessons and carols does not include communion.
December 2015December 2015December 2015December 2015
St. Peter’s Lutheran Church
December 2015 Together, BOLDLYBOLDLYBOLDLYBOLDLY living and sharing God’s grace with all.
St. Peter’s Lutheran
Church Presents
Celebrating Jesus’ Birth December 24th
5:00pm and 8:00pm Holy Communion and Candlelight Carols
Welcome the Joyous Nativity of Our Lord! As the birthday of God made human approaches, we welcome Christ by celebrating the sacrament of Holy Communion and singing Christmas carols.
Bring the children, relatives, and friends. These services have been a great blessing for many individuals and families.
It is a special night, a holy night.
Can you find the
12 Christmas trees
in this issue?
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A Word from the Pastor
stewardship
TÄÄ à{x VtÜÉÄá \ f|Çz In the Christmas hymn “Son of God, Which Christmas Is It?” author Jaroslav Vajda asks the Lord Jesus to bless “the ones who taught me all the songs I sing.” In that vein, I want to thank St. Peter’s for teaching me the Christmas Carol “Once in Royal David’s City” some 13 years ago. This was a song I did not grow up singing but have grown to love and look forward to it at each Lessons and Carols service since I first sang it in 2002. As adults we often realize that the most wonderful gifts people gave us through the years were not the gift-wrapped items under the tree, but the special memories of this season of hope. I love the Christmas story as told in Cecil Alexander’s “Once in Royal David’s City,” but it was only re-cently that I learned more of the carol’s own story. Cecil was the wife of an Irish bishop, and she wrote songs to help children learn and understand the Apostles’ Creed. To explain “maker of heaven and earth” she wrote “All Things Bright and Beautiful.” To explain “who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary” she wrote “Once in Royal David’s City.” You can hear that in the words:
Once in royal David’s city stood a lowly cattle shed, Where a mother laid her baby in a manger for his bed: Mary was that mother mild, Jesus Christ her little child.
He came down to earth from heaven, who is God and Lord of all, And his shelter was a stable, and his cradle was a stall; With the poor and mean and lowly Lived on earth our Savior holy.
Amidst the Christmas Carols piped throughout the malls hymns like this easily get overshadowed by songs like “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and most schools no longer teach children religious Christmas Carols for holi-day programs. So I encourage each of you to teach one or more Christmas Carols to a child this year, and I encourage you to take time to enjoy Christmas Carols for yourself this year. There are several opportunities other than at the Christ-mas Eve service to do so. Here are just a few:
Use the “Sing a Song of Christmas” family devotion (pick up a copy from Cindy) Join us for the Superkids Performance – December 6th at 12:00 PM Sing along at the Lessons & Carols Service – December 13th at 8:15 & 10:45 AM
As we sing, I am certain that “our eyes at last shall see him, through his own redeeming love.”
- In Christ, Pastor Casey
A Little Advent R & R
In the military, R&R stands for “Rest and Relaxation,” or vacation time to relieve the stress of duty. Here, I’m using it for “Reflection and Resolution.” As we approach the end of one calendar year and prepare for a new one, now is a good time for us all to think about what St. Peter’s has accomplished this year and how we want to do even better next year.
