Dear friends of Jesus connected through Peace,
Happy New Year and thanks for Christmas!
Welcome to 2026!
I pray that your Christmas celebration was filled with joy and you are headed into 2026 with all the zeal of Jesus.
Even though it was warm, we had a great Christmas service with new and old friends. We gathered, heard the good news, sang carols, and ate cookies! God came as an infant. It was great.
Thank you for sharing the good news with your friends and family. Thank you for trusting us to tell the gospel on Christmas Eve. And thanks for worshiping the Savior of the world with us.
2025 was a good year together. A couple of wonderful people professed public faith in Jesus. We’ll recount 2025 next week. God be with you in 2026!
Lessons this week: Isaiah 42:1-7, Acts 10:34-38, and Matthew 3:13-17
Songs this week: “Baptized into Your Name Most Holy”, Psalm 45, “Christ Begins”, “Peace Came to Earth”
See you Sunday at 9:30.
Undecorating
We’ll “take down the bows” (ie undecorate) this Sunday January 11th after the service. Please join us.
Gospel Spotlight
Christmas was a great chance to share the gospel. We passed out 100 Christmas messages at Otsego’s Hometown Christas, shared a Christmas message with 400 local friends and family, and welcomed 100 to our Christmas Eve service - mostly people outside our congregation.
Where did you see the gospel at work this week?
Prayer Highlight
A new year brings a chance for a new start and all kinds of opportunities. Please pray for our new year!
“Lord God, your mercies are new each morning. We recognize that each day we get to repent of our sins and leave those sins behind, then go forward with forgiveness and the power of the Spirit. Send us forward in a new year with your new life. Empower us to follow you faithfully.
“In Jesus’ name we pray,
“Amen.”
Our sick or homebound friends - Judy Haugh, Brenda Grimm, Shirley Kling, Darlene Syers, Irene Haas, Maxine Sandahl, and Marge Gavan
HEAR: Read your Bible and Hear God in 2026
How are you listening to God through his Word this year?
I would encourage everyone to try to read through their Bible no matter how long it takes.
One good system is the “HEAR” system. The “HEAR” system has a journal with a reading plan that lets you read and apply God’s Word.
Let me know how you plan to read God’s Word this year, and if I can help you with the “HEAR” system, I’m glad to!
Forward in Christ/Mediations - Publications
Our synod offers two main periodicals: Forward in Christ (a monthly magazine) and Meditations (a quarterly devotion booklet).
We help individuals who want to receive paper editions subscribe. We receive a discount that way. If you’d like to subscribe to either of these, now is the time. For new sign-ups or if you have questions contact the office or Charlie Kling @ (269) 903-7091
These periodicals are also available electronically https://online.nph.net/forwardinchrist.
Seeking Nominations
Paul and Barnabas traveled and appointed leaders in the churches (see 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 appoint leaders 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 to nominate.
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.
A few qualifications for our elected positions are as follows:
Must not be a new convert; some spiritual maturity
Voting member of the congregation
Male, in good standing
Positions open for nomination
For the 2026 calendar year, the following positions are open for nomination:
Vice-president/treasurer - responsible for oversight of the facility and finances, fills in for president
Maintenance coordinator - responsible for coordinating the upkeep of the facility
Elder (not council) - responsible for the spiritual health of the congregation
Head usher - responsible for coordinating our ushers
Music coordinator - responsible for assisting pastor in coordinating music for our services
We’d be glad to partner with you in any of these areas. For the whole team, visit Team – Peace Lutheran Church (peaceotsego.church)
If you have any questions about these positions or serving at Peace, please speak with Pastor Timmermann.
Ushers
Ushers serve a simple but important role in the life of our congregation. Ushers
welcome people to the service
provide a friendly face
pass out service outlines and other materials
direct people to seats
watch for emergency situations
keep the doors locked as needed
We’d like the men among us to get this done. We’ll have a training in the new year.
Here is a description of the ushering work. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1t197IyxfQ1yFJ_CG4jO42jp5DCkuXmyd-yVAU5Swa9A/edit?tab=t.0
Please reach out to the office (269-694-6104) if you can take a month or stop by the next steps table to sign up.
There are a number of spots open for ushering for next year still. We’re looking for people in March, July, August, September, October, November, and December.
Through the Bible
Envelopes
Offering envelopes for those who would like to support the gospel ministry of Peace via cash or check are available. These allow you to receive credit for gifts for tax purposes.
Giving via bank account or debit/credit is available online at https://peaceotsego.org/give.
Christianity Explored
I love the privilege of sharing the good news of Jesus with people, because the gospel is so much better than we can imagine.
I’m starting the next session of our group to explore the basics of the gospel on January 26th 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 an adult and 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 contacting me at 269-694-6104.
Calendar
January 11th 9:30 am Service and catechism, Christmas undecorating after service
January 13th 6:30 pm Team and Task Time
January 15th 6:30 pm Bible study
January 16th 11:00 am Ladies Guild
January 17th 9:30 am Christian Theology
January 18th 9:30 am Service and catechism
January 19-21st Lutheran Leadership Conference https://peaceotsego.org/peacenews/lutheranleadership2026
January 26th 6:30 pm Christianity Explored
February 1st 10:45 Voters’ Meeting
February 7th 9:30 am Evangelism workshop
July 14-17 Youth Rally
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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