I'm taking stock of 2023. As we roll into the new year, I and the rest of the council summarize our 2023 ministry and then begin the process to see what to do next. Here are some highlights from 2023:
Our most attended service was Easter, followed shortly by Christmas Eve
We saw the most guests at Christmas Eve, followed by confirmation
We added one new musician to our team (Helga), with two others starting to join the team
We gave $149,xxx worth of gifts to support gospel ministry through Peace
Our most watched videos of the year were our Christmas invite https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bCWOAxChCk, followed shortly by our service encouraging “Confess”! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2eSbiF3QkU
For more info on all the gospel work we did together this year, please join us at our annual meeting. Our 2024 meetings to review our 2023 ministry are
Congregational forum January 21st 10:45 am
Voters’ meeting January 28th 10:45 am
You are welcome to attend and provide feedback, suggestions. Our voters are expected to attend.
Notes will be posted here. https://peaceotsego.org/peacenews/202401voters
Pastor T is glad to join you and lead you in God's work, help you share the gospel, and serve you with God's Word. If you would like prayers, would like to study God’s Word more carefully, or want to share the gospel with others, please reach out to him. We’re glad to do God’s work together!
Christianity Explored
The gospel is so much better than we could ever imagine.
The next session of our group to explore the basics of the gospel and God’s Word so that we can follow Jesus will start January 22nd at 6:30 pm.
This group is eight weeks and provides all the information you need to get to know the gospel.
If you have any questions, please contact the office 269-694-6104 or church@peaceotsego.org
If you are interested in joining Peace Lutheran Church, this is the place to start.
The 8 sessions cover
Gospel
Identity
Sin
The cross and suffering
Resurrection and life
Grace and forgiveness
Following Jesus
God’s gifts
You can let me know you’re coming by signing up below or contacting me at 269-694-6104.
Financial Peace
Get peace of mind as you start 2024. Be financially solvent without financially focused.
Financial Peace helps us
defeat debt
overcome inflation
and forge a new future.
Join us for a high speed session of Financial Peace at Peace Lutheran Church.
Saturday February 10th 9:30 am - 4:00 pm
Sunday February 11th 12:30 - 3:30 pm
Childcare, snacks, and lunch will be provided.
You can let me know you’re coming or sign up below!
131 YouthCrew Tubing
January 21st 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. we’re tubing at Timber Ridge. Students 6th grade to senior in high school welcome!
Dinner and study after 5:00 at Peace. Be done at 6:00.
Cost is only $25 with a group over 20 so bring your friends and we’ll have a great time! Please register with your pastor by January 15 because we have to save spots.
Look forward to some winter fun with you.
In Jesus,
The 131 Youth Crew team - Pastor Dave Rockhoff, Principal Luke Schershel, Pastor Nathaniel Timmermann
Shannon Schwartz
Sue Olivares
Darlene Syers
Tom Richmond
Danny Bosch
January ushers are Dan Doran and Josh Gower
February ushers are Dan Doran and Eric Szczembara
Giving statements are in mailboxes on site. Please pick them up if you can. Offering envelopes are there for those who use them.
Easter Team - I know it’s early, but it’s time to get ready for sharing the good news that Jesus is alive. Pastor is putting together a team. Here are some things to help with: prayer team, invites, meal, decorating, service, egg hunt. We’d love to have your help with any and all of this. Get ahold of pastor and I can get you on the team!
Nominations
We’re currently considering individuals to help the congregation carry out its mission.
Paul and Barnabas did this work as they traveled around according to Acts 14:23, “Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust.” Paul told Titus to do this in Crete when he worked there. “The reason I left you in Crete was that you might put in order what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you.” (Titus 1:5) From the Bible, we learn …
to have local elders or leaders of various sorts
Elders, deacons and other ministry workers should come from the local group. Every church should have people who can use God’s Word in people’s lives, whether they help students, young adults, or seniors. God’s people work together.
People mature in the Word should select the next generation. Many people should have involvement.
Selecting leaders happens alongside spiritual practices – prayer, fasting, careful assessment of what is undone, and discipline
Currently our nominating committee is seeking qualified men for certain positions. If they contact you, please prayerfully consider serving and contact pastor.
The people of Peace are also welcome to make nominations. Please contact pastor or our congregational chairman. You may nominate yourself if you would like.
We will look for people who show signs of gifts and developing spiritual maturity to lead God’s people. The use of individual gifts is more important than simply filling a role.
One person provided some wise advice for selecting leaders: “Most churches make the mistake of electing the competent, the confident, and the successful; whereas what you really need is a man who has been broken by the knowledge of his own sin, and restored by an even greater knowledge of grace. That kind of elder (or other leader) can lead the congregation in being the chief repenter: repenting more quickly, more publicly, more often and more deeply.” Please pray for all the current and future servant-leaders of Peace.
Qualifications for our elected positions are as follows:
Must not be a new convert; some spiritual maturity
Voting member
Male, in good standing
Positions open for nomination
For the 2024 calendar year, the following positions are open for nomination:
Vice-president/treasurer - responsible for oversight of the facility and finances, fills in for president
Elder (1-3) - responsible for spiritual health of the congregation
Secretary - responsible for records and legal standing of the congregation
We’d love to partner with you in any of these areas. For the whole team, visit Team – Peace Lutheran Church (peaceotsego.church)
Christian Neighbors
We made some good progress on Christian Neighbors in 2023!
Christian Neighbors provides professional, thoughtful, appropriate assistance for people of Otsego - Plainwell. Unlike most assistance organizations, Christian Neighbors is supported through donations. When it comes to food, they primarily rely on local congregations.
Thank you for your donations. They make a huge difference.
Total donations for 2023 were 618 items, up 6% from 583 in 2022. Great work and thank you!
Upcoming events (full calendar)
January 21st 10:45 Congregational Forum
January 21st 3:00 pm 131 YouthCrew tubing
January 22nd 9:00 am Facility work time
January 22nd 6:30 pm Christianity Explored
January 28th 10:45 Voters’ meeting
February 10th 9:30 am Financial Peace https://peaceotsego.org/peacenews/financialpeace2024winter
February 17th 9:30 Evangelism workshop
Got this from a friend? Sign up here!
Unsubscribe? Email church@peaceotsego.org
Want to visit with pastor? Schedule a visit/meeting.
Have a suggestion or comment you’d like to share? Let us know!
Would you like to donate to Peace? Please use the link for online giving
Peace Lutheran Church
805 S Wilmott St
Otsego, MI 49078
269-694-6104
https://peaceotsego.org