I won’t bore you with numbers and statistics, (you heard some during the November Temple Talks) but YOUR church, St. Peter’s, has done an outstanding job this year in reaching out to the world, our country, our community, and within our church. Upon reflection, we should all be very proud. We are making a difference! On a personal level, it gives me great satisfaction to know that our giving to the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America has supported food, wa-ter, clothing, quilts, mosquito nets, and malaria shots for thousands of African children. Up until six years ago, two of my grandchildren were recipients of this life saving generosity. If you are interested in the numbers and statistics, we will have some displayed in the narthex throughout this stewardship season. As far as resolutions for the next year, I try not to get too specific in my New Year’s resolutions, because I usually
fall a little short. My resolve for next year is simply to give more of my time, talent, and treasure back to God, where
it all came from. I don’t see it as a duty, requirement or obligation, but rather as an opportunity. Please join me in
this R&R. Contributed by Jerry Bostick
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Parish News
In Our Prayers
Harold Brueckner LaVerne Pullin Shirley Waters Don Wilde Sandi Gantz Bobby Norred Don Holle Elna Wendler Carol Schroer Doris Tate
Ken Tate Mary Langehennig Shirley Bohmann Karen Holbrook Richard Crow Pat Taylor Kayci Lindig Marnie Casteñeda Wayne Neely Susan Scheuring
Jon Bohmann Joe Burling Bubba Woods Marvin Adams Pete Peterson Brian & Rachel Holley Joanne Carver Beth McKeever Taylor Newton
Jan Starkey and family in the loss of her mother, Charline Nilsen
. . .Spirit in the Hills, Thrivent, and Showbiz Cinema for donating and serving snacks at the Lost & Found Concert . . . Aaron Pyle and his roadie team (Holly Atkinson, Tate Deering, Ben Kulbeth, Grant Sandman) for setting up at the Lost & Found Concert . . . Mike Williams for taking New Members and First Communion Photos. . . . Allyson Black for spearheading the SPLAT Pie Sales this year. . . . Emily Patterson and Jon-Erik Johnson for serving as Camp Chrysalis sponsors.
Thank you to St. Peter’s
On behalf of the Open Door Recovery House, we want to thank all of you that took the time out of your Sunday morning to come and work on our yard. It looks so nice and is greatly appreciated. Open Door is
supported by individual, business, group, church, and foundations gifts. This support has allowed us to provide support programs and housing for 131 women in the past five years. In 2014, we had 31 women come through our doors. Of those
31 women, 17 stayed past the 30 day period for residence. The blessing is that of those 17 women, 10 are still sober and leading very productive lives in our community. God is good!
Thank you again for your love of and support for Open Door. Peace be with you, Paula Mays-Hall, Executive Director
† † † † † Dear Friends, The family of Charline Nilsen acknowledges with deep appreciation your kind expressions of sympathy.
Jan Starkey
† † † † †
Dear St. Peter’s, Helen Lambert and her family would like to thank St. Peter’s members for sharing in the celebration of a very special 95th birthday. It was nice to see so many friends. Come to see me!
Helen Lambert and Family
2015 Advent Devotion
A World Awaits Daily Reflections for Advent from the works of C.S. Lewis
Pick up a copy today in the Narthex
for your advent reading.
Purchase your poinsettias For the Christmas Eve Service!
Poinsettias will adorn our church on Christmas Eve and may be given in honor, in memory, or in celebration of loved ones. They are $10.00 each and can be taken home after the 8:00pm
Christmas Eve Service.
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Bible Studies
“The Greatest Story”“The Greatest Story”“The Greatest Story”“The Greatest Story” The Advent of Good News: November 29th - December 27th
During this session, we hear the longing of the people for different news…for Good News.
From Isaiah, "we hear a voice crying out in the wilderness to make straight the pathway of God.”
King Josiah discovered the lost scrolls of scripture in the Temple and his heart is set on fire by
how far the people have wandered from the pathway of God…but also how God’s promises
meet the people where they are. From Luke we hear the ever hopeful song of Zechariah as
God’s advent…God’s coming…God’s Good News comes in the birth of Jesus.
Adults and children will begin in the Fellowship Hall at 9:30am each Sunday
for a 15 minute cross+generational cross+generational cross+generational cross+generational opening. Then we will break into our various classes.
Adult Sunday School Class will meet in Room 215 led by Pastor Casey and class members. Kingdom Seekers Class will meet in Room 212 led by Greg Murrell.
SPLAT Sunday School will meet in the SPLAT House for breakfast and sharing, prayer, Bible study, and growing in faith together, led by Pastor Vanicek, Aaron Pyle, Jana Holley, and Allyson Black. Youtherans will meet in the Fellowship Hall.
