Prince of Peace is a... • Hub of spiritual transformation using God’s Word, Sacrament, and Prayer, • Equipping us to build networks of vibrant Christian communities, • Extending to our homes, to our neighbors, and beyond, making disciples of Jesus. Worship Saturdays 5:30pm Sundays 8:15 & 11am Sunday School & Adult Education 9:45am Contact Church 703-451-5855 School 703-451-6177 Fax 703-569-0978 8304 Old Keene Mill Rd Springfield, VA 22152-1695 www.poplc.org THE PRINCE OF PEACE COMMUNICATOR VOL. 2 NO. 1, JANUARY 2019 Pg 2 - BoSL Update Pg 3 - GO! Ministry Pg 4 - GO! Results Pg 5 - Students Pg 6 - Women Pg 7 - PoP School 50th Pg 8 - Praying As One Pg 8 - Lutherans for Life Pg 9 - Oh My Son Pg 10 - Worship Flags Pg 11 - Sparklers Pg 12 - Calendar SENIOR PASTOR CALL COMMITTEE UPDATE In early December, the Southeastern District (SED) returned the list of candidates to the Senior Pastor Call Committee (SPCC). The list of candidates includes some names that Prince of Peace sent to the SED in October plus additional (Continued on page 2) CHANGES TO THE 8:15 WORSHIP SERVICE The Worship Team has received a number of requests to have Holy Communion offered more frequently, particularly from those who regularly attend the Sunday 8:15 service. In January, therefore, Prince of Peace will begin offering (Continued on page 10) Epiphany: A Light Has Come (by Stacey Crosson) Have you ever sat in the window seat on an evening flight and as you approach your destination, you gaze on the city below and see thousands of tiny lights shining in the darkness? I imagine each light representing a handful of people. I wonder about their stories and what is happening under their tiny roofs as I hover in the skies above. I also wonder what God thinks, as he looks from afar, contemplating on this beautiful orb filled with millions and millions of lights He has created. It amazes me that with each light He sees, he knows her/his name, a creature he formed personally and intimately…a specially crafted human being, a special, bright light shining forth in the deep darkness of space. In order to see light, it has to be covered in darkness. From the beginning of the first chapter of Genesis, we experience a God who draws forth the light out of darkness. In Genesis 1:3-4, God called forth the light and it was good. He separated, or set apart, the light from the darkness. It’s what God does. (continues on page 9)
Transcript
Prince of Peace is a...
• Hub of spiritual transformation using God’s Word, Sacrament, and Prayer,
• Equipping us to build networks of vibrant Christian communities,
• Extending to our homes, to our neighbors, and beyond, making disciples of Jesus.
Senior PaSTor call coMMiTTee UPdaTeIn early December, the Southeastern District (SED) returned the list of candidates to the Senior Pastor Call Committee (SPCC). The list of candidates includes some names that Prince of Peace sent to the SED in October plus additional (Continued on page 2)
changeS To The 8:15 WorShiP ServiceThe Worship Team has received a number of requests to have Holy Communion offered more frequently, particularly from those who regularly attend the Sunday 8:15 service. In January, therefore, Prince of Peace will begin offering (Continued on page 10)
Epiphany: A Light Has Come (by Stacey Crosson)Have you ever sat in the window seat on an evening flight and as you approach your destination, you gaze on the city below and see thousands of tiny lights shining in the darkness? I imagine each light representing a handful of people. I wonder about their stories and what is happening under their tiny roofs as I hover in the skies above.I also wonder what God thinks, as he looks from afar, contemplating on this beautiful orb filled with millions and millions of lights He has created. It amazes me that with each light He sees, he knows her/his name, a creature he formed personally and intimately…a specially crafted human being, a special, bright light shining forth in the deep darkness of space.In order to see light, it has to be covered in darkness. From the beginning of the first chapter of Genesis, we experience a God who draws forth the light out of darkness. In Genesis 1:3-4, God called forth the light and it was good. He separated, or set apart, the light from the darkness. It’s what God does. (continues on page 9)
