Dear friends of Jesus at Peace,

News for Sunday of March 15th, 2026

Lessons this week: Isaiah 42:14-21, Ephesians 5:8-14, John 9:1-7, 13-17, 34-39

Songs this week: We Walk By Faith and Not By Sight, Christ is the World’s Light, Be Thou My Vision

Call deliberations - what do we need?

Friends, in November 2016 the people of God at Peace issued me a divine call to serve them and the community with the gospel of our Lord Jesus. I’ve worked with you since then and many people have added their voice to that call.

When Peace issued that call, we had particular needs and concerns? Since then, many things have changed but we are committed to our mission.

So I ask you - what does Peace need now? When you assess the congregation and the community, what needs loom large before you? For example…

  • Vision - the clear direction of the congregation tis January was the need for vision

  • Volunteer development - we want to engage more people in the ministry

  • Cooperation - in the fall of 2025 there was more interest to cooperate with other congregations

These are just a few needs I have in my mind as i consider my work here at Peace. What do you see as the great needs?

I’d like to discuss these needs and more at a call conversation on March 22nd after the service.

Can we trust this good news? Is it true? Is it real? Can we rely on it?

Lee Strobel argues that “the resurrection of Jesus Christ is the best attested event of the ancient world.”

Thomas Arnold said, “I have been used for many years to study the histories of other times, and to examine and weigh the evidence of those who have written about them, and I know of no one fact in the history of mankind which is proved by better and fuller evidence of every sort, to the understanding of a fair inquirer, than the great sign which God hath given us that Christ died and rose again from the dead.” (Thomas Arnold, Christian Life, Its Hopes, Its Fears, and Its Close, 6th ed. (London: T. Fellowes, 1859), pp. 15-16.

This evidence leads Tim Keller to write, “If Jesus rose from the dead, then you have to accept all that he said; if he didn’t rise from the dead, then why worry about any of what he said? The issue on which everything hangs is not whether or not you like his teaching but whether or not he rose from the dead.” (Tim Keller,

Join me for an Easter talk on March 21st at 9:30 on the reality of the resurrection. Got a friend with questions? This is the talk for them. Love to see you! Reach out to me if you have any questions or suggestions.

Some other Easter things to note:

  • Easter service Sunday April 5th at 9:30 am

  • light breakfast, egg hunt, and activities to follow

  • Invite friends and family https://www.facebook.com/share/17fNQLB8Uy/

  • Easter choir will sing. Practices March 15th, March 22nd and March 29th after service

  • Easter set up April 4th

  • Easter candy - we’re collecting candy for our Easter egg hunt.

  • I’ve CANCEELLED our Easter meal baskets

  • Palm Sunday processional with palms on March 29th

    Until then, see you Sunday at 9:30 am.


Gospel Spotlight

This week I sat with a young man who has a long past with our churches but his life has taken him a very different direction. I was able to tell the group that we want to love others because of Jesus. That’s it. Nothing more.
I don’t know what he thought. Maybe he was bothered. But he heard me say it. and that’s what matters.

Where did you see the gospel at work this week? Hit reply and share your Gospel Spotlight moment this week!"

Prayer Highlight

I want to invite you to pray for the many hurting families in our community. I learned this week that there are at least 20 families in Otsego-Plainwell who have no place to call home each night. However we might pray for them here, we pray the words of our Savior:

““Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” (John 14:1-3)

We pray this in the name of Jesus our Lord, Amen.


Our sick or homebound friends - Judy Haugh, Brenda Grimm, Shirley Kling, Darlene Syers, Irene Haas, Maxine Sandahl, Marge Gavan, Don Hutchinson, Tanya, Terry and Kyley

Need a prayer? Hit reply and share your prayer request

Christian Neighbors update

The February update from our local helping organization, Christian Neighbors, is available here. https://christianneighbors.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/February-2026-Website-2.0.pdf

We send about 50 items a month to Christian Neighbors as well as most of the people who reach out to us for assistance in physical needs. They are a great organization to work with.

 

Calendar

March 15th 9:30 am Service and catechism

March 16th 9:30 am Facility and site maintenance work session

March 20th 11:00 am Ladies Guild

March 21st 6:30 pm Bunco

March 21st 9:30 am Special Easter lecture

March 22nd 9:30 am Service, call conversation

March 28th 9:30 Easter door knocking

March 29th 9:30 am Palm Sunday with palm processional

April 2nd 6:30 Maundy Thursday service

April 3rd 6:30 pm Good Friday service

April 5th 9:30 am Easter service and lunch

April 19th 10:45 Usher training






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Peace Lutheran Church 805 S Wilmott St Otsego, MI 49078

269-694-6104 https://peaceotsego.org