MID-WEEK/Monthly Bible Studies: P&'()*+’ M.')/)0 B/23( S*456: Meets each Monday morning at 10:00am in Room 212. Join us for faith and family conversations about Sabbath. M()’+ BYOB/23( S*456: All men are invited. We meet the third Monday of the month at 7:00pm at Double Horn Brewing Co. Our current study is Revelation. WOW M.')/)0 B/23( S*456: Meets each Wednesday from 9:30-11:30 in Room 212. For more information, please contact Pastor Casey or Carol Moquist at 281-216-9344 or [email protected]. WOW will not be meeting during the month of December. Women’s Evening Bible Study: Meets each Tuesday evening at 6:15pm in the Fellowship Hall. Please contact Pastor Casey and Allison Wurfel for more information. Prayer Shawl Ministry: Meets the third Tuesday of each month at 3:00pm in Room 212 for fellowship, knitting and crocheting shawls. If it is more convenient for you, please do your crocheting or knitting at home. The shawls will then be blessed and distributed to the sick and elderly in our church and community. If you would like to be part of this ministry, but need instruction, please feel free to contact Carol Moquist at 281-216-9344.WELCA B/23(
S*45/(+: Meets the third Thursday of the month. 10:00am—Deborah Circle and 1:00pm—Agape Circle. The Circles will not in December and will gather for the WELCA Christmas Coffee on December 5th. The Bible study is taken from the Gather magazine, located on the literature rack in the commons area.
“Advent-ageous” Mid-week Prayer Tuesdays during Advent - December 1, 8, 15 (8:30am - 3:00pm)
Is life a little too busy for you right now? Do you get overwhelmed in this season? Is this time of year a difficult time for you?
On the Tuesdays in Advent, come to the sanctuary when you are able and take advantage of the space. The lights will be low and Taize music will be quietly playing. Light a candle on the altar and offer a prayer. Stay for a moment or for as long as you wish. In pausing in the midst of life, may you receive the gift of God’s peace and renewing presence.
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WELCA News
NEWS
SECOND ANNUAL EPIPHANY FESTIVAL AND SMORGASBORD Sunday, January 3, 2016
ONE Service at 9:30am
Brunch Smorgasbord at 10:45am
Heritage Fellowship during and following the smorgasbord Preparations are underway for the celebration of God's revelation of himself to all the nations of the world. To commemorate that God's word has spread to all nations, we will honor traditions of countries from which the ancestors and members of our congregation have come. Representatives of the Wise Men will participate in the worship as will the Star Children. Blessings of the Magi will be elaborated upon. In some cases food will be prepared the way it was in the "old country." We will have a "mini museum" in which artifacts from the country from which ancestors or congregants come will be featured. The mini museum will include an 1800s Bible printed in the Norwegian language and clothing typi-cal of that which is worn in Swedish festivals and photographs. Congregants are encouraged to bring items they would like to display Saturday while the committee is setting up for the event. Please attach a written explanation of the item that you will be sharing. A sign up table will be located in the Narthex the last three Sundays of the month. Please stop by to let us know if you will be attending, if you will provide food (it can be traditional American family favorites or food representative of your ancestral heritage), and if you have some Wise Men figurines that we can use to decorate the tables and if you are willing to help in the kitchen or help clean up. If you have questions of suggestions please contact the church office or Arlis Schmidt at 210-326-7447 or [email protected].
This event promises to be a wonderful celebration of the visit of the Magi.
WELCA December Calendar Tuesday, December 1, 1:00pm - WELCA Board Meeting Saturday, December 5, 2:00pm - WELCA Christmas Party (See below.) Tuesday, January 12, 2016, 12:00pm - WELCA General Meeting at the home of Martha Lind. Bible study will be led by Belva Latshaw. PLEASE NOTE: Agape Circle & Deborah Circle will not meet in December.
YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED TO A CHRISTMAS COFFEE FELLOWSHIP
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5TH FROM 2PM-4PM
HOME OF MAYREAN MCDONOUGH
St. Peter's women participate in many diverse groups within the congregation such as WELCA, Choir, Retiree Round Up, Altar Guild, Snip-its, 5 different Bible Study groups, Prayer Shawl
Ministry, Book Club, Gal’s Night In, Women’s Retreats, Youth Work, Council, Office staff, and School staff. Sometimes we are so busy that we barely have time to say hello on Sunday mornings. To promote more fellowship, the WELCA board invites ALL women of St. Peter's to a Christmas Coffee/Open House at the home of Mayrean McDonough on Saturday, December 5, from 2:00pm to 4:00pm. Please RSVP by December 1st. A lovely, festive afternoon has been planned. All you have to do is come and enjoy!