Senior Pastor Update (Contined from page 1) names for consideration. In some instances, names Prince of Peace had submitted were removed by the SED for various reasons, including: the nominee was not open to a call at this time; the nominee was otherwise ineligible to serve as a Senior Pastor; or the nominee had positions or practices that do not align with those of Prince of Peace. While some names were removed, President Denninger added other names based on a match between our Congregational Profile and the practices/positions of the candidates. There are currently 11 candidates on the list; the SPCC has reviewed the Personal Information Forms and the Self Evaluation Tools. Steps 5, 6 and 7 of the process are complete! The SPCC will begin phone interviews in Step 8 following the holidays. We are excited to be at this step of the call process and we thank God for His guidance and care. Please keep all deliberations, decisions and upcoming phone interviews in your prayers.Also, the SPCC and BoSL would like to recognize and thank Kim Robinson for her many contributions to Prince of Peace. Kim and Hugh Robinson moved to Georgia over the holidays where Hugh has begun a new job. We pray for them as they relocate—for blessings in their new home, church, neighborhood, and job and in thanksgiving for the benefit of being near to Kim’s parents and their three college-aged children.As always, questions or concerns can be shared at any time with BoSL at [email protected] or at a monthly BoSL Sunday Listening Forum.
BudgetBudget $102,328 Income $107,120 Expense $107,829 Deficit $-709
A Gift For You from Prince of PeaceWe are excited to share that our church has access to an extensive video library called RightNow Media! It’s like the "Netflix of Video Bible Studies" and has a HUGE library of faith-based videos that you can access whenever and wherever you want for your small group or personal Bible studies—on your phone, iPad, computer, or at home on your TV.
The church staff, is looking for ways to help you develop and strengthen your faith. We believe that RightNow Media will be a tool to serve you as you live out your faith at home, at work and in your neighborhood. RightNow Media has videos for everyone—kids, youth, parents, married couples, college students, single adults, working professionals—all aimed at helping you grow. It's FREE! Sign up now! https://www.rightnowmedia.org/Account/Invite/PrinceofPeaceLutheranChurch | [email protected]
Steps 1-7 Completed!
60 + volunteers (including our Girl
Scouts from from Unit 52-10) decorated the
church for Christmas!
44 members have stepped up to be i-Neighborhood points of care!
GO Project for January:New Year! New Socks!Each month POP focuses on an outreach project we can all work on together. For January consider donating a pair of NEW SOCKS to the homeless. Please drop off your socks in the GO box in the Narthex throughout the month of January. The socks will be delivered to the Central Union Mission in downtown D.C. [email protected]
GO! POP Communicator Page 3 JANUARY 2019
Go Church.Go Local.Go World.
Thank you to the congregation and preschool families who participated in Operation Christmas Child. This year, we surpassed our goal by collecting 185 boxes. The shoeboxes will help share the love of Jesus with children around the world. Thank you, Olivia Frego.
God is good all the time!Prince of Peace wants to celebrate all the good things that
have been happening and how thankful we are for the many volunteers so here are some highlights...
50 + volunteers (including people from Troop 1145 and
our ethnic congregations) for our clean-up day!
POP Communicator Page 4 JANUARY 2019
POP Families Caroling
Online giving is increasing: $30K
donated in November!
$2,400 of quilts have been sold to support
Lutheran World Relief!
50+ kids and adults had fun at Advent paint night!
HIS Family Time has blessed our school families with God's
Word and yummy meals each Wednesday in Advent!
$50,000 POP & Love in Action donations were sent to a Kenyan orphanage and $25,000 of POP's anniversary tithe was given to the
Leesburg, VA mission.
Because of a Thrivent grant and Arla Albers, we have fresh women's and men's restrooms!
The Sacrament of Holy Baptism for Rahamim,
Yosef, and Kessed Mezmur ZeMichael!