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Merry Christmas from the staff and students of St. Peter's School! We are having fun
anticipating Jesus' birthday this month! In addition to our regular curriculum, we are talking about
Mary and Joseph's journey, angels and shepherds, and that special night when Christ was born.
In November, the kids collected 156 grocery items to donate to the Marble Falls Helping
Center! We give thanks for the generosity of all who gave food. We continue to collect toys for
the Christmas Is for Kids drive. We would like to thank the wonderful families of our school, who are so giving
and make our school so special, and our faithful church volunteers.
We were fortunate enough to have some volunteer Community Helpers visit our school in November to
share with us their roles in the community. Dr. Margaret Jung (vet), Pastor Harold Vanicek, Dr. Leslie Rowe
(podiatrist), Nyla Quinn (occupational therapist) and Jeff Beltran (firefighter) all gave of their time to share
with our students! If you see any of these wonderful people, please thank them!
We also would like to thank Jan Starkey for remembering our school in her mother’s memorial – we will
be purchasing new musical instruments among other things in loving memory of Charline Nilsen. Her love of music
and children will continue through St. Peter’s Lutheran School. May the joy of Christ be with you this season!
Tracy Knight, St. Peter’s School Director
SchoolSchoolSchoolSchool NEWs
Youtherans
2015 Superkids Performance of“Carriers of the Light” Sunday, December 6th at NOON Special Youth Church Service at 9:30am
Lunch at 10:45am Superkids Performance begins at NOON
Christmas Caroling followed by Cocoa and Cookies at the Chisholms’
Saturday, December 13th at 5:30pm Everyone is invited to join us in the parking lot of the Hidden Falls Country Club in
Meadowlakes where we will gather to go Christmas caroling through the neighborhood. We will end at the Chisholms’ house for some cookies and cocoa.
Everyone is asked to bring 2 dozen cookies to share.
Dress Rehearsal Saturday, December 5th - 10am-12pm
Followed by lunch.
2015 Christmas Toy Drive Service Project2015 Christmas Toy Drive Service Project2015 Christmas Toy Drive Service Project2015 Christmas Toy Drive Service Project You and your family are invited to participate in this very rewarding project.
Friday, December 18th from 6:00pm-8:00pm all are invited to meet in the Middle School foyer to sort the toys for all the families.
Saturday, December 19th at 9:00am SHARP the “filling of the requests” begins. Join us for one or both days...this promises to be a rewarding family outing!
Would you like to be an ADVENT Family? This Advent season we will have families come forward at both services to light the candles on the Advent wreath and say the
prayer. If you are interested in doing so on one of the following dates please contact Cindy at [email protected] December 6th, 13th, or 20th
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Confirmation Class December Schedule This month we will conclude our study on The Lord’s Prayer. December 2 - Conclusion December 9 - Service Project and Christmas Party December 16 - Birth of Jesus December 23 & 30 - No Class (Have a Blessed Christmas!)
SPLAT Life St. Peter’s Lutheran Active Teens gather at the SPLAT house
on Sunday mornings for breakfast, games, fellowship, and prayer.
Being a Christian is more than learning a bunch of information and creeds. 99% of being a Christian is just showing up…gathering together because of Jesus…eating together…serving together…growing together to more fully understand and be the body of Christ. SPLAT SS is where HS youth are invited to “show up” together to be blessed and fed to go out and be a blessing for others. See our NEW weekly rhythm below.
9:30am - Gathering in fellowship hall for Sunday school gathering with everyone 9:45am - Head over to SPLAT House for Allyson Black’s breakfast + fellowship 10:00am - Engage a BIG QUESTION around the theme of the Sunday
SPLAT Sunday School Schedule
Sunday, December 6 - Learning what it takes to be a prophet (Isaiah 40:1-11) Sunday, December 13 - Rebuilding the Temple...with Gingerbread! (Ezra 1:1-4) Sunday, December 20 - Christmas Caroling with the Congregation Sunday, December 27 - NO Sunday School
SPLAT Wish List
New audio receiver (the old one is down to one input that works.)
Three cookie sheets for baking.
Please contact Pastor Vanicek for more information and details.
Confirmation
2015 Jr. High Retreat at Camp Chrysalis
16 youth and sponsors attended the Jr. High Confirmation Retreat at Camp Chrysalis in Kerrville, TX.
Back row: Jon-Erik Johnson (sponsor), Josh Orrison, Abbey Hanshaw, Pastor Vanicek, Tenley Holley, Rhiannon Patterson, Dylan Orrison, Brody Magerkurth
Middle row: Ellysa Zoeller, Amber Hibler, Matt Martin, Tyler Wooten
The Social Outreach Committee is asking for a donation of postage stamps for the inmates in the Burnet County Jail. The jail provides the inmates with 6 Christmas cards each to send to their families, but the inmates must provide their own postage. We would like to share the joy of the Christmas season with the people incarcerated right here in our community. To serve the 150 inmates, we will need a total of 900 post-
age stamps and we would like to have them collected by the first week of December so that we can get them to the jail and they can get their cards in the mail. Please place your stamps in the collection plates or bring them to the church office.
If you have any questions regarding this programs, please contact Greg Murrell.
Christmas service Projects
Christmas Is For Kids Service Project Christmas Is For Kids Service Project Christmas Is For Kids Service Project Christmas Is For Kids Service Project
Marble Falls Christmas is for Kids project began over 25 years ago when a group of local residents (several of them are St. Peter’s members) identified the need in our community of many children going without Christmas gifts. There will be collection boxes located in the narthex and the commons area through De-
cember 13th. You may drop off your unwrapped gifts for male or female children ages birth to 16 years old in one of those collection boxes.
See page 6 for information on how to help with the sorting and distribution.
For more information on this project, please contact Cindy Struchen or Marietta Williams.
Elves for the Elderly Elves for the Elderly Elves for the Elderly Elves for the Elderly is sponsored by Meals on Wheels of Burnet County
and has been a blessing to our community for over a decade by collecting
Christmas gifts for homebound residents of Burnet County. We will be collecting the items listed below through December 4th. The gifts are then delivered by volunteers to the homebound residents.
lotion, chap stick, comb/brushes, robes, night lights, flash lights, large print books, books of stamps, and $5 gift cards
Please wrap gifts and indicate on the outside of the package male, female or gender neutral.
For more information on this project, please contact Janice Estill or Kathy Nobles.
There is a Christmas tree located in the narthex filled with gift tags. These tags are for gifts to children, with greetings from their parent,
who is incarcerated in a corrections facility in Texas. This project is part of the Prison Fellowship ministry to inmates.
You may choose to donate $25 for a Bible or choose a tag with a child's gender, age, and gift
suggestions; purchase and wrap the gift; then return it to St. Peter's by December 13th.
The gifts will be delivered to the children before Christmas.
For more information on this program, please contact Carol Leighton.
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The Retiree Roundup is a fellowship group for retired persons of all ages. We meet on the last Thursday of each month (January through October) for lunch, a speaker or field trip, and visiting. Please reserve the dates
on your 2016 calendars, so you will not miss all the fun!
Church and Community
The�Listening�Team�
In October 2014, the Congregation Council formed a special team to begin the process of dreaming and visioning the future of St. Peter’s Lutheran Church with particular attention to building & ministry needs. This group then began a three-step process of listening: UP to God, OUT to the community, and IN to the congregation.
At each meeting and in between them, we take time to listen UP to God. Throughout the summer we focused on listening OUT to the community. The last few months we have focused on listening IN to the con-gregation. After completing and compiling our listening IN congregational survey, we met with small groups in October and November to share what we heard in each of the three phases of our listening. The team is now creating its final report to present to council and to the congregation in the coming months.
Should you have any questions or need further information please contact a member of the Listening Team: Charlie Selman, Carol Moquist, Steve Reitz, Allyson Black, David Martin, Amanda Fancher, Samantha Shirey, Pastor Casey, Pastor Vanicek, and Dave Leighton. Please also remember to hold this group and the work we are doing in your prayers.
Christmas Caroling for the Entire Family! Sunday, December 20th at 9:30am
During the Sunday School Hour we will be traveling to local
nursing homes and assisted living facili�es to sing
Christmas carols to the residents. Wear your fes�ve holiday hat.