The 19th annual
Christmas concert!
We encourage you keep your eyes open for more POP good news stories in 2019. Send in your photos and sightings to [email protected].
Giant Food donates
through POP Women to help a local
family!
NEW Paper Cups! The Church took action and now the planet is benefiting from it. The new cups are 100% biodegradable and recyclable, meaning no waste nor chemicals will be in our streets, waterways, or landfills. There is a generous company, who are eco-friendly, offering the church a discount for the yearly cost. However, without all the donations Ava and Ella Crosson received the passion wouldn’t have become action. Ella and Ava are grateful to all those who shared their appreciation for the planet. Even though, the Church body is now eco-friendly, there is a even better option to save the planet and money. Prince of Peace will be purchasing new coffee dispenser that will fit a range of mugs and travel mug sizes, which means, PLEASE BRING YOUR OWN MUGS -Ella Crosson
POP Communicator Page 5 JANUARY 2019
Sunday School9:45-10:45am
Meet in Youth Room
MidweekSenior High Youth
Weekly, 7:00-9:00pm
Prayer + Praise Third Wednesday, 7pm
Youth Room
Follow @poplcva_students on Instagram!
Sign up for the Student Ministry email blast: http://
Monarca in Flight is Northern Virginia’s first studio devoted primarily to aerials and aerials education. This introductory, 90-minute class will cover basic poses, shapes, and climbs on the silks and sling. More information can be found at http://www.monarcainflight.com/. Cost is $20. [email protected]
Faith Shapers Book Study GroupTuesday, January 22, 7 to 9 pm
Faith Shapers will discuss a book of the Bible, 1 Samuel. Join us as we tackle some key moments in Old Testament history, from the birth of the prophet Samuel through the kingship and death of Saul and the anointing of David as the next king of the Jewish people.Looking ahead, we’ll discuss The Very Good Gospel by Lisa Sharon Harper on February 19. Start reading today! Faith Shapers meets in Room 11 at Prince of Peace. For more information, contact Jennifer Gross [email protected].
Join Women of the Word in 2019!Let’s start our new year with a renewed commitment to connect to God and his word. Join your sisters in Christ on Wednesdays or Sundays! Wednesday WOW: Begins, January 16, 9:30 – 11:30 am, in the fellowship hall for fellowship, worship, and Bible study. We have all new studies, so it’s a great time to invite a friend or neighbor! Gathering Day, a time of fellowship and devotion, is on January 16, and three new studies start on January 23. Look for our brochure in the Narthex for more information. (Hebrews for Everyone by N.T. Wright; Walking in the Dust of Rabbi Jesus: How the Jewish Words of Jesus Can Change Your Life by Lois Tverberg; Gideon: Your Weakness. God’s Strength by Priscilla Shirer) Sunday Morning WOW: On January 6, we launch a new year together with Joining Jesus on His Mission. During the Epiphany months of January and February, we will explore the mission of Jesus in our own neighborhoods. Join us at 9:45-10:45 am in Room 11 (downstairs). [email protected]
Prince of Peace Lutheran SchoolCelebrating 50 Years of Ministry
In Him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. ~Ephesians 2:21
Prince of Peace Lutheran School opened its doors in the fall of 1969 to 41 students from the church and surrounding community. The school began with the encouragement of the congregation, the foresight of our founding Pastor, Ralph Wiechmann, and the creative energy and inspiring leadership of Marianne Maxwell Latall. Throughout the last 50 years, our school has served as a primary outreach to our neighborhood and to our community, nurturing the faith life of little ones and their families. During its entire five decades, the mission of the school has remained the same: to “share the gospel of Jesus Christ in word and deed with young children and their families through excellence in education.” It is such a blessing for us now to be serving the children of those who themselves attended Prince of Peace Lutheran School.We plan to celebrate this joyous occasion during the weekend of April 27 & 28, 2019, so mark your calendars now! It will be a very special celebration that you don’t want to miss! Watch for more information to come in the Communicator, the website, www.poplc.org/school and on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/PrinceofPeaceLutheranSchool/.