Let’s make a joyful noise!�
P������’ C������� P ��� The Congregation Council has approved a recommendation to present Pastor Casey, Pastor Vanicek and
their families a Christmas purse. If you desire to make a contribution towards this purse, you may place an
envelope marked ʺPastorʹs Giftʺ in the offering plate or give your envelope to one of the Ushers. We would
appreciate your ʺgiftʺ by December 20, 2015. May God bless you all as we celebrate the birth of our Lord
and Savior.
Did you ever wish there was an opportunity to get to know other St. Peter’s members? Wish no more!!!! Groups will consist of about 8 people to meet 4 times during the year (your group makes your own schedule!) Look for a sign-up sheet in the Narthex. Groups
will be assigned in January. Bon appetit yall!
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Meals on Wheels Cookie Project Each month we will need . . .
17 dozen cookies by the 3rd Friday of the month (December 18th!)
You can bring the cookies throughout the month, and put them in the kitchen freezer marked "Meals on Wheels."
WE NEED YOUR HELP! LET’S FILL THESE SHELVES! Please bring non-perishable and canned foods to the church throughout the month and
leave in the grocery basket located in the Narthex. The last Sunday of each month they will be collected and delivered to
the Helping Center for distribution. We would like to challenge the congregation to shoot for a number of 100 in December!!! - 100 boxes of oatmeal or
cereal, 100 jars of peanut butter, 100 canned goods
church and community
Living�Green�
We seek to BOLDLY live and share God’s grace through reducing, reusing, and recycling. Contact Pastor Vanicek if you would like to be part of our group! Team members are: Betty Matejowsky, Amanda Fancher, Jayne Schoonmaker, Steve Wurfel, and Cal Clausen.
December Green Tip: Between Thanksgiving and New Year's day, Americans throw away a million extra tons [900,000 metric tons] of garbage each week, including holiday wrapping and packaging, according to Robert Lilienfeld. Lilienfield is co-author of the book Use Less Stuff: Environmental Solutions for Who We Really Are. So why not recycle holiday gift wrap? If every family reused just 2 feet [0.6 meter] of holiday ribbon, the 38,000 miles [61,000 kilometers] of ribbon saved could tie a bow around the entire planet!
When you light a blazing fire on a cold winter day it looks and feels wonderful, but it can be an expensive and inefficient endeavor. A fireplace sends most of the heat in your house straight up the chimney emitting as much as 24,000 cubic feet of air per hour to the outside! But, there are ways you can limit the loss of heat when enjoying a quiet evening by the fire.
•Reduce heat loss by opening dampers in the bottom of the firebox (if provided) or open the nearest window slightly - only about an inch - and close doors leading into the room.
•Keep it clean by hiring a chimney sweep to inspect your chimney each year. And keep ash and soot from collecting in the fireplace to improve efficiency.
•Install tempered glass doors and a heat-air exchange system that blows warmed air back into the room.
•Check the seal on the flue damper and make it as snug as possible.
•Use grates made of C-shaped metal tubes to draw cool room air into the fireplace and circulate warm air back into the room.
•Keep your fireplace's damper closed when you aren't using it.
•Consider a gas fireplace if you are planning to install a new one. These provide the enjoyment of looking at flames but can be 70% more efficient than regular fireplaces.
St. Peter’s Green Team is for anyone interested in
finding and sharing ways to care for God’s creation.
Helping Center Food Pantry
Energy Usage: November - 8,500kWh, $793
YTD - 89,633 kWh, $8,874
COPING WITH GRIEF SUPPORT GROUP Continues on Tuesdays, through December 15th
2:00pm – 3:00pm Room 212
Group facilitator is Arlis Flaten Schmidt, LCSW Emeritus. Please call Ms. Schmidt at 210-326-7447 or email her at [email protected] if you have questions or if you would like to participate in the group.
All who are dealing with the pain caused by the loss of a loved one are welcome.
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Church Business St. Peter's Lutheran Church Council
August 2015 Minutes The Council meeting was called to order by Craig Magerkurth at 5:35 PM. Present at the meeting were Pastor Casey, Pastor Vanicek, Judy Haverlah, Jerry Bostick, Kathy Nobles, Faith Trapp, Julie Causgrove, Craig Magerkurth, Dave Leighton, Kimberly Sandman, and Dick Schroer.