Prince of Peace Anniversary Team; Heidi Frego, Bonnie Hughes, Lisa Wentzel, John Durkin, Cindy Deatherage, Marcel Page
Prince of Peace Lutheran School Registration Registration for the 2019-2020 school year for Preschool and Kindergarten will begin on Thursday, January 31st for our current School, Church, and Alumni Families. We encourage you to take advantage of this early registration before it is open to the community on Saturday, February 9th. Our school is proud to be accredited by NLSA National Lutheran Schools Accreditation. To ask questions, to learn more
about our programs designed for children from 2 1/2 through Kindergarten, or to schedule a tour, contact Marcel Page, our Registrar, at 703-451-6177 or [email protected]. Kindergarten Information Night ~ Monday, January 14th 7-8pm Be sure to visit our website at www.poplc.org/school. Tell your family, friends, and neighbors about Prince of Peace Lutheran School Community Open House on Saturday, February 9th from 10:00 am - 12:00 pm. [email protected]
Winter and Spring EducationThe new year is a great time to get connected to Christ with a new individual or group study! Our Education team will be promoting some new and exciting classes for 2019. Look for more information the first two weekends of January at the Welcome Center in the Lobby. [email protected]
Sundays, January 13 - February 10, 9:45-10:45am, room 21 Come and join us on a journey into the cultural, geographical, and historical time of those entering the Promised Land and life of the Old Testament prophets and kings through
Ray Vander Laan’s That the World May Know class. Vander Laan’s onsite teaching at locations throughout Israel will not only yield appreciation for the location and setting within which God proclaimed His Word, but will also provide thoughtful application of God’s Word in the Christian’s life. Jackie and Frank Faulhaber [email protected] Photo by Mohammad Usaid Abbasi
Spanish composer Marcos Galvany. The work is in the style of Handel’s Messiah with chorus, soloists, and orchestra. The Music Ministry will be presenting this work throughout the 2018/2019 liturgical year. The nine chorus numbers will be spread out in conjunction with the choir’s standard anthems. A special full performance will be held on April 27th at 8 PM which will combine the Chancel Choir, Junior Choir, HIMnals, Orchestra, and four soloists.Adapted from the Godpel’s accounts of the Nativity and Passion, Oh My Son tells the story of Jesus of Nazareth through a series of short scenes, or tableaux. The opera emphasizes
the humanity and emotions of each character and reminds us that while we most often hear the narratives from a divine point of view, all of the individuals in the accounts are very human, facing deeply human struggles. Though Jesus resigns himself to God’s will in being crucified, He
is overwhelmed in the face of death and His Father’s seeming abandonment. Mary, when tested with the death of her son on the cross, suffers in agony before coming to acceptance. At the foot of the cross is a grief-stricken sinner, who cries out in desperation that she cannot help the man who once saved her from a life of sin. Even Pilate, before he hands Jesus over to the priests to be crucified, struggles between uncertainty
and belief. This opera is the story of the cross in its many human dimensions—grief, betrayal, compassion, doubt, faith, and redemption. But most of all, Oh My Son is the story of a selfless and world-changing act of love. [email protected]
POP Communicator Page 9 JANUARY 2019
(Ephiphany continued from page 1) In Exodus 10, we see God again separating the light. Egypt was in deep darkness but all the Hebrew homes had light where they lived. How was that possible? We understand when we hear the words in 1 John 1:5, “God is light and in him there is no darkness at all.” The light conveyed in Exodus 10 was that of God’s light shining in His tiny Hebrew hearts.For centuries, the prohets encouarged God’s people to shine forth His light and to not allow the darkness to overcome it. It’s really the greatest temptation for us as humans, to get sucked back into the darkness and have His light snuffed out. It’s impossible not to. It's what we do.So how can we remain in the light this coming year? Stay connected to Jesus, the Messiah, the “true light, who gives light to to everyone” and “in whom there is no darkness.” (1 John 1:5-9).” Allow our light to shine before others “so they may see our good works and praise our Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16). Remember that one day we will be in God’s glory where no darkness exists and He is our constant light. (Revelation 21:22-26) We look around and most days see so much hurt, darkness, disease. But even in the darkest night God’s love draws forth a golden light From human hearts whose faith believes Messiah’s presence, we receive.
POP Communicator Page 10 JANUARY 2019
8:15 Worship (Continued from page 1)Holy Communion each Sunday at the 8:15 service. Saturday evening will continue to have Holy Communion each week as well, and Holy Communion will continue to be offered on the first, third, and fifth Sundays of each month at the 11:00 service. The Altar Guild is an essential team that enables us to offer communion during these services. Please consider joining the Altar Guild. The Guild welcomes you to join them in serving this way, so if you are interested, or have any questions, please contact Gretchen Letvin, Robin Beasley, or a member of the Worship Team.The Worship Team has also observed that many attending the 8:15 service enjoy using 'Divine Service, Setting Three", from our Lutheran Service Book Hymnal for the order of worship. (For those of you who remember using The Lutheran Hymnal, "Divine Service, Setting Three" is the same as the order of worship on page 15 of The Lutheran Hymnal.) In the past, we have used this order of worship on the fifth Sunday of the month. Starting in January, we will also use "Divine Service, Setting Three", on the third Sunday of every month. For the first, second, and fourth Sundays of the month, we will continue to use "Divine Service, Setting Two", during Christmas and Epiphany and plan to return to "Divine Service, Setting One", at the start of Lent. [email protected]
Flag ColorsWe use flags to convey worship, praise, prayer and declarations of God’s truths. Flags represent something. One way it is conveyed is through the color(s) of the flag(s). Some of the meanings for the different colors are: Red the blood of Christ, love, our salvation, redemptionGreen healing, life, growth, creation, Creator, glories of GodBlue Holy Spirit, heaven, grace, revelation, Word of GodYellow Glory, presence of God, joyWhen deciding on which flags to use for a service, we take into consideration the theme of the service and the selected songs. We also think about the church’s liturgical season. One of the first songs we flagged to was “My Lighthouse.” During the chorus, when it talks about the light going out and guiding us, a flagger ran the “fire” streamer around the perimeter of the sanctuary to the front of the cross. This was to represent the Holy Spirit going out into our community and gathering His people back to God.If you have any questions regarding worship flags, feel free to contact M.E. Sorenson. Flag practice is open to anyone who wants to experience the different types of flags. Practice is held on the 1st and 3rd Sundays, 4:30 – 5:30 p.m. [email protected]
Caregiver Essentials ClassMonday, January 28, 12:30-2:30pm, Fellowship HallJoin us for this education series to learn more about Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, other memory impairments, and to build your skills as a caregiver! Learn more about normal aging and signs of dementia, tips for better communication with someone with the disease, and local resources that are available to help. We take a break for the holidays, but we resume next month. We will learn how to reconnect with someone with dementia. Keeping their current abilities in mind, learn ways to keep your loved one engaged in personalized activities. [email protected]
New Trash EnclosureThanks to Eagle Scout candidate, Robert Martin, PoP will have a new trash enclosure. You might notice the new cement foundation on the exit side of the back parking lot. Next Spring, Robert plans to build a new enclosure and the dumpsters will be moved. This will move the trash from the entrance and allow more parking spaces on the Giant side. Thanks Robert for your work!
Sparklers LunchJanuary 18, 1130, Fellowship Hall January is our soup and salad month. Please bring your signature soup or a salad to share. We will be entertained by the Hollin Hall Seniors Band.
You dont want to miss next month when Deaconesses Sally Hiller from the South Eastern District Office will be our guest speaker. [email protected]