Pastor Casey opened the meeting with prayer and handed out a discussion sheet asking the questions "What comes to mind when you think of Together, Boldly living and sharing God's grace with all?" And "What do the words "With All" mean and/or look like to you?" Several meanings for "With All" were expressed as "Everyone" and "No One Is Excluded". Then the question was asked "What if a homeless person were to visit our church and how would we treat him? Discussion followed and Old Testament chapters Genesis 17, and Isaiah 52, along with New Testament chapters Matthew 28, Acts 17, and Revelation 22, were referenced. An interesting question was asked "Should we state in our sign "All are Welcome?" And "Why not put a sign at the Helping Center during Lenten Services to tell people needing help that there is food available at our Lenten Meals."
The minutes of the meeting July 21, 2015 were presented and a motion for approval was given by Faith Trapp and seconded by Judy Haverlah. Motion Passed.
The Treasurer's Report was given by Dave Leighton. He reported that contributions for July was almost the same as June, but the ex-penses were much higher. As a result the yearly receipts are less than the expenses. Dave stated that August receipts would probably make up the deficit due to August having 5 Sunday's. Building in Faith contributions continue to be enough to make our monthly mort-gage payments. All in all the church finances appear to be doing well. A motion to approve the Treasurer's Report was made by Jerry Bostick and seconded by Faith Trapp. Motion Passed.
Pastor Casey gave her report highlighting upcoming special services and citing that help would be needed for the potluck dinner on Rally Day August 23, 2015. The September 13, 2015 church services will begin The New Lectionary. God's Work Our Hands will be held on October 18, 2015. Pastor Casey also reported that the Listening Team has completed the Listening Out portion of their survey and is getting Listening In surveys into church members hands between August 23 and September 6. A new member’s class is sched-uled for September 27, 2015.
Pastor Vanicek gave his report stating that the Child Protection Committee had finished their work and that those who work in the church office would meet for an hour on August 30th at the Phoenix Center to discuss the manual and for training. Lindsey Humphrey from the Phoenix Center will also help in the training. Pastor Vanicek also stated that the character description for a High School Youth Minister has been completed. The committee is now working on the financial aspect and how to pay for it.
Complete reports for staff members are available in the office.
The Property Committee has asked for volunteers (individuals or families) to take the responsibility for up keeping a flower bed, but has had no success. It was suggested at the Council Meeting that maybe we should have a Congregation work day in the fall with a fol-low up in the spring. The date is to be determined but will happen in October or November. The Portico Area Roof and Stucco needs to be repaired due to water damage. Steve Reitz will be giving us a cost. The Janitorial Contract has some minor changes to be made but should be in force by September 1, 2015.
Faith Trapp reported that the Helping Center is in need of cash. Only one church in Horseshoe Bay gives monthly. Could we give more? No action was taken.
Moments of gratitude followed and the meeting was closed by saying the Lord's Prayer.
Faithfully Submitted, Richard L. Schroer
The Nominating Committee is receiving names for consideration for the 2016 Council Members 2016 Council Members 2016 Council Members 2016 Council Members until December 6thuntil December 6thuntil December 6thuntil December 6th
If you are interested in being a council member or would like the team to consider someone,
please contact one of your Nominating Committee members:
Craig Magerkurth, Jerry Bostick, Faith Trapp,
Bryan Hicks, & Julie Causgrove.
St. Peter’s Is Hiring
St. Peter’s is now hiring a new Sec/Admin Assistant. Hours of work are 8am–3pm, Monday through Friday. Job responsibilities include, but are not limited to: office management, maintaining church records, clerical work for staff and church ministries, coordinating church calendar, and bookkeeping. This position also includes office management and secretarial duties for St. Peter’s Lutheran School.
Interested parties can request a copy of the full job descrip-tion from the church office.
Applicants should submit a cover letter and resume to the church office by 3pm on Monday, December 7th.
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830-693-2253
Office H
ours:
www.splcmf.org 8:00am—3:00pm ♦
Monday—Friday
SPLC DIRECTORY Senior Pastor Rev. Danielle Moore Casey 830-693-2253 [email protected]
